A Fall Vegan Soup with Butternut Squash, Pear and Sage

I am not going through a fad phase, I promise. I am not becoming vegan or even vegetarian. When it comes to food abstinence, will, is NOT my strength! I am, however, toying with the idea of being more like a vegetarian who eats eggs, sea food and a smattering of meat. There isn't a name for that yet, is there?

There has been much going on in the last few days with travel, closing some long open threads and making real progress on future plans. I have running around quite a bit on little sleep and draining much reserves. Yet, in the midst of all the exciting frenzy, I felt relatively healthy and not as tired as I should have been. Then, I had an eureka moment... It was my diet.Thanks to the weekly CSA produce I have had in excess, the last few weeks, I have been consuming

more vegetables that I typically do

. And, that feels good, really good. So, I figured I should keep up that as much as I can.

And, the weather change, not so subtle as it has been, has just been perfect for it! There I was one day swamped by the sweltering heat as I was running around the city and the next day I was slapped in the face by a nasty nip in the air. All I wanted to do was go back in make myself soup, which, is well, what I did! :) I made a really simple and clean soup with butternut squash, pear and sage, that is heartily

vegan, bold in flavor and good for your soul

.

You'll see for yourself, how I fare with being

largely vegetarian

. Note, I said largely and not mostly.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

{for two}

1 small squash, halved and de-seeded

1 firm Bartlett pear, halved

handful of sage leaves

2 shallots, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp freshly ground five spice + more for garnish

1 cup almond milk

salt, pepper and olive oil as needed

Season each of the squash and pear halves with salt and pepper and arrange the sage leaves on them. Wrap each piece in foil and bake at 350F for 20 minutes until they are tender. Let them cool before handling.

Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan and saute the shallots and garlic until soft. Add the spices, salt and pepper to season. Add the roasted fruits, the almond milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and mash the squash and pear. Alternatively, you can puree in a processor. Simmer for 10 minutes and it is ready!

Serve garnished a fresh leaf of sage, a light drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of five spice.

Casual conversations ...

Do you remember the last time you called a friend, for no reason, and then ended up talking about what you have been eating and how much you don't like cabbage and yet you are stuck with three whole heads of it? No! Well, you missed out ;). Call me, I'll tell you all about it...again. Ok, this time I'll also tell you ways of not feeling so overwhelmed by those

cabbage heads in your fridge

.

That is exactly what happened a couple of days ago when a friend called. I had just about found inspiration for using

one head into a smoky roast slaw

(recipe coming later) and I was flat out of any more spark. Come SR to the rescue. No sooner as I had mentioned my distaste for the vegetable having been, for years, accustomed to eating it in an over-cooked soggy stirfry, that she rattled off a few brilliant

suggestions to eat the leaves raw or mostly raw

. Phat! Wow! I was left positively looking forward to eating those leaves!!!

I adore vegetarians really! Without the option of meat you are so much more creative with use of vegetables! I am doing the CSA this year and for a few weeks, we tend to get the same vegetable over until the harvest runs out. I usually ebullient the first week, glad the second and then quite forlorn after. The thing is, I am also trying to not mix meat with the wonderful produce we get in an effort to keep the flavors clean and let them shine. That is where I think you vegetarians have an advantage...

recurring creativity!

One of her suggestions was an idea for a salad. It took me back to my time in Japan when my favorite dish ever was

Ebi-katsu

that was served with mounds of shredded cabbage consumed drenched in a plum sauce. And, the cabbage was unlimited. I could go through up to five refills of it; it was of great entertainment value for my fellow diners! Infact, on many an occasion I was bought lunch/dinner for the pure pleasure of watching me do that!

Interestingly, our conversation made me realise how much raw cabbage is used in East Asian cuisine. Few other cuisines rarely eat it in its crunchy natural form. If you know of any cabbage dishes that don't require it to be fully cooked, I would love to hear of them.

