Yield: appetizer servings for approximately 6-8
When our close friends Randy and Yvette Hetrick lived here, we enjoyed many fantastic meals together. My favorites were at their house after a long walk with our dogs in the state park behind their house. Sometimes Yvette did all the honors and sometimes we pooled our resources. She is in the top .5% of home cooks I know.
One of my favorite appetizers that she made in many wonderful variations was what I referred to as “Yvette’s Spiral Bread.” It’s a simple dough–I use my go-to pizza dough which is very similar to what she used–filled with whatever your heart desires, as long as it’s not so moist that it makes the dough soggy.
She and I have created so many permutations that it would be difficult to recall them all. My favorites have at least two, even three, very thin layers with the ingredients chopped small or thinly sliced. If you overstuff the bread or leave pieces of the filling ingredients too large–which is easy to want to do–the bread is difficult to slice and falls apart. So avoid the temptation.
I made the version depicted above when I was at my family’s home for the holidays (and presented it on my favorite serving platter: a gorgeous pink ceramic one that belonged to my my mother’s mother). Mama had three jars of unopened savory condiments that she’d picked up a long time ago thinking they looked too good to pass up, but not having anything specific to do with them: olive tapenade, caramelized onions and fennel, and roasted yellow and red Italian peppers. I knew exactly what to do with them! And they made a spectacular version of Spiral Bread.
For your iterations, let your imagination run wild. In addition to tapenades, caramelized onion/root veggies, and roasted peppers, consider vegan cheeses, sauteed mushrooms (with most of the moisture evaporated), olive and other pastes, finely chopped and drained artichoke hearts, vegan pestos, chutneys, sundried tomatoes, flavored hummus and more.
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
Vegan “Cheese” Ball with Smoked Almonds, Scallions and Olives
Yield: 1 “cheese” ball
Born in Texas, raised in Mississippi, I am a deeply south’ren girl. I subscribe to Southern Living magazine (it’s been updated if you haven’t seen it lately), Magnolias are one of my favorite trees, and Eudora Welty is one of my favorite authors. BUT, I like my collard greens without fat back and my tea without sugar, thank you very much.
For entertaining, we southerners love our cheese balls and we make them a million different ways. However, when I became vegan, I thought I’d tasted my last. Now that the holiday season is here, I found myself craving one in the worst way, both for the taste and the festive appearance. Though there is vegan cream and block cheeses on the market, I wanted one even more low fat. So I decided to limit myself to tofu and see what I could come up with.
If the non-vegan guests at a party I took it to last night are any indication, this is a winner. I think it’s safe to say that it was “set upon.”
Smoked almonds replaced the bacon which I decided to combine with pimento-stuffed green olives both for their briny pungency and their holiday color scheme. Mixed with the sweet scallions and a few other ingredients like nutritional yeast and miso to make the tofu taste “cheesy,” the combination of flavors transported me back to all the best parts of the Deep South.
14 ounces (drained weight) firm tofu (you may use extra firm, if you want the ball stiffer)
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon miso
1 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Amino Acids
2 teaspoons mustard
pinch paprika
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup smoked almonds, finely chopped
5 ounce jar of pitted green olives (you could use black if you prefer), drained and finely chopped
Garnish: pecan halves, finely chopped pecans, finely chopped parsley, and/or paprika
Puree first nine ingredients in food processor until smooth, stopping and scraping down bowl as necessary. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and stir in last three ingredients by hand.
Line a medium sized bowl–as half-spherical in shape as you can find–with plastic wrap. Spoon and press “cheese” mixture firmly into bowl; smooth top. Fold ends of plastic wrap over to cover. Refrigerate at least overnight. (I like to refrigerate it for a couple of days to really allow the flavors to marry.) Fold plastic wrap back from top surface of “cheese” ball, place a serving platter on top, and invert ball onto platter. You may have to tug gently on corners of plastic wrap to help it release. Remove plastic wrap, garnish as desired, and serve with crackers or small toasts.
Vegan Thai Corn Fritters with Vegan Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce–For Holidays or Any Day
Yield: approximately 20 small fritters
These beautiful fritters flecked with yellow, red and green are perfect for any festive occasion, but easy enough for any night of the week. We served them for Thanksgiving as one of two side dishes. The original recipe called for two eggs which I decided to substitute with blended tofu. I was nervous about my decision, especially because there appeared to be too much tofu and veggies for the amount of liquid. But the batter came together nicely. And when the first mounds of it hit the oil, my fears were completely allayed. They were perfect! Not only did they hold together beautifully, but they were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. And they were delicious with me and my sister-in-law, Tina’s, Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce. I suggested some ingredients and she put them all together perfectly. See our (loose) recipe below.
