1000 pizza doughs

Roasted Maple Rosemary Mixed Nuts

Warning: These are addictive. Proceed at your own risk.

This post is for Karen.  As I was snacking on these at work, I tweeted about it and she asked for the recipe. I can't take credit for the idea. My boss' wife, who is an excellent cook, sent a version of mixed nuts roasted with maple syrup, and fresh rosemary, thyme and sage to the office, which made me want to experiment. 

I consulted How to Cook Everything for the appropriate oven temperature, but the rest was guesswork. 

You'll need:

• 2 cups various whole (shelled) nuts, more or less - I used 1 cup almonds and 1/2 cup each walnuts and cashews
• 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
• A few sprigs fresh herbs, finely chopped  - I used 1 large sprig of rosemary from the back yard (stem removed)
• Sea salt - just a sprinkle - I used about a teaspoon

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and spray with non-stick spray (may have been overkill, but I didn't want them to stick!).  You'll want to use a cookie sheet with sides, so the nuts don't fall off the edges.

Mix the nuts, syrup, herbs and sea salt in a bowl. Spread on prepared cookie sheet in a single layer, more or less. 

Bake for 10-15 minutes until nuts begin to brown, stirring with a spatula about every 5 minutes.

I was too busy eating these warm from the oven to take a photo, but here are the snack bags I made up for this week. You could, of course, make these in larger batches, but that would reduce opportunities for eating them fresh from the oven. Enjoy!

 

CSA Recipe Roundup

During CSA season, I write the weekly newsletter for the Summer Creek Farm CSA in Frederick, Maryland.  Since a few people have mentioned that they've come to the blog looking for the recipes I tweeted about, here's a recap of the CSA recipes so far this year.  Each link goes to the archive of that week's e-mail newsletter (feel free to sign up -- no CSA membership required!).  Each week also includes some information on one featured CSA item in season that week.

• Basic pasta with broccoli rabe - featured item: broccoli rabe
• Tabouleh and raita - featured item: mint
• Garlic scape pesto - featured item: garlic scapes
• Garlic scape hummus - featured item: romaine lettuce
• Pea and potato curry - featured item: potatoes
• Stir fried shrimp and snow peas - featured item: snow peas

This week we have a CSA break (so the farm can harvest wheat), so I'll be taking the opportunity to visit the new downtown Frederick farmers market that Wednesday instead. 

Above: pea and potato curry, from Devra Gartenstein's The Accidental Vegan. The recipe is posted here on Google Books.

Best Cold-Weather Soup Ever: Lentil Curry Stew

You know those recipes that you realize you no longer need the recipe for?  This is one of those in my house.  I found this recipe years ago during the vegan era (circa 2003).  Actually, if I recall correctly, it found me, through an e-mail from Dr. Andrew Weil to a long-closed account.  I no longer actually have the original recipe, though I think this one is pretty close.

It was good as-is, assuming you like lentils.  But given my unquenchable craving for Indian food, I decided to spice it up.  Unlike garam masala, Madras curry powder is an excellent addition to soup (well, this one anyway). 

Recently, I have also discovered that chard and potatoes make excellent additions to this soup, if you happen to be on a quest to use CSA vegetables at every meal, lest they plot revenge against you.  Add enough curry, and this soup will warm you up on the coldest of days (which, I am afraid, are coming).

Lentil Curry Stew

Makes 6 generous servings (~2 cups per serving) in about 1 hour and 15 minutes

• 2 cups green lentils (anywhere b/t 1-2 cups will work)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced (~1 cup)
• 3 stalks celery, diced (~1 cup)
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced (~1 ½ cup)
• 1 bunch chard or other leafy greens, stems removed, and chopped to 1-inch pieces (optional)
• 1 to 2 cups potatoes, peeled and cut to 1/2 inch dice (optional)
  
• 1 28 oz. can tomatoes, crushed or diced (Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes work really well – you can find them in the organic section, or a health food store)
• 3 oz. tomato paste (½ small can)
• 1 to 3 tbsp. curry powder, to taste
• 1 tsp cumin
• ~1 ½ tsp. salt, or to taste (optional)
• pinch cayenne (optional)
• 2 tbsp. good olive oil
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar (optional)

 

Tip: don't chop anything to start.  You can chop the vegetables while the lentils cook.

