PopSugar

Make Your Own Vegetable Stock

partysugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:00:02 -0700

While many soup recipes incorporate vegetarian-friendly ingredients like vegetables, cream, or cheese, the majority call for chicken broth, making them inedible to someone who doesn't consume meat. This problem is easily remedied with one simple component: vegetable stock. Made from vegetables that are roasted and then simmered in water, veggie stock is flavorful and rich.

While you could purchase a boxed variation from the grocery store, it's far more rewarding to make your own batch. Along with mushrooms, carrots, shallots, garlic, and red peppers, this recipe uses a cup of canned tomatoes, which provide depth, a mild sweetness, and an earthy color. If you have some time to experiment with homemade vegetable stock, get the recipe and read more.

Vegetable Stock
From Gourmet

This recipe would also be an excellent base to gravy.

Ingredients

1/2 lb portabella mushrooms, caps and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb shallots, left unpeeled, quartered
1 lb carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (including stems)
5 fresh thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves (not California)
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 qt water

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Toss together mushrooms, shallots, carrots, bell peppers, parsley and thyme sprigs, garlic, and oil in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast in middle of oven, turning occasionally, until vegetables are golden, 30 to 40 minutes.
Transfer vegetables with slotted spoon to a tall narrow 6-quart stockpot.
Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze pan by boiling over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Transfer to stockpot and add bay leaves, tomatoes, and water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Pour through a large fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and discarding solids, then season with salt and pepper. Skim off fat.

Makes about 2 quarts.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 6 Photos ›

Soup's On: Roasted Vegetable Soup

partysugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:00:05 -0700

Now that you've made your own vegetable stock, you'll need a delectable vegetable soup recipe to put the stock to good use. This one is easy, hearty, and soothing. The technique to make this soup is similar to making the stock; it starts by roasting a bunch of vegetables in the oven. This concentrates the flavor and softens the texture of the veggies. While the ingredient list calls for tomatoes, leeks, garlic, and carrots, virtually any vegetables you have on hand will work: red peppers, onions, root vegetables, etc. To check out the simple yet satisfying recipe, please read more.

Roasted Vegetable Soup
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

6 beefsteak tomatoes, halved and cored
2 leeks, white and pale-green parts cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In roasting pan, toss tomatoes with leeks, carrots, garlic, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in a single layer (tomato cut sides down) until tender, 1 hour.
Using tongs, peel off tomato skins.
In saucepan, bring vegetables, vegetable broth, and 1 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.
In batches, puree in blender. Stir in basil.

Serves 4-6.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 10 Photos ›

Reader Recipe: Vegetable and Red Lentil Soup

YumSugar — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 07:02:18 -0800

There's still a few days left in January, and that means there's still some time to celebrate National Soup Month! Today's soup comes from reader twinkle! Her Vegetable and Red Lentil Soup caught my eye and I have been dying to try it ever since I saw it.

To check out her recipe, read more

Recipe from twinkle

Ingredients:

2 Tbs mild curry paste
1 can crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock
1 large carrot, chopped finely
2 trimmed celery sticks, chopped finely
1 medium size potato, chopped finely
1 large zucchini, chopped finely
3/4 cup red lentils
1/2 frozen peas
1/3 cup coconut milk
2 Tbs coarsely chopped cilantro

Method:
Cook curry paste in large heated saucepan, stirring until fragrant. Add undrained crushed tomatoes, stock, carrot, celery, potato and zucchini, bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered for 5 minutes.

Add lentils to soup mixture; return to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes or until lentils are just tender.

Add peas; return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until peas are just tender. Remove soup from heat; stir in coconut milk and cilantro.

Serves 6

Enjoy!

Print recipe with images | without images

Veggies With Green Goddess Dip Two Ways - Beginner & Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 03:30:52 -0700

With so many Spring vegetables in abundance right now, there's no better way to celebrate Earth Day than to create a spread that highlights the natural sweetness of farm-fresh vegetables.

Serve the vegetables alongside green goddess dressing, a mild yet complex blend of lemon, anchovies, garlic, and sour cream that dates back to the 1920s.

For a basic appetizer, arrange fresh crudités on a tray, or to take it to the next level, throw your seasonal vegetables on the grill. To see two enticing renditions of this verdant starter, read more.

Beginner Vegetables With Green Goddess Dip
Adapted from Bon Appétit

Ingredients

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 anchovy fillets
1 medium shallot, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, quartered
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil
Heads of green and red Belgian endive, trimmed, leaves separated
Easter Egg radishes, trimmed, with some tops still attached
Heirloom baby carrots, peeled, trimmed, with some tops still attached
Persian or Japanese cucumbers, cut into 3x1/2-inch spears
Sugar snap peas, trimmed
Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, cut into 3x1/2-inch strips

Directions

Combine lemon juice, anchovies, shallot, vinegar, and garlic in processor. Blend until shallot and garlic are finely chopped. Add avocado, sour cream, parsley, tarragon, and basil; blend until almost smooth.
With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube in thin stream. Transfer dip to small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place bowl of dip on large platter. Surround with vegetables.

