After having gone out to JonaMac Orchard way out in Malta, IL, and picked up a shitload, though I think the technical term might be a bushel, of apples and other assorted goodies. I started peeling this morning and have about a peck (another technical term) of apples on the stove, boiling away in a bath of water, lemon juice, dates, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, orange blossom water and allspice. It smells outrageous in here. This is where the third ring of hell comment came into play this morning. Not!
In another pot on the stove is a mix of the chick peas I’d started soaking on Saturday, along with some cumin, three cloves of garlic, the flesh of a preserved lemon, and some turmeric. This tastes amazing. I was planning on this for dinner, but I don’t know if I can wait that long. I also can’t decide if I should mince the rind into it. A Moroccan (chicken) lemon tajine would have you do it, but the flavor is so good right now, I don’t want it to get too salty.
A few hours later …
Decided to add a lot more water and continue cooking the chick peas some more with the benefit of the minced preserved lemon rind. It’s going to need a little time to cook down.
Also starting some quinoa to eat with it later.
Split and gutted two acorn squash that are roasting with a little salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
Debating whether or not to roast the squash seeds.
Cleaned the squash seeds to roast them for a snack once the squash themselves are done.