Tag: entree

Get A Cobb On

Salads shouldn’t just be a side dish or an after thought. Down with wilted iceberg lettuce and stale croutons! I’m all about those hefty, fully loaded meal salads that have tons of color, texture, and flavor going on. The classic Cobb is a good example of that, traditionally piled high with meats, cheese, and eggs. On top of my obvious vegan conversions, I wanted to take a more seasonal approach for a new, novel Autumn Cobb Salad.

Vegan Innovations

To start with the vegan adaptations, we can replace traditional proteins with plant-based alternatives that not only complement the dish but enhance it. Instead of crispy bacon, consider using pecans seasoned with a smoky flavor to provide that quintessential crunch. Hard-boiled eggs can be swapped out for hearty, diced potatoes, seasoned with sulfurous kala namak, which lend a satisfying creaminess without sacrificing substance. For the chicken, chickpeas are an excellent choice, adding protein and a nutty flavor that ties the salad together.

Seasonal Swaps

Seasonality is the secret ingredient that can transform an ordinary salad into something truly special. In this fall feature, pomegranate arils take the place of conventional tomatoes, infusing each bite with a burst of sweetness and vibrant color. Instead of the typical scallions or chives, opt for pickled onions. Their tangy crunch elevates the flavor profile and adds depth.

When it comes to greens, we’re turning to shredded collard greens instead of the usual lettuce. This hearty green not only provides a more robust texture but also aligns perfectly with the season’s bounty. Finally, rather than dressing the salad with traditional ranch, a maple-balsamic vinaigrette introduces a balance of sweetness and acidity, capturing the essence of fall in every drop.

Timeless Staples

Even amidst these changes, there are certain staples that remain unassailable. Creamy avocado adds richness to the dish, while a sprinkle of vegan blue cheese, store-bought or homemade, provides that unmistakable funk, rounding out the flavor experience perfectly.

Salad Days Are Here Again

Salads can be so much more than an afterthought. With a little creativity and a focus on seasonal ingredients, they can take center stage as a nourishing, satisfying meal. Say goodbye to the wilted greens of the past and hello to a vibrant, fully loaded salad that you’ll want to dig into all autumn long.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

Living La Vida Salsa

Saying that stuffed peppers are on the menu is about as descriptive as proclaiming that “meat” is for dinner. Given that there’s well over one hundred types of peppers large enough to be hollowed out and stuffed, having been cultivated across the world for millennia, you’ll start to get the picture before we even discuss fillings. Happily, that same undefinable quality grants stuffed peppers much of their staying power. No matter what else you have on hand, if there are peppers in the vegetable crisper, there’s a meal waiting to happen.

Spice Up Your Stuffing With Salsa

Inspired by the fruity, sweet and spicy interplay of Desert Pepper Peach Mango Salsa, this foolproof entree comes together with just 10 (or less!) ingredients. Boldly seasoned with a kick of heat, there’s already so much flavor contained in each glass jar that most of the work is done for you. Leaning into Tex-Mex territory, they’ll be right at home alongside tortilla chips, guacamole, or refried beans. Down-to-earth yet quietly spectacular, it’s the kind of quick-fix that wins rave reviews.

Stuffing Swaps

Forgot to go grocery shopping? Have a surplus to use up? Simply craving a change of pace? Take a note from the myriad stuffed peppers of yore and improvise freely. Consider this your blueprint to build upon and choose your own adventure. A few easy suggestions for adaptation include:

  • Use any rice you like; white, brown, purple, or a blend. In fact, any cooked grain like quinoa or millet would be great for a change of pace, too.
  • Trade the chili powder for taco seasoning. Add hot sauce if you want more firepower.
  • Instead of black beans, try pinto beans, lentils, vegan chorizo, rehydrated TVP, meatless grounds, or crumbled tofu.
  • Veg out by adding diced celery, carrots, zucchini, green beans, or anything else you like!

