Foods Recipes

-----Stock----- 1/2 cup dried vegetable soup mix

3 cup slightly aged chopped white mushrooms

3 cup water

-----Stew----- 1/2 rutabaga -- halved then thinly s

1 cup white mushrooms -- slightly aged, halve

6 small shitake -- coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste 5 garlic cloves -- finely chopped

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 medium yellow onion -- cut into large piece

1 medium carrot -- peeled, 1/2" slices

2 medium russet potatos -- in 1/2 of 1/2" slice

1 medium fennel bulb -- quartered, in 1/2" s

2 tablespoon fresh thyme -- chopped or 2 tsp dri

2 tablespoon fresh marjoram -- chopped or 2 tsp dri

2 tablespoon fresh parsley -- chopped or 2 tsp dri

This began last night as an effort to make the Winter Vegetable Pie recipe

in the _Fields of Greens_ cookbook just acquired (and thanks to those who sent advice on the book last month). As usual, however, we varied a great

deal, so the result is greatly different from the book's--but was wonderful. We realized that the recipe started with "Mushroom stock," which would take 3 hours to make. Since it was already 7 in the evening, that was out. The celery root we thought was in the vegetable bin was a rutabaga; we had six shitake to use up. So we improvised: Stock: Gently simmer, until reduced to about 2 cups liquid.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet; add the mushrooms, pinch of salt, 2 or 3 grinds of pepper. Sear the mushrooms over high heat

until golden. Add half the garlic and deglaze the pan with half the sherry. When the pan is almost dry, transfer the mushrooms to a bowl. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in stew pot and add the onion, pinch of salt, 2 grinds of pepper; saute until onion is transparent. Add the remaining garlic, rutabaga, carrot, potatos, and fennel, saute for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, herbs, and the reduced stock. Cover and simmer until vegetables are soft and flavors melded, about 30 minutes over

medium/medium low heat. Serve over grain, pasta, or polenta (we used a mixed spiral spinach pasta and basmati rice left over from previous meals), with crusty bread, bread sticks, or pretzels. The _Fields of Greens_ book takes its mixture, pours it into a 9 inch round baking dish, then covers it with a white pastry cover, with an egg wash on it (there goes the vegan listing!), then bakes in 375 degree oven for 40 minutes. Our variation worked well; we ate at about 8:45 (which is fairly normal for us), a rich and warming stew with the temperature outside at -5, wind chill -37. We'll try some different root vegetables next time, and perhaps add tofu slices as well.

2 Roasted bell peppers

1 c Pitted imported olives

6 c Tender fresh spinach or

-arugula, washed with tough -stems removed 1 lg Garlic clove, finely minced

Greshly ground black pepper, -to taste 1 cn Anchovies, drained (2 oz)

1/3 c Extra-virgin olive oil

8 oz Rigatoni or other wide-tube

-pasta Coarsely grated Parmesan -cheese, for garnish (opt) When buying cheese for grating, get the best quality - Parmigiano Reggiano. A wedge will keep for a long time in your refrigerator if it's very well wrapped in plastic. As it may be expensive, consider that you've made a worthwhile investment. 1. Cut roasted peppers lengthwise into 1/4" strips.

2. Coarsely chop the olives.

3. Place the spinach or arugula in a large bowl. Sprinkle with minced

garlic and season generously with black pepper. Add the pepper strips and chopped olives. Toss everything together well. 4. Cut anchovies in half crosswise and add to spinach mixture. Toss

the mixture with olive oil. 5. Before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and

cook the pasta until AL DENTE. Drain pasta and rinse under warm water to remove excess starch; toss with the spinach mixture. Serve immediately, sprinkled with coarsely grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Per serving: 330 calories, 17 grams fat, 7 milligrams cholesterol.

3 1/2 ounces fine noodles (1 3/4 cups)

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast halves

-- OR turkey breast tenderloin steaks 7 1/2 ounces canned tomatoes -- undrained

4 ounces canned sliced mushrooms -- drained

1/3 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup dry red wine

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 1/2 chicken broth cube

1/2 garlic clove -- minced

1/4 teaspoon dried basil -- crushed

3/4 cup small frozen whole onions

Advance preparation time: 30 minutes Final preparation time: 10 to 60 minutes

Cook noodles according to the directions on the package, except use 4 cups of hot water in a large pan. Drain and rinse with cold water, and drain again. Meanwhile, slice the chicken into 3/4-inch strips. Spray a cold, large non-stick skillet with cooking spray, add the chicken and cook over medium-high heat just until tender and no longer pink (about 4 minutes) turning the pieces occasionally. Drain the mushrooms. Cut up the tomatoes but remember to save the juice. In a saucepan, combine the tomatoes and juice, the drained mushrooms, tomato sauce, wine, cornstarch, bouillon granules, garlic, and basil. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and is bubbly. Cook and stir for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the chicken and the onions. Spoon the pasta to one side of 4 individual shallow baking dishes*. Spoon the tomato-chicken mixture on the other side. Cover with clear plastic wrap and then foil. Seal, label, and freeze.

