Spring Mushrooms

Roasted mushrooms with spring garlic
May 12, 2010

Serves 4

Spring yields an abundance of mushrooms, including morels and porcini. Choose an assortment for this dish, chopping them into an array of shapes. Add mild spring garlic, also known as green garlic, plucked from the ground before the bulb has a chance to develop, and chop the tops, too.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bell pepper, chopped
5 stalks green garlic, chopped
1 pound mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/2 cup water
4 thick slices bread, toasted

1. Set the oven at 350. In an ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add bell pepper, garlic, mushrooms, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in red pepper and water. Transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook for 15 minutes.

2. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if you like. Spoon mushrooms over bread.

Rhubarb Jelly

My mom's favorite jelly-making technique involves the microwave, a touch of sugar, seasonally appropriate fruit, a large Pyrex measuring bowl, and some plastic wrap. A quick zap and it's ready to be slathered on the nearest piece of freshly baked bread. Since I haven't owned a microwave since college, I had to go old school on my rhubarb. This method isn't quite as fast, but it's pretty darn simple.

Agave nectar is lower on the glycemic index and is therefore better for those who need to monitor their sugar intake. Use a smaller piece of ginger if you prefer a more subtle flavor. Adding the strawberries halfway through the cooking process keeps the flavors bright and improves the otherwise lackluster texture. This is a fairly loose jelly; use 1/4 cup water if you prefer a denser schmear.

Rhubarb Jelly
Makes 3 pints

9 large stalks rhubarb, ends trimmed and roughly chopped
1 piece (1/2 inch) ginger, finely chopped
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup agave nectar
Pinch of salt
1 pint strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped

1. In a flameproof casserole, combine all ingredients except strawberries. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes.
2. Stir in the strawberries. Cook, stirring frequently, for an additional 10 minutes, or until strawberries are mostly broken down. (The jelly will be sort of thick, but it will continue to thicken as it cools.)
3. Pour into jars. Store in the refrigerator.

Enough with the Nut Butters, Already!

I realize that at this point, you must think that my infatuation with all things nutty and ground in the food processor borders on serious insanity. Well, I can assure you that I am certifiably crazy, but it has nothing to do with schmears intended for toast.

That being said, our latest venture into the nut butter world was cashew. Ben is interested in trying out one of Martha Stewart's recipes that calls for cashew butter. I must admit that out of the three that we have tried thus far, cashew butter is my least favorite, although I can't clearly articulate why. Perhaps there is a higher starch content, which in the end yields something slightly more difficult to spread than the good old Peter Pan standby. While this may not sound like a ringing endorsement, I do suggest you try it. Variety, after all, is the spice of life. Who knows? Maybe I will even venture into the world of Brazil nut butter. Does that even sound good?

4 cups raw, unsalted cashews
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup oil
4-6 tablespoons water

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, spread the cashews. Roast for 20 minutes, or until nuts begin to brown and release their oils.
2. In a food processor, grind the nuts with the salt, scraping down the sides often.
3. With the machine running, pour in oil and water, again scraping the sides as necessary. If the butter seems too stiff, feel free to add more water or oil.
4. When the cashew butter is smooth and homogeneous, transfer to an air-tight container. Store in the refrigerator.

Quinoa and Brown Rice Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers is a dish that I remember loving as a child, but back in the 80s, peppers in our house were filled with fatty beef and white rice. Our updated version is heart-healthy, meatless, and comforting. Quinoa is one of the world's only grains that is actually a complete protein - meaning that nutritionally, you won't miss the omission of meat at all. We use brown basmati rice for its low glycemic index value; it will help keep blood sugar levels stable. If capers, currants, and pine nuts seem foreign, give them a shot in this dish. The combination of sweet, salty, sour, and nutty pack a dynamic punch.

The prep time is long, making this recipe ideal for cold weekends when you aren't interested in venturing outside. The advantage is that it reheats quite nicely. Make it ahead of time, store in the fridge, and reheat on a night when you would otherwise have to resign yourself to a bowl of cereal. Maybe Friday night during Lent (if you're into that sort of thing!)?

If you don't have time to dry out tomatoes, sub tomato paste or sun dried tomatoes. Both should give the required flavor and texture.

Dressed in their jaunty little caps, these peppers promise to fill you up but not stick to your ribs -- or your arteries.

Makes 8 peppers (I could eat 2 each myself!)

