French Lentil, Pear and Walnut Salad

If you're going to survive the holiday season relatively unscathed, you need to balance all the Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pie and Christmas cookies with some lighter meals.  This vegetarian main dish salad fits the bill perfectly while still being very satisfying with its mix of flavors and textures.  I think crunch is important in a vegetarian dish to make it feel substantial, and here the crunch comes from the walnuts and pomegranate seeds.  The French lentils are also firm while tender at the same time.

If you're not familiar with French lentils, they're a small dark green variety that you'll also see called lentils le puy or lentils du puy.  They retain their shape and firmness after cooking unlike other lentils that break down into mush.  They're my favorite type of lentils for all recipes except soups or other dishes where you actually want the lentils to break down.

The baby greens (kale, arugula or spinach) add freshness and a little bitterness, and the balsamic mustard vinaigrette ties everything together.

My local natural foods store actually carries small tubs of fresh pomegranate seeds, and I think I remember that Trader Joe's does as well.  If not, and you can't find a pomegranate, dried cranberries will work just as well.  I just like the look of the pomegranate seeds - they're like little jewels.

Last note - if you can find mild French feta, try it.  I much prefer it to the tangier and saltier traditional feta cheese.

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French Lentil, Pear and Walnut Salad

Serves 4

For the Vinaigrette:

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

For the salad:

1 cup French lentils (lentils du puy), uncooked

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 firm pear, thinly sliced

½ cup chopped toasted walnuts

½ cup feta, crumbled

4 cups baby greens (baby kale, arugula, spinach, etc.)

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries)

  

To make the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake well. Set aside.

Cook the lentils according to package directions; drain and place in a bowl to cool.  Just before serving, add the fresh thyme leaves and just enough vinaigrette to coat lightly (you'll probably have some left over).  Add the baby greens and toss gently to combine.

Divide the lentils and greens among shallow bowls and top with pear slices, walnuts, feta and pomegranate seeds.

Thai Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

I've been having fun lately with recipes from Morocco, Korea, Thailand, Jerusalem - anything with interesting flavors and spices.  I think it's my way of dealing with cooler weather without heavy carbs and cheese (can you say lasagna?).

Anyway, soup is one of my favorite cool weather foods so when a family member offered up a recipe for Thai Butternut Squash Soup, I had to make it.  It's an excellent and very satisfying meal with some crusty bread on the side.  The squash and coconut milk make it smooth and creamy, while the seeds add crunch. You can make it as mild or spicy as you want - as written, it's quite mild.  Add more red curry paste or hot sauce if you like the spice.

I won't lie - it's a fair amount of work if you make it start to finish all in one go.  Peeling and seeding and cubing the squash is not all that fun or easy in my book.  But, there are two ways you can simplify everything - either prep your vegetables in advance (this is what I did), or buy cut-up squash at the store and skip the squash seed garnish.  And since it makes a lot you'll have containers to freeze for the next rainy day, metaphorically or otherwise. (That's my standard rational for any soup recipe, by the way.)

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Thai Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Serves 6-8 Note: you can buy cut-up squash to save time and skip the squash seed garnish, using just peanuts. Soup 3 tablespoons  olive oil 1 sweet onion, diced 1/4 cup red curry paste 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger 8 garlic cloves, minced 3 cups uncooked butternut squash peeled, cut into 1”cubes, seeds separated 1 large sweet potato peeled, cut into 1”cubes 3 medium carrots peeled and chopped 4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 14 oz. can coconut milk  1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon dried basil 2 tablespoons lime juice Sriracha/Asian hot chili sauce to taste (optional) Honey Sriracha Butternut Squash Seeds (optional) Reserved butternut squash seeds 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha/ Asian hot chili sauce 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin Garnishes Freshly squeezed lime juice 1 cup peanuts 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped  ½ cup plain yogurt

If you’re making the squash seeds:  preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking tray with a slip mat, parchment paper or foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Rinse squash seeds and pat dry. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, olive oil, Sriracha, salt and cumin; add seeds and stir until evenly coated. Spread seeds out evenly on baking sheet in a single layer. Cook for 30-35 minutes until golden, stirring every 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and stir so the seeds don’t stick; let cool.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan (may use large soup pot or Dutch oven), over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and sauté until onions are soft, about 3 - 5 minutes. Add red curry paste, red pepper flakes, ginger and garlic; stir to combine with onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add squash, sweet potatoes, carrots and chicken stock. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Meanwhile, toast peanuts lightly in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until golden. Let cool and rough chop.

