Vegetarian Black Beans

Soup: 
    2T vegetable oil
    3 medium onions, minced
    3 celery ribs, chopped medium (bean-sized)
    2 medium carrots, chopped medium (bean-sized)
    6 medium garlic cloves (2T), minced
    5t ground cumin
    1/2t red pepper flakes
    6 cups vegetable broth (5 cups if using pressure cooker)
    1lb dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
    2 bay leaves
    2T minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

Garnish suggestions: 
    cilantro, minced 
    red onion, minced
    sour cream
    avocado
    

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. 

2. Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, cumin, pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Transfer the vegetables to the cooker insert and stir in the broth, black beans, chipotle chiles, and bay leaves until evenly combined. 

4a. In the slow cooker: Cover and cook on low until the soup has thickened and the beans are tender, 8 to 10 hours. (Alternatively, cover and cook on high for 6 to 7 hours.)

4b. In the pressure cooker: Cook on high pressure for 47min and release pressure naturally.

5. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Meanwhile, puree 2 cups of the soup in a blender until smooth, then stir back into the pot. 

6. Stir in the cilantro, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Spinach artichoke dip

INGREDIENTS

• • Topping:
  • 2 slices white bread, quartered
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • Dip
  • 1(14-ounce) can artichoke quarters
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 2 tsp pressed garlic
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 6 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
  • Pinch cayenne pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. FOR THE TOPPING: Pulse the bread in a food processor to coarse crumbs. Toss the bread crumbs with the Parmesan and butter.
   2. FOR THE DIP: Chop the artichokes coarsely and squeeze or pat dry. Squeeze dry the spinach.
   3. Cook onion until softened in skillet over medium-high heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chopped spinach and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
   4. Stir the mayo, cream cheese, Parmesan, lemon juice, thyme, and cayenne in a large bowl and then stir in the onion mixture and artichokes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top.
   5. TO STORE (optional): Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
   6. TO SERVE: Bake on middle rack at 400 degrees, uncovered, until hot throughout and the bread crumbs are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. 

Ribollita (Vegetable Stew)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

5 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 tablespoon crushed garlic (4-6 cloves)
Salt and ground black pepper
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (including juice)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 pound chopped kale, collards, chard, or spinach (about 2 bags or 1 large farmer's market bag)
4-6 large, thick slices of toasted whole-grain bread (The denser and heartier the better to avoid it getting soggy)
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino romano (omit to make vegan)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. When it’s hot, add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Add beans, tomatoes, stock, rosemary and thyme to pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice to break up the tomatoes.

3. Stir in the greens. Toast bread and lay slices on top of the stew so they cover the top. Scatter red onion slices over the top, drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with Parmesan.

4. Put the pot in the oven and bake until the bread, onions and cheese are browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.

Adapted from a recipe by Mark Bittman in the NY Times

Rice Salad with Avocado and Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

For rice:

1.5 cups brown rice

2 tsp salt

2 tsp lime juice

For mix:
2.5 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 jalapeño chile, minced
5 scallions, sliced thin

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add rice and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, 23 to 25 minutes. Drain rice, transfer to parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet, and spread into even layer. Drizzle rice with lime juice and let cool about 15 minutes.
2.  2. Whisk olive oil, honey, garlic, lime zest and juice, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Transfer cooled rice to large bowl. Add tomatoes, avocado, jalapeño, and dressing; toss to combine. Let stand for 10 minutes.
3. 3. Add ¼ cup scallions and cilantro; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with remaining scallions and serve.

Red lentils with kale

Ingredients:
For Dal:
2 c split red lentils, rinsed
3 c water
1 t salt

For vegetables:
4 T oil and butter
2 t cumin seeds
4 t black mustard seeds

2 hot red chilis or red pepper flakes to taste
2 t ginger paste
2 t garlic paste
1 t turmeric
1 t ground coriander (optional)
1/2 t ground cumin (optional)

1 onion, diced (optional - it's good even without)
1 large bunch kale, washed and chopped
1 tomato, diced (optional)
1 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped (optional)
salt to taste

1. Simmer dal, salt, and water for roughly 10 minutes, on low once it comes to a boil. Skim off foam near beginning

2. While this simmers, in a nonstick pan, fry butter, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds till they begin to pop. Add chilis through turmeric for a few seconds till aromatic.

