Stocking the Freezer

I reached into the freezer for vegetable stock the other day, and realized my stash was low. In fact, I was holding the last container in my hand.

That was not a good state of affairs. A good vegetable stock is crucial to delicious vegetarian soups and stews. (Larry finds it essential to his beef stew, too.)

So I spent three days this week re-stocking the freezer.

Three days in a row, I made stock in my slow cooker. 18 cups in all have been packed in one- and two-cup containers, labeled and frozen.

I've posted my favorite stock recipe before. You can read it here.

Although the parsnip is optional, I highly recommend it if you can find it. The stock won't taste like parsnip, but it will have an extra depth of flavor.

Now my freezer is packed with stock, and I feel like a contented squirrel knowing he has a stash of nuts to get him through the winter.

Red Sauce for Valentine's Day

Last year I served Larry tofu on Valentine's Day. You can read about it here.

This year I thought to ask Larry what he'd like to eat on Valentine's Day. He requested spaghetti with tomato sauce. That sounded fun, and heart-healthy.

Then on Friday night, Larry's brother told me about their mother's homemade tomato sauce. He remembers it bubbling on the stove for more than an hour as it cooked. Unfortunately she did not pass on the recipe.

Most tomato sauces include sugar (check the ingredients in the jar of sauce in your cupboard). Since I prefer my sugar in dessert, I used balsamic vinegar instead to tame the tomatoes. I used Muir Glen organic tomatoes - they have great flavor, and their tins are now bpa-free - and I bought fresh basil at the hydroponic stall at the Hollywood Farmers Market.

The sauce was red and thick and tangy. It was great for mopping up with pungent garlic bread. And I served it with lacinato kale which I had sautéed in garlic and enough chiles to give it a kick. We ended the meal with lemon creme brulée - tart and creamy with a crunch from the sugar topping. It was not a meal for the faint of heart.

Tomato Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
14-oz can tomato sauce
14-oz can diced tomatoes
6-oz can tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chile flakes
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Gently sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil until soft but not brown.

Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer.

Stir in the salt, chile flakes, basil and balsamic vinegar. Cook, covered, over low heat, stirring every 10 minutes or so. It will take about an hour for the flavors to meld. Warning - this sauce splatters everywhere. Keep the lid on, and be careful when you stir.

Makes enough for four good servings of spaghetti.

Market Shopping

The stalls at the Hollywood Farmers Market were bursting with colorful winter greens this morning.

I showed great restraint amidst all that abundance.

Here's what we came home with:

1 bunch lacinato kale
1 bunch turnips with greens attached
1 bunch rutabagas (with greens destined for the compost)
1 bunch carrots (ditto)
1 bunch collard greens
2 bunches baby kohlrabi (1 for Tracie)
1 red butter lettuce
1 bunch red russian kale
3 yellow onions
1 red onion
1 bunch basil
2 heads garlic
2 cute little winter squash
blueberries
9 grapefruit
feta
St. Benoit yogurt

Nettle Noodles

Nettles are full of minerals and essential nutrients. They are a boon for the hair, skin, and nails. They nourish the kidneys and adrenals, help balance blood sugar, and are generally a great healing herb.

Unfortunately, they also have stingers, little hairs that cause irritation and sometimes even a small blister when you touch them.

I avoid the stings and get the benefits of nettles by infusing the dried herb (1 oz of dried nettles in 1 quart boiling water, let sit overnight, strain and drink).

But the other day Flora Bella had fresh nettles at their stand. I could not resist buying a bunch.

My mother told me of picking and cooking wild nettles - she said they tasted like wet flannel. But I was not to be deterred. I changed the texture of the leaves - and removed flannel overtones - by puréeing them. But green mush is not appealing either. So I made it into noodles, using the nettles in place of the spinach in a standard spinach pasta recipe.

The result was beautiful green noodles. They did not taste of nettles, nor did they sting as we ate them. We could almost tell ourselves we were eating health food.

The secret to not getting stung by fresh nettles is to grasp them firmly. I got only one sting, and it faded by the next day.

And now I've conquered my fear of nettles, next time I see them I'll try them in soup - but I'll make sure to blanch and purée them first.

Nettle Noodles
1 cup nettle leaves
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp cold water
1 egg
1 cup flour

Cook the nettles in boiling water for 2 minutes until soft and tender. Drain and press out the water.

