.. this isn't the Vegetarian Quest anymore. I stopped trying vegetarianism earlier this spring and left this weblog to fester and rot, but that seemed like a cruel thing to do ..
.. especially when I still have a few vegetarian dishes in mind. Anyways, why restrict ourselves, then? When we think of recipes which we'd like to share, let's share them anyways and sort out personal and ethical philosophies later.
At any rate, I'm back, so to speak.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Monday, November 21, 2005
Thanksgiving at Erin's!
This is hardly a vegetarian post, but it is a culinary post, and that's what counts.
Thanksgiving is upon us, and my friend Erin has graciously offered her comfortable abode as a meeting place for us graduate students and other young persons to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner together.
So let's make a plan.
MY CONTRIBUTION: I WILL COOK TWO SMALL TURKEYS, AND I AM OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS ON TURKEY RECIPES. Otherwise everyone will have to bear my strange, experimental cooking ways.
Post if you'd like to contribute a dish! Jo, I know you're ready to pounce, so go right ahead! q:
Thanksgiving is upon us, and my friend Erin has graciously offered her comfortable abode as a meeting place for us graduate students and other young persons to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner together.
So let's make a plan.
MY CONTRIBUTION: I WILL COOK TWO SMALL TURKEYS, AND I AM OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS ON TURKEY RECIPES. Otherwise everyone will have to bear my strange, experimental cooking ways.
Post if you'd like to contribute a dish! Jo, I know you're ready to pounce, so go right ahead! q:
Monday, February 14, 2005
Oh no! What do I do with asparagus stems?
That was exactly the question I asked myself today, seeing a plastic bag of asparagus stems left over from when I made salad (see last post).
Here is an answer. Make a noodle soup.
Getting-Rid-of-Asparagus-Stems Noodle Soup, with Fried Tofu.
Ingredients:
- 1 package Asian rice noodles; I suggest something thick, like udon or soba.
- 1 bunch scallions
- 1 large cucumber (pick a dark green one; the seeds won't be as pronounced)
- 1 fistful of ginger stem (that is, a sufficiently large piece to fit in a fist!)
- leftover asparagus stems
- 1 package Egg Drop Soup mix (or Miso, depending on your taste)
- soy sauce
- honey
- sesame oil to taste
- chopped peanuts (I didn't actually use this, but as I think about it, I should have!)
.. and for the tofu:
- 1 package firm tofu (firm is important; you don't want to fish out silken tofu out of hot oil!)
- 2 large eggs (never mind whether they are animals or not)
- hot sauce
- plenty of vegetable oil (for obvious reasons)
The broth / soup: What you would expect. Wash the asparagus stems, then chop the living daylights out of zem! Be nicer to the ginger: chop them into matchsticks.
Now take a pan with a large bottom, put to high heat, and sear the asparagus as you would in the case of a salad (again, see last post). Move the stems to one side of the pan, and add the ginger in the presence of vegetable oil. Let sizzle for a moment or two, then blend the two together.
When the mixture appears a little dry, reduce to medium heat and add water .. say the volume of one noodle bowl. When that begins to boil, add another and repeat. Do so until you'll have enough broth for everyone.
When you're ready to put the noodles to boil, add in the soup mix, and leave to a simmer until the noodles are ready. When all is ready, use a strainer to remove the ginger and stems pieces.
The cucumbers: Again, this is a searing / saute technique. In a bowl, add 1/4 cup soy sauce, a few shakes of sesame oil, and a teaspoon of honey. Mix well.
Peel the cucumbers and slice into .. well, slices, say 1/4" thick.
Take a small pan and put under high heat. While waiting, dip a few cucumber slices into the bowl mixture. When the pan is ready, sear the cucumber slices on both sides; there should be sufficient color while retaining a crisp texture.
If you're deft, you can dip a new batch while searing the old. If not, ask someone for help or lower the heat to buy yourself time. No sense in burning good cucumbers.
The tofu. There should be a little soy sauce mixture left, after searing the cucumber. Break the two eggs and blend it together. Drain the tofu and slice lengthwise, then across to form 12 slices.
Take a small saucepan (~ 1 quart size) and fill up to 1 inch with vegetable oil. Push to high heat, and keep the oil at a ready temperature ..
(bubbles should form when a chopstick is dipped into the oil)
Now take each tofu slice, dip into the egg-sauce mixture, and with pot lid ready in the other hand, add to the pot of oil. Beware the sizzle and spatter; use the pot lid as a shield, if necessary.
When the tofu slice is browned and floating happily, drain on paper towels. Too much oil is bad for you.
Do the same until the tofu is all done. If you avoid waste, take the remaining egg mixture and make a small omelette with some chopped scallions.
(say, on that same small pan you used for cucumbers)
When the omelette is done, slice into strips for the noodle bowls.
Presentation. To each noodle bowl, put a helping of noodles, then on the side add a share of seared cucumbers, then sprinkle with scallions. Add a measure of the Egg Drop Asparagus-Stem soup, then add crushed peanuts and a few pieces of fried tofu on top.
