Category Archives: Projects

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Pressure Cooker, Projects

Bean Sausages

November 24, 2020 Sam

I’ve made this several times, including just recently for the first time in a while. The recipes takes quite a long time, but it’s not very difficult and some of the time is inactive, so you can prep other side dishes or do the dishes along the way. Given the cooling time to really make this great, it is probably best made in the morning for an evening dinner, or even the day before.

This makes 6 sausages, and the serving size is probably 2 per person, if you also serve it with sides and bread, for example. You may want to double the recipe, like I usually do, to really get the most out of the time spent on it. You can’t really more than double it and still have it fit into the pressure cooker for the final step.

If you forget to soak the beans, you can quickly soak them as you prep the other ingredients for the first cooking and turn the cooking time to about 12 minutes (for black-eyed peas) and add a total of 1 cup water or vegetable stock (instead of 1/2 cup) and it will work great. Just be sure to drain off extra liquid before mashing the beans.

I have switched up the spices a few times and it has worked great. Don’t go overboard with spices – never more than about 1 tsp of anything aromatic and less than ½ tsp of hot spices (i.e. chipotle). You don’t want to overwhelm the other flavors. The crushed fennel seeds are pretty much mandatory – it gives it a recognizable sausage flavor that’s really delicious.

Print Recipe

Bean Sausages

Delicious, healthy homemade bean sausages.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Dry Beans, Substitutes

Servings: sausages

Calories: 151kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker
Steamer basket (for pressure cooker)

Ingredients

First Step

¾ cup black-eyed peas or other mashable bean, like black or garbanzo, soaked and drained
1 cup shiitake mushrooms diced
1 red onion small, diced
½ cup vegetable stock or water or 1 cup, if beans are unsoaked

Second Step

⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp wheat gluten or 2 tbsp ground chia or flax seeds
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or tamari
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce vegan – this can be replaced with 1 tbsp miso, or maybe 1-2 tsp amino acids, or another 1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp Italian seasoning or up to 1 tbsp of some or all of the following spices: basil, oregano, marjoram, parsley, thyme, summer savory, rosemary, garlic, onion
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp fennel seeds ground or crushed (for less than 1 tsp total once crushed)

Optional

1 tbsp miso paste add a touch more flour if you add this
½ tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp cumin

Instructions

First Step

If you have soaked the beans already for a few hours, then you can skip right to the next step. If you have not, I would recommend rinsing the beans and adding to about 3 cups water along with an optional 1 tsp salt. Set aside until the rest is prepped.
While the beans soak, clean and mince the mushrooms and small red onion. Also crush or mince the garlic. Heat a stovetop pressure cooker on the stove to medium heat or turn your electric pressure cooker to sauté on medium. Add the mushrooms and onion and dry sauté for 2 minutes, stirring fairly frequently. If it gets stuck to the bottom, that’s ok, but try to scrape some off before it burns. You want some of the browned/burned bits, for their umami power, but you don’t want anything fully burned.
Add the garlic and stir. Then add the drained beans and ½ cup water or vegetable stock (if beans soaked for hours already) or 1 cup water or vegetable stock (if the beans only briefly soaked).
Lock on the lid and bring to high pressure for 6 minutes (if beans were pre-soaked for hours) and up to 12 minutes (if beans were not pre-soaked for long). Allow pressure to release naturally. Test a few beans to make sure they are fully cooked. If not, re-pressurize for 2-3 minutes and allow pressure to release naturally. [While the beans cook, you can measure out and prepare all of the ingredients listed in the second step. Dry ingredients can be combined in one cup, and wet ingredients can be pre-combined in another cup. Set aside for later.]
Once beans are fully cooked, drain any remaining liquid and transfer to a medium bowl to cool. While the beans cool, clean out the pressure cooker pot and at least rinse the cooker top and silicon ring. (You will be reusing this to cook the sausages under pressure.)
Once beans are cooled (5-15 minutes), mash the beans with a fork, a potato masher or your hands. It shouldn’t be like smooth, but you also want very few or no whole beans left.