*Use microwave-safe dishes if the casseroles will be reheated in the= microwave.

RE-HEATING: Conventional oven: Remove plastic wrap. Cover with foil. Bake frozen casserole, covered, in a 375=B0 F. oven for 1 hour or until heated through. Microwave oven: Remove foil. Cover with vented plastic wrap or wax paper. Cook on 70% power (medium-high) for 9 minutes (1 serving) or 16-18 minutes (2 servings) or until heated through, turning the dishes once.

Per serving: 276 Kcal 4g fat (0.8g sat fat) 11% CFF 749mg Na (31.7g PRO/3.3g FAT/26.7g CHO)

2 tb Butter

2 tb Flour

1 ts Salt

1 ts Freshly ground black pepper

1 c Burgundy or Beaujolais wine

1/4 md Onion minced

3 To 4 cups Leek and Mushroom

-Stock (see recipe) 1 lb Mixed wild mushrooms *

--------------------------LEEK AND MUSHROOM STOCK-------------------------- 4 Carrots, cut in large pieces

2 lg Leeks, well cleaned and

-trim trimmed, cut in large -pieces 2 Onions, peeled, halved

1 Celery stalk

5 Whole cloves

1/4 lb Wild mushrooms **

2 qt Water

1 ts Salt

* (chanterelles, shiitake, cepes), cleaned, trimmed ** or 1/2 pound cultivated white or brown mushrooms, coarsely chopped. Here's one for you lucky folks that have chanterelles popping up in the back forty... Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the flour, whisking as you go. Add the salt and pepper. Return to heat and slowly whisk in the wine. Simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, continuing to whisk until well blended and slightly

thickened. Add the onions. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. Heat the stock in a saucepan, add the mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat. Combine mushroom mixture and wine mix mixture; simmer for 20 minutes. The scent of this cooking is unbelievably fragrant! The finished stew may be served alone, or over rice, polenta or pasta, and is nice garnished with a little parsley or young arugula. Serves 3 or 4. PER SERVING: 155 calories, 6 g protein, 72 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat (4 g saturated), 16 mg cholesterol, 856 mg sodium, 2 g fiber. LEEK AND MUSHROOM STOCK: This is a good alternative to chicken broth in almost any recipe. Put all ingredients in a large pot; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Strain for a clear stock. Makes 1 1/2 to 2 quarts. PER CUP: 20 calories, 3 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 356 mg sodium, 0 g fiber. San Francisco Chronicle, 9/2/92. Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; October 19 1992.

4 oz Dried mushrooms

12 oz Assorted fresh mushrooms

- (chanterelle, cultivated, - shiitake, oyster) 2 tb Unsalted butter

1 tb Finely minced garlic

1 tb Finely minced shallots

-=OR=- Onions 1/2 ts Salt

1/4 c Sherry or Madeira

1/2 c Whipping cream

This sauce has an intensely woodsy flavor that would be good on pasta, roast chicken or pork. TO RECONSTITUTE DRIED MUSHROOMS, place them in a bowl and cover with 3 cups of warm water. Soak for at least 2 hours or up to 8. When mushrooms are soft, drain and reserve water and squeeze out as much water as you can from the mushrooms. Pour the mushroom water through a double layer of cheesecloth or a cloth towel to remove any sand that may have been lurking in the mushrooms. Reserve 1 cup of liquid for this recipe. (Pour the remaining mushroom water into a plastic container or airtight bag, label and freeze for up to a year to use in soups and sauces.) Wash the fresh mushrooms and pat dry. (Slice chanterelles and cultivated mushrooms, trim and discard the stems of shiitake mushrooms, and trim and discard root tips of oyster mushrooms.) Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat and add the reconstituted dried mushrooms, garlic, shallots and salt. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms and continue to cook another 10 minutes. Add the reserved mushroom water and sherry. Increase the heat to high and cook until the liquid reduces by about 2/3. Add the cream and cook until the liquid reduces to a saucelike consistency and is thick enough to coat a spoon.