Grits and Greens

I woke up one morning craving grits and greens.

I didn't grow up in the South and I didn't eat grits or greens until I was older, so I never had the kind served with milk, cream, ham hocks or bacon.  But somehow it seemed right to add tempeh "bacon" strips which have a smoky flavor some might find reminiscent of bacon.

I might use Italian kale for dishes like this, also called Tuscon, black or dino kale.  Whatever you want to call it, it's generally my go-to green, but for this dish, consider collards. They are more tender and with a milder flavor, they allow the lemon and smoked tempeh to take center stage.  Add a bit of lemon juice and it's a perfect frame for the polenta or "grits."

Tuscon kale

I'm not sure what the exact difference is between polenta and grits, but I'm treating them the same for this recipe. I had Amish butter coarse cornmeal from Ayers Creek Farm in my freezer. This local coarse cornmeal has the best flavor.  And the directions for cooking these grits came from Ayer's Creek Farm.

If you don't have shallots, use red onions.

I'm not the only one who loves seasonal greens around here.  My Cooking Assistant has stolen them on occasion.

Swiss chard would also work in this recipe, if that's what you happen to have.  It takes less time to cook than kale, so it's a good option for a quick meal.

I might also add toasted pecans or pine nuts to top this dish, just to vary the textures.

Grits and Greens

(Serves 4)

2 cups water or vegetarian stock

1 cup coarse cornmeal "grits"

2 cups almond, rice or soy milk

1/2 teaspoon smoked sea salt 

1 to 2 tablespoons oil

6 tempeh bacon strips

1 or 2 shallots, peeled and minced

1 bunch kale or collard greens, stem removed and sliced thinly, then chopped

2 or 3 tablespoons apple juice 

Fresh Meyer lemon juice 

Heat water or stock in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.  When water boils, add coarse cornmeal or "grits"in a thin stream, follow with salt.  Once the grits have been added, stir in the milk and sea salt.  Stir for 2 minutes. Adjust heat so mixture simmers but does not boil.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes.  Uncover and stir for 1 minute.  Repeat this process two more times.  The mixture will be very thick.  Spread in a baking pan (9 by 11- or 13-inch).

While grits cook, heat a heavy skillet over medium heat, add oil and tempeh strips.  Cook on both sides until browned and crisp.  Remove from pan and add shallots.  Stir and cook until shallots begin to brown, then add greens.  Stir and add apple juice.  Cover and braise the greens until they soften, adding more liquid as needed.  Cut and serve grits topped with greens, tempeh and shallots.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Squeeze lemon juice over to taste.

Enjoy your local flavors.

Brussels Sprouts: Two Ways

The time to buy Brussels sprouts is when the weather turns cold.  And lately it's been cold enough to bring in the hummingbird feeder at night. Buy fresh sprouts, if possible. Frozen sprouts are often bitter and serving frozen Brussels sprouts can turn people off of this great vegetable. 

When the sprouts are on trees, they may be fresher than loose sprouts, but it's hard to tell how much you're paying when you buy a tree, which is discarded in the end. 

The price shown above is last year's price. This year, the price is between $5.99 and $6.99 for a "tree."  I have no idea how much a "tree" weighs but the tree is fairly heavy and compact, so the true price of the sprouts is probably about twice what the tree sells for, or about $10.99 a pound, making this a "special occasion food" for the frugal or $100 a week food shopper (is that really possible in the Northwest?).

Shallots are pricier than onions, so these are also for special dinners at our house. Could be, they'd both be perfect for Thanksgiving.

Brussels Sprouts, Leeks and Red Peppers with Lemon

(Serves 4)

1 large leek, sliced and washed thoroughly

1 tablespoon canola oil or ghee (clarified butter)

1 pound Brussels sprouts, washed and cut in half

1/2 cup diced red pepper

3 or 4 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tablespoon Mama Lil's Peppers, chopped, or use 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sea salt to taste

Lemon juice, fresh (use a Meyer lemon, if possible)

Shredded coconut

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add oil and leek.  Stir and cook until leek begins to soften and brown.  

Add Brussels sprouts, stir and cook until sprouts begin to soften.  Add the diced red pepper and Mama Lil's.  Continue to stir and cook until sprouts are fork tender.  Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.  Drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle with a small amount of shredded coconut. 

And keep them out of reach from your Cooking Assistant.

I cooked this Brussels sprouts recipe with shiitake mushrooms last year.  Now that I look at it, the simplicity of it is very similar to my Brussels sprouts and leeks and red peppers. I like the colors of this year's Brussels sprouts recipe.  

