Vegan Diner (18 page)
Authors: Julie Hasson
1 pound small fresh Brussels sprouts, rinsed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
A couple of pinches of kosher or coarse sea salt
2 to 3 large cloves garlic, pressed
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, toss together the Brussels sprouts, olive oil, pepper, and salt, until the sprouts are well coated.
Spread the sprouts into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place them in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sprouts are just tender and crispy on the outside. You may need to give the sprouts a stir or two during baking, so that they roast evenly.
Carefully scoop the hot roasted sprouts into a bowl. Sprinkle fresh garlic into the bowl. Add additional salt to taste, and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss well and serve.
Being from the west coast, we refer to dressing as “stuffing,”
but calling it dressing seems more appropriate here. This dish is full of flavor, with toasted bread cubes, fresh sage, onions, celery, and dried cranberries. The dressing is delicious for Thanksgiving, but just as good at home any time of the year topped with homemade gravy.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1
½
cups vegetable stock or 1
½
cups very hot water plus 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetarian chicken-style bouillon powder or cubes, or to taste (this will depend on the saltiness of the bouillon you're using), plus more as necessary
7 cups lightly packed cubed
French bread (1 baguette)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 small stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves, minced, or 1 teaspoon dried
½
teaspoon dried marjoram
Freshly ground white and black pepper, to taste
Fine sea salt to taste
½
cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
In a measuring cup, mix together the hot water and bouillon powder. In a large bowl, drizzle the hot bouillon over the bread cubes, tossing until the bread cubes are well coated. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the celery and onion and cook, stirring as needed, until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. If the onion mixture is starting to stick and burn, add a couple of tablespoons of water, as needed.
Add the sautéed onion mixture to the bread cubes, along with the nutritional yeast flakes, sage, and marjoram. Add the ground white and black pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings, adding salt to taste if necessary. Stir in the cranberries.
Transfer the dressing mixture to the greased baking dish, cover with a lid or foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Uncover the dressing, drizzle with the melted margarine and return to the oven, uncovered. Bake the dressing for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the dressing is lightly browned and crispy on top. Serve hot.
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Not Your Mama's Pot Roast with Roasted Vegetables
This sandwich is one of the best sellers at our food cart,
Native Bowl! It has its own cult following with devoted meat-eaters swooning alongside vegans.
MAKES 4 SANDWICHES
8 slices rye or sourdough bread
About
¼
cup non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, softened
1 tablespoon olive oil
About 14 ounces very thinly sliced Pastrami-Style Seitan Roast (see
page 115
)
Very Secret Sauce, as needed (see
page 166
)
About 1 cup shredded vegan white cheese or 4 slices soy cheese (optional)
Prepared sauerkraut, as needed
Spread a little margarine on the outside of each slice of bread. Place the bread slices in pairs on your workspace, buttered side down.
Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat. Add the seitan and sauté briefly, so that it gets warm and just a touch toasty. Remove the seitan from the skillet and transfer to a plate.
Spread the insides of each slice of bread with about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the Very Secret Sauce, or to your liking. Place
¼
of the warm seitan on top of each of 4 bread slices. Sprinkle about
¼
cup cheese (or less, depending on your preference) over the seitan. Spoon sauerkraut over the cheese in an even layer, to your taste. Drizzle another 1 to 2 tablespoons of the Very Secret Sauce over the sauerkraut, and top with the remaining 4 slices of bread, buttered side up.
Place sandwiches onto the griddle, buttered side down, in batches if necessary. Cook until the bottoms are golden and lightly toasty. Carefully flip sandwiches over to toast the other side. If you have a smaller cast-iron skillet, place it over the sandwiches to press them. Continue cooking until the bread is lightly toasted. Serve hot sandwiches right away.
I like to think of this recipe as a one-skillet meal.
It can feed a hungry family or crowd pretty quickly, which is not an easy thing to do for a busy weeknight meal. Feel free to customize the recipe further to fit your individual tastes.
MAKES 4 SANDWICHES
1 cup dried TVP or TSP granules
1 cup boiling water, or more or less as needed