Smoothie 2019.08.21

Spice-grind:

1 cinnamon stick
8 whole cloves
5 black pepper corns
1 whole star anise
seeds of 1 cardamom pod
3 Tbs flax seeds (really, 3 tablespoons)

Add to this mixture
1 tsp ground turmeric (it might tolerate more, if it is choice tumeric)

Fill 6-cup blender with (note, some amounts are approximate):
1 1/2 cup ice
spice/flax mixture
1 banana, peeled
1 cup fresh papaya
1 cup fresh mango (1 whole mango)
6 strawberries, fresh or frozen
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced to shorten the fibers
water, as needed to get the desired consistency

Run blender with ice chop/pulse mode, then blend in smoothie mode

Now drink the damn thing!

Indian Menus

Here is one that works well:

Basmati Rice sans Tumeric
Pan of Potatoes, Carrot, Onion, Garlic
Dal with fennel, fenugreek, asafoetida
Bread

Substitute dishes:
Chuff's Dal
Dal Using Bob's Red Mill Whole Grains and Beans Soup Mix
Saag

Basmati Rice sans Tumeric

Comes out off-white instead of yellow.

2 Tbs oil (olive or coconut or other)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp brown/black mustard seeds
1 stick cinnamon
4-6 whole cloves
3 whole cardamom pods

1 cup basmati rice
1 3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt

Bring oil to medium heat in pan
Stir fry cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom pods until nice and fragrant (a couple of minutes)
Add rice and stir fry until rice is fragrant and hot, another couple of minutes
Add water and salt
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook about 20 minutes
Remove from heat and let stand, covered, at least 5 minutes

All done.

Pan of Potatoes, Carrot, Onion, Garlic

For those times when you want something other than hashbrowns or potato pancakes...

1 lb red potatoes (about 4 if small, 3 regular sized, 2 if large)
1/2 lb carrot (about 2 small, 1 medium or large)
1/2 lb yellow onion (about 1 small, 1/2 medium)
3 to 5 cloves garlic (Oh hell, you could use 6, if you want.  Or just 2.)

2 Tbs oil (coconut is nice)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp brown/black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala (make your own, damnit, it isn't that big a deal)

1 cup or so of water
1/2 tsp salt

Wash, dry, and cut red potatoes into 1 inch chunks (yes, keep the skin on)
Wash, dry, (peel if you must), and cut carrot into 1 inch chunks
Cut onion (without peel) into chunky sections
Don't do anything with the garlic cloves, but have them at the ready

In an adequately sized frying-type pan, heat the oil to medium heat
Fry the cumin and mustard seeds for about 30 seconds or until mustard seeds are poppin'
Add the potatoes, carrot, onion, and garlic and stir to coat with the oil and seeds
Sprinkle onto this mixture the tumeric, coriander, and garam masala and stir to coat everything and heat the seasonings
Add water to nearly cover without washing off all the seasonings

Cover and bring to a bubbling temperature, then
Reduce and simmer until potatoes and carrots are cooked, occasionally stirring and adding water
(The goal is to develop a gravy environment for the potatoes, not a dry one)

Fish-out the garlic cloves, remove and discard the skins, mash the innards, and mix this mush back into the pan

Remove cover and
Reduce to thicken liquid, if needed.
Remove from heat and stir in the salt.

Add done.

Dal with fennel, fenugreek, asafoetida

Trying for a flavor different from my usual...

1/2 cup legume (red lentils or other)
1 to 2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbs oil (coconut or other)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (if you have them, bronze fennel seeds are great -- harvested from our herb garden, these are quite different from store bought)
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, ground-up a bit
1/4 tsp hot red pepper powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida

Wash legumes and cook in 1 cup water, adding more water along the way, until done. Remove from heat and stir in the salt.

In a small frying pan, bring the oil to a medium temperature, add and fry the fennel and fenugreek for 30 seconds or so
Remove from heat and add the pepper powder and asafoetida, stir just until mixed and quickly add the legumes to the oil/spice mixture and stir together.

All done.

Note: An increase to the amount of legumes may not need an equal increase to the spices.  So, if you did 1 cup of legumes, it might be fine to stay with the seasoning amounts or just a little more, for instance going from 1/2 tsp fennel to 3/4 tsp fennel.

Cookbooks - Toward a List

Joy of Cooking
1975
1997
2006 - 75th Anniversary
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Joy_of_Cooking

Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
1997 - 11th edition

Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking
by Yamuna Devi
1987

World Vegetarian
by Madhur Jaffrey
1999

Vegan Fire & Spice
by Robin Robertson
2009

Betty Crocker's Cookbook
1969 (17th printing, 1972)

Vegetarian: The Greatest Ever Vegetarian Cookbook
2003
[Szechuan Eggplant, p 418]

Vegetarian Dishes from Across the Middle East
by Arto der Haroutunian
2008

On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen
by Harold McGee
1984

Something with Gravy on Toast

Whenever my parents went out for an evening, my mom most often made one of these two dishes -- chipped-beef on toast or tunafish on toast.  Exploring ideas for recreating these dishes, I modified hers and the Joy of Cooking "Chipped Beef and Gravy" recipes to create this one.

8 oz cooked red rice (Gao Do, black rice would probably be good, as well)
some (not too much, but just enough) vegan sausage, cooked and chopped-up
3 Tbs oil
3 Tbs minced onion
3 Tbs minced celery
3 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups almond milk
salt to taste
slices of toast

Heat in a medium saucepan over medium heat:
3 Tbs oil

Add and cook until the onions are golden:
3 Tbs minced onion
3 Tbs minced celery

Sprinkle with:
3 Tbs all-purpose four

Remove from the heat.  Add slowly, whisking constantly until well blended:
2 cups almond milk

Add the rice and sausage and return to the heat.  Simmer until the sauce thickens enouch to coat a spoon heavily, about 10 minutes.
Salt to taste

Serve on:
Toast slices

Spanish Breakfast

Sarah and I have frequently had this served to us for breakfast in Spain -- several enjoyable times at "La Taberna de Atocha" in Madrid (Calle de Atocha, 76).

bread, white loaf-types are good
1 garlic clove
tomatoes
olive oil
pepper
salt

Slice and toast bread.  Slice garlic clove in half and rub juicy side onto the top side of the warm bread.

Grate tomato on the medium grate of a box grater (or other grating device) into a serving bowl.

At the table, drizzle oil onto the top side of the bread, deposit appropriate amounts of the grated tomato.

Pepper and (probably not) salt, as desired for taste.

Yogurt Snack

All of these measures are as desired to taste -- so increase or lessen a lot or a little, each one.

2 cups yogurt
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbs pecans, toasted, chopped

Kheer

2 cups almond milk
2 Tbs rice flour
10 green cardamom pods, seeds from, crushed
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 pinch saffron threads
1/4 cup raisins
2 cups cooked basmati rice
toasted nuts, chopped

Combine milk, rice flour, cardamom, bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes to thicken.  Reduce to simmer, add saffron, raisins, rice, and cook for 5-10 minutes.

Top servings with toasted nuts, chopped, as desired -- almonds, pistachio...

Vegan Pot Pie

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking (2006 edition) by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker...

After numerous tries and modifications, I have about gotten to something that is pretty damn good.

Potatoes, Turnips and Broth

2 new potatoes, diced
2 turnips, diced
8 cups water
1 onion, quartered
2 carrots, halved
2 celery stalks, halved
4 sprigs parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 leaves fresh sage
1 clove garlic with skin, mashed a bit
1 bay leaf
4 whole cloves
8 whole black pepper corns

Add potatoes and turnips to the water, bring to the boil and simmer until somewhat cooked (these will finish cooking in the oven, later, so keep them crisp). Remove potatoes and turnips from the water and set them aside for later.

Add the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer until you think you have a tasty broth -- 1/2 to 1 hour, I'm thinking.  Strain and press juice out of solids.
Retain 2 cups broth for the cream sauce, keep the rest for other dishes (freezes well in a zip-lock bag).

Cream Sauce

4 Tbs canola oil
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups cooking broth (from above)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
juice of 1/4 lemon
grated nutmeg to taste
salt and black or white pepper to taste (haven't tried white, yet)

Heat oil in saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add and whisk until smooth, 1/2 cup flour.
Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.

WARNING: Careful when adding the cooking broth to the flour/oil mixture (the roux).  Adding hot liquid to hot roux can pretty much explode.  So, in this instance, it is best to let the broth cool slightly (it can still be very warm, just not too hot).  In the time it takes me to get the roux going, I find that my 2 cups of broth are cool enough to avoid dangerous conditions.  Read "About thickeners for sauces" in Joy of Cooking for more discussion.  I have made the mistake of adding hot liquid to hot roux and it really is scary.

Remove pan from the heat.  Add 2 cups cooking broth and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in 1 1/2 cups almond milk.
Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking constantly and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and season to taste with lemon juice, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Set aside for later.

Vegetable Filling

2 Tbs canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 small celery ribs, sliced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced (shiitake are very good)
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced (1 Tbs, give or take)
3 sprigs fresh thyme, minced (1 Tbs, give or take)
6 leaves fresh sage, minced (1 tsp, give or take)
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Heat in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat, the oil.
Add and cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes: onion, carrot, celery.
Add the mushrooms and continue cooking about 1 minute.
Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme and sage and continue cooking about 1 more minute.
Combine this mixture with the cream sauce along with the peas, corn, almonds and...those potatoes and turnips you set aside.
Pour the mixture into a 10x8x3 inch (or so) baking dish that has been greased with a bit of canola oil.

Crust dough

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached white all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs chives, chopped (give or take)
1/3 cup almond milk
2 1/2 Tbs canola oil

Mix together in a bowl, the flour, baking powder, salt, then mix in the chives.
Combine the milk and oil and then add this to the flour mixture.
Mix with a fork until well combined, this should be a moist ball.
Spread like pizza dough on a cutting board.

Brining it all together

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Lay the crust dough onto the top of the filling until the surface is fully and evenly covered.
Bake, bare naked and uncovered, on the middle shelf until the sauce is bubbling and the topping is browned, 30-40 minutes. Actually, it usually starts bubbling long before the end, so I cook it until the crust seems done, about 40 minutes.  Place a large baking sheet on the lower shelf to catch potential sauce drippings.

Quiche

Preheat oven to 375.

Into unbaked 9" pie crust, place 1/2 lb grated cheese (gruyere or cheddar or...) or crumbled feta (I wouldn't combine cheddar with feta, either or would be better).  Cheddar is good with broccoli.

On top of the cheese, place: Broccoli - 1 large staulk, cut into small pieces and boiled until tender.

Beat together 3 eggs and 1 cup half-and-half, milk or sour cream. Pour this over the filling.

Dust top with paprika.

Bake until egg filling is just done (knife pulled from center comes out clean).  Baking time varies.  Watch it, but maybe check it after around 20 minutes.

French Onion Soup

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking (2006 edition) by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker...

One of the most enjoyable aspects of making this recipe is drinking all but 2 Tbs of the sherry along the way.

Heat in a soup pot over medium-low heat until the butter is melted:

• 2 Tbs butter
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• Add and stir to coat:
• 5 medium onions, thinly sliced
• Pinch of dried thyme

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and keeping and eye on the onions so they do not scorch.  As soon as they start to brown, about 15 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, covered, stirring, until they are a rich brown, about 40 minutes.  Stir in:

• 2 Tbs dry sherry or Congac

Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until the sherry has evaporated.  Stir in:

• 3 1/2 cups broth

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.  Season with:

• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Place 4 ovenproof soup bowls or crocks on a baking sheet.
Ladle the hot soup into the bowls and top each with:

• 1 to 3 slices French bread, toasted (8 to 24 slices, total)

Cover each bowl with:

• Gruyere or Swiss cheese, sliced about 1/8" thin

Broil until the cheese is melted and brown.

Armenian Borscht (Armyanski Borscht)

Adapted from Vegetarian Dishes From Across the Middle East by Arto der Haroutunian.

• 1 medium beet, unpeeled, but washed
• 4 Tbs (2 oz) butter
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 stick celery, chopped
• 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
• 2/3 cup (2 oz) thinly sliced mushrooms
• 1 small turnip, peeled and finely chopped
• 6 to 8 cups water
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Garnish

• 1 1/4 cups (10 fl oz) yogurt

Place whole beet in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, then simmer until cooked -- about 30 minutes.  Drain and leave to cool.  (Might try reserving the liquid for use in the soup stock?)

Melt the butter in a large pan, add prepared vegetables (sans beet) and saute for a few minutes.
Add the water, bring to a boil and then simmer until vegetables are just tender.

Remove the skin from the beet, then chop the beet and add it to the soup.  By cooking the beet in its skin and adding it at this stage, you should get a rich red soup.

Poke holes in the lemon and drop it into the soup.  This will give a tartness to counteract the sweetness of the beet.  Add the seasoning and simmer for a further 10 to 15 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and remove and discard the lemon before serving.  To serve, spoon the soup into individual bowls and place 2 tablespoons of yogurt in the center of each.

Saag

Adapted from Vegan Fire & Spice by Robin Robertson.

• 1 pound fresh spinach (good frozen works if you cook it a bit before adding)
• 2 Tbs canola oil
• 1 or more garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ginger root, finely chopped
• 2 tsp curry powder or garam masala (best if you make your own curry or masala)
• 1/2 tsp hot pepper powder, cayenne or other
• 1/2 cup or more tomatoes, roughly chopped
• Salt as desired

Heat oil to medium highish heat in heavy pan.
Add garlic, ginger, curry powder and hot pepper powder, mixing with the oil.
Cook stirring for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low medium, add the spinach and cook to desired consistency -- can be done in 10 minutes and can continue cooking for 30 minutes or more.
Add salt to your liking.

Onion Sour Cream Dip

Proportion to your liking:

• Real sour cream
• Chopped green onions
• Chopped garlic
• Chopped parsley
• Something to dip, like chips

Blueberry Kuchen

Adapted from Gardener's Community Cookbook by Victoria Wise (1999 edition).

1 cup plus 2 Tbs rice flour
2/3 cup plus 2 Tbs sugar
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
8 Tbs (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 to 2 Tbs cider vinegar
5 cups blueberries (or however many you have, I've used less), fresh is best, frozen works

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Mix together 2 Tbs of the flour, 2/3 cup of the sugar, and the cinnamon in a small bowl.  Set aside for topping.

3. Combine the remaining 1 cup flour, remaining 2 Tbs sugar, and the salt in a large bowl.  Cut in the butter with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture is evenly crumbly.  Add the vinegar and gather together into a dough-ball.

4. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch springform or tart pan with a removable bottom.  Pat and press the dough evenly across the bottom and about 3/4 inch up the sides of the pan.

5. Spread 3 cups of the blueberries over the bottom of the crust, then sprinkle the topping over the berries.  Bake for 30 or 50 to 60 minutes, or until the berries are bubbling and jamlike and the top is golden.  Arrange in oven, rotate and watch it closely to prevent burning the crust.

6. Remove from the oven and immediately arrange the remaining blueberries over the top (or can skip this step if you do not have enough blueberries).  Set aside to cool.

7. When cool, remove the outer ring from the pan, slice the kuchen, and serve.

Keeps well on the counter.

Apple Crisp

A quick, easy and tasty dessert adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook (1972 edition)

4 cups sliced pared tart apples (about 4 medium)
2/3 to 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oats
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup butter, softened

Heat oven to 375.
Grease square pan or baking dish (8x8x2 inches or thereabouts)
Place apple slices in pan.
Mix remaining ingredients thoroughly.
Sprinkle the mix over the apples.
Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown.
Serve warm and, if desired, with light cream or ice cream (non-dairy to be cruelty free)

Variation: Use 1 can (1 pound 5 ounces) of cherry pie filling instead of apples and less sugar.

Chuff's Dal

Adapted from various recipes in Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Yamuna Devi, mostly her Simple Mung Dal Soup/Sada Moong Dal with the chaunk based upon her various other dal recipes.

Sort, wash and drain until you wash off most of the bubbly, mineral oil:

• 1 cup split beans of your choice (red lentils are nice and cook quickly)

Combine these in a nice soup pot with:

• 7-8 cups water (Or less, depends upon how thin you like it.  I like a lot of broth)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder or minced fresh turmeric or combination (fresh turmeric is great)
• 2 tsp ground coriander (fresh is best)
• 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger root (more or less as you like)
• 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh garlic (optional and more or less as you like, it tastes a good bit different and good without garlic)
• 1 tsp minced seeded hot peppers (2,3,4 or more to whatever heat you like)
• 1 or more dried red peppers (optional and as you like it)
• Pinch or more of hot red pepper powder (optional and as you like it)

Stirring occasionally, bring to a full boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to moderately low, cover and simmer gently for about an hour or until dal is soft and fully cooked.

Remove from heat, uncover and add:

• 1/2 tsp salt (You may like more, but you would be wrong.)

Now, we make the chaunk.

Heat to medium high heat in a small frying pan or kadhai:

• 1 Tbs canola oil
• 1 Tbs butter

Add all at once:

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 or more dried red peppers, whole

Stir fry until mustard seeds just begin to pop.
Quickly add:

• Pinch or more of asefetida (We like about 1/8 tsp)
• 1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds,  crushed
• 4-6 small fresh curry leaves or 1 bay leaf

Within a few seconds, remove from heat and add chaunk to the dal.
Add to dal (optional):

• 1 Tbs fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped (or just provide for diners to add as desired)

Let stand a while so the ingredients get to know each other before serving.

Anchovy, Pepper Jelly and Goat Cheese Crackers

Easy to put together.  Tastes pretty damn good.  Leave off the anchovy if you prefer.

• Anchovy
• Pepper Jelly (Try to find something made with hot peppers and without additives.   For sale at our local Ace Hardware, I found a great batch made by Olivia Handley just up the road from us in Roopville, GA.  Ingredients: Sugar, Jalapeno peppers, Vinegar, Pectin, Butter)
• Soft Goat Cheese (Tastes better than really good cheese cake.)
• Crackers

Select a cracker.

Spread cheese to desired thickness.

Apply jelly to taste.

Lay one or two anchovy across the top.