#cookinginthecave

Party-sized recipe (makes 20-30 samosas)

For the shortcrust: 5 lbs organic sprouted whole wheat flour 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil 1 tbs chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp carom/ajwain seeds) 1 tbs sea salt Water, to make a dough

For the potato stuffing: 5 lbs organic russet potatoes, peeled 20 black peppercorns 10 green cardamom pods 10 cloves 1 inch cinnamon stock 1 bay leaf 1 tbs plus 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tbs plus 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 tbs virgin coconut oil 2 tsp turmeric 2 cups raw cashews 1/4 cup chopped Serrano or jalepeno peppers, seeds removed (or if you’re lucky enough to find some fresh green chilies, just use a little bit of those) 1/4 cup minced ginger 2 tsp amchur powder (green mango powder) 1 tsp red chili powder (or to taste) 1 lb package frozen peas, thawed in simmering water for a couple minutes, then drained in a colander and set aside to dry 1 bunch fresh cilantro 1 tbs chopped fresh mint (optional) Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Oil, for frying (if not baking)

Heat a large stockpot halfway full with salty water on high. Add black peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaf. When the water is at a boil, add the potatoes. Simmer 30-40 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, coconut oil, salt, and thyme (or ajwain, if using). Mix very well (using your hands) until the texture resembles wet sand. Add a little water at a time to make a stiff ball of dough. Cover and set aside.

Heat a large frying pan over low heat and add the coriander and cumin seeds. Toast until fragrant and slightly colored. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the seeds until coarsely ground. In the same frying pan, over low heat, add coconut oil. Add the turmeric. When the turmeric starts to fry, add the cashews. Use a wooden spoon to move the heat around, otherwise the cashews may become burned on one side. When the cashews are light brown in color, add the ginger and green chilies. When the ginger is cooked, add the cooked potatoes, amchur powder, red chili powder, coriander, cumin, peas, cilantro, and mint, if using. Season with a heavy pinch of salt. Using the wooden spoon, smash the potatoes into little chunks. Taste and adjust seasoning further if necessary.

Tear off a piece of dough and, using a rolling pin or bottle, roll into an oval shape on a floured surface. Cut across the oval to make two half-moons. Using your fingers, dap a little water on the outer edges of the half moon so that the samosa will seal easily. Connect the corners of the half moon and press the edge to make a cone. Fill the cone with potato stuffing, then seal the remaining edge and fold it so that it will stand up on the table. Repeat until all the samosas have been stuffed.

If you’re baking your samosas, you can brush each samosa with melted coconut oil and bake in a 365 F oven until the crust is golden brown and crispy, about 40-50 minutes.

If you’re frying your samosas, heat a liter of oil over medium heat (I like safflower or sunflower oil for deep frying) in a heavy-bottomed frying pan or Dutch oven until hot (350-400F)

Fry samosas in batches (as to not overcrowd the pan, and to maintain a hot oil temperature) until each samosa is golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer the samosas to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.

Enjoy hot and crispy samosas as is, or with chutney.

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All of the spices in this recipe can be found at Indian grocery stores. The carom/ajwain seeds can be somewhat hard to find, however fresh thyme is a fantastic substitute. Amchur powder (green mango powder) is an acidifying ingredient. If amchur cannot be found, lime juice is a good substitute. Just add to taste.

You can also add up to 3/4 cup of green raisins along with the cashews. They will puff up and become caramelized, and will add a sweet and sour contrast to the samosa.

10 medium red potatoes, cut into quarters

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs turmeric

Coarse sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 F

Combine olive oil, turmeric, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Arrange potatoes in a roasting tray and drizzle with the dressing. Toss to coat. Roast until browned, about 30-40 minutes. For crispy potatoes, use a large roasting tray so that the potatoes do not touch.

Enjoy as is, or with fresh chopped herbs

We played in Angers, France yesterday and after the show, we were escorted upstairs to find that a friend of a friend of the venue prepared a huge vegan meal for the band and crew. Her name is Lise Raimbault. She baked baguettes, butternut squash with marinated tofu filling, made a green salad, carrot salad, spiced nut spreads for the bread, hummus, a vegan pate, roasted potatoes, and for dessert she made tangy cashew almond cheesecake with sweet mango sauce. Everything was insanely delicious and inspiring, almost mystical. Thank you Lise for your generosity and your amazing food! We will always remember this meal <3

Cousin Dave CRUSHING the peppercorns

We're getting this tour kicked off with some beautiful local squash and tomatoes from Riverwest Co-op in Milwaukee, WI. Had a sweet time cooking easy and eating in the green room with friends.

