Eggplant and Quinoa Fritters

I have been watching the YouTube channel We Cook Vegan.  She has some great ideas, but uses a limited selection of ingredients.  I'm taking some of her methods and striking out on my own.  And using an egg and cheese, so this isn't vegan.  It is still definitely on the Mediterranean diet, so I had it with a quickie tomato compote made with the other half a can of diced tomatoes from the peanut soup.

I did try to grate the eggplant on the box grater, to save myself the dishes.  Gave up quickly and got out the food processor.  It's just so much easier, and you can finish before the shreds discolor completely.

I'm not sure what I expected these to taste like, but the first bite was like eggplant parmigiana, only way healthier.  Loading up the tomato compote with Italian spice probably added to that, but even without the sauce it has that same breaded eggplant quality.  Definitely worth having to clean the food processor.

*1/2 C quinoa
1 large or 2 small eggplants
*1/2 C finely diced onion
olive oil as needed
*1/2 tsp celery salt
*1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
*2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C flour
1 egg
1/2 C crumbled feta

1.  Prepare quinoa according to package directions.  This will likely involve rinsing and/or soaking to remove the saponins.  Set aside to cool.  This can also be done in advance, or make the recipe with leftover quinoa.

2.  In a medium skillet, heat 2 Tb oil over medium heat.  Cook the onions until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, celery salt, paprika, and cumin.  Cook until fragrant, another 3 minutes.

3.  While the onions are cooking, grate the eggplant.  Add to the skillet.  Don't worry, it's going to cook down a lot.  Stir frequently until thoroughly cooked, then set aside to cool about 5 minutes.

4.  In a bowl, stir together eggplant and quinoa.  Sprinkle with flour and stir until evenly mixed.  It will look a little dry and pasty.  Lightly beat egg and stir into the mixture.  Fold in feta.

5.  Scrape the skillet clean and add a few tablespoons of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan.  Heat over medium-high.  Scoop or spoon 1/4 C mounds of mixture into the skillet.  I used the 3 Tb cookie scoop and slightly heaped it.  Use the back of the spoon to flatten the patty slightly.

6.  Fry the fritters until they easily lift from the pan, about 5 minutes.  Flip and cook until the underside browns, another 3 minutes or so.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat for the rest of the mixture, adding oil as necessary.

7.  Serve hot, with a sauce if desired.

Difficulty rating  :)

Eggroll in a Bowl

I've been hearing about this dish for a while now, and finally looked it up when I needed something to do with ground turkey.  Well, that's easy, especially when you use store-bought coleslaw mix.  No wonder it has gotten so popular.  It's also keto-friendly and fairly good for you.

For a sauce, I opened a jar of sweet and sour sauce.  Last year's canning was largely sauces, since my jam enjoyment was severely curtailed by my A1C.  Once I do this latest round of tests, it will be a full year of cutting carbs and I'll know if I've conquered insulin resistance.  Doesn't mean I can go back to having all the sugar I want, but it would allow some leeway to enjoy treats with less guilt.  I really am a carboholic at heart.

For a side, I roasted up some sweet potato toast and drizzled the Korean BBQ sauce on it.  That was really good too, but not exactly a recipe.

1 Tb vegetable oil
1 lb ground turkey or lean beef
1 14 oz thinly sliced cabbage or package coleslaw kit
*1 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
*soy sauce to taste, about 1/4 C
1 Tb rice vinegar
sriracha to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten
green onions to garnish

1.  In a large skillet, brown ground turkey in the oil over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles as you go.  If using a meat other than turkey, omit the oil.

2.  Add 1/4 C soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.  Add cabbage and stir to combine.  Cook until wilted, about 5-8 minutes.  A lid will help the process along.

3.  Taste a bit and add sriracha and/or more soy sauce as desired.  Stir to combine.  Make a well in the center and pour beaten egg into it.  Mix rapidly so the scrambles make it all through the dish.

