Veggin’

Making vegetable stock is actually quite easy. It just takes a little while to simmer on the stove. Some may wonder why make stock when it’s easily found at the grocery store and easy to make with vegetable bouillon cubes or powder. Sure, I’ve used the ready-made stock and cubes, but making it on my own allows me to control flavor, decrease the amount of salt I put in dishes and best of all, get the most out of the vegetable scraps I invariably end up with when cooking.

Save scraps and chunks of leftover vegetable in a ziploc bag in the freezer. See below for ideas of the types of scraps to include. Once there are enough scraps, simply throw them into a pot and then cover with water. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for at least an hour but preferably 3-4 hours.

Drain the liquid through a strainer, colander or cheesecloth. Cool the liquid in the refrigerator overnight. (This allows any particles to settle to the bottom.)

Storage options:

- Store in refrigerator and use within a few days.
- Freeze in cup size containers.
- Freeze in ziploc bags. If you use ziploc bags, first lay them on a plate or cookie sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen, take out the cookie sheet or plate. This way, the bags take up less room in the freezer.
- Pour stock into ice cube trays. Once frozen remove the cubes and store in ziploc bag.

If you use scraps, the flavor does change each time you make the stock. If you want a more consistent taste each time, you can follow a recipe. Otherwise, I’ve consolidated some notes on what’s good to throw into stocks and other notes.

Ideal scraps to use

When prepping these vegetables, make sure they are clean and cut into chunks before freezing.

- onions, peeled
- carrots, carrot peels
- celery, leaves
- leeks
- zucchini and yellow squash
- scallions, both white and green parts
- cucumber
- shallots
- bell peppers
- turnips
- parsnips
- dried mushrooms
- green beans

Can dominate flavor so use smaller amounts:
- broccoli, stems
- cauliflower
- bitter greens (kale, collards, etc.)
- beet greens

Herbs, spices and other flavorings
- parsley
- thyme
- bay leaves
- oregano
- all spice
- dried italian herbs
- garlic cloves, chopped

Notes:
- roast vegetables before putting in pot for a darker stock
- tomatoes give the stock a distinctive taste and darken the stock.
- potato peels give the stock a starchy flavor
- carrots or corn make the stock a bit sweeter
- throw in some white wine for some added flavor

This stock can be used as a base for soup, added to risotto and cous-cous and so much more.

It was a strange mixture of non-related vegetables and fruits this week. Asian pears, tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes, a little pumpkin, another small melon, and green beans. Apparently the CSA is hosting a Big Potato Dig this weekend. I may see about getting out there to dig me some taters.

I have a love/hate relationship with the slow cooker. The “hate”, I believe, is programmed into my genetic code as I get slightly nervous leaving the slow cooker plugged in for eight hours in an empty house. You see, my grandmother would unplug the tv and cable every time she left the house. My mother can’t stand leaving the toaster plugged in after using it. I suppose as the generations pass, the fear of appliances blowing up is reduced. Although I’m not as extreme with unplugging the tv when I leave the house, I still have some of the residual nerves over the crockpot. As a result, I’ll use the crockpots only on the weekends when I know I’m going to be home. During the week…not so much.

The “love” of slow cookers comes from being able to make a flavor infused dish with little fuss. I simply dump all the ingredients into the cooker, turn it on, and walk away. The result of this recipe is a flavorful comfort food for dinner with plenty of leftovers to snack on the rest of the week. It’s worth the wait. I’m just not straying too far from the house while it’s cooking.

Crockpot Indian Lentils (Chana Dal) and Tomatoes
Megabeth

3 cups dried chana dal (yellow lentils, brown lentils also work well, too)
1 large tomato, chopped

2 t garlic powder
1 t salt
2 t turmeric powder
2 t cumin powder
2 t coriander powder
1/8 t cayenne (or more, to taste)

Sort through dal to remove any “stones” and rinse.

Add dal to slow cooker and add 9 cups water. (Good rule of thumb is for every cup of dal, add 3-4 cups water.)

