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What's Cooking
Vegetarian Special
Hosted by Kim O'Donnel
washingtonpost.com Staff
Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003; 2 p.m. ET
Calling all foodies! Join us for the vegetarian edition of What's Cooking, our live online culinary hour with Kim O'Donnel.
A graduate of Peter Kump's New York Cooking School, Kim spends much of her time in front of the stove or with her nose in a cookbook.
Submit your questions or commments before or during today's discussion.
Share the culinary love with What's Cooking, Valentine?, Kim's latest video series.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Kim O'Donnel: Greetings, vegetarians and veggie-minded cooks. Hope you're all faring well in spite of the miserable weather and all the talk of war. In my regular Tuesday gig, I threw out a suggestion for white beans that may be of interest -- canned white beans, heated up in the mike (yes, it's true; it came with my new place), spritzed with olive oil or sesame oil, a glug or so of soy sauce or tamari, a clove of chopped garlic, some chopped grape tomatoes and raw spinach. Mix together and enjoy. I'm eager to hear what's happening in your kitchens, so let's get started.
Washington, D.C.:
Kim -- I want to add tofu to my veggie lasagna to increase the protein. But I haven't cooked much with tofu. Do I get the soft kind, and just mix it with the ricotta? Or dice up a firmer kind and put it in the veggie layer? Thanks!
Kim O'Donnel: Silken tofu is a good choice, and you can whip it up with ricotta in the food processor to make smooth. Season well before adding to your other stuff.
Washington, D.C.:
Hey Kim! I've been looking for cazuelas (those Spanish tapa dishes) for a while but can't seem to find them in the usual catalogs, etc. Isn't there a Spanish store in the D.C. area that carries them? Thanks!
Kim O'Donnel: Hey, Washington. Actually, the Web site tienda.com (based in Williamsburg) carries a variety of cazuelas that I think will do you right. Check it out.
McLean, Va.:
Hi Kim,
I want to a make a new recipe for "East African Kidney Beans" tonight. The recipe calls for one pound of dried beans -- I have no time to soak them. How do I sub canned for dried -- what is the ratio, do you know? Also, this recipe calls for cooking beans with a lot of liquid (coconut milk, regular milk, etc.). Do you think if I used canned beans it will be too soupy? Should I drain the canned beans first?
Thanks.
Kim O'Donnel: Hi McLean,
For every 3/4 cup of dried beans, use 1 16-ounce can, according to "Food FAQS" by Linda Resnik and Dee Brock. Yes to draining the beans. Add enough liquid, whether milk or otherwise, just to cover. If you need more, add gradually, but don't load up on milk just because the recipe says so. You dig?
McLean, Va.:
Hi, what vegetarian meal would you suggest to be paired with a fairly intense, earthy, medium-bodied red wine (a Chateauneuf-du-Pape, to be precise)? I've promised to cook for my wife Saturday night and while neither of us are vegetarians, she has been in the past and I thought it would be fun to surprise her with a vegetarian extravaganza. I know she'll be expecting a steak with that wine! She just got the new Crescent Dragonwagon (I love that name) cookbook and has been enjoying it. We'll pretty much try anything, so no restrictions (other than the wine). I'm more of a red meat/hearty fare guy myself, but I know I like my vegetarian better when it doesn't pretend to be meat (not a fan of tofu, tempeh, etc.) The other factor is that I'll only have a few hours to cook.
Thanks!
Kim O'Donnel: Hi there,
I'm thinking one of two things: mushroom risotto, which is so impressive and special and will marry beautifullly with your wine, or a short pasta dish with a puree of arugula, walnuts and goat cheese (this comes from "Pasta e Verdure" by Jack Bishop). Both can hold up to the earthiness and kick of your special grapes. Risotto help is available from a recent video, by the way. Have fun!
Centreville, Va.:
Please help us Kim! Husband is a hard-core vegan and allergic to pineapple -- yearning for carrot cake. Despite plowing through many vegetarian cookbooks I've yet to see a recipe that's egg and/or dairy free, and they ALL have pineapple in them. Can you or any clicksters provide workable recipe?
