Vegan adaptable, gluten-free, serves 4

Spaghetti squash is one of those wonderous, versatile things that can be dressed up a thousand different ways.  If you’ve never tried it, wait no longer. It’s a dieter’s best friend, no matter what the diet – gluten-free, few calories, little carbs, and as satisfying (well, almost) as a bowl of the real stuff.  On its own, the flavor is quite neutrally nice, which is why I prefer a more minimalist application.  No quality, fresh food should ever be disguised.

Roma tomatoes, a/k/a plum tomatoes are my number one crown jewel tomato variety!  Their rich flavor, low moisture, and low acidity make them the ideal tomato to make sauces and marinaras.  And when treated to a long spa of low temperature slow roasting, they become intense flavor bliss.  Their sweet, tomatoey rich goodness concentrates into something that’s like a condiment on its own.  This time I wanted to help them even more (as if they needed it) by making a confit – a fancy way to essentially say, tomato preserves. From the oven, I gave them a blitz in the food processor before adding them to a warm skillet to reduce and season.  Instead of using sugar (common for a confit) I played up their natural sweetness with good aged balsamic vinegar. Tomato LOVE!

Start with:

3-4 lb spaghetti squash

Preheat oven to 400∘F.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with a small bit of olive oil and rub it evenly on flesh. Sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt and pepper.  On a baking sheet, put the squash halves face down and roast for 30 minutes.  Take them out and carefully flip them cavity side up. They should be tender enough that you get that magic spaghetti when the flesh is scraped with a fork. Gently scrape away until you have a nice big bowl of golden strands.

For the tomato confit:

2 lb super ripe, vine fresh roma tomatoes
10-12 large garlic cloves
extra virgin olive oil
good aged balsamic vinegar
6 thyme sprigs
crushed red pepper
sea salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 325∘F. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place in a large bowl. Pull the leaves from 2 thyme sprigs, coarsely chop, add to tomatoes. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. On a foil lined baking sheet, spread out the tomatoes cut side up. Smash the garlic cloves with your knife and remove the skins. Take a clove (you can half cloves as well) and push them into the mushy, seedy center of the tomato halves. Throw over a couple of whole thyme sprigs.  Roast the tomatoes for about 6 hours, until they have shriveled and darkened but still have plumpness.

Remove thyme stems and toss tomatoes in a food processor and blitz to a coarse purée. Gently heat about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet. Add tomato purée with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, a tablespoon more of chopped fresh thyme, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Allow to heat through and slightly reduce at a gentle heat, about 10 minutes.

To serve:

Spoon confit over a serving of spaghetti squash. Drizzle with extra virgin, and more crushed red pepper and thyme leaves if desired.  Curls of parmesan cheese off the block sends this dish though the stratosphere. (Vegans – obviously omit the cheese.)

<3, JMK

{ raw vegan, gluten-free, makes 10-12 involtini }

Who says raw food cannot be hearty and fill you up?

One of the most common misconceptions of the raw food diet is that a meal can’t possibly be substantial enough to stick to the ribs.  Salads and carrot sticks?  Oh puuulease.

Oh sure, anyone would get bored with the everyday salad and carrot sticks.  But ounce for ounce, raw food is most nutritionally dense, which translates to satisfying and filling your belly faster and with surprisingly less of a quantity than a lot of cooked foods.

This is especially the case when raw dishes are made creatively with multiple components and flavors.  When just a few ingredients such as macadamia nuts, tomatoes, spinach, and squash come together to create for example, this involtini, their nutritional values are inherently maintained.  Since we begin eating with our eyes first, it often comes as a surprise when a perceivably “light” dish can slow your chowing down faster than expected.

{ straightneck squash }

{ perfect in a casserole dish }

Involtini, also known as “rollatini”, is typically made with breaded and fried eggplant strips rolled with ricotta cheese, topped with mozzarella, and baked.  As much as I would have loved to use eggplant here, I’ve unfortunately developed a progressive intolerance to it over the years.  Straight neck yellow squash made a fine stand-in, but by all means use eggplant if you desire.

Macadamias are some of my favorite nuts to use for cheese substitutes, especially for creamier varieties like ricotta.  Like any nut-based “cheese”, a comparison shouldn’t be taken too literally to its dairy counterpart, because nut cheeses have rich, delicious flavor profiles and textures all their own.

