Blueberries

We got some locally-grown blueberries from the grocery yesterday. They taste so good that we've been eating them since yesterday. I also made some blueberry pancakes for breakfast this morning. My son prefers his blueberries as is - not in pancakes, muffins or cakes. Noted.

I came across a new word a few weeks ago that's been recently added to the dictionary. Locavores are people who prefer to eat locally grown/produced food. Nakaka-loka!

Braised Bok Choy

At lunch with my brother-in-law last week-end, he served bok choy as a side dish. My son wanted to have the dish again, so here's a similar version of my brother-in-law's recipe. I was surprised at how large these locally-grown bok choy leaves are that I bought at the fruit and vegetable store near our place. Usually, the bok choy I see at the groceries, which probably came from China, are small.

* 1 Tbsp. canola oil
* 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
* 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
* 3/4 pound to 1 pound bok choy or baby bok choy, washed and trimmed
* 1/4 cup vegetable broth
* 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
* 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
* 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
* 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1. Heat the canola oil and sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add grated ginger and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until ginger perfumes the oil.
2. Add bok choy (if you are using regular bok choy, you can cut it into chunks if you like) to the skillet. Stir fry until the bok choy becomes bright green, about 2 minutes.
3. Remove bok choy to a serving plate.
4. Add broth, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar to the pan. Cook another 2 minutes or so to allow flavors to meld.
5. Pour over bok choy. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Japanese Udon Stew

My son loves Japanese food, especially noodles, so he was happy to have this for dinner the other night. And whenever we have noodles (or any Japanese meal for that matter), he insists on using chopsticks. No spoon and fork for my little guy. I got this recipe from Vegetarian Times Low-Fat and Fast Asian cookbook.

The Japanese love their stews and soups with more noodles than vegetables. But if you prefer more vegetables, reduce the amount of noodles to eight ounces.

12 oz (340g) fresh udon or flat, medium wide dried wheat noodles
1 teaspoon each canola and sesame oil
1 cup peeled and sliced carrots, cut into 1/8-inch coins
1/2 medium daikon radish, peeled and sliced (3/4 cup)
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced (1 cup)
4 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons mirin or other sweet wine
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
4-5 medium-large fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into slivers (1 cup)
4 oz (113g) firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 sheet nori, toasted and cut into thin strips

Cook the noodles until almost tender; drain in a colander.

While the noodles cook, heat the oils in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, daikon, and sweet potato. Stir to coat them with the oil, then cook for 2 minutes.

Add the broth, mirin, and soy sauce. Heat to a simmer and cook until the potato is almost tender, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and tofu and simmer for 5 minutes or more. Add the noodles and scallions and cook until the noodles are tender, about 2 minutes. Serve the stew in large soup bowls, ladling some of the broth over each serving. Scatter the nori over the top of the stew.

Stir-fried Tofu With Mushrooms

My husband brought home a couple of roasted quarter chicken left-overs from their team building activity so we are having that for lunch and I will prepare this as a side dish as I have left-over tofu and mushrooms from the Udon Stew I made the other night. I would normally freeze the tofu, but I don't really like the texture of tofu once it's frozen.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes

3/4 pound firm tofu
1 cup dried black or shiitake mushrooms, or fresh mushrooms
1 cup canned bamboo shoots
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons oil

Remove the tofu from the package and drain. Cut the tofu lengthwise through the middle, so that you have two equal pieces about 1-inch thick. Cut into large cubes.
If using dried black or shiitake mushrooms, reconstitute by soaking in warm water for 20 minutes or until they have softened. Squeeze to remove excess liquid and thinly slice. If using fresh mushrooms, wipe with a damp cloth and slice.
Rinse the bamboo shoots in warm running water and drain. In a small bowl, mix together the dark soy, oyster sauce, sugar, and Chinese rice wine or dry sherry and set aside.

Heat the wok. When the wok is ready, add the oil. Add the bamboo shoots and mushrooms and stir until they are heated through. Add the tofu and the dark soy/oyster sauce/sugar/sherry mixture. Stir-fry until the ingredients are heated through. Serve hot.

Tuna Salad Sandwich

I made tuna salad filling the other night based on this recipe. I had all the ingredients on hand except for cottage cheese, dill and parsley. I also added 4 hard boiled eggs.

Here's my version of the recipe:

1 (6 ounce) can of tuna fish (if packed in water, drain it)
2-3 Tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 celery stalk, chopped finely
1 Tablespoon of capers
Juice of half of a lemon
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
4 hard boiled eggs

Place the 4 eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for exactly seven minutes. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking place them in the ice bath for three minutes or so - long enough to stop the cooking. Crack and peel each egg, place in a medium mixing bowl.Add the mayonnaise and mash with a fork. Don't overdo it, you want the egg mixture to have some texture. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Serve on toast, either open faced, or in a regular sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes. For a low carb option, serve on sliced lettuce.

Chicken Simmered in Soy and Star Anise

I notice that star anise and cinnamon are usually used together in recipes. And since I have both ingredients in the pantry, I should try this recipe from Donna Hay's New Food Fast


Servings: 2

1/3 cup (2 3/4 fl oz) soy sauce
1/4 cup (2 fl oz) Chinese cooking wine or sherry
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 chicken breast fillets
1 bunch bok choy or Chinese greens, trimmed and halved

1. Place the soy sauce, cooking wine or sherry, oyster sauce, star anise, cinnamon stick and sugar in a frying pan over high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Add the greens to the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until tender.
3. Place chicken and greens on serving plates and spoon over pan juices as sauce. Serve with steamed rice.

Chicken Marbella

Adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. This was the first main-course dish offered at their shop. It was named for a city in Spain. The original called for four chickens. Overnight marination is essential to develop the flavour.

