Category Archives: Vegetarian-friendly

INSPIRED BY MARCELA

Posted in Appetizers, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by

The FoodTV Network: Like a broken record, I might normally go on and on complaining about how great it was but no longer is…  I must say, though, that the more I watch “Mexican Made Easy”, the more I enjoy the show. Marcela Valladolid is knowledgeable, cooks great food, and is fun to watch.  Plus, she’s fit, which is not an easy task when you’re cooking and working with food 24 hours/day. Or close to that.  😉  Apparently she owes her great shape to yoga. On one segment about healthy Mexican recipes, they showed her serene composure during a tough variation of Warrior III, and in an advanced Twisted Pigeon pose.   Impressive, to say the least. ANYWAY,  back to cooking.  In another recent episode she shared a tempting recipe for Chicken Tostadas.  I didn’t make it yet, but I prepared one of its components, the tomatillo-avocado salsa.  It couldn’t be easier, and it couldn’t be tastier.   You absolutely HAVE to make and serve this alongside anything!  Ok, maybe not with that slice of chocolate cake… 😉

FRESH TOMATILLO-AVOCADO SALSA
(adapted from Marcela Villadolin)

6 ounces tomatillos, husked, rinsed and coarsely chopped
2 large yellow tomatoes, cored and seeded, coarsely chopped
1 avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 Serrano chile, seeded, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt and  black pepper

Combine the tomatillos, yellow tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, chile, and lemon juice in a blender and puree until smooth. Season the salsa with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours or until ready to use.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I intend to make her chicken tostadas soon, my problem is the tostada part, as we still don’t have a gas cooktop. But I might improvise and come up with an alternative.  Tomatillos are usually cooked before incorporation into salsas and sauces, but in this fresh preparation  the  trick is to mellow their sharpness down by adding the avocado and using lemon juice instead of lime juice, as most salsas would call for.  Simple. Brilliant.

My adaptation was adding some yellow tomatoes because they were looking at me and begging to be consumed. So I did.  Next time I might either process a little less, or save a few pieces of diced yellow tomatoes to add at the end and make it a bit more chunky.  We served it with grilled steel head trout and steamed rice.  Phil thought that a great idea for an appetizer would be a small piece of grilled salmon or trout over a blue tortilla chip, and a dab of tomatillo salsa on top.  No doubt in my mind I married a guy with great taste.  😉

On a slight tangent: as I was preparing this post, I got the feed notification of a new article by Kelly, over at Inspired Edibles.  She wrote a nice tribute to her yoga instructor, and I invite you to jump over there and read it, very inspring! As a bonus, you’ll also get a recipe for homemade energy bars…
I am all for energy bars these days! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Chocolate Intensity

TWO YEARS AGO: Shrimp in Moroccan-Style Tomato Sauce 

THREE YEARS AGO: Golden Zucchini: A Taste of Yellow

FORGIVE ME, FOR I HAVE SINNED

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by

The perfect food blogger would never resort to using pre-washed greens, buying instead produce exclusively from the farmer’s market,  each leaf washed with loving care. However, I am not ashamed to confess this particular sin. Quite the contrary, the bag of organic  “mixed greens” found in most grocery stores is one of my best friends, because it makes life so much easier.  To my delight, the latest issue of Fine Cooking had an article devoted to redeeming sinners like me: it offered  several options of salad recipes that,  starting from those handy bags, turn them up into something special. I intend to try all of them, but my first choice was the one featuring a ginger-yogurt dressing and fresh cucumber. I can never resist the call of ginger.  😉

MIXED GREEN SALAD WITH CUCUMBER, ALMONDS, AND GINGER-YOGURT VINAIGRETTE
(adapted from Fine Cooking magazine, July 2012)

1-1/2 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 Tbs. finely chopped shallot
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
2 tsp. thinly sliced mint leaves
salt and black pepper to taste
1/3 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
5 oz. (5 cups) mixed baby greens
1 small English cucumber, peeled, sliced
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, shallot, ginger, mint, salt, and black pepper.  Stir in the yogurt and olive oil.

