Carrot Bread

Recipe from Smith & Hawkins Gardeners’ Community Cookbook

by Victoria Wise

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Make this loaf to serve with a vegetable or bean soup. It has a nice crumb and just a smidgeon of sweetness with the carrots, honey and orange juice.   

1 package active dry yeast

½ cup fresh orange juice, warmed

1 Tablespoon peanut oil or other vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour plus more for kneading

2 Tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, well beaten

1 cup grated carrot

2 cups wheat germ

Sprinkle the yeast over the warmed orange juice in a large bowl.  Let it rest until bubbly, about 15 minutes.  Lightly grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan.

Add the oil, 1 cup flour, honey, cardamom, and salt and beat until smooth.  Add the eggs, carrot, and wheat germ and beat to a smooth but still we dough.

Flour a board or counter and your hands.  Knead the dough for 5 minutes or until it gathers easily into a non-sticky ball.  (Add flour as needed.) Transfer the dough to the loaf pan and pat to fill the pan in a loaf shape.  Cover and set aside in a warm place until risen to the top of the pan, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Preheat the oven to 200F.

Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Increase the oven heat to 250F and continue baking for 15 minutes more.  Increase the oven heat once again to 350F, and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes or until the bread pulls away from the sides of the pan and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack and let it rest for 10 minutes.  Remove the loaf from the pan.  Place the loaf back on the rack to cool.  Slice and serve.  Keep at room temperature, wrapped, for up to 2 days. 

Country Mushroom and Nut Pâté

Serves 8

Recipe from Epicurious

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This mushroom appetizer was a big hit at a recent gathering of friends.  I made it using fresh chanterelle mushrooms that my husband found in the woods.  You can use regular mushrooms or even shiitake mushrooms.  This dish is great for a party because it can be made a day or two in advance. 

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 ½ pounds mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

¾ cup whole or slivered almonds, toasted

¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted**

2 Tablespoons peanut oil

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Assorted crackers or French bread baguette slices, for serving

Line a 1-quart bowl or loaf pan with plastic wrap, extending over the sides.  Set aside.

Melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic; sauté until the liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Set aside 1 cup of the mushroom mixture.  Cool slightly.

Coarsely chop the almonds and hazelnuts in a food processor; remove 2 Tablespoons of the nut mixture and set aside.  Continue chopping the rest of the nut mixture, slowly adding the peanut oil until the mixture is well blended.  Add the mushroom mixture that is still in the skillet, cream cheese, salt, cayenne, and thyme to the nut mixture in the food processor.  Blend thoroughly.  Transfer this to a large bowl and mix in the parsley, the reserved mushroom mixture and nuts.  Transfer to the prepared bowl/loaf pan and smooth the top.  Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.  Turn the pâté out onto a platter.  Peel off the plastic wrap.  Surround with crackers or baguette slices.

**To toast hazelnuts and remove their skins:  Heat the oven to 350 F.  Spread the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Toast the hazelnuts 12-15 minutes.  Pour the nuts onto a clean kitchen towel.  Gather the towel around the nuts and rub together until most of the skins have come off.  (Don’t worry about getting off every bit.)

Kung Pao Brown Rice and Tofu Salad

Makes about 8 servings.

Recipe from A Muse Came to Dinner

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This is just one tasty Meatless Monday salad, my friends.  The best thing is that it tastes best after it has had a chance to chill in the fridge for a day.  (It also tastes great at room temperature.)  So, plan to make this on a weekend and then enjoy it for lunch throughout the workweek.  Pictured here is the Kung Pao Brown Rice and Tofu Salad served along with a sliced apple, non-fat plain Greek yogurt and some granola.  A most satisfying lunch indeed.

Salad Ingredients

1 batch of No-Fail Big Batch Brown Rice or about 4 ½ cups of cooked brown rice 

1 lb. extra firm tofu, pressed and diced into ½ inch cubes

Olive oil for sautéing  (You can also use vegetable oil or peanut oil.)

1 cup toasted unsalted peanuts* (cashews also work in this recipe)

2/3 cup sliced scallions or minced red onion

1 (8-oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and sliced

2/3 cup grated carrots

Dressing Ingredients

1/8 cup toasted sesame oil

¼ tamari or soy sauce

1/8 cup brown rice vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes

Place cooked rice in a large mixing bowl to cool.  Fluff rice with a fork to separate the grains.

Cover the bottom of a large skillet with oil and heat until hot.  Sauté the tofu until golden brown.  Toss the cubes frequently for even browning.  With a slotted spoon transfer the tofu into a strainer lined with a paper towel to absorb the oil.  Set aside to cool.

Add the tofu, peanuts, scallions, water chestnuts and carrots to the rice and toss.

Place the dressing ingredients into a Mason jar and cover with a lid.  Shake vigorously until the ingredients are well blended.  Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.

*Place peanuts (or cashews) onto a rimmed baking sheet.  Heat the oven to 325°F. Bake in the oven for about 6 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally until the peanuts are a toasty brown.

Spicy Gingered Asian Slaw

Recipe from Theresa Drerup-Ofer and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 4-6

Several years ago, Jim and I visited our good friends, Theresa and Kurt, at their beautiful upstate New York home.  Theresa made this delicious slaw for our dinner one evening.  We was so taken with it, I asked her for the recipe.  There is a lot of chopping involved, but you won't be sorry.  This salad is FABULOUS and totally worth the effort.  Serve it for a special dinner with friends. It's especially tasty along side salmon.  The dressing and salad can be prepped in advance and chilled separately. Dress the salad about 10 minutes before serving.  All of the ingredients can be purchased at Lost River Market & Deli.

Dressing:

¼ cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup minced shallots

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 ½ Tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 Tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 Tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste

1 Tablespoon dark sesame oil

½ cup peanut oil

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Salad:

5 cups finely sliced Napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage)

1 ½ cup julienned or shredded carrots

1 large red pepper, thinly sliced

1 large yellow pepper, thinly sliced

½ cup scallions, sliced (I've made this salad with and without scallions.)

¼ cup chopped cilantro

2 Tablespoons unsalted skinless roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1 Tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted*

Blend dressing ingredients well.  About 10 minutes before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss.  Allow the salad to absorb the dressing for the 10 minutes, and then serve.

*To toast sesame seeds, place seeds in a dry skillet and put over medium heat.  Watch carefully and stir occasionally until the seeds are toasted. 

Drizzle salmon fillets with peanut oil.  Sprinkle with Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper.
Place under the broiler.  When almost done, spread some sweet chili sauce over the fillets.
Return salmon to the broiler to finish.  Serve along side the slaw.  Wonderful, wonderful!!