Tomato Egg Bake

Eggs baked in a tomato cup is an incredibly simple and delicious idea for breakfast or a light lunch, and if you've got a garden full of tomatoes ripening on the vine, it's also a great way to use some of them up. One medium to large tomato is usually a serving for most people, and it only takes about five minutes or less preparation for each tomato.

Print this recipe

Cut off the top of each tomato, run a knife carefully down the insides and spoon out the seeds and pith. Sprinkle the insides with grated Parmesan cheese (about a small teaspoon for each tomato) and some fresh ground black pepper. Toss the cheese and pepper about to coat the insides.

Crack one egg for each tomato in a bowl. Add one teaspoon of yogurt or milk for each egg, and any sort of spice and herb seasoning you like, and beat lightly.

Pour the egg mixture into each hollowed out tomato. Sprinkle on more Parmesan cheese and ground pepper on the top.

Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the tomato, until the eggs are set and the cheese is brown.

Vegetarian Harira (Moroccan Chickpea and Lentil Stew)

Harira is the traditional Moroccan and Algerian soup that's used to break the fast during the holy month of Ramadan as well as served after special celebrations like weddings. But there's no reason to confine yourself to making harira for special occasions — it's a delicious and hearty dish at any time. Usually served with lamb, or occasionally beef or chicken, harira is considered to a be a meal all by itself, but vegetarians will find it satisfying alongside buttered rice or a few hard-boiled eggs, with some dates or figs on the side.

There are many regional variations on this dish, but I find this version to be particularly nice and spicy, especially with the addition of harissa as a condiment for the soup. For those of you not familiar with this classic and North African hot sauce made from dried hot chili peppers, garlic and roasted cumin seeds, I've given the recipe for harissa here.

Vegetarian Harira (Moroccan Chickpea and Lentil Stew)

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: North African Published on September 28, 2007 Simple, delicious and spicy vegetarian version of a traditional Maghreb soup of chickpeas, lentils, tomatoes and spices Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried chickpeas (1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 14 oz can) pinch of celery seed 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 3 fresh green or red chilies, seeded and diced 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated (1 tablespoon) 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 2/3 cup green lentils 1 medium tomato, diced 1 tablespoon tomato paste 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) olive oil and harissa for serving Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight covered in several inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with 4 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the chickpeas are tender but still firm. Drain the chickpeas and reserve 3 cups of the cooking liquid. Add a pinch of celery seed to the reserved liquid and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. When hot, add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chilies, garlic, ginger and spices and stir for 2 more minutes, coating the onions with the spices and scraping the bottom of the pan periodically to prevent sticking. Stir in the reserved chickpea cooking liquid and add the lentils, tomato and tomato paste. Turn up the heat to high and bring to a boil. As soon as the pan is boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Stir in the chickpeas and parsley and let the soup simmer for 5 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in the salt, pepper and lemon juice. To serve, pour some olive oil into a small bowl and spoon some harissa into another. Ladle the soup into bowls and place the olive oil and harissa on the table for people to serve themselves by adding to the soup. Makes 4 servings

Anooshavoor (Turkish Barley and Apricot Porridge)

Although whole grain porridges are a staple breakfast food in my kitchen, I'd never considered barley a morning grain until I came across this recipe in my treasured copy of Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café for anooshoavoor, an apparently traditional Turkish barley porridge that's flavored with apples, apricots, honey and cardamom. It's one of the most delicious and satisfying porridges I've ever had.

Cooked in a risotto style with liquid slowly added to very low heat, the result is a creamy, sweet porridge surrounding the still chewy grains of barley. But although the preparation and instructions are so extraordinarily simple, it takes about two hours to cook so it's not a breakfast for a weekday unless you make it the night before and reheat the next morning.

Mollie's recipe calls for cooking the barley in apple juice, but using apple cider instead gives the porridge an especially full, rich apple taste.

