Creamed Spinach

One thing I've noticed while leafing through old-school vegetarian cookbooks is that they don't feature many side dishes; generally speaking, they tend to offer lots of casseroles, stews, and other one-pot meals. One exception to this is Laurel's Kitchen, which has short sections devoted to separate vegetables, although most of the "recipes" are fairly loosey goosey. ("Glaze just-cooked carrots lightly by stirring in a tablespoon or two of honey; remove from pan and add a handful of chopped, lightly toasted walnuts.")

Two of the more elaborate side dishes that have appeared on my table are creamed spinach and Hungarian squash; I might get to the latter as the month progresses, but today's offering is my own loosey goosey vegan adaptation of the former. The original recipe calls for butter, milk, and the option of Swiss, Parmesan, and/or cream cheese, for which my version substitutes EB, soy milk, and nooch to deliver all the creamy goodness of the prototype without any of the unhappiness or cholesterol. The result is a delicious way to eat a pile of greens, with the added virtue of being extremely kid-friendly; even my pickyish youngest son has never turned up his nose at this stuff.

Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
~ 2 tbsp. Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine)
~ 1 medium onion, diced
~ 1/4 cup flour
~ 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
~ 1 tsp. salt
~ 1/2 tsp. each: garlic powder, white pepper
~ Pinch nutmeg
~ 2 cups plain, unsweetened soy milk
~ 2 lbs. chopped, frozen spinach, thawed

Directions
~ In a large skillet, melt the margarine and sauté the onion over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until very soft.
~ Add the flour, nutritional yeast and seasonings and cook for a minute or two. Begin gradually adding the milk, stirring constantly, until you have a creamy sauce.
~ Add the spinach, mix well, cover, and cook over medium-low cook for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until everything is hot and deliciously mingled. Remove the lid and taste for seasonings. If it seems too wet, continue cooking uncovered until it thickens.

Hippie Mujadarra

This is some major hippie food right here, Jack. It's exactly the sort of thing I used to produce at least once a week back in my first tiny apartment, after coming home from my job at the local health food store toting bulk beans and grains to be stored in jars with groovy hand-lettered labels.

Today's archetypically earthy crunchy recipe is based on the classic Middle Eastern mujadarra, to which I've added extra seasonings and more vegetables. In addition to being a protein-packed nutritional powerhouse, it is seriously delicious, and so filling that a green salad and a glass of cold white wine is all you need for a perfect meal.

This dish is particularly fine topped with an optional but delicious sauce - a sort of embellished taratoor that my son calls "almost too good." So what are you waiting for? Start chopping onions, soak some lentils and cashews, and fire up the stove; you're only an hour or so away from nirvana! (Hippie pro tip: we listened to a Dead show on the internet archive while I made this latest batch, and I strongly suggest you do the same for the maximum in flavor-enhancing good vibes.)

Mujadara
Ingredients
~ 1 cup brown lentils
~ 1 cup long grain brown rice
~ 4 cups water or broth
~ 1 cinnamon stick
~ 1/4 cup olive oil
~ 3 large onions, chopped
~ 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
~ 2 large carrots, diced
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder
~ 1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne (more to taste)
~ 1 lb. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed
~ 1/2 cup chopped, fresh cilantro

Directions
~ In a large, deep saucepan, combine the rice, the cinnamon stick, and the water or broth. Cover, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
~ Add the lentils, stir once, replace the lid and continue cooking for another 20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.
~ While that's happening, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet and cook the onions over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
~ Add the garlic, carrots, and dried seasonings. Stir well and continue cooking about 15 minutes more, until everything is brown and fragrant. (You can add a splash of water if necessary to prevent sticking.)
~ Add the spinach and cook another few minutes, until it is just bright green.
~ Remove the cinnamon stick from the rice/lentil mixture and stir in the cooked vegetables and the fresh cilantro. Combine thoroughly, cook another few minutes until everything is hot, Serve on its own or topped with this yummy sauce.

Cashew Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
~ 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water at least 30 minutes
~ 1/2 cup tahini
~ 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
~ 3 cloves garlic, chopped
~ 1 - 1.5 cups water
~ Juice of 1 lemon
~ 1 tbsp. hot sauce (I used Frank's)
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, cumin

Directions
~ Drain the cashews and puree all ingredients in a food processor; transfer to a small saucepan and heat over a low flame, stirring frequently, until hot (about 5  minutes). Spoon generously over the mujadara. (NB that this thickens a bit as it heats up, and even more after being refrigerated, so you may want to add a little extra water to achieve your desired saucy consistency.)

