Vegetarian Chili with Puy Lentils

Adapted from "Vegetarian Chili" in Joy of Cooking (2006 edition) <http://www.thejoykitchen.com/>

8 servings [Cornbread goes well with chili.]

Heat in a large saucepan over medium heat:

• 2 Tbs olive oil

Add:

• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped onion

Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Stir in:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1, 2 or more fresh green chili peppers (jalapeno, etc.) seeded and finely chopped
• 1 Tbs chili powder (Our most recent batch is Swad brand Resham Patti or Reshampatti from Patel Brothers Indian Grocery in Decatur, GA.  It makes all the difference in taste and is just wonderfully rich and tasty hot, currently 14oz for $2 at <http://www.patelbrothersusa.com>.)
• 1 Tbs ground cumin (Get fresh cumin seeds and grind fresh, makes a big difference in taste.)

Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to sweeten garlic and peppers and to roast seasonings, stir in:

• 1 28 oz. can tomatoes, coarsely chopped with their juice (I use the no-salt-added variety)
• 1 1/2 cup Puy aka French green lentils aka lentilles du Puy, dry (Got them in bulk at Your Dekalb Farmer's Market <www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com>)  These lentils hold together well over re-heatings and are damn good.  I've also used other dried lentils and/or canned and dried pinto, black, kidney, white, masoor, mung, urad, ... beans.
• However much water you think will be needed to be absorbed by the lentils and still retain the sauce level you like.
• Tomato paste in whatever amount you desire.  (I had 8 oz. around last time I made it and it worked fine.  Sometimes I don't add any.)
• Salt to taste (I don't add any salt :-)

Bring to a boil.  Reduce the ehat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding more tomato juice or water as needed, until the lentils are done and the flavors are blended, at least 45 minutes.  Ladle into bowls and serve with any or all of:

• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sour cream
• Cheese
• Saltine Crackers

Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Combine in a good pan over medium heat:

1 stick butter
2 cups sugar
3 Tbs cocoa
1/2 cup milk

Over low heat, melt and combine.
Over medium high heat and stirring constantly, bring to boil and boil for 2 1/2 minutes, adjusting heat to keep just at the boil.

Quickly mix in and combine until mixture begins to thicken and harden:
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 cups oats
1 tsp vanilla extract

Quickly spoon cookie-sized dobs onto wax paper or lightly greased cookie sheet.
Allow to cool and harden.
Eat.

The time at boil and then waiting for the hardening to begin before spooning are key to getting these to properly harden (not too much that they crumble, not too little so they are a gooey mess).

Tuna Salad

Combination of Joy of Cooking (1997 edition) page 230 and "Alice Water's Lentil Salad" <http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/recipes/alice-waters-lentil-salad-44021308>

2 - 5 oz. cans of tuna in OIL
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped green onion
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. vinegar of some sort
1/4 cup bell pepper (red, green, yellow...)
Ground black pepper to taste
About 3 cups dried elbow or other pasta cooked.

Combine all and enjoy.

Hummus

This recipe is derived from "Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, & Lebanon" by Claudia Roden.

• 1 1/4 cups cooked peas or beans (tonight, I'm using frozen butter peas cooked in only water)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons tahini
• juice of 2 lemons
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• salt (I didn't use any)
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Option tonight: make a star design with lines of paprika and ground cumin.
• Other: Sprinkle on plenty of finely chopped parsley; or sprinkle with ground sumac and a little chopped, flat parsley; or garnish with a few whole boiled peas, or with pine nuts lightly fried in oil.

Blend the peas or beans to a puree in the food processor.  Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and add a little of the cooking water -- just enough to blend it to a soft, creamy paste.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Pour into a shallow dish and drizzle over the olive oil.  Garnish as desired.

Skordalia (Garlic Sauce)

I made this with leftover mashed white potatoes that had been in the fridge a few days.   Recipe is from "Greek Cookery: 300 Traditional Recipes" by Aspasia Angelikopoulu.

• 5-6 cloves garlic
• 150 gr. boiled potatoes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1-2 tsp vinegar (I use apple cider)
• salt

Peel and mash the garlic to a paste.  Add the potatoes and mash.  Add 1-2 teaspoons vinegar and dribble in the oil, mixing constantly.  Serve the skordalia garnished with olives.

Variations: 1. A little lemon may be added along with the olive oil.  2. The potatoes may be replaced with crustless bread, which has been soaked in water and squeezed.

Pure Mustard Oil

The bottle says, "For Massage Use Only."  We have not tried that use, but it is supposed to be invigorating.  We've been cooking wth the KTC brand of "Pure Mustard Oil" for a few years and just this time buying it finally noticed the massage use statement.  I asked the manager at the Indian grocery whether it is ok to cook with this oil.  He said it is not approved for that use in America, though fifty percent of India's population cooks with it.  He pointed to a different bottle that is labelled for cooking, but it was a 50/50 blend of soy and mustard oils.  We were really taken aback by this odd limitation on mustard oil and checkd the internet for background.  There is a huge controversy and conspiracy surrounding the use of mustard oil that either relates to it being dangerous to use or outlawed to ensure a maret for western-produced soy oil.

Note: It is essential to bring mustard oil to the smoking point to sweeten it.  Otherwise, it will taste too biting.

Vegan Kheer

1/4 cup basmati rice
4 pods green cardamom
1" stick cinnamon
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 tsp agave nectar
1/8 cup fruit chopped (2 dried apricot chopped, golden raisins, etc.)
1/4 cup nuts slivered or chopped, toast if desired (almonds, cashew...)

• Add rice, cardamom and cinnamon to 2 cups water
• Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until cooked (20 min or so)
• Add oatmeal, return to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until cooked
• Add remaining ingredients, simmer a few minutes covered
• Remove heat and let stand covered for a bit
• Serve hot or cold