Spelt Risotto with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms and Parsnips
29 Mar 2012

Spelt Risotto with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms and Parsnips

by | posted in: gluten-free, Grains, Recipes, vegetarian | 4

I’ll be the first to say that there is no risotto without rice. And a very starchy rice at that, such as Arborio, which thickens its cooking liquid like pudding. Whole grains such as spelt, wheat berries and oat groats just don’t do this, you see, and they take much longer to cook. But this time, for me, it was well worth the wait. Whatever you want to call it, this “risotto” with the nutty-tasting ancient grain spelt was even … Read More

Soy-Simmered Turnips and Shiitake Mushrooms
12 Oct 2011

Soy-Simmered Turnips and Shiitake Mushrooms

by | posted in: Recipes, vegan, vegetarian | 9

This is a cozy comfort food for a fall-time side dish or snack. I’ve long felt that turnips were under-appreciated, probably because of their sharply bitter taste. But when you roast them, their natural sugars come to the surface and caramelize in brown, fudgey smears. When you boil them and mash them, they can be combined with cream and butter to soften their taste. Here’s one other way to tame the harsh flavor of turnips, and make it a welcome … Read More

Spaetzle with Ramps and Crimini Mushrooms
2 May 2011

Spaetzle with Ramps and Crimini Mushrooms

by | posted in: Pasta & Noodles, Recipes, vegetarian | 9

Ah, ramps, crisp and delicate. Why all the hullaballoo about you? Well, your wildness cannot be disputed, nor your rarity, only appearing for a short span of spring. You’re leafy and long, with a curvaceous shape that stands out amongst the allium family, with their stick-figure shoots. Your green-to-purple palette has a pearly sheen, and you refuse to not look elegant tossed in any heap or pile. Gosh, I hope I’m not sexualizing the plant, but just saying, maybe that’s … Read More

Pesto Avocado Portoburger
1 Jun 2008

Pesto Avocado Portoburger

by | posted in: Grains, Recipes, vegan, vegetarian | 19

Warning: If you make this at your next barbecue, your vegetarian friends may want to stand up on the picnic table and leap into your arms, proclaiming forever best friendship. I don’t know this from actual experience, but I can only imagine, after many summers of seeing glum-looking vegetarians skulking from the greasy-smelling fume clouds, nervously glancing at raw ground meat and drippy hot dog packages in the way that one cannot resist looking at a bug after squashing it … Read More

Fresh Fettuccine with Baby Portobellos, Green Beans and Sage in a Cream Sherry Sauce
18 Oct 2007

Fresh Fettuccine with Baby Portobellos, Green Beans and Sage in a Cream Sherry Sauce

by | posted in: Pasta & Noodles, Recipes, vegetarian | 11

I got a brand new toy. Alright, it’s gently used and I bought it on eBay for $10, but check this out: A true Italian Marcato (aptly named) “Pasta Queen” pasta crank with 7 thickness settings, 2 pasta widths and a table clamp. Early Christmas in New York.

Hanger Steak with Portobellos
25 Sep 2006

Hanger Steak with Portobellos

by | posted in: Meat & Poultry, Recipes | 14

Cooking for one is something that I struggle with on a daily basis, and the impracticality of it is a major reason why single people around my age eat out all of the time. I’m not going to lie and say that it isn’t a big load of work to make something elaborate for just one night, for one person, and then get creative with the leftovers and ingredients not used. Or the time-consuming aspect of it. Think of all … Read More

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