Month End Musings and Minestrone

29 days ago I began a month long commitment to make and post a vegetable recipe each day. Some days were easier than others, and there were some notable successes and failures along the way. Now we've arrived at the final day, February 29, Leap Day, and I have been saving this special recipe to share with you.  I could call it a grand finale, but minestrone soup is not pompous; it's peasant and earthy and sit-on- the-couch-by-the-fire-with-a-book.   I have loved this recipe since the first time I made it, because it showcases the flavors and textures of each vegetable as they bathe in a rich and slightly spicy broth.  It's vegan and gluten free and low glycemic and high in fiber and low in fat and full of lots of different vitamins and minerals, but you don't notice any of that because most of all, it's just plain good. Soothing and comforting, it's perfect for a sick day, but also equally delicious for a romantic evening with the man of your dreams (and a good glass of red wine!).

Almost too colorful to eat!

The ingredients are not showstoppers - celery, carrots, onions, garlic, fennel, zucchini, swiss chard, tomatoes, and cannellini beans.  But somehow, in combination with each other and cooked to perfection, they orchestrate a symphony of flavor that commands you to soak up every drop of broth from the bowl with a baguette slice and leaves you feeling satiated and lacking for nothing.

Adding zucchini at the last minute preserves their crisp texture

To make a pot of vegetables really stand out and achieve greatness, you have to develop and maintain the flavor of each ingredient. First of all, I pay attention to how each vegetable is cut.

Don't worry if the chard browns - it adds flavor and texture

Don't be tempted to simply dice them all up and mix them together, like some kind of factory produced Campbell's soup.  Select the size and cut based upon the vegetable, so that when the soup is done, its flavor and texture will continue to shine through.  Fennel is cut in large julienne strips, guaranteeing that each bite will burst with a hint of anise.  Celery is cut at a thick angle for visual interest and  to prevent it from becoming overly soft.  Carrots are sliced on a long bias, while garlic and onions are cut more finely to allow their flavors to disperse.  The zucchini is sliced in rounds but not added to the broth right away. Instead, it is separately sauteed in a very hot cast iron skillet along with the rainbow chard stems until slightly crispy, and then added into the soup at the very end to maintain that texture and caramelization.

More layering of flavors and textures occurs with the swiss chard, which is separately wilted in a skillet and then placed at the bottom of each individual serving bowl, before the soup is ladled atop. A final burst of savory goodness results from stirring fresh pesto into the broth just before serving, and then topping each bowl with shaved parmesan (for the non-Vegan crowd). One last thing - it's very important to use good quality canned beans, or better yet, cook your own from dried beans like an heirloom borlotti.


My Favorite Minestrone
makes 2 dinner size or 4 regular servings

3 tbsp olive oil
3 stalks celery, cleaned and sliced diagonally
2 large carrots, washed and cut in thick bias cuts
1/2  large fennel bulb, sliced into 1/4 inch wedges
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 medium white or yellow onion, diced

4 cups homemade or good quality store bought vegetable broth
1 14 1/2 oz can (or half of a 28 oz can) whole San Marzano tomatoes and juice
2 tbsp extra condensed tomato paste

3 cups fresh rainbow chard leaves, stems removed and reserved
Stems from the chard, sliced in 2 inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, sliced in rounds
1 tbsp olive oil

1 14 1/2 can cannellini beans

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

2 heaping tbsp fresh pesto
Shaved parmesan, for garnish

Push the carrots to the bottom so they get a nice sear

Heat a large, heavy stockpot or dutch oven over high heat. When hot, add 3 tbsp oil and stir until the oil shimmers. Toss in the chopped vegetables and stir fry until crisp-tender and slightly softened, about 5 - 8 minutes. Do not overcook - they will still cook further as you simmer them in the broth.   Add the broth, tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to combine.  Bring just to a boil then reduce the heat to medium low.  Break up the tomatoes slightly with your spatula or spoon and stir together to combine all the flavors. If you are using homemade beans, add them now. If using canned beans, add later as instructed.

While the soup is simmering, heat a cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet to very hot, and add a tablespoon of oil.  When the oil is heated, reduce the heat to medium high and add the chard, cooking until it's wilted but still retains some of its spring. It may brown on the edges--this is OK.  Remove from the heat and keep warm.  Return the heat to high and if needed, add a little more oil to moisten the pan.  Add the chard stems and saute for 2-3 minutes until the stems begin to soften.  Add the zucchini and spread out into layer so the rounds have good contact with the pan surface.  Sear until a brown crust is evident on the pieces, then turn them over and repeat on the other side.

I love how the colors of the soup match the bowl!

Stir the beans and chili flakes into the broth, then add the pesto and stir well to incorporate and blend. Add in the zucchini and chard stems and simmer for 2-3 more minutes. In the meantime, divide the chard between two large bowls.  Ladle the soup over the chard and garnish with shaved parmesan. Serve with baguettes, or if you want to get fancy, you can make garlic bread which is also fabulous with this.

And the Oscar for best makeover goes to ...... CAULIFLOWER SOUP!

Sometimes the remakes are better than the original. That's definitely the case with this soup.  I tried making it last Friday but production stopped when it basically caught on fire on the stove.  So, Cauliflower Soup - Deuxover was born.

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that can become a canvas for whatever you'd like it to be.  In the old days, it was purchased frozen, usually in a bland mix with broccoli and carrots, and then boiled to a soggy death and served alongside some kind of horror like potted ham.   Today, Cauliflower has taken on a completely new life as an A-list vegetable.  Everyone wants cauliflower at their dinner parties these days.  A quick search on Pinterest shows this star's versatility as pizza crust, mashed faux-tatoes, fried "rice", cauliflower tater tots, cauliflower tortillas, buffalo cauliflower wings -- you name it and cauliflower has played it.  But these roles don't do it justice.  Life as a celebrity is hard.  Unfair even.  With all these varied roles, cauliflower has lost itself.

