Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers
Page 9
mushroom miso soup
Broccoli and mushrooms make this miso soup a little bit unusual and a meal in itself. (See photo)
SERVES 4
YIELDS 8 CUPS
TIME: 25 MINUTES
½ ounce of dried shiitake mushrooms (6 to 10 caps)
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin or 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
8 ounces soft tofu
1 or 2 broccoli crowns
2 scallions
⅓ cup light miso, or more to taste
a few drops of dark sesame oil (optional)
Place the mushrooms in a small heatproof bowl and add the boiling water and the soy sauce and mirin or sugar. Cover and let sit until the mushrooms soften, about 15 minutes. While the mushrooms soak, bring 4½ cups of water to a simmer in a pot. Meanwhile, cut the tofu into small cubes, cut the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces (about 2 cups), and slice the scallions on the diagonal.
When the mushrooms are soft, remove them from the soaking liquid. Pour the soaking liquid into the pot of water, being careful to leave any sediment behind in the bottom of the bowl. Remove and discard the mushroom stems and cut the caps into thin slices.
Put the miso into a small bowl. When the soup broth begins to simmer, ladle a little of the hot liquid into the miso to soften it, and set aside. Add the tofu, broccoli, and mushrooms to the simmering broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and just tender. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the miso. Serve immediately, topped with the scallions. If you like, add a drop or two of sesame oil to each bowl of soup.
variations
The broccoli can be omitted or replaced with other vegetables, such as snow peas, shredded cabbage, or bok choy.
Add cooked rice or soba noodles to the soup just before serving.
southwestern cheese soup
Mildly spicy, really homey, and satisfying. We’d like to acknowledge our friend Anne Kenney for the idea for this recipe.
SERVES 4 TO 6
YIELDS 10 CUPS
TIME: 30 MINUTES
2 cups chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 4.5-ounce can of chopped mild green chiles
3 cups diced potatoes
1 quart vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can of creamed corn
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
2½ cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
In a soup pot, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chiles and potatoes. Add the broth, cover, and bring to a boil. Add the corn and tomatoes, cover, and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes.
Divide the cheese among four to six bowls. Ladle the hot soup over the cheese.
serving & menu ideas
Serve with a green salad topped with avocado and jicama and dressed with Cilantro Lime Dressing. A platter of refreshing watermelon and cantaloupe would be perfect for dessert.
asparagus avgolemono
Try this variation of the familiar Greek egg-lemon soup in the springtime when the first tender shoots of asparagus hit the markets.
SERVES 2 TO 4
YIELDS 5 CUPS
TIME: 25 MINUTES
1 quart vegetarian mock chicken or vegetable broth
¼ cup pastina, orzo, or similar small pasta
2 cups asparagus cut into 1½- to 1-inch lengths
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper
In a soup pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until almost al dente, about 4 minutes for pastina and 8 minutes for orzo.
Add the asparagus and dill and simmer until the asparagus is just tender, about 5 minutes.
While the asparagus cooks, in a bowl, whisk the eggs and lemon juice. When the asparagus is tender, whisk a ladleful of the hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture. Lower the heat and slowly pour the egg mixture into the soup in a thin stream, stirring briskly all the while. Continue to stir until the soup is thickened somewhat and heated through, a couple of minutes. (Constant stirring and low heat prevent the eggs from curdling.) Add salt and pepper to taste.
variations
Other green vegetables, such as chopped spinach, broccoli, and kale, may be substituted for the asparagus.
For a smooth soup, purée with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender.
serving & menu ideas
Peppercorn Citrus Marinated Feta with pita, Greek Salad, and Greek Antipasto Pita all pair well with this soup.
creamy onion soup with sherry
Many of us think to eat creamed pearl onions only once or twice a year at holiday feasts. We thought it would be fun to turn the traditional side dish into a soup for any day of the week.
SERVES 4 TO 6
YIELDS 9 CUPS
TIME: 30 MINUTES
5 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 16-ounce package of frozen pearl onions (whole small onions)
3 garlic cloves, pressed (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, or more to taste
¼ cup unbleached white flour
¾ cup dry sherry
½ cup sour cream
CROUTONS
3 cups ½-inch cubes of crusty bread, such as sourdough, pumpernickel, rye, or French
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
In a saucepan on medium heat, warm the milk and 1 cup of water to just under a simmer. Don’t let the liquid boil. Cover and keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a soup pot, melt the butter. Stir in the onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle the onions with the flour and stir for a minute. The butter and any liquid will be absorbed and the mixture will thicken. Stir in the sherry, cook for a couple of minutes, and then stir in the sour cream. Increase the heat to medium, add about 2 cups of the hot milk, and stir until smooth. Add the rest of the milk, lower the heat, and slowly bring to just below a simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat until the croutons are done.
