# June 2016 Cooking Challenge: Vegetarian



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

I was going to choose Tofu (Bean Curd), but I thought I might get hate mail! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif So, I broadened it out a bit. This month's Challenge is 'vegetarian' (I might still get hate mail). The reason for my choice is that my daughter is vegetarian and I'm usually cooking a meal every night for her as well as other meaty fare for everyone else. But.. what I'm looking for is not simply vegetarian, but_ sexy_ vegetarian!

So, no boring nut roasts please. Lets give the lentils a love in, big up the beans and give those vegetable some Va Va Voom. Starters or main courses but not desserts (that would be too easy). Titillating Tofu is welcome! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif

N.B. Vegetarian includes eggs, and dairy.


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

yeah!  I need to eat healthier and with all the produce coming in the summer, this is a great challenge theme!


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

Here is my first attempt at the monthly challenge.
Grilled leeks with roasted hazelnuts, capers and browned clarified butter.




  








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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

JAH42 said:


> Here is my first attempt at the monthly challenge.
> Grilled leeks with roasted hazelnuts, capers and browned clarified butter.
> 
> 
> ...


This is a great starter for the Cooking Challenge and a great starter for a romantic meal! An original combination of ingredients: sweet leeks, salty capers and earthy smoky hazelnuts hugged in the nutty butter. I can imagine all the elements working together so well! Can't wait to see your main course./img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

vegetarian: Sioux word for bad hunter /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif sorry I had to do it! I am a committed carnivore... off to eat my reheated baby backs and baked beans loaded with bacon /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I've been waiting for this topic. What about side dishes, do those count or does it have to be a whole meal?


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

HIstorically these challenges have always been one dish at a time not every course of a meal.


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## cerise (Jul 5, 2013)

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]Hi MG. Just a quick question... does vegetarian mean anything w/o a face? My dad called himself a vegetarian, but he ate chicken and fish. Never quite clear to me. Is Vegan the same as Vegetarian? Thanks.


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

This could be fun. Just off the top of my head I think I'll do four dishes. One from Africa. One from China. One from India. One from somewhere in Europe. And though eggs and dairy are fair game, I'm going to try to avoid such in 2 of the dishes. Of course, come the end of the month what I actually do may end up completely different.  But there WILL be tofu involved.

mjb.


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

I was originally sad about this months challenge as I am almost Paleo diet wise. However, Getting out of my comfort zone has been a life theme for me for the last few years, so this fits perfectly. However, there will be no tofu from me. Game on. Good luck all /img/vbsmilies/smilies/bounce.gif


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Cerise said:


> [VIDEO][/VIDEO]Hi MG. Just a quick question... does vegetarian mean anything w/o a face? My dad called himself a vegetarian, but he ate chicken and fish. Never quite clear to me. Is Vegan the same as Vegetarian? Thanks.


Vegetarian means no animals so your dad was actually not a vegetarian. A vegetarian that eats fish is called a pescatarian. Someone who eats chicken is not a vegetarian. Vegetarians do eat animal products so you can include cheese, milk, butter, dairy, eggs.

A vegan is someone who does not eat any animals or animal products. No fish, no eggs no dairy either.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

MillionsKnives said:


> HIstorically these challenges have always been one dish at a time not every course of a meal.


Yes I know but the OP said entrees and first courses so I want to know if side dishes are included. It's is rather easy to do a vegetarian side dish, and more complicated to do an entree.


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

Where does chicken stock fall?


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Koukouvagia said:


> I've been waiting for this topic. What about side dishes, do those count or does it have to be a whole meal?


Either a complete starter or a complete main course. Sides would be too easy!


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

MillionsKnives said:


> HIstorically these challenges have always been one dish at a time not every course of a meal.


Yes that's right. One dish at a time. And only one entry if you want. I was only trying to encourage @JAH42 to submit some more entries!


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Cerise said:


> Hi MG. Just a quick question... does vegetarian mean anything w/o a face? My dad called himself a vegetarian, but he ate chicken and fish. Never quite clear to me. Is Vegan the same as Vegetarian? Thanks.


Vegetarian means no animal or fish products which require the animal to be killed in order to produce them. So eggs, milk and cheese is OK (although strictly speaking, cheese containing rennet should not be used), vegetables, fruits, grains, pulses, Quorn, Beancurd (Tofu) etc. - all OK.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

MillionsKnives said:


> Where does chicken stock fall?


Chicken stock is made from dead chicken so it is not vegetarian. Substitute vegetable stock? Or use miso paste? There are lots of possibilities.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Planethoff said:


> I was originally sad about this months challenge as I am almost Paleo diet wise. However, Getting out of my comfort zone has been a life theme for me for the last few years, so this fits perfectly. However, there will be no tofu from me. Game on. Good luck all /img/vbsmilies/smilies/bounce.gif


Well, from what I know about Paleo it would be possible to do Vegetarian Paleo dishes. You could produce meals from the following food groups:

Fresh fruits and veg
Eggs
Nuts and seeds
Healthful oils (Olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado, coconut)


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

@morning glory Thanks. I already have a few ideas in mind. Besides, there is nothing wrong with having a nice rare steak on the side and just not have it in the picture, right? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif I was super busy last month, but hope to have a little more time this month. So busy that I wasn't able to get my pork belly (from the April challenge) smoked in time and had to toss it. It was almost criminal.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Planethoff said:


> @morning glory Thanks. I already have a few ideas in mind. Besides, there is nothing wrong with having a nice rare steak on the side and just not have it in the picture, right? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif I was super busy last month, but hope to have a little more time this month. So busy that I wasn't able to get my pork belly (from the April challenge) smoked in time and had to toss it. It was almost criminal.


Tut tut... well as long as its a complete course in its own right, without the steak in view. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

[h1]Shakshouka[/h1]
I cooked this today for my daughter. Tomatoes, onion, garlic, roasted peppers, paprika, chilli, eggs, parsley. Its Paleo too, apart from the fried bread on the side.





  








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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

The closest I come to vegetarian is eating a steak sandwich at Rainforest cafe. I'm in trouble with this one.......


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

ChefBillyB said:


> The closest I come to vegetarian is eating a steak sandwich at Rainforest cafe. I'm in trouble with this one.......


Oh dear! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif Don't you ever make Frittata or Mac 'n Cheese? Just two obvious examples of popular vegetarian dishes. Or pizza? Oh..and I just remembered you 'liked' my Tomato Tart in the May Challenge (totally vegetarian! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif)


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

My goodness already. This ain'te at all difficult.

*Some clown did a 5-page thread about this stuff.*​


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## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Great idea.  I"m a confirmed carnivore but I have been looking to vegeterian dishes as sides more and more since they have to try so much harder to have interesting food with just veggies.  This should be fun.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Hank said:


> Great idea. I"m a confirmed carnivore but I have been looking to vegeterian dishes as sides more and more since they have to try so much harder to have interesting food with just veggies. This should be fun.


Its true that vegetarian dishes can be very inventive. Not all of them of course. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif I'm a carnivore too, but I don't feel the need to eat meat at every meal. Some of my favourite foods are vegetarian ingredients: asparagus, salsify, artichokes (both types), cheese (of course), eggs cooked to perfection in any way, olives, lemons, limes, capers, beans (especially fava and black beans), spinach, truffles (oh!), lentils (especially Beluga and Puy), mushrooms of all kinds... I could go on!

Anyway, I look forward to your entries @Hank. Don't forget that I'm hoping to see some _sexy_ vegetarian dishes. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/licklips.gif


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

*Jamaican Red Bean Stew*





  








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Ingredients:

2 Cans Dark Red Beans (Drained and Rinsed)

1 Sweet Potato Cubed

7 Carrots

5 Chopped Scallions

Red Curry Paste

5 Fire Roasted Tomatoes Chopped

1 Can Coconut Milk

2 Cups Vegetable Stock

Sachet de espices : Bay Leaf, Cinnamon Stick, Sichuan peppercorns, allspice berries, star anise

1 Cup cooked Jasmine rice on side

My red curry paste is lemongrass, thai chili, tamarind paste, garlic, ginger, fire roasted tomato, lime zest and juice, turmeric,and coriander seeds.

My wife and I both missed a meat component, but still found it delicious and irresistible





  








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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Frittata with caramelized leeks, potato and feta.





  








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## lagom (Sep 5, 2012)

Im not usually an entrant into the monthly challenge and I'm certainly not a good picture taker, however it just so happen that yesterday we did a vegan only day for the school so I snapped a few pics. I must say it was all very well recieved by the students and teachers alike.




  








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Sweet potato topped with quinoa salad. 
Sliced and par baked the potato with s&p and a bruch or corn oil. Cooled. 
Quinoa cooked in vegan stock and tossed with sweated onion, celery and toasted flax seeds in a vinaigrette of corn oil and wine vinegar. 
Top the sliced sweet potato and flash backed in a 250 full fan convection oven for 6 minutes. Made appx 800 pieces.





  








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Stir fry Oomph with broccoli and carrots with sweet soy.

Oomph is a soy based product recently introduced here that so far imho comes closest to a meat replacement in texture and taste. Imho head and shoulders above Quorn products. In this dish i used the "pulled" version

In raps oil, fried the carrots and Oomph with a bit of salt, white pepper and puréed roasted garlic. Tossed in the broccoli near the as well as a drizzle of Thai sweet soy, rice wine and finished with toasted sunflower seeds. Did a total of 6 batches or 10ish kilos each.





  








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Fried cabbage with toasted sunflower seeds tossed with organic piquel evoo, salt and black pepper.

Fried the cabbage hard in raps oil, deglazed with white wine and after took it out of the tilt top tossed with the seeds and evoo. 20 kilos.


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

I did not know this:
[h2]Types of Vegetarian Diets[/h2]
Whether or not you can eat eggs depends largely on the type of vegetarian diet that you follow. _*Semi-vegetarian *_and _*pescetarian*_ diets allow for the consumption of eggs, as well as some animal or fish meats. Among pure vegetarians, _*lacto-ovo vegetarians*_ eat eggs and dairy products, but no meat, poultry or fish. _*Ovo vegetarians*_ also eat eggs, but do not include dairy in their diet. In contrast, _*lacto vegetarians*_ eat dairy products, but not eggs. _*Veganism*_ is the most restrictive vegetarian diet and does not allow for any animal products, _*including eggs, dairy and honey*_.

Call me an omnivore, I'll eat pretty much anything!

So which practice are we following @morning glory


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## lagom (Sep 5, 2012)

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Spinach, carrot and asparagus in phyllo.

Got some vegan phyllo dough from a bakery partner of mine. 
Fried the spinach 2 day's prior with garlic, s&p and a hint of cummin. Pressed to dry overnight. 
Blanched the pencil thin asparagus lightly and cut into 5cm pieces 
Diced and blanched carrots. 
Assembled in layers with vegan "cheese" and finely minced sundried tomatos and baked at 180 medium fan in the convection over. 20 hotel pans.





  








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lagom


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Vegan curry with chick peas, cauliflower, green peas and Vego strips.

Vego is a dried soy protein that we soak overnight before use, decent texture and picks up flavor well.

Made my curry base with garlic, mustard seed, cummin, fennel, cinnamon, star anise,onion, cardamom, turmeric, chilis, allspice. Toasted all the spices together the cooked with the onion, garlic and chilies in rapès oil for a couple hour then puréed into a nice paste.

Used coconut cream and vegan stock and a base for the curry paste and added the cooked chick peas, sliced onion and vego strips ( Vego strips pre fried in the tilt top with curry paste) and simmered for and hour. At service we added the green peas to the hot curry. 100 liters.

Served next to Basmati rice, not pictured.





