Marrakesh Vegetable Curry

Marrakesh Vegetable Curry

This seems to be EVERYBODY’S recipe.  So I guess I should stick to it and see how this turns out. 

So this is exactly how the recipe reads and I added a few changes at the bottom.

1 sweet potato*, peeled, cubed

1 medium eggplant, cubed

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

6 Tbsp oil sunflower or coconut oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp turmeric

1 Tbsp curry powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 Tbsp sea salt

3/4 tsp cayenne pepper*

1 can (15 ounce) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

1/4 cup blanched almonds

1 small zucchini*, sliced

2 Tbsp raisins

2 cups Orange juice

1 bunch spinach, washed and coarsely chopped or froze  spinach

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, place sweet potato, eggplant, peppers, carrots, onion and 3 tablespoons oil. Sauté over medium heat for 10  minutes.

In a medium saucepan place 3 tablespoons oil, garlic, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper and sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes.

Pour garlic and spice mixture into the Dutch oven with vegetables in it. Add the garbanzo beans, almonds, zucchini, raisins and orange juice. Simmer 20 minutes, covered. Add spinach to pot and cook for 5 minutes. Serve!

 

TIPS:

I added another 5 minutes (from 5 to 10 mins) and  ½ cup water to the simmering vegetables, as mine needed more time to cook though

          If you like it more spicy then add some hot peppers and then top with a dab of yogurt

I did not have Orange juice so I used the juice of two very juicy oranges and their inside segments all squished up.

 I also substituted small white beans for the chick peas, as that too I did not have on hand

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

Greek stewed Beef and Eggplant (STIFADO)

Greek stewed Beef and Eggplant   (STIFADO)

Served with green beans and mushrooms and noodles with sauce from the pan of beef

I just returned from a lovely weekend at a friend’s home at the seaside and she served this amazing dish at a late lunch.  It is a traditional type of Greek stew with a twist of adding eggplants.  My friend described how she made it and I changed a few ingredients to make the below dish.

 The large amount of caramelized onions (made with a pinch of sugar), give the dish a rich and sweet taste.  The long simmering of the meat helps make the beef tender and infuses great flavor to the dish.

2 pounds beef chuck cubed

3 large onions sliced thickly

2 tablespoons of Olive oil

Pinch sugar

½ lemon and its juice

2 garlic cloves chopped

1 can tomato paste

½ cup red wine (optional)

1 tablespoon herbs de Provence

½ teaspoon rosemary

1 large bay leaf

1 to 2..3 inch cinnamon stick cloves minced

 

In separate pan:

8 small purple eggplants

2 more tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions in oil with a pinch of sugar and stir frequently. Once they are a light golden color stir in beef cubes and brown on all sides.  Add lemon juice, spices, tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste and water to cover and lower heat to medium low and simmer. 35-40 minutes (give a quick stir every so often)

 

In new pan add 2 tablespoon olive oil.  Add eggplant and brown all sides over medium heat.  Try not to prick the eggplants open. 

Place the eggplants on one sie of a bakking dish and the beef mixture on the other.  Cover eggplants with some of the sauce.  Cover pan with tin foil and bake at 325 for 35-45 minutes. CHecking that there is plenty of liquid in the pan and spoon some of its juice on the top of all.

 

 

TIPS: 

Cooking on low heat for a long time infuses the rich deep flavor

 

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

 

CELERY AND POTATO SOUP

CELERY AND POTATO SOUP

I only have 10 days left in Greece with my girls and so begins the time that I begin cooking to “freeze” for their use after I return to the states.

One particular favorite is my Spaghetti sauce.  So when I spotted celery in the market (not often found here in the summer months), I grabbed a bunch.  A bunch here is not like in the states but more like 5 to 7 times the size of our ‘bunches”.  It is also very strong in flavor and therefore, even less is needed in cooking here verses using the celery found in markets in the states.  So needless to say after making a large batch of Spaghetti sauce, I have SO much left over celery. 

Celery will stay in your refrigerator for numerous weeks.

Celery has been studied and shown to reduce stress hormones and helps to control high blood pressure. It is an excellent source of vitamins K and C, and is a very good source of potassium and fiber.          

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

 1 small onion, chopped

6 celery stalks, sliced (about 3/4 pound)

 Kosher salt

 1 medium-size russet potato peeled and diced.

 3 garlic cloves roughly chopped

1        bay leaf

¼ cup chopped parsley

 7 cups water or chicken stock

 Freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon walnuts chopped finely

Reduce to simmer

 

Chop finely the potato, celery, onion and garlic and sauté in the olive oil. Add the parsley, bay leaf and, walnuts, broth, salt and pepper. Simmer 40-50 minutes and blend in blender in batches to puree nicely.

