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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 )

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 )

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 )

Coconut Rice (without Coconut Milk) Serves 4 as Sideor 2 as Side. This recipe was mentioned on March 2 on the Dinner! thread (page 65 with a 40 posts per page view). Serves 2-4 as a side dish, depending on how hungry they are! Picture is of Thai Green Curry with Sliced Blade Steak, Snap Peas and Eggplant over Coconut Rice. 1-1/3 c Hot Water 1 tsp Chicken flavored Better Than Boullion, optional - If you don't use the BTB than use the same amount of salt - You could also use real broth instead of water & chicken base 1 T Vegetable or Peanut Oil 1 T Shallot, minced 1/4 c Coconut - the non-sweetened grated & desiccated kind, I get mine from Whole Foods 1 c Jasmine Rice Place 1 teaspoon Chicken flavored Better than Boullion (or salt) in the Hot Water and set aside. Place a 1 or 2 quart saucepot over a medium flame. Add the Oil, allow to heat for a few seconds then add the Minced Shallot (if you have no shallots, a little onion with 1 clove of garlic, minced, can substitute), saute for about 1 minute, then add the coconut. Stir for another minute or so until you can smell the coconut begin to toast. Add the rice to the pot, stir to combine everything until a few pieces of the coconut and/or rice begin to turn golden. Stir the water & chicken boullion together and pour over the rice. Be careful as it will sputter and come quickly to a boil. Give it a stir and when it comes to a boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat as low as it will go. Cook for 15 minutes, then allow to sit with the heat off for at least 10 more minutes -- DO NOT REMOVE THE LID. Fluff with a fork as you pour it into a serving bowl. Keywords: Side, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian, Easy, Rice, Dinner, Lunch, Thai ( RG214 )

Pineapple-Maple Ice Cream Maple Poached Pineapple 1/2 ripe pineapple 1 c maple syrup (grade A dark amber) Pineapple-Maple Ice Cream 1/2 c coarsely chopped TOASTED pecans 2 c heavy cream 1 c whole milk 1-1/4 c poaching liquid from the maple poached pinapple 1-1/2 c maple poached pineapple For the Maple-Poached Pineapple Cut off pineapple skin and eyes, slice in quarters lengthwise. Remove woody core and slice each quarter in half vertically. Cut each slice into 1/2 inch chunks. Bring maple syrup to boil in heavy saucepan. Add half of the pineapple and bring back to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep, stirring occasionally, until cool. Drain pineapple well and reserve liquid. Refrigerate pineapple and syrup separately. (if you like, you can use 2 cups of syrup and poach all the pineapple - it's really good over waffles or pancakes, or just eaten right out of the container) For the Ice Cream Put poaching liquid in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce syrup to 1/2 cup then add cream. This may cause the syrup to solidify - just continue to heat and stir until everything is melted together. When mixture is smooth, remove from heat and add milk. Chill thoroughly. When you are ready to process the ice cream, cut pineapple into 1/2 inch cubes and put in a container large enough to hold finished ice cream - place in freezer to chill. Process the cream mixture in ice cream maker to the consistency of soft ice cream. spoon into container with pineapple, add chopped pecans and stir together. Freeze until firm. Keywords: Intermediate, Dessert, Fruit, Vegetarian, Ice Cream Maker ( RG213 )

Creamless Mushroom Soup a la Jerry's Serves 4 as Main Dishor 6 as Appetizeror 6 as Soup. This recipe was inspired by a soup we had at Jerry's Osteria restaurant in Tenafly, NJ. This is one of our favorite places and their soup was divine. Earthy with lots of funky mushroom flavor. Jason has to avoid dairy products and this soup has a creamy texture from the mushrooms that is augmented with a potato - but be sure to not use too much potato! The use of water is recommended over beef broth, but broth could be used, or concentrated beef base could be added, but it shouldn't taste too beefy. The final texture should remain a little chunky, hence the use of an immersion blender rather than a regular blender. If you don't have one, you can use a regular blender or food processor, but just pulse a few times. Edit: To follow-up, I preferred the smoother puree from using a regular blender. The immersion blender tended to shred the mushrooms rather than finely puree them. Save some chunks from the blender for texture. 1 T Olive or Vegetable Oil 1 medium Onion, finely diced 1 stalk of Celery, finely diced 1 small (about 4 oz) starchy Potato, peeled & diced 3/4 oz dried Porcini 1 qt Water, divided 10 oz White Button Mushrooms, chopped 10 oz Cremini or Portobella Mushrooms, chopped Salt to taste (at least 1/2 tsp) Freshly Ground Black Pepper Optional Ingredients 1 tsp or more good beef base, like Better Than Boullion (or Vegetable Base) 2 T Sherry, Cognac or Brandy Best Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Truffle Oil Heat a 6 quart soup pot over a moderate flame. Add 1 tablespoon oil, allow to heat for a bit then add the Onion, sauté for a minute before adding the Celery. Stir, then cover and allow the vegetables to sweat for a few minutes before adding the Potato. Meanwhile, soak the dried Porcini in 1 cup of hot water, set aside. Add the chopped fresh mushrooms to the sweating vegetables. Stir it all up and continue sweating. Lift the lid every so often to stir the vegetables, but keep the lid on for the most part to retain the vegetable's steam. After about 5 minutes, using a slotted spoon, remove the Porcini from their soaking liquid (retain the liquid), chop them up and add them to the pot, cover. After the mushrooms have released their water and start to look cooked (about 5 more minutes), add about 1/2 tsp Salt and some freshly ground Black Pepper. Add the reserved porcini soaking water (pour slowly to keep any sediment from going into the pot) and 3 more cups of water. Turn up the heat to bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain a simmer (covered) for about 15 minutes. Turn the heat down and use an immersion blender to puree the soup, but don't make it too smooth, it should still have some chunky texture, but the non-mushroom vegetables shouldn't be identifiable. Taste the soup. If you think it still needs salt, and don't need it to be vegetarian, add some really good beef base, about 1-2 teaspoons. Stir it in until it dissolves completely. If you don't have good beef base, just add some more salt and pepper. At this point, add the Sherry, if using. Stir it in and allow the soup to simmer for about 5 more minutes. Serve the hot soup with a drizzle of Olive or Truffle Oil on top. Keywords: Appetizer, Soup, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian, Easy, Vegetables, Dinner, Lunch, Immersion Blender, American, Italian ( RG205 )

Alfredo Sauce This is a different twist on the classic sauce. The cream cheese gives it a thicker texture. Be sure to use unsalted butter in this, or it will be too salty. 1 250 gr. pkg cream cheese 1/2 c unsalted butter 1/2 c milk 3/4 c parmesan In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients except parmesan. Stir until smooth and then add parmesan, stirring until melted. Pour over pasta, sprinkle with extra parmesan if desired. Keywords: Easy, Cheese, American, Italian, Sauce, Vegetarian ( RG188 )

Chinese Broccoli (Gai-lan), several ways Serves 4 as Side. One of our favorite vegetables, we frequently order Gai-lan when out for Dim Sum or other Chinese meals. It looks similar to Broccoli Rabe, but tastes like a cross between regular broccoli and asparagus with none of the bitterness of broccoli rabe. We generally prepare it Chinese-style, but it can also be prepared Italian-style, just like other forms of broccoli. Chinese Broccoli or Gai-lan, figure 1 bunch for 4 people With Oyster Sauce 1/4 c Oyster Sauce, best quality Sauteed with Garlic 1/3 c Peanut or Olive Oil 6 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and sliced Salt or Soy Sauce, to taste 1 tsp Sesame Oil, optional Blanch the vegetable: Set a large pot of water to boil, add salt when it comes to the boil. Have a large bowl of ice water ready. Prepare the Chinese Broccoli by trimming the cut ends, washing, then separate the leafy, thinner-stalked half from the larger stem half by cutting approximately in half. Blanch the vegetable, adding the thicker stemmed portion to the water about 1 minute before the thinner stemmed/leafy portion. After about another minute the vegetable will turn bright green.* Use a pasta scoop or spider web chan to remove the vegetable and shock in ice water. When cold, drain and saute the vegetables. Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce * If planning to serve immediately with Oyster Sauce, do not shock, but cook the vegetable just a little longer in the boiling water, then remove to a platter. Drizzle the Oyster Sauce all over the vegetable and serve immediately. Chinese Broccoli Sauteed with Garlic - Chinese Style Heat Peanut Oil in a wok and add the garlic and blanched Gai-lan. Stir fry until the vegetable is heated through and the garlic is lightly golden. Drizzle with Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil and serve. Chinese Broccoli Sauteed with Garlic - Italian Style In a very large skillet (or wok), place garlic slices and Olive Oil and bring up to heat, adding Gai-lan and a sprinnkle of salt while the garlic is still white. You can either briefly saute it to keep the vegetable crisp-tender, or lower the heat and cook it until wilted, like Broccoli Rabe. Keywords: Side, Vegan, Vegetarian, Kosher, Easy, Vegetables, Dinner, Chinese ( RG176 )

Make Ahead Potato Latkes Serves 30 as Hors d'oeuvreor 10 as Side. Here's the thread, LATKE TIME! With some input from my Jason, my mom and aunt, here is my current recipe for Potato Latkes. I use the shredder attachment to my KitchenAid mixer, so the instructions are phrased accordingly. If you are using a regular food processor, you will probably need to empty it a few times. IMO, hand grating adds nothing to the latkes except the occasional bits of skin and blood. And bragging/martyrdom rights. 3 Large Onions* 5 lb Potatoes - Russet or Yukon Gold 2 Eggs, beaten 1 c Matzo Meal 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper 1-1/2 tsp Salt 1 c Peanut Oil (at least) Quarter lengthwise and slice 2 of the onions. Add a small amount of oil to a large skillet (preferably cast iron) and slowly brown them, stirring occasionally. When they are well browned put aside to cool. *If you don't plan to caramelize the onions, just use one raw onion as explained below (i.e. don't add three raw onions to the batter!). Meanwhile prepare the latke batter. Trim and quarter the potatoes. It is not necessary to peel them, just remove the eyes and any bad spots. Grate the potatoes into a large colander inside an even larger bowl. Grate 3/4 of the potatoes coarsely, then grate the remaining onion. Grate one more potato to get the rest of the onion out of the blades. Remove the coarse grater attachment, scrape off the bits of potato into the batter. Attach fine grater and grate the remaining potatoes into the batter. Press and squeeze the potatoes to remove as much moisture as possible. You may have to pour off the liquid into a separate bowl a few times. However, allow the starch to settle to the bottom before pouring off the liquid. Add any starch from the second bowl back to the batter too. Put the potato/onion mixture, the settled potato starch and the caramelized onions into the bowl of your mixer (I prefer to use the dough hook to mix it up), add the eggs and mix. Sprinkle on the matzo meal, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Heat your cast iron skillet and add about 1/2 cup of peanut oil. When the oil is hot, scoop the batter by large heaping tablespoons, about 3 should fit in the pan at a time. When it becomes necessary to add more oil, do it while the pan is empty and allow it to become hot before adding more batter. As you will re-heat them later, you are going for nice even browning here, not perfectly cooking the pancakes through, so move them around and flip when they are a medium brown. Drain on a cooling rack over a sheet pan and then move to a paper lined sheet tray. Place them in single layers, with more toweling between the layers. You can even put another tray (I use a cutting board) on the top (lined with more toweling) to press out some of the oil. These suckers absorb a lot of oil. When they have cooled, wrap in foil by the amount you plan to reheat at a time. Refrigerate or freeze. When ready to serve, reheat them at 350 F for 10-15 minutes in a single layer on a sheet pan. Serve with sour cream, apple sauce, or the condiment of your choice. This recipe makes at least 30 large latkes, plus a few eaten by the cook. If you prefer them smaller, it'll make a lot more. To serve as an Hors D'oeuvre, place the latkes on a tray and top each with a small dollop of sour cream and/or apple sauce. To serve as an appetizer or side, just serve the applesauce and/or sour cream on the side. Keywords: Amuse, Appetizer, Side, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian, Intermediate, Vegetables, Food Processor, Snack, Jewish, Stand Mixer ( RG166 )

Suvir's Apple-Cranberry Chutney Serves 8 as Side. Here's a link to the Apple Chutney thread. This makes a delicious condiment for Lamb or Pork Chops, I used it as an alternative to traditional Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving. * Suvir said to leave the Chile whole, which I suppose would add less heat and could be removed before serving. 1 T Vegetable Oil 1 T minced Ginger 1 tsp minced Red Chile (seeded & deveined)* 1/2 tsp Fennel Seed 1 pinch Asafoetida 4 c Granny Smith Apple, peeled and diced (~3 apples) 1/2 c dried Cranberries 1/4 c Water 1/8 tsp Salt 1 T Sugar 1/2 T Balsamic Vinegar 1 Pinch dried ground Cayenne Pepper Heat a 2 quart saucepan, add oil and fry the ginger, chile, fennel and asafoetida. When some of the fennel seeds look toasty (1-2 minutes), add apple, stir to coat with spices. Add cranberries, water, salt, sugar and vinegar, stir, cover for about three minutes, then remove cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pan is dry and the apples are about ready to fall apart. Check for seasoning and add cayenne pepper to taste. Yields: about 2 cups Keywords: Side, Condiment, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian, Intermediate, Fruit, Indian ( RG165 )