  








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Simple salad of cucumber, carrot and tomato, bulgar, with lemmon balm, white balsamic vinegar and Arbequina evoo. S&P





  








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Salad of Quiona, sunflower sprouts, toasted sunflower seeds and cold pressed rapè oil. S&P

Also had roasted new potatoes with Brava sauce but not pictured.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

kaneohegirlinaz said:


> I did not know this:
> [h2]Types of Vegetarian Diets[/h2]
> Whether or not you can eat eggs depends largely on the type of vegetarian diet that you follow. _*Semi-vegetarian *_and _*pescetarian*_ diets allow for the consumption of eggs, as well as some animal or fish meats. Among pure vegetarians, _*lacto-ovo vegetarians*_ eat eggs and dairy products, but no meat, poultry or fish. _*Ovo vegetarians*_ also eat eggs, but do not include dairy in their diet. In contrast, _*lacto vegetarians*_ eat dairy products, but not eggs. _*Veganism*_ is the most restrictive vegetarian diet and does not allow for any animal products, _*including eggs, dairy and honey*_.
> 
> ...


Well, I suppose we are following the lacto-ovo vegetarian guidelines. I think the majority of vegetarians tend to eat dairy and eggs. But my rule here to make it simple, is that the dish shouldn't include any ingredient from a dead animal!


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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

I've often wondered how vegetarians feel about flat meats, i.e. road kill. Isn't the number one reason for not eating meat is the mistreatment of animals and ultimate murder simply for sustenance? I mean, the animal is already dead, and you didn't have anything to do with its death (provided you weren't the one that slammed into it at 100Km/hr). The BBC recently did a story on it.

_"Whatever you think of meat-eating in general, an animal killed needlessly shouldn't be left to rot needlessly - circle of life and all that. Yes, scavengers and carrion birds may get a meal out of roadkill, but the fact that a highway runs through their dinner table means that they may end up as roadkill themselves._

_"People assume it has something to do with poverty," says Alison Brierley, an artist who is known as the Roadkill Connoisseur. "In the past, especially in the Depression, 'flatmeats' helped sustain people. Now it's done from a position of living closer to nature, and knowing what you're eating."_

_"It's a moral way of living for me," says McGowan. "I've grown up being a conservationist, learning to respect the world we live in. Eating roadkill helps educate the world that wildlife is beneficial - if you can eat it, it shows that it has value.""_


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

I wouldn't have sent you hate mail if you had chosen bean curd 

Glad to see this challenge. I eat functionally vegan 90%+ of the time so I'll definitely be submitting a dish. The challenge will be to elevate some of my every day meals


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

@jake t buds 
There are some who do it with morality/ethics not being the #1 reason. Mine is for nutritional reasons, starting earlier last year. And developing lactose intolerance within the first few months kind of made the transition easier. Really only end up eating animal foods when I'm not at home.


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

> Originally Posted by *kaneohegirlinaz*
> 
> .....
> 
> ...





jake t buds said:


> I've often wondered how vegetarians feel about flat meats, i.e. road kill. Isn't the number one reason for not eating meat is the mistreatment of animals and ultimate murder simply for sustenance? I mean, the animal is already dead, and you didn't have anything to do with its death (provided you weren't the one that slammed into it at 100Km/hr). The BBC recently did a story on it.
> 
> _....._


I think I've changed my mind about eating ANYTHING !! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif HA!!


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

I have eaten plenty of roadkill! Not run over flat but lots of car hit deer have graced my freezer over the years. A few pheasants, a turkey, couple squirrels that committed suicide by sticking their head up...


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

As my main course i go with Creme Ninon with a gently poached egg yolk and some butterfryed winter chantrells.
Some might say soup isn't a main course, but I disagree. The richness of the cream, sweet green peas, earthy mushrooms and a sexy, velvety, egg makes this a superb main course if you want to get lucky after dinner.





  








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## lagom (Sep 5, 2012)

@jah42

Lovely


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

JAH42 said:


> As my main course i go with Creme Ninon with a gently poached egg yolk and some butterfryed winter chantrells.
> Some might say soup isn't a main course, but I disagree. The richness of the cream, sweet green peas, earthy mushrooms and a sexy, velvety, egg makes this a superb main course if you want to get lucky after dinner.


I had to look up Creme Ninon (which goes to show how much I know!). This is a very sexy main course. Oh yes!


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Here's my first entry for this month's challenge.

Just a simple pizza, but one where everything that could go wrong, went wrong ......

I got my ingredients together:

Mushroom, tomato, capers, cheeses, basil and sauce (not in the picture. made of crushed tomatoes, dried chili, oregano and garlic)





  








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So far so good.

It went wrong with the dough.

It stuck to the board.

Managed to sort that with extra flour.

Put it on the peel and assembled the pie.

Then it stuck to the peel, so ended up making it a calzone.

The calzone wasn't closed properly, so the cheese oozed out.

It tasted very good, but was definitely not a looker:





  








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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

butzy said:


> Here's my first entry for this month's challenge.
> 
> Just a simple pizza, but one where everything that could go wrong, went wrong ......


Oh dear! Well at least you are honest. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif I expect it tasted OK though (as a leaky calzone!).


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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

@butzy - try corn meal on your peal it acts like ball bearings and adds a nice crunch to the crust.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Mike9 said:


> @butzy
> - try corn meal on your peal it acts like ball bearings and adds a nice crunch to the crust.


I do not enjoy the crunch of cornmeal on pizza or fried food. I guess my pizza dough has enough oil in it to keep it from sticking, plus I smear oil on the baking sheet.


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

Cornmeal no bueno....use semolina, it does not stick to the crust, too fine.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

chefbuba said:


> Cornmeal no bueno....use semolina, it does not stick to the crust, too fine.


I always use semolina too. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

chefbuba said:


> Cornmeal no bueno....use *semolina*, it does not stick to the crust, too fine.


Yup. Never had a pizza stick on either the peel or stone, but I do give the peel a shake and make sure the 'za is entirely mobile before placing it on the stone. Nothing like trying to shake off a pizza in the oven and have a piece hang off the side of the stone.

I've started using Chef Pete's (I think) idea and use parchment paper. Less mess, no fuss and guaranteed to slide right off.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

I wish I hadn't said that


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

*Stir Fried Rice Noodles*

With green beans, carrots, red bell pepper, fresh and dried (reconstituted) shiitake mushrooms

I like green beans the most so it's predominantly green beans (about one pound) 





  








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Not pictured above - red pepper flakes, sesame oil (just a few drops at the end)

Probably 1 tbsp cooking oil used overall. This is my weekly somewhat nicer meal I make that's still relatively healthy.

The ingredients pictured make about 2-2.5 portions.

And I still need to figure out how to actually plate /img/vbsmilies/smilies/confused.gif





  








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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Nice dish @foody518.

Sounds like my kind of food.

Thanks all about the pizza advice.

It was a tasty one and were I went wrong is that I used a piece of bread dough and sprinkled some olive on it before stretching (with my fingers). That I had done before, but this time I did it on both sides and then it stuck to the floured peel.

I could/should have foreseen that happening, but didn't.

Ah well, you live and you learn.

The failed calzone filling was awesome and the dough was tasty, so not all was lost /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

foody518 said:


> *Stir Fried Rice Noodles*
> 
> With green beans, carrots, red bell pepper, fresh and dried (reconstituted) shiitake mushrooms
> 
> ...


That's a colourful dish and I'm very fond of chilli. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif The only observation I would make about the plating is that its best not to use a busy patterned plate with 'busy' food!


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I love busy patterns plates!


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

You see these busy plates all over every chinatown. For the dish i think it fits





  








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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

Thanks for the input!

Haha I think I've got that exact same patterned red oval shaped plate somewhere.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Koukouvagia said:


> I love busy patterns plates!


So do I sometimes. It depends on the dish. In the example above of the Chinese Dumplings, the plate works because the dumplings are plain and simple. But perhaps its a matter of taste.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Planethoff said:


> *Jamaican Red Bean Stew*
> 
> Ingredients:
> 
> ...


That looks delicious!


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Koukouvagia said:


> Frittata with caramelized leeks, potato and feta.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I was wondering if someone would post a frittata!/img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Lagom said:


> Im not usually an entrant into the monthly challenge and I'm certainly not a good picture taker, however it just so happen that yesterday we did a vegan only day for the school so I snapped a few pics. I must say it was all very well recieved by the students and teachers alike.
> 
> Sweet potato topped with quinoa salad.
> Sliced and par baked the potato with s&p and a bruch or corn oil. Cooled.
> ...


Fantastic array of dishes! And a range of techniques. I like things with a bit of oomph - and it turns out to be a real ingredient in Sweden!


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

Asparagus & zucchini stir fry.....sorta vegetarian, sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic, chili paste onion, water chestnuts. Steamed jasmine rice and guava chicken hanging out in the back.





  








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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Vegetable curry. Made a curry paste with fresh ginger, fresh turmeric, garlic, shallots, roasted whole coriander and cumin, cinnamon, fried in coconut oil and coconut cream, sauteed veggies in the remaining oil (carrots, turnips, broccoli stems and celery), added tomatoes and cooked longer, then added coconut milk and a handful of pink lentils, then later broccoli florets and zucchini. Seasoned with fish sauce and soy sauce, and finished with lemon. It was served with white rice, and was quite satisfying for this meat lover here, although one of my kids did seem to miss the meat.





  








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## chef lenny (Jan 14, 2016)

Vegetarian cooking, something I know all about. Do we submit a recipe (we tried); I'm not sure I ever seen these challenges before.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Chef Lenny said:


> Vegetarian cooking, something I know all about. Do we submit a recipe (we tried); I'm not sure I ever seen these challenges before.


Its a monthly challenge and the winner chooses the next theme/ingredient and judges the next month. Basically you submit a photograph of a dish you have cooked. Its meant to be a dish you cooked this month so obviously 'honesty' is involved. I mean you aren't meant to post a picture from your archives! Give an idea of the ingredients and cooking method - it doesn't need to be a step by step recipe. Some people photograph the various stages of cooking, but you don't have to. You can submit more than one entry.

Its great that you know a lot about vegetarian cooking - some people have been put off by the theme, this month! I look forward to your entries, @Chef Lenny. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/licklips.gif


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

@morning glory don't worry, someone is put off the challenge each and every month.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

chefbuba said:


> Asparagus & zucchini stir fry.....sorta vegetarian, sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic, chili paste onion, water chestnuts. Steamed jasmine rice and guava chicken hanging out in the back.


Oyster sauce.... hmm... Shall I turn a blind eye to that? It certainly looks rather delicious. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/licklips.gif


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

French Fries said:


> Vegetable curry. Made a curry paste with fresh ginger, fresh turmeric, garlic, shallots, roasted whole coriander and cumin, cinnamon, fried in coconut oil and coconut cream, sauteed veggies in the remaining oil (carrots, turnips, broccoli stems and celery), added tomatoes and cooked longer, then added coconut milk and a handful of pink lentils, then later broccoli florets and zucchini. Seasoned with fish sauce and soy sauce, and finished with lemon. It was served with white rice, and was quite satisfying for this meat lover here, although one of my kids did seem to miss the meat.


Fish sauce? Hmm (again)! How many blind eyes do I have? Looks great though! Curry is one of my all time favourite things. And the hotter the better....


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

morning glory said:


> Fish sauce? Hmm (again)! How many blind eyes do I have? Looks great though! Curry is one of my all time favourite things. And the hotter the better....


Hahaha.... it completely slipped my mind. Well... I guess I have to study Vegetarianism a little closer.... also no heat here because of our little one who is still sensitive to it, and I can't be bothered making two different dishes. But I can't wait for the kids to grow up so we can use chilies again!


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

chefbuba said:


> Asparagus & zucchini stir fry.....sorta vegetarian, sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic, chili paste onion, water chestnuts. Steamed jasmine rice and guava chicken hanging out in the back.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Your food looks delicious as always buba, but (oyster sauce aside) the chicken in the background makes this a dead giveaway that it's a side dish wonk wonk.


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

Definitely a different mindset for vegetarian dishes for portion sizes and food ratios to make sure enough calories are there without a big meat component.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

foody518 said:


> Definitely a different mindset for vegetarian dishes for portion sizes and food ratios to make sure enough calories are there without a big meat component.


It depends how many calories you think should be in a meal. Average cals per day to maintain a healthy weight and not pile on the pounds is 2500 cals for a man and 2000 cals for a woman.

Personally, I find that if I eat more than 1700 Kcals per day then I put on weight /img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif. Lentils, beans and pulses have quite a few calories. For example, an average 8 oz fillet steak has about 300 calories and cup of lentils or beans has around 240cals. Not t_hat_ different.

Cheese will up that significantly! A few slices of bread or some rice will add another hundred or so cals. Oil, butter, etc. will significantly up the toll! If you drink fruit juice, cola, wine, beer that also adds a lot of calories per day.

I tend to aim at around 500-700 cals per meal with 200-500 cals left for drinks/snacks.


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

@morning glory Very much agree. I'm probably around 1500-1800 Kcal on workdays (fairly sedentary) when eating home-cooked meals, for a goal of averaging 1 pound weight loss a month for a little while longer XD

I had a week some months ago where as a trial I ate predominantly baked potatoes and sweet potatoes (supplements of mushrooms, tomatoes, herbs, salsa, less green leafy's than normal). Felt pretty good, to be honest. 3 roughly 'medium' sized potatoes are around 500 Kcal, and more than a pound of food. Love the prospect of eating more and still being calorically sound. The avg 1 Kcal/g food density seems like it might be something of a sweet spot for a very comfortable satiety + adequate caloric intake.

Knew that about cheese >.< Perks of not being able to have dairy anymore, I guess...? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif The caloric density is insane.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

@foody518, you are quite right, one of the main benefits of a vegetarian diet is that as long as you watch your fat intake, you can eat larger quantities of food!


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

Thursday evening meal with the kids.
Gnocci with cheddar/bechamel sauce and steamed broccoli.




  








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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

JAH42 said:


> Thursday evening meal with the kids.
> Gnocci with cheddar/bechamel sauce and steamed broccoli.


Looks very good. But is that Gnocchi as I know it? I have always known Gnocchi as a potato/flour based pasta. Looks more or less like this before its cooked:





  








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The pasta you show looks like regular pasta made from wheat flour. But I'm here to learn! If you can tell me the ingredients on your pasta packet I would be most interested. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

That looks like gnocchi-shaped pasta.

Lentil soup, my son's most favorite meal so this makes an appearance at or house at least twice a month if not more often. This is a vegan recipe made only with olive oil, mirepoix, garlic, lemon, bayleaf, and water. 




  








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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

It is Barillas Gnocci shaped pasta, my bad.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Koukouvagia said:


> That looks like gnocchi-shaped pasta.
> 
> Lentil soup, my son's most favorite meal so this makes an appearance at or house at least twice a month if not more often. This is a vegan recipe made only with olive oil, mirepoix, garlic, lemon, bayleaf, and water.


Looks good. I love lentil soup and I could eat it every day.... but how to make it _sexy_, that is the question?! At least, that is the question for this particular Challenge!


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

[h3]Pickled Quail's Eggs with Tomato Jelly, Chilli Jelly and with Caperberries.[/h3]
This is a starter. The quail's eggs are pickled with turmeric/vinegar/sugar. The tomato jelly is made with sieved tomatoes, tarragon and agar agar. The chilli jelly with lime juice, water and agar agar. The green sprouts are from black dhal sprouted on the windowsill. Toasted white sesame seeds to garnish and some olive oil/lime juice drizzled around.





  








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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

morning glory said:


> Looks good. I love lentil soup and I could eat it every day.... but how to make it _sexy_, that is the question?! At least, that is the question for this particular Challenge!


What about my sexy toes in the bottom of the picture?

I don't know what you mean about making food sexy, I'm a home cook trying to feed my family while exploring my passion for cooking. I don't do much in the way of deconstructing lentil soups or plating food with tweezers. The food I make must be edible to me, my "meat-and-potatoes" hubby and my 5yr old boy. We're all doing our best.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Koukouvagia said:


> What about my sexy toes in the bottom of the picture?
> 
> I don't know what you mean about making food sexy, I'm a home cook trying to feed my family while exploring my passion for cooking. I don't do much in the way of deconstructing lentil soups or plating food with tweezers. The food I make must be edible to me, my "meat-and-potatoes" hubby and my 5yr old boy. We're all doing our best.


Sorry. I didn't mean a criticism of your food - which always looks delicious! I understand where you are coming from. Been there, done that - with four kids. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif Now I'm retired but have still got two of the (grown up) kids living here as well as my partner. I cook for them every day. But - I just thought it was worth reminding everyone of the sexy bit in the Challenge! What I mean by sexy is that it is seductive - the sort of dish you might want to serve up for Valentine's perhaps. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

The reason I mentioned that as a criterion was because so many people think that vegetarian food is rather dowdy or wholesome and I think it puts a lot of people off.

@Koukouvagia, I thought your toes (I like the sandals BTW) and your thumb were very sexy! But, of course, its the food I'm supposed to be judging./img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Zucchini Fritters with Vegetables and Tzatziki Sauce





  








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I probably should have tried making the fritters first since I was depending on them to make this work. I didn't really get it right so they were not as firm and crispy as I hoped, but it was pretty tasty.

I made the fritters with grated zucchini, minced shallot and garlic, parmesan, a little flour and an egg. Three fritters per serving layered with roasted eggplant, caramelized onion, tomato, and melted cheese. As I was putting it together my son dubbed it "weird hippy food". I anticipated he might not be entirely enthusiastic so:


Spoiler: I picked this up








  








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He liked the weird hippy food and ate it, as well as the chop. He's a growing boy. Mrs. Hank though I should make it again, you know, so I could work out the fritters. So thoughtful.


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## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

I used the leftover vegetables to make a frittata this morning.





  








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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

@morning glory I don't feel criticized. I mean it really is very difficult to make lentil soup look sexy but by the look of your pickled quail eggs dish you could do it and I'd love to see it. You're an artist.

I know you've been getting flack here by the meat eaters but I guarantee you a great deal of people love vegetables next to their meat. I have a large repertoire of vegetarian and vegan dishes passed on to me from my Greek culture but I've pretty much laid them all out here on the forums so I'm trying to think of something new.

@Hank that's a classic greek dish and well done for your first time. If I may suggest, next time salt the grated zucchini and allow it to stand for an hour, the salt draws out the moisture. Try to wring out as much water as possible and pat dry. Breadcrumbs work better than flour, flour can make the fritter a little mushy on the inside. Dredge in flour before you fry. I haven't made kolokithokeftedes in a while, I might give these a go myself soon, I'm in the mood!


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

Ignore the bottom of this picture with the garlic scape butter and garlic scape chimichurri. I forgot to take other pictures. Had a guest over ya know





  








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For the vegetarian dishes I made

Roasted Japanese Eggplant - sesame oil, ponzu. should have had sesame seeds but i couldnt find them
Cucumber Salad - pickled red onion, fish sauce, honey, lampong black pepper, lemon, evoo


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

morning glory said:


> [h3]Pickled Quail's Eggs with Tomato Jelly, Chilli Jelly and with Caperberries.[/h3]
> This is a starter. The quail's eggs are pickled with turmeric/vinegar/sugar. The tomato jelly is made with sieved tomatoes, tarragon and agar agar. The chilli jelly with lime juice, water and agar agar. The green sprouts are from black dhal sprouted on the windowsill. Toasted white sesame seeds to garnish and some olive oil/lime juice drizzled around.
> 
> 
> ...


I'm glad you can't win a challenge that you're hosting!

Elevating stuff I eat from hearty to sexy is definitely going to be a challenge...I like hearty


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Koukouvagia said:


> @morning glory I don't feel criticized. I mean it really is very difficult to make lentil soup look sexy but by the look of your pickled quail eggs dish you could do it and I'd love to see it. You're an artist.
> 
> I know you've been getting flack here by the meat eaters but I guarantee you a great deal of people love vegetables next to their meat. I have a large repertoire of vegetarian and vegan dishes passed on to me from my Greek culture but I've pretty much laid them all out here on the forums so I'm trying to think of something new.


Thank you! I'm always up for a challenge - so watch this space for my take on sexy lentil soup! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif

I don't mind the fact that a lot of people here love their meat! I do too - but then I'll eat virtually anything if it tastes good. You could always do a twist on one of the dishes from your repertoire. A lot of recipes I invent are sort of morphed from well know recipes. For example: The quails eggs. I know that hard boiled eggs, capers and tomatoes go together and I've seen them in salads before - I then think how to pretty that up into a more original dish. Simple!


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

MillionsKnives said:


> Ignore the bottom of this picture with the garlic scape butter and garlic scape chimichurri. I forgot to take other pictures. Had a guest over ya know
> 
> For the vegetarian dishes I made
> 
> ...


Interesting ingredients @MillionsKnives. But do the vegetarian dishes constitute a complete course?


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Hank said:


> Zucchini Fritters with Vegetables and Tzatziki Sauce
> 
> I probably should have tried making the fritters first since I was depending on them to make this work. I didn't really get it right so they were not as firm and crispy as I hoped, but it was pretty tasty.
> 
> ...


Fritters are a very good vegetarian option. You really need to squeeze every bit of moisture out of grated zucchini to make crisp fritters. Nice combo./img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Hank said:


> I used the leftover vegetables to make a frittata this morning.


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

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Tonight was supposed to be cheese ravioli with creamy pesto for my entry. It got postponed. Tonight is Bok Choy, Napa Cabbage, Rice noodle, egg, Garlic, Ginger, Sambel Oelek, Double Black Soy, Sesame Oil, Peanut oil, PBFit. Amazing!!!


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

That really does look delicious! What are the red bits? Chilli?


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

morning glory said:


> That really does look delicious! What are the red bits? Chilli?


Thank you. And yes. The chile is from the Sambel Oelek. Ground chile, vinegar, salt. Good stuff


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## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Koukouvagia said:


> @Hank that's a classic greek dish and well done for your first time. If I may suggest, next time salt the grated zucchini and allow it to stand for an hour, the salt draws out the moisture. Try to wring out as much water as possible and pat dry. Breadcrumbs work better than flour, flour can make the fritter a little mushy on the inside. Dredge in flour before you fry. I haven't made kolokithokeftedes in a while, I might give these a go myself soon, I'm in the mood!


Thanks KK!


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Hank said:


> Thanks KK!


I decided to make some zucchini fritters yesterday, I missed them so much when I saw your entry. I used 4 grey squash and salted them and they stood for an hour and in not kidding they exuded a half quart of water, no lie. And that's not even including the moisture whicked into towels 3 times.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Koukouvagia said:


> I decided to make some zucchini fritters yesterday, I missed them so much when I saw your entry. I used 4 grey squash and salted them and they stood for an hour and in not kidding they exuded a half quart of water, no lie. And that's not even including the moisture whicked into towels 3 times.


Did they turn out crispy after all that?


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

morning glory said:


> Did they turn out crispy after all that?


They did. I'll eventually get around to posting a pic.


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

*Fresh 4 Cheese Ravioli with a dreamy, creamy Pesto*





  








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Pasta
5 oz AP flour
1 large egg
1 Tspn kosher salt
2 egg yolks

Filling
shredded mozzarella 
shredded fontina
shredded parmasean 
Ricotta
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 egg
S & p

Sauce:
Olive oil. Amount varies. 
1/2 cup roasted pine nuts
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 cups fresh basil
1/2 cup parmasean cheese
1 pt heavy cream
S&p





  








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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

My zucchini fritters. Not as pretty as I hoped but crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Made with zucchini, grated carrot, fresh spring onion, parsley, dill, mint, cumin, breadcrumbs and an egg as binder. Formed the patties and let them chill on paper towels in the fridge before dredging in flour and frying in olive oil. My only gripe is that they are a bit darker on the outside than I'd like. I topped them with a fried egg.





