i want a little (spicy baked chickpeas) in my bowl...

need a little heat to save your soul?

i used this recipe to make a super quick meal the other night with a low amount of things in the kitchen. added a bunch of vegetables into the mix too and upped the spices. and i think it would definitely benefit from some more flavor, for example coriander etc., but nonetheless, great in a fix!

sing it, nina:

http://www.mojvideo.com/video-nina-simone-i-want-a-little-sugar-in-my-bowl-1967/4d5996760ea7e2a41767


ingredients
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon spanish smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• kosher salt

directions
preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.

rinse and drain the chickpeas and dry by rolling them around in a kitchen towel. combine the oil, paprika cumin, cayenne and salt in a large bowl. add chickpeas and toss to coat evenly. transfer the chickpeas to a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer. bake until golden and crispy, 25 to 35 minutes, shaking the tray to toss after 15 minutes. remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the chickpeas to a serving bowl.


love,
prof. tata

comfort food, cali style

i think that most americans would be horrified to learn that until i moved to vermont 4 months ago, 'shepherd's pie' or 'corned beef hash' were nothing more then culinary mysteries. and while the word 'meatloaf' has been mentioned in my presence, i certainly have no personal experience with it. in california, comfort food takes on a notably more mexican flavor. in fact, i bet that after trying my dad's tacos, the whole midwest would stop stocking whatever meatloaf is made of, and start filling the shelves with beautiful, spicy mexican chiles.

california comfort food a la r. horwitz (and l. brydolf):

1 white onion

2 jalapeno chiles

2 pasilla chiles (these look like green peppers, if unavailable, use green peppers)

kalamata olives

cooked potato

chicken (if desired)

cilantro

avocado

green salsa

corn tortillas

canola oil

feta

1. to begin, a key flavor comes from blackening the chiles over a gas range, or lacking that, broiling them in the oven. either way, wait until the skin is black and bubbled and then remove it with your fingers or a paper towel. mostly it's just important not to involve water because that removes the roasted flavor.

2. once blackened, remove seeds and dice the chiles and the onion and saute them in a pan with some canola oil. add some green salsa to the mixture, and when the onions have been cooked through, add pieces of potato, chopped olives, and chicken (my dad usually buys a rotisserie chicken and adds the already cooked meat).

3. the above makes up most of the taco innards. to complete the deliciousness, saute a corn tortilla in a bit of canola oil, add the chile mixture, top with cilantro, avocado, and if you like, feta cheese and more green salsa, and close the taco.

4. consume rapidly and make more!

the best thing about this recipe, is that if you've done some of the prep work beforehand, or had others do it for you (ex: rotisserie chicken), this meal takes about 20 minutes. plus if you make extra, you can keep eating it for days and days. and let me tell you, 3-day old hot tacos kick 3-day old shepherd's pie out of the water. or kitchen.

Carrot Ginger Orange Soup

C is for Kitchen friends!

Hoping for a year full of posting, I will begin with this simple carrot, ginger, and orange soup!

You will need, about

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cups carrots, chopped
2 tsp grated or minced ginger
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 cup orange juice
salt & pepa

Use a big saucepan to melt butter and heat olive oil. Add onions and carrots and saute for about 4 minutes. Add ginger and cook for 2 more.

Add stock, water, orange juice. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer. When carrots are soft (thirty minutes or so) take it off the stove to cool for a second, or don't, then use an immersion blender or a regular blender and blend to the texture of your dreams! Reheat it, season with salt and pepper, and there you go! So delicious and easy!

You can also garnish with yogurt and parsley or cilantro if you are inspired.

It also goes delightfully with this easy recipe for homemade six-seed soda bread:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/sixseed-soda-bread-recipe.html