Friday, March 20, 2009

Mushroom Ravioli, Grilled Asparagus, Celeriac Salad

Dinner 3/20

Mushroom Ravioli

Grilled Asparagus

Celeriac Salad



Liz made the dough (sorry, no recipe) and we cranked out some free-form ravioli stuffed with mushrooms and topped with a white sauce of shallot, garlic, almond cream, cognac and tarragon.

The asparagus were blanched and tossed with olive oil, tamari and pepper, then grilled.

The celeriac salad is a riff on a Jamie Oliver recipe, tossed with vegenaise, parsley, mustard, sherry vinegar and capers.



Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Seitan Korma, Channa Masala, Mushroom Aloo Bhaji Pea and Cashew Biryani, Palak Paneer, Rice Pudding

Dinner 3/18

Seitan Korma, Channa Masala, Mushroom Aloo Bhaji, Pea and Cashew Biryani



Palak Paneer (spinach and tofu paneer)



Channa Masala (spicy chickpeas)



Mushroom Aloo Bhaji (mushroom, potato and onion)



Rice Pudding




Sunday, March 15, 2009

St. Patrick's Day (Early): Colcannon, Beer Gravy, Cock of the North

Dinner 3/15

Colcannon

Beer Gravy

Cock Of The North



In what has become our traditional St. Patrick's dinner, the colcannon (mashed potatoes & cabbage) is paired with the lovely beer gravy. The main course is the always exciting Cock of the North, in which the whiskey is set alight over the seitan stew, to the great delight of onlookers.


Saturday, March 14, 2009

Deep Dish Pizza, A Photo Essay

Dinner 3/14

Deep Dish Pizza


par-baked for 7 minutes, then brushed with olive oil



the filling is added, smoked tofu, cremini mushrooms, onions, tomato sauce, nutritional yeast



the Mozzarella Teese is added to cover



baked for 25 minutes at 450F, removed from the pan, baked directly on the pizza stone for 10 minutes



Sunday, March 08, 2009

Roasted Cauliflower and Spaghetti

Dinner 3/08

Roasted Cauliflower and Spaghetti



The cauliflower was tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper, then roasted at 450F for 15 minutes. It was added to the spaghetti along with some garlic, nutritional yeast and olive oil. Garnished with parsley.


Saturday, March 07, 2009

Cabbage and Shiitake Mushroom Dumplings, Tofu Triangles, Stir-Fry w/ Broccoli, Jasmine Rice

Dinner 3/07

Cabbage and Shiitake Mushroom Dumplings

Tofu Triangles

Stir-Fry w/ Broccoli

Jasmine Rice



A stir-fry managed to sneak in on the blog, only because the dumplings and tofu triangles were so good ;)

The tofu triangles were coated with 1 tbs. gin, 1 tbs. tamari, black pepper for 30 minutes or so to marinate. Then add 2 tbs. cornstarch and toss to coat well. Deep-fry in 385F peanut oil for 3-4 minutes. They'll puff up quite a bit in the oil, but will shrink noticeably after. The dipping sauce was tamari, agave, sriracha and lime juice.

Here's Liz rolling out the dumplings with her mini-rolling pin (which is the perfect size for these). The filling was stir-fried with a touch of sesame oil and finished with a little tamari and fresh ground szechuan pepper.



Here's a closer view of the dumplings -- boiled tonight, rather than steamed or fried.





Friday, March 06, 2009

Tapas: Sous-Vide Fennel, Patatas Bravas, Braised Cabbage and Soyrizo, Seitan, Kale and Cannellini Bean Stew, Smoked Tamari Almonds

Tapas 3/06

Sous-Vide Fennel

Patatas Bravas

Braised Cabbage and Soyrizo

Seitan, Kale and Cannellini Bean Stew

Smoked Tamari Almonds



We've been playing around with the sous-vide technique lately, and here's a recap...

First we start with the smoker box. Here's a close-up, with alder wood chips hiding underneath -- Tamari Almonds, Seitan, Yukon Potatoes



The smoker box again, while in the background, the canning pot comes to temp. For the sous-vide setup we were able to use off-the-shelf equipment -- canning pot, thermometer, FoodSaver -- instead of an immersion circulator and industrial vacuum-sealer. The temp stayed rock solid over the entire cooking time...



