We've made our cook book club virtual! We may not be able to meet in person and cook for one another, but that doesn't mean we can't create together. Each month we will highlight a different spice or seasoning. Kits will include this spice, a recipe that highlights it, a little history on the spice or recipe, and some best practices. I'll post the recipes and information here as well, so let's get cooking! Oh, and we are changing some things. The kit has undergone an upgraded appearance. And be on the look out for some changes to the lineup as with the projected improvements to the pandemic status towards late Spring/early Summer will hopefully allow us to include some in-person meetings.
Special Note
This month's primary recipe is a little different. It relies on vegan techniques and ingredients. We are aware that sometimes this can be a challenge &/or some people just are turned off by the very thought of a vegan recipe, so an attempt has been made to adjust accordingly. To be fair, it also originally had a slightly different flavor profile as neither cumin nor garlic were a part of the original sauce recipe (the original had 1/2 tsp nutmeg instead).
There are many different variations on a squash-based lasagna, and some even use the squash as the lasagna noodles. If the recipes included in this booklet don't strike your fancy, feel free to try something else. We are attempting to hold true to the original intent with this group of cooking together, in spirit if not in person. We hope you at least give the dish a chance.
Also important to note:
We are fast approaching a time at which we will be able to eat together again. Hopefully this summer we will be lifting restrictions on getting together and eating... in the context of a program. At such time, we will keep these kits together, but add in a special event. The second to last Monday of the month we will have a potluck centered around the theme of that month. Bring a dish to share and try at least a bite of what everyone else has brought (barring allergies) and enjoy a chance to commune with your community. We hope to see you there!
Interesting Facts on Cumin
Primarily adapted from McCormickScienceInstitute.com, TasteCooking.com and SeriousEats.com
Some of the oldest references to cumin date back 5,000 years as a mummification ingredient in Ancient Egypt. Outside of Egypt however, it's primary range of use was found in food and medicine of the Mediterranean and Middle East and has a rich history. It was traded heavily along the Silk Road and when the Conquistadores travelled to the Americas, they brought cumin with them where it became essential to Mexican cooking.
The Ancient Greeks, as numerous sources have pointed out, used cumin as a flavor enhancer and kept it right there on the table much as we do salt and pepper. They also used it extensively in medicine, seen as something of a universal antidote, and was even mentioned in several of the classic Greek tragedies.
However while other areas of the Mediterranean continued their love affair with the spice, somewhere along the way cumin lost its hold on the Greeks. Despite the fact that it predated any Ottoman influence, it became a symbol of their occupation. Influential chefs like Nikolaos Tselementes in the early 20th century tried to remove some of the more Eastern influences from Greek cooking as a backlash from the centuries of bad blood between the two regions and so cumin and other more traditional spices were replaced with seasonings more in line with French cuisine.
However, cumin has started to find renewed interest with its prior fans. Cumin is one of a number of traditional Greek spices that is found in almost all aspects of Greek cooking, be it main meat dishes, hearty vegetarian fare, pies, rices, even some desserts.
Best Practices for Cooking with Cumin
Primarily adapted from SeriousEats.com and FineCooking.com
Cumin has an earthy, pungent, musky and peppery flavor profile with just a hint of heat. It goes excessively well with gamey meats such as lamb or venison and is most often found in Asian (Indian, Chinese, etc.), Mexican, and North African cuisines.
As with most spices, cumin should be stored in an airtight container in a dark cabinet. It has a slightly longer shelf life than a decent number of other spices but once it starts losing its fragrance, it is time o invest in new.
For best results, bloom the whole or ground cumin in hot oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds, before adding the rest of your ingredients to the infused oil.
Blooming is a technique in which you take some spices and heat them up in oil to release and amplify the flavor of the spice before adding other spices and seasonings. Remember: Flavor compounds in spices are tied to their oils. That means that they will not easily dissolve in water and water-based solutions. Adding hydration through oil will awaken the compounds that have become inactive and provide a more vibrant flavor profile.
Main Event #1, Part 1:
Vegan Butternut Squash Lasagna
As Adapted from NoraCooks.com for use by the Brown Deer Library Cook Book Club
Prep: 30 min. ● Cook: 55 min. ● Total: 1 hr. 25 min. ● Serves: 9
Butternut Squash Sauce Ingredients
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 6 cups cubed)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup unsweetened soy milk*
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
few shakes of black pepper
The Remaining Ingredients
1 Recipe Vegan Ricotta (see Vegan Ricotta Recipe after this recipe)
4 cups packed chopped kale, stems removed (1 bunch)
12 lasagna noodles, gluten free if needed
1 bag (2 cups) vegan mozzarella cheese, optional
parsley, optional
Directions
MAKE THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SAUCE
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and lightly oil a baking sheet. Peel and chop the butternut squash, then add to the pan and drizzle with a little olive oil. Toss to coat the squash, then sprinkle with salt and bake for 25-30 minutes, until tender and golden. Remove from oven. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Transfer cooked squash to a food processor, along with the non-dairy milk, salt, cumin, garlic, thyme and pepper and blend until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and set aside (you will need the food processor for the ricotta as well).