In a large bowl, season the greens and cucumbers with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper and toss with enough dressing to lightly coat. Sprinkle the toasted almonds on top, and serve right away.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

The original recipe called for sesame seeds instead of almonds, but I like to have extra crunch in my salad, and felt that the sesame seeds would more or less disappear through the mix.  I also used non-fat yogurt in place of low-fat, because that’s what we had laying around in the fridge.  The dressing turned out light, with the mint and ginger bringing a nice zing to it.   Great, simple salad, perfect way to doctor up those bags that may find their way into your grocery cart… 😉  Extra-vinaigrette keeps well for a day, the flavors intensify a bit.

Because Fine Cooking doesn’t make their recipes available online for non-subscribers, a while ago I contacted the magazine to know their thoughts on copyright issues. Here’s the deal: they don’t mind bloggers publishing any of their recipes, as long as full credit is given and a link to the magazine is included, so that’s what I’ve been doing, without guilty feelings.  Except, of course, the guilt of buying that eventual bag of salad greens. Pre-washed.  😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Cracked Wheat Sandwich Bread

TWO YEARS AGO:  Au Revoir, my Bewitching Kitchen

THREE YEARS AGO:  French Bread

ASPARAGUS PESTO

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by

My dear friend and great cook Cindy raved about this recipe during the peak of asparagus season.  Full disclosure: the year was 2010.  Yes, it takes me a while to get to important stuff, but I finally made it. Better late than never!  I am fond of the traditional Genovese pesto, but often find it a bit overwhelming.  This version takes just a bit of basil in a sea of asparagus, and I guarantee if you make it even the die-hard asparagus haters (like two of my stepsons ;-)) will fall for it.

ASPARAGUS PESTO WITH WHOLE WHEAT PASTA
(adapted from Cindy, who adapted it from Michael Chiarello)

1 lb asparagus|
1 cup (lightly packed) basil leaves
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
1 clove garlic, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup low fat yogurt
about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Boil the asparagus in salted water until very tender. Drain, reserving the water, and cool slightly. Put in a food processor with the all of the other ingredients except the oil, and puree well. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Taste and adjust for seasonings and consistency. It should be about the thickness of mayonnaise.

Return the water used for cooking the asparagus to a boil and cook pasta. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Mix the pasta and pesto, thinning with the pasta cooking water as necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

We had this pasta with a juicy, thick salmon steak, cooked to perfection by the master grilling-guru whom I married 12 and a half happy years ago.  The pesto was excellent with the whole wheat pasta, but a small amount topping the hot salmon just as it left the grill was mind-blowing delicious!    I actually think grilled salmon and asparagus pesto might be the gastronomic discovery of 2012 for me, and I have to thank Cindy for it.

And now, for something completely different, once again.  While reading Sawsan’s blog, Chef in Disguise, I learned that she’s got two awards:  The Versatile Blogger, and Very Inspiring Blogger.  I smiled and told myself  “she definitely deserves them both!”.    Much to my surprise and delight, she passed them to a few bloggers and there was the Bewitching Kitchen! Now I am the proud receiver of those awards too!   Versatile, maybe. Inspiring?  Wow, that would be awesome…

Thanks so much, Sawsan!

ONE YEAR AGO: Chocolate and Chestnut Terrine

TWO YEARS AGO: Under the spell of lemongrass

THREE YEARS AGO: Greens + Grapefruit + Shrimp = Great Salad!

A SMIDGEN OF A TART

Posted in Appetizers, Breakfast & Brunch, Vegetarian-friendly by

One of my favorite food blogs is “Just a Smidgen”, from the lovely Barbara, a poet, mother, cellist, great cook, and superb photographer.  Each of her posts is a work of art, with carefully chosen words, and photos that will make you dream.  And, to top it all, everything she cooks makes my mouth water…   Last month she had this tomato tart featured on her blog, and since heirloom tomatoes insist on jumping in my grocery cart,  I immediately added it to my Pinterest cooking board for future reference.   Contrary to what usually happens, I made it right away, it was simply irresistible!