4.  Serve hot, with chopped green onion for garnish and with a sauce of your choice if desired, like teriyaki, sweet and sour, hot mustard, etc.  You can have it as-is for keto/reduced carb, or with rice or won ton chips.

Difficulty rating  π

African Peanut Soup

I tried to find a proper name for this west African soup, but all my searches kept coming up with the title above.  It's very similar to mafé, so I'm pretty sure this is just the vegan version and in a more soupy than stew form.

This is what I decided to make for Purim, and it did not disappoint.  Rich, filling, and yet very healthy.  It did not taste vegan.  Like, not at all.  No one would know if you didn't tell them.

As usual, I omitted the jalapeño for my own use, but I can see how a bit of spice would meld well with the other flavors.  I didn't even sub red pepper flakes, which I sometimes do.  Instead, I stirred in about 2 tsp of horseradish, which wasn't even strong.  It just perked up the flavors, as did the ginger.

This didn't feel like a lot of ingredients when I was putting them into the pot.  I didn't realize until starting this post that there's a lot going on in this soup.  It's a lot like a curry, and you could decrease the broth to serve it over rice.

1 Tb olive oil
*1 C diced onion
*1 rib celery, diced
*3 cloves garlic, minced
*1-1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
*1 Tb tomato paste
1 tsp cumin seed or 1/2 tsp ground cumin
*1/4 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
3 C vegetable broth
1 lb sweet potato, peeled and diced in soup-sized pieces
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced, or up to *1 Tb prepared horseradish
1 C canned diced tomatoes
1/2 C natural (un-homogenized) peanut butter or 3/4 C roasted peanuts run through the food processor
*4 C de-stemmed kale, chopped
*cilantro and chopped peanuts for garnish

1.  Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger, tomato paste, cumin, and thyme and cook until fragrant, another 2-3 minutes.  It's going to look a lot like a curry starter, only less orange.

2.  Stir in broth, diced sweet potato, chickpeas, tomatoes and their juice, jalapeño or horseradish, and peanut butter.  Stir until the peanut butter breaks down.  Bring to a low boil.  Cover and reduce heat.  Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

3.  Stir in chopped kale and re-cover for another 5-10 minutes, until wilted.  Taste broth and add salt and pepper as necessary.  Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and/or chopped peanuts.

Difficulty rating  :)

Spicy Honey Mustard

This was the other mustard I made on canning day.  This entry from Food in Jars is exceedingly simple.  Marisa describes the result as the hot mustard you find in Chinese restaurants.  It's great as a dipping sauce or as part of a marinade.

It's really strong on the day it's made.  Just a warning if you're making this for the fridge and not to can.  Let it mellow a few weeks first, unless you need your sinuses cleared.  This recipe only makes a pint and uses common ingredients, making it very accessible for someone new to mustards.  It is also very fast.  I had to slow down the process while the canner was coming up to a boil.

1 C / 90 g dry mustard powder
1 C / 240 ml apple cider vinegar
1/3 C / 75 ml honey
1/2 tsp kosher or canning salt
1/4 tsp black pepper (ok, I used white)

1.  If canning, prepare canner and 4 quarter-pint jars and lids.  For non-canning, you want to store this in something non-reactive and nonporous.  Plastic containers will stain and retain flavors.  Glass is best.

2.  In a non-reactive saucepan, whisk together all ingredients until there are no lumps.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then continue to stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes until mixture is thickened and uniform.

3.  For canning, ladle into hot jars to 1/2" headspace.  Mustard tends to expand and/or siphon as it is processed.  Debubble if the mustard is too thick to pour easily.  Wipe rims clean, center lid, and apply rings finger-tight.  Process in a boiling bath canner for 10 minutes.  Allow to rest 5 minutes off the heat before removing.  Cool for 24 hours, check seals, remove rims, wipe clean, and store.  For non-canning, allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to the non-reactive container and store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 1 pint

Difficulty rating  π

Freezer Meal Cottage Pie

I bought cheap aluminum pans for meal prepping some time last year, and haven't used them yet.  Whatever busy week inspired that has since passed.  But now I do need a meal ready to pop in the oven this month (thank you, meal planning calendar), so here we go.

Cottage pie, farmer's pie, shepherd's pie, they're all basically the same thing with different meats.  Cottage is beef, or sometimes pork.  You brown it up and add veggies, thickened with a bit of flour and broth.  Top with mashed potatoes and cheese, then bake until everything is gloriously bubbly.  Everything up to the baking can be made ahead and frozen.

It did feel odd to be cooking a dinner at nine in the morning, but it was the same half hour of prep no matter when I made it.  I was choosing to shift that prep time a few weeks before I actually needed the meal.  It really isn't any different than when I make waffles or pancakes and freeze the rest, or put leftover hamantaschen in the freezer because the recipe makes a lot.  I'm just not used to doing it with an entire meal.

You can make the load easier with leftover mashed potatoes.  I used potato flakes, which I keep forgetting I have and buy potatoes.  The veggies were pre-cut frozen, I had gotten the ground beef on clearance, and I made the broth.  This almost finished off the two pound block of cheddar.  So, a completely pantry meal, and all food groups represented.

1 Tb oil
1/2 C diced onion
*1 lb 80/20 ground beef
1 Tb flour
1/2 C beef or vegetable broth
1 C assorted frozen veggies (peas, carrots, green beans, etc)
3 C mashed potatoes (boxed or leftover perfectly fine)
*1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1.  Heat the oil over medium in a large skillet.  Cook the onion until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the ground beef and cook until well browned.  About halfway through, pour off the fat.  You do need some, but not that much.

2.  Sprinkle the flour over the meat and work into the pan juices to make a light roux.  Add the broth and cook until thickened.  Add the vegetables.  They do not need to be cooked at this point.  Set mixture aside.

3.  If necessary, make the mashed potatoes.  Or, heat them back up with a little more liquid so they are easier to spread.

4.  Into an 8x8 oven-safe casserole dish, first put in the meat mixture.  Spread the potatoes over that, making sure to cover all the way to the sides.  Sprinkle the top with cheese, if using.

5.  If not baking immediately, refrigerate for 2 hours, uncovered, to cool.  Cover and freeze flat.  After that, it can be put on its side or stacked with other items if space is an issue.

6.  To bake, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours and up to 3 days.  Uncover and place in a 350º oven until the center registers 165º on a food thermometer, which will depend on how frozen it still is, but will probably be around an hour.  Let rest until no longer boiling and serve.

Difficulty rating  :)

Puff Pastry Chicken Cordon Bleu

I can't remember the last time I had Cordon Bleu.  We used to get those frozen ones at Costco, back when it was still called Price Club.  Or maybe Costco bought Price Club.  Anyhow, the breaded, filled chicken cutlets made it to dinner about as often as their Chicken Kiev.

I wanted something along those lines by taste, but not so much effort.  Puff pastry is fantastic cheat.  It looks elegant and all you did was defrost it.

I don't think I've ever bought The rectangular pressed ham slices.  Did not realize they're 1/3 water and additives.  Probably the same as deli slices, but I'm not used to seeing it so bold on the package.

This recipe was when I realized I'm out of homemade mustard.  I have some basic French's, so that's what we're using today.  I would have preferred some of the Dijon that I shouldn't open for a month.  You can use any kind you have on hand, or omit it if you want only creaminess and no tang.

This came out so elegant.  It would make a great item for brunch or tea, or even game day.  I made main dish-sized slices, but you could definitely slice it thinner for a party.

*1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
flour for the board
*1 boneless/skinless chicken breast, about 12 ounces
4 slices deli ham
4 slices Swiss cheese
Mustard or BBQ sauce (optional)
1 egg, beaten, for glazing (optional)

1.  Defrost pastry sheet until pliable, about 30 minutes.  Roll on a lightly floured board until almost as long as a baking sheet.  Line the baking sheet with parchment and carefully transfer the pastry.

