The "share your no-meat recipes" thread

[matrix]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't want to scare-away meat-eaters in the thread, and tofu's pretty scary stuff. I'm not veggie, but I really like Moosewood's pesto recipe. (I shouldn't replicate it here, since they sell books for that purpose.)

Basically, it uses much less oil and basil than normal pesto, but uses a whole pound of spinach instead. You blend all the spinach and get a super green, super healthy sauce that tastes like pesto, but "greener". [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
-Sam

[/ QUOTE ]

here's a tip.

When making Pesto/Salsa Verde or any other "green" sauce with whatever leaves you decide to use (rocket and watercress olive oil and black pepper makes an awesome salad dressing) cook your green leaves for about 10 seconds in boiling water then fish them out and stop the cooking process by dropping the leaves into ice cold water.

make sure they are dried off nicely before you blitz them and a) they blend into the oil and release more flavour as they are softened instead of fresh - and b) you can keep the sauce for days in a fridge and it will keep it's fabulous bright green colour rather than turn a drab olive green after an hour or so.

[Gregatron]

Nice thoughts. Thanks much for sharing them. Yeah I do like Thai and Indian food -- as does my wife! We like it HOT.

As for that much garlic, well that is kind of the point of the sauce. It is quite potent to be sure. (But then, I'm a garlic freak!) If I were to take out much of the garlic and red pepper then I would certainly use more herbs, and have a smoother and lighter marinara instead of what is essentially an arrabiata-wine sauce. That is something I will try when I have someone with a more sensitive pallet over to eat.

Your point about port wine is noted! I will definately look into that.

Awesome post! Thanks for the comments.

[JJNJustin]

You can get a stronger garlic taste by adding the garlic in later on in the cooking, yet using less of it.

One way is to to smash the garlic cloves, heat the olive oil to almost smoking and add the garlic cloves to the hot oil, when they start to turn brown, add the onions or tomatoes or whatever. This results in a burnt garlic/slightly bitter flavor. You can use more cloves of garlic in this technique.

Another way is to sautee the onion in olive oil for 5-7, lower the heat to medium then add 4-6 cloves of diced or minced garlic. Then add wine, tomatoes, etc. This results in a stronger garlic flavor, without the bitterness of browning the garlic.

Another way is to add minced garlic to the tomato sauce 5-10 minutes before its done, in addition to one of the first two ways. This will give an even stronger, more raw garlic flavor.

Some people take a whole bulb of garlic, cut off the top, toast it in the oven and smash the cloves into a paste. This is called "roasted garlic". The roasting in the oven mellows out the garlic so you can use a whole bulb in the sauce or whatever without it getting weird tasting.

Still another way is to take raw cloves of garlic and smash them in a mortar and pestle with cosher salt and make a sort of paste. This is very strong garlic paste and can be added to sauces.

One thing I do is when I buy a big jar of peeled garlic cloves is to put some (20-40) in a small pot with EVOO. I bring it to a bubble, then simmer it for 15-20 minutes. I strain it and put it in a glass jar. This "garlic oil" works great for sauces, pestos, etc.

When adding raw garlic to pestos, chutneys, etc. always consider using less than the recipe calls for. Raw (uncooked garlic) is much hotter and stronger than cooked garlic. If you double the garlic you will taste it.

When making a salsa or chutney that has raw garlic in it, always make sure there is some acidic base such as lemon juice, vinegar, or chopped tomatoes to prevent bacteria growth. Raw (uncooked) garlic contains some kind of sulfer that can promote bocholism growth. Raw garlic stored in olive oil without being cooked can grow bocholism. Cooking garlic gets rid of this sulfer, and storing the garlic in an acidic medium such as lemon juice or vinegar inhibits the bacteria growth.

Garlic contains natural antihistamine, and if eaten in large quantities, can make your mouth dry and make you drowsy.

-J

[MrMon]

This dish has become very popular at my house and can be served vegetarian or with sliced grilled chicken breast. It can also be served warm or cold, although I prefer warm, the original recipe calls for cold. The sauce makes more than enough for several meals. Scale up or down accordingly.

