Thanksgiving And Food Sensitivities

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Ann Lovejoy
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A Typical Thanksgiving, With A Few Twists

I love food holidays, especially when I get to cook. Few things make me happier than looking down a table full of beloved family and friends and serving them lovely, wholesome, delicious food. Since my husband died, my holidays have been pretty quiet, but this year, I’m once again hosting a houseful. However, the meal in question is not dinner or even lunch but brunch for 12.

I had a masterful plan for that, until I realized that not only need I make several vegetarian and vegan options, but one of my sons is not currently supposed to eat anything that includes wheat, soy, sugar or dairy (except for a little goat cheese). OK. So. I had a masterful plan for that as well until I realized that my oven had died. Last night, as my housemate was preparing to bake a beautiful load of bread, the oven made a weird humming pop sort of noise and the bake element burst into flames.  We looked at the flames and at each other and S. said, “Hmm, should I turn the oven off?” I said “Probably” and that was the end of that.

Third Time’s The Charm

Now the really odd thing about all this is that it is the third time that my oven has died at this same time of year. Once, like this, it was during Thanksgiving week, and the year that Bud died, the oven also went just a few days before Christmas. OK. So. I spent this morning talking with a large array of surprisingly kind, compassionate people at a large array of local appliance stores. Eventually, I found a suitable stove at Lowe’s, where they not only figured out how to get me next-day delivery even though the island is not on their usual Tuesday route, but also arranged to take away the old stove and install the new one for free. Now, THAT is service!

OK. So. Tomorrow, according to my most recent masterful plan (which no longer includes takeout), let the revels begin! Keeping in mind that I am also preparing a modest Thanksgiving turkey dinner, here’s what’s cooking:

This sparkling, tart relish relies on super-sweet oranges for flavor balance, but if need be, add a tad of maple syrup to taste. My daughter-in-law makes hers with pomegranate seeds…

Sugarless Orange Cranberry Relish

2 organic Cara Cara Oranges
1-1/3 cups organic cranberries
few grains sea salt

In a food processor, grind together all ingredients and chill for 2-3 days before serving. Makes about 2 cups.

Strata and Sort-A-Strata

This is the main dish for brunch, plumped out with fruit, rye rolls, and some lovely cheeses. For the smaller, restricted-diet sort-a-strata version, I’ll substitute all-rye bread, plain almond milk, and 2 ounces of goat cheese.

Turkey Sausage & Mushroom Strata

6 slices wholegrain bread, cubed
2 cups milk
6 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bulb fennel with greens, chopped
1 pound (or more) Italian turkey sausage
4 cups mushrooms, chopped
4 cups kale, in thin ribbons
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup grated Romano or Asiago cheese

In a large bowl, combine bread, milk, eggs, and half the salt and pepper, set aside. In a large pan, combine oil, onion, garlic, fennel and remaining salt over medium high heat and cook until barely soft (3-5 minutes). Add sausage, chopping it to bite-sized bits, cover pan adn cook for 5 minutes. Layer in mushrooms and kale, cover pan, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, remove from heat and layer in a large casserole. When cool, stir in bread mixture and mozzarella, cover with grated cheese and refrigerate overnight. An hour before baking, remove from fridge and let stand. Bake at 350 until bubbly (about an hour). Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 10-12.

For the vegan version, more inventive strategies are required:

Mushroom Vegan Strata

2 cups whole grain bread, cubed
10-12 ounces silken tofu, mashed
1 cup plain almond milk
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bulb fennel with greens, chopped
6-8 ounces tempeh, chopped
4 cups mushrooms, chopped
4 cups kale, in thin ribbons

In a large bowl, combine bread, tofu, almond milk, and half the salt and pepper, set aside. In a large pan, combine oil, onion, garlic, fennel and remaining salt over medium high heat and cook until barely soft (3-5 minutes). Add tempeh, mushrooms and kale, cover pan, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, remove from heat and layer in a large casserole. When cool, stir in bread mixture and refrigerate overnight. An hour before baking, remove from fridge and let stand. Bake at 350 until bubbly (about an hour). Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 10-12.