Rinse lentils, and remove any debris.  Add lentils and bay leaves to a large pot, add 10 cups cold water (or enough to cover the lentils by about 1 1/2 inches) and bring to a boil.  Cook lentils partially covered at a low boil for about 30 minutes, skimming foam off the top occasionally if needed.

Add carrots, celery and onion and cook another 30 minutes partially covered over medium heat, until the carrots are cooked through.  If using the potatoes and/or chard, add them at this stage as well. You may also need to add another cup or two of water along with the vegetables. 

Lower heat to medium-low and add tomatoes, tomato paste, curry powder, cumin, cayenne and salt.  (If you don’t like curry, just leave it out and add a little cayenne instead.)  Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often; soup will thicken slightly.  Just before serving, remove bay leaves and stir in olive oil and vinegar. 

Serve with naan or your favorite bread.  This soup is even better the next day, and freezes well in individual portions for later lunches.

 

Which one of these is not like the others? (Yes, it really aggravated me that I ran out of round bowls!)

A Zucchini Too Far

Necessity Zucchini is the mother of invention. For weeks now, I've been feeling like the squash are plotting their revenge against me, slowly and nefariously, as I neglect them in the crisper.  Which is packed with huge amounts of fresh vegetables.  Sadly, the rest of the fridge is practically empty, aside from an abundance of Asian condiments (the ghost of stir fries past), and the ever-present "Diego" yogurt (demanded by the kid... already brand loyal at 3... #$%^\@ marketers).

I've been feeling a little rebellious this week.  I started cooking dinner... with no idea what I was actually making.  Usually I have some sort of recipe in mind as a guide.  Not today, although it could have been inspired by this gruel.  Said gruel was a red lentil/zucchini combination that basically turned to mush.  Pretty tasty mush, but still mush. 

Gruel wasn't really what I had in mind, but it had to 1) be basically healthy, and 2) use a lot of squash, and as many other vegetables as possible (fewer for the revenge plotting).  So I started cooking some green lentils (sturdier than the red ones), and chopping some squash, onions and peppers.  Here's what I did:

Curried Zucchini with Green Lentils

• 1 cup dried green lentils
• 1 large onion, chopped - about 1 cup (divided)
• 1 bay leaf

• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 to 3 small summer squash, chopped to 1/2-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
• 1 to 2 tablespoons curry powder, or to taste (I like Madras curry powder)
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeno, sliced (optional, garnish)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons plain yogurt (optional, garnish)
• Cooked brown rice, for serving

Add lentils, 1/2 the onion and a bay leaf to a medium saucepan, and fill with water to about an inch above the lentils.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook about 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add cumin seeds until they become fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the green pepper and the rest of the onion and cook until they begin to soften, about 8 minutes.  Then add zucchini and cook until tender, about 10 more minutes.  (Lower the heat if the zucchini start to brown.)

When lentils are finished cooking, drain them and remove the bay leaf.  Add lentils to the skillet and reduce heat to low.  Stir in curry powder.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and cilantro.  Serve over brown rice, topped with a jalapeno and plain yogurt, if you wish.

This turned out pretty well; it was especially good the next day as lunch. I also made some fresh naan to go with it, mostly so my husband, who named this blog post, would have something to eat.  (Can you guess his opinion?  Hint: he really doesn't like squash.)  I'm proud of myself, as previous attempts at recipe invention have had, um, less than stellar results.  Me: 1, Squash: 0 (although there are still some in there... the coup is coming...)

Corn Chowder - A Joy of Late Summer

Corn chowder is a labor of love.  Especially this one, from Jannequin Bennet's "Very Vegetarian."  (Here's the recipe, courtesy of Google Books.)  Lots of chopping and dish-washing is required, but the result is an awesome soup.  Perfect with some crusty bread, or a nice gooey grilled cheese sandwich (I like a mix of Jarlsberg and Fontina - try it with a little pesto!).

The author notes:

This colorful soup highlights the bounty of late summer, when corn is plentiful, peppers are fully rip, the potato harvest is beginning, and the nights have begun to have a little chill to them.

