Sunday

19

October 2014

Vegetarian Soft Tacos

Written by Rachel, Posted in Beans, Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Kid-Friendly, Legumes, Lunch, Main Dishes, Quick and Easy, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Even though I’m tired of the heat we’re still experiencing, I’m hanging on as long as I can to the summer veggies. Specifically summer squash.

I’m fine that the apples are here. I’m glad that we’ve got grapes. But, I don’t want the cute little squash to go bye bye.

So I’m using them as often as I can. Savoring each squashy bite.

I feel like squash kinda goes with everything. I like to add it to eggs, wrap it with pie crust, and slice it thin for pizza.

Oh my squash it’s good.

See what I did there?

Sorrynotsorry.

Squash, shallots, radishes, and a chile pepper are added to some hot oil.

This isn’t going to take long.

Next come the beans and seasonings.

I love beans in tacos and enchiladas. Meat is great too, but we eat a lot of vegetarian meals, just because we do, so often things like beans, quinoa, and eggs are our forms of protein. That being said, this would taste great with some ground beef. The main reason I didn’t use any: I didn’t have any.

I used pinto beans. They’re my favorite for tacos and enchiladas. But, kidney, black, or garbonzos would also work. They will change the taste of the dish a bit, but no big deal.

Almost before the lettuce is washed, tomatoes are chopped, and cheese is grated, the bean and veggie mixture is done. This is a seriously quick meal.

Everything gets piled onto half of the tortilla (whole grain for me, white for Tim), then the unadorned half gets folded over.

You could totally fry up some tortillas and make hard shell tacos. Corn tortillas work great for this. But, for a super quick meal, I like ’em soft.

I usually bring the salsa and yogurt with me so I can add more while I eat. I like my tacos messy.

Happy Eating!

Vegetarian Soft Tacos

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 9 minutes

Total Time: 14 minutes

Vegetarian Soft Tacos

Ingredients

1 T olive oil
1 radish (or carrot, or both), grated
1 small summer squash, grated (or bell pepper, chopped, or both)
1 hot chile pepper, ribs and seeds removed (unless you'd like more spice), diced
1 shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
1/4 C corn
1 t chili powder
1 t paprika
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1 to 1 1/2 C pinto beans
2 tortillas
cheese, grated
lettuce, shredded
tomato, chopped
Greek yogurt
salsa

Instructions

Heat a skillet and add oil. When oil is hot, add radish through shallot. Cook over medium-low heat for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add garlic through beans. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Divide the bean mixture between the tortillas and place on half of each one. Top it with cheese through salsa. Fold the un-topped half of the tortilla over the toppings.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/vegetarian-soft-tacos/

Thursday

16

October 2014

0

COMMENTS

End of the Week Pasta

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Eggs, Fruit, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Vegetables, Vegetarian

It’s nearing the end of the week. And the cupboards are a little bare, the pantry is kinda empty, the produce drawers are filled with distant memories (and a few stray veggies).

Sound familiar?

Maybe this only happens at our house.

In any case, I’ve learned to be clever with those final few ingredients before the crisper drawers are re-stocked. Usually, this involves some sort of pasta. Fresh pasta, dried pasta, leftover pasta… just pasta. (Of course you could also use wild rice, quinoa, lentils, or potatoes. They’d all be fabulous!)

The additions change every time though.

Sometimes it’s tuna and peas. It could be artichokes, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Today, it was zucchini, bell pepper, and tomatoes.

It starts with some oil. For this particular recipe it was olive oil. Butter is also great with pasta. Coconut oil could also work, but make sure you’re ok with a hint of coconut if you go that route.

Then, you know the drill… some of the veggies are added to the hot oil. They cook for a few minutes with some salt and pepper.

Easy.

Then things like kale and garlic are added. Kale wilts, garlic smells amazing.

You could use other greens, like chard, mizuna, mustard greens, spinach, or collard greens.

You could add tons more garlic, or use none at all.

I prefer the tons route.

Pasta is cooked and added. I had some leftovers that I’d frozen, then defrosted in the fridge overnight. Worked just fine. If you’re cooking fresh, reserve a bit of the starchy cooking water to add to the veggies. Helps the sauce to stick to the pasta, but isn’t essential.

Serve yourself a huge bowlful. Green goodness all around!

While the pasta hangs out for a minute, fry an egg in the veggie pan. One egg per person. Unless you want two.

Salt the eggs when they’re hot.

Then slide them onto the pasta. The yolk, if it’s still a bit runny, will add to the sauce.

End of the week fridge situation isn’t so bad after all.

Happy Eating!