Anyway, without further ado I leave you with an incredibly simple salad with supremely flavorful

yogurt dressing

that will make you a cabbage convert! Oh! Do make oodles of the dressing; you'll love how nicely it rounds off the salad and want more just for a lick....

Raw Summer Slaw Salad with Green Yogurt Dressing

{for two}

1/2 small cabbage head, shredded

2 small scallions, sliced thin

3-4 radishes sliced long and thin

1 tomato, diced small

3/4 cup chickpeas, cooked tender

For the dressing:

1/2 cup fresh whole yogurt

1/3 cup fresh basil (go by flavor)

handful of cleaned radish leaves (they are awesome!)

1/2 clove of garlic, raw

1 hot green pepper

salt and pepper

To make the dressing, pulse the ingredients to as creamy a mixture as you can and reserve.

Toss the salad ingredients in the yogurt dressing and serve!

Yep! That is all! Simple and habit forming....

Bethany's Kishk, Lamb and Kale Soup from Pomegranates and Pinenuts

I am going to tell you a story that is one of my favorite food memories with

Bethany

and why I chose this soup to begin my review of her cookbook

Pomegranates and Pine Nuts

(US). What makes it even more special is that it is set in Sarka's house and

Sarka is the photographer

who has made Bethany's mouth watering recipes come alive in the book and given them their due credit!

So.... Rewinding to

September 2012

...

I was embarking on my Europe travels and beginning my journey in London. Sarka had kindly offered to put me up at her house, where Bethany and her sister, Joslin, were already holed up working on

FBC 2012

. Over the next few days, the house would become more populated as Juls, Al and Regula arrived and we all had a blast and lots of good food! But, when I arrived at her doorstep at about noon, it was just Bethany, Joslin, Sarka.

It was nearing lunch time and Beth was craving

kishk

soup. Now, I had never heard of kishk before but when Beth explained that it is a powdery cereal of burghul (cracked wheat) fermented with milk and laban (yogurt), I became very curious about the soup. In an effort to be useful and get out of the way of the conference preparations, I offered to make the soup as Sarka had all the ingredients already.

Everybody concurred and Beth gave me the recipe for four people. Off I went to the kitchen and started collecting the ingredients. I had nearly everything and then noticed the garlic. The recipe on the piece of paper said

2 bulbs of garlic

. I was a bit curious and went back and tentatively asked

if she had intended two cloves of garlic

. The response was an uproar of laughter and much leg pulling about Beth's love for garlic!! It was

indeed to be two BULBS

!

Amused, I went back to the preparation. The recipe is really easy and came together in just a few minutes. The soup was incredibly flavorful;

rich and comforting yet light and refreshing

. And, I don't think it could have worked with any less garlic, whose flavor is just subtle and not at all overpowering for the amount used. The kishk itself was an eye-opening flavor profile. It's tangy as you would expect from a fermented grain but with a citrus note that brings out the lightness in the soup.

In just under half hour, we all gathered around a big pot of soup, ravenously hungry and still smiling at my garlic surprise. The aroma of the

soup rich in flavor from the bulgur and lamb confit

kept enticing us to ladle ourselves to several helpings until we had scraped the bottom of the pot! It was a lovely long lunch, the first of several amazing meals that I had the joy of sharing with the group and as more trooped in. To this day, we laugh about this incident and mirth is never lost! :)

I have since then eaten many of the creations cooked by Bethany, included in the cookbook, and they are all simply amazing. I have known her for three years now, and, every time I have met her, there has been food and a lot of warmth and passion for middle eastern cuisine. Like the lively evening two years ago in NY when Mr. Zenchef and I were treated to a very special tasting menu of Lebanese food cooked by Beth at a local Lebanese restaurant in LES. My favorite dish that night was a risotto she made with Freekeh.

