Toasted Walnut Pepper Spread

From Deborah Palmer of A Movable Feast

A gorgeous spread for Christmas … Beautiful colour. Wonderful flavour and healthy too!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 Tbsp water … add up to 1 Tbsp more if needed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil … add up to 1 Tbsp more to make the mixture more smooth, if desired
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 tsp pomegranate molasses or regular molasses
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 slice whole grain bread (walnut-raisin bread is ideal)
• 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted in dry pan

METHOD
Slice bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place slices, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil until charred, about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer peppers and all remaining ingredients except walnuts in a food processor; process until smooth. Add walnut; pulse 5 times or until nuts are coarsely chopped. Serve as a dip or puree with vegetables, bread or pita.

New Mexico Black Beans

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cans of black beans (turtle beans) with liquid
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 to 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 cup of chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh
• 2 tsp cumin seed or 1 tsp ground
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• Pinch of cayenne powder
• 1 red bell pepper
• Canned chipotle peppers to taste
• 1 tsp brown sugar

OPTIONAL GARNISHES

• Sour cream or yogurt
• Grated white or orange cheddar
• Coriander leaves
• Salsa and tortilla chips

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large pan.
2. Add onions and garlic
3. Saute about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in cumin, oregano, bay leaves, salt, pepper and cayenne.
5. Add the beans and tomatoes.
6. Stir and simmer mixture for 20 to 30 minutes. Add red and green peppers (plus hot peppers if you’re using them).
7. Stir in brown sugar to taste.
8. Heat 5 minutes
9. Serve with rice and condiments.

Enjoy.

Baked Beans - Canadian Style

From Hot Off the Griddle #9, January 1993.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups navy beans
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 lb salt pork
• 2 1/2 cups stewed or canned tomatoes
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 cup boiling water

METHOD

1. Pick over and wash beans.
2. Cover generously with water (at least 2” above the beans) and soak overnight.
3. In the morning, add salt to undrained beans, bring slowly to boiling point, and simmer gently until soft (about 30 minutes).
4. Drain and reserve liquid.
5. Cut salt pork into 1/4” slices and place half in the bottom of a bean pot.
6. Add half the beans, remaining salt pork, half the tomatoes and onions, and remaining beans and tomatoes and onions.
7. Mix together mustard, molasses, pepper and water.
8. Pour over the beans.
9. Add any juice from the tomatoes and enough of the bean liquid to cover beans, plus 1/2”.
10. Cover pot tightly. Bake at 250 degrees for 8-9 hours.
11. Add more bean liquid or water as needed.

Serve piping hot with lots of bread and butter.

Black Beans - Cuban Style

Originally published in Foodstuffs Hot Off the Griddle, October 1993.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb black beans
• 6 cups water
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 lb pork sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 tart green apples, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp chli powder
• 1/2 cup chopped dry dates
• 1 1/2 cups tomato juice
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• yogurt & green onions

METHOD

1. Wash beans, add water, cover and soak overnight.
2. Add butter and bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat, cover, simmer until tender, about 2 hours.
4. While cooling, fry sausage until golden. Drain fat.
5. Add sausage to beans.
6. Add onion, apples, garlic, salt, pepper, mustard, chili powder, dates and tomato juice.
7. Bring to boil.
8. Bake in covered casserole, 325 deg.F for 2 hours.
9. Five minutes before serving, add rum.

Serve in gumbo bowls. Dollop yogurt and green onions on top. Serves 6 – 8.

Black Beans - Hot & Tangy

Mmm! Originally published in Foodstuffs Hot Off the Griddle, January 1995.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp chopped jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 3 cups cooked black beans
• Salt and 1 tbsp lime juice (optional)

METHOD

1. Place red pepper and onion in a 6-cup microwave-safe dish with oil, jalapeno and thyme.
2. Cover and microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Stir in beans along with juice, if using, and continue microwaving, covered, for 2 minutes or until beans are hot.
4. Add salt and more lime juice if needed.

Serves 4 to 6

Kusherie (Egyptian Rice & Lentils)

From the Collection of Marg Dye

This recipe takes simple ingredients to a delicious new level. Easy to prepare the rice and lentil mixture ahead and then rewarm… but the sauce and onions should be made just before serving.

RICE & LENTILS:

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in heavy saucepan.
2. Add 1 1/4 cup lentils.
3. Brown lentils over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add 3 cups boiling water or stock, 1 tsp salt, dash pepper.
5. Cook uncovered 10 minutes over medium heat.
6. Stir in 1 1/2 cups rice, 1 cup boiling water or stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 25 minutes without stirring.

