Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Portuguese Style Autumn Vegetable Stew

Portuguese Style Autumn Vegetable Stew


This is a warm and flavorful dish, perfect for a chilly fall evening. Serve this vegetarian stew over cooked wheat berries. Or, to make a meat version, add 1 lb. Portuguese Linguiça, or another spicy sausage. If adding the sausage, try omitting the potatoes, cutting down on the stock by 1 cup, and serving over mashed potatoes. Serves 4-6.

1 TB sunflower or olive oil
2 small sweet onions, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 medium sweet peppers, cut into 1.5 thin strips
2 small bulbs fennel (or 1 large), stalks trimmed, core removed, sliced into 2 thin strips
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 TB Hungarian Paprika
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tsp dried oregano, or 1 TB freshly chopped
1/4 cup red wine
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 cubes

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed, large saute pan with deep sides, over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute, stirring occasionally, until onions are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add sweet peppers and fennel. Saute for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, oregano, red wine, stock, parsley and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove cover, increase heat slightly, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings and serve warm.

Published in Soups and Stews
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Meatloaf Stuffed with Herbed Ricotta Cheese

Meatloaf Stuffed with Herbed Ricotta Cheese


Suzanne Podhaizer, the Food Writer for Seven Days and Seven Nights, volunteered to contribute some of her recipes to the Good Eats newsletter. This is the first we've been able to include, but we look forward to more of her inspired creations later in the share.

1 pound ground beef
1 pound pastured veal
1 medium onion, minced
a few cloves garlic, minced
Breadcrumbs
2 eggs
2 cups ricotta
Seasonal herbs, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Nutmeg, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the meatloaf: In a large bowl, mix the beef and veal with the minced onions and garlic. Add an egg (my favorite part is blending in the egg with my hands) and some breadcrumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the filling:
Blend the ricotta with the remaining egg and any herbs you desire. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and a sprinkling of nutmeg, if desired.

Putting it together: We used an oval, 2 1/2 quart Le Creuset oven for this, but it could be adapted to numerous kinds of vessels. Place about two-thirds of the meat mixture into your baking dish. Spread the meat across the bottom of the dish and build up a thick layer around the sides, creating a space for the ricotta mixture. Add the ricotta. Place the remaining meat on top, covering the ricotta completely. Bake for around an hour, until the top has browned and feels like a well-done hamburger when you press on it gently (it won't give much). Enjoy with a nice salad, or maybe with some grilled pac choi.

Variation: For extra flavor, try glazing the top of the meatloaf with some homemade ketchup, or some other sort of tomato product prior to baking.

Published in Dinner
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Kimchi

Kimchi


If you didn't grab an Edible Green Mountains, here's the kimchi recipe from the fall edition. There's lots more explanation in the magazine, though. Makes 2 quarts.

3 hot chili peppers, such as Thai bird, serrano or jalapeno, or more to taste
4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped, or more to taste
6 garlic cloves, chopped, or more to taste
2 pounds Napa, Savoy or green cabbage, center core removed and very thinly sliced
1 daikon radish or 2 to 3 black Spanish radishes, thinly sliced (red radishes work, too)
3 leeks, thinly sliced crosswise
4 large carrots, thinly sliced crosswise
1 celery root, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced (You can use the kohlrabi from the share!)
8 tsp fine sea salt or pickling salt

Using a food processor or mortar and pestle, make a paste of the chili peppers, ginger and garlic.

Toss together the cabbage, radish, leeks, carrots, and celery root (kohlrabi) in a large container, layering it with the salt and spicy paste. Use your hands to mix it all up, rubbing the paste into the veggies; then wash your hands immediately.

Using the blunt end of a meat hammer, rolling pin or other similar tool, pound the mixture to release the vegetable juices. You will know that you have pounded enough when you can push the veggies down with your hand and they are covered by the released brine.

Pack your vegetables into wide-mouth quart mason jars. You must really push to pack the veggies down tight, allowing the brine to rise to the top. You want the brine to rise up about 1/2 inch above the veggies to allow for some evaporation during fermentation. Find something that will hold the veggies down under the brine. Weight down with a jar filled with water.

