Main Dishes – Page 18 – Claire Tastes

Chickpea Lentil Power Salad w/ Curried Cauliflower and Lemon-Cumin Vinaigrette

As promised, this one is from our small group’s Indian Food Night (you can see a separate post all about that here!) Originally I was going to make my sweet potato masoor dal, but then I looked at the weather and realized that we’re not in winter anymore here in Durham. The trees are budding, the sun is out, and the breeze is warm. Spring has finally sprung! Because a lot of our small group friends were making hot dishes and stew-like things, I thought a lighter salad would be a welcome addition.

Packed with protein and a delicious blend of Indian spices, this salad is sure to satisfy even the biggest appetites. I love the combination of the light, zesty lemon-cumin vinaigrette with the curried cauliflower (adapted from my sister’s recipe), and the lentils, chickpeas, and sweet potatoes add bulk and heartiness to the dish. Finally, the tomatoes, red onion, spinach and parsley finish it off with a touch of freshness.

This is no salad for the faint of heart! 😉

Chickpea Lentil Salad w/ Curried Cauliflower and Lemon-Cumin Vinaigrette

Recipe Type: Salad, Side

Cuisine: Indian

Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 15

Here’s an easy “power salad” recipe, chock-full of Indian-spiced chickpeas, lentils, and curried cauliflower! The zesty lemon-cumin vinaigrette ties all of the flavors together to make you feel like you’ve just stepped off the plane to Dubai!

Ingredients

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 medium sweet potato, diced into 1/4″ cubes
1 cup dry green lentils
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp garlic
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 cups baby spinach, torn into pieces (spinach will wilt down a good amount in the dressing!)
For the curried cauliflower:
1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets (about 3-4 cups total)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp chopped cashews
For the lemon cumin vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of one lemon
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Chop up the tomatoes and red onion.
Chop up the sweet potatoes into small, 1/4″ cubes. Place in a steamer basket.
Meanwhile, cook 1 cup lentils according to package directions (about 20 minutes for al dente lentils). Set the steamer basket of sweet potato chunks on top of the cooking lentils.
When lentils are finished cooking, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Return a bit of water to the pan and bring to a boil to continue steaming the potatoes, if they are not cooked through yet.
Combine tomatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, lentils, chickpeas, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients for the lemon cumin vinaigrette: oil, juice of one lemon, lemon zest, cumin, cayenne pepper, and more S+P. Drizzle over the salad and toss gently.
To prepare the curried cauliflower, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Rinse and pat dry cauliflower in a colander.
In another mixing bowl, combine 2 tbsp oil, garlic powder, curry powder, and orange juice. Whisk thoroughly. Toss in cauliflower florets and stir until each floret it equally covered with the dressing.
Spread on a lined baking sheet (love my Silpat! careful of the curry staining though…oops) and roast for 20-25 minutes or until slightly browned. For the last few minutes, sprinkle on the cashews to toast.
Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before tossing into the salad.
Toss in the spinach for some extra color and volume to this wholesome, protein-packed Indian power salad!
Serve with naan and a poached egg on top if desired!

Chop the tomatoes and onion. And sweet potatoes (not shown).

Add potatoes to a steamer basket (I always use an old mini strainer!) and set on top of cooking lentils.

When finished cooking, add lentils and potatoes to the rest of the veggies and chickpeas. Stir in chopped parsley and spices.

Whisk together ingredients for the lemon-cumin vinaigrette. I also originally had planned for a honey-orange yogurt sauce to serve on top of the salad, but I added a bit too much orange zest and it ended up tasting more bitter than I would have liked. So I tossed it and decided to try again another time! (Feel free to experiment with your own though and definitely let me know what works for you!)

Cauliflower florets, rinsed and dried.

Whisk together ingredients for the curry dressing for the cauliflower.

Add the cauliflower florets and toss until evenly coated.

Roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, adding in the cashew bits for the last few minutes of baking.

Toss into the salad with the spinach!

Serve with naan as a side salad to your tikka masala, or as an entree with poached egg on top. Happy tasting!

April 23, 2014April 14, 2019

ClaireLeave a comment

The Breaking of the Naan: Indian Food Night!

Our small group from Summit has been talking about having an “Indian Food Night” for months. It seems like every single time that we get together, someone mentions some really good Indian restaurant in the Triangle. Seriously, ya’ll, they seem to just spring up overnight around here! Ben and I have yet to try all the restaurants here in Durham that we want to, let alone the ones in Chapel Hill and Raleigh! When my mom comes to visit, she always swears that you could eat out every single night around here at a different restaurant, and be good to go for a year!

Despite all the excellent international cuisine options in the area (among some of my favorites are the Mediterranean Deli in Chapel Hill, Gregoria’s Steakhouse in Durham, and Shiki Sushi in Durham), we decided to take the plunge and create our own Indian food, potluck style!

