01 Oct 2011 Cauliflower Gratin with Tomatoes and Feta

Adapted from Madison, D. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. (1997). New York: Broadway Books. p 281.

Copyright © 2011. Adrien Bisson Photography

My Comment: I seem to be having a bit of a time management problem these days – and our diet has suffered. The change of the calendar to October is hopefully going to provide some inspiration to reconnect with the important things – eating healthful foods made at home.  Deborah Madison provides this gratin which is a family favorite – we love the creaminess of feta and the saltiness of capers. Have I mentioned cinnamon is my favorite spice?

A note about nutritional information. I am no longer using Weight Watchers points, but through the Calorie Count website, can provide the information Weight Watchers and other nutrition-aware users to track food intake. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 to 3 TBSP Olive Oil (less is more if you’re asking me)
1 onion, sliced thinly
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1-1/2 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1-15-oz can diced tomatoes (I use Muir Glen)
1 tsp honey
1 TBSP capers, rinsed
salt and freshly milled pepper
1 large cauliflowers (about 1-1/2 lbs) broken into florets
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 to 4 oz. crumbled feta
Parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat the broiler and lightly oil a 2-quart gratin dish.

2. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, oregano and cinnamon. Cook until the onion is wilted – about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cook for 7 minutes more, then add the honey and capers and season with salt and pepper. Slide the mixture into the gratin dish.

3. Meanwhile, steam the cauliflower for 5 minutes. Set it on the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and add the feta. Place 5 to 6 inches under the broiler until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is beginning to brown – about 10 minutes.

4. Garnish with parsley and serve. (If you are assembling the gratin ahead of time, cover and bake at 400 F until bubbling – about 20 minutes and the finish under the broiler).

Nutrition Information: 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 40 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 80

Total Fat 6.8g, Total Carbohydrates 4.9g, Dietary Fiber 0.8g, Protein 0.5g

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22 Aug 2011 Summer Panzanella

Adapted from: Moosewood Collective. Simple suppers: fresh ideas for the weeknight table. (2005). New York: Clarkson Potter. p 108.

My Comment: This is one of my favorite parts of the summer – when all

Copyright © 2011. Adrien Bisson

 the tomatoes ripen at the same time Not only do I have some heirloom tomatoes growing in my own garden, but we received some delicious orange-colored cherry tomatoes from our CSA and our neighbor shared some yellow and red cherry tomatoes too. What’s a cook to do except locate a tomato-friendly recipe and use them all up!

Ingredients:

1/2 loaf of crusty French or Italian bread (about 8 oz) (I used 1/2 of this amount)
4 tomatoes (see note above)
1 large ball of fresh mozzarella (about 5 oz)
1/2 red onion
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup pitted olives (used Kalamata)
1 TBSP red wine or cider vinegar
1 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper (fresh ground)
Optional: extra vinaigrette

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the bread in half lengthwise and place in the oven until crisp – 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients and place them in a serving bowl: Cut to tomatoes and fresh mozzarella into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups of tomatoes and 1 cup of mozzarella), peel and thinly slice the red onion, cut the basil leaves into thin strips and chop the olives.

3. Add the vinegar and oil to the bowl and toss well.

4. Cut the toasted bread into 1-inch cubes (7 to 8 cups). Add the bread cubes to the bowl and toss well. Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the bread to soak up some of the juices. Add salt and pepper to taste (pass extra viniagrette on the side – but we found it didn’t need any extra dressing).

Serves 4.  Nutrition information: Calories 282, Fat 15.3 g, Carbs 23.9, Fiber 3.6

18 Aug 2011 Zucchini Tomato Curry

Adapted from Meatless Monday: Zucchini Tomato Curry. Downloaded from the web on 08/16/2011.

My Comment: Although this recipe filled our house with the delicious fragrance of cumin, coriander and ginger, the finished product – in my humble opinion – needs a tweak or two.  First of all, the zucchini rounds should be cut again so that they cook up faster. Or maybe I just need to by skinnier zucchini  We both expected a bit more of a sauce; not sure how to accomplish that. I served Adrien some basmati rice with his portion –  mine without. Note – the directions on Meatless Monday’s site left out the garam masala even though it is listed in the ingredient list, so if you use the download, be prepared to punt.

Ingredients  

Copyirght © 2011. Adrien Bisson.

1 TBSP olive oil for preparing the pan
2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 TBSP garam masala (make your own, or I used Whole Foods brand)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste
3 zucchini, sliced into rounds (see my comment above)
2 ripe tomatoes, pureed
juice from 1/4 lemon

Method

1. Place olive oil in frying pan over medium-high heat. Add fresh garlic, ginger and onion. Saute for 3-5 minutes or until fragrant.

