Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE 

IN THE OJAI VALLEY. MAY 2011 BRING 

PEACE, CONTENTMENT, GOOD HEALTH 
AND HAPPINESS 

TO US ALL.

Support Guest Chefs

As we transition into a new year, please support the guest chefs that so generously shared their recipes with Valley Vegetarian readers. They are (in alphabetical order):

Carrie Clough - Manzanita

Recipe  

Susan Coulter - Feast Bistro

Recipe

Aparna Khanolka - The Mistress of Spice

Recipe

Tim Kilcoyne - Sidecar Restaurant

Recipe

Rachel Main - Main Course California

Recipe

Adam Newman - The Traveln Chef

Recipe

Caspar Poyck - Consciously Culinary

Recipe

Mom's Popovers

Here’s my mom’s recipe for traditional American-style popovers. She’s been gone many long years but I can still smell them as they came from the oven. My brother, John, and I ate them warm with a bit of butter and jam. 

I also remember the kitchen on Minnie Street in Hayward where they were made. The kitchen was so narrow that even as a teenager I could stretch out my arms and simultaneously touch the oven on left and the refrigerator on the right. I did that only once. The wiring wasn’t grounded properly so if you touched both at once you got a pretty good shock. 

I was thinking of that kitchen the other day as I ordered a new gas range for our kitchen. Can’t wait to make mom’s popovers in my new oven. When it arrives this will be the first thing I make in her honor. 

Ingredients: 

2 large eggs 

1 1/4 cups milk 

1 tablespoon melted butter 

1 cup white flour (I like to substitute ½ whole wheat for ½ of the white) 

¼ teaspoon salt 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Grease a muffin pan. I use my mom’s old cast iron pan which is perfect for popovers. 

Beat the eggs, whisk in milk and butter, then sift in flour and salt. Whisk until smooth. Fill each muffin cup about halfway. Place popovers in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake another 20-30 minutes. Be careful not to open the oven at all while the popovers are baking.

Remove popovers from the oven and take them out of the pan. Carefully poke a hole in the top of each one to let the steam escape. Serve while still hot. I like them with butter and jam. You might also try honey. They are great with honey. 

That's mom on the far right c.1940

Christmas Cookies

This is not your traditional Christmas sugar cookie recipe. This is a healthier recipe that’s  festive and nutritious featuring oatmeal, dried cranberries and walnuts. Substitute vegan egg replacer for the eggs and this is a vegan recipe. 

Ingredients: 

1 cup vegetable oil (or use butter) 

2 cups coconut sugar (or use 1 cup each brown and white) 

2 eggs 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 cups flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

3 cups old fashioned oats 

½ cup walnuts (chopped) 

1 cup dried cranberries 

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F 

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and sugar. Mix thoroughly. Beat in the eggs and then the vanilla extract. Set aside. 

In a separate, larger bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and oats. To this bowl add the walnuts, cranberries and sugar/egg mixture. Mix well. This mixture will be very thick so be sure to scrape down to the bottom of the mixing bowl so that everything gets mixed thoroughly. 

To make the cookies, drop two tablespoons of the mixture on an ungreased cookie sheet. Continue until the sheet is full. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. 

Fresh Lima Bean Soup

Lima beans. Good for us. In addition to providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, lima beans can increase your energy by helping to replenish your iron stores. A cup of lima beans contains 24.9% of the daily value for this important mineral. 

Here’s a vegan soup that takes advantage of the fresh-shelled lima beans that can still be found at the Farmers’ Market. Get them before they’re not in season anymore! 

Ingredients: 

1 pound fresh lima beans (shelled) 

1 quart vegetable broth 

2 cups water 

1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base 

2 large carrots (diced) 

2 thin slices fresh ginger root (peeled) 

2 celery sticks (chopped) 

1 small cauliflower 

2 bay leaves 

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 

1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil 

1/2 teaspoon turmeric 

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 

1 teaspoon salt 

Pinch cayenne

Fresh ground pepper to taste 

1/4 cup fresh parsley (minced) 

Directions: 

Cut stems from cauliflower and break into florets. Add all ingredients to a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 60 -70 minutes. Remove the ginger slices and bay leaves before serving. Serve with fresh bread from the oven. 

