Orange, Tofu, and Bell Pepper Stir-Fry

 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup canola oil, divided
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
• 1 (14-oz.) pkg. extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-in. cubes
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
• 1 cup sliced green bell pepper
• 1 cup sliced red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 (8.8-oz) pkg. precooked brown rice (such as Uncle Ben's)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1)  Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and tofu cubes in a bowl and toss.  Add the tofu to the pan and cook eight minutes or until golden brown, then remove from the pan.

2)  Combine remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch and orange juice in a small bowl.  Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in pan over medium high heat.  Add onion and bell peppers and cook one minute.  Add juice mixture, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and salt and bring to a boil.  Stir in the tofu.

3)  Place 1/2 cup of rice on each plate and top with 3/4 cup of the tofu mixture.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, if desired.

NOTES:

*  This dish is considered a 20 minute main.  By using the mise en place technique (everything measured and ready to be entered), you can make this time limit.

*  You can use a variety of rices.  I had basmati brown rice on hand.  Also Trader Joe's frozen brown rice, but instead I used a Mahatma yellow rice.

* You can use a variety of vegetables in this dish.  I didn't have cilantro, but would have used it if it were available.  I did not use an orange, but I did zest about one tablespoon of fresh ginger from a knob to use up the ginger.  I could also see using broccoli florets, snow peas, and a variety of other things, including different types of tofu such as "aged." 

* I was out of unseasoned rice vinegar so used Mirin instead.  There was no noticeable difference.

* The sauce does make a lovely sticky glossy sauce that is a combination of sweet, sour and heat (from the red pepper flakes.)  I found I had to play around with the sauce to make more and to get a better balance in the flavor.  I kept adding small portions of orange juice, a little more orange zest and squeezed the rest of the fresh orange into the sauce.  You can also add hot chili oil found in the Asian section of markets.

* I made a smaller portion of rice, but even then, there was some rice left over which is fine.  It can be worked into something else tomorrow.  The vegetable portions were all gone.  I would definitely add more vegetables than the recipe calls for.  I used carrots cut on the bias.

The Perfect Pitcher of Margaritas

The neighbors wanted to work up the perfect recipe for a pitcher full of Margaritas.  Ingredients were a given.  The issue was "quantity" and "measuring."

Ingredients:

1800 Resposado Tequila (750 mgl bottle)
Grand Marnier (250 mgl bottle)
3 Fresh Limes
Bottle of Margarita Sour Mix
Bottle of Simply True Limeade
3 cups of ice cubes


Directions:

Halve and juice three fresh limes.  Place in pictcher, pulp filtered out.

Pour in 1 1/2 cups Margarita sour mix

Pour in 1 1/2 cups Simply True Limeade.

Stir.

Add 4 1/4 ounces Grand Marnier

Add 9 ounces of Tequila

Add 3 cups of ice

Stir with a gang-related stiletto switchblade.


As you can see from the photographs, we kept upping the ingredients.  This is our recipe for this week.  It could change on a dime.

Shrimp Salad With Fennel And Radishes

 Ingredients:

1 small bulb fennel
1-1/2 pounds shrimp, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup minced dill
4 radishes, trimmed and shaved
Bibb or Boston lettuce

Sauce:

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste


 Steps:

If using fresh shrimp, shell and de-vein and cook (or use frozen shrimp and thaw), drying the shrimp before making salad.  Shave a small fennel bulb. Shave four radishes after trimming.

 Mix together sauce of mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and salt and pepper.

Gently mix both shrimp and dressing together and serve on Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves, or on toast or a croissant.

Notes:

*  I used a good count sized frozen shrimp which I ran under hot water and removed tails, then patted dry and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

*  I used even less than a small bulb of fennel, because I didn't know how my guests felt about raw fennel, and I looked on it as a celery substitute.  Any leftover fennel I have, I will use to make a braised fennel with roasted walnuts and saffron over fettuccine dish I have in my repertoire and is posted on this blog. While I did use a Mandoline to shave the radishes, I diced the fennel in very small pieces like celery, not sure if my guests would want to bite down on a large, shaved piece of fennel.

* I thought the dill would be overwhelming (I used fresh).  It was not.

* I followed the sauce, to the letter.  I might use less mayonnaise if I make this again.

When I served this, some ate it as a salad over chopped lettuce.  Some had theirs on a croissant with lettuce on the sandwich.  It would also be nice as a part of a cold plate.

