Meatless Monday: Veggie Burgers Galore

Quorn is reported to be the top-selling frozen meat-free brand in natural stores across the country - and it's no surprise to me, as I think they offer the best tasting meat alternatives on the market. Recently, Quorn introduced two new meatless options to their line of vegetarian fare: the classic hamburger and the cheeseburger. Like other Quorn products, these burgers are made of mycoprotein, a soy-free blend of fungi rich in antioxidants, amino acids, and fiber.

The stats are pretty impressive! A Quorn Cheeseburger patty has 100 calories, 4 grams of fat, 8 carbs, 3 grams of fiber, and 11 grams of protein. The Classic burger's nutritional content contains all of the above, with ones less gram of fat.

These burgers are delicious! Meaty and dense with a much more realistic texture than most other veggieburgers. With enough toppings, I bet these could even fool most meat lovers.

Here's how I'll be serving them this meatless Monday:

Quorn Cheeseburgers with Sweet and Spicy Onion Compote

One Quorn hamburger or cheeseburger patty per person

Soft buns such as challah or potato rolls

2 tbs. sweet and spicy onion compote

Slice of your favorite cheese or soy cheese (I used soy cheddar)

Lettuce, tomato, onion

Ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, or even some Chipotle Pimenton Tartar Sauce if you have some left over

Sweet and Spicy Onion Compote

2 medium sweet onions, sliced thin

3-4 canned jalapenos, finely chopped and seeded (you can find a can in the Mexican/Spanish section of your grocery store) OR if you'd prefer less spice, substitute about 1/8th cup mild canned chiles

2 tbs. brown sugar

1-2 cloves garlic, minced OR 1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. cumin powder

Squeeze of fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime's worth)

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1 tbs. canola or olive oil for sauteing

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook 5-7 minutes until just tender and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, jalapenos, cumin, and brown sugar. Cook an additional 5 minutes or so until onions are brown and caramelized. Add lime juice and cook another minute until liquid is absorbed. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Let cool and use as a topping for Quorn burgers. Will keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, so it's always good to make extra!

For those in the Princeton area looking for a meatless option, I recently discovered that Chuck's Spring Street Cafe has a pretty good homemade veggie burger! This was unexpected, since this sort of divey hole in the wall is best known for it's chicken wings and foot-long hot dogs. And while we're still on the topic of veggie burgers, here's Melyssa with a note about one of her favorites in Philadelphia:

For any Philadelphians reading, I urge vegetarians and carnivores alike to try the veggie burger at Mac's Tavern, a gastropub in Old City that opened less than a year ago. I would have never even noticed the place, with it's nondescript facade and small, very understated sign, but my friend decided to hold her birthday party here after learning that two of the actors from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are part-owners. Boy am I happy about this discovery! For only $7.99 you can get a piping hot homemade veggie burger and a pile of nicely-seasoned fries with aoli dipping sauce. While some veggie burgers strive to mimic meat, Mac's patty is distinctively verdant, with whole green peas and fresh herbs throughout. Served with a huge slice of tomato and a pile of lettuce and onion, it can be a little (ok a lot) messy to eat, but it's worth the effort.

Indian Spiced Poached Salmon in Coconut Milk with Baby Bok Choy

The other night, I was all set to serve an eggplant parmesan I'd made for dinner, when my husband came home complaining of a stomach ache. Fortunately, I had some fresh salmon in the fridge, so I put the eggplant parm away for later and whipped up this much lighter dish with just a few ingredients in less than 10 minutes!


Indian Spiced Poached Salmon in Coconut Milk with Baby Bok Choy

1 lb salmon (I used wild Jail Island salmon)

1 can light coconut milk

2 heads baby bok choy, roughly chopped

1/2 - 1 tsp salt or to taste

1 tsp. garam masala

1/4 tsp. mild Indian curry powder

Fresh ground pepper to taste

In a deep-sided saute pan, heat coconut milk over medium-high heat and add bok choy. Season both sides of the fish with the salt, pepper, and some of the garam masala and place it in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining garam masala into the coconut milk along with the curry powder. Put a lid on the pan and poach the fish over medium-high heat for about 7-8 minutes or cooked through to your desired doneness.

