Tag Archives: Vegetarian

Lentil Soup Warm My Heart

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I love soup.  Especially in winter, when the icy cold winds seem to penetrate my body & soul.  Enter the lentil, specifically the Lentil du Puy or the French green lentil.  I adore the earthy flavor of these legumes and how they hold their shape even after cooking for an extended period.  Combined with a few aromatic ingredients, this tiny bean makes a pot full of soup that provides lots of fiber and protein, together with fantastic flavor and texture.  I promise it will warm your heart too.

Aromatics

The process is simple, wash the lentils in a strainer and pay attention to be sure there is no foreign matter mixed in (I’ve found tiny, tiny stones on occasion).  Sauté aromatic vegetables and herbs of your choice in either oil or butter, I like to add lots of ground pepper but wait to add salt later as it can impede the cooking of the legume.  If you have it handy, splash a few tablespoons of sherry, red or white wine or white vermouth onto the sautéed vegetables.  Add the lentils, add stock or water to cover the contents of the solids in the pot by a couple of inches, a tablespoon of tomato paste and simmer uncovered for a couple of hours, stirring every so often.  Add more water if the soup seems way too thick.

This time, I used 2 ribs of celery, 3 carrots, 1/2 red onion, 1 plum tomato chopped, 1 shallot, 2 cloves of garlic and lots of fresh thyme.  After sautéing the vegetables and herbs, I splashed a few tablespoons of dry sherry into the pot (You can skip this step, but I like to build the flavor and I had it.  Red or white wine or vermouth would work too).  I used water as I was gifting soup to a friend who is vegetarian but I have also used chicken or beef broth in the past.  When the soup had cooked for a couple of hours, I added a box of chopped fresh white button mushrooms and a handful of chopped, soft, sun dried tomatoes that I had sautéed together first for about 10 minutes.

Sauté of aromatic vegetables and herbs

After simmering, taste for seasoning and serve.  If you like a more pureed texture, you can use a handheld blender to puree some or all of the soup.  Sometimes I will puree a bit of the soup but always like to leave a portion of the lentils whole, as I like the texture. If you like, you can add some water if the soup is too thick for your liking.

The soup is so much better when made the day before, if you can wait.  Try toasting a piece of good bread, rubbing it with a clove of garlic which has been peeled, and then drizzling extra virgin olive oil over it, then place the toast in the bottom of the bowl and ladle the hot soup on top.

Warm my heart, lentil soup.

Lentil Soup

Roasted Tomato and Fennel Soup

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I like to make this dairy free, vegetarian soup when tomatoes are at their peak ripeness, end of summer. Look for large, meaty plum tomatoes, ideally. Caramelizing the tomato, fennel and shallot amplifies their sweetness, creating many layers of fantastic flavor. I like to serve this garnished with a slice of toasted baguette spread with creamy goat cheese

  • 2TBS + 1 Tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 large shallots, peeled, trimmed and halved
  • 8 Large plum tomatoes, trimmed and halved
  • 1 Fennel Bulb, trimmed and cut into quarters, reserving the dark green leafy fronds, finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled, trimmed and chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  1. Pre heat oven to 400°F
  2. Toss tomatoes, fennel and shallot with 2 TBS of oil and spread onto a non-stick sheet pan.  Place tomatoes cut side up.  Season liberally with salt and black pepper.
  3. Place pan in hot oven and cook for about 30 minutes, until vegetables start to sizzle and caramelize, looking browned.  Remove pan from oven.
  4.  While vegetables are cooking in the oven, heat remaining oil in a stock pot on medium heat. Sauté carrots sprinkled with 2 TBS of the reserved fennel fronds, stirring often for about 5 minutes until wilted and softened.
  5. Add the contents of the sheet pan, including all of the accumulated juices to the pot with the carrots. Add 4 cups of water, salt and pepper to taste to the pot.
  6. Simmer the pot on medium for 10 minutes, stirring often and taste for seasoning.
  7. Transfer contents of pot to a blender, carefully.   You may have to do this in 2 or 3 batches; blend all ingredients very well and transfer mixture to a clean pot. 
  8. Re-heat and serve immediately or allow to cool, refrigerating and serving the next day reheated.
Serves 6
Note:   Be extra careful when blending hot ingredients in a blender to allow some hot air to escape while blending ingredients, by slightly moving lid to a side position or removing the center plastic part of the lid and covering with a towel so the ingredients don’t splatter.  Neglecting this step can cause a hot explosion.

