Old-Fashioned Rice Pilaf

Today's recipe is basically my home-made rendition of that ubiquitous supermarket staple, Near East rice pilaf mix. Dear to the hearts of American grocery shoppers, the classic original version is pretty old-school, without superfluous fripperies like nuts, raisins, dates, saffron, or exotic grains to complicate the situation. And that is exactly what I offer here: with just rice, orzo, chopped onion and celery, a handful of basic spices, and some decent broth, this recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that makes a perfect accompaniment to other Middle Eastern dishes, and a damned fine snack all on its own. (Even as a nightmarishly picky toddler, my youngest son would never turn down a dish of pilaf, and I've been known to make a meal of it myself more than once!)

Old-Fashioned Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
~ 1.5 cups basmati rice
~ ½ cup orzo
~ 1 tbsp. olive oil
~ 1 small yellow onion, diced
~ 2 stalks celery, diced
~ ½ tsp. each: salt, thyme, sage, white pepper
~ ¼ tsp. turmeric
~ 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
~ ½ cup chopped, fresh parsley
~ 2 ¾ cups vegan "chicken" broth

Directions
~ Rinse the rice in several changes of water, and then set aside aside to soak for at least 30 minutes (an hour or so is even better).
~ In a saucepan, sauté the onion, celery, and dry seasonings in the olive oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until soft. Add a little more oil or a splash of water or broth if things get sticky.
~ Drain the rice and add it to the pan along with the orzo, nutritional yeast, and fresh parsley. Stir well, cook another minute or two, and pour in the broth.
~ Cover the pan, bring to a boil, and lower the heat to simmer.
~ Cook over low heat for 12-15 minutes, or until all the broth is absorbed and the rice is still a bit firm but fluffy (the longer you've soaked it, the  more quickly it will cook).
~ Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and serve.

Summer Squash with Tomatoes, Onion, and Dill

Look, just as I promised - it's not a salad! Instead, we have this simple, delicious side dish of yellow summer squash cooked with red onions, tomatoes, and fresh dill. We ate this as part of a fairly elaborate dinner of noochy kale, stuffed zucchini, and rice pilaf (recipes for the latter two to follow), but if you add chickpeas or white beans it's easily a main course, especially with a salad and/or some good bread thrown in to round things out.

Summer Squash with Tomatoes, Onion, and Dill
Ingredients
~ 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
~ 3 yellow summer squash, sliced into ¼" half-moons
~ 1 red onion, rough dice
~ 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
~ Salt and pepper
~ ¼ - ⅓ cup chopped, fresh dill

Directions
~ Place a large, nonstick skillet on medium-high heat and coat generously with cooking spray. Add the summer squash in batches and cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side, until just starting to char. Remove each batch from the pan and repeat with the rest of the squash.
~ When all the squash has been cooked, add the olive oil to the skillet and cook the onion for 5 minutes; stir in the tomatoes and cook about 3 minutes more.
~ Return the cooked squash to the pan along with ½ tsp. kosher salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and the fresh dill.
~ Stir well, remove from heat, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Fainting Couch Potato Salad

I swear before all the gods on Mount Olympus that I will post something other than salad recipes during my Greek-themed Vegan MoFo, but the weather remains so hot and humid that the idea of making (or even eating) anything above room temperature is distinctly unappealing. Then again, this is a really good potato salad, and it makes a nice change from more traditional mayonnaise-based versions, which may have lost some of their luster after a long, hot summer.

So I promise to be back with something more complicated - or at least warmer - once I'm feeling less languid. For the present, the fainting couch beckons, and the Elizavegan Month Of Salad Days continues!

Fainting Couch Potato Salad
Ingredients
~ 2 lbs. waxy potatoes (I used Yukon Gold)
~ ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
~ 1 red onion, sliced into thin quarter moons
~ 6 large scallions, sliced
~ 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
~ ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
~ 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
~ 1 tbsp. yellow mustard
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, basil, dill, oregano
~ ½ tsp. each: thyme, white pepper
~ 1 red bell pepper, diced
~ 1 heaping cup fresh parsley
~ 3/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)

Directions
~ Cook the potatoes until cooked but still a bit firm; cut into approximately 2" chunks and set aside to cool. (I made this on a really hot day, so I stabbed and microwaved them for 10 minutes.)
~ While the potatoes are chilling, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet, and cook the onion over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until quite soft.
~ Add the scallions and garlic and cook another minute or so. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
~ When the onion mixture has cooled, stir in the lemon juice, vinegar, and dry seasonings and mix well; this is your dressing.
~ Place the cooled potatoes and diced bell pepper in a large bowl, and pour the dressing over them. Add the fresh parsley and olives (if using) and mix well, being careful not to break up the potatoes.
~ Cover and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours and serve cold.

