Tag Archive for rosemary

Rosemary Biscuits

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With Thanksgiving coming up this weekend, I’m sharing some new recipes you might want to incorporate into your family feast.

Earlier this week, I showed you how to make a new take on on an old classic: Cranberry-Goji Sauce. Because friends don’t let friends eat cranberry sauce out of a can.

rosemary biscuits

Today, another side you can serve with your tofurky (or turkey). Light-as-a-feather, perfect-for-fall Rosemary Biscuits.

This time of the year, I have so much, let me repeat: so much rosemary. And sage. Tons of it. But it’s also the greatest time of the year to use it–these woody herbs are perfect with the heartier dishes that we start to crave this time of the year–specifically–root vegetables and braised meats. Although, there was that one time I made mine into an ice cream…

Biscuits are incredibly comforting. And they are really appropriate for any time of the day. Down south, they eat them for breakfast with a country sausage gravy. But they work with lunch, for a snack with a slice of cheese, or warm and piled high as an accompaniment to your dinner.

Bring these to your Thanksgiving pot-luck, and you will be the belle of the ball.

biscuits and country gravy

Rosemary Biscuits

(recipe courtesy of Emeril Legasse)

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp butter, diced and chilled
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary (leaves only–strip them off the woody stems)
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (more as needed)
Method:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, place the dry ingredients, and mix them together well.
  2. Add in the butter and smush it into the flour mixture with the back of a fork,  until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the rosemary.
  3. Add the buttermilk a little at a time and, using your hands, work it in just until the milk is thoroughly incorporated and the dough holds together. The dough will be a little shaggy and wet. Add up to an additional 1/4 cup buttermilk, a tablespoon at a time, if the mixture is too dry. Take care not to overwork the dough.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough into a rectangle about 6 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, slice the biscuit dough into about 8 biscuits.
  5. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet and bake until golden on top and lightly brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes, in a preheated 400 degree oven.

*note* grated cheddar cheese added at the same time as the rosmary would also make this recipe winning.

Posted in Recipes: Savory, Seasonal, Special Occaisons tagged with , , , , , ,

Vegan Pate with Lentils, Cashews and Shitakes

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With the holidays coming up, many of us are probably thinking of entertaining. Or you will likely get asked to parties, and may be required to bring something along.

Last week, I confessed that I wanted to entertain more… and so I did! I had a little social gathering Sunday night. I’m still writing that blog post, but in the mean time, I wanted to share with you what I felt like was the hit of the party. vegan pate

 

This is kind of amazing. It looks like pate. It spreads like pate. It has the consistency of pate. It’s delicious. It doesn’t taste like pate, though. There’s no meat–in fact, it’s completely vegan, so if you are expecting that liver taste, you may be disappointed. Actually, I hope you won’t be, because it’s really, really yummy. The shitakes and rosemary add a beautiful earthiness.

IMG_2610

 

Vegan Pate with Lentils, Cashews and Shitakes

Adapted from LunchBoxBunch.com

Ingredients: 

  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 20 small dried shitake mushrooms
  • 2 cups cashews
  • 1 can green lentils
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice, or fresh juice of half a lemon
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, plus a sprig for garnish
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • whole peppercorns for garnish

Method: 

  • Boil some water, and put the shitakes in a bowl. Cover them with the boiling water, about 1.5-2 cups worth. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes, then add the cashews, and let sit for about 10-15 minutes more.
  • In the mean time, in a large saucepan over low-medium heat, put some olive oil, and then add the garlic and onions. Allow to sweat out for about 10 minutes.
  • Drain the shitakes and the cashews, but reserve the water!! Separate the mushrooms from the nuts. De-stem  and roughly chop the mushrooms and add to the saucepan, along with the rosemary, and the can of lentils which have been drained and rinsed. Season, give everything a good stir, and allow to marry for about 5 minutes or so.
  • In your food processor or blender, place the cashews and some of the mushroom water. Blend until it’s a nice paste. Add the rest of the water to the saucepan (hold some back if you feel like it might make your mixture too watery–you can always add more in later), mix well, and then pour the mixture from the saucepan into the food processor. Add the nutritional yeast, olive oil and lemon. Allow to process, scraping down the sides occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until it reaches a nice, smooth consistency.
  • Lightly grease a 9″ cake pan. Place the sprig of rosemary on the bottom of the pan, and sprinkle peppercorns around the edge. Scrap the pate into the cake pan, and press down and smooth the top.
  • Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, then turn down to 250 degrees and bake for an additional two hours. Allow to cool in the fridge. Invert the cake pan onto a plate, and serve with crackers, vegetables or crusty bread.
Posted in Recipes: Savory, Special Occaisons, Vegan tagged with , , , , ,