VegNews Top Ten Veg-Related Blogs

Thanks to VegNews Magazine & Laura Hooper Beck -- it's always nice to be recognized along with these other great blogs...

Crazy Sexy Life
Manifest Vegan
Post Punk Kitchen Blog
The Voracious Vegan
Vegan.com
Vegan Baking
Vegan Dad
Vegans of Color
Yeah, That Vegan Shit

it's in their 10th Anniversary issue (Aug/Sept), on page 130...

Spring Rolls with Coconut Curry Dipping Sauce, Ye Olde Stir-fry, Jasmine Rice

Dinner 7/21

Spring Rolls with Coconut Curry Dipping Sauce

Ye Olde Stir-fry

Jasmine Rice

We have an excess of rice paper wrappers hiding in the top of the pantry, so we decided to make spring rolls with them. They were stuffed with the usual suspects (carrot, bean threads, red bell pepper, napa cabbage) and a little diced jalapeno to give it a kick.

Because the rice paper is so delicate after soaking and can tear easily, we chilled them in the fridge for 30 minutes after stuffing them. This firms them back up and makes them easier to handle.

Normally at this point, if you were making the regular sporing rolls with the firmer wrapper, you would deep-fry them. Let's just say from past experience that isn't the best idea and leave it at that. ;)

We cooked them (seam side down to start) in a hot wok with a thin layer of canola oil until crispy on all sides. Be careful turning them over, as they can still rip pretty easily. To plate, the rolls were sliced on the bias and topped with thai basil.

The sauce was half a can of coconut milk, as much red curry paste as you like, a splash of lime and tamari. I realize that's not an exact recipe, but it's the kind of thing you don't measure, you keep tasting until you like it...

Tags: coconut milk, thai basil, jasmine rice, napa cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, bean sprouts, rice paper, tofu, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Grilled Seitan with Morel Mushrooms, Green Beans, Braised Carrots, Fig and Blue Sheese Crostini, Pound Cake with Blueberries, Cherry Ice Cream

Dinner 7/10

Grilled Seitan with Morel Mushrooms

Green Beans

Braised Carrots

Fig & Blue Sheese Crostini

Dessert

Pound Cake with Blueberries

Cherry Ice Cream

Last week's seitan adventure was a trial run for tonight's meal, as we hosted our friends Laura and John for a seitan making workshop. We again made cutlets (which we grilled) and well as a batch of smoked chorizo-style sausages (not shown, but they look exactly like these).

We used our usual seitan making technique -- pounding out the cutlets with a meat mallet until very thin, then boil them in water for 15 minutes, then pressure cook in broth for 15 minutes. They were brushed with olive oil and tamari and grilled about 3-4 minutes per turn for nice grill marks.

(...and yes, we're still working on the seitan video we shot last week. It might take a bit longer than I was expecting.)



It was easily the nicest weather day we've had in weeks -- very low humidity and a pleasant breeze. We started out the evening with a quick appetizer of grilled fig and blue sheese crostini drizzled with some rice syrup while sitting out on the deck with a glass of champagne.



We finished the meal with a pound cake topped with Soyatoo whipped cream and blueberries and homemade cherry ice cream (that Liz whipped up while we waiting for the seitan to finish) on the side.

Tags: fig, seitan, morel mushrooms, green beans, carrots, cherries, blueberries, ice cream, cake, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Lettuce and Tofu Soup with Gyoza, Kabocha and Adzuki Beans

Dinner 7/07

Lettuce and Tofu Soup

Gyoza
(stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, shallots & napa cabbage)

Kabocha and Adzuki Beans

Occasionally, we like looking through the stacks in our library for something different to make. The recipe for Lettuce and Tofu Soup caught my eye, at first because it almost seemed like a cliche of the type of dish that omnivore's think vegans eat. Then, when I read the whole thing, it seemed like damn good idea for dinner. ;)

The soup is very much like a stir-fry (tofu, carrots, scallions) with a fortified broth (shiitake mushroom broth, sherry, sugar, tamari) with the addition of shredded romaine lettuce added near the end of cooking, which retains a decent amount of textural crunch.



We added our own touch to the soup with the addition of (seared and steamed) gyoza/pot stickers filled with shiitake mushrooms, shallots and shredded napa cabbage.



Filling out the meal was the Kabocha Squash and Adzuki Bean recipe from Alica Silverstone -- a nice hearty pairing with the soup and gyoza.

Tags: kabocha, adzuki, azuki, gyoza, tofu, romaine, lettuce, soup, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

BBQ Seitan Sandwich, Coleslaw, Grilled Corn, Potato Salad

Dinner 7/04

BBQ Seitan Sandwich

Coleslaw

Grilled Corn

Potato Salad

We had some leftover seitan from yesterday's batch, so we shredded and sauteed it, then whipped up some of our bourbon-based barbecue sauce. Served along with grilled corn, potato salad and coleslaw. So good.

Everybody has there way of grilling corn -- we like to submerge ours in water for at least 15 minutes, and then put it on the hot grill and turn them once the husks begin to blacken. It takes about four turns to ensure even cooking.

Tags: seitan, bbq, barbecue, bourbon, corn, grilling, potato, cabbage, coleslaw, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Grilled Seitan with Shiitake Mushrooms and Red Wine Sauce, Beet & Radish Greens, Green Beans, Mixed Greens Salad with Edible Flowers

Dinner 7/03

Grilled Seitan with Shiitake Mushrooms and Red Wine Sauce

Beet & Radish Greens

Green Beans

Mixed Greens Salad with Edible Flowers

We realized the other day that we hadn't made our own seitan in almost two years. So, we decided to make a couple of batches for the holiday weekend using our method as before.

(We also taped the seitan making process, and if the footage is usable, we'll post the video. It may take a while...)

Here's the results of the first batch, marinated with a tamari and olive oil mixture and then grilled served with the sauteed beet and radish greens as the base, topped with shiitake mushrooms and a red wine sauce, with green beans on the side.



For starters Liz made a delightful mixed greens salad with edible flowers, pretty AND tasty ;)

Tags: seitan, green beans, salad, beet, radish, edible flowers, pressure cooker, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Ravioli, Panzanella

Dinner 6/21

Ravioli

Panzanella

We utilized our stash of wonton wrappers much like last month's version, only using a single round wrapper. They were filled with a tofu ricotta (tofu, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, parsley) and wilted arugula. They only take a few minutes to cook in the water and are then added to a pan with melted earth balance to coat. Then, they were inhaled. ;)



The panzanella was a way to use the lovely bread left over from Liz's bread run the other day. Toasted bread cubes, cherry tomatoes, basil and a simple red wine vinaigrette tossed together just before eating was a nice crunchy salad counterpart to the silky ravioli.

Tags: ravioli, tofu, wonton, bread, cherry tomatoes, salad, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Sweet and Sour Seitan, Jasmine Rice

Dinner 6/18

Sweet and Sour Seitan
(recipe below)

Jasmine Rice

Sweet and Sour Seitan

Sauce

1/3 cup of pineapple juice
1/4 cup of rice vinegar
2 tbs. tamari
1 tbs. ketchup
2 tbs. agave
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of water

Whisk together and set aside.

Seitan

Smoker box with sherry wood chips (optional)

8 oz. seitan, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tbs. sherry
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 tbs. cornstarch (divided use)

Smoke the seitan cubes with cherry wood chips for 25 minutes (optional).

Put the seitan into a large mixing bowl and add the sherry and black pepper. Give it a few minutes to marinate, then toss with 2 tbs. of cornstarch until well coated. Give the seitan another 10 minutes or so, and toss again with the remaining 1 tbs. of cornstarch.

Deep-fry in canola oil at 375F until crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Drain and reserve.

Vegetables

a medium pineapple, cut into 1/2" dice
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut on the bias
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2" dice
1/4 cup of baby corn
1/4 cup of bamboo shoots
1 cup of snap peas (or snow peas), trimmed

In a wok, over high-heat, add 1 tbs. of canola oil and stir-fry the vegetables until cooked through.

Add the reserved seitan and the sweet and sour sauce into the wok and bring to a boil.

Cornstarch Slurry

1 tbs. of cornstarch
2 tbs. water

In a small container, whisk together the cornstarch and water and pour the slurry into the wok and stir until sauce begins to thicken.

Check for seasoning and serve on top of steamed jasmine rice.

Tags: seitan, pineapple, carrot, red bell pepper, rice, sweet and sour, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Raspberry Stuffed French Toast, Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast, Hickory-Smoked Fried Tofu

Breakfast 6/18

Raspberry Stuffed French Toast

Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast

Hickory-Smoked Fried Tofu

At first I thought it might be my birthday (it wasn't), but it felt like it was -- this is my favorite breakfast of all time...



Take some sandwich bread and the "Fronch" Toast recipe from "Vegan with a Vengeance" add some raspberry puree and/or peanut butter between two slices and top with fresh raspberries and/or banana and maple syrup and powdered sugar.



