Carrots and Peanuts
Serves 4

4 carrots, washed and peeled
1 Tbls peanut oil
1 tsp black cumin seeds
1 onion, chopped

4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
¼ tsp chipotle salt, to taste
1 tsp Trinidadian curry powder

Splash dark rum (optional)

Slice carrots into thin rounds and set aside. Lightly chop dry roasted peanuts and set aside. Heat peanut oil over medium heat in a skillet and fry black cumin seeds about 15-20 seconds, until very fragrant. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent. Add the sliced carrots, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes so they don’t burn.

When carrots and onions have begun to brown, and carrots are soft enough to be cut with a spoon, uncover skillet and add minced garlic. Cook about 2 minutes, then add chopped peanuts, chipotle salt, and curry powder. Mix well and cook uncovered an additional 5 minutes for spices to cook and flavors to blend. Add the splash of rum while everything is still hot, then stir around to mix in and allow alcohol to cook off. Serve hot, with rice and beans.

Note: Add sliced banana with the garlic for a fun variation on this recipe. Manzano bananas are best for this, because of their sweetness, but regular bananas work well too.

From "Carrot Cravings" (9.18.07)

Chipotle Adobo (GF, DF, Vegan)
Serves 4

½ onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2-6 dried chipotle chiles, stems and seeds removed
½ cup water (more if sauce becomes too thick)
5-6 Tbls ketchup
3 Tbls cider vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbls honey
1-2 tsp mustard
1 can small brown or black beans, with liquid
1 cup frozen corn
¼ - ½ tsp salt, or to taste
1 fresh tomato, chopped

Caramelize onion in olive oil, in a skillet, over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chipotle husks, frying in oil about 30 seconds, before adding remaining ingredients, except for fresh tomato. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat so it continues to simmer. Cover and simmer about 30 – 45 minutes, or until chipotles are soft and sauce tastes smoky and spicy. Add chopped fresh tomato and heat through. Garnish with cilantro, if desired, and serve hot with quesadillas, tortilla chips, rice, or fresh corn tortillas. 

Notes: Leftover refried beans can also be added to the adobo, though you may need to add more water to keep it from becoming too thick. Other vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli, peas, or potatoes, can also be added.

From "Chipotles from the Desert" (8.7.07)

Tamales (GF)
Makes 8-10

20 dried cornhusks
2 ½ cups yellow masa harina (corn flour)
1 ½ tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground chipotle
2 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried basil
1 ½ Tbls vegetable oil
1 ½ cups hot water or broth, more as needed

1 cup black beans
½ cup corn
½ cup cooked onions and garlic
1 tomato, chopped
2 Tbls cilantro, chopped

Grated cheese

Gently separate 20 dried cornhusks from each other. You can use any broken ones as ties for the ends of the tamales, so don’t throw them out. Submerge the cornhusks in a large bowl of hot water and soak for about 30 minutes. If you need to speed up their soaking time, submerge them in hot water from the tap, then pour simmering water over them—this usually will make them soft enough to use within 15 minutes.

While the cornhusks are soaking, cook onions until caramelized, adding garlic so that it cooks about 5 minutes with the onions. Mix together with beans, corn, chopped tomato, and cilantro. Set aside. Grate cheese and set aside (about 1 cup of cheese is usually enough, depending on taste).

In a large bowl, mix masa and spices together well. Heat water or broth and add to masa, along with vegetable oil. Stir until a moist dough forms and there are no more pockets of dry masa. The dough should be soft and easily spreadable, but not gooey or liquid. It also should not be so dry that it is cracking. Add more broth or masa in order to obtain the right consistency.

Assembly:
Sort through your soaked cornhusks and pull out at least 3 of the most broken ones. Rip these lengthwise into half-inch strips that you will use later to tie up the ends of the tamales. On a cutting board or other smooth surface, lay out two cornhusks so that their narrow ends point out in either direction and their wide ends overlap each other by at least 3 inches. The idea is to have plenty of room for filling on the double-layered cornhusks, with the narrow ends a single layer that will be tied up to seal.