SAUCE:

In saucepan, heat together:

• 3/4 cup tomato paste (1 small can)
• 3 cups tomato sauce or pureed tomatoes
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• Chopped celery leaves
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Bring sauce to boiling, reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes.

BROWNED ONIONS:

• Heat in small skillet 2 Tbsp olive oil.
• Saute over medium heat until brown 3 onions, 4 cloves garlic, minced.
• To serve, put rice-lentil mixture on a platter. Pour tomato sauce over.
• Top with browned onions.

Serves 6 with Cucumber in Sour Cream or a hearty and plentiful salad.

Red Beans & Rice - New Orleans Style

From the “Full of Beans” cookbook. We first printed it in Hot Off the Griddle #24, February 1994.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 green sweet pepper, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, choped
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp crushed red chili pepper
• 1 cup beef or vegetable stock
• 2 cups cooked red kidney beans
• 1/4 lb lean ham, cubed
• 2 cups hot cooked brown rice
• Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

METHOD

1. In nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook garlic, onions, green pepper and celery, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until onion is translucent.
2. Stir in thyme, oregano, salt and red chili pepper.
3. Pour in stock.
4. With fork, crush about one-third of the beans.
5. Add to skillet along with ham; stir well.
6. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until thickened.
7. Spoon over rice. Garnish with parsley.

Makes 4 servings.

White Beans with Herbs

This was originally published in Foodstuffs Hot Off the Griddle in January 1995, but it’s a lovely dish year-round.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb dried white beans (2 1/2 cups)
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

TOPPING

• 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (1 tsp dried)
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme (1 tsp dried)
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Place beans in large bowl; cover with 10 cups cold water.
2. Set aside to soak overnight.
3. Drain well.
4. Place beans in large saucepan, add 6 cups water and bring to boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.
6. Drain well.
7. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
8. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes or until softened but not brown.
9. Add tomatoes; cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes.
10. Add stock; bring to boil.
11. Cook 5 minutes.
12. Stir in cream; bring to boil and cook 2 minutes.
13. Add drained, cooked beans; cook 5 minutes.
14. Add salt and pepper.
15. Transfer bean mixture to casserole and sprinkle with topping mixture.

Brown lightly in a warm oven (~325F) before serving.

Earl Grey Tea Bread

From Hot Off the Griddle, June 2005, borrowed from Alive magazine

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups hot brewed Earl Grey tea
• 1 cup natural cane sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1 Tbsp unrefined walnut or grape seed oil
• 2 free-range eggs
• 2 3/4 cups spelt flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds

METHOD

1. In a large mixing bowl combine apricots, hot tea, sugar and salt.
2. Stir well and let sit for at least one hour; overnight is good.
3. Preheat oven to 325 F and lightly oil a 5×9 inch loaf pan
4. Add soy milk, oil and eggs to apricot mixture and stir gently.
5. Add flour and baking powder and mix until just blended. Do not overmix.
6. Gently add almonds and pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
7. Decorate with more almonds if you desire.
8. Bake one hour and 15 minutes or until top of loaf is golden.
9. Allow to cool one half hour before serving.

Serves 12. Great with spreadable cream cheese!

Cowslip Wine

This recipe is from the 1861 publication of Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management.

Featured in George Eliot’s The Mill on the Floss: "There were particular ways of doing everything in [the Dodson] family: particular ways of bleaching the linen, of making the cowslip wine, curing the hams, and keeping the bottled gooseberries. Funerals were always conducted with peculiar propriety in the Dodson family: the hatbands were never of a blue shade, the gloves never split at the thumb, everybody was a mourner who ought to be, and there were always scarfs for the bearers. A female Dodson, when in ‘strange’ houses, always ate dry bread with her tea, and declined any sort of preserves, having no confidence in the butter, and thinking that the preserves had already begun to ferment for want of the sugar and boiling."

INGREDIENTS

To every gallon of water allow 3 lbs. of lump sugar, the rind of 2 lemons, the juice of 1, the rind and juice of 1 Seville orange, 1 gallon of cowslip pips. To every 4–1/2 gallons of wine allow 1 bottle of brandy.

METHOD

Boil the sugar and water together for 1/2 hour, carefully removing all the scum as it rises. Pour this boiling liquor on the orange and lemon-rinds, and the juice, which should be strained; when milk-warm, add the cowslip pips or flowers, picked from the stalks and seeds; and to 9 gallons of wine 3 tablespoonfuls of good fresh brewers’ yeast. Let it ferment 3 or 4 days; then put all together in a cask with the brandy, and let it remain for 2 months, when bottle it off for use.

