vegetables

A Simple Vegetable Stock

October 4, 2011

Keep a sealable bag or a “scrap” bowl in the refrigerator where you can add vegetable odds and ends. Once the bag is full, go through it and pick-out what can be used for stock. Vegetables that have rotted will not work.

Keep the taste of your stock somewhat neutral, unless you know you are going to use the broth in a certain way.

Except for salt, add spices when you make a dish, not to the stock.

Combinations of vegetables that work well: onions, carrots, celery, fennel, mushrooms, turnips, broccoli stems, hearty leaves (cabbage, kale, etc) and leeks. It’s good to have a roughly equal portion of whatever vegetables you choose to keep the flavor balanced.

Herbs to include: parsley, thyme, sage and/or bay leaf.

Throw all the vegetables in a pot big, cover with water and simmer – less water means that your stock will be more concentrated, while more water makes a lighter stock.

Heat stock to just under a boil and then turn down to medium-low. Cook for at least one hour.

When stock is ready, let cool and then remove all larger pieces of vegetables with a slotted spoon and strain. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

NOTE: Two ways to make a richer broth are to roast the vegetables first or let them sweat (soften) in the pan before adding water.

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Gingered Cauliflower with Parmigiano-Reggiano

September 20, 2011

This recipe is from Madhur Jaffrey’s Cookbook/ Easy East/West Menus for Family and Friends, a book which is out-of-print but worth tracking down, is a wonderful blend of flavors perfectly complimenting this cruciferous vegetable – which has folks on both sides the the fence. We love this recipe.

Serves 4-6

1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
Pinch of cayenne
1 rounded Tbls. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
Kosher or sea salt, to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 c. freshly grated good-quality Parmigiano-Reggiano

Have all ingredients prepared and ready — (Mise en place, literally translated from the French, means “setting in place”. The term is used to describe preparation done before starting the actual cooking process.)

In a large pan, heat oil over a high heat. When hot, put in cumin seeds. Stir quickly. Add ginger. Stir quickly again. Add cayenne, coriander, and turmeric. Stir again, then add cauliflower and salt, to taste. Stir for one minute. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and continue to cook on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until cauliflower is just cooked though.

Remove from heat. Add lemon juice. Stir and taste for seasonings. Add cheese and toss. Serve immediately.

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Green Beans with Mustard and Fresh Ginger

September 18, 2011

This dish is perfect as a side, salad or for potluck because it can be served hot, at room temperature or cold. The recipe is adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s Easy East/West Menus for Family and Friends by Madhur Jaffrey.

Serves 6

2 Tbls. Dijon mustard
2 Tbls. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
6 Tbls. good olive oil
2 lbs. green beans, trimmed but left whole
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Bring a pot of water to boil.

Put the mustard, vinegar, ginger, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl and mix. Slowly add the olive oil stirring with a fork as you do.

Place the beans in the boiling water. Boil rapidly for 3-4 minutes, until the beans are just cooked but still crisp. Drain, place beans in a big bowl, and mix with the dressing.

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Stir-Fried Green Beans and Bok Choy with Udon Noodles

September 14, 2011

This is one of those delicious meals that only takes a few minutes to cook up once you have a little bit of the prep work out of the way. We have made it twice, but still don’t have a photo because it was immediately eaten. Crispy green beans (so fresh and good right now) and baby bok choy mixed in a large, heavy pan with udon noodles and topped with golden tofu or meat, drizzled with a bit more sauce and finished with lots of thinly sliced butterhead lettuce.

Tip: Tofu is 90 percent water. It must be pressed before being sautéed if you want it to remain in larger pieces and get nice and brown. The best way to remove the water is to wrap the tofu in a layer or two of dry towel and press it to remove an initial amount of water. Keeping it covered, place something heavy on top of the tofu (i.e., use a chopping block or the heavy saute pan) and let the last bit of water drain from the tofu. You can leave it to sit and drain like this for a bit of time.

This recipe is loosely written. Feel free to play around with ingredients and measurements.

Serves 4-5

Big handful of green beans
4 to 5 heads of baby bok choy
About 1 lb. udon noodles
2-3 Tbls. oil (we prefer sesame)
About 4-5 Tbls soy sauce
1 Tbls. rice vinegar
Thumb-size piece of ginger, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Tofu or meat if adding
Butterhead lettuce

Set a large cast iron pan or wok on high heat. Add oil then add tofu and cook to brown on each side. Turn gently as you cook, trying not to break up the tofu. Remove from pan and place on a plate with a paper towel. Add beans and chopped bok choy. Cook until it softens a bit, and then add soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Turn down heat. Cook noodles. Add to pan and mix with beans and bok choy. Add a little more soy sauce and sesame oil if needed. Top with tofu or grilled meat and thinly sliced butterhead lettuce. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and Sriracha sauce.

