I went to Whole Foods yesterday. I hate Whole Foods. I only went because it was literally connected to the yarn store, and I was looking for yarn to finish an afghan. (I did not find the yarn I was looking for, but I did find some nice organic cotton and made myself a hat today.) Usually I force myself to go to get one of the three things I can only find at Whole Foods - which is usually tempeh.
Anyway, I made this sausage to put on pizza while visiting my sister, and it is delicious. Tonight I made it in gravy and poured it on biscuits. This is the recipe for the tempeh sausage:
8 oz package tempeh
1 T olive oil
1 T fennel seed
1 t dried basil
1 t dried margoram or oregano
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t dried sage
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T soy sauce
lime juice to taste
boil the tempeh for about 10 minutes, then crumble with everything else and cook as long as you want.
12/20/12
12/5/12
Golden Borscht
I did not realize the beets were golden. I am almost disappointed, but it is still delicious, and quite a pretty yellow. As already blogged once before, I followed my sister's recipe.
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Operation: Use All This Damn Cabbage continues.
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Operation: Use All This Damn Cabbage continues.
11/29/12
Tofu Fried Rice
I have so much cabbage. It is overwhelming. So I started small.
This is very simple. I feel like I should add something fancy to it. Or some color. But I'm not. It is soy sauce and rice, with some vegetables and some spice.
1 block tofu
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 habanero
1 red onion
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 cloves garlic
4 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
Drain tofu, douse with 1/2 the soy sauce, fry in oil, add onion, then garlic and pepper, then cabbage, then remaining soy sauce and oil.
You can make fried rice with any vegetables. It is salty and delicious.
This is very simple. I feel like I should add something fancy to it. Or some color. But I'm not. It is soy sauce and rice, with some vegetables and some spice.
1 block tofu
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 habanero
1 red onion
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 cloves garlic
4 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
Drain tofu, douse with 1/2 the soy sauce, fry in oil, add onion, then garlic and pepper, then cabbage, then remaining soy sauce and oil.
You can make fried rice with any vegetables. It is salty and delicious.
11/28/12
Notes on Pumpkin Soup and Brown Rice
I basically made the 101 cookbooks pumpkin soup, after reading on that same site that pumpkins are not the best squash to make pumpkin pie. I generally follwed that recipe, only I added a lot of lemongrass that I found at my local market. I just got two butternut squashes in my final fall extended farm share, so my plans to make a vegan pumpkin pie with tofu have not been foiled! Just slightly postponed. Upon smashing the pumpkin for pie, I'd have to agree that it doesn't really have the best texture for pie (despite having a delicious pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving made with a real pumpkin). Soup's delicious though.
Thoughts on brown rice:
I turned on the oven to bake the pumpkin around the time I put water on to boil for making brown rice. I learned a years ago about brown rice - if you know, in the morning, that you want brown for dinner, measure out the rice and pour boiling water over it. I believe this is supposed to "loosen" it so that when you go to cook it in the evening, it only takes a few minutes, rather than 45. However, every time I do this, I end up with pretty perfectly cooked brown rice. Yesterday was no exception - I poured about six cups of boiling water over 2 cups of rice, put the lid on, and an hour or so later when I was thinking about draining it and taking a few cups out to cook to be real rice, I tasted it and it was done. How delightfully easy. This is also the only way I know how not to burn brown rice. For serious. The 2 cups, of course, made 8... so... well... I'll be making fried rice when I get home tonight. (Probably with cabbage - I have TONS of cabbage.) Unfortunately I
Thoughts on brown rice:
I turned on the oven to bake the pumpkin around the time I put water on to boil for making brown rice. I learned a years ago about brown rice - if you know, in the morning, that you want brown for dinner, measure out the rice and pour boiling water over it. I believe this is supposed to "loosen" it so that when you go to cook it in the evening, it only takes a few minutes, rather than 45. However, every time I do this, I end up with pretty perfectly cooked brown rice. Yesterday was no exception - I poured about six cups of boiling water over 2 cups of rice, put the lid on, and an hour or so later when I was thinking about draining it and taking a few cups out to cook to be real rice, I tasted it and it was done. How delightfully easy. This is also the only way I know how not to burn brown rice. For serious. The 2 cups, of course, made 8... so... well... I'll be making fried rice when I get home tonight. (Probably with cabbage - I have TONS of cabbage.) Unfortunately I
Baked Oatmeal with fruit
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| Frozen peaches, ready to be baked into oatmeal |
I may have mentioned this before... I really dislike oatmeal. I don't like the texture. But I had a craving today, which could be explained in any number of ways: cookie withdrawal after a full weekend of sweets, an odd hollow in my stomach where my Vacation Breakfast had been sitting (I skipped breakfast yesterday, for the first time in awhile), or an e-mail from my old roommate whose baked oatmeal rendered a compliment from me once, which is saying a lot. Because I really dislike oatmeal.
Also, it helped that the grocery store had frozen mixed berries, peaches, and blackberries on sale.
The consistency of baked oatmeal is much more pleasing to me than regular cooked oats. The top is a little browned and crispy, and more like a baked good than a porridge. There is baking soda and powder, and salt, which gives it a bit of a cookie-like taste. Underneath that is a gooey porridge-like layer, but it is much less like snot than traditional oatmeal. I also like that I sliced this into six pieces and brought them to work, where I can pull out each serving with my hand, plop it on a plate, heat it up in the microwave, and eat breakfast at my desk. (Or I can eat it cold, like a bar.) Also, my oven pretty much heats my entire apartment, so baking is my new favorite thing. For the next six months. And then I won't turn the oven on once, all summer.
I used flax where most recipes call for eggs, because I've eaten way more eggs and dairy than usual lately and I wanted a change. But I kept the yogurt - in fact, I was specifically looking for yogurt. I don't know why, as I usually am not a huge yogurt fan, but I've been eating a ton of it lately. Also, I've experimented a lot with the amount of syrup - one, two, or three tablespoons. I really don't think it needs more than one. Unless you want a super sweet breakfast, which I do not. (My sister calls this "Oatmeal Cake", and I see her point. With a proper glaze, it might be accepted as a cake.)
And finally, a confession: The dough is delicious. And perfectly edible as a breakfast in itself - raw oats with soy milk, yogurt, flax, spices, and a bit of maple? It's so delicious. The baking soda and powder remind me just a bit of cookie dough. I'm at the point where I don't put all the dough in the pan so I can eat the leftovers.
dry:
2 cups oatmeal (I've used quick and old fashioned, old fashioned is better. Not sure yet about steel cut.)
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t allspice
1/4 t fresh nutmeg (please, buy whole nutmeg and use a microplane grater - fresh nutmeg is so much more delicious.)
wet:
2 T ground flax meal
1/4 c water
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
2 T maple syrup
bottom:
1 1/2 c sliced frozen peaches (or half a bag of any frozen fruit)
Mix dry ingredients.
