Monday, May 13, 2013
FUSION NAAN PIZZAS AND MESSING AROUND WITH FLATBREADS
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| Naan Pizza |
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| Leek and vegan cheese flatbreads for dinner last night-- so good! |
All this ruminating on bread reminded me of a recipe I developed for my old newsletter, The Vegan Feast, a few years ago-- a sort of pizza with a base of vegan naan and an Indian-style pea/tomato sauce, topped with vegan cheese and rich-tasting browned onions. So, I offer it to you here while I make a few more flatbread discoveries for the next post. Bon appetit!
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S FUSION NAAN PIZZAS WITH INDIAN TOMATO SAUCE WITH PEAS, ARUGULA, VEGAN MOZZA, AND CRISPY BROWNED ONIONS
Serves 12 Yield: 6 pizzas
I
wanted to have a casual Indian fusion meal for friends one evening a few years ago, and this is
the main dish I was thinking about for days before. It turned out to be a big hit, and a good choice for a casual company meal, because all of the components can be made either
early in the day, or even a day or two ahead of time.
NOTE: Naan for pizzas can be baked several
hours ahead of time. Bake them for only
3 minutes or so, or until they are risen and set, and starting to become
golden. You need to underbake them because they will bake again with the
toppings. Remove them with a peel or long-handled spatula. Place them inside of
an open paper bag until time to make the pizzas.
6 Vegan Naan Bread, slightly under-baked
(see my book "World Vegan Feast" for my vegan recipe)-- mine are
about 9x7-inches
OR use
commercial naan (if you can find some without dairy) OR vegan pita (uncut)--
you may need to use 1 or 2 more of these
Crispy Browned Onions: **You can make these ahead of time, even the day before.**
4 large onions, thinly-sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Indian Tomato Sauce with Peas:
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 medium onion, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon garam masala or curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 pinch cayenne
1/4 cup water or vegetarian broth
1/ 14 oz can tomatoes with juice, mashed
with your fingers
1 1/2 cups frozen petit pois (young green
peas)
1 teaspoon sugar
Additional:
2 cups raw arugula (approximately)
Crispy Browned
Onions: Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the thinly-sliced onions and salt. Saute for several minutes, then reduce the
heat to medium. Cook the onions,
stirring often, for about 15 minutes.
You want them to be deep brown and a little crispy. When the are done, set the pan aside, off the
heat.
Indian Tomato Sauce with Peas: Add the ginger
and garlic to a large nonstick skillet over high heat, and stir-fry with a little bit of water
for a minute. Add the onion and stir-fry until it is soft, about 5 minutes,
adding a squirt of water as needed to keep from sticking. Add the seasonings
and 1/4 cup of water or broth, stirring around well, then add the tomatoes,
peas, and sugar, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Set aside.
Assembling and Baking the Pizzas: About 1/2 an
hour before you want to serve the pizzas, set an oven rack in the
upper-middle rung. Place a large baking stone (or 2 or more smaller ones) or baking tiles (leaving a 1-inch gap around the border), or a large cast iron skillet (or 2 smaller ones), or griddle or pizza pan , on the oven rack. Heat the oven to 450°F.
My homemade Naan
Place the naan (or pita) on your work surface
and cover all them evenly with the Indian Tomato Sauce. Distribute the shredded mozza evenly between
the pizzas.
Place the raw arugula
over the mozza. Top with the Crispy
Browned Onions.
Place the pizza on a baking peel, a large dough scraper/bench knife, cake or cookie lifter, or a small rimless baking sheet-- whatever
you are using to transfer the pizzas to the baking stone or alternate. Transfer
to the baking stone and bake as directed below.
To use a peel, or alternate, dust it lightly
but thoroughly with flour, cornmeal or semolina, gently pull the pizza onto it, letting one edge hang off the rim a bit, if necessary. As you place the front tip of the peel AT THE BACK
END of the hot stone or skillet, etc., pull the peel out sharply, and the pizza will slip onto the hot surface. Close the oven door quickly. If your
stone is big enough, add a second pizza.
Bake each pizza (or pair of pizzas)
for 3-5 minutes each, remove immediately and repeat until the others are
cooked. Cut them in half and serve
immediately!
