CHOCOLATE ALMOND CANTUCCI (BISCOTTI)

Adapted from Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food, one of my favourite American cookery books.

Cantucci are made to last a long time so the dough has no perishable fats that could go rancid (oil, butter, etc.), so if anyone is trying to pass off cantucci containing any fat other than eggs, they're not cantucci! These are also known as biscotti (biscuits) outside Italy/Europe. But really, they're a specific biscotti from Prato. Regardless, they come together in no time and are very versatile... delicious with pine nuts or any other nut, raisins, chocolate shavings, etc.

They're supposed to be very dry, and are usually enjoyed dipped into coffee or a sweet dessert wine - traditionally Vin Santo -  when they soften a bit, making them bite-able.

Chocolate Almond Cantucci (Biscotti)
Makes 2-3 dozen biscuits, depending on the size of the loaf and thickness of slices

- 2 cups sliced almonds
- 1-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp almond or vanilla extract
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp citrus zest (lemon or any type of orange)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/175 C. Spread the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until just fragrant, about 7 min.
2. In a large bowl beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla (or almond) extract, and zest until the mixture falls in a nice ribbon (3-4 min.).
3. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, and fold the almonds into the dough (it will be a very stiff batter rather than a dough).
4. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, divide the dough into two portions. Shape into 3-4 in. wide logs using moistened hands so it doesn't stick. The dough will spread a bit so space logs at least 3-4 in. apart. Re-moisten hands as needed and smoothen out any lumps or unevenness in the logs.
5. Bake until just firm, 25-30 min. Remove from the oven and cool for 10-15 min. (If baked or cooled for too long the logs might harden, making it difficult to slice them so do keep and eye on the time).
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F/150 C.
7. Remove each cooled log from the parchment and set on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut log into diagonal slices, about 1/2 in. thick  Lay the slices on the baking sheet - they can be quite close together, don't need to be spaced (use two baking sheets if needed, although I have never needed to do that).
8. Bake cut cantucci for 10 min., then flip onto the other side and bake another 10-15 minutes until crisp.
9. Enjoy with a coffee, espresso, or a dessert wine. The crumbs from cutting the biscuits are terrific on ice-cream! 

STIR-FRIED SWEET PEPPERS WITH COCONUT AND PEANUTS

Summer comfort food at it's best! I love these stir-fried peppers - or shaak as we call it in Gujarati - with rotli, these gluten-free flatbreads, or rice. It's flavourful, healthy, fresh, and light. Try it!

Adapted from here.

Stir-Fried Sweet Peppers with Coconut and Peanuts

makes: 4 servings

- 1 lb. (~1/2 kg) sweet mini peppers, stemmed, washed and sliced into rounds

- 1/4 cup raw peanuts

- 2 dried whole cayenne chiles

- 1/4 cup desiccated coconut (unsweetened)

- 2 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. sugar

- 2 tbsp. coconut, safflower, sunflower, or other neutral oil (not olive oil!)

- 1 tsp. cumin seeds

- 1 tbsp. caraway seeds (shah jeeru, or cumin seeds)
- 1 tsp. mustard seeds

- 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

- 1/8 cup water

- 2 tbsp. lemon juice

1. Dry roast the peanuts, caraway seeds, and dried chiles on medium-low heat till they are fragrant and the peanuts and chiles are lightly browned in some spots. Turn the heat off and cool. Transfer the roasted peanuts, cumin, and chiles to a blender or spice grinder. Add the coconut, sugar, and salt and grind into a coarse powder.
2. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat and add the cumin and mustard seeds. Once they sizzle and the mustard seeds start to pop, add the turmeric and sliced peppers and mix well. Add the water, cover, and cook for 4-5 minutes.
3. Uncover, add the coarsely powdered spices, and mix well. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes uncovered, stirring once.
4. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice, stir.
5. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the chopped cilantro. Serve with roti or rice.

