Just Recipes

Crispy Pimenton Chickpeas
Makes 4 cups

These addictive chickpeas make for great party food. Put them out in bowls, and let your guests graze, or use them to top Spanish Rice!

Ingredients
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas (4 cups), rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika (pimenton)
½ teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Use a dish towel or a salad spinner to make sure the chickpeas are as dry…

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A brilliant sauce from Heidi, my fave.

Walnut Miso Sauce
Makes 1-2 cups

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium clove garlic
2 tablespoons mellow white miso paste
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon salt
1/4 cup warm water

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add more water as necessary for the texture to wind up along the lines of mayo or pesto. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

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Now I know dried beans are cheap and good, and I do buy them from the bulk bin occasionally and take the time to cook them up. But not as much as I’d like. To make a pot of beans, you have to commit to being around for a while. You more or less have to watch the beans cook (and we all know what happens to a watched pot, right?), tasting them every 30 minutes to monitor their consistency, removing them from the heat when they’re neither too hard nor too soft. It’s hard to time this perfectly,…

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I use this dip as a nice base for some flavorful white bean burgers, but it’s also grand on its own. A simple eggplant is transformed by a roast in the oven and a bunch of good olive oil into a rich, flavorful spread or dip. Thanks to my mom for this recipe–she used to make it all the time, before she perfected the roasted eggplant slice.

From my kitchen, albeit small, to yours,

Cara, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK

**Recipe**

Roasted Eggplant Spread
Makes about 2 cups

See the original recipe here.

Ingredients
1…

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Gin and Gingers

Makes 6-8 drinks

2 cups ginger syrup (see recipe here, omit the thyme)
2 cups gin
1 quart sparkling water
2 limes, quartered (plus more for garnish)

Combine 4 ice cubes, 1/4 cup ginger syrup, 1/4 cup gin, and 1/2 cup sparkling water in a tall water glass. Stir to incorporate. Garnish with a lime wedge.

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Tahini Aioli

Makes 1/2 – 1 cup aioli

Ingredients
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup mayo
1 lemon, juiced
1 garlic clove
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup water

Combine all ingredients in a small food processor and blend until smooth. Aioli will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Drizzle over falafel for best results.

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Israeli Salad
Serves 2-4

Ingredients
2 tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced
1 seedless cucumber, diced
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. Serve alongside falafel and tahini aioli.

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Carrot-Tarragon Vinaigrette
Makes ½ cup dressing

Ingredients

1 small carrot, peeled
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
½ lemon juiced
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon leaves
½ teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ – 1/2 cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor (beginning with ¼ cup olive oil). Add more olive oil as needed to puree the carrot until smooth. Taste, and add more acid or oil as needed.

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Dill Tartar Sauce
Makes 1 cup

If you like your tartar sauce sweet, this is not the recipe for you. Sweet relish is used in classic tartar sauces–and sweet relish is not for me. Instead, I’ve ramped up the pickles in my recipe and added dill to bring home that fresh, herby flavor.

Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
2 teaspoons finely chopped shallot or onion
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt…

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Spicy, Quick-Pickled Radishes
adapted from Healthy Green Kitchen
Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients
1 cup trimmed, thinly sliced radishes
1 scallion, white and green parts thinly sliced
1 dried red chile pepper
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Place the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small pot and heat to boiling. Stir so the sugar dissolves. Add the radishes, carrot, and garlic, and optional chile pepper, then remove from heat.

Pour into a glass bowl or jar, and let come to room temperature. Then,…

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