Nutrition (per serving): 338.0 calories;
36% calories from fat; 13.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 900.6mg sodium;
281.2mg potassium; 45.0g carbohydrates; 3.8g fiber; 5.5g sugar; 9.3g protein;
7.1 points.
Enjoy!
Friday, May 3, 2013
SOY CURLS WITH LEMON-RHUBARB SAUCE
We planted two rhubarb plants last year and this year they have grown amazingly! Yesterday I picked several stalks and then had to decide what to do with it. I didn't feel like making a dessert , so I decided a savory dish with rhubarb added for some tang was just the ticket. Rhubarb (which is actually a vegetable) is used in savory dishes in Iran, Afghanistan, India (three cuisines which continue to intrigue and delight me), and also Eastern Europe, where it is often paired with potatoes (which actually makes alot of sense to me), and used in soups and even salads. Lots of inspiration here, which I may need if these plants keep producing at this rate!
Some time ago, I had seen a recipe from Bon Appetit magazine for rhubarb-stuffed chicken breasts and a lemony rhubarb sauce. The sauce sounded delightful and, since I had just received a case of Soy Curls™ (see about this versatile product, made with the whole soybean, here), I thought I could make a simpler, vegan version with them-- a little less sweet and using less fat, but keeping some of the richness to complement the tangy quality. We enjoyed the results immensely, and the leftovers were even more delicious for lunch today!
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA’S
SOY CURLS™ WITH LEMON-RHUBARB SAUCE
Serves 4
This was loosely adapted and “veganized” from a recipe in the February 2007 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.
8-ounce package Butler Soy Curls™
(If you prefer, substitute 4-5 cups strips of any chicken sub you like.)
4 cups boiling vegan “chicken-y” broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, minced
4 1/2 cups diced rhubarb, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons vegan butter (try my homemade vegan palm oil-free Buttah)
1/2 cup sliced fresh ginger (don't bother peeling)
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup dry sherry (or white vermouth)
4 cups vegan “chicken-y” broth
one whole star anise
1 bay leaf
salt
freshly-ground black pepper
Accompaniment:
Steamed rice
Garnish:|
Chopped fresh parsley
Lemon slices
Serves 4
This was loosely adapted and “veganized” from a recipe in the February 2007 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.
8-ounce package Butler Soy Curls™
(If you prefer, substitute 4-5 cups strips of any chicken sub you like.)
4 cups boiling vegan “chicken-y” broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, minced
4 1/2 cups diced rhubarb, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons vegan butter (try my homemade vegan palm oil-free Buttah)
1/2 cup sliced fresh ginger (don't bother peeling)
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup dry sherry (or white vermouth)
4 cups vegan “chicken-y” broth
one whole star anise
1 bay leaf
salt
freshly-ground black pepper
Accompaniment:
Steamed rice
Garnish:|
Chopped fresh parsley
Lemon slices
Reconstitute the Soy Curls™ by soaking
in the 4 cups boiling broth while you prepare the onions, etc. When they are tender (this takes only about
10 minutes), drain them. (You can use
any leftover broth as part of the second 4 cups of broth further down in the
recipe.)
Sauté 1/3 of the
onions and 2 cups of the rhubarb in the olive oil in a medium non-stick, cast iron or hard-anodized skillet
for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is just beginning to soften. OR, you can microwave
the mixture on 100% power in a covered microwave dish or casserole for about 3
minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Season with salt and pepper and set
aside.
Melt the vegan butter in a heavy non-stick, cast iron or hard-anodized pot. Add the remaining onions, rhubarb and ginger slices and sauté for about 10 minutes. Add the agave nectar and sherry, bring to a boil and boil hard for one minute. Add the “chicken-y” broth, star anise, and bay leaf, and simmer over medium heat (un-covered) for about one hour, or until the broth has been reduced by about half. Strain the sauce through a sieve, discarding the solids. You should have about 2 cups of broth left.
Return the strained sauce to the cleaned pot, add the reserved rhubarb/onion/lemon mixture and the drained Soy Curls™ . Heat through and taste to for salt and pepper.
Serve over hot steamed rice, garnished with parsley and lemon slices.
Enjoy!
