Category Archives: vegetarian

Enchilada with Chard, Olives, and Chickpeas

Posted by Dave in texmex, vegetarian and tagged with , , ,

Enchilada with Chard, Olives, and Chickpeas

This large enchilada, prepared with a burrito-sized flour tortilla rather than the traditional corn, is a modification of my earlier recipe for Olive and Chard Enchiladas.

I added chickpeas (for protein), a bit of feta cheese, and ground whole, dried oregano to the filling and added chopped stewed tomoato to the cheddar cream sauce. Otherwise it’s as described there.

This is a really tasty combination of ingredients, and I think it could be done with a tomato-based sauce as well.

Thanks to a local pub for the idea to make one ginormous serving-sized enchilada rather than so many smaller ones!

A tip: unfortunately with sauces made of cream and cheese, the oil tends to seperate when reheating. I experimented with reheating both slowly in an oven and quickly in the microwave and didn’t see a substantial difference; in both cases the sauce separated. To rememedy this, I suggest microwaving, and then mix in a bit of milk with the sauce afterward, and blend the sauce with a whisk or fork.

A Tale of Two Enchiladas

Posted by Dave in meat, texmex, vegetarian and tagged with , , , ,

A Tale of Two Enchiladas: Olive and Chard Enchiladas, Chicken Enchiladas

Rick Bayless’ website says: “The word `enchilada’ simply means `in chile’ and in Mexico, the most beloved version is actually a street snack: a corn tortilla dipped in chile sauce that’s a far cry from the limp, stuffed tortillas swimming in a sea of red sauce and molten cheese that we’re familiar with in the U.S.”

This is the first time I’ve made enchiladas, so I made the familiar latter, molten, swimming variety. :-)

The vegetarian Olive and Chard Enchilada (center of plate) is a corn tortilla wrapped around a filling of sautéed chopped red swiss chard, sliced jalapeno-stuffed olives, finely diced fresh jalapeno (seeded), sliced scallion, minced garlic, cumin powder, and a pinch of salt. The sauce is a cheddar cream sauce made with whipping cream, sharp cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and a touch of cayenne powder.

For the Chicken Enchiladas, chicken breasts were boiled in strained tomatoes (a purée/juice in a box; V-8 juice would be a reasonable alternative) seasoned with salt and pepper, then cooled and shredded. Corn tortillas wrap a filling consisting of the shredded chicken combined with black beans, grated cheddar cheese, and a sautéed mix of finely diced white onion, diced fresh jalapeno and serrano (with seeds), minced garlic, seasoned with minced fresh cilantro leaves, crushed whole oregano, and cumin powder. The sauce is a smoky tomato sauce, based on the strained tomatoes used to boil the chicken, seasoned with smoked spanish paprika, salt, and a touch of cayenne powder.

Some enchiladas were topped with both sauces. The enchiladas were placed in a baking dish (sauce also in bottom), sprinkled with grated cheddar cheese and sliced scallion greens, then baked at 350°, first covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes to slightly brown the top.

Served with sliced avocado, sour cream, and salsa.

Whew, that’s enough of cooking for today.

This recipe was inspired by some enchilada recipes on Epicurious using either green olives or chard, and these video recipes:

“Beef Enchiladas”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrGLSbFComI

“Chicken Chimichanga”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwlSZzdUFmc

Potato and Chickpea Masala Dosa

Posted by Dave in indian, potatoes, vegetarian and tagged with , ,

Potato & Chickpea Masala Dosa

I selected the ingredients for this masala mostly from the recipe below: Russet potato, cumin seed, jalapeno, fresh ginger, garlic, garam masala, curry powder, cinnamon, turmeric, canola oil, water, yellow onion, chickpeas, green peas, cilantro, but I also stirred in about 3/4 cup of goat milk yogurt at the same time as the frozen green peas.

This one was SPICY!

For the dosas, I used half all-purpose flour and half rice flour and added a bit more water until the batter spread thinly in the pan. Also, it was easier to spray the pan with cooking spray than to brush it with oil.

Some restaurants prepare a similar delicious dish, presenting a crispy dosa impressively as a tube larger than the dinner plate.

“Rava Dosas with Potato Chickpea Masala”
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Rava-Dosas-with-Potato-Chickpea-Masala-356035

Sesame Swiss Chard

Posted by Dave in asian, vegan, vegetarian and tagged with , , ,

Sesame Swiss Chard

Here’s a simple, tasty Korean or Japanese-inspired vegetable dish that I served with the aforementioned Firecracker Chicken and Rice.

To prepare: roll washed and trimmed swiss chard leaves, leaving some stalk pieces intact, and cut across the leaves in perhaps 1.5 inch strips; tear these in half to manageable eating length if necessary. Sauté chard with minced garlic in oil. Add a splash of soy sauce and bit of freshly ground black pepper. When done (stalks a bit translucent but still slightly firm), mix in some toasted sesame seeds; splash with a bit of sesame oil and top with more sesame seeds to serve.