2.  Thinly slice the chicken, no more than 1/2" thick, so it will cook in the same amount of time as the pastry.  Start preheating the oven to 400º.

3.  To assemble, make a line with the Swiss down the middle of the longer side.  Top with the ham, and then add any sauce you might like.  I'll admit, I used too much French's.  Keep the sauce light.  Top with the raw chicken.

4.  Fold the sides of the pastry over the filling, then bring up the two ends.  Flip the whole thing over and make sure all the loose ends are underneath.

5.  Cut slits in the top of the pastry for vents, then brush with egg wash, if using.  Bake 30-35 minutes, until well browned and the chicken temps at 165º.  Allow to cool 5 minutes before slicing.

Difficulty rating  π

Dijon Mustard

I'm out of homemade mustards, so it was time for a canning day.  First up was Dijon, since it has to be started 24 hours ahead.  Not a big deal, you just marinate the flavors into the wine and soak the seeds before starting.

I'm using the Ball recipe for Dijon, as it is a gold standard for canning safety.  If you are making mustard for immediate use, I suggest a non-canning recipe.  This is going to be crazy intense the day it's made.  Canning recipes require a decent amount of time on the shelf to mellow.  I figure this will be ready to use in about a month, after Passover.  Stupid no-mustard Passover kitnyot rule.  That's why horseradish is such a big thing for that week.

I made this with two slight deviations from the original recipe that do not affect the safety, and are actually common in other canning recipes I've made.  The first was using dried rosemary instead of fresh, because that's what I had.  The other change was letting the wine mixture sit for about ten minutes after simmering before straining.  I just wanted to infuse it a little extra, and make sure it was cool enough not to crack the room-temperature jar.  Oh yeah, and I used Chardonnay, because that's the white wine that was open from previous recipes.  It was 1/4 C short, so I used vinegar to make up the volume.  You can always add more acid to a water-bath recipe, but not less.

*2 C chopped onion
*2 C Pinot Grigio or other dry white wine
1 C white wine vinegar (at least 5% acidity)
1 tsp kosher or canning salt
*6 cloves garlic, chopped
4 peppercorns
*1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
*1 C yellow mustard seeds
1/3 C dry mustard
up to 2-2/3 C water, if needed

1.  Combine first 7 ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer until onion is softened, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes if a stronger flavor is desired.

2.  Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a non-reactive (glass or stainless) bowl or jar.  Discard solids.  Stir in mustard seeds and powder.  Allow to sit 24-48 hours at room temperature.  More than two days, and it will start to ferment.

3.  After steeping, process mixture in a food processor or blender, adding water until the consistency of cooked oatmeal.  I added about 1 cup, which made my batch slightly over the expected 6 quarter-pint jars.  I refrigerated that portion, since the jar wasn't full enough to process.  Prepare jars and canner for a 3 to 3-1/2 cup yield.

4.  Transfer mixture to a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring often to prevent scorching.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring often, until desired consistency.

5.  Ladle hot mustard into hot jars to 1/4-inch headspace.  De-bubble, wipe rims, and apply lids and rings. Process in boiling bath canner 10 minutes.  Turn off heat, remove lid, and let jars sit 5 minutes before removing.  Mustard likes to siphon, and four of mine did despite following the directions.   Cool, test seals, clean jars, and store.  Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated or frozen.

Makes 3+ cups, depending on consistency

Difficulty rating  :)

Vegetarian Barley Paella

My vegetarian meals this month are turning into vegan awesomeness.  Not intentionally, it just keeps happening.

Paella is traditionally a rice dish.  I happen to have more barley than I thought I did, so that's what I'm using today.  When googling, I found recipes from medical websites recommending this idea for cancer patients.  That's encouraging, because it means it's generally anti-inflammatory, which helps a number of common conditions.  This isn't gluten-free like rice paella, but only about 10% of the population actually has an issue with wheat and/or gluten.  For the rest, GF is about weight loss and glycemic control.

