2010 November « BitterSweet

A Hannukah Miracle

November 30, 2010 at 11:52 am | Posted in Baking / Cooking, Food | 33 Comments
Tags: holiday, recipe, savory, vegan

Take it as evidence that I’m a bad Jew, if you must, but the rumors are true; I had never made latkes before. Picture thin shreds of white potato that have sopped up gallons of oil and yet remain pale and flaccid, to be served with dairy-rich sour cream or overly sweetened apple sauce- Can you blame my resistance? Admittedly, the latkes my parents painstakingly make every year are never like this, but out of laziness and sheer stubbornness, I refused to remove my blinders and give them a chance. Despite the connection I felt to the ritual of their preparation, I found myself unmoved, year after year. Working as a tag team, my mom in the kitchen working with the raw ingredients, my dad out back doing flame-control, the smell of smoke and canola oil permeating the air, it’s this tradition that epitomizes the Hannukah experience to me. That’s why we’re unofficially pushing back the date of celebration, so that my dad can be home to fry them like usual. Whether that means standing outside at the grill in the snow, rain, or just freezing cold, it doesn’t matter. He knows that the hungry hordes need their crispy, golden brown latkes, and there’s no way on earth we’re deep frying that much potato matter inside the house.

And there starts my prejudice; Anything that requires cooking outside of the kitchen must be too much of a hassle. What with all the holiday cookies to bake, why waste time making boring old potato pancakes anyway? Deep fried food doesn’t disagree with me per say, but it loses quite a few brownie points if I’m the one doing the frying. Who wants third degree burns as a holiday parting gift? That’s why, with the actual Hannukah week free and clear, I stuck to what I know best and fired up the oven, set on breaking my latke-less streak at last.

Notice, these are baked latkes, not fat-free; They still need ample lubrication to prevent sticking and tearing. Most notable, however, is not the method by which these nouveau potato pancakes are cooked, but the subtle flavors I chose to wake up these potentially snooze-worthy staples. Taking inspiration from Chinese scallion pancakes, short ribbons of green onion are woven amongst the strands of potato, punctuated by the gentle warmth of ginger. Sure, purists may turn up their noses, but these nontraditional spud bundles have made me a convert. Latkes can be a beautiful (and yes, delicious) thing, when treated with a little extra love and attention. And yes, please, go ahead and fry them if you prefer. Just keep that vat of hot oil far away from me.

Baked Scallion-Ginger Latkes

1 1/2 Pounds White or Gold Potatoes
2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Generous Bundle Scallions (about a dozen), Cut into 1-Inch Pieces
1 Tablespoon Minched Fresh Parsley
1 1/2 Tablespoons Finely Minced Fresh Ginger
1/4 Cup Garbanzo Flour
1 Tablespoon Flax Seeds, Ground
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

2 – 4 Tablespoons Canola Oil

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and use 1 or 2 tablespoons of the canola oil to generously grease a baking sheet. Don’t be shy; you need to really smear it on so that nothing stick later.

Peel and grate the potatoes, placing them in a colander in the sink or set over a large bowl. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and salt, to prevent browning and extract some of the water, and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes. Squeeze the potato shreds with your hands to extract the excess water. Don’t be shy, really wring those spuds out, because too much water now will mean less crispy latkes later. Transfer the significantly drier potatoes into a [dry] large bowl.

Cut the scallions into one-inch lengths, and add to the potato. If your scallions are on the chunkier side, slice them in halves or quarters first. Add in the parsley, ginger, flour, ground flax, and pepper, and toss to combine.

Scoop out about 1/4 cup of potato mixture for each latke, and use your hands to really press it all together. Place each latke on the prepared sheet fairly close together since they don’t spread. Flatten each mound down as thin as possible to get crispier results. Brush the tops of the pancakes with 1 – 2 tablespoons of oil, and again, don’t be skimpy about it. Side your sheet of latkes into the oven, and bake for 20 minutes. At that point, flip them all over, and bake for another 15 – 20 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately, with vegan sour cream if desired.

You can also make them ahead of time; Prepare as stated up to this point, but let them cool completely. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve, and then just pop them in the toaster oven to warm through.

Makes 8 – 12 Medium-Sized Latkes

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Friday, Black Friday

November 26, 2010 at 11:09 am | Posted in Baking / Cooking, Food | 46 Comments

Lock the doors and hide the credit cards; it’s the scariest shopping day of the year! While more discount-savvy commercial hunters may relish the opportunity to forage and gather, scooping up the best sales around, I tremble in fear of the mere concept of waking up at 4 am in order to buy holiday gifts. Even for big ticket items reduced by hundreds of dollars, the pain and suffering simply can’t be worth the written price tag. Big price cuts bring big crowds, and I can’t help but flash back to the image of hapless gawkers being trampled half to death as soon as store doors crack open an inch. No, I’d be much happier safely holed up in the kitchen, cranking up the oven and making my own holiday gifts, as per usual.

Dark as coal but a much sweeter gift to recieve, it seemed only fitting to make a black dessert for the occasion. Contrary to how it looks, however, it’s not a brownie, and doesn’t even taste a bit chocolaty. Though a generous scoop of black cocoa is employed to intensify that charcoal color, it doesn’t contribute significant flavor. Instead, this bar is all spice, all the time. Complex and delicately nuanced, this is a gingerbread built for the discerning palate looking for something just a bit different from the same old spice blend. Rounded out by rich molasses, these bars are fantastically dense and chewy, like the best blondies should be. Though I hesitate to call them blondies based on their appearance, that’s how they started life; A few tweaks that lead to bigger alterations, built upon a recipe in my Blondies and Brownies ebook.

Seeking out a slightly fancier presentation, you may have noticed that these bars were in fact cut as rounds. Fun, unique, and eye-catching, I do love the shape, but it creates quite a bit of blondie “waste” in the process. Not to worry, nothing is truly wasted here- Especially if those scraps are used to make…

Caramel-cinnamon ice cream with black gingerbread chunks? Not such a bad consolation prize for the baker, I’d say!

Being only the day after Thanksgiving, it may seem like I’m jumping the gun on holiday gifts here, but this season it’s non-stop holiday madness for me; Hannukah is less than a week away, already! Even if you’re planning ahead for Christmas, the good news is that once baked and sliced, these bars keep beautifully in the freezer for up to 3 months, wrapped in plastic and stored in an air-tight container. So bake your heart out, and leave your wallet at home! Black Friday can be a much tastier affair.

Black Gingerbread Bars

2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Black Cocoa Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Instant Coffee Powder
1 Tablespoon Finely Grated Fresh Ginger
1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Cloves
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Paprika
Pinch Ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 Cups Chopped Walnuts
1/3 Cup Brown Rice Syrup
1/3 Cup Molasses
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Apple Butter
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Crystalized Ginger

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, coffee powder, and spices so that all the dry goods are well mixed. Add in the chopped chopped walnuts, and toss to coat with flour, so that the pieces don’t simply sink to the bottom of your bars.

Separately, mix together the rice syrup, molasses, brown sugar, oil, apple butter, and vanilla. Pour these wet ingredients into the bowl of dry, and stir just enough to bring everything together. A few errant lumps are just fine; Be sure not to over-mix. The resulting batter will be extremely thick and sticky, to the point of being difficult to mix- Don’t panic! Just make sure you get out any pockets of dry ingredients before proceeding.

Transfer the batter into your prepared pan, and use lightly moistened hands to press it down into one even layer until it reaches all of the corners and sides. Sprinkle the chopped crystalized ginger over the top, and press gently into the unbaked bars with your fingertips.

Bake for 28 – 35 minutes, or until no longer shiny on top, firm around the edges, and highly aromatic. Let cool completely before slicing either into squares, or cutting into rounds with a cookie cutter.

Printable Recipe

Caramel-Cinnamon Ice Cream with Black Gingerbread Chunks

1 Cup Coconut Milk
2 Cups Vanilla Soy or Coconut Creamer
1 Cup Vegan Caramel Sauce
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Pinch Salt
2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1 Heaping Cup Bite-Sized Black Gingerbread Cubes

This ice cream is really easy as can be; Combine the coconut milk and creamer in a medium sauce pan, along with the caramel, cinnamon, salt, and corn starch. Whisk vigorously to combine and beat out any lumps. Turn on the heat to medium, and whisk occasionally until it just comes up to a boil and has thickened significantly. Cool completely and add the vanilla. Chill thoroughly before churning in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, adding in the gingerbread chunks in the last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer to an air-tight container, and freeze solidly for at least 4 hours before serving.

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Happy Tofurky Day!

November 24, 2010 at 9:41 am | Posted in Food, Reviews | 29 Comments
Tags: food, review, vegan

Deeply mired in our collective culture and the butt of many a joke, the original Tofurky roast produced by Turtle Island Foods has managed to survive the infancy of veganism, if you will. Even at a time when your Aunt Betsy might that vegans still eat butter and cream, Tofurky was there to save the family dinner, for well over a decade now. Slowly evolving over the years from a modest main meant to serve four, paired with dubious-sounding dumpling “drumsticks,” the contents of a Vegetarian Feast finally deserve such a generous title. Though I had never before considered trying any of those previous incarnations, I can now vouch for the current 3 1/2 pound, all-inclusive Thanksgiving in a box, and let me tell you, it’s worth a taste.