Add spices and stir to combine.

Add tomato.

Cover. Plug in crock pot, set on low, and cook for 6-8 hours or until lentils soften. Check occasionally to see if more water needs to be added.

If desired, add chopped onions into the crockpot at the beginning or cooking or add some browned onions at the end. Serve over rice…or just straight out of a bowl.

The reign of tomatoes is still upon us both big and small! We also received corn and more beets which we haven’t seen since the early deliveries. And, to stir things up a bit they included a melon and a funky pumpkin squash thing.

I picked up some fresh japanese eggplants at the local farmers market. Over the weekend, they sat on my counter taunting me to make something good with them. I found the perfect recipe that did them justice.

Eggplant and Tofu in Spicy Garlic Sauce
Adapted from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

1 pound tofu (not silken)
3 tbsp soy sauce (reduced sodium preferred)
1/2 tsp dark sesame oil
6 japanese eggplants, bout 1-1/2 pounds total, sliced into strips 2-inches long, 1-inch wide, and 1/4-inch thick
1/3 cup water
6-8 garlic cloves, minced–about 2 tbsp.
1 teaspoon crushed ginger (or 1-inch peeled fresh ginger, grated)
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp dark sesame oil
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp hot chili-garlic sauce (found in asian grocery stores)
1 tbsp tomato paste
toasted sesame seeds (optional)

This is best served with brown rice so prepare according to directions. The rice can simmer while working on the rest of the recipe. For a little extra flavor in the rice, add some tamari to the cooking water after it boils and before you put in the rice.

Cut tofu into 1/2-inch slices. Put slices between thin towel and press for a few minutes to get moisture out of tofu. Combine 3 tsp soy sauce and 1/2 tsp sesame oil. Dip each side of tofu into sauce.

Heat an oiled, non-stick pan. Place the tofu slices in the pan and cook each side until browned. After both sides are browned, remove from pan and cut each slice into 10 cubes. Set aside.

Heat an oiled, non-stick wok or non-stick pan. Add eggplant and 1/3 cup water. Cover and cook but stir often. Once eggplant begins to brown, add garlic and ginger. Cook for 2-3 more minutes.

In small bowl, stir together remaining ingredients except sesame seeds and tofu. Add to eggplant. Simmer until eggplant is cooked through.

Add tofu and cook until heated through.

Serve over brown rice. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if desired.

This was a nice spicy dish and makes a generous amount. Chili paste with garlic packs a punch so don’t put too much in if you don’t like spicy food. I’m sure this dish will get even more flavorful as the tofu gets a chance to marinate in the sauce.

The days are starting to get noticeably shorter signaling that chilly weather is not too far off. This recipe will be perfect on those cold winter days when you are looking for something hearty, yet quick, to make.

Truffled Wild Mushrooms Over Whipped White Beans
Vegetarian Times, April 1, 2007

2 tsp. olive oil, divided
1 medium leek, white and pale green parts chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 15-oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and draine
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (I used dried.)
1 lb wild mushrooms, halved (I used a combination of white, shitake and portabella as I had those already on hand)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. truffle oil

Heat 1 tsp oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add leek and saute 2 minutes.

Stir in beans, broth, garlic and thyme. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer bean mixture to food processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Return to skillet, cover and keep warm

Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in medium skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and saute 8 minutes, or until soft and brown. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in parsley.

Spoon whipped bean mixture into shallow bowls. Top with equal portions of mushrooms. Drizzle each serving with 1/2 tsp. truffle oil, and serve.

I forgot to put the truffle oil on the portion I gave to my in-house taste tester. He still thought that the dish was very good even without the addition of truffle taste.

The tomato invasion has begun! Should I feel guilty for eating all these tomatoes raw? I feel it’s a shame to throw these tomatoes into dishes where their fresh flavor is hidden. No, I don’t feel guilty at all. I have tomatoes from the farmers market and from the organic market that can go into dishes that call for tomatoes. The CSA tomatoes will be eaten straight…with no guilt.