Coming along for the ride was hickory-smoked fried tofu with hot sauce. We like to smoke a few blocks of tofu a couple of days ahead of time so they're ready to go at a moments notice.

Tags: raspberry, peanut butter, banana, french toast, breakfast, tofu, vegan, food, tofu666

Hickory-Smoked Eggplant Po' Boys, Cole Slaw

Dinner 6/17

Hickory-Smoked Eggplant Po' Boys

Cole Slaw

Liz went early our local bakery (Great Lakes Baking Co. in Hudson, OH) and scored some lovely ciabatta rolls. So, it seemed like a good time to try our hand at that New Orleans classic, a po' boy sandwich.



We started by peeling, cubing and hickory-smoking the eggplant for 15 minutes. Then we coated the eggplant using the three-pan method.

Pan 1: All-purpose flour seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Pan 2: A cornstarch slurry (1 tbs. cornstarch & 1 tbs. of cold water).

Pan 3: A mix of 1/3 cup of cornmeal and 2/3 of a cup of breadcrumbs, with a 1/2 tsp. of cumin, 1/4 tsp. of cayenne, 1 tsp. of smoked paprika, 1 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. of pepper, stirred to combine.

Then, working in batches, deep-fry the eggplant in 375F peanut or canola oil for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.



We hollowed out the top and bottom of the rolls and added the eggplant and hot sauce. On the top half we went with tomato, lettuce, pickles and a bit of the coleslaw.



You know they were good, because two bites into dinner our daughter asked if we could have them again tomorrow. ;)

Tags: eggplant, cabbage, cornmeal, ciabatta, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Pasta with Tempeh, Broccoli and Greens

Dinner 6/14

Pasta with Tempeh, Broccoli and Greens

It's time to play America's favorite game show: "What Needs To Be Used In The Refrigerator?"

Tonight's contestants are from Kent, Ohio -- please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Tofu!

They're weighing in with cubed tempeh, steamed broccoli florets and pan-fried local chard mixed with onions, garlic, white wine, soy margarine, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper!

Tags: tempeh, broccoli, chard, pasta, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Mac 'n Greens, Fritto Misto with Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce

Dinner 6/09

Mac 'n Greens
(recipe below)

Fritto Misto
(recipe below)

Mac 'n Greens

Smoked Cream Sauce

smoker box
3/4 cup of cashews
1/4 cup of macadamia nuts
water
salt
1 tbs. nutritional yeast
1/2 cup of soy/rice/almond milk

To make the smoked cashew/macadamia cream, start by smoking the nuts with alder wood for 20 minutes. Add them to the Vita-mix along with enough water to make a cream sauce. The amount will vary, but you're looking for a smooth, creamy sauce. Now, thin it out by adding 1/2 cup of soy/rice/almond milk and the nutritional yeast and puree together again. The resulting sauce should be able to coat the back of a spoon easily. Check for salt and reserve.

(Don't want to do all that? Use 2 cups of soy/rice/almond milk. We won't tell anyone.)

Pasta

16 oz. macaroni

Cook the pasta as directed on the package. We used gobetti tonight, but the traditional macaroni will do. You'll probably have leftover pasta depending on what type you use or just make a couple of extra servings.

Greens

1 tbs. olive oil
1 small bunch of mustard greens, rinsed, stems removed & leaves thinly sliced
salt & pepper to taste

Chiffonade the mustard greens (kale or chard are also good substitutes). In a large saute pan, cook the leaves with the olive oil on med-low heat until wilted, and check for seasoning. Remove from the pan and reserve.

Sauce Base

2 tbs. soy margarine
2 tbs. all-purpose flour
2 cups of smoked cashew/macadamia cream sauce
1 tbs. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste

In the same pan, melt the soy margarine, add the flour and whisk together to make a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes until it bubbles and turns a nice golden color. Add the smoked cashew/macadamia cream (or plain soy/rice/almond milk) slowly, whisking quickly to avoid lumps. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens. Add salt, nutritional yeast and nutmeg and whisk to incorporate.

Cheese

4 oz. Daiya

Add the shredded Daiya, stir until melted, add pasta and reserved greens to combine.

Check for seasoning, and try not to eat all of it directly from the pan.

Place the pasta into a lightly greased (with soy margarine) Au Gratin dish or 6oz. ramekin. Sprinkle extra nutritional yeast on top (to taste) or bread crumbs (or both).

Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.



The batter is not a traditional recipe, it's more of a modified tempura recipe with added spices and herbs.

Fritto Misto

1 cup soda water
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. parsley, minced
1/2 tsp. rosemary, minced
1/2 tablespoon salt

Scapes, tips trimmed, leaving the top 2"
Cauliflower, about half a head, broken into small florets

Canola oil for deep frying

Sift the flour, baking powder and cornstarch into a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the soda water, salt, smoked paprika, parsley and rosemary. Allow to rest for a few minutes. Additional soda water may be needed to adjust thickness.


Scapes

In a wok or large pot, heat the oil to 375F, dredge the veggies in the batter and carefully drop in the oil.

Cook until until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes).

The quick spicy tomato dipping sauce combined onions, garlic, red pepper flake, smoked paprika and fire-roasted tomatoes.

Tags: pasta, daiya, cauliflower, scapes, fritto misto, mustard greens, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Black Bean and Mesquite-Smoked Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Dinner 6/03

Black Bean and Mesquite-Smoked Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Keeping things simple this (hot & muggy) last week of school...

The portobello mushrooms were smoked with mesquite for 10 minutes, brushed with olive oil and tamari, grilled and sliced.

They were added on top of the black beans (onion, garlic, smoked paprika, garlic salt, black beans) which were pureed and placed in a hard roll with the inside bread scooped out.

On the right hand side is a mixture of pan-fried poblano chiles, onion, garlic, garlic salt, smoked paprika, pepper and Mexican oregano.

Not shown is the Daiya cheese that was sprinkled on top of the mushrooms and beans and put under the broiler for a minute to melt.

Tags: portobello, mushrooms, mesquite, smoker box, daiya, black beans, sandwich, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Empanadas with Pineapple Vinegar, Roasted Broccoli

Dinner 5/24

Empanadas with Pineapple Vinegar

Roasted Broccoli

This is the second time we've made these -- a recipe is close, but we're still tweaking the process. The dough uses boiled cassava, flour, salt and annato oil (for color) and were filled with corn, potato and mushroom...

Part of the process we learned this time around is that it's better to break down the cassava with a old-fashioned food-mill rather than the vita-mix -- it makes for a fluffier dough with great texture.

The pineapple vinegar recipe is from Daisy Martinez, and was used a dipping sauce for he empanadas.

The broccoli was tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and Mexican oregano and roasted in the oven at 450F for 15 minutes.

Tags: broccoli, empanadas, corn, mushroom, potato, cassava, yuca, pineapple, vinegar, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Spinach Ravioli, White Bean, Zucchini and Chard

Dinner 5/20

Spinach Ravioli

White Bean, Zucchini and Chard

Taking a page from our tortelloni experiment last month, we used the wonton wrappers as the pasta again, this time filled with a tofu ricotta (tofu, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, parsley) and wilted spinach. We used two pieces of the wonton with filling in between, sealed them with a cornstarch slurry (1:1 water:cornstarch) and used a ravioli cutter (a.k.a. fluted pastry wheel) to seal them. They were boiled roughly 2 minutes in boiling salted water and finished by tossing them in a warm pan of melted soy margarine.



When looking for side dishes for the ravioli, there weren't many choices. The chard needed to be used, ditto, with the zucchini -- so we added some cannellini beans, onion, garlic, olive oil, nooch and pepper.

This is probably why we won't ever write a cookbook -- we make too many "intuitive" decisions like this a la minute... ;)

Tags: ravioli, tofu, spinach, wonton, cannellini beans, chard, zucchini, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Roasted Corn Soup with Grilled Tofu and Okra

Dinner 5/16

Roasted Corn Soup with Grilled Tofu and Okra

Whenever we start to see corn trickling into the stores, we pick up a few -- knowing full well it's not the good (local, organic) stuff. If nothing else, it reminds us that the farmer's market is coming soon, and that will be a happy time... ;)

For the soup (which serves four people), we first soaked four ears of corn in cold water for 10 minutes, then grilled them in the husk. After the corn was done cooking (about 10-15 minutes or all of the husks are blackened) we removed the kernels with a knife and set those aside while you make the corn stock.

Take the four cobs, break them in smaller pieces. In a stock pot, add 1 tsp. of olive oil and the cobs and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add four cups of water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and reduce down to two cups (about 40 minutes) then strain.

In a saute pan over medium heat, we added 1 tbs. of olive oil, a small shallot and 4 cloves of garlic (both minced), the grilled corn, salt and pepper and cooked it for 2-3 minutes to sweat the shallots. Next, add the two cups of corn stock, plus two cups of soy/rice/almond milk.