Second Step

Add in the “second step” and “optional” ingredients, mixing frequently with a spatula or fork as you add them, to ensure you get a well-mixed paste. Let this sit for at least 5 minutes, for the flour to absorb the liquid. It will be a fairly sticky and rough paste and it should be able to form shapes well by the time you’re done. For example, you should be able to make a rough ball with it and it shouldn’t fully deflate into a flat oval, even if it flattens just a bit. If it seems too wet, add just a bit more flour to make it a drier, more formed consistency. The next step will firm it up further, so you shouldn't expect it to be quite as dry or cohesive as, let's say, a black bean burger patty or falafal.
While that sits, prepare your aluminum foil (and optional parchment paper) by cutting into squares that are about 5”x7” – but that’s a rough estimate. I’d say at least 3” by 6” is the minimum size, but you may want a larger square to make it manageable. I have used parchment before as an “inner” liner and I find it doesn’t make much difference for the final result, so I skip that now. (I know some people dislike their food touching aluminum – I respect everyone has their own preference there. The science I’ve read says it doesn’t matter, but who knows.)
Divide the mixture into 6 portions on top of the aluminum foil or parchment paper. Shape into rough sausage shapes and roll the wrapper around it, folding or twisting the ends to contain and hold the the sausage shape. The aluminum foil will help hold the shape in the pressure cooker, so use it as the outer wrapper if you used parchment paper as the inner liner. I don’t have an exact strategy for the ends – twist or fold – but I think folding carefully probably provides the best shape.
Once you have them all shaped, add 1 cup water to the bottom of the pressure cooker and place the steamer basket or rack in the pressure cooker. Carefully place the wrapped “sausages” in the cooker, layering them on top of each other. I can usually place 3-4 on each layer, and then I switch the orientation for the next layer so they’re alternating. I’ve never tried it another way, but this works for me.
Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and bring to pressure for 10 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally. Remove the lid (carefully, as always) and let cool for a few seconds.
Carefully remove the sausages from the pressure cooker and unwrap gently. You may want to let them cool for another few minutes, so it’s easier to unwrap them.
For the firmest sausages, refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. I have refrigerated in the wrappers and out of the wrappers. Both methods work fine for me.
To heat and crisp the sausages, add them to a pan with a few tbsp of a neutral oil (less oil if you use a nonstick pan) and pan fry them over medium or medium-high for about 8-10 minutes total, with 2-3 minutes per side. Mine usually brown up quite a bit and develop a nice outer layer.

Serving

Serve with a great mustard, maybe over a nice slide of bread. Other suggestions for serving include sliced in a soup, or with baked beans, or in a hotdog bun or naan with traditional sausage fixings, like caramelized onions and relish.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Bean Sausages

Amount Per Serving

Calories 151 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 268mg12%

Potassium 523mg15%

Carbohydrates 27g9%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 328IU7%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 55mg6%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Pressure Cooker, Projects, Snack, Summer

Mixed Berry Jam

July 26, 2020 Sam

You want sugar content, by weight, to eventually equal 65% of the mixture. I’d start with 50%-55% sugar by weight, so you don’t get too sugary a result. Going lower than this could cause you to cook the jam too long to remove water, and the long cook will make it less fresh tasting (and remove the natural pectin). You could adjust with added pectin and/or acid too, if you drop the sugar.

Print Recipe

Mixed Berry Jam

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 30

Total Time2

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American, Classic

Keyword: Gift, Jam, Summer

Ingredients

500 g strawberries
550 g other berries e.g., ½ raspberries, ¼ blackberries, ¼ loganberries
550 g sugar
¼ cup lime juice ~3 limes
1 tbsp pectin

Instructions

Put spoons in the freezer. First, clean and crush the berries. Start by washing them and picking through for any obvious issues. Remote the tops from the strawberries. Roughly chop the strawberries. Add everything to a very large pan – preferably one that is both wide and quite deep. Weigh out the sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle just a small amount of the sugar onto the berries and toss. Let sit for a few minutes while you prep jars and clean up a little, to get ready for the next steps. (Clean the jars, lids and bands, prepare the water bath canner for sterilizing jars, etc.)
Once you have everything else ready, more or less, crush the fruit some (it should have sweat some, from the sugar). Put the berries over a medium heat, add about half of the lime juice, and stir until everything is liquid. Now, add the rest of the sugar and the pectin and cook over medium-low, stirring frequently. Watch for foam and stir it down when needed.
Sterilize the jars, since you’ll be processing them for less than 10 minutes. Do this by filling the canner you’ll be using with the empty jars and boiling for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180ºF, so you can keep them warm. Remove each and drain the water back into the canner, for use during processing. Place sterilized jars in a large Pyrex baking dish and place in the oven while you finish the jam. Leave the water and canning setup.
At this point, the jam will hopefully be reaching temperature. You need it to get to 217ºF to 226ºF, which demonstrates enough water has evaporated that the mixture is now 65% sugar. If you haven’t quite reached this temperature, turn up the heat some and stir until water evaporates away.
Once it reaches the correct temperature, test the consistency with the spoon test. (Take a frozen spoon, dip it in carefully and put in the fridge for a minute or so. Test consistency once it’s cooled.)
When it’s done, remove the jars from the oven and turn off the oven. Turn the heat back on for the water bath canner. Fill each of your jars with jam, leaving just ¼” headroom. Place lid on top and screw the lid on finger-tight. Place in the water bath canner, careful not to tip them over.
Bring the canner to boiling for 5 minutes. Then turn off the heat for about 10 minutes and then remove the jars. Do not disturb for 12-24 hours. Then you can remove the lids and check seals.

