The Case of Mediterranean Chick Pea Soup

Remember when our government advised us to prepare and have on hand family emergency kits? Coincided with millennium computer crash concerns, I believe. The following says all you need to know about me – I made a first aid kit for our home, an emergency/first aid kit for my car, and a 3-day emergency equipment and vegetarian rations kit for Karl and myself. The latter looks something like this– 

list of contents
24 litres water (check expiry date)
6 cans chick peas (rotate yearly)
6 small containers apple juice (rotate yearly)
6 small cans V8 (rotate yearly)
12 cheese and cracker snacks (rotate every 6 months)
cereal (rotate every 6 months)
4 cans evaporated milk (rotate yearly)
batteries for radio (8 D-size, 1.5V) (test)
manual

Fortunately, we've never had to use any of our kits. But you do see how every year I have this glut of canned chick peas to use up. Mmm-hmm, I have a wonderful, spicy chick pea hummus recipe. Plus this soup. Excellent for dunking chunks of Italian bread.

Mediterranean Chick Pea Soup

1 red pepper
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch chilli pepper flakes
2 19-oz-cans chick peas, rinsed
4 cups water
4 rounded tsps (for 4 cups) vegetable bouillon powder
3 tbsps pesto
1/2 cup Greek olives, pitted
1 tsp vinegar
2 tbsps Parmesan

Slice the red pepper in half, trim it, and broil the two halves, skin side up, until blackened (approximately 15 mins.) Place in a sealed container for 15 mins., then peel and chop. In the meantime, sauté the garlic and celery in the olive oil for 5 min. Add the chilli pepper flakes and sauté 30 sec. Add the chick peas, water, and vegetable bouillon powder, and simmer, covered, for 15 min. Stir in the roasted red pepper, pesto, olives and vinegar. Ladle into bowls and grate the Parmesan on top. A savoury delight for 4 emergency-spared people.

The Case of Orange Vanilla Vinaigrette

Can't help but look forward to this year's June fair. Although it's still chilly here in Black Currant Bay, when I gaze at this snapshot of the set-up of last year's event, I anticipate those carefree days. Salad Days.

Orange Vanilla Vinaigrette

2 tbsps lemon juice
1 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps honey
1 tbsp grated orange peel
1/4 tsp vanilla

Whisk or shake together all the ingredients. Serves 4.

The Case of Grilled Fig Salad

This salad tastes way too decadent not to be dessert, and yet...it's leafy greens.

Grilled Fig Salad

10 oz (284-g-pack) mixed lettuce

Orange Vanilla Vinaigrette (sharing my homemade recipe next post) 

1 cup pecans, toasted in the oven at 350ºF for 10 min.

12 figs (more or less, depending on size), stems removed

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup light ricotta

Toss together the mixed lettuce, Orange Vanilla Vinaigrette and pecans. Plate. Cut the figs in half lengthwise, and grill them face down 30 seconds in a hot, non-stick pan brushed with the olive oil. Arrange the figs on the salad. Dollop with teaspoons of ricotta. Makes 4 meal-size salads.

The Case of Not Just for Breakfast Sandwich

Talking substitutions – spinach for ham in Eggs Florentine – in the sandwich above, a thick, juicy slice of tomato subs for ham. It's exactly like when the substitute teacher rocks in the classroom.

As you can see, this sandwich is free-form. Still, I'm very much looking forward to trying out a couple of egg rings I bought recently. Do you think rounder fried eggs will make the sandwich look more, you know, MMMuffinish? 

Not Just for Breakfast Sandwich

1 egg
1 tsp butter
1 English muffin
1 slice tomato
salt
pepper
1 slice old Cheddar

So easy. Fry the egg in the butter in a non-stick pan. Toast the English muffin. Lay the slice of tomato on one half of the toasted muffin, slide on the egg, salt and pepper to taste, top with the Cheddar, then the other half of the muffin. Eat enthusiastically. Serves 1.