Fearless Kitchen

Recipe: Cod in a Spicy Mushroom Sauce

Recipe Source: Husain, Shehzad with Rafi Fernandez, Mridula Baljekar and Manisha Kanani.  India's 500 Best Recipes.  Anness Publishing, London, 2006 p. 41

This was a fun recipe for me, because it really moved me outside my comfort zone.  I haven't seen a whole lot of fish dishes that include mushrooms - they're out there, but they aren't exactly common.  Since dishes that pair fish and dairy products are pretty rare in my native culinary tradition, this was doubly unusual for me.  That doesn't mean it wasn't good.  On the contrary, it was downright delicious.  It was also pretty easy to cook up, which made it ideal for a lazy Friday night.

Cod in a Spicy Mushroom Sauce (serves 4; approx. $6.19/serving)

1 giant cod fillet (or 4 smaller ones)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon black pepper

10 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms

3/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt

1 ounce minced ginger

6 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

a few fresh cilantro leaves

Equipment:

• Broiler pan
• Large wok or saute pan
• Bowl

1. Preheat your broiler.
2. Sprinkle the cod with lemon juice and broil 5 minutes per side. 
3. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Heat the oil in the wok. 
5. Add the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns.  Cook 2 - 3 minutes.
6. Add the mushrooms, lower the heat and cook another 5 minutes or so.
7. Combine the yogurt, ginger, garlic, spices and salt in the bowl.
8. Add the yogurt mixture to the wok and cook very gently 5 - 6 minutes. 
9. Add the fish to the wok and cook until heated and cooked through. 
10. Garnish with the cilantro and serve. 

Recipe: Lamb Chops in Garlic Tomato Sauce

Recipe Source: Basan, Ghillie.  The Complete Book of Turkish Cooking.  Anness Publishing, London, 2007 p. 204

The weather in New England can be kind of weird.  The temperature can go from mild and sunny to stormy and damp to icy and dry in three days (sometimes even less.)  When I made this, early in March, the weather was cold and damp and kind of unpleasant.  A few days later we got a spell of bright warm sunshine, which makes me feel a little silly talking about this hearty, meaty, delicious dish.  To be quite honest I would probably enjoy this just as much in the heat of August as I did in chilly damp March. 

I did make a few changes.  I omitted the butter out of respect for my husband's preferences.  I changed the cut of lamb chop, using shoulder blade chops instead, because they were considerably less expensive.  I increased the number of chiles, omitted the sugar (because if my grandmother caught me putting sugar into anything with tomatoes she'd pinch me), and increased the amount of garlic by a whole lot. 

Lamb Chops in Garlic Tomato Sauce (serves 4; approx. $4.07/serving)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 lamb shoulder blade chops

1 onion, finely chopped

3 serrano chiles, finely chopped

8 garlic cloves, crushed

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes (use 2-3 fresh in season)

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

Oregano, kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Equipment:

• Large, deep saute pan or pot

1. Heat the oil in the pan.  Brown the lamb chops on both sides, then remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Add the onion, serranos and garlic.  Fry gently until the onion begins to brown. 
3. Add the vinegar, bay leaf, green pepper and tomatoes.  Lower the heat and simmer 30 minutes. 
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Return the lamb to the pan.  Make sure it is completely covered in the sauce.  Cook until the meat is tender, about 15 minutes.
6. Transfer to a serving platter, cover in sauce, sprinkle with oregano and serve. 

Recipe: Chicken and Mixed Nut Stew

Recipe Source: Samuelsson, Marcus.  The Soul of a New Cuisine.  John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, 2006 p. 114

I'm about to really, really date myself here.  At least, I'll be dating myself as far as anyone from the Boston area is concerned.  I had to make some changes to this recipe, and the biggest change I had to make was substituting cashews for peanuts.  Unfortunately, some of my supply of cashews got contaminated, and I had to replace that container with almonds.  I'd initially intended to call this a chicken and cashew stew, but now the nuts were mixed.  This made it a mixed nut stew.... and as soon as I realized that, I couldn't get Mixed Nuts out of my head.  Mixed Nuts was a handful of guys, probably homeless but one shouldn't make assumptions, who used to hang around in Kenmore Square and play air guitar for spare change.  I don't spend much time in Kenmore Square anymore and haven't in a long time, but when I have been in that area I haven't seen them. 