Potato Cake

This recipe has been handed down through four generations. My mother made it for my birthday, my dad’s mother made it for his birthday…well, you get the picture. I could say it’s made it through five generations but our son, Robert, doesn’t care for it. Can’t say I blame him. The potatoes give it a different flavor and texture. This is not your traditional birthday cake! 

The original cake was cooked in a wood-fueled oven. Whether your oven is fueled by wood, gas or electricity, I say give it a try! 

Ingredients: 

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar 

4 eggs 

½ cup milk 

1 cup hot mashed potatoes 

2 cups flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

½ teaspoon cinnamon 

½ teaspoon cloves 

½ teaspoon nutmeg 

½ cup Hershey's Cocoa (unsweetened) 

½ cup walnuts (chopped) 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine butter, sugar, eggs, milk and potatoes in a medium mixing bowl. Mix well. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. 

Combine the two mixtures and beat by hand until smooth. Pour mixture into lightly greased Bundt pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until done when tested in center. Mom served it to me with a thick double-chocolate frosting and a tall glass of cold milk.

Farmer & Cook Weekend Menu

organic

 farmer and the cook's  

weekend farm cafe specials

december 17 and 18th, 2010

olivia’s salad  8.

 shaved golden beets, sun-dried tomato, 

bok choy & hakurei turnips

 on sesame crackers with labneh, parmesan reggiano & mint salsa verde

the hodge pizza 14.

local chantrelle mushrooms, cream, parmesan, 

mozzarella and caramelized onion pizza

the plate  15.

cannellini beans in miso bagna cauda

potato, spigarello, almonds, arugula  served with garlic toasts 

vegan

or

wild nettle soufflé pudding

roasted gold beets, garlic and potatoes

meyer lemon-mint vinagrette

thank you jeff, sarah and olivia

339 w. el roblar  ojai  ca  93023
805-640-9608

Ojai Orange Cake

I wanted something different than the traditional Graham family potato cake (see next Monday’s post) on my birthday so I searched my folder of dessert recipes and found an orange cake recipe that I haven’t made for many moons. It is similar to a traditional pound cake and holds up well even after 20 years. The only change I made is the substitution of healthier coconut sugar for the traditional refined sugar.

I call my new recipe “Ojai Orange Cake” and will enjoy eating it for my birthday after dinner tonight. I might even add a little Grand Marnier to the glaze!

Ingredients: 

Cake: 

3 cups cake flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

Pinch of salt 

1 cup butter (room temp) 

2 cups coconut sugar 

½ teaspoon vanilla 

2 tablespoons fresh orange zest (from Ojai oranges) 

5 eggs 

¾ cup milk 

Glaze: 

¼ cup butter 

2/3 cup coconut sugar 

½ cup fresh orange juice (from Ojai oranges) 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

Whip butter with sugar, vanilla and orange zest until mixture is soft. Add eggs one-by-one, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture alternating with milk (start and end with the flour). Transfer mixture to a greased Bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. Check to see if done. If not yet done in the middle, bake for another 10 - 15 minutes. 

While cake is baking, place butter, sugar and orange juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Once cake is done, remove it from the oven and pour glaze over cake. Separate sides of cake from pan so the syrup gets in. Cool completely and invert onto dish for serving.

Peruvian Cornbread

I brought this recipe back with me when my son, Robert, and I travelled to Cuzco, Peru in 2006. We first had this bread while taking an early morning train ride down the mountains to Machu Picchu. After negotiating a couple of switchbacks, the train pulled into a small village and waited for the tourists on the train to buy food from the locals. One of the things they sold to us was this amazing corn bread. To get it, you handed a Peruvian coin out the window to the vendors. Using tongs, they plucked a 4x4 inch slice of soft, warm cornbread out of their basket and thrust it through the window. 

