102 replies to this topic

[Pontormo]

Hathor - question - is fennel same as anise?  I saw
anise in the grocery today, and wanted to make your
braised fennel for TG....

"Anise" is to "fennel" what "yam" is to "sweet potato."

Just to be utterly clear:

Since many supermarkets apply the word "anise" to fennel bulbs in their produce department, assume that recipes calling for fennel bulbs, stalks and/or fronds can be prepared with the vegetable your local Giant/Safeway/Kroger's/Stop & Shop may be calling "anise." That's why pictures of fennel online look like the anise you picked up in the store.

The word "anise" according to Lynne Rossetto Kasper is inaccurately used to refer to fennel bulbs in grocery stores and supermarkets. Same goes with "yams," an African tubular that is not identical to the sweet potatoes that get mashed and buried under gooey marshmallows or syrupy pecans in some homes on Thanksgiving in the U.S.

GG's useful link was educational for me since I had been taught that "anise" is simply a different word for "fennel" when it comes to both the bulbs and the seeds.

As for the question regarding uses of the feathery fronds: If they're in good shape, use them as a garnish, chopping them a bit or at least shredding them so they resemble dill. Pretty sprinkled over dishes. They add flavor the same way a fresh herb does.

If you're shaving fennel for a salad, you usually cut off the stalks and the root end, leaving the core intact (just be sure to cover cut surfaces in lemon juice quickly to thwart discoloration). When braising fennel, often recipes instruct you to remove the core. In any case, reserve the parts of the fennel you're not using. Wash, chop and freeze. Especially when you have lots of leek greens, etc. around the house, you can pull them out of the freezer and use them to make a vegetarian stock.

Edited by Pontormo, 21 November 2006 - 09:20 AM.

[dockhl]

Today's lunch, pecorino risotto and sauteed spinach. Oh, can somebody tell me, is it safe to eat spinach in the States again?? I sure hope so.......

Yeah, at this point spinach is officially back to whatever level of safety it had before the E. coli scare.

As I've previously mentioned elsewhere on eGullet, I'm not a full-fledged vegetarian, but limit my animal protein intake, eat a lot of meatless meals, and am always on the lookout for more meatless dish ideas.

The other night I made a lovely Japanese-style stew of cubed tofu, onions, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms, simmered in a dashi broth spiked with soy sauce and slices of ginger root. The flavor was mild and mellow but definitely yummy. Great warming dish to help my bod fight off a cold.

mizd~
have you tried Trader Joe's soy-ginger broth yet? Like it?

K

[eje]

Some Spice Pages links re: Anise/Fennel.

As far as I know the only one of these which is ever sold as a vegetable is Fennel. So, most likely, if you are buying it at a market, in the produce section, it is Fennel.

Anise (Pimpinella anisum)

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Star Anise (Illicium verum)

[Curlz]

So happy to have found this thread...I have a group of friends who are vegetarians (actually, vegequariums--they eat fish and seafood ), and I've been cooking more vegetarian food in the last 3-4 months than I ever have, despite my love of most vegetables.

My Rosh Hashana dinner included brisket, but also a Turkish Chick Pea soup, a wonderful recipe for muhammarah (a roasted red pepper spread), roasted root vegetables, and a few other things I'm sure I'm forgetting.

I also recently created a butternut/acorn squash and sweet potato soup with leeks, garlic, and vegetable broth. Very simple, but very hearty, as I don't puree the soup---just use the potato masher in the pot once everything is tender. I've been throwing wheat berries in to the bottom of the bowl, and it's just great, if I do say so myself!

Hope to get some other good ideas from this crew...

[Carrot Top]

Fennel bulb is finocchio and anise sometimes is the word for fennel bulb, depending on where one has learned the words attached to the thing.

Whatever it's called, it is very good. My only complaint is that I wish the bulbs were about three times the size they usually grow to. Foolish dream for a spoiled consumer.

[Nina C.]

I was a vegetarian for many many years, and still frequently cook vegetarian. Since many of my friends are vegetarian or don't eat non-kosher meat or meat & dairy together, much of my entertaining is vegetarian as well.

Last night was a meal for one - I sauteed shitake and chanterelle mushrooms in butter and rosemary, and quickly wilted some arugula. Meanwhile, I toasted some rosemary bread, then spread goat cheese on top and added bunches of the arugula and the mushrooms. So good and so easy. I wish I had chopped the arugula a little more first, at least no one was watching!

