Jessica says this is a triumph. When I bit into a king mushroom, I felt that I would never have to crave the savory texture and flavour of meat again.
Marinade:
Around a rounded tablespoon of grated fresh ginger
4 cloves of minced garlic
1/4 cup of cold-pressed sesame oil
3 tablespoons of organic soy sauce
3 tablespoons of rice vinegar
Chopped cilantro (about 1/4 cup)
Mix above in an oven proof pan. Add sliced tofu, king mushrooms, oyster mushrooms. Layer slices of fresh pineapple on top, pour more marinade on top (can just mix up more sesame oil/soy sauce/rice vinegar if need be). Leave to marinate for a half hour and then put into oven for around 30 minutes.
Add chopped bok choi and stir in for another 10 minutes.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Pincage (there's a cedilla accent under the "c")
Okay. I discovered the magic of pincage through my favourite food writer in the world, Francis Lam of Salon.com in this article.
If you only had one condiment in your fridge and you were a vegan and wanted something to make your beans, greens and rice go boing! this is it. Francis gives the classic recipe in the article sited above. The first one or two times I made pincage, I tried to follow all the instructions but couldn't bring myself to a) use that much olive oil and b) stand at the stove that long. Yet. Having confessed fully to my tendency towards impatience despite years of practicing meditation, I will say that when you take the time to chop all those onions, carrots, celery stalks and whatever other vegetables you might want to add, you begin to *get* the Slow Food Movement. You begin to feel that you have JOINED THE RANKS of those who pay ritual thanks to the earth and to the things it grows which feed you through FINE gourmet cooking. You begin to pay your respects to the gift of life by cooking these vegetables in a way that will bring out the best of their flavours and that will bring out the best in the food it is eventually combined with. Pincage gives depth, richness and... the utterly mouthwatering savoury umami effect (see here what umami is). It adds an extra dimension to your food.
So, having said all that, I very rarely follow all the instructions. Perhaps my most radical departure is that I just DUMP EVERYTHING INTO A HOTPOT, TURN ON HIGH AND LEAVE IT FOR HOURS. There. No standing at the stove. I pay my respects while chopping the vegetables which gives me plenty of time to continue TINKERING with the basic onion/carrot/celery combo. I often add lots that Francis doesn't mention.
Today's pincage involves:
Once pincage is done, you can add it to things like:
If you only had one condiment in your fridge and you were a vegan and wanted something to make your beans, greens and rice go boing! this is it. Francis gives the classic recipe in the article sited above. The first one or two times I made pincage, I tried to follow all the instructions but couldn't bring myself to a) use that much olive oil and b) stand at the stove that long. Yet. Having confessed fully to my tendency towards impatience despite years of practicing meditation, I will say that when you take the time to chop all those onions, carrots, celery stalks and whatever other vegetables you might want to add, you begin to *get* the Slow Food Movement. You begin to feel that you have JOINED THE RANKS of those who pay ritual thanks to the earth and to the things it grows which feed you through FINE gourmet cooking. You begin to pay your respects to the gift of life by cooking these vegetables in a way that will bring out the best of their flavours and that will bring out the best in the food it is eventually combined with. Pincage gives depth, richness and... the utterly mouthwatering savoury umami effect (see here what umami is). It adds an extra dimension to your food.
So, having said all that, I very rarely follow all the instructions. Perhaps my most radical departure is that I just DUMP EVERYTHING INTO A HOTPOT, TURN ON HIGH AND LEAVE IT FOR HOURS. There. No standing at the stove. I pay my respects while chopping the vegetables which gives me plenty of time to continue TINKERING with the basic onion/carrot/celery combo. I often add lots that Francis doesn't mention.
Today's pincage involves:
- half a celery root
- one onion
- 5 carrots
- 4 stalks of celery
- 1 parsley root
- 4 cloves of garlic
Once pincage is done, you can add it to things like:
- cooked beans (I like them with beans like romano and white kidney that are often used in French or Italian cuisine... a bean that has sufficient mealy volume to soak up the glorious umami savoury goodness of the pincage... i.e. not so much adzuki bean but perhaps green lentil)
- plain rice with fresh parsley
- cooked soba noodles
- on top of cooked polenta
- spread on a baguette
- as a dip for natchoes!
- to squash based or carrot based soups that need some zing!
- (I haven't tried this yet but...) how about mixing in with some miso, add cooked red kidney beans plus perhaps some cooked couscous for instant minestrone???
- on top of couscous (of course)
- with quinoa (why not while we're at it?)
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010: Adzuki Bean with Tarragon-Dill Tempeh Slices
Soak adzuki beans over night.
