The Munching Muse

Thai Green Curry Soup

1T canola oil
2T green curry paste (I buy it in enormous 2 cup tubs)
1" fresh ginger, peeled and in 1/4 slices
12 oz can diced tomatoes
3c stock (veggie or a light tasting chicken)
1 1/2 cups eggplant in 1" chunks (any kind, but I like the green Thai)
1 cup fresh shiitakes, sliced
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups protein (cold Chinese roast duck or chicken, firm or fried tofu (aburage), etc.)
1T fish sauce
1T brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped cilantro and/or mint leaves
1 cup light coconut milk

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Saute the curry paste and ginger, avoiding the fumes, until the paste begins to stick. Add in the tomatoes and all of the vegetables, then add stock to cover. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. On a very low boil, let the soup cook 15 minutes to bring out the vegetables' flavor. Add in the protein, fish sauce, sugar, herbs and coconut milk. Cook another 10 minutes to blend flavors, then taste for salt and serve. This keeps well for a day or two, and makes a soothing dinner on a cold night. For added bulk, add rice noodles.

VEGETARIANS: Substitute 1T soy sauce and 2t fresh lime juice for the fish sauce. Pressed and/or fried tofu are really delicious in this soup.

Notes: Clearly, this is a Thai-style soup, rather than Thai entirely. True Thai would involve cooking coconut cream to separate it, then frying the curry paste (which would be made specially for this dish) in the coconut fat. I'm trying to keep the flavors and lose the saturated fats. Let me know how you like it!

Braised Rabbit with Mushrooms and Polenta

For the rabbit:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup flour
1T paprika
1 rabbit, 2-3 pounds
2 ounces dried morels, soaked in 1 cup warm water for 2-3 hours, soaking water reserved (see below)
½ pound crimini mushrooms, chunked
½ pound chanterelles, torn in strips
1 large white onion, sliced thinly
1 tomato, cut into 1” dice
1 bottle dry white wine
zest of half an orange, finely chopped

For the polenta:
4c chicken stock (preferably organic)
2 carrots, peeled and diced to 1”
1 stalk celery in 1” dice
1 large white onion, cut into 1” dice
peppercorns
2-3 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
1c dry white wine (from the above bottle)
1 c soaking water from dried mushrooms, very carefully strained
1 cup polenta
2 rosemary sprigs

Polenta:
Start by soaking your dried mushrooms from the "rabbit" ingredient list. Let these steep several hours, then carefully drain. Reserve the mushrooms and soaking liquid separately.

Cut your rabbit into nine pieces. Forelegs, back legs, back into two pieces, "breast" into two pieces, neck. Pretend you're cutting a chicken. The physiology isn't that different. Cut off any remaining fat and discard. Place the neck, both back pieces and any other meaty leftovers into a large saucepan. From the "polenta" ingredient list, add from the beginning (chicken stock) through the strained mushroom liquid. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for up to two hours, skimming any foamy residue. Cool and strain well. You'll need five cups total; if you have less, add the necessary amount of water.

Heat the strained, skimmed stock to boiling. Taste it and add salt as necessary. Crack in fresh pepper to taste and add the rosemary. Very slowly whisk in one cup of polenta. When all of the polenta has been added, turn the heat down to simmer, stir again with a utensil that reaches every part of the pan, and cover. Stir every ten minutes until the polenta is very thick and pulls away from the side of the pan. (Takes 40 minutes or so.) When you're ready to serve, add two tablespoons of butter and rewarm slowly, stirring often. When the butter has melted, stir in 2-3 ounces of soft cheese like Teleme. For a lower fat alternative, use the butter only or olive oil.

Rabbit:
Heat half of the olive oil in a large, heavy braising pan over medium high heat. Mix the flour and paprika in a plastic ziplock bag, adding a large pinch of salt and ground pepper. Pat the rabbit very dry and add to the bag, shaking to coat. Shake off all extraneous flour from three rabbit pieces and add to the pan, being careful not to crowd them. Brown on both sides and remove from the pan. Repeat with the other pieces, using the additional oil if necessary. Now add all of the mushrooms, the onion and the tomato, sauteeing them until the onions begin to take on color. Add three cups of wine to the pan, the rabbit pieces and any juices, and cover. Boil off the alcohol, about five minutes. Now cover the pan and let cook slowly over low heat for an hour, or until the meat falls off the bone. Alternatively, braise in a very slow oven (250 degrees) for two hours. Remove the rabbit, add the orange zest to the pan, and boil your mushroom sauce until it thickens slightly.

To serve, mound some polenta on a warmed plate, cover with several pieces of rabbit, and add mushrooms and sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Fall Fennel Salad

Fennel bulb is a staple in my house almost all year around. It roasts beautifully, adds its lightly liquorice flavor to stocks, and tastes fresh during the darkest months of winter. This salad adjusts well; when pomegranates aren't in season, switch to sliced roasted beets. The feta can be omitted for a vegan salad that's equally delicious, just different. Nuts are another option; try toasted pistachios or walnuts, and use the corresponding nut oil for the dressing. Yum. To make this a main dish or more substantial appetizer, add poached or grilled scallops.

2 fennel (anise) bulbs, feathery tops trimmed off (I use mine for stockmaking) and tough outside layer pulled off
2 oranges, supremed (instructions below)
1 pomegranate
2 ounces feta, preferably Israeli, crumbled (optional)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
olive oil
salt
pepper

Slice the fennel bulbs horizontally (that is, so that each slice goes across every layer of the bulb) as thinly as possible. A mandoline, even the cheapie German one I have, is very helpful, but a newly-sharpened chef's knife will also do the trick. Place in a large bowl.

Supreme the orange: Slice off the top and bottom 1/2" of each orange, revealing the flesh. Cutting in sloping strips, use a sharp knife to remove the rest of the orange's skin. Now cut the individual wedges apart into the bowl, leaving behind all pith. You're left with just beautiful pieces of orange flesh. Squeeze the pith and all peel pieces into the bowl to release their leftover juices.

Seed the pomegranate: Cut the pomegranate into quarters. Run water into a large bowl that's been set in your sink. Put the pomegranate pieces into your bowl, and, using light touches, remove all the seeds. The seeds float to the bottom of the bowl, while the creamy yellow webbing floats to the top. Rinse with additional water several times, then set the pomegranate seeds to drain.

Measure out 1/4 cup of the pomegranate seeds into your bowl with the sliced fennel and oranges. Toss in one ounce of the feta, then add a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add in a tablespoon of olive oil and the rice vinegar. Toss the salad with your hands. Taste it. You're looking for a balanced mix of sweet and salty, crispy and soft.

To serve, lift up portions with your hands and place them in bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining feta and a few more pomegranate seeds. Depending on how large your fruit/veg ingredients were and how hungry your eaters are, this serves anywhere from 2-4. Usually it makes two large lunch salads for me.

Healthier Pumpkin Bran Muffins

As part of my never-ending quest for healthier baked goods, I altered a standard bran muffin recipe to come up with this spicy edition. It's a lower-fat product, which means that they won't stay fresh as long. After a day or so, freeze any leftovers. They're at their best warm, spread with either butter or cream cheese mixed with a little honey or orange juice for flavor. Also, if you're not used to eating much fiber, be sure to drink some extra water. This is a *lot* of bran. Check your pumpkin; you don't want to use "pumpkin pie filling". If pumpkin isn't available, frozen squash is an excellent substitute. You could also use another fruit puree, like apple or fig.

2 cups 100% bran cereal
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1/3 cup water
1/8 cup orange juice concentrate
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 whole egg and one extra egg white
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix the above in a large bowl. Let sit for at least an hour to let the bran soften. This can be refrigerated overnight if you wish.

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a separate bowl, stir together until all lumps are gone:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Quickly combine the flour mixture with the bran mixture, being careful not to overmix. Muffins are toughen quickly because the gluten in flour starts to develop as soon as it hits the moisture in the rest of the batter. To avoid toughness, mix just enough to get rid of pockets of flour.

Scoop into muffin tins lined with papers (or sprayed with something like Pam) and bake for 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out just a tiny bit sticky.

Spicy Lentil Soup

This is cheap, easy and delicious.

2 slices bacon
1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) chile flakes, preferably the mild urfa pepper
2 small or 1 large white onion, chopped finely
3 carrots, peeled and chopped finely
2 stalks celery, chopped finely
1T tomato paste
3 stalks fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1c brown lentils
salt
pepper
water to cover

In a large saucepan over medium heat, slowly brown the bacon until crisp. Drain off and discard the bacon fat from the pan, but leave the delicious crispy bits at the bottom. Let the bacon slices drain and cool. Reheat the pan over medium high heat. Add the chili flake and stir just for a moment. Do not let the chile burn. Add the onion, celery and carrots, sauteeing until the onion goes clear. Now add the tomato paste and stir constantly, letting the tomato sugars caramelize to add depth of flavor. When you smell a slightly sweet odor and the tomato paste has darkened, add the thyme, bay leaf and lentils, plus 1/2 teaspoon salt. Grind in a little fresh pepper. Stir, then add water to cover the mixture. Let it come to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Let the soup simmer for roughly half an hour or until the lentils are very soft, stirring often and checking that the mixture is loose enough. If the mix begins to stick or get too thick for your taste, just add more water.

