Cooking along

Mushrooms Tacos

This recipe came along one day that I was craving a nice wholesome Taco. I had some Portobello mushrooms in the fridge and decided to make a fajita style Taco. These are great topped with a little sour cream or better with Avocado Dip. You can also add some lettuce for an extra crunch. Use you imagination and you can have a Taco party: the mushroom filling in one side, some beans, toppings (like shredded cheese, sour cream, Avocado dip and lettuce) and finally the tortillas. I like corn tortillas, but if you prefer the flour ones use them.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, like corn or canola
• 1 onion, cut in half lengthwise and cut in strips
• 1 red pepper, cut in strips
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Portobello mushrooms, stems removed and sliced (you can substitute for 8 oz of white or crimini mushrooms)
• a little bit of chopped fresh coriander for color
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 to 6 corn tortillas (you can substitute for flour tortillas if you prefer)
• optional toppings (sour cream, avocado dip, cheese, lettuce)

Heat the oil in a big skillet, add the onions and red pepper with a pinch of salt and saute until they start to caramelize (about 10 minutes). Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms give most of their liquid and are tender. Season with salt and pepper and top with the fresh coriander. Serve over the warm tortillas, with any of the optional toppings that you like.

Spanish Omelet, Tortilla a la Española

The Spanish Omelet is the only food with eggs that my daughter will consider eating. We have tried all, but it seems that this particular combination of eggs, potatoes and onion is a winner for her. The way to make it could get a little bit messy, and you will probably need a couple of times to perfect it but is worth it. The art of making the Omelet was showed to me by my friend Beatriz's mom in Venezuela. They are originally from Asturias, Spain and I have to say that the best Spanish Omelet I have ever tasted is the one that she makes...I still think she have a well kept secret, or maybe her hands have some kind of Spanish magic. Anyway....try this one, you will really like it!

Ingredients

• 3+2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (if they are medium sized use 3 or 4)
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 5 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the potato slices and onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes and onions are soft.  Slightly beat the eggs in a bowl. Combine the potato mixture with the eggs. Add the salt and mix well.

In a 10-inch by 2 1/2 inch deep nonstick skillet, add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Pour in the potato, egg, and onion mixture. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bottom of the omelet is very light brown. Using a flat ceramic plate, cover the frying pan and flip the omelet over onto the plate. Immediately slip the uncooked side back into the pan. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the other side is very light brown. Repeat the turning two more times, this will give the omelet a nice round shape. Let it cool slightly and serve with a nice green salad for a fresh summer dish. The Omelet is also a great picnic food, it can be perfectly eaten at room temperature.

Vegan Mushroom and Spinach Quiche

This is a recipe I found in a great Vegetarian cookbook called "The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen". It has the texture and wonderful flavor of a French Quiche, but without the eggs, milk and cheese. It's great for my vegan friends or for those that have eggs or dairy allergies. Don't be afraid of tofu, it's a great ingredient to work with, very versatile and nutritious.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing the pan

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the oats and sesame seeds in a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes in  the oven, until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the sesame seeds!. Transfer the oats and sesame seeds to the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper and process until the oats are finely ground. In a medium bowl whisk together the water and oil. Transfer the flour mixture to the bowl and mix in the ingredients to form a dough. Lightly brush a tart pan with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the tart pan, pressing down evenly and making sure to fill the fluted sides of the pan. Refrigerate while you make the filling.

Filling

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 leeks, mostly white parts finely chopped
• 10 oz white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons white wine or water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• pinch hot red peppers flakes (optional)
• 1 pound firm tofu, rinsed and patted dry
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 pounds fresh spinach, thoroughly washed and roughly chopped

In a large pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onions, leeks and mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are caramelized. Add the wine and scrape down any brown bits with a wooden spoon. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and continue to cook until dry. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. In a small saucepan heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, basil and red pepper flakes and simmer gently until the garlic is light golden, don't let the garlic brown or it will get bitter. Scrape into the bowl of a food processor. Add the tofu, lemon juice, vinegar and remaining salt, puree until smooth. In a large bowl mix the mushroom mixture with the tofu mixture. Fill the tart shell and smooth the top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until firm. Let the tart cool down for 10 minutes before serving.

