83 posts tagged “beans”
I cannot believe I'm still up at this hour working. It seems like all of my posts recently have started with "I cannot believe...", so maybe it's time for me to realize that I should just believe it. This month's Daring Cooks' challenge is very interesting, something I have been wanting to make for literally ages - the Vietnamese Pho. I chose to make the vegan Pho Ga (Chicken Pho).
October 2009 Daring Cooks’ challenge comes to us from Jaden of Steamy Kitchen, who has graciously offered a recipe from her new cookbook The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook.
I was lucky to enough to find a window in my schedule to complete both challenges. The vegan Pho Ga was very interesting to make. I only had time to make the short version of the recipe. You can find the long version of the chicken pho recipe here, and beef pho recipe here on Jaden's Web site. I toasted the same spices but used vegan faux meat (chicken breast) and soy sauce and hoisin sauce. I also added lots of shiitake mushrooms to add more flavor. The pho came out really tasty and the rice noodles simply were glorious in this soup.
Of course, a bunch of broccoli, bean sprouts, and lots of fresh cilantro leaves certainly make the pho even more appealing.
The chocolate wontons were a breeze to make. I used the same Chinese dumpling wrapper recipe in the June challenge. Deep-frying them with chocolate filling made them totally decadent. It was a good thing that I didn't make too many of these wontons.
Now I must get back to my work again. These beautiful foods can at least keep me a little more content now.
For more delicious Vietnamese Pho, check out the Daring Cooks blogroll.
October 2009 Daring Cooks’ challenge comes to us from Jaden of Steamy Kitchen, who has graciously offered a recipe from her new cookbook The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook.
I was lucky to enough to find a window in my schedule to complete both challenges. The vegan Pho Ga was very interesting to make. I only had time to make the short version of the recipe. You can find the long version of the chicken pho recipe here, and beef pho recipe here on Jaden's Web site. I toasted the same spices but used vegan faux meat (chicken breast) and soy sauce and hoisin sauce. I also added lots of shiitake mushrooms to add more flavor. The pho came out really tasty and the rice noodles simply were glorious in this soup.
Now I must get back to my work again. These beautiful foods can at least keep me a little more content now.
For more delicious Vietnamese Pho, check out the Daring Cooks blogroll.
I cannot believe I'm late this month. I made the dish very early one but simply had no time to post it. Life happened; work happened; and many other unexpected things happened. Anyway, here it is: this month's Daring Cooks challenge. It's a vegan and gluten-free challenge chosen and hosted by a wonderful vegan. Imagine that! I was naturally excited and grateful.
September's Daring Cooks' Challenge was hosted by Debyi of Healthy Vegan Kitchen. She has chosen Indian Dosas, a vegan and gluten-free delicacy to suit everyone's dietary needs.
Indian Dosas
This recipe comes in 3 parts, the dosas, the filling and the sauce. It does take awhile to make, but the filling and sauce can be made ahead and frozen if need be. You can serve them as a main course with rice and veggies, or as an appetizer. This does take a little planning ahead, so make sure you read the recipe through before starting (I forgot & didn't start making the rice until everything was ready, oops).
Serves 4
Equipment needed:
large bowl
whisk
griddle or skillet
ladle (or large spoon)
spatula
vegetable peeler &/or knife
large saucepan
food processor or bean masher
Dosa Pancakes
1 cup (120gm/8oz) spelt flour (or all-purpose, gluten free flour) [I used chickpea flour instead]
½ tsp (2½ gm) salt
½ tsp (2½ gm) baking powder
½ tsp (2½ gm) curry powder
½ cup (125ml/4oz) almond milk (or soy, or rice, etc.)
¾ cup (175ml/6oz) water
cooking spray, if needed
Dosa Filling
1 batch Curried Garbanzo Filling (see below), heated
Dosa Toppings
1 batch Coconut Curry Sauce (see below), heated
¼ cup (125gm) grated coconut
¼ cucumber, sliced
Dosa Pancakes
1.Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, slowly adding the almond milk and water, whisking until smooth.
2.Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray your pan with a thin layer of cooking spray, if needed.
3.Ladle 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of your pan in a circular motion until it is a thin, round pancake. When bubbles appear on the surface and it no longer looks wet, flip it over and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining batter. Makes 8 pancakes.
Curried Garbanzo Filling
This filling works great as a rice bowl topping or as a wrap too, so don't be afraid to make a full batch.
