This rich vegetable stock recipe uses roasted vegetables to produce deep flavors.  If you don’t have the exact vegetables listed, you can substitute or add almost any kind of other vegetables in their place. It is a great way to use up some veggies that might be nearing the end of their refrigerator life.

Ingredients

• 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and cut into halves
• 4 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 small bulb garlic, outer paper removed, bottom removed, and cut in half horizontally
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 cups water
• 1 medium (about 8 ounces) rutabaga, peeled and cut into large chunks
• Stalks of 1 fresh fennel bulb
• Small bunch of fresh parsley stalks
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• Salt to taste

Preparation

It took me a long time to get around to appreciating smoked spices. My reluctance is the same thing that make so many people love them: smoky flavors remind me of meat. But, I am growing up and trying new things and after enough coxing I have learned to appreciate smoked spices. I am even considering making my own using the same grill method described in Culture Magazine to smoke cheese. Look for an update on this experiment on our News page in the weeks to come.

For now I am using trader Joe’s South African Smoke Seasoning Blend, but any smoked seasoning will do. Just remember, a little will go a long way.

On Saturday night we attended a beer tasting party at a friend’s house. Everyone attending the party brought two 20 ounce bottles of a favorite craft beer to share and everyone was able to sample and document beers they may not have tried before. These are a great way to get together, drink beer, and pretend that the beer drinking is part of a scientific process. For us, it is a great way to drink with friends and test new recipes.

The Lineup

At this gathering we debuted Quick Radish & Cipilloni Pickles, Tomato and Feta Crostini, and Black Bean Toquitos with Mango Avocado Salsa and Smoky Black Bean Dip. Pickles have become popular on small plate menus in bars around Austin and we found that this recipe paired well with the Westmalle Belgian Triple (Trappist Belgian Tripel),  Clown Shoes Brewery Brown Angel (American Brown Ale), and Harpoon 100 Barrel Series (Black IPA). Tomato and Feta Crostini are really savory and flavorful which we enjoyed with rich malty beers like Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot (American Strong Ale), Left Hand Brewery Wake Up Dead (Imperial Stout), and Unibroue Terrible (Belgian Strong Dark Ale). The toquitos and salsa were the most versatile appetizer and most stereotypical drinking grub. They went well with the Ass Kisser Porter Pounder (Smoked Porter), Saint Arnold Endeavor (Double IPA), and of course the Bud Light we dipped into once the craft brews were out. All in all it was a great night to expand our beer palates and debut some delicious new apps.

Crostini are wonderful little appetizers. These use slices of baked tomatoes which are extremely flavorful.

Tomato and Feta Crostini

Ingredients

• 1 baguette, cut into quarter-inch thick rounds
• 2 pounds roma tomatoes, cut into quarter-inch thick slices
• Salt
• Few fresh sprigs rosemary
• 4 ounces feta cheese, cut or crumbled into small pieces
• Olive oil
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place roma tomatoes into a deep baking dish or two.  Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and lightly salt. Bake for one hour.  Ideally the tomatoes will have some slight carbonizing on their bottoms.  Use a stiff spatula to scrape the tomatoes from the pan(s), being careful to keep them relatively intact.
2. Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place baguette rounds on a baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes.  Remove from oven, keeping the toasted baguette pieces on the baking sheet, then drizzle (or spray) lightly with olive oil.
3. After the tomatoes and baguettes have finished, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a small pan on high heat.  Quickly fry the rosemary in the hot oil, about 30 seconds.  Remove rosemary and place on a paper towel to soak up excess oil.  You can save the excess oil, now flavored with rosemary, for another dish.
4. Place baked tomato slices on toasted baguette rounds.  Add a few of the fried rosemary leaves to each crostini.  Top each with a small amount of feta and season with ground black pepper.
5. Set oven to high broil.  Broil the crostini on the top rack of the oven for three minutes.

Black Bean Taquitos

Taquitos are a Tex-Mex snack in that typically consist of corn tortillas rolled around small portions of ground beef then deep fried. These little flavor bombs will fulfill anyone’s quotient for junk food particularly when dipped in to a sour cream or cheese sauce. These healthier taquitos are baked and also vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

• 2 cups refried black beans
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted and sliced
• 2 dozen corn tortillas, softened*
• Vegetable or olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

1. Roll the taquitos by placing a tablespoon of black beans and a slice of pepper in the center of a corn tortilla, fold in half, then roll tightly.
2. Place the rolled taquitos in a large baking dish coated in cooking spray.
3. Once the dish is full with a single layer of taquitos, liberally spray the taquitos with some additional cooking spray.
4. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Serve warm with your favorite salsa or aji.

*Corn tortillas are notorious for crumbling. If they are fresh (still warm) this will not be a problem, but it is reasonable to expect that this may not be possible. Here are some instructions for softening corn tortillas to make them more pliable.