Showing posts with label Meatless Mondays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meatless Mondays. Show all posts

Monday, August 29, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Cornmeal-Crusted Roasted Ratatouille Tart



This must be my 1008th post this summer about zucchini and summer squash, but I like to think that this one is the most dazzling of them all! Ellie Krieger's first cookbook features this vegetarian Ratatouille Tart with a cornmeal crust, and it seemed like the stars had finally aligned for me to whip it up. I had everything I needed (minus the eggplant), and I had the time to put it together.



Although the tart is easy to make, it does require a bit of time because there are a few steps. I roasted all my veggies the day before and stored them in the refrigerator until I was ready for them. I baked up the cornmeal crust early in the afternoon of the day we ate this for dinner. I let it hang out and cool on the counter after par-baking it, then I let it hang out in the fridge too.

When assembly time rolled around, it went quickly and smoothly because I had everything ready to go. The veggies went into the crust, along with a good sprinkling of cheese, and then I baked it up. It filled the house with the most amazing smells, and it turned out looking completely gorgeous!



It ended up tasting delicious, except for the crust. I'm not sure where I went wrong, but the crust turned out wet and soggy and mushy. I know that the veggies were giving off a lot of liquid; I squeezed them out over the sink before assembling the tart so they would release the excess. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. You could still eat the tart, and of course the veggie part of the thing was pretty much to die for. But maybe next time I should just roast the veggies immediately before assembling the tart? I don't know exactly, but it is definitely worth a second try because I know this tart has wonderful potential!






Cornmeal-Crusted Roasted Ratatouille Tart
adapted from FoodNetwork.com
makes 8 servings

Ingredients
For the crust:
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. canola oil
3 Tbsp. water

For the filling:
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced (1/3 cup)
Cooking spray
1/2 lb. thinly sliced yellow summer squash rounds (I used this in place of eggplant)
1/2 lb. thinly sliced zucchini rounds
1/2 lb. small tomatoes, thinly sliced (Ellie uses 3 medium tomatoes)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 3 ounces)
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Make the crust: 1. Combine the cornmeal, flour, and salt in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Add the butter and oil and pulse about 20 times, until the mixture resembles small pebbles. Add the water and pulse until the mixture forms a loose dough.

2. Remove the dough from the processor and press into the bottom and about 1/8 inch up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable rim. Press aluminum foil into the bottom and up the sides of the pan on top of the dough. Weight it down with uncooked rice or pie weights.

3. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the rice and foil and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

Prepare the filling: 1. Heat 1 tsp. of the oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat; cook the shallots, stirring, until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Meanwhile, coat two baking sheets with cooking spray. Arrange the squash, zucchini, and tomatoes on the sheets in a single layer and brush with the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and roast the vegetables until soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Assemble the tart: 1. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lay the squash slices on the bottom of the tart, overlapping them if necessary; cover with one-third of the mozzarella and some of the shredded basil. Add the zucchini and shallots, top with another third of the mozzarella and the remaining basil, then the tomatoes. Top with the rest of the mozzarella and all of the Parmesan.

2. Bake until the cheese is melted and the vegetables have further wilted, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and cut into 8 slices. Serve warm.
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Monday, August 22, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Quinoa Sliders with Spicy Roasted Corn Salad


I keep reading and seeing blog posts about quinoa being used as the primary ingredient in burger patties, and I finally decided it was time to stop reading and start doing! I love making vegetarian burgers, and this seemed like a great twist on an old favorite. Plus, it could not be any simpler.



Let me back up a second, though, and tell you about the side dish I made to go along with the Quinoa Sliders: Spicy Roasted Corn Salad. This is a fun way to use up your fresh corn on the cob; it's tangy and spicy, with some great contrasting textures in the form of black beans, scallions, and sweet corn. It can be made in advance and served cold, and it keeps well for days. As you can see above, the ingredients are combined with a delicious chipotle vinaigrette, then tossed well and chilled before eating. I like my food spicy, but of course this recipe could be modified and made with less (or no) chipotle peppers.



The slider recipe I used came from another blog, and the author fried her slider patties on the stovetop. Then, she served the burgers with a quail egg on top. I didn't go quite so fancy; below I included a link to her original recipe. Because I was trying to make these a bit healthier, I chose to bake my patties in the oven and I skipped the egg. Because I baked them, they did turn out just a tad rubbery, which I think is due to the fact that there are several eggs in the slider patties (there to bind the ingredients).

I love these because they are a blank canvas for virtually any flavors you like. If you wanted a Tex Mex burger, you could add some chili powder to the slider base. If you were to go Asian next time, they would taste great with some soy sauce, fresh lime juice, ginger, etc. For this go-round, I did a slightly Middle Eastern thing. I sprinkled plenty of ground sumac (our new favorite spice) into the slider ingredients, which lends foods a slightly sour, acidic flavor. No matter how you dress them up, I suggest you give them a go if you like quinoa, or even if you need an introduction to them. Simple and lovely!




