ruby tuesday

I saw this recipe for Transilvanian-inspired Spelt Risotto with Beets and Horseradish in the October issue of Saveur (http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Spelt-Risotto-with-Beets-and-Horseradish). It was a warm afternoon and I was perched on one of the benches out front habit coffee in downtown Victoria.  I just finished a long bike ride and was catching the last rays of summer sun while sipping my americano.   Maybe it was the fact that I had just burned a lot of calories, but everything on those pages looked so good! Especially this risotto... I was so inspired! I love beets and I often try making non-rice "risottos," so this recipe was perfect. To top it off, the story of Transilvanian travels that this recipe was written into completely sold me. So, I took it down, resolved to make it on one of the autumn evenings that were just around the corner.

Last night, after a quintessentially November Victoria day, with gale-force winds and layers of clouds visibly passing each other in all sorts of directions and at various speeds, I tried to follow the recipe. I tried. Well, at least I read the recipe. But there were SO many steps... The whole thing seemed just a little too complicated for an impromptu Tuesday-evening meal. And we were hungry. So I took a good look at the photo (hail the internet and good food photography!), took in the colours and the textures. I imagined the smells and the flavours... I skipped some steps, and improvised.  Nothing new here... I tend to do that. Recipes are an inspiration, surely. But reality of what is available, in terms of time, ingredients, and bodily needs, tends to take over in my kitchen.  Thankfully, the results are usually not so bad. And no, I don't claim to have some special touch with food.  Not at all!  Instead, I really believe that good ingredients, lots of love, and a little imagination always yield good results.  

And the results last night were indeed, quite tasty and just as lovely to look at as the Saveur picture. The delicate taste of fennel, the sweetness of the roasted beets, the toothsome crunch of the spelt kernels, make this a delicious and wholesome dish.  And the roasted beets and the red wine combine for a lovely hue that make this a Ruby Tuesday worthy meal! 

Oh yes! While I obviously invite and encourage you to try my recipe (or the Saveur one, which I am sure is absolutely divine though probably much heavier), I will not take offence to modifications. I could not, since that's probably what I would do myself.  And if you do modify and improvise, please share. Write a comment and let me know what you've changed!  And I will do the same.  When I have more time and patience, I will try the Saveur recipe and will let you know how it compares.

Whole Spelt Risotto with Roasted Beets and Fennel

2-3 medium size beets, diced
1 leek, sliced thinly
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 bulb of fennel, sliced thinly, green leafs reserved and chopped
1/2 cup of oyster mushrooms (brown will do as well)
1 cup of spelt kernels
1/2 cup of red wine
3-4 cups of veggie/herb stock
coarse sea salt
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1t dry)
shaved Parmesan (optional)
olive oil

Toss the diced beets in some olive oil, place in a baking pan and roast at 450F for 10-15mins.
In a heavy skillet or pan, heat olive oil, saute the leeks and garlic, with a sprinkling of sea salt (about 3-5minutes).
Add the sliced mushrooms and half the rosemary.  Saute for another 3-5 minutes.
Add the fennel and cook for another couple of minutes.
Now, add the spelt kernels, saute for 1 minute, then add the wine to deglaze the pan.  Stir and when the wine begins to cook down, gradually start adding the broth and letting it cook down, as if you were making risotto;  about 1/2 cup at the time and stirring.  After about 20 minutes, add half of the roasted beets and continue cooking with another 1/2-1 cups of broth.
All together, the cooking should take about 35-40 minutes.  The spelt kernels will become soft and chewy, with some starchy creaminess.
You can season this risotto with more sea salt and a little more rosemary.  Garnish it with some roasted beets, chopped fennel leaves and shaved Parmesan, and/or a sprinkling of olive oil.

carmelized heaven, or the (almost) classic french onion soup

I bought a bag of yellow onions at the grocery store the other day. They were on sale, and i adore onions! Their scent, particularly when caramelizing, reminds me of my mom's kitchen because onions make their way into so many Polish dishes.  But seeing this particular bag at the grocery store didn't make me think of Polish food. Instead, all I saw, was a big bowl of French Onion Soup.  

French Onion Soup! Yum! I love French Onion Soup, but never order it out because the classic recipe utilizes beef stock, and I am vegetarian.  And I have not made it for years. In fact, come to think of it, I don't think I ever made French onion soup at home.  I have had it at people's homes, and I have had it if I was lucky enough to find it at a vegetarian restaurant.  But can't actually remember ever making it myself. So with thoughts of my first, home-made, veggie caramelized soup heaven, I snatched the big bag of onions and biked home. 

That evening, I quickly scanned some recipes on line - from Julia Child's to Martha Stewart's. It seems that every chef has one, all slightly different and all "classic".  Unsure of which to pick, I took a cue from Chef Michael Smith, who said that French onion soup is best when personalized - any chef and every home cook will and should put their own spin on it.  So, I did.  I took bits and pieces, from here and there and threw together a soup that was absolutely delicious!  And so very filling, WOW!  Now, I know that the classic French onion soup is rich and filling - all that beef broth and cheese will most certainly do that! But my soup was pretty "healthified" and edited.  I didn't douse it with cheese, I merely used some fresh grated Parmesan for flavour, and my broth was a light, herb broth. But the soup was still pretty satisfying! How does half a bag of onions, some broth, a few herbs and a sprinkling of Parmesan translate into a rich dinner? Well, this is how...

The "Not-So-Cheesy" French Onion Soup

5-6 medium to large yellow onions, thinly sliced

1/3 cup white wine (red will work too, if that's what you have on hand)

4-5 cups veggie/herb stock (i often use hot water and 1 cube of vegan herb bullion)

1T thyme, or 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 bay leafs 

sea salt

black pepper, coarsely ground

1T miso

2-3 slices sourdough bread

1/3 cup shaved Parmesan

fresh thyme to garnish

In a large pot, heat some olive oil.  Saute thinly sliced onions, with a sprinkling of salt, over medium heat, for 20 minutes, until caramelized.  Add the red wine to deglaze the pan, add the stock, thyme, bay leafs and some pepper.  Bring to a low boil, turn down the heat and simmer, under cover, for another 15 minutes.  Turn off the heat.  In a small cup, stir the miso with a ladle full of broth.  Add the mixture to the soup.  Taste and season accordingly to preference.

Pour the soup into an oven proof, deep glass or ceramic dish.  Arrange the toasted sourdough on top and top with the shaved Parmesan.  Bake in the oven, uncovered, at 400F for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted, bubbled and turned golden. "Cut" the toast/cheese "lid" and serve, taking care to include some broth, onions and the soaked/cheesy toast.  

layers, pretty layers

So long lettuce, welcome root vegetables and winter greens! Grated or chopped, raw or roasted, root veggies make for delicious salads that are more filling and nutritious than a plate of leaves.  But this kind of a salad is not only healthy, it also lets you take advantage of all the local goodies that are available in the Fall and that keep well over Winter.  And because appearances do matter when it comes to food, a salad that uses grated carrots and beets also looks very pretty when served in a clear glass bowl.  If I have not yet convinced you and you need another reason to try it, here is it: this salad keeps much better than a green salad, so if you can't finish it all tonight, you can always eat it for lunch tomorrow.  Now, you can't do that with lettuce, can you?!

