Vegetarian Coq Au Vin (Rooster in Wine) with Whipped Mashed Potatoes (a very indulgent meal, but you gotta indulge sometimes!)

Please when making this dish or any of my own creations posted here, use your own creativity. The recipes I post are based on what I like. Feel free to tweak them the way you want them. Usually I don't measure ingredients, I just know what is missing, or what needs adjusting. Chef's only use recipes as guidelines, if they use them at all!

                              For our wedding reception we gave our guests a choice between a Coq Au Vin and a vegetarian version of the same dish. Funny enough, and maybe that's just how dinner goes at wedding receptions, my husband and I did not really eat that much. Because we did not get to enjoy our wedding meal, on our first anniversary, I decided to make the vegetarian version, since by then we had become vegetarians ourselves. (Only one of us was vegetarian on our wedding day :). I had never made it before and so, it was just GOOD. (I served it with rice pilaf and steamed vegetables). The second year, I attempted to make it again (note, I only make this recipe ONCE a year!)....and obviously it was better than it had been the year before.(I served it with rice pilaf and sauteed vegetables) This year, I made it, and my husband said, "it was one of the best foods he ever tasted!". (Even though I paid no special attention to the vegetables this year...lol) So I think this is the winning recipe. I am sharing it, not only for your benefit, but for mine, so next year I can return to this page and see what I did..

Ingredients

10 oz       Veggie Chik'n Patties (I used the Italian Version) sliced
10            Pearl Onions (peeled and sliced in half)
8 oz         White Button Mushrooms (sliced)
1 clove     Garlic (minced or grated finely)
1              Bay Leaf
1 1/2cups Vegetable Stock (Homemade or Store bought)
350 ml      Red Wine (or you can use diluted red wine vinegar, red grape juice diluted with red wine vinegar.   I have not personally tried it. Depending on how long you cook the dish with red wine you can end up with less than 5% alcohol. I like to simmer mine for at least 2 hours)
2 tsp        Dried Thyme leaves
2 tsp        Dried Parsley leaves
2 tsp        Oregano leaves
2 tbsp      Butter (if Vegan use the alternative)
olive oil
salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Whipped Potatoes

2lbs           Red bliss potatoes
1 1/2 cup    Butter (melted) (The number one reason why mashed potatoes made by some restaurants will taste better than yours is because they mix in an enormous amount of butter. There is an industry saying, "THE MORE BUTTER THE BETTER. Let me also say that even though I eat healthy, I don't eat mashed potatoes everyday..not even once a month. Also you want to use REAL butter instead of the overly processed crap found on the shelves. Hydrogenated stuff should STAY OUT OF YOUR KITCHEN!...butter is actually healthier than margarine).
1/2 cup      Almond/Soy Milk (This time I did not even use the milk the butter was more than enough)
salt to taste
white pepper to taste

* When I say salt and pepper to taste, it means that you add to adjust. I season my dishes 3 times while cooking..beginning, middle and end with just salt and pepper to really bring out the flavors without it tasting salty or too much pepper.

Method

1. Slice up all ingredients, measure all ingredients

2. Put some olive oil in a heated pot (I used a 5qt covered saute pan). When the oil gets hot (not smoking) add the sliced mushrooms. Saute them until they begin to get brown and yummy.

3. Add the pearl onions at this point with the crushed garlic. Allow the mushrooms to cook some more.

4. Add the Chick'n veggie meat to the pot and stir in. Allowing some of the flavors to get happy with it!

(Note: using the breaded patties removes the task of mixing a roux to thicken the dish near the end. the breadcrumbs thicken it up all on its own!)

                        

 5. When you think it has time to heat up and "play" together for a while, then you can add the red wine. 

 6. After adding the wine, add the vegetable stock. You want to make sure that all the ingredients are covered so add more stock if necessary (this is when keeping store bought stock on hand comes in handy)

7. Add the bay leaf and cover. Allow it to simmer for at least 1 hour. You want the sauce to reduce and thicken before using. (I say this because even though the chick'n is cooked, you still want it to soak up the flavors of the dish. It takes a while for the Chick'n flavors to become subtle.

                        

8. The finished product looks like the picture below. See the difference from the picture above? YUMMY!

9. While your dish is simmering, its a good time to work on your whipped potatoes, if that is your choice of starch to serve with the dish. I start with placing the potatoes in cold water in a pot, with some salt and placing in on the stove top.  (2 Notes: You never want to start with hot water. Boiled potatoes should be started in cold water instead of in hot water. This allows for even cooking. Also you want to add salt to your water, especially if you are using the potatoes with the skin like I did. It helps with the flavoring)

                                           

10. Cook potatoes until they are cooked.( insert a knife into a couple of the potatoes to check. It will be ready when they are soft, but not overcooked)

11. Strain off all the water. Leaving it in the pot it was cooked in (I do this because the pot is still heated. You never want to use cold items on your hot potatoes), use a potato masher to break it up. It should break up easily. 