 Once vegetables are soft, pour half of the vegetable mixture into a blender. Remove the middle piece of the cover and drape a towel over the cover before blending (this prevents explosions with hot liquids). Puree until soup is smooth, then transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining soup and pour everything back into the soup pot.

Add coconut milk, fish sauce, and basil to the soup and cook until soup is heated through (2-5 minutes). When ready to server, stir in 2 tablespoons lime juice. Taste soup and add desired amount of Sriracha, salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, squeeze fresh lime juice onto individual bowls for a fresh pop and garnish with roasted seeds, peanuts and cilantro.  Drizzle with a spoonful of plain yogurt.

Italian Sausage and Fennel Galette

Galette is just a fancy term for a free-form tart.  This sausage and fennel galette is the perfect fall tart with its warm sausage, earthy fennel and fragrant sage and rosemary.  At first I thought it would remind me of a pizza because it's round and has a crust and sausage and cheese.  But it really doesn't taste like pizza at all.  The crust is very crisp, the cheese is less prominent than in a pizza, and there's no red sauce.  It's its own thing.  A really good thing, too.

Just note that the dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes, which gives you time to make the filling before you bake the tart for about 35 minutes.  Assuming you cool the tart for maybe 10-15 minutes, the whole project will take you about 2 hours start to finish so it's maybe not a weeknight project unless you make the dough and the filling in advance.  In that case, it will take about an hour including cooling time.

Serve the tart with a bog green salad for a wonderful light fall or winter dinner.

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Italian Sausage and Fennel Galette

Serves 4

For the dough:

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/8 cup cold water

For the filling:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

½ medium onion, thinly sliced

½ lb hot Italian sausage (pork or turkey), removed from the casing

1 medium fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced crosswise

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

2 teaspoons sugar

5 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry and thinly sliced

1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Black or white sesame seeds, for optional garnish

In a food processor, pulse the flour, butter and salt a few times until crumbly.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a fork. Put half the egg in a slightly larger bowl (refrigerating the remainder for brushing later) and add the ice water.  Whisk again to combine.

Add the egg and water to the food processor and pulse until the dough comes together more or less.  Turn out on a floured surface and bring together with your hands to form a ball.  Flatten into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.

While the dough chills, make the filling.  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage and sauté, breaking it up with the edge of a wooden spoon, until the moisture has evaporated and the sausage is lightly browned.  Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside.

Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and sauté for a minute or two, then add the fennel and sugar and continue to sauté until the vegetables are softened and translucent (3-4 more minutes).  Remove from the heat and let cool.  When the sausage and vegetables are cool, combine them in a bowl with the cheese and fresh herbs.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375d.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a circle approximately 11” in diameter.  Gently fold into quarter and place on the parchment paper, then unfold.  Place the filling mixture in the center of the dough, then spread evenly leaving 1 ½“of dough uncovered around the outer edge.  Fold the edges over the filling and brush the edges with the remaining beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, optional.

Bake for about 35 minutes until the crust is golden.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pumpkin Maple Pecan Granola

OK, I guess I might as well jump on the pumpkin frenzy at this time of the year, although I really try to avoid those Starbucks pumpkin lattes since they have a million calories.  Speaking of Starbucks, I was in one the other day when the woman in front of me ordered a latte with 8 extra shots of espresso and a drink for her daughter and I think it ended up costing her around $22.  What a business!

Anyway, this pumpkin granola isn't anywhere near that expensive or that many calories, and it'll make your house smell fabulous.  The granola is crisp and very lightly sweet with just the right amount of pumpkin and spice flavors without going overboard. Perfect for fall!  (And hint, it makes a great gift also.)