The idea is simple: you grate and chop various veggies, season them, and layer them one on top of the other. Beets, carrots, cabbage, fennel, endives or radicchio are some colorful ideas. The more colours you use, the prettier the salad will be, especially if you alternate them.  To add some protein power, you can use some lentils or beans as one of your layers.  White kidney beans tossed with some parsley pesto are particularly delicious.  Also, to make the salad more filling, you can add a layer of grains like spelt, quinoa, millet or buckwheat.  Finally, make a nice creamy herb dressing or some guacamole to top it off.  

 

I made two of these last week because they were so good. Here is one idea: 

Layered veggie salad with spelt kernels and herbed white beans

3 carrots, grated 

2 large beets, sliced 

1-2 Belgian endives, sliced into rounds

1 leek, the white part

1 can white kidney beans

1 cup spelt kernels or pearl barley

2 cloves garlic

1-2 avocados

1t coriander seeds

1/2 bunch cilantro

juice of 1 lime, and 1 lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

1-2t cumin 

sea salt 

Brush the beets with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt, place on baking sheet and roast for 15-20minutes.  When done, cool slightly and dice into small pieces.  Add a little balsamic cream or balsamic vineger and salt.  If you prefer to go more raw, just grate the beets instead and season with the same, vinegar, salt and olive oil. 

In a small pot, cook the spelt kernels in a cup and a half of water.  It will take about 15-20mins. Set aside. 

Grate the carrots.  In a small pan, toss the coriander seeds with 1T of olive oil until fragrant - about 1 minute. In a small bowl, mix with a squirt of lemon juice, the tossed coriander and the oil, and a dash of cumin and sea salt. Set aside. 

Slice the endives, slice the leeks into thin rounds.  Mix the two with a little lemon and salt. 

In a food processor, mix the coriander with 1/4 cup of olive oil and half the lime juice.  Add grated almonds or pinenuts and process more.  It will be like a pesto but without cheese.   Drain and rinse the beans.  In a small bowl, mix them with 2T of the pesto.  Set aside. 

Finally, make a quick guacamole.  With a fork, mash your avocados, add the garlic, the remaining lime juice, a dash of salt and a little cumin. 

Now, time to layer! In a glass bowl layer all the goodies starting with the farro, beets, endives, beans, carrots and top it all of with the layer of guacamole.  If you like, you can also add some of the pesto sauce on top. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

liquid gold

 Halloween crept up so fast this year.  I didn't even see it coming, and POOF, it was already gone.  But I still have its lingering reminder in my refrigerator.  A pot of  pumpkin sage soup; creamy and satisfying, as only winter squash soup can be.  And golden, as liquid gold!

But before the pumpkin soup in my fridge, there was a party.

My current home is neatly tucked away in a rather lush corner of Oak Bay, a suburb of Victoria that is really its own municipality.  As the name suggests, Oak Bay is overgrown with Oak trees.  Gerry Oaks, to be precise, with their gnarly, twisted branches, that are covered with moss and lichen because the moist air and proximate ocean tend to make everything here green-tinged and mossy.  All these twisted Oak trees against the incredible Victoria sky, make for a dramatic landscape.  Particularly at dusk, or on those dewy mornings when the raising sun illuminates the fog and all is enveloped in soft pink mist.

Another thing about my lovely hidden corner of Oak Bay is that it is rather dark.  There are no streetlights at my end of the road and I often stumble home in the dark, my pace quick but careful, expecting the unexpected.  No, its not entirely pleasant and can be a little spooky, so coming home one night it occurred to me that my home would be the perfect site for a Halloween party - I won't even need to decorate!, I thought.  So I sent out some invites, and asked my guests for carved pumpkins as the ticket in. "Let's illuminate this dark Oak Bay corner," I called.  The vision of Jack-o-Lanterns strewn all over the lawn was too good to pass.  And I certainly didn't have time to carve all those pumpkins myself.

The party came and went.  It was wonderful, though the vision of my illuminated lawn didn't quite materialize because pumpkins sold out in Victoria.  Yes! Pumpkins. Sold. Out. On Halloween. I, the host, didn't even have a pumpkin to carve! That's what I get for waiting to the last minute, I suppose.  Luckily, Marc Oliver exudes positivity and even though he was not so keen on carving pumpkins and dressing up to begin with (Halloween is not a tradition in Germany), the sight of my disappointed face stirred some serious creativity and he was running around, decorating with other means and with all his might.  Also, some of my friends were more organized and there were a few carved pumpkins to reminds us of the fact that this was indeed a Halloween Party.  Not to mention the fantastic costumes that those with a great sense of Halloween-spirit came clad in.  Those, of course, were the other reminder.

After the party, I was left with some Jack-o-Lanterns to compost but also with a rather large pumpkin that was uncarved.  The next day, still very full of the yummy snacks and the apricot brandy cocktails from the night before, soup was all I dreamed of. So, pumpkin soup it was.  And this one was delicious! 

I topped it off with some roasted pumpkin seeds and spelt bread-olive oil croutons.  To make it even more velvety, I added some chilled thickened coconut milk (in lieu of cream). Try it! If there are no pumpkins left in your neighbourhood store, try it with any other squash. I think butternut would be best.  Or wait til next year, but don't wait too long, the pumpkins may just sell out again!

Cream of Roasted Pumpkin and Sage Soup

1 medium size pumpkin
1 white onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of white wine
2-3 cups herb or veggie stock
1T dried sage, or 2-3T fresh sage
1t dried thyme
coarse sea salt
bay leaf or 2
ground black pepper
olive oil, about 1/3 cup
1/2 cup coconut milk

seed (reserve the seeds) and chop the pumpkin into large pieces, leave the skin on. place on oiled baking sheet - you'll probably need two, or just do it in two batches.
brush some olive oil on the pumpkin pieces and sprinkle some coarse salt.
roast in the oven, at high heat for about 20-25 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft and edges blackened.

   peel the skin - it should come of easily now.  chop into smaller pieces and set aside in a bowl.

in a large pot, heat some olive oil and saute the onions and garlic.  when onions become translucent and garlic fragrant and golden,  splash some of the wine, to deglaze the pot and release the flavours.   add some herbs and add the pumpkin. add the remaining wine, the stock, the bay leaf.

simmer on low to medium heat for about 20minutes. 