Purée them in the food processor. Add the olive oil and water and purée again. Add the egg and pulse it in a couple of times. Then add half the flour, process for a few seconds, then add the remaining flour and process until it forms a ball. (Sprinkle with a very little water if it won't come together. The liquid needed will depend on how well you drained your nettles.)

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times. (You won't get stung.) Form a ball of the dough, cover it with an upside-down bowl, and let it stand 45 minutes.

Roll the dough into a large thin rectangle, approximately 12x16 inches. Let it air-dry for an hour until the surface is not sticky.

Roll it up loosely like a jelly-roll, and slice it into 1/2 inch thick noodles. Unroll the noodles and cook in a big pot of boiling salted water until just cooked, about 3-4 minutes. Drain and serve with your favorite sauce, or with a little olive oil and grated parmesan.

Serves 2

Collard Greens

Larry says collards are his favorite greens.

I think it's because they are soft and not as bitter as some other greens. Sautéed with a little garlic, they are a satisfying side dish.

We bought especially young and tender collard greens at the Hollywood Farmers Market on Sunday. I served them with leftover chili and cheese-y toast.

Cooked this way, the greens keep some of their shape and texture. You could use this same technique with any other tender green.

Collard Greens
1 bunch collard greens (about 3/4 lb)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic

Wash the greens and cut off the very thick or woody stems. Roll a few leaves at a time like a cigar and slice them across in 1/4 inch strips (chiffonade).

Warm the olive oil over medium heat. Peel and coarsely chop the garlic, add it to the oil, and cook 30 seconds until lightly golden. Stir in the sliced collard greens, sprinkle with a little salt and a couple of tablespoons of water. Stir and cover. Let it cook for about 2 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Serves 2-3

How clean is clean?

The Los Angeles Times ran an article yesterday about the cleanliness of the bags of pre-washed greens one buys at the supermarket.

Even though the greens are triple-washed, it does not mean they aren't contaminated with bacteria. Because the washing is done in such large batches, a small amount of bacteria-infected greens added to the mix can contaminate many bags of greens. The bacteria they're most worried about is e-coli, which comes from animal manure.

I don't buy pre-packaged greens, because I prefer to shop at the farmers market. I'm also growing lettuce and other greens in our garden. On the rare occasions that I do buy the bagged stuff, I rinse it in cold water before serving. There is debate as to whether water will wash off the bacteria, but it makes me feel better.

The companies that wash greens are investigating various chemicals to add to the washes to ensure that no bacteria remains. I think this is going about it in the wrong way.

Our body's main defense against bacteria and pathogens in our food is the acid in our stomach. When working optimally, it breaks down and destroys the protein shell of microbes, rendering them harmless. And the good bacteria in our intestines should take care of any residue. So keeping a healthy digestive system is really important.

The public health problem with the spread of bacteria on bagged greens comes because the farming and washing is done on such a large scale that it can harm many people.

I buy my lettuce and greens from local farmers who eat the produce they sell, and who feed it to their own children. I know they are practicing healthy farming techniques, and I trust them to provide me with safe food.

Smaller is better.

Tropical Granola

It's been cold here in Southern California, so last week I decided we needed a taste of the tropics for breakfast.

I had found packages of dried organic mangos and pineapple at my local supermarket. I think the brand name is Made in Nature. I approached it with caution, because so often dried fruit is sweetened with sugar or corn syrup. Why, I don't know. Drying concentrates the natural sugars in fruit - they don't need any more.

But these are unsweetened, so I brought them home and decided to make tropical granola. The dried fruit is a little pricey, but it made a large amount of granola, and I have enough left for a second batch.

It's a good thing I made a lot, because Larry really likes this granola. (He says he likes all the granolas I make, but this one he's been eating regularly.)

Of course, as with any granola, you can vary the ingredients to suit your taste. I added currants for some tartness to offset all the sweet (and because I had some in the freezer). I used dates because they grow locally and I get organic ones from the Batista Family Ranch stand at the Hollywood Farmers Market. Raisins could take the place of both. I used raw wildflower honey from Martinez Apiaries (also at the Hollywood Farmers Market).

