Yield: 8 shells or 4 main dish servings (if served with a salad)
In celebration of finally being able to chew again following oral surgery, I offer you these tasty and fun little boats of goodness…enjoy!
My mom, a wonderful cook always on the lookout for her next favorite recipe, used to make a zucchini, Swiss cheese and torn bread filling that I adored. She would stuff it between the meat and skin of a chicken breast before baking. As a vegetarian, I loved the filling on its own. As a vegan, I combine the grated zucchini with caraway seeds and a little of my ultra-creamy vegan Alfredo sauce to capture something of the same taste and texture as the melted Swiss cheese. Since everything is better with a member of the onion family, I also add a little sauteed shallot and garlic. I think you’ll love these tender shells bursting with their nutritious green-flecked filling and nestled into my marinara sauce which is vibrant and vitamin-infused courtesy of pureed carrot and red bell pepper. But veggie phobic diners will never know.
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 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
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
Vegan Snap Bean "Stew" with Vegan Double Corn Finger and Faux Ham Stacks
Yield: 4 Servings
A gift of snap beans from my friend Becky’s recent CSA haul partially inspired this updated southern-style recipe. Recalling that my kinfolk scarcely know how to cook snap beans without ham hock, I knew I wanted to include an oinkless substitute. And since my veganized version of my mom, Sallie’s, Double Corn Fingers are a mandatory side with southern veggies, I could suddenly picture little corn finger sandwiches or “stacks” filled with faux ham and nestled in a slightly thickened snap bean stew. I decided to fleck the latter with carrot for added color and nutritional value and with celery, onion and garlic for flavor. A tiny bit of flour thickens the veggie broth just enough and a smidgen of nutritional yeast imparts a toasty, rich taste and aroma. The presentation is very cute and easy to eat because you want a little of everything in each bite, so its fine if it all comingles. Incidentally, though, all of the components are delicious by themselves.
Before beginning, prep all of the ingredients for each of the three components of the dish so that it goes together quickly.
Vegan Double Corn Fingers:
generous 1/4 cup vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons self-rising flour (plus extra for dusting work surface)
1/2 cup self-rising cornmeal mix
1/2 cup creamed corn
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place butter an 8-inch square metal baking pan and slide into oven just until butter melts. Remove pan and set aside. Meanwhile, in a medium size mixing bowl, combine self-rising flour and cornmeal. Make a well in the center and pour in creamed corn and about half of the melted butter. Stir together with a fork until completely combined. Dough will be a little sticky. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and turn ball of dough once or twice to make sure surface won’t stick. (Too much flour will toughen and dry out the corn fingers.) With lightly floured fingers, pat dough into about a 6-inch square. Cut in half crosswise, and then cut each half vertically into four fingers. Swirl butter around pan and then, working with one corn finger at a time, place it into the butter and then gently flip it over to coat both sides. Place corn fingers close together in two rows in pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden on top. For extra decadence, you can brush a little vegan butter on the tops while they are still hot. While fingers bake, make Faux Ham.
Faux Ham:
1 cup water
2 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon Amino Acids or vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon brown rice syrup (or maple syrup)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (you may substitute garlic salt; just omit sea or kosher salt)
1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon dried sage
8 ounces tempeh, sliced crosswise into 4 pieces
Combine all ingredients except tempeh in a large skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. While stock heats, stand each piece of tempeh on one of its long sides and, with a sharp knife, carefully slice it in half through the middle to make two thinner pieces. Place the 8 pieces of tempeh into the stock and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until almost all of the moisture is evaporated, being careful not to let it scorch. Add a little bit more water, if needed, to prevent stock from evaporating too quickly. While Faux Ham simmers, make Snap Bean “Stew.”
Stock Source: Adapted from La Dolce Vegan! by Sarah Kramer
For the stew 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 Ham Steaks or Vegan Sausage Patties
Yield: 4 servings (2 steaks or patties per serving)
Created for my Vegan Snap Bean “Stew” with Vegan Double Corn Finger and Faux Ham Stacks, these ham steaks are great for virtually any application calling for sliced ham. With the addition of fennel seed, they take on the flavor profile of sausage and are perfect in Sausage Biscuits or in any other preparation calling for sausage patties. You could even try crumbling it.