 

while the soup is simmering, rinse the pumpkin seeds.  tap dry with a tea towel, toss with some olive oil, smoked or regular paprika and some sea salt.  place on the baking sheet and bake for 20minutes or so.  set aside and use as garnish (or just enjoy as a snack).

set aside to cool a little.  after 10 minutes or so, transfer the pumpkin, some broth and coconut milk into a food processor, or using a hand blender, blend until smooth and creamy.

taste and adjust flavouring. you may add more salt and black pepper, but it is important to do this after the soup is blended, as blending all that pumpkin will change the flavour of the broth.  pumpkin itself is not all that flavourful and it is a bit on a sweet side.  this is a savory soup, so season it accordingly once the blending is done.  but don't over do it, it should still taste like pumpkin!

serve garnished with chunky croutons, roasted pumpkin seeds, a dollop of coconut cream and some fresh sage leaves.  it is also delicious with a generous squeeze of balsamic cream (or your own home made balsamic reduction).

my mushroom obsession

in his wonderful book Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan describes the hunt as something akin to becoming one with nature.  your perception changes, your vision sharpens, you become hyper-aware of your surroundings. i have never hunted, nor do i plan to start, but i know the same sense-heightening happens when you forage for mushrooms -- especially once you find that first one; peaking out from under leaves or needles, or whatever else happens to cover the forest floor. 

i remember this wonderful hyper-aware sensation so well from my childhood foraging days. Western Poland, where i grew up, is heavily forested. and even though many of the forests have been cut down and replanted -- so they now look very groomed, with the pine trees in neat rows and an occasional stand of birch or other deciduous tree kind to break up the homogeny -- they are still the perfect mushrooming forests.  and when i was a child growing up in Poland, Everyone knew that, and each Fall there were busloads of "weekend warriors" from various Polish metropolises: buckets, baskets and knives in hand, eager to find their own personal mother-load.  

but our familiar paths and the forests we knew like the back of our hand were new to them, and the lure of the woods with all their promise was always bound to lead someone astray. so, on our own mushroom hunts, we'd often stumble upon lost and confused weekend mushroom pickers. often, miles and miles away from the buses that were waiting to take them back home, to the city. they'd usually find their way back, after hours of wandering about and usually with the help from the locals, but lost they did get, so very often. 

"and all this for the mushrooms?," one might ask...  well, in Poland, yes, people got lost in the woods year after year, because mushroom foraging is not just a thing-to-do in the Fall; it has been essentially elevated to the status of national tradition, an autumn religion. indeed, in the Fall, the woods become the nature's "church", with the King Bolete being the Holly Grail that everyone wanted to get their hands on (in Polish, the highly prized Boletus Edulis, are known as Prawdziwki - the "true" mushrooms - a name which highlights their special status and desirability).  

mushrooming has always and continues to be really big in Poland. it has been depicted in the Polish literature (Pan Tadeusz, an epic poem that is the Polish Iliad, devotes one of its twelve parts to mushrooming), painting, and currently a newly popular agrotourism industry offers mushroom foraging as the quintessentially Polish pass-time.  today, even if you don't have an auntie, uncle or a granny to pass on the knowledge, with the help and assistance of a well informed guide you too can pick your mushrooms. the guide will demystify the identification process, show you the tricks of the trade (or just the knowledge that used to be very common, but like many things traditional, it has been increasingly lost), and, most importantly, the guide can show you her or his "secret" spots, because SO much of the mushrooming culture revolves around secrecy.  

so yes, the adventure of mushrooming, the hunt for the Bolete mother-load, the satisfaction of finding any of the many delicious mushroom varieties, and the pleasure of eating some on the eve of their being picked (sauteed with butter and eaten with delicious rye bread) and others a couple of months later, in the form of one of the many mushroom-flavoured holiday dishes, was, for many, worth getting lost in the woods.  

and for us, the kids who grew up running around the woods and learning the art of mushroom identification from our grandparents and parents, the adventure of mushrooming was just part of our childhood and the cultural knowledge we learned by participant observation.  i was lucky because i grew up near the woods and with a family that loved to venture out.  i learned to identify mushrooms early on: their smells, their unique qualities, their various environments.  i was shown how to watch for the tell-tell sings that some may be around.  i was told how to pick them in a way that respects their earthy roots and ensures that they come back next year.  i was told how to clean them, prepare them, dry them and use them.  and by watching all these people, lost in the woods each year, i was also taught to respect the woods, and respect the mushrooms, and to never get so greedy for that mother-load that just may be out there, behind the next tree, that i would loose sight of the forest, of my way, and of the bigger picture.  the lessons i learned in the forest were invaluable. 

 

but this is a food blog, so foraging (cultural and life) knowledge aside, mushrooms are delicious! i, for one, could eat them everyday. well, i don't because (1) they are not the most nutritious foodstuffs out there, and (2) good, wild mushrooms are pretty expensive and fresh ones are only available in season.  luckily it is Fall and i now live in British Columbia, and this year, mushrooms are very plentiful. i admit, i haven't foraged in BC yet, because i don't know the secret spots and haven't found anyone who wants to share theirs with me yet.  and also because i respect the woods, and the ones around here are not so familiar to me. so instead, I've had my share of farmer's market Chantrelles and lobster mushrooms, prepared in many different ways.  and then one day, i accidentally stumbled upon my own Bolete mother-load... growing under a birch on someone's lawn in Victoria.  crazy! but yes, i did, and i have pictures to prove it. i didn't cook them - they were too previous! i dried them, for later, for a holiday meal!

there are so many things to do with mushrooms. you can just saute them with some olive oil, herbs and coarse salt and eat with rye bread to honour that classic the post-foraging feast tradition. mushrooms also make a killer (maybe not the best term when used in the same sentence with mushrooms ;)) veggie pate.  but my favourite mushroom recipe this Fall has been a wild mushroom-herb sauce that is very easy to make but so very delicious.  i have served it over squash filled potato dumplings on Thanksgiving and it was a hit.  it would be equally delicious on pasta or over mashed squash or potatoes.  a recipe is below.  i hope you enjoy it!  

p.s. when you do go into the woods to forage your own mushrooms - something i still think a lovely and safe activity provided that you have the knowledge - make sure you bring someone who knows what they are doing along.  there are plenty of book-guides out there and the mushroom-identification websites have sprang that the proverbial (Polish proverb) mushrooms after the rain, as foraging is increasingly gaining in popularity.  get yourself one and do some research.  though, i must admit, i still think that there are some things about mushrooms that you can never learn from a book or a website.  so find yourself someone who knows what they are doing and ask them to teach you.

wild mushroom-herb sauce

3-4 cups cleaned, sliced mushrooms (i use a mix of chantrelles, oyster, lobster and shitake)
3-4 dried boletes/porcini mushrooms
1/2 white onion, diced (or you can use one leak, sliced thinly)
1t mixed dry herbs Provencal
coarse salt
1-2 cups herb or veggie stock
1-2T spelt flour
fresh sprigs of thyme 


in a small pot, bring half a cup of water to boil, add the porcinis, turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.  slice them thinly and set aside.

while the porcinis are simmering, in a heavy skillet, heat olive oil, and saute the onions or leaks with a pinch of sea salt, until translucent. add the herbs and stir in. 

add half of the mushrooms and cook them down, stirring.  add the remaining mushrooms and cook them down as well.  this will take a few minutes.  now, add some more olive oil and cook the mushrooms until they are slightly browned.  add a splash of red wine to deglaze the pan.  now add the broth, porcinis, and the reserved porcini cooking liquid.  bring to a low boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.  in a small cup, mix some of the mushroom sauce liquid with 1-2T of spelt flour.  add that to the sauce, stir and let simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.  the longer it simmers, the thicker the sauce will get, so use your discretion and go for the consistency you like.  if it gets too thick, you can always add some more broth or wine.  if the sauce is too thin for your liking, add more flour.  but not too much, you want the sauce to taste like the forest, not like the flour mill!