5 cloves garlic
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced (red, yellow or orange are fine too)
2 medium hot banana chilies, minced
2 TBSP (16gm) cumin, ground
1 TBSP (8gm) oregano
1 TBSP (8gm) sea salt (coarse)
1 TBSP (8gm) turmeric
4 cups (850gm/30oz) cooked or canned chick peas (about 2 cans)
½ cup (125gm/4oz) tomato paste
1.Heat a large saucepan over medium to low heat. Add the garlic, veggies, and spices, cooking until soft, stirring occasionally.
2.Mash the chickpeas by hand, or in a food processor. Add the chickpeas and tomato paste to the saucepan, stirring until heated through.
Coconut Curry Sauce
This makes a great sauce to just pour over rice as well. This does freeze well, but the texture will be a little different. The flavor is still the same though. My picture of this sauce is one that I had made, had to freeze, then thaw to use. It tastes great, but the texture is a little runnier, not quite as thick as it was before freezing.
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic
½ (2½ gm) tsp cumin, ground
¾ (3¾ gm) tsp sea salt (coarse)
3 TBSP (30gm) curry powder
3 TBSP (30gm) spelt flour (or all-purpose GF flour)
3 cups (750ml/24oz) vegetable broth
2 cups (500ml/24oz) coconut milk
3 large tomatoes, diced
1.Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, cooking for 5 minutes, or until soft.
2.Add the spices, cooking for 1 minutes more. Add the flour and cook for 1 additional minute.
3.Gradually stir in the vegetable broth to prevent lumps. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the coconut milk and tomatoes, stirring occasionally.
4.Let it simmer for half an hour.
September's Daring Cooks' Challenge was hosted by Debyi of Healthy Vegan Kitchen. She has chosen Indian Dosas, a vegan and gluten-free delicacy to suit everyone's dietary needs.
Indian Dosas
This recipe comes in 3 parts, the dosas, the filling and the sauce. It does take awhile to make, but the filling and sauce can be made ahead and frozen if need be. You can serve them as a main course with rice and veggies, or as an appetizer. This does take a little planning ahead, so make sure you read the recipe through before starting (I forgot & didn't start making the rice until everything was ready, oops).
Serves 4
Equipment needed:
large bowl
whisk
griddle or skillet
ladle (or large spoon)
spatula
vegetable peeler &/or knife
large saucepan
food processor or bean masher
Dosa Pancakes
1 cup (120gm/8oz) spelt flour (or all-purpose, gluten free flour) [I used chickpea flour instead]
½ tsp (2½ gm) salt
½ tsp (2½ gm) baking powder
½ tsp (2½ gm) curry powder
½ cup (125ml/4oz) almond milk (or soy, or rice, etc.)
¾ cup (175ml/6oz) water
cooking spray, if needed
Dosa Filling
1 batch Curried Garbanzo Filling (see below), heated
Dosa Toppings
1 batch Coconut Curry Sauce (see below), heated
¼ cup (125gm) grated coconut
¼ cucumber, sliced
Dosa Pancakes
1.Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, slowly adding the almond milk and water, whisking until smooth.
2.Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray your pan with a thin layer of cooking spray, if needed.
3.Ladle 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of your pan in a circular motion until it is a thin, round pancake. When bubbles appear on the surface and it no longer looks wet, flip it over and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining batter. Makes 8 pancakes.
This filling works great as a rice bowl topping or as a wrap too, so don't be afraid to make a full batch.
5 cloves garlic
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced (red, yellow or orange are fine too)
2 medium hot banana chilies, minced
2 TBSP (16gm) cumin, ground
1 TBSP (8gm) oregano
1 TBSP (8gm) sea salt (coarse)
1 TBSP (8gm) turmeric
4 cups (850gm/30oz) cooked or canned chick peas (about 2 cans)
½ cup (125gm/4oz) tomato paste
1.Heat a large saucepan over medium to low heat. Add the garlic, veggies, and spices, cooking until soft, stirring occasionally.
2.Mash the chickpeas by hand, or in a food processor. Add the chickpeas and tomato paste to the saucepan, stirring until heated through.
Coconut Curry Sauce
This makes a great sauce to just pour over rice as well. This does freeze well, but the texture will be a little different. The flavor is still the same though. My picture of this sauce is one that I had made, had to freeze, then thaw to use. It tastes great, but the texture is a little runnier, not quite as thick as it was before freezing.