Whisk together flax seed and water. Measure 1 cup of soy milk into a 2 cup measuring cup, add yogurt until you get to 2 cups, add flax mixture and maple syrup and stir until smooth.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Layer frozen peaches at the bottom of your pan. (You can stir them into the batter, but then your pan will be much dirtier and the baked oatmeal squares won't come out as easily.)
Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes at 350, than remove foil and back 20 more minutes, or until brown and juices are bubbly. (I generally over-bake, because then it is less like oatmeal and more like cake.)
Makes 6 servings.
11/9/12
Baked Potatoes with Gravy
I recently moved to Virginia for 5 1/2 weeks to turn it blue, during which time I had a microwave and two electric burners to prepare my meals. I am happy to have an oven again, and although I have become used to having a microwave, I don't miss it.
The day I left, I made the largest pot of vegetable broth conceivable. I regularly throw vegetable scraps, including squash peelings and seeds, onion peelings and ends, potato skins, thick broccoli stems - everything - into the freezer until Broth Day, when it all goes into my stock pot and boils. This - the most delicious vegetable broth - has been waiting for me in my freezer, and less than 24 hours from my return I wanted to feature it in my dinner. And the best way to feature naked vegetable broth is to make it into gravy. Of course, I added way too much salt and pepper, which overwhelmed the delicious broth flavor, but it was still delicious. And, when it comes to potatoes, I usually have a hard time laying off the salt. So in the end, the gravy I almost ruined was still edible, only because it's sole destination was on top of plain baked potatoes.
Baking potatoes. It is really an old staple. To go with your steak, right? You throw potatoes in the oven - what could be simpler? But with the invention of the microwave, which will steam a potato in a matter of minutes, the baking method has quite been relegated to special occasions. Baking is a better method. The skins get a little crisp, the insides are firmer - baked potatoes are better than any other potato. And I would like to pretend that I baked my potatoes because I am a super-snob who would only use the best potato cooking method. But the REAL truth is that it is in the 50s in Chicago, and may have even dropped down to the 40s last night, and I still haven't turned on my heat. And I don't want to. So, I just turned on the oven when I got home, which warmed my bedroom and the kitchen right up to a livable temperature, and after dinner I crawled under my down comforter and was toasty as a marshmallow.
In any case, here's a recipe:
Potatoes: Turn oven to 400, pierce multiple times with fork, bake until soft (about an hour).
Gravy: Melt 2 T butter in a pan. Add 2 T flour. Brown. Add tons of black pepper (at least, I did, and it was delicious.) Very slowly add 2 cups of vegetable broth, a little bit at a time, until all incorporated. If it starts to look too thin, stop adding broth and cook it for awhile and it should thicken up. If it is too thick, add more broth. It will thicken as it cools, so let it be a bit runny.
Add salt. Don't think that your 1 t measuring spoon is a half teaspoon, and add 2 full teaspoons of salt, though, because you might regret it.
The day I left, I made the largest pot of vegetable broth conceivable. I regularly throw vegetable scraps, including squash peelings and seeds, onion peelings and ends, potato skins, thick broccoli stems - everything - into the freezer until Broth Day, when it all goes into my stock pot and boils. This - the most delicious vegetable broth - has been waiting for me in my freezer, and less than 24 hours from my return I wanted to feature it in my dinner. And the best way to feature naked vegetable broth is to make it into gravy. Of course, I added way too much salt and pepper, which overwhelmed the delicious broth flavor, but it was still delicious. And, when it comes to potatoes, I usually have a hard time laying off the salt. So in the end, the gravy I almost ruined was still edible, only because it's sole destination was on top of plain baked potatoes.
Baking potatoes. It is really an old staple. To go with your steak, right? You throw potatoes in the oven - what could be simpler? But with the invention of the microwave, which will steam a potato in a matter of minutes, the baking method has quite been relegated to special occasions. Baking is a better method. The skins get a little crisp, the insides are firmer - baked potatoes are better than any other potato. And I would like to pretend that I baked my potatoes because I am a super-snob who would only use the best potato cooking method. But the REAL truth is that it is in the 50s in Chicago, and may have even dropped down to the 40s last night, and I still haven't turned on my heat. And I don't want to. So, I just turned on the oven when I got home, which warmed my bedroom and the kitchen right up to a livable temperature, and after dinner I crawled under my down comforter and was toasty as a marshmallow.
In any case, here's a recipe:
Potatoes: Turn oven to 400, pierce multiple times with fork, bake until soft (about an hour).
Gravy: Melt 2 T butter in a pan. Add 2 T flour. Brown. Add tons of black pepper (at least, I did, and it was delicious.) Very slowly add 2 cups of vegetable broth, a little bit at a time, until all incorporated. If it starts to look too thin, stop adding broth and cook it for awhile and it should thicken up. If it is too thick, add more broth. It will thicken as it cools, so let it be a bit runny.
Add salt. Don't think that your 1 t measuring spoon is a half teaspoon, and add 2 full teaspoons of salt, though, because you might regret it.
Chickpea Butternut Squash Salad
I have previously blogged this recipe, with link to the original Smitten Kitchen Recipe.
I didn't look at either version last night, just going with my memory and my gut. I didn't actually taste it until this morning, either, but that doesn't seem to matter too much.
Chickpeas:
I threw 1/3 c of dry chickpeas (unsoaked), 1 cup of water, and probably over a tablespoon of Chinese Five Spice into my slow cooker on high. I like to cook legumes in the slow cooker, because I never worry that the heat is too high, and I just check them every once in awhile. It is relatively easy. It probably takes awhile, but I don't really notice. Oh, I also accidentally put way too much salt in the chickpeas, but when I drained them, they tasted fine. Delicious, really.
One thing I like about using dried chickpeas is that the resulting legume is smaller than what I usually get in cans. I don't know why this is - when I soak them they may be a little larger - but I highly prefer the smaller size. Chickpeas tend to be a bit crunchier than other legumes, and the larger canned chickpeas are just a bit too much for me. (Especially in soups, but we will get to that the next time I make a chickpea soup.)
Butternut Squash:
I had a small (less than a pound) butternut squash, which I peeled seeded and diced to about the size of a small chickpea. I tossed it with 1 t of olive oil and baked at 400 until it was a bit carmelized. Towards the end of the cooking time, I put one very large clove of garlic through a garlic press and stirred that in to bake as well.
Dressing:
I bought this sesame paste from my new local market. I live in/near both Hispanic and Chinese neighborhoods, which is awesome - I can get almost every ethnic food I desire. (So far, at least.) The sesame paste I used has the ingredients sesame seed and sesame oil, and it is less solid and more oily than the tahini I'm used to. I used two teaspoons.
I used lime instead of lemon, because limes are 15 for $1 at the local store, and lemons were 4 for $1. Still cheap, but not ridiculously so.
I thought about using cilantro instead of parsley, because I was using lime. I am glad I went with parsley (and I used a LOT - probably over 1/2 cup) because parsley has a much milder, less over-powering flavor, and the flavors in this salad are terrific.
I think the moral of the story is that I in fact have gotten to a point in my cooking life to the ideal place:
I have mastered the techniques I have aspired to master.
