May 2010 | Lisa's Kitchen | Vegetarian Recipes | Cooking Hints

No Croutons Required - The Winner for May

The challenge for May was to come up with a vegetarian friendly Mexican inspired soup or salad. As usual, we received some wonderful entries, and I would be delighted to try all of the dishes. We do need to crown a winner though, and congratulations to Janet of Taste Space who made this popular Mexican Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing. I will certainly be trying this soon. Such a beautiful summer salad!

Jacqueline will be hosting the next edition of No Croutons Required. The challenge this month is to make a soup or salad featuring zucchini, otherwise known as courgette. Jacqueline is also featuring a giveway to celebrate National Vegetarian Week. Be sure to leave a comment on her post for a chance to win.

Off and On the Trail Bannock

Once again, I am happy to include a guest post from my special friend Fenris. This time around, we are making Bannock.

My friend, Mike, is very fond of bannock. We go way back, to before Mike became Mad Mike the Mercenary. Both of us have ancestors from the same village in Devonshire, and having bannock is what we do in our village to celebrate the long ago Sack of Edinburgh, when began a period of prosperity in our village. And what better way to greet an old friend than to make up one of his favorite 'mercenary on the go' dishes, but this fine bannock from Lisa's kitchen. I followed the instructions in the recipe to the letter, and it turned out exactly like the one you see here. My friend Mike has had an interesting life. We swapped stories over Rum and a banquet featuring this filling bannock. Mike is shortly off again, to settle some accounts in Houston, then Turkey. This is what food is for, to be served warm, to people with warm hearts; unlike vengeance, which is best served cold.

Off and On the Trail Bannock

3 cups of unbleached white flour or spelt flour
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 tablespoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 cup of butter, melted
1 1/2 cups of water
1/3 cup of dried cranberries
1/3 cup of raisins

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder, cranberries and raisins.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and then pour into the dry ingredients along with the water. Combine with a fork or pastry cutter. Knead gently with floured hands. Heat a few teaspoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, put some chunks of dough into a greased frying pan and press down slightly with a spatula. Cook until browned, roughly 10 - 20 minutes per side.

Serve with butter, jam, a tasty dal dish, or any other condiment of your choosing.

More recipes from Lisa's Kitchen that you might enjoy:
Raisin Cranberry Biscuits
Whole Wheat Olive Oil Biscuits
Cheddar Dijon Biscuits

Audio Accompaniment: Vantage Isle Sessions by Deepchord

Baking Cookbook Giveaway

I am excited to announce that I am hosting my first giveaway here at Lisa's Kitchen. All you have to do is visit this page on Snubber and leave a comment on this blog post indicating the baking book you would most like to own from those featured. A random draw will take place to determine the winner. The deadline for the giveaway will be June 11th. Good luck everyone. I am so pleased to offer something to my valued readers. Regretfully, because of shipping costs, this giveaway is only open to residents of the US and Canada. My international friends will have a chance to receive a treat in the near future.

Mixed Lentil Dal

As I noted in a previous post, I recently picked up some fresh fenugreek from my local Indian grocery store. Not wanting to waste a big bunch of these delightful leaves, I searched through one of the latest acquisitions to my extensive cookbook collection and made this easy to digest mixed dal dish that I was able to share with friends. It goes especially well with basmati rice. For a real treat, serve with a selection of Indian appetizers, such as samosas, onion bhaji, pakoras and katchoori.

Mixed Lentil Dal

Adapted from "Pure and Simple" by Vidhu Mittal

1/4 cup of whole mung beans
1/4 cup of split mung beans
1/3 cup of chana dal
1/3 cup of toor dal
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 - 3 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of mango powder (amchoor)
1/2 teaspoon of garam masala
dash of cayenne
1 cup of fresh fenugreek leaves
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley or cilantro

For the tempering:

1 tablespoon of butter or ghee (or oil)
1/2 teaspoon of asafetida
1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon of red chili powder

Soak the mung beans, chana dal, split mung and toor dal in enough water to cover for a few hours. Drain and transfer to a large pot with 2 1/2 cups of water and the turmeric. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the legumes are soft and tender - roughly 30 minutes. Add a bit more water if necessary.

