Raw Cauliflower Salad... with a tangy vinaigrette.

Raw Cauliflower Salad... with a tangy vinaigrette. When it comes to salads, I have to admit that I mainly stick to simple salads. Normally, I fluctuate between leafy lettuce or cabbage... and adding the usual suspects, onion, cucumber, and tomatoes. Sometimes, I'll look through my fridge and add that lone boiled egg, or a handful of seeds or nuts to go right along with the rest of the ingredients. At other times, I may add other bits and pieces of veggies that I may have around as well... such as cauliflower, celery or carrots. It's funny how oftentimes the "small" salad I originally intend to make... well, all of a sudden becomes this gigantic bowl of veggies:).

In any case, the other day, I had finished all the shredded cabbage I had in the fridge, and as there was no leafy lettuce around, I decided to use the cauliflower I had... and of course, used my usual "technique" of adding a few other ingredients I had in the fridge:). And you know what? The result was delicious.  

When it comes to using both cabbage and cauliflower in salads, you'll notice they both need quite a bit of acidity... they absorb it quickly(especially so if the salad sits overnight). You'll need to increase the acidity in the vinaigrette ... more so than you would otherwise add to a regular leafy salad. I prefer most times to use vinegar, but every so often will change things up a bit and add some lemon juice as well. 

While I ended up making this salad with ingredients I had in the house, you can easily be creative and use vegetables you prefer... or omit any you don't care for. 

Using cauliflower as the base of a salad is a wonderful idea, not only is it delicious, but it provides wonderful texture. As a bonus, the salad keeps well... even when made ahead. And because it has a tangy flavor, it can enhance many meaty dishes by cutting through their fat... from BBQ meats, braised meats, sausages, fried chicken and the likes.

The salad is also wonderful on its own... quite refreshing and filling!

Because I loved this salad, I thought to share it, in case you are looking for a different sort of salad to make... or you need a salad/side dish bring to a gathering that's mostly free of allergens. If you really want to make a meal of it, try adding some cooked beans, mungbeans, barley, chickpeas, etc.  Hope you enjoy... 

Tip: You can easily add in some pomegranate arils... and add a tablespoon or 2 of pomegranate molasses to the dressing. Feel free to use other herbs of choice... mint would be a good one. Lots of other vegetables would be good... fennel, cucumber, radishes, etc.

Note: Any type of dressing will work quite well, so feel free to use your favorite. I simply used what I had on hand.

You will need:

1/2 head(3 cups) cauliflower, diced

1 small bunch(1/2 cup) parsley, chopped

1 cup red bell pepper, diced

2 (1/2 cup) celery ribs, diced

5 thin(1/2 cup) green onion, chopped 

1/3 cup sliced almonds(can use other nuts or seeds of choice)

Dressing

3 TBS meyer lemon juice (can use regular lemons, but adjust amount to taste)

1 TBS white balsamic vinegar

2-3 TBS olive oil, can use a nut oil if desired

1/2 tsp spicy sesame oil, optional

3/4-1 tsp salt, or to taste

pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prep all ingredients and set aside.

2. Make vinaigrette by whisking all the dressing ingredients together until mixed thoroughly.

3. In a large bowl toss vegetables together and add  the vinaigrette. Mix until evenly coated. Adjust taste and mix in almonds.

4. Pile salad in a clean bowl and serve straightaway... or allow salad to sit and absorb the dressing. The salad will get less tangy as the cauliflower absorbs the dressing. Also, the salad can be made ahead as it keeps well.... just mix in almonds before serving.

Romanian Oven-Roasted Cabbage... "Varza La Cuptor"

Romanian Oven-Roasted Cabbage... "Varza La Cuptor"... This cabbage dish has become one of my new favorites in the last few weeks. I've made it multiple times... and never got tired of it:).

What I love most about it is that it uses real basic ingredients, resulting in a dish I can eat for days. Funny thing is that I love it cold out of the fridge as well! I know...

Now, this dish has roots to my Romanian heritage. It was a dish made often in our home while growing up. Since my mom always had homemade sauerkraut in the house, she would make this dish using only fermented  cabbage...whole cabbage heads which she sliced thinly....  and she really didn't add any fresh cabbage like I do. But since I don't always have a barrel of sauerkraut on hand, I opt to "fill in" the sauerkraut amount with fresh cabbage and add some lemon juice to make up for some of the acidity sauerkraut imparts to the dish. 

But what I really like, is that on a whim, when I crave this dish, I can make it with just an 18 oz container of store-bought fermented sauerkraut... and a raw head of cabbage. Now I found a particular brand for sauerkraut(Wildbrine) that tastes exactly like the sauerkraut I grew up with... so that's what I used here. However, I've also used jarred Bubbies brand sauerkraut as well... without the garlic and dill flavor. 

If you like anything caramelized... onions especially, you might enjoy this dish. The cabbage in this dish bakes and releases wonderful aromas and tantalizing caramelized flavors. While you can add all sorts of other ingredients to the dish... I love it in its simplicity- cabbage, sauerkraut and onion. 