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Pumpkin Maple Pecan Granola

Makes about 4 cups

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup pecans, chopped

1/3 cup whole almonds, chopped

3 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 325d.

Mix the oats, nuts, sugar, salt and spices together in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the oil, maple syrup and pumpkin puree while whisking (the oil will still be separated).  Pour over the dry ingredients and quickly mix with a wooden spoon.

Spread the mixture evenly on two baking sheets and bake for approximately 30 minutes, stirring the granola and rotating the pans every 10 minutes.  Near the end, watch closely – the granola should be golden brown but it can overbrown quickly.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets before storing in an air-tight container.  The granola will crisp up as it cools.

Mujadara with Leeks and Greens

Mujadara is wonderful Middle Eastern comfort food.  Lentils and rice (or bulgur) are cooked with fragrant spices and crispy onions, then greens are added for additional flavor and nutrition.  If you think it sounds boring, it's not at all - the spices add depth of flavor and the crispy leeks add both flavor and texture to a dish that's perfect for a chilly evening or when you're tired after a long day.
I'm not a vegetarian, but I do try to eat quite a few vegetarian meals throughout the week and this fit the bill while being very satisfying and comforting.

A couple of notes - the recipe as printed in the New York Times calls for rice, but a number of reviewers stated that in their household growing up it was always made with bulgur.  One reviewer said he felt bulgur had a superior texture so that's what I used, but I can see where rice would be just as good.  Your choice.  Another note is to use the amount of salt that's called for even if you try to cut down on salt normally.  Both lentils and beans really need salt to bring out their flavor, otherwise they taste like cardboard.

And finally, the leeks need to be sauteed probably a little darker than you'd normally be comfortable with, or they won't get crisp.  You're looking for dark golden brown, just this side of burnt.  Watch them closely while they cook so you can take them out at just the right minute.

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Mujadara with Leeks and Greens

Serves 4

Notes:  Bulgur and rice have different textures but both are common in mujadara – choose your favorite.  And don’t be tempted to reduce the amount of salt – it’s necessary to give the lentils flavor.

1 cup brown or green lentils

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, roots trimmed

2 ¼ teaspoons salt

¼ cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup long-grain rice or bulgur

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

4 cups trimmed and sliced greens (chard, spinach, or kale)

Plain Greek yogurt, for garnish

Place the lentils in a bowl and add warm tap water to cover by 1 inch.  Let soak while you prep the other ingredients.

Halve the leeks lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.  Rinse and drain.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark golden brown and crispy, 5-10 minutes.  Transfer half of the leeks to a small bowl to use for garnish and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt.

Stir garlic into the pot with the remaining leeks and cook for 15 seconds until fragrant.  Stir in rice or bulgur and sauté 2 minutes.  Stir in cumin, allspice and cayenne and sauté 30 seconds.

Drain lentils and stir in the pot.  Add 4 cups water, 2 teaspoon salt, bay leaf and cinnamon stick.  Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. 

Rinse greens in a colander and spread the damp greens over the lentil mixture.  Cover and cook 5-7 minutes more (depending on how sturdy your greens are), until the rice (or bulgur) and lentils are tender and the greens have wilted.  Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. 

Serve sprinkled with reserved crispy leeks and dollop with yogurt.

Saffron Chicken with Sugar Snaps

Saffron is an exotic spice with a unique flavor that I can't even begin to describe.  It's expensive because the little saffron threads have to be hand-harvested from crocus flowers, but the good news is that a little goes a long ways in terms of both flavor and color in a recipe.  If you like saffron, I guarantee you'll love this dish.

