28 April 2008

Broccoli Raab and Triticale (Take 1)

I love cooking with wine... Sometimes I even put it in the food!

This recipe is an instance of the latter... The end result is not too bad, but perhaps a little unexciting. A tasty, simple meal, though. Begin by mincing

4-6 cloves garlic

and cooking in oil. Once beginning to brown, add

1 sliced onion.

Once the onion softens, add your favorite

sliced fake meat.

I used something called "FriChick" by Worthington. Once that's begun to brown slightly, add

1 sliced tomato
1/4 cup dry white wine
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
parsely
oregano
salt
black pepper
1 generous bunch of broccoli raab (leaves included, stems excluded).

The latter is essential. Somewhere I read that all young men should learn to cook broccoli raab, since women really enjoy it. True to form, Donna does :) Let this simmer, and bring

1-1/2 cup rolled whole triticale
3 cups water

to a boil, and cook until it thickens, like oatmeal. Donna suggests adding/substituting some rice. Anyhow, I like the rather earthy taste of triticale, but perhaps it is a bit overpowering. For those not in the know, triticale is a cross between rye and wheat, which features the cold-tolerance (and taste) of rye with the higher nutritional content of wheat.

08 April 2008

Millet and sausage casserole

This is an idea from the Joy of Cooking, but done in a different style...

Bring

2 cups water
1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup "green" rice (though any rice will do)

to a boil, and simmer covered until fully cooked. A rice cooker is handy for this step.

Prepare a white sauce: whisk together

3 tablespoons flour

and enough olive oil to make a smooth paste. Heat briefly, until it begins to simmer, and then whisk in

1-1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch nutmeg.

Cook over low heat, whisking frequently to prevent burns. While this is occuring, fry

3 minced cloves garlic
3 minced sage leaves
1 minced sprig thyme
2 minced rosemary leaves

in olive oil on a separate skillet. After the garlic begins to brown, add

1 sliced onion
2 Tofurky "Italian" sausages, cut into coins

and fry until the onions brown. Then add

8 oz frozen spinach
4 oz frozen broccoli

and defrost in the skillet.

Once the grains are cooked, the sauce has congealed, and the greens have defrosted, combine in a mixing bowl. Add the mixture to a greased, lidded casserole dish and bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.

QTB (Quinoa Tomatos and Beans)

This is a free combination of some standard New World ingredients. You can vary the spice level fairly easily, but the fried whole spices give it a nice punch. The entire meal can be prepared in the time that it takes quinoa to cook -- about 15-20 minutes.

Combine

1 cup dry quinoa
2-1/4 cups water

and boil covered until water is absorbed. In a separate skillet, fry

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seed
6-10 black peppercorns

in olive oil until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Then add

2-3 minced cloves garlic

and brown. Add

1 sliced onion.

When the onion has softened, add

1 can diced tomatoes (Donna prefers that these be "fire roasted tomatoes")
1 can garbanzo beans (rinsed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4-1/2 teaspoon chili powder

and simmer until the quinoa has finished cooking. Combine the tomato and bean mixture with the quinoa and serve.