Tomato Lentil Soup

 It finally got colder, so I’m sharing my latest lentil soup recipe!

Serves 2

1 pat of vegan butter

1/2 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups water, with 1 tsp vegetable bouillion

1/2 can tomatoes 

1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed and sorted

1/2 cup farro

1/2 Tsbp cumin

1/2 Tbsp turmeric

1 dash pepper

Squeeze of lemon

Heat water and immerse bouillon.  While heating, melt butter in a saucepan and add onions and garlic.  Cook until translucent, then transfer to pot.  Once bouillon is fully immersed, add tomatoes, lentils, farro, onions, garlic, spices.  Cook for about 15-18 minutes, until farro is completely cooked.  Take 2 ladles of soup and blend in a blender, and add back to the pot.  Bring to a simmer.  Serve with a dash of lemon. 

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! 

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. 

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.  

Chana Gobi - Chick Peas and Cauliflower in a Tomato Curry Sauce

Cauliflower has been one of my favorite vegetables for decades and I adore Indian flavors, so it is no wonder that this is a go-to dish for me.  While it isn't your typical yellow curry, it is delicious.  Hats off to Madhur Jaffrey whose cookbooks taught me to soak the cauliflower in cold water prior to cooking it.  Her cookbooks are lovely and packed with recipes you can make to.  I suspect her influence is found in these recipes as well as those of the Moosewood Restaurant, my friend Rahul Kulkarni and so many others that taught me the essentials of great curries.

INGREDIENTS

1 T extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil or ghee

1 T black mustard seeds

1 T fennel seeds

½ onion, finely diced (I prefer about a 3mm dice here, but make it fairly fine)

1T ginger, minced

6 cloves garlic minced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

¼ t tumeric

1/3 t cayenne pepper

½ t salt

1 medium cauliflower, cored, sliced into ¾ to ½ inch slices and then broken into bite sized pieces

1 can garbonzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 T water

1 28 oz can diced or whole tomatoes and juice

¼ t curry powder

¼ t garam masala

zest of 1 lemon (optional)

RECIPE

Soak cauliflower in a bowl of cold water for at least ½ hour.  Drain. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans to remove any residual liquid that was in the can.  While the cauliflower is soaking, chop the onion and mince the ginger, garlic and pepper.  Then, get your spices ready.  The turmeric, cayenne and salt can go into one small dish and the curry powder and garam masala should go into a separate dish as the two groups will be added at different times.  

Heat a very large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Once, hot, add the olive oil, cumin and fennel.  Allow the seeds to fry for a few seconds then toss in the onion, garlic, ginger and jalapeno pepper.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the onion begins to brown.  Add the first spice mixture (turmeric, cayenne and salt) to your pot and stir fry for another minute or two.  Once those spices are well incorporated into your aromatics, add the cauliflower, garbonzos and water to the pot.  Mix thoroughly and then add the tomatoes.  If the tomatoes you have on hand are whole, hand crush them into the pot, removing any remaining skin or tomato cores as you find them.  Add the tomato liquid as well.

Allow the mixture to simmer for 7 or 8 minutes, or until the liquid is mostly evaporated and the cauliflower is done, but still rather firm.  Now, add in the curry powder, garam masala and lemon zest and stir it thoroughly through the dish and allow to cook for another minute.  (Note that if you are using a pan that is too small, you may want to cover the pot for 5 minutes of the cook time to ensure the cauliflower is done).

Turn off the heat.  Garnish with cilantro or chopped almond.  Serve over your favorite grain if you like.  This spice portfolio is also great with another traditional combo -- mushrooms and black-eyed peas.

Vegan Sloppy Joes, Chickpea Style

On this very cold day where so many of us are looking for warmth and comfort, here is an old childhood favorite for many made in a healthy tasty way.  Shout out to The Splendid Table, a public radio program I listen to each weekend:  Vegan Sloppy Joes

Steel Cut Oats, slow cooked

Steel Cut Oats
slow cooked overnight

About 2 months ago I decided I was going to like oatmeal.  I'd had it.  Oatmeal seemed like something I should like, but it was always bitter and had an odd texture and gelatinous nature that I just didn't like.  Every time I tried it, I found it inedible.  Keep in mind that I really do not like sweet flavors, so adding maple syrup, honey or sugar was not going to make it more palatable. 

With the slow-cooker craze, I started to see "crock pot oatmeal" and I started thinking about it, which developed into reading recipes and a final search for a small crockpot so I could make a batch overnight.  I even had a can of steel cut oats in my pantry that had been there… for years.