Quinoa Sliders
adapted from food+words
makes 12 sliders

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 egg whites (lightly beaten with whole eggs)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 slices whole wheat bread, processed into crumbs
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
1/2 a small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground sumac (found in international supermarkets and spice shops)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Slider buns (we used pretzel buns, yum!)
Sriracha sauce, for drizzling
Spinach leaves

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the cooked quinoa with the beaten eggs and egg whites, the salt, bread crumbs, jalapeno, onion, garlic, sumac, and black pepper. Using your hands or a large cookie scoop, form slider patties and place on a nonstick baking sheet (or a sheet lined with parchment or silpat). Flatten slightly to form your burgers.

2. Bake the sliders for 20-25 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time. (If desired, you can also fry them in some olive oil on the stovetop, about 2 minutes per side.)

3. Serve the quinoa sliders on slider buns with spinach leaves and a drizzle of sriracha sauce.


Spicy Roasted Corn Salad with Black Beans and Feta
adapted from Fine Cooking
makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients
3 ears fresh corn
1 small red onion, diced
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 oz. (1/2-3/4 cup) reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
2 scallions, sliced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 small canned chipotle pepper, seeded and minced, plus 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce (from the can)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the ears of corn, still in their husks, directly on the center rack in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool; remove husks and silk. Slice the corn kernels from the cob and place in a large bowl.

2. To the bowl, add the red onion, black beans, feta cheese, scallions, and oregano. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, chipotle pepper and sauce, and salt and pepper. Alternatively, you can blend the ingredients together with an immersion blender, or inside a standard blender.

3. Pour the dressing over the corn mixture and stir well to combine. Refrigerate the salad for several hours before serving. This will keep in the fridge for several days.
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Monday, August 8, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Baked Rigatoni with Roasted Vegetables


I'm excited to tell you about this week's Meatless Mondays dish, because it was such cheesy, comforting goodness. After finding myself with a healthy supply of zucchini, summer squash, and various cheeses, it seemed only natural that this recipe would pop into my head. After searching briefly through one of my Giada De Laurentiis cookbooks, I found it: Baked Pasta with Roasted Vegetables.



There's really nothing I can hate about this dish. It's pasta, so right there I'm in love. Next, throw in a nice assortment of roasted veggies. Awesome. Then, you mix it all together with some marinara sauce, thawed frozen peas, and, best of all, four different types of cheese. Uh, yum! You pour it all into a big baking dish, then top it with yet another type of cheese, and bake it until the whole thing turns brown and bubbly and melty. Ahhh.



This was wonderful. What else can I really say? If you like baked pasta dishes, I highly recommend throwing in some roasted veggies for a delightfully healthy twist on the old fave. The five types of cheese just make it more interesting and even more delicious. I liked the peas in there, too. It was a nice pop of texture every time you bit down on one. I made it a bit differently than Giada did; it's got less oil in the veggie-roasting part, and I thought it was totally unnecessary to add chunks of butter to the top of the casserole before baking it, like she did. I wrote the recipe as I made it down below.




Baked Rigatoni with Roasted Vegetables
adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Pasta
makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
1-2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. dried Italian herb blend or herbes de Provence
1 lb. rigatoni pasta
3 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store bought
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup gouda cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Muenster cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup Camembert cheese, crumbled or chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. On a baking sheet (I lined mine with nonstick aluminum foil), toss the bell peppers, zucchini, squash, and onion with the olive oil, 1/2 tsp. of the salt, 1/4 tsp. of the pepper, and the herbs. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 8 minutes; you don't want to cook it fully since it will be cooked later in the oven. Drain.

3. In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, all the cheeses except the Parmesan, the peas, and the remaining salt and pepper. Gently mix using a wooden spoon until all the pasta is coated with sauce and the ingredients are combined.

4. Pour the pasta into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Top with the Parmesan cheese. Bake until the top is golden and the cheese melts, about 25 minutes. Allow the pasta to rest for 5 or so minutes before serving.
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Monday, July 25, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Tabbouleh and Batata Harra (Spiced Potatoes)


As promised, here is the other half of my Middle Eastern meal from the other night. I figured it would be smart to blog today about the meatless side dishes I served, in honor of Meatless Mondays! I had the pleasure of making a Tabbouleh for the first time for this meal. Although I mostly used Cat Cora's recipe, I did make some changes to her formula.