My hope is that you enjoy this bread as much as Robert and I did. 

Ingredients: 

1 ½ cups boiling water 

1 cup cornmeal 

2 tablespoons butter (softened) 

1 egg yolk 

½ cup milk 

½ cup cottage cheese 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

½ cup whole-kernel corn 

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 

1 small onion (chopped)
1 cup flour

2 egg whites 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Stir boiling water into cornmeal in 3-quart bowl and continue stirring until smooth. Blend in egg yolk. Stir in remaining ingredients except egg whites. Beat egg whites just until soft peaks form then fold into batter. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole dish. Bake until knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. 

Photo: Randy Graham
We made it to Machu Picchu

Cracked Wheat Pilaf

Cracked wheat is made from whole raw wheat kernels which are crushed or cut into smaller pieces. A similar product, bulgur wheat, is also made by cracking wheat kernels. Bulgur, however, is made from wheat kernels, which are steamed and toasted before cracking, so that they develop a rich, nutty flavor. Bulgur requires minimal cooking since it is already partially cooked.

Cracked wheat, on the other hand, uses whole raw wheat berries and is not cooked prior to packaging. It offers a great deal of nutrition and fiber since it includes the fiber and nutrient rich outer germ of the wheat. For this reason, those of us that pay attention to heart health often prefer it.

For the whole grain cracked wheat I use Bob’s Red Mill cracked wheat hot cereal. It is reasonably priced and readily available.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion (fine dice)

4 tablespoons vermicelli (crushed)

1 cup whole grain cracked wheat

1 ½ cups vegetable broth

1 cup tomatoes (diced)

salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add onion and sauté until the onions are translucent. Reduce heat to low and add vermicelli. Stir and simmer for two minutes or until the vermicelli looks golden (do not burn).

Add cracked wheat to the saucepan and sauté for another minute or so. Add the vegetable broth and mix in tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and stir once more. 
Cover the pan and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until the mixture is moist but not watery. If it is too dry add more vegetable broth.

Turn off heat. Cover with kitchen towel, place the lid tightly on top and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving. If this sounds weird, give it a try anyway. It helps to take away excess moisture allowing the pilaf to be more “fluffy”.

Stuffed Yams

This is a nice addition to your winter culinary repertoire. Full of flavor, this easy-to-make recipe is a nice vegan accompaniment to your holiday entrees or served with rice as a complete, nutritious meal.

Ingredients:

4 large garnet yams

1½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ cup onion (minced)

4 tablespoons crystallized ginger (minced)

2 tablespoons golden raisins

2 tablespoons prunes (chopped)

½ teaspoons salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450.

Clean yams, dry them, and place on baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, until soft. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Leave oven on at 450 degrees.

While the yams cool, melt oil over medium heat.  Add onions and sauté until clear  (about 8 to 10 minutes). Cut each yam in half lengthwise, then scoop out most of the flesh, leaving at least ¼ inch along the entire skin. Combine flesh with onion, ginger, raisins, prunes, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir to mix. Spoon mixture into skins and bake until very hot, about 10 - 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tip: You can make these ahead of time. Just put in a large baggie and refrigerate. Then, when ready to eat, remove from the baggie and reheat for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Welsh Rabbit

Whether you call it Welsh rabbit or Welsh rarebit the Welsh do love their toast and cheese. But, then, so do the Irish, the Scots and the Brits. 

Eighteenth-century English cookbooks reveal that rabbit was considered to be a luscious supper or tavern dish, based on fine cheddar-type cheeses and wheat breads, which were central to English cuisine. 

Carried to the New World by colonists, it survived through most of the nineteenth-century in its many forms with such names as Toasted Cheese or Yorkshire Golden Buck. By the late 1800s it had achieved elevated status as rarebit, one of the period's fashionable and often pretentious chafing dish presentations. 

When made at home, the American version often resembled an open-faced melted cheese sandwich. This version harkens back to the original recipe taking advantage of sharp cheddar cheese and fine porter beer. 

