Savory Ojai Pasties

So what’s a pasty? No, it’s not what Earth Friend Jen wears. The best way to describe a pasty is to say it’s a pot pie without the pot. They are thought to have been the culinary invention of the Cornish in England and were brought to the United States when Cornish miners immigrated in the 1800’s. 

My version of pasties takes advantage of the fresh, local produce found at our Ojai Certified Farmers’ Market and found in the CSA boxes available from our local farmers. A combination of onions, celery, rutabaga, potatoes and carrots are married with garlic and thyme. Add a little spicy brown mustard and some nutty-tasting Gruyère cheese and this savory pasty becomes a hearty snack. Serve it with a side of salad and you have a complete meal. Leave out the cheese and this is a vegan recipe. 

Ingredients: 

Dough: 

1 ¾ cups flour (plus more for rolling) 

½ teaspoon salt 

5 tablespoons cold vegan margarine (cut into small cubes)
6 - 8 tablespoons cold water 

Filling: 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1 small onion (finely diced) 

1 stalk celery (finely diced) 

2 cloves garlic (minced) 

1 small rutabaga (peeled and diced) 

1 small potato (scrubbed but not peeled - finely diced) 

1 carrot (scrubbed but not peeled - finely diced) 

½ teaspoon dried thyme 

2 large eggs 

1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard 

¼ cup Gruyère cheese (grated) 

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

To make Dough: Sift flour and salt into bowl. Cut in margarine using pastry cutter. This mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal. Stir in 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water, or just enough to hold mixture together. Shape dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour. 

To make Filling: Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until onion is lightly browned. Add rutabaga, potato, carrot, and thyme; cook 3 minutes. Add ½ cup water; reduce heat, cover, and steam vegetables 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender. 

Whisk 1 egg with mustard in large bowl. Stir in vegetables and Gruyère. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk remaining egg with 2 tablespoons water in separate bowl to make egg wash, and set aside. 

To make Pasty: Divide dough in half and roll one half out on floured work surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 8 discs with 5-inch round cutter (I use an inverted bowl as a cutter). Add leftover dough to remaining dough and repeat to make 8 more discs. 

Roll each disc out to a long oval and brush edges of each oval with egg wash. Place 3 tablespoons filling on one side of oval and fold dough over to make semicircle. Press dough around filling to remove any air, making sure no filling leaks out of edges. Crimp edges with fork tines to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling until you have 16 pasties. Brush tops with egg wash. Cut 41-inch slices on top.

Arrange pasties on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Roasted Cauliflower

You’ve probably had raw cauliflower or steamed cauliflower....but have you ever tried roasted cauliflower? This simple and easy vegan recipe takes no more than 10 minutes prep time.

Ingredients: 

7 cups small cauliflower florets (1 large head cauliflower) 

3 fresh plum tomatoes (chopped) 

¼ cup olive oil 

2 cloves garlic (minced) 

1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds 

¼ teaspoon turmeric 

Pinch of cayenne 

½ teaspoon salt 

Fresh ground pepper to taste 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

2 tablespoons cilantro (minced) 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Using a large mixing bowl, toss all ingredients together except for lemon juice and cilantro. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast in oven about 22 - 25 minutes. 

Place roasted cauliflower in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice and chopped cilantro and serve while still warm.

Pupusas y Curtido

Want a fun, different and fulfilling dish for bringing in the new year? Try pupusas. A pupusa is a stuffed corn tortilla usually served with a spicy coleslaw called curtido. This recipe makes both. 

Pupusas originated in El Salvador, but emigrants have taken the dish to South and North American. They are hand-made and thick. Like all corn tortillas, pupusas are made using masa harina and are generally stuffed with one or more of the following: cheese, refried beans, fried pork rinds and chicken. The curtido is slightly salty which perfectly complements the bland (but tasty!) pupusas.

Robert recently made tortillas for us using masa. He then filled them with black beans and a mozzarella-like cheese, Oaxaca (wə-hah-kə). This gave me the inspiration for my Ojai version of Pupusas y Curtido. 