After the smoker has gone for 25 minutes, the Yukon Potatoes (plus earth balance, olive oil, salt, pepper) go into the FoodSaver. The fennel (along with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and fino sherry) was cut into 12 wedges and vacuum-sealed.



Sous-Vide Fennel: After being cooked at 83C for 45 minutes, the fennel is dropped into an ice bath for five minutes. Then the bag was opened, and quickly seared in olive oil and seasoned. The result is melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, a great taste, all the while retaining structure.



Sous-Vide Patatas Bravas: The potatoes were also cooked at 83C, but for 2 hours. At the end of cooking the bag was dropped into an ice bath for 5 minutes, then opened, and the potatoes were quickly seared in a pan with the addition of red bell pepper, smoked paprika, red wine vinegar, salt & pepper. The potatoes retain that earthiness (and the smoke flavor) that would have been diluted had they been cooked in water.



The rest of meal...

Braised Cabbage & Soyrizo. no sous-vide on this one, slow braised on the stove top. Hiding in the background is the tamari almonds -- marinated in tamari for an hour, then smoked. It's surprising there were enough left by dinner time to take a picture. ;)



Seitan, Dinosaur Kale & Cannellini Bean Stew -- onion, garlic, seitan, wilted kale, cannellini beans, tamari, smoked paprika, fino sherry, veg stock. stayed together nicely in the ring mold.



The sous-vide aspect of the food was definitely an upgrade in flavor, texture and control. Once the bags went in the water, I didn't have to think about them until it was five minutes before it was time to eat.


Thursday, March 05, 2009

Jerk Tofu Stuffed with Plantains and Soyrizo, Coconut Rice and Red Beans, Spinach and Cabbage Salad

Dinner 3/05

Jerk Tofu Stuffed with Plantains and Soyrizo

Coconut Rice and Red Beans

Spinach and Cabbage Salad



The tofu was cut into six pieces, with a slit cut (carefully) into the side. Then it was smoked with mesquite wood chips for 25 minutes. Next, the tofu was pan-fried until golden brown on both sides and splashed with 1 tbs. of tamari at the end of cooking.

The diced plantain and soyrizo mixture was stir-fried, then stuffed into the side of the tofu, which was then baked in a 350F for 15 minutes.

The tofu was removed from the oven, put back in the pan and the jerk sauce (below) was added over med-high heat until thickened (about 3 minutes). You could alternately baste the tofu while in the oven turning a couple of times to get full coverage. Either one will work...

The rice was leftover from stir-fry the night before, with added coconut milk, red beans, salt, pepper, cilantro and a little minced habenero.

Jerk Sauce

2 scallions chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 habanero pepper, removing the seeds
1 tsp. allspice, ground
1 tsp. herbes de provence, ground
1/2 tsp. black pepper, ground
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg, microplaned
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tbs. canola oil

Puree everything together, check for seasoning.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Raw Food Wednesday: Stroganoff, Spinach and Cabbage Salad, Buckwheat Treats

Raw Food Wednesday 3/04

Stroganoff

Cabbage and Spinach Salad with Grape Tomatoes

Dessert

Buckwheat Treats



After the Autumn/Winter Roll turned out so well, we've been playing around with the idea of a raw "cutlet" -- something versatile enough to be used in different preparations and with different flavor profiles that can be tweaked to suit the dish.

We didn't want to make it as nut dependent as the autumn roll, and decided on sprouted buckwheat as the second main ingredient. This lightens the cutlet and gives it a nice chewy texture.

For the stroganoff, it was the buckwheat cutlets, a base of zucchini noodles, topped with a mustard, almond, cashew and pine nut cream sauce.

(this is a preliminary recipe, more for the proportions)

Buckwheat Cutlets
makes approx 8-10 cutlets

1 cup of buckwheat, sprouted (about 2 cups after sprouting)
1/4 cup water

1/4 cup carrot, small dice
1/4 celery, small dice
1/4 cup zucchini, small dice
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 tbs. white miso

1 tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. garlic, finely minced
1 tbs. shallots, finely minced

1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. mustard seed, ground
1 tbs. flax seed, ground
salt and pepper to taste

Put the buckwheat and 1/4 cup of water in the vita-mix and pulse it repeatedly to break it down into very small pieces. You don't want a complete puree here, you want to retain a little texture. Add the carrot, celery, zucchini, pine nuts & miso, pulse to combine.

