Lentil Soup with Roasted Garlic and Olive Paste

Serves 6 to 8

1 cup small brown or green French lentils, rinsed well
1 whole head of garlic
1 tsp plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
1 lb Swiss chard
1 medium onion minced
1 large clove of garlic minced
4 cups low sodium, low fat chicken or veggie broth
2 cups water
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs of fresh oregano (or ½ tsp crushed dried)
1 - 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tbsp black or green olive tapenade or paste
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325. Put lentils in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat while preparing remaining ingredients.

Cut off about ½ inch from top of garlic head, place in aluminum foil and drizzle with 1 tsp of olive oil and wrap tightly. Bake 40-60 minutes or until cloves of garlic are soft. Remove from oven, open foil and let cool. Squeeze garlic out into a small bowl and mash into a paste with the back of a fork.

Remove stems from Swiss chard and chop coarsely. Set aside. Chop leaves coarsely and set aside. Drain lentils, rinse and set aside.

In a 4 quart pot, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender. Add chard stems, minced garlic and sauté 4-5 minutes or until veggies have softened. Add lentils, roasted garlic, water, broth, tomato paste, bay leaf and oregano. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes. Add greens to pot and continue cooking for 20 minutes or until lentils are just tender.

Stir in 1 tbsp sherry vinegar and tapenade into soup. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed, adding more vinegar to taste.


Guopa and Stir Fry Vegetables

½ lb shrimp (optional)
½ lb sliced pork
½ lb sliced chicken
Marinade (pork & chicken): 1 Tbsp tapioca starch, 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 clove minced garlic
6 oz straw mushrooms
8 sliced dried mushrooms
¼ oz snow peas
½ cup sliced celery
5 oz water chestnuts
5 oz bamboo shoots
1 sliced carrot
1 sliced onion
Guopa (rice cake, 1 square per person)
oil

Seasoning Sauce***
3 Tbsp hot oyster sauce OR HOT BEAN PASTE
1 Tbsp rice wine
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
½ tsp white pepper
½ cup soup stock
1 Tbsp tapioca starch

Slice pork and chicken and marinate. Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for five minutes, then slice. Slice celery, carrots and onion. Mix seasoning sauce in bowl. Heat one cup of oil in a pan over high heat. Velvetize the meats (cook lightly and remove). Clean pan. Heat 3 Tbsp oil over high heat, add garlic and 3 Tbsp hot oyster sauce and stir fry for 10 seconds. Add all the veggies and stir fry for one minute. Add meats and then seasoning sauce mixing well. In another pan, heat 2 cups oil over high heat and deep fry guopa until it puffs. Remove with strainer draining well. Arrange on a serving platter then pour meat and vegetable mixture. Serve while sizzling.


White Bean Chicken Chili

2 tablespoons corn oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon aniseed
½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 15-ounce cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 cup canned chicken broth
1 7-ounce can diced green chilies
½ cup whipping cream
Grated cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, aniseed and dried red pepper. Sauté 5 minutes. Push onion to 1 side of pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan. Sauté chicken approximately 5 minutes.

Drain beans; reserve ½ cup bean liquid. Add beans, broth, chilies, cream and reserved bean liquid to chicken. Simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat before using.) Ladle chili into bowls. Top with cheese and sprinkle with cilantro.