3. Add onion and cook till soft.

4. Add kale and tomato and cook till reduced.

5. Once dal is cooked, combine spinach mixture, garnish with cilantro and serve over rice.

Source: amalgam of a Madhur Jaffrey, Cook's Illustrated, and an eCurry recipe.

Egg pasta with stand mixer

Ingredients: 

• 4C flour
• 3/4 t salt
• 2 t olive oil
• 3 large eggs
• ? water

Directions: 

1. In a measuring cup, combine salt, olive oil and eggs. 
2. Add water until total amount of liquid measures 1.3 C. This measurement is accurate for a standard North Carolina day. The actual correct amount of liquid will need to be adjusted up or down depending upon humidity (subtract 1T for a humid day, 2T or 3T if it is raining, etc). 
3. Add flour to stand mixer and attach the mixing / batter attachment (not a dough hook). 
4. Set the mixer to low speed, and slowly add the egg mixture in a steady stream. 
5. Allow the ingredients to fully combine (a minute or two). 
6. Stop the mixer, replace the batter attachment with a dough hook, and allow the dough hook to knead for at least 15 minutes. Observe the consistency of the dough and add additional water or flour in (at maximum) 1T increments. Allow each increment to fully incorporate before reevaluating. 
7. When dough has reached correct consistency, remove from mixer, divide evenly into two pieces, shape each piece into a ball and wrap dough balls tightly in plastic wrap. 
8. Place dough in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days, or in freezer for up to 3 weeks.

Frittata with Grated Zucchini

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pound zucchini, grated (about 4 cups)

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

8 eggs

2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup) (too bland for our palate. try charcoal-aged goat cheese, or a sharp cheese like parmesan)

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (too bland for our palate, try fresh thyme or rosmary)

Instructions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet. Add the zucchini. Cook, stirring, until the zucchini begins to wilt, about two minutes. Stir in the garlic. Cook for another minute or until the zucchini has just wilted — it should still be bright green. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.

2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with the goat cheese. Add salt and pepper, and stir in the zucchini and the dill.

3. Clean and dry the pan, and return to the burner, set on medium-high. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet. Drop a bit of egg into the pan; if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Tilt the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking.

4. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time, remove the lid, tilt the pan and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a wooden spatula so that it doesn’t burn. The bottom should have a golden color. The eggs should be just about set; cook a few minutes longer if they’re not.

5. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Uncover the pan and place under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for one to three minutes, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn’t burn (at most, it should brown very slightly and puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, and shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn’t sticking. Allow it to cool for at least five minutes and for as long as 15 minutes. Loosen the edges with a wooden or plastic spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold.

Yield: Six servings.

Adapted from NY Times Recipe.

Squash, White Bean and Kale Ragout

Published by: NY Times, November 14, 2007 Time: 1 1/4 hours 

1 3-pound butternut squash

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

2 tablespoons maple syrup 

2 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar 

1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste 

1 teaspoon ground black pepper 

Pinch of cayenne 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

4 large leeks, cleaned and chopped, white and light green parts only 

2 large garlic cloves, pressed 

2-3 large rosemary sprigs (remove twigs after cooking)

2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 

2 cups vegetable broth 

1.5 bunches kale, center ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 bunches or 1 large farmer's market bunch) 

2 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (with box grater, not microplane) ( 1/2 cup), more to taste

1/3 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped, plus whole berries for garnish 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, peel pumpkin or squash. Trim stem, then halve pumpkin or squash and scoop out seeds (save for roasting if desired). Cut flesh into 1-inch cubes. 

2. Spread cubes out on a large rimmed baking sheet. In small saucepan, combine butter or canola oil, syrup, 1 teaspoon vinegar, kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and cayenne. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until butter melts; pour mixture over squash and toss to coat evenly. Roast, tossing occasionally, until pumpkin or squash is very tender and caramelized at edges, about 30 minutes. 

3. In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks, garlic, rosemary and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are very soft and not at all browned, about 15 minutes. Add beans and broth and simmer for 10 minutes. 

4. Stir in kale, and cheese if desired. Simmer until kale is cooked down and very tender, about 10 minutes. 

5. Stir in pumpkin or squash and chopped cranberries; season with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Garnish with additional cranberries and sea salt, and serve. 

Yield: 8 to 10 side-dish servings; 6 main-course servings.

Delicious; and an instant thanksgiving classic. Make sure not to skimp on the cider vinegar and maple syrup, more cayenne pepper would be easily tolerated by most.