The type of beer you use makes all the difference. The Welsh prefer porter but the Irish in me prefers Guinness. If you like stout beer, consider making this with Guinness Extra Stout. 

Ingredients 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce 

½ teaspoon salt 

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

½ cup porter beer 

¾ cup heavy cream 

1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded) 

2 drops hot sauce 

4 slices toasted multigrain bread (Les Bles D'Or brand is excellent ) 

Directions 

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to brown the flour. Whisk in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add beer and whisk to combine. Pour in cream and whisk until well combined and smooth. Gradually add cheese, stirring constantly, until cheese melts and sauce is smooth; this will take 4 to 5 minutes. Add hot sauce. Pour over toast and serve immediately. 

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown’s Welsh Rarebit.

Spinach Crepes

This recipe appeared in the original Vegetarian Delights cookbook that Robin and I privately published in 1978 as Christmas presents for our friends and family. Although we published two vegetarian cookbooks since then, this recipe has always been our favorite. It will be one of the many dishes I make for our family dinner this Christmas. May you enjoy it too!

Ingredients: 

Batter: 

¾ cup whole milk 

¾ cup water 

¼ teaspoon salt 

2 tablespoons melted butter 

3 eggs 

1 cup whole wheat flour 

Filling: 

2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach (thawed) 

3 cups Monterey Jack cheese 

16 ounces ricotta cheese 

2 eggs 

½ cup Parmesan cheese 

½ teaspoon onion powder 

½ teaspoon garlic powder 

½ teaspoon nutmeg 

½ teaspoon salt 

¼ teaspoon pepper 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Add all batter ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate batter for at least one hour. Use the batter to make the 12 crepes just as you would make thin pancakes. For a primer on making perfect crepe pancakes, see Carrie Clough's crepe recipe. 

Squeeze excess water from spinach. In large mixing bowl, combine spinach, 2 cups of the Jack cheese, all of the Ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, nutmeg and salt and pepper. 

Place one-twelfth of the spinach mixture in the middle of a crepe. Fold the sides of the crepe over the mixture (kind of like folding the top flaps on a cardboard box) and place folded side down in a lightly greased baking dish. The crepes should look like small rectangles. 

Cover baking dish with foil and bake crepes for 20 minutes. Remove foil after 20 minutes and cover crepes with remaining cup of Jack cheese. Bake uncovered for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is fully melted. 

I like to serve this along with cracked wheat pilaf and a fresh garden salad. 

Knish

Knish is a Ukrainian word meaning dumpling. Knishes were developed by Eastern European Jews who brought knishes, and other favorites, with them as they emigrated to America. One historical account says that “Knishes were made at home until Yonah Schimmel, a rabbi from Romania, began to sell them at Coney Island in New York City, and also from a pushcart on the Lower East Side.” 

The rabbi would have made his knishes with eggs and butter. If you are vegan and celebrate the Festival of Lights, give this vegan version a try. 

Ingredients: 

3 russet potatoes (peeled and chopped) 

1 large onion (peeled and chopped) 

2 cups water (you can substitute vegetable broth) 

¼ cup plain soymilk 

2 tablespoons fresh extra virgin olive oil 

Salt and pepper to taste 

4 whole wheat tortillas (Mission Multi-Grain works well)

Dijon mustard 

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Boil potatoes and onions in the water or broth until potatoes are soft (10 - 15  minutes). Remove potatoes and onions from the water with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking water. Add the soymilk, olive oil, salt and pepper, and mash with a fork or potato masher until sticky. If you need more liquid, add the potato cooking water, one teaspoon at a time. The end result should be a lumpy mixture. 

Lay tortillas flat and spread mustard onto each one. Drop 2 - 3 tablespoons of the potato mixture in the middle of the tortilla and spread in a line from left to right. Fold the tortillas like a burrito using additional potatoes to seal it shut at both ends. 

Place knishes with the folded side down on a baking sheet. Spread a little more mustard on the top of each knish. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tortilla is firm but not crisp. Cool before eating. 

Recipe adapted from Patti Breitman’s posting at VegNews.com.