Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers

by Moosewood Collective

  CHIPOTLES IN ADOBO SAUCE usually packed in small cans, are whole smoked jalapeños in a thick, flavorful tomato sauce called adobo that usually contains tomatoes, vinegar, onions, ground chiles, sugar, spices, and herbs. The peppers are hotter than the sauce; we use only the sauce when we want a mellow yet flavorful smokiness. We like La Torre brand canned chipotles in adobo sauce.

  CHUTNEY is a sweet-and-sour Indian condiment made with fruit, vegetables, and spices. Chutney is easily made (see pineapple chutney and cranberry chutney recipes), but a wide variety of prepared chutneys is available in the gourmet, Indian, or Asian aisle of most supermarkets.

  COCONUT MILK smooth, thick, and richly flavored, is made from water and grated coconut that has been puréed and strained. It comes canned in regular and reduced-fat versions and is available free of preservatives and additives. Once the can is opened, the coconut milk will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator. Frozen, it will last indefinitely. Pour leftover coconut milk into ice-cube trays and freeze it. Later, store the frozen cubes in a freezer bag; cubes dropped into soups and sauces melt easily and quickly.

  COOKING SPRAYS (oil in a spray can) are very convenient. They make oiling baking dishes a snap. Look for pure olive oil or canola oil sprays, or find an oil spray jar in cooking stores and use your own oil.

  CURRY PASTE is a Southeast Asian condiment that combines curry spices and vegetable oils to create a highly concentrated seasoning. Like curry powders, curry pastes have a range of flavors and spiciness. Curry pastes are available in jars at Indian groceries and in the Indian or Southeast Asian section of many supermarkets.

  EDAMAME are shelled or unshelled fresh or frozen soybeans. Look for edamame in the produce department or among the frozen vegetables.

  FENNEL (fennel bulb, anise) is a curious-looking vegetable with a sweet anise flavor and crunchy texture. Fresh fennel has a large, white, edible, bulbous bottom with green celery-like stalks topped by feathery fronds. The bulb is usually sliced, and the fronds make nice garnishes. The tough stalks should be discarded.

  GINGER ROOT is a knobby, light brown rhizome with a clear, fresh scent and hot, spicy taste. Look for it in the produce section of food markets. If the skin is very thin and tender, there is no need to peel it before grating it (a microplane grater is the best). If the skin is blemished or tough, peel it first with a paring knife or vegetable peeler or by scraping it with the edge of a spoon.

  GREENS

  Greens is a term that refers to both raw salad greens and to cooked leafy greens. Popular salad greens include Boston lettuce, spinach, Belgian endive, mesclun (field mix, spring mix), loose-leaf lettuces, radicchio, and arugula. Cooked greens include chard, collards, escarole, kale, mustard greens, broccoli raab, bok choy, and watercress. We always rinse bagged and bulk salad greens, even when labeled prewashed.

  ARUGULA becomes more peppery and sharp-tasting as it matures. Arugula is used both as a cooked green and raw in salads.

  CHARD We use both red-veined ruby chard and green Swiss chard. Look for fresh perky leaves with bright tender stems and veins.

  COLLARDS (collard greens) are mild-tasting, bluish-green, paddle-shaped leaves. To strip collards, hold a leaf by the stem, grasp the base of the leaf with your other hand, and pull your hands away from each other, stripping off the leaf. Frozen collards are widely available and are convenient and have pretty good flavor. They cook more quickly than most fresh collards. One pound of raw collards yields about 4 cups cooked.

  ENDIVE (frisée, curly endive) is a delicate, bitter salad green with frilly leaves and a crisp texture. It will keep fresh in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Rinse well before using.

  ESCAROLE has mildly bitter, dark green, wavy leaves with white sweet-tasting midribs. Avoid wilted, yellow, or brown-edged bunches. Escarole will keep in a perforated plastic bag for several days in the refrigerator.

  KALE an exceptionally nutritious food, is available in several varieties. The most common varieties have bluish-green, frilly-edged leaves or smooth purplish-red leaves. Kale will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week. To strip kale leaves, hold each leaf by the stem, grasp the base of the leaf with your other hand, and pull your hands away from each other, stripping off the leaf. One pound of raw kale yields about 4 cups cooked.

  MESCLUN (field mix, spring mix), a combination of various sweet, sharp, and peppery baby salad greens, such as lettuce, baby spinach, mizuna, and mustard greens, is available in bags or in bulk in most supermarket produce departments.

  MUSTARD GREENS are a spicy, mustardy green, terrific for flavoring and good as a companion to milder greens such as collards or spinach. Young red mustard greens are often included in mixes of mesclun or baby greens. Wrapped in a damp towel in plastic in the refrigerator, mustard greens will keep for about 3 days.

  SPINACH We like baby spinach for its timesaving convenience: no stemming and chopping. If you use regular spinach in a recipe calling for baby spinach, remove the large stems and coarsely chop the leaves, and then measure it. Buy frozen spinach that is packaged in bags rather than in blocks, because in bags the spinach is frozen in separate clumps, so portions can be easily removed and the bag resealed.

  HERBS, FRESH AND DRIED The scent, bright color, and fresh flavor of a fresh herb can make the simplest dish delectable, but dried herbs work better in some dishes. As a rule of thumb, use about half the amount of dried as fresh herbs. To test for strength of flavor, rub a pinch of dried herb between your fingers and breathe in the scent. Adjust the amount you use according to the intensity of the aroma.

  HOISIN SAUCE a sweet Chinese condiment, is a deep chocolate-colored purée with a smooth, thick texture. It usually contains soybeans, sugar, vinegar, and spices.

  HORSERADISH A pungent condiment. Most supermarkets carry jars of grated horseradish mixed with vinegar and salt.

  IMMERSION BLENDER A lightweight electric blender with a shaft that can be immersed in hot soups or sauces right in the pot. They save time and cleanup (and are safer than pouring hot soup into a blender jar). Also, you can use them to blend whole tomatoes right in the can.

  KEIFFER LIME LEAVES (kafir lime leaves, magroot, makrug, wild limes), used in Thai and Indonesian cuisine, are the glossy, dark green leaves of a tree grown in Southeast Asia and Hawaii. They have a unique lemon-lime perfume and wonderful flavor. Whole leaves, like bay leaves, are used to flavor hot foods and then discarded before eating. When finely shredded, they can be eaten cooked and raw. Keiffer lime leaves freeze well—just place dry whole leaves in a freezer bag, and they’ll retain flavor for months. Look for them in the produce section of large supermarkets.

  KITCHEN SCISSORS Buy sharp kitchen scissors to snip fresh herbs into neat, finely chopped garnishes; to trim the sharp points from fresh artichoke leaves; to cut cooked noodles and parchment paper; to create vegetable, flower, and fruit decorations. Carefully dry the blades after washing to keep the scissors from rusting.

  LEMONGRASS STALKS are amazingly aromatic reeds, treasured more for their fragrance than their flavor. They can grow up to 2 feet high and range in color from pale yellowish green to green-gray. To use lemongrass, cut off the tough root end, peel away the thick outer layers, and slice or mince the tender core. The tough exterior layers can be used in stock. Lemongrass is sold in Asian markets and many supermarkets. It is easy to grow, and although tropical, it will grow in moderate climates, and we have successfully harvested it even with our short upstate New York summers.

  MANGOES There is nothing quite like a luscious ripe mango. Mangoes have a large, flat central pit that occupies about a third of the fruit and the pulp is very slippery, so be careful when slicing or peeling them. To cube a mango, use a sharp knife and slice from top to bottom along one of the broad, flat sides, cutting as close to the pit as possible. Then slice off the other side, leaving about a 1-inch strip of pulp and peel attached to the pit. Without cutting into the peel, score the pulp of each sliced half in a crosshatch pattern. Then bend each mango half inside
out and slice off the cubes. Carefully peel and then cut away the pulp clinging to the pit.

  MICROPLANE GRATER Possibly the greatest cooking tool introduced in the last decade. A long, flat stainless-steel grater with small, sharp grating edges. It makes fast work of grating whole nutmeg, fresh ginger and hard cheeses, and it’s perfect for grating lemon and orange peel; with a light touch, the zest is very finely shredded (not gummy), and it’s easy to avoid grating too deep and getting into the bitter pith. Microplane graters are easy to use and easy to clean. Originally they were woodworking tools sold in hardware stores, and then someone discovered how great they are in the kitchen. Look for them in kitchen supply stores and cooking catalogs.

