Matzattata

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

I don’t know about you, but after two seders and Shabbat, I am ready for something lighter and simpler for dinner. So tonight I made a Matzattata. Perhaps as you can guess this is a riff on a frittata. Now I could simply have made a frittata, but I wanted to use a few less eggs while also making something just a bit more substantial.

While I am giving you how I made the Matzattata, there are almost endless variations you could make by switching out vegetables or herbs or spices. So as long as the proportions are more or less similar, make this your own.

RECIPE

YIELD: 2 to 4 servings depending on sides and appetite

INGREDIENTS

4 standard squares of matzah

5 large eggs

3 to 5 Mushrooms, sliced (Mine were very large so I only used 3)

5 of the thicker kind of asparagus, with the stem thinly sliced. Save the tips plus about 2-inches of stem to add separately

Onion or shallot, finely chopped – about 1/4 cup

1 bell pepper, finely diced

1 medium tomato, seeded and finely diced

2 Tablespoons dairy or non-dairy milk (I used cashew milk)

kosher salt and either cracked black pepper, Aleppo Pepper or red pepper flakes

Neutral oil such as avocado or a buttery olive oil

rounded 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Rounded 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Rounded 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

About 5 ounces of your favorite shredded cheese. I used a Kosher for Passover smoked Gouda and Mozzarella.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Break up the matzah into smallish pieces – about 2 x 3-inches. Place the broken matzah into a sieve or colander. Run cold water over the matzah and using your hand, gently toss the matzah. Only do this for about a minute. You wanted the matzah softened but not mush!

Drain and add to a medium bowl. Add the 5 eggs, milk, dried herbs and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix well. Set aside.

In a 9-inch oven-proof non-stick (or well seasoned cast iron) skillet, heat 3 Tablespoons of olive oil or a neutral oil like avocado on medium heat until just shimmering.

Add the onion, pepper, mushroom and thinly sliced asparagus stems. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes and then add the tomato. Cook until the vegetables have softened – about 5 minutes.

Once the vegetables have softened, add in the matzah/egg mixture. Using a spatula or large spoon, spread the mixture over the top of the vegetables, covering everything. Press down slightly.

Cover the top with the cheese. I didn’t do it because I forgot, but lay the asparagus tips over the cheese in whatever way looks pleasing. Press it down slightly into the cheese.

Allow this to cook undisturbed on the stovetop for about 3 to 5 minutes. Then place the pan in the hot oven uncovered! Allow it to cook for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown. It will look like there is a LOT of oil, but it’s fine.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes. This will allow things to firm up so you can make clean slices. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs or cut tomatoes.

Eggplant Supreme

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

We all LOVE eggplant in my family. This Eggplant Supreme is sweet from roasting the eggplant. It is savory and bright with lemon, almonds and mint. Serve it with or without crumbled feta and it will be a delightful addition to any table. This Eggplant Supreme is along the lines of something I saw Jamie Oliver make on YouTube and it turned out to be a big hit.

Eggplant Supreme can be a wonderful side to a meat, fish or vegetarian meal. If you add some crumbled feta, it makes a light lunch. Best of all, it can be made ahead and will hold up in your fridge for about a week – unless you devour it like we do!

I enjoy it best at room temperature, but it can also be eaten straight from the fridge. Just be sure to use a quality olive oil. I like to use the Mediterranean Medley Olive Oil from Sciabica, but a good quality lemon or garlic oil would also be great here. Fresh mint is classic in Mediterranean cuisine and it just brightens things up. However, if for some reason you are not a fan, you could use pretty much any fresh herb as a substitute.

I chose to use a shallot, but you could use red onion, Vidalia, yellow onion or even a scallion. Because I used a shallot, I didn’t feel the need to add any fresh garlic, but you certainly can.

Another thing I love about this eggplant dish is that there is no messy frying. The eggplant planks are roasted in the oven. I do strongly encourage you to cook the eggplant on parchment rather than using foil or even directly on the pan. Using anything else tends to make the eggplant stick and then you end up with large rips in the planks. And while I used a mortar and pestle to make the topping, you could chop the things together and then mix in the olive oil, lemon juice and zest.

Eggplant Supreme is great for Passover and all year long so give it a try.

