Meatless Monday recipe for October 3, 2014

I sometimes enjoy eating falafel.   But I must admit that I do not like the mess that comes with deep frying.  So when I saw this recipe for baked falafel I knew I had to try it.  The results of how this dish came out have earned it a spot in our menu rotation. 
Sorry, I do not have a photo. 

I believe the original source of this recipe was a web site:  www.chowvegan.com.  The website will not come up so I do not know if it is network issues or that the website has gone the great ethernet graveyard in the cloud. 

Here is the recipe.  My serving method is at the end under notes.



Baked Falafel
Makes about 21 balls

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Put in a medium sized bowl and smash with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Form into small balls, about 1 1/2″ in diameter and slightly flatten. Place onto an oiled baking pan.
Bake for 15 minutes on each side, until nicely browned (since it’s baked, only the part actually touching the pan will be browned and crispy).
Serve with mini pita pockets, hummus, tahini sauce, tomatoes, lettuce and/or cucumber.

Notes:
I am not a real big fan of some middle eastern food items so I came up with an alternative serving that suits my taste buds and improved the nutritional content.
For lack of better words, I make a "taco" with the falafel.  I use fat free whole wheat roti as the flatbread, add the baked falafel and top it with a slaw made from julienne cut jicama, cilantro and lime with a little salt and pepper.  When I make this dish I also shape the falafel in to "finger" shapes before baking them.  This facilitates eating wrapped it up in a "taco".  
 I think the next time I make this, I will also make some salsa from fresh red Fresno peppers for it.  This would make for a spicier and more colorful "taco".   If you can not find roti or do not wish to make your own, whole wheat flour tortillas can be substituted.

I hope you enjoy.
Until next time:
Bon Appetit Y'all
Chef Leslie Bartosh

Sauteed Chicken Breast with Tarragon Sauce

In the basic food prep course at Alvin Community College, our culinary arts program teaches our students fundamental techniques, like how to saute.  The class is set up to introduce skills and then build on them as new competencies are introduced.
Last night, the class utilized the previous competencies of making saffron rice pilaf, glazed carrots and the making of veloute based soups.  The class made saffron rice pilaf, glazed carrots and made veloute sauce.  They then sauteed a boneless chicken breast and used the fond in the pan as they made tarragon sauce to go with the chicken.
This is what their plate looked like at the end of the night.  (The recipe follows).

Supremes A’lestragon

Yield: 4 servings

4 ea                  Chicken supreme

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Flour, as needed

4 tsp                 Shallots, minced

8 oz                  Wine, white, dry

8 oz                  Chicken velouté

4 oz                  Cream

2 tsp                 Tarragon

Dry the chicken breasts thoroughly (skin on or off) and dredge in flour.

Cook chicken according to the principles of sautéing in clarified butter.

Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.

Degrease pan and sauté shallots until they are translucent.

Deglaze pan with the white wine, add tarragon and reduce until au sec.

Add the velouté, and cream.

Reduce to Nappe.

Adjust seasoning.

Nappe chicken with sauce.

I hope you enjoy.

Until next time.

Bon Appetit Y'all

Chef Leslie Bartosh

Meatless Monday Recipes continued

This recipe is one of my favorites.  We do this recipe in our International Cuisine class at Alvin College, in our Culinary Arts Program.
It combines many things I like into one dish.And for a gringo (like me ), it has just about all of the flavors I associate with Latin American Food. I hope you enjoy.

Porotos Granados (Grand Chile Stew)

Yield: 6 servings

1½ cups dried cranberry or pinto beans

as needed chicken stock

1 large onion, medium dice

4 each aji chiles (or jalapenos), seeds removed

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, pureed

6 each tomatoes, concasse

2 cups winter squash, in ½” cubes

1 cup fresh corn kernels

To taste chopped cilantro, parsley

to taste salt and pepper

Cover the beans with cold water, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and let sit for 1 hour.  Strain beans and cover with chicken stock; bring to a boil and let simmer for 1 hour.

In a large skillet, sauté the onion and chile in the oil. 

Add the garlic, tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. 

Simmer until mixture reduces slightly. 

Remove from heat.

Add squash to beans and cook until tender; add the tomato mixture and corn; simmer 30 minutes. 

Finish stew with fresh herbs and season to taste.

Until next time.

Bon Appetit Y'all

Chef Leslie Bartosh

Meatless Monday Caprese Quinoa Bake with Basil and Balsamic Reduction

 Welcome to another meatless Monday recipe.  I must admit I have not made this one yet.  But, I like the flavors involved and I hope to make it soon. 

This recipe and the photo came from the following website:

http://www.domesticate-me.com/caprese-quinoa-bake/

One of my students posted the link on facebook.  I hope you enjoy.

