Herbivoracious

Chanterelle Tostadas - Recipe

Fri, 20 Jun 2014 09:06:03 +0000

Chanterelle Tostada

These tostadas had a very simple inspiration: wildly inexpensive chanterelles. Although they grow prolifically in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve never learned how to hunt them, so I’m typically stuck paying retail when I want my fix - unless, I’m hanging around with my friend Lang, whose new book The Mushroom Hunters just came out. And retail price can easily be $20 or even $30 per pound. So I kind of freaked out when I saw them for under $10/pound at a few local markets, and snatched up several pounds. Not only were they cheap, but they are beautifully plump and dry, not the soggy or woody leftovers you sometimes see.

Austin-Style Breakfast Tacos - Recipe

Sun, 03 Nov 2013 10:13:36 +0000

Austin-Style Breakfast Tacos

I’ve had the good fortune to travel to Austin a couple of times in the last year or so, and it is always good fun. Like Portland, Milwaukee, or Brooklyn, it is a place where people understand that work is important, but having a beer and a bite with friends, listening to music, or just kicking back on the front porch is just as important.

Porcini, Potato, Apple - Recipe

Tue, 22 Oct 2013 06:45:18 +0000

Porcini, Potato, Apple

When you have beautiful ingredients like the fresh porcini mushrooms (aka cèpes or king bolete) that I found at Pike Place Market the other day, it isn’t necessary or desirable to do much to them. In this case, all that is needed is cook them through thoroughly to concentrate the flavor and then brown their exterior, collecting the juices to make a profoundly umami-rich broth. The crispy potatoes give way to a fluffy interior that is perfect for sopping up that broth, and the sweet crunch of apples adds color and a textural counterpoint. It is a nice change of pace from vegetarian entrees that are heavy on grains or dairy.

Roasted Pumpkin Ice Cream - Recipe

Mon, 07 Oct 2013 05:50:29 +0000

Roasted Pumpkin Ice Cream

The ultimate plan for this roasted pumpkin ice cream is a plated dessert with grilled mochi, miso butterscotch, and a black sesame crumble; I haven’t finished the other components yet, but thought I would go ahead and share the ice cream recipe with you. Because it is intended for a dessert with Japanese flavors, I didn’t add any of the pumpkin pie spice flavors you might expect, and kept the pumpkin itself a bit subtle.

Italian Plum Upside Down Cake - Recipe

Tue, 10 Sep 2013 20:10:05 +0000

Italian Plum Upside-Down Cake

I’m a an absolute sucker for Italian plums, to the point of being a bit heartbroken that my incredibly generous neighbors’ tree seems not to have fruited this year. Picking them warm off her tree is a highlight of late summer around here. So I was happy as could be when, on vacation, I found a pile of them at a farmer’s market near Lake Chelan, and for just $1 per pound. I bought a big bag, and then was promptly disappointed when the flavor and texture wasn’t up to snuff.

The Secret to Perfectly Roasted Green Beans - Recipe

Tue, 03 Sep 2013 05:45:10 +0000

Perfect Roasted Green Beans

The problem with roasted green beans, whether you do them in the oven or in a hot skillet, is to get those beautiful, caramelized brown spots on the surface of most of the beans without either over- or under-cooking the insides. Run the heat too high and you’ll burn the outside before the inside is done; run it too low and you’ll end up with mush.

Fried Pita Bread with Fava Beans and Zucchini - Recipe

Tue, 20 Aug 2013 06:23:58 +0000

Fried Pita Bread with Fava Beans and Zucchini

Good pita bread (usually from Basson Bakery) is a staple in our house, which sometimes means we end up with a few stale loaves. I’ve gotten in the habit of tearing them into bite sized pieces, fry-toasting them in olive oil, then garnishing them with whatever is to hand for one of those late night snacks that an uncharitable person might call a good-sized meal.

Mission Chinese Food-Style Tofu with Radish and Shiso - Recipe

Mon, 05 Aug 2013 06:00:17 +0000

Mission Chinese Food-Style Tofu with Radish and Shiso

When my wife and I were in New York for the James Beard awards a few months ago, we were wandering around the Lower East Side, and I was hungry (as usual). We turned a corner, and I spotted Mission Chinese Food’s New York outpost and I knew my life was about to get a lot better. I’d eaten at Danny Bowien’s San Francisco location a year ago and had been depressed because I was by myself and could only try a couple of dishes, so stumbling into a chance to eat his food again was a happy moment indeed.

Baby Zucchini and Blossoms with Sofrito - Recipe

Wed, 24 Jul 2013 06:05:10 +0000

Baby Zucchini and Blossoms with Sofrito

Every gardener loves to lament that they get overrun with zucchini and have to resort to baking too much zucchini bread or, worse, ringing the doorbell, dashing and leaving them on people’s doorsteps. Well, let me tell you: you’re doing it wrong.

The way to avoid being overrun with zucchini is pick them when they are tiny and delicious. This recipe can easily use a dozen of them, along with most of the blossoms! Using up a dozen woody, pithy, flavorless giant zucchini is an unpleasant chore indeed. So get out there, grab a bunch of baby zukes and cook them up into this delicious side dish, flavored with with “cheater sofrito” that uses tomato paste to reduce the cooking time.

Whole Bean Ful Medames - With Fava Beans or Marrowfat Peas - Recipe

Sat, 13 Jul 2013 08:58:03 +0000

Whole Bean Ful Medames - With Fava Beans or Marrowfat Peas

Ful medames is sort of the national breakfast of Egpyt, though it has spread far and wide from there. I’ve published an Ethiopian version before. I’ve never been to Egypt, but it sounds like the most common kind there is at least partially mashed. The one I’m showing you today is more reminiscent of the first ful I ever had, at a terrific Armenian restaurant that I used to haunt in East Providence, Rhode Island, almost 30 years ago. The beans there were served whole, in their own broth, doctored up with plenty of garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice.

The Greatest Veggie Burger. The World Has Ever Known.

Mon, 08 Jul 2013 06:30:21 +0000

Hi-Tech Mushroom Burger

Having been a vegetarian for 30 years, I’ve eaten my share of veggie burgers. The problem with most mass-produced veggie burgers is that they taste bland and vaguely chemical, while most homemade versions have terrible texture issues. They are generally mushy, and who wants to bite through a soft bun into a mushy patty that falls apart on impact? Meh. If you can pile on enough condiments, they can be ok. But I’ve yet to eat a vegetarian burger that I’m actually excited to sink my teeth into.

Crackers and Dips: More than Fifty Homemade Snacks - Cookbook Review

Mon, 08 Jul 2013 06:00:30 +0000

Ritzy Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers - Photo by Jen Altman

There is much to be said for a good single-subject cookbook. As much as I value my collection of general cookbooks, I probably reach for the more specific tomes more than any other, because I know they will have both the recipes and inspiration I’m looking for, and more importantly, the detailed techniques I’m going to need for success. Heck, I still sometimes thumb through my shelves ruefully looking for a great, thin little volume of vegetarian North Indian curries that I’m pretty sure I lost in college.

Kale Fried Rice for One - Infinitely Adaptable Recipe

Wed, 26 Jun 2013 11:05:00 +0000

Kale Fried Rice for One

This is the kind of thing I make for myself when I’m the only one around or the only one hungry. It only works with leftover rice that has sat in the fridge for at least a few hours, but in my house that is usually available. And of course, you can make it for a larger group - you’ll just need a bigger skillet or wok so there is plenty of surface area to crisp up the rice.

Lentil and Cucumber Salad - Perfect for Potlucks - Recipe

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 07:33:22 +0000

Lentil and Cucumber Salad

This salad is great to have in your back pocket for summer potlucks and picnics (*). It is easy to make, light and healthy and packed with flavor that adults will love, but manageable for kids too.

In this kind of salad, cucumbers tend to leak a lot of juice, dilute the dessing, and make a watery mess. Salting and draining the cucumbers for half an hour or so solves this problem, and gives them a nice flavor and texture as well. If you make it a day in advance, you’ll still want to re-toss it and check to see if you need to drain off a bit of liquid. I would wait until the day you are serving it to add the herbs as well.

Chickpea and Saffron Pilaf with Crispy Onions - Recipe

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:45:03 +0000

Chickpea and Saffron Pilaf with Crispy Onions

The secret of this pilaf is using the flavorful oil leftover from making the crispy onions to saute the rice before adding any water. It adds a rich, savory background that makes the dish more satisfying.

I’ll happily eat this as a main course with nothing more than a last-minute squeeze of lemon, but it also plays nicely as a side dish in a larger Middle Eastern spread. It also works well for summer potlucks because it doesn’t need to be served hot.

Make Your Own Kimchi - Recipe

Thu, 30 May 2013 05:45:05 +0000

Homemade Vegetarian Won Bok Kimchi

I’ve resisted making my own fermented foods for, well, decades at this point. I’m not sure exactly why - maybe a little fear that they might not be safe, or that the smell would be overpowering, or just a lack of patience to wait for them to mature. But lately I’ve fallen more and more in love with fermented vegetables in particular, and I finally took the plunge with this kimchi. One of my coworkers at ChefSteps, development chef Nick Gavin, was psyched to work on it too, so we made a rather enormous 10-liter batch last week and it is happily fermenting away in the back of our office space. Yes, I’m tasting it every day.

Vietnamese Salad Rolls (Gỏi cuốn) - Recipe

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:49:44 +0000

I’ve always loved Vietnamese Salad rolls (gỏi cuốn), and I’ve been making them off and on for decades, so I don’t know why I haven’t shared them with you guys before. If you haven’t had them, they are cool and refreshing, with a tender but slightly chewy rice paper wrapper surrounding thin rice noodles, lettuce, herbs, and your choice of other ingredients. For today’s version, I used shiso instead of lettuce for a more pronounced and complex herbal flavor.

Hungry Ghost Moroccan Carrot Salad - Recipe

Mon, 13 May 2013 05:47:52 +0000

Hungry Ghost Moroccan Carrot Salad

Before we get into Ellen Kanner’s lovely book, a quick note about the James Beard awards. My book didn’t win. While it would have been great, it also would have been a pretty huge surprise as a first time author. To be a finalist was an entirely sufficient thrill. My wife, Sarina, and I had a fantastic trip to New York, enjoyed all of the parties and after-parties and spent time with a host of wonderful people. We ate ridiculously well, including stellar meals at Del Posto, ABC Kitchen, Taïm, Caracas Arepas Bar and Mission Chinese Food, and off the hook drinks at Booker & Dax. Also, if I may brag on a friend for a moment, my old Louisville pal Adam Sachs (@sachsmo) took down 2 Beard awards on the same night and had a baby the next day. How great is that?

Khao Soi - Thai Curry Noodles from Chiang Mai

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:00:36 +0000

Khao Soi - Thai Curry Noodles from Chiang Mai

Well.. here we go off to the James Beard awards! Herbivoracious is a finalist in the Vegetable Focused and Vegetarian category. The award ceremony is this Friday, May 3rd. Win, lose, or draw I’m thrilled to be a part of it, and looking forward to some time in New York. This is one of my very favorite recipes from the book.

Roasted Asparagus with Pistachio Puree - Recipe

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 07:00:51 +0000

At Sitka and Spruce and Bar Sajor, Matt Dillon serves quite a few salads and small plates with a base of various ridiculously good nut purees. Though really, puree isn’t quite the right word. They eat more like a sort of nut-based hummus: rich, creamy, slightly fluffy, but packed full of the flavor of roasted nuts.

At ChefSteps, the kitchen recently did some development work with the American Pistachio Growers, and so we’ve had vast quantities of great pistachios around. Which is basically kryptonite for me, if kryptonite was really delicious and made you super happy when you ate it.

Roasted Maitake Mushrooms In Smoky Tea Broth - Recipe

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 05:57:49 +0000

Roasted Maitake Mushroom In Smoky Tea Broth

I’ve been traveling this week, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to share one of my favorite recipes from the Herbivoracious cookbook. I saw some beautiful maitake mushrooms at Pike Place Market recently, so this should be a good time of year to seek them out and try this soup.

Maitakes, also known as hen-of-the-woods (not to be confused with chicken-of-the-woods, which is completely different!), are a wild mushroom well worth seeking out at farmers’ markets or gourmet grocers. Maitakes are rather expensive, and their dramatic ruffled appearance and rich flavor are unusual, so when I use them, I like to make them the focus of a dish.

Gorditas with Roasted Mushrooms - Recipe

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 06:00:51 +0000

Gorditas: thick, delicious homemade corn tortillas that are shallow fried then split and topped with whatever moves you. Close cousins to the arepa and the pupusa.

I’m not going to kid you, gorditas are a bit of a project. You have to make and shape the dough, then toast them on a dry skillet first, then fry them in a good bit of oil. This isn’t a weeknight meal unless you are some sort of superhero. But they make a fun weekend dinner, and if you have kids around you can get them involved in shaping the dough.

Saffron Risotto with Watercress Puree and Spring Vegetables - Recipe

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 06:00:43 +0000

Saffron Risotto with Watercress Puree and Spring Vegetables

Risotto is one of my favorite ways to highlight Spring ingredients. This is a version of a recipe I’m serving to a big group for Washington Green Schools this week. Depending on what ends up being fresh, I’ll probably do the puree with nettles instead of watercress, and top it with fava beans and hedgehog mushrooms rather than English peas and asparagus.

Celery and Fennel Salad - Recipe

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:00:23 +0000

Celery and Fennel Salad

So… something completely unexpected and exciting happened: the Herbivoracious cookbook was named a finalist for a James Beard Foundation book award, in the Vegetable Focused and Vegetarian category. I’ll be going to the awards ceremony in New York on May 3rd. Honestly, while winning would be a thrill, I’m mostly just delighted to be included, and excited to spend some time with a bunch of terrific cooks and authors.

Sichuan Spicy Cauliflower - Recipe

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 06:40:27 +0000

Sichuan Spicy Cauliflower

So, this happened: for reasons too tedious to explore, we ate dinner at a California Pizza Kitchen the other night. First time I’ve been to one in years. Not my first choice of places to eat, but it served the purpose. The very next morning, I woke up to this Google Alert in my inbox:

Herbivoracious's Review for California Pizza Kitchen Lower Parel ... Herbivoracious's Review for California Pizza Kitchen, Lower Parel, Mumbai; California Pizza Kitchen review by Herbivoracious on Zomato. www.zomato.com/mumbai/california-pizza.../reviews?...id...

Enchiladas de Mole with Mushrooms and Zucchini - Recipe

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 06:24:31 +0000

Vegetarian Enchiladas de Mole with Mushrooms and Zucchini

Mole (or, rather, moles, since there are many varieties) is shrouded in legend. The dried-chili based sauces, rich with chocolate, spices, herbs and nuts or seeds can contain up to 36 ingredients, each of which has to be individually ground and toasted over a period of days. Each family has its own secret recipe.

This is all completely valid, but you can make a basic version that is about 90% as tasty in an hour. The only unusual ingredients you’ll need are a couple of varieties of dried chili pepper - pasilla and ancho to be specific, and they can be found in many well-stocked groceries these days, although they are much less expensive at Mexican markets.

Corned Beets - Recipe

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 07:00:32 +0000

Corned beets. It started out more as a pun then anything else, but I figured beets cooked with the spices typically associated with corned beef would be good. Then I tried an iteration with the ChefSteps House Rub 01 and that was also fantastic.

In any case, it is the texture that makes these beets delightful. They are completely cooked, yet they have a satisfying chew. First I cook them in the brine, then dehydrate them. On the first try, I dehydrated for far too long and they turned into dry, salty chips. I was just about to throw them in the compost when Grant suggested I try rehydrating them. Voila! The excess salt washed away, there was still a nice bite from the spices, and the texture was awesome.

Vietnamese Cabbage, Tofu and Herb Salad - Gói Bắp Cải Dậu Phụ - Recipe

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 07:00:27 +0000

Have you ever had the experience of eating a dish once and finding it burning into your brain? As if there was a reserved area, a certain tabula rasa of neurons just waiting to be inscribed with this new combination of flavors? That’s how I felt when I first tried this salad at Eric Banh’s Ba Bar, one of our favorite Seattle restaurants. This general style of cabbage salad (gói) is fairly common, but what makes the Ba Bar version great is copious quantities of meticulously fried, ridiculously savory shallots playing against the fresh herbs and crunchy cabbage.

Cavatelli with Slow Roasted Broccoli and Harissa - Recipe

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 07:00:17 +0000

Hopefully we are at a point now where it is no longer considered a faux pas to, you know, actually cook a vegetable. I know there was a time when all vegetables were indiscriminately boiled to death. Then came the rebellion, and all vegetables had to be served just lightly waved over steam. Your jaw got a good workout in those years.

Greek Green Bean Salad - Perfect For Potlucks - Recipe

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 07:00:07 +0000

These green beans are perfect for a potluck; the beans themselves are blanched and shocked and you can then hold them cold a day in advance and dress them close to serving time. They can be cooked traditionally in a big pot, or in a simple sous vide setup if you are so inclined - I’ve offered both options in the recipe.

I’ve been on a big fresh marjoram kick lately. It is in the same family as oregano, but I think the flavor is more complex and resinous and interesting. It is especially well loved in Greek cuisine and pairs beautifully with feta and olives. If you can’t find fresh marjoram, use fresh oregano and/or thyme.

Saffron-Date Posset - A Dessert You Should Know - Recipe

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 07:00:47 +0000

Saffron-Date Posset

One of the many great things about working at ChefSteps is that at any given moment, amazingly delicious things are subject to appear on top of the staff-food fridge, which means “come ’n get it.” A few weeks ago, Grant or Ben or Nick, I’m not sure, put up posset.

Poss-what? Believe me, I had to ask. Posset. It is a classic English dessert, made simply of cream set into a pudding, but with acid instead of starch or egg. Starch and eggs both have a tendency to suck up flavor, and egg adds a flavor of its own, so the nice thing about posset is that it tastes only of cream and whatever you flavor it with, plus the tartness from the citric acid. (Traditionally, posset was set with wine or ale, but the citric acid is much easier and more predictable.)

Romesco Sauce - Spanish Red Pepper and Hazelnut (or Almond) Sauce - Recipe

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 07:00:56 +0000

Romesco is a wonderful Spanish sauce made from roasted red peppers, tomatoes, roasted garlic and toasted nuts. It can be used as a party dip or spread, served as part of a tapas-style meal, stirred into mayonaise, slathered onto a sandwich…

Romesco is typically thickened with bread, but I wanted a thinner consistency for the dish you see in the picture (with gigandes beans, saffron broth, potatoes and leeks), so I omitted it. If you want thicker romesco, toast or pan-fry one slice of rustic bread and include it with the rest of the ingredients in the blender. (That dish was my contribution to our weekly culinary challenge over on the ChefSteps forums.)

Shiitake Congee

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 07:00:58 +0000

Shiitake Congee

In the next paragraph, I’m going to use a potentially scary word. After all, it is French, and it also might make you think you are going to need expensive new kitchen gear to do it (you won’t). Please remain calm, because as you’ll see, I need your help.

And that word is: sous vide. (Fine, it is two words.) If you aren’t familiar with it, in short it literally means cooking food that has been sealed in a vacuum, but in practical terms it means cooking food with precise control of the final internal temperature, usually sealed in a plastic bag in a water bath. In November I started working at ChefSteps.com. We’ve made it our mission to show the world that sous vide isn’t just for professional chefs, isn’t expensive, and doesn’t have to be scary. In fact, it is eminently practical for straightforward home cooking - and you can do it without any new equipment at all if you don’t mind improvising a bit.

Brussels Sprout and Apple Hash - Recipe

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 07:00:05 +0000

I demo’ed this Brussels sprout and apple hash from my cookbook on KCTS recently, and a reader pointed out that the recipe isn’t anywhere on the site. So here you go! Although I think of it as a side dish that goes well with mac & cheese or a rustic soup and salad, I’ve also been known to fry up a plate just for myself, add a slice of toasted artisanal wheat bread, and call it dinner.

GelPro Mat - Your Tired Feet Will Thank You

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 20:27:59 +0000

GelPro Anti-fatigue Mat

In professional kitchens, cooks stand on thick rubber mats that alleviate some of the discomfort of being on your feet all day. The professional mats won’t look right in your home kitchen unless you are trying for a seriously industrial look. But no matter, the GelPro mats feel even better, and they are styled to be unobtrusive at home. You can even pick from several colors to fit your decor.

Smoked Tofu Buns - Recipe

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 07:00:57 +0000

Smoked Tofu Buns

Yes, this is directly inspired by David Chang’s legendary pork buns. I just did them with smoked tofu instead of pig, and my pickle is a little different, and I kinda like kochujang (Korean miso/chili paste) on them instead of hoisin sauce. Next time I think I might swap out the pickle in favor of some thinly sliced kimchi, because I ate some leftover smoked tofu with kimchi and it was delicious.

Vegetarian Bibimbap - Korean Rice with Vegetables And Kochujang - Recipe

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 07:00:46 +0000

Vegetarian Bibimbap

Considering that I’ve posted a fair number of Korean recipes over the years, it seems odd that I’ve never written down my favorite Korean dish of all: bibimbap. Pronounced “bee-bim-bop”, bibimbap is simply a bowl of hot rice with a variety of cooked and raw vegetables. A raw, poached, or fried egg is served on top and kochujang (Korean miso / chili paste) is passed on the side, and the egg yolk together with the kochujang is mixed into the rice before eating.

Sunflower Butter Cookies - Recipe

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 11:20:49 +0000

Sunflower butter cookies (like peanut butter cookies for folks with peanut allergies)

My wife, Sarina, is severely allergic to both peanuts and every kind of tree nut. Like, epipen and straight to the hospital allergic. This meant that she has never tasted a peanut butter cookie, and neither have my kids. It seemed to me that this was a grave injustice that needed to be rectified.

Sichuan Peppercorn Peanuts - A Snack That Wants A Beer

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 08:31:03 +0000

The idea for these came from a packaged Japanese snack that I find totally addictive. It is easy to make at home, and then you can adjust the ratio of heat, orange zest, salt, and the tongue-numbing zing of the Sichuan peppercorn to your own preference. These guys pretty much have “snack with a beer” written all over them. They would also be awesome tossed with crispy, pan-fried tofu for a spicy variation on kung pao.

Sesame-Flax Soda Bread - Recipe

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 07:01:17 +0000

Sesame-Flax Soda Bread

Now I know this title might sound like the worst hippie food I’ve ever posted, but hear me out - because you could be having fresh, delicious bread on your dinner table tonight with about 10 minutes of work.

I’m no whole-grain obsessive. In fact, I love white flour. Whole-grain breads have a coarser texture and totally different flavors than those based on white flour. White flour is primarily a neutral-sweet background that allows other flavors from yeast and fermentation to shine through, while the various whole grains have their own distinct flavors. The key is to work with those flavors, not just substitute them blindly for white flour.

Porcini (Cèpes) Mushroom Crudo With Clementine Oil - Recipe

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 07:00:46 +0000

Whenever I get my hands on a rare or expensive ingredient, I look for ways to feature it in a simple, pure form that shows off the natural beauty and flavor. These porcini are only available for a weeks a year, and cost a small fortune, at least here in the Seattle area. In Tuscany, they would be much less! I got mine at Sosio’s in Pike Place Market. They have knowledgeable folks behind the aprons and some of the loveliest specialty produce in the city.

Cryo-Pickled Onions - Recipe

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Aki Kamozawa & H. Alexander Talbot, in their Ideas In Food cookbook, have terrific chapters on pickling, and on freezing food to intentionally modify texture. I like to combine these two methods into something I call “cryo-pickling”.

When you freeze a vegetable, ice crystals puncture the cell walls. A slow thaw allows water to drain out, resulting in a denser product with more concentrated flavors. If you do this same process in the presence of a pickling liquid, as the water goes out, the pickling flavors have the opportunity to migrate in.

Black Rice Fritters with Chimichurri - a Hanukkah Friendly Entree Recipe

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 07:00:33 +0000

Black Rice Fritters with Chimichurri

It is traditional for Hanukkah to eat foods cooked in oil, but after a few days of killer latkes and bunuelos, I think we all feel the need to lighten things up a bit. These black rice fritters are pan fried, creating a crispy, satisfying chew, but without absorbing too much fat. The brightly flavored chimichurri (an Argentine parsley sauce) adds a bright, acidic counterpoint.

Cheese Course with Maple Pickled Pears - Recipe

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 06:30:00 +0000

This isn’t so much a recipe as a reminder, that a cheese course can be a fitting end to any meal. The opportunity to linger over small portions of a couple of beautiful cheeses with a thoughtfully made condiment and maybe a glass of port or sherry can feel much more intimate than a sweet dessert.

The most important thing you can do to make your cheese course delicious is serve it at room temperature. This means that the cheese needs to sit out of the refrigerator, covered, for 1 to 2 hours depending on size. When good cheese is served cold, it lacks the complex flavor that you paid for!

Caramelized-Raisin Sundae - Recipe

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 07:45:00 +0000

There is nothing like a sundae to bring out the kid in all of us, but that is no reason it can’t have adult flavors! To make this sauce, the raisins are caramelized with butter, brown sugar, port wine and orange zest to make a rich sauce that isn’t too sweet. Fresh apple spiked with cinnamon adds a crunchy, slightly spicy counterpoint.

The raisins grow hilariously plump while cooking, blowing up like little zeppelins! Don’t let that worry you. When they cool back down, they return to a normal size.

Fried Artichokes with Orange-Olive Oil Emulsion - Recipe

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 07:00:36 +0000

Fried Artichokes with Orange-Olive Oil Emulsion

The first time I had fried artichokes was at a little place in our neighborhood called Supreme; they went out of business shortly after we moved in, or I’d probably have the artichoke equivalent of a beer belly by now. Since then, I never pass up a chance to eat fried artichokes (including the classic Carciofi alla Giudia of Rome) but hadn’t made them at home.

I'm Going To Work At ChefSteps. And Maybe You Should Too.

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 00:02:03 +0000

I know I’ve said here very publicly that the next thing I wanted to do was open a small restaurant. Well, sometimes incredibly cool opportunities happen when you least expect them. The chance to work with alumni of the Modernist Cuisine team? Hell yes. I’ll still be posting here at Herbivoracious, but probably a little less frequently than usual. Wanna know what I’m doing in the picture above? Jump over to ChefSteps for the scoop. (And if you are a badass web developer, be sure and read all the way to the end.)

Sesame-Orange Sable Cookies - Recipe

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 07:45:00 +0000

Sable doughs are a bit like shortbread, but with granulated sugar providing a delightfully sandy texture. They can be flavored with anything from chocolate to matcha tea with good results. My version incorporates enough sesame seeds to create something that is almost a cross between a cookie and those sesame sticks that you ate a pound of at Aunt Peg’s Superbowl party.

I’m generally cautious about using whole wheat flour in desserts, reserving it for cases where the heartier flavor enhances the other ingredients. With sesame and orange zest, it is a natural fit.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes 2012

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:14:29 +0000

The $64,000 question for Thanksgiving with vegetarians is what to do about the main course. There are two schools of thought:

An entree is really important; a meal isn't a meal unless there is something is in the middle of the plate.
Don't worry about it. The turkey, after all, is only one of about two hundred and sixty seven things on the table; most of the rest of them are vegetarian anyhow. It is one meal a year, just let the vegetarians eat all the delicious side dishes and save them an extra slice of pumpkin pie. (Like how I slipped that pie part in there?)

Personally, I'm more in camp 2, at least if I'm joining an omnivorous Thanksgiving. It just isn't that big of a deal to me to be worth making a veg entree when there is so much else to eat. But if I was putting on my own fully vegetarian Thanksgiving, I'd pick one of these main courses:

Vegan "Bacon" From King Oyster Mushrooms - Recipe

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 07:00:26 +0000

Vegan “Bacon” From King Oyster Mushrooms (left: whole mushroom; middle: sliced mushroom; right: “bacon”)

Let me say for the record: I have no desire to eat bacon. I prefer for pigs to keep their own bellies and backsides. However, I’m not at all opposed to having good ways of adding crispy, salty, savory, smoky goodness to my meals.

You Aren't Still Using An Old School Vegetable Peeler Are You? Y-Shaped Peelers Win.

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:49:50 +0000

Good lord, you aren’t still using one of those old-fashioned vegetable peelers where the blade is in the same line as the handle, are you? The motion and control with these Y-shaped peelers is so much more efficient, you’ll be peeling your carrots and potatoes twice as fast. I like the minimalist Kuhn Rikon peelers, but if you want a more ergonomic handle, the OXO peelers are nice too. Whichever one you get, don’t put it in the dishwasher - it will stay sharp a lot longer if you wash it by hand.

Strawberries and Cream Birthday Cake, Momofuku Milk Bar Style

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 06:00:57 +0000

No, this isn’t a miniature cake. It is actually 6 inches in diameter, and, I don’t know, 6 inches tall and serves 8 pretty handily.

I’m a pretty lousy pastry cook. I typically don’t have the patience or skills to create perfect geometric shapes, frost things just right and so-on. So when I got the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook, I sorta fell in love because Christina Tosi’s approach to the decorative side of pastry is so fun and approachable. The way she makes her 3 layer cakes is genius (though it does require some gear). You bake a sheet cake, then use a cake ring to cut out two layers. The bottom layer is made by pressing all of the remaining scraps into the cake ring. Two mylar collars keep the outside perfectly smooth so you can see the filling.

My Favorite Citrus Juicer

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:23:08 +0000

I use a lot of lemon and lime juice in my cooking, so I’ve tried quite a few ways to get that juice over the years. I’ve tried wooden reamers (ugh, my hand is covered in juice!), one-piece counter models (rarely strain well), and electrics (only really worthwhile if you need to do dozens of lemons at a time). For my money, this simple citrus squeezer is the way to go.

Congee with Crispy Yuba - Recipe

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Wherever rice is a staple, from China to India and all points in between, some form of congee is a beloved dish. Congee is simply rice that is cooked in copious amounts of water until it falls apart into porridge. It is often a breakfast dish, and is also considered an excellent recuperative and restorative meal.

Congee is a blank palette that can be topped by a vast range of accompaniments. It is usually best to include something crunchy, something green, something salty, and a small but substantial hit of protein. Besides my suggestions below, you might consider sliced hardboiled egg, toasted and crushed peanuts, thinly sliced green onions, kimchi (see note on ), tofu, pickled ginger.

Pan-Fried Polenta with Chickpea Stew, King Oyster Mushrooms and Fig Puree

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:08:08 +0000

Pan-Fried Polenta with Chickpea Stew, King Oyster Mushrooms and Fig Puree

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of cooking a five-course dinner at Cafe Flora as a benefit for City Fruit, a wonderful organization here in the Seattle area that harvests thousands of pounds of fruit from trees that would otherwise go to waste and donates that fruit to food banks and sell some of it to local restaurants. They also teach pruning classes and generally act as stewards and conservationists of the urban orchard.

Harissa Potatoes - Recipe

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 06:00:36 +0000

Potatoes with harissa, feta and dill

This was absolutely an improvisation; I’d been traveling and had very few vegetables in the house on my return, but found a few waxy potatoes lying around along with a hunk of feta and a package of dill that was still good. That got me to thinking of Middle Eastern flavors and 15 minutes later I was eating an entire recipe of this as my own breakfast. Almost a Middle Eastern take on home fries. And actually, you know if you wanted to have this as an even more substantial breakfast, a fried egg between the potatoes and the feta would be amazing.

Mexican Breakfast Torta - Recipe

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Tortas are Mexican sandwiches. They generally have a base of refried beans which can be topped with just about anything – in this case, scrambled eggs (or avocado, for a vegan version), a roasted poblano pepper, and a simple cabbage slaw.

The traditional roll for a tortas is a bolillo or telera, either of which you may find at any Mexican market. If you are vegetarian, you’ll want to double-check the ingredients to make sure no lard is involved. Otherwise, you can use an American sandwich roll. It can have a thin, crispy crust or a soft crust, but the interior must be light and soft. Whatever you choose, it should not be hard to bite through.

Spicy Tamarind-Glazed Potatoes - Recipe

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 07:45:00 +0000

There is a famous Thai dish known as Son-in-law Eggs. You’ll get the joke if you realize that eggs in Thai refer to the same part of the male anatomy as huevos in Spanish. To make Son-in-law Eggs, peeled hardboiled eggs are pan-fried or deep-fried until the outside gets wrinkled and brown, and then they are halved and served with a spicy tamarind sauce.

My vegan variation uses small potatoes instead. The sauce is quite fiery, but the creamy flesh of the potatoes mitigates your pain. Be sure and warn your guests not to eat the whole dried chiles, or remove them before serving.

The Best Salad Spinner - Because Wet Lettuce Is Terrible

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 06:54:44 +0000

The worst thing you can do to a potentially great salad is try and dress it with the leaves still wet from washing. The dressing runs right off, leaving a watery, unappetizing mess.

I’ve owned a number of salad spinners over the years, and when my last one broke I asked my friends for recommendations. I’m glad I did because this Starfrit Salad Spinner kicks butt. It holds a lot of lettuce, is solidly built, and the crank handle lets you get up to a good speed fast and get the lettuce truly dry. I like it much better than the models that rely on a push mechanism or pull-string to start spinning.

The Best Way to Sharpen Your Knives at Home

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 06:00:04 +0000

I'm kind of a freak about sharp knifes. When I cook in other folk's kitchens I usually find their knives are as dull as a wiffle ball bat, and I can't figure out how they stand it.

Few things make your life in the kitchen more enjoyable than truly sharp knives. They make your work faster, easier, and safer (because you don't have to use excessive force which is likely to lead to unfortunate slips.) And yet the honest truth is that few of us will take the time to sharpen knives by hand on oilstones or waterstones, and who has the time to take them out for frequent professional sharpening?

Caramelized Banana and Buttermilk Panna Cotta - Vegetarian Panna Cotta Recipe

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 06:00:22 +0000

Caramelized Banana and Buttermilk Panna Cotta

Panna cotta is a classic Italian dessert, traditionally made from cream and milk set with gelatin, which isn’t vegetarian. The gelatin is what makes it different from flan (set with eggs) or pudding (set with starch and sometimes eggs). The best panna cotta is ultra-creamy and just barely set - it should have a distinct wiggle to it. So the challenge in making a vegetarian panna cotta is to replace the gelatin with something that doesn’t make a brittle, crumbly, or over-firm gel.

The Dirt Candy Cookbook - Review

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 06:00:37 +0000

Amanda Cohen is a bad-ass chef. I had the terrific experience of staging (interning) with her for a few days last year. You should read about that first.

Short-version: Amanda owns and runs the tiny, edgy, imaginative and incredibly cool Dirt Candy in New York’s East Village. As far as I know, she’s the only vegetarian chef to have appeared on Iron Chef. And she called out Morimoto. How ballsy is that?

A French Oven You Can Live In - My Favorite Pot - AKA Dutch Oven

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:32:44 +0000

Just as my cast iron skillet is my go-to pan for all kinds of frying and sautéeing, this Le Creuset 5.5 quart French Oven is the pot I turn to first for soups, stews, braises, chili, etc. It isn’t quite big enough for boiling a full pound of pasta, but for anything else that involves sizable volumes of liquid, it is game-on.

Why is this a great pot?

Potatoes with Crispy Curry Leaves - Recipe

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 06:00:14 +0000

Potatoes with Crispy Curry Leaves

How is this for confusing? Curry powder is not made from curry leaves. Good Indian cooks tend to mix spices for individual dishes, although there are some mixtures that are fairly standardized, like garam masala. In the west, some truly awful, unbalanced spice mixtures go by the name of curry powder and should be roundly avoided. To make matters worse, curry leaves themselves can be ground into a powder called karuvepilai podi, although you probably won’t run into that so often.

Red Winter Minestrone with Winter Greens Pesto

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 06:00:25 +0000

Red Winter Minestrone with Winter Greens Pesto

If you are a dedicated locavore, or farmer’s market shopper, or year-round CSA subscriber, you are all too familiar with this issue: depending on where you live, there are several loooong months of the year where the main local vegetables available are the hearty dark leafy greens and root vegetables. You are going to need a serious repertoire of kale recipes to get you through the winter. So when Oxbow Farm sent me a CSA box, I knew I wanted to give you a hearty, warming soup that would take advantage of what the season is offering.

Why You Need an Instant-Read Kitchen Thermometer

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 06:00:11 +0000

An instant-read thermometer might seem like one of those kitchen gadgets you don’t really need. Most of us cook by the seat of our pants anyhow, right? Maybe it seems a little too “cheffy?” But I think you’ll find that if you get one, even a basic $12 model like I have pictured above, you’ll use it a lot, and it will increase your confidence in a wide range of kitchen tasks. See below for reasons you might want to get an even better one.

Silicone Pastry Brushes - A Huge Improvement

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 14:24:40 +0000

Old-school pastry brushes always drove me crazy. They never seemed quite clean no matter how much I washed them, and you couldn’t put them in the dishwasher because the glue would loosen and the bristles would fall out. After awhile, the bristles would be all clumped together and even more frightening.

Silicone pastry brushes have changed the whole picture. They are heatproof up to high temperatures and go right in the dishwasher for 100% cleanup. It is a no-brainer.

Mini Offset Spatula - The Pastry Cook's Secret Weapon

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:15:39 +0000

These little offset spatulas are workhorses for pastry chefs. The offset-handle design keeps your hands out of the way of the work and lets you reach down into baking pans and get right up to the edge. They are also fantastic for frosting cookies and cupcakes. No more sticky fingers. I like the Ateco model because it is dishwasher safe and the blade has just the right stiffness.

Heatproof Silicone Spatulas

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:57:04 +0000

I still love my wooden spoons, but honestly I reach for silicone spatulas much more often these days. Silicone spatulas are versatile. It is worth owning a few in different sizes and shapes, because they can scrape out containers with various contours (even blender jars), mix ingredients for baking, and stir hot ingredients. They are also safe for use in nonstick skillets, because they won’t damage the coating. This model from GIR is my all-time favorite. It has the perfect degree of flex, and a unibody design so there is nowhere for grime to hide. The angled edge works great for getting into corners.

Mandoline - Preferably an Inexpensive Japanese Model

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:43:16 +0000

Benriner Japanese Mandolin Vegetable Slicer

A mandoline is simply a sharp blade mounted on a flat platform, with adjustable screws to set the depth of cut, allowing you to make thin, consistent slices very quickly. Extra attachments allow for a variety of julienne cuts. The inexpensive Japanese models are just as good as, if not better than, the $100-plus European varieties.

I use my mandoline constantly, for dishes like this Persimmon Carpaccio or the garnishes for these cold Korean Noodles. It saves a ton of time and makes cuts far more consistent and beautiful than I ever could with my knife.

Microplane - The Grater That Changes Everything

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:24:44 +0000

Microplane graters are one of the greatest kitchen inventions of the late twentieth century. Originally developed as woodworking tools, they are covered with tiny, ultrasharp teeth that make crazy-quick work of grating hard cheese, ginger, citrus zest, nutmeg, and just about anything else you can think of. They come in a variety of shapes and hole sizes, but the most useful is about 8 inches long and 1 inch wide and has very small teeth.

Savory Cardoon Flan - Recipe

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 06:00:43 +0000

Savory Cardoon Flan

Cardoon: Looks like celery, tastes like artichoke.

Oxbow Farm is one of my favorite local farms. They are at several of our Seattle area farmer’s markets, and have a great educational center out in Carnation that is fantastic for taking city kids on field trips to learn where their veggies come from. Last time we were out there, the kids played hide and seek wearing rhubarb leaf hats, nibbled on peas, rescued a bird egg and ate lunch in a greenhouse.

Baked Penne with Mushrooms and Fontina - Recipe

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 06:15:00 +0000

This baked penne is a nice alternative to macaroni and cheese. It is jam-packed with mushrooms and spinach. Because it is made with melted cheese instead of a béchamel sauce, the flavors of the mushroom and spinach come through more clearly.

I like to cut the mushrooms in quarters instead of thin slices for this dish. That allows them to brown nicely on the outside while retaining a satisfying a chew.

Onion Pakora - Recipe

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 06:00:26 +0000

Onion Pakora

Pakora are a classic Indian snack food or appetizer, made by coating just about any vegetable (or sometimes fruit) with a chickpea flour batter and deep frying. They can be made from whole slices of vegetable or smaller pieces spooned together, and the batter can be thick or thin, crispy or puffy. I’ve seen pakora made with anything from spinach to raw banana, but my heart will always belong to onion pakora. I’m an onion ring kinda guy too, and onion pakora basically scratches that same itch.

Paring Knife, Bread Knife, Tomato Knife

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 17:13:17 +0000

Besides your chef's knife, you'll want to have a small paring knife and a good serrated bread knife. If you were to add just one more knife, especially for vegetarian cooking, I would make it a "tomato knife," which is a little larger than a paring knife but serrated to slice easily through the tough skins of tomatoes, grapes, and the like.

Here are 3 solid choices:

The paring knife is probably the most debatable, but this one fits my hand great. I use it comfortably to remove strings from celery, core tomatoes and strawberries and lots of other repetitive tasks.

Chef's Knife

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 16:56:55 +0000

Global G-2 - 8 inch, 20cm Chef’s Knife

No other kitchen tool is more important or personal than your chef’s knife. Whole books have been written about what makes a great knife. I can’t tell you what knife to buy, because it is a very personal decision that depends most importantly on how it feels in your hand. But I will tell you which one I love the most. It is this Global G-2 - 8 inch, 20cm Chef’s Knife. I’ve tried cheating on it several times over the years and I always come back to it.

Sharpening Steel

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 11:15:37 +0000

You should have a metal or ceramic “steel” that can be used in between sharpenings to keep an edge on your knife. Sliding the edge of your knife against the steel removes any burrs and realigns the cutting edge. A sharp knife is a safer knife, because you don't have to use excess force that can cause it to slip.

Using a steel is a lot easier to do than to describe, so I've got a short video to show you how.

Black Rice Fritters with Turnips and Horseradish Cream - Recipe

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 06:00:34 +0000

Black Rice Fritters with Roasted Turnips and Horseradish Cream

Although black rice is an Asian ingredient, I think it reminded me in some oblique way of pumpernickel, which inspired me to deploy a favorite set of Eastern European flavors: caraway, horseradish, mustard. Those are a natural fit with the baby turnips I’d brought home from the farmer’s market.

Red Rice and Avocado with Crispy Burdock Chips - Recipe

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 06:00:28 +0000

Red Rice and Avocado with Crispy Burdock Chips

Here’s another dish I made with those amazing Reed avocados from ChefShop. It looks a little bit fancy, but is very easy to do - just layers of red rice, avocado, shaved red pepper, baby lettuces, burdock chips, and gomashio, flavored with a sesame/miso/yuzu dressing.

Burdock root is a popular vegetable in Japanese and Korean cuisine. It is crispy and sweet, somewhat like jicama but a little more earthy. Maybe more like water chestnut. You can find it at Asian grocers and well-stocked natural foods stores. In Japanese it is known as gobo. Burdock also has a funny connection to velcro.

Fair Trade Month - And A Fair Trade Gift Box Giveaway

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Fair trade is the idea of marketing products with a primary goal of improving the lives of the those who grow (and sometimes process) the raw materials. I knew that it involved paying ethical, above-market prices for the food, instead of pressuring poor communities to produce food as cheaply as possible. I didn’t realize the it also includes a commitment of community development funds that the farmers can use for environmental protection, health care, or women’s empowerment among other great things.

Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jigae) with Shiitake and Daikon - Recipe

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Kimchi jigae is classic Korean home cooking that is simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner. The body of the stew comes from chopped kimchi, spiked with chili paste (kochujang, also spelled gochujang) and miso. This version is made with daikon, shiitake mushroom caps and tofu, but you can adapt the stew to just about any ingredients you have on hand.

Avocado and Tomatillo Salsa - Recipe

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 06:00:56 +0000

Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa

Many years ago. Gulp. More than two decades ago, when I lived in the Bay Area, I would visit friends in the Mission District of San Francisco and inevitably eat at one of the great neighborhood taquerias. Many of them keep little jars of an avocado-based salsa on the tables, to add a little creamy drizzle on your taco or burrito, or just for dipping tortilla chips. This is my version of that sauce, which I like a little bit thicker and amped up with some heat and spice.

Wacky Chana Chaat - Spicy Chickpea Snack - Recipe

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 06:15:32 +0000

Wacky Chana Chaat - Spicy Chickpea Snack

Chaat is a whole family of amazing snack foods from India that are served by street vendors and informal restaurants. Chaat can be anything from aloo tiki (potato fritters - there’s a recipe in my book) to pani puri (little crispy hollow crackers that you poke a hole in, fill with a potato and chickpea mixture, then dunk in a spicy cold broth) to dahi vada (fried lentil dumplings drowned in sweet yogurt). It is almost hard to say what the defining characteristic of a chaat is, but after awhile you know one when you see one, and you’ll probably want to get on the outside of it as quickly as possible.

Chermoula Stuffed Eggplant - Recipe

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 07:00:00 +0000

The eggplants in this recipe are halved and then each half is cut so that there is a “pocket” to rub with Chermoula (a sort of North African pesto, ). The chermoula bakes into the creamy flesh, seasoning it. Then you add more chermoula just before serving so you can enjoy both the fresh and cooked flavors of the herbs and spices.

This isn’t a large entrée; you’ll want to serve it with generous quantities of couscous and chickpeas or a rice pilaf, yogurt and salad.

Warm Frisee Salad with Brown Butter Vinaigrette - Recipe

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 07:15:00 +0000

Warm salads seem a little more filling than a typical cool salad, and a bit special too. They are nice in cool weather, especially if you aren’t serving a soup to take the chill out of the air.

Be careful not to let the butter burn. We want it to lightly brown and develop a nutty aroma, while infusing with the flavors of turnip and mushroom. At the first sign of overheating, lower the heat to medium-low or even low.

Quickie Amba (Pickled Mango Condiment) - Recipe

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 06:00:28 +0000

A few weeks ago, I visited Shauna and Dan on Vashon to shoot a video about the sabich recipe in my cookbook. Sabich is an absurdly delicious Iraqi-Jewish eggplant sandwich with fried eggplant, Israeli salad, hummus, tahina, hardboiled egg, cucumber pickle, and amba. Since those guys are gluten-free, we ate it as a salad instead, which I might even like better. But I hear they might have a gluten-free pita coming in their next book, so stay tuned. We had an absolutely lovely day, sitting on their all-too-relaxing patio soaking up the sun, talking food and blogs and kids and life, and cooking and eating, and oh yeah, shooting a video. (I’ll let you know when it is up on their site.)

Transparency and Support

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 06:00:44 +0000

If you are a long-time reader of Herbivoracious, you may have noticed that there are more recipes than ever before (2 or 3 per week instead of 1), and also a bit more commercial content here than in the past.

Back in March of this year, leading up to the publication of the cookbook, I quit my day job to focus on a full-time culinary career. I’m planning on opening a restaurant, and the blog is going to be a big part of that. As I devote more time to developing recipes and sharing them with you, I also need the blog to move beyond being a fantastic hobby to actually helping me make a living. So around 1 out of every 5 posts that I write will be about a product or giveaway.

Quick Green Apple "Kimchi" - Recipe

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 06:00:48 +0000

Green Apple Kimchi, shown here with Tofu Lettuce Wrap and Hatcho Miso Sauce

As I mentioned in the Tomato and Nectarine Salad, I’ve fallen in love with gochugaru (Korean chili powder). It is spicy, but not so spicy that you can’t use enough of it to also appreciate its fruity, tart notes. I like using it to make quick “kimchi”. I’m putting the “kimchi” in quotes because there is no fermentation at all. I’m not putting it in quotes because this is apple, not cabbage - Koreans make kimchi from all sorts of things besides those familiar leaves.

Potato and Green Bean Salad with Arugula Pesto - Recipe

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 07:15:00 +0000

This potato salad will really grab attention on a buffet table. The arugula pesto is a bright emerald green that holds its color much better than basil-based pesto. You should still make the sauce as close to serving time as possible because the fresh flavors begin to dissipate, emphasizing the bitter aspect of the arugula.

It is always best to start potatoes in cold water. That allows the interior a chance to cook before the outside has gone to mush.

The Vegetarian Tasting Menu at Canlis - Throwing Down the Gauntlet

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 06:00:31 +0000

Asparagus with Sauce Gribiche, Quinoa “Tabouli” and Warm Egg Yolk

Back in 2010, I had the wonderful experience of staging at Canlis for a couple of weeks. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of dining there, Canlis is a legendary fine-dining institution in Seattle. It boasts spectacular views high above Lake Union, unmatched service that is always as friendly as it is accurate, and a wine list I can’t begin to describe. It is the place that Seattleites go to dress up, feel special, and celebrate important events in their lives.

"Caviar" Lentil Salad with Arugula, Crispy Shallots and Roasted Garlic - Recipe

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 06:00:36 +0000

Black Lentils with Arugula and Crispy Shallots

Kim Davidson from Pacific Northwest Farmers Cooperative is doing amazing work supporting real family farms that are growing non-GMO grains, beans and lentils on the Palouse Prarie. So when he offered to send me a sample of their new crop of “caviar” lentils, grown by PNW Co-op Farmer Ambassador, Jim Hermann, it wasn’t hard to say yes.

Shaved Artichoke Salad with Blood Oranges - Recipe

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Artichokes are almost always served cooked, but they can be delicious raw as well. They taste like a slightly astringent root vegetable. A lemony vinaigrette and shards of Parmigiano-Reggiano make for a nice treatment, or try this recipe, with a mayonnaise-based dressing that yields a salad reminiscent of celery root remoulade.

To prevent the artichoke from browning, prepare the dressing first so that you can toss the shaved vegetable in it immediately. It is possible to make this salad with a knife, but a mandoline will give you thinner, better slices.

Rigatoni with Roasted Cauliflower and Spicy Tomato Sauce - Recipe

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 08:16:57 +0000

Rigatoni with Roasted Cauliflower and Spicy Tomato Sauce

I’ve had rigatoni on the brain recently. KitchenAid was kind enough to send me this pasta-extruder attachment for review and I had in mind to use it to make saffron rigatoni and then serve it with cauliflower in several textures. Unfortunately, the day got away from me and I had to settle for a simpler dish with dried rigatoni, one way of cooking the cauliflower, and a spicy tomato sauce that takes just a few minutes to make. (Yes, the extruder review will be coming soon though - I’m sure looking forward to it!)

Sephardic Bikur Holim Bazaar - A Delicious Link to the Past

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 06:00:06 +0000

I’m Jewish, from the Ashkenazi tradition - the group you probably associate with Judaism, emanating from Eastern Europe. When you think of bagels and latkes and schmalz, you are thinking of Ashkenazi. The other major group of jews, called Sephardic, are from Southern Europe and North Africa. As I’ve mentioned before, I had the great fortune to marry into a Sephardic family that has deep roots (over 100 years) in Seattle but maintains many traditions from the old country.

Pear and Gouda Salad - Recipe

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 08:00:00 +0000

This salad takes advantage of the easy and unusual method for Cryo-Pickled Onions on . The onions go right in the salad, and the pickling liquid is used to make the vinaigrette. (You’ll have to make the onions at least a day in advance of when you want to serve the salad). I love how the subtle flavor of fresh ginger works with the pear.

Tomato and Nectarine Salad with a Korean Dressing - Recipe

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 06:25:11 +0000

Tomato and Nectarine Salad with a Korean Dressing

Here’s a simple, delicious and surprising salad. Oh, one thing - it is only worth doing if you have spectacular heirloom tomatoes and nectarines. It will be completely tasteless and sad if you make it with hard pink tomatoes and underripe, sour nectarines. You’l be very on trend if you make it; I’ve seen variations of stone fruit & tomato salads on a bunch of great restaurant menus lately.

Celery Soup with Fregola Sarda or Israeli Couscous - Recipe

Sat, 25 Aug 2012 06:15:00 +0000

Celery Soup with Fregola Sarda or Israeli Couscous
4 modest servings / 20 minutes

½ cup fregola sarda or Israeli couscous
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely diced white onion
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 outer ribs celery, finely diced
juice ½ lemon
1 tablespoon shoyu
¼ cup grated parmesan or grana padano cheese
1/4 cup very thinly sliced inner rib of celery
big handful celery leaves
fresh ground black pepper

Set aside 4 serving bowls to warm. Place a pot that holds at least 2 quarts over medium heat. If using fregola sarda, skip to step 2. If using Israeli couscous, dry-toast it in the pot, stirring occasionally until light, brown.
Add the olive oil, onion, kosher salt, and diced outer ribs of celery. Saute until the vegetables have softened somewhat, about 4 minutes. Add the fregola sarda if using. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat. Cook until the pasta is just al dente, about 10-12 minutes (or check package directions).
Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and shoyu. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Divide the soup among the 4 bowls. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese, the raw celery, the celery leaves, and a grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Zucchini and Chickpea Tagine - Recipe

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 06:00:37 +0000

Zucchini and Chickpea Tagine

The name of this recipe is misleading. A tagine is the Moroccan clay pot with a conical lid, typically used for slow-braised stews, as well as the dishes cooked in those beautiful vessels. However, there is nothing in this particular dish that really needs a long braise, so it is quite feasible to make it in a skillet or Dutch-oven. I still call it a tagine because the flavorings are very typical of that genre.

Cucumber & Dill Soup (Tarator) - Recipe

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 07:30:00 +0000

The recipe for this refreshing, yogurt-based soup comes from our cousin Sabi, an Israeli whose family emigrated from Bulgaria, where it is known as tarator. Our branch of the family elaborates it with mint and chives in addition to the traditional dill. It is perfect for a hot summer day when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen.

The original recipe calls for 4 cloves of garlic, but I find that 1 or 2 are just about right. If you are making it a day in advance, remember that the garlic will grow in strength.

Quick Harissa Oil - Recipe

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Harissa is the classic spice paste of North Africa, used in stews, as a rub, and as a condiment at the table. Oil infused with harissa is terrific for grilling vegetables, and I also like it drizzled on soups, such as the Red Lentil and Kabocha Squash soup on . You can also use a small amount of this oil to spice up a vinaigrette for dressing salads or dipping bread.

Crepes with Sage-Roasted French Plums, Yogurt and Honey

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Crepes with Roasted French Plums, Yogurt and Honey

Julia Child’s 100th birthday is coming up on 8/15/12, and PBS has been doing this very fun #cookforjulia event to commemorate her. When they asked me to contribute a recipe, I knew right away that I wanted to do something with crepes. Julia and I go back a long way. I only have two cookbooks from my Mom. Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 is one of them, and the other is an enormous Chinese cookbook that I’ve never found very usable.