I'd like to take a step back and suggest that cauliflower should be respected for what it is, as it is. That's why I love this recipe. It plays up on the best features of this vegetable - using its mild taste and creamy texture to present a rich and comforting dish for cold winter night.  It can be basic or elegant, depending on how you dress and finish it.  In my version, I went for simple sophistication with a healthful twist.  I used earth balance spread instead of butter and substituted some of my homemade stock for the cream.  I also skipped the double pass through the chinois and just relied upon the puree power of my high speed blender.  But for the cup of wine, I used one of my best bottles of sauvignon blanc-semillon blend and drizzled the finished soup with truffle oil - sort of the Harry Winston jewel to complement the understated framework of the soup.   The result was sheer perfection.

The original recipe came from Jason Burton of StellaCulinary.com.  You can find the video here: https://stellaculinary.com/cooking-videos/sauces-soups/sns-011-cauliflower-soup-base

My adapted version follows.

Cauliflower Soup Deuxover

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2 tbsp canola oil

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and julienned
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 large leek, white part only, cleaned and sliced
1 large shallot, peeled and julienned

2 cups chicken stock
1 cup good quality, full bodied white wine
Salt

1 head of cauliflower, stem and core removed, thinly sliced
2 additional cups chicken stock
1 tsp xanthum gum
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp of salt or to taste

Truffle oil, slivered lemon peel and chiffonade of basil for garnish

In a heavy saucepan or dutch oven, heat the oil and butter and add the onions, garlic, leek, and shallot. Sprinkle with a light rain of salt, then saute until starting to soften.  Add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes then add the stock, stir, and cover.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.  In the meantime, thinly slice the cauliflower.  After an hour has passed, add the cauliflower and the additional 2 cups of stock to the pot. Return to high heat until starting to boil then reduce to low again, cover, and simmer for another hour to allow the flavors to fully develop.

Pour the soup into a high speed blender taking care not to overfill (the hot soup will expand as it blends).  Puree for about 2 minutes, then add up to 1 tsp Xanthum gum to thicken and emulsify the soup.  Test seasoning and add the white pepper and additional salt as needed. Blend again to mix the seasonings, then serve with a drizzle of truffle oil and a sprinkle of slivered lemon peel and basil chiffonade for garnish. Or get creative. Crispy bits of pancetta, thinly sliced, sauteed brussels sprouts, or any number of other garnshes would both look pretty and taste great.

Asparagus - Harbinger of Spring

Vendors at my local farmer's market have been posting signs that asparagus was coming soon - one of the true signs that Spring is nearly upon us.  This Saturday, I found one vendor with some early bundles for sale. I am getting a little tired of winter squashes, kales, and cruciferous vegetables so fresh, seasonal asparagus was a huge treat this week.

Did you know that asparagus plants actually produce a fruit -- a red berry -- that is poisonous to humans?  Another odd fact (according to Wikipedia) is that a recipe for asparagus exists in the oldest surviving book of recipes from the 3rd century.  I don't know what preparation that recipe suggested, but most likely it was a simple, timeless steam or saute. The book may have even warned about over cooking, which is not hard to do with this vegetable. Just 30 seconds too long in the steamer and the stems will go from crisp and bright to grey and flacid.

Yes, that's truffle butter!

One great way to prevent this travesty is to cook the spears using the sous vide method.  I opted for a quick and simple preparation - peeled asparagus spears, some truffle butter, and a pinch of salt. I vacuum sealed them and then cooked them for 10 minutes at 85 degrees centigrade.  Another benefit of using sous vide is that you typically don't need as much sauce or butter as you would if the asparagus were cooked in a traditional method. I only used about 1 tablespoon of butter for the whole bunch of spears.  During cooking, the butter melts and spreads out evenly over all the spears.

When I cook the asparagus sous vide, I usually peel the stems.  It helps them to cook a little faster and makes every bite extra sweet.  I hate to waste the peels which are full of vitamins, so I  freeze them and use them in cream-based soups (like cream of celery or cream of broccoli, for example).   I was planning to take these to work for lunch the  next day, so to stop the cooking process, as soon as time was up I plunged them into an ice bath to quick chill them.  A quick warm up in the office microwave and I will have a very elegant side to accompany a fruit and cheese plate and baguette lunch.


My immersion circulator takes a while to heat the water bath to the high heat needed to cook these, so I opted to bring the water to a boil in a large kettle on the stove, then removed it from the stove, and added cool water as necessary until the proper temperature was achieved. I attached my Anova sous vide to the side of the pot and cooked from there.  


Spring Asparagus

1 bunch asparagus, stems lightly peeled
2 Tbsp truffle butter
a pinch of salt

Wash and peel the asparagus then vacuum seal or place in a ziplock bag with the truffle butter and salt.  If using a ziplock bag, remove the air using the water submersion technique. Heat the water bath to 85 degrees centigrade then place the sealed bag in the water and cook for 10 minutes.  If you won't be eating these right away, plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

If At First You Don't Succeed, Proceed To Plan B

Little did these peppers know the horror that was to come

Do you ever have one of those days when nothing goes right?  I had so much hope for today - the weather was beautiful, I was up early, and my to-do list was not too long and was full of interesting tasks.   I arrived at the Pleasanton farmer's market just as it was opening and had a chance to stroll leisurely through the stands talking to the vendors and getting first pick of everything.  I am on day 26 of the Veggie Challenge - to make and post about a vegetable dish every day in February. With only 4 days left, I wanted to choose some things that were a little different, and that would be fun for me to cook.  I decided on the following four dishes:  Puree of Romanesco Cauliflower Soup with Spiced Citrus Oil and Cornbread Croutons; Roasted Red Pepper Coulis and Cabbage Rolls stuffed with Wild Mushroom Risotto,  Sous Vide Asparagus with Truffle Butter and Shaved Parmesan, and the grand finale, my favorite recipe for Classic Minestrone Soup.

