I bought my Kitchenaid stand mixer in October 2009. The only savoury food that I’ve made with it so far is whipped potatoes. I love the smooth and light texture that whipping puts into mashed potatoes.
Posts Tagged ‘vegetarian’
Mushroom Velouté and Cream Sauce
In Sides and Sauces on February 12, 2010 at pmVeloute is a french, basic white sauce that is made with stock. It differs from the french white sauce bechamel, which is made with milk or cream. This sauce freezes well and can be used as the base of a variety of cream sauces (see below for mushroom cream sauce). These elegant sauces are so simple and take 5 minutes to make. I adapted Julia Child’s “sauce velouté” recipe by adding mushrooms. I used this as a pizza sauce when I made a gourmet prosciutto pizza (link here). This was the second recipe that I tried from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking – the only cookbook that I own, and a wonderful birthday gift.
Below left: Mushroom cream sauce over broccoli.
Below right: Mushroom velouté.
Favourite Mushroom Bhaji Recipe
In Indian on February 9, 2010 at pmI tried mushroom bhaji for the first time recently when a friend ordered take out from an Indian restaurant that’s pretty well known in Ontario. It was simple, delicious and oily. So I set out to make my own (for a fraction of the cost). I tried traditional recipes with and without tomato; with and without fenugreek (which isn’t in most traditional recipes but was in the restaurant’s version); a variation using curry powder; and a traditional thick sauce versus a slightly watery sauce (like the one served at Curry Original’s in Kingston, ON). Here’s my favourite mushroom bhaji recipe. See here for tips on how to get the most flavour out of your Indian spices.
Turnip Cake Recipe (lo bak go)
In Dim Sum on January 29, 2010 at am
When I discovered how easy it is to make taro cake (link here), it only made sense to try turnip cake next. This is very similar to the dim sum they serve in the restaurants. Personally I like turnip cake much more than taro cake. I revised this recipe and improved it for Chinese New Year, February 2011. (The original photo that was posted is at the bottom of this post.) If you have leftover daikon radish, see here for a list of other recipes.
Squash Soup
In Soups and Salads on January 29, 2010 at am
If you try this recipe, I definitely suggest using the sour cream, bacon and green onion because those make a huge difference to the experience of this squash soup. Alternatively, for a vegan or vegetarian soup, add a few drops of good balsamic vinegar onto each bowl of soup instead of the bacon and toppings. This makes for a more elegant soup.
Sweet Potato Pie
In Pies & Tarts on January 26, 2010 at pmMy family and Ed’s family love this sweet potato pie. It’s quite a bit of work so I only make it once every 3 years (despite their constant requests for more). But every time I make it, I make a few 9″ pies and several individual sized pies (I love making miniature foods). Note that Tyler Florence suggests a crunchy cranberry topping to go with this, but I’ve never felt that my pies needed it.
Whiteheads
In Halloween on January 26, 2010 at pmFor Halloween one year, I served whiteheads (or pimples).
Cut off the tops of cherry or grape tomatoes, fill them with cream cheese and tell your guests to give them a gentle squeeze before they eat them 🙂
Avocado and Orange Salad
In Soups and Salads on January 25, 2010 at pmI love oranges and I love avocados but I never thought to put them together. I got the idea from Premiere Moisson in Quebec.
Cheese Fondue
In Other Dishes on January 25, 2010 at pm
I spent my 2009 birthday weekend in Montreal, Quebec and bought a basket full of cheeses from La Fromagerie Hamel (my favourite cheese shop) and baguettes from Premiere Moisson. When we got back, I tried making cheese fondue for the first time. I made an authentic swiss fondue and found the wine and kirsch too strong for my taste. So if you’re like me, you might like my version of a mild swiss cheese fondue.
Baked Brie or Camembert
In Appetizers, Hors D'oeuvres, Snacks on January 22, 2010 at pm
I was browsing through Indigo on my lunch break and I found a brie baker – it looks like a small (cute) round casserole dish with a lid. I figured it would be a good size for serving warm dips or even as a bowl for meals for one of stews, soups, curries, etc. I used it to bake a round of Camembert at the last clothing exchange party* that I threw. It was elegant looking, the baker kept the cheese warm for a long time, and all of the mess stayed within the bowl.
Cooking with Alison 