Anooshavoor (Turkish Barley and Apricot Porridge)

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café Cuisine: Turkish Published on September 27, 2007 Sweet, creamy and wonderfully fragrant barley and dried apricot porridge spiced with cardamom and cooked slowly in a risotto style Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup pearl barley 1 1/4 cups water 1 1/2 cups apple cider or apple juice, room temperature 6 green cardamom pods 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 5 or more dried apricots, to taste, sliced or chopped 1 tablespoon honey Instructions: Rinse the barley and soak overnight in a small saucepan in the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cover. Simmer, stirring every 10 minutes or so, for 45 minutes while checking the water level (if the porridge dries, add a little more water). Stir in a 1/2 cup of the apple cider. Put the cardamom pods in a tea ball and add to the saucepan along with the salt. Cover, and continue to simmer, stirring every 10 minutes as before. After 20 and 40 minutes, stir in another 1/2 cup portion of the apple cider, while continuing to stir every 10 minutes. When the last portion of the apple cider has cooked in the barley for 20 minutes, you should end up with a thick, but not too thick porridge. If it's too thick for your taste, thin it with a little more apple cider. Remove the tea ball and stir in the honey and apricots, letting them settle for a few minutes to that the apricots soften. Serve hot or at room temperature, topped with milk, cream or yogurt. Makes 2 to 3 servings

"End-of-Summer" Pasta Sauce

I came across Valli's Summer Spaghetti back in August when the tomatoes were just bursting off the vine and thought it would be a perfect and fresh way to enjoy them in an uncooked pasta sauce. Well, I didn't get around to making it then, but since the tomatoes are still coming up on the vine and the summer is ending in glorious, hot clear weather, it still seemed like a fresh idea… so I'm calling my version "end-of-summer" spaghetti instead.

In addition to fresh tomatoes, there's plenty of peppers ready for harvest too so I've added some hot peppers and a little cayenne too to spice my sauce up. But apart from that, and a few extra olives, the recipe below is pretty much exactly like Valli's original.

"End-of-Summer" Pasta Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from More Than Burnt Toast Published on September 26, 2007 Fresh, vibrant and delicious uncooked tomato pasta sauce with olives and herbs Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 lb (3 medium) firm, ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 shallot, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 banana pepper, seeded and diced 1 jalapeño pepper, seed and diced 8 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped 2 teaspoons capers 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely shredded 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup goat or Feta cheese, crumbled Instructions: Combine the vegetables, herbs and spices in a medium bowl and toss well. Drizzle the vinegar over mixture and then pour over the oil. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Cover and refrigerate to marinate the vegetables for at least 6 hours or overnight. Before serving, cook spaghetti or fettucini in a large kettle of salted water going at a roiling boil just until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well. Immediately toss the hot pasta with the cold marinated tomato sauce and cheese. Serve at once. Makes 2 cups of sauce

Grape Tomato and Goat Cheese Clafouti

A clafouti — pronounced klah-foo-TEE — is a traditional French baked fruit dessert with a pudding-like custard topping that originated in the northwest central province of Limousin. But in this beautiful savory version, the custard is infused with fresh basil and coats vegetables instead of fruit. It will make you dream you're sitting on the French Mediterranean coast instead of the chilly northwest, which makes it perfect for those cold autumn days when the vegetables are all still in season. The grape tomatoes burst with fresh sweetness in every bite. I served this with a red lentil and carrot soup for an extraordinary meal.

A proper dessert clafouti is baked until it has a pudding-cake consistency, which means that a knife inserted in the centre should come out clean, but if you're serving it right away the basil is best favoured by letting the pudding run like a thick gravy through the vegetables.

