Veggie Gumbo

This recipe is completely vegetarian.

Since I'm not born on the bayou, and this recipe is not strictly cajun, I will have to call it "cajun-inspired", but it's still yummy!! I have been making cajun-style food lately, completely inspired by Alex Patout and his silly glasses (http://www.amazon.com/Patouts-Cajun-Home-Cooking-Patout/dp/039454725X). 

This is a great way to spice up a vegetable stew!

***Note: I used leftover corn-cob broth from last week. If you want, you can prepare the corn first and have the broth simmering while you chop the other vegetables. By the time you're done chopping, the broth will be done and you can just throw the corn kernels in at the end.

AL'S VEGGIE GUMBO

I got everything fresh from the farmers market! Support local farmers.

=Ingredients=

1-2 T vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped finely

2 cloves of garlic

3-4 ripe tomatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks (put in a big bowl)

3 bell peppers: 1 yellow, 1 red, 1 green, chopped

freshly grated salt & pepper

1 T cayenne pepper powder (or flakes, but I prefer an even distribution)

1-2 tsp dried thyme/savory/similar herb

2 ears of fresh corn, shucked

4 c corn-cob broth (OR water if you don't have any)

ROUX: 

Roux is a thickener and easy to make.

(ratio: 1 T unsalted butter:2 T all-purpose flour)

Use 3 T butter and 6 T flour

ACCOMPANIMENT:

2 c basmati rice, cooked

=Steps for Experienced Cooks=

1. Chop tomatoes, peppers and onion. Smash the garlic cloves and remove skins.

2. Saute onions. Add peppers. Prepare a peanut-colored roux while you do this. Throw in tomatoes, herbs and spice to taste. Add the corn broth and mix to combine. Thicken with roux after 20 mins. Let it simmer a bit more.

3. Slice the corn kernels off and milk the ears. Add the corn and cover the stew. Use cobs for more broth.

4. Add salt to taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

=Steps with Details=

Basically, you are preparing a standard vegetable stew but making a roux at the same time. You can also make the roux ahead of time. ***When the roux reaches a peanut-butter color, REMOVE FROM HEAT.

1. Have tomatoes, peppers and onion chopped and ready in separate containers.

2. Take the cloves of garlic and smash them once or twice with the bottom of your pot (or the flat of your knife blade). The skin will be easy to take off and leave you with smashed cloves. No need to mince and get garlic hands!

3. Heat oil in your pan and saute onions and garlic until onions are translucent, about 5 mins.

4. In a pan, melt the butter on medium heat. When it's melted and hot, throw in the flour and IMMEDIATELY start mixing with your spatula. You need to keep stirring, scraping the bottom so it doesn't stick, while you finish the stew.

5. Add bell peppers to the ONIONS and saute, stirring occasionally, 5 mins. Keep stirring the roux -- it will go from light brown (blond) to a peanut-butter color after a while.

6. Add the corn broth, tomatoes, thyme, cayenne, and grated peppercorns. Mix to combine and let it bubble heartily on medium-high heat, uncovered. This will let some of the juices evaporate.

7. At this point, the roux should be done and removed from the heat.

8. PREPARE THE CORN (20 mins): While the soup is bubbling (KEEP an eye on it) and getting good and tasty, use a sharp knife and slice the corn kernels into a bowl. What I do is rest the ear of corn vertically in the bowl, and then slide a side, rotate, slice, rotate, until all the kernels are off. Use a butter knife to "milk" the ear, aka scrape downwards on all sides until all the goodness is off the ear. ***At this point, you can make corn-cob broth by just covering the cobs with water and simmering.

9. THICKEN THE SOUP: Reduce the heat so the soup just simmers. Add the roux by spoonfuls into the soup, mixing with every spoonful to incorporate -- BE CAREFUL as it is very hot! 

10. Add the corn kernels and stir to combine. Turn heat to low and cover; cook a bit longer.

11. Taste it and add salt; adjust seasoning if needed. Remember that cayenne pepper is very potent, so don't add too much at once!

Serve over rice!

Bon appetit!

Simple Bread and Butter Pudding (With Accents)

This is a simple recipe. I am occasionally seized by the impulse to craft incredibly elaborate meals with 20 ingredients, but when it comes to this, it's all about recipes that are easy to remember and elaborate.

