Vegan Chili

 

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Vegetarian Chili

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 1/2 hours
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings

282

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
• 2 to 3 serrano chiles, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds baby bella mushrooms, diced
• Salt and cayenne pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, crushed between your fingers
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves separated and both finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• Two 14.5 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes (with juices)
• 3 cups water, or more as needed
• Two cans black beans, drained and rinsed under cool water
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
• Cooked brown rice, for serving
• Sour cream, for serving
• Chopped green onions, for serving
• Diced avocado, for serving

Directions

• Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large heavy Dutch oven and saute the onions, bell pepper, poblano, and serrano chiles until the vegetables are soft, 4 to 6 minutes.

  Add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt and cayenne, and continue to cook, stirring as needed, until the mushrooms have given off their liquid and then begin to brown around the edges, 4 to 6 minutes longer.

  Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cilantro stems, bay leaves, and cook until the spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

  Stir in the canned tomatoes and 2 cups of the water. Bring to a simmer, lower heat so that the chili gently bubbles, and cook for about 20 minutes, adding more water if the chili gets too thick.

  Add the beans and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes longer. Stir in the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the corn and any additional water to correct the consistency if the chili has become too thick. Cook until the zucchini is softened but not mushy, about 10 minutes, then stir in the cilantro leaves, correct the seasoning with salt and cayenne, and remove from the heat.

  Serve the chili garnished with a spoonful of brown rice, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkling of green onions and diced avocado.

Slow-Roasted Citrus Salmon With Herb Salad

Credit New York Times

Slow-Roasted Citrus Salmon With Herb Salad

Alison Roman

• Yield 4 to 6 servings
• Time 35 minutes

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Romulo Yanes for The New York Times

This is truly the best way to cook salmon. Slowly roasting an already fatty fish in an even more luxurious fat (here, olive oil) makes it nearly impossible to overcook. Plus, you can flavor that oil with whatever you fancy — spices, herbs, citrus, chiles — which, in turn, will flavor the fish. It's a very simple method for cooking any large piece of fish (cod or halibut work well here, too). This makes it the ideal dinner party trick, sitting perfectly in the center of a Venn diagram where “looks impressive” and “not a ton of work” overlap. It also doubles beautifully. Store any leftover salmon in the remaining oil, which will keep it from drying out, and use it to elevate a salad or a bagel with cream cheese.

Seafood, Salmon, Weekday, Weeknight, Main Course

2,192 ratings

Ingredients

• 1 (1 1/2-pound) piece skinless salmon fillet (or halibut or cod)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 lemons, Meyer or regular, thinly sliced, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 blood orange, mandarin orange or regular orange, thinly sliced
• 6 sprigs thyme, rosemary, oregano or marjoram (optional)
• 1 ½ cups olive oil
• 2 cups herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, dill and tarragon, roughly picked from the stem
• Flaky sea salt, for serving

• Nutritional Information

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Season salmon with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in a large baking dish with sliced lemons, orange and thyme (or rosemary, oregano or marjoram), if using.
2. Drizzle everything with olive oil and bake until salmon is just turning opaque at the edges and is nearly cooked through, 25 to 35 minutes.
3. Toss fresh herbs with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and flaky salt. Serve alongside salmon.

Roasted Spiced Pumpkin/Acorn Squash

Taking an international approach to pumpkin
Published: November 4, 2015

The only time I have celebrated Thanksgiving where I live in London, it was with a couple of incredibly homesick American friends. Hoping to comfort them, I cooked what I felt was a spirit-lifting roasted tandoori turkey, only to receive steely glances, awkward silences and, “No thanks.”

I learned the painful way that the turkey is not the place for trying new things, as tradition rules at Thanksgiving. Luckily, it seems, the side dishes are given a bit more flexibility.

In India, as in the U.S., the pumpkin — or “kaddu” — is a real favorite at the dinner table, with every region having its own take on how best to cook it. In Uttar Pradesh in the North, pumpkin often is transformed into a spiced sweet curry, or “subzi,” that is eaten alongside a sour pickle that counterbalances it wonderfully. In Kerala in the southwest of India, pumpkin is given a more delicate treatment and paired with sweet onions, black-eyed beans and coconut milk.

