Thursday, December 24, 2020

White Sangria

Ingredients
  • 2 bottles of pinot grigio (or sauvignon blanc)
  • 2-3 cups of mango or peach juice
  • 1/2 cup of peach schnapps
  • 2 sliced lemons
  • Sliced peaches and strawberries
  • 1 bottle of brut champagne
Combine all ingredients together (except for the champagne). Chill for a few hours or longer. Add champagne just before serving.

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Shakshuka

Adapted from: https://www.corriecooks.com/instant-pot-eggs-spicy-tomato-sauce/

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion chopped

2 bell peppers deseeded and julienned

1 jalapeno pepper diced (or a can of diced green chilis)

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp chipotle pepper

4 large eggs

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Pour the oil in the Instant Pot and select “Sauté”.
  2. Stir in onion cook for 7-8 minutes until a little browned.
  3. Add garlic and saute for a minute 
  4. Add tomatoes, peppers, seasonings and stir for 2 minutes.
  5. Close the lid and cook for 10 minute at high pressure.
  6. Do a quick release and remove the lid.
  7. Create a small holes inside the sauce, and crack an egg over each one.
  8. Cook at high pressure for 1 minute. If you want the eggs to be hard-boiled, cook for a longer time. Quick release.
  9. Serve with toasty bread or eat on its own.

Instant Pot Seitan

 Adapted from: https://www.corriecooks.com/instant-pot-seitan/

Ingredients

1 cup wheat gluten

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp nutritional yeast

¾ tsp salt

1¾ cup vegetable broth (or no chicken better than bullion broth)


Instructions

  1. In instant bowl, mix together all dry ingredients
  2. Add ¾ cup of the broth and keep mixing and kneading for about 3 minutes, or until the mix is smooth.
  3. Cut the mixture to small equal pieces.
  4. Put the pieces into the Instant Pot and pour in the remaining 1 cup of vegetable broth.
  5. Cook at high pressure for 15 minutes. Quick release.
  6. Optional extra step, but more delicious: dip in egg wash then flour and pan fry.


Panettone


Adapted from Chef Steps https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/classic-panettone-in-one-day

This recipe makes 3 standard sized panettone. To calculate the dough weight required for your panettone molds, multiply the volume of the mold in cm * (.45). For standard molds, it's approximately 800g.

Vega

400g - Buttermilk

22g - Yeast

250g - Starter

400g - Bread Flour


Dough

400g - Bread Flour

265g - Egg Yolks

200g - Granulated Sugar

20g - Salt

Zest of 2 oranges

Zest of 1-2 lemons

1 bean - Vanilla Bean

200g - Butter

475g - Rum (and gran marnier) soaked assorted dried fruits (we used apricots, golden raisins, candied ginger, cherries, prunes)

Instructions

Make Vega:

1) Put the buttermilk, yeast, starter, and 400g of bread flour together in a large stand mixer and mix

2) Rest the vega for for 30 minutes until it's light and fluffy

Make Dough:

3) Add eggs and flour and mix - mix for a long while

4) Add salt, sugar, vanilla bean and mix

5) Add zests (or oils) and vanilla bean -- not extract

6) Mix until shiny and smooth. Dough should be very ribbony and stretchy - fine gluten film

7) Add butter in small amounts, mixing to incorporate after each piece

8) Add fruit and mix.

9) Bulk ferment in bowl: cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it proof until doubles in size

10) Lightly spray counter, dough, hands, bench scraper with vegetable oil and turn out dough

11) Gently shape into a rectangle and very gently fold and stretch to retain air bubbles

12) Shape into a ball and cover with bowl to let rest for 1 minute.

13) Repeat steps 11-12 one or two more times

14) Put 800g of dough into each panettone mold, cover with bowl, and let rest until dough fills the mold

15) Bake at 350 F for 40-50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees. We stopped at 187 degrees and it worked well.

16) Immediately skewer the molds and turn upside down until cooled completely

17) Wrap when cool to retain moisture.

Monday, October 5, 2020

Butternut Squash Soup

 

  • Adapted from the feed vegan
  • 1 medium (about 1 pound) butternut squash, cubed, seeds discarded
  • 1 large apple, sliced
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, smashed 
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Kosher salt, as needed
  • Black pepper, freshly ground, as needed
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 can coconut cream (unsweetened)
  • 2 teaspoons hot curry powder (to taste) - or combo of tumeric, cayenne, dash nutmeg)
  • Cinnamon, for garnish (optional)

METHOD

  • STEP 1

    Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Place the squash, apple, onion, ginger and garlic on the prepared pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season to salt and pepper and place in the oven to roast for 25 minutes.

