Endless Endive: Strawberry, Tomato, Basil and Peas, Shallots

Years back I posted Winter Fresh Endive Boats and promised that I would post about the variety of other ways to stuff endive.  And although it's been quite some time since that posting, I like to make good on my promises, even if it takes me years to come through. So here is my first round of fillings.  And I promise, there will be more, especially since the title is Endless Endive.

Endive seems to have been specifically made as the perfect carry vehicle for fillings.  I know most people cut them up and toss into salads, but I much prefer them as a big spoon! They are great for dipping and are literally the ideal shape to fill so guests can easily pick up and enjoy. Why in the world would anyone cut them up when their true purpose seems clear? Well, at least to me. That’s why I fill them, endlessly.

I entitled this Endless Endive because quite honestly the list of fillings is just that. The only limitation is one's lack of imagination.  But I know that together we can invent tons of fillings. I’ll do my part to start us off. For this post I’m keeping it to two different fillings that are perfect for Spring and Summer Time.

But first some tidbits about Belgian endive. It’s like a small head of lettuce but instead of being round like Boston lettuce it has a cylinder shape usually around 6 inches long. The most typical has pale yellow leaves that are tightly packed together with one end more sturdy (the filling end) and the top end feathering out to a more delicate whisper. There is also a purple toned version, Red Belgian, which when combined with the greenish yellow version makes quite a stunning plate. Being part of the chicory family, it has a mild bitter taste, but not nearly as much as radicchio. I find endive to be mild and neutral. You can actually cook endive and it mellow out the flavor to a more nutty tone.

Ok, onto the fillings.

As I mentioned, there are two different toppings but both versions use the same cheese filling. You can use any combination of cheese fillings or a single cheese. The most important part is that it is whipped so that it is light and fluffy.

Ingredients

3-5 Endive*
12 oz Cream Cheese**
10 oz Goat Cheese**

Strawberry/Tomato Filling

1 qt Grape Tomatoes, chopped
1 qt Strawberries, chopped
1/4 c Basil, chiffonade

Peas/Shallot Filling

2-3 T Mint, chopped
1- 1.5 c Peas, frozen
1 small shallot, fine dice
Pea Shoots, for topping
Magic 3 (olive oil, salt, pepper)

* Depending on the size will determine how many leaves each one will yield. I always buy an extra one to be safe, especially since as you get closer to the center the leaves get smaller and smaller.

** You can use both cream and goat cheese combined. The cream cheese balances the tang of the goat. You can also use ricotta cheese with is lighter.

Instructions

1. Whip cream cheese and goat cheese together until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in a pastry bag or large Ziplock bag and refrigerate until ready to fill.

You can certainly stir it together but I find using a hand mixer creates a smooth, creamy consistency.

Fill a pastry bag or plastic bag for easy filling.

2. Carefully separate the leaves from the core. I like having a clean edge, so I cut the bottom until leaves naturally release. Then continue to cut across the core releasing more leaves. This method helps to have even clean edges as well as ensuring not to tear the leaf. Let them dry on a paper towel.

Look as those lovely natural boats.

3. Wash, core and chop the strawberries. Wash and chop the grape tomatoes, and chiffonade the basil. Set aside. Combine everything in a bowl, season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and set in the fridge to marinate. Note: I recommend a small dice so you can get several pieces of each when you fill the endive

When you use fresh ingredients, you only need a few. Just let them shine and show their natural glory.

So appetizing.

4. Blanch the peas for 1-2 minutes and shock them in cold water to stop any further cooking.

Quickly blanch the peas. They don’t need much time.

Placing them in an ice bath stops the cooking and helps retain their vibrant green color.

5. In the same saucepan, sauté the shallots until softened. Season with salt and pepper

Shallots are milder then red onion and don’t overpower the sweet, tender pea. They also do not take long to sauté and soften.

6. Remove the peas with a spider, draining all the water and add them to the shallots. Taste for seasoning, and adjust if needed.

A tasty mixture.

7. Arrange the endive leaves on a platter and using the piping bag squeeze a hefty tablespoon amount of cheese into each leaf.

I like to arrange some greens on the bottom of the serving platter to finish the presentation.

Fill to your hearts content. If you like more cheese filling, then put more. I feel like a heaping tablespoon amount is just right.

8. Then fill with the leaves with each of the two toppings, separately.. Finish the pea version with pea shoots. I liked alternating the versions next to one another. But you can also arrange it so one side of the platter has the Pea/Shallot version, and the other side has the only the Strawberry/Tomato version.

