Read Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers Online
Authors: Terry Hope Romero
•
Makes about 2 cups sauce•
Time: Less than 10 minutes, not including chilling time
1 to 3 fresh green chiles, such as jalapeño
or serrano, seeds removed for less
heat, if desired
2 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
⅓ cup vegan mayonnaise
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons lime juice
¼ pound romaine lettuce (about ¼ of a
large head), thick base removed, leaves
chopped coarsely
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, lightly packed
3 whole green onions, trimmed and
chopped
¾ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
2 to 4 tablespoons water
1. In a food processor or blender, blend all of the ingredients except the water until smooth and creamy, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides of the processor bowl with a rubber spatula. Add a tablespoon of water at a time to thin the sauce to your desired consistency, if at all necessary. Taste the sauce and season with more lime juice or salt, if you like. Chill the sauce in a tightly covered container for 30 minutes or overnight before using. Keep chilled when not using.
•
Makes about ¾ cup•
Time: Less than 10 minutes•
Soy Free
1 large bunch green onions (about
4 ounces), trimmed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed
¼ cup white or rice vinegar
¼ cup lime juice
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1. Pulse all the ingredients together in a food processor to form a slightly chunky salsa. Chill or let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to serving, to allow the flavors to blend. This salsa looks best served the day it’s made and will darken somewhat the next day but still taste great.
•
Makes about 1½ cups
crema•
Time: Less than 10 minutes, not including baking time•
Gluten Free
12 ounces soft silken tofu
½cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive or peanut oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 clove garlic, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1. In a blender jar, pulse together the tofu, pine nuts, lime juice, olive oil, cornstarch, garlic, and salt until smooth and creamy, scraping down the mixture several times with a rubber spatula. Taste and adjust the flavor with more salt and lime juice if desired.
2. To use the
crema
, spread evenly on top of casseroles prior to baking. Pine Nut Crema sets up best when allowed to bake, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes at 350°F. The longer it bakes, the more golden and slightly browned its surface will become. Baked
crema
will continue to firm as it cools. If desired, broil on high for an additional 4 to 6 minutes, until it develops golden brown spots.
•
Makes about 3½cups sauce•
Time: About 25 minutes•
Gluten Free, Soy Free
3 to 4 ounces dried ancho chiles,
or a mix of any dried red Mexican chile
(such as pasilla, guajillo, costeño,
chile de arbol)
2 tablespoons peanut or corn oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican
oregano, or epazote
½teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
½teaspoon salt, or to taste
1. In a large saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Have ready a medium-size glass or metal heat-resistant bowl.
2. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating, slice open the dried chiles, remove the stems and seeds, and open the chiles so that they can be easily flattened when pressed with a spatula. (Wear gloves when handling hot chiles, or embrace a little pain.) Place the chiles in the heated skillet and use a metal spatula to press and flip them frequently to toast, about 1 minute. Watch the chiles carefully to prevent them from burning. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the chiles to the heat-resistant bowl. Pour the boiling water over the chiles and set aside for 10 minutes, to allow the chiles to soften. Drain the water from the chiles (this removes any overly bitter flavors from some dried chiles).
3. In a large saucepan, combine the oil, diced onion, and chopped garlic. Heat the pan over medium heat, stirring garlic frequently for about 1 minute until sizzling and fragrant. Stir in the oregano and cumin, then pour in the softened chiles, tomato sauce, and vegetable broth, and simmer for 1 minute. Either use an immersion blender or pour into a blender jar, and puree the mixture to create a smooth sauce. (Return to the saucepan if the blender jar is used.) Bring the pureed mixture to a simmer over medium heat and, stirring frequently, cook for about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and serve.
•
Makes about 2½cups sauce•
Time: About 20 minutes•
Gluten Free, Soy Free
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ pound yellow onion, diced small
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup vegetable broth, white wine, or
water
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce, crushed
tomatoes, or diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. In a medium-size saucepan, combine the olive oil and garlic and heat over medium heat until the garlic starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to turn golden and transparent. Stir in the oregano and cumin and fry for another 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth to deglaze the pan; simmer for 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and lime juice and remove from the heat. If desired, puree the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth, or leave as is.
•
Makes about 3½ cups salsa•
Time: About 20 minutes•
Gluten Free, Soy Free
1 pound fresh tomatillos
3 to 4 serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded
(use jalapeños if you can’t find serranos)
4 cloves garlic
1 small white onion, chopped coarsely
2 green onions, separated into their white
and green parts
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, lightly packed
½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
2 tablespoons water, or more as needed
1. Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos, place in a large bowl, and cover with warm water. Slosh the tomatillos around for a few minutes to remove their sticky, waxy coating. Drain and pat dry.