Israeli Couscous and Spring Vegetable Salad

Can you believe that I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years and have never subscribed to Vegetarian Times. I don't even know if I've even read it once, and, if I did, it was at the very beginning of my days as a vegetarian...in the late 80's!

Well, I finally subscribed to Vegetarian Times (bookstore gift cards are good like that) at the suggestion of some friends, and received my first issue last month. To be honest (who me?), I was underwhelmed with the thin magazine, and only dog-eared two recipes. Maybe that issue's recipes just didn't have my name on them.
The two recipes I did dog-ear are from the 6-recipe spread on Philly's own premier vegan restaurant, Horizons, which was exciting to see. I guess the April issue kinda was speaking to me.

Always a sucker for the playful, tongue-pleasing round orbs of Israeli couscous, I whipped up a batch of Horizons' Israeli couscous and Spring vegetable salad. I see this dish as a picnic replacement for the tired (but classic) rotini pasta salad with tomatoes and basil. Try something different this year.Israeli Couscous and Spring Vegetable Salad
Adapted from Vegetarian Times
Serves 6

The olives and basil were originally intended for garnish, but at home I don't eat fancy (the dish ended up in Tupperware storage to be eaten over many days), so threw the olives and basil into the mix to get their strong flavors incorporated.

2 cups dry Israeli couscous
4 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil
1 large bulb fennel, slivered, grated or finely chopped (1 cup)
1 medium leek, white and pale green parts finely chopped (1/2 cup)
6 cloves garlic, chopped (2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups shelled fresh or frozen peas
1 cup vegetable broth
4 plum tomatoes, chopped (1 cup)
2 0.25-gram packages saffron threads
2 cups baby arugula leaves
1/2 cup chopped, pitted oil-cured or Kalamata olives
handful basil leaves, chopped

• Cook couscous in ample water (just like cooking any pasta) until pearls are soft. Drain and set aside.
• In a large skillet (size is important here), heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add fennel, leeks, and garlic, and cook 3-5 minutes.
• Add wine, and cook for 1 minute. Add peas and let cook for 1 more minute, as wine reduces.
• Add vegetable broth.
• Add couscous, tomatoes and saffron. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  
• Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and stir in arugula, olives, and basil.
  
• Serve immediately. If serving at a later time, say, the next day, wait to add arugula and basil until right before serving as they get a little wilty over time.
  

Paella with Tomatoes

Paella has been on my list of dishes to make for almost a year now. Like most things on my list, they either get done that second or they get pushed to some time waaay off in the future. Paella got pushed into the future. Way off.

Thoughts of paella were originally prompted by a gift of saffron from Spain, even though I know this traditional Spanish dish is chock full of seafood and other meat goodies that I do not eat. Like most dishes, even paella can be vegetarianized.

A kick in the butt came a few weeks ago when Mark Bittman (man of many food fads in the blogosphere – No-Knead Bread and list of 101 simple meals) posted a recipe a few weeks ago in The New York Times of paella with tomatoes that’s fit for a vegetarian.

I know what you're thinking. What's the point of paella without the seafood? The point is the saffron rice. The other point – of this recipe, at least – is to make use of some of the tomatoes that are overwhelming your kitchen. To bring some of the meaty heartiness of the dish back, I added veggie sausage. I don't think the sausage added to the dish, but it didn't detract, either. For me, this dish is more about the rice.

At this time of year when tomatoes are still abundant, and the weather has cooled off to the point where you no longer fear your kitchen will spontaneously combust if you turn on the oven, this quick, one-dish meal is perfect.

Paella with Tomatoes
Adapted from Mark Bitman’s recipe in The New York Times
4 to 6 servings

3 ½ cups vegetable stock
1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into wedge
salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
large pinch of saffron
2 teaspoons paprika
2 cups Spanish or other short-grain rice
7 ounces veggie sausage
minced parsley for garnish

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  
• Warm stock in a saucepan.
  
• Toss tomatoes in a bowl with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  
• Put remaining oil in a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure the skillet is oven proof, as it’ll be going in the oven later.
• Add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables soften.
  
• Stir in tomato paste, saffron, and paprika and cook for a minute more.
  
• Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, for another minute or two.
  
• Add stock and stir until combined.
• Put sausage and tomato wedges on top of rice, and pour remaining juices in bottom of bowl over top of rice.
  
• Put pan in oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until rice is dry and just tender. If rice looks dry but is not quite done, add a small amount of stock and return to the oven until done.
• When rice is cooked turn off the oven, and let the pan sit for 5 to 15 minutes in the oven.
• Remove pan from oven, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.