Creole Black-Eyed Peas

 Remember when Scott and I went to NOLA for his birthday (see post here)?  I was so impressed by the food at The Gumbo Shop that I bought their cookbook at a lovely little cookbook shop (called Kitchen Witch) in the French Quarter.

The Gumbo Shop is one of the few places in NOLA I've found where I can get local flavor that's vegetarian.  The food there is good.  I finally got around to making one of their recipes from the cookbook last week, so I'm sharing it with you here.  I've adjusted the seasoning only slightly.  The dish is served over steamed rice, so prepare that when the time is right.

Ingredients:

1 lb. dried black-eyed peas

2 qts. water

1 bay leaf

1/4 c. olive oil

1 3/4 c. finely chopped onion

1 1/4 c. finely chopped yellow bell pepper

3/4 c. finely chopped shallot

1 T. minced garlic

1/2 t. freshly-ground black pepper (or more, to taste)

1/4 t. cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)

1/2 t. sage

1/2 t. thyme

1 1/2 c. celery, sliced into 1/2-inch slices

1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds

2 t. salt (or more or less, to taste)

1 1/2 t. Balsalmic vinegar

1 1/2 t. Tabasco sauce (or more or less, to taste)

1/3 c. sliced green onions (green and white parts)

Method:

Sort through the dried peas, removing any small rocks or other foreign objects, then rinse the peas well.  Place them in a large pot, cover with the water, and soak in the fridge for at least 8 hrs.

Set the pot over medium heat, add the bay leaf, and slowly bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer.  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet, add the chopped onions, peppers, garlic, and shallots, and sauté until lightly brown.  (Use the stick and scrape method:  let the vegetables brown and somewhat stick to the bottom of the pan, then scrape them off and incorporate the brown scrapings into the dish.)  Add the black pepper, cayenne pepper, sage, thyme, celery, and carrots, and sauté for 5 minutes.  Stir the entire contents of the skillet into the pot of simmering peas and continue cooking until the peas, celery, and carrots are tender.

Add the salt, vinegar, Tabasco, and green onions and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.  Adjust the seasoning and serve over white rice.  Greens or spinach make a nice side dish.

Serves 6 - 8.



Cherry Pie

Scott and I got it in our minds that we wanted cherry pie on Memorial Day.  Luckily, the essential cookbook Joy of Cooking (by Irma Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker) had an easy recipe, and success was ours!  We served it with vegan chocolate sorbet (recipe here) for an out-of-this-world dessert experience.

 

CRUST
Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. sugar
1 t. salt
6 T. vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance.)
1/4 c. chilled vegetable shortening (Again, I use Earth Balance.)
6 T. ICE-COLD water plus up to another 1 T.

Method:
Sift the flour, sugar, and salt together.  Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut half of the margarine into the flour mixture until it has the consistency of cornmeal.  Cut in the remaining margarine and then the shortening until it is pea-sized.

Sprinkle the flour mixture with 6 T. ice-cold water.  Blend gently until it just holds together.  If necessary to hold the ingredients together, add up to 1 T. more ice-cold water.

Divid the dough into halves.  Form the dough halves into discs, wrap each with plastic wrap, and allow the discs to "rest" in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.  While the dough is resting, prepare the filling.

FILLING
Ingredients:
5 cups pitted sour cherries or Bing cherries (about 2 - 2.5 lbs.)
sugar - use 1 1/4 c. if your cherries are sour, 3/4 c. sugar if your cherries are Bing
3 - 3 1/2 T. cornstarch
2 T. water
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 t. almond extract
2 - 3 T. vegan margarine, cut into small chunks

Method:
Combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, water, lemon juice, and almond extract in a large bowl, and allow the mixture to stand for 15 minutes.

PUTTING THE PIE TOGETHER
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Roll out one disc of pie dough to line your 9- or 10-inch pie plate.  Line the pie plate.  Pour the cherry filling into the bottom crust, and dot the filling with the remaining 2 - 3 T. vegan margarine chunks.

Roll out the top crust to a circle large enough to cover the pie.  Brush water around the edges of the bottom crust, and lay the top crust over it.  Use your fingers to seal the 2 crusts together.  Prick the top crust with a fork or otherwise create vents.  (I used a very small star-shaped cookie cutter.)

Bake about 55 - 65 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.  Cool completely on a rack.

Cherry Gin Smash

 

MMMMMMMMmmmmmmm! This recipe from Country Living magazine is over-the-top yummy, and it could easily be a non-alcoholic cocktail as there is only 2 oz. of gin in it.  It will be on my Memorial Day menu along with marinated-tofu-and-pepper kebabs, grilled asparagus, and cherry pie.  Thank you, Country Living!

