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Three Garlic Pasta Serves 4 as Main Dish. 1 head plus 8 cloves garlic 1 lb spaghetti 2 T olive oil 3/4 c dry white wine 1 c loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped 1 tsp red-pepper flakes Salt and freshly ground black pepper Parmesan cheese for grating 1. Preheat oven to 425°. Wrap garlic head in foil, or place in garlic roaster; roast until soft and golden, about 1 hour. Let cool, trim tip of head; squeeze out cloves, using back of knife. Transfer to small bowl; set aside. 2. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, and run under cold water to stop cooking. 3. Thinly slice five cloves of unroasted garlic. Finely chop remaining three cloves. Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add sliced garlic; toast until golden and crisp. Remove garlic with slotted spoon; set aside. Add chopped garlic; sauté until translucent, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add roasted garlic and white wine; let simmer about 3 minutes. Add pasta, parsley, red pepper, and salt and pepper to taste; toss. Serve sprinkled with toasted garlic slivers. Grate Parmesan over each serving. Keywords: Main Dish, Vegetarian, Easy, Pasta, Italian ( RG458 )

Parisienne Potatoes Potatoes, peeled Olive oil Butter 1 Garlic clove chopped finely, for each 10 potato balls Kosher salt Black pepper, freshly cracked Parsley, chopped finely Using a melon baller, make rounded balls from large peeled potatoes. It looks best on the plate to serve either 3 or 5 or 7 potato balls per person. They can be made the day before and put into cold salted water, covered and refrigerated. When ready to cook the potato balls, drain them well and pat dry. Heat skillet on medium heat, add an equal amount of olive oil and butter. Saute the potato balls in a large frying pan until done, shaking the pan periodically (this takes about 10 to 15 minutes). Add chopped garlic, salt and pepper to taste. DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC. Remove from heat, plate up on each individual plate, add chopped parsley and serve. Keywords: Side, Vegetarian, Easy, Potatoes, French ( RG455 )

Zhoug This is a hot Yemenite paste often served to accompany falafel, shwarma and salads. It is very potent and is reputed to have the ability to extend your lifespan, if you eat enough... but treat it (and eat it) like wasabi -- a teaspoon would be very painful indeed! The hotter the chillis, the better -- and if you have the time, muscles and energy to bother crushing your chillis to a paste by hand, your zhoug will be even hotter. The "h" in zhoug is an aspirated sound and the "z" is quite soft (although IANAY so my pronunciation is far from perfect) 400 g green chilli peppers (fresh, not dried) 100 g chopped flat parsley 100 g chopped coriander (cilantro) 20 g finely chopped garlic 1 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp ground cardamom salt and pepper The amounts given are relatively arbitrary, especially given how much chilli peppers will vary in potency -- you should experiment to see what you like. Either crush or process the chilli peppers to a rough puree. Add the herbs and crush or process again. Add the spices and do the same once more. Taste (carefully!) and adjust the spicing/seasoning accordingly. Eat and enjoy! Zhoug keeps for a long time in the fridge -- several weeks. Keywords: Side, Vegetarian, Easy, Vegetables, Kosher, Dip, Hot and Spicy, Middle Eastern, Food Processor ( RG454 )

Apple Dumplings Serves 6 as Dessert. This is a recipe I got from my Mom for apple dumplings she used to make when I was little. It's a very unusual recipe in that she used diced rather than whole apples, the crust has quite a bit of baking powder and milk so it's halfway between a biscuit and a pie dough, and the whole thing is baked in a spiced syrup making it almost like a cobbler or pudding. Mom made a few changes to the original recipe and I made some as well (and will probably make more changes next time I make it). Syrup: 1-1/2 c sugar 1-1/2 c water 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg 3 T butter Apples: 4 granny smiths, cored, peeled and chopped into 3/4" dice 1/2 c sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg Pastry: 2 c flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 2/3 c shortening (I used butter, Mom used Crisco) 1/2 c milk Make syrup: combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. remove from heat and stir in butter. Let cool to room temp For pastry: Combine flour, baking powder and salt. cut in butter using pastry blender or food processor until it forms coarse crumbs. Add milk all at once and stir quickly with a fork just until all the flour is moistened. don't over mix - treat it like a biscuit dough. Push the dough together and roll out a little larger than a 18x12 rectangle (do not chill first). Cut into squares a little larger than 6x6. For apples: stir together sugar and spices and toss with apple chunks. Mound in center of pastry squares. moisten edges of pastry, bring corners together over apples and seal seams. don't worry about being neat and tidy or making sure the apples are completely sealed in - this is a very rustic, homey dessert. Put the dumplings in a 9x13 baking dish and pour the cooled syrup over them making sure to moisten all of the top surfaces. Sprinkle with a little bit of sugar and bake at 375 F for 35 minutes until the apples are tender. server warm (these also reheat in the microwave quite well). I think this recipe might be even better using 4-5 cups of rhubarb instead of apples, and the the spicing could be played with. Also it's quite sweet, so some tinkering with the amount of sugar might be in order. Keywords: Dessert, American, Vegetarian, Easy, Fruit ( RG435 )

