cumin

Janurary in the Kitchen – Roast Cauliflower with Cumin and Sumac
by

Janurary in the Kitchen – Roast Cauliflower with Cumin and Sumac

Roast Cauliflower with Cumin and Sumac

Cauliflower is everywhere these days! It has been one of my favorite vegetables for years and I am pleased to see it finally getting the recognition it deserves. It can be used as a replacement for grains or pasta or pizza crust or potatoes. In many recipes it’s used to reduce the amount of refined carbohydrates; with the added benefit you are increasing the amount of vegetables in your diet. But cauliflower is delicious as a vegetable in it’s own right. Cauliflower cheese AKA cauliflower with cheese sauce is a classic. My favorite is a simple roast cauliflower. Cook it in a hot oven an it comes out with a crisp brown exterior and a soft interior.

Sumac is my new flavor passion. When I came across a recipe for roast cauliflower with cumin and sumac, I had to try it. The combination seems spot on. This recipe came from the blog Everybody Likes Sandwiches.

My usual method for roasting cauliflower is simle. Break an entire head of cauliflower apart into florets, coat them with olive oil and coarse salt, and bake it in a hot oven (400 degrees F) for about 40 minutes. That works well and highlights the vegetable. But, I was searching for a crunchier exterior and decided to try a method I’ve seen in several cookbooks. They call for steaming the cauliflower for 5 minutes so it is partially cooked, then roasting it at a much higher temperature (475 degrees F). I decided to try both and see which my faimily preferred.

Both start out the same.

Cauliflower coated with Sumac, lemon and cumin

Cauliflower coated with Sumac, lemon and cumin

Roast Cauliflower with Cumin and Sumac

  • 1 large head of cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 1/3 cup of olive oil
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground sumac
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 large pinch of kosher salt
  • Ground fresh pepper

Method 1

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
  2. In a large bowl combine the olive oil, lemon, cumin, sumac, garlic powder and salt. Whisk to mix well.
  3. Add the cauliflower and stir to coat with the spices and oil.
  4. Remove the cauliflower to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  5. Bake for 40 minutes, turning half way through to brown the other side.
  6. Serve, adding freshly ground pepper

Method 2

  1. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees F
  2. Steam the cauliflower over boiling water for 5 minutes, drain and cool.
  3. In a large bowl combine the olive oil, lemon, cumin, sumac, garlic powder and salt. Whisk to mix well.
  4. Add the cauliflower and stir to coat with the spices and oil.
  5. Remove the cauliflower to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes, turning half way through to brown the other side.
  7. Serve, adding freshly ground pepper
Cauliflower roasted two ways, method 1 (left) and method 2 (right)

Cauliflower roasted two ways, method 1 (left) and method 2 (right)

I found that the second method (2) produced a crisper exterior with a creamy interior. But, both were good. My family preferred the second but I think it would depend if you had other food in the oven. Cooking at 400 degrees lets you bake some chicken or other vegetables at the same time.

In both cases the mix of spices was delicious and very complementary to the cauliflower.

October in the kitchen – Roast Squash Soup with Cumin, Coriander, and Turmeric
by

October in the kitchen – Roast Squash Soup with Cumin, Coriander, and Turmeric

Have you ever fallen in love with smells and flavors? I can’t seem to get enough of this combination. It is the essence of autumn. This mix of spices has taken hold of my imagination and I’m running with it. You’ll find the same spices used in my post “Chicken with Cumin, Coriander, and Turmeric”. As I said before, I didn’t invent it and can’t take credit. It first came to my attention in a recipe for roast carrots in the New York Times. Martha Rose Shulman used the same spices in a recipe for “Roasted Carrots With Turmeric and Cumin” (and she based hers on one by Suzanne Goin in the “The A.O.C. Cookbook”). That Cookbook is definitely on my holiday wish list!

This soup has that same winning spice combination; plus it’s the signature color of October and Halloween, bright orange. I used a combination of Red Kuri (a Japanese variety, tear drop shaped, in the picture below on the far right) and banana squash. You could use butternut or almost any other variety now available at your local farmer’s market or grocery store.

IMG_2069

 

This is the perfect warming soup to serve in pretty mugs while you greet the little ghosts and goblins at the door on Halloween. Our doorbell rings constantly and it’s difficult to find time to eat a regular meal.

 

IMG_1360

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turmeric is a very powerful medicinal spice and is frequently used in traditional Chinese and Indian cooking. It gives food that lovely mustard yellow color. It has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The presence of black pepper is said to enhance the absorption of curcumin (active ingredient in turmeric) by 2000%. Make sure you add it at the end.

This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and delicious!