I started working on my recipe and finally settled on something really delicious that I top with fresh berries, bananas if I have them, chopped almonds and a bit of homemade cranberry sauce.  I even found a cute little 2 qt  crock pot with a ceramic bowl and glass lid at Target for $11.99.

This recipe makes enough oatmeal for two and can be doubled in the very cute little crock pot.  Left over oatmeal can be refrigerated for the next morning or even frozen.  You could multiply this batch and make it in a large crockpot for your family or reserve for later in the week. 

Prep time: 5 minutes; cook time 8-10 hours

COOKED INGREDIENTS

1/2 c steel cut oats (well worth the money)

1 1/2 c water (you may want to reduce the water slightly, but I'm finally settled on this volume)

1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (or milk, soy milk, or your favorite sweetened flavor -- they all work)

~ 2 T butter or soy garden spread, softenend

1 apple, chopped in 1/2" pieces

1 T turbinado sugar (a rounded soup spoon works fine)

1 small pinch of salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1-2 star anise

TOPPINGS (optional)

1 c fresh fruit (this is a great way to get your berries in your diet)

1/2 c almonds, chopped (walnuts are great, too)

dollop of not-too-sweet cranberry sauce

dollop of plain yogurt

maple syrup

local pure honey

RECIPE

Drop the butter or soy spread into the crock pot and spread to coat the sides of the pot.  Put the remainder of the ingredients in the pot aside from the star anise and stir briefly.  Gently lay the anise on the mixture, cover and set your crock pot for low.  Cook for a minimum of 8 hours, but you can cook it for up to 10 hours without a problem.  

Open the lid and remove the star anise.  Neither the hull nor seeds are particularly palatable, but they do add a wonderful licorice flavor to the dish.  Mix the oatmeal through.  If you scrape down to bottom of the pot, some of the oatmeal may have cooked to the sides of the pot.  I find those browned scrapes particularly delish… reminds me of oatmeal cookies.  

Dish up the oatmeal and top with your favorite toppings.  You will not be sorry. 

Here's a shot of the cute little Crock Pot I bought for $11.99 -- it's a great deal and made of the same  ceramic and glass as my high quality large Farberware slow cooker. How fab. I have the tablespoon sitting by it to give you an idea of scale.  This little pot would be great for queso dip or fondue, too. 

Tuna Salad Salad

This refreshing tuna salad is a light meal that I really enjoy.  Please consider using chunk light tuna in order to limit mercury intake.  Here is the EPA website on mercury in fish and the health impacts.  Chunk light.  Okay?  Following the "tuna salad salad" recipe, I will break it down for a fancier "Seared Tuna Salad" variation as well as give my favorite way to hard boil eggs that works every time and peels oh-so-easily.  To be vegetarian friendly, I think this would be quite good with seitan.

Serves about 4 for a nice lunch plate.  You can keep it in the refrigerator 3-5 days provided you keep the tuna salad and lettuce/veggies separate.

EQUIPMENT
Colander
Zester (a microplane is a great tool to own)
Citrus reamer (another great tool; a heavy good-quality tablespoon works perfectly)
Large mixing bowl
Smaller bowl or measuring cup
Tablespoon
Cutting board
Knife

THE TUNA SALAD
zest and juice from one lemon ( ~ 1/4 cup)
equal amount of sherry vinegar (not sherry) or balsamic vinegar
pinch of sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 heaping tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1 14-oz can of garbanzo beans, drained and well-rinsed (or 1 cup seitan, shredded)
2 cans CHUNK LIGHT tuna (read above about mercury)
2 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped
1/4 c finely minced onion (optional)
1/4 c finely diced celery (optional)

THE SALAD
1 head romaine lettuce, leave separated, rinsed and chopped horizontally into 1" slices
1 red bell pepper, diced
5-8 white button mushrooms, sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced into rounds
1 tomato chopped

RECIPE
Start by zesting your lemon into a large mixing bowl.  Slice the zested lemon in half and juice it into a small bowl or measuring cup.  Remove any seeds that fall into the juice.  I have a little strainer to do this, but you don't need anything special.  Any pulp in the juice is fine.  Once the seeds are removed, pour the juice into your mixing bowl.

