Portobello Eggplant Sandwich

With the vegetarian and/or me working virtually every night this month, my mission has been to find quick, easy and satisfying dinners that will neither require too much prep nor leaving us feeling so full afterwards that we can't go to sleep at a reasonable hour. Last night, that led me down the path of sandwiches. With so much wonderful produce from the greenmarket, I've definitely been on a vegetable kick and I started thinking about grills and, not for the first time, wishing we had one. And what are my three favorite vegetables to cook on a grill? Portobello mushrooms, onions and eggplant. Even though I don't often eat eggplant these days, when I find it fresh and local and organic at the greenmarket, I make an exception.

Alas, we have no grill. But, if you can stand heating up the apartment for fifteen minutes, mushrooms, onions and eggplant are just as (if not more) delicious roasted. And, bonus, you don't have to worry about the bits of onion falling through the cracks of the grill!

I wanted to elevate these from a "typical" sandwich so, while the veggies were roasting, I whipped up a quick tahini spread with fresh basil (better and more nutritious than a more traditional mayonnaise or, worse, ketchup). We also served these with some big arugula leaves on sprouted sesame bread and had a salad on the side. Bon appetit!



 Portobello Eggplant Sandwich

Sandwich

• 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
• 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 8 slices bread
• 1 bunch large arugula leaves
• 1 American eggplant, sliced

Spread

• 1/2 cup sesame paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon salad seasoning blend
• 1 teaspoon tamari
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 small clove garlic, chopped

Preheat oven to 375. Arrange mushrooms, onion and eggplant on a foil-covered baking sheet (or two). Roast 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the spread by blending together all ingredients in a food processor until creamy.

When vegetables are cooked, remove from oven and let cool slightly. Toast bread. Generously spread spread onto half of bread slices and top with 1-2 leaves arugula, 1 mushroom, some red onion and 1 slice eggplant. Cover with second slice of bread. Enjoy!

Links:

• Grilled Eggplant & Portobello Sandwich from Eating Well
• Crispy Eggplant and Portobello Mushroom and Cheese Sandwiches from Food Network
• Grilled Portobello Sandwich with Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella from AllRecipes.com
• Eggplant and Portobello Mushroom Melt from Wine and a Spoon
• Grilled Eggplant and Portobello Mushroom Sandwich from Roman Meal

Orange Peach Jam

I always thought that jam-making was an enormous deal -- something that grandmothers from another time did in their cottages on rural routes in middle America. They would pick and cut up fresh fruits, boil them on hot summer nights and then can them, processing the cans with a magic I don't understand and am afraid to master, so they and their grandchildren could enjoy the results in the middle of winter, spread onto thick slices of fresh, warm-from-the-oven homemade bread. Sounds idyllic, no? And so not me.

So I was pleasantly surprised when I successfully made jam and jelly last summer. I didn't can either of them (and I still haven't gone that far) but they were both delicious and I even used pectin when I made the jelly! Lately, there have been wonderful peaches at our greenmarkets and, being unable to walk away from such abundance, I keep bringing them home. And there's just so many I can put into my smoothies!

So I decided to make some into jam. Not wanting to go through a whole big-deal production, I found a recipe on Pure Kitchen for Spreadable Raisin Jam. This isn't cooked at all; instead raisins, orange juice and spices are put into a blender until jammy. It sounded perfect but my peaches needed to be cooked to taste more peachy! So I boiled them with spices and orange juice and then blended them for about a minute and they were delicious! The jam is entirely unsweetened and has a little kick from the spices which I love. It's great as a snack on rice cakes and also spread on gingersnap cookies. Enjoy!

Orange Peach Jam
inspired by Pure Kitchen

• 3-4 ripe peaches, peeled (if desired), pitted and quartered
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons allspice

In a medium pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook 25 minutes, adding water or additional orange juice if necessary. Let come to room temperature, transfer to a blender (or nutribullet) and blend for about 1 minute, until it reaches desired consistency. Bon appetit!

Links:

• Peach Marmalade from About.com
• Peach Orange Marmalade from Mother Earth News
• Orange Peach Jam from Mennonite Girls Can Cook
• Peach-Orange Marmalade from National Center for Home Food Preservation
• Peach Orange Preserves from Cooking Lessons

Raspberry Lime Rickey

I was never much of a history buff but, as I get older (and possibly even wiser), I find tidbits of food history more and more fascinating. For instance, while reading Fruitful: Four Seasons of Fruit Recipes, a delightful new cookbook by the people behind Red Jacket Orchards, I discovered that Lime Rickeys, a drink I had previously associated with 1950's soda fountains and egg creams, were once an alcoholic cocktail. Suddenly, rickeys got a lot more interesting!

