stuffed tomatoes

Gratuitous vegetable photo. These are all from my grandfather's (Pop's!) garden. We made lots of things with them, like my second version of these fantastic stuffed tomatoes. Nothing beats fresh produce!!

So, the stuffed tomatoes . . . Kind of a recipe, kind of not. For dinner for one, with lots of leftovers, cook one cup of arborio rice in 2 cups of water, for about 20 minutes, or until the grains were soft and all water was absorbed.

For the filling, saute half a red onion and one clove of garlic in olive oil, until the onion is softened, and the garlic is fragrant. Then add in one zucchini - halved lengthwise, then sliced into little half moons - season liberally with salt and pepper and saute for about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.



To prepare your tomatoes - slice off the top, remove the core, and then scoop the flesh out of the tomato with a spoon. You'll have a nice little vessel to stuff with rice! Add the scooped out flesh to your onion zucchini mixture.

Finally, add the rice to the onion/zucchini/tomato mixture. Add in about 2 tablespoons chopped basil, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.



Stuff the tomatoes with the rice mixture, making sure to pack it into the cavity, and mound on top. Sprinkle with extra cheese, herbs, and bread crumbs, if you like. Place in an oven proof dish, and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until tops are lightly browned. Enjoy!



- e

indian cabbage salad

last night i was flipping through cookbooks looking for a side to accompany samosa mashed potato pancakes (yet another brilliant recipe from vegan brunch). i was quite surprised to find the perfect salad in a cookbook called olive trees and honey, which is a collection of vegetarian recipes from jewish communities around the world. i never even knew that there were jewish communities in india...and upon educating myself a bit i have learned that there are, in fact, three!

this salad has a lot going on. with so many different flavors, i was surprised to taste it and find that it was actually quite mild. i could taste each individual ingredient in a subtle way, and the salad has a lot of flavor, but it's very well balanced and there is not one overpowering note. it's obviously a good choice for an indian inspired meal but i think it could really work well just about anywhere.

just a heads up, they say this should chill for 3 hours before serving so plan accordingly. also, you'll notice that the recipe gives lots of options for ingredients, i've noted the ones i chose. i cut the below recipe in half and it still made a ton.

indian cabbage salad
(from olive trees and honey)
ingredients:
1 small head green cabbage, cored and thinly shredded
3 cups either ripe tomatoes, diced OR shredded carrots (i went with carrots)
3/4 cup grated unsweeted coconut
3/4 cup peanut powder (i crushed some peanuts in a mortar and pestle, they could have been more powdery, but it worked just fine)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley (i did cilantro)
1 1/2 teaspoons jaggery, brown sugar or honey (i chose sugar..and it wasn't brown. oops)
1/3 cup peanut oil or vegetable oil (peanut for me)
3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds or ground cumin (i used seeds)
1 tablespoon seeded and minced hot green chilies
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
pinch of asafetida (optional, i didn't use it...i don't know what it is)
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

in a large bowl, combine the cabbage, tomatoes/carrots, coconut, peanut powder, cilantro and sugar.

heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat (have a lid handy). add the mustard seeds and saute until they begin to pop, about 2 minutes (this is when you want to cover it to keep your mustard seeds under control). when the popping settles down, stir in the cumin. add the chilies, then the turmeric and asafetida (if using), and saute until the chilies begin to color but do not burn.

pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. let stand for at least 3 hours to allow the flavors to meld. just before serving, stir in the lemon juice and salt.

-d

romaine, grilled avocado, and smoky corn salad with chipotle-caesar dressing

show me the words 'grilled avocado' and i'm sold.

such was the case with the june issue of gourmet, which is the grilling issue and brimming with things i want to make (yes, i was pleasantly surprised to find lots of meatless grilling ideas). but it was this recipe that made me go "ohmygod ohmygod i have to make this NOW." i love avocados. but never had i ever eaten, or even thought of making, grilled avocados. what kind of avocado obsessive am i?

