Baked Butternut Squash Risotto

It has been a wild couple of months for me. I spent most of the month of September in Arizona with my sister-in-law and her partner. Although I have been cooking a lot, I haven't been blogging so now it is time to catch up. There were several summer dishes I made while I was in Arizona and at home in California, and I will add them in as I have time. For now, I have switched to fall type suppers.

Tonight I made a recipe from the Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine. It was a gorgeous fall risotto featuring butternut squash. It was fairly fast and easy, though I did get inspired to make my own vegetable stock earlier in the day. It was the best stock I have ever made, and fairly difficult to replicate, but I will tell you how I did it. I cut up an onion, about 8 stalks of celery, half a bag of baby carrots, 2 cloves of garlic, and 3 mushrooms. I sauteed them in some olive oil over high heat. I then added the trimmings (peels, ends, and seeds) from the butternut squash I was going to use for dinner. I added in some dried basil that was sitting in a basket near the stove, some seasoned pepper (Montreal Steak seasoning I think it was called) and let that brown a bit. I then dumped in about 3 quarts of water, and brought that to a boil. Since I didn't have any tomato paste, I was trying to think of what might make the stock taste a little richer. I looked in the refrigerator and decided to add in the leftover mushroom gravy from a couple nights ago. I added about 2 teaspoons of butter, just for good measure. I then let it simmer for about an hour. I tasted and added salt and pepper, and WOW. It was the best veggie stock I've ever made.

The RISOTTO:

I couldn't decide what kind of pan to use for the risotto, since I knew it was going to go on the stove top and then into the oven. The recipe called for a medium dutch oven, which I didn't have. I decided on a very large dutch oven which would be way too big. I'm glad I did because it turned out to be a fairly large dish and then I wasn't trying to cram everything in.

Since I had already peeled my butternut squash for the stock, I cut that into cubes and set it aside. I also washed 1 bunch of spinach and set that aside to add in later. The recipe called for kale, but I couldn't find kale in southern Arizona, so I settled on spinach as a replacement. The spinach worked fine, but I think kale would have a nice texture in this dish.

Also, before you begin cooking, preheat the oven to 400º. The stovetop cooking only takes about 15 minutes.

To make the risotto, I diced a small onion fairly fine, (you could also use a couple of shallots), and started sauteing that over high heat while I mined 2 garlic cloves. I added them along with a tablespoon of fresh thyme, and then cut up the butternut squash and set it aside. When the onions were soft and the garlic and thyme very fragrant, I added in 1 1/2 cups arborio rice. I let that cook about 3 minutes (until translucent) and then put in 1/2 cup white wine. I let that absorb into the rice (about 2 minutes). I then seasoned with salt and pepper, and added 4 cups veggie stock and the butternut squash. I brought that to a boil and then stirred in the washed spinach.

Then I put everything in the oven for 20 minutes. All the rice was tender and the liquid had been absorbed. The dish had these beautiful fall colors and flavors. It needed a little more salt and some parmesan cheese, but was a very rewarding, comforting, simple dish for a weeknight. And now I have LOTS more stock to get into some other dishes. I think I'll freeze some of it.

This dish was much easier than regular risotto and just as tasty. It would be good for a potluck because it would reheat fairly easily. The flavors in this are very mellow rather than big and bold. It doesn't have a real creamy sauce like some risotto, but you could stir in some freshly grated parmesan and a little hot water (or broth) at the end to make a creamy sauce for it.

Things I'd do differently next time:

I'd try using kale instead of spinach.

Approximate cost to prepare:

1 bunch spinach - $1.50

1 butternut squash (2-3 lbs) - $1.75

1 1/2 c. arborio rice - $.50

1/2 c. white wine - .50

4 cups stock - $3.25 (less if you make your own)

1 small onion - $.25

2 cloves garlic - $.15

1 T. fresh thyme (1 t. dried), olive oil, salt & pepper, a little parmesan for grating - negligible

TOTAL - $7.95 for 6- 8 servings. (Three of us ate it for supper, some having seconds, and we didn't even eat half of it.)

We had a fabulous little impromptu salad of finely shredded napa cabbage and finely diced red pepper dressed with raspberry vinaigrette. Yum.