I added some kicks here and there for extra oohs. I used things lying around my shelf (actually it is a "kitchen box" since I live in a 6x10 room :P)

Mm, mm, that most traditional of British comfort foods! (We are not including black pudding here.)

SIMPLE BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING (WITH ACCENTS)
You customize the spice & other extra ingredients!

=Ingredients=
5 slices crust-on bread
3-4 T butter, softened
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon or other (mixed) spice (I used cardamom)
2 c (whole) milk
2-3 eggs (large, organic, free-range)
Extras: raisins (I used cranberries, golden raisins, 2 tsp shredded dried coconut)

=Instructions=
1. Generously butter the bread slices on ONE side. Then cut into triangles or rectangles.
2. Place some bread in a baking pan BUTTER SIDE UP -- I used a loaf pan; you can use whatever you have. FOR EACH LAYER of bread, sprinkle on some sugar, spice & extras (raisins, etc.). So it will be BREAD - SPICE + RAISINS - BREAD - SPICE + RAISINS.
3. Beat/Whisk together eggs and milk in a bowl. Pour over bread.
4. Leave it for 30 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the liquid. Then
BAKE at 350 F for 30 minutes, or until brown on top.

Good served in bowls with cream or vanilla pudding poured on top!

Enjoy!

Hearty Pumpkin Soup

I made this up this past Halloween because the Trader Joe's pumpkin we bought was the sweetest and more delicious-looking pumpkin I had ever seen. I just couldn't resist! This is a great way to use your Halloween pumpkin for three things: a decoration, a soup, and roasted seeds!

Chinese people often make soup with little pumpkin cubes in a chicken broth. Any kind of pumpkin/squash works, like butternut.

Google procedures for properly getting the meat out of a pumpkin...I was carving it at the same time so it'll be different.

HEARTY PUMPKIN SOUP
This recipe showcases the natural flavor of the pumpkin. That said, there's barely any spice.
You can add barley to it to change it up the next day!

=Ingredients=
1 large eating pumpkin (with at least 2 lbs meat, I would say)
Chicken broth homemade, or hot water and a couple of Trader Joe's chicken broth essence packages
(Or: Vegetable bouillon, without too many distracting flavors - keep it simple)
Salt and pepper sparingly

=Instructions=
***FIRST, you make the soup. THEN, you carve a design into your pumpkin! I have found that carving first makes it harder to get the meat out without ruining your lovely design.

1. Prepare your Hallow's Eve pumpkin!! This includes cutting a circle around the stem and removing the "lid", and putting the seeds & guts in a bowl for later. (Find a recipe for roasted seeds online -- I used onion powder, garlic powder, salt and sprayed on some oil.)
Then, with an ice cream scoop or metal baller, scoop out as much soft pulp as you can. I didn't make balls, I scooped out long "strips" of pumpkin. You can use a small, sharp knife for delicate work.
2. Have your large stock pot (at least 3 quarts) nearby. As you scoop, place the meat into the pot.
3. The pot should be no more than 3/4 full of pumpkin. If there's more than that, put it in a plastic bag/large mason jar and store it in the fridge. Find a cool recipe!
4. Prepare boiling water. Measure it out by the cupful and add it to the pumpkin pot until the pumpkin is covered by 2 inches. KEEP TRACK of how many cups you added!
5. Add as much TJ's chicken essence/bouillon cubes/bouillon powder as necessary, based on number of cups of water.
(OR, IF YOU HAVE HOMEMADE BROTH/STOCK: Add enough to cover pumpkin by 2 inches.)
6. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. If your lid doesn't have a vent, leave a little vent by putting the lid on a bit crooked -- don't let the soup boil over! If you're not making other things in the kitchen, set an alarm and check on it often.
7. Simmer, stirrring occasionally, until pumpkin is totally tender.

8. At this point, you have two options: Either you can puree it carefully, or you can do like I did and just leave it the way it is. Break up the pumpkin into smaller chunks with a spatula or wooden spoon. It's okay if they're not all the same size, just as long as you have bite-sized chunks. ***PUREEING: Always allow to cool before pureeing in a blender! A wand pureer is really handy.

9. Taste and season with salt and pepper sparingly if it's too bland for you. Always be careful with pepper -- a little goes a long way!