Crowd-Pleasing Couscous Salad

Yes, it's another salad, this time one that I've been making for ages: a tried and true, fail-safe contribution for potlucks, cookouts, and family occasions (as pictured below), with the signal virtue of being endlessly forgiving. You can use almost any vegetables you have on hand, although obviously, one should draw the line thing at something like turnips. You can substitute quinoa instead for couscous to make it gluten-free. You can use more or less or entirely different seasonings. You can let your imagination run free! But do be aware that this recipe makes a ginormous, bacchanal-size quantity, so go ahead and half, third, or quarter it if you like. That said, it gets better as it sits, and leftovers are well worth having in the fridge in warm weather, when we all have more diverting things to do than cook.

Crowd-Pleasing Couscous Salad

Ingredients

~ 3 cups cooked couscous, prepared according to package directions

~ 1 cup thinly sliced scallions (I can't tolerate raw onions so I cook them briefly first)

~ 1 red bell pepper, diced

~ 1 large carrot, chopped

~ 2 small or 1 large cucumber, diced

~ 1 small zucchini, diced

~ 1.5 cups each: quartered grape tomatoes, chopped Kalamata olives

~ 1 14 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

~ A few grinds of black pepper

~ Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup)

~ 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

~ 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

~ 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

~ 1 tbsp. dried mint

~ 1 tsp. each: salt, marjoram

~ ½ tsp. each: thyme, oregano

~ 1 cup each: chopped, fresh dill and parsley

~ 1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts or pine nuts

~ 1-2 cups tofu feta (optional; adjust quantity to taste)

Directions

~ Prepare the couscous according to package directions, fluff with a fork, and set aside to cool to room temperature.

~ In a large bowl, combine all the fresh vegetables.

~ Add the chickpeas, fresh herbs, and dried spices; stir well.

~ In a bowl or beaker, mix the lemon juice, oil, vinegar, garlic, and dried seasonings.

~ Pour the dressing over the couscous mixture, add the fresh herbs, and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate at least a few hours to let the flavors blend. (Overnight is even better; I usually make this salad a day ahead.)

~ When ready to serve, stir in the toasted nuts and tofu feta (if using).

~ Mix thoroughly and serve cold or at room temperature, alone or with leafy salad greens.

Greek-Style Pasta Salad

The calendar and general back-to-school atmosphere may say "September," but the thermometer is firmly stuck on "summer," which means that salads are still far more appealing than the autumnal soups, stews, and casseroles we'll be craving in a month or two. Which is fine, since the farmers markets (and my refrigerator) are bursting with beautiful fresh produce, just waiting to be tossed with some oil, vinegar, garlic, and spices and eaten with a nice cold glass of what you fancy. The inclusion of chickpeas and/or white beans in today's pasta salad makes it a perfect warm weather meal all on its own, but it would also be a welcome addition to cookouts, potlucks, or a more elaborate lunch or dinner (even without a spectacular view of the Aegean).

Greek-Style Pasta Salad
Ingredients
~ 1 lb. penne, fusilli, or similar-sized pasta
~ 1 large red onion, cut into large dice
~ 1 generous cup each: chopped tomato, diced cucumber, artichoke hearts, chopped kalamata olives
~ ¾-1 cup each, chopped fresh: basil, parsley
~ 1 15 oz. can chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 ¾ cups cooked)
~ ¼ cup each: extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar
~ 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
~ 1 tbsp. prepared yellow mustard
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, oregano, marjoram, dill
~ A few grinds fresh black pepper

Directions
~ Cook the pasta according to package directions. About two minutes before the pasta is done, add the diced red onion. Drain in a large colander and rinse with cold water and set aside.
~ Place the tomato, cucumber, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, fresh basil and parsley, and the chickpeas or beans in a large bowl (optimally one with a lid), and stir well.
~ In a separate bowl or beaker, mix together the oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, and dry seasonings.
~ Add half the cooked pasta and onions to the vegetables in the bowl, pour over half the dressing, and mix well. Stir in the remaining pasta and dressing and give the salad a good stir to make sure everything is coated.
~ Cover and chill for at least a few hours before serving cold or at room temperature.

Tofu Feta Cheese

I posted this recipe earlier in the summer in the context of a Greek Salad, but since lots of Mediterranean dishes call for feta cheese, it occurs to me that sharing this method on its own might be a good idea, especially given my current MoFo theme. So here you go; mix up a batch of this stuff, keep it handy in the refrigerator, and you can easily add a little Grecian something to salads, sandwiches, and pizzas, in recipes like spanakopita and tyropita, or wherever you like.

