Serious Eats: Recipes - Seriously Meatless

Seriously Meatless: Southwest Mac and Cheese With a Cornbread Crust

2010-04-07T18:45:00Z

Michael Natkin's vegetarian recipe blog, Herbivoracious, drops by most Wednesdays to expand our meatless repertoire.

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

Macaroni and cheese is great to make for dinner parties that include kids. I like to make two batches: one with a simple and classic cheese sauce, and the other with big, bold flavors. Today's recipe is for a Southwestern version packed with three kinds of peppers (roasted poblano, Hatch, and red bell) and topped with cornbread crumbs instead of the standard breadcrumbs.

The three peppers are full of flavor but quite mild. If you want heat, add some jalapeño, serrano, or chipotle peppers packed in adobo. Another option is to offer hot sauce or pickled jalapenos on the side so each diner can customize the fire level.

It's best if the cornbread has had a day to dry out a bit before you make it into bread crumbs. So start by making my brown-butter cornbread a day in advance. Unless you have tremendous willpower and can restrain your immediate family, you might want to make a double batch because you'll need most of one batch for the mac and cheese.

Ingredients

4 poblano peppers
1 pound elbow macaroni
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups cornbread, preferably a little dry/stale
1/4 cup all purpose-flour
4 cups whole milk
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons oregano (preferably Mexican)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
12 ounces extra-sharp cheddar (dryish and very flavorful), grated
10 ounces Monterey jack, grated
1 seven ounce can chopped roasted Hatch chili peppers
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
Salt to taste

Procedures

Broil the poblano peppers until they are thoroughly blistered, turning occasionally. Place in a covered bowl for 10 minutes to cool and let the skin loosen. Peel, and remove core, stem, and seeds. Finely dice.
Grate the cornbread into crumbs. I like to use a food processor for this and then do the cheese at the same time.
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a large baking dish.
In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk pretty constantly for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, and nutmeg. Simmer, whisking occasionally until it begins to thicken.
Gradually whisk in the grated cheeses, stirring each batch to incorporate.
Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning to your preference. It will probably need a little salt, but maybe not too much depending on the cheeses. Remember that the sauce should be pretty intense because it is going to be diluted by a full pound of pasta.
Stir the macaroni into the sauce. Pour the macaroni into the prepared pan. Mix in all three peppers. Taste again and make any final adjustments.
Top with the cornbread crumbs. You might not need all of them but I like a pretty thick layer.
Cover with tinfoil and bake for about 30 minutes, until it is bubbling around the sides. Remove the tinfoil and bake 10 more minutes until the cornbread crumbs are turning golden brown. You might need to carefully deploy the broiler.
Let stand for 5-10 minutes (to set) and serve.

Seriously Meatless: Polenta with a Leek and Mushroom Ragu

2010-03-24T18:30:00Z

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

While meat meals are traditionally based around the "protein," it often makes sense to plan a vegetarian meal around the primary grain. For example, I'll begin with "I think I want rice tonight," then work from there to decide if that should lead in a Thai, Indian, or Chinese (and so on) direction. Polenta is one of my favorite starting points because it so willingly embraces just about any Italian-inspired topping.

For today's recipe I opted for a simple saute of leeks and mushrooms, enhanced with wine and finished with gorgonzola dolce (a mild blue cheese) and a fine aged balsamic vinegar. If you use great ingredients it doesn't really need to be any more complicated than this.

By the way, don't listen to anyone who says you need to stir polenta constantly for the entire 45 minutes or so that it takes to become smooth. Just give it a good beating every so often, and make sure it has enough water so it won't scorch. The rest will take care of itself.

Watch and you will easily see when the transformation from rough to creamy has happened. At that point, mix in some Parmigiano-Reggiano and your are done. For an even smoother texture, you can follow the San Francisco restaurant Zuni Cafe's method and hold it covered in a double boiler for half an hour or so.

Polenta with a Leek and Mushroom Ragu

About the author: Michael Natkin is an aspiring professional chef in Seattle. As the founder of the blog Herbivoracious, which was recently nominated for Saveur's first annual food blog awards, he's on a mission to show the world that vegetarian cuisine can be modern, satisfying and delicious. When he's not cooking, Michael is a senior software engineer at Adobe Systems.

