Summer Salad with Yuzu Vinaigrette

This simple, summery, starter salad was meant to be. The same day I found out we had company for dinner (Hi Perry!), a co-worker brought in the most delicious lettuce from her father's garden (Hi Kari!). I didn't want anything overwhelming to mask the fresh delicacy of home-grown lettuce. These tender, flavorful leaves are lightly tossed with a mix of yuzu rice vinegar and blood orange olive oil then topped with sesame seeds for a little crunch.

What better way to start a casual mid-week dinner with friends than with a fuss-free salad that shows off  summer's bounty?

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups of mixed lettuce (home grown, ideally!)
• 1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 persian cucumbers, sliced thinly
• 2 small avocados or 1 large, halved, pitted, and sliced
• 3 Tbsp Yuzu Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Blood Orange Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk blood orange olive oil and yuzu vinegar in small bowl and toss with lettuce, adding only as much as necessary!
2. Arrange salad on four plates, arrange bell peppers, cucumbers and avocados on lettuce.
3. Drizzle with a touch more dressing and garnish with sesame seeds. 

Vegetarian Phở

We adore phở, and believe the Vietnamese make it with some kind of ancient magic. There's something incredibly satisfying about the intricately spiced broth, tender rice noodles, and mix of tart lime, spicy sriracha, savory hoisin, and fresh vegetables that define a good bowl. Our favorite phở-shop has a long list of different toppings (mostly meat and seafood) but, a creature of habit, I inevitably order phở chay (vegetarian).

We made phở tai (rare beef) from scratch months ago and while delicious, it was very time-consuming, and in spite of thoroughly straining and skimming the broth, it tasted oily! That's one word you shouldn't ever need when discussing phở. This quick and easy meatless version lacks a little meaty depth, but more than makes up for that with a perfectly spiced broth and a clean taste. Without a protein source, this dish is extremely light, so we paired it with a spicy Japanese eggplant dish which will be posted soon.

Serves 4


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 white onions, unpeeled, halved
• 1 large pc ginger (about 4") halved lengthwise
• 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled, halved
• 1 cinnamon sticks, about 3" in legnth
• 5 pods star anise
• 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 3 cardamom pods
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 Tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 Tbsp whole peppercorns
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• salt, to taste
• 1 crown broccoli, florets separated and stalk sliced
• 8 shitake mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 2 baby bok choy, sliced thickly
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 3 green onions, sliced on diagonal
• rice stick noodles
• bean sprouts for garnish
• cilantro and thai basil for garnish
• thinly sliced bird chili or red jalapeno
• lime wedges
• hoisin and sriacha for garnish
• Optional: Tofu, seitan, etc...

 DIRECTIONS:

1. Place onion halves, ginger and garlic clove halves on foil lined baking sheet and place under the broiler to char. Flip over and char the other side. (You can also do this over a flame, but I find this time consuming).
2. Place spices (cinnamon through peppercorns) in large soup pot and toast over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. 
3. Add charred onions, garlic, ginger and vegetable broth. 
4. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer, uncovered for about 40 minutes.
5. Remove large chunks and strain broth through a seive.
6. Bring clear broth back to a simmer, stir in soy sauce and salt, if necessary.
7. Cook rice stick noodles according to package instructions (or usually you just add to boiling water and simmer until tender, drain and rinse with cold water).
8. Steam vegetables (broccoli through carrots).
9. Prepare bowls: divide noodles into bowls, divide steamed vegetables, ladle broth on top. Serve with plate of garnishes (bean sprouts, chilies, lime wedges, hoisin and sriacha).

Vegan Big Mac

"Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun."

Even the healthiest and most environmentally conscious of us sometimes succumb to The Crave. Whether for donuts, french fries, ice cream, grilled cheese, onion rings, or fast food hamburgers, it's perfectly normal to get that itch. Eating fast food once won't kill you, but eating it regularly certainly will, and there's a slew of social, economic, and environmental impacts that come with the cheap-and-easy fast food habit. Every time you buy a Big Mac (for example) you use your hard-earned dollar to vote for feed lots, unsanitary meat practices, unsafe working conditions, horrendous human rights violations, illegal labor, large food corporations, big oil companies, and a general disdain for the health and well-being of your body and your planet. That's a pretty hefty unrealized cost for your $3.50 worth of fast food.

