June 8, 2011June 9, 2011 by betsy

Crostini with Smoky Vegan “Ricotta” Spread and Green Grape-Spring Onion Salsa

I am so excited to share this recipe, as it became one of my all-time favorite crostinis immediately upon creation.

My inspired foodie friend, Trish Pfeifer, often serves crunchy-juicy seedless green grapes and smoked almonds as an impromptu appetizer or snack. You can’t believe for how many occasions that combination is perfect, including–odd though it may sound–with coffee on a late Saturday morning.

So, last Sunday, I was craving her pairing, but I wanted to make it a little more of a “dish.” Yet I still wanted it to be ultra-easy, cooling (Sunday was hot and humid), and very pretty.

I make a vegan “cheddar”-pecan spread, so I thought that finely chopped almonds would be nice in something like a ricotta made from an extra-firm tofu base. And I thought that it would be even nicer still if I could toss all of the ingredients in the food processor, pulse a few times, and be done. And I could! Tthe consistency was exactly what I sought.

All that remained was the grape topping. I decided that spring onion would complement, but not overpower, the flavor of the grapes. Wanting the topping to be refreshing and fairly pure in taste, with just a little complexity, I decided to go with just a splash of rice wine vinegar and a bare hint of hot red pepper flakes. The result was exactly what I was after, and the shimmering green-on-green palette with tiny flecks of red looks as refreshing as it tastes.

All I had to use for a base was falafel crackers, and they were delicious, but I have since enjoyed the toppings on Melba toasts. Thinly sliced rounds of toasted or grilled bread would be perfect too.

After I spread a little of the vegan “ricotta” on the cracker and topped it with a mound of the salsa, I had one last flash of inspiration. The day before, I had been at T.J. Maxx where I was seduced by a box of exquisite irregularly-shaped chunks of pearly Pink Himalayan salt. (It is such smart merchandising to create the checkout line from display shelves lined with such goodies!) So, a hint of the salt hand-grated over the top, using my microplane grater, was the piece de resistance.

Even without the luxury of Pink Himalayan salt, you will adore this dish.

Smoky Vegan “Ricotta” Spread

8 ounces extra-firm tofu

1 large clove garlic

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

2 teaspoons light miso

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/3 cup smoked almonds

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

optional: 1/4 teaspoon curry powder

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse a few times until almonds are finely chopped and all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Check for seasoning, and adjust as necessary.

Green Grape and Spring Onion Salsa

1/2 cup quartered seedless green grapes

1/4 cup thinly sliced spring onion (use about half of the white and half of the green parts)

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

pinch sea salt

2 pinches natural sugar

pinch of red pepper flakes

In a small non-reactive bowl, combine all ingredients. Check for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Accompaniments:

Crackers, Melba toasts, or small, thinly-sliced grilled or toasted bread rounds

Optional: a finishing salt like Pink Himalayan

To serve, spread each cracker or toast with some of the “ricotta,” and top it with a small mound of the salsa. If desired, grate a little Pink Himalayan or another finishing salt over the top. Serve immediately. Store any leftover “ricotta” and salsa separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

June 12, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Whole Wheat-Cornmeal Silver Dollar Pancakes with Vegan Blackberry-Saki-Sage Sauce

Yield:16-18 silver dollar pancakes

Fresh blackberries at my favorite outdoor market and fresh sage flourishing in our garden were the inspiration for this deliciously different take on fruit-topped pancakes.

I love the flavor of sage in cornbread dressing eaten alongside cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving. So, when I was trying to think of an herb to infuse the blackberries with another layer of flavor, sage sounded like the way to go, as did pancakes with cornmeal. And they were!

I used both pineapple sage and regular sage, but the flavor of the former is so mild, that it’s not necessary. Saki added still another complementary layer of flavor and gave the sauce a nice texture when thickened with a little cornstarch.

Because the flavor of sage is fairly pronounced, I used half of what I had snipped in the sauce and half in the pancakes themselves, which created a nice harmony between the two.