Spread a thick layer of the masa mixture all over the center of the cornhusks, out to the side edges, but leaving empty space at the narrow, single-layered ends. Spoon filling into center, about 3 Tbls per tamale, depending on how large you are making them. Add cheese over the filling. Gently lift the sides of the cornhusks up, so that the masa wraps around the filling. Press masa together lightly, then overlap the cornhusks so you have a complete cylinder. The tamale should be wrapped tightly, but not so tight that filling squishes out the ends.

This part is easiest with a helper. While keeping the tamale together, twist one end and fold it over on itself. Double-knot one of the cornhusk strips around it. Do the same with the other end. The finished tamale should hold together by itself without leaking. Wrap all the tamales using the above method, until you run out of masa and filling.

Place a vegetable steamer in the bottom of a large pot and fill with water until it reaches just below the steamer. Bring this to a simmer on the stove, with the cover on. When it is hot, arrange the tamales on top of the steamer and recover. Steam about 30 minutes, checking periodically so it doesn’t run out of water. The tamales will cook just fine, even if they are overlapped with each other. Tamales are done when the masa appears solid and shiny. Serve hot, with rice and hot sauce or salsa. These can also be frozen and reheated in the microwave.

Notes: Make these tamales vegan and DF by using vegan cheese or leaving out the cheese altogether (though I personally think they’re much better with cheese). Masa harina (corn flour) can usually be found in any grocery store’s ethnic foods area. I suggest using homemade black beans for the filling, but canned black beans will also work.

From "Tamale Music" (5.29.07)

Mexican Red Rice (GF, DF, Vegan)
Makes 6 servings

2 Tbls peanut (or vegetable) oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp ground chipotle, depending on taste
½ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp dried cilantro
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp lime zest

1 cup long-grain rice
½ can chopped tomatoes, or 2 fresh chopped tomatoes
1¼ cup vegetable broth
½ tsp salt 

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the chopped onion. Sauté until the onion just begins to brown, then add the garlic and chipotle. Cook about 20 seconds, then add the rice and other spices and stir over medium-high heat about 2-4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, and salt, then lower heat and cover. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed. Serve hot.

Note: Vary the basic recipe by adding one or more ingredients, like corn, green peas, chopped carrots, bell peppers, and chopped celery.

Caribbean Black Beans (GF, DF, Vegan)
Makes 6 servings

1 tbls peanut or olive oil
1 stalk celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teas dry mustard
¼ teas lime zest

1 can black beans (about 2 cups)
½ can chopped tomatoes
½ cup frozen corn
2 teas Worcestershire sauce
1-2 teas dark rum
½ teas chipotle salt
1 teas lime juice

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add celery and cook about 5-7 minutes, until the green begins to darken. Add garlic, dry mustard, and lime zest, stirring constantly about 30 seconds.

Add all the rest of the ingredients and cook over medium-low heat until lightly bubbling. Serve hot.

Lime Sour Cream (GF)
Makes 2 tablespoons

2 tbls sour cream
½ teas lime juice, more to taste
1/8 teas lime zest
Dash chipotle salt
Small pinch sugar

Mix everything together until well blended. Serve cold as a seasoning for Mexican Red Rice and Caribbean Black Beans.

From "Winter Dinners" (3.6.07)

Refried Beans (GF, DF, Vegan)
Makes about 8-10 servings

1 pound dried pinto beans
1-2 large onions, chopped
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 small stalk fresh spearmint (about 6-7 leaves)
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 medium stems fresh parsley 

For refrying:
3 Tbls vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1-3 tsp ground chipotle pepper, depending on taste
½ - 1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dry mustard
1 tsp dried basil (or 1 Tbls chopped fresh)
1 tsp dried oregano
1-2 tsp salt, or to taste

Pick through and rinse the beans, then soak them overnight in a large bowl with 2 tsp baking soda and plenty of water.

