Category: Grains

Successful Party Food

May 31, 2009

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The party was a success.  The birthday boy was happy with the food and everything I tasted was great (I didn’t taste the two shrimp dipping sauces because, well, I don’t eat shrimp.)  I continue to have this lingering feeling that I didn’t make enough food but my husband, who has a healthy appetite, assures me there was enough.

I had a lot of fun catering this party and not just because the clients are such good friends.  I made a nice mix of tried and true recipes and new-to-me recipes.  I chose a mix of things that could be made ahead and things that needed to be made day of.  I stuck to my daily task list and never felt overwhelmed by what I had to do.  And once I spent an hour or so finishing everything up at their house, I was able to walk out of the kitchen and enjoy the party.

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I’ve made these dates probably 10 times now and am always blown away by how much people like them.  I think the only person who doesn’t rave about them is me.  I don’t really like dates but I love how easy this recipe is and the fact that the filling can be made a day in advance.  You can find the recipe in this post – scroll to the bottom.

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Here is another recipe I have made many times.  You are basically guaranteed rave reviews.  My friend Lauren said the tomatoes tasted like sunshine.  Another one you can make well in advance and just assemble before serving.  You can find the recipe in this post.

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I was really happy with how both dishes on this platter turned out.  Neither of which I had made before but both I will make again.  Roasted Artichokes with Red Pepper Relish and Oven-Fried Rice Balls with Gruyère.  I could easily have eaten about half the rice balls on that platter – they were that good.  I made them the night before and just let them rest in the refrigerator on a baking sheet.  They tasted incredible just out of the oven but were still good after sitting out for an hour or so.

Oven-Fried Rice Ball with Gruyère
Adapted from Food and Wine
Makes 20-30 rice balls

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup arborio rice
2 cups water
3/4 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (2 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup mixed chopped herbs (DT: I used lemon thyme, oregano, and basil)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1.  Preheat oven to 450°.  Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan.  Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes.  Add the rice and cook, stirring for 30 seconds.  Stir in the water and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the water has been completely absorbed, about 10 minutes.  Scrape the rice into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

2.  Stir the Gruyère, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and all the chopped herbs into the rice.  Season the rice with salt and pepper.

3.  In a medium stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until firm peaks form.  Stir one-fourth of the whites into the rice to loosen the mixture, then stir in the remaining whites.  Roll the rice into 1 1/2 inch balls.  (DT: Periodically wetting your hands will keep the rice from sticking to you and will allow you to make more compact rice balls.)

4.  In a shallow bowl, toss the panko with the remaining 1/4 up of Parmesan.  Dredge the rice ball in the panko crumbs and transfer to a large baking sheet.  Bake the rice balls in the upper third of the oven for 25 minutes or until golden and crisp.  Let stand for 5 minutes then transfer to a platter and serve.


Category: Appetizer, Grains, Party Food
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Thoughts on Quinoa

May 12, 2009

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We all know about quinoa, right?  The amazing grain that’s not really a grain but a seed.  It’s ancient, originated in Peru, and is a complete protein.  It shows up on all kinds of lists as a “super food”.  And there you have it.  The extent of my knowledge about quinoa except for one last thing.  It’s delicious.

Not in dip-your-spoon-in-and-take-a-big-mouthful way like, say, chocolate sauce.  (Not that I would know anything about that.)  All by it’s lonesome, it’s kind of plain.  But it absorbs flavors like a pro and is equally at home in lots of different kinds of cuisines.  It also has a delightful texture – soft with just the slightest crunch.

This salad is pretty healthy but even if you are not the healthy food loving type, it’s a good one to have in your arsenal.  I love having go-to salads like this for things like potlucks and barbecues.  It’s vegan and wheat free so just about anyone can eat it.  It doesn’t have to be refrigerated and it can be made in advance.  The flavors are crowd pleasers – lots of cumin, garlic, and smoked paprika – not to mention grilled zucchini and my beloved chickpeas.  If you wanted to add dairy, I think feta cheese or a soft goat cheese would be delicious.  Or even crumbles of ricotta salata for something a little different.

