Coconut Curry Mussels with Tofu

I can now say that I've cooked mussels! They are always so delicious when I've gotten them at restaurants, served in a flavorful broth that complements their meatiness. I can't help but to soak up the last drops with thick bread. Once I saw this recipe for mussels cooked in a thai-flavored sauce, I simply had to try it regardless of my intimidation. I had two recipes to cook from, one was Cooking Light and one was Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. I ended up with my own concoction that was absolutely delicious. I have to warn that the measurements for some of the broth ingredients are not exact since they were added by taste. I added in sauteed tofu as an extra serving of lean protein and to add texture. Tofu is great in soupy dishes because it soaks up the flavor of whatever liquid it is simmered in. The mussels were served hot over sweet jasmine rice and with crusty homemade bread and a side salad.

REVIEW: Time to complete this dish was about 45 minutes. Cutting out the tofu step would probably shorten it by 15 minutes. Cooking time was very fast! It is definitely a weeknight meal possibility. For the broth, I started with the base of shallot, garlic, ginger, green curry paste and coconut milk, but then added the following to taste: fish sauce (I like the salty flavor), chicken stock (thinned out the coconut milk a bit), and white wine (why not?). A tip about mussels: My chef friend, Erica, warned me not to eat the mussels that do not open all the way. I tried a couple to see what would happen (I know, terrible experiment) and I didn't get sick but the ones that were just cracked open did not have the right flavor. So it's probably a good rule to follow! I purchased a 2lb bag and that was plenty for two even subtracting the ones we had to discard.

RECIPE:
1 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, sliced into rings
1.5inch piece of ginger, minced
1 can light coconut milk
1 pkg extra firm tofu, cubed
2-3 tbsp curry paste (can be green or red)
3 lbs mussels, rinsed & scrubbed
1/2 lime, juiced (about 2 tbsp)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
extra-virgin olive oil
Added to taste:
fish sauce
chicken stock
dry white wine

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add tofu cubes and cook until tofu is browned on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large dutch oven or pot, melt butter over medium-high. Add shallot, garlic, and ginger and cook 3 minutes. Whisk in coconut milk and curry paste, then add fish sauce, chicken stock, and white wine to taste. Once the desired flavor is achieved, turn up heat to high and bring sauce to a simmer.

Add mussels and stir to combine. Cover and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring once. Discard unopened mussels. Remove pot from heat and stir in lime juice and sprinkle cilantro on top. Serve over jasmine rice with a side of crusty bread. Makes 4 servings.

Butternut Squash & Kale Lasagna

This is probably the fourth different vegetarian lasagna recipe I have tried, and I cannot get enough of them! I really don't miss the meat, and it is a great way to stuff lots of vegetables into one dish. The recipe is from Cooking Light's November 2011 issue. In the past year Cooking Light has added an "everyday vegetarian" section to each magazine and it usually contains interesting meatless recipes.

REVIEW: The lasagna was very hearty and bursting with flavor. Roasted squash and caramelized onions really brought out the sweetness of the vegetables. I made a few changes, but for the most part stuck to the recipe. I didn't buy a large enough butternut squash, so I supplemented with some yellow summer squash to get 6 cups. I also used whole-wheat lasagna noodles. I had a huge bunch of fresh kale from the farmer's market, so I used that instead of spinach, which contributed to the heartiness I'm sure! There were several steps and the prep took me a good hour and a half before I even put the lasagna in the oven, so I wouldn't say this recipe is easy, but it was worth the effort!

RECIPE:

6 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2" cubes

12 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 large onion, vertically sliced thin

2 9oz packages of fresh spinach or kale (if using kale, remove ribs)

5 cups 1% low-fat milk

9 whole-wheat lasagna noodles, cooked almost to al dente (don't overcook!)

1 bay leaf

1 thyme sprig

2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped (I used ground sage)

5 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups fontina cheese, shredded

3/8 tsp red pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

salt

pepper

extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425F. Combine squash, 1 tbsp EVOO, sage, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and black pepper in a large bowl and toss to coat. Spray cooking spray on a large baking sheet and spread squash mixture on it. Bake for 30 minutes or until squash is tender. Cool and peel garlic. Mash garlic and squash in a bowl with a fork.

While squash is baking, heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add onion and saute for 4 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Place onion in a bowl.

