Chilled Cucumber Soup

 Originally published July 25, 2011

I think I've mentioned before that Mr. Eats and I never turn down an invitation to dinner from my friend, Hedy. She's a fantastic cook and Mr. Eats appreciates eating critter meat that's home-cooked. But mostly because everything she makes is interesting and delicious.

Last weekend, she made this wonderful cold cucumber soup. It was light and refreshing but oddly filling as well. She kind of chuckled when I asked for the recipe because she's never used one. It's a Persian soup and so common and easy to make, there's just not been a need for a recipe. But she happily told me how she makes it and I did my best to type up a recipe for it.

When Hedy makes it, she also includes tarragon, but I didn't have any on hand and it tasted just fine without it. She also noted that if you want to make it ahead, don't put in the cucumbers, walnuts, raisins and bread until right before serving because they can get a bit slimy.

This soup is a wonderful and easy way to use up some cucumbers, which are in abundance here in the south this time of year. So much so that people start looking for options so they don't end up making a pantry's worth of pickles. And it's so good that Mr. Eats was excited to have it again even though it's vegetarian! We had it for dinner along with some marinated feta on pita with cilantro. Adjust the servings up or down easily--equal parts yogurt and water!

Chilled Persian Cucumber Soup
serves 4-6

3-4 green onions, washed
½ bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
½  bunch of fresh dill, chopped
½ bunch of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 large cucumber
16 ounce container of Greek yogurt
2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste (start with about one teaspoon of each)
½ cup walnuts
½ cup golden raisins 
Crusty bread, toasted and torn into chunks

Chop the green ends of the green onions into thin circles and set aside.

Peel and halve the cucumber (sideways), halve again (lengthwise) and scoop out the seeds by running a spoon down the seed side of the cucumber. Quarter the halves and cut into quarter-inch thick chunks. Set aside.

Put the yogurt in a large bowl and dilute with water half a cup at a time until desired consistency (not too thick). Add the herbs, salt, pepper , and cucumber and stir. Add walnuts and raisins and scoop into serving bowls. Garnish with bread and serve immediately.

 

 

Watermelon Gazpacho

 Originally published August 1, 2011

It's been almost two years now and I still haven't posted about the wonderful time Mr. Eats and I had in New York on our "babymoon." [Update: I never will--ha!] Anyhoo, one of the places we stopped for lunch was a cute little vegan cafe called Sacred Chow. The special soup they had that day was watermelon gazpacho. I've never forgotten it.

So I went to the Google and searched for recipes. Nothing was quite right. There were no tomatoes, it wasn't spicy, and I distinctly remember avocado, mango and cilantro. It was somewhat sweet and somewhat savory, too. So I thought, what the heck, I'll try to make it from memory. Luckily for me, their Facebook page has a photo with a list of ingredients! The only thing I didn't think of was olive oil, but I think that would have occurred to me during the process. The list didn't include an actual recipe, so I came up with one on my own and made a tiny addition (cucumbers, which--as I mentioned--are in abundance around here right now).

And I have to say that I'm really patting myself on the back for this one (though I owe a big thanks to the folks at Sacred Chow for the inspiration). This soup is delightful. No tomatoes means it's easy on the tummy but the oil, vinegar and salt (and the avocado and cucumber) give it a nice balance so it's not too sweet. It's perfect for dinner. I served this with some chimichurri in chili-infused olive oil and roasted corn on the cob.

A note on preparation--once again, I used what's becoming my favorite gadget, the immersion blender. I put all the watermelon in the bowl and gave it a few whirls so that there was about half liquid and half watermelon chunks. I love that thing. The directions below are for those of you who need to use your blender or other appliance to puree the watermelon.

Watermelon Gazpacho
serves 4-6

1/4 of a small watermelon, chopped into small chunks with seeds removed (about 2 1/2 cups when cut)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 to 2 teaspoons ground sea salt
1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup of seedless red grapes, cut in halves
1/2 a cucumber, seeded and cut into small chunks
1/4 cup cilantro, diced
fresh ground pepper to taste

Set aside half the watermelon chunks in a large bowl. Puree the remaining watermelon and pour into the bowl. Stir in the olive oil, vinegar and salt one teaspoon at a time, testing between teaspoons.

Add the avocado, mango, grapes, cucumber and mix in with the cilantro. Add a few grinds of pepper and serve chilled.

 

Squash Soup with Avocado Lime Cream

 Originally published August 29, 2011

Remember the Tomato Art Fest recipe contest? The one that I didn't win? Well, as I mentioned previously, Amy at Fearless Homemaker also entered the competition with tomato-jicama stacks with avocado-lime cream.

Mmm...avocado-lime cream...mmm...I thought to myself, "Self, that would taste really good on some enchiladas or soft tacos. Self, you must make this." So I whipped up a batch and used it to top some soft tacos filled with lime-soaked baked tofu, queso fresco and sauteed chopped squash and onions. I also served some yellow rice as a side dish. A very tasty dinner.

But I saw Mr. Eats dipping into that cream a little more than I expected. Extra dollops on the tacos, several dollops on the rice, and then a brazen spoonful directly into the mouth. He liked it. Obviously.

So, what else to top with this cream? He won't eat raw tomatoes, so Amy's recipe is out. I had quite a bit leftover, too. So I started looking around the kitchen and it occurred to me: squash soup.

I'd been meaning to make a squash soup for a while. All kinds of squashes are in abundance right now. So what else to put in the soup? Shallots, of course, since I still have quite a few of them. Confession: when I bought this package of shallots, I confused them with cippolinis and had intended on roasting them to eat whole. While I'm sure that can be done with shallots, I don't think that would be the experience I was going for....

So, I looked around at what I had on hand. Half a golden zucchini, a couple of crookneck squash, and a white pattypan squash. I figured that would be a good combination.

Experience from the great baby-food-making debacle of last year told me two things: first, remove the seeds and second, cook the heck out of that squash. So first I sauteed the zucchini and crookneck with a couple of sliced shallots and then sauteed the pattypan with some garlic. And then put them all in a simmering pot of vegetable broth and some salt and pepper, of course. Once it cooled a bit, I blitzed it with my stick blender and...soup!

The last step was to see how it tasted with the avocado-lime cream. In a word, fantastic. A  perfect pairing. Dinner that evening was a cooled squash soup with dollops of the cream and a side of some peaches and cream cornbread. A light, but satisfying late summer dinner.

