Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers (37 page)

1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil, Annatto-Infused Oil, chile pepper, leek, shallots, onions, and white part of the green onions over medium-high heat (set aside green parts for later). Stirring, cook until the onions and leek are tender, about 6 minutes. Add the oregano, cumin, carrots, yuca, pumpkin, tubers, tomatoes, corn, vegetable broth, thyme, and bay leaves. If using fava beans or TVP, add here as well. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and bring the soup to a simmer.

2. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the root vegetables and pumpkin are very tender. Turn off the heat and season the soup with lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the cilantro and reserved green part of the green onions before serving. Include a chunk of corn cob in each bowl of soup; to eat it, just scoop it up with your spoon, grab, and eat!

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Serves 4 to 5

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Time: About 45 minutes, most of that being inactive while the potatoes cook

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Gluten Free

 

2 tablespoons olive or peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ pound yellow onion, diced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano or epazote,
crumbled
4 cups water or vegetable broth, or a
combination of both
½ pound white waxy potatoes, scrubbed,
peeled, and diced into 1-inch chunks
1½ pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed,
peeled, and diced into 1-inch chunks
1 or more canned chipotles in adobo,
sliced open and seeded, plus 1 to 2
tablespoons of the sauce
¼ cup heavy cream substitute
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Cashew Crema, for garnish (page 51)
(optional)

 

1. Combine the oil and garlic in a large soup pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and sauté until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin and oregano. Pour in the water and add the chopped potatoes and sweet potatoes. Partially cover and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until both the white and sweet potatoes easily mash when pressed against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat.

2. With an immersion blender, carefully puree the soup until it is very smooth and silky. If you prefer to use a blender, make sure to let the soup cool slightly first. Add the chipotle and adobo sauce and puree until completely incorporated; if you’re unsure about how much heat you prefer, start with just 1 chipotle and a drizzle of sauce. The soup should now have pretty little red flecks of chipotle. Return the soup to the pot, bring to a simmer over low heat, and stir in the cream substitute, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust with more lime juice, salt, and pepper if desired. Stir in the cilantro, garnish with a swirl of Cashew Crema, if desired, and serve hot.

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Serves 6

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Time: About 1 hour, most of that being inactive while the soup simmers

 

2 tablespoons peanut, corn, or other
vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, diced
½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and
drained (red quinoa looks great here)
2 tablespoons
ají
paste, such as amarillo,
panca, or rocoto
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1½ teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground sweet paprika
½ pound waxy red potatoes, cleaned and
diced small
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
(thawed and drained, if frozen)
One (14-ounce) can white lima beans (also
called butter beans), drained and
rinsed, or 2 cups cooked beans
4 cups water or vegetable broth, or a
combination of both
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced small
⅓ cup heavy cream substitute or
unsweetened nondairy milk
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper

 

½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro or
parsley, or shredded basil
Chopped ripe avocado
Roasted chopped peanuts
Diced red onion or green onion

 

1. In a large soup pot, combine the oil and minced garlic over medium heat. Cook the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds, add the onion, and fry until the onion is softened and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the quinoa and stir occasionally, toasting the quinoa for 3 to 4 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden. Add the
ají
paste, oregano, basil, cumin, and paprika and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Now stir in the potatoes, corn, limas, and water. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender and the quinoa is tender and translucent. Stir in the tomatoes, cream substitute, vinegar, and salt, partially cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This soup should be thick, but if it appears too thick, stir in ½ cup to a full cup of water or broth along with the cream substitute, until desired the consistency is reached. Remove from the heat and season with ground pepper to taste.

2. Cover the soup and let it rest for about 15 minutes prior to serving, to allow it to cool slightly and for the flavors to meld. Ladle into deep serving bowls and top with chopped cilantro, avocado, peanuts, and onions as desired. Like any hearty soup, this tastes even better the next day; just store in tightly covered containers (without the toppings) in the refrigerator.

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Serves 4

•
Time: 45 minutes

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Soy Free (if a nonsoy cream substitute used)

 

2 tablespoons unrefined (virgin) coconut
oil or vegetable oil
1 large leek, well washed, ends trimmed,
and chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons white cooking wine or water
4 cups vegetable broth
1½ pounds calabaza pumpkin, peeled,
seeded, and chopped into 1-inch pieces
½ pound waxy white potatoes, peeled
and chopped coarsely
2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon lime juice
⅓ cup heavy cream substitute or coconut
milk (optional, for extra supercreamy
soup)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh
cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

 

1. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, add coconut oil and leek and fry until the leek is soft, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cumin and wine and simmer for about a minute, stirring occasionally. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the pumpkin, potatoes, and thyme. Cover and bring the soup to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat to low and simmer the soup for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pumpkin and potatoes are very tender and mash easily with the back of a wooden spoon.

2. Remove the thyme sprigs, if using. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to a silky-smooth consistency. If you want to use a blender, allow soup to cool for at least 15 minutes, puree, then return to the soup pot. Season the soup with lime juice, heavy cream substitute (if using), salt, and pepper and over low heat warm the soup as desired. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, sprinkle each serving with chopped cilantro and chopped mint, and serve immediately.

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Serves 6

•
Time: About 45 minutes

 

2 pounds red or yellow waxy potatoes
1 large yellow onion (about 1 pound), diced
6 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 cups water or vegetable broth, or a
combination of both
½ pound kale, thick stems removed,
chopped into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper
White wine vinegar

 

3 tablespoons Annatto-Infused Oil
(page 31)
3 links of Seitan Chorizo Sausages
(page 36)