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.

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! 

dissertation meals, continued.... ten minute miso and soft polenta topped with dandelion and pepper pure

there is nothing, absolutely nothing, about these dishes that makes it necessary for one to have academic pursuits... the reason i call these meals, "dissertation meals", is to highlight just how non-time-consuming they are.  this is not to say that graduate studies and/or the life of a graduate student is somehow busier or more taxing than lives of people with full time occupations, be they the care of one's home and children, other dependents or a paid job.  not to even mention the legions of people who are juggling both, and more... compared to these folks, graduate students who have no caring responsibilities or sufficient funding to not have to subsidize their research with other work, such as myself, are perfectly, spoiled...  it is a well known fact that graduate students have more time on their hands than the average person... but there is something about having to juggle this massive project that makes it seem like there is NO TIME AT ALL... it never really leaves your vision... whether it is on the periphery, the horizon, or right there in front of you... its all about the thesis...  many of us have seen the graduate students who are too pale, too unhealthy, because they spend so much time at the library that they forget to eat, socialize, exercise.

well, i'm not about to do that! i think all of those things are crucial to keep sanity and have a healthy perspective - including an academic one.  that's why food and sharing it is a very important part of my academic life.  but time is still precious, so quick meals are good meals.  the dissertation series is precisely about that: good food, in no time (so that you can take more time to share it, or do other things you have to do!).

and the awesome thing about this is that most of us can use more time to share meals, rather than prepare them.  so, no dissertation-in-progress is required for you to enjoy these recipes!

today, i have 2 more...  the first is a ridiculously easy miso soup that takes ten minutes (its not really a recipe, but i'm putting it up anyways because sometimes its the very things that we don't need recipes for that we forget about).  unlike my usual miso soup, i made this one with sauteed peppers, zucchini and black kale... slightly different set of flavours than my usual shitake, nori miso.  not only delicious, this miso is a reminder that not having the ingredients that you "need" for a recipe should never, ever stop you from making food.  just open your fridge or pantry and substitute .... a dash of creativity and a willingness to stray from the recipe is fun and almost always yields good results!

the second dish is and a delicious soft polenta with goat's cheese, topped with dandelion greens and roasted red pepper pure.  this dish takes about 30 minutes to prepare, but the taste is pretty wonderful so you or your guests would never know!  and you can always veganize it by omitting the goats cheese and maybe substituting some blended silken tofu (with a little garlic and salt). or just adding some olive oil or a spoon full of earth balance margarine.   the goats cheese is really there to make the polenta creamy, but either of the options i mentioned will do the trick too.

ten minute miso

1 bell pepper, sliced thinly

1/2 white onion, sliced thinly
1/4 block of tofu, cubed
1 yellow or green zucchini
2-3T miso (any kind)
2-3 cups water
1T tamari or good quality soy sauce
1t sesame seeds
dash of chilies
1-2 sheets nori
1T sesame oil (though olive or grape seed would do as well)

boil the water.  

heat the oil, stir fry the onions, bell pepper, yellow zucchini and tofu for about 5 minutes, add the tamari half way through.

while stir frying, boil the water in a kettle or in a medium size pot. when boiled, turn off, let sit for 1 minute. add the miso and stir to dissolve (i find that using an egg beater works well for this, or just use a fork).  add the stir fried veggies and tofu to the miso.  cut or rip the nori into strips or chunks. add to the soup.  pour soup into bowls, garnish with sesame seeds and chili flakes.

soft polenta with goats cheese, dandelion greens and roasted red pepper pure. 