Add the olive oil, garlic, shallots, mustard seed, flax seed, lemon zest, salt and pepper and pulse to combine. Check for seasoning.

For these we used a square mold which yielded about eight cutlets. It depends on how thick you want them. Put them into the dehydrator on the teflex sheets for about 4 hours at 105F, flip over, remove the teflex and go for another 4 hours.



As a side, we made a simple cabbage & spinach salad with grape tomatoes and a celery vinaigrette.



The awesome "Buckwheat Treats" recipe is here:

http://rawmazing.com/uncategorized/buckwheat/

...it's from @calebsimpson. We made two small changes: we used sprouted buckwheat and did not use the wheatberries. A great snack to make ahead of time and take with you on a hike or walk...


Sunday, March 01, 2009

Wild Mushroom Quesadilla, Monkey Bread

Dinner 3/01

Wild Mushroom Quesadilla

Dessert

Monkey Bread
(recipe below)



The wild mushroom quesadilla was a combo of shiitake, oyster and bluefoot mushrooms, with sliced red bell pepper, red onions and mozzarella Teese between red pepper tortillas cooked on the griddle.

For dessert, Liz made Monkey Bread again -- the recipe (below) is adapted right off the label that came with the '50s style earthenware mold. Here it comes out of the oven...



...Monkey Bread unmolded, ready to be glazed and eaten. Delicious with bourbon... er, so I am told. ;)



Monkey Bread

2 tbs. soy margarine to grease pan

Dough

3/4 c. warm soy milk
1/2 c. warm water
2 tbs. soy margarine, melted
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. yeast
3 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt

For Sugar Coating

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6-8 tbs. (about 1 stick) soy margarine, melted

For Glaze

4 tbs. soy margarine
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbs. water

1. Grease monkey bread pan with soy margarine.

2. For the dough, in a bowl whisk soy milk, water, melted soy margarine, sugar and yeast.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with dough hook, combine the flour and salt and beat on low speed just until combined. Slowly add the soy milk mixture and beat until the dough comes together, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the dough is shiny and smooth, 5 to 6 minutes.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball. Coat the inside of a large bowl with nonstick spray (or soy margarine), place the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-2 hours.

5. Prepare sugar coating: In bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Put the melted soy margarine in another bowl. Set aside.

6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape into an 8 inch square. Cut the dough into 6 equal strips, then cut each piece crosswise into 8 pieces to form a total of 48 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, dip in soy margarine, and roll in sugar mixture. Stack balls into pan, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 30-45 minutes in warm place. (Don't let it rise over the top edge of the mold).

7. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven. Place mold on a sheet pan to catch any drips during baking. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

8. Remove plastic wrap and bake in 350F degree oven for 20 minutes. Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over browning and bake additional 25-35 minutes more until bread springs back when touched.

9. Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the soy margarine, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and water. Heat, whisking, until the ingredients are dissolved. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.

10. Transfer the bread pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the mold, and turn the bread out onto a plate and let cool for 10 minutes. Using a spoon, drizzle the warm glaze over the top and side of the bread. Let the glaze set for about 10 minutes. Serve the bread warm.


Saturday, February 28, 2009

Broccoli Rabe and Seitan Sausage Totrta, Bluefoot Mushrooms, Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Dinner 2/28

Broccoli Rabe and Seitan Sausage Totrta

Bluefoot Mushrooms

Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing



The torta is adapted from a recipe in Gourmet (01/07) -- it's made in a springform pan by layering crepes, sauteed broccoli rabe, bechamel sauce (roux + soy milk and a pinch of nutmeg), seitan sausages (the last of the chaurice-styled ones we made a while back), Teese, salt and pepper. The crepes are from "Vegan with a Vengeance."

Here you can see the layers pretty well...



Served along with some sauteed Bluefoot Mushrooms we picked up at WF earlier in the week.




Thursday, February 26, 2009

Tian de Courgettes, Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, Green Beans, Roasted Russian Fingerling Potatoes

Dinner 2/26

Tian de Courgettes

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

Green Beans

Roasted Russian Fingerling Potatoes



Again, dipping back into Escoffier for the Tian de Courgettes (proto-ratatouille), with the decidedly moderne addition of a grilled portobello as the base and using the ice cream dasher to mold the eggplant. ;)

Served with green beans and roasted fingerling potatoes.


