Month: January 2009

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Recipe: Moroccan Bison Stew (Make Ahead)

Call this fusion cuisine. There aren’t too many bison in Morocco, but Moroccan spices dazzle in this exotic and easy weeknight dish. Bison meat has less fat and calories per serving than chicken and has a cholesterol count similar to chicken — much less than other red meat. Throw it in a crockpot with veggies, chickpeas, and spices, and 4 hours later, enjoy a sumptuous meal.

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4″ chunks
1.5 large carrots, chopped (or a handful of baby carrots)
1.5 C mixed dried fruit (apricots, prunes, or dates, or a combination)
1 14.5 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, chopped
1.5 pounds cubed bison meat
1 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
pinch saffron
salt and black pepper to taste
1.5 c white wine or chicken stock

2 t honey

Add all ingredients but the honey to crockpot in order listed above (veggies on the bottom of the crockpot, meat on top, spices added directly to meat). Crock for 4 hours on high heat. Drizzle the honey over the meat and serve.

Posted on

Recipe: Moroccan Bison Stew (Make Ahead)

Call this fusion cuisine. There aren’t too many bison in Morocco, but Moroccan spices dazzle in this exotic and easy weeknight dish. Bison meat has less fat and calories per serving than chicken and has a cholesterol count similar to chicken — much less than other red meat. Throw it in a crockpot with veggies, chickpeas, and spices, and 4 hours later, enjoy a sumptuous meal.

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4″ chunks
1.5 large carrots, chopped (or a handful of baby carrots)
1.5 C mixed dried fruit (apricots, prunes, or dates, or a combination)
1 14.5 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, chopped
1.5 pounds cubed bison meat
1 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
pinch saffron
salt and black pepper to taste
1.5 c white wine or chicken stock

2 t honey

Add all ingredients but the honey to crockpot in order listed above (veggies on the bottom of the crockpot, meat on top, spices added directly to meat). Crock for 4 hours on high heat. Drizzle the honey over the meat and serve.

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Pumpkin-Cider Soup, 2 Ways

3 superfood soup! This soup is wonderful in both its brothy and creamy versions. The brothy version is quick and perfect for weeknight comfort. The creamy version adds another level of flavor and involves an immersion blender and a little more time and effort. This soup also allows me to take advantage of all of those delicious local apple ciders in both NY and MA.

Brothy Version:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

1T olive oil
3 C apple cider
1 T or about 1″ peeled fresh ginger, whole or sliced
1 cinnamon stick
2 black peppercorns
2 cloves
1 14.5 oz can pumpkin (sweet potato or even frozen butternut squash would also work here)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for garnish

1) Optional: place ginger, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cloves in a teabag or cheesecloth
2) In 3-qt saucepan, Simmer cider, ginger, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cloves for 10-15 minutes. Remove spices.
3) Stir in Pumpkin until it dissolves into soup. Salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with optional pumpkin seeds.

Creamy Version:
Prep Time: 35-40 minutes
Serves: 4
1) In 3-qt saucepan, saute 1 small onion (diced) with 1 T olive oil and pinch salt until soft (5-10 min)
2) Optional: cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cloves in a teabag or cheesecloth
3) Add 1.5-2 C Cider, ginger, and spices. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Remove spices.
4) Add (optional) 1/2 C silken tofu for a hit of protein. Puree with immersion blender. Salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with optional pumpkin seeds.

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Pumpkin-Cider Soup, 2 Ways

3 superfood soup! This soup is wonderful in both its brothy and creamy versions. The brothy version is quick and perfect for weeknight comfort. The creamy version adds another level of flavor and involves an immersion blender and a little more time and effort. This soup also allows me to take advantage of all of those delicious local apple ciders in both NY and MA.

Brothy Version:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

1T olive oil
3 C apple cider
1 T or about 1″ peeled fresh ginger, whole or sliced
1 cinnamon stick
2 black peppercorns
2 cloves
1 14.5 oz can pumpkin (sweet potato or even frozen butternut squash would also work here)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for garnish

1) Optional: place ginger, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cloves in a teabag or cheesecloth
2) In 3-qt saucepan, Simmer cider, ginger, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cloves for 10-15 minutes. Remove spices.
3) Stir in Pumpkin until it dissolves into soup. Salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with optional pumpkin seeds.

Creamy Version:
Prep Time: 35-40 minutes
Serves: 4
1) In 3-qt saucepan, saute 1 small onion (diced) with 1 T olive oil and pinch salt until soft (5-10 min)
2) Optional: cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cloves in a teabag or cheesecloth
3) Add 1.5-2 C Cider, ginger, and spices. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Remove spices.
4) Add (optional) 1/2 C silken tofu for a hit of protein. Puree with immersion blender. Salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with optional pumpkin seeds.

