Chow Mein!

 I have been obsessed with Chow Mein since trying my local vegan restaurant’s version.  I was craving it, but they are not open today, so I tried my hand at it.  This recipe is quick and delicious!

You need:

Fistful of noodles - I used spaghetti, but you can also use ramen

1/2 bag of shredded cabbage and carrot from Trader Joe’s, or make your own

1/4 cup diced onion

Cubed tofu, I used about 1/2 cup

Scallions

For the Sauce:

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp peanut butter 

1 tbsp blackstrap molasses 

2 tsp seasoned rice vinegar 

1 garlic clove, finely minced

2 tsp sesame oil

First, boil the water for the pasta.  Begin to mix the sauce in a jar - whisk until fully immersed.  As soon as the water is ready, toss it in to cook and begin to heat up a pan. Throw a couple of dashes of water in the pan to cook onions first.  Once the onions are translucent, toss in the vegetable mix and tofu to the pan.  Mix until slightly wilted, cooking on medium heat.  

Once the noodles are cooked, drain and add them to the pan, turning up the heat to high.  Stir around for 30 seconds or so, and slowly add the sauce to the pan to reach desired consistency (I only used about half for 2 servings).  Let it begin to boil, so you can scrape the glazed bits off the pan as you fervently stir the mix.  Remove from heat and garnish with scallions.  Serve immediately.

If you make this, let me know!

 

Lentils with Greens & Ginger

August 2020, adapted from Mudhar Jaffrey’s “Green Lentils with Spinach and Ginger”

 

When I finished staining and adding soil to the giant planters on my deck, one of the things I planted in them was Swiss chard. To my surprise, it took off amazingly and my friend Pradnya told me that the chard would grow through the winter. She suggested that I cook it with lentils – that it is absolutely the best cooked. So, I read a few recipes and came up with what is below. 

 

Serendipitously, the NY Times published a recipe for “Weeknight Fancy Chicken and Rice,” (October 14, 2020 edition) which is an easily made variation of rice palau. Switching the chicken stock for vegetable stock and omitting the chicken makes a wonderful vegetarian complement to this dish. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018299-weeknight-fancy-chicken-and-rice

 

EQUIPMENT

Small bowl

Measuring cup

Measuring spoons

Saucepan

Colander

Chef’s knife

Wooden Spoon

Cutting board

Large pan (skillet, saute pan, or small stock pot w/lid

Citrus reamer or heavy-duty spoon

 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup green lentils

4 cups water

1 bay leaf

1T extra virgin olive oil 

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

1t sea salt

2 fresh green chilis, thinly sliced in rounds

1t grated or minced fresh ginger

¼ t turmeric powder

4-5 of fresh greens, rinsed and stemmed (spinach, kale, chard, mustard, turnip, beet, or what-have-ye)

½ fresh cilantro, chopped and tightly packed

2T fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

1t garam masala

Freshly ground black pepper

RECIPE

1.     Rinse and sort the lentils, removing stones and debris. Strain and scoop into a small stock pot. 

2.     Add 4 cups of water, 1 bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer on low heat for 1 hour. When finished, the lentils will have a bit of liquid when finished, that’s fine. Turn off the heat and set aside.

3.     While cooking rinse your greens well in a large colander. Remove the stems for compost or for freezing for later use in a homemade broth. 

4.     Bring your larger pot to temperature over medium heat. Add the oil and once it begins to shimmer, add the diced onion and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion begins to brown on the edges, but do not burn it (about 10 minutes).

5.     While the onions cook pile,
roll, and slice your greens into thin strips (chiffonade), mince the ginger, chop the cilantro, and slice the hot green chilis. Don’t forget to wash your hands after you handle cut hot peppers! 

6.     Add the ginger and chili slices, the turmeric, and stir for about 10 seconds. Then add the greens and cilantro. Allow to wilt for a minute or two, then add the lentil mixture. If you need to, add up to 1 cup of water. You want this to have a sauce. 

7.     Bring to a boil over Medium-High heat. Reduce the heat to very low, cover and cook gently for 25 minutes. 

8.     Add the lemon juice (and zest if you like). Sprinkle the garam masala over the dish and mix. Add a few grinds of black pepper. Continue cooking for 10 minutes.