Grape Tomato and Goat Cheese Clafouti

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on September 24, 2007 Delicious savory summer custard pudding with fresh herbs, vegetables and grape tomatoes and a crumbled goat cheese topping Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion, thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups grape tomatoes 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced 1 banana pepper, seeded and chopped 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (3/4 teaspoon dried) 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground black pepper 4 large eggs 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups milk 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 2 tablespoons soft goat cheese, crumbled Instructions: Lightly butter a large casserole dish (at least 2 1/2 quarts) and preheat an oven to 350°. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil, wait a few seconds, then swirl around to coat the pan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes or until the onion starts to turn golden. Add the tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and thyme and cook for another 5 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to soften. Toss in the parsley and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. (If you'd like a little added piquancy, add a dash of cayenne pepper as well.) Stir in, and cook for 1 more minute. Remove to the prepared casserole dish. Whisk together the eggs and flour in a bowl until smooth. Pour in the milk and add the basil. Season with the rest of the salt as well as more black pepper to taste and whisk again until combined. Gently pour the mixture over the vegetables. Bake for 45 minutes or until the topping turns golden and just begins to burn at the edges. If you would like a more solid cake-like clafouti, bake until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack, sprinkle with the goat cheese, and let stand for 5 minutes to let the cheese melt slightly before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings

Eggs Vindaloo

Just like paneer cheese, eggs are a perfect medium for Indian curry sauces like the shahi egg dish I made back in August. This time the eggs are fried in olive oil after being hard-boiled and then simmered in a fragrant and very spicy vindaloo gravy for a delicious lunch or dinner served on a bed of white basmati rice.

I always have a jar of Patak's vindaloo paste on hand, but if you don't have a vindaloo paste on hand you can easily make your own following the instructions in the recipe below. Vindaloo paste — store-bought or homemade — also makes for a wonderful spread on samosas by the way.

Eggs Vindaloo

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on September 22, 2007 Hard-boiled eggs simmered in a delicious, fragrant and spicy vindaloo gravy — an amazingly good lunch or dinner Print this recipe Ingredients: 8 large eggs 1 teaspoon vinegar 3 tablespoons butter 1 large onion, grated 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated (1/2 tablespoon) handful of small green chilies to taste, minced 3 tablespoons vindaloo paste (recipe below) 3 tablespoons coconut cream olive oil for shallow frying 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped juice of 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) Instructions: Boil the eggs in water with the vinegar for 8 to 9 minutes. Remove to a bowl of cold water and peel when the eggs are cool. Prick the eggs evenly all over with a fork and dry well. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilies and cook for 10 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the vindaloo paste and cook briefly, coating the vegetables with the paste. Pour in the coconut cream and a couple of tablespoons of water. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce becomes thick. Turn down the heat to low. Meanwhile, heat 1 inch of olive oil in another frying pan and shallow-fry the eggs, turning frequently, until they're golden on the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon to the vindaloo sauce. Add the mint and lemon juice and simmer in the sauce for 10 minutes. Serve hot as they are or on a bed of fresh cooked hot white basmati rice. Makes 4 to 8 servings

Vindaloo Paste

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on September 22, 2007 Hot and sour and extremely flavorful Indian spice paste that makes a great addition to curries or a spread for savory Indian pastries Print this recipe Ingredients: 6 dried whole red chilies 1 tablespoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 cup white vinegar Instructions: Soak the dried red chilies in warm water for 10 minutes or until soft. Meanwhile, toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, brown mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and peppercorns in a dry unoiled frying pan over medium-low heat, tossing frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes or until the seeds are fragrant. Drain the chilies and grind with the toasted seeds, turmeric and sugar in a food processor. Stir in the white vinegar. This paste will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Makes 1/3 cup

Tomato, Olive and Avocado Rice

If you want to convince someone that rice isn't a dull food, try making this attractive and tasty dish with tomatoes, olives and avocado that you can serve with almost any kind of meal. They'll be back for seconds. And once you're done the chopping, peeling and pitting, it's easy and fast to put together.