Now add the tomatoes to the pot, along with the ginger, green chilies, mango powder, garam masala, cayenne and fenugreek leaves. Cook for another 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, prepare the tempering: Heat the butter or ghee in a small frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the asafetida, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and chili powder. Stir and fry for roughly 1 minute and pour over the cooked dal.

Serves 4 - 5.

More Dal recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Tarka Dal
Urad Dal with Tomatoes
Urad Dal with Tomatoes, Spices and Coconut
Creamy Mung Dal Curry

On the top of the reading stack: Penguin Classics Netochka Nezvanova by Fyodor Dostoyesvsky

Audio Accompaniment: Substrata V.2 by Biosphere

No Croutons Required - Mexican

I always do enjoy experimenting with various ethnic cuisines and this month the challenge was to make a Mexican-style soup or salad. Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry this month. There are lots of mouthwatering dishes on the menu to try. Please do vote for your favorite in the comment section or via email. Of course, the choice won't be easy, but help us crown a winner for May. Please note that neither my entry nor Jacqueline's is eligible for the vote.

Our first entry is a crimson, spicy Red Chili from Birds Eye View of Food and Laughter. Adapted from Nigella Feasts, this smoky chili features kidney beans, cumin, cocoa powder, coriander, red chili powder, onions, garlic, tomatoes and is topped with cheddar cheese and served alongside salsa and sour cream. She served this for friends along with yoghurt-paneer dip with crudités and hummus with pita bread as appetizers, and a Spanish almond-grape chilled soup. What a delightful feast! (India)

Next up is Sarah from The Ordinary Vegetarian with a hearty Black Bean and Barley Soup that she made to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. This entree soup is made up of onions, garlic, serrano pepper, celery, vegetable stock, barley, thyme, paprika, collard greens, hominy, fire roasted tomatoes, black beans, tomato paste and lime juice. Such flavour in a bowl and certainly a meal all by itself, though I imagine some crusty bread would go along nicely with this lovely soup. (Chicago, Illinois, USA)

MangoCheeks of Allotment 2 Kitchen also celebrates Cinco de Mayo and submits this mouthwatering Jalapeños, Coriander and Avocado Pasta Salad. This inspired salad is indeed bursting with flavour. Macaroni, garlic, avocado, spring onions, marinated jalapenos, fresh coriander leaves, and lime juice are sure to please the palate. MangoCheeks served it with a corn and red pepper salsa. I did not know that pasta was a popular ingredient in Mexican cooking. How could I resist this dish? (West of Scotland)

Soma of eCurry graces our plates with Avocado and Mango with Chili, Lime and Pickled Ginger. This elegant and refreshing salad is perfect for warmer weather. Avocados, mangos, yellow tomato, cilantro and pickled ginger are lightly dressed with some fresh lime juice and a sprinkling of chili powder. So simple but a perfect summer meal. For something a little heartier, try adding some black beans or even nuts, as Soma suggests. (Texas, USA)

Barbara of Dish 'n' That enters this month for the first time with a tempting Roasted Mexican Potato Salad with Chipotle-Soy Dressing. Perfect for a picnic or get together, this salad is a mixture of regular and sweet potatoes. Roasted Huckleberry blue potatoes and garnet yams, spring onions and herbs, are sprinkled with fresh lime juice and then combined with a mayonnaise and chipotle adobe sauce. This refreshing salad is then served with fresh slices of avocado and sauteed tortilla strips. Such a impressive presentation too! (Hudson Valley, New York, USA)

Janet of Taste Space is up next with a stunning Mexican Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing. If you wish to impress dinner guests or wow your potluck friends, you will not fail if you serve this delightful combination of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, crushed corn chips, cheddar cheese, black beans and green onions, dressed with avocado, mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic and olive oil. Simply wonderful. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

For my submission this month, I also decided to make a salad. This Mexican-style Potato Salad is made up of red potatoes, jalapeno peppers, avocado and celery and dressed with sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, fresh lime juice, chili powder and garnished with green onions and paprika. Add some cilantro if desired. No croutons required indeed. (London, Ontario, Canada)

