There are more recipes for ratatouille out there than there are vegetables in the world. Here is the simple one that I use.
Ingredients
3 tbsp. olive oil
½ onion, chopped (about ¾ cup) or 2 tbsp onion powder
1 15-ounce can plain stewed diced tomatoes or 3 chopped tomatoes
1 eggplant peeled and cut into cubes about ¾-inch square
4 small zucchini or equivalent (zucchini comes in many sizes, but you want about 2-½ cups for this recipe) cut into cubes about ¾-inch square
1 red pepper cut into pieces about ½-inch square
½ green pepper cut into pieces about ½-inch square
6 large chopped mushrooms
juice from 1 lemon
2 tbsp dry red wine
3 tbsp honey
3 crushed cloves of garlic
3 tbsp chopped parsley (fresh or dry)
3 tbsp chopped basil (fresh or dry)
1 tbsp chopped oregano (fresh or dry)
1 tsp thyme (fresh or dry)
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese
Optional other ingredients: olives, kale (stems removed, cut into small squares), celery, capers, carrots, green beans, chopped sundried tomatoes (my favorite addition), marinated artichoke hearts, chopped asparagus, broccoli florets, cauliflower, or, well, just about any veggie you love!
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a stew pot or deep skillet until frying-hot then add the onion and green peppers. Reduce the heat and gently fry for 3 minutes. Turn the heat down low and add the tomatoes, lemon juice, red wine, honey, garlic, eggplant, and herbs/spices. Cover and allow to simmer for 12 minutes. Then add the zucchini, red peppers, and mushrooms. Cover and allow to simmer until the zucchini is just soft, about another 10 minutes.
This dish is especially delicious when served topped with heaps of grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese. For an added twist, sprinkle chopped cashews on top.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Green Soup
This soup is made with zucchini squash and greens of your choosing, such as spinach, chard, and kale. It turns out bright green, and is packed with nutrition. It’s so good that even the children will eat it.
Ingredients
1 bunch of kale, chard, spinach and/or other greens
2 medium or 3 small zucchinis
1 celery stalk (or 1 tsp celery seed)
1/3 cup onion (or 1-1/2 tsp onion powder)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup milk or plain unsweetened soy milk (for the lactose-intolerant)
1 tbsp dill weed
½ tsp black pepper
garlic powder and/or salt optional (to taste)
1 tsp Bragg’s amino acids (optional)
2 cups vegetable stock OR 2 cups water and 1 vegetable bouillon cube
Directions
Wash the greens so they are free of dirt and grit. Remove the central vein from each piece of kale, chard, or other heavy leafy green. For spinach there is no need to do this. It is not necessary to cut the greens up any further as you will purée the soup before serving. Chop the zucchini (no need to peel it), onion, and celery into large pieces and put them into a large, covered pan/pot with the olive oil and ½ cup of the water or vegetable stock. If you use a bouillon cube, place it in the pan and be sure it is down into the liquid. Steam the vegetables covered over moderate heat until they are almost soft. Do not overcook. After the vegetables have a head start, but are not quite soft, add the greens. Put the lid back on the pan to steam the greens down on top of the other vegetables. The greens should be steamed until just wilted and still bright green.
Once all the vegetables are soft, place them in a blender with the liquid from the pan. Add the rest of the water or vegetable stock, milk, and spices. (If this is more than your blender will hold, then reserve some of the liquid ingredients and add after puréeing, when you return the soup to the pan.) An added taste treat is a teaspoon of Bragg’s amino acids (optional). Purée the soup until it is smooth, then pour it back into the pan. You can add more liquid if you want it thinner. Reheat the puréed soup in the pan. It can be served with a dollop of yogurt, sour cream, or tofutti sour cream.
