Delish Your Dish

“What I Like About Roux”- Baked Pasta with Fennel, Onion and Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

I’m totally into making roux’s lately.  Not quite sure if I’ve just been having a craving for creamy sauces, or if it’s just a fun technique that I’m hoping to master.  But, nevertheless, I’m having a fun time coming up with new recipes that incorporate the use of a roux.

Tonight I was inspired by the huge fennel bulb that I had bought at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market this weekend.  I am a big fan of this licorice flavored veggie but rarely cook with it at home.  Like most chefs, by the time I get home from work, I’m exhausted and can’t seem to bring myself to cook a meal.  But, thanks to my lovely day off today, I had time to play around in my shoebox of a kitchen.

What You Need:

1/2 Large Bulb of Fennel (sliced super thin- mandolin is preferred)

1/2 Onion (sliced super thin- mandolin is preferred)

1 Tbsp. Earth Balance Butter (or regular butter)

1 1/2 Tbsp. Flour

1/4 Cup Marsala Wine

3/4 Soy Milk (or milk of your choice)

1/4 Cup Goat Cheese

Salt/Pepper (to taste)

Pasta (cooked al dente and set aside)

Pasta Water (reserved)

Panko Bread Crumbs

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Heat a large saute pan on medium heat.  Toss in the butter, onions and fennel.  Saute until the onions and fennel are soft.  Then, pour the Marsala wine into the pan.  Allow some of the liquid to cook off, then sprinkle the flour over veggies.  Stir until the flour has disappeared.

2. Next, add in the milk, stirring to combine and thicken.  As the sauce begins to thicken, add in the goat cheese.  Stir and allow the cheese to evenly distribute throughout the pan.  Add reserved pasta water if the sauce begins to thicken too much.  Turn off heat. Then, toss in the pasta.  Fold the pasta into the sauce.  Season to taste.

3. Next, divide the pasta into individual ramekins.  Top each filled ramekin with a mixture of panko crumbs and parmesan cheese.  Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and slide into the heated oven.  Bake the pasta until the panko crumbs begin to brown.  Remove and serve immediately.

“It’s All Gravy”- Gardein Stuffed Turk’y with Vegan Mushroom Gravy

 It’s November and right around the corner is one of my favorite holidays!  I absolutely love Thanksgiving, or practically any holiday that involves a giant feast with my family.  But, Thanksgiving in particular has something special about it.  My family is large, loud and does an incredible Thanksgiving meal.  Last year we even had the addition of an impromptu dance party.  I can’t wait to head home to Florida for a few days of rest, relaxation, good food and time with my friends and family.

But, until then, I’ll be working on some Thanksgiving themed recipes for all of you.  Yesterday, I spent the day baking numerous pies with my amazing kitchen team for a new restaurant that will be opening in LA soon.  So, by the time I got home I was dead on my feet.  So, I decided to opt for a semi-homemade dinner.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Gardein products, but once I tasted their new Savory Stuffed Turk’y, I was hooked!  They took the usual Vegan chick’n and filled it with an amazing stuffing!  It’s a vegetarian/vegan’s dream come true!  The package comes with its own gravy, but I thought I’d just create my own with the veggies I had in the house.

What You Need:

2 Gardein Savory Stuffed Turk’y (defrosted)

2 Tbsp. Earth Balance Butter

1 Large Carrot (peeled and diced)

1 Medium Onion (diced)

2 Cloves Garlic (minced)

Thyme or Oregano (to taste- I used Oregano, but Thyme would have be delish too)

2 Tbsp. Flour

2/3 Cup Vegetarian “Chicken” Broth

~1/2 Cup Soy Milk (or non-dairy milk of choice)

Salt/Pepper (to taste)

1 Large Portabello Mushroom Cap (diced)

1. Heat a large saute pan on medium.  Toss in the butter, onions, garlic and carrots.  Saute until softened.  Add the mushrooms and allow them to release their liquid.  Then, add in the 2 Tbsp. of flour.  Stir to combine.  Make sure there are no signs of flour left.  Then, pour in the broth, stirring constantly.

