Holiday recipes

Some very yummy dishes that I made over the Christmas and New Year holidays.  Recipes to most dishes linked or below.  (I still need to add a few!)

Christmas Eve
Paella- very adapted from The Columbia Restaurant Cookbook

on Christmas morning
Seafood, Rice Pancake, and Egg Stir-Fry- bon appetit jan 10- a vegan version for me- I used a blend of shiitake and cremini mushrooms and a mix of dark mushroom soy sauce with a splash of brown rice vinegar- and no egg!

dinner with friends
Linguine with Pesto, Potatoes, and Green Beans- The Silver Spoon and The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen
olive and ciabatta bread
for one of the appetizers, I served mixed nuts with fig jam on the side.  I read a recipe that called for spreading a bit of fig jam over walnuts.  This was really good and a bit different.

lunch with a friend
Red Rice and Broccoli Salad with Lemon Dressing and Tamari Walnuts- Adapted from Marie Simmons' cookbook, The Amazing World of Rice found on http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/lotus/recipeone.d2w/report?rcpn=100343&rcpp=146774

New Years Eve
nachos- my cheese sauce is from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak - please email me if you would like this recipe

New Years breakfast
Mexican Eggs- sprouted corn tortilla, refried beans, steamed kale, chopped grape tomatoes, and leftover cheese sauce

New Years Dinner
braised sauerkraut
black-eyed peas served over collards braised with dulse and a few shakes of liquid smoke
hominy with red chile sauce

***recipes***
Linguine with Pesto, Potatoes, and Green Beans

The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen and The Silver Spoon


There is a great pic of this dish and a non-vegan recipe in the Silver Spoon opposite page 29?.


Makes 5 or 6 main-course or 8 pasta-course servings
(I thought it made 4 main course servings if served along side a salad and bread.)


8 ounces small new potatoes (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter), preferably red skinned, halved
4 ounces large green beans, trimmed
12 ounces dry linguine
2/3 cup Poor Man's Pesto- following


Bring a large stock pot filled with salted water to a boil over hight heat. Add the potatoes and gren beans. When the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-high and boil gently for 3 minutes. Add the pasta and return the heat to high. When the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat slightly and boil gently until the pasta is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and vegetables in a colander.

Transfer the pasta and vegetables to a large shallow serving bowl. Add the pesto and the reserved cooking liquid; toss well to combine. Serve at once.

Pesto, Potatoes, and Green Beans- variation
To creat a delicious vegetable side dish to serve six, omit the pasta altogether and reduce the pesto to 1/2 cup. Increase the amount of potatoes to 1 1/2 poinds and the green beans to 3/4 pound. Boil them gently in a large stockpot of salted water until the potatoes are cooked through but not mushy and the beans are tender, 10-12 minutes. Drain, reserving about 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Toss with the pesto and reserved cooking liquid. Serve at once.


Poor Man's Pesto -this is my fave pesto recipe
makes about 1 cup
3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
6 tablespoons pine nuts
2 to 4 large cloves galic
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
6 tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil


Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender. Process or blend until the ingredients are finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the work bowl as necessary. Add the oil and process until smooth and creamy. If not using immediately, store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or place in ice cube trays, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and store in the freezer no longer than 1 month for the best flavor.



Red Rice and Broccoli Salad with Lemon Dressing and Tamari Walnuts

Adapted from Marie Simmons' cookbook, The Amazing World of Rice found on http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/lotus/recipeone.d2w/report?rcpn=100343&rcpp=146774


1 cup uncooked Bhutanese Red Rice
1 teaspoon olive or other vegetable oil
1/2 cup walnut halves
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 bunch broccoli, with tough stems trimmed, stems sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, and flower separated into 1-inch clusters
3 scallions, trimmed and cut diagonally into thin slices (about 1/2 cup) - I served these on the side.

Lemon Dressing:
1/4 cup olive or other vegetable oil- I rec using a bit less
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (this is a must)
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 small clove garlic, crushed


Cook the rice according to package directions. Let stand, uncovered, until cooled.


Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium-sized heavy skillet over medium heat and add the walnuts. Stir-fry just until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Sprinkle with the tamari or soy sauce and stir-fry, adjusting the heat so that the tamari does not burn, until the walnuts are coated with the thickened tamari, about 1 minute.


Place the broccoli in a vegetable steamer set over gently boiling water and steam covered, until tender, about 4 minutes. Lift the steamer from the saucepan, and then rinse the broccoli with cool water. Drain and cool.


To make the dressing: In a large bowl whisk together the oil, lemon juice, tamari or soy sauce, ginger, lemon zest, and garlic.


Just before serving add the cooked rice, tamari walnuts, broccoli and scallions. Toss to blend.

Note: If making the salad ahead, set aside the broccoli and tamari walnuts and add just before serving.
Serves 4.