"brunching out", or on how He makes me breakfast.

some women like flowers and chocolates, i like waking up to the smell of fresh espresso and the warm aroma of spelt toast, the sort with edges just slightly too crispy and blackened.  whether its with a smear of almond butter, a spoon full of cassis jam, a drizzle of honey, or some savory tofu scramble or a bright yolk to wipe out, i absolutely adore my morning food! and i've been very lucky.  both of the men with whom i've had meaningful and "domestic" relationships discovered this wisdom and, as a result, i've had some wonderful breakfasts and brunches to wake up to over the years. and i never took it for granted: it was always such a treat!

when i was vegan for a couple of years, i discovered how wonderfully versatile tofu was as a morning food.  savory scrambles, omelettes, frittatas, "ricotta" topped pancakes.  all with tofu, some recipes to modify, and a little imagination.  of course, i made scrambles for years before that, but going fully vegan, made me experiment all the more.  and experiment i did, so there are some tofu scrambles, an 'omelette' and an 'egg' salad on this blog, if you are keen to try, are vegan, or just looking for alternatives. 

today, all these things are still my morning mainstays, though lately i've also taken to eating eggs again. not often, and always free run and organic, but i really do enjoy an egg now and again. why? well, i think i like eggs for the very same reasons i like most of the foods i like. because they are nutritious, satisfying, and because they make me reminisce about people and events.

but eggs? yes, eggs too remind me of so many people and things. they remind me of the egg sandwiches my mom would make and pack for my school day trips and picnics; during those empty store shelf days of the mid to late 1980s Poland.  or those eggs that would swim in the sorrel soup that she made with this wonderful tart-green-leaf we'd pick at the back of my granny Stasia's garden. or that - one of many - version of beet soup that granny Irena made; slightly sweet and all creamy from the diced egg whites and crumbled golden yolks sprinkled over the ruby red broth. and not having to go that far into the past, eggs also remind me of my friend Eun-Mi, who taught me how to poach my first one. "crack the egg into a cup, swirl the hot vinegar-water with a spoon, drop the egg, watch it wrap itself into its own little pouch" she'd instruct me.  i still remember our first poached egg breakfast.

there are those who are not morning eaters; who would rather just subside on coffee and let their bodies wake up fully before filling their bellies.  i, on the other hand, go to sleep with the thoughts of breaking the night's fast in the morning.  well, unless there are more pressing issues on my mind, of course.  and He knows that, so He makes me breakfast. 

not your usual shephard's pie

despite its name, traditional Shepherd's pie doesn't contain any sheep in it.  and while this particular name originates from Scotland, where sheep herding is a common preoccupation, my brief google research has shown that this dish actually has a very international distribution.  similar types of potato-covered meat pies are found, among others, in Russia, Chile, Argentina, North Africa, North America.  the specific versions differ, but the basic formula: minced/ground/diced meat of some sort, covered with some type of a potato or pastry layer, seems to be quite common across regions and cuisines.  and as with most traditional dishes, there are of course the vegetarian and vegan versions as well which usually utilize lentils or another legume, or perhaps some type of soy protein as the bottom layer. all these versions, i imagine, hit the same note or spot: they are comforting, warming, cheap and very sharable. the perfect dish for a Fall or winter evening. though, i do think that some are healthier than others and the veggie versions - because they are not as greasy - are also pretty delicious as a cold lunch the next day.

i've made all kinds of veggie versions of this dish before, but last week i tried something new and "tested it" on our friends, Glenn and Heather.  although this new version followed the same general pattern/formula,  i wanted to do something that would evoke the flavours of Central and Eastern Europe - just to keep my "food and nostalgia" series flowing.  so instead of meat or lentils, i used kasha - roasted buckwheat groats, which are very typical to the region.

though commonly used as a side dish (instead of potatoes, for instance) in Polish cuisine, Kasha is also eaten as a main, when topped with mushroom gravy, for example.  this version is more typical to south eastern Poland and/or the Ukraine, where my granny Irena (my dad's mom) was from. in the south-eastern borderlands, buckwheat groats are also wrapped up in cabbage leaves and served as yet another incarnation of the cabbage roll. interestingly, while cabbage rolls are ubiquitous to Central and Eastern Europe as a whole, my granny Stasia (my mom's mom) never made cabbage rolls like that because she came from north eastern Poland (another fluid borderland region, this time flowing in and out of East Prussia).  Granny Irena, on the other hand, did, as did my aunt Vera because they both had Polish-Ukrainian roots and came from the same geographical area.  i got particularly lucky: since I grew up in the western Poland - the area which got settled by Poles displaced from other "fluid" regions after the Second World War (whilst, unfortunately, displacing its previous Germany inhabitants) - I got to experience culinary traditions that were very varied.  a wonderful experience indeed, though one i was not fully aware of until i began to reflect on it as a young adult.

but to get back to the pie... to keep the Polish-Ukrainian borderland flavour - in honour of that part of my heritage -  i added some chantrelle and oyster mushrooms to my pie filling.   i also added some crumbled tempeh, to up the protein content and to give it more varied texture.  the mashed potato topping was made with roasted garlic, thyme, sage and rosemary, and a dollop of miso - my mashed potato secret weapon which makes it taste like potatoes and gravy, without the gravy! the results were absolutely delicious, very filling and, at least for me, completely evocative of the flavours of my Polish-Ukrainian background. 

