French Potato Salad
Posted: May 28, 2012 Filed under: Vegetarian Recipes, Salad Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan Recipes | Tags: vegan, potatoes, vegetarian, salad 2 Comments »
I made this potato salad for our Memorial Day meal. I had some red potatoes I needed to use and wanted to make something vegan for my mom. A potato salad dressed with a vinaigrette was just the thing. I’m not a big fan of mayonnaise, so I rarely fix traditional potato salad anyway. This potato salad was sooooo good. It was surprisingly creamy and very flavorful. I loved the addition of the capers. It is perhaps the best potato salad I have ever made.
French Potato Salad
2 pounds baby red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 small sweet or red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon capers
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon or brown mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.
Combine olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a mason jar. Screw on a lid and shake dressing until well mixed. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, onion, celery, and capers. Pour dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Orange Tofu and Broccoli
Posted: May 27, 2012 Filed under: Vegetarian Recipes, Asian Recipes, Vegan Recipes | Tags: vegan, vegetarian, carrots, broccoli, Asian, orange juice, tofu Leave a comment »
Three weeks ago I tore my calf muscle while testing for my green belt in Tae Kwon Do. Recovery has been slow and I am still unable to walk. Luckily, I can still cook. My kitchen is small enough that I can hobble around on one foot and do what I need to do. My hubby has been out of town quite a bit the past two weeks, so my vegan mom flew in to help me take care of my kids (especially the crazy toddler) and the house while I am recovering. This is one of the vegan meals I prepared for her. I served it with brown rice and everyone seemed to enjoy it.
Orange Tofu and Broccoli
Canola oil (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 (16 ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup warm water
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon sriracha (or to taste)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoon canola oil
1 bunch broccoli, seperated into bite-sized florets
3 carrots, sliced on a diagonal
Lay the tofu slices on paper towels and then pat with additional paper towels to remove moisture. Heat the canola oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Place the 1/4 cup cornstarch in a dish. Coat the tofu slices with the cornstarch and gently shake off excess.
Fry the tofu in batches in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides (about 5 minutes). Drain tofu on paper towels. Allow wok to cool, and wipe clean.
In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, orange juice, water, sugar, sriracha, garlic, and cornstarch. Mix until smooth and set aside.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil in the wok over high heat. Stir-fry the broccoli and carrots until tender. Form a well in the center of the vegetables, and pour in the orange sauce. Bring sauce to a boil and then add the fried tofu. Continue cooking until the sauce is thickened and the tofu and vegetables are well coated.
Tofu Jorim
Posted: April 14, 2012 Filed under: Asian Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes | Tags: Korean, tofu, vegetarian Leave a comment »
This is another Korean side dish I made recently. Wow! I can see an addiction coming on. Tofu jorim reminds me of tofu I used to get from a place in Arlington, Texas called Viet Tofu. Incredibly flavorful, with the typical Asian balance of salty, sweet, and spicy flavors.
A few years ago, I figured out the secret to really great fried tofu. You have to toss the tofu with flour or cornstarch (or a combination of both) before frying. The flour or cornstarch keeps the tofu from sticking to the pan and creates a nice little crust, yet keeping the inside moist. Tofu fried this way holds up well in soups and curry sauces. It is also a nice appetizer, especially when paired with a sweet chili sauce.
Tofu Jorim
1 package tofu (firm or extra firm)
flour or cornstarch
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon Korean red pepper powder
2 green onions, sliced
Drain the liquid off the block of tofu. Cut into fourths lengthwise and then slice across (about 1/4 “ to 1/2″ thick). At this point, I usually lay the tofu slices out on paper towels and cover with more paper towels to remove excess moisture. Dredge tofu in flour or cornstarch, shaking off excess. Gently fry in batches in hot oil,turning occasionally, until golden. Remove the tofu from the oil and let drain on paper towels.
Once the tofu is fried, combine soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, red pepper powder, and green onions in a skillet over medium heat. Add the fried tofu to the sauce, and let simmer, occasionally turning the tofu to ensure coverage. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Tofu jorim can be served warm or cold.
Korean Cucumber Salad
Posted: April 9, 2012 Filed under: Asian Recipes, Salad Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes | Tags: cucumbers, Korean, salad, vegan, vegetarian Leave a comment »
I’m teaching myself to cook some popular Korean dishes. This cucumber salad is a typical accompaniment to Korean meals. It is delicious.