Dairy-Free, Dinner Party, Dry Beans, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Projects, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans)

November 23, 2019 Sam

Is this technically a chowder, because it contains potatoes? The Internet told me once that a chowder is a soup with potatoes. The Internet lies.

So, no, it’s not a chowder. It’s just delicious.

Print Recipe

Habichuelas Guisadas

Puerto Rican Stewed Beans

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 399kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker
Dutch oven

Ingredients

Beans

1 lb dry beans red, pink or pinto beans
2 cloves garlic
1 medium shallot
2 bay leaves
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp peppercorns
1 stalk celery

Stew

1 cup sofrito
2 large carrots diced
1 large red bell pepper diced
2-4 tomatoes depending on size
2 tbsp sazón
1 lb red potatoes or other waxy potatoes, diced into large chunks
10 large green olives

Serving

2 cups Puerto Rican white rice
1 cup Pique

Instructions

First, the beans. Rinse and soak the beans in 1% salinity water for at least 6 hours. Add the beans and their soaking water to a large pot. To a spice bag, add 2 peeled garlic cloves, 1 shallot, 2 bay leaves, some coriander seeds, peppercorns, and a roughly chopped stalk of celery. Bring to a hearty boil for 10 minutes, and then cook for 30 minutes, maybe less depending on how fresh the beans are. When the beans are done (they can be just-cooked), drain but save the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, prepare the ingredients. Make the sofrito (if you do not already have some on-hand). Dice the carrots, bell pepper and tomatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut into fairly good-sized chunks. Drain the olives.
In a large Dutch oven, heat a few tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add the sofrito, the carrots, bell pepper, tomatoes and 2 tbsp sazon. Cook for a few minutes to activate everything and start to soften the hard parts. Add the beans, potatoes and 1-2 cups of the bean water. If under-seasoned (besides salt), you can add some concentrated broth, bullion cubes, tomato paste, or more sazón. Make sure there is enough liquid for this to stew for a bit.
Cook for an hour, removing the cover part of the way through to let the broth thicken.

Notes

For six servings, including the rice

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Habichuelas Guisadas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 399 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Sodium 401mg17%

Potassium 1647mg47%

Carbohydrates 74g25%

Fiber 23g96%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 5301IU106%

Vitamin C 58mg70%

Calcium 151mg15%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Favorites, Great Leftovers, Projects, Rotation, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner

Pan Pizza

November 20, 2019 Sam

This is an excellent pan-style pizza that I revised and improved over several iterations. The outside edge gets crispy, the inside has an even and airy crumb and the top is enhanced by a light layer of sauce and delicious cheese. Vegetarian pepperoni push this into “excellent” territory, but cheese alone is a great topping.

Print Recipe

Pan Pizza

Like Pizza Hut, but much better

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Dough Resting1 4

Total Time1 5 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Keyword: Pizza Hut

Servings: large slices

Calories: 424kcal

Equipment

Detroit-style anondized rectangular pan (or a rectangular baking dish)

Ingredients

Dough

500 g all-purpose flour plus up to 50g more
10 g kosher salt
350 g lukewarm water
35 g olive oil
4 g active dry yeast
5 g sugar

Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
15 oz tomato sauce
1 tbsp oregano ½ tbsp dried
½ tsp salt
2 tsp honey or agave syrup
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 shallot
1 clove garlic or about 1 tsp dried minced or ½ tsp powder

Topping

300 g low-moisture mozzarella cheese
olives optional
vegetarian pepperoni optional
fresh oregano optional
fresh basil optional
slice jalapenos optional

Instructions

One Day Before

Make the dough a day or two before you want to bake; the recipe makes enough for a large pizza. Measure out the 500g flour in a large bowl. Add about half to the stand mixer bowl. Add the salt.
In a mixing bowl or large measuring cup, combine 350g lukewarm water (100-110ºF), 4g active dry yeast and 5g sugar. Stir until dissolved. Add 35g olive oil.
Turn on the mixer to a low speed with the paddle attachment and add the liquid mixture to the flour slowly, making sure the dough is being scraped off the edges and well mixed together. Add the remaining measured flour. Mix it all together until it is a large, shaggy ball of wet dough. Remove the flat attachment and clean it carefully. Cover the mixer bowl and allow to sit for about 30 minutes.
Uncover the dough and return it to the stand mixer with the dough hook. Knead it until it is uniformly smooth and just a little sticky, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. You will almost certainly need to add flour here – maybe about ¼ cup extra. Move the dough ball into a lightly-oiled, medium-sized mixing bowl (or other container) that can accommodate about double-growth. Cover well (air-tight wrap) and allow to sit for 1 hour at room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least 20 hours, and up to three or four days.

