Fennel and lentil avgolemono soup
I’m sure I’ve mentioned here that I love fennel so this soup was one I was keen to try. It is thickened by adding beaten eggs carefully at the end which gives it a yummy creamy feel without any cream.
The Quick Lowdown:
- Ingredients: brown onion, lentils, fennel celery, garlic, dried thyme and oregano (which I didn’t have so used fresh), white miso, eggs, lemon juice
- Prep work: The prep work was easy, except the charred garlicky fennel fronds, which were a bit of extra effort, didn’t wow me.
- Dirty dishes: Cutting board, knife, frypan, saucepan, bowl.
- Taste: Creamy, aniseed, with the earthy taste of puy lentils.
- Family-friendly: Maybe. My son ate it all up.
- Regular rotation worthy: Yes.
Olive oil-braised carrots and chickpeas
I had a heap of carrots in my veggie box one week so I decided to make this. A finely diced onion is cooked for 1-2 minutes over medium heat in a large dutch oven or saucepan. Then add garlic (6 cloves minced) and one green chilli finely chopped. Cook for a minute, then 3 tbs tomato paste, six pitted and torn dates, 500g cooked chickpeas, 2 tsp ground coriander, a handful of roughly chopped dill, 1 tsp of sugar and salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper. Stir for a minute to coat the chickpeas then layer on about 700g of baby carrots (or halved larger carrots if, like me, that’s what you have. Pour 250ml of olive oil over the top and lay fine slices of one lemon on top. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 45-50 minutes. Season with salt to taste. What you end up with is a rich, sticky and satisfying meal. Serve it with some couscous or quinoa, maybe dollop on yoghurt and coriander.
The Quick Lowdown:
- Ingredients: I had everything I needed for this in my fridge and pantry
- Prep work: Very little
- Dirty dishes: Cutting board, knife, dutch oven.
- Taste: Yum.
- Family-friendly: I think so. The carrots and dates make this a little sweet.
- Regular rotation worthy: YES!
Hoisin-glazed cauliflower with mixed grains and peanuts
This recipe includes a homemade hoisin sauce which I can see coming in handy when I run out and don’t want to run to the shops. I made this when G was away because he won’t eat cauliflower and I liked it.
The Quick Lowdown:
- Ingredients: cauliflower, olive oil, roasted peanuts, coriander leaves. The hoisin is needs soy sauce, tahinin, garlic, brown sugar, roasted sesame oil, rice vingar, black pepper and miso. It’s also served with a mix of white and brown rice and quinoa. Apart from the cauliflower I usually have all these ingredients in my fridge or pantry.
- Prep work: Very little required.
- Dirty dishes: Cutting board, knife, baking tray, tray for the steam oven (to cook the grains in), glass jar that I made the sauce in
- Taste: This was good. The homemade hoisin sauce was yummy. I’ve also used her mixed grains to serve with a number of other dishes since I made this.
- Family-friendly: Maybe
- Regular rotation worthy: Only if the kids are here and I’m serving it with other dishes or if G is away.
What are some of your favourite vegetables?
Comments
3 responses to “Tenderheart Cook #33, #34 and #35”
I could not live without tomatoes. I eat them all year round and almost daily.
A close second probably cucumber.
I do like zucchini but I rare have any. I wish I had a neighbor who grows to many. Maybe I should try that next year on the terrace.
Do we count potatoes as veggies? Then definitely very high on the list.
My Husband always insists that cauliflower is bland and wrinkles his nose when I want to make it, but then I roast it and salt it heavily and everyone loves it and devours a whole pan. He might like this because he likes hoisin sauce.
I had the Tenderheart cookbook borrowed from the Library then had to return it – I’m sad I didn’t get to cook more from it. Oooh maybe I’ll put it back on my holds!
My favorite vegetable, I think, is kabocha squash. I do also love cucumbers for how easy and versatile they are. And sugar snap peas – only if they are really fresh and sweet. Avocados, but I think those are technically a fruit… So many vegetables!
I never liked cucumbers but have gradually started to appreciate them more as I’ve got older. Sugar snap peas are yummy, but as you say need, to be just right so only have a small window in the year when they are good and reasonably priced.