Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers (41 page)

8 corn tortillas
Peanut or vegetable oil, for shallow frying
½ pound butternut squash, peeled,
seeded, and diced into 1-inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ pound red onion, minced
1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded
and minced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed
and drained, or 2 cups cooked
1 large tomato, diced small
Salt and freshly ground pepper

 

2 cups thinly chopped romaine lettuce
or thinly shredded cabbage, or a
combination of both
1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, and
sliced thinly
Pickled Red Onions (page 43) or thinly
sliced rings of fresh red onion
Fresh Tomato Salsa (page 50), Classic
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (page 47), or
any purchased salsa

 

1. Prepare the tortillas for the tostadas first. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Heat about ½ inch of peanut oil over medium-high heat until a small piece of tortilla immersed in the oil sizzles and browns in less than 30 seconds. Fry one tortilla at a time, flipping once and frying for about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on crumpled brown paper bags or paper towels. Keep warm in a 250°F oven until ready to serve.

2. Place the squash in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer until the squash is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and lightly mash the squash with a potato masher or large fork; cover and keep warm. In a large skillet over medium heat, fry the garlic in the oil until the garlic starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and chile pepper and continue to sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the ground cumin and add the black-eyed peas and tomato, stirring occasionally and frying for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash about one-third of the peas with the back of a spoon. Stir the mashed squash into the pea mixture and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and keep the mixture warm until serving time.

3. To assemble the tostadas: Spread about 4 tablespoons of the mixture on a warm, fried tortilla. Top with salsa, lettuce, onions, and avocado.

 

Homemade Tortilla Chips

 

I
f you fried tortillas for those tostadas, you passed the test to make tortilla chips at home. Use a knife or kitchen shears to slice corn tortillas like a pie, for triangles ready for frying. Fry and drain as directed for the tostadas, sprinkle with salt (or chile powder or a sprinkle of lime juice) and serve hot. Store the chips in a folded paper bag (plastic could make them soft) in a cool place. Reheat the chips in a preheated 300°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp and hot. Or get creative and cut the tortillas into long strips or freaky angles, for a classy garnish for any posole stew or salsa!

 

 

•
Makes about 6 large tacos

•
Time: About 1 hour, including boiling, filling, and frying everything

 

1½ pounds white or sweet potatoes,
scrubbed but unpeeled, diced into
½-inch chunks
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
½ recipe (two loaves) Steamed White
Seitan (page 35), sliced into ⅛-inch
strips no longer than 1 inch

 

¾ cup beer, preferably Mexican
2 cloves garlic
1 to 2 chipotles in adobo, seeded
and chopped finely
1 to 2 teaspoons chipotle
adobo sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt

 

Any salsa
Finely shredded cabbage
Chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped onions, thinly sliced radishes, or
Pickled Red Onions (page 43)

 

Cashew Crema (page 51) or your favorite
vegan sour cream, thinned with a little
lime juice or water
6 corn tortillas, or 12 for double-tortilla
extra-large tacos

 

1. Prepare the potatoes first: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the diced potatoes on a large, rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with the oil, and toss to completely coat in the oil. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and roast for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through, until browned and tender. Set aside.

2. While the potatoes are roasting, marinate the seitan. Whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the seitan strips, using tongs to coat the slices. Marinate for 15 minutes, stirring the strips occasionally. While all that roasting and marinating action is going on, chop, shred, and arrange for serving the other taco toppings. The shredded cabbage is highly recommended, as it adds wonderful crunch. Chill until ready to use.

3. When the seitan is ready to cook, set aside the marinade. Heat a cast-iron pan or grill pan over medium-high heat. Generously oil the pan with a cooking oil that has a high smoking point (such as peanut) and place one-quarter of the seitan in the pan (don’t crowd). Cook the seitan for 3 to 4 minutes per side, flipping once, until the seitan is browned, crisped on some of the edges, but not overly dry. Stack the seitan on a small plate near the stove to help keep it warm.

4. When the seitan is done, fry a portion of the potatoes at a time. Add a little extra oil to the pan if it seems dry and pour a tablespoon or a little more of the remaining marinade over the potatoes as you’re reheating them. Cook the potatoes enough to make them hot but still juicy with the marinade. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, stacking them on the dish with the seitan. Wipe down the cast-iron skillet, oil very lightly if necessary, then place a tortilla on the hot surface. Heat the tortillas just enough to soften and heat them, flipping once, the whole process taking about a minute.

5. To assemble a taco: Place a hot tortilla on a serving dish. (For extra-large tacos, use two tortillas, overlapping them to make one large tortilla.) Arrange equal parts seitan and potatoes down the center of the tortilla(s). Top with salsa, if using; then shredded cabbage and other veggies, if using; drizzle with Cashew Crema, and finally a few radish slices. Fold up and expect stuff to drip out the other end you’re not eating, but no worries since everyone else will be doing the same. It’s all
bueno
. 

 

Taco Toppings!

 

T
u casa
(a.k.a. your kitchen, the best vegan “taco truck” in town) is a popular place when your friends figure out that your tacos are awesome. Tacos are limitless in what you can top them with, so go with your gut (of course) when it comes to what sounds
delicioso
. Along with your favorite salsa, avocado slices, or guacamole (page 48), try one of the following combos, or a combo of combos, or make up something new!

 

• Refried pinto beans (page 86) + Salvadorian Marinated Slaw (page 79) + Pickled Red Onions (page 43)

• Chimichurri Baked Tofu (page 100) + refried cannellini beans (page 86) + roasted garlic (rub whole heads of garlic with olive oil and roast until tender)

• Sautéed spinach with raisins and capers (see Swiss Chard recipe, page 123) + Tofu Chicharrones (page 101)

• Sautéed potatoes as above, with beer marinade. Stir in one small jar of drained pickled nopales (Mexican “cactus” paddles, page 125) and fry until hot. Top with Cashew Crema (51), shredded green cabbage, and thinly sliced radishes

• Refried black beans (page 86), fried Chorizo Seitan Sausages (page 36) and shredded crisp Romaine lettuce

• Latin Shredded Seitan, either regular or Mexican chile style (page 106), Salvadorian Marinated Slaw (page 79), chopped pickled jalapeño, and a drizzle of Fresh Gazpacho Salsa Dressing (page 70)

• Tempeh Asado (page 110), shredded green cabbage, sliced radishes, Creamy Ancho Chile Dressing (page 70), and diced ripe tomato, sprinkled with lime juice

 

•
Makes 6

•
Time: About 40 minutes for Venezuelan arepas, 20 minutes for Colombian

•
Gluten Free, Soy Free