Easy to Make Miso Soup

Ingredients

4 oz container of thai style baked Tofu
5 medium raw button mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
3 cups water
2 tablespoons white miso paste
2 onions spring or scallions (includes tops and bulbs) raw, medium (4-1/8 long)

Instructions

Slice scallions (green onions) and mushrooms. Cut tofu into 1/2in cubes. This soup recipe can be made a little faster by boiling three (3) cups of water in your kettle while you do the first steps. Heat sesame oil in a saucepan and add scallions; stir for about one minute. Add 2 1/2 cups of boling water and bring to a boil. Dissolve the miso in 1/2 cup of boling water and add to the saucepan. Remove from heat; add mushrooms and tofu before serving.

Okra and Tomatoes

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2006 Show: Good Eats Episode: Okraphobia
1 pound okra, rinsed and trimmed 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 cups finely chopped red onion 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 cups peeled and chopped tomato 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1 teaspoon freshly ground grains of paradise* or black pepper 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom Cut each okra pod in half lengthwise and set aside. If there are any pods longer than 4 inches, cut them in half crosswise and then lengthwise. Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions along with the salt and cook until they begin to turn golden, approximately 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and add the ginger, pepper, cardamom and okra. Stir to combine. Cook, uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Serve immediately. *Cook's Note: Grains of Paradise are available online and in specialty spice markets. They have a zesty flavor reminiscent of pepper, coriander, and cardamom.

Ratatouille Provencal

Ingredients

• 3.5 Pounds tomatoes
• 2 eggplants, cubed or cut into rondelles
• 2 zucchinis, cubed or sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, julienned
• 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, julienned
• 2 Pounds onions, chopped
• 10 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Herbes de Provence
• 1/2 cup olive oil, or enough for sauteeing
• Salt pepper to taste
  

Preparation Instructions

Sautee onions, garlic, and bell peppers in olive oil, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes. Add more olive oil as necessary to prevent burning.

Peel and core the tomatoes, and add to the pot. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Stir harshly enough to break cooked tomatoes into pieces.

Add eggplant and zucchini, Herbes de Provence, and salt and pepper. If your tomatoes are off-season or otherwise less than perfect, add up to 1/2 cup tomato paste to improve flavor. Recover and simmer 30 minutes.

Helpful Hints

This is an easy, one-pot version of a traditional French ratatouille. Serve hot or cold, as a soup or over rice or couscous.