Use whichever version suits you.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Shiitake Mushrooms
(Serves 4)

Brussels Sprouts from one tree (about 2 pounds sprouts)
5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 1/2  tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon Mama Lil's peppers, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon chopped red peppers
Smoked sea salt to taste
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, tough stems removed and sliced

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut sprouts in half. Toss sprouts and garlic in oil.  Stir in peppers. Layer sprouts in a baking dish. Sprinkle with smoked sea salt. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring once.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add mushrooms.  Stir and cook until they soften. In the last 10 minutes, add them to roasting Brussels sprouts.

Roasted Romanesco

I love autumn--all the squash, chanterelle mushrooms, and romanesco. I'd decided to roast vegetables and when I spotted the chartreuse brassica, I reached for small head.

I decided to roast vegetables in part to talk about a recently published recipe.  I send articles and recipes on a regular basis to Marlene's Market and Deli in Tacoma, which is the best place to shop for organic and vegetarian foods in Tacoma. They publish a monthly newletter called The Sound Outlook.  Check it out, see Marlene. 

The November issue is all recipes.  I love that.  Two of mine were featured, a vegan mushroom gravy and a roasted vegetable medley.

Occasionally mistakes are made when recipes are reprinted, and everybody has a recipe for roasted vegetables.  Really--what's so hard about roasting them.  Spread a pound or two of chopped vegetables in a roasting pan.  Drizzle with a little oil, sprinkle with sea salt and back at 350F to 400F until done.

So I didn't look at the roasted vegetable recipe for awhile, but when I picked it up to read it, I was astonished to see 8 tablespoons of oil and even more shocked to see 2 teaspoons of sea salt and 2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary.

Yikes!  Mistakes were made, but where?  I can't find the original recipe because neither recipe is one I submitted for the November issue. It took awhile to find the gravy recipe, and maybe I'll post that one next week. 

At any rate, the lesson here is to remember, when reading recipes, mistakes could have been made. Use your own discretion. This is obviously too much oil and salt for any roasted vegetable recipe, and when you increase the amount of vegetables in a recipe, never double the salt or pepper.  I'm also not sure I get the plastic bag technique.  Can't you just stir them in the pan?  Anyway, I continue the hunt for this recipe.

Okay, that said, we can move on to romanesco. I hadn't tried roasting it until I found this amazing roasted romanesco recipe.  Then, I wished I'd gotten more. You don't know how good vegetables can be until you've tasted this.

We've had it in soups, stir frys, salads, but from now on I think I'll roast romanesco.

Looking at romaneco is like viewing a work of art. 

My Cooking Assistant has decided that he likes.  He loves broccoli and cauliflower so romanesco is  a magnet for him.

Shortly after this he weakened and gobbled a few pieces.  I knew I should have gotten a bigger head.

Seriously, it's the addition of toasted garlic that makes the flavor amazing.

Roasted Garlic Romanesco

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, pressed

Dash of hot chile powder or cayenne

Romanesco, cut into bite size pieces.

Smoked sea salt or sea salt

Romano or Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F.   Blend olive oil, garlic and chile powder together.  Lay romanesco in a 9 by 13- inch baking dish. Toss with oil mixture.  Place in oven.  Stir occasionally.  Sprinkle with cheese after 20 minutes.  Return to the oven and continue to bake until tender--about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Holiday Quinoa

I had this recipe all ready to go for a holiday newsletter, but got a message they were doing gift suggestions, so I decided to post it here. 

I found a stack of old recipe and this was among them:

I remember making it one Thanksgiving, hence the title "Holiday Quinoa," but it's a mistake to think it's  just for the holidays.  This is a great recipe.  While we usually have it as a main dish, you can also use it as a side dish and it would be a great addition to any holiday brunch.

Celery is in season in the fall and local versions are much tastier than the kind your find in grocery stores.

Shiitake mushrooms add umami, or a savory tone.

Carrots contribute add sweetness and peppers offer a spicy zing.

You can use any variety of quinoa.  Tri-color is an interesting alternative and if you want quinoa on the cheap, use half millet/half quinoa because millet is less than half the price of quinoa.

Garlic should be an essential in every savory dish this season since it has so many health benefits.  The same goes for walnuts.

I love Northwest grown walnuts and always order a box from my favorite farmers to get through the winter.

Toast walnuts in the oven (350F for 8 minutes) or in a frying pan over medium heat (about 5 minutes).

For us, this dish can be a meal in a bowl. It isn't hard to add to this quinoa pilaf.  Just pick your seasonal vegetables.  I often dice onions and save them in the freezer for an easy meal.  I save red peppers this way, too.  That way I have plenty of cut vegetables ready to go for easy soups.

