Harissa Ravioli

Have you guys discovered harissa yet? It's a North African hot chili sauce, and it's definitely having a culinary moment. I made my own batch a couple weeks ago and have really been enjoying it, but you can find it in gourmet shops or even in high-end grocery stores (like Whole Foods). Be warned, the spiciness does vary from brand to brand.

Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day -- the cookbook on which I currently have the biggest crush -- contains a couple different recipes featuring harissa, and this is one of them. It's a winning recipe: it's extremely quick, and it's bursting with flavor. Definitely one that I'll be making whenever harissa finds its way into my kitchen.

Harissa Ravioli

From Super Natural Every Day

• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons harissa
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 12 ounces fresh or frozen cheese-stuffed ravioli or tortellini
• 8 ounces broccoli florets or broccolini, trimmed into bite-size pieces
• 1/4 cup pepitas, sliced almonds, or pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup kalamata or black oil-cured olives, pitted and torn into pieces

Bring a large pot of water to boil. In the meantime, make the harissa oil. Sprinkle the smashed garlic clove with the salt and chop into a paste. Transfer it to a small bowl and stir in the lemon juice, harissa, and olive oil. Taste and add more salt, if needed.

When the water boils, salt it generously, add the ravioli, and boil until they float and are cooked through, usually just 1 or 2 minutes (but check cooking instructions on the package). About 30 seconds before the ravioli have finished cooking, add the broccoli to the pot, boil for the remaining time, then drain.

Put the ravioli and broccoli in a large mixing bowl. Toss with a couple spoonfuls of the harissa oil and most of the pepitas. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Turn out onto a serving platter and top with more harissa oil, the remaining pepitas, the feta, and olives.

Variations: Substitute cauliflower or pan-fried Brussels sprouts for the broccoli.

Warm Lentil Salad with Grapes, Feta, & Mint

So I guess we're getting toward springtime here in DC (at least theoretically -- if only it would quit snowing!), which is about the time I start craving quicker, lighter, fresh-tasting meals so I can enjoy more time outside in the sunshine. (Daylight saving time, you are my friend.) This one really hit the spot for me last night. It's so easy to throw together and has such a great combination of flavors and textures: chewy lentils, sweet grapes, crunchy pistachios, mustardy dressing, salty feta. This would be great served over a bed of baby spinach, or for my carnivorous friends out there, as a side dish with some marinated grilled chicken or pork chops.

Warm Lentil Salad with Grapes, Feta, and Mint
From Vegetarian Times

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 2 cups cooked lentils (start with about 1 cup dry; simmer with water to cover for about 20 minutes)
• 1 1/2 cups red grapes, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted pistachios
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped mint
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, and cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until tender and translucent, stirring often. Remove from heat, and stir in sherry vinegar and mustard. Combine lentils, leek mixture, grapes, pistachios, mint, and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and top with crumbled feta.

Tunisian Vegetable Stew

File this recipe under "makes your house smell like a Berber spice market." Tantalizing, no? This dish is a lovely Tunisian vegetable stew from one of my favorite cookbooks. I've made it a few times myself and have even coerced my Mom into preparing it at home during one of my visits.

Tunisian cuisine is an exotic blend of Mediterrean and desert ingredients. According to good ol' Wikipedia, lots of cultures have had an influence on its food: from Phoenicians, Arabs, and Turks to the French and the aforementioned Berbers. When you add all those together, you get tasty concoctions seasoned with coriander, cinnamon, hot peppers, and citrus. Of course, they're best served with a side of couscous, the national dish of Tunisia.

Tunisian Vegetable Stew

From  Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups thinly sliced cabbage
• Salt to taste
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup currants or raisins (I had both, so I used a combination)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Feta cheese
• Cooked couscous (I used whole wheat)

In a large skillet, saute the onions in the olive oil for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the cabbage, sprinkle with salt, and continue to saute for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne to the skillet and saute for another minute or so. Stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas, and currents and/or raisins, and simmer, covered, about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender. Add the lemon juice. Serve on couscous topped with feta.

Greek-Style Spaghetti Squash

When I was in college, we sometimes were served spaghetti squash in big trays in the Adams House dining hall. It was usually plain or accompanied by a lackluster marinara sauce. Oh, and it was dry. And unseasoned. I wasn't really that into it, so I never really thought about making it at home until I saw a big bin full of beautiful yellow spaghetti squashes at the grocery store last week.

I'm glad I decided to give it a chance, because I loved this recipe. It's so healthy, easy to make, and delicious. You just have the squash going in the microwave while you make the quick sauce on the stovetop. The whole thing can be done, start to finish, in 15 minutes. And it's waaayyy better than that stuff you get in the dining hall.

Greek-Style Spaghetti Squash

• One large spaghetti squash
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• One 14-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1/4 cup feta cheese

Pierce squash with a fork in several places; place on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high, turning squash over every 3 minutes, until tender, about 12 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add scallions and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, chickpeas, oregano, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a slow boil. Using a fork, scrape strands of squash into skillet with tomato-chickpea mixture. Cook, stirring, until squash strands are well coated; remove from heat and top with mint and feta.