Asparagus With Orange & Hazelnut Serves 4 as Side. This recipe works great as a side dish, or the base for a lighter lunch salad. It's incredibly simple, and incredibly tasty. 2 T finely chopped hazelnuts 1-1/2 lb asparagus stalks, washed and trimmed 1/4 tsp freshly grated orange zest 2 tsp fresh orange juice 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 2 T extra-virgin olive oil Coarse kosher salt Coarsely ground black pepper Preheat oven to 375°F. Toast hazelnuts in a small shallow baking pan until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Cook asparagus in a large frying pan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes, and drain well in a colander. Transfer hot asparagus to serving platter or individual serving plates. In a small bowl, whisk together orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Spoon orange dressing over top or asparagus and sprinkle with nuts. Keywords: Side, Vegetarian, Easy, Vegetables ( RG398 )

Sweet Potato Soup With Apple and Cinnamon Serves 8 as Soup. Perfect "winter" soup, or for when you just need some good old comfort food. Very soothing. 8 c vegetable stock 1 c apple, juice 1 c apple sauce 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, and, cubed, (about 4 cups) 2 potatoes, peeled, and, cubed 2 apples, peeled, cored, and, cubed 1 small onion, chopped 1 T lemon, juice 1/2 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 bay leaf In a large soup pot, combine the stock, apple juice and applesauce. Bring to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes, potatoes, apples, onion, lemon juice, basil, cinnamon, black pepper and bay leaf. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes; reduce heat and simmer another 10 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and potatoes are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Using a hand blender, puree the soup until smooth. Serve hot. Keywords: Soup, Vegetarian, Easy, Potatoes, American ( RG393 )

Pear and Celery Soup Serves 8 as Soup. 3 T butter 5 c finely chopped celery 4 onions, sliced 1/4 c minced fresh chives 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 6 c vegetable stock 3 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and, sliced 1/2 c 10% cream In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook celery, onions, chives, thyme, salt and pepper, covered and stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until softened and translucent. Pour in stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until celery is very tender. Add pears; cook for 5 minutes or until pears are tender. In batches, puree in blender. Return to saucepan; pour in cream and heat through without boiling. Keywords: Soup, Vegetarian, Easy, Vegetables, French ( RG392 )

Roasted Pineapple and Avocado Salad Serves 4 as Salad. A really simple, but really flavourful salad. Big bursts of flavour in the chunked pineapple really make it a crowd-pleaser. 2 c peeled and cored fresh pineapple (3/4" chunks) 1/2 tsp light brown sugar Kosher salt 1-1/2 T extra-virgin olive oil 1-1/2 T balsamic vinegar 2 Hass avocados, cut into 3/4-inch chunks 4 oz cleaned baby spinach (4 cups) 12 mint leaves Freshly ground pepper Lime wedges, for serving 1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium bowl, toss the pineapple with the brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Spread the pineapple on a baking sheet and roast in the upper third of the oven for about 10 minutes, or until softened and just beginning to brown. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil with the vinegar. Add the avocados, spinach and mint, season with salt and pepper and toss. Transfer the salad to plates, top with the pineapple and serve with lime wedges. Keywords: Salad, Vegetarian, Easy, Snack ( RG390 )