About Those Pies

For many of us, pies are an important part of holiday meals. Here are a couple of versions that suit several kinds of dietary restrictions without sacrificing fabulous flavor or resorting to icky fake food substitutes.

Andrew’s Pumpkin Pie

This tastes rich and old fashioned, perhaps much like the early Thanksgiving pies made when sugar was scarce.

1/2 cup dark molasses or maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, coriander and ginger
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups (15-ounce can) cooked pumpkin pulp
1-1/2 cups plain almond or hazelnut milk
1 unbaked nut crust (see below)

In a large bowl, combine all but crust and blend well. Spoon into unbaked nut crust and bake at 425 degrees F. for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and bake until set (40-50 minutes). Let stand for an hour or more before serving.

This light, fresh tasting vegan version is more like pudding than custard. To eliminate the soy in this one, whip chilled coconut cream and fold into mixture instead of tofu.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

1/2 cup dark molasses or maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, coriander and ginger
12 ounces silken tofu
1-1/2 cups cooked pumpkin pulp
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pre-baked nut crust (see below)

In a food processor, combine all but crust and blend well. Spoon into baked nut crust and chill for at least an hour before serving.

Nut Crust

1-1/2 cups almonds or walnuts
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon dark molasses or maple syrup
few grains sea salt

In a food processor, grind nuts coarsely. Add remaining ingredients and process briefly to blend. Pat into a pie dish. For chilled filling, prebake at 350 degrees F until golden (20-25 minutes), cool before filling.

Happy Holiday!

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Classic Crab Cakes

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Ann Lovejoy
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Of Crab Cakes And Cauliflower

Block print by Karen Beason

Lately, my 90 year old mum has been asking for crab cakes. She enjoys them all year long, but to me, crab cakes are a seasonal treat . Though the Alaska King crab season is done, local crabbing will continue through December. Near as we are to Dungeness spit, where the crabbing is famous, we can get lovely fresh crab at our local market, so I was happy to oblige her. (OK, I would have anyway, of course, though frozen crab is not my favorite.)

There are all kinds of recipes out there for crab cakes, some with ingredients lists as long as my arm, other that are practically plain fried crabmeat. My favorite version lies somewhere in between; the crab is the dominant note, accompanied by companionable vegetables. I even developed a vegan version, though I dislike fake anything, so instead of calling it vegan “crab” cakes I just tell it like it is! The resulting Vegan Cauliflower Cakes are so yummy everybody likes them, and they make a pleasing entree for those who eschew seafood.

Seasoning Crab Cakes

* Though many crab cakes are over-seasoned, I think they do need a touch of heat. I use just a little horseradish, which adds warmth and zip without the peppery bite of chilies. However, most prepared horseradish is revolting stuff, gummy and sugary rather than slightly creamy and cleanly pungent. The best brand I’ve found is Bubbie’s, which contains only horseradish, vinegar, salt and a little cane sugar (not high fructose corn syrup, yuck) along with a touch of mustard oil. If you can’t find that or something similar, try a dash of Tabasco instead….

Dungeness Crab Cakes

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons capers, drained
1 teaspoon grated horseradish*
1 pound cooked lump Dungeness crabmeat, flaked
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup fresh wholegrain bread crumbs (grated)
1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 lemon, cut in wedges

Combine 1 teaspoon each of butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. When sizzling, add green onions, celery, salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are barely soft (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in parsley, capers, and flaked crabmeat, sorting out any shell bits first. In a bowl, combine the horseradish, mayonnaise, mustard and eggs. Add half the breadcrumbs and all the crab mixture and blend well. Form into 4 patties, gently coat with remaining bread crumbs and chill, covered, for 30 minutes. When chilled, add remaining oil and butter to the frying pan over medium high heat. When hot, add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add patties. Reduce heat to medium and cook until bottom is crisp and golden (4-5 minutes). Carefully flip, preserving crispy crust, and cook second side. Serve hot, garnished with fresh lemon wedges. Makes 4 cakes; serves at least one.

