Spicy Veggie Lentil Curry

Being a food blogger does have some perks, one of them is trying out new products I might not otherwise get my hands on.  After noticing that we had bought some habañeros and other spicy peppers at the Penn Quarter Farmer’s Market, Plato’s Olive Oil contacted us to see if we would be interested in trying out one of their infused olive oils.

Of course Sam, the spice lover of this household, wanted to give this a try.  He’s even been thinking about making some of his own!  So we waited patiently for our olive oil to arrive.

Plato’s Olive Oil is a family owed company based in California.  The owner was looking for an olive oil infused with spicy flavors, and wasn’t able to find any- so he began experimenting!  The original, and the product which was sent us, is their habañero-infused olive oil, which comes from the Napa region in California.

To give it a try, I decided to make some lentil curry- and thought that the extra spice from Plato’s olive oil would be a perfect kick.  And I was not disappointed, the olive oil gave this dish the extra spice it needed!

But there is no way around it, and many food bloggers and photographers can agree, brown food is so difficult to photograph!  But sometimes- in this case a spicy veggie curry- it’s so delicious, I wish it’d look a bit nicer to show off it’s tastiness.

Veggie Lentil Curry
Adapted from: SweetSugarBean

2 tbsp Plato’s Habanero-Infused olive oil (or regular olive oil)
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 small carrots, chopped
1 inch ginger, shredded
2 jalapeño, chopped (optional)
3 tbsp spicy curry paste
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 14.5 oz light coconut milk
2 cups uncooked lentils
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 head of cauliflower
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Heat up the olive oil in a large pot.  Once heated, add the onions and allow them to cook for about 5 minutes, or until they become translucent.  Then add in the garlic, carrots, ginger and jalapeños.  Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Next add in the curry paste, cayenne pepper, cumin and coriander.  Allow to cook for about a minute, then add in the tomatoes, coconut milk and lentils.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Then lower to a simmer, and cook until the beans are done (about 40 minutes).

Once the lentils are cooked, add in the chickpeas, cauliflower and peas.  Cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Finally, stir in the cilantro and serve.

Disclosure: I received a bottle of Plato’s Habanero-Infused Olive Oil to try, but did not receive additional compensation for this post, or was under any obligation to blog about it.

June Review

It seemed like a lot of people liked the May review, so I think I might make this a regular post each month.  So what photos did I capture on my iPhone this month?

As I’m sure everyone has seen on Pinterest, drinks in jars are the cool new thing!  My friend Carrie loves this idea, and we cooled off with mimosas one night (grapefruit juice & prosecco)!

Penn Quarter Farmer’s Market finds!  My favorite from that week were the peas- could not stop eating them!

Blueberry picking at Butler’s Orchard with friends, what a great way to spend a Saturday!  Also, it’s a great excuse to make a blueberry-oat crumble!

Another week of deliciousness from the Penn Quarter Farmer’s Market!  This weeks favorites were the squash blossoms for a frittata and more peas!

Sam and I were dog and cat sitting one weekend.  We tried out an new coffee place, Pound the Hill and made a blueberry-oat crumble!

An amazing dinner at Hank’s Oyster Bar!  They have 2 locations- Dupont & Alexandria!  We went sailing that afternoon, so the oysters were a perfect finish to a great Sunday!

We went to a fabulous dinner at Jose Andres Zaytinya with a friend who is spending 2 months in Turkey!  This is one of the top 10 restaurants in DC, should be on everyone’s list to try!

More goodies from the Penn Quarter Farmers Market!  The delicious tart cherries were made into a pie, just like last year!  We devoured the green beans dipped in hummus, a perfect snack!

We celebrated my friend Becky’s birthday with a Cherry-Chocolate Birthday Cake in Baltimore!

Jessica–  friend and fellow blogger– is fostering kittens!  At the time I was there, all 4 still needed a home- I almost wanted to bring one home with me!

Last weeks goodies from the Penn Quarter Farmers Market.  Check out what I made with the beets– a perfect mid-day snack!  Tomatoes, peaches and nectarines are finally here!