It was a warm Spring night here, and we all trekked over to Jonathan and Tawny’s to feed our growling bellies with the most incredible chicken tikka masala, Indian-spiced rice, spiced eggplant and veggie stew, mulligatawny stew, and chickpea-lentil salad with curried cauliflower. And let’s not forget the naan, of course! Just as sushi lives and dies by the rice, Indian food lives and dies by the naan!

Oh. my. goodness. Everything was so delicious. I can’t even begin to describe the smells that were tantalizing me even as I climbed the stairs to enter Jonathan and Tawny’s second-story apartment. We devoured a sampling (okay, probably a bit more than just a sampling… we may have gone back for seconds. and thirds…) of every dish on the table, exclaiming over and over again at how wonderful everything was. Despite many of the dishes using the same spices, each one had a unique flavor of its own. The most flavorful, though, was the rice and eggplant stew that Robin brought, which we all agreed was because Blake had brought back the spices freshly from India on his recent school trip to Dubai! Boy, was that a treat!

And so, my friends, I present to you the first of hopefully many International food nights: “The Breaking of the Naan”! Enjoy!

**I hope to get recipes for all, if not some, of these dishes, so hold on tight until then! (The chickpea-lentil salad recipe, which was my contribution, will be posted shortly!)

The girls 🙂

photo 2 (63) photo 5 (17)

Robin’s Indian-spiced rice. I made the mistake of specifically ladling out an entire cardamom seed (did I mention these were fresh spices, straight from India?), thinking it was a raisin. As much as I love spices, this was probably not the best choice. I think my breath still smells like cardamom this morning! Oops. 🙂

My personal favorite dish of the night: Jonathan and Tawny’s Chicken Tikka Masala. I will DEFINITELY be getting the recipe for this one. It was even tastier over Robin’s rice!

Another dish from Robin- roasted and spiced eggplant and veggie stew. She probably has a much better name for this. Again, with fresh spices straight from India!

Maggie and Donovan brought a delicious Mulligatawny Stew (yes, there were many jokes made about Tawny in the process of eating this). It had a really unique sweetness that made it extra tasty to enjoy as a “dessert” course!

Last but (hopefully) not least, my chickpea-lentil salad with curried cauliflower and cumin-lemon vinaigrette. I’m glad I decided to make this instead of the dal I originally had planned; we had a plethora of stew-like dishes (all of which were amazing, I must add). Recipe coming soon!

My loaded plate- everything above pictured here except for the mulligatawny, which I went back for later because I was out of room!

I was so blessed to have this precious time of community with some of my favorite people. Ben, Michael, and Erika, we missed you! Let’s break some naan together soon! (Or maybe some challah? Or injera? Or focaccia?) 😉

April 23, 2014April 14, 2019

ClaireLeave a comment

Spring Succotash

Who says you can’t make succotash before the summer months? I say false!

For those who don’t know their southern dishes, succotash is an eastern woodland native American dish that comes from the Narragansett “sohquttahhash.” It primarily consists of corn and lima or other beans. You can also add other veggies like tomatoes, okra, and peas for more of a flavor punch. High in protein and fiber, succotash is a great way to get your protein without needing to have meat in your dinner. It can be served with a crust on top or on its own, and the ingredients are so cheap that you can make a TON of it and hardly spend a penny. In fact, you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen without even realizing it! For all you history gurus, this recipe is so cheap and easy that it was actually a popular dish during the Great Depression!

Here’s an easy, shop-your-pantry side dish that’s a cross between salad and stew! Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free, this recipe is perfect for serving on top of sandwiches or leafy greens. I had mine with a crusty brown roll and some tuna over a bed of spinach and steamed veggies!

Spring Succotash

Recipe Type: Stew, Side

Cuisine: Southern

Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 8

Perfect as a side or over a salad, this succotash recipe is simple! Also vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan!

Ingredients

1 can three-bean blend, rinsed and drained
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced peeled tomatoes, undrained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
3/4 cup frozen cut okra
1/2 red onion, diced
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 bunch fresh parsley, torn into pieces
mozzarella or parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

In a large saucepan, heat tbeans, tomatoes, corn, okra, and onion. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
Add all spices except for parsley. Simmer on low heat for 25 minutes, until beans are soft.
Just before serving, add parsley and stir to combine.
Serve with grated cheese on top!

April 21, 2014April 14, 2019

ClaireLeave a comment

Cheesy Smashed Potatoes

Recipe Type: Casserole, Mashed Potatoes

Cuisine: American

Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 12-15

Cheesy potatoes, bacon, butter, and more cheese… what more could you ask for? These “smashed” potatoes are so decadent, you won’t be able to stop at just one scoop!