2.  The mixture should begin to thicken.  Next, pour in the soy milk a little at a time.  Stirring to combine.  Season the mixture with salt, pepper, thyme or oregano to taste.  Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken. 

3. Serve the Savory Stuffed Turk’y and gravy with steamed kale and brussel sprouts!

What are all of you planning for Thanksgiving?

“What’s Cookin’, Good Lookin’”- Veggie Pride Parade LA!

Calling all LA-ers!  Tomorrow is the Veggie Pride Parade in Santa Monica!  I’ll be heading over to the westside of LA to check out all the great Veggie festivities.  There will be tons of delish Vegan food, non-profit organizations, shopping, guest appearances, speakers and great entertainment!

Whether you’re a Veghead or not, come out and spend the day in the sun in Santa Monica!  Send me an email if you’re heading that way, maybe we can have a Delish Your Dish meet-up!

I look forward to Veg-Parading with all of you!

“Step Aside Oreo, There’s a New Sandwich Cookie in Town”- French Macarons: French Sandwich Cookies

The other night I got to Sous Chef for the French Macaron baking class at Sur La Table.  I’ve always wanted to bake a giant batch of these adorable sandwich cookies, but I’ve never had the chance to learn the proper technique.  Thanks to my good friend and amazing chef, Vanessa DiStefano, I learned the key to making perfect Macarons!

I baked tons of Macarons alongside the class participants!  We had four different flavors: Chocolate Macarons with Cocoa Custard Cream, Raspberry Macarons with Raspberry Jam Cream, Green Tea Macarons with Matcha Cream and finally Coconut Macarons with Rum Cream.

I must have eaten 10 of these delish little creations, but it was well worth it!  The class was a blast and all the “students” were in Macaron heaven!  I can’t wait to bake up some of these addicting cookies for my Thanksgiving feast.

If you’re interested in some of the recipes from the baking class, feel free to email me which ones you’d like.  These recipes are courtesy of Sur La Table. 

Also, if you’re eager to learn how to create and bake these wonderful treats, check out the Sur La Table website to find a cooking class near you!

“You Roll Me Over”- Eggplant Rollatini with Garlicky Spinach and Arugala

Ever get that craving for some good ol’ “mom and pop” style Italian food?  The type of dishes that are just bursting with that amazing fresh garlic flavor?  Well, that’s what I’ve been craving the past few weeks.  I’m in search of that kind of restaurant here in Los Angeles, but until I find it, I’ll have to try and create my own delish Italian favorites!

What You Need:

For the Rollatini:

1 Medium Eggplant (sliced lengthwise, 1/4” thick)

 1 Pkg. Firm Tofu (drained)

2 Large Portabello Mushrooms (fine dice)

2 Shallots (fine dice)

1/4 Cup Marsala Wine

3 Cloves Garlic (minced)

1/4 Pkg. Tempeh (crumbled and toasted)

5 Meatless Meatballs (defrosted)

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (if Vegan, use Daiya brand cheesel)

Salt/Pepper/Red Pepper Flakes (to taste)

Marinara Sauce (fresh is best, but store-bought is fine too)

Olive Oil (for pan)

For the Spinach/Arugala:

2 Cups Fresh Spinach Leaves

 2 Cups Fresh Arugala

Lemon Juice (to taste)

2 Cloves Garlic (thinly sliced)

Salt/Pepper/Red Pepper Flakes (to taste)

Olive Oil (for pan)

Preparing the Rollatini:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Lay the sliced eggplant onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Set the eggplant aside and allow the salt to draw out the moisture.  Meanwhile, heat a saute pan on medium and add olive oil to lightly coat the bottom.  Once the pan is heated, add the chopped mushrooms.  Allow the mushrooms to cook until soft.  Add in the shallots and saute until the shallots are tender.  Next, add the marsala wine to the pan.  Allow the liquid to cook off and season to taste.