LAHMACUN: SPICY TURKISH "PIZZA"

Lahmacun: Spicy Turkish "Pizza"

makes: 8-10 lahmacun

Crust:
- 2-1/2 cups AP (all-purpose) flour

- 3/4 cup milk or water (milk will make the bottom of the crust a nice golden colour)

- 2 tbsp. olive oil

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1/2 tsp sugar

- 1-1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

Topping:

- 1/2 lb. ground lamb

- 1 green chile, finely chopped (cayenne, jalapeño, serrano, any...)

- 1 tomato, finely chopped

- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tbs. Turkish red pepper and tomato paste

  (if you can't find this, use a coarsely blended roasted red capsicum and tomato)

- 2 tsp. red chile powder

- 1 tsp. cumin powder

- 1 tsp. black pepper powder

- 2 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. smoked red paprika

- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

- 1 tbsp. olive oil

1. In a large bowl mix the topping ingredients until everything is mixed well but don't over mix. Let everything sit in the fridge for a few hours, up to 24 hrs.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the crust in a bowl. Mix and knead for 5-7 min. into a smooth supple dough, using a bit more water or milk if needed. Transfer into a large bowl and let it rise for 1-1/2 to 2 hrs. It doesn't need to rise like pizza dough so don't worry if it hasn't doubled after rising.
3. After the dough has risen, gently deflate and divide into 8 - 10 small balls (about the size of a lemon). Cover with a kitchen towel so the dough balls don't dry out, and allow to rest for 10-15 min.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C.
5. Flour your work surface, and roll out one dough ball at a time into a fairly thin round, about as thick as a tortilla or a wrap or a roti. Evenly spread 1 - 1-1/2 tbsp. of the meat mixture on the dough. Don't make too thick a layer of meat otherwise it won't cook properly.
6. On a pizza stone or in a baking tray, bake each lahmacun for about 5-7 min. All ovens heat differently so keep a close eye on the oven when baking the first couple to figure out the exact time your oven takes to fully cook these.
7. Continue rolling, topping, and baking the lahmacuns and stack them as they come out of the oven.
8. Before eating, squeeze a bit of lemon on your lahmacun, top with red chile flakes and a bit of green salad if you want, roll and enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.

HABANERO-SWEET POTATO HOT SAUCE

This spicy, sweet, tangy hot sauce is so addictive you'll find yourself having it with everything! And the colour is so pretty too.

I first had this hot sauce at the incredible Cochon in New Orleans a few weeks ago. And since then I was a bit obsessed. It was so utterly delicious with enough spice, sweetness, and tang to want it over and over, that I had my muffaletta practically doused in it. As a parting gesture, I photographed the ingredients on the label (they sell bottles at the restaurant and also have the same bottles at each table).

Well I came home and couldn't get it out of my mind, so I looked at the photo with the ingredients and created a version of it. I must say this is pretty darn close to the Cochon version, with a bit more spice and a slightly thicker texture so that I can use it as a dip and a spread. And now I always have some in the fridge!

I've made it with sweet potatoes of all colours - white, yellow, orange, and they're all terrific! So use any type of sweet potato that is available to you. And if you don't have apple cider vinegar, use distilled and adjust the sugar to balance the taste.

Habanero-Sweet Potato Hot Sauce

makes: 16 oz./2 cups

- 2 medium sweet potatoes, washed and unpeeled

- 4 habanero peppers, cut into large pieces (remove the seeds from two if you want to tone the spice down a bit)

- 3 cloves garlic, cut into large pieces

- 1/2 white or yellow onion, cut into large pieces

- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

- 1/2 cup distilled vinegar

- 1-1/2 tbsp. sugar

- 1 tsp. salt (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray and bake for 40 - 50 min. until a knife slides easily into the sweet potatoes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
3. In a small pan, bring the distilled vinegar to a simmer. Add the garlic, onion, and habanero and simmer until the onion is mostly softened, 5 - 7 min. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
4. Put the peeled sweet potatoes, vinegar mixture, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt (if using) in a blender jar and blend until smooth. You may need to thin with apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp. at a time, to help blend well.
5. Taste and adjust sugar if needed. Transfer to a jar and store in the fridge for a few weeks.
6. Enjoy with eggs, tamales, sandwiches, burgers, empanadas, steak, chicken, pizza... whatever you please!