1 cup fine or medium cornmeal
1 small jar of roasted red peppers
1 bunch dandelion (but you can also use rappini/broccoli rabe, kale, mustard greens or watercress)
6 cloves garlic
4 cups of water or veggie broth
100g soft unripened goats cheese
1/3 cup almond meal
1-2 t coarse salt
1/2t dry rosemary
1t brown sugar
3T olive oil and more

bring the water or broth to boil.  if using water, salt it sufficiently.  add the rosemary.

while waiting for the water to boil, blend the roasted red peppers, 1T olive oil, 1t brown sugar and 1/3 cup blanched almond meal in a food processor or with a hand blender.  set aside.

when water is boiling, turn down the heat.  gradually add the cornmeal, stirring while adding.  keep the heat low because otherwise you'll be dealing with a geyser/volcano...  cover with a lid.  let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

while the polenta is cooking, heat 2T of olive oil in a pan.  add the garlic and saute for 1 min.  add the washed dandelion greens, cut into 2 inch long pieces.  saute with a dash of coarse salt for about 2-5 minutes.  if using other greens, such as broccoli rabe, it might take longer.  also, if using broccoli rabe/rappini, blanching it first helps to rid it off the bitterness... unless you like that flavour (i do!).

uncover the polenta, stir and taste it.  add a little more salt if necessary.  add 50g of goats cheese and stir it in gently until there are no chunks.  this will make the polenta very creamy!  you can now turn it off the heat.

serve the polenta by placing 1 generous ladle-full of polenta, topped with some greens and a dollop of roasted red pepper pure.  crumble some goats cheese and sprinkle some olive oil on top.  coarse/ground black pepper is nice too.

enjoy!

the (absolutely) best beet salad

i can't get enough of beets! at the risk of repeating myself, i am posting yet another roasted beet salad. but i promise: this one is the best, absolutely!  the trick is to get a bunch of fresh beets, that way they are not too large and are very firm.  beets are plentiful right now and you can find them at your local farmer's markets; so get them while you can.  i got a bunch of amazing golden, red and pink beets today, and it was enough to make 2 big dinner size salads or 4 sides.  at $3 a bunch, its not bad! this salad is vegan, but if you eat eggs, to make it even more filling you can top it with a soft-poached egg... that, in fact, would also make a lovely brunch dish!

another trick has to do with the sauce/dressing for this salad.  i usually pair my roasted beets with a balsamic glaze or a little lemon, but today i was in a mood for something more garlicky, tart and creamy... sort of a cross between cesar dressing and hollandaise sauce... to contrast with the sweetness of the beets.  and yes, it was a winner! normally i make my creamy dressings by blending tofu with lemon, garlic and dijon mustard, but an effort to use less soy has forced me to experiment with other ingredients.  and my favourite soy replacement these days is coconut milk... i usually buy it canned, but i found this amazing 100% coconut milk in a tetrapak at my local grocer and, ever since, i have been addicted to it.  aside from the obvious uses in curries and soups, i have been pouring it over baked/grilled peaches for a creamy dessert (its basically as delicious if not better than cream or melted vanilla ice cream), using it in my morning espresso (mixed with some water and shaken ... it actually foams up!), and today, i used it to make a savory creamy dressing for my salad. it was absolutely creamy and delicious! and rich as it may be, coconut milk is very healthy, so enjoy it!

what you'll need for this salad:

roasted beet, zucchini salad with black kale and creamy dijon garlic sauce.

1 bunch beets (about 6 small to medium size)
1 bunch black kale (or another variety)
1 yellow zucchini
1/2 red onion
2 sprigs rosemary
1T coarse salt, 1/2t cinnamon bark
2-3T olive oil
1-2T sliced almonds, roasted

wash the beets well, quarter (or cut into smaller chunks depending on beet size).
slice the zucchini and the onion. place all veggies in a roasting pan, toss with the olive oil, rosemary and salt. roast in oven for 20-30mins, until beets done.

quickly saute or steam the kale.

creamy garlicky dressing
1-2 cloves garlic
2T coconut cream (skimmed of the top, if you can't find the tetrapack variety, you can use the regular canned stuff, just put your can in the fridge for an hour beforehand to get the "cream" to set)
1T (or more) coconut milk/water
1T dijon mustard
1t capers
1/2-1t nutritional yeast flakes (optional)

in a small bowl, mix the ingredients together.  add more or less coconut milk/water to get the right consistency.

assemble the salad by placing the roasted beets and zucchini atop the bed of kale.  pour 1T dressing and sprinkle roasted almonds on top.

this salad is also delicious topped with a soft poached egg.

