Beet and Cucumber Raita

2 medium beets
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups full-fat yogurt
2 small cucumbers, peeled and cubed
8 fresh mint leaves (optional)

Steam beets in Instant Pot (or pressure cooker):
Pour 1 cup of water into the pot of the Instant Pot and place the trivet in the pot.  Place the beets on the trivet.  

Secure the lid and set the pressure cooker to release to sealed position.  Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.  Let the pressure release naturally; this will take about 10 minutes.  Open the Instant Pot and, carefully, transfer the beets to a plate or cutting board.  Let cool.  When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Make the raita:
In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt and salt.  Stir in cucumber.

Add the beets to the raita, stir to combine, and  garnish with the mint.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days - serve chilled.

Serves 4.

From Ministry of Curry blog

Red Curry Wonton Soup with Zucchini Noodles

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

1/2 cup diced onions

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 or 2 Thai chilies, sliced (optional)

2 tablespoons red curry paste

2 teaspoons sugar (or maple syrup, honey or agave)

4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk

1 1/2 pounds zucchini, spiralized

Tofu wontons:

14 ounce package of firm tofu

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup corn kernels

1/2 cup peas

2 scallions, sliced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup chopped Thai basil (or regular basil)

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

35 to 40 square dumpling wrappers (medium thickness)

Garnish:

sliced scallions

Thai basil

Prepare the broth:

Heat the 1 tablespoon of oil in a pot. Add the onions and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes.  Next, add the minced ginger, garlic, and chilies (if using) and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Add the red curry paste and sugar and stir to combine.

Add the broth and 1 teaspoon salt, cover the pot, and bring the broth to boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and swirl in the coconut milk.  Let the broth simmer for about 10 minutes, covered.  Turn off the heat and let the broth sit on the stove, covered, as you make the dumplings.

Make the dumplings:

Drain the tofu and wrap the tofu around a layer of paper towels.  Press the tofu by placing the tofu block on a plate and weighing it down with a stack of plates.  Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove the paper towels and transfer the tofu to a bowl.

Using your hands, squeeze the tofu until you get a soft mush.  Set the tofu aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan.  Add the minced ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Add the corn, peas, scallions, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the pan, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove the pan from heat.  Let the vegetables cool for 5 minutes

Add the vegetables, chopped basil, and soy sauce to the bowl with the tofu.  Stir to combine all the ingredients.  Taste to see if the filling has been seasoned to your liking.

Get your dumpling-making station set up.  Take the wrappers out of the packaging.  Have a small bowl filled with water, a large baking sheet, and 2 kitchen or linen towels ready.  The wrappers and the dumplings dry out pretty quickly.  Use one towel to cover the wrappers and another large towel to cover the finished dumplings.

Dip a finger into the bowl of water and wet 2 adjacent sides of the dumpling wrappers.  Spoon about 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of the wrapper.  If you can fit more filling into the dumpling, great!  Seal the wrapper on the diagonal (dry sides over the wet sides) so that you end up with a triangle shape.  Press down on the sides to get rid of any air pockets and to make sure that the dumpling is sealed – you don’t want the filling to release while they’re cooking.

Lightly wet one of the base corners of the folded triangle, and fold the dumpling in half so that the other base corner overlaps the wet corner.  Repeat until you have all the dumplings filled.

Cook the dumplings & serve:

Bring the red curry broth to a simmer again.  Turn off the heat and add the zucchini noodles.  The noodles should soften in several minutes.

Bring a big pot of water to boil.  Add about half of the dumplings into the boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  All the dumplings should float to the top.  Transfer the cooked dumplings to the pot with the red curry broth.  Cook the remaining dumplings or freeze them.

Scoop the dumplings and zucchini noodles into bowls.  Ladle some broth over the dumplings and noodles.  Garnish with sliced scallions and more Thai basil, if desired.

Serves 4.

From HealthyNibblesandBits.com

Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder

1 tablespoon butter

2 strips bacon, chopped

1 cup chopped yellow onion

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

4 cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock

1 bay leaf

4 ears of sweet fresh corn, husk and silk removed, kernels cut from cob (2 3/4 cup corn)

1 medium zucchini, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup half-and-half

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Cayenne pepper, to serve, optional

In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Add bacon and cook until bacon renders its fat and begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. 

Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and thyme; cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring couple times, about 5 minutes.

Add potatoes, water, and bay leaf.  Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat back to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes are halfway cooked.

Add zucchini and corn; season with salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for additional 8-12 minutes or until the vegetables are completely tender.

Discard the bay leaf and then transfer 2 cups of chowder to a food processor or blender; puree until smooth.  Stir the mixture back into the pot.  Add half-and-half and cook just until heated through.  Taste for salt and pepper.  Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley and sprinkle of cayenne pepper, if desired.

Best Black Bean Burgers

2 14-ounce cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper (1/2 of a pepper)

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)

3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 cup bread crumbs or oat flour

1/2 cup feta cheese

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons ketchup

Pinch of salt and pepper

Heat oven to 325°F.  Spread beans evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until slightly dried out.  After removing beans from oven, increase heat to 375°F.