This soup can be made with just about any type of squash (you can bet I'll be making an acorn squash version and a butternut squash version later in the year), but if you're using crookneck, I think it's a good idea to include a pattypan in there, too because there was a really nice creamy consistency without even using any milk or cream. I believe that came from the pattypan.

Also, I changed Amy's avocado-lime cream recipe a bit. I cut back the avocado and lime juice and added a handful of cilantro. So if you're a cilantro hater, note that this can easily be made without it and it will still taste great.

Squash Soup with Avocado-Lime Cream
serves 2-4

3-4 summer squashes, seeds removed and cut into thin chunks
2 small/medium shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

Add the olive oil to a large skillet and turn on medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until soft (about five minutes). Add the squash and cook another 5-10 minutes (or until soft).

In the meantime, combine the broth, water, and salt in a large saucepan and heat to a boil. Add the sauteed squash and bulbs and simmer until very tender (about 30 minutes). Set aside to cool. Once cooled, puree the soup (with a stick blender, food processor, or blender). Chill.
***
Avocado-Lime Cream with Cilantro

1 avocado, sliced
the juice of one lime
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
a handful of cilantro, washed

Place the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
***
Once the soup has chilled, sprinkle with pepper and swirl in dollops of the avocado-lime cream to taste and serve.

Really Easy Lasagna

 Originally published October 3, 2011

This lasagna is really the first thing I ever prepared for a meal that involved cutting multiple vegetables and more than 20 minutes to cook. But it was a great entrée into cooking. Even if the pasta sauce is a bit of a cheat.

The recipe is one I clipped from The Commercial Appeal's food section many years ago called Mother-In-Law's Birthday Lasagna; the moniker given because it was easy to throw together when you needed to quickly prepare a meal for a number of people but you still need to have time to socialize. Prep time for this is only about 20 minutes and assembly is easy.

I've changed it a lot over the years and even since I've started this blog. It's even simpler and easier to prepare. Essentially, you chop vegetables, you throw them in a bowl and then layer them with sauce, noodles and cheese. Cook for an hour, let sit, eat. And you can put whatever fillings you want in there. I'll post what I use, but you can add whatever you can cram in there:

• crumble some firm silken tofu on a layer for an extra protein boost and/or to mimic the
texture of ricotta cheese (I don't use ricotta--it doesn't add much for me, personally)
• roast a few handfuls of broccoli and add them to a layer
• sprinkle a layer of vegetables with leaves of fresh spinach
• crumbled tempeh
• cannelini beans, white beans, or kidney beans (already cooked)
• nothing but cheese; if you don't like vegetables, just put a whole bunch of cheese in it
• Don't feel like chopping? You can find plenty of pre-cut veggies in the freezer section.
• okay, okay, you can put some ground beef in there, too. But I don't recommend it. Obvs.

But here's what I like to put in mine. I've gotten some rave reviews, too.

Really Easy Lasagna
serves 6-8

1 pound sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1-2 yellow squashes
1 medium zucchini
5-8 ounces (about half a bag) shredded carrots
1 jar (26 ounces) pasta sauce (I like Newman's Own marinara or Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic)
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce (the flavored sauces, such as roasted garlic or basil are perfect)
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs, basil and/or oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
9 lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I like Sargento)

Rinse the mushrooms and saute over medium heat about five minutes (or until most of the water cooks out).

Cut the squash and zucchini into 1/4-inch (or so) slices and then quarter the slices and put into a medium size bowl. Add the mushrooms when they've cooled a bit and the carrots and stir to mix them all together.

In a separate (large) bowl, combine the pasta and tomato sauces and add the extra seasoning. Stir and add more to taste.

In a 9x13 pan (glass or aluminum), spread the olive oil in the bottom and along the sides. Then pour and spread one cup of the sauce. Place three noodles on top of the sauce.

Spread half the bowl of vegetables over the noodles (evenly). Then sprinkle half the cheese over the vegetables. Cover the cheese with about 1 1/2 cups of sauce and place three more noodles on top.

Spread the other half of the vegetables over the noodles, then the rest of the cheese and pour on another cup and a half of sauce. Then place three more noodles on top and the remainder of the sauce on top of the noodles (make sure all are covered with sauce). Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for one hour, cooking uncovered for the last 15 minutes. Let stand 15-30 minutes before serving.

In short, what you really need to keep in mind to make it even easier:

1. sauce
2. noodles
3. filling
4. cheese
5. sauce
6. noodles
7. filling
8. cheese
9. sauce
10. noodles
11. sauce

You don't have to sauté the mushrooms, but it helps to cook out some of the water. If you've got other juicy fillings (such as frozen spinach), they need to be cooked down or drained well first (example: roasting broccoli). The lasagna will eventually soak up all the water, but it would have to stand longer than half an hour after baking.

This is not only great to serve for a small dinner party, it's a great dish to prepare and send to a friend (cooked or uncooked) on any of those occasions when you send food (family in the hospital, funeral, new baby). And certainly if you need to hide vegetables in other food to get your picky eater kids to eat them (as a child, anything was more palatable to me with tomato sauce on it, particularly broccoli!). The leftovers actually taste better, particularly when you add some good herbs (I also like to add dried rosemary sometimes). And if you're part of a small family (single or there's just two of you), you can make this and eat for days.

Vegetarian Beer Cheese Soup

 Originally published December 13, 2011

I'll be honest--I hadn't ever heard of beer cheese soup until a few months ago. Apparently, it's a thing in Wisconsin. They take it seriously. And it must be topped with popcorn. And it's been in the back of my mind ever since I first tasted it.

So I consulted the Google for recipes and found two things that I found displeasing:
1. A list of ingredients including carrots, celery and onions (really, just a mirepoix as a base). I do not like celery. I will not buy it or eat it.
2. A list of ingredients that included Worcestershire sauce which, many people do not realize, is not vegetarian (anchovies!).

I also discovered a fair number of cheater recipes that used cream of chicken soup. Again, no thanks. Besides, I thought to myself, isn't this soup supposed to be pretty much beer and cheese with a little kick? Yes, self. Yes, it is.

So, what does this have to do with Tomato Week II: Tomatwo? Well, my real inspiration for the soup was this can of RedGold tomatoes with chilies I had that I figured would add just the right amount of kick (I admit to being a bit of a wimp where chilies are concerned) and create a really good base for the soup. No need for all that cutting and chopping and...and...celery. ::shudder::

Make a roux, add some broth, some beer, and some cheese (plus a little flavor boost) and that's it. Beer cheese soup. It's that simple.

