Turkey Pumpkin Chickpea Stew

Turkey Pumpkin Chickpea Stew ~ inspired by the flavors of the Middle East

1 medium yellow onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 jalapeno or poblano pepper (your preference) seeds and ribs removed, diced
2 large cloves of garlic diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 1/2 cups water
1 15 oz can chickpeas
1 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground sumac
1 1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika (spicey paprika)
Greek Yogurt (I prefer Fage) to garnish
Couscous ~ if desired

Heat oil in a high sided saute pan over medium heat, add onion and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes until beginning to get soft, be careful not to burn the garlic. Add both peppers and saute till peppers and onion mix are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add ground turkey and brown the meat. Add diced tomatoes, pumpkin, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add chickpeas and spices; cover. Simmer for 20-30 minutes till chickpeas are tender but do not fall apart. If desired serve over couscous, otherwise serve in bowls and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

The flavors are a wonderful mix inspired from Middle Eastern food with warmth from traditional spices but not at all overbearing in spice. Pumpkin is widely used in cooking throughout the Middle East adding a wonderful nutty flavor and plenty of nutrients. Peppers in the Middle East are amazing, unfortunately except for small artisan farms we do not have anything like them available in this country, jalapeno or poblano is similar and if one desires more spice you can leave in the ribs and or a some seeds. Sumac is a beautiful fragrant maroon spice with a hint of smokiness. Many different varieties of paprika are available; for this recipe use a paprika with a bite to it, not your usual bland tasting paprika you would add to deviled eggs for color that adds no flavor. As the sumac already has a hint of smokey flavor if you use a smoked paprika reduce the amount in half so you do not overwhelm the dish. Yogurt is a very important part of middle eastern and Mediterranean food, though the yogurt in the USA is very different; hence use Greek yogurt which is very similar. There are many brands of Greek yogurt available; I prefer Fage, the total 0% nonfat holds up well to warmth and does not become watery. Another widely available alternative is Stoneyfield Oikos. If you wish to serve the stew over a grain use couscous, it is quick, healthy, authentic, and takes on the wonderful flavors of the stew.

Serve for a comforting dinner with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec.

Happy Eating, and Enjoy!

Savory Black Bean Soup

Perfect to take the chill off of a cold winter day. Unlike many recipes this black bean soup is savory and not spicy. This recipe is quick and simple, perfect for a weekend lunch or light weekday healthy dinner.

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp herbs de provence

3 large carrots thinly sliced

2 bunches of scallions thinly sliced

2 (15oz) cans of black beans drained and rinsed

3 cups water

1/3 cup lowfat sour cream

salt

pepper

Heat olive oil and herbs de provence in a heavy large saute pan. Once oil is hot add carrots, saute for 4-5 minutes, add 2/3 of the sliced scallions. Saute carrots and scallions stirring when necessary to avoid burning for about 4 minutes till the carrots start to carmelize. Add black beans and water; bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook till the carrots are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat, use an immersion blender in the pan to puree or work in batches through a food processor. Add sour cream and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls, top with remaining scallions and grated cheddar cheese if desired. Enjoy!

Maine Scallops with Grapefruit and Basil

January in Maine welcomes the rich sweet large sea scallops, a delicious treat. I was given a great book by my mother-inlaw, The Flavor Bible, from which I drew inspiration for this flavor combination and recipe.

Maine Scallops with Grapefruit and Basil over Lime Couscous

serves 2

3/4 lb fresh sea scallops

1/4 cup loosely packed torn basil leaves

1 pink grapefruit peeled, and each segment removed from the membrane

1/4 cup white wine

2/3 cup couscous

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup water

dash of salt

1 lime zested

To make the couscous in a small sauce pan add water, olive oil, and salt and bring to a boil. Once boiling remove from heat, add couscous, cover and let sit for 7 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add lime zest. Meanwhile peel the grapefruit, cut away each segment and peel away the membrane over a bowl so you save any lost juice, place peeled segments in the bowl. Preparing the grapefruit is a bit of a tedious task, my husband believes this preparation of it is used to torture the prep cook, really it is not that bad and very worth the effort (less than 10 minutes effort). Wash and tear the basil leaves, set aside. In a heavy pan add 1/4 cup white wine over medium heat and scallops, be careful not to overcook the scallops. Cooking time of the scallops will largely depend on size, with the extra large scallops I often use a lid to help cook them evenly but this still takes only 5 minutes or so. Just before the scallops are cooked add the grapefruit sections and their juice into the pan and then the basil, stir to combine, remove from heat, and plate over the prepared couscous. I like to serve a sauvignon blanc with this dish, and cook the scallops in it. A great sauvignon blanc with notes of citrus and a mellow finish that will not break the bank and is widely available is Starborough from Marlborough New Zealand. Enjoy this quick tasty meal, in less than 30 minutes you will be eating a healthy tasty elegant meal.