Soup ingredients were ready and everything was going so well!!!

After purchasing the ingredients I decided to prep as much of the items as possible today, since the rest of the weekend and Monday were going to be very hectic with work, taxes, and other uninteresting but time consuming obligations.  I made and dried the croutons, started the red peppers roasting on my smoker, and prepped all the ingredients for the Romanesco Cauliflower soup and got that started on the stove.  Then, I figured - why stop there?  I cleaned out my refrigerator and freezer and found two bags of turkey parts (wings, necks, etc.) and an overflowing bag of stock trimmings (carrot pieces, onion skins, leek tops, celery leaves, and all the other things I throw into my "save for stock" bag).

I put the turkey pieces and some veggies into a roasting pan to cook and caramelize, and got the other ingredients from the stock bag going in a kettle of water on the stove.  I could potentially use this stock for the minestrone soup, if my sometimes Vegan husband didn't object.

And then it happened.  I went outside to get my ipad from my car, so I could take photos of my certain-to-be masterpieces, and I saw my neighbor outside; my neighbor who had recently returned home from multiple bypass surgery; my neighbor who was looking so good as he did his daily exercise of walking down the street. I had to go congratulate him and wish him well. I had to bring him a gift - yes, that was it!  A gift!  I ran back to the kitchen and whipped up a batch of oil free roasted red bell pepper hummus with smoked paprika, and ran it down to his house. "How are you feeling? How is the recovery coming along?  Etc etc etc.  Those who know me well, know not to get me started talking.  30 minutes later, when we started discussing the red bell pepper hummus, I suddenly remembered - I had red bell peppers smoking on high on my smoker!  I needed to go RIGHT NOW and rescue them.  But I was too late. I smelled the burning smoke as I crossed into the driveway and ran through the front door.  And then horror hit me. It wasn't the odor from the peppers I was smelling. The soup was burning, sending billows of acrid white smoke puffing out the closed lid of my cast iron Le Cruset dutch oven.  I quickly turned off the stove, grabbed some pot holders and carried the pot miniature Vesuvius outside, where, unfortunately, smoke was also billowing out of the smoker. Inside lay 5 Pompei-like crisp, black shells of The Things Formerly Known As Peppers.  Oops.  Major Fail.

Then I remembered about the turkey parts. Were  they burnt to a crisp too? Thank God, No! But they were a little darker than I would have preferred, meaning my stock would turn out darker, but I could live with that -- assuming I could forgive myself for vaporizing the red peppers.

So now the problem became, what to make for today's vegetable?  After much soul searching (Do I really deserve to call myself a cook?  Is it dishonorable to the peppers to move on so quickly?), I checked out the refrigerator and found the rest of the unused burnpile-roasted acorn and kabocha squash, sitting there, begging to be used.  Time for Plan B.  I recently dined at Rich Table in San Francisco and had a really flavorful squash puree with burrata and crisp bread.  I decided to try to make a version of that, building on a recipe for harissa-flavored carrot puree I'd recently seen in Yotam Ottalenghi's Plenty More cookbook. 

Roasted squash mousse with squash seed butter, greek yogurt and croutons

I opened the very, very soft squashes and removed the seeds and pith, then scraped the flesh out into a pot.  It measured about 2 cups and was very thick and a little dry, so I added some vegetable broth and simmered it for a while, then pureed it in the blender with the seasonings and spices called for in the recipe.  A quick taste revealed that it was a little fibrous, so I decided to run it through a chinois, which was difficult because of the fibers.  At the end of much pushing and scraping, I had barely two-thirds of a cup of puree remaining, but it was light, creamy, and slightly sweet with subtly exotic flavors of harissa and lemon zest.

While the puree was simmering, I cleaned and hulled the seeds and roasted them until they were crunchy.  Then I ground them in a spice blender with a bit of squash seed oil to make a very intriguing squash seed butter redolent of peanut butter.  I salvaged the croutons from the Cauliflower soup debacle and ended up with a very nice bowl of Roasted Squash Mousse which Bob and I enjoyed with a well-deserved glass of Grenache.

Roasted Squash Mousse with Squash Seed Butter, Greek Yogurt, and Cornbread Croutons
Serves 2

For the Mousse:
1 small acorn squash
1 small kabocha squash
up to 1 cup of vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic
Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
1 tbsp harissa powder or harissa paste

For the Squash Seed Butter:
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (salted or unsalted)
2 Tbsp Delicata Squash Seed Oil (or substitute walnut or hazelnut oil if necessary)
If using unsalted seeds, add a pinch of kosher salt

Garnishes: 
Croutons - preferably home made (I used leftover cornbread from this post: http://sobremesastyle.blogspot.com/2016/02/mushroom-and-kale-heirloom-cornbread.html
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, nonfat, lowfat, or regular
2 mint sprigs (optional)

Roast the squashes in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour or until fork tender.  Remove and let cool (can be made several days ahead).  Slice open, remove the seeds, then scrape the flesh into a saucepan.  Add up to 1 cup of vegetable broth as needed to thin the squash to the consistency of the greek yogurt. Simmer 10-15 minutes to remove excess moisture and concentrate the flavors.  Add the squash, garlic, lemon and orange zest, lemon juice, salt, and harissa to a high speed blender or food processor and process until very smooth.  Pass through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any tough fibers then return to the saucepan and put in a warm location until needed.