1/2 cup mashed firm tofu
4 tablespoons vegan fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 block firm tofu, cut into small dice
1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 loose cup chopped fresh coriander
1/2 of a medium red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 kaffir lime leaves (available in the freezer section of Asian markets), stems removed and snipped into slivers (I made a chiffonade by placing one on top of the other, rolling them up, and cutting them into thin slivers with scissors)
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or rice flour (I used all-purpose)
1 teaspoon baking powder
canola oil for frying
Puree together first three ingredients in a blender. Add the next 8 ingredients and stir together. Mix the flour with the baking powder and add to mixture, stirring to blend in completely and form a thick, lumpy batter. Taste and add up to one more tablespoon of vegan fish sauce if not salty enough. Heat about 1-inch of canola oil in skillet over medium high heat until a droplet of water sizzles and sputters. When oil is ready, drop 4-5 heaping tablespoon or small scoops (my preference) of the mixture into the oil, preventing them from touching each other. (Odd shapes are desirable.) Cook for 1-2 minutes or until they are golden on the underside and are set enough to turn. Gently turn them with a spatula or tongs and fry until golden brown on the second side. Remove from oil and allow to drain on an absorbent towel or paper. Keep warm in the oven set on the lowest temperature. Continue frying in this manner until all of the batter has been used. Serve with Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce.
Source: Veganized from http://thaifood.about.com/od/vegetarianthairecipes/r/thacornfritters.htm
Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce:
1 small can of whole cranberry sauce (or about 1 cup of homemade cranberry sauce)
Stir sauce in a small bowl and add some of each of the following to taste:
- Thai Chili Sauce
- Peanut Satay Sauce
- Duck Sauce
- Vegan Fish Sauce
- fresh lime juice
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Source: Betsy and Tina DiJulio
Vegan Spring Rolls Stuffed with Five Spice-Scented Dressing–A Thanksgiving Favorite All Wrapped Up
Yield: approximately 2 dozen appetizers
This is one of those ad libbed recipes that turned out brilliantly. We just made a simple eggless cornbread stuffing using a vegan packaged mix (Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Stuffing) to which we added a little finely diced onion and celery along with some veggie broth and a couple of pinches of Five Spice Powder. We cooked the mixture in the microwave for about 3 minutes before fluffing it with a fork to insure that the onion and celery was soft. It was surprisingly tasty by itself and over-the-top fried up as spring rolls.
approximately 1 1/2 cups of your favorite vegan cornbread dressing
2 pinches Five Spice Powder
1/2 package 6-inch square spring roll wrappers (about 24-25), thawed, and covered with a kitchen towel
halved, whole or sliced water chestnuts
canola oil for frying
Stir Five Spice Powder into cornbread dressing until well combined. Heat about 1-inch of canola oil in skillet over medium high heat until a droplet of water sizzles and sputters. Watch closely. While oil heats, place about 1 heaping tablespoon of filling and one water chestnut (or a half or a slice) into the center of a spring roll wrapper. Fold in sides and then roll up, jellyroll fashion. Moisten edge to seal if necessary. Set onto a plate, and continue with remaining wrappers, filling and water chestnuts. When oil is ready, place as many spring rolls as will fit without touching or over-crowding. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until they are golden on the underside . Gently turn them with a spatula or tongs and fry until golden brown on the second side. Remove from oil and allow to drain on an absorbent towel or paper. Keep warm in the oven set on the lowest temperature. continue frying in this manner until all of the batter has been used. Serve with Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce.
Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce:
1 small can of whole cranberry sauce (or about 1 cup of homemade cranberry sauce)
Stir sauce in a small bowl and add some of each of the following to taste:
- Thai Chili Sauce
- Peanut Satay Sauce
- Duck Sauce
- Vegan Fish Sauce
- fresh lime juice
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Source: Betsy and Tina DiJulio
Crostini with “Cream Cheese” & Caramelized Onion-Cranberry Chutney + Bonus “Goat Cheese” Recipe (vegan & plant-based)
You’ve probably been seeing versions of this ‘in” appetizer in the fall culinary magazines. And there’s good reason! Besides being pretty and festive, there is nothing not to love about it.
My version is similar to all of the others, but uses vegan cream cheese or my vegan goat “cheese” as the first layer. Folks who don’t care for onion will change their minds once they take the first bite of these onions’ rich, golden-brown and earthy sweetness offset by sweet-tart cranberries and a hint of mellow pungency from balsamic vinegar.
