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Samosa Stuffed Baked Potatoes

7 Jul

My husband and I saw Forks over Knives about a month ago, and it inspired us to try a more vegan diet. We don’t make a lot of meals with meat at home (and I have already cut out eggs and most dairy), but we thought we would just put a little more thought into making some creative vegan meals. I asked a friend for a cookbook recommendation, and he suggested I check out Veganomicon.  I am so glad I did, because it is full of really flavorful, easy-to-make recipes.

This is the first recipe I made from the book, and it is a winner. Depending on what you serve along with it, one half potato is a good-sized serving. But if you are hungry, I would serve both halves. I served one half alongside a green salad, some roasted asparagus, and a glass of sauvignon blanc.


Samosa Stuffed Baked Potatoes
From Veganomicon
Makes 8 potato halves

4 large Russet potatoes, scrubbed, baked, and cooled
1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk, vegetable broth or water
3 tbs peanut oil
1 tsp yellow or brown mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1 small yellow onion, cut into small dice (about a cup)
1 medium-size carrot, cut into small dice (about 3/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup frozen peas, rinsed
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Slice the cooled baked potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato in the skin. The easiest way is to hold the potato in the palm of your nonwriting hand use a teaspoon to scoop the potato into a bowl. Go slowly and carefully so as not to break the potato, but you don’t have to be a perfectionist about it. Mash the potatoes up with the soy milk and set aside the skins.

Preheat the oven to 400.

Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mustard and coriander seeds. The mustard seeds should begin to pop; if they don’t pop in a minute or two, turn the heat up. Let the seeds pop for about a minute, add the onions and carrots, and saute for 7-10 minutes, until the onions begin to brown.

Add the garlic and ginger, and saute for a minute more. Add the cumin, turmeric, and salt with a splash of water, stir well, then add the potatoes, mixing everything well. Add a little water if it looks too dry. Cook until the potatoes are heated through, then add the peas and cook until those are heated through. Add the lemon juice to taste and stir to incorporate.

Brush the insides of the potato skins with a little bit of oil. Then scoop the filling into the skin, pressing gently to hold the filling in place.

Line the potato halves on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. You can garnish with some chopped fresh cilantro, if so inclined, and serve.

My Favorite Peanut Sauce

2 Jun

I have no idea where I found this recipe, as it is one I have been using for years and years. It is fantastic as part of a stir-fry and with rice and/or noodles.  You can also use it as a dipping sauce for satay of any kind.  It pairs with all vegetables and meats equally well, and is one I make fairly often.

Stir-fried vegetables, before sauce is added

My Favorite Peanut Sauce
LaFemmeCooks

1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 soy sauce
1 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs lime juice
1 1/2 tsp dark sesame oil
1 tsp hot chili sauce with garlic
1 tbs fresh minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk until well combined.  Feel free to tweak this recipe to your preferences– I like a good note of acid in this sauce, so I often use more vinegar or lime.  Overall, you are looking for a balance of flavors and if you do experiment a little it is easy to correct with more of the opposite flavor.  And in the end, you really can’t have enough of this sauce! You will want to use it on everything, I promise.

Veggies with peanut sauce over bamboo rice

Tri Color Bean Salad with Lemon, Mint & Parsley

27 May

I know I talk a lot here about my love of France, and really what isn’t there to love about that place?  But my husband and I also fell in love with a place closer to home: a small town in Eastern Washington called Walla Walla.  Now, if you know anything about wine you have probably at least heard of Walla Walla, and many of the best wines from this state are grown there.  It also happens to be an adorable town with a charming main street, dry weather (something that is a wonderful reprieve from the wet weather we have here in Seattle), and it happens to be perched at the foot of the Blue Mountains, which makes for stunning scenery all around you.

The vineyards at Abeja Cellars in Walla Walla

Needless to say, we spend a lot of time in this town.  We know the area well, love the restaurants, and just plain enjoy the slow pace of small town life.  One of our favorite things to do while visiting is head over to the Farmer’s Market that happens weekend mornings.  On a recent trip with some friends we ended up trying some new things at the market, and my husband went crazy for a bean salad we had.  While eating it I tried to decipher the ingredients so that I could make it for him again at home, and it seemed to me most like tabbouleh with beans instead of couscous.

