Lentil Vellutata (velvety) in Red Wine and Panceta

 

It’s Soup Weather!  Italy’s history and culture are entwined with its ancient heritage, and all Italians are immensely proud of their country and its amazing past. A love of music, art, good food and great wine is born into every native, and the enjoyment of life’s finer things is compulsory. Much of the country’s rural regions still have a traditional lifestyle and even the modernity of the great cities is touched by the iconic eras predating the present. It's no surprise that Italians enthusiastically document the origin and history of their products associated with their regional culinary traditions. Lentils date back over 7000 years and are the oldest legumes in the world.  They are native to Mesopotamia and today they are grown all over the world. They come in many colors; from yellow that are popular in Indian, to green, red, orange, and the most popular the brown, used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Cuisines. In ancient and medieval times, lentils were consumed by the poor as a substitute for meat because they are an excellent source of protein, iron, and potassium.  Italy prides itself on the countless types of lentils grown in several regions. Most of the lentils are “BIO” which means they are organic.   Here are some documented types of lentils (lenticchie) grown in Italy by region: Sicily: Lenticchie di Villalba are larger and have the highest level of iron and protein   Umbria: Lenticchie della piana di Castelluccio di Norcia, the skin is thinner and are more digestible   Abbruzzo: Lenticchie Di Santo Stefano Di Sessanio documented in 998 by a monastary, they found their ideal habitat and are dark purple   Lazio: Lenticchie dei Papi (lentils of the popes), papa Pio IX, after the loss of his power consoled himself with a plate of these local lentils   Marche: Lentichhie Rosse Del Montefeltro are red and brown color and present in Romans times Hot soups have been served as a first course since ancient times. Soup is usually served in autumn or winter seasons, but there are no rules to say that we cannot eat soups in all seasons.  Making soup requires very little effort. It can be made with a few ingredients already in the pantry such as canned beans, spices, fresh herbs, an onion, and leftover vegetables. My husband calls me the “Soup Contessa” because I can impromptu create new soups from leftovers and pantry items without a recipe. This Tuscan lentil soup is one of the most popular dish that is still appreciated and found in today’s restaurants, trattorias, and homes throughout this region. I recommend giving the lentils a few rinses in cold water before cooking.  The brown beans that are generally found in our grocery stores also need a good rinsing. I usually soak them for a few hours before I start cooking them.  They will get larger and will require a little less time to cook.

 

 

Lentil Vellutata (velvety) in Red Wine and Panceta      2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 2 ounces diced pancetta 1 medium sweet onion, minced 1 carrot, minced 1 celery stalk, minced 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 cup red wine, divided 8 ounces small lentils, rinsed                                                                         2 bay leaves                                                                                        6 ounces tomato sauce          Salt and black pepper Pinch red pepper flakes          Pinch ground coriander to garnish 1.     In a large skillet on medium-low heat, add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the pancetta, onion, carrot, and celery and cook 8-10 minutes until soft and barely golden. Add ½ cup of wine and cook about 5 minutes to reduce the wine. 2.     Add the lentils; cook 10 minutes. Add ½ cup wine and reduce slightly.  Add the bay leaves, tomato sauce, and ½ cup of warm water or broth; Cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Remove the bay leaves and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as needed. 3.     Serve the soup in bowls with a thread of olive oil, and a sprinkle of ground coriander.

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Chickpea Dates Cake (With alternatives)

3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (organic if available)

3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey  

1/4 cup + 2 TBSPs aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpea or 

               Cannellini beans, or 2 eggs)

2 tablespoons avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil (or Canola if not available)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chickpea flour (almond or regular flour if not available)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional

Pinch sea salt

6-8 large pitted chopped dates (or chopped walnuts, other nuts, or dried fruit)

1.    Preheat your oven to 350F degrees. Butter a standard loaf pan. Set aside. 

2.    Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth. Add in maple syrup or honey, oil, and vanilla; stir well.

3.    Dry ingredients: in a bowl add the chickpea flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and cardamom; combine.

4.    Fold in the chopped dates or nuts. Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

5.    Allow the bread to cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing it.  Slice and enjoy! 

Chickpea flour is also called besan flour, garbanzo bean flour. If you are gluten-free chickpea, almond, and gluten-free flour can be used. I made 2 and froze then into thick slices.  When they thaw out you could heat a few minutes in skillet… Moist and Delicious. 

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Chickpeas Onions and Soft Dates

 

Chickpeas Onions and Soft Dates 

3 cups cooked chickpeas 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small sweet onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 large soft dates, pitted and chopped
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander
Kosher Salt

Black pepper

Red pepper flakes, optional

1.     If using caned cooked chickpeas, drain only do not rinse and set aside.

2.     Combine all spices in a small bowl.

3.     In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until it begins to shimmer. Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes, until they have softened and just beginning to turn golden. Move the onions to one side of the pan; add the tomato paste in the center of the pan and stir to flatten the tomato paste.  Allow tomato paste to roast about 2 minutes. Add the spice mixture and let toast for a minute.  Stir the onions, tomato paste, and spices together.

