Radical Rellenos

As usual, we looked through a variety of cookbooks for this upcoming week's meals. Adam found a fantastic looking recipe for empanadas, so we went in search for a main dish to go with these appetizers. We came upon an awesome chile rellenos recipe that we just had to try. It ended up that we didn't make the empanadas, but look for them next week when we will make them for (hopefully) some sort of gathering. We paired the rellenos with some Mexican brown rice and a fresh salad of greens and tomatoes with a lime vinaigrette. We made the rice by preparing it in a rice cooker with only about 2/3 of the usual water, then adding a can of diced tomatoes with juice, a chopped hot pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. This meal definitely left me satisfied.


Poblanos Rellenos (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

I would lean on the side of cooking these peppers for a longer time period. We ate ours after 30 minutes in the oven and they were a bit crunchy. We put the rest back in the oven, and I suspect that the leftovers will have a better texture.

15 sundried or other dried tomato slices
1 1/2 Tbs. canola or corn oil
20 pecans or walnuts, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
kernels from 3 ears corn (about 1 2/3 cups)
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
6 oz. soft, mild chevre (goat cheese)
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
8 small poblano pepper (or 4 green bell pepper, or 8 Anaheim peppers)

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil, and pour the water over the dried tomatoes in a small bowl. Let the tomatoes sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Then drain the tomatoes, and chop them fine.
2. While the dried tomatoes are soaking, heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a skillet, and add the pecans or walnuts. Cook them over low heat for 3 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time, until the nuts taste toasted; be careful not to burn them. Add the garlic, chopped dried tomatoes, and corn to the mixture. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the salt and pepper. Crumble the goat cheese into the mixture, and fold in the cottage cheese and Jack or cheddar cheese.
3. Preheat the oven to 350. Stuff the peppers: Remove the stem, core, and seeds of each pepper without puncturing the sides. Stuff the peppers loosely with the filling, distributing it equally among the peppers.
4. Coat a casserole dish with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. of oil, and lay the stuffed peppers in the dish. Add a scant 1/4 cup water, and cover the dish with a lid or foil. Bake the peppers for 30 to 45 minutes (bell peppers take longer than poblanos), until they are tender. Serve the peppers right away.

More BBQ (a little less beer)

We had bought bratwursts for the Memorial Day BBQ, but on that day we decided that we had plenty of food already and didn't need to grill them. Thank goodness, because we ended up making a fabulous grilled dinner to go along with them that we wouldn't have had otherwise. To top our grilled brats (and veggie dogs) we made a smoky pimento relish and a curried apricot-and-tomato ketchup, both of which pumped up this more typical fare. In addition, we ate smoky glazed asparagus and grilled corn-on-the-cob. This meal was definitely a perfectly unique taste of the summer grilling I love so much.


Smoky Pimento Relish (Food and Wine, June 2009)

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 canned chipotles in adobo, stemmed
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1 cup roasted red peppers
salt

1. In a food processor, pulse the tomatoes with the olive oil, chipotles, garlic and caraway seeds until finely chopped. Add the roasted red peppers and pulse to a chunky puree. Season with salt and serve.


Curried Apricot-and-Tomato Ketchup (Food and Wine, June 2009)

1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. Madras curry powder
salt

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable oil. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the apricots, tomato, cider vinegar, water, sugar, and curry powder. Simmer over moderately low heat until the apricots are soft, about 15 minutes. Scrape the contents of the saucepan into a blender and puree until smooth. Season the ketchup with salt and transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate until cool, about 20 minutes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.


Smoky Glazed Asparagus (Food and Wine, June 2009)

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 Tbs. sweet smoked paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 lbs. thick asparagus, peeled [we had about 1.5 lbs. of thin asparagus that I did not peel and it worked fine]

1. Light a grill. In a shallow dish, whisk the mayonnaise with the oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt and cumin. Add the asparagus and toss; let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Grill the asparagus over moderately high heat, turning, until tender and blistered in sports, 6 minutes; serve.