Eastern Borderlands Pie, with Kasha, Wild Mushrooms and Tempeh

5 medium sized potatoes
2 cloves of garlic
fresh springs of rosemary, sage and thyme (or any one of them, you can also use dry herbs)
1 T miso
2-3T unsweetened almond milk
2T olive oil
coarse salt

1 1/2 cups roasted buckwheat groats
2 cups veggie broth or water
1 cup mixed mushrooms (chantrelles, oysters, but you can use brown, portabella or shitakes too)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1T mixed, rosemary, sage and thyme (dry)
1 egg (optional)
1T Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 tempeh patty, crumbled (i use the Greene Cuisine tempeh, its local to Victoria and delicious... you can buy it in ohter parts of Canada too - i know, i've seen it.  but really, any tempeh will do).

cook the potatoes, in skins.  until tender.  set aside to cool a little.
while the potatoes are cooking, heat some olive oil in a heavy skillet.  saute the garlic, onions and herbs with a pinch of sea salt.  when onions are translucent, add the mushrooms and saute for another 5-7 minutes until cooked.  add the buckwheat groats and toast with the mushrooms and onions for a few minutes, stirring.  add the broth and the crumbled tempeh, stir, bring to boil. then turn down the heat, cover with the lid and simmer until the buckwheat is cooked.  this should take about 15-20 minutes.  check in the meantime and add more water or broth if necessary. 

while the buckwheat is cooking, mash the warm potatoes with the olive oil, minced garlic, chopped herbs, almond milk and miso.  taste and add some pepper and coarse salt if necessary.  set aside.

crack and egg into the cooked kasha, add the Parmesan and stir well.  this step is optional and just helps to bind the kasha.  but you can easily omit it for a vegan version.

place the kasha in a pie dish or a round baking dish.  top with the potato mash.  sprinkle with a little olive oil an herbs.  bake at 373F for 30mins.  then broil for another 5 minutes to get the potato to turn golden.  serve with a side salad or some roasted veggies. some nice red wine or dark beer are fantastic accompaniments too!

living and dying in the pursuit of feeding people

my granny Stasia made this potato soup with sausage chunks that was scented with marjoram and bay leafs. she would cook a huge pot of it, big enough to feed her voluminous extended family. all the grand children, and there were many of us, knew that there was always something warm and filling on her wood fired stove; just in case we dropped by after school.  and drop by we did, so very often.

the way to babcia Stasia's home on the other side of a wooded hill - an old park that had long overgrown - was so familiar to all of us.  we knew every twist of the path, each gnarly root under our little feet.  we ran, our schoolbags filled with books and our heads full of dreams.  and as we ran down that hill, past the old locomotive, through the secret spot that would burst with wild violets each summer, and crossed the last stretch of the sidewalk that led to her street, we would always be greeted by her silhouette, waiting for us, at her open window.  babcia Stasia was not the sort of a grandmother that would gently stroke our hair and tell us lovely old tales. on the contrary, there was a toughness about her; and to a complete stranger she may have even appeared abrasive and rough. she was not a stranger to profanity, she smoked unfiltered cigarettes, and drank coffee as dark as the night.  she had a difficult life, was pulled out of the school much too early because of the War's beginning and these events had left a mark on her.  but to us, she was all love and warmth... except that hers came in the form of a steaming pot of soup with a thick piece of rye bread.  and this way, she not only filled our hungry bellies, she filled our hearts with love, and our minds with so much appreciation.

babcia Stasia lived her life in a pursuit of feeding all her children and grandchildren. the day she died, from a heart attack that took her from us too soon, she did so making a big pot of food to feed us all.

this soup is not exactly like hers, but i made it with her on my mind. when i was done, the scent really reminded me of that which so often filled her kitchen. and the flavour of marjoram and bay leafs, that flavour always reminds me of babcia Stasia.

herbed potato soup with mustard greens, "sausage," and spelt croutons 

for the soup
1 onion, diced
1 potato, diced
1 zucchini, diced
3 carrots, diced
1-2 cups mustard greens (or kale), chopped
1 can white kidney beans
1 herb bouillon cube
4 cups of water 
1t marjoram
a pinch of sage and rosemary (each)
4-5 allspice balls
1-2 bay leafs
1t miso
1t coarse sea salt
coarse black pepper
1 1/2-2 Tofurky Polish-style veggie kielbasas (sausages), sliced into rounds
3T olive oil

for the croutons
2 thick slices of spelt bread
1t mixed herbs (Provencal)
1T olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced

in a large pot, heat some olive oil, saute the onions with a pinch of sea salt.  when onions almost translucent, add the marjoram, rosemary, sage. saute another minute.  add the potatoes, carrots and zucchini, saute for another minute or 2.  while onions and veggies sauteing, boil some water in a kettle.  when boiled, add to the veggies with a bouillon cube.  add the bay leafs and allspice.  simmer at low to medium heat for about 15 minutes.  drain the beans, reserving some of the liquid.  add both to the soup, add the mustard greens and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the veggies are soft.
heat a little olive oil in a small pan, add the sliced "sausage" rounds.  fry until both sides are a little crispy and slightly blackened.  add the "sausage" to the soup and cook for another 5 minutes at low heat.  turn off the heat, add 1T of miso and mix to incorporate. season with salt and black pepper.

in the same pan that you used for the veg sausage, heat a little olive oil.  cut the spelt bread into 1/2 inch cubes and toast in the pan with some herbs and a clove of garlic until toasted and crouton like.

serve the soup topped with croutons.

dreaming of Barcelona

i have yet to visit Barcelona... well, i have yet to go to Spain.  and when i do, i will indulge in all the Spanish tortilla i can.  the authentic version: full of eggs, potatoes and saffron. i can't wait!  having said that, the vegan Spanish tortilla, or as Isa Chandra Moskowitz calls hers, the "Revolutionary Spanish Omelet", that i make regularly, is pretty fantastic and uses no eggs at all.  so for those of you with allergies, those of you who are strictly vegan, or those of you just watching your egg intake, this version can be equally satisfying.  in fact, i almost prefer it sometimes to the egg version and pretty much always opt for it in my daily cooking. but for the sake of embracing authenticity (within limits, of course), i WILL have the original, not so revolutionary version, when i do eventually make it to Spain!

for Isa's delicious original "revolutionary Spanish omelet", i invite you to check out her book vegan with the vengeance. that recipe is delicious, though i usually play with it a bit.  i've added some nutritional yeast to it, a dash of smoked Spanish paprika, and i almost always roast lots of onions and garlic cloves along with the potatoes.  i like the sweet roasted garlic "surprise", so i make sure to always have some.    also, the other day, i had completely re hauled the recipe by using yams, rosemary and lots of smoked Spanish paprika.  the result was pretty delicious too! and as i am much more of a yam-fan than a potato fan, this will now be my mainstay tortilla!

here is what you need if you'd like to try my even more revolutionary (though completely unauthentic) 


Smokey Yam Omelet with Rosemary, Sage, Spanish Paprika and Roasted Garlic

3 medium size yams, washed and sliced 
1 red onion, sliced 
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 block of medium/firm tofu
1T nutritional yeast
2 sprigs of Rosemary, or 1-2t the dry stuff
1t sage
1T smoked Spanish paprika
1t coarse sea salt
3T oil and more for brushing 
some unsweetened almond/ or soy milk or veggie stock
1-2T sliced, blanched almonds

in an oven, roast the yam slices, onions and garlic (keep the husks on the garlic, and reserve one), with 1 T olive oil (or more if you like that), a pinch of sea salt and some rosemary and sage.  if you have a cast iron pan, a pan with metal handles and no plastic on it, or a nice round baking dish, roast it right in it...   roast at high temperature (i usually broil it) for about 10-15 minutes or until the yams are soft and edges are getting dark.