12. Place the potatoes in a stand up mixer with the paddle attachment. Melt the butter (and if you want to use cream or milk, heat this up as well, separately. 

13. Add your melted butter to your potatoes first until it reaches the texture you desire. Then if you want, you can add the milk. I did not add milk this time as my potatoes reached the consistency and texture with just the butter! Turn your mixer on and whip for a short period. YOU DO NOT WANT TO OVER MIX. They should look like the picture below. Remember to season with salt and pepper IF needed. 

                                                         

Sorrel Drink (Roselle)

                                 I know that a couple people do not know what the picture above it. Its called Sorrel. (You can check out Wikipedia for an in depth knowledge of this lovely flower). However in short, the picture you see above you is used to make what is in essence a tea that is served chilled. Sorrel is an item that many Caribbean people, regardless of where they live, like to consume, especially around Christmas time. While it may be found fresh in many Caribbean countries, its hardly found fresh in the US and is usually found in its fried, packaged form. Benefits: Rich in Vitamin C, Calcium, niacin and riboflavin. Also an antioxidant.
                              To my surprise, in November I found them fresh at a local Caribbean store and got a couple pounds of it. Now, I knew that they were not exactly ready to be picked, but decided it was better than nothing. Took them home, took some pictures and made some Sorrel (which did not actually last really long, and was completely finished before the Christmas season). Making Sorrel brought back the memories of my mother buying them and teaching me how to clean them. I was also reminded how they can stain your fingers red, and can sometimes be itchy! I know there is a remedy for that, but I could not remember at the time. So here is my attempt to walk you through making Sorrel drink for your home (yes even after Christmas)...P.S. I cannot take any credit for this recipe.....its just something that everyone knows how to make I suppose. The basic one is as follows

Ingredients

1 lb sorrel
4 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves
sugar to taste as needed
Cherry Brandy for flavoring (optional. Some people only do this for adults, my Mom did this)
(Some Caribbean countries also add Ginger...example Jamaica)

Method

1. Remove the seeds from the sorrel petals. To do so, use a knife and run it in a circle at the top of the sorrel. See picture for clarification.

2. Wash all the sorrel petals before placing them into a pot.

3. I like to add enough water to cover my sorrel ( water depends on if you want it stronger etc). I also add my water and sorrel in the pot at the same time and bring it to a boil with the cinnamon sticks and cloves. (Many people bring the water to a boil first and then add the sorrel. I personally see no difference). I boil it for at least 15 minutes, though I have seen my Mom boil it for longer. 

4. I turn the heat off and leave it in the pot overnight so it can steep better.

5. Next morning, I strain the contents of the pot (don't throw away the petals, they can be used to make a nice alternative to cranberry sauce). 

   

6. If you are ready to use it then you can add your sugar to it at this time. (diluting with water if necessary. Some people like their sorrel to be very syrupy!). If you wish to store it, store in the refrigerator. 

7. It should be served cold, however when I drank it warm some time ago, it was like a flowery tea.

HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR SORREL?

Mixed Vegetable Linguine with Chunky Garlic Tomato Sauce

This is just a simple recipe I put together using simple ingredients. I wanted to taste the ingredients and not mask it with seasonings. Feel free to adjust seasonings to your taste and you can add different vegetables or more vegetables if you please. You can also make your own pasta (I made this on a weekday and used a store bought kind). I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients for Pasta

  5 oz mushrooms, sliced (I used a mixture of portabello and white buttons)
  3 oz red bell pepper, sliced
  3 oz orange bell pepper, sliced
  3 oz yellow bell pepper, sliced
  5 oz zucchini squash, diced/sliced
  5 oz yellow onion, sliced
  2 cloves of garlic diced finely
  1 package of linguine cooked to instructions on package.
  salt to taste
  black pepper to taste


Ingredients for Chunky Garlic Tomato Sauce

  1 lb tomatoes, diced with seeds
  1 tbsp olive oil
  2 oz shallots, diced
  4 cloves garlic, diced (you can use more if you love garlic)
  3 basil leaves
  3 tsp olive oil
  1/2 cup Vegetable Stock
1/2 tsp pepper flakes (or more to your liking)
to taste salt
to taste white pepper

Method:
 

1. Slice and dice ingredients as shown in pictures below.

2. Heat a saute pan and place the olive oil in the pan. Sweat the onions and garlic together for a couple minutes, making sure not to give them color. 