I served the fish over jasmine rice, pouring the excess coconut milk and spice mixture on top.

Meatless Monday: Mixed Greens with Spicy Soy Sausage over Polenta

Mixed Greens with Spicy Soy Sausage

10-12 oz. organic mixed greens (Such as kale, collards, mustard greens, beet tops, swiss chard, etc. You can get a bag of pre-washed mixed greens at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's)

2 links of your favorite spicy soy sausage, chopped into rounds (or about 1/2 link of Trader Joe's soy chorizo)

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. salt or to taste

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper or to taste

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (you can leave these out if you don't want any spice)

1-2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

In a large, deep pot over medium high, heat olive oil and garlic and saute until just tender but not browned. Add a sprinkle of salt and red pepper flakes, then add your soy sausage. Saute sausage for 2-3 minutes, then use tongs to slowly add the greens and toss them gently in the oil. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Cook greens for 7-9 minutes or until wilted and tender. Set aside.

Creamy Polenta 

1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) polenta

3 cups soy creamer or broth 

2 tbs. Earth Balance or herb butter

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or your favorite cheese blend

Fresh ground pepper to taste

1 tsp. garlic powder (optional)

Bring soy creamer (or broth) and 1 tbs. of the Earth Balance or garlic herb butter to a simmer in a medium sized saucepan. Add the polenta slowly in a thin stream while stirring with a whisk or spoon. Stir for about one minute until the polenta just separates from the sides of the saucepan. Add the cheese and continue stirring until it melts and disappears. Finish with the other tbs. of Earth Balance or butter.  Top with mixed greens and sausage.

Coconut Milk Crepes with Fresh Fruit and Lemon Mascarpone

The lemon mascarpone recipe can be found in this previous posting. Follow that recipe with the addition of 1 tsp. of good quality vanilla extract. Since the batter should rest before cooking, I like to whip it up before dinner, then fry the crepes afterward for dessert.

1 cup flour 

1.5 cups light coconut milk from a can or So Delicious brand Coconut Milk Beverage (I bought this recently and have been using it a few different recipes, it makes a delicious drink, too - over all it's a good investment)

2 eggs

2 tbs. Earth Balance of butter - melted

2 tbs. sugar or agave syrup

Pinch of salt to taste

In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients except eggs until well-blended. Add eggs one a time, whisking well after each addition. Store the batter in your refrigerator for about an hour before cooking the crepes. You can start on the filling while you wait.

Heat a bit of butter in a crepe pan (or a small-medium sized nonstick skillet with shallow sides). Keep the heat fairly low or else the crepes will brown too quickly. Hold the pan with one hand and drop about 1/4 cup of batter in with the other. Swirl the pan around so the batter evenly covers the bottom in a thin layer.

Serve crepes with a dollop of mascarpone and your favorite fresh fruits. I used strawberries, as they taste great with the lemon flavor.

You can also serve the crepes with plain lemon curd inside and an orange sauce like a Crepe Suzette.

Quick Orange Sauce

2 tbs. Earth Balance or butter 

1/2 cup orange liqueur such as Triple Sec

1 cup fresh orange juice

In a saucepan, melt Earth Balance or butter over medium-high heat. Add orange and liqueur and let sauce reduce for about 30 seconds or until slightly thickened. Pour warm sauce over the crepe and serve with whipped cream or powdered sugar if desired. For a more traditional Crepe Suzette style, you can make the sauce in a pan and place a crepe directly inside while the sauce reduces.

 

Organic Muscovy Duck with Blackberry Cherry Sauce - full recipe

As promised, here are some picture of my completed Valentine's dinner as well as updated recipes.

