Witchy Kitchen

Tag: garlic

  • Spiced Carrot and Fennel Soup

    Spiced Carrot and Fennel Soup

    This month for MENA Cooking Club, the lovely group I’ve been cooking with to try more Middle Eastern and North African recipes, the country was Oman, hosted by Rafeeda of the mouthwatering blog, The Big Sweet Tooth.

    This month also happens to fall during Ramadan. As I’ve been reading about Ramadan traditions around the world, it seems most Middle Eastern countries have a traditional iftar (fast opening meal) of a light soup of lentils and/or vegetables, humble food to kind of adjust the digestive system, gently bring it back to life. Makes sense, seems very peaceful and measured…then the Pakistani tradition, as far as I can tell, is party food: pakoray, dahi baray, papri chaat, rooh afza! Fried goodies and sugary drinks, at least we’ve got some watermelon or fruit chaat to balance it out, and I’ve been throwing in some roasted veggies or a fresh tomato salad as well.

    Anyway, since this month was Oman and one of the suggested recipes was a vegetable soup, that’s what I chose to make because it seemed like an appropriate iftar dish. I focused on carrots and fennel and added some Middle Eastern spices. Several of the soup recipes I looked at were thickened with oats, which I found interesting, so I tried that here. It gave the soup a nice creamy texture that I’m sure is much healthier than actual cream, so I might be trying that trick more often. I’m happy with the garnish too, I shaved a carrot and fried the shavings into crispy little carrot chips to sprinkle on top – I always garnish, it makes even the most mundane dish a little special.

    Please, friends, I’d love to hear more about your iftar traditions!

    Spiced Carrot and Fennel Soup

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
    • 2 small bulbs or 1 large bulb fennel, sliced
    • whole spices: 1 teaspoon ajwain seeds (you could sub a little dried thyme), 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
    • powdered spices: 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon red chili
    • 1 pound of carrots
    • 1/4 cup quick cooking oats
    • 4 cups chicken broth

    In a large pot, heat butter/ghee and saute onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add fennel and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or so until fennel is softened. Add whole spices and stir for a minute, add powdered spices and stir for a minute more.

    Add carrots, oats, and 2 cups of the chicken broth. Stir well, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and simmer until carrots are very soft. Puree in a blender and return to the pot. Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth and heat back through.

    Serve garnished with crispy carrots (below) and chopped fennel fronds.

    For the crispy carrot garnish

    Peel and trim a medium carrot. Shave carrot into thin slices with the peeler. Heat a pan with oil and shallow fry the carrot in batches, until no longer bubbly and is beginning to turn golden. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.


  • Jerk Marinade

    Jerk Marinade

    That spinach leaf is to mark the spicy plate!

    Grill season has arrived, and one of the first things I was excited to make was jerk chicken – fresh, flavorful, and charred to perfection.

    I have one recipe way back in the archive that I was calling Spiced Thyme Chicken because I had a fear of claiming authenticity when it’s not (here is a cool article on Serious Eats about real authentic Jamaican jerk chicken). However, I’ve come around to the opinion that it’s ok to adapt classic recipes to your kitchen, especially if that means you can make it more often! Besides, I’m always amazed at similarities between certain cuisines; it was easy to construct this Caribbean marinade from ingredients I already had in my desi spice cabinet.

    The biggest change was using ajwain (carom) seeds in place of the typical thyme. I love using fresh thyme but it’s not a staple in my kitchen, whereas ajwain seeds are just because they store easily, and it’s a similar flavor so why not? Other than that, cloves, allspice, ginger, garlic and lime are ubiquitous in both cuisines, so this really isn’t that far off. I didn’t realize green onions were a must until I read that article afterwards, so will probably incorporate next time. I used paprika and a pinch of turmeric for a little flavor and color, and the fruitiness of apple cider vinegar, and that’s totally allowed because jerk marinade is one of those things with a hundred secret house recipes.

    We used this for chicken breasts (this makes enough for 6 or so), but you could use it for all kinds and cuts of meat, fish and veggies too!

    Jerk Marinade

    • 1 teaspoon ajwain (carom) seeds (alternately, you could use a few sprigs fresh thyme or a teaspoon dried thyme)
    • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
    • 6 cloves
    • 6 allspice berries
    • 2 teaspoons paprika
    • 2 teaspoons red chili powder (because kiddies, we divided the chicken breasts 3 and 3 and added 1 teaspoon to the grown-up’s portion)
    • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
    • generous pinch black pepper
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
    • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
    • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons sugar
    • juice of half a lime
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil

    Heat a dry pan on medium heat. Gently toast the ajwain seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, and allspice. When they become fragrant, remove from heat and grind in a spice grinder.

