Pork Roll with Sour Cherry Chutney

Karl is the kind of guy who has a hard time passing up a great deal on meat. We live the lives of quasi-vegetarians, not eating meat as often as many omnivores, partly because it's expensive. So, whenever there's a good sale on, say, a whole pork tenderloin, Karl buys one, slices it up, and freezes it in 1-lb packages. It's a pretty good system for insuring a steady supply of cheap, lean meat.

However, pork tenderloin is boring. I'll admit, the tenderloin is not my favorite part of the pig. It's hard to cook it so that it isn't dry or tough. Accordingly, we have been having fun trying different methods. We've tried slicing it 1 1/2 inches thick then stuffing it with fennel, onion, and breadcrumbs (that was pretty tasty); slow cooking it with some marinade and veggies (dry as a bone), and roasting it (also dry). Karl has had some good success pan-frying some of the stuffed slices.

Our latest attempt was born of one of my rare moments of true kitchen spontaneity. We were just planning to stuff the pork again, this time with a fruity mixture, but then I thought I'd try a technique I'd heard described a while back on "The Splendid Table," an American Public Media radio program hosted by Lynne Rosetto Kasper. The technique involves slicing the meet in a spiral fashion so that it rolls out flat. It was pretty easy to do with the pork tenderloin and a good, sharp knife.

I then spread my stuffing mixture (some cooked down sour cherries, ginger, garlic, and onion) on the slab of meat and rolled it back up, just like you would a jelly roll cake.

Into the frying pan it went to sear, then I popped it in a 400˚F oven for about 25 minutes (until it reached about 155˚F internal temperature).

It probably would have been useful to have some butcher's twine to keep the pork roll nice and tight, but I strategically seared the various sides so that there was no tragic loss of visual effect (when the meat is cooked it firms and holds its shape).

It turned out pretty well, we both thought, and though we still experienced some dryness in the meat, the cherry "chutney" we used on the inside seemed to help keep that part moist at least. In addition to the beautiful visual the spiraled pork made, we both really enjoyed the cherries as a complement to the pork.

We'll just have to keep trying to figure out how to avoid drying out that pork tenderloin!

Pork Roll with Sour Cherry Chutney
Serves 4

1 lb pork tenderloin, at room temperature
1 onion, chopped
2 TBSP ginger & garlic paste** (substitute 1 clove ginger, 1 TBSP minced ginger)
1 1/2 cups sour cherries (pitted, frozen or fresh)
1/2 tsp salt, plus more for rubbing pork
1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more for rubbing pork
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400˚F.

To prepare the pork tenderloin, take a very sharp chef's knife and cut the pork in a spiral fashion to be about 3/4- to 1-inch thick. Rub some salt and pepper into both sides of the meat. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in an oven-proof skillet over medium heat, heat about 2 TBSP of olive oil. Add the onions, and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ginger and garlic paste and cherries, and cook another 5-10 minutes until the onions are soft and the cherries have burst. Remove from the heat and place the cherry chutney in a separate bowl.

Spread a layer of the cherry chutney on the flat slab of pork, then roll it up tightly. Reserve any unused cherry chutney. If you have butcher's string or twine, you can tie the pork roll up so it won't unroll.

Heat the skillet back up to high heat, and put some olive oil in the pan to heat up. Sear the pork roll on all sides, then place it in the oven. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until internal temperature of the meat reaches 155˚F. Remove the pork roll from the oven, and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Slice 1-inch thick, and garnish with the reserved cherry chutney.

**SWAD Garlic and Ginger Paste ($2.49). This stuff is amazing and very cost-effective. We use it in lots and lots of things from eggs to pasta to rice. It's great to have on hand, and you can find it in any Indian grocery store.

Enchilada Evangelism

Hi, folks! It has been far too long since I updated. Rather than make long, extremely detailed excuses for why I have for being too busy to write blog entries, let me just say this: I'm graduating from law school in 1 month, taking the PA bar exam in 4 months, getting married in 5 months, and regaining my sanity in 6 months. Oh, and I am still unemployed. If anyone needs an environmental lawyer/foodie on staff, please let me know!

Ok, so about enchiladas. I had no idea that enchiladas could be anything special. I surmise that most people's experiences with enchiladas are either out of a box (e.g., Old El Paso dinner kits) or from a Mexican restaurant. I have eaten at many Mexican restaurants, and let me tell you: at most Mexican restaurants, it does not matter whether you order soft tacos, enchiladas, or burritos. Your food will taste pretty much the same regardless of what it is called on the menu. I can't comment on the dinner kits, but I imagine they aren't as awesome as what you can make on your own.

My enchilada epiphany came when one of my professors, learning that I was a food appreciator, loaned me a copy of an amazing Mexican cookbook. She had recently moved to Pittsburgh from Texas, where, as you might imagine, there is an abundance of excellent Tex-Mex and authentic Mexican food. Not so much here in Pittsburgh, apparently! When she learned I had no experience at all making Mexican food, and, indeed, did not even suspect that more "gourmet" Mexican food was possible than what I could get in a restaurant, she suggested I try making enchiladas. I made everything from scratch except the tortillas, and my life was changed forever. It's hard to describe how much better the sauces taste when they are not out of a can: the Salsa Verde alone is absolutely incredible.

I know what you're thinking as you scroll down this long entry full of recipes, but please do yourself a favor and give making enchiladas a try: you'll see for yourself that it's worth the investment of time.

