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

[Hardens Hollow]

Yup, sounds great (the yogurt recipe). I had been wondering if I could use yogurts like Activia to start the culture, rather than buying yogurt culture, which is pretty pricey.

Do you know of any single-serving brands that have live cultures? I hate buying a 4-pack when I only need one!

[Hardens Hollow]

“...seeing you have all that condensed milk laying around. “

LOL! And I love heath bars too....here goes my good intentions to eat healthy!

[Liz]

Oh, please.

Chocolate is VERY healthy-—it’s a vegetable-—a bean.

[V K Lee]

JRF, interested to know which little corner. Care to share? Not far from the Okla line here in north Tex. Remember, the area with all the rain fall the past few weeks? Lake Ray Roberts is close by with Lake Texoma about 40-50 miles north. Lake Lewisville to the south. All holding record rainfall!

[Conservative4Ever]

Yes, I just go to the store and purchase the brand, mountain high. The yogurt just needs a live active culture. Nothing exotic or expensive needed here.

[Hardens Hollow]

I’ve seen that brand, bought it in fact lots of times.

I had no idea it had active cultures. That’s great to know!

[Hardens Hollow]

LOL, I like the way you think Liz.

[Conservative4Ever]

Yep, chocolate is food of the gods.

[V K Lee]

ANOTHER VEGGIE RECIPE SITE

http://www.produceoasis.com/Recipe/RecipesList/TabId/294/Id/25/Vegetables.aspx

[V K Lee]

A CHURCH LADY RECIPE SITE
http://coveredbaptists.proboards.com/board/45/recipes

[V K Lee]

RECIPES FROM THE PAST

On-LineCookery Books
https://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Cookery_%28Bookshelf%29

52 SUNDAY DINNERS
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31534/31534-h/31534-h.htm

PA DUTCH COOKING
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26558

White House Cookbook 1887
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13923?msg=welcome_stranger

Aunt Caroline Dixieland Recipes from a true ‘Southern Mammy’
http://www.archive.org/stream/auntcarolinesdix00mckirich/auntcarolinesdix00mckirich_djvu.txt

[V K Lee]

WEEKEND RADIO TALK SHOW RECIPES
Saturday mornings open line shows featuring recipes across the country...ie Bob Allison’s Ask Your Neighbor

N-CONNECT - OPEN LINE COOKBOOK
http://www.n-connect.net/lynxy/recipes.html
http://www.n-connect.net/lynxy/bulletaug1966.html

OPEN LINE
http://www.openline.bplaced.net/recipes.html

BOB ALLISON-ASK YOUR NEIGHBOR
http://www.askyourneighbor.com/

[Hardens Hollow]

I couldn’t find Mountain High today - perhaps it’s a CA thing. I went to Krogers in Tennessee, plus one other local grocery store. BUT I was surprised to read that most of the labels did say ‘active culture’ on the label. I thought only those expensive brands, like Activia, had active cultures. I got several for 33cents, including some pretty neat flavors like carrot cake and blueberry muffin. I got plain vanilla for the starter - didn’t want any weird flavors.

My plan to do sourdough has been put off even more now. A new friend’s sister died and she wants me to go to the services and funeral with her. Southerners are so amazing - I feel like I’ve known my neighbors and church friends for years, when it’s just been a few months. They are such a warm and gracious people. (Just don’t try to take their guns away or tell them how to vote, LOL! But they’re on our side, don’t worry). Even the dentist and optometrist today were very nice.

I think you should consider joining us someday. You are wayyyy to nice to be in Mexifornia! And it’s dangerous there, if the Cloward-Piven plan progresses much further!

[Hardens Hollow]

I bought TWO cans of sweetened condensed milk today.

Hubby will be joining me here in Tennessee, after 5 longs months waiting for our house in Mexifornia to sell so he could quit work.

We'll be having a ‘holler hello’ welcome for him, with neighbors meeting him at the bottom of our driveway. It will be an embarrassing surprise for him! Then I'll have everyone to the house, with goodies and drinks ready.