Potatoes Tarragon (and Basil, and Marjoram)

Today's offering is my version of the Potatoes Tarragon from Laurel's Kitchen, a book whose earnest tone, homespun woodcut illustrations, and forthright approach to cooking whole foods won my heart and made it one of my go-to resources back in the day. Although some of the recipes include eggs and dairy, they are applied far less lavishly than in most vegetarian cookbooks of the time, and on the whole the authors privilege grains, beans, and homemade bread over elaborate soufflés and creamy sauces. That being the case, this side dish - a variation on a hot potato salad - didn't require veganization, but I did tinker with the original by adding marjoram and basil to the tarragon, cutting down slightly on the vinegar, and substituting broth for water. The whole business took a good deal longer to cook than the prototype's directions suggest, but it turned out to be well worth the wait. In fact, it was gobbled up so enthusiastically that we had no leftovers at all. Another one to bookmark!

Potatoes Tarragon (and Basil, and Marjoram)
Ingredients
~ 2 tbsp. olive oil
~ 1 large onion, diced
~ 8 large-ish potatoes, halved and sliced into thin half moons
~ 1 tsp. salt
~ 2 tsp. each: tarragon, marjoram, basil
~ A few grinds of black pepper
~ 2 bay leaves
~ 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
~ 2 cups "no chicken" broth
~ Fresh parsley for garnish

Directions
~ In a large, heavy bottomed pot, sauté the onions in the oil over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
~ Add the potatoes and dry seasonings and stir to coat. Continue cooking another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
~ Mix in the bay leaves, vinegar, and broth. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for about 40 minutes.
~ Remove the lid, stir, and continue cooking another 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft and the liquid has reduced to a sort of thick, fragrant glaze. (As the authors put it, "the pan juices and potatoes should be commingling deliciously when you serve the dish.")
~ Fish out and discard the bay leaves and serve hot, sprinkled with a little fresh parsley if you like.

Moosewood Cossack Pie

This is my updated rendition of an old favorite from the first Moosewood Cookbook, initially published in 1977 and repackaged in a "lighter" second edition circa 2000. Mollie Katzen's original calls for butter, eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and yogurt, but I've addressed that issue (without resorting to packaged dairy analogues) with the help of our trusty friends tofu and nutritional yeast. I've also increased the seasonings and added green bell pepper because it seemed like - and was - a good idea. Please note that I've omitted the caraway seeds in the prototype because they are one of the few flavors I really don't like, but if you do just add 1 tsp. of the little buggers to the sauté. This went over extremely well at our house, and by using store-bought pie crust I pulled the whole business together in less than two hours. (NB that since everything is doubled, this recipe makes two generously filled pies offering all the old-school earthy crunchy vibe of the original, with the added attraction of being 100% vegan!)

Moosewood Cossack Pie
Ingredients
~ Two 9" single pie crusts (homemade or store-bought, your call)
~ 3 cups sliced mushrooms
~ 2 tbsp. Earth Balance or other vegan margarine
~ 1 large onion, diced
~ 2 large carrots, diced
~ 1 green bell pepper, diced
~ 4 cloves garlic, minced
~ 1 tbsp. dill weed
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, basil, paprika, smoked paprika
~ A few grinds of black pepper
~ 2 cups chopped green cabbage
~ 2 cups chopped broccoli
~ 1/4 cup white wine
~ 1/4 cup flour
~ 14 oz. firm tofu, drained and crumbled
~ 12 oz. firm silken tofu, crumbled
~ 1 cup nutritional yeast
~ 1 tbsp. cornstarch
~ 1 tsp. each: black salt, onion powder
~ 1/2 tsp. white pepper
~ Dash nutmeg
~ 1/4 cup plain, unsweetened soy milk
~ 3 large scallions, chopped
~ Juice of one lemon
~ 1 tsp. paprika
~ 2 teaspoons wheat germ

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
~ Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and sauté the mushrooms over medium-high heat until fragrant and slightly browned. Sprinkle with salt and transfer to a dish.
~ In the same skillet, melt the margarine and cook the onion over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until soft and translucent.
~ Add the carrot, bell pepper, garlic, and seasonings. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
~ Add the cabbage and broccoli and cook five minutes more. Pour in the wine, mix thoroughly, and stir in the flour. Cook another minute or so and remove from heat.
~ In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients from tofu through lemon juice and process until smooth.
~ Combine all but one cup of the tofu mixture with vegetables and divide equally between two single pie crusts.
~ Top the pies with the remaining tofu mixture, smoothing with a spatula. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. paprika and 1 tsp. of wheat germ per pie, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until set. Allow the pies to stand for about 10 minutes before slicing. This is equally good served hot, at room temperature, or as cold leftovers straight of the refrigerator.

