Dead Simple Red Bean, Collard, and Hominy Soup over Rice

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Brothy, nutty, warming, satisfying soup without touching a knife? Check. This dish a symphony of textures: tender greens, creamy kidney beans, and plenty of chew from hominy and rice. It all rests in an unassertive medium-bodied broth made savory and decidedly nutty from peanut butter and red miso, two potent ingredients added here in small quantities.

Serving this over brown rice will echo and deepen the nutty flavor, but feel free to use another variety to play with the dish's perfume.

Dead Simple Red Bean, Collard, and Hominy Soup over Rice

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serves 4-6

5 cups water

2 no-salt-added vegetable bouillon cubes

8 oz frozen chopped collards

freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1 15-oz can kidney beans

1 15-oz can white hominy

1 TBSP smooth peanut butter (look for a brand that contains nothing but peanuts)

2 tsp red miso

1 TBSP rice vinegar

cooked brown rice, to serve

Begin cooking rice according to package directions.

To make the soup, in a medium pot, bring water to boil with bouillon cubes, stirring to dissolve. Add greens and black pepper. Bring back to a boil. Cook, uncovered, at a high simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, drain and rinse beans and hominy in a sieve. Set aside to let drain while the collards are cooking. After the first 10 minutes, add beans and hominy, and simmer, uncovered, another 10 minutes.

Add peanut butter and miso to a small bowl. Ladle out half a ladle of broth (1/4 cup), add to peanut butter and miso, and whisk until smooth. Remove pot from heat, stir in the slurry, then stir in vinegar. Adjust seasoning, if needed. Serve hot over rice.

Spiced Bean, Rice, and Veg Bowl with (Optional) Red Pepper-Chipotle Sauce

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Dishes like this one make it clear why rice and beans make for such a reliably satisfying meal. Earthy and hearty and comforting, we're always up for any variation, and this one is seductively fragrant.

Naturally, pretty much any vegetable with a firmer texture will work well here, and likewise, you can substitute a different bean, if you prefer. But we recommend sticking with the darker, less subtle types to stand up to the mix of chipotle, cinnamon, cayenne, and cloves.

The roasted red pepper-chipotle sauce is simple and tasty, but completely optional. If you don't feel like fooling with the extra step, no problem. Simply mince two chipotles en adobo (seeded or not, depending on your preference) and saute them along with the garlic. That gets you a fully spiced and spicy bowl without the extra appliance to wash. So much so that the recipe below is for the naked bowl, with the sauce as an optional variation.

Spiced Bean, Rice, and Veg Bowl

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serves 6

8 oz dried adzuki beans (or substitute black, kidney, or pinto beans), soaked 8 hours

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

large handful green beans, trimmed

4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 chipotles en adobo (seeded if desired), minced

1 1/2 cups medium-grain brown rice

2 cups water

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cayenne

1/8 tsp ground cloves

small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

salt and black pepper, to taste

Red Pepper-Chipotle Sauce, to serve, optional, recipe follows (if using, omit chipotles above)

Combine the soaked beans, liquid smoke, onion powder, and garlic powder in a large pot and add water to cover by two inches. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook with the lid cocked until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes. When tender, add 1/2 tsp salt and stir to combine. Pour off excess liquid, if needed. Set aside. (The beans can be prepared up to a few days in advance, but store them, refrigerated, in their cooking liquid.)

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add green beans and saute until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pot, and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic and chipotles, and cook until fragrant, a couple of minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add rice, stir until shiny and fragrant, and add water, cinnamon, cayenne, and cloves. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook undisturbed for 30 minutes. The rice should be tender and no water should remain. Stir in the parsley, both cooked beans, and season to taste.

If using the red pepper-chipotle sauce, serve on the side at the table.

Red Pepper-Chipotle Sauce

2 large roasted red peppers

2 TBSP lemon juice

2 chipotles en adobo (seeded, if desired)

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Rice Balls Two Ways: with Dead Simple Chunky Chia Fig Jam and with Spiced Pickled Kale

Adorable, portable, and with the right fillings, a real treat to pull out when you need a pick-me-up, onigiri are easy to love. And with the plastic wrap method, easy to shape. Sweet or savory, white rice or brown, make sure you take the extra minute to toast the sesame seeds. It takes very little effort, and because they're the only seasoning the rice gets (aside from the filling, of course), their beautifully nutty flavor really shines. 