I know the ingredients I like well enough to know what to do with them.
The flavor profile I seek is attainable: I know the flavors and combinations I want to use.
So with that knowledge I continue. Also, it should be noted that I really want to share a photo, but I dropped my phone in dishwater this morning and it's currently in a bag of rice, so I'm unable to, and the salad will be gone by the time I am able to. Sorry!
I didn't look at either version last night, just going with my memory and my gut. I didn't actually taste it until this morning, either, but that doesn't seem to matter too much.
Chickpeas:
I threw 1/3 c of dry chickpeas (unsoaked), 1 cup of water, and probably over a tablespoon of Chinese Five Spice into my slow cooker on high. I like to cook legumes in the slow cooker, because I never worry that the heat is too high, and I just check them every once in awhile. It is relatively easy. It probably takes awhile, but I don't really notice. Oh, I also accidentally put way too much salt in the chickpeas, but when I drained them, they tasted fine. Delicious, really.
One thing I like about using dried chickpeas is that the resulting legume is smaller than what I usually get in cans. I don't know why this is - when I soak them they may be a little larger - but I highly prefer the smaller size. Chickpeas tend to be a bit crunchier than other legumes, and the larger canned chickpeas are just a bit too much for me. (Especially in soups, but we will get to that the next time I make a chickpea soup.)
Butternut Squash:
I had a small (less than a pound) butternut squash, which I peeled seeded and diced to about the size of a small chickpea. I tossed it with 1 t of olive oil and baked at 400 until it was a bit carmelized. Towards the end of the cooking time, I put one very large clove of garlic through a garlic press and stirred that in to bake as well.
Dressing:
I bought this sesame paste from my new local market. I live in/near both Hispanic and Chinese neighborhoods, which is awesome - I can get almost every ethnic food I desire. (So far, at least.) The sesame paste I used has the ingredients sesame seed and sesame oil, and it is less solid and more oily than the tahini I'm used to. I used two teaspoons.
I used lime instead of lemon, because limes are 15 for $1 at the local store, and lemons were 4 for $1. Still cheap, but not ridiculously so.
I thought about using cilantro instead of parsley, because I was using lime. I am glad I went with parsley (and I used a LOT - probably over 1/2 cup) because parsley has a much milder, less over-powering flavor, and the flavors in this salad are terrific.
I think the moral of the story is that I in fact have gotten to a point in my cooking life to the ideal place:
I have mastered the techniques I have aspired to master.
I know the ingredients I like well enough to know what to do with them.
The flavor profile I seek is attainable: I know the flavors and combinations I want to use.
So with that knowledge I continue. Also, it should be noted that I really want to share a photo, but I dropped my phone in dishwater this morning and it's currently in a bag of rice, so I'm unable to, and the salad will be gone by the time I am able to. Sorry!
9/5/12
Perfect Potato Salad
As far as I know, I have always loved potato salad and hated
mayonnaise. This is usually a
contradiction, since most potato salad recipes I’ve seen (and eaten) contain
mayonnaise. And I’ve had delicious vegan
potato salad before, for sure. It’s just
that when I made it at home, it was never tasty. Luckily I’ve finally figured out how to make
the perfect mayonnaise-free potato salad, and, since I seem incapable of
sharing the finished product with anyone (yum yum yum - and it’s gone), I will
share the recipe.
Step One: Boil Whole
Potatoes.
I’ve gotten this part wrong in the past - you want your
potatoes to be soft enough to mash - I’ve always thought you wanted to stop
before that point, but I was wrong. Also, by
boiling them whole, you ensure that there are varying textures of potatoes,
which I think makes a more pleasing salad.
I used 1.5 lbs (which, as far as I'm concerned, makes about 2 servings).
Step Two: Make Vinaigrette.
I made mayonnaise from scratch, recently, to see what it was
all about. It was gross. All mayonnaise is gross. But I discovered mayonnaise is about 50 parts
oil to one part egg, which led me to realize that in my attempts, I have been making dry potato salad... because it didn’t have enough fat. I guess fat
makes potato salad delicious. (When I
eat vegetable salads, I generally don’t use any olive oil, just balsamic
vinegar. I like to think that makes up
for this.)
Now, your vinaigrette should be to your liking. Mine is about 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 T balsamic
vinegar, a heaping teaspoon or maybe a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, some
horseradish, some garlic if I feel like it, and maybe a 2nd kind of
mustard. I like mustard. (It has everything mayonnaise does not:
flavor.) Whisk to emulsify. Taste.
Adjust. Salt, pepper, more oil,
more vinegar, maybe a third kind of mustard - whatever you’d like.
Step Three: Add More
Stuff
Just potatoes and dressing isn’t enough - I like my potato
salad to have a bit of crunch, and so I chop up about 1/3 c raw red onion. This gives it crunch and flavor. If I ever had celery, I would definitely use
it. An herb is almost required - parsley
is classic. The opportunities are endless. Olives, capers, hard-boiled eggs, Prepare everything before
removing potatoes from their boiling water.
Step Four: Mixing together.
I usually throw the vegetables in the bottom of a big bowl,
and then I start on the potatoes. I take
them off the stove and set them in cold water, so that I can touch them, but
when I cut into them they are steaming.
I have heard that hot potatoes soak up the dressing better, which makes
sense to me, I guess. Cut into
bite-sized chunks, and throw into the bowl.
Pour on the dressing and stir it up between each potato, to distribute
as much as possible. Taste, season, and
then cover and put it in the fridge quickly so you don’t eat it all while it’s still
warm
8/22/12
Tomato Goat Cheese Pie with Potato Crust
My logic on the potato crust: I have potatoes, and I have flour. I am currently packing and moving. The weight of the raw potatoes that would go into this crust far surpasses the weight of the flour that would go into a crust. Hence, I must make a potato crust.
Also, starch is amazing. I just threw some shredded potatoes in a greased pan and by baking, they all stuck together. Amazing. I don't think I will ever make a traditionally crusted quiche in my life again.
Shred 2 cups worth of potatoes, add 1 t of salt and drain for ten minutes (I totally forgot to drain, and I was a bit worried, but it was fine.) Mix with one egg, 1/4 c finely chopped onion, and spread into a well-oiled pie plate. Bake 20 minutes at 400, then spray the top with oil and bake another 20 minutes.
In the meantime cut up lots of tomatoes and drain them. Set your goat cheese on the oven where it's a little warm so it softens a bit. Maybe mix a couple of tablespoons with an egg Right before the pie gets done, stir some goat cheese and thyme (I used tarragon because I was in a hurry and couldn't find the thyme) into the drained tomatoes. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake until browned.
Also, starch is amazing. I just threw some shredded potatoes in a greased pan and by baking, they all stuck together. Amazing. I don't think I will ever make a traditionally crusted quiche in my life again.
