Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

I don't think there are any strict vegetarians in my current personal circle, but there are always some people with food restrictions whom we have to consider whenever we give or contribute to a big party.

I work in an 'ethnically diverse' environment with many people who don't eat 'mainstream', ranging from Jews and Muslims who don't eat pork, to a Hindu who doesn't eat beef OR pork; the occasional vegetarians of varying commitment; and (sigh) one 'raw-foodist'. (Just buy a pineapple for that one.)

Having been largely vegetarian for the first part of my own adult life - and loving veggies for their own sake - the biggest section of my personal loose-leaf cookbook is the vegetable section. I thought this week I'd share some unusual vegetable recipes.

I found this simple but special eggplant dish last year, but don't have a picture. The 'scoring' that you do on the eggplant is a kind of cross-hatching that looks like nice grill marks. (I've also seen similar recipes done by slicing the eggplant into thick slices, instead of two long halves):

Roasted Eggplant with Tahini Dressing

2 medium eggplants (about 1 1/4 pounds total), trimmed and halved lengthwise

coarse sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

DRESSING:

3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons hot water

1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1/8 teaspoon minced garlic

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

For Eggplant: Heat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (It helps to first sprinkle the eggplant halves with salt, and let them "drain", flesh side down, in a large colander for about 30 minutes before roasting. It helps to reduce the moisture content of the dish.)

Put eggplant pieces on prepared baking sheet, flesh-side up. With the tip of a sharp knife, score flesh, about 3/4 inch deep. Season eggplant with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil. Roast, rotating pan once halfway through, until eggplant flesh is soft and collapsed and edges are deep golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

For Dressing: While eggplant is roasting, in a bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Remove eggplant from oven and sprinkle with salt.

Transfer to serving plates, drizzle with half of the dressing and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with remaining dressing.

One of the most popular vegetarian recipes I've taken to a party was a Mushroom Strudel. I originally found it in some healthy-eating magazine, where it was suggested as an entree for a vegetarian Thanksgiving. I've misplaced the original, but this recipe is identical:

http://www.food.com/recipe/mushroom-strudel-21852

This next recipe from Paula Wolfert's book 'The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen' is one of the most surprising recipes that I've tried, though it appears to be very common in the Middle East. I think we actually cheated the first time by making it with frozen artichokes, and it was still very good:

http://leitesculinaria.com/6844/recipes-compote-of-artichoke-orange-coriander-and-mint.html

Lastly, as Jacques Pepin has often said, you can't do better than excellent bread with excellent butter. This week someone asked to be added to this ping list, and mentioned an interest in Sourdough bread-making. I would like to learn that too, and perhaps some of the folks who have done it can give us tips/recipes. I'm not sure if I've posted this before, but I recently found this interesting article by a microbiologist named Debra Wink, who turned her scientific knowledge to the sourdough cause:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/10856/pineapple-juice-solution-part-1

[Jamestown1630]

This week: Feeding Vegetarians and other “picky” eaters; and Sourdough Bread! (Let the PETA and ‘bad-hunter’ jokes begin ;-)

If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking thread, please send a private message.

-JT

[cherry]

the trouble with meat eaters is that we also like our veggies.....its like being transgendered...:)

[Rio]

I’m a picky eater. I try to only eat foods that contain bacon.
National Donut Day tomorrow...

And if you’ve been hankering for a way to make Voodoo’s Maple-Bacon Doughnut at home, rejoice: We’ve got the recipe.
http://www.oregonlive.com/cooking/2015/06/donut_nation_features_2_of_por.html

[Sherman Logan]

Lastly, as Jacques Pepin has often said, you can't do better than excellent bread with excellent butter.

Vegans?

[lulu16]

Hi JT, I have been making Russian vegetable pie since the college in the late 70’s. I didn’t have a written recipe, I had it at a party and have been making it from memory ever since.

I give this dish as a gift to people because the ready-made pie crust is its own disposable container. Memorably, I gave this to a priest during Lent after the Stations of the Cross. Father Peter was very touched. Please pray for him. They have sent him back to Nigeria.