Tahini Sauce Here's a link to the Hummus with or without Tahini?, Have a favorite recipe? thread. Here's a recipe for Tehina / Tahini Sauce (not the straight sesame paste, but the lemony condiment) that I got from a local Lebanese restaurant (Bennies in Englewood, NJ). I always had trouble making tahini because I was trying to stir the water & lemon juice into the tahini, this recipe does the opposite. Yields: 2 Cups Sauce I used an Israeli brand of tahina that was rather liquid and this came out perfectly. I serve it with felafel and/or roasted vegetables. 1/2 c Water 1/2 c Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed 1 T Salt 4 Garlic Cloves, peeled 1 c Tahina, approximately Put the first four ingredients into a blender and whir to chop the garlic. While the blender is running, pour in the tahina. The mixture should just come to the point where it stops mixing easily. If it is too thin, add more tahina, if it is too thick, add a little more water. Keywords: Side, Condiment, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian, Easy, Blender, Sauce, Middle Eastern, Jewish ( RG164 )

Custard Pie This recipe comes from my great-grandmother. Note it makes an 11" pie. Yes, you can buy an 11" pie pan, but they can be hard to find. Mine is 100+ years old. Leftover custard pie makes a great breakfast. 1 qt Milk minus 2 T Bit of butter 5 Eggs 1 c Sugar Pinch Salt 1 tsp Flour 1 T Vanilla 1 Pie crust Bake pie crust (remember, 11") in 400-425 oven until set. Rub butter in sauce pan, scald milk. Beat eggs (while milk is scalding) until foamy and add sugar, flour and salt. Add milk to eggs and put in hot crust. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 (or lower if it bubbles over) and bake until a silver knife comes out clean. NOTE: Be sure and put a cookie sheet under the pie tin because this may bubble over. It's easier to pull rack with hot crust out of oven and fill with filling than carry filled crust to oven. Keywords: Dessert, Breakfast, Vegetarian, Healthy Choices, eGCI ( RG156 )

Rice Waffles A great use for leftover rice 3 Eggs, separated 2 c Buttermilk 6 T Melted butter 2 c Flour 1/2 tsp Salt 1 T Baking Powder 1 T Sugar 1/2 tsp Baking soda 1 c Cooked rice (cold) Sift dry ingredients together. Beat eggs yolks until lemony and thick. Add buttermilk and melted butter. Add dry ingredients and stir briefly; add cold rice. Fold in eggs whites (beaten to soft peaks). Cook on waffle maker. Top with lots of butter and syrup or whipped cream and fruit, or with a an over-easy fried egg. Keywords: Breakfast, Easy, Vegetarian, Waffle Iron, Healthy Choices, eGCI ( RG154 )

Mushrooms Ajillo Serves 2 as Sideor 4 as Appetizeror 6 as Amuse. This is one of my favorite types of tapas. I've tried to recreate what we get served in the Spanish and Portuguese restaurants of Newark, NJ. Ingredient Notes: 1) The Spanish Paprika is optional, but don't substitute "regular" paprika if you don't have it, it would be better to just leave it out. 2) Sherry can be substituted for the Spanish Brandy if you can't find it, but I don't think it flambes the same, you would just use it to deglaze the pan. 3) The amount of garlic is approximate, I use about 1/2 a head, you may want to use less. 8 Garlic Cloves, peeled & sliced 1/2 c Olive Oil, good quality 1 lb White Button Mushrooms, washed & sliced 1 tsp Smoked Spanish Paprika 1/2 tsp Salt, amount approximate, to taste 1/4 tsp Freshly ground Black Pepper 2 T Spanish Brandy Crusty Bread Add Garlic and Olive Oil to a large cool pan (I use cast iron) and heat gently. When you first detect the garlic aroma, add the sliced Mushrooms and Paprika and turn up the heat. Saute 5-10 minutes, until the mushrooms are fully cooked and starting to get limp, but not to when they have lost too much moisture (use a long handled wooden spoon to keep everything moving). Add Salt & Pepper to taste. To Flambe: Push the mushrooms towards the handle side of the pan. Holding the pan at a slight angle (empty side down), pour the Brandy (not directly from the bottle, have it waiting in a small ramikin) into the empty side of the pan. Allow the brandy to warm for a few seconds, then shift the pan to allow the flames to ignite the brandy fumes. As soon as it flames, stir the mushrooms around until the flames die down. Serve with warm crusy bread to not lose a drop of the garlicy oil. Keywords: Spanish/Portugese, Intermediate, Vegetarian, Appetizer, Side ( RG150 )