I cut the dried mango, pineapple and apricots with scissors - far easier than a knife - into irregular bite-sized pieces. I pitted the dates and cut them into rough eighths.

I think it's the toasted coconut that gives it that real tropical flavor. I recommend eating this granola as the sun rises over the palm trees in order to get the full effect.

Tropical Granola
6 cups rolled oats
1 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups oat bran
1 cup non-fat dry milk
1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut
1/3 cup sesame seeds
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup canola oil
1 cup honey
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup currants
6 dates, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup dried pineapple, snipped
1/4 cup dried mango, snipped
1/2 cup dried apricots, snipped

In large bowl, stir together oats, sunflower seeds, oat bran, dry milk, almonds, walnuts, coconut, sesame seeds and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, honey, vanilla and almond extract.

Stir wet into dry until well moistened (hands work best).

Bake in a 250° oven for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheets 10 minutes, then stir in dried fruit.

Store in glass containers. Makes about 10 cups granola.

White Beans and Escarole

Larry was out late the other night, so I was on my own for dinner.

I got home at 5 p.m. and decided I was in the mood for comfort food on this cold winter night.

First I poured 3/4 cup of large shiny white dried lima beans into a pot of boiling water. While they simmered, I rooted through the fridge for a good green to pair them with.

I decided upon the pale green escarole I had bought from Flora Bella farm at the Hollywood Farmers Market last week.

Escarole is a slightly bitter green. It's usually used in salads, but it was too cold for salad. I decided to try it cooked.

By about 6:30 the beans were tender, so I drained them, reserving a cup of the cooking liquid.

I sautéed some onion in olive oil until it was tender, and then added some minced garlic and red chiles. (This was comfort cooking, so I can't tell you exact amounts.) When they were fragrant I added the escarole which I had washed and chopped into one-inch pieces, stems and all.

I seasoned with salt and pepper, added the drained beans, and moistened it all with some bean liquid. I stirred it together, put the lid on, and let it cook until the escarole was softened but still had a little bite. I sprinkled on some balsamic vinegar, stirred again, and checked the seasoning.

I enjoyed a couple of bowls of this delicious stew, and had some leftover for lunch the next day.

The picture above is of the reheated leftovers. The escarole looked more vibrant when I ate it the first night, but I was not in the mood to take pictures. I just wanted to eat my nutritious and delicious dinner.

Commercial Salad Dressing

Salad dressing is one of the easiest condiments to make. Shake oil, vinegar and a few seasonings together in a jar and you have a simple vinaigrette that will made lettuce sparkle.

I've posted a few recipes for salad dressings on this blog, including one with beer, a simple honey balsamic dressing, another with walnut oil. Search through the salad recipes for others including citrus, zesty garlic and more.

I recently read the ingredients on a commercial balsamic vinaigrette:

water
soybean oil
balsamic vinegar
white wine vinegar
sugar
salt
spice
maltodextrin
modified food starch
yeast extract
natural flavors (including soy lecithin)
whey
xanthan gum
natural flavor
less than 0.1% sodium benzoate added as a preservative
garlic
onion
caramel color
propylene glycol alginate

This is why I make my own dressings.

Lacinato Kale

This is one of my favorite kales. It's also called dinosaur kale because of its velvety dimpled leaves. Apparently this is what dinosaur skin feels like. Other names are Tuscan kale, black kale, and cavolo nero. Cooked a long time, it becomes silky and smooth, like pesto.

I like it cooked in the Italian style. I chop it coarsely and then sauté it in a little olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and red chile peppers.

I served it the other night with leftover mushroom risotto made into little cakes and fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Very Italian. Very delicious.

I like the greens like this, a little leathery, good chewing, but not crisp. However, Larry said that he prefers his greens to be silky soft so he can swallow without chewing (and tasting) too much. If your family is the same way, blanch the greens for 2 minutes in boiling water, drain, then cook as below.

Lacinato Kale
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
red chile pepper flakes
1 bunch lacinato kale, washed and coarsely chopped
salt
pepper

Warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and a sprinkling of chile pepper flakes. Sauté until the onion is soft.

Add kale, along with the drops of water on its leaves. Stir well. Cover, lower the heat, and cook 5 minutes. Stir, cover, and keep cooking until the kale is softened but not mushy.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Serves 2-3