Jacqueline, my dear friend and co-host of No Croutons Required whips up an easy but tasty Quinoa, Lentil & Bean Salad. Black beluga lentils, quinoa, kidney beans, tomatoes, avocados and fresh coriander are tossed with fresh lime juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, wholegrain mustard, chili flakes and black pepper. Certainly this is a perfectly balanced meal that would be ideal to serve during the summer months, though I would enjoy it anytime of year. (Scotland, UK)

Nithu enters the fray with this pretty Mexican Carrot Soup. Sauted garlic, cilantro, chili paste and onions, come together with carrots and potatoes and vegetable broth. This blended soup is easy to make, appetizing and good for you too. This soup would be an excellent way to incorporate some veggies with your meal. (New Jersey, USA)

Kirsten experiments with jicama again this month and submits this lovely Corn and Jicama Salad. Crunchy, with a sweet citrus flavour, here corn, jicama, red pepper and jalapeno pepper are marinated with lime juice and cilantro. This would be yet another perfect summer salad and it is so easy to prepare besides. (Los Angeles, California, USA)

From Sweatha of Tasty Curry Leaf we have this irresistible Mango Chipotle Salsa. Ripe mango, red onion and chopped walnuts are combined with cilantro, lemon juice, chipotles and adobo sauce. Perfect to serve as a side or with nacho chips. Sweatha tells us the first thing you experience is the heat and smokiness of the chilies, followed by the crunch of the walnuts and then the sweetness of the mango. Just yum! (Bangalore,India)

Last, but certainly not least, is this inspired and brilliant Pork-Free Pozole with Red Beans from Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook. Liquefied tomatillos and roasted and ground pepitas are featured with cumin, oregano, epazote, onion, garlic, green serrano chile peppers, red beans, pozole (hominy) and garnished with your choice of (or all) cilantro, shredded cabbage or lettuce, thinly sliced radishes, fried corn tortilla strips, roasted salted pepitas, white onion, avocado, grated cheese, and lime wedges. A beautiful and complete meal in one bowl. (New York, USA)

Jacqueline will be hosting the June edition of No Croutons Required. Check back at the beginning of the month for the theme.

Mexican-Style Potato Salad With Avocado and Jalapeño

Warm sunny days outside the window remind me that it's time to start enjoying cool creamy potato salads again. And with the deadline for this month's No Croutons Required roundup just days away, it's also a great opportunity to remind readers of this month's Mexican theme with this lovely Mexican-Style Potato Salad With Avocado and Jalapeño.

Adapted from a recipe seen on the Food Network, tangy sour cream, lime juice and cilantro combine with spicy chili powder and crunchy hot jalapeño peppers for a dressing that's loaded with zest and flavour. Poured over a refreshing mix of potatoes and fresh vegetables, this is one salad that didn't last long on the table!

Mexican-Style Potato Salad With Avocado and Jalapeño

Salad:

2 lbs. red potatoes, cut into pieces
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and cut into thin matchsticks
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 celery stalk, diced

Dressing:

1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon or hot mustard
juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
fresh ground black pepper

Garnish:

2 green onions, sliced
chili powder or hot paprika

Cover potatoes with cold water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender to a fork. Remove from heat, drain well, and let cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

Place the potatoes, jalapeños, avocado and celery in a large mixing bowl. Gently toss the vegetables with the dressing. Garnish with green onions and a sprinkle of chili powder or hot paprika.

Serve cold or at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6.

Other potato salad recipes you may enjoy:
Potato Radish Salad
Potato Salad With Blue Cheese Dressing

On the top of the reading stack: Penguin Classics Netochka Nezvanova by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Audio Accompaniment: Autour De La Lune by Biosphere

Ricotta Cheesecake with Mixed Berries and Balsamic Vinegar

Normally I don't indulge in sweets and desserts but I couldn't resist this recipe that I found in the early summer edition of Food and Drink. It was also an opportunity to try out my homemade graham crackers as a base for the cake. There is a relatively small amount of sugar in this cake, but it is rich, so you will want to share with your friends and family, as I did.