I want to try her version soon, but I loved this one! Mine was more what you would consider a standard Tabbouleh, with tomatoes and cucumbers and parsley. Cat Cora's swapped out the tomatoes for red grapes, and fresh mint in place of the parsley. Yum! But I happened to have the tomatoes and parsley on hand already, so that is what I went with. It's a very easy side salad to make; the bulgur literally prepares itself once you pour boiling water over top. Once all your veggies are prepped and chopped, everything just gets tossed together with olive oil and lemon juice.



For the Batata Harra, or Lebanese Spiced Potatoes, I had to do a little bit of research. A couple weeks ago, my family ate dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant, and there was a very big menu. I finally opted for a large tasting plate for my entree, but I had my eye on the Batata Harra as well. Since I did not order the potatoes in the end, I decided I would just find out how to make them myself; they sounded too good to pass up! And they were simple and very delicious. They have quite a kick; I used both a fresh jalapeno and cayenne pepper, and you could definitely feel the heat.

My preparation method was different from the recipe I found; I made mine a bit healthier. In the original recipe, the potatoes are deep fried, and then all the aromatics are tossed in more oil. I decided to bake my potato pieces, and then I tossed the aromatics in a much smaller amount of oil. I'm happy to say that my dish still turned out extremely flavorful, and the potatoes were deliciously crispy. I don't know what the restaurant version of these tastes like, but I'll be making these at home again for sure!





Tabbouleh
adapted from Cat Cora's Classics with a Twist
makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients
1 2/3 cups boiling water
1 cup bulgur
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup chopped scallions
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup diced cucumber (about 1 medium)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted

Directions
1. Pour the boiling water over the bulgur in a large bowl and stir just until all the grains are moistened. Cover and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature.

2. Pour the oil and lemon juice into the soaked bulgur. Add the scallions, parsley, oregano, tomatoes, and cucumber; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Cover and refrigerate tabbouleh for at least 1 hour so the flavors have a chance to meld. Top with the pine nuts just before serving.


Batata Harra (Lebanese Spiced Potatoes)
adapted from Food.com
makes 1 lb. potatoes

Ingredients
1 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tsp. fresh lime juice

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the potatoes with some salt and pepper, and 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil. Spread on a nonstick baking sheet, or a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray, and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender.

2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add the scallion, garlic, jalapeno, cayenne pepper, coriander, salt and pepper. Saute the mixture for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Toss the potatoes in the scallion mixture until well coated. Take the skillet from the heat; stir in the parsley and lime juice. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.
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Monday, July 11, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Zucchini-Crusted Quiche


So this dish is a good example of a meal that sounded so amazing in my head, so unique and different and interesting, that it couldn't possibly live up to my expectations. I was thrilled to be making this quiche and was way too excited about it. Alas, my dreams were dashed.



We got these gorgeous, huge spring onions from my in-laws, and I was itching to use them in something good. Plus, they gave us one huge zucchini to use, and suddenly I remembered something I saw recently. I was able to go to a Taste of Home Cooking School show not long ago, and they made this incredible quiche. Instead of a traditional pie crust, they used a bed of shredded zucchini. How cool is that?



And so, it was settled. I wanted to try that Zucchini-Crusted Quiche for myself, but I would change the filling and make it my own. So I made this beautiful bed of shredded zucchini and sliced spring onion, although I was a bit worried with all the liquid that zucchini can give off. I had set the zucchini in a strainer after shredding it, and I had wrung it out -three times- in a kitchen towel. Still, I was not completely convinced that my zucchini was dry enough by the time I needed to prepare dinner. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.



I made this about a day or two after I prepared the Chicken Pepian for CEIMB, so I actually had some leftover pepian sauce to use up. I thought maybe it would be cool to use that sauce as the liquid in the quiche. The original recipe I was using as a model utilized evaporated skim milk for the liquid. I took a risk and threw in the pepian sauce, along with a bit of Mushroom Duxelles for a bit of earthy goodness. I mixed the sauce up with the eggs and egg whites then poured everything into the prepared zucchini "crust."



I used some shredded Muenster cheese on top of the quiche, which gave the finished product a pretty, golden-brown crust on top. This quiche turned out looking amazing and it smelled wonderful, too. I was so hopeful that this was going to work out perfectly.

Well, my luck ran out. As soon as I cut into this quiche to serve it, my heart sank. Underneath the knife was a small puddle of water. Turns out the zucchini wasn't dry enough, after all. It seeped a bunch of liquid while it baked in the oven, and as a result the quiche was sitting in sogginess. We still ate it, and Andy and I agreed that it tasted very, very good. This quiche had so much darn potential! That is why I decided to share this story with you, here. Maybe somebody out there is brave enough to try this, and learn from my mistakes! I think if you had perfectly dry zucchini, this would have been a real showstopper. I will include a guideline recipe below, but of course substitutions and improvisations would be great here!