4.     Add the chickpeas, dates, and 1 cup of warm water. Cover and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine the flavors. Cook until the dates have softened and the chickpeas are tender.  You can add a splash of warm water if the pan gets dry. Serve warm.

      This is a North African recipe that combines naturally sweet dates with savory chickpeas and onions with fragrant spices used to season this delicious dish.  It can be served as a meal from vegetarians, vegans can exclude the butter, and it can be eaten by all as a side dish.  

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Kale Salad Cannellini and Lime Dressing

 

Kale Salad Cannellini and Lime Dressing  

1 bunch Organic curly kale, rinsed and dried

4-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Zest of 1 lime

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

1-2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 cup cooked cannellini beans

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Remove the stalks from the kale.  With your fingertips break up the leaves into small pieces about ½ inch long. Place on a platter.

In a bowl whisk together 4 tablespoons olive oil, Dijon mustard, lime zest, 1 tablespoon lime juice, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, vinegar to taste.  Taste for seasoning and add more lime juice, olive oil, and or salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to thick. Add the cannellini beans and let set 5 to 10 minutes.

Drizzle the dressing with cannellini beans over the kale and mix well.  Taste, adjust seasoning if needed or add more dressing if desired.  Grate parmesan on top. Decorate with small tomatoes for color contrast.  Chill or serve immediately.

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Cannellini and Avocado Hummus

Cannellini Avodado Hummus

1 small can of cannellini beans, strained

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons tahini

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 ripe avocado, peeled cut in large pieces  

2 tablespoons water

Salt to taste

1/3 cup toasted almonds

In food processor add cannellini beans, lemon juice, oil, tahini, ground cumin, and red pepper flakes; pulse a few times. Add the avocado and pulse again. It should be a thick cream. If it is too thick, add a little water. Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed. Drizzle a little extra olive oil on top and the toasted almonds. 

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La Ribbolita Tuscan Soup

La Ribbolita Tuscan Soup

Original Recipe registered by Florentine Chapter of Academia Della Cucina

12 ounces dried white beans, soaked overnight

2 bay leaves

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 large carrots, diced

Fresh thyme

2 medium potatoes, cubed

12 ounces black cabbage, shredded

12 ounces Savoy cabbage, shredded

10 ounces Swiss chard leaves, shredded

1 tablespoon tomato paste or 2 cups peeled chopped tomatoes

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces day old crusty bread cut in cubes

Strain and add the soaked beans in 8 cups of boiling water with the bay leaves: cook until tender. Taste one bean to check if it is soft. Discard bay leaves. Strain and reserve all of the cooking liquid. Puree half of the beans.  Add the puree into the reserved cooking liquid.  Set the whole beans aside. 

In a pot, warm 6 tablespoons of oil, add the garlic, onion; cook until soft. Add the celery, carrot and thyme; cook briefly.

Add the potatoes, black cabbage, Savoy and Swiss chard. Dissolve the tomato paste in a bit of warm water, season with salt and pepper. Stir over medium heat for a couple of minutes.

Pour in the pureed bean broth; cook over low heat about 1 hour.  At the end, stir in the reserved whole beans. Add bread to the soup. Cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.

Set aside to rest overnight.  Reheat the soup and drizzle with fresh olive oil.  Serve hot or lukewarm with a drizzle of oil and fresh grinded pepper. 

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Pork and Black Bean Stew

Pork Chorizo Black Bean Stew

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large onion, minced
1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
Large pinch red pepper flakes
1 large can black beans, drained, rinsed, and divided
1/4 cup water
3 chorizo sausages cut into 1/2 inch thick pieces
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2-3 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stir in onion, and cook a few minutes until the onion softens and turns translucent. Remove the onion, and transfer into a large saucepan.

Browning the pork tenderloin and garlic

Add the remaining oil into the skillet, and place over medium-high heat. Add cubed pork, and cook until well browned.  Season with salt and pepper; add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for a minute, just until golden.  Transfer to the large saucepan with the cooked onions.

Chorizo

Pour 3/4 of the black beans along with 1/4 cup water into a food processor, and pulse a few times until crushed, but not creamy. Pour bean puree and remaining whole beans into saucepan along with pork and onions.  Add the chorizo, chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.  Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

  

Adding the black beans

This is a tasty winter comfort dish from Brazil.  I have enjoyed it many times at my Brazilian sister-in-law’s house, now I decided to make it and teach others how to make and enjoy it in my cooking classes.  Serve it with an aromatic jasmine rice, Delicious! 

Tip:  If you do not like Chorizo, you can substitute with Italian sausage.

 

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