Calling all foodies! Join us for a vegetarian edition of What's Cooking , our live online culinary hour with Kim O'Donnel .

A graduate of Peter Kump's New York Cooking School, O'Donnel spends much of her time in front of the stove or with her nose in a cookbook.

Catch up on previous transcripts with the

What's Cooking

archive page.

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Re: Thai/Indian curry: Kim, I really love your chats and find them to be very informative. However, just wanted to offer a correction regarding questions about curries. Many posters have mentioned that they'd like to do Thai or Indian curries and the answer you give on how to do a proper curry are appropriate only for the Thai type. Indian curries are VERY different from Thai curries -- the crucial ingredients are onion, garlic, ginger, green chili, tomato, turmeric, coriander, cumin and mustard seed. Most of the time they do NOT include coconut milk but shredded coconut just for the garnish, and many times no coconut at all. I wanted to clarify because those looking for an Indian curry will not achieve the desired taste by the recipes in the previous posting -- though I am sure they'll be good for Thai curry. I just wanted to clarify, and hope you'll post this!

Thanks so much.

Kim O'Donnel: You are absolutely correct. In fact, after I posted my thoughts on Tuesday, I realized that I hadn't given any attention to what makes up an Indian curry. Your comments are appreciated! I have a favorite Indian dishes I like to do -- and they're all over the map, but that's no excuse.

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Kim O'Donnel: Hey everybody! Welcome to Octoberveggiefest -- an hour of nothing but meat-free cooking, eating and shopping. Autumn sure has come quickly; I don't know about you, but all of a sudden I feel like I've switched from the grill to the soup pot almost overnight. At market, you'll see lotsa apples and pears. Remnants of summer such as chiles and sweet peppers, eggplants and the last of the tomaters. New arrivals such as squash, brocc, cauli, sweet potatoes. Last night I had a summer swan-song pasta, with local cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley and some peppers, both hot and sweet. Felt nice, but boy would some soup feel good right about now. I mentioned in Tuesday's show that I've got Tgiving programming lined up, and the vegetarian special is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 10. noon or 1pm. I'll keep you posted on the time. Yes, it's already that time of year. Now, let's hear from you...

Kim O'Donnel: Oh jeez, sorry for posting another answer before my intro early. Guess I've got excited fingers today.

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Arlington, Va.: Kim, what's the secret to cooking tofu? I buy extra firm, follow the recipe... but it always comes out kind of slimy and with no taste -- no matter how much I marinade or what I cook it with.

What's the secret for getting it like restaurant tofu -- a nice texture and lots of flavor?

Kim O'Donnel: Do you drain it, Arlington? When you mention slimy, it makes me think you've got a lot of extra water that is creating a miss in your pan. It also could be diluting your fab marinade. And tell me about that marinade. What are you using. For beginners, I suggest drained, marinated cubes, that are rolled in corn starch and then pan-fried. They go great over rice, or set aside, so you can stir fry up some veg to go with as well. Tell me if you want fixins for a marinade.

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Burke, Va.: My recipe says to peel a butternut squash. Is this just removing a thin layer with a vegetable peeler, or is there a thicker "rind" that I need to remove?

Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: If you're roasting it, there's no need to peel Miss Butternut. But do make sure you slice in half and remove seeds. If you're putting in a pot with liquid, yes, you gotta do some peeling. I find a larger chef's knife is the way to go with that tough skin...and cut the squash in small sections so as to avoid a kitchen calamity.

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Alexandria, Va.: I have a recipe that calls for pumpkin puree but cannot find it. What should I use as a substitute? Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: At this time of year? Of course you can. Canned pumpkin is pumpkin puree. I would probably get one that is unsweetened. What are you making?

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Claymont, Del.: Kim, the last couple of times I've made chili, it's been kind of blah. I use whole tomatoes, a couple kinds of beans, onions, garlic, olives, sometimes mushrooms, chili powder, cumin and cinnamon. What's missing? It's hot enough, but seems to lack depth.

