pareve – Page 14 – morestomach

spice poached pears

Published on September 8, 2014September 3, 2014 by Lan | MoreStomach17 Comments

girl, you make my speakers go boom boom
dancin’ on the tailgate in a full moon
that kinda thing makes a man go mmm hmmm

everyday this week
i’ve been jamming to
Luke Bryan
based on his website
he has FIVE albums out
which leads me to believe
that he’s been around awhile
and i’m behind the times
and i have catching up to do.

one would think
with those lyrics
i’d be slightly embarrassed
but nay.
in the privacy of my office,
or car,
or shower,
when the BOOM BOOM part comes on,
you better believe
i’m shaking my ass.

meanwhile, i’d like to think
that these spice poached pears
would make a man,
or anyone,
go mmm hmmm.

spice poached pears
makes 2

*note: if you have a tall/narrow pot, you can cut back on the liquid amount, but seeing as how i have just a simple sized saucepan that’s what i used. the key is to get as much of the pear submerged as possible, though if you cut the pear in half, submerging isn’t a hardship. if you keep it whole, add in more water & sugar, adjust according to taste.

6 cups water
½ cup sugar, slightly over
4 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
palm full of whole cloves
juice of one lime, if organic, a strip of the zest would be nice
2 bosc pears, peeled

in a saucepan, add the water & spices and lime juice. bring to a boil. lower heat and gently add in the pears. keep an eye out and gently simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes.

your goal is to soften the pear but not to mush. gently remove the pears and allow to cool. you can cut in half, or get fancy with the swirly cutting.

reduce the liquid until it’s slightly thickened, like a simple syrup. drizzle over the pears & garnish with some chopped almonds.

we keep the syrup to add to fizzy water when it tickles our fancy.

BAM!

previous pear adventures:
honey roasted pear salad & red and white wine poached pears

blueberry swirl muffins – dairy free

Published on August 18, 2014August 27, 2014 by Lan | MoreStomach18 Comments

these muffins.
they’re the personification of
Baked Goodness.
and i’m not a superlative girl,
so forgive me for
doing what some food bloggers
are guilty of:
extolling the virtues
of said food item with
an over abundance of
enthusiasm
and eye roll inducing
saccharine drivel.

instead,
let’s just focus on
how i treat these treats
like they’re both
a breakfast item
AND
dessert.

it’s like starting
and ending
my day correctly,
which,
let’s be honest here,
is the best kind of amazing.
superlatives for the win.

Blueberry Swirl Muffins – dairy free
adapted from Honestly Yum, who adapted it from The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook

makes ~16 muffins

Ingredients
2 cups blueberries, divided
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil, warm/liquid
1 container (6oz) plain vegan yogurt, i used almond dream
1/4 cup almond milk
zest & juice of 1 lemon

Streusel Topping
1 1/2 TBL sugar
1 1/2 TBL brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 TBL warm coconut oil

in a small bowl make the streusel topping by combining everything and mix evenly. set aside.
in a small sauce pan reduce 1 cup of blueberries, mashing with a fork and stirring. you want the berries to break down, the sauce to be thick. strain through a sieve if you’re not keen on the skin/pulp. set aside and cool to room temp.
line muffin tin with silicone/paper liners.

preheat oven 425F.

in a mixing bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, lemon zest and salt. in another bowl whisk eggs + sugar until thick and then add in the coconut oil, yogurt, almond milk and lemon juice. now combine the liquid to dry ingredients, with the remaining blueberries. throw in an extra handful if you’re feeling sassy. (i felt sassy). the mixture will be all sorts of fug, but try not to overmix.

fill muffin cups a little over 3/4 way up, these will expand/rise. (HonestyYum filled it up all the way but i didn’t want any overfilling accidents and having to clean it up. that would’ve been a superlative pain in the ass.) spoon about a teaspoon, more or less, of the reduced blueberry sauce on top of each muffin. use a toothpick or some stick-like kitchen tool and swirl the sauce into the batter. finally, top with streusel topping, amount at your discretion.

i was able to eek out 16 muffins with just enough sauce & steusel.

bake 17 minutes

remove from oven, allow to cool for a few minutes and then remove from pans to cool completely.

will keep for a week, covered, in fridge.

