One Base, Endless Possibilities

gregariousgourmet 2 Comments

When some of your best friends are vegetarian, knowing the ropes of meatless cooking is vital. There are certainly dishes I refuse to try (Tofurkey will never be on this blog), but for the most part I have a profound respect for the versatility of vegetarian meals. Main courses often rely on the flavor of the meat, so when that’s taken out of the equation you have to become quite creative. Indian and Mediterranean cuisines are wonderful examples, and I often turn to these flavor profiles when preparing meatless entrees. I encountered such an occasion when my friend Tim and I hung out the other night. I went Indian and chose to make Indian Mattar Tofu.
In Japanese, tōfu literally means “fermented bean.” It is essentially coagulated soy milk that has been pressed into white blocks.* Despite how unnappetizing that might sound, understanding how to work with tofu can open up a whole new realm of possibilities. It is most often used in Asian cooking (which can be inferred from its etymology), where it is used in soups, stir frys, fillings, etc. Considering it has very little flavor on its own, tofu is mostly used as a vessel for other flavors used in the dish. Marinades and sauces are quite useful for flavoring this “meat”.
I myself was a veggie for 2 years (crazy, right!?), so I am well aware of tofu’s unpredictability in cooking. Thus I use it more as a substitute in recipes with flavors and techniques that I already understand so as to avoid total frustration (case in point: tofu baked in a peanut sauce = worst idea I’ve ever had). Indian cuisine is one of my favorite ways to cook veggie, particulary because of the amazing flavors and colors its traditional spices lend. I had made Indian Mattar Paneer several times before, and tofu is the perfect substitute for paneer! The appearance of this dish was practically identical, and the taste spot on. Frying the tofu gave it the same crispy edge, and the deep spices of the dish were remarkable. To learn how to make this veggie delight, click HERE.
Tofu is essentially a baseline for flavors and ingredients – musically, this reminds me of basso continuo, or a figured bass. This is a notational style that was especially prominent in the Baroque period for the harpsichord. A basso continuo part consists of a dictated bass line in the staff, with accidentals and numbers beneath the staff indicating the chord structures that should be played above – a “recipe” for a melody, if you will. These chords and melodies are either prepared ahead of time, or improvised during the performance. It is these interpretations that bring out an innate richness in the composition, even though at first glance it may appear “bland.” The works of Arcangelo Corelli are a wonderful example of this inherent beauty, particularly his violin sonatas. I’ve included below a recording of his Violin Sonata Op.5, No.12 in D minor “Follia” by violinist Andrew Manze and harpsichordist Richard Egarr, with a performance is anything but bland – enjoy!

Sources Cited:
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofu

June 3, 2011Breakfast, Chocolate, Fruit, Seasonal, Vegan, Vegetarian

Finding a Sweeter Sunrise

gregariousgourmet 1 Comment

Waking up is rarely an easy task: thoughts of the day ahead and the work left to be done are little help. The cure? Freshly baked muffins. The ambrosial scent of these morning delights can rouse any sleeping beauty. While the gorgeous Boston summers are arguably what make the winters tolerable, we had a rough stretch of weather for a good part of May. To help “rouse” the spirits of my fellow coworkers, I felt that freshly baked muffins were in order and made the following: Banana Nut Muffins with Chocolate Chips and Vegan Blueberry-Orange Muffins.
The term “muffin” is believed to been derived from the French term moufflet, or “soft bread.” The original cakes were made using yeast, and tended to be round, flat, and sweetened with a touch of sugar. Today’s English muffins are much closer to this variety, only they are cooked on a griddle rather than baked. Muffins as Americans know them are substantially different: they are made without yeast, baked in small pans, and are much sweeter. The 19th century saw rise to this style of muffin, with classics such as “blueberry” and “bran” gracing a number of American cookbooks. The actual origin of muffins is extremely convoluted, and is as traceable as the origin of bread itself.*
There is only one answer for ugly, overripe bananas: muffins. Banana muffins are, in essence, miniature versions of banana bread and thus extremely simple to make! This recipe is from one of my favorite cooking blogs, SimplyRecipes, with the only difference being my addition of chocolate chips (at the request of my coworker Victor). These muffins are fantastic, and I guarantee they will be consumed within a matter of hours (as were mine). Check out how to make these breakfast delights by clicking HERE.
The term “vegan” is a scary one for a baker to hear, yet I was willing to attempt one such recipe for the sake of my vegan friend Rosena. I chose to go with THE classic: blueberry. The trick here was to get a muffin that had a velvety texture, yet wasn’t too dense. If I had chosen to label these as traditional blueberry muffins, no one would have guessed they were vegan. The apple cider vinegar is a crucial ingredient, giving these muffins a lightness akin to the regular variety. I chose orange zest over lemon, wanting a more summery taste – it was possibly one of the best decisions I could have made. Trick your taste buds and try these vegan muffins by clicking HERE.
Since muffins are best enjoyed with a cup of coffee and a golden sunrise, I paired these with one of my favorite works: Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No.2. This is honestly one of the most beautiful pieces, and has been a favorite of mine for years. The work in its entirety is a ballet of three parts, and stands as Ravel’s longest work at nearly at nearly one hour in length. The story is based upon the legendary romance of a goatherd named Daphnis and a shepherdess named Chloé.**
Ravel later selected excerpts from the ballet to create two orchestral suites. The second suite is perhaps the most popular, encompassing the more complex elements of the overall work. The suite opens with “daybreak,” where a sleeping Daphnis is awakened to be reunited with his beloved Chloé, who has just been rescued by the god Pan from a band of pirates.** I have included here the opening of the Suite No.2 with the Berlin Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan. The sad thing about this video is that it ends RIGHT before one of THE solo of all flute solos in orchestral repertoire takes place…which is why I’ve included a second link with my biggest flute crush playing the solo: Emmanuel Pahud. Luckily, it’s the same orchestra (different conductor), making it the closest thing to a continued recording as YouTube can provide. This is genuinely a gorgeous work, and I hope you enjoy it!

