stepping out

Deborah
When lilac blossoms appear on the trees (and show up as bouquets in the bodegas around NY) it is time to begin thinking about grilling. There are many ways to approach grilled vegetables, but as you may know, I like to keep things simple. Easy. Not too complicated. Grilling should be fun and a little primitive. You can't help but get a little messy and I always manage to lose a few pieces into the fire, no matter how careful I am.
Amanda and I would like to share some of our favorite grilled vegetable recipes over the next few weeks. As always, technique is key. Once you have that down inspiration can take over. Prepping the vegetables is really where the work is involved here. I like to slice raw vegetables, like carrots and zucchini, thin- about 3/4", so that they cook through quickly and evenly. Par-cooked vegetables can be cut thicker. Leafy heads of lettuce like escarole and radicchio can just be sliced in half, with the core intact to keep the leaves together.
I don't really marinate vegetables, just brush with olive oil and dust with herbs and spices, but I am not opposed to it. Just remember to dry off anything that is wet before you put it on the grill for best results.

A pan of vegetables all ready for the grill. I use the lemon half to scrub the hot grill clean and discard.

For this meal I pulled out what I had in the fridge, always a hodge-podge. I find potatoes cook best when par-boiled or microwaved till almost tender. The grill will give them a nice golden finish. Most vegetables are grilled raw. Asparagus can be thrown on whole and the cauliflower (which turned out to be DELICIOUS grilled) gets sliced into more or less even thickness without driving myself crazy measuring.

To determine doneness I aim for tenderness and a touch of color. For a long time I only grilled the traditional vegetables like carrots, zucchini, onions and peppers, but I am starting to expand my opinion on what works on the grill and will report here some of my new finds. The cauliflower was a revelation, for example, and I can't believe it took me this long to figure it out. 

A PARTIAL LIST of Vegetables to Grill 

Raw: carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, onions, cauliflower, mushrooms, scallions, radicchio, escarole, peppers, asparagus

Par-boiled or micro: potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, Brussels sprouts, leeks

Jury is still out on: broccoli, green beans

Have fun grilling and let us know what you think works.

Amanda
I am in love with my new grill. It's true. I clean it after every use, so it's shiny "newness" stays just that way. It's my new "baby". Right now I'm all about grilling vegetables. I grill anything "grillable". One comment on Deb's mention of green beans - delicious grilled, raw. A week or so ago, I followed a recipe in Andrea Chesman's wonderful new book, The New Vegetarian Grill: 250 Flame-Kissed Recipes for Fresh, Inspired Meals for grilled green beans. Basically, I tossed them in an Asian vinaigrette, and threw them on a vegetable grilling tray. I grilled them until a little brown. Then, I actually tossed them with some arugula and grilled shitakes, and drizzled a little of the vinaigrette on the finished product. I have to say, it was outstanding. Even my non-vegetable-eating husband thought they were delicious! They actually tasted like something from a Chinese restaurant!


I can't wait to elaborate more on some of the grilled recipes I've tried in future posts! But right now, I want to comment on wine. Unless there is a specific sauce or marinade you are using for your grilled veggies, you don't really need to think too much about what wine to drink. If there is a sauce or marinade, then what you choose will definitely require more thought.


During the summer, I  barbeque A LOT. I have my regular "go to" wines that I enjoy during barbeque season. For reds, Zinfandel never fails for grilled delights. Also - I never select expensive wines. Grilling demands inexpensive, "fun" wines - not overly complex or serious. For wonderful Zinfandel producers, check out Rosenblum or Seghesio. Ravenswood also carries a line of very inexpensive Zins. I also will look to Australia for some affordable Shiraz, or Grenache. D'Arenberg creates some delicious "everyday" wines that are a sure-fire hit every time.


For whites, I like to sip "summery" wines. Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, and Torrontes are some of my favorites. These make perfect choices for simple grilled veggie dishes. You can't go wrong with any of these! And, having plenty of Rose on hand is not a bad option either. Spanish Roses are entirely affordable, fruit-filled wines. These can even be found for $7-$10. There are so many terrific producers, be sure to ask your local retailer for advice.