I admit -- I've never actually had a lime rickey so perhaps I'm not qualified to make my own version. But I was always put off by their disturbing green color and the bubbles. See, my aversion to soda is not, as one might expect, because of its processed ingredients or high sugar content but rather because it's carbonated. I never liked carbonated drinks as a child and so never had them. Of course as I've gotten older, there have been some notable exceptions: the aforementioned egg creams, Jack and Cokes for a brief period in college, champagne and, most recently, ginger beer.

So when I saw this recipe and wanted to adapt it to my palate, I knew that ginger beer would be a welcome addition. I have to admit, I have been unable to find a ginger beer without added sugar (if you know of one, please share!) so feel free to make it with soda water if that's a concern for you. The bourbon whiskey is optional as well -- with it becomes an intricate cocktail; without it's a refreshing pick-me-up. You could also make it with gin which is, apparently, the more modern rendition. And if you can get your hands on some black raspberries (they were at my greenmarket), use them. They're absolutely incredible this season. Bon appetit!

PS -- It turns out I'm on-trend! Did you know July is Rickey month?

Raspberry Lime Rickey 
adapted from Fruitful: Four Seasons of Fruit Recipes

• 1 small container raspberries
• 3 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 cup lime juice (let it sit out for a while to mellow the taste before using it)
• 3 tablespoons bourbon whiskey, per drink (optional or substitute gin)
• 1 cup soda water (or ginger beer)

In a small saucepan over high heat, combine raspberries and molasses. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash raspberries and let come to room temperature. If desired, strain (I don't mind the raspberry seeds).

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add raspberry puree, lime juice and bourbon or gin (if using). Shake and pour into glasses. Top with soda water or ginger beer.

Links (who knew this was such a popular combination!):

• Raspberry Lime Rickey from Allrecipes.com
• Raspberry-Lime Rickey from MyRecipes.com
• Raspberry Lime Rickey from Epicurious.com
• Raspberry Lime Rickey from e is for eat
• Raspberry Lime Rickey from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Green Beans with Heirloom Tomatoes, Shallots and Olives

Hello, Upper East Side! Believe it or not, the vegetarian and I have moved again -- this time to the Upper East Side. This is my first time living on the Upper East Side and, trepidatious as I first was, I'm now settling into my routines here and really enjoying myself. For the vegetarian, this is a homecoming of sorts -- his first apartment in NYC was only four blocks away from our current home. While a lot in the neighborhood has changed, much is also still the same and we've been having lots of fun discovering new places and rediscovering old ones.

My favorite new discovery thus far (surprise, surprise) has been the 82nd Street Greenmarket. Having grown up with the Union Square Greenmarket (and then spent time getting to know the various markets in Paris when I lived there), it's always been comforting for me to be able to walk to a market, talk to farmers and base my purchases on what's actually fresh and tasty and seasonal rather than whatever the supermarket managers decided to put on sale that week.

This Greenmarket is one of the best I've been to. It's mostly in a church courtyard but also spills out onto the surrounding sidewalk. Nowhere near as big as Union Square, I actually find it more manageable. There's fruit, vegetables, fish, goat (I got some goat merguez), baked goods (including some that are sugar-free and gluten-free!) and eggs. I went with a list and came home with two bulging bags -- including lots of surprises I wasn't planning on getting. Two things I was thrilled to get were green beans and heirloom tomatoes. This time of year, I can have tomatoes three times a day (and I often do) and they went wonderfully with the green beans. Alongside Mustard Greens with (Anchovy)-Garlic Dressing they were the stars of our Housewarming party. Bon appetit!

Green Beans with Heirloom Tomatoes, Shallots and Olives
adapted from Vegetable Literacy

• 3/4 pound green beans
• 1 shallot, sliced crosswise
• 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 10 dried black olives
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 heirloom slicing tomato
• 1 tablespoon + 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• handful basil leaves, torn into strips

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. While the water's boiling, prep your other ingredients: trim the tails (and tips, if necessary) from the beans. Stir the shallot together with the vinegar in a small bowl. Chop the olives and garlic together. Chop the tomato into small chunks.

