Winner of the Great Veggie Bake-off!
Thank you so much to all my lovely patients who took the time to develop and send me some absolutely delicious recipes. Since I have returned from France, I have been busily cooking away, trying and testing all entries received. With great delight!
The decision has been excruciatingly difficult! So I have made an executive decision to award two first prizes! The winners are Diana Allen for her recipe “Concombres au Four” and to Patricia Idolo for her “Broccoli and Ginger Sauce”.
Both shall receive a free consultation on the house. I urge you all to try both of these astounding recipes. (Who would ever think of cooking a cucumber?)
Congratulations Diana and Patti!
Concombres au Four
2 medium size cucumbers (allow ½ per person)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion (chopped finely, not sliced)
Small can chopped and seeded tomatoes
2 sprigs sage lightly chopped
1 dessertspoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
Peel and halve the cucumbers and de-seed. Lie in an ovenproof dish.
Soften the onion in oil and add tomatoes, paste and seasoning and simmer for a couple of minutes only. Fill cucumber cavities to overflowing.
Cover loosely with foil and bake at 220° for 30 minutes.
Serve carefully as an accompaniment to many dishes including fish, or as an entrée.
Broccoli and Ginger Sauce
1 large head of broccoli
1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup sliced fresh shitake mushrooms
¼ cup sake or water
1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
Dressing
2 tbsp light sesame oil
3 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
½ cup Kombu Dashi stock
(or ¼ cup each of tamari and water)
½ cup soy milk or other non-dairy milk
1 tsp pepper
Wash broccoli and remove tough stems (these can be peeled and used in soups etc. later). Cut lengthwise into slender pieces, leaving tops attached.
In medium saucepan, heat oil and sauté mushrooms until limp. Add broccoli and sake/water, cover and cook until broccoli is tender approximately 5 –10 minutes, shaking saucepan occasionally.
For dressing, heat saucepan, add oil and ginger, sauté until soft, not browned. Add flour and whisk to coat ginger. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Take saucepan off the flame, add milk and flour a little at a time, beating constantly to avoid lumps. Place over low heat and cook for 5 minutes until sauce thickens. Add pepper, mix.
Pour dressing over broccoli and warm through, add sesame seeds if desired.