Memorial Day BBQ

I'm not quite sure how commemorating those who have fought for our country has turned into a weekend of BBQ's, but I do know that it is a good excuse to host a cookout. I will take up any reason to celebrate life, be with friends, and cook a fabulous meal. We ended up making quite a feast with deviled eggs, potato salad, broccoli salad, baked beans, ribs, chicken, and an impressive strawberry cake to finish it all off. Thanks to all of our soldiers who made this cookout possible.


Mexican Slowboats (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

A twist on the typical deviled egg, these flew off the plate so fast that I wished I had made more than 6 eggs worth.

6 large eggs
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced with or without seeds
3 Tbs. mayonnaise
2 Tbs. whole, low-fat, or nonfat sour cream (or more mayonnaise) [we used extra mayo]
2 Tbs. finely chopped chives or scallions
1/2 tsp. ground cumin seeds
grated rind of 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro or parsley

1. In a saucepan, bring about 2 quarts water to a simmer. Gently lower the eggs into the simmering water with a large spoon. Simmer the eggs for 12 minutes. Then place the eggs in a large bowl of ice water for 5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the jalapeno, mayonniase, sour cream, chives or scallion, cumin, lime rind, salt, pepper, and 2 Tbs. of the cilantro or parsley.
3. Peel the eggs, then carefully cut them in half lengthwise. Add the yolk halves to the sour cream mixture. With a fork, mash the yolks, distributing them throughout the sour cream. Spoon the mixture into the cavities in the the whites. Place the eggs on a platter, and sprinkle them with the remaining cilantro or parsley.
4. You can make these up to 1 day ahead. Store them, covered, in the refrigerator.


Caribbean Sweet-Potato Salad (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

This potato salad wasn't quite as flavorful as I would have hoped. Next time I think I would just amp up the dressing to make the potatoes have more of a punch. Still, quite good and worth trying again.

1 large russet potato, peeled and quartered
1 large sweet potato, peeled and quartered
1 cup corn kernels (from about 1 1/2 ears)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. lime juice
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tbs. canola or corn oil
1/2 tsp. salt, or more, to taste
1/4 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced into thin half-rounds
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup finely chopped dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts

1. Put the russet potato pieces into a large saucepan, and cover them with salted water. Bring the potatoes to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium, and simmer the potatoes for 10 minutes. Add the sweet potato pieces, and cook about 15 minutes more. Remove a piece of each potato, and cit it in half to see if it has cooked enough. You should feel a bit of resistance with both potatoes; don't let them cook until they are breaking apart. Once the potatoes are tender, promptly add the corn kernels, and cook another 30 seconds. Quickly drain the vegetables in a colander, and fill the saucepan with cold water. Drop the potatoes and corn into the cold water, and leave them for 5 minutes to stop cooking.
2. In a large bowl, combine the mustard, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic. Stir with a whisk. Slowly add the oil while whisking. Add the salt and pepper.
3. Drain the cooled sweet and white potatoes, and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Add the potatoes, the cucumber, and the red onion to the vinaigrette. Toss well.
Serve the salad at room temperature or chilled. Toss the peanuts in just before serving. Well covered in the refrigerator, this salad keeps for 3 days.


Sweet and Tart Mustrad Dressing (The New Moosewood Cookbook, Mollie Katzen)

I wanted to have a green to balance out all of the carbs and meat of the meal. As I was looking through the salad section of this cookbook, I came across this recipe that suggested serving the dressing over chilled cooked vegetables. I decided a delicious salad of slightly steamed then chilled broccoli would be the perfect thing to balance out the meal.

6 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
4 Tbs. red wine vinegar [we used white wine vinegar]
2 tsp. real maple syrup or honey
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Whisk everything together. Cover and chill.


Crockpot Baked Beans (International Vegetarian Union, www.ivu.org/recipes, Alison George)

We recently bought a crockpot and desperately wanted to break it in. What better way than with baked beans. These turned out spectacularly. I can't stop eating them! I don't have a picture of them, but their beauty is not their strong point; taste is.