My Seattle Restaurant Guide App

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 06:00:59 +0000

People always ask me where to eat in Seattle. Sometimes they want to know where to find the best vegetarian options, others just want to know what restaurants are great, period. I love the food scene here, so it is a pleasure to help, and I’ve put together a few lists I can send.

So when Escape Apps asked if I’d like to work with them on a Seattle guide app, it took me about 5 seconds of thought to say yes. How could I resist, when their stated mission is to get you to “Escape. Out of your phone and into the world.”

Rye Piroshki with Roasted Onions, Caraway, and Swiss Cheese - Recipe

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 06:00:56 +0000

Rye Piroshki with Roasted Onions, Caraway, and Swiss Cheese

Piroshki (not to be confused with pierogi) are individual yeast buns that are popular in Russia and all over Eastern Europe. They can be filled with anything from potatoes and cabbage to cottage cheese and jam. In Seattle, we have a shop called Piroshky Piroshky that does a really nice job with them. I used to live around the corner from one of their stores and loved to run in and grab one for a quick lunch.

Red Curry Paste - Recipe

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 07:45:00 +0000

There is nothing wrong with making curries using pre-packaged pastes, but making curry paste from scratch is addictive; the volatile aroma and flavor is at a completely different level.

This version of a red curry paste originated with my friend Ivy Manning, who writes wonderful cookbooks. I’ve changed it only a bit, to use ingredients I most often have on hand.

The great thing is, this recipe makes more paste than you will probably use in a single meal. Freeze the excess and you will have the beginning of two or three great dishes waiting for you at a moment's notice, like the Red Curry Delicata Squash on or the Red Curry Fried Rice on .

The Joy of a Proper Spatula

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 06:00:11 +0000

Most spatulas suck.

This spatula, from LamsonSharp, emphatically does not suck.

It has a thin leading edge, so it slips right under your food without mauling it or ruining the crust. It is strong and flexible. It has nice, wide slots that allow oil or sauces to remain behind in the pan. It has a nice curve so your hand doesn’t have to go down into your skillet.

Basic Baked Custard Recipe - An Easy, Comforting Dessert with Many Options

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 06:00:11 +0000

Basic Baked Custard Recipe - An Easy, Comforting Dessert with Many Options

A simple custard, baked in ramekins, is one of those recipes that every cook should have in their arsenal. It isn’t at all hard to make, but there are a few ways you can go wrong that leave you with grainy bowls of scrambled eggs instead of the silky-smooth result you are looking for. Follow the method below and you’ll feel like a custard master in no time.

The Missing Images

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 06:00:27 +0000

When I cook from a recipe, I love to see a photo so I know what target I’m aiming for. So I thought I should share with you photos for all of the dishes that didn’t get an image in the cookbook. Click on any photo to see it full size. Enjoy!

Cookbook Errata

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:32:12 +0000

It is safe to say that every published cookbook has mistakes in it. The beautiful thing about the web is that I can note them here in real time. Here are the errors I know of so far. Some are fixed in the 3rd printing. If you’ve found another mistake, please drop me a note at michael herbivoracious.com.

Stovetop smoking method, used in several recipes - I no longer recommend jury-rigged stovetop smoking. I've since learned that creating smoke in a low-oxygen sealed environment like this creates unnecessarily high levels of carcinogens. See my Smoked Tofu Buns recipe for a safer alternative if you don't have your own method of smoking.
Caramelized Apple and Blue Cheese Crostini, p. 57 - The apples should be cored. There is no need to peel them unless the peels are unusually tough. (Thanks, John Hughes!)
Jicama, Radish, and Orange Salad - This salad is also nice with some fruity olive oil added to the orange juice before tossing.
White Bean and Kale Soup, p.94 - For the pressure cooker method, better to add the salt at step 4, otherwise it might make the beans tough.
Iraqi-Jewish Eggplant Sandwich (Sabich) - not a mistake, but if you can't find amba, I've come up with a fresh version of it I really like.
Indian Fry Bread Tacos, p. 147 - "Grandma" from the Amazon reviews program, who lived on the Navajo reservation for several years, says that milk is never used in fry bread. The dish comes out delicious as written, but if you are concerned about authenticity you might want to use water instead and add a few tablespoons of vegetable shortening. I haven't tested this alternative. (Thanks, "Grandma"!)
Loaded Otsu Noodles, p. 168 - Include the lemon juice and zest along with the other sauce ingredients in step 1. (Thanks, Sarah Wallen!)
Caramel Cooked Tofu, p. 189 - If you have trouble getting the sauce to thicken, you might be using a pot that is too deep and not wide enough. This works best in a wide skillet. An easy fix is to pull the tofu out and finish cooking the sauce by itself for an extra minute, then pour it over the tofu.
Arroz Verde - It is best to let the rice cool for a little while before tossing with the herb puree, otherwise it has a tendency to get mushy. If you like, you can gently reheat it before serving.
Broccoli Raab/Rabe, p. 227 - Rabe is the preferred spelling.
Apple-Celery Sorbet, p. 300 - Ascorbic acid (crushed up pure vitamin C tablets) is more effective at preventing browning than citric acid or sodium citrate. (Thanks, Dave Arnold!)

King Oyster Mushroom with Roasted Cherries and Sage - No, That Isn't Meat - Thought Process

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 06:00:00 +0000

King Oyster Mushroom with Roasted Cherries and Sage

I’m often asked “where do you get your inspiration for the recipes?” I love this question because it gives me a chance to talk about all of the different places that ideas come from, but often in generalities. So today, I thought it might be interesting to focus on the specifics of how a particular dish came about.

Homemade Breadcrumbs - Recipe

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Homemade breadcrumbs are a completely different ballgame from the canned grocery store stuff. It is a very easy thing to grate dried-out bread in the food processor and then toast the crumbs with a little olive oil in a skillet. You’ll be rewarded with tasty, crunchy goodness that can top a gratin, add body to a filling, or bread a fritter.

If you don’t have any stale bread, in a pinch you can make these with bread that is still soft. Just slice, toast moderately, and then allow to sit for 15 minutes or so to dry out so that it can be grated.

Basic Pastry Dough - Recipe

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Let’s have a word with you people who are afraid of making pastry crusts. I've been there. We can get you through this and have you making tender, flaky crusts. It really isn't difficult, you just have to focus on a few details:

Our whole goal here is to get well distributed pockets of butter that will separate layers of the dough, while minimizing gluten development. I really like to use a pastry blender, a simple hand tool with several blades that cut the butter in to the flour. My hands are too warm, and dirtying a whole food processor makes more work than necessary.

Onion Chutney - Recipe

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 07:45:00 +0000

When I was a freshman in college, I ate lunch at the many fine Indian restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island almost every day. This style of raw onion chutney was always on offer. Unfortunately, I’ve rarely seen it outside of the Northeast, and I didn’t see it at all when I was in Delhi.

If you don’t care for raw onions, you aren’t going to like this. But if you are like me, and crave that sweet, pungent crunch, this stuff is addictive. It goes well with curries, and even better with fritters and pakora.

Swiss Chard with Garlic and Yogurt - Recipe

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 06:00:11 +0000

Swiss Chard with Garlic and Yogurt

Meze is the Mediterranean tradition of a meal made of several small plates. My family especially loves to eat meze-style in the summer, when no-one feels like heating up the kitchen or eating a heavy dinner. To make a nice meze, you can make a couple of items from scratch (maybe tabbouleh or this warm grape and ricotta salata salad) and fill out the spread with warm pita bread, quick marinated feta, good olives, good store-bought hummus or prepared tahina, and raw vegetables.

Win a Signed Copy of the Herbivoracious Cookbook - Giveaway

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 06:56:48 +0000

I was just thinking, it has been awhile since I’ve given away a copy of the Herbivoracious cookbook! So here we go. The world’s simplest giveaway. Signup for the email list in the box below by Sunday, 7/15/2012 at 11:59 PM and you are automatically entered to win.

When you join the mailing list, I’ll send you three of my all-time most popular recipes, and keep you updated when new recipes are added. Don’t forget to check your email and confirm your subscription by clicking on the link in the first message you receive.

Thai Basil Eggplant - Recipe

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 06:00:31 +0000

Thai Basil Eggplant

The Thai basil situation can be a bit confusing. The herb known specifically as Thai basil, which is what I’ve used in this dish, has purplish stems and green leaves. There is another, significantly different herb called holy basil that is also much loved in Thailand, and it has purple leaves and is incredibly aromatic. Both of these basils are quite different from Italian basil, which I wouldn’t use it in this recipe. The thing that is great about Thai basil is that it can stand up to a good amount of cooking, so it can be used almost as a vegetable, not just a garnish (although I do also reserve a few leaves for garnish.)

Cold Sorrel and Coconut Milk Soup - Recipe

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 06:00:57 +0000

Cold Sorrel and Coconut Milk Soup

First, a quick bit of housekeeping. I recently moved the Herbivoracious email list over to a new, more robust provider. In the process, some of you received an email asking you to reconfirm your subscription. This kind of thing is easy to miss, especially if you are aren’t expecting them. So if you aren’t getting today’s post by email, just sign up again. Look over there ——-> and you’ll see a place near the top of the sidebar to enter your email address. Of course if you never were on the list, please sign up too! It is a great way to make sure you see each new recipe, and I’ll also be sending out the occasional special announcement or offer to mailing list subscribers only.

Banana Raita - Recipe

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 08:15:00 +0000

Raitas are a family of yogurt-based condiments that can go with just about any Indian dish, from street food to a sumptuous banquet. They make a cooling complement to a spicy dish. Unfortunately, only the cucumber raita has become popular in America, but there are many other possibilities.

I like this banana raita because the flavors are at once familiar and surprising. First you get banana smoothie, only to have your taste buds surprised by mustard seed, jalapeno, and spring onion. Try this with the aloo tiki on .

Corn Nut Butter - Recipe Work in Progress

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 09:54:32 +0000

Corn Nut Butter

Yep. Corn Nuts, ground up into a “nut” butter.

I’ve had freeze-dried corn ground into powder many times, and I know Christina Tosi uses that to make her famous corn cookies. I was in Chicago yesterday to do a taping at WGN, and managed to get a drink at Grant Achatz’ The Aviary. One of the snacks I ordered was a guacamole filled croquant that had a corn powder, but it tasted like the toasted flavor of Corn Nuts, not the pure sweet flavor of freeze-dried corn. Awesome.

Orecchiette with Garlic Scapes, Ricotta, and Gremolata - Recipe

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 06:00:49 +0000

Orecchiette with Garlic Scapes, Ricotta, and Gremolata

Unlike tender green garlic, garlic scapes are the firmer central flowering stem of the garlic plant. When fully cooked, they have a texture similar to asparagus, and a sweet flavor like slow-roasted garlic. In the past I’ve made the mistake of not trimming off enough of the hardest part and/or not cooking them fully, and then they can be unpleasantly woody, but when cooked until tender they are quite delicious. The most likely place to find garlic scapes is at a farmer’s market, though I have seen them at Asian groceries and Whole Foods as well.

Indian-Sichuan Pickle - Recipe

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Indian-Sichuan Pickle

1 tablespoon mustard oil or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cup coarsely chopped Sichuan preserved vegetable (about 2 whole knobs)

Heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over a medium high flame. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds and cook for about 1 minute, until the mustard seeds start popping and everything is fragrant but not burning.
Toss the seeds and oil with the preserved vegetable. You can serve it right away or keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Apple Crostata with Breadcrumb Streusel - Recipe for #pieday

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:17:11 +0000

Apple Crostata with Breadcrumb Streusel

I love pie as much as the next person, but often I can’t be bothered with the decorative aspect of making a nicely crimped edge, latticework, etc. (Where by “can’t be bothered” I mean “I’m completely incompetent at”.) That’s where crostata comes in. It is fussless pie, made on a baking sheet instead of in a pie dish. I’ve posted about crostata before, so I’ll refer you back to the previous recipe as to how to make the dough. We’ll do a double batch and it will completely fill a half sheet pan, which makes it nice for brunch for, say, 12 people.

Tarragon Bechamel - Recipe

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 06:15:00 +0000

Tarragon Bechamel

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole or 2% milk
generous ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon (in a pinch, you can use 1 generous teaspoon dried tarragon)

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes, keeping the heat low enough that it does not brown.
Add the milk in a thin stream, whisking continuously. It will sputter at first. The most critical part of this process is at the very beginning, when you must break up any lumps before adding so much liquid that you have to chase them around the pan.
After all of the milk is incorporated, raise the heat to medium and bring to a very slight simmer. Add the salt and tarragon.
Continue to cook about 5 more minutes, until it will easily coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning, then remove from heat and use immediately, or refrigerate for up to a day. If refrigerated, whisk and reheat gently. You may need to add a little more milk.

Ginger and Black Pepper Rice Pilaf - Recipe

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 06:00:46 +0000

Ginger and Black Pepper Rice Pilaf

Flavoring your basmati rice is an easy way to add variety to an Indian menu. The possibilities are endless. Today’s version, with ample quantities of grated ginger root and freshly ground pepper is one of my favorites.

You don’t need a special ginger grating tool. Just use the same microplane you already use for cheese, chocolate and nutmeg. Wait, you don’t own a microplane? Seriously, get one right now, it will be among the best twelve bucks you ever spent in the kitchen, or I’ll eat my hat (*). I find that you don’t even have to peel ginger if you are using the microplane, it cuts it so finely that the skin becomes unnoticeable.

Saffron Chickpea Stew with Grilled Porcini Mushrooms - Recipe

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 06:02:20 +0000

Saffron Chickpea Stew with Grilled Porcini Mushrooms

First of all, let me say that this stew is well worth making even if you can’t find fresh porcini mushrooms. I can only get them in Seattle for a few weeks a year, and they are quite expensive. You could serve the same stew with morels or crimini mushrooms (either of which you would just saute, not roast and grill), or take it in an entirely different direction and have it over couscous.

Green Garlic and Mint Potato Salad - Recipe

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 06:00:58 +0000

Green Garlic and Mint Potato Salad

Green garlic is one of those wonderful farmer’s market ingredients. At least in my neck of the woods, you don’t often see it at grocery stores, but it is as at every market in the early summer months, where it overlaps with last year’s storage potatoes. Green garlic is simply the shoot of an immature garlic plant. The kind I like to buy looks like oversized scallions, and it can be used in similar ways. The flavor, however, is distinctly of garlic, not onion.

Vegetarian Nước Chấm - Recipe

Fri, 08 Jun 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Nước chấm is the quintessential Vietnamese dipping sauce made of fish sauce seasoned with sugar, lime juice, garlic and chiles. I use a little bit of kombu and soy sauce to infuse that oceanic, umami flavor that would otherwise be missing.

Serve this with the Bánh xèo, or as an alternative to of the ginger-grapefruit sauce with Bun,

Vegetarian Nước Chấm
Vegan; gluten-free option / Yields 1 cup / 10 minutes

Alice's Savory Sweet Life Cookbook - And Her Recipe for Roasted Carrots with Sage Brown Butter

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 08:16:02 +0000

Roasted Carrots with Sage Brown Butter from the Savory Sweet Life Cookbook

I first met Alice a few years back, when she was just starting her first blog, Savory Sweet Life. I knew right away that she wasn’t going to be one of these bloggers that start out with a burst of enthusiasm, and then tail off until they are only posting every three months, mostly about their pet parakeet. It was easy to see that Alice had the energy, personality, and persistence to be successful at anything she tried.

Super Spicy Tofu And Peppers - Or, OK Fine, Mild If You Prefer - Recipe

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 06:00:48 +0000

Super Spicy Tofu and Peppers

After last week’s Tofu 101 post, I thought I should share with you an easy way to use your new-found bean curd knowledge. I used to order this dish at a rather non-descript Chinese restaurant on Seattle’s highway 99, and they would make it so hot that I’d be practically hallucinating after a few bites. Equal measures of pleasure and agony!

Rosemary-Blueberry Sauce - Recipe

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 06:00:00 +0000

I first came up with this sauce to serve with the manouri cheese blintzes on , but it is equally amazing on vanilla ice cream, cheesecake or cornmeal pancakes. The key is to find the right amount of rosemary to create an interesting balance with the fruit, without overpowering it.

Rosemary-Blueberry Sauce
Vegan and gluten-free / Makes about 1 cup / 5 minutes active, 30 minutes total

12 ounces fresh blueberries (about 1 ¾ cups)
¼ cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/8 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over a medium flame. When it reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low. Stir occasionally.
After about 15 minutes, taste and add a little more minced rosemary if you so desire.
When the blueberries have started to break down, dip a spoon in the sauce, allow it to cool, and see if it is thick enough, somewhere between syrup and jam. If not, check again every 5 minutes until you are satisfied. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl. Serve immediately for hot applications, or cool in the refrigerator. It will keep for several days.

Chilaquiles Verdes - Mexican Scrambled Eggs with Corn Tortillas and Green Salsa - Recipe

Thu, 31 May 2012 06:00:47 +0000

Chilaquiles Verdes

First: You didn’t forget to enter the contest for a full set of Calphalon pots and pans, did you? You have until 12:01 AM PDT on Monday the 4th.

Now, on to today’s dish. There are certain kinds of evenings that imply the need for certain kinds of breakfasts the next morning. If you’ve had one of those evenings, the kind that demands a sizable dose of protein, salt, and a bit of grease the next day, I can commend you no better breakfast than these chilaquiles. Although there are many variations, the basic idea is that we are going to pan-fry some corn tortillas until they are crispy, then scramble some eggs in with them and serve the whole thing in a mess of hot salsa verde.

The Best Book Review Ever - Video

Wed, 30 May 2012 08:15:16 +0000

My little nephew loves my cookbook. Just had to share!

How to Make Tofu Really Freaking Delicious - Tofu 101

Tue, 29 May 2012 06:00:21 +0000

Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu

When I talk with folks about meatless meals, the conversation always comes around to tofu. I find people in two camps: (1) those who hate it and are sure it is always bland (2) those who want to like it, but aren’t really sure how to work with it to make it delicious.

I’m here to help.

Spectacular Chocolate-Espresso Brownies - Recipe

Mon, 28 May 2012 08:15:00 +0000

Brownies of course are one of those topics that cleave the population along multiple dimensions. Cakey or fudgy? Love the middle or the edges? Celtics or Lakers? For me, I like more of a cakey brownie, but it has to be very moist and dense cake. And the Celtics.

The outline of this recipe has a long lineage. I learned about it from Ina Garten, who in turn adapted it from William Morrow's SoHo Charcuterie Cookbook. I omit the walnuts, double the salt, upgrade the chocolate, and simplify the steps to use one less bowl. I also sprinkle half of the chocolate chips over the top of the batter instead of mixing them in, which gives you these incredible creamy-chocolate rivers on the surface.

Bunuelos (Sephardic Doughnuts) - Recipe

Sun, 27 May 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Bunuelos (also spelled bimuelos) are a rustic yeast-raised and fried donut that the Sephardic side of my family makes. For Hanukkah we have them with the traditional honey; any other time I prefer them with powdered sugar. There is also a Passover version made with matzoh, but honestly that doesn't hold a candle to the flour-based doughnut.

The dough for bunuelos should be quite wet. This isn't a doughnut that you roll out. You wet your hands, grab a piece of dough, form a rough ball and poke a hole with your thumb, then drop it straight in the oil. The result is unfussy, light and airy, and altogether insanely delicious. They are so simple to make that you could stir up the dough in just a few minutes before dinner, and fry them up afterwards to entertain and thrill the kids.

Bibim Naengmyeon - Jjolmyeon - Cold and Spicy Korean Noodles - Recipe

Wed, 23 May 2012 06:00:49 +0000

Cold. Not cool. Cold, cold, cold. Ice cold. That’s what makes these noodles great.

I first had bibim naengmyeon at a restaurant named Mandoo Bar in the New York’s Koreatown, although they call it Joll Noodles. Perhaps there is a difference, but google has failed to set me straight, so if any of you can shed more light on the subject, I’m all ears. I see that some folks make them with buckwheat (soba) noodles, but the version I had used sweet potato starch noodles (like in Alice’s japchae) which are slippery and very chewy and altogether delightful. You might like to offer your diners kitchen shears to cut the noodles in their bowls before eating.

Cook From The Book and Win A Huge Calphalon Set - Contest

Mon, 21 May 2012 06:00:44 +0000

Win me?

My whole dream with the cookbook is that it is one people will use on a regular basis. I wanted to share recipes with you that are manageable to make, and delicious enough to keep making. So I get really excited when people write back to tell me what they’ve made and how they liked it.

I thought it would be fun to turn that into a contest. All you have to do is cook something, anything, from my book and take a picture of it. Then jump over to the Contests tab on my facebook page and follow the steps to upload your photo. This is not a photography contest, so don’t worry about taking a beautiful photo. There will be voting for which dish people would most like to try, not which is the technically best picture, and then I’ll pick the winner at random from the top 10 vote getters.

Mexican Torta with Refried Black Beans and Roasted Poblano Pepper - Video Recipe

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:27:24 +0000

Tortas are Mexican sandwiches. They generally have a base of refried beans, which can be topped with just about anything. In the video I’ll show you a version with avocado and a moderately picante roasted poblano pepper, with a simple cabbage slaw for some added crunch. In my cookbook I’ve got a breakfast variation with scrambled eggs that is a messy, delicious good time!

The avocado I use in the video is a very special Reed variety that I get in season from ChefShop.com. They are huge and buttery with a tiny little pit. (Of course a regular Hass will do if you don’t have the Reed.)

Butterscotch Pudding with Bittersweet Ganache and Caramelized White Chocolate Crispies - Recipe

Mon, 14 May 2012 06:13:20 +0000

Butterscotch Pudding with Bittersweet Ganache and Caramelize White Chocolate Crispies

Okay, I’m not going to kid you. This pudding is over the top, and it is also a significant amount of work and mess if you make all 3 components. It is also ridiculously delicious. If you want to simplify it, you could skip the crispies or not caramelize the white chocolate used to make them (in which case, use good milk chocolate so there is some flavor there). And even if you think you will never make the whole thing, all 3 components are versatile and can be used in other desserts.

Maple-Roasted Shiitake Mushrooms - Recipe

Wed, 09 May 2012 06:00:45 +0000

Maple-roasted Shiitake Mushrooms

When I was a kid, I would see my uncle Irv mix together his breakfast plate full of waffles, eggs, bacon and syrup, taking bites of everything together, and I thought it was horrifying. The idea of mixing sweet, smoky, savory and salty items together wasn’t something I would even consider. Now I realize he was absolutely right, and I look for any opportunity to create that kind of contrast and complexity.

Book Tour Update - With Pictures!

Sun, 06 May 2012 03:57:35 +0000

I’m in the middle of a two week swing around the country to introduce my cookbook. It has been just an incredible trip so far. In the past week I’ve been to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, DC, and now I’ve just landed in Boston and already done one signing. Everyone has been so kind and generous in showing me around their cities, talking about the book, and generally making me feel utterly welcome.

Mango Puffs with Lemongrass Coconut Pudding and Black Sesame - Recipe

Sat, 05 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

These little two-bite desserts are a riff on a classic fruit tart, using an easy homemade coconut-milk pudding instead of pastry cream. They are small enough to pass at a cocktail party and the tropical flavors are pleasantly refreshing.

[[Box: You can find puff pastry in the freezer at many grocery stores. I prefer the flavor of brands that use all butter instead of vegetable shortening. Another option is to make your own. There are simplified methods for “rough puff” that you can easily find on the web. It makes an enjoyable project and you’ll learn a lot about pastry in the process. ]]

Seckel Pears with Cinnamon Pastry Crumbs - Recipe

Wed, 02 May 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Seckel Pears with Cinnamon Pastry Crumbs

12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, barely softened
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (6.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup pear brandy
6 Seckel pears, peeled except for the top ½”, stems intact
vanilla ice cream

With a stand mixer or handheld mixer, beat the butter and confectioner’s sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt and cinnamon, and beat for about 20 more seconds, until the flour is incorporated. Form the dough into two balls, flatten in to a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour; overnight is perfectly fine.
While the dough is chilling, bring 1 3/4 cups of water, the granulated sugar and the pear brandy to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the pears and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the pears with a slotted spoon, and then continue to simmer the poaching liquid until it is a dark brown caramel. Using a spoon, drizzle the caramel in thin lines on parchment paper or a silicone mat and allow to cool. (You don’t need all of it, just 20 lines or so).
Preheat the oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone pat. Roll out one of the discs of dough on a lightly floured board to about 1/8” thick. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 11 minutes. Remove and allow to cool, then crumble to a fairly fine crumb texture. (Save the remaining dough for another purpose.)
To serve, place about 2 tablespoons of the crumbs in a pile on each serving plate. Make a small hollow in the middle and rest a pear in that hollow. Put a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on each plate and garnish that with a few lines of the hardened pear caramel. Serve immediately.

Korean Yakisoba with French Horn Mushroom, Tofu and 5:10 Egg - Recipe

Wed, 02 May 2012 06:05:08 +0000

Korean Yakisoba with French Horn Mushroom, Tofu and 5:10 Egg

I asked around on the social medias to see if there was an official name for Japanese yakisoba noodles cooked with Korean flavors, and no-one came up with anything, but I have a hard time believing that some version of this dish doesn’t exist. So someone please let me know the right term.

How to Use a Sharpening Steel on Your Knives - Video

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:05:15 +0000

First, a quick tour update. Sunday 4/29 was my first day on the road, and I did a book signing at San Francisco’s wonderful Omnivore books. My book was on a shelf next to Jacques Pepin. Talk about feeling not worthy! We had a nice turnout, and tomorrow I’ve got an event for bloggers and media at Cookhouse. On Tuesday I move on to LA. I’d love to meet as many of you as possible while I’m on the road! Please check the tour page for info, and I’m also posting notes from the road and last minute events on Facebook.

Zabaglione with Roasted Plums - Recipe

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 06:15:00 +0000

Zabaglione (or the French sabayon) is similar to custard, but is made only with egg yolks, sugar, and flavoring; no milk or cream is used. The yolks are whisked over a double boiler and incorporate a lot of air, becoming creamy, rich and fluffy.

The traditional flavoring for zabaglione is Marsala wine. When possible, I like to use a spirit made from the same fruit I will serve it with instead, to intensify the experience.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:00:59 +0000

I’m thinking that for the next few weeks, I should turn this into one of those blogs where I teach you how to cook a five-course dinner using nothing but the coffee maker and hair dryer in your hotel room. Because I’m going to be in a different hotel pretty much every night! I leave this coming Sunday, April 29th and will be in SF, LA, Austin, Boston, Providence, Philadelphia and New York. A few weeks later, Portland, Chicago and points beyond.

Spicy Mama Lil’s Spaghetti alla Carbonara - Video Recipe

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:00:12 +0000

Most of the videos I’ve posted so far have been recipes from the cookbook, but not this one. In fact, the recipe for this spicy vegetarian carbonara is on the blog just back in November. I wanted to take advantage of Tim’s outstanding videography to show you exactly how to make it. It is easy to do, but there is a certain amount of timing involved in the crucial step where the pasta is tossed with the eggs, and the video really captures it.

Real Homefries - Recipe

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:30:00 +0000

Real Homefries

¼ cup vegetable oil
1/2 white onion, 3/8” dice
1 fresh chile de arbol or other hot pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (optional)
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, any kind, skin-on, 3/8" dice
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
flaky sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

Heat your biggest skillet, preferably cast-iron, over a medium-high flame. You want a really big pan to maximize surface area. Add the oil and onion, and the chile if using, and saute for 30 seconds.
Add the potato and salt, and stir to coat with the oil. Distribute into a single layer, or as close as possible. Every 3 minutes or so, flip them with a spatula, trying as much as possible to get uncooked surfaces onto the skillet, and of course maintaining the single layer.
Fry until deep golden brown. Taste and salt as needed. Serve immediately, while hot and crispy, topped with a few flakes of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Caramelized Apple and Blue Cheese Crostini - Recipe

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:00:13 +0000

Caramelized Apple and Blue Cheese Crostini

Here’s a sneak peek at one of my favorite new appetizers in the cookbook. I’ll probably serve this a lot at book signing events because it is easy to do and pops with lots of flavor. The key is to use a good, crisp cooking apple and then really caramelize is deeply, like you see in the picture above. Using both a quickly-made tarragon oil and the fresh leaves is a good trick to amp up the flavor.

Risotto With Caramelized Fennel - Video Recipe

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 06:00:11 +0000

In the Herbivoracious cookbook, I’ve got a recipe for a risotto made with fresh corn and tomato confit (tomatoes that have been slowly roasted in the oven to concentrate their flavor). That recipe is perfect for late summer, but I was taping these videos in the fall, so I made a different version using the beautiful fennel I had available.

Crunchy Crusted Yeast-Raised Belgian Waffles - Recipe

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Crunchy Crusted Yeast-Raised Belgian Waffles
Serves 4 / 10 minutes the night before, then however long it takes you to cook waffles

2 ½ cups barely warm milk (around 100 degrees)
1 package dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
½ cup melted butter, cooled to just warm
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup rice flour
¼ cup malt powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Put the milk in a large bowl, big enough for the batter to greatly increase in size overnight without making a mess. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk, stir, and allow to proof for 5 minutes. (If you don’t see any sign of yeast activity, your yeast may be dead.)
Stir in the melted butter, eggs, and agave nectar. The butter will clump up; that’s ok.
Stir in the all-purpose flour, rice flour, salt and malt powder (if using). Mix well. The batter will be thinner than typical waffle batter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, give the batter a stir. Preheat your waffle iron and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer’s instructions, being certain to bake them until quite brown for maximum flavor and the best crunchy exterior. As always, the first waffle is usually not the best, but pay close attention and adjust the time and temperature to achieve perfection.

A Parenting Recipe for Raising Healthy Eaters - Guest Post From Sarina Behar Natkin of Grow Parenting

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 06:00:23 +0000

Nope, that’s not one of my kids - but she is cute!

Today’s guest post is something very special to me. It is by my amazing wife, Sarina Behar Natkin. Sarina is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and for the past few years has been devoting her professional energies to helping parents find more joy in the process of raising healthy, confident children. She’s written a wonderful, thoughtful article about the big picture of how to help your children have a healthy relationship to food for their whole lives. If you have kids, I’m sure you’ll find a lot of valuable thoughts here. Please pass it on to others who may benefit, and then go visit her website and parent coaching blog.

Caramelized Pear and Ginger Scones - Recipe

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:15:00 +0000

Caramelized Pear and Ginger Scones

For the pears:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium or 2 laege crisp pears, cored, peeled, finely diced
pinch Kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
For the scones:
5 cups all-purpose flour (23 ounces)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup sugar + 3 tablespoons for topping
1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
1 cup (two sticks) very cold unsalted butter cut into tablespoons + 2 tablespoons melted for topping
1 ½ cups buttermilk

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pears, salt and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has cooked off and the pears are starting to brown, about 6 minutes.
Add the ginger and cinnamon and cook 2 more minutes. Set the pears aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter 2 baking sheets or cover them with a silicone mat.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ½ cup sugar and the salt. Cut 1 cup of the butter into the flour, using either two knives, a pastry blender, or a food processor, or even your hands with a squeezing/rubbing action between the fingers. Keep blending until the butter is broken down in to oatmeal sized pieces for flaky scones, or until fully powdered in a food processor if you prefer tender, less flaky scones.
Add the buttermilk and pears and mix with a wooden spoon, moistening all of the dry ingredients. (If using the food processor, you can add the buttermilk to the bowl and process until a shaggy ball forms, then knead in the pears in the next step). You might need another tablespoon or two of buttermilk, but don’t be in a hurry to add it, we want the dough to just barely form a mass.
Turn out on to a floured board and knead as briefly as possible to make a rough ball.
Flatten the dough into a rectangle about 24” x 4 ½”. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar. Cut into 6 even rectangles and then divide each rectangle into two triangles. Transfer to the baking sheets, leaving two inches between scones.
Bake until quite golden brown, about 22 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve with butter and jam.

Vietnamese Caramel Cooked Tofu - Video Recipe

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 06:00:43 +0000

Caramel-cooking is a classic Vietnamese method that produces a rich, lacquered sauce. When I sent this recipe out for field testing with blog readers, it got so much great feedback that I knew I wanted to share it with you as a video.

The key to having it taste complex, not just sweet, is to get the caramel quite dark. When I made the video, I actually stopped a few seconds too soon. You can see when I pour it that it is a little too thin and not quite dark enough. So don’t do what I did!

Buckwheat Buttermilk Pancakes - Cookbook Recipe

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:30:00 +0000

Buckwheat pancakes have a place in the American imagination, but rarely at the breakfast table. When you do occasionally find them at restaurants, the percentage of buckwheat flour is so low that you can hardly taste it, which is a shame, because it adds a warm, toasty, nutty flavor.

Buckwheat is widely enjoyed in other cuisines, such as Russian blini, Japanese soba noodles, and Eastern European kasha. The easiest place to find buckwheat flour is at your local natural foods store, often in the bulk section.

Kouftikes de Prasa Sandwiches - Recipe

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:02:19 +0000

Kouftikes de Prasa (Leek Fritter) Sandwiches

Of all the new recipes I developed for the cookbook this has to be one of my favorites. I’m excited to share it with you as a sneak peek today. The contest in this article is over (Melyssa S. was the winner), but maybe you’d like to order a copy?

All over the Middle East and even in India, a kofta is a little meatball or patty. There are a few vegetarian versions too. These kouftikes de prasa as they are affectionately known on the Sephardic side of my family, are made of leeks, bound together with breadcrumbs and eggs.

I like to up the ante by serving them in a pita sandwich with a spicy pickled cabbage flavored with preserved lemon and harissa. This transforms them from an appetizer into an entrée with street food flair.

The cabbage needs to sit for a couple of hours to soften. You can toss it together the day before and let it marinate in the refrigerator overnight, or in a pinch, just use plain shredded lettuce instead, and serve hot sauce on the side.

Kouftikes De Prasa Sandwiches Vegetarian and kosher Serves 4 / 30 minutes active

For the spicy cabbage

2 cups finely shredded red cabbage
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ cup white vinegar
½ preserved lemon, finely chopped
2 teaspoons harissa or Thai-style chile sauce (such as Sriracha)

For the leek patties

2 large leeks, white and light green parts only (about 12 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup homemade breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or cayenne
pinch cinnamon
vegetable oil for shallow frying
flaky sea salt

To finish the sandwiches

4 pita breads, lightly toasted or grilled
20 thin half-moons of cucumber
½ cup thick Greek yogurt or labneh
sumac
handful mint (or cilantro) leaves, torn

For the spicy cabbage: Thoroughly toss together all ingredients and refrigerate for at least two hours (the day before is fine too). Allow to return to room temperature before serving.
For the leek patties: Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and then into ¼” half-circles. Wash in 3 changes of water and then dry thoroughly (a salad spinner works well for this).
In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and saute the leeks until tender and starting to shrivel, about 5 minutes. (You can use the same skillet to fry the leek patties in a moment).
Thoroughly mix the leeks, salt, eggs, breadcrumbs, cumin powder, Aleppo pepper or cayenne, and cinnamon.
Put about 1/8” of vegetable oil in the skillet and set the heat to medium-high. Drop the batter in with a quarter-cup measure and use the back of the cup to smooth each patty into a circle about 4” in diameter. Make 8 patties total, which will require two batches. Fry each patty until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels and season with the flaky sea salt.
To finish the sandwiches: Place two leek patties on a pita. Top with a handful of the spicy red cabbage, 5 cucumber slices, and 2 tablespoons of the Greek yogurt. Sprinkle a little sumac on the yogurt, and scatter a few mint leaves over the whole sandwich. Serve immediately.

Blueberry Buckle - Video Recipe

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 06:02:40 +0000

I’ve written about buckles a couple of times in this space: the original raspberry-blueberry buckle that got me started making them, and a peach and sour cream variation that I made on vacation in hot, hot eastern Washington last summer when I was apparently feeling poetic.

The beauty of buckles and all of the other rustic American fruit desserts is that they are wildly flexible. They will accept whatever kind of fruit you have, you can change out the dairy, make them part whole wheat… it doesn’t matter. As long as the fruit is good, the buckle is going to be tasty. If you are using a harder fruit, like apples, you’ll just want to saute them first so you aren’t relying on the baking time to cook them through.

Kinoko Gohan (Japanese Mushroom Rice) - Recipe

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:00:31 +0000

Kinoko Gohan (Japanese Mushroom Rice)

Kinoko Gohan is classic, soothing Japanese comfort food. It has strong associations as a fall dish, but the typical mushrooms used in it are mostly cultivated and therefore available year round. Of course if you have access to seasonal, wild harvested maitake or matsutake, for example, then you’ll be making something truly special.

Maple Pudding with Spiced Pecans - Video Recipe

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:00:41 +0000

I’m a big fan of making pudding at home. It really is only slightly more work than using the stuff from a box, and you are rewarded with a wider choice in flavors and the ability to use higher quality ingredients. This maple-flavored version is a nice change of pace, and you can make the spiced pecans while the pudding sets up in the fridge. Watch the video and you’ll see, I’ve got a surprise ingredient for spicing the pecans that adds a smokiness which matches beautifully with the woodsy maple flavor. The full recipe is in my book.

Press Kit - Michael Natkin - Herbivoracious

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:59:32 +0000

For my friends in the media and fellow bloggers who may want to write about the Herbivoracious cookbook, I’ve gathered the following resources. If I can assist in any way, please contact me at michael herbivoracious.com or my agent, Dalyn Miller at dalyn dalynmillerpr.com.

Documents

Sample recipes (with photos)

Videos

My vimeo channel

Social Media

Publicity Still

So You Want to Stage (Intern) at a Restaurant

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:59:57 +0000

So… you are a middle manager in charge of filing reports in triplicate, but you are a good home cook, watch Top Chef and read Lucky Peach, and secretly fantasize about giving up your day job to work in a kitchen. You probably know enough to know that the restaurant world has a place for people like you, and that is called a stage (in French, so prounced stahzh), but you have no idea how to ask for one, or, if accepted what to expect when you get there.

Upcoming Events

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:34:13 +0000

Watch this space for details on upcoming events! I’ll also post updates on the Herbivoracious Facebook page.

Thursday, September 13th - Lake Forest Park, WA

7 PM talk & signing

Third Place Books 17171 Bothell Way NE Lake Forest Park, WA 98155 Directions

Thursday, October 11th and Friday, October 12th - Seattle, WA

I'll be teaching at The Pantry at Delancey; the subject is how to introduce umami and smoky flavors into meatless meals; taught via a Korean menu. Sold out.

Tuesday, October 30th - Seattle, WA

Fundraising dinner for City Fruit at Cafe Flora. Email me at michael herbivoracious.com if you'd like more info.

January 30, February 13 and March 6th - Seattle Area

PCC Cooks - I'll be teaching a Mexican menu. More info when it is up on the PCC website.

1/30 PCC Cooks Green Lake 2/13 PCC CooksWest Seattle 3/6 PCC Cooks Redmond

Herbivoracious Around the Web (Press Clippings)

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:23:38 +0000

Michael and Herbivoracious have been featured in newspapers, on television and on numerous websites. If I haven’t linked to your article, my apologies, and drop me a note at michael herbivoracious.com.

Julia Moskin from the New York Times asked me some questions about vegetable anxiety and published my recipe for Burrata with Sugar Snap Pea Slaw and Crispy Shiitakes
Jeff Gordinier from the New York Times interviewed me for a piece on a cool "new" ingredient - sunflower shoots
National Public Radio calls Herbivoracious one of 2012's Best Summer Cookbooks
Rick Nelson from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says "a must-read cookbook ... useful, flavor-packed, I-want-to-make-this... This title is an around-the-world page-turner."
Bill Daley from the Chicago Tribune says "he seems far more interested in having you taste the goodness a meatless dish can deliver."
I demo'ed my Vietnamese Vermicelli with Ginger Grapefruit Sauce on KING5's New Day Northwest; Margaret Larson was so kind, and thank goodness she had fingernails!
Ellen Kanner from The Huffington Post and I talk about how to know when a recipe is ready for prime time and the importance of family dinner
Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review
Shelf Awareness gave the book a starred review
Caroline Russock on Serious Eats made a new recipe every day for a week!
Nozlee Samadzadeh interviews me on Food52
Rebekah Denn interviewed me for The Seattle Times (with a fun picture in my kitchen)
Sonja Groset in the Seattle Weekly
Lisa Zwirn in The Boston Globe
Grant Butler in The Oregonian (Portland)
The LA Weekly's review says "Herbivoracious is refreshingly old school for a blogger cookbook."
Caroline from Whipped The Blog says nice things and shows how my minestrone looks to the snack-trap set :)
S. from Chubby Hubby says "Michael makes it easy to incorporate vegetarian meals into any household, even a non-vegetarian one."
Radha from Delicious Living / NewHope360 calls it "the best new cookbook this summer"
Debbie Vanni, one of the world's great cookbook collectors, discusses the book and my talk at her local library
Eloise Marie Valadez interviews me for the Northwest Indiana Times
Karen Weil in the Examiner (San Diego) and a longer version in Modern Times
Jackie Burrell in the Mercury News (San Jose)
Susan Chang from Eat Your Books
Marnely from Cooking with Books makes my Dhal Puri Roti
Jane Dornbusch (also my copy editor) interviews me for my alma mater at Brown Alumni Magazine
Robin Shreeves in Mother Nature News
David Delp from Pilotfire shows how good food can help you stop sucking :)
Jane from The Heritage Cook whips up my (real) homefries and says "One thing that I really appreciate about this book is the attention given to those with dietary restrictions. In addition to servings and preparation times, it also indicates when a recipe has vegan or gluten-free options included."
Awake at the Whisk shares a review and beautiful picture of Huevos Ahogados
Paula Thomas talks about our Seattle blogger event and the Otsu noodles she tested for me
Beth Fish of Beth Fish Reads says she is "particularly pleased to see that Natkin does not rely on fake meats."
The Meal Makeover Moms knock out my Ten-Minute Chickpea Salad
Foodista shared my Peppery Red Wine Capellini (cooked by the absorption method)
Greg from Sippity Sup makes my Caramel Cooked Tofu
Jackie from Domestic FITS busts out the Caramelized Apple and Blue Cheese Crostini
Justin from JustCookNYC wins a prize with the Chana Masala with Mushrooms
Yvonne interviews me for her wonderful blog, My Halal Kitchen
Kaitlin from I Can Cook That makes my Black Bean Soup with Orange Jalapeno Salsa
Blue Kitchen whips up my Potato and Green Bean Salad with Arugula Pesto and says the "friendly writing style should instill confidence even in kitchen novices"
Mary Ladd from KQED / Bay Area Bites
Allie from the cleverly named All I Eat Food
A nice review from Savvy Factory
... and another from Kristen of The Artful Gourmet
Tamar Genger from Joy of Kosher gets the truth out of me about the fruit fly incident
Kosher Scoop review the book
Radio interview with On The Menu (6/10/2012 episode on this page)
Emily Olson, who was a publicity intern on my book, talks about our blogger brunch at Moksa in Boston
Two Eat Philly shows the views from our Philadelphia event and cooks up the Loaded Otsu Noodles
The Gringo Chapin (Brian) has made a bunch of my recipes (also on Examiner)
Leslie and Katharine from Main Line Dish with fun photos from our Philadelphia event
Mary Makes Dinner talks in depth about how far vegetarian food has come, and our discussion about flavor profiles
Tiffany and Antonio from OhSpooning
Mango and Tomato reviews the book and puts her spin on my Latin-American French Lentil Salad
Natasha from Non-Reactive Pan (what a great blog name!) whips up my Roasted Maitake Mushrooms in Smoky Tea Broth
Kasey from This Dish is Veg
Linda from Girl Eats World
Penelope The Foodie talks about some tips she enjoyed at a demo I did at Kitchen in the Market in Minneapolis
Kimber Blogs Boston reviews my stop at Trident Booksellers
Erin from Olives for Dinner takes on the Tea-Smoked Lychees
Eryn from Ugly Food Tastes Better cooks up a nice variation on my chickpea fritters
Nikki from Cupcakes for Breakfast cooks the cover-photo gnudi
Linda from Pen and Fork reviews the book
Kate in the Kitchen says she hasn't "devoured a cookbook like this in a long time"
Jennifer Baker tries five (!) of the recipes
Laura from Hip Pressure Cooking figures out how to make my Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding in the pressure cooker. Very cool!
EatingPlaces talks about our Boston Brunchers event
Plant Based Planet has photos of me demoing Vietnamese dishes at The Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts in Austin
Mike of DietIsCorrect also talks about my visit to The Natural Epicurean
Rachelle from Blinded by the Bite
Kristin of Kristin Pot Pie says "Whether you are a vegetarian, entertaining vegetarians, or just trying to eat less meat, this cookbook should be in your cupboard!"
Sarah Gim from Tastespotting shares my fattoush recipe
The Experimental Gourmand knocks out the Potato and Green Bean Salad with Arugula Pesto
Winnie from Healthy Green Kitchen
Becky Selengut (Chef Reinvented)
PBS Parents (via Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life)
Ideas in Food
Linda Miller Nicholson in Seattleite
Veggie Belly
Jaden Hair (Steamy Kitchen)
Keren Brown (The Frantic Foodie)
The Curvy Carrot
modernest
FaveHealthyRecipes
Daisy from Indulge Inspire Imbibe
BrodartVibe
Sweetly Serendipity
Baking Me Hungry
Jersey Girl Cooks says she just might go vegetarian all summer :)
Blessing from Earnest Holistic Health
Miriam from Tales of an Overtime Cook says "This is a gorgeous cookbook with a lot of innovative recipes."
Tales from A Kitchen Misfit
One of six nominees for Saveur Magazine's First Annual Best Food Blog Award (Special Interest Category); also featured (twice) (thrice) (four times) as a Saveur "Site We Love"
Featured by Gourmet Live.
Food photography featured regularly on TasteSpotting, foodgawker and Food & Fizz.
Interviewed by the kitchn about food photography techniques.
Winner of the blogger division of Pacific Natural Food's Everyday Chef Challenge
Published recipes in the ThinkFood Cookbook and the Foodies of The World Cookbook
Featured in mint.com's article about $10 meals
Interviewed about how to make great vegetarian dishes by BizyMoms.com
Previously wrote a bi-weekly Seriously Meatless column on Serious Eats.
Cooking demonstration at the Queen Anne Farmer's Market
Cooking live on Allrecipes.com Thanksgiving 2009 webcast.
Guest posting a reader-requested recipe on Apartment Therapy's "The Kitchn" blog.
Guest post on SEOBook.com "Taking Your Beginning Blog to the Next Level of Traffic".
My "underground" dinners reviewed at The Frantic Foodie.
Sustainable Table featured my Persimmon, Parsley and Olive Salad.
Meatless Monday featured my Achiote-Rubbed Butternut Squash Tacos.
Seattlest.com interview about leaving the cubicle for the kitchen, when I interned at Seattle's Cafe Flora.
Guest judge for Taste TV's inaugural Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon.
Velvet Aroma wanted to know my thoughts on Valentine's Day
Panelist for annual JTNews Passover Kosher Wine Tasting.
Interview with National RV Parks.

Polenta with Peperonata - Recipe

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 07:05:49 +0000

Polenta with Peperonata

Peperonata is one of the most luscious things you can make from humble ingredients. First you slowly roast bell peppers, then stew them with sofrito and onions until you’ve got a meltingly rich sauce that goes anywhere from antipasto to panini, and it is phenomenal over polenta.

If you aren’t familiar with sofrito, it is simply a long-cooked sauce of onions, garlic and tomatoes. Actually, that is the definition in Spain. The same basic cooking method is used in many countries, with many variations. For example in Cuba, it would have green bell peppers, and in much of the rest of the Caribbean it would include annatto and pig. And really the method isn’t much different than the one used in many Indian recipes where you start with a paste of onion and ginger mixed with spices.

Brown Butter Cornbread - Video Recipe

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 07:02:58 +0000

The brown butter cornbread recipe in my book is one I come back to over and over again, whenever a bowl of vegetarian chili or black bean soup is on the menu. The brown butter flavor somehow amplifies the taste of the corn. I use an easy trick that is popular in modernist kitchens for improving the flavor of brown butter, by adding more non-fat milk solids. Watch the video for the technique and an explanation of why it works.

Manouri Cheese Blintzes - Recipe

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 08:45:00 +0000

These blintzes are a fair bit of work, but much of it can be done ahead, which makes them ideal when you are having friends over for brunch. You can make the pancakes, fill them and roll them, then refrigerate until you are ready to fry them in butter and serve them up. Blintzes are very forgiving to make because they don’t need to be as thin as crepes, and rolling the pancakes up hides any little imperfections.

Poha (Flattened Rice) with Coconut and Cashews - Recipe

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 06:04:34 +0000

Poha (Flattened Rice) with Coconut and Cashews

Poha is simply rice that has been flattened. It is a popular food in India, used in a whole range of dishes. In fact, I’d been eating it for years on thalis without really quite realizing what it was. It has become something of a minor obsession for me lately, because it cooks very quickly, produces a light, fluffy texture, and is quite neutral in flavor so it takes to a wide range of treatments.

Get The Herbivoracious Cookbook

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:22:22 +0000

The Cookbook

Herbivoracious

A Flavor Revolution, with 150 Vibrant and Original Vegetarian Recipes

James Beard Award Finalist Vegetable Focused & Vegetarian, 2013

"If we had to choose one book to cook from in 2012, this would be it."

Deb Lindsey, The Washington Post

I Don't Care if you are a Vegetarian, Omnivore, Carnivore, Vegan, Pescetarian, or Flexitarian!

Labels don't matter. If you want to eat a meatless meal tonight, I want to make sure it is hearty, beautiful, and absolutely delicious.

How to Cut Mint Chiffonade (Tiny Ribbons) - Video

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 06:00:37 +0000

I’m crazy about mint, though I’m a lot more likely to use it in savory dishes than add it superfluously to a dessert plate. It brings a fresh, slightly surprising element to dishes like Pappardelle with Eggplant Ragu or these Fava Beans with Potatoes and Saffron Rice.

Have you ever wondered how chefs make those neat, even little ribbons from mint (otherwise known as chiffonade)? Watch the quick little video above and I’ll show you exactly how it is done, and you’ll feel proud when you master a new knife skill.

Banana, Buttermilk and Brown Sugar Muffins (Triple B Muffins) - Recipe

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 07:00:47 +0000

Banana, Buttermilk and Brown Sugar Muffins

Bumble downstairs on a Saturday morning. Brew strong coffee. Look in fridge. See buttermilk left over from making Brown Butter Cornbread. Sounds like muffins to me.

Usually when I bake with bananas I either mash them or cube them and caramelize for extra flavor, but today I went a different route. If we have bananas that are in danger of getting too brown to eat out of hand, I’ll peel and freeze them for use in smoothies or baking. I recently got a Vita-Mix Vita-Prep 3 as a gift, and it really is just about the greatest thing I’ve ever owned. The damn thing can puree hard-frozen bananas like they were made of room temperature butter. So I thought I’d see how it would turn out if I mixed all the wet ingredients right in the blender. Bueno! The results were tender, with a moist, open crumb. If you don’t have a jet-powered blender, you can do the same thing but simply use unfrozen bananas or defrost them in the microwave first.

Sauteed Corn with Lemongrass - Recipe

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:15:00 +0000

Sauteed Corn with Lemongrass

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 stalks lemongrass, tender parts only, minced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
2 or more small hot green chile peppers, minced (optional)
2 medium yellow summer squash or zucchini, 1/2" dice
1 yellow bell pepper, 1/2" dice
zest of one lime
kernels from 5 ears sweet corn, removed from cob
1 teaspoon kosher salt
juice of 2 limes
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
3 green onions, white parts only, thinly sliced
fresh ground black pepper

Place a wok or a large skillet over very high heat. When pre-heated, add the vegetable oil, onion, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and the optional kaffir lime leaves and chile pepper. Stir-fry for one minute.
Add the squash, bell pepper and lime zest and saute for 1 minute. Add the corn and salt and saute until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the lime juice and turn off the heat. Adjust seasoning and lime juice as needed. Remove the kaffir lime leaves.
Garnish with the cherry tomatoes and green onions, a grind of fresh black pepper, and a few flakes of sea salt, and serve immediately.

Dutch Baby With Sauteed Apples - My First Video Recipe

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 07:05:17 +0000

This worked out kind of cool - today’s post happens to be my 500th on Herbivoracious, dating back to July of 2007, my first post since leaving my day job, and it is my very first video recipe. For the extended e-book version of my cookbook, Harvard Common Press asked me to make a series of videos. I was thrilled, and stipulated that I only wanted to do it if we could have high quality videos, professionally shot and edited. I wasn’t interested in making a bunch of shaky iPhone vids!

Sicilian Spaghetti with Pan-Roasted Cauliflower - Recipe from My Cookbook

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 07:05:09 +0000

Sicilian Spaghetti with Pan-Roasted Cauliflower

Here’s one of my favorite recipes from my upcoming cookbook. It is a good one for this time of the year, when spring vegetables haven’t started to show up in much of the country, but good cauliflower is widely available.

The classic Sicilian flavors in this dish (orange zest, raisins, capers, pine nuts, chile flakes and fennel) might sound a little outlandish if you haven’t tasted them all together. Don’t be deterred, the combination is astonishingly good. Done properly, each bite is a little surprise that might be sweet, spicy, salty, toasty, herbaceous or all of the above!