Once the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt along with the beans. Cook for 5 minutes. Drain and dry in a dish towel.

Put the beans into a large bowl and toss with olives and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain shallots from vinegar, reserving both separately. Whisk olive oil into vinegar and pour over beans. Strew shallots on top, along with tomatoes and basil. Gently toss everything together. Serve room temperature. Enjoy!

Links:

• Green Beans with Onions and Heirloom Tomatoes from My Chic Life
• Sauteed Green Beans with Heirloom Tomato Marinara Sauce from With Food + Love
• Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad from smitten kitchen
• Sauteed String Beans with Heirloom Tomato Marinara Sauce from Groundworks Farm
• Heirloom Tomato and Green Beans with Ginger Vinaigrette from Parade

Go-To Tomato Sauce

Our first date, the vegetarian cooked me dinner. Of course, this was back in the days when I ate everything and he made a big batch of baked ziti, garlic bread and, because he wanted me to think the best of him, a green salad. Wanting him to think the best of me, I devoured everything (including the green salad). Truth be told, he's pretty famous for his baked ziti and it's the dish I miss the most in my current gluten-free and dairy-free diet.

It took me a month or two to return the favor and cook dinner for the vegetarian. In those days, I was a prolific meat-cooker and my signature dish was roast leg of lamb, closely followed by baked fish or rib-eye steaks -- none of which were suitable for the vegetarian, of course! Not to mention that, knowing what a notoriously picky eater he was, I didn't want to make anything too adventurous. I wanted to make something he (and I) knew he would like.

I thought about making my own version of baked ziti but that just seemed both obnoxious and cheating. So I thought back to our second date, when he took me to his favorite restaurant in Little Italy, Benito One. He had ordered spaghetti pomodoro and declared it hands-down his favorite meal. However, whenever he made spaghetti at home, I knew he always used canned tomato sauce. So I decided to make him a red sauce from scratch.

I don't remember the details (I believe I made an arrabiata). What I do know is that the vegetarian cleaned his plate, had seconds and the rest, as they say, is history. When I first went gluten-free, finding delicious gluten-free pasta was our first order of business. And whenever I have the energy, I make some variation of a red sauce to go with it (or at least doctor up a jar -- shh, don't tell).

May was very busy (and filled with Italian food) for us, with the vegetarian's birthday and both of us working on several projects. We returned to Benito One, where the vegetarian now orders Eggplant Parmesan with a side of Spaghetti Pomodoro, for his birthday. But we both missed having my homemade tomato sauce at home. So for our Monthly Cooking Adventure, I made Spaghetti and Meatballs, with quinoa spaghetti and chicken meatballs (on the side, of course). Our friends made a tiramisu and the vegetarian blew us all away with a new variation on his signature sangria.

Never one to rest on my laurels, I decided to adapt Gwyneth Paltrow's recipe for Tomato Sauce as I especially liked her addition of frying the basil along with the garlic. I also added in some dried basil along with the pepper to bring in that anise flavor I love. The vegetarian couldn't stop raving. Bon appetit!

Go-To Tomato Sauce
adapted from It's All Good

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 leaves basil
• 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes and their juice
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add garlic and cook 5 minutes. Add 2 basil leaves and cook an additional minute. Add tomatoes (breaking them up with your hands) and their juice and remaining fresh basil. Turn the heat to high, bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Add dried basil, black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Serve over spaghetti, meatballs -- whatever. Enjoy!

Links:

• Go-To Tomato Sauce from Courtney Miller Santo from The Secret Ingredient
• Go-To Tomato Sauce from Tammilee Tips
• Homemade Tomato Sauce from Allrecipes
• Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter from smitten kitchen
• Easy, Authentic, Homemade Tomato Sauce from Spinach Tiger
  
  

BED: Basil Eggplant

When the vegetarian and I first started talking seriously about moving in together, I started actively wondering how that would affect my cooking habits. Just as we began our apartment search, I found an old copy of Fields of Greens, a vegetarian cookbook from Greens Restaurant. The vegetarian and I spent a rainy afternoon lying in bed and pouring over the recipes -- some of them simple, but many complex. We went through a box of sticky tabs, marking our favorite recipes with different colors according to seasons.