2. Next, add the tofu, meatless meatballs, 2 tsp. chopped garlic and mushroom mixture to a food processor or Vita-Mix blender.  Blend until fully incorporated and season to taste (you may need a little liquid to get the Vita-Mix working, so just add drops of water to the mixture).  Set mixture aside.

3. Next, wipe the saute pan clean with a towel.  Lightly oil the pan and set it on medium heat.  Once the pan is heated, add the eggplant slices.  Do not over crowd the pan.  Cook the eggplant on both sides until it is tender, but not over cooked.  Set aside to cool.  Then,

4. Prepare your baking dish by placing a light coat of tomato sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish.  Once the eggplant is cooled enough for you to work with, begin to fill your eggplant rollatinis.  Place a dollop of mushroom filling on one end of the eggplant.  Add in a sprinkle of cheese then begin to roll the eggplant until if forms a perfect roll.  Place the filled eggplant seam side down into the casserole dish.  Top with tomato sauce.

5. Once all of the eggplant rolls have been set into the casserole dish, place the tray in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. When there is about 5 minutes left, sprinkle mozzarella cheese, tempeh and remaining garlic on top of the eggplant rolls.  Continue baking until the cheese has melted.

Preparing the Spinach and Arugala:

1. Wipe the saute pan clean and lightly coat the bottom with olive oil.  Heat on medium-high.  Next, toss in the sliced garlic.  Allow the garlic to saute (but not brown) for about 1 minute.  Then, toss in the spinach and arugala.  Allow the greens to wilt, but do not overcook.  Just before serving, add lemon juice and  salt/pepper/red pepper flakes.

“Pauley Walnuts”- Walnut Tuiles (Butter Wafers)

This past weekend, I spent two glorious days in Sacramento, celebrating the Walnut Harvest.  I have tons of great pictures, recipes and fun walnut related facts to share with all of you!

Since I’ve been on such a walnut kick, I figured I’d share some amazing walnut themed recipes. This wafer cookie recipe is ridiculously simple, delish and fun!  Fun?  Yes! It’s fun, because you can create fun and abstract shapes with the cookie batter!

What You Need:

1 Cup Walnut Flour (1/3 Cup Ground Walnuts, 2/3 Cup AP Flour)

 1 Cup Butter (melted)

1 Cup Egg Whites

1/2 Cup Sugar

Melted Chocolate (optional)

Powdered Sugar (for dusting)

Heat oven to 275 degrees.

1. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the chocolate.  Mix until there are no lumps and all of the ingredients are well combined.

2. Next, place a silpat onto a baking sheet (or just us PAM to grease your baking sheet).  Use an offset spatula to spread your batter into a thin layer, then bake for 15 minutes.  Experiment with designs.  Here’s a cool suggestion: spread the batter into a long rectangular shape.  Bake for 15 minutes then carefully remove the shape from the baking sheet.  Immediately drape the baked cookie over a wine bottle (that is on its side) so that it molds to the shape of the wine bottle.

3. You have to work fast so that the cookie doesn’t cool before you’re done shaping it.  Then, melt a chocolate of your choice and dip your cookies into the chocolate.  Allow to cool (if you can wait that long) then enjoy!!  Dust with powdered sugar.

“Delish Detector”- Old Soul Coffee Company

This is a first ever traveling post for Delish Your Dish (thank you iPhone).

I am currently in Sacramento with fellow foodies and journalists celebrating California’s Walnut Harvest.

I plan on giving you all the Delish details of the event when I get back to Los Angeles, but I couldn’t resist telling you all about the beautiful breakfast we enjoyed at Old Soul Coffee Company in Downtown Sacramento.

To start, we indulged in fresh baked Banana Walnut Bread, Candied Walnut Scones and Croissants. We were in baked good heaven!

Then, out came breakfast. A gorgeous spinach, walnut and goat cheese quiche with a side of fresh fruit and potatoes. Now, that’s a breakfast of champions!

We enjoyed the beautiful meal on the outside patio, shaded by the gorgeous trees.

It was a delicious way to start the day!