Now, you might say that at 540 calories, a Big Mac isn't all that bad nutritionally, right? Let's break it down with some Nutrition Facts straight from McD's (based on a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet):

Big Mac	Large Fries
Calories: 540 (27% RDA, 260 from fat)	Calories: 500 (25% RDA, 220 from fat)
Fat (g): 29 (45% RDA)	Fat (g): 25 (38% RDA)
Sodium: 1040 mg (43% RDA)	Sodium: 350 mg (15% RDA)
Protein (g): 25	Protein (g): 6

So, the sandwich itself is pretty bad for a meal, and we all know you don't just order a Big Mac. You get fries with that. Oh yes, you do. That almost doubles the fat and calories, and adds 33% to the sodium (not counting ketchup at 110mg/5% RDA per packet!) so that in one meal, you've hammered out virtually your entire allowance of those three items. Shudder.

We crafted a vegan Big Mac to illustrate how easy it is to scratch the junk food itch without sacrificing our principles. And boy, does it scratch it. What's our tally? 530 calories, 13.5g fat, 1000mg sodium and 38g protein. We significantly reduced the fat and increased the protein substantially! Fool your children, trick your friends. and satisfy the dirty junk-food-loving kid hiding inside you.

*Rose prefers it non-Big Mac style (single patty, 1 bun, 1 slice cheese): Cal:309, Fat:6.5g, Sodium:660mg and Protein:19g

 Serves 2
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 white onion, finely diced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 package tempeh (we used Turtle Island Five Grain)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 c panko
• 1/4 c vital wheat gluten
• 1/2 c water
• 4 Tbsp veganaise (vegan mayo)
• 2 Tbsp each: ketchup, mustard and pickle relish
• 4 thin slices vegan cheddar (we used Soy Station, which contains milk protein casein, but that's all we could find that was slice-able!)
• 3 Sandwich thin halves (there's no egg or dairy!)
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp agave syrup + 1 tsp water
• Iceberg lettuce, cut into 2" dice
• handful of sliced sweet pickles

DIRECTIONS:

1. Begin preparing the patties: Bring a small pot of water to boil (large enough to fit tempeh block). Add tempeh and 1 tsp salt. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes.
2. Remove from water and allow to cool to touch. Grate using a large side of cheese grater (this will work)!
3. Combine grated tempeh with garlic, salt, pepper, vital wheat gluten, panko and water. Combine with hands. 
4. Lay out a large square of wax paper and lightly spray with cooking spray or oil. 
5. Form 4 thin patties using a large cookie cutter as a ring mold on oiled wax paper. Press firmly and set aside.
6. Saute onions with 1 tbsp garlic and 1 tsp salt until sweetened and translucent.
7. Prepare special sauce by stirring together veganaise, ketchup, mustard and relish.
8. Stir agave syrup and water to blend. Lightly brush 2 sandwich thin tops with syrup/water blend and sprinkle with seeds. Toast in oven (400') or under broiler to quickly lightly brown.
9. Coat frying pan or cast-iron skillet (we use this one) with cooking spray, heat over medium.
10. Add patties and cook about 7 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
11. Layer: bottom bun, sauce, lettuce, cheese, burger, onions, bun, cheese, lettuce, pickles, burger, onion, top bun.

Spicy Japanese Eggplant

One of the magical parts about cooking (and life) is that very often, blind explorations (and sometimes, mistakes) lead to discovery. The other night, Adam was preparing eggplant for a grilled vegetable sandwich. I casually suggested he salt it and promptly headed for the living room. When I returned, I found that instead of a light salt sprinkle, each slice was coated in a fresh-ground-salt crust. With a shrug, Adam told me he was, as usual, just going with his gut. 20 minutes later we rinsed off the salt and patted the eggplant dry. After a light oil coating and some grill-time, the eggplant had become something completely swoon-worthy. Eggplant. Amazing. Who knew?

While most recipes call for a light salting to "draw out the bitterness", a heavy salting results in tender, savory hunks of melt-in-your-mouth eggplant. A new discovery!

Since then, I've had eggplant on the brain non-stop. I whipped up some vegetarian phở and needed something else to complete our meal. This spicy glazed eggplant is beautiful on its own or could be served over rice.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium eggplant
• sea salt
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 1 Tbsp finely minced or shredded ginger
• 2 Tbsp Japanese Seven Spice (I made my own out of ground equal parts dried lemon peel, hot chili, furikake (with nori and sesame), poppy seeds and peppercorns)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Dice eggplant into large chunks. Spread on paper towels. Salt heavily and toss to coat. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
2. Rinse eggplant in large bowl of water. Pat dry, thoroughly.
3. Combine soy sauce, mirin, ginger and 1 Tbsp seven spice mix, set bowl aside.
4. Heat oil in large pan over medium-high heat.
5. Add eggplant and saute until browned and softened, about 8 minutes.
6. Add sauce mixture and toss to coat, about 1-2 minutes.
7. Plate and garnish with extra spice mixture.

