Winter Squash Soup

 Adapted from The New Basics Cookbook

4 lbs. assorted squash (e.g., butternut and acorn)
2 medium carrots
1 onion
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch cayenne
Salt to taste

Quarter each squash and scoop out the seeds/strings. Place in the pressure cooker on top of a metal trivet with water covering the bottom of the cooker. Cook on high for 14 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally. When the pressure has released, let squash cool slightly and scoop out the flesh into a Dutch oven, leaving the skin behind.

Meanwhile, dice the carrots and onion. When the squash is done, add the remaining ingredients to the pot with the squash. Bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer, stirring often. Simmer for 20 minutes, adjusting the spices if needed.

When the carrots are tender, use an immersion blender to carefully puree the soup. 

Curried Split Peas

 From Wholefully.com

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoons red curry paste
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2/3 cup split peas
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Cooked rice (wild/brown blend recommended)

Instructions

1. In a large skillet with high sides, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onions and cook until just translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
2. Add in the curry paste and stir. Continuing stirring for 1-2 minutes, or until the curry paste becomes fragrant.
3. Add in the vegetable broth and split peas. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the split peas have become tender (but not mushy).
4. Add in the diced tomatoes and coconut milk. Continue to simmer for an additional 20 minutes, or until the mixture is very thick and the split peas are very tender.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning—some curry pastes are very salt-heavy, so you might not need to add any seasoning at all.
6. Serve over hot rice.

Wheat Berries with Charred Onions and Kale

Adapted from Bon Appétit

1 1/2 cups wheat berries (or other whole grain like sorgum)
2 medium onions, halved and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices
5 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more
8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch kale, rinsed, stemmed,  and leaves torn into 2-inch pieces (about 8 packed cups)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Cook the grain according to package directions (e.g., boil wheat berries for 35 minutes and drain when tender). Place in a large bowl and let cool.

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat; add onions. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with wheat berries.

Add 1 Tbsp. oil to same skillet. Working in 3 batches, add kale and cook, tossing occasionally, sprinkling with salt and pepper, and adding oil as needed between batches, until charred in spots, about 1 minute per batch. Add to bowl. Drizzle with lemon juice and any remaining oil; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Banana Millionaire's Shortbread

Adapted from GBBO

• For the shortbread
• 200g/7oz unsalted butter, softened
• 100g/3½oz brown sugar
• 300g/10½oz all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 
  
• For the caramel
• 100g/3½oz hard banana chips
• 150g/5½oz unsalted butter
• 150g/5½oz brown sugar
• 50g/1¾oz golden syrup
• 1x 397g/14oz tin sweetened condensed milk
• 1 large slightly ripe banana, mashed until smooth
• 1 tbsp sea salt flakes
  
• For the chocolate topping
  250g/9oz dark chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease a 8x13in pan.
   
2. Place all the ingredients for the shortbread in a food processor and pulse to form a smooth dough.
   
3. Press the mixture firmly into the base of the pan, to create a flat surface and clean edge. Prick all over with a fork and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until lightly golden-brown and firm.
   
4. For the topping, grind the hard banana chips in a food processor to a coarse powder. Set aside.
   
5. To make the caramel, place the butter, sugar, syrup and condensed milk into a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the butter has melted, stirring all the time. Boil the mixture gently for 10 minutes, stirring all the time until deep golden-brown and thickened, stirring in the mashed banana a few minutes before the end.
   
6. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before stirring through the reserved banana powder. Pour over the baked shortbread base and sprinkle over the sea salt flakes. Allow to cool slightly while preparing the chocolate topping.
7. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Pour the chocolate over the banana salted caramel layer and leave to set in the fridge.

Pea-Herb Spread

Adapted from SweetPotatoSoul.com

Ingredients

• 1 10-oz package of peas, thawed if frozen
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt (+more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup fresh basil, mint, cilantro, and parsley
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Place ingredients into a food processor, and blend until combined. It shouldn’t be pureed, but still have some chunks.
2. Season to taste with more salt.

Shrimp and Potato Curry

Adapted from A Taste of the Far East by Madhur Jaffrey

Serve with rice!

1-2 tablespoons curry paste
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely sliced
14 oz can coconut milk mixed with 1 cup water
2 medium potatoes
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons of tamarind paste
6 inch-long strips of lemon peel
1 lb unpeeled medium shrimp, peeled and deveined



Peel, quarter, and boil the potatoes in a medium pot of water. When they're tender, drain.

Meanwhile, put the oil in a wok or wide pan over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the onion. Stir and fry until they start to brown. Add the curry paste. Stir and fry it for 3-4 minutes, sprinkling lightly with water if it sticks. Now add the coconut milk mixture, potatoes, salt, tamarind paste, and lemon peel. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Put in the shrimp. Stir them about until they turn opaque. Turn off the heat. Serve over rice.

