The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook - Kim O'Donnel [15]
A handful of fresh thyme sprigs
½ teaspoon saltIt
Ground black pepper
3 ounces plain goat cheese
2 moderately ripe Bartlett pears,
trimmed, cored, and sliced
thinly
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
In a 10- or 12-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions. Add the thyme sprigs. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring every 5 minutes and adjusting the heat to ensure that the onions are cooking evenly and not burning. Gradually the onions will soften, shrink, and sweeten, becoming caramelized and jamlike in about 1 hour.
Add the salt and season with the pepper, remove the thyme sprigs, and allow to cool.
Transfer the onions to a mixing bowl and, with a rubber spatula, combine with the goat cheese until well integrated. Transfer the mixture into the center of the dough and smooth out, leaving a 2-inch margin. Place the pear slices on top, in a concentric fashion.
ARUGULA & SEASONAL FRUIT
INGREDIENTS
4 to 5 cups arugula (about
1 bunch), washed thoroughly,
dried, and trimmed as needed
⅛ teaspoon saltZit
1 tablespoon juice from a lemon,
lime, or grapefruit
About 1 cup of seasonal fruit of
choice: pomegranate seeds;
2 clementines, 1 to 2 blood
oranges or 1 grapefruit,
segmented; strawberries,
sliced into quarters
½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans,
chopped
¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds
(optional but really nice)
Extra-virgin olive oil that you love
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
Place the arugula in a wide salad bowl. Sprinkle with the salt, and with tongs or salad hands, turn to ensure even coverage. Taste a piece of arugula. Is it adequately salty? If not, add more. Add the citrus juice, and turn with your tools to distribute evenly and moisten.
Add the fruit, nuts, and seeds (if using), and gently toss all the ingredients until well integrated. Drizzle the oil over the salad (a trickle, not a rainfall), gently toss again, and taste for the salt-acid-fat balance.
Makes 4 servings
Chickpea-Turnip Chili ★ Barley Pilaf
CHICKPEA-TURNIP CHILI
In the world of chili, ever notice how no one ever talks about chickpeas? It’s too bad—and incomprehensible. These little balls of wonder deserve a shot at the next chili cook-off, y’all. Now about that turnip: Don’t scoff. A slightly more bitter version of a potato, ye olde turnip is a refreshing change of pace that plays nicely with the mélange of spices and cocoa. Should you remain unconvinced, by all means, go with the spud.
KITCHEN NOTES: Adjust the chile pepper amounts as you see fit. Chili is a very personal creation, and you know your tolerance better than anyone else. This is killer served with a pot of pearl barley. Although preparing pearl barley is as simple as cooking a pot of rice, it does need a bit more time—about 45 minutes—so plan accordingly (in other words, get it on the stove before starting the chili).
INGREDIENTS
1 medium-size turnip, washed,
peeled and cut into ½-inch
cubes (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium-size onion, diced
3 stalks celery, cut into
½-inch slices
1 medium-size carrot, peeled
and diced
1 (2 x 1-inch) hunk fresh ginger,
peeled and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ chile pepper of choice, seeded
and minced
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
Prepare the turnip: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add the chopped turnip and parboil for 5 minutes. The turnips will still be toothy, but are well on their way to tenderness. With a skimmer or sieve, transfer the turnips to a small bowl.
In a large saucepan or soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat, add the onion, celery, and carrot, and cook until slightly softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the ginger, minced garlic, and chile pepper, stirring to mix in, about 2 minutes, then add the cocoa, spices, and salt. The mixture will seem a little pasty; that’s okay.
Add the turnips; stir to coat with the spice mixture and aromatics, and let everything talk to one another. Pour in the tomato puree and water and bring to a lively simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat, 10 to 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken