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Tag: Ginger

Roasted Butternut Miso Soup

Butternut Miso Soup

I have Deborah Madison’s Vegetable Literacy home from the library at the moment.  There is a recipe for “Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk, Miso and Lime.”  that looks delicious.  I had several of the key ingredients around here, but improvised to such an extent that I can’t say I’ve actually made the recipe.  So here is my simple, rainy Saturday take on butternut squash soup.  Perhaps next weekend I’ll make the real deal.

2 Tbs Sesame Oil

1 medium Butternut Squash, roasted and peeled

1 Onion, chopped

1 inch Ginger, chopped

1 15oz can Coconut Milk

+/- 1 cup water

1 Tbs Harissa (or to taste)

1/2 lemon, juice only

2 Tbs Miso

Chives or other herb to garnish

Roast the butternut squash according to your favorite method.  This step can be done a day or two ahead if its convenient.

Heat the sesame oil over medium heat.  Saute the onion and ginger until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the cooked butternut squash and coconut milk until well mixed.  Stir in water until desired consistency, about 1 cup.  Add harissa paste to taste.  Allow soup to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Blend soup until very smooth.    Mix the lemon juice and miso together then stir into the soup.    Allow to cool slightly then top with a green garnish of your choice before serving.

 

Ginger Curry Scramble

3 large Collard Green Leaves [center ribs removed, chopped]
1 Garlic Clove [grated]
1/2 tsp Ginger Root [fresh, grated]
1/4 cup Red Onion [chopped finely]
1/2 tsp Sweet Curry Powder
3 Eggs [free range, well beaten with 1 Tbs water]
1 Tbs Safflower Oil
Sea Salt
Smoked Hot Paprika or Cayenne Pepper

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic + ginger till fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add collard greens. Saute until just tender + bright green, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder + stir. Add eggs + stir frequently until just cooked. Season with sea salt + serve with a dash of hot paprika.

Spicy Carrot Ginger Soup


1 cup Sweet Onion [chopped]
2 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1-1/2 Tbs Ginger Root [peeled + chopped]
2 Tbs Butter
5 Carrots [chopped, about 3 cups]
2 cups Vegetable Broth
dash Smoked Hot Spanish Paprika [to taste]

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Saute onion, garlic + ginger till softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and saute a few minutes more. Add broth + paprika and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the carrots are very tender. Puree with a blender till very smooth.

Serves 2.

Ethiopian Spiced Collard Greens


1 bunch Collard Greens [chopped, about 4 cups]
1 cup Red Onion [chopped finely]
1 Tbs Niter Kibbeh [spiced clarified butter*]
1 Tbs Ginger [fresh, grated finely]
3 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1 tsp Berbere*
Sea Salt

Heat niter kibbeh in a large saute pan over medium heat. Saute onion for about 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, berbere + saute for a minute more, stirring frequently. Turn the heat up a bit, add the collard greens and a splash of water. Steam saute until the green are tender, about 5 minutes. Serve seasoned with sea salt.

*Niter Kibbeh is an Ethiopian spiced, clarified butter made with cinnamon, cardamom and other spices. It is pretty simple to make, tastes incredible, and lasts for several months. I used the recipe in Moosewood Sunday Suppers + there are plenty of others online. It is a great base for lentil dishes, or even on toast. You could substitute butter if desired.

Berbere is an Ethiopian roasted spice mixture with plenty of sweet spices, Hungarian paprika, and dried red chilies. Again, I made the very simple recipe out of Moosewood, but this could certainly be purchased at a good specialty store or local Ethiopian restaurant.  It keeps well and can be used to season a great deal of dishes like sweet potato oven fries, lentils, chili…. I think a good sweet + spicy creole seasoning would made a good substitute.