  








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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

Asparagus risotto with Gremolata and parmesan shavings, good stuff!




  








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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

Weird. But it is springish, after all.

Asparagus Risotto. But I used chicken stock infused with

asparagus peel. I guess that disqualifies me, so I'll just say

I used veg stock.





  








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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

jake t buds said:


> Weird. But it is springish, after all.
> 
> Asparagus Risotto. But I used chicken stock infused with
> asparagus peel. I guess that disqualifies me, so I'll just say
> ...


Interesting.
How long do you infuse the stock with the peel? Does it give much flavour?


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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

@JAH42 I brought the stock to a boil, turned down to a low simmer and left it for the time it took to make the risotto. Maybe 25 minutes? Yes, it adds flavour, imo. Maybe I'm just kidding myself, but the risotto itself did taste like asparagus without any actual asparagus. That may be due to me tossing in the cut stalks at the end for a few minutes before the butter and parm.

Love your use of the gremolata. I'll have to try that next time.


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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Eggplant Rollatini - filling of ricotta, egg, lemon zest, pecorino, basil, salt and pepper. Fresh marinara, shaved pecorino then mozzerella on top. MMM - sho was good Y'all.





  








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Oops - almost forgot the finished product -





  








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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

I'm wanting some asparagus risotto now, looking good! My favorite bar had an appetizer special involving eggplant, buffalo mozz and tomato. It was good, but could have been better. Hopefully get some time this week to have a go at it.

mjb.


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

At my work place our team is having a potluck today and I made a grilled vegetable terrine. I did not use aspic just pressed it and it did not hold together as well as I hoped.

Grilled asparagus,

Roasted red peppers

Grilled Zucchini

Grilled Yellow Squash

Grilled carrots

Grilled Mushroom

Sliced buffalo mozzarella

Herbed goat cheese.

Wrapped in leek leaves.

When I serve I will drizzle a little balsamic over it.





  








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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

That looks great @Nicko


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

Your terrine looks great, Nicko. Could you use Agar agar next time to hold it together?


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

@chefwriter Yes I probably could but it has been a very long time since I worked with agar agar so I would have to do some experimenting. Thanks for the compliments all.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Nicko said:


> @chefwriter Yes I probably could but it has been a very long time since I worked with agar agar so I would have to do some experimenting. Thanks for the compliments all.


Ah! Talking of agar agar, I've been experimenting with that recently. Here is a fun thing I made last week. Its not what it seems to be!





  








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The above is me holding it so you can get a sense of scale. I think I should have made them smaller so that they could just be popped into the mouth. It is intended as an alcoholic canape!

It is a Bloody Mary Jelly. Tomato juice, agar agar, vodka, Tabasco and Worcestershire Sauce (soy sauce for vegetarian version).

Technique on request!


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## lasagnaburrito (Jun 9, 2015)

Planethoff said:


> *Fresh 4 Cheese Ravioli with a dreamy, creamy Pesto*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This looks amazing! I'm definitely going to "attempt" this, because I LOVE Ravioli.

Are the "Roasted pine nuts" already roasted, or do you roast them? newbie question, but I assume pre-roasted.

Did you also make the garlic bread too? 

Thanks a lot!


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

Morningglory. That's a very cool appetizer. I suspect the technique involves plastic wrap. And small muffin pans?


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

chefwriter said:


> Morningglory. That's a very cool appetizer. I suspect the technique involves plastic wrap. And small muffin pans?


Sort of. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

@morning glory your post states: "Technique on request!" RCould you share a bit more detail how you accomplished the faux tomato?


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

LasagnaBurrito said:


> This looks amazing! I'm definitely going to "attempt" this, because I LOVE Ravioli.
> 
> Are the "Roasted pine nuts" already roasted, or do you roast them? newbie question, but I assume pre-roasted.
> 
> ...


Sorry for the confusion. I roasted the pine nuts. about 3-4 minutes at 350 deg f oven on a sheet pan. Once you can smell them, they are done. Do not overcook. You can also sub out pistachios for pine nuts. A great but different flavor, but muchg more vibrant color. I did not bake the bread, just some focaccia I had on hand


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## captainrough (Jun 13, 2016)

JAH42 said:


> Asparagus risotto with Gremolata and parmesan shavings, good stuff!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks lovely but parmesan isn't vegeterian often fooling vegeterians!


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## lasagnaburrito (Jun 9, 2015)

Planethoff said:


> Sorry for the confusion. I roasted the pine nuts. about 3-4 minutes at 350 deg f oven on a sheet pan. Once you can smell them, they are done. Do not overcook. You can also sub out pistachios for pine nuts. A great but different flavor, but muchg more vibrant color. I did not bake the bread, just some focaccia I had on hand


Np m that's why I ask! . First thing I saw on google was self roasting, so figured it could be possibly, but sometimes it seems you can get this pre-w/e i.e., smoked chillis.

Thanks for the tips I'll check into it.

Also, "Focaccia" is what you want for Garlic bread? Any special prep to making it nice and garlic? Thanks 

I also realized... There is no cooking instructions for this, any advice for a newbie on how I should prep this and temps and stuff? I understand if it's too much work, but I appreciate your time greatly, thanks a lot!


Captainrough said:


> Looks lovely but parmesan isn't vegeterian often fooling vegeterians!


Why isn't it vegetarian???

I was interested in seeing what people would make with this theme, but this has brought out many "Cheese" dishes, and I know some don't eat cheese, but what makes this different from other cheeses?


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## captainrough (Jun 13, 2016)

LasagnaBurrito said:


> Why isn't it vegetarian???
> 
> I was interested in seeing what people would make with this theme, but this has brought out many "Cheese" dishes, and I know some don't eat cheese, but what makes this different from other cheeses?


Parmesan contains calf rennet which is used to curdle milk, the rennet comes from the calves fourth stomach. So this means the ravioli dish is also not vegetarian and quite possibly the second risotto dish as most chefs add parmesan to their risotto.


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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

So. . . Um. . . I used aged Manchego. Yeah, that's what I used. Uh huh. Manchego. uh, no. I didn't use any cheese at all. 

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smiles.gif


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## lasagnaburrito (Jun 9, 2015)

Captainrough said:


> Parmesan contains calf rennet which is used to curdle milk, the rennet comes from the calves fourth stomach. So this means the ravioli dish is also not vegetarian and quite possibly the second risotto dish as most chefs add parmesan to their risotto.


Interesting info... thanks!


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## captainrough (Jun 13, 2016)

LasagnaBurrito said:


> Interesting info... thanks!


Yeah, you would be surprised how many chefs don't know this and how many risotto's say they are vegeterian on menus but contain parmesan!

So I'm thinking of throwing my first photo up on here for this competition.. The general rules are you must have made it in June, you can only enter once and you must write general methology.. Am I right?


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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Captainrough said:


> Yeah, you would be surprised how many chefs don't know this and how many risotto's say they are vegeterian on menus but contain parmesan!
> 
> So I'm thinking of throwing my first photo up on here for this competition.. The general rules are you must have made it in June, you can only enter once and you must write general methology.. Am I right?


You can enter as many dishes as you can, but the must be made during the challenge month.


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## lasagnaburrito (Jun 9, 2015)

Captainrough said:


> Yeah, you would be surprised how many chefs don't know this and how many risotto's say they are vegeterian on menus but contain parmesan!
> 
> So I'm thinking of throwing my first photo up on here for this competition.. The general rules are you must have made it in June, you can only enter once and you must write general methology.. Am I right?


IT's good to know your stuff , sadly that's the danger with a lot of these "dietary-restrictions." You either know your stuff, or don't, but you need to make sure.

I'm not really sure about Gluten allergies as it seems to be the latest thing, but this cheese stuff is definitely getting close to that line with vegetarians, but again it seems "Vegetarian" doesn't have one set of rules to follow, besides the basis of "don't eat anything that was alive (animal wise)."

TBH, you could have made it at any point, and no one would know at all, but I guess the fun is trying to make a dish from scratch that fits the theme and try to have fun with it.

I'm not sure if I will enter myself, but I definitely want to try that ravioli recipe...

Tbh I never came here expecting to find something I would enjoy, since I'm a meat lover , but always love seeing the entries.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Stella is a cheese brand that is fairly common in restaurants. Their _"parmesan"_ is made without the use of rennet and is acceptable for lacto-vegetarians.


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

Captainrough said:


> Looks lovely but parmesan isn't vegeterian often fooling vegeterians!


t
Thanks for the info, I had no idea.
Been serving vegetarian friends risotto many times... Maby they are just polite and eat anyway.


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

LasagnaBurrito said:


> Np m that's why I ask! . First thing I saw on google was self roasting, so figured it could be possibly, but sometimes it seems you can get this pre-w/e i.e., smoked chillis.
> 
> Thanks for the tips I'll check into it.
> 
> ...


I usually use fresh baked baguette for garlic bread, but had the focaccia on hand. I will soften a half stick of unsalted butter. Mix in tblspn minced garlic, 2 tblspn grated Parmesan cheese, (also usually add 1 tblspn chopped parsley, but not with pesto), spread on halved legnthwise bread and sprinkle a little garlic salt and fresh cracked pepper. bake at 400F for 5-10 minutes. Depending on how crispy you like it

For ravioli:
Make well with flour, crack eggs in center, start by lightly beating eggs with fork and slowly incorporate flour by pushing it toward center. When it start to form a dough scrape off your hands and kneed until play dough like texture. I put a bowl of water to the side to dip my fingers in to moisten the dough a little bit. Once kneeled wrap in plastic wrap and put in fridge for 1 hour. Take out, let sit for 15 minutes then roll out on floured surface. At this point you can cut into pieces and hand roll as thin as you can manage or use machine. I use machine. IMHO much better and easier with machine. I then cut into 2x2in squares and put 1 tblspn mix on one square, cover with another, seal edges and cut with ravioli cutter (can get really cheap at Walmart). You can cut by hand, but raviol cutter way prettier. Cover and Let sit in fridge for 30min to several hours. Then boil in salted water for 3-4 minutes until they are puffs up and floating. Use gentle boil so they don't break up

Filling is all ingredients from other post well mixed

Creamy Pesto sauce: roasted pine nuts, 1/4 cup minced garlic, 2 cups fresh basil in food processor. Blend and after a couple seconds stream in extra virgin olive oil until nice paste forms. (At this point you can mix n 1/2 cup parm cheese and s&p to taste for regular pesto). However, I took my from processor and put in saucepan. Add one pint heavy cream and bring to hear boil. Remove from heat, add 1/2 cup parm cheese, return to heat on low and heat to desired thickness. 
Enjoy
If you have any other questions, let me know.

Blows my mind that Parmesan cheese is not vegetarian, and I am embarrassed to not knowing that. When I apprenticed. Chef taught me technique, recipe, and skill in kitchen. The owner sat me down for book work. I always refer back to the guy who made me read a 486 page book on cheese. I guess I didn't study it as hard as I thought I did.


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## lasagnaburrito (Jun 9, 2015)

JAH42 said:


> t
> Thanks for the info, I had no idea.
> Been serving vegetarian friends risotto many times... Maby they are just polite and eat anyway.


 They probably have no clue... Which, if Vegetarianism is their choice, is a funny outcome, but if they cannot eat meat for health reasons then that sucks.


Planethoff said:


> I usually use fresh baked baguette for garlic bread, but had the focaccia on hand. I will soften a half stick of unsalted butter. Mix in tblspn minced garlic, 2 tblspn grated Parmesan cheese, (also usually add 1 tblspn chopped parsley, but not with pesto), spread on halved legnthwise bread and sprinkle a little garlic salt and fresh cracked pepper. bake at 400F for 5-10 minutes. Depending on how crispy you like it
> 
> For ravioli:
> Make well with flour, crack eggs in center, start by lightly beating eggs with fork and slowly incorporate flour by pushing it toward center. When it start to form a dough scrape off your hands and kneed until play dough like texture. I put a bowl of water to the side to dip my fingers in to moisten the dough a little bit. Once kneeled wrap in plastic wrap and put in fridge for 1 hour. Take out, let sit for 15 minutes then roll out on floured surface. At this point you can cut into pieces and hand roll as thin as you can manage or use machine. I use machine. IMHO much better and easier with machine. I then cut into 2x2in squares and put 1 tblspn mix on one square, cover with another, seal edges and cut with ravioli cutter (can get really cheap at Walmart). You can cut by hand, but raviol cutter way prettier. Cover and Let sit in fridge for 30min to several hours. Then boil in salted water for 3-4 minutes until they are puffs up and floating. Use gentle boil so they don't break up
> ...