The picture isn't pretty.  I guess it kind of looks like something you might find in Kenmore Square late on a Saturday night toward the end of baseball season, just as the frat party season is getting underway.  At least, that's what you would have found in that area back in the day.  It's been a while.  Anyway, don't let appearances fool you.  This stew was absolutely delicious. 

Chicken and Mixed Nut Stew (serves 4; approx. $5.71/serving)

2 onions, sliced

2 carrots, chopped

2 habanero chiles, halved

1 1/2 ounces grated ginger

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon black pepper

4 cups water

2 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into pieces

1 cup unsalted cashews

1 cup unsalted almonds

3 tablespoons Olive oil

2 baking potatoes, cubed

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pound spinach, chopped (I used frozen)

Equipment:

• Large wok or saucepan
• Small frying pan
• Food processor
• Large saute pan
• Immersion blender

1. Combine the onions, carrots, chiles, ginger, bay leaves, peppercorns and water in the saucepan.  Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add the chicken and simmer 25 minutes uncovered.  The chicken should be cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, toast the cashews in the frying pan over medium heat.  Do this carefully lest they burn.
4. Grind the cashews into a thick, coarse paste in the food processor. 
5. Toast the almonds in the frying pan.  Set aside.
6. Remove the chicken from the vegetables and cooking liquid.  Set aside, preferably out of reach of the dog.
7. Use the immersion blender to puree the vegetables in the pot.  I left a few chunks because I prefer that kind of texture, but it's up to you.  Discard the bay leaves before you do this. 
8. Heat the oil in the large saute pan. 
9. Add the potatoes and saute until golden brown.
10. Add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides.  Remove pan from heat.
11. Return the pot with the vegetables to a boil.  Add the cashew puree and almonds.  Stir well to combine.
12. Add the tomatoes, chicken, spinach and potatoes.  Simmer until warmed through.
13. Season to taste and serve. 

Recipe: Kale and Mushroom Tacos

Recipe Source: Bayless, Rick.  Mexican Everyday.  W. W. Norton and Company, New York, 2005 pp. 215-218

I made this recipe recently as part of my efforts to prove that a vegetarian meal doesn't have to taste like cardboard.  While I did make a few... spontaneous changes... I'd say that I succeeded in my goal.  These tacos were pretty tasty (if I do say so) and the whole dish was easy to make.  It was made even easier by one of those changes.  The original recipe called for making the salsa when you cooked the meal.  I'd found a container of Salsa Verde that was left over from a recipe my husband made in the freezer.  I decided to use it, which certainly made my life easier. 

One of the spontaneous changes I made involved the dish itself.  You see, the name of the recipe is on page 215.  The ingredients and instructions - the important part of the recipe - were on page 217.  I was a little rushed when I was making this, and to make a long story short I didn't realize that these were supposed to be enchiladas.  Looking at the photo - on p. 216, so visible while I was cooking - would have set me straight, but whatever.  These worked as tacos. 

Other changes I made were an increase in the amount of mushrooms (the mushrooms came in a 10-oz package and I didn't want leftovers), substituting kale for spinach (we'd already had several spinach dishes that week and I wanted more variety), omitting the (optional) chicken, using these odd multi-grain tortillas instead of corn (because I've bee really unhappy with the corn tortillas I can get here), omitting the sugar, and using feta for the queso fresco (which was a suggested option so I shouldn't really describe it as a change.)  I'm pretty happy with all the changes I made, although the tortillas were a bit larger than called for and so the filling didn't come close to... well, filling them. 

Kale and Mushroom Tacos (serves 4; approx. $3.70/serving)

1 1/2 cups Roasted Salsa Verde (or store-bought)

1 tablespoon olive oil

10 ounces mushrooms, sliced (I like baby bella)

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 bunch kale, stemmed and sliced

Pinch kosher salt

12 tortillas - I used these strange multi-grain tortillas but corn tortillas are more authentic

4 ounces crumbled feta

Equipment:

• Saute pan

1. Heat the oil in the saute pan over medium-low heat. 
2. Add the mushrooms and cook until they soften.
3. Add the onion and salt and continue cooking until the onion is translucent. 
4. Add the kale.  Cook until it starts to wilt.
5. Add the salsa.  Cook 1 - 2 minutes and remove from heat.
6. Add the cheese. 
7. Spoon 1/12 of the mixture into the middle of the tortillas. 
8. Serve.