Winner, Winner, Stuffed Pepper Dinner

Bursting with juicy fresh flavor, this fully loaded swicy centerpiece is my entry for the inaugural Desert Pepper Blogger Recipe Challenge. You can purchase Desert Pepper Salsa products at Sprouts, Publix, Hannaford, Harris Teeter, Shop Rite, Walmart, Giant Eagle, Market Basket, Jewel, and Meijer. While it would certainly be nice to earn some prize money, the finished dish already tastes like victory.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

Drum Roll, Please

Evolved and intelligent as we may be, there’s something about the primal urge to gnaw into beastly drumsticks that’s irrepressible. At renaissance fairs and Disney parks alike, the oversized turkey legs parading through the crowds are as much an attraction as any games or rides. Is it really our primitive instincts to hunt and gather that draw us in, or the modern spectacle of it now? Certainly, it’s not the seasoning. Bland, dry to the bone, sinewy as a ball of string, these are not the drumsticks of the discerning eater.

THESE are. Entirely meatless, each hefty shank is a plant protein dynamo. Upcycled pineapple cores serve as the “bones,” creating the signature drumstick appearance while infusing their tropical, sweet flavor into every bite. Delicate sheets of yuba encase a blend of shredded Sugimoto Shiitake and jackfruit, bound together with seitan to create a texture you can really sink your teeth into. The tofu skin exterior even becomes crispy while cooking! Then, lacquered with a sticky, tangy, and savory pineapple teriyaki sauce, it takes on a glossy golden finish that would satisfy even the most primordial desires.

Meet Your New Meat

Developing the ideal vegan drumstick took more than the typical amount of trial and error. Instead of just one standard meat substitute, it took the combination of a few crafty swaps working in concert to create the full range of textures and umami flavors.

  • Koshin shiitake caps, broad, flat, and thin, are finely sliced to amplify the natural muscular appearance of shredded young jackfruit. Jackfruit alone can be rather flavorless, if not woody, which is why the meatiness of shiitake is so essential here.
  • It takes vital wheat gluten to act as the “glue” holding it all together. It creates the characteristic chew of meat, while adding moisture and cohesion to the filling.
  • Yuba, pure soy protein, wraps the package up with a bow. While I’ve seen similar concepts using rice paper for the outer skin, yuba is far tastier, easier to work with, and more nutritious.

Tips For Success

Let’s be real: This is no 30-minute meal. It takes time and planning, best saved for a special occasion when you want to go all out. That said, it’s not a difficult recipe, just a bit time-consuming. Prep in stages and think of it as an edible craft project to fully enjoy the process.

    1. Make the teriyaki sauce first… Or don’t. You want it to be cooled and fully thickened before slathering it on your meatless drumsticks, and it keeps in the fridge for 1 – 2 weeks, easily. On the other hand, there’s no shame in taking shortcuts here; you could absolutely buy ready-made teriyaki sauce and skip all that work.
    2. Wrap that yuba up tight! Nobody wants to end up with loose skin.
    3. Reinforce your pineapple cores with skewers, optionally. Unlike animal bones, they become softer after cooking, so you can’t really pick these drumsticks up by the handle and take a chomp out of them. Personally, I feel they’re best suited to the fork-and-knife treatment anyway, so you don’t end up with sauce smeared all over your face. If you’re determined to make these as finger food though, thread a wooden skewer through the core first, to keep it more stable.

  1. Be gentle with your yuba. It’s a fragile, paper-thin sheet of solidified soymilk; of course it’s prone to ripping. Fresh is really best here, since dried tends to be thicker, and more likely to have broken in transit. Soak your fresh yuba in warm water for a few minutes before gently easing the sheets apart. They’re much harder to work with straight out the fridge.
  2. Give them space while steaming and baking. The meatless stuffing inside does expand and plump a bit as it cooks.

March To The Beat Of Your Own Drumstick

Pineapple teriyaki simply made sense as a complete package here, but the options for flavor variations are endless. First of all, don’t feel that you’re bound to using a pineapple core for the bone. Not everyone regularly buys whole pineapples, and maybe that’s just not the vibe for dinner that day. You can omit it entirely to make more of a chicken breast facsimile, or replace it with pieces of sugarcane or simply wooden popsicle sticks.