All told, you didn't really need the asparagus stems in the broth, but at least you can tell your guests that there is asparagus in the soup. It makes for good conversation, at least.
Here is an answer. Make a noodle soup.
Getting-Rid-of-Asparagus-Stems Noodle Soup, with Fried Tofu.
Ingredients:
- 1 package Asian rice noodles; I suggest something thick, like udon or soba.
- 1 bunch scallions
- 1 large cucumber (pick a dark green one; the seeds won't be as pronounced)
- 1 fistful of ginger stem (that is, a sufficiently large piece to fit in a fist!)
- leftover asparagus stems
- 1 package Egg Drop Soup mix (or Miso, depending on your taste)
- soy sauce
- honey
- sesame oil to taste
- chopped peanuts (I didn't actually use this, but as I think about it, I should have!)
.. and for the tofu:
- 1 package firm tofu (firm is important; you don't want to fish out silken tofu out of hot oil!)
- 2 large eggs (never mind whether they are animals or not)
- hot sauce
- plenty of vegetable oil (for obvious reasons)
The broth / soup: What you would expect. Wash the asparagus stems, then chop the living daylights out of zem! Be nicer to the ginger: chop them into matchsticks.
Now take a pan with a large bottom, put to high heat, and sear the asparagus as you would in the case of a salad (again, see last post). Move the stems to one side of the pan, and add the ginger in the presence of vegetable oil. Let sizzle for a moment or two, then blend the two together.
When the mixture appears a little dry, reduce to medium heat and add water .. say the volume of one noodle bowl. When that begins to boil, add another and repeat. Do so until you'll have enough broth for everyone.
When you're ready to put the noodles to boil, add in the soup mix, and leave to a simmer until the noodles are ready. When all is ready, use a strainer to remove the ginger and stems pieces.
The cucumbers: Again, this is a searing / saute technique. In a bowl, add 1/4 cup soy sauce, a few shakes of sesame oil, and a teaspoon of honey. Mix well.
Peel the cucumbers and slice into .. well, slices, say 1/4" thick.
Take a small pan and put under high heat. While waiting, dip a few cucumber slices into the bowl mixture. When the pan is ready, sear the cucumber slices on both sides; there should be sufficient color while retaining a crisp texture.
If you're deft, you can dip a new batch while searing the old. If not, ask someone for help or lower the heat to buy yourself time. No sense in burning good cucumbers.
The tofu. There should be a little soy sauce mixture left, after searing the cucumber. Break the two eggs and blend it together. Drain the tofu and slice lengthwise, then across to form 12 slices.
Take a small saucepan (~ 1 quart size) and fill up to 1 inch with vegetable oil. Push to high heat, and keep the oil at a ready temperature ..
(bubbles should form when a chopstick is dipped into the oil)
Now take each tofu slice, dip into the egg-sauce mixture, and with pot lid ready in the other hand, add to the pot of oil. Beware the sizzle and spatter; use the pot lid as a shield, if necessary.
When the tofu slice is browned and floating happily, drain on paper towels. Too much oil is bad for you.
Do the same until the tofu is all done. If you avoid waste, take the remaining egg mixture and make a small omelette with some chopped scallions.
(say, on that same small pan you used for cucumbers)
When the omelette is done, slice into strips for the noodle bowls.
Presentation. To each noodle bowl, put a helping of noodles, then on the side add a share of seared cucumbers, then sprinkle with scallions. Add a measure of the Egg Drop Asparagus-Stem soup, then add crushed peanuts and a few pieces of fried tofu on top.
All told, you didn't really need the asparagus stems in the broth, but at least you can tell your guests that there is asparagus in the soup. It makes for good conversation, at least.
Brief Post: Asparagus Salad.
Spurred on by Jo, I will post again.
Terrible really, that it took me this long to jot down a single recipe for posterity! But for the record, most of my culinary creations of the last few weeks have been mediocre and simple to make, at best. Jose and Alan seem to like them, though, so perhaps that is the best test!
This is a quick recipe from last week, and it sounds exactly like its name. I apologize if I've forgotten any ingredients; add what you like.
Salad greens with Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients:
- 1 head green leaf lettuce (or your favorite field green vegetable; yuppy choices like escarole and endive aren't bad);
- 1 medium red bell pepper, julienned;
- 1 clementine or small orange, peeled and sectioned and seeds removed;
- 1 bunch asparagus, prepared (details to come)
I'll leave the dressing to you, though I suggest against anything creamy; it defeats the whole purpose of adding the clementine, which should give a fresh sweetness against the bitter tang of winter!
On how to prepare asparagus.
There's no canonical way of preparing this vegetable, but here is one method which seems reasonable trustworthy.
Stemming: Given an asparagus stalk, the best way to determine how much to remove from the stem is quite fun, actually. You take each stalk, hold it by both ends with both hands, hold the head tip steady, and bend the stem to the head tip until the stalk snaps. The division occurs precisely where the stalk is tough and untender.
