Collard Green

Mango Banana Smoothie

2011-06-12T19:23:00.004-04:00

As a vegetarian, the question I am most frequently asked is undoubtedly, “Why?” A close second is, “But how do you get enough protein?” It is surprising to most people how much protein can be found in everything from beans to grains to vegetables. Being a veg does not have to mean eating an unbalanced diet. In fact, when you are more aware of the nutritional value of the stuff you put in your body, it can inspire you to eat healthier.

From time to time I get on a workout kick and find that I require a bit more protein than my regular diet provides. I’ve tried all sorts of bars, powders, and potions over the years and I have opinions on lots of different products. But recently, with guidance from the owner of my local nutrition supplement store, I’ve come up with a concoction that delivers some essential nutrients to support my increased activity that tastes great and is ready in a flash.

Though you can use any protein supplement you prefer, I recommend Pea Protein by Now Sports. Peas are a great source of easily-digested protein; each scoop of this product contains about 28 grams. Also, this supplement is free of common allergens and just about as natural as you can get. Add a shot of flaxseed oil for some healthy fats and you’ll be ready to tackle whatever your day throws at you.

10 ounces light vanilla soy milk
1 banana
1 cup frozen mango chunks
1 scoop (33 grams) protein powder
1 tablespoon flaxseed oil

Pour soy milk, banana, and frozen mango into blender. Pulse until combined.

Add 1 scoop protein powder. Blend until smooth.

Add flaxseed oil and blend for 30 seconds.

(Yields: 1 serving; Ready In: 5 minutes)

Shuckey Beans (aka Leather Britches)

2011-05-19T22:54:00.003-04:00

Shuckey beans are one of my favorite foods of all time. These are dried green beans known regionally as “leather britches” for their tan color and coarse texture. For my part, I prefer “shuckey beans” over their alias as the term “leather britches” reminds me of a horror movie villain.

My grandmother would most often string plump green beans at the height of the summer season, but traditionally folks would use those beans that were the less than ideal products of a dry or blighted crop. My parents string a bushel of beans each summer and they insist that the most fulsome beans make the best shuckey beans.

Below I describe the process for making shuckey beans from stringing to cooking. These beans are a perfect addition to a fall meal when fresh green beans are hard to find, but there’s really no bad time to eat them. Once they’ve been dried you can keep them around for six months or so before cooking. Don’t be afraid if you’ve never tried preserving food; this is a totally easy process and I guarantee you you’ll be glad you “put up a mess of beans” when October rolls around.

2 ½ pounds green beans (half-runners, turkey craw varieties work best)
water
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Remove the “strings” from the green beans. If you’ve never done this before, you basically pinch the tip of each bean where it once connected to the vine and pull the fibrous string that runs down the center of the bean. For most varieties, there is a string on the front and back of each bean, so make sure to remove both but keep the bean in tact. Don’t break or snap the beans into segments, however.

Use a standard needle to thread the beans together in two to three foot lengths. Hang the beans in a warm, dry place. Leave the beans to dry until they are brown, crinkled, and rough to the touch. At that time, remove the beans from the thread. Store them in a paper bag until ready to cook. Some people store the tightly-cinched bag in the freezer.

When ready to cook, break the beans into two or three smaller segments, making sure to remove any “strings” missed in the first round. Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow the beans to soak for approximately 36 hours to rehydrate.

Remove the beans from their soak and transfer them to a large stock pot. Add 6 cups of fresh water, oil, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook for six hours, checking the beans every hour. Add additional water, one cup at a time, as necessary. The beans will be tender and tan when done.

(Yields 8 servings; Ready in a pretty long time, but they are totally worth it)

Penne with Creamy Spinach Sauce

2011-05-09T16:32:00.002-04:00

Jon’s mom, Teresa, passed along this recipe. It originally comes from Food Network personality Giada De Laurentiis. But as is the case with many of the recipes I work from, I found ways to bastardize this one. Perhaps most significantly, you’ll notice that I recommend brown rice pasta. I have nothing against whole wheat, multi-grain, or any other sort of pasta, I just like to limit my gluten intake and I’ve kind of grown to love the succulent texture of rice-based pasta.

This is a fantastic and easy recipe. It’s a great meal for a weekday evening or a summer lunch—but the clean up from the sauce preparation can be a bit of a downer.

½ pound brown-rice penne pasta
3 garlic cloves
3 ounces chevre (goat cheese)
1 ounce reduced fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons Parmesan, grated

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook about 8-9 minutes (or according to package instructions) until the pasta is tender, but still al dente. Stir periodically.

While the pasta is cooking, mince the garlic in a food processor. Add chevre, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and about half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

With the remaining spinach leaves, arrange a fist-sized bed of greens in each serving plate.

Drain the pasta and then toss it with the spinach cream sauce, until the penne is thoroughly and evenly coated. Spoon servings of pasta onto each bed of spinach leaves. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve warm.

(Yields: 4 servings; Ready In: 15 minutes)

The Return of Collard Green: Basic Vegetable Stock

2011-05-06T16:16:00.004-04:00

That’s right. Collard Green is back. Thank you to everyone who has continued to support this blog in my absence. Your comments and feedback are fantastic! The last year has been very busy for me professionally—which is a great thing, but I’ve definitely scaled back on both cooking and blogging about it. But that ends today.

This summer I will be reading for my comprehensive exams to advance toward my PhD. Reading books that I’ve always wanted to read sounds like fun right now, but come closer to the test date in October, I imagine that I will 180% crazier.

I’ve always found that the best way to control for stress is to find equilibrium among the disparate aspects of my life. When I was an undergrad at UVA, there was a giant Thomas Jefferson quote above the entrance to the Aquatic Fitness Center that read, “Give about two hours every day to exercise; for health must not be sacrificed to learning. A strong body makes the mind strong.” Oh, TJ, how inspiring. Unless, you know, you’re a slave. And of course I researched this quote (because I’m an unflagging nerd) and found that it continues past the eloquent lines etched into UVA’s flagship gym. TJ says, “A strong body makes the mind strong. As for the species of exercise, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind” (August 19, 1785). Whoopsie.

So, the point is, that until my 30th birthday next cinco de mayo I’m going to do my dead level best to strike a balance between consuming and producing texts, eating and cooking great vegetarian food, and exercising and loafing.

To start off this enterprise, yesterday I made some basic vegetable stock. So many types of cuisine use stock in the cooking process and like almost everything else in the kitchen, if you make it from scratch it will taste better in your final product. Of course, we don’t always have the luxury of time or resources to make everything from scratch, but stock is something you can make when you DO have time and keep it in the freezer until you need it. The vegetable stock I outline below can be kept in a covered container for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer.

And of course, there are all sorts of alternatives if you just never have the time for making stock. There are some boxed and canned varieties that are quite good as well as some condensed options. My advice for prepared stock is to try to find the lowest sodium variety that you can. This will give you much more leeway in seasoning whatever dish you are making to your own taste—and it’s better for your heart.

1 red onion, peeled and quartered
1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 large carrot, rough chopped
2 large white potatoes, sliced
3 celery stalks, rough chopped
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
10 chive leaves
1 bay leaf
8 peppercorns
1 teaspoon kosher salt
10 cups water

Combine all ingredients in a large soup pot. As long as you scrub all of your vegetables thoroughly, there is no need for peeling.

For easy removal, use a short length of cooking twine to make a bouquet garni with your thyme, chives, and bay leaf. This may sound difficult, but it is as easy as tying your shoelaces. Simply lay your herbs across the twine making a “T” shape. Wrap the twine tightly around the herbs and tie the ends securely. The purpose of the bouquet garni is to infuse a dish with the flavor of fresh herbs without the risk of your dinner guests chomping on a bay leaf during your first course. Because we will be straining the stock, some folks might think this step is superfluous bit since it takes about 10 seconds to complete, I think you are better safe than sorry.

With all of your ingredients in the pot, bring everything to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 50 minutes.

Remove the pot from heat and strain the stock through a fine sieve or colander. You can use a potato masher to squeeze out as much liquid as possible but you may have to re-strain your stock as the mashing process can push small chunks of vegetable through the holes of your sieve.

Once you have separated the liquid from the solids, dispose of the latter. Lots of folks like to save the solids for rich composting material…if you’re into that sort of thing.

Remember that you can store your stock in a covered container in the fridge for 3-4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Also feel free to make substitutions based on seasonal availability or what you have in the crisper. Avoid using broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, cabbage, and asparagus, however. These don’t play well in stock.

(Yields: 2 quarts; Ready In: 90 minutes)

Pumpkin Butter Squares

2010-11-06T14:19:00.001-04:00

It’s no secret that I love pumpkin most any way it is prepared. However, I’m much more fastidious when it comes to sweet pumpkin confections. So when I was introduced to this recipe I was, at first, a bit skeptical. It sounded suspiciously like the kind of bar you’d find at any high school bake sale. However, this fall treat has become one of my favorite baked goods. Ever. These things are that good.

And recently I decided to up the stakes and move this treat to the formal dessert menu. I served these pumpkin squares at a dinner party paired with a cinnamon ice cream that Jon made. The combination was a total hit. Until the leftovers are gone, I don’t think a meal will go by when I’m not tempted to finish it off with this homey fall dessert.

1 box yellow cake mix, 1 cup reserved
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced
3 extra large eggs
1 10 or 13.5 ounce jar of pumpkin butter
2 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

Combine the cake mix (except for the reserved cup), melted butter, and 1 egg. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

Combine pumpkin butter, 2 eggs, and milk. Pour this mixture over the cake batter mixture in the pan.

In the bowl of a blender, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and the reserved cup of cake mix. Add the 4 Tablespoons of cold, diced butter. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until pea-sized crumbs form and the mixture clumps together. Crumble this topping over the pumpkin butter mixture in the pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until golden.

(Yields: 15-18 servings; Ready In: 50 minutes)

Cole Slaw

2010-08-28T11:17:00.002-04:00

Cole slaw is one of my all-time favorite side dishes, but the thing about it is that everyone seems to have his or her own opinion about what constitutes the best slaw. My mom’s slaw—which I’ve long considered the top of the line—uses a dressing that is mildly acidic, but pungently sweet. I know some folks prefer a stronger vinegar flavor, some like a smooth and creamy dressing, and others prefer a sweet and sour combination. For literally years now I’ve experimented with various recipes and techniques to arrive at what I consider my trademark cole slaw recipe. This is a dish that tries to please everyone with its rich, sweet, and tangy dressing. I also finally decided that my mom’s been right all of these years—the best way to get the crunchy texture and delicate presentation is with an old-fashioned box grater.

1 small cabbage, grated on largest face (about 4 cups grated cabbage)
2 large carrots, grated on largest face (about ¾ - 1 cup grated carrots)
1/3 cup champagne vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 egg white
½ tablespoon butter, melted
½ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
paprika for garnish (optional)

Using the largest face of a box grater, grate the cabbage and carrots into a medium mixing bowl. It is okay if the vegetables are not all the same size—in fact this is desirable so as to give the slaw textural diversity.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except paprika) and mix well with a fork. When the dressing is combined pour it over the grated vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate immediately for at least 2 hours before serving.

Top with a light dusting of paprika and serve chilled.

(Serves: 6; Ready In: 20 minutes [not counting chilling time])

Mediterranean Pasta

2010-08-04T17:41:00.002-04:00

This is one of my favorite dishes of all time. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not always thrilled about pasta— mainly because I find myself forced to order some sort of pasta situation when eating at a particularly non-veg-friendly joint. But this one is a showstopper. I don’t even remember where I first got this recipe now, but I’ve tweaked it a bit over time to arrive at this incarnation. I’ve served this pasta at dinner parties and I’ve also made it at the beginning of the week and feasted on leftovers until Thursday. The bold flavors are perfect for any time of year and any occasion.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup red onion, diced
1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, including juice
2/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
½ cup golden raisins
½ cup dry white wine
2 ½ tablespoons basil, chopped
¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces bow tie pasta (farfalle)
½ cup chevre, crumbled

In a large sauce pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute onion and bell pepper 9 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, olives, raisins, wine, basil, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Add salt and pepper and reduce to a very low heat.

Cook the pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain and toss the pasta with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.

Stir the chevre into the warm sauce so that some crumbles remain, but some of the cheese melts into the sauce, making it rich and creamy. Toss the pasta with the sauce and serve.

(Serves: 8; Ready In: 30 minutes)

Vegan Jambalaya

2010-07-10T12:18:00.002-04:00

In an effort to stretch every dollar as far as possible, Jon and I have been planning each week before we head to the grocery. Our strategy is simple: we know the staples that we always buy, but in addition to those we plan three or four dinners to get us through the week. So far this game plan has worked out really well. And in addition to saving money and simplifying the nightly decision about what to eat, this new course of action has inspired me to flip through some of my favorite, if oft neglected, cookbooks.

That’s how I became reacquainted with Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero’s fantastic Veganomicon. I’ve found some of my favorite recipes of all time in this book, and if you’re a vegan, well there’s a reason it is subtitled “The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook.” Because I can’t leave well enough alone, I decided that I’d use the Veganomicon’s “Seitanic Red and White Bean Jambalaya” as a starting point for a jambalaya of my own. But on the night we’d decided to make jambalaya, I worked a little late, so Jon took on the task of giving this recipe a unique twist. He did a fantastic job! Address your fan mail to him regarding the great dish that follows. And don’t be afraid of the large portion this recipe makes; the leftovers will spice up your lunch for days.

6 tablespoons olive oil
1 14-ounce package of Tofurky Italian Sausage
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup cooking sherry
2 cups long-grain white rice (uncooked)
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can navy beans
1 15-ounce can black beans
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried paprika
½ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in large oven-ready saucepan over medium heat. Slice the Tofurky sausages into ½ inch medallions and sauté for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the sausage from the pot and allow to drain on paper towels.

Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and stir in onion, peppers, and garlic. Sauté for 12-15 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Stir the tomato paste into the vegetables and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Stir in the cooking sherry to deglaze the vegetables. Cook the mixture for 30 seconds, then add rice. Stir the rice for 4-5 minutes, then stir in diced tomatoes, Tofurky sausage, beans, thyme, marjoram, paprika, celery seed, chili powder, and ground red pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, add vegetable broth and water, and return to a simmer. Add salt and pepper.

Cover the oven-ready saucepan with aluminum foil and place it in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the rice is tender.

Remove from oven, stir, then cover and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

(Serves: 8; Ready In: 90 minutes)

Hash Brown Haystacks

2010-06-30T09:26:00.001-04:00

I love the challenge of coming up with a fast and easy meal using only the random items I have in the pantry. Last night, while cooking veg chili and hotdogs, I realized that I needed a side dish. Rifling through the freezer, I came across a bag of hash browns and riffing on a recipe on the back of the package, I came up with this dish. It was a total hit and the perfect complement to the dinner menu. The Maury results are in: necessity is the mother of invention.

1 20 oz. bag of frozen hash browns
1 extra large egg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
pinch of red pepper
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a muffin pay with non-stick cooking spray.

Lightly beat the egg. In a large bowl combine hash browns, egg, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Stir until potatoes are evenly coated with the egg mixture and any frozen chunks have been separated.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan filling each cup about ¾ full. Place on the top rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Return to oven for 2 minutes.

Serve warm. May be garnished with a small dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh chives.

(Serves: 6; Ready In: 25 minutes)

A Peach of a Meal

2010-06-28T09:26:00.004-04:00

To me, nothing signifies the arrival of summer like the appearance of fresh, local peaches. My friend Jenn was visiting South Carolina last week and picked up a whole bunch of peaches at the Columbia farmers’ market. When she graciously offered to give us a dozen or so, I began to think about ways to use them before they spoiled. Like every rational person I decided that I should cook an Iron Chef-style meal with peaches as the key ingredient.

So, Jenn, Robin, Harry, Joe, Jon, and I sat down to dinner last night and somehow miraculously escaped developing type two diabetes over the course of the meal. After testing recipes, I was pleasantly surprised how versatile peaches can be. From a spicy glaze for your favorite protein to a crisp, refreshing summer beverage, this culinary experiment proves that layering flavors is a great way to draw out less obvious notes of common ingredients.

Beverage:
Bellini

First Course:
Chilled Peach Soup (from the Blue Fox Guild)

Main Course:
Spicy Peach Glazed Baked Tofu
Savory Stuffed Peaches
Sweet Potato Peach Casserole

Dessert:
Vegan Peach Ice Cream

Bellini

2010-06-28T09:22:00.003-04:00

The Bellini is a perfect summer cocktail. Made correctly it is light, crisp, and refreshing. The beverage was purportedly created in 1943 at the world-famous Harry’s Bar in Venice. Giuseppi Cipriani is said to have invented the cocktail in honor of painter Geovani Bellini. My friend Harry asked if this is the type of drink favored by the “ladies who lunch” at country clubs across the South and my response was a resounding “yes.” More traditional Bellini recipes call for peach and raspberry/cherry puree, but I’ve found that making a flavored syrup produces a smoother drink. The trick is not to make this cocktail too sweet. See my “How to Make Cocktail Syrups” for tips on getting your blend just right.

½ teaspoon raspberry cocktail syrup
1 tablespoon peach cocktail syrup
1 teaspoon triple sec
Prosecco (or another dry sparkling wine)
Fresh raspberries for garnish

Pour cocktail syrups and triple sec into serving glass. Add Prosecco to fill glass, mix gently mix with a cocktail stirrer, garnish with raspberries and serve.

Serving Glass: Champagne Flute

Chilled Peach Soup

2010-06-28T09:15:00.004-04:00

I adapted this recipe from Dining ‘Neath the Pine, a cookbook published by the John Fox, Jr. House and Museum and the Blue Fox Guild. John Fox, Jr. was a Kentucky-born literary celebrity at the turn of the nineteenth century whose novels The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come and The Trail of the Lonesome Pine were among the first to sell a million copies in the U.S. Fox lived and wrote some of his most noteworthy works in my hometown (Big Stone Gap, Virginia) and though he has been embraced posthumously as a town celebrity, during most of his lifetime Fox was openly disdainful of the region, propagating if not inventing some of the most persistent pejorative stereotypes concerning Appalachia. My feelings about Fox and his work aside, however, Dining ‘Neath the Pine is a wonderful cookbook. My mom’s a member of the Blue Fox guild, so in order to escape a thorough cobbing, I should probably also add that the John Fox, Jr. House and Museum also does a great deal to foster local pride and civic spirit.

Anyway, this soup is downright amazing. It was my favorite dish of the peach-themed evening. In order to make it vegan-friendly, I just had to substitute a good soy yogurt for the sour cream called for in the original recipe. Be warned, however: not all soy yogurts are vegan and not all soy yogurts taste good. At all. So do some research and be selective. However, if you’re a veg or have soy allergies, you may substitute traditional yogurt, Greek yogurt, or sour cream—each brings a unique flavor and provides a different texture.

6 cups peeled and diced peaches (or two 14 ounce cans sliced peaches, drained)
2 tablespoons Triple Sec
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons almond extract
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
2 cups soy yogurt

In a blender, combine peaches, Triple Sec, lemon juice, almond extract, salt, and sugar. Blend on high until smooth.

Add soy yogurt and puree on low until well blended. Remove from blender, place in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Allow to chill completely (about 3 hours) before serving.

For added texture, you may wish to garnish each cup with a teaspoon of finely chopped peaches and a sprig of mint.

(Yields: 8-10 servings; Ready In: 15 minutes (not including chill time))

Spicy Peach Glazed Baked Tofu

2010-06-28T09:10:00.004-04:00

As I’ve mentioned before, baked tofu is one of my favorite dishes. It is a very versatile protein and can be adjusted to fit most any menu. For this dinner, I made a spicy peach glaze to cut the sweetness of the fruit and bring out the more subtle acidic flavors.

A number of people have asked me what recipes mean when they instruct the cook to “press the tofu.” To answer this question, I’ve prepared a step-by-step instruction for this quick and easy process that allows you to maximize the flavor of your tofu. Click on “How to Press Tofu” for more.