Ingredients

3 lbs gold potatoes
1 package uncooked bacon
1/2 stick butter
1 cup 1% milk
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 8 oz. container light sour cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 bunch fresh parsley, minced
Additional salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Rinse and pat dry potatoes and cut into quarters. Place in a large stockpot with about 1 tsp salt and add enough water so that potatoes are covered by about 1 inch.
Bring potatoes to a boil and cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet on medium heat, reserving bacon grease between “batches.” (There will be a good reason for this, I promise.)
Set bacon aside to drain on a paper towel.
When potatoes are done, drain and return to stockpot. Mash with a potato masher to desired consistency (I like them a little chunky!)
Add butter, milk, mozzarella cheese, sour cream, and parmesan cheese. Stir in reserved bacon fat (see? I told you there was a good reason to save that good stuff). Add a bit more salt in and fresh pepper, to taste.
Stir in minced garlic and parsley, reserving a bit of parsley for topping later!
Crumble bacon and stir in about 3/4 of it, leaving the remainder for topping.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9×13″ casserole dish with cooking spray and spread potatoes evenly. Top with peas, remaining bacon bits, and remaining parsley.
Cover with foil and cook at 350 for 20 minutes, then 5 minutes without foil.

April 20, 2014April 14, 2019

Claire2 Comments

Brown Sugar and Pineapple Glazed Ham

Throw a few ingredients in the crock pot, set her to low for about 4-5 hours, and what do you end up with? A tender, fall-apart-in-your-mouth, sweet yet savory ham that’s perfect for Easter dinner when you have about a dozen other side dishes to give your attention to! Serve with extra pineapple on top, or some whole grain mustard on the side!

Brown Sugar and Pineapple Glazed Ham

Recipe Type: Main Dish

Cuisine: Holiday, Easter, Ham

Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 hours

Total time: 5 hours 5 mins

Serves: 12

A tender, fall-apart glazed ham that you can prepare in the morning and forget about until it’s time for Easter supper!

Ingredients

3-4 lbs spiral cut ham with glaze packet
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
Mustard or additional pineapple for serving

Instructions

Spray the bottom of your crock pot with cooking spray.
Spread brown sugar on bottom of the pot.
Add ham, flat side down and rub contents of glaze packet over the top.
Pour pineapple over top, reserving a bit for serving.
Replace lid and set to low for 4-5 hours.
Serve with mustard or more pineapple!

April 20, 2014April 14, 2019

ClaireLeave a comment

Slow Cooker Pork Paninis, Two Ways!

Recipe Type: Sandwiches

Cuisine: Cuban, Mediterranean

Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”

Prep time: 45 mins

Cook time: 4 hours

Total time: 4 hours 45 mins

Serves: 6-10

Two delicious sandwich recipes using slow-cooked pork tenderloin. Two styles- Cuban and Mediterranean! Enjoy one of these for your next potluck or dinner party. And great for using up leftover Easter pork loin, too!

Ingredients

2 lbs pork tenderloin
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp corn starch
For sandwich toppings:
2 tbsp good quality dijon mustard (I used TJ’s whole mustard seed dijon)
2 tbsp tzatziki sauce
1/4 cup baby spinach
1 tsp dry dill weed (or pickles- but Ben doesn’t like pickles so I had to be creative!)
6 slices deli ham
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced peppers
6 thin slices of tomatoes
3 slices swiss cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese
6 sweet bread sandwich buns, sliced
Olive oil

Instructions

Place pork loin in crock pot.
Mix soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, garlic, mustard, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Pour over pork. Set crock pot to low for 7-8 hours, or high for 3-4 hours.
Just before assembling sandwiches, heat about 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Reserve 3/4 of onions in a small bowl and set aside. Add peppers to remaining onion mixture and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
When pork is ready, remove from crock pot and set to “warm.” Add 1 tbsp corn starch to crock pot and whisk in with remaining sauce until it thickens.
Slice pork into thin slices. It should really just fall apart at this point! Spoon a little more of the juices on top of the meat to keep moist!
Meanwhile, slice buns lengthwise and lay out on counter (I also toasted mine for about 1 min in the already hot oven!)
Spread one side of three of the buns with dijon mustard (about 3/4 tbsp each), and the remaining buns with tzatziki (again, about 3/4 tbsp).
On other half of the buns with mustard, sprinkle a pinch of dill weed or pickles, and top with 2 slices each of ham.
On other halves of the buns with tzatziki, layer spinach.
Next, layer a few slices of pork onto each sandwich.
Cover Cuban sandwiches (the mustard ones) with a scoop of cooked onions, followed by a slice of swiss.
Cover Mediterranean sandwiches (the tzatziki ones) with the pepper and onion mixture, followed by tomato slices and about 1 tbsp each of feta cheese.
To each sandwich, drizzle a bit of the thickened sauce left over in the crock pot. The sauce should really just seep into the bread!
Close sandwiches with other half of the bun.
Preheat George Foreman grill (or panini maker, or just a regular frying pan!) to medium high heat, or about 350 degrees. Spread with olive oil or layer with tin foil.
Place each sandwich on the press. Drizzle a bit of oil on top of each to prevent sticking.
Press down (ya’ll know those tasty grill lines we’re going for!) and cook for 3-5 minutes, until browned and the cheese is melted!
Slice in half and serve. These go just perfectly with the Corn and Sweet Potato Fritters (see previous post)!