So vibrant and fresh.

These can be made up to 1/2 hour prior to serving. However, you could prep all the components ahead of time (day before) and store airtight in the fridge. You can even fill the endive with the cheese filling hours ahead. Cover with plastic and then fill before serving.

A festive, refreshing Spring or Summertime appetizer.

I absolutely love the freshness of this appetizer. So crisp, so clean. So refreshing. The best part is it requires no dishes, no utensils. These are ‘pick up and devour’ apps. I hope you give these a try. With Spring sprung, we need a few fresh, cooling appetizers up our sleeves.

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Whole Roasted Snapper - A Whole Meal

Please, I beg you, do not get squeamish on me for this one. Oven roasting it whole is a great way to get a moist, flavorful fish. Some people shy away from the whole thing. I get it. It’s hard to miss the eyes, the mouth and even the tail. I will admit that this freaks me out a bit, too. It used to be worse for me but now I simply keep my focus on the body and away from the facial attributes. Most importantly, I concentrate on how to honor the fish. The whole fish; because the skin and bones not only impart deep flavors but also protect the fish from drying out by providing natural oils. Another key to increasing its savor and tender texture is stuffing the body with aromatics, such as lemon, onions and herbs. These truly perfume the inner flesh and keep it supple. Additionally, you can cook it en papillote, which mean enveloped in paper. This steams the fish locking in moisture. I simply oven roasted mine this go around.

*NOTE: When buying whole fish, to ensure it is fresh, look for these keys elements.

• The fish should be bright, with a metallic luster.

• The eyes should be bright, vivid, clear and bulging. If they are sunken or cloudy, it is old

• The gills should be bright, wet, pink or red.

• The smell should be pleasant and mild.

• If the scales are still on, they should be shiny and not detach themselves.

2 fish, not in the same position as the logo for my main company, 2fish, inc, but there they are together.

I like making this for a small dinner party. It creates a lovely presentation and produces a succulent dish. I served this with green veggies, a quinoa salad and a watercress salad. If you continue to scroll down, you will find visual instructions for those dishes. These sides were ideal; light and refreshing to accompany the red snapper. Together they make for a perfect Spring meal.

And as my mom pointed out in the comments section, this method can do used with most any whole fish.

Ingredients

Red Snapper *2-3 lbs for 4 servings
2 Lemons (1 sliced, 1 in wedges for serving)**
1 small Onion
Parsley (or fresh herb of your choice)
Magic 3 (Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper)

*When buying a whole fish figure about 12 ounces to 1 pound of whole fish per person as a main course (as the fish generally yields 50 percent, thus making a 6 to 8 ounce serving) or for 2 people as a first course.

**If you are going to make the Quinoa Salad, then zest the lemon before you slice it for stuffing. Reserve the zest to season the quinoa.

Instructions

1. Make sure there are no scales on the outer skins of the fish.

2. Pat dry both the outside and inside of the fish.

I know it seems counterintuitive to make sure the fish is dry when you want it to be moist, but water just water logs the fish.

3. Cut the onion and lemon in slices

4. Brush the interior with oil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper then stuff with the onion, lemon slices and parsley.

5. Place on a parchment lined baking tray and score the skin making several long slits. Brush with oil and season the outside with a good amount of pepper, and salt. You can also envelope the fish in a tin foil or parchment paper pouch for the en papillote approach.

6. Bake at 425 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 145 degrees.

You can place the whole fish on a platter lined with greens or herbs, or you can debone it.

Whole roasted Red Snapper

Deboned into filets

Serving suggestions:

Of course any sautéed green vegetable will pair nicely. I made both broccoli rabe and string beans prepared in a simple sauté of olive oil, garlic slices, salt and pepper. The other accompaniments were a side of quinoa and fresh baby watercress salad. Below are the quick visual instructions for the latter two dishes.

Quinoa with Sautéed Onions, Lemon Zest & Mint

Quinoa is a wonderful source of protein and a fairly neutral flavor that is enhanced by the addition of herbs.
Ingredients

1 c Quinoa
1/3-1/2 c chopped onion/shallot
2-3 t lemon zest
4-6 T lemon juice (depending on your taste
6-8 T mint, minced (mixed in and some for top)
Olive oil, salt and pepper

Instructions

• Sauté onion and/or shallot, add the quinoa and water and cook according to the package. (I usually measure 1 cup of quinoa to 1.5 c water)

• Bring to a boil, cover and lower to simmer cooking for 15-18 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.

