SNDC is Not a Dinner Club

I’m hosting this week: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 1201 NE 21st Ave. Look forward to seeing folks. I normally don’t like eggplant, but one of my first SNDCs involved this recipe, and it was delicious. Meanwhile, I’ve got a bunch of eggplant at home and I’d like to share it. So here’s what we need:

• 6 medium potatoes, well scrubbed and quartered (peel or leave the peels on) – Courtney
• 4 medium eggplants, halved lengthwise or 6 smalleggplants, halved lengthwise – Courtney
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil – Courtney
• 2 onions, finely minced - Courtney
• 2 small fresh serrano chili peppers, seeded and finely minced - Courtney volunteers jalapeno as a substitute
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger - Courtney
• 2 tablespoons black mustard seeds or brown mustard seeds - Courtney
• 6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 teaspoons garam masala
• 3 teaspoons salt - Courtney
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander – Dan
• 1 teaspoon turmeric - Courtney
• 2 pinches cayenne pepper - Courtney
• 1 lemon, juice of – Dan
• 2 tablespoons honey - Courtney
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste - Courtney
• 2 cans  chickpeas – Ellery

If my brother and sister-in-law can make it, they’ll bring a dessert. To recap, I don’t have: 2 tablespoons cumin seeds; 6 tablespoons cilantro; 4 tablespoons garam masala, juice of 1 lemon, 2 cans chickpeas. We could also use alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, and maybe finger food to snack on as we cook.

Am I hosting this week, or is Dan? Anyhow, I’m not logging on with a recipe right now, just some details on the abundant vegetables at my disposal.

I have:

• cabbage (small, bright green head)
• one fennel bulb with fronds
• lots of sweet onions (Walla Walla)
• carrots
• broccoli
• green beans
• LOTS of new potatoes – red and yellow
• A good number of delicious tomatoes, bursting with ripeness.

I also have some beets, but I think I’ll be eating them tonight on my own.

I’ll be on the hunt for recipes that might take advantage of this cornucopia, and I might post some ideas in the comments later today. If any of you have thoughts, this would be a good place to share, too. Or if any of you have abundant produce you’d like to contribute.

Ben and I are hosting this weekend (NE 21st & Multnomah, 5:30 p.m.), and I’d like to make use of the greens we got from our CSA in this recipe.

Doubling the recipe, we need:

• 10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided – Ben & Courtney
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced – Ben & Courtney
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper – Ben & Courtney
• 2 large bunches greens  – Ben & Courtney
• 2 cups (or more) vegetable broth or low-salt chicken broth – Ben & Courtney
• 2 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
• 2 teaspoon (or more) Sherry wine vinegar.

Also appreciated: Alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages.

The greens we’ll be providing are purple peacock broccoli, which is a kale broccoli hybrid. They’re mostly leafy, with a small broccoli-cluster in the middle. I’ve got just one large bunch of this, so I’ll get some other greens to mix in as well.

I have red wine vinegar, if nobody has sherry vinegar. I’ve also got Israeli couscous to serve the dish with, and parmesan to sprinkle on top for anyone who is interested.

I’m allegedly eating bananas again, after forgoing the fruit for more than a year, but since announcing the end of my boycott a month ago I haven’t managed to actually eat one. So let’s see if we can remedy that 5:30 p.m. Sunday at my place (1201 N.E. 21st. Ave.).

The recipe: Spicy Banana Curry with basmati rice.

This is what we need to feed four people. If a lot of folks are coming, we should double it. I’ve doubled the amounts needed:

• basmati rice – enough for everyone who shows up. – Dan
• 2/3 cup sunflower seed oil -Lena
• 4 onions, diced – Courtney and Ben
• 1 cup curry powder - Mike
• 3 tablespoons ground cumin – Lena
• 8 teaspoons ground turmeric - Courtney and Ben
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt – Courtney and Ben
• 2 teaspoons white sugar – Courtney and Ben
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger – Courtney and Ben
• 2 teaspoons chili powder -Lena
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon – Courtney and Ben
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper – Courtney and Ben
• 8 teaspoons curry paste - Lena
• 16 cloves garlic, pressed – Courtney and Ben
• 2 (10 ounce) cans tomato sauce – Courtney and Ben
• 1 1/3 cup plain yogurt — soy yogurt, ideally – Mike
• 4 bananas, diced – Courtney and Ben
• 6 tomatoes, chopped (I suspect 1-2 cans of diced tomatoes would work just as well) – Dan
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut – Courtney and Ben

If my blender cooperates, maybe we can also have banana smoothies?

• 3 cups vanilla or plain yogurt (soy yogurt, of course) – Mike
• 2 – 2/3 cup orange juice – Lena
• 8 ripe bananas, cut into chunks – Courtney and Ben
• 4 cups halved strawberries or other berries (fresh or frozen) – Courtney and Ben
• 8 teaspoons honey – Courtney and Ben

Update: skipping a week maybe? I don’t think I can host after all.

Normally it would be Dan’s weekend to host, however he is in Japan at present. Ben and I can host in a pinch, if needed. Or would somebody else like to step in?

Update: I am feeling very unwell and contagious this morning, and I’m thinking that cooking with others is not the best idea. Would you all be all right with postponing my hosting obligations for a week? We could try this next Sunday.

I made this recipe a few weeks ago, only with soy milk and no poblano chiles, and it was really good. I think it might be even better with the poblanos.

My place (1201 NE 21st Ave., Portland), 5:30 p.m., Sunday.

Ingredients we need:

Crepes
2 cups soy milk - Ben & Courtney
3 large eggs - Ben & Courtney
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted margarine, melted, cooled
1 teaspoon fine sea salt - Ben & Courtney
2 cups sifted all purpose flour - Ben & Courtney

Mushroom filling
1/3 cup corn oil - Ben & Courtney (well, canola oil, close enough)
2 cups chopped white onions
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps thinly sliced Ben & Courtney
2 tablespoons minced freshepazote or fresh cilantro
4 teaspoons finely chopped garlic Ben & Courtney

Sauce
6 large fresh poblano chiles
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted margarine
1/4 cup chopped white onion
1 small garlic clove, minced Ben & Courtney
3 tablespoons all purpose flour Ben & Courtney
2 cups warm soy milk Ben & Courtney
1/2 cup soy milk or non-dairy whipping cream  Ben & Courtney

If anyone is interested in dessert crepes after the main meal, bring whatever dessert fillings/toppings you would like.