The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook - Kim O'Donnel [72]
cayenne, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
White beans: Needles from 1 sprig rosemary, minced,
¼ teaspoon cayenne, ½ teaspoon paprika
Kidney, pinto or red beans: 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ¼
teaspoon cayenne, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
OTHER NECESSARY BASICS:
Cooked rice (see page 203)
Your favorite hot sauce
POSSIBLE FIXINS, GARNISHES, AND TOPPERS:
Shredded cheese, thinly sliced red onions, a fried egg, chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, a squeeze of lemon or lime, pickled peppers.
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and/or shallot, and/or garlic and cook until the onion is softened slightly, about 5 minutes. If using the carrot or the bell pepper, add now to the mixture and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Add the beans, along with your choice of the herbs and spices, stir to mix well, and bring to a lively simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes. The beans will reduce and thicken a bit.
Taste for salt and season accordingly. Add a glug of your favorite hot sauce.
Measure ½ cup of cooked beans per serving, with equal amounts of rice.
Makes 4 to 5 servings
Kichen Tricks for Your Sleeve
You may recognize many of the following recipes and technique tidbits from various menus throughout the book. Here, they’re offered as stand-alone, all-purpose flavor enhancers that work well in a variety of kitchen scenarios. After all, no matter how long we’ve been cooking, we all can use a few more tricks.
HOW TO ROAST A BELL PEPPER
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the pepper on a baking sheet, whole, with its stem attached.
Roast for 40 minutes.
Transfer the pepper to a sealed container or bag so that the pepper can sweat and loosen its skin. After 15 minutes, remove the stem and seeds, which should easily give way. With your hands, remove the skin to the best of your ability; don’t rinse, as this zaps away the roasted goodness.
1 medium-size pepper yields about 1 cup roasted
HOW TO ROAST A HEAD OF GARLIC
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Trim the top of the garlic and peel away the outermost layer of skin. Pour a small amount of vegetable oil into the palm of your hand and slather the garlic. Place in a small dish, cover with foil, and roast until the cloves are soft, 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. With one hand at the root, use the other hand to squeeze out the garlic pulp, which should emerge easily.
HOW TO CUT UP A PINEAPPLE
Cut off the bottom first to create a flat surface, making the cutting easier and safer; then slice off the top.
From top to bottom, slice away the tough exterior, including the brown prickly things.
Using the core as a focal point, visualize the pineapple as a foursided object. Place the blade of a sharp knife on the fleshy edge of the core and slice from top to bottom. You should have four large hunks of pineapple, with only the core remaining.
HOW TO SLICE KERNELS OFF A CORN COB
Husk the corn thoroughly, including the interior silk. Lay the corn on a work surface.
Use one hand to anchor the corn, and the other hand to place the edge of a sharp, wide knife against the kernels. Move the blade away from your anchoring hand, in a horizontal direction, allowing the kernels to fall as they are cut.
HOW TO CHIFFONADE
The literal translation for “made of rags” in French, this term refers to shreds or ribbonlike strips of leafy greens (kale, chard) or delicate, easily bruised herbs (basil, mint, sage). How to: Stack the leaves, roll up like a cigar, and slice with a sharp chef’s knife (or snip with kitchen shears) on a diagonal.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN BREAD CRUMBS
It’s important to use dry, not stale or moldy bread for bread crumbs.
Cut or tear the bread into 1-inch pieces in preparation for the food processor (you could do some damage to your food processor with a large hunk of dry bread). If the crusts are too hard, remove them. Pulverize until the crumbs achieve your