Archive for the 'Vegetarian' Category

Inspiration comes in many forms

Published
by
marc
on June 3, 2008
in Spring, Vegan, Vegetable and Vegetarian
. 6 Comments

Danish Lamp or mushrooms?

Shag leather rug or mushrooms?

I scored an unexpected bounty today at a farmer’s market that until this morning I had no idea existed. I came into work this morning to see one of my co-workers munching on fresh peas straight out of the pod. Perhaps sensing an interrogation in the making he volunteered the info about a farmer’s market that runs on Tuesdays at St Marks Church on 10th and 2nd. Who knew?

If you live in NYC and have been less than pleased with the offerings at Union Square this year. This one (along with the one at Tompkins Sq. on Sundays) might be worth checking out. It only had 3 lonely vendors, but 2 of them where local farmers that had just plucked these organic wonders from their fields.

At the first stop I picked up a few pounds of English peas, sugar snap peas and “real” strawberries of the sort I haven’t seen since leaving California. Small, glistening and incredibly fragrant, these little red berries brought back memories of picking my own berries along highway 1.

At the second stop, a weathered man with dirt still between his nails offered up a stalk of purple asparagus to taste. Enamored by the surprising sweetness I quickly picked out a handful of deep purple sticks that still looked alive. Apparently, the reason the purple variety is so rare is that it’s relatively new and since asparagus beds last for 20 years, most farmers are unwilling to dig up their existing beds to plant the new variety (which take several years to start producing).

Next he tore off a cluster of Maitake mushrooms and handed it to me to taste. I have to be honest in that the very pungent odor (not in a good way) and uncleaned rawness of the mushrooms put me off initially, but after taking braving a bite I could see the potential and ended up buying some along with a cluster of yellow oyster mushrooms.

Regular readers know that I’m an advocate for simple preparations of food. Like a good story, I think that food should have a few complimentary main characters with a supporting cast of ingredients that help the main characters tell their story. Too many leads and you’ll have a chaotic tale that’s hard to digest.

For this meal, I just sauteed the mushrooms, asparagus and snap peas over a hot flame with some olive oil, and finished it with a pinch of smoked salt and freshly ground black pepper. The maitake mushrooms proved to be incredibly meaty in flavor, the unpleasant odor all but disappeared turning into a deep rich umami unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. The yellow oyster mushrooms added some color and texture although their delicate flavor was assimilated by the maitake.

The asparagus added some crispness and sweetness while the sugar snap peas added their own brand of cripsy sweetness. A squeeze of lemon juice just before eating was like a splash of sunshine that cascaded through the flavors making this one of the most perfect meals I’ve had in a while.

What foods do you find most inspiring?

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Wheat berry and quinoa salad

Published
by
marc
on June 1, 2008
in Mediterranaen, Party, Salad, Side, Summer, Vegan and Vegetarian
. 10 Comments

Here’s one of my favourite summer salads. I like making different variations of it using different grains and pastas such as Bulgar wheat, cous cous, orzo, brown rice, etc. For this incarnation I decided to go with a blend of wheat berries (for their high fiber content and pleasantly chewy texture) and quinoa (for its high iron and protein content).

The flavours are decidedly Mediterranean, though I won’t go so far as to claim authenticity from any region specifically. It’s light and refreshing while filling which makes it the perfect food for those hot summer days when you just don’t feel like eating much. In terms of nutritional value, this salad is basically a meal in itself, but it also makes a great side for meat and fish dishes (I like to serve it with lamb and veggie kebabs).

Aside from swapping out the grains, you could also change out the pine nuts for things like slivered almonds, pistachios, or walnuts. Basil makes a great substitute for the mint and if you want it a bit more creamy, add some feta or Greek yogurt. Finishing this salad with a dash of sumac powder adds some nice color and flavor.

What’s your favourite summer salad?

for salad
1/2 C uncooked quinoa
1/2 C uncooked whole wheat
1/4 C toasted pine nuts
1 tomato cut into cubes
1/4 small red onion sliced thin
1 Tbs minced mint
1 Tbs minced flat-leaf parsley

for dressing
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp pomegranate molasses
1/2 tsp salt

Prepare the quinoa according to the package directions. Wheat usually calls to be soaked overnight, but I’ve found that simmering it in a large pot of water for 1-1.5 hours then draining does the trick as well. I like my wheat berries to be on the chewy side, but if you want yours to be softer, leave it on the stove longer.

