Qualinesti Feast Vegetable Confetti

Join me as I make Qualinesti Feast Vegetable Confetti – From Tika’s Cookbook for the first time! This is a recipe from Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home sourcebook, originally released in 1987. The recipes are compiled by Tika Waylan Majere. You can buy Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home here: https://amzn.to/3FOuL2J

From Tika’s Cookbook

Qualinesti Feast Vegetable Confetti

“Caramon decided he knew why elves were so slender.
Their food consisted of fruit and vegetables, cooked in
delicate sauces, served with bread and cheese…”

1/8 cup red wine
1/8 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 medium onion, peeled
1/3 bunch fresh broccoli
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1/3 head fresh cauliflower
3 carrots, peeled
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup frozen peas
2 shakes dried ginger
large pinches of oregano, sage, paprika,
basil
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Slice carrots medium-thin. Discard lower third
of broccoli seem, slicing the remainder of the
stem into thin strips. Separate the top portion
into heads with 1 or 2 inches of the stem. Repeat
this procedure with the cauliflower. Quarter half
of onion and separate all sections.

In large, non-stick skillet, heat wine and teriyaki
sauce until it bubbles around the edge. Add
carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and onion, tossing
vegetables gently so that all are evenly coated
with liquid. Cook at fairly high heat until carrots
soften. Add corn and peas; stir. Sprinkle in
spices; stir. Reduce heat to medium. If vegetables
are too dry, add a little warm water. Cover
and cook another 5 to 7 minutes, until peas are
tender. Toss again.
Serve as a main or side dish. Garnish with fresh
tomatoes and yellow cheese on the side. Serves 4
as a side dish, 2 as a main dish. This dish can be
reheated, although the cauliflower and onion
may be darkened by the wine and teriyaki.

Transcript

Cold Open

This is a Wok away from being called Stir Fry.

Intro

Today I am making Qualinesti Feast Vegetable Confetti from Tika’s Cookbook in Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home. If you have made this recipe, share your thoughts in the comments below!

Discussion

I am a fan of stir fry, so when I read this recipe I was excited to try it. There is a delicate balance for me between vegetables being raw or soggy. If they don’t a a bit of bite to them, the mushy texture freaks me out. The time and preparation of this recipe landed perfectly for me. The recipe is as follows: on-eighth cup red wine, one-eighth cup teriyaki sauce, one-half medium onion, peeled, one-third bunch fresh broccoli, two tablespoons dried parsley, one-third head fresh cauliflower, three carrots, peeled, one-third cup frozen corn, one-third cup frozen peas, two shakes dried ginger, and large pinches of oregano, sage, paprika, basil and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

I started by halving, then quartering the onion. The sharp knife trick that was suggested in my Gully Dwarf Stew episode worked, so thank you for that! Next I peeled the carrots and sliced them into medium strips, halving them again for size. I feel so awkward cutting food on camera. I seriously need to take a cooking class to hone up on my knife skills. Then I took a third of the broccoli, cut down the stems to one to two inches and cut them into small slices. The extra vegetables will make great raw veggie snack food, dipping into a sauce or ranch dressing later. Eat all of the veggies people, do not waste them! Then I took the same steps with cauliflower. I am a big fan of cauliflower raw, so I was genuinely worried about how it would come out after cooking it.

With all of the prep work finished, I transitioned to my cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, and added my Old Vine Zinfandel red wine, any cheap cooking wine would be fine, but this is all I had, as it’s what I drink normally, and add the teriyaki sauce. You want to let this cook until it’s boiling to cok out the alcohol, and then it’s ready to add your ingredients. I added my sliced carrots, onion slices, broccoli and cauliflower, mixing it together to coat them as much as possible. You want to cook this until the carrots soften just a little.

Next you can add your frozen corn and peas, mixing them into the liquid and other vegetables. Then you can add all of your spices, and mix thoroughly. Try to get everything coated, and if it looks a little dry, add a bit of warm water. You are going to cover it all, and let it cook on medium for up to seven minutes. For me, it left the vegetables with a little bite, and no mush. Perfect! While that is cooking, you can prepare your garnishes of a fresh tomato and some sharp cheddar cheese. Ultimately this can be a side for a larger meal, or a meal on it’s own. I\We ended up cooking some noodles and eating them together. It would also be great over some rice, or paired with some grilled salmon. Don’t forget the glass of wine!

Ultimately, I think cooking this in a wok with some more teriyaki and wine would work well. Also adding some salt to bring out those wonderful vegetable flavors. This is a nutrient filled meal that would have turned me on to vegetables as a kid. My mom used to boil them, ugh! Do yourselves and your families, friends or significant others a favor, and try a meatless meal like this. It’s tasty and worth it!