Finally, while visiting Williamsburg, VA for a weekend we spotted these lemon ball cucumbers at the Williamsburg Farmers Market!  They taste just like a cucumber, but in a fun shape and color!

Samosa Casserole

So I know I’ve been a little absent from the blog world, but there is a reason for it.  We’re on vacation!  Yes, remember this post?  Since our travels began, we’ve been enjoying some great food, and yes, we’ll be sure to write about it here the moment we get back!

Until then, here’s a recipe I had made for my Book Club about a week prior to our trip.  Our last book was filled with short stories about Indian families living in the US- so naturally, I had to make some Indian dishes!  Searching around, I had stumbled upon this one, and thought it’d be a hit (and it was!).

The great thing about this dish was that I prepared it the night before.  I had made all of the filling, and then stored it overnight, covered in the fridge.  Then next day, I had made the crust and baked it.

Samosa Casserole
Adapted from: Vegetarian Times (Jan 2010)
6-8 servings

1 cup of flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
10 tbsp cold water
1 1/2 lb Russet potatoes, quartered
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 cup peas, frozen
1 cup of water
1 vegetable bouillon
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Knead together flour, salt and vegetable oil.  Once it starts clumping, add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time.  Continue kneading until you can form a ball.  Cover with a towel and set aside.

Cook potatoes in boiling water until they are tender, then drain them.  Next, add them to a bowl and mash them- try leaving some chunks for texture.

In a saucepan, heat olive oil.  Then add the onions, carrots and garlic; sauté for about 5 minutes.  While the heat is still on, slide the vegetable mixture to one side of the pan.  In the empty space add mustard seeds.  Toast them for about 30 seconds, then mix them into the vegetable mixture.  Stir in peas, water and a vegetable bouillon.  Finally, add the curry powder, ground ginger, ground cumin, garam masala and red pepper flakes.  Stir well, mixing in all of the spices.

Once it is all incorporated, add the vegetable mixture into the bowl with mashed potatoes.  Also, add honey, salt and pepper.  Make sure it’s well incorporated.  Spread the filling into about a 9-inch pan (any shape).

Preheat the over to 350ºF.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface.  If the pan is 9-inch, then the dough should be around 11-inches.  Cover the filling with the dough, pressing down to eliminate all of the air pockets.  Trim off the excess dough.  In the center, cut in an X, to let the steam out.

Bake the casserole for about 60-70 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.  Let it stand a couple of minutes before serving.

Review: Birch & Barley

Last Saturday we went to dinner at Birch & Barley with our friend B*.  All of us were excited to try this new place.  It opened up in the fall of 2009, and it’s been on our list to check out.  I wish we had tried it sooner!  I think it might be one of my top restaurants in DC.

So the next time you’re around Logan Circle, definitely check this place out!

To start out our dinner we began with a Butcher’s Board:

It consisted of fresh and cured charcuterie, fresh bread, mustard and butter.  The start was not only delicious, but it was so beautifully presented.

Next, came the entrees.  The waiter asked if we would like tasting plates so we could share the food amongst ourselves- it was a great idea!

Sam had the roasted loin of lamb with braised lamb belly, fava beans, bulgur wheat and garlic scapes.

I noticed there was a prosciutto wrapped veal strip loin, and I had to have it!  With it there was barley, peas, artichokes and cippolini onions.

Lastly, B* had the honey glazed duck breast leg confit with the gorgeous wild rice, brandied cherries and radishes.

After such a delicious dinner, we just had to try the desserts- they had to be just as good, right?  (and they were!)

Sam got the house-spun sorbets, which included the following flavors: buttermilk, banana, creamsicle, rhubarb and a mix of exotic flavors.

I have a weak spot when it comes to hazelnut, so the ganache had to be mine.  It was topped with the homemade sorbet and shaved chocolate.

Lastly, B* ordered the strawberry shortcake.  It was an olive oil cake, with strawberries, balsamic and whipped mascarpone.

Wasn’t this delicious?!?  I hope you all make a reservation as soon as possible.  And if you’re visiting DC, definitely add this restaurant as part of your visit.