Esalen Cookbook (11 page)
Authors: Charlie Cascio
Provencal Veggie Turnovers
The fresh Provencal herbs in this furnover filling are really what make this dish a great success. If these herbs are unavailable fresh, you can substitute dry herbs, but reduce the measure given by half.
Makes 8 turnovers
¼ cup unsoaked sun-dried tomatoes
1 medium red onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 medium-size zucchini
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
2½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 box of puff pastry, cut into 8 equal squares
Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl with warm water until tender, about 15 minutes, then drain, chop into julienne strips, and set aside. Chop remaining vegetables into 1-inch cubes. In a saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat, and then add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers and zucchini and saute until tender. Add sun-dried tomato strips and cook for 1 minute more. Put the mixture into a colander and drain.
Place this mixture in a mixing bowl, add the cheese and herbs, and stir until well blended.
Lay the pastry squares in a diamond shape in front of you. Place a large spoonful of filling in the lower part of each diamond, leaving a 1/2-inch pastry border around the edge. Brush this edge lightly with water using your finger or a brush. Fold over the other half of the diamond and press edges together with a fork. You now have triangular filled turnovers. Place filled turnovers on a baking sheet that has been oiled or lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until turnovers are golden brown. Remove from oven and set on a wire rack until cool. If you have any leftover filling, this mixture goes well over rice or pasta.
Greek Quiche
This is a quiche that’s really attractive, with cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and eggs baked on top. Loaded with fresh herbs and spinach, it makes a great lunch with a side salad.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
CRUST1¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
2 teaspoons dry oregano
½ cup unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces
6 tablespoons cold water
Olive oil for brushing
FILLING1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, sliced in thin half-moons
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped in ¼-inch dice
¼ pound button or crimini mushrooms, cut in quarters
1 cup whole cherry tomatoes
¾ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
¼ pound feta cheese, chopped in ½-inch cubes
2 cups fresh chopped spinach
5 eggs
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons water
To make crust, sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl; add the oregano and butter. Rub the flour and butter together until a fine crumbly texture is formed. Add the cold water and knead gently to form a smooth dough. Let the energy flow from your heart, through your fingertips, and into the pastry. Place the dough in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to firm it up.
It’s best to use a loose-bottom pie pan with 1½-inch sides when making this quiche, but any 9-inch pie pan will work. On a floured board, roll out the pastry in a circular form. Be careful to not bear down on the rolling pin with too much muscle or you will compact the dough. Slip the pastry over pie pan and gently ease it into place. Roll the edge of the pastry to make a rim. An attractive rim can be made by lifting the pastry over your finger to form pleats. Brush the pastry with a little olive oil to help prevent sogginess. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork and blind bake. Blind baking is done by covering the pastry with parchment paper and then filling the pie shell with dry beans or metal “baking beans” that you find in cooking shops. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F until the crust starts to turn brown. Take the crust out of the oven and remove the beans and parchment paper. Set aside.
To make the filling, heat the oil in a saute pan and saute the onion and garlic until the onion turns translucent. Add bell pepper and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour into a colander and drain any liquid off the mixture.
In a mixing bowl, place three-quarters of the tomatoes, the olives, half of the feta cheese, half of the spinach, and half of the drained vegetable mixture. Toss until fully blended. Crack 4 eggs into a separate bowl and add the fresh herbs, salt, milk, and water. Beat this mixture until it is light and fluffy. Spoon half of the vegetable mixture into the piecrust and then pour half of the egg mixture over the vegetables. Repeat layers with the remaining vegetables and remaining egg mixture.
Cut the remaining cherry tomatoes in half. Scatter them, along with the rest of the feta cheese, over the top of the quiche. In the center of the quiche, crack the remaining egg on top of everything. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until the filling is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let quiche cool and set up for 15 minutes before serving.
DINNERS
VEGETARIAN VERSIONTo make a vegetarian version of this dish, eliminate the chicken and replace the chicken stock in the Ranchero Sauce with vegetable stock or water. If you like, you can replace the chicken with any combination of the following: diced and sautéed potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or green or yellow zucchini. You can also add fresh or frozen corn and crumbled tempeh or tofu. To make a vegan version, eliminate the cheese as well.
The Esalen kitchen is unique because two-thirds of its staff are students, most working in the kitchen for only one month. Some stay for as long as one year. This recipe comes from one of our students, Denise Ladwig, from New Mexico. She became both a baker and a cook during her stay and brought some of her New Mexican culture with her, as you can taste in this recipe.
Serves 4 to 6
Serves 4 to 6
ENCHILADA2 pounds chicken breasts
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano or marjoram
2 teaspoons sea salt
3 quarts water
12 corn tortillas
1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 medium yellow onion, minced
½ pound of queso fresco or soft goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 recipe Ranchero Sauce (see page 180)
Chicken Enchiladas with New Mexico Ranchero Sauce
CORN TORTILLASChoosing good quality corn tortillas is important for the best flavor in your enchiladas. Look for freshly made tortillas and those with simple ingredients such as corn, water, lime, and salt. Thicker corn tortillas rather than paper-thin ones usually have a better flavor and more closely resemble homemade.
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