Monday, June 21, 2010

Ravioli, Panzanella

Dinner 6/21

Ravioli

Panzanella



We utilized our stash of wonton wrappers much like last month's version, only using a single round wrapper. They were filled with a tofu ricotta (tofu, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, parsley) and wilted arugula. They only take a few minutes to cook in the water and are then added to a pan with melted earth balance to coat. Then, they were inhaled. ;)



The panzanella was a way to use the lovely bread left over from Liz's bread run the other day. Toasted bread cubes, cherry tomatoes, basil and a simple red wine vinaigrette tossed together just before eating was a nice crunchy salad counterpart to the silky ravioli.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Sweet and Sour Seitan, Jasmine Rice

Dinner 6/18

Sweet and Sour Seitan
(recipe below)

Jasmine Rice



Sweet and Sour Seitan

Sauce

1/3 cup of pineapple juice
1/4 cup of rice vinegar
2 tbs. tamari
1 tbs. ketchup
2 tbs. agave
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of water

Whisk together and set aside.

Seitan

Smoker box with sherry wood chips (optional)

8 oz. seitan, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tbs. sherry
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 tbs. cornstarch (divided use)

Smoke the seitan cubes with cherry wood chips for 25 minutes (optional).

Put the seitan into a large mixing bowl and add the sherry and black pepper. Give it a few minutes to marinate, then toss with 2 tbs. of cornstarch until well coated. Give the seitan another 10 minutes or so, and toss again with the remaining 1 tbs. of cornstarch.

Deep-fry in canola oil at 375F until crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Drain and reserve.

Vegetables

a medium pineapple, cut into 1/2" dice
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut on the bias
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2" dice
1/4 cup of baby corn
1/4 cup of bamboo shoots
1 cup of snap peas (or snow peas), trimmed

In a wok, over high-heat, add 1 tbs. of canola oil and stir-fry the vegetables until cooked through.

Add the reserved seitan and the sweet and sour sauce into the wok and bring to a boil.

Cornstarch Slurry

1 tbs. of cornstarch
2 tbs. water

In a small container, whisk together the cornstarch and water and pour the slurry into the wok and stir until sauce begins to thicken.

Check for seasoning and serve on top of steamed jasmine rice.


Raspberry Stuffed French Toast, Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast, Hickory-Smoked Fried Tofu

Breakfast 6/18

Raspberry Stuffed French Toast

Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast

Hickory-Smoked Fried Tofu



At first I thought it might be my birthday (it wasn't), but it felt like it was -- this is my favorite breakfast of all time...



Take some sandwich bread and the "Fronch" Toast recipe from "Vegan with a Vengeance" add some raspberry puree and/or peanut butter between two slices and top with fresh raspberries and/or banana and maple syrup and powdered sugar.



Coming along for the ride was hickory-smoked fried tofu with hot sauce. We like to smoke a few blocks of tofu a couple of days ahead of time so they're ready to go at a moments notice.



Thursday, June 17, 2010

Hickory-Smoked Eggplant Po' Boys, Cole Slaw

Dinner 6/17

Hickory-Smoked Eggplant Po' Boys

Cole Slaw



Liz went early our local bakery (Great Lakes Baking Co. in Hudson, OH) and scored some lovely ciabatta rolls. So, it seemed like a good time to try our hand at that New Orleans classic, a po' boy sandwich.



We started by peeling, cubing and hickory-smoking the eggplant for 15 minutes. Then we coated the eggplant using the three-pan method.

Pan 1: All-purpose flour seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Pan 2: A cornstarch slurry (1 tbs. cornstarch & 1 tbs. of cold water).

Pan 3: A mix of 1/3 cup of cornmeal and 2/3 of a cup of breadcrumbs, with a 1/2 tsp. of cumin, 1/4 tsp. of cayenne, 1 tsp. of smoked paprika, 1 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. of pepper, stirred to combine.

Then, working in batches, deep-fry the eggplant in 375F peanut or canola oil for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.



We hollowed out the top and bottom of the rolls and added the eggplant and hot sauce. On the top half we went with tomato, lettuce, pickles and a bit of the coleslaw.