13 ounces peach preserves
½ tablespoon chopped garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
½ tablespoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 16 ounce package extra firm tofu

Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until all components are blended.

Press tofu to remove excess liquid. Slice the tofu into ½ inch cubes. Transfer the peach glaze to a medium Tupperware or other form of storage with a sealable lid. Place the tofu cubes in the Tupperware with the glaze and seal. Give the container a few good shakes to toss the tofu in the glaze. Allow the tofu to marinate for 8 hours or overnight, periodically shaking the container to insure even coverage.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn tofu and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more.

(Yields: 4-6 servings ; Ready In: 50 minutes (not including marinating time))

Savory Stuffed Peaches

2010-06-28T09:03:00.003-04:00

This was the standout dish of the evening. The simple, delicate flavors of these stuffed peaches are both light and satisfying. Paired with well-seasoned, fluffy couscous and tangy chevre, this is a perfectly light dish for a hot summer day—especially when local peaches are in season.

1 ½ cups water
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 cup couscous
4 large peaches
1 ½ tablespoons champagne vinegar
6 ounces chevre (I find that a pepper rubbed goat cheese works well here)
paprika, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove the pan from heat and stir in salt, basil, and couscous. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Cut peaches in half. Scoop out about a teaspoon of flesh from the center of each peach half. Some people like to leave the skins on the peaches while others are freaked out by the thought of eating peach fuzz. So, peal half of the peach halves and leave the skins on the other half. Brush each side of the peaches with the champagne vinegar and grill or broil for 3 minutes on each side.

If you want to make this recipe vegan, simply omit the chevre or set aside some couscous to be vegan-friendly. Toss the couscous with the crumbled chevre. Spoon the mixture into each peach half, slightly mounding the stuffing. Dust lightly with paprika and serve.

(Yields: 8 servings; Ready In: 15-20 minutes)

Sweet Potato Peach Casserole

2010-06-28T08:59:00.003-04:00

Sweet potatoes and peaches might not be a flavor combination that many think of as being complementary, but this casserole offers yet another alternative to the canned yam and marshmallow dish trotted out during the winter holiday season. The sweetness of the potatoes, the tartness of the peaches, and the salty crunch of the cashews make this casserole a unique and delicious dish.

½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup cashews, chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
2 lbs sweet potatoes (I prefer purple sweet potatoes for a unique presentation)
14 ounce can peach slices, well drained
3 tablespoons butter (I use Earth Balance margarine to make this dish vegan)

Add the potatoes to a large pot of boiling water. Cook for 15-20 minutes (perhaps more depending upon the size of your potatoes), until a fork may be easily inserted into the center of each potato. Drain water and turn off the burner, but return the potatoes to the pot and place them on the warm burner and allow the heat to slightly dry out the potatoes for about 1-2 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the heat and set aside to allow them to fully cool.

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peal and cut into long strips ¼ to ½ inch thick.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, cashews, salt, and ginger. In a 10X6X2 baking dish, layer half of the sweet potato strips, all of the peach slices, and half the brown sugar mix. Top with another layer of sweet potato strips and finally the remaining half of the brown sugar mixture. Place small “dots” of butter evenly across the top of the casserole.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more.

(Yields: 6-8 servings; Ready In: 90 minutes)

Vegan Peach Ice Cream

2010-06-28T08:54:00.003-04:00

After a sweet meal, you might imagine that the last thing you’d want is dessert. You’d be wrong. Jon makes some amazing homemade ice creams and for this meal he didn’t disappoint. I watched him make this vegan peach ice cream and was amazed at how easy it was to put together—and was equally amazed at the amazing flavor.

4 cups peaches, peeled and diced
1 cup vanilla soy milk
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon spiced rum

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups of peaches with the soy milk and sugar until the fruit is soft and the sugar has completely melted. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10-15 minutes. Using an immersion blender (or transferring the mixture to a counter-top blender if that’s what you have), blend the peach-soy milk mixture until it is smooth throughout.

Add the remaining 2 cups of peaches, vanilla, and rum to the mixture and stir. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap so that the plastic is touching the surface of the mixture. This will prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate the mixture for at least two hours, but preferably overnight.

When the mixture is cold, transfer it to an ice-cream maker and churn per the manufacturer’s instructions (in most cases about 30 minutes).

(Yields: 8-10 servings; Ready In: 60 minutes (not including chilling time))

How to Make Cocktail Syrups

2010-06-28T08:45:00.006-04:00

Simple syrup is a staple in any good cocktail-maker’s arsenal. And there’s a reason why it’s called simple syrup. It’s made using a ratio of 1 cup white sugar to 1 cup of water. In a small saucepan, simply boil the sugar in the water until the sugar has dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool and you have simple syrup.

I’ve found that flavored syrups often give traditional cocktails a nice twist and they really aren’t much harder to make—and they’re often a good way to use bits of fruit that you would otherwise discard. For instance, after pealing and coring a bunch of peaches, I had about 2 cups of fruit that was bound for the wastebin. But, Jon pointed out that this was perfectly good fruit and so I used it to make a peach syrup.

So, when making a flavored cocktail syrup that involves fruit, I cut back just slightly on the sugar to water ratio. I typically use:

1 cup water
5/6 cup of white sugar
2 cups of fruit

Boil the water and the sugar until the sugar is almost dissolved, then add the fruit.

Allow this mixture to boil 5-7 minutes, until the fruit flesh breaks down and the liquid takes on the bright color and fragrant aroma of the fruit you’re cooking.

Using a fine mesh strainer, separate the cooked bits of fruit (especially the seeds) from the liquid. When you’ve captured all of the solid particles, you’ll want to apply a little pressure to the cooked fruit to squeeze out any last juices it contains.

Then, put the liquid back on the stove and bring it to a boil for 3-5 minutes.

Allow the mixture to cool and you’ll have a tasty flavored cocktail syrup. In the summer, when I have an abundance of fresh fruit or mint leaves, I’ve often made a flavored cocktail syrup to use as gift for party hosts rather than relying on my standard bottle of wine.

How to Press Tofu

2010-06-28T08:34:00.007-04:00

For so many people, tofu is representative of the “gross and bizarre” foods loved by vegetarians and vegans. But properly prepared, tofu really can be a remarkably tasty and nutritious protein alternative. In most recipes involving tofu, the first step of preparation is to “press” the cake of tofu. What does this mean?

Most tofu in the grocery comes packed in water. Tofu is a wonderful food because it can be flavored in almost any way imaginable. But, if it is supersaturated with fluid as it often is when you purchase it in the store, then you’ll have a hard time adding your own flavors. And then the tofu will have that dreaded “tofu taste” that just fuels all the haters out there.

But, pressing that excess liquid out of your tofu is quite simple. Here’s how you do it:

First, remove the tofu from its packaging.

Carefully wrap the tofu cake in paper towels.

Then place the bundle between two medium-sized plates, each with their eating surfaces facing in.

Next, place a little weight on the top plate. Two or three books work well. A few heavy cans from the cupboard will also do the trick. Allow gravity to do its work for about five minutes.

Then, remove the books and the top plate. Unwrap the tofu and pour away any excess liquid that may be standing in the bottom plate.

Most people let it go at this, but I then re-wrap the tofu in towels and repeat the process. You’ll be surprised at how much liquid remains in the tofu after its first pressing. It’s as easy as that. After pressing out this excess liquid, you’ll have a cake of tofu that is much more open to flavor suggestions and much less likely to carry that much-maligned “tofu taste.”

Cherry Cider Quinoa with Pineapple and Almonds

2010-06-22T12:47:00.002-04:00

I recently traveled to Virginia to celebrate the retirement of one of the most influential figures in my intellectual development. Grace Bradshaw was my 10th grade English teacher, the indefatigable coach of my high school’s forensics team (not C.S.I, more speech and debate), and directed some of the first plays I acted in as well as the very first play I ever wrote. Mrs. Bradshaw is a gem—the sort of selfless educator that American public schools desperately need. So imagine my horror when Mrs. B. mentioned that she had tried one of my quinoa recipes and found my favorite pseudograin (technically quinoa is more like a seed although in preparation it is treated more like a cereal)—less than pleasant.

Quinoa originated in South America and according to Wikipedia (my most trusted resource for research), the Incas considered the crop to be sacred, calling it “the mother of all grains.” Rich in protein, gluten-free, and chock full of minerals, quinoa is a great staple in a vegetarian’s diet. Also, like rice, it is extremely versatile. Prepared with vegetable stock and paired with caramelized onions, sautéed peppers, and/or a leafy green, quinoa makes a fantastic savory side. However, as this recipe shows, the pseudograin can be prepared using sweet flavors for a versatile dish that’s as suitable for breakfast as it is for dinner. If you’ve tried quinoa before and it didn’t suit your fancy, give it another shot. The most important tip for preparation is to cook the “grain” until the germ separates from the seed (see below) revealing a slight curl. At this point the seed will have a slightly al dente texture and is ready for whatever flavor pairings you choose.

1 cup quinoa, uncooked (make sure that the box indicates that the quinoa is pre-rinsed)
1 cup cherry cider
1 cup cold water
¼ teaspoon soy sauce
¾ cup fresh pineapple, chopped into bite-size morsels
¼ cup almonds, dry roasted and chopped

In a medium pot, combine the quinoa, cherry cider, water, and soy sauce. Cover and cook over medium high heat, bringing the mixture to a boil. Stir and lower heat to medium, cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes—until all the liquid has been absorbed. As mentioned above, the quinoa seed should have released the germ so that the grain is slightly translucent. (If the quinoa has not released its germ, add ¼ cup of cherry cider and cook until that liquid has been absorbed.) Uncover, fluff the “grain” with a fork, and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, toss the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until they are toasted and aromatic. Set aside to cool.

Chop fresh pineapple into small chunks (canned pineapple is a fine substitute, but in the summer when fresh fruit is available, why bother with a can opener?). Rough chop the toasted almonds. Add pineapple and almonds to the quinoa and toss to combine the mixture. Serve warm.

(Yields: 4-6 servings; Ready In: 20-25 minutes)

Necessities of Persistence and the Return of Collard Green

2010-06-22T12:21:00.007-04:00

After a long hiatus, Collard Green is back! The 2009-2010 academic year was particularly taxing and I neglected the blog, but I appreciate the support of those readers who have encouraged me to get back in the game this summer.

One of the most frequently asked questions I’ve received during this extended break is, “Do you still cook?” Well, yes… but during the academic year I don’t devote quite as much time to food preparation as I do at other times. So what do I eat? Well, below I’ve featured a few of the most crucial (if not always nutritional) staples of my crunch-time diet. In the Tennessee Williams play Out Cry, the two reclusive siblings refer to a trip to the grocery as a necessary ordeal to acquiring “necessities of persistence.” Most of us have those things we eat as a means of survival and here are some of my favorite necessities of persistence.

5. Trader Joe’s “Just the Clusters” Maple Pecan Granola

There was a period of about 5-6 months when I ate this cereal for breakfast every single day. I’ve had some serious love affairs with cereals in my life, but this was heavy. With a little chocolate soy milk, this is probably the best breakfast in a box I’ve ever had. When I discovered that each serving contains an inordinate amount of calories, this granola and I agreed to open up our relationship, but I’m pretty confident that it’s only a matter of time until I come crawling back.

4. Nutella
Most of my friends are familiar with that unfortunate period of months as an undergrad when I subsisted primarily on Wheat Thins and Nutella, so it took me a while for me to let this spread back into my life. But boy howdy, am I glad it’s back. Paired with some of my mom’s homemade raspberry jam on Ezekiel bread, this hazelnut confection makes a sandwich that is unstoppable.

3. Brianna’s Blush Wine Vinaigrette
This is the best bottled salad dressing I’ve ever had. I first tasted it at my friend Jocelyn’s house and now it’s pretty much my go-to. All of Brianna’s dressings are pretty outstanding, but this one has my unflagging loyalty. Try it with some baby spinach, fresh strawberries, toasted walnuts, and Stilton blue cheese crumbles.

2. Trader Joe’s Wild Mushroom and Black Truffle Flatbread

Out of the freezer and ready in 8 minutes, this flatbread is a force to be reckoned with—and I’m not the only one who thinks so. Jon and I have found that if we don’t hit Trader Joe’s on exactly the right day at exactly the right time, this most important staple will be sold out. If you haven’t tried this and you have access to a Trader Joe’s, get in the car right now and treat yourself. And if you live nearby, give me a call and I’ll come over and help you finish it off.

1. Quorn Chik'n Nuggets

Like Chelsea Handler, I love nuggets more than just about anything. When I’ve arrived at the grocery checkout with three boxes of these beauties, I’ve been met with a smirk by the cashier on more than one occasion. But you know what? I don’t care. I’m not ashamed of my love. These nuggets are a good source of protein, they’re not particularly bad for me, and dipped in honey they remind me of childhood in a really great way. I’ve tried to limit my consumption of late—and I’m sure the Quorn global market share has felt the impact. But seriously, if you’re too tired to cook throw some nuggets in the oven and 15 minutes later you can settle in for a DVRed episode of some Real Housewives show with a meal fit for royalty.

Steakhouse Rolls

2009-11-22T12:40:00.004-05:00

You know those rolls served at a certain genre of steakhouse—the kind of joint with an all-you-can-eat buffet and a soft serve machine? I’m talking about those giant, buttery rolls that are at once light and incredibly substantive after you’ve eaten six or seven of them. If your mouth is watering, then you know that these rolls are really the only reason to go to the kind of restaurant that I describe.

I hadn’t had one of these rolls in years (probably since I was an undergrad and my friend Danny and I tried to visit every all-you-can-eat buffet in Charlottesville—we failed). However, Jon recently mentioned these buttery delights and I began a long quest to try to recreate this flavor memory from childhood.

After many pitiful, failed attempts, I think I finally nailed it. The trick to perfecting this dough is time and patience—neither of which I’m particularly known for possessing. I unveiled my version of the “steakhouse roll” at Friend Thanksgiving last weekend. As you can imagine, I love Thanksgiving more than most every other holiday and enjoy sharing the occasion with both family and friends. My pal Robin hosted a fantastic vegetarian feast for a number of our friends and it was certainly something to give thanks for.

If you decide to try these rolls for your Thanksgiving this year, allow yourself plenty of time to fool with them. There is a lot of idle time while the dough is rising so you can accomplish other tasks, but it is very important that you not rush the process. With a little patience and a lot of butter, you can wow your guests with a showstopper.

4 tablespoons and 3 tablespoons butter, separated
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
¾ cup and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 extra large eggs
4 1/4 ounce packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon honey
½ cup lukewarm water
7 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 ¼ cups milk
1 teaspoon olive oil

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and shortening with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs slowly, one at a time, and blend to create a homogenous mixture.

Warm ½ cup of water to about 110 degrees F. Warm water from the faucet will often suffice, but make sure that the water is not too hot. Dissolve the yeast in the water and add the honey to the mixture.

Sift flour and salt. Add half of the flour and half of the milk to the shortening-butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add the dissolved yeast and mix until incorporated. Finally, add the remaining milk and flour and mix to form a soft dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes.

Lightly flour your working surface and turn dough out. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes or until elastic and smooth.

Grease a large bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside, turning once to evenly coat the outer surface of the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place (about 90 degrees F) until the dough has doubled in size (this generally takes about 2 hours).

Turn dough onto working surface and knead lightly. Return the dough to the bowl and allow it to rise again until doubled in size (about 1 additional hour). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When the dough has risen again, turn it onto the working surface and shape pieces into rounds a bit smaller than a tennis ball. Place the rounds about an inch apart on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of each roll with melted butter and set aside in a warm area and allow to rise for about 30 minutes.

Then, bake the rolls at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops are gold brown and slightly crisp. Remove the rolls from the oven and immediately brush tops with butter again and serve warm.

(Yields: 24 rolls; Ready In: 4 hours)

Red Pesto

2009-11-14T14:58:00.002-05:00

Last week I was talking with a friend who said that she went to dinner with her family at a restaurant that prided itself on pretty much everything but its vegetarian fare. When someone in my friend’s party let it slip that she was a veg, the waitress said, “ Ooooh, well we have some wonderful salads and a nice pasta option.” Most vegetarians and vegans have found themselves in a similar situation. I know I’ve had bland noodles in a bland sauce from a number of restaurants—and people wonder why I’m not crazy about pasta.

But I actually love pasta when it’s done well— but so much depends upon the sauce. I like making fresh sauces, especially in the summer when tomatoes and fresh basil are ubiquitous. This fall, I’ve been experimenting with heartier flavors and I found a sauce that delivers. The sun-dried tomato base in this red pesto may remind you of bright, summer days, but the flavors are heavy enough to keep you content on a chilly fall night. And it really couldn’t be easier to make. Throw everything in the food processor and brag that you made your sauce from scratch.

14 sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil)
¼ cup grated Parmesan
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
¾ cup pasta cooking water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, garlic, olive oil, salt, and thyme. Pulse until the components are evenly distributed.

In a dry skillet, toast the walnuts over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes or until just golden brown. Add toasted walnuts to the food processor and pulse 4 or 5 more times.

In the meantime, you’ve probably been cooking your pasta. I like to serve this sauce with an earthy ravioli stuffed with crimini or Portobello mushrooms, but it works well with any pasta that can hold a dense sauce. Reserve about ¾ cup of the cooking water as you drain your pasta.

Pour ½ cup of the cooking water into the food processor and pulse to combine with the pesto. The mixture should form a thick, chunky sauce. Add more water to achieve your desired consistency.

If you plan to store the sauce for a few days, you can do so. However, after you transfer the pesto into a jar or container, pour about ¼ inch of olive oil on top of the sauce to seal the mixture and prevent discoloration.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 15 minutes)

Sweet Potato Crisp

2009-11-08T08:25:00.001-05:00

Sweet potatoes are a staple in my kitchen, but come November I get a hankering for some of those old-fashioned casseroles with marshmallow cream and brown sugar. However, I’ve found ways to use the classic fall flavors of the casseroles we all love without giving myself a cavity. I make this sweet potato crisp in small ramekins to allow the flavors to mix while baking. However, you could most likely achieve the same effect in a glass baking dish. Hopefully this take on a classic will satisfy your autumn sweet tooth.

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 ½ teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon and 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar, separated
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
8 tablespoons apple butter
¼ cup roasted pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Dice the sweet potatoes into ½ inch chunks, distribute them into a single layer on the cookie sheet, and rub them with the canola oil. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and cinnamon over the potatoes and rub to coat evenly. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, dice the cold butter into very small, pea-sized bits. Mix with flour, 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar, and nutmeg until the bits of butter are coated by the dry ingredients and evenly distributed throughout the mixture to make a streusel topping.

Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Spread 1 tablespoon of apple butter across the bottom of 4 small ramekins. Next, distribute the roasted sweet potatoes evenly among the ramekins, layering the potatoes on top of the apple butter. Top the layer of sweet potatoes in each ramekin with another tablespoon of apple butter. Distribute the streusel evenly among the ramekins and finely top each with a sprinkling of roasted pecan pieces.

Place the ramekins on the cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

(Yields: 4 servings; Ready In: 55 minutes)

Vegetarian Pot Pies

2009-10-11T16:53:00.001-04:00

This fall has been very busy, leaving me little time to blog. I wrote and defended my M.A. thesis, began teaching at UNC, and took up at least a couple of new TV shows. But I’m back in the kitchen and I’m very excited that I’m fast approaching my 100th post on Collard Green.

So, in honor of my return to blogging, let’s talk about one of the ultimate comfort foods—pot pies! These little savory pastries weren’t a staple of my diet until I was in college, but at some point I discovered them through the fast food world. The great thing about a pot pie is that it doesn’t have to taste like cardboard. There’s also no requirement that the pies be absolutely loaded with bad fats.

The following recipe illustrates just how easy it is to make a quality one-pot meal almost from scratch. I use pre-packaged puff pastry for convenience on weeknights, but you can whip up a traditional piecrust without too much fuss. I tend to make my pies in single-serving ramekins so that leftovers are already packaged for the next few days. Also, experiment with the flavors of the filling, adding or subtracting ingredients to fit your unique taste.