Of course, two-and-a-half years later, we've probably only made one or two recipes from that book as I find myself taking more and more recipe inspiration from various internet sources rather than cookbooks. But that afternoon is one of our fondest memories and set us together on the path that eventually led to this blog; the path that taught the vegetarian will eat (almost) anything with eggplant as the main ingredient.

Basil Eggplant
inspired by ThaiTable.com

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 serrano peppers, sliced
• 2 Japanese eggplants, sliced on the diagonal
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• Basil leaves picked from 1 bunch of steams

Heat a wok over high heat. When it is hot, lower flame to medium/medium-high and swirl in olive oil. Add serranos and garlic. Stir-fry until garlic just starts to color, about 30 seconds. Add eggplant and stir. Pour in water and stir. Cover the wok and let cook 7 minutes, raising the flame to high. The eggplant should be translucent and the water all-but evaporated. Swirl in tamari and stir. Add basil and stir just until leaves are wilted but still green. Remove from heat and serve. This was delicious over Herbed Quinoa, along with some Merlot. Bon appetit!

**VEGETARIAN'S CHOICE! **  Easily one of the most successful and delicious we've made since starting this blog.  While I usually enjoy everything we cook together, this was one of the few dishes we've made that I've helped myself to THIRDS!  The look of satisfaction on the Omnivore's face was the icing on the proverbial cake. :)

Edible Inspirations:

• Basil Eggplant from ThaiTable.com
• Thai Basil Eggplant from Compassionate Action for Animals
• Seared Baby Eggplant with Mozzarella and Basil Oil from Vegetarian Times
• Basil Eggplant Stir Fry from Henry Got Crops!
• Thai Basil Eggplant from Garden to Garden

BED: Baked Bluefish (or Tofu)

Several months ago, I read a review in Tasting Table of a cookbook called The Adaptable Feast which was comprised of recipes for omnivore dishes from which you could create vegetarian servings and vegetarian dishes that you could add some meat to and feed a couple of omnivores. While I never ended up buying the book, this idea of adapting one dish for various diets definitely piqued my curiosity.

And so, when I saw bluefish at the farmer's market one Saturday, the vegetarian and I came up with a way to make just one dish out of it but still have two meals. Originally, I was just going to make a separate pan of tofu (and I'm including instructions for that if it interests you) but the vegetarian wasn't in the mood for tofu so instead I baked the bluefish on top of lots of potatoes and onions. Because I used a big pan, the bluefish was only on half of the vegetables and those, along with a Cucumber Millet Bean Salad with Mozzarella and Blackberry and Mozzarella Salad with Rosemary. (NOTE: If you're a strict vegetarian, you'll probably want to cook the vegetables in a separate pan from the fish so as to avoid any fish juices sneaking in.) If you're drinking wine, I recommend a Chardonnay, preferably local. Bon appetit!

Baked Bluefish (or Tofu)

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

• 1 1/4-2 1/2 pounds bluefish fillets, trimmed (and/or extra-firm tofu, pressed and drained)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
• 8 red-skinned potatoes, sliced very thin
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 red onion, minced
• 4 sprigs dill leaf, minced

Preheat oven to 500 F. Pat bluefish (and/or tofu) dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss potatoes with 1/2 cup melted butter.

Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Spread out potatoes evenly. Place fish (and/or tofu) on top. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle onions and dill over everything.

Cover with another sheet of aluminum foil and bake 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 400 and bake an additional 20-30. (If only doing tofu, only bake for an additional 10 minutes.) Enjoy!

Edible Links:

• Baked Bluefish from Allrecipes.com
• Baked Tofu from The Kitchn
• Baked Bluefish Fillets with Potatoes, Garlic, and Olive Oil, Genoese Style from Shaw's
• Baked Bluefish: Bluefish "in Cartoccio" from Food Network
• Baked Bluefish from Simply Recipes

BED: Raw Blackberry Chia Jam

My favorite part of summer has always been the berries. Don't get me wrong -- not having to wear a coat or socks are fantastic but what always gets me most excited is seeing the farmer's markets flooded with berries. One May, when I was living in Paris, my friend Davey visited me. There, we discovered fraises gariguettes -- a special variety of strawberry that's absolutely out of this world. We bought two cartons a day -- one to eat on the way home and the other to have for dessert. They were so good that we didn't need to do anything to them; just ate them right out of the carton!

Sadly, the gariguettes are only a memory now and I no longer have the time to go to the market every day. And, while he does eat berries, the vegetarian doesn't get nearly excited enough about them to ever warrant getting more than one carton. Truth be told, he prefers his fruit mixed with wine to make sangria!