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup (about 10 each) chopped, pitted green olives
1/4 cup currants
2 tablespoons capers
2 oven dried tomatoes(8 quarters or 4 halves, depending on how you cut them), chopped
3/4 cup brown basmati rice
1/2 cup quinoa
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 bell peppers
2 oven dried tomatoes (8 quarters or 4 halves, depending on how you cut them)
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup water

1. In a large flameproof casserole, heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring, or until tender.
3. Stir in pinenuts. Cook until vegetables and pinenuts begin to brown.
4. Add paprika. Toast for 1 minute. Stir in olives, currants, capers, and tomatoes.
5. Add rice, quinoa, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, and cook for 40 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper. Stir in parsley.
6. Set the oven at 375 degrees. Remove the tops of the bell peppers. Set aside 5 of the tops (stems in tact). Chop the remaining 3 tops, and discard those stems. Remove and discard the seeds and veins of the peppers.
7. Place all 8 peppers in a large roasting pan. Fill each pepper with the rice and quinoa mixture. Place tops on 5 of the peppers. Leave the other 3 uncovered.
8. In a blender, puree chopped pepper tops, oven dried tomatoes, roma tomatoes, and water. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Pour puree in the bottom of the pan, around the peppers. Cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, rotating occasionally. Remove the foil, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Almond Butter

They say necessity is the mother of invention. Well, whoever comprises the proverbial "they" might just be right. My obsessive consumption of peanut butter meant that it was quickly time for round 2. Turns out that raw, unsalted, ungreased peanuts are kind of difficult to find at my local non-pretentious market. What I found instead were raw almonds, a tasty alternative that might remove some of the monotony from my day to day. I smeared some on toast and topped it with apple butter. It was a combination so right that I might be a lifetime convert -- until the next "necessity" comes along, that is.

Makes 1 pound of almond butter

1 pound (approx. 3 cups) raw, unblanched almonds
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast nuts for 15 minutes. Cool completely.
2. In a food processor, combine toasted nuts and salt. Process for 90 seconds.
3. Stir in canola oil. Process for an additional 3 minutes, stopping and scraping often, until smooth. The almond butter will be looser and slightly runnier than peanut butter.
4. Pour into an air-tight container, cover, and store in the refrigerator.

Preserved Meyer Lemons

Meyer lemons are believed to be a cross between an orange and a lemon, originally grown in China. Slightly sweeter than standard lemons, they are also a deeper yellow-orange hue with a smooth exterior. Praised by restaurant chefs for their unique flavor, they can be used in both sweet and savory applications.

Preserving lemons in salt is a North African tradition. The cure allows for longer storage of the fruit in addition to making the skins more palatable. Before using, remember to rinse the excess salt. The pulp is typically discarded. Should you not find Meyer lemons, feel free to sub regular lemons, limes, kumquats, or really any type of citrus. The chopped rind pairs well with cooked garlic. Stir it into braised greens, stewed chicken, salad dressings, or a pot of rice or couscous.

Makes 1 pint

2 Meyer lemons, cut into quarters
Juice of 2 Meyer lemons
1/2 to 3/4 cup salt

1. Pour 1/4 cup of salt into the bottom of a 1 pint jar. Press 4 lemon wedges in tightly. Pour an additional 1/4 cup salt over the wedges. Press in the remaining 4 wedges. Pour approximately 1/4 salt over the top of the additional wedges. You may need to use slightly less salt, depending on the exact capacity of the jar and how you packed the lemons.
2. Pour in juice of the other 2 lemons. Seal with the lid, and shake aggresively to distribute the salt and juice.
3. Refrigerate for at least a week. Before using the lemons, remove the pulp, rinse the skins, and julienne or chop. The lemons will last in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Oven Dried Tomatoes

Should we have conceived of this endeavor earlier in 2009, we could have had the foresight to plan ahead and can tomatoes and other seasonal veggies. "Should." We didn't. Of course, like typical Americans, we want what we want, and we want it now. Unable to use canned tomatoes due to the restrictions of our "diet," we went in search of a way to make off season tomatoes slightly more tasty than a wet cardboard box. Almost every restaurant that I have worked at in the past made some form of dried tomatoes. The slow and extremely long cooking time dehydrates the fruits, extracting tasteless water and leaving behind only the most concentrated tomato essence.