Recipe: Spinach Kofta in Yogurt Sauce

Recipe Source: Wickramsinghe, Priya and Carol Selva Rajah.  The Food of India.  Murdoch Books, Millers Point 2008 p. 174

I'm not a vegetarian.  Not even close.  I have had vegetarian phases of my life, though.  Unfortunately most of those phases came before I discovered that vegetarian food can be tasty.  Vegetarianism doesn't have to be a penance, and it doesn't have to be unhealthy.  From what I'm told, eating just a few vegetarian meals a week can really improve your health.  I know it can improve your budget. 

Now, on to this recipe.  I had originally flagged it to make over the summer when we were doing our Sunday open houses as a vegetarian entree.  However, I kept putting it off.  The vegetarians I was trying to anticipate didn't show up, and the recipe looked complicated.  I was trying to come up with a vegetarian meal for the week recently when I remembered that I'd flagged this.  Once I made it, I immediately regretted not making it during the summer.  It was not complicated.  It was quite easy.  I made a few changes, such as increasing the garlic, using canned tomatoes, and not deep-frying the kofta.  I did use plenty of oil when frying them up, but out of sensitivity to my husband's stomach I avoided deep-frying. 

I made this with another vegetarian dish (to be posted at a later date).  Both dishes resembled dishes that usually have meat, a fact that my husband remarked upon.  What he said was that he didn't miss the meat at all.  The dishes left him feeling satisfied and satiated, they had plenty of flavor, and they weren't a pain to make.  I do think that using the frozen spinach gave the kofta a kind of watery taste that I wasn't overly enthusiastic about, but for the most part we both really liked this and I will cheerfully make it again and again. 

Spinach Kofta in Yogurt Sauce (serves 4; approx. $1.75/serving)

1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt

4 tablespoons chickpea flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

6 curry leaves

1 onion, finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 1/2 cups chickpea flour

1 red onion, finely chopped

7 ounces diced canned tomatoes, drained

5 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Oil for frying - this will depend on the kind of pan you use and the kind of frying you're choosing to do.  I used some canola oil that mysteriously appeared in our house after a vacation; what you use is up to you, but olive oil has a low smoking point so be warned.

Equipment:

• Large saucepan
• Whisk
• Large wok or saute pan
• 2 large bowls
• Slotted spoon

1. Combine the yogurt and the first 4 tablespoons chickpea flour in one of the bowls.  Add 3 cups of water and whisk to form a very smooth paste. 
2. Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in the saucepan.
3. Add the mustard and fenugreek seeds and the curry leaves.  Cook until the seeds start to pop.  This will be quick, so don't turn your back on it.
4. Add the onion and cook until the onion softens and starts to brown. 
5. Add the turmeric and chili powder.  Cook 30 seconds. 
6. Add the yogurt mixture.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Season with kosher salt to taste.
7. Meanwhile, in the second bowl, combine the spinach and remaining ingredients (up through the oil, obviously) with a pinch of kosher salt.  Mix with your hands. 
8. Form into balls about the size of a walnut. 
9. Heat the oil in the wok.  When it is hot, add the spinach balls.  Cook them until they are browned on all sides.  When they are done, remove them with a slotted spoon.  Let the oil drain from them for a second or two, then add to the yogurt sauce.  Work in batches. 
10. When all of the non-meatballs have been added to the sauce, you're done.  Transfer to the serving vessel and serve. 

Recipe: Clams with Tomatoes and Garlic

Recipe Source: Weir, Joanne.  From Tapas to Meze.  Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, 2004 p. 44

Shellfish are an important part of New England culinary life.  It's not all baked scrod and deep-fried haddock around here.  Most of the time the shellfish even comes from New England, so you're supporting at least semi-local businesses by using them.  They're a healthy source of protein, and if you're an (observant) Orthodox Christian they're an acceptable source of protein during Lent.  They're tasty and, depending on your source, they can be a lot easier on the budget than some other piscene food sources.

They're also dead easy to make. 

I used to be afraid to make them.  I was terrified of food-borne illness.  For the most part, the shellfish population in this country is safe.  There are places around here that produce shellfish that ought not to.  My husband has actually seen people digging for clams off Logan Airport, which seems like a colossally bad idea to me.  Your fishmonger is required to tell you where your shellfish came from, so if in doubt, ask.  Anyway, if you follow some basic rules about storage et cetera and you eat them the day you buy them, you should be okay. 