2 tbsp each: extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar
6 pitted prunes, halved
6 large green olives, pitted, halved
3 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp capers, drained
2 small bay leaves
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 chicken (about 3 lb/1-1/4 kg), quartered
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp chopped parsley

In large bowl, stir together oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, garlic, capers, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper. Add chicken.

Turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Arrange chicken in single layer in large, shallow baking pan. Spoon oil mixture over it evenly. Sprinkle with sugar. Pour wine around chicken pieces. Bake in preheated 350F oven, basting occasionally with pan juices, until juices run clear, about 1 hour.

Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to serving platter. Discard bay leaves. Drizzle with pan juices. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Asian Greens & Spring Vegetables

Here's a delicious vegetable dish from Moosewood Restaurant's New Classics: 350 Recipes for Homestyle Favorites and Everyday Feasts.

This light and elegant side dish with a mild sesame-ginger dressing can be made with almost any type of greens, including bok choy, spinach, or Swiss chard. Use either snow peas or halved asparagus spears, depending upon what is available and looks most fresh and tender.

6 oz. snow peas or 8 asparagus spears
4 cups sliced bok choy, or 6 cups rinsed and steamed fresh spinach leaves
1 cup carrot matchsticks*
1/2 cup daikon matchsticks*

Dressing
3 Tbs. dark sesame oil
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. grated fresh gingerroot
1/3 cup scallions, sliced on an extreme diagonal
1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds**
Lemon wedges

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil on high heat. Remove the strings from the snow peas, if using, and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes. (Or, for asparagus, snap off the tough stem ends, cut the spears in half on the diagonal, rinse, and simmer until tender about 7 minutes.) Remove with a slotted spoon, drain, and set aside. Blanch the bok choy in the same water for 2 to 3 minutes (blanch spinach for 1 minute), then drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar and ginger root. Toss the bok choy or spinach with half of the dressing and spread on a serving platter. Toss the rest of the vegetables with the remaining dressing and arrange them on top of the greens. Sprinkle with the scallions and sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature, decorated with a few lemon wedges.

*If you prefer, use 1 cup of grated carrots and 1/2 cup grated daikon.

**Toast sesame seeds on an unoiled baking tray at 350 F for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant and golden.

Farfalle with Many Mushrooms

My husband and I love mushrooms and while I always keep a bag of dried shiitake mushrooms, I also like to use fresh mushrooms so this recipe from The One-Dish Vegetarian is a welcome addition to our dinner menu.

I like to use a variety of fresh mushrooms in this sauce and I make up the combination as I shop at the market. The very flavorful shiitake mushrooms are always included, and then I buy what other types I can find. Occasionally, chanterelles and morels find their way into the mix, but usually the combination is made up of shiitake, cremini, oyster, portobello and cultivated white mushrooms. Feel free to experiment with what is available to you. Farfalle are lovely bow tie-shaped pasta, but you can substitute shells, tubes, wagon wheels, or spirals.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 lbs mixed mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed and sliced
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
6 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, but very good)
1 large handful of Italian parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white or red wine
1 lb farfalle
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place a large pot of water (6 quarts) on high heat to boil for the pasta.

While the water is heating, heat the oil and butter in a large saute pan or skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute over high heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms start to turn brown around the edges. Toss them occasionally with a metal spatula.

Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, lower the heat to medium, and add the garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, and wine. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the burner.

When the pasta water comes to a boil, add the farfalle, or other pasta. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, tasting for doneness at 7 or 8 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Scoop out the pasta and place directly into the mushroom sauce. Let some of the cooking water transfer along with the pasta.

Turn heat to high under the saute pan or skillet and toss pasta with the sauce. At this point you can add a tablespoon or two of butter to the sauce if you wish. Serve in pasta bowls, accompanied by freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Leftover Pasta

Our freezer is bursting with leftovers so instead of going to the grocery this week-end, I decided to create a dish from whatever food we had on hand.

Cooked pasta (a combination of fusilli and radiator pasta)
Leftover Farfalle with Many Mushrooms
Leftover Italian-Style Grilled Eggplant
Cooked sliced ham
Pasta sauce
Diced Tomatoes
Chicken kielbasa, sliced in strips
Bacon, cut in small pieces
1/4 cup white wine

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 6 minutes or until onion is lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add wine to pan; cook until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in basil and oregano, pasta sauce and diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; partially cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggplant. chicken kielbasa and pasta.

Spoon pasta mixture into a 8x8-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with a mixture of breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 12 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Italian-Styled Grilled Eggplant

I borrowed this lovely book by Williams-Sonoma called Starters:New Healthy Kitchen, where the recipes are grouped by the color of the vegetable and fruit used in the dish. We are encouraged to eat a rainbow of foods at each meal and this is a unique way of presenting recipes.

Photo and recipe from Williams-Sonoma.

Rich in antioxidants that protect the brain and memory, blue and purple fruits and vegetables are easily incorporated into daily cooking, as you’ll discover with these grilled eggplant. Serve them alongside other grilled vegetables as part of an antipasto platter.

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 globe eggplants
1½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. fresh thyme
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced

Build a hot fire in a grill or preheat a gas grill to 400°F. Rub the grill grate with 1 tsp. of the olive oil.

Cut the eggplants lengthwise into slices 1⁄2 inch thick. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant until golden brown and crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn and grill until golden brown and crisp on the other side, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the eggplant to a platter and set aside.
Put the remaining olive oil in a shallow baking dish and add the parsley, thyme, vinegar and garlic. Add the warm eggplant slices and let stand for 1 hour, then turn and let stand for 1 hour more. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4.

Adapted from New Healthy Kitchen Series, Starters, by Georgeanne Brennan (Simon & Schuster, 2006).