To make the croutons, toast the bread cubes until crisp on the outside but still soft and moist on the inside. In a small pan on low heat, melt the butter. Add the olive oil, thyme, and marjoram and sizzle the herbs for a minute. Put the toasted bread cubes into a bowl, drizzle on the herbed butter, and toss well.
Serve the soup piping hot, topped with the croutons. A note of caution: Be careful when you bite into an onion! It may be surprisingly hot.
serving & menu ideas
A side of Baby Greens with Pecans & Pears or tangy Lemony Green Beans complements this creamy soup. For dessert, try Apples Two Ways or New England Squash Pie.
Greek Antipasto Pita
crostini
Crostini are toasted or grilled slices of bread with tasty toppings, often served as an appetizer. For a relaxed supper, put a plate of toasted baguette slices and bowls of various toppings on the table (however many you like or have time to make) and have a make-your-own crostini simple supper night.
THE BREAD:
Many bakeries can thinly slice a baguette for you in their slicing machine. You usually get about 25 slices per average baguette. Each of the toppings recipes makes enough topping for 15 to 20 baguette-sized crostini, although the number depends on how high you pile the toppings. Of course, you can make crostini with the larger Italian or French loaves, also. The slices should be ¼- to ½-inch thick.
Toast the baguette slices. There is a difference of opinion on how toasty they should be: Some people like them just lightly toasted, while others lik
e them very dry and crisp, almost like croutons. The bread can be toasted a couple of hours or even days ahead of time. When the slices are cool, store them in a well-sealed container or plastic bag until you’re ready to assemble the crostini.
blue cheese topping
TIME: 5 MINUTES
3 ounces blue cheese
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons milk, or more if needed
toasted walnut halves
Crumble the blue cheese into a bowl and mash it a bit with a fork. Mix in the cream cheese, adding a little milk if necessary to get a spreadable consistency. Spread about 2 teaspoons of the blue cheese mixture on each baguette slice and top with a walnut.
watercress topping
TIME: 10 TO 15 MINUTES
2 bunches of watercress (about 6 cups chopped)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
Rinse the watercress, holding it in loose bouquets. Coarsely chop: Starting at the top, cut through the bunch about every inch until only stems without leaves are left. Discard the stems.
In a skillet on medium-low heat, sauté the garlic in the oil until golden. Add the watercress and sauté until wilted and bright green. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature, piled on toasted baguette slices.
bell peppers & onions topping
TIME: 25 MINUTES
1 onion
2 large red, yellow and/or orange bell peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
4 small balls of fresh mozzarella cheese (optional)
Thinly slice the onion. Halve and seed the peppers and cut them into very thin strips.
Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature on the baguette slices and top with thinly sliced rounds of fresh mozzarella.
serving & menu ideas
Other perfect toppings for crostini include Classic Pesto, Sicilian Chickpea Spread, Herbed Hummus, and Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Salad.
If you want to serve crostini as an appetizer before a main dish, the combination possibilities are endless. Here are some of our favorites: Watercress Crostini before Fettuccine with Walnut Pesto, Blue Cheese Crostini before Warm French Lentil Salad, Bell Peppers & Onions Crostini with Mushroom Tortellini Soup.
broccolini cheddar melt
SERVES 2
TIME: 20 MINUTES
1 bunch broccolini (10 to 12 stems) or 1 large broccoli crown
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt and pepper
2 slices whole wheat or multigrain bread
3 ounces Cheddar cheese
Dijon or yellow mustard
Rinse the broccolini and chop it into ½ inch-long pieces. In a skillet on medium-high heat, cook the broccolini and the garlic in the oil for 4 or 5 minutes, until the broccolini is bright green and just tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add about ¼ cup of water to the pan and steam the broccolini until the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat.
While the broccolini cooks, toast the bread. Grate the cheese or cut it into thin slices. Spread mustard on the toast and place on a broiler pan.
Top each piece of toast with cooked broccolini and then cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot, open-faced.
