Favorite Recipes: Creamy Chickpea Pasta with Spinach

Here’s a new recipe I tried recently and it was another hit with the family. It comes from the NewYork Times Cooking site. I converted it to a vegan recipe by substituting heavy cream with coconut cream. (If you use the coconut cream, you just have to thicken it a little by mixing some flour and water and slowly adding while it’s cooking).

Creamy Chickpea Pasta With Spinach and Rosemary

By Alexa Weibel

New York Times photo

Luxurious and hearty, cheap and easy, this vegetarian pasta uses mostly pantry staples, requiring just a few fresh ingredients, like baby spinach, rosemary and heavy cream. Canned chickpeas form the foundation of the dish: They’re cooked until crisp and caramelized. Half are then saved as a garnish, while the rest are simmered until they break down and thicken the sauce. You can swap out your greens or beans, and if you want to experiment with flavor, raid your spice cabinet: Ground coriander, toasted fennel seeds, coarsely crumbled pink peppercorns or a sprinkle of smoked paprika perk up the dish.

INGREDIENTS

• Kosher salt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
• ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
• Black pepper
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach (about
• 6 packed cups)
• 12 ounces spaghetti or bucatini
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Y I E L D 4 servings

T IME 30 minutes

PREPARATION

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high.

Step 2

In a wide, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the chickpeas, rosemary and Aleppo pepper, if using. Season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas start to caramelize at their edges and pop, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about half the chickpeas to a bowl. Reserve for garnish.

Step 3

Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and garlic to the skillet, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the spinach and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Add the pasta to the boiling water and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the pasta until a couple minutes short of al dente according to package instructions, about 5 minutes. Do not drain the pasta, but using tongs, transfer the pasta directly from the pot to the spinach and cream sauce. Add 1 cup pasta cooking water and the Parmesan, and cook over medium-high, stirring vigorously with the tongs, until the sauce is thickened and the noodles are al dente, about 2 minutes. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen sauce, if needed.

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Favorite Recipes: Baked Tofu with Peanut Sauce and Coconut-Lime Rice

Baked Tofu with Peanut Sauce and Coconut-Lime Rice

Photo by Elaine Kinnaird

While we are sheltering-in-place with nowhere to go, it is a great time to try some new recipes.

This delicious recipe was featured in the New York Times Cooking. I don't have a paid subscription, so I was not able to get the recipe there. Instead, I went searching online and found it at Dining and Cooking.

If you don't have all the ingredients, don't let it bother you. I had a new bottle of lime juice, so I didn't go looking for fresh limes. This meant that I didn't have the lime zest to fluff into the rice. Even though it was missing that extra flair, the dish was still hearty and delicious.

Also, I used some local honey that was already in my cabinet instead of buying molasses. And instead of hunting down red miso, I used the miso that was in the fridge. The sauce was still excellent.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, plus more for brushing the pan and drizzling
• ⅔ cup lime juice (from about 5 limes), and zest of 1 lime
• Kosher salt
• 8 baby bell peppers or 1 medium bell pepper (any color will do), stemmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
• Black pepper
• 1 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons buckwheat honey or molasses
• 1 tablespoon red miso
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
• 2 teaspoons chopped habanero pepper, stem and seeds removed, or 1 tablespoon sambal
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced crosswise, 1/4-inch thick
• 1 cup long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati
• ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
• 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 3 cups peppery greens, like arugula, mizuna or baby mustard greens

Preparation:

1.      Heat the oven to 450 degrees and lightly brush a large rimmed sheet pan with oil.

2.    In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons lime juice with 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the sliced peppers, a few cracks of black pepper and set aside.

3.    In a medium bowl, use a whisk to combine 4 tablespoons lime juice, peanut butter, 1 tablespoon honey, miso, fish sauce (if using), habanero, ginger, 2 tablespoons oil and 3/4 cup water. Stir until smooth and season to taste with salt.

4.    Arrange the tofu pieces in a single layer on the oiled baking sheet and season with salt. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce over each. Be sure to cover the top, allowing the sauce to run down and coat the sides. Drizzle the tops with some oil, and roast until glaze is set, deep brown and caramelized along the edges, about 18 to 20 minutes. Use the remaining sauce in the bowl to make the dressing by whisking in the remaining lime juice and 1 tablespoon honey, and set aside.

5.     In a small pot, combine the rice with 1 cup water and the coconut milk. Season with salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the rice is just tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the cooked rice to sit covered until you are ready to serve. Just before serving, add in the lime zest, half of the sliced scallions and fluff with a fork.

6.    Divide the greens among bowls, and top with the rice and tofu. Spoon the peanut dressing over everything, and garnish with the drained pickled peppers and remaining sliced scallions.

Tip

• Peanut sauce can be made 2 to 3 days in advance and stored refrigerated until ready to use

•        Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

733 calories; 55 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 13 grams polyunsaturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 33 grams protein; 206 milligrams sodium

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Favorite Recipes: Butternut Squash Lasagna

I am repeating this old favorite because I served it again at our house last week, along with a side of Leseur Very Young English Peas. It is a great fall recipe that is simple and easy to make. I found last year at Winn Dixie Supermarket. In fact it is from their Flavors recipe magazine that is free to WD customers. 

The first time I tried it, the family declared it to be worthy of making again, so it went into my recipe file. We have enjoyed it several times now.

This vegetarian recipe can easily be adapted to vegan, which is the way I prepare it. Instead of heavy cream, I substitute coconut creamer. Since the coconut creamer does not thicken quite the way dairy cream does, I mix up some flour in a little bit of water and gradually add it to thicken it the same way you would thicken a stew. For the Parmesan  cheese, I use Follow Your Heart brand "Dairy Free Parmesan Style Shredded Cheese Alternative." 

Here is the recipe as it appeared in the Winn Dixie Flavors magazine:

Butternut Squash Skillet Lasagna

Preparation time: 15 min.

Cooking time: 40 min.

Serves Four

VEGETARIAN INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small butternut squash (about 1 lb.), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½" pieces
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken crosswise into 2"-long pieces
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse

SAUTÉ squash in oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in shallot, 1 Tbsp. sage, garlic, and ¾ tsp. salt and cook for 30 more seconds.

STIR broth and cream into skillet, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Scatter pasta over squash, but do not stir. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 25 minutes.

SPRINKLE with cheese, walnuts, and remaining 1 Tbsp. sage and serve.

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A Great Veggie Burger for the Grill

Here's another post from my archives (you'll find the original post under the "Recipes" tab at the top of my blog page). Time to fire up the grill!

I saw it in The New York Times last week – a recipe for “The Ultimate Veggie Burger.” The recipe is by Melissa Clark. When I saw it, I wanted to try it, but there was just one problem. My daughter is vegan, and this recipe calls for eggs and cheese, both of which are by definition not part of a vegan diet. So I altered the recipe to make it vegan by using an egg substitute as well as a cheese substitute. I put all the ingredients together on Friday night, placed the mixture in the refrigerator overnight, then fired up the grill on Saturday.

Photo by Andrew Scrivani
for The New York Times

The results were great! It satisfied the vegan as well as the meat eaters in the family. My daughter said it had a texture that was better than any of the frozen varieties of vegetable patties available in the stores.  Everyone said that this recipe is worth making again. I am including Melissa Clark’s original recipe below, then I’ll tell you how I made it. There is even a video on You Tube if you want to see Melissa Clark making this recipe herself.
 

The Ultimate Veggie Burger

By Melissa Clark

You make a veggie burger because you want the hamburger experience without the meat. This one

delivers. It’s got a firm, beefy texture that takes on the char and smoke of the grill, but is adaptable

enough to cook inside on your stove. The enemy of a veggie burger is mushiness, which stems from a

high moisture content. To combat that, the very watery ingredients – mushrooms, tofu, beans and

beets – are roasted to both dehydrate them somewhat and intensify their flavors. Yes, the ingredient

list here is long; you need a diverse lot to make a good veggie burger. And each one adds something

in terms of flavor and/or texture. Garnish this any way you like, and don’t forget to toast the buns.

TOTAL TIME: 1½  hours, plus at least 2 hours to chill

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained
• Olive oil
• 1 /2 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
• Black pepper, as needed
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 medium beet, peeled and coarsely grated (3/4 cup)
• 3/4 cup tamari almonds or cashews
• 1 /3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 ounces Cotija cheese or queso blanco, crumbled or grated (about 1 /2 cup)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon dulce pimentón or sweet smoked paprika
• 4 ounces tempeh, crumbled
• 1 /2 cup cooked brown rice

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice tofu into 1/4-inch-thick slabs and pat dry with paper towel.

   Arrange tofu on one half of a rimmed baking sheet; brush both sides with oil. Spread mushrooms

   on the other half of the baking sheet; toss with 2 tablespoons oil and salt and pepper.

2. On a second rimmed baking sheet, toss beans and grated beet with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and

    pepper, then spread the mixture into one layer.

3. Transfer both baking sheets to the oven. Roast bean-beet mixture, tossing occasionally, until

    beans begin to split and beets are tender and golden, about 15 minutes. Roast mushrooms and

    tofu until golden and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Let everything cool.

4. Place nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add cooled bean-beet mixture,

    mushrooms, tofu, panko, cheese, eggs, mayonnaise, scallion, garlic, pimentón and 3/4 teaspoon

    salt. Pulse until ingredients are just combined. Pulse in tempeh and rice but do not overprocess.

    You want small chunks, not a smooth mixture. Scrape mixture into a bowl and chill at least 2

    hours or up to 5 days (you can also freeze the burger mix).

5. When you are ready to make the burgers, divide mixture into 6 equal portions and form each

    portion into a patty about 1 inch thick. Return to the fridge until just before grilling. They grill

    better when they start out cold.

6. Heat the grill. Cook the burgers over a low fire until they are charred on both sides and firm

    when you press on them, 4 to 6 minutes per side. If they start to burn before they firm up, move

    them to the sides of the grill to finish cooking over indirect heat. Alternatively, you can cook these

    on a grill pan or in a skillet over low heat.

YIELD: 6 Burgers

*    *    *

When I made this recipe, I made two changes – I replaced the eggs and cheese to allow for a vegan diet. For the eggs, I used an egg substitute called Egg Replacer by Ener-G. I recently discovered this product at The Golden Temple Natural Grocery and Cafe on Birmingham's Southside and have had good success with it in baking. Eggs serve as a binder, and Egg Replacer uses potato starch and tapioca flour to do the same thing. For the cheese, I used a cheese substitute that I found in the supermarket in the vegetarian section (Go Veggie is the brand name) . The product is made of soy protein and claims to have the same melting and stretching qualities as cheese.

The burgers did fine on the outside grill. I cooked them a little longer than the recipe suggests, but I think that is because my grill is higher off the coals than some. The only word of caution I will add is that in my experience, the burgers sank a little bit below the grid on the grill. My first attempt at flipping a burger sheared of the portions that were below the grill spindles. I found that by moving the spatula parallel with the grill lines, I could lift the end of burger slightly and hold it up while I moved the spatula under the burger. With that adjustment in technique, the grilling proceeded with success.

[Addendum (July, 2016): In making my vegan version of these veggie burgers, I have found a better egg substitute -- chia seed. While the Ener- G Egg replacer is excellent for baking, chia seed does better for these burgers. Just use one tablespoon of ground chia seed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water (so for this recipe, I used 2 Tbls of chia seed in 6 Tbles of water). I used a mortar and pestle to grind them. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and you have a nice gel to add to the mix. Using chia seed not only added more nutrition to the burgers, it also made them firmer and easier to handle on the grill.]

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Recipes My Daughter Likes: Butternut Squash Skillet Lasagna

Now that we are getting a hint of autumn in the air, here is a great fall recipe that is simple and easy to make. I found last year at Winn Dixie Supermarket. In fact it is from their Flavors recipe magazine that is free to WD customers. 

The first time I tried it, the family declared it to be worthy of making again, so it went into my recipe file. Just last week, when my wife brought home a butternut squash from the farmers' market, I served it up again.

This vegetarian recipe can easily be adapted to vegan, which is the way I prepare it. Instead of heavy cream, I substitute coconut creamer. For the Parmesan  cheese, I use Follow Your Heart brand "Dairy Free Parmesan Style Shredded Cheese Alternative." 

Here is the recipe as it appeared in the Winn Dixie Flavors magazine:

Butternut Squash Skillet Lasagna

Preparation time: 15 min.

Cooking time: 40 min.

Serves Four

VEGETARIAN INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small butternut squash (about 1 lb.), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½" pieces
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken crosswise into 2"-long pieces
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse

SAUTÉ squash in oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in shallot, 1 Tbsp. sage, garlic, and ¾ tsp. salt and cook for 30 more seconds.

STIR broth and cream into skillet, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Scatter pasta over squash, but do not stir. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 25 minutes.

SPRINKLE with cheese, walnuts, and remaining 1 Tbsp. sage and serve.

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Recipes My Daughter Likes: Polenta with Speckled Butter Beans

Anything I file under "Recipes my daughter likes" will by definition be vegetarian and vegan. This one is quick and easy and has a Southern flavor. It is a recipe that I threw together the other night with things that we had on hand. It turned out very well, being healthy, filling and it even had a gourmet flair.

Here is what I had on hand to prepare the dish:

Ingredients:

• Fresh frozen speckled butter beans, 10 oz.
• Field Roast brand Vegan Italian sausage (1 link)
• One roll of packaged polenta
• Vegetable bouillon 

Here is what I did:

Using one cube of Knorr's Vegetable Bouillon, prepare 2 cups of broth in a medium sized boiler.

Add about 10 oz. of fresh frozen speckled butter beans (I used about 1/3 of my 32 oz. bag in the freezer). Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 45 minutes, until beans are tender. Add water as needed.

While the beans are cooking:

• Unwrap the polenta and slice if into ½ inch rounds 
• Unwrap one of the Field Roast Vegan Italian sausages and slice it into ½ inch rounds. 

Have these on a plate ready to cook when the beans are done.

Cooking the polenta and sausage:

In a large skillet, dissolve another cube of Knorr's Vegetable Bouillon in about an inch of water. Use this broth to cook the polenta slices as well as the sausage slices in. (I have cooked polenta in the oven and I have tried frying it in a skillet with some oil, but the best method I have found is to simmer the slices in a skillet with some broth instead of oil. This way, there is no sticking to the pan, and the polenta is nicely flavored by the broth)

Over medium heat, sauté the polenta in the skillet with the broth for about six minutes, turning each slice over halfway through (about 3 minutes per side). When the polenta is cooked, remove them to a serving plate and then do the same preparation with the sausage slices, sautéing them in the broth for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. 

By the time I put the sausages in, the broth had cooked down and I needed more liquid, so I added a little sherry to the skillet to finish cooking the sausages (of course, on should always have some sherry at the ready in the kitchen).

When serving, place three or four slices of polenta on a plate. With a slotted spoon, dish out some butter beans on top of the polenta. Scoop up some sausage rounds ad scatter then on top of the butter beans. Enjoy!

Yield: This recipe produced three good servings. Adding another sausage link would have stretched it to four good servings servings. You could increase the amount of speckled butter beans as well, depending upon how many people you are serving.

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Recommended Recipes: Red Bean Black Bean Mix

I am happy with beans.

Dried beans in the pantry

Assure me that there is bounty in the earth

And that the world is latent with possibilities.

I am happy with the way they swirl about

in the rinsing bowl

Like hundreds of prayers

On unstrung rosary beads.

If ever I am unsure of what to do next,

I can always cook beans.

                                      ~ From “Autumn Beatitudes”

                                         By Charles Kinnaird

I didn’t grow up eating beans and rice. My mother cooked black-eyed peas and Boston baked beans and in season prepared fresh field peas and butter beans.  In my adult life, however, beans and rice has become one of my comfort foods, and this red bean/black bean combination has become a family favorite. I got the idea from Laurel’s Kitchen vegetarian cookbook. She recommends certain bean combinations to increase nutritional value:

                       Red Bean Mix                                                          

          1 ¼ cups pinto beans

          1 ¼ cups kidney beans

          1 cup black beans

          1/3 cup mung beans

          1/3 cup green split peas                                                                                         

          White Bean Mix  

          2 cups limas

          2 cups small white beans

          ½ cup yellow split peas     

Laurel's Kitchen suggests that the cook season the beans to his or her own taste and also mentions that some beans will be done sooner that others, but that in a slow cooker they will all cook up fine together. I will say that with the Red Bean Mix, the mung beans and the green split peas will break down to form a thick gravy. The same is true of the yellow split peas in the White Bean Mix.

For my part, I borrowed and adapted from Laurel's Kitchen to make a simpler recipe. I take a cup of red beans and a cup of black beans, rinse them well and soak them over night. [Note:these are all dried beans. You can do the over night soak, or if you are like me and forget on occasion to put the beans in water the night before, you can always do the quick soak method in which you put them in plenty of water, bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat, cover and let them soak for an hour. After the dried beans have plumped up, pour out the old water and cover them with fresh water.]

Once I pour off the old water and cover the beans with fresh water (I bring the water line about an inch and a half to two inches above the level of the beans), I'll add some olive oil, maybe a teaspoon of two to prevent frothing. The only seasoning I use is a cube of Knorr's Vegetable Bullion (one cube makes the equivalent of 2 cups of bullion).

Bring the beans to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. I'll usually cook them for one and a half to two hours. Watch the water level and add more if the liquid begins to boil away. When the beans are done, if I find they have too much liquid I'll partially lift the lid to let some liquid evaporate.

Serve the beans over brown rice or white basmati rice. If you like you can wrap them in a tortilla with a little rice and cheese. This has become a true comfort food in our household.



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Recipes My Daughter Likes: The Ultimate Veggie Burger

I saw it in The New York Times last week – a recipe for “The Ultimate VeggieBurger.” The recipe is by Melissa Clark. When I saw it, I wanted to try it, but there was just one problem. My daughter is vegan, and this recipe calls for eggs and cheese, both of which are by definition not part of a vegan diet. So I altered the recipe to make it vegan by using an egg substitute as well as a cheese substitute. I put all the ingredients together on Friday night, placed the mixture in the refrigerator overnight, then fired up the grill on Saturday.

Photo by Andrew Scrivani
for The New York Times

The results were great! It satisfied the vegan as well as the meat eaters in the family. My daughter said it had a texture that was better than any of the frozen varieties of vegetable patties available in the stores.  Everyone said that this recipe is worth making again. I am including Melissa Clark’s original recipe below, then I’ll tell you how I made it. There is even a video on You Tube if you want to see Melissa Clark making this recipe herself.
 

The Ultimate Veggie Burger

By Melissa Clark

You make a veggie burger because you want the hamburger experience without the meat. This one

delivers. It’s got a firm, beefy texture that takes on the char and smoke of the grill, but is adaptable

enough to cook inside on your stove. The enemy of a veggie burger is mushiness, which stems from a

high moisture content. To combat that, the very watery ingredients – mushrooms, tofu, beans and

beets – are roasted to both dehydrate them somewhat and intensify their flavors. Yes, the ingredient

list here is long; you need a diverse lot to make a good veggie burger. And each one adds something

in terms of flavor and/or texture. Garnish this any way you like, and don’t forget to toast the buns.

