Green Curry / Green Curry Paste

Though some may consider it "quaint", I still use the library, especially for cookbooks.  I had waited quite a while for Terry Romero's Vegan Eats World.  When I went to pick it up, the librarian said, "This book looks really good."  I replied it would probably be good, but I would still probably be disappointed as in my experience subsequent cookbooks are rarely as good as the author's first. Wrong. This is one of the few cookbooks I have borrowed from the library that I actually purchased.


The first recipe I tried, still trying to re-create Phat Thai's green curry, was "It's Easy Being Green Curry".  It has a lot of ingredients but the author notes, "The curry paste can be made days ahead, even frozen, making this a relatively fast weeknight meal."* This recipe, like Chicken Curry (Devaka), is a made-from-scratch, not "curry-powder-curry".   In the recipe below,  loosely adapted from Romero's, I took some short cuts. I used prepared ground coriander and cumin seeds, rather than toasting and grinding the seeds myself. I used powdered galangal root, rather than the 1/2-inch-wide piece called for (though optional) and prepared lemon grass. I did not have Thai or Serrano chili so I used a jalapeno and 2 scallions instead of shallots.  Finally, since I had returned the book to the library and my copy has not yet arrived, I did not have Romero's recipe for Savory Baked Tofu, so not being a strict vegan substituted chicken. Because I used chicken breast instead of dark meat as used in Deveka's Curry, I overcooked the chicken, but the sauce itself was excellent. I've since made this with dark meat with excellent results. Looking forward to trying with tofu.**

THE PASTE

Combine in a food processor:

2 t ground coriander
1/2 t ground cumin
1 t ground pepper
1 c lightly packed cilantro sprigs with stems
Green chili to taste, coarsely chopped
2 large shallots, peeled and chopped in half
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped in half

4 t prepared lemon grass (dried) or 1 stalk fresh, outer leaves removed and chopped

1/2 t galangal root (ground/powder)
1-inch peeled ginger, coarsely chopped
1/2 t sea salt

Pulse into a smooth thick paste, using spatula to frequently scrape the sides of the bowl.

THE SAUCE

In a 2 quart pot or wok, over medium heat, melt

2 t coconut or vegetable oil

Add the curry paste and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add and stir-fry for 2 minutes:

1/2 recipe Savory Baked Tofu or 8 oz purchased baked or fried tofu sliced into 1/4 inch strips (photo with 8 oz chicken breast - if using chicken, use skinless boneless second joints)
 .

Stir in:

1 14-oz can coconut milk (I use light)
1 1/2 c mild vegetable broth or water (I omitted first time but have since added 3/4 c chicken/vegetable stock)
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 T lime juice
2 t brown sugar
1 T Thai thin soy sauce


Increase heat to medium-high, simmer for 5 minutes then reduce heat to medium low.

Add:

1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced into 1/2-strip slices (omitted in photo at left)

2 small slender zucchini ***  (I used 2 medium-small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced)

1/2 c lightly packed Thai basil leaves - yum, from my garden!

Simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender but still have a bit of firmness to them.  Serve with rice.

*   Page 146

** December 2013 made with Savory Baked Tofu:

*** Romero also suggests as alternative to zucchini, 6 Thai apple eggplants, stems removed and sliced into quarters.  If using Thai eggplant, add to the curry just two minutes before curry is done (or sooner - see below).

January 2015:  Found some Thai eggplant at the new Market Basket near us.  Either I sliced the eggplant too thick (photo left) or the eggplant was tougher and/or bigger than the kind Ms. Romero uses.  I added it late as directed but found I needed to cook it  almost long as zucchini of copmparable thickness.

Reviewed 7/11/2017

De-Plating

A few night ago after Ed and I had just finished some of the strawberries I had picked, Ed looked over at my plate and said, "What a mess!"   Proffering his own plate, he continued that for someone who was so focused on presenting food, I didn't care much about, "de-plating".

On his plate, the strawberry stems, cut carefully from the berry with his small buck knife, with a small cone of white strawberry flesh still attached, were arranged clock fashion. (Not only did he consider this much more attractive but in his nerdy way easier to keep track of the number of strawberries he had consumed.)

On my plate, the strawberry stems, pulled from the berry were randomly strewn.

Thinking of the chefs who buy a whole local pig and then in attempt to utilize everything but the squeal offer "pork three ways", why not strawberries ringed with tiny stems and reduced balsamic?





Reviewed 9/21/2017

Vegan Pie Crust

Inspired by the delicious vegan deserts (Strawberry cheesecake, almond crust, white chocolate, balsamic reduction; Passion fruit tart, shortbread crust, cascabel coconut caramel; ‘Death-by-chocolate’ cake, whipped coconut cream, crunchy shattered caramel) we had last month at True Bistro, I decided to try a vegan (crust) Strawberry Rhubarb Pie for Ed's Birthday Dinner.  My goal was not to make this a totally vegan dinner, in fact we had a custard like king salmon filet for the entree, but to end with a special dessert that was not butter laden.  Having had some success with some of Isa Moskowitz and Terry Romero's recipes, I went to their Vegan Pie in the Sky where I found a "Pie Crust" section containing 11 recipes. "Olive Oil Double Crust" sounded the most interesting to me, and I was convinced when I read their introduction to this recipe, "THIS HAS BECOME OUR GO TO CRUST.... The secret is to place the olive oil in the freezer beforehand, so that it becomes partially solid. This helps the fat blend into the dough in little pockets, creating the flakiness you crave."*

(Note about photo: At the last minute, for some reason I cannot explain (bad idea not to follow recipe!), I decided to sprinkle a bit of sugar on the crust, then decided it was a bad idea and tried to brush most of it off.  Residual sugar accounts for dark spots.)

I know the bit about fat blending into the dough in little pockets to be true with a butter crust, if warm butter is used, the crust is not as flaky as a crust made (in all other ways) with cold butter. I followed the recipe's instructions and put 2/3 cup olive oil into the freezer about an hour before I intended to begin the recipe.  Even though I had put the olive oil in the recommended-type container, "a thin light [plastic] container like the kind used for takeout food"*, I found getting the olive oil to the right consistency took closer to an hour and a half.


When olive oil is the right consistency, congealed and almost as hard as cold butter, begin to make the crust.  In a large mixing bowl combine:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour [I used Whole Foods 365 Organic All Purpose Flour]
3/4 t salt [I used 1/2 t]

Working quickly add:

2/3 c solidified olive oil (see above)

tablespoon by tablespoon, cutting the olive oil into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the flour appears pebbly.

In a cup mix together:

4 T ice water
1 T apple cider vinegar [I used plain vinegar]

Drizzle 2 T of this liquid over the dough and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add more water a tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together to form a soft ball. Take care not to over knead the dough.  Although the Moskowitz/Romero recipe calls for 4-8 T water, I used only 4 T.  While I could form a ball, the dough was still a bit on the dry side and very difficult to work with (hence no work-in-progress photos).  On the up-side, the crust was very flaky.

For my Strawberry Rhubarb Pie I divided the dough, but not quite equally. I was a bit more generous with the bottom crust as I planned on making a lattice top.  Since the dough was a bit on the dry, crumbly side the edges of the crust were not as pretty as they might have been if just a bit more water had been added.

Verdict. Chris, my most reliable critic, said he likes butter crusts better but this was good.  I'm inclined to agree, but if for some reason you want a butter alternative, this is an excellent option.

* Page 41

Reviewed 6/17/2017

Vegan "Parmesean"

Chris introduced me to Veganomicon over a year ago and when I wanted a topping for Vegan Fettucine Alfredo I remembered a recipe from this book that had caught my eye: Almesan. The authors, Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero write, "'This is our vegan version of Parmesean made with almonds, sesame seeds, and a little lemon zest.  It's great for when your pasta needs a sprinkle of a little somethin'...."  I make a double recipe and initially omit the lemon zest. Easy enough to add a little lemon zest when serving, and the topping keeps longer when zest has not been added.