Plantain Pie

As soon as I read a request for a plantain pie I called all my aunts, cousins and friends in Venezuela. It seems that everybody has their own recipe for "Torta de Plátano". Some use raw sugar or "Papelón", some use condensed milk, some use guava marmalade and so on. Since the request was for a savory pie I tried to do my own savory plantain pie.  Shal, I hope this recipe will be similar to the one you tasted at the Venezuelan party. Enjoy! I still have the curiosity to try the other recipes, I will make them too at some point.

Ingredients

• 4 very ripe plantains, preferably with the skin almost black
• oil for frying, can be corn or canola oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 oz crumbled Feta cheese (this is the cheese that is most similar to our traditional Venezuelan cheese)
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

Preheat the over at 350°. Peel and cut the plantain in slices, about 1/2 inch thick. Fry them in the oil until golden brown, cool them over paper towels so they will absorb the extra oil. Slightly beat the eggs with the salt. Arrange half of the plantains in the bottom of a baking dish. Top with half of the Feta cheese, half of the eggs mixture and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Top with the rest of the plantains, cheese, egg mixture and sugar. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Tell me about how it goes!

Baked Pasta with tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach

This is my idea of comfort food. It's like a healthier version of macaroni and cheese, with mushrooms and spinach. The cream mixed in the sauce gives it a really nice texture and flavor. When you dig into it, you will get strings of mozzarella cheese in every bite. My kind of food!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound "Elbows" pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 1/2 small to medium yellow onion, chopped
• 8 oz white or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed Italian tomatoes
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 bunch of fresh spinach, trimmed and washed
• 10 to 12 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat the oven at 350°. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to package instructions until "al dente", at this stage the pasta will still have a bite to it. It will continue cooking in the sauce later on. Drizzle with a little olive oil so it won't stick to each other. In a big saucepan, cook the garlic and onion in the oil until translucent. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add the crushed tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook at a medium low heat for about 30 minutes. Cook the spinach in a little oil and add to the sauce (if you use frozen spinach, just add it to the sauce without cooking it first) along with the basil. Add the cream and take out of the heat. Adjust seasonings. Save 1 1/2 cups of the sauce. Mix in the pasta to the rest of the sauce. Add half of the pasta to a baking dish, top with half the mozzarella. Add the rest of the pasta and top with the rest of the mozzarella, the saved sauce and the Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown. If you want you can place the pasta under the broiler for 1 minute to finish browning the cheese. I hope you like this!

Sautéed Tofu and Asparagus

This is a delicious low carb dish. Tofu is such a healthy and versatile food that I've been experimenting a lot lately with it. I added asparagus because my daughter loves them and I really liked the result. I hope we can start enjoying this high protein and delicious food more often.

Ingredients:

• 1 package firm tofu
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (more to taste)
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil (you can use also light olive oil)
• 1/2 pound fresh asparagus
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup crushed peanuts (optional)

First drain the tofu and cut it in 2x2 inch pieces aprox. Arrange them flat in a board and cover with paper towels, put some weight on top and let them get as dry as possible. Transfer to a bowl and add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil. Let them marinate while you prepare the asparagus. Take the fresh asparagus and trim the tough ends (usually about 2 inches), with a potato peeler "peel" the bottom half and then cut them in two inches pieces . Heat the oil and carefully sauteed the tofu until golden brown, saving the leftover soy sauce. Remove from heath and place in paper towels. Sauteed the asparagus until crisp or "al dente" sprinkling them with the salt, do not overcook. Transfer the tofu to the pan and add the reserved soy sauce and sesame oil, plus more soy sauce to taste. Served sprinkled with the peanuts. Enjoy

Whole Wheat Pizza with Goat Cheese and Veggies

This pizza reminds me of a warm afternoon, sharing a glass of wine with friends and relaxing. I love kalamata olives, but you can mix and match as many toppings as you like. This pizza is so hearty that can take almost anything, use your imagination and improvise with what you have available. After that write me and tell me about your experiment!

Ingredients

A) Dough:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more if the dough is too sticky
• 1/4 cup polenta flour (optional, this will give an extra crunch)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm water
• pinch sugar
• 1 envelope of active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 more for the bowl.

Mix the flours and the salt, set aside. Mix the water and sugar until dissolved, then sprinkle the yeast on top and cover for 15 minutes. After that time the yeast should have dissolved and look bubbly, then add the olive oil. Start adding the flour mixture to the yeast mixture little by little, mixing well with a wooden spoon after each addition. When you can't continue mixing with a spoon then place the dough in the counter top and continue mixing and adding the rest of the flour.  Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it feels smooth and no longer sticky. Sometimes the dough will seem to need more flour even when you used all up, then add more! just do it little by little so it won't be tough. In a clean bowl add the remaining olive oil and place the dough. Let it rise covered at room temperature for about 1 to 2 hours, until it doubles. Meanwhile prepare the tomato sauce.

B) Tomato Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• pinch sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• about 6 basil leaves, o 1 teaspoon dry oregano

Cook the olive oil and the garlic over medium heat until translucent (watch out because the garlic will burn easily and it will taste bitter) then add the tomatoes, be careful because they may splatter all over!. Cook under medium-low heat for about 30 minutes to 1 hour (while you wait for your dough to rise, how cool is that) with the lid half way. Mix with a wooden spoon from time to time. If it gets too dry add a little water. Add the sugar, salt and pepper to taste and cook for an extra 5 minutes. At the end add the basil or oregano.

C) Toppings:

• 1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted
• 1 red, orange or yellow pepper (or mixed colors) cut in strips and roasted in the oven
• 1 onion, sliced and cooked in olive oil until translucent. You can also caramelize it by cooking the onion under low-medium heat for 30 minutes. This will brown the natural sugars that the onions have and caramelize them.
• 1/2 bunch blanched spinach
• 2-3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
• 2 to 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, depending on your taste and on how thick you like your pizza
• plus any other topping that you like

Preheat the over at 350. Grease a cookie sheet with olive oil. Flour the working surface and turn the dough in one piece. Divide in half if you like thin pizzas. Roll the dough to the size of the pan and carefully transfer it. Cover and let to rest for 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, mozzarella and toppings. Bake in the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes (again the time will depend on the thickness of the dough) just take a pick underneath and is ready when it looks golden brown. Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetables and Baby Artichokes Pasta

This dish combines the flavor of roasted vegetables and the texture of baby artichokes. It is one of those dishes that looks like it took a long time to make, but it's actually pretty easy. I love baby artichokes, and if you can't find them you can use either the regular or the frozen ones. Please don't use the canned ones, they don't have the texture that we are looking for. I think that the next time I make them I will add some chopped kalamata olives. What do you think?

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
• 2 zucchinis, cubed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 package of fresh baby artichokes (about 9 to 12) or the regular ones (about 4)
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 7 basil leaves, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound of penne pasta
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl mix the eggplants, zucchinis, red bell peppers and onions with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a baking pan and roast in the oven until tender, about 30 minutes. In another bowl add about 6 cups of water and the lemon juice. Peel the outer leaves of the baby artichokes and cut them in half, placing them immediately in the lemon water so they will not turn brown so soon. Heat the rest of the olive oil in a large pan and cook the baby artichokes for about 10 minutes, add the garlic and lemon zest and cook for another 5 minutes or until the artichokes are done but still crunchy. Cook the penne pasta according to package instructions. Mix the roasted vegetables with the artichokes and add the basil leaves. Adjust salt and pepper, and add a little extra virgin olive oil at the end. This will give great flavor! Mix with the pasta and serve with parmesan cheese on the top. There is always a good idea to have some crusty bread and butter on the side.