Ingredients :

An assortment of medium-sized butternut squash, acorn squash, kabocha squash, and spaghetti squash

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and fresh ground pepper

Method :

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut each squash in half and use a sturdy spoon to scoop out the seeds. Rub the squash halves with olive oil all over and place each half on a roasting tray with the flesh facing up. Season the flesh with salt and pepper to taste. Pop in the oven and roast for 40 minutes, or until the flesh can be pierced with a spoon handle. Serve immediately or let sit in the turned-off oven to let the flesh soften further. Enjoy!

This soup is a celebration of beets, rosemary, and the lovely marriage that they share. The caramelized onion (and balsamic vinegar) plays on the sweetness of the roasted beets. This soup is so simple, easy, and delicious and it is perfect for beet lovers. It also freezes and reheats very well, so you can double or triple the recipe and enjoy for a long time.  

Serves 4

8 medium beets, with greens attached

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 large sweet onions, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 sprig fresh rosemary

3 cups vegetable broth (preferably homemade)

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut off the greens from the beets and reserve for some other use. Wash the beets, and arrange on a roasting tray. Roast the beets for an hour, covered. While the beets are roasting, heat a stock pot over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, half the rosemary, and a heavy pinch of salt. Allow the onions to cook down until they become very dark and very sweet, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add balsamic vinegar and the rest of the rosemary and cook until the vinegar evaporates, then turn off the flame. When the beets are roasted, cut them up roughly and add them to the stock pot along with the broth. Bring to a simmer. Season to taste. Turn off the heat. Using a ladle, transfer the soup to a blender. Blend until smooth, then return the soup to the stockpot. Bring to a simmer again and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Enjoy as is or with toasty rosemary sourdough bread.

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The beets can be roasted and peeled ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

To make a creamy beet soup, just blend the soup with some homemade cashew cream to taste.

You can boil the beet tops with a quartered onion for an excellent and economical broth for this soup.

We had a successful foraging hike in no cal. In 3 hours, we gathered 3 pounds of golden chanterelles, some nice young chicken, and a couple of boletes. After the show, I roasted the mushrooms and served them on rice. Not many chanterelle recipes call for roasting them, but they are really delicious prepared this way. They are delicate mushrooms, so roasting is a good way of deepening their flavor without having to move them around too much. And the intense dry heat gives them a meaty texture and a crisp edge. Ingredients : 3 lbs golden chanterelles and/or young chicken mushrooms, brushed clean of dirt and debris 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tbs red wine vinegar 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1 tbs chopped fresh herbs (thyme, sage) Rice, to serve Method : Preheat the oven to 425 F. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and chopped herbs. Arrange the mushrooms in a large roasting tray and toss gently with the dressing. Season the top lightly with kosher salt and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the mushrooms are deep in color and reduced in size by almost half and have crispy edges. Remove from the oven and serve with rice.

When we arrived on the west coast, we were craving comfort food. After almost having gone to jail for having weed in Yellowstone, and having driven 12 hours the day before arriving in Seattle, what we really needed was warm soup and some toasted sourdough. Makes 16 servings 4 tbs extra Virginia olive oil, divided 1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms with their stems removed, sliced 1 1/2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, diced 3/4 cup celery, diced 3/4 cup carrots, peeled and diced 1 large fennel bulb, diced 8 cloves garlic, minced 1 bay leaf (1) 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes A large handful of thyme, tied together with kitchen string 2 tbs minced Rosemary 1 gallon water plus 1 cup water whisked with 2 tbs white miso paste 1 tbs maple syrup 1 tbs soy sauce 1 medium butternut squash 2 small handfuls of dinosaur kale, chopped 1 cup nutritional yeast (1) 28 oz can butter beans 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1/2 tsp red pepper powder, or to taste 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar Toasted sourdough bread, to serve In a large frying pan, heat 2 tbs oil over medium heat. (If your pan is less than 14" in diameter, you will want to sauté the mushrooms in 2 batches, using 1 tbs oil for each batch) Sear the mushrooms for a few minutes, until they are colored, then move them around with tongs. Sauté until they are browned and reduced in size by half. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. In a large stockpot, heat the remaining 2 tbs oil over very low heat. Add the diced onion, celery, carrots, fennel, garlic, and bay leaf. Season with a heavy pinch of salt. Allow the aromatics to sweat and concentrate their sweetness. Meanwhile, peel and cut the butternut squash into 1/2" dice. When the aromatics are reduced in size by half (about 40 mins to an hour) add the tomatoes, herbs, water, miso water, maple syrup, and soy sauce. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the butternut squash and dinosaur kale. Return to a boil, then turn the heat down to maintain a simmer. When the butternut squash is almost tender, add the nutritional yeast, butter beans, black pepper, red pepper powder, red wine vinegar, and the cooked mushrooms. Further season if necessary, and serve with toasted sourdough.