Starting Out.

Dearest Sister, this blog is devoted to you. Consider it an apology for anything I've said or done that you haven't been thrilled with. Have I forgotten a gift for your birthday (I doubt I have)? Then, consider this your gift.

I thought that it would be lovely for you to further embrace this slogan:

Vegetarian...and loving food!

That will be the main idea, so you'll get at least one recipe or food idea out of each posting.

Now, I've been thinking that you won't like (or have to adjust) some recipes. I've given it some thought-I think we've become vegetarians for completely different reasons. You are a vegetarian because you don't like the taste of meat (or that's what I perceive), I am a vegetarian because the idea of meat is gross when it involves me eating it. If I'm wrong, let me know.

I'll point out that I do cook with eggs. It's funny, I won't eat a plate of eggs or an egg sandwich, but I gladly eat pasta that I make from the KitchenAid book. I'm trying to phase eggs out completely because quite frankly, they freak me out. I love soy yogurt, but I know that I'll never be able to desert my two favorite dairy friends...cheese and ice cream. No soy alternatives for me when it comes to those two.

I'll start the recipes on a high note with an Arlington family favorite:

Couscous Cakes with a Tomato-Garlic Ragout
From the book, Vegetarian Planet

Ingredients:

Couscous Cakes
3 C water
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 2/3 C couscous (I like the whole wheat kind)
3 eggs
1/2 C unbleached flour (the only kind we have)
1/2 C chopped parsley (curly or Italian work, run them under hot water first to activate the lovely odor!)
1/4 C crumbled blue cheese (I know you won't use this, but if you're adventurous, if you use half this amount, you won't be able to taste it...Romano works as an alternative)
1 Tbs olive oil

Tomato-Garlic Ragout (Did you know that Ragout is pronounced like Ragu? It is.)

1 Tbs olive oil
1 C chopped onion (they get really sweet...yum!)
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced (another interesting did you know...you should smoosh garlic [with the side of a knife] 10 minutes before you intend to use it, it helps get the good 'chemicals' out to make the garlic good for you)
10 plum (or Roma) tomatoes, coarsely chopped (you can use canned, but fresh is WAY better)
1/2 C white wine
1/4 C water
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

*Garnish with parsley*

You're making the couscous first!

1. Put the water into a saucepan over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, add the salt, pepper and couscous. Remove the pan from the heat, cover it and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, fluff the couscous with a fork.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then slowly add in the flour. With a spoon, stir in the parsley and the blue cheese (or the Romano I know you'll use). Add the couscous and then put the bowl into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 Tbs of olive oil, then add the onion. Saute it over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring once in awhile. Add the garlic and saute for 5 minutes more (you don't want to burn the garlic). Add the tomatoes, white wine and water. Let the ragout (remember how to pronounce it?) simmer for 10-15 mintes so that it ends up the consistency of a thick sauce-it should be chunky when finished. Season with salt & pepper, then keep warm.

4. Remove the cooled couscous mixture and heat a large skillet with 1 Tbs of olive oil over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, make 3-inch cakes ahead of time (otherwise, they won't cook evenly!). Put the cakes into the hot oil, sear them on one side for about 3 minutes until they are golden brown, then flip them and do the same. Continue until they are all cooked.

5. To arrange: put a scoop of ragout on the plate, then put 2-3 cakes, then put 2-3 scoops of ragout over it.

End Tips:

• avoid the draw of putting grated cheese on top...you'll be glad you did.
• if you have too much batter, leave it uncooked and put it in the refrigerator-you can cook it later
• if you have cooked too much, eat it the next day cold, it's yummy
• This recipe makes enough for 4-5 people, they'll be happy they had dinner with you.

I hope that you've enjoyed this post. I have a pretty exciting desert coming up, so get excited!

Love you, sister!