Sauce

The sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, or you can make it on the pizza day; it makes enough for 2-3 pizzas, so save leftovers in the fridge or freezer.
Peel and mince the 1 clove garlic and 1 small shallot, if using either or both. Place a small saucepan over medium heat and add to it 1 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is just shimmering, turn down the heat a bit below medium and add the minced garlic and shallot (if using) and cook, stirring, until they are aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the oregano and red pepper flakes and stir briefly. Then add the tomato sauce, allow it to heat fully to the point where it just starts to bubble, then lower heat and add the 2 tsp honey or agave and stir well. Add salt to taste. Allow to simmer for a bit (5 min or so), stirring occasionally.

Warm Dough

About four hours before baking, remove the dough from the fridge and remove from the bowl. Fold and shape into a flat square and place in an oiled, coated-aluminum baking pan (like a Detroit-pizza style pan). Cover well.
After about an hour, press and stretch the dough into the edges of the pan. If it’s stretching back too much to fill the pan, return every 15 minutes or so until you can get it to stretch to the edge. Keep it covered.

Finish pizza

Heat oven to 450ºF with a baking stone, pizza stone or cast-iron pan in the bottom rack of the oven and a rack positioned over this, as close to the center of the oven as you can get.
Once pre-heated for at least 20 minutes, prepare the pizza. Use a spoon, ladle or curved spatula to very gently place a thin layer of sauce on the dough. Sprinkle the shredded cheese onto the pizza and add other toppings, such as veggie pepperoni, olives, fresh oregano, basil, jalapenos, etc. You can also dash a few sprinkles of salt on top.
Place the pizzas onto the middle rack of the oven. Turn the oven down to 425ºF once you’ve placed it in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when you can see nice burned sides and the cheese is bubbling and even starting to brown a little (not all cheeses will do this consistently, so the fully darkened sides are a better indicator).
Remove from the oven and use an offset spatula to separate the pizza from the sides as soon as you remove the pan from the oven. You want to very gently lift it and separate, but then leave it in the pan for another 10-20 minutes while it cools.
After the cooling period, you can remove the pizza to a cutting board and cut into slices, likely using a knife given the rise of the dough.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Pan Pizza

Amount Per Serving

Calories 424 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 20mg7%

Sodium 1156mg50%

Potassium 305mg9%

Carbohydrates 56g19%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 486IU10%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 303mg30%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Projects, Rotation, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner

Greek Lentil Pie

November 20, 2019 Sam

This was so good that we ate the whole thing in one night. The best way to make this is to first cook the Lentil and Tomato Stew. Then, proceed to this recipe. All-in, it’s about 2-3 hours of work, excluding the dishes.

Even better, cook the the lentils the first night, and have them with bread, pasta or couscous, and then on the second night you make the pie with the leftovers. (It is even be better that way, since the lentils thicken nicely in the fridge.)

