I had to find something quick to make for lunch today, I just had 45 min to prepare and eat my lunch so that was a bit of challenge. For a fast food dish, I can say that this was a well done project. This soup is flavorful, nutritious and light, and needless to say quick to prepare, you just need to have the ingredients handy. I always keep chick peas in my pantry. When you don’t have time to cook them, you can use jarred one.

I started with the same way as making dahl, which was my inspiration in this dish. Then you had toasted spices when the soup is cooked and mashed, and instead of cilantro I use two handful of mixed greens (added at the end). Tofu is optional, but I felt like eating tofu today so it added an extra pleasant texture.

The great thing about this soup is that it will satisfy you for the whole day, you will not be hungry around 4-5pm wanting something to chew on. I love that feeling of feeling just right.

Ingredients for 2-3 people

• 1 tbs + 1 olive oil
• 1 tbs onion + 1, chopped
• 1 inch piece ginger, grated
• 1 lb cooked chick peas
• 5 ripe tomatoes, peeled, chopped and seeds removed
• vegetable broth enough to cover the vegetables
• Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 handful of baby mixed greens, chopped (spinach, kale, chards, etc…)
• 4 tbs extra firm tofu, cubed
• salt and pepper

Preparation

In a pot heat olive oil, then add onions and let it soften. Add cooked chick peas, tomatoes, turmeric, ginger and broth. Let it cook for about 20 minutes.

In a pan, heat olive oil. Add onion, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and let it cook until onions are brown and seeds start to pop. Add garlic and stir for about 20 seconds, then remove from heat.

In a small pan, saute tofu in a little oil until browned on all sides. Remove from heat and keep warm.

When the soup is cooked, using a hand mixer, start mixing the soup but leave some pieces do not mix to a smooth texture. Adjust with salt and pepper. Put back on heat and add spice mixture and chopped greens. Stir until the greens are wilted.

Pour soup on plates, divide 1 tbs of tofu on top of each plate and drizzle with olive oil.

]]> http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2017/11/a-la-va-vite-tomato-and-chickpea-soup-with-spices-and-saute-tofu/feed/ 1 http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2015/10/its-eatable-saute-beet-leaves-with-cumin-garlic-and-raisins/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=its-eatable-saute-beet-leaves-with-cumin-garlic-and-raisins http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2015/10/its-eatable-saute-beet-leaves-with-cumin-garlic-and-raisins/#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2015 20:02:47 +0000 silvia http://www.citronetvanille.com/blog/?p=17298 Ça se mange – Fanes de betteraves sautées au cumin, ail et raisins secs

This morning I went shopping and I had beets on the menu…as usual this store (which I am not going to mention) never has what I need, some days there are no leeks, no scallions or no basmati rice, or no won ton wrappers, etc…so I have to somehow contain my frustration.

This morning was not that bad, I was looking for lose beets, and I could only find beets by the bunch with the leaves on. The good thing about this, is that you can use the leaves. So if you happen to buy beets with their leaves and stems on, do not throw them away. You can use them like you would use spinach, kale, or any other greens.

I remove the stems that were a bit hard and only kept the leaves.

In this recipe, I added a few spices to enhance the whole dish. It’s a fragrant way to cook greens and it was just what I was in the mood for. You can eat this as a side dish, I ate it with some marinated sardines and it made my day…if you try it, it might make yours too!

 Ingredients for 2

• 3 bunches of beet greens, roughly chopped
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbs raisins (soaked in water for 10 min)
• salt and pepper

 Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large pot and brown cumin seeds until fragrant. Add garlic and turmeric and stir a low heat until fragrant (you don’t want to burn the turmeric, it will be bitter). Add greens and cook until wilted. Adjust with salt and pepper and add raisins. Drizzle with olive oil and eat hot or warm.

Hello 2015!

I cannot believe and still completely shocked to what happened to the country I grew up in, with the atrocious terrorist attack at Charlie Hebdo in Paris last week. And yes “La liberté est un droit d’expression et un droit universel”, freedom is a right of expression and a universal right. Of course, je suis Charlie.

First post of the year – The holidays have not been filled with rich and indulgent food since I have been sick, so lots of sleeping and little eating has been in the menu of 2014 holiday season.

I haven’t decided yet what the new year resolution will be. Let’s say stay healthy with mind and body which has always been a priority over the years, so let’s start the new year with a light and healthy recipe which will sooth both.

Rockfish looked good and fresh, so I went ahead with it. Rockfish is a generic word for a species called sebastes the most common species is generally found in deep water close to the shores of the Atlantic North West. Some other more uncommon species are found in the less deep waters of the pacific and Indian Ocean.

I like it’s texture and delicate flavor but tends to have a few bones. I don’t mind fish bones, as long as they are thick and easy to remove. I can eat bitter greens with everything, so you could replace dandelions with any other greens. I like bitterness in this combination because it’s a nice addition to the sweetness of the yams and coconut.