1.5 pound dried beans (ie pea, navy or great northern) (3 cups)
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbs. dry mustard
2 Tbs. molasses
1 Tbs. salt
1 inch fresh ginger root (minced)

1. Wash and sort beans.
2. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes and remove from heat. Let soak 1 hour. Bring to a boil again and then simmer approx 45 min or until cooked but not soft of mushy. Drain beans. Put in crockpot.
3. Mix the rest of ingredients into the beans. Cook on low for 10-12 hours.


Leff's Stout Smoked Ribs (Grilling with Beer, Lucy Saunders)

We didn't follow this recipe perfectly because in order to do so you need to have a charcoal grill. I'm going to write the original recipe in case you want to make these unadulterated. We cooked the ribs by baking them in a 300 degree oven on an aluminum foil covered baking sheet for 2 to 2 1/2 hours and then grilling them to char the outside. The one complaint was that they were a bit salty, but they must have been delicious anyway because people kept going back for seconds, and thirds, and....

1 rack pork ribs
2 Tbs. kosher salt
1 Tbs. cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. ground black pepper
2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
24 oz. stout
2 to 4 whole dried chiles (try mixing pasilla, aji limones, de Arbol, and chipotles)
2 cups apple cider
1/4 to 1/2 cup soy sauce, to taste
1 quart apple juice
1/2 cup calvados (apple brandy)
1 small can (5 oz.) tomato paste
2 Tbs. chipotles en adobo

Mesquite charcoal and apple wood smoking chips (about 2 cups)
disposable aluminum baking pan (8x6x1 1/2-inches)

1. Remove membrane from ribs. Mix kosher sald, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, and brown sugar. Rub pork ribs with mixture and place in large glass or stainless steel bowl. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to dry.
2. Mix stout, chiles, cider, and soy sauce. Pour over ribs, cover and chill overnight, or at least 4 hours.
3. Soak apple wood chips in apple juice and calvados. Allow to soak for same amount of time as ribs (minimum 4 hours, overnight is best).
4. Remove pork from refrigerator and let sit for 1 to 2 hours while preparing fire. Prepare a charcoal fire: when coals ash over, separate coals (using small garden hoe or long-handled offset spatula) into 2 piles, each pushed to one side of bottom of grill, with room for pan pan in between. (Note: Don't try to start with 2 separate piles and try to light them separately--they'll never ash over at an even rate.)
5. Drain apple-calvados mixture from wood chips into a pitcher or bowl with spout. Reserve soaking liquid. Drain stout mixture from ribs, and transfer to a medium saucepan. Set aside.
6. Position baking pan squarely in between hot coals. Immediately pour in soaking liquid from apple wook chips. Sprinkle chips evenly over both piles of coals, then place the grilling rack on grill top.
7. Place ribs on grill grate, directly over baking pan so fat drips into pan. Allow a few minutes for wood chips to start smoking, then close grill cover and open vents.
8. Ribs will take about 2 hours to cook. Lid may need to be removed every 30 minutes to allow coals to start smoking again if fire starts dying down. Turn ribs every 30 minutes. While ribs are cooking, heat marinade in shallow pan over medium heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, stir in tomato paste. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Add chipotles en adobo. This will be table sauce for ribs. Ribs are done when tender; serve with sauce.


Mexican Dark Lager Mole (Grilling with Beer, Lucy Saunders)

Adam butterflied a whole chicken and then grilled it, coating it with this mole sauce. We have a ton of mole left over. It's quite delicious, but I wish it were a bit more flavorful. I think I would add some more heat to it for an extra kick.