Almost. There are a few key things to note.

First, use good cheese. I found the best was a combination of half havarti and half extra, extra sharp yellow cheddar. This yielded a nice, creamy texture but still had a nice bite from the cheddar.

Second, use good beer. I used Blackstone Nut Brown Ale (made right here in Nashville). This is not a beer I'd ever drink because it's heavy and strong, but it was the perfect beer for this soup. A dark ale, a stout...not a light beer. Don't bother.

Third, unless you're some sort of roux savant, you're going to get teeny tiny lumps from the flour even with the sifting and the whisking. Either don't be bothered by it or get out the immersion blender (like I did). I am, however, open to suggestions as to how to avoid the lumps. They're not that bad, though. Just a little visually displeasing. Still delicious. [Update: see Glenna's comment below for a great tip on how to avoid souplumps.]

So, if you're wondering, "should I make this soup?", the answer is yes. I've gotten positive reviews from lovers of both cheese and beer, from people who like cheese but not beer, and even from people who do not like creamy soups. And the alcohol cooks out, so it's family-friendly!

Vegetarian Beer Cheese Soup
serves 4-8, about 2 quarts

4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup diced onions
1 can RedGold petite diced tomatoes with green chilies (10 or 14.5 oz)
1/3 cup flour, sifted
1 12-ounce bottle of dark beer
2 cups vegetable broth
4 cups (about a pound) shredded cheese (half sharp cheddar, half havarti)
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to garnish

In a large saucepan or stock pot over medium-high heat, combine the onions and olive oil and saute until transluscent. Add the diced tomatoes. Once heated, slowly add the flour, whisking briskly to avoid lumping.

Slowly add the beer, then broth, and Liquid Smoke. When the liquid begins to simmer, add the cheese by handfuls, stirring until completely melted.

Add salt and pepper to taste and paprika to garnish.

Balsamic Onion Jam

 Originally published January 19, 2012

Do you remember those tests in elementary school when the teacher would say to read through the whole problem before you start to answer? And it would end up being some trick and it was easy for the teacher to see who followed the directions? Funny, I loved those back then because I was great at following directions. And yet, (too) many years later, I rarely follow directions. And I don't always read through a recipe before deciding (and starting) to make it.

Which is bad. Very bad. I learned this lesson the hard way not too long ago when making the first batch of balsamic onion jam.

But let me start from the beginning. A local company, Perl Catering, has this wonderful balsamic onion marmalade (for non-locals, you can buy it in their Etsy store). I love this stuff. And I looked all over town for it just after Christmas to take to my sister-in-law for a hostess gift. But it was sold out. Everywhere. So I bought her something else and decided to make it myself.

I found this recipe, noted that I had everything I needed on hand, skimmed the instructions a bit and set about making it. And two and a half hours later, I had a really fantastic balsamic onion jam. That's right--two and a half hours. I was exhausted. I was unamused. I was grumpy. Luckily, this stuff was truly delicious, so it was not time spent in vain.

But if I'd read more comprehensively, I would have noted a) the total amount of time and b) really, this was just caramelizing onions and then adding balsamic vinegar and sugar until it becomes a jam. And there are easier and faster ways to caramelize onions. The first step of which is not to have four onions in one skillet! Unless it is a giant electric skillet, which I do not have. Oh man, all the stirring and the waiting. Also, my method of caramelization cooks down the water in the onions before adding oil, which speeds things up.

But wait! That's not all! Also, after two and a half hours, I got about 8, maybe 10 ounces of jam. A paltry amount. Though, to be fair, it was received by the hostess with glee as I had just enough left over from filling a small jar for her to serve it with dinner that night to the delight of all the guests. It really is that good. So, if you would like to have some for yourself, I present to you three options.

1. Make the balsamic onion jam according to this recipe. Get out your cooking Crocs and something with which to entertain yourself (hey, there's a new cookbook from Love and Olive Oil! ETA: oops, it's not out yet. Again, I did not read for comprehension. But I have previewed it and it is awesome.). You will love this jam.

2. Make this recipe instead, which is a variation:

Balsamic Onion Jam
yield 4-6 ounces

2 large onions, chopped into consistently-sized slices about 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons sugar*
1 tablespoon molasses (or an additional tablespoon of sugar)*
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
(* or use 5-6 tablespoons brown sugar)

Add the onions to your largest skillet and set heat to medium. Stir occasionally while the water from the onions cooks off. Reduce the heat to medium low and add one tablespoon of oil. Stir occasionally. When the onions become transluscent and soft, add another tablespoon of oil and cook (still stirring occasionally) until the onions are a a medium brown color (add more oil if the onions dry out a bit but haven't softened/browned completely). This will take 20-30 minutes (or a bit longer). Reduce the heat to low and add the sugar, molasses, vinegar and salt and cook until thickened to a jam-like texture. Taste and add more sugar, vinegar, and/or salt as necessary. It should be equal parts sweet and savory.

This entire process will take about an hour to an hour and a half.

3. Pay your $5 for a jar of balsamic onion marmalade from Perl Catering (available directly from them online or at the Farmer's Market, at Lazzaroli's and at the Turnip Truck). Frankly, this is your best option. The price is hardly more than the cost of ingredients, not to mention your time. And it's very, very good. Spread it on some bread. Maybe have it with a little brie. Eat it straight from the jar. It's really that good.

No, really. Just buy it. That's what I will do from now on. I've confronted the challenge and won, albeit after a long while. So I can claim victory and move on. And tell you not to waste your time.

And now you have reached the end of this post. Turn your paper over and wait for your gold star.

Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Cream Sauce

 Originally published February 14, 2012

A few weeks ago, I saw a tweet from the local Whole Foods about a recipe contest with roasted garlic. Contest? Ooh, let me check this out...yep, your "best recipe with roasted garlic." At once, the gears in my head started grinding.

Y'see, I've been eating a lot of garlic since starting my "anti-inflammation diet" and I think it's been a big help (moreso than the green tea). So I had garlic on hand to spare. But what to do with it that's really good and unique? I wanted something that would stand out in the crowd of recipes, but nothing too complicated. I looked around the kitchen, spotted a butternut squash and I was on my way. But not a soup. Oh no, butternut squash soup? So done. A pasta sauce! And so this was born.