Rustic Fruit Tarts This is a basic recipe for a simple fruit tart. It is completely informal, yet it's completely at home at all the but the fanciest of dinner parties. It can be filled with almost any seasonal fruit. I've included a number of filling options below, but feel free to experiment. It's great served with a complimentary flavor of ice cream. One tart serves six. For the crust 5 oz all-purpose flour 1 T sugar 3/4 tsp salt 8 T unsalted butter (one stick) 1 egg yolk 2 T ice water, or a bit more if needed For final preparation once filled 2 T milk or cream 2 T coarse-grained sugar Apple Filling 1 large Granny Smith Apple 1 T butter, melted 1 T cinnamon 2 tsp brown sugar 1 T all-purpose flour Mixed Berry Filling 3 T strawberry preserves 1/2 pt blackberries 1/2 pt rasberries 2 tsp powdered sugar Cherry Filling 1-1/2 c cherries, pitted and cut in half 1/3 c brandy Peach Filling 4 small ripe peaches 3 T apricot preserves 2 T brown sugar Begin making the crust ahead of time. At least an hour is ideal, but in a pinch 20 minutes will do. Set up a food processor with the dough blade. Sift the flour, sugar and salt together into the bowl of the food processor. Cut the butter into individual 1/2T chunks, taking care not to warm it much with your hands. Add the butter to the flour mixture and pulse repeatedly until you get a uniform mixture with a texture like corn meal. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the egg yolk and spinkle with the ice water. Mix until the dough forms a ball. Be patient, it can take a while to distribute the water and egg yolk. If the crust won't come together, add more ice water, 1t at a time. Wrap the ball of dough in plastic wrap and them squash it into a disk about an inch thick. Set it aside in the refrigerator for one hour. If you can't wait, put it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes instead. While the crust is chilling, prepare one of the fruit fillings. Apple Filling Peel, core, and quarter the apple. Slice it very thinly. You may want to use a mandoline for this. Toss the apple slices with the melted butter. Mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together, then toss in with the apples to coat. Berry Filling Toss the berries together with the sugar. Hold the preserves in reserve for final assembly. Cherry Filling Pit the cherries and cut each in half. Place them in a shallow non-reactive dish and pour the brandy over them. Allow to macerate for 30-45 minutes. Peach Filling Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Drop one of the peaches into the water. After 45 seconds, remove it with a slotted spoon. The skin should now be loose. Remove the skin, cut the peach in half, and discard the pit. Repeat with the remaining peaches. Final Assembly and Baking Preheat the oven to 400° F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Place it on a well-floured surface, and roll it out into a circle of about 12" in diameter. Transfer the rolled pastry to a cookie sheet. This is easiest to do if you dust it lightly with flour, then fold it in half, then in half again. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and unfold. If you are using the apple or cherry filling, simple heap the filling in the center of the crust, and spread it out slowly so that it comes within 2" of the edge. If you are using either the berry or peach filling, spread the crust with the preserves out to about 1" from the edge. If using cherries, place the filling in the center and spread to withing 2" of the edge. For the peaches. arange them cut side down on top of the preserves, with one peach half in the center and the others in a ring around it. You may only have room for six in the ring, in which case you can just eat the other one. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the peaches. Now that the tart has been filled, carefully fold the edges of the crust up and over the filling. It will necessarily fold and crease, but that's part of the charm. There should still be a large open area in the top. Brush the exposed part of the crust with cream, and sprinkle the coarse sugar over it. This will form a crunchy decorative coating as it cooks. Bake the tart for 30 minute or until the outer crust is golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. The tart can be served warm or at room temperature, but it should not be served directly from the oven. Try caramel ice cream with the apple tart, vanilla with the berry or cherry, and lime with the peach. Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Vegetarian ( RG140 )