Zucchini-Crusted Quiche
adapted from allrecipes
makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1 large zucchini, shredded and drained of all liquid
3 large spring onions (or 6 scallions), sliced
12 oz. liquid (can be evaporated milk, or leftover sauce, etc.)
2 eggs
4 egg whites
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 oz. Muenster cheese, shredded or chopped

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Gently press the shredded zucchini and spring onions into the pie plate, covering the entire surface evenly. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine the eggs, egg whites, whatever liquid you choose to use, the mustard powder, salt, and pepper. Pour the liquid mixture into the zucchini "crust," making sure it is evenly spread.

3. Scatter the Muenster cheese evenly over the surface of the quiche. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the quiche comes out cleanly. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
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Monday, June 27, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Veggie Burgers with Jalapeno Coleslaw and Malt Vinegar Potato Salad


Last week, I found myself suddenly craving outdoor barbeque food. I guess it's because we have the Fourth of July coming up soon, and all over the place I am seeing recipes for burgers and salads. Still, I have been cooking so many meat-free dishes lately, I thought it would be fun to make an entire picnic-style meal without any meat involved. Plus, I had just found out that Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook included a recipe for a supposedly delicious veggie burger, and I was just intrigued enough to want to test it out.



I first made a Malt Vinegar Potato Salad to go along with my meal. I just love that special tang that malt vinegar has; it's the perfect pairing with those soft potatoes. It reminds me of summer evenings on the boardwalk in New Jersey when I was growing up. My mom would order a huge bucket of fresh-cut french fries, and we would eat the fries dipped in malt vinegar. Huge yum! In fact, it has been way too long since I've been to the Jersey Shore; now I'm craving boardwalk fries!

I made up this recipe for the potato salad on the fly; it really couldn't be simpler. If you like German-style potato salads, which are quite tart, you should like this a lot. If I'd had some grainy mustard on hand, I would have added that in, too. Feel free to do that if you have some!



The coleslaw is an interpretation of a Cooking Light recipe I found recently. I only had lemons on hand, but the original recipe was actually a Jalapeno-Lime Coleslaw. However, I just made a few simple tweaks, and came up with this Jalapeno-Lemon Coleslaw. It was great, but I can't wait to make it again with the lime. I do love the jalapeno/lime pairing.

Finally, I made Gwyneth's Veggie Burgers, and they were every bit as delicious as I'd hoped (but secretly doubted) they would be. The black beans and rice give the burgers a nice firm texture, and there's a generous addition of cumin that I thought gave it a nice Mexican flair. Onion and garlic keep things zesty, and the whole meal can be whipped up fairly quickly. There is a period where you can rest the burgers in the fridge before cooking them up, but I don't think you absolutely have to do that if you're strapped for time. One small note about this recipe: she says to dust the burgers in flour before frying them up, and I understand that this probably helps bind everything together better and gives the burger a nice, crispy crust. However, I believe that the instructions indicate more flour than is actually needed, so I put the amount I think is sufficient down below.




Gwyneth's Veggie Burgers
adapted from Savor Flavor Dining
makes 4 burger patties

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 (14-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed well
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/2-1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Oil or nonstick cooking spray, for cooking the patties
Burger buns, condiments, etc.

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic, and cumin and cook until softened and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, beans, and rice; cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the cilantro and mash the mixture with a potato masher; you want to make the mixture cohesive and combined, but don't mash completely. You still want some texture.

2. Allow the mixture to cool until it is easy to handle. Form the mixture into 4 patties. You can now allow the burgers to rest in the fridge for several hours before cooking.

3. When you are ready to cook the burgers, preheat a nonstick skillet, griddle, or grill pan to medium-high. Dust both sides of each burger patty lightly with the flour. Add the oil or nonstick cooking spray to your pan or griddle to heat it up. Cook the burgers until browned on both sides; it should take about 3-4 minutes per side. Top burgers with whatever you like, and serve on the bun of your choice.


Jalapeno-Lemon Coleslaw
adapted from Cooking Light
makes about 5-6 cups

Ingredients
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
4-5 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package angel hair coleslaw
3 jalapeno peppers, halved crosswise

Directions
1. Combine the lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Slowly stream in the olive oil, continually stirring with the whisk. Add scallion and coleslaw.

2. Thinly slice 1 jalapeno half crosswise (keeping seeds), and remove seeds from remaining jalapeno halves. Cut the remaining halves into thin crosswise slices. Add the jalapenos to scallion mixture and toss well to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving.


Malt Vinegar Potato Salad
recipe by Bri
makes about 2 pounds

Ingredients
2 lbs. small red potatoes, quartered
4-5 scallions, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp. malt vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions
1. Place the quartered potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Set the pot on the stove, allow it to come up to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer the potatoes for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender but still hold their shape. Drain the potatoes when they are finished cooking.

