Snap Peas, Green Beans, Arugula Mint Pesto

This recipe is by Claire Saffitz and originally published in Bon Appetit.

This is a perfect spring/summer bbq side dish!

Ingredients

½ cup raw skin-on almonds
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 cups (lightly packed) baby arugula
2 ounces Parmesan, shaved, divided
1 cup mint leaves, plus more for serving
⅓ cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces sugar snap peas
12 ounces green and/or wax beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Lemon wedges (for serving)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until fragrant and slightly darkened in color, 8–10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop half of almonds and set aside. Pulse remaining almonds with garlic, arugula, half of Parmesan, and 1 cup mint in a food processor to a smooth paste. With motor running, stream in oil; thin with 2 Tbsp. cold water to reach a pourable consistency. Season pesto with salt and pepper.

Cook peas and beans in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain; transfer to a bowl of ice water and chill until cold. Drain peas and beans; pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with lemon juice and 3 Tbsp. pesto; season with salt and pepper.

Arrange peas and beans in a large bowl or platter over remaining pesto. Top with more mint leaves, reserved almonds, and remaining Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Do Ahead: Peas and beans can be blanched 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

This recipe comes from Giada De Laurentiis. I usually like her recipes, but this is not a great one in my opinion. It was just ok and I like fennel.

Total Time:
55 min

Yield:4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 fennel bulbs, cut horizontally into 1/3-inch thick slices, fronds reserved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the fennel in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with the Parmesan. Drizzle with the oil. Bake until the fennel is fork-tender and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 2 teaspoons, then sprinkle over the roasted fennel and serve.

Slow Cooker Quinoa Chili

This recipe showed up in my Facebook feed. You don't have to have a slow cooker, you can use a dutch oven instead. Using the quinoa helps give this recipe a punch of protein even though it's all vegetarian.

Total time - 8 hours 15 mins
Serves: 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients

2 medium poblano peppers (about ½ pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium green pepper, diced (about 1½ cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
4 cups cooked cannellini (white kidney) beans (or 2 15-ounce cans, drained)
¾ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed under cold water and drained
5-6 dashes Tabasco sauce (optional)

Fresh lime wedges and other optional toppings such as fresh cilantro, sour cream or Greek Yogurt, or shredded jack cheese

Instructions

First, roast your poblanos. Turn the oven on to the high broil setting and move the rack to about one-third of the way from the top of the oven. Wash and dry whole peppers and place on a cookie sheet. Place in the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes, until the tops are blackened, then turn carefully with tongs and continue broiling until most sides are blistered and blackened. But watch carefully! Ovens can vary greatly, so keep a close eye on the peppers and remove them if they start to smoke more than just a little.

Remove blackened peppers from the oven and carefully tent a large piece of foil over the top. This helps the peppers to "sweat" and will make the skin easier to peel off when it's time.

While the poblanos are cooling, assemble the rest of the chili. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the diced onions and green peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-6 minutes.

Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, cloves, and salt. Cook, stirring, for one minute.

Add a cup or so of broth and stir to make sure all the bits of flavor are scraped up into the broth. Carefully pour into the slow cooker along with the remaining vegetable broth, cannellini beans, quinoa, and Tabasco if using.

Carefully peel the skin off of the poblanos and remove the stem. Remove the seeds for a milder chili; keep them for a hotter chili. Finely dice and add to the Crock Pot. Stir gently to mix all of the ingredients together.

Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours, or on high for 3 - 4 hours until the quinoa is tender and the chili is relatively thick. Taste and add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop into bowls and squeeze a lime wedge over each serving. Garnish with additional toppings if desired.

New Mexican Enchiladas

This recipe comes from Saveur. I had never made enchiladas from scratch before and I like this recipe. It does seem a bit involved, but it was worth it. Make sure to use New Mexico red chiles - the matured dried green chiles (hatch) otherwise the sauce will get too spicy.

Ingredients
8 dried New Mexico chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 oz. Mexican chocolate, such as Ibarra, roughly chopped
1⁄2 tsp. dried oregano
1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 saltine crackers or 2 1⁄2 tbsp. bread crumbs (use gluten free if desired)
1 clove garlic
1 whole clove
1⁄2 cup plus 1 tbsp. canola oil
Kosher salt, to taste
2 cups queso añejo, grated, plus more to garnish 1⁄2 small yellow onion, minced
12 corn tortillas

Instructions
Make the red chile sauce: Heat chiles in a 12″ skillet over high heat, and cook, turning as needed, until toasted, about 5 minutes; transfer chiles to a blender with chocolate, oregano, cinnamon, crackers, garlic, clove, and 1 1⁄2 cups boiling water, and let sit for 5 minutes. Puree until smooth, and then pour sauce through a fine strainer into a bowl.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat, and add chile sauce; cook, stirring often, until reduced and thickened, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and set aside.