Kim O'Donnel: Claymont, tell me about what you're doing to the beans. First, are they dried or canned (and drained)? If they are dried and you are preparing them, they need proper love and salt. I also love what a bit of dried oregano does to beans. It's the next best thing to epazote, a Mexican herb that is commonly used for cooking beans. Talk to me.

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Portland, Ore.: What to do with abundant jalapeno peppers? My FOODDAY said you can just freeze them, which I did and then just take them out when you need to.

Kim O'Donnel: Yes, and you can dry them, too. I've never done it, but you can pickle'em, too. Ever stuff them?

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Tofu: The two secrets to Tofu are soy sauce, no matter what you are making and cooking it to death. It took me nine years to figure this out.

Kim O'Donnel: Agreed. I too find that soy, alone or with other stuff is pretty key to flavoring tofu. It's got the salt that the curds need and love.

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Veggie Cheese: For everyone's information, here is a site that lists veggie cheeses (as many, many are not, being made with rennin).

Kim O'Donnel: Thank you, and I think what you meant to say is rennet, which is made from the stomach linings of various milk-producing animals. Rennin is the enzyme; rennet is like the package.

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Washington, D.C.: Kim, I am planning a veggie dinner with a menu of spinach lasagne, and apple crisp for dessert. I originally thought of making a green salad, too. Is that too heavy on the greens then (with the spinach)? What would you suggest as a side dish?

Kim O'Donnel: A green salad and lasagna is a perfect marriage -- even with spinach inbetween those layers. What I like about a salad in this instance is the acidity it provides against the fat of the cheese and the crunch versus the soft noodle-y parcel. A simple salad is fine -- with mixed lettuces, a vinaigrette, a sprinkling of walnuts.

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Sweet Potatoes: Afternoon Kim,

I have two very large sweet potatoes from farmer's market and am looking for some interesting way to prepare. Many thanks.

Kim O'Donnel: Hi ya: I love combining salty and savory items with sweet potatoes. So instead of maple syrup or cinnamon, I like chopped garlic, chiles or pepper sauce, some thyme, even black bean sauce. If I'm at a loss for what to cook at this time of year, I'll pop one in the oven and dress it accordingly and sup on it with a salad.

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Cheverly, Md.: Should I wait for the Thanksgiving chat, or can you tell me about your stuffed onions now? I have a few veggies coming for dinner this year, but would like to test making these before the big day.

Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: If I had that recipe with me, I'd share it with you pronto. As I mentioned on Tuesday, I'm in process of pulling together my Tgiving files and would be happy to get back to you as soon as next week. Deal?

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Arlington, Va.: Hi, Kim! Love your chats. This time of the year makes me want to curl up with a nice bowl of something cooked in my pressure cooker. While I love it, I find myself making the same stews, pot roasts, and chili over and over again. Can you recommend a good pressure cooker cook book? I have one by Lorna Sass, but actually didn't like her recipes as much as I thought I would. Thank you!

Kim O'Donnel: That's who I was going to suggest. Any out there with additonal titles on pressure cooker cooking?

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Dessert Party: Kim! I love these chats. I am hosting a desert party for 20 or so people this Saturday. Any ideas for a good range of three or four desserts I can make that are relatively easy (but not brownies in a box). I am thinking it might be fun to do a stack of cupcakes, lemon squares, a cake of some sort, and cookies... Also, any advice on a drink? I am hoping to make a signature drink for the guest of honor who loves whiskey and cokes... any fun idea for a concoction that builds upon this?

Kim O'Donnel: Wonder if you'd be up for a fruit crisp. I talked about this am on WTOP. I did what I call a Dark n' Stormy pear crisp, named after that wunderbar cocktail made famous in Bermuda. It's got hints of ginger, lime, nutmeg and of course, some rum. Let me know if you want. That's an easy one, by the way. Do you have a Bundt pan? Bundt-shaped cakes are relatively easy, and then of course there are no layers or frosting to be bother with. of course, you said you might wanna do cupcakes, and I'll tell you, I always love me a red velvet cupcake. The other think that could be fun is a pumpkin-y sort of thing, a la bread pudding or cheesecake...although, cheesecake can be time consuming. Holler.