Combine in a food processor and pulse until everything turns to tiny crumbs:

1/4 c slivered or sliced almonds [I used whole almonds]
1 T toasted sesame seeds
1/8 t salt
1/4 t lemon zest [see note above]

This is great sprinkled on pasta tossed with Vegan Cream Sauce.











Reviewed 6/20/2017

Vegan Cream Sauce

Following up on our vegan dinner at True Bistro and the subsequent promise in my last post, I have been working on a basic sauce that will replace (or mostly replace) the decadent Fettuccini Alfredo which I like so much. Based on several sources, the key seems to be nuts and water combined in a food processor and blended until smooth:

1 1/4 c cashews
1 1/2 t lemon juice
3/4 c water

Initially focused on a vegan (no cholesterol) version of  Fettuccine Alfredo, I added just a pinch of nutmeg and freshly ground pepper to taste. However, this sauce lends itself to so many variations;  add a clove or two of garlic and/or fresh herbs to the blender bowl, mix fresh, coarsely chopped herbs into the sauce, the possibilities are limitless.... I intend to try a lot of variations in the months ahead as this sauce becomes a staple in my dinner repertoire.

For two servings, I tossed about half of this sauce with 6 ounces of Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta and topped with Vegan "Parmesean" and fresh chives from my garden (photo at left). The remaining sauce kept well in the fridge until Ed and I had a similar meal several nights later.

January 2014:  Tossed some Cream Sauce with Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta and topped with a mixture of the zest of one lemon, several fresh sage leaves, slivered and a couple of tablespoons of cashew,s coarsely chopped. Excellent.


January 2015:  Used this to make Spaghetti-Spinach-Cashew Cream Bake with excellent results.


June 2017:  Guess I've been lucky, but I was told by a chef friend this winter that this mixture will expand when left in the refrigerator and warned that I should be sure to put it in a container that allows for this expansion!

Reviewed 6/20/2017

Fennel-Citrus Salad with Meyer Lemon Dressing

A few weeks ago Ed, Chris and I went to True Bistro in Somerville, MA for dinner. Although we went on a Tuesday night, we had a half hour wait (there are only 31 seats and the configuration makes a party larger than two logistically harder to accommodate).  The wait was well worth it. The evening really started when Ed, who knows I ration the butter, eggs and cream, asked what he should order. Since the restaurant is vegan, I could reply, "Anything you would like!"  The three of us each ordered a different salad, large plate, and dessert* and all were deemed good to excellent. I am looking forward to return visits. Meanwhile I am going to start cooking from Veganomicon, which has been sitting on my desk for weeks, and from Vegan Pie. While the vegan "cheeses" and sauces, olive oil crust and "whipped cream" will take some time to perfect, Chris's fennel salad was an easy inspiration.

This salad begs for a mandolin as thinner fennel would definitely be a plus, but the real star is the Meyer Lemon Dressing which would be great on other salads as well.  While the lemon zest could be used in the dressing, I chose to use it as a garnish with the nuts.

DRESSING

Combine and whisk until very smooth:

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
Zest from 1 meyer lemon (Reserve as garnish or use in dressing)
1/4 c meyer lemon juice
1 t Dijon style mustard (optional)

VEGGIES

Slice very thin:

1 medium bulb fennel
1/2 medium orange, peeled

Chop finely

1 T parsley  (or substitute fresh fennel weed)
2 T toasted hazelnuts (I am fresh out so used tamari almonds)

Toss fennel, oranges and parsley with dressing; depending on taste and actual amount of fennel used, this will probably be more dressing than needed. Reserve any remaining dressing for future use. Divide salad between two plates.  Top with nuts and zest.