If at all possible, let the soup cool and rest for a few hours before serving. When you reheat, taste for salt - it will likely need more. Thin with water if it's grown too thick for you. Be sure to remove the thyme stems and bay leaf before serving.

To serve, crumble a bit of the bacon over each bowl. I like this very much with a simple salad of spinach, red onion and mango chunks. Also good eaten out of an often-washed Tupperware container with an apple while on your lunch break.

VEGETARIAN ADJUSTMENT: Remove the bacon. Cook the veg and tomato paste very, very slowly in 1T olive or canola oil, being careful not to let the tomato burn. Cooking slowly will help the veg render their juices, break down their fiber and caramelize, which adds to the rich flavor. Serve topped with well-buttered bits of toast.

Chocolate Amazon Cake

I'm going to cheat here and only give you the link to my favorite chocolate cake recipe. You'll all think I'm crazy, but honest, this is the easies, fudgiest cake you'll ever want. Yes, it's vegan - but there's no need to tell your friends!

Gingerbread, mmm

With cooler weather coming in, I've been craving spicy sweetness. My version of gingerbread is loosely based on the Claudia Fleming recipe. Hers isn't tangy and spicy enough, so I experimented with some changes. This is the deepest flavored, heartiest gingerbread I've ever had. Sliced thinly and with a cup of coffee, it makes a not-too-sweet dessert. Wrapped tightly, it keeps a long, long while, and will freeze perfectly.

1 cup stout (try Rasputin's)
1 cup dark (full-flavored) molasses
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup applesauce or other sugarless fruit puree
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rye flour
3 tablespoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons grated, peeled fresh gingerroot
zest of one orange

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Decide on and prep your baking dish (see below).

Combine the stout and molasses and bring to a boil in a large saucepan. Turn off the heat and add the baking soda. It will stop foaming in a few minutes. Add the sugar, fresh ginger and orange zest. Stir to melt the sugar. Let cool slightly.

Whisk together the eggs, oil and fruit puree until the eggs are well broken up.

In a large separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and dry spices. Combine the stout mixture with the egg mixture, then whisk the liquid into the flour mixture, half at a time. Pour the batter into your chosen pan and bake following instructions below.

Baking dishes: I've done this in muffin tins, a loaf pan, an 8x8 pan, and mini loaf pans. They've all worked. Spray your dish with Pam-type release very well before using. There are two tricks to knowing when the cake(s) are finished: one, don't open the oven door for at least 20 minutes (30 minutes on larger cakes), or you'll lose volume. Pull them out when a skewer comes out cleanly from the center. Muffins and mini loaves took about half an hour, 8x8 and loaf pans about an hour.

Notes:
This cake is sticky, no bones about it. That's one reason I suggest muffin tins. However, I also use the trick of lining the entire baking tin with two layers of tin foil sprayed with Pam, with sufficient foil hanging out that I can grab the edges and pull the entire baked good out in one fell swoop after it's cool. Works like a charm for brownies, too. The foil tucks well into corners, so you can still get good shape.

I had some special ingredients on hand for this recipe. First was some fig puree, a result of a glut of figs that I couldn't eat fast enough. Just pureed, cooked fruit, nothing else. Second, some Mauritian dark brown sugar bought in Europe. It tastes amazing, but was in rock-like chunks that had to be carefully softened. Unlike the original recipe, I combine the sugar and flavor enhancers with the molasses/stout because the heat helps melt the sugar (dark brown often clumps in baking) and because the heat brings out flavor in the fresh ginger and zest. If you prefer, omit the applesauce/fruit paste and just add an additional 1/4 cup canola oil. Similarly, rye flour can be replaced with regular flour. If you'd like to include the rye but don't want to buy a large quantity (2# bags are fairly standard), go to a co-op or health food store. They'll likely have it in bins, where you can buy just what you need.

One last thing: the original recipe includes no salt, which I think is a big mistake. Salt enhances flavors in such a way that without it, baked goods tend to taste flat. Omit it if you must, but I think the 1/4 teaspoon is utterly worth any sodium issues.

Finger Foods are Underrated!

Stuffed Figs

I served this as part of a Spanish tapas menu a few weeks back. Even the few people who claimed they don't like figs were soon munching away. It's simple, delicious and perfect for late summer months.

There is no real recipe here, so I'll just give you a rundown. Trust me on the pepper - it really makes a difference!

Figs, washed and cut in half vertically - use both green and purple for color
Goat cheese, a soft, mild variety - try Laura Chenel's
Pepper, ground roughly
An orange
Extra virgin olive oil, something soft and fruity like Roi is delicious

Stuff each fig half with about half a teaspoon of goat cheese. It's easiest to pick up the figs when doing this. Lay them out on a pretty platter. Juice the orange and scatter a few drops over each fig half; then follow with a few drops of olive oil. Crack a bit of pepper over the plate. It's okay to let some of the juice/oil and pepper hit your platter - it'll look pretty that way.

Serve at room temp. Honest, they're incredibly good.

Homemade Hummus

It’s time to make hummus.

3 cups cooked chickpeas/garbanzos (this is two cans)
¾ cup tahini
4-5 peeled garlic cloves, to your taste.
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
½ cup chopped parsley
½ cup good quality olive oil
juice of one large lemon
salt to taste – usually around ¾ teaspoon
several grinds fresh pepper

garnishes (optional): paprika, olive oil, more parsley, lemon slices

If you’ve cooked your chickpeas from dry, reserve some of the cooking liquid for thinning the hummus. Otherwise, drain your canned goodies, setting aside about half a cup of the canning liquid. Put the garbanzos into a large bowl, preferably one that is wide-mouthed (as opposed to high-sided). Run fresh water over the legumes and scrunch the beans, breaking them apart so that the skins float free. Keep running enough water into the bowl so that as you continue to loosen skins, they wash out of the bowl. Remember that for this purpose, it doesn’t matter if you squash the garbanzos. Just get off as many of the skins as possible.

Why are we skinning the chickpeas? Two reasons: one, skins make the hummus harder to digest. They’re part of the reason why some people have trouble digesting legumes. Two, the skins add a flavor and texture to the mix that I’m not crazy about. Skinning is worthwhile.

When you’ve done this, drain the beans as well as possible and add them, with all of the other ingredients, to a food processor. Start with 2-3 cloves of garlic and add more to your taste. Let the mix blend for a good long time; you’re trying to emulsify the oil into the beans, which creates a creamier texture. [If the mix is too thick, thin with the reserved liquid.] Add more salt, pepper, lemon juice or garlic as needed to make you happy.

Let this sit for at least an hour before serving so that the flavors mellow and blend. I think it’s best the second day. Serve with toasted bread, pita, Ethiopian naan, veggie sticks…whatever you like to dip. I also like this as a sandwich topping and have been known to thin it with water and use as a salad dressing.

Yield: 3 generous cups.

Tandoori Chicken and Raita

Marinade:
1c plain yogurt
4t garam masala, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant
1t chili flakes
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
1t salt
*dash of orange food coloring

Stir together marinade and use to coat a pound of chicken (either thighs or breasts), cut into 2" chunks. Marinate overnight. Leaving the marinade on the chicken, grill or broil to finish. Chunks this size will take about 10 minutes under a hot broiler, even straight out of the fridge.

*Food coloring is available in Indian groceries in liquid and powder form. I prefer the powder; it's easier to control. This adds nothing to flavor; it's a tradition more than anything.

Raita
1 cup seeded, chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped jicama
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 cup mixed chopped herbs. Possibilities are dill, mint, parsley or cilantro
1 cup plain yogurt (all fat levels are ok, low-fat's my favorite)
Salt to taste
Grinds of fresh pepper
Pinch of sumac (optional)

Dice all veggies to the same size. Mix everything together and let stand for a few minutes to blend flavors. If the yogurt begins to separate (create watery patches), just drain off the liquid and mix again. The sumac, while optional, creates a bright, lemon-like flavor without adding any additional liquid. It's traditionally used when lemons are out of season.

Notes and serving tips
As stated, this is a non-traditional raita. I prefer mine more salad-like, so that I can serve it as a side to the tandoori with wheat flatbread for a full meal. Note that the tandoori marinade also works equally well with pressed tofu, lamb or pork, though obviously the flavor and cooking time will vary. For those watching their diets, chicken breast and nonfat yogurt are perfectly acceptable in these recipes. I make my own garam masala, slightly altered from a Madhur Jaffrey recipe.