This recipe can be accomplished in a gas oven or an electric oven -- sad to say, but we have an electric oven. It sucks for everyday use, but should "the big one" come, our building may not ignite. If you have a gas oven, feel free to leave the tomatoes in for the full 12 hours. Due to the heat from the pilot, they will be slightly more dried out than the electric version, but that's no problem at all. You may also pull them out a few hours earlier, if you like.

Once the tomatoes are finished, they can be used as the base for a sauce, stirred in with pasta, layered on your favorite sandwich, or as a replacement for canned tomatoes (ounce for ounce). With minimum active preparation time, these bad boys are well worth the effort.

10 plum tomatoes, sliced in half
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 sprigs thyme
olive oil, for drizzling
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Set the oven to 200 degrees. Set a cooling rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Place the tomato halves on the cooling rack.
2. Place 1 or 2 slices of garlic on each tomato. Top the garlic with a few leaves of thyme. Lightly drizzle them with olive oil. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper.
3. "Dry" in the oven for 6 hours at 200 degrees. After 6 hours, turn off the oven but leave the tomatoes inside for 6 more hours.
4. Remove the tomatoes from the oven. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container, layered between sheets of parchment or waxed paper.

4 Grain Tortillas

On Thursday night, I had the great pleasure of spending the evening with Chef Becca. Becca is a personal chef here in San Francisco who teaches cooking classes at Glide Memorial Church. The fascinating thing about her classes is that the students are young kids from the impoverished SF neighborhood known as the Tenderloin. Becca teaches this magical bunch how to cook with the vegetables they have grown on the rooftop with the help of Maya Donelson. The program is primarily funded by donors. If you are interested in helping out, please visit the church's website. It's truly a worthy cause.

Upon my arrival at home, I opened the door to the sights and smells that most every wife out there would be envious of. In the kitchen stood my husband -- flank steak and onions in the skillet, avocado sliced alongside jalapenos, cilantro and onions, Tecate poured...and inside a small, rainbow-colored, Mexican basket there was a steaming pile of freshly cooked tortillas. Ay, Dios, que marido tengo yo!

It is not necessary to have a tortilla press. You may use a rolling pin, still keeping the dough pressed between wax paper to avoid sticking. Fashion your own press by using a flat baking sheet with a weight on top. Ben insists that if you are feeling abuela-like, you may also pat them out by hand -- although this technique does require a certain amount of practice.

Makes 10 small tortillas

3/4 cup Maseca
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup rye flour
salt, to taste
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water

1. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. When the dough starts to form a ball, turn the dough out on the counter, and begin kneading with your hands. Knead for approximately 2 minutes or until the dough is smooth.
2. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat while you begin pressing tortillas.
3. Tear off two sheets of wax paper. Lay one sheet on the bottom of a tortilla press. Place a ball of dough the size of 2 teaspoons on the wax paper. Lay the second sheet over the top. Press down tightly with the press until the tortilla is as thin as you can make it, about 4-5 inches in diameter.
4. When the skillet is hot, lay the tortilla in the pan with your hand. To do so, place the tortilla on the palm of your hand. Using a quick flick of the wrist and an upward swooping motion, turn your palm downward, sending your pinky finger up in the air. (Just try it - you'll see what I mean.) Cook for approximately 1 minute or until the tortilla starts to brown in patches. Flip, using your fingers or a pair of tongs, and cook for 1 minute on the other side.
5. Transfer the tortillas to a towel lined basket, stacking them up as you go. Cover with the towel; the residual heat will steam the tortillas.
6. Enjoy!

The picture above is one of my favorite photos shot by Ben. We were learning to make tortillas at La Villa Bonita.

Hot Sauce

There are very few things that cannot be bettered by the addition of a splash (or 10) of hot sauce. So, last week, we quickly whipped up a batch to alleviate our suffering without it. There are a million ways to make hot sauce. This is only one version, but we will surely test many more...especially since the bottle broke last night, and we are once again without hot sauce -- a total bummer.

When you are blending the hot sauce, be sure to use the lid. Just remove the center piece so that you can drop the peppers in while the blender is running. This makes is much easier to liquefy the peppers. It is best to let the flavors meld and mellow for a few days before using it.

1/4 pound (about 15) serrano peppers
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon salt

1. Wash the peppers and remove the stems.
2. In a blender, combine the salt and vinegar.
3. With the blender running on low speed, drop in the chiles, one at a time.
4. When all the peppers are in the blender, run it on high for at least 3 minutes. The final product should be homogenous and free of lumps.
5. Pour hot sauce into jar. Store in the refrigerator.