Melt the vegan butter in a heavy non-stick, cast iron or hard-anodized pot. Add the remaining onions, rhubarb and ginger slices and sauté for about 10 minutes. Add the agave nectar and sherry, bring to a boil and boil hard for one minute. Add the “chicken-y” broth, star anise, and bay leaf, and simmer over medium heat (un-covered) for about one hour, or until the broth has been reduced by about half. Strain the sauce through a sieve, discarding the solids. You should have about 2 cups of broth left.
Return the strained sauce to the cleaned pot, add the reserved rhubarb/onion/lemon mixture and the drained Soy Curls™ . Heat through and taste to for salt and pepper.
Serve over hot steamed rice, garnished with parsley and lemon slices.
Enjoy!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
LEFTOVER VEGG FRENCH TOAST BATTER? MAKE A WHOLEGRAIN VEGAN MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH
I love the Vegg egg yolk sub for making French toast-- it makes the BEST, most authentic vegan French toast I have ever tried. I made lots of French toast for my granddaughters this last weekend, but had some batter leftover (the recipe is on the Vegg package, by the way). This morning I decided to use some of it to make an old-fashioned sandwich that I haven't had for years-- a Monte Cristo Sandwich. It's basically a ham and turkey sandwich with cheese, dipped in French toast batter and browned on both sides until the cheese melts. Traditionally, this is served with currant jelly, strawberry jam or cranberry sauce on the side, but I ate my version just plain. I also bucked tradition and used a lovely moist 100% whole wheat sourdough bread that we occasionally by from a local bakery, instead of the usual white bread. The result was very satisfying, to say the least!
The origins of this sandwich are a little murky. The Food Timeline website says: "Recipe-wise, food experts generally consider the Monte Cristo sandwich to be a simple variation of an early 20th century French dish called Croque Monsieur. According to several articles published in newspapers and magazines, Monte Cristo sandwiches were first served in southern California and were very popular in the 1950s-1970s. Therin ends the agreement. The who/what/why/where/when behind the Monte Cristo sandwich is still very much a subject of debate.
The earliest reference we find to a Monte Cristo sandwich is printed in a 1941 menu from Gordon's on Wilshire Blvd., Los Angles. We do not know how these were made. The oldest recipe we have (so far) for the Monte Cristo sandwich was printed in The Brown Derby Cook Book, 1949. The Brown Derby restaurant is located in Los Angeles, California and is famous for serving Hollywood's elite."
And...
"Several popular American cookbooks published in the 1920s-60s published recipes for sandwiches which are essentially Monte Cristos [ham--sliced & deviled/turkey/chicken sandwiches dipped in egg & then fried to a tasty golden brown], under different names."
If you'd like to try it, here's my vegan version:
BRYANNA'S VEGAN MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH
For each sandwich:
2 slices of bread (it's supposed to be white, but I used an artisan sourdough whole wheat:
I slathered my own homemade lowfat vegan mayonnaise on one side (use whatever mayo you prefer) and some seedy Dijon mustard on the other.
I folded three slices of Tofurky Peppered "Turkey" slices and placed them over the mayonnaise side, and 2 slices of vegan "ham" (a Chinese product this time, but use any type you like) over the mustard side.
Top the "ham side" with some white vegan "cheese" (a meltable type-- Mozza Daiya Shreds in this case)-- next time I'm going to try the homemade Vegan Gruyere from my book "World Vegan Feast".
Carefully put the 2 sides together (try not to lose the cheese!) and dip in the Vegg French Toast batter on both sides. (NOTE: The batter thickened up alot after a couple of days in the fridge, so I whisked in some nondairy milk to thin it out a bit.)
Heat a non-stick, or cast iron, or hard-anodized skillet over medium heat, spray with oil from a pump sprayer and add a bit of vegan butter to the pan as well, if you like (no more than a tsp.). When the pan is hot, place the sandwich in the pan, cover and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove the lid and carefully turn the sandwich over. Cook about 3-4 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted and the bottom is nicely browned.
Now, cut in half and enjoy while it's nice and hot!
Enjoy!
Friday, April 19, 2013
A SCRUMPTIOUS BRUNCH FROM "BETTY GOES VEGAN"
I have to apologize for being so silent during the last two weeks! I've been wanting to write this post on the new cookbook "Betty Goes Vegan" for a month, but life keeps getting in the way! I've never met Annie and Dan Shannon, but what a dynamo pair they must be. This project was a huge commitment (good thing there are two of them, is all I can say!) and they can be very proud of their achievement.