To assemble the enchiladas, combine the queso añejo and onion in a small bowl and set aside. Pour oil to a depth of 2″ in a 6-qt. Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°.

Using tongs, grasp all the tortillas in a stack and submerge in oil, swirling in oil until slightly fried and pliable, about 15 seconds. (The surface of the tortillas should puff up in tiny pockets in several places.) Remove from oil and set aside on a plate to cool. (Alternatively, you may wrap the tortillas in a damp towel towel and briefly microwave to steam.)

Dip each tortilla in chile sauce until completely coated. Transfer to a plate and top with 3 tbsp. cheese filling; roll up like a cigar and sprinkle with more cheese. Serve immediately with rice and beans.

Date Feta Cabbage Salad

This recipe comes from smittenkitchen.com. I have mixed feelings about this salad. I liked it and also didn't like it. I think there was not enough feta cheese for my taste and I couldn't decide if I wanted more or fewer dates. I think I might need to make this salad a couple more times to get the right feel.

If you don’t like your cabbage too crunchy, dressing it as directed and letting it rest in the salad bowl for a while before adding the other ingredients will soften and wilt it a bit.

Serves 4 to 6 as a side

1 to 1 1/4 pounds red cabbage (1 small head or half of a large one), sliced very thin
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
Salt and red pepper flakes to taste
About 1/2 cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped or sliced
4 ounces feta, crumbled into chunks
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons well-toasted sesame seeds

Toss cabbage with olive oil and first tablespoon of lime juice, plus salt and pepper, coating leaves evenly. Taste and add more lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Do this a few times, to make sure the base is well seasoned because it will be hard to do later.

Toss dressed cabbage gently with half of dates and feta. Sprinkle with remaining dates, then feta, then parsley and sesame seeds. Dig in.

Do ahead: The whole salad can sit assembled for at least an hour, if not longer in the fridge. Mine is going strong on the second day. You can also prepare the parts separately (feta, chopped dates, sliced cabbage) to assemble right before serving, if you’re planning ahead for Thanksgiving or a dinner party.

Brothy Beans

This recipe comes from Bon Appetit. I wanted to like this recipe. I really did. It just seems a little dull or boring or that it lacks something but I am not sure what that is. Also, be careful with the salt. I followed the recipe and started with 2 T of salt and that seemed to be a little much.

SERVINGS: 4–6

Ingredients
1 pound dried gigante, baby lima, or cannellini beans, or chickpeas, soaked in water overnight, drained
1 onion, halved
2 carrots, peeled, halved crosswise
2 celery stalks, halved crosswise
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Olive oil (for drizzling)

Preparation
Place beans, onion, carrots, and celery in a large pot and add cold water to cover by several inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer very gently until beans are cooked almost all the way through, about 1½ hours. Season with salt and continue to cook, adding more water if needed to keep beans submerged, until tender (outside skin should still be intact), 45–60 minutes. Discard onion, carrots, and celery.


Transfer beans and broth to a serving dish or a large bowl; season very generously with salt (start with 2 Tbsp.) and pepper and drizzle with oil. 


Do Ahead: Beans can be cooked and seasoned 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat gently before serving.

Herbed Chickpeas

This recipe comes from Alison Roman in Bon Appetit. This is a winner. It's easy and flavorful and versatile. I like to add a handful of cherry or grape tomatoes and let them cook down with the beans.

SERVINGS: MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

Ingredients

2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed, patted dry
4 garlic cloves, crushed
⅓ cup olive oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2½ cups chopped mixed tender herbs (such as parsley, cilantro, chives, and/or basil)

Preparation

Place chickpeas in a large skillet or Dutch oven and add garlic and oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are crisped and some have split open (these will be the most delicious ones), 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in herbs.

Curry Roasted Carrots

This recipe is from Food and Wine. I love easy recipes that taste good and I really love roasted carrots. This recipe was a nice change of pace with the gremolata that added a little spice but also some freshness with the cilantro.

INGREDIENTS

3 bunches small carrots with tops (2 pounds), scrubbed and tops reserved
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Preheat the oven to 425°. On a baking sheet, toss the carrots and shallots with the olive oil and curry powder and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender and golden. Drizzle with the lemon juice and toss to coat. Transfer the carrots and shallots to a platter.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cilantro, lemon zest and jalapeño. Finely chop the carrot tops until you have 1/2 cup and add to the bowl.

Sprinkle the gremolata over the carrots and shallots and serve.

Carrot Chickpea Salad

This recipe was in Food and Wine Charles Kelsey. I think this a really strong salad recipe. It is a nice change of pace. The chickpeas are good and the carrots add a sweetness to the flavors. Although you might think it changes the character of the salad a lot, I think this recipe can be made without the cilantro as well and it still works. If you do that you will need to add something to cut the acidity of the lemon juice. I added sugar to taste.

TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN
SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 packed cups cilantro leaves and stems
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded

In a food processor, combine the lemon juice with the minced garlic and let stand for 15 minutes. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the almonds and toast over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Drain the toasted almonds on paper towels and let cool.

Transfer half of the almonds to the food processor. Add the cilantro, cumin, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper and pulse until chopped. Add the olive oil and process to a chunky paste. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to a large bowl. Add the chickpeas and carrots and toss. Garnish with the remaining almonds and serve.

MAKE AHEAD
The carrot salad can be refrigerated overnight. Garnish with the toasted almonds just before serving.

Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges

This recipe was originally posted by Tiffany at Creme de la Crumb. This is a solid recipe. I use a caesar-salad style dressing for the dipping sauce, because it has the same strong tang that blue cheese has but I like the anchovy vibe better. I also like to serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe type: Side Dish / Appetizer
Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS
3-4 large russet potatoes, sliced into wedges
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
optional: fresh parsley (or cilantro), ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a large baking sheet and set aside.

Place potato wedges in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. In a small bowl whisk together salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle potato wedges with the shredded cheese, tossing to coat, then sprinkle with the seasoning mixture.

Place potato wedges on prepared baking sheet in a single layer with skin-sides-down. Bake for 25-35 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and dressing for dipping.

Frida Kahlo's Zucchini Salad

This recipe is from Saveur magazine. I think it's a really good recipe. It was a little different than the usual zucchini recipe and the avocado added great texture. The word avocado comes from a word that means "testicles".  The last comment says the article is incorrect and explains the mistake the article makes. I don't really know if any of it is true, but it's funny to think about either way.

SERVES 6-8
Ingredients
8 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
½ tsp. sugar
6 small zucchini, sliced
2 ripe avocados, sliced
3 oz. crumbled queso añejo or parmesan
2 tbsp. cilantro, roughly chopped

Instructions

Shake 6 tbsp. olive oil, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a glass jar until emulsified; set aside. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high; cook zucchini until golden, 10–12 minutes. Let cool slightly and overlap on a serving platter with avocados. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with the vinaigrette; garnish with queso añejo or parmesan and cilantro.

Smashed Potatoes with Leek and Garlic

This is a great recipe by Alison Roman published at Bon Appetit. This recipe is a hit and I know this because my wife loves potatoes. If she dislikes a potato recipe, it's not good.

SERVINGS: 8

Ingredients

2½ pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes
⅓ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 leeks, dark-green parts discarded, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 green garlic bulbs, white and pale-green parts only, or 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation
ACTIVE: 1 HRS
TOTAL: 1 HRS 15 MIN

Steam potatoes in a steamer basket in a covered pot filled with 2" water until tender, 15–20 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a plate; let cool. Press with your hand to flatten until skins split and some flesh is exposed (a few may fall apart).

Heat half of ⅓ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until potatoes start to brown, 8–10 minutes. Add half of leeks and garlic; cook, tossing, until potatoes are brown and crisp and leeks are golden and soft, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining oil, potatoes, leeks, and garlic.

Add lemon zest and juice to potatoes and toss well; season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled with more oil.

Gnocchi

I have tried this recipe with gluten free flour two times now and both times have been less than amazing. I have a good gluten free flour mix that I have used for ravioli but it's just not the same. The second try, I added 1 T xanthan gum per 1 c of flour and it still doesn't work. The gluten free flour doesn't hold together well enough, it doesn't have enough elasticity, and the potatoes overwhelm the texture.

16 russet potatoes

eggs

flour

Roast peeled potatoes at 450F for 1 hour.
Cut the potatoes in half and rest until they stop steaming.
Using a potato ricer, mash the potatoes and let cool for a bit.
Add 2 egg yolks for 1 pound of potatoes.
Add just under half a cup of sieved flour (depends on the potatoes).
Gently work the dough until it comes together and stops sticking to the work surface. (Be careful not to overwork it).
Roll and cut the dough to desired size gnocchi.
Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface plus 20 seconds.
Heat olive oil in a pan and pan fry the gnocchi until they have nice crisp burn marks. (Use flavored oil or add garlic if desired.)

Cucumbers with Scallion Chili Oil

I really like this recipe from Chris Morocco and published at Bon Appetite. In my opinion, the resting with the salt is really the important step. I think cutting them works just as well if you don't want to get a rolling pin dirty just for a quick salad. ;)

SERVINGS: 4

Ingredients

1 pound Persian or English hothouse cucumbers
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
3 scallions, sliced
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Chili oil (for serving)

Preparation
ACTIVE: 10 MIN TOTAL: 20 MIN

Gently smack cucumbers with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pot until they begin to break apart. Tear into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a colander; toss with 1 tsp. salt. Let sit 10 minutes to drain excess liquid.