But berries are one of the few sour fruits allowed on the body ecology diet and so I knew I needed to celebrate summer by having some. But I wanted to do something more interesting than just eating them raw and it was too hot to cook them. I also didn't really want to make a dessert. Truthfully, the best time of day to have fruit is in the morning and I wanted something I could eat for breakfast. Luckily I found a recipe for Raw Blackberry Chia Jam. The really exciting thing about this jam is that it's made with chia seeds, a superfood that's very high in omega-3's and that, when combined with liquids, absorbs them to form a jelly. Cool! I've been having the jam for breakfast with buckwheat cakes (like rice cakes but made with buckwheat) that I found at a little Russian market near us. I bet you could also swirl some into vanilla ice cream for dessert. Bon appetit!

Raw Blackberry Chia Jam
adapted from Instructables

• 1 cup blackberries
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 cup water
• 10-15 drops stevia extract
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Mash blackberries. Mix together everything else. Place in a covered container and set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Keeps for about 1 week. Enjoy!

Edible Inspirations:

• Raw Blackberry Chia Jam from Instructables
• Blackberry Chia Jam from Utterly Yummy!
• Easy Strawberry Chia Seed Jam from Eating Bird Food
• Triple Almond Cherry Crumble Squares from Oh She Glows
• Berry Chia Pudding from Vegan Yack Attack

Monthly Cooking Adventure: Gateau chocolat blanc et cerise (White Chocolate and Cherry Cake)

If I could only have one food for the rest of my life? That's easy: Pez. Cherry flavored Pez. -- Stand By Me.

Sorry for the extended silence but there have been many changes chez nous. In short ... we moved! Goodbye Lincoln Center and hello Washington Heights! This is a total change of area, apartment, (kitchen!) and commute but, while we now spend a bit longer on our subway rides, the changes are definitely for the best.

So after taking a few days to organize my "perfect" kitchen (using help from various sources), we invited some friends over and turned June's Monthly Cooking Adventure (just a few days late) into a 4th of July Housewarming Party. And how did I break in the new kitchen, you ask? By going off-diet and making a wonderful Gateau chocolat blanc et cerise (White Chocolate and Cherry Cake), Poivrons rouges farcis aux carottes (Red Peppers Stuffed with Carrots) and Corn and Edamame Salad with Mint. (Links are to recipes I adapted.)

**A note about the cake: This was my first time working with white chocolate (and I'm already not much of a baker) so I learned a lot along the way. The biggest issue was that I used too much butter (since white chocolate already has such a high butterfat content) so I ended up pouring off excess oil after the cake was cooked. I've adjusted the ingredient amounts below to reflect what I believe will work but, if you make it, use your best judgment and let us know how it turned out! Also, while my inspirational recipe (from Chocolate & Zucchini) didn't include one, I've added an (optional) crumble topping. This cut the sweetness nicely and also provided a texture contrast. I highly recommend this with vanilla ice cream. Bon appetit!

Gateau chocolat blanc et cerise
inspired by Chocolate & Zucchini

• 1/4 pound unsalted butter (1 stick) + additional to grease pan
• 8 ounces white chocolate
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4/5 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups cherries, pitted and chopped
• 1/3 cup pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon French sea salt
• 1/3 cup nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachio nuts and/or walnuts), toasted

Start your preparations: Preheat oven to 325 F and butter a 10-inch springform pan.

Microwave white chocolate and butter together for 1 minute, then stir until well-combined.

Add sugar and stir with a wooden spoon. Let rest 5 minutes. Add cream a little at a time, stirring after each addition. Mash cherries, then add to the batter. Sift in flour and salt and stir until just combined.

Pour batter into pan and bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cake in there to rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely, unclasping sides of the pan. Sprinkle top with nuts. Once it's room temperature, transfer to refrigerator and let chill several hours (at least 4). Enjoy!

Edible Inspirations:

• Moelleux chocolat et framboises from Histoire sans faim
• Chocolate-Raspberry Layer Cake from Bon Appetit Magazine
• Raspberry and Chocolate Ganache Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream from Evil Shenanigans
• Mini Black Raspberry & White Chocolate Crepe Cakes from Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free
• Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Ice Cream from Cherry Tea Cakes

Monthly Cooking Adventure: Falafel (Fava Bean Fritters)

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti." -- The Silence of the Lambs.

