Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include Cornmeal-Crusted Sweet Potato Rice Burgers and Crispy Tofu and Cabbage Stir-Fry. Enjoy!

BAKED RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND PEAS

This comes from Kay Chun on The New York Times cooking site. Kay wrote, "This easy baked risotto eliminates the constant stirring required in traditional risotto recipes. It’s laden with vegetables, namely kale and spinach, but other leafy greens like Swiss chard or collard greens would work equally well. If you happen to have some extra asparagus, sub it in for the peas. This risotto makes a great starter or side dish, but you can also turn it into a vegetarian main course by using vegetable or mushroom stock in place of the chicken broth, and topping it with sautéed mushrooms, a fried egg or crispy tofu slices. Leftovers can be refrigerated for two days and reheated with more broth, or repurposed into crunchy rice cakes or arancini. Simply form into patties or balls, coat in bread crumbs and shallow-fry until golden and crunchy."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021287-baked-risotto-with-greens-and-peas.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 cup Arborio rice (about 7 ounces)

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces green or lacinato kale (about 1/3 bunch), stems separated and thinly sliced, leaves stacked and cut into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons (about 4 packed cups)

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, 2 minutes.

Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in spinach and peas until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy. (Liquid will continue to absorb as risotto sits.) Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with more Parmesan.

ROASTED VEGETABLES

This is from a long since forgotten email list. The person who posted this wrote that it was from page 201 of THE ULTIMATE WEIGHT SOLUTION COOKBOOK by Dr. Phil McGraw. Makes 8 SERVINGS

Ingredients

1 large rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 large turnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 cups baby carrots

2 cups small Brussels sprouts (see Note 1)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons sugar-free maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the rutabaga, turnip, carrots, and Brussels sprouts in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a roasting or broiler pan. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl clean of any remaining oil, salt, and pepper; drizzle it over the vegetables.

Roast, tossing every 10 minutes or so to prevent sticking, until golden brown and tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Pour the maple syrup into the hot roasting pan and toss with the roasted vegetables (see Note 2). Pour the entire mixture into a serving bowl and drizzle the remaining juices over the vegetables.

NOTE 1: For accurate and even cooking make a small "x" with a paring knife in the stem end of each Brussels sprout.

NOTE 2: If you want a sweet-and-sour dressing, add 1 tablespoon cider vinegar to the oil, and drizzle over the hot vegetables.

WINTER VEGETABLE MEDLEY WITH PAELLA-STYLE ORZO

This was in the November 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 30). It begins, "Good-quality saffron is the key to this dish. Shop at a reliable source such as a gourmet store or online spice purveyor, and choose brands that indicate where the saffron was harvested." Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/winter-vegetable-medley-with-paella-style-orzo/.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved, and tomatoes halved

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces

1 cup orzo pasta

1/4 cup frozen peas

2 cups large cauliflower florets

8 green onions, each cut into thirds

1 cup large broccoli florets

Preparation

Bring broth to a simmer in saucepan. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, saffron, and tomato liquid. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and keep hot.

Coat large skillet or 8-qt. Dutch oven with cooking spray, add oil, and heat over high heat. Add tomatoes, sear 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and dry, and transfer to plate. Add bell pepper, sear 2 to 3 minutes, and transfer to same plate.

Sprinkle orzo into skillet, and stir 30 seconds. Stir in broth and peas, and reduce heat to medium. Arrange cauliflower florets on top of orzo in pot. Arrange green onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper pieces around cauliflower; cover, and simmer without stirring, 11 minutes. Scatter broccoli over vegetables, remove pot from heat, and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, or until orzo has absorbed all liquid and broccoli is crisp-tender.

CRISPY TOFU AND CABBAGE STIR-FRY

This is from Ali in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "This tumble of crisp tofu, charred cabbage and citrusy coriander includes a couple tricks you’ll want to employ in other dishes. The flavor of the stir-fry is propelled by using the coriander plant multiple ways: Combining coriander seeds with fresh stems and leaves — also known as cilantro — creates a range of complex but related flavors. Then there’s what might be the quickest — and your new favorite — way to cook cabbage: When large pieces of cabbage are cooked undisturbed in a hot pan, they don’t have a chance to turn to mush. Instead, the cabbage becomes sweet and crisp-tender, with a smoky edge. Eat the stir-fry with grains or noodles, like rice noodles or soba.