Shred 2 cups worth of potatoes, add 1 t of salt and drain for ten minutes (I totally forgot to drain, and I was a bit worried, but it was fine.) Mix with one egg, 1/4 c finely chopped onion, and spread into a well-oiled pie plate. Bake 20 minutes at 400, then spray the top with oil and bake another 20 minutes.
In the meantime cut up lots of tomatoes and drain them. Set your goat cheese on the oven where it's a little warm so it softens a bit. Maybe mix a couple of tablespoons with an egg Right before the pie gets done, stir some goat cheese and thyme (I used tarragon because I was in a hurry and couldn't find the thyme) into the drained tomatoes. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake until browned.
Welsh Rabbit
Occasionally I make something that I'm embarrassed to share. But last night I was making dinner while video-chatting with my sister and so I had to confess what an unhealthy dinner I was having. Usually I have this for breakfast, but I wasn't hungry yesterday morning.
The original recipe is from the modern classic Mark Bittman book (that I can't remember the name of), but I donated that when I was pretending to downsize and really just wanted to rationalize buying the vegetarian version. This isn't in the vegetarian version (although it is very much, despite the title, vegetarian.)
It is a very simple dish and it's tastiness depends on the quality of the beer and cheese you are using. If you use cheap beer and cheap cheese, it might still taste good. I wouldn't know, because I've not bought either in quite awhile. The most memorable beer selections I've used were Dogfish Head Raison D'etre (I believe with gruyere), and Bell's Winter White Ale (with a strong cheddar).
Occasionally I'll open a beer and after a sip I think to myself, "I better save some of this and have Welsh Rabbit for breakfast."
Toast bread. Meanwhile,
Melt 1 T butter
Add and brown 1 T flour
gradually stir in 1/2 c delicious beer, which will thicken
sprinkle with cayenne - probably 1/4-1/2 teaspoon
add 1/2 c cheese, or to taste
Serve on toast. If you have delicious tomatoes, layer them in as well.
8/7/12
Baba Ghanoush
When I brainstorm a list of things I like eggplant in, I can only come up with two. There is eggplant parmesan, and baba ghanoush. I tried the parmesan the last time that I had eggplant, and it was fine. Not delicious. Actually, to be quite honest, I didn't finish it. It's just so... fried. And you've got to cut it up really thin and cook it really well and then I still would just rather have delicious pasta with delicious tomato sauce and skip the eggplant. So, I had five eggplants from last week and this week and I so I moved on to Recipe Option # 2. What a good choice.
The only reservation I had about making baba was turning on the oven in August, but I broiled it, and I also made Mac & Cheese last night ("southwest" style, with onions and peppers and corn - should've put in beans) so I sort of had to rethink that reservation.
I pierced the eggplants and put it on a baking sheet and broiled it until after I had realized it smelled like something was burning, and then I checked and they were all mushy - perfect. I think I was supposed to put olive oil on them before I cooked them, but I don't see the point.
I mushed up the innards, and mixed it with a lot of tahini, some lemon juice, salt and pepper. I think I also was supposed to put in more olive oil during this step, but it didn't need any. Some parsley would be nice, but I wasn't going to go buy it, and it tastes delicious enough without it.
I didn't have any vegetables I like to dip in things - like carrots - so I bought some Triscuits. In retrospect, I do have cucumbers, but I don't like raw cucumburs. However, I'm sure they'd be delicious with this baba.
The only reservation I had about making baba was turning on the oven in August, but I broiled it, and I also made Mac & Cheese last night ("southwest" style, with onions and peppers and corn - should've put in beans) so I sort of had to rethink that reservation.
I pierced the eggplants and put it on a baking sheet and broiled it until after I had realized it smelled like something was burning, and then I checked and they were all mushy - perfect. I think I was supposed to put olive oil on them before I cooked them, but I don't see the point.
I mushed up the innards, and mixed it with a lot of tahini, some lemon juice, salt and pepper. I think I also was supposed to put in more olive oil during this step, but it didn't need any. Some parsley would be nice, but I wasn't going to go buy it, and it tastes delicious enough without it.
I didn't have any vegetables I like to dip in things - like carrots - so I bought some Triscuits. In retrospect, I do have cucumbers, but I don't like raw cucumburs. However, I'm sure they'd be delicious with this baba.
Gazpacho
I'm not a fan of Gazpacho. And I've been planning on oven-roasting and freezing the ridiculous amounts of tomatoes I started to get in my farm share this week. But I looked at a recipe anyway, and had all the ingredients, and my roommate hasn't packed the blender yet, and my friend who picked up my farm share while I was out of town ate several tomatoes, and I didn't want to turn on the oven, so I made this.
2 lb fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 large cucumber, seeded and roughly chopped
1 T garlic
2 T white wine vinegar
4 T olive oil
1 c water
Blend.
2 lb fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 large cucumber, seeded and roughly chopped
1 T garlic
2 T white wine vinegar
4 T olive oil
1 c water
Blend.
8/2/12
Vegetables, and Pasta, and Cheese, and Perfection
The road that led to this, the Perfect Macaroni and Cheese, was a road of stupidity. I've always known how to make exactly this and I've always known it would be amazingly delicious and yet I kept trying other mac and cheese recipes. Instead of using my grandmother 's method I've been looking elsewhere - in cookbooks, on-line - for the "perfect" recipe. Because I'm dumb. So, so, dumb. In fact, the only reason I used my grandmother's method this time is that I had leftover milk from the corn chowder I made on Sunday, and there is only one thing I ever use milk for - making a white sauce. Which I add cheese to. And then put over broccoli or cauliflower. But only rarely, because I don't think you have to throw tons of cheese sauce on a vegetable to make it delicious.
Another note: The thought of certain foods + cheese makes me go "EEEEWW." And cabbage was kind of on that list. (Also on the list: tofu, any meat substitutes, olives, all fruit, nuts, rice.) I was 100% certain, when I started this, that I would hate it. Which did not stop me, which I think is telling. I will never again make macaroni & cheese without a vegetable. It tastes delicious and makes my tummy happy. Perfection. I'm afraid to look at the nutritional value, though.
Here are some key tips:
* Use enough vegetables, and mix them in, so your fork gets both vegetables and pasta. Also, as your intention is to have both vegetables and pasta on your fork, cut your vegetables appropriately to about the size of the cooked pasta.
* Really do add the milk a splash at a time. No one has ever regretted patience while cooking a white sauce.
* The sharper your cheddar is, the less you have to use to get the delicious cheesy flavor you're looking for. If I was using regular grocery-store cheddar, I would've had to add much more to get the flavor I was looking for.
* By cooking the vegetables, pasta, and sauce simultaneously, and putting them together while they're all warm, you save yourself from having to really bake the dish, which means you're using less resources, which is nice, but also it means your pasta and vegetables don't cook to mush.
* I learned how to do this at a very young age, so I'm not sure if I'm the best at describing how to do it properly. (As far as I'm concerned, you just do it. I don't know how to tell you how. This is the most frustrating thing about trying to learn how to cook from my grandmother - she didn't measure anything and she couldn't tell you how she did it - she just did it.) However, even if you mess up your fancy french white sauce, it will still be delicious. I swear.