I am always amazed when simple ingredients produce a dish that's complex in flavors. In the end, the roasted cabbage should have a "dry" consistency... without any liquid lingering in the dish. 

Romanians love to pair this dish with sausages, fried pork chops and roast duck. A side of freshly made polenta usually completes the meal. I'm fine eating it by itself... but my husband enjoys it with sausage:). 

Next time, try roasting the cabbage in the oven... you'll notice roasting brings the cabbage to another level. Hope you enjoy...

Note: While I drained my sauerkraut of all the juice and added lemon juice instead, you can opt to not drain the  sauerkraut in case you have no lemon juice on hand... I like to reserve the sauerkraut juice for making soups and love to add lemon juice to the cabbage as it adds another level of acidity the cabbage needs.

Also, while I added the amounts needed for the cabbage and sauerkraut, you can easily adjust by adding more sauerkraut and less cabbage... same goes with the tomato paste or olive oil. For me these amounts work wonderfully well. The cabbage isn't too greasy, nor is it too tomato-y, nor too sour. But everyone's taste is different:)...

You will need:

Oven-Roasted Cabbage

1 head (3lb) green cabbage, sliced thin

1 med/large onion, sliced thin

1(18 oz) container, sauerkraut, drained- (mine was dill and garlic flavored)

3-5 TBS lemon juice, or to taste -I used 5 TBS meyer lemon juice

6 TBS olive oil

3 TBS tomato paste, can be optional

1 tsp sea salt, or to taste

pepper to taste

Other Additions Can Be Added To Taste:

smoked paprika

pepper flakes/cayenne

dill

caraway seeds

lardons of bacon

sausages, added at the end of the cooking time- or you can pan fry

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 deg F

1. Gather ingredients. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on the bottom of a large roasting pan( I used a 13x9 pan)

2. Slice cabbage thinly, can use mandoline if desired. Add to pan.

3. Slice onion thinly, can use mandoline if desired. Add to pan.

4. Drain sauerkraut(reserve liquid for other uses, such as soups) and add sauerkraut to the rest of cabbage ingredients that's in the pan.

5. In a small bowl, mix  the remainder of the olive oil(5 TBS), tomato paste(if using), salt, pepper and lemon juice until combined thoroughly. Pour over cabbage ingredients.

6. Mix all cabbage ingredients thoroughly until all cabbage is coated with the oil mixture. At this point you can add other ingredients you may like... I added some spicy red pepper. 

Note: If you find the pan is too small to mix all the cabbage ingredients in, then opt to mix them in a large bowl beforehand and then level it out in the roasting pan. 

7. Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour - 1 hour and 30 minutes... or until cabbage is nicely colored and caramelized... and all liquid is evaporated.  You will need to turn the cabbage over in the pan every 10-15 minutes... so the cabbage gets caramelized evenly. My cabbage was done around 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

NOTE: 

I made 2 versions of the oven-roasted cabbage... one with tomato paste ... and one without tomato paste. Both were delicious! So in case, you don't have any tomato paste, you can still enjoy making the dish with just a few simple ingredients. 

Furikake... a roasted seaweed condiment.

Furikake... a roasted seaweed condiment. Some time ago, I purchased quite a bit of roasted seaweed... a Korean type of seaweed. Now, the Korean laver is quite a bit different than the Japanese nori... it's thinner, and quite fragile. I like it because it has a milder taste, and because it's seasoned, you can eat it on its own. 

You'll find the Korean seaweed has become quite popular as a snack, and while it was more difficult to find years ago, it's now readily available in most supermarkets. They're usually located in small packets near the Asian condiments.

It's much cheaper for me to stock up on pantry items whenever I go visit family down south. I usually make it a point to stock up on items that I can't find here in Montana(though more and more items are now available here as well).... this  normally means more of the Asian condiments. You can find bulk items in most Asian stores, so it's much cheaper buying in bulk. In any case, one day I was looking in my pantry and noticed I had quite a bit of the roasted seaweed. The expiration date was  quickly approaching, so I knew I needed to use it soon. 

I had seen different Japanese condiments at my local natural food store... from gomasio to furikake to togarashi. But they were always a bit expensive. I immediately thought of making my one version of the Japanese style seasoning. Furikake is a Japanese condiment that uses traditional Japanese nori, but I used my Korean laver to make my own version of "furikake". Of course, you can use  the traditional nori sheets, but you will need to add some salt to the mix.

I made my first "furikake "batch a year or so ago... and LOVED it! Been making it ever since. So when I was mixing a batch of my seaweed condiment recently, I thought to share it. Maybe some of you might be interested in trying it.... especially if you enjoy eating the seaweed as a snack. 

Furikake seasoning can vary... you can add all sorts of ingredients to the basic seaweed, sesame, sugar and salt mix. I LOVE the flavor of dried onion powder, but you can use other ingredients of choice. I've listed some options below. Even the basic mix is flavorful on its own. And you can adjust amounts to suit your own taste. 