(This is based, I think, on something I saw on a favorite cooking show: Simply Ming. http://ming.com/simplyming)

Squash, Potato, and Chard Curry

Posted by Dave in indian, potatoes, vegan, vegetarian and tagged with , , , ,

Squash, Potato, and Chard Curry

This is one of the first Indian-style foods that I’ve made – a vegetarian dish that is both spicy and sweet; its inspiration was simply to make use of the fresh vegetables at hand and the Garam Masala I’d bought a couple months ago but had yet to use. :-)

Starting with one acorn squash, cut it in half, remove the seeds, but do not remove the squash peel; the peel will keep the squash from disintegrating during cooking, yet will become tender enough to eat. Cube the squash into approximately 1″ pieces and one medium potato to about 3/4″ pieces, and one coarsely chopped tomatillo. First, toast about two tablespoons of cumin seed in a pan (large enough to hold all ingredients), and remove them from the pan. To the pan, on medium heat, add a few tablespoons of canola or other oil and return the cumin seeds to the pan. Then add a coarsely chopped red onion and sauté it until the onion begins to turn translucent. In a mortar or bowl, mix four crushed garlic cloves, a finely chopped jalapeno and thai pepper (both with seeds), perhaps a teaspoon each of these spices: garam masala, turmeric, ground ginger, ground cloves, curry powder, and make it into a paste by stirring in about a quarter cup of water. Next add the squash, potato, and tomatillo to the pan and thoroughly stir in the spice paste, then cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and simmer on medium-low heat until the squash and potato is tender – about 20 minutes, stirring about every 5 minutes to check tenderness and add a bit of water as necessary to prevent burning. Lastly, add chopped green swiss chard, and cook for a few more minutes until the chard is cooked tender.

Serve over rice cooked with cumin seed. Enjoy!
I like this with tzatziki too; that’s arguably very similar to raita (Indian yogurt sauce), e.g., http://www.phamfatale.com/id_1846/title_Cucumber-Raita-Indian-Yogurt-Recipe/

I took some hints from the following recipes:
“Vegetable Masala”: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/vegetable-masala/detail.aspx
“Rava Dosas with Potato Chickpea Masala”: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Rava-Dosas-with-Potato-Chickpea-Masala-356035
“Acorn Squash Masala Fry”: http://yummyodds.blogspot.com/2011/01/acorn-squash-masala-fry.html

Baked Panini

Posted by Dave in meat, vegetarian and tagged with , , ,

Baked Panini

This is a great sandwich that I make quite often; I don’t have a panini press, so I bake it instead.
I start with a thin layer of relish or sauce (here I used the Red Pepper Spread from Trader Joe’s), but tomato paste or hummus is also good), on multi-grain sourdough then a single layer of salami slices, topped in order with sharp chedder, fresh sliced mushroom, thinly sliced roma tomato, then some red onion, red pepper strips and thin slices of garlic.
Tip: its best to put cheese and mushrooms first so they don’t overcook, and the peppers/onions/garlic at the top to receive more direct heat.
Bake open-faced, on a baking sheet in a toaster oven or conventional oven at 300-350°F for perhaps 15 minutes until the cheese is well melted and the garlic slices or vegetables on top just begin to brown. Top with another slice of lightly toasted bread, perhaps with a bit of mayonnaise and/or hot sauce if you like!

Skillet Pizza Potatoes and Fried Egg

Posted by Dave in breakfast, vegetarian and tagged with , ,

Skillet Pizza Potatoes and Fried Egg

This morning I made “pizza” potatoes with sliced red potatoes and lots of favorite pizza toppings (strips of salami, red onion, mushroom, olives) and spices (oregano and fennel seed) and fresh vegetables (tomato, pimento and other peppers)… topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano, red pepper flakes, and a bit more oregano. It was quite nice and now the house smells like pizza! :-)

Sourdough Bread Pizza and Acorn Squash with Swiss Chard

Posted by Dave in meat, vegetarian and tagged with , , , ,

Sourdough Bread Pizza and Acorn Squash with Swiss Chard

Thanks to a visit to my friend’s community garden plot, I got some great veggies! Here I used the fresh oregano and sun gold tomatoes to make a sauce for the pizza topped with fresh basil; green swiss chard is mixed with the squash that had been on my countertop for at least 6 months!

Related: http://nancysgarden.wordpress.com/2010/04/13/sungold-cherry-tomatoes-are-a-must-grow/

Panini with Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Posted by Dave in meat, salad, vegetarian and tagged with , , ,

Panini with Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Salad: european cucumber, sugar plum tomatoes, and chopped red onion tossed with a dressing of apple cider vinegar, celery seed, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Sandwich: sourdough smeared with hummus, dry salami, sliced mushroom, pecorino romano, sliced jalapeno, red onion, sliced garlic… panini pressed or baked open faced at ~350°F until cheese melts and garlic browns then topped with sliced avocado and tzatziki sauce (greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic).

Baked Rigatoni with Sautéed Vegetables

Posted by Dave in mediterranean, pasta, vegetarian and tagged with , , ,

Baked Rigatoni with Sautéed Vegetables

This is a simple, colorful vegetarian baked pasta dish that I make often.

Prepare fresh or dried rigatoni as usual. While it’s boiling, sauté coarsely chopped red onion and green pepper in olive oil until they become slightly tender; season with oregano and black pepper then add quartered fresh mushrooms and continue until mushrooms are lightly sautéed. Drain pasta and pour into a baking dish or pan (e.g., 9″x14″ for 4 servings, so that it forms a shallow layer) greased lightly with olive oil. Mix sautéed vegetables and one can drained diced, stewed tomatoes into pasta. (Many other roasted or sauteed vegetables, olives, and toasted pine nuts are nice additions.) Lightly top with grated Pecorino Romano or other aged Italian cheese, sprinkle with oregano, generously with fennel seed, thinly sliced garlic from a couple cloves, and salt and pepper as you like. Bake 15-20 minutes at 425°F – until the garlic slices on top just begin to brown.

Baked Rigatoni with Sautéed Vegetables

Serve with garlic toast. Here I also added a few pieces of fresh mozzarella ciliegine (e.g., Trader Joe’s) per serving after baking, so that it doesn’t melt.