Spring Pudding (Pastelón Primaveral)

This is one of those dishes invented by our beloved grandmas to help us eat our vegetables. In this case is my friend Laura's grandma, Bertha Santana, from Dominican Republic who came out with this delicious and creative way to help Laura eat her vegetables and feel good about it. She called it "Pastelón Primaveral". You can use almost any vegetable available in your fridge, but Laura says that the best choice for the vegetable that goes in the top part is either broccoli or cauliflower. I happened to have broccoli, but she made it the other day arranging the cauliflower florets in the top and it looked great. Thanks Laura!

Ingredients

• 1 loaf sandwich bread, dark ends trimmed (you can use either white or whole wheat bread, in this case I used half of each) You can also use any leftover bread that you have handy, with the hard part trimmed.
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided in 2 equal portions
• 1 broccoli head, cut in florets
• 5 carrots, cut in slices
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, washed (you can use the frozen one too)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 6 tablespoons butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°. Trim the ends of the bread and crumble it in small pieces. Mix the eggs, milk, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and salt. Add the bread to the eggs mixture and let it rest. Meanwhile steam the carrots and broccoli in separate batches, and cook the spinach and crushed garlic in a little olive oil. To each cooked vegetable add 2 tablespoons of butter and salt and pepper to taste. To assemble the dish divide the bread and eggs mixture in three. In an oven resistant container (about 8x8 inches) first add one part of the bread and eggs mixture, then arrange the spinach in one layer and top it with 1/8 cup  parmesan cheese. Add the second layer of bread and eggs mixture and top it with the carrot with 1/8 cup parmesan cheese. Add the last part of the bread and eggs mixture and arrange the broccoli on top, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and bake it for about 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Broil for 3 minutes to melt the cheese and serve.

Venezuelan Black Beans and Ground Veggie Meat: Pabellón Criollo

In Venezuela the National Plate is called "Pabellón Criollo" and is composed by: black beans, shredded meat, fried plantains and white rice. The black beans are slow cooked, and my mom's secret is a little dark brown sugar at the end to enhance the flavor. Since we are vegetarians we substitute the shredded meat for ground veggie meat using the same seasonings, and the end product is delicious. I hope you try this delicious plate. My husband José really likes the beans and veggie meat with our traditional arepas. Buen Provecho!

Black Beans

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry black beans, sorted out from any dirt or stones and washed
• 6 or more cups of water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Soak the black beans over night in plenty of water. Drain the beans and cook them in 6 cups of water, or more if they get too dry, until soft (this will take about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the beans). Meanwhile in a separate pan cook the onions and garlic in the oil until translucent, about 10 minutes in medium heat, and be careful not to let them caramelize. Add the spices and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the red bell peppers and a little salt and pepper, cook for 10 more minutes. When the beans are soft add the onion mixture to the beans and adjust salt and pepper. Cook in low-medium heat for about 30 minutes. Add the brown sugar and do a final adjustment of seasonings. Cook until creamy, maybe 20 more minutes. If in any stage the beans gets too dry just add more water. They are also great in burritos!

Ground Veggie Meat

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 12 oz meat substitute crumbles (I like the Morningstar Farms Grillers Crumbles found in the freezer section of most supermarkets)
• 1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook the onions, scallions and the garlic in the oil until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and some salt and pepper. Add the veggie meat and cook for 5 more minutes. Mix in the crushed tomatoes and the ketchup and cook at a medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, adjust salt and pepper and enjoy!

For the rest of the "Pabellón Criollo", simply fry some slices of ripe plantain and make 1 cup of brown or white rice the usual way you do. Serve in a plate, a little bit of everything in each corner. I hope you like this traditional and nutritious Venezuelan dish, with my veggie twist.