Ricotta and Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Mixed Berries and Balsamic Vinegar
Adapted from Food and Drink

For the base:

2 cups of crumbled graham crackers
3/4 cup of cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

For the cheesecake:

1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese
2/3 cup of goat cheese
2 teaspoons of grated lemon rind
1/2 cup of sugar
3 tablespoons of unbleached flour or spelt flour
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
pinch of sea salt

Berry topping:

4 cups of mixed berries, such as halved strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries
1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper

Put the crushed graham crackers in a large bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat for 10 - 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter begins to brown around the edges and smells nutty. Pour the butter into the bowl with the graham crumbs and stir well to combine. Let the mixture cool for a while and then transfer to a 9 inch springform pan, pressing the mixture down firmly and pushing up the side of the pan a bit (about 1 inch). Chill while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

To make the cheesecake, combine the ricotta, goat cheese and lemon rind in a large bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixture on medium speed for roughly 2 minutes until well combined and smooth. Reduce the mixture speed and add the sugar, and flour, mixing until well combined. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until each egg is incorporated into the mixture. Now stir in the vanilla and salt. Pour into the prepared crumb base and bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until set in the middle - check by inserting a cake tester or knife. Let cool for a bit and then chill in the fridge until the cake is set.

Meanwhile, toss the berries together with the lemon juice and sugar in a large bowl and set aside. Put the vinegar and black pepper into a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the mixture begins to thicken up and turns syrupy. Pour the syrup over the berries, stirring to combine. Spoon the berry mixture over the chilled cake. Remove the side of the pan, slice and serve.

Serves 6 - 8, depending on the sweet tooth of the diners.

Other cheesecake recipes from Lisa's Kitchen:
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Blueberry Ricotta Cheesecake
Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Mixed Berries

On the top of the reading stack: The National Post

Audio Accompaniment: Discreet Music by Brian Eno

Plagiarism Update

Just a quick post to thank everyone for their support and kind words. I am happy to report that my content has been removed from the offending site. A big thanks to Alisa of Go Dairy Free who originally pointed out the content theft to me and provided some very helpful advice.

Graham Crackers

Thanks to everyone who expressed their support in my last post. Battle stations!

This is a recipe I have been meaning to post since I started my blog. Typically, store bought graham crackers are rather stale tasting and too crunchy, but the homemade version reminds one of shortbread. I prepared a batch of these in preparation for a mixed berry cheesecake recipe that caught my attention. Even my friend Fenris, who was rather sceptical about graham crackers, was pleasantly surprised. Easy to make and just plain good on their own but a perfect alternative for recipes calling for crumbled graham cracker crumbs.

Graham Crackers

2 cups of spelt flour (or unbleached white flour)
1/4 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 cup of softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup of sesame oil
1/4 cup of water

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Transfer the dough to an unsided cookie sheet, or alternately, the underside of a baking sheet. Flour a rolling pin and add a bit of flour to the dough and roll out to desired thickness - roughly 1/2 inch. Add more flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Lightly score the crackers two inches apart with a paring knife. Prick with a fork in even lines. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for a few minutes, and then cut on the scored lines. Crush up for your favorite graham cracker treat or just enjoy them as is.

Other treats from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Peanut Butter and Blueberry Shortbread Bars
Jalapeno Cheddar Shortbread
Rosemary Parmesan Shortbread

On the top of the reading stack: Six Tales of the Jazz Age and Other Stories by Scott Fitzgerald

Audio accompaniment: Live from Mars by Ben Harper

Plagiarism

Once again, I have discovered that my posts have been shamefully copied without my permission on a website, pictures and text and all. I might have to change my rss feed as I am having difficulty figuring out how to change my current one. It is disgusting when you spend so much work documenting your time and someone just lifts it for nothing. Last night I was so upset, I considered deleting my blog and giving up this project that I have built up over the years.

