Author: Laine Page 4 of 11

Tex-Mex Breakfast Stew

On January 23, 2011

1 cup Onion [minced]
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
5 Sun Dried Tomatoes [chopped]
14 oz Diced Tomatoes [+ their juices]
2 cups Black Beans
4+ Eggs [free range, no more than 1 week old]
Cilantro
Tortillas

Heat olive oil in a shallow 5-1/2 quart sauce pan. Saute onion for about 5 minutes, then add garlic + spices, stirring for a few minutes more. Add the diced + dried tomatoes + bring to a gentle simmer. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, until flavors are well blended. Stir in the beans.

Make 4 depressions in the stew with a spoon + break an egg into each. Cover + allow to simmer for about 5 or so minutes until the eggs are poached to your liking. [You can carefully remove the eggs + poach more as desired.]

Serve a couple eggs + a scoop of stew in a shallow bowl topped with cilantro with tortillas on the side.

Kohlrabi Cabbage Salad

By Laine

On January 13, 2011

In Recipes, Vegetables + Fruit

1 Kohlrabi [peeled + grated]
2 Carrots [medium size, grated]
3/4 cup Purple Cabbage [sliced very thinly]

Dressing:
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbs Meyer Lemon Juice [or lemon juice with a pinch of sugar]
dash Dried Marjoram
dash White Pepper
Sea Salt [to taste]

Mix kohlrabi, carrot + cabbage together in a bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour dressing over veggies + mix well. Serve cool.

Simple Split Pea Soup

By Laine

On January 13, 2011

In Beans, Tofu + Lentils, Recipes

1 cup Green Split Peas
1 Onion [chopped]
3 Garlic Cloves [chopped]
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 cups Vegetable Broth
dash Turmeric
1/4 cup Flat Leaf Parsley [fresh, chopped]
2 Tbs Meyer Lemon Juice

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Saute onion for about 5 minutes, add garlic + saute 1 minute more. Add split peas + veggie broth. Simmer till peas are very tender, about 1 hour. Mash a few of the split peas with a fork until soup reaches a thicker consistency. Stir in parsley + lemon juice.

Serves 2 for dinner with a tasty salad + some crusty bread.

Cilantro Peanut Pesto

By Laine

On January 11, 2011

In Recipes, Vegetables + Fruit

2 cups Cilantro Leaves [fresh, packed]
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 cup Roasted Peanuts [salted]
1/2 inch Ginger Root [roughly chopped]
1 Garlic Clove
2 tsp Rice Vinegar [seasoned]

Combine all in a food processor + process till smooth. Makes about 1 cup of pesto.

Excellent served over hot soba noodles, mixed with sautéed shrimp, as a sandwich spread… you could even mix a little in scrambled eggs.
Freeze in ice cube trays for later use.

Spinach Stracciatella

By Laine

On January 5, 2011

In Eggs, Recipes

4 cups Vegetable Broth [low sodium or unsalted]
2 Tbs Miso
2 Eggs
2 Tbs Semolina Flour
2 hand fulls Spinach [fresh, torn to bite size pieces]
Fresh Parsley [for garnish]

In a small bowl, beat eggs, semolina flour and 2 Tbs of water until well blended. Set aside.
Heat broth till just about to boil. Stir in miso to mix very well. Bring broth to a very gentle boil + slowly whisk in the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in the spinach and reduce to a simmer for a couple minutes. Serve garnished with fresh flat leaf parsley.

Serves 2 to 4.

Portabella Sandwich with Caramelized Onions

By Laine

On January 3, 2011

In Recipes, Vegetables + Fruit

Caramelized Onions:
1-1/2 Onions [sliced very thinly, combination of white + purple onions]
6 springs Thyme [fresh]
Sea Salt
2 Tbs Olive Oil

Mushrooms:
2 Garlic Cloves [minced]
3 Portabella Mushrooms [stems removed, sliced into 1/2″ slices]
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbs Red Wine
1 Tbs Oregano [fresh, chopped]

Horseradish [to taste]
6 slices Sourdough Bread [fresh baked, crusty outside, soft inside]