From there, consider your sauce. You could go in a spicier direction with buffalo sauce, or keep it classic with plant-based butter and herbs. Then we have BBQ sauce for a smokier kick, pomegranate molasses and za’atar for Middle Eastern flare, and so on, and so forth. You’ll run out of drumsticks long before you run out of ideas.

Go ahead, embrace your inner cave-person. Soothe your lizard brain with the meat it’s really craving; healthier, tastier, and happier for all creatures involved. These vegan drumsticks are better than all the rest.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Canoodle With A Kugel

Kugel, a staple of classic Jewish cuisine, is frequently weighed down in a stodgy pudding of pasta, cream cheese, raisins, and apples. This sweet intrusion on the dinner table never appealed to me as a kid, which is why I always stuck to the savory side of the street when composing my own casseroles. Further improve upon the concept by swapping out those starchy noodles with wide ribbons of spiralized zucchini, instantly transforming the outdated side dish into a truly worthy dinner guest.

By replacing the typical egg noodles with tender, springy ribbons of spiralized zucchini, we not only lighten the dish but also elevate the flavor. Zucchini adds a subtle sweetness and almost silky texture when baked, creating a kugel unlike any other. As an added bonus, that makes it naturally gluten-free (and of course still kosher, as always), so everyone can freely partake. Would it be equally apt to call it a zucchini hotdish? Sure, but isn’t a conventional noodle kugel just a pasta hotdish, too?

The beauty of the zoodle kugel lies in its ease and versatility. Using a spiralizer, it comes together in a snap while dirtying minimal additional dishes, and you can just as quickly customize it with your favorite savory additions. Think: caramelized onions and garlicky mushrooms, thinly shaved fennel and fresh dill, or roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. The possibilities are endless, making this kugel a keeper all year round, adaptable for any occasion.

Next time you’re craving comfort food with a twist, consider the humble zoodle kugel. It bridges the gap between tradition and innovation, offering a taste of nostalgia alongside a fresh, seasonal flavor. It’s a kugel that’s worthy of a place at any dinner table, settling the debate between sweet or savory… At least for one course.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

In The Limelight

Mummified fruit is usually the last thing you want to see when you open up your pantry, but dried limes challenge those notions of common food storage. Hard as walnut shells, sometimes black as ink and other times a dusty grey, these oversized marbles conceal a world of flavor inside that forbidding exterior.

What Are Dried Limes?

Dried limes, sometimes called “dried lemons,” are better known as limu amani or noomi basra due to their Iranian and Iraqi origins. An essential ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking, somehow they’ve failed to make the leap overseas to widespread popularity. A positive buzz is growing in large part thanks to one Yotam Ottolenghi ceaseless singing their praises, which means they’re slowly infiltrating specialty markets and boutique grocery stores abroad. Thankfully, we have the internet to fill the gaps, where you can readily purchase both whole and powdered dried limes.

Simply sun-dried until bereft of any moisture, they’re effectively preserved like any other whole spices. To use them, simply toss them into soups or stews whole, then fish them out like spent bay leaves when you’re done cooking. Powdered, they can be blended into other spice mixtures, such as Baharat.

What Do Dried Limes Taste Like?

Everyone knows what a fresh lime tastes like; tart, tangy, fruit, and sightly floral, with just a slight hint of sweetness. Now, take that and remove the sweetness, substituting a more earthy, funky, sometimes smoky flavor, along with a stronger acidic bite like sour candies, and you’ll understand the essence of dried limes. The longer they’re stewed, the more intense and bitter the flavor becomes.

Cooking With Dried Limes

Ghormeh Sabzi and Fesenjan are two top dishes that call for dried limes, though any slow-simmered dish is well suited for a dried lime infusion. They can be added to the water when cooking rice or brines for making pickles. Dried lime tea is also excellent for settling the stomach, though that often involves the leaves, too.