    Whisk together fresh ground spices with paprika, red chili, turmeric, black pepper, ginger, salt garlic, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and lime juice. Pour olive oil in a stream while continuously whisking.

    Use as a marinade for chicken, beef, fish or veggies, ideally to grill!

    The fresh, bright flavor goes awesome with the nutty creaminess of Hara Masala Coconut Rice.

  • Hara Masala Coconut Rice

    Hara Masala Coconut Rice

    This rice dish is the perfect side for all your summer barbecues – it pairs perfectly with all kinds of grilled veggies, fish and meat, and particularly well with Caribbean, Southeast Asian, or desi menus. I would describe it as intensely pleasant. The flavors aren’t huge and bold, and it’s not exactly the star of the table, but it’s a fantastic supporting actor; for whatever reason it was the leftovers I was most excited to eat again!

    Hara Masala Coconut Rice

    For the hara masala:

    • 1/2 bunch mint
    • 1/2 bunch cilantro
    • handful basil
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled
    • 2 green chilis, optional (I left out for kids)
    • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

    Combine mint, cilantro, basil, garlic, ginger, chilis if using and turmeric in a food processor.

    For the rice:

    • 3 cups basmati rice, rinsed well and soaked for half an hour
    • 3 tablespoons ghee, use oil to make a vegan dish
    • 1 onion, thinly sliced
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 4 cloves
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • pinch black pepper
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 1/2 cups (1 can) full-fat coconut milk
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • green masala (above)
    • toasted coconut and chopped green onions or herbs for serving

    Heat ghee (I did the onion and spices in a wok then transferred to a pot, you can do that or just do everything in the pot) and fry onion, stirring, until VERY golden brown – un-goldened onion ends up as slimy strips in your rice, so make sure to cook thoroughly! Add cinnamon, cloves, cumin and black pepper and stir for a moment or two. Transfer everything to the pot (if you’re not there already), and add bayleaf, coconut milk, water and salt, and bring to a boil. Turn on another eye of the stove to low, you’ll move the pot here in a minute. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

    Stir in the hara masala, cover the pot with a tea towel first with the top over that. Transfer to the other eye on low, and let steam for 20 minutes.

    To serve, transfer to a serving dish and top with toasted coconut, green onions or herbs. Serve hot!

    ybr_badge

  • Olive Oil Braised Veggies

    I am a prolific veggie roaster. After sweeping in from work, before I’ve even taken off my heels I’ve got the oven heated and chopped veggies with little more than olive oil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper on their way in. It’s hard to beat from a time standpoint, and there’s something to be said for keeping it simple and just letting your veggies do the talking.

    But to elevate my veggie game just a little bit, there’s this braising method – still refreshingly simple, just dressed up a little bit. There’s something so nice about the fresh cleanness of the veggies, gently cooked to maintain their shape and color, with the richness of the immensely flavorful olive oil. It makes for a pretty side dish, perfect to be mopped up with crusty bread, or even a light meal over rice or quinoa.

    It works for all kinds of vegetables, you just add them in the order of cooking time. I used baby red potatoes, carrots, and asparagus, but you can swap them out for whatever you like, just add the longer-cooking ones first. I love this combination of aromatics but you can play around with them as well depending on taste and what you have around in the kitchen.

    Olive Oil Braised Veggies

    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 1 lemon, cut into thin wedges (divided)
    • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, cut into strips
    • 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
    • good pinch red chili flakes
    • sprig of rosemary
    • salt & pepper
    • 1 pound baby red potatoes (cut the larger ones in half)
    • 2-3 shallots, quartered
    • 2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into medium sized sticks
    • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

    Heat olive oil on medium high. Add a quarter of the lemon wedges (save the rest for serving), and allow them to slightly brown. Add sundried tomatoes, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes and rosemary, and stir for just a minute. Lower heat to medium low and add the new potatoes, shallots, and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir to coat with the oil and cook for about 20 minutes. Add carrots, stir gently to coat, and cook covered for another 20 minutes. Check to see that veggies are fork-tender but not falling apart. Add asparagus, again stir gently to coat, and cook covered for 7-10 minutes until asparagus is just done.

    Remove from heat and serve with lemon wedges, a sprinkle of parsley or basil if you want, and either with crusty bread or over rice or quinoa. Make sure to get some of the yummy olive oil on top!