This involtini dish is perfect for four or more people, as two to three of them will fill you well as a main course.  The marinara and “raw”cotta can be made up to two days in advance. Serve with a salad of colorful seasonal greens, and this makes an easy and impressive meal that’s perfect for introducing those new to raw food.

{ pretty on a plate }

For the marinara:

2 lbs roma tomatoes (about 10-12 medium sized), sliced in half lengthwise
8 sundried tomatoes in extra virgin olive oil
4 to 5 smashed garlic cloves
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 tsp sea salt
cup of water

Put the roma tomatoes in a large bowl, add all ingredients except for the sundried tomatoes and water, and gently toss to evenly distributing herbs, olive oil, garlic and salt. Allow to marinate for 1 hour. On lined dehydrator trays, place tomato halves cut side up. Press the garlic cloves inside random tomato halves. Pour over extra marinade from bowl, and dehydrate at 115 degrees for 18 to 20 hours until tomatoes are reduced and “roasted” in appearance.

In a food processor, add the romas, sun-dried tomatoes, and 2 of the garlic cloves (discard or save remainder for another use). Process until well blended. The mixture will be thick, so begin streaming water little by little until there is a marinara sauce consistency. Check for seasonings and make adjustments if necessary. Add more basil and parsley if desired.

Macadamia “raw”cotta:

1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked 8 hours
1/4 cup pine nuts, soaked 4 to 6 hours
1 garlic clove
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt
cold water

First blend all ingredients, except for water in food processor until very crumbly. Gradually stream in cold water until creamy, light and fluffy.

For squash, breading, & spinach:

3 to 4 large straight neck or goldbar squash
sea salt
extra virgin olive oil

1 cup golden flax meal
1 tbsp finely minced basil
1 tbsp finely minced parsley
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

8 oz fresh baby spinach
sea salt
extra virgin olive oil

With a wide vegetable peeler, slice squash lengthwise from end to end as evenly as possible. The thickness should be that of a lasagna noodle. Continue peeling one side until the seeds are reached, then rotate squash to peel each side evenly. Lay the peeled squash layer by layer in a square or rectangular casserole dish, lightly sprinkling each layer with sea salt. Allow to sit 1/2 hour, then drain excess water. Drizzle squash lightly with olive oil.

Meanwhile, combine flax meal, basil, parsley, salt, and cayenne in another casserole dish and mix well with a fork. Coat each slice of squash in the breading on both sides and then place on dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for a little over an hour, until it gets lightly crisp.

While the squash is dehydrating, add the spinach to a large bowl and very lightly drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt. Use hands to toss and distribute the olive oil and salt evenly. Allow to marinate and wilt while the squash is dehydrating, and periodically use your hands to remix.

Involtini assembly:

First, in a casserole serving dish, spoon in some marinara to cover the bottom of the dish.

Take two like-sized slices of squash, even in length, and lay them on a flat surface slightly overlapping each other with the ends closest to you. Spoon on about 1 tablespoon of the rawcotta and spread evenly from end to end. Repeat using an even layer of the spinach, and carefully take the ends close to you and roll into a pinwheel. Carefully place each involtini into the casserole dish on top of the marinara.

The casserole dish can be kept at the bottom of a dehydrator or warm oven for up to an hour before serving.

<3, JMK

{ raw vegan, gluten-free, serves 2-4 as appetizer }

One of the easiest, most brilliant ways to introduce yourself or anyone to raw foods is to mimic a fried food preparation. All of the texture, flavor, crunch, heartiness, and messy fingers exist plentifully without any of the health consequences like clogged arteries, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity.  Not only that, all of the vitamins, minerals, and digestive enzymes are intact to nourish your body the best way possible.

There’s a plethora of choices when it comes to what vegetables to use for a “fritto misto”.  The key is to make sure that they’re not too thick and cut uniformly so that their sizes and weights allow them to crisp up evenly.  And what fun would finger food be without a delicious dipping sauce?  Meyer lemons are abundant this time of year and I’m IN LOVE with them.  They taste like a cross between a lemon and an orange.  Fair warning…this tahini sauce blended with meyer lemon juice, basil, and garlic is incredibly addicting.  Use it on everything!