It is indeed colorful, and a life-saver to those of us struggling to find ways to cook all those CSA vegetables.  I used these vegetables gleaned from CSA and farmer's market:

• Yukon gold potatoes - Recipe calls for red skin potatoes, but either works fine.  Do cook them separately though.
• Garlic
• Onion
• Bell peppers - Generally, I use all green peppers, since the colorful ones are hard to find locally grown
• Fresh white corn, about 4 ears, removed from cob - Fresh corn is a must for this soup. Frozen is OK in the dead of winter, but do not use canned corn for this.
• Tomatoes, diced (optional garnish)

Other items used:

• Carrots
• Celery
• Fresh cilantro
• Oil - recipes calls for vegan margarine, but I am just not a fan of margarine of any type (butter or nothing, baby!)
• Spices: cumin, dark chili powder, cayenne - Tip: use twice the cayenne for a little more heat.  This is a pretty bland soup otherwise.
• Flour
• Vegetable stock - Store-bought is fine, or chicken stock, if you aren't concerned about keeping it vegetarian (vegan, really).
• Salt
• White pepper (or black, if you don't mind the specks)

 

To make life easier, here are a few tips if you try this:

• Use a large pot.  The one above is 8 quarts, I think.
• First, chop the potatoes, and start boiling them separately.
• Then, chop the onions, carrots, celery and garlic.  Get those on the heat.
• Next chop the peppers.
• Saute the peppers separately.  This takes about 10 minutes.  If the peppers and potatoes finish before they need to go in the soup, just set them aside. They'll warm up at the end.
• While cooking the peppers, remove corn from the cob and chop the cilantro.
• Stage the spices and flour next to the stove, so you don't forget to add them at the right time (I forgot to add the spices until the end this time, and the soup had less depth of flavor).

This soup freezes beautifully for a taste of summer well into fall.

I imagine every vegetarian has been asked, "What do you eat?  Don't you feel deprived?"  Thanks to meals like this one, nope, not a bit. 

Vegetarian "Kitchen Sink" Chili

This chili is from an Emeril Lagasse recipe (who knew - the king of pork fat has some surprisingly good vegetarian recipes!).  It's relatively quick for chili: cooking time totals about 40 minutes, but you'll need to spend some time chopping before that.  The link above goes to the recipe, so I won't reprint it here.  I have made some notes on various ingredients and substitutions below.

CSA (and other) veggies used in this chili:

• Yellow onions
• Green onions
• Green or red pepper
• Hot peppers, like jalapeno or serrano
• Yellow squash and zucchini (any combination of summer squash)
• Fresh white corn, removed from cob (frozen corn works fine too)
• Tomatoes (one 28 oz. can diced tomatoes works fine if you don't have fresh on hand, or don't want to bother with peeling and seeding)
• Cilantro
• Garlic
• Portabello mushrooms (Obviously not a vegetable, but a good way to use them. They add a nice "meaty" texture to this chili.)
• Avocado (optional, for garnish)
• Limes (optional, for garnish)

Pantry staples you will need:

• Canola oil
• Spices: chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt
• Cooked beans (drained and rinsed canned beans are fine - I like red kidney beans or black beans, or a combination)
• Tomato sauce, 15 oz. can
• Canned diced tomatoes, 28 oz. can (if not using fresh tomatoes)
• Vegetable stock (can use water instead, but this adds more of that simmered-all-day flavor)
• Brown rice, for serving (start the brown rice first since it takes an hour to cook, then start chopping and preparing the chili)

This chili is even better the next day, and makes an excellent lunch.  I had to answer a few inquiries from co-workers who could not fathom eating vegetarian (vegan, actually) chili without actually being a vegetarian.  They conceded that it did smell really good.

I normally wouldn't eat chili in the summer either, but it was rainy the day I made this, and I had all of the fresh vegetables on hand.  It's the "meatiest" vegetarian chili I have tried thanks to the portabellos (and I tried several during the vegetarian years).  My husband (the "baconator") also liked it.  He's gotten used to vegetarian dinners, especially during CSA season!

CSA Couscous

As the in-season vegetables change throughout the summer, I find myself repeatedly throwing whatever I have on hand into this easy and forgiving couscous. 