Print Recipe

Greek Lentil Pie

Prep Time45

Cook Time45

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Greek, Vegetarian

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 789kcal

Equipment

Nine-inch, straight-sided ceramic or metal pie pan

Ingredients

1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups lentil and tomato sauce stew or 2 cups cooked lentils, with some cooking water
½ cup dill chopped
5 oz feta crumbled
2 tbsp unsalted butter
12 sheets phyllo dough
5 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet and add the chopped onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the 2 cloves minced garlic and stir together until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Remove from heat.
1 medium onion, 5 tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves garlic
In a medium bowl, combine the cooked onion and garlic with the 2 cups lentils, the chopped herbs and crumbled feta.
2 cups lentil and tomato sauce stew, ½ cup dill, 5 oz feta
Combine 2 tbsp butter and 4 tbsp olive oil in a heat-safe cup and melt gently in the microwave. Brush a 9-inch straight-sided ceramic or metal pie tin with butter and oil. Lay your phyllo dough out on a work surface and cover completely with a kitchen towel. Moisten another kitchen towel, and place on top of the dry towel. Remove phyllo one sheet at a time, replacing towels each time. Do the next steps quickly, to prevent the phyllo from drying or becoming damaged.
2 tbsp unsalted butter, 5 tbsp olive oil
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lay a sheet of phyllo in the pan, tucking it into the seam of the pan, with edges overhanging rim. Brush it lightly with butter and oil and turn pan slightly, then place another sheet on top, positioning it so that edges overlap another section of pan’s rim. Continue to layer in 5 more sheets of phyllo (for 7 total), brushing each one with butter and oil and staggering them so that overhang on the rim of pan is evenly distributed and covers entire pan.
12 sheets phyllo dough
Fill the lined pan with lentil filling, then fold overhanging edges in over filling, brushing each one lightly with butter/oil mixture again.
Layer remaining 5 sheets of dough over top, brushing each sheet with butter and olive oil and rotating pan slightly after each addition. Crimp edges into sides of pan. Brush top with butter and oil. Pierce top of pie in several places with a sharp knife. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Serves 4

Nutrition

Nutrition information is generalized and may not include the actual lentil stew calculation, though it likely won’t make a big difference considering the other ingredients.

Nutrition Facts

Greek Lentil Pie

Amount Per Serving

Calories 789 Calories from Fat 315

% Daily Value*

Fat 35g54%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 47mg16%

Sodium 683mg30%

Potassium 156mg4%

Carbohydrates 85g28%

Fiber 22g92%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 784IU16%

Vitamin C 12mg15%

Calcium 264mg26%

Iron 10mg56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dessert, Dinner Party, Favorites, Projects

Fresh Lemon Bars with Best Crust Ever

July 15, 2019 Sam

Originally made using Travis’s lemons. The crust is incredible.

Print Recipe

Fresh Lemon Bars with Best Crust Ever

Prep Time45

Cook Time30

Cooling4

Total Time1 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, California

Keyword: Fruit, Lemon

Servings: small bars

Calories: 366kcal

Ingredients

Crust

130 g All-purpose flour about 1 cup
60 g Powdered sugar (preferably organic, as it may exclude the cornstarch) about ½ cup
¼ tsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp Freshly grated lemon zest
115 g Cold unsalted butter Cut into 1/4-inch dice, 1 stick

Custard

3 large Eggs
135 g Egg yolks about ½ cup, from about 8 eggs
270 g Granulated sugar about 1⅓ cups
1 pinch Kosher salt
1 tbsp Freshly grated lemon zest
310 g Lemon juice about 1⅓ cups, from about 8 large lemons

Instructions

Crust

Adjust oven rack to middle position, preheat oven to 350°F, and line an 8- by 8- by 2-inch anodized-aluminum baking pan with two pieces of parchment paper, each long enough to overhang the edges, but cut thin enough to fit in the pan. (The intent is to make a clean square, instead of having corner bunching. You can also use an origami-like method.)
Combine flour, powdered sugar, salt, lemon zest, and butter in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to form a dry but pebbly meal, about twelve 1-second pulses.
130 g All-purpose flour, 60 g Powdered sugar (preferably organic, as it may exclude the cornstarch), ¼ tsp Kosher salt, 1 tbsp Freshly grated lemon zest, 115 g Cold unsalted butter
Scatter into the prepared baking pan, press into an even layer, and bake until pale gold and firm, about 30 minutes. Use hot or set aside until needed, up to 48 hours at room temperature if tightly covered.

Custard

Combine whole eggs, yolks, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a 3-quart stainless steel saucepan, then whisk in lemon juice. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly but not vigorously, until warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-low and continue cooking and stirring until thick and steaming-hot (custard should register 170°F on an instant-read thermometer), about 8 minutes.
3 large Eggs, 135 g Egg yolks, 270 g Granulated sugar, 1 pinch Kosher salt, 1 tbsp Freshly grated lemon zest, 310 g Lemon juice
Immediately strain onto the prepared crust, smooth into an even layer, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until smooth and firm, about 10 minutes. Remove foil and cool to room temperature, then re-cover and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 1 hour.

Serve

Loosen chilled custard from sides of pan with a bench or butter knife, then carefully tug loose and lift using overhanging parchment and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 9 squares, rinsing the knife clean between each slice. Serve plain, lightly dusted with powdered sugar.

