vegetarian frittata

I made this dish for a wedding reception this weekend that required it to be dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free. It rocked.

I started with veggies I had on hand:

1 bunch fresh asparagus
4 or 5 fingerling potatoes
4 parsnips
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

I sliced the parsnips into thin rounds, tossed them with olive oil and salt and pepper, put them on a baking sheet, and put them in a 400 degree oven for about ten minutes. While they were cooking, I grilled the asparagus on my stove top, tossing it with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. When they cooled a bit, I cut them into one-inch segments and layered them in the bottom of the dish. I then thinly sliced the potatoes and sautéed them in a bit of olive oil for about five or six minutes; I removed them from the pan and layered them on top of the asparagus. The parsnips were ready, so I took them out of the oven, lowered the temperature to 350, and layered them on top of the potatoes. I diced the tomatoes and put them into the same pan I used for the potatoes, adding a bit of oil, and let them cook till most of the liquid was gone and then layered them on top of the other vegetables.

(Again, I used the vegetables that looked best to me at the market. Use whatever you wish. I think it made a difference to roast or cook them before they went into the frittata.)

I made a big recipe (for 60), but for a 9x9 pan I would use

6 eggs
2 T almond milk

Whisk the eggs and almond milk together and then pour over the top of the vegetables. Move the veggies around to make sure the egg gets all the way to the bottom. Put in the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until it’s set.

NOTE: After I saw this recipe, I realized this would also work great in muffin tins for individual servings.

Peace,
Milton

veggie egg casserole

I made this recipe for a house blessing party today, along with the brownies below, and thought it was worth passing along.

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray or butter (your choice) and then layer with

4 slices of cubed bread

I used some leftover wheat hamburger rolls. You want a consistent single layer of bread across the bottom of the dish. Then sauté

2 cups of mushrooms
1 onion, cut in half and then sliced thin
2 zucchini, halved and sliced thin
olive oil
salt and pepper

I let the mixture cook for a good while. I used the veggies I had on hand. You could also add meat – sausage or bacon or chicken – if you wanted. When the veggies were done, I mixed in

1 cup of sundried tomatoes

and spread them evenly across the top of the bread layer. I then added a layer of

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar

Again, use whatever cheese you like. In a bowl mix together

8 eggs, beaten
1 pint half and half
1 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
salt and pepper

Pour over the stuff in the baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. Take it out an hour or so before you want to cook it to let it warm up a bit and then cook it at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour, until the cheese is browned a bit, the eggs have puffed up, and the casserole is set in the middle.

Let it sit about twenty minutes before serving.

Peace,
Milton

chickpea, garlic, and spinach soup

I started looking for soup recipes with chickpeas (garbanzo beans) because we had some on had at the restaurant. This is an adaptation of the one I liked best. Since I was making about three gallons of soup, these proportions are a bit of a guess, particularly with the spices.

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 onion, diced small
3 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, and stir in garlic and onion. As the onions begin to soften, add the cumin and coriander. Keep cooking until onions are translucent and tender. Add

1 quart vegetable stock
2 medium potatoes, peeled and dice small

Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and let it simmer about ten minutes Add

1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

(Here's one of the places where I'm guessing as I scale down the recipe. You want about a 60-40 mix of chickpeas to potatoes.) Keep cooking until potatoes are done. In a separate bowl, whisk together

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
2 tablespoons corn meal

and add to the soup. Finally, stir in

1/2 pound baby spinach leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Stir the simmering soup until the spinach wilts and is heated through.

This was one of our best selling soups this week.

Peace,
Milton

black-eyed pea hummus

I know I’m a little early, but here’s a little bit different way to get your black-eyed peas for New Year’s Day.

1 lb black-eyed peas, dry

Soak beans overnight. Drain and return to pot; cover with water and add

5 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons of sugar

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer until peas are soft. Drain and spread out on a baking sheet; cool to room temperature. Put the peas and garlic in a food processor and add

2/3 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
Tabasco sauce
salt and pepper

Turn on the machine and stream in

olive oil

slowly until the mixture has the consistency you want. I’ve never measured how much oil I add. You will process the mixture for four or five minutes.

Spoon out into a bowl and serve with pita chips or crackers. I like to garnish it with tear jerkers for a little extra something.

Peace,
Milton

spicy corn and red bean chowder

I made this soup for our Advent Fest at church today, mostly because these were the ingredients I had in my kitchen. I wasn't really measuring things when I made it, but this is a reasonable apporximation.

1 stick butter
1 onion, small dice
1 red pepper, small dice
1 cup celery, small dice
3 cups frozen corn

Melt butter, then add other ingredients and sauté over medium heat. I like to keep the pot covered to keep in all the juices the vegetables create. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until onions are translucent and slowly add

1/2 cup flour

and cook for another three or four minutes, to make a roux. Add

4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons cumin powder
salt and pepper
2 or 3 bay leaves

and cook, stirring occasionally once everything is mixed well, until soup begins to thicken. Add

2 cans red beans
2 cans Ro-tel tomatoes with green chiles, drained

and continue to heat until everything is heated through and soup is thick.

Peace,
Milton

chilled minty carrot and orange soup

I made this soup for one of the people in our church and also made enough for our potluck Wednesday night.

1 sweet onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 red bell peppers
4 cups carrots, sliced 1/8 inch thick
4 cups vegetable stock

In a stockpot, sweat the onions with the oil for six or eight minutes and then add the peppers and cook until they soften. I like to keep the pot covered to keep in the juices created by the vegetables. Add the carrots and let the mixture continue to cook down until the carrots begin to soften. Add the vegetable stock, bring the whole thing to a boil and then lower the heat so that the soup simmers for a good fifteen minutes at least. When the carrots are good and soft, turn off the heat and use a hand mixer to puree the soup. (You can also do it in batches with a food processor.)

1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper

Add the orange and lemon juices and make sure everything is mixed well. Season to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more orange juice, or – if you think the orange taste is right – a little cold water.

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

The mint is the final touch. Do a fine chop on the leaves and then stir them into the soup. Cool it down before serving. You want it to taste like it just came out of the refrigerator. The easiest way to cool it is to put the soup in several smaller containers.

Peace,
Milton

lentil salad

This may sound a little plain, but it tastes good.

1/2 onion
4 cloves

Stud the onion with the cloves and place in a saucepan with

1 2/3 cups French green lentils
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon cumin

Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Discard the onion and the bay leaf. Reserve the garlic cloves and chop finely. Combine the garlic with

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin

Whisk together well (or put in a blender) and stir through the lentils. Then add

2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped

Stir well. Taste to see if you need additional seasonings or salt and pepper. Let stand for at least thirty minutes to let the flavors absorb and serve at room temperature.

Serves 4-6.

Peace,
Milton