To prepare the “fritto misto”:

2 cups cauliflower florets, sliced about 1/4″ thick
small bunch thin asparagus, trimmed
1/2 large fennel bulb, sliced thin (about 1 cup)
6 green onions, trimmed and cut into halves
juice of 1/2 lemon
extra virgin olive oil
1 cup golden flax meal
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp finely minced garlic
1 tsp sea salt + 1/2 tsp
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne

Put the vegetables in a large bowl, squeeze over lemon juice, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp sea salt, carefully toss to coat and allow to marinate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl combine the flax meal, 1 tsp sea salt, thyme, rosemary, garlic, cayenne, and black pepper. Mix with a fork until well blended.

Drain off any excess liquid from the vegetables and drizzle them liberally with extra virgin olive oil. Take about 3 to 4 veggies at a time and completely coat them in the flax meal mixture, then place on lined dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for about 4 to 5 hours, or until the veggies reach desired crispness.

Meyer lemon basil tahini:

1/2 cup raw tahini
1/2 cup packed fresh basil
juice of 1 meyer lemon
small garlic clove
1/2 tsp sea salt
cold water for thinning

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Use the water to thin as necessary, until the tahini sauce is smooth and creamy.

<3, JMK

{ raw vegan, gluten-free, serves 4-5 as main dish }

Perfect for a cold winter night’s dinner.  Even in Florida.  Yes, it’s cold here.

I enjoy any opportunity to turn my favorite cookware into uncookware, and these cute little mini cocottes were the perfect dehydrator-to-table servers for polenta.  These cocottes in particular are made of cast iron, so they do a great job of absorbing and maintaining even, gentle heat.  When the polenta and mushrooms are covered during the last hour of dehydration, each portion is perfectly warm and satisfying.

For the polenta:

2 cups fresh or fresh frozen corn
1/2 cup pine nuts, soaked for 4 hours
1/2 cup cashews, soaked at least 4 hours
1 green onion, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp lemon juice
1 big garlic clove
1 tsp sea salt
good pinch crushed red pepper flakes
a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper

Put pine nuts, cashews, salt, and garlic in a food processor and blend until finely crumbled. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth, like creamy cornmeal. Spoon about 1/2 cup each polenta into ramekins, cocottes, or a ring mold. Dehydrate for 4 hours at 115º until polenta becomes slightly firmer and crusty on top.

For the mushrooms:

8 oz. shiitake mushroom caps, sliced about 1/4″ thick
7 oz. royal trumpet mushrooms, sliced lengthwise about 1/4″ thick
3.5 oz. beech mushrooms, separated and whole
1/4 cup arugula, finely chopped
2 tbsp shallot, finely minced
2 tbsp celery, minced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss well and let marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hours. Transfer to a lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 115º for about 2 hours, until mushrooms become chewy and “cooked” in texture.

For the porcini gravy:

3 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups very warm filtered water
1/4 cup cashew milk
1 tbsp marsala wine (optional)
1/2 celery stalk, cut into chunks
1 tbsp coarsely chopped shallot
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sea salt
a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper

Soak the porcinis in the water until very soft, about 2 hours. Drain and save 1 cup soaking liquid. Combine the mushrooms, 1 cup of soaking liquid, and all other ingredients in a food processor until very smooth. Pour into a bowl and place at the bottom of a dehydrator for about 3 hours, until the liquid reduces and slightly thickens.

To serve:

Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and stir in about 3/4 to 1 cup of the gravy, or desired amount. Then spoon mushrooms over the polenta and serve If using cocottes or ramekins, cover and heat in the dehydrator before serving.

<3, JMK

{ raw vegan, gluten-free*, serves 2-4 as appetizer }

There’s nothing quite like warm, marinated, “roasted” mushrooms fresh out of the dehydrator.  Which sounds peculiar in a way, since the first thought of dehydrated mushrooms may remind you of the packaged and shriveled specimens that need liquid to give them life.

That isn’t the least bit true in this case. When mushrooms are “cooked” in a dehydrator, they rival the flavor of a slow simmered stove top sauté.  They have less moisture and more flavor intensity. Portobellos are known to be an awesome meat substitute, but they really stand on their own delicious integrity just fine. So dehydrating them is the perfect way to create a beefy-style carpaccio.

