Rhubarb season has begun and I couldn’t be happier. Growing up, I always looked forward to summer and my mother’s Strawberry Rhubarb Compote. I ate it just as is or over pound cake with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream. It’s ridiculously simple to make and comes together in about 30 minutes or less. Having a jar of it in the fridge is like money in the bank. Even if dinner is only so-so, there is always a delicious dessert waiting quietly in that jar in the fridge.
Those tough but gorgeous purple red stalks melt into a puddle when cooked for only about 8 to 10 minutes. The result is slightly tart with just the right amount of sweet. Throw in some strawberries or raspberries (Fresh or frozen), some sugar and voila! Dessert!
It had been awhile since I had made this, so I went online and found Ina Garten’s recipe which is what I mostly have here. I am pretty certain that my mother kept hers simple with no added citrus or alcohol. But this version is quite as good as I remember eating as a child so that is why I have used it.
A slightly funny story about rhubarb, which while I enjoy it as a fruit, is actually technically a vegetable. My husband, son and daughter-in-law and I were at a vineyard in California which had an extensive garden. They were having a party for its members. As we were walking around, I saw what I thought was rhubarb since it is a favorite of Frances’ and mine. Since the vineyard people didn’t appear to use the things they grew, we asked if they would mind if we took some stalks. Frances and I were very pleased with ourselves and were looking forward to what we we bake with them. Unfortunately, we found out at the last minute that the rhubarb that we had picked, was, in fact, amaranth! Needless to say, we were rather disappointed, but glad of the discovery before we had baked it in a tart.
I love the tart/sweet fruitiness of rhubarb compote, but you are in control. So if you want it sweeter, just add another 2 Tablespoons of sugar.
Place the rhubarb, sugar, salt and water in a pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Give it a stir and reduce the temperature to a simmer, cooking for about 10 minutes or until the rhubarb chunks start breaking down.
Remove from the heat and add all of the remaining ingredients. Allow to cool. This can be eaten warm, at room temperature or cold. It will last in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Mine is always eaten long before!
I know that eggplant is a controversial vegetable, beginning with the fact that it technically is a berry and, therefore, a fruit. It is a mystery to me how people can say with certainty that they “hate” eggplant or aubergine as it’s known in most parts of the world. Eggplant can be made at least 100 different ways, so for those of you out there who claim to hate eggplant, don’t give up trying it. My Lasagna with Eggplant and seasoned beef crumbles is “meaty” and delicious. The eggplant is tender and slightly sweet and is perfectly cooked to absorb all of the other flavors in the dish.
This version is vegetarian, since I use real cheese and, therefore, perfect for a Shavuot meal. The vegan crumbles could be left out entirely if you prefer. It could also be made using vegan cheese which renders the dish vegan instead of vegetarian. While my husband and I have grown to like some of the vegan meat substitutes, so far the cheeses haven’t quite hit the mark for me.
Lasagna with Eggplant reduces the fat and cholesterol of standard lasagna without compromising on flavor. There is no rich ricotta cheese used so this lasagna feels lighter and is lighter. The eggplant, however, adds a silky, meaty element. It also comes together quickly using ready-made sauce. There are so many good ones out there that I rarely ever make my own anymore. Could this be made using real sausage or ground beef or turkey? Of course. But not only is this version healthier, it complies with the laws of kashrut, unless you are of the tradition that eating this gives the world a false impression that you are mixing meat and milk.
My Lasagna with Eggplant was made using a tomato sauce; however, you could use a béchamel sauce if you prefer. To keep it vegan, use an unsweetened non-dairy milk such as oat, cashew or soy. I would not recommend using almond milk as it is too thin. And while the lasagna looks and tastes cheesy, I used only about 8 oz. of cheese for the entire pan, with majority being on the top.
As with all lasagnas, this can be made ahead and rewarmed. It can even be frozen, so it’s perfect for when you know that you have a busy week coming up. The only thing that I would change from the lasagna that I made is I would not use fresh lasagna sheets again. This is a personal preference, but the texture for me was a bit gummy. I much prefer the no-boil lasagna sheets that have made making lasagna an easy dish to throw together. But you do you. And if you are a purest who insists on boiling your own noodles, go for it. I just don’t see a need to complicate a dish when the rewards are slim to non-existent.
Give this Lasagna with Eggplant a try and see if it doesn’t tick all the pasta boxes in a lighter but oh so satisfying version. I served it with roasted asparagus, homemade pickles and bread and fresh fruit for dessert. Perfect. Well, okay, maybe there were a few cookies along side the fruit….
32 ounces of your favorite pasta sauce (Fresh lasagna and no-boil lasagna sheets require extra sauce in order to cook properly.)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 sweet or hot pepper, finely chopped
Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 rounded teaspoon each: dried basil, oregano
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
About 8 oz. of your favorite cheeses, grated on the large holes or pre-packaged (Use some cheese that melts well such as mozzarella or scamorza and mix with cheese with more flavor such as pecorino, asiago, parmesan. There are many packages of Italian or Pizza mix cheeses if you don’t want to grate your own.) And if you choose to use more cheese, it’s your lasagna.
DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice the eggplants into planks and lay them out on a tray or cutting board. Liberally sprinkle them with salt and allow them to sit for 15 to 20 minutes. This will make the eggplants sweat and removes any bitterness. Once they are sweating, blot the eggplants with paper towels or a tea towel. This will remove any excess salt as well as any potentially bitter liquid in the eggplant.
Then lay the eggplant on top of parchment on a baking tray. Very lightly brush or spray the eggplant with EVOO or avocado oil. Roast for about 20 minutes or until they take on a little color and become pliable. There is no need to turn them over. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool slightly before assembling the lasagna. The eggplant will continue cooking in the lasagna. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F.
While the eggplant roasts, add about 2 Tablespoons of EVOO to a medium sauté pan. Throw in your onions, garlic and pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix everything and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and mix that through. Once the vegetables have started to soften, add the “beef” crumbles, the parsley and the oregano and basil. Stir everything together and sauté for another 5 to 8 minutes, adding a bit more EVOO if it looks a little dry. If you want to add a good splash of red wine, I won’t tell. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside until you are ready to assemble.
You will want to use a 9 X 13-inch pan or its equivalent. You’ve all seen pans of lasagna. Layer in about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of your sauce. Then depending on the lasagna you use, lay down one layer of the pasta sheets, pushing them into the sauce. Sprinkle lightly with some cheese. Then layer in some of the eggplant planks. Add on top half of the “meat” and more sauce to cover.
Then cheese. Repeat, making one more layer and end with a layer of pasta sheets, sauce and all remaining cheese. I like to drizzle the cheese with a bit of EVOO but its up to you.
Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes. The top should be nicely browned and the cheese should be melted and a bit oozy. Allow the lasagna to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting. If you are not serving it right away, lightly cover it with parchment or waxed paper. Once cooled, it can be covered with foil over the parchment and refrigerated or frozen. Reheat in a 325 degree oven.
There isn’t a great deal to say about why you would want to make brownies for Pesach. I mean, why wouldn’t you? After all, who doesn’t love a good brownie? And since these Fudgy Passover Brownies are gluten-free, they also can be used all year-round for those with gluten intolerance. Dense and fudgy with a deep chocolate flavor. Be extra decadent and serve them with vegan vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
There are a LOT of brownie recipes out there and I have several on my blog. People also have very strong ideas about what makes the perfect brownie – fudgy vs. cakey, with extra chocolate chips or without, frosting or no frosting. Etc. etc. etc.
My personal all-time favorite brownie is my Java Brownie, but it is not for Passover. Is this brownie the absolute sine quinone of brownies? Probably not. But it is an easy recipe that comes together quickly, is Kosher for Pesach and is quite satisfying when you are looking for that chocolate something dessert. And best of all, I had all of the ingredients in my fridge or pantry so there were no additional trips to the store. Give it a try.
Just a note. These brownies will only be as good as the ingredients you use. If you use a cheap chocolate or cocoa, artificial vanilla etc. your results will not be as good as when using quality ingredients. There are some excellent kosher for Passover chocolate brands and you should be able to find one without too much difficulty. This recipe only calls for two eggs so make sure that they are fresh. There is also some excellent vegan butter on the market in addition to vegetable margarine. I would definitely go for the vegan buttery sticks. You will see the difference in the end result. Your output will only be as good as your input.
RECIPE
YIELD: About 9 servings
INGREDIENTS
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter cut into chunks, plus extra for the pan
3.5 ounces dark or bittersweet kosher for Passover chocolate, broken or coarsely chopped
1 cup superfine almond flour or almond meal
½ cup granulated cane sugar
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons of potato starch
1.5 teaspoons instant espresso powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup dark, white or a mixture of chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8-inch metal pan with parchment. Butter the paper and set aside.
Place the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a microwave safe bowl. Just place a heat proof bowl over a pot of water, but do NOT allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer and checking frequently, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally with a spatula. If you use a microwave for this, start with 30 seconds at full heat. Keep checking and stirring. Do small increments after that until almost all the chocolate is melted. Then remove the bowl from the microwave and stir with a spatula until the chocolate is smooth and glossy.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sugar, cocoa powder, potato starch, salt and instant espresso granules. Stir out any lumps that may have formed. Add the chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and incorporate it using a spatula.
Lightly whisk the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and add it to the batter. Add in the chocolate chips and mix everything through until you have a fairly thick but smooth batter (except for the chocolate chip lumps.)
