Winter is coming

At least it's soup/stew season?

Here's an easy and satisfying option courtesy of Melissa Clark. Even for leftovers the orzo never felt too mushy. Hot, light and full of vegetables! Plus cheese obviously. 

 

Chickpea Stew with Orzo and Greens

Ingreeds:

-2 tbs evoo

-2 medium carrots, chopped

-1 fennel bulb (or celery stalks if you don't love yourself), chopped

-1 medium onion, chopped

-2 garlic cloves, minced (never a mistake to add more)

-red pepper flakes to taste

-2 tsps fresh rosemary, chopped (didn't add this because it was raining outside and I was too lazy. lemon-thyme was closer so added that)

-2 cups broth or water 

-1 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

-3/4 cup chopped cherry toms

-1/2 cup orzo

-a bunch of greens (kale, spinach)

-salt and pep

-scallions, chopped

-lots of finely grated parm 

 

Step 1:

Heat the evoo over medium-high in a large pot. Add chopped carrots, fennel, and onion. Cook about 5-7 minutes until tender. Add garlic, red-pepper flakes, rosemary (if using) and cook for another few minutes. Pour in broth/water, plus 2 additional cups of water and bring to a boil.

 

Step 2:

Once boiling, add chickpeas, tomatoes and orzo. I'd add some salt here as well. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the orzo is tender. Uncover and stir in greens (do this earlier if using kale) and simmer about 2 minutes until soft.

 

Step 3:

Add more water if you prefer more of a soup, and season with salt and pep. Ladle into bowls and top with scallions and parm. A drizzle of olive won't hurt either.

aubergine daal

hello! this is fancypants' sister, doorpants.

last night i made a delicious DAAL with my roommates for our weekly documentary sunday. we watched 20 feet from stardom which is about some ballin' and enthrallin' back-up singers (mostly women) in the music biz. i wish i could sing.

the daal recipe is courtesy of one mr. jamie oliver and fancypants recommended i share it here. you can do it on the cheap and it is very warming and hearty. perfect for cold, wintry nights. i subbed cauliflower and zucchini for eggplant because that's what was in my fridge - i'm sure it'd be delicious either way. also didn't have some ingredients to make the chapatis or the crispy topping but if you want to you can find the instructions in the original version of the recipe.

Ingredients:
- 1 large aubergine or 1 head of cauliflower and 1 zucchini
- 1.5 red onions
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger
- 5 tb curry paste
- vegetable oil
- 500 grams yellow split peas
- 1 veg or chicken stock cube
- basmati or brown rice

Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Cut up your eggplant/cauliflower into chunks, peel and slice the onions and garlic, peel and finely grate the ginger
- Put this all into a large roasting tray with the curry paste and a lug of oil, toss until well coated, then roast for 20-25 minutes or until sticky and caramelized (takes longer with cauliflower then eggplant I believe)
- Chop up the zucchini and set aside
- Remove 3/4 of the roasted veg and put in a pot to start your daal, return the remaining veggies to the oven to keep warm (turn off the oven so that they don't dry out)
- Place the pot on a low heat and stir in the split peas, crumble in the stock cube, toss in the zucchini, and add 2 litres of boiling water
- Simmer for around 1hr30mins with the lid on, or until the daal has really thickened, stirring occasionally and especially during the end so it don't stick to da bottom of da pot
- Add splashes of water to loosen if needed
- While the daal is cooking, put 1 mug of rice and 2 mugs of water into a pot and cook dat shiettt up
- When everything is finished, load up your plate with some rice, some daal, and garnish with the remaining roasted veggies from the oven
- Top with greek yogurt, hot sauce, cilantro, etc.

Original recipe: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/aubergine-daal/#7YUY6tj5si7RxU5O.97

:):)