Tofu Feta Cheese

Ingredients
~ 1 14 oz. package extra firm tofu, pressed for at least an hour

~ 2 tbsp. each: red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dill pickle &/or caper brine
~ 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
~ 1 tsp. each: prepared mustard, vegan Worcestershire sauce
~ 2 cloves crushed garlic (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, oregano, basil, mint, dill

Directions
~ Once the tofu is well pressed and has given up most of its water, crumble it into small, rough cubes.
~ Mix all the remaining ingredients thoroughly in a container with a lid, then add the tofu.
~ Put the lid on and give it a few good shakes to make sure all the tofu is coated with the marinade.
~ Refrigerate for at least a day (a few days is better) before using, to let the flavors infuse the tofu.
~ Use anywhere you'd have used dairy feta back in the days of pre-enlightenment!

Tourlou Tourlou (aka "Dooda")

Welcome to Vegan MoFo 2015! This marks my - GASP - eighth time participating in this annual event, and after careful deliberation I've decided on a Greek theme for this year's blogging challenge. Since starting this blog, I've veganized and posted a number of fondly remembered dishes that my (Greek) father and (British-but-Hellenic-friendly) mother used to make, and my goal for the coming month is to expand this repertoire while revisiting some already tried-and-true favorites. So without further ado, let's get down to business, shall we?

To kick things off, I happily present an incidentally vegan casserole that was one of my mother's signature dishes. Its real name is tourlou tourlou - which apparently means something like "all mixed up" - and it has a close Turkish analogue called briam, but for some now-forgotten, almost certainly baby-talk-related reason our family has always called it "dooda." Its combination of eggplant, peppers, zucchini, garlic, and tomatoes - along with its endless adaptability -  is reminiscent of ratatouille, but unlike that Provençal stew, this vegetable melange is baked. It also calls for potatoes and sometimes rice, and employs more "Greeky" seasonings like dill and rosemary (I give the envelope an extra push by adding za'ataar, because I am Officially Obsessed With It).

Of course you can add or subtract ingredients to suit availability and personal taste. Some versions call for okra, but my dad hated it so it never appeared on our dinner table; others call for capers, which strikes me as totally weird, but if you're into that sort of thing, by all means go for it. My mother always included butternut squash, so I've followed her lead here and, as ever, I tend towards a generous hand with seasonings; you should feel free to adjust quantities according to your own likes and dislikes. 

The main thing to remember with a dish like this one is that it is both informal and extremely user-friendly: precision and fastidiousness need not apply, just a craptonne of fresh vegetables! This admirable flexibility extends to serving as well, because it is equally good hot, cold, or (my personal favorite) room temperature. The finished product makes a delicious meal all on its own, or you could add a salad, or some white beans, or some green beans, or some crusty bread, or even all of the above for an extravagant Greek feast just like Yia Yia (and Papou) used to make.

Tourlou Tourlou
Ingredients
~ ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
~ 1 large red onion, rough dice
~ 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
~ 1 large eggplant
~ 1 large green zucchini
~ 1 large yellow zucchini
~ 1 small butternut squash
~ 2 large potatoes
~ 2 bell peppers (any color)
~ 1 28 oz. can plum tomatoes, drained, with liquid reserved
~ 2 tsp. each: dill, oregano, marjoram, basil, parsley, salt
~ 1 tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled in your fingers
~ 1 tbsp. za'ataar
~ A few healthy grinds black pepper

Directions
~ Oil a large, deep casserole and preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
~ Chop all the veggies except the onions and garlic into approximately 1" chunks.
~ In a large, deep pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the sliced garlic and cook about one minute more.
~ Remove the pot from the heat and gradually mix in the chopped vegetables, drained tomatoes, and seasonings, making sure everything is well combined and coated with the seasonings.
~ Transfer the vegetable mixture to your oiled casserole and cover the whole business tightly with aluminum foil.
~ Bake at 350 degrees for about 90 minutes, checking once at about the halfway point. The vegetables should provide plenty of moisture, but if things do seem to be drying out, you can add up to a cup of the reserved tomato liquid and/or water to a corner of the pan (don't pour it over the vegetables!).
~ Remove the foil and test for "doneness"; the vegetables should be soft, and the potatoes fork tender.
~ Stir well, test for seasoning (you might want to add more of something; adjust to taste), and continue baking uncovered for another 30 minutes.
~ Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. This dish gets better as it sits, so if you have sufficient time and/or organizational skills, you can make it a day or two ahead with excellent results.