Recipes recipes (May 1st & May 13th)

Last Thursday was our first day back from a long hiatus. It was wonderful. Sorry we ran out of food and had to turn some of you away. The main reason for this? Shortage of volunteers. So send hottestyam@gmail.com an email and ask how you can help out! No cooking experience necessary. No, really! Come learn with us! (or show us your skills if you have em)

Before I get to Thursday's recipes, we had a little event a couple weeks ago:

On May 1st, we braved the not quite perfect weather and had a lovely ride down to the Leslie Street Spit with Bikechain.



We cooked some lovely picnic-y food for the occasion and here are the recipes!

WHITE BEAN AND ROSEMARY DIP
makes 12 servings

• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• ¾ cups white beans (Great Northern, cannellini, or white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, rinsed

1. In a 10-inch frying pan over medium heat, stir half the olive oil and the 2 cloves garlic until fragrant,being careful not to brown garlic, about 1 minute. Pour the oil and garlic into a food processor. Wipe out the pan and set aside.
2. Add white beans, lemon juice, and salt to the food processor and whirl until smooth. Pour into a serving bowl.
3. Return the frying pan to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the rosemary sprigs.
4. Warm the rosemary in the olive oil until fragrant, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so the rosemary doesn't burn. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.
5. Set the rosemary aside and drizzle the olive oil over the bean dip. Mince one teaspoon of the rosemary leaves and sprinkle over the dip.

CURRIED LENTIL DIP
makes 8 cups

• 2 cups red lentils
• 5 cups water
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cups diced onions
• 3 cups peeled, cored and diced apples
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• ½ cup raisins
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt

1. Bring lentils and water to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 20 min.
2. Heat the oil in a separate skillet, sauté the onions, apples, and garlic with salt for 5 min @ med heat. Add the raisins, curry powder, and garam masala and sauté for 10 more minutes or until tender.
3. In a food processor or blender, purée the cooked lentils with the sautéed onion mix with the coconut milk and lemon juice. Add salt to taste.

ROOT VEGGIE SLAW
serves about 50

• 6 cups celery root, grated
• 4 cups grated parsnips
• 4 cups grated parsley roots
• 5 cups grated beets
• 8 cups grated cabbage (can be all green or some green and some red)
• 4 cups sliced shallots (if Ontario is available, or other fragrant and mild onion)
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds (whole, unbleached)
• 210 mL vegetable oil
• 180 mL cider vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt, pepper to taste

1. Lemon zest from 2 lemons, optional (if used, use lemon juice instead of some of the cider vinegar)
2. Shred all veggies and mix together.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, salt and vinegar together. Slowly combine oil with a whisk.
4. Mix into vegetables. Add toasted sesame seeds if desired.

There was also a delicious cake, which was the same delicious cake we had on March 11th.

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Thanks a lot to Alex & Jeevs for kick-starting the summer with these delicious dishes:

STEAMED ASPARAGUS WITH DELICIOUS DRESSING
(The dressing may not be exactly the right amount, but just mix together 3 parts olive oil and 1 part lemon juice)

• 1 bunch asparagus
• t tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• salt & pepper to taste

1. Wash asparagus and break off tips.
2. Steam until just tender.
3. Whisk together oil and lemon juice and drizzle on asparagus.
4. Salt and pepper to taste.

CUMIN AND PEA SPROUT COUSCOUS
Serves 5

• 1 cup couscous
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 1 to 1¼ cups boiling water
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 to 4 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 cup pea sprouts

1. Mix couscous, cumin, salt, red onion and jalapeño.
2. Add 1 cup boiling water, cover and let sit for about 10 minutes. Add more boiling water if necessary and then fluff with a fork.
3. Mix in cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, pea sprouts.

DULSE SOUP WITH TOFU AND BOK CHOI
Serves 6

• 3 cups water
• dash salt
• 2 tbsp grated peeled ginger
• ½ cup minced red onions
• ½ cake (8 oz) soft tofu
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dulse flakes (dried seaweed)
• 2 cups thinly sliced bok choi (one bunch) (or other greens)
• 2 tbsp lime juice

1. Boil the water with the salt, ginger and red onions.
2. Add tofu, soy sauce and dulse flakes and boil 10-15 minutes.
3. Add bok choi and boil till just wilted (about 3 minutes).
4. Add lime juice just before serving.