You can make your own squash seeds by hulling and roasting the seeds, or you can use store-bought seeds for convenience.  Using a food processor or spice grinder, add the seeds, squash seed oil and salt (if the seeds were unsalted) and pulse until creamy.

To serve, spread half of the seed butter around the edge of  two bowls.  Spoon in the mousee and spread with a spoon.  Top with a dollop of Greek Yogurt, the croutons and sprig of mint.



 

A Tale of Two Mushrooms from The Slanted Door

San Francisco Eater reported in 2014 that Charles Phan's SF waterfront establishment, The Slanted Door, was California's top grossing restaurant that year.  Serving Vietnamese cuisine, the restaurant secures the corner of the Ferry Building culinary complex with great views of the waterfront and Bay Bridge, and some of the most flavorful Asian cuisine you will find in a city known for its great food. I love Phan's story of opening at his first location and then becoming so successful that a larger space was needed.  In true entreprenuerial spirit (meaning: he took a huge risk and had a lot of obstacles to overcome), Phan bit the bullet and closed his original South of Market location and then orchestrated a wildly successful relaunch in the Ferry Building.  

With dishes like crispy wild Florida frog legs with Thai chiles  or banh bot loc gulf shrimp & pork belly tapioca dumplings, you can see why reservations can be hard to come by.  After trying for several months a couple of years ago to get a table on a Saturday night, I finally gave up and bought Phan's flagship cookbook, The Slanted Door.  Phan's talent for creating umami-packed vegetable dishes is why today's project - Roasted Mushrooms with Buckwheat Crepe Noodles - is probably my favorite plate made so far in this month of vegetable posts.  

King Trumpet Mushrooms:  Meaty, Tender & Meant for Great Things

I adapted this recipe to suit the ingredients I had on hand; it was 5 AM in the morning when I cooked this, and I was not interested in going to the store to pick up the things I was missing. Additionally, I had a few items on hand that I wanted to use up like kumquats from the over-ladened bush outside my kitchen window and fresh wood ear mushrooms that I'd picked up at Ranch 99 (the most amazing market - a huge Far Eastern megapolis filled with thousands of Asian foodstuffs with unfamiliar pictures and undecipherable labels).  

Buckwheat crepe batter poured over hot parchment

One ingredient called for in Phan's recipe was Yuba which is a thin, noodle-like tofu skin. I didn't have this, so I decided to try to construct a noodle out of egg whites instead. It dawned on me that I could make something like a crepe and then cut that into noodles. I had recently tried making David Lebovitz' recipe for buckwheat crepes, which are dark brown in color and have a very nutty/earthy taste and texture.  Building on this concept, I blended a little buckwheat flour with some eggs, milk, and spices to come up with a batter. I then heated a parchment-covered baking tray in the oven for a few minutes before pouring the egg mixture over it into a very thin layer.  

Gently pull the crepe off the parchment

Roll it into a log 

Slice it into "noodles"

The batter was baked for about 10 minutes, until it was firmly set.  The crepe peeled easily off the parchment, and I was able to roll it up then cut 1/2 inch pieces to make crepe strips.  They worked really well as noodle substitutes -- they were firm enough to hold together without tearing, yet porous enough to soak up the sauce for an amazing taste eruption when eaten. I also loved their color for this dish, because their dark color blended in so well with the mushrooms

The thing that really makes this dish sing is the infused oil which becomes a main part of the sauce.  Yotam Ottolenghi, master of Middle Eastern vegetarian cooking, uses a lot of sophisticated oil infusions in his recipes, and I was really excited to see one pop up in Phan's recipe as well. Blending some flavors I'd used before with Ottolenghi's preparations into Phan's recipe made an extra-special oil blend.  I ended up doubling the amount called for so I'd have leftovers to use in something else. 

Roasted wood ear mushrooms

Sliced, Roasted King Trumpet Mushrooms

The recipe calls for roasted mushrooms, and the aroma of these and the crepes was overwhelmingly inviting so early in the morning. I had intended to save the finished product for dinner later that day but Bob and I could not resist and we ate the whole thing for breakfast instead.  Yum!  If the recipe was doubled, it would make a very hearty stand alone vegetarian main course for lunch or dinner.

RoastedMushrooms with Buckwheat Crepe Noodles
 Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1 lb mixed fresh King Trumpet, thinly sliced, and Wood Ear mushrooms
4 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cup egg whites (whites from about 3-4 eggs)
2 tbsp buckwheat flour
1/4 cup lowfat milk
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 large shallot, sliced thinly
1 two inch long, 1 inch thick knob of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into fine julienned batons
3 pieces star anise
1 kumquat, thinly sliced, seeds removed

3 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp splenda or sugar
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper and place in the oven as it preheats.  Mix the eggs, flour, milk and salt in a blender for 30 seconds, then let sit for 5 minutes so the flour becomes hydrated. Remove the baking tray from the oven and pour the crepe mixture over the parchment paper, spreading it out into a thin rectangular layer. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. When completely cooked and firm, remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Mix the shallots, ginger, star anise, and kumquat together in a small bowl or jar.  In a second microwave safe bowl, heat the oil in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes then pour over the shallot mixture. It should sizzle as you add it.  Stir to combine then set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Slice the king trumpet mushrooms.  Line two baking trays with parchment and brush a layer of sesame oil over the parchment.  Place the mushrooms on the parchment, leaving space between them to prevent them from steaming each other.  Sprinkle with salt then brush the tops of the mushroom with additional oil. Roast in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, until they begin to brown but before they become dry and crisp.

