Lentils and bulghur

Tex-Mex night at our house... but I had neither black beans nor rice. Improv: lentils and bulghur! New favorite. Works as a side or wrapped in a tortilla with salsa, cilantro, sour cream... Options are endless.

1 cup uncooked bukghur

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 1/2 cups lentils

2 Tbsp white vinegar

A few dashes of hor sauce -- OR -- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder

Salt to taste

Cook bulghur according to package instructions.

Cook lentils in 4 cups boiling water, covered, for about 25 minutes or until tender.

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high. Sauté onions and red bell peppers for 3-4 minutes, until just beginning to soften, then add garlic and sauté a minute more. Add the lentils, vinegar and hor sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for five minutes.

Stir in bulghur. Add salt to taste.

Cucumber and pepper salad

Great for picnics and barbecues!

1 English cucmber
1 yellow bell pepper
1 small white onion
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
small handful of freshly cut mint

Peel abour 4 strips off the cucumber, leaving it 'striped', then quarter and sliced thinly. Cut the bell pepper into small strips and the onion into thin rounds.

Place the vegetables in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil. Pour over the vegetables. Season with salt and lots of black pepper. Snip mint leaves over the bowl. Toss well.

Chill, then serve.

Roasted vegetables... with radishes

We eat roasted vegetables often, so when I saw this article on roasted radishes, I couldn't resist tossing them in. The end result: the flavor (like cauliflower, I thought) was a nice contrast and I liked it, but not so much that I'd roast the radishes on their own.

4 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 small onions, peeled
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
8-10 radishes, washed and tips trimmed
8-10 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
lemon slices

Pour the oil into a large ceramic or glass baking dish, then place in oven and heat to 425°.

Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and carrots, cooking 10 minutes once boiling again. Remove carrots and potatoes, then boil the onions and radishes for 5 minutes. Remove onions and radishes.



Carefully remove baking dish from oven. Add potatoes, carrots, onions, radishes and garlic. Stir once or twice to mix vegetables and coat with oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until just beginning to soften and brown. Stir occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over top just before serving. (Lemon juice over roasted potatoes - yum.)

Green beans in mushroom sauce

I make these as a side dish in winter. Goes great with roasts, baked chicken, ham...

2 cups frozen green beans
1/2 cups frozen mushrooms
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp beef bouillon
freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp rosemary

Melt butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Stir in flour, then half the milk. Stir until smooth, then add remaining milk. Once smooth, add bouillon and rosemary. Add in frozen mushrooms and green beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are bright green, about 10 minutes. Season with pepper.

Exploded potatoes

Mmm... these are so good. I think most people call them 'twice-baked potatoes' but my brother calls them 'exploded potatoes' and I like it.

4 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean
2-4 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp cream cheese
1 tsp butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt
pepper
oil

Rub potatoes lightly oil and pierce with a fork two or three times. Bake in 400° oven for 1 hour or until tender. When cool enough to handle, split potatoes lengthwise and scoop out potato into electric mixer bowl. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. Add egg and beat until smooth. Fill potato shells. Bake at 375° until puffed and lightly browned.

Butternut & pumpkin gratin

Mmm... perfect for lunch in winter. Warm, filling but not heavy, and delicious!

sliced, peeled butternut squash, about 1/2 inch thick
equal amount sliced, peeled winter squash or pumpkin, about 1/2 inch thick
crumbled country sausage or sliced cooked chipolatas (about 1/4 cup sausage for one butternut)
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup grated Trappista cheese
rosemary
salt and pepper
breadcrumbs



Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook sliced squash 3-4 minutes. Place in a baking dish.

Combine milk, broth, flour, rosemary, salt and pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk until thick. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Pour white sauce over top. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake in preheated oven at 400° for 15 minutes.

Warm fennel and orange salad

I'd never had fennel before moving to France. And the description of 'celery and licorice' did not entice me at all. But it really is delicious!

2 bulbs fennel, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 oranges, peeled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
4 Tbsp Dijon vinagrette
chopped fresh mint leaves

Heat oven broiler. Brush the fennel with olive oil, then place in cast iron skillet or baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until tips are just blackened and fennel is soft.



Place fennel in a bowl. Place orange pieces on top.

Whisk together the orange juice, zest and vinaigrette in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad. Sprinkle with mint and serve.

Mashed sweet potatoes

2-3 sweet potatoes
1 tsp butter
1 Tbsp brown sugar
orange slices

Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Wrap well in foil and bake at 350-400° until soft, about 35-45 minutes. (I cook them with other stuff, like a batch of muffins, to save time.) Let cool 10 mins, then peel.

Mash potatoes with a fork, then stir in butter and brown sugar. Serve with an orange slice to squeeze over top.

Apple and sausage dressing

1 loaf French baguette bread
2 cornbread muffins
1/2 pound Country sausage OR chipolatas
1/2 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 apple, chopped
1/6 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chicken broth
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp sage seasoning mixture
dash pepper

Cut the bread into small cubes and place in baking dish. Crumble the muffins on top.

Cook sausage over medium-high heat, then set aside.

Melt the butter over medium heat, then add onions and celery. Cook until just softened. Add mushrooms and apple. Cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in cranberries and sausage. Combine this mixture with bread in baking dish. Mix until evenly distributed.

Mix broth, egg, and seasonings. Pour over bread mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until browned.

Rosemary roasted butternut squash

1 large butternut squash
1/2 tsp fresh snipped rosemary
salt
olive oil
lemon wedge

Rinse squash. Cut into large chunks, removing seeds and stringy centers. Brush squash with olive oil and place in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with rosemary. Roast at 425° for about 30 minutes or until soft. Brush lightly with more olive oil if it begins to dry out. Before serving, sprinkle lemon juice and salt over the squash.

