¼ cup sorghum flour
¼ cup tapioca flour
1 tblsp garbanzo bean flour
¼ tsp xanthum gum
½ cup + 1 tblsp of vegetable oil
4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups fish stock
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1 bay leaf
* cayenne pepper to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb shrimp, washed and deveined with tails removed
handful of fresh cilantro chopped
1 cup sliced scallions
Cooked rice (figure ½ to 1 cup cooked rice per person).
Should serve 4-6.
Add all of the oil to a heavy bottomed pan (I make this in a coated cast iron Dutch oven for its even heat distribution and non-stick qualities). Turn the heat to medium/medium-high and add all of the flours.
Stirring constantly stand over the pan and create a roux. Let the flour brown a bit but be very careful not to burn it. If you burn it even a little throw the entire thing out, wash the pan, and start over.
Once the flour/oil mixture is browned, add the celery, onion, and bell pepper. Stir constantly until some of the rawness is cooked out. Add the fish stock and the vegetable stock. Bring to a low boil.
Add the paprika, thyme, marjoram and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are cooked through and softened. The mixture should be slightly thick, like a bisque would be.
[This is a good stopping point if you want to make this recipe a day ahead. On the day you want to serve it simply reheat this mixture and then add the shrimp. ]
Bring the heat up to a low boil again and add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are just done (about 5 minutes).
Serve over rice and offer the chopped cilantro and chopped scallion for sprinkling on top.
* I like my gumbo a bit spicy, but not everyone does. When in doubt leave it out, and then serve some hot sauce on the side. I like good, old-fashioned Tobasco, but another favorite is Cholula hot sauce.
A note about okra:
I also like my gumbo with Okra but almost everyone I know who hasn’t spent any time in the south hates it due to the slime. To me, one of the most delicious things about gumbo is the okra. There are many ways to combat the slime. One is to simply cut the okra and then fry it in oil, making sure to turn it so that is really gets cooked on both sides. You can also dust it in corn flour and fry it that way too. I like to add it right to the gumbo, but so many people are afraid of this vegetable that you could just serve this on the side. People would add a scoop of rice and a scoop of okra to their bowl, and then ladle the shrimp gumbo on top.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Ginger Green Beans
2 tblsps grated fresh ginger
1 pound of fresh green beans, washed with ends snipped and then broken into bite size pieces
1-2 tblsp olive or vegetable oil
splash of sesame oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
---
**Optional additions…
1 cup of shitake mushrooms, chopped roughly
1/2 a medium sized onion, chopped roughly
I use a non-stick, flat bottomed “wok” pan for this recipe.
Heat the pan on high heat. Add the olive (or vegetable) oil and heat until very hot. Add the green beans and stir. The tendency here because of the high heat is to keep moving the food around as you would in a stir fry, but every so often I stop stirring and let the beans rest in the pan. That way some caramelization of the beans begins to happen, which is what you want. Once it looks like your beans are on the verge of being the consistency you like them (some prefer them more firm, and others more soft), quickly add the fresh ginger and the dollop of sesame oil. Then continuously stir until the rawness of the ginger is gone and all the beans are evenly coated with ginger. Remove the pan from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
**Regarding optional additions...
As a variation, after adding the olive (or vegetable) oil and heating it until it is very hot, first add the chopped onion and the shitake mushrooms. Stir them as instructed for the beans (i.e. stir them but let them rest every so often to allow for caramelization). Once they have just begun to caramelize, continue on with the recipe as written above.
1 pound of fresh green beans, washed with ends snipped and then broken into bite size pieces
1-2 tblsp olive or vegetable oil
splash of sesame oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
---
**Optional additions…
1 cup of shitake mushrooms, chopped roughly
1/2 a medium sized onion, chopped roughly
I use a non-stick, flat bottomed “wok” pan for this recipe.
Heat the pan on high heat. Add the olive (or vegetable) oil and heat until very hot. Add the green beans and stir. The tendency here because of the high heat is to keep moving the food around as you would in a stir fry, but every so often I stop stirring and let the beans rest in the pan. That way some caramelization of the beans begins to happen, which is what you want. Once it looks like your beans are on the verge of being the consistency you like them (some prefer them more firm, and others more soft), quickly add the fresh ginger and the dollop of sesame oil. Then continuously stir until the rawness of the ginger is gone and all the beans are evenly coated with ginger. Remove the pan from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
**Regarding optional additions...
As a variation, after adding the olive (or vegetable) oil and heating it until it is very hot, first add the chopped onion and the shitake mushrooms. Stir them as instructed for the beans (i.e. stir them but let them rest every so often to allow for caramelization). Once they have just begun to caramelize, continue on with the recipe as written above.
Thai Inspired Sauce for Simmering or Marinating
This is an amazing little concoction that I modified from some recipe online somewhere…my apologies for not citing it but I didn’t bookmark it and I can’t locate it. I’m not even sure what the original recipe was for; I think I was just looking for something with a Thai flair.
1 healthy tblsp of dried lemongrass
1 tblsp of grated fresh ginger
1 medium sized shallot, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed
1 handful of fresh cilantro
1 tsp of lime zest
1 tblsp of sugar
2-3 tblsps of fish sauce
pinch of salt
olive oil as needed
Throw everything in a mini prep food processor and give it a whirl until everything is finely chopped. Add olive oil as needed so that the mixture is slightly loose and the dried lemongrass is well hydrated. Done!
I think you can do a lot with this mixture. You could marinate shrimp or scallops in it for example, and then quickly broil them on skewers.
What I did though was add it to a can of coconut milk in a pan on the stove. I simmered it on medium high heat until the coconut milk was well flavored and then added a big fat piece of white fish to it and cooked it until it was just cooked through. I served it over a bed of wild and brown rice, with a side of ginger green beans (I will post this recipe next!).
1 healthy tblsp of dried lemongrass
1 tblsp of grated fresh ginger
1 medium sized shallot, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed
1 handful of fresh cilantro
1 tsp of lime zest
1 tblsp of sugar
2-3 tblsps of fish sauce
pinch of salt
olive oil as needed
Throw everything in a mini prep food processor and give it a whirl until everything is finely chopped. Add olive oil as needed so that the mixture is slightly loose and the dried lemongrass is well hydrated. Done!
I think you can do a lot with this mixture. You could marinate shrimp or scallops in it for example, and then quickly broil them on skewers.
What I did though was add it to a can of coconut milk in a pan on the stove. I simmered it on medium high heat until the coconut milk was well flavored and then added a big fat piece of white fish to it and cooked it until it was just cooked through. I served it over a bed of wild and brown rice, with a side of ginger green beans (I will post this recipe next!).
Huevos Rancheros
4-5 fresh eggs
olive oil for sautéing
Healthy pinch of fried oregano
2 cups of crushed tomatoes
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
lime wedges (one per serving)
I use a nine-inch pan that has a cover that can go from the stove-top to the oven. If you don’t have one of these, start the recipe out in a skillet on top of the stove. When it comes time to add the eggs, first transfer the mixture either to a casserole dish that has a lid, or a 9-inch pie pan or cake pan. Once the eggs are in you will cover it tightly with the lid, or aluminum foil, for the oven part.
Pre-heat oven to 400.