Bocconcini, being small little balls of mozzarella, have been reinvented as a cashew based “cheese”.  Freshly grated horseradish gives it a really nice kick and pairs well with the sweet baby beets.

For the mushrooms:

2 large portobello mushroom caps, gills removed
1/3 cup madeira wine
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup nama shoyu*
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tbs sherry vinegar
1 tsp herbs de provence
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

*for gluten-free preparation, omit nama shoyu and substitute with 1 tsp sea salt

Whisk together marinade ingredients in a bowl. Place mushroom caps in an airtight plastic bag and pour over marinade. Seal, and evenly marinate for at least 2 hours.

Place caps on lined dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 115 degrees for 4 hours. Remove, and thinly slice into strips.

For the beets:

8 baby beets, quartered
1 tsp good balsamic vinegar
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt

In a small bowl, sprinkle the beets evenly with the sea salt and let sit for an hour. Add vinegar and olive oil, turn to coat, and spread beets onto lined dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 4 hours, until vinegar has reduced and beets are glazed.

For the bocconcini:

1 cup soaked cashews
1 tbs freshly grated horseradish (or to desired strength)
1 garlic clove
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp sea salt
1-2 tbsp cold water, for thinning

Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until as smooth as possible. Slowly drizzle in cold water as needed to smooth the mixture, but it should still be thick enough to form 1 1/2″ round balls. Refrigerate the mixture for about an hour before forming bocconcini with your hands.

To assemble:

Arrange the mushroom strips on a serving plate. Spoon over any excess marinade if desired. Sprinkle over some arugula drizzled with olive oil and sea salt (optional), followed by the baby beets and bocconcini, and serve.

<3, JMK

{ raw vegan, gluten-free, serves 2 }

Pasta with vegetarian bolognese using packaged tofu crumbles is one of my favorite comfort foods.  But since the processed stuff isn’t so good for the gut (or that great for you in general), I wanted to create a raw version using whole, healthy ingredients that could be enjoyed both on raw pasta or the classic cooked semolina.  The outcome was even better than I had hoped.  The similarities are pretty striking in flavor as well as texture.

“Stracci” basically translates to imperfectly “ripped” sheets of pasta.  So making rough, wide tears of squash using a vegetable peeler stands up to a hearty, heavy topping like bolognese.  Dehydrating the squash also lends to its sturdiness as it creates a more chewy, pliable texture.

This recipe makes more bolognese than what’s needed for the stracci.  But that works out just fine, because it freezes beautifully.  I used the remainder of it on cooked linguini for dinner one night, and it was out of this world.  Gently heated through, it resembled more of a mushroom ragù than a bolognese.  Win-win!

For the sauce:
2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4-5 sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (recommended: Mediterranean Organic)
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms
3/4 cup soaked walnuts
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp sea salt
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
1 large celery stalk, roughly chopped
1/8 cup good red wine
3 tbsp cashew milk

Toss the first 7 ingredients well in a large bowl and let marinate 1 hour. Transfer tomatoes to lined dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 115 degrees for about 4 hours.

In a food processor, blend the grape tomatoes and the sun-dried tomatoes together to a purée. Pour into mixing bowl and set aside.

Next, add the creminis, walnuts, thyme, and remaining 1 teaspoon sea salt to food processor and pulse to a crumbly texture. Add to the tomato sauce mixture.

Finally, pulse together the shallot, carrot, and celery until finely diced and transfer to the sauce. Add wine and cashew milk and stir together until well mixed. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

For the stracci:
1 1/2 – 2 lbs goldbar squash (about 4)
sea salt
flax seed oil (lends a rich, buttery flavor)

With a vegetable peeler, slice squash into thin sheets, alternating on each side until seeds are visible. Set in a large bowl, sprinkle and toss moderately with sea salt, and allow to stand for about an hour. Drain excess water, and drizzle with flax seed oil. Transfer to dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 115 degrees for about 2 hours, or until “stracci” achieves a chewy texture.

Pinenut parmesan:
1/2 cup soaked pine nuts
1 tbs nutritional yeast
1 small garlic clove
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt

Process all ingredients until well blended and crumbly. Spread on lined dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 110 degrees for about 2 hours, or until excess moisture has evaporated.

For assembly:
Simply arrange stracci on plates and top with desired amount of bolognese. Finish with pinenut parmesan and garnish with roughly chopped basil.