I posted the recipe and kept my fingers crossed. There was a lot of good competition. I thought for sure I'd be bumped out in favor of some of the more exotic and omnivorous entrants. But then I found out that I'd made it to the final two! That this lovely person who tests recipes had made my cream sauce and loved it! What a thrill! Here are the notes:

Lesley Eats' simple, healthy pasta sauce is so silky and rich you won't even notice, let alone miss, the butter found in creamy sauce rivals. The roasted garlic and butternut squash make for a happy pair and cooking the two together melds the flavors beautifully. The final flourish of grated Parmesan sets this dish apart -- don't skimp on it! Seconds were requested around the table. Note: a 2 1/2 pound butternut squash will provide more than enough for a pound of pasta, so freeze the rest of the sauce for another quick meal.

So making it to the finals was pretty awesome. But then I needed to win. There was a $100 gift card to Whole Foods at stake. So I appealed to all my friends on Twitter and Facebook and I'm happy to report that with all your help, I won! I could not have done it without you all.

THANK YOU!

So here's the recipe. It's also viewable on the Whole Foods site as well as a nice little Q&A they did with me before I knew that I'd won (I admit I might've been a little more loquacious afterward).

Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Cream Sauce
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1  medium butternut squash
2  bulbs garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup milk (unflavored soy milk or coconut milk can be substituted)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon herbs de provence
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 pinch cayenne
pepper to taste
1 pound dried penne pasta (this is also good over ravioli or tortellini)
1/4 cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Pre-heat oven to 400F.                             

Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place cut side down in about a 1/2 inch of water in a large dish, poke holes in the skin with a fork and roast for 45 minutes (or until soft and the skin is browned).                           

Meanwhile, peel the garlic bulbs until just one thin layer of skin remains (but bulbs stay intact) and cut a small segment off the top of each bulb. Drizzle half the olive oil over each bulb and wrap in aluminum foil. Place in the oven with the squash when there's 30 minutes left to cook.                               

When the squash and garlic have finished cooking, remove from the oven and set aside to cool (approximately 10-15 minutes). 

Peel the skin off the squash and place in a large bowl. Remove the individual cloves of garlic from each bulb and add to the squash. Add the remaining ingredients and puree (with an immersion blender, mixer, or food processor). Add pepper (and more of the listed seasonings, if necessary) to taste.                               

Cook pasta according to directions (al dente) and drain. Spread the sauce over the pasta and top with grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese.   

Persian Saffron Rice Pilaf with Almonds and Currants

 Originally published March 13, 2012

I’ve mentioned many times before that my friend, Hedy (who is Persian) is a fantastic cook. And that Mr. Eats never turns down an invitation to dinner at her house because there will always be a spectacular meal.

 Barberries, cranberries, and sour cherries also work and are a bit prettier than currants.[/caption]

Not long after I started my blog, I posted her recipe for baghali polo (or baghali polow) . With the exception of the dill and fava beans, it’s actually a good tutorial for making any type of Persian rice (polow), including basic saffron rice (adas polow). [If you're looking for a bit more detail (and some yogurt), this post also has a really good step-by-step tutorial for standard Persian rice.]  When you prepare the rice this way, you get a wonderful crunchy layer of rice on the bottom of the pot (tahdig). And you can add whatever bean, dried fruit, nut, and/or herb to make it different. One really nice combination she made had toasted slivered almonds and barberries.

 You should really crush your saffron before trying to dissolve it. Oopsie.[/caption]

The rice is wonderful, rich and flavorful, but the star of the show is the tahdig. It is so delicious. Some cooks will use a wider pot to maximize the size of the tahdig and minimize the fighting over it.

But it can take a while to get a proper tahdig. And when I made this Persian rice, I was in a bit of a time crunch, so I adapted a recipe to get a good pilaf in about 25 minutes. It’s really tasty (made more decadent by the butter), but I think Mr. Eats was disappointed by the lack of tahdig. Regardless, this makes a wonderful side dish. You can subsitute more olive oil for the butter if you do not eat butter. But the butter browns a bit, adding a more robust flavor to this shortcut.

 Yum![/caption]

Notes: You really have to use basmati rice for this dish to turn out just right. It's a long, slender grain which has a different "mouthfeel" from standard long-grain rice. Also, it's important not to overcook it in the first step so that you don't get sticky, gooey rice. What's great about this rice is how the individual grains stay separated. Also, I've never had this rice without saffron, but I think it would be nearly as delicious without if if you don't have any on hand.

Persian Rice Pilaf with Almonds and Currants
adapted from Food and Wine 
serves 4-6

2 cups white basmati rice
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup slivered almonds
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup dried currants (or cherries, golden raisins, or barberries)
¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed saffron threads
1 tablespoon water
additional salt and pepper to taste

Bring the four cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add salt and rice, lower the heat and simmer for 5- 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Rice should be slightly “al dente.” Drain the rice thoroughly and return to the sauce pan. Set aside.

Dissolve the saffron in the one tablespoon of water and stir into the rice.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

Brown the almonds over medium-high heat in a medium or large skillet. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. When browned, pour the almonds in a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter and oil. Then add the currants and sugar. Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has browned a bit, stirring frequently (just a few minutes). Remove from the burner and set aside.

Spread half the rice in a casserole dish or other baking dish (at least 3 quarts). Pour half the butter mixture over the rice and sprinkle with half the almonds. Then spread the remaining half of the rice in another layer and pour over the remaining butter mixture and almonds.

Cover (with lid or aluminum foil) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is soft and there's some browning around the edges. Season with salt and pepper to taste when serving.

 

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits (AKA Sausage-less Sausage Balls)

 Originally published March 27, 2012

I'm not gonna lie. I love Red Lobster's cheddar garlic biscuits. It's been over 15 years since I've been in a Red Lobster and had a biscuit, but I remember vividly what they taste like. I even once wrote into the Recipe Finder at the Commercial Appeal asking for the recipe. And if you've ever read the (many, many available) recipes, you'll find the vast majority (including the one published in response to my query) start with Bisquick.

 No-

Uh, no. Not only am I now too snobby (and vegetarian) to go into a Red Lobster, I also do not keep Bisquick in my pantry. It's pointless. It's just a box containing ingredients you already have: flour, baking powder, salt and oil (or butter, as I prefer). And if you don't use it regularly, it will go bad. In particular, baking powder loses its potency over time (see this post for instructions on testing your powder) and you'll get flat, little pucks instead of fluffy biscuits.