Tomato, Olive and Avocado Rice

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on September 21, 2007 Simple, colorful and delicious creamy tomato and avocado rice dressed with Kalamata olives — a wonderful side for almost any kind of meal Print this recipe Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced 1 1/8 cups white basmati rice 2 cups water 1 large tomato, seeded and diced 2 green onions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground black pepper 1 small avocado, pitted, peeled and diced 1/2 cup Kalamata or black olives, pitted Instructions: Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and garlic and stir for 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir for another minute to coat each grain with oil. Pour in the water and raise the heat to bring to a boil. As soon as the pan boils, reduce the heat to low, stir the rice once, and cover. Simmer gently for 15 minutes without lifting the lid or disturbing the rice. While the rice is simmering, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a frying pan. When hot, add the tomato, green onions and parsley. Reduce the temperature to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, avocado and olives. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and carefully stir in the tomato, olive and avocado mixture. Serve hot or warm. Makes 4 side servings

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup

I was in the mood for a simple but tasty soup yesterday and this golden red lentil and carrot soup — adapted from a now sadly defunct food blog called Gourmet A Go-Go — turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to a grape tomato and goat cheese clafouti. As the cold weather nears, I highly recommend you keep this recipe on hand. I've made a few variations, but the essential base of the recipe remains the same.

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on September 19, 2007 Simple, warming and colorful spiced red lentil and carrot soup with tomatoes Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped 1 large carrot, thinly sliced 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed juice from 1 small lemon (2 tablespoons) 3 cups water or vegetable stock 1 3/4 cups (14 oz or 400 ml can) coconut milk 2 to 3 fresh green or red chilies, seeded and finely chopped handful of fresh parsley, chopped Instructions: In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and stir for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring, for another minute. Next add the tomatoes and cook for another few minutes to let the tomatoes reduce slightly. Stir in the carrot and lentils. Pour in the lemon juice and water or stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to moderately low, cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Stir in the coconut milk and chilies and continue simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and purée 1/3 of the soup with an immersion blender or in a countertop blender. Serve hot garnished with fresh chopped parsley. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Concord Grape Pie

I am guessing that not many of my readers have heard of grape pie before. Well, if you can get Concord grapes in your area, you are in for a real treat. Everyone that I know who has tasted this pie will forever remember it. For this recipe, you will need one unbaked single pie shell. I'm a firm believer in making my own crust, though you can purchase one if you don't have the time or inclination to prepare your own. I'm providing a recipe here for the crust I made, but feel free to use your own favorite pastry shell recipe. Though the pie is delicious warm out of the oven, I would suggest chilling it before serving as it holds together better if you do.

Concord Grape Pie

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on September 18, 2007 Sweet Concord grape pie filling — this is a pie you will never forget Print this recipe Filling: 4 1/2 cups Concord grapes (about 2 pounds) 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup flour 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell (see below) Streusel topping: 1/2 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter Instructions: Squeeze the end of each grape opposite the stem to separate the skins from the pulp. Set the skins aside in a medium-sized bowl. Put the pulp in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Press the boiled pulp through a strainer to remove the seeds. Add the seedless pulp to the bowl with the grape skins, along with the sugar, flour, lemon juice and salt. Stir well to combine. Transfer the mixture to the pastry shell (see below). To make the topping, combine the oats, brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over the filling. Cover the edges of the crust with foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 425° for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake for another 20 minutes or so, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

For the crust, I made a flaky butter pie crust. The key to a good pie crust is to ensure that all of the ingredients are cold.

Flaky Butter Pastry Shell

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on September 18, 2007 Simple but perfect buttery and flaky pie crust Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces 3 - 4 tablespoons ice water Instructions: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in the butter using two knives or a pastry cutter until the butter is reduced to very small pieces. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of ice water over the dough and combine with a fork. The dough is ready for rolling once it holds together when you squeeze it. If the dough is too dry, add more of the ice water. On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a flat circle shape with a floured rolling pin. Gently fold the rolled dough in half and transfer to the pie plate. Trim the dough and fold to make the crust edge. Crimp the edges.

Black Bean & Corn Bake With Cheese Topping

These Mexican-style baked black beans take very little effort and make a delicious and hearty dinner when served up with brown rice and a green salad, great for the cool weather. I found out after I made it that my neighbors could smell it baking and loved the aroma.

Any sharp, hard cheese can be used for the topping, but I happened to have on hand exactly half of cup each of old Cheddar and Asiago cheeses. It turned out to be a lovely combination in this recipe.

