Last night I still didn't have a clue what I'd be cooking. I knew that there were storage potatoes, onions, shallots and carrots, and lots of new green things. When I walked by the produce prepping area the scent of cilantro hit me. When Jenny told me she'd soaked black beans I knew the cilantro would go into them somehow.
Often off the cuff farm cooking turns into juggling what combos of food to go where. Today I had the main elements: quinoa, black beans, potatoes and radishes. The adornments: mint, cilantro, a cacophony of Indian spices, maple syrup, pickled jalapeños, coconut and coconut milk and limes.
Here's what Ella, Eli and I made:
Carrot ginger purée soup with pickled jalapeños
Onions, ginger and carrots cooked in coconut fat then covered with water. Purée in blender till smooth with coconut milk and season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with lightly chopped pickled jalapeños and cilantro if you like.
Blackbeans with toasted coconut, peas, lime and cilantro
Tip for cooking tender beans with hard water. Soak overnight or in cold water or 1 hour in boiling water with a teaspoon or three of SEA SALT. Drain and add fresh water, bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook 1 hour. The salt protects shell beans from absorbing the minerals and so they remain tender when cooked.
In a large sauté pan we toasted unsweetened dry coconut without fat, till golden and fragrant then tossed it with the beans, lime juice, chopped cilantro, peas and salt and pepper.
Quinoa with caramelized shallots and greens
Rinse 2 cups quinoa in fine mesh strainer and drain. Pour into heavy pot with 3 cups cold water and salt. Bring to boil, lower heat, cover and simmer quinoa 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pot to sit undisturbed 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat olive oil or coconut oil and add finely sliced shallots. Cook until browned and add chopped greens. They will wilt quickly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and toss/fold with quinoa.
Shaved radish salad with lime, mint and maple syrup
1 dozen French breakfast or red radishes, cleaned and trimmed
juice of 1 to 2 limes
2 tablespoons mint leaves
salt
1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
With a mandoline or very sharp knife, finely slice radishes. Toss radishes mixing bowl with lime juice, mint and salt. Add maple syrup to taste, enough to offset the acidity of the lime juice, but not so much that it actually tastes sweet.
Spiced potato-stuffed paratha
Ella made these pretty much start to finish. She's made them with me several times. The spiced potato filling started with cubed potatoes, boiled till tender and drained. Then in another pot, brown onions, and add brown mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and turmeric and cook for a minute. Stir in garam masala and a diced jalapeño. Season with salt and lime juice. Let this cool.
Paratha dough
3 cups chapati flour
2 tablespoons Nutiva coconut oil or ghee or clarified butter
1 teaspoon salt
Mix together ingredients in bowl till fat is evenly mixed. Add enough warm water to make a tender but not wet dough...ear lobe soft. Let it sit for half an hour in a baggie. Roll into a log (with extra flour if sticky) and slice log into 15 pieces. Dip one into flour on cut sides and roll out to 1/8 inch thick. Lay a couple spoonfuls spiced potatoes in center and bring up sides of dough, pleating the top and pressing it together. Roll out flat, using more flour if necessary. Cook these on a hot cast-iron griddle until they lose the raw dough look. Brush with ghee, butter or Nutiva coconut oil.
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