Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Just Staying Warm In The Kitchen

Pear spears with slices of strawberries, raspberries, and banana....and a festive sprinkling of sugar nuggets.

Fresh Salmon Slaw, with finely chopped veggies, onion, garlic, and a sprinkling of seeds and nuts. It is a perfect substitution for hashbrowns for breakfast, and is stir-fried very hot for only a few seconds. Canned salmon can used, and placed under the slaw to stay warm.

Ash-e Anar: Pomegranate Stew, a Persian dish, with Naan. I first had this flavorful stew at a Baha'i fireside about two months ago, and was determined to try it. It is made with rich pomegranate molasses, but is not sweet. Just incredibly fragrant, delicate yet substantial. I added lentils, rice and butter beans to the broth, which is simmered until it is thick. Any kind of meat will do; I used ground beef.

I often make a soup for dinner, then freeze several bags of it to fill a thermos for hiking trips.
In the winter, a hearty soup like this White Bean Soup just hits the spot. I stir-fry a mixture of vegetables with carrots, onion, garlic and celery. When they've cooked through, I puree about a third of the mixture for a creamy pureed base rather than use cream. The chile pequin can be served separately, for individual taste. It gives this soup a burst of heat. Cornbread, naan, or pita as a side-dish.

Tomorrow I have to make bread, which is a great way to stay warm in the kitchen. The weather forecast: RAIN