Category Archives: recipes

Vegetarian Ramen at Home from food52

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For the broth:

  • 1 cup dried mushrooms, preferably shiittake
  • 2 carrots, cut into thirds
  • 1 onion, cut in half (you can leave the skin on)
  • 2 stalks celery, cut into thirds
  • 6 to 8 garlic cloves, smashed
  • One 2-inch section of ginger, smashed
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, cut into thirds and smashed (optional)
  • 8 cups cold water
  • 1 sheet kombu, wiped with a damp cloth
  • 2 tablespoons bonito flakes
  • 1/2 cup mirin
  • 1 cup shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 to 2 squirts sriracha, or pinch of red pepper flakes
  1. Add mushrooms, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass (if using) into a large stock pot along with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Add in kombu and bonito flakes, if using. Simmer stock for 2 to 3 hours.
  2. Pour stock into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer. (I recommend reserving the mushy, cooked carrots for snacking.) Return stock to the pot.
  3. Add in soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, and Sriracha. Stir. Taste for seasoning: Add more soy sauce if you want it saltier, more Sriracha for spice, more brown sugar for sweetness. If the flavor is too strong, add in more water to dilute. Play around until you have a flavorful, balanced broth. Turn down the heat to keep it warm while you prepare your other ingredients.

For the ramen bowl:

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 packet extra-firm tofu, pressed of its moisture
  • 1 tablespoon oil with high smoke point, like peanut
  • 4 packets ramen or udon noodles, preferably fresh
  • Thai basil
  • Lime wedges
  • Green onion, sliced
  1. Boil a large pot of water with a pinch of salt. Cook eggs to desired doneness — I like mine cooked for 6 minutes so the yolk is nice and gooey in the middle. Remove eggs from water, keeping it simmering for ramen noodles. Cool eggs, peel, and drop gently into the broth while you prep the rest of your ingredients.
  2. Slice drained tofu thinly. Heat oil in a wok or non-stick skillet until smoking, then layer in the tofu, making sure none are overlapping. Cook for a minute or two until brown on the underside, then flip and cook for another two minutes. Drain tofu on paper towels.
  3. Drop noodles into boiling salted water and cook according to package directions. Drain.
  4. Divide broth between four bowls, then divvy up noodles, eggs (I cut them in half before serving), and fried tofu into broth. Garnish with Thai basil, green onions, and squeezes of lime. Slurp away.
  5. If you want an even heartier bowl of vegetarian ramen, consider adding roasted vegetables like sweet potatoes, eggplant, or tomatoes. Cube them, then roast in a 425° F oven with salt and pepper until wrinkled, soft, and caramelized, then add to broth.  Makes 4 generous servings

James Peterson’s Baked Fish Fillets with Butter and Sherry

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  • 1 1/2 to 2pounds scrod fillets (or any in season, firm-fleshed, non-oily white fish)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, herb butter, or extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Pull any pin bones out of the fish and sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper.
  2. Rub the bottom of a square casserole just large enough to hold the fillets in a single layer with a tablespoon of butter or olive oil. Arrange the fillets in an even layer on top.
  3. Dot the tops of the fillets with butter or sprinkle them with olive oil. Sprinkle with the sherry and parsley. Bake for about 12 minutes per inch of thickness. Check for doneness by cutting into a fillet at the thickest part to see if it’s opaque inside and pulls apart.
  4. If you have only 1 or 2 fillets, cut them into a total of 4 servings and place on hot plates. Spoon the melted butter and juices in the bottom of the pan over the fillets. Serve immediately.Serves 4.

Chinese stuffed eggplant from http://thewoksoflife.com

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For the eggplant:
6 oz. shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 oz. ground pork (optional; can also be substituted with ground chicken, beef, or turkey)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus 3 tablespoons (divided)
1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 egg
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 scallions, finely chopped (divide half for the filling and half for the sauce/garnish)
4 medium Chinese/Japanese purple eggplants
For the sauce:
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
A pinch of sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste

Start by making the filling for the eggplant. Place the shrimp in a food processor along with the ground pork, salt, sugar, white pepper, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and rice wine. Process until a rough paste forms. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in the egg, cornstarch, and half of the chopped scallions. Set the mixture aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Cut each eggplant into 1 1/2-inches thick slices on the diagonal. Take each slice and carefully slice through the middle, but don’t cut all the way through. The pieces should still be attached on one side. This will help keep both halves of the eggplant together.

