Dinner 12/31

Sweet and Sour Seitan
(seitan, carrots, red bell peppers, onions, pineapple -- tamari, sugar, ketchup, sesame oil, apple cider vinegar and rice vinegar)

Jasmine Rice

Thanks to everybody who stopped by this year -- we went over the 20,000 visitor mark this year as we head into our third year.*

The referrer logs are always an interesting glimpse into the zeitgeist of Google searches. Most of the searches this year fell into a few categories -- those looking for a specific dish (cabbage bhaji was a perennial favorite), ingredient (runaway winner -- tofu) or phrase (not surprisingly, "vegan menu" or "what can a vegan eat?")

* (yes, the counter says (around) 19,660 as of 12/31 -- the tracker was added a little after after we began in January 2002 -- page views are around 26,860)

Dinner 12/30

Cajun Spiced Tofu w/ Mustard Cream Sauce*

Tostones
(twice fried plantain slices w/ spicy cilanto/garlic/jalapeno dipping sauce)

* quick recipe -- tofu cutlets dredged in seasoned flour (salt, pepper, cajun seasoning) sauteed and set aside -- in the same pan add sesame seeds, kale and veg stock until the kale has wilted. For the sauce -- combine soft tofu, soy milk and mustard and reduce. Plate the sauce, then the greens -- finally, slice the tofu and layer on top.

Dinner 12/29

Spicy Eggplant and Chickpea Stew

Basmati Rice

Dinner 12/28

Stir-Fry
(tofu, carrots, red bell pepper, onion, ginger, garlic)

Jasmine Rice

Sear/Steamed Hoisin Green Beans

Dinner 12/27

Wilted Kale w/ Currants and Pine Nuts over Fusilli Pasta

Braised Leeks

Homemade Ciabatta Bread

Dinner 12/25

Sushi
(inside out rolls - avocado, daikon and carrot)

Tempura
(zucchini, onion)

Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Roasted Red Pepper Pate

Gaufrette Potato and Sweet Potato Chips


Not really a sit down holiday dinner -- more like "hang out around the kitchen and graze on food as it was made". Nice and relaxing...

Dinner 12/24

Cabbage and Dill Pierogi's

Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, Parsnips and Onions

Braised Leeks

Homemade Ciabatta Bread

Tomato and Potato Soup w/ Sage

Mache Salad
(w/ fig vinaigrette)

Dinner 12/23

Carbonnades Flamande
(Seitan and Onion Stew w/ Beer over Fusilli Pasta)

Grilled Asparagus

Homemade Ciabatta Bread

Dinner 12/22

Tomato and Onion Panade*

Tomato and Potato Soup w/ Sage

* Variation on the onion and greens version from the other night. Would probably be better with in-season tomatoes, but hey -- it's December ;)

Dinner 12/21

Broccoli Stir-fry
(broccoli, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, carrots, mushrooms and tofu)

Garlic String Beans

Jasmine Rice

* went to see "Lemony Snicket" with the kids -- Liz hated it ;)

Dinner 12/20

Braised Cardoons (Cardone)*

Panade **
(bread, onions, garlic, kale, daikon greens, soy cheese, veg stock -- from "Zuni Cafe" cookbook)

* they look like overgrown celery, but taste a bit like artichokes
** slow cooking -- baked at 250 for 4 hours

Dinner 12/19 (a.k.a. the day after the party)

sore, tired and barely able to lift a saute pan onto the stove, we instead grazed on the leftovers from last nights buffet. There were a total of 39 people at the party, and 95% of the food was consumed by the hungry crowd -- the last 5% became dinner...

