Ramp (wild garlic) is a very special plant, one of the first foods available in the spring. Soups are always a great way to enjoy them. This recipe is very simple; in a nut shell, it is a basic potato soup made with shallots and the ramps added at the end. Just let the ramps shine and enjoy its special flavor in this simple soup!
Recipe
Ingredients
1 Tbsp oil or butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 tsp of sweet Hungarian paprika (make sure it is authentic)
1 tsp tarragon
1 lb russet potatoes, cleaned and cut into cubes
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
20 ramps, feel free to use more if you have more
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
Method
Sauté the shallots in butter until translucent.
Add paprika quickly, stir for 1 minute and add a little cold water.
Add the chopped potatoes, tarragon, the stock and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
At the end add the whole ramps and cook for a few minutes on a slow boil.
Turn the burner off and wait for 15-20 minutes. Add the cream, salt and pepper and puree the soup with an immersion blender to get a creamy consistency.
We were invited to a school banquette where the organizers decided that the vegetarian alternative to spaghetti with meatballs dinner would be to leave out the meat; however, most vegetarians like protein so leaving out the meat is not a solution. So I decided to come up with a vegetarian alternative. This challenge got me this amazing recipe though so no complaints.
These bean balls are mouthwatering, even my feisty corgi thinks it is meat. How do I know he likes it? He starts putting out his paw to shake my hand without being asked and he licks his bowl for another 10 minutes after he finishes eating hoping he can find some more.
Let’s talk about the cannellini beans briefly. They are the main ingredient and with their high protein content they replace the meat easily. When trying to find a replacement for meatballs, cannellini beans seemed like the perfect choice as they are a vital part of the Northern Italian cuisine. These nutty, savory flavored beans taste more like chestnuts so they really add a lot of flavor to the dish.
I would suggest to make the beans at home from scratch rather than buying the canned version. I could taste the difference for sure.
Enjoy this tasty dish!
RECIPE
Makes 10 bean balls (2 inch in diameter).
Ingredients
1 cup dried cannelloni beans (15 oz canned), strained
1 small yellow onion, grated or 3 Tbsp dehydrated onion
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
oil for baking
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs
a handful of hazelnut or walnuts, chopped
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup tomato sauce
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
Tomato sauce:
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
garlic
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 Qt jar of tomato sauce
Italian seasoning
1 tsp fennel, ground
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp chili pepper
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Soak beans overnight or at least for 8 hours. Next day discard the soaking liquid. Add cold water and in a large pot cook the beans for 2 hours or until done. (Omit if using a can).
Coat a baking sheet with a thin film of oil.
Put the beans in a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher.
Add the rest of the ingredients chopped pistachio nuts, 1 egg, breadcrumbs, oil, tomato sauce, parsley, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic cloves, balsamic vinegar and onion.
Mix well.
Using about 1/4 cup of the mixture, form balls by rolling between the palms of your hands.
Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet evenly spaced.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the balls have a nice golden brown color on the outside.
While the bean balls are baking, prepare the tomato sauce. Choose your favorite Pasta sauce, add 1/4 balsamic vinegar, 1 bay leaf, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, garlic and salt to taste. Cook for 10 minutes.
Boil a big pot of water and cook spaghetti according to its instructions.
I associate the Christmas season with good food, heartwarming music and the company of friends and family. I can help you out with the food part but I leave the rest for you. Please check out holiday dishes from my earlier blogs, hope you can find one for your holiday dinner: festive salad, mouth-watering meat, fabulous vegetarian and tasty vegan dishes. Enjoy!
This delicious dish uses this forgotten vegetable, celeriac. The sweet and bitter celeriac is the perfect vegetable to eat as we enter the colder months. It can nicely offset the heaviness of other dishes that we eat during the holidays. The celeriac along with the potatoes are cooked in a stock and are infused with thyme and bay leaves. Serve with cream and some croutons or hazelnuts on the top. Enjoy!