BAM!

other blueberry recipes:
blueberry clafoutis
blueberry jam danishes
blueberry breakfast cookies
blueberry pie smoothie

around 1 year ago:
vietnamese pickled carrots + daikon
vietnamese vermicelli bowl

homemade bánh cướn chay – vegan rolled cake

Published on August 5, 2014August 3, 2015 by Lan | MoreStomach21 Comments

today marks 100 days
since gpa’s passing
as is tradition
dw & i went to temple on sunday

the 100 days milestone
is actually a celebration,
signifying the end of tears,
though mourning is up to 3 years.

from my limited knowledge
a vegetarian diet is typical
during the mourning period
i could be spreading rumors
i’m likely spreading rumors

either way,
i finally figured out
how to make bánh cướn,
meaning rolled cake,
and i veganized it
making a mushroom filling
and a spicy soy sauce to dress it

homemade bánh cướn chay
adapted from luke nguyen

makes about 18 rolled cakes

note: i’ve tried the steam method, years ago, and my gpa laughed at my attempt. it convinced me that this is the kind of dish that is so much easier to purchase already made. however, i’m a stubborn fool. i made this about a month ago, with fairly good results. i used a huge ass heavy bottom pan that was difficult to handle so the crepe came out thicker than i liked. this 2nd time around i bought a 7 1/2″ non-stick pan which was much lighter and easier to maneuver with. the key is to pour the batter when the pan is hot and immediately lid. if you get into a rhythm, ~~good for you~~, the process is quite pleasant, despite the tender fingertips. also: exact measurements for the filling and sauce are kinda lacking cus i was working on the fly. ~~sorry about that.~~

spicy garlicy soy sauce – gluten free

1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce, i use tamari
1/4 cup water
2 generous TBL rice vinegar
2-3 tsp sugar
2 tsp fried garlic OR 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 red chili, chopped finely, optional

mix everything together in a jar. this is a taste preference, add more of less of each ingredient and adjust according to taste.

filling
1 container of mushrooms (i used baby bella, though any will do), chopped
3 pieces of dried wood ear mushrooms, reconstituted in hot water, chopped
1 small white onion, diced
5-6 strands of chive blossoms, diced
salt/pepper to taste

in saute pan heat up some olive oil, just enough to coat the bottom. when hot add in the diced white onion and saute until fragrant. season with salt. allow the onions to get translucent. next add in the mushrooms and saute until the mixture has reduced a smidge, season with salt/pepper. i let it go for about 5 minutes on med-high heat. take pan off heat, add in about half the diced chive blossoms and mix. put mixture in bowl, set aside.

batter
200 g rice flour
60 g tapioca flour
1/2 tsp salt
600ml (approx. 2 1/2 cups) cold water
oil – veg or canola

add above ingredients in bowl, whisk until combined.

in the pan that you’re gonna use, drizzle some oil to coat the pan. i use a clean rag or paper towl to spread the oil evenly around the pan. the temp is around med-high.

pour a small ladleful of the batter (aim for 2-3 TBL), rotating the pan to cover the base with a thin layer of the batter. immediately cover with lid and allow to cook for about 30 seconds.

have a prepared well-oiled tray/cutting board/plate ready.

remove lid and flip the noodle sheet onto the oiled surface. set aside the pan on a cool burner (though if you’re working with a partner, you can keep on cranking out the sheets)

scoop a TBL or so of the mushroom filling on the sheet, fold the top over, fold the 2nd sides in and then fold top side again to shape a roll.

repeat process until everything is used up, make sure the pan is well oiled between takes. sometimes there’s more filling than the there’s batter, or vice versa. it happens.

top with fried scallions and fried garlic, garnish with the rest of the diced chive blossoms and dress with spicy soy sauce.

additional accompaniments: sliced cucumbers, cilantro, mint, lightly steamed bean sprouts.

BAM!

my other vietnamese dishes:
vermicelli noodles (bún thịt nướng)
chicken noodle soup – phở gà
pickled carrots & daikon
beef stew – bò kho

spiced coconut pecan ice cream – dairy free

Published on May 22, 2014May 21, 2014 by Lan | MoreStomach30 Comments

for a few weeks now
dw & i have been doing the
100 push ups challenge
i saw this video
and coupled with dw’s desire to
do the challenge in general
we’ve been aching
and pushing
and upping
and challenging
it’s comical, almost
i’ll set aside my latest crochet project
turn down the tv
and we huff our way through

i wish i could say that
my arms are sculpted now
or that i’m so strong i could do
a full chin up finally
but i can’t
not when after we do our sets
we treat ourselves to cake
or ice cream
i think i’m more interested
in the actual completion of it all
rather than the possible
physical end result

thus far this year
that is the only form of exercise
we’ve been doing
there is talk of running again,
doing a race possibly
there is just always something
else to do
a project to undertake
a trip to make
a room to paint
an ice cream flavor to create

and so we make do
this thrice weekly routine
it’s never a pretty sight,
more like comic relief
but always done with great fanfare
and some kind of sweet reward

it’s still mild out
most nights we keep the windows
barely cracked
but as the temps increase
we’ll be making ice cream
frequently
this is our first flavor of the season
inspired by a childhood favorite
as well as a local parlor‘s
attempt recently

spiced coconut pecan ice cream – dairy free

**NOTE: you can use any kind of nuts you want, and you can use any kind of mild ice cream base. sky’s the limit.

1 cup of chopped pecans
1 TBL honey

1 TBL brown sugar
pinch of salt

sprinkle of moroccan spice (that you won’t use all of, can be stored in jar for later use):
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground chili
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp black pepper

preheat oven to 325F.

