A Perfect Appetizer for a Spring Weekend!

Easter Dresses and a fun appetizer? As a girlie girl, I ask you, "Does it get better?" This week's Friday Four recipe was one of a handful of gorgeous small bites we served up at Saks for Lafayette 148 and one of my favorite people, stylist Amy Nelson.

Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan, but packed with deliciousness, this recipe can go far beyond the appetizer table. Just cut your polenta a little larger, sauté up a few more mushrooms and double the arugula dressing and you have dinner...done.

This is actually three recipes in one. Its all about the assembly. Never fear, its also a great recipe to make ahead. Two days ahead of time, make your polenta and put it in the fridge. Day before, you can make the pesto. Slide the polenta and pesto out of the fridge, cut the polenta and place the shapes in the oven at 350F for about 10 minutes to warm. While its cooking, sauté  the mushrooms. (You can also serve this at room temp as we did in the picture above.)

Place the polenta on a plate, top with the mushrooms and pesto. Garnish with a little more arugula if you'd like. Of course, the red pop of a sliced grape tomato would be a welcome color, too.

Sundried Tomato Polenta

7 Cups Water    

1 TB Salt

1 2/3 Cup Polenta or Grits

¼ Cup Chopped Sundried Tomatoes*

Bring the water to a boil and sprinkle in the salt and polenta, whisking constantly. Stir for about 3 minutes, turn the heat down to low, cover and set your timer for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the lid and stir for 2 -3 minutes. Repeat this two more times. When the polenta is cooked, stir in the sundried tomatoes and spread the polenta on a well oiled sheet pan. Place in the fridge until firm, cut into shapes with a knife or cookie cutter.

* Buy the dry - not packed in oil - sundried tomatoes for this recipe. When you feel the bag of tomatoes, they should feel soft, like a raisin. If they are hard and crumbly, pass on those and find more.

Sautéed Mushrooms

2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 – 8  OZ Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced

2 TB Braggs Liquid Amino Acids*

Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large sauté pan. When the oil is hot, not smoking, add in the mushrooms. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes or until the mushrooms begin to give off liquid and brown. Add in the Braggs and continue to cook and stir until the mushrooms are browned on the edges. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

*Braggs are a great substitute for soy sauce or tamari. Easy to find in the condiments aisle of the grocery store, they are a liquid amino acid that is gluten-free.

Arugula Pesto

1 Garlic Clove

2 TB Tahini*

1 TB Lemon Juice

2 – 3 Cups Packed Arugula

½ Cup Chopped Toasted Walnuts

1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Place the garlic, tahini and lemon juice in the food processor bowl and whiz until pureed. Add the walnuts and arugula and pulse to blend. With the machine running, pour the olive oil in a steady stream into the bowl, process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*Tahini is ground sesame seed paste. It’s easy to find in the grocery store, or just substitute almond butter instead.

Luscious, Meatless and Fun: South Indian Butternut and Squash Stew

I am having a “Crockpot” Renaissance. I wake up in the morning, scheming about what to plop in the pot so we can have dinner together at a decent hour during the week, (not to mention eating really deliciously and well.) So here’s one of my latest creations, one that I served up at a recent class of appreciative eaters! Not only is it gorgeous with brilliant colors of orange, yellow and red, it's a great way to make a meatless meal that is so hearty no one even misses the meat. The leftovers freeze great, and a pita pocket stuffed full with the stew and a little shredded Napa cabbage makes a super lunch the next day.

Make it as spicy as you like. The recipe is redolent with the warm aroma of Garam Masala, an Indian spice blend including coriander, turmeric, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon, but you can add more!  We are “pepperheads” in my family, so I add additional Garam Masala and a ½ Tsp of Cayenne to the big pot.

South Indian Butternut and Squash Stew

            1 Cup Dried Chickpeas, soaked overnight*

            2 ½ LBs Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and chopped

            2 Large Carrots, peeled and chopped

            1 Large Red Onion, chopped

            1 Cup Red Lentils**

            4 Cups Vegetable Broth

            2 TB Tomato Paste

            1 TB Grated Fresh Ginger

            1 Tsp Cumin

            1 Tsp Garam Masala

            1  Tsp Sea Salt

            ½ Tsp Turmeric

            1/4 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

            1/4 Cup Lime Juice

            6 Cups Cooked Basmati Brown Rice

            1/2 Cup Chopped Roasted Cashews

            1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro

Combine the soaked chickpeas through the black pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low until the chickpeas are tender and the lentils have begun to break down, 5 to 6 hours.  Stir in the lime juice. (Why lime juice? I don’t have to add as much salt. Citrus juice is a great substitute for salt!) Sprinkle with cashews and cilantro and serve over the basmati brown rice.

*Quick soak method:

Place beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. Drain when ready to use.

**Can’t find red lentils? Red lentils are a traditional “dal”, used in Indian cooking. “Dal” is the word used to describe lentils, peas and beans in India. I like them in this recipe, because they not only add golden color, (they turn from red to yellow when cooked), but they also break down easily, so the flavor incorporates beautifully into the dish. If you can’t find the reds – just use ordinary brown lentils from the grocery store. Your stew will still taste delicious!