 

Enjoy! This is fabulous served with rice palau from the recipe above. For meat eaters, it would be a hearty accompaniment to lamb or salmon. I’ve found it delicious enough that I keep it stockpiled in 12 oz frozen containers for school lunch! 

South Indian Inspired Black Bean and Portobello Mushroom Chili

Whether eaten simply in a bowl or served over whole wheat spaghetti and topped with cheddar cheese, this recipe has been my go-to since discovering spice layering. This chili is more than a stew mimicking the feel and flavor of chili, it is a fun to cook and reliable recipe for making a vegetarian chili that suits the palettes of almost anyone. 

A couple of notes: 1) A heavy-bottomed stock pot works the best for this recipe. 2) Be sure to use canned black beans for the recipe – and use the cheapest available. They break down during cooking and give the chili a wonderful body that you cannot get from dried beans unless you cook them to the point of breaking down. 3) If you cannot find portobella mushrooms, white button mushrooms will do just fine. 

EQUIPMENT

Chef’s knife

Cutting Board

Stock pot with lid

Wooden Spoon

Can Opener

Colander

Measuring spoons 

INGREDIENTS

2T extra virgin olive oil

1T mustard seed (any color)

1T cumin seed

1 medium Vidalia (or sweet onion), diced

1T minced garlic

½ t sea salt

1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, crushed

2 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 15-oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed 

1 6-oz can tomato paste

2 rounded tablespoons of ground cumin

¼ t curry powder

¼ t cayenne pepper

1 8-oz package of portobello mushrooms

Recipe

Bring a stock pot to heat over medium high flame. While heating the pot, dice the onion and set it aside. Once the pot is hot, add the olive oil, mustard seed and cumin seed. Cover. The seeds will begin to pop open (much like popcorn). Once the rate of popping slows, turn the heat to medium low, add the dried peppers and diced onions. Add a small pinch of salt. Cook until translucent, stirring frequently. This takes 5-7 minutes. If the edges of the onions slightly brown, it’s completely fine. While the onion is cooking, mince your garlic. Once the onion is cooked, add the onion and saute for another 2 minutes or so. 

 

Use your hands to crush the whole tomatoes into the pot (or your spoon), taking a second to remove any remaining skin or hard cores that might be left on the tomatoes. Be careful not to cut or burn yourself. Add remaining juices to your pot. Fill the can with water, swish to remove adhering tomato from the can walls, and pour the water in your pot. Turn your heat to medium high. 

Drain and rinse beans in the colander. Add to the pot. Add the tomato paste and mix thoroughly into the pot (having the beans in first makes mixing easier). Then add your spices. Chop the mushrooms into bite-sized (1/2 – ¾ inches diced) pieces and add to the pot. Remember, they will shrink when cooking. 

Bring the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 40-45 minutes until desired cosistency. Serve over your favorite pasta, served with cheese and crackers or simply with a dollop of lime-coriander yogurt and sprinkle of cilantro!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Kudo's to Bon Appetit on this one... I make the recipe pretty much verbatim. My modifications are as follows:

1) I add a ½ teaspoon of dried thyme (fresh if I have it on hand).

2) I exchange the Greek yogurt for whole fat organic plain yogurt. I always have that on hand for breakfast and for sauces (and please just buy whole fat yogurt... it's so much better). 
3) I use what potatoes I have on hand, which is usually yukon golds or red-skinned. For the substitution, 4-5 potatoes work. 

3) I use half white cheddar and half sharp yellow cheddar. 
4) I love a nice hearty grain bread for the croutons.

I have to say, this recipe is a home run. 

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

cutting board

chef's knife

potato peeler

stock pot

blender or immersion blender

And, the recipe is here:https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/broccoli-cheddar-soup

Crustless Asparagus-Mushroom Quiche

During the “stay at home” orders, I have decided to work on a couple of new recipes that both my brother and I would enjoy. Knowing that he likes asparagus, one recipe I settled on was an asparagus quiche. I modified this recipe after reading through many online recipes. We both enjoyed it very much. 

