Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook (26 page)

Read Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Online

Authors: Isa Chandra Moskowitz,Terry Hope Romero

Tags: #food.cookbooks

 
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This recipe requires stale bread. If you are one of the few people in the world who doesn’t have a sad-looking half loaf of bread on your countertop, don’t worry—just lightly toast your bread before proceeding with this recipe.
6 slices stale or lightly toasted bread, cut into 2-inch
pieces
1½ cups thinly sliced shallots (5 or 6 shallots)
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly (about
3½ cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
10 ounces well-washed, chopped spinach (about 8
cups)
 
Custard:
1 pound soft tofu
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup vegetable broth or water
¼ teaspoon salt, if using water or sodium-free veg-
etable broth
 
PREHEAT THE oven to 350°F.
Sauté the shallots in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 7 more minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
Meanwhile, prepare the custard: Place all custard ingredients in a blender or food processor. Crumble the tofu as you add it. Puree until completely smooth, scraping down the sides to make sure you get everything. Set aside until ready to use.
To the pan with the shallots and mushrooms, add the garlic, herbs, peppers, and salt. Sauté for another minute. Add a handful of spinach and use tongs to mix with the mushrooms and shallots. Continue adding spinach by the handful as the previous bunch wilts and makes more room in the pan. This should take about 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat, move vegetables to the side of the pan, and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Just try to get as much oil as you can to cover the bottom of the pan to keep things from sticking. Toss in the sliced bread and mix to distribute.
Pour the tofu custard over everything. Use a spatula to smush the tofu into the veggies and bread. You want to get things as coated as you can without outright mixing it up.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. The strata should be firmed and lightly browned. Let cool for 10 minutes, slice into eight pieces, and serve.
BLUE FLANNEL HASH
 
SERVES 4
TIME:
40 MINUTES
 
 
An all-American favorite gets a makeover with the unusual and earthy-tasting blue potato. Although blue potatoes have been cultivated in South America for hundreds of years, it’s only recently that they’ve become widely available in the United States. Simple seasoning and gentle cooking bring out the best flavors in these precious blue tubers. Craving a real sausage flavor? Toss in some crushed fennel seeds along with the tempeh. Sometimes purple potatoes are also called blue potatoes, but either kind will work here.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ pounds blue potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, cut into ½-inch dice
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, cut into ½-inch dice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
 
PREHEAT A large, heavy-bottomed pan (cast iron would be ideal) over medium-high heat.
Pour in the oil and let it heat up. Add the potatoes and tempeh, and mix. Cover and let cook for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and again.
Add the red pepper flakes and onion, and mix. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring whenever you feel like it.
Add the soy sauce and cook for another 3 minutes. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.
GREEK TOFU BENEDICT
 
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
TIME: ABOUT AN HOUR
 
 
This rustic, charming brunch specialty performs all kinds of feats. Roasted red peppers stand in for salmon and Dill-Tahini Sauce for the hollandaise in a luscious Mediterranean take on the classic Benedict. Serve over Diner Home Fries (page 71) or an English muffin. You can also opt to go Greek all the way and serve over sliced, toasted pita.
 
 
Note:
The tofu method is the same as for the Tofu Florentine (page 72), but you can also use Grilled Italian Tofu (page 128), if you prefer.
1 recipe Broiled Tofu (page 126)
1 recipe Dill-Tahini Sauce (page 215)
2 roasted red peppers (page 33)
Olive oil in a spray bottle
⅓ cup kalamata olives
Dried oregano, for garnish
 
THIS is basically a conglomeration of other recipes, but don’t be intimidated! Follow this list for time management and you’ll be all set.
1. Press your tofu and boil the potatoes first; meanwhile, prep all your other ingredients.
2. Prepare the Dill-Tahini Sauce.
3. Start roasting the red peppers.
4. Cook the home fries.
5. Broil the tofu.
To assemble:
Place the home fries, English muffin, pita, or other side dish on the plate. Layer with two pieces of red pepper and four pieces of tofu. If you are serving with extra vegetables, place those around your tofu stack. Ladle on the tahini sauce, scatter with kalamata olives, sprinkle dried oregano hither and fro, and serve immediately.
CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIE WAFFLES
 
MAKES 14 TO 16 WAFFLES
TIME:
30 MINUTES
 
 
Are they brownies or are they waffles? Okay, anyone over the age of three won’t mistake them for the former, yet these fluffy waffles with crunchy pecans baked into them could just be the perfect way to get more chocolate into your mornings. Sweet but not overly so, these are suitable for breakfast or brunch when served with maple syrup, fresh berries, and sliced bananas. Even better, throw a waffle party and serve these up like an ice-cream sundae—top with your favorite vegan ice cream, chocolate syrup, crushed pineapple, walnuts, sliced bananas, sprinkles, and more.
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups soy milk
¼ cup water
½ cup vanilla or plain soy yogurt
⅓ cup canola oil
⅔ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips, chopped
coarsely
⅔ cup chopped pecans, chopped coarsely
Nonstick cooking spray
 
 
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For best results, use a Belgian-style waffle maker, especially one that has temperature control to ensure perfectly cooked waffles. If you’re using a regular waffle iron, you might need to use slightly less batter per waffle.
PREHEAT YOUR waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions. Have a heat-proof silicone spatula on hand to help remove the hot waffles when ready.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl. Form a well in the center of the sifted ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy milk, water, soy yogurt, canola oil, sugar, and vanilla.
Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients. Use a wire whisk to combine all the ingredients. Just before everything is fully blended, fold in the chopped chocolate chips and pecans. Combine until the ingredients are just moistened; do not overmix.
When the waffle maker is heated and ready to go, spray its cooking surfaces with cooking spray. Follow the manufacturer’s directions regarding how much batter to use (for most square, Belgian-style waffle makers, about ½ cup batter per waffle works). Bake according to the waffle iron directions; the waffles should be lightly browned. Use a spatula to carefully lift the waffles onto a cutting board. Separate with a knife and serve immediately.
BANANA-NUT WAFFLES
 
MAKES 14 TO 16 WAFFLES

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