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Grilled Eggplants with Tomato Sauce
Mixed Grilled Veggies
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A Vegetarian's Delight
When someone hears that you are vegetarian, the first thing they picture to themselves is a plate of greens or a salad. Although such idea is very limited, and there are thousands of vegetarian recipes you can prepare without using the ordinary "veggies", fresh vegetables are still the best and healthiest ingredient for a balanced diet. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibers (roughage), and therefore they supply practically all the micronutrients that are so important for our health,in easily digestible form. Veggies also contain carbohydrates and often proteins and even some fats, although in smaller percentages. From the cook's perspective, salads and vegetable recipes are very practical items in the menu: they are usually very easy and quick to prepare, and keep well if you prepare them in advance. The variations are endless, and the range of ingredient, too. Usually the basic ingredient of a tossed salad is some kind of lettuce, that provides the fresh, tender and crunchy texture and the delicate flavor. There are many varieties of lettuce and salad greens, some of which are not even limited to the many hues of "green", but are rather red, white, yellow or variegated in color.
You will be pleasantly surprised by some unusual additions to your "ordinary salad": raw spinach, raw cabbage, raw zucchini, raw artichokes, raw asparagus tips, radish leaves, and even wild herbs like lemongrass, chervil, borage, mallow, sorrel, watercress, rocket, chives, pumpkin flowers etc. It is always good to add a crunchy texture to your fresh salads, by using for example fennel bulbs, artichokes, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, radish, horseradish, cren, celery, or white cabbage. Raw cauliflowers, raw zucchini and raw red pumpkin can also be used in salads, especially if sliced very thin and marinated before adding them to the rest of the ingredients. Even crunchy apples or pears can be used for this purpose. Several other fruits can be used in tossed salads - such as oranges, tangerine, grapefruit, kumquat, grapes, melon, kiwi. Avocado is an-all time favorite in salads. Tomatoes and olives are always popular in salads, but bamboo shoots and palmitos can also be extremely interesting. Some will use raw onion rings and raw mushrooms of various types. Extra crunch comes from roasted nuts (peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds etc), toasted bred cubes and even corn flakes. More "substance" can be added by mixing boiled beans or other pulses, boiled sweet corn, or boiled whole grains like wheat berries. Finally, almost all kinds of cheese can be used in salads, generally diced quite small or crumbled. By combining the different textures and tastes you can make thousands of different salads - complete meals in themselves, attractive and nutritious.
Seasonal Salads
Salads are also particularly suitable to help your body adapt to the seasonal conditions, by utilizing the products of Nature in that period. In SPRING, for example, your body needs to rejuvenate and expel the toxins from the body. You may give preference to slightly bitter greens, such as wild herbs, and to grain and bean sprouts, artichokes and white cabbage. You may accompany them with toasted bread, olives and fresh cheese. In SUMMER Nature offers a bounty of fresh products, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, etc. The best seasoning is fresh yogurt with a little salt and herbs, that keeps the body temperature down. Some of the seasonal vegetables (zucchini, bell peppers, eggplants etc) can be boiled or baked or grilled, chilled, and then added to your salads. Another summer idea is a simple salad made of Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, fresh tofu (or cottage cheese) and strawberries... In AUTUMN Nature concentrates the nutrients in the plants to preserve life during the cold winter months. You can boost your energy supply by adding nuts and seeds, beans and other substantial ingredients. In the WINTER months your body needs more calories, therefore you can consider adding boiled vegetables to your salads - such as potatoes, cauliflowers, Brussel sprouts, beetroots, green beans, carrots, etc.
Here are some some ideas for seasonings:
Yogurt seasoning
Beat 500 gr plain fresh yogurt with half teaspoon salt, a pinch of black pepper, one spoon of extra virgin olive oil, and chopped fresh herbs. You can choose among basil, parsley, chives, mint, etc. You can also add 2 spoons fresh milk cream.
Almond seasoning
Beat 200 gr fresh milk cream with 100 finely chopped almonds, 2 spoons fresh lemon juice, salt and black pepper. This sauce goes well with all salads.
Vinaigrette
Beat 2 spoons apple cider vinegar with 2 spoons maize oil (or any other oil of your liking), half teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. You may also add fresh or dried herbs of your liking. This famous French seasoning is particularly good for leaf salads and cooked vegetable salads.
