Plantain Chips

Starchy plantains make an excellent alternative to potatoes for thick-cut homemade chips. Unlike my recipe for Plantains in Temptation Sauce (for which you want completely black, soft, sweet plantains), you should only let the plantains for this recipe ripen until they are a mottled mixture of black and yellow. That way you'll have the right balance of starchy and sweet, perfect for chips.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium plantains
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1. Peel the plantains and cut into 1/4-inch thick diagonal slices. The 2 plantains should yield about 2 cups sliced.

Note: Plantain peels don't slip off like banana peels do. Instead, cut a narrow slit down the middle, then slip the peel away from the fruit.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the plantain slices and cook for 3 minutes on each side, until browned.

3. Sprinkle with the salt and ground red pepper before serving.  Although not mentioned in the recipe instructions, I recommend draining a moment on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Eat as a snack, or make part of a Caribbean-themed dinner. you can't go wrong with a classic Caribbean rice and beans entree:

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1/2 cup), Calories 190

Tasting Notes:
My plantains were at the perfect stage of ripeness, making these the exact taste and texture I was hoping for - much like a banana, but firmer and not quite as sweet. I would cook the chips longer next time (closer to 5 minutes on each side) for crisper edges. I also didn't like the heat from the red pepper, and would just sprinkle with an extra dash of salt next time.

Rating:
3

Panch Phoron Blend

Spices play a a key role in Indian cuisine, perhaps more so than food from any other culture, and spice blends in particular. I have, in the past, worked with Garam Masala and curry powder (both easy to make at home, but also available for purchase in the spice aisle), but I had never before heard of the blend called panch phoron. Unlike other spice blends, the five types of seeds in panch phoron (panch means "five") are never ground or toasted, but instead left whole. This blend is so simple it hardly seems worth calling it a recipe; all you have to do is mix everything together.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 tablespoon nigella seeds

1. Combine all of the ingredients, and store in an airtight container.

Now that you've made the blend, let's meet the seeds:

Cumin seeds are probably familiar to you - they have a strong, warm aroma and flavor, and actually contain a good bit of iron (although you'd have to eat an absurd amount of cumin to use this as your primary source of the mineral).

Fennel seeds come from the fennel plant, of course, the bulb and fronds of which you're likely familiar with. The seeds have a strong anise (licorice) flavor.

Be sure you choose brown mustard seeds for the blend, not yellow. The seeds are just lightly spicy, and the taste will be familiar to you from whole-grain Dijon mustard.

Fenugreek is an herb I didn't learn about until my late twenties. The seeds are bitter, but with what is described as a smoky, maple undertone.

And finally, nigella seeds (also called black caraway) are small and black ,with a bitter taste and smell. Don't confuse them with black onion seeds or black sesame seeds, which look similar.

Now that we've met our seeds, the question remains of how to use the blend. You will probably want to toast in a skillet first, and then can add to just about anything - vegetables, curries, lentil dishes, or prepared Indian pickles. 

Tonight I tried it with the vegan fish fillets from EcoVegan, alongside a store-bought spicy potato curry over rice.

Other options include: sauteed in a pan with Gardein's beefless tips;

stirred into spiced lentils;

toasted and stirred into rice with hot mango pickle: 

or with Gardein chicken (shown here with the hot mango pickle from Pataak's:   

Nutrition Info:
8 servings (1 and 1/2 teaspoons), Calories 17

Tasting Notes:
For the sake of the blog, I did just take a bite of the raw seeds. Toasty on the front, with licorice from the fennel and nuttiness from the mustard seeds, and an aftertaste that's mostly bitter. But of course, it's not meant to be eaten by the spoonful. Once added to dishes, the spices gave warm, toasted flavor to a vegan fish and potato curry, and were a fantastic way to temper the heat of jarred hot mango pickle.  In fact, the spicier the dish I served this blend with, the more I liked it.  I'd really rate this a "2" if somebody handed me a plate and spoon and told me to eat it alone, but that's never how you'll serve it.