Kim O'Donnel: I found a carrot cake that's pineapple free, but not dairy or egg free. If you want, email me and I can send you what I have and then you can play with recipe, subbing soymilk and egg replacer.
Vegetarians in College Dining Halls:
I am a vegetarian student at a small college. A good percentage of the students are vegetarian, ranging in practice from avoiding red meat to total veganism.
There is one dining facility on campus, and although they try to provide vegetarian alternatives at every meal, there is not much
variety. All the recipes marked vegetarian include the words: souffle, pasta, quesadillas, lentil cakes, risotto, and/or grilled mushrooms.
The chef is very responsive to student suggestions and recipes, though. I would love to share with him some tried and true recipes. Do
you have a few savory, filling vegetarian recipes that could be made on a large scale (to feed approximately 100 vegetarians) or know of a
good book to read for such recipes? Thanks.
Kim O'Donnel: Here are some ideas, which I culled from "The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook" by Robin Robertson (maybe a worthwhile purchase --or gift!-- for your chef)...vegetarian shepherd's pie, with potatoes, veggie crumbles, peas, carrots, onion, soy sauce...moussaka made without the lamb, but replaced with double eggplant, brown rice, and a "bechamel sauce" made with tofu...slabs of bbq'd tofu or even easier for large groups, tempeh...chickpea and potato stew with indian spices, tomatoes...kale and white beans and potatoes as a soup/stew...hope this starts some brainstorming...cheers.
Minneapolis, Minn.:
A friend of mine is lactose-intolerant. I'm wondering what the implication is for baked goods. If I invite my friend over, do I need to bake a vegan dessert for him? The only one I know is the Moosewood chocolate cake. Does anyone have any good vegan cookie recipes? Thanks!
Kim O'Donnel: Remember, eggs are not dairy. So if it's dairy he's allergic to, you can still use eggs. I always recommend "Totally Dairy-Free Cooking" by Louis Lanza for idea. And here's the goods on Lulu's cookies, which are not-quite vegan, as they use honey (but I suppose you could play with maple syrup), plus you can sub chips for dairy-free variety)
Lulu's Cookies, adapted (and name changed) from Brother Juniper's Bread Book:
Oven to 350.
Toast in oven 1/2 cup each sunflower seeds, pepitas (pumpkin) and sesame seeds, and 2 tablespoons flax seeds.
Mix dry ingredients:
4 cups flour
2 cups oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 scoop soy protein powder (optional)
Soak 1 cup raisins in 1 cup hot water. Drain and reserve water.
Add water, 1 cup canola oil, 1 cup honey to dry ingredients and mix til blended with rubber spatula. Add raisins. Add 1 cup chocolate chips.
Form patties on cookie sheet. Bake til golden brown. Don't overbake; the cookies will become like rocks.
Washington, D.C.:
OK, it's not a cooking answer, but:
There's a vegan bakery on 18th St, at the bottom of Adams Morgan, that makes an amazing carrot cake. Maybe that would hold the husband until a recipe can be located, or maybe they can give help (Yes, I'm assuming they don't use pineapple. You'd have to ask, but I didn't taste any pineapple in it.)
Kim O'Donnel: Excellent tidbit. Thanks for sharing.
Washington, D.C. eggplant lover:
Hi Kim!
Eggplant question: most recipes involving eggplant require that you slice or cube and salt the eggplant, let it drain etc to leech the bitterness out of the veggie. I think this is a pain, and it prevents me from cooking eggplant more often. So what can I do with eggplant that does not require this? I looove the really velvety, long-cooked eggplant, by the way -- a braise or something seems right. Any help? Thanks! (PS -- indoor ideas please -- I do not have a grill)
Kim O'Donnel: Yes, you can cook eggplant without salting it. In fact, that's what I do most times these days. So, go wild with your egg plant and not worry. ONe thing to bear in mind is the high water content of eggplant, so if you are adding to other ingredients, you may need to cook eggplant separately...I love marinating slices of thin Chinese eggplants in blackbean sauce and sesame oil and roasting in a hot oven...