Remember, keep it simple. Fun wines will work best with barbeque. Save the serious stuff for more serious dinners and special occasions!

Southern Comfort

Deborah

All dressed up and ready for the game. Waddya mean, the Jets are out?

It's game time! The Super Bowl. All I can say is THANK YOU to the powers that be that the Jets did not make it this year. Otherwise my home would be in an INSANE frenzy of excitement and expectation. I really could not manage that. Instead we will watch the game in a civilized manner with minimal name calling, cursing and crying. No one's voice will be hoarse the next day from hysterical screaming and cheering at the television screen. My husband and children roll their eyes at me because I don't GET the concept of wearing the exact same clothes and sitting in the exact same position as you did when the last crucial game was won. All I can say is THANK YOU Jets for not quite making it this year and I wish you all the best next year.

Super bowl parties are a great excuse to get together on a cold day and eat junk food. Where does a wine drinking vegetarian fit into all this you may ask? Well, they are invited to the party too. Who says vegetarians don't have gross, unhealthy foods of their own to contribute to the pot luck?

Everything you need to get the party started.

A few years ago I catered a party where I was specifically asked to make pimento cheese for the Southern birthday boy. What the heck is that? It was explained as a mushy mess of cheese and pimentos that means the absolute universe to anyone who grew up on the stuff. Oh, ok. I made a batch and was horrified, but served it anyway.

The finished product. Not so pretty.

The leftovers ended up in my fridge and a few weeks later I pulled it out and tasted it. Boy was that stuff GOOD!! It had improved with age and I couldn't get enough of it. Ah HA!! Perfect yucky party food! I have made a batch for Sunday and I thought I would try it as a canape, putting a dollop on cut-out rounds of toast and sticking it in the toaster oven for a minute. Doesn't a toaster oven seem like the perfect Super Bowl party cooking tool?
Yeah team!

Pimento Cheese Canapes
2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup of Mayo
8oz. *Pimentos, minced
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. Bourbon

8 slices of bread cut into rounds or quarters
1 Tbs. canola oil

for the cheese: Mix the first five ingredients and store in fridge for up to six weeks. serve as a dip or spread

for the canapes: brush the bread with the oil and toast till crispy and golden. Add a dollop of the pimento cheese on top and put in the toaster oven till cheese begins to melt and bubble.
Serves 8

*Full disclosure: When I first made pimento cheese I said "what's up with PIMENTO"?  I mean, does it have to be pimento? Why not some other kind of pepper? I was told that PIMENTO IS ESSENTIAL! Well ok, but, I made mine with hot pickled peppers called Piri Piri. And I liked it! The peppers give some heat and the pickling provides the tang. I'm just saying. Experiment.

Amanda
Hmmmm. Sounds Interesting. Perhaps I should give it a try. My initial reaction is probably what Deb's was at first - call it "skepticism". But Deb, if you sing its praises, then it can't be bad! What attracts me to this recipe is that you don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy it! Seems like a crowd-pleaser to me! Sounds like something you could even heat up in a bowl and serve with tortilla chips (what Super Bowl Party would be complete without tortilla chips?)


I personally will be watching the game at a friend's house with several other couples. I figure that the women will be drinking wine and the men will be gulping down beer and eating wings. Of course, there will be a lot of different things to eat, so I wouldn't pair a wine with any single item. And, on Game Day, I definitely don't want anything too "serious" or complex. I just want a simple, fun, easy drinking wine, a wine that I would enjoy at a barbeque perhaps. I will probably bring a nice jammy Zinfandel for all to enjoy. (Seghesio, Ravenswood, Rosenblum). If you are planning to drink white, again, just a simple wine - Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay perhaps. When I choose wines for a large, informal gathering like a Super Bowl party, I want to make sure the wines are not too "out there", and that my choices are ones that will appeal to everyone. I save my "off the beaten path" wines for smaller gatherings where the attendees really appreciate, or want to experiment and learn about wine.


But, after all, it is the Super Bowl. There's always beer as an option...