And so, here is my re-creation, inspired by the woman from Walla Walla.  It is the perfect accompaniment to summer grilling, or just alongside a sandwich.  Beans are super healthy, and so are herbs (which happen to be little antioxidant powerhouses).   I like my tabbouleh the traditional way, which is heavy on the herbs. These are a nice reprieve from the same old potato salad or coleslaw that show up at every summer event.

The version in the picture below is one I made with basil instead of the Tabbouleh dressing, so it is less green and herby than it usually looks. It tasted great, though, so feel free to experiment with whatever you have on hand.

Tri Color Bean Salad with Lemon, Mint & Parsley
LaFemmeCooks

15 oz can each: black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, cannellini beans
1 tomato, diced
3-5 green onions, diced
2 cups finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint
Juice from one large lemon
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Will last in the refrigerator for about a week.

Penne with Roasted Asparagus & Balsamic Butter

21 May

A big thank you to everyone who has been reading this blog, especially for being so patient these last few months while I haven’t published anything.  The death of my mother combined with the darkness of winter have made these last few months trying, to say the least. I haven’t felt like doing anything, let alone cooking or writing.  But the sun has (finally!) come out in Seattle, and it has brightened my mood considerably. I am feeling slightly more human, at any rate, and thought this recipe the perfect way to welcome spring, and me, back into the world.

Penne & Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Butter
From Food & Wine Magazine

1 pound asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 pound penne
1/4 pound butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Heat the oven to 400°. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the spears into 1-inch pieces. Put the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer until 3 tablespoons remain. Stir in the brown sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat.

Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the butter, vinegar, asparagus, Parmesan, and the remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Slow-roasted Tomatoes

17 Mar

I don’t eat “fresh” tomatoes in winter. I just don’t. I much prefer to hold out for the very first heirlooms from these guys, as a signal that summer is in full swing and all is right with the world. Winter tomatoes are merely holograms of their summer selves, and hardly worth the time or effort. But this week my CSA included them in my delivery, and I had to make the best of it.

I have been playing around with gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches at home, to my husband’s delight. I have used rosemary bread and potato bread and pain au levain; muenster cheese, chevre, roquefort and gruyere. I love to vary the ingredients, and have found that both of us prefer a vegetarian version, with grilled onions, avocado, and any kind of cheese or bread.

 

When the tomatoes arrived, I decided they would best be put to use slow-roasted to increase the flavor that I knew would be lacking this time of year. And it turned out to be a great idea, especially added to a grilled cheese sandwich! I also roasted some balsamic onions for a tart punch, and paired it all with a sheep’s milk cheese from Spain. I am pretty sure that if there is a Heaven, everyone there is eating this sandwich.

Slow-roasted Tomatoes
From Daniel Bouloud’s Tomato Confit recipe

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, peeled, split, germ removed and finely sliced
10 basil leaves, torn
4 sprigs thyme, leaves only
2 bay leaves, broken
20 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and pour about 2 tablespoons olive oil evenly over the pan. Sprinkle the oil with salt and pepper. Strew a little of the garlic, basil, thyme, and bay leaves over the oil.

Cut each tomato lengthwise in half and carefully, with your fingers or a tiny spoon, remove the seeds. Lay the tomato halves cut side down in the pan, wiggling the tomatoes around if necessary so that each tomato has a floss of oil on its cut side. Using a pastry brush, give the tops of the tomatoes a light coat of olive oil.

Season the tops of the tomatoes with salt and pepper and a little sugar, and scatter over the rest of the garlic, basil, thyme, and bay leaves. Slide the pan into the oven and bake the tomatoes for 2 1/2 hours, or until they are very tender but still able to hold their shape; turn the tomatoes over at half-time and open the oven for just a second every 30 minutes or so to get rid of the moisture that will build up in the oven.

Cool the tomatoes to room temperature on their pan. When the tomatoes are cool, transfer them to a jar, stacking them neatly. Pour whatever oil remains in the pan over the tomatoes and then, if you plan to keep the tomatoes longer than 1 or 2 days, pour in enough olive oil to cover and refrigerate.

