Kale Squash Soup

Feel free to beef up the ingredients. Just about any fall vegetable would be good in this soup.

Squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
Onion, chopped
Some sort of grain – barley, rice, pasta, etc
Stock – enough to cover all ingredients and cook grains
Kale, destemmed and coarsely chopped Thyme
Sage

Toss squash with olive oil and salt. Roast in a hot oven until just tender. Cook onions in a stock pot until just translucent, add broth and grains. Boil until grains are cooked. Add remaining ingredients, season to taste, simmer for 15 -20 minutes. Serve! 

Spinach, Mustard Greens and Potato Soup

4 tbsp oilve oil
1 medium onion
1-2 lbs potatoes, cut into 1 in. chunks
8 cups water (or 4 cups stock, 4 cups water)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch of mustard greens, coarsely chopped
1 bunch of spinach, coarsely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Sour cream
Optional: 1⁄2 tsp crushed red pepper 

Heat 2 T olive oil in a large pot/stock pot. Add chopped onions- sauté until golden. Add potatoes and cook for 3 or so minutes. Add stock/water and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 mins or until potatoes are tender. 

In another pan, heat remaining 2 T olive oil- add garlic and sauté for just 1 minute until fragrant. Add mustard greens and spinach and cook until greens are wilted. 

Add greens to potatoes and puree soup in small batches in a blender (or use an immersion blender). Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream. 

Sweet Potato, Eggplant and Spinach Madras Curry

1 large sweet potato, cut into 1 in. cubes
1 large eggplant, cut into 1 in. cubes
1/2 lb. of spinach, blanched, dried and chopped
1 heaped Tblsp cumin seeds
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tblsp Madras Sambar Powder (buy or make your own) or a good Masala mix / curry powder
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 cup sunflower oil or ghee
2 Tblsp chopped Cilantro

serves 4-6

method
Heat oil or ghee in a heavy-based saucepan on low heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds and allow to pop. Add the garlic and cumin seeds, and stir fry until garlic turns a golden brown colour.

Add the sweet potato pieces and cook for 5 minutes until the sweet potato is half cooked. Stir occasionally. Mix in the eggplant cubes, spinach, sea salt, sambar powder and turmeric powder. Cook on medium heat until the sweet potato and eggplant is tender.

Remove dish from stove and stir in the coriander leaves.

Allow the dish to sit for 15 -30 minutes to develop the flavours, and serve with rice and/or naan.

Samosas

From Moosewood Cookbook

2 lg. potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 cup minced onion
2-4 cloves, crushed garlic
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 cup diced carrots, cooked until tender
1/2 cup cooked green peas
1 tsp salt
juice from 1/2 lemon
2-4 tbs. butter
cayenne pepper to taste

Heat butter in heavy skillet. Add garlic, ginger, onion, salt and mustard seeds. Saute 6-8 mins or unti onion is soft. Combine all ingredients except peas, and mix well. Fold in peas last, try not to smash them.
PAstry:
2 cups white flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tbs. melted butter
1/3 cup yogurt
water

Mix together flour and salt. Add melter butter , yogurt and enough water to make a stiff dough. Knewd until smooth and elastic. Roll out very thin (1/4 in.) on a floured surface and cut into 4 in. circles. Roll and cut all the dough. Plasce a tbsp. of filling in the center of each circle, leaving edges free. Brush edges with a little water, fold over, and seal with a fork.

heat a 3-in pool of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet. Make sure oil is hot enough . Fry samasoas until golden. Drain well and serve! 

Smoky Eggplant with a Bright Dressing

Good side dish to eat with cold, roast meats. From Tender by Nigel Slater

large eggplant
olive oil
parsley- good handful
mint- 6 sprigs
basil- handful
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
2 tbsp. capers
6 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. lemon juice

Slice eggplant lengthways into 5 or 6 pieces. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then set aside for 20-30 mins. Grill over low heat until soft and tender on both sides. 
To make the sauce: chop the herbs finely, then stir in the garlic, mustard and capers. Slowly pour in more olve oil, while beating with a fork. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

When eggplant is done, toss gently in saice and serve.