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Appetizers, Chicken, Dinner, Fish, Lactose Free, Recipes, Sauces, Vegan, Vegetarian

Avocado-Lime Sauce Vierge

January 31, 2015

This fantastic recipe from Bon Appetit is a winner. Sauce Vierge is a French sauce literally meaning virgin sauce because it is not cooked. There are so many variations, often using tomatoes as the base of the sauce. The main ingredients found in most of the recipes are olive oil, fresh herbs and lemon juice. This recipe includes luscious avocado, the juice and pulp of a lime, and jalapeño pepper. Brilliant!

The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup olive oil and a half of an avocado. I switched it around a bit and used a whole avocado and 1/4 cup of olive oil. I don’t care for sauces or dressings that are heavy on the oil so this worked out perfectly.

The article suggests serving this sauce with grilled fish, roast chicken, or huevos rancheros. We served it with a roast chicken and dipped tortilla chips in the leftover sauce the following day. It was so good, I made more right away.

Avocado – Lime Sauce Vierge

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

1 medium avocado, pitted, diced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small jalapeño, seeded, finely chopped

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot

1 – 2 limes, halved (our limes from the garden are large and juicy so I used just 1 lime, taste as you go)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Dice avocado and place in a medium bowl. Coarsely crush some of the avocado. Stir in olive oil, jalapeño, garlic, and shallot. Squeeze limes into avocado mixture. Using a spoon, scrape pulp out of limes into mixture. Stir to combine. Do Ahead: Sauce can be made a few days in advance. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of sauce. Cover and refrigerate. Bring sauce to room temperature before continuing.

Stir basil and cilantro into sauce just before serving. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with extra olive oil if desired.

Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Tofu, Vegan, Vegetarian

Sesame Tofu

December 15, 2014

I’m always thinking of new ways to prepare tofu. It’s far more versatile than most people realize, which is one reason I just love it! Sliced and sprinkled with fresh ginger, green onions and a drizzle of soy sauce, baked with herbs, sprinkled with nutritional yeast, or pan-fried in a number of ways, tofu is one of my favorite foods. Roasted sesame seeds are another favorite food of mine, and combined with tofu, they can be transformed into the perfect meal.

Extra firm tofu, water pressed out (I love my TofuXpress) is most important for this recipe. Served with brown rice and a crunchy chopped salad, tofu skeptics will be thoroughly surprised at how satisfying this meal can be. Try it! If you do not have a TofuXpress, drain your tofu between a clean, lint free kitchen towel or a thick layer of paper towels. Place a cutting board over the top with a few canned goods, a book or a heavy skillet for about 1/2 hour.

A quick dip in the marinade, then pan-fried until the sesame seeds are super fragrant and crunchy, this is a quick, savory and simple dish. It keeps well for a few days and is a tasty home lunch.

Sesame Tofu

Serves 2 as a main dish

Ingredients

1 14 ounce package extra firm tofu, drained and water pressed out (Wildwood extra firm is recommended)

4 tablespoons lite soy sauce (Kikkoman recommended)

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil (Kadoya recommended)

2 teaspoons finely minced garlic

2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger root

1/2 cup roasted sesame seeds, white and black mixed

1 tablespoon corn starch

Preparation

Slice pressed tofu into seven even slabs, or just under 3/4 inches thick. Slice each piece in half, lengthwise. Place on a paper towel while you make the marinade.

Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Place tofu slices in dish, in a single layer. Turn to coat all sides of tofu. This may take just a few minutes.

Transfer the tofu slices to a plate and cut each piece in half, crosswise, to make shorter sticks.

Mix 1/2 cup sesame seeds with corn starch in a shallow bowl or plate. Place a few pieces of tofu in the sesame seed mixture and press gently to coat both the top and bottom. Remove to a plate and continue to coat all of the tofu.

Heat a tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat in a skillet large enough to hold all tofu pieces in a single layer. Once the oil is hot, gently place tofu in the skillet. Cook the tofu until nicely browned, about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed. Check a piece to make sure the sesame seeds and garlic are not burning. Turn the tofu pieces over to brown the other side for another 4 – 5 minutes or so. I find it best to use a thin spatula to turn the pieces. Just be careful when doing so as the sesame seeds have a tendency to fall off. I quickly browned the two sides that are not coated with sesame seeds, by turning the pieces on their side for just a minute.

Serve warm with brown rice and a chopped salad. If you have leftovers, the tofu keeps well for at least 3 days.

Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Vinegar-Roasted Beets

November 2, 2014

I’ve always loved roasted beets. I was looking for something a little different from what I have done in the past. These beets are infused with a tangy-sweet flavor after being roasted in vinegar with fresh herbs. They emerge from the oven perfectly seasoned and add beautiful color to any salad. The beets are moist, tender, and as Chef Jaime Malone says “they are dressed from within.”

Mana Foods had some pretty golden beets, so with this recipe in mind, I brought a few home and popped them in the oven.

So simple. Rice vinegar, water, salt, a bit of sugar and some herbs and garlic. It takes just 5 minutes hands on time while the remainder is spent in the oven (I used my toaster oven).

You could eat the beets alone, with a drizzle of good olive oil and some Maldon sea salt and pepper. I made a big salad with some homegrown tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers, sprinkled a bit of feta cheese over the salad, and used my favorite dressing.

Vinegar-Roasted Beets

Food & Wine Magazine

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups rice vinegar (unseasoned)

1 1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 pounds small beets

2 thyme sprigs

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 bay leaf

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large, deep oven proof baking dish, whisk the vinegar with the water, sugar and kosher salt. Add the beets, thyme, garlic and bay leaf. Cover the baking dish with heavy-duty foil and roast for about 50 – 60 minutes, until tender, turning halfway through the cooking time. Remove the beets from the baking dish, and let cool completely, then peel and slice into rounds or wedges.

*If you have a toaster oven that will accommodate the baking dish, by all means use it. There’s no need to pre-heat the toaster oven.

Dinner, Italian, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

October 12, 2014

Summer is officially over yet this record hot weather will be with us for at least another month. Nevertheless, it hasn’t deterred me from baking brownies or simmering short ribs for 2 1/2 hours in the oven, but it does bring to mind meals that can be prepared in a jiffy, like this simple tomato sauce.

Though the recipe refers to this as a vinaigrette, it is also referred to as a condiment and as such, is equally delicious on grilled sourdough bread, or grilled chicken, pork or fish. It adds beautiful color to all these dishes. I love serving the tomatoes on thin capellini noodles for a summery lunch or dinner.

Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

Bon Appetit Magazine

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

crumbled feta (optional)

Preparation

Cut half of the cherry tomatoes in half.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot, and cook, stirring often until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add halved and whole tomatoes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to release juices, about 4 – 6 minutes. Crush some of the tomatoes with the back of spoon.

Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with kosher salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature; add chives just before serving and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Dinner, Japanese, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Japanese Cucumber Salad

October 5, 2014

I love crunchy, sweet, cucumbers, especially Keiki Cukes. Their size is perfect, they are seedless, and snappy. I discovered this Jamie Oliver recipe on Leite’s Culinaria and I was smitten.

Lemon grass adds a fragrant note to the dressing. It pairs well with the ginger and rice vinegar. As the editor-in-chief of Leite’s Culinaria, Renée Schettler Rossi says, this is not the most traditional Japanese recipe despite Jamie Oliver’s title. And, as Renée says further, “I’m not holding that against it.”

I diced up a bit of cucumber and sliced carrots into pretty florets to add texture and color to the silky sliced cucumbers. A generous handful of torn mint and a little cilantro sprinkled over the cucumbers add that special brightness to the salad. For those of you who are not fond of cilantro you may leave it out, but don’t skip the mint.

Japanese Cucumber Salad

Adapted from Leite’s Culinaria

Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

3/4 – 1 pound Japanese, Keiki, or other small, seedless cucumbers

1/4 small carrot, sliced very thin (optional)

Handful of fresh mint, torn into small pieces

Handful of fresh cilantro, torn into small pieces

Dressing:

3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon finely grated ginger

1 teaspoon finely minced lemongrass

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Dressing:

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. Mix until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in oil. Add ginger, lemongrass, and salt & pepper to taste.

Thinly slice cucumbers lengthwise, using a mandoline, handheld slicer, or potato peeler, making thin ribbons. Lay cucumber slices on paper towels and lightly pat dry. Slice a small portion of a cucumber into small cubes, about 1/4 cup (I use the leftover edges of the cucumber I sliced into ribbons, omitting any seedy flesh). Finely slice carrot if using. Lay cucumber ribbons on a plate and diced cucumbers on edges of plate along with the carrots. Sprinkle with torn mint and cilantro, and drizzle a generous amount of dressing over the salad.

***The dressing can be made a day in advance and the vegetables may be cut a few hours before serving.

Dinner, Italian, Recipes, Sauces, Vegan, Vegetarian

Homemade Pizza Sauce

September 20, 2014

One of my favorite meals is homemade pizza. John has perfected a recipe for really good pizza crust, one that is both tender yet chewy with a bit of those crispy edges that we all love. There are a number of ready-made pizza sauces available and I found one that was acceptable, but not perfect. Most of the prepared pizza sauces are a bit too “tomato pasty” and just don’t have that fresh tomato flavor. One of our favorite Wine Country restaurants, Redd Wood, makes some of the best pizza we’ve had. Their sauce is very simple but delicious. With that in mind, I decided to make my own pizza sauce and now I shall never go back to prepared sauce.

With just a few good ingredients, you’ll have a delicious pizza sauce that takes just about 45 minutes to prepare. I am very fond of Rao’s Italian Peeled Tomatoes. They are by far, the best canned tomatoes I have found. I once bought them at our local Whole Foods market, however they no longer carry them. Mail order is the way to go.

Rao’s tomatoes are always beautiful. They are peeled well, plump and juicy with a rich puree.

I use a food mill to puree the tomatoes. If you don’t have a food mill, squish the tomatoes with your hands or whirl in the food processor.

Best Homemade Pizza Sauce

Makes 1 3/4 cups – Enough for two large pizzas or four small pizzas

Ingredients

1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes in puree, Rao’s brand if available

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Puree the tomatoes (tomatoes and puree) using a food mill (I used the coarse disc). Alternatively, puree the tomatoes in a food processor (quick pulses) or smash the tomatoes with your clean hands for a chunkier pizza sauce. Pour in a bowl and set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large deep sided sauté pan. Add minced onions, turn the heat down to medium low and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft but not browned, stirring frequently.

Add the pureed tomatoes to the onions and mix to combine. Cook the sauce for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will have reduced and thickened up nicely. Add the oregano, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Continue to cook the pizza sauce for another 10 minutes or until the sauce is as thick as you like it. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Let the sauce cool while you prepare your pizza toppings and roll out your dough. The sauce can be made a few days in advance and freezes nicely for a couple of months.

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Avocado-Lime Sauce Vierge

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Sesame Tofu

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Vinegar-Roasted Beets

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Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

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Japanese Cucumber Salad

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Homemade Pizza Sauce

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