Quick Pickled Leeks with Lime

Quick Pickled Leeks with Lime

by | Le Blog, Recipes and Culinary Nutrition

Quick Pickled Leeks with Lime

Leeks are versatile, but most often, are cooked until soft or used as an aromatic veggie in stocks. This recipe for pickled leeks lets them maintain a fresh texture and flavor. In less than 10 minutes, hands-on, you have a versatile, delicious garnish and ingredient for multiple dishes.

Many recipes for pickled leeks combine two acids, a vinegar and a citrus, typically lemon. In this recipe, lime is a perky final touch that pairs well with starch-buttery leeks. A hint of heat from garlic and mustard seed doesn’t suck either.

 Pickled leeks with lime

Ingredients

2 leeks, each about 1½ in diameter
1 cup water
3/4 cup champagne or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
½ teaspoon yellow mustard seed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (one large-sized lime)

Steps:

  1. If the leeks are not trimmed, remove outer, tougher stalks, slice the root ends off and cut each stalk lengthwise in half. Under running water, fan the leek layers under running water or swish the halves in a bowl of water. Take each half and slice into moon-shapes about 1/4-inch thick (about 4 cups leeks when done.) Add to a pickling jar, glass or ceramic container.
  2. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, vinegar, salt, sugar, garlic and mustard seed. Bring to a boil and add thyme. Remove saucepan from heat and leave for 4-5 minutes or until you can discern a hint of thyme when tasting. Add the lime juice.
  3. Remove the thyme from the pickling juice then pour juice over leeks. Press leeks so the liquid just covers them. Add a couple tablespoons of water if needed and stir into leeks.
  4. Cool pickled leeks in the refrigerator uncovered, but cover when cooled to store. Since this is a fast pickle and not one done with long-term preserving methods, you can only keep in the refrigerator up to two weeks, but they won’t last that long!

For more information on using leeks, their most excellent nutrient profile, why they work so well in stocks and how they star on their own in a dish, check out my article in Food and Nutrition Magazine on leeks.

Pickled Leek Serving Options:

Legumes and Veggies: use as a garnish on grilled vegetables and add to bean salads
Grains: use an ingredient in grain or pasta salads to add textural interest and flavor contrasts
Poultry: use in omelets, scrambled eggs, chicken salad and to garnish roasted poultry
Cheese and sausage: serve as a condiment

 

    About Me

    The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
    Michele Redmond

    Michele Redmond

    French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

    It's about Making Food First

    Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

    Meaty Walnut Mushroom Ragout: Flex Your Meatless Options

    Meaty Walnut Mushroom Ragout: Flex Your Meatless Options

    by | Le Blog, Recipes and Culinary Nutrition

    Meaty Walnut Mushroom Ragout: Flex Your Meatless Options

    Walnut Mushroom Ragout (Ragoût, for zee French appetite)

    This walnut mushroom ragout (pronounced like the Italian Ragù) is a veggie and meat-eater favorite that delivers a ground-meat texture and umami-meaty flavor from toasted walnuts. Walnuts are high in umami flavors from free glutamate, the amino acid primarily responsible for savory, brothy, meaty flavors. They’re also high in omega-3 fatty acids that most of us struggle to get into our diet in meaningful amounts and, as a nut, walnuts uniquely are an excellent source of the plant-based form alpha-linolenic acid.

    walnut mushroom ragoutDon’t let the nutrient-rich profile and French name fool you into thinking this is a fancy health food; ragout is your basic comfort food. A French ragoût can have any range of vegetable or meat ingredients, but an Italian ragù, with the same sounding name and diverse applications, is traditionally meat-centric.

    From the French verb ragoûter, meaning to “refresh or stimulate the appetite” (the noun goût means taste) .

    Combined with common ragoût ingredients such as tomatoes and mushrooms, it’s a crave-worthy dish that complements polenta, pasta or rice and can mimic ground meat in some dishes. By making a few additions, like adding vegetables common to bolognese or spices common to sloppy joes, this dish can flex in multiple directions.

    I first demonstrated this dish at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris as part of a plant-based class on using plant-based umami to make veggies more crave-worthy.  It also showcased at the national Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Chicago to highlight how to create vegan meals that omnivores, and everyone, will love.