Maple Glazed Acorn Squash

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This simple vegetable dish is Autumn on a plate with its striking colors of deep green skin and golden orange flesh. The sugars in the squash caramelize beautifully creating a full, rich flavor in the mouth, and the maple syrup creates a candy like coating. For the non-squash lovers, this is like a combination of sweet potato and carrot, delicious directly out of the oven but equally as divine cold the next day!

This simple vegetable dish is Autumn on a plate with its striking colors of deep green skin and golden orange flesh. The sugars in the squash caramelize beautifully creating a full, rich flavor in the mouth, and the maple syrup creates a candy like coating. For the non-squash lovers, this is like a combination of sweet potato and carrot, delicious directly out of the oven but equally as divine cold the next day!

  • 1 acorn squash, washed, cut in eighths, seeds removed
  • 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt & fresh black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup

 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°f
  2. Place squash on a foil lined sheet pan with sides and drizzle with olive oil.  Using your hands, toss squash with oil until well coated on all sides.
  3. Sprinkle with liberal amounts of salt and freshly ground pepper.
  4. Roast in for 20 minutes skin side down, or until tender and starting to brown.
  5. Pour maple syrup over squash slices, brushing to coat well and continue to roast for another 5 – 10 minutes, until everything is glazed and bronze.
  6. Transfer to serving dish and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Sautéed Zucchini and Summer Squash with Herbs

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Quickly sautéed mixed colors of summer squash cooked with fresh thyme is simplicity at its finest.  I love the sweetness of the caramelized squash combined with the earthy, herbal flavor of thyme

 

  • 4 medium zucchini and yellow squash, trimmed, washed and dried
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 1TBS extra Virgin Olive Oil
  1. Heat the oil in a medium sized sauté pan on medium heat until hot but not smoking.
  2. Add squash to the pan, season liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper, add thyme and toss squash in pan for 4-5 minutes until it is nicely browned and cooked through.
  3. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmigiano Cheese and Lemon Vinaigrette

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  • I love the simplicity of this earthy salad, the combination of peppery arugula, nutty Parmigiano cheese and bright lemon citrus are perfect together

    I love the simplicity of this earthy salad, the combination of peppery arugula, nutty Parmigiano cheese and bright lemon citrus are perfect together

 

  1. Make the vinaigrette by combining the lemon juice with the salt and pepper in the bottom of your salad bowl.
  2. Add the oil mixing well with a fork or a whisk to combine.
  3. Add the arugula to the bowl with the vinaigrette, toss well to dress the greens and then add the shaved strips of cheese to the greens and toss gently.
  4. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

 

 

Pasta Puttanesca

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Rumor has it that in Rome, ladies of the night who were voraciously hungry after a long night on the job, would come home and prepare pasta using staples always on hand in the pantry. This pasta dish, which is lusty and full of bold flavors, was named for the ladies. It is one of my favorites.

Rumor has it that in Rome, ladies of the night who were voraciously hungry after a long night on the job, would come home and prepare pasta using staples always on hand in the pantry. This pasta dish, which is lusty and full of bold flavors, was named for the ladies. It is one of my favorites.

  • 1 pound imported dried Penne
  • Extra virgin olive oil to coat bottom of pan
  • 1 can whole tomatoes, San Marzano if available
  • 1 small onion, peeled and chopped finely
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • Dried crushed red peppers to taste
  • 1 oil packed anchovy (optional but authentic and delicious)
  • 2 tablespoons small whole capers in brine (drained) or chopped large capers
  • ¼ cup good quality black olives, pitted & chopped
  • 3 tablespoons salt plus additional for seasoning
  • Liberal amounts of freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped italian parsley, plus additional for garnish
  • ¼ cup grated pecorino romano cheese
  1. Boil a large stockpot full of water for pasta, while preparing sauce.
  2. Heat olive oil in another large saucepan on medium heat.  Add onion and saute for one minute, stirring. Add garlic, red pepper (if using) and anchovy and continue to saute for several minutes until anchovy starts to dissolve. (do not allow vegetables to brown, but to look translucent).
  3. Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as they are added to the pot.  Add capers, olives and black pepper.  Increase heat to medium high heat and boil sauce for eight to ten minutes to reduce and thicken.
  4. Add 3 tablespoons of salt to pasta water.  Prepare pasta according to directions minus 2 – 3 minutes, until slightly underdone.  Drain pasta very well, reserving ¾ cup of pasta cooking water.
  5. Add drained pasta to pot of sauce gradually, mixing and adding reserved water as needed, to help moisten and bind the sauce together with the pasta, tossing as you add more pasta and water, until all of pasta has been added to sauce.
  6. Garnish with cheese and chopped parsley, serving immediately.