2 Tbs. peanut oil
1 onion, chopped (6 oz.)
2 pasilla chiles, chopped and seeds reserved
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 Tbs. paprika
1/4 cup grated bittersweet chocolate
1 can (15 oz.) fire-roasted tomatoes with chiles
1 Tbs. ancho chile powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground coriander
pinch cinnamon
12 oz. Mexican dark lager
1/3 cup sesame or pumpkin seeds
1 Tbs. canola oil
salt and black pepper to taste

1. Place peanut oil, onion, and pasilla chiles in large deep skillet and cook and stir over medium heat 1 minute. Add garlic, paprika and chocolate. Cook and stir until onions are tender, about 3 more minutes. Place in blender and add tomatoes, chile powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon. Cover and pulse on HIGH until mixed and chiles are finely chopped. Add lager to reach desired consistency, about 10 to 12 oz. Return to saucepan.
2. In a small saucepan over low heat, toast sesame or pumpkin seeds with the reserved pasilla chile seeds; add just enough canola oil to keep seeds from sticking. When golden, stir seeds into simmering mole sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings. Simmer until thickened. Brush on grilled chicken or pork.


Strawberry Layer Cake (Cooking Light, May 2009)

We were originally drawn to this cake because it reminds us of the top layer of our wedding cake. Cute, huh? It looks really impressive and tastes wonderfully strawberry-y. It was a bit a dense, and I'm not quite sure what went wrong to make that happen. Also, Adam changed up the icing by doubling the cream cheese and cutting back on the powdered sugar by a little less than a cup. All in all, a delicious way to end the evening.

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. To prepare cake, place sliced strawberries in a food processor; process until smooth.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in egg whites. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginnning and ending with flour mixture. Add pureed strawberries and food coloring; beat just until blended.
4. Divide batter between 2 (8-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
5. To prepare frosting, place cream cheese, 1/3 cup butter, and liqueur in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, and beat just until blended.
6. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Cut 1 whole strawberry into thin slices, cutting to, but not through the stem end. Fan strawberry on top of cake just before serving, if desired. Cut remaining 11 strawberries in half. Garnish cake with strawberry halves, if desired.

Pepper Pesto

Another Wednesday night dinner, another chance at meal creativity. We had a bunch of extra parsley that needed to be used, so we immediately thought of making pesto. I didn't want to make any sort of ordinary pesto though; what fun would that be? I decided to add some pizazz by roasting red peppers and combining them with the typical herbs and pine nuts of pesto. Tossed with pasta and served with a side of fish for the guys, this easy meal was quite a hit.


Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

3 red peppers
1 bunch basil
1 bunch parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 to 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil, or to desired consistency
1 lbs. pasta, we used spaghetti, but you could use any type you have

1. Preheat the oven to high broil. Place the red peppers on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Broil the peppers, turning often, so that they char on all sides. Place in a plastic bag or covered bowl.
2. In a food processor, combine basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, salt and pepper. Pulse until finely minced. Peel the red peppers to remove the charred skin, stems, and seeds. Add 2 of the peppers to the food processor. Pulse once again until the pepper is minced. While the food processor is running, drizzle the olive oil into the spout until you have reached your desired consistency of pesto. It should be loose so that you can easily toss it with the pasta.
3. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
4. Slice the third red pepper.
5. Toss together the pasta, sliced red pepper, and pesto. Top with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Cookin with the Cuz

My cousin Diana came to visit last Friday and I knew there was only one thing we could fill the night with--cooking! And that's exactly what we did! With some damn good food too, if I may say so myself. We started the night off with an odd, but fantastic, almond-orange dip with veggies and pita chips. Then, we moved on to portobello veggie burgers and a roasted potato salad. We completed the evening with a limoncello sorbet. Cooking for and with the people you love is absolutely the best thing in the world (and it doesn't hurt if you make fantastic things either).


Almond-Orange Dip (The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Mollie Katzen)

You could dip practically anything in this dip, because it is that good. You could even put it on sandwiches for some flair.

1 12-oz. box silken tofu
1 cup almond butter
2/3 cup orange juice
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
2 Tbs. minced fresh chives
1/2 tsp. grated orange rind
3/4 tsp. salt
fresh black pepper, to taste
cayenne, to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Season to taste, cover, and refrigerate until cold.


Portobello Burgers (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

We made the suggested variation of this burger, which is to add 3 oz. goat cheese to the mixture. Delicious!