A Chili in the air

Deborah

Vegetable chili is one of those recipes that I improvise with every time I make it. The backbone is the chili sauce and beans. The added vegetables are what ever is on hand.

Onion harvest from Hook Mountain Growers

Bell peppers, onions, zucchini, winter squashes, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, corn kernels have all found their way into my chili pot. I especially like this recipe when I am trying to feed those who don't think they really like vegetables. In other words, kids and other picky eaters. I love the addition of the winter squashes like pumpkin in this recipe because they add a sweetness to balance out the heat of the chilies and a thickness to create a belly-filling satisfaction.

A staple of all vegetarian restaurants, vegetable chili is worth making at home because it is easy, inexpensive AND you can make it taste the way you want. I think of recipes like this as something very fluid. It can morph in many wonderfully different ways. Thick or thin, sweet or spicy, chunky or fine, crunchy or soft. Or a little bit of all. That is the beauty of it. Dip into a chili recipe and boldly trust your instincts to guide you.

Vegetable Chili with Pumpkin
2 Tbs. Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
s & p  to taste
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
1 small zuchini, chopped into bite size pieces
4 Tbs. chili powder
2 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. Tomato paste (I love to buy tomato paste in a tube, rather thank dealing with a partially used can)
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (you can used canned)
1 1/2 cups cubed calabaza pumpkin (substitute acorn or butternut squash if you like)
1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen is fine)
1 14oz. can kidney beans (white, pink, or black beans are good too)
1 teas. dried tarragon
1 teas. dried oregano
2 cups water
1 Tbs. sugar - optional

Heat oil in a large sauce pan and saute onions and carrots, seasoned with salt and pepper for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add the garlic and the zucchini and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chili powder and cook for a minute, stirring it into the oil in the pan to create a paste. Add the flour and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, the tomatoes, the pumpkin, corn, the beans and the dried herbs and stir to combine the contents of pan. Slowly add the water till most of the vegetables are covered. You want this to turn into a sauce, not a soup. Only add as much water as you need at this point. Stir pan again to loosen the tomato/chili paste into the water. Lower heat to a simmer and allow chili to cook slowly uncovered for 20 minutes. Look at the pot every once in a while to make sure the chili doesn't get too dry. Add more water as needed. After 20 minutes taste the sauce to check on the balance of flavor. Adjust seasonings as needed. If you like your chili a bit sweet, add a Tbs. of sugar to the pot. Allow to simmer a another five minutes until vegetables are tender.

Amanda
Love the idea of pumpkin in vegetarian chili. So perfectly "Fall".  Maybe just the idea that pumpkin is actually in a dish will interest my 5 and 4 year olds to try it! Right now all they know is that pumpkins should either have faces painted on them, or faces cut out with candles burning in them.

This chili sounds great, and I love to improvise. Depending on your seasoning, and whether you prefer it sweet or spicy, will determine what wine to use. But I would opt for red either way. If you like to "spice it up" a bit, as I do, choose a wine that will not exacerbate the heat, but rather complement and "mellow" it. Something with sweet fruit flavors. Perhaps a Shiraz. Australian Shiraz has a lot of concentrated fruit, with thick, jammy flavors. Lots of spice as well. So, I would either go in this direction, or look to a red from the Southern Rhone in France. Grenache and Syrah (same varietal as Shiraz) blends would be appropriate. Again, the wines provide a richness of fruit which will soften the spice. Be sure not to pick a red that is too tannic, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, as the spice in the food will make the tannins more pronounced and unappealing. A Zinfandel would also be wonderful with this dish. You don't want a wine that is too subtle as the bold, spicy flavors in the chile will wage war with the wine, the food ultimately claiming victory.  Heat in a dish can reak havoc with your taste buds, and a wine that is too mellow will be lost on them. So, something bigger and bolder like a California Zin with lots of spice will work well in conjunction with the firey flavors of the dish.

If you don't necessarily like firey hot chile, the flavors of the spices themselves call for any of these varietals. I would specifically stay away from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for this particular recipe. If red is not your "thing", try a Rose or perhaps a Riesling.