Autumn Veggie Casserole

 

 

Ingredients

1 8-oz. bunch Swiss chard, trimmed

 

2 tbsp olive oil

 

8 oz. mixed mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)

 

1cup chopped onion

1 Tbsp. roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish

2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 16-oz. loaf stale crusty bread, torn into bite-size pieces (about 12 cups)

Cooking spray  

4 oz. Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1 cup), divided

8 large eggs

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

 

 Preparations

 Prepare Swiss chard:

Separate chard leaves from stems. Roughly chop leaves and stems.

Prepare mushroom mixture.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add onion, garlic, thyme, chard stems, and 1∕2 teaspoon salt; cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add chard leaves; stir until wilted. 

Assemble casserole:

Place half of bread in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1∕2 cup cheese. Spoon in half of mushroom mixture. Top with remaining bread and mushroom mixture

Add egg mixture:

Whisk eggs, milk, mustard, and remaining 1 1∕2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Pour over casserole; press bread into egg mixture. Top with remaining 1∕2 cup cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. (Or refrigerate for up to 12 hours; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.)

Bake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown and set, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Garnish with thyme.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Assemble the casserole through Step 4, cover, and refrigerate overnight or up to 12 hours. Let the dish come to room temperature before baking, about 30 minutes. 

 

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Herby Yogurt Dip

  

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tsp dried herbs (such as parsley, oregano, basil, and mint)

1 tsp crushed red pepper

2 cloves garlic, grated on a Microplane (about 3/4 tsp.)

5 scallions, finely chopped, divided

2 cups plain whole-milk Greek-style yogurt

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Crusty bread or warm pita and/or vegetables, for dipping

Directions

Heat oil, dried herbs, and crushed red pepper in a small saucepan over medium-low, swirling pan often, until shimmering, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add garlic and 3/4 of the scallions (they will sizzle). Stir to combine. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a medium bowl.

Transfer yogurt mixture to a serving dish. Top with oil mixture and remaining scallions. Serve with crusty bread or pita and vegetables.

 

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

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https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs

 

 

Kalinti (Crispy North African Chickpea Flour Pie) With Herb Salad

  

Ingredients

For the Chickpea Flour / Besan Pie:

⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp (15 ml) for greasing pan

2 cups finely milled chickpea flour (about 9 ounces; 250 g) 

4 cups (960 ml) cold water

2 3/4 tsp (about 9 g) kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or same weight

1/2 tsp garlic powder, optional

1 large egg

For the Salad: 

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp (7 1/2 ml) fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

Flaky sea salt  to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 1/2 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) arugula or a mix of arugula and baby spinach

1/4 cup (about 5 g) flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

2 scallions, thinly sliced

For Serving:

Crusty bread, such as baguette

Cumin pdr

Sweet paprika or cayenne

Directions

For the Chickpea Flour Pie: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack and set aside. 

While baking pan heats, whisk chickpea flour, cold water, salt, and garlic powder, if using, until smooth and no lumps remain, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and remaining 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil and whisk until fully combined. 

Once baking pan is out of the oven, whisk batter briefly to recombine and pour batter into hot pan (the oil will bubble up around the edges and rise to the surface).  

Transfer baking sheet with pan to oven and bake until top is deeply golden and crisp, the center is softly set and custard-like, and a toothpick inserted near the edge comes out clean while one inserted in the center has a thin, custardy film, 40 to 45 minutes. Allow kalinti to cool until custard settles, about 5 minutes. 

For the Salad: While kalinti cools, in a large bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and whisk until combined. Add arugula, parsley, and scallions, and gently toss to coat. 

For Serving: Top kalinti with cumin and paprika (or cayenne). Slice into squares or rectangles. Serve warm with arugula salad, bread, and harissa on the side. Alternatively, spread a thin layer of harissa on bottom side of bread, tuck slices of kalinti and spoonfuls of salad into bread for a sandwich-style version.  

 

 

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com  for info on cancer and health related topics

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs

Tuscan Ribollita With Summer Vegetables

  

 

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

• 3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 8 ounces; 240 g)

• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, diced (about 13 ounces; 370 g)

• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced (about 12 ounces; 340 g)

• 3 large celery stalks, diced (about 8 ounces; 240 g)

• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme

• Kosher salt

• 1 tbsp tomato paste (15 ml)

• Water

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 chunk Parmesan cheese rind, about 2 inches square (optional)

• 2 medium zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces (about 8 ounces; 240 g)

• 2 medium summer squash, cut into bite-size pieces (about 8 ounces; 240 g)

• 8 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 240 g)

• 4 ounces spinach, roughly chopped (about 4 cups loosely packed leaves; 115 g)

• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves (about 1 ounce; 30 g)

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 pound (110 g) fresh or stale rustic crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

   

   

  Preparations

  In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat with garlic. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant and very lightly golden. Add onion, leek, carrots, celery, and rosemary or thyme sprigs. Season gently with salt and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are fully softened but not browned, about 10 minutes, adding more oil as necessary if the pot looks dry.  

