VEGETARIAN PAELLA IS DELICIOUS

Paella is such a satisfying dish and surprisingly easy to make.  The most labor intensive part is cooking the risotto -- not hard, just a little time-consuming. This paella is even easier since it is a vegetarian variation. And it's just as delicious.  Besides wanting to eat more vegetarian meals, we had a friend to dinner the other night who is vegetarian.  I received a copy of Ina Garten's Cooking for Jeffrey for my birthday and found a vegetable paella in it.  Sounded perfect. I adapted the recipe by substituting vegetable stock for the chicken stock and adding the vegetables I had on hand along with some tofu for added protein. It came out great!  Here's the recipe:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Porcini risotto, red, yellow and orange peppers,
2 baby eggplants, vidalia onion bulbs, cherry tomatoes, black olives,
sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, baby celery
root, 1 red and 1yellow onion, garlic, smoked paprika, fresh thyme,
olive oil, saffron, Manchego cheese (or parmesan), black olives.
Pictured is some chicken stock which I put in to show that stock is used.
For this particular dish, I used pound spice, a specialty spice from St.
Croix. I mixed one T. with 3.5 cups of water.  Pound spice looks like this:



Use any vegetable stock you like.  The recipe also
called for a Spanish paella rice, but I used risotto.
I used vidalia onion bulbs instead of scallions and
celery root instead of fennel. Use what you have!

STEP ONE:



Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch rounds and cut in half. Cut
onions into thick slices and cut in half. Cut the celery
root into 1/2-inch rounds and cut in half.  Toss with peppers
(I used whole, small ones) and three T. of olive oil. Sprinkle
with a pinch of sea salt and a grind of pepper and roast in a
425 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes. Make sure the
vegetables start to get a nice char.  Cook the mushrooms in
a little oil or butter until they are nicely browned and aromatic.

STEP TWO:















Heat 3 T. of olive oil in a paella pan or skillet and add
the chopped yellow onion. Cook until translucent and then add 6
cloves finely chopped garlic and 1 tsp. of saffron threads. Cook
for about a minute and then add the chopped vidalia onion greens
or scallions. Stir and let cook another minute. Add 2 cups of rice
and stir to coat with the olive oil.  Puree the jarred red peppers
with 1 tsp. smoked paprika and add to the rice.  Pour in 1 cup of
heated stock to the pan and stir. Let cook until liquid is nearly
absorbed and then add more stock (about 10 minutes).
Heat should be on medium.  Add about 1 tsp. of fresh thyme.

Keep adding stock until the risotto is al dente.

STEP THREE:








Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan along with about
3 T of sliced sun dried tomatoes. Stir. Carefully fold
in the tofu. I used soft tofu because I'm not too fond of
the firm one in terms of flavor and texture. Add the roasted
vegetables and sautéed mushrooms and stir. Remove
the paella from the heat.

STEP FOUR:



Add the black olives (recipe calls for Manzanilla or
Cerignola) and the cheese. Grate according to taste.
Check for salt. The pound spice has quite a lot, so I
didn't add any extra except for a little on the roasted
vegetables. If you used a no- or low-salt stock, you
might want to add some.

STEP FIVE:



Spoon into shallow bowls and enjoy!

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

MINESTRA DI PASTA E FAGIOLI

Several years ago, I brought a cookbook back from San Francisco for my father who is of Italian descent.  It was from the restaurant Fior di'Italia, touted as America's oldest Italian Restaurant, established in 1886.  He gave it back to me a few days ago because he told me I'm cooking so much these days I should try some of the recipes and bring them over for him and my mother to try!  It was sitting on my desk the other day and I opened it up. I came across a recipe for a hearty Italian soup, and true to my mission to use what I have on hand, checked out my cabinets, fridge and basket to see what I had in stock.  I had pasta, anchovies, olive oil, parmesan cheese, some stalks of kinda old celery, cans of diced tomatoes and cannellini beans, stock, onions and garlic. I just needed to run out for some fresh sage and pancetta.

I had some swiss chard and the remains of a large bag of Chinese spinach (lasts a long time if stored in a plastic bag, unwashed, in the fridge drawer), so I took that out to add to the recipe.  Here's the recipe:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Pasta, onions, garlic, celery, fresh sage, olive oil, organic beef stock,
diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, parmesan cheese, anchovies,
pancetta, swiss chard (Chinese spinach was an afterthought), butterleaf
lettuce and an orange bell pepper for a salad.

STEP ONE:



This recipe calls for a lot of chopping. I found it easier
to get it out of the way up front.  So...finely chop 2 onions,
3 stalks of celery and 6 garlic cloves (the recipe called for
4, but I added more!) and sage. Chop the pancetta and
anchovies.

