Winter Veggie Tempura

I discovered a problem with my current cooking system.  Due to my working girl schedule these days, I no longer spend as much time looking through cookbooks as I once did.  I find myself making the same meals over and over--mostly just using this blog and my pinterest boards for menu planning.

Thus, I am back to adding some new recipes to the blog, in hopes of mixing up the menu planning a bit.

Of course, my cooking boyfriend, Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe for veggie tempura is my return to blogging recipe.  It's what's for supper tonight.

Winter Veggie Tempura
adapted a bit from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

Dipping Sauce
6 cardamom pods
grated zest and juice of 4 limes (about 1/3 c lime juice)
1 fresh green chile (optional)
2 3/4 c cilantro, leaves and tender, thin stalks
1 T sugar
4 T sunflower oil
1/2 t salt
2 T water

Tempura
approximately 2 3/4 lb winter veggies:  our favorites are:

1. leeks, white part sliced 1/4" thick
2. sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
3. broccoli, divided into medium florets (cauliflower would be good too)
4. carrots, peeled and cut into 3/8" sticks

1/2 c cornstarch (plus possibly some extra)

1/2 c self rising flour (to make use 1/2 c regular plus a fat 1/2 t baking powder and small pinch of salt)

3/4 c seltzer or sparkling water

2 t grapeseed oil

3 C sunflower oil (for frying)

cooked udon noodles

To make the sauce, break the cardamom pods using the flat side of large, heavy knife.  Discard the pods and put the seeds in a food processor.  Add the remaining dipping sauce ingredients and blitz to get a smooth, runny sauce (you could also create the sauce using an immersion blender).

Mix the 1/2 c cornstarch, flour, seltzer, and grapeseed oil, along with 1/4 t salt in a bowl.  Whisk well to get a smooth runny mix.  On a dinner plate, sprinkle some additional cornstarch for coating the veggies.  

Pour the 3 c sunflower into a heavy saucepan or black skillet (I fry everything in my black skillet).  Place over high heat until oil is hot and then reduce heat to medium.    If you are unsure if the oil is hot enough, test the temperature using a candy thermometer.  The thermometer should register between 325-375 degrees.  

Toss each vegetable in the cornstarch.  Shake to remove any excess cornstarch and then dip into seltzer water batter.  Shake gently and then carefully ease the veggies into the oil (a few pieces of at a time--don't overcrowd the pan).  As the veggies fry, gently turn them over to fry evenly.  Leeks will take only about a minute.  Sweet potatoes would take 2 or more minutes.  Once they are cooked transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.

Serve on rice or over udon noodles (our favorite).  Steamed veggies on the side are also a good counter balance to the tempura veggies as well.

Crunchy Pappardelle

This is another recipe out of the fabulous Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi.  For some reason, my kids weren't fans of this.  However, Curtis and I were so I'll be making this again!

Just a warning, this recipe does use a lot of pots and pans.  Deal with it.  It's totally worth it.

This serves 4.

Crunchy Pappardelle
adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

1/4 c olive oil
6 c button mushrooms, halved (or quartered or sixthed depending on how big the mushrooms are)
3/4 c white wine or water
2 bay leaves
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
3/4 t sugar (if you aren't using wine, omit)
1 c heavy cream
grated zest of 2 lemons
6 T chopped parsley
6 T panko or white bread crumbs
1 -2 bunches broccolini, leaves removed and cut into 2 1/2" long pieces or 2 - 3 small heads of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 lb dried pappardelle

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.  At the same time, bring a medium pot of slated water to a boil for the broccoli/broccolini.  While the water comes to a boil, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown and release their juices, stirring occasionally.  Add the wine/water, bay leaf, thyme leaves, and sugar (if using wine).  Bring to boil and reduce the liquid by 2/3rds.  Add the cream and stir to mix.  Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.  Taste and add plenty of salt and pepper.  Keep warm.

In a small pan over medium heat, toast the panko until golden, stirring as needed to brown evenly.   Be sure to watch closely--the panko browns quickly.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the parsley and lemon zest.  Set aside.

Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions.  Reserve about 1 c of pasta water and then drain pasta once al dente.  While the pasta cooks, cook the broccoli or broccolini in the medium pot of water until bright green and crisp tender (about 2 minutes for broccolini--longer for broccoli).  Drain.  Add the broccoli to the mushroom sauce and stir.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl.  Add the mushroom/broccoli sauce and half the lemon zest/parsley mixture and toss to combine.  If the pasta looks dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water.  Stir the remaining lemon zest/parsley mixture with the golden panko.  Sprinkle over top of the pasta.

Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli

Curtis is not a shellfish fan. I can't quite understand that, but regardless of my understanding, he's not a fan. The rest of us are. So when Curtis went out of town for work for a few days, I jumped on the opportunity to try a new shrimp recipe that I thought looked good.

And good it was! The kids and I loved this. For M, it was close to the ultimate meal--she loves shrimp and she loves, loves broccoli. I thought the broccoli outshone the shrimp in this recipe. I had no problem letting the kids eat the bulk of the shrimp and sticking to the broccoli. The boys enjoyed this too.

My only changes were with the spices. I didn't have whole coriander and cumin seeds (nor a good method of grinding them either), so I threw some ground spices in.

This will serve 4, maybe.

Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli

adapted from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite by Melissa Clark

1 - 2 lbs broccoli, cut into bite-size florets

1/4 c olive oil

1/2 t ground coriander (or 1 t whole seeds)

1/2 t ground cumin (or 1 t whole seeds)

1 1/2 t slat

1 t black pepper (optional--I omitted)

1/8 t hot chili powder (optional--I omitted this as well)

1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined if you desire

zest from one large lemon

lemon wedges for serving

In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with 2 T olive, all the coriander and cumin, 1 t salt, 1/2 t pepper, and all the chili powder (if using). Spread the broccoli on a single layer on a jellyroll pan (a cookie sheet--but with sides) with a silpat sheet (for easiest cleanup. A silpat isn't necessary, just helpful). Roast for 10 minutes in a preheated 425 degrees oven. Meanwhile, combine the shrimp, remaining 2 T olive oil, lemon zest and remaining salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the broccoli and toss. Roast, tossing once, until shrimp are just opaque and the broccoli is tender, 5 to 10 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges or squeeze lemon juice over shrimp and broccoli before serving.

Broccoli Garlic Quiche

Ok, this tasted great, but I totally butchered the pie crust, thus no picture. I think for the first time ever, I had a pie crust that ended up oblong in the pan. Very sad indeed. It was one of those things that as I was making the crust, I just knew it wasn't going to turn out like I wanted it to. Sure enough---pathetic pie crust.

It tasted great though! We enjoyed this and it made a great breakfast leftover the next day too. This will serve 4 - 6 adults as a main course. Be sure to allow yourself 20 minutes of cooling time before serving this.


Broccoli Garlic Quiche
from Gourmet

1 9-inch pie crust (large enough to fit in a deep dish pie plate or fluted tart pan)

2 large garlic cloves
6 lg eggs
1 1/2 c half and half
1/4 t grated nutmeg
1/4 t cayenne or milder chili powder
2 c Swiss or cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 c Parmesan, grated

Roll pie dough into a 13" round. Fit into pie plate or tart pan, letting excess hang over edge. Fold overhang inward and press against side of pie plate to reinforce edge. Prick bottom all over with fork. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Line pie shell with foil and fill with pie weights of dried beans. Bake in preheated 425 oven for 10 minutes, or until pastry is set and edge is pale golden. Remove foil and weights. Bake an additional 8 - 10 minutes, or until shell is a deep golden all over. Remove from oven. (Reduce oven temp to 375 degrees).

While pie crust pre-bakes, cook broccoli in a pot of boiling salted water 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a generous pinch of salt. Whisk together garlic paste, eggs, half-and-half, nutmeg, cayenne, and 1/4 t slat in a large bowl until smooth. Pour filling into pie shell. Add broccoli, then sprinkle with cheese. Bake in preheated 375 degrees oven until custard is set, 45 - 50 minutes. The center should tremble slightly. The filling will continue to set as it cools). Cool at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Broccoli, Carrot, and Tofu Stir Fry

Even though we aren't vegetarians, I like to eat tofu on a semi-regular basis to add some protein variety. It helps a lot that all three of my kids LOVE it. I adapted this recipe from The Washington Post to fit my CSA box for the week. The sauce is nice and light. I think it could use a little more flavor, in fact. It definitely didn't hide the taste of the vegetables.

Stir fry always goes over well in our house. It's nice to have some easy meals that are hits with everyone. I liked this combination because of the nice bright colors. (Simple thrills....). This serves 4 at the absolute most.