Curried Lentils with Coconut Milk

9 Mar

I just returned from a weekend in northern California, where I visited my friend Jen (the same lovely woman who accompanied me to Paris, in October).  We had quite the time wine tasting, shopping, and just hanging out and catching up, and I am hopeful that we can plan another European adventure in the near future.  The weather there was fine and warm, and now that I am back in Seattle I just can’t seem to heat up in this chill.  The only solution I can think of is good, warming comfort food like dal.

My favorite dal recipe comes from Deborah Madison. Her Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone is probably my most used cookbook, and I recently lent it to a friend who has decided to become vegetarian. There are so many recipes, which are simple and lovely, and is a great entreé into the world of meat-free eating.  Madison has two different recipes for dal, and I love them both. The recipe below is adapted from hers, but I have added a few more spices that I love with lentils.  This dish is warming and hearty and super easy to make, and is healthy too.

Curried Lentils with Coconut Milk
Adapted From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

1 cup red lentils
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped
1 tbs freshly grated ginger
3 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter (I use organic virgin coconut oil instead)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tbs garam masala
1 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
Salt
2 shallots, sliced
1 dried red chile, broken into pieces, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
cilantro for garnish

Wash the lentils in several changes of water. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the onion, ginger, garlic, spices and chile in 2 tablespoons of the ghee for 1 minute. Add the lentils and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Taste for salt and remove from the heat.

Heat the remaining ghee in a small skillet over high heat. Add the shallots, red chile, bay, and mustard. Fry until the mustard seeds begin to turn grayish, about 1 minute. Stir this into the lentils and serve.

It’s delicious served with basmati rice. Makes about 2 cups.

Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger and Apples

24 Jan

I have never met anyone who doesn’t like butternut squash soup.  Really, I never have.  Even picky eaters will happily gobble it up.  I happen to love it, too, and there is nothing like the smell of carmelizing squash to make your stomach rumble.

The thing that is great about this soup is that it is so versatile– it can be a starter for an Autumnal-themed meal, or can be the main dish itself.  You can spice it up with anything you like, (omit the curry powder, perhaps, or add  mint or cilantro or even thai basil).  You can make it vegan by using just the coconut milk and some water, or you can add chicken stock if you like.  You can use pears instead of the apples, or acorn/kubota squash.  So many possibilities! And of course it is delicious just as is.

Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger and Apples
Adapted From Ina Garten

2 tbs unsalted butter
2 tbs good olive oil
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
1 1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4 apples)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water  (or coconut milk, which is what I used)
2 cups good apple cider or juice

Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.

Add the squash, apples, ginger, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.

Rumkirschen

10 Jan

Every year  my husband and I go to my parents’ house to help them trim the tree.  This was, of course, the first year without my mom there and we tried to make as much merry as possible, hoping to lift my dad’s spirits as much as our own.  Even though it was still November (we got an early start on the tree this year!), we lit a fire in the fireplace, cued the Ella Fitzgerald Christmas station on Pandora, and Dad made us festive cocktails.

Kona loved playing with the lights

The cocktail Dad made me this year had black-strap rum in it, which I had never had before.  This set off a tiny rum obsession on my part, which has been a lot of fun “researching.”  When my friend Emma gave me a great book for Christmas with a recipe for Rumkirschen in it, I was over the moon.

In case you have never heard of it before, Rumkirschen is an eastern European liqueur made from tart Morello cherries and rum.  I adore Morello cherries, and Trader Joe’s just happens to sell them.  If you don’t have a TJs near you, you can find the cherries at eastern European markets or online.

For the rum, any dark rum will do here (anything but white).  I used a black-strap rum that I really enjoy, and it worked amazingly well for this recipe.  Once you have combined the rum and cherries, simply refrigerate for at least 3 days (though the longer it sits the more the flavors will develop).  The infused cherries are fantastic eaten alone, but the sauce is wonderful too and I like to pour them both over ice cream or pound cake.  You can also cut the liquid with soda water or cola to make a fun, light cocktail.  I like to put a cherry or two, plus about a tsp of the syrup into champagne for a fun twist on a kir royale.  Put into individual jars and sealed, this makes a great unique hostess gift.

