Above: Flat lay photography of skillet beside spoon of spices and vegetables by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

July Gastronomical Musings

Assembled by Fayra Teeters

Once more into the gastro-breach, dear friends; once more into the breach! Apparently, Subud Members love to cook and to share their “tricks of the trade” with all of us, so here are three more culinary delights for home or Subud Potlucks.

Blueberry Lemon Cake
Lucinda O’Halloran

Above: Yellow lemon beside white ceramic mug on brown wooden table by Sofya Zakharova on Unsplash

Goat Truffle Cheese Pizza
Hanafi Libman

A little variation from my usual tomato sauce variety, I’ve constructed this goat cheese version. I think I dreamed (dreamt?) that I needed to expand my repertoire, and discovering a small portion of goat cheese with truffle at the market, led to this variation. I love the Olive Bar at Whole Foods.

Crusts are easy. Buy one, or make your own. I use “00” wheat flour. It is actually softer to the touch. Making it takes less time than adding and constructing the pizza. It does have to rise for a couple of hours though. Countless recipes online and YouTube. Depending on current astrological indications I may use a pizza pan. I did this time, due to a little fear that it might be difficult to slide from the pizza peel. I make 10” crusts. Try to avoid using a rolling pin. Hand stretching leaves the dough more porous.

Ingredients (in order of application):

Costco Basil Pesto spread to thinly cover
Goat Truffle cheese, cover, but not like mozzarella
Marinated Artichoke Hearts ( Olive Bar)
Grilled Artichoke Hearts (Olive Bar)
Green, Black, Greek, Misc. Olives (OB)
Marinated Garlic Cloves (OB)
Balsamic  Mini Onions (OB)
Black Garlic
Red Pepper flakes (optional)
Mixed Italian Seasoning (Costco)
(I didn’t use them this time, but the sweet, multicolored cherry tomatoes are a nice addition to most pizza varieties.)

My kids gave me a countertop Pizza Oven, so your baking procedure may need a consultation with Google for time and temperature. I recommend using a pizza stone for nicely toasted crusts.

I chose the “New York” crust setting on my oven, and after preheating, it was a 5-minute bake. I slid it off the pan for an extra minute directly on the stone for better toasting.

A 10”-12” pizza is plenty for the 2 of us. Depending on mood, appetite, and ingredients, we may polish the whole thing off (4 slices apiece), or end up with 2 or 3 leftover slices. Bonus tip: they reheat wonderfully in an air fryer on the toast setting.

Above: Goat Truffle Cheese Pizza by Hanafi Libman

Chicken-less Chicken Noodle Soup
Fayra Teeters

Ingredients

Note: amounts are listed per serving, so please multiply by the number of eaters accordingly

12 oz filtered water
1 cup gluten free spaghetti, broken up into 1/3” to ½” lengths
1 Tbs avocado oil
1 tsp gluten free soy sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup diced/cubed tofu (I prefer Trader Joe’s sprouted tofu – extra protein)
½ cup each of diced veggies your choice: broccoli, green peas, riced cauliflower, zucchini
½ Tbs miso, white works best

Directions

Filtered water really does make a grand difference in cooking! We have a reverse osmosis R2D2-looking stainless steel contraption sitting on our counter near the sink.
Use a large saucepan or corning ware stovetop cooking pot and low heat under the pan with water in place.
Then add the ingredients in the order listed, stirring constantly for even distribution of flavors
Only add the miso after you’ve removed the soup from the heat, mashing the miso paste into the bottom of each soup bowl, swirling it around with enough broth to help it dissolve into the broth. Then spoon in the chunky tofu and veggie ingredients.
If you feel you need salt, be my guest – but remember, the miso, soy sauce, and lemon add plenty of salty zest on their own.
This soup is a meal in of itself and I often have it for dinner, even in the summer!

Above: Chicken Noodle Soup with Scenic Balcony View by Sarah O’shea on Pexels

Creole Spicey Black-eyed Peas
Nirel Jackson

Ingredients

1 pound (453g) black-eyed peas
4-5 thick slices bacon, chopped
5 ounces smoked sausage or turkey, diced (about 1 cup)
1 large onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2-3 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 optional jalapeno, minced (can replace with ¼ teaspoon cayenne)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1 bay leaf
1-2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
7-8 cups chicken broth
2 cups (or more) collard greens (or you can use kale)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Rinse dry black-eyed pea beans, pick through, and discard any foreign objects. Add beans to a large pot and cover with 3-4 inches of cold water. Let sit for 2-3 hours (or overnight).
In a large, heavy sauté pan, sauté chopped bacon until brown and crispy (4-5 minutes), then add sausage and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Remove bacon and sausage mixture, and set aside.
Throw in the onions, celery, garlic, jalapenos, thyme, and bay leaf, and sauté for 3-5 minutes until the onions are wilted and aromatic. Then pour in the chicken broth or water.
Drain the soaked beans, rinse, and place them in the pot. Season with Creole seasoning and salt to taste. Stir and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes.
Toss the collard greens, bacon, and sausage into the pot, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or more, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the broth thickens to your desired texture.
Add more stock or water if the mixture becomes dry and thick. The texture of the beans should be thick and somewhat creamy but not watery. Remove the bay leaf.

Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning if needed. Serve over rice and garnish with chopped green onion.
This dish was lovingly prepared by Nirel for the Portland Subud blended Christmas / Hanukkah / Kwanzaa Celebration in December 2024 to honor her mother who had passed on earlier that year. Often, it’s the sharing of cherished cooking that keeps our loved ones close and their legacy perpetuated in our memories.

Above: Black Eyed Beans Curry, Indian Cuisine by azerbaijan_stockers on Freepik