dissertation cabbage

i admit, this is a truly strange title for a blog entry... almost as if i was trying to scare my readers (the few that there are) away.  but don't fear! this post will not have anything to do with the subject of my dissertation.  it does, however, have something to do with the process of writing it...

a couple of days ago, someone commented on my panzanella post (on facebook) by suggesting that it must take a lot of time to prepare my food.  in reply, i assured this person that most food i prepare is not very labour intensive.  admitedly, i have no idea why i was feeling a bit defensive about taking more time than necessary out of my very busy dissertation writing schedule to make nutritious meals... first, i don't take more time than necessary (or do i?); second, i happen to think that all this nutritious food will fuel my writing, right?

well, i admit, i did feel a bit defensive nonetheless, so i decided to show my readers, that good, tasty food, really does not have to take a lot of time.  hence, this dish.  its hardly a recipe and it involves cabbage which may scare some people off.  but i happen to think cabbage is fantastic and i am sure that you will like it too!  but the main point here, is that this meal takes NO TIME to make.  it took 10 minutes to prepare! now, that is NOT a lot of time to procrastinate, is it? hence, it is the first of my "dissertation meals" series:  good brain fuel that takes no time from your writing! of course, to make this a more filling MEAL, you'd have to serve it on some rice or quinoa, which would add a bit of time to the preparation unless you have made some ahead of time.  but if you just want a to quick, light lunch or dinner, you are 10 minutes away from some really yummy cabbage stir fry!

"dissertation cabbage"

(red cabbage fennel stir fry, with mint lemon "pesto" and tamari)

1 small head of cabbage
1/2 head of fennel
1 red onion
4 cloves garlic
splash of tamari sauce
1/2 cup of mint lemon pesto
1T olive oil or sesame oil

mint lemon pesto
1 bunch of mint
juice of 1 lemon
splash of rice vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup almonds
process all these ingredients in a food processor or a blender.  here is your mint lemon pesto.

for the stir fry: cut the cabbage and the fennel into bite size, longish pieces.  slice the onion. mince the garlic.  heat 1T olive oil in a wok or a deep frying pan.  saute the onions and garlic for about 1 minute.  add the cabbage and fennel and stir fry for 5 minutes.  add the tamari, stir for another minute.  add 1/2 cup of the mint lemon pesto, stir, serve, eat.  NOW, get back to whatever you were doing!

use up your leftover bread: say panzanella!

panzanella: a classic italian salad made of stale bread and tomatoes.  mine used half a loaf of crusty spelt bread, 3 large red tomatoes and a handful of yellow cherry and other hairloom tomato varieties, 1T of capers, lots of basil, two generous cloves of garlic (minced), a dash of coarse salt, and a generous portion of olive oil (3T).  

the spelt bread i used was quite dense so even though too stale for other consumption, i had to dry it out a little more for this salad.  to do that, i cut it into large cubes, tossed with some olive oil and baked/dried it out in the oven at 250F for 25mins.  in the meantime, i cut the tomatoes into large chunks, julienned the basil and diced the garlic.  i mixed those with some coarse salt, capers and olive oil.  i then added the dried bread and tossed together.  i let it stand, covered, on the counter for about an hour for the flavours to integrate.  before serving, i threw in a couple of handfuls of fresh arugula.

a delicious, filling salad that tastes like summer! and so easy!

the new polish

 

farmers market bounty has brought the Pole in me.  well, at lest the young cabbages, beet greens and locally grown oyster mushrooms have.  cabbage, wild mushrooms and beets are key in Polish cuisine and are served up in a variety of ways: fresh, braised, boiled, pickled, preserved etc.

with the exception of the quintessential pierogi, barszcz (or borsch) and cabbage rolls are probably two Polish dishes most familiar in North America.  the first, is a classic Polish soup that is also eaten in Ukraine and Russia (and throughout the region), and can be prepared in a variety of ways depending on the season. when beets are fresh and young, barszcz can be prepared by using the whole plant - roots and leaves - which makes this soup particularly nutritious.  with an addition of some potatoes, carrots and white kidney beans, and seasoned with dill, lemon, bay leaf and garlic, this type of barszcz is delicious as a light meal, particularly when served with crusty rye bread on the side.  classically, it is also served with sour cream, which i prefer to skip.  however, when i do feel like adding some richness to this soup, i use some finely ground almonds/almond meal which does an amazing job of changing the colour and adding creaminess to this soup.  another option is to make a little "cream" by blending silken tofu with a little lemon and salt.

