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
the trouble with meat eaters is that we also like our veggies.....its like being transgendered...:)
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!
I have tried several sour dough recipes over the years, but haven’t yet found one that is to Hubby’s liking and nothing that I’d brag about either. That includes Herman and Herman recipes.
So I’ll be interested in hearing from someone who bakes more often than I do, if they have a particular one they like the most.
I don't do vegan or vegetarian or whatever.
I have had the opportunity to speak freely in a commercial establishment.. I don't do vegetarian and I can be loud about it in a commercial esablishment.
/johnny
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.
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.
Also did this and served with leg of lamb. It is a bit labor intensive. Everyone liked it.
Potato-Tomato Gratin
Recipe courtesy Suzanne Goin, 2011
Total Time:3 hr 40 min
Prep: 35 min |
Cook:3 hr 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups thinly sliced onions (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes
1 pound gruyere cheese, cut in 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup pitted black cured olives
1/4 cup sliced fresh opal basil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat a large saute pan or Dutch oven over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in 3 tablespoons olive oil, and then add the onions, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Cook 6 minutes, stirring often, and then turn the heat down to medium. Add the butter, and cook 15 minutes, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon, until the onions start to caramelize. Turn the heat down to low and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are a deep golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Use a mandoline to slice the potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Toss them with the cream, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper.
Cut the tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange them on a plate and season with 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper.
Place half the caramelized onions in an even layer in a 9-by-9-inch (or equivalent) gratin or baking dish. Arrange one layer of alternating potatoes and tomatoes on top of the onion layer. Layer a couple of slices of cheese and scatter some olives over the cheese. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the cream from the potatoes and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, a healthy pinch of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and half the basil.
Scatter the rest of the caramelized onions over the potatoes and tomatoes. Arrange another layer of potatoes, tomatoes and cheese on top; make this layer pretty, because it will be the top of your gratin. Pour the remaining cream from the potatoes and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the potatoes and tomatoes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, a pinch of pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, olives and basil. Press the vegetables down with your fingers. The cream and oil will come up through the layers and coat the vegetables evenly.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the potatoes are tender when pierced, about 2 hours. Remove the gratin from the oven and uncover it, being careful of the steam.
Turn the oven up to 450 degrees F and return the gratin, uncovered, to the oven. Cook until the juices have thickened and the top is nice and golden brown (as in “gratineed”), another 25 to 30 minutes.
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.