1 cup water
2 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon Amino Acids or vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon brown rice syrup (or maple syrup)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (you may substitute garlic salt; just omit sea or kosher salt)
1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground dry mustard
Sausage Patties only: 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/8 teaspoon dried sage
8 ounces tempeh, sliced crosswise into 4 pieces
Combine all ingredients except tempeh in a large skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. While stock heats, stand each piece of tempeh on one of its long sides and, with a sharp knife, carefully slice it in half through the middle to make two thinner pieces. Place the 8 pieces of tempeh into the stock and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until almost all of the moisture is evaporated, being careful not to let it scorch. Add a little bit more water, if needed, to prevent stock from evaporating too quickly.
Stock Source: Stock is adapted from La Dolce Vegan! by Sarah Kramer
Vegan Grits and Black Bean Cakes with Salsa Verde
Yield: 8 appetizer servings of 1 small cake per person, or 4 main dish servings of 1 large or 2 small cakes per person
At a restaurant recently, my friend Katherine ordered grit cakes over greens. The greens were exceptional, but I had to also have a tiny taste of one of the cakes as “research.” They were very creamy–loaded with cheese–with a crispy exterior, but not particularly flavorful. Still, that did it: I had a craving for vegan grit cakes and a mission to make them tastier.
Not long after, I read a recipe for mashed plantains and, suddenly, I knew that my next experiment would be grit and black bean cakes with mashed plantains. I made a mess out of the latter, turning them into tough little pieces of leather–dog chews–because I roasted them too high and too long. I’ll post my tasty redux soon. But, in the meantime, I wanted to post the cakes, as they are sensational. Pressing panko bread crumbs directly into the cakes–how did we function previously without these crispiest of crumbs?–gives them a beautifully crunchy crust without any other binder or batter.
Grits are often served with greens, so I wanted to create a twist; hence, the green salsa. It could scarcely be fresher, healthier or more perfectly married to the cakes. Both the cakes and the sauce took quite a bit of tinkering to get the flavor and balance just right, but I loved the result and trust you will too. They’re best served immediately after making, but would probably reheat well in the oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes. Heating them in the microwave renders them a little soft, but certainly still edible.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup peeled and diced onion (I used red onion)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
pinch salt
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup quick-cooking grits
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 can black beans, rinsed, drained and coarsely mashed with a potato masher (not a food processor)
1 cup panko bread crumbs placed into a shallow bowl
canola oil (1/4″ deep in a large cast iron skillet)
Salsa Verde (below)
Recommended Garnishes: chopped fresh tomato, a dollop of vegan sour cream and a sprig of fresh cilantro for each serving
In a medium saucepan over medium-high, heat oil to shimmering. Add onion and garlic and saute until very soft and starting to turn golden. Add water and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in grits and next 5 ingredients and simmer, stirring very frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until water is evaporated and grits no longer taste raw. Remove from heat and spoon into a bowl. Stir in mashed beans until well incorporated. Cool to room temperature or ever-so-slightly warmer. The cakes are especially easy to handle if you make the smaller version as described below, though I made the larger ones for the photo and they handled beautifully. (Note: I haven’t tried chilling the mixture. I’m not sure if the cakes would get warm enough in the center, but try it if you like and let me know how it works.) While mixture cools make Salsa Verde (below).
When ready to saute the cakes, heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Meanwhile, shape cakes using either one or two scant ice cream scoops of the grits and black bean mixture per cake. Shape each cake into a patty in your palm and then dredge in panko bread crumbs, carefully turning to coat both sides. Place into oil and cook 2-3 minutes per side. Remove cakes to a paper towel-lined plate or tray to absorb any excess oil. Keep warm in oven while you cook the remaining cakes. If cooking the cakes in batches, use a spatula to try to remove any bread crumbs from the oil in the skillet, as they are likely to burn if allowed to remain in the oil during the cooking of more than one batch. Serve warm with Salsa Verde and garnish as desired.
Salsa Verde:
3 large tomatillos halved, papery skin removed (slightly larger than a golf ball; if tomatillos aren’t available, use a medium green tomato)
.66 ounce package fresh cilantro, stems and all
3 ounces fresh baby spinach
Optional: a tiny bit of a hot green chili (seeds and membrane removed)
1 large shallot, peeled and halved (about the size of a golf ball)
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon vegetable bouillon or 1/2 of one extra-large cube
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (Ancho is particularly good)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
zest of one half of a lime
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Heat gently in a small saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for a couple of minutes.
