Cook Food

A MANUALFESTO FOR EASY, HEALTHY, LOCAL EATING

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• Publisher: Pm Press E Books
• Year: 2010
• ISBN:
  9781604862034
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Culinary Arts

More than just a rousing food manifesto and a nifty set of tools, COOK FOOD makes preparing tasty, wholesome meals simple and accessible for those hungry for both change and scrumptious fare. This book gives readers the scoop on how to achieve both these endeavours, while keeping taste buds satisfied. With a conversational, do-it-yourself vibe, a practical approach to everyday cooking on a budget and a wealth of animal-free recipes, COOK FOOD will inspire readers to cook up a storm, taste the difference, think globally and eat locally.

recipes

chili-style beans ’n’ greens

indian-style beans ’n’ greens

italian-style beans ’n’ greens

lentils with wine

japanese-style tofu curry

ginger-garlic-sesame tofu with spinach

mustard-rosemary tofu with the vegetable of your choice

debbie’s tempeh

spring vegetable sauté over polenta

simple garlicky greens

roasted vegetables

mustard-cilantro sauce

peanut sauce

lisa p.’s crack spice rub

citrus vinaigrette for any salad

corn and tomato salad

lime-cumin summer salad

greens pie with herbs and lemon

oatmeal-fruit cookies

spicy brownies

chili-style beans ’n’ greens

I started making bean stews with greens when I first began my veganesque whole-foods experiment. I’d been making vegetarian chilis for years, and often felt like they could use more vegetable action. Chard and kale hadn’t really been a part of my life before, but it seemed like an appealing idea to toss them in the pot. I was right. Because it’s pretty much the easiest thing in the world, this is probably the meal I make most frequently (though it might be tied for that status with roasted vegetables), with the other spice combinations (see the following two recipes) coming in close behind. You probably want to eat this over rice or some other grain.

Takes about 45 minutes. Serves four to six. It doubles well and also makes great leftovers, since the flavors continue to meld.

1 tablespoon olive oil (more if you like things richer, or if it just seems like a good idea)

1 large onion, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste; also, see the note about salt textures and measurements in the pantry section)

4 cloves garlic, minced (or more if you love garlic)

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 pinch cayenne (optional; or more if you want more heat)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 chipotle in adobo sauce or 1 generous teaspoon chipotle puree (optional; see notes)

1 large sweet potato, cut into bite-size chunks

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the juice (the ounceage is approximate here, but this is generally the standard can size)

1 bunch kale, destemmed and chopped (see note; discard stems)

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups water or veggie broth (I can’t emphasize enough how approximate this is—you just want enough to barely cover all your stuff in the pot; you can always add more later, and if you add too much you can let it simmer longer, uncovered, until enough liquid boils off)

1. Heat the oil in a sauté pan or small stockpot (you want a four-to six-quart capacity) over medium-high heat. Add the onion and the salt and cook, stirring regularly, until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. It’s not a bad thing if they get some brown on ’em.

2. Add the garlic and dry spices; turn the heat down to medium so the spices don’t scorch. Stir steadily and cook for another five minutes or so. Keep an eye on it for burning or sticking—if the spice mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pot, add a tablespoon or two of water and stir/scrape the bottom. You want to keep it all from burning and keep the flavors you’re generating in the food and not stuck to the pot. (See the point about deglazing in “Tips and Techniques,” page 39, for information about this process.)

3. Add the tomato paste and chipotle. Cook for another minute or two (or three).

4. Add the sweet potato and the diced tomatoes (with their juice) and some water/broth to barely cover, if needed. Bring to a simmer and let it do its thing for 15 minutes or so. This might be a good point to taste and see if you need more salt. (See “Tips and Techniques,” page 39, on salting.)

5. Add the beans and the kale along with more liquid if needed, and continue simmering until the beans are heated through and the kale is wilted and tender (about seven to 10 minutes, most likely). Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve—or keep simmering until you’re ready.

notes

Chipotles in adobo are smoked jalapeños in a spicy sauce; they come in little cans in the Mexican aisle at the supermarket and bring a smoky, rich, tangy flavor and extra spiciness to whatever you put them in. The vinegar and spices in the adobo mean they keep forever in the fridge either whole or pureed in the food processor.

I like dino kale, a.k.a. lacinto kale, the best, ’cause I think it’s less bitter, but use any variety you want. See “Tips and Techniques,” page 39, for the easiest way to destem greens.

variations

As the name indicates, any kind of greens will work here: spinach and chard, which are milder than kale; or collards, mustard greens, turnip greens, beet greens, or dandelion greens, all of which have pretty strong flavors, so you’ll have to do some experimenting to see what works for you. In California, sweet potatoes and kale are readily available all year long, but in other regions this may be more of a fall and winter combination. Other good possibilities for winter are potatoes, winter squash, and carrots (add any of these as the same time as you would the sweet potatoes); in summer, try zucchini, corn, bell peppers, and/or green beans (add them later, more toward the kale point).

For a classic vegetarian chili, use bell peppers as your only vegetable (add them where you would add the sweet potato; they don’t take as long to cook, so you can shorten the time if you need to, but a classic chili has very thoroughly cooked peppers). Pressed and crumbled firm tofu or crumbled tempeh (make sure you get some without any added seaweed or other non-chili-compatible flavors) is also a nice addition.

indian-style beans ’n’ greens

This is probably the least authentic Indian meal ever, but the flavors are there and oh so tasty. Some of the spices may be hard to find—you can skip them if you need to; you’ll lose some depth of flavor, but I promise it will still be good. This dish is especially nice on a cold and wet winter night.

Takes about 45 minutes. Serves four to six. It doubles well and also makes great leftovers, since the flavors continue to meld.

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil (approximate, as always)

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds

½ tablespoon fenugreek

6 cardamom pods

1 teaspoon sea salt (to taste, of course; also, see the note about salt textures and measurements in the pantry section)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

3 medium carrots, cut into rounds or chunks

3 medium potatoes, cut into (about) ½-inch cubes

1 bunch kale (dino, a.k.a. lacinto, preferred), destemmed and chopped

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (the ounceage is approximate here, but this is generally the standard can size)

3 cups water or broth (this is especially approximate, as you want to barely cover your other ingredients with liquid; you can adjust it to your desired texture by adding more water and/or by thickening it with cornstarch)

2 teaspoons cornstarch (for thickening; optional)

1. Heat the oil in a sauté pan or small stockpot (you want a four-to six-quart capacity) over high heat. When the oil is hot, turn the heat down a little; add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek, and cardamom pods and co...

Table of contents

• COVER PAGE
• TITLE PAGE
• COPYRIGHT PAGE
• CONTENTS
• WHAT’S THIS BOOK ALL ABOUT?
• WHAT YOU NEED IN YOUR CABINETSAND ON YOUR POT RACK
• WHAT YOU NEED IN YOUR PANTRY,REFRIGERATOR, AND SPICE RACK
• TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
• RECIPES
• NONRECIPE RECIPES
• FURTHER RESOURCES