A Vegetarian Version

These crispy little critters taste wonderfully rich, thanks to a meltingly lovely combination of mayonnaise and soft goat cheese.

Vegetarian Cauliflower Cakes

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons capers, drained
1 teaspoon grated horseradish*
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 ounces soft goat cheese
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup fresh wholegrain bread crumbs (grated)
1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 lemon, cut in wedges

Combine 1 teaspoon each of butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. When sizzling, add green onions, celery, cauliflower, salt and pepper and cook until cauliflower is tender (6-8 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in parsley and capers. In a bowl, cream together the horseradish, mayonnaise, goat cheese, mustard and egg. Add half the breadcrumbs and the cauliflower mixture and blend well. Form into 4 patties, gently coat with remaining bread crumbs, and chill, covered, for 30 minutes. When chilled, add remaining oil and butter to the frying pan over medium high heat. When hot, add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add patties. Reduce heat to medium and cook until bottom is crisp and golden (4-5 minutes). Carefully flip, preserving crispy crust, and cook second side. Serve hot, garnished with fresh lemon wedges. Makes 4 cakes; serves at least one.

And A Vegan Version

This version, too, is decidedly tasty and just as simple to prepare.

Vegan Cauliflower Cakes

1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped peppadew peppers (seeded)
2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons capers, drained
1 cup silken tofu
1 teaspoon grated horseradish*
1 lemon, rind grated, cut in wedges
1 cup fresh wholegrain bread crumbs (grated)
1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. When sizzling, add green onions, celery, peppers, cauliflower, and half the salt and pepper and cook until cauliflower is tender (6-8 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in parsley and capers. In a bowl, mash the tofu with remaining salt and pepper, horseradish, and grated lemon zest. Add half the breadcrumbs and the cauliflower mixture and blend well. Form into 4 patties, gently coat with remaining bread crumbs, and chill, covered, for 30 minutes. When chilled, add remaining oil to the frying pan over medium high heat. When hot, add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add patties. Reduce heat to medium and cook until bottom is crisp and golden (4-5 minutes). Carefully flip, preserving crispy crust, and cook second side. Serve hot, garnished with fresh lemon wedges. Makes 4 cakes; serves at least one.

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Carrot Soup And Night Bright Eyes

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Ann Lovejoy
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The Curious Properties Of Carrots

Lately, I’ve had a strong craving for carrots. I even dreamed about making carrot soup, so this morning as soon as I woke up I started cooking. The sky was streaky with pale pink and gold clouds and the sun was just coming up when my soup was ready. I often eat soup for breakfast, simply because it’s fast, hot, and satisfying. Today’s carrot soup is absolutely scrumptious, comforting that persistent craving with panache. I even gave some to our elderly, cranky old man cat Louie, who sipped cautiously at first, then with surprising enthusiasm, given that it’s a vegan recipe and cats are natural predators.

Maybe I got fixated on carrots while reading The Short Nights Of The Shadow Catcher by Timothy Egan, a biography of Edward Curtis, the Seattle-based photographer who chronicled the swiftly vanishing cultures of many American Indian tribes over some 50 years. Among many fascinating observances, I learned that Curtis ate a pound of carrots every day to preserve his eyesight. That’s about 4 large carrots, far more than most of us are willing to chow down daily.

Better Cooked Than Raw

However, what Curtis did not know was that cooked carrots release far more of their beta-carotene than raw ones. Along with plenty of vitamin C and minerals, carrots offer us beta-carotene and numerous other vitamin A precursors, substances that allow our gut to produce that useful nutrient. The idea that carrots assist eyesight is ancient, and has a grain of truth, especially considering the typical extremely limited winter diet most people experienced (in the Western world, anyway), which would indeed be improved by adding any fresh root vegetables.