  • STEP 2

    Stir the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the apple, onion, ginger and garlic to the container of a high-speed blender. Return squash to the oven to roast for about 5-10 minutes more, or until very soft.

  • STEP 4

    In a large saucepan, combine stock, coconut cream, seasonings, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Can also add crushed ginger and garlic here instead of roasting on sheet pan.

  • STEP 5

    Transfer roasted vegetables to sauce pan and season to taste. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Garnish mugs of soup with cinnamon.

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Mexican Spinach (great for veggie burritos/bowls)


This recipe is adapted from Pamala Salzman's Mexican-Style Sauteed Greens Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ onion, finely diced (about a cup)
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced (remove seeds to make it milder)
Another pepper - or two - cubanella for mild, poblano or more jalepeno for hot.
1 -  garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 pound spinach or other greens you have. (Used fresh spinach without chopping and it was great.)

Cumin, gound
Ancho or other smoked chili powder
Sea salt to taste
Juice of 1 - 2 limes.

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and jalapeno (and other pepper) and cook until onion is tender and translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add garlic, cumin and ancho powder to taste. Saute 30 seconds.
Add tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes, or until tomatoes just start to lose their shape.
Add the greens and salt to taste.
Cook, stirring frequently, until greens are wilted and just tender.
Add lime juice near the end.

Serve immediately.
For burritos you plan on picking up, drain the liquid.
For burrito bowls, your choice.

We served these with plain pinto beans, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, shredded pepper jack cheese, and fresh salad sprouts, and they were pretty darn awesome!



Saturday, May 23, 2020

Sourdough Bagels

This is a blending of this recipe:100% Naturally Leavened New York Bagels with Sourdough
and this one: King Arthur Water Bagels (and simplified).

For the dough:

300g active 100% sourdough starter
350g bread flour*
125g 200g cold water
20g non-diastatic malt
10g salt
*or 350g white whole wheat plus 40g gluten
Water Bath 2 quarts (1814g) water 2 tablespoons (18g) non-diastatic malt powder 1 tablespoon (14g) sugar


  1. Mix all the dough ingredients together. I had to add a bit more water to bring it together.
  2. Refrigerate overnight.
  3. Place dough on counter and knead to make smooth ball. Should take less than a minute since the gluten development happened in the fridge overnight!
  4. Divide dough into 8 pieces and make into rounds.
  5. Shape the bagels and place on parchment. King Arthur bagel shaping tips here.
  6. Let bagels rise one to two hours, depending on how active your starter was and whether you use a proofing setting in your oven.
Boiling and baking:
  1. Preheat oven to 425. 
  2. Assemble water bath and bring to gentle boil.
  3. Place bagels in water, two at a time and boil 30-45 seconds and turn over for another 30-45 seconds.
  4. Remove from water and place on another parchment sheet (on a baker's peel if you have one).
  5. Sprinkle with seasonings.
  6. Repeat with rest of bagels.
  7. Depending on your oven, you can bake four at a time or all at once.
  8. Bake 20 - 25 minutes until brown to preference.
  9. Remove and place on wire rack to cool.
I did four on a baking steel and the bottoms were super crunchy and a bit overcooked for some, but I thought they were perfect.
The other four I did with my new Lloyd Pans Sicilian Style Pizza Pan, and they were less dark on the bottom.

Thanks to Lee Yan of 24 Hour Kitchen and King Arthur for the solid framework!

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Easy Authentic Falafel Recipe (adapted from Suzy Karadsheh)

Christian made this under quarantine and it was FANTASTIC! Texture was so perfect with the dried chick peas.

Original Recipe is here. Deep thanks to Suzy Karadsheh!