Spicy Tofu with Thai Basil and Coconut Rice Cakes

I made this for an Easter potluck and everyone seemed to enjoy it. This dish is a little difficult to take for a potluck, since it needs to be served shortly after cooking, but it was ok lukewarm, too. The colors in this dish are gorgeous. the yellow rice, the slightly purple hues of the thai basil, the lime quarters and red peppers served alongside make this dish really attractive. This would be great for company.

I probably should have waited until Thai basil was really in season, but I was able to find some at the Asian market. The coconut rice cakes are really tasty and could be used as the base for a variety of stir fries. They are also a really gorgeous yellow color due to the saffron and turmeric. The warmth of the basil and the tang of the lime works really well together.

This dish takes some planning ahead because the rice needs to be refrigerated before you fry it. This is the same rice that is used in Black Beans and Yellow Rice, so it might be good to make extra when you make that recipe and use the leftover rice for this recipe. If you don't have time to make the rice in advance and fry it into little cakes, you can just serve the sauce over the warm coconut rice.

You start with the coconut rice: Bring 2 cups water, 1/2 can coconut milk, a couple pinches of saffron and 1/2 t. of turmeric to a boil. Add 1 1/2 cups rinsed basmati rice. Turn down the heat to very low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork when finished. Stir in 4 thinly sliced scallions, season with salt and pepper, and put the rice in a 9x12 pan. Sprinkle sesame seeds on the top, cover with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge.

When the rice is well chilled, cut it into diamonds or other shapes, and fry in a little peanut oil. Set fried cakes aside.

Cut up one carton of tofu into bite-sized triangles or diamonds. Fry it in a little peanut oil on both sides until golden. Season with salt, pepper, and the juice of 1/2 lime. Slide the tofu onto a plate and reheat the skillet with more oil.

While the tofu is cooking, stir together 1 t. brown sugar and 2 T. soy sauce until the sugar is dissolved. Chop 2 garlic cloves, thinly slice 3 large shallots, and chop 1 jalapeno chile. (Take out the seeds and veins if you want to limit the heat.)

When the oil is hot, stir fry the garlic, shallots, and jalapeno for 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce mixture, the rest of the coconut milk (1/2 a can), and 1/2 t. turmeric. Squeeze the other half of the lime over all and put the tofu back in the pan. When everything is warmed through, turn off the heat, taste for salt and add more salt or soy sauce as desired. Season with pepper. Stir in a handful of torn Thai basil leaves and a handful of torn mint leaves.

Arrange the coconut cakes on a platter or on individual plates. Add the tofu and sauce over the top and garnish with thai basil, especially the flowers. Serve with additional jalapeno and lime quarters.

Things I'd do differently next time: Rather than cutting the rice into squares to fry, I would shape it into ovals and refrigerate it that way. Also, the tofu wasn't very spicy, so I think I'll leave some of the seeds in the jalapeno next time.

Approximate cost to prepare:
1 1/2 cups basmati rice - $2.00 (or less)
1 can coconut milk - $1.25 (Ranges from $.89 - $1.99 at the Asian market, but more in specialty stores)
saffron - $2.00 (the little container of saffron cost 5 dollars. 2 pinches was about 1/3 of it.)
1 t. turmeric - $.20
4 scallions - $.15
1/3 cup sesame seeds - $3.00
peanut oil for frying - $.25
1 t. brown sugar, garlic - negligible
2 T. soy sauce - $.20
1 carton tofu - $1.20
2 limes - $.65
3 large shallots - $1.25
1 jalapeno chile - $.20
thai basil (half a bunch) - $1.00
handful of mint - growing in my back yard
1 red jalapeno or thai pepper, optional, or red pepper flakes - $.20
TOTAL - Approx. $12.35 for 4 servings. I had a lot of this stuff in my pantry.

I think this dish would cost about $18 per serving at a restaurant.

Root Vegetable Ragout under a Wild Rice Pancake

January 11th, 2010

Can we talk about equipment? Why is it I can never figure out the appropriate tool until it's too late? I was supposed to shred the root vegetables and thought it would be a piece of cake with my flat grater. Halfway through I realized I needed the food processor, but it was too late to get it out, and I ended up hand chopping everything. Ugh.

