CHICKPEA, MINT, AND CITRUS DIP (WITH TOASTED PEPPERCORNS)

I seldom write effusive blog posts, but sometimes things just fall into place. Sometimes you have exactly the amount of things you need to fall into place. Or into your blender! Like this delicious dip that will take an unexpected turn in your mouth thanks to the smoky toasted peppercorns and fresh grapefruit.

I pulled a shoulder muscle and was in pain all day at work but I reeeeally wanted to workout like I normally do in the evening. It's the thing I look forward to every single day, because it's fun! And lively. Well anyway a workout was just a preposterous idea because my "trial" moves in the work bathroom left me unable to move much for a good 15 minutes. So I took the hint and came home, certainly not up to cooking or eating.

But - I had cooked chickpeas, a beautiful bunch of fresh mint, which is one of my favourite herbs, and over half a bunch of equally beautiful fresh parsley. And an aging grapefruit.

And - I absolutely hate wasting food and always feel dreadful about having to throw away food, especially if it's because of my own neglectfulness. 

So - I decided that the chickpeas would have to become my usual hummus that I could take to work as a snack, and the herbs would become a persillade but with mint and parsley. And the grapefruit - especially great with toasted pepper and a light sprinkle of salt - would be a snack. That, I reckoned, was the way to dispense with things expeditiously so I could mope about having to stay in all evening.

But as I was laying everything out, the smell of the torn mint and parsley leaves, the lemon, peppercorns, and grapefruit halves was just so heady together that I figured I'd have a go at putting it all together in a dip. And it turned out to be phenomenal - gorgeous light green, with a garlic-ey, herbal scent and the smokiness of toasted peppercorns. Love it!

Chickpea, Mint, and Citrus Dip (with Toasted Peppercorns)

Makes: approximately 1-3/4 cups

- 1-1/2 cups chickpeas, cooked

- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

- 1/8 cup parsley

- 1/2 cup grapefruit juice (from 1 medium grapefruit)

- 1 Meyer lemon or a regular lemon, juiced

- 2 large cloves garlic

- 1 tsp minced ginger

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 2 tsp freshly ground toasted black pepper, or regular black pepper

- 1 tsp salt, or to taste

1. Blend everything until it is smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste - add more lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste.

2. Garnish with minced parsley or a drizzle of olive oil, or both.

3. Let it sit for a few hours/overnight to let the flavours meld and let the dip thicken a bit as the chickpeas absorb some of the liquid before serving. Or, serve immediately as an appetizer with bread/pita, pita chips, crostini, lavash, roasted vegetables, crudites, or as a main with roasted salmon.

PEACH, BASIL, AND RICOTTA CROSTINI

The juicy simplicity of summer!

Peach, Basil, and Ricotta Crostini
Servings: makes about 30 crostini

- 1 sourdough baguette, sliced

- 3-4 medium sized ripe peaches or nectarines, cut into 1/8 in. slices

- 15 oz. (425 g) ricotta cheese (I use whole milk ricotta)
- 1 bunch or 30-40 leaves, fresh basil

- 1-1/4 tsp. freshly ground coarse black pepper
- 1 tbsp. lemon rind

- 1 small lemon, juiced

- 3/4 - 1 tsp. salt

- 1 tbsp. brandy or cognac (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.

2. Toast the sliced bread for 7 - 10 minutes, or until just dry and crisp.

3. In a roomy bowl, mix well the ricotta, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon rind, and brandy/cognac if using.

4. Take the bread out of the oven and let ir cool for 1-2 minutes.

5. Assemble the crostini: on each slice, stack a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture, 1-2 leaves of basil, 1-2 peach slices.

6. Finish with freshly ground black pepper and a light sprinkle of salt if needed.

Notes:

1. You could do a few spring and summer fruit/vegetable-herb combinations, really... cherry-mint, strawberry-mint/basil, cucumber-dill/basil/cilantro, mango-mint/basil, thinly sliced kumquats-parsley, fresh figs-basil, chives-lemon-olives...

CRANBERRY BEAN, ROASTED CORN, AND SWEET POTATO STEW

I always fall for good looks. Cranberry beans, or borlotti beans in Italian are probably the most beautiful of all beans, with gorgeous pink streaks all over their cream background. The flavour is quite creamy and subtle, and although they are related to kidney beans, they taste totally different. I would not recommend substituting kidney beans in this recipe.

Sorry for the blah photos, but I was really short on time when I was making this stew.