  • Spring Ribollita

    Spring Ribollita

    I have a well documented love of peasant food (see Castilian garlic soup, and over on our Fiction Kitchen podcast site, Cinderella cassoulet), so of course I adore ribollita which is essentially bean and bread soup. I love foods that are humble and rustic (not to mention cheap), yet with something so elegant in their simplicity.

    spring-ribollita

    Although ribollita is typical winter comfort food, this version is completely appropriate for cool and sometimes rainy spring days. It makes use of spring produce like leeks and sweet peas and is just a little brothier and greener than it’s hearty winter counterpart.

    Spring Ribollita

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil + more for garnish
    • 2 medium leeks (white parts only), sliced into half moons
    • 2 stalks celery, sliced into half moons
    • 4 cloves garlic, grated
    • salt and pepper
    • pinch red chili flakes
    • 2 teaspoons paprika
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 cans cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and sliced into half moons
    • handful fresh or frozen sweet peas
    • 1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence (or just use a mixture of what you have on hand, herbs like thyme, rosemary, oregano, etc.)
    • 3-4 slices stale bread torn into chunks (or if it’s fresh, you can just toast it)
    • olive oil, chopped fresh basil, and freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish

    Heat oil in a soup pot on medium, and saute leeks, celery, and garlic with a good sprinkle of salt and pepper until the leeks are very soft and translucent. Add red chili flakes, paprika, and tomato paste and cook for another minute or two. Add beans, carrots, peas, Herbs de Provence, and 4 cups of water.

    Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or so until the carrots are soft. Stir torn bread into the soup, and serve hot, garnished with a good drizzle of olive oil, chopped basil, and lots of fresh grated parm.

  • Pindi Chana

    I saw this recipe and was eager to try it for several reasons:

    1. Cooking with tea – from chamomile cupcakes to Tea Eggs, I’m always excited to cook with tea. In this recipe it stains the chickpeas a deep brown.
    2. Cooking with pomegranate seeds (anardana) – I acquired these for making chapli kebabs, and like adding these little tart and unexpected additions.
    3. Named for Rawalpindi! I’ve been there!

    It turned out quite nice! I love to make a big pot of chickpeas or lentils to have around for a day or two, will definitely add these to the rotation.

    Pindi Chana

    Adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor, mostly because cooking with dried chickpeas require forethought that I don’t have

    For the chana masala

    • 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
    • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
    • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
    • 1/2 teaspoons amchoor powder
    • pinch turmeric

    Lightly toast the spices in a dry pan, crush lightly with a mortar and pestle, then set aside

    For the pindi chana

    • 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    • 2 teabags
    • Salt
    • 4 tablespoons ghee, divided
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 2 medium onions, sliced
    • 1 tablespoon garlic paste
    • 1 tablespoon ginger paste
    • 1 tablespoon cumin powder
    • 1 tablespoon coriander powder
    • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
    • 2 roma tomatoes, quartered
    • 4-6 green chilies, trimmed and slit
    • 1 teaspoon garam masala

    In a medium saucepan, heat the chickpeas, teabags, a good sprinkle of salt, and water to cover. Simmer for 10 minutes and set aside.

    In a heavy-bottomed pot, karahi or wok, heat 3 tablespoons of ghee. Add cumin seeds and heat until they sizzle, then add onions and saute until they are golden brown, stirring often and being careful not to burn. Add garlic paste, ginger paste, cumin, coriander, red chili, and turmeric powders, and saute for another minute or two.

    Add the chickpeas along with a cup or two of the cooking liquid (I started with about a cup and added more as it got a little dry – you want some sauce, but not for it to be soupy).

    In a separate pan, heat a tablespoon ghee. Heat tomato and chilis with a good sprinkle of salt for a minute (crush the tomatoes slightly as they start to break down), then add chana masala and garam masala. Toss the mixture for another minute, then stir into the chickpeas.

    Mix well and cook at a low simmer for 10-15 minutes until it thickens, adding more cooking liquid or water if necessary.

  • Tomato Rice Soup

    Tomato Rice Soup

    This month’s MENA Cooking Club is hosted by Evelyne of Cheap Ethnic Eatz. This month’s country was Jordan, and the recipe I chose was Jordanian Tomato and Rice Soup – although it veered into desi territory as I used ghee since I have a fresh made batch, and I ended up adding a few more spices (I opened up the cabinet for a cinnamon stick and…well, you know how it goes).