Lemony Grilled Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) - Recipe

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Lemony Grilled Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)

The Korean-French cuisine of chefs Seif Cherchi and Rachel Yang have made a huge impact on Seattle food culture. At Joule, they knocked my socks off with a dish of Chinese broccoli tossed with chermoula and grilled. My variation uses kochujang (a Korean chile paste), which blends beautifully with the flavor of fresh lemons.
If you aren’t able to grill, you can also use a grill pan or your broiler to cook these greens. If possible, use the optional smoked salt to bring some of those smoky flavors in.
Gai lan is widely available at Asian markets. It has a stem about the thickness of asparagus, which makes it perfect for grilling, tasty leaves that will crisp up on the grill, and small budding tops that resemble American broccoli. Be sure to get it scrupulously dry before tossing with the sauce to avoid unpleasant dilution. If you can’t find gai lan, broccolini makes a fine substitute.
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons kochujang
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons smoked salt or Kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
several grinds black pepper
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 bunches gai lan (Chinese broccoli) (or broccolini), washed and thoroughly dried
1 lemon, sliced very thin (1/16”), ends discarded

Preheat grill, grill pan, or broiler. If using the broiler, set the top rack about 4 inches below the heat source.
In a bowl large enough to eventually use for dressing the gai lan, whisk together the lemon juice and kochujang, then whisk in the olive oil, sesame oil, salt, sugar, black pepper, garlic, and shallot. Taste and adjust seasoning. It should be intensely flavored.
Add the gai lan and thinly sliced lemon and toss to generously coat.
Place the gai lan and lemons perpendicular to the grate of the grill, or on a rimmed sheet pan if using the broiler. Cook, turning just once or twice, until starting to brown in spots, about 12 minutes. You should be able to pierce the stems without too much resistance from a knife, but they will be distinctly crisp-tender, not fully tender. Season with a bit more salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Tortilla de Espinacas - Spanish Omelet with Spinach - Recipe

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 07:03:32 +0000

Tortilla de Espinacas - Spanish Omelet with Spinach

When we had our first kiddo, family and friends helped out by bringing over food, doing laundry, and generally making it so we could stay in our pajamas and figure out how the heck to be parents. It was wonderful. Seriously, if you have the opportunity to do that for a someone you know, they will never forget it.

Non-Traditional Arroz Verde - Recipe

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0000

The traditional recipe for arroz verde involves cooking your rice with a puree of poblano peppers and herbs. It is truly delicious, and I'd choose it in a heartbeat over the typical red rice you find universally at America’s Mexican restaurants.

One day I asked myself "Why am I cooking all of these delicious fresh herbs when their raw flavor is so perfect?” So I took a new approach. I omitted the poblanos, and simply made a pesto-like puree of the herbs, garlic, and a little oil. After the plain rice was cooked, I stirred in the herbs right before serving. The result was a rice that has a vibrant, fresh flavor and a color to match, and I’ve made it this way ever since.

Homemade Caraway Rye Crackers - Recipe

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:05:10 +0000

Homemade Caraway Rye Crackers

I’ve been obsessed with the flavor of rye lately. It had been on my mind and I ended up improvising a loaf of rye bread with a salt crust that came out amazing and I’m kicking myself because I didn’t write anything down, so now I can neither reproduce it nor share it with you, at least until I have another try at it. Anyhow, I think rye has an amazing flavor that deserves to be more widely used. I’ve got in mind to try rye crepes, and maybe a rye crumble for an apple crisp. Those are experiments for another day, but for today let me show you how to make simple and flavorful rye crackers.

Apio (Lemony Celery Root) - Recipe

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Apio (Lemony Celery Root)

1 large celery root, peeled, sliced into half-moons generous ¼” thick
1 carrot, peeled and cut into ¼” circles
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to just barely cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and continue to cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue cooking until the celery root is completely tender. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon directly to serving bowl. Raise the heat to a boil and cook the liquid until it reduces by approximately half. It won’t be thick like a sauce, but it will have a slight body to it. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour over the vegetables. Serve warm or chilled.

Red-Wine Braised Cabbage - Recipe

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 07:45:00 +0000

Red-Wine Braised Cabbage

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (butter is good too if you don’t need vegan)
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, cut into thin half-moons and thoroughly rinsed
1 smallish red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 ½ cups dry red wine
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
several grinds fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

Put the oil in a 4 quart or larger Dutch oven (or other pot with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add the onion and leek and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cabbage, wine, caraway seeds, black pepper, and salt and mix well. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes or so until the cabbage is becoming fairly tender.
Remove the lid and continue cooking until the cabbage is quite tender and the liquid is reduced to just about 1/8” on the bottom of the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a little more salt if needed. Serve immediately.

Red Lentil and Kabocha Squash Soup with Harissa Oil - Sneak Peek Recipe From The Cookbook

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 07:02:08 +0000

Red Lentil and Kabocha Squash Soup with Harissa Oil

I’m going to start slipping you guys the occasional sneak peek at a recipe from the upcoming cookbook. This one is a two-fer: a warm and hearty soup, and a quick way to make spicy harissa oil with which to spike it. Stay tuned! In a few weeks, I’ll also be able to share some of the videos we shot for the extended e-book. Sign up for my email list and I’ll send you each new recipe as it comes out.

Sopes with Plantain, Zucchini and Two Sauces - Recipe

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:05:00 +0000

Sopes with Plantain, Zucchini and Two Sauces

In Mexico, there are a whole class of dishes called antojitos that are generally thought of as street food, though they may also be offered in smaller sizes as appetizers at restaurants. Most (all?) antojitos include a corn masa component, which may be thick or thin, topped, rolled or stuff, baked or fried, and can include a wide range of toppings. Sopes are a classic antojito made by first griddling a thick tortilla, then reshaping it to have a rim and finally shallow frying to crisp it up.

Tteokbokki - Spicy Korean Rice Cake Stew

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:40:07 +0000

Tteokbokki, Ddeokbokki, Dduk Boki - Spicy Korean Rice Cake Stew

Tteok (also transliterated as ddeok, duk, dduk and so forth) is a type of Korean rice cake that you can buy frozen at any Korean grocer or better general Asian grocers. The two most common shapes you will find are flat ovals, and cylinders about 1/4" in diameter. You can see a package of the former in the picture above. They can be used in various kinds of stir fries and soups like the Tteok Guk that is a standard New Year’s dish. Today I’ll show you how to make a simple, spicy stew called tteokboki.

Jamaican Rice and Peas - Recipe

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Rice and Peas is a classic Jamaican dish, traditionally served on Sundays. Peas in this case actually refer to kidney beans, pigeon peas or cowpeas. The rice is richly flavored with coconut milk, garlic, crushed green onions, thyme, and, if you dare, a Scotch Bonnet or habanero pepper.

Even though the pepper is left whole, it will still infuse the dish with a subtle bit of heat if you choose to use it. For a bit more spice, cut a slit in the pepper, and if you are really crazy you can cut it up – wearing rubber gloves!

Roasted Cippolini Onions and Beets - Recipe

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:30:00 +0000

Roasted Cippolini Onions and Beets

2 pounds cippolini onions
1 pound beets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Peel beets and cut into bite size chunks, roughly ¾” cubes.
Remove a slice from the top and bottom of each onion, peel, and cut into chunks approximately the same size as the beets.
Put the beets and onions in a roasting pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss with the extra-virgin olive oil. Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, salt, sugar and several grinds of fresh-ground black pepper. Pour this mixture over the vegetables and toss again.
Roast, tossing occasionally until the vegetables are completely tender and caramelizing in spots, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve hot or warm.

Saag with Collard Greens, Kale and Spinach - Recipe

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:05:17 +0000

Saag with Collards and Kale

It is a depressing fact that 99% of Indian restaurants in America serve the same darn 10 items. Which is a crying shame because there must be 10,000 other terrific dishes that you’ll only get to try if you make them yourself (or have an Indian friend that wants to hook you up with the good stuff) (or travel to India).

Kala Chana (Black Chickpea Curry) - A Guest Post from Amee of Rabbit Food Rocks

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:02:40 +0000

Kala Chana (Black Chickpea Curry)

Today’s guest post is from my friend Amee of Rabbit Food Rocks. We’ve been blog buddies for a couple years now. Amee is down in Dallas, Texas. She’s Indian and today’s recipe is one of those great homestyle Indian dishes that you almost never see in a restaurant, so you have to learn to make it yourself if you want to try it. But Amee’s range is global. Check out her Scandinavian Kringler if your eyes can afford the calories! Take it away, Amee…

Five Minute Indian-Style Cabbage - Recipe

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:15:00 +0000

This cabbage side dish is great to have in your arsenal, because it comes together in 5 minutes flat, and makes a big and flavorful addition to an Indian spread. I break out some variation of it when I'm making a curry, rice and raita and feel the need for one more dish to round out the meal.

Everything in the cabbage family (brassica) goes great with mustard, so mustard seeds are the primary flavoring. If you happen to have mustard oil, you can use that instead of the vegetable oil. Be sure and have all of chopping done and your spices measured in advance, because once the mustard seeds hit the hot oil, you have to move quickly.

Kasha Pilaf with Dates, Pistachios and Baharat - Recipe

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:05:00 +0000

Kasha Pilaf with Dates, Pistachios and Baharat

I originally made this pilaf to stuff in cabbage rolls, inspired by this lovely post from Give Recipe. My version of the stuffed cabbage was good, but the sauce I came up with didn’t knock it out of the park for me. The pilaf, on the other hand, I just loved. I made way too much of it and ended up eating it every day for three days and would have kept going if there was any left.

"So What Is Going On With Your Cookbook?" And Other Life Changing News

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:07:09 +0000

A page spread from the Herbivoracious cookbook

In journalism, they say “don’t bury the lede”, but today I’ve got three of them:

The cookbook will hit stores on May 8th, 2012 (if you are new here and thinking "what cookbook?" look here)
You can pre-order it this very minute on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound
I'm quitting my day job

After 1.5 years of writing and testing and shooting and meeting and eating and editing and strategizing and even occasionally arguing, the book is at the printer right now. The team at Harvard Common Press has done an incredible job of designing the book so that it will be both lovely to look at and easy to use. Click on the page spread image above and you'll see what I mean. The final stats: hardcover, 368 pages, 150 recipes, and 80+ full color photos.

I tweaked recipes until the last possible moment, making sure everything is dialed in just how I want it to be when you get your hands on it. It is an amazing feeling to have gone through this process with all of your support. There were definitely days when things weren’t going right in the kitchen that I would take a step back and remind myself how many of you have reached out to encourage me over the years. Obviously not every dish is going to be to everyone’s taste, but I feel confident that if you pick a recipe in the book because it sounds good to you, you are going to end up with something you will be proud of.

Absorption-Cooked Peppery Red-Wine Capellini - Recipe

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:15:00 +0000

Cooking pasta by the absorption method instead of boiling in a gallon of salted water may seem fearful to those of us that grew up with noodle orthodoxy, but it actually works great and can be a big time saver. You don't have to wait for water to boil, and you don't necessarily have two pots to clean at the end, if you design your sauce and condiment to be built in with the pasta.

Quick Marinated Feta with Orange, Mint and Aleppo Pepper - Recipe

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:04:35 +0000

Quick Marinated Feta with Orange Zest, Mint and Aleppo Pepper

Here’s about as easy an appetizer as you could want for a Middle Eastern or Mediterranean meal or cocktail party spread. We’ll just make a quick marinade of good olive oil with garlic, Aleppo pepper, orange zest and fresh mint, pour it over the top of a block of feta cheese and serve it forth with lightly toasted pita bread.

Chickpea and Green Olive Tagine - Recipe

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

A tagine technically refers to a funnel-shaped clay pot traditionally used in Morocco, but it also can be used to describe any moist, spicy stew made with the spices typical of that region. This version uses ras el hanout (a mixture of up to 18 spices), pomegranate molasses, preserved lemon, and marinated olives to quickly build up big flavors.

For the green olives, look for a type that is already pitted and marinated in a spice mixture. If you happen to find one with Moroccan or Middle Eastern spices, that is ideal, but Sicilian or even French styles will do fine. Your best bet will be at the “olive bar” of an upscale grocer rather than in a jar.

Cream of Stinging Nettle Soup - A Guest Post From Laura of Hip Pressure Cooking

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:00:17 +0000

Cream of Stinging Nettle Soup

Today I’m excited to bring you a guest post from Laura of Hip Pressure Cooking. I’ve fallen in love with my pressure cooker over the past couple of years, and I’ve come to rely on Laura’s site as the definitive resource for how to use it. She doesn’t make pressure cooker recipes simply to speed things up. For her, it isn’t a useful recipe unless the dish comes out as good or better than it would on the stovetop or in the oven. Laura is Italian, and you can imagine an Italian woman would take a lot of heat for suggesting that traditional foods like polenta can be made successfully in a non-traditional way! So you can be sure assured that her recipes don’t just work, they knock it out of the park.

Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Shiitakes and Smoked Paprika - Recipe

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:05:01 +0000

Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Shiitakes and Smoked Paprika

Brussels sprouts are oddly fashionable these past couple of years. They have two things going for them:

Underdog status. A lot of people hated them because they were boiled to death for much of the 20th century.
But they are actually delicious when prepared well.

Now we've caught on that they are wonderful when pan-fried, deep-fried, broiled, roasted or otherwise subjected to high heat for shorter periods of time. (Of course, I actually still love them steamed or boiled and served with good sweet butter as long you don't overcook them.)

I think you’ll enjoy this version, which has just 7 ingredients, of which 5 are pantry staples. It comes together in only 10 or 15 minutes. The shiitakes and smoked paprika add to the earthy complexity of the nearly-charred sprouts

"How Do You Get Your Protein?" - Is Vegetarian Protein a Problem?

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:00:02 +0000

I’m not the type to go around making a big deal about the fact that I don’t eat meat. But if I’ve hung out with someone for awhile, they will eventually notice. Their first question is usually, “Why are you a vegetarian?” The next one is “But where do you get your protein?”

On some level I think this is kind of a funny question. I’ve been a vegetarian for 27 years and I’m apparently in good health, so it is unlikely that I’ve got a protein deficiency. Heck, for that matter around 40% of the people in India are vegetarian and seem to be managing well enough!

Shiitake Tacos with Asian Pear Slaw - Recipe

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 06:30:00 +0000

I love to make up taco combinations using a substantial component like shiitake mushrooms, contrasted with a bright fresh slaw. Serve these up with big plates of refried beans, Mexican rice (or the Non-Traditional Arroz Verde on ), and homemade guacamole for a feast that is only a bit more work than ordinary “taco night”, but a lot more interesting.

The technique of dry-roasting the jalapeno peppers and garlic for these tacos is very typical in Mexican cuisine. It is a quick way of both mellowing and concentrating the flavors. I highly recommend wearing disposable rubber gloves when seeding and chopping the jalapenos, to avoid the risk of having your hands burn later.

Pan-Seared Pressed Tofu with Apples and Champagne Vinaigrette - Recipe

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 07:05:05 +0000

Pan Seared Tofu and Apples with Champagne Vinaigrette and Pomegranate Seeds

I stopped by Northwest Tofu the other day and came home with their beautiful pressed tofu, along with regular tofu (still warm) and fresh yuba. Casting about for a lunch I could throw together in just minutes, I tossed the pressed tofu in my skillet and rummaged around in the fridge to see what would could join the party.

Crispy Yuba (Tofu Skin) Rolls - Recipe

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 07:07:24 +0000

Crispy Yuba (Tofu Skin) Rolls

Yuba is a thin skin of tofu that is a byproduct of making soymilk. It is pulled in sheets off the top of the pot of boiling soymilk, much like the skin that forms on a pot of simmering cow’s milk. It can be made at home, but I’ve never tried. I buy mine from Northwest Tofu. You can also find it in dried form at a good Asian grocery, in which case it can be rehydrated and should work fine in this recipe (but I haven’t tried it).

Aromatic Tofu En Papillote - Recipe

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Imagine opening a present at the table, and being greeted with a rush of aromatic steam full of lemongrass and ginger that makes you close your eyes with pleasure. Baking your food in parchment paper or banana leaves is just the ticket to that experience.

Rather than pre-marinating the tofu, for this recipe we score it in both directions to open up lots of surface area for the seasoning to penetrate. This also creates an interesting look, somewhat similar to fish.

Crispy Polenta Cakes with White Beans and Morels - Recipe

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:15:00 +0000

If you have had the foresight to make extra polenta, you can fry it up into cakes with a savory side of white beans and morel mushrooms in just half an hour. You can do this with polenta that already has cheese, etc. in it as long as it has set up firm enough to squish into a patty. If you haven’t already made polenta, you can make it by lunchtime and it will be plenty firm for dinner. In this case, you don’t need to add anything more than salt.

Persimmon Carpaccio with Fennel Salad - Recipe

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:07:56 +0000

Persimmon Carpaccio with Fennel Salad

Persimmons are in season right now, and I love them. For those of you not intimately familiar with this fruit, the most important thing to know is that there are two general types: fuyu persimmons (which I use in this salad) are short and squat, resembling an orange tomato. They are eaten while still firm.

Cheddar and Apple Butter Panini with Rosemary Candied Pecans - Guest Recipe from Kathy Strahs of Panini Happy

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 07:05:10 +0000

Today’s guest post is by my friend Kathy Strahs of Panini Happy. Last week, she hosted my Spicy Caponata Panini, and this week she’s brought us a delicious sounding panini filled with cheddar, apple butter and rosemary candied pecans. There are a couple of things I immediately like about this recipe. First of all, she’s added the rosemary in two different ways, which is a smart way to develop complex and intense flavor. Second, the pecans add a crunchy element that makes the sandwich much more interesting. Take it away, Kathy…

Farro and Chickpea Soup - Recipe

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:07:08 +0000

Farro and Chickpea Soup

Things this soup will not do: Win any beauty contests.

Things this soup will do: Warm you to your core on a cold day. Nourish you. Fill your belly. Leave you with an abiding sense of contentment. Wash and fold your clothes.

This is a tradeoff I can live with.

I haven’t been completely sold on the farro revolution. I like the flavor, but I find that the chewy texture becomes bothersome after awhile when served as a basic grain side dish or in a risotto-style presentation. I’m digging it in this soup though. It doesn’t fall apart in the broth. It makes the soup feel substantial, bordering on a stew that can be a one-pot meal.

Spicy Caponata Panini - Recipe

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:42:15 +0000

I’ve been greatly enamored of Mama Lil’s peppers lately. If you haven’t had them, they are hot little pickled goathorn peppers packed in olive oil. They are made up here in Seattle so we see them on pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and even ice cream (kidding!).

Now I hope that sandwich looks enticing, because you’ll have to pop on over to Panini Kathy’s blog, where she’s graciously agreed to host this recipe as a guest post. While you are there, check out all her amazing ideas for making panini, not to mention other clever things you can do with a sandwich press (or alternative implements).

Triple-Smoky Mac and Cheese - Recipe

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 07:00:00 +0000

This grownup macaroni and cheese was inspired by an incredible oak-smoked cheddar that I found at Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market. We reinforce that flavor with smoked paprika and chipotle pepper. If you can't get the smoked cheddar, use a regular cheddar and smoked mozzarella instead.

You can also make this macaroni and cheese ahead, and refrigerate it, which makes it very convenient for dinner parties. Just wait to top with the breadcrumbs until the last minute, and allow additional baking time to come up to temperature.

Savory Bread Pudding with Morels and Beet Greens - Recipe

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:07:00 +0000

Savory Bread Pudding with Morel Mushrooms and Beet Greens

I wish you could smell this.

It is one of those dishes where you take a deep whiff of wild mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, and butter and you get a little bit dizzy for a second.

Regular, sweet bread puddings are rather hearty for dessert, so it isn’t a big stretch to reflect them onto the savory side of the mirror. Tom Douglas has been doing both corn and mushroom bread puddings for years at Seattle’s Etta’s and Palace Kitchen.

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio - Recipe

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:30:00 +0000

Spaghetti aglio e olio (garlic and oil) is just about the simplest way to eat pasta other than just tossing the noodles with butter and cheese. You can have this ready two minutes after the pasta is done boiling, so it makes a perfect meal when the day gets away from you but you still want to eat something home-cooked.

While very simple to make, there are still a couple of elements of technique required to achieve perfection.

Spicy Mama Lil's Spaghetti alla Carbonara - Recipe

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:05:02 +0000

Spicy Mama Lil’s Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Spaghetti alla carbonara is one of those great Italian dishes that comes with multiple-choice apocryphal explanations for the name. Possibly it is in the style favored by a group of charcoal makers, or coal miners, or maybe it was named after the charcoal burner it was cooked on. In any case, the traditional version is made by frying some pig bits with garlic and chili flakes, tossing your mostly cooked pasta through that pan, and then into a bowl with beaten eggs, cheese and black pepper. The hot pasta lightly cooks the egg, turning it into a rich and creamy sauce.

Chili Borracho - Recipe

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:45:00 +0000

I’m not a big believer in lots of vegetables or grains in chili. For me, it is all about the beans, complemented by a savory sauce and lots of tasty garnish. My version includes dark beer, dried chiles and unsweetened cocoa powder to create those deep bass notes, reminiscent of Oaxacan mole.

The pressure cooker is my favorite way to make chile. It allows me to cook the beans from scratch and include the bean cooking liquid as part of the broth. The pressure cooker requires you to have about 8 cups of liquid for 1 pound of beans (consult your manual to be sure). That would give you a soup instead of chili, so I just drain off the sauce and quickly simmer it down to the right thickness, then add it back to the beans.

Caramel-Cooked Tofu - Recipe

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 06:45:00 +0000

Caramel cooking is a Vietnamese technique that is most often applied to chicken, but works equally well to produce a deeply flavored tofu that is laquered with a sweet, salty and fragrant sauce. The traditional method requires you to make the caramel sauce separately, but Chef John of the blog Food Wishes came up with this simpler technique that allows you to create the sauce right in the pan with your main ingredient.

Whoops

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:52:15 +0000

Hey folks, sorry about the page that said “flubnk” - I was testing something on the new wordpress site and made a silly mistake. Please ignore.

Thanks, Michael

Beet Curry - Recipe

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:07:00 +0000

Beet Curry

As unlikely as it may sound, the first time I ever ate beet curry was over a campfire in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I was dubious, but my girlfriend at the time had lived in Tamil Nadu for a year and knew what she was doing. Granted, everything tastes good around a campfire after an arduous day of lounging around the hot springs, but this was eye-openingly delicious.

Indian Fry Bread Tacos - Recipe

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:45:00 +0000

Navajo Fry Bread, and the Indian Tacos made with it, have a sad and storied past. They originated in Native American internment camps set up by the US government in the 1860s, as a way to use the very limited rations provided. Today, fry bread and Indian tacos are a proud part of the culture, served at virtually every pow-wow. And with good reason; besides the history, they are delicious.

Jack of All Cakes - A Guest Post from LemonPi

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Jackfruit Upside=Down Cake

Today I'm happy to bring you a guest post from my friend Yu Ching, who writes the wonderful Lemonpi. I love her blog because whether she's making incredibly original desserts like a Parsnip and Cocoa Nib Cake or classics like Gâteau Breton, the recipes are rock solid and come with gorgeous photos. Take it away, Yu Ching...

It is an honour to be invited by Michael to write a guest post on Herbivoracious. I'm a huge fan of his simple and approachable recipes, and in fact do cook a lot of vegetarian food regularly at home, even if my own blog doesn't really reflect that. Since baking and sweets are my predominant interest, I'm featuring a slight twist on an old favourite of many cake fiends out there (myself included).

Once predominantly the domain of tinned pineapple rings and plasticky red cherries, it's high time the upside down cake got a bit of its groove back. Mine has been jazzed up with jackfruit as a topping but this would work equally well with sliced bananas or even mango.

The recipe is based on one by Joanne Chang in her very tasty book, Flour. The cake calls for tinned jackfruit which is an option given mostly for convenience. If you have readily available fresh jackfruit, use it by all means. Once baked and cooled, slip a paring knife around the edges of the tin to loosen it a little. Don't hesitate to then boldly upend this robust, buttery cake onto a plate and remove the tin with a flourish. As with many other great desserts such as tarte tatins and creme caramels, part of the pleasure for the baker as the cake maker is in this moment of great reveal.

I offered this cake to a group of scientists for their morning tea, half fearing that jackfruit would turn out to be a bit of an acquired taste. As it happens, they loved every bit of it as much as I did.

Jackfruit brown sugar cake
Yield: one 9" round cake

Crostini with Young Pecorino, Grilled Figs, and Arugula & Mint Pesto - Recipe

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Crostini with Young Pecorino, Grilled Figs, and Arugula & Mint Pesto

I just finished making the very-last-last-last-really-no-more edits to the cookbook. We got page proofs back, and there was a small window to make tweaks before it goes to press.

A deadline like that has a way of focusing the mind! I want to make absolutely sure that every recipe in the book is as good as I can possibly make it. So I went through the whole lot and picked out a handful to test just one more time. One of them was a potato and green bean salad with arugula pesto. It occurred to me that I might like it even better with a bit of fresh mint in the pesto, and sure enough I think it makes a huge difference.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:47:00 +0000

Traditional American Thanksgiving is an interesting meal for vegetarians. On the one hand, obviously pride of place on most families' tables is given to a big roasted turkey. On the other hand, just about everything else (mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams, green beans, cranberry sauce, etc.) is typically vegetarian. So personally, when I'm having Thanksgiving at an omnivorous house, I'm pretty happy to just stuff myself on all those other goodies and try to save room for a slice or three of pumpkin pie.

Red Chili Sauce for Tamales, and a Great Tamale Book - Recipe

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Tofu and Red Chili Tamales wrapped in Banana Leaves

I love tamales.

I love that they are a project, not something you simply throw together for a weeknight dinner. A project best done with friends and family, beating the masa and making fillings and sauces and forming the tamales together, before sitting down to a celebratory meal.

The Galleys are Here! The Galleys are Here!

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:13:48 +0000

Galley proofs of the cookbook.

This has to be among the most exciting boxes I’ve opened in my life.

It was just about a year ago when I signed the contract to write a book with Harvard Common Press. It has been a whirlwind of a year, developing new recipes, photographing them, testing and retesting and sending them out to wonderful readers for yet more testing. Then months of editing with some of the best in the business (Dan Rosenberg, Roy Finamore and Jane Dornbusch I’m looking at you).

Polenta with Pan Roasted Porcini, Tomato Confit and Chevre - Recipe

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Polenta with Pan Roasted Porcini, Tomato Confit and Chevre

Fresh porcini are one of nature's great treats. They are rather expensive unless you know how to forage for them, which I swear I'm going to learn someday ... maybe from Langdon.

In the meantime, when I get my hands on a few porcini I like to feature them prominently in a dish. It seems a shame to take this rare beast and cut it up so small that you have to hunt for that unique flavor and texture. So in this recipe, the porcini are definitely the star, getting a fast and hot sear to develop a bit of a caramelized crust and served with a supporting cast of soothing polenta, oven-roasted tomato confit, and fresh chevre.

Bocoles with Spicy Sweet Potatoes - Recipe

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Bocoloes are little pan-fried cake of masa and mashed black beans, typically served as anantojito (appetizer). I learned about them from Diana Kennedy's magnificient opus, My Mexico. For my version, I’ve replaced the pork filling with spiced up pan-fried sweet potatoes, and increase the portion to make them into a satisfying vegetarian entrée.

There is a lot of confusion about sweet potatoes and yams, which aren’t even related. The sweet potatoes I want you to use for this have a dark orange-brown skin and orange flesh. You may well find them labeled yams in your grocery!

Braised Fennel - Recipe

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Braised Fennel

Braising is something of a lost art, which is a shame because it isn’t at all difficult to do. Learn a couple of basic moves and you’ll be rewarded with a succulent, richly flavored, rustic dish that will have you and your guests mopping up every last bit of sauce.

A proper braise is composed of even more basic cooking methods. First you sear the heck out of your main ingredient to develop those beautiful browned flavors. Then you remove it from the pot, quickly sweat your other vegetables, and return the main ingredient along with a small amount of flavorful liquid. With the lid on and the heat lowered, everything steams until tender while the flavors marry and the sauce emulsifies into silky goodness.

Stuffed & Baked Polenta - Recipe

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 06:15:00 +0000

I love baked dishes when I’m entertaining or busy with kids, because they mind their own business in the oven while I take care of other things. This polenta is filled with a mixture of sautéed mushrooms and kale in a creamy, Tarragon Béchamel, with just enough cheese to make it seem rich without blowing your whole week’s calorie budget. It makes a great change of pace from baked pastas.

Was Your Chocolate Made with Child Slave Labor?

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:45:20 +0000

There are questions I wish I didn't have to ask myself.

One of them arrived in my inbox yesterday, from Rachel Nussbaum, the rabbi of Kavana, a Jewish cooperative community that our family belongs to. Social justice is an important part of Kavana's mission, and the group that focuses on it has been learning about slavery and child labor in the African cocoa trade.

Now I'm guessing that you are well aware that conditions for workers throughout the Third World are often miserable. Low pay, brutally long hours, and dangerous conditions are commonplace. I certainly know this, but in truth I don't pay as much attention as I know I should when I make purchases. When it comes to produce, I buy as much local and organic as possible, but with plenty of other goods I try to remain in my bubble of blissful ignorance.

Spanish Lentil and Mushroom Stew - Recipe

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 07:45:00 +0000

Have you ever noticed how mushrooms that are cut thickly and browned are a completely different experience to eat than when sliced thin and sauteed as normal? Instead of cooking all of the water out of them, the surface simply gets seared and the interior retains a chewy texture. Delicious.

Here these thick, chewy mushrooms are paired with French green lentils, seasoned with olive oil, sherry vinegar and smoked paprika for a Spanish accent. You can use lentils de puy, or black Beluga lentils. Just don't use standard big green or brown lentils as they will turn to mush.

Eggplant and Okra Stew - Recipe

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 06:15:00 +0000

This West African-style stew, redolent with ginger and black pepper, is great made with tiny eggplants, just a little bigger than a golf ball. You may find them at a farmer’s market in late summer, or at a store that specializes in Thai or Indian ingredients. Otherwise, use a regular globe eggplant and just cut it into bite-sized pieces.

For a richer variation, you can mix ½ cup of unsweetened peanut butter or sunflower butter into the broth, or add ½ cup of shelled, roasted peanuts.

Strata with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms and Smoked Mozzarella - Recipe

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Strata with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms and Smoked Mozzarella

Strata: a baked egg dish filled with cubes of bread and whatever awesomeness you can muster. I.e. it has all of the appeal of a quiche, but without the slight hassle of pie crust. Also, the starch from the bread tends to stabilize the custard, so you have a somewhat wider safety margin between unset eggs and overcooked, rubbery eggs.

Thick and Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies - Recipe

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:03:00 +0000

Thick and Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone has an opinion about chocolate chip cookies. I like mine cakey and tender, but browned enough to develop some flavor. I'm not a fan of cookies that spread out and get crispy all the way through, and I don't particularly like walnuts in them. I want tasty dark chocolate, and a perceptible level of salt, experienced as little surprising flecks, not an overall even saltiness.

Scallion Curd Rice - Recipe

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Scallion Curd Rice

Curd rice is an Indian dish of basmati rice flavored with tangy yogurt, often seasoned with chilis, mustard seeds and curry leaves or cilantro. It is typically served at the end of multi-course South Indian meals, but in my context I'm happy to have it as a side dish with some dal, curry and Indian pickles, or even just as a light meal on its own, often using leftover rice.

Rosh Hashanah Brunch at Noni's - A Highly Anticipated Meal - Wordless Wednesday Three

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Pomegranate-glazed Freekeh Kofte - Recipe

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Freekeh Kofte - Green Wheat "Meatballs"

One of the great things about being a food blogger is that friends and family bring you cool ingredients. My mother in law gave me a box of freekeh, which I'd never even heard of before. It turns out that freekeh is wheat that has been harvested while it is still green, sun-dried, and then lightly roasted by burning the chaff and stalks around it. It doesn't take much imagination to envision that this was the result of a happy accident under desperate circumstances the first time!

Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans and Tofu - Recipe

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:30:00 +0000

If you have ever ordered the dry-fried green beans at a good Chinese restaurant, you know how delicious they can be, but I bet you don’t know what is in them! For years, I wondered what all that yummy brown stuff was. I knew there was garlic and ginger, but I couldn’t imagine that there could be 1/2 cup of garlic in a plate of green beans.

Homemade Smoked Chile Con Limon (Mexican Sour and Spicy Condiment) - Recipe

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Homemade Chile Con Limon (Mexican Sour and Spicy Condiment), Made into Sauce

If you've traveled in Mexico, or spent much time in Mexican neighborhoods in the United States, you've probably tasted fruit with a chile powder that is both tangy, spicy, and a little salty. It is amazing on mango and watermelon. This spice mix is known as chile con limon, or chile para fruta, and it can also be eaten on vegetables, peanuts, popcorn, or as a general sort of table seasoning.

Ficoide Glaciale (A Type of Ice Plant) - Wordless Wednesday Two

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:30:00 +0000

Bánh xèo (Crispy Vietnamese Crepe) - Recipe

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:45:00 +0000

The first time I had Bánh xèo, I was actually giddy. The combination of textures and flavors is absolutely mindblowing.

This vegan crepe is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, flavored with mushrooms and onions, and filled with a big pile of bean sprouts. You tear off a piece and wrap it with lettuce and fresh herbs, then dip it in vegetarian nước chấm, with its complex combination of savory, sweet, spicy and salty.

Over the Top Eggplant Parmigiana - Recipe

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 07:15:00 +0000

Over the Top Eggplant Parmigiana

3 large or 5 smaller globe eggplant, about 4 pounds total
Kosher salt
vegetable oil for pan frying
2 cups canned crushed Italian tomatoes (San Marzano preferred)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups panko breadcrumbs
3/4 pound fresh mozzarella sliced thin
2 handfuls of fresh basil, roughly chopped for assembly plus 1 more for fresh tomato topping
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups diced heirloom tomatoes
black pepper

Peel eggplant and slice lengthwise in scant 1/2 “ thick planks. Layer in a colander with a heavy sprinkling of kosher salt in each layer, top with a plate and weight with some cans, and let drain for at least 30 minutes. Wipe off excess salt with a paper towel.
In a small saucepan, make a quick tomato sauce by sautéing the garlic in the olive oil and adding the diced tomatoes, and simmering for 15 minutes while you make the rest of the recipe. Don’t add salt because the eggplant will still have residual salt from the draining process.
Set up for dredging, with plates for the flour and breadcrumbs, and a shallow bowl for the egg. Also, get a rack or sheet pan covered with paper towel to receive the fried pieces. Butter a large baking dish and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Put a good ¼ “ of vegetable oil (not olive oil, it will smoke too much) in your biggest skillet and heat on high. Working with two slices of eggplant at a time, pat them in the flour until they have a dry coating, then drag through the egg, and finally press both sides in the breadcrumbs, covering thoroughly. Place them in the skillet, where they should start sizzling immediately. Fill the skillet loosely, leaving yourself some room to work. Flip when brown, maybe 2 minutes, then remove to the paper towels when brown on the other side. They should be tender to a fork at this point, because the oven baking is just to melt the cheese, not cook the eggplant.
To assemble, lay down your first layer of eggplant, and top each slice with a couple tablespoons of tomato sauce, a piece of mozzarella, a bit of parmesan, and a bit of basil. Build up three layers, finishing with cheese.
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the cheese it thoroughly melted.
To serve, toss the heirloom tomatoes with the remaining basil. Put an eggplant stack on each plate, and top with 1/4 cup of the heirloom tomato mixture and a grind of fresh black pepper.

Larb Jackfruit - Laotian and Thai Salad - Recipe

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Larb Jackfruit

Jackfruit is en fuego right now as a sort of vegan meat substitute for tacos, barbeque, etc. I'm not sure who first thought of the idea, but I learned about it from Clean Green Simple and the most-definitely-not-vegetarian-but-always-entertaining Chadzilla.

Jackfruit is an enormous fruit that is used throughout southeast Asia. When ripe, it has a relatively mild tropical fruit flavor. When young and green, the fruit has a very slight flavor, but a fascinatingly shreddable texture.

Wordless Wednesday One

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:05:00 +0000

Umami-Packed Vegetarian Broth - Recipe (Also Vegan)

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Mise en Place for Umami-Packed Vegetarian Broth

I've been doing a lot of reading about modern methods for making stocks and broths lately. Modernist Cuisine has a detailed chapter devoted to producing them using both sous vide and pressure cooker methods. Dave Arnold at the French Culinary institute has written several great posts on the subject, and made me doubt my own pressure cooker. Alex and Aki's Ideas In Food book talks about making microstocks in the pressure cooker, allowing them to highlight the flavor of a single ingredient.

Loaded Otsu Noodles - Recipe

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 08:30:00 +0000

Cold Chinese sesame noodles include peanut butter in the sauce. Otsu, on the other hand, really is based on sesame paste. I like to make a Iively dressing with sweet and regular soy sauce, ginger, citrus, and spices, and load up the noodles up with tofu, eggplant and cucumbers. The result is a cold dish that is a huge hit with kids as well as adults, and is easy to make ahead for summer barbeques.

I Know What You Missed This Summer

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 07:36:11 +0000

I'm hurt. Crushed, really. No, no, it's ok. I understand. You had more important things to do this summer than refresh your browser constantly in hopes that there was a new recipe to check out. You were probably, oh, camping with your kids or hiking around Europe or running away from a hurricane or something. I'm trying not to take this personally!

Seriously though, I know a lot of folks are just getting back from vacations and settling back in, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite posts from the summer. Check 'em out:

Portabello-Summer Squash Lasagna - Recipe

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 08:45:00 +0000

The two most common varieties of vegetarian lasagna are filled with spinach and ricotta, or with piles of watery vegetables. This version with portabello mushrooms and summer squash gives you a much more decisive flavor.

To slice the portabellos, pull off the stems and lay the caps flat on your cutting board. Hold your knife at an angle and carefully cut through them on the bias to make 1/8” thick slabs with as much surface area as possible.

Stir-Fried Winged Beans (Kacang Botol) with Tomato and Garlic - Recipe

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 07:01:00 +0000

I ran into a vegetable I'd never seen before at a farm stand in Kawaihae on the Big Island of Hawaii, in the middle of a preposterous but amusing adventure that involved driving back and forth over the same stretch of coast approximately seventy-three times. These pods were about 8 inches long, with ruffled leaves, somewhat crunchy like romaine lettuce, but with a central seed pod a bit like a green bean. Most unusual.

Lightly Cooked Cherry Tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta - Recipe

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Lightly Cooked Cherry Tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta

This bruschetta is the epitome of carefree cooking, made almost entirely by gathering good ingredients. Ripe, organic cherry tomatoes (maybe from your backyard?), ricotta (Calabro?), a bit of good olive oil, garlic and fresh basil. A nice artisan pain au levain brings chew and flavor to the party.

Generally I would do a bruschetta like this without cooking the tomatoes at all, maybe just tossing them with the other ingredients awhile ahead of time so that they start to marinate a bit. But there is something great about cooking them for just a couple of minutes as well. The tomatoes start to break down into something that is halfway between salad and sauce that is quite luxurious with the ricotta.

Peach and Sour Cream Buckle - Recipe

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Peach and Sour Cream Buckle

Maybe someday you'll be on vacation.

And on the hot, hot days, every farm stand and farmer's market and U-Pick and roadside honor box will be packed with peaches, peaches so fragrant and ripe and sweet that they would melt into jam if you looked at them cross-eyed.

And after you've eaten as many Early Havens, Red Havens, Cresthavens, Bonanzas, Bonitas and Southern Belles out of hand as you can bear, and all of your clothes are stained with juice.

Dhal Puri Roti (Caribbean Lentil-stuffed Flatbread) - Recipe

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 06:15:00 +0000

Variations on dhal puri roti are made on many of the Caribbean islands, but you can tell by the name and style that they originated with Indian immigrants. The name can seem confusing because in Indian terminology, a puri and a roti are two different types of bread.

You might be surprised to find this recipe in the entrée section, but they are quite filling. It takes only a small side-dish curry and a little rice to make a complete meal. Most people will only need one of these hearty breads, so for a smaller group, you may want to cut the recipe in half.

Baby Turnip Salad, Tip-To-Tail Style - Recipe

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 07:07:00 +0000

Baby Turnip Salad, Tip-To-Tail Style

Our local farmer's market had bunches of the most beautiful, pale white baby turnips. When I get produce this good, I like to showcase it by using every edible part.

For this salad, I cooked the turnips themselves sous vide with butter, lemon juice and garlic, then sliced them in half around the equator so that they could stand up on the plate, proudly flying a bit of stem or squiggly root.

Watermelon and Sweet Onion Gazpacho - Recipe

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Watermelon and Sweet Onion Gazpacho

You've probably had a tomato and watermelon salad. That combination seems to be all the rage now, and it emphasizes the fact that tomatoes are a fruit, not a vegetable. So why not go the other direction, and put watermelon to work in a soup that is traditionally made with tomatoes?

Like regular gazpacho, this is embarassingly easy to make. Five minutes of active time and then just let it chill down and serve at your leisure.

Basil Gnudi with Summer Squash - Recipe

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 06:15:00 +0000

Gnudi are like gnocchi made with ricotta instead of potato, or like a ricotta ravioli filling without the pasta. At their best, they are light and pillowy. They pair well with a delicate sauce that allows your handiwork with the dumplings to shine through. This simple sauté of summer squash and cherry tomatoes flavored with white wine and garlic fits the bill.

I’ve flavored the gnudi heavily with fresh basil. Combined with the sweet dairy flavor of the ricotta and the tomatoes, it is reminiscent of a Caprese salad, and makes a beautiful light entrée.

Chirashi Sushi - Recipe

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 07:45:00 +0000

Chirashi Sushi

For the sushi rice:
2 cups Japanese rice
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
Kosher salt
For the cooked toppings:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 medium or 2 small Japanese eggplants
1 cup beech mushrooms or other small button mushroom
8 shiitake mushroom caps
8 pieces extra-firm tofu, 1 ½” x 3” x ½”
To serve the sushi:
1 cucumber
1 tablespon rice wine vinegar
Kosher salt
1 handful kaiware sprouts
4 shiso leaves
½ ripe avocado, thinly sliced
pickled ginger
wasabi paste
2 teaspoons umeboshi plum paste (or 4 pickled umeboshi plums, pitted and mashed)

For the sushi rice: Cook the rice using a rice cooker or according to package directions. Whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, and 4 teaspoons of salt.
When the rice is done, turn it out into a large, shallow wooden bowl (such as a salad bowl) and sprinkle on the vinegar mixture. With one hand, fan the rice with a magazine or similar, while gently cutting and folding the rice with a paddle in the other. Do not stir the rice or it will become mushy. Keep cutting and fanning until the liquid is absorbed and the rice has cooled down to near-room temperature, about 5 minutes.
For the cooked toppings: Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, and if using medium eggplants, again in half crosswise. Score the skin side of each eggplant in a fine diamond pattern, about ¼” apart.
Heat a large skillet over a medium-high flame and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook the eggplants with the flesh side down until starting to brown. Flip and cook with the skin side down for two minutes. Add 1/3 cup of water; cover the pan, and continue cooking until thoroughly tender, about 3-5 more minutes. Remove the eggplant and season with salt.
In the same pan, add 1 more tablespoon of oil, raise the heat to high, and stir-fry the beech mushrooms for 1 minute, and then remove. Repeat with the shiitake mushrooms caps.
Return the heat to high, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, and fry the tofu in a single layer until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and season with salt.
To serve: Peel the cucumber, and then use the peeler to shave it into long, thin sheets, avoiding the seeds. Toss the cucumber with the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt.
Divide the sushi rice among 4 bowls. Carefully arrange portions of all of the ingredients around the rice, making sure that wasabi is visible so that it isn’t eaten accidentally.

Tomato Sushi - Yes, That's Vegetarian - Recipe

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 07:01:00 +0000

Tomato Sushi - Yes, That’s Vegetarian

Depending on where you live, great tomatoes are probably coming online right about now. Once you have gorged yourself on an indecent quantity dressed with nothing but olive oil and salt, and the requisite insalata caprese, maybe you’ll be ready to think about manipulating them just a bit more.

One of my favorite games in the kitchen is to ask myself how I can take apart a fruit or vegetable and then get the most out of the flavors and textures of each component. In this case, we use the seeds and gel raw, sear the flesh briefly, and crisp the skin using Heston Blumenthal’s microwave frying method, which is more typically applied to herbs. Be sure not to use a plastic wrap made from PVC for the microwave frying; it breaks down into unpleasant chemicals when exposed to a lot of heat.

Soba Noodles in Shiitake Shoyu Broth with Spring Vegetables - Recipe

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 08:15:00 +0000

I’m rarely jealous of meat eaters, but their Asian noodle soups do get my attention. I wanted to create a very full flavored broth with lots of umami intensity. I make it with dried shiitakes, kombu, and the best shoyu I have ever tasted.

Soba are Japanese noodles made from buckwheat flour. Soba are often served cold with a dipping sauce, but are equally great in soup. The buckwheat flavor is distinctively nutty and earthy. It has a peculiar resonance for me because it reminds me of the kasha that my eastern European Jewish family served growing up. Funny how the same flavor can appear successfully in such different contexts. The same soup could be made with ramen or udon noodles and still be delicious.

Strawberry "Shortcake" with Cornbread and Tarragon Whipped Cream - Recipe

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 07:07:00 +0000

Strawberry "Shortcake" with Cornbread and Tarragon Whipped Cream

I don't allow as how I've actually experienced summer if there hasn't been a huge bowl of strawberry shortcake to sanctify it. Generally I make it with big, flaky biscuits, but for some reason this year it crossed my mind to try it with cornbread instead. Corn and strawberries go really well together, and they both speak of Americana, so why not?

Rice Vermicelli (Bún) with Ginger-Grapefruit Sauce - Recipe

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:15:00 +0000

Rice Vermicelli (Bún) with Ginger-Grapefruit Sauce
Vegan and gluten-free / Serves 4 / 45 minutes

8 ounces Vietnamese rice vermicelli noodles
1 cup shallot rings, sliced about 1/8" thick
1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into approximately 2" x 2" x 1/3" squares
1/4 cup sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
2-3 grapefruits
juice of 2 limes (reserve zest from one)
2-4 tablespoons sugar (palm sugar if you have it)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
salt
1 cup julienned carrot (use a mandoline if available)
1 cup julienned daikon radish (use a mandoline if available)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 head romaine lettuce, sliced into bite-sized pieces
2 small hot chile peppers, thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
3 green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 ripe mango, diced
1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves

Heat a pot of water to boiling, remove from the heat, add the rice noodles and let sit for ten minutes. Check the texture - they should be tender but definitely not mushy. Drain and reserve.
Cut the grapefruit into supremes, working over a bowl to catch the juice. Strain off the juice (reserving the supremes separately) and squeeze all of the leftover pieces of the grapefruit in with it. Add the lime juice, 2 tablespoons of sugar, ginger, soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of salt. Taste and adjust seasonings, remembering that it will need to be strongly flavored to play off of all the other ingredients. (You may end up with more grapefruit supremes than you need to serve the dish. Cook’s treat.)
Fry the shallot rings in 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until dark brown. Remove to paper towels and season liberally with salt. As they cool, they will become crispy.
Add the remaining oil and fry the tofu, working in batches as needed to get the squares brown on both sides. Drizzle with the sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) and continue frying for another 30 seconds so it can caramelize.
Combine the carrot, daikon, rice wine vinegar and sesame seeds and set aside to pickle a bit.
To assemble, divide the lettuce among 4 large bowls. Top each with a big handful of the rice noodles. Then top with an attractive arrangement of the remaining ingredients: tofu, grapefruit supremes, mango, carrot / daikon salad, chile pepper, cucumber and finally the shallot rings, green onion, cilantro and lime zest. You can either pour on the sauce yourself or divide into individual bowls for your guests to add as they see fit. Offer Sriracha-type hot sauce on the side.

Hongos en Escabeche - Mushrooms Sauteed with Sherry Vinegar - Recipe

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 07:47:00 +0000

Hongos en Escabeche - Mushrooms Sauteed with Vinegar

I love the chewy texture of mushrooms when they are left in bite-sized chunks, rather than thinly sliced. There is a nice contrast between the browned, flavorful crust and the juicy interior.

These mildly-vinegared mushrooms are versatile and easy. I was serving them with a Mexican meal, so I garnished them with cilantro, but you could just as easily use parsley and include them on a Spanish tapas spread. Change to a red wine vinegar or (a smaller amount) of aged balsamic and you are in Italy.

Mujadara – Middle Eastern Rice and Lentil Pilaf - Recipe

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 07:45:00 +0000

Mujadara is simply a mixture of rice and perfectly cooked lentils, spiked with a big dose of caramelized onions and a bit of cumin and cinnamon. Nutritious, satisfying, inexpensive, and easy to make, it is a hearty one dish meal served with just some Greek yogurt and maybe a cucumber salad, or it can be part of a larger Middle Eastern feast. It is best close to room temperature, not piping hot.

Chana Mushroom Masala - Recipe

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 06:15:00 +0000

Chana masala (spicy chickpeas) is one of those ten dishes you will find at pretty much every Indian restaurant in America. You can understand why: it is inexpensive, delicious, healthy and satisfying. The mass prepared versions are usually pretty good, but you can make a similar dish at home and enjoy fresher, more vibrant flavors.

If you have the ingredients on hand and use canned chickpeas, you can make this chana masala in just 30 minutes. I find that canned chickpeas are often undercooked and a little crunchy, so if I go that route, the first thing I do is put them on to simmer while I prepare everything else.

Smoked Pineapple and Tomatillo Salsa - Recipe

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:25:07 +0000

Smoked Pineapple and Tomatillo Salsa

NOTE: I no longer recommend jury-rigged stovetop smoking. I’ve since learned that creating smoke in a low-oxygen sealed environment like this creates unnecessarily high levels of carcinogens. See my Smoked Tofu Buns recipe for a safer alternative if you don’t have your own method of smoking.

You might notice I’ve been on a bit of a stovetop-smoking kick, what with last week’s frijoles charros. This pineapple and tomatillo salsa uses the exact same method. If you are making both, don’t try to get enough smoke from one batch of wood chips; you won’t get the best flavor if you run them too long.

Vegetarian Frijoles Charros - Mexican Cowboy Beans with Smoked Onion - Recipe

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:35:07 +0000

Vegetarian Frijoles Charros - Mexican Cowboy Beans

Frijoles charros are a classic way of serving beans in Mexico. Unlike refried beans, the pinto beans are served whole, in a broth redolent of smoke and tomato. Traditionally, that smoke flavor comes from bacon.

Persian Baked Zucchini - Recipe

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Persian Baked Zucchini

Zucchini season is just about to hit in earnest. This recipe is a nice way to turn them into a delicious side dish with minimal effort. It mostly handles its own business in the oven, so you can focus on the rest of dinner.

We normally think of dried mint only for making mint tea, but in Persian cuisine it is frequently used in savory foods, where it adds a pleasing hint of bitterness and only a hint of actual mintiness. Don't think of it as a replacement for fresh mint, think of it as a completely different product.

King Oyster Mushroom Lettuce Wraps with Ssamjang - Recipe

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 08:30:00 +0000

King Oyster Mushroom Lettuce Wraps with Ssamjang

1 tablespoon ssamjang for sauce plus ¼ cup for serving
2 teaspoons mirin or sherry
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 large king oyster mushrooms, halved lengthwise
8 leaves red-leaf or similar lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried
2 cups cooked calrose or jasmine rice, warm but not hot
kaiware (daikon radish) sprouts
6 tablespoons minced kimchi

Whisk the first tablespoon of the ssamjang with the mirin until it starts to thin out, then whisk in the vegetable oil, sesame oil, sugar and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Heat a grill pan or large cast iron skillet to medium high. Toss the mushrooms with the sauce and cook until caramelized on one side, then turn and cook the other side. Remove from heat.
Whisk the remaining ssamjang with a little water if needed to reach a dipping sauce consistency.
To serve, place ¼ cup of the rice in the middle of a lettuce leaf. Top with one oyster mushroom half, a small handful of kaiware, and a couple teaspoons of minced kimchi. Let diners roll up the leaves and dip in the ssamjang.

Turkish Chickpea and Potato Stew with Baharat - Recipe

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Turkish Chickpea and Potato Stew with Baharat

I’m obsessed with baharat lately. Baharat is a spice mixture that is popular throughout North Africa, the Levant and the Middle East. Most versions include black pepper, cumin, coriander, cloves and cinnamon. The Turkish variety usually adds dried mint and savory. Like anything else in food, every village and maybe every cook has their own version. I’ve been buying this Turkish baharat from World Spice and am very happy with the flavor and freshness - they grind it when you order it.

Cheddar-Battered Onion Rings - Recipe

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:30:00 +0000

The idea for these rings came from a daydream on the way home from work. What if I could make perfect tempura-battered onion rings, and somehow get them to taste like aged cheddar? I didn't want to create a melty mess and ruin the crunch though.

I ended up broiling the cheese like you would for a frico (cheese crisp), and then grinding it into a powder to add to an otherwise standard tempura batter. The broiling is pretty cool to watch; it looks like a boiling alien planet as all of the moisture cooks off and the fat separates.

Chickpea Fritters - Recipe

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 07:30:00 +0000

Chickpea Fritters

3 cups cooked chickpeas (or two 15 oz. cans, drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup green onions (white and light green parts only), very thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon minced rosemary leaves
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup homemade breadcrumbs
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
oil for shallow frying
flaky sea salt

Combine all ingredients except the oil and flaky sea salt in a food processor and buzz until you have a fairly uniform mixture, but stop before it is completely pureed. We want some texture left. You should be able to form it into a ball that holds its shape. It should be neither crumbly nor a batter. Add liquid or breadcrumbs as necessary to find the right moisture level.
Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over a medium-high flame. Take a golf-ball sized piece of dough, press it in your hands into a flattened 3-inch patty and place in the skillet. Repeat with as many as will fit comfortably. Fry on one side until golden brown, about 3 minutes, then flip and brown the other side. Remove to paper towels and finish with a little bit of sea salt.

Coconut Rice with Black Beans, Plantains, and Mango Salsa - Recipe

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 07:07:00 +0000

Coconut Rice with Black Beans, Plantains, and Mango Salsa

At my house, we eat food in styles from all over the world, but rice is far and away our most popular substrate. I’m always experimenting with new ways to cook rice as well as new things to serve with it.

Double Crust Pizza with Broccoli Raab, Ricotta and Caramelized Onions - Recipe

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 07:08:00 +0000

Double Crust Pizza with Broccoli Raab, Ricotta and Caramelized Onions

The inspiration for this pizza came from Mario Batali's Sfincione Di Patate, a beautiful Sicilian double-crust pizza with a potato-bread dough that he filled with ricotta and salami. Skipping the pig (of course), I opted to make something a bit thicker, with a deep pile of richly caramelized onions, wilted bitter greens, and a generous dose of crushed red pepper and orange zest.