"To get vegetarian recipes like this one delivered to your inbox, sign up for The Veggie newsletter."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022830-crispy-tofu-and-cabbage-stir-fry..

Ingredients

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, patted dry and torn into 1-inch pieces (see Tip)

1/4 cup neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed), plus more as needed

About 1 1/2 pounds green or red cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, leaves separated

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems

2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 large lime)

Directions

In a large bowl, sprinkle the red onion with salt and stir to combine. In a medium bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the tofu and toss to coat.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the cabbage and cook, undisturbed, until charred underneath, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir, spread into an even layer, and cook, undisturbed, until charred in spots and crisp-tender, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, and season with salt. Transfer to the bowl of red onions.

In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high. Add the tofu and cook until golden on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side, adding more oil and scraping the bottom of the pan as necessary. Remove from heat, add the coriander seeds and stir gently until fragrant and toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cabbage-onion mixture and stir to combine, then stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste with soy sauce.

Tip

It can be tricky to tear pieces of the same size, so start by slicing the tofu crosswise so that you have 1-inch-thick slabs, then tear off cubes from there.

VEGAN LEMON AND ASPARAGUS PASTA

This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "This asparagus pasta recipe serves up spring asparagus two ways: blended into a smooth sauce that’s tossed with fettuccine, and sautéed in bite-size pieces that get stirred into the dish just before serving. It’s an easy and crowd-pleasing way to bring the brightness of lemon and fresh, green asparagus to your table." Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/vegan-asparagus-pasta-with-lemon/.

Ingredients

5 Tbs. olive oil, divided

5 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tbs.)

2 lb. asparagus, trimmed and sliced diagonally into 1-inch lengths

3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

8 oz. fettuccine

1 Tbs. grated lemon zest

Preparation

Heat 2 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté 2 minutes, or until golden. Stir in asparagus, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 2 minutes, then cover skillet, and cook 5 minutes, or until asparagus is bright green and just tender. Transfer half of asparagus to plate, and set aside.

Cook remaining asparagus 1 minute more, then transfer to bowl of food processor. Add lemon juice, pepper, and remaining 3 Tbs. oil, and blend until sauce is smooth.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot, and toss with asparagus sauce, reserved cooking water, and lemon zest. Stir in reserved asparagus, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

CORNMEAL-CRUSTED SWEET POTATO RICE BURGERS

This is from Lisa Lotts on One Green Planet. Lisa wrote, "Why have a platter of grains, beans, and vegetables when you can make the same ingredients into a comfort food favorite? This veggie patty is made with one sweet potato, cannellini beans, onion, rice, and plenty of seasoning. It's crusted in cornmeal and pan-fried to create a perfectly crunchy exterior that contrasts wonderfully with the soft interior. Dress this up with plenty of toppings like mashed avocado, juicy slices of tomato, lettuce, and mustard."

Serves 6

To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/cornmeal-crusted-sweet-potato-rice-burgers/.

Ingredients

For the Patties:

1 large sweet potato

1 13-ounce can great northern or cannellini beans

1 onion, diced fine

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups packed kale leaves, tough stems removed, finely chopped

1 cup cooked rice

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder

A dash of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil, divided

1/2 cup cornmeal

For the Burgers:

Hamburger rolls

Mashed avocado

Sliced tomatoes

Sliced onion

Lettuce leaves

Ketchup

Mustard

Barbeque sauce

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F and bake the sweet potato for 30-40 minutes until cooked through and soft. Remove the skin and transfer the potato flesh to a medium bowl. Mash the potato with the back of a fork. Add the beans and mash them into the potato mixture. Set aside.

In a large skillet, preferably cast iron, heat one tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes until slightly softened. Add the garlic and kale and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until kale is wilted. Stir in the cumin, paprika, chipotle, cayenne, kosher salt, and black pepper. Transfer the kale mixture to the potato mixture. Add the rice and stir to combine. With your hands or a burger press, form the potato mix into patties. Refrigerate for half an hour to help firm them up a little.

Meanwhile, add the cornmeal to a shallow dish. Add one tablespoon of oil to the cast iron skillet and heat over medium-medium high heat.

Carefully coat the patties in the cornmeal mixture and add to the hot pan. Cook patties for 4-5 minutes per side until they are crispy and browned on the outside. Carefully transfer the patties to a platter and assemble the burgers with your favorite condiments.