Notes

Makes 9 bars

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Fresh Lemon Bars with Best Crust Ever

Amount Per Serving

Calories 366 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Trans Fat 0.4g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 251mg84%

Sodium 102mg4%

Potassium 96mg3%

Carbohydrates 51g17%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 38g42%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 628IU13%

Vitamin C 15mg18%

Calcium 38mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dinner Party, Dry Beans, Favorites, Pressure Cooker, Projects, Weekend Dinner

Vegetarian Pozole

November 11, 2018 Sam

Lots of replacements are possible here. If you do not want to cook the hominy (or do not have dry hominy available), you can replace with one large can of hominy. I think dried is better in my limited experience, but some people think the canned hominy is better. Also, for the beans you can replace with any large bean (Christmas lima, fava/broad beans, even pinto is fine, but not ideal). I would not recommend canned beans because I never recommend canned beans, but if you want a quick version, canned pintos would be the way to go. (Don’t do black beans, they’re too small.)

For the full recipe, I’m assuming you have two pressure cookers, which I understand is a little crazy. The dual pressure cookers just help this whole recipe go much faster, so it “only” requires about 2 hours, instead of 3-4 hours. If you do not have two pressure cookers, cook the hominy ahead of time, or you can cook either the beans or the hominy without a pressure cooker, but that would (of course) alter the amount of time everything takes.

Hominy, pozole and posole are sometimes used interchangeably (hominy is never used to refer to the soup, but the corn alone is sometimes called pozole/posole). I’m going with “hominy” is the corn part – the dry, frozen or canned version – and pozole/posole is the final product of a soup with hominy in it. Sue me if you disagree.

Print Recipe

Vegetarian Pozole

Prep Time1

Cook Time1

Total Time2

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California, Mexican

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 520kcal

Equipment

2 pressure cookers

Ingredients

Pantry / Dry Goods

½ lb dry hominy
½ lb Rio Zape beans or other larger, dark bean
2 bay leaves
1 piece kombu
6 dried chiles de arbol
1 tbsp sweet vinegar e.g., white wine
2 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp epazote (Mexican Oregano)
1 tbsp tomato paste or miso
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chipotle powder
3 tbsp olive oil divided
2 tsp kosher salt used throughout

Produce

2 yellow onions
6-8 tomatoes or 1 can crushed tomatoes
6 cloves garlic
1 bunch cilantro
4 radishes
2 avocados
1 small cabbage savoy preferred
2 limes

Other

16 oz stock or equivalent bouillon
6 oz queso fresco

Instructions

For best results, soak the ½ lb. beans all day (6-8 hours) before cooking. Also soak the ½ lb. hominy for best results.
½ lb Rio Zape beans, ½ lb dry hominy
When ready to cook, start with the hominy since it may take the longest. If you only have one pressure cooker, use it for the hominy. And the hominy to the pot along with plenty of water, more than for beans (about 2 quarts). Add 2 tsp salt. To a spice bag, add ½ tsp peppercorns, two dried chiles de arbol, 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp epazote. Add to the pot. Set to high pressure for 15 minutes, allow to depressurize for 15 minutes, and then check.
½ lb dry hominy, 2 bay leaves, 6 dried chiles de arbol, 2 tsp peppercorns, 1 tsp epazote (Mexican Oregano)
Next, do the beans. If you’ve soaked them, you could definitely just cook these on the stovetop. Add to a Dutch oven or large pot with 2 quarts of water. To a spice bag, add two cloves garlic, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp peppercorns, 1 piece kombu, and 1-2 chilies de arbol. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes, then turn to medium-low for 30-45 minutes and check towards the end to see if it is finished. Remove from heat and drain when done.
½ lb Rio Zape beans, 6 cloves garlic, 1 piece kombu
While all of that is cooking, dice 1 onion. Slice the other onion into thin strips, for garnish and adding when serving. Clean and finely dice or crush the 4 cloves garlic and add to the diced onion. Cut the tomatoes until you have about 4 cups (eighths work well for small/medium tomatoes). Cut the 2 limes into halves. Cube the avocado(s) and use the juice of one half of the lime to preserve the cut avocado, and save in the fridge. Chop the cilantro. Slice the radishes thinly.
2 yellow onions, 6-8 tomatoes, 6 cloves garlic, 1 bunch cilantro, 4 radishes, 2 avocados, 2 limes, 2 tsp oregano
Preheat the oven with a sheet pan on the middle rack to 450ºF. Clean the savoy cabbage and then cut into halves and then into slices. Toss or drizzle with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. When the oven is pre-heated, throw the cabbage on top of the covered sheet pan and cook for 12-15 minutes, until it is lightly charred around the edges.
2 tsp kosher salt, 1 small cabbage, 3 tbsp olive oil
When the beans are done, drain them and set aside. Start the next steps once the hominy is nearly done. Quickly rinse out the Dutch oven used for the beans. Heat a generous amount of olive oil over above-medium heat. Add the diced onions and garlic. Cook until they start to soften are fragrant. Add 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp chipotle and 2 tsp cumin and stir well. Add 1 tbsp tomato paste (or miso) and stir well. Add the tomatoes and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the 1 tbsp sweet vinegar. Mix well, cooking for 5-10 minutes to draw the flavors out.
1 tbsp sweet vinegar, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chipotle powder, 2 tsp kosher salt, 3 tbsp olive oil
Add the 16 oz vegetable stock and stir well. Bring to a boil, then bring down the temperature some. Add the beans and stir well. Add the hominy.
16 oz stock
Serve with the cabbage, radishes, avocado, queso fresco, cilantro and onion slices.
6 oz queso fresco

