The best pumpkin pie

This is a wonderfully tangy alternative to the standard pumpkin pie - the creme fraiche adds a light and creamy texture.  Adapted from The Traveler's Lunch and Martha Stewart.

Ingredients

For the crust

12 graham crackers/digestive biscuits ground finely
70 g (5 T) butter
40 g sugar

For the filling

1 can/1.5 c pumpkin puree
1.5 c creme fraiche
3 large eggs
1.5 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t ginger
pinch cloves
1/2 salt
1/2 c (100g) dark brown sugar
1/2 c (100g) white sugar
1 T cornstarch

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 175 C.  Combine graham crackers/digestives with sugar and butter, and combine until the mixtures is the texture of wet sand.
2) Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9" pie plate, and bake crust until it is dry and set, about 12 minutes.
3) While the crust is cooking, in a large bowl combine all of the pie filling ingredients except for the sugars and cornstarch.
4) In a small bowl, combine the sugars and corn starch until no lumps remain.
5) Combine pumpkin and sugar mixtures, and pour into parbaked crust.  Lower oven temperature to 160C and bake until the filling is puffed and set, about an hour.

Quinoa with miso, sweet potato, and broccoli

This is a delicious recipe with incredibly more-ish sauce: the miso is sweet, savory, and tangy.  Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

1 c cooked quinoa
2 medium sweet potatoes (1.5 pounds)
1 large broccoli head
1-2 T olive oil
2 T toasted sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste
2 green onions, chopped coarsely
a handful of your favorite herb, chopped

For the sauce

1.5 T ginger
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
3 T miso
3 T tahini
1.5 T honey
3/8 c rice vinegar
3 T sesame oil
3 T olive oil

Instructions

1) Heat oven to 205C.  Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes, then remove stalk from broccoli and cut into small florets.
2) Spray a tin foil lined tray with olive oil, layer sweet potatoes onto tray, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3)  Cook sweet potatoes for 20 minutes or until browning slightly, then add broccoli chunks and toss to combine, and roast for another 10-15 minutes, until broccoli is lightly browned and sweet potato is fully cooked.
4) While vegetables are cooking, prepare miso dressing by combining ingredients and blending (in a blender or with a hand blender).
5) To serve, put a dollop of quinoa on a plate, add a few spoonfulls of sweet potatoes and broccoli, sprinkle with dressing, then finish with sesame seeds, herbs, and green onions.

Pizza with gorgonzola, caramelized onions, pear, beets, and rocket

Making homemade pizza dough requires a bit of advance prep and effort, but it's absolutely worth the effort.  The dough here was kneaded using a bread maker, but it is just as easy to use a food processor or knead by hand.  Adapted from Cooks Illustrated.

Ingredients

For the dough

1 3/4 c water, divided into 1/2 cup warm, 1 1/4 c tap temperature
1 t dry active yeast
2 T olive oil

4 c strong white bread flour

1.5 t salt 

For the pizza

a jar of your favorite tomato sauce

a hunk of gorgonzola, crumbled

250g fresh mozzarella, cut into small chunks

200 g baby beets (sweetfire is best), cut into small chunks

1 pear, sliced thinly

2 red onions, caramelized (see here for a recipe)

1/2 c parmesian, grated

6 cups fresh rocket

Instructions

For the dough

1) Combine 1/4 c warm water with yeast in a medium bowl, and let stand 5 minutes, until yeast dissolves and swells to produce bubbles.  

2) Add remaining 1/4 c water, 1 1/4 c tap water, and 2 T olive oil.

3) Combine flour with salt.

4a) If using a bread maker, combine all ingredients together and let the machine do the work.

4b) If using a food processor, place flour/salt into the food processor, pulse to combine well, then add the liquid ingredients, pulsing all the while until a ball of dough forms.

5) Process dough in food processor with short pulses for 30 seconds to a minute, until the dough is smooth and satiny.

6) Lightly flour a work surface, turn dough out, and knead by hand for about a minute to form a small ball.  

7) Place dough into a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a cool place for about 4 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.

For the pizza

I like to improvise with quantities for ingredients.  Here, you should have enough toppings for about 3 pizzas - feel free to decrease/increase the quantities of any of the toppings to suit your taste.  You will have some leftover dough, which can be wrapped tightly in cling film and frozen.

1) Preheat the oven to 250C.  Cover a large work surface with flour, take a piece of dough the size of a fist, and roll dough out from the middle outwards, with a rolling pin, until it is to the thickness of your liking.  (See here for tips)

2) Place the dough onto a baking stone or tray, and layer with ingredients: spray with a bit of olive oil, slather base with 2-3 T tomato sauce, and sprinkle with gorgonzola, mozzarella, red onions, pear, and beets.  