Vegetable Summer Rolls Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 1 hr For peanut sauce 3 T finely chopped onion 1 small garlic clove, minced 3/4 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes 1 tsp vegetable oil 3 T water 1 T creamy peanut butter 1 T hoisin sauce 1 tsp tomato paste 3/4 tsp sugar For summer rolls 1 oz bean thread noodles (cellophane noodles) 1 T seasoned rice vinegar 4 (8 inch) rice-paper rounds, plus additional in case some tear 2 red-leaf lettuce leaves, ribs cut out and discarded and leaves halved 1/4 c fresh mint leaves 1/4 c fresh basil leaves (preferably Thai) 1/2 c thinly sliced Napa cabbage 1/4 c fresh cilantro leaves 1/3 c coarsely shredded carrot (1 medium) Make sauce: Cook onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden, about 4 minutes. Whisk in remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer, whisking, 1 minute, then cool. Make summer rolls: Cover noodles with boiling-hot water and soak 15 minutes, then drain well in a sieve. Pat dry between paper towels and toss with vinegar and salt to taste. Put a double thickness of paper towel on a work surface and fill a shallow baking pan with warm water. Soak 1 rice-paper round (make sure there are no holes) in warm water until pliable, 30 seconds to 1 minute, then transfer to paper towels. Arrange 1 piece of lettuce on bottom half of soaked rice paper, folding or tearing to fit and leaving a 1-inch border along edge. Spread one fourth of peanut sauce over lettuce and top with one fourth each of mint, basil, cabbage, and noodles. Roll up rice paper tightly around filling and, after rolling halfway, arrange one fourth of cilantro and carrot along crease. Then fold in sides and continue rolling. Transfer summer roll to a plate and cover with dampened paper towels. Make 3 more rolls in same manner. Serve rolls halved on the diagonal. Summer rolls may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, wrapped in dampened paper towels in a sealed plastic bag. Bring rolls to room temperature before halving and serving. Keywords: Main Dish, Vegetarian, Intermediate, Thai ( RG388 )

I am not a vegetarian, but I am very interested in vegetarian cuisine and am always looking for unique preparations. I am going to be in NY in a few weeks and am interested if there are any restaurants you can recommend. I've read mixed reviews of Angelica Kitchen...is it worth bothering with?

Cauliflower and broccoli with a walnut sauce Serves 4 as Side. This is a twist on goma-ae or sesame dressing using walnuts instead. Feel free to use either all broccoli or cauliflower. This uses a suribachi, if you don't have one you can try using a spice grinder. 1/2 small head of cauliflower 1 medium head of broccoli 100 g walnut pieces 2 T soy sauce 2 T sugar salt 1.Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into small florets and steam until done to your liking. Set aside to cool to room temperature. 2.Toast the walnuts in a small frypan, then add to a suribachi (Japanese mortar and pestle) while still hot, pounding well. It should not be smooth, there will be quite a few small pieces. 3. Add the soy sauce and sugar mixing well. Adding more sugar or soy to taste and a little salt. 4. Add the cauliflower and broccoli and stir to combine. Serve Keywords: Side, Japanese, Vegetarian, Easy, Vegetables ( RG337 )

Tomato donburi Serves 1 as Main Dish. This is a great lunch when tomatoes are in season! Though I never refrigerate tomatoes, it makes a difference here. 1 large COLD tomato, diced 1/2 T minced ginger 1 tsp kosher salt yaki-nori, shredded hot Japanese rice 1. Combine the tomato, ginger, and salt in a bowl and set aside for about 10 minutes. 2. Place the hot rice in a bowl and sprinkle the nori on top, using a slotted spoon (or your hands) scoop the tomatoes out of the juices and place on top of the nori. 3. Eat immediately Keywords: Main Dish, Lunch, Vegetarian, Japanese, Easy, Vegetables ( RG335 )

