“Huge lemons, cut in slices, would sink like setting suns into the dusky sea, softly illuminating it with their radiating membranes, and its clear, smooth surface aquiver from the rising bitter essence.” ~ Rainer Maria Rilk, Bohemian poet (1875-1926)

Even though I had often seen preserved lemons in specialty stores and in gourmet catalogues, it didn’t occur to me until I had some on a pizza recently that perhaps they are easy enough to make at home. After all, a 7-ounce jar runs about $7 – $10 and contain nothing more than lemons in a salt brine.

Preserved lemons will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator, and look beautiful while they’re doing it. But finding ways to use them is easy, too, on pasta, in tapenade, in soups, and to make just about anything Moroccan, so don’t count on them lasting all that long. They make a perfect gift for a vegetarian or vegan because they are a good substitute for anchovies, any gourmet would be delighted with the creative potential a jar of preserved lemons presents. For yourself, why not make a jar to use for Meatless Monday?

Making preserved lemons is almost easier than making a peanut butter sandwich, but as you rush out to the market to buy the ingredients, please give some thought to organic lemons. The outermost portion of the lemon’s peel – the yellow zest – is the part that comes into most direct contact with whatever chemical the growers are using to protect the growing fruit from insects and disease, and to regulate its growth. Since this is the part we’ll be eating, if your store offers organic produce, this would be a good time to try it. Either way, be sure to choose the brightest color lemons you can find. Partially green lemons will not look as attractive once in the jar.

Preserved Lemons
Makes 1 quart jar
Time: 5 minutes + 2 weeks standing time

6 whole organic lemons, scrubbed well
2 cups coarse salt

Measure ¼ cup of the salt into the bottom of a clean quart jar with a tight fitting lid.

Cut 4 of the lemons lengthwise into eighths. Add them to the jar, layering with the salt, compressing the lemon pieces as necessary to fit them all in. Top with any remaining salt.

Juice the remaining 2 lemons and add the juice to the jar. Cover tightly and shake. Place the jar on the counter over night and shake again in the morning, then put it into the refrigerator and shake once each day for the next two weeks. If after two weeks there is still not enough brine to cover the lemon, just add additional lemon juice or cool boiled water so that all the lemon is submerged.

When ready to use, slice off the portion you will be using and rinse it well under clear running water to remove the salty brine. Preserved lemon can be used for just about any recipe calling for fresh lemon zest, simply discard the white pith and meat.

Visit us on Wednesday for a delicious lentil soup that includes preserved lemon zest.

“Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time.” ~ unknown source

For those of us living in cold, wintery conditions right now, it is a little hard to imagine ourselves sitting on the western coast of Mexico, looking up at coconuts that are enjoying the warm sunshine just as much as we would be if we could really be there. The weather forecasters are predicting the first snowfall of the season for today.

In the winter, when I lived in Colorado Springs, I would often stop at a coffee shop around the corner from my office to grab a cup of hot chocolate on my way to taking some evening classes at a nearby university. The cocoa was good, but one day I asked the barista if she could make it a bit less sweet. “Ooooh,” she replied knowingly, “You want it like my Hispanic customers!”

That was my introduction to Mexican hot chocolate, with a splash of coffee and a lot less sugar. In the years since, I have traded in the cow’s milk for coconut milk (much easier on the digestive system), the shaved chocolate and sugar mixture for semi-sweet chocolate chips, and the coffee for some Kahlua coffee flavored liquor, to come up with a good night sipper that is sure to knock the wind out of the blizzard.

Mexican Chocolate Caliente Supremo!
Serves 2
Time: 5 minutes

1 ½ cups So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons Kahlua or strong coffee
Pinch ground cinnamon or ground chipotle pepper
2 tall sticks cinnamon

Warm the milk and chocolate chips together, stirring constantly over low heat, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in the Kahlua or coffee, and cinnamon or pepper, then whisk until it is very frothy. Pour into two mugs and add a stick cinnamon to use for stirring. Enjoy while still hot.

Please don’t tell me it isn’t winter yet; just let me pretend in peace, ok?

“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.” ~ Henry Van Dyke, American writer (1852 -1933)

For the lemons flown in from Florida, the pecans grown in Georgia, the cranberries from Maine, the raisins from California, the beautiful grains that grow across the great plains, the wild rice of Louisiana, the delicious wines of Washington’s Columbia Valley, the pumpkins from Illinois, potatoes from Idaho, and the summer squash and tart cherries grown in Michigan, there were many, many farmers who had a hand in tonight’s dinner. And we are grateful.

Starting up the Mosaic Kitchen Project this year was the beginning of a fun and educational journey that required many hands. We are blessed by those who requested healthier versions of favorite old recipes and those who challenged us to make tasty foods that can be prepared in one or two-serving portions. And we were delighted by the encouragement to publish recipes that would help the people who have vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores sharing the same table, especially for holidays.

The help and support of our family, friends, and readers has been touching. Creating Mosaic Meals: Bringing Vegans, Vegetarians, and Omnivores Together was a labor we couldn’t have accomplished without you. Thank you for your loyalty.