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Vegetarian Pozole

Amount Per Serving

Calories 520 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 20mg7%

Sodium 1551mg67%

Potassium 1578mg45%

Carbohydrates 60g20%

Fiber 19g79%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 2230IU45%

Vitamin C 81mg98%

Calcium 328mg33%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Fall, Lentils, Pressure Cooker, Projects, Spring, Weekend Dinner, Winter

Gardener’s Pie

April 7, 2018 Sam

I’ve modified this recipe over time and expect to keep tweaking. I have an idea in my head of what this should taste like, and I haven’t yet achieved it.

Print Recipe

Gardener’s Pie

A comfort-food classic made vegetarian

Prep Time45

Cook Time30

Total Time1 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Comfort Food

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 407kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker
Casserole dish

Ingredients

Base

1 large yellow onion
2 medium carrots
1 stalk celery
2 medium turnips
1 tbsp thyme fresh, chopped, or dried
1 tsp rosemary fresh, chopped, or dried
1¾ cups vegetable stock
¼ cup flour
1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp tamari or soy sauce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup French green lentils
1 bunch parsley

Mashed Potatoes:

2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
3 cloves garlic
1 cup vegetable stock
¼ cup butter
2 oz. cream cheese softened
2 tbsp milk more if needed, but unlikely

Instructions

Dice the onion (about 1 cup), carrot (½ cup) and celery (½ cup) and put into one bowl/cup.
1 large yellow onion, 2 medium carrots, 1 stalk celery
Dice the turnip (½ cup), clean and chop the thyme (1 tbsp) and rosemary (1 tsp), and rinse and pick through the lentils (1 cup).
2 medium turnips, 1 tbsp thyme, 1 tsp rosemary, 1 cup French green lentils
Dice the tomatoes (1 cup). Peel the potatoes and cut into 2” pieces. Cut the 3 cloves garlic in half. Mince parsley (¼ cup).
1 cup diced tomatoes, 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, 3 cloves garlic, 1 bunch parsley
Add ¼ cup flour to a dry skillet over medium heat. Let the flour sit until you smell it toasting or the edges start to get darker. Start stirring as it gets darker, and stop the process when the flour gets toasty and turns brown. Transfer immediately to a bowl.
¼ cup flour
Get out both pressure cookers. In the electric cooker, set to sauté. Add the onion, carrot and celery and dry sauté for 3 minutes. Then add the turnip, lentils, thyme, rosemary and 1¾ cup vegetable stock. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker, and set for 10 minutes of high pressure, with no warming after. When done, release pressure naturally for 20 minutes, releasing remaining pressure after that.
1 large yellow onion, 2 medium carrots, 1 stalk celery, 2 medium turnips, 1 tbsp thyme, 1 tsp rosemary, 1 cup French green lentils, 1¾ cups vegetable stock
In the stovetop pressure cooker, add the cut potatoes, garlic, and 1 cup vegetable stock. Bring to high pressure for 4 minutes. Quick release the pressure. Mash the potatoes, adding the ¼ cup butter, 2 oz. cream cheese, and 2 tbsp milk (or less). Add salt to taste and the parsley.
2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, 3 cloves garlic, 1 cup vegetable stock, ¼ cup butter, 2 oz. cream cheese, 2 tbsp milk, 1 bunch parsley
Once the lentils are depressurized, pre-heat the broiler. To the lentils, add 2 tbsp of the browned flour, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp tamari, 1 cup diced tomatoes, and 1 tbsp tomato paste. Stir well. Add more toasted flour if it seems thin. Lock the lid in place and let it sit for 3 minutes without heat. Quick release any built-up pressure.
¼ cup flour, 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp tamari, 1 cup diced tomatoes, 1 tbsp tomato paste
Transfer the filling to a casserole dish or ramekins. Top with the mashed potatoes. Run under the broiler to brown, or at least heat, the potatoes.

