Greek Eggplant Dip

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet)

2 lbs. eggplant (2 medium)
1/4 cup diced white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 Tbsp. minced fresh oregano leaves (I used 1 tsp. dried oregano)
3 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 baguette or crusty loaf of bread

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Do not peel the eggplants, but pierce them in several places with a fork.  Place the whole eggplants in an ovenproof glass dish.  Bake for 40-50 minutes, until very soft.  The skin may scorch slightly.  Remove the eggplants from the oven and set aside to cool.  When they are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise and scrape the pulp from the skin.

Place the eggplant pulp in a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop; do not puree.  Drain off any liquid that may separate from the pulp.  Add the onion, garlic, parsley, and oregano and pulse to combine.  With the machine running, add the lemon juice and olive oil.  Don't overprocess - the resulting mixture should be a thick, slightly chunky puree.  Transfer to a serving bowl and chill for several hours.

Serve with sliced or chunked bread (toasted if desired).

(This was a hit at the island Christmas party, 2018.)

Mushroom Tempeh Pâté

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet)

1/4 lb. button mushrooms
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. tempeh, cubed
1 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. dry sherry
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. rubbed sage
1/8 tsp. ground allspice

Chop the mushrooms coarsely.  Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add the tempeh, mushrooms, onion, and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.  The mushroom liquid will evaporate and the mushrooms and onions will brown slightly.  Stir in the sherry, soy sauce, sage, and allspice.  Cook stirring constantly, about 5 minutes, until the liquid is gone.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Puree the mixture in a food processor to a thick, homogenous consistency.  Spoon into a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.  Serve at room temperature with crisp crackers or baguette slices.

(Add salt and pepper to taste - I found it needed more salt!)

Apple Cranberry Relish

(recipe from Saveur magazine)

1/8 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cups fresh or frozen and defrosted cranberries
1 sweet apple, cored, peeled, and roughly chopped
1 1/4 cups unsweetened apple juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook garlic and onion until soft, 6-8 minutes.  Add cranberries and apples; cook until cranberries burst and apples are tender, about 15 minutes.  Add apple juice, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is slightly dry, about 45 minutes.  Let cool slightly and transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely ground.  Serve cold or at room temperature.

Polenta

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet)

1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Heat 4 cups water to a simmer over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Crush oregano with a mortar and pestle to a fine consistency, or crush thoroughly with your fingers, then add to the water along with the salt.  Pour in the cornmeal in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer about 20 minutes, stirring almost constantly with a wooden spoon.  As it cooks, the polenta will thicken.  When it is thick enough to pull away from the sides of the pan, the polenta is done.  Stir in the olive oil.  Pour the hot cooked polenta into a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap so it does not dry out, and allow it to cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Polenta can be sliced and heated as desired.  Serve with sauteed veggies.

Toasted Muesli with Millet, Coconut, Pistachios, and Cranberries

(recipe from Whole Living magazine)

1/3 cup boiling water
1/2 cup whole millet
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
3/4 cup shelled pistachios (I used walnuts)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbsp. coconut oil (I used olive oil)
1 tsp. fine-grain sea salt
2/3 cup dried cranberries (I used frozen cranberries)

In a bowl, pour boiling water over millet, cover with a plate, and let sit until softened, 30 minutes.  Drain.

Heat oven to 325F.  In a large bowl, combine drained millet, oats, pistachios, and coconut flakes.  (I also mixed in the frozen cranberries.)

In a small saucepan, bring honey, oil, and salt to a boil.  Pour over millet mixture and stir until combined.

Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring once, until golden, about 20 minutes.  Once cool, stir in dried cranberries.  Muesli keeps, stored in an airtight container, two weeks.

(Even with all of the substitutions I made, this was lovely.)

Curried Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard

(recipe adapted from The New York Times)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
1 1/2 tsp. garam masala
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded if desired, then minced
4 to 5 cups vegetable broth as needed
2 lbs. orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
1 bay leaf
1 lb. Swiss chard, center ribs removed and diced, leaves thinly sliced
1 tsp. kosher salt, more to taste
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1/2 lime

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry powder and jalapeño.  Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in 4 cups broth, sweet potatoes, lentils and bay leaf.  Increase heat to high and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.  (If lentils seem dry, add 1 cup stock, or more if needed.)  Stir in chard and salt and pepper, and continue cooking until lentils are tender and chard is cooked, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in cilantro, lime zest and juice.

(Good flavor and fairly easy to make.  Keeps well.)

Curried Sweet Potato Latkes

(recipe from a magazine, not sure which one)

1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes
1 small onion
1/2 cup raisins
2/3 cup flour
3 eggs
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. kosher salt

Peel and shred the sweet potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.  Grate or shred the onion, and add to the sweet potatoes along with the raisins and flour.

Separately in a small bowl, beat the eggs with the curry powder and salt.

Add the egg mixture to the sweet potato mixture and mix with your hands or a spoon.

Warm 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Drop 1/3-cupfuls of mixture into skillet and fry, pressing with a spatula to flatten, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Keep warm in a 200F oven until ready to serve.  Serve with sour cream, if desired.

(Since one of my least favorite things is frying patties in a skillet, I put the entire sweet potato mixture in a large pie plate and baked in a 350F oven for 45 minutes.  Then cut into wedges.  Very delicious!)