Cooking with Britt: New Year, New Habits

By Britt Allgood

Let me start by saying that this isn’t a self-help article…. well, not exactly. For most of my life, my diet has revolved around meat and whatever sides I wanted to use that complemented the protein. But as I get older, my tastes and health have changed. Now I worry a little more about things like cholesterol, fat, and the sustainability of my lifelong eating habits.

A few months ago, my wife and I decided to start eating vegetarian at least once a week. I know it won’t knock my weight down or lower my cholesterol dramatically, but it’s a small step in the right direction. As the weeks pass, I have noticed I am seeking out more vegetarian recipes that offer flavor and texture.

As a child from the south, (I was born in Tennessee), a vegetable dinner wasn’t uncommon in the summer when the garden was yielding up its bounty. A trip to the garden was typically followed by fresh corn, tomatoes off the vine, maybe a “mess” of peas or green beans, perhaps a few new potatoes, and probably some cornbread. It still makes my mouth water just thinking about it. But as cooler weather approached, we turned back to ‘good old meat’ to help sustain us.

Fast forward about 40 years and the availability of different vegetables, spices, and methods of cooking has opened new options. Many that are both flavorful and hearty as well as healthy. Indian vegetable korma and rice is a great meal. If you like Italian, how about some eggplant parmesan. A few nights ago, it was a Moroccan tagine of chickpea stew and spicy oven-roasted cauliflower. Most of these have been satisfying but I’m having to buy some new spices and research new cooking techniques. That isn’t exactly a bad thing in my book.

Today, I’m going to share a few vegetarian recipes that you can whip up without a lot of fuss. Seared tofu and tabbouleh is a filling and colorful dish. The main ingredient is bulgur wheat which is said to be healthier than rice. The recipe calls for four cups of bulgur, which seems like a lot, but remember that you use two parts water to one-part bulgur when cooking so size appropriately. Also, use the freshest ingredients you can to get the most flavor and texture to these dishes.

Live, Laugh, Love 

Warm Barley and Caramelized Mushroom Salad

Courtesy of Food & Wine

Total time 1 hour Serves 8 to 10

2 cups pearled barley (or 5 cups cooked) ½ cup plus 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil 2 LBS mixed mushrooms, stemmed and cut into bitesize pieces 2 tsp chopped sage ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon) Kosher salt Fresh ground black pepper In a medium saucepan of boiling water, cook the barley until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

In a large skillet, heat 2 TBSP of olive oil. Add a third of the mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the large bowl with barley. Repeat process two more times to cook all the mushrooms and transfer to the bowl. Add the sage, lemon juice and remaining ¼ cup of the olive oil to the bowl, season with salt and pepper and toss to mix.

NOTE: Salad can be made 3 hours ahead and allowed to sit at room temperature. 

Time: 40 min Serves: 4 to 6

4 cups bulgur wheat cooked 5 TBSP extra virgin olive oil One 14oz package firm tofu, drained and cubed 5 scallions, chopped plus some for garnish 1 small tomato chopped 1 Kirby (pickling) cucumber, chopped 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice Kosher salt Fresh ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan of 3 cups of water, add 1 ½ cups of bulgur and cook until tender, about 12 minutes.

Drain and return the bulgur to the pan. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Transfer to a baking sheet and let cool to room temperature.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat 2 TBSP of oil. Cook the tofu and 5 chopped scallions over high heat, stirring, until golden and crisp in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the bulgur, tomato, cucumber, lemon juice and the remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve.

Vegetarian Korma

Total prep time 1 hour Serves 8

3 TBSP Vegetable Oil 8oz tomato paste 2 small onions, diced 1 TBSP plus 1 tsp salt 2 tsp minced fresh ginger 3 TBSP curry powder 4 Potatoes, cubed 2 cups frozen green peas 8 carrots, cubed 1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups heavy cream 1 green bell pepper, chopped ¼ and 2 TBSP unsalted cashew pieces, ground 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced 2 bunches fresh cilantro chopped for garnish

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook until tender. Mix in the ginger and garlic and continue cooking for a minute or two. Mix in the potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashews, and tomato paste. Season the korma with salt and curry powder. Cook and stir for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Stir in the peas, green and red bell peppers, and cream into the skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer an additional 10 to 20 minutes.

Alternately, you can transfer to a crock pot after cooking the potatoes, add the peas, peppers, and cream and cook on low for up to an hour stirring occasionally. I typically scale this down by ½ or ¼ when cooking for 2 to 4 people. 