This week we received our first green pepper. Corn, white peaches, green beans, yellow squash, and a really really big cucumber rounded out the rest of the delivery.

Oh, did I mention the tomatoes?

For once, a festival in the area where the overwhelming food item isn’t lamb gyros, pork sausages or hamburgers. I’ve already marked my calendar to head down to the 12th annual Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival. Drawing over 6000 visitors, this is apparently the largest vegetarian festival on the east coast.  Music, animal adoptions, demonstrations and samples, oh my!

I’ve been wanting to go to this festival for years but have always had other commitments. So, hopefully the moons will continue to be aligned and I make it down there. I’ll be sure to report back with pictures and reviews.

As I’ve mentioned previously, part of my efforts here are to try to make new things. I have never made any sort of salsa before. Holy smokes, it’s easy! I’ll be making this green salsa more often or I’ll have to make more of it because it disappeared pretty fast.

Note: tomatillos are sticky once you take the wrapper off. Be sure to wash off the sticky before cutting

Tomatillo Salsa
Adapted from Culinarycafe.com
Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 tomatillo, peeled, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced (I used pre-cut jarred hot jalepenos)
• 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped (omitted from this recipe due to household distaste for cilantro)
• 1 tsp oregano, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 lime

Combine the tomatillos, tomatoes, red onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, oregano, cumin, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Juice the lime into the mixture.

Pulse until the mixture is well-blended and all of the ingredients are roughly chopped.

I made two batches of the salsa, one with onions and one without. I put all the spices in the tomato mixture, split the tomato mixture in half. I only added onions to one half of the mixture. I’d also definitely double this recipe especially if serving more than two people with chips. As a sauce on burritos then the portion is just fine.

We received a large head of cabbage in our last CSA delivery. This recipe produces a lot so use a large pan and have some containers ready for the leftovers. This is a zingy, zesty dish and is perfectly served with basmati rice. This recipe comes from someone who pared down a chicken tikka masala recipe and turned it vegetarian.

Vegetarian Tikka Masala
Hubpages.com

Masala Paste:

• 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp garam masala

Other stuff:

• 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• 5 cardamom pods (I used cardamom powder)
• 1 cinnamon stick (I used cinnamon power)
• 1 and 1/2 sweet onions, finely diced (I omitted onions)
• 1 large tomato, finely diced
• 1/2 cup water
• salt
• 2 medium russet potatoes, diced
• 1/2 green cabbage, sliced into thin strips
• 2 cups frozen peas
• yogurt

Serve Over:

• aromatic Basmati rice

1). Mix all of the ingredients for the Masala Paste together.

2). Start the rice cooking according to the instructions for the variety. (*Keep reading recipe for notes below regarding the potatoes. I’d also pre-cook the potatoes a bit prior to the saute portion of this recipe.)

3). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

4). Add the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods for just a few seconds to add fragrance to the oil, then remove them. (Since I used powered cinnamon and cardamom I just added a few dashes of both spices.)

5). Add the onions and stir until they are browned. (I skipped this step.)

6). Add the masala paste and stir for a minute, then add the tomato and stir for another minute, then add the water and bring it to a simmer. Salt to taste.

7). Add the chopped potatoes, cabbage, and peas. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the potatoes and cabbage are tender and a fork can slide easily through the potato pieces. (*Ok, this is where it got interesting. It took over an hour for this to cook. If in a hurry, I think I’d microwave or boil the potatoes a bit to get a head start on the cooking. It was nice to have it simmering on the stove, but it did take a long time for the potatoes to eventually get soft enough. I did not peel the potatoes so this may have been a factor.)

8). Add yogurt to taste–the yogurt will create a sauce. (As noted in the original recipe, the more yogurt you add, the more mild the flavor the sauce will be.)

9). Serve over aromatic Basmati rice.

As mentioned above, this recipe is voluminous. We will be eating off of this for quite some time. But, that’s ok, it came out really well. I’d probably reduce this by half (using 1/4 of the cabbage, etc.) and add some tomato paste so that a little more sauce is made.