STEP TWO:



In a large, heavy soup pot, heat 2 T. of olive oil
over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook,
stirring, for 1 minute.  Add the celery and onion
and cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add the anchovies, garlic and sage and cook for
another couple of minutes.

STEP THREE:





Add the stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil,
then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add
the pasta that has been cooked to barely al dente
and cook for another 5 minutes. I had corkscrew
pasta on hand. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

STEP FOUR:





Heat a T. of oil in a wok (olive, grapeseed or
canola) and when it's very hot, throw in some
hot red pepper if you like the heat and add the swiss chard
and spinach (or any greens actually) along with a
few cloves of smashed garlic (I had a bunch of
barberries on hand, so I threw some of those in too).
Stir fry on high heat until barely wilted. Turn off the heat
and squeeze the juice of half a lemon on the greens and
douse with a generous grind of black pepper. Throw in
a pinch of seasalt and toss.

STEP FIVE:





Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with grated parmesan
cheese and a drizzle of good olive oil.  Top with the
greens and serve with garlic bread and a salad.

Enjoy this low-fat, healthy meal that takes under an hour from start to finish!

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

A LOBSTER HANGS WITH A SAUSAGE AND SOME HORSERADISH LEAVES

They walk into a bar...sounds like the beginning of a joke, but there's no joke with this dish! I saw the lobster and bought the lobster, took it home and then looked in the fridge and the cabinets to see what I could make with it.  I had been doing some shopping at an Asian market called The Great Wall and found horseradish leaves. What a score! Never had these before. They tasted similar to arugula. This is what happened:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Two lobster tails, a chicken sausage, noodles, cauliflower,
red pepper, Chinese spinach, red chillies, horseradish leaves,
scallions, garlic, lemon, ginger, dill, black bean sauce.

STEP ONE:



Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake lobster for 20 min.
accompanied by about 10 cloves of garlic soaked in olive oil.

Cook sausage in a small skillet.

Cut cauliflower into florets.

Chop the red pepper, scallions, garlic, ginger and horseradish
leaves (after defrosting -- they were frozen). Roughly chop the
Chinese spinach. Throw everything but the garlic and spinach
into a wok that's been heated with about a T. of canola oil.  Stir
on med-high heat.

STEP TWO:



Add spinach and hot chilies to wok with the garlic
and stir. Add two T. black bean sauce (or to taste). Mix well,
turn up heat and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Turn heat
down.

NOTE: the hot chiles are there for heat and color.
DO NOT EAT THEM (unless you're a die-hard hot chili
fanatic)

STEP THREE:






Remove lobster and garlic from oven and take the
meat out of the shells.

STEP FOUR:


Add the lobster meat and cubed chicken sausage to the
wok and mix well.

STEP FIVE:



Ready to serve. Squeeze the juice of one lemon
into the wok and top with chopped dill.  Can serve with
noodles, rice or any grain. I served with noodles again
because I have a lot on hand and need to use them.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

A BOUNTIFUL BUNCH OF BEAUTIFUL CHARD

Couldn't resist the gorgeous bunch of swiss chard I saw the other day. I knew I had vegetables in the fridge that needed to be consumed and was tired of that head of cabbage that seemed to grow new life each time I opened the fridge drawer.  I also had a carrot sitting around, some spinach and a couple of potatoes.  I buy a lot of noodles and vegetables from a local Asian market. These stacked noodles cook up quickly and are great in stir fries. 

I love my wok. I use it a lot because I can make a meal in one place, and it's fast!  Last night was stir-fry time.

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:

Cabbage, swiss chard, spinach, noodles, carrot, potatoes, 

sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, 3 slices cooked, crisp bacon,

garlic, fresh turmeric, black mustard seed, dried dill,

sesame seeds, crushed red pepper, cardamon pods, dried coriander,

fish sauce, dark soy sauce, canola oil

STEP ONE:  

Pour one T. of canola oil in a wok and heat. Add black mustard seed,

sesame seeds, coriander, crushed red pepper, dried dill and about six

cardamon pods to the oil and let sizzle for a minute or two, stirring 

constantly. Add potatoes to the pan and stir for about three minutes

on med. heat.

STEP TWO:

Cook the noodles for 8-10 minutes. Add chopped carrot 

and four large cloves of chopped garlic to wok and stir for 

another couple of minutes. Grate about an inch-long

piece of turmeric to the mixture. Sprinkle about a tsp. or so of 

fish sauce and a T. of dark soy. These ingredients are very salty

so use your discretion as to how much you want to use. Taste it 

to determine the amounts. I like to add my garlic in the second

step rather than earlier so that it doesn't overcook and become bitter. 

I also think you get more of the fresh garlic taste.

STEP THREE:

Add about two cups of shredded cabbage to the wok. Shred

quickly with the large blades of a grater or chop. Keep stirring

on medium-high heat. Add reconstituted sun dried tomatoes.