<3, JMK

{ Raw vegan, gluten-free*, serves 4 }

Vegetables and herbs such as leeks, shallots and tarragon are staples in French cooking – and flavors I absolutely adore.  They also happen to be some of the most under-utilized in American cuisine until recent.  Singularly or combined, each of these ingredients adds sheer flavor heaven, and particularly work like magic with mushrooms.  Leeks are incredibly nutritious and while lending their mildly diuretic benefits, they’re loaded with minerals like iron and potassium.  I added leeks and tarragon to this otherwise Italian-inspired cannelloni dish, launching the marsala wine-marinated creminis and porcinis into taste bud bliss!

Mushroom mixture:

1 lb criminis sliced in half
1/4 oz dried porcinis, soaked and softened in 1 cup warm water and 1/2 cup marsala wine
1 small leek finely sliced, white and light green part only
1 tbs dried tarragon
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup marsala wine
1/3 cup nama shoyu*
1/2 tsp finely ground green peppercorns
1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper

Put all ingredients, except for porcinis and liquids, into a large bowl. Whisk together olive oil, marsala, and nama shoyu and pour over mushrooms. Toss well and marinate for 2 hours, occassionally turning to coat. Meanwhile, coarsely chop porcinis and set aside. Spread mushrooms on to a lined dehydrator sheet and dehydrate for 3 hours at 115 degrees, or until texture is slightly chewy and resembles a sautéed mushroom. Toss mushrooms occasionally while dehydrating.

Take 3/4 of the mushrooms and all the porcinis into the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Reserve remaining mushrooms for plating.

* For gluten-free preparation, omit nama shoyu and substitute with 1-2 teaspoons sea salt.

“Raw”cotta:

1/2 cup soaked, moist cashews
1/2 cup soaked, moist pine nuts
1/4 cup soaked, moist hemp nuts (optional, I had to finish off a package)
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 garlic clove

Blend all ingredients in a food processor to a ricotta or thick cheese-spread consistency.

Tarragon marinara (I made this two days ahead):

2 lbs fresh roma tomatoes, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
4 fat smashed garlic cloves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 heaping tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
handful fresh chopped basil
2 tbs fine quality aged balsamic vinegar
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil to coat
1 tbs dried tarragon

Combine all ingredients, except for tarragon, in a large bowl and marinate for about an hour. Spread tomatoes on to lined dehydrator trays face up, spooning herb mixture over them. Stuff the garlic cloves into a few of the tomato halves. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 8 to 10 hours (depending on tomato size). They should appear roasted, but still somewhat plump. You don’t want to totally dehydrate them to the sun-dried type.

Put tomatoes in a food processor along with the tarragon and blend to a marinara. It’s now ready to eat, or you can put it in a bowl a few hours before serving and keep warm in dehydrator. (This will also reduce excess moisture).

Cannelloni:

2 medium zucchini (you may have extra left over)
flax seed oil (makes it nice and buttery)
sea salt
finely ground green peppercorns
a hand-held mandoline

Slice zucchini lengthwise very thin, about 1/8″. Layer slices in a casserole dish, rubbing them with flax seed oil and sprinkling sea salt and pepper very lightly between each layer. Allow to sit for about an hour and careful drain water out of dish. Spread on dehydrator screens and dehydrate for 1-2 hours at 115 degrees so that excess moisture is gone and cannelloni have a chewier, more pasta-like texture.

For assembly:

On a work surface, lay 4 zucchini in similar lengths next to each other, slighty overlapping.  Beginning 1/2″ from one edge of the width (not lengthwise), spoon about 2 tablespoons each of rawcotta and mushroom mixture down the width of layered zucchini.  From this end, carefully pick up exposed edges and roll into cannelloni tubes.  The zucchini are very pliable and stay together quite well.  At this point you can keep the cannellonis heated in the dehydrator until ready to serve.

Spoon over tarragon marinara, garnish with remaining halved mushrooms and fresh basil leaves.