So here's a recipe for those of us who don't have--and don't want--Bisquick in the pantry! I made these to take to a party and they were a pretty big hit (I made two-bite size biscuits). One of my friends referred to them as "sausage-less sausage balls," which I thought was pretty funny. I hope that no one was actually disappointed that they were sausage-less, though.

This recipe isn't too snobby, though. I did use garlic powder. Garlic purists even frown upon pre-minced garlic in a jar; I can only imagine their opinion of garlic powder. Anyway, these are easy to make and guaranteed crowd-pleasers.

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits
yield: about three dozen mini biscuits or a dozen regular size drop biscuits

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided into 2 half-teaspoons
1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces of chunk cheese = 8 ounces shredded)
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup), divided into 3/4 stick and 1/4 stick, both melted
1 cup milk

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and one half-teaspoon garlic powder in a large bowl. Stir in the shredded cheese with a fork. Stir in butter and milk just until moistened. Do not overstir. 

Pinch off  (or pick up with fork) desired-size amounts onto a baking sheet and cook at 450F for about 12-15 minutes (until lightly browned). 

Stir in remaining half-teaspoon of garlic powder into quarter-stick of melted butter. When biscuits are done, remove from oven and brush garlic butter over the tops of biscuits.

Note: Do not overstir the batter after you've added the butter and milk! Overstirring will prevent the biscuits from rising properly, so they won't be nice and fluffy. And resist the tempation to roll them. The batter should almost be marshmallow-y fluffy. Just use a fork to scrape up the amount you want and drop it onto the baking sheet. Trust me; it was the second batch I made of these biscuits that actually made it to the party.

You can also substitute vegetable oil for the butter in the mix, but butter or a butter-flavored substitute is pretty key for the golden biscuit tops.

Barley Salad with Cranberries and Cashews

Barley Salad with Cranberries and Cashews

serves 4

1 cup pearled barley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 - 2 small shallots, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (plus another 1/2 teaspoon or more)
1/2 cup cashew pieces
2 - 3 ounces dried cranberries (about 1/2 a bag of Craisins)
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup julienned sweet carrots
1 ounce honey (or agave nectar)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
optional: lemon juice & apple cider vinegar

Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan, and add the barley, shallots, and garlic to saute over medium-high heat for about five minutes until barley has browned slightly and shallots have softened. Stir occasionally.

Add water and one teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil and then simmer (covered) for about 25-30 minutes or until the barley is tender but still al dente. Add the cashews about half-way through simmering.

Pour the orange juice over the dried cranberries and allow them to soak while cooking the barley.

Once cooked, drain the barley in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mix in the cranberries and orange juice and carrots.

Combine the honey and balsamic vinegar and heat slightly to mix. Pour over the barley salad, add another 1/2 teaspoon (or more, to taste) and stir. Optional: add a splash of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to brighten it up for a lunch or brunch side dish.

Serve at room temperature.

Dutch, Dutch Baby

 Originally published June 28, 2012

I have a confession: I can't make pancakes. I've tried, I've failed, and I've given up. I can make French toast like a champ, though. I just don't do it often. [Update: I found a recipe for pancakes that's great! Erin's Food Files Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes]

But I wanted to make something special for Father's Day this year and somewhere I saw a picture of a giant pancake. A skillet pancake. I couldn't remember where, though when time came to start planning, so I asked Twitter for some help. My friend, Tim recommended the Dutch Baby recipe from America's Test Kitchen. He'd tried it and attested to its goodness. I'm not much of a baker, so I was cautiously optimistic.

But I followed the recipe (almost) exactly and it was fantastic! A Dutch Baby is like a cross between a pancake, a popover, and a custard. Three things I like very, very much. And, fortunately, I had everything on hand to make it (including an oven-proof, 12-inch skillet; but you can also use baking dishes or even a pie plate). It took about an hour of preparation (zesting the lemon and getting all the lumps out of my batter were time consumers), but it was well worth it. This is the most delicious breakfast I've ever made.

Right out of the oven, it is puffy and tall like a popover. It quickly deflates. Also, mine is lopsided because my house and oven are lopsided. Baked goods tell no lies and do not forgive.

I topped my Dutch Baby with some homemade blueberry sauce, but fresh fruit and cream or whatever you'd want in a crepe would work perfectly as well.

You can skip some of the citrus, but it really worked well with the blueberry sauce. Yum.

Dutch Baby
adapted from America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Country
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch, sifted (lumps removed)
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk*
1 tablespoon unsalted butter , melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar (optional for garnish)

*The recipe recommends skim milk for a crispier edge. I used whole milk and it was still fabulous.

Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Brush the surface and edges of a large oven-proof skillet with the oil. Place the skillet on the oven rack and heat until the oil is shimmering, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the flour, cornstarch, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs in another bowl until frothy and light, about 1 minute. Whisk the milk, butter, and vanilla into the eggs until incorporated. Whisk one-third of the milk mixture into the flour mixture until no lumps remain, then slowly whisk in remaining milk mixture until smooth.

Carefully pour the batter into the heated skillet and bake until edges of the Dutch Baby are deep golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Transfer the skillet to a wire rack and sprinkle the Dutch Baby with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into wedges and serve.

Blueberry Sauce
adapted from My Baking Addiction
serves 4-6

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons orange or lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved into 2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, 1/2 cup of water, sugar and fruit juice. Stir frequently, and bring to a low boil.

Slowly and gently stir the corn starch mixture into the blueberries. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and gently stir in vanilla and lemon zest.

Notes: This took me a while to make because I'm really bad at following recipes, so I read, read, and read again. It makes things go very slowly. Also, zesting and juicing can take a while. I'm not sure that either are necessary to make this, but I'm hesitant to try. You could probably leave out the zest easily and use bottled juice and still have a great pancake (-y thing).

Also, do NOT skip the part about sifting your cornstarch or whisking just 1/3 of the liquid into the mix because if you don't get all those cornstarch lumps out at the beginning, you will be sorry. I was.

Simply Sangria

 Originally published July 31, 2012

This is the only sangria recipe you will ever need. One container and three easy ingredients that are cheap and easy to get. It's also just about the best sangria you'll ever have (and certainly the best you will make at home for just a handful of dollars). 

The first think you need to do is buy yourself a bottle of Simply Lemonade. Or maybe Simply Limeade or Simply Orange; any Simply juice will do fine. They’re all good.