EASY PUMPKIN PECAN CAKE (AND A CHURCH WITH A STORIED PAST)

This is an easy cake full of autumn flavours... the warm spices, buttery pecans, and gorgeous pumpkin colour make it irresistible! It takes almost no time to prep and makes the kitchen smell *amazing*! You can use walnuts or almonds instead of pecans.

Pecans are native to the US and Mexico, and are the only type of tree nut that grows naturally in the US. The thin-shelled variety that we all know and enjoy was developed in the mid-1800s by an obviously brilliant slave gardener in Louisiana, using grafts from a wild pecan variety with large, thin-shelled nuts. Pecan trees with large and small nuts are very commonly seen throughout the Louisiana countryside, even in parking lots! Free pecan picking!

I used Louisiana pecans that came from the tree in the photo below. I was back in  western Louisiana for a few days and went to one of my favourite places: the St. Augustine Catholic Church (behind the tree). It's a small church in Isle Brevelle, LA, a small town - mostly  Creole community - of descendants of French and Spanish colonials, Africans, Native Americans, and Anglo-Americans. The area is calm and extremely beautiful with tree-lined roads winding along the Cane River. The church was established by Nicolas Augustin Metoyer, a freed slave and son of former slave Marie Thérèse Coincoin (read more about her here), and is the first church built by and for free people of colour in Louisiana. After being freed, the Metoyer family went on to own their own plantation - now known as Melrose Plantation - and the church is on land that was then a part of the Metoyers' plantation. Behind the church is a cemetery with headstones dating back to the 1800s, and a handful of recurring last names including Metoyer.

The parking lot is lined with several mature pecan trees and pecan season is October through December. In November, I was in luck! There were pecans all over the ground under the trees... I enjoyed a lot of them while walking around near the river, and brought a lot back to CA. Something local, something natural, something edible: my favourite type of souvenir!

 

Easy Pumpkin Pecan Cake

makes: 12-14 servings

- 1 cup oil (any neutral oil: safflower, grapeseed, or other)

- 3 eggs

- 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree (or 1-3/4 cups pureed roasted pumpkin)

- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

- 2 cups sugar (I use demerara but any sugar will do)

- 2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon baking soda 

- 2 tsp. apple pie spice (or an equal parts mix of allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon)

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped raw pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 F / 175 C. Grease one 10-in. bundt pan (or any other cake pan).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the oil, beaten eggs, pumpkin and vanilla. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, apple pie spice, and salt together.
3. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in the pecans and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 55 min. to 1 hour, or until a tester (I use a bbq skewer) inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a plate and dust with confectioners sugar.
5. Serve plain or with ice-cream, whipped cream, or warm custard.

WARMING BUCKWHEAT, BEAN SPROUTS, AND SWEET POTATOES

After a number of weeks of travelling for work and eating out, I came back to SF looking forward to my regular workouts and home-cooked meals. I got that, and a week of cold rainy gloomy weather! I wanted to make something that's high on the feel-good factor - inside and out. Something that's not raw, not bread, not any grain, not eggs, definitely not meat, and something that makes the whole kitchen smell divine and home-y. Enter this dish...

This perfect-for-cold-rainy-weather dish takes very little time but is nourishing and big on flavour. And, the sweet potatoes, mung bean sprouts and buckwheat combination will keep you full without weighing you down. If you're diabetic or otherwise watching your sugar, use cauliflower instead of sweet potato.