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread everything evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the brownies are just firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan. Then either invert them onto a plate, remove the paper and turn the brownies right side up to cut them OR just ease theparchment and brownies out of the pan and place on a cutting board. You can then just cut them on the parchment and peel the parchment off each piece.
If you are like me, a great salad is a beautiful thing. Not merely some healthy secondary player, but a star performer. In the great tradition of fattoush, that delightful Levantine salad made with fried pita or panzanella, a classic Tuscan salad made with stale, soaked bread, we have Matzah Salad. I adore it and can eat an entire bowl meant to serve six! Over the years, I have added some elements such as garlic and feta cheese. But if you are serving it as a side to a meat main course, just leave out the cheese. And while I think this tastes best using rendered chicken fat, Matzah salad can be made using just EVOO or Avocado oil.
I first came across the recipe in Joan Nathan’s Jewish Cooking in America cookbook, but have made quite a few changes from the recipe which originated at the now defunct Quilted Giraffe Restaurant. Amounts are a suggestion. Followed exactly, this recipe is great, but if there are some ingredients that you like more than others, try making those substitutions.
The original recipe calls for traditional square matzah. However, we love the Shmura Matzah from Ukraine that we buy from our Chabad rabbi. It is thin and toasty with a great texture. While pricey, we can eat as much as we like with none of the negative gastrointestinal problems that people joke about with regular matzah. And once you have tasted it, every other matzah is just – okay.
Matzah salad is a wonderful side with any grilled meat or fish and makes for a great lunch when you add in the optional cheese for protein. Depending on the fat you use or the addition of cheese, this salad can be pareve, vegan or vegetarian. Versatile and delicious, I look forward to this once-a-year treat.
And for those Jews whose minhagis NOT to use matzah, let alone Shmura matzah, this way, I respect that and say, then, don’t make this. For the rest of us, it’s delicious.
RECIPE
Yield: About six portions as a side salad
INGREDIENTS
10 squares of matzah (Plain or whole wheat, but not egg matzah!) OR about 5 or 6 rounds of Shmura Matzah (I just eyeball it.)
4 to 6 Tablespoons of rendered chicken fat or EVOO or Avocado Oil (You can also use mostly the healthier oil with a little chicken fat for flavor, which is what I generally do.)
1 large red, yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped into a smallish dice. If you prefer more, go for it. (You could you use roasted peppers from a jar or fresh. They will both give a wonderful flavor, but with somewhat different textures.)
2 to 3 Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, diced
1 Tablespoon drained capers in brine (Do NOT rinse them!)
18 pitted Kalamata olives coarsely chopped or sliced into thirds (You could use any olive that you like.)
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced or finely chopped
1 bunch chives, finely chopped or snipped (You could use scallions or red onion, if you prefer. I was in H Mart, that huge Asian food market and they had gorgeous chive blossoms, which I used here.)
Kosher salt and either fresh, cracked black pepper or Aleppo Pepper, to taste
About 7 ounces of crumbled feta or chevre cheese (Optional)
2 Tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or cilantro
DIRECTIONS
Run a rolling pin or wine or Coke bottle over the matzah to break it up into pieces that are no larger than about 1/4-inch. (Place the matzah in a plastic or cloth bag before doing this to cut down on crumbs everywhere.)
If you are using square matzah, then toast the matzah pieces in either a dry sauté pan or in a 300 degree F. oven for about 10 minutes. If you are using Shmura Matzah, you can skip this step. Transfer the matzah to a large serving bowl.
In a large skillet, heat the 4 Tablespoons of the chicken fat or oil and add the chopped cucumber and bell pepper. Then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Toss everything until the vegetables are well-coated and cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the capers and olives and toss through, cooking for about another minute. If you are using chive blossoms, scallions or red onion, add at the end and cook for another 30 seconds.
Turn off the heat and add in the chopped or snipped regular chives. Pour everything over the matzah and give it a good toss. If you are using cheese, add it now, along with the salt, sumac and pepper. (Go easy on the salt since the capers and olives both contain salt. You can always add it, but it is almost impossible to remove it.) Sprinkle the parsley or cilantro over the top, drizzle with additional oil and enjoy! I find that this is at its peak if made an hour ahead of when you want to eat it. This gives the vegetables and oils to permeate the matzah.
My husband’s sister is in town for a conference and we were able to get together at our house this past Sunday for lunch. I have a pathological need to try something new when we are having company over. Usually I then stress over it until everyone has finished eating seconds and I know that it was a success. This time was much more low-key – or maybe I’m just older. I wanted a luncheon that could be eaten at room temperature since my sister-in-law was flying in and you never can tell if flights will be on time. The main course also had to look great, taste great and not make you feel guilty when dessert rolled around.