Beth also organizes Taste Lebanon, a multi day culinary tour through the country that showcases the beauty of the land and cuisine! I have been dreaming of going on that for a very long time and I plan in the next few years. If you have an interest or curiosity for the region and an appetite for delicious middle eastern food then I highly recommend this tour especially since it will be enlivened by the lovely presence and knowledge of Beth herself!

Until then, the cooking the cuisine is my escape to that famed land of richness. I have been eagerly awaiting this book and was so thrilled to be finally holding it my hands! When I received Beth's book, it was a no-brainer that I would start my journey with the Kishk, Lamb and Kale Soup. There is a special place for this recipe in my heart and I wanted to share the story and flavor that is so distinctive of Beth and her food!

The best part of the cookbook is that it has recipes for every type of cook and every style of meal from the easy, quick ones like the soup to more elaborate meals that need time to work its magic, from meals for two to family style ones that are perfect for gatherings of fun and laughter, of single plate meals to tasting plates and everything in between. I have been closely associated with the cuisine for several years now and I think that the best part about it is its judicial use of spices, flavoring the food yet allowing the ingredients' flavor to shine through.

The book has been launched in UK and Europe as "The Jewelled Kitchen" with a virtual book launch and several reviews of her recipes.

---

Kishk, Lamb and Kale Soup

(Recipe reprinted here from Pomegranates and Pine Nuts with permission from the author and publisher)

3 T salted butter

1 garlic bulb, finely crushed

1 T aleppo pepper flakes or crushed chili flakes

1 tsp all spice

2 T dried mint

14 oz ground lamb

2-1/4 cups chopped kale

1 cup kishk

4 T pine nuts (I used pistachios)

4-1/2 cups hot water

mint leaves to sprinkle

salt and pepper

bread to serve with

Melt the butter in a pan and saute the garlic for a minute until aromatic. Add the pepper flakes, all spice and dried mint and stir well to combine. Add the ground lamb and cook until browned, stirring often. Add the kale an mix well, letting it wilt.

Sprinkle the kishk and stir to combine. Heat through and then pour in the hot water a little at a time, stirring well to prevent lumps. Keep adding the water until the mixture is creamy and brothy and has reached your desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toast the nuts in a pan until fragrant. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with nuts and mint. Serve with warm Arabic bread or any crusty bread.

---

Summer Ease

There is something about the warm air that brings out a smile and many laughs.

There are so many 'capture' of Summer frolicking all around and on every social media. It is inevitable to be get caught up in it all and just have a bit of fun as well. Partying on rooftops with panoramic views of the city, walking through unexplored parts of the city in a quest of hidden gems, making plans to spend more time outdoors and somewhat doing it (ref. roof tops), doing silly, goofy stuff and needing no excuse for them, lying on the warm sand and forgetting everything else in comfort of the lapping waves, wearing billowy skirts and squealing when the wind catches them and laughing when it catches others', more, more and so much more....

Amongst all of this energy and excitement is an implicit lethargy, as well. The desire to not spend copious amounts of time preparing meals but much more in enjoying them.

The laziness of simple meals

that easily done and do not distract from activities we are more interested in doing.. :) Fortunately, Summer is that time of the year, when cutting time's corners does not impact the plate much at all. In fact, one could argue that less is more in these times

with all the gorgeous, fresh food available

.

Looking back at the last few months of Summery times, I realise I am no outlier. Meals at home have been clean, fresh and flavorful. Not much fussing or trussing. Between the CSA, my weekly visits to the Union Square farmers' market and the frequent visitations to Chelsea Market, I have consumed

copious amounts of ridiculously fresh eggs, meat, seafood, vegetables and fruits

without being anywhere close to the production of these items.

When I visited the countryside of Ireland last month and Tuscany last year, I realised how much having access to farm fresh ingredients mattered to me. And, I am just happy that I live in a place where I atleast have access to it because I do know I would find it very very hard to live away from the city too long! Ok! I am basically saying I love New York City and am thankful for its awesomeness.