Ingredients

8 cups water
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
2 cups medium or coarse yellow cornmeal (polenta)
2 tablespoons butter (or more to taste)
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 leeks, white and tender green parts only, cleaned and cut into thin semicircles
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
pinch of chili flakes
1.5 pounds crimini mushrooms, sliced about 1/8" thick
1/2 cup dry white wine
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley + a few leaves for garnish
6 ounce gorgonzola dolce, cubed
aged balsamic vinegar (tradizionale or condimento grade - not the thin, sour grocery store stuff)
Finishing salt

Procedures

Bring the water and 1 tablespoon of salt to boil in a medium sized pot (say around 5 quarts). Whisk in the polenta in a thin stream. Reduce to a bare simmer. Stir occasionally but thoroughly to release the starch and avoid scorching. If it seems to be getting too thick, add more water, 1/2 cup at a time. Be careful, polenta likes to "burp" and shoot hot goo on to your arm.
After about 45 minutes, you should see a change where the grains of cornmeal become less distinct and the porridge smoother. At that point, stir in the butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Meanwhile, heat up a large skillet over a medium high flame. Add the oil, and a few seconds later, the leeks, garlic, chili flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender.
Add the mushrooms and continue frying until they give up their liquid and then dry out and begin to brown. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Taste and adjust salt.
When you are ready to serve, bring the polenta back to temperature if it has cooled down. Stir the minced parsley into the mushrooms. Put a serving of polenta in a warmed bowl and top with the mushroom ragout. Garnish with the cheese (right on the polenta so it begins to melt), the parsley leaves, a generous drizzle of fine balsamic vinegar and a few grains of good finishing salt.

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

2010-02-24T18:55:00Z

Learn more about this recipe here.

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil or olive oil
1 medium white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)
1.5 teaspoons Kosher salt (start with less if using fine grained iodized salt)

Procedures

Add the beans and 8 cups of water (or, again, whatever your manufacturer says). Stir. Cover and seal the pot and cook for 35 minutes. Turn off and allow the pressure to release naturally. Check a bean. It should be completely tender. If not, bring back to a simmer and cook a little longer.
Carefully remove the cover. Drain the liquid from the beans, reserving a couple cups of it and return the beans to the pot. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the beans and 1 cup of the reserved liquid. Using an immersion blender, puree them thoroughly. If they need more liquid, add 1/4 cup at a time until you reach the desired texture. Taste and adjust the salt, you might need another 1/2 teaspoon or so.
Serve them forth as part of a Mexican meal. Garnish with a bit of queso anejo or queso fresco. You can freeze any leftovers.

Seriously Meatless: Homemade Salsa Verde

2010-02-10T21:00:00Z

Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by most Wednesdays to share a delicious recipe and expand our vegetarian repertoire.

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

Previously

Greek-Style Potato Skins »
All Seriously Meatless recipes »

Everyone loves salsa verde, the ubiquitous Mexican green sauce made from tomatillos. It is delicious as a simple dip for chips, and it can be used to sauce enchiladas, offered at the table for anything from quesadillas to tamales, or even act as the cooking medium for eggs.

You can, of course, buy jarred salsa verde, but if you make your own, you can get a much fresher flavor with a heady herbal component. Cilantro is typical, and epazote is great if you can get it. Otherwise, Mexican oregano makes a a delicious if non-traditional addition. Mexican oregano is a completely different plant than European oregano, with an intense, resinous flavor. You can find it at any Mexican grocery.

Tomatillos are only distantly related to tomatoes. The offer a pleasant, tangy backbone to the sauce. They are widely available and easy to work with, but if you are short on time, the canned variety is quite acceptable.

The final "frying" step isn't strictly necessary. Skipping it will give you a thinner sauce with an even brighter flavor. Frying the sauce makes it a little richer and thicker.

Salsa Verde (Mexican Tomatillo Sauce)

Ingredients

Up to 8 serrano chiles or up to 3 jalapenos, stems removed (the upper end of these ranges will be very hot!)
1 pound tomatillos (about 1 dozen) or two 13-ounces cans, drained
1/2 small white onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup packed cilantro springs and/or
A few leaves of epazote, and/or 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (if frying)

Procedures

If using fresh tomatillos, remove the husk and boil in salted water for 10 minutes. You can also add the chiles to the water if you like. Drain.
Puree the tomatillos, chiles, onion, garlic, salt, and herbs of your choice in a blender. Leave the purée a little coarse.
If you want to fry the sauce, heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium flame. Add in the sauce, watching out for any splatters. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until it reaches the consistency you like.
Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving.

