Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers

by Moosewood Collective

  variation

  SAFFRON AIOLI

  Prepare aioli, omitting the herbs. In a cup, crumble a pinch of saffron into a tablespoon of hot water and set aside for a few minutes. Crush the saffron with the back of a spoon to infuse the water with the saffron flavor. Stir the saffron water into the aioli. As it sits, the saffron will continue to bleed into the aioli, so stir before serving.

  cilantro lime dressing

  The clean, fresh flavors of cilantro and lime make this one of our all-time favorite dressings. If you like a smooth, emulsified dressing, make it in a blender.

  YIELDS ¾ CUP

  TIME: 10 MINUTES

  ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

  1 or 2 thinly sliced scallions

  ¼ cup lime juice

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

  ¼ cup olive oil

  Whisk together all of the ingredients in a bowl. Or for a bright green, smooth dressing, in a blender on low speed, whirl the cilantro, scallions, lime juice, salt, and red pepper flakes, if using, until smooth. Add the olive oil in a steady stream and as soon as the dressing is thick, turn off the blender.

  Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

  serving ideas

  Adds a wonderful flavor to rice, potato, or bean salads, such as Southwestern Black Bean Salad. Delicious drizzled on avocado cubes or shredded jicama. Excellent as a dressing for fish or shrimp.

  cocktail sauce

  Who knew that putting together a robust little cocktail sauce was so easy? Plus it doesn’t have the corn syrup and flavor enhancers of commercially prepared sauce.

  YIELDS ¾ CUP

  TIME: 5 MINUTES

  ½ cup ketchup

  ¼ cup prepared horseradish

  2 teaspoons lemon juice

  In a small bowl, combine the ingredients.

  Keeps in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

  tartar sauce

  Easy to put together in a couple of minutes and much fresher-tasting than commercial products. Makes a familiar topping for fish and other seafood and a great sandwich spread.

  YIELDS ¾ CUP

  TIME: 5 MINUTES

  ½ cup mayonnaise

  ¼ cup pickle relish

  2 teaspoons lemon juice

  In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, relish, and lemon juice.

  Will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

  INGREDIENT NOTE For the relish, substitute ¼ cup finely chopped sweet or dill pickles, an additional teaspoon of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of sugar if you wish.

  variations

  For extra flavor, add a tablespoon of minced scallions or red onions, a tablespoon of minced capers, a teaspoon of minced fresh dill or tarragon, or a few drops of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce.

  Po’ Boy Sandwich

  duck sauce

  Once you’ve made this easy Duck Sauce, you’ll never go back to store-bought!

  YIELDS ¾ CUP

  TIME: 5 MINUTES

  ⅔ cup peach or apricot preserves

  2 tablespoons white or cider vinegar

  4 teaspoons soy sauce

  Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.

  Store in the refrigerator; it will keep for at least a month.

  serving ideas

  Serve this as a dipping sauce for Easy Egg Rolls or any time you need a little sweet-and-sour jolt on a stir-fry or sauté.

  barbecue sauce

  Easy, no-fuss sauce for your favorite barbecue.

  YIELDS ¾ CUP

  TIME: 5 MINUTES

  ⅔ cup ketchup

  1 tablespoon soy sauce

  1 tablespoon Dijon or yellow mustard

  2 teaspoons white or cider vinegar

  2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey

  1 to 3 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce, chili paste, or adobo sauce from chipotles

  In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients.

  Store in the refrigerator; it will keep for at least a month.

  pineapple chutney

  This colorful chutney, better than any you can buy in a jar, adds a sweet-and-sour note to curries, baked tofu, or any spicy dish and can even put a new spin on that same old peanut butter sandwich.

  YIELDS 1½ CUPS

  TIME: 20 MINUTES

  1 20-ounce can of pineapple chunks in juice

  2 teaspoons vegetable oil

  ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

  1½ teaspoons grated peeled ginger root

  ¼ cup raisins

  2 tablespoons sugar

  2 tablespoons cider vinegar

  pinch of salt

  Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice. Chop the pineapple chunks a bit.

  In a saucepan, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Add the mustard seeds, and when they begin to pop (almost immediately), add the ginger. Cook for half a minute and then stir in the pineapple and ¼ cup of the juice. Add the raisins, sugar, vinegar, and salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook uncovered at a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes.

  Serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled. The chutney will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

  INGREDIENT NOTES You can substitute fennel seeds for the mustard seeds and dried cranberries for the raisins.

  serving ideas

  This chutney adds something special to Roasted Vegetable Curry and Spicy Potatoes & Spinach.

  Curried Cauliflower & Chickpea Soup

  cranberry chutney

  Crimson red with a bright fruit flavor, this chutney is a great condiment for all curries.