Spooning the onion mixture atop a layer of luscious white “cheese” that has been smoothed over crunchy grilled bread or a whole grain cracker (in a pinch) makes for one scrumptious appetizer.
Crostini with “Cream Cheese” and Caramelized Onion-Cranberry Chutney (vegan & plant-based)
Yield: 4 small servings
Note: the onions cook down considerably.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, halved, peeled, and cut crosswise into thin slices
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
2 medium-large cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon or so dried thyme or minced rosemary (use about 3 times more if using fresh herbs)
Vegan cream cheese (purchased) or vegan goat “cheese” (see my recipe below)
Slices of good bread, like ciabatta, grilled or toasted, or sturdy whole grain crackers
In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onion, salt, and pepper, and saute, stirring frequently, until soft and beginning to turn golden. Add garlic and continue sauteing and stirring frequently until onion is golden-brown. You may add a little splash of water during the cooking process to speed it along if desired. Stir in cranberries, balsamic vinegar and optional thyme or rosemary, and cook just another minute or until cranberries are slightly softened. Remove from heat and serve atop small toasts or crackers spread with vegan cream cheese.
If you would like to make your own vegan goat “cheese,” here is a version I created that is a hit among vegans and non-vegans alike (it makes about 1 1/2 cups). If you use this recipe, here is a crowd-pleasing alternative preparation: spread the “cheese” about 1/4 to 1/3″ thick on a serving platter. Double the recipe for the chutney above and spoon over the top of the “cheese.” Serve with toasts or crackers.
Vegan “Goat Cheese”
14 ounces regular firm tofu (not silken)
2 garlic cloves or roasted garlic cloves
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, but it makes the “cheese” extra yummy)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Amino Acids
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
pinch granulated sugar or raw sugar (optional, but I like it for balance)
zest of 1/2 a lemon
Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth and creamy. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.
Trish’s Vegan Spiced Chick Pea, Greens and Red Pepper Tapas
My good friend and fellow art teacher-foodie, Trish, is inspired in the kitchen. Trish is the kind of cook who rarely measures or writes recipes down, yet she can repeat a dish and it will be as good or better as the first time.
At the end of the summer, Joe and I enjoyed appetizers and a glass of wine at her and husband, Ken’s, house before walking to dinner at a restaurant nearby. While the dinner was delish, Trish’s appetizer was even better. She adapted a chickpea tapas dish from Padma Lakshmi’s cookbook to wonderful effect; it was one of the best simple appetizers I’ve ever eaten.
I adapted Trish’s recipe, not because it wasn’t perfect as it was, but because I spied bags of chopped kale at the grocery store. The end result is different than when using the wilted, rung out and chopped spinach as she did, but I loved it. I also didn’t have any scallions, so I substituted the red onion. Its flavor is more pronounced, so I just let the flavors marry longer before serving.
Balancing flavors is all about the assertiveness of particular ingredients, which can differ from one time to the next. So, Trish’s pinch of cinnamon became a whole teaspoon in my version. I also halved the amount of lemon juice and zest and still added a tablespoon of maple syrup, probably because the kale is slightly more pungent than spinach.
The bottom line is to feel free to play with proportions.
10 ounces chopped fresh kale or spinach leaves (you may use half arugula)
1-14 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
approximately 1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2-1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
one bunch of scallions, chopped (or 1/2 of a red onion, finely diced)
Accompaniment: warmed, grilled or toasted whole wheat pita bread triangles, pita chips, or pita pockets
Slightly wilt kale or spinach in a saucepan with a tiny bit of water. If using spinach, drain, squeeze dry, and chop. Mix together next 9 dressing ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl. Add greens, bell pepper and scallions or red onion. Mix well and chill, preferably over night. Serve with warmed, grilled or toasted pita bread triangles, pita chips, or as a filling for a pita pocket.
Source: Adapted by Trish Pfeifer from a recipe by Padma Lakshmi.
Vegan Lemon-Artichoke Tarte
Yield: 4 large or 9 small servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, cut into small-medium dice
3-4 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 box Silken firm tofu
juice of one-half to a whole small-medium lemon (start with one-half)
1 can artichoke hearts, drained (or 8 frozen-thawed or fresh artichoke hearts)
1/2-1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves to taste
a pinch of paprika or more to taste
Garnish: thyme leaves removed from the stems, paprika and lemon slices
Make crust: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Oil a baking sheet or line it with Silpat. Carefully unfold the pastry onto the baking sheet. With a knife, gently score a line about one-half inch from the edge of the crust all the way around, making sure not to cut all the way through the dough. Using a fork, generously but gently prick inside the scored line. Place baking sheet on the center rack of your oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes (check after 15) until golden brown and very puffed. After crust has baked, remove from oven, reduce temperature to 350 degrees, and use the back of a spoon to gently crush down the puffed area inside the scored lines leaving a raised half-inch rim all the way around.