While scrolling on line I came across a recipe that looked as if it fit the bill. The measurements were not given exactly and the directions only came when watching the video. With a lot of experience, I knew that I could adapt this. My husband had just baked a beautiful sourdough bread, there was my Baba Ghanoush in the fridge and I made another new dip called Muhamarra, which I adapted from Adeena Sussman’s cookbook Sababa. I added my Sunshine Kale Salad to round things out. The salad is so pretty, delicious, easy to make and should be made ahead! Dessert was my Mixed Berry Galette served with a lightly sweetened Crème fraîche.
The Spinach Potato Leek Pashtida is a wonderful anytime recipe. It’s perfect for a brunch, lunch or light summer dinner. And by swapping out the cornstarch with potato starch, it can be Kosher for Passover, which is coming up shortly.
So what exactly is a Pashtida? Some people say it’s like a crustless quiche, but I think it’s more like a frittata on steroids. Truly a versatile dish that can be wonderful for clearing out your vegetable drawer. The Spinach Potato Leek Pashtida, if made exactly as written works perfectly and makes a great presentation with limited effort. Of course, you can swap out onion for the leek or oregano for the dill, but try it once as you see it below before you start making changes. This is one of those recipes that you want to have in your back pocket.
RECIPE
Yield: 4 to 6 servings depending on what sides you serve
INGREDIENTS
3 potatoes (450 g) – Golden or Red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
3 to 4 Tablespoons EVOO or Avocado Oil
1 large or 2 small leeks, washed well, trimmed, and thinly sliced (I use the white and light green part. You want about 2 cups loosely packed.)
½ of a large Bell Pepper, seeded and cut into a 1-inch dice (Any color pepper will work, but I would use a red or orange if you can purely for the visual effect.)
Rounded 1/2 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried dill
4 to 5 oz. fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided and cracked black pepper to taste
Ricotta or farmer’s cheese 180 g (Try to use a whole milk cheese.)
Cornstarch or Potato Starch 50 g (5 tablespoons)
Shredded Cheese 100 g (You could use a sharp cheddar, Gruyere, Asiago, Parmesan, Pecorino or a combination.)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. or 180 Celsius.
Place the oil in a large skillet and on medium heat, add the diced potatoes and sauté until the potatoes begin to become translucent.
Add in the leeks and continue cooking, stirring occasionally.
Once the potatoes and leeks have softened, add in the bell pepper and mix through. Continue cooking while you chop the spinach.
Once the spinach is chopped, add it to the pan with the potatoes, leeks and peppers. Add in ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of paprika and the dill. Mix everything through to distribute evenly all the ingredients. Cover the pan and allow it to cook for about 2 minutes or just until the spinach is wilted. (I used the smoked paprika. You could also add in other dried herbs such as dill, thyme or oregano, if you wish.)
As soon as the potato spinach mixture is finished cooking, remove the pan from the heat and transfer everything into a large clean bowl.
Add in the ricotta cheese and mix through thoroughly.
Crack 3 eggs into a bowl and add ½ teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of pepper. Whisk to incorporate the whites and yolks of the eggs. Pour the eggs over the vegetable cheese mixture in the bowl.
Mix in the cornstarch. Once the cornstarch is incorporated, add the grated cheese and mix it through.
Line a 9” x 5” loaf pan with parchment and lightly oil the parchment. (A tip for easily getting the parchment to fit the pan. Wet the parchment and crumple it. Now it will be malleable and can easily be made to fit into the corners of your pan. It also keeps the parchment that sticks out from burning in the oven!
Pour the mixture into the pan and gently push it down and into the corners to remove any air. You can also lightly tap the pan on the counter. Once the mixture is in the pan evenly, bake it for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is nicely browned and the pashtida starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and no longer jiggles. It’s kind of hard to dry this out, so err on the side of baking it a tad longer if you are unsure if it is done. If you are using Fahrenheit, the pashtida will likely take the longer time since 180 degrees C is a little hotter than 350 degrees F.
Turn the pashtida out onto a cutting board or serving platter and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting it. The pashtida can be served warm or at room temperature. I served it with a light salad and muhamarra and a crusty sourdough bread that my husband had baked.
Springtime Lentil Stew is a light and luscious one-pot meal. It is the perfect antidote to heavier winter fare. This very healthy and delicious stew takes advantage of the early asparagus now appearing in our stores. Since there are so many lovely vegetables in the Springtime Lentil Stew, nothing more is needed than a good crusty loaf of bread, some seasonal fruit and nice glass of rosé.
Much of the stew can be made ahead, although the whole dish comes together in under an hour. I would love to take credit for thinking up this dish, but I actually came across it in a flyer from our local Mariano’s Grocery Store. Since the recipe had so many ingredients that I had on hand and love, I decided it was worth a try. Of course, I made a few slight alterations to the recipe – mostly just boosting the seasonings. It was a big hit with my husband, a recovering carnivore.
Spring represents renewal and hope, something that we need more of now than anytime in the past 76 years. So give this easy, nutritious and delicious stew a try. I don’t think you will be disappointed.