Wednesday, February 25, 2009

English Pea Soup, Oyster Mushrooms, Roasted Beet Salad, Artichoke Dip

Dinner 2/25

English Pea Soup

Oyster Mushrooms

Roasted Beet Salad

Artichoke Dip



As Erik Marcus of Vegan.com said "The first time a bowl of soup has reminded me of US Airways Flight 1549."

Throw that pea a life preserver!



Close-up of the baguette raft picking up passengers...

The soup is adapted from Jean-Georges Vongerichten's "Cooking At Home with a Four-Star Chef" -- the broth uses the shucked pea pods as an additional flavor enhancer, and they do a great job of infusing the broth with that essence of (the hopefully arriving) springtime.



We started with a simple roasted beet salad and artichoke dip with pita bread (not shown). The artichoke dip is one we've played around with over the years, you can re-arrange it depending on what you have on hand -- but tonight it was artichoke hearts, red bell peppers, cubanelle peppers, vegenaise, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. It's baked in an au gratin dish at 400F for 20 minutes.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Mardi Gras: Smoked Tofu with Wilted Chard, Red Beans and Rice, Mustard Cream Sauce

Dinner 2/24

Smoked Tofu with Wilted Chard

Red Beans and Rice

Mustard Cream Sauce



Laissez les bon temps rouler!

A variation on this favorite recipe, made with Mesquite-smoked Tofu and Swiss Chard and a base of the classic "red beans and rice" surrounded by the mustard cream sauce.




Monday, February 23, 2009

Szechuan Eggplant, Gobi Manchurian, Tempura Green Beans, Tempura Asparagus, Jasmine Rice

Dinner 2/23

Szechuan Eggplant

Gobi Manchurian

Tempura Green Beans

Tempura Asparagus

Jasmine Rice



I might be seeing things, but I'm pretty sure that's the spaceship from movie "2001"

Here's the Gobi Manchurian recipe, as well as the tempura recipe.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Slow Braised Eggplant and Tea-Smoked Tofu with Jasmine Rice on Curried Crepes, Shiitake Lollipops

Dinner 2/21

Slow Braised Eggplant and Tea-Smoked Tofu with Jasmine Rice on Curried Crepe

Shiitake Lollipops





This recipe, added to crepes (from VwaV) made with coconut milk & curry.




test project, no recipe yet... very tasty though. ;)

Friday, February 20, 2009

Bigoli Pasta with Mushroom Ragu, Bruschetta, Fava Beans

Dinner 2/20

Bigoli Pasta with Mushroom Ragu

Bruschetta

Fava Beans



A (tasty) learning experience...



The bruschetta had tomato, zucchini, onion, garlic with a side of Fava Beans (pls, no Chianti jokes)...


Thursday, February 19, 2009

Grilled Asparagus, Cremini Mushroom, Seitan and Lentil Stew in Crepes, Braised Leeks

Dinner 2/19

Grilled Asparagus, Cremini Mushroom & Seitan and Lentil Stew in Crepes

Braised Leeks




Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Raw Food Wednesday: Winter Roll, Spaghetti Alfredo, Celery and Snow Peas stuffed with Cashew Cheese, Tomato and Basil Salad

Raw Food Wednesday 2/18

Winter Roll
(Nama Shoyu & Meyer Lemon Dipping Sauce)

Celery and Snow Peas stuffed with Cashew Cheese

Spaghetti Alfredo

Tomato and Basil Salad



The idea this week was to make a small plate of raw hors d'oeuvres, little things you could pass around at a party.



The Winter Roll is very similar to the Autumn Roll, without the mushrooms and parsnips and using a lighter blend of cashews, pine nuts and walnuts.



The spaghetti alfredo is right out of Matt Amsden's "RAWvoultion" -- we had a couple of little zucchini that needed to be used up, just enough to make a couple of light forkfuls.



There was also a little cashew cheese leftover from earlier that found it's way stuffed into the celery and snow peas courtesy of Liz.

The tomato (much like the strawberry on Saturday) was surprisingly ripe and flavorful for February. Drizzled with a little olive oil & lemon juice vinaigrette and a few basil leaves tucked inside, it made summer seem less like a forgotten memory...