47 posts tagged “basil”

I finally made the Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions and Sage Crumb Topping from Veganomicon (page 194).  I mean, really, everybody has made it, and I finally caught the drift.

Needless to say, it was seriously good.  If you have Veganomicon, and have been waiting just like me, it is high time that you opened it and made this baked pasta dish.  The sage crumb topping mixed really well with the pumpkin flavor and you can never do wrong with the caramelized onions.

The pop overs might just put me over the top and get that popover pan in the store.  I saw a really good one the other day, but thought to myself I would have very little use of it.  Who knew that I came straight home and wanted to make breakfast popovers all of a sudden?  And I fell in love immediately (even though I had to use my muffin pan).  The recipe is by Susan of She's Becoming DoughMessTic.  Kudos to Susan!  The only change is that I used Ener-G egg replacers to replace eggs.

We are huge dumpling/potsticker lovers.  You can eat dumplings/potstickers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  So when our June host Jen from use real butter chose this challenge, I was super excited.  I have always been fond of making Chinese dumplings/potstickers from scratch, but sadly I don't make them often enough.  This time I got my perfect excuse.

Jen from use real butter is our host for the Daring Cooks June 2009 challenge.  It's a basic concept: a filling inside a dough wrapper, sealed, and cooked.  This delicious theme runs through many cultures and is among the more popular bites at Chinese restaurants - especially dim sum.  The recipe she provided is based on her family recipe.  There is a lot of room for exploration and creativity.

Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers

dough: (double this for the amount of filling, but easier to make it in 2 batches - or just halve the filling recipe)
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (113g) warm water
flour for worksurface

dipping sauce:
2 parts soy sauce
1 part vinegar (red wine or black)
a few drops of sesame oil
chili garlic paste (optional)
minced ginger (optional)
minced garlic (optional)
minced green onion (optional)
sugar (optional)

Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly by hand.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (up to a day, but preferably within an hour or two).

Make the dough, Method 1: Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade.  Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated.  Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth.  The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.  [Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water.]

Make the dough, Method 2 (Jen's mom’s instructions): In a large bowl mix flour with 1/4 cup of water and stir until water is absorbed.  Continue adding water one teaspoon at a time and mixing thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.  We want a firm dough that is barely sticky to the touch.  [My note: I used a little more water than the 1/2 cup listed in the recipe.  The dough is not supposed to be soft, but not too stiff either.  Use your own judgement and you might have to just trust your instinct and see what happens.]

Both dough methods: Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes.  Take the dough and form a flattened dome.  Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide.  Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders.  On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces.  Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers).  With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc.  Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking - about 1/16th inch.  Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges.  Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in Jen's post for how to fold pleats).  Keep all unused dough under damp cloth.

To boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add dumplings to pot.  Boil the dumplings until they float.

To steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface in a steamer basket with lid. Steam covered for about 6 minutes.

To pan fry (potstickers): Place dumplings in a frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil. Heat on high and fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden. Add 1/2 cup water and cover. Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium low. Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve.

To freeze: Assemble dumplings on a baking sheet so they are not touching. It helps to rub the base of the dumpling in a little flour before setting on the baking sheet for ease of release. Freeze for 20-30 minutes until dumplings are no longer soft. Place in ziploc bag and freeze for up to a couple of months. Prepare per the above instructions, but allow extra time to ensure the filling is thoroughly cooked.

To serve: Serve dumplings or potstickers hot with your choice of dipping sauce combinations.

I made dumplings in the soup, deep-fried dumplings, and the traditional potstickers.

My Filling (for 14-16 dumplings):

1 recipe Tofu Ricotta (PPK)
1 medium-size eggplant, peeled and sliced across to 1/4-inch pieces
1 zucchini, sliced to 1/4-inch pieces
1 large portobello mushroom, sliced
15 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 large tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup freeze-dried chives
1/2 tsp. red curry paste
1 tsp. black bean chili sauce
A dash of Hungarian paprika
3 water-packed baby artichokes, well drained and squeezed dry, roughly chopped
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
20 capers, drained and finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Deep all vegetables from eggplant to tomatoes (one type of vegetable at one time).  When done, dry on paper towel very well.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mash deep-fried vegetables, tofu ricotta, all spices, and everything else together until creamy and well-combined.

Seaweed Soup:

10 cups water
1 cup dried konbu
3 large cabbage leaves
1/2 cup fresh scallions, sliced
2 Tbsp. white miso
Salt and pepper to taste

Put everything in a large pot and cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes before adding the boiled dumplings.

Verdict: Once you get the hang of making your own wrappers, you can make your dumplings in no time.  It's a fun way of eating and certainly a one-pot-meal.  Regarding the pleating part, I thoroughly had fun.  It may seem difficult at first, but if you are patient enough to try a couple more times, you will get the hang of it pretty quickly.  It's really not so hard.

For more dumpling/potsticker variations, check out the Daring Cooks blogroll.

