Foodmomiac

Vegan Curry

  Steamy Vegetable Curry 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

When I was a junior in college, I was a miserable person. I spent the first semester in Paris, which sounds very romantic, but in reality, it was pathetic. Instead of exploring the city, I sat in my depressing ground-level apartment, smoking endless cigarettes and pining for my boyfriend back home (with whom I broke up a day after I returned home).

Second semester, I was back at school, but still in a funk. I moved off campus, tried to teach myself guitar, and spent a lot of time sitting in my tapestry-heavy room, just brooding and listening to the Grateful Dead.

It's probably a good thing that I stayed in that room so much. The house I moved into was disgusting. (Seriously, ask my dad. He still has nightmares about the compost heap we had stewing IN OUR KITCHEN.) At the time, though, I thought it was amazing. I lived with a bunch of vegan hippies, and despite the filth that surrounded us, we managed to make some amazing meals.

My veganism lasted just a couple of months, but I still make this recipe. Back then it was part of our weekly menu. These days, I make it less often, but you've gotta love a recipe that uses up leftover veggies, is loved by kids (Dylan helped herself to a second bowl when I served it Monday night), and is super healthy.

Vegan Curry
Olive oil
1 apple
1 onion
2 Tb. curry powder (at least)
3 small potatoes, diced
3 carrots, diced (you can also just cut some baby carrots in half, if that's all you have)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup frozen peas
1 can chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup raisins
2 Tb. apricot jam (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil. Saute the onions and apples in the oil until the onions are translucent and the apples start to soften up a bit. Add the curry powder and combine well. Quickly add the potatoes and carrots, stirring the entire time. You don't want the curry powder to burn, but you do want to release all of the fragrance. Add the vegetable broth, chickpeas and raisins. At this point, you'll want to taste your concoction. The potatoes will still be firm, but you will get a sense of the seasonings you need to add. If it is too bland, add more curry. I added the apricot jam the other night, because I wanted it to be sweeter. You can also add salt and pepper at this point. Once it is seasoned properly, turn the heat to low and cover. You'll probably need to cook it for another 30 minutes, but this will vary based on the type of potato you used and how small you diced it. The dish is done when the apples have melted into the sauce and the potatoes are no longer raw.

This dish is GREAT over basmati rice, but I didn't plan ahead the other night, so we had it with Garlic Naan from Trader Joe's. (The Naan is NOT vegan - it is made with yogurt.)

Two successful weeknight recipes

  Chicken Curry with Butternut Squash and Chickpeas 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

We've had some good successes lately, so I wanted to share.

First up is the dish you see here to the right. It is a riff off of a recipe posted by the lovely Chris Jordan. I'm not going to post my version here. I'll just tell you what I changed and why. One of the reasons I liked this recipe was because it lends itself to improvisation. OK, so the first obvious change is that I used butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes. This was simply a matter of using what I had. The squash I had, though, was ENORMOUS, so I only used half of it. I also substituted boneless chicken thighs for the breasts. I prefer the moistness and richer flavor of chicken thighs, but your mileage may vary, so do what you want. My dad, for example, refuses to even touch dark meat, so if you're like him, don't do what I did. Other changes included upping the curry powder a touch (I think I used 4 teaspoons) and adding a can of drained chickpeas for the last 30 minutes of cooking. Both of my kids like chickpeas and they go GREAT with curry, so I figured it was a good way to sneak an extra vegetable into this meal. Finally, I already had some leftover rice and didn't to make a whole new pot. BUT, I did want the coconut flavor, so I heated the old rice up in a pot with 1/2 a can of coconut milk. It worked out very well.

Another great recipe was this Lemon Linguine that was posted on Serious Eats. It is actually a Giada recipe. Again, I made some changes. I used thin spaghetti instead of linguine and I left out the basil because I didn't have any (and my kids don't like it). This recipe was so easy that a six-year-old could make it. Actually, one did! Dylan squeezed and zested the lemons and measured out the oil and cheese. This is a terrific meal to make on a hot day (not that it was hot - it's still ridiculously cold here). But, it would be good for summer, because the sauce isn't cooked. The only  item you need to cook is the pasta itself.

