Dayrecipe Food Community

If you cut up the potatoes ahead of time, keep them in cold water so that they don’t discolor.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 russet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes well; cut into quarters lengthwise, then crosswise. Place in a bowl; toss with the oil, paprika, salt and pepper.

2. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until tender, brown and crispy. Shake once during baking. Remove from the baking sheet with a metal spatula and serve on a platter. Sprinkle with a little extra salt, if desired.

“Your readers would love the food at Stella’s,” writes Annoria Tohrm of Richmond, Virginia. “This Greek cafe in Richmond serves all the standards — moussaka, taramasalata, and baklava. But I can’t get enough of the baba ghanouj, and I want to make it at home.”

This Middle Eastern eggplant spread is also a delicious dip for raw vegetables.

Makes about 1 3/4 cups.

INGREDIENTS

• 21-pound eggplants, halved lengthwise 1/4cup olive oil
• 1/4cup tahini (sesame seed paste)*
• 3tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1garlic clove, chopped
• pita bread wedges

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously oil rimmed baking sheet. Place eggplant halves, cut side down, on sheet. Roast until eggplant is very soft, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Using spoon, scoop out pulp from eggplant into strainer set over bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, allowing excess liquid to drain from eggplant.

Transfer eggplant pulp to processor. Add 1/4 cup oil, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic; process until almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to small bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Serve with pita wedges.

* Available at Middle Eastern and natural foods stores and some supermarkets.

An amazingly simple and tasty vegetarian version of the classic beef dish. This is much more healthy as it makes use of some of the great low fat choices of foods now available to us.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 2/3 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1-1 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 lb Vegetarian ground round (veggie crumbles)
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can low fat Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 cup (low or fat free) sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook onions, mushrooms and flour in oil until soft and the onions are translucent (add water by single tablespoons to keep moist but not wet) .
2. Add diced red pepper, pepper, paprika, veggie crumbles and mushroom soup.
3. Cook for 5 minutes or until heated through.
4. Add sour cream and heat through.
5. Serve over rice or noodles.

TIP:

This is also a very quick way tto make a Hamburger Stroganoff if you prefer to use beef. Just add the beef with the onions and brown them together. Drain off the fat that has cooked out. Now add the oil and flour (still using the water as needed to keep moisture in the pan). Preceed with the recipe as as writted until completed.

Canned red bean paste is an acceptable product, but the homemade kind is obviously much tastier. In Chinese markets, you’ll find small, plump dried red beans called hoong dul,not to be confused with adzuki beans, zeck siu dul,also small red beans that are oblong in shape. This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of red bean paste, just enough filling for Sesame Balls. Use regular brown sugar for this recipe.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ounces small red beans hoong dul,about 1 cup
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS Wash the beans, cover the cold water, and soak overnight. Drain beans and discard water. Place beans in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan, add 3 cups cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour, or until very soft. Monitor the pan to make sure water doesn’t dry up. Drain and discard the water.

Place the beans in a food processor and process until smooth. Add brown sugar and process until just combined. In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the bean paste and cook, stirring 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture is dry. Remove from heat. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use; it will keep for 1 week.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 25 min

Makes 4 to 6 side-dish servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2cups orzo (10 oz)
• 3tablespoons olive oil
• 1tablespoon finely chopped fresh jalapeño chile or 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh serrano chile, including seeds
• 10scallions, white and pale green parts separated from greens and all thinly sliced diagonally
• 1/4teaspoon salt
• 1/4teaspoon black pepper
• 2oz parmigiano-reggiano, coarsely grated using 1/4-inch holes of a box grater (2/3 cup)

DIRECTIONS Cook orzo in a 4-quart heavy pot of boiling salted wateruntil al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain orzo in a sieve.

Wipe pot dry and add oil, then heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add chile and cook, stirring, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add white and pale green parts of scallions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes, then add scallion greens and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add orzo, reserved water, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine. Remove pot from heat and stir in cheese.