There are many variations on this recipe. I have made it with steamed broccoli, asparagus, and leftover potatoes. Occasionally I have even thrown a medley of leftover vegetables into the blender with the soup. The key ingredient is the zucchini, which makes the soup whir up and become slightly frothy. Remember that vegetables with other colors, such as red peppers or carrots, will change the color of the soup and make it look muddy (also, carrots are too sweet for this soup and ruin the flavor). However, bearing that in mind, have fun experimenting with green soup combinations.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
1 bunch of kale, chard, spinach and/or other greens
2 medium or 3 small zucchinis
1 celery stalk (or 1 tsp celery seed)
1/3 cup onion (or 1-1/2 tsp onion powder)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup milk or plain unsweetened soy milk (for the lactose-intolerant)
1 tbsp dill weed
½ tsp black pepper
garlic powder and/or salt optional (to taste)
1 tsp Bragg’s amino acids (optional)
2 cups vegetable stock OR 2 cups water and 1 vegetable bouillon cube
Directions
Wash the greens so they are free of dirt and grit. Remove the central vein from each piece of kale, chard, or other heavy leafy green. For spinach there is no need to do this. It is not necessary to cut the greens up any further as you will purée the soup before serving. Chop the zucchini (no need to peel it), onion, and celery into large pieces and put them into a large, covered pan/pot with the olive oil and ½ cup of the water or vegetable stock. If you use a bouillon cube, place it in the pan and be sure it is down into the liquid. Steam the vegetables covered over moderate heat until they are almost soft. Do not overcook. After the vegetables have a head start, but are not quite soft, add the greens. Put the lid back on the pan to steam the greens down on top of the other vegetables. The greens should be steamed until just wilted and still bright green.
Once all the vegetables are soft, place them in a blender with the liquid from the pan. Add the rest of the water or vegetable stock, milk, and spices. (If this is more than your blender will hold, then reserve some of the liquid ingredients and add after puréeing, when you return the soup to the pan.) An added taste treat is a teaspoon of Bragg’s amino acids (optional). Purée the soup until it is smooth, then pour it back into the pan. You can add more liquid if you want it thinner. Reheat the puréed soup in the pan. It can be served with a dollop of yogurt, sour cream, or tofutti sour cream.
There are many variations on this recipe. I have made it with steamed broccoli, asparagus, and leftover potatoes. Occasionally I have even thrown a medley of leftover vegetables into the blender with the soup. The key ingredient is the zucchini, which makes the soup whir up and become slightly frothy. Remember that vegetables with other colors, such as red peppers or carrots, will change the color of the soup and make it look muddy (also, carrots are too sweet for this soup and ruin the flavor). However, bearing that in mind, have fun experimenting with green soup combinations.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Curried Potato and Vegetables
This recipe is based on one originally given to me by the mother of an Indian friend from high school. I loved to eat her cooking and she gave me this recipe so I could cook my own vegetarian curry dish. This curry is gluten-free, vegan, and perfect for a cold and rainy evening.
Ingredients
3 tbsp. olive oil
½ onion, chopped (about ¾ cup) or 1½ tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. cumin seeds
1 15-ounce can stewed diced tomatoes (with no spices added)
4 cups potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups sliced carrots (not thin-sliced, more chunky)
1½ cups frozen peas
1 tbsp. turmeric (see note about alternative spices below under directions)
2 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. garam or 1 tsp. coriander and ½ tsp. allspice
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. fenugreek
salt and pepper to taste
¼ tsp. cayenne or 1 tsp. chili pepper flakes optional (see note about spiciness below under directions)
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a stew pot until frying-hot then add the onion and cumin seeds. Fry the onion and cumin seeds briefly until the onion is translucent. Turn the heat down low and add the diced tomatoes and the spices. Cover and allow to simmer for five minutes.
A note about the spices: 1) if you have a curry powder that you like, then you could choose to use that instead of all the spices listed; 2) garam usually contains a nice blend of sweeter spices, but if you have no garam, you can substitute the coriander and allspice to achieve a similar taste; 3) my opinion about hot spices is that they should not be used in the preparation of a dish and can always be added later since many people cannot tolerate hot spice so I recommend leaving these flavors out and providing a bowl of chili pepper flakes on the table to be added by individuals to suit their taste. (Sambal Oelek is an excellent hot spicy addition that can be served separately.)
Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot, keep the temperature low, and cover the pot. Allow the curry stew to cook for as long as it takes for the potatoes to soften. This may be as much as two hours on a very low temperature. Remember to stir the pot every 15 minutes so as not to burn any of the food to the bottom. As they cook down, the vegetables will make more juice. Finally, when the potatoes are nearly soft enough, add the frozen peas for about 10 minutes to thaw them and heat them up.
There are many other vegetables that can be successfully added to this stew. Some that work particularly well are broccoli, chopped kale, and green beans.
This dish is terrific served with yogurt (or a raita of yogurt and cucumber), mango chutney, and chapattis. If you don’t have chapattis handy, you can warm tortillas and use them instead. This dish is also a terrific companion food with lentil dal. The recipe provided will serve about five people.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
3 tbsp. olive oil
½ onion, chopped (about ¾ cup) or 1½ tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. cumin seeds
1 15-ounce can stewed diced tomatoes (with no spices added)
4 cups potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups sliced carrots (not thin-sliced, more chunky)
1½ cups frozen peas
1 tbsp. turmeric (see note about alternative spices below under directions)
2 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. garam or 1 tsp. coriander and ½ tsp. allspice
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. fenugreek
salt and pepper to taste
¼ tsp. cayenne or 1 tsp. chili pepper flakes optional (see note about spiciness below under directions)
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a stew pot until frying-hot then add the onion and cumin seeds. Fry the onion and cumin seeds briefly until the onion is translucent. Turn the heat down low and add the diced tomatoes and the spices. Cover and allow to simmer for five minutes.
A note about the spices: 1) if you have a curry powder that you like, then you could choose to use that instead of all the spices listed; 2) garam usually contains a nice blend of sweeter spices, but if you have no garam, you can substitute the coriander and allspice to achieve a similar taste; 3) my opinion about hot spices is that they should not be used in the preparation of a dish and can always be added later since many people cannot tolerate hot spice so I recommend leaving these flavors out and providing a bowl of chili pepper flakes on the table to be added by individuals to suit their taste. (Sambal Oelek is an excellent hot spicy addition that can be served separately.)
Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot, keep the temperature low, and cover the pot. Allow the curry stew to cook for as long as it takes for the potatoes to soften. This may be as much as two hours on a very low temperature. Remember to stir the pot every 15 minutes so as not to burn any of the food to the bottom. As they cook down, the vegetables will make more juice. Finally, when the potatoes are nearly soft enough, add the frozen peas for about 10 minutes to thaw them and heat them up.
There are many other vegetables that can be successfully added to this stew. Some that work particularly well are broccoli, chopped kale, and green beans.
This dish is terrific served with yogurt (or a raita of yogurt and cucumber), mango chutney, and chapattis. If you don’t have chapattis handy, you can warm tortillas and use them instead. This dish is also a terrific companion food with lentil dal. The recipe provided will serve about five people.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Janet's Chocolate Pudding Recipe
If you've been following the conversation about chocolate pudding on Facebook, then you will appreciate the following recipe sent to me by Janet Rosen for homemade chocolate pudding. I can't wait to try it! We are leaving in a couple of days to go to my nephew's Bar-Mitzvah in Pennsylvania, so I won't be posting any recipes for a bit. I look forward to posting more when I return. In the meantime, hope your pudding puds!
JANET ROSEN’S VERY OWN ULTRACHOCOLATE HOPE IT PUDS PUDDING
IN A DOUBLE BOILER, SET IN SIMMERING WATER, MELT:
2 TB SWEET BUTTER
BLEND IN A BLENDER:
3/4 CUP UNSWEETENED COCOA
3/4 CUP SUGAR
3 1/2 CUP MILK (REAL OR NONDAIRY)
ADD TO MELTED BUTTER AND HEAT TO NEAR BOIL (DO NOT LET IT BOIL)
MIX TOGETHER:
3/4 CUP CORNSTARCH
1/2 CUP COLD MILK (REAL OR NONDAIRY)
ADD TO THE HOT MIXTURE, STIRRING CONTINUOUSLY.