While the mushrooms are cooking, mix together the soy sauce, splenda or sugar, and cilantro into your serving bowl.  When the mushrooms are roasted, add them to the sauce and toss well.  Strain out about 1/3 cup of infused oil into the mushroom-noodle mix. (Reserve the rest for another use).   Scoop out about 2 tbsp of the shallot mixture from the oil, taking care to remove any pieces of star anise, then finely chop and mix in with the mushrooms.  Add the crepe noodles, toss lightly, and serve.

Kumquats and Cucumbers, the new Breakfast of Champions

Kumquats are abundant this time of year

One of the reasons I dedicated this month to posting about vegetables is because I eat a lot of them as part of my ongoing weight loss regimen.  I found that significantly reducing carbs and sugars from my diet while increasing vegetables, protein and probiotics had the dual benefits of squelching my appetite and increasing my energy level.  As a result, I've found it relatively easy to gradually lose weight and keep it off.   My refrigerator is typically stocked with an array of probiotic-laden foods such as greek yogurt, kefir, kimchee, kombucha, and raw sauerkraut.  I have even started to experiment with fermentation which is a lot of fun and will no doubt be the topic of some future posts.

The recent rain has caused my mint plants to go crazy

Typically I eat yogurt in the morning as part of my breakfast.  Since I am watching my carb intake, I don't usually combine it with fruit or honey.  As a result, I'm always seeking ways to make it more interesting, and today's recipe for a cucumber and kumquat salad provided a welcome change from more mundane preparations.  The best part of this salad is the simplicity of the ingredients and the way the flavors marry when left to marinate for a short while. The tart - sweet kumquats, cool mint, crisp cucumbers and licorice-scented fennel pollen manage to maintain their distinct flavors while at the same time, build on each other to provide a wonderful sapid explosion.

Cucumber and Kumquat Salad

1 medium cucumber (peeled or unpeeled), cut in quarters lengthwise, and diced 1/2 inch thick
2-3 kumquats, sliced into thin rings, seeds removed
10 mint leaves, washed and julienned
1/2 tsp fennel pollen
pinch of salt

1/3 cup greek yogurt  (nonfat or regular)

Toss the first 5 ingredients together and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes to marry the flavors.  Top with greek yogurt and serve.

Saving the World one Spaghetti Squash at a Time

More and more articles are hitting the web-waves these days about the problem of food waste.  It's more than just throwing away good food when there are "starving people in China", to quote all moms of all times.  Wasted food means wasted resources like land, water, and energy. To understand the enormity of the problem, take a look at this extensive National Geographic article on one man's crusade to curb excessive waste: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/03/global-food-waste-statistics/

Inspired by this post, I decided to go through my refrigerator and find some vegetables in need of attention. The result of my quest was a half of a spaghetti squash (already roasted), a bunch of broccolini that was on the verge of turning yellow, and a bunch of very wilted kale.  A couple of weeks ago I'd received an ENORMOUS spaghetti squash in my farm box - about the size of two average cantaloupes set side by side - and earlier this week Bob had cut it in half and roasted it for an hour in the oven until it had gorgeous, sweet, caramelized bits along the edges. We ate half that night and now was a good time to use up the rest of it.  I'd found a recipe in the NYT Food blog for a squash gratin that looked incredible, sort of like scalloped potatoes with a crusty cheesy top.  I had intended to supplement the recipe with the waning kale and brocollini but after reading the reviews, one common complaint was that the dish had a tendency to become watery on the bottom.  Since I was making this before work, I didn't have enough time to properly blanch and dry out the broccolini, so I omitted it and went with just the kale instead.  (Don't worry Broccolini - your day will come).

To combat the potential for excess liquid, I lightly salted the squash to draw out some of the moisture, and then sauteed it along with some garlic and onions on high heat while the oven was preheating.  This worked really well, with the finished dish having the consistency of stiff roasted potatoes.  Another change I made to the NYT recipe was to substitute an extra sharp high quality cheddar in place of gruyere, because I wanted more color.  Any strong, full flavored cheese would work well, however.  I also used more cheese than called for, and less milk and eggs to avoid a quiche-like consistency that some reviewers mentioned. My final change was to add a half-teaspoon of hot Hungarian paprika which oomphed up the flavor profile just a bit without adding too much heat.

The final product was amazingly delicious - the whole house smelled like roasting cheese, and the dish was creamy and reminiscent of scalloped potatoes.  It was hard not to eat it right as it came out of the oven.  Instead, I forced myself to wait until lunch time, and then had another bowl of it with dinner. It makes a scrumptious vegetarian main course (especially when topped with some toasted slivered almonds and served with a small salad), or a perfect side dish to accompany just about any type of meat or fish (shortibs anyone??).  Use it like you would scalloped potatoes -- all the comfort without the high carb content. This gratin will definitely be on my lunch and dinner rotation going forward.    

Spaghetti Squash and Kale Gratin
makes 4 servings
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees

1 spaghetti squash
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, cut into fine dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed, cut into thin shreds
1/4 cup low fat milk or unflavored soy or almond milk
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp hot Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
8 oz by weight high quality sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
butter, margarine, or cooking spray for greasing ramekins or a small casserole dish

Cut the squash in half and place on a parchment lined baking tray in the pre-heated oven (400 degrees).  Roast uncovered for about an hour, until the edges become carmelized and the squash shreds easily when a fork is dragged across it.  Remove from oven and cool.  Can be frozen for up to a month or refrigerated for 3-4 days if you don't want to use it immediately.  (A side note: an uncooked, uncut spaghetti squash will last a couple of months when stored in a cool, dry place).

If using frozen squash, thaw completely.  Shred the squash and discard the peel.  You should have about 4 cups of stringy pulp.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease 4 large ramekins (each capable of holding a cup and a half), or a small 8x8 casserole dish with butter, margarine, or cooking spray.