while the veggies are roasting, break up the tofu into chunks and in a food processor or in a bowl (using a hand blender), process/blend the tofu with 1 T olive oil, the nutritional yeast, one clove of garlic, the smoked paprika, sea salt and a pinch of rosemary.  add some almond or soy milk to get a smooth consistency that's creamy but not too runny.  you want it to still be scoop-able without being too thick.  taste and add whatever else you think


when the veggies are done, take out of the oven.  "fish out" the garlic and squeeze it out of the husks. you can cut it into smaller pieces or just leave the little garlic "surprise" for whoever is lucky enough... arrange the yams so that they are more or less evenly distributed.  now, pour/or scoop out the tofu mixture over the yams, distribute evenly and shake the dish/pan that you are using, even bang it on the counter a little to make sure that some of the tofu "sinks" between the yams.  smooth out the surface.  brush a little olive oil on top.  garnish with some rosemary leaves and sprinkle some smoked paprika on it... you can also sprinkle some almond slices or pine nuts for a nice finish. 


now, bake in the oven at about 400F for 30 minutes or so.  take out of the oven, check if the tofu has "set" and let it sit for 10 minutes before eating.  you can eat it as is just with a side of salad of some sort because it is very flavourful on its own.  or Isa has a delicious roasted red pepper sauce that she serves her potato omelet with.   its pretty easy to make if you have some ready make roasted red peppers in a jar.  then you just need 3-4 of those, a little lemon, a little brown sugar or maple syrup and 1/3 cup of almond meal.  blend, taste, add whatever you fancy! delicious! 

sunday morning to honour Lorinda

this breakfast is in honour of my friend Lorinda.  she likes pancakes, that i know. and last weekend, she ran her first half-marathon and did so with so much grace, there was a big smile on her face when she finished! "its a good distance", she said to me a couple days later.  well, for a rookie runner, and i say that because i know she's not been running for that long, that is pretty impressive and inspiring! and i had every intention to greet her at the finish line with a stack of vegan pancakes (she is vegan); to congratulate her and help her replenish all those spent calories... but then the thesis got in a way, as only a thesis can...  the deadline was too close for comfort, the panic had set in, so all i could do, was make some pancakes in her honour and fuel my own, though much slower, caloric burn...   because the brain, particularly when you are really putting it under some serious pressure, needs that too, doesn't it?

pancakes are super easy, take not that much time, and can be pretty healthy if you use the right ingredients.  mine are vegan, made with spelt and blueberries and almond milk.   the other variation that i love, particularly in the winter, are banana walnut buckwheat ones - the banana goes right into the batter. yum! but i know that Lorinda is not fond of bananas, so blueberry pancakes they are.

when MO and i were eating up our stacks, thinking of Lorinda and sending her all the good vibes we could muster, of course, i also remembered what else i like about pancakes:  they are the perfect food for feeding hungry boys, or hungry girls for that matter.  even when made with really wholesome, healthy ingredients, pancakes are pretty inexpensive.  you always make a bunch, and they are so filling!  i remembered this pancake-fact as i told MO about my little brother Maciek's visits when i lived in Windsor, ON.  once, for instance, he showed up with another friend and they stayed overnight. in the morning, i, the lone law student living on a serious budget, was faced with two hungry and slightly hangover teens...   pancakes saved the day and everyone was happy: i got to play a gracious host, the boys got full, and i didn't break my budget.

ok, so here is the recipe. 

vegan blueberry pancakes (for Lorinda)

1 cup spelt flour
1 cup almond milk
1T baking powder
1T ground flax (optional)
1t orange extract
1-2T maple syrup
1T canola or grape seed oil, plus more for frying
1/4t salt
1/2-1 cup frozen blueberries (thawed)

mix the dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, salt... no sifting necessary).  mix the almond milk, orange extract, maple syrup and oil together.   in a large bowl, mix the dry with the wet, just enough to incorporate.  add half the blueberries.

fry up! i find that using coconut oil is great if you are trying to use less.  its solid, so you can just take a little and smear it all over the pan without having to use a lot.  as it heats, it will melt and you have the entire pan covered with coconutty goodness. and then your pancakes have a very slight coconut flavour.   otherwise, just a little canola or grape seed oil goes a long way...

serve doused with yummy maple syrup and the remaining blueberries.
yum!

for the buckwheat, walnut, banana variation, you need the same amounts of four, milk, baking powder, salt, oil, maple syrup, etc.  of course, the flour is buckwheat, not spelt.  and i use vanilla extract for these.  then, mush up one very ripe banana with 1T of cinnamon and add that to your batter.  also, stir in  a good handful of walnut pieces. these come out amazing! serve with banana slices and maple syrup. 

lentil: a modest legume or the veggie hero?

modest they may be, but lentils are delicious and pack-in some serious nutrition.  lentils not only contain high levels of proteins (100grams packs in 26 grams of protein), including the essential amino acids isoleucine and lysine, they also contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B, and minerals. better yet, lentils are one of the best vegetable sources of iron (100 grams contains 60% of the daily value).  no wonder that then Health magazine has called them one of the top five healthiest foods.

and you know what else is great about lentils?  whether you sprout them and eat them raw, or cook them, most lentils are pretty quick and easy to prepare and are very versatile.  from soups, salads to "filling" in pasta sauces and stews, lentils can be simple and rustic or quite sophisticated.  just use your imagination!

here are a couple of simple recipes for lentil salad. the first is inspired by the french green lentils i had at my disposal. i decided to make a salad that i imagined may be consumed in Provence... having a little Provencal herbs, some fresh fennel, capers and Dijon mustard always makes me think that i can emulate the smells and tastes of the French country! well, i'm not sure whether i was fully successful, but this is one tasty and simple salad to make.  and whether you are vegetarian, vegan or an omnivore, your body will thank you!

the second, also takes me (and hopefully you) on a culinary journey.  i had these wonderful Aleppo pepper flakes that i brought back from my last trip to Portland.  they are strangely and naturally moist and salty (without salt added) and i've been sprinkling them over many dishes lately.  i did a bit of research on them and found that are often used in Turkish and Tunisian cuisine, so i "imagined" a north African style lentil dish.  except this one also uses red quinoa  - not geographically or culinary-culture appropriate to the region, but so delicious! and so full of protein... you may or may not know, but quinoa is a seed (not a grain) that is traditionally used and grown in Peru (or had been once upon a time and is currently experiencing a revival) aside from the delicious nutty flavour is also an incredible source of protein.  lentils and quinoa together, only double the goodness!  i made this salad after my first long bicycle ride this fall and it was meant as a protein rich recovery meal.  and it was!

