Main Dishes

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ZUCCHINI HUMMUS: Another Use For Zucchini!!!

It all started with a giant zucchini I found in my garden. One of the highlights of my summer days is to check what’s ready to be picked. Somehow I neglected to notice this huge zucchini skulking at the base of the plant. As a woman who hates waste, I put on my thinking cap to come up with something to do with this monster – preferably something that can be frozen – I AM self-proclaimed Queen Of Freeze, after all. Since I had just made hummus, it occurred to me I could make a zucchini based hummus. Success!

My Zucchini Hummus can be used as a dip or spread. (It makes a delicious sandwich in pita bread with Muenster cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, and arugula.) Best of all, it freezes well!

NOTE: If you’re using this as a spread (which is thicker), decrease the amount of zucchini to about 840g (1/4 lb).

Zucchini Hummus:

  • 939g (2 lbs) zucchini, shredded
  • 150g (5 oz) onion, chopped
  • 1.5 T garlic, minced
  • 45g (1/2 cup) olive oil
  • 28g (2 T) tomato paste
  • 2 tsp table salt
  • 1 tsp dried Korean style red pepper (Gochugaru)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1.5 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp coriander
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 28g (2 T) tahini
  • 252g (1 cup) hummus ( either homemade – my recipe or purchased)
  • 1 bay leaf

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C)

First thing to do is extract as much water from the zucchini as you can. Place a handful of shredded zucchini into the center of a tea towel. The amount of a handful is determined by the size of your hand. Don’t use more thinking you’ll get it done faster – it’s hard work for your hand. Wrap the towel around the zucchini ball, twist, and squeeze. Discard liquid. Repeat until all shredded zucchini is squeezed.

Place squeezed zucchini in a Dutch oven.

Into the Dutch oven add the onion, garlic olive oil, tomato paste, table salt, ground Korean style red pepper spice, smoked paprika, regular paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin, tahini, and hummus.

Saute 5-7 minutes on stove top over medium-high heat.

Add in bay leaf and bury it. You don’t want to stir mixture with the bay leaf in it – some bay leafs are brittle and you don’t want shards of bay leaf in your mixture. Make sure you note where you put it – you’ll need to remove it later. Cover pot and bake in preheated 400°F (204°C) for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, move bay leaf out of the way and stir zucchini mixture. Bury bay leaf again, cover pot, and continue to bake at 400°F (104°C) for another 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, remove and discard bay leaf.

Add in soy sauce.

Cool mixture about 20 minutes, then mix in a blender, food processor, or use an immersion blender (my preference). Adjust seasoning, if needed.

Excellent as a dip or filling in pita bread.

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LAYERED CHILE RELLANO: Surprisingly Easy!

Give a recipe to 100 different cooks and you’ll get 100 different variations of that recipe. We substitute ingredients, we add ingredients, we leave out ingredients, we change the methodology. Sometimes the finished product bears no resemblance to the original recipe.

Such is the case with my Chile Rellano recipe. It’s zucchini season in my garden which means I’m always looking for ways to use these fast growing beauties. The plan was to make Chile Rellano for dinner when I spied a 13″ zucchini lurking at the base of the plant. Yikes! One can only serve zucchini stir-fry or zucchini bread so often. Hmmm! I wondered aloud (yes, I talk to myself). How about layering zucchini slices in the Chile Rellano I was making. I like to live on the edge (or, at least, nearby), so I gave it a try. It turned out great!

NOTE: Recipe can be doubled or more – just use a larger casserole dish.

LAYERED CHILE RELLANO – made in a casserole dish about 10″ x 8″ (25cm x 20cm)

  • 3 poblano chili peppers
  • 286g (10 oz) pepper jack cheese, grated
  • 3 eggs
  • about 400g (15 oz) zucchini
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 21g (2.5 T) flour
  • 22g (2 T) milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

SALSA for Chile Rellano – makes about 350ml (1.5 cups)

  • 192g (1.33 cups) salsa roja – homemade or purchased
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
  • 12g (2T) masa harina
  • 1/4 tsp salt

NOTE: Zucchini is really optional. You can layer something else (such as eggplant) or, just leave that layer out entirely. It will be delicious either way!

First thing to do is roast the poblanos. This is so you can remove the skin. Lay washed chili peppers on a baking sheet and place them under the broiler. Set a timer for a few minutes so you don’t forget them.