RECIPE

YIELD: About 6 to 8 servings as a side

INGREDIENTS

3 eggplants about a pound each

About 1/3 cup Olive Oil, divided

Zest and juice of one lemon

1/3 cup chopped raw almonds

About 1/4 cup of loosely packed fresh mint leaves plus more for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1 small shallot, chopped or about 2 tablespoons of any onion you prefer

Feta cheese – Optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. If you are doing multiple sheet pans and have convection, preheat to 375 degrees F. Line your sheet pans with parchment and set aside.

Cut off the tops and bottoms of each eggplant. Then lay the eggplant on its side and take a thin slice off, which should mostly be skin. You then want to slice planks that are about 1/2 inch thick. Don’t worry if they are not perfectly the same. Mine NEVER are! I have found that it is easiest to stand the eggplant on its now flat bottom and to slice down vertically from the top. Some people prefer cutting with the eggplant on its side. Do whatever is easiest for you.

When you get to the last piece of each eggplant, again take a thin slice of skin off to expose the meat of the eggplant. Lay each plank on the prepared pans without overlap. Brush each plank with the olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Bake the first side for 20 minutes.

Then remove the pans from the oven and carefully turn the planks over. Brush this side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. This side will cook faster so only bake it for another 8 to 10 minutes. Ovens vary so just watch it. You want the eggplant tender and beginning to brown.

While the eggplants bake, prepare the topping. You will use about 3 Tablespoons of the oil for this and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Remember that you already salted the eggplant and if you use feta, cheese, that also adds salt. Put everything into a mortar and pestle or small food processor. If you are using a mortar and pestle, bash everything to get a coarse, paste. If using a processor, pulse everything until you get a coarse paste. You want texture! If you are just chopping by hand, then add all of the chopped bits into a bowl and mix through with the olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Once the eggplant has finished baking, lay the planks on a platter in a pleasing arrangement. There is no one right way.

Spread the topping over the middle of the eggplant. If you are using feta, crumble it over the top. Drizzle a bit more olive oil and add a few cracks of pepper if you are using feta. Now enjoy!

Passover Brownies

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Over nearly 5 decades of preparing Pesach meals, I have made many wonderful desserts. You will find most of them on my blog and I will also link to them below. For several years I tried to make these brownies from Joan Nathan’s Jewish Cooking in America. This doyenne of Jewish cooking tells the best stories, but I have always found her recipes to be problematic. And the recipe for these Passover Brownies created by the Capsouto Frères NEVER worked. I finally figured out that there was a mistake in the recipe.

I have fixed the mistake and made a couple of small tweaks to the recipe. These Passover Brownies are just delicious and for those who must avoid gluten, they are good enough to enjoy all year. Rich with dark chocolate, dense and yet light because of the eggs and almond flour, they are a wonderful addition to any Passover meal.

And perhaps best of all, these brownies get EVEN better as they age which makes them a perfect make-ahead dessert. The flavors intensify and the brownies themselves become a bit denser while maintaining their lightness.

This recipe is a more old fashioned Passover recipe that does not take advantage of Kosher for Passover baking soda and baking powder which was unavailable decades ago. Our only leavening was lots of eggs that we separated into the yolks and whites. The whites had to be beaten into stiff peaks and gently folded into the rest of the mixture which included the yolks. While a bit of a tedious process, it still works.

When eggs were scarce during the pandemic, it was certainly nice to have other options. But recreating some of these older recipes brings me closer to my parents and grandparents, may they all rest in peace. I especially wanted to make some of these older recipes this year when my family is far away and it is just me and my husband. It reminds me of a happier time when our family was bigger and lived close by one another.

If you have a hand or standing mixer, this recipe is not too onerous to make. But it will take a little more effort than a standard brownie recipe to achieve the delightful result. And if we can’t take a little more effort during the holiday, well when can we?

For More Passover Desserts

Turkish Walnut Cookies for Passover (Mustacudos de Muez)

Fudgy Passover Brownies – Gluten-Free

Chocolate Orange Vegan Passover Cake

Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse

Lemon Ricotta Almond Cake for Passover

Iraqi Almond Cardamom Cookies

Passover Sephardic Wine Cookies

Passover Almond Coconut Macaroons

Passover Florentine Cookies

Passover Orange Ginger Spice Cookies

Chocolate Chip Vegan Meringue Buttons for Passover

Vegan Almond Coconut Macaroons

RECIPE

Yield: One 9″ square pan (You decide how big or small to cut them. I got 16 pieces)