anyway, this recipe was all that i hoped it would be. the flavor of the grilled avocados was not so drastically different from normal ol' raw ones, which is probably at least partly because i had to use a grill pan and not a real grill, but i think the heat made them a little creamier and they were still warm when i put them on the salad which was nice. the grilled corn added another summery flavor and some crunch. the dressing was fantastic! it doesn't seem very close to "traditional" caesar dressing (which makes things easier for me!), the only non-vegan element was parmesan cheese which i replaced with almesan from veganomicon (you could also just go buy some vegan parm if you want. or maybe use some nutritional yeast?). loved the smokiness of the chipotles, especially since my grilling did not give me any smoky flavor. i definitely want to make this again and i think it would make a really great entree with some added (grilled?) tofu thrown in. below is the recipe as it's printed but, as i said, it's not too hard to replace the parmesan and make this vegan.


romaine, grilled avocado, and smoky corn salad with chipotle-caesar dressing
(from gourmet, june 2009. as printed, makes 4 entree sized portions)
ingredients:
1/4 cup grated parmesan (or replacement of your choice, almesan from veganomicon is a good choice)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 ears of corn, shucked
2 firm-ripe 6-to 8-ounces avocados, halved and pitted but not peeled
1 head romaine (1 pound), tough outer leaves discarded and head quartered lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch strips

prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal (high heat for gas) or heat your grill pan.

put parmesan in a medium bowl and add olive oil in a slow stream, whisking. whisk in lime juice, garlic, chipotles, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

rub vegetable oil on corn and cut sides of avocados, then season with 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. grill avocados, cut sides down, and corn, covered only if using a gas grill, turning corn occasionally, until golden-brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

peel avocados and thinly slice. cut corn kernels from cobs.

toss romaine with dressing and serve topped with avocado and corn.

-d

mmm . . . mushroom bolognese

Today was one of those dreary, unseasonably cold late spring days in Boston. After enjoy truly gorgeous and summer-like weather over Memorial Day weekend, today was back to the cold! I must take a moment to say that I had a truly fantastic weekend, spending time with family and friends in the Philadelphia-area, including a visit to the Jersey Shore, the Art Museum, a local farmers market, and lots of cooking and baking with my mom (including delicious cinnamon rolls, to be posted soon!) But back to the task at hand . . .

I always find sun-less, misty grey days inspire the need for heart-warming comfort food. My first thought was a hearty pasta dish, but where to go from there? I love love love this Mushroom Bourguignon over at Smitten Kitchen, but wanted something different. So I started thinking about Bolognese, the classic Italian meat sauce. And here, I must make a small confession. I have never had REAL Bolognese. No, I'm not talking about flying to Bologna for dinner. But having never been a fan of meat (and it's been around five and a half years since I last ate beef) I never tried Bolognese the traditional way - with ground beef and pork.



For this recipe, I checked out several traditional Bolognese recipes, including one from Lidia Bastianich, and made my own adjustments. And, at the insistance of my new friend Raymond at the Salumeria Italiana, I used a dry white wine instead of the traditional red. Also, I substituted fresh roma tomatoes for the typical canned San Marzanos. I served the sauce over some lovely imported Italian papardelle noodles. Overall, what resulted was a delicious, and hearty, dish. Definitely lighter than I imagine the meaty version might be, but all around, worth making again, though I might tweak a few things - like adding more acid, possibly in the form of balsamic vinegar (another Raymond suggestion). I am also tempted to use the sauce for a hearty. vegetarian lasagne. I'll keep you posted!

Mushroom Bolognese

2 tbsp dried porcini mushrooms
1 small onion, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 stalks celery, leaves removed, finely diced
2 lbs portobella mushrooms, cleaned, stems removes, and coarsely diced
1/4 to 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a Verdicchio)
1 to 2 tbsp tomato paste (I prefer the kind in the tube)
1 lb roma tomatoes (I used fresh, but you could use canned)
4 to 5 sprigs of fresh thyme

Chopped flat leaf parsley
Grated parmesan

Soak the porcini mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain, reserving soaking liquid. Mince porcinis.



Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan, and add the onion, carrot and celery. Saute until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add white wine, bring to a boil, and cook for about 5 minutes, until most of the liquid is reduced. Add mushrooms, season liberally with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are softened and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste, stirring to incorporate, followed by fresh tomatoes and reserved porcini soaking liquid (if there is not enough liquid to cover the mushroom mixture, top of with water or more white wine). Throw in the time sprigs, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cover. Let the mixture cook 20 to 25 minutes.

