Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook (75 page)

Read Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Online

Authors: Isa Chandra Moskowitz,Terry Hope Romero

Tags: #food.cookbooks

BOOK: Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
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Tomatillos are readily available in the “ethnic” section of most supermarkets. If you can’t find them, you can use salsa verde; just check that the ingredients list contains nothing more than tomatillos, garlic, and cilantro.
HEAT A large skillet over medium-low heat. Toast the pumpkin seeds, turning occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a food processor or blender (a food processor works better). Add the peppercorns and pulse into a coarse powder.
Add everything else save the olive oil and grind into a thick paste. Add the olive oil and blend for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the processor to incorporate all the ingredients. Add salt to taste (it may not even be necessary).
CHILE-CHOCOLATE MOLE
 
MAKES 3 CUPS
TIME:
30 MINUTES
 
 
Not authentic by any means, this spin-off of traditional mole poblano takes a few modern shortcuts to whip up a thick, rich sauce with a complex blend of hot, sweet, bitter, and nutty flavors. Highly versatile, this mole can be used for any number of Mexican specialties, such as enchiladas, tamales, tostadas, and so on. The simplest way to enjoy it as a hearty entrée is to simmer vegetables and other foods on the stove-top, as in Vegetables or Seitan in Mole Sauce (page 185).
 
 
Spice mixture:
⅓ cup sliced almonds
⅓ cup crushed tortilla chips
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon aniseeds
3-4 teaspoons chile powder, preferably a mix of
ground ancho and chipotle
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
 
Mole base:
3 tablespoons peanut oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 cups hot vegetable broth, kept warm on the stove top
2 tablespoons creamy, all-natural peanut butter
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3 ounces chopped semisweet vegan baking chocolate
(60 percent cacao is best)
 
PREPARE spice mixture: Place the almonds, tortilla chip crumbs, sesame seeds, and aniseeds in a heavy-bottomed pot. Stir constantly to toast over medium heat for about 2 minutes, being careful not to let it burn. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Place the toasted ingredients in a food processor, add the chile powder, cinnamon, marjoram, allspice, and cumin, and pulse until the mixture is as finely ground as possible.
 
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An immersion blender is your friend for this recipe, in particular if it has a mini food processor cup attachment. It makes grinding up the spice mixture ridiculously easy.
Prepare the mole base:
In the same pot over medium heat, sauté the garlic in oil. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the peanut butter and a few tablespoons of hot vegetable broth in a bowl, stirring until the peanut butter is emulsified and easy to pour.
Pour remaining vegetable broth, peanut butter mixture, spice mixture and diced tomatoes into the pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat slightly to medium-low, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until sauce has slightly reduced.
Remove from the heat, puree until smooth, and return to stove over medium-low heat. Add the chopped chocolate, stirring constantly until melted and completely incorporated, at least 3 minutes.
Note:
when using mole in cooked dishes, it’s recommended to thin it a little with vegetable broth. If using as a dip or condiment there’s no need .
 
Some ideas for using this mole:
Prepare Potato and Kale Enchiladas (page 162), substituting the mole for the enchilada sauce. Thin the mole with ½ cup of vegetable broth before using.
Drizzle onto tostadas, nachos, and tacos. Tuck into black bean burritos.
Serve the mole (warmed, thinned slightly with vegetable broth) over fresh steamed winter squash, green beans, or asparagus.
Mole makes an interesting dip alongside salsas and guacamole with tortilla chips (don’t thin the mole with broth).
 
MUSHROOM GRAVY
 
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS
TIME:
30 MINUTES
 
 
We don’t need to tell you what to do with it, do we? Smother it on absolutely everything!
2 cups vegetable broth
¼ cup flour (use ⅓ cup for a thicker gravy)
 
 
 
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
(about 4 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon sage
¼ teaspoon salt
Several dashes fresh black pepper
¼ cup white cooking wine (or any non-sweet wine
will do)
MIX the flour into the vegetable broth until dissolved and set aside.
Preheat a large non stick pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion in the oil for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 more minutes, until mushrooms are tender.
Add the garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Sauté for another minute. Add the wine and turn the heat up to bring to a simmer. Let simmer for about a minute, then lower the heat and add the flour vegetable broth mixture. Stir constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. If not serving immediately then gently reheat when you are ready to serve.
5-MINUTE MANGO CHUTNEY
 
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
TIME:
15 MINUTES, PLUS CHILL TIME
 
 
This is totally inauthentic but so what, it’s really yummy! And after you’ve prepped everything, you only need to cook it for five minutes. Serve with any Indian meal, on a curry, or on Samosa Stuffed Baked Potatoes (page 60). I like the sourness of the asafetida, but you can use any Indian-y sort of spice instead—such as curry powder or garam masala.
 
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Asafetida is a pungent spice (a resin from sap, if you want to be technical about it) that hasn’t quite caught on in the American kitchen just yet. You can find it in a fancy-shmancy gourmet store or in Indian markets. Definitely seek it out; one great bonus is that the tin it comes in is usually very cool looking and colorfully decorated.
2 teaspoons peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1 large mango, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
(you should get a little under 2 cups of fruit)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon asafetida

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