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Sautéed Grated Seasonal Fresh Vegetables with Ginger

One potluck after DC at a Margii’ house, one of the dishes was a big bowl of hot fresh vegetables, something I always appreciate on a buffet that is often very heavy on the carbs (lasagna, breads, dal, beans, rice, potatoes, dumplings, spring rolls, quesadillas). But these vegetables were different. They were a simple mixture of vegetables, sliced in what is called julienne, or short grated strips, helping them to cook faster. It was a great colorful vegetable dish for a crowd of 25. The cook had used the food processor since the vegetables were really uniform in size, not like if you cut them by hand, which would be uneven and take hours. (Alternately you can use a mandoline or grate by hand on a box grater.)

As I wandered in the kitchen before dinner while everything was just about ready to serve, I looked into a large, wide soup pot and watched these vegetables cooking. You need to stand and stir them, a combination of sautéing and steaming in their own juices over slow heat, or they will brown on the bottom. You want them just tender, not mushy or over cooked. The time will vary according to how much you are making. You don’t want the vegetables deeper than about 3 inches in a preferably wide cook pot. The aroma is wonderful with the fragrance of the ginger; you want enough to taste it in every bite. Be sure to use the broccoli stems as well; they are the best part. Vary the vegetables by what is available seasonally and you can use any combination and amounts, using this recipe as a guide. If you use a lot of root vegetables, start them cooking first, then add the softer vegetables which will cook faster.

Serves about 8 vegetable lovers as a side dish

Ingredients

About 4 to 6 medium zucchini (12 to 16 ounces), stem end trimmed off, cut into 4 quarters lengthwise

2 to 3 yellow summer squash, stem end trimmed off, cut into 4 quarters lengthwise

2 medium carrots (12 ounces), stem end cut, scrubbed, cut in half lengthwise

1 to 2 medium parsnips (8 ounces) or turnips, stem end cut, scrubbed, cut in half lengthwise or cut into sections that will fit the feed tube

2 heads broccoli, florets cut off and stems peeled

One 12-ounce knob of fresh ginger, broken into sections and peeled

1/3 cup (6 tablespoons) butter, or light olive oil, safflower oil, or plain sesame oil, or combination, as needed

Fine sea salt, to taste

Optional flavor enhancers based on your mood: red pepper flakes, freshly ground black pepper, squeeze of lemon juice, soy sauce, fresh herbs, cheese, toasted nuts

Directions

Prepare the vegetables. Fit the food processor with the 3mm (medium) julienne shredding disc. Lay the strips of zucchini in the feed tube and use medium pressure to push into the work bowl. Do the yellow squash next. When the work bowl is full, dump the contents into a large bowl.

Lay the carrots, parsnips or turnip, in the feed tube and use firm pressure to push into the work bowl. Finish with the broccoli, then the ginger. Transfer to the bowl. Toss to mix the vegetables.

Melt the butter or heat the oil in a deep skillet or wide cook pot over medium heat while you are preparing the vegetables. Add the zucchini, squash, carrot, broccoli, and ginger mixture; stir with a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula, uncovered, to mix up and coat everything a bit with the oil. Adjust the heat to medium low. Sauté slowly, stirring constantly, until slightly softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Give them a couple three-fingered pinches of salt to taste and serve immediately.

Ghee Made In The Slow Cooker

Ghee is clarified butter, a fat used extensively in Indian cookery, and known for its especially delicious flavor. The unique nutty flavor and sweet aroma of the melted butter is only found in ghee. Clarifying butter, like many other processes in cooking, was borne out of a need to preserve. The process separates the milk solids from the butter fats, resulting in a much longer shelf life. In India, refrigeration is generally not an option, and by taking their butter one step further, it has a shelf life at room temperature for up to 1 year. It is cooked over very low heat long enough for the milk solids to separate from the melted butter; it develops a deliciously nutty aroma and a beautiful golden hue. For this purpose, the slow cooker is perfect and the worry of burning is removed. You can find clarified butter in many cooking stores and specialty markets, but it can be costly, and it’s just as easily made at home. Making ghee is a patient and peaceful home cooking process.