Note that not all brown rice will work for rice balls, but we used the short grain variety (not labeled as sushi rice) available in the bulk section of Three Rivers co-op with great results. 

And, finally, this week's post is arriving a bit early, but we'll return to our normal schedule next week. 

Stuffed Rice Balls (Onigiri)

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yields 11 rice balls 

2 cups uncooked sushi rice, white or brown [see note on rice, above]

2 TBSP sesame seeds

For the filling: 

1 batch Dead Simple Chunky Chia Fig Jam, recipe follows

or 

3/4 cup Spiced Pickled Kale, recipe follows

Bring 4 cups (1 quart) of water to boil. Add rice, cover, bring back to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Let cook 25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the water.

While the rice cooks, toast the sesame seeds until fragrant in a dry skillet. Set aside and let cool. When the rice is cooked, transfer it to a clean work surface, spreading it out, and allow to cool for a few minutes. 

Line a small bowl with a piece of plastic wrap. Place 1/2 cup rice into the bowl, make a well in the center, and add 1 generous tsp of fig jam or 1 TBSP of pickled greens to it. Pull the sides of the plastic wrap up and twist tightly at the top, keeping the plastic very close to the rice and being careful not to trap air (which will make your plastic likely to tear while you shape). Press and shape with your hands, remove from the plastic and sprinkle both sides with sesame seeds. Continue with remaining rice and filling.

Spreadable figs! 

Dead Simple Chunky Chia Fig Jam

6 large dried Turkish figs

1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice

pinch salt

1 tsp chia seeds

Chop the figs into a small 1/4-inch dice. Gently simmer the figs, apple juice, and salt until the figs are very tender, 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, process the chia seeds to a powder in a coffee grinder. (Chia seeds will thicken the jam in their whole form, but will remain crunchy. Here, you really want the fig seeds to be the only seeds under tooth, so it's best to powder the chia.) 

When the figs are soft and have begun to break down, remove them from heat, stir in the chia powder and let thicken for at least 20 minutes before using. Transfer to the fridge for longer storage. 

We're in love with this stuff. Nice in the rice balls, for sure, but there aren't many foods this won't improve. Our current favorite, totally delicious, wonderfully instant sandwich: pickled kale, Tomato Head hummus, and plain Twin Oaks tofu (we don't even bother to press it for this) on wheat. Grill and devour. The following recipe makes enough for 1 quart jar, which lasts only a week or two in our kitchen. Luckily, this recipe is simple to assemble, so a new batch is never far away.  (While we're waiting for the new kale, we happily munch on the pickled onion, dulse, and jalapeno from the bottom of the previous jar.)

Spiced Pickled Kale

adapted from Canning for a New Generation via The Perfect Pastry 

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2 TBSP water

1 1/2 tsp fine sea (or kosher) salt

2 tsp natural cane sugar

2 bunches fresh lacinato kale (about 20 oz total weight), stemmed and cut into scant 1/2-inch ribbons

1 TBSP brown mustard seed

1 tsp whole allspice berries

1 tsp green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

1 large jalapeno (about 1 oz total weight), thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 small onion (2-3 ounces' worth), thinly sliced

1/2 cup (scant 1/2 oz) dulse, chopped

In a small pot, bring the vinegars, water, salt, and sugar to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. (Do this even if you're not canning for long-term storage--it mellows the vinegar.)

Meanwhile, in a quart jar, layer the onion, garlic, jalapeno, dulse, cardamom, allspice, and mustard seeds.  Stuff the greens on top (you'll really have to do some cramming, but they'll shrink after you pour the hot vinegar in). When the vinegar is ready, pour it into the jar. Press down the greens as necessary to submerge and put on the lid. Let cool at room temperature overnight, then transfer to the fridge.

Savory Citrus-Blueberry Collard Dolmas with Spiced Roasted Edamame

Many of our favorite dishes successfully cover the spicy-salty-sour-sweet spectrum of flavors, and are therefore immensely satisfying (Thai food, we're looking at you). These flavorful, portable wraps achieve something similar. Brilliant green leaves are stuffed with fluffy brown rice as a canvas for salty and savory umeboshi and liquid smoke, tart lemon juice, and sweet blueberries and orange juice. Serve up your spice on the side by roasting shelled edamame in a simple, irresistible blend of spices.

If you've never made collard wraps before, don't be shy. Blanched collard leaves make gorgeous bright green wrappers that are surprisingly sturdy and easy to work with.