Raw Spinach Bisque

Raise your hand if you're not trying to squeeze every last cent from your dollar in this crippled American economy. We're always on the lookout for a bargain, and occasionally that penny-pinching combines with poor planning and we wind up with, say, a box of spinach the size of a small child.

Adam and I have competing food-related phobias. A Recovering Catholic, he subconsciously fears Burning Eternally in a Lake of Fire for throwing away food that could feed starving African children.  I'm deathly afraid of rotting food and prone to junking vegetables that show the slightest sign of wilting.  Living with a rescued bachelor means sometimes things stay in the fridge a little past their prime. Everyone has probably either practiced the bachelor's "sniff-test", or watched in mild horror as someone else did. You know it; the one given to already-worn clothes, and milk that expired last week. I admit to being over-cautious with food stores, and Adam has to find creative solutions to keep me from tossing out borderline veggies.

Every now and then, real genius emerges from his madness. As evidence, we submit this beautiful, flavorful, and vibrant raw spinach soup! Somewhere in the blending of spinach and cashews, air is whipped in, resulting in a luxuriously textured bisque. Creamy, deceptively rich, and wholly satisfying, this soup is delicious room temperature or cold.

Bon appetit!

Notes: 

• The photograph above is not the raw version (as it has yogurt and croutons) but the recipe below has 100% raw and vegan alternatives.
• This is probably not enough for a full meal, please make sure you serve this as an appetizer or side!
• If you're not used to eating raw food, keep in mind, this is a lot of raw spinach. Small portions are best!

Serves 4 small servings (appetizers) or 2 large
INGREDIENTS:

• 5 cups spinach, packed 
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 3/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews (best soaked in water in the fridge overnight!
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp sea salt (adjust to your taste)
• fresh cracked pepper
• Non-Raw/Non-Vegan Garnish: plain yogurt dollop, croutons baked with rosemary olive oil
• Vegan/Raw Garnish: puree 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes with 5 pitted kalamata olives

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pack all ingredients from spinach through water into blender or food processor. Process on high for 5-8 minutes until very smooth.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir and set aside.
3. Either prepare vegan/raw garnish or non-raw garnish. Dish soup into small bowls, garnish and serve!

Teriyaki Tempeh Burgers with Mushrooms & Onions

This week has been full of exciting discoveries! Jailbroke our iPhones! Found a sure-fire hangover cure! Got the rocket-copter in Crackdown 2! Built a better mousetrap! Okay, those aren't all true, but cooking tempeh totally rocked our world!

So, what is tempeh? Everyone's best friend Wick E. Pedia says:

"Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities. Tempeh's fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins. It has a firm texture and strong flavor. Because of its nutritional value, tempeh is used worldwide in vegetarian cuisine; some consider it to be a meat analogue."

Trying to regulate the soy in your diet? Wheat and multi-grain tempeh is also available.

I have no clue how they make this stuff, but it's such a amazing and versatile product, I don't care. Techniques vary, but cooking methods usually involve boiling, shredding or mincing, and combining with other vegetables, seeds, nuts and/or vital wheat gluten. Speaking of that, I'd like to take a moment to welcome another newcomer to the BMK's vegetarian arsenal: Vital Wheat Gluten is what's left when you wash whole wheat flour until all the starch dissolves. This flour is 75% protein and makes an excellent vege-vegan binder, serving a similar purpose to egg whites. Look for it in your health food store! We bought Bob's Red Mill, a fairly easy-to-find brand.

The burgers had a deliciously (dare I say) meaty texture and the right amount of chewiness that defines a satisfying patty. The tempeh picks up whatever you flavor you choose to lay down and is exceedingly flexible in any dish. Consider this your introduction to tempeh, you'll be seeing it around!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 8.5 oz tempeh
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• water to cover in small pan
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1/3 vital wheat gluten 
• 2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 1 large white onion, sliced
• 20 mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• avocado, sliced
• baby lettuce for garnish
• Sandwich thins (4) or buns

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place tempeh in small pan and cover with water. Bring to boil and simmer for 8 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and grate or crumble tempeh. Add sesame seeds, garlic, panko, vital wheat gluten, and teriyaki sauce.
3. Combine with fork, then gently knead into 4 balls. Press into thin patties (we used a large round cookie cutter to shape them) and set aside.
4. In large pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add  mushrooms and onions and saute until fragrant about 5 minutes. Stir in mirin and soy sauce, continue to saute until golden and soft about 10 more minutes.
5. Preheat grill or indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat with non-stick spray or cooking oil. Add burgers and grill about 5 minutes per side, until crisp and showing grill marks. Lightly toast buns. Plate burgers by topping bun half with lettuce, tempeh patty, avocado, onions and mushrooms. Enjoy!

Venison Ravioli with Rosemary Demi-Glace

Having a local butcher means getting exposure to a wide variety of meats unavailable at most supermarkets. Adam came home the other day with a package of ground venison and a head full of ideas. We wanted to create something that kept the deer in its element: woodsy mushrooms, rich umber sauce, the resinous scent of rosemary. There's something magical about sourcing a meal from one setting; have you ever noticed the flavors go hand in hand? It's no accident that game pairs with wild mushrooms and pine-like rosemary, or that vegetables that grow together well (hint: tomatoes and basil) match perfectly. Nature's giving you a recipe if you pay close attention!




Previously, I've soloed the fresh pasta duties at the BMK, but Adam was ready to give it a whirl. Making pasta can intimidate even the seasoned chef, but it's really easy! My pasta recipe isn't traditional; incorporating ultra-soft cake flour creates a substance similar to Italian 00 super-fine ground flour, making the dough easier to work. My hand-crank pasta machine can be purchased here and the ravioli maker here.

Tyler (one of our 3 cats) was so frustrated with the lack of attention that he sat in the sink in protest!

Makes around 60 ravioli


INGREDIENTS:
Egg Pasta:

•  2 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour 
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup water (optional)*

Filling:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground venison
• 3 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
•  1/2 onion, finely minced
• 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup each finely grated Parmesan and Romano
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Sauce:

• 1 cup rich veal stock (we buy ours frozen at our butcher) - they call it demi-glace, but that's not 100% accurate. If you can find demi-glace, thicken your stock with a good dose.
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup red wine
• maitake mushrooms, separated into individual mushrooms (available at Asian markets & Mother's)
• 1 Tbsp butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Begin by making the dough. In large bowl, combine flours and salt with a fork. Form a well in the center, and place your egg yolks and oil (start with 2 Tbsp).   I rarely add the water. 
2. Begin to stir with fork until dough begins to come together. Then use your hands. Keep kneading and squishing between your hands to form a cohesive ball. If it is too dry, add water, 1 Tbsp at a time.
3. Turn dough ball out onto lightly floured counter and continue kneading until the dough is shiny, elastic and smooth. If it's not shiny, elastic and smooth, you're not done kneading!
4. Place dough in lightly oiled glass bowl and cover surface of bowl with plastic wrap. This dough must sit at least 1 hour but up to 2 hours.
5. Begin making the filling. In large pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Venison is extremely lean, so you may need extra oil. Add venison, garlic, carrot and onion. Saute until meat is browned about 8 minutes. Add rosemary and heat through. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in egg and cheeses.
6. Remove dough from bowl and pat into a circle. Divide into 12 pieces, roll each into balls and cover with a damp towel and set aside.
7. Flour ravioli maker, pasta machine and have everything ready.
8. Begin rolling pasta through machine on widest setting. Fold in half, and run through again. This folding and rolling should happen 2-4 times and helps the dough become elastic. Once dough is right width, narrow the machine and roll through. Continue rolling through until you have a thin sheet the same size as the ravioli press.
9. Stretch dough over press. Set plastic top on it to create space for filling. Roll out second sheet of pasta. Fill ravioli press with a small spoonful in each depression. Stretch top peice of dough to cover filling. Using a rolling pin, roll across top to cut ravioli. Place on floured wax sheet lined baking sheet.
10. Repeat. Many, many times, until done.
11. Place filled sheets in freezer. Once frozen, they can be placed in Ziploc bags for storage.
12. Make sauce: Warm stock with demi-glace and rosemary. Bring to a gentle boil and add wine. Reduce slowly until thick and rich. Season with salt and pepper. 
13. Saute mushrooms over medium in butter, about 2 minutes.
14. Plate and garnish with extra Parmesan.