3) Sprinkle the top with parmesian, and bake for 8-12 minutes, until the crust is gold brown and the toppings are browning slightly.

4) Serve sprinkled with fresh rocket.

Quinoa salad with egg, zucchini, and avocado-cilantro dressing

This is a delicious and summery quinoa salad, adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

Ingredients

1 large avocado, ripe
juice of 1 lime
1/4 c lightly packed cilantro
1 clove garlic
1/4 c plain yogurt
1/2 c water
1/2 t salt
2 T mayonaisse
4 large eggs
1 large zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch thick coins
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
couple pinches of fine grain sea salt
1 cups quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
handful pine nuts, toasted
1/4 c feta, crumbled
1-2 c fresh spinach, chopped finely
2 T chopped cilantro
1/4 c cooked corn (optional)

Instructions

1) Prepare the avocado-cilantro dressing by blending the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, yogurt, water, salt, and mayonaise with a hand blender, and set aside.
2) Hard boil three eggs and set aside.  (Try this technique: place eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1/2 inch.  Bring to a gentle boil, turn off heat and cover.  Let sit for 7 minutes, then dunk eggs in ice water to stop cooking.)
3) Use a grill pan (or a normal pan if you don't have one) to cook zucchini: heat olive oil over medium heat and cook zucchini for ~5 minutes on each side.
4) Crack and peel each egg, then cut into quarters.
5) Toss quinoa with zucchini, spinach, feta, cilantro, and corn (if using).
6) To assemble salad, top quinoa mix with avocado sauce and slices of egg.

Mango, cabbage, and cashew cole slaw

This is a delicious alternative to a side vegetable to serve with asian food.  I find it's a particularly good combination for fish.  Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

2 mangos, peeled, pitted, and sliced into tiny slivers (julienned using a mandolin is best)
1 medium (1 pound) napa cabbage, halved and sliced into thin slivers
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1 red pepper, sliced into tiny slivers
5-6 T lime juice
1/4 c rice vinegar
2 T sesame oil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/4 c fresh cilantro or mint (or both)
1/4 c cashews, toasted and chopped coarsely

Instructions

1) Toss mango, cabbage, pepper. and onion in a large bowl.
2) Combine lime juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and red pepper flakes into a small bowl.
3) Pour sauce over mango mix, and sprinkle with herbs and cashews before serving.

Lemony goat cheese pasta

This is an easy and very tasty dish that smacks of goat cheese.  The lemon zest rounds off the flavor nicely.  I think that other vegetables could easily be substituted for the asparagus.  Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

1 pound spiral pasta (or whatever pasta you prefer)
1 pound asparagus, stalks trimmed, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/8 to 1/4 c olive oil
1 T grated lemon peel
2 T basil (or your herb of choice)
5 oz soft, fresh goat cheese
1/2 c grated parmesian
salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice to taste

Instructions

1) Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, 3-4 minutes shy of the full cooking time on the package
2) Add asparagus and cook until tender but still firm, about 2-3 minutes.
3) Drain and reserve one cup of pasta water
4) Combine olive oil, lemon peel, basil, and goat cheese in a large bowl, and mix until smooth.
5) Add pasta and asparagus to goat cheese mixture, plus a couple T of pasta water, and toss until well incorporated.  Add more pasta water for a thinner sauce.
6) Add salt, pepper, and lemon to taste.  Sprinkle with parmesian to serve.

Zucchini and goat cheese galette

This recipe is adapted from a very delicious version made by Smitten Kitchen - I've substituted goat cheese for ricotta and used lemon basil to add a bit of extra zing.  In any case, this free form tart is packed full of flavor and tastes great warm or cold.

Ingredients

Pastry

1.25 c flour
1/4 t salt
8 T unsalted butter,
1/4 c sour cream/creme fraiche
2 t lemon juice
1/4 c ice water
1 egg yolk for glaze

Filling

1 large (or 2 small) zucchinis, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c fresh goat cheese (I mixed some goat cheese with sour creme to get a more spreadable texture)
1/2 c grated parmesian
1/2 c shredded mozzarella (or similarly soft cheese)
1 T slivered basil leaves (use lemon basil if you can find it!)