INGREDIENTS

1.5 sticks of unsalted vegan or dairy butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

5 large eggs, separated

6 ounces best quality bittersweet chocolate (try for 70 to 72% cacao)

6 ounces finely ground natural almond meal or flour

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

A good splash of dark coffee (about 1 Tablespoon)

DIRECTION

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square metal baking pan with parchment and lightly spray it with avocado oil or other kosher for Passover neutral spray.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. I just use an oven-safe bowl that I place over a pot with hot water. You can melt chocolate in the microwave but it’s a fussier process. Just heat the water and have the bowl sit in the pot just ABOVE the water. Stir occasionally with a spatula. Once melted, remove the chocolate from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

While the chocolate melts, cream the better and sugar, scraping down the bowl periodically. You should cream the butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes in either a standing mixture or with a hand mixture. Slowly add the egg yolks one at a time. You want this to be light and fluffy.

Then add the slightly cooled chocolate, the vanilla extract, coffee and the ground almonds. Mix through.

In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Take about 1/4 of the whipped egg whites and thoroughly mix it into the chocolate batter to loosen it up. Then in 3 other portions, gently but thoroughly fold in the remaining egg whites just until no whites are showing. Use a rubber spatula for this and make figure eights through the batter to incorporate the whites without deflating them too much.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes. The top should look baked and just slightly cracked.

Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting. Don’t worry if the center sinks a little as it cools. Now enjoy!

Turkish Walnut Cookies for Passover (Mustacudos de Muez)

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

Mustacudos de Muez are a Passover specialty of the Jews of Turkey. These unprepossessing cookies are simple to make and quite delicious. Unlike the many varieties of almond and coconut cookies that are ubiquitous during Passover, the Mustacudos de Muez are not as chewy or as sweet. The walnuts have a unique depth of flavor and the orange zest and cinnamon will transport you to the Bosporus.

These cookies are great with tea or coffee, but also would be wonderful with a sweet dessert wine. When you bite into one, there is a bit of crunch to the outer shell of the cookie and then you experience just a slight chewiness as you inhale the orange, walnut and cinnamon goodness.

I found the recipe in Claudia Roden’s The Book of Jewish Food.

If you looking to arm chair travel this Pesach holiday, you can’t go wrong with these delightful and simple cookie. They are fairly sturdy so also make a good treat to bring if you are lucky enough to be invited to someone else’s Seder.

There are many wonderful desserts on my blog that are Kosher for Passover and I’ve just added another. Tomorrow I will post my Passover Brownies recipe. After all, you can’t have too many great desserts.

RECIPE

Yield: Between 16 -20

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (250g) English walnuts

1/2 cup (90g) granulated sugar

1 large egg

Zest of 3/4 of a large orange (navel or Cara Cara)

3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. or 325 degrees F if using a convection oven.

Line rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper or use a Silpat.

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the mixture forms a firm paste with the walnuts still retaining some coarseness.

Moisten your hands with a bit of water or a thin coating of a neutral oil so that the paste does not stick.

Form the mixture into balls the size of walnuts in their shell. Arrange them on the prepared cookie sheets leaving about an 1.5 inches between. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool before storing the cookies in a tin or airtight container.

Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins are one of my go to breakfast muffins. They taste like a great chocolate banana bread but with an ooey, gooey chocolate center and a hit of Dutch-processed cocoa to up the chocolate game. And did I mention that they happen to be gluten free? I mean, come on!

These Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins will keep you going all morning long or for a healthy afternoon snack when dinner is hours away. When making these delicious muffins, it is essential to use VERY ripe, even black, bananas. These add lots of natural sweetness without adding a lot more sugar.

If you want to make these muffins a bit more tropical add 2 Tablespoons of unsweetened, finely shredded coconut to the mix before baking. These muffins can be frozen or refrigerated. I usually take out four muffins at a time which we go through in 2 days. Do zap the muffins before eating to re-gooify the chocolate centers. Sooooooo good!

RECIPE

YIELD: 12 standard size muffins

INGREDIENTS

3 medium bananas – VERY ripe, peeled and mushed leaving just a few whole bits of banana visible. If your bananas are really black, there will even be liquid.

