By: Gene Kravets/Columnist
Spring break starts next week and the season starts, officially, next month. I associate spring with fresh vegetables and both of the dishes I’ll share with you in this column happen to be vegetarian.
Not long ago, I got over a two-week long bought with enteritis, an inflammation of the small intestine, during which I could not eat any real food without experiencing immense pain. One day, after work and experiencing the pain my doctor mentioned, I felt ravenous and quickly thought of something to make using the limited items I had on hand: a portabella mushroom cap, a potato, and some garlic.
Garlic mashed potatoes to go with the big mushroom sounded almost as wonderful as it turned out to be. Keep in mind anything would have been delicious at that point, after eating only rice cakes for two weeks straight. But there was pure indulgence in every juicy bite of mushroom and creamy garlicky mouthful of potatoes, both bursting with robust flavor. While I thought of that combination out of urge more than creativity, the next meal was thought up under different circumstances.
I was in the shower, contemplating food ingredients I don’t normally use.
My mind was concentrated on subtle flavors, and leeks, a vegetable similar to onions and garlic, just popped into my head. Shallots soon followed suit, and I imagined how the two flavors could marry in a slightly creamy pasta sauce.
The flavors and aromas I foresaw were a mellowed saccharine, begging to varnish fresh pasta. The sauce I created from this idea exceeded my expectation. The most important aspect of making it was delicately cooking the vegetables to allow their juices to slowly ooze out. In the past I made the mistake, when making similar items, of using high heat to speed up the process. I stress taking your time, and cooking the ingredients over low heat to let their flavors fully develop.
Full recipes at fiusm.com.
Foodgasm is a bi-weekly column on cooking and enjoying food. Kravets is a hospitality major.
To make garlic mashed potatoes:
4 large baking potatoes
1 or 2 cloves of garlic (more or less depending on preference)
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup of milk or cream
1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into 1/4 inch cubes and drop into a pot of water. Add salt and bring to a boil.
2. Once the potatoes have cooked and are fork tender drain the water. Add the butter, milk or cream, and garlic (finely chopped or minced).
3. Mash the potatoes, and season to taste with salt.
Recipe feeds 4 people
To make Portobello mushroom:
4 Portobello caps
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Serves 4 people
1. Combine the oil and red wine vinegar together, and then pour most of the mixture over the mushrooms.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and coat the bottom with oil. Lay the mushrooms down into the skillet, stem side up, leaving at least an inch of space between them. Pour the remaining oil and vinegar around the stem of each mushroom.
3. Let them cook for 4 minutes; reduce the heat if there is a lot of sizzle. Flip the mushrooms over so they are now cap side up. Brush the cap side with the balsamic vinegar and season them with salt and pepper. Cook for another 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
The garlic-mashed potatoes can be served alongside, or on top of the mushrooms.
Creamy Leek and Shallot Sauce:
1/2 pound of leeks
4 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoons orange or lemon zest
4 cups of vegetable stock
2 cups of white wine
1/2 cup of cream
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup of chopped broccoli (optional)
1. Chop the leeks and shallots into 1/4 inch pieces and dice the garlic. Heat up a large skillet over low and add the olive oil and half of the butter. Once most of the butter melts add the leaks, shallots, garlic, and zest. Cook the ingredients, stirring occasionally over low heat for about 10 minutes.
2. After 10 minutes the leeks and shallot should be soft, translucent, and aromatic. If they haven’t reached that stage yet keep cooking for 5 more minutes.
3. Raise the heat for a moment and add the wine. After a few minutes add the vegetable stock. After that add the broccoli if you want. Reduce the heat back to low. Let the wine and stock slowly simmer for about 15 minutes.
4. After about 15 minutes, or once the liquids have reduced in contents, add the remaining butter, and stir in the cream.
5. Let the sauce cook for another 5 minutes, and then check the taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Cook fresh linguini until al dente and then transfer the pasta into the sauce, combine it together, and serve.
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