    Walnut Mushroom Ragout Ingredients

    1 ½ cup (about 3.5 ounces) unsalted walnut pieces
    1 pound cremini mushrooms (white button can substitute okay)
    ¼ teaspoon salt
    2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    3 tablespoons tomato paste
    1 medium yellow onion, diced fine (about 2 cups)
    2 medium-sized cloves garlic, minced or grated (about 2 teaspoons)
    ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
    1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari
    6-8 sprigs fresh thyme, minced (about 1 teaspoon)

    Steps

    1. Heat walnuts in a skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently for 3-5 minutes until toasted. Pour into a food processor and pulse or chop by hand until resembling ground meat.

    walnut mushroom ragout prep

    2. Rinse the mushrooms to remove any dirt. Keep stems, but slice of any ends that may have trapped dirt or debris. Slice mushrooms ½” thick. Put in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Stir and microwave another two minutes.

    3. Heat a large skillet over a medium-high heat and use a slotted spoon remove the mushrooms into the skillet, keep the mushroom liquid. Sprinkle on the salt and cook mushrooms without stirring. Once start to dry out (about five minutes), add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss mushrooms. When mushrooms closest to the pan surface are brown (about 8-10 minutes) stir or toss, cook 2-4 minutes longer then pour into a bowl.

    4.Add to the still warm skillet the remaining tablespoon of oil and tomato paste. Reduce the heat to medium, stir to cook the paste for 2-3 minutes.

    5. Add the onion, garlic, smoked paprika, walnuts and mushrooms. Stir and cook 2-3 minutes. Add wine, tamari and mushroom liquid, cook until walnuts are tender and liquids are absorbed but the mixture is still moist (20-25 minutes). Stir in minced thyme. Season with salt if needed. If desired, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil for additional rich, supple textures.

    walnut mushroom ragout prep | Thetasteworkshop.com

    Walnut Mushroom Ragout Serving Options

     

    walnut mushroom ragout

    Serve with polenta, rice, pasta and baked potatoes or add as a meat substitute for stews or turn into sloppy joes by adding classic sloppy joe spices and ingredients like bell peppers.

    Walnut Storage Tips:  Because of the luscious nature of walnuts (lovely fat qualities), store in the refrigerator if using soon or the freezer if they won’t be used for a month or more.

    More info here at https://walnuts.org/how-to/how-to-buy-care/

     

      About Me

      The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
      Michele Redmond

      Michele Redmond

      French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

      It's about Making Food First

      Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

      Corn and Cremini Chickpea Cauliflower “Pizza”

      Corn and Cremini Chickpea Cauliflower “Pizza”

      by | Le Blog, Recipes and Culinary Nutrition

      Corn and Cremini Chickpea Cauliflower “Pizza”

      Cauliflower Chickpea-Flour “Pizza”

       

      Cauliflower pizza corn mushroom pea

      This recipe delivers a satisfying and meaty umami-ness from corn, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms, but is it pizza? Gluten, scorned by carbophobic eaters and necessarily restricted by a minority of others, is a key ingredient in pizza crusts. As a carb-lover who’s selective about carbs, it feels sad to restrict gluten-based foods unnecessarily, especially with comfort foods.

      Corn cremini chickpea Cauliflower pizza

      Pizza’s cultural heritage hinges on the dough. Real dough with flour, full of glutenin, gliadin and other flour proteins that yield textures and flavors inspiring a bread lexicon of “crumb”, “chew”, “caramel”, “honey”, “nutty”. No cauliflower crust “pizza” will deserve such praise; it’s just not possible.

      However, I accepted a challenge to prove that cauliflower crusts could yield some pizza-worthy structure (you can pick a slice up without it breaking apart since eating “pizza” with a fork feels a bit French.

      Unfortunately, most cauliflower “pizza” recipes result in crumbly crusts or rely on a cheese binder. This version uses nutrient-rich chickpea flour for structure and to balance strong cauliflower flavors. Some cooking tricks create a crust that browns nicely and maintains structure.

      Corn cremini chickpea Cauliflower pizza 1900 | TheTasteWorkshop.com

      After much testing, and squeezing and more squeezing—really you must get the liquids out of the cauliflower—I’m happy.

      I served a cauliflower crust or cauliflower tart to my pizza-loving husband purposely avoiding the description “pizza”. He took a few bites with head-nodding approval and said:

      “this is great pizza”.

      I gave up. Here’s my recipe for cauliflower “pizza”.