2/3 cup dried lentils
6 oz. portobello mushrooms
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 cups minced onions
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. salt, or more, to taste
fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
5 slices stale or toasted sandwich bread
1/2 cup chopped parsley

1. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil, and add the lentils. Simmer the lentils for 20 to 30 minutes or until they are tender. Drain the lentils, and let them cool.
2. Cut off the dirt-laden base of each mushroom stem, then chop the remainder of the stems and the caps fine.
3. Heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the onions. Cook them, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until they soften. Add the garlic, and cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Add the chopped mushrooms and the cumin to the skillet, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season well with the salt and pepper, and take the pan off the heat.
4. Break the bread into pieces, and whirl them to crumbs in a food processor. Transfer 2 cups crumbs to a large bowl. Put the lentils into the processor, and run the machine in spurts until they are coarsely chopped and somewhat pasty. Add the chopped parsley and sauteed mushrooms and onions to the bowl, and mix well with your hands or a sturdy spoon. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Add more bread crumbs if the mixture is too wet to form a patty. Chill the mixture from 1 hour to a week.
5. Form the burger mixture into four 4-inch patties. Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet (not non-stick) over medium heat. Pan-fry until the undersides are a deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the burgers, and cook them about 3 minutes more. Serve the burgers hot.


Roasted Potato Salad with Mint Vinaigrette (Cooking Light, May 2005)

3 cups (2-inch) cut green beans
3 cups (1-inch square) cut red bell pepper (about 2 large peppers)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup fat-free less-sodium chicken broth [or veggie broth]
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 lbs. small red potatoes, quartered
2 Vidalia or other sweet onions, trimmed and quartered
cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 to 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

1. Preheat over to 400.
2. Combine first 7 ingredients; toss well. Arrange vegetable mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray; cover with foil. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Uncover and stir; bake, uncovered, and additional 40 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring after 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Place vegetable mixture in a large bowl.
3. Combine 1/2 cup mint, vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle vinaigrette over vegetable mixture, and toss well to coat. Serve at room temperature or chilled.


Limoncello-Mint Sorbet with Fresh Blackberries (Cooking Light, May 2009)

This is extremely flavorful and refreshing. I could actually only eat a few bites because it was so intense. I think that this would work really well for a palate cleanser in the middle of the meal or as a hot summer night's dessert.

2 cups water
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup limoncello [we used our own homemade limoncello]
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 large lemons)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
2 cups blackberries
lemon slices (optional)

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; add lemon juice and mint. Cover and chill.
2. Strain juice mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon sorbet into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm. Serve with blackberries; garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

Chimichurri

Once again I'm behind. Oops. But, the good thing is that I always catch up, eventually. Life has been pretty busy with dance rehearsals and performances, not to mention the usual work. We always find time for a good meal in there. This one is particularly delicious and full of flavor to wake up the taste buds after a long week. Adam made the chimichurri sauce with grilled steak for himself and Scott the night before I tried it, which is the recipe that will follow. On the night I ate it we grilled up chicken and tofu for the pesto-like sauce and paired it with a fresh, lime dressing salad. Wonderfully summery!


Flank Steak with Chimichurri (www.epicurious.com, Gourmet, June 2001)

1 1/2 lbs. trimmed flank steak
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 large garlic clove
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp. cayenne

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Pat steak dry. Stir together 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, coriander, and pepper in a small bowl and rub mixture onto both sides of steak. Broil steak on a broiler pan about 4 inches from heat 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, with motor running, add garlic to a food processor and finely chop. Add cilantro, parsley, vinegar, oil, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, then pulse until herbs are finely chopped.
4. Holding a knife at a 45-degree angle, thinly slice steak. Serve with sauce.

Spring Dumplings

I love dumplings. In any shape or form, I love dumplings. And, Vegetarian Planet has an entire section on making unique dumplings. We chose one that seemed to fit the springy California weather. They were light and fluffy with a fresh fennel and tomato base. Paired with sauteed chard in garlic, the dumplings were a wonderful spring meal.


Chevre Quenelles in Fennel and Tomato Sauce (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

Quenelles
1/2 cup water
3 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. unbleached white flour
2 eggs
6 Tbs. crumbled chevre (goat cheese), about 2 oz.
salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
2 egg whites

Fennel and Tomato Sauce
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium fennel bulb, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
3 medium tomatoes (about 1 lb.), chopped
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste

2 Tbs. chopped parsley

1. Make the quenelles: In a heavy saucepan, hea the water with the butter. When the mixture begins to simmer, take the pan off the heat, immediately add all of the flour, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Replace the pan over medium heat, and stir constantly until the dough comes away from the side of the pan and begins to form a ball. Remove the pan from theheat again, and add the eggs one at a time, beating hard until the dough is smooth. Add the goat cheese and salt and pepper, and again beat until the dough is smooth. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
2. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks with a pinch of salt, and fold them gently into the goat-cheese mixture. Chill the dough for 1/2 hour to 24 hours, so that it will be easier to handle.
3. Make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and fennel, and saute until the onion and fennel soften, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and water, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the salt and pepper, and remove the skillet from the heat.
4. Bring at least 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large saucepan or pot. Spoon the dough, about 1 Tbs. at a time, into the simmering water, fitting as many quenelles into the ot as you can without crowding them. Simmer them for 10 minutes, turning them over after 5 minutes. Remove the quenelles with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to paper towels.
5. Warm the fennel and tomato sauce, divide it among plates, then place the quenelles on top. Garnish with the chopped parsley, and serve.

Asian Sensation

Cooking Light's May "Inspired Vegetarian" column was Ming Tsai delivering a bunch of fantastic Asian recipes. We had to make something. Now, before I was a vegetarian my favorite dim sum food was the steamed pork buns. I absolutely loved them. In fact, I think right after I became a vegetarian I made an exception for those delicious buns. In this column there was a recipe for Caramelized Onion buns, and Adam and I knew we had to make them. We started off our meal with homemade egg rolls and then continued the food fest with the steamed buns and hot and sour soup. The soup left a little to be desired, but all in all the meal was a success!


Vegetarian Egg Rolls

I have to admit that I don't know any portions, because we just threw the ingredients together. Add as much or as little of everything as you like. I don't think you can mess these up. Just make sure not to add too much hoisin, otherwise the filling will be too liquidy.

tofu, cut into strips
garlic
carrots, julienned
napa cabbage, chopped
green onions, sliced thinly
hoisin sauce
egg roll wrappers

1. In a medium-sized skillet, heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Add tofu and brown slightly. Add garlic and carrots,; saute until slighlty softened. Add cabbage and continue to saute until the cabbage wilts slightly. Stir in green onions and hoisin sauce. Take off the heat and let cool slightly.
2. Working with one egg roll wrapper at a time, place filling in the center of wrapper. Fold in the bottom, the two sides, and then roll the wrapper over the filling. Place seam side down on a baking sheet.
3. Heat a bit of canola oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Pan fry the egg rolls until crispy. Serve with hot chile sauce and duck sauce.


Caramelized Onion Bao (Cooking Light, May 2009)

These took a LONG time to make and are absolutely only for the weekends or special occasions, but you will definitely be proud when you bite into the sweet bread and tangy filling.

Filling
1 1/2 tsp. canola oil
6 cups sliced red onion (about 2 medium)
3/4 cup sliced green onions (about 1 bunch)
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbs. Chinese black vinegar [we used 1 Tbs. each of balsamic and rice wine vinegars]
2 Tbs. naturally brewed low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. honey
1/4 tsp. five-spice powder
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Dough
2 Tbs. sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp.)
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
1 tsp. sesame oil
12.4 oz. all-purpose flour, divided (about 2 3/4 cups)
cooking spray