Don't throw away the stems! Chopping and boiling them gives a good start to a pleasant vegetable broth. In fact, this is a general principle: just as how you might trim meats and poultry, take the remainder from this excision and boil them for broth.
Saute with Delayed Oil. For the record, I lied. You need some herbs for this, preferably dried (because they are lighter and adhere better to olive oil). I suggest thyme or oregano, and maybe a sparing of red pepper flakes. Add salt if you like, but don't overdo it; the asparagus will already wilt from the saute heat.
With these naturally stemmed stalks of asparagus, now snap them into fork-sized pieces. Heat a pan at high heat without oil at first, and when it is ready ..
(drip a few beads of water onto the pan; they should sizzle immediately)
.. just toss the asparagus in. Shake the pan every minute for a few minutes, until the asparagus begins to have seared spots on them. Then sprinkle with oil, and while it hisses, coat the asparagus with your chosen batch of herbs. Then give the pan a good shake, and this should be enough to coat each piece with oil and herbs.
Keep on high heat, shaking the pan regularly. When you think it's done, it's done. Then use as a salad ingredient with the others.
Terrible really, that it took me this long to jot down a single recipe for posterity! But for the record, most of my culinary creations of the last few weeks have been mediocre and simple to make, at best. Jose and Alan seem to like them, though, so perhaps that is the best test!
This is a quick recipe from last week, and it sounds exactly like its name. I apologize if I've forgotten any ingredients; add what you like.
Salad greens with Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients:
- 1 head green leaf lettuce (or your favorite field green vegetable; yuppy choices like escarole and endive aren't bad);
- 1 medium red bell pepper, julienned;
- 1 clementine or small orange, peeled and sectioned and seeds removed;
- 1 bunch asparagus, prepared (details to come)
I'll leave the dressing to you, though I suggest against anything creamy; it defeats the whole purpose of adding the clementine, which should give a fresh sweetness against the bitter tang of winter!
On how to prepare asparagus.
There's no canonical way of preparing this vegetable, but here is one method which seems reasonable trustworthy.
Stemming: Given an asparagus stalk, the best way to determine how much to remove from the stem is quite fun, actually. You take each stalk, hold it by both ends with both hands, hold the head tip steady, and bend the stem to the head tip until the stalk snaps. The division occurs precisely where the stalk is tough and untender.
Don't throw away the stems! Chopping and boiling them gives a good start to a pleasant vegetable broth. In fact, this is a general principle: just as how you might trim meats and poultry, take the remainder from this excision and boil them for broth.
Saute with Delayed Oil. For the record, I lied. You need some herbs for this, preferably dried (because they are lighter and adhere better to olive oil). I suggest thyme or oregano, and maybe a sparing of red pepper flakes. Add salt if you like, but don't overdo it; the asparagus will already wilt from the saute heat.
With these naturally stemmed stalks of asparagus, now snap them into fork-sized pieces. Heat a pan at high heat without oil at first, and when it is ready ..
(drip a few beads of water onto the pan; they should sizzle immediately)
.. just toss the asparagus in. Shake the pan every minute for a few minutes, until the asparagus begins to have seared spots on them. Then sprinkle with oil, and while it hisses, coat the asparagus with your chosen batch of herbs. Then give the pan a good shake, and this should be enough to coat each piece with oil and herbs.
Keep on high heat, shaking the pan regularly. When you think it's done, it's done. Then use as a salad ingredient with the others.
Thursday, February 3, 2005
Red Lentil Dal Curry
Oh man, this was good. I referenced some recipes on the internet beforehand, but here's roughly what I did. Rinse and boil red lentils to not quite mush (transluscent on the edges). In fat (I used butter, ghee would be most authentic I guess, some recipes called for oil but where's the fun in that), roast spices: cumin, tumeric, mustard. Sautee in ginger, garlic, onion, sliced chili, salt. Add cooked beans (monitor how much water goes in with them, depending on the consistency of beans when added and the final consistency you're aiming for) and sliced tomato. Simmer until soupy and soft. I was missing a lot of ingredients (mustard, chili, tomato, cilantro) but it still came out good. To compensate for the missing cilantro, I added a bit of coriander to the spices. I missed having soft slices of tomato floating around; that with green cilantro would have made for beautiful presentation. Best over basmati (I ate it with leftover brown rice). Indians are experts at vegetarian food. Dal curry's my favorite: basic, homey, delicious. OK Jasun we're three for three. Granted, your entries are multi-part meals whereas mine are only one or two dishes. Still, I'm not posting anymore until you do!
Wednesday, February 2, 2005
Ode to Beets
Beets are best roasted, but I steamed them this time around since I wanted to hardsteam some eggs at the same time.
