Tofu Yu Burrito Mix

We recently visited the new Whole Foods store just off Lake Merritt in Oakland. It's a nice roomy store where you make a circular trip through the store and visit the various sections. Only a small fraction of the store is laid out in the traditional aisle format. Most of it fits the new model of the supermarket.

We picked up a new brand of baked, flavored tofu that we were not familiar with. It was billed as a jalapeno smoked tofu. The company was Tofu-Yu and it's located right here in the Bay Area. Visit their web site and you'll find that it's a new company looking specialize in gourmet tofu. They sell at various farmer's markets and are trying to get into the distribution channels of local stores.



This tofu is quite good and "meaty" in texture. The seasonings are bold which is a good thing with tofu. The outer, browned coating tends to separate but the flavors permeate deeply.

I made a burrito mix containing:

• 1 8 oz. package of jalapeno smoked tofu, diced
  
• small yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 can of red kidney beans
• 3/4 can of corn kernels
• garlic
• seasoning - use what you have. I used some seasoning from a Rancho La Puerta mix
  
• grated cheese
• thinly sliced romaine lettuce (from the backyard!)
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
• fresh tortillas - Trader Joe's Truly Handmade Tortillas are what we used
  
• your favorite salsa - currently on a tomatillo salsa kick
  

Good tofu that we'll have to look for in the future.

Roasted Carrots

It seemed that Nantes carrots were arriving every week. We try to add some diced or sliced carrots to the salad each evening (along with the yummy radishes!) but sometimes we feel like there are more carrots than we can use.

Such are the times to remember the beauty of roasted vegetables. This week's carrots got roasted as a side instead of raw in the salad. This was the second batch of roasted carrots. Last week's carrots got peeled but were left whole. This week's carrots were just cleaned and cut into 1 inch slices. Both were good. Roasting vegetables is so simple yet it brings out so many complex flavors. Carrots, asparagus, parsnips, potatoes, onions are all excellent candidates. Alice Waters, as usual, provides the best guidance:

Cook the vegetables in a hot oven preheated to 400 degrees. A lower temperature will dry out the vegetables while they cook, making them leathery before they are done; a higher temperature will burn them before they are cooked all the way through. Stir the vegetables a few times while they are cooking, turning those along the edges into the center. Cook them until they are tender and nicely browned here and there. Don't let them get too far: a little browning makes them sweeter, but if you let them get too dark they will taste bitter.

When the vegetables are done you can also add some fresh herbs. With carrots, thyme is a good choice.

Mundial Cutlery

It was a little over twenty years ago that we got a Chicago Cutlery knife set for our wedding shower. Complete with walnut handles (which I dutifully oil every few years), they have served us well. One boning knife fell into the running disposal a few years ago which chipped up the handle and blade but, other than that, they have been good. But after twenty years of daily use, I found myself wondering how long should a good knife last? And what's the best way to maintain a sharp knife (more on this later).

A few months ago, I was talking to a friend and we both had read this review of a $20 chef's knife in Bon Appetit. He got one for Christmas and has found it to be a great knife. I plan on ordering one myself and found it online for under $20 at Mad Cow Cutlery.

A few weeks ago, another friend brought over some homemade bread. He pulled out the trusty Chicago Cutlery bread knife and made some unsuccessful attempts to slice the bread. "You need a new bread knife!" he told me. We scoured around to try to find something else that could work.

Later, I wondered if Mundial also made bread knives. After some online research I found that not only did they make a serrated bread knife but that it came with a price tag of just $10! There is one now resting in the slot where the Chicago Cutlery bread knife used to reside. So far, it's a great buy. It's quite sharp and I did a few side-by-side tests with the old knife and the difference is day and night.

In the Garden: April 2010

I was able to get a head start this last weekend by planting a fair amount of the vegetables in the raised beds. It was a beautiful sunny weekend that had lots of us at the nursery. The selection at the nursery was still somewhat limited.

There are a few empty spots in the beds still for new things. But I am a month ahead of where I was last year. Of the six romaine lettuce plants I planted in November, two are still going. They are getting a bit tough so if I pull those up there will be even more room.

So far:

• Tomato - Two Roma and one Brandywine.
• Basil - Six plants. Two less than last year so I may plant a few more in pots.
  
• Lettuce - I liked the Red Sails that I planted last year so I bought a six-pack again.
• Broccoli - Nothing better than fresh broccoli.
• Strawberries - I have one in the ground and two pots with three each. I am concerned that the squirrels will get them but I thought it was worth a shot.
• Soy Beans or Edamame - First time attempt on these. Not sure what to expect. This site offers some growing tips.
  
• Herbs - Last year I planted a bunch of parsley in the bed and it was too much for the two of us. This year I opted to use a pot we picked up at the Alameda Antique Fair and plant a mix of parsley, oregano, and chives. I left room for thyme which was not in stock at the nursery. This herb pot will sit out on the back porch where I can easily access it whenever I want to add some fresh herbs to a recipe.
  

Spring has Sprung

Apple blossoms, peach tree in full bloom, and baby apricots.

Spring Vegetable Soup with Basil-Mint Pesto

We recently changed the delivery on our CSA box from the regular box every other week to the small box every week. We found that with every other week we were needing to fill in by the end of the second week. This is only week #2 but so far this is working out better.

Many of the ingredients in this week's box helped me create the soup that I was asked to bring for a dinner party. The soup recipe, which I adapted from a Williams Sonoma Vegetarian cookbook, had some dubious instructions so I basically followed the ingredients list but made it up as I went along when it came to putting it all together.

Start by making the basil-mint pesto. I went with the following ratio: Basil - 50% (maybe about 2 cups), Mint - 30%, Parsley - 20%. Clean and dry the leaves. Pulse in a food processor. Then run the processor while adding olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Mix until the pesto is at the desired consistency.

For the soup (serves 12):

• 1 can Cannellini beans (two would have been better)
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 4-5 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch lengths
• 1 bunch swiss chard, sliced into 1 inch ribbons
• 1/2 lb. elbow macaroni pasta
• 16 cups vegetable stock
  
• olive oil
• butter
• Parmesan cheese, grated
  

After prepping all vegetables, heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp. butter and the same amount of olive oil. Add onions and saute until they start to soften (5-7 mins.). Meanwhile, steam the green beans to soften them up a bit. Back with the pot, add carrots and stir to mix. Add celery and stir to mix. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, steamed green beans, and stock and bring to a boil. Add chard when soup is at its hottest and let wilt. Lower heat and add beans.

In a separate pot, heat water for the pasta. Cook elbow macaroni following instructions but only partially boil. Let the pasta finish cooking in the soup to let it absorb some of the flavors.

The soup can rest for a bit (which is what I did, letting the ingredients blend together). When you are ready to serve, reheat the soup and then ladle into bowls. Place a large dollop of pesto in the center and sprinkle some grated cheese on top.

Sharpening Knives

Happiness is a sharp knife.

Keeping Your Knives Ridiculously Sharp from Eric Gower on Vimeo.