Joanna asked about the cookbook Tomato Blessings and
Radish Teachings:
>>i saw it in the bookstore and it looked interesting. has anyone read it?
cooked it? what do you think? is it vegan?
A lot of it is vegan. He uses olive oil and butter in a lot of these
recipes, but mostly just 1 or 2 tablespoons - which I've just
plain been leaving out (or using a small spritz from the olive
oil sprayer). A non-stick pan eliminates the need for the oil
in most of these recipes.
I've been cooking from this book for the past couple of months
and have no complaints from the family or myself. I really
appreciate the fact that there are some very simple things
in there that I had forgotten about:
grilled asparagus
grilled figs
I would not recommend this to anyone who is a *serious*
no-fat vegetarian (you know who you are ;-).
I consider it a good book for someone trying to adjust to
a vegetarian eating lifestyle and wondering what to eat.
Somehow he makes it seem like a gentle, easy way to live.
Sam
kahless@xxxxxxxxxxx
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Red Onion Pickle
(from Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings -
by Edward Espe Brown)
One 6-8 ounce red onion
Boiling water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper, Tabasco, or red chili, to taste.
Cut the ends off the red onion and make a slit up one side, so you
can peel back the papery skin and thinnest outer layer of onion.
Cut a small piece off of one side so that the onion will sit flat,
and then slice it thinly into rounds.
Place the sliced onion in a bowl and ocver with boiling water, a
cup or two. Let it sit for 5-10 seconds, then drain off the water.
Add the vinegar and a half cup or so of cold water to cover the
onion, along with some salt and your choice of pepper seasoning.
Let sit a half hour or longer. Drain to use. Or leave in the liquid
and store in the refrigerator.
Used for garnishing salads, adding to sandwiches, or enlivening
vegetable dishes.
===
Melon Salad with Lime and Mint
(from Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings -
by Edward Espe Brown)
I (the author) make this salad with whatever melon I
find available: cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon,
casaba, crenshaw or sometimes a colorful combination -
such delicious refreshment.
Serves 4-6 people
1/2 pound melon
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tablespoons white sugar or maple syrup
Salt
15-18 mint leaves, sliced into narrow strips (about 1/4 cup)
Cut the melon open and remove the seeds. If using watermelon,
remove the seeds while you work with it. Use a melon "baller"
to make melon balls, or cut off the rind, and cut the melon into
chunks.
Combine the lime juice and sugar or maple syrup, and toss it with
the melon, along with a couple of pinches of salt. Garnish with
the mint leaves.
The simplified version, of course, is to slice the melon and serve
it with wedges of lime.
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