Inspired Vegetarians November 2008

[amyvn]

I made another winner from Deborah Madison last night, and we loved it so much I have to post it. It's a little bit of a juggling act, with 3 or 4 pans on the stove at once, but is worth it. The flavors are almost Thai-like, and for us was the perfect balance of citrusy flavor from the cilantro, with a spicy kick and a savory element from the coconut milk. Wow.

I served this with short-grain brown rice, and also used 2 small heads of regular broccoli in place of the romanesco. It was barely enough veg for the two of us. The recipe makes enough lentils for 4, but I'd use more broccoli if I were trying to feed that many.

Amy

Fragrant Red Lentils with Basmati Rice and Broccoli Romanesco
- Deborah Madison, Vegetarian Suppers

These split lentils cook very quickly into a fragrant puree eaten, souplike, with unadorned basmati rice and, in theis instance, the spiraled whorls of bite-sized broccoli Romanesco. (You can vary the vegetable and include such diverse choices as grilled okra, green beans, cauliflower, spinach sauteed in mustard oil, and so forth).

Serves 4, with leftovers

Basmati Rice
3 Tbsp butter, oil, or ghee
1 small onion, finely diced
3 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 large or 2 medium jalopeno chiles, seeded and diced
2 C split red lentils, rinsed n several changes of water
1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 bay leaf
sea salt
1 can coconut milk
1/3 C finely chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish
1 head broccoli Romanesco or cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp mustard seed
1/4 C yogurt

Start the rice.

Melt 5 tsp butter in a 3-qt saucepan over med-high heat. Add the onion, two-thirds of the ginger, and the jalopeno and cook for about 2 minutes. Next add the lentils, 1 tsp of the turmeric, half of the cayenne, the bay leaf, 3 cups water, and 1 scant tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer, partially covered, until the water is absorbed and the lentils are soft, about 15 min. Add the coconut milk and simmer for 5 min, stirring occasionally. Taste for salt, remover from the heat, and stir in 1/4 C of the cilantro.

While the lentils are cooking, steam the broccoli pieces until tender but still somewhat firm when pierced with a knife.

Melt 2 tsp butter in a large skillet. Stir in the last of the ginger, turmeric, and cayenne, cook gently over low heat for a minute, then add the vegetables and 1/3 C of the cooking water. Raise the heat, add the last of the cilantro, swirl everything around the pan, and cook until the water has evaporated. Season with salt.

To finish, heat the remaining 2 tsp butter in a small skillet over high heat, add the mustard seed, and cook until it begins to turn grayish, about a minute. Stir this into the lentils.

To serve, pack the hot rice into ramekins and turn them upside down, one each, in a shallow pasta bowl. Spoon a cup or more of the lentils around them, then lift off the ramekin, leaving the rice intact. Swirl a few spoonfuls of yogurt into each bowl, then add the broccoli Romanesco. Garnish with big sprigs of cilantro and serve.

[SheRa]

that sounds wonderful! you could save a little stovetop space if you use a rice cooker, but basmati doesn't taste as good out of the rice cooker for some reason. i definitely want to try this one out

[alicerh]

I have just found a product that I love - Field Roast Sausage. It is grain based and comes in several flavors. I got it at WF.. What I made was this:

"Chorizo" Stuffed Peppers

sauted diced onion and celery.
Added 2 crumbled Chorizo ( Field Roast Mexican Chipotle) , 1/2 can black beans, 1 cup frozen corn and a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes.
When all was nicely mixed and blended I stuffed into green peppers and baked as usual.

They were great. The filling I had left made a great burrito filling.

[menat]

Perfect food for a rainy day.....and can't beet (no pun intended) the all in one factor! Plus you've got to love the colour and did I say it was delicious!

Brilliant Beet Risotto

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : RICE

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 medium beet, peeled and quartered
2 cups loosely packed beet greens, stems trimmed
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 cup arborio rice
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

Place the beet in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the beet greens and pulse until finely chopped.

In a medium saucepan, bring the water and vegetable broth to a simmer. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the beets and beet greens and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth to the large saucepan, 1 cup at a time, and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the liquid is nearly absorbed between additions, 20 minutes. Add the cheddar; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until the risotto is creamy and thick, 3 minutes longer. Serve in deep bowls, passing the Parmigiano-Reggiano on the side.

[cherylopal]

I made Slow-Cooked Chard from Vegetables Every Day- I had made this earlier this fall when I bought 2 beautiful bunches of rainbow chard from the local farmers market. I made it again this week with a few tweaks and it is sooo good. I also like that it uses the stems.

Jack Bishop gives credit to Deborah Madison for this recipe.

Slow-Cooked Chard

Both the stems and leaves are used in this dish where the chard is cooked down until dense and creamy. Thanks to Deborah Madison, who first showed me that chard is delicious when cooked for a long time. I serve this earthy, puree-like chard with a bowl of rice for lunch or a light dinner. The chard is quite rich so a little is filling. I prefer to use red chard here-the color is more attractive-but white is just as delicious.

Serves 4 as a light main course, 6 as a side dish

2 pounds chard, washed and shaken to remove excess water
3 tablespoons extra-vrigin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup veggie stock
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Remove the thick stems and ribs from the chard and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Slice the leaves crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Set the prepared stems and leaves aside seperately.

Heat the oil in a large casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chard stems until well coated with oil. Add the stock and salt and pepper to taste, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard stems are starting to lose their shape, about 30 minutes.

Raise the heat to medium, stir in the chard leaves, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves have wilted and are quite tender, about 12-15 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and serve immediately. (The chard can also be refrigerated in an airtight container and then reheated- the microwave is best here-just before serving.)