Monthly Archives: December 2009

Call me Trim Tab

Posted by on December 21, 2009 No comments

Something hit me very hard once, thinking about what one little man could do. Think of the Queen Mary — the whole ship goes by and then comes the rudder. And there’s a tiny thing at the edge of the rudder called a trim tab.

It’s a miniature rudder. Just moving the little trim tab builds a low pressure that pulls the rudder around. Takes almost no effort at all. So I said that the little individual can be a trim tab. Society thinks it’s going right by you, that it’s left you altogether. But if you’re doing dynamic things mentally, the fact is that you can just put your foot out like that and the whole big ship of state is going to go.

So I said, call me Trim Tab.

–R. Buckminster Fuller

Cauliflower and Chickpea Tapas with Parsley-Fennel Mayonnaise

Posted by on December 16, 2009 No comments

- makes 24 -
Ingredients

For the mayonnaise:
1 whole egg (see safety note above)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup minced parsley leaves
1 big pinch fennel pollen or 1/2 teaspoon toasted and ground fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup neutral tasting vegetable oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the cauliflower:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 head of orange or white cauliflower broken down into small bite-sized florets (make sure you have at least 30 or so)
1 big pinch saffron crushed into 1 tablespoon boiling water
Salt

For the chickpeas:
Juice of 4 mandarin oranges
zest of 1 mandarin orange2 cup cooked chickpeas (should be soft, not al dente!)
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 clove minced garlic
Salt

To complete the dish:
1 rustic baguette cut into 24 thin slices
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
24 parsley leaves
24 tiny strips of lemon zest
Flaky sea salt

Procedure

  1. Combine the egg, lemon juice, mustard, parsley, fennel and salt in your blender jar. With the motor running on low speed, drizzle in the two oils through the hole in the top. Start slowly until you see it begin to emulsify. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice.
  2. Set a large skillet over high heat. When it is very hot, add the olive oil, cauliflower, and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until some good caramelization (browning) is happening. Add the saffron and continue to cook until tender. If necessary, you can add a tablespoon or two of water and cover to soften a bit more. Taste and adjust salt.
  3. In a small saucepan, simmer the mandarin juice and zest until it is reduced by half. Add the chickpeas, smoked paprika, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Simmer until the sauce is reduced to a glaze on the chickpeas. Taste and adjust the smoked paprika and salt. They should have an intense flavor.
  4. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet, brush lightly with olive oil, and toast in the oven until lightly browned but not overly crisp.
  5. To serve, allow the baguette slices to cool. Brush each with a teaspoon of the mayonnaise. Top with 1 floret of cauliflower and a small spoonful of chickpeas, then 1 parsley leaf, a strip of lemon zest, and a few grains of flaky sea salt.

Nut Milk

Posted by on December 4, 2009 No comments

Yes, feel free to laugh at the recipe name (I know I do). I came up with this recipe because I intensely dislike soy milk…I find it tastes like paste.
*gasp*
I know dislike of the almighty soy is tantamount to sacrilege but I still can’t stand the stuff. I find homemade nut milks (particularly hazelnut) to be far superior in flavor.
1 cup raw hazelnuts (or almonds, pecans, etc. – go nuts)
3 cups of water
5 pitted dates
Rinse the hazelnuts thoroughly and place in a bowl. Fill the bowl with water and leave covered overnight in the refrigerator (at least 12 hours). Discard the water and rinse the hazelnuts well. Place the hazelnuts in a blender along with 3 cups of water (less or more depending on how thick you like your “milk”). Add the dates to the blender while it’s running (add fewer if you don’t like a sweet milk or more if you want it extra sweet). Blend it until it’s smooth…usually 2-3 minutes. Once done, strain the mixture through a sprout bag (or cheesecloth set in a sieve if you don’t have one on hand). Bottle the liquid and refrigerate immediately – kept cold it should hold for a few weeks (though you’ll drink it quicker). Save the pulp you strained off, I’ll provide a recipe for that at a later date.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted by on December 3, 2009 No comments

Earth Balance is my go to guy when it comes to vegan alternatives for butter. I’ll be honest with you, it’s not the same if you’re going to smear it on toast but in baked goods you’re not going to notice the difference. For eggs I’ve found I’m happiest with the Ener-G egg replacer. Some of the other vegan egg substitutes leave a funny taste in my mouth, though that might be just me. This recipe is an adaptation of the Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe.
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks Earth Balance® Vegan Buttery Sticks (trust me, it’s better than it sounds) brought to room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer
1/4 cup water
2 cups vegan chocolate chips (some use dairy – the higher end ones generally don’t, but check the label to be sure)
1. Preheat oven to oven to 375° F.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat buttery sticks, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add egg replacer to water and then pour into butter mixture then beat until combined . Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Lentil Chili

Posted by on December 2, 2009 No comments

From the February 2008 issue of Bon Appétit:

2 t olive oil
1/2 c chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
1 t dried oregano leaves
1/8 t cayenne pepper
4 c (or more) water
1 c dried brown lentils, rinsed
1/2 c tomato puree
1/3 c plus 2 T chopped green onions

Heat oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion & sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic & sauté 30 seconds. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano & cayenne pepper; stir 30 seconds. Add 4 cups of water, lentils & tomato puree. Increase heat & bring to a boil, skimming off any foam from surface. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes, adding more water by 1/4 cupfuls as needed if dry (we added another 1/2 cup). Stir in 1/3 cup green onion. Season with salt & pepper. This can be made 2 days ahead. Cover & chill. Rewarm over medium heat stirring occasionally. Garnish bowls with remaining green onions.