The next thing you need to do is drink your Simply juice. All of it.

Next, you pour a bottle of red wine in the container. Not “Merlot” or “Red Zinfandel.” “Red” wine. As in, the cheapest bottle of red table wine there is. We’re talking the $4.99 bottle on the endcap of the corner liquor store. That red.

Then follow that up by pouring in a can of ginger ale and a can of fruit cocktail. Swirl it around a bit and pour it in to a glass over some ice. Enjoy. Simple, no? Also? DELICIOUS.

Even better, if you’re only an occasional drinker, this sangria will sit patiently on the door shelf of your refrigerator for months waiting for you to indulge. I actually will occasionally dump any leftover red wine from other bottles and add a tad more ginger ale or fruit juice as needed. Evergreen sangria!

And if you need to make this for a lot of people, get a punchbowl, a box (3 bottles) of red wine, a two liter bottle of ginger ale and the big can of fruit cocktail (or two 15 ounce cans) and you’ve got a party. I guarantee it will impress even your friends who brag about their sangria recipes that include brandy, Cointreau and a dozen other ingredients that are completely unnecessary (and expensive).

Simply Sangria
serves 4-6

1 bottle (750ml) of red table wine 
1 12 ounce can of ginger ale
1 15 ounce can of fruit cocktail (not “light”)

Combine all ingredients in a 1.75 – 2 liter bottle or container and stir to mix. Garnish with slices of lemon, orange, or lime.

Brown Butter Pecan Praline Oatmeal Cookies

 Originally published August 26, 2012

My friend, Kristin Whittlesey is a cookie-making master. A master baker...er, a cookie monster. Yes, let's stick with cookie monster.

Anyway, she makes amazing cookies. A couple of years ago, we had a bake sale fundraiser to benefit flood victims to which she contributed her Midnight Cookies. I ate a lot of wonderful treats that day (including the Rosemary Olive Oil Cake made by Jennifer Justus), but my favorite of the event was the Midnight Cookies.

And now she's done it again. At a recent fundraiser, she added a second cookie: the Brown Butter Pecan Praline Oatmeal Cookie. That's an impressive title for an even more impressive cookie. This cookie is amazing. Delicious. Fantastic. And all the other words, too.

Kristin got the recipe from Anna at Cookie Madness. And madness, it is. Holy cow, that's a lot of butter. And work! If I ever want to have these cookies again, I will have to ingratiate myself to Kristin, because I ain't makin' 'em.

Brown Butter Pecan Praline Oatmeal Cookies
yield: about 3 dozen cookies

Cookies:
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Praline Glaze:
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Place butter in heavy saucepan and melt over medium heat. Keep over heat until butter starts to bubble and turn brown. Turn off heat and swirl brown butter. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, whisk together flour, soda, salt and cinnamon.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together brown and granulated sugars. Add browned butter and stir until thoroughly mixed. Stir in eggs and vanilla, followed by flour mixture, oats and pecans. At this point you may chill the dough if desired, but it's not really necessary.

5. Spoon dough by rounded tablespoons onto nonstick or parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheets 1 minute, then remove to large sheet of parchment or waxed paper to glaze.

6. In a saucepan (you can use same pan from browning the butter), melt 6 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Turn off heat and whisk in confectioners sugar and vanilla until smooth and no lumps. Spoon over oatmeal cookies. Glaze will set as it cools.

Kristin's notes: The glaze will set as it cools. You just have to leave it alone for a while. If the glaze in the pan sets up too much while you're drizzling it,  re-heat while stirring until it thins back out.

20 Years!

 Originally posted May 13, 2020

This month marks twenty years that I've been a vegetarian. A lot has happened in twenty years; I've expanded my palate, learned to make a lot of great food, and had more access to vegetarian and vegan options when dining away from home. I don't get as many odd looks as I used to or even as many questions about why, which is nice. I don't mind telling people why I'm a vegetarian, but it's not the simple answer most people want to hear. The short answer is that I really just don't like meat. The longer answer is that I think it's, well, disgusting to eat animals. More on that later. But now, a little on how it began.

It all started in the year 2000 when I picked up the cookbook, Garden Cuisine by the inventor of Gardenburgers, Paul Wenner. I'd made attempts at semi-vegetarianism for about ten years at that time and never really did like a lot of meat (I dislike ground meat and sausage so much that I won't even eat the vegetarian versions), but the recipes and the information in the book gave me the push to go completely meat-free.

At first, I ate a lot of pasta and pizza and quickly put on several pounds, so my next step was to actually make some of the recipes in the cookbook and understand the building blocks of food and nutrition. At that time, it was still a bit of a challenge to eat vegetarian meals in restaurants and I traveled a lot for work, so I still had a lot of pasta and ate a lot of pretty sad salads as well. I'm so glad that restaurants offer so many more options now (and have better salads!).

These days, my diet is more restricted thanks to my age. I have inched toward veganism over the last decade due as much to my body's rejection of dairy products as to my knowledge of the problems with large-scale dairy farming. And a dinner of pasta and bread--while delicious--makes me feel pretty sluggish.

The most challenging thing in the last twenty years, though, is the last ten when I've tried to raise a vegetarian child. She was on board with it for many years, but in the few years, she has decided she likes the occasional dead animal. I don't cook or serve it to her, but I do allow her to eat some sushi. Her grandparents are a little more indulgent. However, I've convinced her that a burger-less cheeseburger from McDonald's is a great option and she's a big fan of the bean burrito at Taco Bell. She's an American kid; you just can't do much to keep them away from fast food and marshmallows without seeming like a monster.

Oh, and the meat is disgusting thing? I don't know how people do it. Y'all know that meat used to be a live creature, right? It was a baby once. And as we are in the midst of a global pandemic that many are attributing to consumption of bats in China, I'm disturbed at the hypocrisy of so many people who have this completely subjective hierarchy of animals wherein every creature is assigned a spot that determines if it is fit to eat. In some cultures, any animal that can be captured is suitable to eat. Interesting how people decided where an animal falls on the spectrum (though I'm sure most people never think about it much). It even differs even within geographic areas and families. Even my own.

Soft Pretzel Rolls

 Originally published December 10, 2012

My friend, Amanda recently invited the Eats family over for dinner at her house for a German-inspired meal. I don't really do German food (and it's not really known for being vegetarian-friendly), so I really struggled when trying to think of something I could bring that would fit in with the meal. But then I remembered that my friend, Erin had posted a while back about some pretzel roll buns she'd made for a burger. That's it! I could just serve them as rolls with some good mustard instead of cutting them into buns.

