150 Vegan Favorites (16 page)
Read 150 Vegan Favorites Online
Authors: Jay Solomon
West Indian pumpkin
, also called calabaza, is a huge, gigantic gourd with a bold orange, sweet-tasting flesh. The skin varies from tan and orange to streaky forest green. The shape can be round like sugar pie pumpkins or elongated and heavy like watermelons. West Indian pumpkin is often sold in precut wedges in Caribbean and Hispanic markets; it is occasionally available in well-stocked supermarkets or natural food stores.
Humble root vegetables inspire a bounty of imaginative, hearty dishes perfect for any time of year. Root vegetables can be julienned, diced, grated, roasted, mashed and smashed, or added to soups and stews. They meld well with a spectrum of ingredients, from garlic, chili peppers, and curries to subtle herbs, sweet spices, and tart vinegars. As a whole, root vegetables are inexpensive, widely available, and easy to prepare and have a long storage life.
Here is a sampling of “root cellar” vegetables:
Beet
roots have the versatility of potato and the crisp flavor of a vegetable. Look for magenta beets with their green tops still attached—the beet greens are an added bonus. Beets can be shredded raw and tossed into a salad or roasted whole and lightly dressed. They are best known for their role in borscht, the Russian bisque.
Carrots
are nutritional powerhouses, loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, fiber, and other nutrients. Add carrots to soups, stews, marinaras, pilafs, and myriad other one-pot dishes.
Parsnip
roots look like an albino carrot. Parsnips have a mild, slightly sweet, starchy flavor with a firm, crunchy texture. Try using it in place of a potato.
Rutabagas
are large, softball-sized, earth-toned orbs with a firm yellowish flesh and a mild cauliflower-like flavor. The bulbous root is covered with a thin coat of wax (paraffin) that extends its shelf life; it should be peeled before cooking.
Turnips
are roundish, off-white orbs with a light purple band around the top. They have a firm texture and subtle radish flavor. The greens are edible as well.
For this nouveau bowl of mashed potatoes, soy milk makes a nutritious replacement for heavy cream, milk, and/or butter.
Yield: 4 servings
2 ½ quarts water
4 cups peeled, diced white potatoes
½ cup soy milk, warmed
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon salt
2 large whole scallions, finely chopped
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook over medium heat until tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain in a colander.
Transfer the potatoes to a medium mixing bowl. Add the soy milk, parsley, pepper, and salt to the potatoes and mash with the back of a large spoon or potato masher until pureed.
Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle the scallions over the top. Serve at once.
Gourmet winter squash are easy to prepare and are good sources of carotenoids, fiber, and essential nutrients. Some favorite varieties include delicata, sweet dumpling, buttercup, and sugar loaf. Serve as a healthy side dish.
Yield: 4 servings
3 or 4 delicata squash or other small winter squash
½ cup soy milk, warmed
1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon white pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers. Place the squash cut side down on a sheet pan filled with about ¼ inch of water. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the flesh is tender (easily pierced with a fork). Remove the squash from the oven, flip over, and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
When the squash has cooled, scoop out the pulp and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add the soy milk, maple syrup, nutmeg, and pepper; mash the mixture as you would potatoes. Serve at once.
Sancocho is the name of a hearty Caribbean stew. This meatless version features potatoes, carrots, and West Indian pumpkin, a huge gourd with a vibrant orange flesh and sweet flavor.
Yield: 4 servings
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño or other hot chili pepper, seeded and minced
1 large tomato, diced
1 ½ tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups water
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups peeled, diced white potatoes
2 cups peeled, diced West Indian pumpkin
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato, parsley, curry powder, cumin,
thyme, pepper, and salt and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes over low heat. Add the water, carrots, potatoes, and pumpkin and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. To thicken, mash the pumpkin and potatoes against the side of the pan with the back of a large spoon.
Ladle into bowls and serve with warm bread.
Look for West Indian pumpkin (also called calabaza) in Caribbean and Hispanic markets or in well-stocked supermarkets. Butternut squash can be substituted.
This South American version of comfort food includes three native New World crops: pumpkin, corn, and beans. Porotos granados loosely means “choice beans.”