For Thanksgiving, it’s important to get the balance right, to have a side that will fit in with the mosaic of other offerings at the table and be quick — or at least easy — to make.

Baking your pumpkin with some garam masala, a classic Indian seasoning blend, adds a gentle warmth that is so welcome this time of year. Serving it with this pistachio-cilantro chutney (which can be made ahead of time) will add some brightness in color, freshness and flavor.

• • •

Garam masala is a widely available Indian seasoning blend. Look for it in the grocer’s spice aisle.

Acorn squash also works well in this recipe.

Roast Spiced Pumpkin with Pistachio Chutney

Start to finish: 40 minutes (15 minutes active)

Servings: 6

For the chutney:

1/2 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios, chopped (plus extra to garnish)

11/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 to 2 green finger or other fresh chilies, to taste

2 tablespoons canola oil

For the pumpkin:

3-pound sugar pumpkin (or multiple smaller pumpkins)

5 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil or kitchen parchment.

To make the chutney, in a blender or food processor, combine the pistachios, cilantro, lemon juice, salt and sugar.

Add one of the chilies to start and about 6 tablespoons of water, or just enough to blend.

Process or blend until the mixture is finely chopped.

Taste and add the other chili if desired, then transfer to a bowl.

Drizzle the oil over the chutney, lightly mix, then set aside.

Cut the pumpkin in half top to bottom, then scoop out and discard the seeds and fibers.

Peel the pumpkin halves, then cut each half into 1-inch-thick slices.

Mound the pumpkin on the prepared baking sheet, then drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the garam masala, salt and pepper.

Toss to coat evenly, then arrange in a single layer.

Roast for 30 minutes, or until tender and starting to brown.

Arrange the squash on a serving plate and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

Serve with the chutney for spooning over.

Nutritional information per serving: 250 calories; 190 calories from fat (76 percent of total calories); 21 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 560 mg sodium; 15 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 7 g sugar; and 4 g protein.

Ruth Reichl's eggplant salad

Eggplant Salad

Kim Severson

• Yield6 servings as an appetizer

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Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Ruth Reichl serves this in a bowl for people to fork onto crackers while having a glass of wine or a cocktail. It also works well alongside grilled meat or just over rice for a little lunch. “What I love most about cooking with eggplant,” she writes in "My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life," the book in which this recipe appeared, “is their complete docility: No other vegetable is so content to abandon itself to your will.”

Featured in: Ruth Reichl Recharges In The Kitchen. 

Eggplant

17 ratings

Really Good

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds long, thin Asian or baby eggplants
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chile flakes
• Chopped cilantro or mint leaves

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    54 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 710 milligrams sodium
  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Preparation

1. Prick the eggplants all over with a fork and singe them over the burner of a gas stove, turning constantly, for about 10 minutes until the skin is black and blistered. Allow to cool.
2. Carefully peel the eggplant skin. (This can be fussy, but you want to get all the skin off.) Pull the eggplant into strips and lay them in a shallow bowl.
3. Mix the fish sauce with the lime juice, the sugar and a couple of tablespoons of water. Add the minced garlic and chile flakes. Pour over the eggplant and marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours. When ready to serve, garnish with a few leaves of chopped cilantro or mint.

Daniel Boulud's Chicken Tagine

Lifted from the New York Times Magazine, Nov. 16, 2014

This recipe for an elegant North African stew comes out of the kitchen of Boulud Sud, Daniel Boulud’s sophisticated Mediterranean French restaurant in New York. It is a dish steeped in the flavors of North Africa, but also of France. Chicken serves as the protein, bathed in a blend of North African spices — cinnamon and coriander, turmeric, ginger powder and cardamom — combined with tomatoes, saffron and a little stock. Preserved lemons and olives added at the end provide bite. Tagines are often cooked with root vegetables and dried fruits. Boulud, who famously grew up on a farm, in Lyon, uses cauliflower. ‘‘It is maybe a little more French approach to the tagine,’’ he said. Blanching the cauliflower and tomatoes before cooking them may cause some cooks to blanch themselves. But the effort is worth it.