RECIPE
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons EVOO or other vegetable oil such as Avocado or Canola
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, chopped (I like to see my vegetables so I cut rounds and half moons, but feel free to dice the carrot if you prefer.)
2 ribs of celery or fennel, sliced
8 oz. of mushrooms, quartered (I used Baby Bella, but Cremini, Trumpet or white mushrooms would work as well.)
1 rounded teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
4 to 5 cups of vegetable broth (I had just made some vegetable broth, but a good quality commercial broth works well too.)
1.25 cups of green lentils, well-rinsed and drained
1 large bay leaf
1 3-inch strip of fresh lemon peel
1 pound of small potatoes, quartered (I used Golden potatoes, but Baby Red Bliss potatoes or whatever local variety you have.)
1 Tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
2 Tablespoons of water or broth
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed of the woody parts of the stems and cut into about 1 to 2-inch pieces
1 cup of green peas (Frozen is fine)
Juice of half of a lemon
Chopped parsley and/or dill for garnish and an extra herbaceous kick
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large pot or deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms, salt, pepper and thyme.
Cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are browned and there are some brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Only stir the vegetables occasionally or they won’t brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute or until fragrant.
Add 4 cups of the vegetable stock/broth, lentils, bay leaf and lemon peel. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the lentils are tender. They will cook some more, so they can be al dente.
Add the potatoes, cover the pan and simmer or 10 to 12 minutes. Use the lesser amount if you are making the dish ahead at this point. When you are ready to finish the dish, you may wish to add some of the additional vegetable broth for reheating.
Once you are ready to finish cooking, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Add the asparagus, peas and cornstarch mixture and stir through.
Cover the pan and simmer another 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the asparagus are crisp/tender. Remove the pot from the heat and add in the lemon juice. Serve the stew sprinkled with the fresh herbs. Now enjoy!
While commercial vegetable stock serves its purpose, I have yet to find one that I really like. So I finally decided to make my own. Not only is it delicious, but it costs virtually nothing to make! Talk about frugal. Use it when you cook rice, lentils or beans.
Because we eat so many vegetarian, vegan and Mediterranean meals, I can collect enough scraps from one week of cooking to make my Homemade Vegetable Stock. All I need to add in are bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns and water. I might choose, as I did this time, to add in a big handful of fresh parsley and cilantro or dill, 5 garlic cloves and one tomato. Sometimes I might add a strip or two of fresh lemon peel. Generally I choose to not add salt to my broth. I add salt when I am using it in a dish.
If you know specifically what you will be using it for, you can also decide to season the stock to suit the dish you will be making, thereby layering in the flavors.
When I prep my meals, instead of throwing away the carrot or potato peels, I stash them in a gallon freezer bag. If I think I will be making the stock that week, I simply refrigerate the scraps and add to them all week until the bag is filled. If I am not making stock that week, I throw the bag into the freezer and add to it that way.
Most vegetable scraps can be used but there are some that I do not keep, like cucumber, asparagus and beets. You can use beets if you don’t mind that it will color your stock. Some people claim that cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, onion skins and kale can make your stock bitter, but I have not found that to be the case. I won’t use those veggies in great number, but I do use them.
Vegetables that you definitely want to include are: leeks, potatoes, carrot, celery, herbs, mushroom stems. You can also use corn, green beans, skins of squash, zucchini and peppers. Which of those I use depends on what we ate during the week. The stock will be strained so don’t get too precious with your collections.
The Homemade Vegetable Stock only cooks for an hour and then you allow it to cool. Once it is cool enough to handle, strain it through a fine mesh strainer and voila! THE BEST vegetable stock you will ever taste and only pennies (do you remember what those are?) to make. Use it in your next pot of soup or stew or even pasta sauce. And, of course, this can be frozen, but it will keep refrigerated for at least a week.
There is no strict recipe, but here is my guide:
RECIPE
Yield: About 3.5 to 5 quarts(You could, of course make a smaller amount. And your total will depend on the size of your pot and how much water you ultimately add. I like to stuff my pot with veggie scraps etc. and then cover everything with water. I don’t truly measure.)
INGREDIENTS
1 gallon freezer bag’s worth of vegetable scraps
1 medium tomato
4 to 5 garlic cloves, halved
A handful of fresh herbs – stems and all
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon each: peppercorns and whole cloves
Water
DIRECTIONS
In a 6-quart or larger soup pot or Dutch Oven, place all of the veggies, herbs and spices. Cover with water.
Cover the pot tightly and bring everything to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for one hour. You don’t want to cook this much longer since it might encourage bitterness in the broth.
Allow the stock to cool until you can easily handle the pot. Then strain everything through a fine mesh strainer, discarding all of the solids. They have done their job and deserve their rest.
Unless you are using the stock immediately, refrigerate it or freeze it for later use. You can also consider freezing some in ice cube trays to use when only a little bit of a good stock or broth is called for. If only all things in life could be this easy and give such a big, satisfying bang for the buck!