Heat a heavy bottomed skillet on high, then add the olive oil.  When oil is shimmering, reduce heat, add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the squash.  Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt and stir well to combine. Fold in the kale.  Raise the heat to high and cook so that as much excess moisture as possible is evaporated and the squash begins to stick to the pan, about 4-5 minutes.  

While the squash is cooking, whisk together the milk, eggs and spices.  Add in the squash mixture and stir to coat well.  Mix in the cheese then transfer the mixture to the ramekins or casserole dish. (If necessary, you can refrigerate these at this point and finish cooking up to a day later).  If using ramekins, place on a baking tray in case they leak while cooking.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Put the ramekins or casserole dish in the center of the oven and bake for 40 minutes, at which time a browned, bubbly crust will have formed.  Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.  Can be chilled and reheated later.

Chinese-salad Brussels Sprouts and a dose of inspiration from a bowl

I needed a bowl to toss and mix the ingredients for today's Brussels sprouts salad so I reached for one of my good ole' standbys:  an enameled metal bowl which I'd received nearly 33 years ago at my bridal shower from my neighbor Nona.  I have always loved this bowl - it is the perfect size for mixing cake  batters, it's pretty, and and it has proven to be incredibly durable over the years, with only one small chip on the inside.  It got me thinking how sometimes even seemingly inconsequential things can be inspiring.  Today is my mom's birthday - she would have been 80 years old had she not died at the too early age of 44, when i was just 19.  This bowl reminded me of her because Nona was a good cook and she knew I didn't have a mom to teach a new bride the basic kitchen skills. She gave me this bowl with a set of assorted sized and shaped mixing spoons and a beautiful card offering to provide me with any lessons or advice I might need.   I used this bowl to mix the birthday cake for my first daughter's first birthday, and also to serve my mother-in-law's famous potato salad at more family gatherings than I can count.  Someone recently told me that she translates the word "inspiration" to "in spirit" and when I use this bowl, I do really feel one in spirit with all the memories of the good things that have come from it.

Chinese-style Brussels Sprout Salad

3 cups thinly sliced brussels sprouts

3 tbsp finely chopped onion of your choice

Dressing:
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp Splenda or honey
1 inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp coriander (cilantro) leaves

Wash and thinly slice the Brussels sprouts. Note: If preparing this ahead of time, note that the dressing will soften the sprouts;  if you plan to let this rest for more than 1/2 hour, slice your sprouts more thickly to keep some crunch in them when served.   Mince the onion and toss together with the sprouts.

Add the dressing ingredients to a large (possibly cherished) mixing bowl, and whisk together until incorporated and emulsified. Toss the sprout mixture into the bowl of dressing and coat thoroughly. Add the sesame seeds and coriander leaves and serve or chill for later.

I took this to lunch and added some sliced smoked chicken and additional lettuce to make a filling, hearty meal.

Savory Oatmeal

This was a simple recipe designed to use up some of the leftover Burnpile Squash puree from yesterday's post:  http://sobremesastyle.blogspot.com/2016/02/burnpile-red-kuri-kanocha-and-poblano.html. 

I forgot to take pictures - sorry - so you will just have to imagine its beautiful, mac 'n' cheese texture.  I love savory breakfasts and the combination of cheese and chili peppers. This oatmeal has all those elements and is so delicious when you lift up your spoon and strings of cheese pull up from the bowl.   It's hearty and filling and makes a great camp breakfast.  I know I am usually harping about carbs but for some reason this oatmeal does not have a negative impact on my blood sugar, especially when combined with the cheesy protein. I could eat the whole pot myself, which would not be a good thing, so if you make this, be sure to have someone to share it with!

It's critical to use a nutty, crunchy oatmeal with as large of oat kernels as you can find. I prefer McCann's steel cut oats (not quick cooking) for this purpose.  The choice of cheese is up to you, but I had smoked Jarlsberg on hand so that's what I selected.  It went exceptionally well with the slightly smoky squash puree.

Savory Burnpile Squash and Poblano Oatmeal

Makes 2 servings

1/2 McCann's Irish steel cut oats
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups water
1/2 cup leftover burnpile squash and poblano puree
1/2 cup grated smoked Jarlsberg cheese

Add the oatmeal, salt, and water to medium saucepan.  Bring the water to boil for 5 minutes then reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook until the oatmeal is tender but still retains some crunch, and most of the water is absorbed, leaving the oatmeal with the consistency of thick yogurt.  Stir in the cheese and squash puree and continue to simmer until the puree is warmed and the cheese is melted. 

Burnpile Red Kuri, Kabocha and Poblano Puree

Having property in the country means there will always be a long list of chores, including constantly clearing brush to minimize fire danger.  In 2008 the Telegraph Fire engulfed over 34,000 acres, came within a stone's throw of our property on 2 sides, and destroyed many of our neighbor's homes.  The Rim Fire in 2013 was visible from our land and burned over 250,000 acres.  In this part of the woods, we take fire very seriously, and therefore, I have developed several recipes for cooking in the winter burn pile, which can be tended as the brush is burned.

Foil-wrapped gourds roasting in the coals

Today's recipe turned is one of my favorites.  Made with Red Kuri and Kabocha winter squashes and Poblano Peppers which were roasted in the burnpile, this sweet, smoky, and spicy puree was a great side dish to accompany pan-fried sole with capers and lemon, also made over the camp fire.  Any type of winter squash will work, including pumpkin, butternut, and acorn.  Red Kuri is a little harder to find but i s loaded with vitamins and has a creamy, very sweet flavor.
To roast the squash and peppers, I wrapped them in heavy duty foil and placed them on the edge of the coals.  The peppers cooked fairly quickly but the squash took longer, about 45 minutes. I turned it every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking.  Some parts of the skin will blacken but this just adds smoky flavor to the pulp.  The trick is to ensure that the vegetables don't dry out - you want the flesh to be moist so it can be pureed to the consistency of mashed potatoes.

