Crazy Englishwoman Cooks!

Continuing my culinary adventures with veggies, last night I adapted a recipe I found for Pakistani spiced vegetables. I'll start with a disclaimer: I have not yet been to Pakistan so if the title is inaccurate, forgive me. On the other hand, these were pretty darn good so Pakistan may want to claim them anyway!



Here's what I used, but note that I don't give amounts for the spices because most recipes ask for ridiculously tiny amounts and I like to be able to really taste the flavors so adjust to suit you. Also, I used different veggies from the original recipe so use whatever you have on hand.

olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
garlic salt
1 whole peppercorn
ground ginger
garam masala
turmeric
paprika
crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup water
1/4 head cabbage, chopped
aubergine, diced
1 potato, diced
1 tomato, diced

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic salt and peppercorn and saute until the onion is tender. Mix in the spices and stir until the onions are coated.

Add 1/4 cup water to the saucepan. Mix in the veggies and the remaining water. Increase the heat to medium high and cook for about 20 minutes. You should stir often although I didn't because I like the burned spicy bits at the bottom of the pan!

The result was a wonderfully spicy plate of veggies. I didn't have any yogurt handy so I used a dollop of sour cream on it.

Delish!

Why can't we all call veggies by the same name? It would be so much easier.

Last night's vegetable adventure included a rather large aubergine. I am not much of an aubergine fan. I used to occasionally buy teeny mini ones in Japan for stir fries but other than that, they always seem bitter. Last night's meal may have changed my mind.

I had been wondering how to use my aubergine ever since I got it on Tuesday morning. People have sent me lamb recipes but, while I love lamb, it is very expensive. Others suggested curry or chutney. Since I had no many other veggies, I thought about making a ratatouille but it evolved as I was cooking it into a nice melange (I love that word) of roasted vegetables.

First, take your vegetables.



I used some of the aubergine, yellow squash, green pepper, red onion, and a very pretty little red streaked potato.

Dice the aubergine and salt it while you're chopping the other veggies. This will remove any bitterness. Chop the other veggies, then place all of them on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.

Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes at 375F.

While the veggies are cooking, dice some tomatoes and mix with a little garlic, some cider vinegar, lemon juice, and tons of fresh basil.

Once the veggies are done, layer them in a baking dish with the tomato mixture on top. Put back into the oven and cook for another 45 minutes.



Once it's cooked, sprinkle with a little Parmesan and voila!



An absolutely delicious plate of roast veggies.

The biggest surprise of all was how much I enjoyed the aubergine. Once cooked, it had a wonderful sweetness to it and a gorgeous velvety texture.

Give it a try!

Zucchini, courgette, squash... whatever you call them, they're here and will be plentiful for the next few months. I'm getting lots of them in my farmer's market basket, and from friends. Nic can't stand them but since he's gone for the week, I'm filling up on them.

When you have so many, it can be difficult knowing what to do with them sometimes, so I'll be posting some recipes over the coming weeks to help you make the most of your zucchini crop.

Last night's recipe was for Mexican Squash. You will need:

Drizzle of olive oil
3 squash or zucchini, sliced
2 ears of corn with the kernels removed
1 onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped
garlic salt
butter

Heat the oil over a medium high heat. Add the squash, corn kernels, onion, jalapenos and garlic salt. Cook for about 12 minutes until everything is tender (remember to stir so you don't burn the veggies on the bottom).

Serve with a small pat of butter.



Maybe I'll make ratatouille tonight.

I like pasta and I like pasta salad but I get tired of the same old, same old.
This one is quick to make but a bit different.

1 lb pasta shapes - I used shells but you can use twists or any other shape that takes your fancy
8 oz smoked deli turkey
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup light mayonnaise (you can use regular if you like)
1/3 cup light sour cream
fresh tarragon
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta until al dente and drain. Rinse under cold water and drain again. In a large bowl, stir together the pasta, turkey, green pepper, grapes and onion. In a small bowl, stir together the other ingredients. Use as much or as little tarragon as you like - I like to just tear up a handful of leaves and throw them in. Toss the pasta with the dressing. Serve chilled.

Serves 6.
I plan to use this tonight as our main dish so I'll probably serve it on a bed of spinach for a nice color contrast.