Ｓhira-ae: tofu and sesame dressing for vegetables Serves 3 as Side. This is a very simplified version of shira-ae. Sesame paste should be available in most Asian stores, either Chinese versions or the Japanese neri-goma work well, do not substitute tahini or other non-toasted types. Though this can be made with just one vegetable, it is more common to see 2 or 3. Most vegetables are blanched before adding to the dressing. Good with spinach, chrysanthemum leaves and flowers, broccoli rabe, shiitake, mitsuba, ginko nuts. aburage, edamame, konnyaku, various types of seaweed, etc 150 g silken tofu 1-1/2 T sesame paste 1 T mirin 1/2 T sugar kosher salt 1. Wrap the tofu in a paper towel and microwave for about 45 seconds, set it aside until it is cool. If you are more pressed for time, place it into a cheesecloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. 2.Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. 3. Add to vegetables of choice. Keywords: Side, Japanese, Vegetarian, Easy, Sauce ( RG328 )

goma-ae: sesame seed dressing for vegetables Serves 4 as Side. It is easiest to make this in a Japanese suribachi, though a mortar and pestle can be used. If you don't have either you can try grinding the seeds in a spice grinder then finishing the dish in a bowl. I like to serve this in the suribachi that I made it in, it saves on bowls and also shows my (Japanese) Mother-in-law that I made it from scratch! She uses a packet mix.... The ingedients are to taste and I add more sugar or soy depending on what vegetable I am using. This will dress about a pound of a leafy vegetable or about 3/4 lb of broccoli. It is good with spinach, broccoli rabe, green beans, broccoli, etc The vegetables should parboiled before adding to the sauce. 1/4 c sesame seeds tsp sugar 2 tsp soy sauce T dashi (instant is fine) salt 1.Toast the sesame seeds in a small frypan until toasted and fragrant. Add the hot seeds to the suribachi and crush well with the pestle. 2.Add the sugar and mix to combine. 3. Add the soy and dashi and a pince of salt and mix almost with a whipping action to blend well. Taste and add more dashi if too thick or more sugar or soy if needed. 4. Add the parboiled vegetables, mix well and serve. Keywords: Side, Japanese, Vegetarian, Easy, Sauce, eGCI ( RG327 )

Mel's Mother's Fruit Kugel This came from the mother of my husband's best friend from high school via his wife. This is one of those where an accidental mistake produced a better result. Apparently, the original recipe included sugar and only half the amount of prunes. With all this fruit, no additional sweetening is necessary. It's very moist and the perfect accompaniment to your Passover meal. This is not gourmet but good home cooking. 1 c water 4 eggs 2 T vegetable oil 1 tsp cinnamon plus more for topping 1 c matzah meal 1 lb pitted prunes 4 pippin apples Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large casserole dish or lasagna pan with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, mix water, eggs, oil and teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir in matzah meal. Let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, core but do not peel the apples. In a food processor, or by hand, dice the apples and pitted prunes together. The fruit mixture can be as smooth or chunky as you like. Stir the fruit mixture into the matzah meal mixture and place into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and sprinkle generously with additional cinnamon. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cut into squares. Serve immediately or cool and refrigerate. This can be made ahead and stored for several days and reheated. Keywords: Side, Jewish, Kosher, Vegetarian, Fruit, Passover ( RG320 )

Grandma's frittata di zucchine Serves 4 as Main Dishor 8 as Appetizer. This is my Grandma's zucchini frittata, that I still look forward to eating when I visit her house and she never disappoints me. 3 T extra virgin olive oil 2 T basil, chopped 1 large onion, sliced 1-1/2 lb zucchini, thinly sliced in half circles 6 large eggs salt and pepper 1/2 c grated romano(pecorino) cheese or parmigiano (about 2 ozs) 1. In a 12 inch heat 2 Tablespoons of EVOO over medium heat, add the onions and saute until wilted about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the basil just before taking off the heat. Pour into a colander and let drain. 2. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork, add the cheese and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add the drained zucchini and onion. 3.Heat the remaining tablespoon of EVOO in the skillet over medium heat, when it is hot add the egg mixture, using the fork to distribute it evenly. Lower the heat to low and cook until set 12-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and place a large dish on top of the skillet and invert, slide the upside down frittata back into the skillet and cook a couple of minutes longer. Invert one more time onto a dish to serve. *Alternatively it can be placed under a broiler until just browned. Can be eaten hot, but tastes better at room temperature and is even great the next day cold. Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre, Vegetables, Main Dish, Italian, Vegetarian, Easy ( RG311 )