 

Serves 2-3 as entree, 4 as first course

photo by Kristi Senat

Spinach with Garlic, Raisins and Pine Nuts

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Traditionally Sicilian, this dish is earthy with greens and a perfect balance of sweet and savory, I love it warm or at room temperature as part of an Italian style buffet

Traditionally Sicilian, this dish is earthy with greens and a perfect balance of sweet and savory, I love it warm or at room temperature as part of an Italian style buffet

 

  • 2- 10 oz packages fresh spinach or 4 bunches fresh leaf spinach
  • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • ½ cup raisins, plumped in hot water for 10 minutes
  • ½ cup pine nuts, toasted
  • Salt & fresh pepper to taste

 

    1. Wash spinach thoroughly in several changes of water, drain well
    2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan.  Add garlic and saute for several minutes, until slightly golden.  Do not brown garlic as it will be bitter!
    3. Add spinach, raisins, salt & pepper and saute until spinach is wilted.  Add pine nuts, toss and taste for seasoning adding additional salt and pepper if necessary.
    4. Serve immediately or may be served at room temperature.

 

Serves 4

Seared Romaine Hearts with Lemon and Parmigiano Cheese

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Craving a salad in mid Winter, I dreamed up this warm sort of version of a Caesar”ish” salad. It is missing anchovies and garlic, but is strong on the lemon Parmigiano component. Pan searing the romaine gives it a sweet, nutty flavor that I adore

Craving a salad in mid Winter, I dreamed up this warm sort of version of a Caesar”ish” salad. It is missing anchovies and garlic, but is strong on the lemon Parmigiano component. Pan searing the romaine gives it a sweet, nutty flavor that I adore

  • 1 large head of romaine lettuce, washed, dried and trimmed slightly, leaving core in tact and sliced in half horizontally through the core
  • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 1/8 cup freshly grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese (use a microplane)

 

  1. Heat the oil in a heavy cast iron pan on medium heat until hot, but not smoking.
  2. Season the Romaine with salt and pepper and place it cut side down in the hot pan.  Allow lettuce to cook for several minutes until it is starting to brown well on the cut side.
  3. Flip the Romaine halves onto the opposite side and allow to cook until it begins to get a nice nutty brown color.  Continue cooking and flipping, until the lettuce starts to wilt, turn golden brown and become tender.  You can check doneness by color and also by piercing the core with the tip of a sharp knife.  It is done when the knife slips in easily without resistance.
  4. Transfer Romaine to a serving platter, pour the lemon juice over the cut side evenly and sprinkle the cheese directly onto the hot Romaine, which will start to melt on contact.
  5. Serve immediately.
Serve 2

Scallop Ceviche with Orange, Mango and Mint

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Delicate and flavorful, this preparation is the perfect treatment for ultra fresh, diver scallops

Delicate and flavorful, this preparation is the perfect treatment for ultra fresh, diver scallops

  • 6 Large sushi quality sea scallops (specify diver, dry if available)
  • 2 Limes, juiced
  • 1 Juice orange, juiced
  • ½ Ripe mango, peeled and diced in very small dice
  • 1 TBS finely minced scallion
  • ½ Jalapeno, finely minced to taste
  • 3 Fresh mint leaves, sliced in julienne
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Salmon Caviar for garnish (optional)

 

  1. Using a large chefs knife, slice scallops horizontally into 4 even slices.
  2. Transfer scallop slices to a large shallow platter with sides or a flat, shallow plastic Tupperware tub. Cover scallops and refrigerate while preparing marinating ingredients.
  3. In a medium sized bowl, combine lime juice, orange juice, mango, scallion, jalapeno and salt to taste.
  4. Pour marinating sauce mixture over scallops, almost covering them and refrigerate for 1 – 3 hours.
  5. Remove scallops from marinating liquid, reserving liquid. Arrange scallops on a serving platter and garnish with some of the marinating liquid and mango to moisten, salt to taste, and julienned mint.  Garnish platter with optional salmon caviar.  Serve immediately.
Serves 4

Herbed Couscous

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  • 1 cup instant couscous
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 scallion, chopped finely
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed, peeled and minced
  • 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh mint, parlsey, and chives
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • ½ tsp salt & fresh pepper to taste

 

  1. Heat olive oil on medium heat in medium sized pot. Add scallion and garlic seasoning with salt & pepper to taste.  Saute for 2-3 mintues until scallion is wilted, being careful not to burn.
  2. Add couscous and stir to coat with the oil.
  3. Add boiling water, herbs and lemon juice, stirring well, cover and remove from heat for 10 minutes.
  4. Fluff couscous before serving and serve immediately.

 

Serves 4