Add 2 tbsp water to the Dutch oven, add kale, cover and increase heat to high. Cook until kale is soft and wilty. Drain in a colander and squeeze out excess liquid. Add kale to onion bowl.

Heat 4.5 cups milk, bay leaf, and thyme in a medium saucepan over medium- high heat. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Return pan to medium heat. Combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and flour in a small bowl. Add to pan, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in dash salt, 1 1/4 cups cheese, red pepper, and nutmeg

Spread 1/2 cup milk mixture in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer 3 noodles over milk; top with half of squash mixture, half of kale & onion mixture, and 3/4 cup milk mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining milk mixture over noodles. Bake at 425F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with the last of the fontina cheese, and put back into oven until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings. (per serving: 360 cals, 12g fat, 50g carb, 17g protein)

Veggies-to-the-Max Tart

I'm back! Santa brought me a new camera so now my food photos should look even more irresistible! After the holiday season of eating and drinking to my stomach's content, I like to get back on track with a extremely healthy menu. On this week's menu was this veggie tart, couscous-stuffed chicken breast, and vegetable lasagna.

A very generous friend (and perhaps a fan of my cooking) bought me a book called Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi which contains nothing but vegetable recipes. Many of them are very creative and caught me off guard, such as roasted eggplant topped with buttermilk sauce and pomegranate seeds, or pumpkin souffle. This book will definitely come in handy when our CSA delivery provides more eggplant than I know what to do with!

The first recipe I chose from this book is called "Very Full Tart" which is not an understatement because the veggies were overflowing so much that I barely had room in which to stuff the cream sauce and cheeses. The recipe called for a 9 inch loose-bottomed tart pan which I do not have, so I purchased a pre-made frozen crust and used that. I'm sure it tasted the same but my version took much longer to cook probably due to being thicker than a tart. It took about double the time! However, my oven always seems to take much longer for these types of dishes. I would say start with 45 minutes as the recipe states, then check it every 10 minutes until the sauce in the middle is set. To make the recipe even healthier, I substituted 2% milk for heavy cream and light instead of full-fat ricotta.

REVIEW: This tart was delicious and hearty enough for a main dish. I think roasted vegetables have the best flavor. The feta added saltiness and interest to what might otherwise have been a bland sauce.

RECIPE:

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1 medium eggplant, diced 1" pieces

1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced 1" pieces

1 small zucchini, diced 1" pieces

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

pie crust dough or pre-made crust

8 thyme sprigs, leaves picked

1/3 cup light ricotta

4 1/4 oz feta

7 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 eggs

1 cup 2% milk

olive oil

salt & pepper

Thaw pie crust and pre-bake according to the package directions. Don't overcook or it will be crumbly! If you choose to use pie dough, for this part you're on your own. I assume it would need to be pre-baked as well but I know nothing about that process!

Preheat oven to 450F. Remove stem and seeds from bell peppers, place into glass dish, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Put peppers on the top shelf of the oven to roast for 12 minutes. Mix eggplant pieces in a bowl with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread eggplant plus diced sweet potato onto a large baking pan and put into oven below the peppers to roast for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, spread the zucchini onto another baking sheet and put on a third shelf in the oven. This all sounds complicated, but basically the bell peppers roast the longest - those should be browned and crackly on the skin when done, then the eggplant and sweet potato the second-longest, then finally the zucchini needs the shortest roasting time. Keep an eye on all the veggies while cooking to make sure they can be easily pierced with a fork without being blackened.

While the vegetables are roasting, heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Saute onions with bay leaves and a dash of salt for 25 minutes until they are brown and caramelized. Remove from heat.

When all vegetables are roasted, reduce oven temp to 325F. Cover the bell peppers and allow them to steam and cool, then peel them. I prefer the Bobby Flay method of flattening out the pepper and using a small knife to scrape off the crispy skin leaving the soft flesh. Slice peppers into thin strips.

Spread caramelized onion on the bottom of the pre-baked crust. Spread all other vegetables over onion until the crust is full. Sprinkle half of the thyme leaves over the vegetables. Place chunks of feta and ricotta anywhere that can be filled in between the veggies. Scatter the tomato halves cut side up.

Whisk eggs and milk in a small bowl with a bit of salt and pepper. Pour mixture into the crust without overflowing or covering the top layer of vegetables. Sprinkle the rest of the thyme leaves on top.