Their fun and slightly cheeky "Betty Goes Vegan" is not only a massive hit, but it's a massive collection (500 recipes) of comfort-food vegan dishes. For anyone who grew up in North America, with a Betty Crocker cookbook of some kind or other (perhaps a tattered and dog-eared one that belonged to your mother or grandmother; perhaps the 2010 version that the Shannons used for this project), this is nostalgia gone vegan. The Shannons have perfected vegan versions of many all-American favorites, such as biscuits with gravy, fried eggs (yes, indeed!), brisket and cabbage, German potato salad, Snickerdoodles, and crab cakes, plus numerous international recipes such as the "great English breakfast", Italian Wedding Soup, Ramen bowls, Caribbean black beans with rice, Paella, and lots more. The dessert section is 100 pages alone! So many choices, so little time!
I wanted cook a whole meal from the book for this blog post, but it was very difficult to choose the recipes. In the end, I decided to do a brunch menu-- the Denver Omelet (which was a favorite of mine as a teenager), the Creole Potato Wedges, the pillowy-soft-in-the center Garlic and Cheese Biscuits (see photo below).
For the vegetable dish to round out the meal I made the spicy, creamy Old Bay Coleslaw-- a real winner:
I had planned on doing a dessert, but, to tell you the truth, we wouldn't have been able to eat it! Another time (DH will be happy).
The meal was a huge success-- DH loved all of it and everything was quite easy to prepare. And, honestly, your picky omnivore brother-in-law would be hard-pressed to find fault with this brunch! (That reminds me-- BGV would be a great gift for a new vegan or thinking-about-it friend or relative.) Here are two of the recipes I made from this fabulous addition to the vegan cookbook universe, courtesy of Grand Central Publishing.
DENVER OMELET from “Betty Goes
Vegan by Annie & Dan Shannon”
Makes 2 large or 4 small servings
(reproduced with permission)
(reproduced with permission)
Ingredients:
Filling
Olive oil
cooking spray
Dash of liquid smoke
1 green bell
pepper, diced
1/2 red onion,
diced
3/4 cup diced
vegan ham, smoked tempeh, or
Hickory Smoked Tofurky Deli Slices
1/2 cup shredded
Daiya vegan cheddar cheese or your favorite vegan cheese
1/2 cup shredded
smoked cheddar Sheese (I can't get Sheese where I live, so I used some vegan cheddar with few sprinkles of liquid smoke BCG)
Diced fresh
chives for topping
Freshly ground
lemon pepper
Omelet
1 (14-ounce)
package tofu (I didn't know what kind of tofu to use, so I used firm: BCG)
1 tablespoon soy
coffee creamer
2 tablespoons
nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon
cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon miso paste
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Bragg’s liquid aminos (I used low-sodium soy sauce: BCG)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Crushed pink Himalayan salt (I used kosher salt: BCG) and crushed peppercorns, optional
Freshly ground lemon pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons margarine per omelet (I used my palm oil-free vegan Buttah: BCG)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon miso paste
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Bragg’s liquid aminos (I used low-sodium soy sauce: BCG)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Crushed pink Himalayan salt (I used kosher salt: BCG) and crushed peppercorns, optional
Freshly ground lemon pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons margarine per omelet (I used my palm oil-free vegan Buttah: BCG)
Directions:
· First
prepare the filling.
· Spray
your cast-iron skillet or frying pan (I used a 10-inch skillet: BCG) with a light coating of olive oil, toss in
a dash of liquid smoke, and place over medium heat.
· Then
toss in the bell pepper, red onion, and vegan meat.
· Fry
until the vegan meat browns and the vegetables are tender.
· Move
the vegetables and vegan meat mixture from the skillet into a large bowl and set
the skillet aside.
· Keep
whatever oil is left over from the vegetables and vegan meat in the skillet for
a little extra flavor.
· Begin
preparing the omelet. In a food processor, blend the tofu, soy coffee creamer,
nutritional yeast, cornstarch, onion powder, cumin, miso paste, turmeric, Bragg’s,
and paprika until you get a smooth paste.