Seared Watermelon with Flavors of Summer - Yes, That's Vegetarian - Recipe

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 22:32:32 +0000

Seared Watermelon with Flavors of Summer - Yes, That’s Vegetarian

A few days ago I was surfing my RSS reader for a few minutes before bed, when this post from Alex and Aki hit me like a ton of bricks. I’ve seen compressed watermelon before, but I don’t think I’ve ever given any thought to searing it. Genius. I had to try this immediately, and fortunately I had a cut-up watermelon already in the refrigerator.

Three Easy Banchan (Korean Side Dishes) - Recipes

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 07:07:00 +0000

Three Easy Banchan (Korean Side Dishes)

No Korean meal is complete without a selection of at least a few banchan - the small side dishes that are served in the middle of the table for everyone to enjoy. Banchan are usually chilled or at room temperature

There are hundreds of different banchan recipes, many of which can be whipped up in just a few minutes. Once you get an idea of the flavor palette, you'll be able to improvise your own. Here are three of my current favorites (all vegan).

Braised Belgian Endive with Sauce Gribiche - Recipe

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 07:30:00 +0000

I first tasted the classic French sauce gribiche when I was interning at Seattle’s landmark Canlis restaurant. Chef Franey serves it with asparagus, which is superb. I like it equally well with quickly braised Belgian endive, or steamed artichoke hearts.

The method for making the sauce is similar to homemade mayonnaise, but it isn’t necessary to achieve a perfect emulsion; it is just fine for the olive oil to be partially separated. Gribiche is powerfully flavored with mustard, vinegar, cornichons, capers, and a lot of fresh herbs. You’ll want to have a good bread on hand to mop up the extras.

Tofu Dengaku - Recipe

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 06:15:00 +0000

These broiled tofu skewers are a street food in Japan, grilled over wickedly hot charcoal. You can create a similar effect using your broiler. If you do it this way, it is still fun to add the skewers afterwards so diners can pick them up to eat. Of course if you have a grill going, go ahead and use it for the smoky flavor, just oil the tofu well so it doesn’t stick, and put in the skewers first.

Mushroom Risotto with Asparagus and Fava Beans - Recipe, Including Pressure Cooker Variation

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 07:08:00 +0000

Mushroom Risotto With Asparagus and Fava Beans

This risotto packs a powerful mushroom intensity. I finely chop a whole pound of mushrooms in a food processor, then saute them in olive oil until they give up all of their liquid and develop deep flavor. This is similar to the French method for mushroom duxelles. Then the mushrooms are cooked along with the rice. I use water instead of broth to allow the mushroom flavor to shine.

Blue Potato Tarts - Recipe

Sun, 29 May 2011 06:00:00 +0000

I love to make this tart using a variety of potato that is blue all the way through. The presentation really shows off this beautiful vegetable. You can of course use other varieties. It is nice if they are small enough to arrange whole slices on these rectangular pies.

If you happen to have truffle salt, you can use it throughout this recipe to add an extra dimension of flavor; it will still be perfectly delicious if you use regular Kosher salt. (Of course if you happen to have an actual black truffle on hand, you can shave it into the cream and on top of the finished dish, and then call me for dinner.)

Tomato Confit and Roasted Garlic Bruschetta - Recipe

Tue, 24 May 2011 08:30:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what the difference between crostini and bruschetta is? A crostini is generally a hard, crispy toast, while bruschetta is rustic bread that has been brushed with olive oil and grilled.

When I make the Tomato Confit on , I like to throw a couple of heads of garlic in for the first part of the roasting. See below for how to do it.

Artichaut Marinières - Artichokes Cooked in White Wine and Garlic - Recipe

Mon, 23 May 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Artichaut Marinières - Artichokes Cooked in White Wine and Garlic

I found these stunning dark purple baby artichokes at Pike Place Market, and their appearance reminded me of mussels, which got me thinking of the bowls of moules marinières that I see folks eating at French restaurants. I figured the artichokes would gladly give themselves over to the same treatment: a steaming bath of white wine with shallot and garlic.

Aloo Tikki (Indian Potato Fritters) - Recipe

Fri, 20 May 2011 08:15:00 +0000

Aloo tikki are one of the classic street foods of India. Walking around Delhi, you will find vendors setting up shop on any street corner to sell these simple mashed potato fritters. Each aloo tikki walla has his own special technique, and loyal customers who will swear that this is the only one worth eating. I live for the day that America’s street food scene catches up to the rest of the world!

Indian Lentil Soup with Fenugreek (Methi Dal) - Guest Post Recipe

Mon, 16 May 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Indian Lentil Soup with Fenugreek (Methi Dal)

Today I want to bring you a recipe from my friend Sala Kannan, who writes the wonderful Veggie Belly. I think Sala has a great looking blog, with delicious vegetarian recipes that reflect a global sensibility. Her recent post on how to make the perfect dosa and idli at home blew my mind. I invited her to write a guest post because I thought you would all enjoy getting to know her, so please do jump over there and check it out.

Mon, 09 May 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Bucatini with Smoked Asparagus and Gorgonzola

Roy Finamore, one of the editors for my book, had a few questions about the method for smoking the asparagus in this recipe, so I figured I’d take the opportunity to make that component again and use it in a different dish. I thought it would be fun to cut the asparagus lengthwise, so it mimicked the shape of a noodle, and then use it in a pasta dish.

Chanterelle Bánh Mi Bites - Recipe

Fri, 06 May 2011 06:45:00 +0000

Bánh mì are Vietnamese sandwiches that have taken the West Coast by storm. They are served on a crusty baguette, spread with a little mayo and stuffed with pickled vegetables and a filling of your choice. Tofu is usually on the menu, though vegetarians still have to watch out for fish sauce.

I’ve adapted the traditional bánh mì into a little two-bite crostini that makes a great appetizer. It will really wake up your palate with bright flavors and crunchy textures. If you can’t find chanterelle or other wild mushrooms, a thin slab of well-fried tofu would also be delicious, or you could use portobello mushrooms, cut into pieces that will sit nicely atop your baguette slices.

Garnish - The Most Misunderstood Word in Cooking

Mon, 02 May 2011 09:33:32 +0000

When you think of garnish, you probably picture a sprig of parsley or mint, a sad radish rose, a carrot curl, or doodle of sauce, or some barely edible flower that has decorated plates for a hundred years - and still does in some quarters. If so, I'm guessing you don't spend a lot of time on them for your average homecooked meal. The purpose this type of garnish serves is purely visual, and the aesthetics are dubious at best.

Seared Tofu Poke - Recipe

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 08:30:00 +0000

Poke (pronounced POH-keh) is the Hawaiian equivalent of sashimi or crudo. Poke is typically raw fish, seasoned with soy and onion, often on a bed of seaweed. This vegetarian version is made with seared tofu, which matches those Asian flavors perfectly.

For the seaweed, the best option is any fresh variety that is thin enough to eat raw. Keep your eye out for Sea Tangle brand in the refrigerator section of health food or Asian groceries; they make a delicious fresh mixed seaweed that is packed in salt; you simply rinse it and enjoy. The other option is dried hijiki, which must be rehydrated.

Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Radicchio, Leeks and Ricotta Salata - Vegetarian Recipe

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 08:16:17 +0000

Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Radicchio, Leeks and Ricotta Salata

When I worked at Cafe Flora, we had gnocchi on the menu for a few months, so I had the opportunity to make, oh, a thousand of them by hand most days. Knocking out a few servings for my family seems like a walk in the park by comparison - and it really is easy once you get the hang of the few simple tips I’ll share with you.

Warm Grapes, Toasted Pita Bread and Ricotta Salata - Recipe

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Warm Grapes, Toasted Pita Bread and Ricotta Salata

I’m not sure whether to describe this dish as a salad, an appetizer, or a side dish. Whatever you call it, the combination of sweet and salty, crunchy and juicy, herbaceous and spicy is exciting and a little unusual. You could serve this as part of a meze, or an accompaniment to anything grilled in a Meditteranean or Middle Eastern vein.

Tempeh-Filled Potstickers (Gyoza) - Recipe

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 07:30:00 +0000

The first rule of potstickers is that you can never make enough potstickers. At least in my family, we fight over the last few like seagulls over a spilled bag of kettle corn.

If you haven't had them, potstickers are Chinese or Japanese pan-fried dumplings with a savory filling, dipped in a soy, vinegar and sesame oil sauce. What is not to like? Plan on making a minimum of 4 per person as an appetizer, but really you could make a whole meal of a big plate of potstickers along with a salad or two and a beer and I bet you wouldn't get any complaints.

Grapefruit and Avocado Crudo - Recipe

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:45:00 +0000

To cut the grapefruit, use an extremely sharp chef's knife. Remove about a 1/2" or so slice from the top and bottom. Resting on the bottom, make four vertical cuts to produce a rough cube, removing all of the skin and pith. Now slice vertically into 1/3" thick slabs, avoiding the core. If you get just a little bit of core, you can put that side down on the plate. Slicing grapefruit in this way produces a lot of waste material, so be sure and juice the rest for a cook's treat.

Gobi Masala (Cauliflower Curry) - Recipe

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 10:02:23 +0000

Cauliflower curry (gobi masala)

Cauliflower curry (gobi masala) is a great Indian dish to have in your back pocket, because once you know the basic method you can knock it out quickly, varying the spicing to suit your mood and your guests. (You shouldn’t actually keep it in your back pocket though, the turmeric causes terrible stains.)

My version of this curry comes out neither saucy nor completely dry. It is important to pay close attention towards the end of cooking, because you want the cauliflower to be thoroughly tender, but not breaking down into mush. It helps to make the florets as evenly sized as possible.

Fruit Salad

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Fruit salad

I don’t remember exactly what got me on the idea of reimagining fruit salad, but like a culinary earworm, I couldn’t get it out of my head for a few days. I kept daydreaming about possible components, and picking up a few inspirations when I visited the co-op. I knew that I wanted everything on the plate to be fruit, and that I wanted to play with the idea, using some ingredients that are technically fruit but are thought of more as vegetable (olives, tomatoes, avocado).

Grilled Treviso Radicchio - Recipe

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Treviso is a type of radicchio that is hugely popular in Italy, and is becoming easier to find at farmer’s markets in America. Treviso, like all radicchio, is quite bitter. I find a few bites of it invigorating but it might be too much for some folks. A milder alternative is to use a small head of Romaine lettuce for this dish, removing the coarse outer leaves first.

Chickpea, Spinach and Tomato Soup - Recipe

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Chickpea, Spinach and Tomato Soup

This soup was pure improvisation. I'd allowed the vegetable drawer to go almost completely empty, and needed to feed seven folks for dinner with no time to shop. The weather is still cool here, so a warm, belly filling soup sounded right. I put a full pound of chickpeas in the pressure cooker, figuring that I could decide on a flavor profile closer to dinner time. Home cooked chickpeas are miles better than canned.

Watermelon Radish and Watercress Salad - Recipe

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Watermelon Radish and Watercress Salad

1 large watermelon radish, very thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil
4 handfuls fresh watercress, rinsed and dried
1 lemon
4 ripe fresh figs, halved
¼ cup pomegranate arils
16 shavings of Parmgiano-Reggiano or other hard aged cheese
12 toasted walnut halves
flaky sea salt

Arrange the slices of watermelon radish in a circle on 4 chlled plates. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
Toss the watercress with a bit of the olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Place a fluffy handful on each plate. This is the critical step to making the salad look nice – aim to make a tall, high mound in the center, don’t let it spread out.
Add two fig halves, a tablespoon of pomegranate arils, 4 shavings of gouda, and 3 toasted walnut halves to each plate. Serve immediately.

Ten-Minute Chickpea Salad with Feta and Basil - Recipe

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 07:15:00 +0000

This hearty salad was born out of desperation, when I arrived home at 5:30 and our annual block party potluck was due to start at 6:00. Two crazy kids meant that I would have to put something together fast, but I wasn’t about to settle for bland! Easy potluck recipes are a dime a dozen, but the challenge here was to deliver one with big flavors.

Cold Carrot Soup - Recipe

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Cold Carrot Soup

You’ve probably heard that Dr. Nathan Myhrvold, the CEO of Intellectual Ventures and former CTO of Microsoft, along with Chris Young, Maxime Billet, and a cast of dozens, is publishing the most anticipated cookbook since Apicius. (If not, here is the background.)

I’ve had the great good fortune to hear Dr. Myhrvold speak about the book on three separate occasions lately; first at the International Food Bloggers Conference, next when he visited my work at Adobe as a Distinguished Lecturer, and finally at a launch party at Tom Douglas’ Palace Ballroom. Amazingly, he’s managed to keep changing up the talk so that I’ve seen new stuff every time. I also got to have lunch with him during the Adobe visit. He’s a very down-to-earth, approachable, passionate, likable guy.

Three Days at Dirt Candy NYC

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 07:01:00 +0000

Amanda Cohen, chef of Dirt Candy in New York’s East Village

On Sundays, when Dirt Candy is closed, Chef Amanda Cohen rents the restaurant out to a group of World War II submarine veterans. They say it reminds them of old times, though they find it a little claustrophobic. She charges them by the square foot. The bill comes to $1.75.

Warm Fennel Salad with Pears and Candied Pumpkin Seeds - Recipe

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 07:02:00 +0000

Warm salads are a nice change of pace from the regular run of cool green salads, especially on a chilly evening. In this one, cooking the fennel makes the taste milder and sweeter, so even those folks who don't enjoy the anise flavor may like it.

I'm forever making variations of this candied pumpkin seed garnish. You might want to cook up a double batch, as they have a tendency to disappear if you leave them within reach. They make killer snacks for cocktails as well. Just remember that melted sugar gives wicked burns, so be careful getting them out of the skillet and allow to cool thoroughly before handling.

Middle Eastern Panzanella - Recipe

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 06:45:00 +0000

Panzanella is the classic Italian salad of slightly stale rustic bread, soaking up the juices of spectacular ripe summer tomatoes. It makes a great basis for improvisation. Here we use crispy toasted pita bread, mint, cilantro and sumac to give it a Middle Eastern spin, similar to Lebanese fattoush.

Sumac is a lovely, deep purple spice with a tangy taste. It is used throughout the Middle East as a final garnish, on everything from hummus to kebabs, as much for color as flavor. If you can’t find it, the salad will still be delicious.

Roasted Maitake Mushroom in Smoky Tea Broth - Recipe

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 07:30:00 +0000

Maitake mushrooms are very popular in Japan. In the US, they are known as Hen-of-the-woods (not to be confused with chicken-of-the-woods, which is completely different!). Maitakes are rather expensive and unique, so when I use them, I like to make them the focus of a dish.

If you have never had lapsang souchong tea, you are in for a treat. It is intensely smoky, unlike any other tea I’ve had. That smokiness makes a perfect broth base to show off the earthiness of roasted maitakes.

Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Pumpkin Seeds - Recipe

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 06:45:00 +0000

Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Pumpkin Seeds
Vegan and gluten-free / Serves 4-6 / 45 minutes

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 ribs celery, finely diced
2 leaves fresh sage, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ - 2 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ½” cubes
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup plain soymilk (or whole milk if you don’t need vegan)
1 cup raw green (hulled) pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons maple syrup
big pinch flaky sea salt
4 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1 orange

Put the olive oil In a pot that holds at least 2 quarts over medium heat. Saute the onion, celery, sage and a big pinch of Kosher salt until the vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute.
Add the acorn squash and ½ teaspoon Kosher salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the squash is lightly browned and mostly tender. Add the broth and soymilk, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until the squash is fully tender.
Meanwhile, put the pumpkin seeds and sugar in a small skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently, until starting to brown and the sugar is melted. Add the maple syrup and a pinch of flaky sea salt and stir and cook for 1 more minute. Scrape the seeds onto a silicone mat or parchment paper and allow to cool into clusters.
Put serving bowls in the oven to warm up. Remove the soup from the heat and very carefully and thoroughly puree with a blender (working in batches) or stick blender. Be sure you know how to safely puree hot, thick liquids, or allow it to cool first. Add a little more soymilk if needed to reach a nice soup texture. Strain through a fine sieve and return to pot over medium low heat to come back to serving temperature. Taste and adjust seasoning.
To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of the pomegranate molasses and a small handful of the pumpkin seed clusters, broken up if needed. Zest the orange directly over the soup so that the essential oils are released, allowing a few strands of zest to fall on each bowl. Finish with a few more grains of flaky sea salt and serve immediately.

Crostini with Truffled Cheese, Lentils Du Puy and Apples - Recipe

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 08:32:02 +0000

Crostini with Truffled Cheese, Lentils Du Puy and Apple

This was the first course of a little dinner party I threw together for some friends a few weeks ago. It is really easy to make, and you could easily prepare the lentils the day before and then just warm them up when you are ready to serve. The apples provide a sweet, fresh counterpoint to the earthy flavors of the truffle and lentils.

Crispy, Garlicky Smashed Potatoes with Gremolata - Recipe

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 07:02:00 +0000

A whole head of garlic.

This is one of those recipes you can become famous for with your friends and family. It is very easy to make, you just have to have the nerve to use a whole head of fresh garlic and plenty of good olive oil, and the patience to roast the potatoes until the skins crisp up. Check the oven frequently to make sure you aren’t burning the garlic.

Garlic Miso Broth - Recipe

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Every culture has a soup to which it attributes magical healing powers. I find this broth incredibly restorative when I’m coming back from a cold, or just want something quick and deeply warming. If you want to make it into some more substantial, add a few deep fried puffs of tofu (available at Asian groceries) or thinly sliced vegetables. Personally, I prefer the austere but fortifying broth.

Sephardic-Style Breaded Cauliflower in Lemony Tomato Sauce - Recipe

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:48:00 +0000

Sephardic-Style Breaded Cauliflower in Lemony Tomato Sauce

As I've mentioned before, I'm lucky enough to have married into a family of excellent cooks from the Sephardic Jewish tradition. This is another terrific dish I learned from Noni Sophie, my wife's grandmother.

It might sound crazy to bread something, fry it until it is crispy, and then "ruin" that crispiness by soaking it in tomato sauce. I think if you had told me about this and I'd never had it before, I'd have thought it was a bad idea. But it totally works. The result is savory and toothsome and altogether satisfying.

Chilled Tomato Buttermilk Soup - Recipe

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 06:45:00 +0000

If you have already made a batch of the Tomato Confit on , this refreshing soup is criminally easy to make. The concentrated tomatoes turn the buttermilk a beautiful pink color.

This soup lends itself to improvisation. You could make a vegan version using part vegan sour cream and part soy (rice, hemp, …) milk. A little bit of lemon zest added to the puree is great. You could garnish with cherry tomato halves or diced cucumber instead of additional confit, or use a different herb, such as tiny leaves of oregano or thyme.

Cucumber and Mango Salad with Sweet Chili Dressing - Recipe

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 07:18:00 +0000

Cucumber and Mango Salad with Sweet Chili Dressing

We always have Thai sweet chili sauce around the house. It is more sweet and tangy than spicy, but with just enough kick to add some interest. Sure, you could make it yourself, but the beauty is in having it in your refrigerator for those moments when you need to turn some basic ingredients into dinner in minutes. It can be glazed on tofu, used as a table condiment, or, like in this recipe, made into a quick salad dressing.

White Bean and Kale Soup - Recipe

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 06:00:00 +0000

White Bean and Kale Soup
Vegan option and gluten-free / Yields 10 cups, serves 6 / 20 minutes active (1 ½ hours total using pressure cooker)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for garnish
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 whole head garlic, peeled and minced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 parmesan rind or 3/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms or 2 tablespoons vegetarian broth powder (ok to use more than one)
2 cups dry white beans such as cannellini, rinsed and picked over
1 bunch dinosaur (lacinato) kale, stems stripped, cut in to ribbons and thoroughly washed
juice of 1 lemon

Pressure cooker method: In the pressure cooker base, but without pressure, heat the olive oil over a medium-high flame. Saute the onion, garlic, carrot and 1 teaspoon of salt until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add the bay leaves, rosemary, and your choice(s) of the parmesan rind, dried porcini, or broth powder. Add the dry beans and 7 cups of water. Bring up to high pressure and cook for 40 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the lid.
Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind (if using).
Add the kale and lemon juice and simmer for 10 minutes, until the kale is thoroughly tender. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve, garnished with a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Stove-top method: In a large pot, soak and cook the beans as usual, reserving 7 cups of the bean cooking liquid when finished. Saute the vegetables as above.
Add the bean broth, bay leaves, rosemary and your choice of the parmesan rind, dried porcini, or broth powder. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Add the beans and then do step 4 above.

No-Churn Chocolate Ice Cream - Experimental Recipe

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 07:00:00 +0000

No-churn chocolate ice-cream

I love my ice cream maker, but we have a problem. It is the type that doesn't have its own cooling system. Instead, you have to pre-freeze the bowl for 24 hours. I just don't have enough room to keep it in the freezer all the time, so in order to use it, I have to plan ahead, and that doesn't always happen.

Pozole Rojo de Frijol - Recipe

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Pozole is a soup or thin stew made all over Mexico, dating back to pre-Columbian times. Vegetarian pozole is almost a non-sequitur, because the original is heavy on the pig, but this version is delicious and filling so I don't think you will miss the meat. It makes a terrific one-pot meal on a cold day. The broth is mildly spicy and sour, which whets your appetite for the hearty beans and hominy corn.

Three Ways to Boost Your Confidence in the Kitchen

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 07:31:00 +0000

Basic knife grip

I’ve been cooking pretty seriously for 25 years now, and in the process I’ve had the opportunity to watch lots of other people in the kitchen. I’ve learned something from everyone I’ve ever cooked with, and also noticed certain patterns. The folks that are confident enough to relax and have fun in the kitchen have a degree of mastery over basic knife skills, know how to work with high heat, and are unafraid to salt their food until it tastes delicious.

Spicy Corn and Potato Stew - Recipe

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 08:00:00 +0000

If your New England corn chowder packed up and moved to New Mexico, it might turn into this spicy (but not too hot) stew. Plenty of garlic, chili powder, oregano and lime juice make this irresistible.

The recipe calls for New Mexico chile powder, which is a specific variety of pepper. I find that these individual spices have much more character than the generic chili powder mixtures. They are relatively easy to find at any grocery that has a supply of Mexican ingredients. Pick up the Mexican oregano while you are there too; it has a sweeter, more resinous flavor than the familiar European oreganos. In a pinch, you can use any kind of chili powder that you have available, or grind dried chiles of your choosing.

Black Bean Soup With Orange-Jalapeno Salsa - Recipe

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 06:15:00 +0000

I developed this black bean soup so that it will satisfy those who prefer mild dishes (including kids) as well as those of us who prefer a bolder spice. The main soup is very straightforward, and on the side, we have a bright and intense orange and jalapeno salsa. You can also pass grated cheddar cheese for those who would prefer to think of it as vegetarian chile.

Young Coconut Salad - Recipe

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Young Coconut Salad

Young coconuts are very different from the mature brown-husked specimens you may be familiar with. The edible interior flesh is tender, thin and custard-like, with the purest coconut flavor imaginable. Seek them out at Asian markets or in health-food stores that cater to raw foodists. Keep young coconuts refrigerated until just before serving.

I’m not generally a big fan of gimmicky bowls made from food, but in this case it makes perfect sense. The coconut flesh is so delicate that it is a pleasure to scrape it out with a spoon.

Caramel Apple Brioche French Toast - Dessert Recipe

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 07:06:00 +0000

Caramel Apple French Toast

The idea for this dessert actually goes all the way back to these cheddar-battered onion rings with a stout chocolate malt from over a year ago. I was reviewing that recipe for inclusion in the cookbook, and was reminded of the idea of serving it with a grilled apple slider on brioche French toast.

The dish you see above basically tastes the way I wanted it to, but the proportions and presentation need work to make it really resemble a burger. I'm hoping you don't mind me sharing a work in progress!

Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap) - Recipe

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Kimchi fried rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)

I've gone completely mad for kimchi. I find the heat, crunch and pickled and slightly fermented flavor addictive. Kimchi fried rice is my latest obsession.

Fried rice serves three beautiful purposes at once: it is a way to use up leftover rice and vegetables, it offers a change of pace from plain rice, and it is so quick to make that it is perfect for a late-night supper or dinner for one.

Buttermilk Spoonbread (Individual Corn Puddings) - Recipe

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 07:06:00 +0000

Spoonbread

If a French souffle moved to Georgia and married a pan of cornbread, their offspring would be this classic Southern spoonbread. Tender, creamy and dead-easy to make, you should have this in your repertoire when you want a side dish for a bowl of vegetarian chili or a mess of collard greens.

You can take this basic recipe and up the ante with more savory ingredients like caramelized onions, chilis or smoked paprika, or pass sorghum or maple syrup on the side to go sweet.

Vegetarian Gravy (Guess the Secret Ingredient!) - Recipe

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 07:05:00 +0000

Vegetarian Gravy

I don't go in for a lot of American-style comfort food, but who can resist a big plate of mashed potatoes and gravy? (Or biscuits and gravy, for that matter.) I always make this for Thanksgiving, but maybe for some of you folks this will be just in time for Christmas dinner.

I suppose the title of this post is misleading. There are actually two secret ingredients in my gravy: Marmite, and dried porcini mushrooms.

Pappardelle with Eggplant Ragu and Fresh Ricotta - Recipe

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 07:05:00 +0000

Pappardelle with Eggplant Ragu and Fresh Ricotta

Fresh pastas are most oftened paired with delicate sauces. The counterexample is a rich, flavorful ragu over wide noodles like pappardelle. Eggplant makes a terrific vegetarian ragu, accented by bell peppers and fresh ricotta. If you like, you can make this ragu pleasingly spicy by using Fresno peppers instead of red bells.

Baked Eggs with Chanterelles and Chard - Recipe

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 07:05:00 +0000

Chanterelle and Chard Baked Eggs

Baked egg dishes are ideal for brunches with friends, especially if you have munchkins that might not wait around patiently while you cook off 30 pancakes!

I hope it is still chanterelle season in your neck of the woods, as this is a delicious way to serve them. If not, you can substitute another wild mushroom of your choice, or even cultivated mushrooms. If the latter, just be sure to cook off all of the liquid.

Bunuelos (or Bimuelos) with Honey - Sephardic Hanukkah Donuts - Recipe and a Great New Donut Cookbook

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 07:38:00 +0000

Bunuelos (or Bimuelos) with Honey - Sephardic Hanukkah Donuts

When my friend Lara Ferroni sent me a review copy of her new book, Doughnuts: Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home, my kiddo and I spent a fun hour on the couch, leafing through and dog-earing the pages of all of the delicious desserts we want to make. When we were done, pretty much every page was bent!

Real Tabbouleh - Recipe

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 07:02:00 +0000

Real Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is one of those dishes that usually loses its identity when it crosses the oceans. In the Middle East, it is an herb salad with a little bit of bulghur wheat for texture. In the United States, it usually becomes a soggy bulghur salad with a sad speck of parsley for garnish.

The star ingredients in tabbouleh are the parsley and mint, seasoned with plenty of olive oil and lemon juice. The herbs need to be washed, scrupulously dried, and then finely minced. The easiest way to mince them is gather the leaves in a tight bunch and slice as thinly as possible, then go back and forth over them on the board with a rocking motion. In the picture above, they actually aren't minced quite finely enough; I should have gone a little farther.

Better Sesame Corn Muffins - Recipe

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 06:57:00 +0000

Sesame Corn Muffins

I posted the original version of these Sesame Corn Muffins a couple of years ago. When I came back to them today, I could see several opportunities to improve the recipe. Pre-toasting the sesame seeds, using buttermilk, not buttermilk powder, altering the ratio of cornmeal to all-purpose flour, and upping the salt all contribute to a better structure and more flavor.

Chanterelle Mushrooms with a Corn Sauce and Asian Pear Slaw - Recipe

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 07:17:00 +0000

Chanterelle Mushrooms, Corn Sauce, Asian Pear Slaw

I love chanterelles with corn, and I love corn with ginger. Using the transitive property of delicio-algebraics, I determined that I'd like chanterelles with ginger. Heck, why not all three together?

Grant Achatz has famously made a corn sauce in sheet form, by cooking pureed corn kernels until the natural starch thickens the juice, and then freezing it in a thin sheet, to be draped over your completed dish. I used the first part of this idea here, but skip the potentially hairy part of freezing the sauce and then trying to get it off of the wax paper. Instead, I just served the sauce directly. It has a lovely, velvety texture and an intense flavor of sweet corn accented with ginger.

Potato and Fennel Gratin - Recipe

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 07:06:00 +0000

Potato and fennel gratin

Nothing complicated here, just a rich, comforting potato gratin, tweaked with a bit of fennel. I don’t cook with cream often, but when I do I like to keep the flavors simple and clean so that the pure dairy sweetness comes through.

Homemade garlickly breadcrumbs make all of the difference. I save every stale bit of the artisan breads that we buy and make them into breadcrumbs. On the rare occasion that I don’t use them right away, they freeze beautifully. So feel free to make a larger batch than called for below! You can experiment with how finely you grind them to your own preference.

Figs and Ricotta - Recipe

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Figs with ricotta, honey and several little garnishes

I'm really enjoying this theme of using simple but fantastic ingredients and doing almost nothing to them. Much like the shaved summer squash salad of a few weeks ago, these perfectly ripe figs were spectacular with a bare minimum of manipulation. I think I would like to do a whole dinner party where every course followed this aesthetic.

MaSeCa Calendar Photo Shoot (Just For Fun)

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:52:06 +0000

A few weeks ago, out of the blue, Cristina from MaSeCa emailed me to see if I wanted to be in their 2011 calendar. I use MaSeCa’s masa harina a lot, for everything from tamales to pupusas, so I said yes figuring it would be good fun. So some day next year you might walk into a taqueria and see my smiling mug.

Margarita, Carlos and Martha visited me this morning as part of their 12 day trip around the country to shoot cooks and their food. It was really cool for me to see how Margarita styled my bocoles with spicy yams, and Carlos shot them. We had fun talking shop about photography too, and I learned a lot from how he approached the project. (Not to mention drooling over his tilt-shift lenses).

I'm Writing a Cookbook

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 07:05:00 +0000

I’ve been writing Herbivoracious for just over three years now. What started as a whim (and with the bravado of the utterly naive) has become a labor of love and a way to share my passion for great vegetarian food. It has allowed me to learn more about writing and photography, improve my cooking, and get to know incredible food people all over the world.

I’m so grateful for my readers. You have encouraged, critiqued, and supported me, and helped the site grow by sharing it with your friends.

Shaved Summer Squash Composed Salad - Recipe

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 07:10:00 +0000

Shaved Summer Squash Composed Salad

What if you picked the very best things from the last of your garden, or the farmer's market, and just barely manipulated them?

This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy produce at its peak. I thinly shaved the summer squash, cucumber and Parmigiano-Reggiano with a vegetable peeler, quickly blanched the carrots so their texture didn't overwhelm the other ingredients, and dressed everything with top-notch olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and Maldon (aka the world's greatest salt) . A few thyme leaves and chiffonade of a stray squash blossom sealed the deal.

Everyday Chef Contest - We Won Round 2! - Final Round Starting Now

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 08:30:22 +0000

Hey everybody! I just wanted to say thank you a million times over for all of your support in the Pacific Natural Foods Everyday Chef Contest. With your votes, my Enfrijoladas de Espinaca won round 2. It was really cool to see the recipes my fellow bloggers made, as well as all of the non-blogger entries. There were lots of delicious sounding dishes.

Pretzel Ice Cream - Yeah, You Heard Me, It Tastes Like Pretzels - Recipe

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Pretzel Ice Cream

My wife ordered vanilla ice cream with pretzel pieces mixed in, and caramel sauce on top, and was enraptured. It made perfect sense; we all know salt and caramel go great together. The pretzels provide the salt along with a beautiful crunch and that warm, toasted flavor.

So I thought, why not go one better? Let’s make the ice cream itself taste like pretzels. I remembered that Alex and Aki had made pumpernickel ice cream, so I was pretty sure it would be possible.

Enfrijoladas de Espinaca - Tortillas with Spinach in Black Bean Sauce - Recipe

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 00:10:00 +0000

Enfrijoladas de Espinaca - Tortillas with Spinach in Black Bean Sauce

This is my entry for the second Everyday Chef Challenge. Pacific Natural Foods invited me and four other bloggers to participate, and this time we were to use one of their creamy soups, and spinach.

Compressed Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad with Shiso Infused Sake - Two Modern Techniques You Can Easily Use in a Home Kitchen - Recipe

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Compressed Cantaloupe & Cucumber Salad with Shiso Infused Sake

Dave Arnold from the French Culinary Institute recently invented a technique for infusing just about anything (herbs, vegetables, chocolate, …) into booze, water or oil, using nothing fancier than a cream whipper. It is a genius idea because it takes two minutes, requires no special culinary talent, and produces beautifully clear, fresh, brightly flavored results.

Shiitake and Morel Ravioli in Brodo with Gremolata - Recipe

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Shiitake and Morel Ravioli in Brodo

Pacific Natural Foods invited me and four other bloggers to participate in their Everyday Chef Challenge. (The first challenge is over now, but I'd love to have your vote in the final round!)

I love mushroom broths, so when I heard this was a broth challenge, I knew immediately which Pacific Natural product I would choose. It has a bright, clear mushroom flavor, packed with umami. Using their broth as the base for my homemade ravioli en brodo (in broth) was a natural.

Vegetarian Indian Tacos - Recipe

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:02:00 +0000

Vegetarian Indian Tacos (on Navajo fry bread)

Navajo Fry Bread, and the Indian Tacos made with it, have a sad and storied past. They originated in Native American internment camps set up by the US government in the 1860s, as a way to use the very limited rations provided. Cynthia Detteric-Pineda has an excellent page with the details of that history and a recipe for the bread (which I’ve adapted slightly, below).

Island Style Sweet and Spicy Cabbage - Recipe

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:15:00 +0000

Island Style Sweet and Spicy Cabbage

More than 20 years ago, I lived in an odd little shared house in Oakland, and one of the other renters was a guy named John, from one of the Caribbean islands. Sad to say, I can't recall which island (possibly Barbados?), but I do remember that he moonlighted in a steel drum band, and we would often cook simple dinners together and hang out in his room watching Golden State Warriors games.

Ethiopian Ful Medames - Fava Beans with Berbere and Tasty Garnishes - Recipe

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 07:08:00 +0000

Ethiopian Ful Medames

Ful medames (pronounced fool mehdahmez) is one of my favorite foods. A big bowl of fava beans with lots of olive oil and garlic, it is eaten throughout the Middle East, mopping up with fresh pita. Filling, inexpensive, and nutritious. So imagine my joy a few years ago when I found out that one of our local Ethiopian restaurants (Cafe Selam, 2715 Cherry St., Seattle) was serving their national version of this dish, which is eaten for breakfast or an early lunch.

Grilled Pizza with Fingerling Potatoes, Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onions - Vegetarian Recipe

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 07:46:00 +0000

Grilled Pizza with Fingerling Potatoes, Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onions

I've been working on my grilled pizza technique for a few summers now, and I think I've finally hit on a system that works well. When I make one just right, it tastes very much like those coming out of the ovens at our traditional Neapolitan pizza joints here in Seattle (Tutta Bella, Via Tribunali), with a flavorful, slightly charred crust that is paper thin in the middle and a bit thicker and chewy at the edges.

Tomato and Beet Salad - Recipe

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:01:00 +0000

Tomato and Beet Salad with Feta and Mint

This is one of those dishes that is good out of all proportion to the difficulty of making it, which is virtually nil. It is totally dependent on using great tomatoes and olive oil, and home-cooked beets (don't even think about using canned). The only thing you need is enough foresight to boil the beets and have them cool in time for dinner, which you can easily do a day or two before.

A Funny Little Cheese Course - Recipe

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:45:00 +0000

This was just pure play. I wanted to see if I could do a cheese course that would look like cheesecake, but not be particularly sweet. I landed on a Laura Chenel chevre with a little salty crust and strawberry granita.

A cheese course, like an amuse bouche or a tapa is an opportunity to be a little less constrained, because you don’t need to make something that would be appropriate in an entree-sized portion. You can use bold flavors and surprising combinations without rapidly tiring the palate.

Savory Chickpea Cakes - Recipe

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 07:05:00 +0000

Chickpea cakes (fritters) with tomato jam

These little chickpea cakes are versatile; you can serve them as an appetizer, a side dish on an entree plate, or as the protein-packed star of the show. They are somewhat like a pan-fried falafel, but without the benefit of a deep-fried crust, so we amp up the internal flavoring. Try them with this tomato jam for a big flavor combination.

Tomato Jam With Rosemary and Saffron - Recipe

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:01:00 +0000

Tomato Jam With Rosemary and Saffron (on a Grilled Cheese Sandwich)

Tomato jam. Sounds kind of funny, right? But then when you think about it, a tomato is a fruit after all. Cook them down with sugar and seasonings and you get a piquant jam, though you might think of it more as a chutney.

Whatever you call it, this tomato jam is amazing on a grilled cheese with seriously sharp cheddar, or with the chickpea fritters I’ll tell you about next week.

Zucchini Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms - Recipe

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 07:02:00 +0000

Zucchini-stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

Zucchini blossoms are one of the most beautiful and delicate items of summer produce. You may find them still attached to tiny zucchini, or sold separately. Look around at farmer's markets to find beautiful specimens. They are expensive by the pound but they don't weigh much!

I learned a great way to keep zucchini blossoms for a day or so from the good folks at Alvarez Farms - put them in a plastic produce bag, blow it up like a balloon and tie it tight. This "airbag" will protect them from unwanted buffeting from the other denizens of your produce bin.

Spicy Nori Popcorn Seasoning - Recipe

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 04:05:00 +0000

Spicy nori furikake seasoning for popcorn

I apologize that it has been a little quiet here at the veg shed, and it probably will be hit and miss for the next few weeks, as family priorities and enjoying the summer take precedence over late night blogging sessions for a bit.

I think you'll enjoy this simple condiment for popcorn, whether you simply eat the heck out of it while watching Forbidden Planet or offering it on the side of a Japanese fusion veggie ceviche.

Tofu and Kimchi Dinner for One - Recipe

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 07:01:00 +0000

Tofu, kimchi and lots of garnish - dinner for one in no time flat

You could be eating this in less than ten minutes and using only one pot. We had one of those nights where the kids just needed to go to bed early (know how that goes?) and I ended up making this just for myself. It took me right back to my bachelor days, when I took a lot of pleasure in making a tasty dinner for one. Much of the joy in cooking is social, but when you are the only guest, you can take advantage of cooking exactly to your own taste.

Peppery Red Wine Capellini - Cooked By The Absorption Method - Recipe

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:30:08 +0000

Peppery pasta cooked by the absorption method

Cooking pasta by the absorption method instead of boiling in a gallon of salted water may seem fearful to those of us that grew up with noodle orthodoxy, but it actually works great and can be a big time saver. You don't have to wait for water to boil, and you don't necessarily have two pots to clean at the end, if you design your sauce and condiment to be built in with the pasta.

Mandu - Korean-Style Potstickers with Ssamjang / Kochujang Sauce - Recipe

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:02:00 +0000

Vegetarian Mandu (Korean potstickers)

I never grow tired of potstickers, but I thought it might be time to branch out from my standard recipe. My friend Hsiao-Ching had told me about about a sauce from the Momofuku cookbook involving kochujang, ssamjang (two standard Korean kitchen staples), oil, and sherry vinegar. So that put me onto the idea of Korean-style potstickers, and sure enough, there are many kinds.

Braised Baby Artichokes with Fennel and Cherry Tomatoes - Recipe

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:01:00 +0000

Braised baby artichokes with fennel and cherry tomatoes

Baby artichokes love, love, love to be braised. It gives them the opportunity to develop multiple levels of flavor: the browned flavors from an initial sear, the mellow sweetness of the tender artichoke heart, and slow infusion with aromatics.

Artichokes are mostly associated with Mediterranean flavors, and I didn't see any reason to swim against that tide here. Fennel, cherry tomatoes, rosemary, garlic, lemon and white wine all fit right into that profile. You could happily add black or green olives or lemon zest or Parmigiano-Reggiano (if it doesn't need to be vegan). Peas or fresh fava beans could replace or augment the fennel. The tomatoes break down just a little bit to help flavor the sauce.

Interview with Mark Bitterman, Leading Expert on Culinary Salts

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:00:00 +0000

So many great finishing salts to try!

I've been fascinated with the wide variety of salts available for cooking and especially finishing your dishes for years. After I wrote about the importance of salt, I learned of The Meadow, a shop in Portland, Oregon that carries a large and beautifully curated selection. I visited their brick & mortar store a few months ago and came home with some incredible items.

Spicy and Seedy Indian Potatoes - Recipe

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:00:00 +0000

Spicy and Seedy Indian Potatoes

Indian food as served in American restaurants is so driven by saucy curries that we miss out on all of the delicious dry-fried spicy vegetables. This version below, with potatoes, might not be precisely traditional in either flavors or technique, but it is delicious and you could easily serve it with any Indian meal.

The reason my potatoes are such an interesting color is I used All-Reds, which are pink all the way through. My wife kept saying they looked like ham! You can use any small, waxy or medium-waxy potatoes, or a mix. Yukon Golds would be great and easy to find.

Crisp Polenta Cakes with Braised Cabbage and Beans - Recipe

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 07:06:00 +0000

Crisp Polenta with Braised Cabbage and Beans

Cabbage doesn’t get enough respect in America. True, if it is boiled to death, it produces some of the worst sulfurous smells imaginable. I lived upstairs from the craziest, meanest, nicest old woman in Milwaukee (RIP, Angie!), and you could tell when she was cooking cabbage from a mile away. But slowly braised with a little acid and it becomes superbly flavorful and tender.

How to Plan a Vegetarian Meal by Answering Three Easy Questions

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 07:01:00 +0000

As a vegetarian, one of the things I hear all the time is “I’d like to eat less meat, but I just don’t know how to plan a vegetarian meal.” Without the familiar routine of building a plate with meat at the center, many perfectly competent cooks find themselves at a loss for how to make a dinner that will be truly satisfying.

I’ve been a vegetarian and a serious cook for 25 years, so I’ve planned and prepared several thousand such meals. It may seem like it requires great creativity, but actually the secret couldn’t be simpler. I’ll show you how to do it by answering three easy questions. Better yet, you can start with any of the questions, and it will help inspire and narrow down answers to the others.

(Cooked) Carrot and Radish Salad - Recipe

Tue, 25 May 2010 23:28:14 +0000

Salad with Cooked Baby Carrots and Sliced Radishes in a Ginger-Lime Dressing

It is still early season at our farmer’s markets in the Northwest. The booths aren’t full yet, but I enjoy the challenge of figuring out what to make with a limited palette. Small, super-sweet carrots and radishes in every color are two of the items that caught my eye this week.

The Newlywed Kitchen - Book Review with a Recipe for Zucchini Fritters

Mon, 24 May 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Zucchini fritters from The Newlywed Kitchen

I love a cookbook that has a unique point of view, and Lorna Yee and Ali Basye's Newlywed Kitchen: Delicious Meals for Couples Cooking Together has that in spades. They have created a beautiful, charming book for couples just starting out in marriage to explore cooking together. You'd be crazy not to give it as a shower gift to every couple you know who is getting married this summer.

Fresh Fettuccine with Broccoli Raab in a Lemony Tomato Sauce - Recipe

Thu, 20 May 2010 07:01:00 +0000

Fresh fettucini, broccoli raab, light tomato sauce with white wine and lemon

From May through October, we have a farmer's market on my day off, just a couple of blocks from my house. Our regular ritual is to swing by in the afternoon, select what looks great, then walk home and figure out what to cook with our bounty.

If I don't have another plan, I'll often pick up a pound of fresh pasta from one of the vendors to serve as the base for improvisation. There was beautiful broccoli raab, and that got me thinking of a Sicilian style dish I'd had at Odd Fellows Cafe, with pine nuts and golden raisins. That wouldn't work for my family, but the buttery, light tomato sauce would be a hit.

Potato Salad with Feta Cream Dressing - Recipe

Tue, 18 May 2010 06:55:00 +0000

Potato Salad with Feta Cream Dressing

We have an annual Mother's day brunch with the Sephardic side of my wife's family, which while not quite the fress of Passover or Rosh Hashanah, always includes lots of big flavors. I wanted to make a potato salad that wouldn't be cowering in the corner, afraid of being bullied by the borekas and boyikos.

Persian Crispy Rice - Chelo with Tahdig - Recipe

Mon, 17 May 2010 06:57:28 +0000

Persian rice pilaf with a crispy crust - chelo with tahdig

Just about every culture that cooks rice has a crispy variation, whether it is the beloved crust on the bottom of the Spanish paella, fried rice in Chinese cuisine, or Indian bhel puri (a snack of crispy puffed rice, potatoes and chutney). For Persians, the basic basmati rice pilaf with a crust is called chelo, and the crust itself is tahdig.

Persian-Italian Eggplant Stew - Recipe (Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Tue, 11 May 2010 07:01:00 +0000

Persian-Italian Eggplant Stew

Yes, I said Persian-Italian. Bear with me here for a second. I was looking for some sort of moist eggplant dish to serve with Persian rice (a wonderful basmati pilaf with a crunchy crust; I’ll tell you about that soon). I came across several recipes for a Persian dish named Fesenjan-e Bademjan, which is eggplant braised in a sauce of walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and honey.

EatYourBooks.com and GobbledyBook.com - Two Sites for Indexing Your Cookbooks

Mon, 10 May 2010 09:32:56 +0000

I wanted to let you know about a service I just learned about. EatYourBooks.com has a very clever idea. You have a shelf full of dozens or hundreds of cookbooks, right? But it is a pain in the butt to find all the eggplant recipes in them. So you use the web instead and end up with a bunch of dubious recipes. (Unless you find them on my site; then you know they are solid gold, baby :).

Grapefruit and Avocado Crudo

Fri, 07 May 2010 20:19:39 +0000

Grapefruit crudo, avocado, chervil and capers - this isn’t tuna!

I was goofing around with cutting citrus fruits into cubes the other day, and the red grapefruit looked so much like tuna. Not that I eat tuna, but of course I see other people eat it at sushi restaurants. I tried slicing it vertically into slabs instead, which was also beautiful. You could take this concept in a sashimi direction, but I opted for crudo instead - a.k.a. Italian sashimi. The avocado makes a perfect complement, adding that rich, contrasting mouthfeel to offset the bite of the grapefruit.

Avocado, Grapefruit, Mango, Yuzu, Cilantro

Fri, 07 May 2010 20:08:30 +0000

Avocado with grapefruit tartare

Apparently these are among my favorite ingredients for late-night culinary experiments, probably because there is so much that can be done with them raw. By playing with different cuts, you can achieve suprising and pleasing textures. The flavors are so automatically compatible, it is hard to do anything wrong.

This would work great as an appetizer before either a Latin or Asian meal.

Risotto Cake with Crispy Ramps - Recipe

Thu, 06 May 2010 06:46:00 +0000

Risotto cake with crispy ramps and a fried egg

Ramps are one of the classic spring foods, along with asparagus, morels, fiddlehead ferns and eggs. If you haven't had ramps, they look a lot like scallions that grew are a big green leaf on top, and indeed they are in the allium family. They have an intense garlicky aroma and flavor that inspires passionate devotees. Throughout Appalachia, small towns host ramp festivals where they crown Ramp Queens and hold contests to see who can eat the most of these pungent treats.

Grilled Tofu and Pepper Vegetarian Tacos - Recipe

Mon, 03 May 2010 07:05:00 +0000

Vegetarian tacos filled with grilled tofu and peppers, flavored with achiote

The secret to delicious Mexican vegetarian food (or vegan, for that matter) is to amp up the flavors and use lots of contrasting textures. These vegetarian tacos have that serious street food flavor, filled with grilled tofu and sauteed peppers, all basted with tangy achiote. They are meant to be just two or three bites. Pick ’em up, lean over your plate, and get on in there or you’ll be wearing some very tasty juices.

Grilled Pineapple Salsa - Recipe

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:05:39 +0000

Grilled pineapple salsa

I like this salsa for its bright flavors and simplicity - just a few ingredients, and you can throw it together in a few minutes of active time. I served it with tacos that I'll cover it my next post, but it could work well in a Southeast Asian context too, especially if you added lemongrass and/or ginger. It is plenty tasty to polish off with a bag of chips at midnight too; if there was a security camera in my kitchen, I could prove it.

What I Learned Staging at Canlis

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 07:18:00 +0000

I just finished up a two week stint as a stage (intern) at Canlis, Seattle’s landmark fine dining restaurant. Chef Franey was incredibly generous to let me spend time in his kitchen; Patrick, Stacy and Jin showed me the ropes on garde manger, and every single person including third-generation owners Brian and Mark Canlis, the sous chefs, cooks, pastry chefs, captains and servers, food runners and dishwashers were kind, fun, professional and just altogether great to spend time with.

Asparagus With Nori Butter - Recipe

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:23:59 +0000

Asparagus with nori butter

I’m in the middle of a two-week stage at Canlis, a terrific fine-dining restaurant in Seattle. One of the many delicious items on Chef Franey’s menu is an asparagus with sauce gribiche. At Canlis we use much more classical French technique than I typically apply in my home cooking. I thought I would apply some of those ideas towards this asparagus with nori butter, though of course the level of refinement is not as high as what we serve at the restaurant.

Spanish Lentils and Mushrooms - Recipe

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:10:50 +0000

Spanish Lentils and Mushrooms

Have you ever noticed how mushrooms cut thickly and browned are a completely different experience to eat than when sliced thin and sauteed as normal? Instead of cooking all of the water out of them, the surface simply gets seared and the interior retains a chewy texture. Delicious.

For today's dish, I paired those mushrooms with French green lentils, seasoned with olive oil, sherry vinegar and smoked paprika for a Spanish accent. You can use lentils de puy, or the black Beluga lentils as well. Just don't use standard big green or brown lentils. They will turn to mush.

Vegetarian Jap Chae - A Guest Recipe by Alice of Savory Sweet Life

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:44:26 +0000

Vegetarian Jap Chae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir-Fry)

When a friend and well respected blogger like Michael Natkin invites you to guest post for his amazing food blog, it’s a big deal and great honor. When I first started Savory Sweet Life, Herbivoracious.com was one of the first blogs I frequently visited for inspiration, beautiful photos, and amazing vegetarian recipes. Since then we’ve become friends. Today, I am thrilled to share with you a vegetarian version of Korean jap chae, a very popular stir-fried noodle dish.

Chopped Salad - Revisiting A Classic Recipe

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Chopped salad, ready to be dressed and tossed

Chopped salad is just exactly what it sounds like: a salad whose ingredients have all been cut down to a fairly uniform size, around 1/2" cubes. It works well as a side dish and it shines as one of the all time great entree salads when you want a lighter meal. It is easy to eat because the diner doesn’t have to take anything apart with a knife, which makes it particularly good for a dinner party.

Mining The Archives - Deliciousness You Might Have Missed

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:31:00 +0000

I'm got some commitments that will keep me from posting as many new recipes as usual for the next couple of weeks. I've been writing Herbivoracious for nearly three years now, and we've got lots of readers that weren't around in the early days. So I thought I'd feature a couple of delicious older posts that you might have missed.

Sabich is an Iraqi-Jewish sandwich with grilled eggplant, hardboiled eggs and lots of interesting condiments; if you can't get it at your local Middle Eastern restaurant, you can make it at home.

Avocado, Grapefruit, Mango, Yuzu, Cilantro

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Avocado with grapefruit tartare

This would work great as an appetizer before either a Latin or Asian meal.

Gomashio - Japanese Sesame Seed and Salt Condiment - Recipe

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 06:55:00 +0000

Brown rice with broccoli and gomashio, hoisin glazed tofu; in the back, a suribachi

I first learned about gomashio when my Mom was on a macrobiotic diet. The diet never stuck with me, but gomashio is simple and delicious whether or not it has any special healing powers.

What is gomashio (also spelled gomasio)? Simply toasted unhulled sesame seeds ground with sea salt in about a 10:1 ratio. It is typically used as a table condiment though there is no reason the cook can't apply it as a garnish as well.

Pupusas De Queso - Salvadoran Cheese-Filled Tortillas - Recipe

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:05:00 +0000

Pupusas de queso

Pupusas are El Salvador’s best known national delicacy. The concept is simple, just corn masa with a savory filling and flattened into a thick disc, then baked on a lightly-greased griddle or in a cast-iron skillet. Essentially like a quesadilla, though there is something different about the taste when the filling is cooked at the same time as the dough instead of in a second pass. They are also quite similar to the arepas of South America.

Chermoula - The Most Delicious Sauce You've Never Tasted - Recipe

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Chermoula sauce (served on a vegetable tagine and couscous)

I hereby nominate chermoula as the "it" sauce for 2010. (I'm pretty sure last year it was chimichurri, and of course we all remember the pesto riots of 1986, and aioli threatening to flood Central Park in 2001.)

Chermoula is typically used as a marinade for fish in its North African home territory, but it can also be used as a stuffing or sauce. I served it with a simple harissa-spiked tagine of butternut squash and potatoes with chickpeas, over fluffy couscous.

One-Bowl Banana Muffins - Great For Baking With Kids - Recipe

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:55:00 +0000

One-Bowl Banana Muffins

I wasn't planning to write a post about these banana muffins. They were just something me and the kiddos were whipping up on a Saturday morning. Pretty much every food blogger and their Great Aunt Estelle has published a banana muffin recipe, so why would I? Two reasons: (1) they were unusually delicious (B) I worked out a way to make them in a single bowl, which cuts down the mess and makes it easier with munchkins.

SuperFrico Grilled Cheese Sandwich - Recipe

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:54:00 +0000

The SuperFrico - a grilled cheese sandwich with a built-in cheese crisp

Every knows the best part of a grilled cheese sandwich (lasagna, gratin, mac & cheese, ...) are the bits where the cheese gets brown and crispy. So one night I says to myself, why can't there be more crispy? What happens if I just make a frico (cheese crisp) right there in the skillet and weld it to my already delicious grilled cheese? Would this not be a fine extension of an already superb late supper?

Best Kosher for Passover Wines

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:47:57 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to taste several kosher-for-Passover wines with a small group of wine enthusiasts at an event hosted by editor Joel Magalnick and Publisher Karen Chachkes of JTNews, Washington State’s Jewish newspaper. Nine wines were poured by Michael Friend of Royal Wine Corporation, the world’s largest producer and importer of kosher wines.