I used a hoe to turn the gourds occasionally as they cooked. Once I removed them, I let them sit for a while as I tended to other chores.  This helped them to cool down and made them easier to handle once I started cooking.  After peeling open the foil, I pulled them apart and scraped out the seeds, reserving these for later use.  I then scraped the flesh into a medium saucepan.  It was so delicious and sweet!  I followed the same process with the poblano peppers.  With poblanos, you never quite know how intense their heat will be, so if you don't like too much spiciness, it would be better to use fewer peppers and add dried chipotle chili powder back in to achieve your desired level of heat.  I would rate this dish a 6-7 on the heat scale with the particular peppers I used.

Roasted poblanos and reserved seeds from the squashes

I added the rest of the ingredients from the recipe and pureed them with an immersion blender but you can also use a food processor, regular or high speed blender, or just mash everything by hand for a more chunky texture. The finished puree was drizzled with a must-have ingredient:  toasted squash seed oil.  Mine was a Delicata Squash Seed Oil which I'd ordered online.  You can omit this, because it is a specialty ingredient that is a little hard to find, but believe me, it puts this dish over the top, with its nutty, almost peanut buttery taste.  I would strongly recommend you try to obtain some if you want to get the full benefit of flavor.  I served the puree alongside some lemon and caper seared sole, and the miner's lettuce salad that I wrote about yesterday.  It was a delicious and healthy meal!

Puree of Roasted Poblano Peppers, Red Kuri Squash, and Kabocha Squash

makes 4 generous servings

1 Red Kuri squash

1 medium Kabocha squash

3 medium poblano peppers

1/2 cup vegetable broth (or more if needed)

4 tbsp butter or margarine

1/4 medium white onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2 to 1 tsp kosher salt

3 tbsp toasted Delicata squash seed oil

Prepare a fire with hardwood and burn down so you have a nice bed of coals (I used the oak and pine trimmings we had from clearing brush).  Wrap the gourds in two layers of heavy duty foil and place on the edges of the fire, turning every 10-15 minutes to ensure even cooking.  Test for doneness after 30-45 minutes by gently pressing on the packages in two or three places with a stick; if they give in easily they are ready. If you find any sides that are still firm, rotate those towards the fire and test again in 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove from the fire and let cool.

In the meantime, chop the onion into fine dice.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the onion. Rain 1/4 tsp of salt onto the onion and saute until translucent. Mince and add the garlic, cooking for about 2 minutes.  Turn off heat and set aside. 

Wrap the poblanos together in a single layer in a foil package.  When the squash has been cooking for about 35 minutes,  place the poblanos on the coals.  Cook for 5 minutes then turn over and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes on the other side.   Remove from heat and let steam in the foil for 15 minutes.  Once cooled, pull off the stems and cut open the peppers to scrape out most of the seeds.  You can also remove any severely blackened skin, but it is not necessary to remove all the skin. Place the peppers in the saucepan with the onions.

Open the cooled squash packages and carefully split open the squashes, removing and reserving the seeds and stringy pulp.  You can save the seeds for another recipe, and discard the stringy pulp.  Using a spoon, gently scrape off the flesh into the saucepan with the onions.  Depending on the size of your squashes, you will end up with 3-4 cups of soft flesh.

Mash up the mixture then add the broth and the remaining salt. If the mixture is really thick, add additional broth and continue to stir until the mix is broken up and warmed through.  Using an immersion blender, or a regular blender or food processor, pulse the mixture until you get the consistency you desire. I left my mix a bit chunky, but a smooth puree would also be nice. Taste and add additional salt as needed. When serving, drizzle each individual serving with 1 - 2 teaspoons of the squash seed oil. 

Lived a Miner, 49er

I had the pleasure of spending an incredible weekend at our getaway camp in Mariposa, CA this weekend.  Mariposa was the central player in California's goldrush, and the most profilic mine in California's history, the Whitlock mine, is located down the road from our property.  We had exceptionally nice weather this weekend, and I was able to spend some time preparing my vegetable garden for spring. At this time of year, everything is verdant with bright blue skies abounding, green grass everywhere, and one more wonderful jewel of the season sprouting up in every moist pocket of soil:  Miner's Lettuce.   So-called because it was a staple for the gold-seeking 49ers, this crisp green plant with tiny white flowers has a spinach flavor and is loaded with Vitamin C.  I love to pick and eat it where I find it, and it was the inspiration for a simple but tasty salad.

Hand picked bunch of Miner's Lettuce

Salad of Miner's Lettuce, Blueberries, and Goat Cheese

1 handful of Miner's Lettuce, washed and patted dry
1 tbsp blueberries
1 tbsp crumbled goat cheese
1 tbsp high quality extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
dash salt and pepper

 Make a simple vinaigrette by blending the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper together with a fork.  Drizzle a very slight amount of dressing on the greens, then compose the salad and enjoy!