Carrot, Kale and Tomato Tagliatelle

 

 

 

Carrot, Kale and Tomato Tagliatelle

Ingredients

 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium shallot, diced
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry white wine
1  tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.), drained
4 oz. tagliatelle pasta
2 cups kale leaves, chopped
1/2 cup white cannellini beans
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons capers
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

 Preparation

 Bring a pot of water to boil and cook pasta, timed to it's directions.  Drain and put aside.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over a low flame.  Add shallot and sautee until soft, about two minutes. 

 Add the chopped carrot, oregano, minced garlic, red pepper flakes and cook until lightly browned, about five minutes.

Add the white wine, balsamic vinegar and drained diced tomatoes.  Simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

While this is cooking, lightly toast pine nuts in a empty pan.  Watch carefully and take off before they brown as they will continue cooking.

Stir in the chopped kale and it will wilt down in about 1-2 minutes.  Add the pasta, cannellini beans, toasted pine nuts, capers and any other herbs (chives, parsley, Italian mix, etc.)

You can season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add grated Parmesan cheese which is optional.

 

My Notes

* I used fresh pasta which cooked in just minute .  I cut the pasta into 5-6 inch strands so it would stir better in the pan and be easier to eat.

 

*  I used grated carrot, not chopped.  Instead of using red pepper flakes, I finely diced a scotch bonnet type pepper, which was quite small but packed punch.  If making again, I would use just a tiny bit of this type of pepper.  I used fresh tomato since it was seasonal.  I used a rose wine that I already had opened and I used a larger caper than I normally have on hand.  (I usually buy the very small ones.  For whatever reason, the caper I had on hand was about the size of a garden pea.) 

* I think you can play very loose with this recipe.  Add more pasta, carrot, beans, kale, etc.  Play with varied herb flavors.  Add a protein like chicken or tofu.  Use fettuccine or linguine.  Brown rice variants.

*  There were various components that shined through:  the tang of the balsamic vinegar, the brine of the caper, the heat of the pepper.  It was an interesting and flavorful melding.

* I used a chiffonade cut on the kale.  I used a sturdier large leaf kale and removed the rib.  You could easily use spinach, baby kale, maybe even broccolini rabe.

*  I did not use salt or pepper as the cheese had salt, and I had put in heat with the red pepper.

 

 

Black Bean Burger

Black Bean Burger

2 scallions (white and green parts), cut into large pieces
2 large carrots, cut into pieces
1.2 medium red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1.4 cup cilantro
(all of these ingredients can be in large pieces because they are being pulsed in a food processor)

1 15-oz, can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1.2 cup quick cooking oats (note: quick cooking, not just rolled oats)

1.2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Chili Powder
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1.2 tsp. Salt
1 tbs. Ketchup
1 large Egg
3 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns, Split
4 Lettuce Leaves (Romaine or Bibb)
1 Roma Tomato Sliced
1 small Red Onion, sliced

1)  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the scallions, carrots, red bell pepper and cilantro and pulse the vegetables until they are finely chopped, 2 or 3 pulses.  Transfer the vegetables into a large bowl.

2)  Put the beans in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped, 2 or 3 pulses.  Add the black beans to the large bowl.

3) Put the quick oats in the food processor and pulse until finely ground.  Transfer the oats to the large bowl.

4)  Add the garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, ketchup and egg into the big bowl.  Mix well and form into four patties.

5)  In a 12-inch (or larger) skillet, set over medium high heat, heat the 1 1/2 tsp. of olive oil.  Add two of the patties and cook until crisp on one side, about four minutes.  Carefully flip and cook until the second side is done, about four minutes.  Transfer to a paper toweled plate.  Add more cooking oil and cook the last two patties.

Serve on toasted, grilled buns with lettuce, tomato and onion.
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So that's the official version.  Here's what I found out and what I would do the next time:

The vegetables are fine, and the bean-oats ratio is good.  After I made these, I searched out about seven more black bean burger recipes, two of them called "spicy," and in honesty, including the spices,  most of them used the same ingredients (minus the carrots, scallions and red bell pepper.)  In a few there was a tad more cumin or chili powder, but one problem, overall, with black bean burgers seems to be in the flavoring--how to boost it without drilling a hole in your stomach lining from "too much."  I found these bland, so I need to work up some changes.  I think it will be in concocting a chipolte mayonnaise using mayo and adobe peppers in chili sauce, and not much is needed of that.

When you are pulsing all of these ingredients in a food processor, it should be a visual process.  Two to three pulses, mentioned in the recipe, won't do it.  You have to watch out and not hit "puree" status, but you also don't want solids.  Watch each use to make sure you're there. Think "minced."