The next day, drain and rinse the beans well. Place in a large pot with chopped onion, garlic, and enough water to just cover them. As you bring this to a boil, prepare fresh herbs by washing and plucking leaves off the stems. Loosely chop the spearmint and parsley; the thyme shouldn’t need much chopping, as the leaves are already very small. Add herbs to pot. When it is boiling, adjust heat to medium and simmer uncovered about 1 ½ hours, stirring frequently and adding water if they begin to seem too dry.

After beans are cooked, remove from heat and cool about 20 minutes. In a food processor, grind about 2/3 of the cooked beans with their liquid. Mix back into the pot.

In a large, deep skillet, heat vegetable oil and fry onion until just beginning to brown. Add ground chipotle to the oil and stir about 20 seconds before adding the remaining spices. Add about 3-4 cups cooked beans to onions and spices, cooking to reduce liquid. Gradually add all the beans a cup at a time, reducing as you go. When all the beans have been reduced, the refried beans are done. Serve hot.

Note: These beans are ideal served with quesadillas, red rice, or any other dishes from Mexico or Central America.

From "Parsley, Rosemary, & Thyme" (3.28.07)

Basic Crêpes (GF, DF)
Makes 8-10

3 eggs
1 ¼ cup soymilk
¼ cup DF butter, melted
½ cup sorghum flour
½ cup sweet rice flour
2 Tbls tapioca flour

Mix flours together in a small dish and set aside. In a blender, beat eggs until very smooth. Mix in soymilk. Add melted butter and mix on a medium setting for at least 1 minute, until batter seems well-blended. Gradually add flour mixture, blending well so it does not leave dry pockets. Blend for 1 more minute, then allow batter to rest about 10 minutes before using.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet on medium heat (number 4 on a 10-point heating scale works well). Grease griddle with a small amount of DF butter. When butter is sizzling, pour about ¼ cup (or more, depending on desired size) batter onto griddle and rotate griddle so the batter spreads out into a thin circle. Cook crêpe until the edges just begin to lightly brown, then flip and cook the other side. Crêpe should be cooked until golden, but still very flexible. A crispy crêpe has been cooked too long. When crêpe is done, gently roll it up using your spatulas and set under a towel on a warm plate. Continue cooking crêpes until batter is exhausted. 

Fill crêpes with desired fillings and serve warm. An idea is to lay the table with various fillings and invite guests to fill their warm crêpes themselves with what they like.

Suggested Savory Fillings:
Spinach
Scrambled eggs
Kalamata olives
Red onion, cooked with garlic
Fresh tomato
Cucumber
Feta
Ricotta insalata
Brie
Mango chutney
Roasted potatoes
La vache qui rit cheese

Suggested Sweet Fillings:
Nutella
Butter and sugar
Chocolate
Fruit jam or compote
Applesauce
Sweetened sour cream and nutmeg
Fresh berries or other fruit
Vanilla yogurt

Notes: For sweeter dessert crêpes, add 2 Tbls sugar and ½ tsp vanilla to the batter before cooking. I suspect an egg substitute could be used in place of real eggs, but this is untested.

From "Faire des crêpes" (6.12.07)

Cranberry-Orange Sauce (GF, DF, SF, Vegan)
Makes enough for 5 8oz jars

1 ¼ cup apple juice
2 ½ cups brown sugar
4 quarter-sized coins of fresh ginger
1 tsp orange zest

5 cups fresh cranberries*
¼ tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
¾ tsp vanilla

½ Tbls cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbls water

*1 cup fresh cranberries yields 8oz cooked sauce

Skin and finely chop fresh ginger. Combine apple juice, brown sugar, ginger, and orange zest in a large pot. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add cranberries to boiling syrup, stir well, and bring mixture back to a rolling boil on medium-high heat.

Cook until the berries are nearly all burst, about 10-15 minutes. Stir constantly for the first 4-5 minutes, then stir frequently. Crush some of the berries against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon if you would like a smoother sauce.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add spices, vanilla, and cornstarch water. Simmer, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly. Taste for sweetness and add sugar if necessary, keeping in mind that sauce will sweeten slightly as it cools. Be sure to cook sauce until all extra sugar is melted and incorporated, or your sauce will turn grainy.

