The Kojo Nnamdi Show

Recipes

Shepherd's Pie With Chard-Lentil Filling

(Courtesy Kim O'Donnel and DeCapo Press; From "The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook")
Makes about 6 servings

Looking for cozy cookin’? Dog-ear this page pronto. Curled up under a blanket of garlicky mashed is a lentil-chard filling that totally hits the spot. But wait, there’s more: Your hunk o’ pie gets extra love with a sultry caramelized onion gravy.

Kitchen notes: Although this is a four-pot affair, it need not feel like a three-ring circus. First item of business: Get the lentils on the stove. While they’re simmering, work on the onion gravy. While the gravy simmers, boil the potatoes for the mashed topping. Everything comes together in a pie plate.

Ingredients
1 cup wine-braised lentils (details follow)
1 1/2 cups onion gravy (details follow)
2 pounds medium-size potatoes
(4 to 5 potatoes; my favorites are Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn), washed, trimmed/peeled as needed, and cut into quarters
2 teaspoons salt
3 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
5 tablespoons olive oil
Ground black pepper
3 to 4 cups chard (from 1 bunch), washed, stemmed, and chopped finely into "ribbons"
1 clove garlic, chopped roughly
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Here's What You Do

1. Grease a 9-inch pie plate.

2. Fill a medium-size saucepan with 4 cups of water, and add the potatoes and salt. The water should just barely cover the potatoes. This is important.

3. Cover and bring to a boil. Add the whole garlic. Return the lid and cook until fork tender, about 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

5. With a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer the potatoes and garlic to a large mixing bowl and mash with a hand masher. Stir in the reserved cooking liquid as necessary to moisten the potatoes. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and stir in vigorously with a wooden spoon. Taste for salt, pepper, and texture and season and stir accordingly; mashed potatoes should be smooth and well seasoned.

6. In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat and cook the chard with the chopped garlic, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes, regularly tossing with tongs to cook evenly. Stir in the nutmeg and season with more salt to taste, if needed. Transfer to a medium-size bowl.

7. Portion out 1 cup of the lentils (the rest is cook’s treat) and stir into the chard until well combined.

8. Assemble the pie: Transfer the chard mixture to the greased pie plate. Top with the mashed potatoes, and with a rubber spatula, smooth the mash so that it’s evenly distributed and completely covers the surface. Top off with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

9. Place the dish in the oven and heat through, 20 to 25 minutes. During the final 2 minutes of cooking, set the oven to the broil setting to brown the cheesy-mashed top.

10. Remove from the oven, slice into wedges, and eat hot with a ladleful of onion gravy.

Wine-Braised Lentils

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup carrot, peeled and diced
1 sprig fresh thyme, or
1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed (the smaller French lentilles du Puy, with a more refined texture, are my preference, but they’re not always available. Use what you can find in your local market.)
2 tablespoons red wine you enjoy drinking
3/4 to 1 cup water
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

Here's What You Do

1. In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, carrot, and thyme. Cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly softened.

2. Add the lentils and stir to coat. Add the red wine (if using) and bring to a lively simmer. The wine will reduce a bit.

3. Add 3/4 cup of the water, return to a lively simmer, then lower the heat, cover and cook until fork tender, about 40 minutes.

4. Check and add a little extra water if need be, to keep the lentils from drying out completely. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, taste, and add the remaining salt, if needed.

Makes 1 1/2 cups. If you love these lentils, amounts may be doubled for a big pot that will keep for days and pair up seamlessly with your favorite grain.

Onion Gravy

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups onions, sliced thinly into half-moons
1 or 2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cups water
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce

Here's What You Do

1. In a deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions and thyme. With tongs, toss to coat the onions with the butter and cook over medium-low heat, until softened, reduced, and jam-like, about 25 minutes.

2. Add the balsamic vinegar, stir, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

3. Add the water and bring to a lively simmer. Reduce by half, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for an additional 5 minutes; the gravy will continue to reduce. Stir in the salt and sugar, and taste. Finish off with the soy sauce.

4. Turn off the heat, cover, and gently reheat at a simmer, just before serving with pie.

All Hail the Kale Salad

(Courtesy Tracye McQuirter and Lawrence Hill Books; From "By Any Greens Necessary")

Ingredients

2-3 bunches curly kale, chopped or torn into small pieces
1 medium red onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
3-4 TB olive oil
2-3 TB Bragg Liquid Aminos
2 TB nutritional yeast
Cayenne pepper to taste

1. Place the kale in a large bowl and pour the olive oil over it. Toss with salad tongs to make sure all leaves are coated.

2. Add in the rest of the ingredients and toss well.

3. If possible, let marinate at room temperature for about 15-30 minutes before serving. Makes 6-8 servings.

Apple Crumb Pie

Crumb Pie Crust:

2 cups dry almonds or pecans, unroasted and unsalted
1 tsp sea salt 8 medjool dates, pitted

Syrup:

2 medjool dates, pitted
2 small oranges, peeled and sliced
1 tsp of water (or more, as needed)

Filling:
5 apples, thinly sliced
1 TB cinnamon

1. Crust: Pulse nuts, sea salt, and dates in food processor until a crumbly mixture is formed. Set aside.

2. Syrup: Blend oranges and dates in blender. Add water as needed.

3. Filling: Stir chopped apples with syrup and cinnamon. Spoon the filling into pie crust.

4. Sprinkle crust on top of apple filling and serve. Makes 8 - 10 servings.