Thanks for this, excited to try it out.

We all learned something today .


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## devash (May 11, 2016)

*So interesting to find this thread.*

*In the program I run, my participants cook once per week. The meal has to be either vegetarian (including) dairy & eggs, or completely vegetarian with no dairy what so ever.*

*We have made Fritattas, Vegetable stir fry wraps, baked pasta dishes with legumes etc. One vegetarian food we like and it has been sucessful are stuffed poblano chiles with cheese served over yellow rice. Using saffron is cost prohibitive, so we use tumeric instead.*


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

> Originally Posted by *LasagnaBurrito*
> 
> .
> 
> Why is Rennet not Vegetarian?


Calves are slaughtered during the process of obtaining rennet.


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

What if they were _"unfortunate"_ road-kill calves?!?


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## devash (May 11, 2016)

Kosher rennert doesn't kill livestock.  A vegetarian form of rennert can be obtained in healthfood stores and for those that will eat fish, they can use a type of rennert obtained from fish bones.


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## lasagnaburrito (Jun 9, 2015)

cheflayne said:


> Calves are slaughtered during the process of obtaining rennet.


Oh that's not cool....

So they basically have calves set up for the purpose of being killed early for rennet? There is no other way of acquiring it? I would assume this isn't a rare ingredient either, so that means tons of calves are being slaughtered just for this one thing?

How did humans even figure out this process....


devash said:


> Kosher rennert doesn't kill livestock. A vegetarian form of rennert can be obtained in healthfood stores and for those that will eat fish, they can use a type of rennert obtained from fish bones.


How does the "Kosher Process" for rennet woprk?

Fish... bones? I would assume that wouldn't be vegetarian friendly....


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

Get real. The calves are slaughtered for more reasons than just rennet.  Ranchers are business people. They are not stupid.


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## captainrough (Jun 13, 2016)

cheflayne said:


> Stella is a cheese brand that is fairly common in restaurants. Their _"parmesan"_ is made without the use of rennet and is acceptable for lacto-vegetarians.


If the cheese does not contain rennet it cannot be classified as Parmesan, instead it is a hard cheese.. You do not get vegeterian Parmesan, a few years ago there was a law passed that bans the naming of cheese Parmesan unless it is produced by it's original producers Parmigiano Reggiano in Italy with rennet.

My source is www.parmesan.com/history and The Vegeterian Society Fact Sheet which can be found with a quick Google search.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

LasagnaBurrito said:


> TBH, you could have made it at any point, and no one would know at all, but I guess the fun is trying to make a dish from scratch that fits the theme and try to have fun with it.
> 
> Tbh I never came here expecting to find something I would enjoy, since I'm a meat lover , but always love seeing the entries.


People who become vegetarian because they believe in animals rights DO know this. There are lots of people who are vegetarians because they don't like meat, or can't afford meat, or don't eat it for religious reasons etc. My grandmother is a vegetarian because she doesn't like meat, but she doesn't know anything about rennet and would eat parmesan if I gave it to her. I don't want to make any presumptions on the OP's intentions with the thread but I suspect that parmesan qualifies as a legitimate ingredient in the challenge regardless of the rennet.

I'm a meat lover myself but I'm always surprised that people are put off by vegetarian food. Maybe it's because I grew up in a vegetarian culture but I'm truly baffled that people cannot enjoy one meal that does not contain meat. I know a lot of vegetarians and I make a lot of food without meat being the main component so I have to ask, are people really eating meat at every single meal? 
@LasagnaBurrito these posts can't be split up but if you are interested in this topic you can start a new thread for it.


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Vegetarian rennet is very common and many cheese makers use it. http://www.cheesemaking.com/shop/vegetable-rennet-liquid.html


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Captainrough said:


> LasagnaBurrito said:
> 
> 
> > Why isn't it vegetarian???
> ...


Ok, I can outlegal you. DOC doesn't apply in the US, the population and location of most of this board. If it's labeled Parmesan in the US, it may or may not contain calf rennet. If it's labeled Parmigianno Reggianno with the nice rind work and generally better flavor, it will have rennet. There are also synthetic and vegetarian rennets. US labelling laws do not require specification about the details of rennet. So even if the label says rennet, you don't know for sure it's from a calf if you're talking US product.

Now, moderator hat. Try to keep petty legalism in threads on detailed topics, not monthly challenges. Start a new thread for it if you feel so inclined to not hijack threads on other things.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Planethoff said:


> *Fresh 4 Cheese Ravioli with a dreamy, creamy Pest*


I adore ravioli and yours look perfect! And this could be either a starter or a main depending on the amount served. It looks sumptuous. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif But (forgive me, I'm the judge) I don't see the need for bread on the side. That's adding carbs to carbs. For an elegant starter, I'll eat those plump pillows on their own. For a main, I'll add a green salad on the side. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

JAH42 said:


> Asparagus risotto with Gremolata and parmesan shavings, good stuff!





jake t buds said:


> Weird. But it is springish, after all.
> 
> Asparagus Risotto. But I used chicken stock infused with
> 
> ...


 Risotto is definitely a seductive thing - and asparagus is supposed to be an aphrodisiac! However, you both seem to be disqualified due to cheese and stock issues. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif And things are getting difficult with so many entries - so I have to be strict. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

I dunno. If you're counting carbs because it means something to your health, then I can see the redundancy with garlic bread and starch pasta ravioli. I don't have a problem with garlic bread and ravioli, personally. The garlic isn't present in the ravioli in the same form/ flavor profile, and the crunch factor adds a nice contrast to the soft pillows. And you have something to mop up the sauce with!!

_"Pan con pan comida de bobos." _Very mediterranean culture.

I'd eat that for dinner after eating a vegetable quinoa salad or similar for lunch. No dairy or rennet!!!

It's all about moderation and balance over time, not just one meal. But I get the idea, and to each their own. The challenge is one meal.

And did I mention the risotto was veg stock? And no cheese? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif Honestly? Really!!!!!! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Mike9 said:


> Eggplant Rollatini - filling of ricotta, egg, lemon zest, pecorino, basil, salt and pepper. Fresh marinara, shaved pecorino then mozzerella on top. MMM - sho was good Y'all.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This looks absolutely delicious. As for the pecorino...?


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Nicko said:


> At my work place our team is having a potluck today and I made a grilled vegetable terrine. I did not use aspic just pressed it and it did not hold together as well as I hoped.
> 
> Grilled asparagus,
> 
> ...


This looks beautiful! And I love the precision. But does the mozzarella disqualify it?


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Nicko said:


> @morning glory your post states: "Technique on request!" RCould you share a bit more detail how you accomplished the faux tomato?


Ok! See here:

*Ingredients*

Tomato juice (3 parts)
Vodka (1 part)
Agar Agar flakes (use enough for a firm set based on packet instructions)
Tabasco
Worcestershire Sauce (optional - vegetarians can substitute soy sauce)

*Method*

Put the tomato juice in a saucepan and sprinkle over the Agar Agar. Heat gently until agar dissolves (do not stir)
Simmer for ten minutes stirring occasionally.
Allow to cool and stir in vodka, dash of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce (if using)
Line a small teacup or similar with cling film allowing a very generous overlap on all sides.
Pour the mix into the cling film in desired quantity. I think its best to make them quite small so that they just pop into the mouth.
Gather edges of cling film together and twist tightly until all air is removed and the liquid forms a sphere when held up.
Knot the cling film tightly to retain the shape,
Hang 'tomato' in the fridge until set. I did this laying a small knife across the top of a beaker and tying the tail of the cling film to the knife, so that the 'tomato' was suspended in the beaker. There may be other methods.
When set, carefully unwrap the cling film and place a real tomato stalk on top of the 'tomato'.
I only made a few of these tomatoes! It would be quite fun to make a load of these for a party but I can't really do that at home. I trust that you professional chefs could come up with a way of setting them in larger quantities, more efficiently.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Koukouvagia said:


> People who become vegetarian because they believe in animals rights DO know this. There are lots of people who are vegetarians because they don't like meat, or can't afford meat, or don't eat it for religious reasons etc. My grandmother is a vegetarian because she doesn't like meat, but she doesn't know anything about rennet and would eat parmesan if I gave it to her. I don't want to make any presumptions on the OP's intentions with the thread but I suspect that parmesan qualifies as a legitimate ingredient in the challenge regardless of the rennet.
> 
> I'm a meat lover myself but I'm always surprised that people are put off by vegetarian food. Maybe it's because I grew up in a vegetarian culture but I'm truly baffled that people cannot enjoy one meal that does not contain meat. I know a lot of vegetarians and I make a lot of food without meat being the main component so I have to ask, are people really eating meat at every single meal?
> 
> @LasagnaBurrito these posts can't be split up but if you are interested in this topic you can start a new thread for it.


You have a very good point regarding whether people eat meat at every meal. I'd think it sad if they did, because there is so much else! So many wonderful tastes, textures and colours in vegetarian food.

But you have put me on the spot regarding the vegetarian rennet and cheese issue. Early on in the thread I posted this:

'Vegetarian means no animal or fish products which require the animal to be killed in order to produce them. So eggs, milk and cheese is OK (although strictly speaking, cheese containing rennet should not be used), vegetables, fruits, grains, pulses, Quorn, Beancurd (Tofu) etc. - all OK.'

So should I be strict? That is the question. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

• Lebanese cabbage salad (cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic).

• Crapiauds du Morvan (mashed potatoes, sour cream, egg, flour, parsley, diced swiss cheese)





  








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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

jake t buds said:


> I dunno. If you're counting carbs because it means something to your health, then I can see the redundancy with garlic bread and starch pasta ravioli. I don't have a problem with garlic bread and ravioli, personally. The garlic isn't present in the ravioli in the same form/ flavor profile, and the crunch factor adds a nice contrast to the soft pillows. And you have something to mop up the sauce with!!
> 
> _"Pan con pan comida de bobos." _Very mediterranean culture.
> 
> ...


Jury is out at the moment regarding cheese. Blimey, I'm beginning to wish I had chosen pigs' livers. At least that might have narrowed down the entries. Or would it!? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif

Anyway, I beg to differ regarding the ravioli with bread - but that is partly because I'm trying to use my judging criteria (its becoming more difficult by the minute /img/vbsmilies/smilies/surprised.gif). I'm looking for_ sexy _vegetarian dishes so I guess I'm after a bit of lightness and elegance.

But can you explain 'Pan con pan comida de bobos'? I googled it but didn't get much result.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

French Fries said:


> • Lebanese cabbage salad (cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic).
> 
> • Crapiauds du Morvan (mashed potatoes, sour cream, egg, flour, parsley, diced swiss cheese)
> 
> ...


Potato pancakes: a lovely thing! From Bourgogne?

But I believe there might be yet another cheese/rennet issue here... oh dear!


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

morning glory said:


> Potato pancakes: a lovely thing! From Bourgogne?
> 
> But I believe there might be yet another cheese/rennet issue here... oh dear!