Carefully add the mixture to the vita-mix and puree. Strain the soup back into the pot and check for seasoning. Keep on low heat while you get the rest of the toppings together.

Pour the soup into a serving bowl and top with a couple of tablespoons of Daiya Mozzarella, grilled tofu & okra.

Tags: corn, okra, daiya, tofu, recipe, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Pea Risotto with Morel Mushrooms, Smoked Asparagus, Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream

Dinner 5/13

Pea Risotto with Morel Mushrooms
(recipe below)

Smoked Asparagus

Dessert

Rhubarb & Strawberry Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream

Tonight's meal was based on another orphan food score, this time three enormous containers of English Peas, that, much like the Fava Beans last time, didn't get sold over the weekend. To be honest, we didn't see anything wrong with them physically. As it turned out, there was one pod that was unusable in the entire bunch.

The broth for the risotto was made using our regular veg broth with the addition of the shucked pea pods and asparagus trimmings, cooked together for 20 minutes, then strained, to give the broth that springtime flavor boost!

Pea Risotto with Morel Mushrooms

6 cups veg stock

1 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. minced shallots
1 cup of arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 nutritional yeast
1 tbs. soy margarine
salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. soy margarine
1/4 pound fresh morel mushrooms, (soaked to clean), sliced into 1/4" rings
1 tsp. tamari

In a large saute pan, add the olive oil over medium heat and sweat the shallots for 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to combine. When the rice begins to look "chalky" (2-3 minutes), add the white wine (off the heat) and cook until it's almost evaporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add half of the stock (three cups), stir to combine and and let it cook for 7-8 minutes. Then add the second half of the stock (three cups) and cook for another 7-8 minutes.

Add the nutritional yeast, soy margarine, salt and pepper, stir to combine and check to see if the rice is al dente. If not, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Check for seasoning and serve, topped with the morel mushrooms.

In a saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and soy margarine. When the margarine has melted add the sliced morel mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally. At the end of cooking, splash with the tamari. Add to the top of the risotto.



There are few foods we haven't yet smoked -- surprisingly, asparagus was still on that list. That has now been rectified. ;)

The asparagus were fairly thick, so we peeled them. Next they were smoked with oak chips for 15 minutes, marinated with olive oil and tamari for 10 minutes and finally grilled.

When our daughter not only eats three entire stalks of asparagus (she's more of a "tip only" person), and then asks for seconds, well... let's just say they were pretty good.



As for the dessert, the rhubarb and strawberry were both at peak flavor, so it's best to get out of the way and let them shine in a simple crumble.

Tags: asparagus, morel mushrooms, risotto, arborio, rice, smoker box, rhubarb, strawberry, ice cream, vanilla, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Asparagus and Morel Mushroom Frittata, Loubie

Dinner 5/06

Asparagus and Morel Mushroom Frittata

Loubie

We haven't made a frittata in a while, but the combination of some lovely thin asparagus and morel mushrooms (with crumbled tofu) in a cast-iron pan was too good of an idea to pass up.

The loubie used green beans this time around, slow-cooked in a tomato based sauce.



We scored the very nice sized morels (not too big or small) at the Miles Rd. Market and put them to use on top of the frittata -- they were soaked first (as "things" like to hide in the nooks and crannies), cut in half and pan-fried in olive oil with pepper and a splash of tamari at the end of cooking. Sadly, we're coming to the end of the morel/ramp/fiddlehead season...

Tags: asparagus, tofu, morel mushrooms, green beans, tomatoes, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Tofu and Kumquat Shish Kabobs, Pot-Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Cumin, Potatoes with Mint and Cilantro Sauce, Apple Spice Layer Cake

Dinner 4/29

Tofu and Kumquat Shish Kabobs

Pot-Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Cumin

Potatoes with Mint and Cilantro Dipping Sauce

Persian Cucumbers

Dessert

Apple-Spice Layer Cake

A meze kind of meal... the tofu for the shish kabobs was smoked with hickory, marinated with a splash of tamari and rubbed with a spice rub:

Spice Rub

1 tbs. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. black cardamom, fresh ground

The tofu and kumquats were put on the skewer and grilled until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, turning every couple of minutes. The kumquats (which were also smoked) were some of the nicest one we've ever had... Pro tip: don't bite into them right after removing from the grill, unless you like a hot & sour citrus blast in your mouth -- just sayin' ;)

One thing we have plenty of in the herb garden is mint. The dipping sauce was for the potatoes (and we tried on the shish kabobs as well). It's sort of like a mint chimichurri sauce.