It was quite clear that kosher wine has moved far beyond the sickly sweet bottle of Manischewitz. I liked some of the offerings better than others, but all of them were right in line with similar non-kosher bottles at comparable price points. For a comprehensive overview, I recommend Rogov’s Guide to Kosher Wines.

I’ll share my brief tasting notes here, and you should click over to JTNews for more in-depth analysis.

White wines:

Segal’s Chardonay/Columbard Fusion (Israel, $13.99) - crisp, acidic, not a lot of fruit. More tannic and bitter than I prefer.

Herzog Special Reserve Russian River Chardonnay 2007 (California, $34) - my favorite of the whites. Balanced, complex, with rounded tannins and a long finish.

Barkan Classic Sauvignon Blanc (Israel, $11.99) - tingly, crisp, buttery and well balanced with mango/tropical fruit flavors. The best value of the whites.

Red wines:

Binyamina Yogev Cabernet/Merlot (Israel, 13.99) - cherry on the nose, rather tannic and harsh, not much fruit on the palate. Unbalanced.

Segal’s Specia Reserve Merlot (Israel) - funky smell, too acidic for me.

Elvi Wines Classico (Spain, $12.49) - a distinct aroma of black olives, straightforward and enjoyable. My pick for best value in the reds.

Goose Bay Pinot Noir (New Zealand, $23.99) - it was an interesting sensation to switch to Pinot Noir after these darker, heavier wines. This one had a very specific aroma of sesame oil to me, which I found appealing.

Baron Rothschild Malbec (Argentina, $24.99) - probably the world’s only kosher Malbec. Young and aggressive. It reminded me of a teenager full of energy, but with some toasted notes as well. A young wine like this benefits from a good wine decanter. Enjoyable, probably my favorite of the reds.

Herzog Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Alexander Valley, California, $42) - the most expensive bottle we tasted, and the reason for that showed up in the complexity of black cherry and vanilla flavors. This is a powerful wine at 14% alcohol. A wine aerator can help open up wines like these, and a quality corkscrew is essential for any tasting.

Using Dry Ice to Carry Scent - A Culinary Fog

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:55:00 +0000

Lapsang souchong fog

It is a popular device in modern restaurants to serve clouds of perfumed smoke as a way to enhance a dish, adding another layer of sensory experience. Smoke can be produced with a small smoking gun, or expensive paraphenalia, and served to the diner along with the rest of the food under an enclosure. Alinea fills plastic bags with the smoke, wraps them in beautiful pillowcases, punctures them with a pin, and rests the plate on top.

Vegetarian Potstickers (Gyoza) - Recipe

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:03:00 +0000

Vegetarian potstickers (aka gyoza)

The first rule of potstickers is that you can never make enough potstickers. At least in my family, we fight over the last few like seagulls over a spilled bag of kettle corn.

If you haven't had them, potstickers are Chinese or Japanese pan-fried dumplings with a savory filling, dipped in a soy, vinegar and sesame oil sauce. What is not to like? Plan on making a minimum of 4 per person as an appetizer, but really you could make a whole meal of a big plate of potstickers along with a salad or two and a beer and I bet you wouldn't get any complaints.

An Honor, a Favor, and a Freebie (Win a Digital Kitchen Scale)

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000

I woke up yesterday to find out that Herbivoracious had been nominated by Saveur Magazine as one of six finalists in the Best Special Interest Blog category of their Best Food Blog Awards. I'm totally thrilled by that recognition, because I think Saveur presents some of the most interesting and authentic food writing and recipes out there, not to mention amazing photography.

Spicy Mango Salad with Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese Spice Mixture) - Recipe

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:48:00 +0000

Spicy Mango Salad with Shichimi Togarashi

The seasoning for this mango salad was inspired by shichimi togarashi (or the very similar nanami togarashi), a spicy Japanese condiment of ground chili peppers with orange peel, sesame seed and other spices. I've always bought premade togarashi, but then it occurred to me that I could make my own for more control and fresher flavor.

Thai Tofu Salad (Yam Taohu) - Recipe

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Thai tofu salad (yam taohu)

Thai salads (yam) are tremendously refreshing, full of the bright flavors of herbs, citrus and chili peppers, balanced with salt and sweetness from either fruit or palm sugar. They are great with a beer, or as part of a complete meal with rice and a curry or noodle dish.

The traditional way to eat these salads is to use Thai sticky rice to pick them up, or wrap them in lettuce or cabbage leaves.

Eggplant in Kaffir-Lime Scented Coconut Milk Curry - Recipe

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:02:00 +0000

Eggplant in a kaffir-lime scented coconut-milk curry

Today's dish is a coconut milk-based curry, with some, but not all of the same ingredients you would find in a typical Thai green curry. I planned to serve it with two other quite spicy dishes (stay tuned, or join our new Facebook fan page for a hint), so I wanted this dish to be mild but very aromatic.

Portland Pod People - A Food Cart Revolution

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 07:10:00 +0000

I’ve written previously about how Seattle is experiencing a resurgence of food carts. They have taken our culinary scene by storm, cooking up everything from Korean-Hawaiian tacos to poutine. What I didn’t understand until now is that comparing our food cart scene with Portland’s is like comparing a takeover of the middle-school student council with the French revolution.

While Seattle has slowly come around to allowing street food vendors under somewhat onerous regulations, Portland has been nurturing this scene for years, with a huge and obvious benefit to civic life. I’m hoping every city in America wakes up and takes notice.

Chard with Berbere - A Simple & Spicy Ethiopian-Style Side Dish - Recipe

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 07:13:24 +0000

Swiss chard cooked with berbere

Berbere, the quintessential Ethiopian spice mixture, is great to have in your pantry, because it can add complex spice and heat to any basic preparation of vegetables. Depending on the cook, in addition to the chiles it is likely to have ginger, cloves, coriander, allspice, and less familiar flavors like long pepper, ajwain, and rue and more. If you don't have ready access to and Ethiopian grocery, you can make your own or buy berbere on Amazon.

Mesir Wat - Ethiopian Red Lentils - Recipe

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:55:00 +0000

Mesir wat - Ethiopian red lentil puree

I’ve loved Ethiopian food for years. The cuisine is very vegetarian friendly, with many dishes based on lentils, and various vegetable stews, all served with copious quantities of injera - a delicious, slightly sour and spongy flatbread which serves as both plate and eating utensil.

For some reason, while I cook food from all over the world, I’ve never made a lot of Ethiopian food at home. This clearly needed to change, especially given that Seattle has the good fortune to be home to a large Ethiopian community, with excellent restaurants and groceries, many within blocks of my house.

Things That Go Crunch In The Night - Making Your Food Pop, Part 4

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:55:00 +0000

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Two cans of Pringles later, my studio was in ruins

"Crunch is so universally appreciated that whenever I finish a recipe, I ask myself, 'Is there any way to add a little more crunch?' Often it makes the difference between a dish that is merely good and one that is miraculous. In short, if in doubt, crunch it." - Chef Michel Richard, Happy in the Kitchen

Read the Series

I couldn't agree more with Chef Richard. Properly crispy latkes, the well-browned cheese atop lasagna, a simple but crispy corn quesadilla, or good homemade breadcrumbs on a rich gratin are great favorites of mine.

Nuevo León Style Tamales, Adapted to be Vegetarian - Recipe

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:55:00 +0000

Vegetarian tamales with a red chile portabella filling

Tamales have got to be one of my favorite things to make and eat. Sure, they are a bit of a production. Traditionally, you would have a group of friends and family for a tamale party (tamalada), working together to make a happy assembly line (with plenty of cervezas). So far, I've mostly made them myself. My kiddo was enthusiastic but unfortunately got frustrated when it required a little precision in the spreading of the masa and fillings. Lesson learned: I should have encouraged her to just make a few as best she could!

Roasted Cauliflower and White Bean Salad with Orange Olive Oil Dressing - Recipe

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:30:00 +0000

Roasted cauliflower salad with white beans

Roasted cauliflower is a staple side-dish in my house. We all love that caramelized flavor. And because cauliflower keeps quite well in the refrigerator, it works well with our lifestyle. We don't always know how many times in a given week we're going to get to prepare a full meal.

Simply roasting the cauliflower with olive oil and salt is terrific. But there is no limit to the ways you can dress it up with minimal additional effort. The active preparation time is no more than 10 or 15 minutes. Today's version with white beans turns it into a rather hearty salad.

When It All Goes Wrong - Making Your Food Pop Part 5

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:05:00 +0000

Amuse bouche of avocado, kumquat, green onion, jalapeno, mint

So I came home with some kumquats, and, in the mood to just play with a fun ingredient, set about creating an amuse bouche. I never meant it to be part of this series, but that's how it worked out.

Read the Series

If you aren't familiar with them, an amuse is just what it sounds like - a single bite meant to amuse the palate before a meal commences in earnest. They are one of my favorite forms to experiment with because there is room for great creativity when you aren't constrained to make something you would want a big portion of. The flavors can be bolder, richer or more unusual.

Stringozzi (or linguini) con funghi - Simple pasta with mushrooms - Recipe

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 07:05:00 +0000

Stringozzi con funghi (pasta with mushrooms)

Living in Seattle, we get some of the best wild mushrooms in the country at our markets, often within hours of being foraged. The bounty of morels, chanterelles, porcini, maitake, and dozens of other varieties is astonishing. Sometimes I forget how delicious cultivated button mushrooms can be.

This bag of beautiful stringozzi (a thick, square-profiled noodle) came from ChefShop.com. Owner Tim Mar sources them from Etruria, a boutique importer of foods from Umbria. Tim gave me a heads up that this pasta is unusually filling, and he was quite right. A 1/2 kilo (17.6 oz) bag would serve 6 hungry adults. (Full disclosure: ChefShop has occasionally given me sample products and I earn a small amount from sales when you click through my links.)

Spare The Fat, Spoil The Flavor - Making Your Food Pop, Part 3

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 07:05:00 +0000

Superb EVOO infused with Mandarin from ChefShop.com

I'm not the first person to observe that Americans have a crazy, conflicted relationship to fat. We love it, and eat far more of it than probably just about any other country in the world. God knows we have the obesity epidemic to show for it. At the same time, we fear it mightily, speaking in terms like sin and indulgence as if there were a higher power monitoring our every fat gram.

Brussels Sprout Gratin - With Heretical Technique - Recipe

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 06:59:00 +0000

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

Brussels sprouts are such a trendy ingredient, and we've all learned how terrific they are roasted or sauteed at high heat until caramelized and nutty-tasting. Still, sometimes it is good to look back to a more traditional technique. Dare I say it: French technique. Enter the gratin.

A gratin is basically anything (usually a vegetable) baked in a shallow dish, often with cream, until the top is crispy. Essentially the forerunner of the great American casserole, but with fewer ingredients and a little more attention to detail. With Brussels sprouts, the gratin treatment brings out their gentle, sweet side.

Anti-griddle Pudding Pop, Bruleed Mango, Black Sesame Tuile - Recipe

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 06:58:00 +0000

Anti-griddle Pudding Pop, Bruleed Mango, Black Sesame Tuile

This was my dish for the MasterChef auditions that took Seattle by storm last weekend. I guess it must have been ok, it earned me a callback for a second round interview. There were no cooking facilities for the audition, so the judges made allowances if your food was intended to be served hot.

Still I figured I'd work with those restrictions instead of against them by making dessert that would allow me to do some last minute cooking with my own tools. I bruleed the mango with a torch and made the pudding pop (chocolate, filled with dulce de leche, sea salt, and a drop of toasted sesame oil) on a homebrew anti-griddle.

The Value of Acid - Making Your Food Pop, Part 2

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:55:00 +0000

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Mandarin orange supremes - a delicious way to add sourness

When cooks talk about “acidity”, what they mean is simply sourness. Scientifically, they are the same thing. The sour taste buds fire when an acid meets water and releases hydrogen ions in your mouth. End of chemistry class.

Read the Series

At least in America, acidity is a quality frequently missing from home-cooked meals, especially in what we think of as comfort food.

I’m not speaking here of the cases where acid is needed for a technical purpose, like preventing the browning of peeled artichokes, or reacting with baking soda in a pancake batter. I’m talking about sour flavors, which have a place in almost any dish. Why?

Tiny Eggplant and Okra in Lime-Scented Tamarind Sauce - Recipe

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 06:54:00 +0000

Tiny eggplant, rubbed with spices and ready to roast

I didn't have a definite plan when I picked up these gorgeous little eggplants, I just knew they had to come home with me. I ended up rubbing them with spices and roasting, then serving them in a sweet-tart tamarind curry. Later I realized that I'd made a little joke - they were kind of a spin on Son-In-Law Eggs, only with egg-sized eggplants.

Salt, Acid, Fat, Crunch - Making Your Food Pop, Part 1

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 06:55:00 +0000

Flaky Maldon (aka the world’s greatest sea salt), my personal favorite

Ask a professional chef to taste and evaluate a dish, and odds are that if they think it needs something, that something will be salt, acid, fat, or crunch.

Read the Series

Why? Because these are fundamental elements that make food pop. They aren't going to turn undercooked eggplant into a silk purse, but if you give these actors a solid basic dish to work with, they can transform it into a knockout. I never develop a new recipe without at least considering how I have them in play. You could make it your culinary New Year's resolution to do the same.

Today, we’ll take a look at salt, and over the next few weeks, I’ll complete the series with acid, fat and crunch.

Creamy Grits with Crispy Leeks, Leek Jus, and Cilantro-Epazote Pesto - Recipe

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 06:41:00 +0000

Creamy Grits with Crispy Leeks, Leek Jus, and Cilantro-Epazote Pesto

Breakfast for dinner doesn't have to be just pancakes or eggs and toast. I grew up in the South, and was always appalled to watch folks mix together waffles, bacon, maple syrup and everything else on their plate. Thirty years later, I think that mixing sweet, savory and salty flavors is pure genius.

The Wrath of Grapes; Grape Expectations; You Ungrapeful Bastard

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:48:00 +0000

Grapes four ways

Never stop playing with your food! This is one of my favorite kitchen creativity games. Take a single ingredient, and cut it as many ways as you can think of, then observe the way the cuts and textures change your perception. Then take it a step further and let those new perceptions suggest simple flavor pairings.

These enormous, nearly black seedless grapes gave me all sorts of ideas.

Black Bean Soup Recipe - With Mild and Intense Variations

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:55:00 +0000

Black bean soup with orange-jalapeno salsa

Years ago I used to make a (supposedly Cuban) black bean soup that included a fair amount of orange juice. I have no idea how authentic that is; I think the recipe came from the Moosewood cookbook so it may well have been hippified. As far as I can remember, it tasted pretty good.

I was struck by the urge to make that soup again, but I knew that flavor profile wasn't going to work for the rest of my family. So I decided to make a straight-ahead bean soup with mild but complementary flavors that everyone would like, and then offer a very flavorful orange and jalapeno salsa for those who wanted it. You could also offer grated cheddar for those who would prefer to think of it as vegetarian chili.

Gateau de Crepes with Chocolate Pastry Cream and Dulce De Leche - Recipes

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:47:00 +0000

Gâteau de crêpes with chocolate pastry cream and dulce de leche

Sometimes I read a recipe and it burrows into a corner of my brain, gathers twigs and moss, builds a little nest, and refuses to move out until I make it. That was the case with this Gâteau de Crêpes from Amanda Hesser in the New York Times magazine back in 2005. The idea is simple enough: twenty layers of crepes filled with whip-cream lightened pastry cream, finished with a layer of bruleed sugar.

Caramelized Caulifower Frittata - Recipe

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:45:00 +0000

Caramelized Cauliflower Frittata

Cauliflower has a split personality. Boiled or steamed, it is kind of cabbagey, bland and slightly bitter. But roasted or sauteed until it has lots of dark brown caramelized spots all over, it becomes luscious and savory and altogether craveable. Deep fried, it is so good that my wife and I drove half way across LA in rush hour traffic just to get a second helping.

Arroz a la Mexicana (aka Arroz Mexicano, Arroz Rojo, Spanish Rice) - Mexican Tomato Rice - Recipe

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:51:00 +0000

Arroz a la Mexicana (or Arroz Mexicano, Arroz Rojo, Spanish Rice)

Arroz a la Mexicana (also known as Arroz Mexicano or Arroz Rojo) is the tomato-flavored rice that is commonly served with just about every Mexican meal in this country, and quite frequently in Mexico as well. It is also known as Spanish Rice, though I suspect that is more of a 1950s era American misnomer.

Vegetarian Ceviche - Recipe

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:45:00 +0000

Vegetarian ceviche

Traditional ceviche is raw or lightly cooked fish and shellfish, marinated in citrus juices. Variations of it are served throughout Latin America. Each country has its own special twists on the ingredients, sauce, or crispy accompaniments.

Obviously it isn't the same thing, but you can absolutely make a vegetarian dish that capitalizes on some of those pleasures. If you think in terms of a composed salad, include some tropical and spicy elements, and use a dressing of citrus with no oil, there is lots of room to play. I included oyster mushrooms and (sustainably harvested) hearts of palm as somewhat humorous references to seafood - the oyster mushrooms by name and the palm by shape.

Video From My Thanksgiving Webcast on Allrecipes

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:44:33 +0000

Allrecipes.com invited me to participate in their Thanksgiving webcast marathon last week. If you'd like to see the video, click on video below, wait for the player to switch from an 11 second clip to a long clip, then jump to 27 minutes in. Be patient, it takes a minute to start playing after you make the jump out to 27 minutes. Not exactly a polished performance, but I had a ball doing it! Here is the printed recipe orzo stuffed delicata squash.

Aji Amarillo Hot Sauce (from Peruvian Chile Peppers) - Recipe

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:49:00 +0000

Aji Amarillo hot sauce

I was unfamiliar with Aji Amarillo chile peppers, but when I saw these beautiful specimens from Terra Dolce at our co-cop, I was entranced and knew immediately they would be coming home with me. Searching the web, I learned that they are one of the most important ingredients in Peruvian cuisine. The fresh pepper is used to make huancaina, a cheese sauce that is popular on many dishes including the classic papa a la huancaina with cold potatoes and eggs.

Red Curry Fried Rice with Seared Pineapple - Recipe

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:58:00 +0000

Red curry fried rice with seared pineapple

So let's say you made this red curry squash, and had lots of leftover red curry paste. One of the most delicious ways to use it up is in a quick fried rice. Chunks of seared pineapple provide just a bit of sweet counterbalance to the spice.

A few quick bits of housekeeping: this will probably be my only post for Thanksgiving week, as I know lots of folks are traveling and won't be reading blogs. Also, if you have holiday shopping left to do, don't forget to click through this Amazon.com link or one from another of your favorite blogs. When you do, we'll earn a few percent of the purchase price of anything you buy for 24 hours after that. It is a great way to help the bloggers you enjoy cover their expenses.

Vietnamese Green Mango Salad - Recipe

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:47:00 +0000

Green mango salad

Green mango (or papaya) salad is addictive. It hits all those sweet, tangy and fresh notes that wake up your palate at the beginning of a meal, or refresh it after a bite of spicy curry. My wife and I have been known to narrow down our selection of Vietnamese restaurants purely based on the quality of their mango salad, and to use the leftover dressing to flavor our bun when the house sauce isn't vegetarian.

My Cast Iron Skillet

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Cast iron skillet

This is my skillet. Sure, I have lots of others pots - small saute pans, sauciers, stock pots, paella pans, a beloved Dutch oven, griddles, you name it. But this big cast-iron skillet is the absolute workhorse in my kitchen. I’ve had it for at least 20 years, and I’d say it has been the central figure in thousands of meals.

This 12-inch skillet has pride of place in my kitchen. All of the other pots gets hung up, but this one lives on my stove, ready to leap into action when I am. I’m a big believer in mise-en-place, but there are also plenty of meals where the first thing I do is heat up the skillet, the second thing I do is break down some vegetables, and the third thing is figure out what the heck I’m making.

Bocoles (Masa and Black Bean Cakes) with Spicy Yams - Recipe

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:55:00 +0000

Bocoles (Masa and Black Bean Cakes) with Spicy Yams

Bocoloes are little pan-fried cake of masa and mashed black beans, typically served as an antojito (appetizer). I learned about them from Diana Kennedy's magnificient My Mexico and thought that I could replace the pork filling with yams, increase the portion, and make an unusual and delicious vegetarian entree.

The cakes came out great; they fry up with a crispy exterior and somewhat creamy inside. If you have had an Indian dosa, which is made from a lentil batter, the crust is kind of like that. Both of my kids loved them too, which was a nice bonus. The older one now calls them "yummy cakes" and is lobbying for a repeat performance.

Jicama, Orange and Radish Salad - Recipe

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:45:00 +0000

When I serve a filling entree, I like to have a refreshing salad. It offers a nice contrast, makes the meal a little lighter, and cuts the fattiness of the main dish. Here is a simple version, dressed only with fresh orange jucie, that goes great with Mexican and other Latin-American meals. You can work on it while your entree finishes cooking, or it is a great task to give to a friendly volunteer. Don't forget to pass them a cerveza!

Homemade Guacamole - Now That Was Easy - Recipe

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:55:00 +0000

Legendary Guacamole

I’ve never understood why people buy pre-made guacamole. The store-bought stuff ranges from barely ok to green glue. The real thing takes all of five minutes to make and tastes spectacular. I’ll show you how. I usually make a four-avocado batch and it is just enough to satisfy four adults and a couple of munchkins, so you can tell how popular it is at my house.

Chocolate-Chunk Bread Pudding - Recipe

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:52:00 +0000

Bread pudding with molten pockets of bittersweet chocolate

I love to make sweet bread puddings with leftover challah or brioche, because they are already rich. Today’s version is filled with molten chunks of bittersweet chocolate. Let’s just say I find myself eating less challah on Friday night because I’m hoping there will be enough left to make this for dessert the next day.

Red Curry Delicata Squash and Tofu - Recipe

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:50:00 +0000

Red Curry Delicata Squash and Tofu

Delicata squash is one of my favorite winter squash varieties. It is relatively easy to cut and peel, cooks quickly and has a rich, sweet flavor. (Check out last year's orzo-stuffed delicata squash for a festive vegetarian Thanksgiving entree).

You might not immediately think of putting winter squash in a Southeast Asian-style curry. I learned about it from a terrific pumpkin curry at my favorite local Thai place. When I saw a recipe for Malaysian red curry paste in Ivy's book, I just knew I had to put it to use with delicata squash and tofu.

The Adaptable Feast - Cookbook Review and a Chance to Win a Copy

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:58:20 +0000

I "met" Ivy Manning when my wife gave me her terrific first cookbook. Since then, we've become frequent visitors to each other's blogs, and we keep up on Twitter as well. (Come follow me or Ivy, we'd love to hear from you).

We've discovered that although she's an omnivore and I'm a vegetarian, our taste in food has a lot in common. Both of us love fresh, seasonal produce, preferably from local farms. And we both make dishes from all over the world, but tend to prefer fairly authentic approaches, not wild substitutions for simplicity or garish flavor combinations.

Warm Fava Bean (Ful) Salad with Tamarind Dressing - Recipe

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:37:00 +0000

Warm Fava Bean Salad with Tamarind Dressing

Dried fava beans (aka ful or fool) come in several shapes and sizes; the kind you want for this salad are small and round, about the size of a chickpea, not lima bean shaped. The most typical preparation for them is ful mudammas. For today's dish, I used them in a warm salad spiked with tamarind and Aleppo peper, two flavors typical of Syrian cuisine.

Vegetarian Minestrone - Recipe

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:44:00 +0000

Vegetarian Minestrone

Homemade minestrone has got to be one of the best rainy day foods in the world. Living in Seattle we've got ample opportunity to test that theory. It is certainly miles beyond the canned version. Add a glass of wine and a couple of big garlicky croutons to soak up the broth, maybe a salad, and you have a whole meal.

The version of minestrone I always come back to is based on Marcella Hazan's Minestrone alla Romagnola recipe in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. I've just streamlined it a bit (soaking zucchini? why?) and omitted the beef broth to make it vegetarian. I think you will find that it is equally delicious with the simple tomatoey broth, especially if you include the parmesan rind.

Vietnamese Vermicelli (Bun) with Ginger-Grapefruit Sauce - Recipe

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:50:00 +0000

Vietnamese Vermicelli (Bun) with Ginger-Grapefruit Sauce

Bun (pronounced, roughly, boon), when well made, is just about one of the greatest foods ever invented. Super-thin Vietnamese rice noodles are topped with a variety of cooked and fresh ingredients, lots of herbs, and a sweet and savory sauce to make a light, healthy and superbly delicious meal-in-a-bowl. Salad and entree in one package.

I'll drop everything and run to the nearest Vietnamese restaurant whenever I need a bun fix. A vegetarian version with tofu instead of meat is always available for the asking, even if it isn't on the menu. The only problem is the sauce (nuoc cham), which contains fish sauce. Sometimes the kitchen will make a vegetarian version of that as well, but if not you'll have to make do with whatever condiments are on the table.

Better yet, you can make a terrific bun at home. You have the luxury of gathering great fresh ingredients which may well be better than you find at the corner joint, and you can make a sauce that is vegetarian by design, with big bright flavors. The version I'm offering you today uses grapefruit. The segments go in the bowl, and the juice is used for the sauce. (If you've never cut citrus into supremes - segments without any pith - Ming Tsai has a good video to show you how.)

The key to bun is all in the mise en place. You have quite a few ingredients that need preparation. Nothing complicated, it just takes a little bit of time to get them all together, and you want to be organized for final assembly.

My choices for ingredients and sauce can just be a starting point; you can add or subtract anything you like; as long as it fits within the Vietnamese flavor profiles it will still be a great dish. Other things I love to include: Thai basil, lemongrass (sauteed with the tofu), roasted peanuts, papaya.

Southern-Style Collard Greens, Veganized - Recipe

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:54:00 +0000

Veganized Southern-Style Collard Greens

So my brother and sister-in-law were browsing their farmer’s market in Greensboro, North Carolina a few years ago when they spotted a pile of unfamiliar leafy greens. They asked the farmer how to prepare them, and her answer was simple: “well, you just boil them three times. Just like you would with any other salad.”

Now I’m from Louisville, and I realize this is actually just a colloquial use of the word salad. But it does make a good point. In the American South, the standard treatment for bitter greens (collards, mustard greens, kale, beet greens, and so forth) is to boil the heck out of them, generally with some pig parts.

Jalapeno-Sorghum Butter - Recipe

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:53:00 +0000

Cornbread with Jalapeno-Sorghum Butter

Last weekend I was making a traditional Southern meal of collard greens, fried green tomatoes and red beans and rice, and I thought maybe I could use one item of flair to embellish it. My favorite brown butter cornbread fit the bill. Normally I like cornbread very pure, but this time I thought I'd gild the lily with a bit of jalapeno-sorghum butter.

Savory Onion and Aged Gouda Dutch Baby - Recipe

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:53:00 +0000

Savory onion and aged gouda Dutch baby

Eating Out Loud and I have riffed on Dutch Babies a couple of times now. This was my first attempt at a savory version and I was pretty darn happy with the flavors. Done this way, it becomes like a very light, custardy quiche. You could serve it for lunch or brunch with a green salad (apples!), or cut it up into squares as an appetizer.

Contest - Win a Copy of The Complete Tassajara Cookbook or The Tassajara Bread Book

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:22:22 +0000

Twenty-five years ago, when I was first learning to cook, a dear friend gave me the Tassajara Bread Book and the Tassajara Cookbook. I read them and used them until they fell completely apart, and in the process learned a basic sense of comfort with baking, knife skills and improvisational cooking that has never left me.

Just a few years later, having had a great experience living in a cooperative house, I took a year off from school and landed at the Green Gulch Farm in Marin County. (Yes, I was a big hippie, you wanna make something of it?)

Apricot and Sweet Onion Mostarda - Recipe

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:45:00 +0000

Mostarda of apricot and sweet onion

Mostarda di frutta is a most unusual Italian condiment. It is made most famously in Cremona (and is sometimes known as mostarda di Cremona), though I first tasted it much further south, at a restaurant in Siena that offered three varieties at the table.

The flavor of mostarda is a complex mixture of sweet and sour, fruity and pungent. It is traditionally served with blander boiled meats, but it also pairs well in small amounts as part of a cheese course (or an upscale grilled cheese sandwich). I would venture to say that if you find sweet pickles awful, this isn't for you, but if you like relishy stuff, you'll probably love it.

Hatch Chiles Stuffed with Cilantro Scrambled Egg - Recipe

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:45:00 +0000

Hatch chiles are a specialty of the Mesilla Valley area of New Mexico, where a huge festival celebrates the annual harvest and roasting season. In the Seattle area, Alvarez Farms brings the same variety to farmer's markets in early fall. They are most commonly used green, but this time they had a batch of ripe peppers that looked amazing. (In case you didn't realize it, all peppers, whether a big bell or a tiny Thai bird chile, are red when ripe - if a pepper is green, by definition it was picked before it was fully ripe, which gives it a different flavor profile).

Potatoes, Chanterelles, Shallots in Red Wine Sauce - Recipe

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 06:51:00 +0000

Potatoes, Chanterelles, Shallots in Red Wine Sauce

I'd been ruminating on how I was going to use these heirloom Rose Finn fingerling potatoes from our garden. My first thought was to glaze them in butter with shallots and preserved lemon. Then the whole plan changed when I was walking past our co-op and spotted a huge bin of beautiful local chanterelles.

Sometimes all of the chanterelles I can find are either half dried up, or else soggy and on the verge of rotting. Not these - they were plump and firm and fully arresting. My coworkers were a bit amused when I veered off from our afternoon coffee run directly into the store and returned to work with a big bag of mushrooms.

Good Stuff from Bourbon Barrel Foods

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:20:00 +0000

I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. In the 1970s. Not gonna lie to you. At that time it was pretty much a gastronomic wasteland, except for the not inconsiderable charms of Waffle House. Scattered, smothered and covered.. but I digress.

Bourbon has always been one of Kentucky’s greatest exports. Even in the dark days, there was Maker’s Mark and a handful of others making quality whiskey. Now the big houses like Jim Beam have many single-barrel upmarket products, and smaller producers such as Bulleit are making superb bourbons.

Pike Place Photo Class with Lou Manna

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:51:37 +0000

This weekend I had the amazing opportunity to tour Pike Place Market with master food photographer Lou Manna, arranged by the Frantic Foodie herself, Keren Brown.

Lou is a great guy and quite a character. In fact, one of the first things he demonstrated was how he uses his personality to engage with the people around him and get them to help make great pictures. He had every vendor in the market chatting and eager to rearrange their produce and accommodate a group of shutterbugs.

Summer Squash and Portobello Mushroom Vegetarian Lasagna - Recipe

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:34:00 +0000

My previous spinach and ricotta vegetarian lasagna recipe has consistently been one of the most popular on the site, so I thought I’d share another variation with you. This versions adds layers of thinly sliced summer squash (or zucchini) and portobello (aka portabella, portabello) mushrooms.

The key to making this lasagna great is that both vegetables are thoroughly sauteed first to maximize flavor and minimize any sort of watery outbursts. See the picture at right - maybe I went a bit too far, but you really want to caramelize the surfaces.

Cucumber, Radish and Cilantro Raita - Recipe

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 06:45:00 +0000

Cucumber-Radish Raita

Raita is a simple yogurt-based sauce that can be served with almost any Indian meal. It makes a cooling condiment when a curry gets a little too spicy, but the real beauty is when it is mixed with basmati rice. I find that combination so tasty that I will often skip dessert to make room for an extra portion.

The most common variety of raita seems to be made with grated cucumber, similar to a Greek tzatziki, but the possible variations are endless. I've seen recipes for banana raita, spicy raita, eggplant raita, even vermicelli raita - which sounds a little frightening.

The yogurt for raita should be thick, and it is always thoroughly beaten before mixing in the garnish. The beating changes the texture, making it smooth and creamy and altogether more appealing as a sauce.

Quick Chana Masala with Mushrooms - Chickpea Curry - Recipe

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:57:00 +0000

Chana Masala with Mushrooms

Chana Masala (spicy chickpeas) is one of those ten dishes you will find at pretty much every Indian restaurant in America. You can understand why: it is inexpensive to prepare, delicious, healthy and satisfying. The mass prepared versions are usually pretty good, but you can make a similar dish at home and enjoy fresher, more vibrant flavors.

If you have the ingredients on hand and use canned chickpeas, you can make this chana masala in just 20 minutes. I find that canned chickpeas are often undercooked and a little crunchy, so if I go that route, the first thing I do is put them on to simmer while I prepare everything else.

Latin-American French Lentil Salad - Recipe

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:50:26 +0000

French lentil salad with Latin-American flavors

Lentil salad went through some bad years in the 80s and 90s, usually flaccid and overdressed, filled with canned vegetables. There was always the shadow of a good, simple, rustic dish there.

I like to make it with French lentils, otherwise known as green lentils. The best ones are from the from the area of Puy. They are a little smaller and rounder than the normal brown lentil, and they hold their shape even when tender, instead of voluntarily pureeing themselves into lentil soup. Another option are the black "beluga" lentils.

Burnt Sugar Flan (aka Creme Caramel) - Recipe

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:50:00 +0000

Flan, aka Creme Caramel, with Burnt Sugar

I've never made flan before, so I had a bit of trepidation when my sister-in-law requested it for her birthday dinner. I knew I could count on Mr. Bayless's classic to send me down the right path, and the trust was well deserved. I opted to raise the degree of difficulty by making a single, large flan instead of individual ramekins. It is debatable which is more elegant, but to me the big one is quite dramatic and pleasing.

Puntarelle and Tiny Potato Salad - Recipe

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:12:00 +0000

Salad of Puntarelle, Tiny Potatoes and Teleme

Sarina and I both fell in love from afar with these tiny little potatoes from Olsen Farms. We spotted them from a few booths away at the farmer's market, and even though we have several rows of potatoes growing at home, we had to have them. I know it is hard to see the scale, but each one was just a bit bigger than a large marble.

Ultra-Local Homefries, Tomatoes and Eggs - Breakfast for Dinner! - Recipe

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:52:00 +0000

Everything but the salt and olive oil was local on this one. Purple Viking potatoes and Purple Cherokee tomatoes from our backyard, chili de arbol from Alvarez farm, onions from the farmer's market, and crowned with eggs from my friend Dan's backyard chickens.

This was so good I made it for dinner two nights in a row. I think everyone loves breakfast for dinner because it almost feels like you are getting away with something.

Heirloom Tomato Tart - Recipe

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:40:00 +0000

Heirloom Tomato Tart

While we are on a roll with the pastry crusts, let's not forget the wonderful savory possibilities! For this one I used the exact same crust as last week's crostata, but baked it in a tart pan and filled it with a tasty aged provolone, Purple Cherokee and Sungold tomatoes and basil.

A useful trick with fresh herbs is to add them twice; once early in the cooking for a deep, infused flavor and a second time at the very end, for the bright green notes.

Roasted Tomato and Corn Risotto - Recipe

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:40:00 +0000

Roasted Tomato and Corn Risotto

Slow roasting tomatoes is alchemy. You put base metal in the oven and a few hours later, you've got gold. In this case, we had a pile of Early Girls that had my rapt attention throughout July as they hurtled towards ripeness. But when they arrived, they were... kind of bland. I knew the Purple Cherokees were right around the corner, promising a truly intense heirloom taste. In the meantime, a slow roast with olive oil was just the ticket to concentrate and transform the Early Girls into a treat.

Rustic Peach and Nectarine Crostata - Recipe

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:43:00 +0000

Peach and Nectarine Crostata

Crostata: pie without the fuss. With a pie (or tart), it can be hard to make one as pretty as the picture I have in my mind, either cooling on Grandma’s window sill or on the cover of Gourmet. Crostata takes my inability to make a precise pie and makes a rustic virtue of it!

I made this particular crostata with peaches and nectarines, but you can use just about any fruit that suits your mood. But wow, baked peaches are really good.

Grilled Eggplant with Arrabiata Fresca - Recipe

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:40:00 +0000

Grilled Eggplant with Fresh Arrabiata

In the course of planning an Italian-oriented meal, it occurred to me that an arrabiata sauce has mostly the same ingredients that you would associate with a fresh Mexican-style salsa. Traditional arrabiata contains onion, garlic, tomatoes and fresh chili peppers. "Arrabiata" means "angry", referring to the heat from the chilis.

So it might be a bit of a stretch, but I prepared this raw version with cherry tomatoes and chile de arbol that went smashingly with simple grilled eggplant. You could serve this as an appetizer or salad course. If you are grilling, throw the eggplant on first and your guests can nosh on this while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Cherry / Tomato

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:38:00 +0000

Just goofing off... what happens if you glue a cherry tomato to a cherry? In this case a Sun Gold tomato and a Rainier cherry. I tried to use an LM Pectin solution and plastic wrap to create the bond, and it only worked so-so, it wasn't as seamless or strong as I would have liked. Suggestions welcome.

The flavor combination was surprisingly apt, though the tomato tended to dominate. Honestly, the idea was purely based on the similar sizes. I wasn't so sure it would taste good, and it was odd enough that I couldn't even imagine the flavor very well. The result actually was enlightening - cherries and tomatoes are both tart and sweet, but with very different volatile / olfactory components. I found that tasting both at once emphasized that tomatoes are in fact a fruit. If I could get the bond right, I would definitely serve these as an amuse.

Grilled Flatbread With Padron Peppers and Zucchini Blossoms - Recipe

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:42:00 +0000

We've got some beautiful end-of-summer produce right now, including items that we'll only see for a few short weeks. Zucchini blossoms seem to be at their peak. Hint: if you can buy them still attached to baby squash, they are often a better deal. They stay fresh longer, plus you gets some nice tiny squash in the bargain. For this dish I sliced the blossoms in half lengthwise so you can see the beauty of their interior, an idea I cribbed in different ways from both Ubuntu and Coco500.

Arancini Di Riso - Deep-Fried Risotto Balls - Recipe

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:41:00 +0000

Arancini Di Riso

Arancini. "Little oranges". Only these guys aren't quite so healthy as a piece of citrus. They are actually balls of risotto, stuffed with molten cheese, rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried. What. Is. Not. To. Like?

Apparently in Sicily, where they originate, they can be filled with all sorts of things ranging from a slow-cooked ragout, to ham or even mushrooms. Traditionally, they are served with a tomato sauce for dipping, but I opted for a simple drizzle of good balsamico this time.

Zucchini Carpaccio - Recipe

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:40:00 +0000

The general idea for this lightly cooked zucchini carpaccio came from Paul Bertolli's magnificient Cooking by Hand, which I've reviewed here. I was looking for a something fresh and summery to balance out an Italian menu. It makes an attractive and refreshing alternative to a typical salad. Do it when you have perfect, fresh from the garden zucchini that deserve a turn in the spotlight.

I changed the garnish a bit; instead of pine nuts and basil I chose mint and dill flower heads (along with the olive oil and parmigiano reggiano). Dill flower heads have an intense taste, somewhat reminiscent of caraway (which is in the same botanical family).

Ubuntu Restaurant, Napa, CA - Restaurant Review

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:35:00 +0000

I first heard about Ubuntu when Chef Jeremy Fox won a Best New Chef award from Food and Wine in 2008. I was thrilled to hear that a restaurant was cooking vegetables at that level, and simultaneously despondent that I wouldn't be able to make it to Napa anytime soon. When Sarina and I planned a San Francisco trip for our five year anniversary, I knew right away that we had to make a detour up to wine country.

Spicy Tomatillo Salsa aka Salsa Verde - Recipe

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Pan-Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Green tomatillo salsa, aka salsa verde. Most people are familiar with it, but never make it. We think it only comes in jars or somehow magically appears at Mexican restaurants. It actually is ridiculously easy to do at home and tastes way better than the pre-packaged version. Once you've got it, you can serve it at the table with any Mexican dish or as a dip for tortillas, fry eggs in it, or use it as a sauce for enchiladas verde.

Raspberry-Blueberry Buckle - Recipe

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:42:00 +0000

Raspberry-Blueberry Buckle

A long time ago (the late nineties) in a galaxy far, far away (Milwaukee), I used to play a lot of pool. One Pocket was my game, but I also played a lot of Nine Ball. In Nine Ball as long as you hit the lowest numbered ball first, you win on any shot that sinks the 9, so it is quite possible to get lucky. In the slang at least of our particular poolroom, if you were going to shoot a shot that you thought might end up lucking in the 9, you'd say "Buckle Up!", to warn your opponent that their nerves (and wallet) might need seatbelts to survive the next inning.

Cheese Battered Onion Rings and Stout Chocolate Malt - Recipe

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 06:25:00 +0000

Cheese Battered Onion Rings and Stout Chocolate Malt

I don't eat onion rings nearly enough, considering how much I love them. I guess I'm eating in the wrong restaurants. In fact I think maybe onion rings could be the next big 15 minute trend in fine dining (unless I already missed that one while I was cooking my Cheerios sous vide).

Anyhow, I was dreaming about rings on my drive home from work, and it got me wondering if I could give them a little twist. What if I could somehow get cheese in the batter? I didn't want it to create a melty mess and ruin the crunch though, just contribute the flavor. I ended up broiling the cheese like you would for a frico (cheese crisp), and then grinding it into a powder to add to an otherwise standard tempura batter.

Summer Salad Amuse Bouche - Recipe

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:15:00 +0000

Only worth doing if you have a garden, or at least farmer's market produce from today. Super simple but a pretty amazing pop of gazpacho-like flavor in your mouth.

Finely diced Kirby cucumber
Peas in their pod, thinly sliced - keep just the slices that have both pod and seed
Peeled cherry tomato
Tiny lemon basil leaves
Maldon (aka the world's greatest salt) sea salt
A few drops of your best olive oil

Quinoa Cakes With A Farmer's Market Riot - Recipe

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:45:00 +0000

On the way home from the farmer's market, Sarina and I joked that I wouldn't be able to resist playing with the molecular gastronomy toys, turning the zucchini into gel, the tomatoes into powder, spherifying the cukes and making the corn into a tableside sorbet with liquid nitrogen. But it was just a joke. With ingredients this good, and the weather this hot, it would be a crime to do much more than tie them all together with some big, bright flavors and a good beer.

Volterra - Italian - Seattle (Ballard Neighborhood) - Capsule Restaurant Review

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 07:21:39 +0000

Confidence is an appealing quality in a restaurant, especially when it is backed up by execution. Volterra delivers both in spades. The menu, the staff, and the food all exhibit a quiet certainty that they can make terrific modern Italian food.

We started with a simple frisee salad with grated truffle cheese. The salad was dressed lightly enough that the leaves could still remain airy on the plate, and the cheese communicated a hint of truffle without the overpowering taste you get in a truffle oil vinaigrette.

Marination Mobile - Hawaiian / Korean Curb Cuisine - Restaurant Review - Seattle, WA

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:05:00 +0000

More groovy new street food in Seattle! Marination Mobile is prowling the streets, dishing up "Hawaiian and Korean curb cuisine". I'm presumably living right, because their Wednesday spot is right up the street from my work in Fremont (outside of Sound Scooters, at the same location that Skillet occupies on Thursday), so I've been able to hit them up twice in their first month of operation.

Marination's truck makes a good impression from a distance - shiny and clean, with cool graphics. Not that you eat the truck, but it makes you think that anyone who cares enough to keep the vehicle looking that good might be pouring some love into the food too. You'd be right.

Why I'm A Vegetarian, Dammit

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:25:00 +0000

I’ve been a vegetarian for almost 25 years, which means I’ve probably answered the question “Why are you a vegetarian?” about 25 million times. Usually it is in a situation where only a sentence or two is wanted as an answer, so I’ll say “because I wouldn’t like to kill an animal, and it doesn’t make sense to me to have someone else do it for me.” Which is completely true, but doesn’t really convey the complexity of my thoughts on the subject.

Roasted Potato and Asparagus Tacos with Kohlrabi Slaw - Recipe

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:07:00 +0000

Roasted Potato and Asparagus Tacos with Kohlrabi Slaw

Soft tacos in a Mexico City form factor: just a fistful of delicious ingredients in two soft, steamed corn tortillas. Perfect to pick up in one hand, and never put back down. I can enjoy other, overstuffed tacos that require a fork, but to me the street food version is best.

Today's tacos contain oven roasted Yukon gold potatoes and asparagus, a kohlrabi slaw, avocado, feta cheese, and cilantro, with a little lemon crema. Obviously the feta should have been cotija, but that's what I had on hand.

Arroz Verde - Mexican Green Herb Rice Rethought - Recipe

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:10:00 +0000

When I went to make it yesterday, I thought to myself "now why am I cooking all of these delicious fresh herbs?" Their flavor is so perfect when raw, why should I boil them for 20 minutes? So I took a new approach. I omitted the poblanos, and simply made a pesto-like puree of the herbs, garlic, and a little oil. After the plain rice was cooked, I stirred in the herbs right before serving.

Chocolate, Chocolate and More Chocolate

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:47:31 +0000

The second annual Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon is coming up again on July 12. I was a judge last year and was impressed with the wide range of chocolatiers that showed up to sample their wares, and at $20 for an adult advance ticket I thought it was a darn good deal.

I won't be able to attend this year, but somehow I still had the good fortune to receive a few advance samples from two of my favorite places: Theo Chocolates and Chocolopolis. Sometimes it is good to be a blogger!

Kicking It Old School

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:48:00 +0000

I'm going to be traveling on and off for the next few weeks, and probably won't be able to post as much as usual. I've been doing this blog almost two years now, and since there are a lot more regular readers now than back in the day, I thought I might use this time to highlight a few of my favorite posts from the way-back machine. I sure am grateful to all of you for your support and interest!

Whopper Cake - Book Review Plus Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:29:00 +0000

"Today is Grandma's birthday
and Granddad has an itchin'
to bake a whopper chocolate cake
and traumatize the kitchen"

They had me at "traumatize". Whopper Cake, by Karma Wilson and Will Hillenbrand, is a great children's book. The story is of a Grandpa who wants to make a cake for his wife, but has a little bit of trouble following the recipe. It is just too tempting for him to scale it up a hundred-fold or so. A delicious mess ensues.

Quinoa with Tahina Sauce, Tofu and Green Beans - High Protein, Tasty Hippie Food - Recipe

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:28:00 +0000

Glorious hippie food. No offense to any hippies out there! That's just what I call this kind of dish, when I throw together some components that don't really have any particular culinary heritage together, but they taste good in a healthy, satisfying way.

This dish is a prime example. Quinoa is from South America, tahina is from the Middle East, tofu is from Asia, and green beans are multi-culti. And yet somehow, they play together. I've always found quinoa to have an affinity for sesame. I'm not sure why, maybe it is because the flavors of both are mild and nutty, or because the quinoa grains are about the size of sesame seeds.

Triple Smoky Macaroni and Cheese - Recipe

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 06:28:00 +0000

The last time we talked about mac and cheese, it was this double-crust version which is pretty great and crunchy. But ever since a friend brought us a superb traditional mac to have in the freezer after our first kid came was born, I've had in mind to revisit the classic. The parts that I especially liked were the macaroni noodles (instead of penne which I usually use) and the breadcrumb top.

Harvest Vine - Basque Restaurant Review, Seattle, WA

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:34:00 +0000

Have you ever noticed that some great restaurants consistently put you in a certain mood? Harvest Vine, Seattle's great Basque restaurant always leaves me happy to be alive. Chef Joseba Jimenez de Jimenez himself has a larger-than-life personality, and whether he's there on a given night or not, it permeates the whole experience with a sense of joyfulness, informality, relaxation and friendship.

I can think of no better place for an extended, festive dinner party. I recently had the opportunity to celebrate the 40th birthday of a good friend, with a group of seven. The waiter offered that we could either order off of the menu or simply let the kitchen do its thing. We had no hesitation - I simply asked that there be a decent number of vegetarian dishes.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with a Pumpkin Seed Topping - Recipe

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:28:00 +0000

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp with a Pumpkin Seed Topping

Who doesn't love a good fruit crisp? They are a great way to use up excesses of seasonal fruits, and you can make the topping so easily that there is no need to wait for a special occasion. Strawberry + rhubarb is a great combination for this time of year, as the rhubarb is getting late and the strawberries are not yet so perfect that it would be a shame not to eat them fresh.

Chevre with Sauteed Grapes and Fresh Herbs - Recipe

Thu, 28 May 2009 07:25:40 +0000

Chevre with Sauteed Grapes and Fresh Herbs

I love this appetizer because it comes together in minutes, tastes amazing, and the sauteed grapes provide an element of surprise and pleasure. It is a riff on a popular dish from Seattle's Osteria La Spiga, where they do it with Toma cheese wrapped in grape leaves.

This version is even simpler. You should feel free to try it with other cheeses and other herbs. Mint or basil would be delicious. How about grilled Halloumi cheese instead of the chevre?

Fresh Fettuccine with Ricotta, Spring Onions and Fried Duck Egg - Recipe

Mon, 25 May 2009 22:01:17 +0000

Fresh Fettuccine with Ricotta, Spring Onions and Fried Duck Egg

This is just pure decadence. Fresh basil fettuccine, creamy ricotta, crispy fried spring onions and a fried duck egg on top. The egg yolk creates a rich sauce for the noodles.. The only thing that would have made it more over-the-top is if I had some black truffle to shave on it.

This dish came about serendipitously. I was visiting a customer in downtown Seattle on Thursday, and finished with just enough time to run into DeLaurenti’s at Pike Place Market. There are gastronomical gravitational wells throughout the city that are prone to capture me whenever I wander too close. DeLaurenti’s has an intense field that will lure me in from a mile away - especially if I’ve already found parking!

Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette - The Simplest and Best Salad Dressing - Recipe

Thu, 21 May 2009 05:59:00 +0000

Salad greens with lemon-mustard vinaigrette

I’ve never understood why people buy salad dressing, when an infinitely more delicious, fresher, healthier homemade vinaigrette is only 30 seconds away.

I make variations of vinaigrette all the time, but today I want to share with you my absolute favorite, the one I return to at least once a week. I use lemon juice instead of vinegar, and a good amount of Dijon mustard. The result is bracing, fresh and citrusy.

Goat Cheese, Asparagus and Beet Salad with Herb Flowers - Recipe

Mon, 18 May 2009 05:58:00 +0000

Salad of goat cheese, asparagus and beet

I've been inspired by Linda's use of edible flowers, and I realized that I have both chive and rosemary blossoms in my garden right now. The chive flowers are those purple puffballs, with an oniony flavor similar to the familiar herb. The rosemary petals are much smaller, and lighter purple but if you look closely there is one on the frontmost stalk of asparagus.

Dutch Baby With Sauteed Apples (Giant Oven-Baked Pancakes) - Recipe

Mon, 11 May 2009 06:39:00 +0000

I happened to see Allen of Eating Out Loud’s post on Dutch Babies the other day, and I was reminded that my wife, Sarina, had fond childhood memories of them. I’d never had one before, but the recipe looked easy enough that I could pull it off while watching the kids so we could surprise her for Mother’s Day. I’m glad I did, it was delicious.

If you have had clafoutis before, Dutch Babies bear a lot of similarity. The batter has a bit less flour and more milk so it is a little more like a custardy than eggy. I think I might even like it a little better because there is less risk of getting an overcooked egg flavor.

Golden Beet Tartare (Ok, Really, Diced Beet Salad) - Recipe

Thu, 07 May 2009 10:27:30 +0000

Wait! Wait! If you think you hate beets, don't surf away yet.

I love beets. I would eat them on a boat, I would eat them with a goat. I would eat them in the rain, or in the dark or on a train.

If your only experience is with canned beets, you haven't really ever had beets. I can't tell you how many people I've converted to shameless beet-loving over the years. I'm a certified beet evangelist. (Which makes it legal for me to marry root vegetables in most states).

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Wed, 06 May 2009 13:45:28 +0000

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Experimenting with Tapioca Maltodextrin - Recipe

Mon, 04 May 2009 06:10:00 +0000

Caramelized banana
Lime zest
Virgin coconut oil powder
Long pepper
Black sesame mochi
Mango foam

I was in the mood for caramelized banana (not a rare event). So I ransacked the kitchen for ingredients that could head in a tropical direction, and this is what I came up with. It isn't a dish I'd call service-ready. The banana was good of course, and I liked the lime zest and long pepper. The foam was just ok, and that was my first time making mochi, which clearly wasn't up to snuff. Have to get back to you on that.

Kitchen Sink Spaghetti with Asparagus, Eggplant and Everything Else You Have in the House - Recipe

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:35:00 +0000

Kitchen Sink Spaghetti

Any Italian grandmothers reading this should probably avert their eyes. I expect there to be a brigade of Nonna's with pitchforks outside my window at any moment. This pasta is about as far from traditional as you'll ever see me go. It has a dizzying array of intense flavors that could overwhelm your palate. Oh, and it is really freakin' tasty.

Let's see what we've got in there. It starts out fairly traditional: asparagus, roasted red peppers, eggplant, red onion, garlic. White wine. Stonewall Kitchen's amazing Roasted Garlic and Onion Jam. Basil. Rosemary. Lemon zest. Pumpkin seeds? Smoked mozzarella? Chipotle pepper?!?

Make Sparkling Water or Soda at Home with SodaStream - Save Money and Help The Environment

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:13:00 +0000

I’m completely addicted to sparkling water, and so is my whole family. We go through quarts of the bubbly stuff every day, and believe me it was getting expensive! Even when we stepped down from imported to store brands, we were easily spending $30 per month, not to mention lugging it home from the grocery store.

So last summer I learned about SodaStream, and we had to give it a try. Bottom line: I’ve never been happier with a product I’ve bought for the house. Check out the video above - the machine is incredibly easy to use. You just fill up one of the included, reusable quart bottles with water, screw it into the machine, and depress a button a few times to release the CO2. In a few seconds you have a quart of delicious, refreshing sparkling water. By pumping more or less you can adjust the carbonation level to your own preference.

Tempeh and Japanese Eggplant with Crispy Rice - Recipe

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:41:00 +0000

Tempeh with Japanese Eggplant and Crispy Rice

I'm not going to lie, this is a refrigerator cleanout party. I'm proud of it. I think a lot of folks are trying to reduce their waste these days, both because it is the right thing to do for the environment, and to stretch their food dollars a little farther.