Once they begin to shrivel and blacken (after about 5 minutes) flip them and broil the other side. Remove them from the broiler and let cool a bit.

Lower oven to 350°F (180°C) to keep oven hot while you prepare the Layered Chile Rellano.

Peel away and discard the skin.

Cut peeled poblanos in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the stem end and seeds.

Tear the halves into smaller pieces so they can be fitted into the casserole dish.

Grate the cheese and separate into 3 fairly equal piles.

Slice the zucchini into 1/4″ (1/2cm) rounds.

Separate eggs by placing the yolks in a small mixing bowl and set aside. Place the whites in the bowl of your electric mixer – NOT the small bowl of yolks! Beat whites on high to reach stiff peaks – about 1.5 minutes. (I you don’t have an electric mixer, beat by hand – it will take longer.)

In the small bowl of yolks, add the baking powder, flour, milk, salt, and pepper. Combine and pour into the beaten whites. On low speed (or by hand) add the yolk mixture and briefly combine. You don’t want to deflate the whites!

Pour approximately half of the egg mixture into the casserole dish, spreading it to evenly cover bottom.

Layer on half of the poblanos.

Layer half of the zucchini.

Layer 1/3 of cheese.

Layer on remaining poblano pieces.

Layer remaining zucchini.

Layer half of remaining cheese (one third of total cheese).

Pour on remaining egg mixture and spread to cover.

Sprinkle on remaining cheese and bake UNCOVERED at 350°F (180°C) until browned on top – about 30 minutes.

Let set about 10 minutes or so before serving.

While Chile Rellano is setting, prepare the Rellano Salsa. It just take minutes. This can be done ahead of time, also.

Into a food processor, immersion blender, or regular pitcher blender, add the salsa, oregano, masa harina, and salt.

Blend – I’m using my immersion blender.

Done! As self proclaimed Queen Of Freeze I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t let you know this salsa freezes well. If you like it (try it first), double, triple, etc the recipe and freeze in portion sized containers for future use!

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RED LENTIL DAL: Quick & Versatile!

I’ve heard about cooks that don’t bother measuring nor weighing – they just throw in a little of this, a little of that and it turns out great. I’m NOT one of those cooks. I weigh everything, then write it down, noting if it was a good amount or how I could improve it next time.

Then I came across a youtube video from Chetna, a former contestant on The Great British Bake Off. Her video was about red lentil dal, which sounded delicious. For this recipe she gave no actual measurements – rather, just kind of described what they were: a couple of small onions, some cilantro, etc. So, I put on my big girl blouse and decided to wing it! I used her recipe as a guide, then changed things to suit what I had and what I like.

Of course, some things never change – I wrote down exact measurements of what I used and made notes of what I liked and what I’d change. All this is to say: use my recipe as a base, tweaking it as you see fit!

NOTE: I found plain yogurt to be a game changer for this recipe. While I liked the Red Lentil Dal that Chetna made (adding my own touches), I felt it needed something to brighten it. I topped it with yogurt and that made all the difference!

Red Lentil Dal – Makes about 4 cups / 1 litre

  • 250g (1.5g) red lentils, rinsed well
  • 750g ( 1.6) cups water
  • 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp table salt, DIVIDED
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 320g (about 2) onions, chopped
  • 2 large garlic clove, pressed or minced
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 T (26g) butter
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 13g (2/3 cup) fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tsp chili-lime powder (or, chili powder)
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 60g (1/2 cup) peas (I use frozen peas)
  • 170g (1 cup) raw rice
  • 400g (2 cups) water
  • plain yogurt

If you’re planning on serving Red Lentil Dal over rice, prepare it before starting. I find that 170g (1 cup) raw rice cooked in 400g (2 cups) water is a good amount to serve with this recipe.

Then chop and measure out your ingredients so they’re ready to go.

Into a saucepan combine the rinsed lentils, 750g (1.6 cups) water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp turmeric. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover with lid askew so it doesn’t boil over. Cook, stiring now and then, until lentils start breaking up and are no longer crunchy – about 8 minutes.

As lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil and butter together in another saucepan or skillet over medium flame. Add in cumin powder, chili-lime powder, and red pepper flakes. Stir about 1 minute to bloom the flavor.