TOTAL TIME: 1½  hours, plus at least 2 hours to chill

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained
• Olive oil
• 1 /2 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
• Black pepper, as needed
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 medium beet, peeled and coarsely grated (3/4 cup)
• 3/4 cup tamari almonds or cashews
• 1 /3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 ounces Cotija cheese or queso blanco, crumbled or grated (about 1 /2 cup)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon dulce pimentón or sweet smoked paprika
• 4 ounces tempeh, crumbled
• 1 /2 cup cooked brown rice

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice tofu into 1/4-inch-thick slabs and pat dry with paper towel.

   Arrange tofu on one half of a rimmed baking sheet; brush both sides with oil. Spread mushrooms

   on the other half of the baking sheet; toss with 2 tablespoons oil and salt and pepper.

2. On a second rimmed baking sheet, toss beans and grated beet with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and

    pepper, then spread the mixture into one layer.

3. Transfer both baking sheets to the oven. Roast bean-beet mixture, tossing occasionally, until

    beans begin to split and beets are tender and golden, about 15 minutes. Roast mushrooms and

    tofu until golden and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Let everything cool.

4. Place nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add cooled bean-beet mixture,

    mushrooms, tofu, panko, cheese, eggs, mayonnaise, scallion, garlic, pimentón and 3/4 teaspoon

    salt. Pulse until ingredients are just combined. Pulse in tempeh and rice but do not overprocess.

    You want small chunks, not a smooth mixture. Scrape mixture into a bowl and chill at least 2

    hours or up to 5 days (you can also freeze the burger mix).

5. When you are ready to make the burgers, divide mixture into 6 equal portions and form each

    portion into a patty about 1 inch thick. Return to the fridge until just before grilling. They grill

    better when they start out cold.

6. Heat the grill. Cook the burgers over a low fire until they are charred on both sides and firm

    when you press on them, 4 to 6 minutes per side. If they start to burn before they firm up, move

    them to the sides of the grill to finish cooking over indirect heat. Alternatively, you can cook these

    on a grill pan or in a skillet over low heat.

YIELD: 6 Burgers

*    *    *

When I made this recipe, I made two changes – I replaced the eggs and cheese to allow for a vegan diet. For the eggs, I used an egg substitute called Egg Replacer by Ener-G. I recently discovered this product at The Golden Temple Natural Grocery and Cafe on Birmingham's Southside and have had good success with it in baking. Eggs serve as a binder, and Egg Replacer uses potato starch and tapioca flour to do the same thing. For the cheese, I used a cheese substitute that I found in the supermarket in the vegetarian section (Go Veggie is the brand name) . The product is made of soy protein and claims to have the same melting and stretching qualities as cheese.

The burgers did fine on the outside grill. I cooked them a little longer than the recipe suggests, but I think that is because my grill is higher off the coals than some. The only word of caution I will add is that in my experience, the burgers sank a little bit below the grid on the grill. My first attempt at flipping a burger sheared of the portions that were below the grill spindles. I found that by moving the spatula parallel with the grill lines, I could lift the end of burger slightly and hold it up while I moved the spatula under the burger. With that adjustment in technique, the grilling proceeded with success.

[Addendum (July, 2016): In making my vegan version of these veggie burgers, I have found a better egg substitute -- chia seed. While the Ener- G Egg replacer is excellent for baking, chia seed does better for these burgers. Just use one tablespoon of ground chia seed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water (so for this recipe, I used 2 Tbls of chia seed in 6 Tbles of water). I used a mortar and pestle to grind them. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and you have a nice gel to add to the mix. Using chia seed not only added more nutrition to the burgers, it also made them firmer and easier to handle on the grill.]

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Recommended Recipes: Ratatouille

Over the years, one of my favorite recipes has been ratatouille. Ratatouille is a traditional French Provençal stew that originated in Nice. I discovered it as an adult when I was looking for vegetarian recipes. The first recipe I found for ratatouille was in the Betty Crocker Cookbook which I bought about the time I set myself up in my first apartment. It is a simple stew cooked on top of the stove, but very flavorful and satisfying. I have used that recipe for years, sometimes as a stew or a side dish, sometimes as the main course served over brown rice and topped with shredded mozzarella cheese. I have even served it wrapped in crepes and topped with Gruyère cheese.

When the movie Ratatouille came out, I noticed that a baked version was featured in that animated film. I decided to search for such a recipe. There are a number of baked ratatouille recipes to be found online. Ratatouille typically includes eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions. I found one called “Roast Ratatouille” that looked interesting. It is included in a line of recipes featured by a British grocery chain, Waitrose.

I have tried the roasted ratatouille recipe a couple of times now, and it is a hit with the family. Using less oil, it is a lower fat version, and the roasting adds a different flavor to the mix. I thought I would include both recipes here, and you can choose whichever one you want. They are both good. In preparing the eggplant, I usually peel it first, but you may slice it or dice it with the peeling still on. Your dish will actually have more color as well as more vitamin content if you leave the peel intact.

RATATOUILLE

(From the 1983 edition of Betty Crocker’s Cookbook, ninth edition)

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant (about 1½ pounds)
• 2 small zucchini (about ½ pound)
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped (about1 cup)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup) 
• 4 medium tomatoes, each cut into fourths
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 5 cups eggplant, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes.
• 2 cups sliced zucchini

Cook and stir all ingredients until heated through. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. 

YIELD: 6 TO 8 SERVINGS.

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Roast Ratatouille 

(From Waitrose Recipes online)

Traditional ratatouille is a mix of garlic, onions, peppers, courgettes and aubergines braised with lots and lots of olive oil. It's very healthy, but not exactly low-fat. To cut down, roast the vegetables in a hot oven with just a hint of olive oil. Stir in a further tablespoon of your very best olive oil at the end, for flavour and richness.

Preparation time:   10 minutes

Cooking time:          30 minutes

Total time:              40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients 

• 3 medium courgettes (zucchini), sliced on the diagonal
• 1 large red onion, peeled, halved and cut into thin wedges held together by the root
• 1 red and 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 1 medium aubergine (small eggplant), halved lengthways and sliced into half-moons
• 3-4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 6-8 ripe tomatoes, cut into large chunks
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7.  (Note: This is equal to 428 ° F – the first time I heated the oven to 450°, the second time I tried 425°. I think I liked the hotter temperature better. Of course, you can always turn the dial somewhere between 425 and 450)

2. Put the courgettes, onion, peppers, aubergine and garlic into a non-stick roasting pan large enough to fit them in one and a half layers (if the vegetables are more crowded, they'll steam, not roast). Toss with 1 tsp olive oil (or spray lightly with oil from an atomiser). Roast for 20 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Remove from the oven, stir in the tomatoes, and cook for 10 minutes more, till the tomatoes are soft and all the vegetables cooked. Remove from the oven, stir in the extra virgin oil, season to taste, and serve.

(Additional Note: I started out with a 13 x 9 inch Pyrex baking dish and quickly realized that my vegetables would completely fill the dish, which is not what the recipe recommends. I quickly got two additional baking pans so that I could spread all the vegetable out in a single layer. I roasted the vegetables in those three separate pans for the first 20 minutes of cooking time. Then when the recipe calls for adding the tomatoes, I threw everything into the 13 x 9 Pyrex dish for the final ten minutes)

3.You could add chopped olives and capers to create a flavourful accompaniment for fish. Try serving the dish with macaroni cheese, or stir in fresh basil and toss with pasta for a simple supper.

(One more note: you will notice that this recipe calls for very little seasoning. The second time I made the dish, I sprinkled some herbs de Provence on top along with some shredded mozzarella cheese before serving – it was superb!)

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Photos Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons:

Upper - Traditional ratatouille

             Credit: Tomáš Zeleninský

Lower - Roasted ratatouille

             Credit: Ji-Elle

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