Kitchen Gadget Girl Cooks

Last week I was invited to attend a cooking demonstration with Chef Tal Ronnen at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Chef Tal was on a book tour, promoting the conscious cook, a full color vegan cookbook published in October 2009. Chef Tal prepared vegan meals for Oprah’s 21-day vegan cleanse in the spring of 2008, and then catered Ellen deGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s vegan wedding (aside: have you seen Portia de Rossi in Better of Ted? Very funny!).

My initial reaction when receiving the invitation was to decline – I am not interested in vegan cooking, I like meat, and really consider myself an omnivore. However, I also like cooking with more vegetables and grains, and I was curious to learn more about incorporating those items into my recipes. Plus, I have always wanted to take a class at the California Culinary Academy. So, what the heck, let’s give it a try…

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The class was held in one of the school’s classrooms, and included chefs-in-training as well as head chefs from the school. It was exciting to sit in the classroom with the presentation kitchen, including cameras. After a brief slide presentation, Chef Tal launched into his demonstration.

A few key elements of vegan cooking that he demonstrated included Cashew Cream, Nutritional Yeast Flakes, and meat analogs (fake-o meat for those carnivores among us). Chef Tal also used Earth Balance, a vegetable oil-based spread, a vegan butter substitute. We also had the opportunity to taste Gardein, a protein made from whole grains including quinoa and amaranth, and we watched as Chef Tal used a massive VitaMix to blend everything from Cashew Cream to soup.

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“Chicken” scaloppini with shiitake sake sauce

My favorite recipe of the day was a Celery Root soup with Granny Smith apples, and one that I would probably make again. Check out the tip for adding salt to a pan as it heats, to create a non stick environment.

Celery root soup with granny smith apples

Sea salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium celery roots, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 quarts faux chicken or vegetable stock (try Better Than Bouillon brand)
1 bay leaf
1 cup thick Cashew Cream
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, very finely diced
Chive Oil (recipe follows)

Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds, being careful not to let it smoke. This will create a nonstick effect.

Add the celery root, celery, and onion and sauté for 6 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft but not brown. Add the stock and bay leaf, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the Cashew Cream and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, cover the lid with a towel (the hot liquid tends to erupt), and blend on high. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls. Place a spoonful of the diced apple in the center of each serving, drizzle the Chive Oil around the apple, and serve.

Makes 6 servings

Chive oil

1 small bunch chives
½ cup canola oil
Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blanch the chives for 30 seconds in boiling water, then drain and chill in an ice bath. Drain, wrap the chives in a towel, and squeeze the moisture out. Place in a blender with the remaining ingredients and blend for 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Put the chive oil in a plastic squeeze bottle with a small opening or use a spoon for drizzling it on the soup.

Makes 1/2 cup

Cashew Cream

If you’ve thumbed through the recipes in The Conscious Cook, you’ve seen the ingredient “cashew cream” a few times. It’s a vegan-chef staple that stands in for dairy in a variety of ways. In the raw-food world, where it originated, it’s used in lots of desserts. When you cook with it, though, it can be so much more—from cheese filling in ravioli to heavy cream in soups. It can be stored 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator and can be frozen for up to 6 months (although after it’s defrosted it can be a bit lumpy, so it’s good to give it a spin in the blender to smooth it out before using it).

The trick when making cashew cream is to use raw cashews. They have no flavor of their own; they’re just a vessel for fat and creaminess. (It’s the roasting that brings out the familiar sweetness in cashews.) Because it has a nice fat content, cashew cream reduces in a pan even faster than heavy cream. (Soy milk, which some people use in vegan cooking, has no fat, so it doesn’t reduce into a thick sauce—it’s really not an alternative.)

For different applications, there are different consistencies—thick and regular. (I’ve also included a recipe for Whipped Cashew Cream, which is a great accompaniment to desserts.) Both are easy to make but not quick, because the cashews need to soak overnight. A shortcut is to put the cashews in a pot with water, bring them to a boil, then shut off the heat and let them soak for an hour. But this starts to leach out the sweetness, so you’re better off with the overnight method. Also, there’s at least one decent brand of store-bought nut cream, called Mimic Cream, which combines cashews and almonds; you can usually find it on the shelves or in the refrigerated section near the soy milk. Of course, nothing compares to homemade, and once you get used to it, there may be no turning back.

2 cups whole raw cashews (not pieces, which are often dry), rinsed very well under cold water

Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place them in a blender with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. Strain the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sieve.

To make thick cashew cream, which some of the recipes in this book call for, simply reduce the amount of water when they are placed in the blender, so that the water just slightly covers the cashews.

Makes about 2 1/4 cups thick cream or 3 1/2 cups regular cream
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus soaking overnight.

Recipes provided by Gardein and Chef Tal Ronnen.

December is really the time to break out the cookies – between cookie exchanges, neighborhood gifts, and tables loaded down with favorites lining every hallway in offices around the country, now is the time to make an effort to bring a tasty cookie.

Fortunately, I have three books that I turn too when I am in need of a good cookie. I would recommend any of these for your special baker this holiday season:

One Dough – Fifty Cookies, by Leslie Glover Pendleton

I am sure I have commented about this book before, I love it so. The concept is simple – make one Master Dough, then flavor it with different items to make 50 excellent tasting cookies. For best results, use a stand mixer to make the Master Dough, and use it right away to make your cookies. I had a bad experience making the dough ahead – when I was ready to mix-in my different flavors, it was rock solid from being in the fridge. Learn from my mistakes.

Favorites from this book: Mocha Butter Balls, Shattered Chocolate Balls, Russian Tea Cakes, Chocolate Toffee Cookies, Walnut Maple Syrup Cookies

Martha Stewart’s Cookies

Over the last year, and especially when baking cookies with my daughter, I often turn to this cookbook from the Martha Stewart Cooking Empire. Yes, she might be overbearing and a little too confident with household chores, but the woman does know her cookies. Recipes are fairly straight forward, and there are enough pictures to make a cookie chef drool. Important note – some recipes make very small batches, like 2 dozen. Make sure you double check before starting, so you are not surprised. Some cookies, IMHO, need to be made in ginormous batches. Chocolate chip, for example.

Favorites from this book: Ne Plus Ultra Cookies, Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies, Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies, Chocolate Thumbprints, Cream-Filled Chocolate Sandwiches

Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

This book has much more than cookies, but cookies are such a strong suit for Greenspan that I find myself turning to this book often for inspiration. In addition to many sweet treats, she also includes a few savory cookie varieties, perfect with a glass of wine. Some pictures, lots of variations, all-in-all a good book. Only downside is that it is still only available in hardback, a bit more of an investment. Good gift option, though.

Favorites from this book: World Peace Cookies, Parmesan Sables, Midnight Crackles

Any of these books would be helpful in the kitchen this holiday season!

Photos courtesy of Amazon.

Once we started getting an organic, local vegetable box each week, I decided I had to be more knowledgeable about ways to use all these (sometimes) unique vegetables. Julia, in writing up the Ladybug Newsletter, often included recipes inspired by the Victory Garden Cookbook, which all worked out well, so I thought this would be a good book to add to my collection.

Originally published in 1982 by Marian Morash, the Victory Garden Cookbook is a product of Marian and her husband Russell’s experience in the garden. The experience started when Russell, a TV producer, was asked to produce a new gardening show, with Jim Crockett, a well-respected gardener and TV host. Crockett’s Victory Garden stayed on the air, and now as The Victory Garden on PBS, is in its 34th season.

Marian got her first start in the kitchen with the help of Julia Child, the host of one of Russell’s first television shows. Can you imagine working along side Julia? What an experience! As Marian’s interest in the kitchen grew, so did Russell’s vegetable garden and subsequently, her repertoire of vegetable recipes. Along with Judith Jones of Alfred A. Knopf publishers (yes, the same company that produced Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking), Marian created this lovely cookbook with loads of vegetable recipes for anyone.

I like the the book because it is laid out alphabetically and includes almost every vegetable you could imagine (Salsify, anyone?). Along with cooking tips, Marian and Russell include growing tips, in case you are interested in reproducing their garden at your home. She covers everything from basic cooking of each vegetable to more elaborate ways to use the harvest. A quick box of special information for each vegetable includes the highlights on storage, preparation (including canning and microwave) and special hints. And both sweet and savory recipes, as well as recipes with animal protein are included.

Some of my favorite recipes from this cookbook include Braised Fennel, Leek and Potato Soup, Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage, and Lamb, Kale and Barley Stew. The chapter on Summer Squash and Zucchini alone could keep you busy for weeks!

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Fennel, Bean and Tomato Soup

My one complaint about this book is perhaps the quantity of information – there is so much on each vegetable that sometimes I am overwhelmed with choice. If you are a cookbook reader (like I am) it is a wonderful book to curl up with over a cup of tea – just be sure to bring your Post-It notes to highlight your favorite recipes.

If you are moving towards a more vegetable filled diet, or are looking for new inspiration, I heartily recommend this book!

Photo courtesy of http-mart.

When my friends Christy and Tim gave me Hello, Cupcake! for my birthday, I was surprised. I am not that much into cupcake making, although I have been known to make a cupcake cake or two. Also, while I like to decorate my kid’s birthday cakes, some of these books have a way of being over the top.

Not so, Hello, Cupcake!

From the outset, the book’s tone is very casual and comforting. The authors, Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, lay out the steps in easy to follow directions. The very beginning of the book covers the basics of cupcake decorating, and shows loads of useful techniques, including piping frosting from Ziploc bags and dipping cupcakes to create a smooth finish.

My favorite technique was learning how to make the multi-colored frosting used for grass and puppy fur. The book also includes recipes in the back for cake and frosting, although the authors are quick to point out they prefer using canned frosting for some of the effects.

On July 5th, we had the opportunity to use the book, as my kids wanted to make the Corn on the Cob cupcakes (all by themselves!). And as you can see below, they turned out pretty good!

I recommend this book for home bakers who like to experiment, culinary kids, as well as more serious bakers looking for new techniques. Tell me, have you tried any recipes from this book?

For some reason, the pickling bug hit me hard this summer! Every fruit and vegetable that came through my kitchen was eligible for pickling, and most of that is because of my new pickling book, Joy of Pickling, by Linda Ziedrich.

The book starts out with a Pickle Primer, going over many of the basics that the home cook needs to know before embarking on pickle making, including information about salts, vinegars, herbs and spices, necessary tools (a canner, a jar lifter, kitchen tongs, a large mouth canning funnel, jars with two piece lids, and a long chopstick or rubber spatula to remove bubbles), and storage recommendations. Armed with this information, you read through the rest of the book and find the recipes that strike your fancy.

I embarked on an exploration of the variations of watermelon pickle, making both the Minty Watermelon Pickles and Dark Watermelon Pickles. Thinking ahead to Thanksgiving, I also made a batch of Cherry Relish, and when I am inundated with Zucchini, I plan to make Zucchini Bread & Butter Pickles and Zucchini Relish.

Ziedrich also taught me some tricks for pureeing tomatoes (use a stainless steel food mill with slightly cooked tomatoes) and suggested purchasing all-plastic mason jar caps to replace the metal rings once the jars are open.

The recipes are easy to follow, and in the case of Cherry Relish, because of how onerous pitting cherries is, Ziedrich made the recipe a manageable size. Some of the recipes are quite detailed (Watermelon Pickles and Sauerkraut with Juniper Berries both come to mind) but Ziedrich goes through the instructions carefully and clearly, which yields a good finished product. She also includes recipes from many cultures, and it is fascinating to compare pickles from Thailand, Vietnam and Japan.

If you are interested in learning more about pickling at home, I recommend this book easily. And then you can be like me, with a garage full of pickles jars in every shape and size!

summer-bean-salad

Hardly a new book, Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure, by Lorna Sass, is still a great resource for the home cook, whether you are a vegetarian or not. I have had this book for a few weeks now and have the opportunity to try several recipes, and would definitely recommend the book to others.

Like Lorna Sass’s other pressure cooker books (including Pressure Perfect, another favorite), some part of the book is spent explaining how to use pressure cookers. Lorna also makes pantry suggestions and menu plans, which is great when determining how to manage a more vegetarian diet [note: I am not a vegetarian, although I find our family diet moving more towards plant-based foods].

In the Grain section, Lorna includes her great recipe for Risotto, along with several variations. She also includes recipes that allow the use of different grains, depending what you have on hand, easy and adaptable. I appreciate this information as I cook, as I think it allows me to learn more, helping me determine what flavors are good for mixing and matching.

A couple downsides: the book was published in 1994, before Pressure Perfect (2004) and I think Lorna has refined some of her instructions and steps in her newer book. I find that I refer to Pressure Perfect sometimes when making a dish out of Great Vegetarian, since I know the instructions in the new book are easier to follow. Also, in Pressure Perfect, she has streamlined the process of cooking beans, and the instructions in Great Vegetarian are often more complex. However, I find the cooking time charts in Great Vegetarian to be easier to read and understand, a plus for this book.

Some of my favorite recipes so far include Warm White Bean Vinaigrette (see photo above), Zucchini Bisque with Tomatoes and Fresh Basil (great for using up extra summer zucchini!), and Quinoa Corn Chili. The Warm White Bean Vinaigrette made a great composed salad for lunch recently and would be a nice hot summer night dinner – definitely a cook-ahead option.

It is hard to be in my presence for more than a few moments without me mentioning my new favorite cookbook, Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. Written by Jeff Hertzberger and Zoe Francois, who met when their children were together in the same music class, this book removes much of the mystery around baking crusty, artisan bread in your own home. She is a professional pastry chef; he is a doctor and consultant with a love of great bread. With all this practical and analytical skill, it is no wonder they have created this well thought out book.

The reason I love this book is that Zoe and Jeff have made it so easy to have fresh, European-style, artisan bread every day. The premise is simple – create a wet dough, without kneading, and allow it to rise slowly at a cool temperature, basically, in your refrigerator. And it is so simple to bake the bread – 1 hour before you are ready to bake, take out a lump of dough, form it into a loaf and allow to rest. Preheat your oven, and after the dough rests, slide it onto the hot pizza stone.

I have made several of the breads and the taste and texture has always been excellent, although they don’t always end up looking exactly like the pictures (see Pain Epi above). Jeff and Zoe provide several key breads, then build new recipes off those – for example, I made the Cinnamon Rolls and the Pletzel from the same Challah master recipe. From their website, I also tried baking bread in my dutch oven, which worked extremely well. This is good to know, if you do not have a pizza stone!

My past experience includes baking bread from scratch, but I don’t think that is a requirement to use this book. The recipes are very simple and the conversational tone of the instructions makes it very easy to follow. I highly recommend this book to other interested home cooks craving easy homemade bread.

P.S. I am not affiliated in any way with Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, I am just a happy customer!

My college friend Laura was in town last week and came over for dinner with her two boys. I served a summer dinner, taking advantage of much of my CSA produce (potatoes, basil, peppers, romaine lettuce, zucchini, and carrots). We started with an appetizer of peppers, sautéed quickly in olive oil, until blistery and sprinkled with sea salt, along with a chunk of Asiago Fresco and a light rose wine. The rest of the menu included:

• Grilled rosemary-marinated chicken
• Potato, green bean and pesto pasta salad
• Grilled zucchini
• Romaine salad with lemony vinaigrette (didn’t that appear on another menu recently?)
• Carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

Three of these recipes, the Rosemary Chicken, the Pasta Salad and the Carrot Cupcakes, came out of Everyday Food Great Food Fast, a cookbook I highly recommend. It has recipes organized by season, which is more in-line with the way I cook these days. The pictures are inspirational (and mouth-watering!), and ingredients are kept to a minimum. I am still getting comments about the Skirt Steak with Spicy Green Salsa I made a while ago.

Spicy Green Salsa

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon minced pickled jalapeno chili
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• salt to taste

Combine all ingredients with 1 tablespoon water. Can be made 3-4 days in advance. The tart spicy flavors of this salsa go well with most grilled meats, especially nicely marbled skirt steaks.