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One Year Ago:  Spring Challenges

Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini, Chickpeas, and Cumin
Serves 6-8

I cut this out of a magazine but I don’t recognize the font.  Since I get Bon Appetit, Gourmet, and Food and Wine, I can assure it’s from one of those.  Quinoa generally needs to be rinsed before using so it is not bitter.  If you buy Bob’s Red Mill brand, it does not need to rinsed.

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. tumeric, divided
1 tsp. smoked paprika, divided
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well (if necessary), drained
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, trimmed, quartered lengthwise
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Combine chickpeas and lemon juice in a large bowl.  Add 3 tbsp. oil; pressin garlic and stir to combine.  Let marinate at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp. tumeric, and 1/2 tsp paprika; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add 2 cups water, quinoa, and coarse salt; bring to simmer, sirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).  Place zucchini on rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with 1 tbsp. oil.  Sprinkle with ground cumin, 1/2 tsp. tumeric, and 1/2 tsp. paprika.  Toss to coat evenly.

Place zucchini on grill; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Grill until tender and browned on all sides, 10-12 minutes.  Transfer to work surface.  Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.  Add zucchini, green onions, and parsley, then chickpea mixture to quinoa.  Toss to blend.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  (Can be made up to 1 day ahead.  Cover and refrigerate.  Bring to room temperature before serving.)


Category: Beans, Grains, Salad, Vegan
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Sushi Rice Salad

April 25, 2009

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What do I make when I’m making miso soup?  Sushi Rice Salad.  I’ve made sushi rolls before – I have the bamboo mat to prove it.  But, while they are delicious, healthy, and nutritious, they are also kind of time consuming and fussy.  When I crave those flavors, I make this salad.  A purist would gasp but someone wanting sushi would just dig in.

This recipe is written on yellow legal paper in my own hand and I have no idea where I got it.  I have tweaked it significantly over the many times I have made it so I am going to officially call it my own.  Whoever wrote the original says to use long-grain rice.  Every single time I have made it, except for this last one, I have used sushi rice.  You have to wash sushi rice endlessly so it doesn’t gum up and wouldn’t you know it, every time I made this dish, the rice gummed up.  Last week I decided to make it with brown rice and I loved it.  Try whatever you like.

Sushi Rice Salad
Serves 4-6

You should be able to find all the more unusual ingredients in the Asian food section of your grocery store.

1/2 cups long grain rice or brown rice
1/4 cup + 3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, divided
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sesame seeds, lightly toasted
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. finely chopped pickled ginger
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 English cucumber, seeded and chopped
8 oz. extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes
2 sheets nori
1 avocado

Cook rice.  (If making brown rice, simply boil in a large pot of water, as you would for pasta.  Cook until tender and then drain.)  Meanwhile, in a small saucepan 1/4 cup vinegar to boil with sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved and remove from heat.

Transfer rice to a large bowl and stir in vinegar mixture.  Cool rice.  (If there is excess liquid in the bottom of the bowl, drain rice again.)  Stir in sesame seeds, remaining 3 tbsp. vinegar, oil, ginger, scallions, cucumber, tofu, and carrot.

Cut nori sheets into 1 inch wide strips.  Peel and pit avocado.  Quarter, then cut cross-wise into thin slices.  Add avocado to salad with nori.  Toss well.

Dressing

I like a lot of wasabi with my sushi.  I like my nose to burn a little bit.  If you like things mellower, add between 1 and 2 tsp. wasabi and then see how it tastes before you add it to the salad.

3 tsp. wasabi paste
1 tbsp. hot water
2 tbsp. cold water
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. ginger juice

In a small bowl, stir all ingredients together.  Drizzle dressing over salad and mix carefully.


Category: Asian, Grains, Main Course, Tofu, Vegan
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Something Savory

December 16, 2008


When we lived in London, I had the amazing opportunity to take a couple of cooking classes. Most were done at a delightful store called Divertimenti in my favorite neighborhood of Marleybone. They had a rotating roster of instructors, one of whom was Celia Brooks Brown – an American living in London who has written a number of vegetarian cookbooks – and another of whom was Richard Bertinet, a charming Frenchman who has just published a ground-breaking book on bread. I got to take classes with both of them.