Organic Muscovy Duck with Blackberry Cherry Sauce

Blackberry Cherry Sauce

1 jar cherry preserves (with whole fruit pieces)
1/2 cup blackberry jam or preserves
1/2 cup port wine (you can also use sherry or red wine or fruit juice)
1/2 cup whole pitted cherries and a bit of the juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs garlic herb butter or Earth Balance
1/4 tsp salt or to taste

Fresh ground pepper to taste

In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter or Earth Balance and add the garlic. Saute until tender but not browned. Add the cherry jam, cherries, and the blackberry jam. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the jams become liquid, then add the wine and stir. Let the mixture simmer and reduce for about 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. This can be made ahead a time (even a day or two) and kept in the refridgerator until needed

Note: I had some time and felt enterprising so I did make this sauce in the afternoon before I made my duck. But you can also finish searing your meat of choice drain a bit of the fat from the pan and make this sauce right in the same pan for a delicious flavor layer.
 

Also, I didn't add in the whole cherries this time because alas I tried and tried but could not open the jar and my husband was still at work so he could not help. But the sauce was still delicious anyway!

Duck breast

2 duck breast fillets (I used Maplewood farms Musvovy duck breast)
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
1/2 tbs olive oil or butter or Earth Balance
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Season your duck fillets on both sides generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder if using. In a saute pan over medium-high, heat heat the olive oil (or butter or Earth Balance) - you don't need much as the duck skin contains lots of fat. Place the duck breasts in the pan skin side down and sear until browned, about 3-5 minutes depending on the fillet size. Turn over and sear other side 2-3 minutes on the other side. At this point, pour in almost all of your  sauce(if you have made it ahead of time) reserving about 1/3 cup for topping later. If you have not made your sauce yet, transfer the duck fillets to another plate, drain some but not all of the fat out off the pan. Add your new butter and follow directions for making the sauce. Add the duck fillets back in the pan then place it in the oven for approximately 4-6 minutes depending on how rare you like your duck. Let the duck rest for a few minutes after removing from the oven.

I was originally going to make a side of sauteed spinach with garlic, but I found a small container of leftover mixed greens in my fridge so I added them to the spinach as well. It was a great combo! 

Look for my recipe for the greens in next blog post this week: Sauteed Mixed Greens with Spicy Chicken (or  Soy Sausage) with Creamy Polenta

Vegetarian Valentine's Day

Don't be put off by risotto's reputation! It sounds complicated and tedious but in reality, it only takes a few ingredients (many of which you probably already have in your pantry) and about 20 minute.

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

1 cups arborio rice
6 oz fresh assorted mushrooms such as portabello or shitake or a blend
5 oz dried porcini oz mushrooms reconstituted in 1.5 cups very hot water (Try Fungus AmongUs brand)

4-5 cups vegetable broth or No-Chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine

2 stalks celery, 1 carrot, and 1/2 large onion, diced OR you can use 1 - 1.5 cups already pre-chopped mirepoix mix)
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/2 cup soy creamer or half and half
3-4 cloves of garlic chopped
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp black truffle oil or 1 tbs black truffle butter (Dartagnon) optional
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 tbs earth balance or butter
2 tbs fresh parsley chopped
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste

Place dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 1-2 cups very hot water (heat the water in the microwave for 2 minutes to get a good temperature). Set the mushrooms aside to soak and soften for 5- 10 minutes, drain and reserve the soaking water.

In a deep skillet or pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and Earth Balance. Add the chopped garlic, onion, carrot, and celery. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute about 40 seconds to one minute, then add the fresh mushrooms and saute until tender. 

Add the arborio rice and stir to coat each grain in oil. Toast the rice for about 45 seconds to develop its flavor. Slowly add in the wine and a bit of the vegeatable stock and continue stirring until almost all of the liquid is nearly absorbed (this may take 2-3 minutes, make sure to stir frequently). Add the porcini mushrooms and a bit of the mushroom soaking liquid, continuing to stir until liquid is almost absorbed again. Add broth a few ladle-fulls at a time, stirring well and waiting until nearly all of the liquid is absorbed after each addition. Repeat until rice is tender, but not mushy. This will take about 20 minutes and you can adjust the amount of liquid as necessary. Finish by stirring in the soy creamer or half and half and the cheese and drizzling with truffle oil or truffle butter. Add fresh parsley at the last minute and stir gently. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Risotto should be creamy and a bit liquidy - not too stiff.