Leave your jars on the counter out of the sun. Fermentation usually takes about a week, but you can begin testing your veggies after 3 or 4 days. If any mold forms on the brine, just scoop it out and continue fermenting. Once fermentation is complete, remove the water jar and cover, screw on the jar lid and place in your refrigerator, where it will keep at least until next summer.

Published in Salads
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Chicken in Yogurt Sauce (Murgh Khorma)

Chicken in Yogurt Sauce (Murgh Khorma)


Adapted from Lite and Luscious Cuisine of India, this chicken dish would pair well with the Indian Cabbage and Carrot Salad recipe in the July 30th newsletter. (You'll have to scroll down in the newsletter to find it.) Serves 6.

1 3 lbs. chicken
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt
2 TB sunflower or olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup water
1 green chili, chopped (optional)
2 TB chopped fresh cilantro

Cut the whole chicken into 8-10 pieces. Remove skin if desired. Cut 2-3 slits, 1 inch long and 1/2 inch deep, in each piece of chicken. Set aside. In a small bowl mix yogurt, chopped ginger, garlic, garam masala, cayenne pepper, coriander and salt. Pour over chicken and mix well. Heat oil in a heavy skillet. When oil is hot, add cumin seeds ad cook for a few seconds until seeds are golden brown. Add sliced onions. Fry onions until golden brown, stirring as needed. Add chicken along with the marinade and fry for 8-10 minutes. Add the water, chopped green chili and cilantro and stir well. Cover with a lid and reduce heat. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve immediately over brown rice.

Published in Dinner
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Bean Mole with Roasted Winter Squash

Bean Mole with Roasted Winter Squash


This recipes is adapted from 101cookbooks.com. My family enjoyed this the other week for supper, and we thought many of you would too. Serves 4.

3 cups cooked meaty white beans, such as marfax or Jacob's cattle
1 1/2 cups (7 ounces) peeled and chopped winter squash
olive oil
1 bunch kale
2 TB butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 - 4 red jalapeno chiles, halved, seeded, and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound green tomatoes, chopped
1 cup vegetable broth or water
2 teaspoons paprika
1 ounce of almonds, dark roasted and finely ground
2 ounces dark 70% dark chocolate, broken into pieces
salt
1-2 TB maple syrup, optional

Preheat oven to 350F. Place cubed squash in a roasting pan and toss with olive oil. Roast them in the oven for about 20 minutes until caramelized on the outside but still firm. Reduce the oven temperature to 250F. (note: alternately, you can brown the squash in a skillet.)

Without removing the central stem, cut the kale across the leaf into 3/4-inch slices. Melt the butter into an oven-proof casserole dish (pot) and fry the onion and chilies gently over a low to medium heat for 20-30 minutes, until caramelized. Add the garlic and fry for three minutes more. Add the tomatoes, liquid and paprika, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add the ground almonds, chocolate, squash, beans, kale, and a teaspoon of salt. Stir until the chocolate has melted. Taste the mole. Add syrup, if you wish, to your taste. Cover the casserole and put it in the oven to cook gently for 2 hours.

Published in Dinner
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette


From Eating Well Magazine. Orange juice and cilantro yield a tangy dressing that you'll want to have on hand. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

1 cup packed cilantro
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of minced garlic

Puree cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, salt, pepper and garlic in a blender or food processor until smooth. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Asian Dumpling Soup

Asian Dumpling Soup


Adapted from Epicurious.com. Serves 4-6.

1 (15- to 16-oz) package frozen Asian dumplings (also called pot stickers; about 20 to 24)
2 tsp sunflower oil
1/2 cup finely chopped leeks
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TB minced ginger
5 cups vegetable or chicken broth (40 fl oz)
3 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage (from 1 head)
2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps*
1 cup shredded or matchstick (1/8-inch-thick) carrots (from a 10-oz bag)
1 cup shredded or matchstick kohlrabi
1/2 cup shredded or matchstick daikon radish
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Fry dumplings in a large, heavy bottomed skillet, according to package directions.