Deviled eggs

6 hardboiled eggs (directions here)
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 tsp mustard
2-3 sweet pickles, chopped
1 Tbsp sweet pickle juice
paprika

Cut eggs in half. Put the yolks in a bowl. Mash well with a fork. Add mayo, mustard, and pickle juice, mixing until smooth. Stir in chopped pickles.

Spoon the mixture back into the yolks. Sprinkle with paprika, and voila!

Tip: For transporting deviled eggs, try mini-muffin tins!

Cornbread dressing

2 cups Southern Girl's cornbread, crumbled
1 cup day-old bread, torn into small pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp parsley
3/4 tsp sage
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients until consistency is soft and moist. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until browned on top.

Sweet potato casserole with coconut topping

A little note about finding sweet potatoes in Lyon, France: In the old days, you had to go the African or Asian markets at the Guillotière or the 'exotique' section of Carrefour to find them. But as of 2008 you can find them easily in most grocery stores (Monoprix, Ed, Casino, Intermarché...) in the produce section. Thay are called 'patates douces' and often come from Israel.

4 cups sweet potatoes (cooked, peeled, and mashed)
2 Tbsp butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
3 tablespoon butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed sweet potatoes, margarine, eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar. Mix well. Spread into a greased 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Prepare the topping by mixing the coconut, brown sugar and butter. Sprinkle over the potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until potatoes are set and toppings browned and crispy.

Green bean casserole in France

All these ingredients are available at local grocery stores in France:

- fried onions (look for oignons frits near apéro foods)
- canned mushrooms
- instant mushroom soup mix OR boxed mushroom soup
- French-cut green beans

Happy Thanksgiving prep!

Warm beet & carrot salad

Leave your preconceived notions about beets at the door (enough with the fake gagging already) and just try this recipe. It's delicious. I promise. And very, very nutritious. But more importantly, it's delicious. (I found the original recipe on this site, which I love.) The recipe says to serve warm, but I enjoyed a couple chilled helpings later in the day too.

2 roasted beets, grated
3 carrots, grated
2 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup apple juice
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Melt the butter in a large sautee pan on low heat. Add the garlic and cook until it is soft, but not yet brown. Add the beets, carrots and cider and cook for about five more minutes, stirring occasionally. Finish with salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper and the lemon juice.

Green beans and carrots

3 handfuls fresh (or frozen) green beans, broken into bite-sized pieces
1 handful sliced carrots
1/2 tsp beef bouillon
1/8 tsp rosemary
2 dashes garlic powder
salt and pepper
sprinkle of water

Put all ingredients in a skillet. Cook over medium heat. If needed, add water one spoonful at a time to prevent sticking. We like ours crunchy and brightly colored.

Baked aloco with spicy fish sauce

Aloco is a traditional recipe from Côte d'Ivoire, where I grew up. It's traditionally deep-fried, but we wanted a baked version... so we can justify eating piles of it! For a lunch or snack, you can make it with the spicy fish sauce.

several very ripe plantain bananas (mostly black, and don't be afraid of a few moldy spots)
salt
one onion, chopped
three tomatoes, chopped
one chile pepper, cleaned and chopped, OR Scotch Bonnet hot sauce
1/2 tsp bouillon
3-4 canned sardines, bones 'n all
oil



Cut the ends off the plantains. Make a cut down the length of the plantain and pull off the peel. (This is much easier than if you peeled it like a banana.) Cut the plantains in half lengthwise. Cut again into 1/4 spears.

Place plaintain slices on a large plate and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp water. Cover with another plate. Microwave on high for 10 minutes,adding water as needed so they don't fry out. When they are soft and bright yellow, place them in an oil baking dish. Brush lightly with oil.

Bake in preheated oven at 425° for 15 minutes, then broil until browned.

Don't worry about getting each one evenly browned. The best aloco (in my opinion) is a piece that's dark brown and caramelized on one side and soft and deep yellow on the other.



The sauce

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a frying pan. Cook the onions until soft and beginning to brown. Add tomatoes, bouillon, fish and hot pepper - lots of it! Cook on high, stirring often, until 1/3 of liquid evaporates. Serve alongside the aloco.

Roasted beet & yogurt salad

This recipe actually came off the packaging of some roasted beets I bought recently. Unbelievably tasty - and fast!

1 roasted beet, chopped
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp cumin
freshly ground black pepper

The recipe suggested mixing it all together and marinating for an hour before serving with pita bread. I didn't follow any of those suggestions.

I chopped the beets, added the yogurt, then sprinkled on the pepper and cumin. The idea of gloppy pink mess in a bowl didn't appeal to me at all. And I didn't see the need for pita bread - just a spoon!


All gone!

Yellow squash

4-5 slender yellow squash with firm ends, halved and sliced
1/4 small onion, thinly sliced into rings
1/2 tsp butter
freshly grated pepper
salt to taste

Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and squash, stirring to coat lightly. Cover and cook until bright yellow and just barely soft. You may need to add a little water (1-2 tsps) if it starts to stick. Stir every few minutes to cook evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Roasted vegetable soup - oh yum!

So, so easy. And vegetablicious. My new favorite soup for autumn.

1 cup puréed roasted vegetables
1/2-3/4 cup water
dash salt or tiny sprinkle of chicken bouillon
toasted walnuts (optional)

Stir and heat slowly. Top with walnuts.