Vegan Spinach, Mushroom and Red Bell Pepper Tamales
Yield: 14 tamales
Everyone loves to open a package, especially an edible one. Tamales are some of the tastiest—and easiest —savory packages to prepare. If you can tie a knot, you can make a tamale.
Heretofore, daunted by what seemed like too much work with an uncertain outcome, specialty ingredients, and the astounding amount of shortening recommended for the masa dough, I was recently encouraged to give tamales a try by an article in Food Network Magazine. In it, culinary star Ingrid Hoffmann shared her recipe for shortening-free tamales in which the dough and filling ingredients are combined instead of layered with moisture provided by prepared green salsa. Rather than masa, her recipe calls for ordinary self-rising cornmeal mix and she even demonstrated how tamales can be made in tin foil if corn husks aren’t available.
Though Hoffman’s Caribbean-inspired version sounded delicious, I sought a meat-and-cheese-free version with more traditional southwestern flavors, even if the approach was not completely authentic. After one dense, dry, flavorless flop, I conducted a little more research and a little more brainstorming, ultimately creating these moist bundles, bursting with flavor, color and nutrition from lots of vegetables, including cream-style corn for extra moistness, salsa and spices. A duet of ultra-simple sauces plus a sprig of cilantro crowns the tamales in the colors of the Mexican flag.
Approximately 20 corn husks (as some may split), available at local tiendas or Hispanic markets (or 14-6×8-inch squares of foil)
2 tablespoons corn, canola or olive oil
1 cup medium-fine diced yellow onion (approximately one medium onion)
1 cup medium-fine diced red pepper (approximately one medium pepper)
2 cloves garlic
8 ounces white or portabella mushrooms, wiped clean, and chopped very fine in food processor
2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
6 ounces ready-to-eat baby spinach, chopped very fine in 3 batches in food processor
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Zest of one medium-large lime (save skinless lime for white sauce)
1-14.5 ounce can cream-style corn
½ cup prepared mild green salsa (salsa verde)
Optional: 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (imparts a subtle “cheesy” flavor and a nutritional boost; available at health food and organic food stores; if omitted, you may need to add 2 additional
tablespoons cornmeal mix)
1/1/3 cup yellow self-rising cornmeal mix
Fill a large mixing bowl with hot water and separate husks into bowl, submerging them with a plate. Allow to soften for 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high. Add onion and bell pepper, and sauté, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and starting to turn golden. Add garlic, mushrooms, salt, pepper and spices, and sauté, stirring frequently, for a few minutes or until garlic and mushrooms are softened and starting to break down. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients, except cornmeal mix. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Then stir in cornmeal mix until well-combined. (The latter is not very tasty raw.) The consistency should be similar to a juicy brownie batter. Tear 3-4 of the corn husks into 1/4-inch wide strips and double-knot two strips together, overlapping ends by about 1 ½ inches. Set aside. Working with one corn husk at a time, remove it from the water onto a kitchen towel, wide end up. Spoon approximately 3 tablespoons of filling (4 for really large husks) into a 1½ x 4” long log-shape in the center of the husk, starting about ¼-inch from top edge and stopping about 2/3 of the way down. Fold one side of husk snugly over filling, and repeat with the other side. Hold husk in place while you fold the bottom third up. Still holding husk to prevent it opening, slip a knotted strip under the tamale, bring ends of strip up and over the front of the tamale and double-knot to hold folded end in place. Set aside, slightly propped up if necessary to prevent filling from spilling out. (Use the same procedure if using foil, but skip the tying step.) Repeat with remaining husks and filling. When about halfway through, fit a deep pot with a steamer, run water just to the underside of the steamer, cover tightly, and place over medium-high heat. When all tamales have been tied, remove pot lid carefully to allow steam to escape and place tamales into steamer as vertically as possible, leaning them against the sides of the pot and each other. Reduce heat to medium, replace lid and steam for 30-45 minutes or until just firm. Remove lid and use tongs to carefully remove tamales to a platter or plates. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving warm with sauces and fresh cilantro. Diners should remove ties, open husks, top as desired, and eat tamales while resting on husks, but they should not eat the husks themselves.