Broccoli, Carrot, and Tofu Stir Fry
adapted from The Washington Post

1 lb extra-firm tofu, pressed, drained, and cut into 1/2" pieces
2 T minced scallions, white part only plus 2/3 c scallion greens, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 T ginger, grated
2/3 c chicken or vegetable broth (or water)
2 t soy sauce
2 1/2 T mirin or sake (rice wine)
2 t sugar
3/4 t sesame oil
2 t Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 t cornstarch
3/4 lb broccoli florets, cut into large bite-sized pieces (I think I had 2 - 3 c, I didn't measure it)
2 - 3 carrots, sliced
4 T sesame oil
3/4 c dry roasted peanuts (optional---I had these and forgot to use them)

In a small bowl, mix the minced scallions (white parts), garlic, and ginger. Place the scallion greens in another bowl. In a medium bowl, mix the broth, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, 3/4 t sesame oil, Worcestershire sauce and cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat 2 T sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high (or high, depending on your stove) heat. Place tofu in pan and sear until browned and a little crispy. Remove from pan. Add another 2 T oil to pan. Add the scallion-ginger mixture and stir-fry about 15 seconds. Add the broccoli and carrots and stir-fry until just they are just barely crisp-tender. Add the scallion greens and tofu and stir-fry, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add chicken broth mixture and stir until stir-fry thickens, 1 minute (or maybe more). Add the peanuts, if using, and toss lightly. Serve hot over rice or udon noodles.

Broccoli Salad

Curtis doesn't like this salad. My kids also aren't big fans. They would rather eat plain, lightly cooked broccoli. As for me, this is one of my favorite ways to eat broccoli. I only make it about once a broccoli season though since I am the only one who eats it.

Broccoli Salad
adapted slightly from Simply in Season

3 c broccoli florets, cut into smallish pieces
5 slices thick bacon (or about 10 slices of your typical store bought bacon), fried and crumbled
1 c raisins
1/3 c coarsely chopped peanuts
1/3 c sugar
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 c mayonnaise


Mix together broccoli, bacon, raisins, and peanuts in a large bowl. Set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, and mayonnaise. Pour about half of dressing over broccoli mixture. Taste. Continue to add dressing until you think it has enough.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

I adapted a recipe I found on epicurious for tonight's supper. I didn't use all of the broccoli---I am saving the rest to steam for lunch tomorrow to dip in my sesame mayonnaise. Mmm. We all enjoyed it. J ate mushrooms for the first time and even tried the broccoli, he liked it so well. A slice of grapefruit yogurt cake for dessert went perfectly to counter the saltiness of stir fry.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Marinade
1 lb flank steak (or other steak, I won't admit the expensive cut I used because that was all I had), thinly sliced
3 T water
1 T olive oil
1 T sesame oil
2 T soy sauce
2 t cornstarch

Sauce
6 T chicken broth
2 T soy sauce (I'll use less than this last time--it tasted too salty)
6 t cornstarch
1/4 c white wine
1 T fish sauce (or oyster sauce)
1 T + 1 t sesame oil
1/2 t sugar

Vegetables and such
1/2 - 1 lb broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms

rice (cooked, start it cooking once beef is marinading in the fridge)

Combine marinade ingredients (except beef) in a large bowl. Add beef and stir to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve cornstarch completely. You'll need to stir it well again right before adding to the stir fry. Heat 2 T oil in a large wok or heavy skillet over high heat. Add beef (discarding marinade) and stir fry until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer to platter (leaving juices in skillet). Add broccoli and stir fry 1 minutes. Add 1/2 c broth, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer broccoli to platter with beef (leaving juices in skillet). Add mushrooms and cook 2 minutes. Return beef and broccoli to skillet. Stir sauce, add to skillet, and stir until sauce thickens, a couple of minutes at the most. Serve immediately over cooked rice.

Sesame Mayonnaise

There are several things that continue to intimidate me in my cooking: 1) Frying things. 2) Sauces. 3) Thickening things with cornstarch (with the exception of pudding). This morning I decided to attempt a sauce--homemade mayonnaise.

At our last trip to the library I found a cookbook that really made me excited: Fresh from the Garden. This cookbook was published before the whole locavore movement took off--in the 1990's. The cookbook is organized by season that vegetables grow and give advice for how to pick vegetables and how to grow them. It's fun reading. Most of the recipes how easy to find ingredients and for the most part aren't too intimidating in their technique. It is also not a vegetarian cookbook, which I appreciate as well. The author was raised in Europe where some of our "strange" vegetables, like kohlrabi are commonplace so there is a larger variety for some "not as sexy" vegetables like kohlrabi, cauliflower and brussel sprouts.

I digress. I found in this cookbook a recipe for homemade mayo to top lightly steamed broccoli. It seemed like the perfect vegetable side for our picnic lunch for our playgroup today. If you are squeamish about raw eggs, this isn't a recipe for you. It does contain two raw eggs. I probably somewhat incorrectly tell myself that since the eggs are from free range, organic chickens, my risks of salmonella is lower than store bought eggs. Probably scientifically incorrect, but it works for me. I loved the final product--the garlic and sesame oil are wonderful flavors. I steamed the broccoli for 2 minutes before eating it, but that's just a personal preference. I think steaming takes away a little of the strong flavor of raw broccoli. I somehow managed to emulsify (break up the molecules of oil) into the eggs so it didn't separate. I think the key is adding the oil really, really slowly, even taking breaks to check on kids as you do it. I used a food processor to make this, although the recipe suggested a blender. Either will do. All in all, I must admit I am proud of myself for successfully conquering a sauce.

Sesame Mayonnaise
1/2 c olive oil
1 T sesame oil
1 extra-large egg
1 extra-large egg yolk
1 T rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)
ground black pepper
dash of salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 T scallions, finely minced (optional--I didn't have so I didn't use)
1 T sesame seeds, lightly toasted.

Combine the olive oil and sesame oil in a liquid measuring cup. Set aside. In a food processor or blender, combine the egg, egg yolk, vinegar, salt, pepper, and cayenne and blend at high speed for at least 30 seconds. With processor still running, add the oil mixture by droplets until the mixture begins to emulsify and thicken. Add the remaining oil in a slow steady drizzle until all has been incorporated. Take your time while doing this--take breaks, letting the processor run to check on the children, let the dog in, etc while adding the oil. The consistency of the mayonnaise should be sauce-like rather than a very thick store bought like mayonnaise. Remove from processor and stir in garlic, scallions, and sesame seeds. Adjust seasoning as needing, adding drops of lemon juice to taste if desired (I didn't do this, it tasted great as it was!). Serve drizzled over fresh veggies or use a dip for fresh veggies. (I prefer lightly steamed broccoli and raw carrots for this).

This is classic colcannon (Irish dish of cabbage and potatoes) dish with some extra ingredients. I threw in some bacon which the original recipe didn't have (it was from a vegetarian cookbook). The dish was a hit. M had seconds and Curtis and I really enjoyed it. J was being almost 2 and wanted to eat cookies for supper instead, so he basically just didn't eat supper (because he sure wasn't getting cookies!). This is a good way to use some cabbage and never even notice it (only problem is it doesn't use much). This recipe will serve 3 - 4 adults.

Rumpledethumps
3 potatoes (1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into chunks
2 strips of bacon
1 1/2 c chopped cabbage
1 leek, washed and chopped
1 1/2 c coarsely chopped broccoli
3 T butter
a pinch of mace
salt and black pepper to taste
1/3 c milk
3/4 c grated cheddar cheese

Boil the potatoes in a pot of salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender. Meanwhile, steam or blanch the cabbage, leeks, and broccoli. Cook the bacon, drain, and crumble into small pieces. Melt 1 T butter and stir in the mace. Mix the seasoned butter and salt and pepper to taste into the steamed vegetables. Drain the potatoes and mash with 1 more T butter. Stir in the seasoned vegetables and bacon and mix evenly. Spread in an oiled 9 x 9" baking pan. If desire, melt the remaining 1 T of butter and drizzle it over the potato mixture. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake at a preheated 450 degrees oven for 15 minutes or place under the broiler for 3 -4 minutes, or until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Bang Bang Chicken

I discovered this simple stir fry way back when I was in college. It's been a standby ever since and always is a hit. M and J both loved it and had seconds. Curtis was away, so he missed the meal. The meal was made super simple because I had chicken breasts left in the freezer from when my mother-in-law was here (she bought a huge pack of chicken breasts to make her tortilla soup and I was left with 6 leftover breasts). I didn't have enough broccoli from the CSA box, so I went to the garden and trimmed a small head to supplement the farm broccoli.

3 year olds are funny creatures. They are basically living playbacks of conversations they hear the adults around them having. I realized last night at supper exactly how much Curtis and I talk about the food we eat when M told me, "This has good flavor Mommy. How do they make chicken?" I won't get into the my response about how a chicken gets from the live bird running around a field to on her plate. Her chicken last night missed out on the running around part, because it was store bought chicken.

Bang Bang Chicken
1 whole chicken breast (2 individual), cut into strips
1 clove garlic, minced
2 t ginger root, grated
1 scallion, chopped into 1-inch pieces (or 1/2- 1 c chopped onion)
1/4 c water
2 T soy sauce
2 T peanut butter
1 T red wine vinegar
2 c broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces

Cooked rice

Briefly stir-fry chicken, garlic, ginger, and scallion in 1 -2 T oil until chicken is cooked through. Add water, soy sauce, peanut butter, and red wine vinegar. Simmer 5 minutes. Add broccoli
Cook until vegetables are crisp tender, about 7 minutes. Serve over rice.

Scrambled Eggs with Kale and Raspberry Chipotle Sauce and Broccoli Salad

I was feeling like we were a little bit stuck in a rut and did a close repeat of egg fu yung omelet tonight. Being inundated with greens has caused me to get a little more motivated to find ways to use the likes of kale, bok choy, and mizuna (not your normal salad greens here!). Tonight I adapted a vegan recipe that used tofu for a recipe that also addressed my massive amount of eggs (I am down to only 13!!! after having about 28 or so on Wednesday!).

I started by making the broccoli salad. I chopped into very small florets enough broccoli to equal 3 cups. I wish I could have added 1 c raisins, but the dried fruit monsters at my house had finished the raisins sometime. I also fried and crumbled 5 slices of bacon which I added to the broccoli along with 1/3 c sunflower seeds (or you can also use 1/3 c chopped peanuts). I drained most of the fat out of the bacon skillet, but left just a little for my scrambled eggs. Then I set the broccoli and other ingredients aside to make the dressing. For the dressing, I mixed 3/4 c mayo (or you could use plain yogurt for something slightly healthier), 2 T sugar and 1 T apple cider vinegar. I poured everything over the broccoli mixture and stirred together.

For the scrambled eggs, I sauteed the 1 c chopped onions in the leftover bacon fat for a couple of minutes or until they began to soften. I added 2 chopped garlic cloves and cooked for another minute. I stirred in 3 c chopped kale, covered, and steamed until the greens began to wilt. While the greens wilted, I mixed together 5 eggs and 1 T soy sauce. I uncovered the skillet once the greens were ready and poured the eggs into the greens. I stirred to scramble the whole thing. That's it. I served with some Raspberry Chipotle Sauce I found in the refrigerator. (If you were curious, the original recipe called for no leftover bacon fat and 1 cake firm tofu instead of eggs).

We also had some Texas orange slices with the meal as well. Curtis and I thought it was great. M wouldn't touch anything between not eating the kale with the eggs and not liking mayonnaise on her broccoli. She did eat orange slices. J ate the scrambled eggs and kale and orange slices. I love the broccoli salad, it's the only way I will eat raw broccoli. After much tears and crying, Curtis and I caved and washed some broccoli salad off for M. Then she ate broccoli (and the bacon) just fine. Go figure. Next time, I'll put some plain broccoli aside for M to avoid all the tears. I guess I shouldn't complain that she doesn't like mayo.

Poultry Pasta Primavera

I was excited to cook with broccoli and decided I could buy a couple of carrots to use for the recipe (even though they aren't quite in season here yet).

To make this I cooked 1/2 lb capellini pasta along with 2 c broccoli florets, 1 c julienned carrots (cut into little matchstick shapes), 1/2 c sliced red bell pepper, and 1/2 c chopped sweet onion in a pot of boiling water. I cooked the pasta and vegetables (all together) for 5 minutes or until the pasta was al dente and the vegetables crisp tender. (If you use different pasta that cooks longer than 5 minutes, just add the vegetables for the last five minutes of cooking time). Drain and set aside.

In a large frying pan, I sauted 1 clove minced garlic, 2 T fresh chopped parsley, 1/2 t dried basil, 1 1/2 t fresh chopped oregano (1/2 t dried) in 1 T olive oil. I added 2 T flour and stirred briefly. I then added 1 c milk and stirred constantly until thickened (it didn't take long because I used a pretty large pan and had the stove on medium). I added 1 c chopped cooked chicken (you could also use turkey which would make this a nice post Thanksgiving meal) and cooked until heated through. Then I added 1/2 c cream cheese and 1/4 c Parmesan cheese and heated, but did not boil. The most difficult part of the whole preparation was mixing the white sauce over top of the pasta and vegetables.

The family liked it. I ate out with friends so I tasted it, but didn't eat much (I'll eat it Wednesday for lunch). I think it could have used a little more seasonings, probably more parsley and some salt and pepper. J ate it very well, M decided that she didn't want to eat broccoli (which was strange because until yesterday that was her favorite vegetable), but she liked the pasta and chicken. Curtis thought it was great.