Mrs. Beeton suggests we pick the cowslips in the field and make this drink in April or May.

Moroccan Mint Sparkling Iced Green Tea

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Moroccan Mint Green tea bags
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup sparkling water
• Ice cubes
• Lemon, apple slices or mint sprigs, to garnish

METHOD

Steep Moroccan Mint Green tea bags in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Gently squeeze the tea bags then remove and discard. Add apple juice and sparkling water. Pour over ice. Garnish as desired with lemon, apple or mint.

Home Made Root Beer

From Hunt, Gather, Cook by Hank Shaw

When you make your root beer, start with a tablespoon of this syrup to a pint of seltzer water. You can adjust the strength of your drink from there.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 2 quarts.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

• 6 cups of water
• 3 ounces of sassafras roots
• 1 ounce of burdock root
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 clove
• 1 star anise
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 drops wintergreen extract or peppermint extract
• 6 cups sugar

METHOD

1. Chop the sassafras and burdock roots into small pieces, about 1/2 inch or smaller.
2. Put the roots in a medium-sized heavy pot with the clove, star anise and coriander seeds and cover with the water. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Simmer this for 15 minutes.
3. Add the molasses and simmer another 5 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and add the wintergreen or peppermint extract. Put the cover back on the tea.
5. When the mixture cools, strain it though cheesecloth to remove any debris.
   Return it to the pot with an equal amount of sugar. Stir to combine. Bring it to a simmer and cook it for 5 minutes, uncovered.
6. Pour into quart mason jars and seal.

Keeps a year in the fridge

Homemade Lemon Drink

From “What’s Cooking” circa 1940s

INGREDIENTS

• 4 oranges
• 3 lemons
• 4 lbs. sugar
• 2 quarts water
• 2 ounces citric acid

METHOD

Grate rind from oranges, add to sugar and water and boil for 1 minute. Add juice of lemons and oranges and the acid. Let stand for 24 hours and bottle cold. To serve, mix with water

Kudzu Cream Beverage

A recipe from The Grain & Salt Society (winter 98/99)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup cold water
• 1 rounded tsp crushed kudzu starch
• 1 umeboshi plum, pitted and minced, or 1 tsp umeboshi paste
• 1/4-1/2 tsp fresh ginger juice (finely grate ginger root and squeeze to extract juice)
• 1/2-1 tsp shoyu or soy sauce

METHOD

In a small saucepan, thoroughly dissolve kudzu starch in water. Add umeboshi and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. When the mixture begins to bubble around the edges, stir continuously until kudzu thickens and becomes translucent. Gently simmer 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat. Add ginger and shoyu (if desired) to taste.

Masala Chai Tea

A recipe from Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 inch stick of cinnamon
• 8 cardomom pods
• 8 whole cloves
• 2/3 cup milk
• 6 tsp sugar (or to taste)
• 3 tsp any unperfumed loose black tea

METHOD

1. Put 1-1/2 cups water in saucepan. Add the cinnamon, cardomom, and cloves and bring to a boil.
2. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the milk and sugar and bring to a simmer again.
3. Throw in the tea leaves, cover, and turn off the heat. After 2 minutes, strain the tea into two cups and serve immediately.

Makes 2 cups

Sprout Your Own Wheatgrass at Home

Sprouting Wheatgrass (a.k.a. wheat berries, wheat grass seeds, wheat kernels) at home is easy, here’s a straight forward guide for delicious and nutritious results, borrowed from happyjuicer.com – thanks!

This guide shows you one common way to growing wheatgrass at home. Because wheatgrass isn’t frequently available in the average high street, many juicing enthusiasts look to growing wheatgrass at home. You may be able to find wheatgrass in specialist health food stores, alternatively you can buy organically grown wheatgrass online.

Soak around 500g of your wheatgrass seeds in water for 8 hours. Just before the end of the soaking period prepare a 20 × 10 inch seed tray (of around 2 inches depth) by adding about 11/2 inches of moist compost and potting mix. Try to use an organic growing medium. After soaking, drain the seeds, rinse thoroughly and then drain the seeds again.

Spread the seeds evenly over the compost mix. Add another half inch of soil your growing medium and then water the seeds using a watering can with a rose so as to give an even distribution of water. Your compost mix should be moist but not sodden. It is vital to keep your soil moist whilst the wheatgrass is growing so the tray should be watered everyday. You should then cover the tray either with moist newspaper, another tray, or plastic bubble wrap. This covering helps to keep the moisture in.