This week's CSA basket was the one my husband looks forward to every year. The farm we buy from grows a few different varieties of heirloom potatoes, and Nic's favorites are the blue ones. We first tried them three years ago. He looked dubiously at the mottled lavender spuds on his plate and asked, "Aren't blue and green potatoes poisonous?"

Green, yes. But there are many blue and purple varietals out there to try. This year, the farm grew some that were a much deeper blue-purple than in the past, as you can see above.

I chopped them up, tossed them with a little olive oil, oregano and thyme, and roasted them for 30 minutes at 400F. Perfect with some corn, tomatoes, and grilled salmon.



Now I'm waiting for the black heirloom tomatoes.

This is a wonderfully quick and healthy dinner to throw together.

1 pack (9oz) refrigerated tortellini
5-6 oz spinach
lemon
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
olive oil
1/4 cup feta cheese

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the packet. Drain and return to the pot with a little bit of water. Stir in the spinach, a little lemon peel, chopped sundried tomatoes, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Sprinkle with feta just before serving.

#1. TheSaladCaper’s question. Give me one weird food combination which has always been your comfort food.

When in England, I love mashed potatoes, runny fried egg, and baked beans topped with salad cream.

#2. Name a food that begins with B.

Broccoli. Baked Beans. Bangers and Mash.

#3. Name a drink that begins with B.

Bourbon (I'm in Kentucky!)

#4. Share a recipe for something that calls for broccoli.

Light Broccoli & Turkey Sausage Brunch Casserole

From www.webmd.com

8 oz light turkey sausage
5 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed and drained (about 12-14 oz);
cut large florets in half
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 cups shredded, reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
1 cup part-skim or low-fat ricotta cheese
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup fat-free half-and-half
1/2 tsp garlic and herb salt-free seasoning or garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 large ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with canola cooking spray.

2. Brown sausage in large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks, using a potato masher or spatula.

3. Add browned sausage bits, broccoli florets, green onions, and
1/2 cup of cheddar cheese to a large bowl and toss to blend. Spoon into the prepared pan.

4. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese, ricotta cheese, eggs and egg substitute, fat-free half-and-half, garlic seasoning, pepper, and salt to mixing bowl, and beat on medium until smooth. Pour mixture over the sausage and broccoli in pan.

5. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of mixture in pan and arrange tomato slices on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven. Uncover and bake until cooked throughout (about 15 minutes more). Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

Nutritional per Serving:
235 Calories, 23g Protein, 9.5g Carbs, 3g Fiber, 12g Fat (5.5g Saturated Fat, 4g Monounsaturated Fat, 2g Polyunsaturated Fat) 150mg Cholesterol, 500mg Sodium Calories from fat: 46%

It's that time of summer when the tomato crop is starting and I'm getting lots of fresh corn from the farmer's market. The following is a nice twist on the usual tomato mozzarella salad.

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1 garlic clove, minced
tomatoes
corn
fresh basil leaves
fresh mozzarella

Mix together the garlic, olive oil, and vinegar.
Cook the corn and strip the kernels from the cob. Layer slices of tomato and mozzarella. Sprinkle with the corn and torn basil leaves, then drizzle with the dressing.

Light and delicious.

Check out other bloggers' answers at http://funcraftsandrecipes.com/index.php/2009/four-foods-on-friday-82/.

#1. Do you cook items besides meat on the bbq grill, and, do you prefer gas or charcoal grills?

Call us odd but we don't have a bbq grill. Living in a house with just a small deck, I've seen too many neighbors create fireball.

#2. Name a food that begins with A.

Apple would be boring so how about arugula, just because it's a good word to say out loud.

#3. Name a drink that begins with A.

Appletini again would be boring so how about amaretto sours.

#4. Share a recipe for something that calls for American Cheese.

Being a lover of cheese, I refuse to acknowledge American cheese as a valid type of cheese. However, even American cheese can be improved in a grilled cheese sandwich with some basil and tomato.

Science fairs are a big deal at American schools. When I used to tutor Japanese kids in town, I would spend weeks helping them put together model volcanoes, presentations about mold, and who knows what else.

Apparently, the recipe below is a popular science fair type project because it is supposed to make a noise as it cooks. I believe I would have failed science class since my cake did not sing. It did however make a very moist cake with an unusual flavor.