Char-lee's Chilled Spicy Sesame Noodles
from The Black Dog Summer On The Vineyard Cookbook

1 lb fresh or dried egg noodles (These look like spaghetti but aren't, they're Chinese egg noodles, found in Asian supermarkets. I use Wah King Noodle Company Chinese Noodles #4.)
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup tamari or soy soauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider or red wine vinegar
1/8 to 1/4 cup chili oil (Spicy at 1/8, 1/4 will be really spicy. Use caution the first time.)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, chopped for garnish

Optional
Cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
Sliced grilled chicken breast
Sesame seeds

1. Cook egg noodles in boiling salted water, 3-5 minutes for fresh, 7-10 minutes for dried. Drain and rinse in cold water if serving cold. Add in a little sesame oil to prevent sticking. Chill or set aside warm.

2. Pour tahini in large mixing bowl. Add hot water to measuring cup to clear left over tahini, add to bowl Whisk until blended smooth.

3. Whisk in vegetable oil. Add tamari or soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar, one at a time, mixing with whisk until smooth each time.

4. Add in chili oil, starting with 1/8 cup. Taste for spiciness. Add in more if desired.

5. Add sesame oil and garlic. Blend.

6. Place noodles on plates, add enough sauce to coat, garnish with scallions and any optional ingredients.

Remaining sauce will last for several weeks in a sealed container in your fridge.

[Mrs. Utah]

[ QUOTE ]
Your pasta sauce does sound very awesome. I want to try it with angel hair pasta.

I don't have a recipe to share but I am looking for one. A couple months back I recall seeing a nice couscous recipe. At least I'm pretty sure it was couscous but I'm hopeless with the search function. (It was probably in OOT) Does this sound familiar to anyone because I really want that recipe. It had raisins and nuts.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey Katy-

I was digging through my recipes and came across this although I am not sure of the source.

Fruited Couscous

3 cups couscous
4 1/2 cups boiling water or chicken broth
3/4 cup dried currants
1 cup dried apricots, diced
3/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Zest of a lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Cayenne, to taste
5 to 6 scallions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely sliced

In a large bowl combine couscous and boiling water. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to steam for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork, breaking apart clumps with fingertips. Stir in currants, apricots, and pine nuts and set aside. In a small bowl whisk together the zest, juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and cayenne. Drizzle mixture over the couscous and toss to combine. Couscous can be made up to this point 1 to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Stir in the scallions. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with mint.

[katyseagull]

That sounds delicious Mrs. Utah, and not too hard. I really like dried apricots and pine nuts so I know I will enjoy this dish. Thanks very much for the recipe.

[JJNJustin]

Fruited couscous is very Morrocan. Their cooking uses "couscous" which is a pasta that looks like a grain, dried fruits like apricots, dates, and prunes, as well as olives, preserved lemons, chickpeas, pine nuts, almonds, eggplants, and raisins. Saffron, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamon are the main spices used in their mildly spiced "tagines" which are basically meat or fish cooked slowly in a sauce with its own juices.

Morrocan food tends to be moderately spiced but not chili hot spicy, and slightly sweet due to the use of dried fruits. I am including a photo of "Fried Eggplant Slices with Fruited Couscous" for your viewing pleasure.


-J

[katyseagull]

that fried eggplant w/couscous looks yummy!

[matrix]

couc cous is known in the US as a type of pasta - but it really is a type of grain.

Traditionally it's made from semolina (aka durum wheat) - which is exactly the same grain that 00 flour (pasta flour) and therefore pasta is made from so they are closely related.

Instead of using water to puff your cous cous you can get great flavoured results using vegetable stock, wine, or alternatively flavoured water instead of just plain water.

e.g. Boil 1 litre of water for a few mins with your favourite herb (mine happens to be Basil) - strain the water and use that to cook the cous cous with. (use twice as much water by weight than cous cous - pour boiling water over cous cous cover and leave for 5 mins - once the liquid is absorbed add a good splash of olive oil and fluff with a fork - then add whatever takes your fancy that goes with the flavour you've infused into your cous cous)

Basil flavoured cous cous marries very nicely with chunks of chargrilled pineapple, feta cheese, olives, and a little ginger and chilli (just enough chilli for a little spice - but not too hot)

[katyseagull]

Thank you for the tips matrix128. I really like the sound of your squash and spinach lunch, very appetizing.

I was wondering if anyone had a good recipe for squash soup. I once had a creme of squash soup in Indiana and I've always remembered it. I want to be able to make it at home.