This roasted seaweed seasoning is so versatile. You can use it in all sorts of dishes. It's good over rice(of course:)), or poached fish, as a topping for the popular Hawaiian poke(raw tuna salad), over potatoes, over eggs, in salads, in soups, over popcorn, as a chex mix seasoning... I mean I could go on... basically over everything:). Lately, I've been topping my cooked quinoa with this seasoning... and it's absolutely delicious. However you use it, it's a great little condiment that merits its space here on the blog. Hope you enjoy...     

Tip: Now, these measurements are just a guide, you can easily use more or less of each ingredient... it really doesn't have to be exact.

You will need:

20 grams roasted seasoned seaweed( I use a Korean dried seaweed, that's seasoned)*

7 TBS toasted sesame seeds(or raw, then toast)

1/2 tsp dried onion powder

1/2 tsp sugar

*you can use Japanese nori(for sushi rolls), but you will probably need to add some salt.

Additional Options: these are ideas only 

chile flakes

dried ginger

dried bonito flakes

dried miso

dried vegetables

Directions: 

1. If using raw sesame seeds: Heat skillet on medium heat, add sesame seeds and toast till golden and fragrant  stir often so as not to burn... a couple of minutes or so. Remove seeds and set aside to cool.

2. Cut seaweed in pieces and place in a bowl of a food processor. Add the sesame seeds, onion powder, and sugar.... and any other optional ingredients you desire.

3. Process until seaweed is the size of  rice and everything is fully combined.

4. Store in a sealed container... in the refrigerator or freezer.  

5. Use as a topping on about everything:)...   

Spiced Cauliflower "Couscous"... with toasted cashews and pomegranate.

Spiced Cauliflower "Couscous"... with toasted cashews and pomegranate. I know cauliflower has emerged as a "genius" substitution  for a variety of rice or wheat based dishes. Recipes have been created to minimize the carbohydrate laden dishes and making them wheat-free, rice-free , etc.... I've posted my take on "fried rice" before... using cauliflower instead of traditional rice. Even ventured to  try the cauliflower crust pizza... which I loved. But recently I ended up substituting a cauliflower "couscous" for the usual wheat based couscous... and loved the result. Why, it even looks like couscous!

While I made a spiced (Middle Eastern) version of couscous, you can easily turn this into a tabbouleh-style sort of dish, skipping the spices and increasing the amount of parsley.  But I must say I simply loved the addition of the toasted nuts along with the pomegranate seeds. It not only makes the dish look beautiful, but it imparts a ton of flavor to the overall dish. 

I was inspired to make this spiced version after seeing the recipe win a contest for the best picnic-style side dish on Food52.  While I loved everything about it,  I knew I  didn't care for the added golden sultanas. Not a fan of too sweet a dish...  though I always fall for sweet and sour chicken:).

There were a few pomegranates in my fridge, pomegranates that I had received from my sister during our last Thanksgiving vacation. She had collected a bagful of pomegranates from her tree and gave me some to take back home... for which I was quite grateful! Love pomegranates. Since coming back home we had eaten the pomegranates mostly as a snack, but I had kept on to a few. In my mind I was thinking to use them in a savory dish of some sort. It's interesting, but those pomegranates lasted well into January... sure the skin wrinkled, but inside, well, they were just perfect. Of course, I immediately thought of the last few pomegranates I had lingering in the fridge when making this dish. 

I just knew the pomegranate seeds would work much better than the sweet sultanas. Well, at least I thought so:). Obviously the original recipe had won a contest with the sultanas, but you know, those pomegranate seeds  really added that extra pop of tartness that I loved... actually felt they were needed to balance out the sweetness of the cooked cauliflower. Not to mention the bright red color made the dish totally stand out.

This dish is the type of dish you will have to adjust to taste. If you feel the cauliflower couscous isn't sour enough, then adjust by adding extra lemon juice.  The dish can also take more olive oil, if you like. And definitely add salt to taste. While I liked it the first day, I loved it even more so the following days as the spices mellowed out a bit. I could easily see how this dish could be made ahead and brought to a potluck/picnic without too much hassle... and you wouldn't need to worry about it staying out too long. No mayonnaise, no eggs, no meat. Just healthy and tasty. 

A great side addition that would go well with a variety of dishes... great used as a base for lamb chops, koftas, or grilled fish. Hope you enjoy...  

You will need:

1 large head cauliflower

3- 4 TBS olive oil

Spiced Vinaigrette:

4 TBS meyer lemon juice

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp za'atar

1/2 tsp garlic flakes, can use raw crushed garlic

2-3 TBS olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Additional:

1 green onion, chopped

2 TBS minced parsley and/or cilantro and/or  mint, etc  

 seeds from 1 pomegranate

1 cup raw cashew pieces

Directions: 

1. Dry toast raw cashews till charred in spots... a few minutes on medium low heat, stirring often. Set aside. 

2. Mix marinade. Set aside.

3. Process cauliflower florets in 3 batches... 15 short pulses... till size of rice/couscous.

4. To a dry skillet, add 3-4 TBS olive oil. Heat on medium  heat and cook cauliflower for about 7 minutes... stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of any brown bits.