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

6 fresh sour or Bing cherries, pitted

1/2 t. sugar

juice of 1/2 fresh lime

2 oz. gin (optional)

ice

ginger ale to fill glass

lime wedge (for garnish)

 

Method:

In a cocktail shaker, combine the pitted cherries and the sugar.  Muddle with a pestle until cheries release their juice.  Add juice of 1/2 fresh lime and, if using, 2 oz. gin.  Add 2 cubes of ice to the shaker, and shake vigorously.  Strain into a glass with ice.  Tope cherry mixture with  ginger ale and garnish with a lime wedge.



 

 

Vegetable Tagine

Here's another great recipe from Donna Klein's cookbook titled The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen.  There's a lot of chopping, but that just means there are a lot of fresh vegetables in this dish which is ultimately a very good thing.  And it's colorful, which means it covers a lot of the nutrient spectrum.  Finally, it just tastes good, too!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, slivered

5 c. vegetable broth, divided

1 can chopped tomatoes, drained (I saved the juice from the can and used it as part of my vegetable broth.)

1 potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

1 c. frozen green peas

6 oz. large green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 bell pepper (any color will work, but yellow would look great since this color is otherwise missing from the dish), seeded and coarsely chopped

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

2 c. instant couscous

3 T. chopped fresh parsley

juice from 1/2 of a juicy lemon

Method:

In a medium stockpot (not saucepan), heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and sauté until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, and sauté 1 - 2 minutes more.

Stir in 2 c. vegetable broth, tomatoes, potato, salt (I used about 3/4 t.), and pepper.  Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil.  Add the carrots and green beans and return to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the frozen peas, chickpeas, bell pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using).  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer gently until all vegetables are tender (7 - 10 minutes).  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the remaining 3 c. vegetable broth to a boil.  stir in the couscous and remaining 1/2 T. olive oil.  Cover and remove from heat.  Let stand until all the broth is absorbed (about 7 minutes).  Uncover and fluff with a fork.  (Do a good job of the fluffing right away, because the longer the couscous sits unfluffed, the less fluffing you'll be able to do!)

Add the fresh parsley and lemon juice to the vegetables, stirring well to combine.  Season with additional salt and pepper as necessary.

Serve the vegetables over the hot couscous.  Makes 5 - 6 entrée servings.  I served mine with pita bread to keep with the Mediterranean theme.  Yum!

White Bean Purée with Sauteed Greens

From one of my favorite cookbooks to look at: Truly Italian by Ursula Ferrigno. The photography in this vegetarian cookbook is absolutely gorgeous. I always serve this white bean purée with sautéed greens, as the author suggests, and some type of starch. It's a delicious and satisfying light supper, and leftover purée can be spread on toasted crusty bread for a gourmet snack!

Ingredients:

1 15-oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

4 T. extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for serving

2 t. fresh oregano, leaves only

2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

grated zest of 1 lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 oz. pitted kalamata olives, halved

Method:

Heat the beans gently in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic, olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt to taste, and pepper to taste. Mash the beans in the pan with a potato masher. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more olive oil.

When everything is mashed and mixed and the right texture, and it's warmed through, serve with sautéed greens and the starch of your choice. On your fork, take some greens, add a little bean purée with a piece of olive, and bite into Italian loveliness!  Serves 2, but doubles easily.

Warm Kale Salad

This recipe is courtesy of Food Network Magazine, and it is quite rich and tasty.  It serves about 4.

Ingredients:

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

5 scallions, sliced (white and green parts separated)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 t. Cajun seasoning

2 15-oz. cans kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes

3 c. frozen or fresh kale (or other greens as you choose), chopped

Louisiana-style hot sauce

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the celery and scallion whites and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft (4 - 5 minutes).  Add the garlic and Cajun seasoning and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.  Add the beans, tomatoes, and 3/4 c. water.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, 10 - 12 minutes.  Stir in the kale and cook until tender.  Add the scallion greens and a hot sauce, to taste.  Serve warm.

Peepaw's Peach Cobbler

A most excellent dessert!  I don't know where my grandfather - who we always called "Peepaw" (don't ask me the origin of that...I don't really know) - got this recipe, but thank goodness he did!  Easy, delicious, perfect.



Ingredients:

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 t. salt

1 1/2 t. baking powder (try to find aluminum-free baking powder)

3/4 c. sugar (unless you're using FRESH peaches, then use 1 c. sugar)

3/4 c. plant-based milk (OK, I admit that Peepaw used cow's milk, but making it dairy-free with plant-based milk is even more awesome.)

1 stick vegan margarine (ditto above)

1 large can sliced peaches in heavy syrup (or try it with an approximately equal amount of peeled, sliced fresh peaches)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Melt vegan margarine in a small casserole dish (I used a glass 8"x8" dish.) by putting the dish in the preheating oven.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.  Stir in the plant-based milk.

Pour the flour and milk mixture into the dish over the melted butter.  Pour the peaches AND their syrup (if using canned peaches) over the flour mixture.  Bake for about 45 minutes, and serve warm.  Serves 4-6.