Mushrooms paprika

This dish is a creamy, hearty accompaniment to pasta, or spatzle - Eastern European dumplings - if you can find it.  Adapted from World Vegetarian Classics.

Ingredients

2 T butter
1 onion, diced
1 pound mixed mushrooms or chanterelles, chopped into large pieces
1 T paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup creme fraiche
1 T fresh dill, chopped
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Instructions

1) Heat butter in a large saucepan over low heat, add onion, and cook until soft and translucent.
2) Add mushrooms, increase heat, and stir to let mushrooms quickly release moisture, allowing it to evaporate.
3) When mushrooms are cooked but still firm, stir in cayenne, paprika, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
4) Add creme fraiche and dill, cook for 3-5 minutes further, and then remove from heat and serve.

Roasted red pepper soup

This soup is delicious - fresh and slightly sweet, with the tang of basil and oregano.  If the soup is bitter, try adding a few drops of fish sauce.

Ingredients

2 large red peppers, or 1/2 c roasted red peppers
1 14oz can tomatoes
2 c chicken stock
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t dried oregano
1-2 T fresh basil
2 t sugar
1/4 c heavy cream
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1) If using fresh red peppers, preheat oven to 200C, brush foil-covered baking sheet with olive oil.
2) Cut red peppers into 2-3 large pieces, place red pepper skin up on sheets, bake 20 minutes until pepper skins turn brown.
3) Remove skin from peppers (it should peel off when they are done), and chop into large chunks.
4) Heat 1 T olive oil in soup pot over medium heat, and add onions and garlic.  Cook 5-10 minutes, until onions are fragrant and translucent.
5) Add tomatoes, oregano, chicken stock, red peppers, and simmer for 10 minutes.
6) Add basil, salt, pepper, sugar - combine and remove from heat.
7) Blend soup (I use a hand blender), leaving it a bit chunky.
8) Heat 2-3 minutes more, add cream, and remove from heat.

Drunken beans (frijoles borrachos)

The tequila for this recipe adds a great, hearty flavor.  This recipe goes well with rice, but also with tortillas.  Adapted from Vegetarian World Classics.

Ingredients

olive oil
2 onions, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 fresh chillies, de-seeded and chopped finely
1 14oz  can chopped tomatoes
2 14oz cans pinto or barlotti beans
2 t cumin
1-2 T lime juice or vinegar
1/3 c tequila
1 large handful cilantro, chopped
sour cream
cheddar cheese
avocado slices

Instructions

1) Heat a large pan over medium heat, add oil, and fry onions until fragrant and translucent.
2) Add garlic and chilies, fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
3) Add tomatoes, then add both cans of beans - with the liquid from one.
4) Add cumin, lime/vinegar, tequila, and salt/pepper to taste.
5) Simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the consistency of the beans is thickened.  Serve with coriander, cheese, avocado, and sour cream.

Japanese Eggplant with Miso Glaze (Nasu Dengaku)

This is an absolutely delicious recipe that uses miso paste to create a flavorful and creamy glaze for eggplant.  Serve with sushi rice.  Adapted from World Vegetarian Classics.

Ingredients

3 eggplants, sliced in half length-wise
9oz (block) tofu, drained
8 T miso paste
2 egg yolks
2 T sugar
4 T mirin
green onions, chopped finely
toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 200C, and score eggplants in a diagonal grid pattern.
2) Brush a foil-covered baking tray with oil, arrange eggplants skin-down, and brush eggplants with oil.
3) Bake eggplant 30 minutes, until tender but still firm.  Add tofu and cook for another 5 minutes.
4) Combine miso, egg yolks, sugar, mirin in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly.  The glaze is done when it is thick and smooth - do not overheat or it will curdle.
5) Preheat grill (broiler) to the highest setting.  Spread glaze on top of eggplants and tofu, and good 4-5 minutes until glaze is puffed and browned. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds.

Plum cake

In this recipe, the tartness of the plums balances out the sweetness of the cake beautifully.  I adapted this recipe to be a slightly darker, more aromatic cake using brown sugar and more cinnamon.  Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

1.5 c flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1.5 t cinnamon
5 T unsalted butter, melted
3/4 c packed brown sugar (dark is best)
2 eggs
1/3 c canola oil
2 t vanilla extract
8-12 purple plums, sliced into half moon chunks

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 350F/180C, and generously butter a medium sized baking pan.
2) Sprinkle half of the sliced plums over the bottom of the pan, and sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar.
3) Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
4) Mix brown sugar (break up the clumps beforehand) and sugar in a large bowl - if doing this by hand whisk vigorously to incorporate some air, and if doing this by mixer beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes until soft and creamy.
5) Add eggs and mix well.
6) Add oil and vanilla, and mix until the batter looks smooth and almost satiny.  Again, if doing this by hand, make sure to mix well to incorporate some air into the batter.
7) Gradually combine the dry ingredients with the wet - stir well but do not overcombine.  (My batter was very thick - this is okay, but if you want a thinner batter you can add a T or two of water.)
8) Pour batter over the pan/plums, and spread evenly.  Then sprinkle the rest of the plums over the top of the batter (in a random or decorative pattern, however you like).
9) Bake 30 minutes, or until the top is light brown and puffed, and the plums are starting to dimple/caramelize.  Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Carrot Miso Sesame Soup

This is a very healthy and flavorful soup that only gets better after it's been sitting in the fridge for a day or two.  The miso, sesame, and ginger blend together to create a very savory and satisfying dish.  Adapted from the Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

2 T canola oil
2 lbs/500g carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (into round disks)
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T ginger, grated (I freeze my ginger beforehand to make it easier to grate)
4 c vegetable stock
1/4 c miso paste
1 T soy sauce
toasted sesame oil
2 green onions, finely sliced/chopped

Instructions

1) In a large saucepan, cook carrots, onion, and garlic in canola oil over medium high heat, 10 minutes or until onion is translucent.
2) Add broth, soy sauce, ginger, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until carrots are tender.
3) Puree soup (either in batches in a blender, or all at once with an immersion blender) until smooth.
4) Mix miso with a few tablespoons of water to form a thick paste, then mix into the soup and blend.
5) To serve, drizzle a good amount of sesame oil on top of each bowl and sprinkle with green onions.

Hearty tomato bean stew

This is a great winter stew - very filling and delicious.  I used polish sausage to impart a smokey flavor, but this would also be great without it in its vegetarian version.  Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

olive oil
1 large piece of polish sausage, chopped into small chunks
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic
pinch of crushed pepper flakes
2 cans cannellini beans, drained
2 bay leaves
2 14oz cans chpped tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
boiling water
parsley and parmesian for garnish

Instructions

1) Heat 2 T olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  When hot, add sausage and cook until it starts to lightly brown.
2) Add onion, celery, garlic, and carrots, along with a pinch of salt.  Cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables start to soften.
3) Add tomato, beans, bay leaves, and just enough boiling water to cover the ingredients in the soup.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes, until the beans and vegetables are tender.
Garnish with sprigs of parsley and grated parmesian.