But, I'm getting this all out of order.

Last night's meal was a warm and satisfying root vegetable ragout. I just learned from wikipedia that "ragout" is a french word for main dish stew. Though the word is related to the Italian ragu, the concept is different. An Italian ragu is a sauce for pasta.

This particular ragout has a gorgeous color and flavor. It contains beets, parsnips (which I've never cooked with before) carrots, and red cabbage, so the color is a super dark purple. You take the finished ragout and put it in a baking dish and cover it with a savory pancake type mixture, and bake it for half and hour.

This dish took me 2 hours to make, plus cooking the rice. I'm sure it doesn't take Deborah that long since she knows which equipment to use! It also turns out this was a recipe for 6, which I failed to notice when starting the dish, so we have lots of it left. Good thing it's YUMMY!

It is supposed to be made with wild rice, but following the principle of using up what I have, I used a wild and brown rice mix for this recipe. You start by whipping up a pancake batter (poor George - we just had pancakes for breakfast), to which you add some green onions, tarragon and parsley and the rice. You let that rest while you make the ragout. The pancake batter used 3 egg yolks, a cup of milk, 3 T. oil, 3/4 cup flour, 2 t. baking powder, and some salt.

The ragout starts with an onion in olive oil (doesn't every dish?), along with some more tarragon and a couple bay leaves. You then add grated beet, parsnip, and carrot, and a bunch of sliced purple cabbage. The recipe called for one large beet, but I put in four small ones because I didn't want leftover beets to cook later. Once that all gets soft, you add in 1 chopped apple, 1 T. tomato paste and some vinegar. You might have to add water along the way to keep the vegetables moist.

I was much better at tasting along the way with this dish and adding salt and pepper when needed. While the ragout is finishing up, you whip the egg whites until stiff. Thank god I bought a hand mixer a few weeks ago. This time I had the right tool. If I'd had to whip the eggs by hand, I would have been crying on the floor. You fold that into the pancake batter.

Just before you put the veggies in the oiled baking dish, you stir in a half cup chopped, toasted walnuts and about 5 ounces goat cheese. Once in the dish, top with the pancake batter, and bake the whole thing at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or so. She says to use a 9 x 12 inch dish, but I used a medium and a small baking dish. I thought it was going to be a big mess because I filled the pans right up to the top. I thought they would puff up and ooze all over my oven, but instead, they turned this beautiful golden brown and behaved perfectly. I had some extra pancake batter, so I cooked that in a separate dish. I don't know what I'm going to use it for, though.

When it was done, I served it with some yogurt because I was out of sour cream. The yogurt provided a great contrast and compliment to the beets. This meal should have had a spinach salad to go with it. The recommended wine was a reisling, which I never think to buy. It was fantastic with the beets. The slight sweetness was absolutely perfect with the tang and sweetness of the root vegetables.

The smaller of the two baking dishes was perfect for 2 people. That means we have 4 servings left over. Anybody want to come over for dinner?

Things I'd do differently next time:

• Grate vegetables with the food processor
• Make this dish when I already had leftover rice
• Try making it with wild rice
• Toast the nuts at the beginning (when will I learn this?)
• Maybe add some caraway seeds. I kept thinking it needed them as I was eating it.
• Make a spinach salad to go with it - probably with goat cheese and nuts.
• Invite people over or take it to a potluck.

Things I did well that I'm feeling good about:

• Tasting as I cook
• Starting with a sparkling clean and tidy kitchen. I was able to clean up my cooking mess while the dish was baking. I even put on nice music and lit candles. Very relaxing and rewarding.

Approximate cost to make this dish:

3 eggs - $1.00

1 cup milk - $.40

2 green onions - $.20

2 c. cooked rice - $.50 (?)

1 big red onion - 1.00

4 cups red cabbage - $1.00

1 large parsnip - $1.80

1 granny smith apple - $.40

4 small beets - $3.50 (it only called for one large beet)

parsley - $.20

tarragon - $1.00

goat cheese - $3.00

1/2 c. walnuts - $.50 (?)