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic
½ (2½ gm) tsp cumin, ground
¾ (3¾ gm) tsp sea salt (coarse)
3 TBSP (30gm) curry powder
3 TBSP (30gm) spelt flour (or all-purpose GF flour)
3 cups (750ml/24oz) vegetable broth
2 cups (500ml/24oz) coconut milk
3 large tomatoes, diced
1.Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, cooking for 5 minutes, or until soft.
2.Add the spices, cooking for 1 minutes more. Add the flour and cook for 1 additional minute.
3.Gradually stir in the vegetable broth to prevent lumps. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the coconut milk and tomatoes, stirring occasionally.
4.Let it simmer for half an hour.
Verdict: This dish is very easy to put together. You can make the sauce and filling in advance. Totally a keeper!
I love rice dishes, because I am really a rice girl. I would choose rice over wheat any day, happily. Rice just seems lighter, more versatile and very unassuming. When I saw this month's Daring Cooks' challenge, paella, my heart started to sing joyfully. A big THANK-YOU to our gracious host, Olga!
Our Daring Cooks August challenge host, the talented Olga from Las Cosas de Olga and Olga’s Recipes has chosen a delicious Spanish recipe, Rice with Mushrooms, Cuttlefish and Artichokes by José Andrés, one of the most important Spanish Chefs at the moment.
He trained under well-known Ferran Adria at his three Michelin star restaurant El Bulli. José Andrés lives now in Washington DC and he owns several restaurants in Washington DC area (El Jaleo, Zaytinya, Oyamel…).
The recipe Olga brought us is from his US TV show Made in Spain.
Rice with Mushrooms, Cuttlefish and Artichokes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Equipment:
* 1 Chopping Board
* 1 knife
* 1 medium saucepan
* 1 Paella pan (30 cm/11” is enough for 4 people. If not available, you may use a simple pan that size.)
* 1 Saucepan
Ingredients (serves 4):
* 4 Artichokes (you can use jarred or freezed if fresh are not available)
* 12 Mushrooms (button or Portobello)
* 1 or 2 Bay leaves (optional but highly recommended)
* 1 glass of white wine
* 2 Cuttlefish (I used 'It's All Good' Mediterranean Chick'n Fillets)
* “Sofregit” (see recipe below)
* 300 gr (2 cups) Short grain rice (Spanish types Calasparra or Montsant are preferred, but you can choose any other short grain. This kind of rice absorbs flavor very well.) – about 75 gr per person (½ cup per person) Please read this for more info on suitable rices.
* Water or Fish Stock (use 1 ½ cup of liquid per ½ cup of rice)
* Saffron threads (if you can’t find it or afford to buy it, you can substitute it for turmeric or yellow coloring powder)
* Allioli (olive oil and garlic sauce, similar to mayonnaise sauce) - optional (see recipe below)
Directions:
1. Cut the cuttlefish in little strips.
2. Add 1 or 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and put the cuttlefish in the pan.
3. If you use fresh artichokes, clean them as shown in the video in tip #7. Cut artichokes in eights.
4. Clean the mushrooms and cut them in fourths.
5. Add a bay leaf to the cuttlefish and add also the artichokes and the mushrooms.
6. Sauté until we get a golden color in the artichokes.
7. Put a touch of white wine so all the solids in the bottom of the get mixed, getting a more flavorful dish.
8. Add a couple or three tablespoons of sofregit and mix to make sure everything gets impregnated with the sofregit.
9. Add all the liquid and bring it to boil.
10. Add all the rice. Let boil for about 5 minutes in heavy heat.
11. Add some saffron thread to enrich the dish with its flavor and color. Stir a little bit so the rice and the other ingredients get the entire flavor. If you’re using turmeric or yellow coloring, use only 1/4 teaspoon.
12. Turn to low heat and boil for another 8 minutes (or until rice is a little softer than “al dente”)
13. Put the pan away from heat and let the rice stand a couple of minutes.
Sofregit (a well cooked and fragrant sauce made of olive oil, tomatoes, garlic and onions, and may at times
different vegetables such as peppers or mushrooms)
Cooking time: aprox. 1 hour
Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons of olive oil
* 5 big red ripe tomatoes, chopped
* 2 small onions, chopped
* 1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
* 4 or 5 garlic cloves, chopped
* 1 cup of button or Portobello mushrooms, chopped (optional)
* 1 Bay leaf
* Salt
* Touch of ground cumin
* Touch of dried oregano
Directions:
1. Put all the ingredients together in a frying pan and sauté slowly until all vegetables are soft.
2. Taste and salt if necessary (maybe it’s not!)
Allioli is the optional part of the recipe. We were instructed to choose one of the two recipes given, and Olga highly recommended us to try the traditional one, which is the one I made. Allioli is served together with the rice and it gives a very nice taste. Boy, it was really strong and went so well with the paella!