1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm6zNYZoHJs
2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HdpAoI8Ciw

Sources Cited:
* http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq2.html#americanmuffins
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphnis_et_Chloé

April 5, 2011Stews, Vegan, Vegetarian

Curry and Spice in a Western Guise

gregariousgourmet Leave a comment

It seems that winter has yet to go out of style in Boston, and so the wooly scarves and snow boots must remain by the front door. Nonetheless, this provides perfect incentive for sticking with hearty meals that can warm a “wintered-out” soul; dishes that I have begun to perfect with my newest love: my Le Creuset 5-1/2 Quart Round Dutch Oven.
I had always joked with friends that the man who bought me a Le Creuset would be the man I marry. Yet prince charming was taking his sweet time, so I bit the bullet and bought my own – probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. This is THE pan for those who love to cook: it is extremely durable, and has a lifelong guarantee. Added bonus – the shape and size of my Le Creuset is the exact same as Julia Child’s favorite! If that’s not fate, then I don’t know what is. While this pan is great for cooking a variety of dishes, it makes fantastic stews! So, I thought I would share one of my favorite vegan-friendly recipes – Vegetable Curry Stew with Chickpeas.
While curry is the central flavor, this is not a traditional “Indian” stew…which leads to a broader discussion on curry: widely assumed to be inherent to South Asian cuisine, curry is in fact a Western creation that has no designation in Indian cooking whatsoever. The Raj (the British colonial rule of South Asia between 1858 and 1947) saw Western adaptations for a number of Indian dishes, with curry powder being a primary result. Many believe curry is a poor derivation of Kari – a Tamil term meaning “sauce”. Indian “curries” are any variety of vegetable/meat dishes cooked with spices and (maybe) a type of sauce or gravy. British curries, on the other hand, are typically made with curry powder. Most store-bought varieties contain cumin, turmeric, and coriander, though there is no one ingredient required to call a spice mixture a “curry.” *
My stepmom and I created this recipe while I was still a vegetarian (a worthwhile effort, but I inevitably returned to the “dark side”). We wanted a stew that was chockfull of vegetables and packed with flavor. After ransacking the fridge and scouring the pantry, we developed a hearty, vegan stew that even meat-lovers can enjoy! We modified a more basic vegetable curry from Annie Somerville’s Field of Greens cookbook – a fantastic resource for great vegetarian dishes. The directions accommodate the different timings for each vegetable variety (no one likes a soggy stew!) Dried chickpeas can be used in place of canned, but they would need to be soaked overnight, and cooked for a longer period of time than the canned variety. You can see find the recipe for this stew HERE. My friend Tim made a GREAT Saag Paneer (Spinach with Cheese), which you can find the recipe for HERE.
Initially I had thought to pair this dish with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, yet realized I should acknowledge the Anglicized context of curry. As such, I chose to pair this piece with British composer Benjamin Britten, and his work Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings. Not only is this an iconic work of Britten, but also so happens to have been composed during the British Raj (it was composed in 1943).* I first heard this piece performed by a dear and talented friend at the New England Conservatory, and was instantly smitten. I hope you enjoy it as well! Note about the recording: the horn player (Danilo Stagni) is playing a natural french horn on the opening prologue, and his intonation is a HUGE achievement for that instrument! This particular set of recordings is broken up into three parts on YouTube, but the piece is actually divided into 8 separate movements. I’ve included a link to Part 1 below, but I highly recommend listening to the entire work. It’s a fantastic piece, and this a solid recording! (The Dirge is my favorite movement – see 6:11 of Part 2).