[mizducky]

mizd~
have you tried Trader Joe's soy-ginger broth yet? Like it?

No, as a matter of fact, I haven't! It's been awhile since my last TJ's run--next time I drop by there, I'll keep an eye peeled for the stuff.

Though it's so darn easy to just fling some ginger root and soy sauce into whatever other broth I've got working ... and returning to the topic of vegetarian cooking, one of my favorite ingredients is Better Than Bouillon's vegetable base. As with other pre-packaged soup bases, you have to watch out for the saltiness factor ... but their veg-base is so darned tasty that, once when I made a big batch of lentils with it, I wound up gorging on the whole batch in a 24-hour period. Turns out that the Better Than Bouillon folks have a whole line of these products, both with meat and meatless, including a couple of vegan varieties (don't be put off by their trumpeting "meat" all over that page I linked to--the veg bases are indeed meatless). I really need to try their mushroom base next--sounds incredibly yummy.

And then of course there's the traditional broth-flavoring standby, miso. Though if you really want miso's full nutritional benefit you need to add it just at the end, sometimes I put some in earlier so its flavor cooks into the food.

[markemorse]

Tonight was rather cheese-centric:

+++

--brown bread crostini with chevre, perenstroop, and hazelnuts. perenstroop is, well..."pear syrup": pears reduced until they're dark brown, very thick, and sticky. Think apple butter reduced until it's twice as concentrated. Chufi can probably explain this better.
--bibb lettuce + red onions with 12-year balsamic + EVOO.
--ravioli with ricotta, lemon zest, and white truffle in butter with parmigiano-reggiano.

+++

we were craving some "wine-drinking" food. not as heavy as it sounds, portions were petite.

in other news...someone's asked me to make something vegetarian, substantial, and Mexican for Thanksgiving. I was going to do an enchilada version of the black bean/squash/goat cheese concept used above (because i still have all of the ingredients including frozen cooked squash). but thought i'd ask here: does anyone have any great vegetarian enchilada ideas?

thx
mark

Edited by markemorse, 21 November 2006 - 01:20 PM.

[mrbigjas]

in diana kennedy's book there's a recipe where you basically sautee squash in a sofrito of onion garlic tomato pepper that you've cooked down, and for some reason that i can't quite figure out, it totally transcends its ingredients and turns into this fantastic substantial filling for tacos or enchiladas. especially if you put queso blanco on it.

you'll notice i didn't specify summer or winter squash. that's because i can't remember right now. i think i've done it with both at various times, which is why my poor addled brain can't remember which the original recipe is for... i'll look it up and post tonight if i have a moment.

[eje]

One of my pet peeves is bad vegetarian food.

For a while one of my best friends decided to be a vegetarian along with his then girlfriend.

They were coming over during the summer and I wanted to grill. I had the idea to do a version of the typical midwestern summer meal.

grilled corn = grilled corn (woo!)
grilled steak = grilled portobello mushroom
steak sauce = roasted red pepper puree
baked beans = baked beans (mirepoix and extra garlic, no bacon)
ice cream = home made ice cream

I think there were a couple other things. It was fun and goofy. But, my the point is, none of these dishes is intrinsically less tasty than their meat including counterpart. If they are well made and seasoned, there's a pretty good chance they will be more tasty!

Somehow a lot of Americans have got it into their heads that by skipping meat they are skipping flavor. That is just not the case.

[dockhl]

in other news...someone's asked me to make something vegetarian, substantial, and Mexican for Thanksgiving. I was going to do an enchilada version of the black bean/squash/goat cheese concept used above (because i still have all of the ingredients including frozen cooked squash). but thought i'd ask here: does anyone have any great vegetarian enchilada ideas?

Mark

Try this ! Really yummy and easy............