Fresh beets come with large leaves which I find delicious. Raw they have a strong, salty flavor; I made sure to taste a bit before cooking the rest for the recipe given here. I lopped the leaves into manageable pieces and sauteed them in butter, plus a little red wine on a whim, to eat over pasta (full-bodied whole wheat spaghettini) with parmesan cheese. Thick, fibrous red ribs run down the center of the leaves--I should have cut those smaller or cooked them longer than the green parts, otherwise they present a chewing challenge. The red and green over brown-dyed-red pasta results in dramatic presentation. I accompanied this with the root part of the beet, which in retrospect I think would have been nice drizzled with a white sweet cream thing, maybe creme fraiche or ricotta mixed with a little sour cream for oomph.
I was hardsteaming the eggs to go into a potato salad I was making for lunch the next day. Potato salad is by nature vegetarian and there are a million ways to make it. Inspired by Jose's salads, I cooked carrots along with the potatoes this time (also because I had only one potato) and that came out good. Of the selection of salty things one can add (olives, capers, relish) I used only olives this time around. Turns out I had leftover beets to eat with the potato salad today, and they made a good match--I mused that one could make a potato-salad-esque thing with beets as a base, and then realized that maybe I'd eaten something like that before, and forgotten.
With beets, be warned: red gets everywhere--in the kitchen, and in your system! I asked Arvind, from India, about a rumor I'd heard that hardcore Jain people who wouldn't eat beets because they're just too "bloody," but he didn't think it was true.
Fresh beets come with large leaves which I find delicious. Raw they have a strong, salty flavor; I made sure to taste a bit before cooking the rest for the recipe given here. I lopped the leaves into manageable pieces and sauteed them in butter, plus a little red wine on a whim, to eat over pasta (full-bodied whole wheat spaghettini) with parmesan cheese. Thick, fibrous red ribs run down the center of the leaves--I should have cut those smaller or cooked them longer than the green parts, otherwise they present a chewing challenge. The red and green over brown-dyed-red pasta results in dramatic presentation. I accompanied this with the root part of the beet, which in retrospect I think would have been nice drizzled with a white sweet cream thing, maybe creme fraiche or ricotta mixed with a little sour cream for oomph.
I was hardsteaming the eggs to go into a potato salad I was making for lunch the next day. Potato salad is by nature vegetarian and there are a million ways to make it. Inspired by Jose's salads, I cooked carrots along with the potatoes this time (also because I had only one potato) and that came out good. Of the selection of salty things one can add (olives, capers, relish) I used only olives this time around. Turns out I had leftover beets to eat with the potato salad today, and they made a good match--I mused that one could make a potato-salad-esque thing with beets as a base, and then realized that maybe I'd eaten something like that before, and forgotten.
With beets, be warned: red gets everywhere--in the kitchen, and in your system! I asked Arvind, from India, about a rumor I'd heard that hardcore Jain people who wouldn't eat beets because they're just too "bloody," but he didn't think it was true.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
hey i was vegetarian monday night too--
with Andy, conjured up a rather rich meal:
Simple vegetable soup with potato & parmesan prominent. Not too much cheese to be overwhelming, though--about 1/2 cup for six servings of soup or so. Garlic and onion in butter first, then potatoes, carrots, leek, boil long enough to mush potatoes, afterwards broccoli and at the last minute, turnip leaves, at the last last minute the parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste.
Andy's contribution: wheat gluten fajitas. Sliced seitan (seasoned wheat gluten stir fry) sauteed with yellow bell pepper and onions, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste, with wheat tortillas and cheese but I preferred it just over brown rice.
Dessert: yams, preboiled as Jasun once advised, then baked with some pats of butter and slices of Braeburn apple (bakes well!) in a thin layer of apple juice.
Comments: no overarching theme here, more like cooking off the cuff with available ingredients! Yummy, though heavy. For the vegetarian challenge, relying too much on consipicuously faked meat (the seasoned gluten) would be cheating I think but OK sometimes. The only moral here is that a meatless meal can still be hearty, especially when taking advantage of vegetarian fat sources: cheese and butter are obvious; coconut milk is reliable; fancy-do delights are avocado, and nuts as Jasun mentioned. Plus plenty of great hearty not-fatty ingredients (all the kinds of beans come to mind) but that's no reason to omit fat :)
Comments to Jasun: I'm a fan of your vegetarian quest! You sound so hard on yourself; maybe perfectionism has its purpose, but please don't give it up! I look forward to the concoctions to come...
Monday, January 24, 2005
So-Called Recipes: Judge for Yourself!
I haven't added a new post in a week's time. The last few meals have been forgettable, and I must say that I miss meats. I don't miss eating them, but I do miss cooking with chicken, fish, or beef.
Even my failsafe meal is a chicken, red pepper, and broccoli stir-fry with rice - no special tricks, just what it sounds like - and it's not quite the same without the chicken. You don't get the light gravy / sauce when you add a cornstarch solution, for instance .. \:
Ah well. I suppose that it wouldn't be worth doing, were it easy. I continually tell myself that this vegetarianism will do me good: I'll pick up new culinary tricks, and in time I will become a better cook after a year's length of cooking with constraints.