The first thing you want to do when you are considering making your own enchiladas from scratch (minus the tortillas maybe...I haven't mastered that yet) is to make sure you have enough time. The process can be broken up by making the sauces the day before (they taste better the second day anyway) and the filling the next. Once you have all the ingredients prepared, assembling enchiladas is actually really fast (10 minutes maximum), so this is a great dish to prepare ahead, perhaps over the weekend, and have ready for fast meals during a busy week.

If you make them vegetarian, enchiladas are even faster to prepare, since preparing the meat fillings tends to take about an hour or more. I've included below my adaptation of the San Fonda Miguel chicken filling that is so amazing that, much to my chagrin (all those future enchiladas I missed out on!), Karl ended up eating the unused filling with a spoon for a midnight snack. I also included my own vegetarian filling. The San Fonda Miguel cook book also had a recipe for cheese enchiladas that seemed far too onion-y for my tastes (if you'd like to try it, it's basically raw, chopped onion mixed with Monterey Jack shredded cheese).

Some tools helpful for making enchiladas: food processor (or blender), tongs, small skillet, large skillet, griddle (or broiler)

Where to find:
chiles in adobo sauce: Mexican grocery store, and probably in the Latin American aisle at any large chain grocery store. They come in a small can.
corn tortillas: available in almost any large chain grocery store, but if you're in Pittsburgh, go to the Strip District (on Penn Avenue) and get some freshly handmade tortillas from the Mexican grocer there.
tomatillos and serrano chiles: available in most grocery stores, but definitely available in Mexican grocery stores

Enchiladas San Miguel
Serves 6

For best-tasting results, make the fillings and sauces well ahead of time and reheat just in time to assemble the final product when it’s time to eat.

Salsa Verde for Enchiladas (recipe below)
Sour Cream Sauce (recipe below)
Chicken Filling (recipe below), or Vegetarian Filling (recipe below)
6 TBSP vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas (white or yellow)

Prepare Salsa Verde and keep warm, or reheat when ready to assemble enchiladas. Prepare Sour Cream Sauce and set aside. Prepare the Chicken Filling and keep hot or reheat.

When ready to assemble enchiladas, preheat the broiler. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Make sure the oil is hot enough, or the tortillas will absorb too much oil. Using tongs, dip a tortilla into the hot oil for about 10 seconds on each side, or until softened (if it starts to get brown, it's been in too long). Quickly drain on paper towels, then immediately dip the tortilla in the warm Salsa Verde. Lay the tortilla flat on an ovenproof plate and put 3 to 4 TBSP of hot filling down in the center of the tortilla, then roll it into a tube. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas. Place 2 enchiladas on each plate and cover with warm Salsa Verde. Spoon a couple of dollops of Sour Cream Sauce on each enchilada, then put the plates under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, until the sour cream sauce starts bubbling. Serve immediately.

Salsa Verde for Enchiladas
Makes 2 cups

15 tomatillos, husked
Half of a medium white onion
1 garlic clove
4 to 6 serrano chiles
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
sea salt to taste

Prepare the Salsa Verde for Enchiladas. Roast tomatillos, onion, garlic, and chiles on a griddle, or under the broiler until they are blistered all over (you should turn them over frequently so they roast evenly). Combine the roasted vegetables in a food processor and process until smooth. When ready to serve, add cilantro. Adjust seasonings, adding salt if necessary. Set aside.


Sour Cream Sauce

1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/8 cup milk
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Whisk all ingredients together and set aside.

Chicken Filling
Makes 3 cups (fills 12 enchiladas)

3 TBSP canola oil
¼ cup chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 medium tomatoes, roasted in 350˚F oven for 10 minutes,chopped
3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 TBSP adobo sauce from the can
2 to 3 chicken breasts, poached in water seasoned with sea salt and ground black pepper, then cooled and shredded (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup chicken broth, reserved from cooking chicken
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over low. Add the onion and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until onions are wilted and transparent (5-8 minutes). If you're worried about burning the garlic, you can add it later. Add tomatoes, chiles, and adobo sauce. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring often until all moisture has been absorbed and the mixture is dry, about 15 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken and broth. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, until chicken is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Vegetarian Filling

1 14-oz can of vegetarian refried beans (at room temperature)
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (at room temperature)
3 TBSP onion
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl. Add a little oil or water if it is too thick to easily spread into the waiting tortilla.

Slow-Cooked Root Vegetable Soup

I love root vegetables. I love to roast them, microwave them, steam them, and smash them. And I also love to make soups out of them.

I was recently given a beautiful, blue, enameled, cast iron Le Creuset oval French oven. These pots are versatile. They can go on the stove or in the oven, and thus easily transfer from one to the other for braising or slow cooking. I decided to make a slow-cooked root vegetable soup by chopping up a bunch of root veggies, covering them with broth, then cooking them at a low temperature over a long period of time in the oven. The result was absolutely fabulous.

Slow cooking really brings out the sweet flavors in root vegetables while mellowing out any of the harshness. The result is a rich, almost buttery tasting soup that has absolutely no fat in it. It's perfect for lunch or dinner!

Feel free to substitute any other vegetables (whether root veggies or not).

