Random Recipes

I thought I would write down a couple of simple and flavorful CSA veggie recipes that I made recently.

Braised Chard with Cilantro, Peppers, and Lentils
(based on a recipe from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)

The original recipe does not have peppers or dal, but I find these add another dimension to the dish.

1 large bunch of swiss chard, leaves sliced into 1-inch wide ribbons, stems trimmed and diced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 red bell peppers, diced
1/4 cup red lentils (masoor dal)
1/4 cup mung beans (moong dal)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 T. paprika
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 t. salt
Black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a heavy pot with 1/4 cup of water. Cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes. After 20 minutes or so, the vegetables should have released enough liquid to cover the whole mixture; if not, add more water. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. At the end, the chard will be silky and will give off a beautiful perfume (a result of the long braise -- slow-cooked chard also makes a great frittata).

Trinidadian Winter Squash
(based on a recipe from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian)

The original recipe uses pumpkin, but I used the red kuri squash from our CSA share instead.

3 T. oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 fresh hot green chile, sliced into very thin rings
3/4 t. dried thyme
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
Roughly 2 lbs squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 t. salt
4 t. light brown sugar

Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and fry the onion until lightly browned. Add the garlic, chile, thyme, and cilantro, and stir until the garlic is browned. Add the squash, and stir to coat with the oil. Lower heat, add 1/4 cup of water, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, or until the squash is just tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Season with salt and sugar, and mix thoroughly.