I did not use any sort of herb here, but you could add some dried savory with the chicken broth/veggie broth before you start simmering. I've done this and it tastes very good. The only thing is I REALLY love the natural taste of pumpkin, and adding the savory overpowered the pumpkin flavor.

Bon apetit!

Great Northern Beans! With Flair

Here is a recipe I made up last autumn for a Halloweeny feast! It was the result of just having bought my FIRST tin of Hungarian paprika (!!), having beans, and not knowing how to cook beans.

Of course, I recommend that you buy dried beans in bulk and prepare them from scratch -- it's more economical. Freeze em and it's a breeze later on! At the time, though, I did not have this option.

PAPRIKA-ED GREAT NORTHERN BEANS
(or, GREAT PAPRIKA NORTHERN BEANS):
"They're great!" Yes, I went there.

=Ingredients=
organic leek, thinly sliced (~1-2 in of the white part or more)
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste (NOT sauce! the thick paste.)
1 can organic great northern (white) beans
2-3 tsp paprika - whichever kind you have
(Optional: dried basil or oregano)
Freshly grated salt & pepper to taste -- none of that pre-grated stuff!!

=Instructions=
1. Heat some oil or butter (or a combination for the best of both worlds) in a large frying pan. When it's shimmering, add the leek and sprinkle on the paprika. Sautee 3-5 minutes.
2. When the leek is well sauteed but not burnt, add the tomato paste. I like to use a rubber spatula because you can get every last drop! Open the can of beans, drain, and dump 'em in. Mix well (folding motions) and spread it so it's in a thin layer in the pan. Use that surface area to increase evaporation/reduction rate!
3. Lower the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Give it a go-around with your spatula or wooden spoon occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn and stick to the bottom.
4. When the sauce dries some and gets really thick, taste. Salt & pepper to taste - be careful not to add too much; add a bit at a time to avoid overspicing. (If you overspice, put in another 1/2-1 can of beans and heat through.)
5. Serve as a side! This is rich and hearty fare for a cold day.

Feel free to add some dried basil or the like along with the beans!

PRESENTATION: FALL DINNER
This is something new I'm adding occasionally -- how to lay out your table.

Here's how I did the presentation for this particular meal -

- MIDDLE OF TABLE: circular plate with rectangular slices of various cheeses arranged in a flower shape (all pointing like petals outwards, making a circle/flower). In the middle of the circle I put a tiny red maple leaf I found from the yard.
- TO EACH SIDE: I put the beans on one side of the cheese plate and on the other side, a large bowl of couscous (made with olive oil, salt, some bouillon if you like).
- AT EACH SEAT: I put one bowl of my hearty pumpkin soup (recipe later!) and a plate.

So: Each person had a bowl of pumpkin soup. Then there were beans that could go on top of couscous. My friend Doug also brought some fresh-made cornbread. You can use my cornbread recipe from before -- omit the bacon if desired. Cornbread goes great with beans! This was a celebration of seasonal foods!

FOR DESSERT, I made an apple sauce to which I added unsweetened organic coconut flakes and a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract. You could add powdered cardamom instead of vanilla for a more Indian taste. It is a subtle difference but very noticeable.

Blog Recommendation

I just found and absolutely LOVE this blog. It's cute, it's thorough, it's Japanese, and it's written with humor and heart. What else could you ask for? Oh, yes, pictures -- it has those, too.

Just Hungry:
http://www.justhungry.com/

Some things to look for:
Onigiri 2.0 - an easy way to shape them
Essential Japanese ingredients
Okonomiyaki recipe! I LOVE this.

Give it a look! You will not be disappointed.

"Scraps" Applesauce with Lemon and Spice

I had two Pinata apples (organic, on sale at Whole Foods) sitting in my room. Why? you may ask. Usually I eat like two apples a day as snacks, because they are so delicious. Well, these Pinata apples were somehow too sweet and too sour at the same time, and I couldn't bring myself to finish them.

And so, I made APPLESAUCE! I figured I could adjust the taste by cooking and adding seasonings. Well, I feel like I did a decent job, so I'm sharing:

This is called "scraps" applesauce because I used "leftovers" that were lying around, and "leftover" applesauce doesn't sound very tasty.

Why buy applesauce again when you can make your own, invent new taste combinations every week, and know every little thing that's in it!

*Note: Mixing varieties of apples makes the flavor more complex and tastier! The same goes for apple pie. I ended up throwing in a small tart apple towards the end.

