glacier grist

Issue #63 • Tuesday, April 06, 2010

DID YOU KNOW?
Oyster mushrooms are also sometimes called abalone mushrooms.  They are high in iron and potassium. Low in sodium, and very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. A good source of protein, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, iron, magnesium, zinc and manganese.  A very good source of dietary fiber, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorus, and copper.

Shiitake mushrooms are nicknamed “the monarch of mushrooms” and are closely related to the black mushrooms of China.  The stems need to be trimmed as it tends to be tough.  You can use those stems in soup stocks.  They are also vitamin powerhouses.

How to prepare asparagus?  Grab the stalk and gently bend the bottom part to see where it snaps naturally.  You can use those tougher ends in soups.  Then I just line up all the other stalks and use that first one as my gauge as to where to cut the rest.

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recipes

for glacier grist Issue #63

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sesame asparagus

(contributed by Nancy)
When asparagus first arrives in spring, those tender stalks don’t need much to bring out their beautiful fresh flavor.  Here is a quick stir fry that has lots of flavor. Get everything ready first, it goes quickly!

1 ½ cups of asparagus, sliced into half-inch pieces
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
1 teaspoon of ginger,minced
1 teaspoon of garlic,minced

1.  In a frying pan, heat the sesame oil until it just starts to smoke.
2.  Quickly add the sesame seeds, asparagus, ginger, and garlic.
3.  Stir-fry about 1 minute.
4.  Remove from heat and add soy sauce and serve.

Here are some other ideas on how to enjoy asparagus:

1.  Toss washed and dried asparagus with olive oil and grill to your desired doneness.
2.  For breakfast, roast asparagus in the oven (gently toss cleaned asparagus with olive oil and salt and pepper on a baking sheet.  Place in a 425 degrees F.  for approximately 15 minutes until the tips just begin to brown) and serve them underneath softly scrambled eggs.

stir fried mushrooms with snap peas in oyster sauce

(contributed by Nancy)
I don’t know if we are going to be getting a combination of mushrooms or just one type.  This recipe can easily be altered though and used here as more of a guideline.
From A Spoonful of Ginger by Nina Simonds.

1/4 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed and lightly rinsed and dried
1/4 pound oyster mushrooms, stem trimmed and lightly rinsed and dried

seasonings

1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 teaspoons canola or light tasting oil
1/2 lb snap peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon rice wine or sake
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

oyster sauce mixture

Mix the following in a bowl:
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice wine or sake
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1.  Cut or tear all the mushrooms into quarters, depending on the size. You are aiming for bit size pieces.
2.  Prepare the seasonings and set by the stove.
3.  Heat a wok or heavy skillet until very hot, add 1 teaspoon of the oil and heat until hot.  Add the snap peas, minced garlic, rice wine or sake, and salt, and toss lightly over high heat about 1 ½ minutes, until the peas are just tender.  Remove from the pan and arrange the peas around the outside of a serving plate.
4.  Reheat the pan and the remaining teaspoon of oil until very hot.  Add the seasonings and stir fry about 10 seconds, until fragrant.  Add the mushrooms and toss lightly about 1 minute.  Add the premixed Oyster Sauce and toss lightly to thicken it, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.  Scoop the mushrooms and sauce onto the circle inside the snow peas.  Serve immediately.

whole wheat muffins

(contributed by Nancy)
What first caught my eye about this recipe is that it used up leftovers.  This is my version of a recipe I first encountered by The Minimalist (Mark Bittman). 
Whole wheat pastry flour is much lighter in texture and flavor than regular whole wheat flour.  It might just win over some people over who think they don’t like whole wheat.
I have used pureed yams, delicata squash and canned pumpkin.  I cut down the sugar to a scant ½ cup and never missed it, so feel free to play around with this.  I also don’t use ½ cup of butter.  I use 5 tablespoons of melted butter and increase the puree by ½ cup. So far success has been good.  I also use muffin tin liners for no mess!

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, more for greasing tins (see note above)
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, preferably pastry flour
3/4 to 1 cup sugar, depending on sweetness of fruit (see note above)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed or puréed banana, sweet potato, yam,apple, zucchini, cooked or canned pumpkin, or other fruits or vegetables (see note above)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease two 6-cup muffin tins or fill with liners. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, banana, egg and buttermilk. Fold wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined.
2. Fill muffin tins or liners; bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until muffins are puffed and turning golden brown on top. Serve warm if possible.  Freezes well.  Yield: 12 muffins.

middle eastern chard and lentil soup

(contributed by Nancy)
Mediterranean Grains and Greens by Paula Wolfert is a treasure trove of savory recipes.  The potato thickens the soup, so add more broth or water if you like.

1 cup dark lentils (or your favorite lentil)
1 teaspoon salt
2 quarts light chicken stock (optional)
1 medium potato, peeled and sliced paper thin
1 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 Swiss chard leaves (approximately)
1 pound leafy greens such as spinach, dandelions, arugula, watercress, beet greens, kale or your favorite mixture
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1.  Wash and pick over the lentils.  Place lentils in a saucepan and cover with the stock or 2 quarts water salted with 1 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that surfaces.  Add the potato, partially cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
2.  In a large skillet, slowly brown the onion in the olive oil.  Meanwhile, wash, stem, and roughly shred the greens.  You should have about 1 packed quart.  Add the cilantro and garlic to the skillet and sauté for a minute or two, then stir in the greens and allow them to wilt, covered.  Scrape the contents of the skillet, including the oil, into the saucepan and continue cooking another 20 minutes, or until thick and soupy.  Stir in the lemon juice and serve hot or cool.

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