Carrot Cream seasoning
Blend one small tender carrot with 4 spoons grapefruit juice, 2 spoons plain yogurt, 100 gr fresh ricotta cheese, salt, a little oil (optional) and half teaspoon milk paprika.
You can also make: - Bell Pepper Cream Seasoning by substituting the carrot with the same amount of fresh bell pepper, and - Pink Cream Seasoning by substituting the carrot with the same amount of red beets - Green Cream Seasoning, by substituting the carrot with the same amount of ripe avocado
Eggless Mayonnaise
Put in a blender 200 gr ricotta cheese, 250 gr plain fresh yogurt, 3 spoons fresh lemon juice, 2 spoons oil, a pinch of salt, turmeric, yellow mustard powder, nutmeg and hing (asafetida). For a richer sauce, you may add 250 ml milk cream (really cold from the fridge). Blend well, then put in the fridge for at least 1 hour before using it. The basic eggless mayonnaise can be transformed in the following variations:
Cocktail Sauce
Beat one cup of eggless mayonnaise with one cup of tomato sauce. Good for cooked vegetable salads, but also for tartlets and sandwiches.
Capers Sauce
Blend one cup of plain fresh yogurt with 2 spoons capers, then fold in one cup of eggless mayonnaise. Great for cooked vegetable salads and simple leaf salads, but also for sandwiches.
Mustard Sauce
Beat one cup of eggless mayonnaise with 2 spoons yellow mustard powder, 2 spoons cider vinegar, a teaspoon of brown sugar (or molasses), a pinch of cloves.
Green Goddess Sauce
Beat one cup of eggless mayonnaise with 2 spoons pasteurized milk, 1 spoon of fresh lemon juice, 1 spoon of chopper capers, 4 spoons of fresh chopped herbs (basil, mint, chevril, parsley etc).
Salad Nests
Wash and clean some green lettuce, red Chioggia lettuce; keep a few leaves whole for decoration and shred the rest. Clean and cut a couple of cucumbers and 4 medium sized artichokes, slice them and mix with the shredded lettuce. Season with extra virgin olive oil, salt and lemon juice, then arrange in the whole leaves for presentation. You may also add a few parmesan slivers or black olives.
Eggplant Stacks
Slice about 500 gr medium sized eggplants, then quickly deep fry them in hot oil. Drain well and arrange in a serving plate stacking the eggplant slices and fresh tomato slices. Between the slices, pour some cheese sauce. Keep the stacks together with a short bamboo skewer.
Palak Panir
Prepare 300 gr panir (fresh cottage cheese) as per basic recipe. Let it drain well and then cut it in cubes. Wash, clean and chop 1 kg fresh spinach leaves. Put a casserole on the fire with one spoon of clarified butter or sunflower oil, half teaspoon black mustard seeds. After 10 seconds add a teaspoon grated ginger and a chopped fresh chili pepper. When the mustard seeds crackle, add the chopped spinach, a little salt, and cover the pot with the lid; allow to cook on slow fire for about 10 minutes. One version of this dish retains the shape of the spinach, while the other blends them up at this point to obtain a smooth green cream. From this point, add the panir cubes (you may choose to deep fry them before adding to the spinach, or to add them fresh) and let simmer on slow fire for about 10 minutes more. Serve hot.
Coconut Lady's Fingers
Lady's fingers or okra are a nice and tasty vegetable, but a tricky one to prepare. To avoid okra becoming slimy during cooking, take extra care to dry them very nicely before cutting them. Not even one drop of water should touch the inside of an okra during the preparation or the first stage of cooking. When they are tender, you may add water or other liquids without any problem. Clean, dry and slice 500 gr okra. Heat one spoon of oil or clarified butter in a pan, add half teaspoon of black mustar seeds, then hald spoon fresh grated ginger and one fresh green chili pepper (chopped). When the mustard seeds crackle, add the okra and stir fry them for about 2 minutes. Then add 200 gr fresh shredded coconut (or 100 gr dessiccated coconut), cover the pot and let cook on a slow fire for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot, garnishing with fresh parsley or cilantro leaves.
Italian Eggplant Casserole
Cut 2 large eggplants in cubes and deep fry them quickly. While they cook, slice 2 medium size zucchini and 2 bell peppers, and put them in a pot with a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of oil, and half spoon of chopped parsley. Start cooking on a slow fire, covering with the lid. Add the fried eggplants, replace the lid and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. In alternative, you can cook all the vegetables together in 2 spoons oil, but the taste will be different.
Chinese Stir Fry
Cut 1 bell pepper, 2 small zucchini e 2 small carrots into match sticks, slice 300 gr bamboo shoots, and cut one small eggplant into cubes. Heat a wok with 2 spoons of sesame oil and stir fry 100 gr cashew nuts. Remove the nuts, then stir fry the eggplant cubes. Remove them, setting aside with the cashew. Keep the sesame oil in the wok, and gradually cook the zucchini, the carrot, the bell pepper, the bamboo shoots and finish with about 100 gr fresh soya bean sprouts. Transfer back the eggplants and cashews into the wok, sprinkle with one spoon soya sauce (tamari or shoyu), half spoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) and serve.
Grilled Eggplants with Tomato Sauce
Cut 2 large eggplants in thick chunks, cover them with salted water and let them rest for about 1 hour. Drain and squeeze them, then grill the chunks in the oven or on open fire. When they are ready, cover them with hot tomato sauce, garnish with chopped basil or parsley leaves, and serve.
Roasted Potatoes
Pre-cook 1 kg potatoes in a pressure cooker for 3 minutes only. Let the pressure come down naturally, then drain them. When they have cooled sufficiently, peel them and if they are not really small cut them into chunks. Prepare a shallow pot with 2 spoons sunflower oil or butter (or vegetable margarine) and one spoon each of rosmary, sage and thyme. Add one or two crushed bay leaves, and two crushed juniper berries, 2 spoons of soya sauce or salt to taste. Cover the pot and let the potatoes cook on slow fire, stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes remove the lid and move the potatoes often until they become golden brown. You may also bake the potatoes with the same ingredients after a quick pre-cooking in the pressure cooker.
Brussel Sprouts with Cream
Clean 300 gr Brussel sprouts and cut them in half. If you prefer to keep them whole, cut a cross on the bottom of each sprout, so that the core can cook properly. Peel and dice 300 gr potatoes. Heat a pan with 1 spoon butter or vegetable margarine, add the potatoes and stir fry for about 5 minutes. Then add 300 gr fresh green peas and the Brussel sprouts. Sprinkle with salt and simmer in the covered pot, on slow fire, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently without breaking the vegetables. When the potatoes are tender, add 2 spoons of fresh cream, a pinch of nutmeg, a pinch of black pepper, stir well, and remove from the fire.
Baked Bell Peppers
Choose 1 kg or more red bell peppers without any blemish. You can also use bell peppers of various colors, but generally red peppers are better for this recipe. Wash them carefully, then put them in a baking pan without cutting them. Bake at 200 C for about 20 minutes: the skin should become brown or black. Remove the pan from the oven and let the peppers cool down. Cut the peppers open and remove the skins and seeds; you can preserve the juice after filtering it. Arrange the pieces of baked bell peppers in a terrine, pour their juice over, add 2 spoons of extra virgin olive oil, a little salt, and garnish with fresh chopped basil or parsley leaves. This recipe is a classic appetizer or a light tasty summer meal, served with fresh bread and cheese.
Eggplant Boats
Wash 1 medium sized eggplant for each serving. Cut it in two lengthwise, then scoop out the pulp. Bake the eggplant shells in hot oven until they become golden brown. In the meantime chop the eggplant pulp. Stir fry half leek and one celery stalk, chopped, in 2 spoons oil, then add the eggplant pulp and fry for about 5 minutes. Add 300 gr fresh tomatoes, chopped, and a bunch of fresh basil leaves. Adjust with salt. Fill the eggplant shells and bake again for about 10 minutes. You may serve hot or at room temperature as appetizers.
Gauranga Potatoes
Peel and slice 1 kg potatoes and put them in a baking pan. In a bowl, mix 100 gr wheat flour, one teaspoon turmeric powder, one teaspoon of salt, a pinch of nutmeg, a pinch of black pepper, a pinch of hing (asafetida), 100 gr melted butter, 250 gr milk. Beat well, then pour over the potato slices. Cover the baking pan with aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes. When the potatoes are tender, remove the foil and grill for 5 minutes more so that the potatoes make a nice golden crust. Serve hot.
Zucchini Terrine
Clean and slice 1 kg zucchini, 500 gr large tomatoes, 2 leeks. Sprinkle them with olive oil and salt, and arrange them in layers in a baking pan with slices of mozzarella cheese and bread crumbs. Cover with cheese and bread crumbs. Wrap the baking pan with aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes. When the vegetables are tender, remove the foil and grill for 5 minutes more so that they make a nice golden crust. Serve hot or at room temperature for a great picnic dish.
Tofu Tossed Salad
Clean and slice 2 small tender zucchini, 2 small and tender carrots, and a few small tomatoes. Add a few red radishes, and about 100 gr diced fresh tofu. Season and serve on lettuce leaves.
Winter Salad
Steam about 200 gr red pumpkin, cool and put in a salad bowl. Add 200 gr sliced fennel bulbs, 100 gr olives, 100 gr steamed or pickled artichokes. Season and serve.
Spring Salad
Shred 200 gr each raw zucchini and carrot (fresh and tender), add a bunch of chioggia leaves, sliced thin. Complete the salad with fresh mozzarella cheese and eggless mayonnaise.
Cooked Salad
Steam 2 small zucchini, 200 gr potatoes, 200 gr green beans, 200 gr cauliflower, 200 gr pumpkin.They should all be cooked separately, because they have different cooking times. Add a small bunch of tender celery leaves and one spoon of finely shredded leek and mix well.
Tomato Chatni Dip
Prepare the Tomato chatni: clean, cut and liquidize 500 gr fresh tomatoes. In a pan heat one spoon of sunflower oil, add half teaspoon of black mustard seeds, one or two fresh hot chili peppers, a pinch of hing (asafetida) and when the mustard seeds crackle add the tomato puree. Add salt, stir, and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool and serve as a dip seasoning for raw vegetables and tofu cubes.
Capri Salad
A very quick and traditional Italian salad. Mix 300 gr ripe and tasty tomatoes, one sliced cucumber, 300 gr fresh mozzarella cheese, 300 gr black olives. Serve on lettuce leaves, with olive oil and oregano seasoning.
Artichoke Cups
Calculate 8 large artichokes for 4 servings. Half of them will be used as a container, and the others will be chopped up to make the filling. Clean the artichokes well, discarding the thorns and the core. Cut half of the cleaned artichokes in small pieces, and cook them with 1 spoon oil, a cup vegetable stock, one potato in very small cubes and two medium sized tomatoes. When the vegetables are tender, mix them with 2 spoons bread crumbs, 1 spoon chopped parsley or basil leaves, and 2 spoons melting cheese. Fill the artichoke cups and bake them for about 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature as an appetizer, snack or picnic dish.
Sheperd's Pie
Boil 500 gr potatoes in the pressure cooker for 5 minutes. In the meantime prepare a vegetable stew: cut 1 medium sized leek, 300 gr red pumpkin, 200 gr tomato, one beetroot, 200 gr zucchini. Stew them with 1 spoon oil or butter, salt and your favorite spices or herbs. You may also choose to use other seasonal vegetables, such as fennel bulbs, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, french beans, spinach, peas, etc. Another version can use TVP chunks prepared as per basic recipe, and mixed with a smaller quantity of stewed vegetables. For the cover, peel and mash the boiled potatoes well, then mix them with 2 spoons oil or butter, 200 gr. shredded cheese, salt to taste. Spread the potato mix over a baking dish and seal the edges. Bake for 30 minutes, until the potato crust becomes golden, then serve in the baking dish. .
Grilled Belgian Salad
All types of salads can also be cooked in various ways, including grilling. Marinading vegetables before grilling them add taste and makes the cooking easier because the vegetables become already softer in the marinade. Here is a good marinade recipe: mix 1 spoon of soya sauce (tamari or shoyu) with 2 spoons sunflower oil, one pinch cayenne pepper and 1 spoon lemon juice. Douse the vegetables with the marinade and let them rest in the fridge (in airtight container) for about 3 hours before grilling them. You can use the marinade to keep dousing the vegetables also while they grill. Belgian salad, like most salad vegetables, can be simply washed carefully after being cut in two lengthwise. Other all-time favorite vegetables for grilling, besides salad vegetables, are eggplants, zucchini, bell peppers, firm tomatoes, pumpkin, corn on the cob, but you can also try artichokes, carrots, fennel bulbs, asparagus, fleshy swiss chard, and bamboo shoots. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Potatoes in Their Jackets
The easiest way to cook potatoes for a barbecue or camp fire. Make a cut into each unpeeled potato, smear them in oil and salt, and wrap in aluminium foil. Arrange the wrappings in a baking pan and cook them for about 30 minutes (not in a microwave!!). If you cook them on embers, make sure there is a layer of ash between the live coals and the potatoes. Serve them hot, with fresh butter and salt.
Potatoes and Green Peas
Peel and dice 500 gr potatoes. Heat one spoon of sunflower oil or clarified butter in a casserole, add one teaspoon of black mustard seeds and cook on slow fire for 3 minutes. Then add one spoon of grated fresh ginger, and one chopped fresh chili pepper. Stir well, then add the potatoes and 300 gr fresh green peas, salt to taste and one cup of water or vegetable stock, half teaspoon of turmeric powder, and let simmer, covered with lid, for 15 minutes. When the vegetables are tender, sprinkle with lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Vine Leaf Rolls
Stuffed vine leaves are a classic Greek recipe, and can contain a wide range of ingredients, but usually rice is the basis. They are rolled up around the filling, and baked or cooked in a casserole (slow fire!) with a little water and oil on the bottom of the pot. Here are some ideas for fillings: Rice and raisin Steam 200 gr rice, then add 50 gr raisin, 50 gr pine nuts, one spoon of chopped parsley, one spoon of bread crumbs, one spoon of cottage cheese, adjust with salt. Rice and corn Steam 200 gr rice, then add 200 gr fresh steamed corn, one spoon of cottage cheese, salt, red cayenne pepper or paprika Rice and TVP Steam 200 gr rice. Prepare 200 gr of TVP grits according to the basic recipe, then add them to the rice with a spoon of chopped parsley or other fresh herbs.
Cabbage Rolls
Bleach one medium size cabbage roll for each serving. Chop up the odd bits and stir fry them in a pan with a little oil or butter, one spoon of fresh grated ginger, one fresh chili pepper, chopped, and other spices as per your taste. For example, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, roasted fenugreek seeds, roasted black mustard seeds, etc. When they are tender mix them with steamed rice or mashed potatoes and stuff the cabbage leaves, roll them up and arrange them in a baking pan or casserole. Bake them or steam them with a little oil and water on the bottom of the pan, and serve hot.
Giudia Artichokes
Choose 2 nice artichokes per serving. Discard the hard leaves, the thorns and the core, then spread the tender leaves and put them in a casserole with 2 spoons oil, one cup of vegetable stock, half spoon of chopped parsley. Simmer in the covered casserole on a slow fire for about 15 minutes, until they are tender.
Potato Raita
Boil 500 gr potatoes in a pressure cooker, then let them cool, peel and dice them. If you want a special presentation, you may boil a double quantity of potatoes and scoop small balls out of the cooked potatoes. The odd bits can be mashed and used for other recipes. In a small saucepan heat one spoon of clarified butter and stir fry the spices, adding gradually in the following order: half teaspoon black mustard seeds, half teaspoon cumin seeds, half spoon fresh grated ginger, one or two chopped chili peppers, a pinch of hing (asafetida). When the spices are golden, remove from the fire and pour in 2 cups of plain yogurt. Season with salt and black pepper, mix in the boiled potatoes and serve.
Jellied Veggie Rolls
Dice 200 gr zucchini, chop 300 gr fresh spinach, and cook them on slow fire with one cup of vegetable stock. When they are tender, add 4 spoons of agar-agar seaweed flakes (vegetable gelatine) dissolved in a little hot vegetable stock. Stir well, add one spoon of fresh chopped parsley and pour in molds. Let the jellied vegetable cool, then put them in the fridge to set the jelly. Serve cold.
Soya Bean Sprout Salad
Clean a few leaves of different lettuce varieties and chop them up. Add a bunch of fresh soya bean sprouts and season with your favorite sauce. You can also add 2 spoons of sweet corn, a few black olives, a few slices of tender fennel bulb, and some bell peppers.
Sicilian Salad
Choose 4 nice oranges and cut away the peel (including the white part) with a sharp knife. Slice them and put in a salad bowl with slices of Belgian salad, olives and slivered almonds. Season with extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper.
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