End of the Week Pasta

Recipe Type: Main, Pasta, Vegetarian, Vegetables, Quick and Easy

Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 22 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

pasta, cooked
2 T olive oil
1 C zucchini/summer squash, chopped (or carrots or radishes, grated)
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped (or broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, green beans, celery, or peas)
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C kale (chard, spinach, or mizuna would also be great), chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 to 1 C pasta water (optional)
1 T olive oil
1 egg/person
to taste salt
handful fresh herbs (basil, parsley), chopped, for topping

Instructions

Cook pasta, reserving 1/2 to 1 C pasta water.
Heat skillet. Add olive oil. Add zucchini, bell pepper, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add garlic, kale, and tomatoes. Cook for about 3 minutes more, stirring often.
Add pasta water, if using. Remove from heat, stir in pasta. Pour pasta in a bowl and keep warm.
Add remaining olive oil to skillet. Add egg and cook to desired doneness. Sprinkle with salt.
Divide pasta between bowls. Top each bowl with an egg. Top egg and pasta with fresh herbs.

Monday

22

September 2014

0

COMMENTS

Fish Wellingtons

Written by Rachel, Posted in Baking, Dinner, Eggs, Fennel Pollen, Fish, Fruit, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Potatoes, Vegetables

My friend Christy came over for lunch the other day. She’s one of my favorite people to eat with and I often think of her when I’m cooking, since our tastes are so similar. She asked where the inspiration for this dish came from. I can’t honestly remember. It may be the heat (still up close to 100 degrees F, which is obviously wrong for September), or just a leaky memory. Wherever the idea came from, it was good.

It went well with the Creamy Cucumber and Tomato Salad that I’d made (more on that another week), the Roasted Eggplant Soup that she’d brought, and the Lemon-Basil Spritzers that we were drinking to beat the heat. I mean, mostly, we were just happy to be hanging out. But, it’s always even better when there’s yummy food to compliment a wonderful friendship.

It all started with what I call Fish Wellingtons. And they all started with a good pie crust. I use Alana Chernila’s recipe. (Page 149 of her cookbook, Homemade Pantry.) It’s the best pie crust I’ve ever made. I gave Christy this cookbook as a birthday gift during lunch. I’m not sure who was happier that she has it now, her or me.

I’d made the crust the day before and frozen it. It’s also great made the day of.

Frozen pie crust is a great stress/tension reliever. Have you ever had the opportunity to smack a partially frozen pie crust with a rolling pin? As effective as a punching bag, and, you can eat it later.

I’ve used two kinds of fish for this dish. Swordfish and Halibut. Use what you like and what you’d think will go well with the rest of the ingredients. I liked both of these, and would use either again (especially if they’re on sale, which is why I used Halibut this time, Swordfish last time).

Sometimes I like to stand by the stove and listen to the food cook. I often forget to slow down and listen. There’s so much beauty to be found in simple things like liquid bubbling in a pan. Things like this refresh me.

You don’t have to use butter. But, I love the deep flavor that it adds. If you’d prefer, olive oil would be great too.

You also don’t have to brown the butter, if that makes you nervous. But, you’ll be missing out on the even deeper, richer flavor that browning it brings.

Your choice.

Seriously.

The potatoes and zucchini are thinly sliced and crisped up in a skillet. When they’re done, garlic is added, mostly to make you swoon from the insanely awesome smell.

Crusts are smacked and rolled out. They’re topped with all the goodies you’ve been smelling (and sampling – the potato filling might not all fit – don’t be afraid to stand at the island and eat the leftovers – saves a container from having to be washed at a later date).

Fish is broken apart and added. You probably won’t need it all – leftovers can be frozen and saved for Chowders or refrigerated for sandwiches and salads.

The crust is folded over, crimped shut with a fork, poked a bit, then brushed with a beaten egg (save the rest of the egg to add to scrambled eggs or an omelette).

Then, the best part (according to Tim): sprinkle each one with some coarse sea salt (preferably some that you brought back from Paris when you were there almost a year ago…). It adds a great crunch.

I’m wishing that I’d made six instead of three. I think I could eat this everyday for like ever… But, then I say that about most things.

Happy Eating!

Fish Wellingtons

Recipe Type: Main, Dinner, Fish, Baking

Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Total time: 1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 3

Crispy potatoes and squash, fresh tomatoes and braised fish are wrapped up in a delicious pie crust to make a variation on Fish Wellington.