EQUIPMENT 

Cutting board 
Chef’s knife

Large bowl 

Small bowl

Sauté pan or skillet

Rubber/silicone spatula or wooden mixing spoon

Hand grater or food processor

9” round pie pan

INGREDIENTS FOR SAUTE                                             INGREDIENTS FOR CUSTARD
1 T extra virgin olive oil                                                   5 large eggs, the best you can buy

1 cup finely chopped yellow or Vidalia onion                 ½ cup half and half or heavy cream 

1 cup thinly sliced fresh mushrooms                                1 t mustard of your choice     

1.5 cups asparagus, ¾” lengths                                        8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

1 t minced garlic                                                              ½ t sea salt

¼ - ½ cup minced parsley (optional)                                ½ t freshly ground black pepper 

¼ t madras curry powder (optional)

½ t dried thyme (or 1 t fresh)

Pinch sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

RECIPE

1.    Preheat oven to 350ºF with the oven rack in the center shelf. You may wish to place a baking sheet on the rack to prevent spills during cooking. 

2.    Prepare veggies. Using a chef’s knife, peel and dice the onion on the cutting board. Place the pieces in your mixing bowl. Bend a representative piece of your asparagus enough so that it snaps in two. Line the top of the piece up with the tops of the remaining uncut asparagus on your cutting board and slice all of the asparagus to the same length. You will use the top pieces for the quiche. Cut those into equal length pieces between ½ and 1” and toss those into the bowl with the onions. The woody bottom ends can be frozen for making soup later, composed, and even fed to your pets. My dogs love them (and get asparagus pee!). Finally, clean and dry the mushrooms. Slice them into 3-5 slices each and put the slices into your bowl.

3.    Sauté vegetables. Bring a skillet up to temperature over medium heat. Once hot, add the olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add your veggies all at once with a pinch of salt. Stir frequently, ensuring that the veggies are not burning. If they seem to be burning or sticking, reduce the heat on your pan. Then, mince the garlic. Remove the parsley leaves from their main stalks, mince and then add both the garlic and parsley to your pan. (If you prepare your ingredients in advance, you will want the veggies to sauté for about 5 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients). Add the curry powder and thyme, ensuring you are not getting any stalks from dried or fresh thyme in the pan. You can rub dried thyme between your palms to crush any stalk pieces and release the essential oils. You can easily pull leaves off of fresh thyme by gently grabbing the bottom of the stalk and pulling upward. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions and asparagus are soft – about 10-12 minutes. Turn the heat off and allow the veggies to cool somewhat.

4.    Make the custard. Great the cheeses. 8 oz is about 1 standard block. It is best not to buy pre-grated cheese because those cheese are specially made to not stick together when packaged… they don’t melt well. Break open 5 large eggs and put the contents in your bowl. It is best to break them into a separate bowl and pour each individually into the larger bowl, just in case there is a problem with the egg. Beat gently until the yolks are mixed evenly through the eggs. Add the half and half, mustard, salt, and pepper, and thoroughly, but gently combine. Add the grated cheese in and mix to combine well. Finally, add the veggies and mix to combine well. 

5.    Bake the quiche. Lightly grease your pie pan (this is optional as I find this really does not stick to my pan) with oil or butter. Add your egg and vegetable mixture to the pie pan, using a spoon or spatula to spread it out evenly. Place in the pie pan in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, checking for doneness at 40 minutes. To check for doneness, place a knife into the thickest part of the center. If it comes out clean, your quiche is done.

Once baked, allow the quiche to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with fresh fruit, a nice salad, or even a bowl of homemade tomato soup. Enjoy!

Cook’s notes: this can be made with any vegetables of your choice, although vegetable quiches are traditionally broccoli or asparagus. Make sure whatever veggies you use are nice and cooked, but not soggy. Let your creativity be your guide. 

Vegetarian Pozole-Rojo (Hominy Stew)

(adapted from food.com/recipe/authentic-mexican-pozole-196233)

Pozole (hominy) rojo is a stew of guajillo peppers and typically made with pork shoulder. I modified the re version to be quite tasty and is even better after sitting overnight. Makes about 8 servings. Instructions for making this with pork are at the bottom of the recipe.