The folks at Divertimenti really knew what they were doing. They had a lovely kitchen classroom downstairs from the main part of the store. The instructors used many different kitchen tools, talked about how great they were, and then encouraged us to use our 10% off coupons to buy said tools. For example, Ms. Brown used a square non-stick pan to make a Japanese omelet for a futomaki roll. Even though I could see right through this ruse, I somehow ended up with a square non-stick pan. (True confession: I love this pan. It does not have a silicone coating so I have used it blissfully through all the controversy over non-stick. If I could, I would buy another one in a heartbeat, but I can’t seem to find this German brand in the States.)

I also took some classes at Leith’s which was in my neighborhood of Kensington and is an old and nationally famous cooking school. Kind of the English equivalent of the CIA here. These classes were all about the cooking and not at all about the equipment. I took an amazing chocolate making class where we learned how to make chocolate truffles in molds so they look incredibly professional. Thankfully, I learned to temper chocolate there, otherwise I may never have attempted it. (It is still one of my least favorite things to do in the kitchen.)

The other class I took at Leith’s was called Vegetarian for the Holidays. Because I am a decent cook, and I have been vegetarian since I was sixteen, I didn’t find that I learned all that much at the Divertimenti classes. I enjoyed them, but didn’t learn much. Leith’s was another story. In three hours time, the chef whipped up seven dishes from start to finish without so much as breaking a sweat. I learned that it was possible to like parsnips (in an incredible dish garnished with kumquats) among many other things. A month or so later, I picked up their book entitled Leith’s Vegetarian Bible.

I must confess, I haven’t used the book all that often. I don’t like how it is laid out (by ingredient, rather than by course), so each time I reach for it, I end up just putting it down. But I have been in a bit of rut lately and wanted to dive into my second stringers. I am so glad I did. This dish was pretty outstanding. And not just for this dinner – this is a new outlook on risotto for me. I remember reading in one of Deborah Madison’s cookbooks that she doesn’t like risotto unless something interesting has been done with it. Just a puddle of it in a bowl doesn’t do it for her. I actually do like a puddle of risotto, but these wedges made me LOVE risotto. This technique is great – I had no wedge breakage as I have when I have tried to make croquettes. The actual risotto in this recipe is delicious but I plan to do with another type in the not too distant future.

Fennel and Brie Risotto Wedges
Adapted from Leith’s Vegetarian Bible
Serves 8

I suggest you heat 6 cups of vegetable stock to make the risotto, although you may not need all of it. (Original recipe only called for 3). I recommend you freeze the Brie for about 30 minutes to make cutting the rind off a little easier. I used two Pyrex pie plates for the egg and the breadcrumbs. I made these early in the day and then reheated them in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Great for a dinner party!

2 fennel bulbs
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 lb. arborio rice
6 cups vegetable stock
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
8 oz. Brie cheese, rind removed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Flour
3 eggs, beaten
Breadcrumbs
Olive oil, for shallow frying
Fresh fennel tops for garnish

1. Discard any damaged outer leaves from the fennel and cut each bulb in half. Remove the cores and reserve the feathery tops.  Chop the fennel very finely.

2. Heat the vegetable stock over medium heat in a medium saucepan.

3. Heat the oil and butter in a large shallow saucepan and add the fennel and onion and a healthy pinch of salt. Cover and cook over a low heat for 20-25 minutes until soft but not colored.

4. Add the rice to the pan and stir to absorb the buttery juices. Add the stock a little at a time, stirring continuously and allowing the stock to become absorbed between each addition, until the rice is tender – this will take about 20-30 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and season with salt and pepper.

5. Carefully fold in the Parmesan and Brie cheeses. Allow to cool.

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the cooled risotto out on the paper and gently form it into a circle about 1 inch thick. Make sure it is as even as possible. Chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight. If you do leave it in overnight, cover the circle with plastic wrap.