Given the opportunity to review the Feast, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. A vegan who hasn’t tried Tofurky? This was a situation in need of remedying before yet another holiday season came to pass. Made to serve six, the tofu-based roast is filled with wild rice stuffing, and is accompanied by “giblet” gravy, Wishstix, and my favorite part of any meal: Dessert. Amy’s Chocolate Cake, to be precise, which I already knew was a killer little loaf. Designed with the non-cook in mind, it takes only a little planning ahead and some rudimentary knife skills to serve up this celebratory meal in style. Roasted as instructed with a handful of vegetables that were already kicking about the kitchen, the most difficult part of serving a Tofurky is waiting the prescribed hour and half for it to cook to golden perfection, or two and half hours if you forgot to thaw it.

Emerging from its shrink-wrapped tomb looking about as enticing as an overinflated football, it requires a small leap of faith to overcome the lack of visual appeal. Given proper garnishing and a nice wide platter, it becomes quite the impressive entree once sliced thin and ready to serve.

And slice thin you must, as the instructions strongly admonish. Thankfully robust, this request is easily fulfilled, with no worry of tearing apart the roast inadvertently, even if your clumsy Cousin Louie takes over carving duties. Smelling unnervingly like actual poultry, some vegans may very well be turned off by such realism, but I don’t think that this meatless roast will really fool anyone. However, that’s not to say that it falls down in the taste department- Hardly! Surprisingly meaty, the texture was pleasantly chewy yet still tender with a somewhat generic but agreeable savory flavor. If you’re not sure about taking the plunge with a whole roast on Thanksgiving day, just try out the Oven Roasted Deli Slices first; They’re made of exactly the same stuff, but packaged in a more sandwich-friendly format.

Easily my favorite part, the wild rice stuffing provided a much needed textural contrast to the roast, along with adding a hearty starch to this festive meal. If only more could have been packed inside that small cavity! Fairly traditional with a gently herbaceous undertone, it stayed wonderfully moist despite the extended cooking time.

Starting life as a slightly disturbing separated mess in a plastic bag, I was quite leery of the “giblet” gravy from the start. Happily reconstituting with ease after just a minute or two of nuking in the microwave, things improved considerably once it finally hit the table. Although I personally prefer a slightly smoother gravy, the viscosity fits the bill quite nicely, clinging richly to each thin tofu slice while avoiding a gummy mouth feel. Falling on the saltier side of the tracks, the flavor is greatly improved with a very small dose of fresh chopped herbs, but few will object to it served as is.

Eventually, the meal nears a close, stomachs comfortably full, and the question of the Wishstix remains. How should this strange item be served? Literally made of two short pieces of Tofurky Jerky arranged as an “X,” I was somewhat as a loss with what to do with it, especially since there’s no way it could have accommodated six eaters like the rest of the meal was designed for. Ultimately opting to save them as a snack for later, I could have very happily done without this extra item. Does anyone actually serve a real wish bone anymore in the first place? Perhaps the nostalgia is simply lost on me, and other families will get a kick out of it.

Finally, the cake, simply defrosted and sliced, is a perfect ending to a memorable meal. Rich, chocolaty, and impossibly moist, it remains the best vegan chocolate cake available in mainstream stores, in my opinion. Even if all else fails and close-minded family members refuse to taste the festive roast, you will likely have to fight off the hordes to claim your slice of cake.

In case you find yourself at a loss this Thanksgiving or Holiday season, the Tofurky Vegetarian Feast is a safe bet to satisfy veggie guests. Even if you haven’t given a second thought to tomorrow’s holiday up until this point, Turtle Island Foods has made it possible to save the day and still pull out a remarkable meal with close to no effort. Truly, the snide comments and crude cracks about the classic Tofurky are uncalled for; if only those jokers would give it a taste!

If You Can’t Take the Heat…

November 22, 2010 at 9:54 am | Posted in Baking / Cooking, Food | 38 Comments
Tags: dessert, food, pie, recipe, vegan

…Then don’t cook with chipotles. Spice is one thing; those distinctive flavors and gentle warmth make cooking come to life, adding a spark that simply cannot be replaced. Chilies, however, are on a whole different playing field, and the threat of their taste bud-obliterating burn has kept me far away for as long as I’ve been cooking. Pick just one wrong, innocent-looking little capsicum, and you’ll pay dearly for hours to come. My reluctance was only reinforced when a venture in chili making went awry after using a whole can of chipotles in adobo sauce in a batch meant to feed six… To call it inedible would be kind.