Mashed Potato and Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas


Prep Time: approx. 40 Minutes.
Cook Time: approx. 1 Hour 10 Minutes.
Ready in: approx. 1 Hour 50 Minutes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/3 head broccoli, cut into florets
2-1/2 ounces whole button mushrooms
1 small zucchini, chopped
2/3 cup chopped carrots
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup water
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon butter
1/3 (7.6 ounce) package
instant mashed potato flakes
1/3 (12 ounce) package corn tortillas
1 cup enchilada sauce
2-1/2 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese


Directions
1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

2 In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, mushrooms,
zucchini, and carrots. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil,
and season with salt and pepper. Spread vegetables in a
single layer in a shallow baking dish. Roast vegetables in
the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes; stir halfway
through their cooking time. When finished cooking, remove from
the oven, and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F

3 Bring water, milk, and butter to a boil in a large pot.
Remove the pot from heat, and mix in the mashed potato
flakes. Let stand two minutes, then stir the mashed potatoes
with a fork until they are smooth. Stir in roasted vegetables.

4 In a dry, nonstick skillet over medium heat, quickly
heat each tortilla on both sides to make pliable. Dip the
tortillas in enchilada sauce. Put a large spoonful
(approximately 1/4 to 1/3 cup) of potato-veggie mixture into the
center of each tortilla. Top mixture with about 1 to 2
tablespoons cheese, and roll tortillas. Place seam-side down in a
9x13 inch baking dish. Pour extra sauce over top, and
sprinkle with remaining cheese.

5 Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately
20 to 30 minutes, or until the enchiladas are heated through.

[tejon]

Somehow a lot of Americans have got it into their head that by skipping meat they are skipping flavor.  That is just not the case.

Well said. I think part of this fallacy comes from the standard American dinner template: meat, starch, and vegetable. When you take the meat away, many people are unsure what to do instead. Of course, there is no need to do a tri-part plate of any kind, especially when there's a world of roasted vegetables, of hand filled ravioli, of slow cooked lentils, of delicious foods that also happen to not contain meat. I find that often it's easiest to look to other cultures to find inspiration for a meal that emphasizes produce, but as your example shows, even the most basic American standards are just as delicious meat-free when prepared with care.

[mizducky]

While we're on the subtheme of Mexican vegetarian dishes ... Last night I had one of the best danged veggie burritos I've ever tasted. I didn't make it, I bought it at a cafe, but I took notes for my future cooking reference. They used some very tasty thick-sliced sauted mushrooms as part of the filling, along with the usual beans/rice/guacamole and a sprinkling of chopped onions. The mushrooms really kicked the thing up to a whole 'nother level. (Oh yeah, and they didn't waste any burrito-space on chopped lettuce, either.) I bet some sauted mushrooms would also be nice as one part of an enchilada filling ...

[eje]

[...]
The chayote was quickly seared with chilies and onions, covered and steamed in its own juices for a few minutes, and then uncovered and cooked until al dente. I topped with cilantro, feta cheese, and a squeeze of lime. Cooked this way, chayote has a nice texture and comports well with a wide variety of flavors.

I really like Chayote, I make a similar recipe with a touch of tomato puree that is just outstanding.

Though, the other members of my community garden prefer it cooked with a tomato-meat sauce.

[RachelAnn]

the dill-looking greens of fennel bulbs are great added to sauteed spinach or added to salad. i think people too often throw that part away, it has a really nice flavor

[markemorse]

Hey guys, thanks for the enchilada suggestions.

mrbigjas: i have a similar experience almost every time i use winter squash in Mexican cooking, it seems like it's going to be completely uninteresting or even wrong, and once it hangs out with black beans or chipotle or cilantro (or a sheep/goat cheese) for awhile it's a different story.

dockhl: looks good! will give it a try at some point, but i think for this dinner will go a little more obviously mexican since that was the request (and it's a rarity here). not like anyone would know broccoli wasn't traditionally mexican... (actually there was a pre-Hispanic vegetable in mexico called huauzontle that was broccoli-like and mashed into fritters with queso to bind....)

eje: chayote is a great idea, it never occurs to me b/c they're not in my face all the time. diana kennedy also has a recipe for stuffed chayotes that would probably work nicely as enchilada components: chayote, zucchini, mushrooms, pepitas, ancho, cumin, garlic, and queso fresco. Probably with a green sauce.

OK, looks like black beans n winter squash is it. Maybe I'll even get to take pictures since the camera is back in the house.....

mark

Edited by markemorse, 22 November 2006 - 04:39 AM.

[Chufi]

--ravioli with ricotta, lemon zest, and white truffle in butter with parmigiano-reggiano.

mark, where in Amsterdam did you get the truffle, and was it good?