1/3 cup dark chocolate vegan chips

1.75 cups of superfine almond flour (I like to mix blanched (without the skins) almond flour and natural (with the skins) almond flour for the best texture)

1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1/4 dark or light brown sugar

1/2 cup of your favorite protein powder (I like a Grass-fed vanilla protein powder)

2 Tablespoons peanut butter powder

2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Dutch Process Cocoa Powder (I like Valrhona but any good brand will work.)

2 Tablespoons finely shredded unsweetened coconut (Optional)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

3 large eggs

1/4 cup of Refined Coconut Oil, melted and cooled slightly

Chocolate peanut butter or chocolate almond butter

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. with a rack in the middle.

Line a muffin tin with parchment muffin cups (You could spray a non-stick pan instead of using the parchment, but I like the liners.)

In a large bowl, add the almond flour(s), nuts, chocolate chips, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, salt, peanut butter powder and protein powder. Mix thoroughly.

In a separate medium bowl, add the eggs, brown sugar, mushed bananas and melted coconut oil. Whisk together to incorporate everything. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until you no longer see bits of almond flour but don’t continue mixing after that. Allow the mixture to rest for 12 minutes to allow the almond flour to absorb all of the wet ingredients.

Using a 2 tablespoon scoop or measure, add this amount of batter to each muffin cup. It should fill about 1/2 of the muffin cup. Then add about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate almond or peanut butter to the center of each muffin. Fill the muffin cups to the top of the tin with the remaining batter.

Place the tin in the 400 degree oven for 6 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 375 degrees and continue baking for about 11 more minutes. Ovens vary so just watch it until you see how your oven does.

Remove the pan to a wire rack and allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 12 minutes. Then remove the muffins from the tin and place directly on the cooling rack to completely cool.

Once the muffins are cool, they can be store in plastic bags or stasher-type bags depending on how you plan on keeping them. I use three bags and refrigerate 2. We go through these every 2 to 3 days. Unless your house is very warm, the muffins can remain unrefigerated for 2 to 3 days without spoiling. Now enjoy!

Butter Bean Stew with Kale and Pasta

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy this rich, gently spicy Butter Bean Stew with Kale and Pasta. Rose harissa, thyme, rosemary and garlic will take this otherwise humble dish to the next level. The beans are dense and creamy, the pasta is slurpy and the sauce simply cries out to be slathered on a piece of crusty bread.

Rose harissa is a fragrant and mildly spicy North African chili paste featuring chili peppers, garlic, olive oil and rose petals. In addition to its slightly floral spiciness, rose harissa adds a glorious color to the sauce. These days, it can frequently be found in better grocery stores and is readily available online.

Butter Bean Stew with Kale and Pasta is perfect for these still chilly and damp winter days. And as if it weren’t enough to be hearty, delicious and healthy, the dish is made entirely in just one pot! Now who doesn’t like that!?

Butter Beans, which are also called lima beans can be found frozen and in jars. I’ve tried the ones in cans and thought that they were just awful. You could use any large white runner bean in this recipe. If you can find butter beans in jars, I strongly recommend that you keep a few jars in your pantry for a quick dinner.

Since the stew contains pasta, you don’t really need a carb, but we bake our own bread and I have rarely ever said no to a great piece of bread. This stew has everything, including an entire bunch of Dino kale (also called lacinato or cavolo nero) so no salad or side veg is necessary. This one-pot wonder comes together in about 35 minutes, which makes it perfect for weeknights. Be sure to keep a little of the water/bouillon mixture aside to add if you will have left-overs. The sauce does thicken even more as it sits.

RECIPE

YIELD: 4 generous servings

INGREDIENTS

1 Tablespoon avocado or Olive oil (I used some of the oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes)

1 large leek, washed and thinly sliced (White and light green parts)

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 rounded teaspoon dried thyme

1 rounded teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1/3 to 1/2 cup of oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour (If you are GF you could use cornstarch or potato starch)

About 2.5 cups of hot water (Keep about 1/2 cup aside to add as needed)

1 vegan bouillon cube, crumbled and dissolved in the hot water (You could use Better than Bouillon if you prefer.)

1/2 Tablespoon (1.5 teaspoons) Rose harissa

400 to 500g. cooked butter beans with their liquid, preferably from a jar (About 3 cups)

1/2 cup unsweetened vegan heavy cream (I like soy cream, but other plant-based cream should work.)

1 bunch of Dino kale (Also known as lacinato or cavolo nero) with the thick stems removed. Just tear or coarsely chop the kale.