· Here’s
where you can taste the blend to see if you want salt or pepper. I tossed a
pinch of lemon pepper into one of the omelets at this step and really liked it.
· Next,
melt 1 to 2 tablespoons of the margarine over medium heat in the same skillet
you used for the vegetables and vegan meat.
· Now
separate your tofu blend into two equal portions.
· Once
the skillet is warm and the margarine is melted, pour one portion of the tofu blend
into the center of the skillet and spread it out like a nice even pancake.
· You
have to move pretty fast so that your omelet doesn’t form lumps.
· If
you don’t move fast enough, you can always use a spatula to spread it out
evenly. (I spread it out to about 7 inches in diameter and used wet fingers to smooth it out: BCG)
· Watch
for bubbles and cracks. If you get a bubble, try and gently pop it with a fork.
Cracks can be smoothed over with uncooked tofu blend.
· Let
the tofu blend fry for 5 to 8 minutes. During that time, use your spatula to
keep loosening the edges.
· Once
the edges begin to get brown and crispy, gently use your spatula to lift and
check the progress of the omelet.
· You
want the omelet to be golden and crispy, so make sure you can see that
beginning to happen before you toss in your fillings.
· Don’t
worry if the center is still a little soft.
· Make
an even layer of half the vegetable and vegan meat filling on one half of the
omelet; then top with a layer of half the vegan cheddar and Sheese.
· Cook
for another 2 minutes to let your vegan cheese and Sheese melt a little and
heat the vegetables and vegan meat.
· Keep
an eye on your edges to make sure they don’t burn.
· Now
here’s where it gets tricky. Seriously. Take your spatula and flip the empty
side of the omelet over the side with the fillings.
· Very
gently move your omelet to the plate by turning your skillet and slowly sliding
the omelet out, using your spatula to guide and control it.
· Keep
the first omelet warm in the oven while you make the second one with the other
half of your ingredients.
· To
serve, just toss some fresh chives and pepper on top.
· This
makes 2 pretty huge omelets, or you could always split them into 4 smaller
ones.
GARLIC AND CHEESE BISCUITS from “Betty
Goes Vegan" by Annie & Dan Shannon
Makes 1 -1 ½ dozen biscuits
(reproduced with permission)
(reproduced with permission)
Ingredients:
2 cups Bisquick
mix (There's a homemade mix in the book, which you can use instead, if you prefer: BCG)
2⁄3 cup soy milk
2 tablespoons
nutritional yeast
1/2 cup shredded
Daiya vegan cheddar cheese or your
favorite vegan cheddar
1/4 cup olive
oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
Directions:
· Preheat
the oven to 450°F.
· In a
bowl, combine the Bisquick mix, soy milk, and nutritional yeast with a handheld
mixer until completely mixed.
· Stir
in the vegan cheese with a spoon.
On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop spoon-size clumps. They won’t be pretty, but it’s important that they don’t get too thick or they won’t bake all the way through.
On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop spoon-size clumps. They won’t be pretty, but it’s important that they don’t get too thick or they won’t bake all the way through.
· Bake
for 8 to 10 minutes, but keep an eye on them.
· They
bake fast. Pull them out once they’re golden.
· In a
bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic powder, garlic, dill weed, thyme, and rosemary.
· Brush
the warm biscuits with the herbed olive oil.
· Once
they’ve cooled, eat them. (We ate them while still warm! BCG)
Enjoy!
Sunday, April 7, 2013
A QUICKIE-- A NEW LOW-FAT OR NO-FAT FRUIT-BASED (BUT NOT SWEET) SALAD DRESSING
I'm a bit late blogging this week and this will be a quickie blog post, too. Easter, company, family stuff and working on a longer post (cookbook review) got in the way. But, until I get that one done (tomorrow?), here's a new recipe I'm quite pleased with.