"dream of Provence", warm french lentil salad with balsamic cream

1 cup french lentils
1/2 bulb of fennel (plus whatever "feathery" fennel greens are on it), diced
1 carrot, diced
1/3 block of smoked tofu (if you can find it, or just regular firm tofu)
3 roasted red peppers
1T capers
2T balsamic cream or balsamic vinegar+1T maple syrup
1T olive oil + some for sauteing
1 bay leaf
1T herbs Provencal, or thyme and rosemary
pinch of ground cumin
sea salt, black pepper

in a small pot, bring the lentils to boil, in 2 cups of water with 1 bay leaf.  turn down the heat, simmer partially covered for 15-20minutes or until tender but still a little crunch.

heat a little olive oil in a pan. saute the diced fennel bulb, tofu and the carrots with a little cumin and sea salt. saute for about 5 minutes.  drain and dice the roasted red peppers.  when lentils cooked, drain and, in a medium sized bowl, combine the lentils with the sauteed veggies, roasted red peppers, finely chopped fennel greens, capers, salt, balsamic cream, oil and herbs. add some ground peppers to taste. serve with crusty bread, or on a bed of greens!

Tunisian quinoa lentil salad  

1 cup red quinoa
1 cup french lentils (or green lentils)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
5 cloves of garlic, whole unpeeled 
6-7 asparagus spears, cut into 1/2 chunks
5 marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 bunch of flat leaf, Italian parsley
dill weed or fennel greens
juice of one lemon
olive oil
sea salt
1t cumin, ground
1t Aleppo pepper flakes, or chili pepper flakes

in a pot, bring the quinoa and 1 and 1/2 cup of water to boil.  turn down the heat and simmer, under cover until done (it should take about 10-15mins).
in another pot, bring the cup of lentils and 1 1/2 cup of water to boil (add a bay leaf).  turn down down the heat and simmer.  the lentils and the quinoa will take an approximately the same amount of time.  the lentils may take a little longer.

while the quinoa and lentils are cooking, place the diced peppers, garlic and the asparagus in a roasting dish, and toss with 2T of olive oil and some coarse salt and pepper.  roast in the oven at 500F for 10mins or until done.  when done, squeeze the garlic out of the husk. set aside.  


cut the artichoke hearts into smaller/bite size pieces.  finely chop the dill and parsley. 

in a large bowl, combine the quinoa, lentils, roasted veggies, artichokes, parsley and dill weed.  squeeze the lemon, add 2T (or more if you like) of olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin and the Aleppo or chili flakes. serve with lemon wedges for more lemony goodness!

pure (pear)fection!

pear is the quintessential fall fruit and in this lovely tart, it is pure perfection! as much as i love pears, however, i find them tricky to deal with... i always buy them firm, wait for them to ripen, and by the time i know it, they are overripe! some people like pears juicy and soft, but i like most of my fruit a little firmer, so to me a really juicy pear is an overripe pear.  but this is not an issue for baking purposes because you can use firm pears and that way they will hold up better in the process and still look pretty after being subjected to some serious heat!  
 

i adapted this recipe from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Vegan with a Vengeance.  Isa has some really wonderful recipes for baked goods that are so delicious and rich, they are very easily "sold" to your non-vegan or non-vegetarian friends. the original recipe uses cranberries and crystallised ginger.  i'm not particularly fond of crystallised ginger and didn't have any cranberries... besides, figs are more fall-ish anyways.  but i'll try it with cranberries too...  maybe later in the fall or in winter, when cranberries seem more appropriate.  also, this can be lovely without anything but pears too... so if you don't have any figs or can't find them, don't let that stop you from making this. 

pear fig tart 
1/4 cup of almond meal
1 cup of gluten free flour (i use ..., you can also use spelt, or all purpose flour)
1/4 cup grape seed or canola oi
3 spoons cold almond milk
1/4 t salt

3 ripe (but firm) Bartlet or bosc pears
3 black figs (fresh)
2 T arrowroot or tapioca flour
1/4 brown sugar
1T vanilla 
1T cinnamon
1T water
some fresh rosemary
1/4 cup of slivered almonds

sift the flour, salt and almonds together.  add the oil and milk.  form dough, work it enough to incorporate all ingredients but not too long.  flatten, wrap in foil and refridgerate for 30min. 


in a bowl, toss the pears with the arrowroot or tapioca, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and water.  

toast the silvered almonds until golden brown. 

take out the dough from the fridge. on a clean surface, roll it out taking care not to get it to stick to the surface.  transfer into a tart or pie dish and "line it" with the dough.  another option - and what i usually do - is to skip the rolling step: place the dough in the dish you will use and flatten it out using your oiled fingers.  make sure you go up the sides a little to form a bit of a border/edge.  i find that this is quick and works - and if you are going for a rustic look, it doesn't matter that it is not perfectly even.  arrange the pear slices, pour whatever liquid is remaining in a bowl.  arrange the fig slices and sprinkle the almonds on top. 


bake in a pre-heated oven (375F) for about 45 minutes. 

cool before eating.  enjoy!

the tastiest meals just make themselves, i swear!

i'm moving. again! i moved so many times in the last couple of years... after my first year and a half in Victoria, i was going to return to Toronto, my home town... but since life often proceeds with complete lack of regard for the ways we've planned it, i am still out west; 3 years later.  the life i left in Toronto when i went to grad school imploded slightly, shortly before my scheduled return home, and so i decided to give the west coast a bit more of my time and consideration. and i'm glad i did. since then, i've lived mostly in Vancouver but since my stay here has been interrupted by extended research trips, conference travel, etc., i have taken the "sublet way". subletting means "taking over" other people's rental agreements for specified periods of time by signing a sub-let agreement with the tenant.  often these sublet situations are pretty short and usually the apartments you get are furnished... you basically step into another person's reality, or at least their home. strange and a bit disruptive as it seems - since most of my sublets were 3 to 5 months (hence the constant moving around) - i have found that i really enjoy doing this. i have been careful about the homes i've chosen to live in in their owner's absence and have found this constant change of scenery rather pleasant.  before my string of sublets, i've lived in my own apartments, usually for extended periods of time: with my things and my decorating style.  but just as i like to wear dresses and braid my hair on some days, on other occasions i prefer to wear jeans, structured jackets and my hair in a bun.  but who doesn't shake up their style? that's pretty common... but, how often do we style-play when it comes to the homes we live in? doing that would not only be very, very costly, but also not particularly sustainable.  now, i've had a chance to do that for the last couple of years - sublet, after a sublet.  each a little different, but all really unique,  cozy and interesting.

