Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook (32 page)

Read Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Online

Authors: Isa Chandra Moskowitz,Terry Hope Romero

Tags: #food.cookbooks

 
YOU absolutely need a food processor to get the beets and parsnips to their desired uniform thinness. Sorry, non-food processor people.
 
 
Pineapple dressing:
2 cups pineapple juice
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave nectar (you
can also dissolve 2 tablespoons sugar into it if
you have neither ingredient)
1 clove garlic, grated with a microplane grater or very
well minced
¼ teaspoon salt
 
Salad:
1 pound beets, peeled and shredded (about 3 average
size)
1 pound parsnips, peeled and shredded (about 2
average size)
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
 
WHISK together all the dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Add the shredded beets and parsnips, using tongs to thoroughly mix them into the dressing. Let the veggies sit and macerate for about 15 minutes. Add the mint and mix again. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until ready to eat.
CREAMY ASIAN PEAR AND TEMPEH SALAD WITH WASABI DRESSING
 
SERVES 4
TIME:
35 MINUTES, PLUS CHILLING TIME
 
 
Light, refreshing, a little sweet, and piquant, this is an excellent salad during the dog days of summer. Asian pears (also called Korean pears) are very large, round, sand-colored pears with a unique, snappy crunch and a hint of fruity, white winelike flavor. Any pear can be substituted, but do try to make this just once with Asian pears. Look for them wherever Asian produce or groceries are sold. Serve with rice crackers or rice cakes.
 
➣
Not all wasabi powders are created equal. Some are more flavorful than others; use a reliable brand (ask your Asian grocer which brand he or she recommends) or you might have to add quite a bit to properly season the dressing. Purists might also want to avoid brands that contain green artificial coloring.
 
➣
We like the flavor of Silken Mayo Dressing for this salad, but you can also use you favorite commercially prepared vegan mayo. We’ve suggested using less of the prepared kind because it tends to be very rich. If you find it so, try watering it down it a little bit of soy milk or soy creamer before adding to the other dressing ingredients.
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, diced
½ cup small, sweet fresh or frozen green peas
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 scallion, sliced very thinly
1 Asian pear or other firm, crisp pear, pitted and cut
into ½-inch dice (about 2 cups)
1 cup Silken Mayo Dressing (page 92), or ⅔ cup
commercially prepared vegan mayo
1½-2 teaspoons wasabi powder
2 teaspoons lime juice
 
IN A steamer basket, steam the tempeh for 10 minutes. Add the peas and steam for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the peas are bright green and tender. Remove from the steamer, sprinkle with soy sauce, and toss into a large bowl with the scallion. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Crush the cubes of tempeh a little with your hands and toss in the diced pear.
In a small bowl, whisk together the Silken Mayo Dressing or mayonnaise, wasabi powder, and lime juice. Taste and adjust the spice level with more wasabi if necessary.
Pour the dressing over the tempeh mixture, stir to combine everything, and place in an airtight container. Chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight, to allow the flavors to blend.
PROSPECT PARK POTATO SALAD
 
MAKES A BOATLOAD
TIME:
50 MINUTES, PLUS TIME TO CHILL
 
 
The perfect potato salad for any family reunion or general food fight.The mustard gives it a cool yellow color, with little bits of green dill.We love how the cucumbers taste like pickles when the salad has been sitting around for awhile.This recipe really does make a lot, so if not taking to a picnic or family reunion, you might want to halve it.
5 pounds white potatoes, peeled and washed
1 seedless cucumber, sliced into small, thin pieces
1 cup Vegenaise
¼ cup Dijon mustard (whole-grain is best)
¼ cup olive oil
⅓ cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 teaspoon turmeric
1½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 large carrot, peeled
 
SLICE THE potatoes so that they are somewhere between ¼ and ½ inch thick. If very large potatoes, cut them into thirds lengthwise, then slice. If smaller ones, just cut them in half and slice. But it’s nice to have different sizes because small bits fall apart and become part of the dressing, while most maintain their shape.
Place the potatoes in a very large pot and fill with water, about 4 inches or so above the tops of the potatoes. Boil for about 15 minutes, keeping an eye on them. Check that you can pierce one easily with a fork, but be careful not to overcook them; you want them to be tender but still firm and not falling apart.
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing: In a very large mixing bowl (big enough to add the potatoes later on), mix the vegan mayonnaise, mustard, olive oil, sugar, vinegar, dill, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Whisk briskly. Add the cucumber and place in the fridge until the potatoes are ready.
When the potatoes are done, drain them into a colander and give them a quick rinse under cold water. Shake the colander so that all the potatoes are rinsed. Let them cool for about 15 minutes.
Add the potatoes to the dressing and use a wooden spoon to mix and coat them. Grate the carrot directly into the salad and mix. Carrots are an essential ingredient because they add sweetness, so don’t leave them out and don’t chop them; they have to be grated. Taste for salt and pepper, and refrigerate until chilled.
Once good and cold, taste for seasoning one last time, and serve.
BROOKLYN DELI MACARONI SALAD
 
SERVES 8 TO 10
TIME:
30 MINUTES, PLUS CHILLING TIME
 
 
This is another classic salad that would be great for any picnic or barbecue situation. It is prepared how we like it, but people tend to be very particular about their macaroni salad, so make it once this way and then see if you want to add any extra veggies or use more Vegenaise.
 
➣
To quickly thaw your peas, run them under hot water for about 30 seconds.
Dressing:
¾ cups Vegenaise
¼ cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
 
Salad:
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
2 average-size red radishes, grated
2 average-size carrots, peeled and grated
1 (1-pound) package elbow macaroni
(about 3 cups)
 
Prepare the dressing:
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix with a fork until completely blended.
Add the radishes, carrots, and peas, and set aside while you cook the macaroni.
Boil the macaroni in salted water. Drain and rinse under cold water until the macaroni is still warm but not too hot to the touch. Transfer the macaroni to the salad bowl that contains the dressed vegetables and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate. Wait until the salad is cold to see if it needs more salt or pepper. Stir the salad a few times when it is in the fridge to make sure that the dressing coats everything.

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