I have many photos in the computer and on the phone but I still haven't found the time or inclination to sort them out, because I am still trying to feel more settled in the new house in Vermont.  Hopefully I will be doing more cooking and baking soon.  We eat pasta every day now, since pasta is such a satisfying thing to eat and quick to make if you have tons of fresh vegetables and lots of herbs and other condiments.  You can easily come up with a new variation any day.

This is a very easy pasta dish to put together.  First, saute/pan-fry some 7-8 cloves of garlic till golden brown.  (In the meantime, boil water and cook enough whole wheat shells for two people.)  In the pan, add chopped broccoli, asparagus, and a little cauliflower and continue cooking for 5 minutes.  Then add a good splash of soy milk and put the lid on.  Steam-fry the vegetables for 5 more minutes.  When done, turn off the heat, and add some chopped water-packed artichokes, basil pesto, dried parsley, paprika, black pepper, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes and mix well.  When the pasta is cooked and drained, mix the veggie sauce with pasta really well.  Salt to taste.  Serve and enjoy!

I am sending this pasta dish to Presto Pasta Nights, a great event started by Ruth of Once Upon A Feast.  This week's host will be Kitchenetta of Got No Milk.

First of all, I must share the exciting news: the Daring Kitchen has begun another wonderful traditional - the Daring Cooks Challenge.  Now we don't just bake things in the daring manner.  We also cook things in a daring manner.  I am super excited to be both a Daring Baker and a Daring Cook, having plenty of opportunities to dare myself to finish the next challenge.
Lisa of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice happily inaugurated the first Daring Cooks challenge, and they have chosen a ricotta gnocchi recipe from the stunning cookbook by Judy Rodgers, named after her restaurant, The Zuni Café Cookbook.  Now I have never made gnocchi before this challenge.  Isa has a potato gnocchi recipe in VwaV, but I never tried it, because we don't like the potato-dough ball combo.  But the light and delicate ricotta gncchi is completely another story.

To make the vegan ricotta gnocchi, I followed the instructions by Shellyfish of Musings From The Fishbowl.  I made one recipe of the classic Tofu Ricotta (recipe on PPK) but used 7 cloves of garlic to have a garlicky flavor and also added a little bit of rubbed sage.  The tofu ricotta was made 24 hours in advance and sat in the fridge to allow the flavors to take hold.

The gnocchi dough was made by mashing the tofu ricotta to paste and adding 1/3 cup of vital wheat gluten flour.  The key is to really mix well and allow some time for the gluten to develop and really knead and squeeze between your fingures the gnocchi dough a few times to shape each little gnocchi.  This method yielded 25 gnocchi for me.

Flouring the gnocchi was critical too, so as to prevent the gnocchi from sticking to the pan when they sit in the fridge for an hour to firm up.  Testing if the gnocchi is ready (dry enough) is important.  Before putting all of the gnocchi into the fridge, make sure that you cook one as a test to see if the gnocchi floats to the top eventually (3-5 minutes).  If the gnocchi disintegrates in the boiling water, it is still too wet.

To serve the gnocchi, I made the simple butter sauce in the original recipe.  I find it very satisfying and goes extremely well with the garlicky ricotta gnocchi.

For the gnocchi sauce:

8 tablespoons (227 grams/1/4 pound/4 ounces) butter, sliced
2 teaspoons water

When the gnocchi float to the top, you can start your sauce while you wait for them to finish cooking.

Place the skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Swirl it gently a few times as it melts. As soon as it melts and is incorporated with the water, turn off the heat. Your gnocchi should be cooked by now.

Besides being easy and fun to prepare, the gnocchi freeze very well.  I made a second batch and froze all of the gnocchi for a few days.  After they were cooked, they tasted like freshly made again.

A side note: I have still been settling into my new kitchen and all the stuff in it.  So more cooking and baking will come shortly, I hope.

This is my first attempt at the Chinese steamed buns.  I used this recipe from Kat of "A Good Appetite".  My filling was some leftover tofu and veggie bake.  Obviously, I still have to work on the cosmetics, but the texture and taste were really really good.  I made these steamed buns right before we left Florida to travel north.  We are on the road again, so I won't have much desire to cook or bake until we settle down in the middle of next week.  Till then, take care and God bless!

I also made these Chicago "Red Hot" Poppyseed Buns (recipe by Sandy Smith of At the Baker's Bench).  The buns are light yet substantial and the poppyseeds really shine in them.  These buns are perfect for a good veggie burger or you can simply slather them with butter or jam.

For once, I put the leftover food to good use.  I filled the leftover Mixed Veggie and Tofu Bake into some phyllo cups and turned it into a wonderful lunch.

Mu quiche-making passion has taken a new turn.  I have realized that the crust is really not the thing that I love so much about quiches, but the filling is the very thing that requites my love for all kinds of vegan quiches.  Instead of making a quiche, I have made a mixed vegetable and tofu bake, which is almost exactly like a quiche filling, except that it is a little less firm.  It will be a good companion for any greens or pastas, and it tastes great on its own.