The easiest way to get started with dried limes, in my opinion, is to stick with soup. Chicken soup with rice is a beloved savory staple the world over, so it’s easy to enjoy a new twist on the classic. Persian Chicken and Rice Soup adds a handful of chickpeas and of course, dried limes for some extra sour power. It’s the kind of flavor combination that will take off the chill, beat any cold, and generally comfort the hungry in any condition.

My version uses soy curls instead of poultry, of course, which also rehydrate in a snap. You can pretty much make this meal entirely from pantry staples on the fly, even when the fridge is otherwise bare.

Those who crave the bracing acidic bite of fresh citrus but sometimes neglect to stock their produce bin would be wise to invest in a surplus of these dried diamonds. Just like salt and pepper, you’ll find that they go with everything, and no dish is quite complete without that subtle seasoning. Trust me, you can expect to see a whole lot more instances of dried limes in my recipes from here on out.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments

Eat More Eggplant

Eggplant is one of those ingredients that I love eating, but forget about for long stretches at a time. Invariable, I’ll see it pop up on a menu or food blog, vow to cook it more often, and then… Forget again. Forever relegated to the bottom of the produce bin, the last call at the farmers market, eggplant will never be the next viral trend. After considering my own eggplant negligence, I’m finding it’s more of a cultural disconnect than lack of culinary potential. Look no further than the Mediterranean countries to see the difference.

Turkish Delights

Though not native to Turkey, eggplants have been the guest of honor on Turkish tables for centuries. This isn’t just conjecture; 16th century Ottoman cookbooks boast over 140 eggplant recipes. That’s to say nothing of what home cooks may have adapted and improvised. Unlike the ubiquitous globe eggplants common in the US, Turkish eggplants are smaller and come in various colors, from lilac to deep purple. There are even white and baby green varieties. Less bitter than the seedy, bulbous giants we’re accustomed to here, they don’t need extensive salting, soaking, or additional prep. With fewer barriers to entry, it made me realize that perhaps my mental block is simply due to using the wrong type of eggplant all this time.

Get Stuffed with Karniyarik

“Karnıyarık” translates to “split belly” in Turkish, describing the way the eggplants are sliced open to create an accommodating boat for a savory stuffing. Traditionally deep fried and then baked, I see no need for all that oil—and heat—when twice-baked baby eggplants are every bit as luscious and tender. Starting with a classic sofrito, ground beef or lamb is typically the focal point for the simple stuffing, but I happen to think that Sugimoto Shiitakes beat that kind of meat any day. Gently simmered with seasoned lentils, it’s the kind of dish that will put eggplant back on the map, especially for plant-based people.

Karniyarik Vs. Imam Bayildi

Traditionalist would be up in arms, racing to argue that this is not karniyarik at all, but in fact, imam bayildi. They’re not entirely wrong; the latter is the historically vegan version, made without meat. However, I think of my rendition more as the former, since I wanted to replicate that same rich, hearty eating experience with homemade plant-based ground meat. Sugimoto Shiitake stems are the secret to creating that beefy texture and deeply umami flavor. Never toss the stems! They’re even chewier than the caps, which makes them such an ideal fit for making meatless grounds.

Love Your Leftovers

There will be a generous amount of filling leftover; that’s an asset, not a flaw! Consider it your next meal waiting to happen, since it’s ideal for stuffing any variety of fresh vegetables, such as:

  • Bell peppers
  • Tomatoes
  • Cabbage rolls

Or, using as a filling or topper for:

  • Burritos
  • Tacos
  • Salads
  • Rice bowls

That’s not all! If you add a binder like breadcrumbs and ground flaxseeds, this humble mixture can be transformed into:

Naturally, it’s fabulous as part of any dinner plate, acting as a complete entree or side dish, too.

Karniyarik: A Staple of Summer

Beautiful baby eggplants aren’t available all year round, unlike their oversized brethren. While you could always make this recipe with halved globe eggplants, the experience isn’t the same. As summer harvests reach their peak, now is the time to try something new. In fact, you could always bake karniyarik well in advance and then freeze it to enjoy a taste of summer anytime you want. Whatever you do, don’t make my same mistake: Cook more eggplant, now and often!

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Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments