4. While the mushrooms are cooking, place the eggs, milk, flour, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a blender, and blend on high speed for a few seconds, until everything is just combined to make a smooth batter. (If you don’t have a blender, whisk all of this together in a medium-sized bowl. It’s okay if the mixture has a few lumps.) Set this aside until the mushrooms are done cooking.
5. When the mushrooms are ready, transfer them to a plate or bowl and set aside. Thoroughly wash and dry the pan, and return it to the stove. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, turn on the heat to low, and heat just until the butter melts and begins to foam. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and swirl until the melted butter completely coats the bottom and sides of the pan. Add the mushrooms, spreading them out in a fairly even layer, and then pour in the batter.
6. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the mixture has become puffed and golden, the top feels solid when touched lightly with a fingertip, and the edges have shrunk from the sides of the pan and become quite brown. Remove the pan from the oven. Serve hot or warm, cut into wedges.
MUSHROOM PREP TIPS
It’s best to store mushrooms in the refrigerator in a brown paper bag, not in the plastic bag you might have brought them home in. This helps them stay dry and fresh. To clean them, wipe the caps with a lightly damp cloth or paper towel. (Don’t immerse them in water, or they will soak it up and get soggy.) With domestic mushrooms, if the stem is tight, leave it on and simply trim and discard its tough, brown, dry tip. If the stem is loose or in any way funky, just pull it out and throw it away. With shiitakes, always trim off the entire stem using scissors or a sharp paring knife.
GET CREATIVE
Sprinkle some snipped chives or minced flat-leaf parsley over the top as a garnish.
Pass some grated Parmesan cheese at the table for sprinkling on top.
This recipe, minus the entire mushroom part, works wonderfully as a giant sweet pancake you can serve for brunch or dessert. Just make the batter, heat 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet, and bake as directed. As soon as the pancake comes out of the oven, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the top and sprinkle on some powdered sugar (using a kitchen strainer to sift the sugar). Serve with warm maple syrup.
baked stuffed potatoes
Makes 1 or 2 servings
Bar munchie becomes dinner entrée with just a few deft strokes of your increasingly skilled hands! You simply bake a potato, scoop out the insides, mix them with a few choice ingredients, stuff this back in, and stick it under the broiler for a few minutes. Throw together a salad while the potato bakes, and you’ve got dinner. This compact little recipe works really well in a toaster oven, and can easily be multiplied to serve more people (in which case, use a regular oven).
1 medium-large russet potato (¾ pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup minced red or yellow onion
¼ teaspoon minced garlic (half a small clove)
1 ounce (about 1 cup, lightly packed) fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
¼ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons minced scallion (green tops only)
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1. Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potato under running water and pat it dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel.
2. Place the potato directly on the oven rack. Let it bake for 50 minutes to an hour, or until the outside becomes crisp and the inside is tender when you pierce it with a sharp knife. (For this recipe it’s better to overcook it a bit than to have it be underdone.)
3. While the potato is baking, place a small (6-inch or so) skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion, turn the heat down, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until the onion becomes deep golden brown and very soft. Stir in the garlic, remove the pan from the heat, and set it aside until the potato is ready.
4. Remove the potato from the oven and when it’s just cool enough to handle, slit it in half lengthwise. Use a soup spoon to scoop the flesh into a medium bowl, being careful to leave the potato skin intact and boat-like. Mash and lightly fluff the potato flesh with a fork. Place the empty skins on a baking tray lined with foil. Heat the broiler to high.
5. Add the onion mixture to the mashed potato, being sure to scrape in every last bit of the olive oil and delicious tidbits from the pan. Add the spinach, sour cream, scallion, salt, and pepper, mixing lightly with the fork until everything is thoroughly combined.
6. Divide the mixture evenly between the two empty potato skins, mounding it slightly. Sprinkle the cheese over the tops, patting it gently into place so it won’t fall off. Broil a few inches from the heat source for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese melts and is lightly golden. Serve right away.
* * *
GET CREATIVE
Cook 1 or 2 slices of bacon (see Chapter 8: Party Snacks) or “veggie” bacon. Let it cool, crumble it, and sprinkle it over the potatoes before adding the cheese.
Try various cheeses to find your favorite. Cheddar and Gruyère both work very well with spinach, and so do feta, Gouda, and many others. This is a fun way to experiment, and to make this slightly different each time.
If you love things extra-cheesy, you can also stir a few tablespoons of grated cheese into the stuffing mixture and/or sprinkle a little more on top.
* * *
greek-style stuffed eggplant
Makes 4 main-dish servings, or 8 side dishes if you cut them in half
This a real crowd-pleaser—the kind of dish your friends will be flattered that you went to the trouble to prepare. But your secret will be that it’s really not that much trouble. The flavor is complex, the texture is a combination of smooth, chewy, and crunchy in all the right ways, and the overall effect is one of celebration. This would be a great choice for someone’s birthday dinner. Much of the preparation can be done in advance. You can even make and bake the eggplant 2 to 3 days ahead and store them, tightly wrapped in foil, in the refrigerator. They will reheat well, still wrapped in the foil, in a 300°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
2 medium eggplants (1 pound each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red or yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 good-sized cloves)
1 medium bell pepper (any color), chopped
½ teaspoon salt
One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
One 12-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
Heaping ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 cups toasted breadcrumbs (see Chapter 3: Pastas)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
1. Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Carefully cut the eggplants in half lengthwise with a large, sharp knife. Try to get equal halves with clean edges.
3. Use a soup spoon or teaspoon to dig into the flesh of each eggplant half and scrape it out. You will find that it comes out fairly easily, mostly in longish strips, once you get it started. Pull and scrape out the flesh, leaving a shell about ¼-inch thick. Set the eggplant shells aside.
4. Transfer the eggplant flesh to a cutting board, and chop it into roughly ½-inch pieces. Transfer the chopped eggplant to a bowl, and set aside.
5. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion and herbs, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Then add the chopped eggplant
, bell pepper, and salt. Stir until well combined, turning up the heat to medium-high. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the eggplant is soft. Add the drained tomatoes and artichoke hearts, keeping the heat at medium-high. Stir and cook for 5 minutes longer. Don’t cover the pan—you want the juices from all the vegetables to evaporate as much as possible.
6. Turn off the heat, and stir in the feta, breadcrumbs, and black pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined, then set aside until cool enough to handle comfortably.
7. Arrange the eggplant shells in a 9-by 13-inch baking pan, facing up as squarely as possible. (Ideally they will just fit, with the sides touching to prop one another up. It’s okay if it seems crowded—they will shrink a little while baking.) Divide the filling evenly among the 4 shells, pushing it gently into the cavities and mounding it with the back of a spoon. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and bake it in the oven for 45 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the oven, and carefully (so as to avoid a steam burn) lift off the foil. Sprinkle the pine nuts or walnuts over the tops of the filled eggplant halves, and gently (and carefully) press them into place. Return the uncovered pan to the oven for another 15 minutes of baking. Serve hot or warm.
GET CREATIVE
Make this vegan by omitting the cheese.
A few handfuls of minced parsley added to the filling will add color and some flavor.
Instead of breadcrumbs, you can use the same amount of cooked bulgur (see Chapter 7: Sides), rice (see Chapter 7: Sides), or orzo (rice-shaped pasta) for a heartier dish.
Add ½ cup lightly toasted sunflower seeds to the filling, or sprinkle a few untoasted sunflower seeds on top instead of, or in addition to, the nuts.
Red pepper flakes (a big pinch or two) will add some zing to the filling or just on top.
Sprinkle with fresh basil and/or mint leaves, cut into strips, just before serving.
Use crumbled goat cheese instead of feta for a slightly milder flavor.
chickpea and mango curry
Makes 4 servings
This is an impressively simple recipe with fabulous flavor. The first step is finding an excellent curry powder. Since curry is a blend of spices (usually turmeric, cumin, cardamom, mustard seed, and others) and no two are alike, the only way to know what one will taste like is to try it. When you find The One, stock up—even if it’s just for this recipe. I predict you’ll make it often. While fresh mango is wonderful, it’s unpredictable in texture and yield, and the peeling and pitting makes for a fair amount of messy work. For a cooked recipe like this, I recommend using frozen mango chunks, one of my favorite convenience foods. They’re not expensive, and they keep for months in your freezer. Just take whatever quantity you need out of the bag, close it up again, and put the bag back in the freezer. You don’t even need to defrost the mango before adding it to this dish. In fact, if you let it defrost into the curry as it cooks, the resulting sauce will be that much better. This curry goes perfectly with basmati rice, so put some on to cook before you begin (see Chapter 7: Sides).
1 tablespoon canola, soy, or peanut oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 medium red or yellow onion, diced
1 heaping tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon salt
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas (about 3 cups cooked chickpeas)
2 heaping cups (about 12 ounces) frozen mango chunks
A few dashes cayenne pepper
1. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Toss in the butter, and swirl until it melts into the oil. Add the onion, curry powder, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften.
2. Meanwhile, set a colander in the sink and pour in the chickpeas; give them a quick rinse and allow them to drain.
3. Add the chickpeas to the skillet, stirring until they get completely coated with the onion and spices. Turn the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the mango and cover the pan. Let it cook on its own for another 5 minutes, then give it a stir. If it looks like it needs more “sauce,” you can add up to ½ cup water. If you do, let it come to a boil, then turn the heat back down to low, cover the pan again, and cook slowly for an additional 10 minutes. (At this point, the curry benefits greatly from being allowed to just sit, covered, off the heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Not absolutely necessary, but this helps develop the flavor.)
5. Serve hot, over rice, topped with a fine dusting of cayenne.
* * *
GET CREATIVE
Make this vegan by replacing the butter with an extra tablespoon of oil.
If you can’t find mangoes, you can substitute fresh or frozen peaches.
Serve lime wedges on the side for squeezing on top.
Garnish with a small amount of finely minced red onion or shallot.
Add some chopped cilantro, mixing it in at the end of cooking and/or sprinkling it over each serving.
Throw in a handful or two of fresh baby spinach leaves when you add the mango. It will cook in.
Stir a large spoonful of yogurt into the sauce just before serving, or just top each serving with a small dollop.
Add up to ½ cup canned coconut milk (light or regular) when you add the mango to make a rich, creamy sauce.
Top each serving with whole or chopped toasted cashews or roasted peanuts.
* * *
thai green curry with coconut milk, vegetables, and tofu
Makes 4 servings
As ethnic food products become more readily available in supermarkets, it’s easier than ever to make quite credible simulations of our favorite restaurant dishes at home for a fraction of the price. In the Thai arena, Thai Kitchen is among the best-known supermarket brands. I love their curry pastes that come in little jars; you can use just a bit (and be advised, “just a bit” packs quite a punch) and then simply screw the top back on and stick the jar in the refrigerator for next time. This recipe uses green curry paste, which is complex, authentic-tasting, and surprisingly fiery. All you do is whisk it into a blend of coconut milk and vegetable broth, add a few other touches of seasoning, and simmer vegetables directly in the sauce, so it’s a one-pot wonder. (Actually two pots. You’ll need to cook some basmati or jasmine rice ahead of time—see Chapter 7: Sides.) Thai Kitchen also makes a fermented fish sauce, called nam pla. It’s pungent and salty—a thin, clear, amber liquid made from fermented salted fish (usually anchovies) that adds another layer of complexity to the flavor. It keeps forever in your cupboard. If you don’t have fish sauce, or you want to keep this totally vegan-vegetarian, you can substitute soy sauce.
This recipe is vegan if made with soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
2 teaspoons Thai green curry paste
One 14-ounce can coconut milk, light or regular (about 1¾ cups)
1½ cups vegetable broth or reconstituted bouillon
1 small slice lemon
2 to 3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce or soy sauce
½ medium red or yellow onion, diced
1 small yellow crookneck or summer squash, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
1 small zucchini, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
2 heaping cups cauliflower florets
2 heaping cups chopped broccoli
1 medium carrot, diced
½ pound small white mushrooms, cleaned, stem ends trimmed, mushrooms halved or left whole, depending on the size
Half a medium red bell pepper, diced
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