Monday, June 27, 2016

Persian Chickpea Lentil Soup with Dill


I ordered this wonderful soup a few weeks ago at Chase’s in Belfast,  a “Persian chickpea soup with spiced and dill.”  The dill made all the difference in the soup. This recreation comes close, but the original is tough to beat.
persian_chickpea_soup
Persian Chickpea Soup with Dill
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped 
  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2/3 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), sorted and rinsed
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 4 cups water, divided
  • 1/3 cup green lentils, sorted and rinsed
  • 1 pinch of cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam massala
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • dash of honey or agave
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped dill
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
1. Heat the oil in a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, or until it is soft. Add the garlic and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 1 minute.
2. Add the chickpeas, the broth and 2 cups water to the saucepan. Stir well to blend in the onion mixture and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 1½ hours.
3. Add the lentils, spices, salt, pepper and 2 cups water. Return to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the chickpeas and lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, mix the dill, and cilantro.
5. Add the dill and cilantro to the soup. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, for 2-5 minutes.
6. Ladle the soup into a bowls and garnish each serving with a fresh dill. Serve hot.




Monday, June 13, 2016

Summer Quinoa Salad

Quinoa has a wonderful nutty flavor  and cooked with a bit of white wine and onion and garlic and broth, it is even more flavorful.  Adding some fresh vegetables like radishes, apples or cucumber for color and crunch, and some nuts.

quinoa_salad


Quinoa Summer Salad
Cooking Quinoa
  • 1/2 cup dry quinoa
  • 1/2 medium onion, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 TB olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled, minced
  • 1/2 cup of crisp white wine like pinot grigio
  • 1 cup of vegetable broth or chicken broth
In a heavy bottom pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 min (don’t burn it). Add the quinoa and stir around dry in the onion and garlic for a bit to toast it and give it an even more nutty flavor.
Now, add the white wine and stir well, scrap off the brown parts from the bottom and less the wine mostly cook off. Then, add the broth, stir, and turn down the heat to medium-low. Cover with a lid, and cook for about 20 min, until the quinoa is fluffy.
Take off stove and cool.
Salad
  • cooled quinoa
  • 3-4 radishes, sliced
  • 1/3 of an English cucumber, peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 apple, diced
  • optional: pomegranate seeds, celery
  • chopped mint, dill and cilantro
  • some sliced almonds or toasted walnuts
Mix all the salad ingredients and serve.