Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Carrot and Jerusalem artichoke salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Jerusalem artichokes, peeled or well scrubbed
1 pound carrots, peeled or well scrubbed and trimmed
1/4 cup chopped chives
2 tablespoons chopped dill
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons capers

INSTRUCTIONS:
Use the slicing attachment of a food processor to thinly slice the chokes. Then stack the halves and cut julienne. Put the shredding attachment on the food processor and grate the carrots. (An alternative is to slice the chokes by hand and use a hand grater for the carrots.) Put vegetables into a mixing bowl with chives and dill. Mix remaining ingredients in a cup. Add to vegetables and toss. Let sit 30 minutes before serving.

Quinoa Pilaf with Jerusalem Artichokes

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup quinoa
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1-1/4 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup chickpeas, cooked or canned, (drained and rinsed)
1 cup peeled, chopped Jerusalem Artichokes
1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1/4 tsp pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:
Place the quinoa in a large bowl; fill with cold water. Pour into a strainer, then return the quinoa to the bowl and rinse 4 times more (this removes the bitter shell). Drain well.

Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rinsed quinoa and cook, stirring, until it cracks and pops, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the chickpeas, artichokes, peas, and pepper, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Jerusalem Artichokes Quick Bread

INGREDIENTS:
2 medium Jerusalem artichokes
2 cups spelt or whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
Herbs: basil, coriander, thyme, sage, dill (whatever you like best)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 carrot
1/2 of a turnip
1/2 of a parsnip
1 stalk celery
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 to 1 cup water
2 Tablespoons maple syrup

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Finely chop the chokes into very small pieces. Place in a bowl with the spelt or flour, baking soda, baking powder, herbs, and salt Grate carrot, turnip, and parsnip into the mixture. Finely slice celery, and add to the mixture. Add soy milk, maple syrup, and enough water to moisten the entire mixture. Pour into a greased baking pan, or bread pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer pierced through the middle of the bread comes out clean. Remove from the pan, and place on rack to cool.

Lentil, Carrot, and Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

Ingredients:
1 cup dry french green lentils
3-4 cups broth
1 onion, chopped
2-3 carrots sliced (more if you like carrots
2-3 Jerusalem artichokes, sliced
Pinch of saffron
1/2 bunch greens
2 tablespoons yogurt

Instructions:
Chop up your onion in medium-thin pieces. Sauté in oil. Add carrots. When onions are soft, add a pinch of saffron and stir. Add your lentils and Jerusalem artichokes, and broth. Cook covered until lentils are very soft. Salt to taste. Turn the heat very low and use a stick blender for a few five second intervals in the soup to thicken the broth by blending a bit of the lentils and vegetables. Chop the mustard greens and add them, turning the heat off. Stir in a few tablespoons of cream. Salt and pepper as desired.

Jerusalem Artichokes

STORAGE: Keep the tubers wrapped in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

PREPARATION: Scrub the sunchokes clean with a vegetable brush. Since much of their nutrients are stored just under the skin, it's best not to peel them. Once cut, sunchokes discolor quickly, so it's best to cut them close to serving time, or cut and immerse them in water with lemon or vinegar to prevent oxidation. Cooking them with the skins on may cause a darkening of the skins because of their high iron content.

RAW: Slice sunchokes and enjoy the crunch they add to your salad. Slice and serve them along with crudites and dips. Shred them into a slaw. Dice them into a chopped salad. Slice, dice, or shred and marinate in a little extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice or rice vinegar Coarsely chop sunchokes and add to the blender when preparing raw soups.

STIR FRY: Slice, dice, or shred and stir fry along with other fresh vegetables in a little extra virgin olive oil. They will become softened in about 4 to 6 minutes. For a tender crisp texture, stir fry about 2 to 4 minutes.

BAKED: Sunchokes can be baked whole or sliced. Toss them in a bowl with a little extra virgin olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Set the oven temperature at 375 and bake 30 to 45 minutes for whole, and 20 to 25 minutes for sliced, turning them half way through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

STEAMED: Coarsely chop the Jerusalem artichokes and put them into a steamer basket. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue at high heat and steam for 5 to 8 minutes. Test for softness. Remove and season to taste or mash like potatoes.

BOILED: Sunchokes can be boiled whole or cut as desired. Bring a covered saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add sunchokes and boil for 10 to 15 minutes for whole, and 5 to 8 minutes for cut up. Season as desired or mash like potatoes.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Moroccan Millet Lentil Stew

This Moroccan-inspired recipe is easy and inexpensive to make, using primarily staple ingredients, dried spices and root vegetables, but it lacks in neither presentation nor taste.

Ingredients:
2 dried chili peppers, covered in boiling water and soaked for 30 minutes
1 T. oil
½ medium-sized onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
6 cups vegetable stock
2/3 cups millet
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
3 T. tomato paste
½ t. cayenne pepper
½ t. coriander
1 t. cumin
½ cup chopped dried prunes
½ cup chopped dried apricots
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Salt, to taste

Instructions:
Finely chop the softened dried chili peppers, removing the stems and seeds. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a 3-quart stockpot or saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is fragrant and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the broth, millet and lentils. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the remaining ingredients except for the chickpeas and salt, turn down the heat, cover and let simmer for about 35-45 minutes, or until lentils and millet are tender.
Add in the chickpeas and simmer for 10 minutes more.
Salt to taste and serve hot.

Corck pot Millet Stew

from http://www.ellenskitchen.com/recipebox/graincrock.html


Ingredients:
1 cup millet
4 cups water
2 onions, wedged
2 potatoes, chunked
2 carrots, chunked
1 cup celery with leaves, chunked
1/2 lb mushrooms, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme or marjoram

Instructions:
Toast millet in a dry skillet for about 5 minutes. Stir constantly to avoid burning. Put millet in crock pot, sauté vegetables if you have the time and inclination.
Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.