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2.5 sheets of fresh lasagna, torn into slurpable pieces (I have seen GF fresh lasagna in my store but have never tried it so I cannot vouch for it. But if you do use a GF pasta, and sub out the flour as suggested, this dish could be GF as well as vegan.)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oil in a 5 quart pot or Dutch Oven over medium high heat. Add the leeks and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for about 4 minutes or until the leek has softened and just begun to brown around the edges.

Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary. I like to rub the dried spice between my hands to activate the oils. Stir through and cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant.

The sundried tomatoes and flour go in next. Give everything a good stir and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the water with the bouillon and bring everything to a boil. With the pot uncovered, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for a couple of minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.

Then add the beans with their liquid, the rose harissa and the cooking cream. Stir through and cook for another couple of minutes.

Add in the chopped or torn kale and stir through for a couple of minutes. Once the kale has slightly softened, add the nutritional yeast and stir that through.

Now tear the lasagna into slurpable pieces and throw them into the pot.

Stir through. As soon as they soften, which only takes a couple of minutes, you are ready to enjoy!

Bucatini with Creamy Cabbage and Walnut Sauce

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

I know. Cabbage and pasta?? But stay with me here because this vegan sauce is actually quite wonderful. It’s creamy, dense, full of silky, caramelized cabbage and thickened with ground walnuts, cashew milk and nutritional yeast for just the right nutty, cheesy finish. The thick bucatini is the perfect pasta to slurp up this delicious Creamy Cabbage and Walnut Sauce.

When we watched Nisha Vora make it, my husband, who is quite open to vegan dishes, said thanks but no thanks. I was quite certain that I could make this and he would love it. With a few tweaks from the original recipe, he gobbled it down and even had seconds. I served it with a crisp arugula salad and my homemade seeded whole grain sourdough bread. So, so good!

Creamy Cabbage and Walnut Sauce of course can be used with other pasta shapes. And because this dish is not super protein dense on its own, you might want to serve it with a lentil rigatoni or high protein pasta to up your protein intake.

Not only is this dish delicious, it is budget friendly. Once again, the humble, ubiquitous green cabbage is transformed into star material – just like the girl with glasses in the old Hollywood musicals. All of the ingredients are easily available in any good supermarket.

Unlike the original recipe, I did not use fresh thyme or basil. I have found that fresh basil especially goes bad so quickly that it is not something I try to keep on hand. Freeze dried herbs, however, are flavorful and last well in either the fridge or in the pantry for the shelf stable versions. I also find that the flavor of the thyme and basil is much more reliable than for the fresh herbs.

RECIPE

YIELD: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 small green cabbage (About 1.5 pounds)

5 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

4 fat garlic cloves, peeled and very thinly sliced

1/2 Tablespoon (1.5 teaspoons) of dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1.25 cups of full-fat unsweetened oat milk or cashew milk (I used cashew milk)

1/2 cup of nutritional yeast

3/4 cup (3 ounces) lightly pan-toasted walnuts, pulsed or crushed into a coarse powder

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (1/2 of a juicy lemon)

1.5 teaspoons dried basil or a handful of fresh

Coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Slice the cabbage into quarters. Then cut out the thick core. Using a sharp knife, slice or shred the cabbage. You should have about 10 cups. Thinly slice the garlic cloves.

Heat a 12-inch non-stick or seasoned cast iron skillet with high sides over medium high heat. Add 3 Tablespoons of the EVOO and heat until shimmering.

Add the cabbage, 1 teaspoon of the salt and about 8 to 10 cracks of black pepper.

Use tongs to coat the cabbage in the oil. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook the cabbage until it is silky and starting to brown. If it seems to be sticking or browning too quickly, add a splash of water to deglaze the pan.

While the cabbage is cooking, lightly pan toast the walnuts and process them into a coarse powder. I found that a mini food processor worked great by pulsing the nuts. You don’t want a paste, which is why pulsing the nuts is important. If you don’t have a processor, you can crush the nuts with a rolling pin or bottle.

Add the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes and stir frequently for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Cover it and set aside.

Cook the pasta according to the package but for the least amount of time shown. Just before the pasta is finished cooking, ladle off 1 cup of starchy pasta water.

Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Using a large measuring cup or a bowl, whisk together the cashew milk, nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 Tablespoons of EVOO.