Slow-Cooked Root Vegetable Soup
Serves about 6

8 oz celery root, peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces
1 rutabaga, peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces
3 carrots, chopped into 2-inch pieces
3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, washed well and chopped into 2-inch pieces
1 small onion, roughly chopped
3 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups vegetable broth
low-fat Greek yogurt (optional garnish)

Preheat oven to 275˚F.

Put all ingredients into a large, ovenproof pot with a lid. Bring to a simmer on the stove, then place in the oven. Cook for 3 hours, then remove from the oven and take off the lid. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, then puree the soup with an immersion blender.

Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Roasted Eggplant & Butternut Squash Burrito

Happy New Year, and welcome back! I hope you all enjoyed wonderful holidays and ate well. Now it's time to make up for all those cookies we ate, right? Right.

I have the added incentive to get back into fighting shape this year for my upcoming wedding. Add that to the fact that I recently found out that my cholesterol is a little too high (221!!), and I have all the motivation I need to get to the gym and maybe cut back on the eggs and butter (I refuse to give up my very moderate intake of cheese just yet!).

The way I like to "detox" is to avoid eating processed foods. This means using "whole" foods, like vegetables, fruits, rice, beans, etc. (things that haven't had anything added to them) to make my meals. Sometimes it's hard to dispense with convenience for the sake of eating well, but I do try. Take the following situation, for example:

I had just gotten back to my apartment from working out and I was hungry! I wanted food right then and there. I opened the fridge and surveyed: I had about 3/4 of a roasted eggplant, chopped (left over from a small dinner party I threw last week, so I chopped it up and roasted it in a 400˚F oven for about 25 minutes), leftover roasted butternut squash, as well as a package of tortillas and a can of refried black beans with lime juice my sister couldn't fit into a certain someone's oversea Christmas package. I also spotted some cherry tomatoes and Greek yogurt. "Eureka!" I thought.

I decided I could delay eating long enough to heat up the innards of the burrito, so I tossed everything except the beans and yogurt into an olive-oil-lined skillet over medium heat for a few minutes before assembling the burrito. It was quite tasty, and took about only about 10 minutes to prepare. Yum.

Sure, it would have been easier, and faster, to heat up a Hot Pocket or a Lean Cuisine...but it certainly wouldn't have been as tasty or as filling. Next time you're hungry, see if you can't build something from the building blocks that may be lurking in your refrigerator. Also, when you're cooking vegetables, or anything really, consider making more than you'll need so you'll have something waiting for you after those regular post-New-Year workouts you promised you'd be doing by now!

Roasted Eggplant & Butternut Squash Burrito

1 large tortilla, (optional: toast your tortilla in a skillet or under the broiler)
3 TBSP refried black beans with lime juice
2 TBSP chopped roasted eggplant
3 or 4 cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup cubed roasted butternut squash
olive oil
1 TBSP 2% Greek yogurt

Spread the refried black beans on the tortilla, mostly in the center. Heat a little bit of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and sauté for 3 or 4 minutes, until they start to "pop" (the skin will deflate and wrinkle a little). Add the butternut squash and the eggplant, and continue to sauté for 2 more minutes. Just before taking the veggies out of the pan, gently mash the tomatoes with the back of a spoon.

Spoon the veggie mixture into the tortilla, then add the yogurt on top. Roll up and enjoy!

Crazy Breakfast: Karl's Mushroom and Sauerkraut Frittata

Karl and I wanted a hearty breakfast to get us moving today. Neither of us had class this morning, so we decided to cook something a little more fancy than the usual oatmeal with dried fruit.

We managed to do it without purchasing anything extra. I fried up the bacon that we had left over from our first turkey, and planned to make a frittata with whatever was around. A frittata is a lot like an omelet. It's usually thicker, though, and instead of adding any "filling" after the egg has cooked, then folding the omelet over, you usually just pour the egg over the "filling" and cook it around it. The frittata is generally served by slicing it into wedges, similar to a pie.

Karl, ever the creative one, chose our frittata filling by, apparently, thinking of the ingredients most unlikely to complement one another. His genius plan was to make a sauerkraut, mushroom, onion, and garlic frittata. I made some mild protests, but he insisted that he felt good about this one.

Sauerkraut is awesome. We regularly purchase cans of Valutime sauerkraut for snacking (and at only $0.50 per can, you can't go wrong!). NutritionData.com reveals that canned, low-sodium sauerkraut is low-calorie (34 calories per serving), very low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and a good source of calcium, magnesium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, etc., etc. The list goes on. So, if you can get over the smell, which apparently some people find unpleasant, it's a great way to snack healthily, especially if you are fond of other pickled foods (like, duh, pickles).

Despite my love for sauerkraut, I was skeptical that eggs, mushrooms, and sauerkraut were a match made in heaven (especially for breakfast!). However, Karl's sense of adventure is contagious, and I knew he'd eat it no matter how horrible it was (waste not, want not!). I also knew there was a container of oatmeal in the pantry in case I had to call on the backup breakfast reserves.

Well, I have to hand it to Karl: all my cooking instincts and intuitions were dead wrong. Karl's quirky breakfast concoction was delicious. I am actually looking forward to making this again. The sauerkraut wasn't too strong after it cooked for a few minutes with the onions, garlic, and mushrooms, and added just enough of its lovely sour tang to make the frittata taste magical.

Try it for yourself! This is a great way to serve a healthy, more impressive breakfast, and the total cost was actually not high. The most expensive ingredient will be the mushrooms, but you can often find crimini mushrooms or white button mushrooms on sale for 1 pint for $2 or less.

A tip for making frittata: we used a special Calphalon pan set designed precisely for frittatas (a gift from Karl's parents, thank you!), which includes a second pan that fits on top of the first pan to make flipping clean and easy.* If you don't have such a pan set, don't worry! Just preheat your broiler before you start the frittata, and make sure you use an oven safe pan. Once you think the bottom of the frittata is cooked, just remove it from the stovetop and put it under the broiler for about 2 minutes (not too close to the broiler). Your frittata will be perfectly cooked, and you won't have to try to flip it expertly in the pan. The extra filling can make the egg heavy and you will most likely just make a mess.

If you are using the frittata pan set, we have found it works better if the separate pan is preheated over a low flame so that it is hot when it receives the frittata (otherwise, cooking the other side takes forever).

Bon appétit!

Karl's Crazy Mushroom and Sauerkraut Frittata
Serves 2

1/2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
3 TBSP onion, chopped fine
1 cup sliced crimini (a.k.a. baby portabella) mushrooms, or any other mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup canned sauerkraut
4 eggs, beaten well
1 TBSP grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat broiler if not using a frittata pan set.

Heat the oil in a medium-sized pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 3 or 4 minutes). Add the mushrooms, and continue to cook for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauerkraut, and cook 2 more minutes.

Pour the beaten eggs over the mushroom/sauerkraut mixture in the pan. As the eggs cook, use a heat-resistant spatula to lift the sides away from the pan and allow more liquid egg to flow into the resulting space. Repeat until most of the egg is set.

If using a frittata pan set like ours, place the second pan on top of the first and flip quickly. Give a gentle shake to make sure the frittata falls into what is now the bottom pan. Remove the top pan.

Sprinkle with cheese, if using, and replace the top pan (to help it melt).

Remove the fritatta from heat after about 2 or 3 minutes at the most. Serve hot.

*Our frittata stuck to the bottom of the pan a little, so it didn't transfer as beautifully during the "flip." Oh well! It still tasted like a million bucks.

Waste Not, Want Not: Roasted and Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Karl and I bought a pumpkin before Halloween. We had grandiose plans to make pumpkin wine by scooping out the insides, rubbing sugar all over the flesh, sealing it back up with wax, then letting it naturally ferment for a few weeks. Apparently, you get pumpkin wine out of all this, and it would have been a fun experiment, but our lives got busy, and the pumpkin sat out on my fire escape for about a month before I remembered it existed. C'est la vie!

Last weekend, I determined to cut up and roast the pumpkin, then freeze for a rainy day (I'm thinking soups and stews rather than pies, as our pumpkin was quite large. The smaller ones are better for pies, or so they say). And so I did.

One of the best things about pumpkins are the seeds. I think a lot of people just throw them away when they make their jack'o'lanterns for Halloween, but when I was growing up we always dried them out and roasted them in the oven with a little bit of salt. What a tasty snack! It's relatively health, though a little higher-calorie than I would have thought. According to NutritionData.com, 1 cup of pumpkin seeds (without salt) is 285 calories, with 2 grams of saturated fat. NutritionData also touts pumpkin seeds as a good source of protein, magnesium, and zinc.

When you scoop the seeds out of a pumpkin, they're usually covered with the stringy, slimy innards of the pumpkin (which you probably will want to discard). I simply put all the seeds in a colander and spray them with water until the stringy bits are detached from the seeds. You will probably have to pick through to get the last few stringy bits, but it's not difficult or time-consuming. Since my pumpkin was a little older, there were also some seeds that had sprouted. I discarded those, although, in retrospect, they might have tasted interesting...next time!
I spiced up my pumpkin seeds with Spanish paprika and Hot Curry Powder (Penzey's Spices), but you could simply use salt (classic), or be even more adventurous and use a blend of spices (e.g., cumin, cardamom, coriander, chile powder, etc.). Anything goes!

Happy snacking!

Roasted and Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried completely
1 TBSP margarine, butter, or oil
1/2 tsp salt, or more or less to taste
1/2 TBSP spices of choice (e.g., Spanish Paprika, Hot Curry Powder)

Preheat oven to 300˚F.
Melt the margarine or butter, if using, and pour into a small bowl. Mix in the salt and spices until well blended. Stir in the pumpkin seeds, tossing until well coated.

Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake 30-45 minutes, or until well toasted. You should give them a stir every 10-15 minutes or so to make sure they aren't burning.

Allow to cool before eating.

The First Turkey

Karl and I committed to bringing a turkey to a friend's Thanksgiving gathering on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. There were going to be about 20-25 people there, but quite a few are vegetarian, so we figured a 14 lb bird would do the trick. We opted for a regular, store-brand bird (I'm still amazed that an organic turkey costs about $50...yikes!).

But how to cook it? Neither I nor Karl has ever made a turkey before, and the hundreds of horror stories floating around about bad "first turkey" experiences made me a little nervous. My own mother's first turkey experience included the classic "fail": she left the bag with the organs inside the cavity while it roasted. Whoops!

Armed with this tale, as well as with the memory of a turkey taking up an entire shelf of the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days before Thanksgiving (for defrosting), I approached the turkey optimistically: I'm a fairly capable chef, so I wasn't too worried. But how to make a turkey that was impressive, fabulous, and the envy of all my friends (let's be honest: this is my goal any time I'm bringing edibles to a party)?