5. Remove cauliflower "couscous" from skillet and place in a large bowl. Allow to cool.

6. Pour vinaigrette over cooled couscous, stir until combined.

7. Add minced herb/s of choice, chopped green onion and pomegranate seeds(I like to rinse the seeds of any clinging juice so it will not stain the "couscous"). Stir to combine.

8. Adjust seasoning if needed with extra salt, lemon juice, and olive oil. 

9. To maintain the crunch, stir in cashews just before serving salad.

Sopa Seca... Mexican Style.

Sopa Seca... Mexican Style. If you've ever looked for an alternative to the well known spanish rice, well, you might want to try the noodle variation called Sopa Seca. A meatless dish, Sopa Seca is usually tomato based, though you will find plenty of variations. I've even seen a variation where the tomatoes are swapped out for tomatillos.... would love to try  that next time, as it sounds interesting! And while there are a ton of variations of the Sopa Seca, I rather like this simple version I'm posting today.

Traditionally Sopa Seca is mostly used as a side dish, but I prefer to make it into a meal by adding a few fresh toppings. So simple... and so delicious! Interestingly the Sopa Seca is very similar to the Spanish dish called Fideua.

The dish starts out as a "soup", mainly because stock is added...  just as you would whenever making any type of soup. The "Seca" (dry) part of the dish comes about when the stock is fully absorbed into the noodles, cooking and softening them. And it's only then that the dish becomes a "dry" sort of "soup". Even though you can make the dish with a bit of moisture (adding more stock), I rather like the pasta to fully absorb all the liquid... and as it sits, it will continue to dry up even more. 

When the noodles become quite dry, they almost remind me of the stir-fried noodles found at most Asian fast food restaurants... except in this case, the noodles have a tomato flavor. To offset the "dryness" of the noodles (and make a meal of it), I like to top the noodles with a few fresh ingredients.... 

I reserve a bit of the tomatoes from the tomato sauce in the dish and add some diced avocado along with some chopped cilantro. I then grate some feta over the whole dish, but you can use some crumbled cotija, asadero, queso blanco or other Mexican type cheeses. However, I find feta goes extremely well with the tomato flavor. And while I added a tiny amount  of feta in the photos above, I did end up adjusting the amount on our plates  afterwards... by adding a few more gratings:). Hope you enjoy...

You will need:

8 oz dried capellini pasta, broken in thirds (or vermicelli)

1/4 cup olive oil

Sauce:

3 large Roma tomatoes, diced,  reserving 1/3 cup diced for topping 

1 small onion, diced small

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 tsp dried guajillo chile powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne, optional

1 tsp sugar, to balance out acidity

Additional:

1 3/4 -2 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper, as needed

Toppings:

reserved diced tomatoes from above

avocado, diced

chopped cilantro

grated feta

Directions:

1. Make tomato sauce by adding all sauce ingredients in a food processor. Process till sauce is slightly chunky but fully combined. Set aside. 

2. Add oil in a large frying pan (with lid). Fry the capellini (or vermicelli) on all sides in hot oil until golden brown in color. Make sure it doesn't burn... this process is rather quick. Remove from pan.

2 In the same oil, add the reserved tomato sauce. Cook till sauce has reduced and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3 When broth is boiling, add vermicelli and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the vermicelli has soaked up the liquid, about 20-30 minutes. 

Half way through the cooking, I lifted the lid and turned some of the pasta that was on top with the pasta that was on the bottom, this way the pasta cooks evenly. If you feel the pasta has soaked up all of the stock and still needs cooking, you can add a bit of stock, as needed, and continue to cook until pasta is cooked through to your liking... I prefer mine al-dente and not mushy.   

4. Top with favorite toppings. 

Brined Dill Pickles (naturally fermented without vinegar)... Romanian Castraveti Murati

Brined Dill Pickles (naturally fermented without vinegar)... Romanian Castraveti Murati. I went to the farmer's market recently. My eyes lingered at the various sized bags of pickling cucumbers laid out on the table. I hadn't made pickles in such a long time. Wouldn't it be nice to make some pickles? There were plenty of bagged cucumbers, some big, some small...  and then I spotted a medium sized bag. It would be just perfect for us. How I missed the homemade pickle version I grew up with. The pickles my mom made were brined without any added vinegar. I loved those. Back then as a kid, I didn't realize how healthy the natural fermented pickles were for me....  

So I bought a few spices to add to the brine and then got to work.  Made delicious pickles within a week! I know, within a week. It sounds strange, but those lovely fresh cucumbers turned into sour pickles before the week was over and I couldn't believe how good they were. And there's no vinegar involved... and no yellow food coloring for that matter:)... So totally worth it. My husband just loved these! 

