Kale and Chickpea Stew

Kale and Chickpea Stew
Originally uploaded by kel h

this is based on a recipe for Lentil and Kale Stew from Jiko....The Cooking Place in my Delicious Disney cookbook. I made this with the Kale from my CSA farmshare, and grape tomatoes and mirepoix I have from Trader Joes. I always seem to have red potatoes around.

Ingredients:
2 cups chickpeas (I used dried this time. the original recipe calls for lentils)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 cup chopped onion
2 stalks celery chopped
2 carrots peeled and chopped
(In my case I had a container of prepared mirepoix from trader joes I used instead)
2 garlic cloves grated1 bunch kale washed and thinly sliced
1/2 pint grape tomatoes halved
3 red potatoes cubed
32 oz chicken stock (in this case fake chicken stock made from "Better Than Boullion", which I love)
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp ground black pepper
Olive Oil and Grated Parmesan for garnish

Directions

Heat olive oil with bay leaf, carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Add Kale and simmer for 5 min
Add tomatoes and potatoes
Add cooked chickpeas, stock, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 min
Add parsley and pepper. Season to taste.
Top with cheese and olive oil if desired

It's hearty and tasty. The restaurant this recipe is taken from does african cooking as part of the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Probably the best vegetarian food in all of Disney World.

This is a picture of my dad, sister and brother in law at Animal Kingdom for my sisters birthday.

The cookbook claims it tastes better the next day. We shall see :P

Fetet Hummus

Fetet Hummus
Originally uploaded by kel h

(made at the cooking class at Yasin's for Teri's Birthday)

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups cooked chick peas (reserve 1 c broth)
1/2 c lemon juice
4 tbsp tahini
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp syrian red pepper (aka aleppo pepper)
1/4 c parsley
2-3 tbwsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 large pita, toasted
1 head broccoli cut into small pieces

in blender puree 1/2 c chickpeas, 1 cup broth, and the lemon juice. Transfer to bowl and mix in tahini, garlic, half of the pepper and half of the parsley. it should look like super runny hummus

melt and brown the butter

crumble the pita into quarter size pieces.

layer as follows

bottom layer: crumbled pita
on top of that: broccoli
on top of broccoli: chickpeas
on top of chickpeas: pour the tahini sauce (aika runny hummus)
pour the browned butter over the whole thing, then sprinkle the rest of the pepper and the parsley

Thanksgiving Menu

Here is what I made for our Thanksgiving meal that we had at 1pm. Keep in mind there were only four of us. I just really like cooking. The menu was:
Turkey and Gravy
Homemade sage stuffing
Apple, Onion, Butternut Squash, and Sweet Potato Gratin
Roasted Veggies (brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, and butternut squash)
Stuffed Delecata Squash
Whipped potatoes with celery root, garlic and buttermilk
Homemade cranberry sauce
(not pictured: Apple and Pumpkin Pie)

I don't really feel like going in depth about all of it (gotta rest up for black friday and all), but there are a couple of things I am really pleased with



Roasted Veggies



This is superduper easy and tasty.
Preheat the oven to 400
Cut brussel sprouts in half and then notch the core with a knife
Cube some other root veggies. I like purple potatoes for color, and butternut squash and sweet potatoes
Toss with olive oil, sea salt and cracked pepper and spread out in a layer on a baking sheet
cook 10 min, stir, and then cook another 10
add some more salt and peper to taste and there ya go! If I'm feelin super fancy I will add some chopped garlic in the last 5-10 min

Chickpea and Craisin stuffed Delecata Squash



(taken from Gothamist)
Chickpea-Stuffed Delicata Squash
for the chickpeas
1/2 can chickpeas
4 C water (or, better yet, mushroom broth)
1/2 C dried cranberries
1/2 C tawny port
2 smallish delicata squash
Salt, sugar & olive oil to taste

Preheat your oven to 475 F.

Mix the dried cranberries and port together in a bowl. Microwave 30 seconds, then set aside for 30 minutes.

Slice the squash in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds. Lightly slather the squash with olive oil and salt. Fill a small pan 1/4 inch with broth and place sqash in pan skin up. Bake them for 15 minutes, or until tender.

Add a pinch of salt to the port/cranberries, then transfer them to a small pot and simmer until the port reduces to a syrup.

Drain the chickpeas, then fry in safflower oil on medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Drain on paper towels.

When the chickpeas are ready, toss them with the cranberries and port syrup.

Place a squash ring in the center of each plate. Fill each squash ring with the fried chickpea mixture.


The only other thing I have to add about this thanksgiving is that adding one peeled and cubed celery root to the potatoes really added something interesting to the flavor, and I highly recommend it.