COOK, STIRRING, X 10 MINUTES
COVER AND COOK ANOTHER 10 MINUTES
LET IT COOL DOWN, MIX IN 2 TSP VANILLA.
JANET ROSEN’S VERY OWN ULTRACHOCOLATE HOPE IT PUDS PUDDING
IN A DOUBLE BOILER, SET IN SIMMERING WATER, MELT:
2 TB SWEET BUTTER
BLEND IN A BLENDER:
3/4 CUP UNSWEETENED COCOA
3/4 CUP SUGAR
3 1/2 CUP MILK (REAL OR NONDAIRY)
ADD TO MELTED BUTTER AND HEAT TO NEAR BOIL (DO NOT LET IT BOIL)
MIX TOGETHER:
3/4 CUP CORNSTARCH
1/2 CUP COLD MILK (REAL OR NONDAIRY)
ADD TO THE HOT MIXTURE, STIRRING CONTINUOUSLY.
COOK, STIRRING, X 10 MINUTES
COVER AND COOK ANOTHER 10 MINUTES
LET IT COOL DOWN, MIX IN 2 TSP VANILLA.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Simple Mediterranean Green Salad
The main ingredient is salad greens of your choosing to fill one standard-sized salad bowl. Romaine does not work well unless it is baby romaine. No iceberg. Use baby greens, a spring mix, butter lettuces, a head of red leaf lettuce, or a combination of arugula and baby greens. It is hard to offer a measurement because the amount will vary by how much salad you want to eat and how many people you are serving. For that reason, the ingredients listed below are provided without measurements. Adjust measurements by the amount of salad you want.
Ingredients
Salad greens
Crumbled feta cheese
Pitted Kalamata olives
Sprinkle of dried oregano
Salad dressing as described below under Directions
Directions
Once you have assembled the salad, the trick to loving it, of course, is the dressing. I use either one of two kinds of dressing.
The first is a simple red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing made of three parts olive oil to one part red wine vinegar. Mix it up in a jar or cruet and pour as much as suits you onto the salad (be stingy at first so as not to drown the salad—you can always add more). For additional flavor, if desired, add about a half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for a tasty vinaigrette.
The second dressing option is a Balsamic vinaigrette made of four parts olive oil to one part Balsamic vinegar. The same preparation instructions as above apply, and you add that half a teaspoon of mustard to make it a vinaigrette.
For those who can’t eat gluten, check the label on your vinegar. Red wine vinegar and Balsamic vinegar are made from grapes, not grains, and theoretically should be gluten-free. However, many brands on the market are not pure and contain traces of gluten that will aggravate those who have high gluten sensitivity.
I eat this salad every day for lunch (in large quantities). It is satisfying and according to research on the subject, it contributes to longevity.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
Salad greens
Crumbled feta cheese
Pitted Kalamata olives
Sprinkle of dried oregano
Salad dressing as described below under Directions
Directions
Once you have assembled the salad, the trick to loving it, of course, is the dressing. I use either one of two kinds of dressing.
The first is a simple red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing made of three parts olive oil to one part red wine vinegar. Mix it up in a jar or cruet and pour as much as suits you onto the salad (be stingy at first so as not to drown the salad—you can always add more). For additional flavor, if desired, add about a half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for a tasty vinaigrette.
The second dressing option is a Balsamic vinaigrette made of four parts olive oil to one part Balsamic vinegar. The same preparation instructions as above apply, and you add that half a teaspoon of mustard to make it a vinaigrette.
For those who can’t eat gluten, check the label on your vinegar. Red wine vinegar and Balsamic vinegar are made from grapes, not grains, and theoretically should be gluten-free. However, many brands on the market are not pure and contain traces of gluten that will aggravate those who have high gluten sensitivity.