Cream of Carrot Soup

Today is the first day of my fall semester, which means I'll be meeting a whole new crop of students; this is an exciting proposition, but also a time-consuming one. That being the case, posting every day isn't a reasonable goal for me this MoFo; right now I'm shooting for every other day, and we'll see how that goes. S'alright? S'okay!

Now that we've got that cleared up, here comes my second post, and I'm happy to say that it's a good one. The Vegetarian Epicure (volumes one and two) were the first cookbooks I owned, and very seminal they were to my developing sense of myself as a cook. Between the ages of about 16 and 22, I built up a repertoire of tried and true standbys, many if not most of which I hope to get to during this project. (I'm reasonably confident that  Pizza Rustica will make an appearance, and if I can pull off a veganization of the legendarily time-consuming Wild Mushroom Crepe Cake, I'll be a very happy woman, albeit one with a very messy kitchen. Watch this space!)

Today's offering, however, was a new one for me, and I'm glad I gave it a try; this creamy, bright orange soup turned out to be just the thing for an unexpectedly cool late summer night. It was also surprisingly filling and substantial, despite omitting the - wait for it - entire stick of butter called for in Anna Thomas' prototype. I also substituted sweet potatoes for white, let coconut milk stand in for the 1.5 cups of cream with which the original strove to coat our arteries, increased the overall seasonings, added some dill for a "green" note, and used sherry rather than brandy to finish because that's what was in the house. The end result was much better than I'd expected: like a rich, complex bisque. In fact, it was deemed good enough to be put into regular rotation, and you can't say fairer than that!

Cream of Carrot Soup 
Ingredients
~ 2 tbsp. Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine), divided
~ 1 large yellow onion, diced
~ 3 cups peeled, chopped carrots (about 6-8 large carrots)
~ 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
~ 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
~ 2 tsp. dill
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, smoked paprika
~ 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (more to taste)
~ A few generous grinds of black pepper
~ 5 tbsp. Better than Bouillon "no chicken" stock dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
~ 1 14 oz. can coconut milk (1.5 cups)
~ 3 tbsp. flour
~ 3.5 cups plain, unsweetened soy milk
~ 1/4 cup sherry
~ Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions
~ In a large, deep pot, melt 1 tbsp. of the margarine over medium high heat and sauté the onions until golden, about 5-7 minutes.
~ Add the diced carrots, sweet potatoes, garlic, and seasonings; cook another few minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
~ Add the bouillon/water mixture, stir to combine, cover the pot, and bring just to a boil/steam. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. (Add a little more water as necessary if things start to stick).
~ Remove from heat, add the coconut cream, and puree with an immersion blender (or in a food processor). Set aside.
~ In a large saucepan, melt the remaining 1 tbsp. of margarine over low heat and add the flour. Cook for about a minute, stirring constantly, and gradually whisk in the soy milk. Cook the mixture for a few minutes, stirring often, until it is thickened.
~ Add the white sauce to the vegetable/coconut cream puree and mix well. Stir in the sherry and continue cooking over a low flame for another 5 minutes or so, being careful not to let the soup boil.
~ Taste for seasonings and serve hot, sprinkled with fresh parsley. Crusty bread and/or herbed croutons (below) make a nice accompaniment.

Herbed Croutons (from The Vegetarian Epicure, published 1/1/1972)
Ingredients
~ 8 slices bread (a little stale is fine)
~ 1/4 cup softened margarine
~ 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
~ 1/2 tsp. salt
~ 1 tsp. each: thyme, marjoram
~ A few grinds of black pepper

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
~ In a small bowl, combine the margarine, garlic, salt, thyme, marjoram, and pepper.
~ Spread the mixture evenly on both sides of the bread and slice into cubes. Arrange on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, tossing around occasionally.
~ Remove from the oven, allow to cool a few minutes, and sprinkle into the soup after it's been ladled into bowls.

What's So Funny 'Bout Peas, Lovage, and Understanding?

Welcome to 2013's Vegan Month of Food! Last October I used the annual herbivorous blogfest to explore the recipes and food-ways of WWII Britain, which meant eating a lot of root vegetables and gaining a renewed appreciation for the culinary austerity of my mother's childhood. This year we'll be revisiting the classic hippie cookbooks to which I turned as a fledgling teenage vegetarian just learning to cook.