City of snow Frederick, Md.:
Would the clickster be kind enough to share the recipe for East African Kidney Beans? Thanks in advance!
Kim O'Donnel: Let's ask...
Soy heaven:
Hi Kim!
I have a nice package of firm tofu that I finally remembered to thaw, some frozen BBQ "not steak" strips, and I would like to do something with the tofu that is not just stir frying it with veggies and then serving it over noodles of some type. any idea? I am interested in baking tofu but I'm not sure how or what the texture would be like. Thanks!
Kim O'Donnel: Marinated, baked tofu is nice, especially if you cook at high heat to develop a crust. But I think these two elements are key: marinade and high heat. Cheers.
Somewhere, USA:
In my veggie lasagna I use firm or extra firm squeezed out fairly dry mixed with some soy sauce and nutritional yeast (maybe 3 Tbsp) to give it a nuttier flavor.
The soy sauce and liquid from the other veggies will keep the tofu from feeling too dry.
Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for chiming in...always like to hear what works for others...
Cauliflower Question:
Can you pass along your recipe for spiced cauliflower? You mentioned that you made it as an appetizer type thing for a catering job you did.
Kim O'Donnel: Oh, that's a goodie...I don't have proportions with me, but if you remind me in an email, I'll get the goods:
You melt some butter and mix in a large bowl with salt, pepper, paprika, brown sugar and maybe cinnamon. Coat the florets and then roast in a 500 degree oven til tender. Awesome.
Cauliflower soup follow-up:
Hi Kim -- I had submitted early re: cauliflower soup and wasn't on-line -- so to answer your question: you soak the cauliflower in ice water and 2 T. vinegar for an hour, then plunge it into hot water to cook it, and then puree the cooked cauliflower with broth & spices (cooking separately). Why the 1-hour soak? Can I omit this step? Thanks again!
Kim O'Donnel: The only reason I can think of the soak is crispness, but if you are pureeing, no reason for this. I'd try without and see how it goes.
Alexandria, Va.:
Kim,
What do you know about macrobiotic cooking?
Kim O'Donnel: I actually know more about raw food diets than macrobiotic, to be honest. What are you curious about?
Somewhere, USA:
I am fish-eating vegetarian (an oxymoron perhaps but there you have it!) that can no longer escape my recently developed shell-fish allergy. Which wouldn't be quite the tragedy if I were not married to a suberb professional chef that has long lamented my disinterest (disgust) in meat -- and now he cannot make me (us) shrimp, crab, lobster... sigh. One of our favorite dishes, however, is the caramel/chile/lemongrass tofu at 4 Sisters in Falls Church. I would love to help him replicate it at home (to offset some of the pain of my new condition limiting his culinary adventures) and would love to know if you (or anyone) has had it, would have any idea how to make it or something almost as sublime. Thank you!
Kim O'Donnel: Since I've never had this dish, hard for me to give you guidance. I'm really sorry about your allergy. Are you okay with "meaty" fish like salmon, snapper, halibut, etc? Let's hear what others have to say.
Nani, Tex.:
Now you've done it! Every birthday and Christmas my young-uns try to give me a microwave, "Nani, you NEED one, EVERYBODY'S got one but you." Last year, I said that if Kim O'Donnel ever uses a microwave, then I'd agree. Foods cooked or heated in a microwave taste funny and the texture turns rubbery. Besides, I love the aroma of foods baking and roasting in my good old oven. Oh well, I can always use the microwave for a breadbox.
Kim O'Donnel: Nani, let me clarify. It came with the new place. If it wasn't there, I wouldn't miss it. I find it useful for heating things up, but that's ABOUT IT. So, please, steady on, and enjoy things as you like them.
