By Sidonie Maroon , The Food Co-op’s Culinary Educator , abluedotkitchen

Follow Sidonie on The Food Co-op’s Facebook group Cooking with the Co-op

Find Sidonie in The Leader every other week in Kitchen-to-Kitchen, an article sponsored by The Food Co-op. This week’s recipes included Roasted Cremini Chowder

Recipes included:
Creamy Tomato Lentils with Garlic Roasted Cremini Mushrooms
Instant Pot Vegetarian Mushroom Pho

Creamy Tomato Lentils with Garlic Roasted Cremini Mushrooms

Instant Pot

Makes 2 quarts plus roasted mushrooms

1 ½ hours (mostly hands-off)

A rich and umami vegetarian main, that’s reminiscent of an Italian ragu. Everyone will want seconds, and if your guests aren’t lentils lovers, this may change their minds.

Ingredients

For Instant Pot

¼ cup olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 celery stalks chopped into a small dice

2 medium carrots chopped into a small dice

6 cloves garlic, inner sprout removed, chopped

¾ cup Pardina lentils, washed and sorted

¾ cup black beluga lentils, washed and sorted

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 tablespoon fish sauce, Red Boat brand

4 cups water

To finish stew

1 cup whole milk or cream

7 ounces tomato paste

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Spice mix

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon red pepper powder

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon whole coriander seed

2 dried bay leaves

Table Ingredients

lemon slices

grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Roasted mushroom ingredients

2 lbs cremini mushrooms, wipe to clean without water, cut in half

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano plus more for the table

Directions

Instant Pot Lentils

Set Instant Pot to high saute and warm the olive oil. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add the carrots, garlic and celery and continue to saute for another 5 minutes. Add the washed lentils, salt, fish sauce and water. Stir together. Check the Instant Pot seal and put the lid on. Set to high pressure for 30 minutes with a natural release.

While the stew cooks, Stir the tomato paste, salt and milk or cream together in a medium-sized bowl. Grind the spices together and sift through a sieve into the bowl and stir.

After the pressure has naturally released, open the IP lid. Pour in the tomato and cream mixture, and fold in. Add the mushroom juices to the stew. Check the flavors and keep hot.

Roasted Mushrooms

Time mushrooms so they are done at the same time as the stew. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Lay the mushrooms and garlic on a parchment lined large baking sheet. Rub all over with olive oil. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, and pour off any juice, and reserve for stew. Return the tray to the oven and continue to roast for another 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and grated parmesan, keeping them warm until the stew has finished.

To serve, Ladle the hot stew into wide shallow bowls, squeeze on some lemon, top with warm mushrooms and sprinkle on more cheese.

Instant Pot Vegetarian Mushroom Pho

Inspired by Andrea Nguyen’s The PHO cookbook

Serves 4

Takes 2 hours, mostly hands-off

Try this recipe when a vegetarian pho is in order. It’s flavorful mushroom broth and spicy notes contrast well with shiitakes and aromatic basil. The lime, added at the table, sets everything harmoniously together.

Ingredients

For the Broth

2 quarts water

1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt, more if needed

1-inch piece of unpeeled ginger thickly sliced and bruised

4 cloves garlic peeled

1 medium yellow onion cut into thick half slices

1 medium tart/sweet apple with peel, cored and cut into chunks

2 celery stalks coarsely chopped

3 packed cups cremini mushrooms roughly chopped

1 ounce dried mixed mushrooms

2 whole cloves

2 star anise

2 teaspoons coriander seed

1/2 cinnamon stick

3 tablespoons Braggs liquid aminos, more if needed

2 teaspoons coconut sugar

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

For the Noodles

10 ounces dried narrow flat rice noodles

For the Bowl

1 red onion sliced paper thin and quickly blanched for 30 seconds, in a noodle basket or sieve, right before the noodles are cooked.

1 bunch Thai basil leaves, with leaves taken off the stems.

½ lb shiitake mushrooms, stems taken off and thinly sliced

1 lime sliced for squeezing

Making the broth

Turn the Instant Pot to medium saute and dry toast the spices until fragrant, then take them out and set aside. Turn to high saute and add the onion, ginger and garlic turning frequently until aromatic,

3 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the spices, apple, celery, mushrooms, salt and water. Set on the broth cycle, using a natural release. When the broth’s done, strain it through a sieve and discard the solids. Add the Braggs, coconut sugar, and vinegar. Keep the broth hot, under a simmer, until it’s time to serve.

Prepping the bowls

While the broth cooks, ready the other ingredients — Prep the basil and red onions. When you’re close to serving, stir-fry or grill the shiitake slices, on a high heat, in batches, using a small amount of oil.

Making the noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; then keep it at a high simmer until needed. Soak the noodles covering in hot tap water, until opaque and pliable about 15- 30 minutes. Drain and wash off any extra starch, then drain them again. When you’re ready to serve the pho, bring the noodle water to a boil and dunk in a single portion of the noodles, using a noodle strainer or mesh sieve. This will heat and soften them. Submerge them for 60 seconds or al dente. Lift the noodles from the pot, shake the strainer to remove any excess water, and put the noodles in a warmed bowl. Repeat until all the bowls have noodles. Each bowl should contain a ratio of ⅓ noodles to ⅔ broth and toppings.

Serving the Pho

If possible, the bowls should be warm. The noodles will go in the bottom, followed by the broth, then onion, shiitake followed by the basil. I recommend a generous squeeze of lime or a dash of the garlic vinegar. Eat the pho by first wafting the fragrance, then tasting and slurping heartily. Vietnamese traditionally eat pho with ceramic soup spoons and chopsticks.