Recipe: Raspberry Rhubarb Crisp

There is something so infinitely satisfying about breaking a losing streak. For the past few months, most of the recipes I came up with were just "ok". Often they were "fine". Occasionally they were straight-up bad. It's hard not to become discouraged with a long stretch of recipe "meh", especially when said meh-dom means I end up with zero blog content. I considered sharing a few of the "fine" recipes here on the blog, but decided against it. This is not a space for meh. It is a space for awesome. And this Raspberry Rhubarb Crisp? It is AWESOME, friends. All caps AWESOME.

The awesomeness kind of took me by surprise, to be perfectly frank. I mean, it's a rhubarb crisp. Nothing earth shattering there. The month of May rolls around and everyone starts baking rhubarb into some sort of pie/crisp/crumble filling, because.... well, baked filling is pretty much the best use of rhubarb's fibrous, tart, celery-like stalks. More often than not, rhubarb is paired with strawberries, a pairing which (delightful as it may be) feels a little dull year-after-year.

I decided small tweaks were in order for my little rhubarb crisp. The filling forgoes strawberries for raspberries, enhancing the tartness of the rhubarb with their own sweet-and-sour character. A splash of orange juice is bright and unexpected. The oat topping gets a double hit of almond-y goodness with chopped almonds providing crunch and almond butter lending a more flavorful (and nutritious) fatty binder than nondairy butter alone. These small tweaks led to one of the most delicious desserts I've eaten in quite some time. Everything just sings - the rhubarb, the raspberries, the orange, the almonds - they come together and sing WE ARE AWESOME. And they're right.

Raspberry Rhubarb Crisp
serves 6

Raspberry Rhubarb Filling:
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and chopped into 1/2 pieces
1 1/2 cups raspberries (both frozen or fresh are fine)
1/2 cup natural cane sugar
1/3 cup orange juice

Almond Oat Topping:
1/2 cup quick oats (rolled oats will work too, but not steel-cut)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds, finely chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup almond butter
2 tablespoons nondairy butter, very cold, cut into small cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grab a baking dish approximately 8 or 9 inches in diameter (I use a square or round cake pan, and find these to be the perfect size). In a large bowl, toss together the rhubarb, raspberries, natural cane sugar, and orange juice until the fruit is evenly coated and glossy. In a separate bowl, stir together the oats, flour, almonds, brown sugar, and cinnamon before adding in the almond butter and nondairy butter. With a fork or your fingers, smush the butters into the topping mixture until it resembles slightly-moist sand dotted with pea-sized clusters. Pour the raspberry rhubarb filling into the baking dish, being sure to scrape all the juices out of the bowl, and spread filling into an even layer. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling and place baking dish in oven. Bake the crisp for 40 minutes, or until the juices are thickened and bubbling at the edges and the topping is golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving the warm crisp with a scoop of nondairy ice cream or a dollop of nondairy whipped cream.

RECIPE: Roasted Mustard "Chicken" and Mushrooms with Creamy Polenta

You come home, beat from a long day at work and ready to stuff your face full of delicious dinner. Unfortunately, magic elves have not prepared a five course dinner for you. Nope, dinner is all on your tired, hungry self. May I suggest this delightful dish as the solution to your weekday meal conundrum? It's simple, it's fast (30 minutes of cook time!) and it is crazy tasty thanks to a sauce made with grainy dijon mustard, dark stout, and scallions. Basically, you stir together mustard, stout, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic, pour that goodness over quartered mushrooms and vegan "chicken", and then roast it all up in a screaming hot oven. While the oven's doing all the hard work, you're free to handle the polenta on the stovetop. Don't be fooled by all this "polenta is so work intensive" nonsense you hear so often. It's easy, I promise. A little whisking, 20 or so minutes of cook time, and you'll have creamy, smooth polenta.

A quick note on the chicken-in-quotation-marks. This recipe has a ton of versatility, so you can take your pick of your favorite chicken-y vegetarian protein. Tempeh, seitan cutlets, or soy curls would all work wonderfully here (I don't suggest tofu, as the texture doesn't suit this dish). When I made the recipe, I used Quorn Chik'n Cutlets, which my omnivore boyfriend enjoys as a chicken-substitute. Unfortunately for vegans, they contain egg whites, so try one of the alternative proteins if you want the 100% vegan version of this dish. I promise, whatever you choose, the meal will make your weekday evening extra delicious.

