August 16, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Happy Birthday, Julia Child!

When I realized that Julia Child’s August 15th birthday (it would have been her 97th!) was going to fall on a weekend when my beloved cousin Earl Weed from Houston was visiting, there was only one thing to do: throw a party! Since I knew that he and I would be out hiking and such during the day–and since our friends are gifted cooks–I decided to make it a quasi-French potluck. And I’m so glad I did.

Everyone’s contributions were just perfect: mouth-wateringly gorgeous, nutritious, plentiful, and lovingly prepared. Obvious care and attention was lavished on every detail, including the beautiful serving pieces and presentations right down to the totes and trays used to carry the dishes into the house. (Though my husband’s contribution doesn’t fit that description, his willingness to vacuum floors and rugs–after his afternoon cigar on the deck but before guests arrived–was appreciated just as much.)

I was the only vegan in the crowd, but everyone brought vegan food except Scott who, thankfully and generously, kept the meat-eaters well satisfied. Served buffet style (to keep the food mostly out of reach of our dogs!), the menu consisted of:

A mound of Black Olive Tapenade on ruby red slabs of fresh juicy tomatoes with slices of whole wheat baguette, warmed lightly in the oven (Sharon and Mike Tanner)
Vegan Chicken Liver Pate with Sauteed Red Pears served with bagel chips (me)
Julia’s perfectly crisp and refreshing Chilled Cucumber Salad (Jonell Walthall)
Julia’s lovely and savory Ratatouille (Becky Bump and Reese Lusk)
Julia’s Veganized Pissaladiere Nicoise [caramelized onion and black olive tart–thank you, Earl, for pitting those olives] (me)
Julia’s Roasted Jerk Pork En Brochette (Scott Walthall–he even roasted the herbs himself!)
Vegan Chocolate Mousse (me–even Julia wouldn’t miss the heavy cream!)
Red and white French wines and good ‘ole red, white and blue American stories and laughter

Until next year, thank you, Julia, for inspiring generations of cooks past, present and future. And thanks to you Joe, Earl, and our dear friends for continuing to inspire me at table and beyond.

Bon Appetite!

Pictured from left: Scott, my husband Joe, Sharon, Mike, Reese, Becky, Earl and Jonell. Not shown: three drooling dogs. (Light conditions were not optimal for photographing the food–plus everyone was too hungry to wait–but stay tuned for post-party recipes and photos.)

August 10, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Tempeh Chicken Salad

Yield: approximately 4 servings

I’ve been out of the country/state for the last 11 days and have truly missed blogging. But my travels to London and to see my family in MS were fun and rewarding on many levels, not to mention filled with delicious vegan food. Stay tuned for Three Bean-Sundried Tomato Cakes with Ale Chutney from one of the many pubs we visited in London and a couple of terrific recipes from my mother and aunt.

But, first, I wanted to post this faux chicken salad inspired by my family’s visit to The New Yokel Market and Side Door Cafe in Hattiesburg, MS (see link under “Platters for Purchase” in my sidebar). We fortified ourselves there before going to see “Julie and Julia” (more on a dinner party inspired by the movie and Child’s August 15 birthday in an upcoming post). Mom is remarkably tenacious at sniffing out vegan food in a state known for rendering vegan food the opposite by virtue of ingredients like fatback.

This utterly charming and rustic market and cafe sells goods otherwise challenging to find in MS and turns out simple mouthwatering vegan chow like this tempeh chicken salad and a curried vegetable soup over dense vegan cornbread. I’d never made chicken salad with tempeh because I don’t think tempeh tastes much like my faint and distant memories of chicken, but it turns out not to matter one bit (or bite).

This salad–as close as I could come to their version–is some very good eats. The addition of fresh red grapes adds color similar to dried cranberries, but without that intense flavor that tends to overpower everything else. They also add moisture and natural sweetness. Lightly toasted walnuts add depth of flavor, crunch and nutrition. And celery, of course, provides even more juicy crunch while contrasting beautifully with the red grapes. My secret ingredients are a mere teaspoon of maple syrup to offset tempeh’s slight natural bitterness and minced fronds of fresh fennel to impart a subtle anise flavor because I think it goes perfectly with “chicken.” Fresh or dried tarragon would be nice too, but I happened to have some fennel with overly abundant fronds that I was going to have to wrestle into the fridge. Dill would be lovely as well. If you use fennel fronds, be sure to mince them very finely or you’ll feel like you’re eating a little lower on the food chain than you intended.

Enjoy this salad in a wholegrain sandwich; with crackers, celery sticks or sliced tomato; or just with a spoon!