The top photo was taken at a market in Cuernavaca, Mexico while I attended classes at La Villa Bonita Cooking School. The bottom photo was taken at St. Louis, Missouri's Soulard Market. (Forgive the quality. I was unable to locate the digital copies, and I was forced to scan in the printed photos. I vow to be more organized in 2010!)

A Winning Combination of Hearty Meals

The following two recipes are from the new column in the Boston Globe called Sunday Suppers. The idea is to make a meal on Sunday from which you can easily transform the leftovers into something new for Monday.

Sunday supper becomes doubly satisfying when your favorite sports team is winning and you’re passing bowls of hearty chili. If chili doesn’t seem to be a dish you can reconcile with your resolution to slim down, rest assured that this version is healthy (and happens to be thrifty too). It’s a vegetarian bowl with a spicy kick, so it will stand up to the meatiest opponents.

Begin with dried beans, which need an overnight soak to soften. Saute onions with poblano and jalapeno peppers, adding the spices to the oil to release their aromas. When the beans are cooked, stir some bulgur into the pan. This will make the dish feel hearty and filling at a fraction of the price - and calories - of ground meat. Bowls are garnished with grated cheddar and avocado.

The long-cooked chili and a little advance work mean an easy Monday. While you prep the chili, chop the ingredients for the burritos. Then, as the chili simmers, put on a pot of taqueria-style rice for tomorrow’s dish. There’s enough filling to make 8 rolls. If you don’t need that many for dinner, pop a few in the freezer or wrap them in parchment paper (instead of foil) and tote them to work. A quick pop in the microwave and lunch is hot. So, before you head for the couch, assemble, roll, and wrap the burritos. Two meals ready to eat.

(Leave out the cheese and the sour cream to make both of these dishes vegan!)

Vegetarian Chili

Serves 6 with leftovers

1 1/2 pounds dried red kidney beans
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes
5 cups water
1 1/2 cups bulgur
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1 cup shredded cheddar

1. In a large bowl, combine the beans with enough cold water to cover them by several inches; soak overnight at room temperature.

2. Drain the beans; set aside.

3. In a large flameproof casserole, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the onions, poblano and jalapeno peppers, garlic, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the onions are tender.

4. Add the tomatoes, beans, and water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. The mixture should be soupy; add more water if necessary.

5. Stir in the bulgur, salt, and black pepper. Recover the pan, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

6. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and black pepper, if you like.

7. Ladle into bowls (save 2 cups for tomorrow’s burritos) and garnish with avocado and cheddar.

Rice and Bean Burritos

Serves 8

RICE

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
3 cups water
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight fitting lid, heat the oil over high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until tender.

2. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, and turmeric. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, or until the spices are aromatic.

3. Add the rice, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 16 minutes or until tender.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

BURRITOS

8 flour tortillas (10 inches)
4 cups cooked rice
2 cups vegetarian chili
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 ripe avocado, pitted and diced
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Hot sauce, to taste

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Have on hand a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Lay the tortillas on the counter. In a mound from the tops to the bottoms of each one, layer rice, chili, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, and a dash of hot sauce.

3. Fold the top and bottom edges of a tortilla over the filling. Roll the tortilla up, completely encasing the filling. Wrap in foil (wrap in parchment if reheating in microwave tomorrow). Set them on the baking sheet. Continue folding the remaining tortillas.

4. Heat the burritos for 20 minutes or until hot in the center.

Apple Butter

Making apple butter is fairly simple, but it takes a long, long time. I recommend using a Crock-pot. Stove-top versions are ok, but they tend to burn if you don't watch them carefully. I've read that you should not use granny smiths, instead choosing sweeter varieties. However, we threw in a bunch of granny smiths (just to use them up), and this batch was delicious! The only other trick is to use a scant amount of cinnamon. The apples are extremely flavorful once they have cooked down all day -- no need to overpower them with baking spices.

In an effort to make things healthier, we used fruit sweetener instead of cane sugar. It is a syrup made from concentrated fruit juices. The sweetener is great for baking, and tastes sweeter than cane sugar. So, you can use less.

