Today I am celebrating zucchini, this vegetable that is quite considered ordinary, with not a lot of character. It’s its day of glory (son jour de gloire) and it’s well deserved. By dressing it up a bit, you can make delightful little meals with it. Zucchini is naturally bland, so like any other bland ingredient, it absorbs the flavor of whatever you are combining it with.

I love the simplicity of this dish, yet with character. Thinking about it, I love simple things with character and that is true for people I like in general too. In my opinion is if you add too many powerful ingredients to a dish, it tends to lose the true nature of its key ingredient, then it’s confusion for your palate.

The interesting part of this dish is that you have cooked zucchini in small pieces in the farro, then puree zucchini which has such a velvety texture, then raw and marinated zucchini for a more crunchy bite. I love all the contrasts you get with these three kinds of preparations.

As far as farro is concerned, I used Italian farro instead of the domestic one. I find it easier to cook, and it remains a little softer. You can substitute barley to farro. If you want to keep it vegan, don’t add the parmesan.

For 4 people

For the cream of zucchini

Cook zucchini in vegetable broth until tender. Add thyme and cook for an extra 5 minutes. Adjust with salt and pepper. Blend in mixer and add more broth if it’s too thick.

For the farro

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 zucchini, finely diced
• 1 handful of shitakee, chopped
• 3 tbs peas
• 2 tbs dry white wine
• salt and pepper

For the cream of zucchini

• 1/2 cup of vegetable broth
• 4 zucchini, peeled and cut in pieces
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• salt and pepper

For the zucchini ribbons

• 1 zucchini
• 1 tsp olive oil
• juice of 1 meyer lemon
• 1 tbs basil, finely chopped
• salt and pepper
• shaved parmesan

Preparation

For the zucchini ribbons

Using a potato peeler, form stripes going from one end of the zucchini to the other end. Place in a bowl and add olive oil, lemon juice and basil. Marinate for about one hour. When ready to use, add salt and pepper.

For the cream of zucchini

Cook zucchini in vegetable broth until tender. Add thyme and cook for an extra 5 minutes. Adjust with salt and pepper. Blend in mixer and add more broth if it’s too thick.

For the farro

Cook farro in vegetable broth until cooked. Drain and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add shallots and onions and let cook a few minutes until fragrant. Add zucchini, mushrooms and peas. Adjust with salt and pepper. Cover with lid and cook until the vegetables are soft. Add farro to the vegetable mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add 2-3 tbs of cream of zucchini, mix well and keep warm.

In a plate, using a rind, place some cream of zucchini first around the rind. Then add a few tbs of farro in the rind. Pressing so that the shape does not collapse. Add zucchini ribbons on top with shaved parmesan.

I had some leftover saffron quinoa that I didn’t want to throw away but I didn’t want to eat either. Obviously the choices were limited…so I used the quinoa to make galettes. I figured it would be a nice balanced meal with a butternut squash purée with it.

The quinoa was originally cooked using as a risotto ingredients, with shallots, saffron, broth and white wine minus the parmesan. I did not add cheese, I think it would add some heaviness that it did not need. If you want a more pungent galettes, you can of course add parmesan or feta for the matter.

I steamed the quinoa with all the ingredients instead of slowly adding broth while cooking.

Ingredients

for the quinoa galettes

• 1.5 cups cooked quinoa (risotto-style)
• 1 carrot, grated
• 2 tbs amaranth flour
• 2 tbs corn starch
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbs mixed herbs (chervil, chives, basil, parley, etc…), chopped
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbs olive oil

For the butternut squash purée

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed in 1.5 inches cubes
• 1/2 cup of vegetable broth
• 1 tbs coconut cream
• salt and pepper

Preparation

For the galettes

Place quinoa in a mixing container. Add flour, corn starch and baking powder and mix well, coating the quinoa with the flours. Add carrots and herbs and mix again. Add beaten eggs and adjust with salt and pepper. If the mixture is too liquid add a little more flour.

Using your hands, form a galette of about 2 inches diameter and 3/4 inch think.

Heat olive oil in a pan and cook galettes at medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Keep warm.