When I was pregnant with my son, almost 4 decades ago (YIKES!) I only craved two things: pickled beets and a particular brand of homemade small batch Greek yogurt. And I have never lost my taste for these two foods. There is just something about that fresh tang that wakes up my tastebuds. Actually, I love beets in almost any format and we eat them regularly. (Try my Moroccan Beets or Moroccan Beet and Orange Salad with Pistachios.)
Pickling is an early form of preserving the bounty of better times before the advent of refrigeration and well stocked grocery stores. And fermented foods are also great for gut health, encouraging good gut bacteria. And it actually is really easy to achieve.
While I am a big fan of beets and love everything about them – from their jeweled root to their green tops, you could use this same method to pickle cauliflower, carrots, spears of pickling cucumbers etc. And while I roasted my beets first, raw pickled beets are a crunchy and delicious addition to your pickling repertoire along with raw turnips. You can mix vegetables in the jar as long as you understand that the beets will bleed their beautiful jewel tones onto the other vegetables.
Lisa’s Quick Pickled Beets, unlike my recent posting on Homemade Sauerkraut, does call for a heated vinegar brine. It is very easy to make and comes together in minutes. And while my recipe produces a lightly zingy brine – with just a bit of sweetness, you can feel comfortable playing with the added spices used. Just maintain the vinegar to water to sugar ratio. Distilled vinegar works well if you don’t have or like apple cider vinegar. Don’t waste your money, however, using fancy, more expensive vinegars!
And while I roasted my own beets, you could use the beets that come in vacuum-packed bags at the grocery store. I do use those beets and even canned beets on occasion, but there is a real difference when you roast your own. So if you have the time, which is mostly hands-off in any case, I would encourage you to do it.
This recipe uses conventional red beets, but you could use golden beets if you prefer. Lisa’s Pickled Beets is ready to eat within 1 to 2 days and keeps in the fridge for a few months – as long as the beets remain covered in the brine. This brine can be used to pickle other vegetables as well and I plan on using it to pickle cauliflower and peppers. It’s so much better than the stuff you buy in jars from the grocery store and good pickles can elevate even the most ordinary meal.
Yield: This will depend on the size of your beets. The recipe also can be halved. I made about 6 cups or 3 pints
INGREDIENTS
About 6 cups of cooked beets. They can be boiled or roasted. See below for roasting, which is what I do.
FOR THE BRINE
2 cups of Apple Cider Vinegar
2 cups of water (I just use tap water)
6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons kosher salt
1.5 teaspoons whole yellow or brown mustard seeds
1.5 teaspoons peppercorns (Black or multicolored)
1.5 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
About 10 whole cloves
2 Indian Bay leaves (If you don’t want to buy them, although I love using them when I cook rice) or 2 Bay Laurel leaves
NOTE: If you wish a tangier pickled beet, increase the apple cider vinegar to 3 cups and reduce the water to 1 cup.
DIRECTIONS
If you have roasted your beets, you need to peel them once they have cooled. I suggest wearing a food-safe glove for this unless you don’t mind if your fingers are stained for a day or two. Once the beets have been peeled, cut them into a large dice or slice them. The shape isn’t particularly important, so do what you like.
Place the prepared beets in a clean glass jar.
Bring the brine ingredients to a boil in a small to medium saucepan and simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Pour the hot brine over the beets in the jar and allow everything to cool completely. You should have enough brine to cover all of the beets. Once everything has cooled, cover the jar and place in the fridge. They will be ready to eat within a day, although I prefer to eat them when they are a bit more fermented.
TO ROAST BEETS
Wash and dry your beets (root bulb only). Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the beets individually on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Close the foil around each beets, creating a little package. I place mine on a baking pan. Then pop them in the oven for 45 minutes to one hour, depending on how large your beets are. They should be pierced easily with a knife but not mushy.
We eat a LOT of soup. So I make sure that they are packed with nutritious ingredients, are visually appealing and will satisfy even the biggest appetite since soup often is the main course for our dinners along with good bread and a glass of wine. My Minestrone Soup is no exception.
This delicious soup is filling with bright flavors, but it won’t weigh you down. It comes together fairly quickly and is a great make-ahead soup since the flavors only improve with reheating. While I like to cook my own beans, feel free to use a good quality canned bean that has been rinsed well and drained.
Below you will find how I made it this time, but it is riffable. If I don’t have zucchini, I might add green beans. No kale? Use cabbage. No fennel or you don’t like fennel? Use celery. Don’t eat vegan sausage, leave it out or use meat sausage. Cheese on top? Yes, please. No leeks? Use onion etc.
Make it according to my recipe and it will be delicious. Switch it up a bit and it will likely still be delicious. I happened to have made my own vegetable stock so I used that, but you could use a store-bought vegetable or chicken stock. My version is vegan but it doesn’t have to be if you aren’t into it.