Transfer cucumbers to a medium bowl and toss with scallions, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Drizzle with chili oil.

Whole Roasted Radishes

This recipe comes from PureWow. I have always thought radishes were ok. They were the backup to eat from raw vegetable plates when nothing else was available. But lately I have enjoyed them in a variety of ways. Roasting has become my favorite.

Ingredients
2 bunches radishes, ends and tops trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, toss the radishes with the olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
3. Roast until the radishes are tender and browning at the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Gently Smashed Cucumber Salad

This recipe comes by way of Bon Appetite. You can use a knife too if you want, although hitting the cucumbers is kind of fun. :)

If you don't have or want to use chili oil, sprinkle some shichimi on the salad.

Ingredients
1 pound Persian or English hothouse cucumbers
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
3 scallions, sliced
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Chili oil (for serving)

Preparation
ACTIVE: 10 MIN TOTAL: 20 MIN

Gently smack cucumbers with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pot until they begin to break apart. Tear into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a colander; toss with 1 tsp. salt. Let sit 10 minutes to drain excess liquid.

Transfer cucumbers to a medium bowl and toss with scallions, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Drizzle with chili oil.

Smashed Twice Cooked Potatoes

This recipe from Bon Appetit is great. I loved the contrast of the lemon juice and crispy potatoes. I added fresh oregano. My wife is not a fan of lemon juice but she loves potatoes and she ate them because they are that good.

Ingredients
SERVINGS: 8

2½ pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes
⅓ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 leeks, dark-green parts discarded, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 green garlic bulbs, white and pale-green parts only, or 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation
ACTIVE: 1 HRS TOTAL: 1 HRS 15 MIN

Steam potatoes in a steamer basket in a covered pot filled with 2" water until tender, 15–20 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a plate; let cool. Press with your hand to flatten until skins split and some flesh is exposed (a few may fall apart).

Heat half of ⅓ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until potatoes start to brown, 8–10 minutes. Add half of leeks and garlic; cook, tossing, until potatoes are brown and crisp and leeks are golden and soft, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining oil, potatoes, leeks, and garlic.

Add lemon zest and juice to potatoes and toss well; season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled with more oil.

Garlic Confit Toast

This recipe is from Bon Appetit. The fancy name is silly, but the taste is not. Garlic bread by any other name is garlic bread and as long as it is good, who cares?

Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4

1 head garlic, cloves peeled
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons chopped oregano
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1 baguette

Preparation
ACTIVE: 30 MIN TOTAL: 40 MIN

Cook garlic in butter in a small covered saucepan over medium-low heat until golden brown and very soft, 15−20 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; let cool. 


Add Parmesan, oregano, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes to garlic and mash to a paste; season with kosher salt. 


Heat broiler. Slice baguette in half lengthwise, then crosswise. Broil, cut side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet until golden brown, about 2 minutes (watch carefully). Let cool slightly, then spread cut side with garlic paste. Broil until cheese is golden and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Slice.

Ratatouille Tart

This recipe comes from Food and Wine. I only made the ratatouille filling, not the tart, and served it over rice. I think it's a great vegetarian meal.

PASTRY
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

RATATOUILLE
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large Japanese eggplant, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/3 inch thick
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 small red peppers, cut into 3/4-inch dice
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/3 inch thick
One 8-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped oregano
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

MAKE THE PASTRY In a bowl, beat the butter with the milk, sugar and egg yolk until smooth. Add the flour and beat at low speed until the dough starts to come together. Pat the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 12-inch round. Ease it into a fluted 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; trim the overhang. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line the dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for about 30 minutes, until set. Remove the weights and parchment paper and bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer the tart shell to a rack and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE RATATOUILLE In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened. Add the eggplant and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the red peppers, zucchini and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and cook until softened, 7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and oregano and cook until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and let cool.

Spoon the ratatouille into the tart shell and serve.

MAKE AHEAD
The ratatouille can be refrigerated for 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Indian Potato and Chickpea Soup

I got this recipe from cooking.com. It's a real nice, down to earth, hearty soup. It's easy to make and easy to eat. The popping mustard seeds are fun. It must be something about Denver, but I always have to cook soups like this longer so that the potatoes get soft. I usually substitute olive oil for the butter, but either way it tastes great.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 small serrano chili, sliced lengthwise
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 vine-ripe tomato, diced
1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed 1 inch
4 cups water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Heat the butter in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, add the mustard seeds. Heat until they pop, 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the age of your seeds. Add the chili, garlic and onion and cook until softening, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the coriander, turmeric and salt; stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomato and stir to break down, about 2 minutes. Pour in the chickpeas, potatoes and water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro.