October 19, 2011October 20, 2011 by betsy

French Lentil (and Apple) Salad with Champagne-Dijon Vinaigrette AND Quick Vegan Tempeh Bacon

Yesterday, I promised a dish from The Blooming Platter Cookbook that would be delicious served with my Vegan Caraway-Havarti Cheese Spread on Melba toast that I posted yesterday.

So here it is! It is my pleasure to share this simple but special recipe inspired by a salad I enjoyed at a tiny bistro in Paris on my husband’s and my twentieth wedding anniversary trip two summers ago. That salad contained no Tempeh Bacon, nor does the recipe in the cookbook. But I love the addition, which I just created, so I’m thrilled to share it with you here.

Note that the recipe calls for starting with dried lentils, but I often just buy a 17.6 ounce package of Trader Joe’s steamed lentils, sold in their produce section, and use the whole package.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

2 1/4 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups green lentils, picked over, rinsed, and drained
3 tablespoons olive oil (or 2 tablespoons olive oil + 1 tablespoon walnut oil)
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large apple (any variety)
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon snipped chives
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Optional: Quick Vegan Tempeh Bacon (recipe follows)
1. In a 2-quart covered saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water and bay leaves to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in lentils and gently simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Check at 10 minute intervals, as lentils are easy to overcook; they should be firm enough to hold their shape when tossed with the other ingredients. Add more hot water if necessary to prevent sticking or scorching. (Skip these steps if using pre-steamed lentils.)
2. While the lentils cook, make the vinaigrette. In a large serving bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until well blended and slightly emulsified. Set aside.
3. Halve the apple lengthwise, scoop out the core with a melon baller or spoon, arrange each half cut side down on a work surface, and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices. Then stack several slices together on their sides and cut them into 1/8-inch matchsticks. Add to the bowl with the dressing as you cut them, and stir gently to coat in order to prevent discoloration. Stir in the onion and chives.

4. When the lentils are cooked, drain, rinse with cool water to stop the cooking, and drain well. Remove the bay leaf. (Obviously, skip this rinsing and draining step if using the pre-steamed lentils.) Stir the lentils into the dressing mixture. Season with salt and pepper, and add the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, to taste. Toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Cover and chill the salad several hours before serving to allow flavors to marry.

If including the Temp Bacon, add just before serving.

Quick Vegan Tempeh Bacon:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-8 ounce package tempeh (I use Trader Joe’s brand), sliced cross-wise into about 20 slices 1/4-inch thick

1/4 cup soy sauce (I use a light variety)

2 tablespoons Liquid Smoke

2 tablespoons natural sugar

Sea salt

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tempeh slices to the pan and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of Liquid Smoke, 1 tablespoon of natural sugar, and a pinch of salt. Saute, without disturbing for 2-3 minutes or until caramelized, but not burned. Flip slices and repeat with remaining ingredients. Turn off heat. Flip slices one more time and allow them to sit for a minute or two just to absorb a little more of the flavors. Remove them from heat and serve immediately. (The pan drippings are really yummy. If I’m using, say, chopped onion in a recipe with compatible flavors, I like to add the onion to the skillet and stir them around to absorb some of the drippings which are too good to go to waste!)

Serving suggestion: If you would like to serve the salad over grilled apple slices as in the photograph, cut 1/4-inch thick apple slices and grill them in an oiled grill pan over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until tender, but not mushy, and nice grill marks appear.

October 13, 2011October 15, 2011 by betsy

French-Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps from “Happy Birthday, Julia Child!” Party

Somehow, our third annual Happy Birthday, Julia Child’s potluck dinner party came and went in August without my ever having posted any of the recipes.

It’s a little tricky to shoot nice images because, by the time the guests arrive with their beautiful food–made according to or adapted from Julia’s recipes or just very French–the light isn’t very cooperative. But, I remembered to stage this photograph with the small amount of leftovers we had of this scrumptious dish. I just never remembered to post it.

Called Thai Lettuce Wraps by their creator, Diane Stobo, we changed the name to “French Vietnamese” to fit our theme. Made by Amelia, aka “Little Chef,” the young niece of two of our guests, the dish was a hit with everyone. She is absolutely adorable and wanted to contribute something to the dinner, meet me–and our dogs–and have me sign a couple of copies of The Blooming Platter Cookbook. I was truly touched.

Amelia and her aunt recommend a few more walnuts in the filling. And, to veganize the sauce, simply substitute agave nectar for the honey. Also, since it’s now fall, use whatever tender lettuce leaves you can find in season.

For 150 original mouthwatering seasonal recipes, I invite you to check out my new cookbook, The Blooming Platter: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

October 10, 2011October 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Chorizo, Chickpeas & Kale in a Creamy Coconut Milk-Pumpkin Sauce with Pepita and Sage Pesto Drizzle

This is one of my dream dinners: super healthy, lusciously creamy, beautiful to look at, and a “twofer” in that both the chickpea mixture and the pepita pesto can easily stand alone. Plus, it’s an anti-oxidant powerhouse of a one-dish meal.

I first made the pesto to drizzle over my Roasted Turks’ Turban Squash. It was addicting! So I knew I had to create other dishes with which to enjoy it lest I spend the fall eating nothing but Turks’ Turban squash. Stay tuned for more to follow.

You can serve up a nice bowl of this thick spicy melange and serve the grilled bread on the side, or you can serve it as a crostini, like you see in the photo. Either way, you’ll be licking your lips.

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 of a medium-large yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 of a large orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice

Sea salt to taste

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 cups of very finely chopped kale (I used a food processor for this task)

1-15.5 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

6 ounces of vegan chorizo (I purchase Trader Joe’s brand)

1-15 ounce can coconut milk (I use the lite variety)

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

Optional: 2 tablespoons apple juice (this sounds like an odd addition, but adds a little hint of something delicious but unidentifiable)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon rubbed sage

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon Pomegranate Molasses

Zest of 1/2 of a lemon

Vegan Pepita and Sage Pesto (recipe follows)

Optional Garnish: a few lightly salted and roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and sprigs of fresh sage

Accompaniment: grilled slices of bread (about 3/4-inch thick)

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the tablespoon of olive oil to sizzling over medium-high. Add onion, bell pepper, and a generous pinch of salt, and saute, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and kale and saute, still stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes. Add chick peas and chorizo, stirring just to combine after each. Stir in remaining ingredients, except lemon zest and pesto, and heat, stirring occasionally, for another 3-5 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and serve hot drizzled with Pepita and Sage Pesto or pass the pesto in a small bowl with a serving spoon. Garnish with pepitas if desired. And serve with or on top of grilled bread.

Vegan Pepita and Sage Pesto

1/2 cup roasted and lightly salted Pepitas (I buy Trader Joe’s brand)

1 medium clove of garlic, peeled

8 fresh sage leaves (or pineapple sage leaves)

1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (freshly grated is especially nice)

1/8 teaspoon of chipotle chile powder

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Juice of 1/2 of a small lime

Optional: 1 1/2 teaspoons nutritional yeast

Sea salt to taste (I like a “goodly” amount in this)

Place Pepitas, garlic, sage, nutmeg and chili powder in the bowl of a food processor. Process until a coarse paste forms. With the motor running, add olive oil in a steady stream until the mixture is pulpy-smooth. Turn off the motor. Add maple syrup, lime, optional nutritional yeast, and salt to taste, and pulse just two or three times to combine. Adjust seasoning if desired, and use immediately or store, covered, in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature or heat slightly before serving.

For 150+ other fresh seasonal recipes, I hope you might check out The Blooming Platter Cookook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes!

October 5, 2011October 5, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Grilled Tempeh Over Sauteed Baby Spinach with White Wine Pan Sauce and Roasted Thyme-Scented Grapes

This recipe was inspired by a recipe for a side dish of roasted grapes in a current issue of a home and garden magazine. My recipe is slightly altered, including that it makes use of the lovely grape drippings in a silky pan sauce in which grilled tempeh is bathed before being served on a bed of bright green baby spinach under a tumble of the thyme-scented roasted grapes. The result is perfect to tuck into when you’re starved or to enjoy smaller portions, almost like tapas, when noshing is more the order of the day.

Yield: 2 servings (easily doubles)

Roasted Thyme-Scented Grapes

1 1/2 pounds of seedless green or red grapes, or a combination (I like a combination for both color contrast and more a of a sweet-tart contrast in flavor; you will have grapes left over)

1 scant tablespoon olive oil (about 2 teaspoons)

Sea salt to taste

Approximately 1 tablespoon very loosely packed fresh thyme leaves

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Grilled Tempeh Over Sauteed Baby Spinach with White Wine Pan Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place grapes in a metal roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Place the pan in the center of the oven and roast for 5 minutes. Open the door, give the pan a gentle shake, close the door, and roast for 3 more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, drain off and reserve as much liquid as possible. Sprinkle the grapes with the thyme and black pepper, gently stir, and return the pan to the oven for another 4 minutes or until the grapes are lightly roasted but still hold their shapes (it’s fine if a few split open). Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve the grapes immediately or store covered in the refrigerator. Allow them to come to room temperature or heat them gently before serving.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Minnie the Moocher

Grilled Tempeh Over Sauteed Baby Spinach with White Wine Pan Sauce

1-6 ounce package of tempeh, cut crosswise into 8 slices

Approximately 1/3 cup reserved grape drippings

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 cup water

1 tablespoon powdered vegetable base or 1 bouillon cube

1/3 cup plain soy creamer

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1-2 teaspoons olive oil

4 loosely packed cups of fresh baby spinach

Garnish: sprigs of fresh thyme

While grapes are roasting, heat an oiled grill pan over medium-high. Add tempeh slices and grill approximately 2-3 minutes on each side or just until nice grill marks develop. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high, heat grape drippings, white wine, soy creamer, and salt and pepper to simmering. Simmer until thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add tempeh slices, turn to coat in the sauce, which will be quite reduced, and heat for about 1-2 minutes. Meanwhile, in another skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high, add spinach, and saute for about 30 seconds or until slightly wilted and bright green. Divide spinach between two serving plates. Arrange 4 slices of tempeh on top of each bed of spinach. Drizzle with remaining sauce if there is any. Top each with a spoonful of grapes and a sprig of fresh thyme. (Store remaining grapes, covered, in the refrigerator.) Serve immediately.

For a celebration of 150+ additional recipes, I invite you to check out The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

October 4, 2011October 4, 2011 by betsy

Blooming Platter Cookbook Giveaway Reminder PLUS Vegan Chickpea Sausages with Roasted Apples, Onions, and Jalapenos with Cashew Cream & Pomegranate Molasses Drizzle

This Mediterranean riff on sausage and sauerkraut is perfect for Oktoberfest. A fresh take on its forebear, my version will perfume your kitchen with warm North African spices when its cool outside. And the presentation is so special, yet simple, that you can turn dinner into a dinner party.

Yield: 4 servings

Note: you will need to make the Cashew Cream a day in advance.

Cashew Cream

You will have lots of leftover, but you’ll be glad you do!

2 cups raw cashews, divided in half

2 cups water, divided in half

Sea salt to taste.

In a covered bowl, soak 1 cup cashews in 1 cup water overnight in the refrigerator. Rinse and drain. Process the cup of soaked cashews with the additional cup of raw unsoaked cashews and the remaining cup of water in a food processor for several minutes, or until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add salt to taste, process just to combine, and store covered in the refrigerator.

Vegan Chickpea Sausages

1 1/2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained (1-15.5 ounce can)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos

1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Pinch of sea salt

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Freshly ground black pepper or white pepper to taste

Roasted Apples, Onions, and Jalapenos (recipe follows)

Accompaniment: 8 cups of very lightly packed fresh baby spinach lightly barely sauteed in about 4 teaspoons of olive oil over medium high heat for about 30 seconds to 1 minute

Optional Garnish:

Cashew Cream (recipe is above)

A drizzle of Pomegranate Molasses (available at Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Markets)

Tear off 4 sheets of foil about 6 inches wide. Place a steamer basket in a 4-quart saucepan and fill with water just to the bottom of the steamer. Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer.

In a medium bowl, mash the chickpeas and garlic until creamy. A few small pieces of beans may remain. Stir in the vegetable broth, olive oil, and Worcestershire sauce, and set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk together vital wheat gluten, salt, coriander, cumin, paprika, and pepper. Pour the bean mixture into a well in the center of the dry ingredients and, using a fork, stir the dry ingredients around the edge of the bowl into the wet center until all of the ingredients are completely combined.

Divide the dough into four equal parts. Place each part on a sheet of foil and shape into 5 to 6-inch long logs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, pressing mixture together fairly firmly. Lay each log along one long edge of the foil and roll snugly, bending up the foil at the ends. Place the logs into the steamer–either vertically or horizontally, two on the bottom and two on top of them–and steam for 40 minutes, adding more hot water to the saucepan
if necessary to prevent it from evaporating completely.

Remove the sausages from the steamer and unroll them when cool enough to handle. Be careful that you don’t burn yourself with escaping steam. At this point, I like to split the sausages lengthwise and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side on my stovetop grill pan. Serve the sausages on a bed of the lightly sauteed spinach topped with the roasted apples and garnished with a dollop of cashew cream and a drizzle of pomegranate syrup. While the sausages steam, make roasted apples.

Roasted Apples, Onions, and Jalapenos

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 gala apples (or your favorite sweet-tart variety), stemmed, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each

1/2 of a large Vidallia or other yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch slivers

1 jalapeno, stemmed, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/8-inch slivers (you can use two if you choose, but that makes for a really spicy dish!)

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour olive oil into a large metal roasting pan. (If the ingredients are crowded, they will steam instead of roast.) Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat with the oil. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring after 10. Remove the pan from the oven and serve as described above.

Blooming Platter Cookbook Giveaway

For more than 150 additional mouthwatering recipes to celebrate all year long, I invite you to check out The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

Enter to win you very own copy by clicking here. Deadline is Saturday, October 8 at midnight!

October 1, 2011October 2, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Southwestern Zucchini and Beans with Smoked Paprika-Lime Cashew Cream

I’m a MoFo Virgin. Hold on…get your mind out of the butter, I mean gutter. Well, same thing. Anyway, it’s just that today is the first day of “Vegan MoFo 2011,” that’s “Vegan Month of Food” for any neophytes out there, and it is my very first time to participate.

Click the link to visit the official Vegan MoFo Headquarters where you can learn more and subscribe to the feed…and we do mean feed!

Simply put, Vegan MoFo is a month-long celebration of vegan cooking and eating. Around the globe, vegan bloggers will be posting as much and as often as they can about vegan food. And you can be privy to it all by subscribing. You can also search Vegan MoFo online, as many bloggers, like me, use that category or tag.

Many thanks to vegan guru and cookbook author, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, and her Post Punk Kitchen for launching and maintaining Vegan MoFo. Isa and her team make it so easy to participate, even providing the cool banner (above) at no charge and with just a click to download–no copying of code into the bowels of one’s blog program–whew!

And now let the feast begin, quickly before the last of summer’s zucchini had withered up…

Yield: 4 servings (you will have leftover beans and cashew cream, but you won’t mind a bit!)

Plan to start making the Cashew Cream the day before you want to use it, as the cashews need to soak overnight.

Paprika-Lime Cashew Cream

3 cups raw cashews, divided in half (I buy Trader Joe’s reasonably affordable organic cashews)

1 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Pinch of garlic powder

Sea salt to taste

Pinch of white pepper (black is fine; it just shows up more)

Zest of 1 small lime + juice of half of the lime

First make basic cashew cream: Place 1 1/2 cups of cashews covered with water in an airtight container and let soak, refrigerated, overnight. The next day, rinse and drain the cashews in a colander, and place into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add remaining cashews and process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. The processing will take several minutes. Remove a generous cup of the cream to a small bowl. Transfer the remaining cream into an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for another use. (Adding a little sugar, vanilla and lime zest makes a lovely cream topping for sweet dishes.) To the cup of cream in the bowl, whisk in the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Begin making beans early in the day, as they will need to soak;

1 pound bag of Anasazi beans (pinto beans or something similar would also work great)

10 cups of water, divided into 6 and 4

1 tablespoon of salt + more to taste

2 bay leaves

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup vegan beer or nonalcoholic beer (not all brands are vegan)

1/2 cup diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (you can use any chili powder you like, but I am especially fond of the characteristics of chipotle powder)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1/2 of a medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 zucchini

Pinch of sea salt

1 medium tomato, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 cup of Smoked Paprika-Lime Cashew Cream (recipe above)

Optional garnish: vegan sour cream, cilantro sprigs or chopped cilantro, and/or roasted pumpkin seeds

Bring beans and 6 cups of water to boil over medium-high heat in a covered 4-quart saucepan. Reduce heat and gently boil for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let beans sit for about 6 hours. Add remaining 4 cups of water, tablespoon of salt, bay leaves, and garlic, and gently boil uncovered for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until most of the water is evaporated. During the last half hour, add the beer, the 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes, and the cumin, oregano, and chipotle chili powder. Adjust heat as necessary. The bean mixture should be quite soft and creamy, but the beans should still hold their shape. Check for seasoning and adjust to suit your taste.

Meanwhile, heat the tablespoon of olive oil to shimmering in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, zucchini, and salt and saute, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until softened and beginning to develop some color. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 cups of the bean mixture plus the diced fresh tomato. Cover and refrigerate remaining bean mixture for another use.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil 4 gratin dishes and divide bean mixture evenly among them. Drizzle-dollop one-quarter of the Smoked Paprika-Lime Cashew Cream over each serving. Place the dishes on a baking sheet for easy transport, slide the sheet into the oven, and bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot dolloped with vegan sour cream and sprinkled with cilantro and or roasted pumpkin seeds if desired.

For more than 150 additional mouthwatering recipes to celebrate all year long, I invite you to check out The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

September 15, 2011September 15, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Moroccan Chickpeas and Eggplant Topped with Marrakesh Olive Pesto

An unforgettable dipping sauce for the warm homemade bread at Marrakesh Palace in D.C. inspired this olive pesto, and the pesto inspired the rest of the dish.

I was introduced to the pesto, which has no name that I know of, with my wonderful friend Allison when we visited D.C. in August. We stayed at the Hotel Palomar in Dupont Circle which happened to be just two doors down from Marrakesh. On my evening walk, it caught my eye and the posted menu was seductive, so we strolled down for a late dinner at around 9. (How very cosmopolitan of us.)

We sat on the tiny patio on a perfect night eating when we weren’t talking and talking when we weren’t eating (waking up hoarse the next morning!). Our lovely meal consisted of the bread and pesto dipping sauce, a flavorful Moroccan/Lebanese white bean dish called Loubia, and vegetable soup with glasses of Ksara.

Though I don’t claim that any part of my dish is authentic, it is delicious. As far as the pesto, our server told us what was in it, and I made up the proportions. I can’t remember, though, if onion was one of the ingredients, but fearing raw onion might overwhelm the other flavors, I didn’t include it.

While I could eat my weight of bread dunked in the pesto–and I think I did–tonight for dinner, I wanted something more nutritionally balanced that I could call a meal. Chickpeas sounded perfect, so I scooped up a can at the grocery store on my way home from school. I knew that I had an onion, garlic, and a red bell pepper that would be pretty and delicious with the them. But, much to my delight, I also had an eggplant that I had bought at a farm market during this last gasp of summer. (Note that, for some reason, I’ve become averse to eggplant skin, as I’ve found it unappetizing in a couple of dishes recently. So, for this dish, I removed the skin; but if you like it, leave it on.)

One of the most appealing aspects of this dish, both the chickpeas and the pesto–besides the flavor–is all of the fun ways it can be served: as a crostini toppings, as a pita bread or other pizza topping, as a pita sandwich filling, or over a bed of sauteed greens or couscous. And that’s just for starters. But the filling and pesto also pairs beautifully in my Taco Morocco! I’d love to know how you serve it.

Marrakesh Olive Pesto

2 cups pitted green olives

1/2 of a medium tomato, cut into chunks

1 stalk celery, cut into chunks

1 small carrot, peeled and cut into chunks

2 large cloves of garlic

1/4 cup flavorful extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients except olive oil and salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped and pulpy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper and pulse a few more times until well combine and a bit smoother. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl or airtight storage container. If not using immediately, store, covered, in the refrigerator.

Moroccan Chickpeas and Eggplant

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/2 of a medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

sea salt

2 cups 1/2-inch eggplant cubes (I peel the eggplant first)

1/2 cup fresh tomato puree

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/4 cup water or dry red or white wine (the flavor will be different, but still delicious)

1-15.5 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses (available at Middle Eastern or Mediterranean markets)

1 tablespoon agave nectar

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pinch of red pepper flakes or to taste

Zest of 1/2 of a small lemon (about 1 teaspoon)

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil to shimmering in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and saute, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened and some golden color starts to develop. Add the eggplant and remaining tablespoon of oil an saute, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until the eggplant is softened and taking on some color. Add the tomato puree, garlic and bell pepper and cook another5 minutes. Add water or wine and remaining ingredients, except lemon zest and parsley, and heat through, stirring continually, until the water cooks down and the mixture becomes very thick, which happens quite quickly. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Stir in the lemon zest and parsley and remove from the heat. Serve warm topped with Marrakesh Olive Pesto as is or on grilled bread as a crostini, as a pizza topping or pita sandwich filling, or over a bed of sauteed greens or fluffy couscous.

September 13, 2011September 15, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Taco Morocco

My Vegan Moroccan Chickpeas and Eggplant with Marrakesh Olive Pesto makes a beautiful taco filling.

To save time, you can use prepared taco shells, but I like to make them the way my mam-ma taught me:. They’re a little oilier, but oh-so-flavorful and softly crisp rather than shatteringly so:

Line a plate or platter with paper towel or a brown paper bag. If making more than a couple, preheat oven to the lowest setting. Heat a thin layer of canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Hold a corn tortilla in a U-shape with the lowest part touching the bottom of the skillet. I allow about an inch of width to rest on the bottom so that there is a nice space in which to spoon the filling.

Being careful not to burn yourself–you can use tongs if you prefer–hold the taco shell in this position for 0r so seconds until brown and crispy. Then lay it on it’s side and fry the first side another 30 or so seconds until golden brown. Gently flip it and repeat. While each side is frying, I like to use tongs or a spatula to hold the top flap away from the bottom one so that they don’t stick together. Drain on the lined plate and keep warm in the oven. Yes, this takes more time, but it’s so worth it!

Stuff each shell with some of the Chickpea and Eggplant Filling followed by the Olive Pesto. If you have cilantro, tuck a little of it inside for delicious flavor and color contrast. To serve, lay each taco on a serving plate, dollop with some vegan sour cream, and garnish with whatever you like, say, more cilantro, almonds, olives, or even a tiny tomato wedge.

August 27, 2011August 27, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Brie, Homemade Chutney, and Fresh Fig Tart

Yield: 1 8-inch savory tart

In my opinion, having a friend with a fig tree is almost better than having your own because the birds make such a mess of them.

So, when one of the barristas at my local Starbucks recently invited me over to pick figs from her abundant tree, I jumped at the chance. I had never seen anything like it! The tree–which had been split by lighting to or three decades ago and had formed two enormous trees–dwarfed her suburban back yard. So, I battled all manner of flying thing for my fair share.

Though I wasn’t greedy, I nevertheless bagged more than I could eat, so when I needed to stop over at a friend’s last Sunday afternoon to consult with him about a fun project (that you will be reading about here in a few weeks; I don’t want to do anything to jinx the outcome!), I decided to make a little fig treat for him and his fiance. And I wanted to make something sweetly savory. Remembering that I had some leftover chutney-topped vegan brie in the fridge (the brie is from a recipe on p. 30 of my new Blooming Platter cookbook), and that one of my favorite all-time appetizers is fresh figs stuffed with vegan brie and a smoked almond, I decided to make a tart that combined all those flavors.

I started with my never-fail press-in crust as the base. Then I gently swirled the brie and chutney together before smoothing it evenly over the crust. Next came concentric circles of gorgeous red figs halves with whole smoked almonds nestled upright between them and a very light drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

I think you’ll agree that the result is quite stunning. Apparently it was also a taste sensation because I received an email message with the subject header “Holy Tart!” and a text message saying, “D***! It’s good!” See what you think before the last of this summer’s figs disappear from market shelves…or your friends’ trees.

1 1/4 cups vegan brie (recipe follows–make the day before or very early in the day you plan to serve it)

1 baked Press-in Pie Crust, cooled to room temperature

3/4 cup homemade or purchased chutney (if you’d like to make a fresh one–the best!–just search “chutney” on my blog and you will find several outstanding ones to choose from; in fact, for this recipe, I used a combination of two in contrasting colors)

Approximately 20 fresh figs, stemmed and sliced in half vertically

Approximately 20 whole smoked almonds

Optional: a drizzle of about 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction

In a medium bowl, swirl together brie and chutney, stopping before they are completely combined. Spread evenly over the bottom of the cooled tart crust. Arrange the figs, flesh side up, in an attractive pattern over the surface of the cheese and chutney mixture, and then tuck whole almonds, standing upright, between the figs. Serve immediately with a very light drizzle of balsamic/balsamic reduction. Or store, covered, in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes before serving time, waiting until you serve the tart to drizzle it with the balsamic.

Vegan Brie (you will need about half of this recipe, but you’ll enjoy having the leftovers around)

14 ounces extra-firm tofu, pressed, drained and blotted dry

3/4 cup roasted cashews

6 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon miso

3 tablespoons beer or non-alcoholic beer

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons onion powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

Combine the tofu, cashews, nutritional yeast, miso, beer, lemon juice, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, and coriander in a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary. Line two soup bowls, approximately 5 inches in diameter, with plastic wrap and scrape half of the mixture into each one. Smooth the tops, fold the edges of the plastic wrap down to cover the surface. Top with a smaller bowl or plate and place a heavy can on top to weight it down. Refrigerate for 4 or more hours.

Press-In Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat, unbleached all-purpose, or whole wheat flour (or a combination)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons unsweetened or plain soymilk

Place dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour the oil and milk over the dry ingredients and work around with a fork and/or fingers until all of the liquid is absorbed. Press the crust firmly into the bottom and sides of an 8 to 9-inch tart pan. The bottom and side of a glass work nicely for this task. Bake crust for 10-12 minutes or until firm and slightly golden. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

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