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño chili pepper, seeded and minced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 ½ tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups peeled, diced pumpkin or butternut squash
4 cups water
1 can (14 ounces) corn kernels, drained
1 can (15 ounces) cranberry beans or red kidney beans, drained
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, paprika, parsley, oregano, cumin, pepper, and salt and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pumpkin and water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the pumpkin is tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the corn and beans and cook for about 10 minutes over low heat. To thicken, mash the pumpkin against the side of the pan with the back of a large spoon.
Serve the stew with a side of quinoa or brown rice.
Go figure—Jerusalem artichokes are neither artichokes nor from Jerusalem. Rather, the knobby tubers are indigenous to North America and belong to the sunflower family (they are also called sun chokes, a more appropriate name). Serve as a side dish to pilafs, stews, or other one-pot dishes.
Yield: 4 servings
4 to 6 cloves garlic
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried rosemary or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 ½ pounds Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and halved
About ½ teaspoon paprika
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine the garlic, oil, and rosemary in a mixing bowl. Toss in the Jerusalem artichokes and coat with the mixture. Place the garlic cloves and Jerusalem artichokes, cut sides down, on a baking pan. Lightly sprinkle the paprika over the top and place in the oven. Bake until the Jerusalem artichokes are tender but not mushy, 30 to 40 minutes.
Transfer the tubers to a serving platter and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh sprigs of rosemary or other herbs.
Winter squash blends well with fluffy couscous, the grainlike pasta prevalent in Moroccan and North African cuisine. This stew is heightened with harissa, an aromatic spice paste with an intense level of heat.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 ½ to 2 tablespoons harissa
4 cups water
2 cups peeled, diced butternut squash
½ teaspoon salt
1 can (15 ounces) chick-peas, drained
½ cup couscous
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the
harissa and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the water, squash, and salt and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 25 minutes.
Stir in the chick-peas, couscous, and parsley and cover. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 to 12 minutes before serving.
Stir the stew and ladle into bowls.
Harissa is available in the specialty section of well-stocked supermarkets.
For this fragrant and highly spiced stew, butternut squash teams up with ginger, garlic, and potent curry spices. Rice makes a natural companion to the dish
.
Yield: 4 servings
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium red onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 jalapeño or other hot chili pepper, seeded and minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 ½ to 3 cups peeled, diced butternut squash
2 cups water
1 can (15 ounces) chick-peas, drained
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño and cook, stirring, for
3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, cumin, pepper, salt, and turmeric and cook for 1 minute.
Add the squash, water, and chick-peas and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. To thicken, mash the squash against the side of the pan with the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve the curried squash over rice or other grains.
Plantains, while not technically a tuber or root vegetable, are a popular starch in African, Caribbean, and Hispanic kitchens. When green plantains ripen, they turn yellowish and black. Despite their appearance, ripe plantains are very desirable, tender, and banana-like. Serve as a side dish to barbecued dishes, pilafs, or other one-pot dishes.
Yield: 4 servings
2 or 3 large yellow plantains
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, allspice, or cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut off the tips of the plantains. Place the plantains on a baking sheet and bake until the skin is charred and puffy, 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the plantains from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Slice the plantains down the center lengthwise and peel back the skin. Cut the plantains in half widthwise, sprinkle with nutmeg, and transfer to serving plates.
To ripen a green plantain, store it at room temperature for five to seven days. Storing the plantains in a paper bag will speed up the ripening process (do not refrigerate). Since most of the plantains in stores are green, it’s a good idea to buy them a few days ahead of time.
Serve this curried potato stew over a big bowl of rice, as you would with Cajun gumbo.
Yield: 6 servings
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large stalk celery, sliced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 large tomato, diced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala or ground coriander
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
4 cups water
2 ½ cups peeled, diced white potatoes
2 medium carrots, diced
4 cups coarsely chopped spinach
4 cups cooked brown rice or basmati rice
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and ginger and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes. Add the tomato, curry powder, garam masala, salt, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes over low heat.
Add the water, potatoes, and carrots and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in the spinach and cook until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let stand for about 5 minutes.
To serve, place about ½ cup of the cooked rice into shallow bowls and ladle the curried potatoes over the top.
Roasting is a great way to bring out the essential (and underrated) flavors of root vegetables. Serve as a side dish to barbecued dishes, pilafs, or other one-pot dishes.