I made ribollita yesterday, Tuscan bean & kale soup. gave me a chance to do something else with the Dutch winterstaple, kale!
This was a vegetarian recipe, and then I went and sauteed the vegetablebase in lard but I'm sure it would have been equally delicious had I just stuck to the olive oil!

picture here in the Tuscany thread

[Milagai]

Thank you to all for the fennel vs anise clarifications.
I must admit that the seeds depicted in various links
looked so similar to each other......
I must figure out how to conduct a side by side taste
test and see how they differ.
Has anyone done that and can they enlighten?

Thanks again

Milagai

[mrbigjas]

Somehow a lot of Americans have got it into their head that by skipping meat they are skipping flavor.  That is just not the case.

Well said. I think part of this fallacy comes from the standard American dinner template: meat, starch, and vegetable.

oh come on, let's not blame america for this.

i mean, in just the countries i've visited the last few years, england, france and spain all have traditionally relied heavily on the meat-starch-veg trio. italy does too, although it's spread out over three courses and served on different plates. and generally if anything gets eliminated or becomes a second thought in the meal prep, it's the vegetable, not the meat.

that's restaurant cooking anyway. home cooking is different in all those places from all the cookbooks and articles i've read, just like it is here in the USA.

anyway, sorry to derail things more. back to the food soon when i have time to write things up a little more.

[Chufi]

Somehow a lot of Americans have got it into their head that by skipping meat they are skipping flavor.  That is just not the case.

Well said. I think part of this fallacy comes from the standard American dinner template: meat, starch, and vegetable.

oh come on, let's not blame america for this.

i mean, in just the countries i've visited the last few years, england, france and spain all have traditionally relied heavily on the meat-starch-veg trio.

And the Netherlands too. I feel that even vegetarians stick to the trio, at least supermarkets seem to want them to do so, by selling vegetarian stuff that looks like meat and can easily stand in for the meat-part of the trio. You know, vegetable burgers, vegetarian meatballs, etc.

[mrbigjas]

well, i mean, i'm overstating it a little here--after all there are only a few things in the world to eat: proteins, starches, vegetables. i don't know what else there is--fats, i guess, but most cultures don't have a fat course in their usual meal. well, even that, there are several peoples living up near the north pole who do, but they're the exception rather than the rule.

but my point is that the US isn't any lamer than most of the european countries whence most of the population immigrated, when it comes to having meals without a meat-based source of protein, at least when it comes to restaurant food.

but enough--we dance!

as i mentioned over on the tuscan cooking thread, last night i made bruschetta con cavolo nero, and if there's a dish that ends up being more the sum of its parts than that one, i have yet to see it. i mean, you boil up some kale in salted water, and then make a garlic toast and put the kale on top of it, and wet it all down with some of the cooking water. how on earth does that end up being so profoundly satisfying? i ask you.

[tejon]

I was thinking more of the plate divided into 3 parts - one third (or more) for the meat, one part for the starch, one part for the vegetable. It's hard to even imagine a dinner plate without that meat portion for many people, whereas it's easier to think of another protein in a stir fry or stew, for instance.

[eje]

[...]
eje: chayote is a great idea, it never occurs to me b/c they're not in my face all the time. diana kennedy also has a recipe for stuffed chayotes that would probably work nicely as enchilada components: chayote, zucchini, mushrooms, pepitas, ancho, cumin, garlic, and queso fresco.  Probably with a green sauce.

OK, looks like black beans n winter squash is it. Maybe I'll even get to take pictures since the camera is back in the house.....

mark

I'm pretty sure the procedure I use was also originally a Diana Kennedy. Can't remember which book off the top of my head.

I have to admit I'm a bit more fond of those unusual squash relatives, than the more common Zucchini. Both Chayote and Hairy Melon hold up a lot better to stewing than the more common summer squash.

Of course, you do have to tell your guests that they are eating, "Hairy Melon", which can provoke interesting responses.

Has anyone cooked ridged gourd? They are available at the farmers' market now, and I'm curious about preparation. From some googleing and searching on eGullet, I see they are used in Indian cuisine. I can't quite tell if their flavor is bitter (they are usually next to the bitter melon).

[markemorse]

--ravioli with ricotta, lemon zest, and white truffle in butter with parmigiano-reggiano.

mark, where in Amsterdam did you get the truffle, and was it good?