• Then zest the lemon, squeeze some of the juice, season with salt and pepper and toss in the chopped mint and fork fluff. Save some mint for the top decoration.

Baby Watercress, Avocado & Orange Segment Salad with a Citrus Dressing

When making finger sandwiches, I prefer regular watercress as it has more of a textural bite to it as well as a sharper, peppery flavor. For salad purposes I prefer Baby Watercress. It is much more delicate. This salad is all about light and bright, and the citrus does that beautifully.

Ingredients

2 bunches baby watercress
1 avocado, cut in small chunks
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 large orange, segmented

Instructions

• First zest the orange and reserve for the dressing.

• Then as you segment the orange do it over the dressing bowl to catch all the juices, and squeeze any juice from the remaining pulp.

• Thinly slice the shallot (or red onion if that’s all you have)

• Cube the avocado (squeezing some lemon to stop it from browning).

• Assemble the salad in a bowl, then add orange juice, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil to the orange zest and whisk until emulsified. That simple.

This is a perfect Spring or Summer evening meal. It would be a lovely Sunday lunch idea, too. The fish is delicate and moist. The sides are light yet filling. The citrus brightens the whole meal up, and if you have leftovers, all this would make a wonderful taco lunch.

My Mother, My Fortune

My mother, and me.

We all celebrate Mother’s Day because who doesn’t love to honor our mothers? Like most holidays, this tradition dates back to the pagans when in ancient Greece the celebration was in honor of Rhea, the mother of the gods. And in Rome, Cybele, a mother of goddesses, was worshipped as early as 250 B.C. But the tradition was more deeply cemented thanks to Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia. On May 12, 1907, having lost her mother two years earlier she held a memorial service at her late mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia. Her belief was that children tended to neglect their mothers until it was too late. So she campaigned for a national observance of Mother's Day and convinced her mother's church to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death -- the second Sunday of May. Then in 1914 it became official when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother's Day as a national holiday to be held each year on the second Sunday of May. I had always thought it was Hallmark who jumped started the tradition looking for another way to sell cards. Although they may not have started it, they certainly have capitalized on it. Mother's Day is the third-largest card-sending holiday in the United States, with an estimated 139 million greeting cards expected to be purchased this year. Instead of buying a card, I decided to create my own type of card by writing a post, a love letter to honor my mom.

Now, traditionally I’m not a big believer in these types of holidays. Not because I feel we shouldn’t celebrate our mothers or fathers or grandparents, etc. But because I’ve always been of the opinion that I don’t need a specific date or someone else to tell me to honor a person I love. Why not praise them everyday? But I get it. So, here I go jumping on the bandwagon to celebrate my special someone especially since I was the one to make her a mother first. And unlike Anna Jarvis, I try to express my adoration for my mom as often as possible, but it does feel good to make it even more momentous on this day, and lay it on thick.

She is a gem through and through. A darling of child grown into a woman of old fashioned upbringing that places value on respect, being kind to others, being gracious and generous. Loving and giving, supportive. She’s all that and more. A face of an angel.

A teacher, a guider and one who puts family first always. Her greatest gift to us was instilling the family bond, and sibling love. A bond never to be broken. I’m not a mother, but my sisters, who are great mothers themselves had the best teacher, and have instilled the same in their children. She showed us the importance to sticking together. And we have and we do.

She honored her mother, and mother in law, and handed down traditions.

She has shown us what true love and devotion is. For anyone who has ever met my parents they are witness to the extraordinary love they share, and the enduring example they have set.

And when it comes to fashion there was nothing old about her. She was pure glam and had tremendous fashion sense. She dressed to the nines and looked like a movie star. Well, one movie star in particular… Sophia Loren.

I remember my mom telling me that she once saved up an entire week’s salary to buy one dress. If you were to calculate that in modern day’s dollars that was one pricey dress. I still have some of her clothes and hats and wear them with pride.

Sophia Loren, not my mom but could be…

But she is so much more than her fashion and stunning beauty. She is a decent, loving, giving soul who had energy to spare. As kids, she would venture out with all of us, my cousins included, to take us on field trips; to Wollman Skating Rink, The Museum of Natural History, Jones Beach. She would pack us into the car and away we went. She was an avid supporter of anything we did, always showing up at our sports practices and games, cheering us on. She is the mother of all mothers, as is evident in the the glow on her face whenever she is holding a child - her own, her nieces/nephews, her grandchildren.

