Dear readers, if you don't mind, today I would like to talk to you about some things that are near and dear to my heart: camping and cooking. This is my season, people. It's finally cool enough to run my oven without abandon, do my yearly massive cardigan/winter wear washing, and leave the windows open until it's just too chilly to continue with this insanity. We can go out into the woods and not immediately be eaten alive by mosquitoes and other horrible biting things. I can curl up in my sleeping bag and not wake up sticky and sad because it is still somehow 90 degrees at 6 a.m. No, friends. Last weekend we went camping and I woke up because my children stole all the blankets and I was freezing. It was glorious.
Do you know one of my favorite things to do this time of year, whether it is in the fire pit in the backyard, or a campfire, or just a plain old grill? Make Foil Dinner Packets. If you have never made these babies, then let me guide your gentle soul in the ways of campfire cooking. You take approximately a 12x12 sheet of foil, throw down some sliced potatoes, onions, and peppers and whatever other vegetables you want (squash, zucchini, asparagus, mushrooms, etc.) add whatever meat you want (smoked sausage is my favorite, but ground beef, chicken and shrimp are all delicious, too), drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, fold up your foil packets and throw them on the fire. No really, you just stick them right on the burning logs and cook them for 20 minutes. You then eat your dinner directly from the foil packet, while you sit around the fire that just cooked your most delicious meal. It's a thing of beauty, I tell you. Here is the recipe for some Shrimp Boil Foil Packs from Le Creme de la Crumb that are out of this world. And I have my go-to Foil Dinner Packet recipe below, which brings me to our Sale Oil of the month.
We're doing 20% off Harissa, folks! I rediscovered my love of Harissa Infused Olive Oil this month. It has been a while since I've used this one and, for the life of me, I can't figure out how I have forgotten about it. Harissa is a spicy red chili paste spiced with garlic, coriander and cumin that is extremely popular in the Middle East, especially in Tunisia (a country which provides yours truly with its most delicious Baklouti Green Chili Oil!). But right now, Harissa is making its way into the U.S. Culinary scene the same way Sriracha did 10 years ago. Every food blog I follow and cooking magazine I read has at least one Harissa recipe thrown in. But how do you cook with Harissa Olive Oil, you ask? Let me bombard you with examples.
Drizzle it over any bowl of chili or bean soup, Foil Dinner Packets, on popcorn, to make spicy mixed nuts, this Shredded Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta and Mint, or a quick black bean and cheese quesadilla. And Shakshuka.
Have you heard of Shakshuka? "Bless you!" No? It's not nearly as scary as it sounds. It's eggs poached in a spicy, savory tomato sauce. It's what you're having for brunch this weekend. This recipe for Shakshuka with Feta is from Melissa Clark, who is an absolute genius when it comes to simple, wholesome, delicious meals. (Her Red Lentil Soup with Lemon featured here on the Orangette blog is perfection.) Instead of using Extra Virgin Olive Oil (which, of course, you can use and we have some beauties in the store right now), I would suggest trying it with the Harissa Infused Oil, both for the Shakshuka and Lentil Soup.
I'm giving you the recipes for one of my family's all-time comfort foods. Chana Masala. "What is with all these nonsense words today," you ask? I'm expanding your horizons in the most delicious way. This is the ultimate week night dinner. You can make the whole thing in 30 minutes, everything you need is probably already in your pantry and spice cabinet and it makes for fantastic leftovers. Vegan, gluten free, and so flavorful and filling that you are completely satisfied. It's onions, ginger and spices, garbanzo beans and crushed tomatoes served over Basmati or whatever rice is in your cabinet. I like to eat a side of Harissa Roasted Cauliflower with mine. I start the cauliflower roasting and rice cooking before I begin sauteing my onions and then, magically, everything is done at the same time! This is like the Indian version of Spaghetti and Meatballs. If you don't have all the exact spices, no big deal. Add something else, or leave a spice or two out. If you hate garbanzo beans (we can't be friends), make Chicken Tikka Masala instead. The point is, if you want a wonderfully easy, cheap, tasty meal, these recipes are for you.