Allioli (Traditional recipe)
Cooking time: 20 min aprox.
Ingredients:
* 4 garlic cloves, peeled
* Pinch of salt
* Fresh lemon juice (some drops)
* Extra-virgin olive oil (Spanish preferred but not essential)
Directions:
1. Place the garlic in a mortar along with the salt.
2. Using a pestle, smash the garlic cloves to a smooth paste. (The salt stops the garlic from slipping at the bottom of the mortar as you pound it down.)
3. Add the lemon juice to the garlic.
4. Drop by drop; pour the olive oil into the mortar slowly as you continue to crush the paste with your pestle.
5. Keep turning your pestle in a slow, continuous circular motion in the mortar. The drip needs to be slow and steady. Make sure the paste soaks up the olive oil as you go.
6. Keep adding the oil, drop by drop, until you have the consistency of a very thick mayonnaise. If your allioli gets too dense, add water to thin it out. This takes time—around 20 minutes of slow motion around the mortar—to create a dense, rich sauce.
José's tips for traditional recipe: It's hard to think that, when you start crushing the garlic, it will ever turn into something as dense and smooth as allioli. But don't give up. It's worth the extra time and effort to see the oil and garlic come together before your eyes. Just make sure you're adding the olive oil slowly, drop by drop. Keep moving the pestle around the mortar in a circular motion and keep dreaming of the thick, creamy sauce at the end of it all.
Allioli a la moderna (Modern recipe)
Cooking time: 3-4 minutes
Ingredients:
* 1 small egg
* 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (as above, Spanish oil is highly recommended)
* 1 garlic clove, peeled
* 1 Tbs. Spanish Sherry vinegar or lemon juice (if Sherry vinegar is not available, use can use cider or white vinegar)
* Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Break the egg into a mixing bowl.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic cloves, along with the vinegar or lemon juice.
3. Using a hand blender, start mixing at high speed until the garlic is fully pureed into a loose paste.
4. Little by little, add what's left of the olive oil as you continue blending.
5. If the mixture appears too thick as you begin pouring the oil, add 1 teaspoon of water to loosen the sauce.
6. Continue adding the oil and blending until you have a rich, creamy allioli.
7. The sauce will be a lovely yellow color.
8. Add salt to taste.
José's tips for modern recipe:
(1) If you do not have access to a hand blender, you can use a hand mixer (the kind with the two beaters) or a food processor. If you use a food processor, you must double the recipe or the amount will be too little for the blades to catch and emulsify.
(2) What happens if the oil and egg separate? Don't throw it out. You can do two things. One is to whisk it and use it as a side sauce for a fish or vegetable. But if you want to rescue the allioli, take 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water in another beaker and start adding to the mix little by little. Blend it again until you create the creamy sauce you wanted.
Olga’s Tips:
(1) In Spain, rice is not stired as often as it is when cooking Italian risotto. You must stir it once or twice maximum. This tip is valid for all Spanish rice dishes like paella, arròs negre, arròs a banda…
(2) When cooking the alternative style you can change the cuttlefish or squid for diced potato.
(3) If you can’t find cuttlefish or squid, or you’re not able to eat them because of allergies, you can try to substitute them for chicken or vegetables at your choice.
(4) Sofregit can be done in advance. You can keep it in the fridge or even freeze it.
(5) For more information on how to clean and remove the heart of artichokes, please watch this video.
(6) To watch how Jose Andres cooks this dish click here.
(7) To tone down the taste when you do it by hand in a mortar, then add an egg yolk. If you want to tone it down in the alternative way use milk or soy milk. Anyway, the best alternative way is the original oil and garlic alone.
(8) Allioli must be consumed during the preparation day and preserved in the fridge before using it.
(9) For help on conversion on metric to imperial, visit this page.
Our Daring Cooks August challenge host, the talented Olga from Las Cosas de Olga and Olga’s Recipes has chosen a delicious Spanish recipe, Rice with Mushrooms, Cuttlefish and Artichokes by José Andrés, one of the most important Spanish Chefs at the moment.
He trained under well-known Ferran Adria at his three Michelin star restaurant El Bulli. José Andrés lives now in Washington DC and he owns several restaurants in Washington DC area (El Jaleo, Zaytinya, Oyamel…).