This recipe is very simple and I usually have all ingredients on hand. The thing is, it does have cream cheese and eggs, so it is not strickly vegan. But my vegetarian friends do dig it.

Russian Vegetable Pie

Deep dish frozen pie crust, both layers
1 sm. head cabbage
1/2 lb. mushrooms
1 sm. yellow onion
salt & pepper to taste
3 tbsp. oil, divided into three portions
1 package 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 to 5 hard boiled eggs

Pre-heat oven 400 degrees.

Take pie crust from freezer and defrost according to instructions.

Open cream cheese package to soften.

Using a wok, saute separately onions until wilted. Set aside.

Saute mushrooms separately until wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Saute cabbages separately until wilted. Salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the cream cheese in bottom of pie shell.

Arrange the sliced eggs over the cream cheese.Then cover with first cabbage, then onions and lastly mushrooms.

Cover with a circle of pastry. Crimp edges with a fork. Bush with a slightly beaten egg. Make three steam vents on the top crust.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Then turn down to 350 degrees and bake another 20 to 25 minutes until golden and flaky.

This taste great warm, room temperature or cold.

I hope this brings pleasure to the Freepers on your thread and they have this in their file of easy non-meat meals.

Blessing y’all!

[Jamestown1630]

The vegans would also get a pineapple, dammit.

[Calvin Locke]

Do vegans knowingly consume butter?

From my married days, we'd have fondue (in spite of her sodium complaints...) a couple of times a month.

Usually an Italian loaf, but really whatever was available in that "style".

And a Granny Smith to provide contrast.

[lulu16]

I love pineapples. Yesterday,I bought pjs with a pineapple applique on the top and I have two pineapples ripening on the counter that smell so good.

I like to separate the hard center that is unpalatable and put that in a pitcher of water to delicately flavor it.

Vegans are a pain. I think it is because their brain is missing an important enzyme because they don’t eat meat. They have to endless graze, never satisfied. They become other herbivores like sheep and cows.

[ebshumidors]

It’s summer. Salons suites. Look it up and thank me later!

[lulu16]

JT, I always have eggplant in the house. I did not buy the fat tubular Italian type. They can be bitter and they take too long to cook.

I get the long and elegant Chinese or Filipino eggplant, or sometimes the bulb like Thai eggplant. They don’t need skinning, or that weird process where you put salt and let the water drop out, so they don’t soak up as much grease. Besides grease is good for you. Your brain needs fat.

[varina davis]

Save

[V K Lee]

Sourdough questions? This site might help
http://www.nyx.net/~dgreenw/sourdoughqa.html

Still searching for me many ways to use the Friendship Bread so popular years ago. Feed me!!

[lulu16]

I hope you like it, Varina. Write back and tell me your results.

I should have noted that many Catholics forego meat during Lent, a time of deep contemplation, prayer, good works and spiritual preparation for the resurrection of Christ at Easter.

Most people only know the orgy of Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.

[Jamestown1630]

I don’t have a problem with vegans or vegetarians or even raw-foodists. I did my own stint with vegetarians when I was young. But the vegans and raw-food folks are just so ‘not-fun’ to cook for.

Fortunately, I’m not in the food business, and can’t be sued for refusing to cook vegan ;-)

[ebshumidors]

Szalonna sutes. Damn autocorrect.

[Jamestown1630]

LOL! I thought you were telling me that I needed a Spa experience ;-)

[Ditter]

“Vegans are a pain”. LoL!

A few years ago I decided to try a vegetarian diet after being a meat eater all my life.

It did not work for me, I would develop the worst migraine type headache ever afternoon. I decided after a few weeks of intense pain to go back to eating meat and all the other animal products I had always eaten.

The headaches went away. I don't care what anyone else eats but don't expect me to join you.

[Jamestown1630]

http://www.thehungarydish.com/hungarian-bacon-roast/

The comments are great.

[greeneyes]

(Vegans)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Not unless they are eating some sort of “manufactured, synthetic” butter. LOL