Many of these books were already pretty old-timey when I first started using them, but as an aspiring retro-flower child I found the ubiquitous inclusion of wheat germ, sunflower seeds, tahini, and the maximum quantity of cruciferous vegetables enormously appealing, For years to come, many of my standby recipes were found in and/or adapted from Laurel's Kitchen, The Vegetarian Epicure (the original and Book 2), The New Farm Cookbook, Diet for a Small Planet, The Moosewood Cookbook, and the latter's sequel, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest.

My plan for the coming month is to revisit and revise some old favorites - lots of which were heavy on the eggs, milk, cheese, and butter - and also try some things that I never got around to back in the day. Based on the dirtiest, most dogeared and tamari-stained pages, it's safe to expect vegan makeovers of many soups, stews, casseroles, quick breads, and those hearty savory pies (my personal favorite) with which Mollie Katzen won my adolescent heart.

But to get us started, I'd like to offer an update of one of my own long-established standards; once upon a time the nooch would have been cheese, the white beans would probably have been chickpeas or soybeans, and everything would have been sautéed in butter. This version has all the old-school earthy appeal of the original without any of the cruelty, exploitation, or cholesterol. It also makes enough for leftovers, and is the perfect accompaniment to a green salad (optimally including alfalfa sprouts and avocado) and some cheap jug wine.

Baked Pasta with Beans and Mushrooms
Ingredients
~ 1 lb. pasta (whole wheat penne would be perfect)
~ 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 30 minutes
~ 3 cups plain, unsweetened soy milk
~ 1 tbsp. "no chicken" bouillon
~ 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
~ 1 tsp. dry rosemary
~ 1 lb. mushrooms, halved and sliced
~ 1 tbsp. olive oil
~ 1 tbsp. Earth Balance
~ 1 large red onion, diced
~ 5 cloves garlic, minced
~ 1 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, basil, oregano
~ 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
~ 1 15 oz. can white beans, including liquid
~ 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
                      or 
~ 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (I blitzed two toasted slices of Ezekiel bread in the Cuisinart)

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit and coat a large casserole with cooking spray.
~ In a blender or food processor, purée the soaked, drained cashews with the soy milk, bouillon, nooch, and rosemary until smooth. Set aside.
~ Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and sauté the mushrooms over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
~ In the same skillet, combine the olive oil and margarine. Sauté the onion over medium heat for 10 minutes, until softened but not browned.
~ Add the garlic, cherry tomatoes, and dry seasonings. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
~ Add the beans with their liquid, stir to combine, and cook 10 minutes more, until the vegetables are soft and the beans are getting a bit creamy.
~ Stir in the cashew/soy milk mixture and cook for another 5 minutes and remove from heat.
~ Cook and drain the pasta according to package directions, reserving one cup of the cooking water.
~ Combine the drained pasta with the vegetable/sauce mixture, adding a bit of the reserved cooking water  if necessary.
~ Transfer the whole business to your waiting casserole and top with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with a little paprika, add a quick shot of cooking spray, and cover with foil.
~ Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are nicely browned.
~ Allow to rest a few minutes before serving.

Mexican Tempeh Hash

"I deal with tempeh by yielding to it."
~ Mark Twain

This Sunday brunch came about because I bought a bag of avocados (all of which ripened overnight), and needed to use up the last two before they passed their peak of creamy, fatty, green perfection. It's basically an adaptation of the tempeh hash I've been making for ages, with the ingredients and spices switched up to make it a more avocado-appropriate vehicle. Serve with extra hot sauce over plain, soft polenta or garlicky grits for a stick-to-your-ribs breakfast that will keep you going all day.

Mexican Tempeh Hash
Ingredients
~ 1 tbsp. olive oil
~ 1 red onion, diced
~ 1 green bell pepper, diced
~ 1 yellow summer squash, diced
~ 1 8 oz. package tempeh, cubed
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, thyme, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder
~ 1/2 tsp. white pepper
~ 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
~ 2 potatoes, baked and diced (I did mine in the microwave)
~ 1 15 oz. can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
~ 1 tbsp. hot sauce (I like Frank's)
~ 1 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
~ 2 avocados, diced and sprinkled with salt and lime juice

Directions
~ In a large, deep skillet, sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat for about three minutes.
~ Add the bell pepper and squash and cook about 5 minutes more, until the vegetables are getting a bit brown.
~ Add the tempeh, garlic, and seasonings, and cook 5 minutes more, stirring constantly and adding a splash of water if necessary to prevent sticking.
~ Add the potatoes, drained tomatoes, and hot sauce; stir to combine and continue cooking over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.
~ Mix in the cilantro and serve hot over grits or polenta, garnished with cubed avocado.