We hopped on the Internet and almost immediately found a Food Network (Tyler Florence) recipe for cornbread-stuffed, Maple-roasted turkey with bacon. I was about to scroll on by, but Karl stopped me and said, "That one." I thought it sounded a bit fancy (i.e. we'd need to buy expensive ingredients), but it turned out that, besides the bird, we only needed to purchase fresh sage, bacon, and cornbread mix. I had everything else lying around the apartment. Great!

This is what the turkey looked like when we put it into the oven. It looks pretty lumpy because we stuffed a LOT of sage-butter under the skin of the turkey (as the recipe required). However, we did not use all the butter called for in the recipe on the turkey. I ended up dotting the rest of it on our "outside-the-bird" stuffing. It just seemed like an awful lot of butter, and you might want to cut the amount of butter you make in half.

4-and-a-half hours* and a lot of anxious temperature checks later (the turkey was supposed to be done in 3, based on its weight), we loaded the turkey into the car and drove the party with it intact. We had planned to slice it up and transport it in tupperware before going over for simplicity's sake, but I'm almost glad it ended up taking so long because it made such an impressive sight sitting there on the counter. Many satisfying "oohs" and "ahhs" were heard from the other guests.

And so, our first turkey turned out awesome. The turkey was moist and tender (even the breast), the bacon we covered it with 2 hours into roasting tasted absolutely fantastic, and the stuffing, though simple, was excellent. And it looked like a million bucks. Everyone was very impressed, even though they had waited an extra hour for the turkey (and the rest of the food! I have such patient friends).

I'm not going to re-print the recipe here. You can just click on the title of this blog entry or here to see Tyler Florence's recipe, to which we made only one change besides not using all the butter for under the turkey's skin (we added a couple of drops of Liquid Smoke to the maple syrup/water basting liquid).

I highly recommended this recipe for a first turkey. It's not as fancy as it sounds, and Tyler Florence's instructions are very comprehensive, in my opinion.

* We speculate that the reason for the turkey's extra long oven time was that we roasted my vegan roomie's Tofurkey in the same oven (in a cast-iron pot, no less). This probably soaked up quite a bit of the heat, and as a result, the turkey cooked more slowly. Keep this in mind if you are hosting Thanksgiving! It might be better to cook all your side-dishes ahead of time, roast the turkey alone, then reheat the side dishes in the oven while the turkey is resting/being sliced up.

Soup's On: Spiced Parsnip and Apple Soup with Parsnip Chips

It's starting to get chilly out there! I love winter, because it means that the soup pot will be put to more regular use. Soup is so comforting, so versatile, and so delicious.

Last year, Karl and I started using parsnips more often. The parsnip is an overlooked vegetable, and I just love the tangy and earthy flavor. If you've never had one, it tastes a lot like a carrot, but stronger.

Well, Karl and I have used parsnips in bean stews and we've roasted them (side note: roasting parsnips is amazing! It changes the flavors subtly and makes a tasty snack), but we've never had a dish in which parsnips were really featured. So, I was excited to try out a parsnip-based soup!

This recipe comes from one of my many soup cookbooks, "The SmartCook Collection: Soup" by Delia Smith. The soup was excellent. The original recipe called for 1 1/4 tsp of coriander seeds, but I couldn't find any at the grocery store on short notice (not sure what was up with that), so I just left those out. It turned out for the best, I think: the more spices added into this dish, the less the parsnip will shine. I also made some other substitutions (margarine for butter, curry powder for turmeric, etc.) both to accommodate my vegan roomie and to avoid buying unnecessary spices. The soup as I made it perfectly exhibits the potential of parsnip. The apple grated in at the end was a nice touch, but maybe wasn't absolutely necessary.

I don't usually bother with soup garnishes, but this time, I made an exception and fried up some thinly sliced discs of parsnip into parsnip chips. It is well worth it to go to the trouble of making the parsnip chips for a garnish (or just for a snack): they are so flavorful and add some interest to the puréed soup. If you're pressed for time, or just don't feel like heating up a pan of oil, you can use potato chips, veggie chips, or croutons. If you're into presentation, I think it might also be pretty to garnish with a spiral of apple peel, or even a wedge of apple.

Eat up, and stay warm out there.

Spiced Parsnip and Apple Soup with Parsnip Chips
Serves 4-6

1 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
6 whole cardamom pods, seeds only
3 TBSP margarine
1 TBSP canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/4 tsp sweet curry powder
2 tsp minced fresh ginger root
1 1/2 lbs parsnips
5 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
Parnsip Chips (fry thin slices of parsnips in a 1/2 inch of oil until light brown and crispy)
1 Granny Smith apple

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Dry-roast the cumin and cardamom seeds in the skillet (this "excites" the flavors"). This only takes 2-3 minutes (don't burn them!). Crush the spices finely in a mortar and pestle, or use the back of a spoon to crush them in a bowl.
Peel and chop the parsnips into chunks (the smaller you chop, the shorter the cooking time, but it doesn't really matter what they look like as long as the pieces are approximately the same size).
Heat the margarine and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until the margarine foams a little. Add the onions and gently cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the toasted, ground spices, and also the curry powder and ginger root. Stir, and cook gently for a few more minutes.
Add the parsnips to the saucepan, stirring well, then pour in the stock. Add salt and pepper, then let the soup gently simmer uncovered for about an hour, or until the parsnips are very tender (fork will pierce easily).
When the soup has been simmering for an hour, remove it from the heat and cool it slightly. Use either an immersion blender, upright blender, or food processor to puree the soup. Return the pureed soup to the saucepan and taste to check the seasoning.
When ready to serve, reheat the soup over medium heat. Grate the apple into the soup and stir. Serve hot, garnished with parsnip chips.