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Alexandria, Va.: I put some minced hot peppers from my garden (tiny Thai red chilis) into some vinegar. I used them over my collard greens (the BEST fat free sauce for collards, by the way) but then I had a lot left. The jar has been sitting in my fridge ever since. Can I still use it three weeks later? Or does still bacteria grow on the peppers even when submerged in vinegar?

Kim O'Donnel: Nice ideas, spicy. If it's been in the fridge, you should be okay. Outside, it would have been a different story.

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Arlington, Va.: To make vegetarian hot german potato salad is it better to use faux bacon or just to skip it all together? I'm trying to do something warm and vinegary, without using the bacon I used to rely on.

Kim O'Donnel: I might skip it, dear. You can still do a killer hot potato salad, with lots of onions, strong mustard and olive oil. I have had good luck with veggie "sausage" and "ground beef" (Gimme Lean brand) but I can't vouch for the facon. Anyone?

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Washington, D.C.: I need to talk about Mangos. Are they good this time of year and how do I tell the good from the bad when picking them out at Whole Foods? I want to make a cake that calls for mango puree and am worried about getting a bad fruit.

Kim O'Donnel: I remember your question from Tuesday; thanks for your persistence. The only mangoes I've seen of late have been coming from Brazil, which makes sense as it's coming up on early summer there. I had one recently, wasn't bad, but not bad. Have you ever tried the canned mango...or even the frozen stuff? Really, it's pretty good. That said, when shopping for a fresh mango, you want one without blemishes. Skin should be smooth, not like wrinkled leather. There might even be a perfume, a good thing. It should be slightly tender. Mangoes do ripen within a few days, so it really depends on how soon you'd want to use it.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Kim,

I am having trouble caramelizing onions. Yesterday I tried to make a creamy roasted cauliflower and caramelized onion soup. After 75 minutes in the pot, my onions and leeks turned into a light brown glob, not dark golden color I was looking for. I used them anyway and the soup is tasty, but I think it would have been better if the onions had come out right. Can you offer any suggestions for what I might be doing wrong?

Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: Next time, cook the onions separately from the leeks. They don't like interference. Cook on slow, low heat, too. They need time -- like an hour!

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Veggi Chili: I'm not certain what they mean by "depth," but I'm going to assume something like a fuller mouthfeel. Try chucking in a few tbsp of corn meal or masa to the pot as it simmers.

If you're not vegan, some cheese and sour cream also gives veggie chili some oomph.

Kim O'Donnel: Yes, this is a grand idea. Thanks for chiming in...

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Re: Dessert Party: I am intrigued by the red velvet cupcakes and the Dark & Stormy pear crisp sounds divine. I've got an easy bundt cake recipe that is delicious, which I think I'll use: vanilla cake mix, 1 pkge of instant vanilla pudding, sour cream, chocolate chips, dark german chocolate. Easy and heavenly.

Kim O'Donnel: Let's see, I've got Dark 'n Stormy right here, but Red Velvet I have to dig up. You wanna e-mail me: kim.odonnel@washingtonpost.com and then I'll send you both.

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Mmmmm! Sweet Potato!: I took your idea and made roasted sweets in the oven on Monday. Coated with olive oil, salt, pepper, quartered a couple of onions and tossed in a whole bulb of garlic (broken in to cloves and peeled). It was great! I had about three cups left over, so last night I dumped the whole thing into a saucepan, added a can of low-sodium veg broth and some minced ginger. When it was hot, I buzzed it with my immersion blender and served with a blob of plain yogurt and chopped cilanto. It rocked, and was a real treat considering it was "left-overs"!

Kim O'Donnel: Well done! I like your spirit. Sweet potatoes are absolutely glorious -- and not just for Thanksgiving casserole!

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Sweet potatoes: A quick and easy way I like to fix sweet potatoes is to make fries. Just peel and cut up the sweet potato into fry size pieces, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, season salt, whatever, and bake in the oven for 20 mintues at 425 stirring once. I eat sweet potatoes this way at least once a week.