Buckwheat is amazing! Contrary to the name, it's not related to wheat and in fact it's not even a grain. It's a seed - like quinoa. It's delicious, easy to cook, light on the digestive system, gluten-free, low glycemic index which makes it suitable for diabetic diets, and is a complete protein since it contains all essential amino acids. And if you must have a gilded lily: like artichoke flowers, buckwheat flowers smell incredible and make a luscious honey with floral notes. It's the bees knees!

Mung beans sprout really fast and since they're a small bean, they're easy on the stomach even when sprouted for just a day. Growing sprouts is really easy, and if you haven't grown them before, you can see my post here on growing sprouts.

Warming Buckwheat, Bean Sprouts, and Sweet Potatoes

makes: 4 main servings

- 1/2 cup buckwheat

- 2 cups mung bean sprouts (or sprouts from any other small bean/legume)

- 2 cups cubed sweet potatoes

- 1 small onion, diced

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 tsp. minced ginger

- 1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

- 1 tsp. cayenne powder

- 1 tsp. turmeric

- 1 tsp. coriander powder

- 1 tsp. cumin powder

- 1 tsp. garam masala (or any curry powder)

- 2 tsp. mustard seeds

- 3 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. coconut oil (or ghee, or any neutral oil - *not* olive oil)

- 1-1/2 cups water

- 1 tbsp. ghee

- 1 tbsp. lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F/220 C. Rinse the buckwheat well and soak in a bowl in plenty of water. In a small bowl mix all the dry spices except the garam masala and mustard.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, 1 tsp. salt, 1-2 tsp. spice mixture, coconut oil, and 1 tbsp. water so that the sweet potatoes are evenly coated. Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 25 - 30 min. or until the sweet potatoes are cooked.
3. While the sweet potatoes are baking, heat the ghee in a deep pan, saucepan or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and when they start to pop, turn the heat to medium-low, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and saute until the onion is mostly translucent.
4. Add in the spice mixture and bean sprouts. Stir well and cook for 3 - 4 minutes. Drain and add the buckwheat. Turn the heat up to medium-high, stir everything well and cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Add the garam masala and 1 cup  of water. Cover the pan, turn the heat down to low or medium-low and cook for 12 - 15 minutes. Take the lid off, give everything a quick stir - if you can still see water, turn the heat up to medium-high and cook the water off.
5. Turn off the heat and mix in the the sweet potatoes, lemon juice and remaining salt. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
6. Enjoy this delicious warming dish on its own or with a quick salad of diced cucumbers mixed into 1/2 cup of yogurt! Refrigerate leftovers for up to a day - max 2 days.

HOMEMADE NOODLES

Homemade Noodles

makes: 4 servings

- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

- 3/4 tsp. baking soda

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1 egg

- 1/4 cup cold water

- 1/4 cup cornstarch (or tapioca starch)

1. Mix the flours, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry mix and add the egg. Mix the egg into the flour using a fork or your fingers, till you have a shaggy dough. Add water 1 tbsp. at a time and mix till you have a stiff dough. Knead really well - about 10 minutes - to make the dough supple and smooth. Cover and let it rest at room temperature for at least 15 min., up to 2 hrs. Dust your hands with cornstarch and divide the rested dough into 4 pieces.
2. If using a pasta roller: Take one piece of dough and roughly shape it into a rectangle. Roll it through the pasta roller at the widest setting. Fold into thirds like a letter and roll it through again. Repeat two more times. After that, roll through without folding, and at successively narrower settings till you have sheets of the desired thickness (you don't want to go too thin or the dough will tear, but you don't want to be too thick because the noodles will swell slightly when cooked). Lightly dust with corn starch as needed, if the dough gets sticky. Hang the rolled sheet of dough over a hanger or the back of a chair to dry for 10 - 15 min. Repeat with the rest of the dough. On the pasta maker select the noodle width you want, and pass one sheet at a time through the cutter to make noodles. Gather the cut noodles into a loose pile and set aside while you cut the remaining sheets into noodles.
3. If rolling by hand: flatten one piece of the dough and dust lightly with corn starch. Roll into a circle or rough rectangle, as thin as possible without tearing the dough. Let it dry for 10 - 15 min. Repeat with the remaining dough. Working with one sheet of rolled dough at a time, fold the sheet into thirds and use a sharp knife to cut evenly into noodles as wide or narrow as you want. Gather the cut noodles into loose piles and set aside while you cut the rest of the rolled dough into noodles.
4. Steam the noodles for 5 - 7 minutes. Allow to cool. If not cooking immediately, store in a covered container in the fridge for up to two days. If cooking immediately, see Step 5 below.
5. Finish cooking the noodles by boiling for 7 - 10 min. and enjoy in your favourite recipe!

