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Smoky Hummus
I really enjoy hummus, especially all the different flavors that are out there. It a delicious accompaniment with vegetables, chicken, fish or even with some pita and a salad- it’s a complete meal! My husband loves it with a warm tortilla or on a piece of toast for breakfast. In the past I have always purchased it from the super markets but since I was hosting a book club, I decided to make it at home. I already had plenty of tahini leftover from the baba ganoush I made last week and I had plenty of canned chickpeas as well- so I was all set. A neighbor had offered her Mom’s recipe and I was thrilled because you know one can’t go wrong with a Mom’s recipe! I modified it to my taste, of course! I like things spicy, especially if they have a smoky aspect to them. When I was thinking about making hummus, chipotle in adobo came to mind. I love the flavor the smoked jalapenos impart in all the dishes. I decided to pair it with smoked paprika- which I consider a magic ingredient- it brings any ordinary dish to another level. It is great in stews, soups and potatoes. I make a citrus chicken where the main ingredient is smoked paprika- it’s delicious. The smokiness reminds me of eating tapas!
In this case, I served the hummus with pita chips. Mostly we have it with fresh veggies or spread thick on a nicely toasted piece of baguette topped with a fresh ripe tomato- it is out of this world.
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 5 garlic cloves
- ½ cup tahini (sesame paste)
- Juice of 3 lemons
- Zest of 3 lemons
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil- plus more for drizzling
- 4 tablespoons water or liquid from chickpeas
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (use more if you like it more spicy)
- Sprinkle of sweet paprika
Process all the ingredients in a big processor until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Add more liquid if needed.
Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika.
Mango Lassi with Cardamom
Mango lassi is synonymous with Indian restaurants all over the US and probably UK. I don’t remember drinking a whole lot of it in India for some reason (we used to drink the savory version with just yougut, water, salt and cumin)… I do recall drinking a lot of mango milkshakes though! Back then we used to make milkshakes with only milk- no ice cream. So, when we moved to the States, I was very surprised to see shakes made out of ice cream- still am not use to the idea!
I digress- mango lassi is extremely popular in restaurants- it definitely helps cool the palate down. What I don’t like about the lassi served outside is that it can be quite heavy and unhealthy- most of it is made with heavy cream or even ice cream- not what a typical lassi should be. It is supposed to be a very refreshing drink to cool one down in the summer heat. The yogurt also helps with digestion. I used non-fat greek yogurt in this recipe- it is extremely creamy without all the fat. I also used less sugar than normal- the pulp already has added sugar and the drink doesn’t really need too much of it- I feel it takes the mango flavor away if it’s too sweet. I decided to add cardamom seeds to the lassi. Cardamom has a very aromatic and delicate aroma and gives the lassi an additional layer of flavor. The mango flavor dominates the drink but the cardamom aroma comes through in a subtle but a very clear way.
I was teaching an Indian cooking class and it was one of those beautiful spring afternoons. I decided to make the lassi as an introduction to the Indian food we were preparing. It was a nice cool refreshing drink to enjoy while we cooked and chatted!
- 1 cup non-fat greek yogurt
- 1 cup 1% milk
- 1½ cups mango pulp or 3 fresh mangoes, stoned and sliced
- 4 teaspoons turbinado sugar
- 4 cardamom pods, crushed and the green skin taken off
Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend for 2 minutes. Pour into a pitcher and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve with ice cubes to thin the lassi out a bit. Makes about 4 glasses.
Sauteed Cabbage with Peas and Coconut
So, the Wilson Farm story continues- the last thing I bought from there was a green cabbage. Now, cabbage is not my favorite thing to eat but my husband absolutely adores it- and since he was right next to me while we were shopping, he insisted we buy it. He usually enjoys a sauteed cabbage dish that my sister-in-law makes for him but the problem is she lives about 3000 miles away in Seattle! So, the poor guy doesn’t get to eat the yummy preparation. Since I have never made it for him, I felt a little sorry and decided to give it a try-how hard could it be, I thought. My sister-in-law is a great cook so I had quite a task to tackle. I thought of calling her for the recipe but decided to put my own spin on it instead. I added peas and coconut to it which gave the dish a really nice sweetness. Once the dish was cooked, it screamed for a little lemon juice to balance all the flavors out- I was quite happy and it actually came out really delicious- even I enjoyed it! I have to say- I will eat anything that is cooked with mustard seeds, curry leaves and coconut!!! The real judge was my husband- well- I got two thumbs up! He really enjoyed it- a lot, he said! My daughter tried it reluctantly- but made a strange face- not a bad one though. I guess you can’t please everyone!!