Roast Squash Soup with Cumin, Cardamom, and Turmeric

Serves 4-6

  • winter squash, seeded, cut into wedges, enough to make 4 cups, cooked
  • 4 tablespoons of olive or coconut oil – divided
  • Handful of thyme branches or 2 teaspoons of dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon of ground turmeric
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of chili flakes, depending on how spicey you want it
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 can of coconut milk, I used low fat
  • 2 cups of coconut water or vegetable stock, plus additional to thin
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Chopped cilantro, pumpkin and pomegranate seeds as a garnish  

First roast the squash:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 F
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the squash
  3. Brush the squash with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (melted if required), top with the thyme leaves or branches, and about 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
  4. Roast for 1 hour until soft and browned in places
  5. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Scoop out the flesh into a 1 qt. measuring cup or bowl. You should have about 4 cups of cooked squash.

IMG_0155

IMG_0159

While the squash is cooking, prepare the spices:

  1. Toast the cumin and cardamom seeds in a small dry skillet over med-high heat, keep tossing and watch carefully so they don’t burn
  2. When they start to brown and fill the kitchen with the most amazing aroma, remove them from the heat to a small plate
  3. Once cool, grind in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
  4. Mix with the turmeric and chili flakesIMG_0157

Prepare the soup:

  1. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan on medium heat
  2. Sauté the onion until soft, about 10 minutes, don’t let it brown
  3. Add the spice mixture to the skillet or pan and stir until combined and aromatic, about 30 seconds
  4. Add the squash to the pan, sauté for a minute
  5. Add the coconut milk and water
  6. Bring to a simmer
  7. Either blend with an emersion blender or cool slightly and use a regular blender. Be careful to vent the top and fill it no more than half full so you don’t burn yourself
  8. If the soup is too thick, add more coconut water or regular water. The amount you need will be somewhat dependent on the type of squash, I used another 1 1/2 cups.
  9. Return the soup to the pot (if you used a blender) and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
  10. Taste for salt (it might need quite a bit) and add some freshly ground pepper
  11. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro, toasted pumpkin and pomegranate seeds

IMG_0160

I’m taking this soup to Fiesta Friday, hosted by Angie at The Novice Gardener, and Friday Favorites, hosted by Jennie at The Diary of a Real Housewife. Take a peak at the wonderful Autumn recipes on these two websites.

fiesta-friday-badge-button-i-party

 

Note: There are garlic cloves in the pan with the squash. I decided not to use them in the soup so have not mentioned them. You won’t miss them and I think they would distract from the other flavors.

October in the kitchen – Slow Baked Chicken with Carrots, Turmeric, Cumin, and Coriander
by

October in the kitchen – Slow Baked Chicken with Carrots, Turmeric, Cumin, and Coriander

This recipe for roast chicken and carrots is a combination of two I clipped from the NY Times this year. The idea for slow roasting the carrots came from a column by Mark Bittman, and Martha Rose Shulman used the spice mixture in a recipe for “Roasted Carrots With Turmeric and Cumin” (she based hers on one by Suzanne Goin in the “The A.O.C. Cookbook”). Not much is entirely new in the kitchen! This combination of spices is addictive and I thought it would go well with chicken. It was a great success!

Slow Baked Chicken with Carrots, Turmeric, Cumin, and Coriander (Serves 4)

Slow Baked Chicken with Carrots

Slow Baked Chicken with Carrots

  • Two bunches of medium sized carrots, peeled and tops trimmed
  • 8 chicken thighs
  • 4 tablespoons of olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds, toasted
  • 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds, toasted
  • 1 tablespoon of turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon of Aleppo pepper or mild chili powder
  • 3 tablespoons of softened butter
  • ½ cup of fresh mint, chopped, as garnish

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Place a large roasting pan in the oven to heat.

Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small skillet. Watch them carefully to make sure they don’t burn. Remove them to a small plate and cool. Once cool grind them in a mortar and pestle or mini food processer. Combine with the turmeric and chili pepper, then all with the softened butter. Set aside.

IMG_0130

Season the chicken thighs with salt. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook on medium to medium-high heat until the skin is golden brown and they release easily from the skillet. Turn and brown the other side. You may need to do this in two batches. Remove the thighs to a large plate or platter.

Toss the carrots with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the fresh thyme leaves.

Without pouring off any oil, add the carrots to the skillet. Cook, turning them as they brown, until lightly caramelized all over. Remove them to the plate with the chicken.

Turn off the heat under the skillet and add the butter and spice mixture. Scrape up any crusty bits. Remove the hot roasting pan from the oven and add the contents of the skillet to the roasting pan. Add the chicken (plus any accumulated juices) and the carrots to the pan, turning to coat with the spice mixture. Try to spread things out so you have a single layer, keeping the chicken skin side up. Careful with the hot roasting pan, hold it with a thick potholder.

IMG_0105 Bake for one hour and 15 minutes, shaking the pan once halfway through, until chicken is cooked.

Add additional salt as needed and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with the mint leaves.