*   Shaved fennel, citrus, Italian parsley, Meyer lemon vinaigrette, toasted hazelnut
    Wilted spinach, smoked tofu, pecans, cranberries, red onion, balsamic vinegar
    Crispy artichoke, harissa, baby spinach, Israeli couscous, preserved lemon, dukkah


    Red curry with tofu, baby bok choy, eggplant, king oyster, grilled rice cake
    Phyllo triangles, caramelized onions, swiss chard, seasoned tofu, sorrel cream
    House made fettuccine, asparagus, roasted tomato and mushroom, smoked tofu


    Strawberry cheesecake, almond crust, white chocolate, balsamic reduction
    Passion fruit tart, shortbread crust, cascabel coconut caramel
    ‘Death-by-chocolate’ cake, whipped coconut cream, crunchy shattered caramel

Reviewed 6/18/2017

Lamb Shank with Wine Jus, Gremolata and White Bean Puree

When Ed and I are in Denver, usually a couple of times a year, we tend to eat at 240 Union .  While we generally have a good meal at a reasonable price, occasionally something is really good. Several years ago it was a mushroom salad which I tried to capture in Mushroom - Arugula Salad. Unfortunately this item has been missing from the menu on all subsequently visits.  Most recently, Ed and I both found  "Colorado Lamb Shank –wood oven braised, Chianti jus, gremolata" to be particularly good, good enough for me to try to recreate this dish at home.  What the menu description does not mention is that the lamb shank is served with pureed white beans and sauteed beet greens, vegetables which well compliment the meat and make for a delicious meal. When I made this recently, however, I did not have a source of beet greens and while I could have done spinach I decided on a green salad.  Anticipating this as a guest meal and wanting to focus on guests rather than my stove, I determined that this meal can be made ahead almost to finish (see next to last photo), leaving time for a shower, a change of clothes and a glass of wine with guests before a quick exit to the kitchen to do the final assembly. Gremolata can be made way ahead. Wine can be reduced  to 1/4, then later warmed, removed from heat and  butter added at the last minute. Bean puree can also be made ahead and microwaved to warm before serving, and lamb shanks can be kept simmering until ready to serve.  

Serves 2, scale accordingly.

On a gas grill sear until browned on all sides

2 lamb shanks

(A gas grill is a quick and clean way to brown the shanks, but this is not worth building a charcoal fire. Searing can also be done on a stove top or in the oven; see Lamb Shanks with Fig Sauce)

In a large pot saute:

1 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

When garlic is soft, add browned lamb to the pot, then

1/2 c red wine

When wine has slightly evaporated add

Water to almost cover lamb
IF serving with white bean puree, add  2-3 whole unpeeled garlic cloves to pot.

Cover and turn the heat to low.  Cook for at least an hour and thirty minutes, turning the shanks every half hour and  adding more water if liquids run low, until the meat is very tender - nearly falling off the bone.  Avoiding or spooning away the accumulated fat, remove lamb from liquid and place on a platter to drain/dry off any excess cooking liquid.

WHILE LAMB IS COOKING MAKE GREMOLATA, WHITE BEAN PUREE, WINE JUS

GREMOLATA

Combine:

1/4 c finely chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 t lemon zest, finely chopped
1 sprig of mint, finely chopped (optional)

WHITE BEAN PUREE

In a medium sauce pan heat:

1 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, cooked in lamb broth, removed from skin

Add the following and simmer until liquid is reduced by approximately half, about 5 minutes:

1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained but not dry
3/8 c chicken stock
1 T lemon juice

Put bean mixture in a food processor or, my choice, use an immersion blender, and blend until smooth. Add more chicken stock if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency. If this puree is made well before lamb is ready to be served, it should be warmed in the microwave before serving.

WINE SAUCE

Boil in small saucepan, until reduced to 1/4 c, about 10 - 15 minutes

1 c red wine

Remove from heat and add

1 T cold cut-up butter
Swirl pan until butter is melted and sauce is thickened

WHILE LAMB IS DRAINING ON PLATTER SAUTE THE BEET GREENS

ASSEMBLE DISH

Divide the warm bean mixture, the sauteed greens and the lamb shanks between 2 plates or large pasta/soup bowls.  Pour the wine sauce over each of the two lamb shanks. Put a generous tablespoon of gremolata on top of each lamb shank.  Serve immediately.


Reviewed 5/29/2017