I made an effort to keep this one-pan.  Paella traditionally is, but that's because rice cooks considerably faster than barley.  Some recipes I found have you par-cook the barley in a separate pot.  I would have done that if I wanted to save the barley water, but I don't see needing it right now.

I started with the recipe from Delectable Planet.  As I was copying it for easy reference (the formatting on the website could be better), I found several issues with the method that I hope I fixed.  Also, there was no salt in the recipe.  Maybe because of the capers, which I don't like and skipped.  I don't use a lot of salt, but you do need some.  And I changed a lot of the veggies.

Most months, I don't go through even one can of broth.  I only keep one or two in the pantry.  This month, I'm using a lot.  I have been making vegetable stock so far, theming it with whatever herbs I plan to use, and re-simmering it with chicken bones out of the freezer if I want to chicken-ize it.  You can use chicken stock if you don't care about it being vegetarian.  That would give it more body and a slightly fattier mouthfeel.

1 Tb olive oil
*1 C pearl barley, well-rinsed
1 C diced onion
*1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp each turmeric, cumin, and kosher salt
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste
1 C dry white wine
*2 C unsalted vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 C fresh or frozen peas
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, caps only, quartered
*4 oz artichoke hearts, quartered
1 C cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
*Kalamata olives and chopped herbs for garnish

1.  In a wide, oven-safe skillet or pot with a lid, heat the oil over medium.  My largest skillet isn't oven-safe, and probably doesn't fit in the oven anyway, so I used the soup pot.  Rinse the barley very well.  I rigged up a strainer over a bowl so I could see when the water got clearer.  If you don't do this, the barley will become overly sticky instead of rice-like.  Cook onion, garlic, barley, and seasonings in the oil, stirring frequently, until the onion is wilted.  You want the barley to toast, not burn.

2.  Deglaze pan with the wine and allow the alcohol to cook off, like you were making risotto.  Add the stock all at once, not like risotto, and stir in the peas.  Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 25 minutes over low heat.  Near the end, start preheating the oven to 350º.

3.  Taste the broth and adjust seasonings if necessary, then smooth out the top again.  Arrange mushrooms, artichokes, and tomatoes evenly over the barley, which will still have some liquids visible.  That's fine, and the mushrooms are going to give off a lot more.  Cover and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.  Remove lid and continue to roast until most of the liquid has boiled off.

4.  Allow paella to sit 5 minutes at room temperature, to firm up a bit, before plating and garnishing.  I used cilantro because I had some, but parsley is more traditional.

Difficulty rating  :)

Lemon-Garlic Scallops and Polenta

Apparently I don't have a "seafood" label, so we're calling this Fish.  I don't cook with shellfish often, primarily due to cost.  99 Ranch had a good price on some huge frozen scallops, so I bought a pound.  I had intended to make pasta for them, then got the notion to do polenta instead.  Well, technically cornmeal mush, since that's what I'm using instead of fine polenta.  This isn't quite cheesy grits, but pretty close.

I'm starting with this recipe from Serving Dumplings.  I don't like capers, so they're gone from this version.  I'm adding a bit more lemon juice and some wine instead, and making the dill more important.  I did like the idea of Parmesan polenta, so we're keeping that.

The whole dish comes together fairly quickly.  I made sure to put the vegetables in the oven first, since everything else is done in 10 minutes.  Depending how well you multi-task, you can stir the polenta while monitoring the scallops, then set both aside to make the sauce.  If it has been one of those days, then make the polenta first, plate it, and put it in a 200ºF oven to stay warm while you cook the scallops and sauce.

Polenta

1 C fine polenta or cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 ish C unsalted vegetable or chicken stock
1 C milk
1/4 C grated Parmesan

1.  I'm not a believer in "gently sprinkle the dry polenta over boiling water".  I always get clumps.  Stir together polenta, salt, stock, and milk in a 2 quart saucepan.  Let sit 5 minutes and stir again, to make sure everything is moistened.