2 cups faux chicken stock or vegetable stock
1-8 ounce slab of tempeh, cut in half crosswise (I used the soy variety)
rounded 1/3 cup finely diced celery
rounded 1/3 cup red seedless grapes, quartered
rounded 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, dry roasted for about 3 minutes in a small skillet over medium-high heat
*optional (but delicious!): lightly packed 1/3 cup minced fennel fronds (or minced fresh tarragon or dried tarragon to taste); just use the fine fronds and not the thick stems
4 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
4 tablespoons vegan sour cream
1 teaspoon maple syrup
sea or kosher salt and freshly pepper to taste

*Note: Fresh or dried dill would be lovely as well, though it would impart a slightly different taste. Also, you can change the proportion of mayo to sour cream, even using all of one or the other.

In a large cast iron skillet, bring the 2 cups of stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat so that the stock is just simmering, add tempeh, and simmer for 8 minutes, turning once halfway through. Remove from heat and allow tempeh to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, use this cooking time to prepare other ingredients, placing them all in a medium bowl. With fingers, crumble tempeh into the bowl and stir everything together with a spoon or fork.

Serve in a sandwich, with crackers or veggies, or on a bed of lettuce.

August 4, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Tostones (Fried Plantains) with Spicy Lime Sea Salt

Yield: 2-4 servings

I’m not quite sure why I got a taste for tostones with a coarse citrusy spiced salt, but I did and what I concocted is indeed tasty. Typically served as a Puerto Rican side dish with black beans and yellow rice, tostones are also quite good on their own as an appetizer. Their crispy golden crust encases a creamy and subtlely sweet interior that is perfectly balanced by the zing of my zesty salt.

Spicy Lime Sea Salt:

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
a few grinds of fresh black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch ancho chili powder (or your favorite variety–not too spicy unless you’re looking to heat things up)
1 pinch ground allspice
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch ground coriander
1 pinch ground curry powder
zest of one-half of a fresh lime

Using your fingers, lightly combine all ingredients in a small bowl or cup. Feel free to substitute any herbs and spices you like. Hold them together under your nose and whiff. If the aroma is appealing, they will probably be tasty together.

Tostones:

approximately 2 cups of canola oil (enough to reach 1/2-inch in large cast iron skillet)
2 plantains, peeled and sliced on the slight bias (diagonal) into 1-inch pieces

Optional Garnish: lime wedges or slices and sprigs of fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high until a drop of water sputters. If it begins to smoke, it is too hot. Remove from heat and allow to cool down for a couple of minutes before continuing, as the high sugar content of plantains makes them susceptible to burning.

Place plantains into the oil and cook until LIGHTLY golden in color on both sides, approximately a minute on each side. Remove slices from skillet and drain on paper towels. Place each slice between two pieces of waxed paper and, being careful not to burn your hand, flatten with your palm to about 1/4″ thick. One firm press ought to do it. Return flattened slices to the skillet and continue frying until golden brown on both sides, approximately another 30 seconds to one minute per side. Remove slices from skillet, drain on paper towels and, while still warm, transfer to a serving plate(s). Sprinkle with Spicy Lime Sea Salt. (You will have extra salt for another dish.) Garnish, if desired, with slices of lime and sprigs of fresh cilantro. Serve warm or room temperature.

August 4, 2009 by betsy

The Foodie Blogroll

Today, The Blooming Platter was approved to display The Foodie Blogroll widget! Please check it out at the bottom of my sidebar and be sure to visit their site by clicking on the widget.

July 27, 2009February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Calzones

Yield: 4 servings

Get in the “zone”…the “calzone“! Until recently, I had never made calzones, and any one I had ever ordered in a restaurant was doughy and heavy. However, I recently had a fresh veggie calzone at zPizza. The veggies were perfectly al dente, the vegan mozzarella quite good, and the crust surprisingly thin, light and crisp-tender. Knowing it could be done, I decided to try making one using my trusty pizza dough recipe reputed to be California Pizza Kitchen’s. I loved the results and think you will too.

Pizza dough is so ridiculously easy and quick to make (most of the time is hands free rising time) that I can think of few reasons to purchase it. I spent years intimidated by the prospect of “killing” the yeast with water that was too warm or not activating it with water that was too cool. “Quick Rise” or “Rapid Rise” yeast removes that concern.

Note that, while I use fresh herbs in most recipes, I used dried in this case because of the high cooking temperature. If you like a gooey filling, feel free to substitute shredded vegan mozzarella for my “cheeze“. For caloric and economic reasons, I like to make my own which, granted, would not fool anyone into thinking it is mozzarella, but I still like it very much.

Though it as delicious as is, you should consider this recipe also as a springboard to your own tasty creations by mixing and matching ingredients of your choice such as artichokes, olives and even vegan sausage, or some less traditional choices. Get creative and please share your winning combinations!