Roasted Mustard "Chicken" and Mushrooms with Creamy Polenta
Inspired by Bon Appetit
Serves 4

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and quartered
4 servings of your favorite chicken-y protein (tempeh, seitan, soy curls are recommended*)
1/4 cup grainy dijon mustard
1/4 cup dark stout
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch (about 6 stalks) spring onions, ends trimmed and finely chopped

3 cups water
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup polenta
2 tablespoons non-dairy butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a large baking dish with a bit of oil. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, stout, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic until smooth. Add the mushrooms and "chicken" to the baking dish, pour the sauce into the dish, and toss to coat the mushrooms and "chicken" evenly. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, then add the chopped scallions and roast for an additional 5 minutes. When done, the mushrooms should be caramalized and tender, and the sauce will be mostly absorbed.

While things are roasting, bring the water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan, and heat the milk briefly in the microwave until warm. Once the water is at a boil, pour in the polenta, whisking vigorously, and reduce heat to medium-low. The polenta will thicken quickly, and after it does, pour in the warm milk, whisking the polenta to keep it smooth. At this point, whisk the polenta every couple of minutes until the grains are cooked to your liking - about 20-25 minutes is where I like mine (tender but not total mush). When the polenta is done, stir in the butter and remove from heat.

The mushrooms and "chicken" should finish up right around the time your polenta is done. Serve one portion of the "chicken" and a quarter of the mushrooms over a cup or so of the polenta. If you have extra polenta, you can refrigerate the leftovers and reheat the polenta for breakfast the next day. The polenta will thicken when cold but softens back into a porridge consistency when heated. I like mine warmed up the the microwave, topped with a drizzle of maple syrup and a splash of non-dairy milk.


*Notes on protein preperation: 
For Tempeh: Cut 4 (2 ounce) portions of  tempeh, simmer in enough vegetable stock to cover tempeh for 5 minutes, or until tempeh is plump. Proceed with recipe.

For Seitan Cutlets: Use 4 (3 ounce) cutlets of chicken-style seitan. Proceed with recipe.

For Soy Curls: Hydrate 4 ounces of dried soy curls in enough hot vegetable stock to cover for 8-10 minutes. Pour into colander and press excess moisture from the hydrated curls with a slotted spoon/potato masher. Proceed with recipe.

RECIPE: Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice

I am all about comfort food, especially this time of year. As I write this, it is a typical Seattle winter day... which means it is gray, chilly, and drizzly. PRIME comfort food weather, I tell you. As of late, I've been getting cozy with kimchi fried rice. It's a rising star in the world of foodie trends, and for good reason - the addition of cabbage kimchi transforms typically bland fried rice into a just-spicy-enough, pleasantly-pungent dish that you can't put down. If you're unfamiliar with kimchi, I urge you to become friendly with the Korean dish celebrating cabbage in all of its chili-tinged, fermented glory.

My recipe for kimchi fried rice is heavy on the vegetables compared to other recipes I've seen, which means that in addition to loads of tender cabbage the rice is dotted with caramelized mushrooms, grated carrots, protein-packed edamame, and fresh scallions. It's happiness in a bowl.

A few notes before you go frolicking off into kimchi heaven:

-  Traditionally-crafted kimchi often includes fish sauce as an ingredient, so you'll want to find a brand that leaves out the fishiness. I happen to love Trader Joe's store brand of cabbage kimchi (found in their refrigerator section), which is vegan, spicy-but-not-hot and inexpensive to boot.

- You're welcome to use white or brown rice - I've tried both and they are equally delicious, though I find the toothsome texture of the brown rice to be quite pleasing.

- I followed Molly Wizenberg's recommendation of using butter (Earth Balance is my favorite vegan option) instead of oil, and she is 100% right about the importance of the butter in rounding out the kimchi's pungency. That said, I think that coconut oil would be equally effective should you want a whole-foods alternative.

Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice
makes 6-8 entree-sized servings

4 tablespoons non-dairy butter, divided (may substitute coconut oil or neutral cooking oil)
8 ounces shitake mushrooms*, cleaned, stems removed, and sliced
3 cups vegan napa cabbage kimchi, chopped (about 2 packages of Trader Joe's kimchi)
3 medium carrots, grated
1 cup shelled frozen edamame, thawed
6 cups cooked medium-grain rice, cooled and preferably one day old
salt to taste
1 bunch scallions, sliced

Bring a large skillet or wok over medium high heat (I do mean large - you'll need a 12 to 14 inch pan to fit all the rice without making a total mess). Add one tablespoon of butter and sauté the mushrooms until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. Remove mushrooms from pan and set aside. Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan and sauté the kimchi and carrots until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked rice, edamame, mushrooms, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring to combine. You want the rice to brown a bit and soak up all the spicy goodness from the kimchi, which will only take a few minutes. Once the rice is done, adjust seasoning, stir in the scallions, and serve immediately.

*The first time I tested this recipe, my grocer was out of shitakes, and it was sad. You can see in the photograph that I used button mushrooms instead. Today I made the rice with shitakes as planned and the difference is substantial - the dish really benefits from a flavorful 'shroom.

Recipe: Roasted Peppers with Sicilian Tempeh Stuffing

So, I've been sitting here, staring blankly at my computer screen, trying to craft some pithy-yet-drool-inducing way of luring you into this post, and unfortunately it's just not happening today. Writer's Block: 1. Joy: 0. So I'm going to skip all that and say it to you straight:

These stuffed peppers are delightful and should absolutely make their way into your mouth as quickly as possible. 

This is due in part to finding lovely sweet (mini!) peppers, which roasted in the oven are a home run in and of themselves, but mostly due to the fact that the stuffing turned out perfectly. I should perhaps feign humbleness, here, but I'm not going to. This stuffing is can't-stop-eating-it awesome. I was playing around with a Sicilian flavor profile and stumbled upon the best combination of flavors a stuffing has ever seen. Miso gives the stuffing a salty richness reminiscent of parmesan, capers give a briny bite, and red pepper flakes provide a subtle kick. To ensure the herb-y goodness so associated with stuffing, I turned to rosemary and.... wait for it.... fennel pollen.

Let's take a moment to discuss fennel pollen. It sounds all fancypants, but fennel pollen, while rare in most kitchens, is as tasty as it is versatile. It tastes of fennel in a manner completely distinct of fennel root or fennel seed. I love the way Peggy Knickerbocker (um, best name ever) described it in Saveur. Peggy would like us to know that fennel pollen has a "heady, honeylike herbaceous aroma", is "intoxicating", and believes that "if angels sprinkled a spice from their wings, this would be it".

If that's not a strong sell, I don't know what is. A couple caveats: fennel pollen is pricey and a bit hard to find, but 100% worth the cost and effort. You can find it in local co-ops with spice bulk bins, specialty herb/spice shops, and even health stores (it's also an effective nausea cure). Quality online sources like Zingerman's, World Spice Merchants, and Amazon are helpful if you can't find it locally.

I served the stuffed peppers with a side of saffron cous cous and peas, but they're quite filling and can be enjoyed with a simple salad for lunch or a light dinner.

Roasted Peppers with Sicilian Tempeh Stuffing
serves 4

4 sweet bell peppers (or 6 mini sweet peppers)
1 (8 ounce) package tempeh, crumbled
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional oil for drizzling
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon fennel pollen
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon mild white miso
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed well and chopped
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using full-sized peppers, slice off the top of each pepper and scoop out the seeds. If you're going the mini-pepper route, slice in half length-wise and remove the seeds. Set aside.

Bring a skillet over medium heat and simmer broth and crumbled tempeh until tempeh has absorbed the broth (about 5-10 minutes). Add oil, onion, garlic, rosemary, fennel pollen, and red pepper flakes to skillet; saute until onions are softened (feel free to deglaze the pan with a spoonful of water to capture all the nice brown bits on the bottom of the skillet). Once onions are soft, remove skillet from heat and stir in the miso and capers until evenly combined. Add the breadcrumbs and mix until stuffing is well-combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Scoop stuffing into the peppers, filling each pepper generously (a mound of stuffing peeking over the top is fine). If you have extra stuffing, place in ramekins or a small baking dish, like so:

Drizzle tops of stuffed peppers (and extra stuffing, if you have it) with olive oil and bake 45-50 minutes for full-sized peppers or 30-40 minutes for mini peppers. The peppers should be tender and carmelized on their edges, with a golden, crisp stuffing crust. Serve warm.

Recipe: "Everything" No-Knead Bread

This is a riff on the classic "no-knead" bread recipe developed by the brilliant Jim Lahey of Sullivan St Bakery. If you've not yet tried Jim's genius technique, please do! It's a fantastic way to delve into the world of bread baking without freaking out over the intricacies of proper kneading, proofing, and rising. This how-to video from the New York Times is a nice introduction to the simplicity and easy-going-ness of the no-knead technique.

That easy-going quality means tweaking this recipe is a breeze -  Jim Lahey himself has turned one simple recipe into two best-selling cookbooks. I have a host of flavor additions that I'm planning on trying out in the future, but I started with a play on one of my favorite carb indulgences: the everything bagel. I have a love affair with everything bagels. They lure me in with their confidence - why would I ever need to eat any other bagel when everything I need is baked in to this one? Sesame? Check. Poppy seeds? Check. Salt, onion, and garlic? TRIPLE CHECK. I mean, come on - who can resist that much savory deliciousness? 

When I worked at Zingerman's, good everything bagels were easy to come by - I worked in the "Bread Box", for goodness sake. I was literally surrounded by fresh, chewy, bagels for 8 hours a day. Living in Seattle is a different story - what Seattle calls "bagels", I call "bagel-shaped bread". True bagels are like the freaking food unicorn of the Pacific Northwest. To date, I've only found one place that offers an honest-to-goodness bagel, but for the well-being of both my waistline and my wallet, I only indulge occasionally (plus, part of me just doesn't trust a bagel place with NO TOASTER - I mean, what the heck is that?). 

So, when it was time to bake our next loaf of bread, I decided to everything it up. I added sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, and salt to the dough and let it rise overnight. Once the loaf was shaped, it was given a healthy coating of the same mixture to develop a classic everything crust. I really like the one-two punch of everything flavor - the intense salty-savory bite of the crust is echoed more gently in the interior. This bread is great simply toasted and topped with nondairy butter or olive oil, but it also makes a killer sandwich and pairs with soup like a dream. You might say it's got everything going for it.

"Everything" No-Knead Bread

A play on Jim Lahey's Classic No-Knead Bread Recipe

Dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon rapid rise yeast

1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoons onion powder

Topping:

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Follow Jim's method, whisking the seeds and spices for the dough into the dry ingredients before adding the water. Mix together the topping and use instead of cornmeal/bran for the "dusting" step to create the classic flavored crust. Be generous with the topping - it's the best part, after all!

Recipe: Curried Butternut-Coconut Bisque

I know blogs and restaurants everywhere are offering up autumnal soups of the pumpkin and squash variety, but that's for two good reasons:

1. Winter squashes are perfectly in season.
2. Squash soups are freaking delicious.

Pureed winter squash creates a silky soup with a ton of sweet-yet-vegetal flavor that screams "Fall!". That's because pumpkin and butternut squash are the unofficial ambassadors of fall food, along with freshly picked orchard apples and cloudy apple cider. And donuts. Ah, donuts... but I digress. Today is not about donuts - today is about squash soup!

In an effort to introduce a little variation into the squash-soup-around-every-corner scene we've got going on, I gussied up this soup a bit. Curry powder and ginger give the soup a more savory backbone than traditional pumpkin pie-esque additions like cinnamon or cloves, while maintaining the expected notes of warming spice. Apple cider's hit of sweet is balanced by a healthy dash of smoked salt, and coconut milk's fatty goodness rounds everything out into a rich pool of yum.

Curried Butternut-Coconut Bisque
serves 6

1/2 of one large or 1 small butternut squash
1/2 of one large or 1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional drizzle for roasting squash
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon smoked salt
1/2 cup apple cider (apple juice would be fine as well)
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons vegan bouillon paste (light broth/"chicken" style) or 1 1/2 vegan bouillon cubes
1 can light coconut milk
1-2 teaspoons lime juice, to taste
salt and black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Rub squash interior with a bit of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place cut-side down in a rimmed baking dish (I line mine with parchment for easier clean-up). Fill baking dish with enough water to cover bottom with 1/2 inch water. Transfer to oven and roast until squash is softened, about 1 hour (you should be able to easily pierce the squash with a fork). Remove from oven, turn cut side up, and let cool.

While squash is cooling, bring a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat and saute the onions in the olive oil until translucent. Add the curry powder, ginger, and salt, stirring to coat onions. Add the apple cider, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and simmer cider until reduced by half. Remove from heat.

Add the onion and cider mixture to a food processor or blender. Scoop the squash flesh from the rind and add to the onion and cider mixture. Remove the center from the blender top/ feed tube of the processor to allow steam to escape, cover opening with a dish towel, and puree the mixture until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Transfer puree back to pot and place over low heat. Dissolve bouillon in warm water. Add bouillon broth and coconut milk to the pot, stirring to combine with puree. Simmer soup for 10 minutes or until heated through, add 1 teaspoon lime juice, and taste for seasoning. Add additional lime juice, salt, and pepper as needed.

While the soup can be served immediately, the flavors come together best after resting for at least a few hours to overnight, making this a great make-ahead soup for a busy day's dinner or a week's worth of lunches.

Weekly Round Up

Christopher Kimball insists cooking is not creative. Mkay, buddy. Then how do you explain all the mind-blowing entries in the Vegan Chopped Brunch Challenge?

Did you know that the now-iconic whisk owes much of its popularity to Julia Child?

I'm in the market for a new pepper mill, and I'm torn between one that's pretty and one that's super-functional. Thoughts?

A bookseller's blog records handwritten recipes forgotten between book pages. These remind me of my grandma's collection of recipe cards.

Are you in Seattle this weekend? Hit up The Book Larder on Sunday for an author talk with Adam Roberts of The Amateur Gourmet - his book "Secrets of the Best Chefs" sounds awesome.

Have an amazing weekend!