Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers (51 page)

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Serves 1

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Time: Less than 10 minutes

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Gluten Free

 

1 tablespoon coarse margarita salt or
kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground Mexican chile powder
or ground dried chile, such as pequín or
costeño chiles
Lime wedge, plus another for garnish
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 to 2 teaspoons Mexican hot sauce, or
more to taste
1 dash vegan Worcestershire sauce
Ice cubes
1 (12-ounce) bottle Mexican beer,
chilled

 

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Makes about two dozen 4-inch churros

 

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tapioca flour or
cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups water
1 rounded tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon nonhydrogenated vegan
margarine
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Mild-flavored vegetable oil (canola, corn,
sunflower, or a blend) for deep-frying,
enough for at least a 2-inch depth

 

¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon for
Mexican-style churros (optional)

 

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large saucepan, combine the water and brown sugar and bring to a boil, then add the margarine and heat until melted. Lower the heat to low, stir in the vanilla, and pour in a little of the flour mixture at a time, mixing constantly with a silicone spatula or large fork. The mixture will look lumpy at first, but continue to add flour and stir; it will be very thick but don’t let it stop you, just keep stirring! After all of the flour has been added, remove from the heat and continue to stir for about a minute, to form a thick, smooth dough. For this last step, you may find it easier to scoop the dough into a mixing bowl, but if your pan is large enough you can continue mixing it there. Let the dough cool for 10 minutes.

2. While the dough cools, pour the frying oil into a 3-quart heavy pot (cast iron is best) and preheat over medium-high heat. Make sure that there are at least 2 inches of oil as, to cook properly, churros should be able to float in the oil. Cover a large plate with paper towels or crumpled brown paper for draining the hot churros. The oil will need anywhere from 10 to 14 minutes to get hot enough (but not smoking); when at the correct temperature, the hot oil will have a gently rippling surface. The idea is that the oil will be sufficiently hot for the churros to cook evenly without soaking up too much grease.

3. Fit a large pastry bag with a large star-tip nozzle. Use a rubber spatula to scoop the dough into the bag; grab the ends of the bag and shake several times so that the dough drops farther down toward the nozzle. Gather the top ends of the bag and firmly twist toward the dough so that it will press out of the nozzle when you’re ready to fry. If you’re using a
churrero
or cookie press, follow the manufacturer’s directions for assembling and loading with the dough.

4. Spread the sugar on a dinner plate, stirring in the cinnamon, if using.

5. Test the oil to see if it’s ready by pinching off about ¼ teaspoon of dough and dropping it into the hot oil. Immediately, it should start to bubble rapidly and to fry quickly. To make the churros: twist down the top of your pastry bag, squeeze the top, and press a length of dough about 4 inches long directly into the hot oil. Use your fingers or sharp kitchen scissors to pinch the churros free from the pastry tip.
While you’re at it, please be careful around hot oil and never, ever drop water into hot oil
. You can fry up to five churros at a time in a 10-inch pot without crowding them; just take care not to squeeze dough directly onto another frying churro. Use either metal tongs or a metal slotted spoon to gently turn the churros occasionally. Fry for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the churros are firm and slightly golden. Remove from the oil, very carefully shake off any excess oil, and place on the paper-lined plate to drain.

6. I like to let churros cool for 2 to 3 minutes (rather than dumping piping hot into the sugar, where it can create an oily mess), before placing them in the sugar and gently rolling to coat. Serve warm with hot chocolate.

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Makes four ½-cup servings of thick chocolate

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Gluten Free, can be made Soy Free

4 ounces sweetened Latin drinking
chocolate (any brand, such as
Ibarra, Lukar, or Sol), chopped
coarsely
⅓ cup water
1⅔ cups nondairy milk, such as almond,
soy, hemp, or a combination
2 teaspoons cornstarch

 

1. In a 2-quart saucepan with a lid, combine the chocolate and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to melt the chocolate. Whisk in 1⅓ cups of the nondairy milk and continue to heat until steaming (take care not to boil), about 8 minutes. In a measuring cup, stir together the remaining ⅓ cup milk and the cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the steaming milk and stir constantly until the mixture thickens slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. This can happen suddenly, so keep stirring for an accurate measure of the consistency. Taste: the cornstarch is cooked when the chocolate does not taste chalky but instead has a smooth texture. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. When ready to serve, whisk the chocolate and pour into four cups. Serve with warm churros.

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Makes 2 dozen or more fried pastries

 

2 cups all-purpose flour
2¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup soy, almond, or other nondairy
milk
2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated
margarine, slightly softened
Peanut oil or vegetable oil, for deep-frying

 

½ cup agave syrup, preferably dark
1 tablespoon water
1 (3-inch) stick cinnamon
Thin 1-inch sliver lime or lemon zest
⅛ teaspoon orange flower water
(optional)