The pickles are easy to make... well, as long as a few precautions are taken. First, cucumbers should be fresh without blemishes(and without showing any sign of rotting, I found a few:)). Second, jars must be clean and  sterilized. Thirdly, non-iodized salt is mandatory, so use kosher salt or pickling salt. Lastly, cucumbers must remain submerged under the brine at all times, failing to do so will cause spoilage. Spices can be adjusted to taste. You can  make spicy pickles by increasing the chile flakes, or you can make a non spicy version by omitting the chile altogether. Pickles can be made with just dill, garlic and peppercorns... but the celery seed and mustard seed add a special touch. 

I should mention the amount of salt to water is what I use for all my pickling... I find the salt isn't overpowering. However, if you like yours a bit saltier you may opt to add an extra tablespoon or two of salt to the gallon of water . Also, I've mentioned in the directions below that I didn't use all of my brine... I made a bit more than I needed thinking I would use a single container. Last minute I decided to place the cucumbers in jars rather than a large crock and found myself with 1/2 of the brine leftover. You can make only half the brine, but I figure it's always best to have more than enough:). In any case, I thought to share this recipe in case you find yourself at the farmer's market eyeing pickling cucumbers. Hope you enjoy... 

Note: It is important to cut the blossom end on each cucumber...  the blossom end has an enzyme that makes the pickles soft.

You will need: 

Note: I did not use all the salt water( maybe used half of it), as I packed my cucumbers in various sized jars. But you may need all the salt water... especially if you are using a large crock. Also, you will need the extra water if using filled bags to keep cucumbers submerged in the crock.  

  

4 lbs fresh small pickling cucumbers(3-4 inch)

16 cups(1 gallon) filtered water

1/2 cup(8 TBS) kosher salt( NOT iodized salt)

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 small bunch of dill

celery seed (about 1/2 tsp)

mustard seed (about 1 tsp)

peppercorns( about 1-2 TBS)

chile flakes, to taste

Additional:

Large pickling crock or sterilized glass jars

Directions:

1. Fill sink with plenty of water and drop the cucumbers in water. Wash cucumbers well... it is important to remove all the dirt.  Rinse well.

2. Using a small knife, cut about 1/8-1/4 inch off the cucumber top, the blossom end. This is important... leaving the blossom end, will make for mushy pickles. The blossom end has an enzyme that causes the cucumber to go soft.

3. Combine the salt and water in a large pot and stir until the salt has dissolved.

4. Depending on the container/s you will be using, you will need to divide spices accordingly in each jar. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If using one single pickling crock:

~ a. Add all the spices(this can be adjusted to taste) and dill to the bottom of a pickling crock. Then add the cucumbers to the crock on top of the spices and dill. Pour the brine mixture(salt and water) over the cucumbers to completely cover by an inch or so.

~ b. Pour any remaining brine in a ziploc bag and seal. 

~ c. Place the bag with brine on top of the pickles... so that the cucumbers are completely submerged in the brine. Set the crock in a cool place.

If using various sized jars( My Method): Divide spices accordingly for each jar. Use a bit less of the dill and spices for small jars, and double for larger jars. 

~ a. Sterilize jars and lids. I run them though my dishwasher. Dry them.

~ b. To each jar, add a sprig or two of dill along with a pinch or two of the celery seed, mustard, and chile flakes to taste. Add 2 or 3 slices of garlic and a couple of big pinches of peppercorns. Place cucumbers in each jar, fitting snugly. Ladle some of the salt water in each jar to completely cover by an inch or so. You want the cucumbers to stay submerged in the brine at all times.  

~ c. Place lids loosely on top( do not tighten) and store jars in a cool place. Instead of covering jars with their own lids, you can place a thin clean cloth/cheesecloth on top with a rubber band to hold in place.  Due to potential bubbling over, I like to place a plastic container underneath the jars to catch any spillage that can occur.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5. Check the crock/jars every day... lifting jar lids to release any fermentation that occurs.  You will see bubbles rising to the top as it starts fermenting. Skim off any scum that forms on top. 

6. Allow pickles to ferment for 5-10 days.... this varies according to size of pickles and temperature. But fermentation is done when you taste the pickles and they're sour... also the bubbles  will have subsided. You may notice the brine going cloudy ... this is perfectly normal... part of the fermentation process. 

7. After fermentation is complete, cover crock/jars loosely and place in the refrigerator. You will need to skim the scum or white stuff that may or may not be forming....  check daily. The pickles will slowly ferment even more as it sits in the fridge. 

8. Store the pickles in the refrigerator, skimming as needed. I tighten the lids after 3 days or so in the fridge. Pickles should last in the fridge for a couple of months or so. 

If at any point the pickles become mushy and very soft, or they take on a bad odor, you will need to discard.

Cauliflower Fried "Rice"

Cauliflower Fried "Rice"... a one-pot dish and a great way to use up leftovers. Ever since I've made the Gluten-free Cauliflower pizza, I've been experimenting with cauliflower and trying to use it in a variety of ways. This fried "rice" recipe was made on the spur of the moment... with ingredients I had in the house. 