Heat olive oil in a pan on top of the stove on medium/high heat. Sautee the onion and jalapeno until soft. Add the tomato paste and mix in with the onion and jalapeno just until the rawness is removed. Be very careful not to burn the tomato paste. Add the crushed tomatoes and continue stirring. Turn the heat down so that the mixture is just simmering and add the oregano. Continue to simmer until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and mix in salt and pepper to taste, the black beans, and the fresh cilantro.
Create enough “wells” in the pan to hold the eggs. One at a time, crack open an egg and drop it into one of the wells. Cover the pan tightly and pop it in the oven.
I cook my eggs for 9 minutes in the oven. This will yield very firm eggs. If you like a softer egg you can leave it in for less time.
Traditionally you would serve this over a crunchy fried tortilla. You would fry a tortilla in oil until it is crispy, then spoon out a portion of the egg/bean mixture and serve it right on top of it (with a lime wedge - fresh lime juice at the end is wonderful!). We simply serve them directly on the plate and maybe add a side of roasted potatoes. To carry the oregano flavor through I toss the washed, dried, and cut potatoes in olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried oregano and then roast them in the same 400 degree oven. You could start the roasting when you first begin cooking on top of the stove so that everything comes out at the same time.
olive oil for sautéing
Healthy pinch of fried oregano
2 cups of crushed tomatoes
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
lime wedges (one per serving)
I use a nine-inch pan that has a cover that can go from the stove-top to the oven. If you don’t have one of these, start the recipe out in a skillet on top of the stove. When it comes time to add the eggs, first transfer the mixture either to a casserole dish that has a lid, or a 9-inch pie pan or cake pan. Once the eggs are in you will cover it tightly with the lid, or aluminum foil, for the oven part.
Pre-heat oven to 400.
Heat olive oil in a pan on top of the stove on medium/high heat. Sautee the onion and jalapeno until soft. Add the tomato paste and mix in with the onion and jalapeno just until the rawness is removed. Be very careful not to burn the tomato paste. Add the crushed tomatoes and continue stirring. Turn the heat down so that the mixture is just simmering and add the oregano. Continue to simmer until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and mix in salt and pepper to taste, the black beans, and the fresh cilantro.
Create enough “wells” in the pan to hold the eggs. One at a time, crack open an egg and drop it into one of the wells. Cover the pan tightly and pop it in the oven.
I cook my eggs for 9 minutes in the oven. This will yield very firm eggs. If you like a softer egg you can leave it in for less time.
Traditionally you would serve this over a crunchy fried tortilla. You would fry a tortilla in oil until it is crispy, then spoon out a portion of the egg/bean mixture and serve it right on top of it (with a lime wedge - fresh lime juice at the end is wonderful!). We simply serve them directly on the plate and maybe add a side of roasted potatoes. To carry the oregano flavor through I toss the washed, dried, and cut potatoes in olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried oregano and then roast them in the same 400 degree oven. You could start the roasting when you first begin cooking on top of the stove so that everything comes out at the same time.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Sauteed Eggplant
Olive oil for sauteeing
1 medium sized eggplant peeled and cut into spoon-sized chunks
handful of fresh basil leaves chopped or torn
about ¼ cup of sweet inions finely diced
2 medium sized roma tomatos cut into medium sized chunks
salt and pepper to taste
After dicing the peeled eggplant work quickly to get them into a hot non-stick pan with a bit of olive in the bottom (let the oil get hot). If you don’t work quickly to get the eggplant in the pan the eggplant will begin to turn color. If you can’t work quickly you can submerge the chunks in a bowl of cold acidulated water until you are ready to use it. I prefer not doing this though. Eggplant is like a sponge and you don’t want watery eggplant. Another comment about the sponge-like quality of eggplant is how it will soak up the oil. This is why working in a nonstick pan is best with eggplant. Resist adding more oil. Once the eggplant begins to soften it will release oil back into the pan.
Resist the urge to stir the eggplant too much at first. Instead let it sit until it begins to brown. Once the browning has set in, toss in the onion and continue sautéing and stirring. When the mixture has begun to soften (don’t let it get mushy) add in the diced tomato and continue cooking until they slightly break down and are warmed through. Finally add the fresh basil and stir until wilted. Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
This is wonderful served hot over fish. It is also really great served as a dip at room temperature and can be served on top of bread (gluten free of course) bruschetta style.
You can also experiment with this recipe easily. I think it would be great with olives, capers, and/or artichoke hearts added in as well.
1 medium sized eggplant peeled and cut into spoon-sized chunks
handful of fresh basil leaves chopped or torn
about ¼ cup of sweet inions finely diced
2 medium sized roma tomatos cut into medium sized chunks
salt and pepper to taste
After dicing the peeled eggplant work quickly to get them into a hot non-stick pan with a bit of olive in the bottom (let the oil get hot). If you don’t work quickly to get the eggplant in the pan the eggplant will begin to turn color. If you can’t work quickly you can submerge the chunks in a bowl of cold acidulated water until you are ready to use it. I prefer not doing this though. Eggplant is like a sponge and you don’t want watery eggplant. Another comment about the sponge-like quality of eggplant is how it will soak up the oil. This is why working in a nonstick pan is best with eggplant. Resist adding more oil. Once the eggplant begins to soften it will release oil back into the pan.
Resist the urge to stir the eggplant too much at first. Instead let it sit until it begins to brown. Once the browning has set in, toss in the onion and continue sautéing and stirring. When the mixture has begun to soften (don’t let it get mushy) add in the diced tomato and continue cooking until they slightly break down and are warmed through. Finally add the fresh basil and stir until wilted. Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
This is wonderful served hot over fish. It is also really great served as a dip at room temperature and can be served on top of bread (gluten free of course) bruschetta style.
You can also experiment with this recipe easily. I think it would be great with olives, capers, and/or artichoke hearts added in as well.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The Gap
It's been a long time since posting! I made the Enchilada Verde dish last night and didn't think to type it up, but in a weird coincidence a Facebook plea went out on the same evening I made them for a vegan enchilada recipe. So I made the effort!
Mike and I have moved and we are currently struggling with our yard. The minute we weed it seems like that clears the way for more weeds. It's been a bit of a vicious cycle that is actually making us hate the yard. I'm determined to reclaim it though, and a friend reminds me that any new garden you inherit will require three years worth of work and planning to get it the way you want. Patience, grasshopper! I did manage to clear out one bed for veggies. I planted four tomato plants: two Roma, one beefsteak, and one purple heirloom. I also planted two jalapneos, four basil plants (two green and two purple), some Walla Walla onions, and some carrots. Everything is really taking off. The tomato plants are huge and I am really excited about seeing everything thrive and do well. I used a jalapeno and some onions just last night in the enchiladas and it was really such a thrill.
I hope to throw more recipes up with more frequency. Our lives have been so busy lately - hosted a Canada Day/ Fourth of July cookout, camping/working/enjoying the Oregon Country Fair, a wonderful trip to Toronto and Warkworth Canada, much loved friends visiting from Massachusetts, friends' wedding reception coming up, a big shindig out in Washington planned, relatives visiting soon, and me heading out to Boston very soon with plans to road trip my dog, Emma, back to Portland with me. We thought that by the end of August things might slow down to normal, but I don't actually hold out hope. We have been cooking quite a bit in the midst of it all. Some dear friends loaned us a grill - the summer will be gone by the time we decide on which one to get - and we have been cooking veggies and fish on cedar planks and rolled in cedar "paper" which has been tasty and fun. I never think to throw the simple recipes up - after all the idea is not to insult the cooks out there! I think the enchilada recipe was a bit simplistic, but I hope people enjoy it nonetheless.
