Asparagus Tart

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (about 1/2 pound), thawed

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1 cup grated gruyere cheese 

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 egg beaten

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Directions

Remove your puff pastry from the freezer to thaw. Set the Solavore Sport outside to pre-heat. 

Wash the trimmed asparagus and put it in your graniteware pot. Cover and place in the oven. Let the asparagus cook for about 20 minutes. 

Place the puff pastry on a floured surface and roll into an 8-by10 inch rectangle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet (a 9x13 baking sheet works well and fits in the Solavore Sport). Prick the puff pastry all over with a fork. Bake until it puffs up, approximately 30 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet

Meanwhile, mix the gruyere, shallot, egg, nutmeg and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl until combined. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the puff pastry, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Toss the asparagus with the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange the asparagus on the tart and bake until the edges are nicely browned, 75 to 90 minutes. Sprinkle with the lemon zest. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Moroccan Spiced Roasted Carrot Hummus

This week we tried a hummus recipe from thekitchn.com. Roasting root vegetables are the perfect job for the Solavore Sport; let the carrots roast all day in the sun and they'll get really soft and sweet.

1 pound carrots, we used organic baby carrots
4 whole cloves of garlic, peels left on
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained if from a can
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water + more to thin if necessary
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Toss the carrots and whole garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Scatter evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment and roast in the solar oven until the carrots are very tender and soft (they could easily go 4-6 hours if you are getting temperatures under 250 degrees). Toss carrots halfway through cooking. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic cloves out of their peels.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine roasted carrots, roasted garlic, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, water and all of the spices. With the motor running drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Whirl away until smooth, scraping the sides down as necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. If the hummus is too thick, add a little more water or oil and process until desired consistency is achieved.

Serve with pita chips, crackers or pretzels and enjoy.

Caribbean Pumpkin Soup (Sopa de Calabasa)

This soup is evocative of the Caribbean – colorful pumpkin, spicy ginger, and an unexpected twist: coconut milk.

 [Note:  Calabasa is known as pumpkin in the Caribbean but is really more of a squash. Deep yellow-orange flesh with a speckled dark green skin.   Any pumpkin or squash can be used.  May be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated – even better!]  

Directions: Peel 2 ½  lb. pumpkin.  Scrape out the seeds, cut in chunks.  Place in Sport roasting pot.  Do not add water.

In the second roasting pot, place 2 chopped carrots, 1 stalk celery chopped, 1 lg. chopped onion, 1 chopped green pepper, 1-2 T. grated fresh ginger, and a good pinch of crushed red pepper.  (For the green pepper use the mild “Pimiento de Cocina”, long slender light green, if available).

Place both pots in the solar oven and cook for 1 ½ to 3 hours or until tender.

Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to blend.

In small batches, blend pumpkin along with liquid generated in the cooking, carrot/onion mixture, and 1 c. chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh.  Blend until smooth.  

Combine all in a large pot.  If you prefer your soup thinner you can add vegetable broth at this point, up to 1 c. (but keep in mind you will be adding coconut milk before serving, and the soup should be relatively thick and hearty.) 

Add ½ t. thyme (more if fresh), salt and pepper to taste.  

Before serving, stir in 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk.  Heat to serve.

Garnish with fresh parsley or fresh thyme.  Great served with cheese sticks, bread sticks or seasoned toast.

This recipe is vegan/vegetarian – if made according to the above instructions. Carnivores may wish to stir in crumbled bacon after the blending stage.

Tailgatin' Queso

We are in the heart of football season, and your Sport can be the perfect tailgating companion! No outlets or open fires needed; make a quick and easy solar cooked queso in your Sport while enjoying time with friends (and probably trash talking) at your next tailgate. 

Ingredients:

• 1 16oz box of Velveeta cheese
•  ½ cup milk
• 2 cans of diced jalapeños*
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• Splash (or two) of beer (Coors, Miller Lite, whatever light beer you have on hand in the fridge)

*Can substitute 2 freshly chopped jalapeños, deseeded.

Preheat oven for 15 minutes. Combine all ingredients into your Sport graniteware pot. Put the pot in the oven, and cook between 2-3 hours, until desired consistency. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

We continue to experiment with cooking international dishes, and this Greek favorite did surprisingly well in the solar oven. The phyllo dough was just as flaky and crispy as one baked conventionally. This recipe requires sautéing the spinach filling, so it's not a 100% solar oven recipe. It is perfect for baking in the backyard and serving your guests as a appetizer.

1/2 pound phyllo dough
1/2 cup olive oil, approximately

2 lbs spinach washed and chopped
1 bunch green onions, cleaned and sliced
2 leeks, white and tender part of green, cleaned, sliced in 1/4 inch lengths
1 medium red onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup fresh dill, minced
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
3 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper

Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onions and leek until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach and sauté until the leaves have wilted and the liquid has cooked off, about 8-10 minutes.

Add dill and feta cheese to the spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the eggs over and give a stir to combine well.

Lightly brush olive oil on a metal baking pan that will fit in the Sport solar oven. Open up the phyllo pastry and place on a work surface.  Cover phyllo with a damp cloth. 

Layer the phyllo in the pan, allowing the edges to hang over the sides of the pan, brushing each phyllo layer generously with olive oil.

Use up half the phyllo sheets to make the bottom pastry layer, allowing excess pastry to drape over edge of pan.

Put the spinach mixture in and press the top down gently to smooth filling. Tuck in the pastry draping over the edges. Create a top layer with the remaining phyllo, oiling each sheet generously.

Bake in the solar oven until the top layer of phyllo changes color from pale dough to a crisp browned crust. This will take approximately 2 hours.

Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing and serving.

Tex Mex Bean Dip

This dip is a favorite for parties or to serve at happy hour. The recipe can be doubled or tripled with great results in the solar oven.

1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. diced tomato
1/3 cup mild picante sauce
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder  
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
1/4 cup  fresh cilantro 
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 

Place onion, garlic and olive oil in your Sport pot and stir. Put the pot in the preheated Solavore Sport while you prepare the rest of the ingredients so that the onions and garlic cook a bit.

Partially mash beans in a separate bowl. Add tomato and next three ingredients and stir well.

Remove the pot of onions from the oven and add the bean mixture. Stir well. Place pot back in the oven and cook for 1 to 1.5 hours. After the mixture is cooked, stir in the cheese, cilantro and lime juice. 

Serve immediately with tortilla chips. 

Roasted Beet Hummus

This recipe was adapted for solar cooking from one found on the Minimalist Baker. It is truly a winning recipe, the whole thing was eaten so fast I wished I made a double batch! It's subtly delicious and the color will blow your mind.

1 small roasted beet
1 15 oz. can (1 3/4 cup) cooked chickpeas, mostly drained
juice of half a large lemon
1 tsp salt 
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Scrub one or more beets under cold water. Place them in the Sport graniteware pot and cover. Place in the solar oven and cook until tender. This could take 2 or 3 hours. Remove from the oven and when the beet is cooled, peel. 

Once your beet is cooled and peeled, quarter it and place it in your food processor. Blend until only small bits remain.

Add remaining ingredients except for olive oil and blend until smooth.

Drizzle in olive oil as the hummus is mixing.

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, lemon juice or olive oil if needed. If it’s too thick, add a bit of water.

Will keep in the fridge for up to a week.