AMAZING APPLE RHUBARD CRUMBLER
serves 16 (one pan)

• 2 lbs apples (ideally russet variety, otherwise mix green and red, e.g., granny smith and pink gala, or even just tart apples to avoid sourness)
• ½ lb rhubarb
• plenty of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and/or cardamom – spiced to taste, suggested at least a teaspoon of each
• more cinnamon
• pinch salt
• 1 tbsp citrus zest (grated from orange and/or lemon) or more
• ½ cup fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
• ½ cup crystalized ginger, very small pieces, (can be substituted with more grated fresh ginger)
• ½ cup brown sugar (to taste – a little more or less is fine)
• ¼ cup coconut creme
• ½ cup largest shredded coconut flakes (roughly 1 inch in length) – or sliced blanched almonds?
• ½ cup rolled oats (raw or roasted, can use most mueslis or granolas)
• ½ cup of flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup of margarine (earth balance)
• dash of salt if using unsalted butter/margarine

1. Chop apples and rhubarb and mix with spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom), pinch of salt, zest, ginger, other ginger, ½ cup brown sugar, and coconut creme.
2. Top with shedded coconut and oats mixed together.
3. Mix together flour, rest of brown sugar (1/3 cup), margarine and dash of salt. Top the topping with this mixture.
4. bake at 415°F for 20 minutes and then 365°F for the 40 minutes.

Love,
Giovannayam.

Recipes from April 1st

Today was the first day of the SUMMER YAM! Yay! It went wonderfully. Today's recipes (and recipes from May 1st's Bikechain event) will come, but for now, here are the recipes from April 1st:

TOASTED ALMOND AND KALE SOBA NOODLES
Serves 4

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1-inch piece ginger root
• 2 tblsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 cup kale
• 1 onion
• 1/3 cup of raw almonds
• 3-4 leaves of cilantro
• 2 cups of buck-wheat soba noodles

1. Cut Onions into half moon slices. Slice Almonds in half length wise. Chop Kale into small pieces.
2. Mix the Sauce before cooking begins. Mix together Garlic, Ginger, Sesame Oil, Rice Vinegar and Tamari and set aside.
3. Cook Soba noodles as directions dictate (usually add to boiling pot of water and allow to cook for a minute or 2. Take out, drain and run under cold water. Set aside.
4. Heat up oil on medium heat. Add almonds and toast for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the Onions and allow to soften for another 3 minutes or so.
6. Add Kale and cook for several more minutes
7. Add the sauce and allow the garlic and ginger to fry for several minutes until the whole dish is heated through.
8. Add the soba noodles and and Mix well.
9. Serve and eat!

MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP
Serves 4

• ½ cup pearl barley
• 6½ cups water/stock
• 3 tablespoons Earth Balance
• 1 cup white onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ground pepper

1. Cook barley in boiling water (1½ cup)
2. Meanwhile, melt Earth Balance in pots, sautée onions. Add garlic, mushrooms, some salt.
3. Cover and cook, stir, until everything is very tender.
4. Add soy sauce and sherry.
5. Add barley and fill pots with water.
6. Add lots of ground pepper.
7. Simmer on low, partially covered.

CABBAGE SALAD
serves 10-15

• 1 napa cabbage
• 2 cucumbers
• 1 apple
• 3 white carrots
• ¼ lemon
• rice vinegar
• Kosher or sea salt
• dried red pepper (crushed is better)
• crushed garlic

1. Rinse vegetables in water and salt
2. Cut cabbage in half lengthwise. Slice crosswise in strips.
3. Sprinkle cabbage liberally with salt. Let cabbage sit until water is drained. (This process varies in time, usually takes a few hours)
4. Cut and slice carrots.
5. Add salt, stir. Let carrots sit until water is drained.
6. Core and dice/slice the apple (This can be done the next day if there is not enough time).
7. Pour out the drained water from the cabbage, carrot.
8. Pour cabbage, carrot, apple and crushed garlic into big bowl. Add rice vinegar and crushed red pepper.
9. Pour contents into a sanitized plastic bag. Shake so the contents mix well.
10. Refrigerate contents for next day.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES
Makes about 18-20 cookies

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 oz Earth Balance Vegan Butter - at room temperature
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1/3 cup mixed-fruit jam (or any other of your choice)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a bowl, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy, about 7-8 mins.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour and ground walnuts and add to the creamed butter mixture. Mix until well combined to form a soft dough. Do not knead a lot as this can get pretty sticky. Use some all-purpose flour for dusting.
4. Now refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. This makes is easier to shape the cookies.
5. Take a teaspoonful of dough in your hand, form a small ball, and press lightly in the center with your finger to make a shallow hole. (Use light pressure with your thumb or index finger.)
6. Arrange the cookies on the baking trays, 2 inches apart. Leave enough space as they will spread a bit as they bake. Bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are slightly colored and the cookies look firm.
7. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack, then fill the holes with your favorite jam.

As always, photos courtesy of Jono.