So I really enjoy shellfish and tend to make it once a week or so, although sometimes I'm just not feeling inspired by mollusks and go for meat.  I decided to make this on a recent Friday night for me and my husband.  Then we heard some friends were having a tough day - their roof was leaking badly and the wife was trying to make the cupcakes for a baby shower... in Nyack.  We decided that we would bring dinner to them.  Now, this is a tapas dish intended to serve 6 as part of a tapas spread.  I figured it would serve two as a main course, not four.  I remembered something a very wise friend taught me years ago.  Starch is filling.  The right kind of starch can also provide an excellent vehicle for sauce... like the sauce from this dish.  But what kind of starch?  Bread was right out - I didn't have enough time to make it.  Rice would have been okay, but kind of dull.  Barley was kind of what I was in the mood for, but I hadn't any.  I did however have a huge sack of quinoa.  The lady of the house we were bringing the food to is quite fond of quinoa.  I decided that the dish you see here would be served on a bed of quinoa. 

I made a few other changes as well.  I reduced the amount of olive oil slightly to reduce fat.  I used more tomatoes than called for, all of the canned variety.  I'd opened a can for another recipe and wanted to use up more of those leftovers.  Besides, tomatoes are incredibly tasty and are packed with lycopene, which is good for you.  I was distinctly lacking in a white wine I wanted to use for cooking, so I substituted some hard cider.  It's my understanding that in some parts of Spain that would be perfectly normal.  I could be wrong though.  Anyway, I used Lemony Vegetable Broth instead of fish stock because I had it and because it's a lot cheaper than fish stock or clam juice.  I also increased the amount of garlic.  How can a recipe have garlic in the title and only include one clove?  Seriously. 

Clams with Tomatoes and Garlic (serves 4; approx. $3.80/serving)

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

21 ounces (approx.) diced canned tomatoes with their juices

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 cup hard apple cider (I'm a big fan of Harpoon cider if you can get it)

1 cup Lemony Vegetable Broth

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

8 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 pounds fresh clams

2 cups quinoa

4 cups water

Equipment:

• Large wok, pot or saute pan with lid
• Immersion blender
• Medium saucepan with lid

1. Combine the quinoa and the water in the medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes, then let stand (covered) and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in the other pot.
3. Add the onion and cook until it begins to turn golden and gets soft.
4. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste.  Cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add the cider.  Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half.
6. Add the broth.  Simmer another 5 minutes.
7. Using the immersion blender, puree the sauce.  I was more than willing to leave a few chunks in there for texture.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Add the clams, parsley and garlic to the pan. 
9. Cover and cook over high heat 5 - 10 minutes, or until the clams are open. 
10. Put the quinoa into your serving vessel.
11. Pour the clams and the sauce from the pan over the quinoa and serve. 

Recipe: Goan Clams and Mussels

Recipe Source: Vijayakar, Sunil.  Fresh Indian.  Octopus Publishing Group, London, 2005 p. 68

I've been trying to save money on our food budget.  The thing is, I'm not willing to shop at the two main supermarket chains near me if I can possibly avoid it.  I refuse to set foot in the closest supermarket at all; they rarely have anything I want, the produce (what there is of it) is not only rotten but vastly overpriced and the less said about their meat the better.  I will barely tolerate the other large supermarket if forced, but their produce is only marginally better than the first market and their meat is vile.  They sold me a rotten duck once.  You'll note that I have not mentioned their fish departments.  I'll let you figure out what the reason for that is. 

Anyway, there are places I can go to buy food.  My usual standby is Whole Foods, but they are pretty expensive.  There's Wilson Farms up in Lexington, which is great if I'm just getting vegetables and not getting anything weird with my meat.  There's also the Fruit Center Marketplace, which offers some middle ground between the crappy supermarkets and Whole Foods.  Unfortunately FCM doesn't often carry the cuts and types of meat I'm looking for and doesn't carry the full line of cleaning products I prefer.  I've been trying to alternate between them, and last week was a Fruit Center week.

The weather on Shopping Day was simply stunning, and our poor dog has been cooped up for months between the weather, my pregnancy and finally the new baby (who he firmly believes to be a defective puppy.)  My husband had a great idea: let's take the dog and the Fearless Baby down to Scituate Light.  It's a beautiful spot for those of you who haven't been.  Anyway, he thought we might be able to stop at the market on the way home, with him sitting with the baby and the dog while I shopped.  This was agreed to, but I was a little nervous about getting shellfish at the Fruit Center.  What if they were out?  What if they just don't carry shellfish?  He thought about that.  Finally he remembered something.  "Isn't there a fish market in Scituate?  We can try that." 

