Minestrone (makes 8 servings.)
- 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium onions; finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic; minced
- 2 medium carrots; peeled and diced
- 2 medium celery stalks; diced
- 1 handful celery leaves; chopped
- 2 medium potatoes; peeled and diced
- One 16-ounce can salt-free diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup Tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons Dry red wine; optional
- 1 Bay leaf
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning;
- 1 cup of canned chickpeas
- 1 cup frozen green peas;
- 2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper; to taste
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and garlic and saute over moderate heat until the onions are golden. Add the carrots, celery, celery leaves, and potatoes with just enough water to cover.
Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, optional wine, bay leaves, and seasoning mix. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered, until the vegetables are just done, about 45 minutes.
Add the chickpeas, green peas, and parsley. Correct the consistency with more water if necessary, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for at least another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender but not overdone.
Tomato-Chickpea Curry in Eggplant Shells (Vegan)
- Taken on camera phone
Tasted a bit like the rice and stew that my family often makes but I think it’s because it used tomatoes and curry which are staples in the rice and stew dish. The coconut gave a bit of that hard texture that the rice normally gives. The chickpeas were also a great surprise. I think the most sumptuous part of the dish is definitely the scooped out eggplant part. It manages to sop up every flavor of the dish in the most amazing way. This vegan thing might not be so hard after all.
From the Book: The New Vegan Cookbook: Innovative Vegetarian Recipes free of Dairy, Eggs, and Cholesterolby Lorna Sass
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp brown mustard seeds
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes w/ liquid
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained
Cayenne pepper
Chopped fresh cilantro
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahr. Lightly oil two roasting pans (or one, if it is big enough to fit 4 eggplant halves in a single layer). Add 1/2 inch of water.
2. Leaving stem intact, halve the eggplants lengthwise. Score the flesh side of each half in a crisscross pattern. Brush the cut side with oil, season with salt and pepper, place flesh side down in pan(s). Brush skins with oil.
3. Roast until eggplants are tender and easily pierced with the tip of a pairing knife, about 20-25 minutes. Check after 10 minutes to add more water, if needed. Allow eggplants to cool enough to handle. Using a paring or grapefruit knife, create a 1/2-inch wall in each eggplant half, scooping out the flesh. Coarsley chop the flesh and set aside. Lightly season the shells with salt and pepper, and keep them in a warm place (such as the cooling oven).
4. In a large saucepan, heat a tablespoon of oil over high heat. Stir in the mustard seeds, cover the pot, and wait for the seeds to pop against the lid (like popcorn). Take pot off of heat and wait for popping to subside. Remove cover.
5. Stir the onions into the seeds and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add more oil if the onions stick. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 10 seconds. Then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, eggplant flesh, salt, and cayenne. BEWARE THE CAYENNE! Start with a pinch and work your way up. A little goes a long way! Cover and simmer ovr medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas develop a curried flavor, about 15 minutes. Add more curry or salt during the simmer if needed, or add water if it becomes too dry.
6. Mound the filling into each eggplant shell. (You will probably have leftover filling. Good with rice! Yum!) Garnish with cilantro and serve.