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Gardener's Pie

Amount Per Serving

Calories 407 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 31mg10%

Sodium 760mg33%

Potassium 1361mg39%

Carbohydrates 63g21%

Fiber 16g67%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 15g30%

Vitamin A 4990IU100%

Vitamin C 63mg76%

Calcium 119mg12%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Bread and Pasta, Dinner Party, Favorites, Holiday, Projects, Side

Challah

November 24, 2015 Sam

This is an old classic, from at least 2015, if not even earlier than that. I’ve modified the recipe some, particularly in 2020 when I got very into reading books about baking bread. That’s when I transformed it into the current version.

Basics, Bread and Pasta, Dairy-Free, Favorites, Projects, Weekend Dinner

Classic Semolina Pasta

December 24, 2014 Sam

This classic pasta recipe is just about perfect. One batch is enough for skillet lasagna or about 4 servings, approximately.

Print Recipe

Classic Semolina Pasta

Fresh pasta that can't be beat

Prep Time2 30

Total Time2 30

Course: Ingredient

Cuisine: Comfort Food, Italian

Keyword: Basics, Pasta

Servings: servings

Calories: 297kcal

Equipment

Pasta press (e.g., Kitchenaid attachment)
Rotary cutter
Noodle rack

Ingredients

1 cup semolina flour
1 cup bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 large egg
½ tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp salt
½ cup cold water

Instructions

Combine the semolina flour, bread flour, and salt in a large bowl. Using a fork, mix these ingredients together, then using a sifter, sift into another bowl. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, crack the egg and beat well with a fork. Add the olive oil and mix well. Add the cold water and mix well again.
Pour the liquid ingredients into your mixer bowl and attach the flat beater. Add half of the sifted flour mixture, turn to speed 2 and mix 20 seconds. Add the rest of the sifted flour mixture and mix an additional 20 seconds.
Exchange flat beater for the dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and knead for 2 to 3 minutes, until a dough ball is formed. Stop mixing and scrape down the sides as necessary to get it form a ball. Continue kneading for a few minutes. Good pasta dough should be elastic and pliable, but FIRM (not soft like bread dough). It should not stick to your fingers or fall apart. To test for the correct consistency, pinch a small amount of dough together after kneading for 2 to 3 minutes — if the dough stays together without sticking to your fingers or falling apart, it should work well. If too soft, add more flour by dusting the top of the dough and knead some more, continuing to dust the dough with flour until achieving the right consistency. If too dry, sprinkle the dough with a bit of water (less than 1 tsp at a time) and knead some more.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour (this step is very important).
Remove dough from refrigerator and let it rest for 15 minutes still wrapped. Using your hands, roll dough into a log, about 6-inches long. Cut the log into 6 slices, then flatten each piece slightly. Spread slices out so they aren't touching and cover with plastic wrap. Put out a sprinkling of bread flour that you will use to make sure the exterior of the pasta stays low-friction as it gets compressed by the pasta roller.
Using the widest setting on the pasta press, turn mixer to speed 2 and take one piece of the flattened dough coated in a bit of flour and feed through the rollers. Fold dough in half and roll again. Repeat 3 more times, lightly dusting the sheet of pasta with flour in between each rolling if it feels the slightest bit sticky.
Move adjustment knob to setting 2 and feed the dough sheet through the rollers only once. Continue to increase roller setting until desired dough thickness is reached: 4 for standard egg noodles; 4 or 5 for lasagna noodles, fettuccine, spaghetti, and ravioli; 6 or 7 for tortellini, thin fettuccine, and linguine fini; 7 or 8 for VERY thin "angel-hair" type pasta or a very fine linguine.
Once desired thickness is achieved, place sheets on a flat surface to cut into noodles (if desired) using the rotary cutter. You may need to cut sheets in half if they have grown too long for standard noodle length.
After cutting each sheet, hang to dry on a floured pasta rack. Dry for a minimum of 10 minutes. IMPORTANT: Flour the pasta rack or the plastic hangers before placing pasta on them. ALSO, separate the strips of pasta as best you can, so they aren't touching. This way they won't dry sticking together. If you want to dry the pasta for later use, dry for several hours and then store in airtight containers or bags.
When ready to cook, boil your water and add salt. Fresh pasta will cook faster than commercially bought pasta – about 4 to 5 minutes in vigorously boiling water for al dente.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Classic Semolina Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 297 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 47mg16%

Sodium 164mg7%

Potassium 127mg4%

Carbohydrates 53g18%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 68IU1%

Calcium 19mg2%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.