You know they were good, because two bites into dinner our daughter asked if we could have them again tomorrow. ;)

Monday, June 14, 2010

Pasta with Tempeh, Broccoli and Greens

Dinner 6/14

Pasta with Tempeh, Broccoli and Greens



It's time to play America's favorite game show: "What Needs To Be Used In The Refrigerator?"

Tonight's contestants are from Kent, Ohio -- please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Tofu!

They're weighing in with cubed tempeh, steamed broccoli florets and pan-fried local chard mixed with onions, garlic, white wine, soy margarine, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper!


Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Mac 'n Greens, Fritto Misto with Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce

Dinner 6/09

Mac 'n Greens
(recipe below)

Fritto Misto
(recipe below)



Mac 'n Greens

Smoked Cream Sauce

smoker box
3/4 cup of cashews
1/4 cup of macadamia nuts
water
salt
1 tbs. nutritional yeast
1/2 cup of soy/rice/almond milk

To make the smoked cashew/macadamia cream, start by smoking the nuts with alder wood for 20 minutes. Add them to the Vita-mix along with enough water to make a cream sauce. The amount will vary, but you're looking for a smooth, creamy sauce. Now, thin it out by adding 1/2 cup of soy/rice/almond milk and the nutritional yeast and puree together again. The resulting sauce should be able to coat the back of a spoon easily. Check for salt and reserve.

(Don't want to do all that? Use 2 cups of soy/rice/almond milk. We won't tell anyone.)

Pasta

16 oz. macaroni

Cook the pasta as directed on the package. We used gobetti tonight, but the traditional macaroni will do. You'll probably have leftover pasta depending on what type you use or just make a couple of extra servings.

Greens

1 tbs. olive oil
1 small bunch of mustard greens, rinsed, stems removed & leaves thinly sliced
salt & pepper to taste

Chiffonade the mustard greens (kale or chard are also good substitutes). In a large saute pan, cook the leaves with the olive oil on med-low heat until wilted, and check for seasoning. Remove from the pan and reserve.

Sauce Base

2 tbs. soy margarine
2 tbs. all-purpose flour
2 cups of smoked cashew/macadamia cream sauce
1 tbs. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste

In the same pan, melt the soy margarine, add the flour and whisk together to make a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes until it bubbles and turns a nice golden color. Add the smoked cashew/macadamia cream (or plain soy/rice/almond milk) slowly, whisking quickly to avoid lumps. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens. Add salt, nutritional yeast and nutmeg and whisk to incorporate.

Cheese

4 oz. Daiya

Add the shredded Daiya, stir until melted, add pasta and reserved greens to combine.

Check for seasoning, and try not to eat all of it directly from the pan.

Place the pasta into a lightly greased (with soy margarine) Au Gratin dish or 6oz. ramekin. Sprinkle extra nutritional yeast on top (to taste) or bread crumbs (or both).

Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.



The batter is not a traditional recipe, it's more of a modified tempura recipe with added spices and herbs.

Fritto Misto

1 cup soda water
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. parsley, minced
1/2 tsp. rosemary, minced
1/2 tablespoon salt

Scapes, tips trimmed, leaving the top 2"
Cauliflower, about half a head, broken into small florets

Canola oil for deep frying

Sift the flour, baking powder and cornstarch into a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the soda water, salt, smoked paprika, parsley and rosemary. Allow to rest for a few minutes. Additional soda water may be needed to adjust thickness.


Scapes


In a wok or large pot, heat the oil to 375F, dredge the veggies in the batter and carefully drop in the oil.

Cook until until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes).

The quick spicy tomato dipping sauce combined onions, garlic, red pepper flake, smoked paprika and fire-roasted tomatoes.


Thursday, June 03, 2010

Black Bean and Mesquite-Smoked Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Dinner 6/03

Black Bean and Mesquite-Smoked Portobello Mushroom Sandwich



Keeping things simple this (hot & muggy) last week of school...

The portobello mushrooms were smoked with mesquite for 10 minutes, brushed with olive oil and tamari, grilled and sliced.

They were added on top of the black beans (onion, garlic, smoked paprika, garlic salt, black beans) which were pureed and placed in a hard roll with the inside bread scooped out.

On the right hand side is a mixture of pan-fried poblano chiles, onion, garlic, garlic salt, smoked paprika, pepper and Mexican oregano.

Not shown is the Daiya cheese that was sprinkled on top of the mushrooms and beans and put under the broiler for a minute to melt.