Appetite for Reduction (15 page)

P
olenta is a fabulous side on its own—creamy, comforting, and oh-so-healthy for you! I’m very particular about how I eat my soft polenta, first running my spoon around the edges where it’s cooled down a bit. I love to smother it in saucy beans or veggies and its luscious corn flavor goes with so many types of cuisine. Go Italian with
Chickpea Piccata
(page 115), or
Mexican with the Black Beans in Red Velvet Mole
(page 134). Barbecue works, too, so try it with the
Tamarind BBQ Tempeh & Sweet Potatoes
(page 159). Finely chopped broccoli is my favorite polenta add-in, for its texture and gardeny flavor. It just feels good to eat a bowlful of polenta!

4 cups vegetable broth
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 cup polenta corn grits (polenta)
4 cups very well-chopped broccoli stalks and tops
A few pinches of freshly ground black pepper

In a 2-quart saucepot, bring the water and the ½ teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the polenta in a slow steady stream, whisking contantly as you pour it in. Add the broccoli and turn the heat down low. Let cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Turn off the heat and cover, let sit for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot!

SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME: 15 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES

M
illet is like a blank slate, making it a perfect vehicle for spicy Ethiopian flavors. This dish goes perfectly with the
Mushroom Tibs
(page 95), as they have essentially the same flavor profile.

1 cup millet, rinsed and drained
2 cups water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable broth

First, prepare the millet. Place the millet in a 2-quart pot and cover with 2 cups ofwater. Cover and bring to a boil, then give it a stir and bring the heat down to very low. Cook, covered, for another 15 minutes or so, or until the water has been absorbed and the millet is fluffy. Turn off the heat, but keep the millet covered until ready to add to the pan.

While the millet is cooking, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger in the oil for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper,
and tomatoes, and sauté for about 2 minutes to break down the tomatoes a bit. Add the remainder of the spices, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes to further break down the tomatoes.

Add the millet to the pan and stir, and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the vegetable broth if things appear too dry. Taste for saltand spices, and serve.

SERVES 6 • ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 1½ HOURS

H
ow can one rice dish be so much to so many? Savory, spicy, creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet—this recipe has got it all. Plus it’s a gorgeous orange color! I’m not crazy about peeling butternut squash (who is?) and so I roast it in the oven, thus the long cooking time with lots of downtime. Try it; you’ll see how convenient it is! Just roast away while the rice is cooking; it should take about the same time and once that’s done everything will come together in a snap.

I love the aroma of brown basmati rice here, but you can use whatever rice you like best. Serve with
Pineapple Collards
(page 93) and
Broiled Blackened Tofu
(page 147).

1 cup brown basmati rice
2 cups water
A pinch of salt
2 pounds butternut squash
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 cup sliced shallot
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lime zest
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup light coconut milk
¼ to ½ cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

First, preheat the oven to 400°F (for the squash) and cook your rice according to the package directions, or however you prefer to cook rice. I rinse the rice and then add it to a 2-quart pot along with the water and a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, immediately lower the heat as low as it will go and cook for about an hour.

For the squash, slice off the bulbous part. Slice in half lengthwise,
exposing the seeds. Scoop the seeds out with a tablespoon. Slice the long part of the squash in half lengthwise as well. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the squash face down on the sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes. Once it’s soft enough to pierce with a fork, remove it from the oven and let it cool. (Place it outside to cool if possible; that’ll speed things up.) When the squash is cool enough to handle, proceed with the recipe.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the shallot in the oil, using a little nonstick cooking spray if needed, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, lime zest, red pepper flakes, and salt, and sauté for another 2 minutes. Turn down the heat to low.

Scoop the flesh out of the squash and add it to the pan, along with the coconut milk. Use a potato masher (or a fork) to mash the butternut into a creamy consistency. Add the rice and stir well. Add ¼ cup of the vegetable broth and mix well. You can add up to another ¼ cup of broth to get a creamier consistency if you like. Add the lime juice, taste for salt, and serve!

SERVES 6 • ACTIVE TIME: 25 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES

I
f you look up
kibbeh
in Wikipedia, you’ll find a million different variations, shapes, and definitions. But perhaps you aren’t a nerd who immediately looks things up on Wikipedia and then doubts its validity, so I will just tell you this: kibbeh, as I know it, is a Lebanese dish of bulgur, mixed with usually mushy veggies (the vegan versions of kibbeh, at least), spices, and mint. It goes fabulously with a Mediterranean meze, so break out the hummus for this one.

1 cup bulgur, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced finely
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ cup fresh chopped mint, plus extra for garnish

First, prepare the bulgur. Boil 1⅓ cups of water in a kettle. Place the bulgur in a small pot that has a secure-fitting lid; I have a 2-quart enameled cast-iron one that does the trick. Pour the water over the bulgur and cover. Let it steam for about 40 minutes, or until tender.

In the meantime, prepare the rest of the kibbeh.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion in the olive oil for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more. Mix in the eggplant, salt, and pepper, cover the pan, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The eggplant should release a bunch of moisture and cook down.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Add the tomatoes and cumin to the skillet and cook for another 10
minutes. Turn off the heat. The bulgur should be done at this point, so add it to the pan and thoroughly combine. Fold in the chopped mint.

Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Press the kibbeh firmly into the baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes. It tastes great served warm, but I actually like it even better at room temp, once the flavors have melded. Serve garnished with mint.

SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME: 15 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES