Last Year’s Jam

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

I’m not a super-preserver or anything, but by this point, I’ve established a regular seasonal pattern of jam-making: sour cherry at the beginning of summer, plum at the end of summer, and quince in the late fall.  While I’ve also finally achieved a decent amount of cabinet space in my kitchen, it’s not unlimited, which means right around now I start thinking about clearing out some space to prepare for the cycle to begin again.

I used some of the plum as a cake filling a couple of weeks ago, and this week I rolled a jar of the quince into some buttery, flaky rugelach. (The sour cherry, alas, never seems to make it past a few months, because I love it too much.)  You can use whichever jar is pushing its way to the front of your pantry, or whatever looks good at the market this weekend.

Walnut-Quince Rugelach
(Adapted from Rugelach, Alice Medrich’s Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy, 2010)
Makes 48 cookies

For the pastry:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 cubes
8 tablespoons (1 8-ounce block) cold cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes

To assemble:
1 cup jam needing to be used up, in this case quince
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Fine sea salt for sprinkling

Combine the flour, sugar and salt for the pastry in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix briefly to blend the dry ingredients, then add the butter and mix on low until mostly broken up and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Mix in the cream cheese just until a damp, shaggy dough forms, then turn out onto a clean countertop and knead briefly to create a mostly cohesive block.  Divide into four equal parts and pat into 4-inch disks, tightly wrapping each individually.  Refrigerate at least two hours and preferably overnight.

When ready to bake, line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners and preheat the oven to 350 F.

Roll one disk of pastry between sheets of parchment paper to a diameter of 12 inches and a thickness of about a quarter inch.  Spread the pastry with a quarter of the jam, and evenly coat with a quarter of the walnuts and a small pinch of salt.  Using a pizza cutter or sharp chef’s knife, slice the pastry into 12 approximately equal wedges.  Starting with the outside edge, roll each wedge toward the point and place, point-side down, on a lined cookie sheet.  Repeat with the remaining wedges, setting the cookies 2 inches apart.  Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator to firm the cookies back up as you repeat the process with the remaining pastry disks, jam and walnuts.

Bake each sheet of cookies on the center rack for 25-28 minutes, until pale gold on top and a slightly darker golden brown at the edges, rotating the pans as necessary for even browning.  Immediately transfer the baked cookies on their parchment to cooling racks and cool completely.

Cookies will keep well in airtight containers for up to 5 days.

Happy Spring?

Thursday, March 28, 2013

I really hope this is the last of the winter produce recipes until Thanksgiving, not because I don’t love hard squashes, cabbages and brassicas, but because I am really just sick of winter.  My longing for asparagus and rhubarb is starting to become acute, and each of these spring snows is making me despair that tomato season is never coming.

While we’re all cursing the groundhog, this butternut squash spread is at least a bright and sunny color, and warmly spicy enough to maybe convince yourself that you’re in the Mediterranean, if you close your eyes.  It’s adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s beautiful cookbook, Jerusalem, and combines caramelized roasted squash and tahini into a hummus-like dip.  This version has been made vegan by replacing the original yogurt with soft cooked red lentils and a hit of lemon juice, and instead of plain cinnamon I used a Syrian spice mix.  You could use za’atar, ras el hanout, berbere, or any similar blend if you prefer.

Roasted Butternut Spread
(Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, Jerusalem: A Cookbook, 2012)
Serves 6-8

For roasting the squash:
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into roughly 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Middle Eastern spice mix of choice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the spread:
1/4 cup red lentils
1/2 cup water
5 tablespoons tahini
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Toss the butternut cubes with the oil, spice mix and salt in a roasting pan.  Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast the squash until soft all the way through and slightly caramelized on the edges, approximately 1 hour.  Cool completely.

Boil the lentils and water in a small saucepan over medium heat until the lentils have completely broken down, adding just as much water as needed to prevent them from drying out until they reach that point. 

Combine the roasted squash, cooked lentils, tahini, garlic and lemon in the bowl of a food processor and pulse just until chunky.  Add more lemon juice and salt as needed, then add the olive oil and pulse a few more times to combine.

Serve in a shallow bowl, garnished with an additional drizzle of olive oil, and with pita chips or crudités on the side.

Vegetarian Carbonara

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Traditional spaghetti carbonara is pasta tossed with crisped pancetta and a mixture of raw eggs and parmesan, which cooks just enough from the heat of the pasta to form a silky, creamy sauce.  It’s not vegetarian-friendly, obviously, which is why when I decided to use the beautifully golden-yolked eggs from the market in a carbonara-esque dish, I had to replace the meat with something sufficiently flavorful and colorful.

The answer was a combination of shredded brussels sprouts and sun-dried tomatoes in the pasta itself, and a topping of fresh breadcrumbs, crisped in olive oil and seasoned with a combination of garlic and Spanish smoked paprika.  Brussels sprouts keep well, stay wonderfully green as long as they’re not overcooked, and add both brightness and a punchy contrast in flavor.  The tomatoes add both a bright pop of color and a slightly chewy texture, and the crumbs add both the missing crunch and the smokiness that comes from the pancetta in the original dish.  The smokiness is further enhanced by a handful of shredded smoked cheese after the pasta is sauced.

This recipe is very, very loosely adapted from one in Deborah Madison & Edward Espe Brown’s The Greens Cookbook (1987).  In theory, you could further adapt it into a still-flavorful and pretty vegan dish by leaving out the eggs and cheese, although you couldn’t really call it carbonara at that point. (Then again, most people wouldn’t consider it carbonara the minute the meat is taken out.)

Spaghetti Carbonara with Brussels Sprouts, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Smoky Breadcrumbs
Serves 4

For breadcrumbs:
3 slices multigrain bread (the heels of the loaf are fine)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, run through a microplane grater or garlic press
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt to taste

For pasta:
8 ounces spaghetti
3 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 dry pint brussels sprouts, shredded
1/4 cup dried tomatoes, diced

2 eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup grated smoked Gouda or other semi-firm smoked cheese

Roughly tear the bread slices and pulse in a food processor long enough to form medium-sized fresh crumbs.  Warm the garlic in the olive oil in a wide nonstick sauté pan over medium heat just until the garlic begins to release its aroma, then add in the breadcrumbs and toss to evenly coat in the oil.  Continue cooking, tossing or stirring frequently, until the crumbs are well-toasted and crisp, stir in paprika and salt to taste, and remove from the pan.

Boil the spaghetti in well-salted water until al dente, according to the package directions.  Meanwhile, heat the garlic and chili flakes in the remaining oil in the pan until the garlic begins to color lightly.  Add in the brussels sprouts, sun-dried tomatoes and a generous sprinkle of salt, sautéing just until the sprouts have wilted but remain brightly green.  Taste and adjust salt as necessary.

Just before draining the pasta, quickly whisk the eggs and parmesan together in a large bowl.  Drain the pasta and immediately place it into the bowl containing the egg mixture, tossing quickly with tongs to completely coat the spaghetti.  Add the brussels sprouts mixture and smoked cheese and continue tossing until everything is evenly distributed and lightly coated. If the egg mixture appears too raw, return the pasta to the pan and very briefly cook, tossing continuously, to desired doneness.

Serve immediately in warmed pasta bowls, sprinkling generously with the toasted breadcrumbs.

For the Bleak Midwinter

Thursday, January 31, 2013

We’re in the time of year when things start looking a little bleak, produce-wise, and you start longing for spring to change things up again.  That doesn’t mean you can’t create some wonderful things from the sturdy winter items that do hang around the markets this time of year, though. 

This vegetarian version of cassoulet makes good use of the root vegetables and hearty greens that can easily be found, and is the perfect way to warm up on an icy, stormy night.  Being vegan, very low-fat and high in all kinds of nutrients is an additional bonus, if you’re trying to stick with any New Year’s resolutions or just detox from the holiday excess.

White Bean, Parsnip and Kale Cassoulet
(Adapted from Eric Tucker & John Westerdahl, The Millennium Cookbook)
Serves 8

5 cups white beans, cooked or canned
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 large parsnips, peeled and diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground celery seed
1 large bay leaf
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 bunch kale, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  In a large, oven-proof pot with a lid, combine the beans and vegetables.  Mix together the stock, mustard, maple syrup, herbs and spices in a large measuring cup and pour over the bean mixture.  Cover with the lid and bake for 60-75 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and thickened.

Add the kale to the beans, re-cover, and bake 15-20 more minutes, until the greens are tender but not mushy.  Remove the bay leaf and serve as a main course or side dish.

Cusp of Fall Produce

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

As much as I love the berries, stone fruit and corn of summer, I honestly think the best time for produce in this area is early fall. This time of year, you can find both the best of the late-summer fruits and vegetables and the apples, pears and pumpkins of autumn.  In my garden, I have a handful of straggling green tomatoes and peppers turning red right beside the hard squashes swelling on their vines.

This baked dish is the perfect thing to make with the fruits of this season, since it’s just a little bit heartier than I would want in the heat of August, when I’d be wanting to make a salad instead.  This is a more comforting and warming configuration for those same ingredients, much more suited to the somewhat drippy weather we’ve been having this month.  I’m especially pleased with the fact that everything is local except the wine and the feta, and a fair bit of it was even home-grown.  The twisty red frying peppers, green bell pepper, tomatoes and herbs all came from containers on my patio, while the onion and darling little pale-purple fairytale eggplant came from the Saturday Chestnut Hill farmers market.  Later this fall, it can be made instead with big Italian eggplant and good canned tomatoes, but for the next few weeks, I urge you to take full advantage of the fact that the ingredients can still be found fresh in the markets!

Fairytale Eggplant Baked with Peppers, Tomatoes and Feta
(Adapted from Diane Kochilas, The Greek Vegetarian)

¼ cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved and sliced thinly
1 green bell pepper, sliced in thin rounds
2 red frying peppers, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup chopped tomatoes (approximately 4 small)
½ cup red wine
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
1 quart fairytale eggplant
4 ounces feta cheese
Salt to taste

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat and add the onions, cooking until wilted.  Add the peppers, red pepper flakes and garlic, cover and cook for another 8 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and wine and bring to a simmer, cover again, and cook 10 more minutes.  Stir in the oregano leaves and salt to taste.

Trim the tops off the eggplant and cut into wedges about an inch wide.  Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat and fry the eggplant pieces until golden and beginning to turn tender.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Brush a medium-sized baking dish with 2-inch sides with oil, and layer the bottom with half the eggplant.  Cover with half the sauce mixture, and repeat with the remaining eggplant and vegetables.  Crumble the feta in an even layer on top. 

Cover loosely with foil and bake until the eggplant is fully tender and the sauce is bubbling, about 45 minutes to an hour.  Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes if you’d like the feta to brown a bit.

Taste test: Fattoria Fresca Jersey Fresh Crushed Tomatoes

Thursday, December 31, 2009

When I was last at the Fair Food Farmstand at Reading Terminal Market, I decided to buy a can and try it out. Let’s face it, most canned tomatoes are crap to middling. But in the spirit of my commitment to local foods, it deserved a chance.

And I’m so glad I did. I ate a spoonful out of the can, and it was delicious. Not merely good, but a great, deep, tomato-ness. Salt and basil are in there (although I couldn’t detect the basil and would prefer to add my own anyway), but otherwise the can says no water, sugar, citric acid, concentrate, puree, or paste. At $3.00 for 28 ounces, it’s not inexpensive, but a can of imported San Marzanos will cost you more than that, and because there’s no water added, what you might call the “usable volume” of the Fattoria Fresca tomatoes is greater than the same size can of something else. Try them—I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

November GRID is out

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

The new GRID magazine is hitting the shelves at local coffee-shops, co-ops and businesses near you. Check out the issue for more bicycling articles, how to cook dried beans, just what is a green roof, local fashion designers, community garden, a green event calendar, and much more. Or, read it online HERE.

CSA Report:  Blooming Glen Farm

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

(Click photo to read notes at flick’r regarding names/quantities of share.)

Well look at that—a Long Island Cheese Pumpkin.  Those farmers at Blooming Glen Farm seem to always have a surprise for us!  I have no idea what te future has in store for that pumpkin, but it’ll have to wait, as my kitchen is chock-full of wonderful, vitamin-rich, hearty and delicious root vegetables right now.  Here’s my go-to recipe for celeriac, rutabaga, carrots, parsnips, etc.:

Root Stew with Barley

3 tbs olive oil
2 onions, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pearled barley
4 cups vegetable stock
4 - 6 cups of scrubbed, but unpeeled* diced root veggies
1/2 - 1 cup of chopped fresh herbs (dill works well, but any one or two will work)

*Except the celeriac. Go ahead and peel those gnarly, dirty bad boys. Most of the nutrients in root vegetables live close to the surface; by peeling them you’ll inadvertently loose the good stuff.

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened (about five minutes). Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Stir in barley and vegetable stock. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low, skim off any froth, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add root veggies.  Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes more, or until barley and vegetables are tender. Just before serving, stir in herbs. Salt and pepper to taste

.

So delicious and easy!

CSA Report:  Blooming Glen Farm

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

(Click photo to read notes at flick’r regarding names/quantities of share.)

I’ve been so happy to find my favorite salad green, arugula, at Blooming Glen Farm over the past two weeks.  We’re still picking herbs and flowers, and radishes made a reappearance this week.

That beautiful Cinderella squash and those tomatillos are going to become soups for a family dinner this Sunday night.

Cinderella Pumpkin Soup with Apples and Sage Oil
(From Whole Food Whole Family)
Ingredients
1 leek, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
about 1/3 of a large Cinderella pumpkin (or other variety), peeled and diced
4 apples, preferably Winesap or another sweet-tart variety, diced
enough vegetable broth or water to barely cover
2 T. maple syrup
1 T. cumin
2 t. coriander
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1/4 c. chives, minced for garnish
Sage oil:
3 T. olive oil
large handful of sage leaves, stripped from the stem

Directions
1. Heat 1 T. oil in a soup pot and add the leek and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened, stirring regularly.
2. Add the squash and apples. Add broth to within an inch of the squash and apples. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the squash is very soft.
3. Stir in the spices and maple syrup and turn off the heat under the soup.
4. Heat the oil at a low temperature in a small pan. Add the sage leaves and infuse them for about 1 minute, until the have released their flavor and scent into the oil. Turn off the heat and allow the sage to continue infusing while the rest of the soup is prepared.
5. Transfer the soup in batches to a blender and process until smooth.
6. Return the soup to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Strain out the leaves from the oil.
8. Serve the soup drizzled with sage oil and sprinkled with chives.

Tomatillo Soup
(From Vegan Diva)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large onion, sliced thin
4 jalapeno peppers, sliced in thin rounds (use less for a milder soup)
2 heaping teaspoons ground cumin
1 heaping teaspoon ground coriander
Green Tabasco Sauce to taste
1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cans chopped green chiles, drained
1 cup water
2 15-oz. cans Cannelli Beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions
1. Heat oil over medium heat in a 10-inch skillet. Add garlic, onion, jalapenos, cumin, and coriander. Cook, stirring often until onions are lightly golden, about 7 – 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in 5- to 6-quart pot, combine tomatillos, sea salt, sugar, vegetable broth, green chilies, Green Tabasco sauce, and water. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the onion mixture and cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in beans and cilantro until beans are heated through.

Served with fresh bread from our local bakery, Bakers on Broad, and a green salad, I think our taste buds and belies will be satisfied!

CSA Report:  Blooming Glen Farm

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

(Click photo to read notes at flick’r regarding names/quantities of share.)

The Blooming Glen Farm farmers gifted us with green tomatoes, tomatillos, arugula and butternut squash this week.  More potatoes, onions, peppers, garlic and greens were also waiting for us.  The weather may be cooling down, but we still had fresh herbs to pick, and even managed to put together a wild flower bouquet.

I’m excited to make a batch of Nanny’s (our farmer Tricia’s grandmother) green tomato relish with those tomatoes.  I’ve used this recipe for the last couple years and just love it. The quantities are to produce a big batch for canning (about 10 to 12 pint jars), so adjust as needed.

Nanny’s Green Tomato Relish

Put through chopper (or chop by hand), and drain:
1 peck green tomatoes (roughly 20apple size)
6 large onions
6 green peppers
6 red peppers

Make syrup:
3/4 pint sugar
2 pints vinegar
1 T whole cloves, in cloth or tea ball
1 stick cinnamon
Boil about 20 minutes, until sugar is dissolved, remove cinnamon stick and cloves.

In a big pot, pour syrup over over relish and add:
1 T Salt
1 T celery seed
1 T mustard seed
Boil 15 minutes, then process in boiling water canner for 15 minutes.

It’s always a treat to open a can of this sweet, crunchy and colorful relish in the dark days of winter!

Green Pea and Pecorino Custard

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Green peas have been plentiful this rainy, early summer. Looking for a classy first-course recipe, I adapted the Green Peas and Parmesan Custard from Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian to make it bit lighter, but still full of flavor. A good quality pecorino will make all the difference!

Green Pea and Pecorino Custard
serves 6

1 1/2 cups shelled fresh green peas
1 1/2 cups milk or rice milk
1/2 cup grated pecorino
3 local, organic eggs
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint (from your garden, if you have it)
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Preheat the oven to 300F, and a kettle of water on the stove to boil. Combine the peas, pecorino and milk in a small food processor and pulse until the mixture is primarily smooth.

2. Place the eggs, mint and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until well combined. Slowly add the milk mixture while whisking to blend. Pour the mixture into 6 small ramekins (about 4 ounces each).

3. Place the ramekins in a baking pan and pour in the boiling water to surround the ramekins withing 1/2 inch of the ramekin tops. Bake until the custard is almost completely solid - 45 minutes to one hour. Cool slightly, and garnish with fresh peas and pecorino shavings. Can be served warm, cold, or at room temperature.

Radishes and Radish Greens

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

My CSA is filled with radishes right now. While I don’t dislike them, I just never really eat them or know what to do with them. A bit of searching around on the web found numerous recipes for radish greens soup - the greens! Of course! I made the soup below for a quick and easy dinner. I also had green garlic and baby kale, so I made a sort of very chunky “tapenade” for the top of some crusty Metropolitan bread. Radishes, when cooked (especially in butter) take on a milder, buttery flavor. A great accompaniment to the soup, together using the whole radish!

Radish Greens Soup
serves 4

1 Tbs. butter or Earth Balance
1 Tbs. olive oil
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 green onions, chopped
2 bulbs of green garlic, chopped
Greens from 2 bunches of radishes
zest of half a lemon
6 cups of vegetable broth
juice of one lemon
salt and pepper
1 cup local or homemade low-fat yogurt

Heat the butter and oil together in a thick sauce pan over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the potatoes, onions and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the yellow onions become golden in color and the green onions soften. Add the greens, stirring well. Add the lemon zest and vegetable broth. Raise the heat to medium high and cover the pan. Cook the soup at a low boil until the potatoes soften, about 7 minutes. Remove the heat from the pan. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend the soup with an immersion blender, or in two batches in a blender. Return soup to the pan and stir in the yogurt until the soup takes on a creamy consistency. Garnish with sliced fresh radish.

Radish and Baby Kale on Toast

1 Tbs. butter or Earth Balance
1 bulb green garlic, diced
6 small radishes, thinly sliced
2 small handfuls of baby kale
1/4 cup vegetable broth

Heat the butter in a large sauce pan until melted. Add the radishes and garlic, cooking over medium heat until the radish softens. Add the baby kale and the vegetable broth and stir well. When the kale wilts and most of the broth evaporates, remove from the heat. Serve over good buttered toast.

Grid Magazine: The 100% Local Food Issue

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Just 6 months old, Grid Magazine, a free glossy about creating sustainability in Philadelphia, has put out some great thematic issues on energy, bicycling and gardening. The newest issue, hitting the streets or your internet today, is all about local, sustainable food practices. Alongside recipes from restaurant superstars Pumpkin and Tria and Denise Balcavag of http://www.urbanvegan.net, and interviews with Talulah’s Kitchen luminaries and the Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative, There’s also a piece about a West Philly High student making a nutritional difference in her community. Add to that a guide to composting, and an expose on the difficulty of finding fresh produce in North Philly, an outline of how to eat local on the cheap and an interview with farm-loving rockers Hoots and Hellmouth, this issue has it all! Pick up a copy at your local business (or ask them to carry it) or read it paper-free online!

Glazed Seitan and Cabbage Stir-Fry

Saturday, February 28, 2009

In my neighborhood, eating fresh and local November through March is a little rough.  This time of year, if I want anything fresh, I have to head 45 minutes south (Reading Terminal Market), north (Allentown Farmers Market) or west (Phoenixville Farmers’ Market).  Anything that is, except cabbage. 

I found a collection of monstrous cabbage heads Bill Seulke’s Produce stand in the Q-Mart today and just couldn’t pass them up.  The one we picked up weighed in at almost eight pounds, and at 33-cents a pound, cost a mere $2.50.  I combined it with a tub of Ray’s Seitan and frozen peppers from my Blooming Glen Farm CSA share for a quick, yummy dinner

Glazed Seitan and Cabbage Stir-Fry
(modified from Vegetarian Times)
Serves 6

Glazed Seitan
3 Tbs. maple syrup
3 Tbs. orange juice
1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
1 12-oz. pkg. seitan, chopped

Stir-Fry
3/4 cup almonds (halved, whole, slivered, whatever)
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. sesame oil
1 1/2 lbs. shredded cabbage (about 4 cups)
3 bell peppers, cut into strips (about 2 cups)
2 Tbs. minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
9 Tbs. orange juice
1 1/4 Tbs. arrowroot powder

To make Glazed Seitan:
Combine syrup, juice and soy sauce in small bowl.
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add seitan, and stir-fry 4 minutes, or until golden. Add maple syrup mixture, and simmer 3 minutes, or until seitan is coated with glaze. Transfer to bowl. Wipe out skillet.

To make Stir-Fry:
Toast almonds in dry skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to bowl. Heat 1 Tbs. sesame oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add cabbage, 2 Tbs. water and cover, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and stir-fry 2 minutes.
Move vegetables to sides of skillet, and pour remaining 1 tsp. oil in center. Add ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, and stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in 2 Tbs. water, seitan and almonds. Cover, and cook 2 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
Combine orange juice and arrowroot powder. Stir into vegetable mixture. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat, and serve.

I served the stir-fry over soba noodles that I covered with a mixture of orange juice, sesame oil and arrowroot, though just about any grain or noodle would work great. While we ate, my boyfriend remarked that chunks of grilled pineapple would make a nice addition, which got us daydreaming about summertime and the gobs of fresh fruits and veggies awaiting us…  amazing how a tiny splash of light, crisp citrus on a pile of fresh, local ingredients can brighten up a murky February day, eh?

For the love of Vrapple

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Every since Sarah Cain (the co-manager of the Fair Food Farmstand) started producing Vrapple, I’ve been wondering what it tastes like.  Sarah said it was really good…but the idea of vegetarian scrapple sort of scared me.  Why?  Because scrapple scares me.  I’ve seen it made and I know what happens.  It’s gross.

But I finally broke down and bought a block of Vrapple, determined to taste it before passing judgment.  According to Sarah, Vrapple has sort of a Thanksgiving stuffing kind of a taste because of all the spices, but it’s basically just seitan mixed with buckwheat and cornmeal (both locally grown and milled) and a few other things.  And it tastes kinda like scrapple.

The other night I made a vegetable pot pie and decided to chop up the Vrapple and throw it in.  I loved it and my husband hated it.  Of course, in my husband’s case, this was not exactly a surprise: no matter what the taste, he hates anything that is a meat substitute simply on principle.

The Vrapple didn’t really stay chunky when mixed into the other vegetables for the pot pie.  Rather, it got very crumbly.  I think it would probably make a really good meat substitute for, say, tacos.  But it made for a really good pot pie filling, and it definitely gets better the second day.  In fact, I will be eating leftovers today for lunch.

Of course, my very favorite thing about Vrapple isn’t the Vrapple itself; it’s the tag lines.  The latest comes just in time for the upcoming season of Lent: It’s tasty to repent; eat Vrapple for Lent!