Spicy eggplant and pepper in black bean sauce

Spicy eggplant and pepper in black bean sauce a photo by moreMirchi on Flickr.

3 Asian eggplants
1 red pepper
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons chili bean paste, I got mine at Whole Foods
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Mirin or any rice wine
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
Cilantro, for garnish - scallions work well too

Slice each eggplant in half lengthwise, then slice each length into quarters. Similarly chop pepper into strips as well.

In a small bowl, mix together chicken stock, chili bean paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine, and sugar. Set aside.

Dry roast eggplant in a pan until the pieces start turning brown. This helps in making the eggplant less absorbant to oil.

In a wok, heat oil. Add eggplants, red pepper and stir-fry until outsides become golden brown and insides begin to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and ground red pepper and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Pour in stock-sauce mixture and mix well. Allow sauce to simmer for 2 minutes and eggplant to absorb sauce. Stir in cornstarch mixture to thicken sauce. Remove from heat, plate, and garnish.

Couscous and Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Tried my own variation of Smitten Kitchen's recipe and H and I thought the flavours of the ingredients really went well together.

Makes 2 bell peppers

Ingredients:

2 large green bell peppers

1/3 cup couscous

2 chicken sausages (I used Trader Joes' jalapeno chicken sausage), cut into bite-size pieces

1 small onion, chopped

1 green chilli, chopped fine

1/4 can garbanzo beans

2 tbsp tomato paste

6 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 zucchini, cut into small cubes

1/2 tsp coriander powder

salt/ pepper to taste

First, prep the green bell peppers by slicing the tops off and cleaning the insides of seeds and membrane. In a lightly greased pan, place the bell peppers top up, and bake at 350F for 15 minutes.

Prepare couscous as per instructions on the packet. I used water, but Deb suggests chicken stock which will probably add additional flavour.

In a shallow pan, heat oil and fry onions till lightly golden. Add the garlic and green chilli, and saute for 2 mins. At this time, throw in the beans, zucchini, cut sausage, cherry tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir, and allow zucchini to cook for 7-8 minutes. When cooked, add salt and pepper. Take off fire and stir in prepared couscous. Set aside.

Remove the bell peppers from the oven. Fill the prepared couscous mixture into the peppers and bake for 20 mins. I turned the oven to broil for the last 5 mins, to allow the peppers to brown a little.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Adapted from H's mom's recipe

Ingredients:
2 green bell peppers
3 medium-sized potatoes
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper pwdr
1/2 tsp cumin pwdr
1/2 green chilli, chopped fine
salt

Boil the potatoes to cook them thoroughly. Peel the skin off, and mash them well. Add the turmeric, cayenne, cumin powders, chopped green chilli and salt to season.

Now, take the whole bell peppers and slice off the top with the stem. Empty out the inside contents to create a hollow which can be stuffed with the potato filling. Scoop the potato filling inside. Arrange the filled bell peppers on a greased baking tray and bake for 20-25 mins at 375F. I turned the gas mark to broil for the last 5 mins of baking to allow the outer skin of the pepper to roast.

Crepes with Mareguez sausages, red pepper and goat cheese

Crepes are surprisingly easy to make if you have a 10" non stick crepe pan. Allow for a couple of less than satisfactory crepes in the beginning. After making 1 or 2 you should get the hang of it.

For crepes - from America's Test Kitchen family cookbook

Makes 4 crepes

1/2 cup whole milk - I used low fat milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
3 tbsps water
1 1/2 tbsps unsalted butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt

1. Blend all the ingredients. Cover and refridgerate for 2 hours.
2. Stir the mixture if it has seperated.
3. Smooth some butter on a 10" pan over medium heat.
4. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter on the pan and tilt it quickly to cover the base and spread it.
5. Flip the crepe when light brown on one side - about 30 seconds. Cook for another 30 seconds on the other side.

For the filling - V improvised this on the fly

Serves 3

3 marguez lamb sausages - V substituted one with Andouille sausage, chopped into bite size pieces. Sausages were spiced with fennel, cumin and red chilli.
1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper sliced into strips
1/2 green pepper sliced into strips
1/4 cup chopped dried figs
2 tsp dried pomegranate seeds (anar-dana)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

1. Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil and fry the the sausages until brown. Drain some oil to leave about 1 tbsp. Add garlic, onions, green, red pepper, salt and cook until onions are dark brown.
2. Add figs, pomegranate seeds and 1 tbsp of water. Cook for another 5 mins, until most of the water has been absorbed.
3. Garnish with crumbled goat cheese and toasted pine nuts.