Savory Citrus-Blueberry Collard Dolmas

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1 small/medium red onion (5-6 oz total weight), peeled and finely diced

2 umeboshi plums, pitted and minced

1 tsp liquid smoke

2 cups water

1 cup dry brown basmati rice (or rice of your choice)

10-12 small/medium collard leaves (collard leaves can be quite large, so even small leaves won't actually be small--look for leaves about the size of your hand with your fingers spread wide), or about 6 large, if you can't find smaller leaves

1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed

juice and zest of 1 lemon

large handful parsley (scant bunch)

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1 TBSP orange juice (from a carton/bottle is just fine)

pinch fine sea salt or kosher salt

Combine the red onion, umeboshi, liquid smoke, and 2 cups water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover, bring back to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 45 minutes.

While the rice cooks, prepare the edamame (see below). While the edamame cooks,  trim the collard leaves: With scissors, cut out the thick middle stem by cutting a "v" upwards into the leaf. You won't get rid of the middle vein entirely, but you do want the thickest, tough portion gone. You'll cut about a third of the way up into the leaf; halfway, if it's necessary. Stack them, neatly spread out, on top of each other.

Bring a pot of water to boil (large enough to fit all your leaves with several inches of space left at the top of the pot). Carefully submerge the stack of collard leaves into the boiling water and cook until very bright green and tender, 1-2 minutes. (Note that they'll brighten very quickly, but keep cooking for a minute to ensure your leaves are tender to the tooth.) Drain well and set aside.

Combine the blueberries, lemon juice and zest, and parsley in a chopper or small food processor and process until finely chopped. When the rice is finished, stir the blueberry-parsley mixture into the rice and set aside. 

To assemble, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, and salt. Lay one collard leaf flat, brush with the oil-juice mixture and place a scant 1/4 cup of filling down near the top of the "v" you cut into the leaf. Fold in the sides and roll it up. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.

Spiced Roasted Edamame

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/16-1/8 tsp ground cayenne, to taste

1/8 tsp salt

1 TBSP vegetable oil (we used peanut)

Preheat the oven to 400.

Toss all ingredients together well and roast until edamame is browning and has crisped a bit, 35-40 minutes. (Alternately, you can continue to roast until crunchy, but be very carefuly not to burn.)

Party Animals No. 9: Xmas Eve Dinner of Butter Bean-Spinach Risotto with Nut-Crusted Okra plus Whole Lemon and Pear Galettes

We can't get enough of our crusted vegetables. In addition to mushrooms, we've made onion rings, eggplant marinara, and zucchini fritters. Twice. We'll take any excuse to make this recipe, this time in the form of okra, and we found just the creamy, fluffy bed to lay it on.

After the hefty main course, we turned to the famous Shaker lemon pie for inspiration, but cut out the effort of making pie dough. Instead, we served light, flaky phyllo galettes topped with pear slices. If you've never made dessert with whole lemons, you're missing out. The macerated bitter pith and rind give complexity to the overwhelmingly sour juice and pulp. Resist the urge to reduce the sugar called for, and you'll be rewarded with a depth of flavor missing from standard canary-yellow sweet-tart treats.

Butter Bean-Spinach Risotto with Nut-Crusted Okra

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adapted from Bon Appetit, serves 3-4

For the okra:

3/4 cup raw, unsalted almonds

2 TBSP unsalted walnuts

1/2 tsp salt

black pepper, to taste

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/8 tsp garlic powder

30 fresh okra pods, about 3/4 lb (or use frozen [see Note])

1/4 cup chickpea flour

1 TBSP cornmeal

5 TBSP water

Preheat the oven to 425.

In a chopper or food processor, grind the almonds, walnuts, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder into a coarse meal. Transfer nut mixture to a pie plate. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, cornmeal, and 5 TBSP water.

Dip the okra into the chickpea batter, shake off excess, and press into the nut mixture on both sides. Bake for 12 minutes, flip, and bake for 8 minutes more.

[Note: Whole okra pods are easier to use, because they're bigger, but if all you have is cut frozen okra, it should still work. Allow the okra to thaw partially--you want the pieces to remain very firm--dry it, and proceed with the recipe as written.]

For the risotto:

1 tsp olive oil

1 large handful baby spinach (or any large-leafed green, chopped)

4 cups vegetable broth, not tomato-based

1 TBSP olive oil

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

3/4 cups arborio rice

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 15-oz can butter beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the teaspoon of oil and wilt the spinach for 2-3 minutes. If you're preparing your broth from bouillon cubes, simply keep it warm after dissolving. If not, warm gently.