Instructions

1) Combine salt and flour in a large bowl.  Sprinkle small chunks of butter over mixture, and blend with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles very coarse sand.  (You can also do this in a food processor, using short 1/2 second bursts - just don't overmix!)
2) In a small bowl, combine sour cream, lemon juice, and water.
3) Add liquid to flour mix, and mix gently with fingertips or a spoon, until the dough is in large lumps.  Try not to overmix, as you will bread up the butter globules and the pastry will be tough not flaky.  If your dough is too wet, add a few T of flour.
4) Cover pastry with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 15 minutes, until dough is cold and firm (but definitely not frozen).
5) Combine oil and garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
6) In a medium bowl, mix goat cheese, parmesian, mozzarella, basil, and 1 t of garlicky oil.  Set aside.
7) After the dough is chilled, preheat oven to 200C.  On a flour work surface, roll the dough into a 12 inch round (either with your fingers or a rolling pin).  For extra flaky dough, fold the dough over itself several times.
8) Transfer dough round to a parchment-lined baking tray.  Spread cheese mixture evenly over middle of dough, leaving a 2" border.
9) Arrange zucchini in concentric circles, overlapping slightly, and starting at the outside edge.
10) Drizzle with garlic olive oil, and fold dough over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit.
11) Mix egg yolk with 1 T water, and brush over dough.
12) Bake galette 30-40 minutes, until crust is firm and gold brown, and zucchini is slightly wilted.

Eggplant, pomegranite, and feta salad

This recipe is an adaption of a salad my friend Naomi served to me.  It's very light and full of delicious flavors.  If you have a grill pan or a George Forman Grill, you can also cook the eggplant in that.

Ingredients

2 cups rocket, chopped coarsly
2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2cm thick round slices
2 tomatoes, sliced thinly
2/3 c feta
handful of basil, chopped/slivered
large handful of pine nuts, toasted
1/4 c pomegranate seeds (see this technique for removing pomengranite seeds)
1 clove garlic, minced/pressed
zest of one lemon
1/3 c olive oil
1/4 c high quality balsamic vinegar (aged is best)
olive oil spray
salt and pepper

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 200C, line a large baking tray with foil, and spray with olive oil.  Spread eggplant slices flat, and spray generously with olive oil (to prevent burning).
2) Cook eggplant approximately 20 minutes, until they are soft and golden brown (thinner slices will cook faster.)
3) Meanwhile, while the eggplant is cooking, mix together the garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, and balsamic into a dressing.  Salt and pepper to taste.
4) When the eggplant is done cooking, layer the salad on a platter.

• Sprinkle with rocket
• Add a layer of tomatoes (arranging close together or slightly overlapping)
• Arrange eggplant in flat layers, similar to tomatoes.
• Sprinkle with feta, basil, pine nuts, and pomegranite.

5) Pour dressing evenly over salad and let sit for a few minutes.  Serve with couscous.

Hummus

After many attempts to produce the perfect batch of hummus, this is my favorite recipe.  This can be done with either a hand blender or a food processor.

Ingredients

1 14oz can chickpeas, drained
4 T lemon juice
2-4 T tahini (2 if you don't like too much nuttiness, 4 if you like lots)
1 T olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced/pressed
1 T water
large pinch of salt
paprika, parsley, and pine nuts for garnish

Instructions

1) Combine chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil, and water in a large bowl, and use a hand blender to blend until smooth (or to a desired texture).
2) Add garlic and salt, and incorporate until smooth.
3) Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Mushrooms paprika

This dish is a creamy, hearty accompaniment to pasta, or spatzle - Eastern European dumplings - if you can find it.  Adapted from World Vegetarian Classics.

Ingredients

2 T butter
1 onion, diced
1 pound mixed mushrooms or chanterelles, chopped into large pieces
1 T paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup creme fraiche
1 T fresh dill, chopped
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Instructions

1) Heat butter in a large saucepan over low heat, add onion, and cook until soft and translucent.
2) Add mushrooms, increase heat, and stir to let mushrooms quickly release moisture, allowing it to evaporate.
3) When mushrooms are cooked but still firm, stir in cayenne, paprika, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
4) Add creme fraiche and dill, cook for 3-5 minutes further, and then remove from heat and serve.

Roasted red pepper soup

This soup is delicious - fresh and slightly sweet, with the tang of basil and oregano.  If the soup is bitter, try adding a few drops of fish sauce.