Many studies have established that vitamin A is indeed important for eye health, and that carrot consumption can in fact be helpful for people who have poor night vision. Aha! Maybe THAT’S why I’m craving carrots, since I find driving at night increasingly challenging. Or perhaps it’s because my skin is already turning winter pale, and if I eat enough carrots, I’ll gain that golden glow produced by high blood levels of beta-carotene and so beloved of European nannies.

Savory Carrot Soup

While I love curried carrot soup (see below), I also appreciate a more European approach, flavoring carrot soups with rosemary, thyme, garlic and shallots and garnishing with toasted nuts, chopped apples, or parsley and chives. Feel free to swap these herb choices for others of your own preference; dill and sour cream give carrot soup a Scandinavian twist, while carrot soup with lemon juice, oregano and goat cheese evokes Greek cookery. I like this soup smoothly pureed, but hearty eaters may prefer chunkier soup, perhaps pureeing only half the ingredients and leaving the rest in bits (very easily done with an immersion blender).

Herbed Carrot Soup

2 teaspoons fruity olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 shallots, chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, stemmed
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
4 stalks celery, chopped
8 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup unfiltered, unsweetened apple cider
4 cups vegetable broth (*)
1/4 cup fresh apple, diced
2 tablespoons toasted, chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons chopped chives

In a soup pot, heat oil with onion over medium high heat and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add garlic, shallots, salt, pepper, and herbs and cook until vegetables are barely soft (6-8 minutes). Add celery, carrots and apple cider and water to barely cover vegetables, cover pan, reduce heat to low and simmer until very tender (45-60 minutes). Add broth (see below) and puree soup to desired consistency, or just enjoy as is. Serve hot, garnished with diced apple, walnuts, and chives. Serves 4-6.

Vegetable Broth

I made mine using all the scraps from soup prep: onion, garlic and shallot peels and root ends, celery ends and root, carrot ends and peels, herb stems, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Add 5 cups water, bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low, cover pan and let it simmer while your soup cooks. Then, strain it through a colander and add it to your soup for free and delicious broth with a lovely golden color, thanks to the onion skins. Makes 4-5 cups and freezes well.

A Gingery Carrot Soup

Ginger and Indian spices are natural flavor enhancers for carrots, which are an important part of Indian cuisine. Black and dark purple carrots, closest in color to wild ones, are prized in India, where they are bred to have the sweeter flavor and straighter, less forked roots of modern carrot hybrids. If you can only find orange ones, they work just fine in this spicy soup, as do carrots of any color.

Curried Carrot And Cauliflower Soup

1 tablespoon safflower oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inches ginger root, peeled and chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons garam masala or curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium head cauliflower, cut in florets
1 can organic coconut milk
4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup unsweetened, toasted coconut curls
1/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts

In a soup pot, heat oil with onion over medium high heat and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, salt, seeds and spices and cook until vegetables are barely soft (6-8 minutes). Add celery, carrots, cauliflower and coconut milk, cover pan, reduce heat to low and simmer until very tender (45-60 minutes). Add broth and heat through. Serve hot, garnished with coconut curls and peanuts. Serves 4-6.

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Hearty Vegetarian Stews

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Ann Lovejoy
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A Step Above Soup

When autumn arrives with its chilly breezes and cold, crisp nights, it’s time to make stew. Indeed, after the weekend’s intense weekend wind storm blew down a bundle of branches, I thought about making a Moomintroll-style fir needle stew for a traditional Finnish pre-hybernation dish. In most human traditions, stews are largely meat based, though versions based on fish or fowl abound. FInding recipes for vegetarian stews is more challenging, since there is a fine line between making soup and making stew.

For most people, the word ‘stew’ creates an expectation that there will be a protein-dense main ingredient. Some vegetarian cooks get around this difficulty by using vegetarian versions of sausage or faux-chicken. Others replace meat with chunks of tofu, tempeh, or seitan. Though I rarely use processed foods, I must admit that a line of vegan “sausage” called Field Roasts is pretty tasty and is hearty enough to turn soups into stews.