Kim O'Donnel: More sweeetpot ideas coming thru...

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Sweet Potatoes: You know what I love to do with either sweet potatoes or squash - peel/dice and sautee with garlic in a little olive oil, then simmer with some veggie stock until they are nice and tender. Add fresh sage at the end, and a little butter to finish it off. It is so good, either plain or with pasta and some parmesan cheese. This is yummy comfort food on a cold night.

Kim O'Donnel: And more....sage is a lovely idea!

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Fakin' bacon: Yeah, the Gimme Lean bacon is good. It won't be noticable at all once you toss the pieces in the salad. One word - it doesn't crumble like real bacon. You'll need to put some work into making bacon pieces.

Kim O'Donnel: Excellent fakin' report...

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Silver Spring, Md.: For veg. chili: sweet potato really adds something to mine. (Also winter squash, but sweet potato is so much easier to work with -- no need to scoop or peel or anything.) Just cut it up into small, uniform pieces and make sure they get coated with the spices you're using for the dish. Good stuff.

Kim O'Donnel: This is a twofer... another idea for sweet potatoes, a way to jazz up chili...

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Blah chili: Gotta saute those onions to get good flavor out of them! A pinch of sugar, near the end of cooking, can also help provide some depth and richness to offset the hot spices.

Kim O'Donnel: More on getting the blah out of chili...

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Woodbridge, Va.: I'm thinking of ideas for a main dish at Thanksgiving dinner. My husband is allergic to tofu, but can eat tempeh. Is there some kind of a roast I can do with tempeh or beans or some other protein to go with the dressing and other vegetable dishes?

Kim O'Donnel: That's curious. Tempeh is also made from soybeans. Maybe you guys are candidates for "mock meat" aka texturized vegetable protein.

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Arlington, Va.: I'm just using soy sauce or some teriyake sauce for the marinade. Would love any hints.

Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: I'd spritz that soy sauce up with some chopped fresh ginger, a little sesame oil, a little heat from fresh chiles or pepper sauce.

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Re peeling butternut squash: I find a vegetable peeler works great. I have Oxo and generally use the one that rests sideways in my hand, but for butternut squash I bought the one you hold upright -- shaped like a "Y" (I hope these descriptions are making sense) and it works like a charm. It really helps you to glide past the flat to the "bulb" part easily.

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for the first-hand report. Very useful.

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Bethesda, Md.: For the person whose chili lacks depth -- try an ounce or two of unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate. Adds a nice (unidentifiable) complexity to the mix.

Kim O'Donnel: Absolutely! This is the best idea all day.

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chili help: For the poster looking to add a punch to her/his chili, try adding some red wine. You could also add beer, but I think that red wine has better depth of flavor.

Kim O'Donnel: Another good idea for chili zipping up...

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Tater Salad: Don't know if it's quite up the reader's alley (since I don't know what makes German potato salad German), but I love a hot french potato salad. I toss the warm potatoes with vermouth or white wine, then make a vinegrette with lots of mustard, white wine vinegar and olive oil. S&P, a few minced shallots, and presto. Green peas are good too. Sometimes I'll add tomato or defrosted artichoke hearts (I detest the marinated ones) and grate a little parm on top.

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks, we'll take it, sounds darn delicious...

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Washington, DC: Trying to eat more veggies, and not fall into the carbotarian rut. Any suggestions for a quick-ish vegetable soup that's not too boring? Really prefer something that can be pureed. Have plenty of bean options, looking for something starring the veggies themselves.

Kim O'Donnel: Here's one -- but it's not pureed, alas. (Although I am a big fan of squash and sweet potato puree. I digress). Onions, chiles, garlic into a pot with oil. Add some cumin, cayenne and stir. Add garbanzos, then some tomato puree, a bit of water, quartered potatoes. When potatoes are nearly tender, added chopped kale or chard. Let wilt and get tender. Salt and pepper.

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Dark and Stormy: Please share the recipe!!!

Kim O'Donnel: Ok!!!!

