Coconut Rice with Edamame & Leeks

Coconut Rice with Edamame and Leeks

Recipe from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop



Friends,



This week I cooked all of my meals from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop. This is a nice vegetarian cookbook that is built around seasonal produce, which the writer gains from his CSA share at his local farm. The book is organized into each season, which makes it easy to cook from. He's located at Sag Harbor New York, so the East Coast seasonal produce is slightly different from the Pacific Northwest. Still I find this a very useful and creative cookbook packed with healthy and delicious whole foods. For this recipe I use the frozen shelled edamame from Trader Joe's. I also substitute long grain brown basmati rice because I never cook with white rice. This is a very simply prepared dish with simple ingredients that come together beautifully. Healthy comfort food for sure. Enjoy!



In Health & Love,

Miss Jolie Ann

Coconut Rice with Edamame and Leeks

10 ounces frozen shelled edamame (soybeans) about 2 cups

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 medium leeks, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise, washed well, and cut crosswise into think strips (about 2 cups)

Salt

1 tablespoon minced gingerroot

1 1/2 cups jasmine or long-grain rice

1 14-ounce can light unsweetened coconut milk

1 1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves

1. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Place the edamame in a steamer insert or basket and carefully lower it into the pot. Cover and steam until the edamame are tender but not mushy, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the steamer insert or basket from the pot and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the leeks and 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are very soft, about 10 minutes. (Lower the heat if the leeks start to brown.) Uncover the pan, add the ginger, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, until the rice is coated with oil and glistening, about 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the edamame and lime juice, cover, and continue to cook over low heat until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and adjust the seasonings, adding salt to taste. Serve.

Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Fresh Herbs

Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Fresh Herbs
Recipe adapted from Potato-Leek Soup in The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

In 2006 I discovered Mollie Katzen's Potato-Leek Soup recipe and it's been in my TOP FIVE FAVORITE SOUP RECIPES ever since. (I don't really have such a list, but if I did this recipe would be on it!) It's perfection is in simple ingredients and easy preparation. The secret ingredient that packs lots of flavor is garden fresh herbs. I use whatever seasonal herbs I can gather from my garden at the time of cooking. I've used a combination of fresh chives, rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, tarragon and parsley. Use whatever you have handy! :) Another reason that I love this soup is it is so CREAMY without any milk or cheese-it has no dairy at all and is totally VEGAN. Really, that was the only thing I tweaked about the original cookbook recipe, omitting the dairy. I never get tired of this soup. It's great during the winter and in the spring when leeks are harvested. Yummy....

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Fresh Herbs

3 large organic yukon gold potatoes, washed and diced-keep skins on

2 large organic leeks, yields about 3 cups cleaned & sliced

1 stalk organic celery, chopped

1 large organic carrot, chopped

4 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp sea salt

2 cups vegetable stock or Imagine brand "no-chicken broth"

2 cups organic unsweetened plain soymilk

1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (use your creativity with what you have fresh-chives, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, tarragon...)

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the potatoes, leeks, celery, carrot and salt. Cook the vegetables over medium heat, until they are coated in oil and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the stock or broth, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are soft, about 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the veggies are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.

3. When the potatoes are tender, remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the soymilk. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it is smooth and creamy. I leave some small chunks of veggies, especially little potato pieces with the skin still on. (*If you don't have an immersion blender, you could also blend the soup in small batches in a traditional blender, then return to the pan).

4. Add the fresh herbs and grind in some black pepper. Check flavor and add more salt if you so desire.

5. Heat the soup gently, covered until just hot. Do not let it boil again. Serve right away. Plus, it makes great leftovers and stores well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days...