Bun size![/caption]

And I'm glad I did. These pretzel rolls are fantastic. I mean, truly. If not for Erin's post, I don't think it would have ever occurred to me that I could make soft pretzels (and that they could be buns instead of, um, pretzel shaped). And they're not difficult to make, particularly if you have a stand mixer. It requires a little planning because of the time to rise. And doing a baking soda bath for the rolls isn't scary at all. I've made these a couple of times now (once with 8 large rolls; once with 16 rolls) and I'm just so excited I can make a bread that tastes so good and doesn't suck out all my will to live. Or require a machine. If I can do this, you can,  too. Believe me.

Pretzel Rolls
adapted from  Erin's Food Files, et al
yield: 8 large bun-size rolls or 16 dinner-size rolls
prep time: 20 min active time + 1 1/2 hours rise time
cook time: 15-20 min

Ingredients

1 ½ cup warm water (110°F)
1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons molasses (optional)
4-½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ cup baking soda
1 egg, beaten
pretzel salt, for sprinkling (or more kosher salt or sea salt)

Directions:

Mix. In your stand mixer bowl, add the water, yeast, sugar, and molasses. Stir vigorously with a spoon and let rest 5-10 minutes until foamy.

Rise. Add the flour, salt, and melted butter and mix using the dough hook until combined well. Cover with plastic wrap (or a towel) and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Roll. Give the dough a punch in the middle and turn it onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Lightly form into a loaf to cut. Line 1 large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Cut the dough into 8 or 16 equal pieces. To shape the dough, take a piece of dough and start forming a round, smooth ball by pulling the sides to the center and pinching to seal. Place, pinched side down, on a counter and lightly cupping your hand around the dough ball, rotate your hand in small circles lightly rolling the ball around the palm of your hand.

Rise. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet pinched seam side down, with at least ½ to 1” between each roll (more room between larger rolls). Cover with a towel and allow to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes until they rise & nearly double again.

Parboil. Preheat oven to 425°F with the oven rack in the middle position. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a low boil. Remove from heat and slowly add the baking soda (it will foam), place back on heat and lower to a simmer. Place 2-3 of the rolls at a time into the poaching liquid, seam side down. Poach for 30 seconds and then carefully turn the roll over and poach for another 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon to the same prepared sheet pan, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining rolls. [Why is this part important? Savvy Eats explains.]

Bake. Using a pastry brush, brush each roll with the beaten egg, making sure to coat all sides completely. Sprinkle each roll with a little pretzel salt (if using kosher or sea salt, use a bit more). Using a sharp straight edged knife, cut a slash (or 2) -or- an “X” shape in the top of each roll. Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until dark brown (as desired). Serve hot!

Note: I added molasses to my recipe, but you can substitute the white sugar for dark brown sugar (increase to 3 teaspoons) or leave it out completely.

Vegan? Savvy Eats has a similar recipe (based on Alton Brown’s) that doesn’t require butter or egg!

Click through to see photos of each step...

Clockwise, left to right: foamy water/yeast mix; let the dough hook do all the work;
punch it!; Score the dough to get even-sized rolls

Clockwise, left to right: pinch the ends into a ball; place the balls, seam side down on a parchment lined baking sheet; cover and let rise again (note how much bigger they are;
parboil the rolls; apply an egg wash, score, sprinkle with salt and bake; enjoy your homemade soft pretzels!

Fauxsage Blossoms

 Originally published December 19, 2012

I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of fake meats. Fake bacon (facon), fake chicken (ficken), fake sausage (fauxsage), fake duck (MOCK DUCK, duh)… But my friend, Megan made these nifty little appetizers for a party last year and I was in love. One of the things I don’t really like about fauxsage is that it’s so much like real sausage. And I never liked real sausage. But in this recipe, the fauxsage is ground up, so it’s easier on my delicate senses.

There are a lot of different recipes and names for these cheesy little snacks. Megan calls them tofu stars, the critter version is often called sausage stars, but I felt like fauxsage blossoms was a better moniker. They’re perfect for parties or any occasion where you need to serve finger foods. They’re better warm, but still good at room temperature, too. And they're tasty! Mr. Eats and Mini Eats both enjoyed leftovers (which reheat in the microwave quite well).

Fauxsage Blossoms
servings: 36-48 blossoms

Ingredients
1 package (8 ounces) vegetarian sausage (fauxsage) patties
1 package cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese (8 ounces in block form)
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Original salad dressing mix
1 package (48) wonton wrappers

Cook the fauxsage gently (don’t overcook) in the microwave or skillet. Chop the fauxsage and add to a medium bowl. Add the softened cream cheese, shredded cheese and Ranch dressing mix and stir to combine.

Using a teaspoon from your flatware, scoop a dollop of the mix and put it in the middle of a wonton wrapper. Fold the sides up to hold in the center and resemble a blossom or star and place in a slot in a muffin pan.

Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until the tips of the blossom have browned.

Notes:

*Be sure not to overcook the fauxsage; if so, you will have tiny hard chunks in your blossoms and that is not good.

*If you don’t soften the cream cheese first, it will be nearly impossible to mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

*Using pepper jack cheese gives the blossoms a little more zip, but you may consider just cheddar or half cheddar and half pepper jack. Though I don’t like spicy food and the pepper jack version was still very tasty.

*I used both a mini muffin pan and a regular muffin pan and found the mini one to be easier to keep the blossoms more compact, but it’s fine to use whatever you have on hand.

*If your dollop is too large and/or you undercook the blossoms, they may stick to the muffin pan bottom.

*And do not—DO NOT—use egg roll wrappers; they are too thick. Megan and I use Nasoya wrappers found in the produce section at Publix.

Oven Roasted Tomato Jam with Savory Sundried Tomato Cornmeal Scones

 Originally published August 12, 2013

Ah, the great Tomato Art Fest recipe contest. This year—my third entry—had the theme “bruschetta.” As soon as I found out, the gears started grinding. I’d already found a great recipe for a savory cornmeal scone, so I decided to do a breakfast bruschetta: a sundried tomato scone topped with tomato jam.

