Vegetarian | Caliblini Personal Chef's Blog

Sautéed potatoes with mushrooms

By polina, on February 2nd, 2013%

This is the ultimate Russian winter comfort food, and it’s very easy to make. The only secret is, the potatoes and the mushrooms have to be cooked separately, then combined just before serving. Why can’t we make it a one-skillet meal? Because the mushrooms need salt early, to help them release their water and become crisp; the potatoes, on the other hand, cook best without salt, that will make them break down and lose their shape, if added too early.

Here I made this dish with store-bought crimini mushrooms. Back in Russia we used any type of foraged forest mushrooms, with even more delicious results, or, in the middle of the winter, when no fresh mushrooms were available, we would rinse pickled mushrooms to remove the brine, and then proceed with the recipe.

I like to season my mushrooms with a little thyme, garlic, and fresh ground pepper. Most Russian cooks go for sautéed onions, and leave out the pepper. Try it both ways. Both are good.

Sautéed potatoes with mushrooms
Serves four

For the potatoes:
2 Tbsp olive oil
5 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Sea salt

Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender. Season with sea salt, continue cooking until cooked through.

For the mushrooms:
2 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced 1/8 inch thin
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced
5-6 thyme sprigs, leaves picked, stems discarded

Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms release the liquid and it evaporates. Add garlic and thyme. Continue cooking until mushrooms and garlic are browned.

Combine potatoes with mushrooms, serve as a side to braised meat, or on their own.

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Fall menus this week

By polina, on November 7th, 2012%

The weather the last couple of days was like a memory of the summer, but the day are short, the summer produce is leaving the market (I hold on the heirloom tomatoes and king salmon as long as I can, but they will be gone soon), and the Fall fruits and vegetables are out there in force. So while still using my beloved summer produce, I am beginning to introduce more comfort dishes to take you through long dark evenings, and make the best of the abundant winter squashes, kales, cabbages, and Fall fruits.

Here are the menus that I made this week so far:

Menu November, 5
No dietary restrictions, but the clients don’t like seafood. One day a week they have a grill party and grill the meats that I marinate for them.

Chicken Florentine

Brown rice pilaf

Stuffed peppers

Quinoa and orange salad
For the grill: beef steaks with mustard-herb rub
Sautéed bell peppers; herbed potatoes

Pesto-stuffed pork roast wrapped in bacon
Carrots and peas

Menu November, 6
Semi-vegetarian menu, no red meat.

Minestrone
Butternut squash gratin
Braised greens
Penne with cannellini beans
Quiche with cheese, leeks, mushrooms and peppers
Potato and fennel salad
Mustard-glazed salmon

Buckwheat pancakes
Chicken Florentine
Quinoa with orange

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:San Francisco

Indian home cooking, Part III

By polina, on September 12th, 2012%

Today in my Indian client’s kitchen we were cooking some exotic vegetables that Alaka, her mom, bought at an Indian grocery store, and showed me how to prepare.

Indian eggplant is a cute little eggplant the shape and size of a small egg, deep purple color. Alaka got a dozen of them, we stuffed them with a mix made of grated peanuts and spices, and cooked with some water added to make a sauce. Here is a catch: Alaka uses her own goda masala spice blend, that she brought from home, and I don’t have the recipe for it. She promised to email me the recipe after she gets back home and gets it out of her files. For now, we tried to find an Indian store that carries this wonderfully aromatic blend of warm spices, and we failed so far… So here is the partial recipe, pending the recipe for goda masala to follow next month:

Stuffed Indian eggplant
Serves four to six

12 Indian eggplants, leaves removed
1 cup roasted peanuts, ground in a blender or food processor
1-1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1-1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp goda masala
1 tsp salt, or to taste

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 medium onion, minced
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp jaggery (raw sugar)

Chopped cilantro, to garnish

Cut eggplants crosswise into quarters, leaving the stem ends attached. Make the stuffing: mix ground peanuts, ground coriander, ground cumin, goda masala, and salt. Open each eggplant like a flower, and put a little of the stuffing inside. Press closed.

In a heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and heat until the mustard seeds start to pop. Add cumin seeds, turmeric powder, and onion. Brown lightly. Add stuffed eggplants, water, and leftover stuffing, season with jaggery. Cover and cook until the eggplants are very tender and the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Bottle gourd, or white gourd resembles a large pale zucchini. The simple preparation that we did is very characteristic of Alaka’s style of Indian cooking, and can be used with other vegetables as well. It starts with making tadka, the traditional flavor base of brown mustard seed, cumin, and turmeric. Then the vegetable is seasoned and cooked until tender.