IRAQI AUBERGINE AND LAMB STEW

My favourite cuisines other than Gujarati are - in no particular order - French, Arabic (from Levantine countries), Afghani, Persian, Mexican, Greek, Italian, and Japanese. I love cuisines that effortlessly combine ingredients to create deep complex flavours. Especially cuisines that have a variety of vegetarian foods, since I am mostly vegetarian and seldom cook meat at home.

This delicious sweet and tangy Iraqi lamb stew is not vegetarian, but it contains a small enough bit of meat to remain light on the body. It's also very versatile - this time I made it with lamb because I needed to use up some leftover ground lamb but I usually make it vegetarian. I find that the split yellow peas add enough meatiness to make a substantial stew - it makes a great meal with bread or rice and of course, a small crisp salad. 

Iraqi Aubergine and Lamb Stew
makes: 4 - 6 servings

- 1 large aubergine, cubed
- 2-1/2 tbsp. salt

- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 med. zucchini, cubed
- 1 potato, cubed
- 2 carrots, cubed
- 1 bulb fennel, cubed

- 1/3 lb. ground lamb

- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 4 tbsp. pomegranate molasses

- 1/2 cup dried yellow split peas, soaked in cold water for 8 - 12 hours

- 4 dried red chillies

- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp. chilli flakes or powder

- 2 tsp ground cumin

- 1 tsp ground coriander

- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

- 1/4 tsp ground cloves 
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. In a colander, mix 2 tbsp. salt into the aubergine cubes. Let the aubergine sit for about 30 minutes until the bitter juices run out. Squeeze the cubes to remove any water that didn't drain out, and pat dry.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 F / 190 C. Mix the aubergine cubes with 2 tbsp. olive oil and bake for 15 - 20 min. or until tender.
3. While the aubergine is baking, heat the remaining 2 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the dried chillies, onion, and garlic and sauté till the onion is translucent.
4. Add the lamb and cook for a few min. till the lamb is evenly browned, breaking up large chunks with a spoon. Add the split peas, all the vegetables (except the aubergine, which is still baking!) and the spices and stir to mix well. Turn the heat to high and add 2 cups water. Cook on high for 5 min. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the baked aubergine, pomegranate molasses, and remaining 1/2 tbsp. salt and cook till the vegetables are done, about 20 - 30 min., stirring occasionally.
5. Turn the heat off and adjust salt if needed. Serve with any Arabic bread or rice.

SUMMER VEGETABLE QUICHE

Summer Vegetable Quiche

makes: 1 9 in. quiche/4 servings

- 1/2 recipe basic yeast dough, (or any pizza/bread dough of choice) after the first 60 min. rise

- 3 eggs

- 1/4 cup milk

- 1/2 cup grated cheese of choice

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes

- 1 garlic clove, peeled

- 1 tbsp. dried mixed herbs (or any herbs of your choice)

- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg powder

- 1 zucchini, sliced

- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 

- 1/2 onion, sliced

- 1 serrano, jalapeño or any pepper of your choice, sliced (optional)