Vegan bakery in D.C.:
The vegan bakery on 18th is called Sticky Fingers. It's across the street from Lauriol Plaza. Haven't been in yet, but the smells coming out of it have been heavenly! The have a website at stickyfingersbakery.com
Kim O'Donnel: Very nice. I'll have to check it out.
Philadelphia, Pa.:
Re: Vinegar soaked cauliflower
Just a thought -- maybe the acid keeps the cauliflower from turning colors. Muddy pureed soup doesn't sound too appealing.
Kim O'Donnel: I've pureed cauli so many times and never experienced discoloration...but thanks for your input.
Houston, Tex.:
I want to make veggie enchiladas tonight for my family. Any ideas on what I could use to replace the chicken/beef/fish?
Kim O'Donnel: Black beans. Tofu or tempeh would also work nicely. Veggies like broccoli and squash, too. cheers.
Missouri:
Tahini question. My 4-year old son had kale salad with some sort of tahini dressing at a restaurant last week. And he ate it.
I know it's sesame paste but what else? He liked it enough to ask for the same dressing at home but I have no recipes for it. While, I am not worried about the fat content for him, is there any bonus nutrition there?
Kim O'Donnel: Tahini is the paste with some olive oil and some squeeze of lemon will do just fine. Tell him I say, 'hi five' for the adventurous appetite. Let me know how it goes.
Washington, D.C.:
Did you know Mr. Rogers was a vegetarian?
Have you any recommendations for good veggie comfort food? I could use some right now. He was rather important to my childhood -- was hoping he'd be around for my kids, too.
People like that ought to live forever.
Kim O'Donnel: He was part of my childhood too, now everybody sing along...'won't you be my...won't you be my...neighbor?' I'm telling you one of my all-time fave veggie comfort things is kale and white beans with garlic and chiles. I use water for a little liquid.
Shaw, Washington, D.C.:
Re: Veggie Enchiladas. I like to stuff mine with a combo of seasoned chopped eggpland and almonds. Very hearty and very yummy.
Kim O'Donnel: Lovely add-on. Thanks, Shaw.
Dairy-free:
For the person looking for dairy-free (but not necessarily egg-free) desserts, check out Jewish cookbooks. You should be able to find some at your local library, or I'm sure there are Web sites. Because meat and milk can't be served at the same time under kosher cooking laws, there are always plenty of dairy-free recipes of all types.
Kim O'Donnel: Another great idea. Thanks! Gil Marks is a goodie.
Fish eating Veg.:
My boyfriend is a fish-eating vegetarian. I usually have no problem cooking for him and have to say that my diet is a lot healthier now. However, a reoccuring problem I run into is wanting to fix dishes that call for chicken broth. A couple of times I have used veggie broth instead, but it doesn't turn out as good as it should. To bad they don't make veggie chicken broth.
Kim O'Donnel: Depends on what you're doing, but often you can get away with water and no feel the difference. Give me some details and maybe I can help.
Maryland:
Any suggestions for what to use mace in? My hubby brought back a bag of mace chunks (for lack of a better description) from the Middle East after I requested spices, and I just don't know what to do with it all! On the plus side, I do know what to do with all of the lovely and wonderfully cheap saffron he brought me!
Kim O'Donnel: Mace is useful for baking; you know, it's the outer membrane of the nutmeg, so if you have a recipe requiring nutmeg, you could try adding mace.
Columbia, Md.:
Hi Kim,
I recently went to The Vegetable Garden and ordered the General Tso's Chicken -- and I loved it! Where can I find the fake 'chicken' they use for recipes I make at home? I think the ingredients include vegetable protein.
Thanks
Kim O'Donnel: Seitan (also known as wheat gluten) can be found at health food stores, food co-ops and at places like Whole Foods. Anyone else with thoughts?
Arlington, Va.:
I have a recipe that calls for butternut squash (for an Asian-flavored noodle dish). Will acorn squash be an OK substitute?
Kim O'Donnel: Yes, it will. Winter squash are fairly similarly in texture, but butternut definitely is one of the most flavorful! You'll be fine.