Black Bean & Corn Bake with Cheese Topping

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Mexican Published on September 17, 2007 Simple and delicious Mexican-style baked beans with a golden brown broiled cheese topping Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups dried black beans (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 1/4 cup dried red kidney beans (3/4 cup cooked or 1/2 14 oz can) 6 sundried tomatoes 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 4 jalapeños, seeded and chopped 2 cups frozen corn 1 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, finely chopped 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon 1 bay leaf 1 cup fresh grated aged Cheddar or other sharp hard cheese Instructions: Rinse the black beans and kidney beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a large saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the beans are tender but firm. Drain and set aside in a large bowl. Meanwhile, pour hot water over the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and let stand for about 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. Drain and coarsely chop. Put a frying pan on medium heat. When hot, pour in the olive oil, let sit for a moment, then swirl to coat the pan. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeños and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Pour the contents of the pan into the beans and add all the remaining ingredients except the cheese. Combine thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a large casserole dish and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Before serving, take the cover off the beans and broil on the top rack for a couple of minutes until the cheese is golden brown. Discard the bay leaf and serve hot. Makes 6 to 8 servings

Mango Salad Dressing

Since I've found out that quite a few of my friends are mango fanatics, the natural thing to do was to bring mangoes to the salad plate. For all those mango fiends out there, this simple and zesty mango dressing turned out to be a gorgeous, delicious and very mango-y dressing for any kind of green salad.

Mango Salad Dressing

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on September 16, 2007 Thick, colorful, creamy, zesty and refreshing spiced mango salad dressing Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 large mango, peeled and chopped 6 tablespoons white rice vinegar 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon hot sauce 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/4 teaspoon dried chives pinch of cayenne fresh ground black pepper to taste Instructions: Use 1 cup of the chopped mango and gobble up the rest of the pieces while there's no one else in the kitchen. Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Serve cold or at room temperature on a green salad. Makes about 2 cups

Danny and Maria Celebrate 25 years of Business

Danny's Wine and Beer Making Supplies, located at 127 Hamilton Road here in London, Ontario, has for many years provided me with delicious red wine. Last Saturday, Danny and Maria Cardoso celebrated 25 years of business with their family, friends and dedicated customers. I attended the celebration and wrote about it for foodtv.ca. You can read about the event, complete with a short description of the wine making process, here.

Chinese-Style Fried Brown Rice and Vegetables

Even if you're a fan of Chinese restaurant-style fried rice, you'll find it strangely bland and unsatisfying after trying this hearty and colourful fried brown rice recipe at home. Packed with vitamins and minerals, you can add even more vegetables as desired; for example, add some sliced celery or chopped cabbage at the same time as the mushrooms go in.

If you're not using a wok, fry the egg in a small frying pan and the rest of the ingredients in a large stainless steel saucepan.

Chinese-Style Fried Brown Rice and Vegetables

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Chinese Published on September 14, 2007 Colorful, nourishing and delicious Chinese-style fried brown rice with eggs Print this recipe Ingredients: 3/4 cup uncooked brown rice 1 1/2 cups water 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 large eggs 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, diced 4 oz (115 g or 1 1/4 cups) fresh mushrooms, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1 bunch green onions, sliced, both white and green parts 2 tablespoons tamari (soy) sauce 1/8 cup dry red wine dash of dry vermouth (optional) 1/2 cup frozen green peas, defrosted Instructions: Rinse the brown rice and soak overnight in a small saucepan in 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 30 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and refrigerate for at least an hour in a covered bowl. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a large wok over medium heat. Lightly beat the eggs and pour into the pan. Cook without stirring until the egg is dry. Remove to a plate and cut into small strips. Set aside. Wipe down the wok with paper towel and return to the heat. Add the remaining sesame oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and carrots and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic and the white parts of the green onions and continue to stir for about 5 more minutes or until the mushroom juices are flowing. Stir in the cooked rice, tamari sauce, wine and vermouth if using, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the liquid has boiled away and the rice is sticky. Toss in the green parts of the green onions, peas and egg and stir to mix. Remove from the heat and serve while hot, with additional tamari sauce if desired. Makes 6 to 8 side servings