      Topping Ingredients:

      1 tablespoon olive oil
      8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced ½ inch
      ½ cup (about 6 ounces) sweet corn kernels (if using canned, drain well)
      ¼ teaspoon salt
      ¾ cup grated smoked mozzarella
      2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, diced
      Optional seasonal garnish: 3-4 tablespoons fresh English peas, blanched
      Optional Garnishes: red onion sliced fine, fresh thyme

      Tart Ingredients:
      1 medium to large whole cauliflower head, trimmed of leaves (for frozen florets, see below)
      ¾ cup chickpea flour
      ½ teaspoon sea salt
      ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
      ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
      ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
      2 large eggs

      Steps:

      1. To a mixing bowl, add chickpea flour, salt and spices and mix together. Rinse, dry and slice mushrooms and prepare corn kernels, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and any optional garnishes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or oil surface well.
      2. In a large skillet over medium-heat, add olive oil. When hot, add mushrooms slices single layer (maximizes flavor and texture). Cook undisturbed, until browning is visible, then toss and cook for even browning. When evenly cooked and nicely browned, remove from pan.
      3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F and place oven racks at the lowest and highest levels. Cut the cauliflower in half, then chop into 2-3 inch pieces including the stem. Add to food processor (2 batches may be required) and pulse to a powdery texture (finer than “rice” granules). If you lack a food processer, grate by hand using the fine grate section. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl.
      4. Microwave on high for 5 minutes or until soft and moist. Place a tea towel across a mixing bowl and pour the mash onto the center. When cooled, pull towel edges together to form a sac around the mash. Squeeze from the top and sides to remove liquid (about 1 cup) leaving about 1 cup of mash.
      5. Add mash and eggs to flour mixture and stir until well combined. Spread onto parchment paper and flatten to about ¼ inch. You can also create a border by pinching or rolling the edge inward.
      6. Bake 10-14 minutes on lowest rack or until cooked firm and crust is browned sheet side. Remove from oven, add toppings (cheese on top—cover sun-dried tomatoes or they burn), place sheet on top rack for 4-6 minutes, then turn oven to broil and move to top rack to melt cheese and brown any exposed crust area. Place “pizza” on baking rack to cool.

      Preparation Notes: If using frozen cauliflower, 24 ounces is about 1 cup cooked. Defrost cauliflower per package instructions and blend in food processor. Mash will be much wetter than fresh mash.

       

        About Me

        The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
        Michele Redmond

        Michele Redmond

        French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

        It's about Making Food First

        Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

        Chickpea Corn Cakes: Crave-worthy Carbs

        Chickpea Corn Cakes: Crave-worthy Carbs

        by | Le Blog, Recipes and Culinary Nutrition

        Chickpea Corn Cakes: Crave-worthy Carbs

        chickpea corn cakes top

        If you enjoy crunchy, sweet summer corn and savory, nutty chickpea flavors and a fast, easy recipe, continue. However, I feel compelled to defend corn just in case with this comment:

        Carby chickpea corn cakes cause carb-avoiders cringe-worthy concerns, or conversely, conscious cravings. Now breathe.

         

        Corn often gets dissed as low-nutrient, high-starch food, but this oversimplifies corn’s dietary profile.

        chickpea corn cakes

        Instead corn’s a good source of fiber, micronutrients and minerals that connect to health benefits.

        As for corn cravings, sweet corn is a comfort food that connects us to summer and chowing down on a cob is just plain fun. Corn’s also a good source of umami offering savory, meaty flavors.

         

        The Chickpea Ingredient

        The chickpea in this recipe is from chickpea flour (besan or gram flour), a nutrient-rich, gluten-free flour. In these egg-free corn cakes, the sticky bean flour is a primary binding agent.

        Enjoy corn cakes as an appetizer with a dollop of lemon yogurt sauce, garlic and walnut herb sauce or a salsa or as a dinner with a side salad.

         

        Chickpea Corn Cakes

        Yield: Makes 18-20

        Ingredients

        4 ears of corn (about 2 pounds trimmed or about 3 cups of kernels)
        1½ cup chickpea flour
        ⅓ cup sweet rice flour
        1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
        2 tablespoons ground sumac (a citrus-like flavor, but is optional)
        ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or ½ teaspoon for more hint of heat)
        ¾ to 1 cup water
        1 large shallot, minced (about ⅓ cup)  (or ¼ of a small yellow onion)
        4 tablespoons organic canola oil

        Prep Steps  

        1. Shuck corn if needed, cut off kernels (hold stalk upright in the center of a tea towel and use a chef knife to strip off kernels). If using canned corn, drain and pat dry the kernels.
        2. In a bowl, stir together chickpea flour, rice flour, baking powder, salt, sumac and cayenne.
        3. Add water, shallot and corn. Mix with a spoon until blended. If not using immediately, refrigerate for 20 minutes or overnight to make forming patties easier.
        4. Form palm-sized patties about 1/2” thick with an even surface for nice browning. In a large skillet, heat the oil over a medium-heat burner until it shimmers. Add patties leaving space between them, cook until each side is a dark brown color. Place on paper towels and repeat.
        5. Serve hot or at room temperature—see serving ideas below.

        Serving Ideas & Nutrition Bonus:

        Serve with dips sauces or topped with tangy Greek yogurt, Garlicky cheese-free pesto or a chunky-tomato ragout.

        Nutrition bonus: for 4 corn cakes: Fiber 9 grams (woohoo) and 10 grams protein for only 236 calories

        Like Chickpea flour? Also try my Chickpea shrimp fritters

        Like the pan? I don’t represent Lodge cast iron, but do recommend them: more info here

          About Me

          The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
          Michele Redmond

          Michele Redmond

          French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

          It's about Making Food First

          Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

          Quinoa Boulettes vs Ikea Swedish Meatballs

          Quinoa Boulettes vs Ikea Swedish Meatballs

          by | Le Blog, Recipes and Culinary Nutrition

          Quinoa Boulettes vs Ikea Swedish Meatballs

          Mom would make Swedish meatballs for parties yet we weren’t Swedish, didn’t know anyone who was and Ikea was a two-day plane trip. Several decades later, braving my first trip to the hip-mega-everything store in search of kitchen doodads, I got overwhelmed and lost, but ended up following an aroma to the food court. I knew the source. I had rediscovered Swedish meatballs and memories of meatball platters, gravy and happy eaters.

          Quinoa Boulettes Green Sauc

           

          With this recipe, I’ve kept the appetizer angle of my childhood Swedish meatballs yet nixed the meat. However, calling them quinoa “meatballs” without using meat smells of “bait and switch” tactics. Instead, I embraced a European makeover by turning them into boulettes, a French culinary term, for small ball-shaped foods.

          As a plant-based omnivore, I recognize meatballs have their own special textures and flavors. The chewy Swedish ones of my childhood oozed buttery-fat flavors but, I’ve served these multiple times to meat-centric eaters who enjoyed the crispy exterior and moist, flavorful interior. I just didn’t promise “hey they taste just like meat”.

          Serve these quinoa boulettes as a complete meal with noodles and marinara or as a crunchy, healthy nibble to dip into an herby Greek yogurt, spicy marinara or garlicky vegan walnut pesto.

          Quinoa Boulettes

          Yield: Makes 35

          Quinoa Ingredients  (makes about 2 ¾ cups cooked. Can be done up to two days in advance)

          1 cup dry red quinoa (white or black works but red looks “meatier”)
          2 cups liquid (water or low-salt vegetable stock)
          ½ teaspoon salt

          Boulette Ingredients 

          ¾ cup bread crumbs (not panko)
          ¼ teaspoon salt
          ½ teaspoon sumac or other spice (see notes)
          ½ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika or other spice (see notes)
          ¼ teaspoon of cayenne
          3 garlic cloves, minced very fine (about 1½ teaspoon)
          3 large eggs
          ¼ small yellow onion, minced very fine (about ⅓ cup)
          1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil (for high smoke point)

          Prepping Quinoa 

          1. To a pot over medium-high heat, add quinoa, water and salt.
          2. When boiling, stir quinoa, reduce heat to low and cover with a lid.
          3. Cook 18-20 minutes or until no water remains in the pan.
          4. Remove quinoa from heat, leave covered 5 minutes, then uncover, use a fork to fluff it.

          Making Quinoa Boulettes:

          1. Turn oven to 475˚F. Place one rack at middle position and one at the top position. Lightly oil a baking sheet. To a mixing bowl, add bread crumbs, salt and spices and mix. Add cooled quinoa, garlic, eggs and onion and mix with a spoon.
          2. If you have time to let the quinoa cool, place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to let breadcrumbs soften and make shaping easier.
          3. With a 1 tablespoon measure, scoop slightly heaping amounts of quinoa, pressing into the measuring spoon with your palm to compact it, then push it into your palm to form a 1 ¼”-1 ½” size ball (smaller than a golf ball). Place on baking sheet.
          4. On the middle rack, cook 8-12 minutes or until exterior firms up and base browns. Move to top rack, cook 6-8 minutes or until crispy and dark brown. Broil for 2-3 minutes if not dark enough.
          5. Remove from oven and baking sheet to serve warm or store in refrigerator for later use.

