Summer Days

So Summer is officially here and with it brings the unbearable hot days and high humidity in this concrete jungle I live in. We've been having crazy thunderstorms lately, usually early morning or late at night. The kind of thunderstorms where you suddenly have a lake in your backyard in ten minutes flat. Crazy! But then the sun comes back out and dries it right up and melts anyone that dares step outside. 

But still, I'm trying not to let the sun make me lazy. I went and did some work at Champs on Friday, treating myself to a giant iced coffee w/ soy milk and a cookie. Yum! Nik and I took the ipad and went to a few different coffee shops (for some more icy beverages!) on Saturday, and just played many games of chess, checkers, and othello, basking in the AC of the cafes. Super-fun (and I won them allll!)  We shall defeat you Summer!

The season of pickle-making begins! We got a bunch of pickling cucumbers in our CSA on Saturday, so I promptly turned them into some dill pickles on Sunday. I also roasted some beets and threw some jalapeños and onions in a jar to make some spicy pickled beets. I just use a simple refrigerator pickle recipe, so I can eat them in a week or so (and they don't usually last long around this apartment!) I love the way newly pickled things in jars look; so pretty!

Daring Cooks-February Challenge-Mezze Platter

The 2010 February Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Michele of Veggie Num Nums. Michele chose to challenge everyone to make mezze based on various recipes from Claudia Roden, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Dugid.

The mandatory recipes for this challenge were homemade hummus and pita bread, and I chose to make roasted red pepper seitan and some pickled veggies. Actually, I already had made the pickled veggies in the summertime and just ate the rest of them with this meal. Mezze platters make me happy! For the seitan, I used the recipe for the Chorizo Sausages in "Vegan Brunch", but using garbanzo beans instead of pinto, and adding in the roasted red pepper at the end. I made a simple sauce of veganaise, dill, and a little soy milk to thin it out.

VeganMoFo Day 4: Pickle Day!

Today was pickle day around my apartment! I've been experimenting with refrigerator pickles in the last few months, and I thought I'd share with you my recipe I have been working with. I love that you can pickle almost any veggie! So far I have done cucumbers, beets, radishes, cabbage, garlic, and onions. Mmm. I think the grape leaves are key for really crisp pickles.

Garlic Dill Pickles (Fills approx. 3 old pickle jars)

Ingredients:
2 cups vinegar
6 cups water
4-6 gloves garlic
2 TBS. Coriander
2 TBS. Whole peppercorns
1 - 1 1/4 cup salt
2 cups loosely packed fresh dill

2 grape leaves per jar
Various things to pickle: cucumbers, radishes, beets, cabbage, etc. chopped to fill 3 jars, leaving a little room for brine, etc.

Directions:
1. Sterilize jars by submerging them under boiling water for a minute or two. I use a long wooden spoon to scoop them in and out of the water. Careful! Don't forget the tops too.
2. Combine top ingredients (not the grape leaves and not your veggies), in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-8 minutes.
3. While boiling, stick two grape leaves in the bottom of each jar, and place chopped veggies on top.
4. Pour boiling brine into jars, filling almost to the top, leaving a little air space. Close jars and let cool.
5. Refrigerate!

I usually try some after 1 week, but they definitely get more intense as the weeks go by. Play around with ingredients! I added some ginger in the ones I made today.