For the butternut squash

Cook squash in a deep pan with vegetable broth at low temperature with lid on. Add salt and pepper. When the squash is tender and cooked all the way through and liquid absorbed, remove from heat and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Add coconut cream and stir well.

This will be my favorite dish for some time. The inspiration came from a dish I ate in a restaurant in Healdsburg where grilled mushrooms were served with fried quinoa, poached egg and miso sauce. I changed things around a bit and added lentils instead of egg to make it vegan. Since I had eggs yesterday, I wanted to skip them today and it came out quite delicious this way.

Of course, you can skip the lentils, or the quinoa, add a poached, egg, etc… you can play around with it, the only thing you cannot skip is the miso sauce.

I love giant mushrooms because you can slice them and use them as meat. These ones have a lovely texture and are quite filling.

I am not a big user of miso. In my mind, it’s a Japanese ingredient that should not be mixed with French or Italian flavors. In this particular dish, its delicate flavor brings harmony and character to the different items combined in this dish. I will play with miso more often from now on.

Ingredients for 3-4

• 5 large king oyster mushrooms, sliced 1 cm thick
• 1/2 cup green lentils
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• vegetable broth
• 2 scallions, chopped

For the miso sauce

• 1 tbs miso
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 garlic cloves, crushed
• red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp rice vinegar

 Preparation

Steam quinoa in a rice cooker with vegetable broth (it takes about 10 min to cook) and lentils in vegetable broth as well until cooked. Mix them, sprinkle with olive oil and keep warm.

For the miso sauce, mix ingredients together and cook for a few minutes at low temperature until it boil.

Grill mushrooms until both sides are golden.

Dress in a plate. Place lentil-quinoa mixture in the center of the plate, arrange mushroom slices around and pour 4-5 tbs miso sauce per plate. Sprinkle with scallions.

This will be my last post before I fly to France, for my bi-yearly trip to visit the family.

I discovered this pasta while looking for an alternative for a gluten-free client. It’s basically pasta made with quinoa, amaranth and brown rice flour. At first I was curious as to what its texture and taste would be. I know brown rice pasta tends to be chewy, so this flour mixture intrigued me. I have to say that I loved it right away, at the first bite. I rinsed it with cold water after when I drained it, to avoid any stickiness. Then I prepared it like regular wheat pasta. I love its texture, a bit chewy but firm.

I had tons of baby spinach so being a leafy green, I thought to use them for pesto. Then to add more green, a few zucchini ended up in there too. I have to say that I adore this dish combination…and the color is so vibrant, it’s a simple dish to lift your spirit. When I eat clean, fresh food, I feel energized and happy. I did not add nuts in the pesto, simply because I ate almonds in the morning, so I did not want to add extra. You can certainly add some walnuts, pine nuts, or even pistachios.

Ingredients for 2

• 200 g rotini
• 3 zucchini (cut lengthwise then crosswise)
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1-2 tbs vegetable broth

For the pesto

• 1.5 cups baby spinach
• 2 tbs olive oil
• juice and zest of 1 meyer lemon
• 1 tbs nuts (optional)
• 1 tbs parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• salt and pepper

Preparation

For the spinach pesto

Mix all ingredients in a blender except for lemon zest. At the end, when the pesto is done and homogenous, add lemon zest.

For the remaining of the recipe

Heat olive oil in a pan, add zucchini and a few tbs broth. Cover at medium temperature and let cook until zucchini are tender but not mushy (about 5-7 minutes). Adjust with salt and pepper.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, cook for about 7 minutes and drain. In a mixing bowl, mix pasta with zucchini and pesto.

I am always amazed at the delicious dishes you can make with vegetables. I can certainly spend the rest of my life without looking at meat or any dead animal on my plate.

You could of course replace barley with brown rice, farro, quinoa…most of my recipes are versatile and I see them as ideas and suggestions.

In this recipe, I cooked barley in a rice cooker with broth and white wine, somehow like a risotto but not cooked by liquid absorption more like a steamed rice. It’s quite helpful when your time is limited. Of course, the texture is very different, not creamy and more dry, which works perfectly here because I added the cream of asparagus at the end.