I don't believe the rennet in commercial cheese comes from animals anymore:

_Fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC) is by far the most common form of a milk-coagulating enzyme used today, according to the WCDR. Potter said that approximately 70 percent of all cheese is produced with FPC, while approximately 25 percent is made with microbial coagulants and the remaining 5 percent is made from calf rennet._

Source: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2008issue3/update_renet.htm


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

morning glory said:


> I adore ravioli and yours look perfect! And this could be either a starter or a main depending on the amount served. It looks sumptuous.  But (forgive me, I'm the judge) I don't see the need for bread on the side. That's adding carbs to carbs. For an elegant starter, I'll eat those plump pillows on their own. For a main, I'll add a green salad on the side.


Ok. I'll give and say the ravioli should/could be disqualified for cheese with rennet. That is fine.

However, at risk of totally turning the judge against me, I can't help point out that. you must not have any Italian blood in you. Not that there is anything wrong with that. I don't either, but I cut my teeth in Italian kitchens and had many no exception "rules of Italian food" from that tutalage. Bread is Always a part of every meal. Period. It was beat into me.

Personally, I am not really a fan of that much carbs and rarely eat the bread. But , I dare not offend when I make Italian food. My wife is actually the opposite. She will eat a pasta sandwich. She loves the bread. (She has Italian roots) Overall, Italian food is sexy by nature. Right?

I still have others entries regardless of the ravioli. but the best part is, I got to eat it. How bout that


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

*Falafel with Tzatziki on fresh herb flatbread*

This is vegetarian. And delicious. And dare I say, sexy?




  








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Flatbread:
2 cups AP flour
1 pack yeast
1 Tspn sugar
2 Tspn salt
2 cloves garlic minced
Fresh dill, thyme
3/4 cup water
1 tblspn olive oil

Tzatziki 
Greek yogurt
Garlic
Cucumber
Lemon juice
Dill
Mint
Tabasco (yes I do!)
S&P

Falafel:

I use boxed. I have made my own before, but Have not been able to perfect (just like I use masa harina for corn tortillas instead of nixtamal and cal). I know it is a moisture deal. Anyway, with boxed it is still a chore to get right crust and interior texture. I nailed it.

Then you get amazing fresh tomato, vidallia onion, and lettuce.





  








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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

It's amazing you made your own flatbread @Planethoff !

I was served bread with pasta while in Italy. I think the carb on carb thing is a diet mentality rule. If I told my mother she'd have to eat her pasta without bread she would probably cry and that's not sexy.


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

Love carbs on carbs! Probably characterizes most my meals...

Here I was playing with the idea of submitting a meal that was like 'potatoes three ways'


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

morning glory said:


> Anyway, I beg to differ regarding the ravioli with bread - but that is partly because I'm trying to use my judging criteria (its becoming more difficult by the minute /img/vbsmilies/smilies/surprised.gif). I'm looking for_ sexy _vegetarian dishes so I guess I'm after a bit of lightness and elegance.


Sorry if I came off as rude in my last post. I didn't mean to get all defensive and snippy about my carbs with carbs. I think it was carry over from being upset at myself for not knowing that Parmesan isn't vegetarian. I've been to Italy several times and I know how their typical meal structure is laid out, and I know you are in UK so WAY more experienced with that than US Italian. In the NE USA Bread with pasta is a big deal and they like it the more indulgent, the better. I guess that is why the "Olive Garden" (A completely horrible wannabe Italian chain) always had to keep a good stock of the "Larry" chairs. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif

I guess It all comes down to the definition of sexy. For you, light and elegant. For me, hot and heavy (and usually spicy) /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smoking.gif


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

morning glory said:


> Anyway, I beg to differ regarding the ravioli with bread - but that is partly because I'm trying to use my judging criteria (its becoming more difficult by the minute :suprise: ). I'm looking for _sexy_ vegetarian dishes so I guess I'm after a bit of lightness and elegance.


All of us who have hosted a challenge obviously have our own criteria for what a winning dish will be. However this is a diverse group of cooks and everyone is going to bring their own spirit to what they cook. Sure, you will decide the winning dish but this challenge should not be geared towards pleasing you, it's about getting in the kitchen and making a great dish and sharing it with all of us. The challenge is meant to inspire people into cooking and sharing and if the focus is on catering to your specific tastes it might make people hesitate to participate. I think that this is a great topic and you are a lovely cook and host so let's keep things positive and inclusive.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I've purposely kept this dish as simple as possible. Just a few good ingredients coming together to make a simple and tasty dinner. This dish is VEGAN, no butter, no cheese, but hubby did grate some cheese on his portion at the table.

*Tomato Risotto with fried okra garnish*

Risotto ingredients: Tomatoes, onions, olive oil, water, salt/pepper

Okra ingredients: Okra, flour, olive oil, salt/pepper





  








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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Nice Koukou - I personally like okra I always buy it when it's in season.  But - I'm in the minority of folks I know.


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

Fried Okra risotto. I would eat that. I need to embrace veganism a bit more. Thanks


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Planethoff said:


> morning glory said:
> 
> 
> > Anyway, I beg to differ regarding the ravioli with bread - but that is partly because I'm trying to use my judging criteria (its becoming more difficult by the minute /img/vbsmilies/smilies/surprised.gif). I'm looking for_ sexy _vegetarian dishes so I guess I'm after a bit of lightness and elegance.
> ...


Oh sorry if you thought that I thought you were rude. Absolutely not! Its just a matter of taste isn't it? But I was realising how hard it is to judge this competition as you are all very experienced and in many cases professional chefs so I suppose I was trying to clarify my criteria to myself!

When it comes to sexy, I do really_ really _like hot and spicy food. So when I say light it doesn't exclude a stonking hot curry dish! I'm a bit of a chilli freak and usually nibble on a chilli or two every day. Spicy is definitely up my street!/img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif

Anyway as @Koukouvagia ponts out, this competition is all about fun and encouraging people to share recipes and ideas. So please don't take anything I say too seriously. Your points about the cultural differences between US and European foods are well made!


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

French Fries said:


> I don't believe the rennet in commercial cheese comes from animals anymore:
> 
> _Fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC) is by far the most common form of a milk-coagulating enzyme used today, according to the WCDR. Potter said that approximately 70 percent of all cheese is produced with FPC, while approximately 25 percent is made with microbial coagulants and the remaining 5 percent is made from calf rennet._
> 
> Source: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2008issue3/update_renet.htm


I know that a lot of cheese made in the UK is rennet free. I'm beginning to think I should just ignore the rennet issue, since even some if the recipes submitted did have rennet cheese, they could have been made with a rennet free substitute.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Koukouvagia said:


> I've purposely kept this dish as simple as possible. Just a few good ingredients coming together to make a simple and tasty dinner. This dish is VEGAN, no butter, no cheese, but hubby did grate some cheese on his portion at the table.
> 
> *Tomato Risotto with fried okra garnish*
> 
> ...


That looks very pretty indeed. Its ages since I used okra and I'd never thought of including it in a risotto.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Planethoff said:


> *Falafel with Tzatziki on fresh herb flatbread*
> 
> This is vegetarian. And delicious. And dare I say, sexy?
> 
> ...


That looks fantastic! And sexy./img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

I googled mascarpone cheese and it seems like it doesn't contain rennet, so it's safe to use /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif

I could have used cream cheese or cream instead, but I didn't have any.

Anyway:

I fried onion and garlic in olive oil.

Added chili powder (from home-dried chili's), mushrooms and spinach and mascarpone.

Mixed it with pasta and topped with deep fried onions.

I don't know if it is sexy enough but it was tasty anyway (would have been better with bacon bits though)





  








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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Just my opinion, but this whole rennet thing should have been hammered out in the OP. Trying to enforce *"strictly speaking"* 16 posts in and not part of the original core guideline seems sketchy. If (as in the OP) *"vegetarian includes egg and dairy"* then it should be dairy across the board.

No offense @morning glory, but inserting a wrench after the gears are in motion and shifting the nature of the game adds confusion.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

The monthly challenge is a friendly competition. It can be as easy or difficult as each individual wants to make it. Hammers and wrenches belong in the garage. 

For me, the real reward to this friendly competition is the potential it holds to get me out of my box and increase my knowledge.

Rennet and vegetarian rennet substitutes are an area that probably never enter most people's thinking process when confronted with the the genre of vegetarian cuisine. What a great opportunity for expanding awareness this thread provides!


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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

PM'd to @cheflayne - doesn't belong here.


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

That's why aprons have long tie-strings. They fit many sizes. Roll with it. Stuff comes up. Professionals can deal with changes.

_"We work in kitchens ... This ain'te rocket surgery."_


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Mike9 said:


> Just my opinion, but this whole rennet thing should have been hammered out in the OP. Trying to enforce *"strictly speaking"* 16 posts in and not part of the original core guideline seems sketchy. If (as in the OP) *"vegetarian includes egg and dairy"* then it should be dairy across the board.
> 
> No offense @morning glory, but inserting a wrench after the gears are in motion and shifting the nature of the game adds confusion.


I'm sorry. I'm not very experienced here so I didn't foresee the issue arising. I honestly didn't expect that people would enter recipes with cheese containing rennet. I really should have realised and as you say, clarified this absolutely in my OP! I'm so sorry if I've caused problems. As I said above, I'm going to ignore the rennet issue as almost any rennet cheese could be substituted with a non-rennet one anyway and its the overall dish which matters. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

butzy said:


> I googled mascarpone cheese and it seems like it doesn't contain rennet, so it's safe to use /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif
> 
> I could have used cream cheese or cream instead, but I didn't have any.
> 
> ...


Well, one thing I know about mascarpone, is that it has a lovely silky texture - and to me that equals sexy! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/licklips.gif


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

> In 2010, a guest at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir stormed out when a waiter insisted that a parmesan topped canapé was suitable for vegetarians. On realising his error, Blanc contacted the diner to apologise, writing on his blog: "we discovered that for years we have been giving cheese containing animal rennet to our vegetarian guests ... Various forms of vegetarianism are the norm, and as a good restaurateur it is our duty to adapt and respond to these new needs and to our guests' rising expectations."


http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2012/feb/27/no-parmesan-please-we-re-vegetarian

Anyway, as I said, I'll consider any recipe submitted (rennet or no rennet) and I can only hope that my faux-pas has (at the very least) raised consciousness. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/blushing.gif /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

As a non vegetarian, rennet would have never crossed my mind as it wouldn't with most omnivores.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

foody518 said:


> Love carbs on carbs! Probably characterizes most my meals...
> 
> Here I was playing with the idea of submitting a meal that was like 'potatoes three ways'


I like that idea! Bring it on... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif I love potatoes. Believe it or not, I once made a dish of parsnips five ways. My son said at the time: 'Mum! Parsnip Five Ways? Are you_ serious_?' .

I was. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

*Vegetable Curry with Jasmine Rice*





  








IMG_4501.JPG




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planethoff


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Jun 18, 2016








Green, Red, and Yellow Bell Peppers, Onion, Shallot, Ginger, Serrano Chile, Carrot, Garlic, Peas in Peanut Coconut Curry Sauce

Sauce:

Sachet de espies (Cinnamon stick, bay leaf, schiuan peppercorns, cloves, star anise)

Coconut Milk

Lime Zest and Juice

Cilantro

Garlic

Onion

Serrano Pepper

Ghost Chile Powder

Lime Water

Sambel Oelek

Thin Soy Sauce

Tomato Paste

Lemongrass

Ginger

PB Fit

Cornstarch slurry

Turmeric





  








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planethoff


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Jun 18, 2016








I forgot roasted peanuts to garnish, but still pretty great and SPICY!!!





  








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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

morning glory said:


> I like that idea! Bring it on... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif I love potatoes. Believe it or not, I once made a dish of parsnips five ways. My son said at the time: 'Mum! Parsnip Five Ways? Are you_ serious_?' .
> 
> I was. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


I've never made a dish "three ways" or "five ways" I've only done the one way. But I'll tell you what, potatoes are my favorite substance on earth (along with bechamel)


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Planethoff said:


> *Vegetable Curry with Jasmine Rice*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 That looks fantastic! And I love Ghost chillies - interesting, the use of 5-spice powder (as we call it in UK).