EQUIPMENT

Colander

Cutting board

Filet knife

9” cast iron skillet

Cooking tongs

Small saucepan and lid

Glass 4c measuring up

Mesh strainer (colander will do)

Large stockpot

Food processor

 STEW INGREDIENTS

4 oz dried guajillo, ancho, or combination peppers (about 20 dried guajillo peppers) 

30 – 50 oz (drained and rinsed) or frozen pozole (white organic corn is a good alternative)

14-oz can of white beans and black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed, and dried

14-oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

5 Q (20 c) water boiling in stock pot

1 medium sweet onion (about 2 cups, diced)

8 cloves of peeled garlic – 4 whole; 4 minced

2 T butter + 2 T extra virgin olive oil

2 T all-purpose flour

3 bay leaves

2 T dried oregano (Mexican oregano is great if you have it)

1 t Liquid Smoke

1 t salt

FRESH GARNISHES (Approximate amounts for full) 

½ cabbage, julienned

2 avocados, sliced or diced

4 limes, cut in wedges

½ white onion, diced

1 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped

12 radishes, sliced

1 cucumber, sliced

4 jalapenos, sliced

toasted tostada shells

** I grilled chicken breasts with coriander, cumin, salt and pepper then finished with a squeeze of lime and cut into slices for a garnish for meat eaters. 

1.    Prepare the soup pot: Bring 20 cups of water to a boil, covered, in your largest stock pot.

2.    Prepare the beans. Drain and rinse the white beans and black-eyed peas. Lay out a clean tea towel on the counter. Shake off the excess water from the beans, put them in a single layer on the tea towel and gently roll up the towel to absorb moisture. Leave the beans in the towel until you are ready for them.  

3.    De-vein and de-seed the dried chilis. I use my filet knife for this task. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly when done so chili oil does not get into your eyes. (This step can be done a day in advance if you like.)

     4.    Prepare the chilis for the stew: Heat your cast iron skillet to temperature over medium heat. Place the chilis gently into the skillet using your tongs. At the same time, bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Heat the chilis gently to soften them and bring out the oils. Once they are all heated through, use the tongs to transfer the chilis to the boiling water. Turn off heat, make sure all of the chilis are immersed in the water, pushing them down with the tongs if necessary. 

     Cover, and let the chilis sit for 15-20 minutes. 

5.    Cook the beans: Use the same cast iron pan with any residual chili oils. Turn heat to medium and allow it to get hot. Add the butter and olive oil. Add the diced onion and bay leaf. Cook until the onion begins to brown. Lower the heat to med-low, then add the garlic, cumin and flour. Stir gently and regularly until the flour begins to brown a bit. Add the beans that have been drying in the towels. Cook, stirring occasionally while you go back to working with the peppers. 

6.    Create the red pepper sauce: Strain the liquid from the hot peppers into a glass 4-cup measure. Gently press the peppers down to extract more water. If you don’t have 3 full cups of liquid in the measuring cup, add enough tap or filtered water to ensure to total 3 cups. Place the strained peppers in a food processer outfitted with a cutting blade. Add 2 ½ cups of the strained chili water, the four whole garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt to the processor. Cover, and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce into the stock pot with the boiling water. 

      7.    Assemble the soup: Once the beans have begun to brown a bit in the pan, turn off the heat. After you add the red sauce to the soup, carefully pour the hot beans into the stock pot. Return the skillet to the heat briefly, pour the remaining liquid from the hot peppers into the skillet and use the hot water to scrape off any bits from the bottom of the skillet. Transfer the bits and liquid to the soup. 

Rinse and drain the black beans. Add them to the pot. Add the pozole (be sure to rinse and drain the hominy if you are using canned), 1 t of Liquid Smoke, and 1 t of salt to the soup. 

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for three hours, stirring occasionally.  

8.    Prepare your garnishes: Cilantro, radish, and lime really makes the dish. The full list of traditional garnishes is above. Other garnishes are fantastic too, such as cheese, sour cream, yogurt with lime and coriander, etc.

9.    Assemble the dish and enjoy!

  

NOTE: If you want traditional pork-based pozole, do not add the Liquid Smoke and instead of any of the beans cut 3 lbs of pork shoulder into bite-sized cubes and brown each side in a cast iron skillet (along with oil, garlic, salt, and pepper). Pop the meat into the stock pot after you’ve added the pepper sauce. Use some of the pepper liquid to deglaze the pot, making sure all of the brown bits get into the soup. 

