Lucid Food_ Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life - Louisa Shafia [25]
Serves 4
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
4 tablespoons Tamarind Ketchup or regular ketchup
2 cloves garlic, smashed
5 tablespoons sherry
8 tablespoons olive oil
4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed
2 parsnips, peeled, inner core removed, and coarsely chopped
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 recipe Sautéed Leafy Greens
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a blender, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ketchup, garlic, 3 tablespoons of the sherry, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and blend until smooth. Spread the mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet, gill sides up, and pour the marinade over them. Let marinate for 20 minutes.
Combine the parsnips and potatoes in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and mash with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt, then cover and set aside.
Heat a large ovenproof pan and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Lift the mushrooms out of the marinade, and reserve the marinade for later. Sear the mushrooms, gill side up, for 1 minute. Sear the second sides for 30 seconds and turn off the heat. If the pan isn’t big enough, you may need to sear the mushrooms in batches, but it’s okay to crowd them in a little for roasting. When you’re done searing, pour 1 tablespoon of the reserved marinade over each mushroom and season with salt. Cover and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and roast for 5 minutes more.
Transfer the mushrooms to a plate using a slotted spoon. Put the ovenproof pan with the roasting juices back on the stove over high heat, add the reserved marinade and the remaining sherry, and bring to a boil. Reduce the sauce for 1 minute.
To serve, put a scoop of mashed parsnips and potatoes on a plate. Slice the mushrooms in half and put 2 halves on top of the parsnips. Spoon the sauce over the vegetables and garnish with parsley and black pepper. Serve with the sautéed greens.
Roasted Fennel Stuffed with White Beans and Chestnuts
Roasted Fennel Stuffed with White Beans and Chestnuts
This is a festive entrée for a holiday dinner. The aromatic vegetable stock is made right in the baking dish as the fennel cooks, and then turned into a rich sauce. The trick to carving out the fennel bulbs is to leave the sturdy outer layers intact, no less than ½ inch thick, or the bulbs can fall apart. If you like, you can mince half of the fennel scraps and add them to the filling. If you can’t find chestnuts, substitute toasted walnuts. Serve with a light, fluffy grain like rice or quinoa.
Serves 4
4 large fennel bulbs, stalks removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 yellow onion, finely diced, peels and trimmings reserved for stock
3 cloves garlic, minced, peels and trimmings reserved for stock
10 cremini mushrooms, quartered and stems reserved for stock
½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup cooked chestnuts, coarsely chopped to the size of the beans
1 tablespoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ cup white wine
1 cup cooked white beans
5 juniper berries
2 dried bay leaves
4 teaspoons unsalted butter
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
To carve out the core of the fennel bulbs, draw a circle with a paring knife on the cut side of the bulb, no less than half an inch from the edge. Carve an X through the middle of the circle, and roughly cut out each section of the X with the knife. Scrape out the remaining fennel with a melon baller and discard. Rub the fennel bulbs inside and out with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place them in a baking dish with a splash of water. Cover and roast for 25 minutes, until slightly tender.
Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining 7 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and cook until lightly browned,