    This soup is warm and wintry: spiced tomato broth thickened with basmati rice, and it’s completely simple, made from ingredients I mostly have on hand – which is great, because we are having a streak of frigid weather (how do you Canadians/Chicagoans/etc. do it?!) and I am happy warm and cozy over the stove and refuse to venture out for procurement. We are out of coffee, my life blood, that’s how much I don’t want to go to the store.

    Anyway, the kids loved it and so did I, so thank you Evelyne for the lovely suggestion!

    Tomato Rice Soup

    • 1/3 cup basmatic rice
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 2-3 garlic cloves, grated
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon garam masala
    • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
    • red chili (just a pinch because kids…you can add a little more if you like)
    • 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
    • salt
    • limes for serving

    Rinse the basmati rice well and soak as you prepare the rest.

    Heat ghee on medium high in a heavy-bottomed pot, and saute onions until they are beginning to turn golden. Add garlic and saute a minute or two, being careful not to burn, then add cumin, paprika, garam masala, turmeric and red chili and saute for a minute. Add tomatoes and a good couple pinches of salt and cook until they are well broken down and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

    Add about 6 cups of water, scraping the bottom of the pot and stirring well, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

    Bring back to a boil and add rice. Keep at a high simmer for about 15 minutes, gently stirring often. Add more water if necessary (I didn’t need to).

    Lower the heat, adjust seasoning if necessary (another pinch or two of salt), and serve brightened up with limes.

  • Maple Aleppo Corn on the Cob

    Maple Aleppo Corn on the Cob

    maple-aleppo-corn-on-the-cob

    We grill corn a lot in the summer, usually Pakistani style (plain, charred, then rubbed with lime and red chili), but I was looking for another way to fix the last corn of the season. I had seen a bunch of recipes for maple chipotle corn on the cob – which sounds awesome, I love chipotles in adobo – but I’ve had these aleppo pepper flakes sitting around and I’ve been looking for new ways to use them. This turned out fantastic, spicy salty sweet, even though I had to cut mine off the cob. Brace life.

    Maple Aleppo Corn on the Cob

    Adapted from Epicurious

    • 1/2 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
    • 2 garlic cloves, grated
    • 1 tbsp aleppo pepper flakes
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 6 ears corn, husked

    In a small saucepan, simmer (low) maple syrup, butter, garlic and aleppo pepper until it makes a thick glaze (be careful not to burn, mine got a little too done).

    Ideally you can grill these, but I roasted these in a 500° oven – lay on a wax-paper lined baking sheet and brush with glaze. Roast for 10 minutes, turn, brush again with glaze and roast 10 minutes more and brush with remaining glaze.

  • Vampire Slayer Pizza

    Vampire Slayer Pizza

    Everyone knows vampires hate garlic, but there’s also this other little piece of mythology that I feel like I’ve heard a couple of times and keep forgetting, which is that if you scatter seeds in front of a vampire’s grave he will be compelled to count them before returning. The Sesame Street Count is based on this myth – ah, ah, ah!

    vampire-slayer-pizza

    For this reason, I made a super garlicky white pizza, but I also threw nigella seeds in the dough (if the garlic doesn’t keep vampires away from my pizza, they’ll at least have to count for awhile before they get a slice).

    Great for date night (um, if your typical date night is making food and watching movies on the couch after the kids go to bed – woo!), just make sure you both eat some!!

    Vampire Slayer Pizza

    For the dough
    Slightly adapted from Vegan with a Vengeance

    • 1 cup warm water
    • 1 packet (.32 oz) rapid rise yeast
    • 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
    • 3 cups flour
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)
    • 1 tbsp nigella seeds (optional)
    • 2 tbsp olive oil

    In a small bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Wait for ten minutes until is foamy (if it’s not foamy, yeast dead, use new yeast).

    Meanwhile, combine 2 cups of the flour, salt, garlic powder, nigella seeds and olive oil. Add the water and mix until it forms a very sticky dough – dump out onto a well-floured board (or well-floured counter in my case) and knead, adding flour little by little until it comes together, and afterwards a sprinkle here and there if it gets too sticky to handle. Add just enough to keep from going crazy, otherwise the dough will be heavy and dense. Knead for 10 minutes, then roll into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave it somewhere like the microwave for an hour.

    For the pizza

    • 2 heads garlic, outer paper removed and the top 1/4 inch cut off
    • olive oil
    • salt & pepper
    • 8 oz burrata (2 4 oz balls) or 4 oz each mozzarella and ricotta
    • parsley and red pepper flakes for garnish

    While dough is rising, heat oven to 375° Drizzle each head of garlic with about a teaspoon of olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, until very soft and golden.

