Miso Mushroom Stroganoff Toast

One of the shows we love to watch at home is Beat Bobby Flay. I know, I know. It is a cooking competition, which have become entirely too common, too dramatic, and are not much about the actual cookery. But Beat Bobby Flay is one of the few food competitions that I actually like because they are really cooking, sweating, and grinding. Also, the judging is entirely anonymous which makes it feel that much more legitimate. I love to see chefs bring their trademark dish- the dish they are most proud of- and go head-to-head against Bobby Flay. Spoiler alert: Bobby Flay usually wins, but that makes it so much sweeter when the opponent finally comes out on top.

The other night, we were watching an episode where the opponent brought their trademark dish- Beef Stroganoff. I had forgotten about Beef Stroganoff and how much I loved it as a kid. It was never very fancy- beef in a mushroom sauce- probably made with Cream of Mushroom or the like, some salty beef stock, and tangy sour cream- all served atop egg noodles. I can still remember slurping those egg noodles. In the Beat Bobby Flay episode, porcini mushrooms and a medley of other wild mushrooms were used, the egg fettuccine was homemade, creme fraiche replaced the sour cream, and the beef? Both Bobby and his opponent used filet mignon. Very fancy, indeed.

I suddenly got a craving for Beef Stroganoff after watching that show, but I only had mushrooms on hand. I had made a note a while back to try Sam's beautiful Creamy Miso Mushrooms on her blog, Drizzle and Dip, and I thought it would be a good starting point to get a mushroom-based stroganoff. Mushrooms would provide meatiness and miso would help get that salty richness that I wanted to mimic. Like her, I serve this on toast, but I made a few changes to lighten up the dish and give that slight tang of a stroganoff. I use thick Greek yogurt to mimic the sour cream since I did not have any in the refrigerator, and parsley and chives at the end adds a bright and fresh note. I add in some navy beans for extra bulk and a little texture, but you could leave them out or replace them with chickpeas.

Eat as is or top with an egg like Sam. Or serve the mixture atop little crostini for a lovely appetizer. It would be perfect for this holiday season. I will still have to make real Beef Stroganoff soon, but this most definitely satisfied my craving for that classic, rich, comforting dish.

Miso Mushroom Stroganoff Toast

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced (I used a mix of cremini and shiitake)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup canned navy beans, drained
3 1/2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon miso paste
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (I used 2 %)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
salt and pepper to taste
Slices of your favorite hearty bread, toasted (I used a seeded multi-grain)

Melt butter over medium heat. When butter begins to foam, add mushrooms, stir to coat, and allow to cook until golden and tender, about 8-10 minutes. Try not to stir the mushrooms too much to get a nice color on them. Add the garlic cloves and navy beans and cook another minute more.

In a small bowl, mix together the water and the miso paste. Add to skillet, scraping any bits from the bottom of the skillet, and allow to cook until some of the liquid has evaporated and mixture has thickened. Remove from heat, swirl in Greek yogurt, herbs, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve atop toast. Enjoy! Makes enough to top 3-4 large pieces of toast.

Miso Pumpkin Tomato Soup with Roasted Garlic

I do not know a single soul who does not like roasted garlic. It takes all of the harshness out of the vampire repellent and mellows it into a soft, spreadable, slightly sweet and earthy treat. The hardest part really is turning on your oven. It is virtually a foolproof recipe that results in an impressive flavor bomb. For this recipe, I recommend roasting more garlic than you need since you already have your oven on, and then use the rest to spread on a crusty multi-grain bread or slather on pizza. Really good stuff.

I combine roasted garlic here with another favorite- tomato soup. But I dress the tomato soup up a little bit with pumpkin and miso, another umami-packed ingredient. I got the idea for the roasted garlic and miso addition to tomato soup from Emily Stoffel's Buttered Miso-Tomato Soup with Roasted Garlic + Togarashi posted originally on Gourmande in the Kitchen. Emily writes at another fabulous blog, The Pig & Quill. It just seemed like a yummy and rich combination that would not weigh you down. She tops hers with a lovely butter but I decided to blend in just a tablespoon at the end.  When added this way, it adds a pleasant lightness.  The seasonal pumpkin pumps up the nutrient level and adds extra creaminess and heft without extra fat.