Most of these recipes use bread crumbs, and a full cup versus the 1/2 oats of this one.  I prefer using oats.  They pulse down to powder quickly.

I would probably add anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. more of cumin.  I would probably do two shakes of the cayenne.  Maybe just a tad more of the chili powder.  I think the chipolte mayo would pick up most of the bland issues.

 I don't eat raw onion, so that was out, but I did use a good quality whole wheat bun, and I did use Boston lettuce and a Roma tomato.  They added a lot, surprisingly. 
 

Banana Bread -- Mom's and Chocolate Bits Banana Cake

Mom's Banana Bread

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 tablespoons sour cream, yogurt or milk

1/2 cup chopped nuts (or 3/4 cup)

2 large eggs, beaten

Have butter and eggs at room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Put in parchment lined or greased 9 x 3 loaf pan.

 Shift flour, salt and baking soda.

Mix butter and brown sugar, then add eggs and mashed bananas.   

Work flour mixture in gradually.

Add nuts

Bake in 350 degree oven for one hour, check at 50 minutes.

 

Chocolate Muscavado Banana Cake

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup plus one tablespoon Muscavado (dark brown) sugar

3 medium bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

3 1.2 ounces dark chocolate (shaved, chips or nibs)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  You will need a non-stick loaf pan 9.5 x 5 x 3 inches deep lined with parchment paper. 

Sift the flour and baking powder together.

Using an electric mixer cream the butter and dark brown sugar together until light and fluffy and pale coffee colored.

Put the bananas in a bowl and mash them with a fork.  Gradually add them into the butter and sugar mixture.  Stir in the vanilla extract.  Whip the eggs and beat them into the sugar butter mixture.  Introduce a teaspoon of flour at any sign of curdling.

Chop the chocolate into the size of fine gravel, or use tiny chips or nibs and fold into mixture.  Add 1/2 cup pecans if you wish nuts.  Gently fold in the flour and baking powder mixture.

Scrape the mixture into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes.  Insert a skewer to see if it comes out clean at the end.  Let the cake settle in the pan for a few minutes, then lift out by paper and let cool on a regular surface.  Carefully peel off paper.  Serve cool in thick slices.  Very good with cream cheese.

NOTES: 

The major variation between the two is baking soda versus baking powder.  The Muscavado recipe gives you a smoother, more cake like texture.  The baking soda version, Mother's, give you more of a normal fruit bread like texture which is darker and coarser.

I always put chopped pecans into banana bread, so it's not an optional with me, and I usually use slightly more than 1/2 cup.

I grew up buttering and-or flouring cookie sheets and baking pans.  More and more I find myself turning to parchment paper.

Using dark brown Muscavado sugar versus light brown means you are adding more molasses and therefore a deeper flavor which complements and doesn't obscure the banana flavor.

Curried Chickpeas and Brown Rice

Curried Chickpeas and Brown Rice

 4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 clove garlic, minced (or more to taste)
2 cups brown rice, rinsed and drained
4 cups cold water
1 cup cooked chickpeas (rinse, if canned)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced celery
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
Whole or chopped roasted cashews, for garnish

Directions: 

*  Heat the oil in a heavy saute pan over medium low heat.  Add the shallots, garlic, carrot and celery for 2-5 minutes to soften.  Stir in the rice and spices and stir another 2-3 minutes.

* Add all of the remaining ingredients except the green peas and cashews into the pan.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low, stir and cover.  Simmer for 45-50 minutes and the water absorbed and rice tender.

* Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for ten minutes.  Add the peas and transfer to a server bowl or plates.  Garnish with cashews.

Notes:

* I didn't follow the directions at all.  I used the baked brown rice recipe, also on this blog, and improvised.

* I used basmati rice, canned chickpeas, Thompson raisins which seemed nicer than Sunshine.

* I put oil in a large saute pan and cooked the garlic, shallots, celery and carrots over low heat at the time recommended.  Then I added the chickpeas and raisins and spices, followed by the water which I let come to a low boil.

* Once the water was heated, I poured all of this into a 9 x 13 pyrex glass casserole, sealed with heavy duty aluminum foil and baked for about an hour.

* I mistakenly added the peas during the cooking process, which was fine, but it blanched the bright green color out.  I would add them lightly sauteed at the end in the future.

* I bought raw cashews at Whole Foods, about a cup, and I roasted them in an iron skillet with a tiny bit of coconut oil which has a higher cook point.  Given the size of the dish, and how people want to eat the cashews while they sit roasted, I would seriously consider putting two cups of cashews out to top the dish.