Raw Foods:
What do you know about raw foods? What do you recommend to get started -- and how do folks manage to live in mainstream society? I want to start (picked up a book from Hippocrates last night at Borders and am thinking of a retreat at Ann Wigmore's). Feels like I need to make a whole new cadre of friends, which could be a good thing.
Kim O'Donnel: You raise some very intersting questions. You say you want to make new friends, but at the same time, it seems to me that a raw food diet makes it difficult to socialize unless most of your friends have similar eating habits. Nothing can be warmer than 118 degrees. Nuts and seeds are dehydrated and pressed to make "flour," "cheese" and "dough." There's an upscale restaurant in Marin County called Roxanne's that's getting a lot of press -- and I'm pretty sure Gourmet has just done a piece on her. She may be working on a cookbook. There's a fairly active raw food group in Miami, that also does raw food delivery. If anyone wants to chime in, feel free.
Upstate New York:
for the person with the lactose intolerant friend: lactose intolerance is not the same as a milk allergy. It's low levels or absence of the enzyme that converts lactose to simple sugars. If your own body doesn't convert the lactose, your gut bacteria will, and the result is, shall we say, unpleasant. But not deadly. Most lactose intolerant people (including myself) have no problem with the small amounts of milk in baked goods. If something's particularly milky, we can always take a lactaid pill, which supplies the enzyme the body is missing. Or, if you think it'll be a problem, you can buy a quart of lactose free milk. The Lactaid company makes it.
Kim O'Donnel: I've got a friend who gets sick eating cheese as well as milk, but I think yogurt is okay. Strange. Thanks for chiming in.
For fish-eating veg:
They DO make vegetarian chicken broth! I've seen it at a natural foods store, with the boxed organic broths, called "not-chicken broth" or something like that. Sorry I can't think of the exact name, but it comes in a box and the boxes are sort of a gold color.
Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for confirming this...
Washington, D.C.:
Mushroom broth is a nice replacement for chicken broth, I think.
Kim O'Donnel: Yes, indeed. An excellent idea.
re: Setian:
MOMs -- My Organic Market. They have branches in Rockville (Nicholson Lane), College Park (REI shopping center) and Alexandria. Great food, great people, low prices.
Kim O'Donnel: Totally forgot about MOMs. Thanks for reminding me.
Seitan:
The vegetarian meat and potatoes cookbook has a recipe for homemade seitan. Have you ever tried it? Is it any good? I think it just involves kneading whole wheat flour and then boiling it.
Kim O'Donnel: Have not tried making my own seitan. Anyone out there who has?
Virginia:
Hi Kim. I just wanted to tell everyone about my latest discovery -- homemade yogurt. It is soooo much better than anything you can buy in the store. I bought a yogurt maker off ebay, but my mother uses her heating pad, and it works fine. So yummy!
Kim O'Donnel: I know someone who's been making her own yogurt for years and now has the kids eating it too. Glad to hear it. Now you have to share your recipe.
Feels like Antarctica:
My kingdom for a sun-ripened, plump, juicy tomato. You may now return to your regularly scheduled program.
Kim O'Donnel: I hear you! Or how about a mango? A luscious pineapple?
Cauliflower soup question:
Was the cauliflower soup recipe from an older cookbook? My mother told me that the cold water and vinegar soak was a step intended to draw any bugs or other creepy crawlies out of the cauliflower before you cook it. More of concern when veggies came to us fresher!
Kim O'Donnel: Interesting...
Something simple to share:
I was recently making sauteed zuchinni and planning to have my dinner with some pineapple. The two smelled so good together that the next time I made zuchinni I threw in some pineapple chunks when it was nearly done, just long enough to let the pineapple brown -- salting and peppering as usual. It was terrific, and dirt simple.
Kim O'Donnel: Love the spirit of innovation and creativity...keep it up! I love pineapple savory...with chiles and garlic and peanuts and lime -- it's heaven.