For the onions, heat olive oil in a large saute pan with a lid over medium heat. Swish hot oil over the bottom of the pan + add onions. Season with sea salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally + making sure the onions do not brown. After about 5 minutes, when onions have wilted + started to change color, reduce heat and cover. Stir occasionally until the onions are well caramelized, about 1/2 an hour. When the onions are done, stir in the fresh thyme leaves.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in another large saute pan with a lid for the mushrooms. Add garlic + heat till fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the mushroom slices + cover. Allow to cook over medium heat, stirring every few minutes. In about 5-7 minutes, when about half of the mushrooms have softened, add the wine, balsamic vinegar + oregano. Stir well to coat. Cook for about 5 more minutes until most of the cooking liquid has evaporated.

Smear each piece of bread with horseradish to taste, then pile with caramelized onions + balsamic coated mushrooms. Put on the top slice of bread and toast the sandwich in a grill press till the bread is golden brown + the ingredients have soaked in to the bread. Serve hot.

*I served this with Cabbage Beet Coleslaw from The Kitchn. A great fresh, wintery beet slaw with a honey mustard dressing + plenty of color on the plate. I used a napa cabbage in the recipe + threw in a fresh segmented orange for a little extra sweetness. Yum, a perfect January meal.

Winter Squash Soup

By Laine

On December 26, 2010

In Recipes, Vegetables + Fruit

5 cups Winter Squash [1 delicata, 1 acorn, 1 small pumpkin, peeled + chopped]
3 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1 Celery Rib [chopped]
1 Carrot [chopped]
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 cups Vegetable Broth
1/2 tsp Smoked Spanish Paprika
1 Tbs Chives
Sea Salt
Balsamic Vinegar [for drizzling]

Heat oil in a medium sized soup pot. Saute garlic, celery + carrot for several minutes then add all of the squash. Cook over medium heat until the squash is tender + browning, about 15-20 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, paprika + season with plenty of salt. Cover and simmer until all the vegetables are very tender + can be easily mashed with a wooden spoon. Mash as much of the squash as desired or until the soup is thick and well blended.

Serve with a little bit of nicely aged balsamic vinegar on top. About 4 main course servings.

Shrimp Cocktail

By Laine

On December 25, 2010

In Recipes, Seafood

Cocktail Sauce:
1-1/2 cups Cherry Tomatoes [or other fresh, very ripe tomatoes, cut in half]
14 oz canned Diced Tomatoes [in juice]
1/4 cup Sweet Onion [diced]
1 Garlic Clove [minced]
1 tsp Olive Oil
2 tsp White Wine Vinegar
2 tsp Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
+/- 3 tsp Horseradish

2 lbs Key West Pink Shrimp [peeled + deveined]
1/2 Meyer Lemon
1/4 cup Red Onion [cut into chunks]
Sea Salt

Heat olive oil in a small sauce pan. Saute onion + garlic over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes + their juices. Bring all to a simmer over very low heat. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by about half.

Patiently puree all ingredients until very smooth [using a hand blender or allowing to cool then blending]. Return to the stove + add vinegar, brown sugar, +chipotle chili powder. Stir very well. Gently simmer for about 30 minutes more until thickened, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Remove from heat.

Bring a large pot of water, with lemon + red onion, to boil. Add raw shrimp and simmer for 1-2 minutes until shrimp are just cooked through. Remove to an ice water bath to cool immediately.

Stir 1-1/2 teaspoons [or more!] of horseradish into each 1/2 cup of tomato sauce*. This full recipe makes about 1 cup of sauce. Season with salt + pepper to taste, if necessary.

Arrange on a platter + chill both the sauce + shrimp for a couple hours. Serve cold.

*If you choose to make fewer shrimp, the tomato sauce is perfect for over pasta or as a dip with oven fries. Just add the horseradish to the portion you’re serving as cocktail sauce + save the rest for another dish.

Cookware + Kitchen Tools

By Laine

On December 23, 2010

In Things I Love

Here’s a section for all my friends + family who have borrowed or asked me about kitchen tools lately. Feel free to post comments if you would like me to recommend or review any other kitchen essentials. Also, I’d love to see comments with what other kitchen tools you can’t live without.

