Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook (47 page)

CHERMOULA IS A thick sauce used in North African cooking, often to marinate fish for grilling, but it tastes great with vegetable dishes too. Serve this hearty dish over couscous or brown rice. The sauce, though it has a long list of ingredients, takes only a few minutes to make and tastes great on grilled cauliflower or eggplant, too.

SERVES 4

FOR THE CHERMOULA SAUCE:

1 large tomato, chopped

½ cup kalamata olives, pitted

1 cup
 chopped
 cilantro

6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 2 lemons

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

FOR THE VEGETABLES:

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch rings

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch strips

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch slices

1 medium yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch slices

2 cups cooked
chickpeas
, or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

TO MAKE THE CHERMOULA SAUCE:

1.
Combine the tomatoes, olives, cilantro, garlic, lemon zest and juice, paprika, salt, coriander, cumin, and cayenne pepper in a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE VEGETABLES:

2.
Place the onion, red pepper, and mushrooms in a large saucepan and sauté over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and chickpeas and cook for 10 minutes. Add the chermoula sauce and cook 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.

CAPONATA IS USUALLY served chilled as an appetizer, but it’s just as good eaten warm as an entrée when served over brown rice. The added chickpeas make it an even heartier meal.

SERVES 4

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium eggplant, stemmed and diced

2 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced

2 cups cooked
chickpeas
, or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed

½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons capers

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ cup golden raisins

¼ cup pine nuts,
toasted
, optional

½ cup
 chopped
 basil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the onion and celery in a large saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the eggplant, tomatoes, and chickpeas and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the olives, capers, red wine vinegar, raisins, and pine nuts (if using) and cook 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat, and add the basil. Season with salt and pepper.

THE INSPIRATION FOR this dish comes from a pasta dish made from a spicy sausage seasoned with fennel, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. It has a little kick, and the pronounced aroma of herbs and spices. Serve this over brown rice or
Basic Polenta
with a salad.

SERVES 4

1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon minced oregano

1½ teaspoons ground fennel seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

4 cups cooked
chickpeas
, or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed

Chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley

Place the onion and fennel in a large saucepan, and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic, oregano, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chickpeas and bring the pan to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Serve garnished with the parsley.

PARSNIPS ARE NOT the usual in this popular Italian dish, but the sweet and pungent root vegetable goes well with the mildly bitter greens. Serve this as is for a light meal, or over brown basmati rice for something more filling. Any beans and almost any green leafy vegetable will work for this dish. If you don’t like parsnips, use carrots, or simply leave them out of the dish.

SERVES 4

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced

2 large parsnips, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 large head escarole, soaked in cool water, rinsed well to remove any dirt, and chopped

4 cups cooked
cannellini beans
, or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the onion in a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onion from sticking to the pan. Add the parsnips and garlic and cook for 4 minutes. Add the escarole and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the beans, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes longer.

TIP
This dish can also be made in a slow cooker. Combine the onion, parsnips, garlic, beans, and about 1½ cups of water. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the escarole during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Season with salt and pepper.

G
REAT
G
RAINS
 

Rice Dishes

SWEET AND TANGY pineapple brightens this fried rice dish, and serrano chile brings the heat. Keep a container of cooked brown rice on hand in the refrigerator to use in stir-fries and wraps, and to complement bean dishes throughout the week.

SERVES 4

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 serrano chile, sliced into thin rings (for less heat, remove the seeds)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

½ cup
Chinese Brown Sauce

4 cups cooked
brown rice
, fully cooled

Two 8-ounce cans pineapple chunks, drained (about 1½ cups)

½ cup cooked peas, thawed if frozen

½ cup cashews,
toasted

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and chile, and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the Chinese brown sauce and cook for 30 seconds. Add the rice, pineapple, peas, cashews, and cilantro and cook until heated through.

THAI RED CURRY paste is like having instant stir-fry sauce in a jar, adding just enough flavor without a lot of effort. Toast the almonds carefully—they go from toasted to burnt very quickly.

SERVES 2

½ medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch strips

2 large leeks (white and light green parts), thinly sliced and rinsed

2 cups shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks

4 teaspoons Thai red curry paste

¼ cup slivered almonds,
toasted
, optional

4 green onions (white and green parts), chopped

2 cups cooked
brown rice
, fully cooled

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion, leeks, mushrooms, and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Stir in the curry paste and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the almonds (if using), green onions, and rice and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

THE LEMON AND jalapeño pepper add a little zing to this easy stir-fry. If you want a little less heat, remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeño.

SERVES 2

½ pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

½ medium yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

½ medium red bell pepper, seeded and julienned

¼ cup
Chinese Brown Sauce

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons minced jalapeño pepper (for less heat, remove the seeds)