Party Fare on a Budget: Spicy Popcorn

For our Diwali party, I decided to break out an old-school snack that I think I had forgotten about since the ol' college days. I used to keep boxes and boxes of microwave kettle corn at all times: you never knew when a movie would spontaneously begin playing in those days.

Popcorn is the ultimate budget snack, especially if you make it using plain kernels either on the stove in a pot, or using this awesome contraption that our friends Lauren and Adam brought over for the party (thanks!). The microwaveable bowl essentially replaces the bag for microwave popcorn and helps you avoid the higher probability of burnt popcorn popped on the stove. Regardless, popcorn is CHEAP, and adding some chile powder or other spices to some melted margarine before tossing it into the popcorn is enough of a twist on an old favorite to wow the crowd easily.

I'm thinking about experimenting with sweet curry powder for my next batch...mmmm. Everything tastes better with curry it seems.

Spice up your life! This recipe is not just for parties.

Spicy Popcorn
Yields 6-8 cups popcorn

2 TBSP vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
4 TBSP butter or margarine (more if you like extra buttery popcorn!)
1 tsp extra hot chile powder (or any other spice)
salt and pepper to taste

Pop the popcorn by any method (using a microwave popper, an air popper, or the stove). If using the stove, make sure to coat the bottom of the pot with a little bit of oil to help prevent scorching. Click here for more-detailed instructions on popping popcorn on the stove.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the margarine or butter. When it is melted, add the chile powder and salt and pepper. Allow to heat through until the spices are fragrant.

Toss the freshly popped popcorn with the melted margarine or butter mixture in a large bowl and serve.

Party Fare on a Budget: Spicy Peanut Balls

My roommate Ruchi and I hosted a Diwali party last week for a few friends. In the spirit of Diwali, we lit a ton of candles and played fun games like carrom board, UNO, and Fluxx. We also had lots of snacks out, including burfee, spicy popcorn, vegan chocolate chip cookies, and spicy peanut balls.


I found the origins of the spicy peanut balls recipe in one of those cookbooks you can find 365 days a year in the bargain racks of the large bookstores (Barnes and Noble and Borders). You probably know the ones: there's at least one full-page photo every 2 pages and the price is so ridiculous ($5 to $8) that it's worth it to buy it for the pictures even if the recipes stink (which, sometimes they do...).

Anyway, I adapted a recipe from an Appetizers cookbook for the spicy peanut balls. If you have a food processor, you should file this recipe away for your next party. Essentially, to make it budget-friendly, I left out the expensive ingredients and substituted things I already had for ones I didn't.

These balls were a big hit! They're great finger food, and really: who doesn't like something fried once in a while? We dipped them in a spicy chile sauce that I purchased from Trader Joe's ($1.99) and they were quite lovely. There are a million ways you could make these without having to buy expensive ingredients. For example, I happened to be out of turmeric, so I used hot curry powder instead. You could also use something else to replace the fresh ginger, which most people don't keep around all the time.

The only problem I had with the spicy peanut balls was that they disappeared way too quickly. Next time I'll make a double recipe.

Enjoy, and Happy (belated) Diwali!

Spicy Peanut Balls
Yields about 14 balls

1 to 2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
1 tsp hot curry powder
1/2 TBSP soy sauce
1 tsp hot chile sauce
1 cup cooked jasmine rice
1/2 cup peanuts, roughly chopped (or lightly processed)
vegetable or canola oil (for frying)
Hot Chile Sauce (for dipping)

Process the ginger and garlic in the food processor until they form a paste. Add the curry powder, soy sauce, and chile sauce, and process very well. Scrape down the sides of the processor several times if necessary. Add 3/4 cup of cooked rice and process until a sticky paste. Add the remaining rice and pulse a few times to incorporate it.

Form the rice mixture into bite-size balls, then roll them in the peanut pieces.

Heat 3 or 4 inches of oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. A good way to test whether the oil is hot enough for frying is to press a wooden chopstick or the non-spoon end of a wooden spoon on the bottom of the pot. If bubbles rise up around the utensil, the oil is hot enough.

Using a heat-resistant spoon, carefully add the peanut balls to the oil in batches of 5 or 6 and fry 3 or 4 minutes, until the balls are a lovely golden brown color. Enjoy hot.

Serve hot, with chile sauce for dipping.

Baking on a Budget: Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I believe that, even in a small-scale, personal economic crisis (or a big one), one should indulge every so often. Cookies are simple to bake, lift the spirits and, more importantly, stave off the symptoms of SAD (seasonal affected disorder) and PMS (no explanation necessary, I hope). A homemade cookie is also a treat that potentially will not break the bank.