Featured in: Marrakesh Express. 

French, Moroccan

619 ratings

Really Good

Ingredients

For the spice mix

• 3 ½ tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ginger powder
• ½ tablespoon ground cardamom
• 2 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

For the tagine

• 8 chicken thighs, approximately 3 pounds
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons spice mix
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 Roma tomatoes
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium
• 3 tablespoons preserved lemons, approximately 2 lemons, roughly chopped
• 1 cup green olives, like Castelvetranos
• ½ bunch cilantro, leaves picked and stems discarded.

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    1136 calories; 83 grams fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 41 grams monounsaturated fat; 15 grams polyunsaturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 66 grams protein; 336 milligrams cholesterol; 1023 milligrams sodium
  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Preparation

1. Combine the spices in a dry sauté pan set over low heat, and toast them gently until they release their fragrance, 2 minutes or so. Transfer to a bowl, and allow to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Season the chicken thighs with the salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the spice mix, along with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, and set a large bowl of ice water to the side. Core the tomatoes, and score an X on their bottoms. Boil the cauliflower florets in the water for 3 minutes, then submerge them in the ice water. Boil the tomatoes for 20 seconds, and chill them in the ice water as well. Remove the cauliflower when it is cold, and pat the florets dry. Peel the skin off the tomatoes, then cut them into quarters lengthwise. Trim away the seeds to make petals.
4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium heat, and sear the chicken in batches, starting skin-side down, until the thighs are browned. Remove the chicken to a large Dutch oven or tagine pot. Remove all but two tablespoons of the fat in pan, then return it to the heat, and brown the cauliflower and add to the chicken.
5. Reduce heat below the pan, and add the onion, garlic, ginger and saffron. Cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and chicken stock, and simmer until reduced by 1/3.
6. Pour sauce over the chicken and cauliflower, cover the pot and transfer to oven for 20 minutes. Remove, stir in the tomatoes, preserved lemon and olives, then cover the pot again and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken in the pot, garnished with the cilantro leaves, with couscous. Reserve remaining spice mix for the next batch or another use. It keeps well in a sealed container.

Blistered Corn Salad

From The Press Enterprise, July 15, 2015

Grilling fresh corn until the kernels are blistered and the natural sugars are caramelized makes this salad burst with flavor. This little bit of effort makes all the difference in this colorful summer recipe.
Sometimes cutting the kernels off the cob can be awkward, and I have tried all of the gadgets for doing this without much success.

The easiest and safest way I have found is to first cut the corn cob into two pieces. Cut the cob straight across the middle, then stand each half cut side down on your cutting board. Make sure your cutting board is anchored with a wet paper towel or skid-proof sheet. The flat-cut surface will be much sturdier than the top or bottom of the cob.

Now imagine that the cob is a square instead of round, and slice from the top down on four sides.

You should use a knife with a sharp non-serrated blade that is long enough to get a good “slice.”

I prefer a 6- or 8-inch santuko knife for this purpose, but use whatever knife you are comfortable with.

You can go back and slice off the remaining strip of kernels once you have cut four “square” sides... Or enjoy them yourself as the cook’s bounty.
• • •

Blistered Corn Salad
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 8

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2/3 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
Kosher salt and ground pepper
8 ears of corn
1/2 cup diced Spanish onion
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions (about 1 bunch)
1/2 cup minced jalapeno peppers
1 cup chopped heirloom tomatoes or quartered cherry tomatoes
 1 to 2 tablespoons mixed minced fresh herbs, such as chives, basil, cilantro and parsley

1. Heat the grill to medium-high.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and mustard.  While whisking, slowly drizzle in the 2/3 cup of oil until the mixture is smooth and emulsified.  Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Husk the ears of corn, then brush them all over with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

4. Set the ears directly over the heat on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are blistered and lightly charred, 15 to 20 minutes.  Set the corn aside until cool enough to be easily handled.

5. Cut the kernels from the ears of corn.  To do this, one at a time cut each ear in half across the center.  Stand each piece on its wide, cut end and use a very sharp knife to cut down the length of the cob, cutting just deep enough to remove the kernels.  Rotate and continue cutting until all of the kernels have been removed.