Ingredients: 

Curtido: 

4 cups shredded cabbage 

1 medium carrot, coarsely grated 

½ cup onion (thinly sliced) 

½ jalapeño (seeded and finely diced) 

½ cup white vinegar 

1 teaspoons salt 

2 teaspoons sugar 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

Pupusas: 

4 cups masa harina 

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon salt 

3 cups warm water 

½ cup cooked black beans (rinsed & mashed) 

½ cup Oaxaca cheese (chopped or shredded) 

Vegetable oil (for frying) 

Directions: 

To make Curtido: Pour 4 cups boiling water over cabbage, carrot, onion, and jalapeño in bowl. Steep 5 minutes. Drain. 

Bring vinegar, 1/2 cup water, salt, sugar, and oregano to a boil in saucepan. Pour over cabbage mixture. Cover, and allow to cool. 

To make Pupusas: Combine masa harina, cumin, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Stir in 3 cups warm water, adding more, if needed, to form soft dough. Cover, and let stand 30 minutes. 

Line baking sheet with wax paper. Roll dough into 16 balls. Make indentation in centers of each ball. Fill 8 balls with 1 tablespoon refried beans. Fill remaining 8 balls with 1 tablespoon cheese. Fold edges over filling of each ball and roll into balls once more. Press each ball into 4-inch disks. Place on wax paper. 

Heat 3 teaspoons oil in skillet over medium-high heat (I use a long griddle). Add 4 Pupusas at a time to skillet. Cook 3 minutes on one side turn and cook another 3 minutes on the other. To serve, transfer hot pupusas to your plate and spoon the curtido on the side.

From Our Family to Your Family...

Feast Bistro - December 23, 2011

...Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Spicy Roasted Holiday Nuts

This spicy snack is a fun change from what I usually put out for friends and family over the holidays. It’s also good to snack on while playing couch potato to your favorite televised sporting event. 

Ingredients: 

Spice Mix: 

1 tablespoon raw sugar 

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin 

1 ½ teaspoons paprika 

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

½ teaspoon garlic powder 

¼ teaspoon ground allspice 

Roasted Nuts: 

2 cups raw cashews 

2 cups dried banana chips 

1 cup raw pecans 

½ cup raw pumpkin seeds 

½ cup raw sunflower seeds 

3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

To make Spice Mix: Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.

To make Roasted Nuts: Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Add spice mix; stir until ingredients are well coated with spices and oil. Spread on 2 baking sheets. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until nuts begin to brown and appear dried, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, if desired, and cool on baking sheets. Store in airtight container.

Asian Tofu Sliders

Robin and I have been on an Asian food/flavor binge. Not sure this recipe qualifies as Asian food but I do know it qualifies, hands down, for Asian flavor. For a change up, substitute mini bagels for slider buns. 

Slider Ingredients: 

14 ounces extra-firm tofu (patted dry) 

4 tablespoons Tamari 

2 tablespoons natural cane sugar 

2 teaspoons sesame oil 

1 teaspoon cornstarch 

16 wheat or white slider-size buns 

Slaw Ingredients: 

3 tablespoons Tamari 

2 tablespoons Vegenaise 

2 tablespoons organic peanut butter 

5 teaspoons natural cane sugar 

2 tablespoons rice vinegar 

2 teaspoons sesame oil 

1 clove garlic (minced) 

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 

1 pinch cayenne pepper 

4 medium carrots (julienned or shredded) 

2 medium zucchini (julienned or shredded) 

¼ cup peanuts (chopped fine) 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

To make Slaw: Whisk together soy sauce, vegenaise, peanut butter, sugar, vinegar, oil, garlic, pepper, and cayenne in bowl. Stir in carrots, zucchini, and peanuts. Chill while preparing tofu. 

To make Tofu for Sliders: Cut tofu into 8 slices lengthwise; halve slices to make 16 pieces. Transfer to baking dish. Whisk together soy sauce, sugar, oil, and cornstarch in bowl. Pour over tofu, cover, and chill 30 minutes. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Drain tofu, and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes. 
Flip, and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, or until crispy. Set aside and bring out the slaw. 

To make Sliders: Fill buns with 1 tofu slice and 2 tablespoons slaw. 

Lemony Artichoke Turnovers

Looking for a tasty appetizer for your elaborate Christmas dinner? Look no further. This recipe takes a bit of prep time but is not hard to make. The combination of artichoke hearts and cheeses is classic and with the shallots, garlic and wine make a wonderful filling for the crispy puff pastry. Perfect finger food. 

Ingredients: 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 

1 large shallot (minced) 

3 cloves garlic (minced) 

3 tablespoons flour (plus more for surface) 

½ cup dry white wine 

½ cup warm milk 

½ cup warm vegetable stock 

1 teaspoon salt 

Fresh ground pepper to taste 

Pinch of cayenne pepper 

1 pound frozen artichoke hearts (thawed and chopped) 

½ cup Parmesan cheese (finely grated) 

½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese (finely grated) 

1 tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped fine) 

1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest (chopped fine) 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

2 14-ounce packages puff pastry (thawed) 

1 large egg for egg wash 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallot and garlic for 1 minute. Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add wine, and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and stock. Bring to a boil. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, and the cayenne. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in artichoke hearts, cheeses, thyme, zest, and mustard. Let cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Roll out puff pastry to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 3-inch squares. 

Arrange 1 tablespoon artichoke mixture in center of each square. Brush 2 perpendicular edges with egg wash, and fold over to form a triangle with remaining edges, pressing to seal. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. 

Brush turnovers with egg wash. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Veggie Lavash Rollups

This is an easy, quick-to-make appetizer that is a nice addition to your holiday table. It features Lavash flatbread. What is Lavash? 

Lavash is a flatbread made more than 3,000 years ago in a region between the Black and Caspian Seas. Ancient civilizations of this region baked it in subterranean clay ovens (tonir) during the wheat harvest. I like Lavash because it is different. I think your family and friends will like it too. Here’s how I fill the Lavash before rolling it up and slicing into round bite-sized pieces. 

Ingredients: 

4 medium carrots (washed but not peeled) 

1 garlic clove (minced) 

½ cup Vegenaise 

1/3 cup water 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

Salt and pepper to taste 

1 Lavash flatbread 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 eggplant (peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes) 

½ pound button mushrooms (chopped) 

1 red onion (chopped) 

Directions: 

Cook carrots in boiling water until soft. Drain off water. Grate carrots in a medium bowl. Add Vegenaise, water, mustard, garlic and salt and pepper to carrots. Set aside. 

Fry eggplant in olive oil until soft – about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and onion and continue cooking for about 5 minutes more. Add this mixture to the carrot mixture and stir briefly to combine. 

Lay the Lavash bread on plastic wrap. Spread veggie mixture evenly on top of the Lavash. Carefully roll Lavash up on top of the plastic wrap. Seal the finished veggie roll in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours. 

To serve, slice into 1" pieces. 

Classic Cheese Fondue

Photo: Seduction Meals

What better way to spend a cold night than enjoying a leisurely meal of classic cheese fondue by the fireplace? 

Although fondue has morphed over time, its classic version is a Swiss dish of melted cheese served in a communal pot (caquelon) over a spirit lamp (rechaud) and eaten by dipping long-stemmed forks with bread into the cheese. It was promoted as a Swiss national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union in the 1930s and became popular in North America in the 1960s.

My version includes apple cider in addition to white wine. If you’re a fondue purist, leave the cider out and double up on the wine. 

Ingredients: 

1 clove garlic (cut in half crosswise) 

¾ cup dry white wine (Chablis works well) 

¾ cup apple cider 

1 tablespoon kirsch 

8 ounces Gruyere cheese (grated) 

8 ounces Jarlsberg cheese (grated) 

8 ounces Emmental cheese (grated) 

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

2 tablespoons cornstarch (prevents separation) 

Pinch of nutmeg 

Freshly ground white pepper (to taste) 

1 loaf French bread (cut into one-inch cubes) 

1 apple (cored and sliced) 

Directions 

Rub inside of a fondue pot with garlic; discard garlic. Pour cider, wine and 1 tablespoon kirsch into pot, and place over medium-low heat. When liquid starts to bubble, start adding cheeses by the handful, stirring until melted and combined. 

Whisk together lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl until cornstarch dissolves; stir into cheese mixture. Continue stirring until mixture is smooth and just beginning to bubble - about five minutes. Season with nutmeg and pepper. 

Transfer fondue pot to the table, and keep warm over the fondue pot warmer. Serve with bread cubes, apple slices and a chilled bottle of Riesling, Pinot Gris or other aromatic white wine. 

Recipe from Marrakech

Here is a recipe from Hassan Ettaj who sent this to the Valley Vegetarian from Marrakech, Morocco. Thank you Hassan!

Grated Carrot Salad with Orange
1 pound carrots
2 oranges
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon orange blossom water (optional)
1 tablespoon packed powdered sugar
juice of one lemon

Peel and cut carrots lengthwise, remove the white, wash and drain.