Serve hot or cold, depending on preference. This sauce cans well, with a processing time of about 10 minutes.

From "Bog Berries" (11.20.07)

Spinach & Feta Quiche (GF)
Makes one 9-inch pie

½ onion, chopped
¼ tsp ground chipotle, more to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ - ¾ bunch spinach, washed and chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1 small tomato, chopped

¾ cup soymilk
4 eggs
½ cup feta
2 Tbls parmesan or romano cheese
½ cup cheddar cheese
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp dried oregano
1/16 tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp paprika
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 crust made from Kinnikinnick Pastry & Pie Crust Mix

Mix together crust and roll out using sweet rice flour. (This will add to the elasticity of your crust, so it won’t break as easily when you move it.) Gently set into 9-inch pie pan and flute or otherwise finish edge. Set aside in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, warm 1-2 Tbls light olive oil. Fry onion about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown. Add minced garlic and cook about 1 minute, until very fragrant. Add chipotle to oil and cook at least 15 seconds before stirring into onions and garlic. Turn heat to medium low, add chopped spinach on top of onions, and cover. Leaves should be wilted within 5-7 minutes. Stir in chopped green onions and tomato, then remove from heat.

In a bowl or large measuring cup, mix together soymilk, eggs, cheeses, spices, and Worcestershire sauce. Beat well, so all spices are mixed in and eggs are smooth.

Scrape spinach mixture into prepared pie crust and spread out evenly over bottom. Pour egg mixture over all and gently work into spinach so they begin to mix but are not completely blended. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, then reduce heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and bake 30 minutes, or until set. (If you’re not sure, gently nudge it; it is done when the center does not move.) As the quiche bakes, keep an eye on the edge of the crust. If it begins to brown too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil. Serve hot.

From "Creating Quiche" (5.15.07)

Rosemary White Beans (GF, DF, Vegan)
Makes about 8-10 servings

1 pound small dry white beans
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp crushed, dried rosemary
1 tsp finely minced fresh rosemary
4 Tbls light olive oil
2 tsp salt, or to taste

Pick through and rinse the beans, then soak them overnight in a large bowl with 2 tsp baking soda and plenty of water.

The next day, drain and rinse the beans well. Heat olive oil in a large pot and cook garlic and dried rosemary briefly (30-60 seconds). Add the rinsed beans, fresh rosemary, and enough water to just cover them. You can always add more water later if it boils off, so don’t worry about being a little shy with it.

Bring beans to a boil, then reduce the heat and half cover. Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring periodically and adding water if they begin to seem dry. When beans are mostly cooked, remove the cover, add salt, and simmer uncovered for about 20-30 minutes, or until they are soft. Taste for salt and adjust as necessary before serving hot.

Note: These beans are ideal served with pasta, polenta, sautéed vegetables, or yams.

From "Parsley, Rosemary, & Thyme" (3.28.07)

Tomato Paste (GF, DF, Vegan)
Makes about ½ cup paste

5 lb. fresh tomatoes, skinned
1-2 tsp olive oil
pinch salt

To skin tomatoes:
Wash the tomatoes and pluck off the stems. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Place a bowl of ice water near it. Drop whole tomatoes into boiling water and boil about 1 minute, no longer than 1 ½ minutes. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and cool in ice water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Rub skin off tomato and put aside. Repeat until all tomatoes are skinned.

For paste:
Cut out tomato stem from skinned tomatoes and chop into 1-inch pieces. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large nonstick skillet, heat about 1-2 teaspoons olive oil on medium heat. Add chopped tomatoes with the pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Boil about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

From "Too Many Tomatoes" (10.2.07)

Kokila’s Egg Curry (GF, DF, Vegan optional)
Serves 4

1 tsp ground turmeric
½ Tbls ground coriander
½ tsp or more ground Indian red pepper

¼ cup clarified butter (DF is okay) or ½-1 Tbls light olive oil
2 ½ Tbls cumin seeds
2 large red onions, diced
1 Tbls freshly grated or diced ginger
3 tsp heaped tomato paste
2 cups water, more if needed
1 tsp salt, more to taste
4 hardboiled eggs, halved
1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)

In a small dish, mix together turmeric, coriander, and red pepper. Work out any lumps and set aside. Heat clarified butter in pan over medium heat. Sizzle cumin seeds quickly (no more than 30 seconds) in butter, then add chopped red onion and cook until golden and crispy, about 10 minutes.

