Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Vegetarian Chili

Photo by Keren Kurtz. Keren's variation uses kidney
beans and omitted the zucchini.
I've been meaning to make a chili for a while. Last week, I just decided to change the menu and go.

Meredith and I had eaten so much meat the previous week, that a vegeterian meal was going to be the way to go. Fortunately, I found a great recipe to use as a base, and I substituted from there based on whatever we happened to have in the fridge. Thanks, Emeril :-) I'll post a link to the original more complex and Dan un-friendly recipe (corn? ewwww) on Wednesday as well.
Vegetarian Chili
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 3 onions, chopped
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 zucchini, diced
  • 1 package (227g) fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespooon ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 can tomatoes
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1 bottle tomato sauce
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1 cup basmati rice, cooked according to instructions
  1. Heat the oil and fry onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and cook for 5-8 minutes.
  3. Add the chilli poweder, cumin, salt, cayenne and cook for another minute.
  4. Add the tomatoes (break apart with a wooden spatula).
  5. Add the beans and tomato sauce and bring to a low boil.
  6. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.
  7. Add tomato paste to thicken and simmer on low for 5-10 minutes.
Serve with basmati rice.

(inspired by Emeril's vegetarian chili)
Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Mushroom and Spinach Curry

I love it when friends from out of town visit. We get to spend some down time together, just talking. Not necessarily running around from restaurant to restaurant.

A couple of weeks ago, a good friend from Sweden visited, and, of course, we had to make a nice big meal. My original intention was to make a Moroccan dish and some salad, but mushrooms were on sale. A big sale. So I had to buy some.

I ended up deciding to make a mushroom curry with spinach in addition to the salad and chicken tajine, and it tasted great.

"But Dan," you ask, "you can't mix flavours like that!"

"No, no," I reply, "it's fusion," meaning, I can do whatever I darn well please.


Mushroom and Spinach Curry

Curry powder:
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Remaining ingredients
    • 2 medium onions, sliced
    • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
    • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 3/4 kg mushrooms, roughly chopped (approx. 3 packages)
    • 1/4 c water
    • 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, shredded
    • 1/4 kg spinach (1 bag)
    • 2 tbsp lemon juice
      1. Combine spices for curry powder and set aside.
      2. Heat oil and fry onions and garlic until lightly browned
      3. Add curry powder and stir for 1 minute.
      4. Add the mushrooms and thoroughly stir to coat the mushrooms with the curry mix.
      5. Add the water and stir.
      6. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
      7. Stir through the baby spinach leaves. When wilted, remove form heat.
      8. Sprinkle with coriander and lemon juice and serve with rice.
      Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

      Wednesday, November 11, 2009

      Beef Braised in Guinness

      Photo by Jo-Anna of A Pretty Life in the Suburbs. Jo-Anna
      made this recipe as her Secret Recipe Club assignment for
      March 2012.
      Cleaning off the front of my fridge (layers of notes, photos, magnets and drawing), I found a recipe that I've had for several years.


      An undisclosed number of years ago, I went out with some cousins for drinks. I had a little too much, but the pub was great. It was the fist time I'd been to Fionn MacCool's on the Esplanade. The entertainment was a couple of guys playing an acoustic guitar and a fiddle. All heck broke loose when they started playing Guns n' Roses -- it was fantastic!

      Anyway, while we were drinking, we ordered a big basket of fries. The waxed paper lining came with a recipe for Beef Braised in Guinness. That recipe has been on my refrigerator ever since -- actually prepared only once in a blue moon.

      Beef Braised in Guinness
      • 4-1/2 lb (2kg) rib beef trimmed and cubed
      • 4-5 tbsp flour
      • cooking oil
      • 4-5 garlic cloves
      • 1 lb (450g) onion, thinly sliced
      • 1 pt (560ml) light beef stock
      • 1/2 pt (280ml) Guinness
      • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
      • 3 tbsp brown sugar
      • 2 tbsp mustard, prepared
      • 1/4 tbsp cloves, ground
      • salt
      • pepper
      • bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, bay leaf)
      1. Preheat oven to 325-degrees F.
      2. Cover beef cubes in flour.
      3. Heat oil and brown beef in several batches, followed by garlic and onions, removing all to an ovenproof dish.
      4. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil on stove top, then cover and place in oven.
      5. Cook until meat is tender, about 60-90 minutes.
      Serve with boiled potatoes and buttered carrots.

      Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

      Wednesday, November 4, 2009

      Chickpea and Rice Pasta Salad

      Photo above is a quick version that doesn't include
      the "salad" ingredients listed below. 

      Iron Chef: working with limited ingredients

      Meredith is experimenting with liming certain foods, so we're getting creative putting together menus. Pizza and pasta appear frequenly on our menu when Jacob is around, and gluten and dairy are high on the "consume less" list. So are tomatoes and onions, two of my staple ingredients (my sister-in-law is now laughing at me, thanks).

      Last week, I borrowed bits of a chickpea salad recipe from Moosewood and turned it into a pasta salad. It worked quite well and contained everything we needed in a good meal. I put the onions and tomatoes in my dish only.

      Chickpea and Rice Pasta Salad

      Chickpeas and dressing
      • 1 can chickpeas, drained
      • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
      • 2 tbsp olive oil
      • 2 tbsp lemon juice
      • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
      • salt
      • fresh ground black pepper
      Pasta
      • 1 bag (approx 500g) rice pasta (penne or rotini)
      • 1 tsp olive oil
      Salad (optional)
      • 1 cup broccoli florettes
      • 1 cup cucumber, quartered and sliced
      • 1/4 cup finely minced red onion
      • 1 tomato, diced
      • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
      1. Combine the ingredients for the chickpeas and dressing and let marinate in the fridge (overnight is best). Toss mixture occasionally to allow flavours to mix.
      2. Cook pasta following the directions on the package, then drain with cold water, toss with 1 tsp olive oil and set aside.
      3. Toss the pasta, salad, chickpeas and dressing.
      (inspired by Gingery Marinated Chick Peas from The Moosewood Cookbook)
      Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen
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