Makes about 2 cups

8 apples
1/2 cup fruit sweetener
2 cups water
Pinch salt
1 stick cinnamon (about 1.5 inches long)

1. Scrub the apples. Do not peel them. Cut them (cores and all) into chunks.
2. Combine apples with sweetener, water, and salt in a large pot.
3. Cook the apples, over medium heat, for 2 hours or until completely broken down. Stir often, breaking up the apples with a spoon. Add more water if it becomes too dry. The final mixture should resemble apple sauce.
4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Use a ladle or a rubber spatula to push the pulp through the strainer, leaving the seeds and skin behind. Discard the seeds and skin.
4. Transfer the pulp to a Crock-pot. Turn it on low for 8 hours. Stir occasionally, making sure to scrape the sides well.
5. After 6 hours of cooking time, add the cinnamon stick. Leave the lid slightly ajar to allow for reduction.
6. Cook for an additional 2 hours. Remove cinnamon stick. Transfer to jars or plastic containers with lids. Store in refrigerator.

Peanut, Peanut Butter...n Jelly!

Second on my all-time favorites list of breakfast dishes is peanut butter and jelly. That's right...breakfast. But, have you ever read the label on the back of a jar of Skippy, Peter Pan etc. What is that stuff? Since processed peanut butter is out in 2010, the homemade version had to be made right away! Making peanut butter is actually very easy -- not quite as fast as ripping off the foil seal of a store-bought jar, but almost.

2 cups shelled, skinless peanuts
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons canola oil

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, roast the peanuts for 40 minutes or until they begin to color and glisten. Remove from the oven, and cool until the peanuts are room temperature.
3. Pour the peanuts into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Put the lid on, and run for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Pour in canola oil. Process the peanuts and oil for 1 minute; scrape down the sides of the bowl. Run the machine for 1 additional minute.
5. Scrape into a small jar and refrigerate. (The oil may separate out. Simply stir it back in before serving.)

Pictured here with Ben's homemade Huckleberry jelly.

Waste Not, Want Not Curry

Even though we have yet to determine the final guidelines for 2010, we are moving forward with the project. In an effort to rid our pantry of "processed foods" -- however you may define them -- we wanted to use up ingredients that we knew would not fit into the plan. For this recipe, we used commercially produced coconut milk, pre-blended curry powder, chili paste, and fish sauce. While we wouldn't categorize these items as inherently unhealthy, we will attempt to make or substitute our own homemade versions in the new year. The result was far tastier than take-out and almost as easy.

The pork in this dish was left from a Sunday roast. Feel free to use other leftovers or a raw cut like pork steak. To make this recipe vegan, simply omit the meat and the fish sauce. We used Szechuan chili paste (to ban jan), but you may use Sriracha, Sambal Olek, or even fresh chilis. This recipe is best served with rice; we like brown basmati rice for its low glycemic index value. You may garnish with scallions, chilis, lemon juice, cilantro, or peanuts.

1 teaspoon canola oil
5 ounces pork, finely chopped
1 white onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 piece (1-inch) ginger, minced
1 piece (1/2-inch) fresh tumeric, minced or 1 teaspoon ground tumeric
Zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon chili paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/4 cup rice wine or dry sherry
1-12 ounce package firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large wok or saute pan, heat the oil over high heat.
2. Add the pork, and saute for 5 minutes or until crispy.
3. Add onion, garlic, ginger, tumeric, and lemon zest. Saute for 3 minutes, or until the vegetables release their aromas.
4. Stir in broccoli, mushrooms, curry powder, and chili paste. Toss to coat.
5. Add fish sauce, rice wine, tofu, and coconut milk.
6. Bring liquids to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
7. Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper.
8. Serve warm with rice. Garnish with any of the following: lemon juice, peanuts, cilantro, scallions, and chilis.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Until recently, I was a skeptic about vegan pastries. Really, how could a cake made without eggs, butter, cream, etc actually taste good? This recipe convinced me that some vegan goods are not only edible, but they are better than full fat carnivorous versions! Moist and light, this cake works well for breakfast as well as dessert. Either way, it's great with a cup of coffee. Look for ingredients like date sugar and barley flour at a health foods store. If you can't find date sugar, substitute maple syrup. You may use canned pumpkin (just choose the unseasoned, plain variety), but I prefer to roast my own. I recommend a combination of squash and sweet potato. Roast them in a 325 degree oven for about an hour, or until they are very soft. Set them aside to cool, remove the skins, and puree in a food processor. Don't worry if you have more than the recipe calls for -- use the leftovers for dinner!