Coincidentally, the same night I cooked this, my old pal the Surly Gourmand tweeted "Tempeh sucks. It has the same spongiform texture as an alien's brain." I knew exactly where he was coming from. If you just open a package of tempeh and take a bite, you have cold soy-mush in your mouth. Not good. (Surly's blog is hilarious but definitely not for children or the easily offended. Here's the link if you have your fire-proof suit on.)

Crispy Soba Noodle Pancakes with Scallions and Gochujang - Recipe

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:12:00 +0000

Crispy soba pancakes

Last week I asked my friends "Tell the truth: isn't crispy the best part of any dish?", and got impassioned responses, ranging from "Of course. Crispy is carmelized", to "Not if it's a gummy bear..." . For me, it is all about the crunch and those toasty flavors. So when I found I had lots of noodles left from last week's Japanese-style soba noodle soup, I knew just what I wanted to do with them: pan-fry them into a little pancake with lots of surface area, so it is all crispy, all the time.

Soba Noodle Soup in Shiitake Shoyu Broth with Asparagus, Leeks and Tofu - Recipe

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:08:57 +0000

Soba Noodle Soup in Shiitake Shoyu Broth with Asparagus, Leeks and Tofu

I get a little jealous of meat eaters with their delicious looking Asian noodle soups. I wanted to create a very full flavored broth with lots of umami intensity. I made it with dried shiitakes, kombu, and the best shoyu I have ever tasted.

If you haven't had soba before, they are a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour. They are often served cold with a dipping sauce, but are equally great in soup. The buckwheat flavor is distinctively nutty and earthy. It has a peculiar resonance for me because it reminds me of the kasha that my eastern European Jewish family served growing up. Funny how the same flavor can appear succesfully in such different contexts. The same dish could be made with ramen or udon noodles and still be delicious.

Interview with Jill Lightner, Editor of Edible Seattle Magazine (But Keep Reading if you Live Elsewhere!)

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:45:00 +0000

Edible Seattle magazine first caught my eye at our co-op last year, and I subscribed right away. How cool is it that we have a local magazine devoted to the farmers, chefs and artisan food creators around Puget Sound? I knew I was hooked when I found the Icebox, a regular article by Bethany Jean Clement in which she visits a local chef's abode, rummages through their refrigerator and subjects them to an entertaining grilling.

Better still, Edible Seattle is part of a network of dozens of Edible Communities magazines from Queens, NY to Ojai, CA. These folks are doing yeoman work in getting out the word about great local food.

Jill Lightner, the editor of Edible Seattle, was gracious enough to answer a few questions:

Costas Opa - Greek, Fremont, Seattle - Capsule Restaurant Review

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:42:24 +0000

I hadn't been to Costas Opa in about five years, having sworn off it after a particularly greasy lunch. I figured with my recent review of Fremont lunch places, I better sneak in there and see if was any better than I remembered. Not... so... much. I ordered the vegetarian lunch combo as it would give me the opportunity to taste the most dishes. This included a cup of lentil soup, spanakopita, moussaka, fried potatoes, dolmades and souvlaki vegetables (which turned out to be zucchini). Seriously, if I had closed my eyes I couldn't tell you which dish I was eating. They were all taste-free mush except the potatoes, which were undercooked. I did learn something though. If you hold grape leaves hot long enough, they actually will lose their pleasing bite and almost melt into the soggy rice inside. The only slight saving grace was the garlicky tzatziki. By slathering that on everything, I was able to eat enough calories to stagger back out into the light.

Fava Beans, Potatoes and Saffron Rice with Feta Cheese and Fresh Herbs - Recipe

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 06:41:00 +0000

Saffron rice, crispy potatoes, feta and fresh herbs

I’m a fool for foul. Not foul like “and now I get to shoot free throws”.Foul muddamas prounced “fool”, which is the word for fava beans throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Like most beans, the fresh and dried versions are radically different. Fresh favas are mild and sweet, tasting something like a cross between a baby pea and a lima bean. And they are a royal pain in the butt to peel.

Brown Butter Cornbread - Recipe

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 06:36:00 +0000

Cornbread flavored with brown butter

Since we talked about vegetarian chili last week, I’ve got to hook you up with the best cornbread recipe ever to go with it. It is moist without being cake-like with an intense corn flavor. The butter is browned before adding it to the batter, a genius trick I learned from The Recipe Girl. That contributes some of the umami flavor that some folks would get using bacon drippings.

Fremont Neighborhood Lunch Roundup (With Special Emphasis on Best Vegetarian Options) - Seattle, WA

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:03:23 +0000

So I realized that, along with my Adobe buddies, I've been eating several lunches a week at restaurants in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood for nearly a decade. Sometimes I think about doing full reviews of them, but lunch isn't the best test of a restaurant. Still, this is a substantial sample, and a popular neighborhood, so I thought I'd do a roundup of every one I've eaten at more than a few times, all in one swell foop. Of course let me give the obvious caveat that I'm a vegetarian, so I'm reviewing the vegetarian option(s) at each of these spots, foodwise. But even if you are strictly a meat-eater, I can probably clue you in on the atmosphere, service, price and general quality.

Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe - Delicious, Easy, Healthy and (Optionally) Vegan

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:58:24 +0000

Vegetarian chili with all the fixins’

Vegetarian chili is one of the first veggie entrees that pop into people’s minds (along with vegetarian lasagna of course). It is a delicious, easy and very nutritious meal-in-a-bowl. Add some tortillas or brown-butter cornbread and a salad and you’ll feel like a king. It also can be made ahead; it just gets better over the course of a couple of days, and it freezes well.

Grape, Honey, Yogurt - Recipe

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 06:35:00 +0000

Driving home from work the other day, I was musing about whether I could make a plate with cheese and grapes swapping forms. I figured I could make an agar gel of the grapes and spherify a triple-cream cheese. I still like the idea, but I couldn't quite envision what other components it needed.

That got me thinking that maybe an even simpler transformation of the grapes would be interesting. What if I simply peeled them and diced them fine? I tried a couple and found it really compelling. The juxtaposition is interesting because it is such an everyday flavor but an unexpected texture, yet natural, not so forced as a lot of "molecular" tricks can seem. I think I would serve it in a cold metal spoon as an amuse bouche on a hot day.

Asparagus and Tofu with Guilin Chili Sauce

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:43:00 +0000

Asparagus and Tofu with Guilin Chili Sauce

I love to stir-fry asparagus. I most often serve it in a Chinese fermented black bean sauce. The slightly funky saltiness of the preserved beans seems to be a perfect complement to the sweet-bitter crispness of the vegetable.

I recently picked up my first jar of Guilin Chili Sauce, and as soon as I tasted it, I knew it would also pair well with asparagus. It too contains fermented soybeans, but combined with a very hot, fruity chili pepper. I'm pretty sure this stuff has earned a regular spot in my refrigerator.

Pan-Fried Potato Gnocchi with Arugula - Recipe

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 06:53:18 +0000

Pan-Fried Potato Gnocchi with Baby Arugula and Pecorino Romano

I made gnocchi the other day, and yes my daughter helped. We ate most of them with a simple tomato sauce. They were good but a bit on the heavy side. I haven't really mastered the art of ultra-light potato gnocchi. If you have a hot tip on how to achieve pillowy lightness, please share.

I figured that by frying the rest in butter, I could make the most of their texture. For pan-frying, I think you want a little bit of density in the dumpling. After they crisped up, I added a generous handful of baby arugula and tossed briefly, then finished with pecorino romano. Man, this is good stuff! The toasty gnocchi, nutty/bitter arugula and umami flavors of the cheese are all mellowed with the browning butter. Toasted walnuts would be a perfect addition to this dish (but not in my house).

Flying Squirrel Pizza Company, Seward Park, Seattle, WA - Restaurant Review

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:42:00 +0000

My favorite pie at Flyinq Squirrel Pizza Company

So let me stipulate upfront: I'm a friend of Bill Coury, the owner of Flying Squirrel Pizza Company. Bill worked in the Starbucks Hear Music division for a long time, but he always had this dream of opening a pizza place. And boy has he done it right. He spent months remodeling a store in the Seward Park neighborhood of Seattle into an attractive, family-friendly pizza place that just happens to be turning out some of the most interesting & tasty pies I've seen.

Challah French Toast Bread Pudding Goodness - Recipe

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 06:20:00 +0000

Challah French toast bread pudding

We've been more regular about celebrating Shabbat on Friday nights over the past year. My Friiday night menus rarely really go with challah though, so we often end up most of a loaf left over. This is no cause for sadness though, because challah (along with its kissing-cousin, brioche) makes the finest French toast imaginable. The bread is already eggy, so the addition of a custard takes it over the top.

I remembered reading about a variation of French toast where you slice the bread, soak it in the custard in a casserole or on a baking sheet, and then simply throw it in the over instead of cooking on a griddle. This is a great way to turn it into a do-ahead item for a brunch with guests. I made that a few times and loved it too, and that got me thinking that there really isn’t much of a distinction between French toast and bread pudding, except that the bread is diced. So for the past few weeks, the challah has found itself cubed and soaked, baked off in the morning and devoured.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Green Beans and Tofu - Recipe

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 06:34:00 +0000

Vietnamese Lemongrass Green Beans and Tofu

More easy, weeknight-accessible goodness. Serve this with the Coconut Rice and a salad with a nice lime-based dressing and you are eating well tonight. The idea here is maximum flavor, provided by substantial quantities of lemongrass, ginger and garlic.

If you haven't worked with lemongrass before, you need to know how to prepare it. Don't worry, it is easy, but do it carefully or you can end up with unpleasant woody bits in your stir-fry. Here's what you do: remove the outer layer of each stem and trim away the bottom 1/4" inch and most of the top, leaving only about a 3" piece that should be tender enough to sink a fingernail into. Now pound it with something heavy to release the flavors. Many cooks use the back edge of their knife, but you'll have to decide if you feel safe doing that. If not, a can of beans should work fine. Once you've given it a good thrashing, finely mince it and you are all set.

Welcome to our New Design

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:41:06 +0000

If you are a regular reader, I'm sure you've already noticed that we have a brand new design here at Herbivoracious. I've been wanting to freshen it up for awhile, but I'd reached the end of my design skills. My brother Joel is a graphic / web designer and he agreed to build a new layout for me. I hope you all enjoy it! Please add a comment if you like it better, and/or if you are having any problems with it (font, broken links, renders wrong in your favorite browser, anything like that).

Easy Coconut Rice - Recipe

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 06:03:00 +0000

Coconut rice

If you like the flavor of coconut, this coconut rice is a killer side dish. It is about two minutes more work than normal rice, and it is a great change of pace because the rice goes from being the neutral canvas for other components to stealing the show. It uses both coconut milk and unsweetened dried coconut to give a very intense, flavor and unexpected texture.

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:23:00 +0000

Braised Artichokes in Tomato-Red Wine Sauce

I was casting about the Whole Foods produce department for a side dish idea, and these huge “frost-kissed” artichokes caught my eye. Apparently when the temperature drops below 32, artichokes develop a slightly ugly “rash” on the outside, but their flavor grows nuttier and more concentrated. It might be a bit of hype, but they were indeed delicious. My sister-in-law-to-be was hooked by the same “get ’em while they last” sign the day before. Apparently they have our number, marketing wise.

How to make an Inside-Out Egg - Recipe

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:04:39 +0000

So, when I did the faux inside-out egg post last week, I originally just planned to do it as a dessert recipe. For some reason as I was writing it up, the urge make it look as real as possible and publish it as a joke was irresistible to me. From the comments, I see a few of you believed it or thought it was an unborn egg, etc. (The Japanese video link in the comments was great too.) My apologies if I took you in! Obviously it is hard to tell when all you can do is look at a single picture.

What to do with an Inside-Out Egg?

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:28:12 +0000

Inside-out Egg

I found these at our Farmer’s Market last weekend. What a trip! The farmer said it is an heirloom breed of chicken that he’s in the process of re-establishing as a breeding flock, but had just a few eggs to sell. So far I’ve eaten a couple just soft-boiled like this, on toast. The taste is perfectly normal, except, well, inside out. Anyone have any better ideas of how to really showcase this unique find?

Chana Dal in the Style of Puri Jagannath Temple - Recipe

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:36:00 +0000

Chana Dal in the Style of Puri Jagannath Temple

Every time I eat some form of beans and rice, I ask myself why I don't do that at least 3-4 times a week. Not because of the health factor (though it is great for you), or because it is famously inexpensive. Just because I find it so satisfying. It has that ability to make me feel like all is right with the world.

Chocolate Eclairs - Recipe

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 06:09:00 +0000

Chocolate eclair

When I asked my wife what I should make for a Valentine's day dessert, there was no hesitation. "Eclairs", said she, and far be it from me to disappoint. For some reason I've never made them before, though I like them very much, so I was excited for the challenge.

My habit when looking for recipes lately is to search on TasteSpotting, foodgawker and Photograzing, because I can get an immediate visual indication of whether the results look delicious.

Stop Scraping Your Stand Mixer Bowl - BeaterBlade Rocks The House

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:18:00 +0000

I love baking, and I love our KitchenAid Mixer. I hate stopping the mixer every 30 seconds to scrape down the sides of the bowl. And it also annoys me that the attachments can’t go in the dishwasher. Apparently I’m not the only one!

This new BeaterBlade is fantastic. It looks just like the normal paddle attachment, but is made out of heavy duty plastic. The brilliant part is that the edges are lined with a slightly softer plastic that acts like a squeegee on the bowl. So it continuously scrapes the edge and pushes the batter back down. No more stopping. It even scrapes the little dimple at the bottom of the bowl!

Chimichurri - Argentine Parsley Sauce - Recipe

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:52:34 +0000

Chimichurri sauce served with polenta and tostones

Chimichurri (also spelled chimmichurri) is the quintessential sauce of Argentina, and deserves to be better known in the northerly climes. It is somewhat like an Italian pesto, but made from parsley, and without the cheese or nuts to thicken it. Like pesto, it comes together in a food processor with just a few minutes of work.

Huevos Ahogados En Salsa Verde - "Drowned Eggs" - Recipe

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 06:32:00 +0000

Huevos Ahogados

This simple Mexican egg dish has a picturesque name: Huevos Ahogados, which means the eggs have been drowned. The reality isn't so violent, they have actually just been poached directly in a thin salsa.

Let me go ahead and state the obvious: this is great hangover food.

I'm pretty much a sucker for anything involving poached eggs, especially if there is something good to sop up the runny yolk. In this case it mixes in with the sauce and you wipe it all up with a stack of soft corn tortillas.

Swiss Chard, Onion and Monterey Jack-Filled Vegetarian Enchiladas in a Tomatillo Salsa - Recipe

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:22:06 +0000

Swiss Chard, Onion and Monterey Jack Enchiladas in a Tomatillo Salsa

I'm not going to front, these vegetarian enchiladas were really damn good. My brother described them as "firing on all cylinders". I can't take full credit though, they were roughly based on a Rick Bayless recipe, from his terrific Mexican Everyday cookbook. I changed the filling from spinach and mushroom to Swiss chard, onions, and Monterey Jack, and I baked them rather than just rolling them on hot plates and covering with the sauce. They were just cheesy enough to be satisfying, but not the total gut bomb that plain cheese enchiladas can be.

Understanding Deadly Food Allergies - This Post Could Save A Life

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:35:12 +0000

When I was a sophomore in college, a woman in my class named Katherine Brodsky died because she never imagined that a bowl of chili at a local pub would have peanut butter as a “secret ingredient”. She had the most severe form of food allergy, known as anaphylaxis. Her airway closed, and she died a couple of hours later. Although I didn’t know Katherine personally, her tragedy stuck in my head.

Herbivoracious Dinner #2

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:28:00 +0000

I just finished my second Herbivoracious Dinner Party. I started these as a way to "stay in the game" of professional cooking. The first one was all the way back in April of 2008, and then I took a long hiatus while we had our second child. This time, Cafe Flora, where I previously interned, graciously agreed to host, which was fantastic because it gave me access to a restaurant kitchen and waitstaff, so I could focus on the food and not the thousand other details that go into this sort of event. Plus I got to work with all of my old friends. Chef Janine even offered to come in and help me plate, which was incredible - she's so fast and cool under pressure, it gave me a big boost in confidence.

Apple-Celery Sorbet - A Refreshing Recipe with Many Co-Authors

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 06:19:00 +0000

Apple-Celery Sorbet

I was trying to decide on a sorbet flavor for an upcoming dinner party, and I ran across this Apple-Celery combination from Michael Laiskonis. That sounded like a good fit with the other flavors I had planned, and the apples are both seasonally appropriate (from storage) and local here in the Pacific Northwest. Read on to find out just how many amazing chefs helped me work out the details.

Fresh Fettucini with Hedgehog or Shiitake Mushrooms and Ricotta - Quick and Easy Recipe

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:38:36 +0000

The luxurious quality of this dish belies how simple it is to make. Really you do most of the work at the market, acquiring great fresh pasta, ricotta, and mushrooms. Come dinner time, all you have to do is boil the noodles and saute the fungi.

I made this dish with hedgehog mushrooms, which taste very much like chanterelles, but are a little less expensive and have a later season. If they are done in your area, cultivated shiitakes seem to be available year-round now and would also be delicious. King oyster mushrooms work too.

Boyikos (aka Boyos de Queso) - Sephardic Style Cheese Biscuits - The Greatest Snack with a Martini Ever - Recipe

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:45:00 +0000

Boyikos in their natural habitat

Savory, crispy, flaky, cheesy. Boyikos are little cheese biscuits or crackers that every good Sephardic grandmother makes. You should learn how too, because they are quick and easy, and I don’t think a Martini ever had a better companion. Bring these to a potluck and I bet you come home with an empty plate.

Caramelized Raisin Sauce ala Michael Laiskonis

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:29:04 +0000

Caramelized raisin sauce

Michael Laiskonis is the executive pastry chef at Le Bernardin. He also manages to write two blogs in his "spare" time, which is awe inspiring. His Notes From The Kitchen tend to be somewhat philosophical, while the recently launched Workbook contains more off-the-cuff ideas. Both are required reading as far as I'm concerned.

Today in the Workbook, he posted a Caramelized Fig Puree, which he had arrived at from ruminating on agrodolce, the sweet-sour flavor combination most commonly associated with Sicily. It immediately brought to mind a half-finished experiment I'd done a couple of years ago, involving caramelized and pureed raisins, though my thought process had been based more on a rum-raisin concept. I only tried it once, because a certain member of my household holds raisins in approximately the same regard that you might reserve for, say, a nest of vipers under your front stoop.

Pear-Caramel Ice Cream from The Perfect Scoop (by David Lebovitz) - Recipe and Cookbook Review

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 06:53:00 +0000

Pear-caramel ice cream from The Perfect Scoop

I bought The Perfect Scoop, only a few months after I started blogging, back in the fall of 2007. David Lebovitz was already well established as a food blogger, living in Paris. The idea that a blogger could launch a book was pretty amazing to me. Of course, I later realized he’d published three previous books and worked for more than a decade at a little place called Chez Panisse, but still, I was impressed!

Buckwheat-Buttermilk Pancakes - Recipe

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:50:00 +0000

Buckwheat pancakes

Buckwheat pancakes have a place in the American imagination, but rarely at the breakfast table. When you do occasionally find them at restaurants, the percentage of buckwheat flour is so low that you can hardly taste it. Which is a shame, because the warm, toasty, nutty flavor is delicious.

A Few Of My Favorite Food Blogs, Part 1

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:26:51 +0000

The community of food bloggers is quite amazing. We've got professionals taking a break from their speed racks, newbies making their first stir-fry, vegans and carnivores, molecular gastronomists and hardcore traditionalists. I thought I'd start out the new year by sharing a few of the food blogs that I regularly read, whether it is for inspiration, recipes, photography or a chuckle. There are many more than will fit in a single post, so I'll make this an occasional feature of old favorites and new finds. Feel free to use the comments to let me know of other blogs I should check out!

Savory Churros and Morel "Hot Chocolate" - Recipe plus an Invite To Dinner

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:54:00 +0000

This is one of the dishes I’m working on for my next “underground” dinner party. Cafe Flora (where I previously interned) has graciously agreed to host this time. The menu I’m working on will be Spanish, with both traditional and modern elements. (If you are interested in attending the dinner on Tue. 1/27, there might be a few spots left; drop me an email at herbivoracious@gmail.com, let me know how many in your party, and I’ll be in touch).

Can a Vegetarian Eat at Pike Street Fish Fry? Restaurant Review - Seattle, WA

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:57:00 +0000

Pike Street Fish Fry is the brainchild of Michael Hebb, most known in Seattle for his celebrated series of One Pot underground dinners, and chef Monica Dimas, formerly of Le Pichet and Campagne. The Fish Fry opened to a lot of attention in April of '08, garnering notices in Food & Wine and Gourmet as well as from our local brigade of reviewers. I've been meaning to make it in since then, but with a new baby I couldn't get there at night. I just recently realized that they've been open for a lunch for awhile now, so I got my first taste of the crispy goodness.

Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe with Spinach and Ricotta Filling for a Crowd, using No-Boil Noodles

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:10:00 +0000

Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe with Spinach and Ricotta Filling

Vegetarian lasagna (aka veggie lasagna) might be a bit of a cliche, but everyone loves it, and it has the great advantages that you can do it ahead for a crowd, and it finishes in the oven, so you can concentrate on your guests.

I make mine without a bechamel sauce, opting for a spinach and ricotta mixture to provide the creaminess. I also prefer it to set up to a fairly firm, sliceable “pie”, but if you like a wetter version, you could do the sauce 1.5 x or even double.

How To Make Crispy, Delicious Latkes (Jewish Potato Pancakes, Traditional for Hanukkah) - Recipe

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 21:30:22 +0000

Now that’s a crispy latke!

Let me apologize immediately for the poor photography, but I have a very good excuse. An all-out hanukkah latke binge is something I look forward to every year. I wanted to get myself on the outside of those latkes immediately, and you should actually be amazed that I stopped to take a picture at all.

I’m a latke purist. Please do not darken my digital doorstep with tales of pumpkin-chipotle latkes or Thai-spice latkes. For me, a latke should contain: Russet potato, onion, egg, and salt and be fried in a decent amount of oil, and then be served with applesauce and sour cream, and more salt.

Challah Me... Why Not Take Challah Me

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:53:42 +0000

Cleverly braided challah

The year draws towards a close with lots of family coming and going, and Hannukah to celebrate. There have been latkes and more to come, but I haven’t baked challah in a while. The snowy streets gave us a good reason to make our own instead of buying from one of Seattle’s excellent bakeries.

I hope to publish a recipe of my own at some point, but for now I can’t do better than to point you to this fine one from the New York Times via I Like To Cook.

New Paella Pan from The Spanish Table

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:49:49 +0000

Vegetarian Paella

I just got a big new paella pan from The Spanish Table. Bought a large model that serves 10-12 because it is one of my dishes for dinner parties. I'm really planning on using this one on my Big Green Egg in warmer weather, but with close to a foot of snow on the ground in Seattle and a full house with my folks in town, I decided to break it out and use it on my stove. Even with an imperfect burner arrangement, the rice turned out great. This was my first try with bomba rice, which many consider to be the finest, most absorbent variety.

Potatoes with Alioli - Ultra Garlicky Spanish Mayonnaise

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:03:47 +0000

Potatoes and alioli

Garlic, garlic and more garlic. Eat this before an episode of True Blood and you'll sleep better. But maybe don't serve it on a first date.

Alioli is a close Spanish cousin to the French aioli. It is a simple home-made mayonnaise which comes together in just a few minutes. You can serve it with any sort of vegetable, raw or cooked. It is also delicious with a slab of cold tortilla (Spanish frittata) on crusty bread.

Persimmon, Parsley and Olive Salad - Recipe

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:27:00 +0000

Salad of parsley, persimmon and black olives

Persimmons are excellent right now. I was casting about for something refreshing and vaguely Spanish to serve with this rich dish of fideos, and hit on the idea of using persimmons in a salad that I usually make with blood oranges later in the winter.

The two common varieties of persimmon are Fuyus, which are rather squat, and Hachiyas, which are more oblong. Fuyus are eaten crisp, while Hachiyas are inedibly astringent until they are as soft as pudding. So for this salad you will only want to use Fuyu persimmons. The flavor is moderately sweet and flowery, with a slight tang and muskiness, somewhat similar to mango. You generally have to peel the fruit unless the skin is surprisingly tender. (By the way, these Zyliss Soft Skin Peeler are incredible for peeling fruit including tomatoes).

Espresso Vivace, Seattle, WA (Capitol Hill & South Lake Union) - Capsule Review

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:57:09 +0000

I'm sitting in Espresso Vivace's new Capitol Hill location as I write. The venerable Broadway and Denny location closed awhile back, and was transported almost intact to 532 Broadway Ave East, in the retail floor of a condo development. They also have an outdoor location a couple blocks south, and another store in South Lake Union (see address info at the end).

I'm going to keep this simple: Vivace makes the best espresso in America. That might seem like an overly strong statement, but I stand by it. David Schomer, the owner, has devoted himself to perfecting the roasting and extraction techniques, down to the exact number of atmospheres of pressure. He literally wrote the book. His baristas are impeccably trained and almost always make perfect shots. The roast has a sweet, caramelized creama that is unmatched in my opinion. It is great in drinks, but at perfection when enjoyed as a double shot, in a porcelain cup, within a minute of brewing.

Ilan's Top Chef Fideos, Vegetarian Style - With A Review Of The Top Chef Cookbook

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:38:49 +0000

Ilan Hall's Top Chef Fideos

I'm an avid fan of Top Chef. Our family has a standing date to watch it on TiVO every week. Of the cooking reality shows (Next Food Network Star, Hell's Kitchen and so on), it is the only one that features people who can really cook, and spends most of the time showing off their skills, not so much on the yelling, biting and scratching.

Paella Cakes with Manchego and Candied Seville Orange Peel - Recipe

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:54:00 +0000

Paella Cakes with Manchego and Candied Seville Orange Peel

I made these paella cakes as the vegetarian entree for our big family Thanksgiving, and they were... fine. They didn't hold up so well to reheating, and I didn't have all of the flavor components in place. I had some of the rice left at home and made them again the next day with much more success. This time I ditched the fruit-vinegar reduction, and added a sprinkle of smoked paprika and cinnamon, a slice of melting manchego, and candied Seville orange peel.

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:40:00 +0000

Chanterelle and Brie Bruschetta

My last few forays with chanterelle mushrooms have combined them with other big flavors. For this appetizer, I wanted to highlight the delicious, earthy, sweet, complex fungii themselves, adding mainly just some melted brie for richness. This would make a rather decadent appetizer to pass at a holiday party, preferably with an equally earthy red wine.

When shopping for chanterelles, you want them to be neither dried out, woody, nor slimy. Size doesn’t really matter. It can take some work to find the best specimens in a bin. Store them in a paper bag in the refrigerator and use within a couple of days. To clean them, I like to just moisten a dishrag and use it to brush off any clinging dirt and pine needles.

Capsule Restaurant Reviews - Mainly In Seattle

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:09:47 +0000

For those of you in the Seattle area (or visitors to our fair city), I've started a page of capsule restaurant reviews. There is always a link over in the Categories side of the lefthand sidebar. I'll still put full reviews with photos in the main section of the blog, but if I just dash off a few paragraphs on a restaurant, I'll put it in the capsule section, since they are probably not of much interest to readers around the rest of the globe. Comments welcome as always!

Blue C Sushi - Seattle, WA (Fremont, University Village, etc.) - Restaurant Capsule Review

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:58:12 +0000

Blue C Sushi is a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant with multiple locations in the Seattle area. Their first store, in Fremont, is close to my office so I've eaten there several dozens of times. It is great for a quick lunch because you can sit down and start eating immediately. Plates (with color codes for the price) circle around the modern, brightly lit room and you pick out whatever you want to eat. While you dine, you can watch the chefs make new mountains of sushi to serve.

Grapefruit Crudo - Recipe

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:39:00 +0000

Grapefruit crudo, avocado, chervil and capers - this isn't tuna!

Shanghai Garden - Seattle, International District - Capsule Restaurant Review

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:38:44 +0000

Shanghai Garden is one of my favorite places. My 3.5 year old daughter and I make it a regular date after swim class, and the waitresses treat her like a rock star. Last night we went with a big group of our extended family. This is probably not the place for the absolutely most adventurous eaters of Chinese food in Seattle, looking for organ meats and tendons and so forth. (Check out gastrolust.com for tips on that). But for those of who like solid favorites, consistently well prepared, it is a winner.

Holiday Shopping for Gourmets (or Gourmands) - ChefShop.com

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:57:43 +0000

I've mentioned ChefShop.com on the blog before, because they are a local Seattle business that I really believe in. Tim Mar is a stone cold killer when it comes to tracking down incredible food products. He maintains contact with dozens of small producers, and brings in shipping containers from Europe every year, packed with goodies you often can't find anywhere else. A shipment just arrived, so now is the time to get the coolest new stuff.

Dessert Express - Cookbook Review With Chocolate-Chili Pudding Cake Recipe

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:43:24 +0000

Chocolate-Chili Pudding Cakes From Dessert Express

Lauren Chattman has a mission for her book Dessert Express. She wants something sweet, and she wants it now. She knows that a little treat at the end of a meal makes it satisfying, memorable, special... or just gives her that extra leverage to get the kids to do the chores. Whatever the reason, she's figured out 100 recipes to get that treat on the table in 30 minutes, from desire to first bite.

7 Tips For Fast And Flavorful Pastas, Including A Recipe For Conchiglie With Chard And Smoked Mozzarella

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:57:00 +0000

Conchiglie Pasta with Swiss Chard and Smoked Mozzarella

This dish is kind of a blast from the past for me. Not the specific ingredients, but it is so much the way I cooked for most of my adult life. Nothing complicated, just a simple pasta mixed with a bunch of flavorful and harmonious ingredients. No real sauce beyond the melting smoked mozzarella and a little sherry.

Flair Taco - Street Food With Good Vegetarian Options - Seattle, WA

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:48:00 +0000

Grilled vegetable taco

Looks like we got us a little street food revolution going on around here in Seattle. Not an easy task with the dreary weather, but even when it is cold & wet we'll go outside for something delicious. Flair Taco, operating out of a classic taco truck at the corner of 36th and Phinney, is the latest addition to the lineup, and they are putting out some very tasty Mexican favorites.

Beer Battered Maitake Mushroom With Japanese Tartar Sauce - Recipe

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:23:00 +0000

Batter-fried maitake mushrooms with a cross-cultural tartar sauce

Maitake mushrooms are very common and much-loved in Japan. In the US they are often known as Hen of the Woods mushrooms (not to be confused with Chicken of the Woods, which is completely different - or Chicken of the Sea, for that matter). They are an easy wild mushroom to enjoy; the flavor is pretty much similar to a button mushroom, just more intense.

Vegetarian Pozole de Frijol - Quick and Hearty Soup with Hominy and Pinto Beans - Recipe

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:54:00 +0000

Vegetarian Pozole de Frijol
Pozole (also spelled posole) is a soup or stew made all over Mexico, dating back to pre-Columbian times. Vegetarian pozole is almost a non-sequitur, because the original is heavy on the pig, but this version is delicious and filling so I don't think you will miss the meat. It makes a terrific one pot meal on a cold day.

Capsule Restaurant Reviews

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:50:28 +0000

Index of short restaurant reviews that weren’t published on the Herbivoracious main blog:

Ristorante Machiavelli, Italian, Seattle, WA, Capitol Hill, 11/13/2008 Shanghai Garden, Chinese, Seattle, WA, International District, 11/30/2008 Blue C Sushi, Japanese, Seattle, WA, Fremont and other locations, 12/3/2008 Espresso Vivace, Coffee, Seattle, WA, Capitol Hill and South Lake Union, 12/11/08 Nana's Soup House, Soup / Salad, Seattle, WA, Fremont, 12/15/08 A whole bunch of Fremont neighborhood lunch spots, 4/4/09 Costas Opa, Greek, Seattle, WA, Fremont, 4/9/09 World Wrapps, Multiple Locations, 4/25/09 Volterra, Seattle, WA, Ballard, 7/12/09

Ristorante Machiavelli - Seattle - Capsule Restaurant Review

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:47:14 +0000

Ristorante Machiavelli is somewhat the antithesis of Seattle's upscale restaurant scene. They specialize in red sauce Italian. With the exception of tuna carpaccio, the cliches are from the 1950s, not 2008. Sometimes that is just what I'm looking for. Minestrone, Caesar salad, spaghetti, lasagna, piccata. Alfredo, carbonara. No surprises.

The cognitive dissonance with the rest of Capitol hill is kind of pronounced; clientele is young and hip. If you are young and hip it is dark and candlelit enough to make a good second or third date. My wife says it is a little loud for a first date.

I Like You (Hospitality Under the Influence), by Amy Sedaris - Cookbook Review with Recipe for Greek Koulourakia Cookies

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:53:53 +0000

Koulourakis (Greek cookies with cardamom)

For those of you who aren’t familiar with her work (most famously Strangers With Candy), Amy Sedaris is crazy. Bug f’ing nuts. Mad as a hatter.

"I can't write good, but I can cook even better" - Amy Sedaris

While most of us who came of age in the late 60's and early 70's raced away from the aesthetics and values of that time, Ms. Sedaris wholeheartedly embraces them. Her genius is that while she adores the avocado-colored wallpaper and ham salads, she really thrives on the dark side of that era - overwhelming social pressure to be a perfect housewife, with the bottles of white Zinfandel under the kitchen sink and mother's little helper in the medicine cabinet.

Munchies: - Toasted frozen waffles with ice cream between them - Mozzarella sticks dipped in Cool Whip - Crushed pretzels with cream cheese on toast

Irish Soda Bread - Recipe

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:53:00 +0000

Irish Soda Bread

Irish soda bread is great to have in your arsenal. It it is leavened with baking soda and buttermilk instead of yeast, so you can go from conception to hot bread on the table in under an hour, with only a few minutes of active work. It adapts beautifully to being made with half whole wheat flour to boost the nutritional value, and it is fun to make with kids. You can add raisins or currants or caraway seeds, or just leave it plain, to suit your mood or menu.

Easy Eggplant and Ricotta Rolls with Ajvar (or Tomato Sauce)

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:11:00 +0000

These little rolls of roasted eggplant with a ricotta filling and a simple sauce are minimal work and make a satisfying appetizer or side dish.

I sauced mine with ajvar, a mild spread of roasted red peppers that is popular throughout the Balkans. Ajvar is fairly easy to find at gourmet grocery stores (or from the Amazon link above). There are also spicy versions if that is how you roll. It has been a favorite of mine for years, because it very inexpensive and has a ton of flavor. I've been known to eat it on eggs, on toast with melted cheese... and by the tablespoonful.

Polenta With Sauteed Chard and Gorgonzola

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 06:29:00 +0000

As fall closes in on winter, the cold weather greens and warm, filling grains figure more in our cooking. A lazy weekend day meant I had time to make polenta the slow way instead of using the quick cooking (but not instant) de La Estancia brand. I followed Marcella Hazan's "no-stir" method, which really isn't no-stir, but definitely low maintenance, you just need to have an hour. Both the quick-cooking and slow-and-low methods make delicious polenta, but they are very different. The de la Estancia is bright yellow and tastes more of fresh corn, with a slightly rougher texture. Hazan's technique leads to polenta which is very mellow, creamy, soft and soothing.

Farro Salad With Chanterelles, Fennel and Apples

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:58:00 +0000

Farro salad with chanterelles, fennel, apples and parmesan

This is my second take on chanterelles and farro. The first one was a hot entree, with sauteed apples. Today's variation is a salad, with shaved apples, fennel, and parmesan. The first dish used an apple "balsamic" vinegar to make an emulsified butter sauce. For the salad, I used the same vinegar to make a vinaigrette.

Farro with Chanterelles, Apples, Apples and Apples

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:13:20 +0000

Farro, chanterelles, and King apples

Chanterelle mushrooms are one of those magical ingredients which speak of fall, like asparagus in spring, or tomatoes in late summer. Sauteed, they pack a ton of flavor and there really is no substitute. My friend Will recently gave me a few beautiful King apples from his tree, and immediately I wanted to use them with chanterelles.

What's In My Pantry Part 1 - "Quick Reach" Liquids

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:24:00 +0000

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I thought it might be fun to do an occasional post of what I've got stashed away in different parts of the kitchen.

This first batch are the items I keep right on the counter, for sauteeing, deglazing, making quick sauces, and adding little hits of flavor. I put the Frantoia in the middle because that is my favorite high end extra-virgin olive oil. I reach for it for most raw uses, like vinaigrettes or to drizzle on pasta. The Whole Foods house brand is less expensive and I use it for cooking, along with canola oil that I keep in the fridge. (On Molto Mario, he uses Frantoia even to deep fry. Which is nice if you have deep pockets!)

Pumpkin Ravioli With Broth And Beans

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 06:36:00 +0000

Pumpkin ravioli with a simple vegetable broth and white beans

I made these pumpkin-filled ravioli after reading Paul Bertolli's astounding Cooking By Hand (which I reviewed last week). I made so many that I ended up freezing half and eating them three times. The first time, we ate them with a simple brown butter sauce and crispy sage leaves. Then last night we had them again, over a simple, rustic broth with caramelized leeks, carrots, celery and white beans. Finally today, I had the last few with brown butter again, but this time with big doses of smoked paprika and black pepper. Any way you go, there is a lot to like here.

Cooking By Hand, by Paul Bertolli - Cookbook Review

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:24:21 +0000

Have you ever been at a party and started talking about, say, your new-found appreciation of painting, only to find out that the conversation partner who has been politely humoring you is the curator of the Met? That's a little bit how I felt reading Paul Bertolli's Cooking by Hand, which I learned about from my friend, chef Paul Redman.

While I'm peeling a few desultory cherry tomatoes, he's developing relationships with farmers so that he can hold a week-long heirloom festival with 200 varieties, and then selecting the best to create a 12-course tasting menu. While I'm investing in one little bottle of aged balsamic, he's got a set of six casks in his attic, made by his friend the barrel maker, in which he's producing vinegar for his newborn son to enjoy when he's grown.

"Lobster Mushroom" Spaghetti - Recipe

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:19:00 +0000

Spaghetti with lobster mushroom

I found this enormous lobster mushroom at our neighborhood co-op last week. You can see it in the picture at the bottom, next to my 8" chefs knife. It had "ears" but they broke off. The whole thing weighed just over a pound! That's a big parasitic ascomycete. A say what? Well it turns out lobster mushrooms aren't really mushrooms (nor are they lobsters). They are a fungus that grows on a host mushroom, turning them red and rendering the original mushroom unidentifiable. Yum, right?!?

Peeled Cherry Tomato Salad With Pan Fried Goat Cheese

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:58:00 +0000

Peeled cherry tomatoes are the star of this show

Ever since I read Shuna's post about peeling cherry tomatoes, the idea has been lodged in my mind, like a song you just have to sing to forget. Ok, specifically, it was this line:

"Tomato skin is like pantyhose. Sheer, almost transparent, and yet truly in the way of what you really want."

It takes a certain amount of talent to make cherry tomatoes sound ribald! But she's absolutely right. The effort is totally worth it and not really that hard for small quantities. The technique Shuna explains works beautifully - small X in the bottom with a very sharp knife, dip for 5 seconds in boiling water, ice bath, peel.

Scrambled Eggs With Epazote And Poblanos

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:45:00 +0000

Scrambled eggs with epazote and poblanos

Epazote is an absolutely common, everyday herb in many parts of Mexico, Central and South America, but it is barely known in the United States outside of Latin American communities. It is worth your while to track down, as the flavor is utterly unique. If you take bite of the raw leaf, it is resinous (like rosemary), citrusy, herbal and vegetal all at once, with maybe a hint of gasoline! Diana Kennedy and Rick Bayless both say there is no substitute for it, and I have to agree.

Five-Minute Indian-style Cabbage - A Tasty and Easy Side Dish

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:45:13 +0000

Indian-style cabbage you can make in 5 minutes

This cabbage side dish is great to have in your arsenal, because it comes together in 5 minutes flat, and makes a big and flavorful addition to an Indian meal. I break out some variation of it when I’m making a curry, rice and raita and feel the need for one more dish to round out the meal.

The Flavor Bible, by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg - Book Review

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:59:08 +0000

Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, authors of The Flavor Bible

Thanks to Keren (the Frantic Foodie), I recently had the opportunity to join a little blogger's coffee klatsch with Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, authors of the indispensable tomes Culinary Artistry, What to Drink with What You Eat, and most recently, The Flavor Bible. They were in Seattle to promote their new book and catch up on the ever-changing food landscape in our fair city.

Skillet Street Food - Seattle, WA - Restaurant Review

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:28:00 +0000

Skillet Street Food in Seattle, WA

Skillet is easily the most talked about mobile restaurant in America. In many other countries, street food is a highly developed art form, but in America it has been left mainly to "roach coaches", hot dog stands, and (often fantastic) taco trucks. CIA-trained chef Josh Henderson and foodservice veteran Danny Sizemore changed all that when they started roaming the streets of Seattle in their vintage Airstream trailer, cranking out beautifully prepared, delicious, seasonal meals.

Achiote-Rubbed Butternut Squash Tacos - Recipe

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 03:15:00 +0000

Grilled butternut squash taco filling

Last week was Sarina’s birthday, and she requested a Mexican feast for her celebration. These tacos, filled with achiote-rubbed butternut squash were the highlight. I grilled both the squash and some poblanos, then tossed them with crema and cilantro and served them on soft corn tortillas with red onions, queso panela, and Tapatio hot sauce. I think this is one of the tastiest vegetarian tacos I’ve ever had (if I do say so myself).

Introduction to an Imaginary Cookbook, Part 1

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 03:28:00 +0000

Like most of us, my first culinary memories are inextricably linked with my Mom. This may seem an odd place to start in a vegetarian cookbook, but I'll never forget her veal. It was lightly breaded with flour and egg, and pan fried. I couldn't get enough, and I would wolf down my first piece to make sure that I was first in line for seconds. She would fry the veal in Pompeiian brand olive oil, which was a pretty radical experiment for Louisville in the early 80's, and I'll never forget the acrid but fascinating smell of the oil burning in her pan.

Mangoes And Curry Leaves - Cookbook Review With Recipe For Bangla-Flavored Fried Zucchini

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 04:02:00 +0000

Bangladeshi-Style Fried Zucchini

Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid are one of the greatest cookbook writing teams alive today. Their ability to travel the world and fully engage with the people they meet allows them to bring back incredible stories, photos and recipes.

I’ve owned Home Baking: The Artful Mix of Flour and Traditions from Around the World and Seductions of Rice for awhile now, so when I received Mangoes & Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent as a gift, I fully expected another indispensable volume. This one is devoted to the foods of Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Sugar High Friday - Mysterious Cupcakes

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 07:30:53 +0000

When I heard that Fanny was hosting Sugar High Friday and devoting it to cupcakes, I knew immediately that I'd participate. I first met Fanny when she commented on these Caramelized Pear Cupcakes with Blue Cheese Frosting that I published only a few weeks after I started this blog and we've been pals ever since.

Fanny's enthusiasm and joy for pastry (and art) always inspires me, so I knew she'd make something special for her own SHF. Not surprisingly, these S'more-inspired beauties look amazing. Even more incredible when you realize she's from France and learned about s'mores from a book (!) which suggested you would make them in the oven (!!). I really want one of her cupcakes.

Kisaku Sushi - Seattle, WA - Restaurant Review

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:42:37 +0000

Vegetarian Sushi At Kisaku Sushi In Seattle

Some folks might think that a vegetarian reviewing a sushi restaurant is like Ralph Nader reviewing Fashion Week. In some sense that is probably true, since I can't give you any report on the quality of the fish, but we can still talk about the rice & nori, which are critical components, not to mention the service and atmosphere.

Goat Cheese And Fig Buttons?

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:38:23 +0000

I don’t really even know what to call these, and I’ll be the first to admit that is one sloppy plate. I was just hell-bent on trying out an idea, and since we have a new baby and aren’t getting much sleep, sometimes all I can do is to try and make an approximation and file it away for later.

Disclaimers aside, this was pretty darn tasty. I got the idea from an episode of Iron Chef America, Battle Brain Freeze (which was really Battle Melon). I believe it was Flay’s side (not Garces) that set some goat cheese with agar, then laid it in a rectangular mold with a piece of melon in the center, and sliced it into cubes.

Healthy Thai-Style Salad of Grilled Eggplant, Tofu, and Watermelon - Recipe

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 03:53:00 +0000

I'm calling this a Thai-style salad, but it could just as easily be Vietnamese or Cambodian. It was ultra-refreshing, and because the dressing is oil-free, very low calorie as well. This kind of salad can work either as part of a larger Southeast Asian spread, or by itself as a light meal.

I've seen watermelon used in all sorts of interesting savory dishes lately. Compressed, juiced, pickled, "sashimi", grilled. You name it, folks are realizing it has applications way beyond a big chunk dribbling juice down your chin on a summer day (or filled with vodka, but that's another story). In this salad, it provides a beautiful sweet counterpoint to the puckery lime dressing and fresh herbs.

Madeleines With Munchkins - Baking With Children

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:21:16 +0000

Madeleine cookies - or really, teacakes

My goal for this post is to write about madeleines without mentioning Proust (again).

Mini-me is obsessed with those little packets of three madeleines sold at the Starbucks’ register, so I asked if she’d like to make them at home some day. Of course the answer was yes. Remembering that Heidi of 101cookbooks had run a madeleine recipe over a year ago that looked intriguing, we opted to follow hers rather than Joy of Cooking (or more research).

Rings Of Saturn On Challah French Toast

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 03:57:00 +0000

“Rings of Saturn” - Saturn peach with French Toast

I recently learned that donut peaches and Saturn peaches are the same thing. I picked up some beautiful specimens at Central Market the other day, perfectly ripe and sweet. They lack the acid backbone of most other varieties. Pure, addictive, three-bite candy.

Summer Vegetarian Antipasto From Leftovers, Odds & Ends

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:46:51 +0000

Non-traditional vegetarian antipasto

Is it hot in your house? Don't feel like cooking? How about a non-traditional, vegetarian antipasto for dinner?

There is something so gracious and gratifying about a big generous platter of the good things from your refrigerator and cabinet, preferably served outdoors with a glass of wine or a cold one.

I can't explain why, but something about putting everything on one big family platter in the middle of the table makes it seem a lot more special than grabbing everything from the fridge and leaving them in their original containers.

Is Molto Mario (Batali) Still The Best Cooking Show On TV?

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:31:44 +0000

You want to learn something valuable about cooking while vegging out in front of the tube? Got thirty minutes? (Or twenty-two if you have TiVO.) In my opinion, the very best thing you can watch is reruns of Molto Mario on Food Network.

Now you might think: "dude, you are a vegetarian! Why would you watch that?" Ok, let's take a parenthesis here. If you are a vegetarian and think you should only buy vegetarian cookbooks and watch shows that don't involve meat or fish, you are an ... well, let's not be insulting. You are missing out on most of the knowledge that the food world has to offer, because let's face it - we are in the minority here, people. Most of the great chefs in the world cook animals. Sucks for me (and the animals). I still buy their books and watch their shows. You can always skip past the parts where our critter friends get dismembered, and probably cringe.

Summer Risotto With Corn And Zucchini - Recipe

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:53:00 +0000

Summery risotto with corn, zucchini, and tomato oil

One of the great things about risotto is that it is a blank canvas on which you can paint the produce of any place and season. Restaurants tend to make the same stereotyped combinations over and over again, but don't let that limit your options!

I needed a light entree for a hot day, and I wanted something a little festive since it was for a birthday celebration, so I made a basic risotto with fresh corn and zucchini, and dressed it up with a bit of tomato-flavored olive oil.

Insalata Caprese With Heirloom Tomatoes - The Greatest Salad Of All - Recipe

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:53:00 +0000

Insalata caprese with Purple Cherokee heirloom tomatoes

All year I look forward to the brief period when the tomatoes are good enough to eat insalata caprese several times a week.

Because it is made with only 5 ingredients, and you don't cook them, the greatness is completely determined by their quality. This calls for the finest, ripest heirloom tomatoes you can lay your hands on, sweet & milky fresh mozarella, superb olive oil, flaky sea salt, and fragrant basil. The one in the picture above was made with Purple Cherokees and a handful of mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes.

Pasta With Eggplant And Fresh Tomatoes - Recipe

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:48:00 +0000

Pasta with eggplant and fresh tomatoes, in homage to Norma

Yep, it is summer and the whole deal is to do as little to the beautiful ingredients as possible. This dish is kind of a reinterpreted Pasta alla Norma, a classic Sicilian dish. By reinterpreted I mean: I didn't have ricotta salata, and I wanted to use fresh tomatoes. So sue me.

How To Make A Delicious, Vegetarian Potluck Salad in Five Minutes

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 06:03:00 +0000

Got home from work at 5:30 and the block party / potluck was called for 6:00. Two crazy kids meant I had about 5 minutes to put something together, but I wasn't about to settle for bland. Last year I brought empanadas, so we have a reputation to uphold! Easy potluck recipes are a dime a dozen, but the challenge here was to deliver one with big flavors.

Molly Moon's Ice Cream - Seattle, WA - Review

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:21:08 +0000

Coffee ice cream with vanilla-bean caramel sauce at Molly Moon's in Seattle

Anyone who has spent time in the Midwest or on the East Coast will agree, Seattle is not a great ice cream town. So when I heard that Molly Moons in Wallingford was making the good stuff on site with mostly organic ingredients and interesting flavors, it was on my radar right away. Then when Dana Cree, a wonderful pastry chef and co-author of Tasting Menu was leaving Veil to work at Molly's, I couldn't wait any longer.

Iced Lychee With Asian Mignonette Sauce - Recipe

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:33:00 +0000

Iced lychee on a bed of ice, with Asian mignonette sauce

Here's the last of the three lychee amuse bouche (you can see the earlier ones here and here). Sticking again with the idea that peeled and pitted lychee are kind of fleshy and shellfish-like, I made an Asian-twisted mignonette, which a sauce traditionally served with oysters. It is vinegary, and tastes best very cold, so I served the whole dish on a bed of crushed ice.

Lychee Tempura With Japanese Pepper Mayo - Recipe

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:50:47 +0000

Lychee tempura, with spicy mayo and black sea salt

This is the second in my series of amuse bouche based on fresh lychees. (Here is the first in the series). This one I fried using the small-batch tempura batter from Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking, and served it with a Togarashi-spiced mayo, black sea salt, and a slice of lemon.

Tea-Smoked Lychee Amuse Bouche

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:44:08 +0000

Fresh lychee smoked with genmaicha tea

This is the first of three amuse bouche I have in mind based on fresh lychees. (Hey, did you know that the plural of amuse bouche is amuse bouche? Learn something every day.) You could also serve all three as an appetizer trio instead of an amuse.

If you haven't had a fresh lychee, seek them out at a good Asian grocery or a high-end produce shop. I've even seen them at Trader Joe's. They are miles beyond the fairly sad canned fruit that sometimes appears in perfunctory desserts at Chinese restaurants.

Nectarine and Blueberry Tart - Why I Am Not A Pastry Chef

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:05:22 +0000

Nectarine and Blueberry Tart

I made this tart with the idea that I’d write a post about how simple it is to make this beautiful and delicious dessert. It is, though it does take a bit of time. Just look up a recipe for a pâte sablée dough and pastry cream, use perfectly ripe fruit and it is going to be good.

But making it really got me thinking about two other things:

Blueberry Napoleon with Crème Fraîche and Raspberry Powder

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 07:42:11 +0000

Blueberry Napoleon with crème fraîche and Raspberry Powder

I didn't make this to be a Fourth of July dessert, but I realized afterwards that it bears some kind of metaphoric resemblance to an American flag, except that the stars are blue.

I made some rectangles out of a pastry dough, and layered them with Crème fraîche, beautiful blueberries, and a sprinkle of brown sugar. The easiest dough to work with is called pâte sablée. Here is a detailed introduction to it from my friend Fanny. Once you've made the dough and chilled it, roll it out to exactly fit a Silpat lined baking sheet, and make a little paper template to divide the dough evenly into rectangles before baking.

The Secret to Crispy, Delicious Quesadillas - Recipe

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:05:54 +0000

Crispy Quesadilla with Pecorino and Onion & Garlic Jam

Pretty much everyone loves a quesadilla. Whether you are feeding a 3-year old with mild Monterey jack, or a sophisticated foodie with taleggio and grilled figs, a tortilla and melted cheese is quick to make and irresistible. Let me tell you about a simple trick which will take your quesadillas from tasty but floppy to crispy and delicious.

Disclaimers

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:41:03 +0000

By reading this website you agree to the disclaimers below.

Cooking and eating involve inherent dangers. Sharp tools, hot stoves, allergic reactions, and food poisioning are only some of the potential risks. Please only undertake activities that you believe to be safe and comfortable. Michael Natkin and Herbivoracious assume no responsibility or liability for any damages you may experience as a result of following recipes, instruction or advice on this website.

Cherry-Pumpkin Seed Muffins From The "Farm To Table Cookbook" - Recipe

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:58:32 +0000

Cherry-Pumpkin Seed Muffins From The "Farm To Table Cookbook" - Recipe

Sarina gave me this beautiful new book, the The Farm to Table Cookbook: The Art of Eating Locally by Northwest author Ivy Manning for our anniversary. It is organized by seasons, with an emphasis on ingredients that you might find at a farmer's market, and includes recipes both from the author and a who's-who of excellent regional chefs.

Some Amazing Chocolates To Try - Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon Wrap-Up

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:35:47 +0000

Guittard chocolates for baking (or, um, eating)

The first Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon was a resounding success! 20+ chocolate artisans showed up to offer samples and talk about their work. For only a $20 entrance fee and unlimited tasting, this was a fantastic bargain for anyone who lusts for cacao.

This year's event was made slightly surreal by the sight of an enormous cruise ship docked right outside the the Bell Harbor Conference Center, filling the view out the salong windows. Apparently the ship caused a short circuit in the building, which in turn lost air conditioning. Some of the chocolatiers said the warmth was affecting the "snap" of their chocolates, but I have to say it wasn't a big deal. Definitely an application of Murphy's law!

Seem Quiet Around Here? Not At My House :)

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:12:02 +0000

If it seems like there aren't a whole lot of new posts and recipes for the next few weeks or so, it is because we just had our second baby! I'm a proud and sleepy Dad with quite a bit different priorities for the next bit, but I'll be back soon.