2 Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
2 carrots, diced
½ head broccoli, chopped into florets
1 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ yellow onion, diced
8 ounces baby bella mushroom, sliced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup Asiago or Swiss cheese, grated
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 sheets puff pastry
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 415 degrees F.

In a medium pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Add potatoes, carrots, and broccoli. Cook for 5 minutes. Add frozen peas and cook for 1 additional minute. Drain the cooking vegetables and immerse in an ice bath to halt cooking and set the color. Drain vegetables again.

In a medium skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Cook the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms until the latter have released their juices and the onions are golden brown. Add the mushrooms, peppers, and onions to the other vegetable mixture.

Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour until absorbed to make a roux. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer until thickened. Add cheese, egg yolks, salt, and pepper to the mixture and remove from heat.

Combine the sauce and vegetables. Set the mixture aside to cool.

Unroll a sheet of thawed puff pastry (see package instructions). Using a ramekin, outline six circles of puff pastry; the circles should be large enough to hang slightly over the edges of the ramekins.

Spray the inside of each ramekin with cooking spray, then add the vegetable mixture until each dish is 4/5 full. Top each ramekin with one of the pastry rounds and use your fingers to seal the edges by tucking the dough under the lip of the ramekin. Using a small knife, cut four slits in the top of each pastry to allow steam to escape while cooking.

Combine the beaten egg with 1 teaspoon cold milk. Brush the top of each pastry with the mixture.

Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastries are golden brown.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 50 minutes)

Butternut Squash Soup

2009-08-28T22:04:00.003-04:00

As fall is almost upon us, I thought I would wrap up this series of family recipes with a dish bursting with autumn flavors. My dad’s dad kept an impressive garden during most of my childhood. He grew just about everything—from tomatoes and green beans to potatoes and squash. Granddaddy was a World War II veteran and at some point during his time in the armed services, he spent some time in culinary school. I’m a little fuzzy on the details of just why he attended culinary school, but suffice it to say, he was a wonderful cook. Though he may not have made this particular soup, I think he would definitely appreciate its fresh-from-the-garden flair. I know that the earthy flavors of this dish always call up my sense memory of Granddaddy’s row of pumpkins and squash blooming in the early fall.

2 tablespoons butter
1 small white onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
4 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Melt butter in a large soup pot. Saute onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash for 8 minutes, until the onions are slightly golden.

Add 4 cups of vegetable stock. The vegetables should be covered by the cooking liquid. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer for 40 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Transfer the soup mixture to a blender and mix until smooth. Return the blended soup to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Add additional vegetable stock to attain desired consistency.

(Yields: 4 servings; Ready In: 60 minutes)

Dad’s Buttermilk Biscuits

2009-08-23T18:55:00.001-04:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my grandmother made the best biscuits I ever remember eating. For a long time, my dad worked to replicate her recipe and he seems to have done it. Dad likes his biscuits thin and crunchy and I agree that this is the ideal genre of biscuit to be drenched in gravy. I’ve tweaked my dad’s recipe a little—because as he would point out, I can’t leave well enough alone. These biscuits are a great old-fashioned complement to most any meal.

3 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons chilled butter
2 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cube butter and shortening and add to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed until the butter and shortening form pea-sized clumps. Add buttermilk and mix until just combined.

Flour your workspace and rolling pin well. Roll the dough out until it is about ¼ inch thick. Use a round cutter (or a Mason jar) to cut the dough into10 circles.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place each round of dough about ¼ - ½ inch apart. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and brush the top of each round.

Bake for 5-6 minutes. Biscuits are done when the tops are golden brown.

(Yields: 10 biscuits; Ready In: 20 minutes)

Garden Greens

2009-08-17T20:24:00.003-04:00

My Granny cooked some of the best greens I’ve ever had. Collards. Mustard. Poke. Turnip. They were all amazing when she got done with them.

I sometimes cook Granny’s Southern-Style greens with a vegetarian twist. But I recently developed a recipe that combines seasonal greens with other fresh vegetables straight from the garden. Most everyone in my family has been an avid gardener, so I think they would all appreciate the wealth of fresh flavors combined in this recipe. For those who don’t particularly care for greens, this may be a gateway dish. As Granny said after presenting almost any meal, “Try it. You’ll like it.”

1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 small sweet onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 bunch fresh collard greens, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
2 tomatoes, chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

In a large saucepan, combine oil and butter over medium heat. Saute onions, jalapenos, and bell pepper until softened, about 3 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, salt, and garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add collard greens and cook 1 additional minute.

Add vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook until greens are tender and cooking liquid has dissipated, about 45 minutes.

Remove greens from heat and transfer to a serving dish. Top the greens with chopped tomatoes and a dusting of black pepper and paprika.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 55 minutes)

Mom’s Freezer Jam

2009-08-05T08:53:00.003-04:00

For the last few years, my dad has grown red raspberries in his garden. The yield on his crop was so extreme that my mom had no idea what to do with so many berries, so she started making “freezer jam.” My granny made jams and jellies using this particular method and as you’ll see below, freezer jam is a much faster and easier way to preserve fruit than the traditional cooked jam method. Additionally, freezer jam maintains the fresh taste of fruit and is easily spreadable whereas traditional jams require you to cook the fruit and yield a firmer gel.

While I was visiting my parents recently, my Uncle Pete brought a gallon of fresh, wild blackberries, and I helped my mom make a few batches of jam. The following recipe is specific to blackberries or raspberries, but when you purchase most brands of fruit pectin, the container will include an insert that lists variations of ingredients needed to produce the perfect freezer jam.

3 cups crushed raspberries or blackberries (about 3 pints fresh berries)
5 ¼ cups sugar
¾ cup water
1.75 ounces (1 box) natural fruit pectin

Thoroughly wash fresh berries. Fit a food mill with its finest blade. A food mill is a fantastic way to remove seeds from berries, but if you don’t have one, use a potato masher to crush the fruit one cup at a time. You may also use a food processor, but make sure not to puree the berries; pulse them to a fine chop. If using a food mill, crush the berries about ½ cup at a time until you have rendered 3 cups. The seeds and pulp left behind after milling can be used to plant next year’s crop.

In a large bowl, combine crushed berries with sugar. Though this sounds like an absurd amount of sugar, don’t skimp or the jam will not set. Most brands of fruit pectin come in low- and no-sugar varieties if you are concerned about the amount of sugar in this recipe. Mix berries and sugar well and allow them to stand for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

In a small saucepan, combine water and pectin. Bring to a boil on high heat. Boil 1 minute (until mixture achieves a syrupy consistency), stirring constantly.

Stir pectin mixture into the berry mixture. Stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Make sure that the mixture is no longer grainy.

Pour the mixture into prepared containers. For freezer jam, 1 to 2 cup plastic containers are advised. Leave ½ inch space at the top of each container for expansion during freezing. Cover each container with a tight fitting lid and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours until firmly set.

Jam may then be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks or stored in freezer for up to 1 year. Before serving frozen jam, thaw in refrigerator.

(Yields: 7 cups; Ready In: 20 minutes preparation + 24 hours)

Breakfast Gravy for Vegans

2009-08-01T10:54:00.003-04:00

Everyone in my family loves to talk about how much I loved biscuits and gravy as a kid. It’s true. I would have eaten it for every meal if I’d had my druthers. And that’s where grandparents’ enabling can really work to one’s advantage.

My mom’s parents had an awesome Jeep Cherokee that I, for some reason, was obsessed with. It looked a lot like the one pictured below, but without the jacked up monster truck tires.

I remember hopping in the Cherokee with my Paw many mornings and heading to Hardee’s for their signature biscuits and gravy. I haven’t been to a Hardee’s since they ran that gross ad with Paris Hilton (except when I’m really craving a greasy egg and cheese biscuit on a Saturday morning, but that totally doesn’t count). I imagine that their biscuits and gravy are nowhere near as awesome as I remember them being.

Since becoming a vegetarian, I’ve experimented with a number of recipes for veg-friendly breakfast gravy. The following recipe is my favorite. I know when you look at the ingredients you might be incredulous that they could produce anything remotely approaching breakfast gravy, but this is one you have to try to believe. It may not include a ride in a sweet retro Jeep Cherokee, but I guarantee that this is as good as any gravy Hardee’s can produce.

2/3 cup water
1/3 cup raw cashews
1 1/3 cups water
2/3 teaspoon salt
1 .34 ounce packet of condensed vegetable broth
2/3 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes
10 2/3 teaspoons unbleached white flour
¾ cup veggie breakfast crumbles (any soy sausage product will work, though I prefer the soy-free Quorn variety)

In a saucepan, bring 2/3 cup of water to boil.

Using a food processor, blend the cashews, 1 1/3 cups water, salt, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast. Add the flour last and blend until just homogenously combined.

Pour the blended mixture into the boiling water, stirring vigorously with a whisk until the mixture comes to a boil. Add the Vegan breakfast crumbles and continue to stir 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.

(Yields: 4 servings; Ready In: 30 minutes)

Grandmother's Angel Food Cake

2009-07-28T14:30:00.002-04:00

My grandmother’s angel food cakes are legendary. Though my dad’s mother passed away when I was quite young, many of my fondest memories of her are set in the kitchen. I remember her amazing technique for shaping biscuits—she would pinch off bits of dough and pat them into perfectly symmetrical rounds using her hands. Her pies and baked goods were phenomenal— especially her light, airy angel food cakes.

Angel food cake is a terrific summer dessert. It pairs well with fresh fruit (especially berries and peaches) and is nowhere near as sinful as richer cakes. This recipe approximates my grandmother’s as best as I can. Though this is a fairly simple cake to make, don’t try to skip the sifting and idle time. Also, this cake can be notoriously fickle. My grandmother told many stories about a cake “falling” if the barometric pressure was not right or if someone walked too close to the oven while it was rising. Don’t let that scare you away, though. The results are divine.

11 extra large eggs
1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon almond extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar

Carefully separate eggs, measuring 1 ½ cups egg whites. Refrigerate yolks for scrambled eggs or other use. Place 1 ½ cups egg whites in a large mixing bowl and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a separate bowl, sift confectioners sugar and flour together three times.

Add cream of tartar, vanilla, almond extract, and salt to the egg whites. Using an electric mixer, beat on high. Gradually add sugar, beating until the sugar is completely dissolved and stiff peaks form. The mix is complete when a beater can be removed from the mixer and inverted while the mixture holds its peak.

Using a rubber spatula, gradually fold in the flour mixture, ¼ cup at a time. When the batter is completely mixed, gently transfer into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Cut through the batter with a knife to remove air pockets.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until cake is golden and spongy when touched. Remove from oven and invert the tube pan. Cool completely before removing the cake from the pan.

(Yields: 10 servings; Ready In: 60 minutes)

From My Family To Yours: New Twists on Traditional Family Recipes

2009-07-28T14:27:00.001-04:00

Over the last few months, I’ve been amazed to watch the readership of Collard Green grow. When I first started posting my favorite recipes months ago, I thought of this blog as a way to keep in touch with reality while entrenched in the day to day rigors of academia. However, Collard Green has quickly become an integral part of my life. I greatly appreciate the conversations I’ve had with friends, family, and readers from all parts about the food I’ve shared. I hope you continue to enjoy.

I’ve been traveling a great deal this month, but I’m finally back home. After a long trip, there is nothing that I appreciate more than a solid home-cooked meal.
And if you’ve been reading for long, you’ve probably picked up on my love of traditional family recipes. I definitely come from a family that expresses affection through great food. So, the recipes that will follow over the next few days represent memorable dishes from my immediate family that are some of my ultimate comfort foods. But like most recipes I get my hands on, I’ve tweaked them to make them veg friendly. So, here are some “new classics” from my family to yours.

Green Beans in Honey Cashew Sauce

2009-07-16T11:14:00.002-04:00

In the South, this is the perfect time of year to cook green beans. Most markets and road- side stands have a variety of fresh beans to choose from. I recently came across some especially crisp yellow and green snap beans and decided to test out a new recipe. Serving green beans in this honey-cashew sauce allows the natural sweetness of the bean to pop. This flavorful dish also contains a number of key nutrients including lutein, vitamins C, and beta carotine. If you want to cut the cholesterol, substitute slivered almonds for the cashews. I guarantee that this is a green bean dish that will please most guests.

Water
Kosher salt
16 ounces green beans
2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup cashews, chopped
2 tablespoons honey

Trim the ends from the green beans and if necessary, “string” them by pulling the fibrous strings from one end of the bean’s crease to the other. Wash thoroughly.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then reduce heat. Add the beans and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Immediately drain the beans and place them in an ice water bath to halt cooking.

Drain the beans from the ice bath and return to the pot. Over very low heat, allow the beans to steam away some of their excess water, making sure to stir frequently.

In a large skillet, sauté the cashews in the butter over low heat until the nuts are lightly browned— about 5-7 minutes. Add honey and stir constantly for 1 minute.

Pour the honey-cashew sauce over the beans and toss to coat evenly. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 20 minutes)

Crustless Rainbow Chard Quiche

2009-07-15T10:46:00.002-04:00

Quiches are an excellent one-dish meal. But starting from scratch can be intimidating for those of us with a limited amount of time in the kitchen. In the time it takes to roll a crust by hand, you could easily have prepared a three-course meal. When strapped for time, this “crustless quiche” is the perfect solution. Though more like a frittata in texture and preparation, this easy egg dish offers all of the tastes of a traditional quiche. I like to feature the flavor of a hearty green such as swiss chard, kale, or collards, but the recipe is quite versatile; you can substitute your favorite veggies and cheeses to suit most anyone’s taste.

Oh, and while you’re at it, spend some time with my friend Danielle’s terrific blog— Dine with Danielle: A Foodie’s Dispatches from the Lowcountry. Also, check out Collard Green’s recent shout out at The Amateur Gourmet!

1 teaspoon olive oil
½ medium sweet onion, diced
1 bunch rainbow chard
1 clove garlic, minced
4 extra large eggs
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon thyme
1 ½ cups mozzarella, shredded
½ cup Gruyere, shredded
½ cup Parmesan, grated

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Wash the chard carefully—sometimes dirt particles can cling stubbornly to leafy greens. Cut off the tough ends of the leaves’ stems. Tear the chard into bite-sized chunks. This is one recipe where I like to allow the leaves to remain on the stems; the bright color and nutritional benefit of these stems make them an integral part of the dish.

In a large saucepan, warm olive oil. Add onion and chard and sauté until the stems of the greens are tender and the leaves are bright green. Add garlic, cook for an additional minute and then remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and milk. Grate your cheeses into the mixture and combine. Add salt, white pepper, and thyme. Fold in the chard mixture with a large spoon, incorporating all elements of the mixture uniformly.

Spray a standard pie pan with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Pour the egg/chard mixture into the pan making sure that the mixture is not quite level with the top rim. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. At this time, no liquid should seep out when a knife is gently inserted into the middle of the quiche.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 60 minutes)

Fourth of July Treats

2009-07-03T11:55:00.001-04:00

Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays. I’ve spent about 75% of my 4ths watching the town of Big Stone Gap’s fireworks from Patsy and Shell’s porch. One very memorable July 4th was spent atop Brown Mountain watching various fireworks displays in Charlottesville and surrounding towns. Wherever I find myself on the 4th, I can always count on some solid eats—otherwise, why would I be there? All of the standard fare from potato salad to anything thrown on the grill is fine, but what I really want is dessert. Nothing captures the exuberance of Independence Day and summer like a treat made with fresh berries. I’ve posted a few dishes below—a cream cheese pound cake from Jon, a fantastic Meringues Chantilly cribbed from Ina Garten, and my own recipe for a fresh berry compote. Armed with these recipes, your 4th of July gathering should definitely be a little sweeter.

Fresh Berry Compote

2009-07-03T11:50:00.001-04:00

This versatile compote is perfect on just about everything from cakes and meringues to waffles and ice cream. I love making this in the summer when I can buy berries locally so that they are fresh and perfectly sweet. Also, the mix of red and blue berries can make most anything look patriotic.

½ pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
½ pint fresh blueberries
½ pint fresh raspberries
½ cup sugar
12 ounces blackberry jam
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine berries, sugar, jam, and vanilla. Stir occasionally until the jam melts and the berries begin to release their juices. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer for about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and serve warm.

(Yields: 6-8 servings; Ready In: 20 minutes)

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

2009-07-03T11:43:00.002-04:00

Hey, Jon here. As a kid, my grandma always had a pound cake around. None of the lemon pound cake, or pound cake with that weird icing you also see on cakes they bake at the grocery store. It was always just a plain, delicious cream cheese pound cake. The smell of it baking brings back good memories of being at her house. I used to request that she just bake one because I wanted it. Requesting might be too weak. I may have demanded it. I love this cake. So, I wanted to create my own kind of pound cake tradition. I whipped this one together one Monday night, and I don’t think it lasted until Wednesday. You can only eat it when you cut it into ninths and use your hands. Now that I think about it, I guess my grandma always cut it into ninths because they were bite size pieces and she didn’t want a high-strung child running around with a fork. Okay, if you're not a child or if you're not me, you can use a fork. I’ll still be cutting my own cake into 9ths.

1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups granulated sugar
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted before measuring
6 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening. With mixer on medium speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Beat in cream cheese. Add flour, alternating with the eggs (one egg at a time), beginning and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan or Bundt cake pan. Bake at 325° for about 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely. Serve topped with fresh berry compote.

(Yields: 1 cake; Ready In: 120 minutes)

Ina Garten’s Meringues Chantilly

2009-07-03T11:38:00.002-04:00

I first made this dessert for my parents and it was a total hit. The light, airy confection is the perfect treat on a hot summer day. The meringues are also a great dessert to make the day before a dinner party. When served with fresh berry compote, they can lend a simple elegance to any meal.

4 extra large egg white, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small glass and a pencil, Draw 4 (3 ½-inch) circles on each piece of paper. Turn the paper face down on the baking sheets.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the egg white, cream of tartar, and salt on high speed until frothy. Add 2/3 cup of sugar and continue beating on high speed until the egg whites form very stiff peaks. Whisk in the vanilla. Carefully fold the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar into the meringue. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. (Before I invested in a proper pastry bag, I used a large ziplock bag with one corner carefully cut out. Surprisingly, the results were definitely passable.) Pipe a disk of meringue inside each circle on the parchment paper. Pipe another layer around the edge to form the sides of the shells.

Bake for 2 hours, or until the meringues are dry and crisp, but not browned. Turn off the heat and allow the meringues to sit in the oven for 4 hours or overnight.

For serving, place each meringue on a separate plate and top the shell with berries.

(Yields: 8 meringues; Ready In: active time 150 minutes)

Baked Kale Chips

2009-07-02T11:29:00.002-04:00

I’ve never really liked potato chips. There, I said it. I know that probably counts as anti-American hate speech, but it’s the truth. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t like chips in general. In fact, I recently experienced a minor meltdown when my local Trader Joe’s didn’t have my tortilla “chip kind” (baked and salted blue corn tortillas, in case you were wondering). Luckily, those chips are back on the shelves, but that hasn’t kept me from experimenting with chip alternatives.

Everyone I mention this recipe to totally balks. “Baked kale chips” may not sound amazing, but just wait until you try them. These chips are packed with flavor, have way fewer calories than potato chips, and will also provide whopping doses of antioxidants. And they are incredibly easy to make. Trust me on this—give these alternative chips a chance and you may have a new favorite “chip kind.” I guarantee you can’t eat just one.

1 bunch kale, rinsed
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ tablespoon champagne vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. When kale has been rinsed and dried, tear the leaves away from the stems and into bite-sized pieces (roughly 3-4 inches long).

In a mixing bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper together. Add kale pieces to the bowl. With clean hands, toss the pieces in the oil and vinegar mixture taking care to evenly cover each leaf.

Arrange the kale pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes. Use a fork to test the chips for crispiness. The outer edges of the kale leaves will cook faster and become crispier than the pieces torn from close to the stems. Continue to bake until the chips reach desired crispiness.

