Brother Evan sent me an email requesting my veggie stock recipe in anticipation of Aaron's arrival for the holiday. This recipe is the result of thirteen years of experimentation as we've had vegeterian guests for Thanksgiving that many years (Amy's sister Katherine and husband Bernard). I make a seperate stuffing and gravy from this as well as some soups as our Thanksgiving runs from Wednesday through Sunday. We have turkey and since they eat seafood, lobster has to do. I'd like to know if anyone gets acceptable results trying this, and please let me know if you come up with any improvements. I'm all ears.
Nov 20, 2008
Vegetable Stock Recipe
2 bunches of celery with leaves chopped in 2" pieces
3 large carrots peeled and chopped in 2" pieces and quartered
3 large parsnips peeled and chopped in 2" pieces and quartered
1 pound of button mushrooms roughly chopped
3 large portobello mushrooms in large slices
8 ounces of shitaki mushrooms roughly chopped
1 package 0.75 ounces of dried and reconstituted exotic mushrooms for stir-fry with liquid
4 large leeks cleaned and split lengthwise and cut into 3" pieces
-- water from soaking 1 lb. great northern beans (use the beans for something else)
6 large onions with roots cut off and quartered including skins (for color)
1 head of garlic cloves, each clove mashed under a knife blade
20 peppercorns
-- any cheese rinds (I save them in the freezer for stocks and soups)
4 bay leaves
1 1/2 - 2 cups of low sodium V8 juice
2 cups of a nice white wine (maybe a little sherry too)
5 sprigs of rosemary
10 sprigs of thyme
-- light soy sauce for salting to taste (I use very little as freezing the stock seems to
intensify the salt taste)
1 tablespoon or more of asian fish sauce adds umami but skip it and the cheese rinds for vegans
Put half of the celery, carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, onions and garlic on a baking sheet and roast until they begin to caramelize. I don't roast any of the leeks. The mushrooms will need to come out of the oven before the rest are finished. When the veggies are done roasting, add them to a stock pot along with the remaining raw vegetables. Add the bean soaking liquid and all of the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover it all by an inch. With medium-high heat, bring it to barely boiling, then bring it down to a very low simmer and continue simmering for an hour, no more.
When all is cool enough to handle, strain it through cheese cloth (you may need to change the cheese cloth once or twice). At this point you may choose to reduce the stock to intensify the flavor, though it might be just fine already. Clarifying the stock is up to you. If you want it clearer, add egg whites from several eggs and stir on low heat. The albumin will capture most of the particles. Continue removing and adding egg white until the clarity you want is achieved. I don't normally clarify as I think I lose some flavor doing it. One other ingredient can be added to give it all a more meaty taste and that is nutritional yeast. I think a tablespoon or two is plenty.
Good Luck!
3 large carrots peeled and chopped in 2" pieces and quartered
3 large parsnips peeled and chopped in 2" pieces and quartered
1 pound of button mushrooms roughly chopped
3 large portobello mushrooms in large slices
8 ounces of shitaki mushrooms roughly chopped
1 package 0.75 ounces of dried and reconstituted exotic mushrooms for stir-fry with liquid
4 large leeks cleaned and split lengthwise and cut into 3" pieces
-- water from soaking 1 lb. great northern beans (use the beans for something else)
6 large onions with roots cut off and quartered including skins (for color)
1 head of garlic cloves, each clove mashed under a knife blade
20 peppercorns
-- any cheese rinds (I save them in the freezer for stocks and soups)
4 bay leaves
1 1/2 - 2 cups of low sodium V8 juice
2 cups of a nice white wine (maybe a little sherry too)
5 sprigs of rosemary
10 sprigs of thyme
-- light soy sauce for salting to taste (I use very little as freezing the stock seems to
intensify the salt taste)
1 tablespoon or more of asian fish sauce adds umami but skip it and the cheese rinds for vegans
Put half of the celery, carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, onions and garlic on a baking sheet and roast until they begin to caramelize. I don't roast any of the leeks. The mushrooms will need to come out of the oven before the rest are finished. When the veggies are done roasting, add them to a stock pot along with the remaining raw vegetables. Add the bean soaking liquid and all of the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover it all by an inch. With medium-high heat, bring it to barely boiling, then bring it down to a very low simmer and continue simmering for an hour, no more.