Add in onions and stir until golden.. Then add in garlic and saute another minute to bloom the garlic.

Add tomatoes and cook a few minutes to soften.

Combine the lentils and onion mixture into the bigger of the two saucepans. Add in the peas, 1/2 tsp salt, cilantro, and anything else you want to add. Heat to a simmer about 5 minutes to combine flavors. You can add some water if dal is too thick.

To serve, top rice with dal, then spoon on plain yogurt.

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CREOLE HEARTS OF PALM: A Fast Last-Minute Meal!

Sometimes dinner time is rising fast on the horizon and I need to put food on the table soon. I like to have ingredients at the ready that can be assembled quickly and easily, thus avoiding expensive take-out foods.

Creole Hearts Of Palm is one of those quick-to-put-together meals with most ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. The exception might be the hearts of palm. I now keep several jars of them on hand.

My husband prefers spaghetti pasta as a base for the sauce, but you can choose any base you please: other types of pasta, rices, or grains are delicious possibilites as well. Whatever you prefer or have in the house will do!

CREOLE HEARTS OF PALM – serves about 4

  • 64g (4 T) olive oil
  • 226g (16 T) butter
  • 52g (4T) lemon juice
  • 12 cloves garlic
  • 28g (2 T) vegetarian Worchestershire sauce
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 T ground black pepper
  • 4 tsp dried oregano
  • 4 tsp dried rosemary
  • 4 tsp dried basil
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 500g (2- 8.5 oz jars) hearts of palm

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter to melt.

To the saucepan add all the ingredients EXCEPT the hearts of palm. Saute over medium 3 minutes to bloom the flavors, stirring often.

Slice hearts of palm into approximate 1/4″(1 cm) slices.

Add sliced hearts of palm to saucepan and saute 3-4 minutes over medium/high heat.

Cover pot with a lid and, over low heat, cook about 10 minutes to fuse the flavors. REMOVE AND DISCARD THE BAY LEAVES!!!

Use this time to cook the pasta (or whatever your choice of base.) Serve.

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MUSHROOM-ONION CROSTATA

A crostata (also known as a galette in French) is a stand-alone, open topped pie. They can be savory or sweet. There’s a rustic look to them as they are formed by rolling out a large circle of pie dough, then placing ingredients on top, leaving a wide border around the perimeter. This border is then folded in a ruffled manner, pinching the dough to keep it in place, then baked.

My Mushroom-Onion Crostata is a delicious blend of caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and leeks, topped with Gruyere cheese, encased in an easy-to-prepare hot water crust. The onions and mushrooms can be cooked ahead of time, making the final assembly that much faster on busy nights.

NOTE: As self-proclaimed Queen Of Freeze, I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t mention freezing leftover eggwash in a small container for future use!

MUSHROOM-ONION CROSTATA

Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C)

Filling:

Note for filling ingredients: amounts for the filling ingredients are approximate – don’t stress

  • 2 T + 1 t olive oil, DIVIDED
  • about 454g (1 lb) baby bella mushrooms, chopped into chunks
  • 1 large leek, white & light green part, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp table salt, DIVIDED
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
  • 1 tsp rosemary, fresh, chopped fine
  • 1 large onion, about 270g (2 cups), chopped
  • 131g (4.5 oz) Gruyere cheese, shredded
  • 1 T chives, finely chopped

Dough:

Note regarding eggwash: Save leftover eggwash in a small container and freeze for future use.

  • 200g (1+ 2/3 cups) bread flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 77g (5.5 T) butter, cold, cut into small pieces
  • 76g (1/3 cup) hot water (NOT boiling)
  • Egg wash – 1 egg mixed with1 T water.

Clean the mushrooms and leek well. Chop into chunks. Place into a large pot with the 2 T olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook over medium/high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add the garlic and rosemary to the mushrooms. Continue cooking over medium/high until liquid is gone. Set aside to cool. (This step can be done ahead of time.)

Into a skillet put the 1 T olive oil, onions, and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook over medium/high heat until the onions are golden brown. Add the caramelized onions to the mushrooms. Let cool. This step can be done ahead of time.

Add in the chives and stir together.

Once the mushroom mixture has cooled (so it doesn’t melt the crust), make the dough. If you have a food processor, I highly recommend using it. Otherwise, you’ll have to mix by hand.

