Category Archives: 19. Veggies

Apr21

For Vegetarians here’s a delight–Celery Root Slaw

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celery rootThis delicious, and I mean that very seriously, recipe comes from a dear friend of mine who was born in my hometown of Geneva, Switz.  She’s an amazing person in all respects, but one of them is glorious entertaining with even more glorious foods that she, mostly alone, has prepared to everyone’s delight.  The unusual aspect of this is that Renata is a vegetarian. Most guests, visiting her buffets, don’t even realize that.  They think that, for instance, that this excellent Celery Root Slaw is a pasta dish—I don’t think so.  She loves to share her recipes, as I do, so here it is for your enjoyment.  As well, you can visit her recent business venture: No Harm Done Design which is a small company that makes elegant faux-fur throws.  She and her partner started this business with a young penniless Cambodian woman who has now given a livelihood to many others and supports her whole extended family.  No Harm Done concerns that motto for animals and features a correct work ethic all around.  Please feel free to visit its website: www.noharmdonedesign.com.  Don’t forget to order your favorite throw.  You won’t be sorry.  Of course, I have one as well. 

Celery Root Slaw

Ingredients:

For Slaw:

1 Celery Root the size of a fist

For Sauce:

1 Tblsp. Dijon Mustard

4 to 5 Tblsp. mayo or olive oil mayo

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

S&P to taste

Onion Powder to taste

2 Tsp. Balsamic Vinegar

Half of an 8oz. can chopped pineapple, drained or 1 small shredded apple

Handful of walnut halves

Directions:

For Slaw:

1, Peel just the very rough exterior part of the celery root.  Don’t go overboard because then you won’t have any root left

2. Put in food processor and shred.

3. Set aside.

For Sauce:

1. Mix the next 7 ingredients well. The sauce should not be as thin as regular salad dressing however, if it seems too thick, add a bit more balsamic.

2. Add the sauce and the walnut halves to the slaw and mix well.

This can also be made with raw shredded carrots, shredded ginger &/or shredded apple. Optional and additional to the carrot slaw would be raisins. 

 

Apr19

Vinaigrette Dressing (hearty & also good for artichokes,etc.)

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I have a green singing Finch named Bandit because he has a little mask on. He sings prettier than any canary and loves his greens. In his salad bowl I place lettuce, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage all of which he loves.  He knows what’s good for him and so do I.  I often make myself a huge raw chopped vegetable salad bowl including the same foods as Bandit eats plus some more goodies like onions and anchovies—either the more pricey mild white kind or the normal stronger tasting variety.  The anchovies, onions and this really yummy vinaigrette dressing I don’t give to Bandit, however, I sure do enjoy them for myself.

Vinaigrette Dressing

(Makes about 1 ½ Cups)

In a blender put the following and blend at high for about 20 seconds:

¼ C. Red Wine Vinegar

¼ C. Balsamic Vinegar

¼ C. Lemmon Juice

1 C. Olive Oil

¼ Tsp. Pepper

1 Tsp. Dry Mustard

6 Stuffed Olives (I use my martini green olives with pimentos)

1 Tblsp. Drained Capers

2 Green Onions coarsely cut or 2 Tblsp. Chopped Regular Onion

¼ C. Either/Or Combo of Chopped Parsley and Cilantro

2 Cloves of Garlic (either put in blender with the above or chop fine and put in dressing after blended)

Pour into a jar, cover, and store in refrigerator.  To un-gel from refrigeration, place bottle in a cup of warm water.

This vinaigrette is also very good as a dipping sauce for cooked and chilled artichokes.

 Are you a frustrated, overworked or timid cook? Call Margot for help @ 721-3551

& please feel free to email her @ margot6@mindspring.com for comments or ideas

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

Apr19

Scalloped Yams and Parsnips

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IMG_2786scalloped yams and parsnips with orange

Scalloped Yams and Parsnips

Serves about 10-12

No one will guess what the middle layers (parsnips) are.  This is really a delicious dish full of good nutrients and though tasting very rich, is really quite light on the belly.  This is a perfect dish to accompany your plentiful Thanksgiving fare. It’s also an overnight dish so that makes it a bit easier for the cook making the big day fixings on Thanksgiving Day.

3 ½ lbs. yams

1 ½ lbs. parsnips

1 orange

1/3 C. brown sugar divided in 2 parts

4 oz. (1 cube)  unsalted butter divided in 2 parts

2 tsp. grated nutmeg

S&P

2 C. boiling water

2 Tblsp. honey

Pam spray 9 X 12 baking dish or 10” round pyrex

Preheat oven to 400

  1. Peel yams and parsnips and slice in ¼ inch thick slices. Roughly divide the yams in 3 parts and the parsnips in 2 parts to make layering easy.
  2. Zest 1 orange and after juice it. Then take the remainder of  the orange and place in a blender with a splash of water if necessary. Blend on liquidize and use half or more for this dish.
  3. Put in a dish the orange zest; put in a dish the pulverized pulp;  put  ½ of the brown sugar and the 2 oz. (1/2 a cube) of the sweet butter in a microwave dish, micro a minute or so  and then put in the nutmeg, and S&P to taste. These ingredients will be sprinkled over your five layers.
  4. Make 3 layers of yams with 2 layers of parsnips in between sprinkling on each layer the mixture ingredients listed in #3.
  5. Mix together orange juice, some more pulverized pulp if any is left, and the 2 C. of boiling water and pour over yams and parsnips. If you wish you can add 1 heaping Tblsp. of honey to this mixture.
  6. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the upper third of a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes more.
  7.  Put in frig. overnight.
  8. The next day remove dish from frig. and heat in microwave the other ½ of the brown sugar, 2 Tblsp. honey, and the other 2 oz (1/2 a cube). of butter and pour over top of dish.
  9.  Let dish get to room temp and place in a 375 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or when more of the liquid is absorbed and the top is brown.  To decorate even more, you can sprinkle a bit of cranberry sauce on top.
Apr19

Guacamole Soup & Duxelles(mushrooms)

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Guacamole Soup (Home and Gardens Soups and Stews)

 

1        ½  C. chicken broth

1 C half & half or light cream (I used 1 C. of European Style yogurt)

1 large avocado (I used 1 ½ smaller ones)

2 Tbls. Salsa

1 Tbls. Snipped fresh cilantro or parsley

1 Tbls. Lemmon juice

1/8 C. thinly sliced green onions

S&P

Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce

 

Put in blender and process.  Refrigerate and serve cold.

Garnish with lime wedges, sour cream (or yogurt), sliced green onion and chopped tomatoes.

 

 

 

Duxelles  (musrooms)

 

Makes about 1 C.

Keep refrigerated for about 1 week or freeze

 

3 TBLSP.. Butter or olive oil (I used a combo of both)

¼ C. minced shallots, scallions, or onions (I did onions because I didn’t have the others)

about 1 pound minced mushroom—(preferably an assortment even some dried)

S&P

¼ C. minced fresh parsley (I used dried)

 

  1. Place butter/oil in large deep skillet and turn heat to medium.  As the foam begins to subside, stir in the shallots (whatever).  Cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften—3 to 5 min.
  2. Stir in the mushrooms.  Cook, stirring until they have given up most of their liquid, about 10 min.  Turn the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring, until almost all the liquid has evaporated.  Season well, and then stir in parsley.  Use immediately or refrigerate or freeze.