Soup, Tex-mex

Spicy bean soup with guacamole

This is a rich and spicy bean soup with guacamole as icing on the cake!

Serves 7

1 batch of guacamole (see recipe under Corn tortillas with fried beans and guacamole, but preferably omit the tomato, red onion and chilli since they are anyway included in the soup)
2 dl each of three kinds of dried beans (e.g. black, kidney and borlotti beans)
2 red onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 kg crushed tomatoes
4 dl broth from boiling the beans
0.5 dl tomato purée
0.5 tsp herb salt
0.5 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground chilli peppers
2 tsp oregano
1 bunch of coriander sprigs, chopped
Oil for frying

Soak the beans and cook them according to the instructions on the packaging (it works fine to cook them in the same pot, just use the longest cooking time). Save 4 dl of broth from boiling the beans. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion for one minute. Add garlic and fry for another minute. Add the peppers, crushed tomatoes, broth from the beans, tomato purée and all the dry spices and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Stir at last in the chopped coriander sprigs. Serve the bean soup with a large dollop of guacamole, prepared according to the recipe earlier in the blog.

Tex-mex, Wraps

Kidney bean burrito

The spiciness of the beans is contrasted very nicely with the sour cream and is also complemented very well with the fresh flavors of the vegetables.

Serves 6

1 batch of fried kidney beans, according to the recipe for fried black beans under Corn tortillas with fried beans and guacamole but replace the black beans with kidney beans
1/2 lettuce, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 peppers, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
6 flour tortilla
3 dl sour cream

Cook the kidney beans according to recipe for fried black beans earlier in the blog. Mix the vegetables with olive oil. Roll up the fried kidney beans in a tortilla and serve it with salad and sour cream.

Middle eastern, Salad

Melon and artichoke salad with hummus

Melon is so delicious, and it makes this salad very fruity and juicy. It is also a very nice contrast to the nutty flavor of the cashew nuts and the flavorful hummus.  Thus, I hereby share with you my well optimized and tastiest hummus recipe! (The recipe for the salad is inspired by a recipe in the magazine Buffé from 2009.)

Serves 4

Melon and artichoke salad

1 cantaloupe, peeled and split into 2 cm cubes
3 fresh artichokes (or 1 can of artichoke hearts)
70 g rocket salad
150 g cashew nuts
3 avocados, peeled and diced
Juice of one lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
Oil for frying

Boil the artichokes in salted water for about 45 minutes. Remove the leaves and put them in a bowl. Cut off the stems and remove the “beard”. Cut the hearts into smaller pieces. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the cashew nuts until golden. Mix cantaloupe, artichoke hearts, rocket, cashew nuts, avocado, lemon juice and oil. Serve the salad with hummus (recipe below) and eat the meaty part of the artichoke leaves as a snack.

My tastiest hummus

230 g cooked chickpeas (drained weight)
1 dl olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsbp lemon juice
2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp ground cumin
0.5 tsp herb salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Indian, Patties and burgers, Stew

Watermelon Curry with black lentil patties

This is a tasty dish with very interesting ingredients, flavorful lentil patties and a spicy and tasty watermelon curry. (I have to confess that I would never have come up with the idea myself to make a curry out of watermelon, so the recipe is inspired by a recipe in the “New Vegetarian Kitchen” by Nicola Graimes.)

Serves 4-5

Watermelon Curry

2 kg watermelon
1 red chilli
2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp lime juice
0.5 dl chopped fresh mint
Oil for frying

Cut half of the watermelon in 2 cm large cubes. Blend the other half in a food processor into a purée. Fry chilli, ginger and garlic in a pan for about 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients to the curry except the lime juice and mint and let simmer about 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and mint and serve the curry with black lentil patties (recipe below).

Black lentil patties

230 g dried black lentils
1 onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground chilli pepper
1 egg
0.5 dl flour
Oil for frying

Cook the lentils according to the instructions on the package. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor. Shape the batter into large patties and fry them in oil until they are browned on both sides.

Tex-mex, Wraps

Quesadillas with black beans, jalapeno and mozzarella

This is dangerously good! Crispy tortillas, tex-mex seasoned vegetables with heat from jalapeno and melting mozzarella … Mmm… (The recipe is inspired by a recipe in the “New Vegetarian Kitchen” by Nicola Graimes.)