  YIELDS 2 CUPS

  TIME: 25 MINUTES

  1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  2 cups chopped onions

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

  1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar

  1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger root

  1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel

  pinch of cayenne

  1 16-ounce can of whole-berry cranberry sauce

  In a saucepan on medium-high heat, warm the oil and cook the onions, salt, and pepper, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, ginger, citrus peel, and cayenne and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cranberry sauce and stir well.

  Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. The chutney will keep in the refrigerator for at least a month.

  serving ideas

  A dollop of Cranberry Chutney makes Curried Cauliflower & Chickpea Soup absolutely delicious. Try a dollop on Baked Acorn Squash Crescents or Roasted Sweet Potatoes, or next to Indian Potato Salad with Cilantro Omelet.

  cilantro yogurt sauce

  Refreshing and pretty, this sauce makes a tangy and colorful garnish for curries, stews, and soups.

  YIELDS 2 CUPS

  TIME: 5 MINUTES

  2 cups plain yogurt

  ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro

  ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  In a blender, purée ½ cup of the yogurt with the cilantro, sugar, and salt until smooth and bright green. Fold the cilantro-yogurt mixture into the remaining yogurt. If you prefer, mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl. It won’t be as green, but it will taste just fine.

  serving ideas

  Serve with Navajo Stew, West Indian Red Beans & Coconut Rice, or Curried Cauliflower & Chickpea Soup.

  quick avocado & corn salsa

  Spruce up your favorite homemade or store-bought salsa.

  YIELDS 2 CUPS

  TIME: 10 MINUTES

  1 cup of your favorite salsa

  1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

  ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

  1 ripe avocado

  1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice (optional)

  Place the salsa, corn, and cilantro in a bowl. Slice the avocado in half len
gthwise and remove the pit. Cut the avocado flesh into cubes in the shell by making crosshatch slices about ½ inch apart. With a spoon, scoop out the avocado cubes into the bowl with the salsa and corn. Mix well. Add lime or lemon juice and salt to taste.

  INGREDIENT NOTES There are several methods for thawing frozen corn: Zap for a minute in a microwave oven, immerse in hot water (and then drain), let sit at room temperature for an hour or so, or thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

  For extra-fresh flavor or to stretch the quantity, add a chopped ripe tomato.

  serving ideas

  Use as a topping for Black Beans with Pickled Red Onions in place of the pickled onions, or as a colorful side for Chipotle Scrambled Eggs or Chipotle Potato Salad.

  roasted garlic

  Roasting mellows and sweetens the pungent flavor of raw garlic. Roasted garlic is useful for enhancing salad dressings, sauces, soups, and stews, and it can be used as a spread on bread all by itself.

  HANDS-ON TIME: 10 MINUTES

  OVEN TIME: 40 MINUTES

  large heads of garlic

  olive oil or vegetable oil

  Preheat the oven to 375°.

  Remove the outer papery skin of each head of garlic, but keep the cloves connected. Cut off the top, about ½ inch of the stem end, so that the tips of the topmost cloves are cut flat across. Place the heads of garlic in an oiled baking dish and cover with foil.

  Bake until the cloves are soft to the touch, about 40 minutes. Cool.

  To use: With gentle pressure from the bottom, the root end, squeeze the softened garlic cloves out of the husks. You can squeeze the roasted garlic out of the whole head or out of separated individual cloves.

  Roasted garlic will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

  serving ideas

  Serve warm bread with a small dish of olive oil for dipping and a head of roasted garlic for squeezing. Make Roasted Garlic Butter. Use in cooking when you want a mellow garlic flavor.

  chili powder

  Make your own custom-made Chili Powder that reflects your flavor preferences and is free of unwanted ingredients, such as dried garlic and anticaking agents. After you’ve used this basic blend, adjust the recipe to fit your taste.

  YIELDS ⅓ CUP

  TIME: 5 MINUTES

  1 tablespoon ground cumin

  1 tablespoon ground coriander

  1 tablespoon dried oregano

  1 tablespoon paprika

  1½ teaspoons dried thyme

  ½ teaspoon cayenne

  ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

  1½ teaspoons dried sage (optional)

  Mix all of the ingredients together. Store in a well-sealed container.

  INGREDIENT NOTE For a fresher and more aromatic Chili Powder, toast whole cumin and coriander seeds and then grind with whole cloves and the rest of the ingredients in a spice grinder.

  flavored butter

  Flavored butter can make plain food instantly interesting by enlivening it with the flavors of fresh herbs, ginger, citrus, chiles, or roasted garlic. Keep some in the freezer to use in cooking or at the table. Give an instant flavor boost to plain steamed vegetables, broiled or grilled fish, eggs, grains, pasta, corn on the cob, or mashed potatoes. Slather it on fresh bread, rolls, or biscuits.

  YIELDS GENEROUS ½ CUP

  TIME: 10 MINUTES

  ½ cup butter, softened

  ingredients for one of the flavors listed

  Soften the butter at room temperature, or microwave for about 10 seconds. With a flexible spatula, mix in the flavor ingredients. Use the spatula to form the butter into a log on a piece of aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or waxed paper. Wrap the log and close tightly. Refrigerate or freeze.

  For the best flavor protection, place the wrapped butter log in a labeled and dated plastic storage bag. Well-wrapped Flavored Butters will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and in the freezer for 6 months. To use frozen butter, unwrap and slice off as much as you need. It may crumble if cut immediately out of the freezer, but it will slice cleanly after a few minutes at room temperature.

  roasted garlic butter

  Mild and mellow garlic flavor.

  1 head of Roasted Garlic, the softened cloves squeezed out of the papery husks

  herbed butter

  Fresh herb flavor any time of year. Delicious with just one herb, or mix and match.

  ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, tarragon, dill, or chives

  gremolata butter

  An Italian classic, fragrant with lemon.

  2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

  2 tablespoons lemon juice

  1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

  1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

  chipotle lime butter

  Canned chipotle peppers add smoky, spicy heat.

  1 tablespoon minced canned chipotles in adobo sauce

  2 tablespoons lime juice

  ginger butter

  The bright flavor of ginger, especially good with seafood.

  2 tablespoons finely grated peeled ginger root

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

  a few splashes of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (optional)

  curry powder

  A fresh curry powder that is mildly hot and packs a flavorful punch compared to commercial blends, which may sit on store shelves for months past their prime. Stir into butter or mayonnaise and use to flavor rice, roasted potatoes, or fish.

  YIELDS ½ CUP

  TIME: 5 MINUTES

  4 tablespoons cumin seeds

  1 tablespoon turmeric

  1 tablespoon cardamom seeds

  ½ teaspoon cayenne

  ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

  Toast the cumin seeds until aromatic, a couple of minutes, in a hot, dry skillet while stirring or shaking continuously or in a toaster oven. Allow to cool before grinding.

  In a spice grinder, whirl all of the spices until finely ground. Allow the spice grinder to sit for a minute before removing the cover to avoid the discomfort of cayenne dust in your eyes and nose. Store Curry Powder in a tightly covered jar in the cupboard.

  moroccan spice mix

  We use this aromatic spice mix to flavor roasted vegetables and baked or grilled shrimp or fish.

  YIELDS ⅓ CUP

  TIME: 5 MINUTES

  2 tablespoons ground cumin

  2 teaspoons ground ginger or cinnamon

  2 teaspoons paprika

  2 teaspoons turmeric

  ½ teaspoon cayenne or black pepper

  1 teaspoon salt

  Stir together all of the ingredients. Store in a well-sealed container in the cupboard.

  serving ideas

  Sprinkle Moroccan Spice Mix on Roasted Sweet Potatoes before putting them in the oven. Make a variation of Old Bay Roasted Fish & Vegetables by using Moroccan in place of Old Bay seasonings. Stir ½ teaspoon of Moroccan Spice Mix into ½ cup of yogurt for a flavorful little sauce.

  salt & pepper

  Salt and pepper are sometimes the only seasonings you need to bring out the flavor of simple dishes and fresh ingredients.

  SALT may be the single most important ingredient in the kitchen because it enhances the flavors of all other foods, even sweets. The kinds of salt commonly available differ in taste, texture, and makeup.

  TABLE SALT, mined from the earth, can be so highly refined that it loses character. Processing removes the iodine naturally present in salt and added anticaking agents can leave an aftertaste.

  IODIZED SALT contains iodine, added to replace what was lost in the refining process.

  SEA SALT has a brighter, more complex flavor and retains beneficial minerals, including iodine. It is available either coarse or fine-grained.

  KOSHER SALT, which has no additives, is less intensely flavored than sea salt or table salt, and it dissolves quickly. Its coarse crystals don’t fit through the holes of a standard salt shaker, so keep it in a small covered dish next to t
he stove and on the table.

  If you have the opportunity, sample the unusual salts found in many natural foods stores and gourmet specialty shops, such as crystalline, mild fleur de sel—a large-grained gray salt from France’s northern coast—black lava and red clay salts from Hawaii, Peruvian pink salt, English Maldon sea salt, and smoked Danish salt.

  PEPPER is the other seasoning we take for granted but would dearly miss if we had to do without. Because their volatile oils are released after being crushed or ground, peppercorns quickly lose flavor and aroma. So instead of packaged ground pepper, we prefer to use whole peppercorns and grind them with a peppermill, spice grinder, or mortar and pestle. The flavor of freshly ground pepper is warm, intense, and complex.

  Green, black, and white pepper look and taste quite different from one another. They all come from berries of the same tropical plant, but they’re harvested at different stages.