Happy summer everyone!
Sara
Mike and I have moved and we are currently struggling with our yard. The minute we weed it seems like that clears the way for more weeds. It's been a bit of a vicious cycle that is actually making us hate the yard. I'm determined to reclaim it though, and a friend reminds me that any new garden you inherit will require three years worth of work and planning to get it the way you want. Patience, grasshopper! I did manage to clear out one bed for veggies. I planted four tomato plants: two Roma, one beefsteak, and one purple heirloom. I also planted two jalapneos, four basil plants (two green and two purple), some Walla Walla onions, and some carrots. Everything is really taking off. The tomato plants are huge and I am really excited about seeing everything thrive and do well. I used a jalapeno and some onions just last night in the enchiladas and it was really such a thrill.
I hope to throw more recipes up with more frequency. Our lives have been so busy lately - hosted a Canada Day/ Fourth of July cookout, camping/working/enjoying the Oregon Country Fair, a wonderful trip to Toronto and Warkworth Canada, much loved friends visiting from Massachusetts, friends' wedding reception coming up, a big shindig out in Washington planned, relatives visiting soon, and me heading out to Boston very soon with plans to road trip my dog, Emma, back to Portland with me. We thought that by the end of August things might slow down to normal, but I don't actually hold out hope. We have been cooking quite a bit in the midst of it all. Some dear friends loaned us a grill - the summer will be gone by the time we decide on which one to get - and we have been cooking veggies and fish on cedar planks and rolled in cedar "paper" which has been tasty and fun. I never think to throw the simple recipes up - after all the idea is not to insult the cooks out there! I think the enchilada recipe was a bit simplistic, but I hope people enjoy it nonetheless.
Happy summer everyone!
Sara
Enchiladas Verde (Vegan or Pescatarian – your choice)
• Olive oil for sautéing and for coating the bottom of the baking dish
• 1 medium zucchini diced small
• ½ a large onion or one medium onion diced
• 1 jalapeno – seeds and ribs removed unless you’d like it spicier – finely diced
• 2 ribs of celery diced small
• 1 teaspoon of Cajun or Creole spice
• 6 large raw shrimp, peeled, de-veigned and diced**
• 1 can of refried beans of your choice (we uses Trader Joe’s refried black beans with jalapeno, or Trader Joe’s refried pinto beans salsa style)
• about ½ cup of grated Daiya cheddar style vegan “cheese” (or the shredded brand of your choice…but Daiya is amazing)
• 8 – 10 medium/small corn tortillas (gluten free)
• 4 small cans of verde sauce (we typically buy the 7 oz cans of “Embasa Salsa Verde”– medium or mild – which does not have garlic in it)
Pre heat oven to 375.
Coat a baking dish (lasagna style – glass or ceramic coated) with olive oil, then add some of the verde sauce to also coat the bottom of the dish.
Heat a nonstick pan on medium/high and add olive oil. When the oil is hot add the zucchini and let it brown a bit before adding the onion, jalapeno, and celery; continue to sauté until they begin to soften. Add the Cajun/Creole seasoning to the raw shrimp and then add them to the pan. Sauté the mixture until the shrimp just turn pink. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
If your corn tortillas a very fresh and pliable there is no need to heat them to make them so. If not, then zap them in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds and work quickly as you roll them so they don’t dry out and become brittle.
On each tortilla spread down the middle about 2 tablespoons of refried beans, then add about two tablespoons of the sautéed veggie/shrimp mixture, top with an additional 2 tablespoons of Daiya cheese, and finally add a little bit of the salsa verde to it. Roll the tortilla up and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Continue rolling and lining them up in the pan. Once they are all arranged in the pan (the pan should be filled) cover with foil and place in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream.
** If you omit the shrimp then instead of one zucchini use two – or you can finely dice two peeled (or shredded) carrots and add those at the same time you add the zucchini for some extra sweetness. You can get creative here – artichoke hearts would also be wonderful.
• 1 medium zucchini diced small
• ½ a large onion or one medium onion diced
• 1 jalapeno – seeds and ribs removed unless you’d like it spicier – finely diced
• 2 ribs of celery diced small
• 1 teaspoon of Cajun or Creole spice
• 6 large raw shrimp, peeled, de-veigned and diced**
• 1 can of refried beans of your choice (we uses Trader Joe’s refried black beans with jalapeno, or Trader Joe’s refried pinto beans salsa style)
• about ½ cup of grated Daiya cheddar style vegan “cheese” (or the shredded brand of your choice…but Daiya is amazing)
• 8 – 10 medium/small corn tortillas (gluten free)
• 4 small cans of verde sauce (we typically buy the 7 oz cans of “Embasa Salsa Verde”– medium or mild – which does not have garlic in it)
Pre heat oven to 375.
Coat a baking dish (lasagna style – glass or ceramic coated) with olive oil, then add some of the verde sauce to also coat the bottom of the dish.
Heat a nonstick pan on medium/high and add olive oil. When the oil is hot add the zucchini and let it brown a bit before adding the onion, jalapeno, and celery; continue to sauté until they begin to soften. Add the Cajun/Creole seasoning to the raw shrimp and then add them to the pan. Sauté the mixture until the shrimp just turn pink. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
If your corn tortillas a very fresh and pliable there is no need to heat them to make them so. If not, then zap them in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds and work quickly as you roll them so they don’t dry out and become brittle.
On each tortilla spread down the middle about 2 tablespoons of refried beans, then add about two tablespoons of the sautéed veggie/shrimp mixture, top with an additional 2 tablespoons of Daiya cheese, and finally add a little bit of the salsa verde to it. Roll the tortilla up and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Continue rolling and lining them up in the pan. Once they are all arranged in the pan (the pan should be filled) cover with foil and place in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream.
** If you omit the shrimp then instead of one zucchini use two – or you can finely dice two peeled (or shredded) carrots and add those at the same time you add the zucchini for some extra sweetness. You can get creative here – artichoke hearts would also be wonderful.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Mango Curry With Shrimp
I’ve become mildly obsessed with eating Mango lately. So delicious! One night I very seriously thought we had no food in the house but a half a bag of frozen shrimp, the mango on the counter, and the remnants of an old frozen bag of soybeans yielded one of the best meals I have ever had. Mango curry is heavenly! We ate ours over some brown rice. We will be making this again, and again, and again….
Mango Curry with Shrimp
Olive oil
Onion - diced
Carrots – sliced or diced
2 Tblsp Massaman curry spice*
Vegetable stock (about ½ cup)**
Lite coconut milk (about 1 cup)
10 raw shrimp, cleaned, deveined, and cut lengthwise in half
Soybeans – about 1 cup (frozen is fine)
1 Ripe Mango – peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
Black pepper to taste
Sauté onion and carrots over medium heat until they are just barely softened in olive oil. Add the curry spike and sauté quickly until the rawness is cooked out of it; be careful you don’t burn it. Add the vegetable stock and stir until the pan is deglazed and the curry has blended well with the liquid. When the liquid has thickened add the coconut milk and stir until blended. Bring the heat up so the liquid is just simmering. Add the shrimp and soybeans and cook until the shrimp is just cooked through. Add the mango and pepper to taste. Cook until the mango is heated through.