Mixed Vegetable and Tofu Bake
(Makes 4 large servings)

What you need:

Veggie Mix:

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
1/2 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups mixed gourmet mushrooms (baby bellas, chanterelle, shiitake mushrooms)
1 cup green beans, ends discarded and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
2 cups water-packed artichokes, or roasted artichokes packed in oil, drained well and roughly chopped
3 large tomatoes, seeded and diced

Tofu Mix:

1 pound extra firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup plain soy milk
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. tahini
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)
Healthy dose fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

What you do:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Saute the garlic, peppers, mushrooms, and green beans for about 12-14 minutes until the mushrooms have released some juice and green beans a bit softer.  Add the herbs and continue to cook for a minute.  Add artichokes and tomatoes and mix well.  Cook for 3-4 minutes.  When done, remove from heat and set aside.

In a food processor, blend smoothly all the ingredients for the Tofu Mix.  When done, mix this mixture with the Veggie Mix very well.  Taste to adjust the seasoning.

Pour the mixture into an oiled casserole dish and bake for 40-45 minutes until slightly brown on the edges and on top.  It should be rather firm.  Cool for at least 20 minutes before digging in.  Serve warm.

Since I made Bryanna's vegan quiche, I have been on a quiche kick.  I made another quiche yesterday.  This time it was a crustless version.  The original recipe was from Johanna of Green Gourmet Giraffe.  Johanna has a beautiful blog featuring vegetarian food.  I often visit her blog to simply look at the food porn.  For this quiche, I adapted quite a bit from her recipe and let me assure you that the vegan version came out really delicious.

Crustless Asparagus and Potato Quiche (Vegan)
Adapted quite a bit from this recipe by Johanna of Green Gourmet Giraffe
(Makes 4 servings)

3 small potatoes, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2/3 cup carrot, grated
5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 lb. asparagus, woody ends discarded, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces, 12-15 spears reserved and cut to fit halfway across your cake pan or flan dish (it doesn't have to be perfect)
2 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1 tsp. dried dill weeds
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 block extra-firm tofu
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. plain soy milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. sesame tahini
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven at 350F.

1. Simmer diced potatoes for 15 minutes until soft.  Drain, and set aside.
2. Sauté carrots, garlic, spring onion, and asparagus (except for the reserved spears) for 6-7 minutes.  Add the herbs and mix well.  Cook for one more minute.  Remove from heat, and set aside.
3. Blanch the reserved asparagus spears in boiling water for 15 seconds.
4. In a food processor, add everything from tofu to salt and pepper, and blend very well.
5. Mix the cooked potatoes, sautéed vegetables, and tofu mix in a large mixing bowl.  Combine well.
6. Pour everything into an oiled 9-inch cake pan or a flan dish.  Arrange asparagus spears on top of the mixture with cut ends in center and heads at the edge to create a star or spokes pattern.

Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes.  It is cooked when golden brown on top and firm to touch.  Serve warm.

I'm not a big fan of polenta, but from time to time I do have a certain craving for polenta.  My hubby often says that polenta is so bland and tasteless without a good texture.  The only way of preparing polenta that both of us can enjoy is to deep-fry polenta.  Even then, deep-fried cauliflower still beats it easily.  So, I have accumulated three tubes of prepared polenta bought in the supermarket (just in case my whims should dictate that I want polenta again), and I have been feeling worse and worse about buying them.  Besides, it is the weekend, so the fridge is full of half this and that, and leftover vegetables, a quarter loaf of bread, and whatnot.  This gave me an excellent opportunity of making a soup from everything but the kitchen sink, and finally submit the it to the Souper Sundays that I have been meaning to participate since over six or seven weeks ago.

I have planned to make a rather bland but nourishing soup out of potatoes, but before I knew it, I completely cut potatoes out of the equation, and I was determined to somehow make polenta a star of the show this time, not in the deep-frying pan.  So this is how the recipe came about.

Polenta Minestrone
(Makes 4 servings)

1 medium onion, finely chopped
8-9 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks or finely diced
1 1/2 cups portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1 tsp. dried basil
Half (6-oz.) can tomato paste
1 cup organic vegetable broth
3 cups water
2 cups tomatoes, finely diced and juice reserved
1 tube store-bought polenta, cubed
2 tsp. dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and mushrooms over medium heat in a large pot for 9-10 minutes until onions and celery soften and turn translucent.
2. Add Italian herb seasoning, basil, and tomato paste and mix well.  Cook for 2 minutes.
3. Pour in the vegetable broth and water.  Add tomatoes and polenta.  Turn to boil and lower heat to simmer.  Simmer for 25 minutes.
4. Turn off heat.  Add parsley, salt and pepper.  Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Notes:

1. I used half a can of tomato paste because I really wanted a very tomato-y soup, but you can easily use from 2 teaspoons of that to any amount you feel like.
2. If you don't like polenta, feel free to use potatoes, like I originally planned.  It will be great too.  Though the creamy polenta cubes do lend a very pleasant texture to the soup overall.
3. The herb mix can be easily adjusted to suit different tastes and moods.  Fresh herbs will be great.

I am submitting this soup to Souper Sundays, an excellent event started and hosted by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.  If you are interested in sharing your soup recipes with other soup lovers, please see here for more details.