Tunsian Vegetable Stew

Sherri Edman sent this to me, with this note:
This is on heavy rotation at our house. We had it tonight, as a matter of fact. If you have to go out and buy the spices, it isn't cheap anymore, but if you have them all on hand, it's great on the budget. It is - and this is me talking - from Moosewood Cooks At Home, which is one of the all-time best home cookbooks I know of, even if you're not a vegetarian!

1 1/2 c. thinly sliced onion
2 T. olive oil
3 c. thinly sliced cabbage
dash salt
1 large green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. turmeric
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. cayenne (or to taste)
3 c. undrained tomatoes, chopped (28 oz. can)
1 1/2 c. drained cooked chickpeas (16 oz. can)
1/3 c. currants or raisins (optional, says the recipe, but I can't imagine the dish without them)
1 T. lemon juice
salt to taste

In a large skillet, saute the onions in the oil for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the cabbage, sprinkle with salt, and continue to saute for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and cayenne to the skillet and saute for another minute or so. Stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas, and optional currants or raisins, and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve over couscous or the grain of your choice.

Black Beans and Rice Burgers

I generally liven these up by throwing some diced jalapenos and a few drops of hot sauce in 'em. They're a big hit, even with my spoiled, spoiled children.

1 can of black beans, drained and mashed beyond recognition
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small onion, really finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp + 1 cup salsa, divided
1/4 cup sour cream (low fat is fine)

In a large bowl, mix your mashed beans, rice, onion, and the 2 tbsp of salsa. Mix it together and rop by 1/2 cups onto a well-greased skillet. Flatten each burger until they're 1/2" thick. Cook over medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes per side or until it looks cooked.
In a bowl, mix together the rest of the sour cream and the salsa. Serve the burgers on buns with the sour-cream/salsa stuff, some lettuce and a slice of cheese, if you like.
Makes 4 burgers.

Chakchouka

From Moosewood Restaurant Cooks At Home - I gave my copy to one of my cousins many years ago. Sigh.

2 tbsp olive oil (although I use canola and am fine)
1 cup chopped onions (I like to use a mix of regular and red)
2 red peppers (or whatever colour you have)
2 or 3 garlic cloves
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
pinch of cayenne or a dash of hot pepper sauce
a can of diced tomatoes
salt and pepper
4 large eggs

In a large skillet, heat the oil and saute the onions for 5 minutes or so. Add the peppers and garlic to the frying pan and add the spices and hot sauce. Continue to cook for another five minutes, until the peppers soften. While the stuff in the frying pan cooks, drain the tomatoes, reserving the juice. Stir the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of the reserved juice into the frying pan. Add salt and pepper.
When the vegetables are hot and simmering, make four even holes in the goop and carefully crack an egg into each hole. Lower the heat, cover the skillet and cook for several minutes until the eggs are set and the yolks are soft cooked.
Makes 2 servings

Six Layer Dinner

6 small potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 small onions, peeled and thinly sliced
4 small carrots, peeled and - guess what! - thinly sliced
2 large green peppers, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp honey
1 can diced tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil a 10x12 baking dish.
Layer the vegetables in the dish: a layer of potatoes, a layer of
onions, then carrots and green peppers. Sprinkle the layers evenly
with salt and pepper, garlic and herbs. Repeat until all the
vegetabels and herbs are used, ending with the peppers.
Mix the honey with the tomatoes and pour over the vegetables. Cover
the dish and bake until the vegetables are tender and blended
together, about 2 1/2 hours.
Makes 8-10 servings.

Cornmeal-crusted pizza

This is what I'm making for supper tonight!

(from the original Moosewood Cookbook)
Butter a 9 inch pie pan
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 cup cold water
1 cup boiling water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup grated parmesan

Place the cornmeal in a small bowl and add cold water. Stir until well mixed. Add cornmeal mixture to a pot with one cup full of boiling water. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until thick. This should take about five minutes.
Remove from heat, and add the salt and parmesan. Form a crust in the buttered pan (make sure your hands are wet) and bake uncovered at 375 for 30 minutes.

Filling:
Saute a large clove of crushed garlic, a cup of minced onion and 1/2 diced green or red pepper in olive oil. You can also throw in a few sliced mushrooms if they don't make your kids throw up.
Add 1/2 tsp. oregano, 1/2 tsp basil, salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables on top of the cooked crust and arrange slices of tomato and mozzarella on top. Sprinkle on some parmesan and bake for 20 more minutes at 350.

Black Bean Burritos

Another family favorite! This is really fast and easy, the kids love it and it's vegetarian, so it's a good candidate for those nights when you want to plan a meatless supper (or if you're a vegetarian all the time, hey.).

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, mined
half medium red onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3 carrots, shredded
½ cup chopped broccoli
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
¼ cup water
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
8 soft tortillas, medium

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion and peppers; saute for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in beans, carrots, broccoli, chili powder, cumin, vinegar, water and brown sugar. Increase heat to high and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Place ½ cup bean mixture into middle of tortilla and fold all sides over to enclose. Serves 4.