Miso Eggplant

Eggplant is one of those foods that many people outrightly declare that they hate. However, like the Brussels sprouts of our childhood, I think most people who say this have only had poorly prepared eggplant and have never come to know how delicious it can be when made properly.  Eggplant does not have much of a flavor of its own, and when fully cooked becomes soft and creamy, taking on the flavors of whatever it's cooked with.  I purchased some Japanese eggplants last week, intending to make this dish then, but I never had time.  This week, in another Alzheimer's moment, I forgot I already had eggplant on hand, and I bought another.  You can't blame me -- my refrigerator was so overcrowded with huge bunches of greens, brocolli, and mushrooms that who could tell what was lurking in there?  Therefore, there will be another eggplant recipe forthcoming, but each of these will be completely different from the other.  Today's dish is a miso-grilled eggplant which is one of my favorite new veggie recipes I've tried this month.  I found it on Pinterest (sadly, I am a Pinterest addict and have over 100 boards and 4000 pins, mostly about food).  I didn't have all the special ingredients it called for, which I am sure would have made this even more delicious.   The original recipe can be found here: http://www.lovelylanvin.com/2010/07/19/nasu-dengak/

Below is my modified version.  One major change I made was to eliminate the sugar.  I was worried about this, because the carmelization shown in Lovely Lanvin's beautiful pictures most likely comes from the sugar, but I did not want all those extra carbohydrates.  My end result was still very tasty and looked pretty much the same.  However, I would suggest you keep the sugar if you don't have an issue with the carbs. 

Roasted Miso Eggplant

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees 

2 Tbs sugar (if you want the low carb option, substitute 2 tsp Splenda)
3 Tbs mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine)
1/2 red soybean miso paste

1 large (12 inches long, 2-3 inches thick, cut in half lengthwise and then in half lengthwise again) or 3-4 small Japanese eggplants cut in half lengthwise

Vegetable oil for brushing 

1 Tbsp Gomasio (a Japanese seasoning made with toasted seaweed and sesame seeds)

1 Tsp toasted sesame seeds

Cilantro for garnish

Whisk the sugar (if using), mirin and miso together.  DO NOT ADD THE SPLENDA in this step, if you are substituting it for the sugar.  Cook over medium-low heat stirring until ingredients are mixed well and heated through about 4-5 minutes.  Do not let boil - the sugar may burn.  I had to add some water to my miso paste because it was too thick and would not melt down.  Once all is incorporated, remove from the heat.  

 Place the eggplants on a parchment lined baking tray (to make clean up easier).  Using a pastry brush, brush the eggplants on all cut sides with olive oil, then brush liberally with the miso sauce. Roast in the oven about 20 -25 minutes, until the eggplants are very tender and have a nice dark brown coloring. Remove from the oven, sprinkle lightly with Splenda (if using), Gomasio, and toasted sesame seeds. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Easy Peasy Caprese

I am trying to recover from a major bonehead move which has turned my usual morning press into a frantic rush today.  I am rolling out a software implementation and conducting training with a team in Europe in the early mornings.  Today's training starts at 5:30 AM and late last night, I realized I'd forgotten to bring my laptop home. Damn!!!! Without the laptop I cannot securely access the software, so that means I will have to leave for the office no later than 4:30 AM. Gasp. Today's lunch preparation needs to be REALLY FAST and REALLY EASY.   A quick glance in the fridge revealed the ingredients for a classic Caprese salad: a fresh yellow heirloom tomato, mozzarella pearls, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and basil.  I have a very sorry looking basil plant growing on my kitchen windowsill that provides me with a scarce wintertime harvest of fresh leaves, for which today of all days I was very grateful.

This salad is way lovelier than the picture above, but I had no time to stage it up today, so Sorry!  I'll try harder next time...

2 Minute Caprese Salad

1 ripe tomato
2-3 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic
1 medium basil leaf
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper

Slice the tomato in half crosswise and gently squeeze out the excess juice and seeds.  Coarsely chop. Cut the mozzarella cheese into small bite-size pieces. Finely mince the garlic and chiffonade the basil leaf.  Toss together, then drizzle with the vinegar and olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper and gently toss together again.  Let marinate for at least 10 minutes, then enjoy.

Taco Tuesday, Vegetable Style

Today was a horrendously long day at work, starting with a 5 AM conference call/training session with Europe and ending with an evening call with Asia. I am very grateful for my incredible and supportive husband, who knew I would have no time to cook today, and took it upon himself to make a vegetable entree for me.  Most likely he opened the refrigerator and saw the 200 packages of mushrooms I'd accidentally ordered for my farm delivery this week and decided to use them in this dinner.  He did an internet search and came across Rick Bayless' recipe for Mushroom Tacos (which sounds less perverted than their official name, Hongos Guisados. Or maybe it's just me and my perverted mind that thinks that sounds perverted?)  At any rate, I know he probably thought I would enjoy this recipe because I record all the Rick Bayless PBS "Mexico: One Plate at at Time" TV shows and force him to watch them with me while I meticulously take notes on how to make sopas, salsas, and tamales. And I also dragged him to dinner Frontera Grill when we were in Chicago visiting our daughter, who as it turns out is also a Rick Bayless fan and owner of several of his excellent cookbooks.    Of course, he had an excellent time and a great meal at Frontera, and we are looking forward to going back and visiting some of Rick's other Chicago restaurants as well.

The recipe was tangy and garlicky, and very filling despite the absence of meat.  The original recipe anticipates this will be made as a filling for soft tacos, but I found it was a little too lacking in texture, so we decided to pan fry some corn tortillas, dust them with a little salt and garlic powder, and serve these as crispy tostadas instead.  I spread a little guacamole as the base, then followed with shredded lettuce, the mushroom filling, some grated jack cheese, and fresh chopped cilantro.  While a margherita would have been perfect with these, I settled for a nice glass of Pinot Noir (much lower in carbs and also readily available - as in handed to me as I walked through the front door at 9 PM).  This dinner was a perfect end to a very stressful day - thank you Bob! The recipe can be found here:  http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/soft-taco-filling-stewed-mushrooms-with-onions-and-garlic/