INGREDIENT NOTE Broccolini, a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale, was introduced in supermarket produce departments a few years ago. It is milder tasting and more tender than broccoli, and the stalks don’t need to be peeled.
serving & menu idea
For soup and sandwich night, have some Red Bean, Potato & Arugula Soup.
seitan pizza subs
It’s just a short time from getting out the ingredients to sinking your teeth into these crusty rolls with a warm, soft filling.
SERVES 4
TIME: 15 MINUTES
4 sub rolls
1 cup tomato sauce, marinara sauce, or Simple Tomato Sauce
8 ounces pepperoni-style sliced seitan
½ cup sliced pitted black olives
8 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
Slice the rolls in half lengthwise and place them open and cut-side up on a baking tray. Lightly toast under the broiler.
Spread tomato sauce on both halves of each toasted roll. On the bottom halves, lay seitan slices in an overlapping pattern. Sprinkle the top halves with sliced olives and then cover with cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and the seitan is hot. Put the halves back together and serve while hot.
INGREDIENT NOTES In place of sub rolls, use a long loaf of French or Italian bread cut into 5-inch lengths.
Look for pepperoni-style seitan slices in the refrigerator section near the tofu in natural foods stores and many supermarkets.
variation
Sometimes we make these subs with pan-fried slices of portabellas instead of seitan.
serving & menu ideas
Serve Broccoli Slaw on the side and Chocolate Malts for dessert.
bean & cheese quesadillas
In about 10 minutes, this simple supper is in the oven, and just when you’re tempted by the aroma, it’s ready.
SERVES 4
HANDS-ON TIME: 10 MINUTES
BAKING TIME: 10 TO 15 MINUTES
1 16-ounce can of refried beans
8 flour tortillas (8- to 10-inch)
1 cup of your favorite salsa
2½ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 8 ounces)
Preheat the oven to 400°.
Arrange 4 tortillas at least an inch apart on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Spread refried beans evenly over each tortilla. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of salsa on top of the beans and sprinkle with cheese. Place the remaining tortillas on top and press gently. Bake until the cheese is melted and the quesadillas are warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes.
Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges and serve while hot, with more salsa on the side.
INGREDIENT NOTES If you can’t find refried beans that you like, use plain pinto beans or black beans and mash them with the salsa before spreading on the tortillas.
variations
Any number of other ingredients dress up these simple quesadillas: sliced olives, corn, chopped scallions, chopped green chiles, small cubes of cream cheese. But don’t pile it on too thick or the filling will ooze out when you cut the quesadillas into wedges—about ½ inch deep is the maximum.
If you prefer a stovetop method, warm a lightly oiled skillet on medium heat. Cook the quesadillas for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until the cheese is melted.
serving & menu ideas
For a weeknight Mexican fiesta, serve with Tomato Tortilla Soup and have Mango Coconut Sorbet for dessert.
vegetarian reuben
These open-faced sandwiches are not very traditional, rather messy—and very satisfying.
SERVES 4
TIME: 20 MINUTES
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons white or cider vinegar
pinch of salt
black pepper to taste
pinch of sugar
1 8-ounce package of coleslaw mix or 4 cups finely shredded cabbage
8 thin slices of rye or pumpernickel bread, toasted
4 tomatoes, thinly sliced
8 ounces thinly sliced Swiss cheese
In a bowl large enough to hold the coleslaw mix, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add the coleslaw and toss well.
Assemble the open-faced sandwiches on a baking sheet if you are going to use your oven broiler, or on trays if you’re going to broil in batches in a toaster oven. Arrange the slices of toast an inch apart. Place about ¼ cup of coleslaw on each slice and
top with tomato slices and then cheese.
Broil the sandwiches until the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve open-faced.
variations
Use well-drained sauerkraut instead of coleslaw.
Add sliced seasoned tofu or Easy Baked Tofu.
serving & menu ideas
Serve our Vegetarian Reuben deli-style with kosher dill pickle spears, potato chips or onion rings, and a 5-Minute Milkshake for dessert.
tortilla melt
Up to a day before baking, Tortilla Melts can be assembled, wrapped in foil, and refrigerated. Bake in the foil for about 15 minutes and then remove the foil and bake for about 5 minutes more for the tortillas to crisp. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to a week and reheat well.
SERVES 2 TO 4
TIME: 45 MINUTES
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing on the tortillas
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 large portabella mushroom caps