Into the work bowl of your processor (or mixing bowl, if doing this by hand), put the flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Pulse a couple of times to blend, then drop in the chunks of the cold butter and PULSE 6 times.

Pour in the hot water and PROCESS until dough comes together and you can form a ball with it.

Pour the dough onto a very lightly floured surface and knead about 6 time to bring together. Onto a piece of baking paper place the dough and roll out to a circle about 14″ (36 cm) in diameter.

Roll the dough thinner along the 2″ (5 cm) so that when you crimp the dough later it’s not so thick.

Place half the cheese in the center of the dough, leaving about a 2″ (5 cm) border.

Top the cheese with the mushroom mixture.

Sprinkle on remaining half of cheese.

Encase the filling by placing your fingers about 2″ (5 cm) apart and overlapping the dough, pinching each ruffle together as you go. Do this around the entire perimeter.

Paint an eggwash around the border.

Bake in preheated 425°F (218°C) border turns golden brown – about 25-35 minutes. Cool about 10 minutes before serving to firm up a bit.

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PEANUT BUTTER-BANANA BUNS: Snack Or Lunch!

Every now and then I challenge myself to improve on a just-okay recipe. In this case, it was my grandmother’s peanut butter buns (she called them ‘josh’, which means ‘snack’ in Armenian). While they were a big hit with her five children and my husband, I felt they were a little dry.

I decided the problem was two-fold: the dry dough and the dry peanut butter filling. Creating an enriched dough seemed the obvious answer to the dough. As for the filling, I considered using a jelly. Then I spied some ripe bananas in the fruit bowl. Hmmm! (Elvis came to mind.) Recalling a contestant on the British Bake Off cooking down bananas to evaporate excess moisture, this seemed like a good idea to prevent a mushy filling while, simultaneously, adding flavor. To give a nod to the classic jelly idea, I tried crushing freeze dried strawberries. The problem was I needed to use a lot to really taste them. As they’re very expensive, I chose to go with the peanut butter and banana on its own. You can add them, if you like.

NOTE: You can substitute a different nut butter, if you prefer.

PEANUT BUTTER-BANANA BUNS – makes 6

Dough

  • 121g (1/2 cup) milk, warmed to about 40°C (104°F)
  • 1 tsp yeast
  • 229g (1.75 cups) bread flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 28g (2 T) butter, room temperature
  • 40g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 1 egg white

Filling

  • 3 large ripe bananas
  • 118 (1/2 cup) peanut butter (or other nut butter)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Optional: 31g (1 oz) freeze dried fruit, crushed

Prepare the dough:

Proof the yeast by stirring the warmed milk and yeast together, letting it set about 5 minutes.

Into the workbowl of your food processor, put the flour, 1 tsp salt, sugar, softened butter, egg white, and proved yeast/milk. Process about 40 seconds, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed.

Empty dough onto lightly floured counter and knead about 6 times to bring dough into a ball. A bench scraper works well for this task.

Place dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl, then flip the ball so both sides are coated with oil. Cover and let rise 1.5 hours on counter.

While dough is rising, prepare the filling:

Into a saucepan, place the peeled bananas. Mash with a potato masher or fork.

Over medium/high heat, cook the bananas, stirring often, until most of the water has been cooked out – about 11 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in the peanut butter and 1/4 tsp salt. (If you’re using freeze dried fruit, stir it into the mixture) Chill until dough has finished rising.

Once the dough has risen, assemble the buns:

Empty the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a 9″x 4″ (23cm x 10cm) strip.

Divide the peanut butter-banana filling evenly between the strips. Spread the filling over the dough strip, leaving a 1/2″ (1cm) border along all 4 sides. The filling will be spread very thinly – this is good – it’s how you’ll get that lovely swirl.

Roll each strip from the short side up along the long side. Pinch the dough to seal the seam.

Roll the log towards you 90°, so the seam is facing you. (This is so the seam will be protected from bursting open during baking.)

Pinch both ends to seal them. Then, snail the log by rolling it sideways. (The seam formed along the length of the log will now be encased in the snail.) Pinch closed the end of the log to the body of the roll.

Place the rolled buns on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly press down each bun so they’re about 1″ (2.5cm). Cover and let rise 1/2 hour. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) during the rise.