I always make a big pot of soup because I frequently give some to my sister and it is a wonderful quick lunch during the week. My husband and I both like to bake bread, so that is a must for us. But you can buy good bread too. No judgment. And because there are so many vegetables and so many varieties, really nothing else is needed to round out the meal. Except, perhaps some baked apple for dessert!
Minestrone Soup will keep up to a week in the fridge and the flavors only improve with reheating. If it gets a bit thicker than I like, adding a bit of broth is all that is needed when reheating it.
Give this soup a try. You will not be disappointed. And if you enjoy this soup, check out the many other soup options on my blog.
RECIPE
Yield: About 6 to 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Avocado, Canola or other vegetable oil
About 1.5 quarts or liters of stock
3 cups of cooked beans (I like cannellini and cranberry or borlotti beans but you can use Great Northern or Navy Beans)
2 large leeks, cleaned and sliced, white and light green parts
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds (I like vegetables that I can see and identify, but if you prefer to dice your carrots, that works too.)
1 small bulb of fennel or 2 to 3 stalks of celery, diced or sliced
28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes that you crush with your hands (The tomatoes – not the can!)
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 strips of lemon peel – yellow part only
1 bunch Dino Kale (de-stemmed and coarsely chopped or torn) or 3 to 4 cups of coarsely chopped cabbage
1 to 2 small to medium zucchini, cut into half-moon slices about 1/4-inch thick
1 piece of Parmesan rind (Optional, but recommended unless you are vegan)
2 medium potatoes such as Golden or Red, peeled and cut into large dice
2 Bay leaves
1 rounded teaspoon each: dried oregano, basil and thyme
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste (How much you use will depend on if you are salted or unsalted stock or broth as well as personal taste. You can always add more but it is difficult to remove salt once added.)
1/2 to 3/4 cup of a small pasta such as Tubetti
12 to 14 ounces sausage (I like Field Roast Brand Italian Sausage which is vegan, but you can use any sausage you like cooked according to the package instructions.)
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a 6 quart or larger stock pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and about 1 teaspoon of salt. Sauté for about 8 minutes or until the leeks are translucent and just showing some color around the edges.
Add in the celery or fennel, potatoes and carrots and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften.
Now add in the beans, parmesan rind, tomatoes and tomato paste as well as the bay leaves.
Next comes your stock or broth. Give everything a good stir and bring to a boil. If scum rises to the top, remove that and then add in the dried herbs and lemon peel. Cover the pot and bring the temperature down to a simmer. Allow this to simmer for 1.5 hours undisturbed.
Meanwhile slice and brown your sausage in a pan with a little oil and set aside. It will be added to the soup at the end of the cooking.
After the soup has simmered for 1.5 hours, add in the kale, zucchini, pasta and sausage. Cook for another 10 minutes or so until the kale has wilted and the pasta is cooked.
(A trick I learned to keep the pasta from expanding forever as it sits in the broth is to take a couple of ladles of the hot stock and pour it over the pasta while the soup simmers. Then the pasta and any residual broth are returned to the pot of soup at the end. If you are feeding a crowd and will eat everything up, you can skip this part, unless you are making the soup ahead.)
Taste and adjust your seasonings prior to serving. Serve with some freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago or eat as is. Enjoy!
If you are not a mushroom lover, stop reading now. But, if you are like me and love mushrooms in all shapes, sizes and varieties, then this Mushroom Lovers Pasta is for you. The sauce is creamy and luscious and coats every inch of pasta. The leeks and garlic just melt into the sauce and become one with the pasta. Topped with some chopped fresh dill for a bit of grassiness and this recipe will please all of the mushroom lovers among you. And while it is vegan, no one would know if you didn’t tell them.
I found the original recipe through Rainbow Plant Life, a vegan blog that I like to follow. It was called Mushroom Stroganoff. However, in general, I think it is a mistake to call vegan dishes after what would otherwise be a meat dish. My belief is that it should be enjoyed on its own terms with a few exceptions. And, frankly, I hadn’t eaten real Stroganoff in a number of years and didn’t feel confident that this replicated the taste and mouthfeel. But it is delicious which is why I am happy to offer it here.
Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life is a very enthusiastic proponent of vegan cooking and she has some wonderful ideas. My personal experience with several of her recipes, though, is that they are fussier than necessary. I think of her as the Ottolenghi of vegan cooking. Where one bowl would suffice, she will use four etc. So, while I did prepare this recipe as she wrote it, I would simplify some of the steps.
For one, I don’t understand the scare tactics that some cooks use when talking about cleaning mushrooms and leeks. It’s just not that big of a deal, guys. I have heard of some people putting leeks through a dishwasher cycle to get them clean! Where do they buy their produce? I have been cooking for over 50 years and no one has EVER complained that my leeks or mushrooms were gritty. So please relax and don’t be put off by recipes that go into great detail about cleaning these vegetables.