Bring to a boil in water with sea salt and reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Add diced sweet potato/turnip/carrots... sweet root vegetables and cook until everything is tender (total cooking time around 40 minutes)
Also night before, marinate tempeh in:
Bring to a boil in water with sea salt and reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Add diced sweet potato/turnip/carrots... sweet root vegetables and cook until everything is tender (total cooking time around 40 minutes)
Also night before, marinate tempeh in:
- Minced fresh tarragon
- Minced fresh dill
- Lemon juice
- Soy sauce
- Olive oil
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010: Maple-Dijion Mustard Sauce
Originally found in "Vegan with A Vengence" (a fine cookbook for beginner vegans, you can get a taste of this cookbook's approach at the website Post-Punk Kitchen www.theppk.com)...
Add together:
For Green Beans, Onions/Shallots and Potatoes: in an oven-proof dish with a cover, place potatoes and onions, toss with the sauce and roast until done (maybe around 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees F)... at the last minute, add green beans which cook in less than five minutes
For Baked Tofu Slices: Marinate your tofu in the maple-mustard sauce over night and then bake everything for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. You could also add vegetables like brocoli and carrots in there but then it will take longer and you should cover to ensure faster baking (also, add the brocoli when the carrots are just about done otherwise your greens will go khaki brown)...
I imagine this sauce would be good for baking a kebab... like extra firm tofu cubes, mushroom caps, sweet onion, cherry tomato, red/green pepper... assemble everything on skewers, marinate in sauce and then stick it in the oven
Add together:
- 2 tbs prepared dijon mustard
- equal amount of maple syrup or to taste
- 1 clove minced garlic (to taste... I use less because I find really garlicky things leave an aftertaste in my mouth which then makes me hungry even when full)
- around 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil... I usually just add enough to make it the right consistency to coat whatever I'm applying this sauce to
- around 1 tbs soy sauce
For Green Beans, Onions/Shallots and Potatoes: in an oven-proof dish with a cover, place potatoes and onions, toss with the sauce and roast until done (maybe around 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees F)... at the last minute, add green beans which cook in less than five minutes
For Baked Tofu Slices: Marinate your tofu in the maple-mustard sauce over night and then bake everything for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. You could also add vegetables like brocoli and carrots in there but then it will take longer and you should cover to ensure faster baking (also, add the brocoli when the carrots are just about done otherwise your greens will go khaki brown)...
I imagine this sauce would be good for baking a kebab... like extra firm tofu cubes, mushroom caps, sweet onion, cherry tomato, red/green pepper... assemble everything on skewers, marinate in sauce and then stick it in the oven
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010: Ginger Juice
It's refreshing! helps digestion! AND reduces excessive inflamation (allergies, asthma, muscle injury, zits, sore throat... basically when your tissues start to get puffy due to perceived and actual attack and your cells need assistance in metabolizing excess toxins and fluids, get out the GINGER JUICE!)
Also this really really tastes yummy and much better than any soda pop I've tasted.
For up to four cups of ginger juice:
Also this really really tastes yummy and much better than any soda pop I've tasted.
For up to four cups of ginger juice:
- Peel and mince at least 2 inches of ginger into a glass pitcher
- Add the juice of at least 1 lemon
- For every lemon used, add 1/4 cup of agave nectar
- Pour hot water over this mix to help the agave nector to melt and then top up with cool water
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Steamed Asian Marinated Tofu
Marinade:
Prepare the tofu by slicing into half inch slices, lay down in a flat glass dish with lots of surface area and pour on the marinade, stick in the fridge. If you remember, turn over after a couple of hours (I forgot and just flipped it over and let the other side soak while I prepared the rice and my vegetables and it was FINE).
Once you're ready, you need a stove top situation to steam the tofu. I got a large pot and filled it with 2 inches of water. I then inserted one of those metal vegetable steamers in the pot, and placed a ceramic rice bowl over the centre stem of the vegetable steamer so I had a flat surface on which to rest a saucer which contained a few slices of tofu along with some marinade.
Get the water boiling, cover the whole contraption and steam for a mere five minutes.
I had this with steamed brown rice (if you had one of those tripods, you could stick that in the rice and steam the tofu AFTER the rice is done... less pots to clean! I gotta get me a tripod from China town!) AND I sliced Belgian endive in half, heated up some olive oil and quickly grilled the endive in a frying pan. I drizzled a vinaigrette of lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt over the endive after turning off the heat)
Other exciting things to add to basic marinade:
Marinade:
- minced fresh ginger (I use the tiny ceramic washboard like ginger graters... nothing else gets the juice out like it)... note you may also used powered ginger--don't be mingy/stingy here! Grate a good inch or MORE of fresh ginger, use around o how about 1 tablespoon of the powdered stuff
- sesame oil (about 3 tbs)... it depends how much liquid you need which is determined by how much tofu you have... I only had three half inch thick slices
- soy sauce, mirrin, rice vinegar (I generally don't use more than 1 tbs of things... but use your discretion, dip your finger in and taste)
- minced fresh garlic
Prepare the tofu by slicing into half inch slices, lay down in a flat glass dish with lots of surface area and pour on the marinade, stick in the fridge. If you remember, turn over after a couple of hours (I forgot and just flipped it over and let the other side soak while I prepared the rice and my vegetables and it was FINE).
Once you're ready, you need a stove top situation to steam the tofu. I got a large pot and filled it with 2 inches of water. I then inserted one of those metal vegetable steamers in the pot, and placed a ceramic rice bowl over the centre stem of the vegetable steamer so I had a flat surface on which to rest a saucer which contained a few slices of tofu along with some marinade.
Get the water boiling, cover the whole contraption and steam for a mere five minutes.
I had this with steamed brown rice (if you had one of those tripods, you could stick that in the rice and steam the tofu AFTER the rice is done... less pots to clean! I gotta get me a tripod from China town!) AND I sliced Belgian endive in half, heated up some olive oil and quickly grilled the endive in a frying pan. I drizzled a vinaigrette of lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt over the endive after turning off the heat)
Other exciting things to add to basic marinade:
- Dillweed
- Minced shallot
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010: Vegan Risotto Pie
Vegan Risotto Pie Inspired by Mela in Yorkville, Toronto
In olive oil:
Saute finely diced onion/shallots with minced garlic and add dried basil
Add sliced mushrooms and keep stirring until the mushrooms have released their juices.
Add around 1/2 cup of uncooked rice (I used brown short grain organic rice even though traditional risotto insists upon Arborio rice which apparently goes creamier--I suspect it has higher starch content) and coat with the oil in the pan.
Slowly add an equal amount of Vermouth (I think you can also use white wine) a little at a time, letting each addition be absorbed before adding more.
THEN I completely go off the charts and I just DUMP IN 1 cup ( basically one part rice, two parts liquid, here in case you want to scale up or down) of water/vegetable stock. This is a radical departure from traditional risotto cooking which requires you to stand and stir in little amounts of liquid, allowing each addition to be completely absorbed before adding more. I don't know what havoc will ensue if you tried just dumping in all the liquid in one go with Arborio rice, but I tried with short grain brown rice and it was FINE. Unless you need time by yourself and find stirring in liquid and watching rice slowly expand to be relaxing and beneficial, I say to heck with it! Throw in the liquid, let it reach bubbling, then turn down the heat to minimum, cover and let the rice aLONE.
Let's move on. While the rice cooks, peel and slice rutabaga/celery root/potato (choose just one or a combo of the roots), toss lightly with olive oil, place on a pie plate and roast in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes.
When the root vegetables are done, pile torn kale on top of them and then either diced tomato/tomato sauce on top.
When rice is done, stir in soy cream cheese, black pepper and salt. Mix well and then put this on top of the root vegetable/kale/tomato layers. You might want to add a second layer of tomato substance on top of the rice. Put everything back into the oven for another 20-30 minutes.
In olive oil:
Saute finely diced onion/shallots with minced garlic and add dried basil
Add sliced mushrooms and keep stirring until the mushrooms have released their juices.
Add around 1/2 cup of uncooked rice (I used brown short grain organic rice even though traditional risotto insists upon Arborio rice which apparently goes creamier--I suspect it has higher starch content) and coat with the oil in the pan.
Slowly add an equal amount of Vermouth (I think you can also use white wine) a little at a time, letting each addition be absorbed before adding more.
THEN I completely go off the charts and I just DUMP IN 1 cup ( basically one part rice, two parts liquid, here in case you want to scale up or down) of water/vegetable stock. This is a radical departure from traditional risotto cooking which requires you to stand and stir in little amounts of liquid, allowing each addition to be completely absorbed before adding more. I don't know what havoc will ensue if you tried just dumping in all the liquid in one go with Arborio rice, but I tried with short grain brown rice and it was FINE. Unless you need time by yourself and find stirring in liquid and watching rice slowly expand to be relaxing and beneficial, I say to heck with it! Throw in the liquid, let it reach bubbling, then turn down the heat to minimum, cover and let the rice aLONE.
Let's move on. While the rice cooks, peel and slice rutabaga/celery root/potato (choose just one or a combo of the roots), toss lightly with olive oil, place on a pie plate and roast in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes.
When the root vegetables are done, pile torn kale on top of them and then either diced tomato/tomato sauce on top.
When rice is done, stir in soy cream cheese, black pepper and salt. Mix well and then put this on top of the root vegetable/kale/tomato layers. You might want to add a second layer of tomato substance on top of the rice. Put everything back into the oven for another 20-30 minutes.
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