  Add tomato paste and stir until it is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add 6 cups of water, bay leaves, Parmesan rind, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, spinach, and basil. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are fully tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

  Add bread, stir well, and simmer until bread is very soft and breaking down, about 15 minutes. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, if soup becomes too thick and dry. 

  Season again with salt, pepper, and a generous shaving of Parmesan (if using). The soup can be served at varying consistencies: more wet and brothy, like a thick, chunky soup, or cooked down until thickened like a porridge. Once reduced to a thick porridge, you can ladle some of it into a small (8-inch) nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon oil and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it coalesces into a dense mass; it will eventually take the shape of a pancake. (If your flipping skills are good, you can flip it to serve it browned side up.) Slide it onto a plate. To serve at any consistency, discard bay leaves, rosemary or thyme sprigs, and Parmesan rind, drizzle with fresh olive oil and top with freshly ground black pepper and more grated cheese (optional). 

   

  https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
  
  https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement
  
  https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com  for info on cancer and health related topics
  
  https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs 

   

Leek And Potato Soup

 This savory leek and potato soup can be left chunky or blended smooth, but the best part is the crunchy garnish that tops each bowl. While many recipes using leeks call for discarding the tougher, more fibrous green tops, we reserve them, slice 'em real thin, and stir-fry them until crispy and golden. Sprinkled with a little salt, fried leek greens transform an otherwise fine bowl of soup into an outstanding one.

Working with leeks

The biggest disclaimer here is that when using leeks, you must take care to rinse them fully and thoroughly—swipes of dirt and grit get trapped tightly between each layer and will make for one awful eating experience if left intact. My preferred method is to halve the leeks length-wise, rinse between each layer, slice the rinsed leeks thinly, then rinse them again over a large strainer again to ensure there's no gritty particles left. 

Once it's all cleaned, pat the leek greens dry with paper towels to ensure they get crispy in the frying process. Smaller, skinnier leeks will have more tender greens, but because we are slicing everything super thin, even the most fibrous bits will turn delectably crispy once fried. The oil that's left in the pan becomes infused with leek-y essence, adding a whole other layer of flavor to the soup. Other less popular flavor agents in this recipe include anchovies and MSG, both of which are optional, but I dare you to give them a try just this once and be open to their seasoning potential. 

To make it plant-based...

To make this soup completely plant-based, skip the anchovy, swap the chicken broth out for veggie broth or water, and use a plant-based milk instead of half and half—coconut milk would provide the most richness if you're okay with that flavor. Instead of sprinkling with Parmesan, you could sub it out for toasted nuts or seeds, croutons, or a hit of hot sauce. Or, if you're a meat lover, bits of cooked bacon is also perfect crumbled on top!

If you've made this recipe, be sure to drop us a line down below in the comments to let us know how you liked it.

 

Ingredients

For the soup

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin o live oil, divided

4 large leeks, halved, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced, rinsed well (about 2 lb.)

Kosher salt

2 Tbsp. butter

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1 anchovy fillet

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. ground white pepper

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. fennel seeds / saunf

1 1/2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes (about 3 large)

4 cups low-sodium veg broth / water

1/2 cup half and half, plus more for garnish

For topping

Half and half

Fried leek greens

Freshly grated Parmesan

Crusty bread, for serving

 

Directions

Make fried leek greens: Pat leek greens dry with a paper towel. In a large pot over medium heat, heat enough oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pot, about 3 tablespoons. Add in leek greens and stir, frying until golden and crispy, about 6 minutes. Transfer fried leeks to a plate and sprinkle with salt.

 

Return pot to medium-high heat and melt butter. Add in remaining leeks, celery, and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly golden and volume has decreased by over half, about 20 minutes. 

 

Push vegetables to the sides of the pot and add in 1 tablespoon oil more. Add anchovy, garlic, white and black pepper, coriander, fennel seeds, and MSG. Stir until anchovy has melted into the mixture and spices are fragrant, 1 minute.

 

Add potatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot with a lid, and let cook until potatoes are falling apart, about 30 minutes.

 

Remove from heat and stir in half and half. For a chunkier soup, serve as is or use a potato masher to partially mash potatoes to desired consistency. Alternatively, for a smooth soup, use a blender or immersion blender to blend soup until creamy.

 

Serve soup topped with a swirl of half and half, some fried leek greens, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and toasted bread, if desired.

 

 

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com  for info on cancer and health related topics

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs.