Chef Ryan and our wonderful teams of volunteers have been preparing between 50-65 meals each week, but Chef Ryan has yearned for the day we needed to level up. Well. Thursday was that day!
Keep it coming - spread the word with your friends and classmates, and let's feed more and more people until we find our upper threshold. We're not there yet!
Meanwhile, enjoy these exceptionally delicious recipes...
Moroccan lentil & butternut squash stew over rice
Serves 6
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons cooking oil (canola, vegetable, or grapeseed)
2 onions, julienned
1⁄2 head garlic, cloves peeled & sliced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup lentils, rinsed
3 cups water or vegetable stock
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded & cut bite-sized
1 bag/sm. tub baby spinach or arugula
1⁄4 cup lemon juice
1 bu parsley, finely chopped
Salt & pepper to taste (about 1 tsp salt & 1⁄2 tsp. pepper)
Rice for serving, cooked according to the package instructions
Method:
1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Add the garlic, cumin & cinnamon, and cook 5 minutes more.
2. Add the lentils and water, and cook for 10 minutes. Then add the squash, and cook until the lentils and squash are tender.
3. Add the spinach/arugula, parsley, lemon juice, salt & pepper, and cook until the greens are wilted. Taste for seasoning, and serve over rice.
Pear tart w/ apricot-thyme glaze
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 lemon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick butter, at room temp
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg
3 small Bartlett pears, peeled, halved and cored
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
4 fresh thyme sprigs, torn into small pieces
Method:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat 14" by 4" tart pan with a removable bottom (ideally... or any pan/cake dish/cookie sheet) with nonstick cooking spray. From lemon, grate 1/2 teaspoon zest and squeeze 1 tablespoon juice; set juice aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, lemon zest, baking powder and salt.
2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; beat in egg. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing until incorporated (dough will be very soft).
3. Transfer dough to the prepared tart pan; with floured fingers, push dough evenly into the bottom and up sides of the pan.
4. Arrange pear halves, cut sides down, alternating top-to-bottom. Sprinkle with cinnamon, ginger and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 55 to 65 minutes; let cool on a wire rack.
5. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine apricot preserves, lemon juice and thyme. Microwave 30 seconds or until bubbling; mix to combine.