Caribbean-Style Black Bean & Delicata Squash

As the fresh sweet tastes of summer produce recede each year, I rediscover the delights of winter squashes. Long-lasting and loaded with a big helping of vitamins and minerals, winter squashes are an extraordinarily versatile and flavourful staple in the cold-weather kitchen.

Although each variety has its own appeal, the long and slender pale yellow gourd known as the sweet potato or delicata squash tops my list for its ease of use and tender sweet flavour. Easy to peel and seed, and with very little loose or stringy flesh to scoop out, the scooped-out halves also make an attractive and perfect-sized serving dish — as with this Caribbean-style bean and squash recipe dressed up with peanut butter, banana and spices.

Caribbean-Style Black Bean & Delicata Squash

1 cup dried black beans
2 delicata squashes, halved and seeded
olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 banana
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
juice of 1 lime
handful fresh parsley or coriander, chopped

Rinse the dried beans under running water and soak overnight covered in several inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. After soaking, drain the beans and add to a medium saucepan. Cover with several inches of fresh water and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender. Drain and mash lightly with a potato masher. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°. Place the squash halves cut side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle the squash with olive oil, and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Bake in the oven until the flesh is tender when pierced with a knife or fork, about 1 hour. Remove the squash halves from the oven and gently scoop out the flesh without breaking the skins of the squashes. Wipe the sides of the squash halves and set aside.

Place the squash in a bowl with the banana and mash with a potato masher. Stir in the peanut butter, jalapeño, chili flakes, salt, cayenne, nutmeg, cloves and lime juice.

Now stir in the beans and scoop the mixture evenly between the squash halves. Garnish with parsley or coriander, and serve warm. Serves 4.

Other winter squash recipes you may enjoy:
Red Bean and Squash Soup
Sweet Potato Squash Soup with Pinto Beans and Chard
Butternut Squash Sambar

On the top of the reading stack:
The Appointment: A Novel by Herta Muller

Audio Accompaniment:
Hail to the Thief (2CD/DVD Special Edition) by Radiohead

Walnut and orange snowballs

This is my last holiday recipe and also the last post of the year – now it’s time to finish up wrapping the presents and start preparing the food for Christmas Eve.

I wish you all wonderful holidays – thank you for keeping me company in 2009. I hope to see you all here in January!

xx

Walnut and orange snowballs
from Donna Hay magazine

250g unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (105g) icing sugar

Chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies

No Christmas food series would be complete without a gingerbread recipe – these are from Martha’s website and they are delicious!I placed the cookies in little bags and tied them with a red ribbon: they are going to be one of the gifts to my coworkers – I hope they like them!Are you making edible gifts this year, too? I’d love to hear about them.Chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies196g (7oz)

Cinnamon candy canes

Oh, yes, more Christmas recipes – and get ready, because there are still a few more to come. :)

These cookies are easy to make - and shape, I promise - and the granulated sugar adds a nice sparkle to them. The recipe comes from DH mag #24, the first issue of that magazine I ever got and it was a present from my good friend Valentina. After taking a look at that issue, I immediately subscribed

Dark chocolate, cinnamon and hazelnut truffles

A quick look at my sweet recipe index and you'll notice that I don’t make truffles very often – I love working with chocolate, but mostly stick with cookies and cakes. To me, truffles are such a special treat they call for a special occasion as well – like that gorgeous pair of shoes you’ll only wear on your birthday or anniversary. :)

These were made for a special someone, a dear friend of

Buttered Mushroom Rice

Rice, mushrooms and butter … three simple and noble foods that combine to make an extraordinarily easy and elegant side for almost any kind of meal. Remove the stems from the dried mushrooms and chop if necessary.

Buttered mushroom rice

1 1/2 cups basmati rice
1/2 ounce dried mushrooms
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
handful of fresh parsley, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
fresh ground black pepper

Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold running water and let sit for an hour or more to air dry in a fine-meshed strainer, tossing now and then to bring the moist grains to the surface.

Add the rice, mushrooms and garlic to 2 1/2 cups of water or vegetable stock in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes without disturbing.

Remove from heat and discard the garlic. Stir in the butter, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4 to 6.

Other rice dishes you might enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:
Indian Lemon Yellow Rice
Coconut Rice
Rice Pongal

On the top of the reading stack:
Vegetarian Cookbook: For Cheese Lovers by Tonya Buell

Audio Accompaniment:
Kosmischer Pitch by Jan Jelinek

Nigella's Holiday hot cake

Checking the movies on TV last Saturday I was really glad to see “The name of the Rose” would be aired that night – I’d forgotten how much I love that film.I’d also forgotten the idea of making Nigella’s hot holiday cake – I told you I wouldn’t wait till Christmas, but apparently my brain did not record that info. :)The dessert is delicious and all you’ll need is a bowl and a wooden spoon. The

Creamy tuna and chickpea salad

During the holidays we tend to go a little over with all the eating and drinking: I know I get carried away with making the food and end up eating more than I should. And kudos to those who can control themselves – God knows I’ve tried to be one of them, but got to the conclusion that it’s never gonna happen. :)

Lucky me I also love salads and they are perfect for our tropical Xmas – this is a

Ginger Molasses Pancakes with Mixed Dried Fruit

I've never been fond of those dry, sticky Christmas Cakes found in grocery stores this time of year, but these simple pancakes have the same festive flair with a much lighter, fluffier and fresher texture. These are perfect for serving up on a cold December morning without having to wait around for the store-bought treats to be set out, and are much tastier and more satisfying besides.