In the meantime, cook your pasta (I used papardelle) according to package instructions. After straining the pasta, toss with olive oil and parsley.

To serve, twirl pasta into bowls, top with sauce, and garnish with extra parsley and parmesan. Enjoy!

- e

creamy herbed potato soup

My brother recently had his wisdom teeth out, the day after his 33rd birthday . . . and for a week was unable to eat solid food. That's right, no chewing. So, being the ever-thoughtful sister, I made him some soup. And liked it so much that I made a second batch for myself. The garnish of mushrooms, potatoes and watercress is of my own invention, designed to make the soup a bit heartier (my brother received an extra pureed version. Remember the no chewing thing?) But really, it is lovely on it's own - deliciously creamy and filling!


Creamy Herbed Potato Soup
from The Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

for soup
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 chopped celery
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter (or oil)
3 cups cubed red potatoes
3 cups water
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried)
1 cup milk or cream

for garnish*
sliced, cooked mushrooms
baked or fried potato cubes
handful of watercress


In a soup pot, saute the onions, celery, and salt in the butter (or oil) for 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, water and dill, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.

In a blender (or using an immersion blender) puree the vegetable mixture with the milk (or cream). Gently reheat before serving.

* to serve, I made a mound of the mushrooms, potatoes, and watercress and ladled the soup around.

- e

mixed vegetable tart

Did you spend all day yesterday cooking for other people and not have a chance to eat anything? Only to wake up today and realize that you a) have nothing to eat and b) lack the will to make anything requiring more than an ounce of effort? Do you happen to have puff pastry and a random assortment of vegetables and cheeses in your fridge? If you answered yes to any or all of the above, this tart is the only thing between you and bad chinese take-out. Go gather your ingredients and make it. You won't be sorry, I promise. AND, you will have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. How could you say no!



As with most fridge clearing recipes, this is not the time for exact measurements. But here is how I assembled my flaky vegetable tart

1. Roll out your prepared puff pastry into a nice rectangle, fold the edges in about an inch and crimp with a fork.

2. Make a mixture of creme fraiche and grainy mustard (again, if you have it). I'd say about 1/4 cup creme fraiche and a tablespoon or so of mustard.

3. Finely slice and onion, and caramelize over medium heat. Throw in some thinly sliced zucchini and red bell peppers, maybe some mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with fresh thyme, and saute until vegetables are soft but not mushy.

4. Smear the creme fraiche mixture on the puff pastry, staying inside the lines. Top with vegetables. Grate some gruyere over top (or maybe some parmesan, or any other cheese you might have).

5. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Sprinkle with a chiffonade of basil. Cut in quarters and serve.

- e

when i dip you dip we dip

A few months ago, at the start of what now seems my interminable unemployment, I decided to start a supper club. I suppose I was partially inspired by an article in the New York Times, and partially by the economy, but mostly because I love spending time with friends and cooking for them. Everyone seemed to love the idea, and our as-yet-unnamed dinner party circuit began. I hosted the first installment last weekend, and given the space constraints of my ideally located but slightly cramped abode, I decided to do tapas. Small plates, if you will.

(A few years ago, after going out for a friend's birthday, my then boss asked how it was. I said, "Oh, we went to this tapas restaurant." She looked at me, aghast. I said, gesturing, "You know, small plates." To which she replied, "Oh . . . I thought you said something else." So I just say small plates to avoid confusion).

It was, I think, a smashing success. I went for a mostly vegetarian menu (which, I must say, is not easy in Spanish cuisine. They love the jamon!), everything was relatively simple, and we finished the night with 13 happy people - was it the food or the wine? - lots of empty bottles, and zero leftovers. I will be posting the recipes over time. Including: potato and parsnip croquettes; shrimp with zucchini; taleggio and potato tortilla; and baked mushrooms with a Manchego bechamel. Unfortunately, I was having so much fun, I forgot to take pictures of everything. So you'll just have to use your imaginations. And make the dishes yourself!

First up, a little trio of dips. The favorite one of the night was the spiced carrot. Sweet with the bite of chili and the mellow, maple-y-ness of fenugreek. All of the dips come from Market Vegetarian by Ross Dobson.