And yet, for ages it seems, one lone can of those very chipotles remained in the pantry, quietly waiting to be released from their aluminum prison and start some fires. After studiously avoiding them for perhaps a year or so, curiosity (and frugality; as if they would ever go to waste!) got the best of me. Armed with a can opener and a plenty of vanilla ice cream to extinguish the burn, it was time to push the limits and see how these hot peppers behaved… In dessert.

Maybe I’ve spent a few too many late nights watching Alton Brown, but suddenly, the sound of chipotle mashed sweet potatoes became too attractive to put out of mind without a second thought. Presenting such a dish to my straight-up, butter- and cream- mashed potato family would be flat out heresy, so a different approach with clearly needed. Dialing back on the chipotles so that they provided just the slightest tingle on the tongue, a gentle after burn, if you will, their intensity is further tempered by the soothing contrast of brown sugar and rich coconut milk. Better yet, a thin base of dark chocolate adds depth to the dessert, and adds appeal for those who aren’t big on pumpkin or sweet potato pie. Yes, this one is different indeed- Just try a bite for yourself!

Sure, it may not look like a traditional pie, but with filling this good, I wanted to really pile it on, and a standard pie pan simply couldn’t accommodate my ideal proportions. And of course, spice is a matter of preference, so if you’re a real chili-head, go ahead and pack it in, but beware; The difference between 1/2 of and 1 whole chipotle is astounding.

Chocolate Chipotle Sweet Potato Pie

Chocolate Crust:

1 Cup Chocolate Wafer Cookie Crumbs
3/4 Cup Almond Meal
2 Tablespoons Natural Cocoa Powder
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
5 Tablespoons Non-Dairy Margarine or Coconut Oil, Melted

1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Chipotle Sweet Potato Filling:

2 Cups Roasted Sweet Potato Puree*
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 – 1 Small Chipotle, Canned in Adobo Sauce
1 Teaspoon Adobo Sauce
Pinch Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Tapioca Starch
1 Cup Coconut Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Coconut Whipped Creme
Chocolate Shavings or Curls

*To get roasted sweet potato puree, crank up your oven to 400 degrees. Peel and roughly dice two medium – large sweet potatoes, and toss with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle very lightly with coarse sea salt, and bake for 20 – 30 minutes, until the pieces are fork-tender and lightly browned around the edges. Let cool, and puree to a completely smooth consistency in your food processor or blender. Alternately, you could use canned sweet potato or even pumpkin puree.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a 9-inch round springform pan.

Beginning with the crust, combine the cookie crumbs, almond meal, cocoa powder, and sugar in a large bowl. Pour in the melted margarine or coconut oil, and mix thoroughly, until all of the crumbs are moistened and will stick together when pressed. Transfer this mixture into your prepared pan, and use lightly moistened hands or the flat bottom of a measuring cup to smooth it out, pressing it evenly into the base of the pan. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, until it no longer appears shiny on top. Immediately after removing the crust from the oven, sprinkle it evenly with your chocolate chips, and let them sit for a moment to soften and become melted. Use a spatula to smooth them out over the crust, to form a fairly consistent layer. Set aside.

Moving on to the filling, simply place all of the ingredients (starting with the lesser amount of chipotle) in your food processor or blender, and pulse to combine. Pause and scrape down the sides of the work bowl as needed, to make sure that everything is getting incorporated, until the filling mixture is completely smooth and homogeneous. Taste for seasoning, and add in more chipotle (or even adobo sauce, if that’s not enough for you) as desired. The heat does tone down a bit after being baked, but not too much, so go easy on those spicy little peppers! Once you’re satisfied with the level of spice, pour the sweet potato mix on top of your prepared crust, and smooth out the top.

Tap the pan a few times on the counter to release any air bubbles before sliding it into the oven. Bake for 20 – 28 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still looks wobbly, much like a cheesecake. Let cool completely before moving the pie into the fridge to cool. Only after it is thoroughly chilled can you top it with the coconut whipped creme and chocolate shavings. Release the ring from the springform pan and and serve! And yes, if you added just a touch too much chipolte, a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream does help tame the flame.

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Thankful for Leftovers

November 18, 2010 at 8:54 am | Posted in Baking / Cooking, Food | 34 Comments
Tags: food, leftovers, recipe, thanksgiving, vegan

Hyper-abundance is the name of the game for this all-American holiday we have rounding the corner, just one week away now. If you don’t have guests stuffed to bursting and still mountains of uneaten food after the whole ordeal, you’ve simply failed as a Thanksgiving day host. Or so the unspoken wisdom goes, compelling well-meaning mothers and wives to believe that 3+ pounds of food per person is a safe bet for menu planning purposes. It’s simply part of tradition, and honestly, though I may sound appalled by the extreme measures, it’s the waste that bothers me, not the extra edibles themselves. Thanksgiving leftovers are quite possibly the best thing about the 4th Thursday in November, having aged to perfection like a fine wine.