- 3 cups green cabbage, shredded
- 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 7-8 curry leaves
- 2-3 dry red chilies
- 2 Serrano chilies, deseeded and chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
- ½ cup shredded coconut (packaged is fine)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Juice of half a lemon
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the mustard seeds, red chilies and curry leaves. Cook on high heat for 30 seconds or till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the onions, Serrano chilies and ginger. Saute for 5-6 minutes on medium high heat, stirring constantly. Add the cabbage and coconut, stirring constantly. Add the turmeric, cayenne pepper, coriander powder and salt. Stir and lower the heat and cover. Cook the dish covered for at least 20 minutes or till the cabbage is wilted and soft. Take the cover off and increase the heat. Add the peas and stir constantly for 7-8 minutes, careful not to burn. Adjust seasonings and add the lemon juice.
Baba Ghanoush
While we were at Wilson Farms in Boston I did some grocery shopping. I bought these lovely looking Sicilian eggplants. I had never seen purple and white eggplants that looked like large tomatoes before and so I had to buy them- really not knowing what I would do with them.
I get obsessed with an ingredient and keep using it repeatedly. Dill is it this week. I still have some in my fridge left over from the potatoes I made last week. I felt I needed to use it in an eggplant dish. I thought of Caponata but wasn’t sure if I could use dill in it. I remembered an Indian dish called Baingan Bharta that is made out of grilled eggplant, onions and tomatoes,etc. I also thought of Baba Ghanoush– which is a middle eastern eggplant dip eaten with pita and vegetables. I decided to incorporate the two dishes and make my own. So I grilled the eggplants; cut up some onions and garlic and cooked them with olive oil and cumin seeds. I then processed everything together including tahini, cilantro and dill. We had a different kind of a dinner that night- more like the one you have on a summer night sitting out on your deck. I decided to serve a baguette with the eggplant spread. I needed a protein and of course chicken sausages came to mind. I bought some cilantro sausages and feta cheese. I made a green salad with some fresh herbs and that was it. I had forgotten how much I love feta cheese. The salty flavor went really well with the creamy spread. We had a cabernet with the extravaganza although in the summer I think I would wash the meal down with a crisp rose!
- 2 medium eggplants, about 1 pound- Sicilian Eggplants are recommended but any will do
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus some extra for coating the eggplant
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup dill, coarsely chopped
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pierce the eggplants in a few places with a fork, so steam has somewhere to go when you cook them.
Coat the eggplants with some olive oil and place on a grill, until the skins are wrinkled and black, and the eggplants are shriveled and soft; turning often. (Eggplants can be roasted in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 30 minutes)
When the eggplants are cool enough to handle, split them open and scoop out the flesh, discarding the skin and as many seeds as possible. Keep aside.
In a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic and cumin seeds. Cook on a medium heat for 5-6 minutes till the vegetables are soft.
In a food processor, combine the onion and garlic mixture, tahini, lemon juice, cilantro and dill; puree until smooth. Add the eggplant; season with salt and cayenne pepper, pulse again to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.
Avocado Salad with Lime Dressing
Looking at this salad cheers me up- it gives me hope as I wait for the weather to get warmer! Since I made the chorizo rice and beans yesterday- I was looking to make a fresh crisp salad to go with it. Avocados came to mind and I thought I should go with the lime and roasted cumin seeds theme from the rice dish. Initially I was looking to incorporate some greens in the salad- but as I thought about it more, I realized a chopped salad with peppers tomatoes and avocado may be the way to go. Right before serving the meal, I decided to add the salad on top of the rice instead of as a side. I also drizzled some of the lime dressing on top of the rice. Well, it was a fantastic idea- if I do say so myself!! The different textures were fabulously happy in my mouth. The creamy rice with the chorizo melted against the crunchy peppers and green onions. The tanginess of the dressing brought out the smokiness of the rice and beans. Of course the silky avocados were delicious as well. Overall it was a very successful dish- well, I guess the red wine didn’t hurt!