in a small saucepan, gently heat up the honey + half of the spice mix. take off the heat. place pecans in a bowl, pour honey spice mixture over them and toss until nuts are well coated. spread the nuts on cookie sheet, bake for 20 minutes, keeping an eye on them, stirring them every so often to promote even roasting.

remove from oven and cool for a few minutes

brown sugar + salt and sprinkle over the nuts, toss to coat evenly

ice cream base
2 cans of coconut milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup of sugar
1 cinnamon stick
tsp of peppercorn
1 TBL potato starch (optional)

heat up 1 1/2 cans of the coconut milk + sugar. stir to mix through. add in the cinnamon stick and peppercorn and allow to gently heat through

in a bowl, separate the yolks, keep the whites for another purpose (maybe meringue icing or a white cake? or in my case, an egg white omelet). next you’re going to temper the eggs. using a ladle, very slowly & gently pour the hot coconut mixture into the bowl of yolks, all the while stirring furiously. you are attempting to bring the yolks up to temp with the hot mixture, but not scramble them. you might need another ladle-ful. when the yolks are warmed through, pour into the saucepan and continue to stir, keeping temp an even low heat. meanwhile, using the remaining coconut milk, add in the potato starch and mix though. it will thicken a smidge, but the purpose of the potato starch is to discourage icicles from forming in your ice cream in the freezer. pour mixture into saucepan and just continue to stir. the mixture will be thick. remove from heat and allow to cool.

when thoroughly cooled, strain through a fine mesh seive to catch all the peppercorns & cinnamon stick. cover and refrigerate overnight.

next day, pour into ice cream maker and whirl according to your maker’s specifications. in the last 2-3 minutes, add in your nuts and allow to churn & mix through. can serve right away, or allow to freeze/solidify for a few hours.

BAM!

you guys, a one year ago this month i started this space. thank you so much for reading along.
asparagus + scrambled egg salad tartine
homemade thin mints
Portuguese Chicken Curry with Chorizo + Olives
dutch oven bread

citrus curd mille feuilles {dairy free}

Published on May 12, 2014May 11, 2014 by Lan | MoreStomach21 Comments

surely you know what i mean
when i describe the feeling of “behind”
the constant running in place
the lack of any kind of results
despite all the effort
it’s shitty, yo

my gpa passed some weeks ago
after living a full & long life
he is the first male role model i looked up to
he taught me how to buy cigarettes for him
at age 9
i learned to pick lottery numbers
by looking at license plates
he found a tricycle in the dumpster,
painted it fire engine red
and then stood outside for hours
while i furiously tryked around the courtyard
he was the personification of
grace, humility and love
when i first encountered our transgender neighbor,
a viewpoint that i hold most close & dear to my heart
to this day

this dessert is an ode to him
he introduced me to mille feuilles
many many many years ago
i have a life-long wish to taste
these treats in france one day
(dw are you reading this? let’s make it happen…)
normally this pastry is
layered with pastry cream
and then topped with a swirly
chocolate icing
i’ve lightened it up with
citrus curd
in an effort to move forward,
to go into the light

citrus curd mille-feuille – dairy free & semi-homemade
makes 3 3-layered napoleons

1 pkg of puff pastry, i used pepperidge farm as it’s pareve, i used just one sleeve, thawed

citrus curd –
3 eggs
1 TBL lemon zest
1/4 cup of honey
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 TBL of coconut oil

for the pastry:

preheat oven to 425F
the pastry is folded in thirds, unfold them on a lined cookie sheet. with a sharp knife cut into 3 strips, along already formed fold
for each strip, cut 3 even pieces. alternatively you can bake the strips, assemble the entire concoction and then cut it, up to you

lay out the pieces/strips on the lined cookie sheet and then layer with another piece of parchment paper. place another cookie sheet on top (this keeps the pastry from puffing up too much). bake for about 15-18 minutes, remove top sheet and bake for 4-5 minutes further, until lightly golden

remove from oven, allow to cool before assembly

for the curd:
in a saucepan, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest and honey, until lightly colored

add the lemon juice and the coconut oil, whisking constantly to prevent lumps and promote even melting

cook over medium heat, whisking consistently until mixture thickens

remove from heat, and if necessary, strain curd through a fine mesh sieve

fridge for a few hours to cool and thicken further, will keep for about a week

to assemble:
lay down first layer of pastry and smear on a healthy dose of curd, top with another layer of pastry and again, smear. top with final layer and top with powdered sugar.

bam!