ROASTED HEIRLOOM TOMATO TART
(adapted from Just a Smidgen)

1 package puff pastry, defrosted (use one half for the tart)
5 to 6 heirloom tomatoes
olive oil
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1 container of bocconcini mozzarella, drained (200g / 7 to 8 ounces)
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/8 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
2 tsp Herbes de Provence
1 egg

Heat oven to 400° F.

Roll out one sheet of puff pastry directly on a piece of parchment paper until it is about an 11” x 14” rectangle. Take a fork and poke holes all over the pastry, leaving a one-inch border all around. Using the palm of your hands, gently roll up to form a border of dough.

Within that border, spread the tomato sauce evenly then add the mozarella pearls over the top.

If your tomatoes are too juicy, slice them and place over paper towels to drain the excess moisture. Place them over the tart, overlapping slightly. Use different colors and sizes, it is supposed to be a rustic-looking tart.

Sprinkle with the herbes the Provence. Finish by sprinkling the grated Parmigiano over the surface of the tart.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a drizzle of water to make a wash. Brush this egg mixture on the border of the pastry.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the puff pastry has risen and lightly browned, but start checking the bottom of the tart after 20 minutes, as depending on the moisture of your tomatoes, it could be ready earlier.

Cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature, cut in squares.

ENJOY!

printable version available soon

Make sure to stop by Smidge’s blog to look at her gorgeous photos of the making of this tart.  The use of bocconcini mozzarella pearls was a nice touch. Although they may seem a bit bulky to lay on the tart,  they’ll melt into a thing of pure beauty and enticing creaminess, in a perfect marriage with the heirloom tomatoes.  Let me remind you once more:  if using overly juicy tomatoes, drain  the slices and pat them dry.  They will release more liquid during baking, so there will be no risk of ending with a dried up topping.

I hope there is no penalty for a blog with too many heirloom tomato recipes.  If there is, I’m in trouble, because there will be more, I’m afraid…  😉

Barbara, thanks for a great recipe!

ONE YEAR AGO:  A Tropical Street Market

TWO YEARS AGO: Groceries

THREE YEARS AGO:  A Souffle to Remember Julia Child

ORZO WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATO RELISH

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Vegetarian-friendly by

I fell in love with heirloom tomatoes this year, and my passion only intensifies the more I use them.  Get a bunch of tomatoes, of all colors and shapes you can find.  Dice them, keep the skin and the seeds.  This is a simple dish.  Refreshing, absolutely perfect for a 110 F day (that is 43 C, folks!).   Actually, I am not complaining: my Brazilian nature takes the heat with poise, dignity,  and uncooked pasta sauces.  😉

ORZO WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATO RELISH
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

1 cup uncooked orzo
3-4 heirloom tomatoes, diced
kalamata olives, pitted, coarsely diced
fresh parsley, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
splash of white balsamic vinegar
salt and black pepper to taste
crumbled feta cheese
lemon zest to taste (optional)

Start by making the relish:  mix in a bowl the diced tomatoes, olives, season with salt and pepper, add the olive oil, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar.  Stir occasionally as you boil the water to cook the orzo.

Cook the orzo according to the package instructions.  Drain, add it to the fresh tomato mixture, mix the parsley, add the crumble feta on top, and mix gently, no need to try to fully incorporate it.  Serve with a nice sprinkle of fresh lemon zest on top, if desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

This dish is all about the contrast between hot orzo and cold relish.  I would have added capers if our bottle was not 312 miles away in another kitchen.  Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of what is where. Often while at a grocery store  in Manhattan we are sure to have something already in the fridge, and we sure do, but the fridge in question is in Norman… and vice-versa.  The bottom line: if you have capers, add them.  Leftovers are great cold too.

And now, for something completely different (great show, BTW)…  We are often concerned with the quality of the ingredients we use in our cooking, right? Let me now share with you something  equally important: the kind of labor involved in bringing an ingredient to your table.  Please jump here for a very informative article published in “Not Without Salt” and learn what may be hiding behind the gorgeous tomatoes you bring home.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Headed to Brazil!

TWO YEARS AGO: The Rhubarb Brouhaha: Revelation Compote

THREE YEARS AGO: Love me tender…