- 1 ripe avocado, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 orange pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium tomato, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 green onions, chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Lime dressing
Add all the vegetables in a medium bowl. Add half of the dressing with salt to taste. Mix well and keep aside for an hour. Add the rest of the dressing before serving.
Lime Dressing
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, ground
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
In a small bowl, whisk the limejuice, cumin seeds and honey together. Slowly add the olive oil and whisk the lime mixture. Add salt and pepper and taste for seasonings.
Chorizo Rice and Beans
People get very happy when I come up with one-pot meals! This dish came about after I watched a cooking show where the host was making a black bean soup with chorizo. I absolutely love chorizo and am always looking of ways to use it in different recipes. Chorizo reminds me of all the tapas bars we frequented in Barcelona and Madrid. I love the rich taste of garlic and paprika with a little spice in this delicious sausage. I usually buy chicken chorizo- it’s a bit healthier and is hard to tell the taste difference in a dish. We were in Boston for the weekend and stopped at a place called Wilson Farms. Its a wonderful place to buy fresh produce including yummy breads and meats. I saw the most beautiful looking fresh pork chorizo and I had to buy it. I thought of the black bean soup I had seen and decided to make a rice dish with it instead- like a paella but without the rest of the meats and seafood. I decided to use the roasted corn I love so much from Trader Joes and the black beans. It was a very simple dish to put together. I plan to make an avocado salad (recipe to follow) and serve a scrumptious red wine with the rice. My daughter was curious about the smell in the kitchen and decided to try it- another thumbs up from her!! I am looking forward to a very flavorful and delicious dinner.
- 1 pound fresh pork or chicken chorizo sausage, casing removed
- 1 medium onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted and ground
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1-can15 ounces black beans
- 1 cup frozen roasted corn
- Juice of one lime
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
- Salt to taste
In a blender, add the onion, garlic, cilantro and lemon juice. Blend till smooth. Keep aside.
In a wide frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the chorizo and break it down with a spatula. Saute on a medium high heat till the meat is golden brown. Add the onion mixture and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the cumin seeds, paprika and salt. Mix well and add the black beans, roasted corn, limejuice and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the rice. Cook the rice on high heat until bubbles begin to form on the surface- about 4-5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook partially covered for about 5 minutes or till most of the moisture is gone. Place the lid and lower the heat and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Check for seasonings.
Baked Vegetable Pasta with Pesto
This is my go to pasta recipe for when someone is coming over. It’s perfect for a make ahead dish and is absolutely delicious. A friend was coming over for a meal and so I decided to make this dish. I bought some zucchinis and red peppers and decided to roast them with olive oil, salt and pepper. I had already cooked fresh marinara sauce that morning- I added that with pesto. I love using pesto in a variety of dishes. It gives everything an instant boost of flavor. I bought fresh mozzarella- actually it was buffalo mozzarella – which is a lot creamier and flavorful than the regular fresh mozzarella. I had fontina cheese-again, has a great flavor, melts beautifully and is great to use in a baked pasta. All the flavors married beautifully with the vegetables and the pasta in the oven. We had the pasta with garlic bread and some delicious red wine.
- 1 large or 2 medium zucchini, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 large or 2 medium red peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
In a large lined baking sheet, mix the cut vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables under the broiler for 10-15 minutes, or till they are golden brown and soft.
Keep aside.
- 1 cup basic marinara sauce
- ½ pound penne, cooked
- ½ cup basil pesto
- ½ cup fontina cheese, grated
- 1 ball fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, cut into 1inch squares
- Salt and Pepper
Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
In a medium ovenproof dish, add the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, penne, pesto, fontina and the mozzarella cheeses. Mix well, check for seasonings and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 30 minutes and serve.