CD Winter 2009

John & Lu - CD Jan 28th 2009

Vegetarian Moussaka

Mouss:

2 large eggplant

1 young impressionable zucchini
1 large can whole green lentils
(the recipe says cook your own but really come on...)
2 onions, sliced
5 cloves garlic
1 bunch spinach, stemmed
1 large can chickpeas
1 large can chopped tomatoes
4 tblsp tomato paste
fresh ground pepper, cumin, coriander & herbs de Provence

Aka:
1/2 litre yoghurt
1/2 pound aged white cheddar
3 eggs

Mouss
1. Slice eggplant & zucchini diagonally about 1/4 inch thick and sprinkle with salt, put in a colander with something heavy on top for 30 minutes to squeeze out the evil juices.

2. Sauté onions and garlic, add lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs and 3 tblsp water, bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Mixture should look like chunky vomit. Season to taste with S&P.

3. Preheat oven to 350 kelvin

4. Rinse eggplant & zucchini, fry briefly to brown edges (sauté if you're French) then put a layer in the bottom of a big ass buttered pyrex dish, add a layer of vomit mixture, then spinach leaves, then eggplant / zucchini, then vomit etc. Make top layer eggplant / zucchini as a roof. Keep in mind the Aka layer will swell like an inch due to the eggs.

Aka
5. Mix together egg yoghurt and S&P and pour over the Mouss, add a shitload of cheese on top, then add more cheese, then bake at 350 for 45 minutes, then grill for 5 to brown that bad boy up.

6. Let sit for 5 minutes to congeal, serve. Is really good the next day with hot sauce and a beer.

Thank you all for coming over and making me blush for the first time in years

John

Carrot Ginger and Cilantro Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb young carrots, chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 knobbin' of young ginger, chopped
2 small potatos, chopped
1 celery stalk, that's right, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp butter
Olive oil
3 tsp ground coriander
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 -3 tbsp young celery stalk, chopped
1 cup milk
fresh ground pepper & salt
Lemon

The making

1. Sauté the onion and the ginger in 1 tbsp of butter and a bit of olive oil until the onion is shiny and soft

2. Add the celery, mix with the onion and ginger for about a minute.

3. Add the carrots and the potatoes. Let it sweat for about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring so the vegetables don't stick to the bottom of the pan.

4. Add the vegetable stock and let the carrots and potatoes cook until soft.

5. Meanwhile, add the rest of the butter to a pan and saute the young celery stalks, the cilantro and the coriander. reserve.

6. Blend the soup then add the milk and the coriander, cilantro and celery mixture

7. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

8. Serve with the celery leaves sprinkled with pepper as garnish.

For extra 'zest' add lemon

Thank y'all for putting up with tanked Luana... yet another Wednesday!

Lu