Gastronomical Musings from Subud Cooks

Assembled by Fayra Teeters

Here is yet another edition of mouth-watering recipes often imbibed at Subud Gatherings – enjoy!

Zucuhini Bread

Leana McClellan often brings this amazing treat to Portland Subud monthly meetings:

This zucchini bread is a summer classic that does an excellent job of using up woody or overgrown zucchini. If I have more squash than I can use in a single recipe, I grate it and freeze it in 2 ½ cup portions so that I can make more during the fall and winter.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
3 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted, chopped pecans, walnuts or 1 cup of chocolate chips, optional

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans.
Cream butter and sugar together. Add in applesauce, beaten eggs, grated zucchini and vanilla and mix to combine.
In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients and then stir them into the wet ingredients.
Add in the nuts and stir to incorporate.
Divide between the two loaf pans and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the tops are brown.

From Camille Hoffvandahl: Rice Pilaf for a Crowd:

Put to boil 4c water with 2 tsp salt
Sauté and stir in liberal amounts of olive oil:
1 onion chopped finely
1 c chopped nuts (especially walnuts and pecans or whatever you have)
2 c rice (I use brown basmati with about 1/2 c wild rice)
When onion is soft and rice is browning add to boiling water, turn down to simmer
If you like, add chopped apple, raisins and chopped apricots – if using for a stuffing, add herbs, chopped celery and mushrooms to the rice mixture while simmering.
Cook 40 – 60 minutes until rice is done.

Fayra Teeters’ Somewhat Easier Potato Latkas

I trot this recipe out for our Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa Celebration each December.

Ingredients:

3 large russet or yellow potatoes (serves 10 – for larger crowds just do the math)
3 stalks green onion
3 eggs
1/3 cup gluten free flour (I’m allergic!) or matzo meal (generally contains wheat)
1 tsp salt; ¼ tsp pepper
Enough avocado oil spray so the no-stick frying pan really doesn’t stick – go figure!

Instructions:

Cut up one of the potatoes in chunks and boil soft enough to mash; set aside.
Grate the other two potatoes into a large bowl, being careful not to grate your finger-tips in as well.
Add mashed potatoes into the grated heap, add beaten eggs, flour or matzo meal, salt, pepper.
I actually CUT the green onion stalks with a scissors (after removing the wilted parts, of course) directly into my massive assembly-bowl. Stir well.

At some point before all the ingredients are assembled, pre-heat the non-stick frying pan (s) on low to medium heat (never high, oi vey! Or you’ll get burning and smoke like nobody’s business!) Use a fine film of avocado oil spray in the pan. Once warm, drop a large serving-spoon’s worth of pancake mixture into the frying pan, adding more ovals of the mixture to fill the pan, careful to keep each pancake separate from its mates. Flip each pancake onto its belly after about a minute, removing when golden brown. Keep finished pancakes warm in a low-heat oven, or be prepared to microwave for 2 minutes prior to serving.

Beef vegetable soup by Anna Schroeder

Ingredients:

Chuck roast
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 Tbl of ketchup
5-6 cups water
I T Better than Bullion
2T butter
1 onion chopped
3 carrots peeled and chopped
2 cups of green beets cut into 1” pieces

Other optional additives:

1 cup corn
1 cup sliced sautéed mushrooms
2 potatoes cubed
2T of corn starch

Pat roast dry and put liberal amounts of ground pepper on both sides.
Brown roast in a skillet.
Put in roasting pan or crockpot.
Sauté onion with butter until translucent.
Add onion to crock pot or roasting pan.
Add bullion to water and put into roasting pan or crock pot with meat.
Add wine, and ketchup to pot.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees if you are using a roasting pan, and cook meat and mixture for 3 hours.
If using a crock pot cook on high until meat is tender enough to pull apart. (5-6 hours)
When meat is done take it out of the broth and shred it, removing any fat or connective tissue.
Replace the meat into broth. Add carrots and cook for 10 minutes (if you want to add potatoes add them now).
Add green beans and cook until they are bright green. Add optional vegetables at this time.
If you like your broth thickened take about 1/2 a cup out and add the corn starch. Stir until smooth and add it back into the soup. Heat and stir until thickened. Note potatoes may thicken it as well.
Enjoy with a rustic bread of your choice.

Deviled Eggs by Kate Mura

This is one of my go-to’s for potlucks and parties because as a vegetarian for over 30 years, I well remember going to events where there were no proteins for me to eat. My mom taught me to make her deviled eggs which I’ve modified slightly over the years, as I love bold flavors, while she has a delicate palate.

Ingredients:

Hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half long ways.
Horseradish mustard (you can use a bit of creamed horseradish instead)
My favorite combination is: Dijon, Yellow, & Stoneground – using all of them in the same batch.
Mayonnaise (vegan works just as well)
Garlic powder, Salt, Pepper, Onion powder
Dried Basil, Dried Oregano, Dried Parsley, Dried Turmeric, Dried Paprika – for the tops

I purposely use no units of measure, as quantity is so dependent on taste. I hard boil 4 or more eggs because I find it much easier to make these in slightly larger quantities. Fourteen (7 eggs) fit in my grandmother’s deviled egg tray, which is what I usually use. I add mayo last to get it to the creaminess I like, then add in more mustards and flavors.

Directions

1. Hard boil eggs. Roughly 2 min/egg.
2. Peel eggs and slice longways so the hard whites give a nice nest for the hard yolks. Tip: Just do one to start. That way if it’s undercooked you can toss the rest back in the pot for a bit longer.
3. Separate the yolks from the whites. Put the whites on whatever serving container you’re using. Put the yolks in a bowl to mix up all together. Any whites that break may be chopped up and tossed in with the yolks.
4. Give a good squeeze of each mustard into the bowl and mash up until creamy. Tip: Horseradish is a strong flavor! I recommend going light on that one to start. Much easier to add more. Though more mayo can be added to calm bold flavors too.
5. Add a pinch of all the different herbs and mash together.
6. Add a small spoonful of mayo. Mix & taste.
7. Add whichever herbs & mustards you want more of their flavor. Tips: Start light on the salt or omit completely when cooking for folk who need low sodium. When using fresh herbs, their flavor profile will shift more over time as their oils settle. Adding more turmeric and yellow mustard will bring the color to a more vibrant yellow.
8. Sprinkle paprika on top and serve. Tip: When using fresh herbs you may also sprinkle some of them on top as well.