I leave the shiitake whole for this dish since I buy shiitake at the market and they are smaller than in stores.

My Cooking Assistant can't quite reach the carrots

Holiday Quinoa

(Serves 8)

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed

2 cups shiitake mushrooms, tough stems removed

1 onion, small dice

1 tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 carrot, small dice

3 to 4 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped Mama Lil's Peppers 

2 1/4 cups water or stock

2 to 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/2 cup dried cranberries or tart cherries

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Sea salt to taste

1/2 cup toasted roughly chopped walnuts

1. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Toast quinoa until golden brown.  Remove from heat and skillet.  

2. Place shiitake mushrooms in skillet over medium heat.  Stir and cook until mushrooms soften.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Add onion, celery, carrot and oil to the skillet.  Stir and cook over medium heat until vegetables soften.  Add a little water, if necessary to keep from sticking to the pan.

3. Place garlic, sage, thyme, marjoram, pepper flakes and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

When water boils, add quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until grain absorbs all liquid. Let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

4. Mix quinoa and vegetables, adding orange juice, tart cherries and parsley.  Season to taste with salt.

Adjust seasonings--orange juice, salt, and peppers--until the flavor is perfect.  Garnish with walnuts.

Black Bean, Corn, and Tomato Salad on Full Plate Thursday

I was just thinking about black beans and corn when I found out this recipe was featured on Miz Helen's Country Cottage.

Whether you're thinking about black beans or blueberries, this is a great place to check out every week for great recipe ideas.  Lots of people contribute recipes.  You may even find a new food blog or two to follow.

                   Full Plate Thursday 9-15-11    

Apple Romaine Salad with Lavender Honey Vinaigrette

The end of summer, doesn't have to mean the end of salads.  Crisp tart apples and sweet pears and later winter squash and even cranberries all make excellent additions to fall salads. 

The idea for another salad occurred to me when I spread lavender honey on a warm biscuit one morning and thought: what else can I do with this fantastic honey?  I had found lavender honey at the Hillsdale Farmers Market, just a few weeks ago. If you can't make it to Oregon,  try making your own lavender honey by adding a bit of crushed culinary lavender to wildflower honey.

Lavender season is over anyway, for the most part, but you can always use dried lavender for culinary purposes. Remember to always confirm that you've got culinary lavender because some lavender varieties are too strong for kitchen uses.

We usually have a lot of lavender in the pantry.  I wasn't always so fond of this herb but  this little cookbook teased my interest. It was written by my wonderful friend Kathy Gehrt who passed away last spring.  Every time I inhale the fragrance I think of Kathy, whose infectious love of lavender converted many who had no idea how versatile this herb could be.

Kathy Gehrt at Sky Nursery in 2011

I wasn't sure what else to put in the salad until I spotted Pink Pearl apples at the market on Saturday.  Yes, it's apple season.  I love when the weather turns cool, days are cloudy, and rain is on the schedule more often.

Someone else likes fall too.

Apples and pears make perfect transitional fruit.  My Cooking Assistant can't get enough apples.  He sometimes finds school kid's discards.  Mothers: do more shopping at farmers markets and more fruit will get eaten.

My Cooking Assistant is not afraid to let me know when he's been short-changed in the local food department.

Pink Pearl apples are pink inside.  The name fits. They're a perfect blend of tart and sweet.  

I don't think they are sold in stores, so check your farmers market.  Pink Pearl apples make salads more fun.

My favorite vinegar comes from Rockridge Orchards.  These are the old style of bottles.  The newer bottles have clamp-on lids.  It's all good from Rockridge Orchards.

You don't need much oil, just enough to make the dressing cling to the lettuce leaves.

If you can't find Pink Pearls, use your favorite variety of apples. That is the beauty of salads--you can always make it your way. For an easy whole meal add chunks of marinated tofu, or garbanzo beans.

Apples and Greens with Lavender-Honey Vinaigrette

(Serves 4 to 6)

1 to 1 1/2 cups diced apples

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 cups torn lettuce

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1 cup diced carrots, cauliflower or celery

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon lavender honey (or use plain honey with 1/2 teaspoon crushed lavender buds)

1 clove garlic, pressed

1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1 avocado, seed removed and diced

1/4 cup pistaschos, cashews or chopped pecans

1. Combine apples and lemon juice.  Set aside.  In a medium mixing bowl combine lettuce, onions, and cauliflower.  Gently mix.

2. Whisk together cider vinegar, lavender honey, garlic, and mustard in a small bowl.  Add sea salt and pepper to taste.  Mix avocado into the dressing.  Just before serving mix apples into salad and gently toss the dressing and avocados into the mix.

3. Top with pistaschos before serving.