3/4 c. flour, olive oil, baking powder, bay leaves, tomato paste, vinegar - negligible

TOTAL without wine - $14.50 for 6 servings, or $2.42 per serving

Star Anise Glazed Tempeh

January 9th, 2010

I am largely unfamiliar with tempeh as an ingredient. I've used it a few times, but not enough to regularly put it on my shopping list. Wikipedia tells me that tempeh is a soybean cake made by fermenting cooked soybeans, which are formed into a firm, dense, chewy cake with a yeasty, nutty flavor. My tempeh was called "5 grain" which makes me wonder if it was made out of other grains. In any case, it is high in protein and pretty good for you if you get organic tempeh.

I chose this recipe because it had a really pretty picture. As it turns out, this would be a nice dish to make for company - it is super yummy and very pretty. I'm sure you meat eaters could substitute chicken or something for the tempeh.

This is basically a stir fry, served over rice. I used basmati rice (because I already had it in my pantry), but Deborah suggests black rice, also known as forbidden rice. I would like to try that next time.

This dish is pretty easy - though it still took me almost an hour start to finish, including setting the table. First you start the rice. Then you make a marinade of 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup mirin (Japanese cooking wine), 2 T. brown sugar, 1 T. maple syrup, 1 cinnamon stick, and 2 star anise. You cook this mixture "at a lively pace" for 4 minutes. I assumed this meant that you bring it to a boil, but not a big boil and let it cook for a couple minutes at the little boil stage. Not sure if that was right, but it seemed to work out.

While the marinade is coming up to temperature, I cut the tempeh slab into 4 quarters, and then cut each of those in half diagonally to make 8 triangles. (Next time I would cut the big slab in half lengthwise so it isn't so thick and so you get more delicious little tempeh pieces on your plate.)

You turn off the heat to the marinade and put the tempeh triangles in to soak. Meanwhile, you chop up 1 garlic clove, 1 bunch of scallions (slivered diagonally), a handful of cilantro, and you grate 1 T. fresh ginger. I found out that if you grate ginger on a microplane grater, it turns into a thick liquid - not what you want for this recipe. The regular large grater you use for cheese works much better. Then you slice (not dice) 4+ cups red cabbage, 1 red pepper, and 1 yellow pepper. I'm glad I used the red and yellow, because the red, yellow, purple cabbage color combination is really pretty.

Remove the tempeh from the marinade. She says it only needs 4 minutes of soaking, turning once in the middle of the soaking time. I left it for the length of time it took me to chop the other ingredients. Heat up some oil in a wok or skillet (I used peanut oil, which was a perfect flavor combination with the rest of the dish), and cook the tempeh triangles about a minute on each side. Then add a few tablespoons of the marinade and let it glaze the tempeh. Set aside the tempeh and wipe out the pan.

Heat up some more oil and stir fry the garlic, ginger and scallions for 30 seconds or so. Add the veggies, season with salt & pepper, and stir fry until just wilted. Reserve about half a cup of marinade for serving at the table, and pour the rest over the veggies and add the chopped cilantro. Cook for 30 seconds or so.

Mound rice on plate, top with tempeh triangles, add stir fry over top, and top with roasted cashews. I bought raw cashews and had to toast them myself. I had forgotten that they went in this dish at all, so my serving was delayed by toasting the cashews.

This dish is gorgeous, super-yummy, and nice enough for company. I will make this many more times. The wine pairing suggestion was a Mendocino sparkling rose. I found a French sparkling rose, but it was a little too intense for the dish. I think a light pinot might work well, too.

What I'd do differently next time: I'd toast the cashews toward the beginning and have them standing by, or I would buy roasted cashews. I would cut the tempeh slab in half lengthwise to make it less thick. I would store the leftover rice separately from the leftover veggies, tempeh, and cashews. The rice absorbed all the juices and got too soggy.

Approximate Cost to prepare:

Tempeh - $2.80

Cabbage - $.85

Cilantro - $.20

Red & yellow bell pepper - $2.95

Scallions - $.50

Ginger - $.15

Cashew - $1.00 (I used more than was called for)

Rice - $.50

Marinade - unknown. I had all the ingredients in my pantry. Maybe $1.00?

Garlic, oil, salt, pepper - negligible

TOTAL without wine - $9.95

Sparkling wine - $8.99

This served 2 people, with enough leftovers for another meal.