Ingredients

2 large red peppers, or 1/2 c roasted red peppers
1 14oz can tomatoes
2 c chicken stock
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t dried oregano
1-2 T fresh basil
2 t sugar
1/4 c heavy cream
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1) If using fresh red peppers, preheat oven to 200C, brush foil-covered baking sheet with olive oil.
2) Cut red peppers into 2-3 large pieces, place red pepper skin up on sheets, bake 20 minutes until pepper skins turn brown.
3) Remove skin from peppers (it should peel off when they are done), and chop into large chunks.
4) Heat 1 T olive oil in soup pot over medium heat, and add onions and garlic.  Cook 5-10 minutes, until onions are fragrant and translucent.
5) Add tomatoes, oregano, chicken stock, red peppers, and simmer for 10 minutes.
6) Add basil, salt, pepper, sugar - combine and remove from heat.
7) Blend soup (I use a hand blender), leaving it a bit chunky.
8) Heat 2-3 minutes more, add cream, and remove from heat.

Drunken beans (frijoles borrachos)

The tequila for this recipe adds a great, hearty flavor.  This recipe goes well with rice, but also with tortillas.  Adapted from Vegetarian World Classics.

Ingredients

olive oil
2 onions, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 fresh chillies, de-seeded and chopped finely
1 14oz  can chopped tomatoes
2 14oz cans pinto or barlotti beans
2 t cumin
1-2 T lime juice or vinegar
1/3 c tequila
1 large handful cilantro, chopped
sour cream
cheddar cheese
avocado slices

Instructions

1) Heat a large pan over medium heat, add oil, and fry onions until fragrant and translucent.
2) Add garlic and chilies, fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
3) Add tomatoes, then add both cans of beans - with the liquid from one.
4) Add cumin, lime/vinegar, tequila, and salt/pepper to taste.
5) Simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the consistency of the beans is thickened.  Serve with coriander, cheese, avocado, and sour cream.

Japanese Eggplant with Miso Glaze (Nasu Dengaku)

This is an absolutely delicious recipe that uses miso paste to create a flavorful and creamy glaze for eggplant.  Serve with sushi rice.  Adapted from World Vegetarian Classics.

Ingredients

3 eggplants, sliced in half length-wise
9oz (block) tofu, drained
8 T miso paste
2 egg yolks
2 T sugar
4 T mirin
green onions, chopped finely
toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 200C, and score eggplants in a diagonal grid pattern.
2) Brush a foil-covered baking tray with oil, arrange eggplants skin-down, and brush eggplants with oil.
3) Bake eggplant 30 minutes, until tender but still firm.  Add tofu and cook for another 5 minutes.
4) Combine miso, egg yolks, sugar, mirin in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly.  The glaze is done when it is thick and smooth - do not overheat or it will curdle.
5) Preheat grill (broiler) to the highest setting.  Spread glaze on top of eggplants and tofu, and good 4-5 minutes until glaze is puffed and browned. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds.

Plum cake

In this recipe, the tartness of the plums balances out the sweetness of the cake beautifully.  I adapted this recipe to be a slightly darker, more aromatic cake using brown sugar and more cinnamon.  Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

1.5 c flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1.5 t cinnamon
5 T unsalted butter, melted
3/4 c packed brown sugar (dark is best)
2 eggs
1/3 c canola oil
2 t vanilla extract
8-12 purple plums, sliced into half moon chunks

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 350F/180C, and generously butter a medium sized baking pan.
2) Sprinkle half of the sliced plums over the bottom of the pan, and sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar.
3) Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
4) Mix brown sugar (break up the clumps beforehand) and sugar in a large bowl - if doing this by hand whisk vigorously to incorporate some air, and if doing this by mixer beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes until soft and creamy.
5) Add eggs and mix well.
6) Add oil and vanilla, and mix until the batter looks smooth and almost satiny.  Again, if doing this by hand, make sure to mix well to incorporate some air into the batter.
7) Gradually combine the dry ingredients with the wet - stir well but do not overcombine.  (My batter was very thick - this is okay, but if you want a thinner batter you can add a T or two of water.)
8) Pour batter over the pan/plums, and spread evenly.  Then sprinkle the rest of the plums over the top of the batter (in a random or decorative pattern, however you like).
9) Bake 30 minutes, or until the top is light brown and puffed, and the plums are starting to dimple/caramelize.  Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Carrot Miso Sesame Soup

This is a very healthy and flavorful soup that only gets better after it's been sitting in the fridge for a day or two.  The miso, sesame, and ginger blend together to create a very savory and satisfying dish.  Adapted from the Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

2 T canola oil
2 lbs/500g carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (into round disks)
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T ginger, grated (I freeze my ginger beforehand to make it easier to grate)
4 c vegetable stock
1/4 c miso paste
1 T soy sauce
toasted sesame oil
2 green onions, finely sliced/chopped

Instructions

1) In a large saucepan, cook carrots, onion, and garlic in canola oil over medium high heat, 10 minutes or until onion is translucent.
2) Add broth, soy sauce, ginger, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until carrots are tender.
3) Puree soup (either in batches in a blender, or all at once with an immersion blender) until smooth.
4) Mix miso with a few tablespoons of water to form a thick paste, then mix into the soup and blend.
5) To serve, drizzle a good amount of sesame oil on top of each bowl and sprinkle with green onions.

