Month: April 2012

How to!

How to Caramelize Onions

camimayLeave a comment

Hey all!

I LOVE caramelized onions.  I can’t eat raw onions without gagging, but I will gladly throw some caramelized onions onto some pita bread and eat as is.  I recently ordered an omelette at a local restaurant (ahem…Masa..ahemmm) and had the unfortunate experience of finding out that their idea of caramelized onions resembled a soggy mass of wilted shoelaces more than the sweet, rich, jam of the gods I was expecting. It was disappointing.  I was crushed.  Le sigh… Let me show you how I mastered the art of caramelizing onions, so you can be everybody’s favorite person too.

Caramelized Onions


1 1/2 TBSP oil

2 large, sweet onions

3 generous pinches of kosher salt

1/4 tsp fresh thyme (optional!)

3 TBSP white wine

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Slice onions thinly, about 1/4″. It doesn’t need to be exact, but the scientist in me feels the need to give you some concrete numbers, so you know what you’re aiming for.

Onions, thinly sliced

You will have a giant pile of onions, but it cooks down a lot.  You will see. Throw the onion slices in the pan and give it a stir to distribute the oil. Sprinkle with the salt and cover.

I like to cover the pan to get everything cooked down before it starts to brown. This also traps in the moisture and keeps the onions from burning and sticking before I’m ready for it.  Let the onions cook, covered, for about 20 minutes.  Uncover and add the thyme at this time (ha!) and stir.  Leave uncovered and let cook, stirring occasionally, until you see some color starting to form.

Starting to brown

When things start to stick and you’ve got some decent caramelization action going, add the white wine and stir. Be sure to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.  Cook until the wine is absorbed and the onions are a delicious golden color. Taste. Be amazed.

Caramelized onions
Breakfast

Just a Picture

camimayLeave a comment

Good morning!

No recipe needed for this one. I really just wanted an excuse to show you all a pretty picture I took this morning.  A lightly fried egg resting over spinach, cheese, and pita. I’m a fan of runny yolks, in case you couldn’t tell.  Since I started working nights, it seems like all I eat is breakfast. Enjoy the food porn!

Main Course

A Pot Pie to Break the Ice

camimayLeave a comment

Since my first foray into the culinary world, cooking has been my art of choice. Baking, in particular, is my favorite pastime.  Now that I’m living on my own, I’ve started expanding my savory roots.  Cookies and cake are still my favorite things to make, but as a health conscious adult, I try and reserve the decadent desserts for special occasions.  I don’t  compromise on ingredients when it comes to baking, because if I want a healthy dessert, I would rather eat some fresh fruit than eat a mediocre “healthified” cookie.  I’m a firm believer that butter is best for baking!

You’ll find that my savory cooking style tends to be plant based and I’m a sucker for seasonal, local ingredients. For my everyday weeknight meal, I try to take comfort food classics and give them a healthy spin. I wage a constant battle against my love of bread and butter and wanting to fit into my skinny jeans!  For my first ever blog post, I give you a favorite comfort meal! To make this a little more weeknight friendly, I use a pre-packaged pie crust.  If you have the time, feel free to substitute your favorite pie crust recipe. If you’re trying to cut down on calories, leave off the bottom crust.  You can easily substitute your favorite veggies and beans in the filling.

Easy Chickpea Pot Pie

1 package pre-made pie crust

1 can garbanzo beans

1 8 oz packaged crimini mushrooms, quartered

1/3 cup chopped onions

2 cloves chopped garlic (or more if you love garlic)

2/3 cup frozen peas

2/3 cup frozen corn kernels

1 medium sweet potato

2 handfuls of spinach (more or less to taste)

2 cups vegetable broth (bouillon based is fine)

3/4 cup milk (use whatever you have. Soy or almond works great)

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup water

TBSP Poultry Seasoning (or to taste)

Salt, Pepper, pinch of chipotle powder(optional)


Preheat your oven to 450° F.  Unroll the bottom pie crust into your favorite pie pan. I use a 9-inch deep dish because I like a lot of filling.

Peel the sweet potato. Wrap it in a damp paper towel and place on a plate. Microwave for 5 minutes or until the potato is tender. Chop into bite sized pieces. You could also boil the potatoes until tender, but I like the convenience of not having to use another pot to boil water.

Sauté the onions and garlic in a little bit of oil until onions are translucent. Add the quartered mushrooms, peas, and corn.  Cook until mushrooms shrivel up a bit and the peas and corn are warmed through.  Add the vegetable broth and milk. Dump in the spinach, garbanzo beans, and sweet potato. Add your seasoning. Depending on how salty your broth is and what type of milk you used, you might need to add more or less to bring out the flavor.  I love chipotle, so usually add a splash of chipotle hot sauce or a pinch of chipotle flavor to add some heat.

Mix the flour and water together until the mixture is lump free. Add to your filling while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil.  The mixture should be pretty thick.

Pour your filling into the pie crust. Put the top crust on, crimp sides, and cut steam holes. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top crust is golden brown.