I'm very excited about this week's release of Andrea Bemis' new cookbook, Dishing Up The Dirt. I follow her on Instagram and every time she posts a new recipe I think, "What a great idea!" and "I want to eat that, NOW!". She also has a stunning blog.
Long story short, a few years ago, Andrea and her husband bought 6 acres of beautiful land in Oregon and turned it into Tumbleweed Farm. They grow all their own food and sell it as well, and all the recipes in her book are inspired by meals she has created on the farm. She also does all the gorgeous food photography. The book is very much vegetable inspired, and there are several creative vegetarian recipes (although it's not a vegetarian book).
She was kind enough to share her recipe for Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Tacos with us here. So delicious, and a great weeknight dinner idea.
Andrea's recipe and notes from her new cookbook, Dishing Up The Dirt:
Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Tacos with Herbed Tahini Sauce
SERVES 4 TO 6
Taco night is no joke at our house, and these simple tacos don’t disappoint. Loaded with fresh vegetables, hearty chickpeas, and a zesty tahini sauce, they’re what the summer harvest is all about. Gather your friends, crack open some beers, and dig in!
1 medium-sized eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces (about 1½ cups)
1 medium-sized zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces (about 1½ cups)
1½ cups cherry tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chickpeas (rinsed, drained, and patted dry if from a can)
3 tablespoons olive oil
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Herbed Tahini Sauce (page 5)
minced herbs for garnish
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the vegetables, garlic, and chickpeas with the olive oil, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Spread them out on two rimmed baking sheets and roast until everything is lightly browned and the tomatoes blister, 18 to 25 minutes. Rotate pans and toss them halfway through cooking.
Spoon the vegetable and chickpea mixture onto warm tortillas, drizzle on the sauce, and garnish with extra minced herbs.
Herbed Tahini Sauce
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
This versatile sauce tastes great served with pretty much anything. Sometimes I like to keep it on the thicker side by adding less water so it can be served as a dip for crackers or raw veggies. However, when taco night comes rolling around (page 108), I like to achieve a smooth and pourable sauce by adding more liquid.
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 scallion, minced (white and light green parts only)
¼ cup tahini
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
¼ cup loosely packed basil, finely chopped
¼ cup loosely packed dill, finely chopped
¼ cup loosely packed parsley, finely chopped
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients with ⅓ cup water in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time to thin the sauce, if necessary. Taste-test and adjust seasonings as needed.
For more of her story, watch her cookbook trailer, here. Congrats, Andrea on a gorgeous book!
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Photos and recipe above by Andrea Bemis, excerpted from her book, Dishing Up The Dirt, published March 2017.