Aloo Gobi (Potato and Cauliflower)

This recipe, adapted from Gourmet via Epicurious, is a slightly easier version of Aloo Gobi.  Thank you, Interwebs, for giving me recipes from the Motherland! 

Ingredients

1 (1 3/4-lb) head cauliflower, cut into 3/4-inch-wide florets

1 1/4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño, including seeds

2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne/chili powder

1/2 cup water

1/2 bag frozen peas (optional, but I think it only benefits this dish)

Flatbread of your choice, gently warmed in the oven, to scoop up the delicious with. 

Directions

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Toss cauliflower and potatoes together in a bowl with 3 tablespoons oil, cumin seeds, and1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread in hot baking pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and browned in spots and potatoes are just tender, about 25-30 minutes. Make sure to toss half-way through so both sides get nice and caramelized.

While vegetables are roasting, cook onion, garlic, jalapeño, and ginger in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until very soft and beginning to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne/chili powder, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Stir in water, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, then stir in roasted vegetables fresh from the oven.  Toss in the half-bag of frozen peas if you like, then cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. 

Serve immediately with warmed flatbread. 

Mushroom and Lentil Shepherd's Pie

I am a true believer in putting whatever the heck you want to in the veggie portion of this. Raid the freezer! Raid your veggie drawer! Don't like mushrooms? Cut them out. Alternatively, if you're a lentil hater, don't put them in and just do fresh veg. This is an experimenting-is-fun kind of dish.

Ingredients

3 medium Russet potatoes
1/2 cup whole milk
5 tblsp. butter, divided
1 cup red or green lentils
1 large shallot
3 celery stalks
3 carrots
1 cup peas
1 carton baby bella mushrooms (or whichever kind you prefer)
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock (optional...just makes the veggies juicier)
1 5 oz. package of goat cheese
Thyme and Rosemary, as desired
salt and pepper, to taste


Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Chop up the potatoes into very large chunks...it makes it easier to boil and then mash them up this way. Bring to a boil a large pot of salted water, then add in the potatoes and boil, about 10-15 minutes. Check tenderness with a fork to see when done (should be very soft.) Meanwhile, bring the lentils to a boil in salted water, and add a sprig or two of rosemary into the pot. Boil for about 10 minutes, until soft. When cooked, drain lentils and set aside.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain, then return to the empty hot pot. They should be steaming (which means the extra water is evaporating and you won't have soggy taters.) Add in a couple tablespoons of butter, the milk, salt and pepper, and mash. (Note: I like leaving the skins on the potatoes, makes it tastier, but if you're seriously anti-potato-skin, you can peel them in the beginning before chopping and adding to water.) Mash to a smooth consistency, and add as much butter/milk/salt/pepper as suits your taste preferences. When smooth, scoop out hunks of the goat cheese and stir in (but you want to keep pockets of the goat cheese to get melty in the oven later.) Set aside.

Chop the carrots, celery, shallot, mushrooms (I like a combo of sliced and chopped mushrooms, makes for a good consistency). Saute in the remaining butter in a pan, add salt and pepper and thyme and continue to cook over medium heat until softened. Add in the lentils, wine (a bit at a time), and chicken stock if you wish, and taste for flavor. Add in the peas. Once everything tastes to your liking in terms of salt, pepper, etc, remove from pan. (Make sure the veg don't get too dried out!)


In a medium-sized ovenproof dish, scoop in the lentil-mushroom mixture and spread out evenly. Next layer on top the mashed potato mixture, and even out over the lentils. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes start to brown on top and everything smells heavenly.

Remove from the oven, and let settle for about ten minutes. Serve hot.

Leek and Cauliflower Risotto

Fresh 365 Online posted this, from Gourmet (sniff. I still miss you.)

This is the (almost) original recipe...the original called for a blanching and sauteeing of the cauliflower. I, instead, chose to roast it. I also replaced 1/2 cup of white wine in the stock liquid as it just tastes better that way. I think this would be even more divine with some roasted asparagus on top or sauteed mushrooms for good measure.

Ingredients
2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), finely chopped
1 medium head cauliflower (2 lbs), rinsed and cut into 1” wide florets or sliced into 1" pieces length-wise to roast.
3 c vegetable broth or chicken stock
1/2 c white wine
1 1/2 c water
3 T butter
1 c Arborio rice
3/4 c finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/2 oz)
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
2 T fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped


Directions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Place cauliflower on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, tossing to coat evenly. When the oven is ready, roast the cauliflower for about 25-30 minutes, (or until it starts to caramelize on the bottom.) Meanwhile, wash chopped leeks in a colander to remove dirt. In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch leeks for 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Remove the cauliflower when done, and let cool until you can tear apart into little flourets to mix into the risotto.

Bring stock and water to a boil in a small saucepan and keep stock at a simmer. Heat 2 T butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat until foam subsides. Sauté leek and shallots, stirring, 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add in the cauliflower and stir. Reduce heat to medium-low and add 1 c simmering stock. Cook at a strong simmer, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding stock, 1/2 c at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next. Finally add the 1/2 cup of wine and stir until rice is tender and creamy, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 T butter, cheese and roasted red pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper and top with cilantro or parsley.

Serve warm.

Vegetable Pulau

As G-ma said while cooking this dish, "One onion a day keeps everyone away." Not so sure I agree as I'm kind of obsessed with onions, but here they do you good. I promise.

1 head of green cabbage, sliced
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 potato, peeled and cut into big chunks
1.5 cups Basmati rice, washed and soaked and drained 3 times
3 cups water
1 cup of green beans (frozen is fine), cut into chunks
1 cup peas
1 tsp. salt
2-3 tsp. Chili powder
3/4 tsp. Turmeric (Haldi powder)
2 tblsp. Ginger-Garlic (equal parts fresh garlic and ginger mashed together)
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 packet of chicken bouillon
1 tsp. Garam Masala
salt to tasate


Turn the oven on to 350 degrees. In your biggest, oven-safe stew pot or Le Creuset, brown the onions in some vegetable oil, then add the Ginger-Garlic, Salt, Turmeric, Chili Powder, Garam Masala and the tomatoes and let it get "Melty." Add the rice, water (it is a 1:2 rice -water ratio), chicken bouillon, and the rest of the veggies. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally (but don't let the potatoes break), add salt to your liking. Place, covered, in the oven for 15 minutes. Bring the Pulau out of the oven, carefully stir once from the edges of the vessel in to the center, place the lid back on the vessel and put back in the oven. Turn off oven, but leave the vessel in for 10 more minutes, or until the liquid has cooked off and the rice has become soft. Bring Pulau out of oven, and serve hot with a yogurt or chutney.