Rumkirschen
From Jar It, Pickle It, Cure It

1 20 ounce jar Morello cherries
About 1 cup of amber or dark rum

You’ll need 2 clean, odor-free, wide-mouthed glass jars with tight-fitting lids for the infusion process (you can reuse the jars the cherries came in, if you like).  However, if you plan to give this as a gift or serving it at your next party, consider pouring the infusion into an attractive bottle with a tight-fitting cap.

Drain the cherries into a bowl, reserving the syrup.  Pour the syrup into a measuring cup; you should have about 2 cups.  Pour half the syrup into each of the 2 jars and divide the strained cherries evenly between the jars.  Pour 1/2 cup of rum into each jar.

Cover the jars tightly, label and shake gently to combine.  Refrigerate for at least 3 days, though the flavors develop more fully the longer you let it sit.  Kept refrigerated, the syrup and fruit will last almost indefinitely.

Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Dip

28 Dec

I wanted to share this recipe with you before New Year’s eve, so that you have something delicious to make as an appetizer if you are having folks over.  I served it Christmas eve, and everyone here raved about it.

I looked through some different variations of this recipe before making it, and none of them had exactly what I was looking for so I came up with this version myself.  It is so easy, and of course you can roast the peppers yourself if you have the time, or you can use them from a jar if you are really pressed for time.   I served this with crackers and assorted vegetables on the side.  It really is fantastic!

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Dip
From LaFemmeCooks

8 oz goat cheese, at room temp
3-4 bell peppers (depending on size) seeded roasted and peeled
Juice from 1 lemon
1 package of Rondele spreadable cheese at room temp
1/3 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Take the cheeses and sour cream from the fridge about an hour before you will make the dip.  Once soft, add all ingredients to food processor and pulse until well combined.  Serve.

 

Roasted Sunchoke Soup

21 Dec

My husband and I (well, mostly me) submitted an application for a rescue French bulldog last week, and now I am trying to be patient while they start the process.  The entire process can take 4-6 weeks, and includes interviewing our current vet and a home visit, to make sure that we are suitable candidates.  I am a little worried because I have never owned a dog before and I’m afraid that might count against us.  In the meantime, I have ordered several books from the library, including Dog Training for Dummies and How to care for your French Bulldog. I am hoping to do plenty of research while our application is processing so that we will be prepared for the questions they might throw our way.

The particular Frenchie we want to adopt is a female brindle, and she is the most beautiful ugly dog.  In fact, she reminded me of Frida Kahlo, for some reason, and so if we get her I will name her Frida.  This got me on the subject of pretty ugly things, and thus the inspiration for this soup: sunchokes.

What in the world are sunchokes? you might ask.  They are also called jerusalem artichokes and are a strange-looking little tuber.  They taste sort of like a water chestnut, I would say, and have that same sort of texture as well.  They are delicious simply cut up and added to salads or used for dips, with a good fresh crunch similar to jicama.  When I got a bushel of them in my last farm share, I knew I wanted to make the soup that I have had (and adored) many times in France (where they are quite popular).

So, fingers crossed that Frida is going to be a part of our family in 2011~!  And cheers to all that is pretty and ugly at the same time.

Roasted Sunchoke Soup
From Return to Tradition

4 lbs sunchokes, scrubbed clean
2-3 tbs olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and sliced
1 cup dry white wine
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 lemon, zest and juice
2/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450F.  Cut the cleaned sunchokes in half lengthwise.  Toss with salt, pepper and a 2 tbs of olive oil. Place sunchokes cut side down on a baking sheet and roast at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes. The sunchokes should be tender and the bottoms should be caramelized. Reserve for later.

Put the sliced onion and garlic into a non-reactive stockpot with the wine, and a heavy pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until the liquid has mostly evaporated.

Add the vegetable stock, roasted sunchokes, and bring to a simmer again for 20 minutes.

Using a blender, puree the soup in small batches, adding a bit of the olive oil and the lemon juice/zest to each batch, adjusting the seasoning as you go. Pass the soup through a strainer to remove the fibrous sunchoke skin.

Garnish with crème fraiche and fresh chives/scallions.

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