Super Bowl: Greek-Style Potato Skins

2010-01-13T20:15:00Z

Note: Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by most Wednesdays to share a delicious recipe and expand our vegetarian repertoire. This week, he has football munchies on the brain.

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

With the Super Bowl comes the need for craveable, beer-friendly party snacks—and these Greek-style potato skins will fit the bill. They are approachable enough for your Cro-Magnon friends and a nice vegetarian change of pace from the standard garnish of sour cream, green onions, cheddar, and bacon.

The secret to good potato skins is in the baking procedure. First the potatoes are baked whole, then hollowed out. Then they are coated well in oil and returned to the oven to crisp up on both sides. After they are filled, they get a final pass under the broiler to make sure they're sparking-hot and the cheese is melted.

Don't forget to use a good finishing salt! Your biggest problem will be not to scarf them all up before you make it back to the TV room.

Ingredients

4 medium russet potatoes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt, preferably a good finishing salt but Kosher is ok
1/2 cup thick Greek yogurt (such as Fage or Greek Gods Lebni, or drain regular yogurt)
3 ounces Feta cheese, preferably Greek, crumbled
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
Zest of 1 lemon, minced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
Fresh ground black pepper

Procedures

Pierce the potatoes with a fork a few times and bake in a 375 degree oven, on a rimmed sheet pan, until fully tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. It is fine if the skins start to brown a bit.
Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Hollow them out with a spoon, leaving about a 1/4" thick wall. Save the leftover potato flesh for another purpose. (Read: make some mashed potatoes). If you like, you can also cut them in half the other way to make quarters.
Put the olive oil on the sheet pan. Return the skins to the pan, and rub them on both sides with the oil. Return to the oven, skin side down, and bake for 7 minutes. Flip to skin side up and bake 5 to 10 more minutes, until they are nicely browned and crispy, especially around the inner rim. (See photo).
Sprinkle each skin with a little bit of salt. Spread each with 1 scant tablespoon of the yogurt. Top each with 1 tablespoon of the feta cheese. Transfer to a heat-proof serving dish. Broil for 3 minutes or until the cheese is starting to melt.
Garnish with the oregano, lemon zest, red onion, black pepper and more salt. Hint: for a rustic look, sprinkle the garnishes from a foot up in the air. This will distribute them evenly and get lots in the pan too.

Zucchini Stuffed with Israeli Couscous

2009-12-30T18:45:00Z

Note: Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by on Wednesdays to share a delicious recipe and expand our vegetarian repertoire.

If you haven't had Israeli couscous before, you are in for a treat. Known as P'titim in Israel, it was invented during the early years of that state as a quick and inexpensive rice substitute for recent immigrants, and has remained popular ever since.

The balls of pasta are much larger than traditional Middle Eastern couscous, with an appealing, slightly chewy texture. They're traditionally toasted in oil first before adding just enough liquid to cook by the absorption method. (Trader Joe's carries a very respectable version.)

Here's an easy way to use Israeli couscous in a stuffed zucchini that will be a hit with the whole family.

The zucchini are hollowed out and the flesh fried along with leeks. This is combined with the couscous and baked in the zucchini shells with a simple, lemony tomato sauce. A bit of feta, parsley, and breadcrumbs for garnish and you've got a delicious vegetarian main course, or serve half-portions as a side dish.

Other additions that would be delicious: fresh mint or dill, toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds, raisins, Aleppo pepper, a pinch of saffron.

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 leeks, white parts and light green sliced thin and thoroughly cleaned
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces Israeli couscous (do not substitute regular couscous!)
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth (a clear type, not a thick soup)
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
Zest of one lemon (Meyer lemon if possible)
1/8 teaspoon chili flakes
1/2 cup homemade breadcrumbs, toasted in a skillet with butter
Handful of flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Procedures

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, remove a bit off each end, and hollow them out with a tablespoon, reserving the pulp. Leave walls about 1/4" thick. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and roast (in a casserole that you will later finish the dish in) for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of the olive oil over a medium high flame. Fry the leeks with a big pinch of salt until softened. Roughly chop the reserved zucchini flesh and add to the pan. Cook until all the water is released and cooked off, and the zucchini has browned a little. Taste and adjust salt.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Toast the couscous in the butter, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the vegetable broth, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the leek mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
In a small saucepan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over a medium high flame. Cook the garlic for one minute. Add the tomatoes, lemon zest, and chili flakes and a big pinch of salt and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust salt.
Remove the zucchini from the casserole and ladle in the sauce. Return the zucchini. Fill with the couscous mixture and bake about 15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
Garnish with the breadcrumbs, parsley leaves and feta and serve.