=INGREDIENTS=
2 apples (preferably tart ones)
zest of 1/2-1 lemon (organic, or WELL washed)
juice of 1 small lemon
~2 c water
2-3 T sugar (any kind; I used granulated)
VERY SMALL AMOUNT of cloves (they're powerful!)
OR 1/2 T cinnamon

=INSTRUCTIONS=
1) Put a 1- or 2-qt pot on the stove with water & put heat on low.
2a) The "Conventional" Way - Put each apple right-side up and, with a small knife, make 4 or 5 big slices, leaving just the core. You can munch on this later while you stir. Roughly chop apple slices (maybe the size of your thumb nail).
2b) The "Checkerboard" Way - If no one's done this before then I claim credit. Take your small knife and CAREFULLY "roll" it blade bottom to blade top into the apple, not penetrating the core. This makes one cut. Make vertical cuts all around the apple; then cut horizontal lines to make a checkerboard design. Place apple on board and slice off a first layer all around, then a second, deeper layer. Now you will have lots of little apple bits and a core.
3) Bring water & apples to a boil (lid off) and then reduce to a medium bubble. Add the sugar, lemon zest, and spice of choice.
4) Cut the lemon in half, remove seeds, and then poke it a bunch with the knife. With your thumb or a spoon, press & squeeze every last bit of juice out -- pulp is good and adds flavor!
5) Stir it every few minutes to prevent the bottom from burning and sticking. After 10-15 minutes the apples will get soft and you can mush it a bit with a spatula or wooden spoon.
6) Taste a bit and adjust seasoning if desired. I have been known to throw in 1/2 a tsp of freshly grated black pepper for some kick! If you want, you can add more seasonings, add another 1/2 c of water, and reduce again so the flavors are well developed.

If the apples looks fine but there's too much water, increase to a hearty bubble, stirring occasionally, until it's reduced.

(Yields 2 hearty/4 small servings.)

Voila! Store it in a cute little 1-pt mason jar and call it "rustic!"

Orzo "Risotto" with Pulled Chicken

Very easy to make and totally delicious! Chicken is optional. You could sub with beans.

Orzo is a kind of Greek pasta. Look at the orzo box and use proportionally appropriate amounts of the ingredients depending on number of eaters.

=Ingredients=

Glug of olive oil (no EVOO here, Rachel)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 small onion, chopped (or 1/2 if you aren't a HUGE onion fan)

Organic orzo (1/2 c)

1 packet Trader Joe's Chicken Broth Concentrate

3-4 c boiling water

(Optional: 1 shot rice wine)

2-3 Tbsp vegetable bouillon

1/4 c feta cheese crumbles

1 tsp dried savory (or basil, or fresh basil)

Handful of pulled rotisserie chicken (remember, use the bones for broth!)

*Note: You can also cook the orzo in a mix of chicken broth and white wine.

=Instructions=

1. Chop the onion and sautee in the oil on medium heat until translucent and slightly browned. You can grind in some salt and pepper if you want. Squeeze in the TJ broth essence.

2. Meanwhile, you can have a kettle going with some water. Pour in the water and BE CAREFUL about the hot steam! Let it settle & mix it. If you want, glug in a shot or two of rice wine for special flavor and acidity.

3. Pour in the orzo and vegetable bouillon. Heat it on a hearty bubble, STIRRING often to prevent sticking. (This takes around ten minutes.)

4. When the liquid is almost all reduced, shake in the feta & give it a mix; it'll melt and get nice and gooey. Sprinkle in the savory and mix.

5. Taste it. If it's too weak, but getting dry, add some more flavoring (like bouillon, 1 tsp) and liquid (like water, 1 c). Let it reduce at a hearty bubble again, about 5 minutes, stirring faithfully.

6. When it looks like risotto (google it), turn off the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. At this point you can put in the chicken or beans and stir to heat through.

Note on stirring: I used wooden chopsticks while making this. You can get a lot of surface-area exposure if you separate the chopsticks (make a ~70-degree angle) and stir in twists and turns. I'm not certain, but I think this helps speed along the evaporation.

I put this into a ceramic storage bowl with a lid & reheated to my delight! Btw, I've sworn off plastics now after hearing about massive increase in chemicals in your body -- some guy did an interview with Diane Rehm about his 48-hour plastic experiment. Mason jars all the way!