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ELLEN'S KITCHEN
Vegetarian Stews
The recipes below came from a period of interest in the macrobiotic diet, which emphasizes grains, beans and vegetables. As each ingredient is added alone, then allowed to cook 3-5 minutes before the next is added, this develops an unexpected subtlety in the final taste.
The second recipe was inspired by the first and grew up in Kentucky where our California abundance of fresh foods does not exist. It is included because it is tasty in its own right, and has a completely different character from the original.
Summer Vegetable Stew #2267
Serves about three
- Cook tender by any method, reserving liquid:
- 1/3 C each two kinds of dried beans or peas = 1 C each cooked
- Preheat a heavy pot with 1/2" water over low heat. Add, one at a time:
- 1/2 med. Onion, minced
- 2 small carrots, sliced thin
- Cover, steam 3 or 4 minutes. Add:
- 2 zucchini in small chunks
- 2 yellow crooknecks thin rings or chunks
- 3 stalks of celery, including leaves, sliced thin
- 1 stalk of broccoli, sliver the stem and cut flowers apart
The broccoli may be peeled if old or tough.
Cover tightly and steam about ten minutes.
- Add:
- 10 medium fresh mushrooms, quartered
Cook covered five minutes more.
- Add:
- 1/4 - 1/2 C mild Chinese soy sauce
Cover and simmer a few minutes, then add the beans and their liquid and cook about 5 minutes more until hot and tender.
You may add a layer of fresh tofu (soy curd) on top of the beans after you have stirred the sauce. If you do, let it simmer until the tofu is hot through, then do not stir before serving (or it will break apart).
Serve this dish over short or long grain brown rice.
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Lee's Vegetable Stew
Slightly more than a gallon
- Chop or slice coarsely:
- 3 medium onions
- 3 carrots
- 3 stalks celery
- 3 large potatoes
- Put in a heavy pot with:
- 1 1/2 C each cooked--
- kidney beans
- butter beans
- turtle beans (black beans)
- soy beans
Include the cooking or canned liquid for each, use other types of beans if you like.
- Add:
- 1 can drained water chestnuts
- 1 can drained bamboo shoots
- 2 C small whole canned or fresh mushrooms
- 2 T soy sauce or to taste
- 1 1/2 - 2 quarts saved vegetable juices
- 1 can chopped green chilis
- 1/4 t each--
- 1/4 marjoram
- 1/4 oregano
- 1/4 tarragon
- 1/4 rosemary
- 1/2 t whole cumin
- 1-4 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
Simmer 1 1/2 - 2 hours, covered, stirring frequently.
- About 10 minutes before serving thicken with:
- 1/4 C cornstarch dissolved in 1 C cold water
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Autumn Variation on #2267
In the bottom of your pot put 1 T each soy sauce and oil.
- Rinse and cut into bite-size chunks:
- green beans
- peeled wintersquash*
- large carrots
- turnips or rutabagas
- peeled white or sweet potatoes*
Measure, then place in the pot.
These vegetables will simmer.
- Measure, then make a layer which will steam:
- summer squashes
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- celery
- green peppers
- Top with:
- shredded red or green cabbage in a layer equal in thickness to all the others *
- diced fresh mushrooms
- about 1/4 C cooked beans + cooking juice for each cup of fresh vegetable * used
You have a sort of vegetable parfait with beans on top. Add enough hot water to make about 3/4" liquid in the bottom of the pot, cover tightly and steam over a moderate heat without stirring about 15-20 minutes until done.
Serve over rice or noodles, giving part of the "gravy" with each serving.
You can put cubes of tofu on top of the cabbage with the beans before you steam the dish.
These vegetables are necessary to provide the natural sweet flavor of this dish.
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Kung Fu Chili
(Vegetarian) a spicy dish
About 3 quarts
- Place in a large, heavy pot:
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper diced OR two green bell peppers
- 2 green chili peppers with seeds, diced (canned okay)
- 1/4 C paprika
- 2-3 T whole cumin seed
- 2 T New Mexican chili powder (less if you don't like it hot)
- 3-4 T Dr. Bronner's Balanced Protein Seasoning
- 1/4 C water
Simmer, stirring, until vegetables are tender but crisp.
- Separately mix:
- 1 1/2 C Loma Linda "vitaburger" or other soy TVP
- 2 C boiling water
- When it has cooked, add:
- 3 eggs
Beat the eggs into the soy burger, add to the chili pot, simmer about 5 minutes.
- Add:
- 2 #2 1/2 cans (about 3 pints) cooked pinto beans with juice
- 3-4 chopped fresh tomatoes
Stir well and let the whole thing simmer about 1 hour or more until the flavors are blended.
- When it begins to be very thick, add:
- 2 C water
To make "chili straight", leave out the pinto beans and double the amount of prepared vita-burger mix + eggs you use. The dish already contains lots of high quality protein, but serve with grated cheese, chopped raw onion and cornbread or tortillas for a satisfying complete protein meal. Also great in tacos, tostados, and burritos,
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Tortillas may be heated in a 350 degree oven. Place them directly on the rack.
Vegetables in Red Curry Sauce
Mild, flavorful
serves 4 or 5 hungry people
- Set to simmer:
- 2 C vegetable broth
- assorted cut-up vegetables, such as (use all):
- 1 zucchini
- 1 peeled yam
- 1 carrot
- 4 oz. fresh green beans
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 small potatoes
- While these are cooking, prepare the sauce. Saute spices:
- 3 T oil
- 2 T curry powder
- 1 t mustard seed
- 1 t allspice, ginger or cinnamon
- 1 large onion, chopped or one chopped apple or 1 1/2 C chopped celery.
Cook together, stirring frequently as the spices brown. Add a little water as necessary to prevent sticking.
- Stir into the spices:
- 1 #2 1/2 can tomatoes in puree
Simmer until hot, stirring to break up the tomatoes. Pour over the cooked vegetables and broth, simmer about 15 minutes until flavor blend.
Curried dishes are usually served over rice with at least four of the following side dishes: chopped nuts, grated hard-boiled egg, chutney, raisins, plain yogurt, grated coconut, baco-bits (a replacement for the well-known Bombay duck, actually a dried fish, of India), or chopped onion or bell pepper. By selecting several of the high protein toppings, you create a combination which will amply satisfy your protein hunger.
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Mushroom Stroganoff
About 8 servings
- Wash and pick the stems out of:
- 2 qt. fresh mushrooms -- leave whole if small.
- Slice into thin rings:
- 2-3 medium onions
- Put in a large pan:
- 1/2 C dry sherry
- 1/2 t nutmeg
Put the mushrooms and onions in and steam covered until the onions are tender and the pan is almost dry.
- Mix together:
- 5 C sour cream (may use plain yogurt)
- 4 beaten eggs
Stir this into the mushroom pan, then cook over low heat stirring constantly until it is hot.
Serve over noodles or rice.
If you wish to prepare a single serving, you can put the mushroom sauce over preheated noodles and place it under the broiler till hot. To do this, do not cook the stroganoff after the sour cream is added--refrigerate until needed.
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