7. Cut the cold risotto mixture into 8 wedges and sprinkle each side of each wedge with flour. In a wide shallow bowl, beat the eggs and in another wide shallow bowl, scoop out 1 cup of breadcrumbs. (You may need more.)

8. Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan and fry the risotton wedges for 2-3 minutes on each side until hot, brown, and crisp. You can also fry the edges if you like. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt. Serve hot, garnished with chopped fennel fronds.


Category: Cookbooks, Grains, Main Course
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Not Your (or My) Mother’s Stuffed Cabbage

December 7, 2008

When I was a kid, my mom cooked a lot of 1970’s fare. Meatloaf, spaghetti and meatballs, corned beef and cabbage, bbq’ed chicken, stuffed cabbage. As my brothers and I grew up and really started to appreciate food (she is a good cook), she got more adventurous. She started reading cookbooks and branching out. Once I became a vegetarian (at age 16), she branched out even farther and started making more ethnic food and eventually became a vegetarian herself.

All along, my dad never complained. He is an enthusiastic eater and loved whatever she made. I think if you asked him, though, he would love to have one of those old dishes again. Especially stuffed cabbage. Her recipe was sweet, sour, and substantial. Cabbage parcels stuffed with a meat and rice mixture flavored with lots of cinnamon, and all bathed in a piquant tomato sauce. It makes me laugh to think that she used to take the meat out of the cabbage so I didn’t have to eat the cabbage part. Now it would be the other way around.

Up until recently, I never attempted a vegetarian stuffed cabbage recipe. Perhaps I was haunted by the memories of that meat mixture, or perhaps I was just lazy. Sometimes I am funny that way. I’ll spend hours making a cake but the idea of making a filling and then preparing a vegetable wrapper, and then doing the actual wrapping just sounded like too much. Until the time I actually tried it and realized that it is easy and makes for a delicious dinner.

For this recipe you use collard greens instead of cabbage. Really, any of the leafy greens make good wrappers. I removed the vein in each leaf and used two roughly same-sized halves, slightly overlapped, for each roll. That way, you can make dinner sized parcels and don’t have to worry about the filling spilling out. As yummy as the filling is here, the sauce is what makes it. If you have left over, it makes a delicious salad dressing or sauce for tofu, or really just about anything.

Middle Eastern Lentil Rice Rolls with Lemon Tahini Sauce
Loosely adapted from The New Whole Grains Cookbook
Serves 4

Filling
1/2 cup Le Puy lentils (can use plain brown lentils)
1/2 cup short grain brown rice
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. mild vinegar (such as apple cider)
2 bunches large-leaved collard greens, about 24 leaves

Sauce
1/2 cup tahini
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste

Place the lentils in a small saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and reduce heat slightly so the water stays at a gentle boil. Cook lentils until tender, but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Taste to make sure they are done. Drain and set aside.

Bring a medium size pot of water to boil. Add about a teaspoon of salt and then add the rice. Give it a good stir, then allow to cook, keeping the water at a boil, until done but with a little bit of a bite, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Place a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add just enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan and add the onion. Cook until beginning to soften, then add the garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, then add a good pinch of salt, the cayenne, the oregano, and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Cook 1 minute. Add the parsley, give it a good stir and remove from the heat. In a bowl, mix the saute with the rice, lentils, lemon juice and another good pinch of salt. (This mixture can be made one day ahead and refrigerated, covered.)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add the vinegar and a teaspoon of salt. Cut the collards in half along the stem, removing the stem and discarding it. Drop the leaves in the boiling water and stir for 2-3 minutes, until softened and bright green. Drain and rinse in cold water immediately. Shake each leaf off and lay on a kitchen towel to blot dry.

Take two roughly same-sized pieces and overlap them slightly. Scoop a couple of tablespoons of the rice mixture and place right where the leaves overlap. Fold the sides in and then roll up the leaves, cigar-style. Place on a serving platter seam-side down. Serve at room temperature.

For the sauce, put the tahini, garlic, and lemon juice in the work bowl of the a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping and scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the water and the salt and process to make a pourable sauce. Serve with the rolls.


Category: Beans, Grains, Main Course, Vegan
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