Cold days -- hot dinners

"I used to be a meat cutter," said co-owner Jeffrey Stoller. "I just didn't want to support that industry."

The restaurant with his namesake was part of a co-op until 1993, and the menu and operation reflected member's ideals.

It was one of the first restaurants in the area to be completely nonsmoking, Stoller said. Pop was not on the menu and most of dishes were vegetarian, featuring tofu and tempeh.

Today, some things remain the same: All of the breads served are still baked fresh at the restaurant, lunch and dinner items can be ordered at any time and it's nonsmoking. However, the menu has been tweaked over the years.

Those who order a Coke or Pepsi will be directed to seven different flavors of BlueSky Natural Sodas, three flavors of sparkling water and a selection of R.W. Knudsen's fruit flavored spritzers.

Red meat remains off the menu, but white meat and seafood have been incorporated and fresh fish is featured on Thursday and Friday nights.

There are still plenty of options for vegetarians, though. A large selection of sandwiches are meatles and many of the entrees are, too. Some of the vegetarian dishes are beefed up with avocado, eggplant, portobello mushrooms and other fresh vegetables.

Choosing what to order at Jeffrey's Bistro is less about deciding what kind of meat -- or lack of meat -- one is it the mood for. It's about flavor.

In addition to American dishes, such as vegetable pot pie, the menu features an eclectic selection of ethnic fusion dishes from throughout the world. For example, spices from Thailand, India, Mexico, India and other countries are used in stir fry, enchiladas and the chicken or eggplant Dopeziah, a dish from central India flavored with cardamon, garlic, chili powder, garam masala and cumin.

Following are a few of Jeffrey's Bistro's customer-favorites straight from the menu. All three recipes have a bit of a kick -- perfect for heating things up on a cold winter night.

Cooking times for the recipes ars based on a stove set at about three-quarters of the maximum heat. Cooking them on a stove set at half of the maximum heat is fine; it will just take a little longer. Also, adding water and covering the dishes is optional and only necessary if the food starts to dry out. Skipping this step will require slightly longer cooking time.

Thai Curried Chicken with Banana

serves one

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon garlic butter

4 ounces chicken

1/4 cup packed chopped tomato

1/4 cup packed matchstick carrots

1/4 cup packed chopped red or green bell peppers

1/2 of a banana

salt, to taste

3/4 teaspoon green Thai curry

1/2 of an apple, cut into matchsticks

1/2 cup cream

Instructions: Melt the garlic butter in a frying pan. Add the chicken and cook it two to three minutes. Add the tomato, carrots, green bell pepper, banana and a little water. Cook, covered, two and a half minutes. Add salt, Thai curry paste, apple and a little water. Cook, covered for one minute. Add cream and cook until it bubbles up and thickens. Serve over rice.

Sausage Jambalaya

serves one

Ingredients:

2 strips of bacon, cut into bite sized pieces

1 Johnsonville bratwurst

1/4 cup packed chopped celery

1/4 cup packed chopped onion

1/4 cup packed chopped tomato

1/4 cup packed chopped red and green bell pepper

2 teaspoons Cajun spices

1 cup cavatappi (cooked pasta)

1/2 cup cream

Instructions: Fry the bacon in a pan about three minutes or until they are almost done. Drain off most of the grease. Add the Johnsonville bratwurst, celery, onion, tomato, peppers, Cajun spices and a little water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Toss in cooked pasta and add cream. Cook until it bubbles up and thickens into a nice gravy.

Szechwan Chicken and Shiitake Mushrooms

serves one

Ingredients:

4 ounces of chicken (or 1 cup packed)

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons Sambala Oolek (or any chili paste)

2 teaspoons fresh garlic

2 teaspoons ginger

2 half-inch slices of eggplant, chopped

4 Shiitaki mushrooms, chopped

1/4 cup peanuts

1 tablespoon scallions

3 ounces Szechwan sauce (see recipe below)

Szechwan sauce

makes four cups

Ingredients:

3 ounces sherry

2 cups teriyaki sauce

2 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup rice wine vinagar

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup chicken powder

1/3 cup corn starch

Instructions: First, make the sauce. Combine all of the ingrediants except the corn starch in a sauce pan and heat it on the stove. Add the corn starch last to thicken the sauce.

Heat seasame oil in a frying pan. Add chicken. Stir while cooking until the chicken is halfway done. Add chili paste, garlic, ginger, and a little water. Cover and cook two to three minutes. Add eggplant and mushrooms. Cook two minutes. Add water, peanuts scallions and sauce. Cook until the eggplant is done and the sauce is bubble -- usually a couple minutes. Serve over rice.

* Reach Carol Seavey at 307-266-0544 or carol.seavey@trib.com.

Visit Jeffrey's Bistro online www.jeffreysbistro.com.