<3, JMK

(raw vegan)

Last week, I finally got hold of some flawlessly fresh portobello mushroom caps – something that has seemed hard to come by around Orlando lately.  And I wanted to have them marinated and dehydrated immediately!  A friend who has recently become intrigued by raw food asked me, “Dehydrated mushrooms?  Where is the pleasure in that? ”

Well, they’re actually scrumptiously moist and chewy as opposed to leathery and dried out, as “dehydrated” can imply.  They have nothing to do with the bone-dried packaged exotic varieties you get at the supermarket and then reconstitute (although you could use these, but that’s another dish).  The end result of plump, meaty portobello caps soaked in a sparky, flavorful marinade and then gently warmed in a dehydrator for a few hours so that all the flavors intensify is very much like sautéed mushrooms.  Believe me, there’s no compromise in texture or flavor!

“Roasted” Portobellos:

2 large portobello mushroom caps
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup nama shoyu*
1 tbs vegan worcestershire sauce*
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tbs sweet vermouth, or mirin
3 to 4 fresh thyme stem leaves, + 1 tsp chopped thyme leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 small minced shallot
1 fat minced garlic clove
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together all ingredients, except mushrooms and thyme stems, in a bowl. Place portobello caps in a large sealable plastic bag (works best), a small casserole dish, or other sealable container. Pour over marinade evenly, add thyme stems, and allow to marinate for at least 3 hours preferably at room temperature.  Periodically turn mushrooms.

Pour marinade into a small bowl and transfer mushrooms to Teflex lined dehydrator trays gill side up (reserving a small pool of marinade and herbs).  Place bowl at the bottom of the dehydrator.  “Roast” at 110 degrees for 2 hours, remove Teflex sheets continue for least 1 more hour until mushrooms have flattened and shrunk a bit.

Remove from dehydrator and thinly slice caps on a bias.  Use marinade to spoon over, or save for future use.  Keeps for about a week in the refrigerator.

* These products are not gluten-free.  Vegan worcestershire sauce is not raw.

Baby bell peppers are another favorite.  I prefer them over their full-grown counterparts because they’re sweeter and milder.  Conventionally roasting them pleasantly intensifies their sweet flavor, and similarly, so does dehydrating.  Plus, they get on famously with portobellos.  That day last week, I picked up some of those, too.  And a couple of purpley-red heirloom tomatoes, and a bag of lively, wild arugula.

“Roasted” Baby Bell Peppers:

1 pint multi-colored baby bell peppers
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
extra virgin olive oil

Slice the peppers in half lengthwise, place in a bowl, and evenly sprinkle over sea salt and oregano by intermittently turning them. Drizzle over olive oil to lightly coat. Marinate for 3 hours. Transfer peppers to Teflex lined dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 100 degrees for 6 to 8 hours.

My Aerogarden was overabundant with purple basil.  Pesto seemed like a logical processing choice.  But I find that pesto can be quite strong and rich, overpowering at times.  I suspect it has to do with three key conventional ingredients: parmigiano-reggiano cheese, pine nuts, and olive oil. Each has a high-fat content and substantial on their own.  Hemp seed nuts are mild, tasty, and extraordinarily nutritious.  When used in place of cheese and pine-nuts, traditional pesto is transformed into something more delicate and smooth, but still with all that delicious, savory basil flavor.

Purple Basil Hemp Pesto:

5 oz. loosely packed purple basil
1 cup hemp seed nuts
1 fat garlic clove
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Put all ingredients except for olive oil in a food processor. First blitz to coarsely chop and blend. Then gradually drizzle in olive oil while processing until well-blended and smooth. Periodically check for seasoning. Stores in an air-tight container for about 5-7 days in the refrigerator.

The absence of parmegiano-reggiano clears the way for a nut-based cheese, like macadamia “parmesan”.  The substitution shares its characteristics of sharp, salty, slighty tart, and kind of creamy. But nut cheese translations shouldn’t be taken literally because they have a character all their own.

Macadamia Parmesan:

1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked for at least 8 hours
1 small garlic clove
1 1/2 tbs nutritional yeast
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 to 2 tbs water

Blend all ingredients except for water in food processor until crumbly. Check for seasonings. Consistency should be slightly moist but chunky, and not too thin and pasty. If needed, add a bit of water. Spread cheese out in dime-sized pieces on a Teflex line dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 110 degrees for 8 hours. Stores in an air-tight container for about 1 week in the refrigerator.

To construct the stack:

Slice a large tomato into 1/4″ slices.  Toss some arugula in a bowl with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of sea salt.