(Yields: 4 servings; Ready In: 35 minutes)

Quinoa Rice Mushroom Burger

2009-06-25T13:04:00.002-04:00

I’m a sucker for a good burger. Years ago when I ate meat, I wasn’t a big fan of hamburgers. But as a veg, I’m constantly on the look out for new variations on the veggie burger. One of the best burger and fry combos I’ve ever shoved in my face can be found right here in Chapel Hill, North Carolina at a little place called Buns. That’s right, their website is bunsofchapelhill.com. I’m sure they’ve never received misguided internet traffic. I’ve talked to a number of cooks and servers at Buns to learn that they use a brown rice base for their tasty burgers. On a recent trip to New York, my dear friend Maura took Jon and me to Josie’s for brunch and I had their absolutely unbelievable organic three-grain vegetable cheeseburger with a quinoa, bulghur, and couscous base. With this amazing inspiration, I set out to create my own veggie burger. The following is my recipe for a burger that uses equal parts quinoa and rice for its base and mushroom and red pepper for a full, earthy flavor.

1 cup brown rice, cooked
1 cup red quinoa, cooked
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 cloves garlic
10 ounces mushrooms
1 large red pepper, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 packet condensed vegetable broth

Cook rice and quinoa according to package instructions. Generally, ½ cup of uncooked rice or quinoa will yield 1 cup cooked. When I cook rice, I typically add a teaspoon of butter just as the water begins to boil. For this recipe, it gives the rice a more desirable texture.

If you buy pine nuts that are not roasted, simply place them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Toss occasionally until the nuts are golden brown.

In a food processor, pulse the pine nuts until they are a fine paste. Add garlic and mushrooms. Pulse until the mushroom pieces are about the size of dimes (for my non-American readers, the size of a small coin). Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Add the red pepper and onion to the food processor and pulse until they reach the consistency of a chunky salsa, about 30-45 seconds. Add this mixture to the mixing bowl. Add ½ cup of cooked rice and 1 cup of quinoa to the mixing bowl. With a large wooden spoon, stir the contents of the bowl until uniformly mixed.

Place the remaining ½ cup of rice, nutritional yeast, thyme, salt, pepper, coriander, tomato paste, and packet of broth (if you don’t have packets of condensed broth, 1 bouillon cube and 1 tablespoon of water may be substituted) in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is the consistency of a thick paste.

Stir the paste into the bowl, working the mixture until it is uniformly combined.

Form the mixture into 6-8 patties (depending upon the desired thickness of your burger). These patties may be grilled for 15-20 minutes, fried for 4-5 minutes on each side, or baked in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.

(Yields: 6-8 burgers; Ready In: 40-55 minutes)

Turnip Greens with Fresh Garden Relish

2009-06-24T10:43:00.002-04:00

Recently, my dear friend Joan shared a number of her mother’s classic recipes with me. I’ve been working through her collection, but one dish was an immediate favorite. This fresh relish served with turnip greens is a perfect summer staple. Joan’s mother got the recipe from The Progressive Farmer’s Southern Cookbook (1961, ed.) and she writes: “Mountain Brook Club, Birmingham, Alabama serves superb food, many old as well as new recipes. Out favorite there (and we never saw it served elsewhere) is just plain turnip greens topped off by a fresh garden relish.” This refreshing blend of summer flavors is the perfect complement to the earthier flavors of turnip greens or kale. I suggest allowing the relish to chill overnight in the refrigerator to allow the bold flavor of the onion to blend with the other, more delicate flavors. Below, I’ve included my basic recipe for cooking Vegan Southern greens. However, I found myself eating this relish with everything from quinoa and rice to eggs.

Greens:
1-1 ½ pounds fresh turnip greens
kosher salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Relish:
3 tomatoes, diced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
3 tablespoons yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons French dressing
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

When selecting greens, make sure that each leaf is bright and crisp. Gently rinse or soak the leaves to remove any stubborn dirt particles. I prefer to remove the leafy part of the greens from their stems for a more tender texture. If you choose this route, simply tear the leaves into roughly bite-sized pieces. If you prefer the crunchier texture (and added nutrition) of the stems, use a sharp paring knife to cut the leaves into bite-sized strips.

Bring a large pot of water with a generous pinch of salt to a boil. Immerse the greens in the boiling water for 2-4 minutes until the leaves are blanched (i.e. they are still somewhat crisp, but have a bright green color). Most Southerners would balk at boiling their greens for such a short time. I’m pretty sure that my mom and grandma boil their greens for two or three days, but I like to retain as much of the dish’s nutritional value as possible.

Drain the blanched greens in a colander. Using a large spoon, press excess water from the cooked leaves. Allow the leaves to dry out for 30 minutes.

In a large frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Again, most Southerners gasp when I admit to using olive oil in the preparation of greens (I prefer the kick of flavor to the blandness of canola oil). But then again, many Southerners use bacon or fatback to flavor their greens, so we’re probably not going to reach a compromise on this point anyway. When the oil is warm, add the blanched and thoroughly drained greens to the pan. Any excess water may cause the oil to bubble, so be careful. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper and stir the greens until they have wilted to about half their original size.

The night before, prepare your relish by first chopping all of the vegetables and stirring them together in a medium mixing bowl with a lid. In a separate cup, mix the French dressing and vinegar. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the liquid mixture over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Cover and chill overnight.

Serve the warm greens topped with a generous spoonful of the fresh, chilled relish.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 30 minutes)

Blueberry Scones

2009-06-18T13:39:00.001-04:00

Fresh berries are one of my favorite things about summer. I could seriously eat my weight in strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries. And I wouldn’t feel guilty about it because these guys are packed with antioxidants. I love berries so much that I often feel like I’m wasting them by including them in recipes. But recently, Jon described a killer scone that he’d eaten at one of his favorite haunts in Durham and I wondered if I could recreate the magic. These blueberry scones were a total hit. They were perfect for breakfast or for a light dessert after dinner. If blueberries aren’t your thing, try replacing them with an extra teaspoon of lemon zest or slivered almonds and a teaspoon of almond extract. But really, if you don’t like blueberries, what’s wrong with you?

3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 stick butter, cold and cubed
1 cup cold buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
tablespoon of melted butter and sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add chilled, cubed butter and mix on low speed until the butter is about the size of small peas in the mixture. Add buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon zest mixing on low until dough has just combined homogenously.

Using a wooden spoon, gently fold the blueberries into the batter. Some of the blueberries will inevitably be smashed, but do your best to incorporate the berries into the batter while preserving as many as possible in tact. Separate the dough into two roughly equal parts.

Cover the bottom of a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour your counter or working space. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one half of the dough into a rough circle, about ½ inch thick. Cut the circle into roughly even wedges. (I’m a fan of rustic-looking [i.e. uneven] scones; if they’re too perfect people will think you bought them at the coffee shop.) Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet. If desired, brush each wedge with melted butter and generously sprinkle the tops with sugar. Repeat this process for the second half of the dough.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the scones are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the largest scone comes out clean.

(Ready In: 30 minutes; Yields: 14-16 scones)

Carrot Pecan Bread

2009-06-15T15:17:00.002-04:00

Being a vegetarian or Vegan doesn’t necessarily mean that one likes all vegetables unconditionally. Take carrots, for instance. I know they are good for me and they are versatile and indispensable as a base in many classic recipes—but I just don’t care for them. So, I am always on the lookout for new ways to trick myself into eating carrots. Recently, my mom gave me a little booklet full of bread recipes and one of them caught my eye. I developed this recipe from it. This carrot pecan bread tastes very similar to carrot cake, but with the texture of banana bread. I’ve made the recipe a couple of times now and will testify that even a documented carrot hater can be charmed by this bread.

2 ½ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 extra large eggs, beaten
½ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup milk
2 cups raw carrot, shredded (about 4 large carrots)
½ cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a medium bowl, mix eggs, oil, and milk. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing with a large wooden spoon until just combined. Fold the carrots and pecans into the dough, taking care to incorporate these ingredients evenly throughout the batter without overmixing.

Grease the inside and bottom of a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Transfer the batter to the greased pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

(Yields: 1 loaf or 8-10 servings; Ready In: 70 minutes)

Spinach and Mushroom Manicotti

2009-06-10T12:00:00.003-04:00

There are some recipes that I’ve inherited, some that I’ve stolen, some that I’ve invented, and some that are a total mash-up. This dish falls into the latter category. My mom made some excellent pasta dishes when I was a kid, so I’ve always had a taste for a hearty Italian meal. This spinach and mushroom manicotti started out as a recipe on a box of pasta. I tinkered with the ingredients and then stole some ideas from one of my favorite Jewish food blogs (turns out manicotti filling is very close to many savory kugels). The end result is this recipe that has yet to produce leftovers.

1 box (8 ounces) manicotti (I have strict brand loyalty to Barilla)
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup yellow onion, finely chopped
6 ounces mushroom, sliced
½ teaspoon garlic, minced
1 10 ounce package of fresh or frozen spinach, chopped
2 extra large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
¼ cup sour cream
1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon fresh thyme
1 20-25 ounce jar pasta sauce
½ cup mozzarella, grated

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add manicotti and cook for 7 minutes. Drain and immediately rinse with cool water. Set the pasta aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. If using frozen spinach, prepare according to package instructions, making sure to drain any excess liquid. Add the spinach to the mushrooms, onions, and garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set mixture aside to cool.

In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs. Stir in basil, sour cream, cottage cheese, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and thyme. Add the vegetables and stir to fully blend the two mixtures.

Spread ¾-1 cup of your favorite pasta sauce (I suggest a good marinara or vodka sauce) over the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. With clean hands, carefully fill the manicotti shells with the cheese and vegetable mixture. Make sure each shell is generously filled without ripping the pasta. Place filled shells in a row in the baking dish.

Pour remaining sauce over the filled shells. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the shells. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 60 minutes)

Kale with Sun Dried Tomatoes

2009-06-09T19:03:00.001-04:00

As the name of this blog might suggest, I love greens. Hot temperatures always remind me of the poke, mustard, and kale greens that my Granny always seemed to have on hand during the summer months. But my Granny, like most of the Southern cooks I know, used some sort of pork to flavor her greens. So I’ve been working for a while now to find the right complement to the robust flavor of fresh greens—and I think I finally found it.

While at the market last week, I noticed sun dried tomatoes in the grocer’s olive bar. I picked some up— sort of on a whim— and also grabbed a bunch of kale. The dish I produced was a total hit. Though the sun dried tomatoes don’t produce the same taste as fatback, I’m not sure that’s such a bad thing.

1 bunch kale (6-8 large leaves)
6-8 sun dried tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Usually kale comes pre-bundled in most conventional markets, so that’s what I mean by “1 bunch.” Some cooks like to use every part of the green, but especially with kale, I find the thick stalks a bit too tough when cooked. So, after thoroughly washing each leaf, tear the green leafy pieces away from the kale stalks.

Fill an extra large pot about ½ full of water. Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium. Meanwhile, fill a large mixing bowl about ½ full of cold water and then add 2 cups of ice. Add the kale pieces to the boiling water, using a large spoon to submerge all of the pieces. After 2-3 minutes, the kale should be bright green. Pour the greens into a colander and quickly transfer to the bath of ice water to stop the cooking.

Next, chop the sun dried tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. I would strongly recommend fresh sun dried tomatoes that can be found in most produce sections. The jarred variety that comes packaged in oil will render a less desirable texture when cooked (i.e. slimy).

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté the sun dried tomatoes for 3-4 minutes, until they are bright red and begin to caramelize. Drain the ice bath greens in the colander and push as much excess water from the leaves as possible without crushing the kale. Carefully add the kale to sun dried tomatoes and oil. Add salt and pepper and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes, until all liquid burns away or is absorbed.

(Yields: 4 servings; Ready In: 20-25 minutes)

Baked Sweet Potato Truffles

2009-06-05T09:38:00.002-04:00

As I’ve mentioned before, sweet potatoes are hands down one of my favorite superfoods. They are incredibly versatile, available year-round in most locations, and are packed with antioxidants. Though I tend to like sweet potatoes in savory dishes, I also have fond memories of that Thanksgiving casserole that combines canned yams, marshmallows, and brown sugar. While experimenting with sweeter recipes that wouldn’t send me into a sugar coma, I came up with these sweet potato truffles. They have a pleasant spicy bite that highlights the naturally sweet flavor of the potatoes. Though these truffles would be perfect for a holiday meal, I could eat them any day, any time. And note, I use purple sweet potatoes, but the classic orange variety works just as well.

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 ½ tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon olive oil
1 gram cracker
½ cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Roast the sweet potatoes until tender—about 45-55 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to thoroughly cool. Peel the potatoes, collecting all off the flesh in a medium mixing bowl.

Add cinnamon, allspice, cloves, honey, and olive oil to the potatoes. Mash well, incorporating the spices and liquids until you form a thick paste. Rubbing the graham cracker bits between your thumb and forefinger, break the cracker into fine, sand-like crumbs. Incorporate the crumbs into the sweet potato paste.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chopped pecans in a shallow bowl. Using a small cookie scoop or two teaspoons, drop small balls of the sweet potato mixture into the bowl of pecans. Roll each ball in the nuts until it is evenly coated. Place each ball on the baking sheet.

Reheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the truffles for 15 minutes, until the pecan coating is golden brown. Serve at room temperature ungarnished or drizzled lightly with honey.

(Yields: 6-8 truffles; Ready In: 80 minutes)

Baked Black Lentil Samosas

2009-06-04T13:59:00.003-04:00

A little while back, I helped my friend Meagan make veggie samosas for the Garden Party. For those who don’t know, samosas are fried triangular, savory pastries filled with vegetables and/or meat. I really liked Meagan’s recipe, so I did my best to commit it to memory so I could play around with it later.

These samosas are a bit different than others you might have tried. First off, they are baked. Though everybody knows I rarely pass up an opportunity to fry something, baking these little pastries gives them a flakier crust and a bolder flavor. Also, I used a combination of some of my favorite vegetables, but you could certainly add or substitute others. Potatoes, celery root, or corn would be wonderful additions, so use this recipe as a base and use your culinary imagination.

Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup diced yellow onion
5 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 red pepper, diced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable broth
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium parsnip, diced
8 ounces prepared black lentils
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
½ cup peas (frozen or fresh)

Pastry
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon tumeric
½ teaspoon white pepper
2 ½ teaspoons fresh chives, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup coconut oil, chilled
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
1/3 cup water, chilled

In a medium pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add onion, red pepper, mushrooms, salt, and black pepper. Sauté, stirring frequently for 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 1 additional minute. Add vegetable broth and stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the carrot, parsnip, prepared lentils, cayenne, and lemon zest. Cover and cook until the parsnips and carrots are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in peas and thyme and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the flavors to blend for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine flour, tumeric, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine dry ingredients. Add chilled coconut oil and pulse until the mixture takes on a sandy texture. In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar and water. Slowly add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, stirring with a large spoon (don’t use the food processor here or you will overwork the dough). When the dough begins to drop away from the sides of the food processor bowl, scrape it together, squeeze it into a ball, flatten with your hands, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F when you remove the dough from the refrigerator. Generously dust your working surface with flour and roll out the dough until it is 1/8 – 1/6 of an inch thick. Cut 6-inch circles from the dough (I use a Big Gulp cup or a cereal bowl). Spoon two generous tablespoons of the lentil filling onto one side of each circle of dough, leaving a small border around the edge. Fold the side of the circle without filling over to make a half-moon shape and use a fork to seal and crimp the edges. Don’t overfill the pastry or you will make a huge mess. I often save my leftover filling and eat it as a stew the next day.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake the samosas about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

(Yields: 6-8 servings; Ready In: 2 hours)

Giving and Receiving Flowers

2009-05-23T11:59:00.007-04:00

Flowers are one of the most reliable gifts to bring to a dinner party. In the spring and summer, your local florists are brimming with options for classy, inexpensive host/hostess gifts. Even in the colder months, seasonal plants like poinsettias and Easter lilies are beautiful and thoughtful presents to show your host or hostess that you appreciate the hours they have been slaving over your meal.

Until recently, however, I was intimidated when someone walked through the front door carrying a bouquet of fresh flowers. So, here are a few tips that I’ve recently compiled for giving or receiving flowers.

1.) Choose your flowers thoughtfully. First of all, some folks may have allergies and in that case, flowers may not be the best gift at all. Some people choose their flowers based upon seasonal availability. For instance, peonies are widely available for just a short window in the summer, so take advantage of their peak period. If you know your host/hostess well, picking up his or her favorite bouquet will win you extra favor every time. If you are attending a theme dinner, you might tailor your choice to that theme. Personally, I tend to go with a “signature” bouquet—mine always involves blue hydrangeas, especially in the summer.

2.) When in doubt, bring your flower in a vase; you can get a serviceable vase for under ten dollars at most florists.

3.) Before placing your flowers in a vase, cut the stems at a 45 degree angle.

4.) Flowers are often very thirsty by the time they arrive at your home. Fill the vase about ¾ full of warm water before arranging flowers. (Hydrangeas are an exception—they prefer hot tap water.)

5.) As odd as it sounds, add a splash of bleach to your vase before arranging flowers. The bleach will kill bacteria and allow your flowers to drink water more efficiently, thus prolonging their lives.

6.) For most flowers, score the bottom stems with a small knife before arranging them. This will also allow them to drink more water.

7.) As counterintuitive as it may seem, flowers should not be placed by a warm, sunny window. The heat will only stress them and reduce their life span.

8.) Construct your arrangement in you hand first, allowing each flower ample space. Try to imagine that you are arranging the flowers as they would grow in a garden. If they are too crowded, they’ll look as if they were crammed into the vase. When you are pleased with your arrangement, trim the stems to a uniform length and place them in the vase.

9.) Change the water and re-trim the stems of your flowers every 2-3 days. (Ina Garten points out that tulips are an exception here. She writes, “Tulips can be temperamental; once they have opened, don’t change the water.”)

Follow these few simple tips and you just might be invited back for another dinner party.

Garden Party Special: Broiled Tomatoes on Parmesan Thyme Crackers

2009-05-22T10:42:00.005-04:00

I recently shared a birthday party with two of my favorite ladies, Meagan and Jamie. The theme was “Garden Party,” so our friends were encouraged to sport their favorite sundresses and linen suits while sipping mint juleps and eating finger sandwiches. Meagan astutely noted that if one must celebrate the passing of another year, it should be an all-day affair. I couldn’t agree more.

There were so many wonderful eats at this party; Meagan baked fantastic bread that she used for cucumber sandwiches, someone brought a killer quinoa salad, and the vegetable samosas were excellent. I contributed a few dishes—mainly the “topiary” birthday cake and Broiled Tomatoes on Parmesan Thyme Crackers.

A number of you asked me to post my recipe for the tomatoes, but let me first fess up that I am not the originator of either component of the dish. My mom and Patsy gave me the recipe for the tomatoes and I borrowed the cracker recipe from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics cookbook. However, I did decide to put the two together because the tomatoes needed a solid, savory base to be eaten as finger foods. It turned out that these flavors worked well together and I imagine that I will be making this combo a lot more in the future.

Crackers
¼ pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 teaspoon thyme leaves, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
Tomatoes
3-4 small or medium hothouse tomatoes
4 teaspoons onions, minced
4 teaspoons mayonnaise
4 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
dill, freshly minced

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter for about 1 minute. With the mixer on low, add the Parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper. Combine evenly. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour until the mixture is in large crumbles. If the dough is too dry (which it often is) add 1 teaspoon of water.

Dump the dough onto a floured board, press it into a ball, and roll into a 9-inch log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 4 days.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, sauté the onions in a teaspoon of olive oil until just translucent—5-7 minutes. When I am in a hurry, I substitute 3 teaspoons of dried minced onions and no one is the wiser. In a small bowl, combine the onions, mayonnaise, and Parmesan. Refrigerate until ready for use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. When the dough is chilled, cut the log into 3/8 inch thick rounds. Use your hands or a rolling pin to shape the dough to your desired size and thickness. For this recipe, you want the crackers to be just a bit larger than your tomato slices will be, but thick enough to provide a solid base and a nice crunch. Place the shaped dough on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until lightly browned. Rotate the pan once during baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Set the oven to broil. Slice the tomatoes into ½ inch to ¾ inch slices and arrange the slices on a baking dish or broiling pan. Spread about ½ a teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture over each tomato slice. Then sprinkle each slice with a pinch of minced dill. Place in the oven and broil for 3 minutes or until the topping is slightly golden. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Serve the tomatoes atop the crackers.