Once you have drained the pasta, add it back to the pot and add in the sauce and crushed walnuts. Toss it well using tongs over medium heat to coat all of the pasta. I added in a ladle or two of the pasta water to loosen the sauce and to give extra creaminess. Fold in the cabbage.

Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice, dried or fresh basil and a few extra cracks of black pepper if desired. Garnish with the parsley and dig in!

I added the remaining reserved pasta water to the left-over pasta for storage in the fridge. Sauces almost always thicken as they sit and this will give the sauce the right consistency when reheating.

Cauliflower Tofu Korma

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Rich and loaded with umami, this Cauliflower Tofu Korma is a winner. The seasonings are just right to produce a flavorful dish that is as good as any in a restaurant. And the aromas coming out of your kitchen will make people run, not walk, to the table. I came across the recipe on my favorite vegan blog – PickUp Limes.

Of course, I made a few tweaks. The full-fat coconut milk lends the richness, which makes the Cauliflower Tofu Korma so incredibly satisfying. The dish comes together quickly and with only a little bit of fussing. I prefer to cut up my own cauliflower, but you could use store bought cut up cauliflower for an even faster result. And while I mostly followed the recipe, I think that next time I will use a mix of cauliflower and broccoli which will add color, texture and even additional flavor.

So what is Korma and how does it differ from curry or sabzi?

A curry does not need ingredients like yogurt, coconut milk, nuts, seeds and fragrant whole spices. But a korma needs all of these ingredients. Korma is a specific, mild, and creamy type of Indian curry. “Curry” is a broad term for diverse, spiced South Asian sauces. Kormas use yogurt, cream, coconut milk, nuts, and mild spices to create a thick, velvety gravy.

“Sabzi” (or sabji) refers to an Indian stew made of cooked vegetables. A sabzi is often seasoned with spices and served either dry or in a light gravy. It is a fundamental part of Indian cuisine, particularly in North India and Gujarat. Sabzi is commonly served with roti, paratha, or rice. 

If you are not into a lot of heat in your food or are planning a meal with a diverse group, you can’t go wrong with a rich korma that is generally milder than a curry.

I served my korma over basmati rice, accompanied by a quick spinach raita, chutney and flat bread. It was a big hit with my husband and we are looking forward to left-overs.

RECIPE

Yield: 4 to 6 servings, depending on sides

INGREDIENTS

1 pound of Extra Firm Tofu, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Freshly cracked black pepper (Just a few cracks or about 1/8 teaspoon)

1 medium to large cauliflower cut into florets (The leaves can be used if they are nice.)

1/4 cup of a neutral vegetable oil (I like Avocado oil.)

10 whole cloves

10 green cardamom pods, lightly smashed

2 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

Generous 1/2 cup of raw cashews

10 medium to large garlic cloves (It’s about a standard bulb of garlic.)

2 small or one large yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped

4.5 Tablespoons of water

Rounded Tablespoon of garam masala

1.5-inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

Rounded teaspoon of ground coriander

Rounded teaspoon of ground turmeric

2 teaspoons of kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder (If you are using another chili powder, like cayenne, I would only use a 1/4 teaspoon.)

Rounded Tablespoon of granulated sugar

25 ounces OR 3 cups of full-fat coconut milk

Chopped cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Steam the cauliflower for 8 minutes in a pot large enough to comfortably hold the florets. To steam the cauliflower, just use enough water to cover the bottom of the pot by an inch or 2. It should NOT cover the cauliflower.

Once steamed, drain the cauliflower and lay the florets out on a tea towel or paper towels. Gently pat to remove any excess water. Set aside.

While the cauliflower is steaming, add the cashews, garlic, ginger, onion and water to a blender or food processor Blend until you have a smooth paste. Set this aside.

In a large, deep, non-stick skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Be careful when doing this as the spices can pop right out of the pan! Stir and toast for 1 minute.

Carefully toss the tofu pieces with the cornstarch and some freshly cracked black pepper. Add this to the pan with the spices. Using a soft spatula, gently coat the pieces with the oil. Brown the flat sides of the tofu. Don’t stir it or the tofu won’t brown and might crumble. This takes a few minutes and honestly.

Once the tofu is golden, discard the whole spices using tongs. Then add the dried ground spices and cook for a few seconds more, stirring it through.

Now add in the cashew paste and cook for 3 minutes. I didn’t need to but you can add some splashes of water if you need to deglaze the pan.

