Dijon Vinaigrette Potato Salad

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

3 lbs. medium Yukon Gold potatoes, whole (each about 3 inches in diameter)
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tbs. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. coarse-grained Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. caper liquid from the jar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, minced
2 Tbsp. capers, drained

Place the potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover them by 2 inches.  Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain the potatoes and let cool.

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, caper liquid, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl until blended.  Set aside.

Cut the cooked potatoes into bite-size pieces.  Place the potatoes in a large bowl.  Add the chives, parsley, tarragon and capers.  Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and gently toss to coat.  Serve at room temperature.

Fall Mushroom Soup with Savory Herbs

(recipe adapted from Edible Maine magazine)

5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 yellow sweet onions, diced
Kosher salt
3 leeks, cut into thin rounds
1 1/2 lbs. button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/4 cup sherry
4 cups vegetable broth
Fresh ground pepper
1/2 lb. maitake mushrooms (or any fancy mushroom blend), cleaned and cut bite-sized
3 sprigs oregano (or similar amount dried)
3 sprigs thyme, leaves picked from stems (or similar amount dried)
3 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked from stems (or similar amount dried)
1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk

In a medium, heavy-bottomed soup pot with a cover, warm 3 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add the onions and a big pinch of salt and give a stir.  Cover.  Let cook for 5 minutes.  Add the leeks and let cook for another 10 minutes.  Add the button mushrooms and another pinch of salt and let cook for 10 minutes, checking periodically to make sure that nothing is browning.  All the vegetables should be sweating in their own natural juice.  Add the sherry and turn up the heat to medium-high.  Let boil for 2 to 3 minutes until the alcohol is cooked off.  Add the vegetable broth.  Bring to a simmer and let cook for another 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat.  Put half of the mixture into a blender and blend to a slightly coarse texture.  Return to the pot and season with salt and pepper.

In a medium sauté pan, melt remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat.  Add the maitake mushrooms, herbs, and salt to taste.  Sauté until tender.

Add the sautéed mushrooms and herbs to the soup pot with the almond milk.  Stir and warm.

(I added a bunch of fresh chopped tarragon to the soup as well because I had on hand.  Sautéed it with the mushrooms, and instead just added the other dried herbs directly to the soup with the broth.  Was delicious!)

Roasted Cherry Tomato Clafoutis

(recipe from Whole Living magazine)

1 1/2 lbs. cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme (I used less, dried)
Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 large eggs
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 oz. grated Manchego cheese
5 basil leaves, torn into pieces
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 400F.  On a rimmed baking sheet, toss tomatoes and garlic with oil and thyme and season with salt and pepper.  Roast until caramelized, about 30 minutes, then transfer tomatoes and juices to a straight-sided 9-inch-round (2-inch-deep)  baking dish and let cool slightly.  Decrease oven temperature to 350F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cornstarch, coconut milk, cheese, 1/2 tsp. salt, and herbs.  Pour mixture over slightly cooled tomatoes.

Bake until top is golden brown and edges are puffed, 35 to 40 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Quinoa and Bean Summer Salad

(recipe from The Kinfolk Table by Nathan Williams)

1 cup quinoa
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Sea salt
2 cups water
One 16-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
One 16-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, chopped
1 cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the quinoa under cold running water in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear.  Heat 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add the quinoa and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until beginning to dry and turn golden.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, until all of the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender.  Fluff the quinoa with a fork and transfer to a salad bowl.  Cool completely.

Add the black beans, chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumber, vinegar, lemon juice, and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Cauliflower Sautéed with Peaches and Cardamom

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler and Mindy Toomay)

4 cups chopped cauliflower
2 medium shallots, slivered
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 lb. peaches (2 medium)
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
Several grinds black pepper
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves

Combine the cauliflower, shallots, and salt with 1/3 cup water in a heavy-bottomed skillet.  Cover and cook over medium heat 7-10 minutes, until the cauliflower is barely fork-tender.

Meanwhile, peel the peaches and slice the flesh from the pits into bite-size chunks.

When the cauliflower is barely tender, stir in the peaches and sprinkle the cardamom and pepper evenly over the contents of the skillet.  Cook, stirring gently but frequently, for 3 minutes or so, until the peaches are heated through.  Toss with the parsley in a bowl and serve hot or at room temperature.

(Really good and interesting.  I took an old vegan cookbook - so old it didn't have any recipes with kale! - and cooked my way through the whole of it.  Many recipes were so-so, but there have been a few stunners like this one, truly odd and delightful.)

Honey Orange Blossom Vinaigrette

(recipe from Edible Maine magazine)

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 tsp. sherry vinegar
2 tsp. orange blossom water
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper

In a pint jar with a lid, combine ingredients.  Put cover on and give it a good shake until the honey is dissolved.  

Citrus Lentil Salad

(recipe from The Kinfolk Table by Nathan Williams)

1 cup dried lentils, picked over
6 scallions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. white wine or apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 lemon or orange
1 Tbsp. sugar (I used honey)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the lentils in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Drain the lentils and place them in a large bowl.  Add the scallions, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, zest, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Let the salad rest for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.  Serve.  The salad can be stored, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Note: The scallions may be replaced by 1/2 red onion or 2 shallots.