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
oil
1 medium onion
2 large garlic cloves
1 tsp dried or 2 tsp fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 lb celeriac root, peeled and cut into 1/2 ” chunks
1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ chunks
1 slice of bacon, cut into small pieces (optional)
4 cup of vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup hazelnuts or croutons
chopped parsley
crushed red hot pepper to taste
PREPARATION
Cook bacon on medium high heat, in a little oil for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Sauté the onion in a little oil for about 5 – 10 minutes, stir often. Gently fry the garlic for a short time, do not burn. Add the thyme, bay leaf, celery, the potato chunks, bacon pieces and the stock. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium low heat. Cook for about 40 minutes or until all the vegetables are nice and tender.
Remove the bay leaf and let the soup cool off to room temperature. Pour in the cream. Puree the soup. You can use an immersion blender or a regular blender.
Add salt, pepper and red hot pepper to taste.
Serve with hot with croutons or hazelnuts and parsley.
If using hazelnuts, heat up a pan and lightly roast the hazelnuts for 6-8 minutes. Make sure they are toasted on all sides. Chop the cool hazelnuts. Serve on to of the soup.
This is a tasty vegetarian dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is made with simple ingredients that you most likely have in your kitchen. The eggs are poached in a rich tomato sauce made with onions, garlic and the spices of North Africa. I served this dish with home-made pita bread.
Shakshuka originated in Northern Africa and is now made all over the Middle East. This recipe uses the lovely spices of Northern Africa, the special trio of cumin, coriander and paprika. I like to add additional vegetables like green peppers, zucchini and cauliflower. Enjoy!
RECIPE
5 Servings
Ingredients
2 medium onions, diced
1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
2 green peppers or zucchinis, sliced
1 cup cauliflower florets
4 garlic cloves
1 tsp ground cumin powder
1 tsp ground coriander powder
1 tsp ground paprika
2 large tomatoes
hot pepper flakes to taste
5 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup mint leaves
Methods
In a large skillet, sauté the onions in olive oil for 5 minutes or until translucent.
Add the green peppers and continue sauteing while stirring frequently for another 5 minutes.
Add the spices (cumin, coriander, paprika) and the garlic. Stir for 1 minute.
Quickly add the diced tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Stir. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the sliced zucchini and cauliflower if used. Let the mixture cook for 5 more minutes on medium high heat.
Continue simmering for 10 minutes covered.
Uncover and let the dish cook for another 5 minutes or so until the sauce thickens.
With a wooden spoon make a ‘well’ and drop in 1 eggs. Do this four more times with the other eggs, evenly spacing the eggs on top of the tomato sauce. Let the eggs poach covered in this lovely, well seasoned sauce until the whites are set and are not runny. I like to leave the yellow part runny.
Uncover. Add salt, pepper, parsley, mint leaves and hot pepper flakes.
This new spring energy is as vibrant as it can be. Simple vegetarian dishes would be very nice to eat right now. I would like to share my recipe that I have been cherishing for years and making in the spring. This is a vegetarian take on the classic beef stroganoff dish. I used the nutty tempeh to replace the meat and added mushrooms to create this delicious dish. Enjoy!
RECIPE
Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients
1 pkg tempeh (500 gr)
olive oil
1/4 cup of shallots, finally chopped
1 Tbsp flour
16 oz mushrooms (oyster, crimini, portobello, white button)
8 oz green vegetable (spinach, broccoli)
1 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup wine
1 cup stock (vegetarian or meat)
salt
red hot pepper flakes, optional
few springs of thyme
10 cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup cream
black pepper
parsley
pasta
graded cheese (Parmesan)
Method
Sauté the tempeh in a little oil for 10 minutes or until the sides are nice and brown. Set aside.
Make the pasta according to its directions. Set aside.
In a large pan, heat some oil. Sauté the shallots for 5 minutes on medium high heat.
Add the mushrooms and continue sauteing for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle in 1 Tbsp flour, stir for a few minutes. Add the paprika and garlic. Stir for 1 minute.
Add the wine and the cold stock. Stir making sure there are no knots left from the flour. Add the thyme,vegetables, red hot pepper flakes (if desired), tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes covered.
Take out larger thyme pieces.
Take off heat. Add salt, pepper, parsley and cream.
Add the tempeh cubes so it can soak up some of the liquid.
This is an amazing Thai inspired dish that uses coconut milk and Thai red curry paste as a base. I usually don’t add ready-made seasonings but this is a tasty and easy short cut, you won’t even notice. I chose bok choy and mushrooms for the vegetables, this combination is often used in traditional thai cooking and I really like how they work together. I also threw in some bamboo shoots to balance out the dish. If you want you can add some broccoli in place of the bok choy but this is really a personal preference. Oh and it is done in 30 minutes! Enjoy!
RECIPE
Serves 6 people
Ingredients
1 block of tofu (1 lb) (500 gr)
sesame oil
1 Tbsp ginger, finally chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
(26 fl oz) 2 cans coconut milk (1 liter)
4 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
handful (4-8oz) shiitake mushrooms, cut up
1 lb baby bock choy (I like half bok choy and half broccoli)
1 bunch scallions, sliced
little fish sauce to taste (1 tsp)
1 can of bamboo shoots (140 g), drained
soy sauce
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 lime
cilantro
1/2 tsp red flakes or to taste
1 pkg noodles (Thai, ramen)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Boil water and prepare the noodles according to its directions.
2. Drain water off the tofu and pat dry. Cut the the tofu in 1 inch cubes and fry in a little oil. When done, sprinkle a little soy sauce on the cubes.
3. Heat a pan with oil.
4. Add the broccoli if used and stir fry for about 10 minutes on medium heat until tender.
5. Add the ginger and garlic, stir for 1 minute. Stir.
6. Add the 2 cans of coconut milk and the Thai red curry paste, stir. Continue adding bamboo shoots, red chili flakes (optional) and fish sauce, boc choy and mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes. I would like also mention that if you add the bok choy and the mushrooms more at the last 5 minutes of the cooking, they will keep their shape better and will not get soggy.
7. Serve with the noodles and the tofu prepared earlier. Add cilantro, scallions and lime juice.
I like challenges … well ok sometimes it is a bit uncomfortable … but then I end up with something delicious like the dish I’m presenting here today.
The savory stuffing made with cabbage, mushrooms and lentils is wrapped in a flaky strudel dough and is seasoned with the warming spices of the season. To make it even more festive, serve it with port sauce and brussel sprouts with chestnuts.
I was looking for a vegetarian Christmas dish… seriously, traditionally would there be such a thing? I have seen mushroom strudel served in the winter before but did not find it filling enough as a main dish. Then came the idea … maybe because I was craving cabbage strudel the whole fall … to make the strudel with half mushrooms and half cabbage … then added the lentils and the cheese in place of the meat, a few spices and … this festive dish was born. Cabbage is a staple vegetable for the winter and has been traditionally paired with mushrooms. My non-vegetarian guests really enjoyed a slice with their meat dish. Of course, the vegetarians were asking for seconds.
RECIPE
Ingredients
oil
5-7 sheets of filo dough
1/4 cup chopped shallots
4-8 oz mushrooms (crimini) (chopped into small pieces)
Quarter sliver of a medium sized savoy cabbage. ( Discard the lager veins of the cabbage so you are left with the tender leaves only).
1 celery stalk
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp paprika
1/4 cold stock (vegetarian or chicken) or water
1/4 cup uncooked lentils (1/2 cup of cooked lentils)
Take filo dough out of the freezer. Let it thaw slowly.
Clean and soak the lentils for a few hours. Cook lentils.
Chop up the shallots and the celery and sauté them in some oil for 5- 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue sauteing for 5 more minutes or until the mushrooms are tender. Add paprika and the garlic to activate for 1 minute, stir and add the cold stock (1/4 cup). Add the cabbage. Add chopped thyme leaves, nutmeg and chopped rosemary leaves. Cook the mixture for about 10 minutes on low heat. Set aside.
Chop up the nuts. I leave the hazelnuts chunkier. The walnuts are coarsely chopped. A small food processor can be used. Add to previous onion mixture.
In a medium sized bowl, add 1 lightly beaten egg, mustard, the nuts, the cooked lentils, mushroom/ cabbage mixture from above, feta cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Let the stuffing cool, refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Take 7 sheets of filo dough and lay it on a wooden board. I like to put a piece of parchment paper below the filo dough, it is helpful for rolling. Drizzle some oil and grade some nutmeg. Spread the filling evenly on the sheet leaving 1 inch on each side empty. Roll it up. Placed it in an oiled baking dish.