Use any dried fruit on hand or that strikes your fancy, and cut larger pieces like apricots or apples into raisin-size dice.

Ginger Molasses Pancakes with Mixed Dried Fruit

3/4 cup rolled or steel-cut oats
3/4 cup plain whole fat yogurt
3/4 cup mixed dried fruit (e.g., raisins, currants, cranberries, apples, cherries, apricots)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of sea salt
2 large eggs

Stir the oats into the yogurt in a large mixing bowl and leave to soak overnight at room temperature.

Cover the dried fruit with warm water and soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and add to the oats and yogurt. Stir in the flour, water, molasses, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt and eggs. Let stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

Lightly butter a large cast-iron skillet or frying pan and warm up on just less than medium heat. At the same time, preheat an oven to 175°.

Drop in a quarter-cup of the batter for each pancake and fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until the edges are cooked and bubbles are well formed on the surface. Turn over and fry on the other side until the pancakes are golden brown on both sides, about one minute longer. Remove from the pan and place on a plate in the oven to keep warm until all the batter's been used up for pancakes.

Serve the pancakes warm with pure maple syrup.

Makes about 12 four-inch pancakes.

More pancake and waffle recipes you may enjoy:
Vanilla Oat Pancakes
Blueberry and Cornmeal Buttermilk Pancakes
Spiced Pumpkin Waffles

Pear fritters

I find her exaggerated, bizarre and creepy, but have to admit it: whoever chose her stage name had a brilliant idea. :)

Here’s another brilliant idea: involving fruit slices in batter, frying them and then dusting with cinnamon sugar. Yum!

Pears were delicious, and I’m guessing apples would be wonderful, too – you can find the original recipe here, but I’ve adapted it to avoid having too much

Spiced sable rounds with eggnog glaze

Today’s cookies are a proof that there’s still kindness in the world – people who will do something nice for someone else even though they live on the other side of the planet.I bookmarked one recipe last January already thinking of making it for the holidays. But when I reached for it on my del.icio.us a couple of weeks ago the link no longer worked... Google showed me someone on Flickr who had

Labna (yogurt cheese)

Do you remember my homemade ricotta? That recipe is wonderful – I’ve received comments and emails from many of you who have tried it too, with great results. I have made it dozens of times already and used it in both savory and sweet dishes. I thought it was about time I tried another recipe from Donna Hay’s cheese making spread (issue 35), especially after seeing the wonderful cheeses my

Roasted Beet Soup with Roasted Parsnip and Carrot Purées

As much for its beautiful purple-red hue and distinctive sweet flavour as its nutritional benefits, the beetroot is my favourite of all winter vegetables, if not of all vegetables altogether. Beet soups are always an attractive addition to any fall or winter meal, as with beet and tomato and orange and beet soups.

I'm not nearly as fond of parsnips ordinarily, but their flavour makes an earthy and almost bitter contrast with beets that makes their pairing a pleasant surprise. In this simple and wholesome soup, both parsnips and carrots are puréed and added to beets separately to create multiple layers of flavour and colour that will warm and please the eyes and palates of your guests.

Roasted Beet Soup with Roasted Parsnip and Carrot Purées

1 cup dried white kidney (cannellini) beans
4 medium beets
3 medium parsnips
3 medium carrots
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
fresh ground black pepper

Rinse the beans under cold running water and soak overnight in a bowl covered in several inches of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added.

Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas and add to a medium saucepan. Cover with 4 cups of vegetable stock and 1 cup of fresh cold water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°. Trim the vegetables, and wrap the beets, parsnips and carrots separately in foil. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast for 40 to 60 minutes or until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven, let cool, and peel the skin off the beets. Cut the beets into coarse pieces and set aside.

Prepare the purées by placing the roasted parsnips and carrots in separate mixing bowls. Mash the vegetables with a potato masher. Add 1 1/2 cup of beans and cooking liquid to each bowl, and purée until smooth with a fork or using a hand blender. Add a little liquid to thin if necessary. Stir in a 1/4 teaspoon of salt in each purée and season with fresh ground black pepper. Set aside.

To make the soup, heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, wait a few moments, then swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened. Toss in the thyme, stir once, then add the beets and pour in the remaining beans and cooking liquid from the beans. Raise the heat, bring to a slow boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, and purée the soup until smooth with a hand blender or in a countertop blender. Season with fresh ground black pepper and the remaining salt.

Ladle the soup into bowls and add a large spoonful each of the parsnip and carrot purées to each serving. Serve hot or warm. Serves 4 to 6.

Other winter vegetable recipes you may enjoy:
Creamy Beet Borscht
Mussorie Mung Beans and Winter Vegetables
Oven-Roasted Winter Vegetables

On the top of the reading stack: The National Post

Audio Accompaniment: Symphony #3 by Henryk Gorecki

Eggnog brûlée

Last Saturday I tuned in for my weekly dose of Ms. Lawson and they aired one of her Christmas episodes – which I confess to have seen three times already, without an ounce of guilt; she got me into holiday spirit even more with her delicious food. My holiday recipe series continues and after the spiced brigadeiros I present you eggnog brûlée.

Don’t be surprised by the hard caramel crust on top