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Not Just For Vegetarians
Finally, some respect: Trendy restaurants and au courant chefs put vegetables in the center of their plates. Perhaps we should get a clue, and cue them up on ours. By Nancy Ross Ryan
If broccoli could talk, one can well imagine an indignant stalk squawking: "I get no respect." And small wonder. Until recently, the American broccoli experience was confined to naked - but definitely not sexy - "steamed" broccoli, broccoli dressed in thick yellow cheese sauce, or the traditional Thanksgiving casserole of woefully overcooked chopped broccoli under a heavy blanket of cheese and buttered breadcrumbs. But this noble vegetable, native to Italy, has a history (as do other members of the vegetable kingdom). A recipe for broiled broccoli is found in the world's first cookbook, written by first-century Roman epicure Marcus Gavius Apicius. Broccoli is loaded with vitamins A and C, is low in calories, high in flavor, has cancer-preventing properties and is prepared with great verve in Italian and Chinese cuisines. But for decades, not only broccoli but most vegetables have been sidelined in the American diet. They did not become mainstream during the very serious, nutritionally correct health food movement of the '70s. And, even today, recent surveys in California, where more than half the produce consumed by the entire country is raised, found that people were eating fewer than the five recommended daily helpings of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Vegetables Center Stage
"Vegetables are finally coming into their own," says Madison, "for a number of reasons.
Chefs have made these foods more interesting and beguiling - not just vegetables on the side. And nutritionists have been saying the obvious for so long: that vegetables and plant foods have a lot of good things to offer for our health. And certainly the quality of vegetables in the market place is greatly improved. But, perhaps just as important, is that people eat out so often these days. They become bored with the menu standards. They have eaten chicken and beef and salmon a million times. Vegetable dishes present an attractive and interesting alternative."
Caprial Pence, chef proprietor of Caprial's Bistro in Portland, Oregon, agrees: "Vegetables have moved to the forefront of my menu, instead of being relegated to side dishes. Diners are eating healthier, even when they dine out. More non-vegetarians are ordering vegetarian dishes. And my new cookbook is my fourth, but it is the first to have a chapter devoted to vegetarian dishes," she says.
David Beckwith, executive chef of Il Fornaio, Denver, agrees that "The role of vegetables has been changing, because chefs are becoming more inventive with their recipes. A plate of penne pasta with vegetables no longer suffices. Instead, we're offering layered eggplant with wild mushrooms and tofu, or unusual and exotic grilled vegetables. In return, diners are responding by ordering more vegetable appetizers and entrees."
Vegetable Degustations
More and more chefs have not only vegetarian dishes on the regular menu but offer vegetarian prix fixe menus. Chef Sarah Stegner has offered a Vegetarian Degustation at the Dining Room, The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, for years. And so has Alsatian-born Raymond Ost, chef proprietor of Sandrine's in Boston. His four-course Vegetarian Prix Fixe ($35) begins with a Mushroom Flammekueche. Flammekueche is light, thin, savory Alsatian pizza. Says Ost, "It was traditionally baked at the end of the day in the village oven from the leftover bread dough." Today Ost has a separate brick oven in his restaurant just for baking Flammekueche.
Instant or Intricate
The labor-intensive creations are often expensive on the menu. And therein lies the rub, says ever-outspoken Carlo Middione, cookbook author and chef-proprietor of Vivande restaurant in San Francisco. "Most vegetarians (some of my best friends are vegetarians) are nice rational people, but some can be a royal pain," he says. "If they wanted to eat sound, beautifully prepared vegetable dishes, I could happily cook for them all day long. But with that comes some problems. I say, 'How about a nice dish of polenta swirled with Gorgonzola and dotted with grilled chanterelles and surrounded by warm chopped heirloom tomatoes drizzled with fresh lemon vinaigrette, haricot verts, and braised baby onions?' 'That's great,' they say, 'but too expensive. Other diners can have lamb chops for the same price.' Forget the fact that I could toss lamb chops from three feet away onto the grill, squeeze lemon juice on them, plop some Parmesan mashed potatoes on a warm plate and get $22 for it. The vegetarian dish I just described is about 15 times more complicated and time consuming."
So Eat - and Cook - Your Veggies
1-1/2 lbs. broccoli
Trim the broccoli into large florets with stems attached. Peel the stems and cut thick ones lengthwise in half so that the heat gets to them from inside and out. Cook broccoli in plenty of boiling salted water until tender, 5 to 7 minutes, then drain. Warm olive oil with garlic cloves in a large skillet until the garlic begins to color. Add the red pepper flakes, broccoli and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until heated through. Turn into a heated dish and cover with paper-thin shavings of Parmesan. The heat of the broccli will soften the cheese and bring out its flavor.
Dough:
Topping:
To make dough:
To make topping:
To make Flammekueche:
Note: Fromage blanc is a fresh, mild, soft cheese with a sour cream like consistency. made by several artisinal American cheesemakers. All sour cream may be substituted for fromage blanc.
15 dried corn husks
Filling:
Masa:
To make filling:
When cool enough to handle, peel off outer artichoke leaves; reserve. Remove and discard choke and any attached thin, thorny leaves; reserve artichoke bottom. Using a spoon, scrape off all edible parts of the artichoke leaves into bowl. Chop the artichoke bottom and add. Cut raw corn from cob with knife and add kernels to artichoke pulp. Stir in goat cheese; mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To make masa:
To make tamales:
Note: Masa harina, ground chile de arbol and dried corn husks are available at Latin American grocery stores.
4 large yams
Pierce skins with knife, and bake yams in a pre-heated 350-400 degree oven until soft to the touch, about 1 hour. Remove skins and place yams in bowl of food processor or mixer bowl. While still hot, add butter and honey and process or whip to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. With small box grater, grate the fresh ginger and add to yams. Serve hot.
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Put the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and mushrooma nd sauté until the garlic is a deep golden color. Stop the garlic from cooking by adding the wine. Reduce for about 3 minutes, so that the sauce is no longer liquid but is nicely moist. Add the scallions and parsley and combine well. Set aside the sauce.
Cook the pasta al dente and d rain, leaving about 2 to 3 tablespoons of water in it. Reheat the mushrooms if necessary. Mix the pasta with the sautéed ingredients. Serve immediately on heated plates.
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