Mix salt, orange flower water, sugar and lemon juice ... Grate the carrots in this juice .... Mix all ... Serve chilled.

Falafel Burger

Who doesn’t like a crispy falafel burger in warm pita bread? “Falafel tastes too bland”, you say? Well I say, “This is the real deal here. The combination of spices and herbs is superb and the tahini dressing keep every bite moist and tasty”. So there! Take that falafel naysayers. I want you to also take a deep breath and exhale 3 times and then get the ingredients together for this vegan falafel. You’re gonna like it!

Ingredients:
2 cans garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1 small red onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
¼ cup parsley (chopped)
3 to 4 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup organic tahini
3 tablespoons water
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 large vegan pita bread
1 cup romaine lettuce (shredded)
1/2 seedless cucumber (sliced)
1/2 cup pepperoncini peppers (sliced)
2 tomatoes (sliced)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Pat the beans dry with a paper towel and place into a food processor. Add in the onion, garlic, parsley, flour, spices and seasonings (not flour), and process until fairly smooth and very thick (so you can form patties).

Put vegetable oil in a large skillet and heat on medium high. Form 4- 6 large patties, dredge in flour and cook 3-4 minutes on each side.

Put the tahini in a medium-size mixing bowl and add the water, lemon juice and zest, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

Cut pitas in half to form pockets. Wrap them in foil and place in the preheated oven to warm, about 3 minutes.

Remove pitas from the oven. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the tahini sauce into each of the pitas. Place some shredded lettuce, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes in the pita, and then slide in a falafel burger.

Lasagna Azteca

This is a Tex-Mex dish that Robin and I enjoyed at Café de la Paz in Berkeley in the gourmet ghetto neighborhood. I tried to duplicate the dish from memory when we returned home and what I came up with was more like Mexican lasagna than the “Tamal Azteca” on the menu at Café de la Paz. Try it and let us know what you think of this original recipe I call Lasagna Azteca. 

Ingredients: 

1 batch Azteca Sauce (see below) 

8 old corn tortillas 

1 package frozen spinach, un-chopped, thawed and thoroughly drained (squeeze the water out!) 

12 ounces good quality Monterey Jack cheese (grated) 

16-ounce package frozen corn (thawed) 

¼ cup cilantro (chopped) 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Lightly grease a baking dish (approximately 7 x 11). Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom. Cover sauce with two tortillas. Spread ½ of the spinach (be sure it is thoroughly drained!) over the tortillas. Top with ¼ of the cheese and ¾ cup of sauce. 

Place two tortillas on top and press down gently. Spread the corn over the top and cover with ¾ cup sauce and ¼ of the cheese. Place two more tortillas on top and press down. Spread the other half of the spinach on top of the tortillas and cover with ½ of the remaining sauce and ½ of the remaining cheese. 

Top with the remaining two tortillas and press down. Spread remaining sauce on the tortillas. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of sauce. Cover tightly with foil and bake in oven for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes. Sprinkle cilantro on top of each serving. 

Azteca Sauce: 

Ingredients: 

1 small white onion (chopped) 

½ tablespoon olive oil 

1 clove garlic (chopped) 

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (do not drain) 

1 cup hot water 

1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base 

½ teaspoon salt 

1 tablespoon red chili powder 

¼ cup cilantro (chopped) 

Directions: 

Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium heat (do not burn!). Add onion and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add crushed tomatoes, water, Better Than Bouillon, salt and chili powder. Stir till well mixed. Simmer uncovered over low heat for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until sauce begins to thicken. Stir in cilantro, remove from heat and let cool. When still warm (but not hot) puree in blender.

Ojai Valley Vegetarian Cookbook - Coffee Connection!

BOOK SIGNING - COME MEET THE AUTHOR!

Coffee Connection Sat Dec 3rd @11:00AM

This 274 page book is a collection of the 120 most popular recipes from the first two years of posts to my Valley Vegetarian blog. There’s nothing fancy here, just plain good home style cooking that appeals to everyone without regard to specific diet. The recipes tend toward comfort food with a taste of Ojai. Many have been published in the Ojai Valley News under the header Chef Randy. All recipes are vegetarian, of course, but what omnivore doesn’t like a good side dish of Idaho Potatoes, a hearty main dish of Nutty Meatloaf or Vegetarian Meatballs? Click here to preview the book. Save yourself shipping when you buy it from me and get your book signed!