Judy's Eggplant Parm Serves 4 as Main Dish. This is my mother-in-law's eggplant parm, and it is incredible. Simple ingredients yield a dish filled with complexity of flavors. While it is easy to prepare, it takes some time to fry all of that eggplant! It is definately worth the results. Serve with some bread or foccacia to soak up those wonderful juices. This dish can also be assembled aheah of time, and refrigerated until ready to pop in the oven. It also freezes well (unbaked). 3 pounds eggplant olive oil flour, spread out on bowl/plate 2 c canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, well-drained and coarsely chopped (or use fresh if in season) 1 T olive oil sea salt 3/4 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced 10 leaves basil, to taste butter, for smearing dish 1/2 c freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese Slice eggplant lengthwise 3/8-inch thick. Salt both sides, and stack upright in colander. Set colander in sink, or set in tray to catch drippings. Let sweat for 30 minutes. Remove and pat eggplant dry. Place olive oil in pan, about 1 1/2 inches worth. Heat until oil is quite hot, but not smoking. Dredge eggplant on both sides in flour. Place in pan, not overlapping, until golden brown. Flip and continue frying until other side is golden brown. Remove, drain, and place on paper towels. Repeat with remaining eggplant. Meanwhile, as eggplant is being fried, place tomatoes, salt and olive oil in another pan. Turn to low, or low-medium, and let simmer as you fry the eggplant. Cook down until tomatoes are reduced by half. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Smear bottom and sides of (approximately 11X7 baking dish, ceramic preferred) baking dish with butter. Place a single layer, overlapping, of eggplant in bottom of dish. Dot with cooked tomato. Cover with layer of mozzarella, sprinkle quite liberally with grated parm, and snip basil leaves across. Repeat process, finishing with a layer of eggplant on top. Sprinkle with remaining parm and place dish in upper third of oven. Check dish after 20 minutes. If there is too much liquid being released, remove excess with spoon. Cook for another 15 minutes. Let rest before serving. Keywords: Intermediate, Dinner, Main Dish, Vegetarian, Cheese, Italian ( RG306 )

Fifi's Favorite Eggplant Gratin 1 eggplant 1 large onion 14 oz can diced tomatoes 14 oz smoked sausage link, sliced 1/4 inch thick herbs of choice, basil, thyme, fennel seeds etc. salt Peel the eggplant. Slice in half lengthwise and slice into half rounds, about 1/4 inch thick. Peel a large onion, cut in half then in half rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Spray a shallow ovenproof dish with cooking spray or oil with olive oil. Alternate rows of eggplant and onion slices, overlapping slices and rows by about 1/3. Salt lightly, Sprinkle with herbs of your choice. (We like basil, thyme and fennel seeds.) Distribute a 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes over the top. Slice a 14 to 16 oz. smoked sausage link in 1/4 inch wheels. Distribute evenly across the top. Bake at 325 in the lower part of the oven for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Late breaking news: When I have leftovers, I hollow out a nice crusty baguette and stuff it with this stuff. Let it sit for a while to absorb some juices, maybe press it. Slice and you have a dynamite sandwich. Adding some provolone wouldn't hurt. Actually, the sandwich is so good, I would make this just for sandwiches. Lately, I have been preparing this dish without the sausage and liberal drizzles of olive oil and it still serves well as a sandwich ingredient and a side dish. This could probably be appealing to vegetarian friends. For more eggplant discussion, please visit Eggplant in the Cooking forum. Keywords: Main Dish, Vegetables, Easy ( RG278 )

AUBERGINES BAYILDI Serves 4 as Sideor 2 as Main Dish. From Le Cordon Bleu Paris Superior Cuisine. 2 eggplants olive oil 2 garlic cloves bunch basil ------ 2 tomatoes 2 zucchini 60 g grated cheese 20 g fresh breadcrumbs Halve eggplants lengthwise, then score around perimeter and in crosshatch pattern on flesh. Brush with olive oil and bake at 200C until golden. When cool enough to handle, spoon out flesh then chop well with garlic and basil. Refill shells and chill. Peel tomatoes, then slice as desired. Slice zucchini to same thickness then lightly sautee in olive oil. Mix cheese - parmesan, gruyere, etc. - with breadcrumbs. Fill eggplant with vertical, alternating slices of tomato and eggplant, press on breadcrumb/cheese mixture, sprinkle with olive oil. Bake at 200C until golden. Remove from oven and cool to just warm before serving. Can also be served chilled. Keywords: Main Dish, Side, Vegetarian, Easy ( RG274 )