When all is cool enough to handle, strain it through cheese cloth (you may need to change the cheese cloth once or twice). At this point you may choose to reduce the stock to intensify the flavor, though it might be just fine already. Clarifying the stock is up to you. If you want it clearer, add egg whites from several eggs and stir on low heat. The albumin will capture most of the particles. Continue removing and adding egg white until the clarity you want is achieved. I don't normally clarify as I think I lose some flavor doing it. One other ingredient can be added to give it all a more meaty taste and that is nutritional yeast. I think a tablespoon or two is plenty.
Good Luck!
Nov 8, 2008
Serious goulash
Hans starting to peel 9 pounds of onions
Our recipe from Sheila's cookbook
Don't knock it--it works (covering eyes and nose, very tightly)
Recipe called for 3 cloves of garlic but we concluded they really meant 12, home-grown of course
Browning onions in three pots (1/2 pound unsalted butter helps)
Coming along nicely, about halfway there, time for lunch
Cooling in a water bath
Hans and I devoted today (Saturday) to making serious Hungarian goulash (as we have three times before). In Sheila's memory, we use her copy of Marcia Colman Morton's The Art of Viennese Cooking, with other unusual recipes from the Austrian Provinces (Bantam Books). She bought so much Hungarian paprika that we are still using her supply, with abandon. We get boneless chuck roast and faithfully follow the rule: 1 pound onions : 1 pound meat. Today's production line required the peeling and dicing of 9 pounds of onions. I can only help at this stage if I wear my scuba diving mask (or work outside in a stiff breeze). We started at 9:00 and concluded by about 5:00. The recipe asks that things cook for two hours, but we feel four barely suffices. We also increase the paprika by 1/3. This concoction tastes best on noodles. It must fall apart as the fork starts the descent to the plate.
Our recipe from Sheila's cookbook
Don't knock it--it works (covering eyes and nose, very tightly)
Recipe called for 3 cloves of garlic but we concluded they really meant 12, home-grown of course
Browning onions in three pots (1/2 pound unsalted butter helps)
Coming along nicely, about halfway there, time for lunch
Cooling in a water bath
Hans and I devoted today (Saturday) to making serious Hungarian goulash (as we have three times before). In Sheila's memory, we use her copy of Marcia Colman Morton's The Art of Viennese Cooking, with other unusual recipes from the Austrian Provinces (Bantam Books). She bought so much Hungarian paprika that we are still using her supply, with abandon. We get boneless chuck roast and faithfully follow the rule: 1 pound onions : 1 pound meat. Today's production line required the peeling and dicing of 9 pounds of onions. I can only help at this stage if I wear my scuba diving mask (or work outside in a stiff breeze). We started at 9:00 and concluded by about 5:00. The recipe asks that things cook for two hours, but we feel four barely suffices. We also increase the paprika by 1/3. This concoction tastes best on noodles. It must fall apart as the fork starts the descent to the plate.
Nov 4, 2008
November 4, 2008
I am so relieved, so pleased with tonight's victory. I am so proud and thankful that so many of my loved ones voted as they did. Tomorrow I am going to tell everyone who will listen that my sister-in-law was a volunteer for Obama's campaign in the crucial state of Ohio.
(Duke, I'm not entirely clear on how you voted, but I know your heart is in the right place.)
(Duke, I'm not entirely clear on how you voted, but I know your heart is in the right place.)
Nov 3, 2008
Cantata Singers Novemberfest
Our choir is perpetually broke, and although last night's fundraiser should help, broke we will remain. This annual event is held in a stately old house now owned by the University Women's Association. We form little groups, like the informal octet I joined, sightread music at 6:00, then meet guests and perform later in the evening--after everyone is thoroughly sloshed. Yes, we have several wine merchants provide unending samples of their wines. I was so busy taking pictures that I got seriously behind in the main festivities. (I had to shoot at ISO 1600, which is the limit for my camera.)