Stainless steel cookware set. [Cuisinart MCP-12 MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set]
This set of cookware has made my kitchen. The pots + pans are tri-ply with 18/10 stainless steel surrounding an aluminum core which continues up the sides of the pan, the major difference when compared to other cookware. More or less the same construction as All-Clad, but much more affordable. Very even + quick heating, perfect for browning, amazingly easy to clean. This set has just about everything you need, including 2 sizes of saute pan and interchangeable snug fitting lids.

Pressure cooker. [Presto 307912 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker]
You have never eaten better beans than the ones that come out of this guy! Shortens cooking times to mere minutes + produces the most tender beans, far tastier than any canned bean out there. A good pressure cooker is the secret to great hummus. It is also a great energy saver compared to conventional methods of simmering beans.

Hand blender [Oster Hand Blender w/Blending Cup]
A hand blender is essential for soups, sauces, smoothies + dressings. Quickly thicken soup, puree till smooth, or whip up a thick tasty salad dressing. An immersion blender is much easier to clean than a traditional blender + works safely on hot liquids… although I do recommend a kitchen apron! I’ve had this Oster model for a couple years + its simple, no fuss. I’ve also used the more heavy duty, multi-function version [Cuisinart CSB-77 Smart Stick Hand Blender with Whisk and Chopper Attachments] with good success. The bonus is that it includes a mini chopper and whisk.

Steamer basket [Progressive International 11 Inch Stainless Steel Steamer Basket]
Great for steaming veggies or dumplings easily. Fits into standard 5-1/2 quart wide saute pans.

Rada Cutlery. Very affordable, easy to sharpen, general purpose + specialized knives. They have a knife for just about anything you could want to cut. These are light weight, stainless steel knives – a budget option if you aren’t interested in shelling out for heavier options. I find that their lightness + smaller size handles fit well with my petite hands.

[Rada Cutlery Cooks Utility Knife, Made in USA, Aluminum Handle (R140)]
My all purpose chopping knife.

[Rada Cutlery Peel Pare & Slice Gift Set – Tomato Slicer, Peeler, Regular Paring Knife, Made in USA, Aluminum Handles (S18)]
This tomato knife is perfect. Large tooth serrated edge + skinny tip = perfect slices + easy coring. This veggie peeler is also really standard, but great for peeling just about anything.

Rada Cutlery Serrated Slicer Knife, Made in USA, Aluminum Handle (R138)
Perfect for big loafs of crusty bread.

Rada Cutlery Quick Edge Knife Sharpener with Hardened Steel Wheels (Designed for Rada Knives), R119
Essential, easy to use.

[Rada Cutlery Bagel Knife, Made in USA, Dishwasher Safe Black Handle (W218)]
A bagel knife, not essential but sure makes Spring Bagels for 30 at Easter brunch much easier.

Cookbooks

By Laine

On December 23, 2010

In Things I Love

Moosewood Cooks at Home [Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day]

This is the cookbook that inspired me to cook. Awesome combinations of ingredients, simple preparations. They even include a great resource section at the back with pantry stocking ideas, cooking methods, and ingredient descriptions. The African Pineapple Peanut Stew is a favorite indulgence. I’m a big fan of Caribbean Black Beans with Mango Salsa, North African Couscous Paella, Sweet Potato Salad, Asian Cabbage Slaw, + North African Cauliflower Soup. I also love to improvise and make recipes like Herbed Green Pea Soup to lactose free. I have also learned a great ways to use ingredients from this book, like flavoring soups with sundried tomatoes, a concept learned from the Black Bean Soup recipe.

Moosewood Sunday Dinners [Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant: Ethnic and Regional Recipes from the Cooks at the Legendary Restaurant (Cookery)]
Inspiring vegetarian recipes from around the globe. I especially love the African sections; they have some inspiring flavor combos that are uncommon but accessible in the US. The Split Pea and Rice Soup is perfect for any season. I must also say that the Capetown Fruit + Vegetable Curry will knock your socks off.

Unfortunately, most of my cookbooks were lost in the mail over my move to Texas. I’ll update this list as I find new loves or memories of great recipes from other books.