Not to mention, fewer pesky relatives to detract from the food, and more freedom to use it in “unconventional” ways. For all the complaints of how boring and static the menu is, should the cook dare change it up and try to foist a festive Thanksgiving quiche onto unsuspecting guests, the backlash may be felt the entire holiday season, if not the whole proceeding year.

The day after, or perhaps the day after that if you’re the type with family that likes to stick around, once the dust has settled, it’s time to use or lose those valuable leftovers. Easier is better after slaving over the original meal in the first place, so an all-inclusive meal like quiche sounded too appealing for me to resist. The beauty of this is that absolutely anything can be tucked away into that “eggy” chickpea mixture, so no matter what you still have on hand, it can find a welcoming home here. …Just don’t try to hide any marshmallow-topped potato abomination within the depths of an honest savory quiche; it’s a gross misuse of vegan marshmallows from the start, and just plain wrong. Not that I have strong opinions about such things. (Does anyone still make those disturbing casseroles anymore? Please tell me they’ve gone the way of aspic and other unfavorable culinary atrocities.)

…As I was saying, don’t be afraid to mix it up and use any veg or protein you have leftover after the big feast. I suppose I may have been a bit over zealous in my attempts to use all of my extra <a href=”http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2010/11/07/hungry-for-the-holidays/”>holiday savories</a>, ending up with more filling than could reasonably fit inside a humble pie shell, but not to worry; This dilemma is easily remedied by baking the excess filling in lightly greased little ramekins, as individual, crustless portions.

So while most of America is thinking about what to serve and how to get it on the table one week from today, I’m focused squarely on the aftermath, knowing that even better delights are still in store.

Thanksgiving Quiche

1 9-Inch Pie Crust

1 Cup Diced Vegan “Turkey,” Seitan, or Tempeh, Diced or Shredded
1/2 Cup Green Beans or Brussels Sprouts, Chopped into Bite-Sized Pieces
1 Cup Roasted Butternut Squash, Pumpkin, or Potatoes, Cubed
1/2 Cup Roughly Chopped Cremini or Button Mushrooms
1 Stalk Celery, Finely Diced
1/2 Small Leek, Cleaned, Greens Removed, and Thinly Sliced
3 – 5 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1 Cup Garbanzo Bean Flour
2 Tablespoon Potato Starch or Cornstarch
4 Teaspoons Nutritional Yeast
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Sage, Powdered
1/4 Teaspoon Paprika
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Cup Vegetable Stock or Water
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1/4 Cup Raw Pepitas (Optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and have your pie crust at the ready.

First prepare your protein and veggies as indicated in the ingredient list, straight through to the garlic, and mix them all together in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the chickpea/garbanzo flour, potato starch, nooch, salt, herbs, spices, and baking powder. Pour in the vegetable stock or water, non-dairy milk, pumpkin puree, oil, soy sauce, and mustard, and whisk until smooth. It should be about the consistency of pancake batter. Pour this batter into your bowl of prepared veggies, and stir gently to combine but not smash any of the ingredients. Transfer the whole mixture into your waiting pie crust, and if there’s extra, pour it into lightly greased 4-ounce ramekins. Lightly tap the pan(s) on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Place quiche and ramekins if using on a baking sheet to make them easier to transport into and out of the oven. Sprinkle the top(s) with pepitas, if desired.

Bake the quiche for 45 – 55 minutes, until the filling appears set and it’s lightly golden brown on top. Keep a close eye on the little ramekins, and expect them to be done closer to 30 minutes or so in; be prepared to pull them so that they don’t over-bake. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. (The leftovers also taste great cold, in my opinion!)

Serve with cranberry sauce or gravy, if desired.

Serves 12 – 14

Printable Recipe

Pretty Please, with Potatoes on Top?

November 15, 2010 at 9:46 am | Posted in Baking / Cooking, Food | 48 Comments
Tags: baking, bread, recipe, vegan, yeast

Long gone are the days of carb-fearing, Atkins-style grain avoidance, but deep within the American psyche, some subconscious resistance still seems to remain. Just mention a meal combining two starches and even the most well-grounded eaters lose their composure, if only for a moment. Rice and corn? Iffy, but passable. Bread and potatoes? Not unless you want the health food police to arrive on your doorstep, handcuffs ready to snap shut over the guilty cook. And yet, it’s perfectly fine for potatoes to be integrated into the bread, but should they separate, it’s a downright culinary crime. Enough of this nonsense, I say; Let loose, have your bread and potatoes together, and eat them, too!