Seasoned Mixed Nuts From the PB&J thread comes something better to do with peanuts. 1 T olive oil 1 T seasoned salt 1 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp cayenne 2 c shelled peanuts 1 c whole blanched almonds 1 c cashews 1 c shelled pumpkin seeds preheat > 400 degrees / mix oil etc together and pour over the nuts, mix well. Divide onto 2 baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 min stirring twice until light brown. Keywords: Easy, Hors d'oeuvre, American, Vegetarian ( RG268 )

Over the weekend, I made a very delicious ( if I must say so myself!) Murgh Tari. I have some leftover raw ingredients, and I was thinking of picking up more, making a big batch, and freezing it. Is it possible to freeze a dish with the yogurt in it? Also, I am finding that I prefer the creamier yogurt thickened wet curries..anyone have a favorite vegetarian recipe that with that type of sauce? Is there a generic name for sauces that are thickened with yogurt? ( I am a beginner! ) Thanks in advance.

Pico de Gallo con Aguacate Pico de Gallo ('peeko day guy-yo') means 'beak of the rooster,' for some reason. Been told it's because it's chopped up, like chicken feed and you pick at it - but who knows. It is an excellent and very typical Mexican relish/condiment. In the U.S. and in Mexico along the U.S. border, the name "Pico de Gallo" connotes a relish with the main ingredients of tomatoes, onions, chiles, salt, lemon juice and oil, cilantro, etc., that kind of thing - but in most of Mexico, that particular combination is more commonly called "Salsa Cruda." Elsewhere in Mexico, "Pico de Gallo" can mean any combination of fresh, crunchy, primarily raw (sometimes chipotle peppers are used, which are smoked) garnish or snack. As a guest in Mexican homes, I've had some wonderful and very interesting picos that were made with various types of chiles, jicama, onions, pineapple, citrus juices, mint leaves, cucumber, crushed red pepper, etc., among many other things. A typical snack "Pico de Gallo" is cubed jicama, orange sections (fresh or canned), fresh lime juice, minced chiles (or dash of chile powder), chopped red onions, and salt. Allow to macerate in the fridge for 3-4 hours. This is served with toothpicks, with which you "peck" or pick out your choices, much like a rooster might. Do this a time or two and the name suddenly makes more sense. The following recipe more closely resembles what you find in Northern Mexico, along the U.S. border -- and in fact, I got it from a favorite restaurant in a small border town. It's wonderful on top of a bowl of beans, or with your fajitas, hamburgers, carnitas, tacos, grilled meats - pretty-much anything. Tear off a little bit of meat, put it in a warm tortilla, add some pico and there you go. 1 large flavorful tomato (or 2 or 3 Romas), water removed, chopped 1 small to medium yellow onion, chopped 2 or more - to taste - jalepenos, or serranos, or other favorite peppers, seeded and minced 1 avocado, not mushy, very coarsely chopped 1 medium-sized lemon, rolled, or zapped in microwave to release juices generous handful cilantro, chopped 1 T olive oil 1 tsp vinegar celery salt to taste dash garlic salt In glass bowl, combine chopped tomatoes, onions, chile peppers, avocados, cilantro. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon over, and add a pretty-good splash of olive oil. Add 1 tsp vinegar. Season to taste with celery salt. Sprinkle a little garlic salt. Toss to blend. Allow to sit in fridge a half/hour or so for flavors to meld, stirring occasionally. Keywords: Appetizer, Condiment, Vegetarian, Dip, Easy, Mexican, Snack ( RG253 )