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

morning glory said:


> That looks fantastic! And I love Ghost chillies - interesting, the use of 5-spice powder (as we call it in UK).


It's funny, I didn't even think of it as 5spice. We have and use that here in the US too. Only difference is I used bay leaf instead of fennel. Since I didn't use fish sauce I needed to add some flavor from somewhere else. So, since authentic Thai curry was out the window, I thought why not add sweet green peas too? I also used some dark brown sugar. I forgot to put that in ingredient list.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Planethoff said:


> It's funny, I didn't even think of it as 5spice. We have and use that here in the US too. Only difference is I used bay leaf instead of fennel. Since I didn't use fish sauce I needed to add some flavor from somewhere else. So, since authentic Thai curry was out the window, I thought why not add sweet green peas too? I also used some dark brown sugar. I forgot to put that in ingredient list.


Oh yes! I was reading to hastily and made the assumption it was 5 Spice (which of course, contains fennel). But I'm sure your spice mix has a similar effect.


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

One of my favourite dishes as starter tonight,
Kalixlöjrom (no idea how to translate this, but it is the roe of a small salmon fish in northern Sweden), 
finely chopped red onion, sour cream and pan fried toast.

If you ever visit Sweden, try this.... seriously 





  








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Jun 18, 2016


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

Salmon roe is vegetarian, Right?


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

An egg is an egg.


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

JAH42 said:


> An egg is an egg.


Touché. This challenge is really opening my eyes. It totally covers all the bases in my non existent dream of becoming vegetarian :lol:

In all seriousness. I really am digging all the knowledge gained in this one :thumb:


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

JAH42 said:


> An egg is an egg.


/img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif

However, a salmon must be killed in order to obtain the roe.

In other news I would kill for this dish right now.


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

001.JPG




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kaneohegirlinaz


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Jun 19, 2016








Gee nobody's made Sushi yet?

I give you shredded Carrot and Cucumber

Maki Sushi, MMM!

I use a powdered Sushi Vinegar to keep

the rolls from getting to sticky, gummy or wet...

perfect every time!


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

kaneohegirlinaz said:


> 001.JPG
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I love veggie sushi and these looks very nice!

Have you tryed using pickled veggies? Its nice with some acidity to the sticky rice.


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

Koukouvagia said:


> /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif
> 
> However, a salmon must be killed in order to obtain the roe.
> 
> In other news I would kill for this dish right now.


I was just trying to think outside the box....

If the OP thinks the post was out line, please can an admin delete it.


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

I throw in last nights main as well.

Fennel soup with a crunchy pickled fennel sallad and some lemon zest infused olive oil.





  








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Jun 19, 2016


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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

JAH42 said:


> I throw in last nights main as well.
> 
> Fennel soup with a crunchy pickled fennel sallad and some lemon zest infused olive oil.
> 
> ...


I dunno. I think an animal was probably killed during the harvest of your lemons. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

Looks great. I've never made fennel soup. On my list. Thanks.


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Koukouvagia said:


> /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif
> 
> However, a salmon must be killed in order to obtain the roe.
> 
> In other news I would kill for this dish right now.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Seriously?! I had no idea!


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

JAH42 said:


> I love veggie sushi and these looks very nice!
> 
> Have you tryed using pickled veggies? Its nice with some acidity to the sticky rice.


We love pickled vegetables!

I season the rice with this:





  








powdered sushi seasoning.jpeg




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kaneohegirlinaz


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Jun 20, 2016








rather than the bottled sushi vinegar or

seasoned vinegar, this way it's not to

moist but still has that nice acidic tang.

You might enjoy this article:
[article="27879"]Maki Sushi For Dummies Like Me [/article]


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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

I made quick pickle twice this week.  Once with sliced onions and today I made a ginger pickle for carrot match sticks.  I boiled cider and rice vinegars with slices of fresh ginger then let cool and poured over the carrot in a jar and let work for the day.  These were one topping I made for for Udon with spicy peanut sauce I made for "U" day today.  I'm putting the left over back in the jar to let cure some more it's quite tasty.


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

20160619_191334[1].jpg




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foody518


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Jun 20, 2016








Polenta cakes topped with black beans, a little mango peach salsa. Though, not totally from scratch (polenta and salsa are store-bought).

Edit - plus onions+garlic, serranos, orange bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, cilantro


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

kaneohegirlinaz said:


> We love pickled vegetables!
> 
> I season the rice with this:
> 
> ...


Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a read tonight.


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

jake t buds said:


> I dunno. I think an animal was probably killed during the harvest of your lemons. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif
> 
> Looks great. I've never made fennel soup. On my list. Thanks.


PM if you want the recipie.


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## freshbaked (Jun 20, 2016)

image.jpeg




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freshbaked


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Jun 20, 2016







Roasted beet salad with citrus vinaigrette, spicy sweet pecans, goat cheese, balsamic reduction and local honey.





  








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freshbaked


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Jun 20, 2016








Spinach, pine nut and ricotta ravioli with roasted tomato sauce and Parmesan fondue.


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Salmon milking for caviar


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

MaryB said:


> Salmon milking for caviar


Thats incredible. You learn something new every day.


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## captainrough (Jun 13, 2016)

SAM_2961.JPG




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captainrough


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Jun 21, 2016








First ever entry! Will probably post another but this was my breakfast this morning!

Poached egg, avacado and mascarpone mousse, avacado salsa, avacado & lime puree.
Nice and fresh breakfast served with homemade melonade.

For the mousse:
Blitz avacado with lime, corriander and a touch of water, fold in a tablespoon of mascarpone then fold in soft peak whipped double cream. Season and set in fridge.
For the salsa:
Diced white onion, avacado, tomato. Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, mix in chiffonade corriander and season with sea salt and cracked black perpper.
For the puree:
Blitz avacado with lime juice to right consistency, finish with a splach of cream and sea salt.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Captainrough said:


> SAM_2961.JPG
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow! That is one elaborate breakfast! I trust it is a nicely poached egg (its a bit hidden by avocado /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif). Poached eggs are my favourite way of cooking eggs BTW.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

MaryB said:


> Salmon milking for caviar


I knew about this but didn't think I should intervene!


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

foody518 said:


> 20160619_191334[1].jpg
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Interesting and coincidental. I've just been cooking a whole load of polenta dishes for the Guardian newspaper recipe challenge (for which the theme is 'cornmeal'). I'm not a hug fan of cornmeal. The word 'bland' sails across my mind. But... I kind of worked out that if its paired with strong tastes, then it can work. Black beans are a favourite of mine. But it needs that chilli! Serranos will do the job./img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

011.JPG




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kaneohegirlinaz


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Jun 21, 2016








Not the best photo, but...

I love this dish, Namasu

great as a side dish, on sandwiches ...

1 Hot House or English Cucumber, thinly sliced (do not peel)

1 large Carrot, peel & thinly slice

1 Daikon or White Radish, peel & thinly slice

1 Tbsp. Sea Salt (or Kosher Salt, which ever you have)

1 inch piece of fresh Ginger Root, peeled & course chopped

½ C. Rice Wine Vinegar

½ C. granulated Sugar

Water as needed

In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar; remove from the heat and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Set aside.

In a large glass bowl, toss the vegetables with the Sea Salt and set aside for 15 minutes. Rinse and drain well, pressing out as much water as possible.

Return the veggies to the bowl and pour the vinegar mixture in; add enough cold water to cover the vegetables. Stir well and cover with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

freshbaked said:


> image.jpeg
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great presentation and a beautiful combinatioon of ingredients. Tell me more! Did you cook these in a restaurant or at home/ Whatever, I'm liking this!


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

JAH42 said:


> I throw in last nights main as well.
> 
> Fennel soup with a crunchy pickled fennel sallad and some lemon zest infused olive oil.
> 
> ...


Lovely! I like the idea of the pickled fennel and lemon zest oil contrasted with the creamy soup.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

kaneohegirlinaz said:


> 001.JPG
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I was wondering if someone might do sushi. This is very pretty indeed! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/licklips.gif


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## freshbaked (Jun 20, 2016)

morning glory said:


> Great presentation and a beautiful combinatioon of ingredients. Tell me more! Did you cook these in a restaurant or at home/ Whatever, I'm liking this!


Thank you! These dishes were created for a final project in culinary school. The task was to create a salad with 3 contrasting textures and 3+ accompianments, a hot entree with a 2 sauce and garnish , and a dessert with a sauce and garnish (not pictured but I did blood orange creme brûlée with chocolate sauce in the dish, under the creme brûlée with candied orange slices)


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

morning glory said:


> Interesting and coincidental. I've just been cooking a whole load of polenta dishes for the Guardian newspaper recipe challenge (for which the theme is 'cornmeal'). I'm not a hug fan of cornmeal. The word 'bland' sails across my mind. But... I kind of worked out that if its paired with strong tastes, then it can work. Black beans are a favourite of mine. But it needs that chilli! Serranos will do the job./img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


IMO you're spot on about needing to pair it with stronger tastes! The tang from the tomatoes, the smokiness I got from my seasonings, as well as the heat from the serranos helped


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## captainrough (Jun 13, 2016)

Of course, as always chef!


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## captainrough (Jun 13, 2016)

morning glory said:


> Wow! That is one elaborate breakfast! I trust it is a nicely poached egg (its a bit hidden by avocado /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif). Poached eggs are my favourite way of cooking eggs BTW.


It's a perfect poached egg chef, every time!


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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

*Malfati*

_Salsa De Pomodoro/ Fresh Tomato/ Fresh __Oregano_ 

_Aged Balsamic Vinegar/ Olive Oil/ Rennet Free Parmesan : )_





  








Malfati_large.jpg




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jake t buds


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Jun 22, 2016








And. . .





  








ChocoPeanutChocoSorbeMango_small.jpg




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jake t buds


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Jun 22, 2016








_Chocolate Peanut Biscotti/ Chocolate Sorbet/ Mango/ Toasted_

_Walnuts. _

I was told by the market manager that the truck that brought

the Ricotta to my local market hit a raccoon on the way to NYC.


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Chickpea Galore (or, more down to earth, Chickpea Overdose)

I started with soaking and cooking the chickpeas.

Then used part to make hummus (chickpeas and cooking liquid, cumin, garlic in the blender with some olive oil, paprika powder and chili flakes, just because I like it that way).

Then for part 2:

I dry roasted cumin and coriander and ground them.

Heated some ghee and added mustard seeds.

Once they sizzled nicely, I added onion and garlic and the coriander and cumin.

Fried for a bit and added turmeric, tomato, spinach, yoghurt and chickpeas





  








01 curry out of coriander cumin ghee mustard seed




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butzy


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Jun 23, 2016








I slightly warmed the hummus in the oven (I got no microwave) and assembeld the dish





  








06 assembled.jpg




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Jun 23, 2016











  








08 different view.jpg




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butzy


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Jun 23, 2016








Topped with a bit of yoghurt for extra colour and there we go:





  








09 topped with yoghurt.jpg




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butzy


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Jun 23, 2016


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

OK here we go! Sometimes it's fun to grill something that is not meat. I stopped by the local farm on the way home. This is the FARM part of the expensive local farm to table restaurants.

INGREDIENTS:

-Cuarzo squash, which I have to say I didn't think I liked squash but this was very very good texture compared to the supermarket stuff.

-Asparagus

-Peas - in the shell, so much better texture when you shell them yourself vs frozen

-Microgreens? What plant? i don't even know looks like pea shoots or beets maybe

Grilled the squash and asparagus over the hottest charcoal I could get. Just enough to get some color but keep the good texture not mush. Wok stir fry the peas. Fried an egg for fun.





  








DSC_0486.jpg




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millionsknives


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Jun 23, 2016


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## lagom (Sep 5, 2012)

It's Midsomar today in Sweden, later on we're going to be grilling and chilling but for brunch we had bannana, chocolate, oat pancakes, vegan with a rare expensive find here, real maple syrup from Canada.





  








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lagom


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Jun 24, 2016












  








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Jun 24, 2016


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

@Lagom Nice! Just curious how much maple syrup costs over there. Fun fact it takes 40+ gallons of maple tree sap reduced down to make 1 gallon of syrup.


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## lagom (Sep 5, 2012)

@millionsknives

About 40$ a liter for the stuff from across the pond. Tariffs kill us for that sorta thing. Worth every öre [emoji]128512[/emoji]


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

One of lifes simple pleasures.
A potato fresh from the back yard, boiled with some dill and salt. Served just with some butter and sea salt.
#happymidsummer





  








Screenshot_20160624-204657.png




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jah42


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Jun 24, 2016


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## lagom (Sep 5, 2012)

@JAH42. Topped with crime fraise and chives along with some homemade sill. [emoji]128512[/emoji]


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

I leave the sill for the others, but take seconds on the vodka [emoji]128515[/emoji]


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

This is not yet a complete dish.

I need to decide what to do with it and then it will be dinner tonight.

I lit the baby bbq last night, becuse I wanted a nice steak.

Then I realised I still had some yellow peppers lying around, so.......

I threw them in the embers /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif





  








01 braai.jpg




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Jun 27, 2016












  








02 yellow peppers on embers.jpg




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Jun 27, 2016












  








04 partly done.jpg




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05 partly done.jpg




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Jun 27, 2016












  








06 done.jpg




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Jun 27, 2016












  








11 cleaned peppers.jpg




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butzy


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Jun 27, 2016








And now is decission time:

Roasted pepper salad?

Roasted pepper soup?

Roasted pepper sauce?

<to be continued>


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

@butzy how about making a yellow pipperade for ratatouille? And that soup sounds awesome.


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

Pasta arrabiata!




  








Screenshot_20160628-182828.png




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jah42


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Jun 28, 2016


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

JAH42 said:


> Pasta arrabiata!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I love spicy Italian.


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Roasted pepper soup:

Just because I had never had it before

The roasted peppers from my earlier post, with vege stock from half a cube, paprika powder, cumin, chili, and garlic.

To make it a bit creamy, I put an egg in there just before taking it off the fire

And then the question is: How do you make a soup look good on a picture?

Anyway, this is my attempt:





  








17 roasted pepper soup with garlic-cumin-paprika-t




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butzy


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Jun 29, 2016












  








18 soup.jpg




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butzy


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Jun 29, 2016








Tasty, but next time I will use the roasted pepper for topping on my burger, or as a salad (just with balsemic vinegar and olive oil)


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Only a day to go folks... and correct me if I'm wrong, but we have no tofu recipes! This is going to be difficult to judge as there are a lot of entries and so many great ideas...


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

Mango salsa - green mangoes, hungarian pepper, orange bell pepper, red onion, lime





  








DSC_0500.jpg




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millionsknives


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Jun 29, 2016


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

MillionsKnives said:


> Mango salsa - green mangoes, hungarian pepper, orange bell pepper, red onion, lime
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks lovely! What are the dark bread bits?


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

blue corn chips


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## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Eggplant with Garlic and Basil

Sliced Chinese eggplant sauted in peanut oil and garlic, then braised in soy sauce, chili bean sauce, brown sugar and water.





  








eggplant with garlic and basil copy.JPG




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Hank


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Jun 29, 2016


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

It's funny but every eggplant species that's not this one





  








eggplant.jpg




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millionsknives


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Jun 30, 2016








is generally better. Less stringy, less bitter. I don't care if you're talking indian, thai, japanese, chinese, grafiti or what variety, they are all preferable to the one above.


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

morning glory said:


> Only a day to go folks... and correct me if I'm wrong, but we have no tofu recipes!


Doh! Hang on.

mjb.


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

I actually did this about a week ago, got sidetracked.

*The Players*





  








tofu1.jpg




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teamfat


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Jun 30, 2016








The main ingredient.





  








tofu2.jpg




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teamfat


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Jun 30, 2016








The supporting cast - chile paste, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Chinese sherry and some home made chicken stock.

*The Procedure*

The tofu was cut into bite sized bits and dusted in cornstarch:





  








tofu3.jpg




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teamfat


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Jun 30, 2016








Then into the fryer:






Ginger and garlic minced, soy sauce, sherry and chile paste mixed with it:





  








tofu4.jpg




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teamfat


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Jun 30, 2016








The deep fried tofu was placed on a rack to drain, the bowl of goodies went into a wok, brought to a simmer. Tofu added to the wok, brief stir, and dish it up.

*The Product*





  








tofu5.jpg




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teamfat


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Jun 30, 2016








It could have been better. The flavor was quite nice, but the texture was a bit off. I'm used to the deep fried tofu at a couple of restaurants, and theirs has a creamier inside. I think I should have used firm, not extra firm, and cooked it at a higher temp for a shorter time.


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

@teamfat you can fry medium tofu even! Just got to be more careful and spend some time to press out water between paper towels. Wouldn't bother with silken it falls apart too easily


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif Did you mention chicken stock in your tofu recipe, @teamfat?


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

MillionsKnives said:


> @teamfat you can fry medium tofu even! Just got to be more careful and spend some time to press out water between paper towels. Wouldn't bother with silken it falls apart too easily


Yep! You need to really press out the water.


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## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Tourte Milanese Vegetariano 

I placed puff pastry in a spring form pan and then layered scrambled eggs cooked with parsley and tarragon, spinach sautéed with garlic, roasted zucchini, swiss cheese, and roasted eggplant, and then a second layer of every thing in reverse ending with the eggs. Baked it for about 75 minutes at 350.





  








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Jun 30, 2016











  








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Jun 30, 2016












  








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Jun 30, 2016


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

@Hank, your torte looks great! But I'm curious why it needs 75 mins cooking time. That is really a long time, considering the filling is already cooked. Not that I've tried to make anything like this... so I am probably a bit ignorant here.


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## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

morning glory said:


> @Hank, your torte looks great! But I'm curious why it needs 75 mins cooking time. That is really a long time, considering the filling is already cooked. Not that I've tried to make anything like this... so I am probably a bit ignorant here.


Thanks Morning Glory. 75 min is how long it took for pastry to brown. The eggs were somewhat undercooked and I cooled them immediately to stop the cooking, and I under cooked the vegetables slightly as well.


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Chicken stock. Drat.

mjb.


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Ok, its judgement time! This month has been such an adventure. I'm quite an experienced vegetarian cook but I've learned so much from all your recipes and contributions. Its a really difficult task to choose a winner.

Here are just a few of the recipes which I loved: @Planethoff's Jamaican Red Bean stew and his Vegetable Curry, @Koukouvagia's Tomato Risotto with Okra, @JAH42's Grilled leeks with Roasted Hazlenuts @chefbuba's Asparagus and Zucchini Stirfry (with oyster sauce!), @butzy's Pasta with Marscapone, @kaneohegirlinaz's Sushi, @foody518's Polenta cakes, with Black Beans and Mango Salsa, @French Fries Lebanese Cabbage Salad with Capriau du Maron, @Nicko's Vegetable Terrine, @Hank's Eggplant withGarlic an Basil, @Mike9's Eggplant Rollotani, @MillionsKnives Roasted Eggplant, @Captainrough's Poached egg with Avocado, @jake t buds Asparagus Risotto, Freshbaked Roasted Beet Salad. Finally a special mention for @Lagom for an intriguing and complex array of vegetarian dishes. Its great to see a professional chef taking vegetarian food so seriously in the workplace.

However, In the end I have chosen @JAH42 as the winner. Originally beguiled by the Grilled Leeks starter, I was totally seduced by the Creme Ninon Poached Egg Soup and then there was the Asparagus risotto and the Fennel Soup. This is top vegetarian cooking!

A big thank you to all who participated. Its been great fun. Over to you @JAH42!


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## jah42 (Jul 16, 2013)

Woohoo! First time I enter the challenge and I go and win... can only go downhill from here 

But I really liked the challenge and hope I can come up with an equally good theme for July.

At the moment I would say vegetarian cooking is the biggest trend here in Scandinavia.

Many of the Michelin starred resturants have vegetarian dishes as the signature dishes now days.

I loved to see so varied cooking, but one dish stood out for me and that was @Planethoff falafel.

Falafel is normally something I consider cheap junkfood I eat when I dont have time for real lunch, but those wraps looked really tasty!

Regarding July's challenge, how does summer food / vacation food sound?

Finally, thanks @morning glory for hosting!

Ps. If anyone want a recipie, Just send me a PM

Br Jan


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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

@JAH42 Congratulations Jan!! Well done!!


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## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Well done JAH42!/img/vbsmilies/smilies/drinkbeer.gif


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Nicely done JAH42 and thank you morningglory for the most excellent challenge!


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

JAH42 said:


> Woohoo! First time I enter the challenge and I go and win... can only go downhill from here
> 
> But I really liked the challenge and hope I can come up with an equally good theme for July.
> 
> ...


You are welcome! I liked @Planethoff's Falafel too. Since his post where he said he had not been able to improve on pre-prepared, I've been trying to perfect my own home-made version! I used dried broad beans soaked overnight and then ground to a rough paste with spices. I think I'm getting there./img/vbsmilies/smilies/confused.gif I lived in Egypt for a year (many moons ago) so ate the real deal there! Re your theme, it sounds good but rather broad perhaps? Anyway, anything goes so it entirely up to you. I'm only thinking of you trying to judge it given that I've just been through that! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Congratulations!
Well deserved


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

@JAH42 brother (or Sister) you had me at POTATO! OMG! What a mouthwatering photo!

Kudos, I look forward to your choice in July's Challenge...


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

@morning glory GREAT JOB! What a fabulous challenge and so well hosted, thank you!


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

Congratulations JAH42! Very well done. The creme Ninon was beautiful. Thanks for the props on the falafel. It doesn't have to be fancy to be great as you were nice enough to point out. 

Morning Glory. Thanks for being a great host. I think this challenge really threw the whole community a curve ball and that is great. I am also super glad that you didn't pick tofu.


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## planethoff (Apr 25, 2011)

morning glory said:


> You are welcome! I liked @Planethoff
> 's Falafel too. Since his post where he said he had not been able to improve on pre-prepared, I've been trying to perfect my own home-made version! I used dried broad beans soaked overnight and then ground to a rough paste with spices. I think I'm getting there. I lived in Egypt for a year (many moons ago) so ate the real deal there! Re your theme, it sounds good but rather broad perhaps? Anyway, anything goes so it entirely up to you. I'm only thinking of you trying to judge it given that I've just been through that!


I can only imagine the stories you have from living in Egypt. Wow. I would love to have an evening of cnversation with you.

I found it comes down to hydration with the falafel and I can't get enough of the moisture out of either fresh soaked or canned to get the outside crust and interior texture. If you figure it out please tell me. I will go through all my trials f you want


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Planethoff said:


> Congratulations JAH42! Very well done. The creme Ninon was beautiful. Thanks for the props on the falafel. It doesn't have to be fancy to be great as you were nice enough to point out.
> 
> Morning Glory. Thanks for being a great host. I think this challenge really threw the whole community a curve ball and that is great. I am also super glad that you didn't pick tofu.


Thank you. Talking of tofu - here is a tofu dish I made not long ago in a bid to make tofu sexy! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif
[h2]Tofu, Aubergine and Beluga Lentils with Pomegranate Molasses[/h2]




  








IMGP0266.jpg




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morning glory


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Jul 2, 2016


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## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

@Planethoff, re the falafel I have been using split dried broad beans soaked overnight (fava beans) then drained thoroughly and patted dry with kitchen paper then ground in a food chopper (without being cooked first). Spices: cumin, powdered coriander, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, garlic, salt. Tinned beans or chickpeas are definately too mushy.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Just wanted to thank @morning glory for the great topic and everyone for a job well done.
Y'all made this style of cooking and eating approachable and fun.
Have already tried a couple of dishes and while they were not beautiful every dish turned out pretty tasty.

mimi


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