Sorry, I meant to PM you this based on our earlier trufflehunting conversation...
And I must simultaneously reveal that these were purchased ravioli, from Italian import store Pasta Panini (Rozengracht 82)...they have a freezer downstairs in the back with 6-10 fresh ravioli varieties. The truffle ones have a light blue ribbon tying it shut (there's not always a sign for them)...this is my 3rd time buying them, they remind me very much of winter in Italy. I think they're very nice, a good honest truffle taste/scent.

mem

Edited by markemorse, 22 November 2006 - 03:28 PM.

[Milagai]

I was thinking more of the plate divided into 3 parts - one third (or more) for the meat, one part for the starch, one part for the vegetable. It's hard to even imagine a dinner plate without that meat portion for many people, whereas it's easier to think of another protein in a stir fry or stew, for instance.

That division of food plate is very compatible with being
a vegetarian: e.g. in an Indian vegetarian thaali:
lower 1/3rd - rice / roti (=starch)
upper 2/3 - more or less evenly divided between
vegetables
and
proten (=dals etc.)
with space for yogurt (more protein),
relishes, etc.

That is, as a vegetarian you don't have to alter the
composition of the food plate, only the contents......

Milagai

[Carrot Top]

Some of the nicest meals I've had recently based solely on vegetables have been Ethiopian.

Injera topped with different things - potatoes, cauliflower, green beans, and other blends cooked with traditional Ethiopian spices - mounded onto the warmed injera in little treasure piles with yet more injera torn and used to gather up between the fingers, bundles to pop into the mouth.

Satisfying in all ways, including the method used of eating with one's fingers.

My children and their friends seem to love it too. It has the fun of pizza and the thrill of intense spicy savory flavors.

[PamelaF]

(actually, vegequariums--they eat fish and seafood )

Curlz, I love that term! I guess that's what I was for quite a few years.

Now, I describe my son as a "sushi-tarian".

[markemorse]

Some of the nicest meals I've had recently based solely on vegetables have been Ethiopian.

Injera topped with different things - potatoes, cauliflower, green beans, and other blends cooked with traditional Ethiopian spices - mounded onto the warmed injera in little treasure piles with yet more injera torn and used to gather up between the fingers, bundles to pop into the mouth.

Satisfying in all ways, including the method used of eating with one's fingers.

My children and their friends seem to love it too. It has the fun of pizza and the thrill of intense spicy savory flavors.

I'm going to heartily second that...there's a superb Eritrean restaurant across the street from one of my workplaces (Abyssinia, Jan Pieter Heijestraat 190hs), and every time I eat there I'm just amazed that there's a cuisine that's so interesting and yet i'm still so unfamiliar with the mechanics of cooking it. I would really suggest an eGullet cookoff of an injera-based dish, but it's one of those kitchens that seems to resist popular adoption. Maybe the sourcing of teff is an issue. And good recipes. Still, maybe I'll give it a go this winter...I have some Dutch friends who spend a lot of time in Ethiopia/Eritrea and this cuisine is what they cook most of the time, they've gotten amazingly good at it.

Edited by markemorse, 23 November 2006 - 12:38 AM.

[Carrot Top]

Maybe the sourcing of teff is an issue. And good recipes.

Teff is difficult to source. I have an Ethiopian friend who developed her own injera recipe without teff, still using sourdough techniques. *I* can not taste but a very slight difference in injera made as she makes it without the teff, from the versions I've tasted in Ethiopian restaurants that one assumes will be using teff, but of course my palate is not trained to years of the taste of teff, so how would I know?

She is not satisfied, ever, completely, with the injera without teff. Sometimes her brother will send her some teff from home, but not ever enough to last long enough.

Which spices she uses *exactly* she refuses to ever tell anyone - claiming that families each have their own spice blends that must remain a closely guarded secret in the family. I have no problem with this, as it adds a sense of magic to the thing.

There are only two cookbooks widely available in the States where one can find Ethiopian recipes, both available on Amazon. I find this one to be the best and the most complete. It is definitely not a "coffeetable" sort of cookbook, though. Lots of recipes but no gorgeosity.

The recipes work, though, so I guess the gorgeosity lands on the table and in the mouth.

[BarbaraY]

We're not vegetarians but sometimes I get meat overload and want something else that fills one as well.
Last evening I made a tofu and Bok Choy stir-fry and a sautee of yellow summer squash with red peppers and green onions. Of course we had steamed Jasmine rice with it.