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Fresh Sweet Corn Polenta

September 5, 2011

As we transition to fall, we’re finding ways to make simple, end-of-summer meals to stretch the last few weeks. Local, sweet corn is still very much at market and comes in handy as a hardy base to a meal. If you are really in a rush, convenient packs of already-shucked & de-kerneled corn are sometimes sold at Whole Foods and regular grocery stores, cutting the prep time down several precious minutes more; however, by giving in to convenience you will likely let go of The Secrets of Corn.

Serves 4

Kernels from 6 ears sweet corn (see tip)
3 Tbls. unsalted butter
1/2 lb. feta cheese (or try parmesan, brie, or goat for variation)
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Place corn kernels in a medium saucepan. Add water to cover. Bring water to boil and then immediately reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes. Drain kernels, reserving cooking liquid. Place kernels into food processor and process for 2-3 minutes. Add a little of the cooking liquid if the mixture gets too dry.

Return corn paste to pan along with a little of the cooking liquid and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes until the mixture thickens to a mashed potato consistency. You may need to add a bit of water periodically during the cooking process. Once thickened, add butter, cheese, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Season to taste.

Serve alongside many dishes: chicken, beef, or vegetables.

Tip: In a large bowl, stand each ear of corn (husked and desilked) on its end and, using a chef’s knife, cut the kernels off.

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Carrot Salad with Seeds

August 31, 2011

For us, salad is a daily essential. It can be raw or cooked, served as a starter or alongside, but regardless, so important it has become. Carrot salad is one of our favorites because it can be made well in advance and left on the counter, is sweet and crunchy, and, if you have any left over, it can stay until the next day (unlike salads dressed with greens). The toasted pumpkin seeds in this recipe are what give it flavor and make it even healthier to eat. It takes minutes to make and calls for minimal ingredients that you probably already have in the kitchen – okay maybe minus the pumpkin seeds.

Serves about 4-5

1 c. raw pumpkin seeds
8 carrots, grated
1 handful chives, chopped
1 lemon, juice from about ½ c.
1 generous pinch of salt
1 grind of black pepper
1 sm. pinch sugar, optional
3-4 Tbls. olive oil

Toast pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet for about 5-8 minutes at 350 degrees. Grate carrots and place in a serving bowl. Add lemon juice, chives, salt, pepper, sugar and olive oil. Mix well. Then add pumpkin seeds and mix again. Taste and add more olive oil, if the salad seems dry, or whatever else is needed.

Tip: Store pumpkin seeds in a glass jar in the fridge to keep them fresh. They are good for snacking and as a kitchen ingredient. Treat them like an herb or nut.

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Quick Pickled Chile Peppers

July 27, 2011

There is so much variety and abundance of chiles in the late summer months. Try this quick pickle to add color and sweet, yet hot flavor to many dishes. The recipe calls for rice vinegar, one of our favorite pantry items because of its sweet flavor.

1 Tbls. sugar
1/2 c. rice wine vinegar
A handful of fresh peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut lengthwise into very thin slices

In a bowl, mix together sugar and vinegar until sugar is dissolved. Add peppers to mixture and macerate for about 30 minutes. Tip: The longer the peppers soak in the vinegar, the less spicy they will become. Serve or store in a small mason jar in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

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Quick Salt Pickled Cucumbers

July 27, 2011

From Momofuku, simply slice summer thin-skinned cucumbers (try Kirby) very thinly and place them in a single layer on a large platter or plate. Toss a 3:1 mixture of sugar to salt – we use three tablespoons sugar to one tablespoon sea salt, but the measurement depends on how many cucumbers you are pickling. Let them macerate for 20-30 minutes, then eat.

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Indian Quick Pickles

July 27, 2011

Use this brine for okra, carrot or fennel pickles.

About 1 lb. okra, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1 ½. c. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbls. sugar
1-in. piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
½ cinnamon stick
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. coriander seeds
Pinch of salt

Place trimmed okra on a plate and salt. Let stand for 20 minutes. In a saucepan, heat all remaining ingredients to boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes. Let cool. Rinse okra under cold water to remove salt, then place okra back on a plate and pour on brine. Serve after a couple of minutes of steeping. These can be stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks, but the okra should stay submerged in brine.

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Indian-style Okra

July 18, 2011

In-season now, okra (or bhindi as it is known in India) is eaten in a variety of ways: fried, sauteed, in gravy or stuffed. Here is an easy, weekly side dish for tonight’s supper

3 Tbls. butter
1 med. onion, chopped
1 lb. fresh okra, cut into 3/4-inch slices
A generous pinch (about 1/2 tsp.) each of ground cumin, ground ginger and ground coriander
A generous grinding of black pepper
Kosher or sea salt, to taste

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until tender. Stir in okra, and season with cumin, ginger, coriander, pepper and salt. Cook and stir for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until okra is tender.