Roasted tomato, cippolini and green pepper

I am a believer - simple and sooo tasty! Smitten kitchen once again ~~~



Makes 2 servings
10 mini roma tomatoes or smaller tomato varieties. Stay away from cherry tomatoes for this recipes - look for more tart than sweet flavors
10 cippolini onions, blanced for 10 sec and peel the outer skin
Green pepper, cut into 2" strips
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 tsp coarse salt
5 whole black pepper
3 crushed garlic cloves

1. Mix whole tomatoes, cippolini, green pepper, olive oil, salt, black pepper and garlic in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven at 375 deg for 45 mins, stirring it now and then. During this time the outer skin of tomatoes, onions and green pepper will wrinkle and veggies will stew in the tomato juice thats released in the pan.
2. I served the roasted veggies and soup in a bowl of quinoa.

Red Pepper soup

Sweet, hot red peppers are in season! I love going to the market when you can see cascading piles of peppers in all shades of red.

Makes 4 servings

1 large white or yellow onion chopped

3 red peppers seeded and chopped into 1" pieces

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup of dry white wine

2 cups of chicken broth

2 tbsps of fresh thyme

2 tsp of crushed red chilli pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil and saute onions with a pinch of salt until they are translucent. Add garlic, crushed red chilli peppers and cook for another minute. Add wine, increase heat and reduce to about 1 tbsp of liquid. Add red peppers, thyme and chicken broth. When it begins to simmer, reduce the heat, cover and let cook until pepper is cooked through. Process the mix in batches and adjust seasonings.

This soup can be served hot or cold, garnished with sour cream.

Kardhai Gurda (Lamb kidney with green pepper)

Makes 4 servings

2 pairs of lamb kidneys

1 medium onion chopped

3 tbsps of tomato paste - I use the one from whole foods, half the can is more than enough. You could also try using a small fresh tomato.

4 cloves of garlic minced - about 2 tbsp

1 inch piece of ginger minced

3 green chillies chopped

1 green pepper cubed

3 tbsps chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsps garam masala

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Salt to taste

Soak kidneys in 2 cups of water with 3 tbsp of salt for 20 mins to clean out residual blood. If kidneys are not halal or kosher, leave it in the water for atleast 30 mins. Rinse the kidneys until they are deep maroon in color and not red. Cut the kidneys in half and remove the core of white connective tissue. Chop the kidneys in 1/4 - 1/2 inch pieces.

Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a kardhai. Add onions and green pepper. Season with salt and let cook until it begins to brown. Now add ginger, garlic, green chillis, all the spices, 2 tbsps of chopped coriander and tomato paste with a little water so the spices don't burn. Cook until the spices are blended well with the tomato paste and there is maybe a tbsp of liquid left. Now add the kidneys, salt and about 3 tbsps of water. Cover and cook until kidneys are done, approx 15 mins. To check doneness - split a piece of kidney to check if its the uniform greyish-brown through without any purple. Garnish with the rest of coriander leaves.

We had a side of veggies sauteed in toasted sesame seed oil seasoned with salt and pepper.

Leek soup

Makes 4 servings

2 stalks leek or 3 if using smaller stalks, sliced - use as much of the green as possible

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 medium sized potatoes, peeled, cubed and steamed

1/2 red bell pepper for garnish

3 cups of chicken stock

3 tbsps olive oil

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a pot big enough to hold 5 cups of liquid. Lightly brown garlic and add leeks. Let cook until leek is translucent. Add a bit of salt to help in wilting. Add the leek mix along with the potatoes and salt to the food processor. Puree until it is well blended. You might have to add a 1/2 cup of chicken stock to help blend. Add the mix back into the pot used earlier, add the rest of the chicken stalk and salt to taste. Simmer for 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped red pepper.

Variations - Add pancetta to hot oil before adding garlic to give it a nice smokey flavor. Or, fry chopped bacon in olive oil, remove and save fried bacon bits to garnish and use drippings to cook garlic and leeks in. I have successfully used anchovies to salt the soup - Add 5-6 fillets of chopped anchovies in the hot oil and let completely dissipate before adding garlic in the beginning. Remember NOT to add salt if using anchovies.