Serves 10.

Print recipe with images | without images

Expert Vegetables With Green Goddess Dip
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 Asian eggplants (about 2 pounds), sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
6 portobello mushrooms, stemmed
2 fennel bulbs, stalks and feathery fronds discarded, bulbs sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick through the core
2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
2 medium yellow squash, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick# 1 medium cauliflower, core trimmed, head sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
2 large red bell peppers, cored and quartered

Green Goddess Dressing:
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced tarragon
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Make the dressing: In a mini food processor, combine the parsley, anchovies, garlic and tarragon and process to a fine paste. Blend in the sour cream, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Scrape the dressing into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving time.
Light a grill. In a medium bowl, mix the olive oil with the basil and season generously with salt and pepper. Brush the basil oil on the vegetables. When the fire is medium-hot, arrange the eggplant slices on the hottest area of the grill and surround with the portobellos and sliced fennel. Grill, basting often with the oil and turning once, until the vegetables are nicely charred and almost tender, about 6 minutes for the eggplant and 10 minutes for the portobellos and fennel. Transfer the vegetables to a platter and cover loosely with foil.
Put the zucchini and yellow squash on the hottest part of the grill and surround them with the cauliflower and red bell peppers. Grill, basting often with the basil oil and turning once, until the vegetables are nicely charred and almost tender, 1 to 2 minutes for the zucchini, 6 minutes for the bell peppers and 10 minutes for the cauliflower. Add the vegetables to the platter and serve with the Green Goddess Dressing.

Serves 6.

Print recipe with images | without images

Southern Side: Creamed Collard Greens

YumSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:50:11 -0800

I'm a little sick of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. That's why this year I plan on serving slightly different versions of old favorites - like a turkey roulade instead of a whole roasted turkey, for instance.

Rather than the usual green bean casserole, I'm reaching for a neo-Southern riff on the creamed spinach standby, and plan on impressing guests with creamed collard greens. Unlike creamed spinach, this vegetable side isn't swimming in heavy cream; the cream adds subtle body, while smoky bacon rounds out the collards' bitter character.

But the pièce de résistance is really the crispy, cheesy crumb topping. Be sure to make a generous amount, because the more, the better. Add a new tradition to your meal when you keep reading

Roasted Vegetable Soup

partysugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:55:40 -0700

View Slideshow ›

Harissa Adds Pizzazz to a North African Vegetable Tagine

YumSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:00:44 -0700

A while back, I showed you how to make your own version of harissa, a North African chili paste, from scratch. Although it tastes great in everything from couscous to pasta to grilled meats, I'd just come back from three days of all-out feasting and was craving nutritious, vegetable-forward meal. In this riff on a North African tagine, a little bit of spicy, smoky chili paste goes a long way. Make the best of harissa when you read more.

Moroccan Vegetable Tagine With Harissa Yogurt Sauce
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

Yogurt Sauce:
1 cup (8 ounces) Greek-style yogurt (like Fage or Oikos)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon harissa sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
Coarse kosher salt

Vegetable Tagine:
Coarse kosher salt
1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces
1 3/4-pound turnip, peeled, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound spring onions or green onions, coarsely chopped (about 1 3/4 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained, rinsed
1 5-ounce bag baby spinach
1 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Make the yogurt sauce: Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper. Cover and chill; can be made 2 days ahead.
Make the vegetable tagine: Bring 8 cups water to boil in heavy large saucepan. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Add carrots; cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Using skimmer or large slotted spoon, transfer carrots to large bowl of ice water. Return water to boil. Add turnip; cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Using skimmer, transfer turnip to bowl with carrots. Reserve cooking liquid.
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add next 7 ingredients. Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Cook until onions are soft, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add wine; simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Add carrots, turnip, beans, spinach, and 2 cups reserved cooking liquid (save the rest of the vegetable stock for another use). Bring to simmer; cook until vegetables are heated through, adding more cooking liquid for desired consistency. Season stew to taste with coarse salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
Divide stew among bowls. Spoon dollop of yogurt sauce over and serve.

Serves 6.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 12 Photos ›

Fast & Easy Dinner: Spinach, Olive, and Feta Omelet

partysugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:50:25 -0700

Do you live alone? Are you a vegetarian? If you answered yes to both of those questions, I suggest you consider this omelet for dinner tonight. It's a perfectly healthy and delicious meal for one.