Recently my husband and I were in the middle of a painting job...  and I quickly realized it was time for us to eat. I think it was my growling stomach that was letting me know it was time for lunch:). But I needed to make a quick meal that would feed us, and at the same time give me plenty of time to go back to work and finish painting. So I went down to the kitchen and looked in my fridge. I wanted to use up some of the vegetables I had and grabbed a few items. Then I noticed a few slices of deli ham in the deli drawer, so I took those out as well. There was only 1/2 a cauliflower, but I knew it would be enough to make us a meal. Why, with all the veggies and the bit of ham I could stretch the cauliflower and make a complete meal of it.

I started dicing the vegetables and with the corner of my eye, noticed my camera . I thought, "Why not... the dish might be worthy of posting." So I snapped the step-by-step photos. Later on I decided to post the recipe.... just because the dish was so delicious. Both my husband and I finished the whole lot... in one sitting(yikes!). Maybe we were super hungry after all the painting:). 

I'll be honest, the dish doesn't taste exactly like fried rice, but the Asian seasoning does bring in that fried rice flavor. And for being a low carb option, using cauliflower is great. I could easily see this dish being used to complement other Asian dishes at the dinner table.  The really neat thing about this recipe is that you can really use up any leftovers you have in the fridge and make a pretty decent meal of it. And the really nice part... it's a one pot sort of dish. Love it. Hope you enjoy...

Note: While I used a teriyaki sauce, you can easily use whatever stir-fry sauce you like... and for a gluten-free version, opt to use a GF soy sauce or stir-fry sauce. And if you'd rather skip the soy sauce altogether, add salt instead... I think originally the true fried rice was made with with salt and no soy sauce. This dish is more of a "taste as you go" sort of dish... 

Tip: Feel free to add any vegetables/meat of choice to make your own fried rice version... it's fun to be able to use up any leftover tidbits you make have sitting in the fridge.

You will need:

1/2 cup finely diced carrots

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1 cup finely diced onion

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2.5 ounce(5 slices) chopped deli ham

salt, to taste

2 TBS oil(can use coconut oil)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp ginger juice(or fresh ginger)

1 TBS teriyaki sauce Yeri Yeri brand(or GF soy sauce/stir-fry sauce)

2 eggs

1/2 head(4-5 cups) raw cauliflower "rice"

1/2-1 cup frozen peas

Extra Sauce Seasoning: as needed, adjust to taste 

3 TBS teriyaki yeri yeri brand(can use soy sauce)

1 tsp sesame oil

Additional:

1/2 cup chopped green onion

sesame seeds, optional

Directions:

1.  Cut cauliflower in small pieces and place in food processor. Pulse  a few times until cauliflower is the size of rice. You may need to do this in a couple of batches if your processor is small.

2. Remove and set aside. 

3. Dice the celery, carrot, onion and ham.

4. In a large skillet, add about 2 TBS oil and heat on medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and garlic. Season with a bit of salt. Saute till softened a bit, about 5-7 minutes, stirring every so often.

5. Add diced ham and continue to cook for an additional minute or two.  

6. Stir in the 1 tsp sesame oil, the 1 tsp ginger juice( or grated ginger), and  the  1 TBS teriyaki sauce. 

7. Lower the heat a bit and move the sauteed mixture to one side of the pan. To the other half of the pan, add a bit of oil  and  crack the 2 eggs. 

8. Mix the eggs up a bit and cook until almost set....then stir the scrambled eggs in with the rest of the vegetables

9. Add the riced cauliflower and mix to combine.

10. Add the peas and 3 TBS teriyaki + 1 tsp sesame oil. Mix to combine and adjust the heat to medium so you get some caramelization. At this point, you may need to adjust  seasoning to taste... add more salt/ teriyaki/soy sauce/ginger etc. Cook till you get some flavor in the cauliflower and some caramelization... maybe another 5 minutes or so. 

11. Sprinkle with chopped green onion... can add some chopped cilantro/sesame seeds/peanuts, etc.  if you like.

Romanian White Bean Dip with Caramelized Onion... "Fasole Batuta cu Ceapa Calita"

Romanian White Bean Dip with Caramelized Onion... "Fasole Batuta cu Ceapa Calita"... using a 1 pound bag of beans to make 2 dishes( Part 2).  I loved this dip while growing up. And lately I've had a real craving for it. I quickly realized I didn't have any dried beans in the house, so I made a special trip to the supermarket. Bought a small bag, and got to work. I knew I wasn't going to use all the beans to make the dip, so I decided to make the Romanian Vegetarian Bean Soup I posted recently.  This is the second part  to the bean bag:)....