Mint & Cilantro Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup mint, chopped
2 tbs. cilantro, chopped
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tsp. agave

1/4 cup olive oil

Put the first six ingredients into the blender and slowly add the olive oil until it emulsifies. Check for seasoning, and pour into a individual serving bowls for each person.

The yummy eggplant and tomato dish was from the May 2010 F&W from Paula Wolfert.

The (tiny) Persian cucumbers were simply sliced and sprinkled with sea salt.



The Apple-Spice Layer Cake is from Martha Stewart's "Baking Handbook" (pg. 161) -- subbing soy sour cream, agave, soy milk, flax seed, soy margarine for the usual suspects... on top are caramelized "Lady Apples."

Tags: apple, persian cucumbers, mint, cilantro, potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, tofu, kumquats, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Fava Beans and Ramps with Fettuccine, Zucchini Fritters with Tomato Sauce

Dinner 4/26

Fava Beans and Ramps with Fettuccine

Zucchini Fritters with Tomato Sauce

The organic fava beans were rescued from the grocery store as the produce guy was bagging them up to toss out -- apparently we were the first people to ask about them since they've been in the store. The outside of the fava beans were a little wrinkled to be sure, but the insides were pristine, as you can tell from the picture. As a bonus, he sold two giant bags to us for a substantial discount. So, produce score, yay! ;)

We also bought most of the local ramps they had and used a portion in the mix along with nutritional yeast, white wine, salt, pepper and the fava beans. Rounding out the plate was our daughter's favorite side dish: zucchini fritters with tomato sauce.

Tags: fava beans, zucchini, ramps, fettuccine, tomato sauce, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Roasted Garlic Custard, Pom Pom Mushrooms, Green Beans

Dinner 4/25

Roasted Garlic Custard

Pom Pom Mushrooms

Green Beans

We went into dinner with a vague idea, but no real firm recipe, for making the custard (or flan, if you like). As far as experiments go, I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS.

The Pom Pom's were sliced and pan-fried with a spash of tamari and pepper at the end of cooking. The green beans were seared in a hot saute pan until starting to show some color. Add 1/4 cup of mushroom stock, 1 tbs. tamari and pepper to taste, turn the heat down to low and put the lid on, until they are finished cooking, about 5 -7 minutes.

Roasted Garlic Custard
makes four 4oz. servings

Roasted Garlic

1 head of garlic
olive oil
salt & pepper

Cut the tips off the garlic head, drizzle a wee bit of olive oil over top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in a garlic roasted or aluminum foil pouch at 350F for roughly 1 hour.

Reserve four whole pieces of the roasted garlic.

Ramekins

4 4oz. ramekins
1 tsp. soy margarine
2 tbs. seasoned breadcrumbs (breadcrumbs, salt, pepper to taste)

Coat the ramekins with the soy margarine, then add the seasoned breadcrumbs and roll around to coat the bottom and sides. We usually pour the breadcrumbs into the next ramekin as we go, so as not to waste any.

Custard

12 oz. box of soft tofu
1/3 cup of Mozzarella Teese, shredded
1 tbs. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 head of roasted garlic (see note)
salt and pepper to taste

Keep the oven at 350F.

In a blender, mix the soft tofu, Teese, cornstarch, baking powder, nutritional yeast, salt & pepper to taste and the rest of the roasted garlic. Process until smooth.

Feel free to add more or less of the roasted garlic, depending on how big the head was to start with, and how much you like roasted garlic. ;)

Pour the mixture into the ramekins until they are roughly 3/4 full. Tap the ramekins down on a cutting board to get rid of any air bubbles.

Add one of the reserved garlic cloves in the center of each ramekin and push under the surface.

Place the ramekins in a roasting pan, and place in the oven. Add hot water (a tea kettle with a spout works wonders here) about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Close the oven door, and cook in the bain-marie for 30 minutes.



Carefully remove the ramekins from the oven and let cool for 4-5 minutes on a rack. Run a knife along the edge to help release the custard.

To serve, invert on the plate.

Tags: garlic, green beans, pom pom mushrooms, bain-marie, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Tofu Scaloppine, Braised Baby Artichokes

Dinner 4/21

Tofu Scaloppine

Braised Baby Artichokes

The tofu cutlets were smoked for 25 minutes with alder wood and marinated with 1 tbs. of tamari for 10 minutes. The tofu was then coated using our standard three pan method. The first pan held 1/2 cup of all-purposed flour mixed with garlic salt and pepper to taste. The second pan was 1 tbs. of cornstarch whisked together with 1 tbs. water to make a slurry. The final pan was 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1/4 ground pine nuts and the zest of one Meyer lemon.