We did try it, and I was very pleased with the results.  While I paid as much as I would have at Whole Foods for the shellfish I needed, there were far fewer shellfish that needed to be discarded (whether for open shells, broken shells or failure to open when cooked.)  While I'm generally militantly opposed to hitting multiple stores to do my shopping - I hate shopping - I'd say that this fish shop was worth it.

Right.  So, onto the food.  I was drawn to this dish because it was something a little bit different to do with shellfish.  I did make a few changes to the original recipe.  I used olive oil instead of sunflower oil, because we only use olive oil around here.  The fresh ginger had to be exchanged for ground ginger because I couldn't find any fresh.  I increased the garlic and used canned tomatoes (it was February when I made this.)  I don't have any garam masala pre-mixed on hand, so I used a combination of my favorite spices instead.  The result was delicious if I do say so myself, and soaking up the juices with a little bit of crusty bread was simply divine. 

Goan Clams and Mussels (serves 4; approx. $4.56/serving)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 shallots finely sliced

1 red chile (I used a cayenne), sliced lengthwise

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3 garlic cloves, crushed

14 ounces canned San Marzano tomatoes, in their juices (these are salty, so consider how much salt you add for seasoning)

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon chili powder (I like Chili Powder Extra Hot)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 1/4 pounds fresh clams

2 pounds fresh mussels, debearded

6 ounces grated coconut

6 - 8 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Equipment:

• Large wok or saute pan with lid

1. Heat the oil in the wok
2. Add the shallots, chile, ginger and garlic.  Cook over high heat 2 - 3 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and spices.  Cook 3 - 4 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add the shellfish.  Stir to mix and cover tightly.  Cook over high heat 6 - 8 minutes.
5. Discard any shellfish that remain closed. 
6. Add the coconut and cilantro.  Mix well.
7. Serve. 

Recipe: Kimchi Fried Rice

Recipe Source: Lee, Cecilia Hae-Jin.  Eating Korean.  John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, 2005 p. 31

Sometimes people can be odd.  For example, I detest cabbage.  I will not allow cabbage to be cooked in my home, I will not allow it to be grown in my garden and the merest suggestion will cause me to run for the hills.  There is an exception to my cabbage aversion, though, and it is kimchi.  I don't know why.  It's not as though I'm Korean.  I didn't grow up eating the stuff, it's not part of my heritage or anything.  And it is pungent, which should trigger my strong aversion to anything that smells bad.  When it comes down to it, though, I will always eat kimchi if provided. 

We've had a jar of kimchi in the fridge for a while now.  While planning the menu for that first week back in the kitchen after the birth of the Fearless Baby, I was looking for recipes that would use up ingredients we already had and which would be relatively easy.  A fried rice dish seemed to fit the bill.  This recipe was actually even less intensive than a lot of the Chinese fried rice recipes I've seen.  I decided that I would make this dish.

I made a few substitutions.  I substituted turkey for the pork called for in the original, as I am still terrified to try and eat pork.  I increased the amount of garlic.  I used hot pepper sesame oil instead of vegetable oil, because I like it, but I reduced the amount of oil because my husband can't tolerate oily food.  And, ah, I added the eggs.  I'd love to tell you that I added the eggs to put more protein into what was our main dish, but I wasn't that slick.  I had been convinced that the original called for eggs.  Since the only eggs we had in the house had gone bad (I'd purchased them well before our daughter was born.  Their expiration date was the day she was born.  Ick.) I asked my husband to run out and get me more eggs.  He did.  Then I opened the cookbook and noticed that there had actually been no eggs called for in this recipe.  I decided that if I sent him out for egg I'd darned well better use them!  Oh, the original claimed to make 2 servings, but I think this would have served 4 easily.)

The result was pretty tasty if I do say so.  My husband enjoyed it so much that he asked for more.  Since it was amazingly easy, I think it's a good dish for those nights when we're very rushed or don't have the energy to screw around in the kitchen. 

Kimchi Fried Rice (serves 4; approx. $1.07/serving)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 onion, chopped

1/4 pound turkey cutlets, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 1/4 tablespoons hot pepper sesame oil, divided

3 cups leftover rice

1 cup kimchi (approx.)