          Quinoa Boulettes Green Sauce F

          Spice and Serving options:

          • Savory spice options: sumac, Hungarian or California paprika (sweet pepper flavor, not smoked), zatar spice or different powdered chilies instead of cayenne are possibilities.
          • These are popular with spiced Greek yogurt dips or the walnut herb sauce I make that is like a pesto without cheese.

           

            About Me

            The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.

            Let’s Connect

            Michele Redmond

            Michele Redmond

            French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

            It's about Making Food First

            Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

            Happy Cooking: Jacques Pepin American Masters

            Happy Cooking: Jacques Pepin American Masters

            by | Health and Food Culture, Le Blog

            Happy Cooking: Jacques Pepin American Masters

            Jacques Pepin Lifesized Cake at IACP 2015

            Life-sized Oven Cake in Honor of Jacques at IACP 2015

            Jacques Pepin American Masters Culinary Icon

             

            Julia Child, Albert Einstein, George Lucas, Bob Dylan and now, Jacques Pepin, headline a PBS American Masters series. Pepin’s edition portrays his evolution from 13-year old apprentice to respected, influential chef turned popular TV cooking teacher, speaker and writer.

            Past IACP president Barbara Fenzl, close friend of Jacques Pepin, was interviewed for the documentary along with culinary professionals including José Andrés, Anthony Bourdain, Tom Colicchio and Marcus Samuelsson.

             

            From Chef to IACP Founder to TV, Teacher and Author

            One of the original founders of IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals), Jacques was honored at the D.C. conference for his 80th birthday with over 100 cakes driven to or flown into D.C., including a cake the size of an oven.

            Jacques cake flower

            Incredibly edible cake for Jacques Pepin’s birthday at IACP

            Barbara was interviewed during the D.C. conference for Pepin’s American Masters edition to provide a personal and professional perspective on his career. During her career, she worked with Jacques in many professional culinary venues, and when he started as traveling cooking teacher, he made multiple visits to teach at her Les Gourmettes cooking school in Arizona.

            I met with Barbara recently and she shared how Jacques is a natural teacher who may have gravitated towards teaching even if a serious car accident had not ended his professional chef career. His evolution from high-end chef to teacher and author of nearly 30 cookbooks includes:

            • personal chef of three French heads of state including President Charles de Gaulle,
            • an offer to be the “first chef” of the white house under President John F. Kennedy, and
            • turning down the white house to learn more about and contribute to American cuisine for the Howard Johnson hotel chain as the Director of Research and New Development.

            French Immigrant Embracing & Evolving American Cuisine

            Jacques arrived an immigrant from France who embraced American culture and has influenced how we eat. Barbara knew him from his days of creating caramel cages to decorate dessert plates and saw his evolution to a food and culinary educator who made food and cooking approachable.

            “even when he cooked with tongue, he pulled people into the food” says Fenzl.

            Don’t miss this preview of an esteemed culinary compatriot and model for creating good food and engaging Americans to cook. PBS summed Jacques attitude towards food and cooking well: “Jacques’s catchphrase of “happy cooking”: honesty of ingredients, simplicity of approach, and a joy for sharing good food with loved ones”.

            IACP Pepin Fenzel 400

            Fenzl and Pepin at IACP 2011 Culinary Demo in Austin

            Pepin’s fooditude can be promoted by anyone who loves food and shows how cooking can bring us all together as people and Americans.

            “Jacques’s catchphrase of “happy cooking”: honesty of ingredients, simplicity of approach, and a joy for sharing good food with loved ones” (PBS)

            Where to Watch:

            PBS American Masters Jacques Pepin

            Chef Michele with Jacques IAPC 2012

            Favorite Pepin Quotes:

            “Cooking is the art of adjustment.”

            “You can’t escape the taste of the food you had as a child. In times of stress, what do you dream about? Your mother’s clam chowder. It’s security, comfort. It brings you home.”

            “When you become a good cook, you become a good craftsman, first. You repeat and repeat and repeat until your hands know how to move without thinking about it.”

            “Just because I am a chef doesn’t mean I don’t rely on fast recipes. Indeed, we all have moments when, pressed for time, we’ll use a can of tuna and a tomato for a first course. It’s a question of choosing the right recipes for the rest of the menu.”

              About Me

              The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
              Michele Redmond

              Michele Redmond

              French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

              It's about Making Food First

              Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

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