Vegetarian Chili Chili recipe, anyone? I've used a couple recipes through the years for meat-bird-aversioned friends. I've had good success with one that contains tofu (not really sure where it is, but could probably find it). And this one, with bulghar: 2-1/2 c dried kidney beans 6 c water to cover 1 c V-8 Juice 1 C raw bulghar 3 T olive oil 4 cloves garlic, smashed, chopped 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp basil 1 T chile powder 1 dash cayenne (or hot sauce) to taste 1 c chopped celery 1 c chopped carrots 1-1/2 c chopped onion 1/2 c chopped bell peppers 1/2 c chopped mild green chiles 2 c chopped tomatoes juice of small lemon, or 1/2 large one 3 T dry red wine 3 T tomato paste salt & pepper to taste Wash beans and pick through, removing any that float, and other debris like rocks, etc. Put into stockpot or Dutch oven. Cover to about 3" with cold water (about 6 cups). Add 1 t salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender (about 1 hour). Heat V-8 to boiling. Pour over bulghar and set aside. Allow to stand at least 15-20 minutes. In olive oil saute garlic and spices until they begin to release their scent. Add celery, carrots and saute til veggies are almost tender. Add onions, chiles, tomatoes and cook until tender. Add vegetables, V-8/bulghar, lemon juice to beans. Cook to heat through and blend flavors (about 20-30 minutes). Remove from heat and add wine and tomato paste and stir well to thoroughly blend. Correct seasonings. Allow to set for a few minutes to allow flavors to come together. Ladle into bowls and pass condiments: grated mild cheddar cheese, chopped onions, pico de gallo, crackers, sour cream, etc. Really good served with cornbread alongside. Keywords: Vegetarian, Vegetables, American, Tex-Mex ( RG230 )

Love it? Hate it? Know how to make it delicious? Soft? Firm? Pressed? Dry? Beancurd skin? What restaurants have great beancurd? Where can you buy great beancurd? Whatdaya think?

Leek and Onion Tartlets Serves 6 as Appetizer. The tartlets make great party food. You can make the dough and filling the day before, blind bake the shells in the morning, and assemble and bake the tartlets just before serving. And they travel well, stacked in an 8"x8" baking pan. See Mamster's complete article here and discussion here Crust 1 stick of butter 6-1/2 oz pastry flour (or substitute all-purpose flour) 1/2 tsp salt 1/8 tsp baking powder ice water 1-1/2 tsp cider vinegar Filling 2 T butter 8 medium leeks 1/2 c cream 2 egg yolks salt and pepper 1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese grated 2 medium onions To make the crust: 1. Divide the butter into two parts (5 tbsp and 3 tbsp). Cut into small cubes and put 3 tbsp in the freezer and 5 tbsp in the refrigerator. 2. Put the flour, salt, and baking powder in a recloseable bag. Put the bag in the freezer and let it and the butter freezer for 30 minutes. 3. Place the flour mixture in the food processor bowl and process for a few seconds to mix. Save the bag. 4. Add the refrigerated butter and process 20 seconds until well combined. Add the frozen butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. 5. Add the vinegar and 2.5 tbsp water and pulse six times. The mixture will not come together in a ball. Reach in and pinch a bit and see if it holds together. If not, add a bit more water and pulse three more times. Don't add more than 3.5 tbsp water total. 6. Pour the dough (which still won't be doughy at this point) back into the bag, seal, and knead through the bag by squeezing it until the dough comes together into a ball. This sounds silly, but really it's quite easy and neat. 7. Refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. To make the filling: 1. Prep the leeks: Cut off and discard the root end and green parts of the leaves. Halve the remaining section and rinse under cold water to clean. Slice thinly across the grain. 2. Prep the onions: Quarter and peel the onions and slice thinly. You should now have about 1.5 lb total of prepped leeks and onions. 3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and onions and cook half an hour or until lightly browned and soft. 4. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream. Cool to room temperature and add the egg yolks. Season to taste with salt and pepper. To assemble and bake: 1. Preheat the oven to 375. Roll the dough out to between 1/16" and 1/8" thick and line a 9" tart pan or six 4" flan rings. Refrigerate the shells at least 30 minutes (or the sides will collapse). Prick the dough, weight the shells with pie weights or beans, and blind bake 20 minutes. 2. Reduce heat to 350. If using flan rings, remove the rings. Fill each tart to the rim with the leek and onion filling and top with a sprinkle of Parmigiano. Bake 30 minutes and serve hot or at room temperature. Keywords: French, Appetizer, Snack, Vegetarian, Intermediate, Hors d'oeuvre, Vegetables, Cheese, The Daily Gullet ( RG215 )