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Roasted Beets

Published

on October 20, 2009

. 15 Comments

Ever since tasting my first beet at Greens Restaurant in San Francisco during the summer of 2005, I’ve ordered them time and again whenever they appeared on a restaurant’s menu. Beets are so naturally sweet and appealing that most places prepare them very simply, with rich crumbles of goat cheese and a light vinaigrette. Every time I dug into one of these minimally fussed salads, I thought of how easy it would be to replicate the dish at home. I finally tried my hand at preparing beets in my own kitchen last week, and not only was it gloriously easy, but my hands weren’t the least bit stained.

This recipe for roasted beets comes from the most popular cookbook in my home, the America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. When buying beets, look for bunches of uniformly sized beets so that they will roast for the same amount of time. If the beets are different sizes, remove the smaller ones from the oven as they become tender. Use this basic recipe as a starting point; the variations (Think: cheeses, herbs, nuts, vinegars) are deliciously endless.

4 medium beets (1 pound), greens discarded and scrubbed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the beets individually in foil (photo 2) and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until a skewer can be inserted easily into a beet, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove the beets from the oven, open the foil packets, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. To peel, cradle a roasted beet in several layers of paper towels in your hands and gently rub off the skin (photos 3 and 4).

Slice the beets 1/4 inch thick, then toss with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4.

Jicama and Mandarin Orange Salad

Published

Gastronomer

on April 2, 2009

in Recipe, Vegan and Vegetarian

. 2 Comments

There’s something about the combination of fresh lime juice, minced garlic, and chopped cilantro that gives this fresh and chunky Jicama and Mandarin Orange Salad an uncanny resemblance to traditional Vietnamese goi (salad).

3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
6 mandarin oranges, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound jicama, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks (3 cups)
3/4 cup packed cilantro sprigs, chopped

Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then whisk together with lime juice, oil, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Just before serving, add mandarins, jicama, and cilantro and gently toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Adapted from Gourmet, November 2008

Phở Chay - Vegetarian Phở

Published

Gastronomer

on September 15, 2008

in Family Recipe, Mon An Chay, Pho, Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian and Vietnamese

. 18 Comments

My mom prepares this vegetarian version of pho on auspicious days according to the Lunar Calendar when all Buddhists refrain from eating meat. The broth is fragrant with star anise and five spice, while the “meat” is comprised of mushrooms and wheat gluten.

For noodles

1 package of fresh or dried banh pho (flat rice noodles). Prepare according to directions on package. Make sure to rinse noodles well under cold running water after boiling.

For broth

1 leek (leaves only)
1 yellow onion
1 ginger
5 star anise
14 oz. vegetable broth
Water
¾ tablespoon Chinese five spice
Soy sauce (Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce)
Sugar

For “meat”

Vegetable oil
1 leek (stem only)
1 ten oz. can of mock meat/fried wheat gluten (mock duck, chicken, abalone, etc.)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (any variety)
Soy sauce (Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce)
Mushroom seasoning
Black pepper

Make soup

For the soup, heat vegetable broth and 10-12 cups of water in a medium-sized soup pot, leaving enough room for the ginger, onion and leek leaves.

Remove the outer layer of the onion and add it whole to the broth. Leaving the skin of the ginger intact, chop off the nubs and bruise using a mortar and pestle. Add to broth. Separate the leek leaves from the stems and add them to the broth along with five star anise “fruits.” Let the soup boil on high heat for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the onion and ginger have softened.

Once the onion and ginger have softened, discard the leek leaves. Add ¾ tablespoon of Chinese five spice to the broth and season with soy sauce and sugar to taste. Continue to cook on medium heat for an additional 15 minutes.

Make “meat” mixture

While the soup is boiling, thinly slice the leek stems and chop the mushrooms and mock meat into bite-sized pieces. Deep-fried tofu can be used in place of mock meat if desired.

Saute the leeks with vegetable oil in a medium-sized pan until golden. Add the mushrooms and “meat” to the leek and oil mixture along with half of the canned mock meat “juice.” Season to taste with soy sauce, mushroom seasoning and black pepper. Tip: My mom says to make the “meat” mixture slightly salty because the broth will balance out the excess saltiness.

Assemble and garnish

Grab a bowl and fill it with noodles and the “meat” mixture. Pour some hot broth on top. To garnish, add fresh or steamed bean sprouts, onions, cilantro, lime juice, herbs (basil, saw tooth herb, etc.), hoisin sauce and chili sauce.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.