Once the buns have risen, place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Decrease the temperature to 177°C (350°F) and bake about 20 minutes – until browned on top. (There is NO wash for these buns – I’ve tried egg, milk, and cornstarch/water – they cause the top to flake. They come out much better with a dry top.) Remove baked buns to a wire rack to cool.

NOTE: If you forgot to decrease the oven temperature, it’s not a problem. Just keep an eye on the brownness – you may have to decrease the bake time.

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Broccoli/Mushroom Calzoni: Sono Delizioni!

Calzoni are a favorite hand-pie in our house. They’re not difficult, but they do take some time because of the rise time of the dough (1-1.5 hours), so plan accordingly. The actual hands-on work isn’t all that much, especially if you knead the dough in a food processor (it’s not cheating!)

Leakage is always a worry with hand-pies. Try not to roll them too thinly, especially in the center (which is a weak point). 6.5″ (17cm) is about as big a circle as you should roll out.

Try to use low-moisture mozzarella. This will help discourage leakage.

TIP: Rather than buying bread flour, I make my own when I need it by mixing Vital Wheat Gluten Flour to my plain (all-purpose) flour. This way I can control the protein percentage of the flour. Store all flours in the freezer to prevent bugs and keep flour fresh.

BROCCOLI/MUSHROOM CALZONI

Dough

  • 302g (1+1/3 cup) water, about 104°F (40°C)
  • 1.75 tsp dry yeast
  • 500g bread flour (OR 490g plain (AP) flour + 1 T gluten)
  • 3/4 tsp table salt
  • 1 T olive oil

Mix together the warm water and yeast to proof for about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Into the workbowl of a food processor, put the flour, salt, and olive oil. Pulse to blend a couple of times. Once yeast has proofed, run the machine while you slowly pour in the yeasted water. Continue running about 40 seconds – until the dough comes together. You may need to add more flour, but do so in 1 T amounts at a time.

Empty dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand about 6 times, then bring the dough together into a ball.

Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl, then flip the ball over so the oiled side is up – this keeps the dough from drying. Cover (I use a plate) and let rise about 1.5 hours.

While the dough is rising, make the filling.

Filling:

  • 1/2 T olive oil
  • 214g (7.5 oz) (3 cups) white mushrooms, coarsely chopped
  • 60g (2 oz) (1/2 cup) yellow onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 81g (3 oz) broccoli, chopped in 1/2″ pieces
  • 3 T fresh basil, chopped finely
  • 58g (2.25 oz) black olives, sliced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 160g (3/4 cup) ricotta
  • 30g (1 oz) (1/3 cup) Pecorino Romano, grated (or any hard cheese)
  • 111g (4 oz) (1.25 cup) low moisture mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce

Into a saucepan, heat oil. Add in the mushrooms, onions, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Saute 5 minutes over medium heat.

Add in the broccoli, basil, black olives, and salt. Cook over medium-high to evaporate liquid – about 1-2 minutes. Cool.

Stir the ricotta, Pecorino, and mozzarella into the cooled broccoli mixture.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 475°F (250°C)

It’s best to fill the calzoni in an assembly-line fashion so you can divide up the filling evenly.

Divide the risen dough into 6 equal segments. On a very lightly floured surface, roll each dough piece into 6.5″ (17cim) circles. After rolling each dough circle, set it out of the way onto a floured area. (The flour will prevent the dough from sticking and tearing to the counter as you move the finished calzone to the baking sheet.)

Spread tomato sauce to within 1″ (2cm) of the circle’s edge. (The dough border will be crimped and requires dough-on-dough contact to stick properly. The tomato sauce will interfere with that.) Top each circle with equally portioned fillings.

If the dough is tacky around the the circle’s edge, go ahead and fold the calzone in half, meeting the edges. If the dough is a little dry, then dip your finger in water and run it around the edge so the dough will stick together. Press down the edges with your fingers, then fold down the two corners and press them down.

Now to begin the crimping process. (Deep breath!) If you’re right-handed, start with the right corner; lefties, start with the left corner. With your NON-dominant hand, press down the corner flap. With your dominant hand, grasp the dough next to the folded corner and fold that in, pressing down. Continue along the entire border, non-dominant hand pressing the previous crimp, dominant hand forming the next crimp.

The idea is to form a ropelike crimp. I’ve never managed to quite get that look, but I’m happy with my version. Find your own way, if you like. The point is to seal in the filling.