The cutlets were then fried in a saute pan over med-high heat with 1 tbs. of olive oil until golden brown on both sides (about 4-5 minutes per side). They were removed from the pan and put on a rack over a sheet pan and baked for 10-15 minutes at 350F to finish cooking.

While the cutlets were in the oven, we made a quick sauce which involved the leftover oil from frying the cutlets, plus 1 tbs. of leftover seasoned flour from dredging to make a roux. Added to that was 1/2 cup of white wine, 2 tbs. of Meyer Lemon juice and 1 cup of veg stock, plus 1 tbs. of tamari and pepper. The sauce was poured over the cutlets.

The baby artichokes were trimmed, cut in half and braised with a mix of lemon juice, white wine, veg stock, and seasoned with parsley, salt, pepper and nutritional yeast.

Tags: tofu, smoker box, baby artichokes, veg stock, breadcrumbs, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Seitan and Three Lentil Stew, Pom Pom Mushrooms, Braised Leeks

Dinner 4/20

Seitan and Three Lentil Stew

Pom Pom Mushrooms

Braised Leeks

A slight twist to our usual recipe -- we were running low on French lentils, so we added an equal amount of green and brown lentils to the mix.

Start with 1 tsp. of olive oil in the pressure cooker, add half of an onion (studded with three cloves) and cook the onion until it starts to show some color. Add the lentils, stir to combine and scrape down the sides. Add enough veg stock to cover by about 1" or so -- any extra stock left over after cooking will only help the stew. Pressure cook for 16 minutes at about 7.5 psi (first ring on some pressure cooker models).

While the lentils are cooking, cube 8oz. of seitan and pan-fry along with the other half of the onion, two carrot (sliced on the bias), 3-4 cloves of garlic (minced) and 2 tsp. herbes de provence, salt and pepper.

Add the lentils into the stew, and adjust the seasoning as needed.



Tonight the stew was topped with Pom Pom (a.k.a. Lion's Mane) Mushrooms sliced thickly and pan fried in olive oil with salt and pepper.

Rounding out the plate was braised leeks...

Braised Leeks
serves 4

4 leeks
water
1 tbs. soy margarine
salt and pepper

First, trim the tops and bottom of the leeks, using as much of the white/light green parts as you like (the leftover bits are fantastic in making stock). Clean them by soaking in water and make sure you get the hidden dirt that likes to hide near the tops. You may need to lose a layer or two on the outside of the leeks to accomplish that. Cut the leek into roughly 3-inch sections.

Place the leeks in a small saute pan and add the water until it reaches halfway up the side of the leeks. Add the 1 tbs. of soy margarine, and bring to a boil. Cover loosely with the lid and continue to cook over medium heat until the water has just about evaporated.

Turn off heat, remove the leeks and place in an oven-proof gratin dish. Pour the remaining liquid out of the saute pan into the oven-proof dish. Season with salt and pepper and place into a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes until the leeks begin to caramelize. Serve hot.

Tags: lentils, pom pom mushrooms, leeks, pressure cooker, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Vegan Iron Chef 2

Vegan Iron Chef 2*

Yesterday was the second Vegan Iron Chef competition at Kent State. The secret ingredients were quinoa, local kale, ramps and Gardein (one of the sponsors). This year, VegiTerranean chef Scot Jones stopped by with Chrissie Hynde while we were cooking to say hello and asked if we could make an extra plate for Chrissie. We were so glad we made a little extra of everything. ;)

This is the version of what we sent over to her, as well as the "reserve" table -- people who donated money for the opportunity to eat all eight courses. The judges plates were slightly different, but I didn't get a shot of those before they had to go out to their table.

Here's the original test plate idea from last night. I realized about 2am that it was going to be too big of a portion for the judges who were probably going to be very full by the time they got to our plate. So, we streamlined as above.



There was a huge crowd this year (easily 200+ people) -- and a special thanks to Niki, as well as Laura and John, for driving down and hanging out while we were cooking.

The most often asked question -- "what are those?" while pointing to the yellow beets.

Second most asked question -- "is that your car in the parking lot with the TOFU license plate?"

The final result was "deja vu all over again," with the team from VegiTerranean winning, Molly Aubuchon second, and us in third (out of eight teams), exactly how it was last year.

* must. resist. urge. to. say. electric. boogaloo.