For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:

The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes

Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011

July 23, 2009February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Antipasto Tart in Vegan No-Fuss Puff Pastry Crust

Yield: 4 servings

***My 100th Post!***

This main course was born out of a desire for a balanced meal starring fresh raw tomatoes because to cook them this time of year would be a sacrilege. The crust makes use of Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa’s, technique for making a rim that is as easy as pie. The filling is a melange of fresh uncooked “slicing tomatoes,” white beans, and Mediterranean items found on the increasingly common grocery store antipasto bars. A tahini dressing lightly binds the ingredients together. So, while this meal is pretty enough for company, it is simple enough for a weeknight family dinner.

For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:

The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes

Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011

July 23, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Salad-on-a-Stick with Vegan Tomato Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 servings

A clever recipe for salad-on-a-stick in a recent issue of the Food Network Magazine inspired my slightly altered version. Because I decided to make a luscious tomato vinaigrette for dunking, I substituted red bell pepper chunks for cherry tomatoes on the skewers. And I also substituted folded Romaine leaves in place of the recommended iceberg wedges because the former looked especially good at the market. This fun salad might even have kids (and adult partners) wanting to eat their veggies.

4 long wooden or metal skewers

Salad:
12 cucumber slices, about ¼-inch thick, cut on the diagonal
12 carrot slices, about ¼-inch thick, cut on the diagonal
12 small to medium Romaine lettuce leaves
1 red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise, cored, and each quarter cut crosswise into three pieces

String ingredients onto skewers in the order listed above. Repeat three times per skewer. For the lettuce, cut or break off any tough part of the stalk end and fold the leaves over vertically and horizontally before spearing with the skewer. Note: you can substitute any veggies of your choice, including small wedges of iceberg lettuce for the Romaine.

Roma Tomato Vinaigrette:
3 Roma tomatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Leaves from 5-inch stalk of rosemary
Pinch sugar
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth. Pour into a serving vessel, cover, and refrigerate until serving time. May be made in advance.

July 23, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Black Olive Paste (in Cherry Tomato Boats)

Yield: 4 servings

These cute, tasty and fresh appetizers were inspired by an olive paste recipe I copied years ago out of The Surreal Gourmet and by the bounty of fresh tomatoes in our area this time of year. When I decided on the ingredients and amounts that I wanted to use in the paste, I went back and looked at my old recipe and they were surprisingly similar. I guess I had “implanted” that recipe deep into my psyche.

Olive Paste:
1-6 ounce can (dry weight) pitted black olives
2 tablespoons pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, etc.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup packed flat leaf parsley
1 ½ teaspoons fresh oregano leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)
¾ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth. Scrape into a serving vessel, cover, and refrigerate until serving time. May be made in advance.

4-8 fairly large cherry tomatoes (one or two per person)
a handful of smoked almonds
sprigs of flat leaf parsley

Prepare tomatoes one of three ways: halve them, cut an “X” in the top, or use a melon baller to scoop out a little bit of the flesh from the top (save for another purpose). Using a small spoon, dollop olive paste in or on tomatoes and garnish each with 1-3 smoked almonds and a sprig of flat leaf parsley.

July 23, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Catalan Tomato Bread

Catalan Tomato Bread
Yield: 4 servings

My friend Cindy told me to be on the lookout for this bread when my husband and I went to Barcelona a few years back. We had no trouble finding each other and beginning a torrid Spanish affair. No recipe could be simpler nor truer to the essence of its main ingredients.

You may either prepare this recipe just before serving or allow each diner to prepare his or her own.

4 slices grilled or toasted crusty bread (Ciabatta is nice)
4 garlic cloves, sliced in half
2 large Roma tomatoes, sliced in half
Extra virgin olive oil (choose a shimmering gold or green variety)
Kosher or sea salt

Rub each slice of bread liberally with cut side of garlic clove. Then rub with cut side of tomato, squeezing juice and pulp onto bread. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

July 20, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Smashed Plantains

Yield: 4 servings

Plantains may be my new favorite side dish. With their pleasant sweetness, about on the same scale as a potato, and unmatched texture, they play very nicely with others. Think of my recipe as a starting point for your own creations (and please share any you come up with). These plantains are delicious as is, but lend themselves to endless adaptations through the addition of other ingredients from herbs and spices to scallions and other veggies to chopped nuts.

3 large ripe (not green) plantains, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegan butter or olive oil
3 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk or coconut milk
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
generous 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
generous 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Sea or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional Garnish: a drizzle of olive oil and fresh cilantro, sprigs or minced

Place plantain pieces in a steamer basket in a large saucepan over simmering water. Cover with lid and steam for 10 minutes or until a knife can be easily inserted into the center of one of the pieces. Turn off heat and carefully remove basket. Place plantain pieces into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add remaining ingredients, except garnishes and pulse until fluffy and completely combined, adding more soy or coconut milk if necessary to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly. Spoon into a serving bowl or individual serving plates and garnish if desired. Serve warm.

Note: I tried both pressing the plantains through a ricer and mashing them with a potato masher, but neither worked well, as they were too firm. I suppose I could have steamed them longer, but I liked their consistency, so the food processor is the ticket.