Truly, it’s a damned shame that this traditional “wisdom” has kept the two apart for so long. Since Thanksgiving is essentially the biggest carbohydrate-bomb of a meal one will consume this year, it seemed the perfect opportunity to sneak this underdog dish in. Rather than serving two individual courses to satisfy the need for both tuber and grain, save yourself the trouble and time with a single side. Magical things happen when you top a chewy loaf of focaccia with thin slices of golden-fleshed potatoes and a handful of red onions. Crispy and golden brown around the edges but still tender on the inside, the sheath of potatoes creates a topper that sets an otherwise simple flat bread apart from the rest.

There is a secret ingredient, however, kneaded deep within the strands of gluten. Sauerkraut brightens up the flavors of the wheat with a much-needed hit of acid, those tangy notes perfectly in tune with the heartier starches. You might even be able to get away with saying that a slice packs in a serving of vegetables in, too!

Sauerkraut and Potato Focaccia

Starter:

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Barley Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Dry Active Yeast
1/2 Cup Water

Dough:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Rye Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
1 Teaspoon Table Salt
1 3/4 Teaspoons Dry Active Yeast
2 Cups Sauerkraut, Drained
3/4 Cups Water
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Topping:

1 Pound Red-Skinned Potatoes
1/2 Medium Red Onion, Thinly Sliced
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt or Coarse Sea Salt

The day or night before hand, mix together all of the ingredients for the starter in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and leave out in a warm place at least overnight, or for 8 – 24 hours. The longer amount of time is better for developing flavor in the bread, but a minimum of 8 hours with certainly suffice.

Once the starter has sat for as much time as you’re willing to give it, start working on the main dough by combining the flours. Take your drained sauerkraut, squeeze out as much extra liquid as possible, and toss it in the flour to coat. Add this mixture, along with the remaining dough ingredients into the bowl of starter. Mix thoroughly, and install the bread hook attachment in your stand mixer once the dough has come together. Allow the machine to knead on a slow speed for about 10 minutes. This makes for a fairly loose, sticky dough, so don’t panic if it seems fairly wet.

Transfer the dough into a lightly-grease, clean bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and lightly grease a 10 x 15-inch jellyroll pan.

Punch down the risen dough gently, and scrape it out onto your prepared pan. Use your finger tips to press it out evenly into the jellyroll shape, leaving nooks and crannies as you go. Set aside while you prepare the topping.

A mandoline will make the process go faster, but you can also use a very sharp knife (and a decent dose of patience). Slice the potatoes to approximately 2 mm in thickness, and then slice the onions just slightly thicker since they will cook faster. Toss both in the olive oil until thoroughly coated, and apply the topping in an even layer over the unbaked focaccia, trying not to overlap slices of potatoes. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Slide your loaf into the oven, and bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until golden brown all over, the potatoes are fork-tender, and the onions are slightly crispy around the edges. Let cool before slicing.

Printable Recipe

Breakfast for Dinner… And Dessert

November 12, 2010 at 9:23 am | Posted in Baking / Cooking, Food | 37 Comments
Tags: food, recipe, vegan

It’s true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, at least for me, that is. Without my warm bowl of steel cut oats, doused in cinnamon and vanilla, with an over-sized mug of jet-black coffee on the side, I can’t promise I could function like a decent human being. Dramatic, yes, but those two items are so grounding and comforting, I haven’t varied the combo in nearly a year. While everyone waxes rhapsodic about the occasional waffle or donut in the morning, I fear that altering the delicate balance that is a properly composed breakfast would throw an entire day off kilter. If there wasn’t coffee or oats first thing upon waking, oh, there would be hell to pay.

But that isn’t to say that I’m uninterested in other breakfast options. On the contrary, traditional breakfast foods are some of my favorite dishes- I just don’t eat them at breakfast time! From pancakes to french toast to even a bowl of cold cereal, I’m happiest having any of this morning fare for dinner, dessert, and sometimes both at once. It should come as no surprise that my tastes tend to run on the sweet side, so all of these choices come with more than a good dose of sugar, too. Instead of feeling guilty about essentially eating mini cakes fried up in a skillet as a meal, why not embrace that fact and just make the first course also the last course all at once?