But now? Woe is me .. or woe are my flatmates, who have agreed to eat my experiments. So far they seem to genuinely like my meals, or at least do a wonderful job of hiding their displeasure.
So-called Recipe #1: Curry Noodles
Ingredients:
angel-hair pasta,
1 medium jalapeno pepper,
3 tsp curry powder, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp thyme,
2 tsp honey,
olive oil or other cooking oil,
salt, water, cornstarch,
innards of green bell peppers (rest to be used later),
leftover mango preserves from last week's scallion pancake debacle.
Steps: Self-explanatory. Finely dice the bell pepper and jalapeno, then saute them first in a small saucepan. Coat them with all the spices and let the mixture smoke a little (but not burn!). Then add water, beware the sizzle, and mix well while slowly adding honey.
When mixture begins to simmer, mix a cornstarch solution and add half to the pot. Lower the heat and stir into a nice gravy, then add mango preserves and water. Let simmer again, and add remaining cornstarch.
One last simmer and it's ready: serve with drained angel-hair pasta.
Motivation: Nothing too revolutionary, but there seems a surprising lack of sweet-and-spicy foods out there. The fruit and honey should offset the curry and jalapeno sufficiently, without sacrificing either flavor.
This might work rather well as a meatless dish; chicken or beef might confuse the juxtaposition. Better to keep it simple, noodles and sauce, to determine whether this is a good balance or not.
Retrospective Alternatives: Instead of toasted almonds, crushed peanuts would be fine. Finely chopped scallions or cilantro on top wouldn't be bad, either. After all, you can never have enough cilantro. (;
So-called Recipe #2: Not-Quite-a-Murakami Salad
Ingredients:
1 peeled cucumber, 3 Roma tomatoes, 1 bunch red seedless grapes,
sesame oil, olive oil, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds
Steps: Even more self-explanatory. Cut cucumber into discs along the long side, then quarter discs. Do the same with tomatoes, but half-discs, and cut grapes in half, making sure to hold grapes firmly while cutting; otherwise you can slip and slice your fingers.
Toss into a sufficiently large bowl, dress with oil and vinegar, and sprinkle sesame seeds as a final flourish.
Motivation: Last time, the Murakami salad tasted exactly and sadly as it should be (ask if you want to know what it is). Never again, I say!
I've kept the cucumber and introduce tomatoes for a juicier texture. The dressing itself is plain, but the grapes allow a surprising sweetness. This works well for those people who like eating salads, one well-mixed forkful at a time.
So-called Recipe #3: Something from the Oven
It's a secret. q; Ask if you really want to know.
One thing is obvious; this must have used the aforementioned bell peppers .. but when? .. how?!? (;
Anyways, I'll see if I have any new ideas for Tuesday. Happy cooking.
Even my failsafe meal is a chicken, red pepper, and broccoli stir-fry with rice - no special tricks, just what it sounds like - and it's not quite the same without the chicken. You don't get the light gravy / sauce when you add a cornstarch solution, for instance .. \:
Ah well. I suppose that it wouldn't be worth doing, were it easy. I continually tell myself that this vegetarianism will do me good: I'll pick up new culinary tricks, and in time I will become a better cook after a year's length of cooking with constraints.
But now? Woe is me .. or woe are my flatmates, who have agreed to eat my experiments. So far they seem to genuinely like my meals, or at least do a wonderful job of hiding their displeasure.
So-called Recipe #1: Curry Noodles
Ingredients:
angel-hair pasta,
1 medium jalapeno pepper,
3 tsp curry powder, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp thyme,
2 tsp honey,
olive oil or other cooking oil,
salt, water, cornstarch,
innards of green bell peppers (rest to be used later),
leftover mango preserves from last week's scallion pancake debacle.
Steps: Self-explanatory. Finely dice the bell pepper and jalapeno, then saute them first in a small saucepan. Coat them with all the spices and let the mixture smoke a little (but not burn!). Then add water, beware the sizzle, and mix well while slowly adding honey.
When mixture begins to simmer, mix a cornstarch solution and add half to the pot. Lower the heat and stir into a nice gravy, then add mango preserves and water. Let simmer again, and add remaining cornstarch.
One last simmer and it's ready: serve with drained angel-hair pasta.
Motivation: Nothing too revolutionary, but there seems a surprising lack of sweet-and-spicy foods out there. The fruit and honey should offset the curry and jalapeno sufficiently, without sacrificing either flavor.
This might work rather well as a meatless dish; chicken or beef might confuse the juxtaposition. Better to keep it simple, noodles and sauce, to determine whether this is a good balance or not.
Retrospective Alternatives: Instead of toasted almonds, crushed peanuts would be fine. Finely chopped scallions or cilantro on top wouldn't be bad, either. After all, you can never have enough cilantro. (;
So-called Recipe #2: Not-Quite-a-Murakami Salad
Ingredients:
1 peeled cucumber, 3 Roma tomatoes, 1 bunch red seedless grapes,
sesame oil, olive oil, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds
Steps: Even more self-explanatory. Cut cucumber into discs along the long side, then quarter discs. Do the same with tomatoes, but half-discs, and cut grapes in half, making sure to hold grapes firmly while cutting; otherwise you can slip and slice your fingers.