Stews Are Chunkier

I find that even omnivores enjoy vegan stews without even noticing their meatlessness as long as the vegetables are in big enough pieces. Cutting potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. into larger-than-usual hunks makes the dish look more like an entree and less like a soup to Western eyes. Curried Chickpea Cauliflower Stew, for example, is rich with coconut milk, lush with caramelized onions, and crunchy with pumpkin seeds, but only because of the fairly large chunks of cauliflower does it make the cut to rate as stew.

This version is truly delicious, but the spice prep does take a while. Personally, I enjoy the scents and colors and textures of homemade curry blends. However, if you are in a hurry or simply don’t want to bother with toasting and grinding spices, you can make a highly acceptable version by dumping in some canned (jarred?) Tikka Masala sauce or Madras Curry sauce instead. If you want to serve this over brown basmati rice, start the rice cooker before starting the stew and they’ll finish up at about the same time.

Curried Chickpea Cauliflower Stew

1 tablespoon safflower oil
2 large yellow onions, halved and thickly sliced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar (any kind)
2-3 teaspoons curry spice blend (optional, see below)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 inches fresh ginger, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups red, yellow and orange peppadew peppers, chopped
1 medium head cauliflower, cut in large florets
1/2 cup apple cider (preferably organic and non-filtered)
1 can coconut milk (preferably organic)
12-14 ounces Tikka Masala sauce (optional, if not using spices)
3-4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

In a large pan, combine oil, onions, salt and sugar over medium low heat and cook slowly until very soft (20-30 minutes). Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring often, until golden brown (8-10 minutes). Add spice blend if using (see below) garlic, ginger, celery, peppers, cauliflower and cider, cover pan and cook until vegetables are barely tender (10-12 minutes). Add coconut milk and Tikka Masala sauce (if using), adding broth as needed to cover vegetables. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with pumpkin seeds. Serves 6. Even better the next day!

Spice Blend

If you like Indian food, you’ll have a splendid time making this aromatic stuff. If not, buy garam masala mixture, or find a commercial curry blend you like. Good grocery stores often have various spice blends available in their bulk food department, so you can try a tablespoon at a time to see which types you prefer.

Homemade Curry Powder

1 teaspoon green cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon brown mustard seed
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

In a dry frying pan, toast the seeds to the fragrance point (about 1-2 minutes) over medium high heat, shaking pan often to prevent burning. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook, stirring often, for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and grind together (I use a dedicated coffee grinder for spices, but you can use a blender if need be). Makes about 2 tablespoons. Store in a tightly sealed glass container out of direct light for up to a month or freeze indefinitely.

Celebrate Mushrooms In Autumn

The woods are full of mushrooms this year, and many of them roast up nicely (notably chanterelles), so use any kind you like in this manly dish. Portobello mushrooms are more generally available, and roasting makes these big guys dense, chewy and extremely tasty. Cut them in thick strips, give them a light coating of oil, then roast to fullest flavor, adding them to the stew just long enough to heat through, so the pleasing texture is not lost.

Portobello Stew

4 Portobello mushrooms, stems minced, caps thickly sliced
2 red bell peppers, quartered
2 large yellow onions, 1 quartered, 1 chopped
6 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 stalks celery, chopped
4 Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 quart vegetable broth
1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon chives, chopped

Preheat oven to bake 450 degrees F. In a rimmed baking sheet, gently toss mushroom slices, quartered onion, garlic and red peppers with  1-2 teaspoons oil and bake at 450 until lightly caramelized (15-20 minutes). Let cool and slip skins from peppers, set aside. In a soup pot, heat remaining oil with chopped onion, sprinkle with salt and cook over medium high heat until barely soft (6-8 minutes). Add celery and potatoes, cover pan and cook over medium heat until potatoes are sweated (8-10 minutes). Meanwhile, chop roasted peppers, onion, and garlic and add them to the potatoes, along with the smoked paprika. Cover pan and cook for 1 minute, then add broth, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender (about 8 minutes). Add mushroom strips, heat through and serve, garnished with sour cream or yogurt and chives. Serves 4.

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