Broccoli and peas with chili and red onions in feta, black cumin and mint sauce

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 400 g broccoli florets
• 100 g broccoli, stalk
• 200 g peas, frozen
• 1 onion(s), red
• 2 garlic cloves
• 10 g ginger root
• 5 g chili pepper(s), in pieces, frozen
• 100 g sheep’s cheese
• 200 ml vegetable stock
• 2 tsp black cumin
• 1 tsp oregano, dried
• ½ tsp mint, dried
• 1 dashes lemon juice
• 2 tsp oil for frying
• e.g. salt and pepper
• Parsley for garnishing

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

vegetarian, low-fat, low-carb and yet refined

Thaw the frozen peas so they don’t cool the cooking water unnecessarily during blanching. Wash and separate the broccoli. To do this, separate the florets from the stalk. Peel and dice the stalk. Keep the florets and stalk pieces separate. Peel the red onion, quarter it, and then slice it into thin slices. Peel the ginger with a vegetable peeler and then chop finely. Peel and press the garlic. Slice the feta cheese and then chop it into crumbs with a knife. Dry roast the black cumin seeds in a pan over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes until they smell nutty. Then remove from the pan and grind them into a mortar and pestle. Heat about half the oil in the pan and fry the onions over high heat for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly, add the chili pieces, and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Remove the onions and chili from the pan and set aside. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and fry the broccoli stalk pieces over high heat for about 5 minutes, until the pieces begin to brown and develop a roasted aroma. Towards the end, reduce the heat again and add the garlic and ginger. Sauté everything over medium heat for another 2-3 minutes. Now deglaze everything with the vegetable stock and add the oregano. Bring to a boil briefly and simmer with the lid on over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, to blanch the vegetables, bring water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan and add salt. Blanch the broccoli florets and peas for about 4-5 minutes. Then remove the vegetables, refresh them in a bowl of cold water, and drain them in a sieve. Once the broccoli stalks are cooked, empty the contents of the pan into a tall, narrow container, add the ground black cumin and dried mint, and blend until smooth. Then add the crumbled feta a spoonful at a time and blend until creamy. Season with lemon juice, pepper, and salt, if desired. Add the drained vegetables and fried onions with the chili to the empty pan, stir in the sauce, and heat briefly until the vegetables are warm. Do not allow to boil again. Garnish with parsley when serving. This serving size is calculated for a low-carb vegetarian main course. It is also quite low in fat, as the fat only comes from the feta, and the creamy sauce is thickened by the cheese and broccoli pieces. Of course, you can also use the vegetables as a side dish for multiple servings. Non-vegetarians can sprinkle crispy bacon cubes on top. If you want to add some carbohydrates, mix in some cooked couscous. Note: Use creamy feta made from sheep’s milk if possible, so the blended sauce doesn’t become crumbly.