I'm always on the lookout for low-fat salad dressings that don't scream "low-fat"-- dressings that I can serve to guests who never worry about fat or calories, confident that they won't be disappointed. I have been using dressings made with my Oil Substitute for Salad Dressings (4 parts to 1 part olive oil, usually), such as Figgy-Balsamic-Sesame Vinaigrette and variations thereof; or silken-tofu-based dressings, such as Lowfat Poppyseed Dressing or Creamy Lemon-Agave Dressing. Lately I've been experimenting with creamy dressings made with well-cooked white beans or chickpeas, such as Oil-Free Creamy Bean-Based "Caesar" Dressing. (I've found that white beans make a good substitute for silken tofu in dressings, if you blend them until they are very smooth. This is good news because they are much less expensive than silken tofu, and soy-free, if that is a concern.) On occasion I've used fruit or vegetable-thickened dressings, such as Roasted Garlic Dressing or Blueberry/Pomegranate Vinaigrette. They have all been well-received. (I haven't had much luck with chia seed dressings, though, for some reason-- maybe I just don't like chia.)
Today, I had a couple of ripe pears around and I remembered that blended raw pears made a delicious, creamy dessert sauce. Since pears are a mild-tasting fruit and their fruit is a bit pulpy, but blends down to a creamy texture, I thought it might make a nice thickening for salad dressing, too. I was right, and the resulting recipe is below. NOTE: Though I added a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, I think it would be fine without it. And I think this recipe would be an excellent base recipe for all sorts of variations. I hope you enjoy it.
Note: When you are tasting your salad dressing, remember that this is not something you are going to drink-- you are only going to use a bit of it to dress your salad greens. So, it should not have a sharpness that will hit you at the back of the throat and make your eyes water, but it should be full-flavored.
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S CREAMY PEAR-BASED VINAIGRETTE (TARRAGON VERSION)
Makes about 2 cups
Play around with this recipe, using different varieties of vinegar (or lemon or lime juice), different herbs, and other types of oil (if you use oil), such as roasted sesame or nut oil.
1 medium, ripe pear, peeled and cored and cut into small dice (should be about 1 cup)
1/2 cup water + 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or, for No-Fat, omit the oil and use use 2 tablespoons more water, or juice, or non-dairy milk, creamer or yogurt)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar, or unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Optional: 1/2 tablespoon golden flax seeds
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
Blend all of the ingredients together in a high-speed blender until very smooth. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator. Simple as that!
Enjoy!
Thursday, March 28, 2013
EASTER DINNER WITH A DIFFERENCE FROM "WORLD VEGAN FEAST"
 |
| Hasselback Potatoes and Vegan Coulibiac I'd like to share a festive vegan Easter dinner from my book "World Vegan Feast" that is elegant, delicious and just a little bit different. Here's the main course: Vegan Coulibiac or Kulebiaka (Pastry-Wrapped Russian Loaf of Rice, Mushrooms, Dill & Vegan"Salmon")  |
To accompany the main course: Vegan Hasselback Potatoes
For the vegetables, keep it simple but luxurious: Roasted or Steamed Asparagus with Hot and Creamy Orange Vinaigrette
BRYANNA'S CREAMY ORANGE VINAIGRETTE
Makes about 7/8 cup
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (juice of 1 large orange)
grated zest of 1 large orange
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 green onion, white part only, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
Optional:
1 Tbs Ajvar (Bulgarian red pepper and eggplant spread/preserve-- see about this and homemade version here)
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until
smooth refrigerate in a covered jar until ready to serve on a salad, or you can
heat this gently to use on roasted or steamed asparagus.
Last, but never least, is a spectacular dessert: Vegan Lemon/Strawberry TiramÃsu
Rich with almonds, fragrant with lemon zest, tangy and
sweet, this TiramÃsu is alcohol-free, topped with fresh strawberries and
contains more cake than the traditional recipe (making it more trifle-like). It
is a gorgeous spring or summer dessert! Like traditional TiramÃsu and Trifle,
this beauty is best assembled and refrigerated the morning of the day you will
be serving it. There are various components, but, to ease the burden on the cook, many of them can be easily
prepared several days, even weeks, beforehand.
An alternative dessert might be Vegan Tort Shokoladnyi (Russian Chocolate Torte):
This would complement the Russian main course. It's a very decadent,
moist three-layer dark chocolate almond cake swathed in fluffy, light chocolate
frosting and topped with a generous portion of chocolate curls…mmmmmm!
Apparently, it is a common torte to serve with afternoon tea in Russian
tearooms and restaurants.
Happy Easter!
An alternative dessert might be Vegan Tort Shokoladnyi (Russian Chocolate Torte):
Happy Easter!
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