Ever since I came across the idea of brining my beans before cooking, I've never looked back. I love the flavor the salt imparts to the beans.... so I ended up doing that for the 2 recipes I made, the bean soup and this dip. It really isn't mandatory to brine the beans. My mom never brined her beans and her dishes always came out delicious. So in actuality, you could choose to skip the brining, and just soak the beans normally.... be it overnight, quick soak, etc. But when it comes to cooking the beans, you want to cook them until they are quite soft, otherwise the bean dip won't be so smooth.

It's interesting but I'll take this dip over hummus any day... I may be biased, but I think hummus comes in second place to this Romanian bean dip:). This dip is truly delicious! I'm thinking it probably has to to with the fact that the beans get cooked in a flavorful broth... with onion, carrots and celery(sometimes parsnip), and that just brings in a ton of flavor. Not to mention the caramelized onion and tomato paste/paprika topping that takes the dip over the top. Yum! In any case, if you love bean dips, you may want to give this dip a try. Hope you enjoy...    

Tip: This dip (you can skip the onion mixture) can be used as a base for broiled/grilled meats or fish... just slather some on a plate and place your meat of choice on top, add a side of vegetables/salad and you have a restaurant-style dish.  Or serve with some sausage and sauerkraut salad for a true Romanian dish.

You will need:

Cooking Beans:  

Important:You will only be using  2 cups cooked beans for the dip...  the bean stock and remainder of the beans can be made into a bean soup. Or you can just double the bean dip recipe below, and keep the stock for another use.

Brine:

2 1/2 cups dried white beans beans(navy or northern)

4 cups water

2 TBS kosher salt

Vegetables: for cooking beans and making a bean stock

enough water to cover beans 3 inches above

2 celery stalks

1 onion

1 bay leaf

2 carrots

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1/2 parsnip, if desired( I didn't have)

To Make Dip: You can likewise use canned beans, if you prefer to make a quicker dip, but it won't have that extra flavor when cooked with the vegetables and done from scratch.

2 cups soft-cooked white beans from above  

3 TBS olive oil

1 garlic clove, sliced

3-4 TBS bean stock, or even water

salt to taste

Caramelized Onion Topping:

1/2 onion, chopped fine

2-3 TBS olive oil, plus extra for drizzling on top

1 TBS tomato paste

1 tsp hot smoked paprika(or regular smoked, or sweet)

salt as needed

Directions:

1. Soak beans overnight: Place beans in a large bowl, add water and salt. 

2. Next day: Rinse beans and drain.  

Cook Beans: I cooked my beans in a pressure cooker for about 15 minutes(to make soft beans), but you can cook the beans in a regular pot if you like.... adjusting time.

1. Place drained and soaked beans in a large pot, and cover with about 3 inches of water.

2. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, and parsnip(if using). Bring water to a boil, cover and lower heat to a simmer... cook beans until soft. This will take about 12-15 minutes in a pressure cooker or about 45 minutes or so in a regular pot.  

3. Strain stock and remove vegetables. Set stock aside to make bean soup or reserve for another use. 

4. Remove 2 cups worth of beans  to make dip... and 1/4 cup bean stock. The rest of the beans you can place back in the strained bean broth and proceed to make bean soup.   

Note: If you don't want to make a bean soup and want to use all the cooked beans to make a dip, then freeze the stock for another use and double the recipe for the dip. 

Make Dip:

1. Place 2 cups cooked beans in a food processor. 

2. Add garlic, olive oil and bean stock. Process until super smooth a couple of minutes. If bean dip is too thick ,adjust it by adding a bit more stock, 1 TBS at a time. Taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Remove bean puree and place in a shallow bowl, and spread it out a bit. Set it aside.

Make Onion Topping:

1. In a skillet,  heat oil and add the chopped onion. Sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt and cook on med/low, stirring every so often, until onion caramelizes and gets golden brown. This can take about 10 minutes or so.

2. Add the tomato paste and smoked paprika to the onion, combine and cook for an additional 2 minutes or so... you can add another tablespoon of oil, if too dry to loosen the onion mixture up a bit.

Assemble Dip:

1. Place the hot onion mixture in the center of the bean dip and drizzle a bit of extra-virgin olive oil over it.

2. Serve at room temperature... with crusty bread, flatbread, etc.  

Korean Pajeon(Green Onion Pancakes)... and a Gluten-Free Version.

Korean Pajeon... Green Onion Pancakes. What do you do when you have a few vegetables in the fridge? Why, Korean-style pancakes of course:). The pancakes are simple to make, and you can have a lovely light meal in a matter of minutes. Plus, the beauty of making these pancakes is that you can make them quite simple, with just some scallions... or you can make them a bit fancier by adding extra vegetables and even some shrimp. However they're made though, it's important to have a dipping sauce. It's the sauce that makes the pancakes shine.  

Over  the past few weeks I've made these pancakes many times... and even played around with the ingredients. When I first started making these pancakes, I ended up making the pancakes gluten-free... using a GF rice flour blend and adding some egg with a few veggies. One day, I was real adventurous... I pureed some cooked quinoa, added some rice flour, an egg and some veggies, including scallions and chile. 

