an entire week’s worth of infinitely spring temperatures (exotically appearing in february of all times) sent town into dramatic whirl of faces and places. one or two days of wild winds, a few confused bees, and at least two sunsets musing about future garden plans. often i marry my practicalities with opportunity – and if it’s nice outside i’ll (casually) seize the day. the garlic scapes are beginning to peer out into the oceanic world. a few beds need a bit of construction from the swell of root, water and dirt. we examined a few ways to flood more sunlight (my favorite pastime). these are all simple truths when granted a nice week in the middle of february. and i take it and run.
speaking of nice weeks – it is my pleasure today to share Emilie Raffa’s new endeavor, surely right into the hearts of every home kitchen, . If you aren’t familiar with Emilie’s work, do check out her blog, The Clever Carrot. long have i adored the space and community that she has genuinely shared for years. her beauty and warmth perfectly accentuate what i find to be the most delicious grasp on practical and flavorful modern home cooking. all of her recipes speak of intuition, grace, family, and nurture – and nothing less will you find amongst the pages of her new cookbook.
emilie’s angle of stress-free home cooking is effortlessly infused with personality and encouragement to create the best universal kitchen experience. the pages of her book are peppered brilliantly with tips and tricks to save time, but also to reintroduce the passion of hand crafted meals. she writes from a place of sincerity and enthusiasm, devoting recipes and methods to the reader that pave new avenues in the modern working-family kitchen. her background and love of homemade meals converge with a bright and intelligent approach to accessibility and ease. and although i mustn’t need mention of it, everything is damn delicious.
it’s my sincere pleasure to share a recipe from her cookbook – carribean black beans and couscous. crafted in one pot and bursting with texture and flavor, this is easily one for any weeknight repertoire. and to share the joy that Emilie has brought me, I’d like to giveaway a copy of her cookbook to a fellow reader. no doubt will her recipes freshly alter your perspective in the kitchen. in the comments below, simply leave me your favorite clever kitchen trick – and by February 25th, I will contact a winner to receive the new book. as always, thank you for coming to this space and following along – my appreciation is paramount.
- 2 tbl olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 14oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 3 cups cooked black beans/rinsed and drained
- 1 cup whole grain couscous, dry
- 1 cup chicken/vegetable stock
- ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro or parsley
- 1-2 hass avocados
- 2 juicy limes, cut into wedges
- in a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. saute the onion and pepper to soften, 5-7 minutes. season with salt and pepper. add the grated garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- to the pot, add the fire roasted tomatoes, black beans and couscous. pour in the stock and bring to a boil. place the lid on top and remove the pot from heat. let the couscous sit for about 15-20 minutes for the liquid to absorb.
- quick tip: to check if it's ready, gently rake a fork through your couscous; it should be light and fluffy, if there's more liquid to be absorbed, just pop the lid back on and wait a couple of minutes.
- to serve, drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the couscous to give it a glossy sheen. toss in the chopped cilantro (or parsley) and mix well. portion into bowls. dice up your avocado and add to each bowl, squeeze some lime juice over the top with extra lime wedges ready to go on the side.
substitutes i made: vegetable stock for chicken stock, Israeli couscous for whole grain couscous (which requires slightly different cooking instructions, so pay heed if you use the same).
I absolutely love the way you write! I know I mentioned that to you before, but your words are the prettiest of songs. Thank you for taking the time to create such a beautiful masterpiece- I love your addition of Israeli couscous. There was a point in time I literally lived on this dish! The flavors marry so well together. So lovely, Danielle! I can’t stop staring at your beautiful work! xoxo
Emilie – thank you with all of my heart. It was a genuine treat to make this dish, and your cookbook is a shining light in my kitchen right now – I am spreading much love. xo
Great choice from The Clever Cookbook, Danielle! And beautiful photos too
Thank you so much Sarah, I appreciate all of your love towards my photography as I feel it’s constantly evolving. xo
Hi Danielle, I’ve been a fan of Emilie’s work for a while now too. So light, tasty and wholesome. My little kitchen tip to ensure you never run out of ginger is to buy a big chunk of it, peel it with the edge of a teaspoon (so much quicker and easier than a knife) and then freeze it in an air tight container. When you’re ready to use it, simply grate frozen. And don’t forget to wear sunnies while peeling it, ginger is way juicer than you expect if truly fresh and it stings something shocking if you get it in your eye. Learnt that one the hard way. Haha
Hope you’re enjoying the lengthening of days as spring arrives and what will soon be the bounty of springs produce.
Nicola
Nicola, thank you so much for sharing that lovely tip! I hadn’t even thought to freeze ginger before, but I’m going to give this one a whirl. I am anticipating spring with the lightest heart (but hoping it comes soon). Wishing your harvest well. xo
A freezer full of soups in mason jars is a kitchen trip that makes for the best kind of fast-food.
Abbie, thanks for sharing! I love having soup ready to go.
Danielle, I so enjoy your poetic musings and earthy recipes. Also a fan of The Clever Carrot. One of my tips, though probably not new to many, is to keep used citrus halves after they’ve been squeezed in ziplocs in the freezer so I always have rinds for zesting. The sweet and sunny citrus fruits have been helping me forge through these winter months more this year than ever before for some reason. Thanks for giving your readers an opportunity to enjoy Emilie’s new book!
Jean, thank you so much – it’s a pleasure to have your readership. I really love your citrus tip – they really are the perfect punch whilst gray skies are still upon us. It’s a clever idea to keep them frozen for further use.
Yes yes yes! You describe Emilie and her work so perfectly here Danielle <3 So much love for this, and this dish, just crazy gorgeous. xoxo
Jessie, you are a doll and thank you. It’s been such a pleasure being able to form connections with such beauty and talent. Food is such a powerful relationship to share and enjoy together. Much love. xo