Ingredients

2 C vegetable stock (or white wine)
1 fillet fish (Swordfish or Halibut), skin removed
pinch salt
pinch pepper
pinch fennel pollen
2 T butter
4 small potatoes, halved and thinly sliced
to taste salt
to taste pepper
pinch fennel pollen
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pie crust, divided equally into 3 pieces
1 tomato, sliced
1 egg, beaten
coarse sea salt

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 375F.
Heat stock and when it’s boiling, add the fish with a pinch of salt, pepper, and fennel pollen. Braise for about 10-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish).
Heat a skillet. Add butter. When it starts to brown, add potatoes, salt, pepper, and fennel pollen. Cook for about 7 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini and cook for about 6 minutes more, with a dash more salt, pepper, and fennel pollen. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Roll out pie crusts. Place on a baking sheet. Divide potato mixture between the three crusts and spoon onto one side. Top with tomato slices and the fish. Sprinkle with a bit more salt, pepper, and fennel pollen.
Fold the non-topped side of the crust over the fish and veggies. Press edges down and crimp to seal with a fork. Pierce the top a few times with the fork. Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes on a rack place in the top third of the oven.

Thursday

18

September 2014

0

COMMENTS

How to Make Tomato Sauce

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, How To, Kid-Friendly, Sauces, Storage/Prep, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Tomatoes are one of the best things about summer.

Actually, all the fruits and veggies that we’ve been getting are the best.

They’re all favorites.

I want them to last all year long. I know that in a month or two, when it finally starts to cool down, I will be thankful for the heartier root veggies, apples, and pears that will be coming. But, for now, let’s keep talking about summer. ‘Cause I’m not quite ready to be done with it yet.

One of the ways to prolong summer is by preserving its fruits and veggies. So, like I’ve done a few times before, let’s talk about saving summer. In the form of a special tomato sauce.

It starts with a bunch of Roma tomatoes. They’re my favorite for sauce. They have less seeds and goopy bits, and I find them a little less watery… Hooooowever, use what you have! Use what you have! Use what you have!!!

I quartered mine, sliced off the hard bit at the end, and then roughly chopped them. They’re going to be blended later, so precision isn’t necessary. You may have noticed that I didn’t peel them. Later you will notice that I don’t strain them. You can if you want, but a little tomato peel and seeds don’t bother me.

They cook up for a few minutes, then are mashed up with a potato masher. This just speeds things along a bit, breaking down-wise.

If you want to have just a plan tomato sauce, blend it up here and cook for an hour and a half or two.

I know how I like my tomato sauce, so I thought I’d get ahead of the game a little, and add some onions, garlic, herbs, and a few other things to the mix before blending.

It’s up to you.

Choose your own adventure.

My adventure has a whole head of garlic in it. Just the way I like it.

Oh mah goodness the smell in our kitchen was just fantastic. A whole head of garlic is just like heaven to me.

I have basil, parsley, and oregano growing in my garden right now. I added those summer favorites, along with some dried thyme and rosemary. Plus a glug of balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of honey.

Then I cooked it all up until the water had mostly evaporated and the sauce was thick.

Quick blend with the hand blender (or the regular blender).

Taste. Add more salt if you want, but remember that you will probably be using this along with other things, so under-salting is ok here.

And only here.

I had some jars sterilized and ready. I will store these in the freezer, since I don’t want to process them in a water bath for 35 minutes. Is it just me, or does anyone else get nervous about the jars breaking and losing their precious sauce? I don’t have a canning set, and I’m definitely not risking jars in a large pot of boiling water bumping in to each other.

The next thing to do is to figure out how to use this amazing sauce.

Easy.

You can pair it with things like pasta, meats, and breads. It will go great with veggies too.

Specifically, you could make Eggplant or Squash Parmesan, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Deconstructed Lasagne, Meat and Cheese Lasagna, and Summer Pizza.

And oh my gosh you totally should use it to make Meatball Subs. Like right now. I’m serious.

Or, if you just can’t wait, grab some crusty bread and dip it in to the sauce. Good idea right?!

Happy Eating!

Tomato Sauce

Recipe Type: Condiment, Fruit, Vegetable, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 140 mins

Total time: 2 hours 40 mins

Ingredients

5 pounds Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 t salt
Extras: 2 T olive oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
1 head (about 12 cloves) garlic, roughly chopped
pinch pepper
1/4 fresh basil, roughly chopped
2 T fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2 T fresh oregano, roughly chopped
1 t dried rosemary, crushed
1 t dried thyme
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T honey

Instructions

Combine tomatoes and salt in a large pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Mash with a potato masher and cook for 10 minutes more.
(If you don’t want to add anything else, skip to step 5.)
Add olive oil to a hot pan. Add onions (bell pepper, zucchini) and cook over medium heat with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes more.
Add onion mixture, herbs, vinegar, and honey to the tomatoes. Use a spatula to get all the garlic infused oil from the pan. Stir once to combine.
Blend with a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender – removing the plug from the lid and covering with a clean towel.
Bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1.5 – 2 hours, or until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.
Sterilize your canning jars, bands, and lids in a pot of boiling water for at least 10 minutes at a rolling boil (or in the dishwasher).
Pour sauce in to jars, leaving an inch or so (or a bit less) at the top for expansion.
Store in the freezer once they have cooled completely.*

3.2.1311

(Yields about 2.5 pints or 5 C sauce.)

