July 2006    
<< Home     Volume 05 Issue 07

Favorite Recipes from Our Chefs at the July 2006 Celebrity Chef Weekend

 

Strawberry Radish Salad

By Kevin Dunn, chef instructor, Grand Rapids Community College

Yield: 6 salads

1 pint Strawberries, stemmed and quartered
6 each Radishes, sliced paper-thin
2 each Oranges, cut into supremes, use the juices too
1 each Lemon, juiced
3 each Scallions, sliced thin on bias
1 Tbls. Organic Sugar
2 Each Belgium Endive 
4 ounces Mesclun Greens (Field Greens)
1 ounce No Fat Lemon Vinaigrette
Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Method:

1. Combine the strawberries, orange supremes, radishes, lemon juice, scallions and sugar. Allow this salad to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Separate the Belgium Endive into individual leaves and toss with 1 ounce of the lemon vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a star pattern around the rim of the plates.
3. Toss the Mesclun greens with the remaining lemon vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Place the Mesclun Greens in the center of the plates.
4.  Place the marinated salad on top of the greens. 

 

No Fat Lemon Vinaigrette:

Yield: ½ Cup 

 

¼ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice, approximately 3 lemons, zest 1 of them first and reserve
1 Tbls. Rice Vinegar
¼ Cup  White Wine
2 each Shallots, minced by hand
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3 Tbls. Sugar
1 Tbls. Water
1 Tbls. Cornstarch
To taste Salt and Pepper

 

Instructions:

1. Blanch the lemon zest in hot water to remove the bitterness.
2. Combine the rice vinegar, white wine, sugar, shallots and garlic in a stainless steel sauce pot and bring to a boil. 
3. Combine the water and cornstarch to make a slurry and whisk it into the white wine mixture. Turn this liquid down and allow this to simmer for 3 minutes then cool.
4. When cool add the lemon juice and the zest and season to taste.

 

Roasted or Grilled Portobello Mushroom over a Spelt Berry and Black Bean Salad with an Orange – Basil Cream

By Eric Tucker, chef, Millennium Restaurant

Serves 6

 

6 Portobello mushrooms, caps removed
tamari as needed
1T paprika (or chipotle chile powder if you like it spicy and smoky)
1t dried thyme
½t black pepper
1T sucanat 

 

Black Bean – Spelt Salad:

2 cups cooked black beans, drained
2 cups cooked whole spelt berries or brown rice
1 cup cherry tomatoes
½ red onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ bunch parsley, minced
½ bunch mint, minced
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 orange
salt to taste

 

Basil Cream:

½ package Mori-nu silken tofu
1-2 cloves garlic minced
1T nutritional yeast
½ bunch basil, blanched for 5 seconds and shocked in ice water
juice of 1 orange
salt to taste

 

For the Portobello Mushrooms:

Place the mushrooms cap side up on a sheet pan.
Brush with a small amount of tamari. Mix the herbs, spices and sugar together. Sprinkle over the portobellos. Either bake the portobellos in a 400 degree oven or grill until cooked through and a nice crust has developed on the cap.  Reserve.

 

For the Salad:

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss together.

 

For the Basil Cream:

Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

To Serve:  Place a mound of the salad toward the back of a dinner plate.
Bias slice the mushroom into 4-6 slices, fan on top of the salad.
Drizzle 1 ½ ounces of the basil sauce around the plate.

 

Tangy Tempeh Salad

By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, the Compassionate Cook

Tempeh is a delicious, versatile soy-based food that is wonderful grilled, baked, fried, or steamed. It has a great nutty flavor and a satisfying chewy texture. Forget about chicken, which is loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol, not to mention the misery of the animal whose life was ended for such an unhealthy product. This salad is packed with nutrition, flavor, and joy – and fewer calories!

 

8 ounces tempeh, cubed
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped 
2 scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
2 small carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
Juice from 1 lime or lemon
¼-½ cup non-dairy yogurt (Wildwood, Whole Soy, Silk)
2-3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated, minced, or pressed
Pepper and salt, to taste

 

Directions:

1. Steam the cubes of tempeh for 10 minutes in a steamer basket placed in a pot filled with a small amount of water. Let cool when done. 

2. Combine the lime/lemon juice, yogurt, soy sauce, mustard, and ginger in a small bowl. 

2. Add the veggies, tempeh, and dressing ingredients to a large bowl and combine.  

Serving suggestions and variations 

*Stuff the tempeh salad into a pita along with tomatoes and sliced avocado.
*Make a sandwich with whole wheat bread or an Italian roll.
*Serve as a salad for a backyard barbecue or picnic.
*Add chopped walnuts and minced apple to the salad to add more texture and some sweetness.
*Grate the steamed tempeh instead of cubing it for a cracker spread.