Spiced Carrot Dip
serves 6 to 8

1 cup vegetable stock
4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion
2 garlic cloves
1 large red chili (i used a green one, and it looked a bit more festive)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
sea salt and white pepper

Put the stock in a saucepan and add the carrots, oil, onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and the carrots are soft. Add chili, fenugreek, and cumin and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a food processor or blender and chop until blended but there is still a bit of texture. Season to taste, and serve.

Roasted parsnip and garlic dip
serves 6 to 8

2 tbsp chilled unsalted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 lb parsnips, peeled and sliced
1 garlic bulb, cut in half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a small baking dish. Put the parsnips and garlic in dish, pour over the cream, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the garlic and let cool. Once it is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves into a food processor or blender and discard the skin. Add the parsnips and cream, blending thoroughly, until smooth. Season to taste, and serve.

Beet and caraway dip
serves 6 to 8

*my friend Dan said this dip reminded him of Passover; I suggested a Jewish deli. If you don't like rye bread, I would skip this dip, or make it without the caraway seeds

3 medium beets, uncooked
1 tbsp prepared horseradish
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tsp caraway seeds
salt and pepper

Put the beets in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and let boil for 45 to 50 minutes, topping up the water as necessary. The beets are done when a skewer goes through with little resistance. Drain and let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skins. Roughly chop the beets, and put in a food processor or blender with the other ingredients and process until smooth. (If you want your dip to look extra pretty, save some of the sour cream, and swirl in after blending for a nice marbelized effect!)

Enjoy!

- e

mediterranean pasta salad

this pasta was born out of a collaborative shopping effort the yesterday. i took a trip to the farmer's market to see what looked good and ended up with a fennel bulb and broccoli. kris went to the grocery store and got a jar of marinated artichoke hearts and some tomatoes. thrown together with some ingredients we had at home and this pasta was a success. we didn't really set out to make a pasta salad but i think that's what it is. we ate it warm for dinner but i had it cold for lunch today and it was just as good (i do really like cold leftovers though so who knows if my opinion can be trusted). also, we didn't put olives in it but i think it would be a nice addition if you want to toss a few in. we ended up with four hefty servings out of the recipe below.

mediterranean pasta salad
ingredients:
8 ounces pasta
3 cloves of garilc, finely chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 large fennel bulb
1 small head of broccoli
1 small jar artichoke hearts, drained
2 small tomaotes, diced
handful of parsley and fennel fronds, finely chopped
red chili flakes
olive oil
salt and pepper
feta (optional)

begin by cranking your oven to 350. chop fennel bulb into thin strips and toss with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. place on a baking sheet and bake until nice and roasted and softened.*

meanwhile get you're pasta water boiling and cook the pasta.

heat a splash of oil in a pan and sautee the garlic for a few minutes until fragrant. add the artichoke hearts and continue to cook 5-10 minutes longer. add the tomatoes and season with chili flakes, salt and pepper. cook until tomatoes begin to break down and release some juices.

when the pasta is almost done, toss the chopped broccoli in for the last minute to blanch it. drain and return to the pot. add artichoke/tomato mixture and roasted fennel. toss with parsley/fennel fronds, lemon juice, a splash of olive oil and more salt and pepper if desired. kris added some crumbled feta to his and said it was good.

*we were kinda impatient and didn't actually do this. we broiled them for maybe 10 minutes and then just threw it in while it was still a little crunchy. i liked it but i think it would be better roasted for longer. however, if you're impatient and starving as well, broil for a few minutes and throw 'em in like we did. it'll still be good.

-d

roasted pear salad

I love this salad. It is one of the easiest and yet most elegant things I have ever made. It barely requires a recipe, is a cinch to make for a crowd, and belongs in your recipe box. It has a tangy sweetness, and when served with a nice blue cheese it really is out of this world. Make. It. Now. And share it with friends. Please. We don't need to be greedy here.



The original recipe comes from Susan Spungen, champion of simply elegant dining. Her recipe calls for seckel pears - the itty bitty ones - but I prefer bosc or bartlett pears, as they do not get too mushy when baked. You can use just about any kind of blue cheese - I prefer a gorgonzola, either mountain or dolce, depending on how I feel that day - and you could leave it out altogether and still have a great salad.