After 3 days the wheatgrass should be a couple of inches in height. You can then remove the cover off the tray and place the tray in a position where the wheatgrass will receive good amounts of indirect sunlight. You should not place the Wheatgrass in direct sunlight as this can cause drying out of the soil which inhibits growth. The sunlight will enable the sprout to produce chlorophyll which will quickly transform the yellow wheatgrass sprouts to a vivid green colour.

You should harvest when the wheatgrass is about 7-8 inches in length as this is when it is at it’s nutritional peak. To harvest your wheatgrass simply trim an a centimeter or two above the soil surface with a pair of scissors or a chefs knife. You should rinse your crop thoroughly before putting it through your juicer.

The time to harvest after you remove the seed cover is about 4-5 days but this can be increased/decreased by changing the temperature and light levels in your growing micro-climate. 65-68° F is a widely accepted temperature for growing wheatgrass in. If the temperature is too hot or the air is too humid then mould formation can occur. Some people are allergic to mould and it is also bad news for people who suffer from asthma. If mould does form in your wheatgrass then trim the wheatgrass well above the mould to avoid ingesting the mould.

If you harvest more wheatgrass then you wish to juice that day then simply transfer the excess wheatgrass into an airtight container and refrigerate. The wheatgrass should keep for a few days.

Once you are familiar with the time cycle associated with growing wheatgrass (which will differ for different climates and seasons), how much juice a tray yields,
how much wheatgrass juice you consume each day, you will be able to plan when to plant your next tray of wheatgrass to ensure that you have a constant supply of fresh grown and harvested, nutritionally packed wheatgrass that has been produced using organic methods.

Growing your own wheatgrass is also the most economical way of obtaining a regular intake of the the green wonder juice!

Stress Reducing Tea

These wonderful tea ingredients are available at Foodstuffs

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup lemon balm leaves
• 1 cup linden leaves
• 1/4 cup valarian root
• 1 tbsp dried ginger root

METHOD

• Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight container.
• To steep your tea, place 1 Tbsp of mixture into a tea ball or reusable tea bag then pour 1 cup boiling water over tea. Let steep for 3-5 minutes.

White Citrus Iced Tea

We have a lovely selection of loose leaf white teas at Foodstuffs, any will work for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup simmering water
• 1 tablespoon white tea leaves
• The juice from 1/2 orange
• Ice cube
• Orange slices to garnish

METHOD

• Pour just-simmering water over the white tea leaves.
• Steep for five minutes, and then remove the tea leaves.
• Add orange juice and stir.
• Pour mixture into a large glass full of ice.
• Garnish with orange slices if desired.

Barmbrack

Fruit bread from Ireland, featured in Joyce (of course): "The fire was nice and bright and on one of the side-tables were four very big barmbracks. These barmbracks seemed uncut; but if you went closer you would see that they had been cut into long thick even slices and were ready to be handed round at tea."

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) cut in pea-sized pieces
• 2 Tablespoons free-flowing brown sugar
• 3/4 ounce active dried yeast (3 packets)
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sultanas
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 cup currants
• 1 cup candied mixed peel
• 1 small egg, beaten, for glazing

METHOD

1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Using fingers or a pastry cutter, work in butter. Do not expect mixture to form a mealy texture. Stir in all but 1 teaspoon sugar.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together sugar and yeast.
3. Heat milk until it is warm (110°). Whisk into yeast and sugar combination. Let cool slightly. Stir in eggs. Mix well and add to dry ingredients.
4. Stir in sultanas, raisins, currants and peel. Mix well. Turn mixture onto a floured work surface and knead about 3 – 5 minutes, or until dough is elastic.
5. Place dough in greased 8 inch round cake pan. Cover with cloth and put in warm, draft-free place to rise, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 400° F.
7. Brush top of bread with egg.
8. Bake in preheated 400°F oven for about 40 – 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

Makes one large loaf.

Heirloom Boston Brown Bread

From the "More With Less" cookbook. We first printed it in Hot Off the Griddle #45, November 1995.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups graham or whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup white flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups buttermilk or sour milk
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 1 cup raisins, chopped and lightly floured
• 1/4 cup nuts (optional)

METHOD

1. Combine first four ingredients in mixing bowl.
2. Add next four ingredients and mix until smooth.
3. Spoon into either 4 well-greased 1 lb tins cans or a ring mold.
4. Let stand 1/2 hour.
5. Bake 45-50 minutes.
6. Cool thoroughly on cake rack before removing from tins.

Wrap airtight and store 24 hours before serving.