Fill the middle of each eggplant slice with the shrimp and pork filling. Once all the slices are stuffed, heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and fry the slices on both sides until golden. Add a little more oil whenever the pan starts to look a little dry (you’ll only need a tablespoon at a time).

Remove from the pan and place on a heatproof plate for steaming. Prepare your steamer with 2-3 cups water (you can also use a wok with a steaming rack placed in the bottom). Heat until the water is simmering. Turn off the heat, carefully place the plate in the steamer. Cover the steamer and turn the heat back on to medium-high. Steam for 7-10 minutes. The eggplant should be very soft. Nothing worse than an under-cooked eggplant!

While the eggplant is steaming, make the sauce. Heat a saucepan over medium heat, and add 1 teaspoon oil, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, and then add the chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and stir in half of the cornstarch slurry. Cook for a minute to thicken. Set aside.

After the eggplant is done, pour any liquid left on the plate into the sauce. Heat the sauce and add more cornstarch slurry if it needs thickening. Stir in your reserved scallions, pour over the eggplant, and serve.

New Orleans’ Style White Beans

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1 pound great northern beans, dried
1 medium onion
2 ribs celery
1 small green pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Tabasco, or to taste
hickory smoked salt, to taste (optional, but good)

Soak the beans overnight. (Or do a quick-soak by putting them into the pressure cooker with enough water to cover them by three inches. Bring to high pressure and cook for 1 minute. Allow pressure to come down naturally before opening the cooker.)

Drain the soaking liquid. Put the beans into the pressure cooker with 5 cups water and start heating, uncovered.

Meanwhile, chop all vegetables fine, by hand or in a food processor. As you chop each one, add it to the pressure cooker. Add remaining ingredients except Tabasco and hickory smoked salt. Check water level in cooker and add another cup if there isn’t sufficient water to cover all ingredients by 1 inch.

Seal the pressure cooker and set the timer for 12 minutes (electric) or bring to high pressure and cook for 12 minutes once pressure is reached. Remove from heat (or turn off electric cooker) and allow pressure to come down naturally.

If pressure is not down in 20 minutes, quick-release the pressure. Check beans for doneness. They should be tender, and most should be starting to fall apart. If your beans are still tough, return them to high pressure for a few minutes. If beans are tender, add Tabasco and smoked salt and cook uncovered until liquid reduces and the cooking water starts to become more like a sauce. Stir often to make sure they are not burning on the bottom and to incorporate any dried beans on the sides of the pot. After about 20 minutes, if the liquid still seems watery rather than creamy, you can take an immersion blender and blend part of the beans (be sure to remove bay leaves first).Add additional salt to taste. Serve over hot rice with hot sauce on the table.
Servings: 8
Note: To cook in a regular pot, follow all directions, add water to 1-inch over beans, cover, and cook on low until beans are beginning to break down and the water has become a sauce, at least 2 hours. Stir periodically and add more water as needed (several cups may be needed).

Mini Herbed Pommes Anna from epicurious.com

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  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 12-24 small tender thyme sprigs plus 2 teaspoons coarsely chopped leaves
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 3/4 pounds small waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold or German Butterball), each slightly larger than a golf ball
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Special equipment:A standard 12-cup muffin pan; a mandoline

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Brush muffin cups all over with butter. Line bottoms with parchment-paper rounds. Arrange 1-2 small thyme sprigs in center of each round. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon butter into bottom of each cup.

Add chopped thyme and garlic to remaining butter in saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Using mandoline, slice potatoes crosswise into very thin rounds (less than 1/16″ thick), placing them in a large bowl as you work. Pour herb butter over and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat well.

Divide potato slices among muffin cups, layering overlapping slices to create a circular pattern. Lightly press center of each to make compact. Drizzle any remaining butter and seasoning from bowl over.