And as a little aside, I must share a little story of my history with pear. I never used to like them, and think I was traumatized by those kindergarten snack times when we had canned pear halves that Teacher Connie made to look like little bunnies. They had cottage cheese tails, raisin eyes, sliced almond ears and little licorice whiskers. They were kind of cute. And I hated them. I would not eat them, and must have gone hungry on those days, but could not deal with the texture of any of those components. If anything, I ate the licorice and left the rest. Any of you who know me well know that I still will not eat cottage cheese and have a tenuous relationship with raisins. It took me nearly 20 years to come to terms with pears, which I now enjoy, and I think this recipe, which I first made a few years ago, aided in my conversion!



Roasted Pear Salad
serves 4

2 pears, bosc or bartlett, halved and cored
1 or 2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 to 2 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
1 to 2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

mixed greens or arugula
1/3 cup toasted walnuts

2 slices whole wheat bread, crusts removed, halved and toasted
1/4 lb blue cheese, preferably gorgonzola

Vinaigrette
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Cut each pear half into two or three wedges, lengthwise, and arrange in single layer, along with the sliced shallots, on a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil and vinegar, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or so until shallots are very soft and pears are cooked through (i usually stick a paring knife in one to test - if the knife comes out easily, pears are done!) Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients.

To assemble salad: plate a handful of arugula/mixed greens (I prefer the peppery contrast the arugula provides to the sweetness of the pears). Top with 1/4 of the pear mixture. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts, drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve a slice of wheat toast topped with gorgonzola on the side. Enjoy!

- e

red chard

we often have kale as a side dish but lately have been expanding our repertoire of dark leafy greens. they're super good for you and easy to prepare and you can add any flavors you want while sauteeing to make them fit perfectly with any meal.

this red chard that we made recently was cooked with a splash of dressing that we made a ton of the night before. the recipe we based it on comes from the tassajara cookbook (which is gorgeous and has a million things i want to make when picnic season is upon us). it's called wa-fu dressing and the recipe* is:

1/2 c. tamari
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill before using

but we were missing sugar (of all things...) so kris worked his magic and did a little less rice vinegar and replaced the rest with mirin. it added a nice sweetness and was delicious!

so! to make your chard taste like wa fu (or faux fu in our case), remove your chard from the stem and tear into pieces and wash well. heat a little oil in a pan and add the chard (in batches if you need to) until it starts to wilt. add 1/4 - 1/2 cup (depending on how much chard you have) and sautee for about 10 minutes until nice and tender.
combine all in a bowl and mix well. chill before using.

*we cut this in half and still had tons. you could probably third or quarter it if you're in the mood for some math and eyeballing.

-d

pecan crusted tofu

a few days ago kris mentioned that one of the few things he misses about eating meat is a pecan crusted chicken sandwich that he got from some (no longer in existence) place in boston. it was perfect timing as we had just recently made a miso-tahini breaded tofu that i thought needed a little something extra. pecans to the rescue! we put the tofu on sandwiches (cause that was half the point) with this bread from smitten kitchen (which is wonderful and you should all run off and make some now). the tofu would be equally tasty on it's own or perhaps as a salad topping. i don't know if it satisfied kris's craving, but it was a success nonetheless.



pecan crusted tofu
ingredients:
miso (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
tahini (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
water
extra firm tofu, sliced into 1/2 inch(ish) slabs
pecans (maybe about a cup)
olive oil

either by hand or in a food processor, finely chop the pecans (careful not to make them too powdery, you still want some little chunks). place in a shallow bowl.

in another shallow bowl, mix together equal parts miso and tahini. add a splash of water to thin it out so it is about the consistency of mustard.

heat a pan with a thin layer of olive oil over medium heat. spread a layer of the miso-tahini mixture on one side of the tofu (i found that using a butterknife is easiest). place miso side down in the pecans, spread the other side and flip to coat.

cook on each side for a few minutes until browned. after both sides are cooked place on a baking sheet in the oven for a few minutes more to bake the tofu through a little more.