2. While the potatoes cook, combine the scallions in a large bowl with the malt vinegar, salt, pepper, and rosemary, stirring with a whisk. Slowly stream in the olive oil, continually whisking the mixture. Dump in the hot potatoes and combine well with a large spoon, allowing the dressing the absorb into the potatoes. Cover loosely and chill potato salad for several hours before serving.
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Monday, June 13, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Slow-Roasted Tomato Pasta


Here's a meal that takes quite a bit of time to prepare, with hardly any effort put forth. The hardest thing required of you to do is wait around while you smell the slow-roasting tomatoes and wonder how much more you can stand! I found the recipe for Slow-Roasted Tomato Pasta in Cooking Light and knew it would be on my dinner table eventually; it just looked too good, and too easy, to pass up.



To roast the tomatoes, you simply cut them in half (or quarters), seed them, and let them roast in the oven at a lower temperature for 4 hours. The tomatoes get unbelievably sweet and tender; the flavors become intense and concentrated and wonderful. I highly recommend cooking tomatoes this way sometime; it's worth all that time in the oven.



To finish the meal, you saute some garlic in a skillet, then add crushed red pepper and the reserved tomatoes. A splash of pasta cooking liquid is added, then the mixture reduces slightly before being combined with the pasta noodles. Toss well, add a sprinkle of basil and Parmesan cheese, and you've got delicious simplicity at its finest! All that, and it's vegetarian!




Slow-Roasted Tomato Pasta
adapted from Cooking Light
makes 6 servings

Ingredients
3 lbs. plum tomatoes, cored and halved lengthwise
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper
6 whole peeled garlic cloves
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
12 oz. uncooked long-cut pasta
dried basil, to taste
shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with nonstick aluminum foil. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. oil, 3/4 tsp. salt, and the black pepper. Bake for 4 hours.

2. Heat a large skillet over low heat. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and the garlic; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic, and chop. Combine garlic, tomatoes, and crushed red pepper in pan.

3. Cook pasta in boiling water with 1 1/2 tsp. salt until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium-high under the tomato mixture, and stir in the reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil; cook 3 minutes. Add pasta; cook for 1 minute, tossing to combine. Remove from heat; transfer to serving dishes and sprinkle basil and cheese on top, if desired.
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Monday, June 6, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Spinach and Parmesan Souffles


The week before we left town on vacation, I was trying my hardest to use up my pantry and refrigerator staples without having to buy more ingredients that may go bad before I had a chance to use them. The meals of that week, as a result, were some surprisingly tasty and innovative dishes, which I am proudly going to be sharing with you in coming days. First up is these Spinach and Parmesan Souffles.



My latest copy of Cooking Light featured several different types of souffle, most of them sweet souffles. While they all sound delicious, and are on my list of things to try, I zeroed in right away on the one savory offering. This one sounded so good, and I had all the ingredients in my house, so I decided to make it for dinner one evening. I figured a side salad and some bread would round out this meal nicely.



This was my first souffle, and I was extremely pleased with the results. There seem to be a few secrets to a successful souffle, which the article in the magazine detailed nicely. The first important step is to coat your individual serving dishes, or ramekins, with something that will allow the egg mixture to cling easily to the sides of the dish and to climb up. In some cases, a sprinkling of sugar may suffice, but for these savory souffles it was breadcrumbs that did the trick. It allows the mixture to rise beautifully, while adding another layer of flavor as well.

The next step is to allow the egg whites to come to room temperature before beating them. Make sure no yolk gets mixed in with the whites; they won't rise otherwise. When beating the egg whites, you want to get them to medium, not stiff, peaks. When you lift a beater straight up in the air, the egg whites should stand at a 45 degree angle, not at 90 degrees.

Finally, the incorporation of the egg whites into the rest of the mixture should be done by gently folding. You don't want to mix vigorously; this will deflate your whites and decrease the lift of your finished product. A great technique when folding ingredients is to scrape the spatula along the bottom of the bowl, then turning the bowl a quarter turn and scraping down along the botton again. Repeat this until the mixture looks uniform.



As you can see, following these steps to the letter results in a pillowy, light, airy souffle that rises high above the rim of the ramekin. You'll want to present and eat them fairly quickly once they are out of the oven; they do deflate dramatically after about 5 minutes.

Not only do these souffles look impressive, they taste wonderful. They are tangy from the Parmesan, with those delicious ribbons of spinach running throughout, and the eggs form a lovely crust on top while being almost impossibly soft inside. I was thrilled with my first souffles, and I do hope you'll give them a try, too. They are so much easier than you think they are!