Dinner Holiday Party v8.0

White Bean Cassoulet in Endive
Black Bean Salsa in Endive
Potato Salad
Salsa (Xnipec / Regular) & Chips
Tapenade w/ Batard
Hummus w/ Pita
Chilled Orzo salad w/ champagne vinaigrette
Phyllo Cups w/ Curried Tofu and Raisins
Tofu Salad Sandwiches
Sushi (carrot, daikon and avocado rolls)
Capers
Lentil and Soyrizo "Spoons"
Red Pepper Patê
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes (w/ Roasted Garlic)
Habenero Jelly on homemade soy cheese crackers
Roasted Almonds w/ Five Spice Powder
Pepitas (Pumpkins seeds w/ Cayenne)
Popcorn w/ Truffle oil
Wasabi Peas
Grapes / Fresh Fruit
Pumpkin Cheescake
Thumbprint Jam Cookies
Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies

Dinner 12/17

Fusilli Pasta w/ Eggplant and Basil


* serious prep mode for the party tomorrow means quick and easy dinner tonight...

Dinner 12/16

Sushi*
(avocado, carrot, daikon and cucumber rolls, w/ ginger, wasabi and ponzu dipping sauce)

* spent the day food shopping for our annual holiday party this Saturday. It's always good to make a test run on the sushi beforehand ;)

Dinner 12/15

Steamed/Sauteed Baby Bok Choy
(w/ tamari)

Fennel Soup w/ Udon Noodles, Shiitake Mushrooms and Stir-Fried Tofu*

Stir-Fried Basmati Rice w/ Red Bell Pepper, Carrot and Scallions

* I always save the fennel stems/fronds and make a quick stock out of it -- add some tamari, pepper and some noodles and it's good for a quick and easy soup...

Dinner 12/14

Seitan Teriyaki *
(fried seitan, tamari, sugar, garlic, ginger, mirin, cornstarch)

Udon Noodles


* variation on the teriyaki recipe in the new Cook's Illustrated

Dinner 12/13

Lentil Stew w/ Seitan
(brown lentils, carrot, onion, garlic and seitan)

Mache Salad
(w/ fig vinaigrette)

Dinner 12/12

Garlic Eggplant

Seared/Steamed Chinese Long Beans w/ Pickled Cucumber

Stir-Fried Tofu w/ tamari

Basmati Rice

Dinner 12/11

Pan-Fried Noodle Cakes topped w/ Sauteed Tofu
(udon noodles, chile garlic paste, sauteed baby bok choy, sesame oil, tofu)

Dinner 12/10

Fusilli Pasta w/ Tomato Sauce

Ciabatta Bread

Dinner 12/9

White Bean Cassoulet

Sauteed Lion's Mane and Yellow Trumpet Mushrooms on Ciabatta Bread

Mache Salad
(w/ fig vinaigrette)

Dinner 12/8

Avocado Sushi

* light dinner tonight -- I had a show in Cleveland.

Dinner 12/7

Stir-Fry
(tofu, carrot, napa cabbage, red cherry pepper, garlic, ginger, tamari and sesame oil)

Basmati Rice

Dinner 12/6

Cap'n Janeway
(penne pasta with a tomato cream sauce -- tomato, red pepper flakes, garlic, soyrizo, soy sour cream)

Dinner 12/5

Stir-Fry
(seitan, zucchini, red onion, carrot, garlic, galanga)

Jasmine Rice

Dinner 12/4

Lentil and Potato Stew w/ Balsamic Vinegar topped w/ fried Seitan

Broccoli Rabe

Dinner 12/3

Jerk Tofu
(sear the tofu first, then baste w/ a puree of allspice, garlic, scallions, red pepper flake, lime juice, tamari, shallot, nutmeg and baked in the oven at 450 for about 6-8 minutes a side, basting again when flipping)

Red Beans and Rice

Mashed Plantains and Soyrizo

Eggplant in Coconut Sauce
(fried, then baked w/ coconut milk, tomato and onion mixture, topped w/ dried coconut shavings -- not the sweet kind)

Dinner 12/2

Panade
(savory bread "pudding" w/ greens, stock and soy cheese -- from Zuni Cafe cookbook)

Figato Finto
(squash w/ cinnamon, sugar, parsley, vinegar, mint and olive oil)

Shaved Fennel Salad

Dinner 12/1

Sub Sandwiches
(lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, soy cheese, oil/vinegar salt, pepper, oregano)

Guafrette Potato Chips

Cole Slaw