West Indian Rice and Peas With Pork

Adapted from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant

Note: could substitute pork for tempeh to make vegetarian

Rice:
2 cups uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup unsweetened grated coconut
2.5 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups water
1/2 stick cinnamon

Peas:
1 cup dried black-eyed peas
3 bay leaves

Pork:
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2-1 small chile, sliced (or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne)
1/2 red or green bell pepper, chopped
12 oz pork shoulder, cubed
Generous pinch of ground fennel seed
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Topping:
2 scallions, chopped


Saute the rice and coconut in the 2.5 tablespoons of oil for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the water and cinnamon stick. Cover the pot and bring it to a rapid boil. DOn't lift the lid to see if the water is boiling- just notice when the steam begins to escape. When steam escapes, reduce the heat and simmer about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, pressure-cook the black-eyed peas with the bay leaves on high for 15 minutes, with 3 cups of water.

While the rice and peas are cooking, brown the pork with the 1/4 cup oil in a cast-iron skillet. When brown, saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes, until the onions soften. Stir in the chile or cayenne and the bell pepper and continue to saute for a couple of minutes. Add the fennel, salt, and pepper, and lower the heat. Stir frequently and cook, covered, for another few minutes.

Combine the rice, peas, and pork mixture, mixing well. Adjust the seasonings and serve hot, topped with the chopped scallions.

Bittersweet Brownies with Salted Peanut Butter Frosting

From TheKitchn

For the brownies:
3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
3 ounces (90 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
1/2 cup (40 grams) cocoa powder
1/2 cup (70 grams) all-purpose flour

For the frosting:
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (100 grams) smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup (40 grams) confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon flake salt


INSTRUCTIONS

To make the brownies, preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan. Line the pan with parchment paper so that a couple inches hang over the edge. Then grease the parchment.

Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium-high heat. Allow the butter to cook until the milk solids bubble up and then settle into the pan and caramelize. Swirl the butter in the pan in order to see the color of the little bits on the bottom. As soon as the milk solids are golden and the butter smells nutty, about 3 to 5 minutes, remove the pan from the heat.

Pour the browned butter into a medium bowl and add the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute to melt and then whisk together. Whisk in the sugar and vanilla while the butter mixture is still warm. Stir in the eggs, salt, and espresso powder until well blended.

Over the bowl with the chocolate mixture, sift in the cocoa powder and flour. Fold the ingredients together until just combined using a spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle pulls out clean. Let cool to room temperature.

To make the frosting, with an electric mixer, whip together the butter, peanut butter, and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl. Continue to mix until everything is well combined and the frosting has lightened in color. Frost the cooled brownies and finish with the flake salt.

If the brownies are too fudgy to cut, refrigerate for 30 minutes and then cut. Let the brownies sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Brownies can be made 1 to 3 days in advance. The frosting can be made up to 1 week in advance.

Spicy Sichuan Noodles with Ground Pork (Dan Dan Mian)

From The Best International Recipe

16 oz ground pork
6 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1/4 cup Chinese rice cooking wine or dry sherry
Ground white pepper
4 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 cup Asian sesame paste or smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2-2.5 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced or grated fresh garlic
1.5 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 pounds fresh Chinese noodles or 24 ounces dried linguine
6 scallions, sliced thin on the bias
4 cups bean sprouts (optional)
2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground (optional)

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot for the noodles.

Meanwhile, toss the pork with 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, the rice wine, and a pinch of pepper to combine and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame paste, vinegar, and a pinch of pepper together until smooth, then whisk in the broth; set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the pork and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the pork is in small well-browned bits, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chicken broth mixture, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the sesame oil; cover and set aside.

While the sauce simmers, stir the noodles into the boiling water and cook, stirring constantly, until the noodles are tender, about 4 minutes for fresh noodles or 10 minutes for dried. Drain the noodles divide them among individual bowls, then ladle a portion of the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the scallions, bean sprouts (if using), and ground Sichuan peppercorns (if using) and serve.

Deep-Fried Chili Beef

From Flavors of China by Clare Ferguson

24 oz beef rump steak or fillet, cut 1/2 inch thick
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup hot chili sauce or Sriracha
1 small fresh hot chile, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup rice wine or dry sherry
1/4 cup corn starch
2 tablespoons chili oil or peanut oil, to help separate the beef slices
2 inches fresh ginger
2 cups broccoli
2 medium carrots
2 cups fresh mushrooms, optional
2 8-oz cans bamboo shoots, drained
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 cup beef stock or beer
4 scallions, finely sliced
peanut oil, for frying

Serve with rice!

To make the beef easier to cut, half-freeze until firm. Using a Chinese cleaver or other very sharp knife, slice it into wafer-thin strips, across the grain or on the diagonal. Cut these slices crosswise into 2 or 3 pieces.

Mix the soy sauce, chile sauce, chile, rice wine, and cornstarch in a bowl. Add the beef strips, toss until well-coated, then drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the oil and set aside.

To prepare the vegetables, separate the broccoli into small florets and cut the carrot diagonally into 2-inch thick slices. If using mushrooms, remove and discard the stems, and cut larger mushrooms into halves or quarters.

Fill a wok about one-third full of peanut oil and heat to 375. Add the beef and deep-fry rapidly for 15 to 30 seconds, or until brown outside, part-rare inside. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on crumpled paper towels. Keep the beef warm.

Pour off most of the oil, leaving about 1/2 cup in the wok. Add the carrots and stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute, then add the broccoli, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms, if using, and stir-fry for 1 minute until crisp and tender. Add the sugar, salt, and stock, then return the beef to the wok. Reheat briefly, stirring, then serve, sprinkled with sliced scallions.