(Yields: 20 servings; Ready In: 45 minutes)

Chocolate Maple Nut Cookies

2009-05-15T21:20:00.002-04:00

On Wednesday, my friends Harry and Joe had people over to watch some of our favorite stories—America’s Next Top Model and Make Me a Supermodel. The finale of ANTM was completely underwhelming, but MMaS delivered, per usual.

Joe is Vegan and he mentioned during one of our previous trash-TV sessions that he was on the lookout for a great brownie recipe. I have to admit that my few attempts at Vegan baking have been somewhat dismal; the one time I attempted Vegan brownies, the product came out tasting like powerbars—really, really gross powerbars. So, I did a little research and came up with this killer recipe.

Though not brownies, these gooey chocolate cookies are totally clutch. First off, no one I served them to could believe that they were Vegan—including my parents who are very skeptical of Vegan baking. I would tentatively say that these are the best cookies I’ve ever made. Seriously, try them out on your friends and I guarantee you will not feel compelled to shamefully qualify them as your “Vegan cookies.”

2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup blackberry jam
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup chopped pecans
8 ounces chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to mix well. Add maple syrup, jam, oil, and vanilla to the flour mixture in the processor. Pulse until just mixed homogenously. Remove the bowl from the processor and stir in pecans and chocolate chips.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop teaspoons of batter onto the prepared baking sheet—9-12 cookies per sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes.

(Yields: about 25-30 cookies; Read In: 35 minutes)

Summer Vegetable Risotto

2009-05-08T09:49:00.001-04:00

A good risotto is one of the most versatile dishes in a cook’s repertoire. Although risotto is often served as an appetizer or first course, I prefer to make a dish that is packed with a blend of seasonal vegetables that can stand alone as an entrée or as a substantial side. In the early summer, I particularly love fresh green vegetables, but in this recipe I often use some frozen vegetables. Certain frozen veggies like asparagus and peas are almost as good as those fresh from the market— and they cut down on prep time immensely. The light and creamy texture of the risotto base paired with the crunch and subtle flavors of leeks, asparagus, onion, and lemon makes for a refreshing meal on a warm summer evening.

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups leeks, chopped
½ cup yellow onion
1 cup Arborio rice
½ cup white wine
4 cups vegetable stock, simmering
16 ounces frozen asparagus tips
10 ounces frozen peas
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese or cream cheese
½ cup Parmesan, freshly grated
3 tablespoons chives, finely minced

Heat olive oil and butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leaks and yellow onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the dry rice and stir for about a minute to coat the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the wine an simmer on low heat, stirring constantly. When most of the wine has been absorbed, add the vegetable stock—using a soup ladle—two ladles at a time. When the stock has been absorbed, add 2 more ladles, stirring constantly. Repeat and continue for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot of boiling, salted water, blanch the asparagus and peas for 3-4 minutes, until the asparagus is firm but crisp. Drain and place into an ice-water bath. When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes and the vegetables have cooled, drain the vegetables from the ice bath and add the asparagus, peas, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to the cooking risotto. Continue cooking the risotto for 10 to 15 additional minutes, adding stock as necessary and stirring frequently, until the rice is tender, but firm.

Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone in a small bowl. When the rice reaches the desired consistency, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture, Parmesan, and chives. Remove from the heat and allow to cool briefly. Garnish with chives and grated Parmesan and serve warm.

(Ready In: 45 minutes; Yields: 6 servings)

Sweet and Sour Cashew Quorn Chik’n

2009-05-06T12:54:00.001-04:00

I first worked up this dish about a month ago and it has quickly become a weeknight hit. The sweet and sour marinade couldn’t be any easier to make. This recipe is perfectly paired with jasmine rice and a quick stir fry of carrots, bell peppers, onions, peas, and water chestnuts. However, as a testament to its versatility, I’ve also served it with baked potatoes and roasted asparagus. With the latter pairing, I used my old stand-by, Quorn Naked Chik’n cutlets, but for an Asian-fusion meal, I simmer Quorn Chik’n Tenders in the apricot mustard sauce until they are heated through and the liquid has reduced by about half.

12 ounces apricot preserves
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 pinch kosher salt
4 Quorn Naked Chik’n cutlets
1 cup cashews, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a medium saucepan, combine apricot preserves, mustard, curry powder, and salt. Over low heat, stir the ingredients constantly until they render a smooth, homogenous mixture.

Place chopped cashes in a shallow bowl. Dip the Quorn cutlets in the apricot-mustard sauce, then roll each cutlet in the chopped cashews, making sure to cover evenly. Place each cutlet in the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remaining sauce may be further reduced over low heat as the cutlets bake and served on the side.

(Yields: 4 servings; Ready In: 40 minutes)

Ben’s Summer Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

2009-05-04T11:13:00.003-04:00

Later today I’ll complete the final task of my first year in grad school. In my book, that means it’s summertime. One of my favorite things about the summer is the abundance of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables available in almost every grocery store (not just Whole Foods).

I especially love a light, crisp salad in the summer and this one has become one of my signature dishes—though the original credit goes to my friend Patsy. If you’ve been over for dinner during baseball season, you’ve likely had it. The salad, itself, couldn’t be easier. I tend to use hearts of Romaine, baby spinach, or arugula for my base—Romaine is a solid choice that allows the other ingredients to stand out, spinach gives a bit more of an earthy flavor, and arugula is good for a peppery finish. Folks often don’t realize what a big difference toasting nuts makes before using them for cooking. Throw the almonds in a skillet for a few minutes for a dry roast that will make for a much heartier flavor.

This dressing is always a hit, but a few tips: 1.) poppyseeds are one of those things you should only serve to good friends; everyone will end up with seeds in their teeth afterwards, so if you’re not comfortable telling your guest there’s something going on in their grill, this isn’t the dressing for you, 2.)traditional Worcester sauce usually includes anchovies, so if you’re a vegetarian or a vegan, you’ll want to check the ingredients to make sure the sauce is friendly, 3.)I mix the dressing by shaking it in a Mason jar; in addition to being quick and easy, it allows you to save any leftover dressing for up to a week in the fridge.

Salad
Romaine, Baby Spinach, or Arugula
strawberries, sliced
mandarin oranges
almonds, toasted and sliced

Dressing
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon poppyseeds
2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 ½ teaspoon onion, finely diced
¼ teaspoon Worcester sauce
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup olive oil

(Dressing Yields:10-12 servings; Ready In: 20 minutes)

Yellow Cake with Rich Chocolate Frosting

2009-05-01T16:46:00.004-04:00

We've been taking a little break.

I must apologize for leaving y’all hanging for so long. Turns out I got really wrapped up in reading about Faulkner and Capote for the last month and pretty much stopped doing everything else in my life. But don’t you worry, Collard Green is back in full effect. As summer fare is some of my favorite food, you can expect very regular updates again.

And what better way to celebrate the beginning of summer than by baking a cake? My favorite genre of cake—and I might go so far as to say my favorite dessert— is the classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting. And quite frankly, I’ve rarely met a box-mix yellow cake that I didn’t like, but those sorts of mixes are usually packed with crazy preservatives and trans fats. So, for a really awesome occasion, I like to bust out this made from scratch recipe. It’s a lot easier than you might think—just don’t get any ideas about tweaking the recipe. Baking is a lot like chemistry—one wrong step and you’ll be looking for a new lab partner.

I suggest using Chocolate Butter Icing to frost the cake. If you want a heavier, more decadent icing, I’ve described another alternative below. Honestly, it’s hard to go wrong when choosing which chocolate icing to use.

Cake
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1/6 cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

Rich Chocolate Frosting
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
¾ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon instant coffee
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 ¾ inch x 1 ½ inch round cake pan.

Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just smooth. Use a large spoon and mix the batter by hand to make sure that everything is combined. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan to room temperature before icing.

For the Rich Chocolate Frosting, combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a bowl set over a pot of simmering (not boiling) water. Stir occasionally, until the chips are completely melted. Remove from the heat and add the corn syrup, instant coffee, and vanilla. Allow this mixture to cool to room temperature.

When the chocolate mixture is cool, use an electric mixer to whisk the chocolate and softened butter on low speed for 3-5 minutes, until it is thickened. Once everything is cool, use a rubber spatula to spread the frosting evenly over the cake.

(Yields: 6-8 servings; Ready In: 60 minutes)

Collard Greens with Toasted Pecans

2009-04-12T17:13:00.001-04:00

So I figured it was high time to post a recipe featuring the titular ingredient of this blog. As I’ve stated in the past, I love all manner of greens and I especially love the traditional Southern style of cooking them—pork fat and all. So, in recent years I’ve experimented with a number of recipes to achieve a flavorful vegetarian twist on this Southern staple. This recipe is certainly not traditional, though its ingredients are familiar to any Southern cook. The honey, mustard, and red wine reduction creates a fantastic, tangy glaze for the greens and the crunch of the pecans brings a familiar flavor into a slightly unusual pairing. This is the perfect side dish for any meal because it can be prepared in less than 20 minutes.

6 cups collard greens, washed and torn into salad-size pieces
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
dash of hot sauce
1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
½ cup pecan pieces, toasted for about 5 minutes in a small skillet

Combine vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce.

In a large wok or skillet, heat oil and add toasted pecans. Add vinegar mixture and cook, over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 4 to 5 minutes. When the mixture reaches the consistency of a glaze, stir in greens coating the pieces evenly. Cover the skillet and reduce heat. Cook for 5-7 minutes longer, adding ¼ cup of water if necessary to maintain the sauce’s glaze-like consistency.

(Yields: 4 servings; Ready In: 20 minutes)

Spicy Baked Sweet Potatoes

2009-04-07T22:46:00.002-04:00

So, as some of my dear readers have pointed out, I haven’t posted as much lately as I usually do. But I haven’t abandoned y’all. It’s just that I’ve reached the point in the semester when all of my energy must be focused on reading trauma theory and crazy interviews with Truman Capote’s contemporaries, so I just don’t get around to Collard Green as often as I’d like. Don’t worry, though. I’ll sneak some time here and there to pass along some recipes. Though I have historically reverted to a diet of Red Bull and Crunch Berries during this point in the academic cycle, I’m determined to do better this time.

As I’ve mentioned before, sweet potatoes are a true superfood. They are incredibly efficient sources of essential nutrients and are packed with antioxidants—a perfect food for trying times. So, here’s a quick and super-easy recipe to help you add more sweet potatoes to your diet. Though sweet potatoes often connote…well…sweetness, they also make a tasty savory side.

2 large sweet potatoes (I use purple sweet potatoes whenever I can find them)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon coriander

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. In a large bowl with a lid, toss the potatoes with the oil, coating evenly. Add the remaining ingredients and toss again to coat.

Transfer the seasoned potatoes to a greased 11x7-inch banking dish. Bake (uncovered) for 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender. (I recommend giving the potatoes a stir every 15 minutes or so to ensure that they are evenly cooked.)

(Yields: 8 servings; Ready In: 60 minutes)

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

2009-03-30T22:15:00.002-04:00

Fingerling potatoes are among my favorite ingredients to work with. These small, narrow potatoes are sometimes confused with new potatoes, but unlike new potatoes, fingerlings are fully mature when harvested. In addition to their unique shape, fingerlings also have a subtle, buttery flavor that makes them perfect for roasting. I’ve discovered a fast and foolproof method for cooking these little gems that makes them an easy side for a weeknight meal. And like most solid recipes, these potatoes can be dressed up nicely for guests.

8-10 fingerling potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice fingerlings in half and place them in a small baking dish. Sprinkle olive oil over the potatoes. Add salt, pepper, and paprika, sprinkling evenly. Using your hands, rub each potato so that it is evenly covered with oil and spices.

Place the potatoes in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and turn them so that they cook evenly. Return to oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley. Return to oven for 5 minutes. Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.

(Yields: 4 servings; Ready In: 30 minutes)

Chestnuts au Gratin

2009-03-29T23:47:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago, I came across steamed chestnuts at Trader Joe’s. I remembered loving chestnuts as a kid, so I snatched them up. Jon and I were really excited to try them when we got home, so we tore into the box and went to town. But it turns out that steamed chestnuts don’t taste like those that you eat fresh from the tree in the backyard. The steamed variety is noticeably…slimier.

Not to be deterred by the unexpected texture of this impulse purchase, I dreamt up a recipe that would feature the fantastic flavor of the chestnuts without the unpleasant gooeyness of their packaged form. This recipe is a fairly standard gratin adjusted to allow the rich, earthy flavor of the chestnuts to pop. Panko is Japanese breadcrumbs with a lighter taste and consistency than the kinds of breadcrumbs you find in most supermarkets. I’ve found that Panko can be substituted to achieve a flakier topping or crust for any casserole or gratin. You can usually find Panko in the Asian foods section of the grocery. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s in your area, I’m not sure how widely available steamed chestnuts are, but take a look at the market. What I thought was an impulse buy gone horribly wrong produced a really popular dish.

½ cup Panko
1 8 ounce box steamed chestnuts
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup sharp Cheddar, grated
½ cup Parmesan Reggiano, grated
1 cup croutons or day-old bread, cubed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Oil the bottom of a 6x9 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle Panko into the dish and up the sides. Slice the steamed chestnuts about ½ inch thick and place the slices on top of the Panko.

In a small mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, Cheddar, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over the chestnuts. Top with croutons and bake 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve warm.

(Ready In: 60 minutes, Yields: 6 servings)

Quinoa Casserole with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Basil Pesto

2009-03-25T09:59:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago, my parents visited and I decided to trot out some new dishes for them. I don’t typically recommend using dinner guests as guinea pigs for new recipes, but my mom and dad are good sports and they certainly never sugarcoat their reactions, so I can count on them for honest opinions.

The base of this casserole is prepared just like a risotto and then complemented with fresh Italian flavors. The quinoa brings its distinct, nutty flavor to the brighter punch of fresh pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. To switch up the recipe, try substituting wheatberries or Arborio rice for subtle variations of flavor. This casserole was a total hit with my family.

And speaking of family, check out our new dog Janet below. Janet came to us from the Franklin County Humane Society. If you are looking for a new pet, please visit your local animal shelter. In the current economic environment an increasing number of pets are without homes, and the Humane Society is generally a wonderful resource for finding a new addition to your family.

Base
6 cups vegetable stock
1/8 cup canola oil
1 leek, minced
1 ½ cups quinoa
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup cottage cheese
¼ cup (roughly 2-3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Pesto
2 cups fresh basil, packed
½ cup pine nuts, roasted
3 cloves garlic
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup sun dried tomatoes, julienned

In a medium stockpot, bring vegetable stock to a simmer. In a large saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the leek until it is translucent. Add quinoa and sauté for about 1 minute to lightly toast the grain. Add wine and stir for 2-3 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the heated vegetable stock slowly, 1 or 2 ladles at a time to the quinoa mixture, stirring constantly. As the mixture absorbs the broth, ladle more into the pot. When all of the stock has been added to the quinoa pot, slowly simmer (about 10-12 minutes) to achieve a soft, creamy texture. Remove from heat, stir in cottage cheese and goat cheese. Cover and set aside.

Place the basil leaves in the bowl of a food processor. Add pine nuts and garlic and pulse until evenly chopped. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then add Parmesan, pepper, and olive oil and pulse a few more times to form a smooth, thick paste.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly oil a medium casserole dish.

Spread the quinoa mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with the julienned sun-dried tomatoes. Spread the pesto evenly over the bottom layers. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5 to 7 minutes longer until the top layer of pesto is lightly toasted. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

(Ready In: 90 minutes ; Yields: 6 servings)

Maple-Glazed Purple Sweet Potatoes

2009-03-24T11:04:00.001-04:00

Sweet potatoes are among the most nutritious superfoods out there and Southerners have invented countless ways to cook them. But last week, I came across a variety of the tuber that was completely novel to me—the purple sweet potato. Hawaiian purple sweet potatoes are native to the Japanese island of Okinawa. In Japan, the Okinawan potato’s amazing nutritional value is widely recognized and the potato has even been used medicinally to treat diabetes and other conditions.

Though the purple sweet potato may seem exotic, you can pick them up in most organic groceries in the U.S. in the early spring. I decided to cook these sweet potatoes in a classic Southern style, but the purple variety is just as versatile as its more familiar orange cousin. In this recipe, if you can’t find Okinawan potatoes, you can easily substitute the classic orange sweet potato (not to be confused with a yam). However, if you can find the purple variety, give them a try—their increased antioxidant power and delicate, sweet flavor makes them a wonderfully efficient superfood.

2 medium purple sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
2 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
3-4 tablespoons pecans, roasted and finely chopped

Place the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and let simmer 25-30 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender, but not mushy. Drain sweet potatoes in a colander and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 6x9 or 8x8 inch baking pan.

When sweet potatoes are cool, cut them into large chunks and arrange them in the prepared dish.

In a small saucepan, melt butter, then add syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla, stirring constantly over low heat. Cook the mixture for 3-5 minutes until a rich brown syrup forms. Drizzle the mixture over the sweet potatoes. Top the dish with pecans.

Bake the potatoes for 7-9 minutes, until the tops of the potatoes are lightly browned.

(Ready In: 45 minutes; Yields: 4 servings)

Scalloped Tomatoes

2009-03-17T21:37:00.004-04:00

Tomatoes on my Granny's windowsill.

A few days ago, my mom mentioned a recipe that she remembered my Granny making that involved cubed bread, black pepper, and tomatoes. I don’t think I ever had the dish, but I’m on a rustic kick these days and my mom’s description piqued my interest. So after a little internet sleuthing, I came up with a couple of recipes called “Tomato Casserole” and “Scalloped Tomatoes.” I tinkered with the ingredients and added some touches of my own to produce this recipe. I’ve been called out more than once for putting butter and crushed crackers on most things I cook. Well, I fail to see the problem. What is more Southern than a casserole built around butter and cracker crumbs? My Granny cooked some of the most delicious food I’ve ever tasted and used not only butter and crackers, but fatback, lard, and heavy cream—and she lived well into her 90’s. So, try these scalloped tomatoes. They’ll knock your socks off.

2 ½ cups tomatoes, roughly chopped (about 5 greenhouse tomatoes)
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup of bread, cubed (about 2 slices of conventional bread)
1 medium red onion, diced
2 tablespoons sugar
Dash hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup sharp Cheddar, freshly grated
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
crushed Ritz crackers (about ½ sleeve)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add bread cubes and brown lightly, cooking for about 2 minutes. When the bread begins to absorb the butter, increase stove temperature to medium, add onion, and stir frequently for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine bread cube and onion mixture with tomatoes, sugar, hot sauce, basil, Cheddar, salt, and pepper. Fold ingredients together until evenly combined and pour the mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Cover the surface of the mixture evenly with crushed Ritz crackers.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until cracker topping is golden brown.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 55 minutes)

Biscuit-Topped Pot Pie

2009-03-17T00:12:00.003-04:00

Pot Pies are a staple in my house. I love to bake a fresh vegetable pot pie on the weekend and munch on the leftovers until they give out mid-week. I like to make my own pastry for a traditional pot pie, but sometimes I don’t have the time. Luckily I discovered this rustic alternative that combines pot pie with one of my other favorite things—biscuits. This is a simple way to make a homespun classic that is hearty enough to be a one-dish meal.

Vegetables
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onions, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups potatoes, chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup carrots, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
3 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch dissolved in ½ cup cold water
1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)

Biscuit Topping
2 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Oil a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.

Warm olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions, cover, and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 additional minute. Add the salt, thyme, marjoram, mushrooms, and mustard. Cook until mushrooms just start to release their juices (from 5-7 minutes).