Your recipes will be there, of course!

Thanks for posting all you do, Liz.

[Hardens Hollow]

Oh crap, I forgot to get graham crackers. And I don’t have any graham flour to make some.

One thing about being way out here in the country.....it’s annoying when I forget to buy something!

[Liz]

Kinda late responding---lacking grahams, use vanilla wafers, or other cookies laying around ---- toasted stale cake crumbs will even work.

BTW, the latter is a secret ing in the bakery's crumb cake topping---they add crumbled up day-old cake to the crumb ing.

[Liz]

Did you go crazy at the farmstand?

You could do this wonderful table centerpiece.

TIP: fresh carrots glisten wiped w/ bit of oil.

============================================

Or do this.

Layered Farmstand Fantasy

From bottom:

fave dressing (or fresh carrot juice w/ bit of curry)
strewn with scattered green bits

grilled yellow patty pan squash

spinach sautéed w/ sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce

crispy polenta cake (or sauté breaded blue cheese patty)

fire-roasted anaheim chile

fresh goat cheese & parsley

cumin-dusted grilled beet

spicy smoky heirloom tomato & thai basil

roasted japanese eggplant slivers

maldon smoked sea salt sprinkle

[Conservative4Ever]

How very gracious of you. I have heard very nice things about TN. My kids are begging for us to move to Ohio where they are. That would be a step up from CA I think. They were reared here in SoCal where I still live, but they would never return here. They love Ohio. My son is an avid fisherman, Ohio has lots of lakes to fish, he is in hog heaven. My daughter recently moved to Maine. Loves it there. I know, but what can you do. They are both conservatives, so I guess I did something right. For now, somebody has o keep the flag waving here. :))

[V K Lee]

FOOD AND SOUTHERN FUNERALS

Not as familiar with the ins and outs of Northern Funerals, but we in the South have our own requisites in preparing for the services of laying our beloved departed to rest. The Church plays an important role in this. When known, one of the Church Ladies immediately summons her group of home chefs to instruct on what might be needed, date/time/location and the prep begins. This is known as ‘Southern Funeral Food’ Not eaten at the funeral, of course, but delivered to the home of the bereaved as a show of support,love, and comfort.

First is the ‘Viewing’ This is normally held at the funeral home. The family sets date/time and those who wish to pay their respect personally arrive to view the deceased in the open casket along side grieving family members. This might be the only option available for those who work who might not be available to attend the funeral/graveside services. The funeral is held at the Church then the procession to the cemetery is made with prayers being said around the grave site. Texas is a very large state but it is not uncommon for Church services to be held in one town and the procession then traveling to another distant location to the grave site. When mourners travel, they do so following the hearse in a single file (which might include a short 10-auto or in other cases a mile long procession. Chris Kyle (The American Sniper) procession stretched for a mile or more. All cars involved have their headlights on. Other traffic is fully aware of what is occurring. Traffic traveling the opposite direction pull over to the side of the road and stop....period. Some say a silent prayer for the departed and the loved ones left behind. Some stop and salute (knowing the casket contains a veteran/serviceman) Traffic lights, stop signs mean nothing. At times these processions even have a police motorcycle escort riding along to ensure safety and those beginning at point A all arrive at point B.

After grave side services, the group will then travel to the home of the family where they talk, weep, grieve, and comfort one another. And They EAT..”Funeral Food”

This might be called the Southern version of a Wake and Family Reunion combined.
http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2005/05/Delta-Cuisine-For-The-Dearly-Departed.aspx

Till we meet again.

[Jamestown1630]

That’s a great post, VK. It reminds us of how central food and feeding one another are to our lives - not just because of biological necessity, but because of the social role that food plays in bringing us together. It also reminds me of the times when the grief of death was greatly soothed by the thoughtfulness and ministrations of Friends.

I recall something I once heard about African culture - it may have come from a young Ethiopian girl that I knew. In some African cultures, when they speak of a mean or miserly or selfish person, they say “he eats alone”.

(This young woman was always saying to people, “Come! Eat with me!”.)

-JT