Not wanting to skip our Monthly Cooking Adventure this month (and wanting to see what would happen if I "went off" the Body Ecology Diet for an evening), the vegetarian and I picked fava beans as this month's main ingredient and I decided to make Falafel, fava bean fritters. I adapted the recipe from The Book of Jewish Food and, with my seasoning changes, everyone agreed they were the best Falafel we'd ever had ... if I do say so myself.

I actually tweaked the original recipe quite a bit. To counteract the bitter fava beans, I added pungent spring onions, salty sea salt, hot chile peppers, bittersweet cumin, garlic, sour yogurt and walnut oil. I also soaked the beans with a piece of kombu; this makes them easier to digest and I highly recommend it. The fritters are best right out of the oven (along with some hot sauce) so only make as many as you're going to eat. The batter saves well so you can fry up more whenever the inspiration strikes.

For a treat, I recommend them with Vegetable Couscous and Chickpea & Chile Pepper Salad. Bon appetit!

Falafel (Fava Bean Fritters)
adapted from The Book of Jewish Food

• 1 pound dry fava beans (can substitute lima beans if you can't find any favas)
• 4-inch strip kombu
• 1 bunch Italian parsley
• 8 spring onions, bulbs only
• 3 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder
• 4 teaspoons cumin, ground
• 12 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon yogurt
• 12 tablespoons walnut oil, for frying

Place beans and kombu in a large pot and cover with cold water. Let soak 12 hours. Rinse, drain well and pat dry on a clean dishtowel.

Finely chop parsley and onions in a food processor (much easier than doing it by hand). Remove and put aside. Add beans to food processor and blend, pausing to scrape down the bowl, about 15 minutes, until it's a smooth paste about the consistency of chunky peanut butter. Add salt, chile powder, cumin, garlic and yogurt and process another 5-10 minutes until well combined. Return parsley and onions and pulse a few times, just until mixed through. Remove from food processor and set aside to rest for 1 hour.

To fry: The best bet is to do these in batches. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until just before it smokes. Take walnut-sized lumps of batter (smaller than you may be used to but, believe me, it works better) and shape them into round flat cakes. Fry as many as you can comfortably fit into the pan (without crowding!). Once the falafels are in, lower heat to low and let fry until golden, about 5 minutes on each side. While they're frying, set up a plate with a layer of paper towels on it. Remove falafels to this plate to drain once they're cooked. Serve with pita bread, salad or whatever you like. Enjoy!

Links to edible inspiration:

• Spicy Broad Bean Fritters with Lemon Minted Yoghurt from Jamie Oliver
• Fava Bean Fritters from Some of My Favorite Italian Dishes ...
• Falafel from Rec.Food.Cuisine.Jewish Newsgroup

BED: Moroccan Fava Bean and Vegetable Soup

Two and a half years ago, not long after the vegetarian and I started dating, I came down with mononucleosis. Being over 21, and therefore past the age at which people normally contract this disease, I was hit particularly hard and all-but confined to bed-rest for the next eight months. What a way to start a relationship!

Once I was allowed to resume my normal life, I did so with my usual gusto. Much to my chagrin, however, I found that my energy stores were much lower than they'd ever been before. Not to mention the fact that my immune system was now totally shot. So I experimented with different things -- vitamins, vegetarianism, a higher protein diet -- and, while there were glimpses of more energy, nothing worked long-term.

About a month ago, I was killing some time in Barnes & Noble and happened upon a book that promised to "rebuild my immunity": the Body Ecology Diet book. A skeptic, I nevertheless began reading the introduction and, much to my shock, I felt as though Donna Gates was describing my very symptoms. So I've put myself on the Body Ecology Diet, at least as well as it can fit into my hectic life.

The basic tenets of the diet are no sugars (including most fruits, some vegetables, no dried beans, no dairy and no gluten) and 80% of your plate should be non-starchy vegetables. Obviously some days (and meals) this is easier to follow than others. And living with a vegetarian who prefers grains and beans to vegetables has made cooking and meal-planning a challenge.

The good news, however, is that, frustrating as this has been, I've felt more consistently stronger and happier in the past three weeks than in the past two years. So, at least for now, this is the way to go. And don't worry -- our monthly cooking adventures will still be my monthly permission to myself to venture off. But for now, enjoy this soup with a Lemon-Chive Potato Salad and bon appetit!