This can get a little slippery, so tell your hands to be steady and patient.  It’s helpful to use a piece of aluminum foil that has been shaped around a large can or jar as a guide.

First, lay a tomato slice down on a plate.  Spread on some purple basil hemp pesto like you’re buttering a piece of bread.  Next add some portobello slices, slightly overlapping.  Add a small mound of arugula and then finally, a few macadamia parmesan crumbles.  Repeat this process once more.

After adding the second round of arugula, top with 4-5 pieces of “roasted” baby bell peppers and a few more macadamia parmesan crumbles.  If using the foil as a guide, it helps to allow the stack to sit and set for 15 minutes.

To serve, just spoon some extra pesto around on the plate.  Makes a great salad course or light meal.

<3, JMK

(vegetarian, vegan*)

Aside from culture or tradition, recipes are generally created out of inspiration and experimentation.  And from those recipes, even more are tried and inspired.  Everyone who loves to cook, who are learning to cook, or who cook on a professional level, need recipes.  They’re like formulas, roadmaps, and valuable learning resources, yet they can also be a blueprint for the most incredible works of art.  I often say that the culinary arts represent the perfect alchemy – that which combines each a bit of chemistry; magic; and at least four of the five senses: smell, taste, touch, and sight.  Hearing can be added to the brew for crunchy or textural foods while eating, as well as what you may hear during the preparation process.

However, there is also much to be said for the unrecipe. Dishes that come together without much prior thought, planning, grocery lists, or measurements.  Ingredients that you have on hand in the kitchen and what is accessible as fresh, seasonal, simple essentials.  The unrecipe is the product of making delicious food guided only by your instincts, imagination, heart, and soul.  There’s as much magnificence and beauty in the freshest wholesome and uncomplicated dishes as those that require hours of work, skill, and exotic ingredients.  Plus they taste pretty darn exquisite.

Recently, I’ve been studying the work of the legendary Alice Waters and Chez Panisse, which includes reading her biography (and I’m only on chapter 4) named the same.  No matter what you eat or don’t eat, vegetarian or not, every American who cares about food should very well get to know her.  In fact, I could easily dedicate an entire post to her and just may do so in the near future.  But in an attempt to summarize Ms. Waters and why she is relevant to not just the spontaneity of the bucatini pictured above, but to my general attitude toward all of the food I’ve made recently, is quite simply this: as one of the greatest American restauranteurs and pioneer to the concept of morally good food, using only the freshest, seasonal, organic, sustainable ingredients long before today’s mainstream awareness and visibility, Alice Waters is the unrecipe.  She is artisinal, delicate, simple, and sweet, which equates to serving up a special sort of sophistication.  Why I didn’t read her books sooner, I am not sure, especially since one of them had been sitting on my bookshelf for a good number of years.  But now, she’s absolutely got my attention and I’ve just begun to scratch the surface.

I knew that today I would make something new.  Yesterday, I had some general ideas rolling around the noggin.  I referred to my steno notebook scratched full of recipe ideas, themes, and inspiring ingredients.  I tossed through my latest stack of food rag clippings.  And then before going to bed, I referred to Chez Panisse Vegetables and once again took note of the simplicity of the preparations, the short lists of ingredients, how everything is written as a celebration of produce at its peak.  And some items aren’t as much recipes as they are loose interpretations as to how to treat your beautifully ripened star ingredient.

This morning, I chose to make this bucatini after clearing my head of any preconceived recipe ideas.  Not raw, not vegan, not savory, not sweet, cold nor hot.  The only obvious parameter is that whatever it was would not contain meat.  So I focused on a single red onion sitting in a basket on the center of the kitchen island.  It immediately reminded me of the first meal I had in Italy, more specifically, Venice, after a very long and exhausting two days of travel.  Spaghetti with just caramelized onions, some parsley, and shaved romano.  Very simple, very nurturing, very comforting, very delicious.  My purple onion was flawless, as was the brand new potted parsley I just brought home two days ago.  This bucatini would deliver a celebration of both my perfect ingredients and an incredible memory.

Slice a medium to large sized red onion into thin half rings.  Sweat them down on the lowest temperature in a good, heavy skillet with about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a liberal sprinkling of sea salt, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper.