Place crimped Calzoni on a parchment paper lined or greased cookie sheet as you go, taking care not to tear the bottoms of the dough as you lift up each calzone (this is why you floured the counter under the dough circle).

Brush olive on all calzoni tops, including the crimps.

Cut 2 small slits on each top with a knife or scissors to allow steam to escape.

Bake in a preheated 475°F (250°C) oven with fan (if you have a convection oven) or without fan (if you have a conventional oven). Bake until golden brown – about 15-20 minutes.

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TAMALE PIE: You Won’t Miss The Meat!

Tamale Pie is one of my favorite meals to prepare. Not only is it delicious, but it’s quick to assemble and bake….that is, IF you’ve already made my HOMEMADE VEGETARIAN “GROUND BEEF” or use purchased imitation ground beef (such as Impossible Burger or Morningstar Crumbles). For this reason, I always keep 1 lb (1/2 kg) portions in my freezer. In the morning, I set it out to thaw.

NOTE: As a woman who prefers to wash as few dishes as possible, I use a cast iron skillet for this recipe since it can go from stovetop to oven. You can also use a different type of skillet, as long as the handle is able to go into the oven. Alternatively, saute the onions in a small saucepan, then mix everything together in a bowl and bake in a casserole dish.

TAMALE PIE

  • 2 T vegetable oil
  • 3 T chili powder
  • 40g (1/3 cup) onions, chopped
  • 1/2 kg (1 lb) imitation ground beef
  • 425g (15 oz) canned black beans, drained and rinsed (321g drained)
  • 65g (2.25 oz) black olives, sliced
  • 1/2 cup salsa (homemade or purchased)
  • 3 T cilantro, fresh, finely chopped
  • 74g (1 cup) Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 109g (3/4 cup) cornmeal
  • 107g (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 34g (3T) sugar
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 39g (3T) butter
  • 1 egg
  • 180g (3/4 cup buttermilk)

Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F)

Into a skillet, combine the oil, chili powder, and onions. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Pour cooked onions into a bowl. Add in the imitation ground beef, black beans, olives, salsa, cilantro, and cheese. Mix together and pour back into skillet, smoothing top.

Into a bowl (it can be the same bowl you used for the filling), combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Melt butter and let cool a few minutes. Into a measuring cup or bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Then beat in the buttermilk and melted butter.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and combine until just blended (don’t over mix).

Spread cornmeal mixture on top of filling, smoothing top.

Bake at 230°C (450°F) about 15 minutes – until top begins to brown.

Let rest about 10 minutes before serving.

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VEGETARIAN GROUND BEEF

Let me state up-front: this HOMEMADE VEGETARIAN GROUND BEEF recipe is NOT designed for a patty – it’s too mushy to form a firm burger. What it’s fabulous for is as a substitute when you need ground beef for a recipe and you’re a vegetarian or vegan. I’ve used it successfully in shepherd’s pie, burritos, tamale pie, and Greek moussaka.

It’s not a difficult recipe, but it takes about 25 minutes to cook off the liquid at the end. Because of this, I double or triple the recipe then, as Queen of Freeze, I freeze it in 1 lb or 1/2 lb portions for future use. This way, if I decide to make a shepherd’s pie, tamale pie, or burrito, the bulk of the work is done.

VEGETARIAN GROUND BEEF – makes at least 1.5 lbs

  • 10g OR 1 T olive oil
  • 112g OR 4 oz OR 1 cup onions, chopped small
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 43g OR 1 oz OR 2 T tomato paste
  • 125 ml OR 1/2 cup red wine (I use a Cabernet)
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 425g OR 15 oz canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
  • 227g OR 8 oz whole cremini mushrooms
  • 411g OR 14.5 oz canned whole tomatoes, discard stem end and any flaws, chop, KEEP JUICE – YOU’LL NEED IT!

NOTE: I suggest you try the single recipe before making a larger batch just in case you don’t like it.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: If you’re doubling or more this recipe, use a Dutch oven or larger.

Heat oil in a large pot and saute onions and salt over medium heat until the onions are just starting to brown – about 6 minutes.

Add in the garlic and continuously stir 30 seconds to bloom (but not burn), then stir in the tomato paste. Increase heat to medium high and saute 2-3 minutes to darken the tomato paste a bit. (This adds an umami flavor).