Last week, I decided to bake chocolate chip cookies that both I and my vegan roommate Ruchi could enjoy. But how to do it on a budget? Vegan baking sometimes requires ingredients that I don't typically have on hand. However, when I Googled "vegan chocolate chip cookies", to my surprise, the first recipe that came up required nothing that I didn't already have on my shelves besides vegan chocolate chips. The recipe, from VegWeb.com (a site that features recipes, forums, coupons, and social networking), was so simple that I almost didn't think the cookies would turn out well. I was happily mistaken.

One of the things that usually turns me off about vegan cookies is the texture. Many vegan cookies are chewy, thick, and fibrous (i.e., they're 'healthy' cookies with lots of bran and oats thrown in for texture). These cookies are soft and the cinnamon gives the impression that they are melting in your mouth.

We shared the cookies at our Diwali party the next day, and everyone agreed that they were fabulous cookies, even before finding out they were vegan!

I think it's very important to follow the preparation instructions to a "T." Especially the part about mixing the oil and sugar together separately before adding it to the dry ingredients. I believe that this is the secret to the soft and delicious texture. I did need to add about 1/2 cup more of flour as the dough was clearly too wet with only 2 cups of flour, so I reflected this in the reprinted recipe below. I used about 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, but you can leave the cinnamon out (I don't really recommend it though: I think the cinnamon is what makes these cookies shine). I also did not use raw sugar, just regular granulated sugar. Some vegans do not use regular granulated sugar because it is processed using bone char. I opted out of purchasing special sugar since my roommate is not particular about what kind of sugar she eats.

Oh, and here's another tip if you have a Trader Joe's near you: their semi-sweet chocolate chips are vegan (i.e., there are no milk products or butter in them) and cost only $1.99 for a 12 oz. bag! Enjoy!

Happy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Vegweb.com

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
cinnamon to taste (optional)
vegan chocolate or carob chips - put in as many as you like
1 scant cup sugar
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup water

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. It will work if they're not at room temp but it works MUCH better if they are.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon. Add the chocolate chips. Make a well in the center and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix sugar and oil very well. Add the vanilla, and then add the water, mixing well. Add the wet ingredients to the well in the dry ingredients. Mix, being careful not to overwork it. Add more chocolate chips if you so desire. Spoon the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets (about 1 TBSP per cookie).

Bake 8-12 minutes. The cookies are done when they seem a little bit softer then you want them to be. They will harden up some as they cool.

Tightening the Belt: Eating Oatmeal in an Economic Crisis

I'm experiencing an economic crisis. This one has less to do with Wall Street and the collapse of global financial markets than with having been a student for the last 6 and a half years with no source of income besides the extreme generosity of my parents.

As a result, I've decided recently to tighten my belt. This has led me to really re-think what I buy while I'm shopping. For example, Karl pointed out to me that eating cereal for breakfast is actually quite a drain on the finances (in perspective). I've switched to eating oatmeal and the occasional bowl of Cream of Wheat instead.

Think about it: the average box of generic brand cereal costs between $3 and $4 (more for the name brands). If you eat cereal every day for breakfast, that box of cereal will be gone in 5-7 days. You'll spend between $12 and $16 on cereal for a month. And don't forget the milk!

By contrast, a big cannister of generic brand oatmeal (traditional rolled oats, not instant) costs approximately $3 and will last you all month, if not longer. You can make it with water (though I do cut my water with some milk), which can help decrease the cost of the milk you would use for your cereal. So for a month of oatmeal (maybe more), you'll spend $3 (plus some milk if you do use it in your oatmeal; I would also add in the cost of a package of brown sugar, because I can't eat my oatmeal without a 1/2 TBSP at least!).

I have really started to look forward to that hearty bowl of oatmeal in the mornings. Karl and I have divergent viewpoints about eating the same thing day after day, but in this case, the fruit-element of my morning bowl of oatmeal really places this breakfast outside of the monotonous category.

I have found a cannister of prunes or raisins is a must to keep around for oatmeal. However, to shake things up, I keep a bag of frozen mango chunks from Trader Joe's on hand ($2.79): just throw a few chunks into the pot at the same time you add the oatmeal. Delicious! This works great for instant oatmeal in the microwave also. Other frozen fruits are also wonderful. If you have a Trader Joe's nearby, I highly recommend you shop there for affordable frozen fruit: the larger chain grocery stores tend to charge about twice as much for less quantity.

The best part about a hot bowl of oatmeal? I don't feel hungry in two hours like I would with a bowl of cereal. It's not just an old wive's tale: oatmeal really does stick to your ribs!

Feel free to share some "belt-tightening" strategies of your own in the comments below!

Spice Girls: Vegan Stuffed Chile Peppers and Zingy Mashed Potatoes

My fabulous roomie Ruchi recently inherited a bag full of wicked-hot chile peppers from her friend Mala, who received them from her weekly batch of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) produce. What a windfall!

Ruchi and I decided to use all the peppers in one night to make stuffed peppers and spicy mashed potatoes. Since Ruchi has recently committed to being vegan (thanks to Skinny Bitch, a book I couldn't stand to read more than 5 pages of), I formulated a delicious vegan filling to stuff the peppers with.

If you ever decide to make stuffed chile peppers, you have a couple of options.
The "boat" method: slice the pepper in half long ways, scoop out the pithy part (and the seeds: they can taste bitter if you leave them in, and I promise, you're not discarding the spiciest part of the pepper), and fill each half with the filling.
The "bullet" method: slice only a small portion the top part of the pepper off (with the stem) and use a small utensil (like a paring knife, but be careful!) to scoop out as much pith and as many seeds as you can. Then you put the filling in and press it down until you can't fit any more in.