  MIRIN A Japanese sweet cooking wine made from rice, with a lovely, sweet flavor. If you’re caught without mirin, substitute brown sugar (two-thirds of the amount of mirin called for) or a mixture of two-thirds dry sherry and one-third brown sugar. Find mirin where Japanese foods are sold.

  MISO A salty, fermented soybean-grain paste. Types vary greatly in intensity and flavor depending on the grains added to the soybeans and the length of the aging process. We most often use rice miso, which is amber-colored and has a delicate and slightly sweet flavor. Add miso at the end of cooking. Avoid boiling it, because high heat destroys its beneficial digestive and antibacterial enzymes. Miso is available in natural foods stores, most supermarkets, and Asian groceries where Japanese foods are sold.

  NUTS

  We recommend whole nuts and pieces because they’re less expensive than prepackaged chopped or sliced ones, and their flavor is superior when you chop them as they’re needed. Nuts should be kept in the refrigerator for short-term storage, or frozen in freezer bags and containers for up to a year.

  To toast nuts:

  In a Microwave Oven Nuts and seeds don’t brown in a microwave, but they do get that crispness and the deep, rich flavor of oven-toasted nuts. Spread the nuts on a plate; the time varies for different nuts and depending on the strength of the microwave oven.

  In a Skillet In a heavy skillet on medium heat, spread the nuts in one layer and toast, stirring as they brown. They’re done when they become aromatic and lightly browned.

  In the Oven Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the nuts or seeds evenly in one layer on a dry baking sheet. Bake them for about 5 minutes, stirring once for even toasting.

  OLD BAY is our favorite brand of Chesapeake Bay seasoning, a distinctive spice and herb mix, salty with a hint of heat, commonly used in seafood dishes. Usually, you’ll find it near the seafood counter or in the spice section.

  PAPPADAMS are round, flat, extremely thin disks about 8 inches in diameter, made of spiced chickpea or lentil flour, and commonly used in Indian cooking. Cook each pappadam by briefly frying in a heavy skillet in hot oil. As soon as it is placed in the hot oil, it will brown, blister, and become crisp. Remove right away and place on paper towels to drain. Packages of pappadams can be bought in Asian groceries or the international section of supermarkets.

  PASTA For cooking directions, this page. Italian pasta is made in a multitude of shapes: long strands (spaghetti, fusilli, linguine, fettuccine), short and chunky (spiralini, farfalle, elbows, short penne), flat (fettuccine, farfalle, lasagna noodles, tagliatelle), hollowed (penne, ziti, elbows, shells, orecchiette) and very short or small (pastina, orzo, tubettini, gnocchetti sardi). Most of the Italian names for the shapes are descriptive, sometimes amusing: orecchiette, little ears; spaghetti, strings; tubetti and tubettini, small tubes and tiny tubes; linguine, tongues; farfalle, butterflies; manicotti, small muffs. It’s a good thing that pasta comes in clear bags, so we can see what we’re getting.

  PESTO is a sumptuous paste usually made with olive oil, basil, nuts, garlic, and aged cheese. Homemade pesto freezes very well. In specialty food stores and often in the produce section of supermarkets, you can find pesto packed in jars—a great pantry staple for last-minute meals.

  PINE NUTS (pignoli) are the edible seeds of certain pine trees that grow in Central America, the Mediterranean, and southwestern United States. These highly perishable nuts have a sweet flavor and creamy texture. Store them in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. For the best flavor, dry-roast them in a skillet or 350° oven for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown.

  ROASTED RED PEPPERS Look for roasted red peppers in jars or cans in Italian grocery stores or near the pasta sauces in supermarkets. To roast a fresh pepper, place a whole red bell pepper directly over the flame on a gas stove or under the broiler and char it for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs. Cool the pepper in a covered bowl or a closed paper bag. Remove the stem and seeds and most of the charred skin.

  RICE this page.

  RICE NOODLES (rice sticks) are long, translucent, off-white noodles of various widths, round and flat. They’re made of rice flour. Look for them in Asian groceries and many supermarkets. To cook rice noodles, either boil them briefly in plenty of water or immerse them in hot water and let them sit for several minutes, until soft.

  SALAD GREENS See Greens.

  SEASONED TOFU See Tofu.

  SEITAN Wheat gluten that has been boiled and then sautéed in flavorings such as soy sauce and ginger. It is available in sealed packages and canned, both plain and seasoned, and once opened will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

  SESAME OIL When we call for sesame oil in this book, we mean dark sesame oil, which is pressed from roasted sesame seeds and is used as a rich, aromatic flavoring.

  SHRIMP The count on shrimp labels refers to how many shrimp of that size are in 1 pound. The smaller the count, the larger the shrimp. Usually larger shrimp are more succulent and flavorful but more expensive, too. Shrimp recipes in this book call for raw peeled and deveined shrimp. We recommend thawing frozen shrimp briefly in cold water to reduce curling and toughening when they are cooked. Shrimp are done as soon as they turn pink, usually 3 minutes in hot liquid or 3 to 5 minutes in a pan or on a hot grill; longer cooking times make them tough and dry.

  SLAW MIXES One of our favorite simple supper convenience foods, good for both quickly prepared side salads and as an ingredient in vegetable sautés. Cellophane packages of coleslaw (shredded cabbage and carrots), Asian slaw (finely shredded napa or savoy cabbage, celery, and carrots), and broccoli slaw (shredded broccoli, carrots, and celery) can be found in most supermarket produce sections.

  SOBA NOODLES are hearty Japanese noodles made with buckwheat flour. Look for them in natural foods stores, Asian groceries, and large supermarkets. Cook soba noodles in a large pot of boiling water, until tender but still firm, from 3 to 10 minutes.

  SOY MILK is a thick dairy-free beverage that can be used in place of regular milk in most recipes. Whole soy milk, low-fat, and flavored varieties are available in natural foods stores and supermarkets.

  SOY SAUCE The best-tasting, purest soy sauces are made from four ingredients only: soybeans, water, wheat, and salt. Some good wheat-free and low-sodium soy sauces are available. Avoid diluted sauces that include caramel coloring, sweetening, and/or preservatives. Soy sauces vary in strength and saltiness, so taste yours before adding it to a dish. Soy sauce is widely available in Asian groceries and supermarkets.

  SPICE GRINDER Ground spices are convenient, but freshly ground seeds such as fennel, cumin, coriander, and cardamom are more flavorful. An electric coffee grinder, used just for spices, makes it easy to grind as needed.

  SUN-DRIED TOMATOES with their intense tart-sweet, salty flavor and chewy texture, add an instant depth of flavor to soups, sauces, pasta, and sandwiches. They are often quite salty, so use additional salt judiciously. Look for plain dried tomatoes without sulfites. Soak dried tomatoes in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, until softened, before chopping and adding to a dish.

  TABASCO is one of the most widely known and used brands of hot pepper sauce and a staple in the Moosewood kitchen. It’s made with vinegar, red chiles, and salt. Other hot pepper sauces abound; we like to look for locally pr
oduced favorites.

  TOFU also known as bean curd, is made from soy milk to which a coagulant is added. It has little taste of its own, but it absorbs flavors readily. It comes in blocks of varying weights and firmness. Fresh tofu is packed in water and found in the refrigerator case in natural foods stores, supermarkets, and Asian grocery stores. Tofu can also be purchased in vacuum-packed containers with an indefinite shelf life at room temperature. Once the package is opened, tofu is perishable and should be stored in the refrigerator in a container of water that is changed daily to maintain freshness. Use both fresh tofu and opened shelf-stable tofu within a week.

  FIRM TOFU usually available both refrigerated and shelf-stable, is sold in cakes that weigh between 12 and 18 ounces. Its texture is denser than and holds its shape better than soft and silken tofu. It can be crumbled or cut into cubes, triangles, slabs, or sticks and is good baked or added to stir-fries and stews.

  For a firmer, drier texture, press tofu (to remove some of the water) before cooking it. Sandwich the tofu between two plates and weight the top with a heavy object such as a book or can. Press for 15 or 20 minutes.

  FROZEN TOFU When you freeze a cake of firm tofu, its texture becomes spongelike. After it is thawed, you can squeeze out quite a bit of water. Then the tofu can be grated or chopped to make a crumbly, chewy addition to soups, stews, and stuffings. It takes at least 6 hours to freeze tofu and about as long to thaw it, so you need to plan ahead. The process can be speeded by slicing the cake of tofu horizontally into two or three slabs before freezing it. Place the tofu on a tray, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and put in the freezer for at least 6 hours. Defrost in the refrigerator or at room temperature, squeeze out the water, and use immediately.