Enjoy!

Make the sauce first and allow it to simmer while making pancakes:

Vegan Blackberry-Saki-Sage Sauce

approximately 1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup saki
16 sage leaves, rinsed, dried, and chiffonade (stack leaves, roll tightly, and cut extremely thinly; then cut cross-sections of rolls in half again to avoid stringy pieces of sage); reserve half for pancakes
optional: 8 pineapple sage leaves, rinsed, dried and chiffonade (prepared as above)
tiny pinch of coarse sea or kosher salt
2 teaspoon cornstarch whisked together with 2 teaspoons water

Gently mix all ingredients except cornstarch and water together in a medium saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium-high, and simmer gently while you make the pancakes. A couple of minutes before serving, stir in cornstarch and water slurry and allow to thicken.

Vegan Whole Wheat-Cornmeal Silver Dollar Pancakes

½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup cornmeal mix or self-rising cornmeal
6 tablespoons natural or brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla, lite or regular, would also be good
reserved sage leaf chiffonade
Vegan butter and/or vegetable oil for frying
Vegan Blackberry-Saki-Sage Sauce
Sprigs of fresh sage or pineapple sage

Preheat oven to warm. In a medium mixing bowl, place first 6 dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in soymilk. Whisk together until well combined. Stir in sage leaf chiffonade. In a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter, oil or a combination. (I like a combination: the oil reduces chances of burning while the butter contributes flavor.) Using a cookie scoop, make pancakes, six at a time. Cook a minute or so on the first side until lots of bubbles appear and the edges appear set. Gently flip and cook another couple of minutes on the reverse. Add butter and/or oil to keep skillet greased as needed. If pancakes are cooking too quickly, lower heat to medium, especially for second side. When cooked through, remove pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm, and repeat with remaining butter or oil and pancake batter. Serve with Vegan Blackberry-Saki-Sage Sauce spooned over the top and a sprig of fresh sage or pineapple sage.

February 21, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Feasting on Art Recipe Contest: Vegan Strawberry Chutney

My friend, Donna Reiss, a fellow foodie, found this recipe contes t at Feasting on Art and sent me the link, feeling it was perfect for me since I am a high school art teacher who blogs about food. The clever idea is that you post a recipe using the ingredients in the painting.

I feel my ravishing Vegan Strawberry Chutney is practically made for this particular challenge. Enjoy!

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 cup medium-fine diced red onion
salt to taste
1/2 cup medium-fine diced green bell pepper
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced lengthwise into quarters (if berries are really large, cut quarters crosswise in half)
1 tablespoon maple syrup or brown rice syrup
1 tablespoon white zinfandel (or other sweet wine)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 heaping tablespoon of minced fresh or fresh-frozen basil (any variety–I used purple)
additional salt and pepper to taste
Garnish: lemon zest

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil. When sizzling, but not smoking, add onion and a little salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onion begins to turn translucent. Add bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until all vegetables are softened. Add strawberries and syrup and cook until strawberries begin to break down and give up their juice. Keep cooking, stirring frequently until most of the moisture is evaporated and mixture is thick, but chunky, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat if necessary to prevent burning. Stir in wine, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and basil and heat through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve on grilled baguette slices spread with plain or chive vegan cream cheese (as depicted in the photo), over cornmeal pancakes, or over cornmeal biscuits with a dab of vegan sour cream for a savory strawberry shortcake. Garnish with lemon zest. This seemingly small touch makes for a big finish.

Painting Credit (top): Pierre Auguste Renoir, Strawberries, 1905, oil on canvas, 46 x 28 cm, Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris, France

May 3, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Strawberry Chutney

Yield: approximately 2 cups

The ravishing strawberries at the Farmer’s Market inspired this recipe. And, okay, Better Homes & Gardens magazine’s monthly recipe contest may have had something to do with it. Regardless of that outcome, this recipe is a winner.

Garnish: lemon zest