Cauliflower and Chickpea Tapas with Parsley-Fennel Mayonnaise

2009-12-16T19:15:00Z

Note: Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by every Wednesday to share a delicious recipe and expand our vegetarian repertoire.

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

More Vegetarian Party Foods

Keftes De Prasa (Leek Fritters)
Tahina
Spinach and Cannellini Bean Dip
Devilishly Handsome Eggs with Smoked Paprika

With the holiday party season in full swing, everyone can use a few great finger-food ideas. Little appetizers like these are eaten in a bite or two, so I like for them to have big flavors that grab you immediately.

These tapas of toasted baguette with homemade parsley-fennel mayonnaise, bites of caramelized cauliflower cooked with saffron, and chickpeas simmered in mandarin juice with smoked paprika will definitely get your guests attention. They are rich and intense, with a Spanish vibe, and much more decadent than your typical vegetarian appetizer.

The recipe shows you how to make the mayonnaise from scratch. If you or your guests aren't comfortable with the safety of eating raw egg, you can use pasteurized eggs (available in the refrigerator section of many grocery stores) or simply puree the herbs with prepared mayo or even Vegenaise (which is actually quite tasty).

When you break down the cauliflower, the florets will look nicer if you use your hands rather than a knife. Snapping them leaves the shape intact. You will likely end up with extra cooked cauliflower and chickpeas. You won't be sad, they make great leftovers.

Ingredients

For the mayonnaise:
1 whole egg (see safety note above)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup minced parsley leaves
1 big pinch fennel pollen or 1/2 teaspoon toasted and ground fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup neutral tasting vegetable oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
For the cauliflower:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 head of orange or white cauliflower broken down into small bite-sized florets (make sure you have at least 30 or so)
1 big pinch saffron crushed into 1 tablespoon boiling water
Salt
For the chickpeas:
Juice of 4 mandarin oranges
zest of 1 mandarin orange2 cup cooked chickpeas (should be soft, not al dente!)
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 clove minced garlic
Salt
To complete the dish:
1 rustic baguette cut into 24 thin slices
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
24 parsley leaves
24 tiny strips of lemon zest
Flaky sea salt

Procedures

Combine the egg, lemon juice, mustard, parsley, fennel and salt in your blender jar. With the motor running on low speed, drizzle in the two oils through the hole in the top. Start slowly until you see it begin to emulsify. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice.
Set a large skillet over high heat. When it is very hot, add the olive oil, cauliflower, and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until some good caramelization (browning) is happening. Add the saffron and continue to cook until tender. If necessary, you can add a tablespoon or two of water and cover to soften a bit more. Taste and adjust salt.
In a small saucepan, simmer the mandarin juice and zest until it is reduced by half. Add the chickpeas, smoked paprika, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Simmer until the sauce is reduced to a glaze on the chickpeas. Taste and adjust the smoked paprika and salt. They should have an intense flavor.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet, brush lightly with olive oil, and toast in the oven until lightly browned but not overly crisp.
To serve, allow the baguette slices to cool. Brush each with a teaspoon of the mayonnaise. Top with 1 floret of cauliflower and a small spoonful of chickpeas, then 1 parsley leaf, a strip of lemon zest, and a few grains of flaky sea salt.

Seriously Meatless: Sopes de Chile Con Queso

2009-12-02T16:30:00Z

Note: Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by every Wednesday to share a delicious recipe and expand our vegetarian repertoire.

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

Masa, or corn boiled with mineral lime and ground, is part of a vast family of deliciousness—from the familiar corn tortillas and tamales to treats that aren't as well known north of the border, like bocoles and sopes.

Sopes are like an unusually thick corn tortilla, but with vertical sidewalls that allow them to hold a filling. To make them, you underbake the masa, use your fingers to form the walls, and then fry them in hot oil just before serving. Once you get the hang of it, you can prepare a batch of 16 in about 20 minutes, after the dough has rested.