Meanwhile, sauté olive oil, chopped pepper, onion, and garlic, over medium heat until peppers and onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes.  Gently blot some of the moisture out.  Place in a large bowl or in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Stir or pulse everything together, then add the black beans. Mash with a fork, or pulse the mixture, leaving some larger chunks of beans.

Form into patties– about 1/3 cup of mixture in each.

Place patties on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes on each side, 20 minutes total.

Make ahead tip: Cooked or uncooked black bean burgers freeze wonderfully! Stack between parchment paper in a freezer container or zipped-top bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to your liking or, if uncooked, cook according to instructions.   If desired, you can skip thawing and reheat/cook from frozen for an extra couple minutes.

Makes 6-8 burgers.

From Sally’s Baking Addiction blog

Corn and Tomato Galette with Herbed Garlic Goat Cheese

Crust:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Ice water
1 egg, beaten

Filling:
1 small head garlic
6 ounces goat cheese, softened
1/4 cup fresh herbs (such as basil, dill, oregano)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups fresh sweet corn (about 2-3 ears)
1 sweet onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper
3-4 small/heirloom tomatoes, sliced
4 thyme sprigs
Olive oil
Balsamic reduction for serving

Heat the oven to 400 F.

Chop off the top portion of the garlic head to reveal cloves.  Peel any excess paper/skin off from the bulb of garlic.  Place the cloves onto a piece of tin foil and pour about a teaspoon of olive oil on top.  Cover with the foil.  Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes, or until the garlic is golden brown and soft.  

Meanwhile, make the crust:
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, whole wheat flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper.  Pulse once or twice to combine.  Add the diced butter and pulse until you end up with small pieces of butter, similar to the size of rice.

Add 3 tablespoons water and pulse until it comes together.  If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons more ice water until the dough comes together.  Turn the dough onto a floured work surface, knead a couple of times, and then form the dough into a flat disk.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Remove the garlic from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes.  Squeeze garlic out of the paper skin into mash well with a fork.  Add the softened goat cheese, fresh herbs, and a pinch of pepper.

While the garlic roasts and the dough chills, add the butter to a skillet set over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Stir in a tiny pinch of brown sugar and continue to cook, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan frequently until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Add the corn and cook another 5 minutes, or until the corn has browned lightly and caramelized.  Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Remove dough from the fridge.  Flour the work surface and roll the dough to about 1/8-inch thick.  Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Spread the goat cheese over the bottom of the dough, leaving a 3-inch border around the edges.  Spread most of the corn mixture over the goat cheese, then layer the tomato slices over the corn.  Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add the rest of the corn and the thyme sprigs.  Fold the edge of the dough over the tomatoes.  Brush the crust with the beaten egg.  Place the galette in the fridge for 15 minutes or until ready to bake.

Heat the oven to 375 F.

Bake the galette for 45-55 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the tomatoes are very lightly charred.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes, and then slice and serve with a drizzle of balsamic reduction if desired.  The crust will be crumbly, so cut small slices for easier serving.

Serves 6.

From Half-Baked Harvest blog

Gardeners' Pulau

300 grams (10.5 ounces) basmati rice
450 ml (about 2 cups) vegetable stock
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick (about 4 cm/1.5 inch)
2 large onions, finely sliced
3 cm (1.2 inch) ginger, peeled and grated
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 green chilies, finely sliced
400 grams (14 ounces) broccoli florets
200 grams (7 ounces) zucchini, sliced
400 grams (14 ounces) peas, fresh or defrosted
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
10 grams fresh dill
10 grams fresh mint leaves
Lemon wedges, to serve

Wash the rice in a few changes of cold water until the water runs clear, then leave to soak for 20 minutes, or in warm water for 10 minutes if you can't wait that long.  

When the rice has soaked, heat the vegetable stock in a deep lidded saucepan.  Drain the rice, then add to the stock and bring to boil.  Cook for 2 minutes, then cover with the lid, turn the heat down, and simmer for 10 minutes.  Turn the heat off and leave to rest and steam.

Put the oil into a large lidded pan over medium heat and, when hot, add the cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.  Leave to sizzle until fragrant, then add the onions.  Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onions are translucent and softening but not yet colored, then add the ginger, garlic, and green chilies, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the broccoli florets to the pan, stir to mix, then add 5 tablespoons of water and cover immediately so the broccoli can steam through.  After 2 minutes, add the zucchini and a few more tablespoons water, and after another couple of minutes, add the peas, black pepper, and salt.  Cook for another minute or two, then take the mixture off the heat and fold in the rice.  Break the clumps of rice delicately with your hands if necessary.

Once the greens and rice are mixed, check the salt, then transfer to a serving dish.  Tear up the herbs and sprinkle over.  Serve with wedges of lemon and yogurt or a raita.

Serves 4 to 6 as a main course.

From Fresh India by Meera Sodha, with minor change

Basil Yogurt Sauce

1/4 cup (60 grams) plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1 cup (12 grams) fresh basil leaves
1 bunch (85 grams) scallions, white and green parts
1/2 ripe avocado
1 green chili, seeded if desired
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup cold water, plus more as needed

Combine the yogurt, basil, scallions, avocado, chili, lime juice, peppercorns, salt, and water in a blender and pulse on high speed until smooth and uniform.  Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.  You can add more water if you want to make the sauce a little thinner.  Transfer to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

From Season by Nik Sharma