Seeking a more hearty variation to the generally light and fluffy pancake, I rifled through my overwhelming assortment of flours until the ancient package of buckwheat came to light. Buckwheat definitely says “satisfying” to me, and by using the flour to create pancakes, you get not only a filling and more healthy meal, but a delectable one, too. Despite the misleading name, buckwheat is gluten-free as well, so it made sense to leave wheat out of the picture altogether for this one. Toss in a few roughly chopped almonds or walnuts if you’d like to further enhance the naturally nutty flavor of the buckwheat.

As for me, well, a scoop of vanilla ice cream sounded like a more appealing addition. Melting luxuriously over the top of a tall stack, the contrasts of hot and cold, light and dense, simple and complex flavors made for a much more exciting dinner/dessert combo than I could have imagined.

Buckwheat Pancakes

2 Cups Plain or Vanilla Non-Dairy Milk
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon Molasses
1 Packet Rapid Rise Yeast
1 Cup Buckwheat Flour
1/2 Cup Tapioca Flour (NOT starch)
1/4 Cup Garbanzo Bean Flour
1/3 Cup Sweet White Rice Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Heat the non-dairy milk briefly just to bring it up to room-temperature if it had been in the fridge, and stir in the lemon juice, sugar, and molasses. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together all of the flours, yeast, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, making everything is well mixed and evenly distributed. Pour your wet ingredients into the bowl of dry, along with the oil, and stir with a wide spatula until just combined. Small lumps are just fine, so long as you don’t over-mix the batter.

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat, until you can get a drop of water to skitter around on top. If it instantly evaporates, it’s too hot, and if it doesn’t do anything, it’s too cold. Drop about 1/4 cup of batter on the skillet per pancake, but don’t crowd the pan because it will become difficult to flip them. When a good number of bubbles break on the surface of the pancake, carefully check the underside to make sure they’re ready to flip. It should take about 3 – 5 minutes per side, so just keep a good eye on them and don’t walk away. Stack them on a plate and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm for a few minutes before serving.

Serve with maple syrup or vanilla ice cream if desired.

Serves 4 – 5

Printable Recipe

What’s Baking, Cupcake?

November 9, 2010 at 9:13 am | Posted in Crochet | 52 Comments
Tags: crafts, crochet, cupcake, pattern

First things first, the winner of a copy of The Vegan Girl’s Guide to Life is…

Commenter #71, Heather! Congratulations, Heather; you’ll be hearing from me shortly so that you can collect your prize.

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Bakers can be the hardest people to find gifts for. Cookbooks may be taken as an insult, bake ware may end up as unnecessary clutter, and homemade edibles seem like they could never live up to their high standards. However, if you’re of a more crafty temperament, then it’s easy to sidestep this problem. Homemade gifts are easily the best sort, so instead of channeling that creativity into an over-sized, itchy sweater, try whipping up a set of potholders that are shaped like cupcakes!

Even if the recipient isn’t big on baking, perhaps these enticing kitchen accessories might inspire them to get in there and start making good use of their oven. It’s a win-win sort of gift; They get a lovely and useful tool, and you get the sweets that result from their use!

Recently published in Melisser Elliott’s The Vegan Girl’s Guide to Life, I’ve been waiting to share this pattern for over a year now, and am thrilled to finally post it here as well. Now get crafting- The holidays are almost upon us and everyone will want a pair of these cute potholders!

Cupcake Potholders

Cake (Make 4):

With an F hook and brown or tan worsted weight cotton yarn, ch 25
Row 1: (WS) dc in second ch from hook, dc in next 4 chs, sc in remaining chs. Ch1, turn (24sc)
Row 2: (RS) sc in each st across. Ch1, turn
Row 3: Working in back loops only, dc in next 5 sts, sc in remaining sts. Ch1, turn
Rows 4-27: repeat rows 2 and 3.
Tie off.

Frosting:

Row 1: With frosting color and RS facing, attach yarn with a sc to the widest edge – right corner. Evenly space 34 sc total along the top edge. Ch1, turn. (34)
Row 2: Sc twice into one st, sc until the last st, sc twice into one. Ch1, turn. (36)
Row 3: Sc twice into one st, sc until the last st, sc twice into one. Ch1, turn. (38)
Row 4: Sc twice into one st, sc until the last st, sc twice into one. Ch1, turn. (40)
Rows 5 – 8: Sc across. Ch1, turn
Row 9: Sc2tog twice, sc until the last 4 sts, sc2tog twice. Ch1, turn. (36)
Row 10: Sc2tog, sc until last 2 sts, sc2tog. Ch1, turn. (34)
Rows 11 and 12: Sc2tog twice, sc until the last 4 sts, sc2tog twice. Ch1, turn. (26)
Rows 13 – 16: Sc2tog, sc until last 2 sts, sc2tog. Ch1, turn. (18)
Row 17 and 18: Sc2tog twice, sc until the last 4 sts, sc2tog twice. Ch1, turn. (10)
Row 19: Sl st 4 times, switch to red yarn, and begin the cherry

Row 20: Ch 12, sl st into the next open st in the frosting. Ch1, turn. (12)
Row 21: Hdc into each st. Sl st back into the frosting. Tie off, and bury the ends of the yarn.