Kale and Quinoa Salad

2 cups of raw kale, massaged, and stems removed
1 sweet potato, diced and tossed lightly in oil
1/2 cup quinoa
1/4 cup goat cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries or craisins
1/2 medium tomato, diced
Toasted walnut pieces
Sliced sweet red onion
Orange infused olive oil 2 TBSP
Apple cider vinegar 2 TBSP
Salt to taste

Roast the sweet potatoes for 25 minutes at 405 degrees. As it cooks, boil the quinoa on the stovetop, and prepare the red onion.  Meanwhile, toast 1/4 cup of walnuts on the stovetop or in a toaster oven, until lightly brown and fragrant.  In a bowl, mix goat cheese, cranberries, tomato, walnuts and sliced red onions.  In a separate jar, mix the oil and vinegar.

Once sweet potatoes have browned, pull them out of the oven, toss with cheese, cranberries, tomatoes, walnuts, and onions.  Drain quinoa and toss with salad.  Dress with oil and vinegar, and salt to taste, if needed.

Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas

Cauliflower:
1 head of caulilower, split and chopped
Oil, about 1 tsp.

Chickpeas:
1 can chickpeas, rinsed, drained, patted with towel
Oil, about 1 tsp.
Cumin - 2 pinches
Cinnamon- light dusting
Salt, 1 pinch

Sauce:
Tahini, about 2 tablespoons
Vegetable oil, dash
Warm water, 1 tbsp.
Lemon juice, squeezed
Salt and pepper to taste


Toss both chickpeas and cauliflower with oil and spices, but keep separate. Roast chickpeas first in a pre-heated oven at 450 degrees, for about 25 minutes, until the chickpeas are ceunchy on the outside, but tender on the inside.  Add in the cauliflower on another pan about 10 minutes in, for 18 minutes.

Mix tahini with warm water until it becomes runny.  Add fresh lemon juice to taste.  Mix well (whisk) and salt and pepper to taste.

Top with sauce and serve hot!

Vegetarian "Unstuffed" Cabbage Soup with Fennel

This is a wonderful and easy go-to soup that is hearty and delicious.  Fennel and cabbage go so well together and below is my favorite variation of the classic stuffed cabbage soup. (photo forthcoming)

SIMPLE VERSION

INGREDIENTS
¼ c extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 teaspoons fennel seed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 fennel bulb, diced
1 package of your favorite veggie "ground beef" crumbles
6 cups julienned cabbage, cut into 2" lengths
28-oz can of organic crushed tomatoes (or a quart jar of any home-canned tomato product you love)
28 or so ounces of water
1-2 cups of fine egg noodles (optional)

EQUIPMENT NEEDED
mortar and pestle or spice grinder (optional)
chef knife
cutting board
stock/soup pot

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a large heavy-bottomed stock pot to medium.  While it is heating, peel and slice your garlic and, if you have one, crush the fennel with a mortar and pestle. If you don't have a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, just toss the fennel in whole. Also trim and dice the fennel bulb.  Once hot the pot is heated, pour in your olive oil.  Add the sliced garlic, fennel seed and crushed red pepper.  Stir frequently and when the garlic begins to brown, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the chopped fennel bulb and your frozen veggie crumbles (or even lean ground beef or ground turkey).

Keep an eye on the pot and stir regularly, breaking up the veggie crumbles as they thaw. In the meantime, slice half of the cabbage into ½" slices then chop into 2" pieces.  Once the fennel is softened, add the tomatoes, water, then cabbage, increase your heat to medium high and bring the soup to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and allow the soup to softly boil for 10 minutes. After about 10 minutes, add the noodles and continue to boil your soup for the time stated on the package.

VARIATIONS:
- If you don't have access to fennel bulb, you can omit it entirely.
- If you don't like the fennel flavor, eliminated it and replace fennel seed with 2 bay leaves and fennel bulb with white onion.
- Eliminate the noodles and serve over rice.
- Cook the beef with the fennel bulb.  Wrap the mixture in fresh cabbage leaves, and line a 9x13" glass baking dish.  Create sauce with garlic, fennel seed, crushed red pepper and tomato.  Add 1 c-ox can of tomato paste, about 28 oz of water and heat through.   Use as a sauce and pour over the stuffed cabbage.  Top with cheddar cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Hummus from Scratch

I have a ton of dried beans that I am learning to use... and with the ease of making homemade hummus on the fly and being able to season and flavor it on a whim, I developed this basic recipe.  The recipe is a "quick" boil rather than overnight prep or crockpot overnight.  You could also add the spices and cook the chick peas over night on low.