College Park, Md.:
Hi Kim,
I'd like to try making sesame noodles tonight, but I don't know of any recipes, which seems stupid since they seem so simple. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Kim O'Donnel: Do you mean peanut sauce sesame noodles? Tell me more.
Polenta:
Everyone is raving about is, so I bought some of the polenta in a tube at Trader Joe's and have tried to use it was tomato sauce as a replacement for pasta, but I can't ever seem to get it right.
How would you prepare it? How think should the slices be?
Kim O'Donnel: I think polenta is nice sauteed with some garlic to give it some crunch and then topped with some sauce. Add some spinach here, too. Polenta is also good under the broiler.
Old Town, Alexandria, Va.:
Hi Kim!
Just got back from Dallas and then a long vacation in Florida! Love the sun and warmth. Had the chance to cook veggie for a group of 12 faithful meateaters and they LOVED it!
I was hoping you or one of the peanuts could help me find a recipe for spinach enchiladas, had some in Texas and they were out of this world! Thanks!
Kim O'Donnel: Sounds like you had fun. Next post suggests one way to go about spinach enchiladas...
More Veggie Enchilada Fillings:
There's nothing like some good chopped spinach and queso fresco (mixed with a healthy amount of pepper jack and cheddar). Top notch in my book!
Kim O'Donnel: Not a recipe but perhaps some rumblings for the brain...
Re: Veggie Chicken Broth:
The veggie chicken broth is made by Imagine Organics and comes in 1 quart (or liter) boxes. Fresh Fields and some other places carry it. It doesn't taste exactly like chicken broth but has the same color and flavorings. I use it at Thanksgiving to make the stuffing.
Kim O'Donnel: More good tidbits on 'chick' stock...
Somewhere, USA:
the reason yogurt is okay for lactose intolerant people is that the bacteria in the yogurt culture eat the lactose. Friendly little buggies, aren't they!
Kim O'Donnel: Thanks, dear.
Homemade yogurt:
It's really easy -- you just boil a quart of whatever kind of milk you like, cool it to 106 degrees, add a tablespoon of store-bought yogurt, and put into your yogurt maker. Let it sit overnight for about 10 hours, and then refrigerate. Thats it! I like to mix a few spoonfuls of jam into it, or a little sugar and some vanilla.
Kim O'Donnel: This is very helpful for many who have wanted to know how to make it.
Re: Substituting for chicken broth.:
Acorn squash broth works really, really well. I used it in risotto for my veg. step-mom and she kept asking if it was really all-veg.
Kim O'Donnel: Interesting. ARe you making you own?
Re: Vietnamese dish:
There is a really good Vietnamese cookbook (name of course escapes me, but it is something like the joy of Vietnamese cooking) which has both caramel recipes and a lemongrass tofu recipe. Caramel is made by boiling sugar and water and flavoring with nam pla and black pepper, and the lemongrass is made with (obviously) lemongrass, chilis, shallots, sugar, soy sauce. Both are really good and easy to make!
Kim O'Donnel: I will take a look in a few of my Vietnamese books and see what I can dig up for you guys, for next time. Thanks for chiming in.
Suitland, Md.:
Hi, I was wondering how I can make crispy tofu like they do in Chinese restaurants? When I try making it at home, it turns out dry, instead of crispy on the outside, and chewy in the center. Would appreciate any tips!
Thanks
Kim O'Donnel: Are you pressing your tofu? Are you marinating it? Are you rolling it in cornstarch or soy flour or something comparable? Peanut oil helps because it has a higher smoking point, less burning potential.
Pineapple free carrot cake:
The vegan recipe site at www.vegweb.com has a recipe for a ginger carrot cake that does not include pineapple.
Kim O'Donnel: Very nice! What a lucky gal she is.
Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for a great hour. Wonderful suggestions by all. In meantime, keep warm! what a bugger it's been. Just think, in our next veggie hour (March 27), we may actually be able to talk about spring greens and birds singing and crocuses! So much to look forward to. Til then, take care.
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