Spinach and Parmesan Souffles
adapted from Cooking Light
makes 4 souffles

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 1/2 Tbsp. dry breadcrumbs
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
2/3 cup milk (I used 2%)
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 large egg yolks
4 large egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Directions
1. Place a baking sheet in the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat 4 (6-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs, tilting and turning dishes to coat sides completely.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add spinach; cook for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, tossing constantly. Place spinach in a colander; let stand 5 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from spinach. Coarsely chop spinach.

3. Combine 2/3 cup milk and the next 4 ingredients (through black pepper) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Cook for 2 minutes or until mixture is thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Spoon mixture into a large bowl, and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in spinach, cheese, and egg yolks.

4. Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl, and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Beat with a mixer at high speed until medium peaks form (do not overbeat). Gently stir one-fourth of egg whites into spinach mixture, and gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Gently spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Sharply tap dishes 2 or 3 times on counter to level.

5. Place dishes on preheated baking sheet; return baking sheet to 425 degree oven. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees; bake souffles at 350 for 21-24 minutes, or until puffy and golden brown on top. Serve immediately.
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Monday, May 16, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Easy Onion Tart


I normally try my best to make things from scratch, but there are times when convenience becomes a necessity. I don't like having to use pre-made doughs and things like that, but even I have to admit that they can be so easy to pull out and take advantage of. This tart was the result of a semi-homemade dough mixed with ingredients that were very easy to prepare, resulting in a yummy, pizza/calzone-like dinner!



The pizza dough (I used thin crust) is wrapped around a filling comprised of caramelized onions, mushroom Duxelles (which I had previously made and frozen, and for this I thawed out only what I needed), and two kinds of cheeses. You form a cool diamond-shape with your tart as you fold the corners over onto the filling, then bake for around 20 minutes or so. It's so easy; there's really not much else I can say about it. And of course, this one would be easy to add variations to. I'm sure spinach would be fantastic in there; if you wanted to make this non-meatless, sausage or chicken, or even bacon, would work very well. It's not something I would make every day, but it definitely works for a crazy day when you just don't have time to be making dough from scratch. Give it a try!




Easy Onion Tart
adapted from Cooking Light
makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 Tsp. olive oil
3 to 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup Duxelles (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 store-bought thin crust pizza dough
1/4 cup (1 oz.) reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 cup (1 oz.) reduced-fat Swiss cheese

Directions
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add the olive oil and swirl the pan to coat. Add the onions and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the onions have started to become tender, lower the heat the medium-low and cover with the lid. Continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are browned and have reduced. Stir in the Duxelles; cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture is warmed through.

2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread out the pizza dough evenly. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup feta cheese across the center of the dough, leaving at least a 2-inch border. Add the onion mixture on top of the feta, allowing it to reach to just 1 inch from the edges. Top with the Swiss cheese.

3. Bake the tart for about 20-25 minutes. You want the dough to be cooked all the way through and brown around the edges, and for the cheese to be melted and bubbly. Cut into 4 wedges and serve.
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Monday, April 18, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Potato Gratin with Duxelles


It was not until I sat down here and got ready to blog all about this lovely Potato Gratin that I realized I had not photographed one of the most essential, and unique, components of the dish. You see, this week's Meatless Mondays offering is cool and different, and I wanted to tell you all about it. I can still tell you all about it, but I can't show you the innards of this gratin, as it is long, long gone and eaten. Sigh.

As you can see from the title, this is a Potato Gratin with Duxelles. Duxelles, I have learned, is a rich, meaty-tasting mushroom reduction. A long, slow simmer of a large amount of mushrooms cooks them way, way down and reduces them to little more than mushroom....well, mush. But this mush is pure, concentrated mushroom flavor, and it is very, very tasty. Once you have made your Duxelles, you can add it to almost any dish your imagination can dream up. I'm sure it will be fabulous in soups, amazing in omelettes, and delightful mixed into a pan gravy. Here, it was used as a layer of flavor in the Potato Gratin.

Making the Duxelles was quite simple; the hardest part is the waiting. It took me over an hour before all the liquid had evaporated from the pan; that is how you know it is ready. The Potato Gratin, from Cooking Light, was surprisingly decadent for such a light dish. It made me feel like I was being bad when I really wasn't! I love fake-outs like that. Be sure to allow plenty of time to make this whole ensemble, or make the Duxelles ahead of time and stick them in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the Gratin. Oh, and the Duxelles recipe makes a ton! I split up the remainder of my Duxelles in the cups of my muffin tin, flash froze the whole thing, and then popped them out and threw them in a freezer bag. Now I'll have the ability to Duxelle-ify any meal I please!