* I feel like this is something someone might sprinkle nutmeg in. To bring out of the flavor or some such nonsense. I think that's bullshit. That's what the hot pepper is for.
 |
| I strained the pasta right on top of the cabbage. Or maybe the other way around. |
Ingredients:
One small to medium cabbage, shredded and steamed (Or use a different vegetable - I recommend broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts - but you can probably use annything.)
1 lb whole wheat pasta, cooked
3 T butter
3 T whole wheat flour
1/2 t hot pepper flakes
1.5 c whole milk
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
breadcrumbs (I recommend actually letting bread dry out until if you bit it, your teeth would break.)
more shredded cheese
Method:
1. Cook the pasta and vegetables separately to your liking. (Or together if you're good at timing, I suppose.) You won't be baking this outright, so however well done the pasta is when you take it off the stove is how well done it will be when it's in the dish.
2. Make the sauce - melt the butter then add the flour and combine. Cook lightly for a few minutes. Sprinkle in the hot pepper flakes (or use a shake or two of cayenne). Then take your milk and splash in a bit with your non-primary hand, while stirring with your primary hand. (Sometimes I use a whisk, sometimes I use a wooden spoon. My mother once used a plastic spatula and it melted to nothing, so don't use that.) Keep adding it slowly, although once you get to a certain point you can probably throw it all in. But be careful. Then turn up the heat and cook until it's thickened a bit. Then turn off the heat and add the cheese. Sauce is ready!
3. Assemble - Mix the vegetable with the pasta, and place in a baking dish. Spread a layer of sauce (but not too much) over the pasta. Mine was thicker than I expected - it was almost like frosting a cake (only this sauce is more delicious than frosting). Then sprinkle with breadcrumbs, then a bit more shredded cheese.
4. Broil under high heat until browned on top.
7/31/12
Pesto Frittata
I have friends who always make a bunch of pizza dough during farm-share season. I've kind of been meaning to do that. But haven't. I did watch a lot of television last week, and on some show they described "frittata" basically as an egg pizza. And you know what's easier than making pizza dough and waiting for it to rise? Making frittata. (At least, I believe that for now.)
I was really worried, in my first frittata ever, that it would stick to the pan, so I used way more oil than I needed. I also used way too much garlic and basil. But that isn't actually a problem - it was delicious! But maybe less garlic and basil next time. What had really happened was that I had tried to make basil pesto but I couldn't find my nuts, so I ended up with basil-garlic-olive oil - which is a fine pasta sauce! But not the same. So I threw the mixture in here instead, but also added chopped basil and chopped garlic. Whatever, I'm not complaining.
2 T olive oil (I used more but shouldn't have)
1/4 c chopped onion
1/4 c chopped basil
1/4 c chopped garlic
6 eggs
two sliced tomatoes
1/2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Cook onion and garlic in olive oil until well cooked and very fragrant but not quite brown and crispy. Add basil. Beat eggs, turn down heat, and add to pan, creating a thin layer. Top with sliced tomatoes, then cheese. When eggs are only runny in the middle, place under boiler until browned.
I was really worried, in my first frittata ever, that it would stick to the pan, so I used way more oil than I needed. I also used way too much garlic and basil. But that isn't actually a problem - it was delicious! But maybe less garlic and basil next time. What had really happened was that I had tried to make basil pesto but I couldn't find my nuts, so I ended up with basil-garlic-olive oil - which is a fine pasta sauce! But not the same. So I threw the mixture in here instead, but also added chopped basil and chopped garlic. Whatever, I'm not complaining.
2 T olive oil (I used more but shouldn't have)
1/4 c chopped onion
1/4 c chopped basil
1/4 c chopped garlic
6 eggs
two sliced tomatoes
1/2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Cook onion and garlic in olive oil until well cooked and very fragrant but not quite brown and crispy. Add basil. Beat eggs, turn down heat, and add to pan, creating a thin layer. Top with sliced tomatoes, then cheese. When eggs are only runny in the middle, place under boiler until browned.
Corn Chowder
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| Yes, that is a plastic spoon, I wash it and reuse every day. |
The cookbook author's recommendation was to use half and half, since this recipe is only made at the height of the corn season once a year, so live it up! But then I was thinking, "if I approached every seasonal vegetable that way I would always be cooking decadently." Luckily for my cholesterol I don't keep either milk or half and half on hand, so I walked down to the bodega and they didn't have half and half, so I used whole milk. They had a quart size - which was exactly how much the recipe called for. Of course, I forgot to put half of it in, which means now I have to figure out what to do with all this whole milk. (Probably make more corn chowder. Or maybe mac and cheese with cabbage. Or maybe just cheesy cabbage.)
In any case, here is the recipe, as it went for me:
Six ears of corn, kernels removed and cobs preserved
2 c water
1/4 c butter
1/4 c chopped onion
1/4 c whole wheat flour
1 quart milk (But I used about 1/2 of that)
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese (I probably used more than that)
Boil the cobs in the water for as long as you can with salt and pepper.
Heat the butter in a pan, add the onion and cook until tender. Add the flour and cook until it no longer smells like flour. Add the milk gradually and keep whisking, until it is more soup like than gravy like. (In retrospect, I'd add the cheese while it's still gravy-like, and then keep adding milk until it's soup like.)
Remove cobs from water, leaving delicious corn broth. Throw everything else in the pot. Cook about 10 minutes, until corn is tender. Yum.
Zucchini Frittata
I think I meant to post last week about my discovery of frittata. It has basically replaced my previous obsession with baby quiche, and I will probably make another one before the week is out (probably featuring tomatoes, basil, onion, garlic, and cheddar, but we'll see). I think next I will "discover" basic omelets. Seriously. But I like frittatas because I use less pans (just the cast-iron skillet), and the oven is used much less (which is nice in summer).
The only problem is that I still don't like eggs! I should've just done egg-white, since egg-whites have a more tolerable flavor. But I'm also going to experiment soon with tofu frittatas. Should be fun.
It was recommended I drain the zucchini and squeeze out as much moisture as possible, but the zucchini was still pretty moist, and produced a lot of juice, which I tried to cook out. Here's how it went -
2 T olives oil
1 lb zucchini, shredded and dried
1 large garlic clove
2 T fresh dill
3 T parmesan cheese
5 eggs
Use an oven-proof skillet. Preferably cast iron. Heat oil over medium heat, add zucchini and garlic, cook until zucchini has cooked and most moisture has evaporated. Add dill, salt, pepper.
Meanwhile, beat eggs with cheese.
Lower to medium-low (do this a bit early if you're using cast iron like me), and gently add the eggs and incorporate into the zucchini. (If you don't lower the heat early, the eggs may cook too quickly.) Once incorporated leave undisturbed until mostly set, then place under the broiler in your oven to finish setting the eggs and brown.
pic coming eventually
It was recommended I drain the zucchini and squeeze out as much moisture as possible, but the zucchini was still pretty moist, and produced a lot of juice, which I tried to cook out. Here's how it went -
2 T olives oil
1 lb zucchini, shredded and dried
1 large garlic clove
2 T fresh dill
3 T parmesan cheese
5 eggs
Use an oven-proof skillet. Preferably cast iron. Heat oil over medium heat, add zucchini and garlic, cook until zucchini has cooked and most moisture has evaporated. Add dill, salt, pepper.
Meanwhile, beat eggs with cheese.
Lower to medium-low (do this a bit early if you're using cast iron like me), and gently add the eggs and incorporate into the zucchini. (If you don't lower the heat early, the eggs may cook too quickly.) Once incorporated leave undisturbed until mostly set, then place under the broiler in your oven to finish setting the eggs and brown.
pic coming eventually
Cold Cucumber Soup
I'm not the biggest fan of cucumbers. I think it has to do with how I usually stumble across them, which has traditionally been a too-large piece in a Greek salad. When making my own salads, I have realized it's best to cut all the vegetables into relatively similar sizes. The whole purpose of a salad - bringing different flavors together - is achieved best when you can grab all of the flavors in equal (or appropriate) portions at the same time.
Last week I managed to use all my farm-share cucumbers by canning pickles, which I can then enjoy all year. I love pickles. This week I decided to try something new - I found many recipes for cooked cucumbers but I was not convinced, so I went with raw but blended cucumbers, in this refreshing soup. I actually had it for breakfast on Sunday. And although it was quite delicious, and I'd probably make it again, I would not say it is earth-shattering. I would say it's better suited to a blender than a food processor, unless you enjoy cleaning up messes.
3 medium cucumbers, peeled and seeded
2 cups yogurt
1 T lemon juice
2 T mint
2 T dill
garlic salt (or raw garlic and salt/pepper as desired)
Blend.
7/23/12
Pickling, and my dislike of "sweet"
I was cat-sitting for a friend who has HBO and also said, "use my beets". So, I did. It was a pretty sweet deal. I also had tons of beets from my own farm share, so I ended up with something like 18 jars.
The hardest part was finding a pickled beet recipe. Every one I found online called for insane amounts of sugar. Even my friends who pickle beets (all men, interestingly enough) said to use a little sugar. Searching for a sugar-free recipe, I came up with recipes that called for artificial sweeteners. As if. My entire point was that I didn't *want* sweet-tasting pickled beets.
I like the flavor of beets, and it's slight sweetness adds to its depth. But, and I may sound a little ranty here, I think too often people use sweet vegetables as an excuse to eat more sugar in their dinner. I have trouble understanding this. Recipes for already incredibly sweet-tasting vegetables like winter squash and sweet potatoes often call for massive amounts of refined sweeteners. I've had carrots and green beans that are so sweet they taste more like dessert than dinner. I'm all for having sweetened vegetables for dessert (pumpkin pie - yum!) but call it what it is - dessert.
Okay, fine, I admit it. I am not a dessert person.
The simplest solution, to me, was to just use a cucumber pickle recipe. Mostly because I also had cucumbers to pickle last week. So I found a recipe for dill pickles, and used the same pickling solution for the beets and the cucumbers, only 'sweet' spices for the beets, and savory (dill and garlic) for the cucumbers. My only worry is that they all might be too salty, but I think they turned out delicious.
I boiled the beets before peeling and chopping them (while watching HBO), and then used this solution, which I had heated until the salt dissolved:
8 1/2 cups water
2 1/4 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup fine sea salt (they were out of pickling salt)
I packed cucumber jars with a garlic clove and some sprigs of dill.
I packed beet jars with cloves and anise stars, since those were the whole sweet spices my friends had.
I boiled the jars in a water bath for awhile until they sealed. I've never actually done this before. But I'm thinking of buying a pressure canner, and then I can preserve my beets in cans, ready for deep winter borscht.
The hardest part was finding a pickled beet recipe. Every one I found online called for insane amounts of sugar. Even my friends who pickle beets (all men, interestingly enough) said to use a little sugar. Searching for a sugar-free recipe, I came up with recipes that called for artificial sweeteners. As if. My entire point was that I didn't *want* sweet-tasting pickled beets.
I like the flavor of beets, and it's slight sweetness adds to its depth. But, and I may sound a little ranty here, I think too often people use sweet vegetables as an excuse to eat more sugar in their dinner. I have trouble understanding this. Recipes for already incredibly sweet-tasting vegetables like winter squash and sweet potatoes often call for massive amounts of refined sweeteners. I've had carrots and green beans that are so sweet they taste more like dessert than dinner. I'm all for having sweetened vegetables for dessert (pumpkin pie - yum!) but call it what it is - dessert.
Okay, fine, I admit it. I am not a dessert person.
The simplest solution, to me, was to just use a cucumber pickle recipe. Mostly because I also had cucumbers to pickle last week. So I found a recipe for dill pickles, and used the same pickling solution for the beets and the cucumbers, only 'sweet' spices for the beets, and savory (dill and garlic) for the cucumbers. My only worry is that they all might be too salty, but I think they turned out delicious.
I boiled the beets before peeling and chopping them (while watching HBO), and then used this solution, which I had heated until the salt dissolved:
8 1/2 cups water
2 1/4 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup fine sea salt (they were out of pickling salt)
I packed cucumber jars with a garlic clove and some sprigs of dill.
I packed beet jars with cloves and anise stars, since those were the whole sweet spices my friends had.
I boiled the jars in a water bath for awhile until they sealed. I've never actually done this before. But I'm thinking of buying a pressure canner, and then I can preserve my beets in cans, ready for deep winter borscht.
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| This is not what I picked, it is what I ate while pickling. Cabbage cooked with garlic scapes and yogurt, corn on the cob - yum. |
7/18/12
The wait is over! Zucchini Coconut Soup
I've received numerous requests (from the same person, my only blog reader) about the recipe for the coconut zucchini soup I referred to in an earlier post. I probably wouldn't have remembered that I liked it so much if I hadn't gotten requests, as I definitely didn't remember where the recipe came from. It was easy to find, though, and here it is:
one small onion
1 T fresh ginger
1 very large clove garlic
1 t turmeric
3 T curry powder
1 c chopped tomatoes
1 large zucchini, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 c flaked coconut
1/2 c lentils
1 can coconut milk
4 cups vegetable broth
The original recipe calls for okra, which is one of the few vegetables I despise.
Only 2 full days until I get my next farm share, and I have about 3 lbs of beets, an entire bag of salad greens (or maybe they're cooking greens?), three cloves of garlic, a small eggplant, 2 cucumbers, and one bunch of oregano.
I plan to use the cooking greens in peanut sauce, and the cucumbers in sparkling water (for flavor), and who knows about the rest.
6/26/12
Peanut spinach noodles
I think the last time my sister visited she requested peanut noodles with spinach. I found this recipe, and she vetoed it upon discovering the spinach was blended into the sauce. I love a good spinach salad, more than most other greens, but I got a LOT of spinach - I wish I would've weighed it - and had consumed 2 whole heads of lettuce by Monday afternoon, so Monday evening I was in the mood for a slight change from eating raw vegetables. Although now that I think about it, this spinach is never actually cooked. Plus it's an excellent way to get my spinach without having to actually eat raw spinach. I'm kind of in love with the idea.