Rating:
3

Vegan extra:
One thing I don't discuss often on this blog is cosmetics, but your bathroom cabinet is just as important as your food cabinets when it comes to being vegan. I recently wanted a fix for dry winter nails, and found this tea tree oil from Jason's, a company that does not test on animals:

Don't forget healthy nails should be shiny and pinkish; white nails can signal liver disease, and pale brittle nails might mean anemia.  Ever wonder about those white specks you sometimes see? It's a sign of mild trauma as the nail grew; enter my new tea tree oil, and shiny happy nails:

Roasted Bell Peppers

Tonight's recipe should really be considered more of a building block; over the next few nights, I have recipes in mind that put these roasted peppers to use, but tonight, I want to lay out the perfect technique for making roasted bell peppers at home.

Sure, roasted bell peppers are available in a jar - but they'll never taste so fresh as when you roast them at home, and this process is surprisingly easy. Besides, although every grocery store sells bottled red bell peppers, it's harder to find yellow, orange, or green varieties. Roasting at home allows you to play around with color combinations for the most visually striking recipes. So use any color bell pepper you like, or a mixture.

Ingredients:

• 4 bell peppers (about 2 pounds)

1. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, and discard all seeds, membranes, and stems.  Place the pepper halves, skin sides up, on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and flatten with your palm.

2. Broil until thoroughly blackened; although in a hurry I have broiled for as little as 10 to 15 minutes, giving the peppers a full 20 minutes will result in wonderfully sweet, deeply-roasted flavor.

3. Transfer the pepper halves immediately to a zip-top plastic bag and seal.  This step is the key, since the steam that builds up in the bag will help the skins slide right off. Let stand for 20 minutes.  Remove from the bag.

If serving plain, either serve the halves whole (great in sandwiches) or chop up to toss in a salad, or cut into strips. The peppers are excellent paired with other antipasto noshes like artichoke hearts, vegan deli salami (try Yves Veggie), bread, and olives:

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1 pepper), Calories 44 

Tasting Notes:
As stated in my intro, this is such an easy staple to make at home, it seems a pity and a waste to buy a jar from the store. The homemade roasted peppers had a much fresher, firmer texture than their store-bought cousins (bottled ones often seem limp), and 20 minutes under the broiler yielded skins that slipped off perfectly and a sweet, mellow taste. I find the orange, red, and yellow to be nearly identical in flavor (kudos to you if you can distinguish these three in a blind taste test) but the roasted green peppers have a slightly more vegetal, grassy flavor. The '2' below is merely because bell peppers are, well, a touch plain on their own, but stay tuned for recipes using these goodies soon.

Rating:
2

Piecrust

Last year, I had grand plans to make several types of cream pie, but only ended up making one (see my post for Praline Cream Pie).  Boy do I wish I'd forged ahead with others, since the Madagascar vanilla wafers I extolled from Back to Nature for cookie-crumb crusts now no longer appear to be vegan.  The company has switched from evaporated cane juice to cane sugar as a sweetener, and the ever-suspicious 'natural flavoring' has made its way into the ingredients, which I strongly suspect might be butter or milk derived.  I'm awaiting confirmation from the company, but in the meantime, it's summer and I want to make more cream pies.

Enter this piecrust - it's a light, flaky version thanks to the combination of butter and shortening (I use Earth Balance for both), making it just right for a chilled, creamy filling.  Of course, you could use it for fruit pies in the winter too.  Often considered intimidating, pie dough is nothing more than flour, sugar, fat, and ice water, and it takes under half an hour of active time.  So skip the store-bought, and stay tuned because I'll be giving you a cream pie filling (or two) for this crust next.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegan sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons vegan butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 4 tablespoons ice water
• Cooking spray

1. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a bowl with the sugar and salt.

2. Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry blender, until the mixture looks like coarse meal.  Sprinkle with the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, while tossing with a fork.  The mixture should still be somewhat crumbly - you don't want to form a ball.

3. Gently press the dough into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap; cover and chill for 15 minutes.

4. Place 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp work surface (making sure the plastic extends at least 14 inches in all directions).  Unwrap the chilled dough and place on the plastic; cover with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap.  Roll, through the plastic, into a 13-inch circle and freeze for 5 minutes.

5. Remove the top sheets of plastic from the dough, and flip over so the remaining plastic is on top.  Fit into a deep-dish pie plate coated with cooking spray.  Remove the remaining plastic wrap; fold the edges of the crust under, and flute.

