Confident Kitchen

Fresh nectarines paired with blueberries freshly picked from our yard.

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Megadarra (me-ga-DAR-ra) is immensely popular in Egypt, as it is in the rest of the Arab World. (Elsewhere, the dish is pronounced mu-jah-DRA.) It’s served either warm or at room temperature as a mezze, or appetizer, often accompanied by yogurt. Large quanities of dark caramelized onions are the best part.  (link)

The Seattle Times posted the recipes for Megadarra and Harissa.  It takes time to make, but well worth the effort.  The flavors are surprisingly complex.

(Read the article)

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Simple, easy, quick, nutritious.

Skill: Easy
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/3 C. dry quinoa
• 1 C. water
• Juice of one fresh lime
• 1/4 t. ground cumin
• 1/4 t. ground coriander
• 1 T. finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 15ounce can black beans
• 2 diced roma tomatoes
• 1 C. diced orange bell pepper
• 2 t. canned green chilies
• salt and black pepper to taste

Rinse quinoa. Boil the water, add quinoa, cover, and simmer about 10-15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Cool 10 minutes.

Combine lime juice, cumin, coriander, and cilantro. Stir in beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, and chilies. Add cooled quinoa, salt and pepper to taste.

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Ingredients:

• spring roll wraps, soaked in hot water
• cilantro
• bell pepper
• tofu
• cucumber
• red onion
• hoisin
• asparagus

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A good crusty bread, hummus, red bell pepper, red onion, romaine lettuce, cilantro, and cucumber.

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Skill:  Easy
Prep:  10 minutes
Total:  45 minutes

Ingredients:

• carrots
• red potatoes
• sweet potato
• rutabaga
•  broccoli
• cauliflower
• golden beets

Peel and cut the golden beets into bite-size pieces.  Place in a pan with water and boil for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and chop the carrots, rutabaga,  sweet potato, and red potatoes.  Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Cut broccoli and cauliflower into bite-size pieces and steam for 5 minutes.

I served this with spinach naan.

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 Adapted from Soy and Pepper.

**Note** I used a scale to weigh the flour, sugar, and other ingredients but for the sake of those without a scale, I will calculate the conversions here. Original measurements can be found at Soy and Pepper’s website, as linked above.

Skill: Medium
Prep: 45 minutes (counting 30 mins to boil orange)
Total: Up to 1 hour and 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 orange (I used Cara Cara)
• 3 medium eggs
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate, melted (I used dark chocolate chips)
  
• 1 3/4 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the chocolate ganache:

• 3/4 cup dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons cointreau
• Orange zest to decorate

Pierce the orange with a skewer or fork and boil for 30 minutes in a saucepan. Puree with a food processor, removing any seeds. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a cake pan or a set of small ramekins for more personal-sized cakes.

Sift together flour, cocoa, and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside. In a small saucepan, melt the first batch of chocolate.

In an electric mixer, lightly beat the eggs, sugar, and oil. Beat in the pureed orange and melted chocolate. Fold the cocoa, flour and baking powder into the batter using a spoon or spatula. Pour into cake pan or ramekins.

Bake the cake pan for 55-60 minutes. Bake the ramekins for 20-25 minutes. Pierce with a wooden skewer to verify the cake is done (it should come out clean). After 10 minutes, pop the cake out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Put the ganache chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small pan until it boils and then pour over the chocolate. Stir well until smooth, then add the cointreau. Cool the mixture for about an hour until firm enough to spread. Spread over the cake and decorate with orange zest.

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Recipe

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If you haven’t picked up Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle book yet, I highly recommend checking it out.  This recipe is from the book, but you can find the original online.

Skill:  Easy-Medium
Prep:  15 minutes
Total:  30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1 tsp cumin
• chile powder to taste
• olive oil for sauté
• 4 flour tortillas
• 4 oz. Brie or other medium soft cheese
• 2-3 leaves Kale (or other greens)

Cut sweet potatoes into chunks, cook in steamer basket or microwave until soft, then mash.  Chop and sauté garlic and onion in a large skillet.  Add spices and sweet potato, mix well, adding a little water if it’s too sticky.  Turn burner very low to keep warm without burning.

Preheat oven to 400.  Oil a large baking sheet, spread tortillas on it to lightly oil one side, then spread filling on half of each.  Top with slices of Brie and shredded kale, then fold tortillas to close (oiled side out).  Bake until browned and crisp (about 15 min.), cut into wedges for serving.

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Ever get a particular craving that just won’t go away? I wanted greens. Bad. I’m currently recovering from knee surgery and I think my body is telling me to eat good food to help aid in getting better.

Kale is a fantastic dark leafy green, packed full of nutrients. Just what my body wanted.

Skill: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. soy sauce
• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 cups cooked or canned black-eyed peas, rinsed if canned
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 4 cups vegetable stock or water
• 14-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
• 3 cups chopped kale

1. In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot. Cover and cook 5 minutes until softened. Add paprika, stock or water, tomatoes and kale and cook, uncovered, until kale is tender, about 15 minutes. Add peas and soy sauce and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Just before serving, add rice and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

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