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

[JRandomFreeper]

I love cooking breads but I can't do sour dough here. There is something that infects the sour dough here and keeps me from making it.

I did great with sour dough when I was in New Mexico, but not this little corner of Texas.

/johnny

[lulu16]

As I was thinking about the asparagus, how about dunking them in soft boiled eggs. If you have the egg cups and little espresso spoons to break the shell, this would be a fun way for her to eat her asparagus spear. You can then, cut up butter toast into strips that would fit the egg’s opening, for “toast soldiers/” Thank-you for sharing your food bonding stories with me. This must be a very precious time in your life. God bless you and your grand daughter.

P.S. Maybe the two of you can wear matching aprons to signify your time together in the kitchen is special. Maybe there will be a cookbook for kids you pen for your future! She certainly keeps you guessing.

[Jamestown1630]

Sriracha is wonderful on many things!

There was a documentary made about the ‘rooster’ brand that we find commonly in the U.S. - it’s a great immigrant-to-America success story. I saw it several months ago, and it’s available here:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/663073

I have to say, however, Sriracha is a little sweet for me, for some purposes. Don’t laugh, but I’m plebeian enough to admit that my favorite hot sauce for Mexican food is the Taco Bell “Fire” sauce in the little packets. I haven’t found anything quite like it bottled; but it reminds me of the hot sauce that came in the Mexican TV dinners that we had decades ago - my first introduction to Mexican food ;-)

(Does anyone still make a frozen Mexican TV dinner anymore? I haven’t seen it in the stores for ages.)

=JT

[Jamestown1630]

Well, of course; you’re the type of “vegan” who eats vegans second-hand :0

[greeneyes]

I don’t know, I’ll have to look. I used like those little midget tacos with the mystery meat. They seem to come and go at the local Walmart. Lately it’s been midget ckn chipotle or some such.

The are making some Mexican Frozen TV dinner thingys - Santa FE style whatever - Nothing that looked very good, so I didn’t really stop or make a mental note of it.

I like to take a little Sriracha, lemon juice, and soy sauce mixed together. The lemon cuts into the sweet. I like some of taco bell’s stuff, but I usually get the mild sauce. I just like a little pinch of heat not that firehouse stuff, and hubby can’t barely take green chilies and certainly no Jalepeno(which I love).

[greeneyes]

Thanks for your interest. That egg thing sounds scrumptious to me - I love egg yolk. Get a real craving for it from time to time.

She used to like scrambled eggs and cheese, but that’s on the been there done that and don’t particularly care for it anymore list. (sigh)

I might be able to make some sort of egg sauce that she would try though. I don’t have any of those egg cup thingys, but I always thought they would be neat. I can’t stand whites that are the least bit watery though.

My granny used to dip some wonderful homemade bread into egg yolk and coax me to eat it. So I finally got to where I liked that part of the egg. Then my other Granny started separating the yolks and whites and fried the yolks with just a tiny bit of white - gradually adding a little more till I was eating almost the whole egg.

It’s good thought, I’ll have to give it some thought to see how to do it best. Thanks.

[Stand Watch Listen]

More and more, developing a taste for roasted (Or grilled) vegetables (more intense flavor)

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb sugar snap peas
¾ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
coarse Kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives/shallots

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat broiler… Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil
2. Toss peas with olive oil on prepared baking sheet.
3. Sprinkle with shallots, thyme, and kosher salt.
4. Spread peas in a single layer
5. Broil approximately 3—4 minutes, or just until crisp-tender and they are beginning to brown in spots, stirring once
6. Remove from oven and transfer to a serving bowl...** Serve immediately

• Hint/ options:
• ** small splash of lemon juice
• sprinkle 2 TBl toasted sesame seeds

[greeneyes]

I don’t know if it’s Missouri or me! LOL I can’t seem to make a decent sour dough either.

I make a good bread like Granny used to make every week. It ‘s similar in texture and flavor to French Bread. She made a big enough batch for the whole week, and I got to help her knead it and roll it for baking.

Somehow I always had an extra piece that was just right to put in a little pot pie sized pan and bake. For a snack, almost every day, I mixed home churned butter with sorghum molasses and spread it on the bread. Washed it down with raw milk from Granny and Grandpa’s herd.

For breakfast we had sausage, homemade biscuits, and home made jelly with butter. Also oatmeal, but I didn’t eat that too often. Preferred the other stuff and a glass of milk, and that left no room for oatmeal.