For the filling, I made a basic chile con queso. Poblano peppers are roasted, peeled and sliced, then cooked with tomato. A meltable cheese such as asadero or Monterey Jack mixed with a bit of cheddar turns the whole mixture into a gooey, tasty mess.

Serve these with plate of brothy or refried beans, Mexican rice and a bit of salad, maybe some proper homemade guacamole, and you'll have a happy and well-fed crowd.

Sopes de Chile Con Queso

Adapted from Authentic Mexican by Rick Bayless.

Ingredients

For the sopes:
2 1/2 cups masa harina
1 3/4 cups hot water
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Vegetable oil for frying
Finely diced red onion for garnish
For the chile con queso:
4 poblano peppers, roasted, skinned, seeded and sliced thinly
1 cup tomato puree
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vegetable broth powder (optional; I like Seitenbacher)
8 ounces asadero cheese or a mixture of Monterey Jack and cheddar
Salt to taste; start with 1/2 teaspoon

Procedures

Thoroughly combine the masa and hot water, cover, and let stand 30 minutes. In the meantime you can prepare the chile con queso.
In a saucepan, heat the sliced peppers, tomato puree, water, and broth powder to a simmer and continue to cook until rather thick and reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese, which will melt, and add salt to taste. If you will be serving this soon, hold it warm, otherwise refrigerate until ready.
Mix the remaining ingredients into the sope dough. Preheat a comal or griddle to medium high. Divide the dough into 16 pieces, roll into balls (which should be about 1 1/4 inches in diameter) and cover with plastic wrap.
Using a lined tortilla press or your hands, press one ball out to about a 3 1/2 inch round, which will be about 1/4" thick. Bake on the griddle for 10 seconds on each side and remove. Allow to cool for a few seconds, until you can touch it comfortably. Use your fingers to pull dough from the middle out to form walls around the perimeter, about 1/4" thick and 1/2 inch high. Return to the griddle for one minute, on the flat side only, and then set aside, covered, until ready to fry.
Repeat with the remaining balls of masa. Once you have the hang of it, you can have two going at once, in staggered stages.
When you are ready to finish the dish, heat a large skillet with 3/4" of vegetable oil over a medium-high flame. When it is hot enough to sizzle if a scrap of dough is added, fry the sopes, wall side down, for about 45 seconds to a minute, until they are golden brown in spots and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Fill each sope with about 1/4 cup of the chile con queso, top with a bit of red onion, and serve.

Seriously Meatless: Wild Mushroom Stuffing

2009-11-19T00:00:00Z

Note: Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by every Wednesday to share a delicious recipe and expand our vegetarian repertoire.

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

With all of the concerns about food safety, most people (Alton Brown included) don't actually stuff their bird anymore. So since you are going to make the stuffing separately anyhow, make this delicious version with wild mushrooms to satisfy both vegetarians and omnivores.

The mushrooms throw off a lot of water while they are sauteeing. We drain that liquid right onto the bread to amp up the flavor. For the vegetable broth, you want a clear variety, not a thick soup. Seitenbacher makes an excellent broth powder that I always keep on hand. Another option, if you are a true fungi-lover, is to make your own broth by boiling a big handful of dried shiitake mushrooms.

I suggest a mix of half chanterelles, with their magical scent of apricots, and half crimini or white mushrooms. You could certainly use other wild mushrooms instead. Oyster mushrooms or morels would be especially good. Another nice addition would be a cup of toasted pecans.

Ingredients

12 ounces rustic bread cut into 1-inch cubes, stale is fine
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium white onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces button or crimini mushrooms, cut into bite-sized pieces
12 ounces chanterelle or other wild mushrooms, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage leaf or Herbes de Provence
2 cups clear vegetable broth (not all at once, adjust as needed)
Salt to taste
1 handful fresh parsley leaves, minced

Procedures

Put the cubed bread in a large bowl.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over a medium-high flame. Saute the onion and garlic for 1 minute, until soft but not browned. Add both types of mushrooms, the bay leaves, smoked paprika and sage leaf and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Cook the mushrooms, stirring frequently. As they throw off liquid, drain it onto the bread cubes and toss. Repeat every couple of minutes until the mushrooms are tender and browned. Add the mushrooms to the bread and toss.
Add vegetable broth, 1/2 cup at a time, tossing in between until you achieve the texture you like. Taste and adjust for salt. Just before serving, mix in the parsley.

Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Candied Pepitas and Cider Vinegar

2009-11-11T18:45:00Z

Note: Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by every Wednesday to share a delicious recipe to expand our vegetarian repertoire.

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

Every family has a collection of Thanksgiving side dishes that absolutely have to be there or it Just Wouldn't Be Thanksgiving. That's fine—let them have their sweet potatoes glazed in Tang with Lucky Charms marshmallows. You can slip in these pan-roasted Brussels sprouts too, and if you're lucky they might even become a new tradition.

Those classic Thanksgiving dishes often incorporate nuts and something sweet. By lightly candying the pumpkin seeds (pepitas), much like you would walnuts for a salad, we incorporate the caramelized sweetness and crunch to balance the slightly tart hit of cider vinegar in the sauce. Be sure and add the pumpkin seeds at the very last minute, otherwise they will get soggy.

Don't forget to taste and adjust the salt in each step of this recipe. The right amount of salt will really make the flavors sing.

Ingredients

1/2 cup hulled green pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/2 medium white onion, finely diced
1.5 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
2.5 tablespoons good tasting apple cider vinegar
Salt

Procedures

In a small skillet over medium low heat, toast the pumpkin seeds until lightly brown and aromatic. Add the sugar and a big pinch of salt and stir until the sugar melts and caramelizes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Melt two tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add the brussel sprouts and two big pinches of salt. Toss in the butter, and then spread out into an even layer. Turn them occasionally, but allow them to caramelize on the bottom. Keep cooking until they are quite tender when piereced with a fork. Taste and adjust salt. Remove with a slotted spoon to your serving bowl.
Reduce the heat to low and add the apple cider vinegar. Use a spatula to scrape all of the delicious crusty bits into the vinegar. Break the remaining three tablespoons of butter up and whisk them into the vinegar. Add a pinch of salt. Add the sprouts back in and toss them in the sauce. Return to the serving bowl.
Just before serving, break up the pumpkin seeds (they will have stuck together from the sugar) and stir 2/3 of them into the sprouts. Garnish with the remaining 1/3.

Seriously Meatless: Tahina

2009-11-04T19:30:00Z

Note: Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by every Wednesday to share a delicious recipe to expand our vegetarian repertoire.

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

If you just looked at the picture and didn't read the title, you probably just thought this was hummus, right? Wrong! While they look superficially similar, hummus is made primarily of chickpeas, while tahina is a puree of sesame seeds seasoned with lemon juice and garlic.

Hummus is well-known in the west, inspiring frightful variations with textures comparable to drywall cement, while tahina's praises go unsung. Which is a shame, because it is easy to throw together, delicious, and very nutritious.

To make matters more confusing, tahina can also be spelled tehineh or tehina, and its main ingredient is tahini. All you have to keep in mind is that tahini is just the pureed raw sesame seeds, while tahina is the prepared sauce.

Once you've made it, which takes all of five minutes, serve your tahina as a simple appetizer with toasted pita and olives, as a sauce with mujadara or falafel, or as one component of a larger meze.

Ingredients

1 cup raw sesame tahini
2 cloves garlic, completely crushed into a paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
Juice of 3 lemons (or more as needed)
Optional garnishes (pick any or all): extra virgin olive oil, sumac, paprika, toasted pine nuts, parsley, olives

Procedures

If the oil has separated in your tahini, stir it back together, then measure 1 cup into a good sized bowl.
Mix the garlic, salt, cumin and lemon juice into the tahini.
Start vigorously beating in cold water, 1/4 cup or so at a time, until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. You'll see it start to emulsify, lighten in color and become easier to stir. It will probably take about 3/4 cup of water total.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, lemon juice, or cumin as needed.
The traditional way to serve tahina is in a large, flat bowl. Form a swirl with the back of a spoon, and then apply any of the garnishes listed above.

Seriously Meatless: Tortilla Casserole

2009-10-14T19:00:00Z

Note: Serious Eater Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by every Wednesday to share a delicious recipe to expand our vegetarian repertoire.

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

Tortilla casserole isn't authentically Mexican, beautiful, or fancy in any way. It's simply a delicious, homey way to put a healthy and inexpensive vegetarian entree on the table. If you have kids, odds are it will be a hit with them too. In my family we like to put something like this together on Sunday night and refrigerate it, then bake and serve it for dinner early in the work week. That guarantees us at least one hot home-cooked meal even if no-one has time to cook.

The most complicated thing it asks you to do is dice an onion.