Lightly beat 1 egg, add some freshly graded nutmeg and salt. Spread it on top of the rolled strudel. Wait for 5-10 minutes until egg wash is absorbed. Apply the egg-wash again. The 1 egg should cover the strudel both times. You can sprinkle additional salt and nutmeg on the top. This will make the crust really tasty.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or until top is nice and brown.
Put left-over filo dough if there is any left in the fridge gently wrapped up in plastic bags so the leaves don’t dry out.
Serve hot with the port sauce (see below) and brussel sprouts with chestnuts. I also like to add cranberry sauce (recipe).
Directions for the port sauce
In a small pot, saute the shallots in some oil or butter. Add the flour for 1 min, stir. Add the garlic, stir for 30 seconds.
Add the wine and stock. Stir.
Add the thyme and rosemary springs. Cover the pot.
Cook for about 20 minutes.
Take out the bay leaves, thyme and rosemary springs.
Take off the heat, add the cream, salt and pepper.
Serve right away. Can be stored in the fridge for many days.
This morning, I was craving something delicious made with apples … most likely because yesterday we went out to an orchard to pick some apples. Of course, we have a lot of apples now. Then I remembered I could easily make Dutch baby and put apples in it.
Dutch baby is made with three basic ingredients: milk, eggs and flour and seasoned with vanilla and apple pie spice. I also added apples to satisfy my autumn cravings. Watch it poof up in the oven and wow your friends and family with this tasty filling breakfast. I served it with caramel sauce that further satisfied those ‘autumnish’ cravings … Oh and I still have raspberries growing in my back yard so I had to use some raspberries too.
RECIPE
Serves 4 people
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
5 eggs, lightly beaten
4 Tbsp butter, divided.
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon or apple pie spice
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp sugar
2 larger apples peeled, cored and sliced (sour, baking apples like Granny smith, Fuju, Harlson are the best)
caramel sauce, whipped cream, maple syrup, all optional
nuts for serving
Directions
You will need a 2 inch deep oven proof skillet that is 10″ in diameter or something similar in size to bake this dish.
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Have an oven rack in the middle position.
Mix flour, milk, eggs, salt, vanilla, 3 Tbsp melted butter, cinnamon and sugar until no lumps remain. You can use an electric beater for 1 minute but it can easily done by hand too. Let it rest for 1 hour if possible. (The batter can be made the day before and stored in the fridge, just let it warm up to room temperature and mix the batter to get some air in).
Caramelize the apple slices on both sides for 10 minutes with a little butter. Set aside.
Heat the baking dish for 5 minutes in the pre-heated oven. Put 1 tablespoon butter in the hot baking dish and bake for 5 minutes or until the butter is melted. Be careful not to burn the butter.
Take the baking dish out of the oven. Pour the batter in and place the dish in the oven. (IMPORTANT !!! Do not open the oven door before the dutch baby is done). BAKE for 20 – 30 minutes or until the top is nice and golden brown. The pancake will puff up but will settle after 5 – 10 minutes.
Serve with the prepared apples. You can add powdered sugar, ground walnuts and caramel sauce – of course all optional.
Kohlrabi has such an interesting flavor but I have never thought of making a salad with it … until I found this recipe. The kohlrabi is drizzled with some olive oil and lemon juice and is paired with the savory cheese and thyme and voila! … a delicious salad is made!
If you like kohlrabi, you might be interested in my kohlrabi soup recipe. Please click here.
RECIPE
Serves 2 people
Ingredients
1 kohlrabi (green, purple or white)
handful of hard goats’ cheese or sheep’s’ cheese or any stronger flavored hard cheese
juice of 1 lemon
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
a few springs of fresh thyme, chopped
Directions
Peel the kohlrabi. Shave it on a grader.
Shave the cheese on the grader as well. I like to crumple some of the cheese to cover the kohlrabi and put some shaved pieces on the top. The amount is something like a handful.
Pour on the lemon juice and drizzle on some olive oil.