Indian white gourd
Serves four

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
4 white (bottle) gourds, cut into small dice
1 cup water
2 tsp goda masala
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp jaggery, or to taste
Chopped cilantro, to garnish

Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, heat until the mustard seeds start to pop. Add cumin seeds, turmeric, gourd, water, goda masala, season with salt and jaggery. Cover and cook until the gourd is very tender. Serve sprinkled with chopped cilantro.

Bitter melon. This one is really, seriously bitter. They say it’s very good for you, and can be addictive. This recipe balances the bitterness with the heat of the chili and the sweetness of the raw sugar, which makes for a very strong and complex taste. It’s more like a condiment than a dish. It’s traditionally eaten with roti.

4 small bitter melons
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1-1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp jaggery (raw sugar)

Cut the ends off the bitter melons. Cut them in halves lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Chop into 1/4-inch pieces.

Make tadka: heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds, heat until the mustard seeds start to pop. Add cumin seeds and turmeric.

Add the bitter melon, chili powder, and salt. Stir-fry until the bitter melon is tender and begins to brown, about 10 minutes.

In a mortar, break down jaggery into very small pieces. Add jaggery to the skillet, stir, and let it coat the bitter melon and caramelize.

Menu today:
Curried carrot soup

Stuffed Indian eggplant
White rice

Pacific snapper with mango-tomatillo salsa
Bean salad

Scallops with feta and spinach
Roasted butternut squash

Mushroom and asparagus frittata
Heirloom tomato salad Caprese

Chicken roasted with fennel and apples
Fennel gratin

Indian bottle gourd

Bitter melon

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:San Francisco, CA

Spring vegetables

By polina, on May 25th, 2012%

Asparagus

Steamed asparagus and broccoli with lemon dressing

Roasted asparagus with orange and oregano

Asparagus with saffron champagne vinaigrette

Grilled chicken with asparagus

Fava beans

Quinoa pasta with beans and asparagus

Fava bean dip with garlic and Meyer lemon

Beans and peas ragout

Leeks

Braised leeks in white wine

Leek, spinach, and Gruyere quiche

Radish

Sautéed radishes and watercress

Artichokes

Steamed artichokes with lemon vinaigrette

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Location:San Rafael, CA

Menu today

By polina, on April 13th, 2012%

It’s cold and raining again. I dream of hot summer days and colorful vegetables. I fight the urge to include tomatoes, peppers, and figs in every menu. No success. Today’s menu has two entrees and a soup that include tomatoes, and a vegetarian version of stuffed peppers. The menu for tomorrow includes figs (dried).

Corned beef and cabbage soup
Greens and beans with tomato sauce
Whole-wheat penne with garlic and olive oil
Quinoa-stuffed bell peppers
Orange and fennel salad
Coq au vin
Braised leeks
Chili con carne
Rice and beans
Sweet potato puree with apple, for the baby

I blanch cored red and yellow bell peppers in boiling water for a few minutes, run them under cold water, stuff with a mixture of cooked quinoa, sautéed carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms, and garlic, then bake them in 400 degree oven until completely tender and beginning to broun.

Leeks are the softest and the most sophisticated taste in the onion family, they are excellent braised to a melting tenderness, and they are very good right now. The trickiest part of cooking leeks is cleaning them. There is dirt between the layers of leaves. Cut off and discard most of the green top and the roots. Cut the leek in halves lengthwise. Spread the leaves open, wash under running water, holding the leek upside down and rubbing the leaves to remove dirt.

I brown them in a skillet in a mix of olive oil and butter first, then arrange them in a baking dish with some sliced shallot and thyme, salt and pepper, pour a little white wine on them, then cook, uncovered, in a 300 degree oven, until completely tender, 30-40 minutes. Delicious.

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Location:Cupertino, CA

Today’s menu, vegetarian

By polina, on April 4th, 2012%

Root vegetable soup with spinach and dill

Bulgur with radishes, spinach, and pine nuts
Roasted carrots

Steamed broccoli with chickpeas and mushrooms
Cucumber salad with yogurt dressing

Quinoa-stuffed peppers
Roasted Brussels sprouts

Braised collards and radish greens with garlic and white wine
Green beans with lemon and garlic

Bulgur with radishes, spinach, and pine nuts, a Whole Foods recipe, is my current favorite vegetarian dish. The interplay of textures and the harmony of the flavors make it perfect, served hot or at room temperature.

Radishes spell early spring, and right now they are the best: juicy, crunchy, spicy-sweet, and inexpensive. Besides the favorite bulgur dish, I added a few carrots to the roasting Brussels sprouts (winter meets spring), and used the greens for the braised greens dish. The client requested collards and turnip greens; but wherever I went, turnips were sold already trimmed, but the radishes were proudly displaying rich fresh green tails, so I made the substitute.