Pasta Bible Pasta Rich and buttery without being heavy, this fresh-tasting dish is good any time of year. We usually eat it as a full meal, often with a side of roasted cauliflower, but it would make an ideal first course to be followed by fish and salad. 3/4 lb mezze maniche rigate 1 bunch scallions (6 thick or 12 thin), white and light green parts only, thinly sliced 4 T butter 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, minced 2 egg yolks 1/2 c freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano salt Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the scallions and cook gently 15 minutes. Let cool until merely warm (5-10 minutes; the exact temperature isn't critical as long as it won't fry the eggs) and stir in the egg yolks, parsley, and cheese. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water. When al dente, reserve some cooking water, drain, and add to the scallion mixture. Toss well to mix, add some reserved cooking water if it seems too dry, season with salt, and transfer to 4 heated bowls. Keywords: Italian, Easy, Vegetarian, Pasta, The Daily Gullet ( RG137 )

Pancakes Serves 2. The classic Sunday morning treat. The pancakes 5 oz all purpose flour 1 tsp salt 1-1/4 tsp baking powder 1 c milk 1 large egg 1 T butter, melted The toppings butter, preferably at room temperature, so it melts on the warm pancakes warm maple syrup your favorite fruit preserves or jam (optional) Preheat a griddle. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix the egg and milk together and add to the dry ingredients. Stir gently, just until it's combined and large lumps are gone. Stir in melted butter. Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter at a time onto the hot griddle. Flip the pancakes when the bubbles on top have burst. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup. Some people also like preserves. Keywords: Breakfast, American, Easy, Vegetarian, Brunch ( RG102 )

Yes, I understand you don't want to go to Ashton to eat. And, yes, I understand particularly not for an Indian vegetarian caff. But, if you're in the area, you really must go and give it a try. Before I retired I worked in Ashton and used to do my south asian food shopping at the ASM supermarket on Oldham Road. Lily's is newish and occupies a corner of the supermarket. It was mentioned on a flyer for ASM so I went to have a look. A very good range of veggie dishes on the menu but I went with the thali for £6.99. I got an onion bhaji. Two curries - one potato and coriander, the other mainly spinach with a good blast of chili. There was a thick daal. And an indeterminate green liquid with bits of tomato and another blast of heat. Carbs came in the form of rice, a pappad and a couple of chappatis. A small dessert - gulab jamun. And a glass of salt lassi. Cracking value. It's mainly South Indian and Gujarati food - so bhel puri and the like amongst the starters and I saw dosas going past that looked like they would rival the offerings at Rusholme's Punjab Tandoori.

I'm want to make a Marinara sauce, and add some vegetarian ball to the sauce. I absolutely have know idea how or what to make? Binders or ingredients ? Curious for help . Paul

Hello, I am currently working on a dish to run as a special at the upscale modern Mexican restaurant that I work at. The dish, as of right now, is this: Green bean salad with sherry crema, shaved zucchini, and heirloom tomato vinaigrette. The zucchini is sliced super thin and layered out on the plate. I drizzle with vinaigrette and place the green beans (dressed in sherry cema) in the middle, on top of the zucchini. There are also diced heirloom tomatoes and shallots sprinkled around the zucchini. My boss said that it was all really good, but that it needed something more. Something to really make it pop. Any suggestions?

I thought I'd learn some more precision and improve my method of cooking vegetables, so I recently got this book. The recipes aren't complicated. Following the recipes is the tricky thing; I'm a throw-in-a-bit-of-this-and-a-bit-of-that-and-see-what-happens kind of cook. I'll write what I think of the book when I've tried a few more of the recipes. For now, here's the first one I made: Pommes rôties au laurier - roast potatoes with bay The first step in this recipe is to slit the potatoes (I used Exquisas) and slip some slivers of bay inside the incisions. Then you roast them in a mixture of stock and olive oil. Here they are ready to go in the oven: The unusual thing about these roast potatoes is that they're half-way submerged in liquid at the start of cooking. The plan is for the stock to boil off and the potatoes then to roast in the oil; you don't parboil the potatoes first. It's really more of a braise. After 40mins in the heat: The potatoes are very tender after 40mins bubbling away in their bath. They taste - and you'll hardly credit it - of bay, so can make friends with any dish that likes bay. The flavour is pronounced, but perhaps not as much as you would expect with that many leaves getting involved. They are also attractive to look at. On the other hand I had to pour the stock off for the final part of cooking as it didn't evaporate as intended. I will try the recipe again with larger potatoes and a shallower dish - the size and shape of the vessel and the vegetables are left to the imagination by the recipe. That meant pouring off the oil too, which probably affected the texture at the end. There was also a bizarrely large quantity of oil specified so I only used about a fifth of it. The potatoes taste rather one-dimensional; I would perhaps prefer them with some garlic slices stuffed inside as well. We ate them with a green salad and flageolet beans, with a French Domaine Vocoret Chablis in the glass.