The volume of beans that I've used here produces an amount of hummus similar to what you get in a grocery store container.  Flavoring the beans during the cooking process is fabulous as you can eat them plain, add them to salad, rice or quinoa, dry roast them for a snack... and of course, grind them to a paste to make hummus.

CHICK PEA BOIL INGREDIENTS:
½ cup dried chickpeas

water

... later more water

2 bay leaves

2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

½ teaspoon black pepper (I use telicherry pepper from a specialty store, but any will do)

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

⅛ teaspoon ground sumac

small pinch of cinnamon (maybe 1/16 teaspoon)

pinch of salt (start with ½ teaspoon)

optional: ½ t baking soda to further soften the beans (it will effect the taste, but in a fine way)

HUMMUS INGREDIENTS
the cooked beans (about 2 cups)

reserved seasoned water from your chickpea boil

juice  and zest of 1 lemon; maybe 2

½ cup of tahini

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (go to a restaurant supply store and buy it in a large container, for making dressings, sauces, etc.)

2 cloves minced garlic

2 teaspoons cumin (paprika and za'tar are also great)

salt, ground pepper if needed

OPTIONAL GARNISHES
extra virgin olive oil

kalamata or similar olives

parsley

EQUIPMENT NEEDED
colander
4qt or larger pot
chef's knife
zester (a microplane is a great tool to have)
cutting board
measuring spoons/cups
large bowl
ladle
stick blender, blender or food processor

INSTRUCTIONS
Rinse the chickpeas well in a standard colander, making sure to remove any debris.  Put the chickpeas in a 4 qt saucepan and cover with 3" of water.  On an appropriate sized burner, bring contents of the pot to a rolling boil.  Turn off the heat and let the chickpeas sit in the pot for an hour.  They will double in size.

Drain and rinse the cooled chick peas in the colander.

Cover with water 4-5" above the beans.  They will double in size again during this cooking phase. Add all of the ingredients listed under "Chickpea Boil Ingredients" aside from the salt (you will add this in the last 15 minutes of cooking).

Bring the contents to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Be sure to check the pot to ensure you haven't boiled all of the water off.  You can certainly add water, need be.  At this point, add your salt.  Boil for another 15-30 minutes to desired tenderness.

For softer beans, you can add ½ teaspoon of baking soda and/or leave the lid partially covering the pot during the boil.  Experiment with that to see what you prefer.

Turn off the heat on your pot. Put the colander in the large bowl and drain your beans, keeping the boiling liquid in reserve.  Remove the bay leaves from your beans.  Either transfer the beans to a blender or food processor or a bowl in which you can grind them with a stick blender.

Add the zest and juice of one lemon, fresh garlic, cumin, olive oil and tahini.  Blend until it starts to get smooth.  Taste the paste.  Add some more lemon juice or even a bit of tahini if you want the flavor to change.  Blend. If the hummus is too thick, little by little add some of your reserved liquid until you are satisfied with the thickness.  If you forget to reserve liquid, water will do.  Keep blending.  When it is your desired thickness, taste and add a little salt or pepper if you want to.  Blend again.

Serve in a beautiful bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of fresh parsley.  I love adding olives, too!  Serve with pita, sliced veggies or even feta cheese!

----
A note on tahini:  It keeps quite well in the refrigerator.  Two things I love doing with it:

Make a vegan dressing: tahini, lime juice and zest, rice wine vinegar, mirin (optional), sea salt, freshly ground black pepper.  I use this to make a vegan cole slaw... here is my recipe: Vegan Cole Slaw

Make a sandwich: baked tofu on a toasted crusty whole-grain bread, thinly sliced cucumber, mung bean sprouts. Mix equal parts of tahini and peanut butter.  Thin with a little rice wine vinegar and add a drop or two of liquid smoke.  Spread some on the bread and enjoy!!

Buffalo Cauliflower

This very simple, delicious dish is a wonderful addition to any Thanksgiving table or special occasion.  I also love to pour a hot bowl of Manhattan clam chowder over a few florets of cauliflower cooked this way.

Make no mistake, it is not light or calorie-free.  At the same time, this cauliflower is not breaded and can be vegan and gluten-free.  

Finally, if you do not have quality heavy-bottomed pots, try this in a large ramekin or heat-proof deep glass dish, cover with parchment paper and then foil and cook in the oven at 350F.