Moroccan Fava Bean and Vegetable Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 leeks
• 1 spring onion, (or garlic scapes), chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 2 radishes, diced
• 2 red-skinned potatoes, diced
• 1/2 pound frozen or fresh (not dried) fava beans (or green garbanzos), double peeled and (if frozen) defrosted
• 8 cups water
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 6 sprigs Italian parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot until it glides like water. Add leeks, onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add radishes, potatoes, fava beans, water, 1 teaspoon salt and parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes.

Puree using an immersion blender. Add 1/4 teaspoon pepper, turmeric and cilantro and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring, 30 minutes. Add remaining salt and pepper. Serve warm, garnished with cilantro and remaining olive oil. Enjoy!

Inspirational Links:

• Moroccan Fava Bean and Vegetable Soup from The New York Times
• Moroccan Fava Bean and Vegetable Soup from Nourish

Monthly Cooking Adventure: Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms

"Remind me to tell you about the time I looked into the heart of an artichoke." -- All About Eve.

 This month's recipe actually features artichoke bottoms, not hearts, and let me tell you -- it took some effort to find them! I know I should have just butchered my own, but I was feeling quite lazy yesterday, especially knowing that I'd be cooking a full meal for three guests later on! So I used canned artichoke bottoms. Lazy, yes. And delicious? Oh, yes yes yes! So I recommend laziness if that's where you are. And, if so, this recipe comes together so quickly it's just delightful.

Because the vegetarian isn't crazy about artichokes, and therefore wouldn't be eating them, I treated myself to the addition of an omnivore ingredient -- anchovies. In my opinion, anchovies get a totally undeserved bad reputation. As our friend Hill put it last night -- they're like delicious additions of salt. And, really, how bad can that be? (For a vegetarian version, add 1 tablespoon soya sauce.) Along with some garlic and sour lemon juice and zest, they were the perfect accompaniment to our Arugula and Fava-Bean Crostini and Smoky Fried Rice. To drink I recommend an Espiral vinho verde. Enjoy!

Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms
Adapted from The Book of Jewish Food

• 2 ounces anchovies, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon soya sauce)
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• bunch Italian parsley, finely choppped
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• zest from 1/2 lemon
• 1 can (14 ounces) artichoke bottoms
• 1-2 cups water

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix anchovies (or soya sauce), garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, oil and lemon juice and zest together in a medium-sized bowl. Place artichoke bottoms in a baking dish and fill with stuffing. Pour water around artichokes, making sure it doesn't reach the filling. Bake 25 minutes. Serve at room temperature. Bon appetit!

Edible Inspirations:

• Carciofi Ripieni from Food.com
• Stuffed Artichoke Hearts from Allrecipes.com
• Vegetarian substitute for anchovies? from Chowhound
• Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms from Gourmet Kosher Cooking

Passover Cooking: Chopped Eggs with Chives

Whew! Between Passover, work and both of us taking turns getting sick, it's been AGES since we've posted anything! And, truth be told, other than holiday cooking, our kitchen hasn't been seeing much action lately either. We even skipped March's Monthly Cooking Adventure. But now April's halfway done (time really does fly!) and I've ventured back into the kitchen.

Today's recipe is a quickie and extremely versatile. I often make it during Passover (in various permutations) and it's delectable with matzoh. Drier than typical egg salad, you could even eat it with a fork or, after the holiday, serve it with slices of bread. Normally in my family we make chopped eggs and onions. But I decided I didn't want to go through the trouble of cooking any onions (and substantial amounts of raw onions are the only food that gives me heartburn). So I embraced spring and brought a lighter touch to my eggs with some chives. I also had some tarragon languishing in the fridge so I added that in for a touch of sweetness. This makes a wonderful breakfast, lunch, snack or, alongside some couscous (or quinoa) mixed with cucumbers, dried figs and fontina d'Aosta, a light dinner. Bon appetit!

Chopped Eggs with Chives

• 6 eggs, hard-boiled
• 15-20 chives, finely chopped
• leaves from 6 sprigs tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 3 tablespoons chicken fat or olive oil

Place all ingredients in a wooden bowl and, using a mezzluna, chop coarsely. Serve at room temperature.

Links to inspirational recipes:

• Asparagus and Chopped Egg Salad with Lemon-Chive Dressing from The Chalkboard
• Egg and Herb Salad from Recipes for Health