Serve over rice.
* Cost Plus World Market has a Massaman Curry blend that does not contain garlic.
** Most vegetable broths contain garlic, however I have found that some vegetable stocks do not contain garlic.
Mango Curry with Shrimp
Olive oil
Onion - diced
Carrots – sliced or diced
2 Tblsp Massaman curry spice*
Vegetable stock (about ½ cup)**
Lite coconut milk (about 1 cup)
10 raw shrimp, cleaned, deveined, and cut lengthwise in half
Soybeans – about 1 cup (frozen is fine)
1 Ripe Mango – peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
Black pepper to taste
Sauté onion and carrots over medium heat until they are just barely softened in olive oil. Add the curry spike and sauté quickly until the rawness is cooked out of it; be careful you don’t burn it. Add the vegetable stock and stir until the pan is deglazed and the curry has blended well with the liquid. When the liquid has thickened add the coconut milk and stir until blended. Bring the heat up so the liquid is just simmering. Add the shrimp and soybeans and cook until the shrimp is just cooked through. Add the mango and pepper to taste. Cook until the mango is heated through.
Serve over rice.
* Cost Plus World Market has a Massaman Curry blend that does not contain garlic.
** Most vegetable broths contain garlic, however I have found that some vegetable stocks do not contain garlic.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Mushroom "Ragu" (and polenta / quinoa pasta)
Mike and I were talking about polenta the other day. I have this weird issue with polenta (also egg salad and deviled eggs truth be told). If I don’t make it myself I have a hard time eating it. It makes no sense, but the soft and sometimes creamy texture weirds me out. Unless I cook it myself I can’t choke it down. I found this great, gluten-free and dairy-free pre-made polenta at Cost Plus World Market last month and thought to myself that it would be great to have on hand instead of always having pasta with sauces, etc. I bought it, heated it up, and served it, but it didn’t really sit well with me mentally (although Mike enjoyed it). There is nothing wrong with the product at all. In fact if you don’t have this issue, and it is unlikely you do, then I recommend it. It is a decent product that is quick and easy from package to plate.
While Mike and I were discussing polenta we began to discuss ways to serve it. I tossed out that it would be good with some type of mushroom “ragu.”
The other day I was walking through the local Market (Zupan’s) wondering what to make for dinner. I happened to notice a display of dried mushrooms that proudly declared they were an Oregon product. The mushrooms triggered my memory of the idea of a mushroom “ragu” and since I am always up for supporting local businesses, and local food especially, I decided to give it a try.
Ragu is traditionally a meat sauce (hence the quotes around it when I speak in terms of it being mushroom-based). If you decide to try making it yourself keep in mind that the real keys to this sauce are the following:
• The broth from the reconstituted dried mushrooms are essential to this sauce tasting earthy and wonderful. Don’t skip this part.
• Brown the fresh mushrooms at the start of the recipe. Resist stirring them too much which will inhibit the browning process. Have patience and let them sit undisturbed until you get a good brown started, then stir and repeat until they are fully browned. This is really essential for not only producing non-rubbery mushrooms, but also for a complexity of flavor in the sauce.
• The right amount of fresh rosemary. You could use dried in a pinch, but the fresh just works a little different in the sauce – in a really good way. Rosemary can really take over a dish so be careful you don’t add too much (unless of course you are mad for it, then toss as much as you want in).
The dried mushrooms I chose to use were: Oregon Porcini dried mushrooms (.5 0z pack); and Chanterelle dried mushrooms (.5 0z pack). You could experiment here, but these are unique and earthy. I followed the directions on the package to reconstitute them in simmering water and then used only the broth in the recipe. You can rinse the reconstituted mushrooms well, then chop them up and add them to the sauce, but I find the texture of reconstituted mushrooms to be strange and unpleasant. The flavor has really been leeched out of them too so I don’t see any benefit other than alleviating some guilt at throwing food away. If you can’t handle the guilt by all means throw them in. I personally toss them out. Some words of caution if you use them: rinse them well before putting them in your sauce. Nothing ruins a meal more than gritty or sandy food, which will indeed happen if you don’t take the time to rinse them thoroughly.
To give a plug for the ones I used (they were wonderful), the brand is “MycoLogical” and I purchased their Wild Gourmet Mushrooms (again, I used the Oregon porcinis, and the chanterelles). It is a company based out of Eugene, Oregon.
Here is a link to their website: http://www.mycological.com/
And, finally, the recipe!
*** Mushroom “Ragu” ***
Olive oil
½ pound of chopped fresh mushrooms (buttons are fine) – medium dice
1 large fresh Portobello mushroom cap chopped to roughly the same size as the buttons
1 cup of finely minced celery (about 3 ribs)
1 cup of finely minced peeled carrots
1 medium sized shallot finely minced
1 ½ tblsps of finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tblsp of tomato paste
2 cups of mushroom broth from reconstituting 1oz of dried mushrooms
1 box of Pomi crushed tomatoes (approx 26 oz crushed tomatoes)
salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot (or Dutch oven). Add all of the fresh mushrooms and let sit until they are brown (resist stirring them until they have begun to brown!). Stir them and then let them continue to brown fully.
Once the mushrooms have browned add the celery, carrots, and shallots. Stir continuously over medium heat until they begin to wilt and soften. Add the rosemary and continue to stir until the rosemary begins to give up its flavor. Add the tomato paste and continue stirring being extra careful not to burn it; once the rawness has been removed from the paste add the mushroom broth to it. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the mixture seems to have thickened and all of the ingredients have melded together. Add the crushed tomatoes and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
If possible simmer the sauce on very low, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes. The sauce gets better after allowing time for all of the flavors to meld. If you have leftovers the flavor is even better the next day.
This can be served over polenta or pasta (we really like the Quinoa pastas, which are gluten-free of course!).
While Mike and I were discussing polenta we began to discuss ways to serve it. I tossed out that it would be good with some type of mushroom “ragu.”
The other day I was walking through the local Market (Zupan’s) wondering what to make for dinner. I happened to notice a display of dried mushrooms that proudly declared they were an Oregon product. The mushrooms triggered my memory of the idea of a mushroom “ragu” and since I am always up for supporting local businesses, and local food especially, I decided to give it a try.
Ragu is traditionally a meat sauce (hence the quotes around it when I speak in terms of it being mushroom-based). If you decide to try making it yourself keep in mind that the real keys to this sauce are the following:
• The broth from the reconstituted dried mushrooms are essential to this sauce tasting earthy and wonderful. Don’t skip this part.
• Brown the fresh mushrooms at the start of the recipe. Resist stirring them too much which will inhibit the browning process. Have patience and let them sit undisturbed until you get a good brown started, then stir and repeat until they are fully browned. This is really essential for not only producing non-rubbery mushrooms, but also for a complexity of flavor in the sauce.
• The right amount of fresh rosemary. You could use dried in a pinch, but the fresh just works a little different in the sauce – in a really good way. Rosemary can really take over a dish so be careful you don’t add too much (unless of course you are mad for it, then toss as much as you want in).
The dried mushrooms I chose to use were: Oregon Porcini dried mushrooms (.5 0z pack); and Chanterelle dried mushrooms (.5 0z pack). You could experiment here, but these are unique and earthy. I followed the directions on the package to reconstitute them in simmering water and then used only the broth in the recipe. You can rinse the reconstituted mushrooms well, then chop them up and add them to the sauce, but I find the texture of reconstituted mushrooms to be strange and unpleasant. The flavor has really been leeched out of them too so I don’t see any benefit other than alleviating some guilt at throwing food away. If you can’t handle the guilt by all means throw them in. I personally toss them out. Some words of caution if you use them: rinse them well before putting them in your sauce. Nothing ruins a meal more than gritty or sandy food, which will indeed happen if you don’t take the time to rinse them thoroughly.
To give a plug for the ones I used (they were wonderful), the brand is “MycoLogical” and I purchased their Wild Gourmet Mushrooms (again, I used the Oregon porcinis, and the chanterelles). It is a company based out of Eugene, Oregon.
Here is a link to their website: http://www.mycological.com/
And, finally, the recipe!
*** Mushroom “Ragu” ***
Olive oil
½ pound of chopped fresh mushrooms (buttons are fine) – medium dice
1 large fresh Portobello mushroom cap chopped to roughly the same size as the buttons
1 cup of finely minced celery (about 3 ribs)
1 cup of finely minced peeled carrots
1 medium sized shallot finely minced
1 ½ tblsps of finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tblsp of tomato paste
2 cups of mushroom broth from reconstituting 1oz of dried mushrooms
1 box of Pomi crushed tomatoes (approx 26 oz crushed tomatoes)
salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot (or Dutch oven). Add all of the fresh mushrooms and let sit until they are brown (resist stirring them until they have begun to brown!). Stir them and then let them continue to brown fully.
Once the mushrooms have browned add the celery, carrots, and shallots. Stir continuously over medium heat until they begin to wilt and soften. Add the rosemary and continue to stir until the rosemary begins to give up its flavor. Add the tomato paste and continue stirring being extra careful not to burn it; once the rawness has been removed from the paste add the mushroom broth to it. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the mixture seems to have thickened and all of the ingredients have melded together. Add the crushed tomatoes and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
If possible simmer the sauce on very low, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes. The sauce gets better after allowing time for all of the flavors to meld. If you have leftovers the flavor is even better the next day.
This can be served over polenta or pasta (we really like the Quinoa pastas, which are gluten-free of course!).
Friday, March 26, 2010
Vegan Rotter Chili
One night after work, when I was trying to come up with something for dinner, I was realizing our cupboards were getting a bit bare. I looked around at what little we did have and thought I could probably make chili. This involved cleaning out the “crisper” which in our house we call the “rotter” (because let’s be honest - that is what’s going on in there). When I first began putting this chili together I thought to myself, either this will be passable or it will be disgusting. The benefit: it helped me clean out the rotter and I always feel like I beat “The Man” when I don’t have to throw anything out for having gone bad.
This ended up being some of the best chili - vegan or otherwise - Mike and I have ever had. I didn’t write any of this down as I was making this though, because I really had low expectations. As a result, the amounts listed here are approximate and you should probably just experiment yourself and make this “to taste” all the way around.
Olive oil
1 red bell pepper diced
half a large sweet onion diced
1 tblsp of tomato paste
2 tblsp chili powder
cayenne pepper to taste
about 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup of water
2 vegan veggie burgers diced (we like Trader Joe’s Tofu Veggie Burger which is gluten free and can be found in the refrigerator section)*
1 box of Pomi chopped tomatoes with their liquid (about 2 cups)
2 tblsp Braggs amino acids
1 rounded tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 tblsp of cider vinegar
1 package (or can) of cooked beans (we like the bean medley from Trader Joe’s which can be found in the refrigerator section)**
Heat olive oil in the bottom of a heavy-bottom stew pot (or Dutch oven if you have one). Add the bell pepper and onion and sauté until soft. Add the tomato paste, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Sauté to incorporate and take the rawness out of the tomato paste - stirring constantly and being careful not to burn it. Quickly add water to deglaze. Add the chopped veggie burgers and cook through (about 5 minutes on medium-high). Add the rest of the ingredients - except the beans - and simmer until all the ingredients have cooked through, the flavors have melded together, and it has thickened a little bit (10-15 minutes or so uncovered). Add the beans and simmer 1-2 minutes until they are heated through.
No one was more surprised than I was at how delicious this was.
Notes:
* It is so very difficult to find a veggie burger without gluten and without garlic. The Trader Joe's Tofu Veggie burger doesn’t have gluten, but it does have a small amount of garlic in it. We took a chance and tried it and it didn’t seem to bother Mike. We have found that in small amounts dried garlic doesn’t seem to be having too bad of an effect on him so we occasionally risk it. (This might be the inspiration I need though, to learn how to make my own tofu veggie burger.) My apologies for putting in a product that does have a small amount of garlic in it. In lieu of not being able to use this product, I suggest adding diced tofu, shredded carrots, and very finely diced celery to the chili in place of them and cooking a little bit longer until the carrots and celery are soft – and you may want to increase the amount of Braggs amino acid as well.
**I know I should like lentils more, but honestly they do nothing for me. I have cooked them (ex. I roasted parsnips and onion then added cooked black lentils to them along with some herbs de Provence, salt and pepper, and Mike loved them), but they end up feeling like filler to me instead of something tasty and wonderful. That being said, you can of course substitute cooked lentils for the beans in this recipe.
This ended up being some of the best chili - vegan or otherwise - Mike and I have ever had. I didn’t write any of this down as I was making this though, because I really had low expectations. As a result, the amounts listed here are approximate and you should probably just experiment yourself and make this “to taste” all the way around.
Olive oil
1 red bell pepper diced
half a large sweet onion diced
1 tblsp of tomato paste
2 tblsp chili powder
cayenne pepper to taste
about 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup of water
2 vegan veggie burgers diced (we like Trader Joe’s Tofu Veggie Burger which is gluten free and can be found in the refrigerator section)*
1 box of Pomi chopped tomatoes with their liquid (about 2 cups)
2 tblsp Braggs amino acids
1 rounded tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 tblsp of cider vinegar
1 package (or can) of cooked beans (we like the bean medley from Trader Joe’s which can be found in the refrigerator section)**
Heat olive oil in the bottom of a heavy-bottom stew pot (or Dutch oven if you have one). Add the bell pepper and onion and sauté until soft. Add the tomato paste, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Sauté to incorporate and take the rawness out of the tomato paste - stirring constantly and being careful not to burn it. Quickly add water to deglaze. Add the chopped veggie burgers and cook through (about 5 minutes on medium-high). Add the rest of the ingredients - except the beans - and simmer until all the ingredients have cooked through, the flavors have melded together, and it has thickened a little bit (10-15 minutes or so uncovered). Add the beans and simmer 1-2 minutes until they are heated through.
No one was more surprised than I was at how delicious this was.
Notes:
* It is so very difficult to find a veggie burger without gluten and without garlic. The Trader Joe's Tofu Veggie burger doesn’t have gluten, but it does have a small amount of garlic in it. We took a chance and tried it and it didn’t seem to bother Mike. We have found that in small amounts dried garlic doesn’t seem to be having too bad of an effect on him so we occasionally risk it. (This might be the inspiration I need though, to learn how to make my own tofu veggie burger.) My apologies for putting in a product that does have a small amount of garlic in it. In lieu of not being able to use this product, I suggest adding diced tofu, shredded carrots, and very finely diced celery to the chili in place of them and cooking a little bit longer until the carrots and celery are soft – and you may want to increase the amount of Braggs amino acid as well.
**I know I should like lentils more, but honestly they do nothing for me. I have cooked them (ex. I roasted parsnips and onion then added cooked black lentils to them along with some herbs de Provence, salt and pepper, and Mike loved them), but they end up feeling like filler to me instead of something tasty and wonderful. That being said, you can of course substitute cooked lentils for the beans in this recipe.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Hot & Sour Lemon Grass Soup with Scallops
This is a really wonderful soup if you are feeling under the weather. It clears out the sinuses and warms the belly nicely.
2 tblsp olive oil
2-3 cups sliced mushrooms (shitakes would be great, but regular buttons are fine)
½ medium sized onion – cut in half again and then slice thinly
1 cup if thinly sliced carrots
3 ribs of celery sliced thinly
½ cup if fresh ginger peeled and julienned
1 jalapeno pepper finely diced (I removed ½ the seeds to keep some heat but tone it down)
2 tblsp grated zest of lime
2 tblsp dried lemon grass
¼ cup of fish sauce
¾ cup of rice wine vinegar
4 cups of water
2 cups of vegetable stock
salt ant pepper to taste
2 tsps of mirin
1 lbs of scallops
4 scallions finely sliced
1 healthy handful of cilantro chopped
Heat the olive oil and when very hot add the mushrooms. Resist stirring the mushrooms until they begin to brown. Add the onion, carrots, celery, ginger, and jalapeno and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the lime zest and the lemon grass and sauté for 1-2 minutes more. Add the fish sauce, the rice wine vinegar, the water, and the vegetable stock. Simmer for 10 minutes then add salt and pepper to taste. Add the mirin and the scallops and simmer gently until the scallops are just done. Right before serving add the scallion and the cilantro. Serve piping hot.
Notes:
I had some cooked rice leftover in the refrigerator so I threw it in to make the soup more hearty. You could also hydrate some rice noodles in some boiling water for 5 minutes and toss those in at the end too.
Other things that could be added are tofu, pea-pods, bean sprouts, fresh basil, etc. I would add all of these things at then end. They only need to simmer just briefly in the soup and adding them earlier would make them mushy and unappetizing. You could of course leave the scallops out or replace it with shrimp.
2 tblsp olive oil
2-3 cups sliced mushrooms (shitakes would be great, but regular buttons are fine)
½ medium sized onion – cut in half again and then slice thinly
1 cup if thinly sliced carrots
3 ribs of celery sliced thinly
½ cup if fresh ginger peeled and julienned
1 jalapeno pepper finely diced (I removed ½ the seeds to keep some heat but tone it down)
2 tblsp grated zest of lime
2 tblsp dried lemon grass
¼ cup of fish sauce
¾ cup of rice wine vinegar
4 cups of water
2 cups of vegetable stock
salt ant pepper to taste
2 tsps of mirin
1 lbs of scallops
4 scallions finely sliced
1 healthy handful of cilantro chopped
Heat the olive oil and when very hot add the mushrooms. Resist stirring the mushrooms until they begin to brown. Add the onion, carrots, celery, ginger, and jalapeno and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the lime zest and the lemon grass and sauté for 1-2 minutes more. Add the fish sauce, the rice wine vinegar, the water, and the vegetable stock. Simmer for 10 minutes then add salt and pepper to taste. Add the mirin and the scallops and simmer gently until the scallops are just done. Right before serving add the scallion and the cilantro. Serve piping hot.
Notes:
I had some cooked rice leftover in the refrigerator so I threw it in to make the soup more hearty. You could also hydrate some rice noodles in some boiling water for 5 minutes and toss those in at the end too.
Other things that could be added are tofu, pea-pods, bean sprouts, fresh basil, etc. I would add all of these things at then end. They only need to simmer just briefly in the soup and adding them earlier would make them mushy and unappetizing. You could of course leave the scallops out or replace it with shrimp.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Langostinos!
I grew up in Massachusetts, which has a fair number of Portuguese Americans in residence. Growing up I remember enjoying Portuguese foods such as linquica which is a type of pork sausage, Portuguese sweet bread which is a yummy and yeasty bread, and langostinos.
If you have never had langostinos, the best I can do when describing them is to tell you that they are kind of like shrimp, but have more of a sweet lobster taste and they are certainly more delicate and lighter in texture than shrimp. The tail meat has the look of crawfish tails but is a little more tender and a little more sweet; in a pinch they can substitute for crawfish or shrimp (to my mind nothing can or should be substituted for lobster).
Imagine my surprise when I went to Trader Joe’s and began seeing langostinos in the frozen fish bin. I haven’t seen them around in over 25 years. The weird part is that I remember the excitement my sister and I felt when we knew we were going to be eating them, but I don’t actually remember how they were prepared and served to us.
Trader Joe’s sells them fully cooked and frozen. I tend to like to buy shrimp uncooked because I think the flavor is better. Initially I was disappointed to see the langostinos being sold pre-cooked. A little investigation however made me understand that typically they are cooked and frozen out at sea to preserve their freshness. Like crawfish and lobster they should not be eaten if they were dead when they were cooked.
I do indeed have trouble finding crawfish tails, fresh or frozen, out here in Oregon. I used to sometimes see them being sold frozen in Massachusetts. I actually liked getting them frozen better. They would be sold as “tail meat and fat” and the fat really added flavor when I would make etouffée. Plus, all the work was done for me – no boiling, separating the tail meat, etc. Langostinos were a welcome surprise at the store and we buy them often and keep them on hand in the freezer. Thawing fish is always best when done slowly. Take them out of the freezer the night before and let them thaw slowly in the refrigerator. That way the texture of the meat will remain true and not get mushy or watery.
Enjoy the two recipes below that utilize langostinos; you can also use shrimp instead.
Sara
Langostinos Ceviche Style
1 lb of langostino tails fully thawed, rinsed under cold water briefly, and then dried
olive oil
fresh lime juice
fresh cilantro (or perhaps oregano if you dislike cilantro)
1 small shallot very finely diced
2 small and very ripe avocados diced into bite-sized chunks
2-3 plum tomatoes diced
1 jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed (unless you like more heat), very finely diced
salt and pepper to taste
This recipe should be made to taste all the way around, but I've provided some amounts as a general guide. I like a 1-3 ratio of acid to oil for a dressing, but sometimes with limes and lemons (vs. vinegars) you can go 2-3 depending on their sweetness. I also love cilantro so I tend to put a lot in, but cilantro seems to be one of those love it or hate it herbs so go light if it isn’t something you love. I can’t imagine leaving it out, but if you do then you could add oregano instead. If you use fresh oregano then you can just toss it in. If you use dried oregano you can hydrate it and pull the flavor out by first adding it to the olive oil. This dish would of course also work with shrimp. You can serve it cocktail style or with some corn chips on the side. You basically throw everything into a bowl, toss it around, and serve it. Simple and delicious.
For parties you can put servings in individual cups and toss in a corn chip or three as edible garnish. A more elegant way of serving them, as an appetizer at a sit down dinner for example, would be to serve them in martini or margarita glasses.
Creole Langostinos
1lb of langostino tails fully thawed, rinsed under cold water briefly, and then dried*
3 tblsp of olive oil
1 small sweet onion diced
½ a small shallot finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper diced (you could also use red or green for a difference in taste and sweetness)
3 ribs of celery diced
1 jalapeno seeded and very finely diced
1 pinch of cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 ½ tsps of dried thyme
1 tsps of dried oregano
1 tblsp paprika
1 tblsp of potato starch
2-3 cups of vegetable stock
1 cup of diced tomatoes with their juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 dried bay leaf
3 scallions chopped
1 healthy handful of fresh cilantro roughly chopped
Heat oil in a large soup or stock pot (medium to medium/high heat). Sauté onion, shallot, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeno until softened. Add cayenne, thyme, oregano, and paprika and stir to incorporate. Sprinkle the mixture with the potato starch and continue cooking, stirring constantly for a minute or two. The mixture will be very dry and will begin to bind a bit. This is similar to making a roux with flour; constantly stir and don’t burn it! Add the vegetable stock. The potato starch has an intense thickening quality so add enough stock that the mixture is a little bit loose, (like a bisque for example). Add the tomatoes with their juice and then add the bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 15 minutes so the flavors have time to meld and the bay leaf has time to release its flavor. Add the langostinos and continue cooking until they are heated through. Just before serving add the scallions and cilantro. Serve over rice.**
*You can also use shrimp. A more “seafoody” variation would be to buy shrimp with the shells on. Remove the shells and devein the shrimp. Put the shells in a pot and add 2-3 cups of water. Simmer the shells for about 10 minutes and then strain the liquid (i.e. discard the shells). Use this liquid in place of the vegetable stock. In the recipe you will add the uncooked shrimp where you would have added the cooked langostinos and cook until the shrimp are just done. Be careful to not overcook the shrimp because no one likes rubber shrimp!
**Mike is a fan of brown rice. I know it has more nutritional value (or at least it is a more complex carbohydrate than white rice), but I have a big weakness for white rice. The good news is that this recipe really works well with the brown rice. The heartiness of the brown rice makes this dish even more satisfying.
If you have never had langostinos, the best I can do when describing them is to tell you that they are kind of like shrimp, but have more of a sweet lobster taste and they are certainly more delicate and lighter in texture than shrimp. The tail meat has the look of crawfish tails but is a little more tender and a little more sweet; in a pinch they can substitute for crawfish or shrimp (to my mind nothing can or should be substituted for lobster).
Imagine my surprise when I went to Trader Joe’s and began seeing langostinos in the frozen fish bin. I haven’t seen them around in over 25 years. The weird part is that I remember the excitement my sister and I felt when we knew we were going to be eating them, but I don’t actually remember how they were prepared and served to us.
Trader Joe’s sells them fully cooked and frozen. I tend to like to buy shrimp uncooked because I think the flavor is better. Initially I was disappointed to see the langostinos being sold pre-cooked. A little investigation however made me understand that typically they are cooked and frozen out at sea to preserve their freshness. Like crawfish and lobster they should not be eaten if they were dead when they were cooked.
I do indeed have trouble finding crawfish tails, fresh or frozen, out here in Oregon. I used to sometimes see them being sold frozen in Massachusetts. I actually liked getting them frozen better. They would be sold as “tail meat and fat” and the fat really added flavor when I would make etouffée. Plus, all the work was done for me – no boiling, separating the tail meat, etc. Langostinos were a welcome surprise at the store and we buy them often and keep them on hand in the freezer. Thawing fish is always best when done slowly. Take them out of the freezer the night before and let them thaw slowly in the refrigerator. That way the texture of the meat will remain true and not get mushy or watery.
Enjoy the two recipes below that utilize langostinos; you can also use shrimp instead.
Sara
Langostinos Ceviche Style
1 lb of langostino tails fully thawed, rinsed under cold water briefly, and then dried
olive oil
fresh lime juice
fresh cilantro (or perhaps oregano if you dislike cilantro)
1 small shallot very finely diced
2 small and very ripe avocados diced into bite-sized chunks
2-3 plum tomatoes diced
1 jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed (unless you like more heat), very finely diced
salt and pepper to taste
This recipe should be made to taste all the way around, but I've provided some amounts as a general guide. I like a 1-3 ratio of acid to oil for a dressing, but sometimes with limes and lemons (vs. vinegars) you can go 2-3 depending on their sweetness. I also love cilantro so I tend to put a lot in, but cilantro seems to be one of those love it or hate it herbs so go light if it isn’t something you love. I can’t imagine leaving it out, but if you do then you could add oregano instead. If you use fresh oregano then you can just toss it in. If you use dried oregano you can hydrate it and pull the flavor out by first adding it to the olive oil. This dish would of course also work with shrimp. You can serve it cocktail style or with some corn chips on the side. You basically throw everything into a bowl, toss it around, and serve it. Simple and delicious.
For parties you can put servings in individual cups and toss in a corn chip or three as edible garnish. A more elegant way of serving them, as an appetizer at a sit down dinner for example, would be to serve them in martini or margarita glasses.
Creole Langostinos
1lb of langostino tails fully thawed, rinsed under cold water briefly, and then dried*
3 tblsp of olive oil
1 small sweet onion diced
½ a small shallot finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper diced (you could also use red or green for a difference in taste and sweetness)
3 ribs of celery diced
1 jalapeno seeded and very finely diced
1 pinch of cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 ½ tsps of dried thyme
1 tsps of dried oregano
1 tblsp paprika
1 tblsp of potato starch
2-3 cups of vegetable stock
1 cup of diced tomatoes with their juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 dried bay leaf
3 scallions chopped
1 healthy handful of fresh cilantro roughly chopped
Heat oil in a large soup or stock pot (medium to medium/high heat). Sauté onion, shallot, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeno until softened. Add cayenne, thyme, oregano, and paprika and stir to incorporate. Sprinkle the mixture with the potato starch and continue cooking, stirring constantly for a minute or two. The mixture will be very dry and will begin to bind a bit. This is similar to making a roux with flour; constantly stir and don’t burn it! Add the vegetable stock. The potato starch has an intense thickening quality so add enough stock that the mixture is a little bit loose, (like a bisque for example). Add the tomatoes with their juice and then add the bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 15 minutes so the flavors have time to meld and the bay leaf has time to release its flavor. Add the langostinos and continue cooking until they are heated through. Just before serving add the scallions and cilantro. Serve over rice.**
*You can also use shrimp. A more “seafoody” variation would be to buy shrimp with the shells on. Remove the shells and devein the shrimp. Put the shells in a pot and add 2-3 cups of water. Simmer the shells for about 10 minutes and then strain the liquid (i.e. discard the shells). Use this liquid in place of the vegetable stock. In the recipe you will add the uncooked shrimp where you would have added the cooked langostinos and cook until the shrimp are just done. Be careful to not overcook the shrimp because no one likes rubber shrimp!
**Mike is a fan of brown rice. I know it has more nutritional value (or at least it is a more complex carbohydrate than white rice), but I have a big weakness for white rice. The good news is that this recipe really works well with the brown rice. The heartiness of the brown rice makes this dish even more satisfying.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Caribbean Stew
Years ago two very good friends of mine went Vegan. Veganism is now not only a way of life for them it is also their life’s work. One year one of them hand made recipe books for a small group of friends that contained all Vegan recipes. This particular recipe was apparently a modification of a recipe in The Moosewood Cookbook. Looking through that cookbook I think it is a modification of the “Gypsy Soup” recipe.
I’ve modified the modified recipe to the point where it is a rather different thing from the original Moosewood recipe and a bit different from my friend’s modification as well, but I feel it’s necessary to mention these things if only to point out how modifying existing recipes can inspire creativity and new dishes.
One quick note about the stew: do not skip adding the lime juice. The stew is merely mediocre without it. If you don’t think it matters, taste the stew before adding the lime juice and then taste it again after adding it. You’ll notice a huge difference. The stew becomes sweet and the flavors become very round. This is an addictive dish. I also think it is a fantastic way to get some kale into your diet.
2 tblsps olive oil
1 medium to large sweet onion diced
1 tblsp Allspice
1 large, or two small sweet potatoes – peeled and cut into soup-spoon sized chunks
1 jalapeno pepper finely diced (I remove the seeds and ribs so the stew is mild, but for more heat you could leave them in)
4 cups of curly kale chopped up*
4 cups of water
1 box of Pomi brand chopped tomatoes (or a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, or approximately 1 ½ cups of fresh tomatoes peeled and diced with their juice)
1 large or 2 small, zucchini squash cut into soup-spoon sized chunks
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 lime – juiced (about 2 tablespoons, but you can add to taste)
¼ cup of fresh cilantro roughly chopped
In a large soup or stock pot sauté the sweet onion in the olive oil over medium heat until they are soft. Add in the finely diced jalapeno and sauté one minute more. Add in the allspice and stir to incorporate. Add in the sweet potatoes and the kale. Pour the water in and also add the tomatoes with their juice. Continue cooking the mixture on medium heat (at a low boil) for ten minutes or so (until the kale is becoming tender). Add in the zucchini and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is at the desired tenderness. Add the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Before serving add the cilantro and stir through.
*I try to use the curly kale because it cooks quicker and isn’t so tough. If all you can find is the more fibrous waxy type of kale you’ll need to adjust the cooking time to accommodate it. If you’d like to learn a little more about kale here is a handy Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kale
I’ve modified the modified recipe to the point where it is a rather different thing from the original Moosewood recipe and a bit different from my friend’s modification as well, but I feel it’s necessary to mention these things if only to point out how modifying existing recipes can inspire creativity and new dishes.
One quick note about the stew: do not skip adding the lime juice. The stew is merely mediocre without it. If you don’t think it matters, taste the stew before adding the lime juice and then taste it again after adding it. You’ll notice a huge difference. The stew becomes sweet and the flavors become very round. This is an addictive dish. I also think it is a fantastic way to get some kale into your diet.
2 tblsps olive oil
1 medium to large sweet onion diced
1 tblsp Allspice
1 large, or two small sweet potatoes – peeled and cut into soup-spoon sized chunks
1 jalapeno pepper finely diced (I remove the seeds and ribs so the stew is mild, but for more heat you could leave them in)
4 cups of curly kale chopped up*
4 cups of water
1 box of Pomi brand chopped tomatoes (or a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, or approximately 1 ½ cups of fresh tomatoes peeled and diced with their juice)
1 large or 2 small, zucchini squash cut into soup-spoon sized chunks
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 lime – juiced (about 2 tablespoons, but you can add to taste)
¼ cup of fresh cilantro roughly chopped
In a large soup or stock pot sauté the sweet onion in the olive oil over medium heat until they are soft. Add in the finely diced jalapeno and sauté one minute more. Add in the allspice and stir to incorporate. Add in the sweet potatoes and the kale. Pour the water in and also add the tomatoes with their juice. Continue cooking the mixture on medium heat (at a low boil) for ten minutes or so (until the kale is becoming tender). Add in the zucchini and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is at the desired tenderness. Add the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Before serving add the cilantro and stir through.
*I try to use the curly kale because it cooks quicker and isn’t so tough. If all you can find is the more fibrous waxy type of kale you’ll need to adjust the cooking time to accommodate it. If you’d like to learn a little more about kale here is a handy Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kale
Monday, January 11, 2010
Basic Madras Curry
This is a basic Madras curry that can then be used with vegetables, fried firm tofu, or fish. This is a simplified curry sauce that removes the sometimes complex, many-dirty-pans, and labor-intensive aspects of typical curry recipes.
4 tblsp soy butter
1 medium onion diced
1 small shallot finely diced*
2 tblsp Madras curry powder
1 ½ cups of vegetable stock**
½ cup of light coconut milk
3 tblsp golden raisins or currants
2 tsp sugar
In a non-stick pan sauté the onion and shallots in 2 tblsp of soy butter until translucent and soft. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan melt the remaining 2 tblsp of soy butter and add the curry powder. Cook the curry powder very briefly (maybe 1-2 minutes) in the soy butter until the rawness is cooked out, being very careful not to burn it. Immediately add the vegetable stock and simmer for a few minutes until the mixture has combined well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the golden raisins, or currants, and simmer another minute or two until they have plumped up. Add the sugar and the coconut milk and sauté a few minutes more until combined.
Vegan suggestion: I suggest sautéing vegetables in a pan, perhaps even lightly browned for added depth of flavor (particularly delicious is browned zucchini squash), and once cooked add the curry sauce and serve over rice. Tofu can of course be used as well.
Pescatarian suggestion: fry up the fish in some soy butter, or brush with olive oil and broil for a few minutes, and then finish cooking in the curry sauce. Another quick weekday option is to just cook the fish right in the sauce and simmer until the fish is cooked through. By skipping the sautéing you save yourself having to clean another pan and the meal is done just that much quicker. This suggestion would work with shrimp as well. Serve over rice.
*Shallots are used instead of garlic. Garlic is always in curries, but if your system can’t handle garlic then shallots may be more tolerable (as they are for Mike). You can omit them completely if you want.
**Store bought vegetable broth typically has garlic in it. Store bought vegetable stock, however often times does not. Check your labels!
4 tblsp soy butter
1 medium onion diced
1 small shallot finely diced*
2 tblsp Madras curry powder
1 ½ cups of vegetable stock**
½ cup of light coconut milk
3 tblsp golden raisins or currants
2 tsp sugar
In a non-stick pan sauté the onion and shallots in 2 tblsp of soy butter until translucent and soft. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan melt the remaining 2 tblsp of soy butter and add the curry powder. Cook the curry powder very briefly (maybe 1-2 minutes) in the soy butter until the rawness is cooked out, being very careful not to burn it. Immediately add the vegetable stock and simmer for a few minutes until the mixture has combined well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the golden raisins, or currants, and simmer another minute or two until they have plumped up. Add the sugar and the coconut milk and sauté a few minutes more until combined.
Vegan suggestion: I suggest sautéing vegetables in a pan, perhaps even lightly browned for added depth of flavor (particularly delicious is browned zucchini squash), and once cooked add the curry sauce and serve over rice. Tofu can of course be used as well.
Pescatarian suggestion: fry up the fish in some soy butter, or brush with olive oil and broil for a few minutes, and then finish cooking in the curry sauce. Another quick weekday option is to just cook the fish right in the sauce and simmer until the fish is cooked through. By skipping the sautéing you save yourself having to clean another pan and the meal is done just that much quicker. This suggestion would work with shrimp as well. Serve over rice.
*Shallots are used instead of garlic. Garlic is always in curries, but if your system can’t handle garlic then shallots may be more tolerable (as they are for Mike). You can omit them completely if you want.
**Store bought vegetable broth typically has garlic in it. Store bought vegetable stock, however often times does not. Check your labels!
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