I eat this salad every day for lunch (in large quantities). It is satisfying and according to research on the subject, it contributes to longevity.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Caviar Dip
I should have posted this one last week because for a long time it was my tradition to make this Caviar Dip every year for New Year’s Eve. I made it last year for our inaugural ball. It's usually a big hit at parties. It is a layered dip that can be spread on crackers or cocktail rye breads. It’s a great party treat and it goes well with champagne for any celebration.
Ingredients
6 oz. lumpfish caviar
1 small onion chopped fine or 2 tsp. onion powder
12 hardboiled eggs
¼ c. mayonnaise
juice from one large lemon
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 c. sour cream (or tofutti sour cream substitute)
paprika (to dust the top)
Directions
Hard boil the eggs and combine them with the mayonnaise to make an egg salad. Add the chopped onion and black pepper to the egg salad. If you have trouble digesting onions (like me) then you can use onion powder instead, but this dish tastes better with real raw onion chopped into it. There is no need to put salt in this dish since the caviar is pretty salty.
Spread the egg salad as the first layer in a baking dish or other flat serving dish. Spread the lumpfish caviar in a thin layer over the egg salad. Cover the caviar with lemon juice. Carefully spoon the sour cream over the caviar, spreading it gently with a knife. Try not to kick up the caviar or you will get dark streaks in your sour cream topping.
Once you have an even and complete layer of sour cream, dust the top with red paprika. Chill for at least ½ hour before serving. Serve with crackers or party breads (rye is an especially good match). Break out the champagne!
Eat well, be well, live deliciously.
Ingredients
6 oz. lumpfish caviar
1 small onion chopped fine or 2 tsp. onion powder
12 hardboiled eggs
¼ c. mayonnaise
juice from one large lemon
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 c. sour cream (or tofutti sour cream substitute)
paprika (to dust the top)
Directions
Hard boil the eggs and combine them with the mayonnaise to make an egg salad. Add the chopped onion and black pepper to the egg salad. If you have trouble digesting onions (like me) then you can use onion powder instead, but this dish tastes better with real raw onion chopped into it. There is no need to put salt in this dish since the caviar is pretty salty.
Spread the egg salad as the first layer in a baking dish or other flat serving dish. Spread the lumpfish caviar in a thin layer over the egg salad. Cover the caviar with lemon juice. Carefully spoon the sour cream over the caviar, spreading it gently with a knife. Try not to kick up the caviar or you will get dark streaks in your sour cream topping.
Once you have an even and complete layer of sour cream, dust the top with red paprika. Chill for at least ½ hour before serving. Serve with crackers or party breads (rye is an especially good match). Break out the champagne!
Eat well, be well, live deliciously.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
About Messages from Istanbul and Remembering the Mangoes
My friend Guven in Istanbul emailed me the following message about the Nopales Fiesta Salad this morning: "We love salads and Dilek [Guven's wife] is an expert. For the cactus (fresh) I need to go south to my hometown Antalya but then some of the other ingredients won't be available there. In any case we'll try it at first opportunity." I wonder if the Turkish cactus that they like is the same as the Mexican nopales that I use. An interesting note about nopales: it helps regulate blood sugar and in Mexico doctors prescribe it for diabetics.
The thing about the mangoes is that when I wrote up the Nopales Fiesta Salad recipe I forgot that I love to chop up a fresh mango and put it into that salad. I only use the dried cranberries when I can't find a good mango or don't have one handy. I have revised the recipe for the cookbook, but if you are reading this blog now, please include a mango in the recipe.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously.
The thing about the mangoes is that when I wrote up the Nopales Fiesta Salad recipe I forgot that I love to chop up a fresh mango and put it into that salad. I only use the dried cranberries when I can't find a good mango or don't have one handy. I have revised the recipe for the cookbook, but if you are reading this blog now, please include a mango in the recipe.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously.
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