Pour in the wine, paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium, scraping up the burnt bits into the paste, until the wine has nearly evaporated – about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Drain the chickpeas and roughly chop.

Place chopped chickpeas into your food processor and pulse until it’s become small bits, scraping down the sides and bottom as needed. If you don’t have a food processor, you’ll have to chop them by hand.

Empty minced chickpeas into the pot with the onions/tomato paste.

Thoroughly wash mushrooms and coarsely chop into 1cm / 1/2″ pieces.

Place chopped mushrooms in food processor and pulse several times until mushrooms are broken into small bits, scraping sides and bottom, as needed. If you don’t have a food processor, chop by hand.

Empty mushrooms into the pot.

Over medium/high heat, saute mixture, stirring often for 5 minutes.

Pour the chopped tomatoes and their juice into the pot.

Cook over medium/high heat until the liquid has cooked off and the mixture can mound.

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MUSHROOM-NUT BURGER: Firm & Tasty!

I hesitate to use the word “burger” for my Mushroom-Nut Burger because it sounds like I’m trying to pass this recipe off as an imitation hamburger – so close to the real thing, you’ll think you’re eating meat. While there are some excellent plant based (aka, fake) burgers on the market now (such as Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger) that can satisfy that craving for meat, this is not one of those.

I really should call this recipe Mushroom-Nut Burger-Alternative because, like my Black Bean Burger recipe, this is merely a patty decked out like a hamburger. It’s not meant to fool anyone….but, it IS delicious!

In developing my Mushroom-Nut Burger, I felt like Goldilocks – trying to find a blend that wasn’t so soft it collapsed, but not so dry it crumbled. I wanted one that was just right.

My greatest challenge was creating a firm patty. I hate when I bite into a veggie burger that appears to be firm because the outside is crusted over, only to find the inside is mush, oozing out the sides. It becomes a bit like eating a melty ice cream cone.

I found the solution to be chopping the firm ingredients – the mushrooms and nuts – into large pieces, so it acts like a skeleton. This prevents the outside from collapsing and the center from squishing out.

The second challenge was binding the ingredients so the patty doesn’t fall apart as you’re eating it. I found 2 eggs and 45 grams (1.5 oz) of flour to be the key. I strongly suggest you weight the flour because I tried less flour and it didn’t work as well.

MUSHROOM-NUT BURGER – makes 4 patties

  • 59g (2oz) (1/3 cup) raw short, sticky rice
  • 150ml (2/3 cup) water
  • 14g (1 tbsp) butter
  • 120g (4oz) (1 cup) onions, chopped
  • 53g (2oz) (3/4 cup) firm mushrooms such as white common or cremini
  • 91g (3oz) (include stem in weight) shiitake mushrooms
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp dried sage
  • 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
  • 1.5 tsp vegetarian Worchestershire sauce
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 garlic, pressed or minced
  • 70g (2.5oz) (3/4 cup) walnuts
  • 38g (1.25oz) (1/4 cup) salted cashews
  • 2 eggs
  • 45g (1.5 oz) flour

Preheat oven to 190C° (375F°), rack in the center position.

Rinse the raw rice then, into a small saucepan, combine the rice and 150ml water. Cook, covered, until water is absorbed (about 12 minutes). SET TIMER FOR 10 MINUTES TO REMIND YOURSELF! Remove from heat and let cool.

Scrupulously wash mushrooms. Remove and discard the stems from the shiitakes only (they’re too woody to eat). Coarsely chop all the mushrooms – check the measuring tape in the photo for size. The mushrooms will shrink some when cooked.

Coarsely chop walnuts and cashews – check the measuring tape in photo below. Like the mushrooms, these will support the patty. That being said, if you have any nut crumbs on the cutting board, use them – I hate waste! Lightly toast nuts.

Into a skillet melt the butter over medium flame. Add in the onions and saute 2-3 minutes.

Into the onions add the mushrooms, thyme, sage, marjoram, Worchestershire sauce, salt, and garlic. Saute 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Into a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the cooked rice, nuts, and cooled mushroom saute. Sprinkle in the flour and blend well.

Form 4 patties about 9cm (3.5″) in diameter and place on an oiled baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated 190C° (375F°) and bake for 15 minutes. Flip patties and bake another 15 minutes. Serve.