Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook (13 page)

Read Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Online

Authors: Isa Chandra Moskowitz,Terry Hope Romero

Tags: #food.cookbooks

 
Steaming should be thought of as boiling for the new century. No longer will we tolerate flaccid, drab-green vegetables when they should be crisp, flavorful, and their truer shades of brilliant greens. Steaming is also really easy; you can easily steam any vegetable without fancy equipment. A large soup pot with a lid is the all the bare-bones gear you need. If you do have a steamer basket, though, then great! (There are recipes in this book where it will come in handy.) There is definitely no need to clutter up the kitchen counter with special plug-in electric steamers or other food-steaming contraptions.
We’re not too crazy about dried herbs on steamed veggies, but adding fresh herbs about 3 minutes before the veggies are done steaming is never a bad idea. Try parsley, dill, thyme, oregano, or tarragon on any of these veggies. You can also drizzle them with any of our sauces in the sauce chapter (pages 203-216).
 
Shocking!
 
IT might not be apparent, but even after you’ve turned off the heat, vegetables will continue to cook. The steam that’s working its way out of the vegetables will still continue the cooking process, and if you’re not careful it might turn those perfectly steamed asparagus spears to mush. If you’re not planning on serving vegetables immediately, or plan on serving them cold or at room temperature, quickly run them under cold water for about a minute. This is called “shocking” the vegetable, which sounds pretty cool. Transfer to a colander and allow to drain.
 
 
Directions for preparing a steamer pot for any kind of veggies
Fill a large soup pot with 2 to 3 inches of cold water, fit your steamer basket into the pot, cover, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, place the veggies in the steamer and cover. If you don’t have a steamer basket, no worries, just fill the pot with 2 to 3 inches of water, cover, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, place the veggies directly into the boiling water and cover. We call this boil/steaming, or stoiling—but no one else does, so never say the word aloud.
Asparagus
 
What’s better than crisp-tender asparagus in the height of spring? Okay, maybe there are a few other things but shhhh . . . we’re totally grooving on steamed asparagus right now.
Prep:
Remove rough stems.
Steam:
8 to 14 minutes, depending on thickness. Asparagus should be bright green and still crisp.
To serve:
Drizzle with Dill-Tahini (page 215) or Cheezy Sauce (page 214).
 
Broccoli and Cauliflower
 
Since this is what everyone thinks vegans live on, why not prove them right?
Prep:
Cut into medium-size florets.
Steam:
10 to 12 minutes, tossing with tongs a few times.
To serve:
We love these with Dill-Tahini Sauce (page 215).
 
Dark, Leafy Greens
 
A little bit of boiling water is really the best, lazy way to cook up quickly a bunch of collards or kale. It makes you feel really healthy, too, and levels you up in the vegan echelon.
Prep:
Wash and chop the greens into bite-size pieces.
Steam:
10 to 14 minutes. Toss the greens with tongs as they start to wilt. In the South, it’s popular to keep on boiling these greens to form the famous delicacy of “pot liquor”; but being north of the Mason-Dixon Line, we just like ’em bright green and with a little bit of crunch left in them.
To serve:
A simple and old-school hippie restaurant way to enjoy steamed greens is sprinkled with plenty of sesame salt (known as gomasio, which is just a blend of crushed, roasted sesame seeds and sea salt), with maybe a touch of lemon juice or a sprinkle of malt vinegar. We also like them with Citrus-Date-Sesame Sauce (page 215).
 
Green Beans
 
Nothing scares a green bean more than being boiled to death and canned. Fortunately, we grew up on gently steamed green beans before they were the “in” thing.
Prep:
Trim off ends.
Steam:
8 to 10 minutes, depending on size, tossing with tongs a few times.
To serve:
Sprinkle with coarse salt and enjoy. Or try with Mustard Sauce (page 204).
 
HOW TO COOK A GRAIN
 
T
here’s a reason that grains were found in the tombs of the Egyptian pyramids as well as at the base of our food pyramid: they’re packed with so many nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and even protein, all while being low in fat. But grains aren’t just life-giving sustenance. They’re also a culinary jewel, adding notes of nuttiness, earthiness, and sometimes even floral hints to round our meals out. And their affordability will make you wanna do an infomercial about them. Following is by no means a comprehensive list of grains. There are hundreds of edible ones worldwide; these are just some that
 
 
we consider essential and that are easy enough to find. We give you the simplest preparation methods to serve four people, but feel free to double the quantities; however, anything more than double, you will have to adjust the amount of water used. A good rule of thumb is to remove one-quarter cup of water for every multiple increment above doubling. So if you are quadrupling the recipe, subtract one-half cup of water. You’ll notice that some of these preparation methods are simply to boil and simmer the water and grain together, whereas some are steamed by pouring the water over the grain and covering tightly. Still others benefit most from being toasted and then boiled. Like we said, these are the simplest preparation methods for grains meant to be served as side dishes, but of course we include all of these grains in more adventurous recipes throughout this book. An easy way to punch up the flavor and get the most out of your grains is to use vegetable broth instead of water or throw a bouillon cube into the mix. A two-quart pot is just right for all of these recipes. The most economical way to purchase grains is to buy from the bulk bins of health food stores or co-ops, but all of the varieties listed also come in boxes or bags at well-stocked grocery stores. Store grains in airtight jars and keep out of direct sunlight, and they will stay fresh for years—an important thing to remember for when the revolution comes. With the exception of oats and couscous, you’ll want to rinse everything on this list before cooking. To rinse, place in a very large bowl and cover with lukewarm water. Swish around with your hands, drain in a fine-mesh strainer, and repeat until the water is no longer cloudy. Drain very well following your last rinse.
Bulgur
 
A parboiled grain made from wheat, thus it has a very pure wheat taste. It’s wonderful in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean meals. Like couscous, it’s steamed, but it’s a whole food that’s full of fiber. We especially love bulgur chilled and used in salads.
Cooking time:
30 to 35 minutes
To serve 4:
1 cup rinsed and drained bulgur, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1⅓ cups water
Cook:
Place the bulgur and salt in a pot with a tightly fitting lid. Bring about 2 cups water to a boil in a teapot. Measure out 1⅓ cups of water and pour over the bulgur. Cover and let sit for about 30 minutes. The bulgur should be tender but chewy. Fluff with a fork and serve.
 
Couscous
 
Although couscous has a culinary role similar to that of a grain and it is derived from grain, it definitely is not one unto itself; it’s actually more similar to pasta. It’s made by rolling moist wheat and flour in a wide, shallow bowl until the characteristic pebblelike couscous shape is formed. Because it’s so filling, cooks so fast, and tastes so yummers, this African staple has become a permanent fixture in the American diet. Its neutral taste and fluffy texture makes it extremely versatile for any meal, sweet or savory. There are lots of different flavors of couscous on the market, such as pesto or sundried tomato, but we prefer regular or whole wheat.
Cooking time:
10 minutes
To serve 4:
1 cup couscous, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 cup water
Cook:
Place the couscous and salt in a pot with a tightly fitting lid. Bring about 1½ cups water to a boil in a teapot. Measure out 1 cup of water and pour over the couscous. Cover and let sit for about 5 minutes. The couscous should be soft. Fluff with a fork and serve.
 

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