She is an awesome grandmother, aunt, sister, sister-in-law, friend, wife and an exceptional mother. I could go on and on, but I’ll let a poem I wrote awhile back for her 70th birthday do the rest of the talking and let all these images bring a smile to your face. I know they will because whenever I see her face and that smile, I can’t help but be filled with joy.

My Mother - My Fortune

I have considered myself fortunate all my life,
Never truly understanding my lack of great strife.
Fortune has different meanings to each and every one
But for me, and my siblings, it’s the definition of our Mom.
Adrienne Fortune, her name bears what she delivers
Her goodness and love is as long as any river.
She is the warmth of a blanket on a cold winter’s night,
She is the sun kissing your face, so warm, so bright
She is the breeze that cools you by the side of the bay
She is the laughter of a child on any given day
Our mother knows no other way
This is how she would spend each and every day
Giving to others their every want and need
She will give of herself without any heed
She is a woman full of grace
Full of love that lights her face
She is a woman of simple goals
The purest ones remain untold
The strongest woman I’ll ever know
She is the angel who has guided us to and fro
She complains not, asks not and does not hurt a soul
Treating everyone with kindness has been her title role.
My fortune has been great, and it started with my great fortune
A daughter
A sister
A wife
An aunt
A friend
A grandmother
A Mother, My Mother, My Fortune

My mom and me

My mom and me

My mom and me

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you more than these words and pictures could ever convey.

Happy Mother’s Day to all those who have selflessly given their love and guidance to the children in their lives.

Photo credit thanks to my dad, Uncle Paul (mom’s bro) and my brother.

Table Settings - A Multitude of Options

I am forever staring at my linen collection contemplating the different combinations I could piece together with what I have on hand. As with my cooking, repeat performances are rare. I love to mix it up. I also like to find unconventional items to use. For instance, I’ve cut the ribbon, strings or ropes from boutique shopping bags and used them as napkin ties. Or I’ve used one of my silk scarves as a table runner. I often find remnant pieces of material that can be overlays or runners. This practice of using what you have is a lesson in buying restraint and making due with what exists. You don’t always have to run to the store for new items in order to finish your table. So, putting that idea to use, if you like some the choices I show below, I encourage you to scour your brain and your home for interesting pieces that could emulate the style. This post is all about the mix and match, focusing on how swapping out a placemat, a plate, a napkin, or even changing how to fold a napkin can make a dramatic difference.

I pulled out a variety of dishes of all shapes and sizes along with cloths, runners and napkins so I could play around.

A napkin sampling: from gray to beige, burgundy and blues and deep green

Placemats: different colors and textures create a completely different mood

Silver and gold chargers, plates and bowls…mix and match

Various materials used for runners or even tablecloths. From the raw and rustic to the chic and elegant.

In order to not drive myself crazy, for demo purposes I only created a single place setting for each style. No need to create an entire tablescape in this instance. The goal is to show the various styles, then you can build around the place setting, repeat for the number of guests and finish the table as we usually do with candles and florals.

Here we go.

Black & Gold

Using a textured black placemat and a black napkin, here are 3 napkin styles for different occasions.

Black Napkin Rosette
Place a a strip of neutral colored material down the center of the table as a table runner. I used a silk remnant I bought at a garage sale. Then add the black placemat, gold charger and white plates. I happen to have a crystal cut glass trimmed in gold to use for water. Use what you have to enhance the theme. Then, swirl the black napkin around to create a rosette and place it inside a small bowl.

You can use my simple swirl method to create the rosette or the fold and roll method (see videos below).

Tied Black Napkin Drape
Using the same set up, but maybe adding a tad more bling by adding a gold rimmed dish, fold the napkin in half, grab it at the center of the fold, let it drape and tie it off with a decorative ribbon.

Black & Gold Candy Cane
Fold the napkin in half and roll it up, then using a ribbon or rope wrap the napkin roll in a candy cane fashion. I like placing it horizontally.

Whites & Grays

In the unconventional items category, this one features a velvet and silk scarf of black and deep red tones with small silver beads for sparkle. Start by laying the scarf down the center of the table as you would any runner.

Whites & Gray Rosette
Use a stack of pure white plates and bowl then tuck a gray linen napkin rosette into the small bowl. (See video below for napkin demo). The white plates sandwiched between the dark colors create a balanced contrast. Add clear, simple glassware.

Whites & Gray Flat Flower
Same set up, this time creating a large flat flower petal to place between the plates. (See video below for napkin demo)

Whites & Silver
Keeping the same white plates and the gray linen napkin rosette style, swap the black runner for a silver one with some sheen. Change the glassware to more elegant crystal and now this place setting has upped its ante.