and what exactly does this have to do with food? well, for one, living in different places and drawing on different sets of cook ware (though i always bring my favourite pots, knives, and a couple of other things), i've experimented with different ways of preparing food.  the kitchen of one of my sublets last summer, for instance, had a fantastic cast iron pan which i have never owned but became absolutely addicted to.  that pan way basically the only thing i ever used in that kitchen... for almost 3 months! it was fantastic and the meals i prepared were amazing.  or when i lived in Poland for a few months earlier this year, i had one pot, that's all.  so i ate a lot of soups and salads.  which is great, since soups were such a huge part of my growing up there.

but there is another thing that moving around has taught me.  those last meals you make at an apartment, you know, the ones that utilize the random things you hate to throw out but don't really want to bring along.  well, those meals can be absolutely fantastic!

today, for instance, i opened the fridge to figure out what to do with the left over veggies. among other things, i had two really nice eggplants that i picked up at the farmer's market, half an onion, a few cherry tomatoes and ... yes, that coconut milk that i have been using in everything lately.  about 1/2 cup of it... really really solid (as i used up all the water that separated).  those seemed like a pretty good curry... so i toasted some seeds and spices, sauteed the onions and eggplants, added some water and that coconut milk, oh yes, quartered those cherry tomatoes, sprinkled a bit of salt, put the lid on and let it simmer....

in the meantime, i folded some laundry, packed another box... and about 30min later, maybe less even, i lifted the lid to find a perfectly softened eggplant... it cooked itself and it was absolutely fantastic!

oh yes, another thing about this curry... if you are a purist, then you might just be horrified.  but, then again, if you are a purist you are probably horrified about everything that i make.  the spice combination is probably nothing traditional...  the spices and seeds i threw into this recipe are whatever i could dig out of the bag into which i had already packed all my spices away.... all i knew, its that i wanted cumin, lots of cumin... everything else, just sort of came together and i can say with all honesty that this was probably the best curry i have ever made.

and yes, it probably qualifies as a "dissertation series" meal, since it takes so little time to prepare. 

eggplant curry with cumin, mustard seeds and coriander. 

with a side of basmati rice, this will feed 2 or 3.  i ate it all, without any rice... i'm moving, remember! can't have any leftovers!

2T olive oil or grapeseed oil
1t mustard seeds
1t coriander seeds
1t cumin seeds
1t cumin powder
1/2t salt  or more to taste

2 medium eggplants, cubed (about 1/2 cubes, pretty big)
1/2 onion, thickly diced
6-8 cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup thick coconut milk
1/3 cup water

in a deep pan, heat the oil, add the spices and toast for a minute until fragrant (don't burn)
add the onions and a pinch of salt, saute the onions until translucent
add the eggplant and tomatoes; stir to cover with spices, saute for 2 minutes
add the water and coconut milk, add the remaining salt.

turn down the heat to medium and simmer for 25-30minutes.

being bad can be so good.

i'll admit, i'm a little tense about bad food. its probably because i had my share of hot dogs and chicken wings when i first arrived in North America 18 years ago.  coming from Poland, where food may have been rich, but it was very natural and always home made, i threw myself into a brief period of teenage food overindulgence that led to a pretty rapid fifteen pounds. and while it took a little longer to rid myself of the excess weight, going vegetarian about six months after my arrival had saved me from all the chemical chicken and mystery-meat of hot dog wieners.  mind you, there were still some very unhealthy veggie options available for a young teen experimenting with a non-meat diet.  most fake meat products out there have incredibly long lists of ingredients and many of them are pretty chemical. or i could have been the kind of vegetarian teenager that subsided on bread and cheese, and nothing else.  but luckily, the years of home made food and watching both my grannies and my mom always using fresh ingredients - many of which came from our own garden plot - to prepare our food, was probably what saved me.  all that food knowledge and the focus on seasonality and locality (even if out of sheer necessity) became an integral part of the memory quilt that was my childhood.

so today, i'm still a little weary of fast food, grease, or even pub fare.  but there is something about the change of seasons, particularly the coming of autumn, that makes me nostalgic for beer and greasy snacks. maybe its the back-to-school feeling, along with its after-class pub and bar visits? maybe its the fact that the body longs for richer food because its getting colder out? maybe its the nostalgia of late night neighbourhood walks with J, with our occasional midnight trips to the local bar for a huge plate of nachos, or to one of Toronto's awesome pizza parlors? or maybe its the "what's good for your soul, MUST be equally good for your body" that is Marc-Oliver's infectious philosophy (at least when it comes to Nutella and dumplings)... i don't know what it is, but grease and beer were on my mind all day...

so, i gave into the craving. but this is me, and my food blog, much like myself, are focused on healthy food adventures. so this means that today's "greasy" offering is still pretty damn healthy.  all the ingredients are wholesome, and things are baked rather than fried.  and no animals were harmed in its preparation.  overall, its satisfying as anything, with the added benefit of being pretty easy on your body and (if you are like me) on your mind.

this recipe for baked polenta fries is inspired by fries such as these that i had at Toronto's Live Food Bar, a raw food restaurant in my old neighbourhood that also has some cooked items on their menu (http://www.livefoodbar.com/).  i also spotted a similar recipe on the Martha Stewart website, though hers used prepared polenta (in casing, which you can buy at most food stores) (http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/baked-polenta-fries).  mine, was made from scratch, which maybe requires a little more time and effort, but is really easy and cheaper (if you are watching your budget).  also, my chipotle "aioli" is vegan, as it utilizes thickened coconut milk as the base (yes, i'm obsessed with coconut milk).

finally, just because you are having an indulgent meal, doesn't mean you should skip your veggies.  that's why i paired these yummy fries with a Mexican-inspired heirloom tomato avocado salad. remember, always eat your veggies!  oh yes, and i almost forgot.  these are even better when washed down with some wonderful local micro brew... its the west coast, there are so many options!

baked polenta fries with coconut chipotle aioli

for the polenta, you'll need: 
1 cup of corn meal (medium)
4 cups of water
1t salt

salt the water, bring water to boil, turn down the heat.
slowly add the cornmeal, stirring while adding. stir well to dissolve all clumps.
cover with a lid, keep simmering on low heat for 10mins or so.
transfer into a shallow pan, smooth out the surface.  you want it to be about half an inch or 3/4 of an inch thick. and refrigerate for at least an hour.

for the polenta fries:
1T olive oil
1t smoked paprika
generous sprinkling of cayenne or chili pepper flakes

cut the firmed up polenta into rectangles (about 1 and a half inch long).
place on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and hot peppers.
bake at 400F for 35-40 minutes, flipping over about half way through the process.  broil for the last 3-5minutes. 

for the aioli: 
2-4T of thickened coconut milk (refrigerate a can of coconut milk for a couple hours, skim the "cream")
2-4t chipotle sauce (or you can use chilies in abodo sauce, finely chopped or blended)
1 big clove of garlic, minced
a pinch or two of smoked salt, or any other salt
a little coconut milk/water/lime juice to thin it out

mix the ingredients together.  add more chipotle sauce to adjust the taste to suit your preference for heat and flavour.