1. Lightly grease a 9 in. cake pan. Roll the dough into an approximately 9 in. circle and lay it in the pan. Starting from the centre and working your way out, push the dough up the sides of the pan to form approximately 2 in. high sides to get a deep shell.
2. Let the dough rise for 20 min. Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C.
3. Using a fork prick holes all over the dough and bake for 20-25 min. till the shell is lightly browned and has pulled away from the pan. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.
4. Turn the oven up to 425 F/220 C.
5. Arrange the zucchini slices in a more or less single layer in the quiche shell. Arrange the onion slices on top of the zucchini slices.
6. Blend the next eight ingredients (eggs through nutmeg) and pour into the quiche shell. Arrange the tomatoes cut sides down on the eggs (it's ok if they float a little). If using, arrange the sliced pepper in the spaces between the tomatoes.
7. Bake at 425 F/220 C for 20 min. then turn the heat down to 350 F/180 C and bake for another 15 min. or till the filling appears set and the top is lightly browned. 
8. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 15 min. Remove from the mould.
9. Cut the quiche into wedges and serve over a salad or on it's own. Store leftovers in fridge for up to 3 days... it reheats really well!

HARISSA-ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH CHICKPEAS

Roasted vegetables are delicious, quick, cook on their own, and are my favourite! And *these* roasted vegetables are my all-time favourite. With the chickpeas, olives, and raisins added to the vegetables laced with smoky spicy harissa, this is just an incredible meld of flavours in a bite. And, just like a meal should be, it's filling yet light, and doesn't leave you feeling sluggish.

Use any kind of green olives, and any vegetables that roast well - carrots, parsnips, rutabagas, any kind of summer or winter squash, and any others that come to mind. I love these with salad greens and maybe a little avocado added into it all if I'm really hungry, but to make it an even more hearty meal, serve this with rice or bread and a salad on the side.

Harissa-Roasted Vegetables with Chickpeas

makes: 4 - 6 servings

- 2 tbsp harissa (home-made or bought)

- 1 lemon, juiced

- 2 tbsp. olive or avocado oil

- 1 tsp. salt

- 3 cups green cauliflower florets (broccoflower, but any coloured cauliflower is fine)

- 2 purple potatoes, cut into large chunks (I used purples, but any potato variety is fine)

- 1 yellow squash or zucchini, halved and cut into thick slices (or any winter squash, cubed)

- 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or one 15 oz. can, drained and rinsed)

- 1/2 cup sliced red onion

- 1 cup sliced capsicum (of any colour)

- 1/2 cup green olives, pitted

- 1/4 cup raisins (preferably soaked in warm water for 10-15 minutes to soften)  

- 2 tbsp. water

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Lightly grease a large gratin/lasagna pan.
2. In a large stove-proof pan mix the lemon juice, harissa, oil, and salt. Add the vegetables and chickpeas, and toss or mix well to coat the vegetables. Transfer everything to the greased pan and bake for 30 - 40 minutes, mixing the vegetables once during baking. Turn the heat down to 375 F (190 C) for the last 10 minutes if needed.
3. In the same stove-proof pan you used to toss the vegetables, sauté the onions and capsicum, adding the 2 tbsp. water if needed (the little bit of the harissa mixture remaining in the pan is plenty for sautéing. No need for additional oil.). Mix in the olives and raisins in the last few minutes before turning off the heat.
4. Remove the vegetables from the oven and mix in the sautéed vegetables.
5. Serve immediately or at room temperature, over salad greens, or with bread or rice.

HARISSA

Harissa is a North African condiment that's got one of the most addictive flavour profiles! And, it's just at home on a slice of bread as in a complex stew or sauce. That's what makes it so brilliant! So if you like flavour with a punch, look no further! You can use any combination of dried chile types, and adjust the quantity to suit your taste and spice level. 