Ingredients for 3

For the portobello

• 3 medium size portobello
• 1 tbs olive oil + 1 tbs
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 1.5 medium leeks, sliced
• 2 tbs heavy cream or creme fraîche
• thyme for sprinkling
• 3-4 tbs gruyère cheese, grated
• salt and pepper

For the barley

• 4.20 oz (or 120 g) barley
• vegetable broth
• white wine
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 bunch asparagus
• salt and pepper

Preparation

For the barley

Cook barley in a rice cooker with vegetable broth and white wine. The quantities are half each (50% broth, 50% wine). Usually, for liquid quantity vs. grain, I put enough liquid to cover grain + half inch extra liquid on top of the grain.

In a pan, heat olive oil and sweat the shallots until they become soft and translucent. Add leeks and 4 tbs vegetable broth. Cover and let cook at slow heat until the asparagus are soft. Adjust with salt and pepper. Blend in a mixer until the texture becomes smooth and creamy. If it’s too thick add broth.

When barley is cooked, add asparagus cream, mix well and keep warm.

For the portobello

In a pan, heat olive oil and add garlic. Stir a few minutes until fragrant, then add leeks. Add 2 tbs broth and cover. Let cook at slow heat until the leeks are soft and tender. Adjust with salt and pepper. Add thyme and cream. Let reduce. Remove from heat and set aside.

Sprinkle portobello with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Broil under broiler for about 5-10 minutes until the mushrooms produce water, but are not mushy. Remove from oven, absorb water with paper towel, and divide the leek mixture on top of each mushroom. Sprinkle with cheese and cook in a pre heated oven at 380F for 15-20 minutes or until mushrooms are golden brown.

Serve mushrooms hot on a bed of barley.

For those like me these days who want more quinoa, here is a nice little recipe. I love to cook grains like a risotto by liquid absorption, this way, the grain gets infused with the flavor of the broth and becomes a little creamier. Quinoa can be prepared and cooked like rice. Here is a proof. It has been cooked like a risotto in a broth infused with saffron.

I guess I entered one of those phases where for a few weeks, I will just use one ingredient and research more recipes using it. Right now, quinoa makes me feel good after I eat it, I feel light and happy, so two good reasons to keep eating it. You can use other vegetables as well and replace squash with asparagus and peas, mushrooms, etc…just think about it as you would for a risotto.

Ingredients for 2-3

•  200 g quinoa
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely sliced
• broth
• 1 dose saffron
• 2 cups butternut squash cut in one inch pieces
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 4 tbs parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Place squash in a tray, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven under the broiler until all sides are golden brown and tender in the middle (do not overcook, the squash will be mushy) about 20 min.

In a bowl, infuse saffron with broth for about 10 minutes. In a pan, soften shallots with olive oil, then add quinoa. Add broth gradually like you would for a risotto, until quinoa is cooked (adjust with salt and pepper if necessary). Add parmesan, then add squash. Add scallions at the end and mix well.

I had two corn cobs that I had no inspiration on how to prepare, so after going through Plenty the book of Yotam Ottolenghi, I came across an interesting idea…using fresh corn to make polenta. Why not? This intrigued me so I decided to use his idea to prepare the polenta (except that I did not add feta in the polenta), then made a sauce with wild mushrooms, pancetta and tomatoes, a more traditional sauce, that of course could be used on regular polenta (his recipe is made with an eggplant sauce).

The flavor is quite surprising, the corn being sweet, when it’s crushed its sweetness is amplified, so in that sense, it’s different from regular polenta made with corn flour. I liked the texture but I thought the sweetness of the corn was a little too much for me, since sweetness is not my “element”. I think it’s worth trying and definitely a lighter alternative to regular polenta.

Ingredients for 2

• 2 corns on the cob
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs pancetta, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 shallot, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp basil, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 cup of mixed wild mushrooms, cut roughly
• parmesan shaved
• truffle oil
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Start preparing the polenta. Cut the corn from cob and cook in water for about 10 minutes (the water needs to cover the corn). Drain and keep water. Blend corn in a blender, adding some water if it gets too thick. Place back in the pan and cook for another additional 15 minutes, adding water if it thickens too much. Adjust with salt. Add 1 tsp butter at the end of the cooking process.