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups dried chickpeas (Do NOT use canned or cooked chickpeas)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
  • 3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed 
  • 1/2 cup fresh dill, stems removed
  • (We had neither fresh dill nor cilantro, but we did have leek sprouts, so...)
  • 1 small onion, quartered
  • 78 garlic cloves, peeled (We used 2 cloves out of deference to Karen, and made a garlic sauce to top.)
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • Oil for frying (or coating to bake)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. (One day in advance) Place the dried chickpeas and baking soda in a large bowl filled with water to cover the chickpeas by at least 2 inches. Soak overnight for 16-18 hours (more if the chickpeas are still too hard). When ready, drain the chickpeas completely and pat them dry.
  2. Add the chickpeas, herbs, onions, garlic and spices to the large bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Run the food processor 40 seconds at a time until all is well combined forming a the falafel mixture.
  3. Transfer the falafel mixture to a container and cover tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or (up to one whole night) until ready to cook.
  4. Just before frying, add the baking powder and sesame seeds to the falafel mixture and stir with a spoon.
  5. Preheat oven to 400.
  6. Scoop tablespoonfuls of the falafel mixture and form into patties (1/2 inch in thickness each). It helps to have wet hands as you form the patties.
  7. Dip the patties into a dish or bowl with a few ounces olive oil in it and coat both sides. Then move to baking sheet (lined with parchment paper if you have it).
  8. Fill a medium saucepan 3 inches up with oil. Heat the oil on medium-high until it bubbles softly. Carefully drop the falafel patties in the oil, let them fry for about 3 to 5 minutes or so until crispy and medium brown on the outside. Avoid crowding the falafel in the saucepan, fry them in batches if necessary.
  9. Place the fried falafel patties in a colander or plate lined with paper towels to drain.
  10. Bake for 10 minutes and check. Likely need to turn over each patty at this point, bake a further 10 minutes or so. Continue baking until golden brown. May need to turn patties once more.
  11. Serve falafel hot next to other small plates; or assemble the falafel patties in pita bread with tahini or hummus, arugula, tomato and cucumbers. Enjoy!

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Chana dal with spinach

Meredith's recipe:


2 Tbsp oil or ghee
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp grated ginger (2 cubes)
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cardamom 
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch cayenne
1 tsp curry powder or garam masala
2 curry leaves
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups chana dal, split and rinsed
3 cups of water + 1 cup of broth
1 pound fresh spinach, chopped, or frozen

Chop the onion and saute in a a couple tablespoons oil or ghee for around 5-8 minutes, until starting to brown.

Add the turmeric, coriander, cardamom, cayenne and curry powder and saute for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for another 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 30 seconds. 

Add a splash of water to slow the cooking. Add the chopped spinach and saute for a few minutes until all the spinach is wilted. 

Add the 4 cups of liquid, the bay leaves, and the curry leaves, and bring to a boil. Add the chana dal and cook for about 45-60 minutes, until dal is softened. 


Sunday, April 12, 2020

Vegetarian Poutine, Quarantine Edition!

Three part recipe: Potatoes, Gravy, assembly!


Oven fries:

3 - 4 Pounds Baking potatoes
2 - 3 Tablespoons Oil (I used refined olive oil)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder

Mushroom gravy:
(Adapted from Chef John's version with a few minor additions.)
1/4 cup butter ( 4 ounces)
16 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 cup diced onion
1/4 cup all purpose flour (or as needed)
1 quart beef stock Vegetable stock (we use Better than Bouillon)
1 pinch ground black pepper (to taste)
fresh thyme leaves (or dried, to taste, optional)
salt (to taste)
Smoked paprika

Cayenne pepper

Cheese curds, 8 - 10 ounces
(Could use any mild semi-soft cheese if no curds in your freezer!)

For the fries:
Preheat oven to 450, convection
Wash potatoes (I leave skins on)
Cut potatoes into thick sticks.
Rinse twice and dry on towels for half hour or so.
Place in bowl and add oil and mix to cover all with il.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste.

Spread in single layer on jelly roll pans or whatever you have.
(Will take two at least to spread them out)

Place in preheated oven for 15 minutes, and begin checking every 5 minutes after that until done to your liking. I like them darker than golden.

Start the gravy while waiting for potatoes to dry or even after potatoes in oven:
Melt butter in large pan 
Add mushroom, cook until most of water evaporated.
Add onions, cook until most of water evaporated.
Add seasonings as desired.
Add flour and stir. Cook until a little color in flour.
Add stock in thirds, stirring until thick before adding next bit.
Turn down to warm or off, as potatoes are probably ready.

Assembly:
Pull out one tray of potatoes, and transfer to an oven proof casserole dish.
Spread half of cheese curds over these.
Pull out second tray and repeat.
Return to very hot oven, uncovered.
When cheese is melted and/or starting to brown, remove from oven.


Pour half of the gravy over the over the dish and serve.
Put remaining gravy in server for table.

You're welcome!




Mistletoe Martini

 Pitcher: 12 oz. vodka 12 oz. cranberry juice (not cocktail) 4 oz. St. Germaine elderflower liqueur 4 oz simple syrup or agave syrup Garnish...