You can tell this recipe is from a restaurant when you notice the butter and olive oil.  Although it seems like a lot, this recipe does serve four and you could always cut down on the amounts but the taste is absolutely worth it.  The secret is the chicken marinade of saffron, thyme, parsley and lemon zest with just enough olive oil to make a paste.  The incredible flavor is achieved by marinating the chicken for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight which allows the marinade to both stick to and permeate the chicken.  The good news is that if you plan ahead and marinate the chicken the night before, the whole dinner takes about 20 minutes to make the next day.  The chicken is cooked over moderate heat to preserve the flavors of the paste and to keep it from drying out.  The sugar snaps add healthy veggie crunch while the couscous or rice rounds out the meal.  Beautiful, delicious and (mostly) healthy.

P.S.  Make extra chicken for the best-ever chicken salad sandwich with toasted almonds, currants, celery and a tiny amount of mayo on a crusty roll.

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Saffron Chicken with Sugar Snaps

Serves 4

Note that the chicken needs to marinate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight so plan ahead.

Scant ½ teaspoon saffron threads

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to form 4 cutlets

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, divided

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 lemon, zested and cut into quarters (for garnish)

3-4 cups sugar snap peas, ends trimmed

4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hot cooked couscous or rice

Crush the saffron as finely as possible in a mortar and pestle.  Reserve about a quarter of the saffron for later, then add the remaining saffron to 4 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the saffron oil, 2 teaspoons of thyme, the parsley and the lemon zest to a large zip-top bag.  Close the bag and massage to combine the ingredients, then open the bag again and add the chicken pieces.  Close and move the chicken around to make sure each piece is coated evenly.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.

When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil.  Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden.  Flip the chicken and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 160d, about 3-4 minutes more.  (Watch the temperature so the chicken doesn’t get too dark before it’s cooked through.)  Remove the chicken and set aside.

Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter.  When it melts, add the sugar snaps, green onions and remaining thyme.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute for 2-3 minutes until the sugar snaps are bright green and crisp tender.  Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the reserved saffron and stir until the butter melts.  Remove from the heat.

To serve, plate the chicken with the sugar snap mixture and hot couscous or rice.  Garnish with the green onion tops and a lemon quarter to be squeezed on everything.

Pork Tenderloin Salad with Melon and Feta Dressing

This salad is very summery with the cool refreshing melon, cucumber and mint as well as the creamy feta dressing, which really ties the whole salad together.  If you can find a French feta, give it a try - it's less salty, softer and more mild than Greek feta.  I buy the Valbreso brand at the local natural foods store and really prefer it to Greek feta.

To save time, make the pork in advance (grill it earlier in the week when you've already got the grill going for something else) and on the day you want to serve it, pick up a container of pre-cubed watermelon and cantaloupe that you can find at virtually every grocery store these days.  It's much easier to take those large cubes and cut them into smaller ones than to start with a whole cantaloupe and a whole watermelon.  Then all you have to do is make the dressing, chop a few things and toss everything together for a delicious and healthy dinner.

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Pork Tenderloin Salad with Melon and Feta Dressing

Servings: 4

Note: buy a carton of pre-cubed mixed watermelon and cantaloupe in the produce department to save time and effort. Cut the large cubes down to ½” in size.

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled, divided
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing the pork
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
Kosher salt
1 ½ cups ½ -inch cubed and seeded cantaloupe and watermelon, mixed
3/4 cup ½ -inch cubed seedless cucumber
3/4 cup fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

8-12 cups fresh greens (arugula and/or spinach preferred)

Lime wedges, for garnish

Preheat the grill to medium.

Set the sliced red onions to soak in ice water for 20 minutes to remove their bite. Drain and pat them dry and set aside.

Combine half of the feta, buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with pepper and stir in the remaining feta. Set aside.

Brush the pork lightly all over with some oil, season it lightly with salt and pepper and grill it directly over the heat, giving it a quarter turn at a time, until a thermometer inserted at the thickest part registers 140°F for medium, about 2 minutes per side for a total of 8 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate to cool to room temperature. (The pork may be made in advance and placed in a zip top bag in the refrigerator until ready to serve.)

Toss together the onion, watermelon, cucumber, mint, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the greens among shallow bowls. Spoon some of the melon mixture on each salad, then thinly slice the pork crosswise and add it next to the melon. Spoon the dressing on top of the pork. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

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