    At this point, retrieve the dough and knead again for a couple minutes and spread onto prepared baking sheet(s) or stone(s) – you can use one large square baking sheet or two smaller circle ones. Let sit 10 minutes or so while you prepare the rest.

    Heat oven to 500°

    Squeeze garlic cloves from their paper, leaving some mashed and some still with some shape. Strew around the dough. Tear burrata into small pieces (or tear mozzarella and use spoonfuls of ricotta) and strew evenly around dough.

    Bake for 12-15 minutes (mine usually takes around 13) until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly. Let cool and serve, sprinkled with parsley and red pepper flakes.

  • Autumn Moussaka

    Autumn Moussaka

    While I have fallen completely in love with cooking Pakistani and North Indian food, I’ve also long had an interest of traveling a little further up the spice route to explore Middle Eastern and North African cuisines. I love the warm spices, the delicate sweetness of fruit and rosewater, the sweet and savory snacks on the tea table. I’ve dabbled a little bit (come on, I make my own hummus, please) but I want to learn more, which is why I’m very excited about my first month cooking with the MENA Cooking Club.

    Each month is a different country, and everyone cooks one of the recipes the host for that country has chosen. This month is Egypt, hosted by Amira from Arabian Mama. I chose her suggestion, the classic Egyptian Moussaka (Messa’aa).

    In future months I plan to stick almost completely to the particular recipe so I can really learn to cook authentically, but as it’s October and I’m in the middle of a Halloween cooking frenzy, I have a driving compulsion to throw things like pumpkin and hazelnuts into almost everything I make. I didn’t veer very far off course though (this is based on Kitchen Nani’s Egyptian Moussaka), I simply replaced the pine nuts and almonds with toasted hazelnuts, omitted the peppers, and instead of making a béchamel I included layers of pumpkin ricotta for the creamy factor.

    This was delicious; warm and savory. My little 16 month old gobbled up three servings the other night. It has several components, but they’re all easy to make (especially since I can make lasagne with my eyes closed), and leftovers are fantastic: happy desk lunch.

    Autumn Moussaka

    Adapted from Kichen Nani

    For the eggplant

    • 2 large eggplants, cut into 1.5 inch slices
    • olive oil & sea salt

    Assemble slices on a single layer on two baking sheets, lightly coat with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast at 425°, flipping once (and checking everyone once in awhile that they aren’t burning), until golden brown and just a little charred – about 15 minutes each side.

    For the sauce

    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
    • 2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
    • 2 6oz cans tomato paste
    • salt & pepper
    • 2 sprigs thyme

    Heat olive oil over medium heat (I used a non-stick wok which I think worked well, you’ll end up cooking the tomato paste quite a bit and not have to worry about it sticking) and sauté garlic for a few minutes, then add coriander seeds and sauté for a minute. Add tomato paste, a good pinch of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until it is a very deep, almost burnt looking red. Add two cups of water plus the thyme and mix well (I used a whisk to break up all the tomato paste). Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, then set aside. Check seasoning, may need more salt.

    For the meat mixture

    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • salt & pepper
    • 1 garlic clove, chopped
    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 1.5 tbsp Arabic 7 spice (which I actually had because I had made for another recipe, yay!) or a mixture of cumin, coriander, paprika, cloves and cinnamon
    • 2 tbsp raisins or currants

    Heat olive oil over medium hight heat and sauté onion with salt and pepper until translucent, then add garlic and sauté another couple of minutes. Slide onions to the side and crank the heat up to high, and brown the ground beef with another good sprinkle of salt. Add spices and stir for a few minutes, until meat is well cooked through, then remove from heat and stir in raisins or currants.

    For the moussaka

    • 15 oz ricotta cheese
    • 1 cup pumpkin or butternut squash puree
    • salt & pepper
    • olive oil
    • 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (I crushed them with the back of my knife then chopped them)
    • eggplant (above)
    • sauce (above)
    • meat mixture (above)

    Combine ricotta, pumpkin, salt and pepper to taste and mix well with a spatula. I also went ahead and mixed the sauce and the meat together, although you could layer separately.

    In a casserole dish (I lightly greased it with olive oil, probably not necessary but I would hate to spend all this effort then burn my eggplants to the bottom), layer half the eggplants, then spread half the meat/sauce mixture, sprinkle half the hazelnuts, and spread half the ricotta/pumpkin mixture (a spatula works well). Repeat with the other half of the ingredients. Reheat the whole thing in a 375° oven.

    Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and allow to set for a few minutes before serving.