Add potatoes, black pepper, and vegetable stock and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the dissolved arrowroot mixture and stir constantly. As the broth thickens, add the peas. As soon as the peas are blanched (after 1-2 minutes), pour the vegetable mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
In a large bowl, sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients: melted butter and buttermilk. Combine the wet and dry ingredients with minimal stirring to produce a soft dough. Spoon the biscuit batter over the vegetables in the casserole dish in six to eight mounds. Sprinkle dill over the biscuit topping.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center biscuit of the pot pie comes out clean.

(Yields: 6-8 servings; Ready In: 90 minutes)

Split Pea Soup

2009-03-15T23:17:00.003-04:00

On a cold, rainy day nothing hits the spot like a warm bowl of soup. But with the beginning of spring on the horizon, the window for heavy stews and soups is quickly closing. Before we shift into lighter, more delicate flavors for the changing season, try this split pea soup. I was never a fan of split pea soup in the past, but I tinkered with a recipe I found hand-written in a cookbook in a used bookstore and produced magic. The hearty vegetables coupled with the punch of rosemary and thyme renders the ideal soup for an end-of-winter day. If someone tries to tell you that you can’t make split pea soup without some kind of pork, wow them with this amazing found recipe.

2/3 cup onion, chopped
2/3 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 2/3 cups vegetable stock
3 cups water
2/3 cup dried split peas
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
¾ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
dash of hot sauce

In a large skillet, sauté onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil for 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute.

Transfer sautéed vegetables to a large stockpot. Add vegetable stock, water, peas, salt, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, and hot sauce. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add additional water, ½ cup at a time to maintain a thick, but not gummy broth.

Remove the pot from heat and either transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree the mixture. This should produce a thick, creamy soup. You may add additional vegetable stock to achieve your desired consistency.

(Yields: 6-8 servings; Ready In: 80 minutes)

A Meal for Twilight: Edward Cullen’s Blood Orange-Glazed Chik’n

2009-03-13T10:16:00.005-04:00

Okay, honestly, I just put “Twilight” and “Edward Cullen” in the subject line to draw a bunch of random visitors from Google searches.

If you’ve talked to me in the last month, you know that I am academically (and somewhat pathologically) obsessed with the Twilight phenomenon. Over the weekend, I was in New Jersey and while looking for the continental breakfast in my hotel, I stumbled upon a scrapbooking convention. While eating breakfast with eight middle-aged women (all scrapbooking enthusiasts), I turned the conversation to favorite reads. Inevitably, this led to a discussion of the Twilight series (six out of eight had read all of the books) and I was able to collect a lot of data.

But anyway, as a part of our Trashy Reads book club, I coerced Jon into reading (listening to) the titular Twilight. He hated it. I have now read 2.5 books in the series. So, I convinced Jon that we should watch the movie and get a fresh perspective on the tale. We were able to secure an advance copy of the DVD and I thought I’d whip up a special dish to honor America’s favorite vegetarian vampire. (Though my personal favorite vegetarian vampire continues to be Bunnicula.)

Blood oranges are my favorite citrus fruit. They are distinct for their crimson-colored flesh and tart flavor. My friend Patsy makes a wonderful orange-glazed chicken, so I experimented to produce this blood-orange glazed Quorn cutlet. This entrée starts with a sweet kick and yields a warm, savory finish. It pairs well with grains and starchy sides and a nice dry wine.

The Trashy Reads book club is still considering its next selection. All suggestions will be given thorough consideration, though we’re currently leaning toward the latest Carrie Fisher memoir, Wishful Drinking.

2 Quorn Naked Chik’n cutlets
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup onions, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 ½ tablespoons honey
½ cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
½ teaspoon blood orange zest
½ teaspoon dry mustard
dash of Tobasco sauce
2 tablespoons water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
1 blood orange, segmented and peeled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Thaw Quorn cutlets in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions in olive oil for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Add honey, blood orange juice, blood orange zest, water, mustard, Tobasco, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Add arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) and cook for another 5 minutes or until the glaze achieves a syrupy consistency.

Place the Quorn cutlets in a small casserole dish. Pour the glaze over the cutlets and baste thoroughly. Cover each cutlet with the peeled blood orange segments. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, turn cutlets and baste again. Return to oven for 10 minutes.

Serve each cutlet with a tablespoon of sauce and the stewed blood orange segments.

(Yields: 2 cutlets; Ready In: 40 minutes)

Petites Madeleines

2009-03-10T17:07:00.003-04:00

When I’m not in the kitchen or reading, I work as a research assistant. Last week, while discussing business, Professor Leonard shared an excellent recipe for a simple, elegant dessert. Professor Leonard is a Proust scholar and she had prepared petites madeleines for her class that day. For those of you unfamiliar with these spongy cakes, Proust immortalized them when he wrote, "I raised to my lips a spoonful of the cake... a shudder ran through my whole body and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary changes that were taking place." Madeleines are eaten like cookies and are often dipped in tea or coffee. They are a perfect light dessert after a heavier meal. The small cakes are baked in a special pan with scallop-shell indentions, which produce their unique shape. Professor Leonard suggested that the best madeleine pans are the older, smaller molds without non-stick coating, however you can purchase a newfangled pan from Williams-Sonoma. Though I’m not an advocate of accruing too many specialty kitchen gadgets, this pan is a must-have for anyone interested in French cooking. Professor Leonard’s recipe follows. Bon appetit!

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup butter (room temperature)
2 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
powdered sugar for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter and flour the madeleine pan.

Mix sugar and eggs to produce a creamy, white mixture. Slowly add flour to the mix. Then add softened (but not melted) butter, lemon juice, and vanilla, mixing until just blended.

Drop 1 teaspoon of batter into each prepared madeleine mold.

Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown. If desired, lightly dust with powdered sugar before serving.

(Yields: about 20 madeleines; Ready In: 20 minutes)

BBQ Quorn

2009-03-06T06:24:00.001-05:00

What up, it's Jon again. It's Quorn week. As a former lover of chicken, it's been difficult finding the right substitute that gives the versatility that you can find in a boneless, skinless chicken breast. I thought that maybe those Morningstar Farms joints were it. I think we all may have an allergy to soy, so they're not that good. Then we remembered Quorn! I bought four or five boxes of it just knowing that something awesome would come from it.

I've also grown up in The South and have always loved condiments. Be it some honey mustard, mayonnaise, or even just plain ketchup, sometimes it seems like I prefer the dip or the sauce to the actual food being eaten (hello, anything at Chili's). I have always loved barbeque anything. Chips, pork and chicken. I realized after buying the Quorn cutlets that I hadn't eaten barbeque chicken in a while, perhaps years. Okay, not years. When I ate meat, my friend Erin and I would frequent this barbeque shack in Nashville--What up, Dee's! Anyway, I though it was a great opportunity to try one of my favorites in a vegetarian and probably healthier style.

First, I covered two cutlets in barbeque sauce. I chose Carolina Cupboard Western NC Style from a local specialty foods store. You can use any barbeque sauce you like. We always had Kraft on hand as a kid, and it was always awesome. After thirty minutes or so in the fridge, remove the cutlets. Put them in an oven-safe glass pan and bake them at 400 degree for 18-20 minutes.

After they're done, brush on more barbeque sauce to taste. I love when they're dripping with sauce, so I slather it on. Place the cutlet between a bun and you're ready. Something about sweet potato french fries and asparagus seemed right as sides and that was what we had. Cook whatever you might like. It's not about being perfect, it's about being delicious.

Honey Mustard Baked Quorn Naked Chik’n Cutlets

2009-03-05T09:56:00.002-05:00

I’ve never been a huge fan of the honey mustard flavor combo, but I have a number of friends who think of food merely as a honey mustard delivery system. Lately I’ve been experimenting with honey mustard recipes, and I’m slowly becoming a convert to the cult of the sauce. Homemade honey mustard is infinitely tastier than most anything you can buy in the supermarket—and it’s very easy to make. Marinating Quorn cutlets in this sauce yields a tangy protein that is perfectly paired with rich, savory sides like roasted root vegetables or potatoes.

2 Quorn Naked Chik’n Cutlets
3 tablespoons honey
¼ cup creamy Dijon mustard
¼ tablespoon kosher salt
1/8 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Thaw the Quorn cutlets for about 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Combine honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Brush each cutlet so that it is thickly and evenly coated with the honey mustard sauce. Cover the coated cutlets with foil or plastic wrap and place them back in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 more hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove cutlets from oven and place them in a 9 x 6 inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, flip the cutlets and back for another 8 minutes.

(Yields: 2 servings; Ready In: 25 minutes)

Fried Quorn Naked Chik’n Cutlets

2009-03-04T10:16:00.002-05:00

Fried chicken is a hallmark of Southern cuisine. Everybody’s mom, dad, grandma, and peepaw have a special method or blend of spices to produce the perfect fried bird. But when I fry Quorn Chik’n Cutlets, I stick to a very basic technique that never fails to please.

2 Quorn Naked Chik’n Cutlets
2-3 cups buttermilk
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil

Thaw the Quorn cutlets in the refrigerator for about four hours. Then, place the cutlets in a shallow bowl and pour buttermilk to completely cover them. Cover bowl with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least another four hours.

Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Pour vegetable oil into a small skillet to a depth of about ¼ inch. Over medium heat, warm oil to a temperature of about 350 degrees.

Remove cutlets from buttermilk and dredge them in the flour mixture. Place each battered cutlet in the oil and fry for 6-7 minutes on each side, until the coating is an amber, golden brown.

(Yields: 2 servings; Ready In: 20 minutes)

Lemon and Garlic Roast Quorn Cutlets

2009-03-03T10:09:00.002-05:00

I’m usually a fan of winter, but as cold as it is along the East Coast right now, I can’t help but anticipate a little warm weather. Spring signals the gradual shift to more delicate flavors so I’m kicking off Quorn week with some lighter fare: Lemon and Garlic Roast Quorn Cutlets. These cutlets are perfect for a quick weeknight meal, but have a decadent flavor worthy of guests. Paired with a simple spring mix salad, this is a dish that will never disappoint.

2 Quorn Naked Chik’n Cutlets
1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
kosher salt
black pepper
½ teaspoon rubbed thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Allow the Quorn to thaw in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Brush the thawed cutlets with melted butter and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place the cutlets in a 6 x 9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the rubbed thyme and minced garlic evenly over the cutlets.

Pour the juice of one lemon over the cutlets. Cut the squeezed lemon into quarters and place around the edges of each cutlet.

Bake for 12 minutes, then remove from the oven, flip each cutlet and bake for 7-9 minutes more. Remove from the pan and garnish each cutlet with a slice of fresh lemon and a sprig of fresh thyme.

(Yields: 2 servings; Ready In: 25 minutes)

In the Pantry: Quorn Naked Chik'n Cutlets

2009-03-02T11:03:00.005-05:00

This week is Quorn week at Collard Green. Quorn is a line of meat-free, soy-free frozen foods that are efficient and tasty sources of protein. Quorn was first developed and marketed in the UK in the mid-1980’s and only appeared in the US in 2002. Quorn is a nutritious and highly versatile meat substitute that is incredibly tasty. The entire Quorn line contains mycoprotein, a low-calorie, high-fiber, super protein packed with nine essential amino acids. Quorn’s mycoprotein is developed from the fungus Fusarium venenatum, a naturally occurring member of the fungi family akin to mushrooms, truffles, and morels. Quorn’s Naked Cutlets are designed to be prepared and taste like chicken breasts. This week I’ll feature some of my favorite ways to prepare these cutlets, but you can substitute them in almost any of your tried and true chicken recipes. And if the “fungus” and “mycoprotein” stuff makes you shy away— buck up! This stuff is nowhere near as scary as most chicken products you buy in the supermarket.

What: Quorn Naked Chik'n Cutlets
Where you can get it: Check out the convenient store locator at http://www.quorn.us/ to find a store near you that carries this product line
Online: Visit the Quorn website to learn more about products and mycoprotein

Reese’s Cup Consolation Loaf Cake

2009-02-27T11:03:00.002-05:00

I couldn’t bring myself to write yesterday. I was seriously inconsolable all day following the season finale of Top Chef. I considered using my forum here to write an open letter to the judges and producers of the series and changing my site to “Carla Green” for a day. But in the end, I decided that Carla wouldn’t want me to behave in such a crass way. As she said in the closing moments of the show, one of her goals was to bring a new level of dignity and respect to reality show competitions and she felt that she had achieved that goal. I couldn’t agree more. So, in that spirit, I am going to let this go…and bake myself a cake so that I might eat away the pain.

But seriously, I love cake. And my family has a proud history of baking candy bars into cakes. Soon, I’ll provide one of our ultimate family secret recipes, the Milky Way Cake, but for today, I’m going to drown my Top Chef disappointment in this Reese’s Cup cake. Now, let’s get something out of the way right now. When I went away to college, I discovered that I pronounced the proper name of the peanut butter cup candy differently that my Yankee friends. I’m not sure if it’s a dialectal phenomenon that completely separates North from South, so I’d love for my readers from all over to weigh in. But, where I grew up, we pronounced Reese’s as (ree-sees). My friends from the North prefer (ree-sez). However you say it, buy a bag of those things, bake this cake, and think hard about what you’re going to do until the next season of Top Chef premiers.
Cake:
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup cocoa
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/3 cup sour cream
½ cup boiling water
1 cup Reese’s cups, chopped
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Syrup:
1 teaspoon cocoa
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
Confectioner’s sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 2 pound loaf tin (9 ½ by 4 ½ by 3 inches) with greased aluminum foil. Press the foil into the corners of the tin and allow some foil to hang over the edges at the top of the pan.

Mix flour, baking soda, cocoa, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream into a food processor and pulse until a smooth batter forms. Scrape the edges of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix again on low while pouring the boiling water down the funnel of the processor.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Cover the top of the batter with the chopped Reese’s cups. Place the tin in the oven for 50 to 60 minutes. The cake will be ready when the loaf has risen and split down the middle and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out almost clean.

When the cake has been in the oven for about 45 minutes, combine the syrup ingredients (cocoa, water, and sugar) in a small saucepan and boil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, rendering a satiny syrup.

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack, still in the loaf tin. With a toothpick, pierce the top of the cake about 20 times evenly across its surface. Pour the syrup over the cake.

After the cake has cooled to the touch, remove it from the loaf tin along with the foil lining. Dust lightly with powdered sugar.

(Yields: 8 servings; Ready In: 80 minutes)

A Cup A Cup A Cup Cobbler

2009-02-25T16:52:00.002-05:00

A few readers have noted that I’ve featured a disproportionate number of desserts on Collard Green. That’s not by accident. I love dessert. When friends tell me that they “don’t care for sweets” I’m sure I look shocked. That’s because inside my brain I am calling them dirty, dirty liars. Sure, to each his/her own. But really? Who doesn’t like dessert? Anyway, one of the staples of Southern baking is the fruit cobbler. I’ve tried numerous recipes and all sorts of complex variations but I always seem to come back to my Aunt Cheryl’s cobbler recipe, which she calls “A Cup A Cup A Cup.” When you scan the ingredients you’ll understand why. The recipe couldn’t be any easier and it’s really quite tasty. If you have some fruit that’s about to go bad, take a few minutes and mix up a cobbler. It’s the perfect weeknight treat.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk or buttermilk
1 ½ cups fresh fruit
Ice cream for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and milk. Sometimes I then gently fold the fruit into the batter. Often, however, I will pour the batter into a lightly greased 9-inch round casserole dish and then place the fruit on top of the batter. The first technique (folding) works best for stone fruits such as peaches while the latter (topping) works best for berries. I’ve used strawberries, cherries, blueberries, peaches, blackberries, nectarines, plums, and even pears in this recipe. Experiment. You can’t mess this one up. I promise.

When the batter and fruit are in the prepared 9-inch casserole dish, bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cobbler is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm. Ice cream, like the Haagen-Daz pairs very well with this dessert.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 40 minutes)

Bean Loaf

2009-02-24T11:30:00.001-05:00

Perhaps meatloaf isn’t the most glamorous of Southern staples, but when it comes to hearty comfort food, it is hard to beat. I’ve been experimenting for a while to create a meatloaf alternative and I think you’ll enjoy this Vegan dish. Vital wheat gluten and two kinds of beans mean that this entrée is packed with protein and the blend of herbs and spices yield a complex palette of flavors. This is a loaf that I would proudly serve to dinner guests, though I would probably hoard the leftovers.
½ cup red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 15.5 ounce can Cannellini beans, rinsed
1 15.5 ounce can Pinto beans, rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
½ teaspoon marjoram
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
dash Tobasco
1 cup vital wheat gluten

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small skillet, sauté onion for 5 minutes in olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Then remove from heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the Cannellini and Pinto beans. Using a potato masher, cream the bean until they form a chunky paste. Add vegetable broth and tomato paste and stir until your reach a uniformly thinner consistency. Add salt, pepper, thyme, marjoram, parsley and Tobasco. Add sautéed onions and garlic. Stir until combined. Then, add vital wheat gluten and stir until the mixture reaches the consistency of a thick dough.

Grease a loaf pan (approximately 9 ½ by 4 ½ by 3 inches). Pour the bean mixture into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top of the loaf is a crisp golden brown. Serve warm. (Leftovers are also great for lunch when served on a whole wheat bun.)

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 45 minutes)

Carla’s Cranberry Ginger Spritzer

2009-02-21T10:45:00.004-05:00

In my ongoing campaign to champion Top Chef finalist Carla Hall, I just have to feature another of her recipes. (Also, it turns out that mentioning anything about Carla causes my blog traffic to explode.) If you caught last week’s episode, you’ll recall that Carla took a big risk by creating a non-alcoholic cocktail in the final challenge. I don’t want to drop any spoilers for those dedicated readers who haven’t caught up on their DVR backlist yet, but Carla totally schooled her competition. I hope that this was just a preview of what we can expect in next week’s season finale. I pulled the recipe from Bravo’s site, but it was a bit vague, so I’ve done my best to recreate Carla’s magic below.

½ gallon cranberry juice
2 quarts water
8 limes, zest strips and juice
1 ½ cups fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
½ cup brown sugar
6 pack key lime soda
Ice
Sliced limes for garnish
Sugar Rim: ½ cup granulated sugar

First off, it’s important to note that this recipe yields 50 servings, so unless you’re having a party or plan on serving spritzers to the whole neighborhood, you’ll probably want to scale it back a bit. Using a fruit peeler, zest the limes in long strips before juicing them. Next, combine cranberry juice, water, lime zest, lime juice, fresh ginger, and brown sugar. Mix these ingredients well and then add the key lime soda and ice. Mix again. (Again, on a smaller scale this can be done in a standard cocktail shaker.)

Run a lime wedge along the rim of the cocktail glass. Then, holding the glass parallel to the working surface, roll the rim through a shallow bowl of granulated sugar. Gently shake to remove any excess sugar. Use lime wedge to garnish. Strain spritzer mixture into prepared glasses and serve.

(Yields: 50 servings; Ready In: 10-15 minutes [not including glass preparation time])

French Toast

2009-02-21T10:09:00.001-05:00

Man alive, I love breakfast. But some of my favorite breakfast dishes are so sweet that I’m often not quite ready for them when I first roll out of bed. So sometimes I love having breakfast for dinner. French toast is one of my all-time favorites. My recipe is also fast and easy, so if you are looking for a sugar rush in the morning, you won’t have to wake up extra early to make it happen. French toast is also very versatile. It can be served with fresh fruit, a good compote, or jam. But most often I eat my toast with a good maple syrup—usually a Grade A medium or dark amber. In the U.S., maple syrup is categorized into two major grades, A and B. Grade A is further divided into light (often called “fancy”), medium, or dark amber. Grade B, which is produced later in the season, is darker and has a richer, more robust flavor than any of the A varieties. If you usually opt for maple-flavored syrup, please do yourself a favor and buy the real stuff. It may be more expensive, but the difference in taste is totally worth it.

2 eggs
½ cup milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5-6 slices of French, sourdough, or your choice of bread, cut into 1-inch thick slices
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, butter, or non-stick cooking spray
Confectioners sugar, maple syrup, and/or fresh fruit for garnish

In a shallow pasta bowl, beat together eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Dip one slice of bread into the egg mixture, coating both sides evenly. (If you’re using a French bread, you will want to allow the bread to soak in the egg mixture about 30 seconds on each side.)