This recipe is for the basic tortilla casserole. The most complicated thing it asks you to do is dice an onion. You can embellish the basic recipe in any number of ways. For example, add finely diced zucchini or bell pepper, roasted poblano peppers, or corn kernels. You could also replace the refried beans with whole pinto or black beans, or add a tablespoon or so of minced chipotle pepper to the sauce.

If you have time, garnishes of crema (Mexican sour cream), fresh cilantro, and lime slices are nice. This dish provides a great opportunity to break out all of those hot sauces crowding your refrigerator door—everyone can doctor it up to their own preference of chile heat.

Ingredients

1 dozen corn tortillas (preferably a day or two old)
1 15-ounce can vegetarian refried beans (preferably not non-fat)
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
3 cups jarred salsa or enchilada sauce (mild/medium/hot as you like)
5 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) grated Monterey Jack cheese
5 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) grated cheddar cheese

Procedures

Preheat oven to 400°F if baking immediately. Lightly grease a casserole (roughly 9x9 inches).
Lay down 3 tortillas, slightly overlapping, and then top with 1/3 of the refried beans, onion, salsa, and cheese (reserving some for the top). Make three layers this way, then cover with a final set of tortillas and the reserved cheese. You can stop at this point and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the cheese is bubbly and heated through, about 30 minutes (or 45 if it was refrigerated). Remove the top and attentively broil for a moment to brown the cheese. Serve with additional salsa and hot sauces.

Seriously Meatless: Fried Green Tomatoes with Smoky Mayo

2009-10-07T18:30:00Z

Note: Serious Eater Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by every Wednesday to share a delicious recipe to expand our vegetarian repertoire.

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

If you grew tomatoes this year, chances are you've still got a few green ones sulking on the vines. You've been holding out hopes that they are going to ripen. Time to face the truth, and today's recipe will ease the pain.

Southerners long ago figured out that green tomatoes, lightly breaded and pan-fried, have a delicious tang that you will look forward to. You might even find yourself sneaking a few in August next year. Smoky, spicy mayo is my favorite companion for fried green tomatoes.

This version has one surprising ingredient: tomato leaves. I know, I know. You think they are toxic. Harold McGee says think again, which is good enough for me, though you can of course omit them and increase the parsley if you are really concerned. Personally, I find the smell of tomato leaves completely intoxicating, so I love the chance to infuse a bit into my sauce.

Here's a tip about the tomato-breading procedure: Use one hand to transfer the food to the flour and from the flour into the egg. Then use the other hand to pluck it out of the egg, into the breadcrumbs, and then into the pan. This helps you keep the breading on the food and off of your fingers, and makes the whole operation neater.

Ingredients

For the sauce:
1/2 cup prepared mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup minced white onion or shallot
3 tomato leaves, rubbed between fingers and minced
1/4 cup loosely packed minced parsley
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
For the tomatoes:
12 slices unripe green tomato about 1/4" thick (slice parallel to base)
1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs or cornmeal
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon salt
Oil for pan frying
Black pepper

Procedures

Put the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs in 3 shallow bowls near your stove. Season the breadcrumbs with the onion powder, garlic powder, tarragon and 1 teaspoon of salt. Heat a large skillet over a medium high flame and add about 1/8" of oil.
When the oil is sizzling hot, dredge each tomato slice first in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture. Push the breadcrumbs on so they coat it well. Fry until golden brown on one side, about one minute, then flip and quickly brown the other side. Remove to paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the spicy mayo.

Seriously Meatless: Polenta Triangles Stuffed With Spicy Greens and Cheese

2009-09-30T18:30:00Z

Serious Eater Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by every Wednesday to share a delicious recipe to expand our vegetarian repertoire.

[Photographs: Michael Natkin]

I typically serve polenta one of two ways—fresh from the pot or cooled, sliced, and grilled. But for today's dish, I pre-stuffed it with a mixture of spicy greens and Caciocavallo cheese so the oven and broiler could do the work of the grill. The beauty of this recipe is it can all be made ahead, and you can work on the greens while the polenta is simmering.

Italians rarely serve greens lightly sauteed. They tend to like them fully hammered. Here we cook them down with garlic, chili flakes, and red wine. The chard stems are sliced thin and thrown into the saute.