Ghee is the Sanskrit descendant of the Proto-Indo-European *ghrei-, “to rub,” “to anoint.” It evolved into Khristós in classical Greek, meaning anointed or covered in oil, and then was used to translate Hebrew “messiah” (“Anointed”), evolving into Latin Christus and English Christ. Christ” (pronounced /ˈkraɪst/) is a title derived from the Greek Χριστός (Christós), meaning the “Anointed One”, a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Messiah). Ghee has been used in religious rituals for centuries.

According to Ayurveda, ghee is very rejuvenating, and has many health-giving properties. Many people claim various health benefits from using ghee. Ghee is the most easily digestible of the cooking fats and oils. It is a staple in India, and can be used as a substitute for butter or oil in cooking when the dish is going to be served warm or hot. Ghee, like most oils, can be cooked at higher temperatures than butter without burning, but due to its lower melting point, it’s not the best fat to bake a cake with. It is a 100 percent saturated fat.

Ghee contains no oxidized cholesterol or hydrogenated fat, so it is good for special diets, and has a very high smoking point (unlike plain butter, the solids of which burn quickly), so it is good for cooking and deep frying. Ghee keeps well (it can be kept at room temperature but lasts weeks in the refrigerator), so you might want to make a larger amount so you’ll have it on hand. Because it’s clarified, this butter can also stay fresh longer without going sour — the milk solids that can cause standard butter to go rancid have been removed. Of course, the milk solids also impart rich flavor, so clarified butter will not have the same depth of flavor as standard butter. Always use unsalted butter.

Ghee Made In the Slow Cooker

This is the easiest way to make ghee that I know. You can start it in the morning, and leave it cooking all day, or start it before you go to bed, let it cook all night, turn it to keep warm all day, then deal with it when you come home in the evening. Kerrygold brand is grass fed (available at Trader Joe’s). You can use blocks or sticks of butter. Ghee, like butter, tastes differently depending on the source. So don’t go out and buy cheap butter just because you’re making it in bulk. You can make ghee with 1 to 4 pounds of butter at one time, but make sure you have a slow cooker large enough.

Makes about 1 pint ghee

1 pound organic unsalted butter

1. Cut the butter into 1/4 pound portions and place into 1 ½- to 4- quart slow cooker (you want the crock three times bigger than the butter mix to prevent spilling over). Cook on LOW temperature setting uncovered, or with the cover covering half the crock to allow for proper evaporation. 
Leave melt for 6 hours. Depending on your slow cooker temperature, it can take 8 to 12 hours. When the butter is melted, you can stir with your spoon to see where it’s at, and then let it sit.

2. The first stage of melting, the whey proteins in the butter will begin to produce foam. Don’t remove this foam; it will begin to be absorbed into the butter and you might hear a crackling sound of moisture and liquid being evaporated. The next stage, the sea of foam will part, and the milk solids will begin to clump together.It will still smell like butter. Watch the edges of the pan at this point. You will notice their change in color as the milk solids cook Later it will smell nutty and the milk solids, which will settle on the bottom of the pan, will have started to turn golden brown. Set up your straining system to be ready when the ghee is. Fold your cheese cloth so there are four layers, and lay it in the strainer over a large measuring cup.

3. Ghee is done when a second fizzy dry foam forms on top of butter, and the butter turns golden-orange. When the ghee is finished, the milk solids should have separated into brown crusty foam on top, and brown crusty curds on the bottom, with clear yellow butter fat in between. If it’s not quite there yet, if the bottom layer still seems kind of runny or the solids are still white or tan, that means that all the liquid hasn’t bubbled off yet, and it needs another hour or two or three. And it usually curdles on the bottom in one big lump so you can even get away with not straining at all. The unsalted butter generally results in a fine sediment that needs to be strained out.