In making this menu I used my client’s Blendtec blender. In the blender competition between VitaMix and Blendtec, I clearly prefer VitaMix – after all, I own one! But Blendtec comes close second. It wet-chops vegetables for the mirepoix just a bit slower than my VitaMix, and mixes the salad dressing just great.

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Location:Palo Alto, CA

Today’s menu, vegetarian

By polina, on March 20th, 2012%

Green pea soup with garlic

Buckwheat kasha with mushrooms
Cabbage and carrot slaw

Whole-wheat pasta with beans and greens
Broccoli salad with hazelnuts and cranberries

Red bean and walnut stew with cilantro
Brown rice with garlic and herbs

Leek and potato frittata
Roasted root vegetables

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Palo alto, CA

Winter vegetarian menu

By polina, on February 27th, 2012%

It’s a trend: more people are choosing plant-based diet. Recently, some of my meat eating clients were ordering more vegetarian dishes, a couple of mostly vegetarians switched to completely vegetarian diets, and I get requests for vegetarian, vegan, and raw food all the time. It’s easy to see why: California local seasonal produce is so fresh, tasty, beautiful, and inexpensive! And it’s good for you.

So I have put together a list of vegetarian dishes that I cooked recently. It reflects the winter market and cold weather requirements for hearty comfort food, with an accent on root vegetables, cabbages, sturdy greens, mushrooms, and grains.

As the spring vegetables begin to appear at the market, I will introduce more asparagus, fresh beans and peas, artichokes, spring onions and garlic, and exciting fresh green salads. And yes, this is the time of the year when I get so tired of winter squashes that I cannot wait to take them off the menu till next fall.

My Winter Vegetarian Menu
Vegan dishes are in green. Dishes in brown contain milk, cream, cheese, or eggs.

Soups
Sweet potato and parsnip soup
Cabbage and potato soup with caraway
Creamy cauliflower with greens
Butternut squash with chai spices
Leek and potato soup
Green peas and garlic soup
Lentils and spinach
Wild mushroom and barley
Borscht
Winter minestrone
Cream of asparagus
Cream of broccoli with almonds
French onion soup

Entrees
Farro with mushrooms, balsamic vinegar and thyme
Whole wheat pasta with mushrooms, arugula, and pine nuts
Caponata linguini
Quinoa pasta with marinara sauce
Spaghetti squash marinara
Quinoa cakes with garlic, lemon, and parsley
Vegetable Thai-style red curry
Black bean and pumpkin chili
Mediterranean chickpea stew
Vegetable paella
Kale, mushroom and tomato sauté
Acorn squash stuffed with quinoa and vegetables
Black bean and artichoke burritos
Forager’s mushroom tarts
Wild rice Forestier
Baked mashed potato casserole
Spanish-style potato and spinach tortilla
Broccolini and bell pepper frittata
Stuffed portabello mushrooms
Broccoli and mushroom mini-quiches
Buckwheat pancakes with dill sour cream
Eggplant Parmesan
Vegetable pot pies
Roast beets and arugula vinaigrette with walnuts and goat cheese
Russian potato salad

Sides
Roasted Brussels sprouts
Sautéed Brussels sprouts and mushrooms
Green beans with garlic and lemon
Brown rice and beans
Sautéed potatoes
Sautéed Tuscan black kale
Braised collards and turnip greens with garlic and white wine
Orange glazed carrots
Israeli couscous
Buckwheat kasha
Garlic and herbs smashed potatoes
Red beans and walnuts salad with cilantro
Marinated red onions
Spicy cabbage and carrot slaw
Roasted kabocha squash
Polenta
Quinoa pilaf with zucchini and lemon
Roasted root vegetables (parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, watermelon radish, celery root, etc.)
Honey glazed turnips
Baked apples
Cauliflower gratin
Carrots and sweet potatoes puree
Saffron risotto

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Location:San Francisco Bay Area

Today’s menu

By polina, on February 8th, 2012%

Today’s clients are thinking about switching to a vegetarian diet, but they are not ready to go completely vegetarian yet. Meanwhile they try to eat less red meat, more vegetables and grains.

I enjoy shopping our Marin Farmers Market for them.

Here is what I made for this week:

Lentil soup

Cod in tomato-parsley sauce
Farro pilaf

Quinoa with tofu and mushrooms

Cannelini beans with sausage, kale and tomatoes
Whole wheat penne pasta, garlic, olive oil

Vegetable pot pies
Sautéed cauliflower

Coq au vin
Sweet potatoes gratin

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:San Rafael, CA