2 scallions, chopped

2 eggs, beaten

Equipment:

• Large wok

1. Heat 1 tablespoon hot pepper sesame oil in the wok. 
2. Add the garlic, onion and turkey.  Cook over high heat until the turkey is well browned.
3. Add the rice.  Reduce the heat if your dish seems to be burning and cook until the rice is no longer hard or clumping together so much.
4. Add the kimchi, scallions and remaining hot pepper sesame oil.  Cook another 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly. 
5. Make a well in the center of the wok and add the eggs.  Let stand until the eggs are starting to set up, then stir furiously until the eggs are well mixed.
6. Serve.  Note: I made the rice with a bit of salt, but if you would like more you can add soy sauce to taste. 

Recipe: Vegetable Lasagne

This recipe was inspired by a recipe in a Martha Stewart Living magazine, but I can't remember which one right now.  I'd originally intended to make that recipe, bechamel and all, but when the time came to make the food I realized something: the entire recipe was intended to be made in the microwave.  For some people this would be fantastic, particularly for those without ovens (college students, people in small odd apartments, et cetera.)  For me, however, the microwave exists to keep food away from the pets in the house.  This is the purpose for which it was reserved when I went to make my lasagne, so I had to completely re-think the dish. 

This is the last recipe I cooked before my daughter was born, and all in all I was pretty happy with it.  I knew that once she was on the outside I was going to be out of commission for a while, leaving my husband to do the cooking.  He's actually a pretty decent cook (you've probably seen his recipes up here a time or two) but he really kind of disdains vegetables.  I wanted to get some last-ditch vegetable goodness in before relying on meat and refined carbohydrates, and this dish gave me that.  It also gave me a lot of flavor, which was quite nice if I do say so. 

Vegetable Lasagne (Serves 6; approx. $3.68/serving)

2 onions

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups Vegetarian Tomato Sauce

1 bunch mustard greens, chopped

10 ounces sliced mushrooms (I used Baby Bella)

8 ounces goat cheddar, thinly sliced

24 ounces part-skim ricotta

2 ounces pecorino

4 ounces mozzarella

Pinch kosher salt

Black pepper to taste

1 box no-boil lasagne noodles

Equipment:

• Large wok or saute pan
• Square baking pan

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat the oil in the saute pan.
3. Add the onions and garlic.  Sweat until softened.
4. Add the mushrooms.  Cook gently until softened and until they give up some of their juices.
5. Add the mustard greens and saute until just starting to wilt.  Season to taste and then remove the pan from heat.
6. Lay a bed of lasagne noodles on the bottom of the baking pan.  (Using tin foil here will make cleanup much easier, but it isn't necessary and I can't remember if I did it or not.)
7. Add a layer of the vegetables from the saute pan. 
8. Layer some of the goat cheddar on top, followed by a small amount of tomato sauce and a sprinkling of the pecorino and mozzarella. 
9. Repeat until all the ingredients are used up or you have exceeded the sides of your pan, whichever comes first.  The top layer should be noodles, with a bit of mozzarella and pecorino on the top. 
10. Bake at least 20 minutes, until the noodles are softened and the cheese is browned.
11. Let rest at least 5 minutes, then serve. 

Recipe: Mushroom and Tomato Sauce

While I was pregnant, I found myself craving ravioli.  This was probably the result of a calcium deficiency; I don't tend to eat a whole lot of dairy, and a fetus will leech the calcium from your very bones if it isn't getting what it needs from your diet.  I also found myself with a very low energy level, and while boiling up store-bought ravioli wasn't exactly the pinnacle of my culinary career it was certainly easy.  One night I had some ravioli and needed something to put on top of them.  I had some of the Vegetarian Tomato Sauce I made for another dish in the freezer.  I also had a whole bunch of sliced mushrooms I'd purchased for a dish I decided not to make.  This would give us more vegetables, which is always good. 

Mushroom and Tomato Sauce (makes enough for two servings of ravioli; approx. $2.76/serving)

2 cups Vegetarian Tomato Sauce, thawed if frozen (if you don't have this particular item in your freezer, you can dress up another sauce with the mushrooms.)

1 tablespoon olive oil

10 ounces sliced Baby Bella mushrooms

Equipment:

• Wok or saute pan

1. Heat the oil in the saute pan over medium-low heat.
2. Add the mushrooms and saute until soft.
3. Add the tomato sauce.  Heat thoroughly.
4. Pour over your desired pasta and serve.