Sweet Potato Chili and Buttermilk Cornbread

There are seasonally correct things to be doing right now on this late spring eve.

... hanging clothes on the line to dry

...watching the kids play in the yard 

...preparing and planting a garden

...fertilizing the lawn

Eating chili and cornbread for dinner, though not compellingly springlike, used up what I had in the fridge, was cheap and something everyone loved to gobble up.

That kind of dinner, friend, is always in season.

Sweet Potato Chili and Cornbread

(Spilling the Beans by Julie VanRosendaal and Sue Duncan)

Canola or Olive Oil

1 med onion, small dice

1 red pepper seeded and diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 med sweet potato, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch dice

28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 19 oz can black beans (I used navy beans)

1 19 oz can red kidney beans

1 1/2 c chicken stock or 1 bottle of stout 

1 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (optional)

1 Tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar

1 lime juiced

2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over med-high heat.

Add red pepper and onion.   After about 5-8 minutes, add garlic.

Cook another minute.

Add sweet potato, tomatoes, beans, stock, chili powder, maple syrup, lime juice, cumin and salt.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer chili at leas 30 mins.  Serve hot with cornbread.

Buttermilk Cornbread

1/2 cup canola or olive oil (I have used melted butter here too and it's great)

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/2 C yellow cornmeal

3/4 C whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 C AP flour

scant 1/3 C sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, and buttermilk.

Add cornmeal, flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Whisk well.

Pour into pan.

Bake for 20-30 mins or until golden and a tester comes  out clean.

Vegetarian Night

When little Jimmy saw his plate tonight he said, "Where's the meat?!"

The boy loves meat.

Once I assured him that he'd eaten enough meat today already, he quickly forgot and totally enjoyed his dinner.

Tonight we ate two of my very favourite vegetarian dishes from Moosewod Cooking for Health.

The first is a curried millet that has lots of rich curry flavour, sweet raisins and parsley.

To go with it, some spiced kale with sweet potato also featuring curry but with a little more kick because of the chili flakes and garlic.

Both dishes are very filling and satisfying.

Curried Millet

(Moosewood Cooking for Health)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 tsp whole black mustard seeds (optional)

1/2 C minced yellow onion

3/4 C millet

1 1/2 tsp good curry powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 C vegetable stock

1/4 C chopped golden raisins

1/2 C minced parsley

1. In a saucepan over med-high heat warm the oil. Toss in the mustard seeds and cook 1-2 mins or until they pop. (Watch out you don't get a pop on the face.) Add onion, cook 3 mins. Add millet, cook 3 more minutes, stirring constantly. Add curry and salt. Cook a minute or until fragrant. Add stock, bring to a boil. Cover millet and cook 20 mins on low heat.

2. Stir in raisins and parsley. Fluff with a fork. Cover and let stand 10 mins.

Spiced Kale with Sweet Potaotes

(Moosewood Cooking for Health)

4 C sweet potato, peeled and diced (1/2 inch cubes)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp black mustard seeds (optional)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp good curry powder

8 C kale, remove stalk and chop

1/4 tsp kosher salt

2 Tbsp vegetable stalk or water

1 Tbsp soy sauce

black pepper

1. Steam or boil sweet potatoes until tender. Set aside.

2. Warm oil in a large pot, add mustard seeds cook a minute or 2 until they start to pop. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add red pepper flakes, curry, salt and kale. Stir a few mintues.

Add stalk and soy. Cover and cook until kale is softened, a few minutes. Stir in some black pepper and serve.

(These two are pretty special.)

"Miller's Wife" Fish

"Miller's Wife", or what the french call 'Meuniere', is fish dredged in flour and pan fried.

I cannot think of many better ways of eating trout than this. I was calling out ideas on how to cook this fish, "Trout with mushrooms, tomatoes and ginger", or " Trout with raisins, red onions and bacon."

Jim told me that none of those options sounded like they would really match the trout.

Sometimes the simplest ways of preparing fish are the best.

Very simple and arguably the best way to eat trout.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, fry in butter.

Garnish with lemons and parsley.

Serve with baked sweet potatoes.

Fish Meuniere

(Alton Brown)

2 large fillet of rainbow trout, skin-on

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp Canola oil

1 Tbsp butter

lemon slices

parsley

Heat a large 12 inch skillet (preferably not non-stick) over med-high heat.

Sprinkle the flesh side of the fish with salt and pepper. Dredge in the flour, shaking off excess.

Add oil and butter to hot pan. Let the butter melt, foam and brown.

Add fish to pan, flesh side down. Jiggle pan to ensure it is not sticking. Cook 2 minutes, a pretty brownish, flecked crust will form.

If the fat around the fish is smoking, turn down the heat a bit.

Flip fish, and cook another 2 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.

Remove fish to a plate, garnish with lemon slices and parsley.

Sweet Potato Half-moons

Peel a huge sweet potato or several and cut them into 1cm half moons.

Toss with olive oil and Montreal Steak Spice on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Cook at 400* for about 20 mins or until soft on the inside and crispy brown on the outside.

We dip ours in a combo of 1/4Cup Mayo, 1/4 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder and 1tsp honey mixed together.

Eating Prairie Food

Tonight's meal make me think of the Ingalls family. Clara and I have been reading the Little House on the Prairie books a lot this winter and, boy, they ate a lot of corn bread. For dinner, we stuffed ourselves on Sweet Potato {Chicken} Hash and Moosewood Cornbread. (I suppose the Ingalls would have used Prairie Hen in the hash but we used some roasted chicken breast.)

Moosewood cornbread calls for whole flaxseeds (I grind mine in the coffee grinder
) and whole grain cornmeal, which hasn't had its delicious germ and bran removed. Jim and I both agreed the whole cornmeal makes a far superior bread than the more processed stuff. Clara ate hers loaded with butter and a drizzle of maple syrup, Jim's just had butter and mine was plain.

The hash recipe came from a cookbook my mum got me for my birthday this year. Not Your Mother's Weeknight Cooking has become my go to book when I need something to make for dinner and I haven't planned ahead. I always have everything the recipes call for in my pantry. However, tonight I did plan ahead and still used the book because I've been wanting to try this recipe for a while.

Moosewood Cornbread

5 T Whole Flaxseeds (ground just before using)
1C Whole Wheat Flour
1/2t salt
1/2t baking soda
2t baking powder
1C Whole Grain Cornmeal
2 Large Eggs
1C Plain Yogurt
1/4C Olive Oil
1/4C Honey, Maple Syrup or Agave Syrup (optional but highly recommended)

1. Heat oven to 375*. Oil a 9-inch square or 10-inch round baking pan.
2. Grind up flaxseeds to a consistency similar to the cornmeal.
3. Mix flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder, stir in the flax and cornmeal.
4. In a separate bowl beat eggs, yogurt, oil and sweetener.
5. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet. Stir just until blended; don't overmix.
6. Spread batter evenly in the pan and bake 20mins or until cake tester comes out clean.

*Serves 9.

Sweet Potato Chicken Hash

2 Large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice)
1T butter
1 small red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 chicken breast (roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper at 350* for 40mins), or other cooked meat.
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 Large eggs
1 1/2 T chopped chives or scallions
1 1/2 T chopped parsley

1. Place potatoes in a saucepan with water enough to cover by 1-inch. Bring to a boil and cook 4 minutes or until barely tender. Drain well and set aside.
2. Heat butter in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add onion, and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add drained sweet potatoes. Cook, stirring for 8 mins or until potatoes are crispy and slightly browned.
3. Add cooked chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Make 4 wells in the potato mixture (3-inches in diameter each) and break 1 egg in each well.
5. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook 4-5 minutes, until eggs reach desired 'doneness'.
6. Sprinkle with herbs and serve immediately.

*This could easily be done without the meat, adding mushrooms with the onions instead.