The recipe Olga brought us is from his US TV show Made in Spain.
Rice with Mushrooms, Cuttlefish and Artichokes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Equipment:
* 1 Chopping Board
* 1 knife
* 1 medium saucepan
* 1 Paella pan (30 cm/11” is enough for 4 people. If not available, you may use a simple pan that size.)
* 1 Saucepan
Ingredients (serves 4):
* 4 Artichokes (you can use jarred or freezed if fresh are not available)
* 12 Mushrooms (button or Portobello)
* 1 or 2 Bay leaves (optional but highly recommended)
* 1 glass of white wine
* 2 Cuttlefish (I used 'It's All Good' Mediterranean Chick'n Fillets)
* “Sofregit” (see recipe below)
* 300 gr (2 cups) Short grain rice (Spanish types Calasparra or Montsant are preferred, but you can choose any other short grain. This kind of rice absorbs flavor very well.) – about 75 gr per person (½ cup per person) Please read this for more info on suitable rices.
* Water or Fish Stock (use 1 ½ cup of liquid per ½ cup of rice)
* Saffron threads (if you can’t find it or afford to buy it, you can substitute it for turmeric or yellow coloring powder)
* Allioli (olive oil and garlic sauce, similar to mayonnaise sauce) - optional (see recipe below)
Directions:
1. Cut the cuttlefish in little strips.
2. Add 1 or 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and put the cuttlefish in the pan.
3. If you use fresh artichokes, clean them as shown in the video in tip #7. Cut artichokes in eights.
4. Clean the mushrooms and cut them in fourths.
5. Add a bay leaf to the cuttlefish and add also the artichokes and the mushrooms.
6. Sauté until we get a golden color in the artichokes.
7. Put a touch of white wine so all the solids in the bottom of the get mixed, getting a more flavorful dish.
8. Add a couple or three tablespoons of sofregit and mix to make sure everything gets impregnated with the sofregit.
9. Add all the liquid and bring it to boil.
10. Add all the rice. Let boil for about 5 minutes in heavy heat.
11. Add some saffron thread to enrich the dish with its flavor and color. Stir a little bit so the rice and the other ingredients get the entire flavor. If you’re using turmeric or yellow coloring, use only 1/4 teaspoon.
12. Turn to low heat and boil for another 8 minutes (or until rice is a little softer than “al dente”)
13. Put the pan away from heat and let the rice stand a couple of minutes.
different vegetables such as peppers or mushrooms)
Cooking time: aprox. 1 hour
Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons of olive oil
* 5 big red ripe tomatoes, chopped
* 2 small onions, chopped
* 1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
* 4 or 5 garlic cloves, chopped
* 1 cup of button or Portobello mushrooms, chopped (optional)
* 1 Bay leaf
* Salt
* Touch of ground cumin
* Touch of dried oregano
Directions:
1. Put all the ingredients together in a frying pan and sauté slowly until all vegetables are soft.
2. Taste and salt if necessary (maybe it’s not!)
Allioli is the optional part of the recipe. We were instructed to choose one of the two recipes given, and Olga highly recommended us to try the traditional one, which is the one I made. Allioli is served together with the rice and it gives a very nice taste. Boy, it was really strong and went so well with the paella!
Cooking time: 20 min aprox.
Ingredients:
* 4 garlic cloves, peeled
* Pinch of salt
* Fresh lemon juice (some drops)
* Extra-virgin olive oil (Spanish preferred but not essential)
Directions:
1. Place the garlic in a mortar along with the salt.
2. Using a pestle, smash the garlic cloves to a smooth paste. (The salt stops the garlic from slipping at the bottom of the mortar as you pound it down.)
3. Add the lemon juice to the garlic.
4. Drop by drop; pour the olive oil into the mortar slowly as you continue to crush the paste with your pestle.
5. Keep turning your pestle in a slow, continuous circular motion in the mortar. The drip needs to be slow and steady. Make sure the paste soaks up the olive oil as you go.
6. Keep adding the oil, drop by drop, until you have the consistency of a very thick mayonnaise. If your allioli gets too dense, add water to thin it out. This takes time—around 20 minutes of slow motion around the mortar—to create a dense, rich sauce.
José's tips for traditional recipe: It's hard to think that, when you start crushing the garlic, it will ever turn into something as dense and smooth as allioli. But don't give up. It's worth the extra time and effort to see the oil and garlic come together before your eyes. Just make sure you're adding the olive oil slowly, drop by drop. Keep moving the pestle around the mortar in a circular motion and keep dreaming of the thick, creamy sauce at the end of it all.