Soothing Blues & Whites

With Spring sprouting up, and Easter a week away, this next set could easily be used for the upcoming festivities.

Classy Checkerboard
No runner necessary, just a rich blue placemat. Use a silver charger and white plates with a long rectangular napkin fold placed vertically to create contrasting visual lines. If you have glassware that can add to the blue notes, great. If not, opt for simple glassware.

Checkerboard Roll
Keeping the same set up, this time make a chubby little roll with the napkin and place at the top of the place setting.

Circles & Squares
Swap out the white salad plate for a deeper blue square plate, swirl the checkerboard napkin into the rosette to be featured in the center small bowl. If you don’t have a square blue plate, maybe you have a plate with florals that could compliment the blues. Think Springtime.

Pointed Blues & Gray
Swap out the white salad plate for a deeper blue square plate and mimic the angles with a long triangle folded gray linen napkin.

The Regal Velvets

Burgundy & Gold
Velvet makes anything more elegant. Deep hues like burgundy and hunter green continue that royal feel. A simple napkin roll adorned with a gold napkin ring, paired together with gold and crystal glassware all amp up the elegance factor.

Silver & Gold Grounded in Green
Swapping the gold charger for a silver one makes both the plate and the placemat pop. Replacing the burgundy placemat with a green one to match the napkin then using a ribbon that repeats the silver tone in candy cane wrap method completes the look. This silver and gold with green approach is elegant with a touch of contemporary.

Silver & Gold

This series is all about mixing silver and gold pieces together.

Sparkle & Drape
Silver shimmer runner with silver charger and gold plates. Gold glassware and a neutral beige napkin delicately draped to the side. I love this place setting. It’s elegant with sparkle and would make a lovely Easter table setting that is a tad off the usual trend.

Sparkle & Abstract
A simple switch of the same napkin creates a different mood. Lay the napkin in an abstract puddle on the center of the plate. (See video below on easy it is to create this effect.)

Elegant Daytime
Swapping out the silver runner for a white sheer fabric lightens the feel. Place the salad plate to the left and a gray linen napkin tucked in a large water goblet. Still elegant but more daytime feel.

Gray Triangle
Keeping the same set up as previous but folding the linen napkin in a large triangle then tucked between charger and dinner plate.

Gold Take Charge
Swap the silver charger for a gold one and create a rosette with a deep rich burgundy napkin.

Gold Take Hold
Using the gold charger and runner with golden hues, add a gray/silver napkin in a fluted fold under the salad plate

Freshen Up with Yellow
Brighten the whole setting up with a burst of yellow. A simple long rectangular fold is all that is needed to bring on the freshness. This is another lovely Easter setting.

The Floating Table
I have several pieces of remnant materials that I use either as a runner, a tablecloth or an overlay. For my birthday this year, JuanCarlos said he would make me a special dinner. And since it was a special birthday, I wanted to create a pretty table. I used my silver and gold theme to create an elegant table for two. But as I said, it was a special celebration, so he and my sister, Alyssa, surprised me with a dinner party that included some of my family. See how easy a table for two transformed into a table for 8. This is a perfect example of how to take an idea and expand it out.

And what would a celebration be if not for the food, glorious food. I snapped a few photos of the meal. All my favorites things, with some of my favorite people. And yes, I made my own gluten free carrot cake adorned with candied carrot shards.

I know this might have been a lot of options to digest, but really they were variations of a similar theme. The goal was to demonstrate how changing a charger or a napkin or even the placement of the items can alter the look and feel. I hope these gave you some ideas and jumping off point to decorate your next table-scape.

For more table setting and napkin ideas, don’t forget to review some older posts:

Napkin Folding - 5 Basic Folds - Countless Options

Creamsicle Table scape

Easter Ideas - A Refresher Course

An African Flare Table Setting

Cauliflower, Sweet Potato, Chick Pea Curry

As with many of my recipes, they come to fruition out of chance, hence the moniker ‘something from nothing.’ In this case, it just so happened that chance came in the way of an enormous cauliflower.  As much as I love my Faux Creamy Cauliflower Soup (and I highly recommend you try it), I was dreaming of another dish from the past.  When I used to travel into the NYC for work my commute took me through Grand Central Station.  For those NYers, you know that pre-pandemic there used to be a plethora of food choices on the bottom floor, convenient for those of us running for a train.  I would sometimes frequent the Indian take out joint for their vegetarian options.  One of those was a cauliflower curry, which sometimes had chick peas.  (Side note: I would try to eat my Indian food before boarding the train or wait until I got home.  Because quite frankly the deep curry aromas, although alluring to me, would be overwhelming to others as they perfumed and permeated the entire train.)