Korean Cucumber Salad
1 English cucumber
1 tablespoon vinegar (I like to use rice vinegar, but white vinegar works well too)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Korean coarse red pepper powder
Kosher salt
Cut the ends off the cucumber and then cut in half horizontally. Slice and place in a bowl. Add the vinegar, sugar, and red pepper powder. Mix well. Season to taste with Kosher salt. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Cheesecake
Posted: April 9, 2012 Filed under: Cakes & Cupcakes, Dessert Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes | Tags: cheesecake, dessert Leave a comment »
This is a basic, plain cheesecake, but it is amazing. Serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or with fresh sliced strawberries to make it extra special. A canned cherry or blueberry pie filling would make for a good topping as well.
Cheesecake
butter
2 lbs. cream cheese (4 8 ounce packages)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position in the oven and preheat oven to 350°.
Butter an 8” x 3” one-piece cheesecake pan all the way up to the rim. You will also need a larger pan (for hot water) to place the cake pan in while baking.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until it is completely smooth, frequently stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Once the cream cheese is smooth, beat in the vanilla, almond extract, and the sugar. Mix the batter well and then add the eggs one at a time. Continue to mix until the eggs are just incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared cheesecake pan. Place the cheesecake pan into a larger pan. Place it in the oven and pour hot water into the larger pan, about 1 1/2” deep.
Bake the cheesecake for 1 1/2 hours. The top of the cheesecake will be golden-brown, but will still be soft inside. It will firm up once it has cooled and been refrigerated.
Lift the cheesecake pan out of the water and place it on a rack. Cool the cheesecake in the pan for at least 2 hours. (Do not cool it in the refrigerator or the cheesecake will stick to the pan.)
Cover the pan with plastic wrap. Place a flat plate or small board upside down over the pan and turn the pan and the plate or board upside down. Carefully remove the pan.
Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly over the bottom of the cake. Gently place the serving plate upside down over the cake and carefully invert again (be careful not to smush the cake), leaving the cake right side up. Remove the plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.
Hint: It’s easier to cut the cheesecake if you dip a sharp knife in very hot water before making each cut.
Jelly Bean Bark
Posted: April 3, 2012 Filed under: Appetizers & Snacks, Candy Recipes | Tags: candy, Easter, holidays, jelly beans, white chocolate Leave a comment »
My son and I made this jelly bean bark for Easter last year. It is incredibly easy. You can tailor the bark for any holiday. At Halloween, we made bark using candy corn. At Christmas, we used crushed candy canes. At Valentine’s, we used small conversation hearts. Get creative and have fun with it.
Jelly Bean Bark
White chocolate or candy melts (found at craft stores)
Jelly beans
Line a baking sheet with foil, wax paper, or parchment paper and set aside.
Gently melt the white chocolate or candy melts in the microwave or in a pan over low heat on the stove. If you need instructions on how to do this, I’m sure you can find them on the package.
Once melted, pour the white chocolate onto the lined baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but not too thin. It will not cover the whole baking sheet. Quickly sprinkle the jelly beans evenly over the white chocolate. Press them down into the melted white chocolate.
Let the white chocolate harden. Once hardened, peel the bark off the foil and break into smaller pieces
Kimchi
Posted: March 12, 2012 Filed under: Asian Recipes | Tags: cabbage, chile, garlic, ginger, Kimchi, Korean 2 Comments »
I’ve been taking Tae Kwon Do for about 6 months now. My instructor’s sister brought the most amazing kimchi I have ever had to the Christmas party in December. I have been thinking about it ever since. I have only had kimchi at Korean restaurants and was never really crazy about it. I decided to try making kimchi for myself. I looked at several kimchi recipes online and watched a couple of videos of it being prepared. I put together this recipe based on the recipes and techniques I saw. It turned out half way decent. I didn’t have the Korean red chile powder so I substituted sriracha. I think it’s a good substitution in a pinch, but I will definitely use the red chile powder the next time I make kimchi. I added too much ginger to this batch. After a week or so the overwhelming ginger taste started to mellow. I’ll use a little less ginger next time. Overall, my first attempt at kimchi was successful. I’m starting to understand how people become so addicted to this stuff.
Kimchi
1 head Napa cabbage, cut into 2-inch chunks
6 cloves garlic
1 1-inch piece of ginger
1 medium diakon radish, peeled and cut into small dice (or grated)
1/2 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/8 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup Korean red chile powder
1 teaspoon sugar
salt
Place the cut Napa cabbage in a large colander and sprinkle generously with salt, turning to coat. Let sit for about an hour. Add the diakon radish and sprinkle with salt again. Let sit another hour. Rinse vegetables with cold water and drain. Squeeze excess water from the cabbage and diakon mixture.
Meanwhile, finely mince garlic and ginger in a food processor (or use a knife). In a large bowl, combine minced garlic and ginger, fish sauce, red chile powder, sugar, and green onions. Add the cabbage and diakon radish and mix well.
Add the mixture to a large (1 quart) mason jar, pressing the ingredients down to remove air bubbles. You should be able to get most, if not all of the mixture into the jar. Screw on the lid. Let stand at room temperature for 1 or 2 or 3 days. When it starts to ferment, it will begin to bubble a bit. At that point it is ready to be eaten. Refrigerate after opening.
Kimchi keeps for awhile in the fridge. It will continue to ferment and will get increasingly sour. Some people like it that way. After about 4 weeks, it will be very sour. I prefer my kimchi to taste fresh and not sour, so I probably wouldn’t keep it longer than 4 weeks.
Avocado Citrus Salad
Posted: February 7, 2012 Filed under: Fruit Recipes, Salad Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes | Tags: arugula, avocado, grapefruit, orange, salad, vegan, vegetarian 2 Comments »
This is a beautiful salad. It tastes as good as it looks.
Avocado Citrus Salad
Per two servings:
1 ripe avocado
1 grapefruit
1 navel orange
2 cups arugula
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt
pepper
sugar
Using a knife, peel the grapefruit, making sure to also remove the pith. Segment the sections of the grapefruit over a bowl (to catch the juice) by cutting carefully along the membranes. Squeeze the juice from the remaining membranes into the bowl. Repeat with the navel orange. Cut the avocado in half, remove the peel and pit and then slice. Place the arugula on a serving dish. Arrange grapefruit segments, orange segments, and avocado over the arugula. In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of the citrus juice with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch each of salt, pepper, and sugar. Drizzle dressing over the salad and serve.
Chicken Etouffee
Posted: February 1, 2012 Filed under: Chicken Recipes, Soup & Stew Recipes | Tags: Cajun, chicken, Creole, etouffee Leave a comment »
After seeing the episode of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations where he was in Louisiana on Monday night, I started craving Creole food. I had the ingredients to make this etouffee. This particular recipe takes a little time to prepare. Getting the roux to the point that it is a rich dark brown color (but not burnt) takes some time, but it is well worth it. I’m not a big fan of cooking with beer. I had some I needed to use, so I added it to the etouffee. I probably would not do that again, it made the etouffee a bit bitter. Etouffee is typically made with seafood (shrimp, crab, or crawfish). Adding 1/2 pound of shelled deveined shrimp to the etouffee during the last 10 minutes of cooking would bring it to a whole new level. Serve the etouffee with hot white rice and french bread.
Chicken Etouffee
2 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
1 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bottle dark beer
1 quart chicken stock
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup hot sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt
pepper
Start by making the roux. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat and then add the flour, stirring to combine. Continue to cook roux, stirring constantly, until chocolate brown, about 15 to 30 minutes. Once the roux reaches desired color, add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and bay leaves and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes, then add the beer and stir well to combine. Add the stock, brown sugar, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and stir well. Bring to a boil, add the chicken breasts to the pot, and simmer for 1 hour, until the chicken is very tender. Remove the chicken to a platter and allow to cool enough to handle. Shred chicken and return to etouffee and continue to cook another 30 minutes, until sauce is thickened and flavorful and chicken is beginning to fall apart. Add chopped parsley and stir well. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately over rice.
Mezze Platter
Posted: January 31, 2012 Filed under: Appetizers & Snacks, Beans, Lentils, & other Legumes, Dips & Spreads, Vegetarian Recipes | Tags: hummus, spread, vegetables, vegetarian Leave a comment »
Mezze is an assortment of small dishes or appetizers commonly found in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern diet. What dishes are included in Mezze differ from region to region. Hummus, pita and breads, various salads, cheeses, olives, dolmas, sausages, vegetables prepared in various ways, dips, etc…. are common components of a Mezze Platter.
My Mezze Platter Included:
Hummus, pickled turnips, toasted pita bread, feta cheese, pepperocini peppers, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, and black olives.
Quick Hummus
- 1 can (16 ounces) chickpeas, drained
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- olive oil
- water
Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Add olive oil and water -a little at a time- to get desired consistency. You can add other ingredients (like herbs or roasted red peppers) for something a little different. My favorite addition is cilantro.
