Curried Red Lentil Soup

30 MINUTES OR LESS

A lusty Indian-style soup, this dish can be made mild or hot to suit your taste.

ingredient list

SERVES 6

• 1 cup hulled red lentils, rinsed in hot water
• 4 1/2 cups nonfat vegetable stock
• 2 Tbs. nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 tsp. curry powder, or to taste
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder, or to taste
• Shredded coconut as garnish
• Dried peanuts as garnish
• Cilantro leaves as garnish
• Diced red pepper as garnish
• Chutney as garnish
• Raisins as garnish

Directions

1. 1. Put lentils and vegetable stock in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Reduce heat to very low.
2. 2. Put 2 cups lentils and yogurt into blender, and purée until smooth. Recombine with soup in pan, and stir in seasonings. Heat through, and serve, garnishing each portion as desired.

Wine Suggestions
This soothing Indian dish, with its curry, cumin and cayenne spices, would work well with a light, sweet Gewurtztraminer such as the Handley Gewurtztraminer from California.

Mini Dagwood Sandwich

30 MINUTES OR LESS

Dagwood Bumstead of the Blondie comic strip loves his mile-high sandwiches with layers and layers of lettuce, cheeses and deli meats. This vegetarian take on the comic classic is shorter but with a plentiful filling. Use a bread of substance, such as a sourdough, and be sure to use slices from the center of the loaf so the slices are of uniform size. Offer this sandwich at a casual get-together and, of course, use whichever combinations and in whatever amounts of ingredients you wish—this recipe is only a suggestion. In fact, you can come up with other ingredients, and that would work as well. Possible accompaniments include tomato soup and all-American ice cream sundaes.

ingredient list

SERVES 2

• 5 slices sourdough bread
• 5 very thin slices red pepper
• 1/2 cup mesclun, rinsed
• 4 very thin slices red onion
• 4 very thin slices tomatoes
• 4 slices sandwich-cut dill pickles
• 6 very thin slices cucumbers, skin on
• 4 tsp. nonfat or vegan mayonnaise, or more as desired
• 2 slices vegan American-style cheese
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, or more as desired
• 2 slices vegan “bologna”
• 2 tsp. relish, or more as desired
• 2 slices vegan “ham”
• 8 slices vegan “pepperoni”

Directions

1. Put bread slices on flat surface. Arrange pepper, mesclun, red onion, tomatoes, pickles and cucumbers in readied piles. Starting with the bottom layer, spread mayonnaise on top side of bread, and layer with cucumbers, 1 cheese slice at an angle and strips of pickles lengthwise on bread.
2. Place second slice of bread on filling, spread top side with mustard and layer with sliced red onion and “bologna.”
3. Place third slice of bread on filling, and spread top side with mayonnaise and relish and layer with red pepper slices, lettuce and 2 slices “ham.”
4. Place fourth slice of bread on filling, and spread top side with mustard and layer with tomato slices, 1 slice cheese at an angle and 8 slices “pepperoni.”
5. Spread underside of fifth slice of bread with mayonnaise, and place on top of stack. Skewer sandwich layers together with a 12-inch-long bamboo skewer or metal skewer, and serve.

Curried Potatoes, Cauliflower and Peas

Red potatoes are firm, smooth and moist, adding balance to the texture and spice of the dish.

ingredient list

SERVES 8

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
• 2 medium-sized serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 2 1/2 lb. small red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 5 cups)
• 1 medium-sized head cauliflower, broken into florets (about 6 cups)
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1 tsp. Madras curry powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime (3 Tbs.)
• 1 cup boiling vegetarian “chicken” stock
• 1 1/2 Tbs. Bragg Liquid Aminos

Directions

1. Spray a Dutch oven or skillet with olive oil cooking spray, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add ginger, chiles, garlic, onions and shallot, and cook for 3 minutes. Add potatoes, and cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes, or until browned and softened. Add cauliflower, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, and add mirin.
2. Stir in peas, curry powder, cumin, cilantro, lime juice, stock and Bragg Liquid Aminos. Stir to mix thoroughly, and cook for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through and liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove from heat, and serve.