Ingredients for 4

For the fish

• 4 rockfish fillets, cut in 2 inches pieces
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped
• 1/2 can coconut milk
• salt and pepper

For the yams

• 2 large yams, peeled and cut lengthwise in fries shape (1 inch wide)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

For the greens

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 bunch dandelions, chopped
• 4 cups baby kale or spinach, or any other greens
• chili flakes
• zest of one meyer lemon
• salt and pepper

Preparation

For the rockfish

Heat olive oil in a pan and brown onions. Add ginger and garlic until fragrant, then add curry. Mix well and cook for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for about 5-10 minutes until water evaporates. Remove from heat.

Add fish to the mixture and mix well. Adjust with salt and pepper.

In small individual containers, divide fish mixture, then add some coconut milk and mix well.

Cook in the oven for about 20 min at 370F.

For the yams

Peel the yams and cut lengthwise in 1 inch sticks. Drizzle with olive oil and coat each stick well. Cook in the oven at 380F until cooked all the way through for about 15 min, turning them around to cook evenly on all sides. Add salt and pepper.

For the greens

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add shallot and garlic and stir until fragrant (make sure not to overcook and burn the garlic). Add greens, chili and lemon zest and cook until greens are wilted. Adjust with salt and pepper.

I got inspired  by a very popular Turkish dish called “Mthlama” made out of Swiss chards, onions, mint and eggs. I used kale in this dish, simply because I love the texture of a thicker green leaf.

Turkish cuisine has combined flavors of Mediterranean and Arabic cuisine, of course Ottoman Empire was so powerful and rich in culture and arts, that left a huge trace in a large part of the Asian continent. Turkish cuisine is high in colors and flavors, it has evolved during centuries into a very refined cuisine. Due to their geographical location, the seven Turkish regions have various specialties all sharing a common point of having powerful flavors. I would like to visit Turkey some day, not only for their gastronomy but for their designers as well.

When you’re in the mood for some greens, this is a very fragrant and light recipe that will satisfy you without leaving you hungry. I would not call this a very elegant nor sophisticated dish, it’s definitely a rustic dish that sits in your plate with an imperfect shape. But when the yolks starts dripping on the minty greens, and you dip your “mouillette” (toasted bread sticks for dipping) in it, it is pure pleasure…you know, one of those simple pleasure, such as smelling a rose, or biting on a crunchy and fresh piece of baguette (that’s the French in me).

So if you have a bunch of greens but have no idea on how to prepare them, this is perfect. It does not need advanced culinary skills, just a few eggs, mint, et voilà c’est prêt!

Ingredients for 4

• 2 bunches kale
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 3 tbs mint
• 4 eggs
• 4 slices country bread sticks, toasted
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Blanch kale for 5 minutes in salted boiling water. Drain and chop in small strips, removing the stem which tends to be hard.

Heat olive oil in a pan, add onions and brown then them. Add Kale and broth, cover and let the kale cook and soften. Adjust with salt and pepper. Add paprika and mint and stir for another 5 minutes until the water and juices evaporates.

In a baking and deep dish, form little nests and break an egg in the middle. Add salt and pepper on top of the egg and drizzle with olive oil.

Cook in a pre-heated oven at 375F for 10 minutes, ensuring the egg is not over-cooked. Serve with toasted bread.

Quail eggs…have you ever seen something cuter? They’re very popular in France to add to any appetizer but unfortunately they are not available everywhere in the US. Whole Foods and Sigona market sell them, but those are the only grocery stores where I have seen them on the shelves. Whole Foods sell ostrich eggs for about $30 each but I bet you can feed 4 or 5 people with one of those eggs.

Those adorable quail eggs found a nest in the middle of a potato, they fit perfectly in it, they’re just waiting to be savored with a bit of salmon and fromage blanc touch. I like to use fromage blanc, instead of heavy cream or sour cream, it’s a lot lighter and does not taste sour. If you cannot find fromage blanc, you could substitute it with greek yogurt either the plain one or the 2%. Fromage blanc is a dairy French specialty which has the texture of something in between greek yogurt and sour cream. Very smooth, creamy and velvety. 

For the mixed greens you can use any leafy greens, such as spinach, collard greens, etc…

Ingredients for 4 as appetizers

• 4 medium size purple potatoes or any other potato
• 8 quail eggs
• 2 large slices of smoked sockeye salmon
• 1/2 lb mixed greens
• zest of one lemon
• juice of one lemon
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbs fromage blanc or Greek yogurt
• 1 tbs chopped chives
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp rice vinegar 
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Wash the potatoes. Pat dry and cut them in half lentghwise, the largest surface should be the one cut in half so that the quail egg would fit in each hole.

Drizzle olive oil and vinegar, add salt and pepper and broil at low heat. Cook until the potatoes are tender but browned on the outside.

In the meantime, bring water to a boil, add salt and cook greens for about 10 minutes. Drain.

Wash lemon and remove zest. Cook lemon zest in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Chop in smaller pieces. 

In a mixing bowl and lemon juice (keep one tsp to add to fromage blanc), olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add to the cooked greens.

When potatoes are cooked, remove from the oven and break a quail egg in the middle of the hole, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place back in oven for 3 minutes. Do not overcook the eggs, the yolks need to remain liquid.

Mix fromage blanc with chives, 1 tps lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Cut salmon in strips. Place on top of eggs, and add 1/2 tsp of fromage blanc mixture.

Serve two potato halves on top of 1 tbs of greens.