In a skillet or on a griddle, cook bread in hot oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. (I use non-stick cooking spray to cut down on unnecessary fats. If you opt for this, you’ll want to wipe out your skillet after cooking each piece of toast to avoid getting scorched spray residue on subsequent pieces.) Add more oil/butter/cooking spray as necessary and repeat steps until all pieces are cooked. Dust with confectioners sugar and garnish as desired. Serve warm. (I love the combo of a little confectioners sugar, bananas, and maple syrup.)

(Yields: 5-6 slices; Ready In: 20 minutes)

In the Pantry: Häagen-Dazs Hawaiian Lehua Honey and Sweet Cream Ice Cream

2009-02-20T09:04:00.003-05:00

If you’re looking for an incentive to eat ice cream, I suggest trying any of Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream’s honey bee dependent flavors. For every bee-friendly product you purchase, Häagen-Dazs will donate to honey bee and sustainable pollination research programs at Pennsylvania State University and University of California at Davis. We depend upon honey bees for roughly one third of our food supply. Over the last few years, over twenty-five percent of the Western honey bee population has simply disappeared. One cause of this loss is a phenomenon called “Colony Collapse Disorder” that researchers are working to understand. The bottom line is that without quick and effective action Western honey bees— and all of us who depend upon them— could be in serious trouble.

So, on that cheerful note, go eat some ice cream. The Häagen-Dazs Reserve flavor Hawaiian Lehua Honey and Sweet Cream is phenomenal. The delicate sweetness of the tropical honey blended with the sumptuous cream base is unlike any flavor I’ve experienced before. Instead of traditional vanilla ice cream, try pairing this with your favorite fruit cobbler or pie. It will leave an impression you and your guests won’t soon forget. Or, you can eat it straight from the carton. It’s for a good cause!

What: Häagen-Dazs Hawaiian Lehua Honey and Sweet Cream Ice Cream
Where you can get it: Check out www.haagen-dazs.com for a very helpful flavor and store finder.
Online: Visit www.helpthehoneybees.com to learn more about honey bees and what you can do to help protect them.

Apple Butter Sweet Potatoes

2009-02-16T15:16:00.010-05:00

Hi. I'm Jon. I mostly eat the stuff Ben makes and writes about here. Sometimes I cook a little something, but most of the time that means picking up some burritos or ordering pizza. However, at Christmas, I was able to get it together and whip out some delicious. This included the aforementioned Miss Patti LaBelle Macaroni and Cheese, Green Bean Casserole and Apple Butter Sweet Potatoes. The first time I made the potatoes I used sticks of sweet potatoes. That didn't work out as well. I also didn't use butter. At all. Those two are very crucial to this recipe. The second time I made these potatoes I used potatoes I washed and sliced myself. The combination of the apple butter and the potatoes are delicious. Make these, eat these, and bring em to your mama's house. She'll think you spent all day when this takes just under an hour.

4 medium sweet potatoes
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup apple butter
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Wash and cook the sweet potatoes in boiling water until tender (about 20 minutes). Remove the potato skins with a vegetable peeler rather than with a knife because those potatoes will be hot! Slice the potatoes 1/4-inch thick.

Grease your baking dish (a size that will accommodate all the slices flat) and place a layer of sweet potatoes in it. Sprinkle the potato slices with salt, pepper, lemon juice and a thin layer of apple butter. Repeat until all the ingredients are used. Cube the butter and place the pieces throughout the potatoes.

Bake for 30 minutes.

(Yields 4-6 servings; ready in about 1 hour).

Tomato and Artichoke Pasta

2009-02-13T08:25:00.001-05:00

Most of my friends consider pasta the go-to solution when they are pressed for time and need a quick meal—and I totally agree. But there are so many fast, easy, and tasty alternatives to pasta and jarred sauce (one of the meals I call orphan-fare). This simple recipe relies upon nutritional yeast for its unique flavor. Don’t be afraid of nutritional yeast. It is simply a deactivated yeast packed with protein and B-complex vitamins that is also low in fat and sodium. If you’re looking for a light pasta with veggies, try using nutritional yeast instead of sauce. At the very least, it will be a change of pace. Also, if you want to make this dish Vegan, just cut the cheese and add an additional ½ tablespoon of yeast before tossing the pasta with the vegetables and spices.

12 ounces cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
6 ounces chopped artichoke hearts
6 ounces spaghetti
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon mozzarella, grated
1 tablespoon parmesan, grated

Prepare pasta according to package instructions—typically boil over medium heat for about 9 minutes. Make sure to add the salt to the water before boiling. Drain cooked pasta and toss with olive oil.

In a medium mixing bowl toss pasta with tomatoes, artichokes, basil, black pepper, and nutritional yeast. Garnish each serving with ½ tablespoon of mozzarella and ½ tablespoon parmesan.

(Yields: 2-3 servings; Ready In: 15 minutes)

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

2009-02-12T11:09:00.002-05:00

So, I know that mashed potatoes are one side that almost everyone makes—and makes in a different way. Most of us learn our techniques from a parent or grandparent and stand by our dish as the pinnacle of what all potatoes should aspire to. But over the years, I’ve read a lot of suggestions for attaining perfectly light and buttery mashed potatoes, so I thought I would pass along my hints, tips, and techniques:

1.) Leave the skins on. The skin prevents potatoes from absorbing too much water while they boil. So, start by placing whole, unpeeled potatoes in a pot of cold water.

2.) Dry the potatoes out. Even with the peels on, potatoes are like sponges and will soak up a surprising amount of water while boiling. A waterlogged potato will result in a pasty end product. So, after boiling the potatoes, allow them to cool, peel them, and mash them. Then dry the potatoes out by stirring them in a pan over low-medium heat for about two minutes.

3.) Butter them up. After drying, add butter, stirring until the potatoes have fully absorbed the fat. Coating the starch before adding liquid ensures that your final product will be fluffy instead of gluey.

4.) Liquid comes last. Adding milk to the mix is the final step. Using room temperature or warm milk ensures that your potatoes don’t become gummy.

Okay, so those are my tips. Here’s my recipe:

2 pounds Yukon Gold or russet potatoes
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter (at room temperature)
½ cup milk (at room temperature or slightly warmed)
kosher salt
fresh chives, chopped (optional for garnish)

Scrub the potatoes thoroughly with a brush and then place them in a large saucepan. I prefer Yukon Gold potatoes for mashing, but russets will certainly do. Cover with cold water. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.

Allow the potatoes to cool enough so that they can be handled safely. Peel and mash the potatoes and return them to the large saucepan. Over medium heat, dry out the potatoes for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so.

Stir butter into the mashed potatoes, combining thoroughly. Add warm milk and stir until completely absorbed. Season to taste with salt. Top each serving with a pinch of freshly chopped chives if desired.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 35 minutes)

Carla’s English Peas

2009-02-12T00:41:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I’m absolutely obsessed with Carla from this season of Top Chef. If you’ve seen a single episode, you know why. She’s got flavor. She’s incredibly kind and gracious. She says the darndest things. And she cooks with love! Can I get a “hooty-hoo?!?” So, if you caught this evening’s episode, you’ll recall that the entire panel of judges agreed that her English Peas were the best thing they’d ever tasted. How did she do it? Well, curiosity got the best of me and I surfed over to the Bravo website to find out. Though fresh peas really aren’t in season around here right now, I may head to the market tomorrow and see if I can’t find the ingredients to recreate Carla’s magic. In related news, I’ve considered organizing a “Stay Home From Work and Text All Day for Carla to Win the Fan Favorite Award Day.” Let me know if you’re on board.

1 pound English peas, shelled 
1 teaspoon tarragon, chopped  
4 tablespoons cold butter  
2 teaspoons lemon thyme compound butter
kosher salt
black pepper

Okay, so I’m working from the rather sketchy recipe on the Top Chef website. Blanch the peas in salted water until just tender. (You want the peas to take on a bright green hue while remaining partially crisp.) Strain the peas.

Make the lemon thyme compound butter by combining 8 tablespoons of butter, 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest, 1 ½ teaspoons chopped thyme, and ¼ teaspoon salt. (I imagine the best technique for making this would be to work with room temperature butter and cream the other ingredients in using a mixer on low speed.)

Toss the peas with the cold butter, tarragon, and lemon thyme butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

(Yields: 2-3 servings; Ready In: (I’m guessing) about 20 minutes (making the lemon thyme compound butter will probably take the most time)

Mixed Vegetable Curry with Cashews

2009-02-10T21:52:00.003-05:00

Nothing completes a good curry dish like the crunch of fresh green vegetables and the rich flavor of cashews. This recipe is one of my all time favorites not only because it combines wonderful, complex flavors, but also because it is deceptively quick and easy to make. The curry powder that you use makes a huge difference in any curry dish, so this is certainly a time when splurging on a freshly ground or high-end spice can make a world of difference. Also, be sure to experiment with the amount of curry powder you put in your dish. Start off with 1 tablespoon and gradually add more to suit your taste. I designed this recipe for a weeknight meal, but you may find yourself expanding it to serve at your next dinner party.

1 1/3 cup coconut milk
1-2 tablespoons curry powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans
1 cup yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup water
1 cup green beans, trimmed to 1 ½ inch pieces
5 ounce can sliced water chestnuts
1 cup broccoli florets
½ cup cauliflower florets
½ cup cashews

In a medium stockpot, bring ¾ cup coconut milk to a simmer over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon curry powder and salt, stirring for about 1 minute. Add rinsed garbanzo beans, onion, and garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes. Stir in remaining coconut milk and water and allow the mixture to simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add green beans, water chestnuts, broccoli, and cauliflower. Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the broccoli and beans are slightly tender. Stir in the cashews and adjust the amount of curry powder to suit your taste adding 1 additional teaspoon at a time.

(Yields: 3-4 servings; Ready In: 25 minutes)

Potato Soup

2009-02-08T16:05:00.002-05:00

Though it feels like spring in Chapel Hill today, I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of winter. So before I start transitioning to spring recipes, I have to share one of my favorite cold weather comfort foods: potato soup. The three classic flavors typically featured in potato soup are onion, celery, and potato. But a while back I realized that I just don’t care for celery that much, but I do love celery root. If you’ve never cooked with celery root, it can be a bit daunting. You usually find it in the produce section looking like something E.T. was growing aboard his ship—but don’t fear. Celery root has a lighter celery flavor with a texture akin to squash when it is cooked. For this recipe, if you can’t find celery root, you can substitute 1 ½ stalks of celery, diced about ¼ inch thick. But if you can find the root, give it a shot. It may look weird, but it will produce a unique flavor in this classic soup.

3 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 cups celery root, diced
¾ cup yellow onion, chopped
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cubes vegetable bouillon
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt

In a large stockpot, bring potatoes, celery root, and onion to boil in 2 cups vegetable stock. Cook until potatoes and celery root are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain in a colander, but reserve the cooking liquid.

Return the reserved broth to the stockpot and add milk. In a small skillet, melt butter and combine with flour. Stir the butter and flour paste into the broth/milk mixture over medium heat. Continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the reserved vegetables, bouillon, pepper, and salt. Continue to stir until the soup is heated through and the broth is the consistency of a bisque.

(Yields: 6 servings ; Ready In: 45 minutes)

The Coach’s Cornbread

2009-02-06T09:39:00.003-05:00

My dad has more nicknames than anyone I know, but most people in BSG call him “The Coach.” Both of my parents are excellent cooks and my dad tends to do a lot of baking. His cornbread is second to none, but figuring out his recipe was a trick. When I asked him to write it down it contained a lot of unspecified scoops, pinches, dashes, etc. But, I think I’ve finally pinned down his secret blend. Also, my dad is very particular about his skillet. He uses a pre-divided cast iron skillet that he refuses to let anyone else near for fear they will ruin its “cure.” I should probably ask him to guest blog about how to properly cure and care for a cornbread skillet. Maybe “The Coach’s Corner” will be my next special feature.

1 cup self rising corn meal
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoon canola oil
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and preheat the cast iron skillet, as well.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients and mix well with a fork or small whisk. (Note: I have extreme brand loyalty to House of Autry meal.) Add additional buttermilk to achieve desired consistency. (I’ve found that cornbread batter turns out best when it is the consistency of cream of wheat.)

Remove skillet from oven and grease it thoroughly (I use cooking spray). Fill the skillet (or if you’re using a pre-divided skillet, each “compartment”) about 2/3 full of batter.

Bake for 15-25 minutes, until cornbread is golden brown. If you have trouble removing the cornbread, run a knife along the edge of the skillet to coax the bread out.

(Yields: 8 servings; Ready In: 30 minutes)

Mom’s Lasagna

2009-02-04T09:15:00.001-05:00

I was very lucky as a kid. Although my mom worked every day as a middle school teacher, she still managed to have a home-cooked meal ready when dinnertime rolled around. I always loved my mom’s lasagna, and her recipe is very convenient for those of us who don’t always have time to cook an elaborate meal. Of course, I’ve tweaked mom’s recipe to make it veg-friendly. Like my mom, I use small curd, low-fat cottage cheese instead of ricotta in my lasagna, mainly because I prefer the chunkier texture of cottage cheese. I also prefer “no-boil” lasagna noodles. I can honestly tell very little difference between traditional noodles and good no-boil noodles, so why make things harder than you have to? Finally, I love to make fresh marinara sauce (especially during the summer when good tomatoes are plentiful), but who has the time during the work/school week? So, sometimes I’ll go in for a gourmet jar of marinara, but most often I trust Trader Joe’s or Newman’s Own to get the job done. Another great thing about this recipe is that it provides excellent leftovers; a lasagna made on Monday has often carried me through mid-week.

1 24 oz jar marinara sauce
1 box “no-boil” lasagna noodles
10 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 8 oz container small curd cottage cheese or ricotta
1 teaspoon fresh basil
½ teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 extra large egg
½ cup and 1 cup Mozzarella, shredded and separated
¼ cup and ½ cup Parmesan, freshly grated and separated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cover the bottom of an 8 x 11 inch glass casserole dish with 12 oz or about half a jar of marinara sauce. Spread to coat evenly. Gently clean the mushrooms with a damp towel and cut into ¼ inch slices. Cover the marinara sauce evenly with half of the sliced mushrooms (about ¾ cup). Next, cover the mushrooms with a layer of noodles. The noodles need not overlap and you may break them into smaller pieces to cover the length of the dish.

In a small bowl, mix cottage cheese, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, egg, ½ cup mozzarella, and ¼ cup Parmesan. When the mixture is thoroughly combined, spread evenly over the layer of noodles.

Add another layer of noodles on top of the cottage cheese mixture. Follow this with another layer of sauce, the remaining 12 oz in the jar. Cover the sauce with the remaining mushrooms. Then, sprinkle the mushrooms with 1 cup of mozzarella and about ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Cover tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour. After 45 minutes, if the cheese on top is not bubbly, remove the foil and continue to bake until the top layer is melted and slightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

(Yields: 8 servings; Ready In: 70-80 minutes)

Superbowl: Snack Stadium and Peanut Butter Cupcakes

2009-02-03T10:04:00.004-05:00

This Super Bowl Sunday, I hung out at Meagan and Will’s house. It was there that I saw one of the most stunning culinary displays in my life.

Will and Toby constructed Snack Stadium to commemorate the big game, and though it is not entirely vegetarian, I’m sure that whatever animals went into those sausage things that formed the players and goalposts would be happy to give their lives for such a majestic spread.

For my part, I contributed peanut butter cupcakes with chocolate frosting. My mom pointed out that now probably isn’t the best time to show up bearing peanut butter confections (what with the tainted peanut butter scare and all), but I’ve never been one to let the fear rule my life. These cupcakes were marginally good. I think the recipe could use a bit more peanut butter and perhaps some chocolate of some sort in the batter. If any of you enterprising readers would like to offer suggestions or alternatives, let me know. You might just score the first guest blogger spot on Collard Green.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

2 cups flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
½ cup peanut butter
2 eggs
¼ cup butter, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add milk, eggs, and butter, gradually mixing on a low speed. Add peanut butter and mix on a medium speed until just combined.

Spoon batter into cupcake liners, filling each liner about ¾ full. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool thoroughly before frosting.

(Yields: about 20 cupcakes ; Ready In: 30 minutes)

Chocolate Butter Frosting

2009-02-03T10:01:00.001-05:00

1/3 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup milk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

In a mixing bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Slow the mixer to low and add milk and vanilla.

Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar. If necessary, add a teaspoon of additional milk at a time to achieve the desired spreading consistency. I recommend cutting this recipe in half for cupcakes as the original recipe was intended to frost a traditional layer cake.

(Yields: enough frosting for the tops and sides of two 9-inch cakes, Ready In: 20 minutes)

A Wicked Meal: Seitan Cutlets

2009-02-02T09:19:00.007-05:00

Over the holidays (yes, it’s February and I’m still talking about the holidays), Jon and I decided to start a popular fiction book club. We are currently the only members. I wanted an outlet for checking out the kind of stuff that probably won’t make my reading list for exams. The first selection on our list was Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Anything that inspires multiple sequels and a display at Borders piques my interest, so I figured I’d waited long enough to see what the appeal was with this book. In the end, it proved a lot more compelling, sophisticated, and engrossing than I imagined. It’s really a pretty good read…or listen. Since I spend a lot of time reading already, I’ve chosen to listen to the audiobooks for this club. It’s a great way to pass time on the bus, at the gym, or especially on a long drive. So, when Jon and I both reached the last chapter, we decided to listen to the end of the book over dinner.

I made seitan cutlets for the main attraction. Though my dad refers to it as “devil meat,” seitan (pronounced SAY-tan, not SAY-tun) is a great protein alternative for those of us who are allergic to soy (and being a vegetarian who is allergic to soy can be quite a challenge). Made from vital wheat gluten, the naturally occurring protein in wheat that gives wheat dough its stretch, when used in recipes like this one, it can render a meaty texture. Though you may not have heard of it, you can find vital wheat gluten in most conventional grocery stores and nearly every organic market. These cutlets are extremely versatile; after making them, they are a blank slate that can be used in place of meat in almost any dish.

If anyone is interested in joining the trashy book club, we are currently listening to Twilight. I will understand if you want to use your time more wisely.

6 cups vegetable broth and ½ cup vegetable broth, separated
1 ¼ cups vital wheat gluten
¼ cup soy sauce alternative (see below)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring 6 cups of vegetable broth to a boil and then remove from heat, but keep covered.

In a mixing bowl, combine vital wheat gluten with ½ cup cold vegetable broth (not the broth you just boiled). Add soy sauce alternative, oil, garlic, and lemon zest and mix. Knead the mixture for about 3 minutes, until a stretchy dough has formed. Divide the dough into six equal pieces. One way to do this is to roll the dough into a log and slice it with a sharp knife.

Shape and knead each piece into a ½ inch thick cutlet shape. The dough is extremely elastic, so I’ve found that using my full body weight on the kitchen counter is sometimes necessary to achieve the desired form. Nobody said being a vegetarian was easy.

Pour the heated broth into a 9 x 13 inch glass baking pan. Place the cutlets in the broth and bake for 30 minutes uncovered. Turn the cutlets and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Remove the cutlets from the oven and place in a colander to drain. If you are not using all of the seitan at once, store it in the cooking liquid in a tightly covered container. You can keep it in the refrigerator for about a week.

In this instance, I marinated the cutlets in Ben’s Special Sauce for 1 hour and then dredged them in flour and fried them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil on each side for 3-4 minutes.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 70 minutes)

Soy Sauce Alternative

2009-02-02T09:19:00.001-05:00

Here’s a fairly simple sauce you can make to use in place of soy sauce.

4 tablespoons vegetable bouillon
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dark molasses
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch garlic powder
1 1/2 cups water

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the bouillon, balsamic vinegar, molasses, ginger, pepper, garlic powder and water. Boil for 15 minutes or until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup.