What is tempeh?  Tempeh is an Indonesian soy-based product where the soy beans are fermented with some kind of grain, usually rice. Since tempeh is made from whole soybeans, it is a fiber-rich food. It is also a generous source of many nutrients such as calcium, B-vitamins and iron. You can find it in the refrigerated section of your grocery store where tofu and other soy products are sold.

 

How else can I cook with tempeh? 

* I prefer to steam tempeh before I use it at all, since steaming tends to make the tempeh more tender and less bitter. It is delicious on the grill. First steam cubes or slices of tempeh and marinate them in an herb marinade or a zesty barbecue sauce. Grill until browned on each side.


* Add chunks of tempeh to spaghetti sauce, Sloppy Joes, chili mix, or to favorite soups and casseroles.
* Pan-fry it with mushrooms, onions and breadcrumbs for a delightful mushroom stuffing. 
* Tempeh can also replace tofu or certainly meat in your favorite stir-fry or sauté.

  

Mushroom Stroganoff

By Roberta Joiner, accomplished home cook 

2 Sweet Onions (Vidalia, Walla Walla, etc.), chopped
7 cloves garlic, minced

Sauté these together until soft, then add:

1 lb crimini mushrooms
4 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms (or other mushrooms, as desired)
Use ¼ cup marsala wine to "de-glaze"

 

Add:

2 Tbsp **Veggie Glace (see below) dissolved in 1 cup boiling water; add 1 tsp Miso
A dash of liquid Browning (optional)
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp Brandy whisked with 1 Tbsp cornstarch – add and stir until clear and thick 

Finish with:

1 cup tofu sour cream  (see recipe below)
½ cup chopped parsley
Several gratings of nutmeg (1/2 tsp?)
Juice of one lemon
Salt and lots of fresh ground pepper

 

Mix with:

1 package of cooked noodles or a left-over mild grain 

**Veggie Glace is a very thick demi-glace reduction of roasted vegetables; available at some Gourmet shops, and Viking/Home Chef stores or on-line at http://www.clubsauce.com/html/Vegetable-Demi-Glace.html

 

Tofu Sour Cream

Adapted from The Almost No Fat Cookbook

By Bryanna Clark Grogan 

 

Blend in a food processor/blender until very smooth:

1 (10.5 oz) pkg reduced-fat, extra-firm or firm silken tofu
1 ½ Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp white pepper
2000 mg crushed vitamin C tablet (ascorbic acid) or remove from gel-cap 

Optional:

½ tsp granulated garlic
½ tsp granulated onion
Dash Old World Seasoning (a www.penzeys.com spice mix)
Additional Vitamin C for more tartness
This will keep about 1 week in the refrigerator.

 

Butternut Squash Soup

By Nawar Lahham, chef-owner East-West Cafe

10-15 servings

 

8 cups water
4 large butternut squashes, peeled cleaned and diced.
1 cup celery
2 cups leeks, cut
1 cup onions diced
2 cups carrots, peeled and diced
3 cups sweet potatoes diced (canned ok)
1 cup soy milk
½ cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, curry, ground coriander
pinch or two of fresh rosemary
lemon grass, optional

salt

 

Cook onions celery and leeks till soft, add carrots, squash and sweet potatoes bring to boil, add soy and coconut milk and spices (leave out lemon grass), blend then add lemon grass.  Turn off and allow an hour to develop.

 

Grilled Stone Fruit with Spiced Blueberry Zinfandel Reduction and Orange Blossom Cashew Cream

By Emily Barth Webber, cooking instructor, Whole Foods Market

Serves 6

 

Grilled Stone Fruit:

9 pieces of fruit - peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots or an assortment (about 1-2 pieces of fruit per person)
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup agave nectar 

 

Mix together a solution of lemon juice and agave nectar to prevent fruit from turning brown, while still keeping it sweet.  Cut each piece of fruit in half and brush cut side with lemon-agave mixture and grill 3-5 minutes cut side down or until grill marks appear.

 

Spiced Blueberry Zinfandel Reduction:

2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen), pureed in blender or food processor
¼ cup agave nectar
1 cup zinfandel wine
½-1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice or ground cinnamon or a mixture of both

Heat wine in a medium saucepan over high heat.  Reduce heat and cook until wine is reduced by half.  Add blueberry puree, agave nectar and Chinese 5 spice and continue to cook until thick and syrupy; about 5 minutes.  Serve warm.

Orange Blossom Cashew Cream:

1 cup whole raw cashews, soaked 4-8 hours in 3 cups purified water, drained and rinsed
6 dates, soaked 4 hours in 2 cups purified water, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Puree cashews, dates and vanilla and orange blossom water in a blender or food processor with just enough orange juice to make a smooth and creamy topping.  Serve chilled.  Note:  Cashew cream makes a decadent substitute for whipped cream or frosting.

To serve, drizzle reduction on plate, top with grilled fruit and top with a dollop of Orange Blossom Cashew Cream. Alternately, serve a dollop of the cashew cream on the side.  For a special presentation, serve in a martini glass and use a piping bag to serve the cashew cream.

 

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