Audio accompaniment: Ben Harper - Oppression

Mung Bean Paneer

Revisiting an old classic, via "Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Vegetarian Cooking" by Yamuna Devi. As usual, I always change recipes and this time was no exception. Creamy mung beans with fried paneer is always an irresistible treat. This recipe is a particularly good one to serve to guests.

Do take the extra time to fry up the paneer cubes. My only regret is that I didn't make my own paneer.

This is my submission to Susan's ever popular monthly event, My Legume Love Affair. This time the dear founder is the host.

Mung Bean Paneer

1 1/4 cups of whole mung beans
3 1/4 cups of water
1 1/2 teaspoons of turmeric
3/4 teaspoons of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar
2 teaspoons of finely shredded or minced ginger root
6 tablespoons of butter, or ghee or a mixture of oil and butter (use less if pre-fried panir is used)
8-12 ounces (or 200 - 300 grams) of fresh paneer cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, or use pre-fried paneer cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon of asafetida powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of garam masala
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of amchoor powder (mango powder)
2 medium - large tomatoes, diced
2 - 3 green chili peppers, finely diced
3 - 5 tablespoons of plain yogurt or sour cream (I used a mixture of both)
2 teaspoons of sea salt
juice from one lemon
4 tablespoons of finely minced fresh parsley or coriander

1. Rinse the mung beans and soak in a bowl of water for at least 5 hours. Drain.

2. Bring the 3 1/4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the turmeric, cayenne, paprika, sweeter, ginger root and 1 tablespoon of butter / oil mixture. Add the beans, reduce the heat to low and partially cover. Gently simmer for 50-60 minutes or until the beans are butter soft but not mashed or broken. Remove the beans from the heat.

Transfer one cup of the beans to a bowl or blender and mash up. Return to the pot of beans. Alternately, use a hand blender to mash a small portion of the beans in the pot.

3. If you are using fresh un-fried paneer, heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. When it is hot, add the cheese cubes and stir-fry for about 5 - 10 minutes, constantly turning the cubes to brown them evenly on all sides. As they turn crisp and golden, remove the with a slotted spoon and drop them into the cooked beans.

If using pre-fried cheese cubes, add to the pot of beans.

4. Fry the cumin seeds in the remaining oil until they turn brown. Toss in the asafetida powder, amchoor powder, garam masala and coriander and immediately add the tomatoes, along with the chili peppers. Cook the tomatoes until they turn into a thick paste. Add the tomatoes into the beans, then add the yogurt (add sour cream if desired), lemon juice, salt, parsley and gently mix.

Serves approximately 6 people

More mung bean recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Mung Bean and Vegetable Soup
Indian Sour Mung Bean Soup
Creamy Mung Dal Curry
Spicy Mung Bean Soup with Coconut Milk

On the top of the reading stack: The National Post

Audio Accompaniment: A Blessing Of Tears by Robert Fripp

Mushroom Marinara Sauce

I've always wanted to make my own marinara sauce and when I recently found some quinoa pasta, I was inspired to come up with my own version. As tomatoes are rather pricey right now, I sort of cheated and used canned tomatoes instead of the fresh ones that I usually use. Easy to make and a good idea to serve with vegetables, your favorite pasta, tempeh, and of course Northeast African Millet Patties and just plain good enough to eat by the spoonful. Your friends and family will thank you. There is really no comparison between store bought sauces and homemade ones.

This one is going off to Ruth's popular Presto Pasta Event.

Mushroom Marinara Sauce with Quinoa Pasta

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
14 ounces / 397 grams of portobella mushrooms, chopped
1 - 2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
28.5 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
14.5 can of diced tomatoes
splash of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 teaspoon of dried pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/4 - 1/2 cup of olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup of goat cheese

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onion to the pan and stir and fry for roughly 5 minutes. Now add the jalapenos, mushrooms, and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, raising the heat slightly. Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, herbs and spices, salt and pepper and bring to boil. Simmer for 25 minutes with the lid slightly ajar, stirring often.

Add the sugar to the pot, along with the olives and simmer for another few minutes. Stir in the goat cheese or sprinkle over the dish you serve the sauce with.

I served this sauce over quinoa pasta.

Makes roughly 4 cup - 5 cups.