By eye, put an amount equal to the lemon juice of sherry vinegar into the bowl (note, NOT cooking sherry -- the grocery typically has them side-by-side, so be careful). Sherry vinegar is quite good and will remind you of balsamic vinegar, just a little lighter.  You can use balsamic in a pinch, but your salad will not be as pretty.  Other vinegars are just not quite as good.  Now, pinch in a teeny bit of sea salt and whisk through.  You can use the spoon if you like.  Use a whisk if you like. Add the dijon mustard and whisk it about until it's completely integrated into the liquid.  Finally, add your olive oil.  whisk thoroughly, top with cracked black pepper (I use a heavy dose for this dressing, so, lightly coat the surface of the dressing and you'll be good) and dump your rinsed and drained garbanzos in the dressing.  It's good for them to soak up a little dressing and absorb the lemony flavor.

Drain the liquid from your tuna to the best degree you can, being careful not to cut yourself.  Add the tuna, chopped eggs, onion and celery to the mixing bowl and combine until everything is lightly coated with dressing.  If the tuna salad is a little too dry, add a splash of vinegar and olive oil until you are satisfied with the wetness.  Set aside and assemble your salad.

Now, mix the salad vegetables together. My favorite salad for Tuna Salad Salad is above.  You can use what you like.  This salad is also good served old-school style in a carved out tomato, or anything that floats your boat.

Finally, plate the salad.  Salad greens with the veggies go first, then a hefty dollop of tuna salad, and finally a sprinkle of the vinegar you used around the greens just to be certain every thing is delicious.  Top with a little more cracked black pepper if you like and serve.

HARD BOILED EGGS
Put enough cold water in a sauce pan such that the water would cover the eggs by at least an inch and bring the water to a hard boil.  Using tongs or very carefully using a spoon, place cold eggs into the pot.  Take them straight from the fridge to the pot.  Once the pot is back to boil, allow the eggs to cook in a hard boil for 11 minutes.  After that time, immediately douse the eggs in cold water until they are luke-warm to the touch.  They are then ready to be peeled.

Alternatively, I had always used this method of hard-boiling eggs:  Place the eggs in a pot with enough cold water to cover them by an inch.  Bring to a rolling boil.  Once boiling, cover the pot, turn off the heat and allow the eggs to sit for 20 minutes undisturbed.  Then, cool the eggs in cold water.

GRILLED TUNA STEAK SALAD
It is my suggestion to leave the garbanzo, celery and egg out from this version and add a bit of endive to the lettuce mixture.  Instead of using minced onion, thinly sliced red onion would be great.  Artichoke hearts (frozen or packed in water) are nice here, too.  For an extra lemony-zing, marinate your artichoke hearts overnight in a bowl with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and one lemon sliced paper thin.  You can strain the juice out in the morning and use that as a basis for your marinade/dressing.

Make the dressing and reserve at least half for your salad.  You are going to marinate your fish with the rest, but add about a tablespoon of minced garlic to the marinade. Make a bit more than the recipe above in case you need it.  You could also substitute lime for the lemon, or use a pre-made marinade or even do a yogurt marinade.  Coat the fish in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.  Grill until the fish is cooked to your preference, but the longer you cook it, the tougher the tuna will be.  Allow the tuna to rest for 10-15 minutes.  Here's a great simple set of tuna cooking instructions from one of my favorites, Ina Garten.

Now,  while the tuna is resting, assemble the salad by tossing the veggies together and adding enough dressing to lightly coat each vegetable.  I typically use very clean hands to do this.  Slice the grilled tuna into 1/4" or smaller strips.  Plate the salad and top with the tuna.  Capers are a wonderful garnish for grilled tuna salad.

ENJOY!

Manhattan Clam Chowder (yes the red one)

As many of my friends know, I am not a fan of cream soups… in fact, I might be a bit of a dairy-phobe.    Aside from a little bit of seafood here and there, a slice of good cheese or a bowl of yogurt with fresh fruit, I rarely eat any dairy.  I find, however, most people adore them and as a result I rarely find a nice steaming bowl of Manhattan clam chowder when I head out for a bite.

This recipe was inspired by Sam Sifton's NY Times Sunday Magazine article dated August 10th, 2014 entitled "Founding Fodder," and it has four variations on the favorite.

Once I created the dish, I kept it hot in a crock pot to snack on throughout the day and offer to guests stopping by over the holiday weekend.

EQUIPMENT
Chef's knife (sharpened, please)
Cutting board
Stock pot or dutch oven
Large mesh strainer or colander
4 cup measuring cup

INGREDIENTS
2 cans chopped clams and juice plus one bottle of clam juice and water
-or-
24 medium-size top neck or cherrystone rated clams and four cups of water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil or (2 tablespoons if omitting the butter)
1 large onion, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 large ribs of celery, diced (include the leaves if they are on the stalk, they carry great flavor)
1 anaheim or banana pepper, diced
2 medium or one large carrots, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 large yukon gold potatoes
pinch of salt
3 sprigs of thyme, remove leaves from stalk and then run your knife through them
1 bay leaf
1 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes in sauce, crushed or roughly diced
1 14-oz can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
1 teaspoon "liquid smoke"
1/4 cup chopped parsely

PREPARING CLAMS
If you are using live clams, put them in a heavy stock pot with about 5 cups of water over medium-high heat.  Cover and cook until the clams have opened (about 10-15 minutes).  Clams that have not opened within 20 minutes should be discarded.  Strain the clams from the resulting broth, reserving the broth for later.  Remove clams from their shells and set them aside.

If you are using canned clams, strain the two cans into a to separate the clams from their juice.  Pour the bottled "clam juice" into the measuring cup and top with water to measure 4 cups.  Set the clams and clam broth aside.

Using the same stockpot, heat the pot over medium flame.  Once to temperature, add your butter and olive oil to the pot as well as the bay leaf, crushed red pepper, onion, celery and carrot.  Cook gently for five minute and be certain to reduce the heat if the vegetables begin to scorch.  Once they are halfway cooked, add the garlic and continue gently cooking until the veggies are cooked through (about another 5 minutes).

Now add your potato cubes and and a pinch of salt. Stir them gently into the mirepoix and allow the potatoes to gently cook for about 5-7 minutes.  Once the potatoes begin to soften, add 4 cups of your reserved clam broth and the thyme.  Quickly chop the thyme leaves to be certain that any remaining stem is chopped and palatable.  Raise the heat to medium high and once the pot begins to boil, reduce heat to a temperature which is gently simmering.  Partly cover your pot and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring every so often.

While you are waiting, chop the clams to bite-sized pieces if needed.

Once the potatoes are cooked, use your spoon to mash a few of them to allow their starch to help thicken the broth. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce, liquid smoke and grind in the black pepper to taste.  Allow the chowder to come to a simmer and then turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf.

It is best to let the chowder rest and combine before serving.  Allow it to sit for at least 1/2 hour, then reheat and serve garnished with fresh parsley.  I also add chopped parsley to the pot for a bit of extra wonderful taste.

This soup is wonderful to reheat in your crock pot and leave on warm all day to enjoy with friends or family on a cold winter's day.

ABOUT LIQUID SMOKE
It's a good thing to have on hand when you want a little smoky flavor but don't want the fat, salt or nitrates of bacon.  I use it in homemade barbecue sauce, ketchup and mustards.  Sometimes I will add a drop to a manhattan just to throw a different note in the classic drink.  Remember that you are after a balance of flavors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami.  You don't want to over do it with any of these.

FABULOUS TOFU SANDWICH
I also make a fabulous vegetarian sandwich with liquid smoke.  Drain and press a slab of tofu, removing as much of the water as possible. Cut the tofu in 1/4 inch slices and an area that will fit nicely on a sandwich.  Sprinkle the tofu on all sides with a mixture of equal liquid smoke and rice vinegar and bake in a 350 oven until the tofu begins to brown.  For bread, I like a hearty multi-grain, but you can use what you like.  Make a wonderful spread of peanut butter and tahini and coat on side of the bread with it.  On the other side goes a slice of cucumber, your baked tofu and a pile of bean sprouts. Sprinkle with a little more vinegar and top with the peanut butter-tahini covered slice.  Enjoy!

A Vegan's Stroganoff…Hearty Noodles with Mushroom Sauce

This recipe is hearty, warm and forgiving, so measurements are approximate.  Chop and use what you have – no need to pieces and parts to go to waste.  I’ve adapted it from a recipe I read on the Facebook page for Cleveland Vegans and Vegetarians.  I’m not inclined to put sour cream, yogurt or creamed tofu into this dish.  I would suggest instead having them as separate condiments and letting your dinnermates customize each to their taste. 

EQUIPMENT

(Nothing special is needed here)

I would suggest using two stockpots if you have them available.