Next comes the coconut milk. Add it and stir everything gently but thoroughly. It may seem like a lot of liquid at first, but the sauce will thicken especially if you make this ahead and reheat it.

It’s now to to plate this delicious meal and enjoy!

Vegan Pulled Chickn’ Sandwich with Homemade Coleslaw

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

This delicious Vegan Pulled Chickn’ sandwich with Homemade Coleslaw will satisfy even meat eaters. And with a few shortcuts, it comes together even on a weeknight. The star ingredient is soy curls. While it’s true that you can buy plant-based ready-to-use meat and chicken substitutes (and I do) I love that soy curls from Butler have only one ingredient – soy beans.

I only started using these over the past year and have become a big fan. Soy Curls are shelf-stable, so you can always have a ready source of protein on hand other than beans. They can easily be purchased online. I haven’t seen them in any of the grocery stores that I frequent, but they may be available in certain locations. I have used them in a stir-fry and in this sandwich with wonderful results. They have a meaty consistency and much like tofu, will absorb any flavors that it is paired with.

The coleslaw can be made ahead and will last in the fridge for several days. It makes a great side with any sandwich or grilled meats if that is your jam.

Vegan Pulled Chickn’ with Homemade coleslaw originated on the Rainbow Plant Life site. You can, of course, use bought coleslaw, but with a few cheats this comes together quickly and you are in control of the seasoning. While I didn’t add this to the coleslaw this time, I could see how adding some crushed pineapple to the coleslaw would nicely compliment the sandwich. The recipe will be at the end of this post.

The original recipe called for this to be served on hamburger buns. While that works, as do Kaiser rolls, I prefer the heartiness of a ciabatta roll. And while you can certainly make your own BBQ sauce, there are so many great options available that I don’t see the point. By using a bought sauce, it also speeds up how very quickly this all comes together. But you do you.

Sides for this delicious Vegan Pulled Chickn’ sandwich are only limited by your imagination, time and preferences. This sandwich would be a terrific choice while watching a game on TV and maybe with your favorite beer. And if you have a favorite gluten free bun or roll option, the rest of the dish is GF. Give it a try.

RECIPE

Yield: 4 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce

2 cups of hot water

2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon “no chicken” or vegetarian base (Bouillon cubes or powder would also work)

4 ounces of soy curls

1 Tablespoon of soy sauce, tamari or coconut amino acids

2 Tablespoons of cornstarch

Freshly cracked black pepper

2 Tablespoon of avocado or other neutral vegetable oil

Directions

Add the bouillon base to the hot water and whisk until dissolved. This can be done on the stovetop or in the microwave if you don’t have instant hot water available.

Add the soy curls to the hot water bouillon mixture and push the soy curls down to submerge them. Soak for 10 minutes.

Then drain the soy curls in a colander and allow to cool for a few minutes. Once the soy curls are cool enough to touch with your bare hand, squeeze out the coy curls. You should have squeezed out about 1/3 cup of liquid which you discard. The more liquid you get out, the better.

The coleslaw can be prepared while the soy curls soak if you did not make it ahead.

If you have thicker soy curls, slice them in half lengthwise. Then place the soy curls in a bowl and toss with the tamari to coat. Then add the cornstarch and black pepper and toss again to coat all of the soy curls.

Heat the oil on medium heat in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet until shimmering. Add the soy curls to the hot oil and stir through to coat the soy curls. Cook the soy curls for 10 to 12 minutes, only stirring about every 90 seconds or so until browned.

While the soy curls brown, toast your bun or roll. You can use a little plant-based “butter” or a few drops of EVOO to help the process along.

When you are ready to serve, toss the soy curls with the BBQ Sauce and heat through for about 30 seconds. Pile your Vegan Pulled Chickn’ onto your bun or roll and top with some of the coleslaw or any other favorite toppings. Now grab ir with two hands and dig in!

COLESLAW RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

About 3 cups of shredded cabbage – green or red (If you use pre-shredded cabbage or shredded coleslaw mix, this comes together VERY quickly.)

About 1 cup of shredded carrot (Again, using pre-shredded carrot or coleslaw mix will speed things up.)

1/2 to 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper thinly sliced (Optional but recommended)

1 handful of chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup of your favorite mayonnaise, vegan or otherwise

2 teaspoons of Dijon, Coleman’s or Spicy Brown Mustard

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Juice of half of a large lemon or an entire small lemon

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon whole celery seeds (The first time I made this, I didn’t have any so added some thinly slice celery with their leaves. It worked out just fine.)