6. In a large bowl, toss the warm corn kernels with the vinaigrette.  Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, then set aside to cool to room temperature.

7. Before serving, taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Recipe from Elizabeth Karmel for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per serving: 300 calories; 210 calories from fat (70 percent of total calories); 24 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 170 mg sodium; 22 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 7 g sugar; and 5 g protein.

Grilled Cauliflower ‘Steaks’ with Lemon-Lime Feta Gremolata

From the Press Enterprise, July 25, 2015

The trick to slicing cauliflower into “steaks” is to use only the center of the cauliflower head.
Basically, you trim away the sides, then cut the center into thick slabs.
This always presents leftover little florets that fall away. Sure, you can save them for another meal (and please do!). Or you can use those little pieces to make a gremolata to go on top of the steak!
In this recipe, every bit of the cauliflower head is used, and a touch of feta is added to the topping for a little salty goodness.

Start to Finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

2 small heads cauliflower
1 clove garlic
1 lime
2 lemons
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Heat the grill to medium-high.

2. Trim off and discard the cauliflower leaves, then flip each head over so that the stem end is facing up.  Trim about 1/4 inch from each side to flatten, then cut each head in 3 thick slabs.  Reserve 1 cup of the side florets you trimmed away.

3. Using a fine wand-style grater, grate the garlic into a medium bowl.

4. Grate in the zest of the lime and 1 lemon, then juice the lime and 1/2 of the lemon into the same bowl.  Finely chop the cilantro and reserved cauliflower bits and add to the bowl along with the feta.  Season with salt and pepper.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and juice from the reserved lemon half.
Brush one side of the cauliflower steaks with the lemon oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then place them oiled side down on the grill.

6. Cook for 4 minutes, brush the top sides of the steaks with additional lemon oil, flip and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly charred and tender.

7. Slice the remaining lemon into 6 wedges.
Spoon several tablespoons of the gremolata over the steaks and serve with a lemon wedge.

Recipe from Melissa d’Arabian for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per serving: 70 calories; 25 calories from fat (36 percent of total calories); 3 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 150 mg sodium; 10 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 4 g sugar; and 4 g protein.
.

Mary Mourar's Feast-Day Posole Stew

My friend Mary Mourar made this skipping the pork.  Delicious, and a perfect meal for a cold Colorado night!

Feast-Day Posole Stew

Served by Mike, Missouri R. canoe trip

-with apologies to NewMexico Magazine, Best of New Mexico Kitchens, and The Shed restaurant

This stew is a variation of the traditional hominy-based side dish common in New Mexico as a substitute for rice, and has been glorified with the addition of pork, vegetables, and a rich chili sauce. The hominy can be either dried, frozen, or canned. The canned version is easier and faster, but starting with a pound or so of dried hominy would result in a thicker, richer sauce and more intense corn flavor.


Meat
2 slices thick-cut bacon
2 lbs. Boneless pork loin chops, cut in 3/4” cubes


Vegetables
1 large onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, coarsely diced
3 med. Carrots, diced
1 gallon can white hominy (posole)
Juice of 1 lime
¼ c fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped








Sofrito
1 tsp cumin seeds
5 cloves garlic, with skins on
3 Tbsp ground mild red chili, pref. ancho
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp chipotle en adobo, pureed
1 tsp leaf oregano
cider vinegar

1. Start by making the Sofrito: Toast cumin seeds and unpeeled garlic cloves in a cast-iron skillet over med heat; remove cumin when lightly toasted, garlic when skins are black in spots and inside is soft to the touch. Allow to cool.
   
2. Grind cumin in spice grinder or mortar; peel and mash garlic with the side of a knife. Puree the garlic by successively mashing and chopping into a smooth paste. Place cumin and garlic in a small mixing bowl.
   
3. Add tomato paste, ground chili, chipotle en adobo, and oregano. Mix thoroughly with a spoon, adding cider vinegar in small amounts as necessary to achieve a thin paste, not stiff but also not runny. Set the Sofrito aside.
   