Toss into a sufficiently large bowl, dress with oil and vinegar, and sprinkle sesame seeds as a final flourish.
Motivation: Last time, the Murakami salad tasted exactly and sadly as it should be (ask if you want to know what it is). Never again, I say!
I've kept the cucumber and introduce tomatoes for a juicier texture. The dressing itself is plain, but the grapes allow a surprising sweetness. This works well for those people who like eating salads, one well-mixed forkful at a time.
So-called Recipe #3: Something from the Oven
It's a secret. q; Ask if you really want to know.
One thing is obvious; this must have used the aforementioned bell peppers .. but when? .. how?!? (;
Anyways, I'll see if I have any new ideas for Tuesday. Happy cooking.
Friday, January 14, 2005
No new recipes yet ..
Granted, I did cook this past Tuesday, but there was absolutely no originality in it and what I did make had, like Julia Roberts, an unappetizing look to it. Trust me.
Rather, this is an open invitation to my friends out there. If you'd like to share your vegetarian recipes on this blog, then send me an e-mail (there should be a link on my Profile page) and say so: I'll add you to the Members list and you can start posting your veggie-friendly culinary concoctions thereafter! Isn't that exciting?
Rather, this is an open invitation to my friends out there. If you'd like to share your vegetarian recipes on this blog, then send me an e-mail (there should be a link on my Profile page) and say so: I'll add you to the Members list and you can start posting your veggie-friendly culinary concoctions thereafter! Isn't that exciting?
Monday, January 10, 2005
Artless Cooking.
[Recipe from Yesterday]
I didn't have a very good feeling about yesterday's supper. It felt too .. simple, more like a random mishmash of disparate foods that happened to be served on the same plate.
I wonder if my flatmates figured out that I'm moving to vegetarianism, yet. I'll probably mention it tomorrow, when it's my turn to cook again.
Anyways, if you really want to know, here's what we had last night:
Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes - there's nothing like a good roasted flavor to starches like potatoes, yams, and squashes. A great seasonal flavor for the winter and fall.
Ingredients:
(The idea is to start off the vegetables with abundant moisture; otherwise as single pieces they will dry out and burn easily in the oven, so this allows them to roast while retaining some moisture.)
Oven Bake. Preheat the oven to 425 oF, and on a baking pan spread out the drained vegetables into a single layer inside. Drip olive oil and mix with a spatula, to assure a good coating of olive oil on all the vegetables. Sprinkle cumin and paprika lightly and stir again.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until some of the potatoes have a roasted twinge of brown. If you prefer a more moist texture, you may consider covering the pan lightly with aluminum foil and bake at a lower temperature for a few minutes longer.
Remember to let the pan cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy.
Barley Concoction - I was treating this more like a risotto dish, in all honesty. However, it doesn't have a velvety sauce, and works more like a hearty base to the meal.
Ingredients:
Steam (2 possible methods). I highly suggest a rice cooker to steam the barley, because there's no need to watch it while other matters are at hand.
If you insist on pan-cooking the barley, then you can afford taking more time and care with it. Make sure to keep the stove at a medium-low setting, and stir at regular intervals, making sure to blend the bottom of the pot's contents with the top.
For the rice cooker, add the barley and stock together, then add enough water so that the liquid level is 1/3" above the level of barley in the pan.
For the pan and stovetop, do the same but with 1/2" of liquid above the barley level; you'll likely need to raise the liquid levels once or twice, since liquid evaporates quickly with conduction. Do so according to how moist you like your barley.
When the liquid in the barley has boiled almost to the same level as the barley, mix in the cumin and curry and stir well.
Saute. Start a frying pan on High heat and lightly coat the pan with olive oil. Add the bell pepper and mushroom at the same time, and after they are coated with oil, coat the contents with the thyme, basil, salt, and red pepper. This will allow the spices to sear into the vegetables and maximize flavor.
**on Texture: If you insist on a light, velvety sauce with this mixture, take the cornstarch and in a separate bowl, mix vigorously with 1/2 cup of hot water. The outcome is a thin, white liquid, and stir it into the frying pan. It will sizzle, and after a moment, the starch will thicken, and you may need an additional 1/2 cup of water into the pan to thin it out.
Keep stirring the saute until the mushroom texture softens. Then remove from heat.
Blend. When all is completed, take a large mixing bowl and spoon into it the cooked, lightly-spiced barley. On top add the sauteed bell pepper and mushrooms, and on top the raw diced tomato. Mix well, and you're done.
Really. It's that simple. Hence the misgivings.
Sauteed Rapini - rapini is an excellent vegetable: a dark leafy green which is full of good antioxidants. The flavor is much like some types of Asian greens, in that there is a little bitter taste, but mostly crisp.