My luck, I always stock my pantry with various beans. Chick peas: checked.  I also had some sweet potatoes on hand, and they seemed like a likely player in this mix.  Plus they would add some much needed color to this dish.  (Cauliflower: white, Chick peas: beige, Coconut milk: white. Sweet potatoes - happy orange!)

Now, you know that I do not proclaim to be an expert in Indian cooking or spices. Far from it.  I stick to what I know and use my instincts on quantities and combos.  That said I feel like I’ve been batting 1000 on my Indian dish experiments thus far. So, I was feeling pretty confident I could make this dish tasty.

Since I only had the germ of an idea on how to bring this dish to life, I was working through the prep and cooking method as I went along.  Typically, I try to make most of my recipes fairly simple without too many steps or without a laundry list of ingredients.  Nothing turns me off from trying a new recipe from another chef as 20 ingredients, or a choreographed dance of steps.  This one does require a few more than my usual but still all quite manageable.  And I’m sure it will go faster for you since while I was riffing on how to do make this I also had to measure, write it down, photograph and then make sure I didn’t get any curry on my camera lens.

Admittedly, the amounts I made were for a small dinner party or a large very hungry family.  It’s been just JuanCarlos and I round these parts, so we might be eating this for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It made a ton.  When I wanted to use up the cauliflower I didn’t realize how enormous it was when I added the sweet potato and chick peas.  But you can either cut it down by a quarter or make a large vat of this and freeze it, as I did. It held up pretty well.

Also, you will note that I cut the onions and ginger in two ways. Sometimes the different sizes not only add a texture but it also delivers another flavor depth.

Ingredients 

1 lg (1000g/35oz) Cauliflower 
5 c (523g/19oz) Sweet Potato, cubed
2-3 med (431g) onions (half diced 1.5c/half large cubes 1.5c)
2 29 oz cans of Chick Peas
1 Qt Vegetable Stock or water (I used the water I cooked the cauliflower/potatoes in)
2 13.5 oz cans Coconut Milk
1/2 c oil
100g ginger 5-6 t grated, rest sliced
2t turmeric
2.5 t cumin
3 t cumin seeds
3 t rounded curry
1/2 t red pepper flakes (add more or less depending on your heat level)
4-5 t salt
1 c Aquafaba (chick pea liquid)
2 heaping T tomato paste

Instructions

1. Measure out all your spices.

Top row: Salt, Curry Middle Row: Turmeric, Cumin, Tomato Paste Bottom Row: Cumin Seeds, Red Pepper Flakes

2. Prepare all the vegetables: Break cauliflower into large florets. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into cubes. Dice and slice onions, grate and slice ginger so you have everything ready.

Now you can more clearly visualize the Happy Orange that the sweet potato brought to the party.

3. In salted boiling water, cook both cauliflower & potatoes until semi soft.  Not mushy, you want them to still have a firmness to them.  Strain and place on a baking tray to let cool. Keep the water to use as stock.

Remember to not overcook these. They should be tender but still slightly firm. You can also add an onion and celery to the water to create a veggie stock to use later.

4. Meanwhile, sauté diced onions in oil with salt until soft, approx. 10-12 minutes.

5. Add all the spices and ginger and let toast together 3-4 minutes.

Once the onions are softened, add all the spices and ginger.

6. Add tomato paste, let lightly brown then add cubed onions and 1 c of aquafaba.  Let this cook until softened for 5-7 minutes.

You can really start to see all the deep flavors developing. Building up flavors at each level creates a much more flavor packed dish.

7. Add chick peas, stock, coconut milk to the pot and stir together and bring to a soft boil.

I love coconut milk. And in Indian spiced dishes it adds a cooling agent to all the spice.

8. Cut the larger cauliflower florets into smaller bite sized pieces. Then add the cauliflower and sweet potatoes to the pot and simmer to let all the flavors merge.

Taste for additional seasoning.

Serve with rice, add pepitas to top for crunch.  The first time I made this dish I opted for paella rice instead of Basmati because I wanted more of a chew the to starch. Short grain rice definitely offered that chubby quality I was looking for.  Plus I needed to experiment with it for a dish I’m offering up to my customers. So win win on that front. The second time I made this was for a small dinner party with my sister and brother in law. I serve basmati rice and it was equally delicious. How can any type of rice be bad when it’s goal is to soak up goodness?

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