2. Add pureed tomatoes to the pan and stir until well incorporated. Season the tomato-onion mixutre with the cumin, coriander,  Garam Masala, salt and pepper (to taste). Mix well to ensure all seasonings are evenly distributed.

3. Toss in the zucchini and stir well to ensure the zucchini is thoroughly coated in tomato curry sauce. Cook for 3-5 minutes (I think this should be a LOT longer), stirring occasionally, or until the zucchini is cooked through.

4. Squirt the 14 lemon over the curry. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serves 3. Nutrition information: Calories 108.3, Fat 5.6 grams, carbs 13.7 g, fiber 3.8 grams, protein 3.7 grams.

09 Aug 2011 Eggplant Agnolotti With Tomato Sauce

Adapted from Madison, D. Vegetarian cooking for everyone. (1997). New York: Broadway Books. p. 472.

Copyright © 2011. Adrien Bisson.

My Comments: After a summer hiatus, I hope we’re back into the routine of cooking together — lots of salads lately. 

So, there I was with a giant eggplant from our CSA. Adrien & I have different views of eggplant: I would happily eat it several times a week and he only wants to eat it when it is heavily disguised.  As we were going through all our cookbooks, Adrien found this recipe and since he found it, I figured there was a better probability he’d like the result.

I substituted  wontons for homemade pasta dough. I would have purchased a sheet of pasta dough, but that seems to be an item only found at our local Whole Foods. I also did not make the simple tomato sauce. If you have the time and want to follow the recipe suggestions exactly, feel free – but this unadorned version was very tasty!

Copyright © 2011. Adrien Bisson.

Ingredients (for everything but the tomato sauce)

1 pound eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
Vegetable or olive oil as needed
1/3 cup walnuts
1 cup ricotta (I used part skim)
1/2 cup grated pecorino Romano (plus extra for garnish)
2 eggs beaten (I left these out)
2 TBSP chopped basil
2 TBSP chopped parsley
4 tsp chopped mint
Salt and freshly milled pepper

1-1/2 lbs fresh pasta (made or purchased) OR wonton wrappers

Freshly made simple tomato sauce if you desire)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with oil, set on a sheet pan and bake until browned on the bottom (about 20 minutes). Turn and brown the other side – about 20 minutes more.

2. Grind walnuts in food processor, then work in the eggplant until fairly smooth. Remove the mixture to a bowl and add the cheeses, eggs (I did not use these), and herbs. Season to taste with sal and pepper. Set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile either make the pasta dough and fresh tomato sauce if you are using it.

4. To form agnolotti, roll out the pasta dough and cut out 3-inch circles with a fluted biscuit cutter.  If you are using wontons (as I did), go directly to step 5.

5. Place filling on one half of a circle OR wonton, brush edge with water, fold in half and press together.  If you are using the circles, you should then use fingers to bend the half-circle to form a crescent.

6. Cook them in gently boiling salted water for 4 or 5 minutes. Scoop onto a platter interspersed with the sauce (if using), basil and additional grated cheese.

Serves 4 to 6.

Nutrition information from Calorie Count on About.com.

585 calories, 9.9 g fat (sat. 2.7 g), carbs 100, fiber 6.1

25 Jul 2011 Rice Noodle Bowl with Broccoli & Bell Peppers

Adapted from: Gadia, M. “Table for One“. Vegetarian Times (Vol. 36, No. 7). July/August 2010. P. 31.

Copyright © 2011. Adrien Bisson.

My Comment: This recipe was originally part of an article about cooking for one; sometimes I think cooking for just two is equally challenging.  It was easy to double – being a teacher I know my times tables ! It seems like it would be quite easy to vary the vegetables according to what is in season. This one looks like a keeper to me.

Ingredients

1-1/2 oz. dried rice noodles broken into 1-inch pieces
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar (or other healthy sweetner like agave)
1 tsp chile sauce (or to taste)
2 tsp canola oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic minced (if the chile sauce already includes garlic, skip this)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup broccoli
1 TBSP chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

Method

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in medium saucepan. Add broken noodles. Remove from heat and let stand 5 to 7 minutes or until noodles are rehydrated. Drain and discard water.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar or sweetener, chile sauce and 1/4 cup water in small bowl. Set aside.

3. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and stir fry 1 minute. Add bell pepper and broccoli and cook 1 minute more. Add soy sauce mixture , bring to a boil and cook 1 minute more or until bell pepper and broccoli are tender. Stir in noodles. Serve sprinkled with roasted peanuts, if using.

Servings = 1. Nutrition information: 311 calories, 10 G fat, 55 G carbs, 3 G fiber.

18 July 2011 Blue Cheese-Topped Mushroom Steaks over Arugala

Copyright © 2011. Adrien Bisson.

Adapted from: Riccardi, V. “20 ways to grill fruits and veggies.” Vegetarian Times. (Vol. 37, No. 6) July/August 2011. p 66.

My Comment: It’s been actually hot here — not hot by New England standards, but H-O-T; and even though I like it that way, I don’t enjoy heating up the kitchen and then living with the aftermath (no AC). So when we heard the long-range forecast of a heat-wave, I picked out grill-based recipes.

The mix of spicy arugala with the garlicky blue-cheese based dressing is just one of those things that simply go together. And as far as I’m concerned, you can keep the steak – I love hearty Portobellos and grilling them is the perfect way to prepare them! Enjoy!

Ingredients

Vegetable oil for brushing on the grill
3 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
4 large Portobello mushroom caps
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk (I used nonfat)
2 oz. crumbled blue cheese (about 1/2 cup)
2 TBSP reduced – fat mayonnaise
2 TBSP fresh chives
8 cups baby arugula
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Method:

1. Brush grill grates with oil and pre-heat grill to medium.

2. Whisk together olive oil and vinegar in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired and brush all over mushroom caps. (I used my usual mustard vinegarette recipe — 2:1 balsamic to olive oil and add some dijon mustard before whisking). Place caps on grill and cook 15-18 minutes, turning once or until tender. Transfer to cutting board to cool slightly before slicing.

3. Process garlic in food processor (again — I’m a minimalist when it comes to cleaning up gadgets. Chop the daylights out of the garlic, put the other ingredients in a 2-cup measure and use a stick blender.  Easier to clean IMHO).

4. Add buttermilk, blue cheese and mayonnaise; process until creamy. Stir in chives (see not about blending in Step 3).

5. Divide arugula among plates. Top with Portobellos, tomatoes, and sauce.

Nutrition Info per serving (4 servings): 166 calories, 8 G protein, 9 G total fat, 13 G carbs, 3 G fiber.

16 July 2011 Bing Cherry Salad Dressing

Adapted from: Spitalnick, A. (editor). “This Just In… Bing Cherries”. Vegetarian Times. (Vol.37, No. 6). July/August 2011. p 16.

Copyright © 2011. Adrien Bisson.

My Comment: Growing up in the mid-west, I don’t remember much about Bing cherries; my cheery cherry memory is pitting sour cherries (by the pound) so my Mother could freeze them. Sweet cherries were Queen Annes.  I don’t know, maybe there were Bing cherries and I was just not paying attention.

That said, this is the time of year when markets and even our CSA usually have Bing cherries available. I don’t often use dressing on salads; but this was intriguing — the sweetness of ripe red-purple cherries mixed with vinegar and mustard was an enticement on a sweltering summer evening when we just felt like eating a simple salad for supper.

Vegetarian Times did not specify amounts — so I won’t either.  Most recipes call for oil to vinegar ratios of 2:1 — I usually do just the opposite (there’s a shock). Add honey to taste and about a tablespoon of mustard (more or less to your personal taste).

Puree together:

Pitted bing cherries (I used about 30)
Almond oil (see note above; I think I used about 2-3 TBSP)
Champagne vinegar (see note above)
mustard (about 2 tsp does the trick)
honey (use agave or other liquid sweetener to make this vegan)

08 July 2011 Naomi Pomeroy’s Quinoa with Sweet Peas & Sour Cream Dressing

Adapted from Pomeroy, N. “Quinoa with sweet pea & sour cream dressing.”  Wall Street Journal Online: Slow Food Fast. (April 23, 2011). Downloaded from the web on 08 July 2011.

Copyright © 2011. Adrien Bisson

My Comments: I love the texture and taste of quinoa and this slightly warmed dish seemed perfect for summer! Our CSA shares have included some wonderfully fresh sugar snap peas and even some mint — trying this recipe seemed to be a good fit.  Not a big fan of sour cream, so I substituted (of course) with non-fat Greek yogurt.

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon and pinch salt
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup yellow onion, diced
3/4 cup snap or snow peas, halved crosswise on the bias
3/4 cup shelled peas, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons sour cream (I substituted Non-fat Greek yogurt)
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup fresh mint, torn
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Method

1. Place quinoa in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until tender, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff grains. Leave lid ajar, and let cool.