Note: I'm still honing my fluting technique, essentially a pinching motion with your fingers around the rim.  Here's a lovely short video explaining it better than I can in words.  Your fluting doesn't need to be perfect, but do make time for this step; rather than being merely decorative, it helps hold the crust up while it bakes.

6. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork, and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

If you're not up for making pie filling, I can think of a few other fun summer-y things to do with this pie crust.  Crumble over vegan vanilla ice cream and sauteed apples for an "apple pie" sundae perhaps.  Or slather with jam and peanut butter for the best snack time pb+j ever.  

Nutrition Info:
10 servings (1/10 of the crust), Calories 113 

Tasting Notes:
Pretty much perfect - flaky and tender and nicely buttery.  Just the right hint of sugar made this taste more like a shortbread than a crust, in fact, especially when I topped it with jam.  So good you could practically eat it on its own, but do stay tuned for pie fillings.

Rating:
3

Goat Cheese Crostini

My favorite vegan goat cheese is a blend of vegan feta, non-dairy sour cream and non-dairy cream cheese (see full recipe below).  It makes for a deliciously tangy, creamy spread that will surprise those in your life still eating goat's milk cheeses.  This crostini could wear multiple hats: an hors d'oeuvre passed around with cocktails, part of an antipasto tasting plate, served alongside a leafy green salad or - my favorite - served with a big bowl of soup.

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces prepared vegan goat cheese*
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 8 (1-ounce) slices sourdough bread

1. Combine the prepared goat cheese in a bowl with the thyme, lemon juice, and garlic.

2. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a jelly roll pan or baking sheet, and bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes.

Note: definitely use a fresh loaf of sourdough, not presliced bread; you'll want that heftiness and freshness for the best results. 

3. Remove from the oven and turn the slices over; spread evenly with the goat cheese mixture (about a heaping tablespoon per bread slice).  Bake for an additional 5 minutes, until well toasted.

The crostini will be best served immediately.  Because they're crispy-crunchy, the crostini are perfect for dunking into a bowl of soup.  Tonight I paired with a store-bought white bean soup, but you could also try my White Bean Soup from this blog.

*To prepare the goat cheese, combine 3 ounces crumbled vegan feta (such as Veg Cuisine), 2 tablespoons Tofutti cream cheese, 1 tablespoon vegan sour cream, and a splash of lemon juice; mix with a fork until blended, and then proceed as directed in the recipe above.  You can prepare the goat cheese in advance and refrigerate until ready to use.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (2 crostini), Calories 214 

Tasting Notes:
Absolutely delicious.  The lemon juice and sourdough both gave a tangy zip to the flavor, and the fresh thyme was great.  The bread was toasted to perfection - just slightly soft and chewy in the center, but crisp on the outside... and perfect with that bowl of soup.  I hadn't really anticipated the garlic flavor, but one bite and I knew this would be my new go to "garlic bread" for pasta nights in the future. 

Rating:
4

Rosemary-Garlic Rub

This rub is incredibly versatile - you could stir it into your favorite vegan mayo or plain non-dairy yogurt for a sandwich spread (great fillings include roasted bell peppers, grilled eggplant, or portobello mushrooms), or rub it directly onto vegan meats.  Look for a couple more posts that make use of this rub in the next few days - it will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days so make a double batch now and use as needed in the nights to come.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons plain non-dairy yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 crushed garlic cloves

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

I particularly liked this rub over Match pork, before cooking the pork in a skillet.  

Nutrition Info:
12 servings (1 teaspoon), Calories 3 

Tasting Notes:
Taste aside, this rub makes your kitchen smell amazing, when the rosemary and lemon combine. The palate was full of bright rosemary and lemon, and a stronger garlic kick than I expected.  All in all, simple and all-purpose, and I look forward to testing it in fancier recipes soon.

Rating:
3

Roasted Anaheim Chiles

I'm taking a little culinary journey over the next week or so, to the kitchens of New Mexico.  For the first few nights I intend to give you the building blocks (such as these roasted chiles), and then I'll build up to great entrees.

I had to start, of course, with the New Mexican long green chile, also known as Anaheim chiles, which are ubiquitous in New Mexican cuisine.  They provide the basis for Green Chile Sauce, and provide mild heat to stews or enchiladas.  Anaheim chiles get their name because they've been cultivated in the area around Disneyland since 1900, despite their origins in New Mexico, and should be readily available in most supermarkets.