Makes 1 - 10 inch Bundt Cake

Oil for greasing the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
1 1/2 cups pecans
3/4 cup golden raisins
1 1/2 cups pumpkin or sweet potato puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups soymilk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup date sugar
3 1/2 cups barley flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Oil the bundt pan and dust lightly with flour.
2. Place pecans on a baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes. Cool completely, and chop roughly.
3. Cover raisins with boiling water. Let soak for 25 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. In a bowl, whisk together pumpkin, oil, syrup, soymilk, vinegar, and vanilla.
5. In a large bowl, use a clean whisk to mix date sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. (If you whisk well, you do not have to sift the dry items.)
6. Using a rubber spatula, fold the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients. When the dry ingredients are halfway incorporated, add the raisins and the chopped pecans. Continue folding just until the mixture comes together. Do not overmix.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
8. Bake for 45 minutes, rotating the cake from front to back after 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
10. Invert the cake onto a wire rack. Continue cooling. Transfer to a plate, and dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pickled Beets

Check out my recipe for pickled beets from today's Boston Globe!

Makes 2 quarts

Pickled beets are often too sweet (think Harvard beets, which are cloying) or too sour (19th-century New England cooking school teacher Fannie Farmer preserved hers with nothing more than distilled vinegar). The key to pickling beets is the right balance. Boil the brine in a stainless steel or ceramic-lined pot; avoid aluminum as it will cause off flavors. For long-term pantry storage, boiling water processing is necessary; visit the National Center for Home Food Processing at www.uga.edu/nchfp for more details. However, you can still make the beets without the rigmarole of the canning process; store them in the refrigerator; these beets will last up to 1 month on a fridge shelf. And while you may be tempted, wait at least a week for the flavors to marry. Then spoon them beside slices of cold roast turkey.

2 bunches beets, trimmed at both ends
2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup bottled water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cinnamon stick, broken in half
5 whole cloves
1 teaspoon allspice berries
2 thin slices fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

1. Have on hand two 1-quart canning jars or smaller jars that equal that amount. Rinse them with boiling water.

2. In a large pot, combine beets with cold water to cover them. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Let them bubble gently for 1 hour or until tender. Replenish water as needed.

3. Drain the beets into a colander. Rinse under cold running water until cool enough to handle.

4. Working over a plate, remove and discard the skins from the beets. Cut the beets into 1/2-inch dice. Place beets in jars, leaving enough room for brine. Set the jars on a wooden board.

5. In a nonreactive pot, combine cider vinegar, water, brown and granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon stick, cloves, allspice berries, ginger, and black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugars. Remove from heat and ladle over beets while the liquid is still hot. Screw on the lids.

6. Cool jars to room temperature and store in refrigerator.

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2009/11/18/pickled_beets_recipe/

A little something to wet your appetite

Farro with mushrooms and asparagus
Meredith Berger, nutrition intern at Emerson Hospital, says, “Whenever I make a grain dish, I try to beef it up with some finely chopped vegetables to make the grain portion size smaller but be just as filling.” In this case, farro, rated medium on the glycemic index, is beefed up with asparagus and mushrooms. The addition of protein-rich chicken stock and sherry vinegar lower the overall GI of the dish. The cereal is an ancient cousin to modern day wheat and sometimes known as emmer wheat. High in B vitamins but low in gluten, it may be tolerated by some with wheat allergies. Choose the semi-pearled version, as it cooks faster than the whole grain. Farro is often cooked like rice or pasta. For this recipe, boil the kernels first and then transfer to a skillet to absorb the flavors of the sauce. To make the dish vegetarian, soak the mushrooms in 2 cups of water; reserve it and use in place of chicken stock.

Serves 4

1 ounce dried mushrooms
8 ounces semi-pearled farro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 cups chicken stock
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a small bowl, cover dried mushrooms with warm water. Soak for 25 minutes, or until softened. Drain the mushrooms, and discard the soaking water. Chop finely.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add farro, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and reserve.
3. In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add onion, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onions are tender. Stir in 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar. Continue cooking for 1 minute.
4. Add chicken stock, and bring it to a boil. Stir in farro, and return to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook for 10 minutes. Add asparagus. Cook, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.
5. Season with 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, salt and pepper.

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