as for cabbage rolls, well, they too are delicious and can be made with a variety of fillings and using different types of cabbage.  while the most popular cabbage rolls are filled with rice and ground meat, depending on the region they are also made with mushrooms and buckwheat, potatoes and carrots, or rice and veggies.  they can also be filled with quinoa, millet, and other grains, although these would most certainly depart from the tradition.  i made mine with brown rice, oyster mushrooms, carrots onions and a little fennel, and seasoned them with mixed herbs such as oregano, marjoram, tarragon and rosemary.  i served them with a simple tomato sauce with a dash of smoked paprika... just to give it a slightly different spin... because putting the spin on tradition is what i like most!
 

"Ukrainian-style" Polish Barszcz 

4-5 beets, peeled and diced (or just thoroughly washed and diced)

beet greens and stems (optional, if you have them), chopped 

1 leak or white onion, diced

2 potatoes, diced

a handful of long green beans, cut into 1/4 inch pieces 

1 carrot, diced

1/2 can of white or red kidney beans

2-3 cloves of garlic

4 cups of veggie broth (i use the herb Harvest Sun bouillon cubes, which are both vegan and organic), or more (depending on how thick or thin you like your soup).

1 T olive oil

2-3 bay leaves 

juice of 1 lemon

allspice, 4-5 whole

1/2t salt, or more to taste

handful green dill, chopped finely    

in a large pot, heat olive oil. saute the onions/leaks and two minced cloves of garlic with a pinch of salt, until translucent.  add the potatoes, carrots, beans and saute for a minute. add the beets (but not the greens), the broth, the bay leaves, salt allspice and squeeze in the lemon juice.  bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 20minutes.  add the beet greens and the kidney beans.  also add the remaining clove of garlic.  let simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the veggies are soft.  add the dill, and some black pepper to taste.  let sit for a 10 minutes before eating. 

you can serve this soup with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, and with some fresh dill on top.  sometimes this soup is blended, but the traditional way of eating this Ukrainian-style Barszcz is with all the chunkiness that it comes with.  another version which often is blended, skips the beans, and, in the summer, can be eaten cold.  its sort of a Polish-style gazpacho, and is called chlodnik.

and this time, the real (slow) mushroom risotto

my commitment to whole grains cost me a very very late dinner, but boy, was it worth it!

i adore risotto, but don't like the fact that it's made with white arborio rice. so, in a bid to "healthify" it, i decided to use short grain brown rice.  i knew it would take longer to cook, but i didn't anticipate that it would take nearly 2 hours! but time consuming as it was, it was completely divine and every bit worth the effort.  because of the time commitment, it may not be a week night quick meal, but it would make a great special saturday or sunday meal. so if you want to spend a little time in the kitchen, indulge, and still keep it healthy, i highly recommend it...just make sure you give yourself plenty of time, have a good glass of wine to sip on while cooking and some good music in the background!

eggplant "canneloni" with tofu ricotta and pesto

these eggplant roll ups are easy but quite elegant.  you can serve them as appetizers or, paired with a salad, they can be also make a lovely and light main course.  i made the ricotta from tofu because i wanted these to be vegan, but you can use regular ricotta if you don't mind the dairy. if you do, i'd season it with some salt, pepper and herbs (much as the seasoning in the recipe).  these "cannelonis" are sufficiently moist and packed with flavour, so aside from a little drizzle of pesto, other sauce is unnecessary.  you can, however, serve them with some simple marinara sauce.