But what kind of tomato jam to make? Do you know how many thousands of tomato jam recipes there are out there? I don’t, but I’m certain “thousands” applies. Different methods, ingredients, sweetness and savory levels…there are a lot of options. I finally decided on what appeared to be the easiest, a jam made in the oven. No stirring, no scalding, hardly any work. And I threw in a few new elements to make it my own and, in my opinion, even better.

First, the scone. The original recipe was made with roasted bell peppers. Other than a few minor tweaks and subbing in sundried tomatoes, I made this exactly as published originally. It tastes fantastic with either peppers or tomatoes. And I love that it makes a small amount (half or one third the size of most scone recipes), so it was easy to test and tweak until I got it where I wanted it.

Second, the jam. I made a lot of changes to the basic recipe to get it to the final product and I was very happy with it. A little savory, a little sweet. It is downright delicious. Putting the two together, though, might’ve been overkill. I’m not sure, but once again, I was not a winner. Oh well. Despite that, I can say with confidence that it should’ve been. I had some expert tasters (two who don’t even like tomatoes, one who is a professional chef) test out the jam and scone and I got overwhelmingly positive reviews. So, quite the endorsements. Another reason you should try this out? It’s so easy. After you’ve chopped everything up, you just put it in your oven and let the heat do all the work. Caramelizing onions has never been easier. And the onions and the roasted garlic are wonderful additions to the tomatoes. The brown sugar and balsamic vinegar play off each other well, too.

Notes: for buttermilk, I just added 1/3 tablespoon to a measuring cup and then filled it to 1/3 cup with milk and let it stand while I prepped the dry ingredients for the scones. Boom, buttermilk. For the jam, I used a glass 9x13 baking dish and didn’t line it with aluminum foil. It took some soaking, but it all came off, so just use your judgment on that one. I also put the tomatoes in the freezer before peeling.

Oven-Roasted Tomato Jam
adapted from The Kitchn
yield: about 10 ounces

4-5 ripe red tomatoes, peeled
one bulb of garlic, divided and cloves halved
one medium onion, thinly sliced into 1-2” pieces
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Kosher or (coarse) sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup dark brown sugar

Slice tomatoes into wedges and spread in a 9x13 baking dish/pan lined with aluminum foil (optional). Mix in the garlic and onion and drizzle generously with olive oil and then a light drizzle across the mixture with the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and cinnamon and lightly dust with black pepper. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar on top.

Bake at 325°F for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are very soft and the onions have caramelized. Increase the heat of the oven to 450°F and roast for another 15 minutes to char the tomatoes slightly.

Remove from the oven to cool. Stir to mash the tomatoes if necessary. Serve warm or room temperature, but store in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks in a tightly sealed container.

Sundried Tomato Cornmeal Scones
adapted from Cooking Light
yield: 4 scones

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup diced moist sundried tomatoes
1/3 cup buttermilk
olive oil

Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender, 2 knives or food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in tomatoes. Add buttermilk and stir just until moist.

Pat dough into a 6-inch circle (about hand-size) on a baking sheet lightly coated with oil and cut into 4 wedges. Bake at 400°F for about 25 minutes until golden. Serve warm.

Barbecue Jackfruit - Vegetarian Pulled Pork

 Originally published October 24, 2013

My hometown (and home for most of my life) is the barbecue capital of the world (warning: dead pig). Despite the fact that I haven’t actually dined on swine in nearly 15 years, I still consider myself an expert. It just comes from growing up in Memphis. Though I wasn’t much of a fan of meat even as a kid, I always liked barbecue. Perfectly moist, smoky (but not too smoky) and with a bit of char.

I gave up barbecue—where I come from, barbecue is pulled pork—when I gave up all the other critters, though I admit that I still love the smell that wafts from restaurants as I drive by. Really, it’s the fire and the charcoal, not the meat that I smell. But recently, I was able to add barbecue back to my plate thanks to the discovery of young green jackfruit in brine.

Make sure you get "young green jackfruit in brine" NOT "jackfruit in syrup."

Apparently, some folks have known about this “vegetable meat” for quite some time, but it was only brought to my attention last year when Riffs Fine Street Food blew my mind with their vegetarian version of Korean barbecue tacos. I had to ask several times if it was really vegetarian. The texture was so close to what I remembered. It is bizarre. But it’s important to note that it has to be “young green jackfruit in brine.” Do not mistakenly get jackfruit in syrup (which is easier to find in the Asian/international groceries; in Nashville, I've had the best luck finding the jackfruit in brine at Interasian).

My buddies at Riffs showed me how to make the Korean style barbecue, but you can also make it with your favorite homemade or storebought barbecue sauce. If you want to add some Korean flavor, the key is sagyejeol ssamjang, a thick seasoned soybean paste (in the green box). Otherwise, just use your favorite barbecue sauce. I like to add a little honey to the sauce we have to a) make it sweeter and b) help it to be sticky and get a better char when it cooks. But it’s not necessary.

The real trick, though is getting the texture right. That’s why there is a second step to this process—baking it in the oven. You don’t have to do it to eat the barbeuce, but the texture is not going to be quite right. If you follow the recipe, it will be easy to fool even the pickiest barbecue aficianado into thinking they’re eating real pork. (Maybe.)

More great news: the young jackfruit is is low-calorie and and low fat. Unfortunately, it is also (according to the label) low protein. So this is definitely more of a treat than the base of a nutritious meal. Much like pork barbecue.

Special note: be sure to check the label on any barbecue sauce you use; many contain Worcestershire sauce and/or other non-vegetarian ingredients.

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Look at that char!

Barbecue Jackfruit - Vegetarian Pulled Pork
serves 2-4

1 20 ounce can young green jackfruit in brine
½ cup barbecue sauce
¼ cup honey or maple syrup (optional)

Drain the water from the can and rinse and drain the jackfruit in a large collander several times (see comments; this is very important). Squeeze each piece to remove as much water as possible. Transfer the bowl to a clean workspace or mat and pull apart all the pieces into shreds, removing and disposing of the seeds  (they look like beige, flat grapes).

Place the jackfruit in a large skillet over medium heat and cook out more of the water. After about 10 minutes or so, mix in the sauce (add more to taste or add more after it’s cooked) and honey/syrup (if using). Stir occasionally and simmer for about another 10 minutes or so.

Then place the jackfruit on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes or until you see some char on the tips. Check it to make sure it’s as dry as you prefer and cook longer, if necessary.

Serve on your favorite bun, slider, taco, topped with slaw…however you’d eat pulled pork!