Place pan in the oven (recommend to put it on a baking sheet to prevent spills) and bake for a minimum of 45 minutes. The filling needs to set and should be a golden brown when done. Allow tart to cool at least 10 minutes prior to cutting. Enjoy!

Grilled Eggplant Appetizer

This is one of Giada's recipes on the Food Network, and it is delicious way to use up some of the eggplant from our CSA. Grilled eggplant has a great flavor and hearty texture. Combine that with the flavors of goat cheese, pine nuts , balsamic vinegar and this appetizer will really satisfy! There seems to be a pine nut shortage in my area so I've been substituting toasted almonds which are just as good. The eggplant can also be broiled in the oven for the same texture, but the grilling adds better flavor. I listed the ingredients below, but portion appropriately to how many being served, or how hungry you are!

RECIPE:
2-3 eggplants, sliced 1/4" thin
goat cheese, crumbled
pine nuts or slivered almonds, toasted
basil, coarsely chopped
mint, coaresly chopped
balsamic vinegar
olive oil

Heat grill to medium heat. Slice eggplant into 1/4" slices, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Grill eggplant a few minutes on each side until golden brown and soft. Lay slices flat on a serving tray. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese, nuts, basil, and mint. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
UPDATE: To change it up, I topped this appetizer with juicy cherry tomatos halved, and tried an herbed goat cheese variety and it was delicious!

 

Another recipe from Steamy Kitchen's blog... she has some really great ones! I really like the restaurant style rangoons that are deep fried but as a healthier version I think these were just as good. Won ton skins can be found at most grocery stores and at asian groceries of course. I spent a looong time staring at the different types of crab debating whether to spend the money on the jumbo lump crab ($15/8oz!) and finally I heeded the advice from the sympathetic butcher and went on the cheap and got the claw meet ($8/8oz). I also saw imitation crab meat for $2 and decided to give that a trial run just in case (BAD BAD MISTAKE). The claw meat tends to be sweeter so I think it worked for this dish, but obviously the meaty texture and quality just isn't the same as the jumbo.

Watch the won ton skins baking because theyi go from raw to crispy and dark fairly quickly! I topped with thinly sliced green onion.

Overall, this was an easy recipe that would be tasty with an impressive presentation at a party. I served it with the thai tomato soup which paired perfectly.

Udon Vegetable Miso Soup

I can take no credit for "doctoring" this recipe in any way, it was straight up from Steam Kitchen's blog - see link here. And it was delicious! It was everything I want in a lunch - tasty, hearty, light. Make sure to watch the video for the tip on how to add the miso paste. My ingredients of choice were: dried udon noodles, corn, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, scallions, bean sprouts, and boiled egg. Pretty much any leftover veggies would be good in this. I'll definitely try tofu cubes too for some extra protein. Enjoy!

Crispy Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Another summer of the farm CSA deliveries where I get creative every week trying to cook all the different varieties of produce that we receive! This week's box contained a bag of squash blossoms. Last year per the farm's recommendation, I chopped some up into a green salad with a very underwhelming result. These really do not have much flavor, so drastic measures must be taken, such as stuffing the thing full of cheese and herbs, dredging in a beer batter, and deep frying in vegetable oil. Transformation!

REVIEW:
This is the first time I have deep-fried anything, but it was so easy and fast! I did three iterations of this recipe. At first I tried not stuffing the blossoms, but they are WAY better with stuffing. Then I added cajun seasoning to the batter to give it more kick. I would recommend doing it this way to get the exact taste desired. I thought these were a unique appetizer; tasty and light despite being fried. This will probably be the only way I eat squash blossoms. I'm hooked!

RECIPE:
vegetable oil for frying

Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 can/bottle beer
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
hot sauce/cayenne/cajun seasoning

Stuffing:
8 oz low-fat ricotta cheese
1 tbsp mint, chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
salt & pepper

Heat 2" of oil in a sauce pan or deep fryer to 350F. Prep the squash blossoms by giving them a quick rinse, removing any stamens, and pat dry. Mix flour with salt, pepper, and seasoning. Add beer, whisking until just combined (lumps are ok). Mix ricotta with mint, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Use a small spoon to scoop some of the ricotta mixture and pack into each squash blossom. Fold the petals together around the cheese to make a pod of sorts. Dredge each stuffed blossom into the batter and gently drop into the hot oil. Cook blossoms until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and lay on paper towel to cool. Serve as soon as they are cool enough to eat!