-d

crispy tempeh tacos

i have a thing for tacos. i love them. and i'm always in the mood for them. kris likes them but, for some reason, does not want to eat them EVERY day. weird. so yesterday as i was on the fence about whether to meet him for drinks after work or go straight home and cook something for dinner he convinced me to go out simply by telling me he would buy me a taco for dinner if i went. that's all it took.

in the end i decided that i still wanted to cook dinner thus leaving leftovers to bring for lunch. kris, being the brilliant and taco accommodating guy that he is, suggested we make quick tacos at home. these were indeed super quick to prepare and even tastier than i predicted they would be. i didn't start off planning to write about this spur of the moment meal but after my first taco i decided they were really yummy and need to be shared. hence the quick half-eaten dinner photo above.

since it was a little late when we got home and we were trying to make this as quickly as possible, there was not one bit of measuring that went into this (but eyeballing it should work just fine). we ate these with an equally quick and simple red cabbage slaw.

crispy tempeh tacos
ingredients:
1 package tempeh
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
soy sauce
liquid smoke
hot sauce
cumin
olive oil
green leaf lettuce, thinly chopped
1/2 tomato, diced
1 avocado
crispy corn taco shells

turn oven to warm and put the taco shells in to heat while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

heat a splash of olive oil in a pan and add the garlic. cook a few minutes until fragrant. add the onion and tempeh. add a splash of soy sauce, a few drops of liquid smoke, a drizzle of hot sauce and a sprinkle of cumin. cook until the onions are soft and the tempeh is heated through.
serve in taco shells with lettuce, tomato and avocado.
-d

tofu scramble

i know it's only been a short while since i posted about hashes and tofu scrambles but sorry, i'm at it again! we wanted an easy dinner last night and had some things that needed using and a good ol' tofu scramble just seemed like the way to go. we ate it with a simple red cabbage slaw, a piece of sun dried tomato toast and some sliced up avocado.* i don't believe in using a recipe for a scramble so what follows is merely a guideline to run with as you please.

tofu scramble
ingredients:
1 block extra firm tofu
1 chicken nugget**
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 bunch spinach, leaves torn into pieces
1 portobello cap, thinly sliced
1/2 tomato, chopped
olive oil
cumin
coriander
smoked paprika
salt
pepper

drain the tofu and crumble into a pan heated with a splash of olive oil. let it cook for awhile before you start stirring it to let it get nice and browned on the outside. stir occasionally until crumbles are browned all over.

add garlic, onion and jalapeno and cook until onion softens. add a generous sprinkle of each spice. add mushrooms and tomato. add spinach (in batches if needed) and cook until slightly wilted. adjust seasoning to taste.

when you serve, don't forget to scrape out all the yummy crunchy bits. that's the best part!

*because i have a very hard time passing up a perfect avocado at the grocery store and tend to find a way to work them into as many meals as i can.
**we had one chicken nugget leftover from a super bowl batch of Vegan Dad's hotwings.
-d

mushroom risotto

I often find the simplest things, made well, to be the most appealing. This is not to down play complexity; but I find that by using wonderful ingredients and highlighting their inherent complexity yields delicious results. Risotto falls into this simple/complex category for me. It is comfort food at its finest. Executed properly, it is sublime. I have been making risotto since I was about fifteen years old, when we bought my mom a risotto cookbook for Christmas one year. I fell in love with both Italian food and cooking challenges at an early age, and over time perfected my risotto technique. I love different kinds of risotto - leek and spring pea; butternut squash; sausage and mushroom; asparagus and lemon; the list really goes on - but time and again, I turn to my classic, a simple mushroom risotto.

And the nice thing about this is you can play with different types of mushrooms (shitake, chanterelle, cremini, porcini) to achieve varying levels of, shall we say, mushroomy-ness. I would steer clear of using white button mushrooms in this dish, as they have very little flavor of their own. For this version, I used both creminis and reconstituted dried porcinis (soak them in boiling water for about fifteen minutes, and drain, as there may be some silt. You can either reserve the soaking liquid or use a few teaspoons to intensify your risotto!)

In this dish, you can very easily omit the goat cheese, but it adds a somewhat decadent creaminess. And I like the addition of lemon zest, as it serves to brighten up the flavors and cuts the richness a bit!