[Jamestown1630]

The ones we used to get had a tamale or two (well, a “sort-of” tamale) and an enchilada, both swimming in a cheesy sauce; some refried beans, Mexican rice with peppers in it, and a little well containing the hot sauce. Probably something that ‘the man from CSPI’ would consider heart-attack food, and with sodium through the roof. (And in that case, he would probably have been correct - I’m sure it was full, at that time, of trans-fat.)

I can’t recall if they were by Patio, Banquet, Swanson, or whatever. But they were really good, and one of my first introductions to hot, spicy food - longer ago than I am willing to say.

I miss them :-(

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

My husband does something very similar with asparagus, and with zucchini sliced in long wedges and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Wonderful.

[Conservative4Ever]

I am endeavoring to work in the medium of sourdough. It would be great to hear about your successes and what you learned. Yes, I want to pick your brain. LOL

[greeneyes]

I have to say that I am lucky to have escaped that particular culinary experience and addiction. LOL

I was either eating my Granny's cooking down on the farm, or café cooking at my parent's restaurant, or my other Granny's restaurant, and none of them had a single Mexican style food on the menu.

Now and then, when the café was closed, Dad would pack us into the car, and we'd go to a Mexican place and have tacos. He always put hot sauce on his.

That was my only experience with Mexican food until I started working in St. Louis. Nachos, tacos, refried beans, rice, fajitas, Margaritas, soapapillas or drunken torte depending on which Mexican place we went to.

The one with the drunken torte was located inside the bank building where I worked. It was not a “fast food” place. More upscale, and boy did they ever soak the cake encrusted with nuts with rum! I was downtown a while back and went by the place hoping to get some nachos and drunken torte, but alas they were no longer there.

[pugmama]

Made this last night-we liked it a lot.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad With Tangerine-Rosemary Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy of Marcela Valladolid

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tangerines
6 cups fresh spinach, loosely packed
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil on a baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Season with 2 teaspoons rosemary, and salt and pepper. Roast, stirring once halfway through, until the squash is just tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool until just warm, about 15 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, peel 3 tangerines and slice them crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, removing any seeds. Juice the remaining tangerine and whisk the juice together with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

Combine the warm squash, the spinach, tangerine slices and cranberries with the dressing and toss gently to coat. Divide among salad plates.

[pugmama]

There is also 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese in this recipe.

[kalee]

That sounds delicious! I will have to try it.

[Liz]

YUMMY—A VEGETABLE RECIPE THREAD-—FEEL LIKE I DIED AND WENT TO HEAVEN.

[JRandomFreeper]

It's too bad that I don't have more experience, since something here kills the sour dough.

I proved in New Mexico that I could. My experience here in Texas tells me I shouldn't. ;)

/johnny

[MomwithHope]

Hubby I went vegan for about 3 years back in the 80’s. all we did was gain weight. We abstain during the Fridays of Lent. When the garden is bursting we do more veggie cooking. I especially like veggie kabobs on the grill, but nowadays they share the grill with some meat. We grilled most of our asparagus this year and loved it. I used to make a asparagus pie with mushrooms, béchamel sauce and white cheese what was really good but no longer have the recipe to share.

[IamConservative]

More and more, developing a taste for roasted (Or grilled) vegetables (more intense flavor)

We roast practically all our vegetables in a hot oven. Really does develop the flavor profile. 1. Cut brussel spouts in half, wash and dry. 2. Line baking pan with parchment paper and generously coat with olive oil. 3. Place brussel sprouts cut side down and spread them evenly so none are touching. 4) Oil the top side of the sprouts. I use an oil mister. 5) Roast in a 350 degree oven until the outer leaves curl and begin to look burnt. The bottom side should be golden brown. 6) Remove from oven and immediately season. I use a mixture of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Occasionally I will also add some smoked paprika, hot paprika or cayenne pepper. These reheat very well. I often roast 2-3 bags full on Sunday and eat them through the week.

[Liz]

Asparagus and Caramelized Onion Tart

PREP ONIONS sauté coarse-chp lge onion, tea ol/oil, then
slowly caramelize/soften half an hour, stir occasionally (splash
w/ water droplets if burning/overbrowning).

FILLING Vigorously stir 15 oz ricotta, 1/4 c h/cream,
egg, tsp lemon zest, 1-2 tb minced parsley, s/p.

ASSEMBLE Layer in cooled 10" pre-baked tart shell, Filling,
then caramelized onions, then 15-20 trimmed asparagus spears.
Drizzle w/ olive oil.

Bake dish on sheetpan 350 deg 30 min; done when golden,
filling is set, asparagus is cooked.