4. In a large heavy-bottomed stew pot, fry bacon slowly until fully browned, with fat completely rendered. Remove bacon, chop and reserve.
   
5. Lightly brown cubed pork in bacon fat. Do this in batches, removing and reserving pork when done. If necessary, add olive oil to pot for the next step.
   
6. Saute onion, bell pepper, and carrots until onion is translucent.
   
7. Scrape a clear spot in the middle of the pan and add Sofrito mixture. Allow to heat through until it sticks to the pan, then gradually stir into the vegetables along the sides. Cook and stir until the sofrito is noticeably darker, about 2 minutes.
   
8. De-glaze the pan with about ¼ cup of water, using a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up anything stuck to the bottom. Add hominy straight from the can. Do not drain or rinse. Bring to a boil, adding water as required to reach a stew-like consistency.
   
9. Add reserved pork and bacon; add lime juice; add salt to taste; simmer for about 30 minutes; adjust seasonings; add chopped cilantro; simmer for another 10 minutes.
   
10. Adjust thickness by adding water or 1Tbsp masa harina, mixed in a small bowl with juice from the pot and added when of pouring consistency.
    

Dad's Chili Verde

This is my Dad's chile verde recipe.  He uses roasted Pueblo chilis he picks up during the Pueblo chili festival.  Here in Pennsylvania, I find chili poblanos work well, though I have to roast them myself.  Be warned, Pennsylvanians who like bland food - depending on the chili peppers, this recipe can be best for fire-eaters!

Roast garlic: Cut off stem of bulb, exposing cloves.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Roast at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the garlic is buttery and slips out of its skin. DO NOT EAT ALL OF THEM BEFORE ADDING TO CHILI, especially on French bread with red wine.

Roast chilis: Drizzle chili peppers with olive oil, stick on grill or in oven at about 400 degrees, until skin blisters and blackens, but pepper is still tender.  Cool, then peel and chop.

Ingredients:
2 TBs olive oil
2 lbs boneless chicken cubed
1 large onion, chopped
10-12 chili peppers, roasted, peeled and chopped. Or use canned chili peppers. (keep in the seeds to ramp up the heat.)
1 chopped fresh jalapeño (keep in the seeds to ramp up the heat.)
4-5 roasted garlic cloves
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1 bunch cilantro
2 18 ounce cans tomatillos, drained and chopped
2 large red tomatoes, chopped
14 ounces chicken broth
coarse salt and fresh pepper to taste

1. In large pot, heat oil over medium heat.

2. Brown chicken.  Add onion and cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent.

3.  Add roasted peppers and jalapeño, garlic, oregano, cilantro and cumin. Cook and stir 2 minutes.

4. Add tomatillos and chicken broth and boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes to an hour, or until meat is tender.

5. Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with sourcream and thin slices of jalapeños, if desired.

Serves 4-6.

Mushtaq's Chat Masala

Ingredients:
  1 pound of chickpeas. (If dry, wash and soak in warm water for an hour, then boil until cooked.)
  2 TB vegetable oil
  1 small onion, chopped
  1 C colored pepper, chopped
  4 large garlic cloves, chopped or sliced
  1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
  1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  1 inch of fresh ginger root, grated, or ginger powder
  2 inches of cinnamon stick or a pinch of cinnamon powder
  1 medium tomato, diced
  1/2 lemon or 2 TB lemon juice
  A few strings of cilantro leaves, chopped
  Salt and chili pepper, preferably green chili, but ground or crushed chili can be used.

Preparation:
  Heat saucepan until water drops evaporate.  Add oil and heat. Add onion, peppers and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes.
  Add spices and chickpeas, stir for a minute or two.
  Add 1 C water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until chickpeas are tender.
  Add tomato. Stir occasionally.  Turn heat off, add lemon juice and sprinkle on cilantro.

Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

From Gourmet via Epicurious. I made this in the tagine I haggled for in Morocco! It came out great, both the recipe and the haggling.