Halloween
The one day out of the year that I hate the most come twice for me this year...Halloween. Thusrsday I had the pleasure of spending it with 4 year olds and Friday was soent with 3 year olds. I do have to say that kids were very cute it their costumes. We had a Spider Man, Iron Man, Power Ranger, Princess, lion, scarecrow, ladybug, butterfly, Superman, witches, and to my horror a rat! I will definately bring the pictures to the wedding this summer. First we fot the kids into their costume if they weren't in them already. Then we promptly had to get them out of their costumes when they whined about having to go potty. Next we trick or treated aroud the church for awhile, starting at the church offices and ending in the Fellowahip Hall where some of the parents were waiting with candy. When we were done parading we took the candy bags from the kids, much to their dismay, so that we could continue on with our day. We sany Halloween songs with the parents and kids and then of course it was time for the best part of the day...taking off the costumes. We did this while this parents slyly slipped out of the room. The rest of the morning was spent carving a pumpkin, playing outside, and decorating paper pumpkins. After two morning full of Halloween activities and a night of trick or treaters ringing the doorbell while a drugged Duke is peeing on my bed and still giving a defiant "woof", I was exhausted.
Nov 2, 2008
Discussing News
This was taken on March 21, 2008, while Grandma finishes preparing yet another of her superb dinners. During this visit, Grandpa and Grandma explored moving to Waterford and Greencroft. They enjoyed nearly two decades of retirement in 1408-5. Everything was so well cared for during that time. Several months later, they made the move. Kristen is now enjoying the round end table in which the games were stored (how Bruce got it into his front passenger seat remains a mystery). The beautiful lamps and dining room furniture have found a new home with Christopher and Sofaia, so there will be memories of 1408-5 for years to come.
Grandpa Reading Newspaper in Living Room
I like this calm portrait showing Grandpa, as we so often saw him, quietly reading the newspaper by the lovely large window which faced west--the window they added to the design when the condos were built, and which made 1408-5 so very special, giving it far more light than the other units received. I also have memories of Grandpa reading books in his upstairs study at 196 West Street, the study which doubled as Paul's and my bedroom.
The First Family Reunion in the new Greencroft Living Room
Either Bruce or Paul took this lovely picture showing Grandpa and Grandma relaxing with some grandchildren and sons. I like all the interactions that are happening, all of which was enhanced by people being in a nice circle. Grandpa is in his favourite rocking chair, Grandma looks comfortable in her new blue recliner (which had arrived only days earlier), and you can see the new HD TV that Mark selected (I pretended to understand everything he said in the store). Mark had just hung a number of pictures perfectly with tools brought out from New York.
Sipping a pint of tea
Although this picture was reportedly taken in Goshen, and since it involves two of my brothers, I'm just positive they are drinking their tea out of glasses, as is the custom in our Chinese restaurants. Janice seems to be off the caffeine.
Nov 1, 2008
Mom and dad hosted a lunch for Evan, Aaron and myself in the "private" area dining room shortly after they moved into Greencroft. We were given menus with lots of choices and one could circle as many items as desired. I think Aaron and myself were figuring out whether we each needed just the two ice creams or all three for desert. Don't mom and dad look good here?
photo by Evan
Oct 28, 2008
Kentfield Way
I was looking through some pictures on my hard drive and came across several very nice ones that brother Evan was thoughtful enough to take. The before dinner picture is very special. It was taken last June 20th. Mom and Dad look well and everyone radiates happiness, not just because there's a pile of ham, mashed potatoes the way they should be made, buttery carrots and salad awaiting, though that couldn't hurt. I believe this was one of the last big dinners that Mom and Dad prepared. The final three pictures capture the serenity and beauty that I associate with the Kentfield Way home.
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