Tags: vegan iron chef, quinoa, kale, gardein, ramps, golden beets, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Tortelloni, Cremini Mushrooms, Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower

Dinner 4/13

Tortelloni

Cremini Mushrooms

Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower

Tortelloni are like tortellini, only bigger and stuffed with ricotta (a crumbled block of extra-firm tofu mixed with salt, pepper, nutritional yeast to taste) and cooked baby spinach (with shallots and garlic). The twist was that we used round wonton wrappers as the dough -- it worked like a charm! They were dropped in boiling, salted water and finished by rolling around in a pan of soy margarine and parsley. This may be our new favorite pasta dish... ;)



The tortelloni were served on a bed of sliced cremini mushrooms (pan-fried 7-8 minutes with olive oil, pepper, and a splash of tamari at the end of cooking) along side Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower (tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, roasted at 450F for 15 minutes).

Tags: tortelloni, wonton, tofu, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Shiitake, Chanterelle and Hedgehog Mushrooms en Papillote, Grilled Asparagus

Dinner 4/05

Shiitake, Chanterelle and Hedgehog Mushrooms en Papillote

Grilled Asparagus

As if getting chanterelles wasn't special enough, we also scored some hedgehog mushrooms!

To celebrate, we made this recipe again adding fettuccine as a base, a splash of white wine and subbing soy margarine. The best part, as always, is cutting into the package and releasing the aroma.

The mushrooms were paired with another spring staple -- grilled asparagus. They were blanched for 2-3 minutes in salted water, then dropped in a quick marinade of olive oil, tamari and pepper, then grilled until slightly blackened.



We've never had hedgehog mushrooms before (the hedgehogs are the ones on the right hand side) -- they kind of look & taste like chanterelles and worked really well with the shiitake and chanterelle in the package.

Tags: shiitake, chanterelle, hedgehog mushrooms, en pappilote, asparagus, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Mushroom Risotto, Orange-Glazed Hickory-Smoked Grilled Tofu, Grilled Maitake Mushrooms, Braised Carrots, Grilled Asparagus, Peach Pie

Easter Dinner 4/04

Mushroom Risotto

Orange-Glazed Hickory-Smoked Grilled Tofu

Grilled Maitake Mushrooms

Braised Carrots

Grilled Asparagus

Yukon Gold Potato and Green Bean Salad with a Maple Syrup Vinaigrette over Mixed Greens

Dessert

Peach Pie

As it is with most dinners, the final plating gets decided about 10 seconds before we actually start laying the food down -- we don't want the food to get cold while hungry people are waiting around -- so the camera is ready to go and less than 3 minutes later, we're eating... As a photographer, this really focuses your mind. ;)

Seeing the ring mold in the drawer earlier started the idea of a stack of the risotto and then it only made sense to add the grilled/glazed tofu and maitake mushrooms on top. Rounding out the plate were the braised carrots and marinated/grilled asparagus



The stack started with a base of risotto that was cooked with mushroom broth -- in this case shiitake mushrooms stems that we've been saving for the last month. They were pressure cooked for 40 minutes in 8 cups of water which yielded a surprisingly rich and fragrant broth. The risotto technique comes from Andrew Carmellini -- add half of the mushroom stock and let it cook for 7-8 minutes, add the second half of the liquid and cook for another 7 minutes, and finish with nutritional yeast, soy margarine, salt and pepper.

Next, the tofu was hickory-smoked for 25 minutes, then marinated (1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup tamari, 2 cloves of garlic smashed, 1 tbs. agave, 1 tbs. ketchup and pepper to taste), then grilled, about 5-6 minutes per side, turning once for nice grill marks. The tofu was brushed with a glaze (1/2 cup of orange juice, 1 tbs. brown sugar and 1/4 tsp of ground clove, whisked together over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens) and put on a rack on a sheet pan and put in the oven for 10 minutes at 350F, flipping once and basting again half way through.

The last part of the stack was the maitake mushrooms, using the same marinade as the tofu, and then grilled along with the asparagus.



The salad was a Roasted Yukon Gold Potato and Green Bean Salad with a Maple Syrup Vinaigrette over Mixed Greens -- which is rapidly becoming the de facto holiday salad ;)



We had a lovely peach pie for lunch at the Vegeterranean last week and Liz decided to make the switch from our ubiquitous carrot cake -- a great choice (and pie).

It wouldn't be an Easter dinner without a few gratuitous shots of the table decorations...

Tags: easter 2010, tofu, maitake, mushrooms, arborio rice, risotto, carrots, asparagus, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666