Columbus Day Corn Bread

Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 25 to 30 minutes
Serves: 12 to 14

When I eat a food too often and made in the same manner, I lose interest in it. Lately, I've been trying to reinvent our cornbread, an American food that is made in the Fall and Winter. I thought of our October holiday honoring Christopher Columbus who arrived in America in 1492. As he stepped off his ship with his customs and foods, he encountered an indigenous culture and new culinary delights - some made with corn or "maize". This idea inspired me to kick up our usual cornbread recipe with different ingredients. Unsure as to whether my new recipe would be a hit or not, I recently brought it to work and set it on our kitchen counter. Everyone seemed to like it because it disappeared in under an hour - and this happened twice in a week!

Ingredients:
1 small zucchini, cut in chunks
1 small carrot, cut in chunks
1/2 red bell pepper, cut in chunks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1-1/4 cup all-purpose, unbleached flour
1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder
2 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk (whole or 2% milk fat)

Heat oven to 400˚F. Grease and flour a 9-inch spring form pan or regular cake pan; set aside.

In a food processor, pulse-blend the zucchini, carrot and bell pepper chunks until chopped but not mashed; set aside.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons oil and stir fry the chopped vegetables on medium high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, transfer the vegetables to a plate and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a 2-quart mixing bowl, combine the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, cornmeal, flour and baking powder; set aside.

In a 4-quart mixing bowl, with a wire whisk, mix the eggs and sugar until uniform. Stir in the oil and milk. With a wooden spoon, add the combined dry ingredients and mix until blended - do not overmix. Gently stir in the cooled vegetables.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake on a rack positioned in center of oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, check doneness by inserting a pointed knife in center of cornbread - knife should come out clean. If knife has wet batter around it, bake an additional 5 minutes.

Remove cornbread from oven and set on a counter to cool. When it is warm, loosen and remove spring form pan sides and slice the cornbread. If using a regular cake pan, loosen sides of cornbread with a knife and flip onto a flat plate. Slice and serve.

Enjoy the warm cornbread with soups, stews or chili.

Text and Photographs © Nancy Real 2010

Burger Bliss

Active Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 15 minutes (for cooking)

Makes 6 burgers

Last week, while in La Jolla, California, my husband and I decided to stop at a deli for lunch. Since our server spent so much time raving about the burgers (the house specialty), it was clear that I should try the turkey burger. I anticipated being served a delicious burger made with choice meat, garnished with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, etc. However, I soon found myself biting into a leathery, salty patty containing equal parts dry meat and overcooked rice grains. I must admit that my dog, Enzo, is served better meat than that!

A few days later in Los Angeles, I decided to have the burger my way - I combined ground turkey with fresh veggies, herbs and spices. As I bit into my deli specialty, I finally experienced that long awaited burger bliss.

Ingredients:
1/2 medium brown or white onion
1/2 small zucchini
1/2 medium carrot, peeled
1 pound extra lean ground beef or dark ground turkey meat (organic meat preferred)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs, beaten with 3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 teaspoon ground chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (optional)
Dash ground cumin and ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For assembling the burgers:
6 panini bread rolls preferred
2 tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1 red onion, finely sliced
6 lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried
Condiments (catsup, mustard, relish)

In a food processor, grind together the onion, zucchini and carrot until finely chopped.

In an 3-quart glass or porcelain mixing bowl, combine the chopped ingredients with the ground meat, mint, parsley, salt, bread crumbs, chipotle chiles, cumin and nutmeg with a fork until mixture is uniform.

With wet hands, divide meat mixture into six portions. Shape each portion into 4 to 5-inch patties, about 1/2 inch thick; set aside on a platter.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cook patties in two batches on medium high heat, 5 to 7 minutes per side. To test doneness, press down on one burger with a spatula. If juices run clear, the burgers are done.

Place burgers inside panini rolls and place on a serving platter; transfer to dining table.

On a separate plate, arrange tomatoes, onion and lettuce and place with condiments next to burgers on table. Ask each guest to garnish their own burger.

Serve burgers with a side of fries or gourmet veggie chips.

Note: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are sold in a can and are found in the ethnic foods section of most supermarkets or in Latin American grocery stores.

Text and Photographs © Nancy Real 2010

Jiffy Soup for May and June Weather in LA

Prep time: 30 minutes (includes julienning veggies and cooking)
Serves: 4 to 6

Before moving to LA I thought I was coming to the tropics. I arrived in the month of May and asked, "Where is all the sunshine?" Somebody answered, "Here in LA, this is sort of our winter."

These days, while waiting for the May and June fog to burn off in the City of the Angels, I'm soooo cold and need some soup to warm up. I don't want to be in the kitchen for hours either. I just want to eat my hot delicious soup now - it's easy, quick and vegan, too!

Ingredients:
1 celery stalk, peeled
1 small carrot, peeled
1/2 brown or white onion
4 tablespoons extra virgin or vegetable oil
3 cups vegetable broth combined with 4 cups cold water
1 zucchini, julienned
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
2 to 3 yellow sunburst squash, julienned
1 potato, peeled and julienned
1 vegetable bouillon cube
Salt, to taste

In a food processor, grind together the celery stalk, small carrot and onion; set aside.

Meanwhile, in a 5 or 6-quart saucepot, heat the oil. Saute the ground vegetables in the oil until onion is translucent, about 1 minute. Add the broth-water mixture and bring to a boil.

Stir in the remaining vegetables. Bring to a boil and stir in the vegetable bouillon cube. Let bouillon cube dissolve and taste the soup. If needed, add a little salt. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are crunchy-tender.

Serve immediately with any type of warm bread: Italian or French; flour or corn tortilla; lavash, naan or pita.

Variation: Add other favorite vegetables such as a thinly sliced leek (white parts only), 2 cups shredded cabbage and/or 1 cup cooked beans (kidney, white or garbanzos). You may also add 1 cup frozen corn, peas, fava beans or edamame.

Additionally, you may add cooked pasta (small variety) or cooked rice (brown, white or wild).

Note: To julienne veggies, see the Tips and Tricks page.

Text and Photographs © Nancy Real 2010