The mixture of beet greens and chardworks great, but feel free to substitute kale, collard greens, mustard greens or any other greens you fancy. I served the polenta with roasted beets, then made a sauce from the liquid left over from cooking the greens reduced with saba (also known as mosto cotto, or the cooked grape syrup rendered in the first step of balsamic vinegar production).

This recipe serves a crowd—you can easily cut it in half. To serve the polenta in neat triangles, you'll need a shallow pan of the appropriate dimension.

Ingredients

11 cups water
2 2/3 cups coarse-ground cornmeal (polenta)
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch chard, triple washed, stems separated, stems thinly sliced and leaves sliced 1/2" wide
1 bunch beet greens, triple washed, stems discarded, leaves sliced 1/2" wide
1 cup red wine
2 teaspoons chili flakes or more to your taste
8 oz. caciocavallo + more for garnish (aged provolone is a good substitute, or try smoked mozzarella)
Salt

Procedures

Bring the water to a boil in a large soup pot and add 5 teaspoons of salt. Whisk in the cornmeal in a thin, slow stream. Stir continuously for 2 minutes. Cover and reduce heat to a lively simmer. Stir one minute out of every minutes for a total of forty minutes, then uncover and cook for five more minutes. It should be creamy and thick at this point. Keep it hot until you are ready to assemble the dish, otherwise it will set up.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over a medium high flame. Fry the onion and garlic for 1 minute. Add the thinly sliced chard stems and saute for 3 minutes. Add the leaves. It is ok if they are still wet. You may have to add them in batches to get them all in the pot, waiting til the first bunch "melts" a little. Add the chili flakes, red wine and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until they are fully tender. Taste and adjust salt and chili flakes.
Grease a 13" x 18" half-sheet pan (aka jelly roll pan). Pour in half of the polenta and spread it into an even layer. Top with the sauteed greens (leaving behind any excess liquid) and the Caciocavallo cheese, distributing them as evenly as possible. Cover with the remaining polenta and use a spatula to form an even layer.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill until the polenta has set up firm, at least a couple of hours.

Keftes De Prasa, the Sephardic-Style Leek Fritters

2009-09-23T19:15:00Z

Serious Eater Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by every Wednesday to share a delicious recipe to expand our vegetarian repertoire.

[Photograph: Michael Natkin]

Keftes de prasa are de rigeur at most holiday celebrations on the Sephardic side of my family. Rosh Hashanah, Passover, Hannukah--it doesn't matter. Any excuse is good enough reason to enjoy these simple leek fritters. Not much more than leeks, eggs, and breadcrumbs, they are deceptively delicious and addictive. Almost like latkes but with leeks instead of potatoes.

Like latkes, they are great fun at a celebration, but after sitting out for too long, they lose that perfect crispness that makes fried food really special. If you make them for a small group and serve them fresh from the pan, I guarantee your guests will be begging for a return invitation.

In this recipe, I've actually synthesized a couple different traditions. In my family, the leeks are boiled. I found a very similar Syrian-Jewish recipe for Ejjeh b'Kerrateh in the superb Aromas of Aleppo by Poopa Dweck, where she sautees the leeks, producing a stronger, better oniony flavor. The Syrian version also adds subtle flavors of allspice, cinnamon, and hot pepper, which I've listed as optional ingredients. I like them, but my wife found them distracting. On the other hand, the Syrian version doesn't use any breadcrumbs, which I think are an important textural element.

If you are nice, maybe someday I'll tell you about serving keftes de prasa in a sandwich, like falafel. (By the way, you may find keftes called kyeftes, keftedes, or kifticas. Our family pronounces them koof-teek-az.)

Keftes De Prasa (Leek Fritters)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large leeks, white and light green parts only (about 12 ounces), halved lengthwise, sliced thinly and washed in 3 changes of water
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (for Passover, use matzo meal)
3/4 teaspoon allspice (optional)
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (or Aleppo pepper if you have it) (optional)
vegetable oil for shallow frying

Procedures

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over a medium-high flame. (You can use the same skillet to finish the fritters.) Add the leeks and salt and saute for about 5 minutes, until quite wilted.
In a bowl, combine the sauteed leeks, salt, eggs, breadcrumbs and the Syrian spices if you are using them. Mix thoroughly. You should have a rather wet batter, not something that you could form into a ball, but with some body. If it is too thin, add a bit more breadcrumbs; or if it is too dry, add another beaten egg. If you are in doubt, fry a test fritter in step 3, then adjust.