2.  Turn on stove to medium.  Stirring frequently, bring to a low boil.  Cook 5 minutes.  If the polenta thickens too much, add more broth or milk to desired consistency.  I was going for just a bit more firm than soup, and hit that magic balance.

3.  Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted.  Set aside off the heat and stir every few minutes until ready to serve.  Turn on stove on lowest heat if necessary.  You can also plate the polenta or put it in a bowl and keep it in a low oven.

Scallops

1 Tb olive oil
2 Tb unsalted butter
1 lb scallops, any size
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C diced onion or shallot
1/2 C dry white wine (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dry dill or 1 Tb fresh, chopped
1/4 C lemon juice
2 Tb cream, optional

1.  Heat olive oil and 1 Tb butter in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat.  When a drop of water dances, add scallops.

2.  I was quite disappointed in how much water the scallops gave off, and how small they ended up.  They steamed more than seared, so I never really got that charred bottom you want.  Cook 5 minutes per side, 3 if they're tiny.  Remove scallops to a plate while you make the sauce.

3.  Keep the heat high to boil off remaining scallop juice, then deglaze with wine, if using.  You can use water or broth otherwise.

4.  Add remaining 1 Tb butter and cook the garlic and onion in it.  Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, and dill.  If you want to thicken the sauce with cream, turn the heat down to low first so you don't curdle it in the acidic mixture.

5.  Add scallops back in to reheat and coat with the sauce.  Serve over or beside polenta.

Difficulty rating  :)

Crockpot Vegetarian Harira

This came up on a list of foods for Ramadan.  I can't imagine smelling this cook all afternoon, waiting for the iftar, because it was really nice to come home from work and realize dinner had been slow-cooking while I was gone.

I did not know until I saw the recipe that lentils could be made in a slow cooker.  Some beans cannot, and other legumes can, but you might not like the texture.  Since I like my harira completely mushy, this was something I had to try.

I did find out that you have to set the cooker on high to get it to work.  It was on low while I was gone for about 9 hours, and needed two more hours on high before the lentils split.  We're calling it six on high for the recipe.

Lamb has been super expensive lately, so I went vegetarian on this day.  Vegan, I guess, since there's no butter in it.  It's just a vegetable-lentil soup with tons of cilantro in it, because that's what really differentiates harira from other similar soups.  At the end I stirred in the cilantro and lemon juice and let it do its thing for half an hour.

If making this on the stovetop, I would sauté the onions and celery in the oil, then add everything.  Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for 2 hours before adding lemon juice and cilantro.  Simmer 5 more minutes and serve.

1 Tb olive oil
*1 C finely diced onion
1 C finely diced carrots (about 2 medium)
*1/2 C finely diced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, no salt is better
3/4 C lentils, sorted and rinsed
2 C vegetable broth, unsalted if possible
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
small pinch saffron, optional
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tb lemon juice
1/2 C cilantro leaves, or to taste

1.  Prep the vegetables.  Peel and finely dice onion and carrots.  Dice celery.  Mince garlic.  Sort and rinse lentils.

2.  Rub olive oil all over inside of crock.  This is mainly to make cleaning it easier, but you do get some flavor and body from it.

3.  Add everything except the lemon juice and cilantro to the pot and stir to combine.  I went easy on the salt, only half a teaspoon, and just a shake of pepper.  It will depend on the seasoning of your broth.  You can actually do all this up to 24 hours in advance.  If pulling from the fridge, run on low for the first half hour, to bring the crock up to temp slowly.

4.  Turn slow cooker on high, cover, and allow to cook 4-6 hours.  Stir in lemon juice and cilantro.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  If desired, add more broth for a thinner soup, then cover and simmer another half hour.  I didn't purée this batch, which I often do.  An immersion blender makes that easy.  Serve hot.

Difficulty rating  π