Friday - Three-Day Weekend

Ahhhh...the beginning of a three-day weekend! For anyone wanting a little info on Memorial Day, check out The History Channel's article on Memorial Day.

And now, here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the weekend, including Crab Cakes Baltimore-Style and Decadent Chocolate Mousse. Enjoy!

Note: I will be posting here on Monday; keep an eye out for vegetarian recipes to help celebrate the holiday.

LINGUINE WITH LEMON SAUCE

This comes from Pierre Franey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. All you need is pasta, a lemon, a knob of butter, a generous pour of heavy cream and a hunk of the best Parmesan you can get your hands on.” Time: About 20 minutes; makes 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest, plus more for serving

1/2 pound fresh or dried linguine

4 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra cheese to serve on the side

Preparation

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.

Heat the butter in a skillet and add the lemon zest.

Drop the linguine into the boiling water. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Add the cream to the butter and lemon zest mixture. Add the pasta and lemon juice and stir until just heated through. Add the Parmesan and toss. Serve with additional Parmesan and lemon zest on the side.

Tip: If fresh linguine is purchased in 9-ounce weight, use this in lieu of the half pound.

CRAB CAKES BALTIMORE-STYLE

This recipe also comes from Pierre Franey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. This one begins, “This is a classic crab cake inspired by those that were served at Obrycki's Crab House, a rollicking fish restaurant in a former row house on East Pratt Street in Baltimore. They are simply delicious.” Time: 15 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 large eggs, well beaten

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup crushed Saltine crackers

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

1/4 teaspoon red hot pepper flakes

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley sprigs

1/2 cup finely chopped scallions

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 pound crab meat, lump preferred, shell and cartilage removed

1/2 cup finely ground fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preparation

In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, celery, saltines, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay Seasoning, pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, scallions, salt and pepper, and blend well. Add the crab meat, folding it in lightly without breaking it up.

Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions. Shape them into hamburger-like patties. Dredge them lightly in the bread crumbs.

Heat approximately 2 tablespoons of the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Saute the crab cakes 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown, using the remaining 2 tablespoons oil if necessary. Drain on paper towels immediately. Serve the crab cakes with this French Creole-inspired remoulade sauce.

BARBECUED CHICKEN

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Barbecued chicken isn’t, really: It’s grilled rather than smoke-roasted at low temperature. But it requires a similar attention to technique. You’ll want to move the pieces around on the grill to keep them from burning, and flip them often as well. Cooking barbecued chicken benefits from a basting technique used by the chef and outdoor cooking maven Adam Perry Lang, who thins out his sauce with water, then paints it onto the meat he’s cooking coat after coat, allowing it to reduce and intensify rather than seize up and burn.” Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 45 minutes.

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup barbecue sauce (see recipe; follows)

6 to 8 chicken legs (drumsticks and thighs) skin-on, bone-in, about 3 1/2 to 4 pounds

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Preparation

Build a fire in your grill, leaving one side free of coals. When coals are covered with gray ash and the temperature is medium (you can hold your hand 5 inches above the coals for 5 to 7 seconds), you are ready to cook. (For a gas grill, turn one of the burners down to low or off, lower cover and heat for 15 minutes.)

Meanwhile, combine barbecue sauce with 1 cup water and stir to combine. Set aside.

Sprinkle the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper, then put them on the grill directly over the coals and cook for about 15 minutes, turning once every 5 minutes or so, and brushing with the thinned barbecue sauce. When the chicken skin starts to crisp and darken, move the pieces to the cooler side of the grill and let them cook for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until a peek inside shows that the meat no longer has any red at the center.

Move the chicken back onto the hot side of the grill and baste with sauce again, turning the meat a few times. Remove to a warmed platter and serve.

SIMPLE BARBECUE SAUCE

This is from John Willoughby, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. John wrote, “Smoked paprika is the secret weapon in this simple barbecue sauce, which goes beautifully with pork and chicken. If you’re painting the sauce onto cooking meat, thin it out with water to about a one-to-one ratio, which will keep the sugars from burning too quickly over the fire. Serve the full-strength stuff alongside the finished meat.” Yield: About 1 1/2 cups; Time: 10 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2/3 cup ketchup

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.

J’s B-B-Q GLUTEN

This is from my oldest son. For the most part, the recipe is included exactly as he wrote it out for me, though I have changed a word or two. (This stuff is definitely good.) This can also be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

Ingredients:

5 lb. whole wheat flour

2 onions

1/2 C creamy peanut butter

2 bottles of B-B-Q sauce

1 stick butter

2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons paprika

Huge bowl

Take whole wheat flour, empty into Big Bowl. Add enough water to knead into dough ball. Knead really well. I repeat, knead really well. For at least 10 minutes.

Fill huge bowl with water, put dough ball under water for 2 hours. Pour off water. Knead doughball under cold running water for 10 minutes or more. Water should be clear. You are washing out the starch and bran. You know it’s ready when stringy and it sticks together and is bouncy.

Melt 1 stick butter and fry 2 chopped onions until clear. Dump onto Gluten. Add salt, paprika, and peanut butter. Mix with hands completely.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cooking pan with non-stick spray. Pinch off pieces bigger than a golf ball. Take piece and fold it and twist it and lay it down in pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip over and bake for 10 more. Pour B-B-Q sauce and bake 10 more minutes, then flip and pour more B-B-Q sauce and bake 10 more minutes. It’s done—enjoy.

(Xtra note—be careful when you first mix wheat and water. Don’t add too much water. Make a hard dough ball. It might take 20 minutes to knead it.)

DECADENT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

14-16 oz tub silken tofu

16 oz package chocolate chips

1 T vanilla

1 T maple syrup, optional

Melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Set aside. Place tofu in blender. Pulse once or twice to start breaking it down. With spatula or wooden spoon, scrape melted chocolate chips and vanilla into tofu in blender, along with maple syrup, if using. Blend on low setting until chocolate and tofu are completely mixed, maybe 30 seconds. Pour into 4 bowls and let cool.

Note:If you prefer, you can use carob chips in place of the chocolate chips.