4. Cool down slightly and strain the ghee through a piece of cheesecloth in a mesh strainer or a clean cotton kitchen towel or napkin to remove all the caramelized and browned butterfat. When straining, you can dump all of the brown solids on top of your cheese cloth, but make sure none gets into the ghee. Pour the golden liquid into a pint jar glass 
container for storage. Cover. Ghee can be stored at room temperature for about one month, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 months, where it will solidify. Ghee can be used anywhere butter would normally be used. It has a sweet flavor that is wonderful change of pace.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Candied Cranberries

pumpkincheeseCandied Cranberries

Ingredients

2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
2 cups organic granulated cane sugar
2 cups water

Steps

Prick each cranberry several times with straight pin.
Bring sugar and water to boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Cook until sugar reaches 230 F on candy thermometer.
Add cranberries, and cook ten minutes or until syrup gels a bit.
Remove berries with slotted spoon and lay out on plate.
Save in refrigerator for adding to top of cheesecake later.

Crumb Crust

Ingredients

Pre-made organic vegan graham-cracker crust (will be in a pie plate)

Or, if you prefer to make your own:

10 sheets vegan graham crackers
1/4 tsp salt
2 oz Earth Balance butter

Steps (if you aren’t using premade)

Process crackers and salt into fine crumbs in food processor.
Add Earth Balance and pulse to combine.
Press mixture into bottom and half way up sides of 8-inch spring form pan or 9-inch pie plate.

Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients

12 oz. silken tofu
8 oz. vegan cream cheese or regular cream cheese
3/4 can Whole Foods Organic Pumpkin Pie Filling
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Steps

Puree all ingredients in food processor until very smooth, about 1 minute.
Pour into crust and bake at 350 F for 50 minutes. Cool on a rack in the pan.
Chill completely in refrigerator, covered, at least 3 hours, up to overnight.
Remove the springform sides and place on a serving plate. Garnish with candied cranberries, slice and serve.

Guacamole

guacamoleBASIC GUACAMOLE

Guacamole was created by the Aztecs in Mexico. It is made by mashing ripe avocados with a molcajete granite mortar and pestle with sea salt to make a thick sauce. Mantequilla de pobre (translated as “poor-man’s butter”) is a mixture of avocado, tomato, oil, and citrus juice. It predates the arrival of cattle in the Americas. There is a very important textural thing to guacamole — never really mush up the avocado. You want to feel everything, nice and chunky. Many cooks like a dash of ground cumin added. Makes about 1 3/4 cups

1 tablespoon minced fresh serrano or jalapeno chile, including seeds, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, divided
1 large or 2 small ripe Mexican Hass avocados, halved and pitted
A squeeze of lime

Mash the chile, salt (the coarseness of kosher salt helps you make the paste), and half of the cilantro to a paste in a molcajete or other mortar. You can also mince and mash the ingredients together on a cutting board with a large knife or a fork, and then transfer the paste to a bowl.
Score the flesh in the avocado halves in a crosshatch pattern (not through the skin) with a knife and then scoop it with a spoon into the mortar or bowl. Toss well (it should be like salad properly dressed in vinaigrette), then add the rest of the cilantro and mash very coarsely with a pestle or a fork. Season to taste with lime juice (if you’d like) and additional chile and salt.
Guacamole with Fresh Fruit: Fold in the seeds from one pomegranate (about 3/4 cup) or 1 cup fresh grapefruit sections.

Creamy Guacamole: Add 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise) or sour cream. There’s really no competition as far as taste goes, in my opinion, amongst egg-free mayonnaise brands. Vegenaise is it. Vegenaise comes in four varieties: original, grapeseed oil, organic, and expeller-pressed. They are all very similar in taste.

Black Bean Guacamole

Avocados are one of my favorite foods. Now that avocados are considered a superfood and one of the best types of fat to eat, anything avocado is able to be served every day. Avocado pairs with black beans and traditional guacamole ingredients for a rich and textured black bean avocado dip recipe. Serve with chips, or use to top Mexican burritos, tacos or even for a guacamole veggie burger.

5 avocados, diced
2 limes, juiced
1/2 to 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or more)
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (Eden brand)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the avocados and lime juice into a large bowl. Mash avocados to a coarse puree. Stir in tomatoes, cilantro and beans.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with assorted dippers such as toasted whole wheat pita bread triangles or multi-grain tortilla chips. Makes about 4 cups