Allioli a la moderna (Modern recipe)
Cooking time: 3-4 minutes
Ingredients:
* 1 small egg
* 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (as above, Spanish oil is highly recommended)
* 1 garlic clove, peeled
* 1 Tbs. Spanish Sherry vinegar or lemon juice (if Sherry vinegar is not available, use can use cider or white vinegar)
* Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Break the egg into a mixing bowl.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic cloves, along with the vinegar or lemon juice.
3. Using a hand blender, start mixing at high speed until the garlic is fully pureed into a loose paste.
4. Little by little, add what's left of the olive oil as you continue blending.
5. If the mixture appears too thick as you begin pouring the oil, add 1 teaspoon of water to loosen the sauce.
6. Continue adding the oil and blending until you have a rich, creamy allioli.
7. The sauce will be a lovely yellow color.
8. Add salt to taste.
José's tips for modern recipe:
(1) If you do not have access to a hand blender, you can use a hand mixer (the kind with the two beaters) or a food processor. If you use a food processor, you must double the recipe or the amount will be too little for the blades to catch and emulsify.
(2) What happens if the oil and egg separate? Don't throw it out. You can do two things. One is to whisk it and use it as a side sauce for a fish or vegetable. But if you want to rescue the allioli, take 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water in another beaker and start adding to the mix little by little. Blend it again until you create the creamy sauce you wanted.
Olga’s Tips:
(1) In Spain, rice is not stired as often as it is when cooking Italian risotto. You must stir it once or twice maximum. This tip is valid for all Spanish rice dishes like paella, arròs negre, arròs a banda…
(2) When cooking the alternative style you can change the cuttlefish or squid for diced potato.
(3) If you can’t find cuttlefish or squid, or you’re not able to eat them because of allergies, you can try to substitute them for chicken or vegetables at your choice.
(4) Sofregit can be done in advance. You can keep it in the fridge or even freeze it.
(5) For more information on how to clean and remove the heart of artichokes, please watch this video.
(6) To watch how Jose Andres cooks this dish click here.
(7) To tone down the taste when you do it by hand in a mortar, then add an egg yolk. If you want to tone it down in the alternative way use milk or soy milk. Anyway, the best alternative way is the original oil and garlic alone.
(8) Allioli must be consumed during the preparation day and preserved in the fridge before using it.
(9) For help on conversion on metric to imperial, visit this page.
The Verdict: We loved this rice dish immensely. We had it for breakfast and we had it again for dinner. It was that delicious! I would make this again, with different ingredients. This is the major advantage of paella. You can throw everything but the kitchen sink into it.
To see more beautiful rice dishes other Daring Cooks made in August, check out the Daring Cooks blogroll.
The Daring Cooks July challenge certainly managed to take me completely out of my comfort zone. I have barely heard of Molecular Cuisine before this challenge, and now I was actually asked to produce something befitting the much-misunderstood-and-little-known art of cooking. The biggest obstacle for me is to make a vegan fish dish that remains moist and will blend well with the powders.
Sketchy from Sketchy's Kitchen is the host for the Daring Cooks July challenge. He hopped between a MC (Molecular Cuisine) dish and a classic rustic Italian dish, and opted to skip the 400 year old dish in favor of something that would be new and daring.
The Challenge: Skate, traditional flavors powdered (slightly altered)
This is a dish from Grant Achatz, found in the Alinea cookbook - page 230. Our host picked a recipe that could be completed without having to order a bunch of specialized chemicals or powders. Just a little work and you can make this, the techniques are not very hard and only require a few tools.
4 skate wings (I made Tofu Fish Sticks instead, see below)
* Beurre monte
* 300g fresh green beans
sea salt/kosher salt
1 banana
454g butter - 4 sticks
Powders - prepare ahead of time
caper / onion (total failure on my part)
lemon powder (skipped and subbed more tofu fish breading powder)
cilantro/parsley powder
'brown butter' powder (skipped the cream powder)
(I also added paprika powder)
* For green beans, slice each beans into very thin rounds (2 mm)
* Beurre Monte - 454g butter (4 sticks, 1 pound) cubed and cold, 60g water. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in the butter 1 cube at a time. This should from an emulsion. Keep this heated, but under 195 degrees. The emulsion will not break - this is your poaching liquid.
I made the Tofu Fish Sticks - a famous recipe from Vegan Lunch Box. This was a huge success, and we really loved the flavors of the tofu fish sticks. I even used the leftover breading powder as one of the powders to be served on the plate with the fish sticks. Unfortunately, I found drying the herbs and other things in my microwave oven is very difficult. I completely failed in making the onion powder because my microwave doesn't have high or low temperature settings. When I left the onion in the microwave for 2 minutes each time, the onion wouldn't dry. When I used 3-4 minutes each time, the onion started burning. Drying in the oven would be better, I suppose, but I really couldn't find enough time to sit in front of the oven to watch.
The plating was fun to do, but obviously, I could have made some nice pattern of the powders to make it more presentable. The whole challenge was a new thing to try, and I might study a little further on Molecular Cuisine, but overall, I really think having a dehydrator is rather critical in this case.
For more beautiful plates in this July challenge, check out the Daring Cooks blogroll.
Sketchy from Sketchy's Kitchen is the host for the Daring Cooks July challenge. He hopped between a MC (Molecular Cuisine) dish and a classic rustic Italian dish, and opted to skip the 400 year old dish in favor of something that would be new and daring.
The Challenge: Skate, traditional flavors powdered (slightly altered)
This is a dish from Grant Achatz, found in the Alinea cookbook - page 230. Our host picked a recipe that could be completed without having to order a bunch of specialized chemicals or powders. Just a little work and you can make this, the techniques are not very hard and only require a few tools.
4 skate wings (I made Tofu Fish Sticks instead, see below)
* Beurre monte
* 300g fresh green beans
sea salt/kosher salt
1 banana
454g butter - 4 sticks
Powders - prepare ahead of time
caper / onion (total failure on my part)
lemon powder (skipped and subbed more tofu fish breading powder)
cilantro/parsley powder
'brown butter' powder (skipped the cream powder)
(I also added paprika powder)
* For green beans, slice each beans into very thin rounds (2 mm)
* Beurre Monte - 454g butter (4 sticks, 1 pound) cubed and cold, 60g water. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in the butter 1 cube at a time. This should from an emulsion. Keep this heated, but under 195 degrees. The emulsion will not break - this is your poaching liquid.
I made the Tofu Fish Sticks - a famous recipe from Vegan Lunch Box. This was a huge success, and we really loved the flavors of the tofu fish sticks. I even used the leftover breading powder as one of the powders to be served on the plate with the fish sticks. Unfortunately, I found drying the herbs and other things in my microwave oven is very difficult. I completely failed in making the onion powder because my microwave doesn't have high or low temperature settings. When I left the onion in the microwave for 2 minutes each time, the onion wouldn't dry. When I used 3-4 minutes each time, the onion started burning. Drying in the oven would be better, I suppose, but I really couldn't find enough time to sit in front of the oven to watch.
For more beautiful plates in this July challenge, check out the Daring Cooks blogroll.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 was really impressed with Bryanna's recipe for homemade rolled pasta when I was completing last month's Daring Bakers' Challenge. I told myself that I would make it again as stuffed pasta. So I made ravioli with this fresh pasta dough. The pliable dough was really easy to roll out. I used the classic Tofu Ricotta recipe (Veganomicon, page 206) as the filling. These ricotta ravioli turned out really tasty and satisfying.
I cut the remaining dough into fettuccine. Boy, fresh fettuccine is so much better than the dried version! Next time I will make the same dough just for fettuccine.
This is a very quick meal to prepare, with restaurant quality. A few shortcuts make this pasta dish creamy, zingy, hearty, and very gratifying. Without much ado, the recipe is below.
Spinach and Pinto Bean Pasta
(Makes 2 servings)
6-7 cloves garlic
2 cups portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 16-oz. can pinto beans, mashed well
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup Tofutti Sour Cream
1 1/2 tsp. red curry paste
3 roasted long-stem artichokes, roughly chopped
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
A healthy dose of freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Enough whole wheat elbows for two people
1 cup baby carrots, quartered lengthwise
9 oz. fresh spinach
1. Saute garlic and mushrooms over medium heat for 7-8 minutes until garlic is golden and mushrooms have softened a bit. Take care not to overcook. In the meantime, cook the pasta (according to the package instructions) and carrots together. In the last 30 seconds, throw in the spinach. Remove from heat immediately and drain well.
2. Add the mashed beans and thoroughly mix. Add the tomato, mix well, and heat through. Remove from heat.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the mushroom and bean mixture with all the ingredients from sour cream to salt. Add in the drained pasta and veggies and toss to mix well. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
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 Hillary of Chew on That.
Spinach and Pinto Bean Pasta
(Makes 2 servings)
6-7 cloves garlic
2 cups portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 16-oz. can pinto beans, mashed well
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup Tofutti Sour Cream
1 1/2 tsp. red curry paste
3 roasted long-stem artichokes, roughly chopped
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
A healthy dose of freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Enough whole wheat elbows for two people
1 cup baby carrots, quartered lengthwise
9 oz. fresh spinach
1. Saute garlic and mushrooms over medium heat for 7-8 minutes until garlic is golden and mushrooms have softened a bit. Take care not to overcook. In the meantime, cook the pasta (according to the package instructions) and carrots together. In the last 30 seconds, throw in the spinach. Remove from heat immediately and drain well.
2. Add the mashed beans and thoroughly mix. Add the tomato, mix well, and heat through. Remove from heat.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the mushroom and bean mixture with all the ingredients from sour cream to salt. Add in the drained pasta and veggies and toss to mix well. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
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 Hillary of Chew on That.
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.
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.
Yes, I know, I made another quiche! I can't help it. A quiche is such a all-in-one-bowl kind of comfort food and we are such all-in-one-bowl-please kind of people. Every time we eat these homemade vegan quiches, we remark that they are invariably lighter than we imagined, although they are very gratifying. So far I have never used any store-bought pie crust, and I don't plan to, so I get to experiment with all different types of crusts, which is fun as well.
I studied the following three recipes for a while and compared them carefully, but didn't find a single recipe satisfying on its own. In the end, I decided to combine all three recipes and change them.
1. Classic Broccoli Quiche by Isa (PPK)
2. Veggie Quiche by Dr. Stonielove
3. Tofu Quiche with Spinach, Broccoli & Red Pepper by Rowena of "Life Is Better Vegan"
So that's how the mixed veggie quiche came about. Without further ado, this is what I did to make this vegan quiche.
Mixed Veggie Quiche
(Makes 8 servings)
What you need:
Pie Crust:
150g white whole wheat flour
50g all-purpose flour
100g Earth Balance butter [soft or firm]
4-6 Tbsp. water (I used 6 Tbsp.)
I studied the following three recipes for a while and compared them carefully, but didn't find a single recipe satisfying on its own. In the end, I decided to combine all three recipes and change them.
1. Classic Broccoli Quiche by Isa (PPK)
2. Veggie Quiche by Dr. Stonielove
3. Tofu Quiche with Spinach, Broccoli & Red Pepper by Rowena of "Life Is Better Vegan"
So that's how the mixed veggie quiche came about. Without further ado, this is what I did to make this vegan quiche.
(Makes 8 servings)
What you need:
Pie Crust:
150g white whole wheat flour
50g all-purpose flour
100g Earth Balance butter [soft or firm]
4-6 Tbsp. water (I used 6 Tbsp.)
Mixed Veggie Filling:
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups mixed gourmet mushrooms (baby bellas, chanterelle, shiitake mushrooms)
3 cups finely chopped broccoli
1/3 cup fresh edamame
1 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
Quiche Mix:
1 pound extra firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup plain soy milk
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. tahini
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 Tbsp. agar powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
Healthy dose fresh cracked black pepper
What you do:
Preheat the oven to 425F.
Whisk flours to combine well. Rub pieces of the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add enough water to make a dough, knead well and roll on a floured surface to fit a pie pan or quiche dish. Grease the pan and bake the pastry blind at 425F degrees for 10 minutes. When done, cool the pie crust on a rack.
Lower the oven temperature to 350F. Don't turn it off.
Saute the onion, garlic, green onions, red pepper, and mushrooms for about 10-12 minutes until the mushrooms have released some juice. Add thyme and tarragon and continue to cook for a minute. Add broccoli and edamame and cook for another 3-4 minutes. If you want your vegetables rather on the crispy and fresh side, remove from heat now. Otherwise, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water and cook for 5 more minutes. When done, remove from heat and set aside.
In a food processor, blend smoothly all the ingredients for the Quiche Mix and 2/3 cup of the Mixed Veggie Filling. When done, mix this mixture with the remainder of the Mixed Veggie Filling very well. At this point, you should taste to adjust the seasoning.
Pour into the pastry crust and bake at 350F degrees for 45-50 minutes, depending on your oven, until edges of the pie are lightly browned.
Let the quiche sit for 20 minutes before you dig in. It is very easy to cut then. Serve warm or at room temperature.