Hearty tomato bean stew

This is a great winter stew - very filling and delicious.  I used polish sausage to impart a smokey flavor, but this would also be great without it in its vegetarian version.  Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

olive oil
1 large piece of polish sausage, chopped into small chunks
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic
pinch of crushed pepper flakes
2 cans cannellini beans, drained
2 bay leaves
2 14oz cans chpped tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
boiling water
parsley and parmesian for garnish

Instructions

1) Heat 2 T olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  When hot, add sausage and cook until it starts to lightly brown.
2) Add onion, celery, garlic, and carrots, along with a pinch of salt.  Cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables start to soften.
3) Add tomato, beans, bay leaves, and just enough boiling water to cover the ingredients in the soup.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes, until the beans and vegetables are tender.
Garnish with sprigs of parsley and grated parmesian.

Creamy salsa verde

This sauce is an amazing combination of tangy, spicy, and creamy.  It goes very well with tacos or burritos.  I have substituted tomatillos for jarred jalapenos because I cannot get tomatillos in England.  But feel free to use either or a combination of the two!

Ingredients

1/2 c jarred jalapenos, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 T oil
3 T creme fraiche
1 T mayonnaise
1 fresh chili, de-seeded and chopped
1-2 T fresh lime juice

Instructions

1) Using a hand-blender, combine and blend jalapenos, garlic, and chili in a medium bowl.
2) Add creme fraiche and mayonaisse, and combine further.  The texture should be smooth, and the hand-blender should get rid of any chunks of garlic or jalapeno.
3) Add the cilantro and blend briefly, to retain some of the texture of the cilantro.

Asian peanut Noodles with tofu and veggies

This is a hearty, asian-themed pasta salad.  The tangy peanut sauce is very more-ish.  See also this link to 101 Cookbooks for a similar soba-noodle themed receipe.

Ingredients

Peanut Sauce

1/2 c peanut butter
2 T sesame oil
1" chunk fresh ginger, grated
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T soy sauce
2-3 T rice vinegar
1 t red chili flakes
1/2 c hot woter

Noodle Salad

~350g dried pasta (I prefer fusilli, because it absorbs the sauce)
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 cup tofu, cut into small chunks
1 red pepper, cut into thin 1" strips
handful of toasted sesame seeds
1 large handful of green beans, stems removed

Instructions

1) Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a large microwave-safe bowl, and heat for 20 seconds, or until the mixture is warm.  Stir together until the texture of the sauce is smooth and creamy.  (Heating the peanut butter mixture allows the sauce ingredients to combine properly).
2) Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente (follow the instructions on the package).  When done, drain and run under cold water to prevent the pasta from sticking.
3) Combine broccoli, green beans, and red pepper with a few tablespoons of hot water in a saucepan - cover and steam until tender but still firm.  (This can be also be done in the microwave.)
4) Combine pasta, steamed vegetables, green onions, tofu, and peanut sauce in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve warm or cold.

Quinoa salad with avocado, feta, and spinach

This salad is an adaptation of a Marks & Spencer salad.  It is a fresh, summery salad that provides a nice alternative to couscous.

Ingredients

6 T creme fraiche
1 T mayonaise
3 T lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
1 c quinoa
1 avocado, cut into small cubes and sprinkled with lemon juice to keep fresh
handful of basil, chopped
100g feta, crumbled
2 cups spinach, chopped coarsely
handful of toasted seeds (sunflower or pumpkin is best)

Instructions

1) In a large saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups water and bring to a simmer.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes over low-medium heat, or until quinoa is soft but still firm.
2) Combine creme fraiche, mayonaise, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil to make a sauce.  Set aside while the quinoa finishes cooking.
3) When the quinoa is done cooking, place it in a large bowl, and combine it with the feta, basil, spinach, and seeds.  Sprinkle with lemon juice to keep the avocado fresh.
4) Serve the quinoa into individual portions and sprinkle with avocado and dressing.