2. While quinoa cooks, set a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in snap peas and shelled peas. Sauté for 2 minutes, or until peas turn bright green. Remove from heat.

4. Mix sour cream, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt together. Whisk in ¼ cup olive oil.

5. Stir quinoa into the pea mixture and set pan back over medium heat. Cook until just warmed through and add dressing. Remove from heat.

6. Stir in mint and parsley. Adjust seasoning with lemon juice and salt, if needed.

Adjust seasoning with lemon juice and salt, if needed.

24 Jun 2011 Bread and Tomato Soup

Adapted from Oliver, J. Bread and Tomato Soup. Downloaded from the web on 24 June 2011. 

Copyright © 2011. Adrien Bisson.

My Comment: While it is still too early for farmer’s market tomatoes here in New England, there are still good sources available for fresh and canned tomatoes to use in this recipe. Besides, I had some bread to use up Besides being warming and very fresh tasting, I like this recipe because of its simplicity. Never mind that the proportions are metric (a little brain work is good for you!). Enjoy it now and then create it again when the tomatoes are perfectly ripe right off the vine.

Ingredients

500 g cherry tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
a large bunch of fresh basil, leaved picked, stalks finely chopped (separate the stalks from the leaves)
high quality extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
2 400-g (14 oz) tin (that’s cans to us) plum tomatoes
500 g or 2 large handfuls of stale good-quality bread (I used some leftover ciabatta)

Method

1. Prick the cherry tomatoes with a fork and toss with one clove of garlic and about a quarter of the chopped up basil. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in a roasting tray and cook in the over at 180 c (350 F) for 20 minutes.

2. Heat a glug (Jamie’s term!) of olive oil in a pot and add the remaining garlic and basic stalks. Stir around and gently fry for a minute until softened. Add the canned tomatoes then fill at least one can with water and add that also (you may want to consider adding more water if the soup seems to thick). Break up the tomatoes with a spoon, bring soup to a boil and simmer 15 minutes.

3. Tear the bread into thumb-sized pieces and add them to the pot. Add the torn basil leaves, let the bread sit on top of the soup mixture at low heat for 10 minutes. By this time the cherry tomatoes will have finished roasting — pour them (basil leaves, tomatoes, juices and all) into the soup pot.

4. Give the soup a good stir — you are looking to achieve a thick, silky porridgy texture. Remove from heat, add an additional 6-7 TBSP of olive oil and divide between 4 bowls — garnish with additional basil leaves if you want.

Serves 4.

20 Jun 2011 Tatsoi/Bok Choy Fried Rice

Adapted from The Pod. World Peas CSA, project of New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. (June 16, 2011).

Copyright © 2011. Adrien Bisson.

My Comment: This is the second year that Adrien and I have belonged to a local CSA, World Peas.  What a wonderful idea behind the CSA — new farmers are mentored and supported while they learn how to plan, grow, manage and market crops. Adrien has photographed some of the farmers — and through this project we’ve met some incredible people.

Our weekly share comes complete with a newsletter suggesting ways to use some of the bounty that we receive.  This recipe actually came from another CSA’s published cookbook, Asparagus to Zucchini. Advertised as an alternative lunch dish, I doubled it — left out the meat — and served it as a stir fry main dish. And found there was plenty leftover for the next day’s lunch too.

Ingredients

2 tsp peanut oil, divided (I used avocado oil because I had it)
2 tsp sesame oil, divided
14 cup diced carrots
ginger (diced), scallions
1 cup diced tatsoi or bok choy

(I added about a cup per person of fresh spinach)

1 1/2 cups leftover rice (I prefer brown)
1/2 cup leftover cooked meat – or substitute (I didn’t use this – more veggies!)
1 egg
chili garlic sauce (optional) and soy sauce
Method

1. Heat wok over medium high heat. Add 1 tsp each of the peanut and sesame oil. Add carrots and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the greens (bok choy and anything else you’re using) and stir fry for another 2 minutes.

2. Push veggies to the side of the pan and add remaining peanut oil followed by the rice, meat (if using), some ginger and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add some green onions.

3. Push the veggies to the side of the pan. Add the remaining sesame oil, and crack an egg into the center of the wok. Scramble it.

4. Once egg is cooked, break it up and mix into other ingredients. Add a little chili garlic paste if you desire and some soy sauce.

5. Cook for another minute or two and serve hot.