In this recipe, the filling is a mixture of garlic, tomatoes, spinach, and black olives, but an omelet can be made with just about any vegetable, herb, or cheese, so use the technique and get creative with the ingredients. To look at the simple and straight-forward method, read more.

Spinach, Olive, and Feta Omelet
From The Nest

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 clove garlic, minced
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces (1 cup) baby spinach
4 to 6 pitted black olives, sliced
3 eggs
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and halved tomatoes. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the baby spinach and olives and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until all of the spinach is wilted, then reduce the heat to medium.
Beat the eggs, rosemary, half-and-half, salt and pepper and pour into the pan. Stir constantly so that the eggs do not brown. When the center is just a little soft, crumble the feta cheese all around the omelet. Fold onto the plate and serve.

Serves 1.

Print recipe with images | without images

Reader Tip: Inexpensive Vegetable Broth

YumSugar — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 14:28:39 -0700

While cruising around on TeamSugar, I came across member daisymae051479's post for an inexpensive vegetable broth. They go through a lot of veggies and aromatics in her household and instead of tossing the odds and ends out, she turns them into veggie broth! I loved her clever thinking and had to share it with all of you. To find out her technique, read more

Recipe submitted by TeamSugar member daisymae051479

Inexpensive Vegetable Broth

I use a lot of onions and garlic every week – I mean tons! I probably use a head of garlic every 2 days and an onion every day. Not to mention other veggies.

Well, I read a book somewhere that said this is sort of how French country cooks made flavorful broth to always have on hand. Here’s how I do it.

Each time I peel an onion or garlic I simply toss the peelings into a bag that I keep in the fridge. And, anytime I peel a carrot (after washing of course) or the ends I trim from fresh green beans, the stem and insides from a bell pepper,… you get the idea. But instead of just throwing that stuff away I toss it in the bag in the fridge. Well, each week I take that bag and put the “savings” from it in my biggest stock pot. I cover with water, add some salt and a bay leaf or 2, bring to a boil and put it on a low simmer for a couple of hours. Halfway through I will add any leftover fresh herbs that I’ve got in the fridge. And you have this great veggie broth to add flavor and cook with instead of just plain water or instead of calorie-laden, not very good, store-bought broths. When it’s simmered enough, remove from the heat and let it cool. Then pour it through a colander into a large bowl or two. Take a wooden spoon and press on the veggies in the colander to get even more goodness out of them. Throw the veggies away. Keep this in 1 large container in the fridge or freeze and label some in jars – it depends on how much you will use each week.

I use this as the liquid when making rice from scratch. It’s a low-calorie alternative to milk and butter when mashing potatoes. It can also be used in place of the water called for when mixing up one of those “just add water” rice, pasta and potato mixes. As the liquid for gravy. There are a million uses for it! And it didn’t cost you a dime to make – because you would have thrown that stuff out anyway. Oh, another idea is if you are gonna defrost a frozen piece of meat or chicken or pork, simply stick it in the broth in a container in the fridge and as the meat defrosts it also soaks up the flavor from the broth – kinda like a marinade.

One thing – some potato (washed) peelings are good in this, but too many of them over power the other flavors, so use potato peelings lightly.

And on the day each week you make the broth if you have any leftover fresh veggies that you just know you aren’t gonna use and they will just go bad, then toss them in here too. It beats letting them sit in the fridge and be forgotten about and wasted.

If you don’t have any fresh herbs or not very many of them, simply add some dried herbs at the beginning.

Also, if you are gonna make chicken or fish or beef stock, then just add the stuff you’ve saved right in with the meat. Even more flavor and less expense!

Print recipe with images | without images

Southern (Indian) Thanksgiving

Yum Community — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:30:42 -0800

This story was written by member courtneyd and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community.

For a few years now I've wanted to try to marry the traditional Southern Indian food my husband grew up enjoying with Thanksgiving as I know it (Southern girl with a love of spice and heat). So this year I did a trial run of a tandoori-style turkey made in the oven.

By next year I hope to build my own tandoor, or at least grill this guy, because it needs a little more heat to crisp up properly. Even so, the meal turned out great! Tandoori turkey, tamarind gravy, creamed saag, masala mashed potatoes, and Whole Foods' naan, which has a slight dinner roll texture, so it works out perfectly for this blended meal. The tamarind gravy was an original creation (that I cannot believe turned out properly, it was sooooo good), and the other recipes were either inspired by or taken directly from The Food of India from Whitecap Books. I love their "food of" series, and my husband is impressed with the Indian recipes.

For the turkey, I followed the instructions from November's Martha Stewart Living to spatchcock a turkey and cooked according to their instructions after marinating for about 7 hours. Not including the marinade time, this meal came together in about 2 hours on a Friday night. Also, we discovered New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc complements Indian food perfectly.

To get her recipes for this Southern Indian feast, keep reading.