STEP FOUR:

Add the swiss chard and spinach. I didn't remove 

the white spines from the chard before I placed it in the 

wok. It would be a better idea to do it BEFORE you put it 

in the wok. Stir away!

STEP FIVE:

Add the drained noodles to the wok and stir. There should

be quite a loud sizzle going on!  When throughly mixed,

turn off the heat. I threw some barberries in since I had 

some on hand.

STEP SIX:  

If you choose, crumble the bacon on top and serve. 

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

I'M A THIGH GIRL

I like chicken thighs. I think they're moist and flavorful. I bought some as the main ingredient in the dish I made this evening. Since I make them quite often, it's a challenge to make something new with them, so I scoured the cabinets and found a jar of roasted tomatoes with crushed red pepper, and it went from there. I have saffron on hand so took this out to use as well. This chicken dish is really good!

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Chicken thighs, farfalle pasta, Mediterranean spice mix (salt-free), garlic, roasted tomatoes, olive oil, butter, dill, lemon, smoked paprika, saffron, dill. Chuck the onion. I didn't use it!

STEP ONE:



Cook the pasta al dente and set aside.  Coat the chicken with a generous spread of the Mediterranean spice mix (garlic, onion, basil, fennel seed, rosemary, oregano, parsley and red pepper). I had a jar on hand from Whole Foods, but you can also make your own. Place them in a hot skillet that's been heated with a T of olive oil and let cook on medium-high heat for about 12 minutes and then lower to heat to medium. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

STEP TWO:



Grind a 1/2 tsp. of saffron to a powder. I used a mortar and pestle.

STEP THREE:



Melt 1 T. of butter and add 2 T. of olive oil to a small skillet. Add the saffron and 1 tsp. of smoked paprika to the pan.  Add a dash of salt, a squeeze of lemon and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add 1 tsp. of minced garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.

STEP FOUR:





Coarsely chop the roasted tomatoes and add to the sauce. Simmer on low.

STEP FIVE:



Add asparagus to the pan of chicken and then finish in the oven for about 12 minutes.  If you think the asparagus is becoming overcooked, remove them after five minutes and keep warm.

STEP SIX:



Pour the saffron/paprika mixture onto the pasta and toss in a saucepan or wok. Keep warm while the chicken finishes in the oven. Check chicken to be sure it's thoroughly cooked.

STEP SEVEN:



Place pasta on a large platter and surround with the chicken and asparagus. Squeeze a small amount of lemon juice on top along with a generous grind of black pepper and some chopped dill. Enjoy!

As usual, this dish, as well as all the ones I post, are not wedded to any one ingredient. Use what you have on hand to create different flavors. In fact, I have some chicken to use tomorrow for a lunch I'm going to prepare and will use some fresh basil and a Middle-Eastern spice mix for a new dish. What I love the most about cooking is using the imagination to use what I've got to create interesting flavors and hopefully a tasty dish.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

AN ODDS AND ENDS LUNCH

All right, there's a lot of stuff in the fridge that needs to be used up fast.  I just found some yellowing broccolini I forgot to cook last week.  My husband and I are hungry on this lazy Sunday afternoon, so I got to work pulling out random items to create a decent lunch.

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



A boneless, skinless chicken breast, broccolini, green pepper, scallions, red onion, artichoke hearts, lemon, tomato, fresh dill, fresh turmeric root, ginger root, garlic, rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, soba noodles (already cooked).

STEP ONE:



Heat one T. of oil (I used canola) in a large skillet and start to quick fry the chicken breast that has been cut into thin slices.  Peel and grate two-inch pieces of ginger and turmeric and add to a small bowl with three cloves of minced garlic.

STEP TWO:




Combine one T. of dark soy sauce, 2 tsp. of rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl, mix into the ginger, garlic, turmeric mixture and add to the chicken.

STEP THREE:







Stir to coat chicken and add the green pepper, artichoke hearts (cut into quarters), the tomato (coarsely chopped) along with two coarsely chopped scallions, red onion (I had a tiny piece) and the squeeze of half a small lemon.

STEP FOUR:



Add the broccolini and the noodles with 3 T. of water or vegetable broth. If you want some heat, add red pepper flakes. Could also use a hot chili in Step 1.  Let simmer while distributing the noodles throughout the skillet.  Add one tsp. of sesame oil and turn up heat for a minute or less while tossing.  Top with chopped dill or any other herb you have on hand.  Enjoy!

This was a very simple, healthy dish to make. All you need to do is look in your fridge, see what's there that needs to be eaten and pull out a skillet to cook it!  Adjust seasonings to your taste and experiment with lots of different herbs and spices.

I'd love to know what's in YOUR fridge and what you do to use your food before it goes off.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!