 

To make the basic couscous pilaf you'll need:

• 1 cup whole wheat couscous
• 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, or a combination
• 3 cups water, broth or stock (chicken stock or vegetable stock)
• Salt, to taste
• Large (at least 10-inch) skillet with a lid

This "Couscous by the Pilaf Method" recipe is from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, 1997 edition, page 563 (great source of ideas for cooking practically every vegetable you've ever heard of, and some you probably haven't).

Bring the water or stock to a boil.  Meanwhile, melt butter or heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the couscous to the butter/oil, stir to coat the grains, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pour in 2 cups of the boiling water. The couscous will instantly bubble up.  When it subsides, shake the pan to even the contents, cover and set aside for 7 minutes to steam.

Then fluff the grains with a fork, pour in the last cup of boiling water (add frozen peas at this point, if using - see additions below), cover and let stand another 5 minutes.

While the couscous is steaming, prepare the vegetables and dressing.

Dressing for CSA Couscous:

• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon (optional - I only use the zest if I have organic lemons on hand to avoid the waxy coating)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (use more if you don't want the tart, lemony flavor to be too pronounced)
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper

Squeeze lemon juice into a small bowl.  Add salt, pepper and zest, if using.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil, and set aside. (This is a good basic dressing for salad greens as well.)

Vegetable additions for CSA Couscous:

I don't think I've ever made this the same way twice.  Here's what I added this time:

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 small yellow squash, cubed
• Half a large zucchini, cubed
• Half a red onion, chopped
• Half a green pepper, chopped
• Fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems
• Fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Sliced almonds or toasted pine nuts, for garnish

I had the red onion and green pepper already chopped (leftover toppings from taco night).  The garlic, squash, zucchini and basil were from my CSA box this week, and the thyme was from my yard.  I also added some frozen peas.  If using frozen vegetables, try adding them to the couscous before it steams a second time, unless they require lots more cooking.

Saute the vegetables and garlic in a little olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender, over medium to medium-high heat while the couscous is steaming.  (If you add hard vegetables like carrots, give them more time to cook.) Add a little salt and pepper to the vegetables at the end.

When everything is finished cooking, add the lemon/olive oil dressing to the couscous and stir.  Then add the vegetables.  Finally, add the fresh herbs, taste for salt and serve warm, garnished with almonds or toasted pine nuts.  This is great as leftovers for lunch.

Here's the Summer Creek CSA haul from week 10 (minus the pint glass - I store my fresh herbs like basil, parsley and cilantro in water in the fridge, a tip from Chef Christine).

Roasted the green beans (idea courtesy of Flour Girl), boiled the potatoes (on request of my part-Norwegian husband - apparently cooking potatoes any other way in Scandinavia qualifies as heresy), and made a nice side dish with the cherry tomatoes, halved and dressed with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped basil, salt and pepper.  Tastes like summer.

Buy Local Challenge Week: Keeping it Simple

This week was the Buy Local Challenge.  The challenge was to eat at least one locally grown food item each day during the week of July 18-26, 2009, which sounds deceptively simple... until you try it. 

As a CSA member, I already had plenty of locally grown vegetables on-hand.  Here's what we got from Summer Creek Farm in week 9. (I love that Farmer Rick includes educational materials, like copies of Edible Chesapeake magazine!) Those cherry tomatoes made great snacks for work.

The challenge was the weekend, when we generally eat lunch out at least one day.  Of course there are restaurants in Frederick that feature local food, and thankfully they are growing in number.  However, taking a 3-year-old to say, Volt... it's just not something I am prepared to do.  (I haven't been there yet, as I am waiting for the chance to eat at Table 21.)

Grocery shopping was also more challenging this week than usual, as I was determined to buy as much locally as I could.  I try to do this every week, but this week I was really thinking about it.  It's  mind-boggling to think how far some food travels before we eat it.  (I could go on a Michael Pollan-inspired rant here, but I'll save that for another day.)

The Common Market, which has been my salvation on more than one occasion, came through nicely with some local peaches and blackberries (woo hoo! see earlier post about my blackberry addiction).  I even splurged on some fresh goat cheese from the Cherry Glen Goat Cheese Co. in Boyds, Md.  (It's worth the $12.99/lb.) 