Garnish with scallions and thinly chopped raw celery.

TIPS:

·        Add some thyme to the broth s it cooks if you like that flavor

·        A touch of cream makes it a bit richer

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

 

Apple, Oatmeal Low Fat Muffins

APPLE, OATMEAL LOW FAT MUFFINS

I am invited for the weekend to my friend’s beach house and wanted to bring a hostess gift.  Of course the standard two bottles of wine will come along, but I wanted something to bake to offer for the mornings.  Everyone in Greece is very conscience of low fat and healthy food, so I wanted to make a low fat muffin.  I found a few recipes and looked in my cabinet and came up with this muffin which turned out to be light and tasty!

 This doubled nicely, as I made two batches; one to take and one for my daughters who will want to delve into the muffin tin at home!

2 cups apple, peeled and shredded

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup quick oats

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2/3 cup trail mixture of seeds, dry fruit and nuts

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup  milk (low or non fat)

2 tbsp canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup plain fat-free yogurt

2 egg whites

Place dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. (Flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, trail mixture, salt and cinnamon) Mix well to coat all the seeds, nuts and dry fruit.

Combine well the milk, oil, vanilla, yogurt and egg whites.   Add wet ingredients to dry ingredient bowl and stir until just moist. Add apple to mixture and stir.

 Spoon batter into a lined 12-cup muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

TIPS:

·        I added a trail mixture I had made.  Any form of a nut, seed and dry fruit mixture will do. Just plain raisins of just nuts.  Use what you have to enhance the muffins.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

Stuffed Vegetables with Rice and Almonds: Yemista me Amythalopsiha

Yemista me Amygthalopsiha: Stuffed Vegetables with Rice & Almonds

1 large green bell pepper

3 medium zucchini

1 small zucchini chopped to place in filling

1 medium eggplant

3 large ripe tomatoes

1 medium onion

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped

3/4 cup chopped salt-free almonds

1 cup of long-grain rice

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/2 cup of water

Wash all vegetables well, and cut off tops of the vegetables.  Score the inside being careful not to cut all the way through to the skin and scoop out the insides into a large bowl.

 

Criss cross Eggplant and run knife around sides and bottom to release the inside meat

 

Add all seasonings, almonds and rice and mix well.  Fill the shells of the vegetables. 

Drizzle with olive oil and replace caps on top.  Drizzle more olive oil on vegetable and place the water around the sides of the vegetables.  Cover with foil and bake at 375for about 40 minutes until all vegetables are tender and the  rice is cooked.

Scouped out Vegetables in the baking dish

 

Stuff the Vegetables with the filling

 

Replace lids and drizzle with oil

TIPS:

·        Please use the selection of vegetables you like.  I have seen  potatoes used as well. Mix up the amounts of each vegetable and the filling will take on a bit of a different taste.

·        A spoon is best to scoop the pulp from the tomato, while I use a knife on the eggplant and zucchini.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

Shrimp Risotto

Shrimp Risotto

Risotto can be made with various ingredients from mushrooms, asparagus, seafood of all kinds, or just plain with cheese and onion.  It is an Italian dish using rice that is slowly cooked in a broth where the grain absorbs the broth and releases the starch at the same time making a lovely creamy texture to the dish.  Therefore, a high starch, small grain rice such as Arborio is often used.

Risotto is commonly eaten as a first course in Italy but we Americans often indulge and dine on it for a main course.

 

1 pound shrimp shelled and deveined

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ cup parsley chopped

Juice of 1 lemon and its zest

1 ½ cup Arborio rice

6 cups seafood or chicken or vegetable broth (infused with fennel, scallions and carrot)

¾ cup white wine

4 large scallions minced

2 large cloves garlic minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

¾ cup parmesan cheese

2 tablespoon butter

BROTH:  6 Cups chicken, vegetable or fish stock.  Tops of the scallions, 2-3 inch long fennel pieces and one carrot cut in thirds. Simmer all together for 15 minutes and drain and reserve the broth.

In a fry pan add a drizzle of olive oil  and sauté the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and parsley. Add the lemon juice and zest. Cook untill just opaque.  Reserve on the side.

In oil saute the garlic, scallions and the rice for 3-4 minutes. Add wine and simmer until absorbed. Little by little add stock by the cup full and stir constantly until the broth is absorbed before you add more liquid.  This process will take a good 20 minutes.

Just before the rice is finished add the partially cooked shrimp and juices.  Stir for another 3-4 minutes and then add the cheese and butter and stir an additional 3-4 minutes.