eggplant "canneloni" with tofu ricotta and pesto 
makes about 12-14

world's fastest risotto

let's face it, fast risotto is a bit of an oxymoron. real risotto takes time and a lot of stirring! and if you have ever tried to make it with brown rice - and yes, this is possible - it takes even longer.  but if you don't have 2 hours to spare and have some left over brown rice in your fridge, you can try this short-cut version.   sure, it doesn't have the same creaminess as the masterfully executed "real thing", but it is tasty all the same.  and it can save you some precious time and help you dress up your leftovers.

quick risotto with tomatoes, spinach and olives

cold soba on a hot day

here is a a really good and easy cold soba noodle salad recipe - perfect for a hot summer day (you can easily make this a warm salad for a cold winter night too, but let's not talk about cold winter nights just yet). i made this twice last week because it is so good and takes no time at all. the first time i made it, i added sauteed oyster mushrooms instead of the tofu that i listed in this recipe. both versions were delicious.

cold soba noodle-veggie salad
1 carrot
handful of snow peas
1 red bell pepper
1 small cucumber
2 green onions, or quarter of red onion
cilantro
0.5 block of tofu, cubed
soba noodles, handful (i use 100% buckwheat soba, but other kinds will do as well)

for the sauce, blend together:
1T miso
1T tamari
1T almond butter
1t tahini
2Ts rice vinager or lime juice
1inch ginger root, grated
1t maple syrup or honey
1t hot chili sauce

bring water to boil in a pot, cook the soba noodles until done (about 5-7min). drain, rinse under cold water and let drain well.
julienne all the veggies. cube the tofu and saute with a little oil and tamari (about 2-3min). mix the veggies, tofu and noodles with the sauce. garnish with cilantro (and maybe some black sesame seeds).

makes 4 servings.

brilliant veggies

this veggie stir fry over thai black rice turned out so well! the black rice adds a nice nutty note and makes a nice backdrop for a colourful medley of vegetables. i used snow peas, yellow and red bell peppers, shitake mushrooms, baby bok-choy and diced tofu, but any of your favourite veggies would do. the key here is to have some brilliant colours!

first, i sauteed the tofu separately using this speedy flavour infusing technique that i learned from anna, my friend eun-mi's sister. you basically sear the tofu first, using just a little sesame oil, and then when it is golden on both sides, you splash a little tamari, stir around and let absorb. i then stir fried all the veggies - starting with the mushrooms - in a little sesame oil and again, splashed a little tamari once they were getting done (about 5-7mins). to add more flavour, i made this sauce/dressing inspired by the fresh cookbook recipe for the "new buddha sauce": (1 inch ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1T olive oil, 1t sesame oil, 1/4 c water, 1/4 rice vinegar, 1/2 (or one small) grated carrot, 1T almond butter, 1t curry powder, pinch of cayenne, and a little agave nectar - bled until smooth). done!

to assemble to all - place some black rice in the middle of the plate, drizzle a little sauce; place your veggies on top, drizzle with sauce and garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions. i didn't use them here (because i didn't have any), but some cashews, peanuts or black sesame seeds would be a nice garnish as well. yum!

stuffed peppers

i made these tonight. the slightly curried rice pilaf filling is delicious on its own too - thus, these are two meals in one...

you will need:

1/2 c cooked brown rice

1/2 carrot

1/4 red onion

1 inch ginger root (grated)

2 cloves of garlic (chopped)

1/2 c canned drained chickpeas

1 t each curry powder and cumin

pinch of salt, pepper to taste

1 T very dense coconut milk (or 2T regular)

1 t coconut oil

fresh parsley

2 sweet peppers, tops cut of (reserve), cored and steamed for 5-7 mins

to prepare the filling:

heat the pan, add the coconut oil

saute the onion, garlic and ginger for 1 min, add the curry powder, cumin, salt

add grated carrots and diced pepper tops and saute for 2-3 mins

add the chickpeas and coconut milk - saute for a further 2 mins; then add the rice and continue sauteing until the coconut oil has been absorbed; adjust spicing and add some fresh parsley

heat the oven to 400F; stuff the peppers with the rice mixture and bake for 25-30 mins; let sit for about 5-10 mins for the rice to settle

serve with steamed green veggies; enjoy!