I kept it simple this week, mostly from necessity, as my husband was on a business trip all week, and I have a picky preschooler to feed.  So we ate lots of pasta, with various vegetables thrown in.  I made this pasta again, with several CSA veggies: yellow squash, zucchini, garlic, basil and uncooked tomatoes.  (Trying to work on my photography skills...)

After a 3-year-old's birthday party on Saturday, where the menu was pizza, cake and sodas, I made simple caprese salad for the grown-ups in my house.  (The not-so-grown-up one insisted on having a second piece of cake at the party... she was the only child of about 30 still eating cake come time to go home.)

I probably don't do this the proper way, if there is such a thing, but I just take Farmer Rick's slicing tomatoes, fresh mozzarella slices and big basil leaves, stack 'em, drizzle with good olive oil and a little sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. 

Currently, I am making plans for that lovely goat cheese (oh yes, I have plans for you my precious) and eating the rest of this basil bread.  (Mine didn't turn out that pretty, but it was good.  Made some open-faced pulled pork sandwiches today with this bread.  It's a keeper!)

Simple Summer CSA Meal - Zucchini Basil Pasta and Tomato Cucumber Salad

CSA veggies used: zucchini, basil, tomato, cucumber, berries (for the not-so-simple pie)

Sometimes in the summer I just eat whatever vegetables and fruits I have on hand as dinner.  Plain and raw, with maybe just a little salt or olive oil.  That's what I did today, for instance (a cucumber and a peach). Today I had an ulterior motive, however, as I was planning to consume a large piece of blackberry pie shortly thereafter.

Generally, at least for me, it's the complicated recipes that tend to go horribly awry.  The simple ones become my go-to dinners for busy nights, or those sweltering days when the last thing anyone wants to do is stand over a flaming gas range.

One of my favorite such meals is a simple zucchini and basil pasta, with tomato and cucumber salad on the side. 

For the pasta (yes I mixed bow ties and small shells, because I didn't have enough of either), I sauteed the zucchini with some sliced garlic in about 1 tbsp of butter mixed with 1 tbsp of olive oil.  then I mixed in the cooked pasta, turned off the heat and added some parm-reggiano and torn basil leaves from my container garden.  Rocket science? No.  Simple, fresh and delicious?  Yep.  (If you're really anti-butter, it would be fine with just olive oil, but I like the flavor a little butter adds here.)

For a side dish I made a recipe my friend Amy taught me in college.  She learned it from her Italian grandmother. The herbs are dried in this recipe, but it works, and I'm sure fresh would be great too.  Here's the approximate ratio:

• 1 large fresh tomato, cut into large dice
• 1 large cucumber, sliced (and peeled, if you wish)
• 1-2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Just mix it all together and serve immediately.  It's OK the next day, but not the same--all the juices kind of congeal in the bottom with the oil in the fridge.  Best to make only as much as you plan to eat right then.  It's also good with red onion and/or fresh mozzarella chunks.  (We used to make this with pierogies in the dorm... good times.)

My daughter loves this bowl. It has bees, ladybugs and various critters on it.  Now if only that would convince her to eat a cucumber or tomato...

And just for fun, here's my first-ever successful blackberry pie!  (Note, not the first attempt, by far.)  Made the crust (my mother was horrified when I told her I put two sticks of butter in it!), and even pre-baked it with weights (OK, not real pie weights... used some dried orzo of indeterminate age).  Burned my forearms twice in the process... but it was worth it.  (Anyone know where I can get potholders that go to the elbow?) It's not going to win any beauty contests, but it brought back memories of home.

My new favorite cookbook (and garlicky fish)

I must have a thing for NYT authors... first Michael Pollan, now Mark Bittman.  I received the 2008 edition of "How to Cook Everything" as a Christmas gift last year, and am slowly but surely gooping up the pages with flour, butter and well, all those telltale signs that a cookbook is truly well-loved.

Since there's garlic in the CSA basket this week, I posted a link to this recipe for "Yucatan Fish With Crisp Garlic," which also goes by the name "Garlickly Lime-Cooked Fish" in the book (page 608).  Though Mark (no I don't know him, but since I fawn over his book so often, I feel that we are on a first name basis) doesn't care for tilapia, and doesn't recommend olive oil in this recipe, I used both and it came out great.  (And fish and me, well, we normally don't get along so well...)