While crust bakes, make filling: In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onion and saute, stirring frequently, until softened. Add garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper and continue sauteing and stirring until mixture is golden brown. I like to add just a little water to speed up the process and remove caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. Place tofu in the bowl of food processor fitted with a metal blade and process with lemon juice and nutritional yeast until smooth. Add remaining filling ingredients and pulse until artichokes are chopped and all ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Fill crust: Spread crust with filling; it will make a thin layer. Bake for about 10 minutes or until heated through. Slide tarts onto platters and cut into as few as 4 or as many as 9 squares each. Garnish with a sprinkling of thyme leaves and paprika plus lemon slices.
Vegan "Pulled" Spaghetti Squash Barbecue with Vegan Cole Slaw on Vegan Creamed Corn and Chive Cakes–Appetizer Version
Veganized Pissaladiere Nicoise a la Julia Child (Vegan Onion and Olive Tart)
Yield: approximately 8 main dish servings or 16-18 appetizer servings or (easily halved)
You’ll love this simple savory tart, another menu item from the “Happy Birthday, Julia Child” dinner party on August 15 (see August 16 post).
Her version starts with a rich pate brisee tart crust and, while it would have been easy to veganize, popping vegan puff pastry dough out of a Pepperidge Farm box was easier still. A poorly trained chimp could turn it into a beautiful tart shell, complete with a raised rim, following my so-easy-its-almost-embarrassing method.
Child’s original filling is made of meltingly sweet caramelized onions (with the barest hint of cloves) dotted with oil-cured black olives and anchovy fillets. Other than the obvious decision to omit the anchovies–which weren’t missed a bit, as they always reminded me of bait–I decided to slice, rather than dice, the onion. It saved hands-on time and looked really lovely.
I also dispensed with the herb bouquet of fresh parsley, dried thyme and bay leaf, as I didn’t have cheesecloth or bay leaf. But I did stir parsley and thyme into the filling and I can’t imagine that the end result was in any way inferior to the original. We devoured it, er, I mean we savored it slowly with our French wine.
Bon Appetit!
1 box Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (remove both sheets from box and bag and thaw for about 40 minutes, covered, on the counter top)
4-6 tablespoons olive oil
approximately 3 1/2 pounds of white or yellow onions (about 3 1/2 large onions), quartered and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
3-4 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
6-8 fresh parsley sprigs, minced (you can use a little dried to taste in a pinch)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
a couple of pinches of ground cloves (about a scant 1/4 teaspoon–the cloves should be a VERY subtle background note, not pronounced at all)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
approximately 25-30 oil-cured black olives, pitted, and sliced in half
Optional: 1 additional tablespoon of olive oil
Optional garnish: thyme or rosemary sprigs
Make filling: heat oil to shimmering in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt. Saute, stirring fairly frequently, for about 50 minutes or until rich golden-brown and incredibly sweet (you really do cook them that long). Stir in parsley and thyme and saute for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in parsley, thyme, cloves, pepper and more salt to taste. Cool slightly.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Oil two baking sheets or line them with Silpats. Carefully unfold one sheet of pastry on each of the baking sheets. With a knife, gently score a line about one-half inch from the edge of the crusts all the way around, making sure not to cut all the way through the dough. Using a fork, generously but gently prick inside the scored line. Place baking sheets on separate racks, one shelf below and one above the center so that the crust on the bottom has plenty of room to rise. Bake crusts for approximately 20 minutes (check after 15) until golden brown and very puffed, rotating sheets after 10 minutes.
Remove crusts from oven, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and use the back of a spoon to gently crush down the puffed area inside the scored lines leaving a raised half-inch rim all the way around. Divide onions evenly between crusts, spreading to inside edge of rims, and scatter olives over the tops. Drizzle with the last tablespoon of oil if desired. Bake just until heated through, about 10 minutes, rotating pans if one seems to be baking too quickly. Remove pans to wire racks to cool slightly. Slide pissaladieres onto platters and cut into 4 or 9 squares each.
If not using crusts immediately, remove from oven to wire racks to cool. When ready to use–best if within two-three hours–precede with recipe beginning with crushing down the puffed areas and baking for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Source: Adapted from Julia Child’s Pissaladiere Nicoise as published in Bon Appetit, August 2009