Serves 4-5

460 g of cooked black beans (drained weight)
200 g mozzarella, cut into smaller pieces
2 red peppers, cut into short sticks
1 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
0.5 tsp herb salt
0.5 tsp ground black pepper
8 small wheat tortilla breads
Oil for brushing
1 batch guacamole, according to the recipe under Corn tortillas with fried beans and guacamole

Heat the oven to 200 °C. Prepare the guacamole according to the recipe earlier in the blog. Stir together all ingredients and spices and spread it on 4 tortilla breads on a baking tray. Add a tortilla on top of each filling and brush it with oil. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the bread has become golden brown. Serve with guacamole.

Tex-mex, Wraps

Corn Tortillas with fried beans and guacamole

This is an absolutely delicious version of vegetarian tacos! Thereby, I will share with you my favorite guacamole recipe. (The recipe for the corn tortillas is taken from the back of the cornmeal package from Saltå Kvarn.)

Serves 6

1 batch of corn tortillas (recipe below)
1 batch of fried black beans (recipe below)
1 batch of guacamole (recipe below)
1 cucumber, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 red onion, chopped

Serve the fried beans on a corn tortilla topped with chopped vegetables and guacamole. Try to roll up if you can, otherwise spread the topping on the tortilla and eat it like a pizza.

Corn tortillas

2.5 dl cornmeal
1 dl wheat flour
1 egg
5 dl water
1 tbsp oil
1 pinch of salt

Whisk together eggs, water and oil and then mix in the remaining ingredients. Fry the batter as pancakes.

Fried black beans

700 g cooked black beans (drained weight)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 dl water
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp ground chilli pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
Oil for frying

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the beans and mash half of them with a fork while they are frying for a couple of minutes. Stir in the water, tomato puree and spices and simmer for a few minutes.

My best guacamole

4 avocados, peeled and mashed
2 dl yogurt
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
juice of half a lime
2 pinches herb salt
0.5 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients.

Pasta, Tex-mex

Tex-mex pasta sauce

Tacos are really good, so why not eat them in the form of a pasta sauce, with a combination of ingredients and flavors giving that tex-mex feeling. It cannot be anything but good!

Serves 6

3 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 dl dried black beans (6 dl cooked)
400 g crushed tomatoes
2 dl creme fraiche
2 dl corn
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 dl water
2 tsp ground chilli pepper
0.5 tsp cumin
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp herb salt
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
500 g tagliatelle
Oil for frying

Cook the beans according to the instructions on the package. Fry the onions for a couple of minutes and include the garlic the last half a minute. Add all other ingredients (except the pasta) and let simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the directions on the package. Serve the pasta with the sauce.

Soup, Tex-mex

Taco soup

Tacos are so good! So why not vary them and eat them in the form of a soup instead. This has a superb combination of flavors: chilli, sour cream, nachos and cheese. What more can I say, the combination speaks for itself!

Serves 4-5

2 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, mashed
460 g cooked kidney beans (drained weight)
400 g of crushed tomatoes
5 dl water
2 tsp ground chilli pepper
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp herb salt
0.5 tsp ground black pepper
130 g tortilla chips
100 g cheese, grated
2 dl sour cream
Oil for frying

Heat the oven to 200 ºC. Fry the onions and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the kidney beans, chopped tomatoes, water and the spices. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, spread the nacho chips on a baking plate and top them with the cheese. Bake in oven for approximately 5 minutes. Blend the soup smooth with a hand blender. Serve it with the nacho chips and sour cream.

Middle eastern, Soup

Sweet and sour couscous and lentil soup

A rich and spicy soup with a slight tartness. The highlights are the yoghurt which gives a nice contrast to the spiciness and the cashew nuts which give the soup a crunch.

Serves 5

1 leeks, sliced
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
2.5 dl dried red lentils, rinsed
1 dl couscous
1.5 l water
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp herb salt
0.5 tsp ground black pepper
Oil for frying
2 dl cashew nuts
Yoghurt as topping

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the cashew nuts until golden brown. Put them aside. Fry onions and leeks for about 1 min. Add the vegetables, ginger and garlic and fry for another couple of minutes. Add water, lentils, couscous, lemon juice and spices. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve the soup topped with a dollop of yogurt and cashew nuts.