A Simple Dinner to Celebrate Seasonal Local Food

A few weeks ago Maine was in the height of strawberry season, beautiful sweet ripe strawberries were bountiful and always inspiring for a meal. Also fresh was spectacular halibut caught off of Mount Dessert Island and sold at the fish counter within a few hours of being caught. My favorite way to prepare fresh halibut steak is on the grill, the firmness of the fish lends to easy grilling similar to steak. My husband likes to grill and does most of the grilling, he particularily enjoys grilling fish and vegetables. Baby carrots from Horse Power Farm are perfect to grill, the smokiness from charcoal adds a subtle flavor. The halibut was grilled with a sprinkling of sea salt and pepper, and drizzled with strawberry balsamic vinegar. Fiore in Rockland and Bar Harbor sells specialty flavored olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I made a light vinaigrette of equal parts strawberry balsamic vinegar and Persian lime olive oil to drizzle over fresh greens, sliced strawberries and cheddar cheese. The flavors compliment each other perfectly, the sweetness of the strawberries is balanced perfectly with the sharpness of the cheddar cheese and the touch of lime in the olive oil. I like to indulge in the cheddar cheese from Diversity Farm. Our dinner was a healthy flavor filled meal with local ingredients and quickly prepared. Happy Eating!

Pad Thai, my all time favorite dish!

This past winter we travelled to Thailand for the first time. While in Chiang Mai we attended a full day cooking class, A lot of Thai, where we learned to cook traditional dishes from a Thai woman at her home. All of the dishes we cooked were amazing, my favorites were what we call pad thai and cashew chicken in the western world. The key ingredient missing in many recipes for Pad Thai is tamarind puree, it is found in many Asian markets. In Portland Maine there is a good Asian market on Forest Ave, Haknuman Meanchey. My favorite variation of Pad Thai uses crab and asparagus.

Pad Thai (Stir fried noodles in Thai sauce) with Crab and Asparagus

2 servings:

3 tbsp peanut oil

1/4 cup firm tofu cut into small sticks

1 tbsp shallot - chopped

1 tbsp garlic - chopped

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp tamarind puree (heaping tbsp)

1 1/2 tbsp raw sugar (not white sugar, I use sugar in the raw or palm sugar)

200g fresh narrow rice noodles (if using dried noodles use 150g soaked in cold water for 15 minutes and drained well).

4-6 tbsp water, more if necessary

1/3 lb asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces

100g or more to taste of bean sprouts

100g chinese chives cut into 1 inch pieces (4-6 scallions)

1/4 lb fresh crab meat

2 eggs

2 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts

lime wedges and cilantro (optional) to garnish

Fry tofu and shallot in peanut oil over medium heat until light brown in a wok using a wooden spoon. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the rice noodles and immediately add 1 tbsp water, cook until the noodles are soft adding water as necessary. Next add the fish sauce, soy sauce, tamarind puree, and sugar (make sure to use sugar in the rawest form you can find, processed sugar will not work), cook for about 1 minute. Add crabmeat, asparagus, bean sprouts, and chinese chive (scallions), cook until the chinese chives and asparagus are bright green. Move the mixture of noodles, sauce, and vegetables to one side of the wok and add 1 tbsp peanut oil to the other side. Add the eggs and cook in the peanut oil, when the eggs are almost cooked slowly mix together with the noodle mixture. Remove from heat. Serve promptly adding roasted peanuts, lime wedges, and cilantro to garnish. Happy Eating!

Farmer's Market Pasta Salad

Living on the Blue Hill Peninsula on the coast of Maine I delight in shopping the local farmer's markets each year and the local ingredients I can buy year round (or almost). There are several great organic farms selling beautiful vegetables as well as two of my favorite vendors Bagaduce Pork and Sunset Acres. Bagaduce Pork sells the best sausage I have ever tasted. Sunset Acres specializes in cheeses from goat milk, their goat feta is a staple in my fridge. For a quick tasty fresh dinner here is one of my favorites:

1 lb whole wheat penne (I always use Hodgson Mill)
1/2 lb ground sausage (Bagaduce Pork)
1 large tomato roughly chopped
4-6 scallions thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini
1 medium summer squash
1 medium bell pepper
1/3 cup crumbled feta (I use Sunset Acres goat feta)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
salt
pepper

Cook pasta as directed, drain, do not rinse, and let cool. Meanwhile cook the sausage in a skillet reserving the fat (if lean). Add cooked pasta to a large bowl, add sausage and the fat, and balsamic vinegar. Stir the pasta mixture to evenly coat. Add the vegetables, basil and feta and stir well. Sprinkle with salt and vinegar. More balsamic vinegar can be added if desired for a stronger taste.

I made this for a family BBQ July 4th, it was a great hit!