Roasted Corn With Ancho Chili Butter - Recipe

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 06:28:00 +0000

I’m more than a little obsessed when it comes to roasted or grilled corn. Anytime we go to a State Fair or Sons of Norway festival, I head straight for the corn booth, wolf down 3 ears and then regret that I don’t have room for a cream puff. Well, not until after we play Whack-A-Mole.

I’ve been working on the technique at home. Some folks like to peel back the husk, remove the silk, then tie the husk back up before roasting but I’ve never tried that. I just soak the whole ears in the sink or a clean bucket for 30 minutes, then roast for about 45 minutes over a moderate fire, turning occasionally. You can carefully peel back a bit of husk to see if the beautiful browning is starting to happen. When they are done, let them cool slightly, then peel the husk and remove the silk. I’d recommend gloves and you still have to be careful not to burn yourself.

Ba-Da Bing! What A Sweetheart!

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:56:09 +0000

Bing Cherries

No, I haven’t been watching too many episodes of the Sopranos. These beautiful Bing cherries are from Batch’s Best Family Farms. I got them from my friends over at ChefShop.com. Tim Mar & his crew have a knack for tracking down great food.

I’ve never seen 3 pounds of cherries without a single bad one or blemish in the bunch. Clearly the Batch family takes pride in what they do. They are picked ripe and shipped fast, and would make an incredible gift for someone who doesn’t live in a cherry-favored part of the country. Check out their Sweethearts and Lapins among others.

King Oyster Mushrooms With Pesto, Grilled Polenta, and White Beans

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:10:54 +0000

When I saw “French Horn Mushrooms” at Whole Foods (for $19.99/lb), I thought they looked awfully familiar. In fact I would have sworn they were the same as the “King Oyster Mushrooms” for sale at $6-8/lb at our local Asian groceries. Sure enough, either one is Pleurotus eryngii. (Click over to see what they look like raw.)

One way to get a lot of umami flavors from these fungii is to slice them thinly and sear them. I was forced to correct the Wikipedia article that claimed they were tasteless. They brown beautifully, developing a meaty texture which can easily stand up to a flavorful sauce.

Vegetarian Paella With Artichokes And Green Beans - Recipe

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:08:56 +0000

Vegetarian Paella With Artichokes And Green Beans

I know, when you think paella, you think seafood paella. But the real main event is beautifully cooked, tomato and saffron infused short-grain rice with a caramelized crust (socarrat) on the bottom. Add a few baby artichokes, green beans, and garlic and you've got a terrific vegetarian paella.

Tofu In The Style Of Southeast Asian Steamed Fish (Vegetarian)

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:20:10 +0000

The tofu all seasoned and ready for wrapping

Imagine opening a present at the table, and being greeted with a rush of aromatic steam full of lemongrass and ginger that makes you close your eyes with pleasure.

Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% happy and proud to be vegetarian. I'm also an obsessive eater and cook. So when I see omnivores eating a preparation that looks heart-poundingly delicious, I tend to get bummed out if there isn't a way to adapt the concepts to a great vegetarian dish. I feel that way about Southeast Asian-style recipes for fish, when the critter is steamed with a bunch of herbs and spices in some kind of packet (often a banana leaf).

Corn Cake with Camembert, Cherries, and White Honey

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:20:55 +0000

Corn Cake with Camembert, Cherries, and White Honey

Cherries are in full storm here in the northwest. Mostly we just like to eat them out of hand, many pints at a time. While laying in a cherry-induced stupor, red juice drooling like some sort of befruited Dracula, I set to pondering whether I could steal just a few of them to experiment with flavor pairings.

My first thought was to do a cheese course, which then morphed into something that is more of an ambiguous sweet/savory dish, which I find appealing.

Garlic Scape, Ricotta and Zatar Pizza

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:00:00 +0000

I always look for garlic scapes at the farmer's market this time of year. Apparently I'm not alone. Lots of bloggers have used them lately, including Danielle at Habeas Brulee (scape tartlets), Derrick at SFist (sauteed with favas and fingerlings), and Chip at Cookthink (with a running scape tally).

What is a garlic scape? It is the shoot of a hardneck garlic plant. The flavor is mildly garlicky. You can slice thin and eat them raw, saute, or steam them, but since the Big Green Egg is my new hammer, the scapes looked like a nail. I doused them with olive oil and grilled them (a bit too much as you can see), then built a pizza with Calabro ricotta, grilled the pizza as well, and when it came off I sprinkled the whole thing with lots of Zaatar.

Recipe: Spaghetti with Fresh Artichokes ala Pink Door (Spaghetti con Carciofi "Porta Rosa")

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 05:52:00 +0000

Sarina and I were so in love with the Spaghetti with Fresh Artichokes we had last week at The Pink Door, I wanted to recreate it at home. I got reasonably close for a first try. This is a pretty simple dish, but requires a bit of prep time for the artichokes, and the technique is a bit different depending on whether you use baby artichokes or larger ones.

Seattle Chocolate Salon

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:40:52 +0000

Just a quick note to say that I'll be on the tasting panel at TasteTV's first annual Seattle Chocolate Salon. It is Sunday, July 13th at the Bell Harbor Convention Center, on the waterfront. I imagine it will be a fun event. There are certainly some great chocolatiers coming to town. I'll be there at least from 2:00 - 4:00 PM (unless our baby comes early), so by all means come by and say hi!

Recipe: Grilled Eggplant And Shiitake Bruschetta

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:44:20 +0000

Grilled Eggplant And Shiitake Bruschetta

I cannot tell a lie. This was a totally failed experiment, but a yummy bite of food.

Experiment first: I've been interested for awhile in the idea of using the microwave to glaze a plate with sauce. The way I've tried it, I put maybe a tablespoon of a fairly thin sauce on the plate, then microwave it for 20 seconds at a time, giving it a shake occasionally, until it just barely dries into a thick coating. It makes kind of a mess and you have to wipe the plate carefully where you didn't want the sauce. But my evil plan was that then I could put a piece of hot, moist food down on it, and the diner could swab the reduced sauce with the food, rehydrating the intense flavors.

Restaurant Review: The Pink Door - Italian - Seattle, WA

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:24:00 +0000

My wife and I just spent a weekend downtown, our last for awhile while we await our second child. Two nights on the town (or as far out on the town as an 8-month pregnant woman can go) were an opportunity for us to visit a couple of restaurants we've enjoyed in the past.

The comparison couldn't have been more stark. Friday, we ate at a restaurant owned by one of Seattle's celebrated chefs. The food was decent, but the service was indifferent bordering on rude, and the crowd at the bar was reminiscent of Hooters.

New Visual Index To All Posts

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 14:47:41 +0000

I've been working on a way to easily skim all of the posts on the site. The first version is available now, at Visual Index (or from the navigation bar at the top of every page). Let me know if you like it and if there is anything you can think of to make it more useful.

Spectacular Chocolate and Espresso Brownies - Recipes

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:43:56 +0000

Spectacular Chocolate-Espresso Brownies

Brownies of course are one of those topics that cleave the population along multiple dimensions. Cakey or fudgy? Love the middle or the edges? Celtics or Lakers? Nuts or no nuts?

For me, I like more of a cakey brownie, but it has to be very moist and dense cake. Middle. Celtics!!! I like nuts, but we live in a nut-allergy family, so none in these.

Recipe: Gougères - Cheesy Puffs of Goodness with Blue Cheese and Rosemary

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 07:49:00 +0000

Gougères with Blue Cheese and Rosemary

Goo what? Gougères, pronounced "goo-zherz". You make a simple choux paste (aka pâte à choux) dough, mix in some cheese, and bake them. There is no chemical or yeast leavening, they rise from steam and the structure created from gluten and eggs. The same dough (minus the cheese) is used to make eclairs, beignets, and cream puffs.

Recipe: Pappardelle With Cauliflower and Zucchini

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:22:52 +0000

Pappardelle With Cauliflower and Zucchini

I find it fascinating how different types of Italian pasta seem to want different sauces. I don't know how much of that is from their inherent properties or just repetitive association. I guess that is a nature vs. nurture question. Were these noodles born loving butter or did their momma teach them?

These fresh pappardelle from Seattle farmer's market stalwart La Pasta have an incredible natural sweetness from the semolina and eggs. I didn't even want to caramelize the vegetables in the saute, which I normally consider mandatory. The only embellishments were roasted garlic (again, mild and sweet), and a tiny bit of tarragon.

Recipe: Polenta With Asparagus And Olives

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:45:00 +0000

Polenta With Asparagus And Olives

This is a quick and easy meal you can throw together in 20 minutes if you have the ingredients in your pantry. The key is to use a polenta that is quick-cooking but not instant. The instant stuff has been parboiled and doesn't taste too great.

My favorite is an organic Argentinian polenta from de la Estancia. It is very finely ground and cooks in just a minute, with a very fresh corn taste. (Amazon has a good deal on it but you have to buy 6 packages. You can also find it at Whole Foods.)

Recipe: Chewy Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 07:52:28 +0000

Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes in life you just want a big, warm plate of chocolate-chip cookies, and sometimes you want oatmeal chocolate-chip. At least that’s what Sarina and her Mom tell me :).

I started with this recipe from Panthera and applied my usual cookie tweaks (more salt, more chocolate, chill the dough) with good results. I used regular rolled oats, not quick-cooking ones, which presumably resulted in a chewier cookie.

Recipe: Panko-Crusted Egg With Cherry Smoked Asparagus, Smoked Paprika, And Sherry Gastrique

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:58:38 +0000

Panko-Crusted Egg With Cherry Smoked Asparagus, Smoked Paprika, And Sherry Gastrique

This was the third course for my recent “underground” dinner party, and definitely my favorite. The panko-crusted egg was a late-night inspiration. I’ve been on a hunt for new ways to add crispy textures in unexpected places. The crunchy panko makes a really cool counterpoint to a correctly cooked, soft and smooth hardboiled egg. Eggs and asparagus have a natural affinity, and smoking the asparagus doubles up the flavor of the smoked paprika (pimenton dulce). The sherry gastrique adds complex sweet/sour/caramelized notes.

Recipe: Pickled Onions Make A Versatile Condiment

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:26:39 +0000

Adobo Tofu Taco with Pickled Onions

Pickled onions are one of my favorite condiments. I do this almost automatically if I find myself with half of an onion left on my cutting board from some other dish. It takes all of two minutes and then you have this little jar of tastiness waiting in your fridge for a few days.

Recipe: Soft-boiled Egg With Shiso and Kochujang (Korean Hot Sauce)

Wed, 28 May 2008 19:26:14 +0000

Recipe: Soft-boiled Egg With Shiso and Kochujang (Korean Hot Sauce)

I have pneumonia.

Haven't felt like eating much of anything, but I've been lying around with a fever, deliriously thinking of dishes I want to make when I'm better. Last night I suddenly wanted a soft-boiled egg, and once I was in the kitchen, my evil twin took over for a few minutes and made this.

Herbivoracious Dinner Party #1

Sat, 24 May 2008 09:53:44 +0000

Buckwheat blini with creme fraiche, asparagus caviar, and black salt

Last Sunday was my first “popup” dinner party - a chance to bring together a group of friends who love food, to give me a chance to test dishes and practice this kind of service. I plan to do more of them in the future for a wider audience.

The idea of this dinner was an asparagus tasting menu. Asparagus has been enjoyed since ancient times as a symbol of spring. There is even a recipe from Marcus Apicius, in the oldest known extant cookbook. One of his variations is for a sort of a asparagus fritatta which sounds pretty good.

On "On Vegetarians"

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:14:42 +0000

Naomi, my buddy over at GastroGnome, just published a piece about vegetarians, more or less in response to Taylor Clark’s Slate article on the subject. I was going to reply to her in comments, but I think I have enough to say that a full post is worthwhile. Which is of course to say I disagree with her a bit, but in a friendly blog sorta way.

The Gnome’s first point was that if she’s having a dinner party, she feels she is:

Taylor Clark's Slate.com on Being a Vegetarian

Wed, 21 May 2008 07:50:59 +0000

Do you ever read an article and have this weird feeling like the author is channeling you? Or rather channeling a version of you that writes words together real good like?

That's how I felt about Taylor Clark's hilarious essay on Slate explaining vegetarians to omnivores. He captures exactly my definition of being vegetarian (food that didn't previously have eyes), my reasons for being veg (don't like to kill things), lack of judgement about other people's personal food choices, and plea for reasonable consideration at restaurants.

Restaurant Review: Jasmine Provincial Vietnamese Restaurant

Mon, 19 May 2008 06:43:00 +0000

This is my entry in the Seattle Restaurant Review 360 that Gastrognome is hosting this month.

I'd been intrigued by Jonathan Kauffann's review of Jasmine Provincial Vietnamese Restaurant in the Seattle Weekly awhile back, so when Naomi named this her pick for a 360, I was more than ready to jump in.

The Weekly review focused on comparing Jasmine to another Seattle favorite, Tamarind Tree. I certainly see the point of the comparison. Both restaurants aim to bring an upscale feel to a cuisine that in America is usually served in more of a down-home neighborhood style. Their decor is sharper and more modern, and the food more varied than at your average Vietnamese restaurant. I don't doubt that Jasmine's owner's paid close attention to Tamarind Tree's success in designing their room and menu.

What I'm Doing This Weekend

Fri, 16 May 2008 19:19:54 +0000

Insanely Fresh Asparagus

What am I doing this weekend? Turning these 25 pounds of just-picked, local Washington asparagus into dinner for 16. It is a six course tasting menu, with asparagus in 4 of the courses.

If you are in the Seattle area and are interested in being invited to future dinner parties, drop me a line at herbivoracious gmail.com.

Pictures and recipes soon...

Review: Punjab Sweets

Sat, 10 May 2008 14:42:15 +0000

Thali with Bhindi, Chana, Mattar Paneer and a Gulab Jamun

Iqbal and Gurmit Dha and their daughter Harpreet Giil have done something terrible, and I'll never forgive them. Their vegetarian restaurant, Punjab Sweets, offers my favorite Indian snacks, entrees, and sweets. And it isn't in walking distance of my house. I find this to be deeply cruel.

Recipe: Cranberry Bean "Fool Mudammas" (aka Borlotti Beans)

Thu, 08 May 2008 09:28:57 +0000

Cranberry Bean "Fool Mudammas" (aka Borlotti Beans)

I'd never worked with Cranberry beans (also known as Borlotti beans) before. By appearance they reminded me of pinto beans with more spots. I knew they were best known for use in Italian soups. But when I boiled them up and tasted them, the flavor immediately reminded me of dried fava beans. And that got me craving Foul Mudammas. (Which can also be spelled Fool Mudammas, or Ful Medames, or Foul Moudammas, yikes!).

Recipe: Sesame Corn Muffins

Sat, 03 May 2008 19:30:04 +0000

Sesame Corn Muffins

I'm completely crazy for corn. Corn on the cob, corn sautees, tofu corndogs, and of course cornbread and corn muffins. Mini-me and I were plotting some of those muffins the other morning, and the inspiration struck to add sesame seeds. Sesame and corn go great together, emphasizing the earthy flavors in each. We added them to the batter and sprinkled more on top.

Recipe: Fresh Spinach Fettuccine With Goat Cheese, Jerusalem Artichokes, Morels And Leeks

Thu, 01 May 2008 22:32:33 +0000

Fresh Spinach Fettuccine With Goat Cheese, Jerusalem Artichokes, Morels And Leeks

When we got to the farmer's market at noon last Saturday, I hadn't thought about how little might be left. It is early in the season, and Seattle's throngs of organic produce devotees had snapped up just about everything edible.

New Restaurant Review 360 + An Unexpected Surprise

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:16:05 +0000

Naomi over at Gastrognome has kindly volunteered to host the next Restaurant Review 360. (What's a Restaurant Review 360?). Her choice is excellent: Jasmine Provincial Vietnamese Cuisine. It has been on my list to try, and I'm looking forward to reviewing it along with her and my fellow bloggers. Deadline is May 20th, so if you write about food in Seattle, be sure and participate!

And, wow, Naomi told me in her email that there would be a surprise. The "360" concept has won me the inaugural SFBA (Seattle Food Blogger Award). I'd just like to thank my wife, my daughter, my 5th grade teacher (Mr. Peake), and of course the members of the Academy. No, seriously, thanks Naomi!

Recipe: Vietnamese Sandwiches with Tofu (Banh Mi Chay)

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:39:34 +0000

Vietnamese Sandwiches with Tofu (Banh Mi Chay)

I must be a sandwich, 'cuz I'm on a roll. Ba dum dum. Yeah. Anyhow, when I last wrote about Vietnamese sandwiches (banh mi), it was to tell you where to find them in Seattle. Until last night I'd never made them at home.

Considering that they retail for under $2, there isn't much reason to make them yourself unless you don't have access to them or you want to vary the ingredients, which was my motivation. I thought I would use the outstanding tofu from Thanh Son Tofu on 12th Ave, and add avocado and mint leaves. I picked up the rolls from Seattle Deli. (Which is also a fine place to have a sandwich, but you have to ask them not use fish sauce if you want a vegetarian one.)

Sabich - Iraqi Jewish Eggplant Sandwich - Recipe

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:06:45 +0000

Sabich - Iraqi Jewish Eggplant Sandwich

So I'm at that Men Cook event I've been telling you about, and my friend Aaron starts telling me about this amazing sandwich he'd had in Israel. He had me at fried eggplant and hardboiled egg, and I missed the rest because I was too busy drooling and scheming when I was going to make it. I'd been in Israel this past fall, and was heartbroken that while I'd eaten untold falafel, I'd had nary a sabich.

New Category For Vegan Recipes

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:55:50 +0000

Thanks to Ruth of the Perfect Blood Sugar blog for the excellent suggestion to have a category for recipes that are vegan, or easily modifiable to be vegan. I've gone back through the last 50 or so posts and added the vegan ones to that category, and I'll try and do the rest soon. Let me know if there are other categories you'd find useful.

Calabro - The Best Ricotta Cheese in America

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:34:46 +0000

Calabro Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese

Like most things in life, there is ricotta and there is ricotta. For long-baked dishes, it might not make that much difference. But take one bite of this Calabro's fresh cheese and you might think you never had ricotta before. It has the same clean milky sweetness that you find in great fresh mozzarella, and a fluffy, light texture.

Recipe: Atayef - Syrian Ricotta-Filled Dessert Pancakes

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:18:59 +0000

Atayef - Syrian Ricotta-Filled Dessert Pancakes

I took one look at the picture of these atayef in Poopa Dweck’s spectacular cookbook, Aromas of Aleppo, The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews and knew imediately that I had to make them. I served them at a recent Men Cook event for dessert, after a meal that also included her red lentil soup (shurbat addes) and spiced yogurt cheese (labneh).

Recipe: Syrian Style Labneh (Spiced Yogurt Cheese) - Vegetarian

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:50:16 +0000

Syrian Style Labneh (Spiced Yogurt Cheese)

This recipe is adapted from Poopa Dweck’s cookbook, Aromas of Aleppo, The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews. I wrote more about that book in this post on Syrian Red Lentil Soup.

Labneh, aka Lebneh, is eaten all over the Middle East. The term can cover a wide range of yogurt-based products from very thick liquid all the way through to a firmly pressed fresh cheese. It is made by draining the liquid from plain yogurt through cheesecloth, and then optionally adding flavorings, and it is quite easy to do at home.

Recipe: Syrian Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup (Shurbat Addes)

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:20:53 +0000

Syrian Red Lentil Soup (Shurbat Addes)

This recipe, and the next couple that I post, are adapted from Poopa Dweck's spectacular cookbook, Aromas of Aleppo, The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews.

Aleppo was home to a major Jewish population from the time of the Babylonian exile (600 BCE). They experienced golden ages under the Byzantines and Ottomans, and remained there until the horrendous pogroms of 1947. Their Aleppo Codex is the oldest surviving document of the Old Testament other than the Dead Sea Scrolls, and resides at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Much of the Aleppan community has resettled in New Jersey. Aleppan Jewish cuisine contains elements similar to those found in the other Sepharic cultures, with strong Middle Eastern and Levantine flavors.

Review 360 Roundup: Txori in Seattle (Belltown)

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:25:46 +0000

Marcona Almonds with Pimenton and Sea Salt

Welcome to the roundup of our inaugural Seattle Restaurant Review 360! If you missed it, the idea is that we invite all the bloggers in the city to visit the same restaurant whenever is convenient for them, and then publish a review on the same day. For this first event, the venue was Txori, a Basque-style pinxtos (tapas) joint in Belltown.

Kathy Casey of Dish D'Lish fame is so "in love with this romantic cuisine" that she was inspired to create her own (awesome sounding) sherry and vodka cocktail with a smoked paprika and sugar rim! Very cool that she expanded the concept of a review to doing her own riffs on the flavors.

Restaurant Review: Txori in Belltown, Seattle

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 07:03:41 +0000

This is my own entry in our first Seattle Restaurant Review 360. Here is the roundup of all the other participants.

When we first walked in Txori, Sarina said "no wonder you wanted to come here, this is (basically) the restaurant you want to run". She has a way of cutting to the chase like that.

Txori, pronounced CHO-ree, is on 2nd St. in Belltown, and is the younger sister of Chef Joseba Jimenez de Jimenez' Harvest Vine. Although Harvest Vine is a fairly expensive restaurant, it has always had an informal feel, especially at the counter. Last time I was there, Chef was handing out (incredible) raisins he had house-dried and sparking lively conversations between tables.

Review: Noni's Kitchen

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 22:38:39 +0000

I've eaten at Noni's at least a dozen times over the past few years, and I can never get enough. Just take a look at the beautiful artichoke above. Simmered in lots lemon juice, it whets your appetite for the pastries to come.

These bolemas are the specialty de la casa. A lean dough is oiled, wrapped around a feta and spinach filling, topped with lots of romano and baked in the oven until crispy. In the back you can just see a bureka, filled with mashed potatoes and cheese. By request you can also have a pumpkin version, which is especially popular with children, just be sure and call ahead.

Blini With Asparagus Caviar, When Three Year Olds Do Molecular Gastronomy

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:29:29 +0000

Asparagus Caviar

(By the way, if you like this post, please give it a Thumbs Up on Stumbleupon - much appreciated!)

So, I'm working more on dishes for my first Herbivoracious dinner party. I want the amuse bouche to be traditional buckwheat blini with creme fraiche and asparagus caviar. The caviar is made using the spherification technique pioneered by Ferran Adria. You need sodium alginate (derived from seaweed), and calcium chloride. (A good source for this stuff is WillPowder if you want to play). You can also make big balls, "raviolis", worms and so on.

Recipe: Raw White Asparagus Salad with Watercress and Romano - Vegetarian

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:22:32 +0000

White Asparagus Salad with Watercress and Romano

I'm starting to test recipes for my first Herbivoracious dinner party. My first event is going to be an asparagus tasting menu, a celebration of Spring coming to the Northwest. It isn't for a few weeks, and neither is local asparagus! I'm having to test with California spears for now.

Event: Seattle Restaurant Review 360

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:25:58 +0000

Late breaking news: here's the roundup!

Tofu Hunter and I were chatting about the idea of both reviewing the same restaurant. It occurred to me that we could take it a step further and invite all of the food bloggers in our fair city (and visitors too) to participate. Everyone would bring their own perspective, and we'd get to see if we all agreed or saw things very differently. If we get a good response, we could make this a regular event.

Recipe: Vegetarian Urad Dal Patties (Vada) with Black Pepper

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:38:21 +0000

Urad Dal Patties (Vada) with Black Pepper

Vada (also spelled Bada) are a species of Indian fritter or cake made with various types of lentils (dals). This particular dish is made with urad dal, which is readily available at any Indian market. While you are there, stock up on chana dal, toor dal, moong dal and all the other delicious pulses that aren’t used enough in Western cuisine. If you can’t find them locally, you can also order them from Amazon.

Recipe: Risotto Cakes With Sherry Gastrique - Vegetarian

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:59:49 +0000

Risotto Cakes With Sherry Gastrique

Any time I cook risotto, I try to make enough extra that I can fry up a few risotto cakes the next day. I'm kind of a sucker for any sort of savory pancake, and these have that creamy risotto goodness that is easy to love.

You don't need a precise recipe; all I do is add a beaten egg or two until they seem bound enough to hold together, along with any additional flavors I might want. Then I pan fry them and maybe make a quick sauce, or just serve with a bit of good yogurt or creme fraiche.

Recipe: Beet Greens with Pumpkin Seed Oil and Cherry Vinegar

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:23:23 +0000

Recipe: Beet Recipe: Greens with Pumpkin Seed Oil and Cherry Vinegar

Devra Gartenstein over at the Quirky Gourmet got me thinking about how many good odds and ends of produce I waste with this article about how she uses chard stems. I was boiling beets for a salad tonight, and resolved for once not to toss the greens. Now I adore beet greens (and every other kind of leafy green), but usually I just have a handful and they don't seem to fit into what I'm making, so they end up in the trash or compost.

Book Review: Best Food Writing 2007

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 04:33:00 +0000

(By the way, if you like this blog, please give a thumbs up on: )

Holly Hughes started this "Best Food Writing" collection back in 2000 and has published a new edition every year since. And every year I grab the new one and devour it in a day or two.

It has been fun to watch the evolution of the series. Back in 2000, food blogs, Food Network and celebrity chefs were not major players in the food world and didn't figure in her roundup. The writers were mainly well known authors for major newspapers and magazines, or wrote their own books and newsletters. Ruth Reichl, Michael Ruhlman, Jeffrey Steingarten, Eric Asimov, R.W. Apple, John Thorne and many more, all heavyweights in the field. By 2007 we see a much more diverse group, including several pieces that were originally published on blogs or other websites.

Recipe: Veggie Chili Beans with Cornbread Dumplings

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 04:15:00 +0000

Veggie Chili Beans with Cornbread Dumplings

Sarina likes what I cook at home, but sometimes she wishes I'd make more comfort food. I'm admittedly an oddball; comfort food for me ranges from Waffle House hash browns (scattered, smothered, and covered please) to idli with sambar and everything in between. But I know what she means, and it seems only fair to try and hook her up sometimes.

Book Review: The Nasty Bits, by Anthony Bourdain

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 04:39:00 +0000

The Nasty Bits is yet another book by Anthony Bourdain, whose overexposure is becoming somewhat legendary after Kitchen Confidential. This one is a collection of short pieces that he wrote for various magazines over the past few years.

As usual, Bourdain is at his best when digging in with gusto to a down-home local cuisine. He does have a knack for making friends with his love of food, and the obviously genuine zeal with which he can tuck into pretty frightening "delicacies" makes him entertaining. The opening couple of pages, where he shares a whole seal with an Inuit family is maybe hard to read for those of us that lead sheltered lives, but compelling. ("... frozen blackberries. She generously rolled a fistful of them around in the wet interior of the carcass, glazing them with blood and fat before offering them to me. They were delicious.")

LA Trip Restaurant Roundup

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 05:36:00 +0000

We just got back from a fun trip to Los Angeles, which by definition means a lot of great eats. I don't have it in me to do individual reviews for each of these restaurants, but I thought I'd at least post a roundup. Obviously you could eat for a lifetime in LA and not go to every good restaurant, but we were really happy with our choices. D.M., who is a frequent commenter on the blog and one of Sarina's dear friends did a lot of research and pointed us in great directions, and my old pals Nic and Lorna showed us some of the best Middle Eastern food we've had outside of Israel.

Review: Good Karma in Park City, Utah

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 04:22:00 +0000

My brother and I were recently in Park City for a few days of skiing. Opting for "cheap" on President's Day Weekend, we stayed well off Main St. and the resorts, over in the Prospector Square area. The hotel was kind of a dump, but it turned out we had the good fortune to be only a short walk from a really good restaurant.

I saw Good Karma on the list of nearby chow at the hotel, and thought we should try it, based solely on the name and a hunch. I figured at worst we'd be in for some hippie vegetarian food, and maybe luck would turn up something better. Luck was on our side; in fact we liked it so much we had two breakfasts and a dinner there.

Recipe: Crostini with White Beans and Basil

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:44:00 +0000

Crostini with White Beans and Basil

This is the last of the three crostini toppings I did for the recent Kavana Men Cook event, and it is admittedly similar to the other white bean dip I posted awhile back with grilled onions. This version is pared down further, focusing simply on clear flavors from the Meyer lemon and basil. Garlic and/or chili flakes would be appropriate additions, and you could use fresh parsley, tarragon, or oregano instead of the basil.

Recipe: Polenta with Blue Cheese, Grilled Fennel And Apples - Vegetarian

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:16:16 +0000

This was the entree we made for the recent Kavana Men Cook event. We've got a creamy polenta with lots of parmesan, topped with grilled fennel, grilled apples and blue cheese, and garnished with parsley, Maldon (aka the world's greatest salt) , fennel pollen, and a spectacular apple balsamic vinegar from ChefShop.com.

One small regret I had at the dinner was that the polenta had cooled a bit too much by the time we'd added all of the other ingredients and got them to the table. So I recommend you pre-warm the bowls to make sure it comes out hot and delicious.

Recipe: Crostini with Spanish Green Olive Tapenade

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:09:00 +0000

Crostini with Spanish Green Olive Tapenade

This is the second of three crostini toppings I made for our Kavana Men Cook event. This one has straight ahead Spanish flavors with the green olives, orange zest, and smoked paprika. It goes together in just a minute in a food processor. This tapenade is on the thicker side and works better as a crostini or bruschetta topping than as a dip.

Recipe: Citrus Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 06:46:00 +0000

This is the salad course we did for the Kavana Men Cook event. We used a combination of arugula and mache, two very flavorful greens that have the slight bitterness to combine well with the bright citrus fruit. The blood oranges and grapefruit supremes looked great, and the sharp sherry vinaigrette brought the whole thing together. A few thin slices of red onion seal the deal.

Recipe: Crostini with Fromage Forte

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 06:43:00 +0000

Fromage Forte

This is the second recipe in the series of dishes we did at the recent Kavana Men Cook event. I learned it from a Jacques Pepin cookbook ages ago. Fromage Forte of course means "strong cheese", and it is the best way I know to use up all those odds and ends of good cheese in your refrigerator. You can use just about any mixture of quality cheeses, but this isn't a good place for "grocery store" cheddar type products. I like to have a mix of strong, mild, hard, and creamy, and blue cheeses to maximize the flavor.

What I Learned At Cafe Flora

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:07:00 +0000

Friday was my last night at Cafe Flora. And I'm sad. These few months of sabbatical from my engineering job, immersed in food and life in the kitchen, with all my new friends there, has been a really happy time for me.

Since this was an internship, it is only fitting that I try to write down what I learned. Of course this is only my experience, over a limited period of time at a single restaurant with all of its particularities of people, style, location and size.

Recipe: Valentine's Day Crepes with Chocolate Ganache And Raspberry Compote

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 23:54:10 +0000

Valentine's Day Crepes with Chocolate Ganache And Raspberry Compote

This is the first of several posts of the dishes I did for the men's cooking group of Kavana, a cooperative Jewish organization that we have been involved with recently. Eric L., the creator of CellarTracker.com normally leads the group, but he's down with a shoulder injury. So he and his family hosted at their beautiful house and provided amazing wine, and I led the cooking with a group of 13 enthusiastic sous chefs. It was great fun!

Recipe: Mexican Matzo Brei or Jewish Chilaquiles?

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 09:58:12 +0000

Mexican Matzo Brei or Jewish Chilaquiles

Matzo Brei is a classic Jewish egg dish, often eaten during Passover when leavened bread is forbidden. (Matza can also be spelled Matzo, Matzoh, or Matzah). Everyone has their own preferred technique. Some like to soak the matza in water first and the drain it, some soak it in the egg like French toast. Some break it up large and some small. Some fry it up like an omelette in a solid cake and others break it up like scrambled eggs.

My Spuddy Valentine

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:18:33 +0000

My Spuddy Valentine

Apparently Cafe Flora has a knack for romantic vegetables. Just in time for Valentine's Day, Joey found this russet that is all heart. Sadly, right after the photo op, it ended up as a mashed potato. But as we say in the kitchen, it ain't the heat, it's the cupidity.

Chana Chaat in a Papadum Bowl - Recipe

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:19:50 +0000

Chana Chaat in a Papadum Bowl

Chaat (or chat) is a whole family of delicious Indian snacks, served either as street food or in shops that specialize in these treats. and generally cold or at room temperature. They aren't very popular in America, but you can sometimes find a few items on a menu, especially at a South Indian restaurant.

Recipe: Couscous with Parsley Yogurt Sauce, Spicy Acorn Squash, Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 08:41:34 +0000

Couscous with Parsley Yogurt Sauce, Spicy Acorn Squash, Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas

This dish is my entry in Savvy Savorer's recipe contest using Greek God's Yogurt. I really do love the Greek God's products. They are a small company based in Seattle, started by three young guys who wanted to bring the true flavors of their Greek heritage to the public, and they have done a great job.

For a quick snack right from the fridge, my favorite is the fig flavor. The plain or non-fat are excellent for cooking. They are thick and flavorful, so no draining is required to make a delicious sauce.

Review: Senor Moose Cafe

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:51:22 +0000

Well, sorry about the cell phone pic folks. My Dad is in town, and we were wandering around the wilds of Ballard when he declared his hunger. Immediately my mental food tracking GPS went in to gear, and said "Senor Moose!! I haven't been to Senor Moose in far too long!"

The Moose is one of the most amazing restaurants in the Seattle area. When you walk in, you feel like you are in a humble backroads diner, with cozy but rustic furniture. You would think that this is going to be a pleasant ham-and-eggs joint, but then you notice all of the Mexican decorations, and you hope against hope, maybe there will be huevos rancheros too.

Recipe: Grapefruit And Avocado Salad

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:21:19 +0000

Chef Janine over at Cafe Flora showed me the other day how to cut sections of citrus fruit properly. Technically these are called "supremes" as in in "we need to cut grapefruit supremes". I've tried to do them before and always had a lot of trouble, with bits of pith leftover and broken segments and frustration.

Anyhow, I had always tried to go in with my knife on both sides of the membrane between the segments. The way she showed me, you go in on one side, flip your knife around, and come back towards you on the other side, maybe leaving a bit of "meat" behind. Works like a charm, you end up with clean segments and a beautiful cup of juice too. If enough folks are interested maybe I could put up a video of the technique.

Fun With Isomalt

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 10:10:01 +0000

I've been hearing for awhile about this product called isomalt, which is a modified sugar. It has the interesting property that it can melt and form into thin sheets like caramel without turning brown. It is only about half as sweet as table sugar too, so it is easier to use in savory applications.

Modernist cuisine wizards can make isomalt into paper thin vessels filled with liquids, and I had hoped to make a sort of creme brulee capsule at some point. But for my first foray, I thought I would make some simple croquants (think: peanut brittle) with various spice mixtures. The idea would be to garnish a dish with them, allowing the eater to snack on them directly or crumble over a dish.

Recipe: Kaffir Lime Dipping Sauce

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:25:22 +0000

This simple sauce is similar to a vegetarian version of Vietnamese nuoc cham, suitable for serving with spring rolls or or pouring over a rice bowl. I've been wanting to find a good way to get a strong flavor of kaffir lime leaf, and this really worked out great.

I should mention that kaffir lime is considered an offensive term, although it is by far the most commonly used name for this plant. Makrut lime is more acceptable. But I've never actually heard it used. The leaf infuses a big, round citrus flavor without any acidity. The closest substitution would probably be normal lime rind but it is by no means the same. You should be able to find it at a good Asian specialty market, especially one that offers a Southeast Asian selection, or an Indian grocery.

Supertaster Test

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:51:39 +0000

Maybe you have heard about how a certain percentage of the population are so called supertasters? Supposedly they have a lot more taste buds than the rest of us, and therefore can both appreciate some foods more but also may find other strong tastes unbearable. Anyhow, I remember reading that there was now an over-the-counter test for this trait, but I hadn't gotten around to tracking them down.

Keren to the rescue once again, she brought a bunch of samples from SupertasterTest.com to the blogger brunch. They are just little strips, kind of like pieces of litmus paper. You put 'em in your mouth, chew a little, and notice whether you (1) taste nothing (a non-taster), (2) taste a moderately bitter flavor (normal) or (3) find them unbearably bitter (a super-taster).

Video From the Blogger Brunch

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:42:07 +0000

Just a quick note - Keren over at Savvy Savorer put up videos of everyone at the last Seattle blogger brunch talking about their dishes. Thanks Keren! While I'm babbling about white beans (did I really say something about Moorish influence?) you can hear my daughter repeatedly asking for water. Bad daddy.

Recipe: Lemony White Beans With Grilled Onions

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:00:34 +0000

Lemony White Beans With Grilled Onions

I made this for a Seattle food blogger brunch put together by the Keren Brown, aka The Savvy Savorer. She told me her husband was making his lachooch (a delicious, slightly spongy Yemenite flatbread that reminded me a lot of Ethiopian injera, only thicker). I can't find anything about it on the web, Keren care to provide us with a recipe?

Anyhow, I figured it would go well with lemony beans, so I came up with this simple white bean salad. The flavors are basically Italian, but I snuck in a bit of preserved lemon to add a Middle Eastern twist. If you don't have preserved lemon handy just add another fresh lemon. I love the flavor of preserved lemon but you want to go easy with it for general audiences - some folks may feel it tastes like Lemon Pledge in large quantities!

Recipe: Farro with Collard Greens and Bacon Salt

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 11:04:31 +0000

Farro with Collard Greens and Bacon Salt

Yep, you heard me right. Bacon Salt. It has been all over the blogosphere lately, but I had no idea it was vegetarian until Keren brought some to give away to our last food blogger get together. I shouldn't have been surprised, as processed bacon bits are a soy product too. I generally don't cook with artificial flavors, but I took it as a challenge to use it at least once, and I have to admit I liked the results.

Better Picture of the Dumplings

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 22:38:41 +0000

I've been promising a better picture of the winter green dumplings, and the review in the Seattle paper finally got me to drag the good camera in and do it. Our sous chef, Lisa, stood the chives up in it to make it "3D"! She's right, it helped the picture a lot.

Seattle P-I Review of Cafe Flora (Including the Dumplings)

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:57:27 +0000

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer just published a full review of Cafe Flora. (It will be in the Fri. 1/4/08 print edition). We were all very pleased with the positive comments from reviewer Leslie Kelly.

I'd like to tell you I was just mildly happy about her mention of my own contribution to the menu, the Green Dumplings in Shiitake Broth. But I'd be lying.

"The green dumplings managed to pull off a bit of Italian-Asian fusion, as ricotta-filled won tons floated in a lovely shiitake mushroom broth. A shower of Parmesan and lemon zest provided a dramatic finishing flourish."

New Year's Feast

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:25:21 +0000

At Sarina's suggestion, we decided to make our New Year's party meal into a small plate affair that we could stretch out all night. I made three plates, my brother Joel made three, and his girlfriend Sara made one, for a total of seven courses. In addition to the family, we also had Sarina's dear friend D.M. up from LA. To keep some sort of consistency, we chose (vegetarian) Asian flavors except for the final dessert. I didn't write much down, but I'll walk you through the courses just for fun. Please post links to your feasts in the comments if you took pics!

The Sounds of A Restaurant Kitchen

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 17:03:40 +0000

I had an interesting experience yesterday. I was in the kitchen at Cafe Flora, pureeing the lentils, onions and pecans for our pate platter and feeling vaguely irritated with myself for choosing a messy way of dealing with the several batches that needed to go in the robocoupe (a big food processor). I was tired at the end of a long shift and ready to go home and catch a nap before Mini-Me was up and ready for an afternoon of fairy-fireman-spin-dancing. (You'd have to see it for yourself).

Cheese and Grapes Four Ways

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 06:33:00 +0000

Cheese and Grapes Four Ways

I'm not really sure what got me on this track. Probably reading the completely insane El Bulli book that Sarina got me for Hannukah, although I certainly don't mean to invite any comparisons! Anyhow I was thinking about how many different forms grapes can take, and that made me want to pair several of them with cheese on the same plate. And then I've also been germinating ideas of dishes that combine or contrast industrially processed and "normal" foods. Not necessarily in an ideological way, not to make fun of the processed food, but just to let it speak for itself.

Jewish Christmas Tamales

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 22:43:09 +0000

The Christmas season is a funny time of year for us Jews. Hannukah was a couple of weeks ago, so now while everyone who is Christian is running around buying last minute gifts and then settling in for family visits, we're mostly chilling at home and trying to figure out how we can survive without an espresso bar for two days. Visit a Chinese restaurant on Christmas night and you'll find it full of Jewish folks polishing off big plates of mu shu.

Recipe: Banana Muffins With A Crumb Top

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:00:31 +0000

Banana Muffins With A Crumb Top

Most banana muffin recipes seem too sweet to me. I want to taste banana, not overpowering sugar. This version is a composite of several recipes, putting together all the bits that we like (borrowing the most from this one at Allrecipes). Mini-me had a great time sprinkling on the crumb topping, which has a few flakes of sea salt in it.

By the way, how do you like that vintage Melmac serving plate? I have a few hundred pieces of the stuff, the remnants of an even larger collection from my post-college years. I think I'll start busting them out for more blog photos.

Recipe: Brussels Sprouts with Seeds and Toasted Coconut

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:58:12 +0000

This is the season for great brussel sprouts, and I've seen lots of great recipes for them. I decided to take my sprouts in an Indian direction the other night. It is pretty simple, I just shredded them and pan fried them with black mustard, black caraway, and cumin seeds, and toasted coconut. This dish is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. I served it with basmati rice, aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower curry), cucumber raita (yogurt sauce) and papadums.

Cookbook Review: Tartine

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 15:10:40 +0000

Baking books are kind of a dime a dozen, right? And certainly recipes for brioche or banana cream pie are nothing extraordinary. If you want a basic recipe for pie crust or pastry cream, you don't need to look any further than Joy of Cooking, or recipezaar.com.

What sets a book like Tartine apart from the pack is the confident hand that you feel guiding you, whether through these fundamentals or more dramatic desserts like a Chocolate Souffle Cake or Panforte with Candied Quince. When I made the scones (pictured above) and the pumpkin tea bread (below), I just knew they were going to be first rate, not merely good.

Winter Green Dumplings in Shiitake Broth - Now Live At Cafe Flora

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 22:56:17 +0000

Winter Green Dumplings Shiitake Broth

Cafe Flora changes much of the menu seasonally, and every few months any of the employees can put up a dish for evaluation by the management team. I offered this dumpling entree and it just went on the menu a couple of nights ago. This is my first dish on a restaurant menu, so I have to say I’m pretty excited about it!

100th Post Celebration

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:53:49 +0000

Today marks the 100th anniversary of Herbivoracious. When I started this blog, back in nineteen-ought-seven, my pal Burnsie, looking natty as always in his sateen knickers, offered me advice that every writer would do well to remember: "Just give the great unwashed a pair of oversized breasts and a happy ending, and they'll 'oink' for more every time."

Mmm, sorry, Simpsons reverie. What I meant to say was, when I started this blog 99 posts ago, it was a real shot in the dark. I had no idea how to do it, how much time it would take, or what would make for a good or bad post. I just knew that I needed a way to share my obsession with more folks than my (incredibly patient) family and friends. I've been passionate about great vegetarian food for 20+ years, and I know that there are lots of people who feel the same way. So many of you have been kind enough to comment on the blog or email me privately with encouragment and feedback, and that really keeps me going.

Carrot Love

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 09:45:16 +0000

We caught these romantic carrots in the act at Cafe Flora. I'm heartbroken to report that they were tragically separated and served with Portabella Wellingtons. Kind of a Romeo and Juliet story for the vegetable kingdom. Their love was never to be, but at least they had a last few minutes together on the prep table.

Recipe: Pie Dough and Ganache Cookie Towers

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:50:00 +0000

Let's consider the problem:

I have a bit of leftover flaky pie crust dough
I really want something chocolatey, but quick
I'm obsessed with circle cutters

Solution:

The cookies above. Recipe: Cut out pie dough with a successive series of cutters, starting at maybe 2.5 inches down to the smallest size you have. Bake til golden brown. Heat up a small amount of cream, pour it over finely chopped chocolate, wait a minute, whisk, spread on the bottom of all of the circles except the largest, stack 'em up, watch Get Smart reruns while unstacking and experiencing mild glee.

Seattle Food Blogger Dinner (With Brief Review of Quinn's Pub)

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 11:21:58 +0000

Tuesday night we had a gathering of a bunch of Seattle food bloggers at the relatively new Quinn’s Pub on Capitol Hill. I’d never met any of these folks before, so it was exciting for me to see everyone, and I thought I’d take the opportunity to introduce you as well.

The night’s organizer was the fabulous Keren Brown, author of the Savvy Savorer, which is also mirrored over at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer as the Frantic Foodie. She has a knack not just for alliterative titles, but also creating very welcoming gatherings and bringing great treats to share. My favorite was the fig flavor of Greek Gods yogurt, but the Bacon Salt was good fun too. Who knew it was vegetarian?!? Keren was recently married in Israel and brought along her new husband Erez.

Recipe: Double Crust Mac and Cheese

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 05:54:00 +0000

Double Crust Mac and Cheese After Baking

Everyone knows that the best part of mac and cheese is the crunchy top, but it took Sally Schneider to do something about it. In The Improvisational Cook, Schneider makes the brilliant suggestion that you split your mac and cheese into two parts, baking half in a casserole and the rest in a thin layer on a baking sheet. When you serve it up, each person gets a small amount of each, and great crispy crunchiness ensues!

How To Clean a Kitchen - Fast!

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 04:08:00 +0000

As you might have guessed, my home cooking tends to somewhat ambitious meals, even on “school nights”, and that sometimes leads to pretty substantial messes. Working at Cafe Flora confirms what I’ve often thought, I tend to work more like a restaurant cook even though I’m at home. The only tiny little problem with that is that I don’t have a professional staff of stewards manning the dish pit to wash everything, sweep the floor and hose down the mats. I can dream!

Recipe: Spicy Chickpea Stew with Roasted Cauliflower

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:46:25 +0000

Apartment Therapy recently ran a link to our tip about how to make fluffy couscous. One of the pictures in that story showed a spicy chickpea stew over the couscous, but with no details. Anyhow, folks over there were asking for the recipe, so we put it up over there as a guest post. I make this often for dinner parties because it is hearty, satisfying, and doesn't require any last minute cooking.

Recipe: Roasted Purple Cauliflower with Sherry Vinaigrette and Fried Capers

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:42:45 +0000

Yep, purple cauliflower. We were invited to a somewhat impromptu potluck the other day, and I was going to make an orzo gratin with a saffron cream sauce to use up the pasta from Thanksgiving, but then Sarina told me that the host was making pasta. I got off work at 2:45 and we wanted to leave for the party about 4:30, so I needed to find something I could put together relatively quickly. I ran by the closest grocery that has some decent produce, and saw four heads of this beautiful purple cauliflower that I had never worked with before.

Recipe: Delicata Squash Stuffed with Orzo in a Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 23:41:53 +0000

Delicata Squash Stuffed with Orzo in a Sage Brown Butter Sauce

This is the vegetarian entree I brought to our family Thanksgiving celebration at Sarina’s folks’ house. It was based on an early version of an entree that my friend Kit was testing at Cafe Flora. The first time I had a bite of it, it just said “Thanksgiving” to me, with the warm flavors of squash and brown butter. Kit’s final dish ended up with an intensely flavored tomato sauce with lots of orange zest, which is also fantastic. I chose to do this one with sage, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries to maximize the late autumnal flavors.

Review: Tamarind Tree Vietnamese Restaurant, Seattle, WA

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 03:28:00 +0000

Vegetarian Coconut Rice Cake at Tamarind Tree

Hidden in the back of a business complex in the Little Saigon neighborhood, tucked into an impossibly overstuffed parking lot, Tamarind Tree serves up the most sophisticated and tasty Vietnamese food in Seattle, and is very vegetarian friendly.

From the moment you walk in the door, you know you've stepped up a level from most of the (often wonderful) neighborhood restaurants. The decor is sleek and modern down to the slick cast concrete bathroom sinks. The outdoor patio features a waterfall, and indoors there is a fire pit surrounded by three tables.

Recipe: Warm Winter Greens and Bread Salad

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 20:06:58 +0000

Warm Winter Greens and Bread Salad

This morning I had leftover braised greens in the fridge, from a dish I tested last week at Cafe Flora. They became one of those delicious breakfasts that kind of get composed while the frying pan is already heating, and you don't really know what you are going to eat until you stick a fork in it.

Product Review: Vitasoy Peppermint Chocolate Soymilk

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:04:35 +0000

Occasionally folks send me products that they think would be of interest to Herbivoracious readers. My standard for reviewing them is the same as if I tripped across them myself in the store: if it is so good that I would want to tell a friend to go out of their way to get it, then I'll mention it.

This VitaSoy winter seasonal treat easily rises to that level. I'm a sucker for anything chocolate and peppermint, and this is a fine entry in that genre! It is very tasty either cold or hot. Of course you could make this yourself from plain soymilk, but this is so good I don't think you need to bother.

Four. Thousand. Dollars. A. Pound.

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:29:51 +0000

Fresh White Truffles

Sarina spotted the news that DeLaurenti's market, a superb Italian specialty store in Seattle's Pike Place Market had received a shipment of white truffles. Oh, just one little thing. They cost $4000 dollars for a pound.

Now this isn't actually as gruesome as it seems. That works out to something like $8 / gram, and even 5-6 grams (the size of one of the truffles in the picture above) will flavor the heck out of enough pasta or eggs for 2-4 people. So for the the cost of only a middling restaurant meal, you could instead have something superb and rare at home. Maybe not so bad? Certainly one of the greatest vegetarian indulgences imaginable.

Welcome To The Weeds

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 05:32:00 +0000

Friday night at Cafe Flora, and I'm working the pizza / grill station for the third or fourth shift. The past few times have been pretty straightforward, never more than a few things to make at a time, and plenty of slow moments when I could get my station back together and even help on prep, although the line cooks had plenty of tickets.

Tonight started out much the same, maybe even a bit mellower than usual. A Portobello French Dip here, a Purple Potato Pizza there, no stress. I was wishing I'd get a few tickets to make things interesting. Then K., the expediter says "here's a ticket that is all yours" (which is rare) and hands it to me. Three burgers, all with special requests, and a French Dip. No sweat. Those are easy things to make, you just put them on, set up your plates, and serve 'em up. Let the line cook know when you need them to drop fries. No sweat. "Michael, you need any help"? "Nope, I'm good".

Eat Ethiopian Tonight (Including some Seattle Recommendations)

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:14:54 +0000

When time turns to thoughts of lunch (for me, that is usually before breakfast), one of my first dreams is always of a good Ethiopian combo plate. If you are a vegetarian and haven't tried this cuisine, you should run, not walk! It has everything you could want: it is crazy cheap, filling, nutritious, super-tasty, and there are lots of 100% veggie options.

The basic starch of Ethiopian food is a bread called injera. It is traditionally made from teff flour, not wheat so it could be good for folks who don't eat gluten - but be sure and ask because apparently some restaurants substitute part or all wheat. The dough is fermented and then baked into big, holey, spongy and slightly sour flatbreads which can be served warm or at room temperature. As you can see in the picture above, one injera is always served under the food, as a sort of delicious plate that soaks up the flavors and is savored last. A bunch more injera are served on the side to scoop everything up.

How Many Rams Could a Rambutan Tan if a Rambutan Could Tan Rams?

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 22:21:00 +0000

Allow me to introduce you to my little friend, the rambutan. Sarina brought one home for me from Whole Foods the other day. You can also find them at markets that specialize in Asian produce. I could share with you lots of exciting facts about rambutan but we'll let Wikipedia handle that. Instead I'll just tell you some of the fine things you can do with them once you track them down:

How to Make Fluffy Couscous - Easy Couscous Recipe

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:03:00 +0000

Fluffy Couscous - just steam it in a casserole instead of a pot

I make couscous all the time, whenever I want a break from rice or pasta, or when I just need something that cooks super quick with minimal attention. I know there is a proper way that it is prepared in its native lands, involving multiple steamings in a basket over boiling water, followed by breaking up with your fingers and steaming some more. I’m sure this is fantastic but I’ve always contented myself with the quick “package directions” version where you simply add the couscous to boiling water, turn off the heat, cover, wait 5 minutes and fluff. It isn’t bad but it isn’t all that fluffy or delicious either.

Recipe: Rice Bowl - Your Stir Fry, Elevated

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 13:45:49 +0000

I think many vegetarians have a stir-fry as their go-to dish when they need something hot, fast and nourishing on the table. Some folks are more purists who make traditional Chinese dishes like asparagus and tofu with black bean sauce, while others will throw in the whole kitchen sink of vegetables and top it with tahini-orange-soy sauce.

There is another, similar category of dish that I use as a basis for improvisation that I find offers a fresher range of flavors. In our family we call it "rice bowl". I guess it is inspired somewhat by Korean bi-bim-bap. (And there is also "noodle bowl", inspired by Vietnamese bun, but otherwise much the same).

Fresh Porcini in Italy and Seattle!

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:08:53 +0000

Porcini at Cafe Flora in Seattle

Depending on where you are in the world, it is fresh Porcini (aka Cepes) mushroom season. The picture above is of 21 pounds of these beauties that were delivered to Cafe Flora the other day. I couldn't stop looking at them. They were so freshly picked that the gills were practically glowing olive green. The cell phone picture doesn't really capture it, but those puppies were around 10" tall!

Working at Cafe Flora, Part 2

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:11:18 +0000

(For those of you just joining the program, the internship story starts here.)

So I've been at Cafe Flora for nearly a month now, generally working 4 shifts a week. I thought it would be a good time to take stock and see what has changed since I began, and what I'm learning.

The first couple of weeks, like at any job, were primarily about getting to know people and trying not to screw up anything too badly! I did push a sheet pan into a two-sided rack without looking and knocked some papadums out on the floor, but that isn't an uncommon occurrence. I've seen a number of small accidents of this kind - mushrooms scorched, buckets of stock knocked over and so forth. Everyone is used to there being occasional mistakes and deals with them cheerfully.

Recipe: Reconstructed Tarte Tatin

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 22:33:53 +0000

Reconstructed Tarte Tatin with Spun Sugar

This quick tarte tatin-style dessert is based partially on a method by Dieter Schoemer that I read about in Culinary Artistry, which I'll be reviewing soon. I made it as a full size dessert that would serve 4 with ice cream, but you could also do it as individual portions, which I think would be quite striking. The main idea is to cook the crust separately from the apples and caramel so it remains crunchy. I added the easy but cool looking spun sugar topping. You could do this with a normal flaky pie crust instead of puff pastry too.