Caprese Quinoa Bake with Basil and Balsamic

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups petite Roma or cherry tomatoes, halved (I used a blend of red and yellow tomatoes, but all red is fine.)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 2 small shallots, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup packed basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces fresh part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated (about 1 cup of grated cheese)
• 8 ounces fresh part-skim mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/4–inch rounds
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small pot, bring the quinoa and 1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons water to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed. Let the quinoa rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, place the halved tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes until they’re tender and the skins have started to burst.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. When hot, add the minced shallots and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the shallots have become translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
5. In a large bowl combine the quinoa, roasted tomatoes, cooked shallots and garlic, and basil. Stir in the grated mozzarella and season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
6. Transfer the quinoa mixture to a large skillet and smooth the top. (Yes, you can use a round, square or rectangular baking dish if that’s what you have. Duh.)
7. Starting in the center, overlap slices of tomatoes and mozzarella in a small circle. Make a second circle of overlapping tomatoes and mozzarella, covering the surface of the quinoa. (If you’re using a square or rectangular dish, just make two lines of overlapping tomatoes and mozzarella and call it a day.)
8. Cover the skillet loosely with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.
9. While your quinoa bake is in the oven, place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 3-5 minutes until the vinegar becomes syrupy. Remove from the heat and set aside.
10. Sprinkle your quinoa bake with freshly sliced basil and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Serve immediately.

Until next time.

Bon Appetit Y'all

Chef Leslie Bartosh

Ratatouille with Eggs

I was too late for meatless Monday with this recipe but just in time for Tuesday night!  I am a fan of cooking eggs in well seasoned soups and stews.  And I must admit I had been craving this combination for a couple of weeks.  When I ran across a recipe for ratatouille last week I knew it was time. 

I used the recipe for Alice Water's Ratatouille as the base for this dish.  When the Ratatouille was done I used a spoon to create four "wells" in it.  Into each "well" went a raw egg that was then seasoned with salt and coarse black pepper.  I put the pan into the oven and let the eggs cook until I liked their doneness.  Voila:  dinner.  It went pretty well with slices of slightly toasted crusty bread.  I hope you will try it and let me know what you think.

The following photo is the dish still in pan.  At the end is a photo of the dish plated.  This would be wonderful done in individual casserole dishes.

Here is the recipe for Alice Water’s Ratatouille

Serves 6 to 8

• 1 medium or 2 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more to taste
• 2 medium onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 bunch of basil, tied in a bouquet with kitchen twine + 6 basil leaves, chopped
• pinch of dried chile flakes
• 2 sweet peppers, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 medium summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• Salt to taste

1. Toss the eggplant cubes with a teaspoon or so of salt. Set the cubes in a colander to drain for about 20 minutes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Pat the eggplant dry, add to the pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden. Add a bit more oil if the eggplant absorbs all the oil and sticks to the bottom of the pan. Remove the eggplant when done and set aside.
3. In the same pot, pour in 2 more tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and cook for about 7 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, basil bouquet, dried chile flakes, and a bit more salt.
4. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir in peppers. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in summer squash. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in tomatoes.
5. Cook for 10 minutes longer, then stir in eggplant and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until all the vegetables are soft. Remove the bouquet of basil, pressing on it to extract all its flavors, and adjust the seasoning with salt.
6. Stir in the chopped basil leaves and more extra virgin olive oil, to taste. Serve warm or cold.

My changes to the recipe:
I seasoned lightly with salt and pepper with each addition of vegetable and the tomato.
I omitted the extra olive oil.
And of course, I cooked the eggs in it at the end.
(While I cooked my eggs in the oven you could also just cover the pan and let the eggs steam on stove top over low to medium heat.)
 The following photo is the finished dish.

Until next time:
Bon Appetit Y'all
Chef Leslie Bartosh

Basic Food Preparation and Pureed Soups

At Alvin Community College our culinary arts program is segmented into 8 separate lab classes.  One of those classes is basic food preparation.  It occurs at the beginning of the lab class sequence.  Much as you would expect from a class titled basic food preparation we do some very basic things in this class.  Last night, we made puree soups.  This gave us the chance to break out some appliances we had not used since last year.

 In the picture above from left to right: Rebecca and Morgan are test driving our immersion blender.
Below is a picture of Rhonda driving our Vitamix blender.  Thank you Vitamix and Waring for your support.  Hiding behind Rhonda is Amber and Shelby is visible in the background to the right.

The students produced split pea soup, cream of carrot and black bean soup.  It was a job well done by all.  Thanks.

Until next time:
Bon Appetit Y'all
Chef Leslie Bartosh

Ice Carving At Alvin College Culinary Arts

Every spring, as the school year is coming to an end, at Alvin College, our culinary arts program does ice carving as a part of our garde manger class.  The students are divided into groups and each group carves an angel fish.  Last may, a video was made of the evenings class.  The video is too large to post here.  But, you can follow this link to watch the video on the ACC culinary arts web page:  Alvin Culinary Arts Ice Carving.  
I hope you enjoy the video.

Until next time:
Bon Appetit Y'all

Chef Leslie Bartosh
Alvin College Culinary Arts