Ingredients:
Wait for the oil to steam, then add rapini and blend. Make sure all the rapini is equally and lightly coated with the oi. Next add a pinch of sugar and a light sprinkle of salt - not too much, because of the soy sauce later!
Cover for 1-2 minutes; this allows the rapini to steam into a brighter green color, but if you steam it for too long, you'll leech out the nutrients. The stalks should still have shape (not limp) when the steam is done.
Stir, and add soy sauce and sesame oil. Keep stirring, and after a moment, remove from heat. Done.
At any rate, that's what we had for dinner. It wasn't bad; we also split a baguette warmed from the oven. I suppose we're developing a bread addiction .. (;
I didn't have a very good feeling about yesterday's supper. It felt too .. simple, more like a random mishmash of disparate foods that happened to be served on the same plate.
I wonder if my flatmates figured out that I'm moving to vegetarianism, yet. I'll probably mention it tomorrow, when it's my turn to cook again.
Anyways, if you really want to know, here's what we had last night:
Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes - there's nothing like a good roasted flavor to starches like potatoes, yams, and squashes. A great seasonal flavor for the winter and fall.
Ingredients:
- 2 large, oval-shaped sweet potatoes - cut into 2-finger pieces
- 1 medium Asian eggplant, sliced into pinky-sized pieces (optional)
- olive oil
- cumin and paprika
(The idea is to start off the vegetables with abundant moisture; otherwise as single pieces they will dry out and burn easily in the oven, so this allows them to roast while retaining some moisture.)
Oven Bake. Preheat the oven to 425 oF, and on a baking pan spread out the drained vegetables into a single layer inside. Drip olive oil and mix with a spatula, to assure a good coating of olive oil on all the vegetables. Sprinkle cumin and paprika lightly and stir again.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until some of the potatoes have a roasted twinge of brown. If you prefer a more moist texture, you may consider covering the pan lightly with aluminum foil and bake at a lower temperature for a few minutes longer.
Remember to let the pan cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy.
Barley Concoction - I was treating this more like a risotto dish, in all honesty. However, it doesn't have a velvety sauce, and works more like a hearty base to the meal.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups pearl barley (with rice cooker for steaming)
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 medium-sized Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 8oz. package mushrooms, sliced
- olive oil
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. curry powder
- thyme and basil (store-bought and dry is fine)
- salt and red pepper flakes to taste
- 2 tsp. cornstarch (optional)
Steam (2 possible methods). I highly suggest a rice cooker to steam the barley, because there's no need to watch it while other matters are at hand.
If you insist on pan-cooking the barley, then you can afford taking more time and care with it. Make sure to keep the stove at a medium-low setting, and stir at regular intervals, making sure to blend the bottom of the pot's contents with the top.
For the rice cooker, add the barley and stock together, then add enough water so that the liquid level is 1/3" above the level of barley in the pan.
For the pan and stovetop, do the same but with 1/2" of liquid above the barley level; you'll likely need to raise the liquid levels once or twice, since liquid evaporates quickly with conduction. Do so according to how moist you like your barley.
When the liquid in the barley has boiled almost to the same level as the barley, mix in the cumin and curry and stir well.
Saute. Start a frying pan on High heat and lightly coat the pan with olive oil. Add the bell pepper and mushroom at the same time, and after they are coated with oil, coat the contents with the thyme, basil, salt, and red pepper. This will allow the spices to sear into the vegetables and maximize flavor.
**on Texture: If you insist on a light, velvety sauce with this mixture, take the cornstarch and in a separate bowl, mix vigorously with 1/2 cup of hot water. The outcome is a thin, white liquid, and stir it into the frying pan. It will sizzle, and after a moment, the starch will thicken, and you may need an additional 1/2 cup of water into the pan to thin it out.
Keep stirring the saute until the mushroom texture softens. Then remove from heat.
Blend. When all is completed, take a large mixing bowl and spoon into it the cooked, lightly-spiced barley. On top add the sauteed bell pepper and mushrooms, and on top the raw diced tomato. Mix well, and you're done.
Really. It's that simple. Hence the misgivings.
Sauteed Rapini - rapini is an excellent vegetable: a dark leafy green which is full of good antioxidants. The flavor is much like some types of Asian greens, in that there is a little bitter taste, but mostly crisp.
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch rapini (2 lbs) - lower stems removed and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- 1 large garlic clove, finely sliced
- olive oil
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- 2 tsp. soy sauce
- sugar and salt to taste
Wait for the oil to steam, then add rapini and blend. Make sure all the rapini is equally and lightly coated with the oi. Next add a pinch of sugar and a light sprinkle of salt - not too much, because of the soy sauce later!
Cover for 1-2 minutes; this allows the rapini to steam into a brighter green color, but if you steam it for too long, you'll leech out the nutrients. The stalks should still have shape (not limp) when the steam is done.
Stir, and add soy sauce and sesame oil. Keep stirring, and after a moment, remove from heat. Done.
At any rate, that's what we had for dinner. It wasn't bad; we also split a baguette warmed from the oven. I suppose we're developing a bread addiction .. (;
Friday, January 7, 2005
Starting Simple ..