Magic Singing Cake (or not, in my case)

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs, separated
2 squares bitter chocolate, melted
1 cup raisins
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
4 cups flour
1 cup strawberry jam
1 cup chopped nuts
2 tsp baking powder in 1 cup buttermilk

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg yolks and stir.
Stir in the melted chocolate, then add the raisins, cinnamon, cloves and flour.
Finally mix in the nuts and jam.
Beat the egg whites until stiff.
Add the baking powder to the buttermilk and quickly stir into the cake mix. Fold in the egg whites.
Pour the mix into a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Let me know if your cake sings.

I love cheese. Forget crackers - they get in the way. Just give me cheese.

And of course I love grilled cheese, and trust me this is the way to grill your cheese. The only thing I will change next time I make it, is to use thicker bread. I used regular, sliced wholegrain bread but it was really too thin and fell apart. Next time, I will use thicker, granary style bread.

Take your nice thick slices of bread and spread honey on one side. On top of one slice, on the honey side, put some sliced roma tomato (our homegrown heirloom ones are delicious), some slices of fontina, some fresh basil leaves, and some sliced buffalo mozzarella. Put the other honey slice on to make your sandwich.

Spray the outer sides of the bread with butter cooking spray. (You can spread butter on them before you make the sandwich but I found this to be much easier).

You can then cook these in a fry pan, but a George Foreman grill saves time and is easier. Grill until you have a flavorful, cheesey sandwich.

The honey adds a very surprising and pleasant sweetness to counter the cheese and basil.

Using another of our CSA basket goodies, this is a good side dish and adds another serving of veg to your daily intake.

Chop your bok choy. Toss with some rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and a teensy bit of sugar.

Yum!

I don't know about you but on anniversaries and Valentine's Day, I would rather stay at home and cook, as opposed to facing a crowded, expensive restaurant. Being surrounded by other people is not my idea of romantic.

So for our wedding anniversary last month, I tried a recipe from Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life.

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

1 tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans diced tomatoes
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tbs fresh dill
1 1/4 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Over a medium high heat, heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low and allow the pan to simmer for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the parsley, dill, and shrimp and season. Sprinkle feta over the top, then bake in the oven for about 12 minutes.

I served this on a bed of orzo pasta, with a green salad and some crusty bread.

Verdict: DELICIOUS!

It's farmer's market time again. My own tomato plants are starting to bear fruit (sadly my heirloom jalapeno plants appear to have been eaten away to nothing by ants), and for the past few months I've been collecting my weekly selection of goodies from a local farm. This week our box contained corn, green tomatoes, cucumbers, kale, zucchini, summer squash, garlic, and green beans. I've also received some vegetables that I'm not as familiar with - kohlrabi and fennel.

Fortunately, with each week's collection, we get a newsletter telling us about the harvest and sharing some recipes, so I'm never at a loss for what to make. Last night for dinner we had chicken and sundried tomato sausages, with corn on the cob, and sauteed chili squash.

Over the next few weeks I've be sharing various vegetable recipes that we've tried, using some of our farm goodies. I'm kicking us off today with Italian Fennel and Onion Risotto. This recipe was from a colleague who lives in Italy and shares some wonderful traditional recipes. Neither Nic nor I was sure about a risotto with fennel but we were very pleasantly surprised.

1 cup Arborio rice (you can use regular long grain rice for risotto but you really do get much better, more authentic results with Arborio)
6 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 fennel bulb, white part chopped
1 1/2 cups peas
1/4 cup fresh basil, leaves torn into pieces
few pieces of the fennel fronds
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup pecorino Romano cheese
2 tbs butter
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan(again, the real thing tastes so much better than the shredded stuff in a shaker, and a little goes a long way because it has such a strong flavor)

Simmer the chicken stock in a large pan with the basil and fennel fronds.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tbs of the olive oil. Add the onions and fennel. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes on a medium low heat, allowing the vegetables to soften. Remove from heat and put to one side. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet, heat for 30 seconds and add the rice.

You want to toss the rice so that it is coated with the oil. return the fennel and onions to the pan, along with the wine, which you want to reduce down to about 1/4.

Add some of the stock. Let it simmer and add more stock as the liquid level reduces. After about 15 minutes, add the peas, and continue to add the rest of the stock.

When it's nearly all absorbed, add the butter and the pecorino cheese. Stir them in well to add a creaminess to your risotto. Remove from the heat and serve, topped with parsley and Parmesan.