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Recipe: Easy Udon or Soba in Broth


This is another of my quick one-pot weeknight comfort food favorites. It has 3 main ingredients: kombu, or dried Japanese kelp, shoyu, high-quality Japanese soy sauce; and mirin, Japanese cooking rice wine. You can throw in any number of the extras below to vary the flavor and use up those stray leftover veggies.

All measurements are approximate. I do everything here by taste.

Total Time: 10-15 minutes
Serves: ~2-4; easily multiplied
Ingredients:
5 cups water
1 strip kombu
~ 4 T shoyu
~ 2-4 T mirin, other rice wine, white wine, or rice wine vinegar
1/2-1 8oz package soba or udon (depending on how much other stuff you’re adding)

To Make the Noodles and Broth:
Bring water to a boil. Add kombu and simmer for 4 minutes. Remove. Cook noodles in broth according to package instructions. While noodles are simmering, add shoyu, mirin, and any of the optional ingredients below. Experiment!

Add Optional Seasonings:
– 1-3 teaspoons agave or sugar (Agave works beautifully here without cloying sweetness)
– 1-2 T umeboshi plum vinegar or rice vinegar
– ponzu sauce (Japanese dipping sauce)
– lemon or lime juice
– peeled, grated ginger
– chiles or crushed red pepper flakes
– bonito flakes
– chopped reconstituted dried mushrooms and their soaking water
– miso

Add Optional Protein:
– 1-2 eggs, with or without yolks, beaten and stirred in vigorously while broth boils (raise heat from a simmer)
– cubed tofu
– cubed or shredded seitan
– chicken, meat, or fish, added directly to broth and cooked through

Add Optional Veggies to Broth or As Garnish:
– mushrooms
– scallions
– grated or sliced carrot
– mung bean or soy sprouts
– peeled, grated ginger
– grated daikon or other radish
– wakame flakes, hijiki, or other seaweed (also adds a hit of protein!)
– broccoli florets
– bok choy, spinach, or kale, coarsely chopped
– blanched sweet potato
– corn or baby corn
– umeboshi plums

Finish Your Beautiful, Steaming Bowl with Any of these Garnishes:
– toasted sesame seeds or gomasio (Japanese sesame seed and sea salt blend)
– lemon, lime, or orange zest
– handful of parsley and/or cilantro
– crushed cashews, peanuts, walnuts, or toasted almonds
– toasted sesame oil, drizzled into individual bowls

Posted on

Recipe: Easy Udon or Soba in Broth


This is another of my quick one-pot weeknight comfort food favorites. It has 3 main ingredients: kombu, or dried Japanese kelp, shoyu, high-quality Japanese soy sauce; and mirin, Japanese cooking rice wine. You can throw in any number of the extras below to vary the flavor and use up those stray leftover veggies.

All measurements are approximate. I do everything here by taste.

Total Time: 10-15 minutes
Serves: ~2-4; easily multiplied
Ingredients:
5 cups water
1 strip kombu
~ 4 T shoyu
~ 2-4 T mirin, other rice wine, white wine, or rice wine vinegar
1/2-1 8oz package soba or udon (depending on how much other stuff you’re adding)

To Make the Noodles and Broth:
Bring water to a boil. Add kombu and simmer for 4 minutes. Remove. Cook noodles in broth according to package instructions. While noodles are simmering, add shoyu, mirin, and any of the optional ingredients below. Experiment!

Add Optional Seasonings:
– 1-3 teaspoons agave or sugar (Agave works beautifully here without cloying sweetness)
– 1-2 T umeboshi plum vinegar or rice vinegar
– ponzu sauce (Japanese dipping sauce)
– lemon or lime juice
– peeled, grated ginger
– chiles or crushed red pepper flakes
– bonito flakes
– chopped reconstituted dried mushrooms and their soaking water
– miso

Add Optional Protein:
– 1-2 eggs, with or without yolks, beaten and stirred in vigorously while broth boils (raise heat from a simmer)
– cubed tofu
– cubed or shredded seitan
– chicken, meat, or fish, added directly to broth and cooked through

Add Optional Veggies to Broth or As Garnish:
– mushrooms
– scallions
– grated or sliced carrot
– mung bean or soy sprouts
– peeled, grated ginger
– grated daikon or other radish
– wakame flakes, hijiki, or other seaweed (also adds a hit of protein!)
– broccoli florets
– bok choy, spinach, or kale, coarsely chopped
– blanched sweet potato
– corn or baby corn
– umeboshi plums

Finish Your Beautiful, Steaming Bowl with Any of these Garnishes:
– toasted sesame seeds or gomasio (Japanese sesame seed and sea salt blend)
– lemon, lime, or orange zest
– handful of parsley and/or cilantro
– crushed cashews, peanuts, walnuts, or toasted almonds
– toasted sesame oil, drizzled into individual bowls