[sharpen your] chef’s knife

cutting board

zester

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp olive oil

crushed red pepper to taste (optional)
1 1/2 cups onion, diced finely (a medium sized onion is perfect)

2 bay leaves

pinch ( ~1/8 tsp) sea salt

3-4 garlic cloves, minced (about a tablespoon)

¾ cup chopped celery (2 large stalks celery, leaves included if available)

¾ cup chopped carrot (1 large or two medium is perfect)

1 heaping Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme, dried or fresh (stems removed)

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp black bean paste (optional -- purchased in a Thai or other Asian grocer)

1 Tbsp juice and all of the zest from 1 lemon (optional, but gives nice brightness to the dish)

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (Amy’s vegan or Pick-A-Pepper sauce are great substitutes, but you can make your own)

1 rounded Tbsp cornstarch in 1/2 cup warm water

1 lb fresh mushrooms of your choice, cleaned and cubed (I do half and half white button and portobello) – about 4-5 cups when chopped

4 cups water 

1/3 red wine (optional)

1 Tbsp black pepper

1 12-oz package of egg noodles (or any type of ridged noodle; rice noodles would work, too, if you are so inclined… you could even use a julienned cabbage that you blanch or simmer with garlic and white wine)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Add the cornstarch to 1/2 cup of warm water and set aside. 

Bring a stock pot, dutch oven or large sauce pan to heat over medium-low flame.  Once warm add the olive oil and allow it to warm until it begins to shimmer.  Add the bay leaf and onions.  Stir and allow them to cook for a couple of minutes before adding the celery and carrot.  Once you add them, continue sautéing the mixture until onions are soft and translucent – about 8 or 9 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and allow to sauté for another minute.

While the garlic is sautéing, add the soy sauce, black bean paste, Worcestershire, lemon zest, juice and tomato paste and combine thoroughly with the cooking vegetables. Finally, once everything is blended, add 3 cups of the water (or homemade broth) and stir again. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir the cornstarch-water mixture and add to the broth.

While your broth is simmering, clean and chop the mushrooms.  Remove the stem of the button mushrooms (not only do these negatively impact the texture of the mushroom sauce, the stems can be frozen for use in a future broth.  Moreover, my dogs love them, so I enjoy giving them as treats while I cook). Quarter the button mushrooms by cutting in an “x” pattern through the top and cut the portobellos to a similar size.  Add the mushrooms to the simmering sauce and, finally, the red wine. Lace with freshly ground black pepper – up to a tablespoon.  

Make sure that there is enough liquid in the pot that the mushrooms are fully submerged but not much more than that.  If needed, you can add a bit more water as the sauce is simmering ¼ cup at a time.

Turn up the heat to medium high and bring the dish to a simmer until mushrooms are tender, approximately 20 minutes.  Turn the heat off when the mushrooms are cooked and the sauce is reduced sufficiently to nicely coat the noodles.  If you are waiting for the noodles to finish cooking, don’t forget to put your lid on your pot to keep the sauce warm.

While you are simmering your sauce, bring a stockpot of water to boil and cook the noodles according to the package instructions.  When tender, strain the noodles and then pour the hot noodles into your mushroom sauce mixing thoroughly.

Top with chopped parsley, chopped tomatoes, red pepper flakes, a dollop of sour cream or yogurt or even a fresh gremolata (parsley, garlic and lemon zest minced together).

Serve hot and enjoy!

NOTES AND VARIATIONS

Here’s a note about store-bought broth: if you don’t have to use it, don’t.  It’s loaded with salt and you cannot really control the quality of ingredients or taste. This recipe is perfect made with water.  The onion, celery, and carrot together form a “mirepiox” that when combined with a bay leaf is the basis for a vegetarian broth.  If you need to make a quick broth for another dish, roughly chop a large onion, 2 medium carrots, 2-3 stalks of celery and toss in a pot with a tablespoon or so of olive oil, a pinch of salt and a couple of bay leaves over medium heat. The goal is the volume of carrot and celery together should be equivalent to the volume of onion. Once the onion begins to cook and brown, add 12 cups of water, raise the heat to med-high and allow it to simmer for 45 minutes or more.  Cooking the onion at high enough heat to allow it to brown slightly (without burning) will improve the taste of the broth.  Strain the broth through a colander and use as needed. For creole dishes, use “the [holy] trinity” (onion, green pepper and celery) rather than a mirepoix.

This mushroom sauce would make a great base for lasagna with ricotta and béchamel (veggie or dairy).  It would also be great served with roasted beets and a zesty vinaigrette-tossed spinach salad.  For a one-pot dish, consider tossing a cup of frozen chopped spinach or fresh well-cleaned spinach cut in a nice chiffonade at the end of cooking.  Mix the spinach through the sauce through cover, allowing the spinach to simmer for the last couple of minutes of cooking.  If you would like a spicier dish, add crushed red pepper flakes at the very beginning with the onion and bay leaf.  Start with a teaspoon and learn to adjust for your taste.