*To process jars in a water bath Ball suggests that you add 1 T lemon juice to each jar before filling and process in a water bath for 35 minutes. Do this if you want to store at room temperature – only store at room temperature if they have sealed properly).

Monday

15

September 2014

0

COMMENTS

Cheesy Chicken and Grapes with Rice

Written by Rachel, Posted in Braising, Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Grains, Kid-Friendly, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Poultry, Rice

We don’t usually have a problem finishing off the grapes (or most any fruit that comes our way from Abundant Harvest Organics). We usually eat it raw. But, sometimes it’s super fun to try something new.

Like grapes with chicken and rice.

Oh yes I did.

It all starts with some thighs. I had a package of two, so that’s what I used. Add more (using a larger skillet) if your family needs more.

It’s seasoned simply, with cayenne and salt. This is gonna be a simple, humble dish, where the flavors really shine.

Shine chicken shine.

Go grape! Go grape! It’s grrrrrrrrrrrrape!

(I don’t know… Sorrynotsorry. I blame it on the Christmas music I’m listening to, in the 100 degree weather, to prepare for a concert in December… Not really. But, the heat makes my brain a little kooky.)

I made chicken stock the other day and then froze it. So, to quickly defrost the stock, I brought it to a boil. I don’t normally use hot stock when cooking rice (except when making risotto). So, you could use cold stock, if you’ve planned ahead and put it in the fridge overnight. I didn’t. Just adjust the cooking time as needed.

Once the stock + rice + chicken comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for a few minutes.

While these few minutes pass, halve and de-seed some grapes.

Eat them all.

Halve and de-seed some more.

Add the grapes to the skillet. Pick them off the top of the chicken, and stir slightly into the rice. Then cook for a good long while (you know, until the rice is done and the chicken is hot). You may need to add more liquid partway through, and stir every once in a while.

Is one of your favorite snacks crackers and cheese with grapes? Do you wait expectantly for fall to arrive, so you can eat this snack as often as possible?

I do.

So, why not add some cheddar to the mix? Right?!

It’s sprinkled on and popped in to the broiler for just about 3 minutes. It’s like a bazillion degrees in there, so it’s not gonna take long. Don’t leave the kitchen to go wash your hair while it broils. You may have a smoky situation on your hands if you do.

Also, you remembered to use an ovenproof skillet, right? I know you did. But, just making sure. ‘Cause if you decided to not use one AND wash your hair while it broils, well, that’d be just disastrous. Let’s avoid kitchen catastrophes when possible.

Once the rice is cooked, the chicken and rice all kinda brown a bit, creating this amazing sauce that I just want to soak up with a piece of crusty bread.

Apples go so nicely with grapes and cheese, so serve some (on their own, or in a salad) with this easy, comforting dish that welcomes fall (cough cough, seriously, fall, let’s do this now, enough with the hundred degree weather).

Happy Eating!

Cheesy Chicken and Grapes with Rice

Recipe Type: Dinner, Main Dish, Meat, Chicken, Fruit, Grapes

Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 96 mins

Total time: 1 hour 46 mins

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

2 T olive oil
2-3 chicken thighs
to taste salt
dash cayenne
2-3 C hot chicken or vegetable stock (or water)
1 C brown rice
1 C grapes, halved, seeds removed
1 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 apple, sliced, for serving

Instructions

Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken. Sprinkle with salt and cayenne. Sear on each side for 3 minutes.
Add 2 C stock, rice, and salt. Stir gently around chicken (make sure all rice is in stock, not on top of chicken). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Add grapes, and simmer, adding more liquid if needed, cooking until chicken reaches 180F and rice is to desired tenderness, about 45-50 minutes (cooking uncovered, until the last 20-30 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Top with cheese and broil for 3 minutes.
Serve with a side of apples.

3.2.1311

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Vegetarian Soft Tacos

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Fish Wellingtons

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How to Make Tomato Sauce

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Cheesy Chicken and Grapes with Rice

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