Remaining Ingredients
2 tsp. canola oil, divided
2 cups water, divided

1. To prepare filling, heat 1 1/2 tsp. canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add red onion, green onions, and salt to pan; saute 12 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring often. Add vinegar, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add soy sauce, honey, five-spice powder, and pepper; cook 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to a bowl; chill 30 minutes.
2. To prepare dough, dissolve sugar and yeast in 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. warm water in a medium bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in sesame oil. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 11.25 oz. (about 2 1/2 cups) flour to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 Tbs. at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky). Lightly spray surface of dough with cooking spray; cover and let rest 10 minutes.
3. Divide dough into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a ball. Cover dough balls loosely with plastic wrap, and let rest 5 minutes. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining portions to prevent drying), flatten dough with hand into a 3-inch circle. Place about 2 1/2 Tbs. onion mixture in center of circle. Bring up sides to cover filling; twist top of dough, and pinch to seal (bun will be very full). Carefully place bun, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining dough balls and onion mixture.
4. Cover buns with plastic wrap; refrigerate, and let rise 2 hours or until slightly puffed (buns will not double in size).
5. Heat 1 tsp. canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange 4 buns in a single layer, evenly spaced in pan; cook 2 minutes or until bottoms are crisp and golden brown. Pour 1 cup water into pan, and cover; steam 8 minutes or just until water evaporates. Transfer buns to a plate; cover and keep warm. Wipe pan with paper towels. Repeat with remaining 1 tsp. canola oil, remaining 4 buns, and remaining 1 cup water. Serve warm.


Hot and Sour Soup (The New Moosewood Cookbook, Mollie Katzen)

This wasn't quite as flavorful as I would have hoped a hot and sour soup would have been. I have to say that it did gain flavor as the leftovers continued. We did alter the recipe a little, which may have affected the taste. For instance, we did not use dried Chinese black mushrooms; instead we used shittake mushrooms and vegetable broth. We also added bamboo shoots and some chopped Napa cabbage for crunch. Next time I would definitely try to find the dried mushrooms, hopefully intensifying the flavor at the same time.

1 oz. dried Chinese black mushrooms
8 cups water
3 Tbs. dry sherry or Chinese rice wine
1/4 to 1/3 cup cider vinegar (to taste)
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1 cake (1/4 lb.) firm tofu, in thin strips
2 Tbs. cornstarch
2 beaten eggs (yolks may be omitted)
6 minced scallions (whites and greens)
1/4 tsp. white pepper (to taste)
Chinese sesame oil (optional)

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl. Heat 2 (of the 8) cups of water to boiling; pour over the mushrooms. Cover with a plate, and let stand at least 30 minutes. (You can assemble the other ingredients in the meantime.) Drain the mushrooms, squeezing out and saving all the liquid. Slice the mushrooms, removing and discarding the stems.
2. In a kettle or Dutch oven, combine the remaining 6 cups of water, the reserved mushroom-soaking liquid, and the sliced mushrooms. Heat to a gentle boil.
3. Add sherry, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and tofu. Lower the heat, and let simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.
4. Place the cornstarch in a small bowl. Measure out about 3/4 cup of the hot soup, and whisk it into the cornstarch. When the cornstarch is dissolved, stir this mixture back into the soup.
5. Drizzle the beaten eggs into the simmering soup, stirring constantly. Add scallions and white pepper. Cook only a few minutes more. Top each serving with a few drops of sesame oil, if desired.

Strawberry Fields Forever

Once again, I am behind on my entries. Sorry, but sometimes life just gets crazy and then the moments that I have to actually blog, I just feel like sitting and relaxing. But, hey, that's life, right?

Anyway, the other week for our Wednesday night dinner I needed something super fast and super simple. We found the perfect recipe of a strawberry-avocado salsa that we generously put on top of grilled basa fish and tofu. We accompanied this with a grilled romaine salad topped with toasted almonds, dried cranberries, and balsamic vinegar and some fresh sourdough bread. It was a perfectly summery meal that was made in mere minutes.


Strawberry-Avocado Salsa (Cooking Light, May 2009)

This salsa was wonderful over the grilled fish and tofu, but the magazine also suggests serving it over roast chicken or grilled pork tenderloin.

1 cup finely chopped strawberries
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled avocado
2 Tbs. finely chopped red onion
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. grated lime rind
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. finely chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
1/4 tsp. sugar

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss gently. Serve immediately.