Repeat with all four cake pieces.

To assemble, sew two sides together using a whip stitch around. Repeat with the other two sides.

Printable Pattern

Hungry for the Holidays

November 7, 2010 at 8:34 am | Posted in Baking / Cooking, Food | 39 Comments
Tags: cookbooks, food, vegan, VegNews

As much as I want to tell myself that Thanksgiving is still months away, and I still become alarmed when the subject of Christmas comes up, the truth is that I’ve actually had a head start on the holidays. In fact, all things considered, I’ve already eaten more than one Thanksgiving dinner! No, it wasn’t because I celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving, but because I was tasked with the weighty duty of preparing and photographing a number of dishes for the VegNews Holiday E-Cookbook. Come mid October, I had quite the harvest feast on my hands; all vegan, all incredibly delicious, and all to myself. Open up this handy guide to holiday cooking and you can expect to find mains, desserts, and everything in between, such as…

Pumpkin Seed Battered “Chicken” with Cranberry Cabernet Sauce

Seitan Roulade with Oyster Mushroom Stuffing

Dark Forest Trifle with Coconut Custard

Plus many more, of course. Additionally, you can find my White Gingerbread recipe in the dessert section as well, in case you missed it two years ago! Just having that lovely loaf baking away in the oven, filling your whole house with the scent of sweet spices, is sure to get you in a festive mood.

So, do you have the menu for your grand vegan thanksgiving banquet planned out yet?

Not Just For Girls

November 4, 2010 at 10:21 am | Posted in Baking / Cooking, Food, Reviews | 113 Comments
Tags: cookbooks, food, vegan

Despite the limited audience that the title might imply, The Vegan Girl’s Guide to Life is a book for all genders, ages, and walks of life. Though the self-help section of the bookstore isn’t somewhere I would start looking for delicious, tried-and-true recipes, crafts, or inspirational profiles on kick-ass, successful vegan women, that’s exactly the category Melisser Elliott‘s debut work of writing is filed under. Far more than just another cookbook, the pages of this slim text are positively crammed with DIY projects for those with crafty inclinations, help on selecting cosmetics free of animal products, and general advice on living vegan, presented in an exciting and approachable way. Melisser has a fresh, fun style all her own, so you can bet this won’t be a dry, monotonous read. Heck, she could make a computer manual sound like fun!

Melisser has been a dear blog buddy and long-distance confidante for years now, so of course, my opinion is highly biased. However, I know a good vegan quiche when I taste one, and Melisser’s definitely ranks up on the very top of my list. Those leftover slices were so tempting, the wait I would have had to endure while reheating them in the toaster oven was entirely unbearable; Sneaking downstairs in the middle of the night for a little late nibble, I ended up skarfing down almost the whole thing cold.

Naturally, I skim straight to the recipes first, and there are quite a few keepers to bookmark. Happily, I had the incredible fortune to photograph a few select entries, so I feel confident that I sampled a good cross section of the overall offerings found in The Vegan Girl’s Guide to Life.

Flip over to the dessert section, and you’ll find a sweet recipe from me! Simple but unique cupcakes, again pushing the limits of natural coloring with Purple Cow Cupcakes. …Hate to tease, but you just have to check out the book to see what they’re all about.

For those with a sweet tooth and a penchant for brunch, the Banana Bread French Toast is another must-make. Combining the best of tender banana bread and custard-like yet crispy french toast, it’s the kind of meal that you dream about waking up to.

And those craving heartier fair will not be disappointed, because there are plenty of meaty, spicy, and salty offerings to go around! In particular, the Jackfruit Carnitas could woo the most staunch carnivore- Even the texture is eerily “realistic.”

Graciously, Skyhorse Publishing has offered an additional book for one of you to ogle and enjoy! If you’d like to win a free copy of The Vegan Girl’s Guide to Life, please leave me only one comment on this post with your name and a correct email address, answering the following question: What piece of advice (or vital recipe, tip, or trick) would you give to a new vegan? [Open to those with mailing addresses within the continental US only; Sorry!]

The contest will close at midnight on November 8th, and the winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Win or lose, you’ve got to check Melisser’s listing of tour dates, because you may be able to meet the brains behind the whole operation and even snag yourself a signed book!