Red Sauce
½ cup prepared mild green salsa
2 Roma tomatoes, rinsed, dried and quartered
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Process together in the bowl of a food processor until chunky-smooth. Pour into a small dish and pass for spooning over opened tamales. You may heat sauce if desired.
White Sauce
½ cup vegan sour cream (dairy sour cream may be substituted)
Juice of one medium-large lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a small bowl, whisk together until well combined. Pass for dolloping on top of Red Sauce.
Garnish: whole or chopped fresh cilantro sprigs
Vegan Fancy Franks–Perfect for the Fourth of July
Yield: 8 hot dogs
You’ll love my “twist” on the traditional hot dog just in time for Independence Day in the U.S. Think “Pigs in a Blanket” kicked up a notch with the help of puff pastry dough. Once baked, they look really cute served upright in a wine glass, but they didn’t photograph too well like that. Regardless of how you serve them, guests of all ages will salute you. For adults only, I recommend accompanying them with Margarita Mayo and Pina Colada Catsup. It’s true that mayonnaise isn’t a traditional condiment for dogz, but something about the buttery “bun” contrasting with the tart lime makes for a delicious combination in this case. I also tried a Mojito Mustard, but lime, never mind mint, isn’t too tasty with mustard. A Mango Mustard, however, sounds marvelous. If you experiment with sauces, please share your results. Happy Fourth of July!
8 vegan hot dogs
1 sheet Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat sheet or apply nonstick spray sparingly. Slice puff pastry into 8 equal strips. Working with one dog at a time, wind and spiral the dough down the length of the frank making sure to gently press the ends of the strip of dough against the underside of the dog at both ends. You may need to slice about an inch off of each piece of dough, depending on the size of your hot dogs. Place the dog on the baking sheet and repeat with remaining franks and dough, leaving a couple of inches between each one. Bake for approximately 22 minutes or until golden, but start checking after about 15. Serve warm or at room temperature with the condiments of your choice. I particularly like the following:
Pina Colada Catsup
1/4 cup catsup
2 teaspoons Cream of Coconut
2 teaspoons pineapple juice
2 teaspoons rum (I used a golden variety)
Whisk all ingredients together and serve or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Margarita Mayo
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons tequila
2 teaspoons VERY loosely packed lime zest (approximately the zest of one small lime)
pinch salt
Whisk all ingredients together and serve or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Note: for a pretty and authentic Margarita presentation, you can dip the rim of a small glass or glass bowl in fresh lime juice and then in salt before filling with the mayo.
Vegan Coconut Curried Mustard Greens with Apples and Chick Peas over Cinnamon-Cardamom Rice
Yield: approximately 4 servings
They don’t call them “bitter greens” for nothing! I love mustard greens, but only with the bitterness dialed back. Coconut milk, apples and chick peas do the trick in this recipe, especially when served with Cinnamon-Cardamom rice.
Coconut Curried Mustard Greens with Apples and Chick Peas:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, slivered
2 Fugi apples, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4″ wedges (use whatever kind of apple you like, but Fugis are particularly good with savory dishes)
8 ounces mustard greens, coarsely chopped (I purchase them already chopped and ready-to-eat)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 of a 14.5 ounce can of coconut milk
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 of a 14.5 ounce can chick peas, drained (add them all if you prefer)
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Garnish: approximately 4 tablespoons lightly salted cashew halves and 4 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro or 4 cilantro sprigs
In a large wok or Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and saute, stirring frequently, until it starts to soften. Add apples, and continue sauteing just until they start to soften. Add the greens and cook for a few minutes or until they wilt and begin to tenderize. Add remaining ingredients, except chick peas and lemon juice, and cook for at least 10 minutes and probably more until greens are tender and have lost most of their bitter bite. (Unfortunately, this means they will lose their brilliant green color.) Stir in chick peas, heat through, and then stir in lemon juice. Serve garnished with cashews and cilantro over or alongside Cinnamon-Cardamom Rice.
Cinnamon-Cardamom Rice:
3 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick cinnamon, broken in half
a few cardamom pods (about 1 tablespoon)
1 cup basmati rice
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring all ingredients except rice to a gentle boil. Add rice, stir once, cover loosely with a lid, reduce heat if necessary and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Watch closely so that rice doesn’t scorch or stick to the bottom of the pan.