Beyond side dishes

Michael is still trying to be vegetarian during the week (though I forced him to eat the city's best turkey sandwich for lunch today). I thought that I wouldn't mind this new diet, but it is driving me up a wall. I am having the hardest time coming up with meal ideas! I know that this is ridiculous, and that there are tons of cookbooks and resources out there, but I'm stumped. Every day, I'm stumped.

I think that it is so easy to rely on meat for weeknight dinners when you work. Just pick the meat, and then add a side dish. Voila. Without the meat, though, it's all side dishes, all the time. (Except when I make tempeh, but how often can I do that??)

Take tonight, for instance. I have fresh corn, fresh sweet peppers, baby arugula. Staples at the house include eggs, tortillas, cheese, heavy cream, pasta, rice (but we had rice last night), beans. I was thinking of making these corn fritters, but then what? They would be awesome with shellfish. Or chicken. Maybe with some black beans?? Caribbean-style beans and rice maybe?

Ideas anyone? What are the best vegetarian food blogs? HELP!

Featured Ingredient: Leftover Corn

I always get so excited when corn is finally in season. Excitement translates to more ears of corn than my family can possibly eat, so it's nice to have some leftover corn recipes in my pocket to avoid being wasteful.

My all-time favorite leftover corn recipe is Ubiquitous Corn Salad. You really can't go wrong with this, and everyone always loves it. In fact, I would have probably made it tonight, but the reason I had leftover corn in the first place was because I made the salad yesterday. It was requested that I bring a bowl of it over to our friend Dave's birthday party. (We had a great time, and loved getting the chance to spend time with our old buddy Howard.)

So, yeah, you can't make corn salad with corn that's leftover from corn salad. But, I made too much corn, and I needed to do something with it. Michael went to a Cubs game tonight, so it was just me and the kids. I wanted something simple, summery and healthy, but I didn't want it to seem so healthy that they'd refuse to eat it.

I am happy to report that this dish was a hit. Proof:

Pasta with Corn, Chickpeas and Cheese

1/2 pound small pasta (I used gemelli, but I think small shells or elbows would be even better)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, sliced thinly
2 ears of leftover cooked corn, scraped off the cob
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons butter
1 scallion (white and light green parts), sliced
salt and pepper
3/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
small handful of fresh basil, julienned (cut into thin slices)

Cook pasta according to the package directions.

In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds (don't let it get too brown). Add the corn and chickpeas and saute for two minutes. Add the butter and scallion and continue to cook for another minute or two. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When the pasta is done cooking, drain it and add to the pan. Stir to combine and then add the Parmigiano. Stir again. Top with the julienned basil. Enjoy!

My Mysterious Pork Recipe

  Pork Tenderloin, Beet Greens, Baby Beets, Carrots and Goat Cheese 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

As some of you might recall, back in April, I attended the IACP conference. One of the highlights of the conference was the Culinary Showcase. It's basically a trade show that is all about food. If you've ever attended a trade show before, you know that they are all about collecting the schwag. Every booth gives something out, and you end up with two to three tote bags filled with STUFF. Well, the cool thing about a food conference is that you end up with tote bags filled with food. Sweet!

One of the giveaways was a tube of pork rub from these guys. The rub is very intriguing. It has lots of cracked black pepper, and is very exotic tasting, with hints of cinnamon. I totally can't place all of the spices, and it is driving me crazy. I also can't find the recipe on their website (but it might be this one. I made a tenderloin with the rub a few weeks ago, and it was amazing. I made it again tonight, and once again we loved it. I have emailed the Pork Board inquiring about the recipe for this rub and promise to provide it as soon as I get it.

Accompanying the pork were some fun side dishes featuring some of the produce that I bought at the market yesterday. I roasted the baby beets and the carrots (the carrots were peeled before roasting, the baby beets were peeled afterwards, by rubbing with a paper towel) with olive oil, salt and pepper. These were topped with crumbles of the Capriole Wabash Cannonball. AMAZING. The beet greens were cooked according to this method, which I've used before, and which is truly one of the best way to cook greens.

I was still a bit hungry after dinner, so I noshed on some more of the cannonball. So tasty.

Grilled Lamb Chop, Greek Salad

  Grilled Lamb Chop, Greek Salad 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac.

Finally, a nice home-cooked meal. It was almost like a dream sequence to be cooking in my kitchen. It has just been so long.

BUT, since Max was home sick, I took him to Costco after his nap (b/c chasing around a sick, rambunctious toddler through my cluttered apartment is just a nightmare) for some supplies. Top of my list was Ketel One Vodka. As we were getting ready to go, I said, "Let's go Max! Mommy needs to get some vodka."

Now, let me say that Max is not a talker. Well, he talks, but honestly, we have no clue what the hell he is saying most of the time. Everything sounds like "hota!" But, now you can add "vodka" to his vocabulary. I guess he liked the sound of it. A we walked through Costco, other shoppers were treated to my toddler yelling, "vah ka!, vah ka!" Good mothering, I tell ya.

Anyway, we bought lamb chops. I always buy lamb at Costco, because it always looks tasty. And, Amy Fanning (who just had her second baby - congrats!) sent me a fabulous lamb marinade a while back that is foolproof. Even when you TOTALLY mess around with the recipe like I did. Here you go (with my alterations in bold):

FANNING LAMB

4 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup dry vermouth
1 tbsp. rosemary (I used dill, b/c I like making it Greek style)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (I used soy sauce, b/c I am allergic to anchovies, one of the main ingredients of Worcestershire)
2/3 cup dijon mustard

1 4-6 lb. leg of lamb (we like the boneless one at Costco, fat removed) (ha! I used chops, but I've also done this with the leg, and it was terrific)

Combine ingredients for marinade and mix well.  Place lamb in the marinade for 24 hours in the fridge, turning every couple hours (except when you are asleep!). (OK, I marinated the chops for 1/2 hour, and they were still incredibly flavorful, so if you don't plan ahead, don't worry.)

Place butterflied leg of lamb on grill over medium heat.  Sprinkle rosemary on coals for extra flavor.  Cook lamb for 20 minutes on each side, brushing with marinade as you go.   (With the chops, I think we cooked for 10 minutes total.) Remove from grill and let rest – cut into thin slices.  Serves 6-8.

Vegetarian Comfort Food - Eggplant Tomato Casserole

  Eggplant Tomato Casserole 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac.

This is another one of my mom's classic recipes that I have reworked a bit to make it my own. My changes, though, are very slight. I can not recall which cookbook this is from originally (Mom, if you know, can you put it in the comments?), but it was a frequent member of our holiday tables growing up. It was always served as a side dish, but a few years ago, it occurred to me that it would be a pretty spectacular vegetarian main dish.

The recipe itself is kind of goofy, in a 70's sort of way. It tastes vaguely Italian (especially if you use oregano), but uses cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella, and butter instead of olive oil. Analysis aside, it is pretty damn tasty, and was a great way to use the eggplant that I received last week from Fresh Picks. It is also a very good make-ahead dish. I prepared it Sunday afternoon, but we didn't eat it until Tuesday night. If you want to do the same, do everything but cook it, and just put it in the fridge covered with foil until you are ready to eat.

Eggplant Tomato Casserole

1 large eggplant
1.5 teaspoons salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons melted butter
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I use panko)
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
2 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
paprika (I use smoked)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Peel and slice the eggplant. Put it in a pan with salt and about an inch of water. Boil, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Drain the water and mash the eggplant well with a potato masher. Mix in the eggs, butter, pepper (to taste), onion, herbs and bread crumbs. Butter a shallow casserole (about 1.5 quarts). Cover the bottom of the casserole with half of the sliced tomatoes. Spoon in the eggplant mixture. Arrange the rest of the tomatoes on top and cover with the cheeses. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Serves 3-4 as a main dish, 5-6 as a side dish.

Pork Chop, Mache Salad, Roasted Red Skins

  Pork Chop, Mache Salad, Roasted Red Skins 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac.

There is a lot of pressure inherent in ordering produce from a CSA, or having produce delivered from a business like Fresh Picks. I have no philosophical problem spending more money than usual on my produce. Because the offerings were (mostly) local and all organic, I am glad to pony up a few extra bucks. But, when you get a box of produce totaling $46 delivered to your kitchen, there is a lot of pressure to actually use it all.

It's also a little awkward that Fresh Picks will only deliver to my neighborhood on Thursdays. We don't cook on Fridays and Saturdays, so the produce just sits there, taunting me. I made myself feel better this morning by making up a menu that used nearly everything that was brought. And dinner tonight was a great start. We had grilled organic pork chops (from Peapod, not from Fresh Picks), roasted red skins (from Igl Farm), and a salad made with mache (from City Farm), French breakfast radish (from JenEhr) and cucumber. The kids and Michael also had some corn (from Nature Blessed).

It was a delicious way to start diving into our box of produce. The potatoes were especially fabulous. I was amazed by how sweet they were. To prepare, I scrubbed them and cut them into wedges. I then tossed them in a ziploc with a few glugs of extra virgin olive oil, some kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder. I put the bag in the fridge for about an hour to let the flavors meld. When I was ready to cook, I put them on a baking sheet and into a 400 degree oven until they were crispy and the skin had blistered. It was probably a good 45 minutes.

Tomorrow night (if I'm home in time from my one-day business trip) is eggplant casserole and brown rice.

Deep Dark Foodmomiac Secrets

It's happened more than once. I notice that I'm getting traffic from a new blog (or getting increased traffic from a blog that already links to me), and I see a sentence that says something like this:

We had macaroni and cheese for dinner. Sorry Foodmomiac!

The kids ate TV Dinners. Foodmomiac would be so disappointed!

In fact, I read something just like this on Self Made Mom's blog last week.

Well, I hate to shatter your illusions, but let's take a good look at what the kids and I ate tonight (Michael is stuck on a tarmac in Nashville):

Max: Trader Joe's meatballs cooked in barbecue sauce and water, Green Giant broccoli and cheese
Dylan: Trader Joe's fake chicken nuggets, barbecue sauce,  and her own pack of Green Giant broccoli and cheese
Danielle: Max's leftover broccoli, cold. One Tarte d'Alsace from Trader Joe's, tall Ketel One Screwdriver

We are all about the gourmet here.

The cooking helps...

Things that my poor dog has gone through since we moved to Chicago:
- urinary tract infection, causing her to pee in her crate
- slab fracture on her molar, resulting in surgery to remove the tooth
- bitten by neighborhood dog on our front steps
- increased separation anxiety causing her to pee in her crate every time we leave, even if just for an hour (we tried leaving her loose in the house and received a note from our downstairs neighbors that she barks and cries nonstop)
- hematoma on her ear, caused by shaking her head and smacking her ear against my leg. Surgery was required, and a drain was placed in her ear for three weeks
- massive infection at the surgical site
- drain is removed this past Monday. a new hematoma appears on Friday. Surgery was required. This time a punch biopsy was performed - a hole cut into her ear instead of a drain.
- yesterday, she began vomiting and having explosive diarrhea at about 4pm. This continued all night.
- poor Friday is now at the emergency vet. her stomach is filled with gas and they are watching her closely. she may have an obstruction. they are not quite sure what's wrong.

I spent two hours at the emergency vet. During that time, I saw two couples leave the facility in tears, having just said goodbye to their pets for the last time. What a horrible experience.

When I finally came home, I started cooking. Mario's Ragu Bolognese, homemade lasagne (made with the ragu), three 1 pound meatloafs (all placed into the freezer), Mark Bittman's pork tenderloin and some delicious mashed potatoes.

I'm feeling a little more calm, but still pretty distraught. I can't believe what the poor girl has been through since we moved, and I am sad thinking of her at the emergency vet all by herself.