Curry Beans and Greens

I had a hankering for Indian food or something similar ... and poking around another The Bold Vegetarian Chef by Ken Charney, I came across his luscious recipe for "Roasted Potatoes, Chickpeas and Spinach with Spicy Cashew Sauce." As undeterred as I was unprepared, I proceeded and came up with a variation that hit the spot:

2 medium to large potatoes, cut into large bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon + 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon coridander
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
one 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup nut butter (I used half tahini and half peanut butter; cashew butter would be best)
2 to 3 tablespoons oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, shredded or julienned
3/4 to 1 cup vegetable stock
a bunch of greens (I used mostly collards, plus a small handful of fresh basil leaves), chiffonade to maybe 1 to 2 cups
freshly ground salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon of oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Spread on baking tray or cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 to 35 minutes, turning potatoes halfway through.

In a large, dry skillet, add dry spices and toast over medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Add 1/4 cup oil, onion, ginger and garlic to the spices. Cook about five minutes, until onions are softened and slightly browned. Add garbanzo beans, nut butter, sun-dried tomatoes and vegetable stock. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened (or, alternatively, add a little more stock to thin to the desired consistency). Stir in roasted potatoes and greens. Cook just until the greens wilt -- maybe 1 or two minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Mixed Greens with Warm Pecan Dressing

For some reason, my backyard garden is very conducive to growing greens: spinach, kale, lettuce, collards and, this year, a bountiful crop of mustard greens. They're easy to prepare with simple garlic and olive oil, but this recipe from the Seasonal Chef kicks it up a notch without much more fuss. Here's my vegan variation, served this time with companion purple rice:

• fresh greens (mustard, turnip or collard; the original recipe calls for 6 cups each of two different kinds, or 2 pounds total; I simply grabbed a huge bunch of collards and mustard greens)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons agave syrup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (I actually used my homemade Orange/Tarragon Mustard)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
  

Wash greens well, dry thoroughly, then remove and discard the long stems. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Plunge greens into water and cook for a minute or two; drain and cool. Then roughly chop.In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, agave syrup and mustard. Set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet; add the vinegar mixture and pecans; cook, stirring reguarly for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the chopped greens and toss.