Years ago my daughter-in-law was visiting when I made my Kale Sunshine Salad. Frances loved it but said that she was put off making it because of how much work it was to de-rib the kale as described by some cook she was following. I showed her a quick and easy way to do it and she has never looked back. Cooking should be fun. And if you are feeding a family, it also shouldn’t take all day.
So this Mushroom Lovers Pasta is essentially Nisha’s Mushroom Stroganoff with a few simple hacks. And while I happened to have made some homemade vegetable stock, feel free to use a commercial brand that you like. And if strictly adhering to a vegan diet isn’t essential, chicken stock works well here too.
There are many, many types of noodles on the markets these days. And we do eat a lot of lentil pastas, which have come a long way. But I had some egg noodle at home and that is what I used. Almost any pasta would work well with this delicious sauce.
So let’s make some pasta for dinner!
RECIPE
Yield: About 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil or a mix of EVOO and Avocado, divided
2 large leeks or 3 small-medium leeks
20 ounces of mixed mushrooms after trimming, which means buying about 24 ounces (~560g) (I used Baby Bella, Shitake, Oyster Blue and Royal Trumpet)
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional) (I used regular Worcestershire Sauce because that is what I have and a vegan dish with small cheats doesn’t bother me, but you do you.)
¼ cup (~30g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (~120 ml) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or a non-oaky Chardonnay
1 (13.5 ounce) (400 ml) can of full-fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard or coarse-grain mustard
12 ounces (340g) pasta of choice (I actually used an egg pasta, but feel free to use an eggless pasta)
¼ cup fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Prep everything before you start cooking! It took me years to do this and it truly does make the entire process easier and smoother.
For the mushrooms: Using a damp paper towel, gently wipe off any obvious dirt from the mushrooms. Do NOT soak the mushrooms; they are like sponges and it will ruin the dish! Remove any stems that don’t look great. I just grab the end and give it a wiggle and twist and it pops right out. If you do make your own vegetable stock, these can be saved and frozen until you are ready to use.
For Oyster, Maitake and Trumpet mushrooms, tearing them lengthwise is the simpler than cutting them. For Baby Bellas and Shitake, cut them into slices – not too thin. The mushrooms give the “meaty” mouthfeel to the dish.
For the leeks: Cut off the tough root end at the tip of the white part. Take a sharp knife and make a deep slit vertically down the middle of the leek. Rinse well under lukewarm water while gently pulling the leek partially open. Any dirt will be obvious and you can use your finger or a paper towel to wash it off. And when you are cutting the leek, if a bit of dirt shows up, just wipe it off. If the leeks are large, slice all the way through your cut line. Then chop the leek into pieces that are about 1/2-inch wide.
A lot of people only use the white part. I think that is incredibly wasteful and unnecessary. Peel off the really tough, very dark leaves as you go, but keep chopping through the lighter green leaves and use that as well.
Once you have all of your other ingredients out on your counter, you are ready to start cooking.
In a 12-inch skillet with 3-inch sides (or a Dutch Oven) heat 1.5 Tablespoons of oil. I used a mix of Avocado and EVOO. Either or both are fine. Once the oil is shimmering, add half of the mushrooms and half of the leeks. Sprinkle with half of the thyme (I used dried) and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. Coat everything with the oil but then don’t stir them too much. You want to do this on a medium high heat. Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the mushrooms are nicely browned.
Then add half of the garlic and cook for another few minutes. The edges of the mushrooms should be very brown and just bordering on beginning to crisp. Remove the mushroom leek mixture to a bowl and set aside.
Repeat this with the remaining mushrooms, leeks, garlic etc. Once the mushrooms are cooked, add the wine and deglaze the pan using a wooden spoon, scraping up any of the wonderful brown bits in the pan.
While the second batch of mushrooms is cooking, make your roux. To the vegetable broth, add the Dijon mustard, tamari or soy, Worcestershire sauce and the flour, whisking continuously until you have a smooth mixture. Add this to the mushrooms in the pan, whisking as you go to ensure that there are no lumps. Bring everything to a simmer and add the coconut milk, tahini, nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and the paprika. Simmer over a low heat for about 8 minutes until the sauce is thickened, silky and creamy.
Cook your pasta according to the package instructions while the mushroom sauce simmers. Before draining the pasta, take off a couple of ladles of the starchy pasta water. Once the pasta has drained, add it to the sauce and mix everything through. If it looks a bit too thick or “tight” add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time until the desired consistency.
When you plate the pasta, add some of the reserved mushroom leek mixture on top of each serving and sprinkle with the chopped fresh dill.
Now enjoy!
NOTE: If you don’t care about the presentation aspect too much, simply add back the reserved mushroom leek mixture to the pasta and mix through.