The other thing I really love about this is that regular peanut sauce tends to be really heavy, no matter how much you thin it out. This might barely qualify as a peanut sauce, since it's peanut flavor is subtle (the sesame and ginger come through just as strong, if not stronger) but it is much lighter and I feel better after eating it than I do after eating a heavy nut sauce. Regardless, this is delicious.
Here is the recipe:
noodles:
1 pkg Soba noodles
2 T sesame oil
sauce:
3 c spinach, well packed
1/3 c smooth peanut butter (the ingredients of your peanut butter should be peanuts and salt.)
3 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1/2 t hot pepper flakes
1 T fresh grated ginger
1/3 c hot water
garnish:
1/2 c chopped green onions
Peanut Oil (I used the oil from the top of the peanut butter jar, which seemed like a good idea at the time, although maybe it wasn't, although it turned out okay.
Cook noodles according to package instructions, and then add sesame oil and set aside.
Meanwhile put the peanut sauce ingredients in the food processor. I had the peanut butter underneath the spinach, but I recommend putting in the spinach first, and then adding the peanut butter. When I was scraping out my sauce, I discovered some peanut butter that hadn't gotten blended in.
Heat the peanut oil in a cast iron skillet until almost smoking, throw in the green onions and cook, tossing, for about two minutes. Drain on paper towel.
I ate this dish relatively cold - probably around room temperature - for dinner last night, and I also ate it cold for lunch because I was too lazy to travel to the kitchen to heat up my noodles, but I think it's probably good either way.
6/23/12
Summer Farm Share: Week One: Farm Share is Back!
My old farmshare was cancelled at the last minute, leaving me to scramble for a new one. I made a quick decision and felt some remorse - do I really want a full share (3/4 bushel)? Do I really want a Saturday pick-up date? Why did I choose an Illinois farm instead of Wisconsin? What if I want to eat something that I didn't cook myself but I can't because I have too many vegetables? But today I picked up my share and it's amazing. No regrets. (I wasn't sure I'd get one at all this week - I got two e-mails from the farm - one told me it wouldn't start until next week, and one said I had a share today, so I stopped by and was delighted to find my name on the list.)
This week's haul, and the plan to conquer each vegetable:
broccoli - tried to eat it raw but it was bitter, steamed it and ate with sesame ginger dressing (you see it pictured in the salad below, but I took it out after I tried it. it was much better steamed.)
zucchini - sliced and grilled and then threw it on a salad (pictured below)
kale - potato kale soup
spinach - noodles with peanut sauce
2 heads of lettuce - consumed by Monday afternoon. I impressed myself.
tatsoi - this will likely be the last thing I take on. I'm evaluating recipes, they all seem to be warm salads (although some are then chilled) to wilt it a bit. I suppose since I ate all my salad greens already, by the end of the week I might want more salads.
beets with greens - risotto!
basil - pesto (yum) which is mostly gone
dill - some in the potato kale soup, and the rest on salads.
scallions - some went in salads, some went in other things.
This week's haul, and the plan to conquer each vegetable:
broccoli - tried to eat it raw but it was bitter, steamed it and ate with sesame ginger dressing (you see it pictured in the salad below, but I took it out after I tried it. it was much better steamed.)
zucchini - sliced and grilled and then threw it on a salad (pictured below)
kale - potato kale soup
spinach - noodles with peanut sauce
2 heads of lettuce - consumed by Monday afternoon. I impressed myself.
tatsoi - this will likely be the last thing I take on. I'm evaluating recipes, they all seem to be warm salads (although some are then chilled) to wilt it a bit. I suppose since I ate all my salad greens already, by the end of the week I might want more salads.
beets with greens - risotto!
basil - pesto (yum) which is mostly gone
dill - some in the potato kale soup, and the rest on salads.
scallions - some went in salads, some went in other things.
5/9/12
curry coconut lentil vegetable
I have been told, and believe (to some extent) that your cravings tell you what your body needs, nutrient wise. So... Whether or not that's true, I'm quite confidant on Sunday I was craving fat. How else could I explain making almond-butter noodles with broccoli and this really rich coconut milk based soup?
But I realized today that the beauty of this soup is the vegetable - zucchini -which, despite the richness and beauty of the other ingredients, is what makes this soup shine.
Recipe to come.
But I realized today that the beauty of this soup is the vegetable - zucchini -which, despite the richness and beauty of the other ingredients, is what makes this soup shine.
Recipe to come.
4/11/12
pasta puttanesca
My pasta-sauce cooking technique hasn't changed in the last 10 years, really. This one has olives and capers and vegan sausage (since I had olives and capers and vegan sausage) so I'm calling it a puttanesca.
Basically it goes like this:
Heat some onion in some olive oil a largish frying pan.
Add whole fennel seed!!! (this is the only essential ingredient)
Add other things that you might like in your pasta. For instance yesterday I added:
One portabella mushroom cap, chopped
Pepper seasoning (it came in a little 'Zesty Pepper' pack)
Garlic seasoning (same deal - I was out of garlic or I may not have bothered)
One vegan sausage, crumbled (Field Roast brand Italian Sausage - a gift from my aunt, leftover from Saturday tailgating)
Add a can of chopped tomatoes once the vegetables are cooked and the sausage (if you're using it) is a little browned/cooked.
Add 1/4 of olives, chopped.
Add 2 T capers, without the liquid.
Let it simmer while you cook your pasta.
I also added tomato paste because I had some and it thickened it well.
And I had fresh parmesan so I added that to some of it. It was plenty good without.
Basically it goes like this:
Heat some onion in some olive oil a largish frying pan.
Add whole fennel seed!!! (this is the only essential ingredient)
Add other things that you might like in your pasta. For instance yesterday I added:
One portabella mushroom cap, chopped
Pepper seasoning (it came in a little 'Zesty Pepper' pack)
Garlic seasoning (same deal - I was out of garlic or I may not have bothered)
One vegan sausage, crumbled (Field Roast brand Italian Sausage - a gift from my aunt, leftover from Saturday tailgating)
Add a can of chopped tomatoes once the vegetables are cooked and the sausage (if you're using it) is a little browned/cooked.
Add 1/4 of olives, chopped.
Add 2 T capers, without the liquid.
Let it simmer while you cook your pasta.
I also added tomato paste because I had some and it thickened it well.
And I had fresh parmesan so I added that to some of it. It was plenty good without.
2/24/12
Best baby quiche!
This one looks funny but I ate the other 2 I brought for breakfast while installing the blogger app that allowed me to post a photo in the first place.
Crimini mushrooms, onion, garlic, spices. Cilantro. Spelt flour. Grated the delicious cheddar cheese on the tops, & then realized with the Mexican spice theme adding a teaspoon of salsa on the top would be delicious & also mean I wouldn't need to bring additional sauces. I was right.