PREPARE THE VEGAN RICOTTA
While the squash is roasting in the oven, prepare the Vegan Ricotta.
COOK THE KALE
Steam the chopped kale in a large pot with a steamer basket (about 2 cups of water on the bottom) for about 10 minutes on medium-high heat, or until tender. Season with a little salt and set aside.
COOK THE NOODLES
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Drain, then rinse in cold water. If you lay the rinsed noodles on a baking sheet, they don't all stick together.
ASSEMBLE
In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place about 3/4 cup of the squash mixture over the bottom.
Place a layer of noodles (3 or 4 noodles), then add 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, in spoonfuls. Layer 1/2 of the kale, then about a cup of the butternut squash sauce.
Repeat with another layer of noodles, then the rest of the ricotta, the rest of the kale, another cup of butternut sauce. Finish with a layer of noodles and the rest of the butternut sauce.
If desired, add a bag of non-dairy mozzarella to the top. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes (at 375 degrees). Sprinkle lasagna with chopped parsley, if desired and serve. Enjoy!
Main Event #1, Part 2
Easy Vegan Ricotta
As Adapted from NoraCooks.com for use with the Butternut Squash Lasagna by the Brown Deer Cookbook Club
Prep: 5 min. ● Total: 5 min. ● Serves: 8
Ingredients
2 cups raw slivered almonds*
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2-3/4 cup water
Directions
To a food processor (or high powered blender), add the almonds, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and 1/4 cup of water. Blend until the nuts are broken down and fairly smooth, then add an additional 1/4 cup water and blend. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Add more water as needed until fluffy and fairly smooth. The texture will still be slightly grainy and nutty, not completely creamy and smooth. Feel free to add more herbs here, such as a teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil, or a handful of fresh basil.
Notes
To make this easier, you can purchase pre-peeled and chopped butternut squash.
You may use another kind of non-dairy milk if desired, just make sure it is unsweetened and unflavored.
Gluten free: Use gluten free lasagna noodles, I used Tinkyada brand which I love, made from brown rice.
Nut free: If you need this lasagna to be nut free, use tofu instead of nuts for the ricotta recipe. I include instructions how to do this on that recipe page.
You may sub baby spinach for the kale if desired, there is really no need to pre-cook baby spinach, you could just layer it in raw, it will wilt when in the oven.
Main Event #2, Part 1
nonVegan (Vegetarian) Butternut Squash Lasagna
Adapted from the vegan recipe on NoraCooks.com with additions from WatchLearnEat.com for conversion for use by the Brown Deer Cook Book Club
Prep: 30 min. ● Cook: 55 min. ● Total: 1 hr. 25 min. ● Serves: 9
Butternut Squash Sauce Ingredients
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 6 cups cubed)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
few shakes of black pepper
The Remaining Ingredients
2+ cups ricotta mixture (see Ricotta Cheese recipe after this and use half)
4 cups packed chopped kale, stems removed (1 bunch)
12 lasagna noodles, gluten free if needed
2 cups mozzarella cheese, optional
parsley, optional
Directions
MAKE THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SAUCE
Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly oil a baking sheet. Peel and chop the butternut squash, then add to the pan and drizzle with a little olive oil. Toss to coat the squash, then sprinkle with salt and bake for 25-30 minutes, until tender and golden. Remove from oven. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F.
Transfer cooked squash to a food processor, along with the milk, salt, cumin, garlic and pepper and blend until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and set aside (you will need the food processor for the ricotta as well).
PREPARE THE RICOTTA
While the squash is roasting in the oven, prepare the ricotta mixture. You will only need about half a recipe.
COOK THE KALE
Steam the chopped kale in a large pot with a steamer basket (about 2 cups of water on the bottom) for about 10 minutes on medium-high heat, or until tender. Season with a little salt and set aside.
COOK THE NOODLES
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Drain, then rinse in cold water. If you lay the rinsed noodles on a baking sheet, they don't all stick together.
ASSEMBLE
In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place about 3/4 cup of the squash mixture over the bottom.
Place a layer of noodles (3 or 4 noodles), then add 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, in spoonfuls. Layer 1/2 of the kale, then about a cup of the butternut squash sauce.
Repeat with another layer of noodles, then the rest of the ricotta, the rest of the kale, another cup of butternut sauce. Finish with a layer of noodles and the rest of the butternut sauce.
If desired, add a bag of mozzarella to the top. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes (at 375 degrees). Sprinkle lasagna with chopped parsley, if desired and serve. Enjoy!
Main Event #2, Part 2
Ricotta Cheese Mixture
As adapted from WatchLearnEat.com for use with the NoraCooks.com (Vegetarian) Butternut Squash Lasagna by the Brown Deer Cookbook Club
Servings: 12 Prep: 10 min. Total: 10 min.
Ingredients
32 oz ricotta cheese (2 lb. container, whole milk)
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (part skim or whole milk)
⅓ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese*
2 eggs
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped (optional)
½ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Directions
Place ricotta cheese in a large mixing bowl.
Add mozzarella and Romano cheeses and stir.
Stir in eggs.
Add in black pepper and parsley as well as the garlic powder if you're using it. Stir together and refrigerate until ready to use.