Potato Gratin with Duxelles
from Cooking Light
makes 10 servings

Ingredients
4 1/2 cups (1/8-inch thick) sliced, peeled baking potato (about 2 pounds)
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. minced garlic
3/4 tsp. chopped, fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Cooking spray
3/4 cup Duxelles (recipe follows)
1/2 cup (2 oz.) grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Drain potatoes through a sieve over a bowl; reserve potatoes and liquid.

2. Arrange half the potatoes in an 11x7 glass or ceramic baking dish that is coated with cooking spray. Spread Duxelles evenly over potatoes; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Top with remaining potatoes. Pour the reserved cooking liquid over potatoes; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.


Mushroom Duxelles
from Cooking Light
makes 4 cups

Ingredients
10 3/4 cups sliced mushrooms (about 3 pounds)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced leek (about 1 small)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
3 Tbsp. fresh minced chives
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Place about 2 cups mushrooms in a food processor, and pulse 12 times or until finely chopped, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Place chopped mushrooms in a large bowl. Repeat procedure in batches with the remaining mushrooms.

2. Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, leek, and garlic to pan; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in mushrooms; saute 30 minutes (mine took about an hour) or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in parsley, chives, salt, and pepper. Cool completely before using or freezing.
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Monday, April 4, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Green Curry with Bok Choy


This past week, I prepared yet another "first" in the kitchen. I cooked tofu, something I'd never done before. In fact, I've only eaten tofu about three times total; this Green Curry with Bok Choy was the third. It's definitely not as scary as I thought it would be; in fact, it's actually pretty pleasant! It's especially good in dishes like this curry, since it just assumes the flavor of whatever it is in. This curry is packed with great, exotic flavor.



The "green" parts of this curry are plentiful. There's fresh broccoli and bok choy in this recipe, along with a heaping helping of fresh cilantro and a couple of serrano peppers. The cilantro and peppers are added to a few other ingredients and processed until they form a smooth paste. This paste becomes the base for the sauce of the dish. More green components, such as Kaffir lime leaves, basil, and mint are added as aromatics, making the dish smell heavenly and taste just as great. I wish that I had Kaffir lime at the time that I made this; I can see how it would have enhanced the dish so much more. It was still wonderful, but the lime leaves would probably have taken it over the top.



The tofu is cut into cubes and added to the sauce to simmer. A can of coconut milk (light, since this is a Cooking Light dish), fresh lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil round out the sauce, and after a brief thickening period, the pre-cooked veggies are thrown in to warm through. The curry is served on top of rice, and garnished with the basil and mint. I loved the ease of preparation here; the whole thing maybe took me half an hour. I couldn't tell you for sure, since I made this in different steps throughout the day, but each step was quick and simple. The dish tasted fresh, flavorful, slightly spicy, and just interesting enough to be deemed fancy. We really loved it. It just goes to show you that a fast dinner with a global flair really can be thrown together in the comfort of your own home!




Green Curry with Bok Choy
adapted from Cooking Light
makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. chopped, peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
8 garlic cloves, peeled
3 small serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 large shallots, coarsely chopped (I used 1/2 an onion)
4 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets (about 1 head)
2 cups (1/2-inch-thick) slices baby bok choy
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
4 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. lower-sodium soy sauce
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 Kaffir lime leaves (I omitted)
1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 (14-ounce) package water-packed organic firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups hot, cooked, long-grain white rice (I used brown jasmine rice)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint (I omitted)

Directions
1. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.

2. Cook broccoli florets in boiling water in a Dutch oven for 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from water with a slotted spoon; drain and rinse with cold water. Return water to a boil. Add baby bok choy to Dutch oven; cook 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.

3. Drain water from Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add cilantro mixture to pan; saute 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sugar and next 4 ingredients (through coconut milk) to pan; bring to a boil. Add tofu; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes or until slightly thick. Add broccoli, bok choy, and juice; cook 1 minute or until heated through, tossing to combine. Discard lime leaves (if using). Place 1/2 cup rice in each of four bowls; spoon 1 1/2 cups tofu mixture over each serving. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. basil and 1 1/2 tsp. mint over each serving.
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Monday, March 28, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Macaroni and Four Cheeses


This Macaroni and Four Cheeses recipe was one of the very first Ellie Krieger dishes to ever catch my eye. I watched her make it on her show several years ago. She takes the classic, delicious, but insanely unhealthy mac and cheese and converts it to something much easier on the waistline. The secret ingredient here is frozen winter squash. Its bright, yellow-orange color is similar to that of Cheddar cheese, and its texture is virtually undetectable in the dish because the squash is pureed before it is frozen. A blend of Cheddar, Monterey Jack, ricotta, and Parmesan cheeses are added to the mix (the Parmesan is actually added to the bread crumb topping, rather than to the rest of the cheeses) to create a dish that is still plenty cheesy, but much, much lower in calories and fat.