1.5 teaspoons (1/2 Tablespoon) maple syrup or granulated sugar

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

If you are not using pre-shredded vegetables, thinly slice the cabbage and grate the carrot using the large holes of a box grater.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the remaining ingredients. Add the shredded vegetables and sliced jalapeno, if using. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. Give everything a good toss and that’s it. Now enjoy!

Ratatouille Niçoise

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Ratatouille Niçoise is one of my all-time favorite foods. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian or an omnivore, having Ratatouille Niçoise in your fridge is like having money in the bank. This gorgeous dish can be eaten, hot, cold or room temperature. It’s delicious straight out of the oven, but gets even better over time as the flavors meld and the vegetables get deep into conversation with one another.

The ingredients for Ratatouille Niçoise are easy to find in just about any grocery store. And while I will give what I believe is the perfect balance, you can add more or less of certain vegetables to suit your taste. Because you are making this yourself, it can be mild and flavorful or spicy or somewhere in between.

While I love fresh herbs and vegetables, there are certain dishes where I believe it is better to use dried herbs and canned tomatoes – and this is one of them. But please use only really good canned tomatoes. Whole San Marzano are the best and children love to get their hands in there to crush them up.

Ratatouille Niçoise is fabulous as is on pasta or over rice or a grain of your choosing. You could also add a good jarred albacore tuna for a puttanesca. If you chop the vegetables more finely, I have also served them as a terrific appetizer in puff pastry cups. Traditionally, you would use olives with their pits, but it is so much easier for everyone if you use pitted olives. Almost any black or green cured olive would be wonderful. Two of my favorites for this dish are a kalamata olive and a castelvetrano. Not surprisingly, given the name of the dish, a black Niçoise olive would also be wonderful or an oil or salt cured olive.

If you are trying to introduce more veggies into your and your family’s diet, Ratatouille is a great place to start. The finished dish is so colorful and pleasing to the eye and the aroma while it is baking will drive everyone to the kitchen asking what is that heavenly scent.

Refrigerated, Ratatouille will last easily for a week to 10 days. If can be rewarmed gently if you prefer it hot. Ratatouille makes a wonderful side to any roasted or baked meat, poultry or fish, but it can also be a star in its own right over pasta. Top it with a fried or poached egg and you have a quick midweek meal. Try it with some cheese grated over the top or with chunks of feta for a lovely salad.

There is no right or wrong time of year for this dish. It’s perfect summer fare eaten at room temperature or cold and it is equally perfect in the winter eaten hot.

Do use a heavy bottomed deep, wide pan, preferably cast iron or enameled cast iron. And while I like to bake this in the oven for 30 minutes, it can be made completely on the stovetop. Give this dish a try – you won’t be disappointed.

RECIPE

Servings: It all depends how you choose to serve it. This should make 8 to 10 servings, unless you are using it as an appetizer. Then it would make considerably more.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup of good extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

5 to 6 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 eggplant (about 1 pound), trimmed and cubed (I leave the skin on)

3 zucchini, any color, trimmed and cubed

3 large or 4 smaller bell peppers, any color. I like to use a variety. Remove the seeds and cut into a large dice

1 serrano pepper (or other chili of your choice), seeded and finely chopped (Wear gloves and don’t touch your eyes!) You could use dried hot red pepper flakes, if you prefer.

2 bay leaves, coarsely broken

1 to 1.5 teaspoons of kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1.5 teaspoons dried thyme, rubbed in your hands to bring out the oils

1 28 ounce can of whole peeled plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

24 black cured olives

25 green cured olives

1 bunch chopped flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F,

Heat the EVOO on medium heat in a large, deep heavy casserole or Dutch oven. Add the onions, garlic and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Stir through and cook for about 3 minutes or until the onions have begun to soften. Then add the eggplant and stir through. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Now add the peppers and stir through. Continue cooking for one minute.

Zucchini goes in next. Stir it through and cook for one minute. Add remaining salt, the dried herbs and the black pepper. Mix and cook for 5 minutes.

The tomatoes and olives are now added. Then add the parsley. Bring the ratatouille to a boil and then cover the casserole tightly. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, uncover the ratatouille and place on the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Now enjoy!