3. Add the mushrooms and allow them to cook for a couple minutes. Add the sweet peppers and squash and mix together.

4. At this time you can add seasonings. (Remember that you should adjust the seasonings to your taste)...

                        

5. When the vegetables are finished cooking (be careful not to overcook them because you can loose the nutrients (and they can become soggy ), add the pasta to the vegetables. Make sure that they are mixed together quite well. Set this aside (pictured above).

6. Heat a saucepan and add olive oil.

7. Again you are going to sweat garlic, but this time with shallots. Do not brown them, but you want them to get soft.

8. Add the tomatoes, and seasonings. (make sure to adjust seasoning again at the end of cooking). Let the tomatoes cook until it thickens up a bit. Tear basil leaves and add to sauce when its almost finished.

9. To finish and serve, place the linguine and vegetables in the center of a plate, place the chunky tomato sauce over the top and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

                       

A GOOD VEGGIE STOCK!

Start at the beginning….

                  It’s been said that the beginning is a very good place to start.  That being said, when you think of tasty soups, stews or sauces, chances are at they found their delicious beginnings in a well-executed stock.  Yes….I said stock! That clear, thin liquid, flavored with soluble substances extracted from meat poultry, fish and yes, even from VEGETABLES! A vegetable stock can take vegetarian foods to a new level with the backing of simple ingredients like carrots, celery and onions. A good stock can add depth and flavor that does not compare to just adding seasoning. 

               You may think that you don’t have enough time to make a good stock, and depending on your schedule you may be right. Even I cheat at times and pick up a box of fancy vegetable stock from the grocery aisle just to give me some added flavor. However, the additives and salt that are added to store bought stock can be controlled by making your stock at home. It literally takes 45 minutes (max…not even an entire episode of Desperate Housewives) to simmer your stock, and it can be made with some of the vegetable trimmings that you utilize every day in the preparation of your meals.

             Now do not misunderstand me. You can use trimmings of items left over from what you are using. For example, if you are using an onion and you do not use the entire thing you can add it to your stock bag (I use a Ziploc bag I keep in my refrigerator with trimmings from sweet peppers, carrots etc.). This is the best time for me to let you know that your stock is NOT GARBAGE! Repeat. YOUR STOCK IS NOT A GARBAGE! The trimmings should be clean and pieces of vegetables that you would actually eat! Remember your stock, or any dish you create is only as good as its ingredients.  Additionally, your stock is not a SOUP. This means that you should not add salt and other altering seasonings if you can help it. The reason behind it is this: you can use your stock in many areas of cooking. By keeping it neutral, you can build on that flavor by adding seasonings DEPENDING on what you are cooking, not the other way around (cooking depending on what your stock tastes like)

        Here is a basic recipe for a vegetarian stock that you can make at home.

                                                               

                                                                  Vegetable Stock

1.25      gal       Water

3/4         fl oz     Olive Oil

8          oz        Onion chopped

4          oz        Carrots             chopped

4          oz        Celery chopped

1          each     Dried bay leaf

1/2       tsp        Dried thyme    

1/2       tsp        Peppercorns    

3          each     Parsley stems  

1          each     Whole cloves

½            oz        Garlic

2             oz         Mushrooms (optional)

4            oz          Leeks (optional)

1.      I like to rough chop all ingredients keeping them around the same size.

2.      Add olive oil to a stock pot or a pot big enough to hold all the ingredients (I use a pasta pot!)

3.      Sweat the vegetables on high heat, turning them constantly (cooking them in oil without browning them)

4.      Add the water to the vegetables.

5.      Add the bay leaf, thyme, whole clove, peppercorns and parsley stems. You can add these into cheesecloth, or you can just throw them in the pot, since the entire stock is strained before you store it.

6.      When it comes to a boil, bring the stock to a simmer and allow it to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.

7.      (OPTIONAL)During this time make a simple water bath in your sink. Plug your sink and fill with cold water. Add a good amount of ice to it as well. Next place the container that you are going to use to hold your stock into the ice bath and place the colander/strainer lined with cheesecloth over it. The water bath allows your stock to cool much quicker and easier while practicing good sanitation and food safety.

8.      When your stock is finished, (take a whiff of the lovely aromas) strain the stock into container using your cheesecloth lined strainer/colander.

9.      Some of the ways I store them are to make ice cubes and place in a Ziploc bag which I keep in the freezer. It’s convenient when you need it.

10.  I keep some in my refrigerator for use during the week in a plastic covered container.

Tips.

 Avoid adding spinach, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and artichokes to your stock. These have very strong flavors and can overpower your stock. A great stock should be clear and flavorful with little color.