Cover muffin pan tightly with foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake until potatoes can be pierced easily with the tip of a knife, about 35 minutes. Remove foil; invert a rimmed baking sheet over pan. Turn, lightly tapping on counter, releasing potatoes onto sheet. Rearrange any slices that may have fallen out. Using a metal spatula, carefully turn cakes, thyme sprigs facing down. Discard parchment. DO AHEAD:Potatoes can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

Increase heat to 425°F. Uncover cakes if needed. Bake until bottoms and edges are golden and crispy, 25-30 minutes. Carefully turn cakes, thyme sprigs facing up. probably not necessary to turn them

 

Cranberry Sauce from seriouseats.com

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12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Combine cranberries, brown sugar, white sugar, water, orange juice, orange zest, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until berries start to pop, about 5 minutes. Press berries against side of pan with wooden spoon and continue to cook until berries have broken down and sauce thickens to a jam-like consistency, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes. Adjust consistency with water as needed. Serve immediately or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Can be served cold or reheated.

Soy Sauce Butter Pasta with Shrimp and Shiitakes from woks of life

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10 oz. dried pasta of your choice (we used thin spaghetti)
olive oil
8 oz. shrimp, peeled, deveined, and thoroughly pat dry
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms (about 10-12), thinly sliced
1/3 cup white wine
3 tablespoons soy sauce (salt levels vary across different brands. Try to find a low sodium version)
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil for your pasta. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat, until the pan is almost smoking. Sear the shrimp just until opaque and crisp on the outside. Remove from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic and shallots. Sautee until beginning to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and caramelize, 5-7 minutes. If the pan is looking a little dry, add a bit more olive oil.

Boil pasta according to package directions, drain, and reserve a cup of pasta water. Deglaze the mushrooms with white wine and cook for another two minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Add the cooked pasta, soy sauce, and butter to the pan and toss until the butter is melted. Add the shrimp, parsley, and Parmesan, and give everything a final toss. Loosen it up with a bit of your reserved pasta water if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember that soy sauce is quite salty, so you may not need any more salt at all), and serve. 4 servings

dmv note: I substituted red onion for shallots and button with cremini mushrooms for shitake.

Mushroom-Miso-Mustard Gravy from crescent dragon ****

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  • 2 tbsp of butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups sliced mushroom caps (about 1/3 pound) or more
  • 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
  • 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon golden miso (sweet white miso)
  • 1 tablespoon dark miso (traditional red miso)
    -or- 2 tbsp white miso
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (see tips, below)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1/4 tsp sage
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp worchestshire sauce
  • 1 tbsp marsala
  • 2 tbsp minced parsley

1. Melt the butter and olive oil together in a large skillet, over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add the onion and sauté, stirring often, for about 4 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften add the garlic. Raise the heat slightly and add the mushroom caps. Continue cooking, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes more.

2. Pour the vegetable stock into a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, preferably nonstick, and warm over medium-low heat.

3. Pour the wine into cup of emersion blender add flour, golden miso, dark miso, nutritional yeast, and mustard. Buzz together to form a paste.

4. Whisk the paste into the warmed, but not hot, vegetable stock. Gently bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Take a ladleful of this liquid and swirl it into the sautéed mushroom mixture, stirring well to scrape up any little flavorful bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the mushrooms, onions, and liquid to the pot with the stock, scraping the sauté pan clean. Add spices and other ingredients.

5. Reduce the heat to very low and let the sauce simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. Correct the seasonings with salt (you’ll need little, if any, since miso is salty) and a lot of pepper. Serve hot, ladled over whatever good thing you are serving.

Creamed Tuna on Toast from food.com

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1/4 c margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 can drained tuna fish
1 cup frozen peas (or to taste)
salt and pepper
bread (for toasting)

Thaw frozen peas in a collender.

Melt the margarine in a saucepan.
Add the flour and blend.
Add the milk, stirring constantly to prevent clumping and stir until creamy.
Add the tuna, peas, salt and pepper and warm through
As the tuna is warming, toast bread.
After toasted, cut in triangles and spoon tuna mixture over the toast.

Southern Biscuits from Alton Brown

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DSC_7170_s4x3.jpg.rend.sni12col.landscape2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup buttermilk, chilled

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips, rub butter and shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. (The faster the better, you don’t want the fats to melt.) Make a well in the center and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.

Turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. (Biscuits from the second pass will not be quite as light as those from the first, but hey, that’s life.)

Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.