Dark and Stormy Pear Crisp

Ingredients:

Filling:

6-8 bartlett or d'anjou pears, peeled, cored and

roughly chopped

1/3 cup raisins, soaked in cup dark rum, for at

least 20 minutes

3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

2 teaspoons lime zest (approximately 2 limes' worth)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Vanilla bean or high-quality vanilla extract

Topping:

cup each light brown and granulated sugar

teaspoon ground nutmeg

teaspoon salt

teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons flour

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces,

softened

cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, add pears, raisins, rum,

ginger and zest. Stir to combine. Pour into an 8-inch

square or 9-inch pie plate.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low

heat. Add vanilla extract or scraped insides of a

vanilla bean. Let brown for at least three minutes.

Pour browned butter over fruit. Set aside.

Topping:

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugars, spices and

salt. With hands, pinch butter into mixture until it

looks like crumbly wet sand. Add nuts until well

combined. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes before

using.

Drop topping onto buttered fruit, covering entire

surface. Bake until fruit is fork tender and topping

is crunchy, between 45 minutes and 1 hour. Cool

slightly and serve in bowls.

Makes enough for a stormy party of six.

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Red Velvet: Do you use a special food coloring for your red velvet? I can always seem to taste the food coloring...blech! Is it just me?

Kim O'Donnel: It affects people differently. I think with the cocoa powder it doesn't get to me. I have friends who can't stand the stuff.

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Caremlized Onion: I read in an Indian cookbook that a good way to speed the process is to start out over medium heat and stir stir stir. Don't add salt until the onions have softened -- I think it tends to toughen the onions up. After about a half an hour I had dark brown onions. I think this is the same as carmelized. I've also heard that a pinch of sugar helps, as does butter instead of oil.

Kim O'Donnel: Nice. A pinch of sugar does help, and butter over oil, yes. But low heat is really the route to caramelized onions.

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Mt. Pleasant, Washington, D.C.: Hiya, Kim!

I finally got around to trying your roasted kale recipe. The greens came out of the oven crispity-crunchity, like potato chips (Homer Simpson says, Mmmmm! Po-ta-to chips!). They were 'licious, but it that the way they're supposed to turn out, or did I over do it?

Thanks

Kim O'Donnel: I've been there, Mt. Pleasant. It should be a bit crispy but still have some kale quality to it. Typically, I spritz with olive oil, which gives it a little lube job, and maybe you could use tongs to twirl around bit so it doesn't crackle the next time. cheers.

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Washington, D.C.: Ideas for veg chili ... I usually add some dark beer to mine. It really helps with the flavor. Also, I love to add frozen soy crumbles (fake ground beef) for flavor and texture.

Kim O'Donnel: The blah-free chili ideas are outstanding today. Kudos to all.

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Alexandria, Va.: How long can you keep miso?

Kim O'Donnel: Keep in the fridge and you can keep for a few months. It's fermented, highly salted, so you'll be okay.

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Raleigh, N.C.: Hello Kim! My husband grew up veggie, ate meat for about 10 years before giving it up recently. He feels that he has less energy than when he used to eat meat. I guess its because of the protein in chicken (He used to love wings). I do make a lot of lentils, but I know I need to start Tofu regularly. Any spicy tofu (or in soya form) ideas? You mentioned Tofu on skewers in an earlier chat, could you give the recipe?

Kim O'Donnel: Well, tofu is just part of the equation. There are lots of plant-based ways to get protein -- broaden out from those lentils and explore the diversity of bean life. Black, navy, pinto, black eyes, for starters. Yogurt makes a great snack. Eggs, if he eats those, a source of protein. As for tofu skewers, drain and marinate tofu as we've been talking throughout the hour. Line' up on a skewer. would be best on a grill, but at this time of year, you may have to settle for broiler. I'd also do a veggie-only skewer, with onions, peppers, mushrooms, for extra texture, more variety.

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Kim O'Donnel: It is time to pack up already. Such good ideas were thrown around today, and for that, I'm grateful. Check me next Tuesday regular time or in just a few weeks for Vegetarian Thanksgiving special. Take good care.

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