Cranberry Bean, Roasted Corn, and Sweet Potato Stew

makes: 4 servings

- 1 tbsp. coconut oil

- 1 small onion, diced

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tsp. smoked paprika

- 1 tsp. ground cumin

- 1 tsp. dried oregano

- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper

- 3 plum (or 10 cherry) tomatoes, chopped or pureed in a food processor

- 2 cups (or 1 can) cooked cranberry beans

- 3 cups vegetable stock

- 2 cups sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1-1/2 in. cubes

- 1-1/2 cups roasted corn kernels (fresh or frozen, like the ones from Trader Joe's)

- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

- salt and crushed red pepper, to taste

1. In a stock pot over medium heat, sauté onions in coconut oil for a few minutes, until translucent.

2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

3. Add sweet potato and stir, cook for 3-4 minutes.

4. Stir in smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, cumin, oregano, tomatoes, and beans, and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Add vegetable stock and 1 tsp. salt.

6. Bring to a boil, and then lower heat and simmer uncovered, for 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.

7. Add roasted corn and cilantro, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

8. Add salt and additional crushed red pepper to taste.
9. Garnish with fresh cilantro. 
10. Serve with bread, white or wild rice, quinoa, millet, or salad.

Notes:

1. Add diced carrots if you have them.
2. Since olive oil is unstable and oxidizes at high heat, I use coconut oil for sauteeing usually. Unless I'm making something where the coconut oil flavour won't match the ingredients.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER PINE NUT AND POMEGRANATE SALAD

Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. Without this book, your life has one less simple pleasure! The photos are splendid, the recipes are fantastic, and the book is quite an education on the Jewish and Muslim cuisines of Jerusalem.

Roasted Cauliflower Pine Nut and Pomegranate Salad

makes: 2-3 servings (as a side)

- 1 head cauliflower, broken into medium (2 in.) florets (1 lb or 1/2 kg total)
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large celery stalks, cut on the bias into 1/2 in. slices

- 1 medium white or red onion, cut into 1/4 in. sliced
- 5 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
- 1/3 cup small flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (from about 1/2 medium pomegranate)
- generous 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- generous 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
- 1-1/2 tbsp. balsamic or sherry vinegar
- 1-1/2 tsp maple syrup or honey
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

- a squeeze of lemon at the end

1. Preheat oven to 425 F/215 C.

2. Mix the cauliflower and sliced onions with 3 tbsp. of the olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and some black pepper.

3. Spread out in a roasting pan and roast on the middle oven rack for 20 - 25 minutes, until the cauliflower is semi-crisp and parts of it have turned golden brown.

4. The onions will be done in this time, regardless of how they look. Transfer the cauliflower and onions to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.

5. Put the pine nuts in a cast iron or steel pan and toast until they start to turn light brown. Turn off the heat and shake them in the pan - the hot pan will continue to toast them. Remove as soon as they smell fragrant and are a slightly darker brown. The only time pine nuts are evenly brown is when they're burnt... don't wait for this to happen! 

6. After the nuts are cooled a bit, mix with the roasted vegetables and the remaining oil and the rest of the ingredients. Stir and season with salt, pepper, and a bit of lemon juice to taste.

7. Serve at room temperature.

Notes:
1. I had a sprouted white onion and the greens looked beautiful. They are edible, so I cut off the part with the greens before slicing and roasting the rest of the onion.
2. I chopped the greens like chives and added to the salad with the rest of the ingredients.

GRAPEFRUIT AND RAW KALE SALAD WITH PUMPKIN SEEDS

Grapefruit and Raw Kale Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

makes: 2 servings

- 1 head of kale, torn or cut into strips/pieces, thick parts of stems discarded

- 1 large (2 medium) grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

- juice and zest of 1 lemon

- 1 tbsp. honey 

- 1 tbsp. olive oil

- freshly ground black pepper, to taste

- salt, to taste

- 2 tbsp. toasted pumpkin seeds (or sesame/sunflower seeds)

1. In a large bowl make the salad dressing: mix/whisk lemon juice and zest, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2. Adjust seasonings to taste.

3. Add kale. 

4. Massage/rub the dressing into the kale for 2 minutes or until the kale feels softer. (It will.)

5. Let the massaged kale stand for 10 minutes at room temperature.

6. Add the grapefruit sections and mix in/toss lightly.

7. Top with pumpkin seeds and fresh pepper.

NOTES:

1. I use curly green or red/purple kale, not lacinato/dinosaur kale.

2. I peel and section grapefruit by hand because I really enjoy doing it but you could peel the grapefruit and cut sections out with a knife.

3. Use oranges instead of grapefruit, or a mix of orange and grapefruit sections.

4. I use raw honey for everything, never processed "liquid" honey.