(Yields: 1 cups; Ready In: 15 minutes)

Mexican Millet

2009-01-29T12:56:00.001-05:00

My friend Emi gave me one of the best cookbooks I own, Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero’s Veganomicon. These two phenomenal chefs guide the wary along the daunting path to Veganism with a great sense of humor and some amazing recipes. I had very little experience with millet before I started making this recipe, but it has become a staple in my pantry. Try substituting millet for rice in some of your sides—I find the variety refreshing. This particular recipe is perfect on its own, but I often pair it with a hearty main dish such as enchiladas or burritos.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked millet
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup diced tomato (about 1 medium-sized tomato)
finely chopped cilantro (optional garnish)
Freshly squeezed lime juice (optional garnish)

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeno and fry, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for about 1 minute more. Add the millet, stir to coat, and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes, until the millet is lightly golden. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the tomato paste, salt, cumin, and diced fresh tomato. (I highly recommend using tomato paste that comes in a tube as opposed to the canned variety. The tube of paste tends to be of higher quality, tastes fresher, and can be kept in the refrigerator more effectively for future use.)

Bring the mixture to a boil, stir once, and cover. Lower the heat to low and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.

Remove from the heat and allow to sit, covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff the millet with a fork. I don’t care for cilantro, but at this point you can also add about 2 tablespoons of the chopped herb if you choose and garnish each serving with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a sprinkling of fresh, diced tomato.

Superfoods: Roasted Asparagus

2009-01-28T10:11:00.001-05:00

I know that for a lot of folks, asparagus is one of those vegetables that conjures up childhood trauma. But to be honest, I loved the canned asparagus that I was fed as a kid. Sure, it was a little slimy and had the weirdest texture possible, but I remember loving the flavor hiding beneath all of those preservatives. As an adult, asparagus is one of my favorite sides. I’ve learned a number of ways to prepare fresh asparagus, but the easiest and most flavorful way is to roast it in the oven with a few simple spices. Asparagus is highly nutritious: with only about 20 calories in 6 spears, this antioxidant-packed vegetable provides folate, beta carotene, and potassium, while eliminating toxins and restoring the pH balance of the body. In addition, the tumeric that I use for depth of flavor has been called the “superstar of spices” for its anti-inflammatory and cancer fighting properties. If you have a rough history with this vegetable, give it another shot. This recipe won’t taste anything like the canned stuff.

I realize that this picture sort of looks like a prisoner’s meal. Trust me, this wasn’t all I had for dinner.

1 bunch of asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon tumeric

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. After washing the asparagus, trim the ends on a diagonal. Place the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with spices. (I usually use about a tablespoon of oil, but this may vary depending upon the size of the asparagus. The same goes for the spices. I am pretty liberal with my seasoning, but you may prefer more or less.) Toss to coat the asparagus evenly with oil and spices. Roast in oven for about 20 minutes. The end result should be tender, but crisp.

(Yields: 2-3 servings ; Ready In: 25 minutes)

Rachel’s Tomato Basil Soup

2009-01-27T12:13:00.002-05:00

I’ve had some fantastic meals with my friends Grace and Rachel. Grace is the consummate hostess—she always makes one feel welcome in her home and she never fails to effortlessly produce tasty snacks or full-blown meals without missing a beat in the conversation. Rachel clearly inherited these skills from her mother and some of her baking (like her mixed fruit tart) haunts me every time I think about it. After reading my post on Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, Rachel wrote with an alternate recipe that she adapted from The Gift of Southern Cooking by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock. I jumped at the opportunity to try a recipe from such a wonderful cook and I wasn’t disappointed. Rachel’s soup is a lighter alternative to my recipe. The butter provides the soup its characteristic creaminess, and the lack of cream cuts down on the fat content, but not the taste. This soup is also faster to make and uses healthier ingredients than my recipe. And Rachel notes of the use of canned tomatoes: “Look, if Edna Lewis recommends a shortcut, it’s fine. The woman recommends rendering your own lard.” Try pairing this soup with biscuits some cold evening. You won’t regret it.

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions (about 2 cups), diced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper (I upped this to ½ tablespoon because I like a little kick)
29 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 cups water (Rachel notes that you can cut the salt and use vegetable stock, or I used 2
cups low sodium tomato juice and 2 cups of water and kept the salt)
½ cup fresh basil leaves

In a medium stockpot, heat butter over medium heat until foaming, but don’t allow butter to brown. Add onion, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat. Cook for five minutes, until the onions are tender, but not brown.

Add tomatoes and sugar, stir and cook for five minutes. Add water (or alternatives), bring to a simmer and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat and add the basil. Let the soup sit for ten minutes, then pulse it in a blender, food processor, or immersion blender (I highly recommend the latter). Taste for seasoning.

This soup is wonderful served hot or cold.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 35 minutes)

Cheddar "Kitten Head" Biscuits

2009-01-25T17:54:00.003-05:00

My dad was the first person I ever heard reference “cat head” biscuits. Typically, these are biscuits loosely formed and baked in a cast-iron skillet so that the end product is a biscuit roughly the size of a cat’s head. For Twelfth Night, I planned to make roughly 35 cheddar biscuits, so I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of a dozen small batches in a skillet. Instead, I rolled out my dough so that it was about an inch to an inch and a half thick and cut out each biscuit with a Mason jar. Though the end products were tidier than cat head biscuits, they were also a bit larger than most biscuits I make, so I decided to call them kitten head biscuits. I’ve tried a number of cheddar biscuit recipes and this is an amalgamation of a few, mainly drawing from Ina Garten’s recipe in her Back to Basics book. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand or don’t like the taste of it, try substituting plain milk and a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. These biscuits are always a hit, especially when served straight from the oven.

2 cups flour (plus additional flour for dusting)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (plus additional salt for garnish)
1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) butter, cold and diced
½ cup cold buttermilk
2 extra large eggs
1 cup grated Cheddar
1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold, diced butter and mix on low until the butter is the size of peas.

Combine buttermilk and one egg and beat lightly with a fork. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and butter, mixing just until moistened. Toss the Cheddar with about a tablespoon of flour so that it won’t clump when added to the dough. With the mixer on low, add the cheese to the dough. Mix until just combined.

Remove the dough from the mixer and knead lightly five or six times. Sprinkle your board and your rolling pin with flour and roll the dough until it is an inch to an inch and a half thick. With a large cutter, such as the mouth of a Mason jar, cut the dough into circles and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.

In a cup, mix the other egg with 1 tablespoon milk. Brush the top of each biscuit with the egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes or until the top of each biscuit is golden brown.

(Yields: 14-16 biscuits; Ready In: 25 minutes)

Mushroom and Spinach Gratin

2009-01-25T17:50:00.001-05:00

This weekend, I made a couple of dishes for the UNC English Department’s Twelfth Night event. Whenever asked to prepare something for a potluck, I’ve discovered that it is hard to go wrong with a casserole. Most casseroles can be assembled up to a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them. If you want to arrive with a warm dish, just plan ahead so that you can yank the casserole from the oven and allow it to cool just enough to be transportable. This gratin has always been a crowd-pleaser. With its zesty Italian flavors, most people won’t even notice that it is vegetarian. It does require a bit of prep time, so save this one for your A-list events.

1 cup red onions, diced
3 tablespoons basil, chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
¾ cup bread crumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ cup orzo, uncooked
2 cups spinach, stemmed and chopped
4 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 11 x 8 inch casserole dish.

Mix onions, basil, salt, and crushed tomatoes. Set aside. Warm oil over medium heat and sauté garlic for less than a minute. Add bread crumbs and toss until lightly browned.

(When dealing with mushrooms, it is best not to rinse them as they are like little sponges and will soak up water. To clean your mushrooms, use a damp towel and gently wipe away any dirt. When chopping the spinach, I’ve found it is easiest to tear the leaves by hand after thoroughly rinsing and drying each leaf.)

Spread about half of the tomato/onion mixture in the bottom of the casserole dish. Sprinkle the uncooked orzo over the tomatoes. Next, add the spinach, then the mushrooms, and then a layer of about 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese. (When I cook with Parmesan, I usually use a block of Parmesan-Reggiano that I grate myself. I grew up on the green canned stuff and until recently used the kind that comes in a tub. I’m not going to knock these because they are certainly faster and easier and not everyone has the luxury of walking down the street to a fine cheese market. But, if you do get a chance, try grating your own Parmesan. I guarantee you’ll appreciate the difference.)

Add the rest of the tomato/onion mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and then add the bread crumbs. Cover with foil.

Bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for 25 minutes more, or until the bread crumbs have turned from golden to slightly browned.

(Yields: 8 servings; Ready In: about 90 minutes)

Rosemary Cheese Straws

2009-01-23T10:08:00.001-05:00

Before I moved to North Carolina, I’d never encountered the Carolinian cheese straw. The snack food that folks around here call “cheese straws” most closely resembles those neon orange cheese poofs from childhood lunches. And that’s not a dig. I love those cheese poofs. Of course, the variety that you find at a gourmet Carolina market uses organic cheeses and more exotic flavors than disodium phosphate. I’m starting to warm up to the Carolina cheese straw. But the hors d’ouevre that I have always known by the same name is more of a savory pastry that looks something like a breadstick. A few days ago, I had some friends over to work on a project for the UNC English Department’s upcoming Twelfth Night festivities (I’ll be posting recipes from this event at a later date) and I served my version of cheese straws. Using frozen puff pastry makes these straws a quick and easy cocktail party appetizer while the blend of Italian cheeses and fresh herbs proves that rosemary really is for remembrance.

1 box frozen puff pastry
1 extra large egg
1 tablespoon milk
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup grated Mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Asiago cheese
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Each box of puff pastry typically contains two sheets of frozen pastry. Each sheet makes about 10-12 cheese straws. You should defrost the pastry overnight in the refrigerator, so if you plan on halving the recipe, only defrost one sheet. I’ve found that the Pepperidge Farm brand of pastry is top quality and is usually the easiest to find at a conventional grocery.

On a lightly floured board, roll out each sheet of pastry until it measures 10- by 12-inches. Beat the egg and milk and generously brush the surface of the pastry. Then, sprinkle each sheet of pastry with ¼ cup Parmesan, ¼ cup Mozzarella, ¼ cup Asiago, ¼ teaspoon thyme, ½ tablespoon rosemary, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Use your rolling pin to press the cheese, herbs, and spices gently into the pastry.

With a pizza wheel, cut each pastry into 10 to 12 strips, about one inch wide. Twist each strip so that it resembles a twisted party streamer. Lay each twist on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden. Turn each twist and bake for 2-3 additional minutes. These can be served directly from the oven or at room temperature. Leftovers are great with pasta dishes.

(Yields: 20-24 pastries ; Ready In: 20-25 minutes)

Baked Tofu Bites

2009-01-21T19:43:00.003-05:00

Baked Tofu Bites are one of my favorite snacks, but they can also be used in salads, as a weeknight entrée, or even on sandwiches. They are simple to make and if you use the right marinade, they are definitely memorable. I use my own special sauce, but you can experiment with other marinades to work this dish into almost any menu.

1 (16 ounce) package extra firm tofu
1 recipe of Ben’s Special Sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place tofu between two plates and stack a few heavy objects (books or cans work best) on the top plate to press the excess liquid from the tofu. Allow the weight to press on the tofu for 15 minutes. Then, drain the excess liquid away.

Slice the tofu into ½ inch cubes. Gently stir the cubes into the bowl of Special Sauce, making sure each piece of tofu is evenly covered. Cover, and marinate for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.

Place the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn tofu and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more.

(Yields: 4-6 servings ; Ready In: 50 minutes (not including marinating time))

Ben's Special Sauce

2009-01-21T19:39:00.001-05:00

Every Southern cook should have a secret sauce, right? Though I do have extreme loyalty to some packaged marinades, sauces, and dressings, overall I’ve found that if you make the sauce yourself, it will probably taste better. I use this recipe to flavor many of my protein dishes including tofu and seitan. It is probably closest to a barbecue sauce in flavor, so I tend to use it when I’m craving a down-home taste.

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup ketchup
dash of Worchester sauce
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon tumeric
¼ teaspoon red pepper

Mix all ingredients well. Cover and allow flavors to blend for 30 minutes before using.

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Chili

2009-01-20T16:08:00.004-05:00

On a cold winter day, nothing beats a bowl of hot chili. I love to use pumpkin in seasonal soups, so over the years I’ve accrued a couple of different recipes for pumpkin chili. Whereas some of my favorite pumpkin dishes involve wallowing a fresh pumpkin around the cutting board for an hour, this Quick and Easy Pumpkin Chili uses canned pumpkin puree. Though it lacks the delightful texture one finds in chunks of fresh pumpkin, the puree is just as good for you. It has few calories, is high in fiber, and is packed with vitamin A, which stimulates the immune system. Paired with a fresh, crusty bread, this dish is perfect for curling up by the fire with your beagle and a good book.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
½ cup green bell pepper, chopped
½ cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon chili powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
shredded cheddar cheese for garnish (optional)
sour cream for garnish (optional)

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, green pepper, and yellow pepper until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Meanwhile drain and rinse the black beans in a sieve. Add the beans to the vegetable mix and stir to mix thoroughly. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the tomatoes and pumpkin puree to the mixture.

Season with chili powder, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve warm, topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of shredded cheese.

(Yields: 6 servings; Ready In: 30 minutes)

In the Pantry: Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea

2009-01-19T22:00:00.002-05:00

I’m a big fan of a warm cup of tea with breakfast, especially in the winter. If you are lucky enough to live near a specialty store or market that sells loose teas, they really can’t be beat (if you’re willing to front the start-up capital for a pot and all the acoutrements necessary to brew loose tea). But there are some really excellent blends available in pre-packaged bags that are perfect for any season. This winter, I’ve been drinking Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice. It’s a black tea with cinnamon, orange peel, and sweet clove. Black tea packs a little caffeine punch in the morning and is just second to green tea in terms of antioxidant properties. Cinnamon is a wonderful spice thought to be helpful in controlling blood sugar and cholesterol. But the bottom line is, this tea is refreshing and tastes wonderful. Its spicy kick is the perfect complement to a winter breakfast.

What: Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea
Where you can get it: In the North Carolina area, Foster’s Market; most specialty grocers will place a special order for you
Where you can get it online: http://www.harney.com/30060.html

Tomato Chevre Salad

2009-01-17T13:09:00.004-05:00

My friend Alipi makes a killer tomato salad and nothing reminds me of summer (even when it is as cold as it currently is across the East Coast) quite like a simple tomato and cheese salad. I’ve had tomato salads that use all varieties of tomatoes (beefsteak, campari, roma, etc.) and many types of cheese (feta, fresh mozzarella, sirene, etc.). But what always struck me about Alipi’s traditional Bulgarian recipe was the blend of oil and vinegar in proportion to the vegetables and cheese; with this recipe, the dressing should be light and allow the flavors of the other ingredients to take center stage. I prefer grape tomatoes (or tommy-toes, as I’ve always called them) and chevre in my salad, because the tart punch of the tomato is countered perfectly by the smooth, creaminess of the goat cheese. One note: this recipe should only be served to guests you know very well. The red onions, while absolutely delicious, will leave a very strong impression in close conversations. This dish also pairs perfectly with the Cabbage and Quinoa Filo Pie.

1 pint tommy-toes (grape tomatoes)
½ cup diced red onion (about half an onion)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves chopped
5 ounces chevre

Slice tomatoes in half and place in a large bowl. Add the onion, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, and parsley. Toss to coat. Carefully dice the chevre. (You want bigger chunks of cheese as opposed to crumbles. Go in for a good cheese for this one. Usually I’m not much of a brand snob, but anything that comes pre-crumbled in a plastic tub won’t taste as good. Furthermore, crumbles will leave you with a gooey, soggier salad, whereas diced chunks of cheese will produce a nicer looking and tasting dish.) Fold the cheese into the salad gently. Allow the flavors to blend at least an hour before serving. Serve at room temperature.

(Yields: 3-4 servings ; Ready In: 15-20 minutes)

Superfoods: Cabbage and Quinoa Filo Pie

2009-01-16T10:40:00.002-05:00

As far as nutritional trends go, I’m more than a bit skeptical of fad diets and insane “cleanses.” But, the superfoods hype is one movement I can definitely get behind. As most of you probably know, the term “superfood” is used to describe any number of natural foodstuffs with purported health benefits ranging from cancer prevention to weight loss, heart protection, and mood stabilizing effects. Though what constitutes a superfood shifts depending upon whose list you’re reading, the general consensus is that these foods are rich in antioxidants, omega 3’s, and/or phyto-flavinoids. While I wait for Captain Crunch’s Crunch Berries to be added to someone’s superfoods list, I try to incorporate superfoods into my diet as much as possible.

I made this Cabbage and Quinoa Filo Pie to use some cabbage I had left over from another meal, but in doing so stumbled upon a really wonderful dish. Cabbage is loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical thought to boost cancer-fighting enzymes. Quinoa is a wheat-free/gluten-free grain that is packed with protein, as well as the amino acids lysine, methionine, and cystine. I love using quinoa; if it was good enough for the Inca’s it’s good enough for me. This filo pie is an excellent, healthy main dish on a cold winter night. And, it’s also Vegan.

Filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced
½ head medium-sized cabbage, roughly chopped
½ pound mushrooms (baby bella, cremini, or shitake all work), thinly sliced
1 small carrot, grated
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock

Filo
1 16-ounce package of filo dough, thawed according to package instructions
olive oil or cooking spray
poppy seeds for garnish (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cabbage. Stir-fry the vegetables until soft, about 4 or 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated, about 7 or 8 minutes. Add the carrot, celery seeds, coriander, salt, and pepper and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Toss in the uncooked quinoa and stir to coat the grain with oil. Add the vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir once, lower the heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and allow the mixture to cool, partially covered for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a medium-size casserole dish. (I use a non-stick cooking spray quite a bit, even when working with filo. I know that is absolute blaspheme to die-hard foodies, but I can’t say I care. Cooking spray is quick, easy, and it’s fat free.) Set up your work area to work with filo dough. (See my post on the Baby Bella and Red Pepper Strudel for tips on managing filo.)

Lay a sheet of filo into the casserole dish, spray with cooking spray, and quickly add another sheet. Repeat four or five times. Push the edges of the dough along the sides of the dish to form the sides of the pie.

Pour the cabbage and quinoa filling onto the dough. Sprinkle the mixture with a bit of black pepper, then repeat the process of layering the filo dough to form the top crust for your pie. When you have four or five layers of dough on top of the filling, fold the edges under, into the sides of the pie.

Spray the top with a bit more cooking spray and sprinkle with poppy seeds, if you choose. (If you’re serving this dish to a crowd, I might discourage the poppy seeds. You’re just setting yourself—and your guests— up for an awkward poppy seed in your front teeth situation.) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the filo is puffed and golden brown. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. I’ve found that a serrated knife works best for cutting any dish that uses filo.

(Yields: 8 servings; Ready In: 60-70 minutes)

Erica and Tom's Banana Cake

2009-01-14T21:13:00.003-05:00

I mentioned in my previous post that Tom and Erica brought a tasty banana cake to Old Christmas dinner. I hit up Erica for the recipe and was surprised to find just how quick and easy this dessert is to make. It just goes to show that you needn’t always toil away in the kitchen for days when you can produce a crowd favorite with a few simple ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen. And just so you know, this cake isn’t just for dessert—it makes a perfect post-night-of-entertaining breakfast, as well. Thanks for passing this along, Erica. You may be from Pennsylvania, but you’ve earned your Southern street cred with me. (And though Erica suggests using a bundt pan, I can only imagine how this cake might work as cupcakes with a little chocolate buttercream frosting.)

1 box yellow cake mix
1 package of vanilla pudding mix
2 medium bananas, sliced (the riper, the better)

Follow the directions to prepare the boxed cake mix. Add the pudding mix and sliced bananas to the cake ingredients before mixing. (Erica suggests using the ripest bananas you have—their softness allows them to blend into the batter more thoroughly.)

Pour the mixed batter into a greased bundt pan and bake according to box instructions.