In a pan, heat olive oil, cook pancetta until crispy, then remove from the pan. In the same pan, add shallots and let them sweat. Add herbs and garlic and cook for a few minutes at low temperature until fragrant. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until water evaporates. Add tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until soft and no water is left in the pan. Add pancetta and mix well.

Pour some polenta in a deep plate, top with a few tablespoons of mushroom sauce. Add parmesan shavings and drizzle with truffle oil.

]]> http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2013/06/fresh-corn-polenta-wild-mushrooms-sauce-with-herbs-and-truffle-oil/feed/ 0 http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2012/12/like-birdie-spicy-millet-taboule-with-chick-peas-and-grilled-zucchini/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=like-birdie-spicy-millet-taboule-with-chick-peas-and-grilled-zucchini http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2012/12/like-birdie-spicy-millet-taboule-with-chick-peas-and-grilled-zucchini/#comments Mon, 17 Dec 2012 02:38:30 +0000 silvia http://www.citronetvanille.com/blog/?p=15428 Comme l’oiseau – Taboulé épicé au millet, pois chiches et courgettes grillées

I get more and more requests for gluten free and vegan dishes, and yes sometimes I like to feature recipes like this one that are unusual still with a little Mediterranean flair. This taboule salad is both gluten free and vegan, light and flavorful. I have to admit that I have not extensively used millet, but will do so form now on, since it’s a versatile and nutritious little grain. There are a few recipes with millet on my blog, and these ones are my all times favorite, goat cheese, mushrooms and millet galettes on leek effilochéée and Quinoa galettes, with bell peppers, mushrooms and mint

Of course millet is known to be a bird’s favorite, so some people feel weird to eat something birds do, but it’s nonetheless delicious on our human table as well, mixed with vegetables, in galettes or in soups. I like its firm texture and unusual flavor. You can substitute millet with quinoa, Israeli couscous, couscous, or any other grain you like in this recipe, if millet is not among your favorite, but i also want to make people more familiar with this grain that has a lot of nutritional benefits.

I usually steam millet in my rice cooker like I would steam rice, or you can boil it as well.

Ingredients for 4 people

• 280 g millet
• 3 zucchini, sliced crosswise
• 1 cup cooked chick peas
• 1 tbs mint, chopped
• 1 tbs cilantro chopped

For the dressing

• 3 tbs fruity olive oil
• juice of 1 Meyer lemon
• 1/2 tsp hot curry powder
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Steam millet in rice cooker or boil in salted water until millet is cooked, about 30 minutes. Grill zucchini slices in a skillet, then cut in half and set aside. When millet is cooked, place in a mixing container and let cool until it gets lukewarm. Mix chickpeas and zucchini with millet. In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients, pour on millet and toss well. Add chopped mint and cilantro, mix well, adjust salt if needed, add fresh cracked pepper and serve as a side dish or a salad as an appetizer.

]]> http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2012/12/like-birdie-spicy-millet-taboule-with-chick-peas-and-grilled-zucchini/feed/ 0 http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2012/08/baby-wheat-freekeh-pilaf-with-roasted-squash-peas-and-lemon-oil/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=baby-wheat-freekeh-pilaf-with-roasted-squash-peas-and-lemon-oil http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2012/08/baby-wheat-freekeh-pilaf-with-roasted-squash-peas-and-lemon-oil/#comments Sat, 11 Aug 2012 15:11:48 +0000 silvia http://www.citronetvanille.com/blog/?p=14642 Le blé bébé – Freekeh pilaf avec courge rôtie, petit pois et huile de citron

After a trip to Samiramis this weekend, one of my favorite Middle Eastern stores in the city, and after going through all the aisles, and through every product on the shelves (I have to refrain myself or I will buy all the store), I found this amazing wheat: Freekeh. What is freekeh? Well, it’s a green wheat, basically it’s young wheat that has been harvested at a green (not mature) stage. It’s then roasted and smoked, so you can definitely taste a subtle smokey taste. You can still see the greenish color of the grain when uncooked. The greatness of freekeh doesn’t only come from its delicious flavor but also from its nutritious value. Low glycemic index, high in fiber and anti oxidant, vitamins and minerals.