Recently, we have also been encouraged by some wonderful reviews and kind words from reporters:

Mint’s Frugal Foodie included us in her discussion of how to eat healthy for less while traveling by air: http://www.mint.com/blog/saving/airline-food-09222010/

Family Goes Strong writer Susan Kuchinskas included a bit of guidance from Mosaic Meals for being gracious and inclusive when hosting guests who eat meatless: http://www.familygoesstrong.com/what-your-vegan-guests-wont-tell-you

Chef Divya Gugnani assembled her list of the Seven Savory Cookbooks Worth Stocking This Season and included Mosaic Meals for The Page Daily – Epicurean: http://www.pagedaily.com/divya-gugnani-cookbooks/

Finally, thank you to the many people who have purchased Mosaic Meals for themselves and to give as gifts, allowing us to continue to do what we enjoy the most, including all of you at our table. Cheers!

Affectionately,
~ Larry and Janet

“Life is like eating artichokes, you have got to go through so much to get so little.” ~ Thomas “TAD” Aloysius Dorgan, American cartoonist and creator of many catchy phrases like, “Yes, we have no bananas,” “Dumbbell,” and, “For crying out loud!” (1877-1929).

Cumin is a seed that comes from a plant in the parsley family. It is claimed to have originated in any one of several countries, but evidence only leads us to be somewhat confident that it came from somewhere in Northern African or the Middle East. It is popular in vegetable heavy diets, especially in Southwest-American, Mexican, Spanish, Lebanese, Iranian, Egyptian, Moroccan, and Indian cuisines.

Don’t be afraid to be generous with your use of cumin; the unique flavor has a mild earthiness that goes well with beans and veggies. Toasting the whole seed before grinding will intensify the flavor a bit, but we use so much of it, that buying it already ground is a convenience that is easy to appreciate, so we keep both on hand.

Since cumin compliments both legumes and artichokes, it is perfect in Artichoke White Chili. This alternative to tomato-based chili is just as warming as more traditional variations, but with a smoother, somewhat smoky flavor and while most white chili recipes call for the addition of chicken, with the richness provided by the artichokes, it really isn’t necessary here.

Even if you’re “busy as a one-armed paper hanger,” (another TAD phrase) you’ll have time to throw this one together!

Artichoke White Chili
Serves 2
Time: 20 minutes

2 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground chipotle pepper
1 (15-ounce can) navy or great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup of your favorite vegetable broth
1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
½ cup chopped canned or thawed from frozen artichoke hearts
2 tablespoons lime juice
Your favorite red salsa to garnish

Soften the chopped onion in the olive oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the salsa. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the potato is cooked to desired tenderness. Remove from heat and serve with red salsa for individuals to garnish as desired.

We put ours in bread bowls just for fun.

“There are three things to remember when teaching: know your stuff; know whom you are stuffing; and then stuff them elegantly” ~ Lola J. May, Ph.D., American mathematics teacher and author (1924 – 2007)

The first time I made stuffing with whole wheat bread, I knew I’d come to the point of no return. The extra nutty flavor is absolutely perfect to go along with the other autumn flavors that are on the table at this time of year, especially apples, walnuts, and squash.

This Stuffed Pumpkin recipe is easy enough for Meatless Monday fare, but if your holiday table includes someone who follows a vegan or vegetarian diet, it also makes a stunning entrée that won’t leave anyone feeling overlooked – just be sure to make plenty because even the turkey-eaters will want at least half of one!

Make the stuffing ahead of time, if you wish, and store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready for use. If you are in need of a gluten-free dish, the pumpkin is also delightful when stuffed with one of the Mosaic Rice offerings from the Mosaic Meals cookbook beginning on page 50.

Rustic Bread Stuffing
Makes 4 cups, enough to fill 2 small pumpkins
Time: 20 minutes

4 cups bread cubes from crusty whole wheat bread
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
¼ cup chopped onion
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium tart apple, cored and peeled, cut into cubes
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
½ cup raisins
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 ½ cups vegetable broth

Toast the bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed cookie sheet at 350° F for about 10 minutes, until crispy.

Meanwhile, soften the chopped onion in canola or vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes, but do not allow to brown. Stir in the celery, apple, walnuts, and raisins, and allow them to begin to soften, too, about 5 minutes longer.

Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the toasted bread cubes and remaining ingredients to the onion mixture, tossing to combine. Cover tightly and allow to stand for at least 10 minutes, until the moisture has been absorbed by the bread.

Meanwhile…

Stuffed Pumpkins
Serves 2
Time: 55 minutes

2 small pie pumpkins
4 cups stuffing

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Remove the stem end of the pumpkins by making a horizontal cut about one inch below the top. Scrape out the seeds and any gooey, mushy strands. Also scrape out the lids.

Fill the scooped out pumpkins with the stuffing and mound another ½ cup on the top.

Place the stuffed pumpkins and lids into a Dutch Oven or other roasting pan. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. Cover and place into a 350° F oven for 40 minutes. Remove pan from oven, leaving the lid on until ready to serve; they will stay hot for up to 30 minutes.

The pumpkins’ skin will fall away very easily once they begin to cool, making them very easy to eat, so handle with care in order to keep it in place while serving. Since pumpkin itself has a very mild flavor, offer up some Earth Balance buttery spread, and salt and pepper to season at the table once the shell has been opened or removed.