Place in a serving bowl and top with sprinkle of cheese and parsley if you like.

TIPS:

·        I didn’t use the butter and it was very creamy and less calories. (your choice)

·        Add in basil or peas or asparagus for a change.

·        BROTH: I keep a zip lock bag in my freezer which I continuously add the unused ends of carrots, celery, onions, scallion tops, fennel bulbs etc as they come available from cooking.  I then take a day to make a good vegetable stock.  I do the same with all shells from shrimp, lobster, crab and even heads of big fish to make fish stock.  Stock then freezes well.

LARGE GREEN BEANS, TOMATOES AND POTATOES STEWED GREEK STYLE (Fasolakia)

LARGE GREEN BEANS, TOMATOES AND POTATOES STEWED GREEK STYLE  (Fasolakia)

Thick and full of flavor Bean bean stew

 

3  large white potatoes

2 pounds flat green beans (frozen or if using fresh, remove the string down the side)

1 large can plum tomatoes and juice

1 to 2 large tomatoes chopped

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar if tomatoes not sweet enough

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 medium onion chopped

2 – 3 bay leaves

¼ cup chopped parsley

Pepper to taste

1-2 teaspoons of salt

Peel and chop potatoes into 6 pieces each and par boil about 5 minutes until part done.

In a large pot saute the onion and garlic for three to four minutes on medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on medium heat (stir frequently) until all flavors blend for about 40 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and serve.

TIPS:

•             If the sauce gets too thick then add a bit of water.

•             Add some red pepper flakes to make a bit spicy.

•             Great as a side dish or main course.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

Greek Zucchini Patties

Greek Zucchini Patties

I was inspired by something I ate last evening at a local tavern to recreate the dish. Although this is only faintly like the Zucchini balls I consumed at the restaurant they are really very good and light.

 

2 large zucchinis, grated

1 medium carrot grated

1 medium onion, grated

½ jalapeno pepper minced finely

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2tablespoon chopped parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Flour

Vegetable Oil for frying

 

Grate the zucchini, onion, pepper and carrot and put in a large mixing bowl.  

Chop the mint:

 

 Place all the other ingredients (except flour) in the bowl. Mix all the ingredients together.

 

Begin adding flour little by little and knead the ingredients together  If you add a good deal of flour the dough will form where a ball can be made   (The dough will not stick to your hands).  If you use, as I do, a bit less flour they make nice patties.

Place enough vegetable oil in a large pan and let it warm on high heat.         Place a few patties into the fry pan, remembering to leave enough room for flipping. Once browned on one side flip and brown the other side. Remove and drain on paper towel. 

 

Serve hot.

 

TIPS:

·        Serve with fresh Greek yogurt on top

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

Melitzanosalata – Greek Eggplant Salad

Melitzanosalata – Greek Eggplant Salad

Chunky style Melitzanosalata..One of my favorites!

Eggplant salad,  (it is hard to distinguish between eggplant salad, dips and spreads, as they really do to fit each category) has the rich taste of baked eggplants and a creamy texture, ideal for dipping - use either fresh bread or some vegetable sticks

The eggplant was introduced to the Mediterranean sometime in the middle ages by the Arabs and is very popular in Greece and sometimes used in place of a meat as a main dish.  This is one of my favorite “Meze” in Greece. I especially adore it when it has been smoked over wood or coals and the Smokey flavors penetrate the eggplant throughout.

2 medium eggplants

 1 small onion, chopped finely

1 small tomato chopped

 2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice

 ½ (or more to taste) cup extra virgin olive oil

2-3 cloves minced garlic (on your taste)

Good squeeze of lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

 Olives – to place on top for decoration

Wash Eggplants and prick with a knife a few times on the sides.  Place in a baking pan and roast at 450 degrees until skin darkens and turn and do on other side.  It will take a total of about 30-40 minutes to get the skins all browned up.

As the eggplants cook, cut the tomatoes, garlic, parsley (reserve a little for garnish) and onion and place in a bowl.

Let the eggplants rest to cool.

Scoop out the inside of the eggplants into the bowl and throw the skin away. Add the oil, lemon and vinegar, parsley and salt/pepper.

Looks like a gooey mix

 Mix by hand if you like it a bit chunky.  Garnish with olives and sprinkle of parsley.

 

TIPS

·        Serve with crusty bread or pita or vegetables cut in sticks

·        If you grate the garlic it imparts great flavor without biting into a piece of garlic

·        Pulse in blender or food processor for a smoother texture similar to a dip/spread

·        I often add chopped finely green or red pepper

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!