Add fresh ginger and cook just long enough to release its aroma, about 30 seconds. Quickly add spice mixture and stir with onions 30 seconds to heat thoroughly. Stir in tomato paste, water, and salt. Bring to a simmer and place halved hardboiled eggs face up in sauce. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until eggs are heated through and sauce tastes cooked. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Notes: Add any cooked vegetables to this before you put the eggs in the sauce, or leave out the eggs altogether. Carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, fresh tomato, green beans, and garbanzo beans work well. If you can eat dairy, add fresh paneer cheese as well (available at most Indian groceries, or make it yourself—it’s quite easy).

This curry tastes best when your spices are fresh. The Indian red pepper is sold in Indian groceries, usually in a large bag. It’s a fine, brilliantly red powder and is quite spicy; I recommend adding only a little to begin, then adding more to suite your tastes.

Red onions are the best for this curry because of their unique cooking properties. They will crisp up and turn golden when fried in butter. You may substitute yellow onions if you don’t have red, but it’s worth buying red onions for the dish.

From "Kokila's Curry" (11.13.07)

Saffron Basmati Rice (GF, DF, Vegan)
Serves 4

2 cups long-grain basmati rice, well-rinsed
Water
1 tsp salt
4-5 Tbls DF butter
1 tsp saffron threads, crushed 

Place rinsed rice in a medium pot and add enough water to cover. The water level should be at least 2 inches above the rice, if not more. Stir in salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Gently boil for 5 minutes, then remove from stove and pour rice into a strainer, allowing water to run down the drain.

Keeping heat on low, melt butter in the bottom of the pan, then add saffron threads and stir until partially dissolved. Pour about half of the butter-saffron mixture into a small cup, keeping the rest in the bottom of the pan. Add rice to pan, on top of remaining butter mixture and DO NOT stir. Pour reserved butter mixture all over the rice.

Lay a paper towel over the top of the pan, then place the cover over the paper towel. Cook on very low heat for about 25 minutes, or until rice is soft. When ready to serve, gently stir with a spoon, carefully scraping bottom and turning over to the top. The grains from the bottom should be brightly colored red and gold, as well as very crispy. Serve hot.

From "Winter Dinners" (3.6.07)

Yawney’s Stew (GF, DF)
Serves 8-10

3 stalks celery, chopped
1 yam, cubed (red garnet preferred)
1 russet potato, cubed
1 onion, chopped
4 medium carrots, cut into rounds
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped, more to taste
mushrooms, zucchini, other vegetables, anything edible you find in the forest (optional)

1 can small brown beans AND/OR
1 lb cubes stew beef

4 cups water, more as needed
½ tsp caraway seeds
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp hot paprika
¼ tsp allspice
¼ tsp cayenne
1 tsp dried or fresh parsley
salt to taste (1/2 – 1 tsp)
black pepper to taste

Mix together dry mustard, paprika, allspice, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1-2 Tbls light olive oil and fry onion until just beginning to brown. If using cubed beef, add it to onion and fry until mostly cooked. Add garlic and caraway seeds and fry for about 1 minute. Add spice mixture, stir in briefly and remove from heat.

While onion mixture is cooking, heat 4 cups water in a large stew pot. Toss in yam, potato, and carrots. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes, then add celery, onion, garlic, spices, and beef (if using). Add beans (if using). Simmer gently until vegetables and beef are tender, about 45 minutes. Add water if it gets too thick. The longer the beef spends in the stew, the more tender it will be.

From "Yawney's Stew" (12.30.08)