To make the salad, just whisk the dressing together, then pour of the salad ingredients while the grains are still warm. Allow it to cool to room temperature and serve. If you make this a day in advance it tastes even better the next day.

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Asparagus linguine with mint pesto

Published
by
marc
on May 28, 2008
in Experimental, Mediterranaen, Pasta, Side, Vegetable and Vegetarian
. 14 Comments

I guess I’ve been on a bit of mint kick as of late. It’s yummy in desserts and makes a great garnish, but more over it’s an herb that’s entirely underutilized for savory dishes. This dish came together in my head while spec’ing product at work this afternoon (a not-so-creative left brained activity). The right side of my brain was feeling under-utilized writing tables of messaging requirements, so I started thinking about what to make for dinner.

I think the idea of making noodles out of asparagus came first, but it was quickly followed by something to accompany it. I happen to have a nifty multi-blade razor thing from Japan (pictured below) so I just give a stalk one pass, then rotate it 90 degrees and give it another. If you don’t happen to have one of these things laying around your kitchen, you should be able to do this with a sharp knife (or mandoline) and some patience. If neither of those options don’t work for you, you could always leave the spears whole then serve it with the pesto to dip.

I’d have to say I was pretty happy with how the pesto turned out given that I’ve never made it before and the last time I had pesto on anything was ages ago. I could just eat this out of a bowl with a spoon, but I imagine it would be good on bread, in a sandwich, on regular pasta or served with lamb chops. It’s full of umami, earthy and creamy, but the mint and lemon juice add some brightness that makes this more versatile than other pesto’s I’ve had before.


Continue for full recipe

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Green peach salad with feta

Published
by
marc
on May 24, 2008
in Fruit, Fusion, Salad, Spring, Vegetable and Vegetarian
. 9 Comments

When life gives you green peaches, make a salad!

I’m sure we’ve all jumped the gun on peach season seeing those perfectly fuzzy fragrant bulbs sitting in our grocers produce section just screaming out to be bought. It’s still a bit early in the season for peaches, so if you gave into the calling, you more than likely to end up with crunchy fructose deficient duds. But don’t despair! Green peaches are actually delicious if you know what to do with them.

“What the hell would you do with a green peach, I mean that’s like wilted lettuce isn’t it?”

Technically if you’re hoping for them to ripen in your fruit bowl, you’ll be waiting a long time, since the sugar content of stone fruit does not increase once they are picked. What’s more likely to happen is that they’ll go from hard and dry to soft and mealy.

“So what do you do with them? Load them into a potato canon and shoot them at your neighbor’s dog?”

Well, you could do that, but that’s mean, and a good way to get your ass kicked, not to mention the fact that you’d be wasting a perfectly good peach. What you really have to do is shift your thinking a bit and treat it like a vegetable.

“WTF!?”

Think of it as a fragrant veggie that’s somewhere between crisp and crunchy and refreshingly tart with a mellow aroma. They’re especially good added to salads and make excellent pickles.

“Dude, you’re a genius”

While I’d like to take credit for figuring this one out, I actually got the idea at some restaurant out in Cowra/Canowindra (NSW Australia) or thereabouts. The salad and dressing on the other-hand is a product of some daydreaming (after my anger with Fresh Direct subsided for charging me $4 for apricot sized green peaches).

I know the flavors are from all over the place, but it works. I like the way the intensely earthy sesame oil harmonizes with the barnyard notes of the goat cheese and the floral peachiness coming from the unripe stone fruit. Likewise, the creamy feta offsets the tartness of the green peaches nicely.

So what unconventional ways to rescue an ingredient have you found?
Continue for full recipe

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Eggplant and Quinoa Involtini

Published
by
marc
on May 17, 2008
in Mediterranaen, Vegetable and Vegetarian
. 14 Comments

Some of my favourite foods involve a filling wrapped in something. Potstickers and bacon wrapped dates are just two examples of little parcels of tastiness whose wrappers not only serve to hold everything together, but add complimentary tastes and textures in the process.

Involtini is a southern Italian dish typically made with veal or beef wrapped around a filling. This vegetarian version inspired by Nigella Lawson’s “Soft and Sharp Involtini” is a little more Greek in flavor. Upon actually looking up the recipe in Nigella Bites, I’m realizing it’s actually quite different, so let’s just say it’s inspired in spirit.

The smokey grilled eggplant makes the perfect wrapper for the tart creamy filling. The mint gives it a nice fresh taste and with the quinoa, you’d swear there was some ground meat in it. It looks complicated but it took me a little less than an hour to prep.

Continue for full recipe

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