INGREDIENTS

1 head of cauliflower that is the approximate diameter of a saucepan you wish to use.  (This is VERY important for the dish to work

2-3 Yukon gold potatoes (or sections of zucchini, yellow squash, cabbage)

8 oz butter or vegan butter (I use Smart Balance, but use your favorite)

*** Chef's note: this is delicious without adding the below additions*** these are optional ***

1T finely minced hot pepper (I use habanero) WARNING: YOU MUST WEAR GLOVED OR WASH YOUR HANDS VERY WELL AFTER MINCING HOT PEPPER. 

1T finely minced garlic

¼ cup Tabasco sauce (you can use any vinegar-based hot sauce, just increase the volume if you choose one less hot, such as Crystal)

1 teaspoon chili powder

GARNISHES (optional)

chopped fresh parsley

sweet paprika

EQUIPMENT

Chef's knife

Cutting Board

4 qt saucepan with tightly fitting lid 

INSTRUCTIONS

Remove the leaves from the bottom of your cauliflower.  Put the cauliflower head down in your saucepan.  Trim the cauliflower so that it fits as snugly (diameter-wise) as possible in the pot, but the lid fits tightly on the pot.  It is alright if the cauliflower is too short.  Typically, they are so large, I cut off about ½ from the bottom and then make a few shaves in the pot. Check that the lid easily fits all the way down. 

Remove the cauliflower from the pot and over very low heat add your butter or butter substitute.  Once the butter begins to melt, add the hot pepper and garlic. Watch carefully so your butter doesn't burn.  It will be melted in a short time. When it is fully melted add the chili powder and tabasco and stir. Remove from heat. 

Place the cauliflower head down in the pan. Cut wedges of potato (or zucchini, squash or cabbage) that will fill the gaps between the flat side of the cauliflower and the pan.  You want to ensure as little steam as possible escapes, so you want everything wedged in tightly.  When finished, check your lid tightness again and trim everything that might be blocking the lid from sitting all the way down. 

Place back on very low heat and allow to simmer for 1.5 hours.  Do not lift the lid at any time during the cooking process.  

Once finished remove the cauliflower and other veggies carefully with tongs and a spatula and then pour any remaining butter sauce on top.  If for some reason your cauliflower is not done enough for your taste, put it back in the pot and continue simmering.  It should be falling apart on the plate. 

Top with your favorite garnishes and serve on a platter.  

Veggie Korma

Vegetable Korma

2 tbsp oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp garam masala
1tbsp coriander
1tbsp turmeric
i can tomato sauce
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup cauliflower, chopped
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup cashews
salt, to taste

Heat oil in large sauce, cook onions until translucent.  Add garlic and ginger until fragrant, then add spices and stir.  Add tomato sauce.  Bring to a boil, then simmer and add vegetables, raisins and coconut milk.  Simmer for 20-25 minutes on stovetop, and add cashews.  Serve over rice.

Cincinnati-Style Chili for Vegetarians and Vegans

I just LOVE Cincinnati chili. Skyline is the most well known, but Chili Time, Gold Star and even some taco shops made wonderful versions of this chili reminiscent of the Greek dish called pastitsio which features cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cocoa. I've tried a few recipes to develop a and this is the version I regularly make.  All ingredients come together in less than 15 minutes with very little slicing and dicing.  

Of course it would be delicious with  ground beef or ground turkey.  So, if you don't have a recipe and want a to give it a try, this is a good start. 

Here's a bit on the ground veggie protein or grain options.  My preferred choice is Yves' ground soy product which can be found in the refrigerator section of your grocery.  Boca's frozen product is another fine choice.  Dried TVP works decently, but isn't quite as pretty.  Finally if you prefer not to use soy-based products, you can use bulgar wheat instead.  

Makes 4 servings with 1 lb of spaghetti

Here are the amounts for your ground product: 

• 12 oz package veggie crumbles (I like Gardein the best)
• 1.5 cup of dry TVP mixed thoroughly with 1.25 cups of boiling water
• 3/4 cup of bulgar wheat; pour over 3/4 cup of boiling water, stir and allow to sit for 1 hr

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large sweet yellow onion, finely chopped (Vidalia or spanish is fine)

ground soy product or bulgar wheat (as above); or 12 oz ground beef or ground turkey

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

1Tbsp chili powder

28-oz can of crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes or tomato sauce

1tsp allspice ** (or a mixture in equal parts of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg, which I prefer)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 tsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder (you can use Dutch processed if that's what you have)

1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce (regular which has anchovy in it, Amy's vegan, or pick-a-peppa all are great options…you can even make your own and for a veggie version substitute Maggi sauce for fish sauce).

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

1/2-1 1/2 cups water

RECIPE

Heat a stock pot over medium high flame to temperature.  Once hot, add the oil, onion, ground soy product or bulgar wheat (hydrate that ahead of time), chili powder and garlic.  Stir to mix thoroughly and allow to cook until the "meat" is slightly browned which will take about 7-8 minutes.  You'll need to stir frequently to ensure  it doesn't burn. 

Now, add the tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of water, being certain to scrape the bottom of the pot to remove anything that might have stuck to the bottom.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir thoroughly.  Once the chili comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes and adding a bit of water if needed 1/2 cup at a time. 

Serve over piping hot spaghetti and allow everyone to top their chili with finely grated mild cheddar cheese, diced onion and/or kidney beans.  Traditional accompaniments of oyster crackers and tabasco sauce are great fun, too!  

________……..________

Here's a quick note about the allspice…  I don't use allspice, since I really don't bake and it would get

old before its time.  Instead, I mimic the taste with an equal amount of whole clove, freshly ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon. 

Measure out a teaspoon of cloves. Grind it up with a mortar and pestle or smash it between two sturdy spoons. Once the clove is ground, the volume will be somewhat less than 1/2 teaspoon, but that's okay. You'll have enough.

Pull out your microplane and a nutmeg seed. Grind out an amount of nutmeg equal to that of the ground cloves.  Please don't use old pre-ground nutmeg. That's no better than using tired old allspice.  

Now, eyeball measure out a similar amount of ground cinnamon or use the microplane and grate out the correct amount.  I go through cinnamon quickly, so keep both ground and stick on hand. 

Clockwise from 12:00 - nutmeg, clove, cinnamon

Mix the ground clove, cinnamon and nutmeg together and measure out a teaspoon for your chili.  

The leftover spice mix doesn't need to go to waste -- toss it on cereal, oatmeal, fruit and yogurt, or use to spice tea or coffee.  

Pomodoro Puttanesca Pasta with Peas

Last night I made a delicious light pasta last night inspired by the quart of pea pods I got at my CSA.  The sauce is a hybrid between a pomodoro and a puttanesca sauce.  I found it to be creamy and delicious with all of the flavors complementing the tuna so much that you hardly notice it.  For a vegetarian option, you could leave out the tuna entirely or replace the tuna with seitan. I also think this would be fabulous with high quality chicken.

This would also be great with freshly grilled tuna, in which case I would slice the tuna and serve it on top of the pasta.

SAUCE
• 4-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 quart cherry tomatoes (fresh or frozen-fresh)
• 1/2 cup sliced green olives
• 1/4 cup chopped capers
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 4 oz canned tuna (in water well-drained) or high qualityItalian tuna in olive oil***always use chunk light due to the mercury content of albacore
• up to 1/2 cup of water to thin sauce if needed
• freshly ground black pepper

PASTA
• 1 lb of a short cut pasta like fusilli or oriccheti
• large pinch of sea salt
• 1 quart of peas in pod (trimmed and halved) or shucked peas

GARNISH -- ALL OPTIONAL
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped parsley (Italian or curly is fine)
• 1/2 cup grated asiago cheese (optional)

Chop and mince all of your ingredients before you start the heat.  This one cooks fairly quickly.

Start a large saucepan over medium heat.  Once hot, add the olive oil.  When the olive begins to shimmer add the garlic, stirring frequently and watching them carefully.  Cook the garlic until the slices are all beginning to brown. Add the rest of your sauce ingredients, reduce heat to low, and simmer the sauce partially covered while you cook the pasta. Keep an eye heck to make sure it doesn't need a bit of water added.

Bring a stock pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling add a large pinch of salt to the water.  Stir briefly, allow the water to return to a boil and then cook your pasta according to the package directions until it is el dente. As the pasta is reaching el dente, dump in your peas.  Bring to a boil or until the peas turn bright green (which ever comes first) and drain.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta and peas with the sauce, adding up to another tablespoon of olive oil if needed.  Allow everything to cool for 5 minutes or so and then toss in the parsley and asiago cheese.

Enjoy!