You can prepare it like you would prepare rice or any other grain. Of course, you can use other vegetables, but I though the sweetness of the squash would go perfectly well with the nutty flavor of freekeh. What really added a great flavor to it, was the lemon oil and parmesan, so don’t forget those two or you’ll lose some of the highlights of this recipe. Sometimes, I would say that the final drops of olive oil in a finished dish and parmesan would be optional, but not in this one, it really adds a beautiful touch to the finished dish.

I need to insist on using the best quality of the lemon oil, you need top olive oil with infused meyer lemons. These oils tends to be expensive but a lower quality would not work here. It’s easy to make this dish vegan, just don’t add parmesan et voilà le tour est joué!

Ingredients for 2

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3.5 oz (or 100 g) freekeh
• 1/4 tsp four spices
• vegetable stock
• 1 tbs parsley, chopped
• 1 butternut squash, cut in 1 inch cubes
• shaved parmesan

Preparation

Soak freekeh in cold water for about 5 minutes. Heat olive oil in a pot, sweat onions until soft. Add four spices and stir well, then add freekeh, peas, salt and pepper and cover with broth. Cook at medium heat with lid for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, pre-heat oven at 400F. Toss squash with a little olive oil and vinegar, salt and pepper and bake in the oven until tender but not mushy (about 15 minutes).

When squash is cooked and freekeh tender, mix both ingredients well. Serve hot in individual plates with shaved parmesan and drizzle with lemon oil and fresh black pepper.

]]> http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2012/08/baby-wheat-freekeh-pilaf-with-roasted-squash-peas-and-lemon-oil/feed/ 0 http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2010/12/for-lazy-days-quinoa-grilled-zucchini-chickpeas-en-verrine-with-almond-pesto-and-goat-cheese/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=for-lazy-days-quinoa-grilled-zucchini-chickpeas-en-verrine-with-almond-pesto-and-goat-cheese http://citronetvanille.com/blog/2010/12/for-lazy-days-quinoa-grilled-zucchini-chickpeas-en-verrine-with-almond-pesto-and-goat-cheese/#comments Tue, 07 Dec 2010 05:22:11 +0000 silvia http://www.citronetvanille.com/blog/?p=12593 Pour les jours paresseux – Quinoa, courgettes grillées, pois chiches en verrine en couches de chèvre et pesto

Yes, this is definitely a dish for one of those lazy days, not lazy “like sitting on the sofa”, but lazy “like not feeling to cook” but with a desire to eat something good.

After waiting for a while after for people all day, first to come check out some windows for replacement (and not showing up), for phone calls unreturned, you get into a strange mood and wondering what is wrong. Is it the muggy weather? Is there something up in the air that makes people unreliable? I have no idea. I guess some days are just like that. Well so for one of those days, this is the perfect little thing to do, that will not leave your kitchen messy.

Verrines have been quite popular in France, you just fill them with whatever you like for a fun presentation. Basically, the glass is filled with layers of quinoa, pesto, goat cheese. It can be served lukewarm or cold as a salad or appetizer.

Ingredients for 4

• 250 g quinoa
• vegetable broth
• 6 tbs chick peas (soaked in water or canned)
• 3 zucchini, sliced crosswise
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 4 tbs goat cheese

For the pesto

• 70 g peeled almonds
• 1 garlic clove
• 40 g parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• 50 g basil
• zest of 1 lemon
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Steam quinoa in vegetable broth by adding enough broth to cover the quinoa by 1/2 inch. Bring broth to a boil, then cover with a lid and reduce heat to the minimum. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid. The other and quicker alternative is to cook quinoa in a rice cooker. When quinoa is cooked remove pot from the heat and let it cool a little.

Add chick peas to the quinoa and mix well. Grill zucchini in a grill pan and add to the quinoa-chick pea mixture. Add lemon juice, drizzle with olive oil and adjust with salt and pepper.

For the pesto, combine all ingredients together in a mixer to obtain a semi fine paste.

In a glass, add one layer of quinoa, add a layer of pesto, then a layer of goat cheese. Start over with a layer of quinoa. Top it off with some goat cheese, a slice of grilled zucchini and a basil leaf.