I like the bullet method best: I think it looks prettier. However, when you bite into a bullet-filled pepper, you are more likely to have an explosion (kind of like an over-filled jelly donut!). Either way, these peppers taste great and have a delicious spicy kick! The mashed potatoes were also very tasty.

Be creative with your food! Ruchi thought of an ingenious way to use last night's creations for lunch today: she wrapped up a stuffed pepper with some mashed potatoes in a roti (an Indian flat bread) for an interesting "burrito!"

Helpful Tips for Handling and Eating Spicy Food
Always remember to wash your hands very, very thoroughly after handling chile peppers with your bare hands. Also avoid touching your eyes or face. The peppers Mala gave us were quite potent, and even though I washed my hands several times, I still had burning sensations on my nose from scratching an itch! If you're really worried about it you can always handle the peppers while wearing latex gloves.

If you ever eat a pepper that is just too spicy, so spicy you feel ill, nauseous, or just completely overheated (this really can happen: it has happened to me!), whatever you do, do NOT drink water. This will just spread the spicy capsaicin all over your mouth and down your esophagus: hello, heartburn! The best way I have found to soothe the burn is to eat some high-fat yogurt. Drinking milk also helps, as does eating a piece of bread.

Carly and Ruchi's Vegan Stuffed Chile Peppers
Feel free to substitute your favorite veggies, add spices, etc. Be creative!

6-8 hot chile peppers (any kind will do), hollowed out and seeded
3 TBSP chopped crimini mushrooms
2 TBSP canned spinach (drained)
1 half of a roasted red bell pepper, chopped fine
3 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced fine
3 or 4 TBSP panko bread crumbs
2 TBSP Better-Than-Cream-Cheese (Tofutti)

Preheat oven to 400˚ F.
Mix all ingredients except the chile peppers until well combined. Stuff the chile peppers with the mixture. Place stuffed peppers on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes, until peppers are soft and the filling is steamy. Enjoy, but keep a glass of milk handy!

Zingy Mashed Potatoes (Vegan-friendly)
If vegan isn't your thing, or you don't have a vegan roommate that you love sharing food with, you can substitute butter for Smart Balance and regular milk for soy milk. If you really want to load up on animal product, try using chicken stock instead of water to boil your potatoes...Yum!

4-6 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cloves garlic, pressed
3 hot chile peppers, cored, seeded, and diced
salt and pepper
3 TBSP SmartBalance
1 or 2 TBSP unsweetened soy milk

Put the potatoes, garlic and peppers in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are fork tender (about 20 minutes). Drain the potato mixture, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, then use an electric hand mixer to mash the potatoes (you can also just mash them by hand with a potato masher or a fork). After mashing, add the Smart Balance and the soy milk and mash again (with electric mixer or by hand) until smooth. Enjoy hot or cold!

Cocktail Hour: Bacon-Infused Bourbon

A couple of weeks ago, Karl emailed me a link to a New York Magazine article containing a recipe for a Bacon-Infused Old-Fashioned. I had the feeling he had sent it to me for its shock value, or even in an attempt to induce his favorite response of mine (apparently, my face is capable of evincing both horror and scornful disdain simultaneously). Imagine his surprise when I emailed him back and told him that we would be conducting the experiment of infusing bourbon with bacon flavor as soon as possible!

I really, really like bourbon, and the idea of the smoky flavors of bacon mixing with the spicy aromatics of a good bourbon tickled my fancy. As the process described by New York Magazine did not seem very difficult, I thought, "Why not?"

Karl and I chose Elijah Craig bourbon for our experiment, even though Maker's Mark is my usual bourbon of choice. We felt that the powerful vanilla notes in Marker's Mark would not pair well with smoky bacon flavors. Elijah Craig lacks the vanilla and boasts a much spicier taste (think cinnamon and black pepper). We bought a hickory-smoked maple bacon for our infusion.

Essentially, the infusion process consists of cooking the bacon, and taking 1 oz. of the rendered fat (while it's hot) and pouring it into 750 mL of bourbon in a nonporous container. Then, while eating the bacon, you then let the mixture sit at room temperature for several hours, then put it in the freezer until the fats solidify on the top of the bourbon. You can then remove the fat with a slotted spoon, and voila! You have bacon-infused bourbon.

There was still a good amount of fat floating around in the bourbon (in particle form) after I had spooned out the large pieces, so I also poured the bourbon through cheesecloth to get the last bits out.

The resulting infused bourbon tasted a lot less like bacon than I thought it would. However, it took on some smoky back notes and a more viscous mouth-feel (thanks to the fat, I'm sure). Karl compared the taste and mouth-feel to a nice Scotch Whiskey. Overall, we were both very pleased.

We also took the suggestion of the New York Magazine article and made a variation of the Old Fashioned (which traditionally consists of bourbon, Angostura bitters, sugar, and a slice of orange). The variation substitutes the bacon-infused bourbon for regular and maple syrup for the sugar. What a delicious and elegant cocktail! Granted, we did not have the proper glass (you should use an old fashioned glass), but I thought the cocktail looked rather charming in a wine glass.

I will definitely be pulling this recipe out for parties, and maybe even for when I try a bourbon I'm not wild about. At the very least, it's an interesting way to get a few extra miles out of bacon fat!