While dumplings cook, heat oil in a 4 - 6 quart heavy pot over medium heat. Add leeks, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth, increase heat and bring to a boil. Add cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, kohlrabi and daikon and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in sesame oil, salt, and pepper and boil until all vegetables are tender, about 1 minute.

Divide dumplings among 4 soup bowls with a slotted spoon. Ladle soup over dumplings.

*If you don't have fresh mushrooms, try using 1 cup dried shiitake, reconstituted in warm water. Replace some of the broth with the resulting mushroom-flavored water.

Published in Soups and Stews
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Mushroom Barley Soup

Mushroom Barley Soup


Adapted from Epicurious.com. Serves 8.

1/3 cup pearled barley, soaked 6 hrs. in cold water
1/4 oz dried porcini (1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 parsnips, peeled and choppped
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 lb fresh oyster mushrooms thinly sliced, or shiitakes-stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup medium-dry Sherry
3 cups low-salt beef or rich vegetable stock
soy sauce to taste
chopped fresh parsley

Simmer barley in 3 1/2 cups water in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot, uncovered, until almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain in a colander. While barley is cooking, soak porcini in 1/2 cup water in a small bowl until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain in a sieve lined with a dampened paper towel set over a bowl, reserving liquid. Rinse porcini to remove any grit, then coarsely chop.

Heat oil in cleaned pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add carrots, parsnips, shiitakes, porcini, salt and pepper and sauté, stirring frequently, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms are golden, 4 to 6 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, bay leaf, sherry, stock, mushroom soaking liquid, barley, salt and pepper. If soup looks too thick, add a cup or so of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and barley are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and soy sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Published in Soups and Stews
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Stir-fried Veggies with Ponzu and Garlic

Stir-fried Veggies with Ponzu and Garlic


Although this recipe originally appeared in a summer Culinate newsletter, it was easily adapted to fall greens and barley. Serves 2-4.

1 bunch chard
3 carrots scrubbed and sliced crosswise, very thin
1/2 head cabbage
canola oil
1 small onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
Fresh ginger, a 1-inch piece, peeled and minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Ponzu (citrus-flavored soy sauce available at natural and int'l groceries)
Toasted sesame oil
3 cups cooked (leftover/cold) pearl barley

Have at hand three medium bowls. Prepare the vegetables by first washing them; shake off the water but don’t bother to dry them. Prepare the Swiss chard by first removing the ribs from the leaves; finely chop the ribs and place them in a bowl, then cut the leaves into slivers and place them in another bowl. Add the carrots to the chard stems. Finally, slice the cabbage very thin, and place in its own bowl.

Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet. When hot, add the onion, garlic, ginger and red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add the cabbage — and another slug of canola oil if necessary — and cook stirring occaionally for about 5 minutes. Add the chard and carrots and cook over medium heat until almost tender, stirring often. Add the chard leaves and continue to stir-fry until almost tender (or turn the heat down, add a bit of water and cover, to steam instead of stir-fry).

Turn the heat up to medium-high (removing the lid first, if you were steaming) stir-fry for a minute or two, lower heat to medium, then add a big splash of ponzu and a drizzle of sesame oil. Stir to mix, then push vegetables to the outside rim of the pan and dump barley into the center. With a large wooden spoon spread it out in the pan. Once the barley is warmed through, stir the vegetables into the barley. Season to taste with extra ponzu. Serve hot.

Published in Hearty Sides
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Mushroom Casserole

Mushroom Casserole


Adapted from 101cookbooks.com, this is comfort food at its healthy-finest. Serves 8.

2-3 TB olive oil or bacon fat
1/2 pound (8 ounces) mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 large onion, well chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dry sherry
3 cups cooked barley (from about 1 cup dry), room temperature
1/2 tsp crumbled dried thyme
2 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup freshly grated hard Vermont cheese or Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Rub a medium-large baking dish (somewhat smaller than a 9x13) with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside.

Heat oil/fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt to taste and saute. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit. Add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute. Add sherry and cook, stirring constantly until all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. Add the thyme and the barley to the skillet and stir until combined.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt/sour cream, and salt.

Add the barley mixture to the cottage cheese mixture, and stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or until hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and enjoy.

Published in Hearty Sides
Page 15 of 22
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