You could serve this alongside grilled cheese or cheesy toast, but with the miso touch, I recommend serving it alongside some brown rice or another grain to round it out.

Miso Pumpkin Tomato Soup with Roasted Garlic

2 heads roasted garlic, cloves removed (see note below)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons miso paste (I used white)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter + salt and pepper to taste

Combine roasted garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil miso paste, canned pumpkin, and tomato paste in medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until mixture begins to darken and become fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Add water and canned tomatoes, stirring to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, then reduce to simmer. Allow to cook for 15 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a blender, add 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, and carefully blend until desired smoothness is reached. An immersion blender can also be used. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Enjoy! Makes 4 servings.

Note: To roast garlic. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the very top portion off of two heads of garlic, exposing most of the cloves. Place garlic heads on foil, drizzle 2 teaspoons olive oil over top of exposed cloves, and sprinkle salt over each head. Close the foil up and roast garlic for 50 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool before squeezing cloves out of papery skins.

Roasted Cauliflower and Cilantro Soba Noodles

Soba noodles are a bit underrated as far as Asian noodles go. They are so often overshadowed by more familiar noodles like chunky lo mein, springy ramen, and delicate rice vermicelli. Soba noodles are a Japanese noodle made of buckwheat flour, which not only provides a healthy amount of fiber and protein, but also gives them an earthy taste and meaty texture. What makes them even more appealing is that they cook in 3-4 minutes. They hold up well in a number of cold and room temperature preparations, and I have made them most often with different Asian flavor profiles- flavors of sesame, peanut butter, soy, ginger, etc.. A few years ago, I watched an episode of No Reservations that inspired me to give the soba noodle a chance in my own kitchen. In the episode, Anthony Bourdain visits a Japanese restaurant that prides itself on making the perfect soba noodle for more than 200 years. Along with many other requirements, each noodle must be 1.6 mm in width and cooked to a specific doneness. It is this attention to detail, this appreciation for and celebration of such pure ingredients that gets me excited and makes me want to get into the kitchen and celebrate these ingredients in my own way.

In this recipe, I combine the noodles with an entire head of cauliflower that I grate and roast until a bit crispy, toss everything with a bright sesame and cilantro dressing, and garnish with toasted macadamia nuts. This makes a great side dish or make-ahead lunch, and to make it a more complete meal, we served it with some diced tempeh that we sauteed in coconut oil until crispy.

Roasted Cauliflower and Cilantro Soba Noodles

1 small head cauliflower
1 1/2 T. coconut oil, melted
generous pinch of salt
4 oz. (100g) soba noodles
generous 1/4 c. raw macadamia nuts

Dressing:
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled grated (about 1/2 t.)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 T. rice vinegar (unseasoned)
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. miso paste, I used brown rice miso, but any will do
1 t. low sodium tamari or soy sauce
1/2 t. honey
1/2 c. cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat. Using a box grater or food processor with a grating blade, grate the cauliflower, including both florets and stems. I cut my cauliflower into fourths to make it easier. Toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons melted coconut oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread cauliflower onto baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring twice throughout the baking. The cauliflower will shrink down a lot and begin to crisp a bit.

While the cauliflower cooks, toast the macadamia nuts. Place the macadamia nuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven with the cauliflower for 8-10 minutes. Because of their higher fat content, macadamia nuts cook a bit faster than other nuts so watch them carefully. Remove the nuts from the oven and very roughly chop.

Prepare the dressing. In a blender or mini food processor, place all of the dressing ingredients, except the cilantro and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides often. Add the cilantro, and pulse a few times until the cilantro has been incorporated.

Cook the soba noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt to the water, then add the soba noodles, making sure they are all submerged. Cook for 3-4 minutes, testing the noodle for doneness. When you bite into it, you should see a tiny white speck, much like you find in an al dente Italian pasta noodle. Drain the noodles and immediately rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Add the cooked soba to a bowl large enough for mixing. Toss in the roasted cauliflower pieces and the dressing. Sprinkle in half of the chopped macadamia nuts and mix everything together. Garnish the top with the remaining macadamia nuts and serve. Serves 2-3.