Insights by Goldie: ask Goldie!

by Goldie Caughlan

This article was originally published in October 2002

Some of our favorite seasonal recipes

While Goldie is off working with the National Organic Standards Board in Washington, D.C., we offer one of her favorite autumn recipes and two from our FoodWorks instructors.

See below:

Goldie’s Sweet Delicata Squash Mélange

Preparation time: about 30 minutes; serves four

Wonderful with a salad of crisp, mixed fall greens, assertively dressed with splashes of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. One serving contains 280 calories, 15 g protein, 14 g fat, no cholesterol, 320 mg sodium, 28 g total carbohydrates, (8 g dietary fiber, 11 g sugar).

1-1/2 pound Delicata squash, not peeled
2 tablespoons organic olive oil
1 onion, diced
1/2 each red, yellow and green bell pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 Roma tomatoes, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 teaspoon dried basil, or 4 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
1 tsp dried marjoram, or 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, minced
1- 10 oz pkg frozen organic “sweet beans” (edamame) shelled
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, or mixture, minced
cooked polenta or pasta
feta cheese

Clean squash and slice in 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Remove seeds and pulp. Stack rounds and dice. Heat heavy skillet or wok to medium high heat, add olive oil, onion, peppers and squash and sauté 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and tomatoes and sauté for 30 seconds.

Rub dried herbs in palm of hand and add with sweet beans, or add fresh herbs. Stir and cook 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss in parsley or cilantro. Serve at once on hot polenta or pasta, topped with crumbled feta cheese.

From Golda, a savory vegetarian dish for the holidays

Golda Simon

Golda Simon has been teaching at PCC since 1991. Many of Golda’s delicious recipes were recently published in “The Little Soy Book.”

In addition to teaching vegetarian and vegan classes at PCC, Golda shares her skills at local farmer’s markets and fairs. Golda offers her very popular “Vegetarian Holiday Feast” this season (Click here for PCC FoodWorks schedule). She offers the following recipe, perfect for holiday gatherings:

Yield: 2 cups pâté (double the recipe for a crowd)

Green Bean Pâté with Walnuts and Caramelized Onions

Preparation time: 30 minutes

2 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups yellow or red onions, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound fresh green beans
1/3 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
assorted crackers, rye bread, or a platter of sliced fresh vegetables for serving

Place eggs in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Run under cold water until eggs are cool to the touch. Peel.

In a medium frying pan, heat the oil. Begin to sauté onions on medium-high heat, reduce to medium and sauté 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add garlic and cook ten minutes longer. Stir frequently to achieve an even golden brown color.
While the onions are cooking, trim the stem ends of the beans and steam for 5 minutes until just tender, but still bright in color. Cut in half
and set aside.

Grind nuts in food processor. Add the beans and process until just broken down. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until almost smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. For a coarser textured dish, all ingredients can be chopped by hand.

Authentic Italian biscotti, from Iole

Iole Aguero credits her love affair with fine Italian cooking to the teachings of her mother in her homeland of southern Italy.

If you’ve taken FoodWorks classes, chances are you’ve come across some
of the best Italian cooking in the West, prepared by the charming Iole Aguero. Iole grew up in Southern Italy where all the food was made from scratch. Iole
will be presenting her Famous Holiday Biscotti class in December. (Click here for PCC FoodWorks schedule). The following is one of her most traditional Biscotti recipes from a previous class:

Almond Aniseed Biscotti

Yield: 25-30 biscotti

Preparation time: 2 hours, including one hour “resting” time

1/2 cup butter
1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon aniseed
1/2 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
2-3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together butter, 1-1/3 cups of sugar, aniseed and almonds. Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cornmeal and salt. Add to the egg mixture. Stir until combined.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gather together.

Divide the dough in half, into two logs. Place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Brush egg whites on logs evenly and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Cut the logs in 1/2-inch slices with a serrated knife. Lay the slices out on a cookie sheet and bake until lightly golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.

If you have a question you’d like to ask Goldie, send it to:
“Ask Goldie!”
The Sound Consumer
PCC Natural Markets
4201 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105

Email:
goldie@pccmarkets.com

Also in this issue

News bites, October 2002

Nuts shell out benefits, More moo in the West, Fluoride ban, and more