[UPDATE - 8 Jan '04: some commentary can be found here]
[Recipes from yesterday, 6 Jan '04]
I opted for something which seemed to me simple but tasty, so I've begun with an 'Italian' theme. Judge for yourself: No-Sauce Pasta, a Simple Salad, and a Suggested Bread.
No-Sauce Pasta - Ingredients:
When the pasta is ready, drain and perform a quick rinse with cold water. This will keep the strands from forming a single blob, while you saute.
Saute. On High heat, start a large frying pan with a good measure of olive oil, and when it begins to smoke (it should sizzle a little if a few drops of water are tossed in) then add the garlic and tomatoes first. After a moment, reduce to Medium heat and add the mushrooms; a minute later, add the bell pepper. Let it all sear a little.
When some of the garlic reaches a slight brown color, ~slowly~ add enough water so that the pan has a 1/3"-high level of water (often this causes quite a sizzle!). Give time for the pan's contents to reduce, until the mixture reaches the consistency of maple syrup. Add red pepper and a little salt.
Next, add the cilantro, part by part. It should shrink quickly, so keep folding it into the mixture. After two minutes, remove from heat.
Blend. This is a plate-by-plate process. Drip a fair amount of olive oil on a serving plate, apply a helping of capellini on top, and then a large pinch of feta chesse. Stir the mixture with a fork until most of the pasta is lightly-covered with the olive oil and feta.
Next, dress the blended capellini with the saute. When all is done, the pasta gains the salty flavor of the feta, and the oil will help to blend the strands with the saute mixture. No tomato sauce necessary.
a Simple Salad - Ingredients:
Dress to Order. I suggest chopping into 1" rings starting from the stem, then rinsing and draining. Add the mushrooms, then dress the lettuce before adding the last ingredients!
Philosophy. Typically mushrooms have a 'dry' flavor, and they do well with a little liquid flavoring. The lettuce forms the main body of the salad, and it should convey the dressing throughout the salad contents. There's no need to coat tomatoes or red onion with oil and vinegar, because they have enough 'wet' flavor as it is.
Suggested Bread - a ciabatta loaf from the bakery. Warm at 250 oF in the oven before serving, which gives it a great, crispy texture!
[Recipes from yesterday, 6 Jan '04]
I opted for something which seemed to me simple but tasty, so I've begun with an 'Italian' theme. Judge for yourself: No-Sauce Pasta, a Simple Salad, and a Suggested Bread.
No-Sauce Pasta - Ingredients:
- capellini / angel-hair pasta (2/3's of a package)
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced to pinky-sized pieces
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
- 1/2 package Crimini mushrooms, halved (if large)
- a large bunch of cilantro, stems removed and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced finely
- 1 cup feta cheese
- plenty of olive oil and water
- salt, red pepper flakes (to taste)
When the pasta is ready, drain and perform a quick rinse with cold water. This will keep the strands from forming a single blob, while you saute.
Saute. On High heat, start a large frying pan with a good measure of olive oil, and when it begins to smoke (it should sizzle a little if a few drops of water are tossed in) then add the garlic and tomatoes first. After a moment, reduce to Medium heat and add the mushrooms; a minute later, add the bell pepper. Let it all sear a little.
When some of the garlic reaches a slight brown color, ~slowly~ add enough water so that the pan has a 1/3"-high level of water (often this causes quite a sizzle!). Give time for the pan's contents to reduce, until the mixture reaches the consistency of maple syrup. Add red pepper and a little salt.
Next, add the cilantro, part by part. It should shrink quickly, so keep folding it into the mixture. After two minutes, remove from heat.
Blend. This is a plate-by-plate process. Drip a fair amount of olive oil on a serving plate, apply a helping of capellini on top, and then a large pinch of feta chesse. Stir the mixture with a fork until most of the pasta is lightly-covered with the olive oil and feta.
Next, dress the blended capellini with the saute. When all is done, the pasta gains the salty flavor of the feta, and the oil will help to blend the strands with the saute mixture. No tomato sauce necessary.
a Simple Salad - Ingredients:
- 1 head of green-leaf lettuce
- 1 large Roma tomato, diced
- 1/2 package of Crimini mushrooms, halved (if large)
- 1 small red onion, cut in slices
- 1 part sesame oil
- 1 part olive oil
- 2 parts rice vinegar
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp honey
Dress to Order. I suggest chopping into 1" rings starting from the stem, then rinsing and draining. Add the mushrooms, then dress the lettuce before adding the last ingredients!
Philosophy. Typically mushrooms have a 'dry' flavor, and they do well with a little liquid flavoring. The lettuce forms the main body of the salad, and it should convey the dressing throughout the salad contents. There's no need to coat tomatoes or red onion with oil and vinegar, because they have enough 'wet' flavor as it is.
Suggested Bread - a ciabatta loaf from the bakery. Warm at 250 oF in the oven before serving, which gives it a great, crispy texture!
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