Both versions were delicious, though the cooked quinoa didn't hold together as nicely as the basic flour version I am sharing today. At the time, I made them as big pancakes, and looking back, I should have made them smaller. They would have held together much better. But they were still delicious. Anyway, maybe one day I'll visit the non-gluten version again and post about it. I've made a few more gluten-free pancakes... since I wrote this... the post has been sitting in my draft folder for some time now. So here's a quick and delicious flour based, egg-free Pageon...  and a gluten-free version as well. In time for scallion season. 

My garden is full of scallions that are emerging from their winter hibernation:). These pancakes are so versatile... they can take a variety of vegetables, from zucchini, asparagus, carrots, scallions, etc. If you've ever made the Japanese Okonomiyaki pancakes I shared some time ago, you'll find them quite similar.  Hope you enjoy...

Note: For the flour based pageon. While I didn't use any baking soda/baking powder, you may want to experiment with adding a tiny bit, especially if you want them a bit fluffier... or you can also experiment with adding an egg.  Also, feel free to substitute  a bit of the AP flour with some rice flour.

Tip: I like to place the pajeon pancakes in the toaster oven to continue to crisp up and be hot before serving... This helps to cook the pancake further without having a "gummy" interior. I also reheat the leftovers in the toaster oven as well.

You will need:

Pajeon batter: makes about 2(6-8 inch) pancakes

1/2 cup flour

1/2(+/-) cup cold water

1 tsp sesame oil

salt and pepper to taste 

pinch of sugar, optional, I omitted

Vegetables: you can use other vegetables if you like, or use just the green onion.

2 green onions

1 small carrot

1 red jalapeno

Soy dipping sauce: this sauce can be adjusted to taste, use more or less vinegar/ sesame oil. Also you can easily double it.

2-3 TBS soy sauce

2-4 tsps rice vinegar 

1-2 tsps sesame oil

chopped green onion

sesame seeds

garlic, optional

Directions:

1. Cut your green onion/scallion in 3 inch( or so) julienned strips, do the same with the carrot. Slice the red jalapeno into thin rounds. 

2. Mix all ingredients together... OR mix just the batter(without the onion, carrot, and chile). Check batter consistency before cooking – batter should just a bit runnier than American pancake batter, so add a bit of water if needed. This way the pajeon can cook quickly and evenly. I cooked a couple of pancakes... with a thicker batter(the one where I poured the batter over the vegetables) and  a thinner batter(the one I mixed the batter with the vegetables). Both were ok, though the thinner one cooked quicker.       

3. Heat a non stick skillet (8 inch is what I used) over medium heat and coat with a thin layer of oil... 2-3 tsps.

4. Heat a few strips of scallions/carrots in the skillet so they are slightly cooked and crispy and then pour the batter over the vegetables. Add a few strips of vegetables and 3-4 chile rounds on top of the batter. 

Alternately, pour batter to fill pan in a thin layer... you will need to use about 1/3-1/2 of your batter to fill an 8-10 inch skillet).

5. Cook for 3-4 minutes until set and golden brown on bottom, pressing the pancake with a flat spatula so it cooks evenly.

6. Turn pancake over with help of spatula or plate  and continue cooking 2-3 more minutes, adding more oil around the edges if necessary. 

7. Serve hot with soy dipping sauce (just mix all sauce ingredients together). Adjust seasoning to taste.

Making the Gluten Free Korean Pageon: Uses the same method as the flour based pancake batter.  This makes a small batch, but you can easily double it. 

Note : Use dipping sauce from above and use a GF soy sauce.

Tip: Reheat pancakes in  toaster oven to crisp up.

   

You will need: makes about 2 small( 6 inch) pancakes

1/4 cup rice flour( I used a sweet rice)

1 ex large egg, beaten till foamy

1/4 tsp fish sauce

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1/2 tsp rice vinegar

pinch of salt

Vegetables:

1/2 small zucchini, julienned 

1 red jalapeno, thinly sliced, or to taste

1-2 green onion, chives, cut in 2 inch

Additional:

a bit of oil to fry each pancake in

Directions:

1. Whisk egg till foamy and add the  fish sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and salt.  Whisk to completely combine.

2.  Heat a nonstick skillet with about 1-2 TBS oil and add half the pancake batter.  Cook on medium/low heat till bottom side is golden and crisp, flip over and continue to cook till crisp... or you can place skillet in a preheated hot oven  to finish cooking the top. For me it's just easier to flip over.

Note:At this point you can add  all the cut up vegetables  to the batter mixture and proceed to cook pancakes as mentioned in step 2....

OR: if you want some of the vegetables to be seen more distinctly and get a bit of extra flavor.

You can reserve a few vegetables and mix the rest  of the vegetables with the batter. Then heat a bit of oil and add some of the reserved vegetables,in a single layer, on the bottom of the hot skillet, Cook the vegetables slightly( about 1 minute or so) then add some of the pancake batter and cook as mentioned in step 2 ... which is what I ended up doing. Continue with the rest of the batter in the same manner.