CHILI SIN CARNE

(serves 4-6)

2-3 onions
3-4 cloves of garlic
olive oil
1 large sweet potato
3 tins (400g) of tomatoes
100ml uncooked green lentils
1tbsp balsamico
1-1,5tsp salt
a few pinches of black pepper
2-3tsp ground cumin (juustokumina)
a good pinch of ground chili powder
400g precooked kidneybeans
half a lemon

greek/turkish yoghurt
flat leaf parsley/coriander
salted tortilla chips


Chop the onions and garlic cloves and fry them in a large pan/casserole on low or medium heat slowly, for about 10-15mins (I never really timed this) stirring them frequently so they won't burn, till they're really soft and somewhat caramelized. In this way the onions become really, really tasty (one of my latest discoveries! Slowly fried sweet onions make a wonderful base for omelets too, and...)! Chop the sweet potato into small cubes and add to the pan when the onions are done and fry for a few minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes (if you're using whole, squeeze them with your hands over the pan), lentils, balsamico and some of the cumin, chili, salt and pepper. Season this dish to your taste; keep tasting throughout the cooking and add more spices if desired. All I'm saying is that a lot of cumin needs to go in, a lot. (And enough salt!) Rinse the kidneybeans and add them when the sweet potatoes are done (I haven't timed this either but it takes quite some time, maybe somewhere around 30 minutes.. And if they don't seem to soften enough, and the stew is thick already, add some boiling water). Last, just before serving, squeeze the juice of half a lemon in and taste once more if it needs any more spices.

Serve with a dollop of yoghurt and crunched tortilla chips and lots of flat leaf parsley sprinkled on top. This chili goes really nice with new potatoes too, or rice, if you wish.

Don't eat alone, enjoy in good company!

The chili keeps in the fridge for about 5 days and freezes well too. (I also made corn flat bread to go with this on the basis of my potato flat bread, using only corn flour.)

 

RUTABAGA CASSEROLE

1,5kg rutabaga
1-2tsp salt
2-3tbsp maple syrup
0,25tsp ground nutmeg
0,25tsp ground ginger
1 organic egg
about 50g butter


Cut the rutabagas in pieces and boil in salted water until soft. Drain, but keep some of the water you boiled them in. Puree the rutabagas with a hand blender; add some of the water as needed. Add spices and egg and some knobs of butter (50g is an estimate; I really just threw some in and tasted when it was good). Be generous with salt and also go for more maple syrup (or any syrup) if you like it sweeter. Pour the whole thing in a greased oven pan, make patterns on the surface with a spoon (my pretty pattern was a little spoiled by the cracks) and bake in 175 celsius for 1,5 hours.


This is a classic in the Finnish christmas table. We also eat carrot and potato casserole (and some even liver) but if I had to pick, this is the one. This version that I just tried is also the best I've had! The recipes usually call for cream but I like how without it the taste of rutabaga gets to come out more (still tasting very soft though rutabaga has got some attitude). You can make this already now and freeze for christmas, if you will. Or just eat it straight away like I'm doing.