My brother Andy and I followed our noses to a restaurant that made the most delicious-smelling tagine in the Old City part of Tangiers. Afterward, I wanted to buy a tagine of my own. We asked a kid in a shop that had tagines in the window, but the boy told us they weren't for sale. Still, he said, he had a friend who would sell us one, and he set off to take us there.

We followed the boy through the maze of streets for what felt like a long way. Right about the time we started to fear we'd been taken in several senses of the word, he stopped in front of a shop door.

We paid him the few cents in coins everyone seems to expect for helping a person out in Tangiers. The shop owner spoke English, and I told him what I wanted. Originally, he tried to charge me the equivalent of about $200!  I offered around $20. We both told each other the other was being ridiculous, and so the haggling began.

"This was handmade - look at the craftsmanship," he told me.

"And Customs officers are going to grill me about it," I replied.

"It's such a large piece of art - think how easily you'll feed your family."

"I'm going to have to lug the heavy thing in my backpack for miles!"

He nodded toward my brother. "You have a handsome, strong young man.  Surely he can afford to buy you this!"

"She's my sister," Andy said, helpfully. "I don't buy her anything."

Finally, we settled on about $80. I know I went away happy, and I'm sure I didn't get the better of the shopkeeper.

photo by John Kernick

yield
Makes 4 servings

active time
30 min

total time
1 1/2 hr

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero tasted this sweet, Moroccan-spiced dish on a recent visit to Marrakech, where chef Lafridi serves it at Jnane Tamsna.

ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 (3-lb) chicken, cut into 6 pieces, wings and backbone discarded
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 medium red onion, halved, then sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 5 fresh cilantro
• 5 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons mild honey
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1/2 cup dried Turkish apricots, separated into halves
• 1/3 cup whole blanched almonds

• Special equipment: a 10- to 12-inch tagine or heavy skillet; kitchen string

preparation

Stir together ground cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat well.

Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in base of tagine (or in skillet), uncovered, over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown half of chicken, skin sides down, turning over once, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Brown remaining chicken in same manner, adding any spice mixture left in bowl.

Add onion and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to tagine and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Tie cilantro and parsley into a bundle with kitchen string and add to tagine along with 1/2 cup water, chicken, and any juices accumulated on plate. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.

While chicken cooks, bring honey, remaining cup water, cinnamon stick, and apricots to a boil in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until apricots are very tender (add more water if necessary). Once apricots are tender, simmer until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 10 to 15 minutes.

While apricots cook, heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small skillet over moderate heat and cook almonds, stirring occasionally, until just golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Ten minutes before chicken is done, add apricot mixture to tagine. Discard herbs and cinnamon stick, then serve chicken sprinkled with almonds on top.

Lisa Mael's excellent vegan lentil soup

Lisa Mael's excellent vegan lentil soup. Huge hit at synagogue. Not so much with spice-hating co-workers.

Lentils

1 tsp. each to begin (add more to adjust flavor at the end) Ground cumin,

ground coriander, ground turmeric, ground chili pepper, salt & pepper to
taste. You may also want to add a cube of vegetable bullion or base
whatever you have on hand.

olive oil to cover the bottom of a soup pot

1 medium onion diced

4 - 6 cloves garlic diced or I use a garlic press

2 carrots sliced 1/4 rounds

2 red potatoes small cubes

1 cup red lentils (any type of lentil will do) rinsed and drained

1 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes

Any type of beans cannellini, garbanzo, I used Red Kidney

1 15oz can of coconut milk

1 Tbsp fresh ginger finely shredded/chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Cilantro or parsley for garnish




Sautee onion in olive oil, add spices to bring out flavors, add garlic

Just before these ingredients get too hot add can of whole tomatoes and

crush by hand

fill the empty tomatoes can with water and add to pot

Add carrots and potatoes and lentils, cook until they become tender

Add beans, coconut milk and ginger bring to a simmer

Finish with the juice of half a lemon or more if you like

Top with cilantro or parsley


I like to say "use this recipe as a tool not the rule"  how can you go

wrong with these ingredients?  Add seasonal vegetables I've used winter
squash  in place of potatoes or zucchini in the summer with fresh tomatoes
in place of canned.

I love to serve lentil stew with Quiona