Meanwhile, heat the tablespoon of oil and saute the onion until it softens, a couple of minutes, then add rice and stir to coat with the oil, a couple minutes more. Add wine and cook until it has been absorbed (this should only take a minute). Add 2 ladles of broth--about a cup--and simmer until it has been absorbed, another couple of minutes. Continue adding broth one ladleful at a time until each round has been absorbed. This will take another 20 minutes or so.

When the rice is creamy and tender and the broth is gone, stir in the spinach and the beans, season to taste, and serve when warmed through.

Whole Lemon-Pear Phyllo Galettes

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makes 2 small galettes, serves 4-6

1 lemon (about 4 oz in weight)

1 cup natural cane sugar

2 TBSP coconut oil, melted, plus more for brushing

1/4 tsp salt

4 oz silken tofu

8 sheets thawed phyllo dough

1 small pear, sliced

1 tsp turbinado or brown sugar

With a serrated knife, slice the lemon as thinly as you can, discarding the thick, tough ends. If you concentrate on slicing the rind as thinly as possible, you won't get nice whole, round slices--that's just fine. Some juice and pulp will leak out onto the cutting board, and you can salvage it all, so just make sure you slice the rind very thinly. Stir together the lemon and the sugar and let macerate for 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350. 

Blend together the melted coconut oil, salt, and tofu until very creamy. Stir the tofu mixture thoroughly into the lemon mixture.

Lay the phyllo sheets, long side toward you (portrait orientation), and cut in half. You will now have 16 rectangles. Stack 8 rectangles, brushing each layer with melted coconut oil, and alternating directions (portrait and landscape) with each layer.

Into the center, pour half of the lemon mixture (a generous half cup). The lemon mix will be quite loose, so you'll want to work quickly as you place half the pear slices on top and fold the edges of the phyllo dough in (make sure you fold the dough over so there are no holes for the filling to leak out of in the oven). Repeat with the remaining half of the dough and filling.

Sprinkle the teaspoon of turbinado over the tops of both galettes and bake, covered, for 20 minutes, then remove the cover and bake another 20 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

Early Fall Paella

While fresh peppers and eggplant are still (just) available, but it's no longer too hot to stand over the stove, it's time for this flavorful dish. And though this year's summer vacations are now only a memory, you can still enjoy the most popular, coastal version of paella by adding tender tofu, delicately sweetened and seasoned with kelp.

Early Fall Paella

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Inspired by Eric Ripert's A Return to Cooking 

1 lb extra firm tofu, pressed for 20-30 min and cut into 3/4-inch dice (we really prefer Twin Oaks)

2 tsp corn starch

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp kelp granules (available in the bulk spice section at the co-op) 

2 TBSP water

8 oz eggplant, trimmed and diced

4-5 TBSP olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, finely diced

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp tomato paste

1 cup medium-grain dried rice

4 cups vegetable stock, warm or at room temperature (note: if you're using a commercial stock that contains tomato paste, you can omit the 2 tsp tomato paste listed above)

salt and white pepper, to taste

1 roasted bell pepper, chopped (roasted fresh, or jarred in water)

1/2 cup frozen peas

In a large bowl, whisk together the corn starch, sugar, kelp granules, and water. Toss with the diced tofu. Place the diced eggplant into a colander and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set both aside, allow the tofu to marinate and the eggplant to sweat for about 20 minutes. (If you're preparing your roasted pepper from scratch, now would be a good time to knock that out.)

Preheat the oven to 375. 

Meanwhile, heat 2 TBSP of the olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the thyme, sage, turmeric, and tomato paste and cook for a few minutes more, until fragrant. Add the rice, stirring to coat it with the oil. 

Add three ladles' worth of stock (1 1/2 cups) to the pan. Cook, and once the rice has absorbed nearly all of the liquid, add another ladle (1/2 cup) of stock to the pan. Repeat until the rice is tender. It will take between five and ten minutes each time for the liquid to be absorbed, and will take an hour, all told, give or take. White rice will cook more quickly than brown. A glass of wine and a friend work well here to pass the time.

When the tofu and eggplant are ready (while the rice is still cooking) drain the eggplant and toss it with the remaining 2-3 TBSP of oil. Bake the tofu and the eggplant simultaneously for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even cooking. 

Once the rice is cooked, season to taste with the salt and white pepper. Stir in the tofu, eggplant, roasted pepper, and peas. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, until warmed through. 

Serves 3