I have a general obsession with condiments and dips - a few, even one excellent condiment can elevate the simplest of ingredients to another level. I like having various types of condiments like harissa, pestos, salsas, salad dressings, dipping sauces, nut butters etc. around so I can make a quick meal with pretty much any fresh vegetable or fruit, cooked grains, eggs, leftovers, etc. Like this sandwich I made (photo above) with harissa and some leftover lamb meatballs with spicy tomato sauce I'd made for a dinner party (not-so-great photo below).

Harissa

makes: 1 cup

- 8-9 dried chiles de arbol or cayenne

- 2 chile guajillo

- 3 cloves garlic

- 2 tsp. salt

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

- 1 lemon, juiced 

- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

- 1/3 cup olive oil

- 1 tsp. coriander

- 1 tsp. cumin

- 1 tsp. smoked paprika (optional)

- 1 tbsp. caraway seeds

1. On medium-low heat, dry-roast the chiles in a skillet without burning them (or they'll taste bitter). Transfer to a bowl filled with enough hot water to submerge the chiles, and add the sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside for 10-15 minutes. Drain and remove the chile stalks.
2. In the same skillet, dry-roast the caraway seeds. Let them cool.
3. In a blender jar, add the drained chiles and all other ingredients and blend to a smooth paste.
4. Transfer to a container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

CARAMELISED PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Barely adapted from here.

Caramelised Pear Upside Down Cake

makes: 8 servings

Caramel topping:

- 6 tbsp. (3/4 stick) salted or unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup sugar (I use Turbinado for everything but any sugar will do)
- 2 large pears, peeled, cored, sliced into 1/4 in. thick slices

Cake:

- 1-1/3 cups AP (all purpose) flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
- 1-1/2 tsp. powdered cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. powdered nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. powdered allspice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup safflower oil (or any other neutral oil) 

- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pears 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the sides of a 9 in. springform pan. 
2. Make the topping: Melt the butter and sugar and pour into the greased springform pan. Working quickly, arrange the pear slices on the sugar, overlapping each slice over the previous. 
3. Make the cake: Whisk the flour, sugar, ginger, spices, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl to blend. Mix in the chopped pears. Mix dry ingredients into the egg mixture to make a batter. 
4. Pour the batter over the pears in the prepared springform pan and bake the cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. If the cake is not done yet, let it bake for another 5 minutes and test. 
5. Cool the cake in the pan for 15-20 minutes. Remove the springform side of the pan. Put a plate on the cake and invert the cake onto the plate. Serve warm, with or without vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

VEGAN OVERNIGHT OATS

Overnight oats - one of my favourite breakfasts! It's sattvic, light but really filling, quick, make-ahead, and if you put these in a jar with a lid, spill-free and portable. I also make these in my hotel room when I'm travelling, to have an energising breakfast before the activity of a construction site.

I seldom eat dairy products, but if you do, you can make these with milk if you want. Milk's not really necessary though... overnight the oats the mixture gets creamy and smooth just with water. I also don't use any processed milk like almond or soy. If you make homemade nut milk, by all means use that, it's delicious!

Also, since I don't use any dairy in these, I just leave them on the table. I find the chill of refrigerated breakfast too much of a shock early in the morning, even in the summer. But if you're using milk, do refrigerate!

Use any fruits and nuts you fancy. Bananas, berries, stone fruit like cherries and peaches, kiwi, mangoes, pineapple, passion fruit... they're all amazing with these oats.

Vegan Overnight Oats

makes: 1 serving

- 1/4 cup rolled oats (regular, not instant!)

- 1 tbsp. shredded coconut (optional)

- 1/3 cup water

- 1 cup champagne grapes (or halved regular grapes or any other cut fruit)

- 2 tbsp. toasted pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped (or any other nuts)

1. In a bowl, mix the oats, water, and coconut if using. Stir well and set aside for 10-15 minutes. Stir again, and if the oats seem dry, add a bit more water till you have a creamy mixture.
2. In a jar or glass, layer the oats, pumpkin seeds, grapes, repeat. End up with a top layer of grapes.
3. Leave overnight and enjoy a delicious start to your day!