About 10 minutes later, when the onions are about halfway done, add about 2 teaspoons of dried oregano, pinching it between your fingers to release aroma.  Stir and let the onions continue to sweat down.  At this time, also begin boiling 1/2 pound bucatini (half a box) or other long pasta like linguini or spaghetti, in very salty water.

The onions should be ready in about 20 minutes.  Turn off the heat and when the bucatini is al dente, ladle straight into the onion skillet along with one ladle of pasta water.  Add the zest of half a lemon, and a handful of fresh chopped parsley and toss.  At this stage you can also add some freshly grated parmigianno-reggiano cheese, or leave it out to keep it vegan.

In a serving bowl, finish off with a drizzle of high quality extra virgin olive oil.  Or even better, one that is infused with Meyer lemon.

<3, JMK

(vegan)

It is barely September, but nonetheless, each year right after Labor Day somehow emits the first subtle signs in the air that autumn is just around the corner.  Maybe this isn’t so unusual for folks living in seasonal climates, but in Florida one might not think it would be so obvious.  Personally, it’s my favorite time of the year.  It’s a time of comfort food, Halloween, and spending lots of time on the patio because summer’s stifling heat and humidity have finally melted away to reveal a refreshing new crispness.  For me, it is the fall that is my springtime renewal.

At the Fresh Market today, all sorts of autumn fruits and vegetables were already beginning to make their debuts, overflowing out of their bins.  A beautiful arrangement of brussels sprouts on their stalks were so bouncy fresh I just couldn’t pass them up.  I thought perhaps to sauté them with garlic and Thai red chilis. . .wait, no!  Shallots go so well with brussels sprouts, maybe I should do more of a French twist? But then I remembered.

At home in my pantry has been sitting a box of Trofiette Liguri that I picked out at Williams-Sonoma from their great array of exotic pastas a few weeks ago .  You know, all those rustic, boutiquey, pricey pastas that  somehow make you think that eating them will transport you into a dream sequence of dining al fresco under olive trees at a Tuscan villa, sipping on a big silky glass of Brunello di Montalcino, surrounded by lush vineyards and Italian grandmothers singing I Cadetti di Guascogna as they smile and wave at you as they make their way down cobblestone paths?

Trofiette are hand-rolled little pieces of dough that come from Italy’s Ligurian region.  They were created as an alternative to gnocchi but still have a somewhat of a hearty, dumpling texture, though not nearly as sluggishly gut-busting as gnocchi.   They should hold up pretty well to the brussels sprouts, a vegetable I wouldn’t typically think to pair with pasta.

So tonight will be comfort food for hubs and I, I thought.  We could both use a little comfort these days.  And, he won’t miss his cheese and will never know I didn’t load the dish with butter (I just need to lock him in the bedroom to keep him out of the kitchen).  If you can’t find trofiette, or don’t care to pay $10.50 for a pound, whole wheat orzo or fusilli should work equally well.

1/2 lb trofiette
1 lb brussels sprouts
1/8 c roughly chopped kalamata olives
1/4 c roughly chopped walnuts
4 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
3 tbs chopped fresh dill
2 tbs chopped fresh chives
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c vegetable stock
1/2 c dry vermouth
a pinch crushed red pepper flakes
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Slice the brussels sprouts vertically, about 1/4″ thick.  For nickel-sized and smaller sprouts, slice in half or leave whole.

Trofiette will take about 20 minutes to cook. Be sure to have your pasta pot right next to a big skillet. Don’t use non-stick.  Cook the pasta to al dente in liberally salted water. You want to time this so that it will be ready at the same time as the brussels sprouts.

Meanwhile, add the olive oil to the skillet.  Add the garlic, shallots, and chili flakes while the oil is still cool and turn heat to low.  This is so that the ingredients gently infuse the oil and are not scorched.  Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until it begins to lightly sizzle.

Add brussels sprouts, sprinkle about a teaspoon of sea salt over, and sauté for about 1 minute.  Increase heat to medium-high and add the vegetable stock and vermouth.  Add some black pepper, a light sprinkling of salt, and stir.  Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally until stock and vermouth reduce and brussels sprouts are cooked through to al dente, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the olives and walnuts during the last 5 minutes of cook time and turn off the heat as soon as the brussels sprouts are done.

With a slotted spoon, ladle the trofiette from the pasta pot directly into the skillet.  Add the dill and chives, gently toss, and serve.

<3, JMK