Despite my fascination with the dish, the first time I ever saw it I thought, "Well, there's no way I'm ever going to make that!" For one thing, back then I had never tried squash. The idea of blending it into the mac and cheese was just scary. Besides this, the reviews on Food Network's website for this one are very polarized. People seem to feel very strongly about this one; they either really love it or really hate it. So add that fact to my skepticism about it, and I put this one to the back of my mind.



But times, they have changed. These days, I am much more willing to try things than I was a few years ago, or even just a year ago. I've eaten squash, and lived to tell about it. I'm still constantly trying to find ways to healthify dishes that my family enjoys. Mac and cheese ranks among my five year-old's very favorite dishes, so I thought I would try to put one over on him and give this one a shot. I made it even more nutritious by throwing in a couple different veggies, fresh spinach and broccoli, for added heft and bulk. I think this may have been a mistake, at least where my son was concerned. There was no hiding the big, green vegetables from him; they were right out there in the open! So he decided he didn't like this mac and cheese, simply based on appearances. Oh, well. We can't win them all, especially with picky kids.

As for the adults in the house, you can place us in the camp of huge fans of this meal! I only used one box of the frozen squash (Ellie uses two) because I was a bit wary, but I'm sure I could have gotten away with two. I really didn't notice its flavor too much, and as far as lowfat mac and cheese go, this one is pretty generous. You get plenty of cheesiness per serving, as well as the homey, yummy bread crumb topping we all expect from scratch-made mac and cheese. Color me converted!



Macaroni and Four Cheeses
adapted from Foodnetwork.com
makes 8 servings

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 (12-ounce) box frozen pureed winter squash (Ellie uses 2 boxes, 10 ounces each)
2 cups 2% milk
4 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
2 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. powdered mustard
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1-2 cups cooked broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
3-4 cups fresh spinach, wilted
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. unseasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp. olive oil

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

2. Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and the milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and add the Cheddar, Jack cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, mustard, and cayenne pepper.

3. Stir the cooked broccoli and spinach into the pasta, then pour the cheese mixture over the pasta and vegetables. Stir to combine, then transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.

4. Combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs, and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Switch the oven to the broil setting and broil the macaroni and cheese for 3 minutes, until the top is crisp and nicely browned.
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Monday, March 21, 2011

Meatless Mondays: Thai Bulgur Salad with Almond Dressing


It's been a few weeks since I've been able to do a Meatless Monday, and I have to say that I've missed it. It's not that I haven't been going meatless, at all, though. In fact, when trying to decide which recipe to blog about today, I realized that I had lots of meatless options to choose from!

In the end, though, I really wanted to talk about this Thai Bulgur Salad with Almond Dressing. This was my first time working with bulgur, and my first time eating it, too. It's quick-cooking, cracked wheat that pretty much behaves like barley or rice in a dish. It's surprisingly hearty and loaded with protein and fiber. The kind I purchased also had roasted soy chips, for an extra punch of soy protein. It's pretty tasy, and very versatile. I'm converted!



This salad is made up of a bunch of fresh veggies, the bulgur, and a tasty almond dressing that is sort of reminiscent of a peanut satay sauce. The secret ingredient is almond butter, another one of my new loves. If you like peanut butter, I recommend trying almond butter just for a change. It's got a very rich, almost sweet flavor, despite containing virtually no sugar. It's better for you than peanut butter; rich in antioxidants and monounsaturated fats, it's also good for your heart and can even aid in controlling your weight. You can get it in smooth or chunky, just like peanut butter. It's great on toast and fabulous in this dressing. I'm planning on baking it into some cookies in the near future!

The dressing also contains rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, honey, and sesame oil, and it is delicious. It was a truly satisfying meal, despite the fact that it was, well, a salad, and contained no meat. By adding protein in varied and unexpected ways, you really don't miss it. This one's a keeper; give it a try!




Thai Bulgur Salad with Almond Dressing
adapted from a Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publication
makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1 cup water
1/2 cup bulgur
2 cups frozen edamame, thawed and shelled
1 cup sweet red bell pepper, cut into julienne strips (about 1 medium pepper)
1/2 cup diced carrot (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped radish (about 7-8 radishes)
1/2 cup thinly sliced, quartered red onion
4 cups packaged fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. natural almond butter
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Lime wedges, for garnish (optional)

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to boiling; stir in the uncooked bulgur. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until bulgur is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Drain if necessary; transfer to a large bowl.

2. While the bulgur is cooking, make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients (rice vinegar through garlic) and whisk thoroughly to combine. Set aside.

3. Add the edamame, bell pepper, carrot, radish, and red onion to the bulgur. Divide the spinach leaves among four shallow bowls. Top with bulgur mixture; drizzle with the almond dressing. If desired, garnish with lime wedges.
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