Crimini mushrooms, onion, garlic, spices. Cilantro. Spelt flour. Grated the delicious cheddar cheese on the tops, & then realized with the Mexican spice theme adding a teaspoon of salsa on the top would be delicious & also mean I wouldn't need to bring additional sauces. I was right.
1/11/12
Grandma's chicken noodle soup
There's definitely no chicken in here. I remember my grandmother's delicious golden broth with homemade egg noodles and parsley very fondly. I also remember that when I was done eating it, leftover in the bottom of my bowl would be pieces of chicken. I'm not saying I never liked meat, I guess I just really didn't like it that much. (I also remember loving Thanksgiving dinner at my grandma's house, and putting turkey on my plate just because everyone called it "Turkey day", and then leaving it on my plate when I was finished with everything else. Turkey was always my least favorite thing about Thanksgiving.)
I had a craving for it yesterday. She usually made it with home made egg noodles - spaetzle. (Sometimes she would buy frozen egg noodles and we'd all be slightly disappointed but not say anything.)
I was making a bunch of other things while I was doing this, so it kind of got away from me. But it's delicious, and this is what I did.
cook one tiny onion and one lg shallot in a bit of olive oil until they're beginning to be translucent.
add about 10 baby carrots. cook for another minute or two. add a hefty teaspoon of garlic salt (I'm almost out of garlic) and stir for a minute. then,
add 4 c vegetable broth (I had some from Costco that was heavy on the carrot, which was good for this recipe) slowly to deglaze pan at first. Bring to boil.
Add some herbs - a bit of tarragon and sage, and a hefty handful fresh parsley. Add lots of pepper.
Add about 3/4 c diced seitan (i made homemade seitan last week, otherwise I would've used something else. I kind of like it, though.)
Cook for awhile why you
Mix 1/2 c whole wheat flour with 1 egg. Add water/milk if needed or more flour to create a very sticky dough. Force dough through a grater using the largest holes you can find to create spaetzle (about a 1/2 inch at a time, atmost), drop in boiling soup. The noodles will probably stick to the underside of the grater - use a knife to cut them free. Cook until noodles are done (float to top.)
Adjust for seasonings, add water if necessary throughout process (as in, if you have let it boil down too much and ran out of liquid!)
I was afraid my spaetzle was all going to stick together because I did it so precariously, and there are some noodles that are rather large and a couple stuck together, but it turned out alright. As in, delicious.
I had a craving for it yesterday. She usually made it with home made egg noodles - spaetzle. (Sometimes she would buy frozen egg noodles and we'd all be slightly disappointed but not say anything.)
I was making a bunch of other things while I was doing this, so it kind of got away from me. But it's delicious, and this is what I did.
cook one tiny onion and one lg shallot in a bit of olive oil until they're beginning to be translucent.
add about 10 baby carrots. cook for another minute or two. add a hefty teaspoon of garlic salt (I'm almost out of garlic) and stir for a minute. then,
add 4 c vegetable broth (I had some from Costco that was heavy on the carrot, which was good for this recipe) slowly to deglaze pan at first. Bring to boil.
Add some herbs - a bit of tarragon and sage, and a hefty handful fresh parsley. Add lots of pepper.
Add about 3/4 c diced seitan (i made homemade seitan last week, otherwise I would've used something else. I kind of like it, though.)
Cook for awhile why you
Mix 1/2 c whole wheat flour with 1 egg. Add water/milk if needed or more flour to create a very sticky dough. Force dough through a grater using the largest holes you can find to create spaetzle (about a 1/2 inch at a time, atmost), drop in boiling soup. The noodles will probably stick to the underside of the grater - use a knife to cut them free. Cook until noodles are done (float to top.)
Adjust for seasonings, add water if necessary throughout process (as in, if you have let it boil down too much and ran out of liquid!)
I was afraid my spaetzle was all going to stick together because I did it so precariously, and there are some noodles that are rather large and a couple stuck together, but it turned out alright. As in, delicious.
1/5/12
chocolate-raspberry hand-pies
i haven't made this yet, but i bought frozen raspberries today and if i wasn't so sick, and ready for bed (at almost 6:30.... hmmmm) i would make it today.
my sister bought be "vegan pie in the sky" for christmas, which features a raspberry pie with balsamic vinegar, crust recipes with cocoa powder, and many recipes for individual hand pies. but i want all three - chocolate-crusted hand pie with that balsamic-hinted raspberry filling.
the handpies in "vegan pie" are square, but i'm making round ones. maybe i should use the regular dough instead of puffy pie dough, but hell, i'm changing the dough recipe all around anyway so who the fuck cares.
so this is how i'm going to do it:
filling:
1 bag (2.5 cups) frozen raspberries
1.5 T cornstarch
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/3 c shugar
shake of salt
mix, crumbling together, then RETURN TO FREEZER.
handpie dough (i thought it would be too much dough but then i realized i want to make them in a muffin tin instead of round which might take more dough.):
1.5 c flour (probably combo buckwheat/multi-grain? i'll let you know)
.5 c black cocoa powder (because I have it)
3 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 c butter
1/2 c sour cream
1/4 c soymilk
add more flour if necessary.
roll out choco dough. use a largish bowl to cut out pieces and fit each into pie tin. roll out dough and cut out circles that will cover the dough (maybe with a fun star cut out in the middle to go on top?)
make sure your oven is preheated to 350 before proceeding.
then take out frozen pie filling, mash, and fill the pies quickly, cover and seal, and bake.
yum.
i'm excited for tomorrow/whenever i stop feeling like shit.
my sister bought be "vegan pie in the sky" for christmas, which features a raspberry pie with balsamic vinegar, crust recipes with cocoa powder, and many recipes for individual hand pies. but i want all three - chocolate-crusted hand pie with that balsamic-hinted raspberry filling.
the handpies in "vegan pie" are square, but i'm making round ones. maybe i should use the regular dough instead of puffy pie dough, but hell, i'm changing the dough recipe all around anyway so who the fuck cares.
so this is how i'm going to do it:
filling:
1 bag (2.5 cups) frozen raspberries
1.5 T cornstarch
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/3 c shugar
shake of salt
mix, crumbling together, then RETURN TO FREEZER.
handpie dough (i thought it would be too much dough but then i realized i want to make them in a muffin tin instead of round which might take more dough.):
1.5 c flour (probably combo buckwheat/multi-grain? i'll let you know)
.5 c black cocoa powder (because I have it)
3 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 c butter
1/2 c sour cream
1/4 c soymilk
add more flour if necessary.
roll out choco dough. use a largish bowl to cut out pieces and fit each into pie tin. roll out dough and cut out circles that will cover the dough (maybe with a fun star cut out in the middle to go on top?)
make sure your oven is preheated to 350 before proceeding.
then take out frozen pie filling, mash, and fill the pies quickly, cover and seal, and bake.
yum.
i'm excited for tomorrow/whenever i stop feeling like shit.
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