Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook (56 page)

Read Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Online

Authors: Isa Chandra Moskowitz,Terry Hope Romero

Tags: #food.cookbooks

3 large eggplants (a little over 3 pounds)
1 recipe (4 cups) Marinara Sauce or a variation of it
(we love the olive variation here) (page 205)
1 recipe Tofu Ricotta (page 206)
12 large spinach leaves, washed very well and
stemmed
 
Dipping mixture (before breading):
1 cup cold water
¼ cup cornstarch
 
Breading mixture:
2 cups bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
Optional: ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
(we know they are expensive)
1 recipe Almesan (page 207)
Chopped basil for garnish
 
CUT THE eggplant lengthwise into twelve slices about ⅛-inch thick. You don’t need to actually measure them, and it’s okay if they are a little thicker or thinner in some areas. See the tip for help with this.
Generously sprinkle salt on both sides of eggplant and rub it in. Set in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, you can make your sauce, make your Almesan, toast your pine nuts, and prep your other ingredients.
 
 
Make the dipping and breading mixtures:
 
Mix the cornstarch with the water in a bowl that is large enough to fit your eggplant slices. Mix together all the breading ingredients on a large dinner plate.
Rinse the eggplant with cold water and set aside. Whether you are baking or frying the eggplant, have a 9 × 13-inch baking pan at the ready and preheat the oven to 350°F.
 
 
To Fry:
 
Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Let it heat for at least 3 minutes. Pour in and heat about ⅛ inch of oil. Let it get hot but not smoky; if it smokes, lower the heat just a bit. To test the oil for the correct temperature, sprinkle in a small amount of bread crumbs. If bubbles form rapidly around the crumbs, the oil is ready.
Dredge an eggplant slice in the dipping mixture. Sometimes the starch settles at the bottom of the bowl, so mix it with a fork if need be. Gently press the eggplant into the breading mixture on both sides so that the crumbs are firmly in place.
Prep a second slice the same way, then place both slices in the pan and cook on each side for 1½ to 2 minutes. Use tongs to flip the slices. The eggplant should be tender and golden brown on both sides. When done, transfer to paper towels to drain the oil and proceed with remaining eggplant slices.
 
 
To Bake:
 
Follow the same directions for breading as above. Grease two baking sheets with olive oil, place all the eggplant slices on the sheets, and spray the breaded slices with olive oil. If you don’t have olive oil spray, cooking spray can be used but it doesn’t come out as well. You can also drizzle oil over the slices, but they may come out uneven. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes; no need to flip them. When ready, they should be tender and flexible. If you can’t fit both sheets on one rack in your oven, then rotate them halfway through the baking process.
 
 
To Assemble:
 
Let the slices cool enough that you can handle them, usually 10 minutes. Pour 1½ cups of sauce into a 9 × 13-inch casserole dish.
With the narrower end pointed toward you, place a leaf of spinach on the lower third of the eggplant slice. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of ricotta on the spinach, sprinkle a few pine nuts on top of that (if using), and then roll up. It should be easy! Place the rolled eggplant slices, seam side down, in the baking pan. When everything is rolled, pour another cup or so of sauce over the rollatini. Bake for about 20 minutes; really, you just want to heat the ricotta through.
 
 
To serve:
 
Sprinkle a little Almesan on top of each rollatini and garnish with chopped basil leaves.
SWEET POTATO-PEAR TZIMMES WITH PECANS AND RAISINS
 
SERVES 6
TIME:
1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
 
 
This can just as easily be called Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Pear, but
tzimmes
is what we Jews call it, isn’t that adorable? The idea is actually to overroast everything so it gets a bit chewy on the outside while still creamy on the inside. This would be a good side to round out a dinner with the spinach kugel (page 151). But you can also just serve it with Tangerine Baked Tofu (page 126) and a green. Take this to your next Passover meal and please the whole
meshpuchah
!
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch
chunks
3 firm Bartlett pears, seeded and cut into ¾-inch
chunks
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus spray on a little more
if it needs it
2 tablespoons mirin or any sweet cooking wine
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup pecan halves
¾ cup golden raisins
 
PREHEAT THE oven to 350°F.
Place the sweet potatoes and pears on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with the oil and mirin, and mix it all up to make sure everything is coated. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and pecans, and toss to coat.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and add the raisins. Using a thin, flexible spatula, carefully toss and mix, being careful not to break up the sweet potatoes. But tzimmes are a forgiving dish, so if some get mushed up that’s perfectly acceptable.
Return to the oven uncovered and bake for 30 more minutes, tossing every now and again. Serve warm or at room temperature.
MOLE SKILLET PIE WITH GREENS
 
SERVES 4 TO 6
TIME:
1 HOUR
 
 
A cacophony of Tex-Mex good things that go “yum” in the belly. Chile-Chocolate Mole (page 210) smothers tender greens and plump beans, topped with a moist corn bread biscuit crust that’s baked to a golden hue. You don’t need a cast-iron skillet to enjoy this potpie; any deep casserole dish will do. Just as easily, use any leftover cooked vegetables and these will find a proper home in this luscious, saucy pie. Serve with a side of Mexican Millet (page 118) or simply sautéed corn kernels, if your little heart desires.
 
Filling:
3 tablespoons grapeseed or peanut oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
½ pound greens, such as collard, kale, spinach or
chard, chopped finely and steamed until tender
1 (15-ounce) can black, pinto, or white beans, rinsed
and drained
1-1½ cups Chile-Chocolate Mole (page 210), plus
additional for serving
 
Corn bread crust:
1 cup soy or rice milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lime juice
3 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Sesame seeds (optional)
 
PREHEAT THE oven to 400°F.
 
Prepare the filling:
 
Heat the grapeseed oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the carrot and continue to cook until the onion is tender and starts to turn golden, another 5 to 6 minutes.
Transfer to a large bowl and combine with the steamed greens, beans, and 1 cup of the mole sauce. Stir to coat everything with the sauce; if the mixture looks a little dry, add up to ½ cup more mole sauce. Place the mixture back in the skillet and smooth out the top. You should have a little over ½ inch of space between the veggies and the rim of the skillet; if it’s filled to the top, remove a little, since the crust will require the extra room.
 
 
Prepare the crust:
 
Combine the soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup. Place the oil in a large bowl, beat in the soy milk mixture, and sift in flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just moistened (don’t overmix).
Pour over the vegetables in your skillet and smooth to cover. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds, if desired, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is done and golden. Allow the pie to cool for 10 minutes (or until the filling stops bubbling), slice, and serve with extra mole sauce.
JAMAICAN YUCA SHEPHERD’S PIE WITH SWEET POTATO, KIDNEY BEANS, AND PLANTAINS
 
SERVES 8
TIME:
1 HOUR
 
 
New York is home to a huge Jamaican community and since there are lots of vegan Rastafarians, there’s tons of vegan food, or
Ital,
to be had. Jamaican curries differ from Indian curries in that they are often a bit sweeter. Jamaican curry powder also has a different blend of spices, typically including star anise, aniseeds, and coriander. This curry is one of our favorites—sweet potatoes, kidney beans, corn, and plantains (we also snuck some lima beans in there in hopes that you’ll cultivate some love for the little guys) in creamy coconut milk. You can serve this as a curry over rice, but we’ve turned it into a shepherd’s pie with a layer of yuca on top.
 
➣
The easiest way to peel yuca is to remove the rough ends and cut the yuca widthwise into thirds. Place a piece vertically on the cutting board, secure with your nonwriting hand and use a paring knife to slice the skin off.

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