Mushroom Risotto

Makes approx. 4 servings

3-4 cups vegetable stock (I prefer homemade)
1 sprig of thyme, plus extra for garnish
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice
7 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
1 tbsp lemon zest

1. Bring vegetable stock with spring of time to a boil, then reduce to simmer.

2. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a 4-5 quart saucepan (or a risotto pan, if you have one). Once oil shimmers, and onion and saute until softened and golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. add rice, stir to coat/toast.

4. add white wine, cook until evaporated (and stirring all the while)

5. begin to add broth by the ladle, making sure all liquid has before adding more. the risotto should be stirred constantly to prevent sticking. about halfway through, add the sliced mushrooms. continue until all stock is absorbed, and rice is tender (you can check by sampling).

6. remove from heat, add butter, cheese and lemon zest, stirring to combine.

7. serve, garnished with extra parmesan, crumbled goat cheese, and a few thyme leaves.

- e

grilled sesame bok choy & brussels sprouts

our dinner last night was inspired by a meal we had last saturday. after being on our list of places to try for probably about a year, we finally made it to eos wine bar and restaurant in cole valley. loved it! we sat in the wine salon (definitely their phrase, not mine), tried some wine flights and nibbled on a variety of small plates. two of those dishes being grilled bok choy with tofu and grape tomatoes and sesame roasted brussels sprouts. we combined the two into grilled sesame bok choy and brussels sprouts and served it over brown rice. i cooked the vegetables in our grill pan (which i love but don't use nearly as often as i should because i hate cleaning it) but if you don't have one i think it would work well in a normal old pan too.

grilled sesame bok choy & brussels sprouts with brown rice
ingredients:
1 cup short grain brown rice
bok choy (i had 3 smallish sized bunches) top leaves trimmed
brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed, bottoms trimmed and cut in half
olive oil
sesame seeds
sesame oil
crushed red chili flakes
1/3 cup peanuts, toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black

get the rice going according to package instructions

in a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper and set aside. chop the cilantro but keep separate for now.

heat your grill pan. brush the bok choy with olive oil and cook on each side for a couple minutes until softened and grill lines appear. once they're cooked, transfer to a regular pan. drizzle with a little sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chili flakes to taste. toss for a minute or two.

toss your halved brussels sprouts with olive oil to coat. cook in the grill pan the same way you did the bok choy. once cooked, move to regular pan to toss with sesame oil, sesame seeds and chili flakes.

when the rice is done cooking pour the sauce over it and mix to combine. stir in the chopped cilantro.

serve the vegetables over rice and garnish with peanuts.

-d

flatbread and falafel feast

friday night we wanted to do something fun, cheap and, of course, delicious for dinner. kris had the brilliant idea to buy a bunch of falafel that we could build our meal around. the original plan was to go to our favorite falafel place - the sunrise deli. rain got in the way of that one so kris came through with a big paper bag stuffed with warm fresh falafel from ali baba down the street and some tabouleh. the meal was halfway done!

kris is the designated dip maker in this household so he worked his magic and threw a bunch of stuff in the food processor. one minute it looked like this:

but what came out was a deliciously creamy sundried tomato hummus.

i decided to make flatbread cause....well....i love making bread products and always want to try out something new. it was really quick and easy to make and had a nice soft texture. i found a basic recipe to start with but wanted to spice it up a bit. so back to the internet to investigate za'atar. za'atar is a middle eastern spice blend and i was pretty sure we had most of the ingredients in our arsenal of spices. we did have most....all except sumac which apparently makes up the largest percentage of the blend. so it wasn't za'atar but it was close and it was good.

flatbread
ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup ice water
3 tablespoons shortening
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of baking soda

combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. add the shortening and cut into the flour mixture. add the water and stir to form a dough.

divide the dough into 5 equal pieces. roll each piece into a thin circle (about 8 inches).

prick the surface of the dough with a fork*

cook on a hot, lightly oiled pan. these cook fast so keep an eye on them. it only takes a minute or less on each side.

(almost) za'atar
ingredients:
thyme
sesame seeds
marjoram
oregano
coarse salt

mix together equal parts (i did a 1/2 teaspoon) thyme, marjoram and oregano. add a little less sesame seeds and even a little bit less salt.

brush the cooked flatbreads with olive oil, sprinkle on spice mixture and rub it in.

*i actually forgot this step. they still turned out really well but maybe they're even better if you prick 'em.

-d