Recipe: Leftover Mujadara Becomes A Quick, Warming Soup

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:35:25 +0000

A few weeks ago I posted a recipe for Mujadara and I made it a second time only a few days later, so we had a lot of tasty rice, lentil and caramelized onion leftovers around the house. As much as I love this dish, I couldn't finish them all off. I just happened to have some leftover broth from dried shiitake mushrooms lying around, and it hit me that the two together would make a nice soup. Shiitake broth is a favorite for me because if you have the dried mushrooms in your pantry, you can have a rich stock in just 15 or 20 minutes. I use it a lot as the vegetarian base for stir-fry sauces instead of chicken broth. Here's the soup "recipe", if you can call it that! The savory flavors of the mushrooms and caramelized onions make a rich base for the lentils and rice. As simple as this sounds, it is pretty rapture inducing.

Foraging In Belltown and Downtown Seattle (With Mini-Reviews of Lola, Local Vine, Sazerac, and Wild Ginger)

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:22:48 +0000

Catholic Seaman's Club, Seattle, WA

Saturday night. A rare date night, even rarer now that I'm working some restaurant hours. Normally we would plan a dinner someplace nice, but we know we have our first trip to the Herb Farm coming up soon, and it seemed unnecessary to be too specific. Instead we decided to catch a bus to Belltown and just see what caught our eye.

Resources for Finding Local Food

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 23:26:01 +0000

Everyone talks about eating locally and sustainably, but it isn't always that easy to track down all the great products available in your area. I bet that there are many more farmer's markets, u-pick-em farms, farms that sell direct, and other exciting stuff in your neck of the woods than you realize! I just learned from Nicole over at Farm To Philly about LocalHarvest.org and FoodRoutes.org. Both have search engines where you can look for say, a goat dairy near Seattle, or a farmer's market in Bozeman. Very cool stuff. Try them both, the databases are different, and there is lots of other great info on the sites as well.

Phyllo Wrapped Feta and Chard with a Citrus and Olive Salad

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:19:52 +0000

Phyllo Wrapped Feta and Chard with a Citrus and Olive Salad

One of the really cool things about working at Cafe Flora is the open menu, where any employee can propose seasonal dishes to be added to the quarterly menu, and then a manager’s meeting selects the best ones. The picture above is an item I’ve been testing for the winter. The phyllo dough is filled with feta, swiss chard, and seasoned with Ras El Hanout, which gives it a slow warming burn along with complex sweet spices. The salad is simply mandarin orange, pickled onions, blood olives, and parsley with a citrus rosemary dressing, and I’ve got some Zatar on the plate for a little extra color and flavor. I took it in for an initial tasting by the folks in the kitchen yesterday and I think it went over well.

Seattlest + Last Week For South 47 Farm

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:12:25 +0000

Produce at South 47 Farm in Redmond, WA

Many thanks to Dan over at Seattlest for the kind article about the blog and my internship! They are definitely the site to watch if you want a broad perspective and absolutely up to the minute news of what is going on in our fair city.

Review: Flying Apron Bakery - New Vegan, Gluten Free Bakery in Seattle, WA (Fremont)

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 14:43:04 +0000

Sorry for the poor picture quality today, all I had was my cell phone when I wandered in to the new Flying Apron Bakery in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood with a few minutes to kill before a doctor's appointment. My eyes lit up to see a happy looking bakery in the spot where a tasty but doomed crepe restaurant had hung around for a few years. Turns out Flying Apron has been around for years, but has recently closed two old locations and consolidated all operations over to Fremont.

One Day Of Work, Two More Meals, Happy Campers (Including Recipe for Spicy Angel Hair Pasta)

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 15:00:00 +0000

Cornmeal Pancakes From Joy of Cooking

Friday night, put in a good day of work at Cafe Flora. When I got home around 9, Sarina hadn’t really eaten dinner and was in the mood for pasta. You know you love to cook when that sounds like good fun! I made her a spicy angel hair pasta with breadcrumbs that comes together in about the time it takes the water to boil (recipe below).

My First Week Working At Cafe Flora

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:10:50 +0000

Cafe Flora, Seattle, Washington

I've always had a desire to work in professional kitchens, but other than a few months over 20 years ago at Green Gulch Farm (in Marin county, part of the San Francisco Zen Center), I haven't done it. So I'm taking a few months off from my day job to intern and see if it is something I really enjoy. The folks at Cafe Flora, the much-loved Seattle vegetarian institution, have been incredibly kind to let me work there and learn the ropes.

Welsh Cakes from Alford and Duguid's HomeBaking

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:46:53 +0000

Mini-me started the morning with my favorite refrain: "want make something!", which means she'd like us to cook something together. I was a bit bored of our regular muffin routine, so I pulled out Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid's HomeBaking thinking of scones and settled on something related but a bit different, the "Welsh Cakes" you see above.

I don't have the author's permission so I can't reproduce the recipe here, but the basic concept is somewhere in the neighborhood of a typical biscuit or scone, but with no baking powder or soda, and all the liquid coming from eggs. They are flavored with the usual sweet spices (nutmeg, cinammon, ginger, cloves) but also get a little spike of black pepper, and are baked like pancakes on the stovetop in a skillet instead of in the oven. The recipe called for currants but I was out, so we used chopped dried blueberries instead. The results were delicious: buttery, both moderately flaky and tender, and with a fairly intense flavor unscathed by the typical chemical aftertaste from the leavenings. According to Wikipedia, this unleavened variation is more correctly known in Wales as a "Llech Cymreig".

You Have Mousse In Your Freezer (I Think)

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:25:22 +0000

What if I were to tell you that you have chocolate mousse in your freezer this very instant? Am I psychic? Did I break in to your house and anti-burgle a delicious dessert as a complimentary gift for visiting my blog?

Nope, I'm talking about ice cream. I was recently struck by the idea that the ingredients in a good chocolate ice cream and a good chocolate mousse are pretty close. They both start with dark chocolate, heavy cream, egg yolks, and sugar. Some mousse recipes add beaten egg whites as well. So I've been experimenting with barely melting leftover ice cream and putting it in a nitrous-fill whip cream dispenser. It definitely works, you just dispense right into serving glasses, and chill for a little while. It comes out ultra-light and fluffy. You can add egg whites in there too, just give a good shake before dispensing and they will aerate beautifully.

Hummus Showdown - Abu Shukri vs. Taami

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 20:24:47 +0000

Hummus with Chickpeas and Falafel at Taami in Jerusalem

One of my very favorite days on our recent trip to Israel was the day that Sarina and I had stupendous hummus for a late breakfast and equally astounding hummus for lunch. In the morning we visited the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem and walked around the outside the Dome of The Rock and Al-Aksa mosque, then walked out through the Muslim quarter. Right by the fifth station of the cross we found Abu Shukri, and though it was a bit early we weren't about to miss this legendary experience. We weren't disappointed. You can see in the bottom picture, incredibly creamy chickpea puree topped with a few whole chickpeas and a puddle of fruity olive oil. The garnish tray included pickles and a few balls of falafel.

Strudel from Forno Marco Roscioli in Rome, Italy

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:06:45 +0000

Strudel from Antico Forno Marco Roscioli

I have been to the mountaintop, and there I found strudel. Antico Forno Marco Roscioli has been making beautiful breads, pizza and pastries for only 35 years. Which I guess makes them a bit of an upstart on the Roman scene. I found them after a morning of strolling around Campo dei Fiori and my only regret was I only had room for the stellar pine-nut and raisin strudel with deliciously moist breadcrumb filling. Dang!

Otsu Noodles (Sesame Soba Noodle Salad) - Recipe

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 07:44:09 +0000

Otsu Noodles

I've been making variations of this dish for years, but I always thought of them just as "how I like to make sesame noodles". But I just read this post on Heidi's site (and the followup at Amateur Gourmet) and the light went on that by "sesame noodles" people pretty much universally mean a dish made with peanut butter and wheat-based noodles, and that what I make is much closer to Otsu! In any case, seeing it on 101cookbooks made me leap out of my chair and turn the refrigerator inside-out to see what I was going to put in the version that most definitely had to be made right now. This is one of those vegetarian dishes that will easily please meat eaters who like Asian flavors, and is especially good to take for a potluck because it is served cool or at room temperature.

Recipe: Mujadara (Rice, Lentils and Caramelized Onion Pilaf)

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 22:37:59 +0000

Mujadara (Rice, Lentils and Caramelized Onion Pilaf)

Mujadara (also spelled Mujadarah, Megadarra or several other variations) is delicious, inexpensive, simple to make, and one of my wife’s favorite foods. Since she got us this beautiful new serving platter I felt a batch was overdue. It is simply a mixture of rice and perfectly cooked lentils, spiked with a big dose of caramelized onions and a bit of cumin and cinnamon. It makes a hearty vegetarian one dish meal served with just some Greek yogurt and maybe a cucumber salad, or it can be part of a larger Middle Eastern feast.

Campo dei Fiori Market, Rome, Italy

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 22:21:05 +0000

Arugula

For today's post I'm just going to let the pictures do most of the talking. Sorry for those of you on slow connections. These are all images from a morning stroll through the Campo dei Fiori market in Rome. Unfortunately we didn't have a kitchen at this point in our trip, so other than fruit, I had to eat this bounty with my Nikon!

The arugula above is used in many ways including as an uncooked pizza topping, and is much better than we normally get in the US. It is crisp and just slightly bitter. It adds a nice strong flavor component to many vegetarian dishes.

How To Find A Good Restaurant on Short Notice

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 23:01:18 +0000

I imagine many of us have intentions of doing lots of research before we visit a new place to find out the restaurants we really want to try. However, sometimes we don't do enough planning, or the place we want to visit is closed, or we're simply out and about when suddenly the need to eat strikes. How to quickly pick a restaurant that stands a good chance of being delicious? I've developed a few tricks over the years. None of them are perfectly reliable of course, but I think they do improve your odds.

Review: "Jovani" Restaurant, Tiberias, Israel

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 06:23:47 +0000

Delicious ravioli at "Jovani" TIberias, Israel

We're on our way from Jerusalem up to Vered Hagalil. No GPS, but this looks easy on the map. We just need to pass through Tiberias, stay on the same road headed north around the Sea of Galilee (Kinerret), and we should be there in half an hour. Pretty much follow the coast. Hmm, the road is turning inland. We must have missed the turn. Let's try again. Hmm, no obvious main road headed up the coast. All these side streets dead end. Maybe the turn was earlier. Argh! Three tries later we are punchy and very hungry and worried about a nap for Mini-Me.

A Happy Welcome Home

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:14:42 +0000

Burekas, Bulemas, Pumpkin Filas, and Sweet Rosh Hashanah Rolls from Noni Sophie

We got home last night from our month-long trip to Italy and Israel. It was an exhausting 24 hours of travel but everyone held up well, and it was a joy to see Sarina's Dad waiting for us at the Seattle airport, ready to scoop our bleary little traveling family up into the minivan and home to bed. Her folks had thoughtfully made egg salad and picked up groceries for us, and Noni Sophie, Sarina's grandmother on her Mom's side, had sent along a beautiful package of Sephardic goodies to tide us over. You can see them in the picture above: burekas (the crescent shaped ones with a flaky dough), pumpkin filas (the triangles on the right), sweet rolls for Rosh Hashanah at the top, and the king of all savory pastries, the bulemas at the bottom.

Bulemas are filled with a mixture of feta and spinach, coiled up like snails, topped with grated romano, and sort of bake-fried. The dough is made lean initially but then you use a lot of oil as you shape them and more on the pan, so it ends up becoming very crispy and delicious. I have a tape of raw video of Noni Sophie teaching us how to make them. Some day I'll edit it down and give you all a video recipe.

So you can see we had a warm welcome and I feel very grateful to come back to such a wonderful family. I think the best trips both make you appreciate other cultures and leave you happy to be back home.

We went shopping at Whole Foods today to restock the house, and it was a definite culture shock. After a month of walking around incredible street markets with small individual purveyors, it was somewhat disturbing to be in a corporate behemoth.

I've got a few more posts to do about Israel and quite a few about Italy, some new cookbooks, and lots of recipe ideas to try, plus I'm getting ready to nail down my cooking internship for the next few months, so stay tuned - much blogging is about to ensue!

Review: Obika Mozzarella Bar, Rome, Italy

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 04:41:00 +0000

So the review in our travel guide (and most of the online listings) gushed about Obika Mozzarella Bar in Rome, and it wasn't hard to seduce me. A restaurant entirely devoted to artisinal Mozzarella Di Bufala, each with the DOP seal of approval? Are you kidding me? I practically had to be restrained from clawing my way down there the minute we arrived in the city.

I need not have rushed.

And really, part of me knew. I liked the schtick of using great ingredients from all over Italy, but fresh mozzarella simply doesn't travel like that. All three varieties that we tasted were ok but not earth-shatteringly good, without that amazing sweet milk flavor I was expecting. Actually the smoked one was most interesting. I'm sure they were terrific when they left the caseificio, but nothing special when they landed on our plates. And they were served on beds of the saddest, oldest, most pock-marked, thick ribbed spinach I've ever seen served in a restaurant. Popeye wouldn't have touched it if Olive Oyl was tied to the railroad tracks.

Breakfast In Israel - So Amazing! (including Reviews of the Dan Panorama Jerusalem, Metropolitan Suites Tel Aviv, Vered Hagalil, and Yotvata)

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 06:13:14 +0000

Breakfast at Yotvata Kosher (Dairy) Restaurant in Tel Aviv

Breakfast in Israel is kind of an amazing thing, and a vegetarian's paradise.

Our first venue was the Dan Panorama Hotel in Jerusalem where we were treated to an unbelievable buffet that is included in the room price. Five enormous tables had perhaps fifty or more choices including cheeses, yogurts, and labnehs, breads of all sorts, sweet and savory pastries such as borekas, half a dozen fresh salads that changed daily, an omelette and pancake station, fresh fruit, fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juice, great mounds of halvah, and I'm surely forgetting some things! Most everything was impeccably fresh and the amazing Israeli produce and dairy products made it unforgettable. The biggest problem I had was not to stuff myself so much that I couldn't eat falafel at a reasonable lunch hour.

On The Mathematics of Bran Muffins

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 04:30:00 +0000

A truism that I hear repeated frequently that cooking is an art, while baking is more of a science which requires accuracy and following recipes to the letter. I don't think that is necessarily true, I certainly improvise changes to baking recipes frequently and usually with good results. But I think there is an underlying element of truth, which is that with cooking you can generally imagine what will result from a change, whereas with baking it can be much more difficult for us amateurs to predict.

Review: Vegan Garden Vietnamese Restaurant, Seattle, WA

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 04:45:00 +0000

It is a strange sensation for me to be presented with a restaurant menu where I have 110 legitimate choices of what to eat. As a vegetarian I'm so used to having a choice of one or two appetizers and a single entree, it is bewildering to be faced with all of these options. At Vegan Garden, a bright, clean, and relatively new restaurant in Seattle's Little Saigon at 12th and Jackson, the options are both numerous and delicious. Not only that, there are items on the menu with no English translation that I can order with impunity! They are rapidly becoming one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants, so I hope to simply eat my way through the entire catalog.

Spice Stalls at Mahane Yehuda Market In Jerusalem, Israel (What Kind of Harissa Is This?)

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 03:58:00 +0000

One of the things I look forward to most when touring other countries is to see the spice markets. In Delhi, my driver / guide and I braved one hour of traffic to go about 1.5 Km from where we were to Khari Baoli market and then we had to park in an underground garage that was so crowded that the attendants had to move cars around like a puzzle to fit each new one in!

Review: The Legendary Abulafia Bakery in Jaffa, Israel (near Tel Aviv)

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 04:46:00 +0000

Sambusac Stuffed with Potato, Mushroom, Cheese and Hardboiled Egg

Here are your directions. (1) Board plane for Tel Aviv (2) Clear immigration and customs (3) Ask taxi driver to take you to Abulafia. You could tell him that it is in Jaffa, but he already knows.

SP's dad, you mention anything related to the Middle East and his eyes glaze over with desire as he tells you about how you have to make it to Abulafia.

Foraging Tour of The Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) And The Golan Heights

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 04:33:00 +0000

Freshly liberated mango near the Sea of Galilee

SP has just about got me convinced that these private guided tours are the way to go when in an unfamiliar place with a lot to see and limited time. Along with Mini-Me and SP's Mom, we just spent two nights at the Vered Hagalil Guest Ranch just north of the Sea of Galilee, otherwise known as Lake Kinneret. (I have to say that when I first saw the water, I said "you call that a sea? At home that wouldn't even be a Great Lake! :)".

Halvah at Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem, Israel

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 03:55:00 +0000

Continuuing on with our previous theme of the amazing goods at Mahaneh Yehuda Market in Jerusalem, here are a couple more pictures that capture the flavor. The first (above) is of dozens of varieties of ultra-fresh halvah, sesame candy flavored mostly with various nuts, chocolate, and sometimes lemon or rose water.

The shouks (the Hebrew word) or souks (also spelled sooks, the Arabic word) are pedestrian only areas, and so all of the produce and other goods for sale have to be brought in on handcarts. In Delhi I saw very large ones that took two men to push. Here in Jerusalem the preferred vehicle seems to be a smaller single-man cart. For some of the streets in the Old City that are steeply sloped, they have a clever adaptation - on the back is a single tire dragging from a chain. To brake the cart, the "driver" steps on that tire.

Dairy Products at Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem, Israel

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 04:45:00 +0000

I think this one speaks for itself. The fresh dairy products in Israel are outstanding. In this picture, at a tiny dairy stall in the Mahane Yehuda market (the Jewish shouk), you can see yogurt, labneh (yogurt cheese, foreground with the basket texture), feta, and several flavored cheeses including zatar spice and olive. There is also often fresh mozzarella style cheeses but they are too rubbery, I don't think the knowledge or preference has come over from Italy yet. The flavor of the yogurt is smooth and deep, without the sharp edges of most unsweetened American varieties.

Tour of the Old City of Jerusalem (with More Falafel and Pomegranate Juice)

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 03:55:00 +0000

When we met our tour guide for the Old City of Jerusalem, Nurit Lessem, she was surprised to hear that we hadn’t had lunch yet, but was more than happy to take us to one of her favorite falafel places for a break. I knew right away we’d found the right chaperone!

"Panzanella" Salad at Spaghettim, Jerusalem, Israel

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 04:43:00 +0000

For years, everyone I know that has gone to Israel has told me how incredible the produce and therefore the salads are. "The cucumbers taste like cucumbers". I didn't know whether to fully believe this or not given how great the farmer's market produce we get in Seattle is. Now I know what they were talking about. The average produce is really much better, maybe a shade shy of the best farmer's market for basic vegetables but way, way above typical American grocery store fare. Also, the standard for preparation of salads is so much higher. You never see just some sad lettuce and vegetables washed three days ago, thrown in a bowl, awash in dressing. Probably because of the hot climate and the good produce, and the seriousness which people in this part of the world apply to their dining, the salads are often superb even at pretty run-of-the-mill places. The picture above is of a so-called Panzanella at Spaghettim, which is a small chain of Italian restaurants. It really only had a few pieces of bread, so it ate more like a good Greek Village salad. But it was incredibly refreshing and tasty, with lots of mint, and a bargain for around $10.

Falafel In The Old City, Jerusalem, Israel

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 03:55:00 +0000

This was our first falafel in Jerusalem. Of course it came in a sandwich, but we took one apart to give to Mini-Me, and that makes for a more descriptive picture than the whole sandwich. Falafel over here is so much better than you normally find in America. The falafel itself is always fried to order, not sitting around, and it is served with several kinds of pickled vegetables and salads, and often a few french fries. The crisp falafel, vinegary pickles, creamy tahini, spicy harissa and super-fresh pita combine to make something so perfect I could eat it every day. I have failed you as a correspondent and didn't write down the name of the restaurant, but it was on the Cardo (main street) in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, a little south from where you come up from the Western Wall of the Temple.

Artichokes From The Garden

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 04:41:00 +0000

Since we are traveling for the next few weeks, I expect that most of my posts will just be a picture of something delicious and maybe a paragraph or two. As a warmup, here's a picture of the first edible artichokes to come out of our garden. Gardening has been pretty much a laissez-faire survivor-style challenge for the veggies this year. The first chokes, earlier in the season, were so infested with all manner of crawling friends that they never made it to the pot. These 3 were a perfect little artichoke family, one big, one medium, and a baby. ("Someone's been sleeping in my aioli"). The picture shows them taking a bath out on the deck to remove any of the aforementioned friends. I don't know what variety they are, but the aroma and flavor were intense and outstanding. They were wider at the base than the typical retail varieties, and therefore had a high proportion of tasty heart. Artichokes are perennial, so I'm looking forward to see what goodness next year brings.

Review: Veil Restaurant, Seattle, WA

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 05:02:00 +0000

I really shouldn't be writing a post tonight, I should be researching restaurants in Rome and Tuscany, or calling my old friend that I haven't talked to in 6 months. Dinner at Veil was so inspiring I feel the need to get it all down in bytes before I can forget any details.

Although Veil had been on my mental short-list for awhile, the additional motivation for this pilgrimage came when Dana from tastingmenu.com recently signed on as their pastry chef. But you'll have to wait a few paragraphs for dessert.

Chocolate Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Filling And Chocolate Gelato

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 05:51:00 +0000

We have officially entered the Snacky Pants birthday celebration period, which extends approximately 30 days on either side of the actual anniversary of her entrance to this world. We’ve kicked in to high gear a bit earlier than usual owing to our rapidly approaching trip which will separate her from many of her usual admirers during this important holiday. Brother and CatWoman feted her with gifts, and I was directed to produce both chocolate cupcakes with a cream cheese filling and a chocolate ice cream. Normally I would have wanted to go to vanilla or some sort of caramel ice cream, but one does not argue with the birthday girl.

Contest: Looks Sweet, Eats Savory

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 03:58:00 +0000

Yesterday's Caramelized Pear "Cupcakes" With Blue Cheese Frosting got me thinking that it would be fun to see what other playful stuff folks might make in this genre of food that looks like a sweet but eats like a savory. Let's have a contest! Here are the rules:

Write up your entry and post it on your blog, or if you don't have a blog you can email it to me at the address below. A formal recipe isn't required, we'll settle for a picture and a description. Please link back to this entry in your post.
Email me at herbivoracious@gmail.com with Savory in the subject line:
- the url of your post
- the name of your dish
- your name
- your geographic location
Also, please put a comment on this post linking to your post so we can all see it sooner!
Deadline is Sunday, September 16th and I hope to post the roundup within a few days after that (depending a bit on how much fun we are having in Rome.)

Also, special thanks to Veggie Chic for hosting the latest Carnival!

Caramelized Pear "Cupcakes" With Blue Cheese Frosting

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 04:46:00 +0000

I was on my way out the door to work the other day and for some reason I said to Snacky Pants, "what would go with Blue Cheese Frosting?", and she gamely replied "pears of course". And then I was thinking of a great post (that I can't seem to find) that Dana had over at tastingmenu.com about a meal she prepared that was all sweet savories and savory sweets. I love the idea of that. Here's my first try at this concept. I used puff pastry and caramelized the pears in a skillet, making alternating layers. Then I added smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton dulce) and baked them in mini muffin tins. For the icing I mixed about 1/3 Pena Azul (a Spanish blue cheese) with 2/3 plain cream cheese and a bit of lemon juice, and topped them with a few grains of the red Hawaiian Alaea sea salt. Verdict: pretty good, not bad for a first try at a totally new area of cooking for me. Definitely fun but I think the flavors need a bit of refinement. Also I bet using phyllo instead of puff pastry would be appealing. I didn't have mini parchment cupcake wrappers, but that would add to the effect, and clearly I should take more care in piping out the frosting. I think the Pena Azul is too salt, I think I would try a Gorgonzola Dolce instead. You could serve them an appetizer with a good sherry. Here's an approximate recipe:

New Day, New Name!

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:43:20 +0000

When I started this blog, the impulse to create it THAT VERY MOMENT superseded the fact that I wasn't really happy with the name The Vegetarian Foodie. Many of you offered great suggestions and I bent the ears of everyone around me. My friend MG suggested Herbivoracious and the more I sat with it, the more I felt it really captured my attitude towards vegetarian food. I don't want to eat animals, and I do have a voracious appetite, not so much in sheer quantity but in the desire to try everything I can, learn everything I can, cook everything as well as I can, and share great meals with people I love. So Herbivoracious is the new name and I hope everyone likes it!

Dragonfruit, Dragon Fruit, Is That A Pitaya In Your Pocket?

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 04:37:00 +0000

... or are you just glad to see me? I'm glad to have made the acquaintance of this tropical fruit, known also as a Strawberry Pear, Nanettikafruit, Thanh Long, as well as the more common names of Dragonfruit (or Dragon Fruit), and Pitaya. Apparently it comes in several varieties and can be grown in many tropical parts of the world, but the organic one I spied today (costing a double-take-inducing $12/pound!) at Madison Market had red skin and and stunning neon-magenta flesh dotted with small black seeds.

Where to Eat in Israel (Jerusalem, Tel Aviv) and Italy (Rome, Florence, near Sienna)

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:01:54 +0000

The long anticipated sixth month sabbatical is now upon your loyal author! Starting Sept. 1 we'll be traveling to Israel (Jerusalem, Tel Aviv) and Italy (Rome, Florence, and an agroturismo named Montesigliano near Sienna) for a month, and I plan to post lots of food pics from the road. I thought I'd interrupt our regularly scheduled blog to ask everyone out there for suggestions of food experiences we shouldn't miss. We are equally interested in fine dining and the best falafel or gelato stands, as well as markets, bakeries, wineries, and artisanal producers. And of course bonus points for places that you've had good vegetarian experiences at, or that will be nice to Mini-Me and tolerate the occasional screech of joy. If you have any suggestions, please add them as comments below, and thanks a million!

Salt Crazy (My Favorite Sea Salts)

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:02:00 +0000

It seems as if I have some sort of salt problem. I was thinking of writing about salt, and just raiding my cabinets I found the eleven varieties pictured above. This doesn't actually put me in to the outer realm of salt craziness. I don't carry my own in a little box to restaurants (though I have to admit it doesn't sound like a terrible idea).

Properly seasoning food with salt is absolutely one of the keys to making it delicious, and as Jeffrey Steingarten points out so clearly in The Man Who Ate Everything, the health media and government are conspiring to deny us that simple pleasure. Well, really what they are trying to do is protect people's hearts, but it turns out that only a small percentage of folks actually have salt-sensitive hypertension and the rest of us could enjoy it pretty liberally. And actually even if you are salt-sensitive, the wonderful finishing salts available now can be a real boon. You can use less sodium mixed in to a dish, and sprinkle a few grains of something great on top and get much of the enjoyment. I've actually taken lately to going a bit easier on the salt in the food so that I can use more at the last moment to get maximum flavor.

Foodbeam Sables Au Chocolat with Fleur De Sel

Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:05:29 +0000

I've been thoroughly enjoying Fanny's Foodbeam blog lately, and when I needed a straightforward chocolate dessert for dinner with Mini-me's cousins tonight, I thought I'd check her archives. Sure enough, there were these great looking Chocolate Sable Cookies with Fleur De Sel. Fanny warns that they might induce some form of rage but it was a chance I was willing to take. Boy am I glad I did, they are superbly chocolatey and the salt provides a subtle counterpoint. I used my favorite Maldon (aka the world's greatest salt) sea salt, and Guittard bittersweet chocolate. And as a bonus, this solved a little mystery for me. 20+ years ago when I lived at the Green Gulch Zen Center and Farm in Marin County, we used to make a little mocha cookie that I loved. I tried to figure out the recipe years later and never quite hit on it. Now I realize that it was a sable technique, with the sandy texture from the sugar and no egg or liquid to dissolve it. (Sable is from the French word Sablee which means sandy). I'll have to make these again with an espresso flavor and see if it is close. Another nice bonus about the eggless recipe: you know you can safely eat the dough and let your kids lick the spoon! Be sure and follow her advice to take them out before they actually look done, they firm up a lot as they cool and this is a case where the flavor is coming from the chocolate, you aren't trying to caramelize the sugars.

Playdough Gnocchi (Recipe)

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 10:17:49 +0000

Here's our entry for Hay Hay Its Donna Day's Gnocchi Contest. Mini-me and I have been working on these every morning since before we knew there was a contest, so of course we had to enter them. Does anyone have a sauce suggestion? The texture is ultra-smooth and they are oh so salty.

Playdough Gnocchi
Serves 2 (1 grownup and 1 munchkin)

Take 1 large container of playdough (homemade or store bought), and roll out into 3/4" wide ropes. We like to use all the colors kneaded to a nice neutral, but if you prefer primaries I'll understand.
Cut into 1" lengths.
Hold a kitchen fork tines down on a table, with the back towards you. Take each gnocchi, and using your thumb, roll it down the fork to create the ridges, and press in to create an indentation on the opposite side.
Place on a non-breakable plate and serve immediately!

Edamame in an Edible Tofu Bowl

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 06:37:00 +0000

I’ve been cogitating about this idea for awhile. Don’t ask me why, but I’ve really had the urge to use circle cutters to make things out of tofu lately. And then I had this idea that I could make an edible bowl, and it seemed only fitting that I should fill it either with edamame or miso soup. Sort of an Ode To Soy. This one was pretty big, maybe 4 1/2 inches across, but I think it would work well to do much smaller ones and serve them individually as an appetizer. And it is ridiculously easy. Just start with good quality firm or extra firm tofu. Use one large circle cutter to create the outside shape. Brush with oil, set on a heatproof surface, and hit the outside with a blowtorch all the way around. Then use a smaller circle cutter but don’t go all the way to the bottom, and hollow out with a spoon. Toss edamame with toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil and sea salt. I used black Hawaiian salt. I plated it with nanami togarashi spice mix, both for color and to provide some heat. The photograph shows way too much of it though, that is pretty spicy stuff so just a light dusting would be more appropriate. (Nanami togarashi is a Japanese pepper mixture that includes chili flakes, orange peel, sesame seeds, ginger, and seaweed. You can find it at Uwajimaya markets or online).

Persian Sweets, Allergy Cards, and Virtual Carnivals

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 04:19:00 +0000

There are three unrelated things I want to talk about today. My challenge as an utterly unprofessional writer: segue between them so that you as innocent reader feel as if they are intimately connected.

Have you ever had Persian (aka Iranian) bakery treats? The Seattle area is home to the delightful Minoo Bakery at 12518 Lake City Way NE. I neglected to bring my camera, but there is a nice picture of some of the sweets at Nerd's Eye View. Owners Rashid Ramzani and Ezzat Ghaderi clearly put a lot of love into their pastries. Everything in the case looks neat and precise, and the baking area in back is very clean and well organized, both of which I've found are strong indications of delicious baked goods to come. I had a couple of shortbread-like cookies made from chickpea flour, and a wonderful rolled phyllo and nut item similar to baklava.

Eggplant Parmesan aka Eggplant Parmigiana (Vegetarian) - Recipe

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 03:58:00 +0000

Eggplant Parmigiana

This eggplant parmigiana is one of my favorite celebratory dishes for late summer, when the eggplants and tomatoes are at their very best. I use canned tomatoes for the sauce, and a dice of fresh heirloom cherry tomatoes and basil on top, after it comes out of the oven. The combination of fresh and cooked tomato flavor is unbeatable.

At the market, look for eggplants that are very dense. When you pick one up, you should feel surprised at how heavy it is. I don’t bother with salting and draining eggplants for most dishes, but for this one it makes a big difference. You don’t want a bunch of liquid coming off of the eggplant when it is in the oven, making the breading soggy.

Review: Dinette Restaurant, Seattle, Washington

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 03:58:00 +0000

Sarina and I had dinner tonight at Dinette, on Seattle's Capitol Hill in the space formerly occupied by the departed and lamented Green Cat Cafe. Dinette was much noticed when it first opened for chef Melissa Nyffeler's collection of antique serving platters that grace the walls, the mismatched place settings, and her penchant for serving delicious bites of food on toast, which occupies its own whole section of the menu before the salads. In some restaurants this might come across as a gimmick, but at Dinette it simply feels warm and personal, not at all pretentious.

Biscuits, Big Johns and Broccoli in Black Bean Sauce (A Very Fine Morning)

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 22:04:36 +0000

Fridays I often have some time alone with Mini-Me. Today we seem to have had an all food morning. This is good, we're getting her up to speed young! First thing after she woke up, we made our favorite biscuits. Properly nourished and ready for adventure we headed off to Big John's (aka Pacific Food Importers). If you are anywhere near Seattle and you don't know about PFI, you should run, don't walk. They have a tremendous selection of food from Europe and the Middle East, in bulk, frozen, and jarred, and a phenomenal cheese selection, knowledgeable staff, and great prices. They supply many of the best restaurants in the city. Above is a picture of today's ill-gotten gain: Preserved lemons, Adjvar, Beemster XO Aged Gouda, the house brand Marca Croce olive oil, unbelievably fragagrant sumac powder, Guittard chocolate, and more. Kiddo had a fun time talking to everyone and sampling the chocolate. And here's a cell phone pic inside the store, to give you the general warehouse flavor. Needless to say, after all that hard work shopping it was time for a lunch, so we went to....

Leftovers, Recomposed (Couscous with Zucchini, a Fried Egg, and Truffle Oil)

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:42:10 +0000

This is one of those 10 minutes from refrigerator to table, not really sure what is going to end up in the bowl til you sit down, supper for one and pleased and thank you very much kinds of meals. Let's see we've got a bunch of leftover couscous and half a cup of chickpeas. Ok, start frying some onion on high heat, add the chickpeas. Let's see, oh there are these nice baby zucchinis left from the farmer's market, cube those and in they go. Get a little brown on them. Add the couscous. Let's go look in the garden. Mmm, a sprig of rosemary, some fresh oregano, and oh look, there are five ripe cherry tomatoes, nice! Hmm, but now I kind of want something rich in there too. Back when I first started cooking as a teenager I used to make a sort of fried rice for my mom with cubes of swiss cheese in it. Weird but good. I always remember that but I never do it. Hmm, I have some ripe camembert. Sure, cut some cubes of that and set aside. Now I'm on the rich thing, I know what we need! A sunnyside egg on top, so I can stir in the yolk. Ok, let's plate that all up in my favorite old bachelor bowls that my buddy Eric gave me. A squeeze of Meyer lemon, Maldon (aka the world's greatest salt) sea salt, whoops too much pepper, no biggie. And then the egg makes me want a little truffle oil, even though we all learned recently that it is a scam. Oh well, I've got some to use up, I don't think I'll buy any more. (There is a better article in the NYT archives but you have to be a subscriber). Sit out on the deck, mix in the egg. Happy! Definitely not something I'd serve to company, but it is good fun to make something just to please your own taste of the moment once in awhile.

Block Party Empanadas

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 22:44:41 +0000

Tonight was National Night Out and I hope many of you had rockin’ block parties. Ours was fun as always, with lots of munchkins on bikes, scooters, toy cars, rollerblades and strollers. Zeb the kooky dog barked at everyone and ate liverwurst training paste, and our neighborhood police sergeant put up with the usual grilling and good-naturedly took home two enormous slices of cake. My contribution was these appetizer sized, cheese filled empanadas with a quick chimichurri sauce. I wanted to do a baked, not fried version because I made them last night way too late and I couldn’t really deal with a big frying mess. I guess they must have been pretty well received, the stack disappeared rapidly. You could use any cheese you want as long as it melts well. Latin American cheeses would certainly be a good choice, but you can also do a fusion version with anything that suits your fancy, and you could also add a bit of chutney or fig jam to take the flavor up a notch. I included about 20% romano to give a depth of flavor, borrowing from what I see Snacky Pants’ grandmother do with her outstanding Sephardic baked goodies. Oh, and if any cheese should leak out during baking and make a crispy brown puddle on your sheet pan, that is known as a Cook’s Treat.

Rename this Blog (Your Help Needed!)

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 08:34:01 +0000

I've only been doing this blog for a month or so, and I'm not very happy with the name ("The Vegetarian Foodie"). I guess I just don't like the word "foodie". So I'd like to take the opportunity to rename it while it is still young. I want the new name to reflect my passion for vegetarian food that is prepared with love and attention to detail, whether it is home-style or upscale. My belief is that vegetarian cuisine can be of the same caliber, breadth and depth of flavor, and beauty of presentation as omnivore food. So will you help me pick a new name? Please add a comment below with your suggestions.

Top Ten Ways to Get Yourself Baking More at Home

Sun, 05 Aug 2007 21:10:19 +0000

Everyone loves home-baked sweets and savories, but most of us don't take the time to make them very often. Here are some suggestions to help make it happen:

Have all your ingredients as accessible as possible. Store all-purpose flour in a large bin with 1 c. and 1/2 c. measuring cups right in it, so you don't have to find them and wash them. Do the same for other bulk items that you use frequently such as white and brown sugar. Whole grain flours should go in the freezer if you don't go through them quickly, but you can still have them in quick-access containers.
Also, have a tray in your cabinet with the baking soda, baking powder, salt, honey, molasses and other accessory items all gathered in one place. When you have everything ready like this, you are always only 15 minutes from putting cookies, muffins, scones, quick breads etc. in the oven!
Have at least two sets of measuring cups and spoons, so that if you need the same size twice for one recipe and it is already goopy with syrup, you don't have to stop and wash it.
Bake with kids! Whether it is your own little ones, nieces and nephews, or whoever, they all love to help out in the kitchen. Baking is one of the easiest ways, because it doesn't usually involve knives or hot saute pans, and you can set all of the ingredients out on the floor. They will be proud of what you made together, and you'll be proud to give them something wholesome for a meal or a treat.
Buy the tools that will inspire you. I'm not saying you need every gadget out there, but having good cake, pie and tart pans, muffin tins, cookie and jelly roll sheets, ceramic pans, ramekins, silpats, rolling pins, etc. makes life a lot easier, and the results look better too.
Treat yourself to books that will inspire you as well. My current favorite is Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid's Home Baking.
Don't be a perfectionist. Not everything that comes out of your oven is going to look like something from a 3-star pastry chef. So what? It is delicious and you put love into it. In a world where so many things are mass produced, making something for your friends and family to enjoy is all that matters.
Bake (most) things until they are really brown! The best flavors in baked food comes from the Maillard reactions and caramelization that take place in the last few minutes of cooking. Don't burn everything, but do let it go that last couple minutes to deep brown. You'll be amazed at how good it tastes.
Let seasonal fruit and vegetables inspire you. Summer of course is the time for berry pies, tarts, crumbles and slumps. Fall might find you with a surfeit of apples, and in winter, savory cheese and vegetables appeal. Like all cooking, starting with the best ingredients is the key.
Make extra dough and freeze it. If you are making a pie crust, a crumble top, or cookies, why not double the batch and put half in the freezer? Label that zip-loc bag so you'll remember what you've got and how old it is.

Disaster Recovery Fruit Pie

Sat, 04 Aug 2007 10:18:48 +0000

Well, it all started yesterday, when Snacky Pants couldn't take the fruit flies anymore. She put our whole bowl of fruit, which is usually on the counter, in the cold oven, shut the door, and (no denying) put a post-it note right next to the oven controls. And I was there to witness it. But then Mini-Me wanted to bake more muffins this morning. Corn muffins this time, which were yum. Anyhow, I somehow missed the note and preheated the oven to 425, convection. When I went to put the muffins in, surprise! Roasted nectarines, mango and bananas, all in their skins. And avocados too. Now technically I should have tasted the avocados in the spirit of experimentation and serendipity. But I couldn't bring myself to do it, they went in the compost. I did learn though that it is super-easy to peel nectarines after they have roasted for awhile. I had some leftover pastry crust in the freezer, so I tossed all the fruit with cinammon, rolled out the crust and put it on top, cut some vents, and baked til it was golden brown. Sprinkled demerera sugar on top, bruleed it with the blow torch, and ate it with some heavy cream shaken with sugar and vanilla. Turned out pretty awesome. Oh, and here are the muffins, pretty much straight outta Joy of Cooking, except with mild goat milk yogurt instead of buttermilk.

Recipe: Seriously Molasses-Flavored Bran Muffins

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 08:32:54 +0000

Seriously Molasses-Flavored Bran Muffins

Note: this recipe needs revision - the last couple of times I've made it, they haven't risen as nicely and came out a little gummy. Maybe just slightly less liquid, or let them bake longer.

Sometimes all you really need in this world is homemade bran muffins. Especially when you and the kiddo make them together first thing in the morning. We like to put the mixing bowls out on the floor, and Mini-Me stirs them and fills the muffin tins. There's nothing much better than watching how excited she gets when we put them in the oven. From the second they go in, she can barely wait for them to come out and have breakfast!

Lemongrass Corn Saute With Grilled Tofu and Quinoa

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 23:12:00 +0000

This is one of those 30-minute meal-in-a-bowl dishes that is both light and satisfying, and you can easily customize the main ingredients or the flavors to suit your mood or your vegetable drawer. For this version I made it with Thai flavors (lemongrass, ginger, garlic, lime zest, juice & leaves), but not typical Thai vegetables (corn, cherry tomatoes, summer squash), and served it over quinoa. That kind of fusion can be kind of risky, you could end up with scary vegetarian mish-mosh, but we won't let that happen now, will we?

Fig Brulee with Balsamic Vinegar

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 07:45:01 +0000

I have to make this every year when fresh figs appear. If you have a blowtorch, it takes all of 30 seconds, looks really cool, and tastes great. Also delicious served over vanilla ice cream.

Fig Brulee with Balsamic Vinegar Serves 1 (multiply as needed) Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten free

2 ripe fresh figs 2 t. white sugar 1 t. fine aged balsamic vinegar

Cut the figs in half lengthwise. Lay them skin-side down on a flameproof surface, such as a cookie sheet. Find a safe place to use your torch. Put a good mound of sugar on the cut surface of each fig, completely covering it. Use more than you think you would need because the blowtorch will blow some of it off. Turn on your torch and, working quickly, move back and forth over each fig turning the sugar into a melting dark brown syrup which will rapidly turn to “glass” when you remove the torch. You will want to experiment a bit to find the optimal distance to hold the flame. Remember that hot caramel will give you a nasty burn, so transfer them carefully to serving plates, and drizzle on some excellent balsamic vinegar.

Dinner For One, My Take

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:55:30 +0000

Almost Vegetarian has a fun thread going right now about Dinner For One. I have a great affinity for those secret favorites, the ones you would probably never serve to company but can be so satisfying when you have no one to please but yourself. For example, here is one that I made a bunch of times a few years ago, when I was discovering how much I love Brussel sprouts if they are cooked properly.

Eating Vegetarian in Ethnic Restaurants Part 2 - Thai Food

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 08:00:00 +0000

Please see the Overview for the general introduction to this series.

Thai food can be heaven for a vegetarian as long as you know a couple things to watch out for. Almost any dish can be made with Tofu instead of chicken, beef or shrimp. The biggest problems are fish sauce and shrimp paste. Also, as with most cuisines, soups are made from meat-based stocks.

The fish sauce issue is fairly easy to deal with because it is typically added at the last minute, so as long as you can communicate with the waitstaff you can ask for it to be left out. The Thai name for the sauce is "Nam Pla".

Flaky Biscuits!

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 10:13:49 +0000

You've got your tender biscuit people and your flaky biscuit people. I'm most definitely a flaky guy. Wait a minute, that doesn't sound right. Anyhow, there was an unbelievable biscuit recipe in the May 2007 issue (#85) of Fine Cooking magazine. I don't want to reproduce their recipe here since it is copyrighted, but I can tell you how it differs from your standard buttermilk biscuits. The basic thing is that you don't blend the butter into the flour. You simply cut it into small cubes, maybe 1/4" on a side, and toss them in to separate. And when you roll them out, you fold the dough into thirds and reroll three times to create a lot of layers. You absolutely have to bake them on a cookie sheet with a rim and parchment! They leak a little butter and I can tell you from previous experience that if you skip the rim, you might have an oven fire. Mini-me thought that was cool. The friends came for breakfast and we had the biscuits with baked eggs (filled with potato cubes, braised greens and Appenzeller cheese), u-pick-em blackberries and a green salad.

Summer, Finally

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 23:15:43 +0000

Too tired to write a real post tonight. We were at South 47 Farm today, took Mini-Me for a hayride and picked amazing cucumbers and blackberries and summer squash, and then went to our neighborhood farmer's market in the afternoon and scored the stunning basil pictured above. If you can see basil that beautiful and not make pesto, you are a stronger person than me. We had it on fresh fettucini also from the market and cubes of the summer squash, and summer is here.

Eating Vegetarian in Ethnic Restaurants Part 1 - Overview

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 23:48:31 +0000

I've been a vegetarian for 22 years, and I've always enjoyed eating foods from around the world. America is a country of immigrants, and virtually every group that has come here has opened restaurants. I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. In the 1970s the only ethnic foods we knew about were Italian, Mexican, and Chinese. (Side note: "ethnic" sounds silly. Everyone has an ethnicity right? Someone please clue me in to a more accurate term that means "not your run of the mill American food"). Now when I go back to visit Louisville I'm thrilled by the terrific Vietnamese and Middle Eastern restaurants. I've lived all over the country and wherever I go there has been a tremendous growth in the number, diversity, quality and authenticity of these restaurants.

Nishino - Let Me Count The Ways

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 22:18:14 +0000

Snacky Pants and I just got back from a lovely date-night dinner at Nishino, which is our very favorite Japanese restaurant in Seattle. (My wife is still deciding what nickname she wants to go by on the blog. So for tonight it is Snacky Pants.) Located in an unassuming little shopping center next to a fitness club in Madison Valley, when you enter Nishino you find yourself in a soothing and elegant room decorated in a modern Pacific Northwest style, with sparse Japanese furnishings and stunning paintings. The service is always on point but mellow, and we immediately find ourselves relaxed, knowing that we will be well cared for.

Knives for the Vegetarian Kitchen, Part 1

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 22:33:07 +0000

If you love to cook, you are probably going to fall in love with knives. I've had many of them over the years, but I've pretty well settled on the set above. I'll walk you through them and tell you what they are and what I like about them. I think a vegetarian kitchen has slightly different ideal knives than a meat-oriented kitchen. Clearly you don't need a carving knife or a big meat cleaver. And also you might find that thinner, more precise knives are better suited to cutting vegetables neatly.

Review: Duck Soup Inn, San Juan Island, WA

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 21:56:57 +0000

Last weekend we were up on San Juan Island in Puget Sound with my wife's folks and a couple of their friends. At the (very fine) farmer's market in Friday Harbor on Saturday morning, one of our crew bought a few zucchini blossoms and the woman in line behind her bought all the rest that the stand had remaining. Turns out that woman was Gretchen Allison, chef of Duck Soup Inn, where we had reservations for that very evening. And that auspicious omen turned out to be very accurate indeed, it was one of the most enjoyable meals I've had in a long time. And that is saying a lot because I had been suffering from pretty bad stomach cramps all that day!

Heirloom Caprese and a Grilled Zucchini and Tofu

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:07:05 +0000

I don’t think anyone needs a recipe for these, just use your best olive oil for the caprese and your best balsamic and parmesan for the zucchini and tofu. I really need plain white plates for these to look right. The caprese was inspired by that beautiful tomato, and I realized a good if obvious trick. If you cut the slices parallel to the equator instead of top to bottom, then they aren’t marred by the cut where you remove the core.

Grilled Peaches with Ras Al Hanout and Ginger Beer Reduction

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 13:21:27 +0000

This sounds fancy but is actually a slam dunk to make, especially if you use a packaged spice mixture. The combination of sweet, pungent and spicy is pretty addictive. You could serve it as an appetizer or as part of a light dinner with a salad or a meze. It seems like it would enjoy a nice assertive piece of cheese. (Tip: if you have trouble skinning the peaches, these relatively new serrated peelers are excellent on soft foods).

Making Mozarella at Home

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 14:48:46 +0000

I've made ricotta and yogurt cheese a few times at home, but I've never tried to do anything that involved (vegetable) rennet before. I had read that mozzarella was fairly tractable, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Casting about google for recipes turned up New England Cheesemaking Supply which sells rennet, citric acid and anything else you would need to get started, as well as a pretty nice visual recipe.

Vietnamese Sandwiches (Including Seattle Reccomendations)

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 13:17:23 +0000

Banh Mi Chay - Vietnamese Tofu Sandwich

If you are already an afficionado of Vietnamese sandwiches, aka Banh Mi, you probably don't need to read any further. But if you haven't had them, you have been missing out on one of the all time delicious and cheap eats. My wife and I have been known to roll out of bed in the morning and say "Vietnamese sandwiches for lunch? Yep!".

About Herbivoracious

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 20:26:12 +0000

Herbivoracious is all about reinvigorating vegetarian cuisine with modern techniques and bold, authentic flavors.

My philosophy is: I don’t care whether you call yourself a vegetarian, carnivore, pescetarian or flexitarian. Labels don’t matter. I want to make sure that if you cook a meatless meal tonight, it is hearty and delicious. That is the philosophy I bring to this blog, and my cookbook.

My name is Michael Natkin, and I live in Seattle, WA with my wife and our two kids. For 25 years I was a software engineer specializing in computer graphics. I’ve worked at Adobe Systems developing After Effects, and helped bring dinosaurs and Terminators to life at Industrial Light and Magic. Whenever I had a moment to spare, I spent it in the kitchen or reading and writing about food.

Mexican Panzanella Salad

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 20:21:51 +0000

The idea for this is based on a Rick Bayless recipe title, but I didn't have it in front of me this weekend. Hmm, and actually looking at his chayote-based recipe now, they really have nothing in common. We were in Friday Harbor Washington, which is on San Juan Island in Puget Sound, on S's parent's boat. It served 6 with one other dish and lots of leftovers, so you could easily cut it in half for a side dish.

Mexican Panzanella Salad
Serves 8 as most of dinner
Vegetarian and vegan; to make gluten-free use corn tortillas instead of the bread

Cucumber, Zucchini & Mint Salad

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 20:55:25 +0000

This is a salad I made up when a friend invited me to a barbecue with 45 minutes notice. The combination of cucumber and zucchini was a happy accident; if I'd been designing this recipe from scratch it probably would have been only one or the other, but I didn't have enough of either. It is very light and refreshing.

Cucumber, Zucchini & Mint Salad

Serves 6 as a side dish
Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten free

Battle of the Network Food Battles

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 22:58:10 +0000

Let's stipulate up front that I know I shouldn't be watching this garbage. In spite of that, my wife and I eagerly await all three shows each week. At least we have TiVO.

What garbage you ask? You were probably doing something intelligent like pruning your hedges while we watched the current crop of "reality" shows The Next Food Network Star, Hell's Kitchen, and Top Chef.

The Next Food Network Star is probably the worst of the lot. It is all about finding a personality to host their own show on Food Network. The regular judges are Food Network execs, with one of their current celebrities as a guest host each week. The actual cooking content is very light, with most of the focus on teaching the contestants to look at the camera, smile, and explain what smoked paprika is without scorching themselves or curdling the cream sauce. In this year's crop there is only one guy, Jag, that seems to be really talented. And sadly they keep asking him to dumb down his food.

Guest Chef on The Waterfront

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 20:59:55 +0000

Tonight was our 3rd anniversary, and we celebrated at Farestart's wonderful Guest Chef On The Waterfront fundraiser. Incidentally, did you know that the 3rd anniversary gift is traditionally leather? Neither did I. So I guess for the vegetarians it is our vinyl anniversary. Oh the possibilities.

Anyhow, for those of you who don't live in Seattle or aren't familiar with Farestart, they do an amazing job of training homeless men and women to work in the food service industry, and providing them with the life skills and services they need to succeed. They operate on a social enterpreneurship model, supporting the programs through running a great restaurant at 7th and Virginia in Seattle as well as providing low-cost meals to shelters (over 400,000 last year!). I can't possibly say enough about them except that you should join them for lunch, for guest chef night most Thursdays, or to volunteer or donate.

Coconut Water

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 13:06:46 +0000

A few months ago I read Raw Food / 100 Recipes To Get The Glow and had a very brief moment of fascination, enough to drag out my dehydrator for a couple days before realizing that lasagna made from pasta is way better than lasagna made from thin sliced zucchini, and god knows raw macadamia nut cheese sounds revolting. Anyhow I remember they had a bit of an obsession with coconut water, which I've always liked. (Coconut water is the liquid you get when you open the "eyes" of the coconut and drain it; it is thin and almost clear. Coconut milk is made by pureeing the coconut flesh.) I saw this Harvest Bay Coconut Water at my local co-op and thought it sounded refreshing, but it doesn't taste nearly as good as the fresh thing. I tried two containers of it and both of them had an unpleasant sourness. Not recommended.

Review: Merenda Restaurant and Wine Bar, Bend, Oregon

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 22:16:41 +0000

We were down in Bend, Oregon this past weekend for a little R&R while mini-me spent some quality time with her Noni. On Saturday we wandered into Merenda Restaurant and Wine Bar at 5:30 and asked if we could reserve an outdoor table for 6:30. The hostess was very gracious and said she would do her best to seat us outside, and when we arrived back it was waiting for us.

Two Great Mexican Cookbooks

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 21:12:12 +0000

How about a Avocado-Mango Salad with Fresh (or Blue) Cheese and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, does that sound any good?!? I've been aware of Rick Bayless for awhile as he often makes appearances on Food Network or gets mentioned in Food & Wine. But somehow I didn't have any of his books on my shelf. I recently picked up his classic, Authentic Mexican and his latest, Mexican Everyday, and I'm reading them simultaneously. Talented, I know. Well, ok, not simultaneously, but Authentic is upstairs in the "drifting off to sleep" pile, and Everyday is downstairs in the "I finally have 5 minutes to sit down" pile.

The Vegetarian Foodie Manifesto

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:20:15 +0000

I said I was a vegetarian. I didn't say I wanted a frickin' plate of your mixed side dishes or some sad Sysco Pasta Primavera! This blog is for all of you out there who are passionate about delicious, well prepared, beautifully presented food that just happens not to have been walking about prior to becoming dinner. We'll talk about restaurants, recipes, travel, books, kitchen equipment, or anything else related to great veggie eats.

Asian Pantry