Yellow Summer Curry


1 cup Yellow Split Peas [rinsed well]
1 cup Vegetable Broth
1 Onion [minced]
3 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1 Chili Pepper [minced]
1 inch Ginger Root [fresh, grated]
1 Japanese Eggplant [sliced in 1/4″ slices]
1 Zucchini [sliced]
1 Yellow Summer Squash [sliced]
1/4 tsp Turmeric
Sesame or Olive Oil
Salt

Yellow Sweet Rice:
1 cup Basmati Rice
6 Cloves [whole]
dash Cardamom [ground]
2 inch Cinnamon Stick
dash Turmeric
dash Corriander [ground]

This recipe requires 4 pots/pans cooking at the same time. It is best to prep all your ingredients ahead to help with the timing.

Soak split peas for 4-8 hours in 1-1/2 cups of water. Drain + rinse well.

[pot 1] Bring split peas to a boil with 1 cup of water + 1/4 tsp turmeric. Reduce heat + simmer, adding vegetable broth 1/4 cup at a time as water is absorbed. Be careful not to scorch. Lentils should be very soft and mushy when cooked.

[pot 2] Meanwhile, bring rice, 1-1/2 to 2 cups water + spices to a boil in a medium pot. Stir + simmer till tender. Remove from heat.

[pan 3] Heat a small amount of oil in a large pan with a lid. Fry eggplant in batches till tender. Remove from pan as cooking is complete.

[pan 4] Heat 2 Tbs oil in a small pan. Saute onion, garlic, chili pepper + ginger over medium low heat until very tender, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently + do not allow to brown. Remove from heat.

[pan 3] Once eggplant is cooked + removed from pan. Steam summer squash + zucchini in a few tablespoons of water until nearly cooked, about 5 minutes. Add cooked lentils, onion mixture + eggplant to to squash + stir gently to combine. [The lentils act as a sauce.]

Serve over yellow sweet rice. Serves 4-6.

Texas Happy Hour

1 Watermelon [rind + seeds removed, roughly chopped]
2 inches Ginger Root [grated]
dash Cayenne Pepper [to taste]
Basil Leaves [garnish]

Blend everything but the basil in batches + combine in a large bowl or jar.

Refrigerate several hours, then serve as a soup in small bowls, garnished with basil.

Or

Freeze in ice cube trays.  Serve a glass full of frozen watermelon soup cubes, a few basil leaves + top with a summery wheat beer.

Ginger Peanut Noodles

8-12 oz Soba Noodles
1 Carrot [medium, grated]
1/2 cup Cucumber [sliced]
1/2 cup Sweet Red Pepper [sliced]
Several Slices of Chili Lemon Tofu
handful Cilantro Leaves

Dressing:
1/3 cup Peanut Butter [natural]
1 tsp Red Jalapeño Pepper [minced]
1/2″ Ginger Root [chopped or grated]
1 Garlic Clove
1-1/2 Tbs Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Water [more as desired]
Tamari [to taste]

Blend all the dressing ingredients with a blender, seasoning with a little tamari if you use unsalted peanut butter. Add more water if the sauce is too thick.

Cook soba noodles + drain. Feel free to toss the noodles with a pinch of sesame oil to prevent them from clumping together.  Mix noodles with the ginger peanut dressing to taste [you may have left over dressing].  Top with veggies + tofu.

Chili Lemon Tofu

1 lb Extra Firm Tofu [high protein if available, sliced into 1/2″ thick slices]
1 Garlic Clove [minced]
1/2″ Ginger Root [grated]
1/2 Red Jalapeño Pepper [seeded if you like, minced]
1/2 Lemon [juice + zest]
dash Tamari
1 Tbs Olive Oil

Remove excess water from tofu by arranging slices on a kitchen towel and allowing them to dry for about 15 minutes. Combine, garlic, ginger, jalapeño, tamari, oil + lemon juice. Toss with tofu slices and allow to marinate for 1/2 an hour or longer.

Preheat broiler. Arrange tofu slices on a baking sheet + pour marinade over top. Move slices around to coat with lemon juice mixture. Broil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until garlic + tofu begin to brown, flipping once.

Serves 3 – 4. Great as a topping for Ginger Peanut Noodles.

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