So, that's all I have to say this weekend. I have a few photos of some meals from my kitchen and a recipe for the simplest tart ever!

Leek and Cherry Tomato Galette with homemade tahini paste to add flavor. Hope you have a brilliant one!

---

Leek and Cherry Tomato Galette

1 portion suet crust dough (recipe here)

2 eggs

2 T almond milk

2 small leeks, finedly diced

handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

2 T of fresh basil, torn

3 generous T of homemade tahini sauce (recipe here)

Preheat oven to 375F.

Roll out the dough to a rough 10 inch circle. Leaving a inch and half crust border, spread the tahini evenly throughout the base. Pile the leeks onto the paste and then sprinkle the tomatoes over. Fold the edges of the crust onto the filling in such a way to hold it from running out.

Whisk the eggs and almond milk as thin as you can. Pour the egg mixture into the tart. Sprinkle with basil.

Bake the tart for 30-35 minutes until crust is crackly and cooked and the center is nearly set. Cool on rack and serve immediately. To reheat, warm in oven at 375F for 15 minutes.

---

Slipping into Comfort

UPDATE: I am starting that bread course today! Super excited!! :))

It was a rainy Sunday.

A day when hot chocolates and caramel swirls are the order.

A time for hanging in

Elizabethan cafes

, noshing and sipping great coffee while casually lounging and talking about worldly matters. Waiting in line for 20 odd minutes, in a 'gritty' joint, to inhale

this burger

in under 3 minutes.

Walking

under an umbrella bracing the dripping rain but letting it wash off the streets and marveling at how green the leaves seem.

Musing

why that group is dressed so formally and how can that hairdo stand up to the humidity.

That kind of unruffled amusement, hand-swinging ease of conversation and

abject wonder

of surroundings.

Yeah! It was a

nice, comfortable weekend

of digging for the little unknowns, sampling something new,

falling back into something old that yet seems reborn

. An act that unmasked itself anew, afresh in the soft glow of candle light.

I baked, cooked, set random tables, enjoyed the fruits of the season and my labor. I made plans, took little notes and was happy watching my calendar fill up and mind

working on a creative 5th gear

.

That's all. A lot and a little. Many

steps forward. All with a smile.

:)

I leave you with a recipe for a

Stuffed Eggplant Confit

, that is easy and filled with warmth and wrapped in comfort for that rainy day leading into nothing especial but perfect just the same in its familiarity.

Stuffed Eggplant Confit

10 small purple Asian eggplants

1/4 cup olive oil

For the Stuffing:

1-1/2 cup finely diced red onion

half head of garlic, minced

2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp coriander powder

2 T mild red chili paste (recipe below)

Salt to taste

Whole Spices to Roast:

2 tsp black mustard seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp whole cloves

Combine all the stuffing ingredient. Make deep x shaped slits in the eggplants making sure you don't cut all the way through. Using your fingers to hold the quarters apart, fill each eggplant with as much of the stuffing as you can make it hold. Gently lay it down on a plate while continuing to stuff the remaining. Reserve any remaining stuffing.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan, large enough to fit all the eggplants in one layer. Heat the oil until just hot enough. The best way to test the readiness of the oil is to drop a couple of the mustard seeds and see if they pop. If they do, they are ready. Add the rest of the roasting spices and fry on low heat until they release their fragrance, a minute or so.

Gently place all the stuffed eggplants into the pan in one layer. Sprinkle any remaining stuffing mix on top of the eggplants.

Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes till the vegetables are cooked through and soft.

Serve with quinoa or flour wraps for a main or as a side for any poultry or pork dish.

Red Chili Paste

10 whole mild, dry, red chilies, broken by hand

1/4 cup vinegar

2 T water

touch of salt

Soak the chilies in the vinegar overnight. Drain the liquid and reserve. Puree the chilies to a smooth paste adding as little of the marinated liquid as needed.

Store refrigerated for upto a month.