Thursday, January 19, 2006
Dinner
As part of my New Year's resolution to organize my meal-planning and reduce the amount I'm spending at the grocery store, I'm actually planning TOMORROW's dinner. Unfortunately I have no idea what I'm serving tonight, so I'm not sure how effective this strategy is. Nevertheless, here is chez Turner's Friday evening meal, from my favorite magazine, Eating Well:
Squash, Chickpea & Red Lentil Stew
3/4 cup dried chickpeas
2.5 lbs. kabocha or butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. minced peeled fresh ginger
1.5 t. ground cumin
1 t. salt
1/4 t. saffron
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper
1/4 c. lime juice
1/2 c. chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
1/4 c. packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1. Soak chickpeas in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches for 6 hours or overnight. Drain when ready to use.
2. Combine the soaked chickpeas, squash, carrots, onion, lentils, broth, tomato paste, ginger, cumin, salt, saffron and pepper in a 6-qt. slow cooker.
3. Put on lid and cook on low until the chickpeas are tender and the lentils have begun to break down, 5 to 6 1/2 hours.
4. Stir in lime juice. Serve sprinkled with peanuts and cilantro.
I think I'm going to serve this with some cous-cous that my finicky 2-year-old will eat and maybe a green salad.
Next I've got to come up with dinner for a colleague whose wife just had a baby. I really need to have a "signature" dish that's easy to prepare so I don't have to rack my brain in these situations.
Squash, Chickpea & Red Lentil Stew
3/4 cup dried chickpeas
2.5 lbs. kabocha or butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. minced peeled fresh ginger
1.5 t. ground cumin
1 t. salt
1/4 t. saffron
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper
1/4 c. lime juice
1/2 c. chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
1/4 c. packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1. Soak chickpeas in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches for 6 hours or overnight. Drain when ready to use.
2. Combine the soaked chickpeas, squash, carrots, onion, lentils, broth, tomato paste, ginger, cumin, salt, saffron and pepper in a 6-qt. slow cooker.
3. Put on lid and cook on low until the chickpeas are tender and the lentils have begun to break down, 5 to 6 1/2 hours.
4. Stir in lime juice. Serve sprinkled with peanuts and cilantro.
I think I'm going to serve this with some cous-cous that my finicky 2-year-old will eat and maybe a green salad.
Next I've got to come up with dinner for a colleague whose wife just had a baby. I really need to have a "signature" dish that's easy to prepare so I don't have to rack my brain in these situations.