Serve with sauteed greens of your choice (spinach, swiss chard, kale, collards, etc). Your favorite bubbly would be a delicious pairing for this risotto - or a nice Pino Noir if you prefer a red.

Valentines Dinner #2: Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Port Wine Sauce and

For my Valentines day dinner, I am planning to make Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Port Wine Sauce, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Butter, Sauteed Fresh Spinach with Garlic, and Molten Chocolate Cakes for dessert. As I am making the dinner fresh tomorrow, I will provide the pictures then. Meanwhile here are the recipes:

Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Port Wine Sauce

You can also substitute fillet mignon rounds or chicken breast instead of the duck. The sauce would be delicious on all three proteins.

Cherry Port Wine Sauce 

  

8- 10 oz jar of good quality all natural whole cherry jam (you can also change the flavor of the sauce by using blackberry or black raspberry jam)

1/2 cup pitted cherries and juice (optional - I like jarred morello cherries. Trader Joes also carries pitted cherries in a glass jar)
1/4 cup port wine (you can also use red wine, triple sec, brandy or fruit juice)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs Earth Balance spread, butter or garlic-herb butter
1/2-1 tsp salt or to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the garlic. Saute just until tender, about 30-40 seconds. Add in the jar of jam, the port or wine, and the cherries. Season with salt and pepper. Stir frequently and cook the sauce until reduced and slightly thickened. Pour over cooked duck breast.

This sauce is also fantastic over steak or chicken breast - and if you omitted the garlic and reduced the sauce a little more more it would be delicious over ice cream as well.

Seared duck breast

You can cook your duck according to the directions on the package you're using. I will be using Maplewoods Farms duck breast fillets. Remember to season the duck breasts generously with salt and fresh ground pepper before cooking.  I am going to saute the duck in a skillet with a small amount of olive oil, skin side down, until browned. Add some of the cherry sauce to the pan, then finish them off in the oven until cooked through, but still tender. Top with the remaining sauce before serving.

Truffled Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

3-5 medium-large organic potatoes (Russet or Yukon Gold are best) OR you can cheat by using Alexia brand frozen organic Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. Prepare according to directions, then add the remaining ingredients.)

2-3 tbs. Earth Balance spread

1-2 tbs. black truffle butter (I used D'artagnan brand) OR 1 tsp. or a drizzle black truffle oil*

1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (more if you like it really cheesy)

3/4 - 1 cup Silk brand soy creamer OR milk

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Peel the potatoes if you wish (I generally don't when I use Yukon gold), then cut them into chunks. Place into a large pot of boiling water and cook until tender. Drain. With a potato masher, smash them down a little bit. Add salt, pepper, soy creamer, cheese, truffle butter/oil, and Earth Balance. Continue to mash until they reach desired smoothness. Adjust seasonings if necessary and add more soy creamer if they need to be thinned out.

Serve duck and mashed potatoes with a side of spinach lightly sauteed with garlic and olive oil.

Individual Molten Chocolate Cakes with Raspberry Sauce

These are to die for! Delicious, ultra rich, gooey in the center, baked in a muffin tin and served warm with raspberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream if desired. The batter can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator until baking time or made ahead and frozen. Makes 6-8 cakes.

6 oz bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chopped or Ghiradelli 60% chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips
6 tbs or 3/4 stick unsalted organic butter
1/2 cup unsweetened chocolate (chips or chunks)
4 large egg whites beaten with 1/8 tsp cream of tarter to form soft peaks
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 small grind of fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 grease muffin tins with butter or all natural cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, heat the chocolate and butter in the microwave for 1-2 minutes checking and stirring with a wooden spoon every 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. This can also be done on the stove top over medium heat in  using a double boiler stirring often until melted.

Remove chocolate butter mixture from heat and sift in the cocoa powder. Stir until smooth, then add the vanilla, salt and pepper. Fold in 1/4 of the beaten egg whites mixture until well combined, Then fold in the remaining egg whites.  Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full with batter. Bake until the cakes are slightly cracked on top but still gooey in the center about 7-8 minutes (a little longer if batter has been refrigerated first). Let cool slightly and serve with raspberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.

