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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.

Japanese, Recipes, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Sesame-Miso Vinaigrette

July 14, 2014

The January 2014 issue of Bon Appétit included a “Food Lover’s Cleanse” article that highlighted a few of their favorite recipes to “help you balance the excesses of the holiday season.” Well, now that it’s July, those days are long gone. I’m not on a cleansing diet (though I can always use help “balancing excess!”). I was intrigued by one of the recipes: Sesame-Miso Vinaigrette. I am particularly fond of roasted sesame seeds and miso, whether it be white, yellow, or red.

The vinaigrette is especially delicious on a salad with crunchy butter or iceberg lettuce, cucumbers and sugar snap peas.

Sesame-Miso Vinaigrette

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Makes about 2/3 cup

Ingredients

1 red Fresno chile, with seeds, finely chopped

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons white miso

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon grated peeled ginger

Preparation

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. Vinaigrette can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill before serving.

Fruit, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Pickled Mango

July 8, 2014

Many of the world’s cultures have their own version of pickled mango. In India they often use chiles, fenugreek and mustard seeds for a spicy pickled mango side dish. Vietnamese- style pickled mango may include Thai chiles. Here in Hawaii we make a brine of vinegar, sugar and salt and sometimes dried plums are added.

A few weeks ago strong trade winds knocked off a number of our White Pirie and Rapoza mangoes. This could have been a tragedy, given how tasty these mangoes are when perfectly ripe. So bucket in hand, I gathered up the fallen green mangoes and made a small batch of pickled mango. All of my Maui friends love pickled mango!

The seed of this green Rapoza mango is small and soft which makes it very easy to cut the mango into slices. This particular mango is all fruit and little seed.

Adding dried plums to the pickled mango is not essential however I usually include them. They soak up all the tasty brine and add that extra “umami” flavor we all love.

Pickled Mango

Makes about 11 cups

Ingredients

6 – 7 pounds green mangoes

2 1/2 cups white vinegar

3 cups filtered water

2 1/2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons Hawaiian salt or kosher salt

1/2 – 1 teaspoon li hing mui powder (optional)

20 li hing mui plum seed or dried seedless plums (optional)

Preparation

Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and Hawaiian salt in a 3-quart pot. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved. If using li hing mui powder, add it now and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and let mixture cool to room temperature.

Peel mangoes and cut fruit away from the seed. Slice into strips about 1/3-inch thick. Place cut mangoes in a large bowl. Add enough liquid to cover the mangoes. Give it a stir, add dried plums/li hing mui if using. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight, stirring occasionally. The pickled mango tastes best after it has marinated for a few days in the delicious sweet-tart brine. Pack in individual containers and store in the refrigerator. Give them away as gifts, your friends will be forever grateful.

Dinner, Fish, Fruit, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Mango Salsa

July 2, 2014

Our mango tree (White Pirie) provides us with the sweetest fruit imaginable. These little, nondescript mangoes are a revelation to those who are not familiar with this particular variety. I have to give credit to my mom who told me how delicious this mango is, and, that I should plant a White Pirie tree in my yard. Now, more than 25 years later, this tree is the crown jewel of our garden.

This is a quick salsa that is particularly good with grilled fish. It goes especially well with Cajun style blackened fish: it’s really the perfect summer meal.

During the summer months when mangoes are in season, there are a number of ways I like to use them. Sorbet, jam, pickled and occasionally a nice mango crisp for dessert. This salsa recipe is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy this fruit.

Mango Salsa

2 generous servings

Ingredients

1 cup diced, sweet mango (ripe but not too soft)

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon finely chopped Maui onion

jalapeño to taste (I like to use our nacho jalapeños but feel free to use fresh jalapeños)

juice of 1/2 lime

Preparation

Combine mango, cilantro, onion and jalapeño in a medium bowl. Squeeze lime juice over and toss very gently to combine ingredients. Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve over fresh, grilled fish or chicken.

*Salsa is best made within a couple of hours before serving.

Bread, Lactose Free, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Josey Baker’s Adventure Bread

June 19, 2014

Adventure bread. What a clever name! The moment I read David Lebovitz’ post about Josey Baker’s Adventure bread, chock-full of nuts, seeds, and oats, I knew I had to make it right away.

You might wonder what holds this gluten and flour free, hearty loaf together. The secret binder is psyllium husks. This bread’s allure is hard to explain but you’ll fall in love with it as soon as you try it. Toasted until utterly crunchy and smothered with butter and honey or pure maple syrup, it is the perfect way to start (or end) your day.

There is an abundance of sunflower, pumpkin, and flax seeds, plus 3/4 cups toasted almonds and 2 1/4 cups of rolled oats. I was curious to know how much this loaf weighed. I set the pan on my kitchen scale and found it weighed 3 1/2 pounds! I knew I was in for a real treat when the loaf was baking and the scent of toasted almonds filled the air.

It’s essential to use pure maple syrup. No substitutions!

Josey Baker’s Adventure Bread

One eight-inch loaf pan

From David Lebovitz blog

Ingredients

Dry:

2 1/4 cups (235g) rolled oats

1 cup (160g) sunflower seeds (hulled)

1/2 cup (65g) pumpkin seeds (hulled)

3/4 cup (90g) almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

3/4 cup (120g) flax seeds

1/3 cup (25g) psyllium husks

3 tablespoons (25g) chia seeds

2 teaspoons (12g) fine sea salt

Wet:

2 tablespoons (40g) pure maple syrup

1/4 cup (55g) olive oil

2 1/2 cups (600g) water

Preparation

Toast the sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Spread the seeds on a baking sheet and toast until they start to brown, about 15 minutes, stirring halfway during baking. Watch closely so they do not burn. Toast the almonds for about 7 minutes. I used my toaster oven set to 300ºF.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Pour in the wet ingredients, and as Josie instructs, “mush up your dough real good with strong hands or a big spoon.” Since this is all the handling your dough will encounter, mix it well. Scoop the dough into your oiled pan and smooth out the top. Place the pan in your refrigerator for at least a few hours, or up to a whole day.

Remove the bread from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400ºF. Bake the bread for about an hour, then take it out and gently remove the loaf from the pan. Let it cool on a rack for at least 2 hours, or until completely cool. Josie says not to rush this step.

The bread is best sliced thin (about 1/2 inch) and then toasted until crunchy edges form. I use my toaster oven and toast the slices for at least 8 – 10 minutes. Spread with butter and drizzle with honey, or top with your favorite jam, jelly, or maple syrup.

*The bread freezes nicely. Slice and freeze in a Ziplock bag.

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Japanese Cucumber Salad

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Sesame-Miso Vinaigrette

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Pickled Mango

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Mango Salsa

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Josey Baker’s Adventure Bread

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