Anyway...what's going on at the store? Well, we're starting the less then glamorous process of stocking up for the Holiday season. We got in a shipment of approximately 1 million bottles. Not really, but it certainly felt like it as we were unloading the pallets. We have some cute new kitchen towels in for Thanksgiving. My favorite one says "Love Thy Neighbor" and another has a recipe for a Honey Pecan Pie that I might have to test out next week.
We're heading toward the last few months of having Southern Hemisphere Extra Virgin Olive Oils. Spain has already pressed their olives and their oils are coming our way soon. I'll let you know when we make the switch, but for now we still have the tastiest olive oils Australia and Chile have to offer. When that shipment comes in, we'll also have a new dark balsamic to surprise you with, but I'm keeping it a secret until it gets here, which will be within the first few weeks of November.
Yikes! I almost forgot! We are not going to do the 3 for Thursday deal from now until March or April, when Farmer's market starts again. Instead, we're going to help you get stocking stuffers by having a sale on our gift packs. If you buy 3 of the 60 ml gift packs, you get the 4th one half off. It's that time, people. Well, almost that time of year. Let me have Halloween first.
For now, enjoy these recipes, enjoy the weather, come down to to square for Trick or Treating next week and pick up your bottle of Harissa!
Cheers,
Andrea
Foil Dinner Packets
4 sheets of Aluminum foil
1 large russet potato or several new potatoes, sliced thin
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
2 zucchini, sliced
6 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. Smoked Sausage, sliced
4 Corn on the Cobs
cherry tomatoes, optional
1 Tbsp. Harissa Infused Olive Oil per packet, or 4 Tbsp. total
1. Have a hot camp fire or preheated grill.
2. Lay down a sheet of aluminum foil and start layering: handful of potatoes, then onion, then bell pepper, then zucchini, then mushrooms, then sausage, then tomatoes (if you want them). Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper. Tightly fold up your foil packet and then keep making packets until your use up all your fixings. (Note: The way I fold my packets is: long right side over the toppings, followed by long left side over the folded right side. Smash down a bit. Roll up the ends, making sure there isn't much of a gap along the folded pieces.) (Also note: I make my corn separately. Just wrap them in foil, too.)
3. Throw those foil packets right onto banked coals or a good flat log on your fire, or onto the hottest part of your grill. Throw the foil wrapped corn on a lightly less hot part of the fire or grill. Walk away. Grab a s'more. After about 15 minutes, flip them over. Take the corn out of the fire. (I suggest using long grill tongs to do this.) Give the packets another 5 minutes or so. Take one out of the fire and carefully unwrap it, once it's cooled enough to do so. If it is done, with the potatoes tender and slightly charred, it's ready to dig into. Take the others out of the fire. Add more Harissa or spicy mustard, if you want to, and enjoy this beautiful weather!
Chana Masala
1/4 c. EVOO or butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
Cilantro, optional
1. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large, heavy pot or skillet and add onion. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring every now and then, until the onion is nice and browned with bits of black here and there.
2. While you're cooking the onion, grate your ginger into a small bowl, then add all the spices together into that bowl. Once the onion is caramelized, decrease your heat to medium and add the spices and ginger to your skillet. Stir quickly, and add your garbanzo beans.
3. Stir everything around for a minute or two, then add about 1/4 cup of water to your pan. That will steam off pretty quickly, then add your crushed tomatoes. Bring to a nice simmer, reduce heat to low, cover the pan and cook, stirring every now and then, for 20 minutes. Top with some fresh cilantro and serve over Basmati Rice and along side Harissa Roasted Cauliflower.
Harissa Roasted Cauliflower
1 large head cauliflower, washed and chopped
3-4 Tbsp. Harissa Infused Olive Oil
Salt and pepper (1/2 tsp. each?)
1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Arrange cauliflower on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Roast cauliflower for 35-40 minutes, flipping/stirring after 20 minutes.