Ingredients:

• 5 Anaheim chiles

1. Cut the chiles in half lengthwise, and discard the seeds and membranes.  Place on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin sides up, and flatten with the palm of your hand.  Broil for 15 minutes, until blackened.

2. Place the chiles in a large zip-top plastic bag and let stand for 15 minutes.  Peel off the skins (which will slip off easily at this point, although don't fret if you can't get every last little piece), and chop.

Because you'll need to revisit these chiles for recipes I'm making in the nights ahead, consider making several batches at once, and storing the extra in the fridge or freezer.  You can refrigerate the chiles up to two weeks, or freeze for 3 months.

But tonight I'm highlighting the chiles, and I enjoyed them as a condiment over the new veggie beef burgers from Gardein.  You can also try rolling them up in a soft flour tortilla with your favorite taco fixings, for a simple supper.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1/4 cup), Calories 19 

Tasting Notes:

To be perfectly honest, the taste was not all that different from canned chopped green chiles, and was very mild in heat.  Still, I get great satisfaction out of knowing that my roasted chiles were homemade, since I am a proponent of cooking from scratch, and the taste was a bit lighter and fresher than the canned alternative.  A simple recipe, so it's worth keeping a batch on hand in fridge or freezer.

Rating:
2

Peppered Peanut Brittle

It's crummy weather outside, and seemed like the perfect day to concoct something sweet in my kitchen.  This brittle gets an unexpected dash of heat from three kinds of pepper, although you can omit the peppers if you prefer - enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 1 and 1/2 cups vegan sugar
• 1/3 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 cups roasted peanuts
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vegan butter
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1. Coat a jelly roll pan or baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.

2. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 325 degrees - it will take a little over 10 minutes.  Make sure to use at least a large enough saucepan, otherwise the mixture might bubble over.

3. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the peanuts, baking soda, butter, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and ground red pepper; quickly transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spreading the mixture to the edges.  Let stand for 1 hour, then break into pieces.

Note: the brittle will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.  You can also package this in pretty cellophane or wax paper bags tied with ribbon - a batch makes a great hostess gift.

Nutrition Info:
20 servings (about 1 ounce), Calories 105 

Tasting Notes:

The texture of this came out 100% perfect, which was a great triumph for me since I've never made brittle before.  There was a wonderfully pleasing contrast between the sharp heat of the pepper at the beginning of each bite, and the sweeter, mellower finish from the sugar and corn syrup.  For my personal taste, the brittle was a touch too peppery, so decrease the amounts stated above if you're sensitive to heat.  Either way, a wonderfully different little snack.

Rating:
3.5

Caramel Popcorn

This is a fun recipe and makes a great New Years' gift for friends and neighbors - just package it in holiday tins or pretty jars.  Since I probably won't post again until 2011, Happy New Year to all!

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup packed vegan brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 1/3 cup vegan butter
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 cups popped popcorn (without salt or fat)*

1. To start, coat a jelly roll pan or baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.

2. Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and molasses in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring only once - don't worry if it bubbles quite wildly during this step.

3. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt.  Place the popped popcorn in a large bowl, and pour the sugar mixture into the bowl in a steady stream, stirring to coat the popcorn evenly.

4. Spread the popcorn mixture onto the prepared jelly roll pan and bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

5. Break apart any large clumps once out of the oven, then let cool for at least 15 minutes.  At this point, you can either serve the popcorn warm, or let it cool to room temperature.  If you do plan to give some of the popcorn as gifts, let it cool completely before you package it.  The popcorn will keep for about a week in an airtight container.

*One good option for vegan popcorn is Newman's Own Organics (pictured below) - the company's unsalted microwave popcorn bags do not contain any butter, and are vegan. 

Nutrition Info:
18 servings (2/3 cup), Calories 126 

Tasting Notes:
My fiance declared that this yummy snack was like cracker jacks only better, with a fresh taste that packaged caramel corn can't hope to compete with, and requested that I always keep a batch on hand for him to take to the movies.  I guess that makes it a winner, and on my end, I found myself happily crunching away on this sweet-salty snack.  My only complaint was that the caramel mixture had a tendency to stick to my teeth, but if it weren't for that, I would have rated it a 5 in a heartbeat.

Rating:
4