Raspberry Sauce 

1 pint or 1/2 bag defrosted organic raspberries
1/4 cup framboise (raspberry liquor) OR substitute another fruity liquor such as triple sec or crème de cassis OR use 2 tbs defrosted frozen orange juice for a non-alcoholic version
2 tbs sugar or agave syrup

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and let stand 5-10 minutes or over night. Serve with chocolate cakes.

Valentine's Dinner: Lobster Ravioli with Langoustines and Strawberry Lemon Mascarpone Trifle

Tomorrow is Valentines Day, so instead of going out to a restaurant, why not make these quick, delicious recipes for your sweetheart?

Lobster Ravioli with Langoustines in Creamy White Wine Garlic Sauce

This recipe is so easy it's almost like cheating, as you can purchase your favorite fresh lobster ravioli and your langoustines (which are like baby lobsters) - you just have to make the sauce!

1-2  9 oz packages of your favorite lobster ravioli (I used Trader Joes brand)

1b langoustines (you can substitute lobster, crab or shrimp. Tip: Trader Joes sells 1 lb bags of frozen langoustines for a very reasonable price, just defrost and dry well before using)

3/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 -3/4 cup of soy creamer, half and half or heavy cream

1 med tomato, chopped or 4-5 cherry tomatoes sliced in half

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs earth balance or butter

1/2 Tbs garlic herb butter (optional if you have any on hand, I like Kerrygold brand)

3-4 garlic cloves, chopped

3 tbs chopped Parsley

1 tsp salt or to taste

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

In a deep saute pan over medium heat, melt the olive oil and Earthbalance/butter and optional garlic herb butter. Add the chopped garlic and saute about 30 seconds until tender but not brown. Add the langoustines or other seafood and season with a sprinkle of salt and fresh ground pepper. Saute about one minute. Add the fresh tomato and continue cooking until it is tender. Add the wine and the soy creamer or cream, taste and add additional sprinkle of salt if needed. Add about a tablespoon of fresh parsley, reserving the rest for the finished dish. Cook the sauce 3-4 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, add the fresh lobster ravioli and cook just until they  float to the top. Drain or remove with a slotted spoon and add them directly to the sauce. Stir gently to combine. If the sauce is too thick add a splash more cream or some reserved pasta water. If it is too thin, cook another minute or two to reduce. Top with the remaining fresh parsley.

I like to serve the ravioli with roasted asparagus with lemon and garlic. This time, I sprinkled with asparagus with some toasted pine nuts for crunch. 

This dinner pairs nicely with a white, sparkling white or rose wine. Try a Blason de Bourgogne Crémant.

Strawberry Lemon Mascarpone Trifle

This elegant desert can be made in a snap! It is delicious and assembled in just minutes. Makes 2-3 servings in wine glasses.

6-7 medium fresh strawberries sliced (you can also use about a cup of fresh raspberries or a combination of both)
1 8oz container marscapone cheese, at room temperature
1 10 oz jar all-natural lemon curd, at room temp (Trader Joes has a good one)
1/4 cup confectioners sugar (you can also use 1-2 tbs Agave syrup)
4-5 crunchy Italian lady fingers (not the soft ones)
1/2 cup framboise (raspberry liquor) or another fruit liquor of your choosing or orange juice
3/4 mint leaves for garnish

In a small bowl, combine the softened marsacpone with the lemon curd and confectioners sugar and mix well. If you want it sweeter add  a bit more sugar than the recipe suggests.
This can be made several days ahead and kept in an air tight container in the refridgerator

Slice the strawberries legnthwise and set aside.

In a shallow dish, add the framboise and then quickly dip the lady fingers on both sides for a few seconds - don't let them get too mushy!

Assembly

In your wine glass, place a generous dollop of the lemon marscapone mixture in the bottom. Break up tha lady finger into small pieces so they fit in the glass, and sprinkle on top of the mascarpone. Top with fresh strawberries or raspberries. Repeat the layering process a few timed depending on the size of your wine glass. Finish the top layer with a dollop of marscapone and garnish with a fresh mint leaf.