Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers (56 page)

3. When your caramel is hot and ready, quickly pour a thin layer onto the bottoms of the ramekins; you won’t need much if it’s hot. Gently tilt each ramekin with a circular motion so that some of the caramel flows from the bottom onto the sides of the container; it doesn’t have to reach more than ½ inch up the sides. Set the molds aside and let cool as you prepare the flan custard.

4. In a large saucepan, combine the water and agar and bring to a boil; lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the soy milk and the cornstarch and set aside. After most of agar appears to have to melted (some stubborn flakes may remain, that’s why powdered agar is better), stir in the remaining soy milk, coconut milk, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then lower the heat again. Whisk the other soy milk mixture once more and stir rapidly into simmering coconut milk mixture. Cook and stir constantly until the mixture has thickened slightly and the cornstarch is completely cooked (taste the mixture; it should be smooth, not chalky), 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and coconut extract and remove from the heat.

5. Pour into the caramel-lined molds, leaving a minimum of ½ inch from the top of the molds. Let cool for 10 minutes, then move the flans into the refrigerator to chill and complete firming for 4 hours or overnight.

6. To serve the chilled flan: Gently run a butter knife a few times along the sides of each flan. Invert the ramekin onto a serving plate, give it couple sharp taps, and it should slide onto the plate. Most of the caramel will have dissolved to form syrupy sauce coating the custard. If your flan still refuses to be evicted, set the flan in a shallow bowl of hot water (not enough to cover, just reach up the sides of the mold) and after a minute or so try again. Some of the caramel will remain in the molds; to remove the caramel, just fill the molds with warm water and let sit for a few hours to dissolve the sugar. Serve the flan within two to three days of preparing.

•
Makes 6 servings, just over ½ cup per serving

 

1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice

 

½ cup water
2½ teaspoons agar flakes
2 cups vanilla soy or almond milk
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or
cornstarch
1 cup regular or lite coconut milk
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
or instant coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

1. First make the caramel coating. Have ready four to six individual clean, dry glass or ceramic serving cups or two larger 2-cup serving bowls.

2. “Microwave caramel” is the fastest and my method of choice, but you’ll have to watch it closely. To do so, pour the sugar into a microwave-safe Pyrex 2- or 4-cup measuring cup. Add the water, stir gently a few times, and microwave on high for 5 to 6 minutes; do not stir again. At about 4 minutes, the sugar will be melted and rapidly bubbling. Soon after that it will start to turn pale golden, then increasingly amber. Once the browning begins, it will continue to do so very rapidly, so keep a watch on the caramel closely after about 5½ minutes or so. Once it has reached a dark amber color, stop the microwave and use oven mitts to remove the cup of hot caramel immediately; if you leave it in any longer it could burn, so pay attention! If some of the sugar has not melted, don’t worry and do not try to microwave it again; you’ll have enough caramel to work with. Alternatively, to make caramel on the stovetop: combine the sugar, ¼ cup of water, and the lemon juice in a small saucepan (preferably one with an indented lip for pouring). Bring to a boil over medium heat, lower the heat slightly, and cook without stirring for 15 to 20 minutes (this takes enough time that you’ll wish you had a microwave); cook until the caramel reaches a deep amber color.

3. When your caramel is very hot and ready, quickly pour a thin layer onto the bottoms of the ramekins; you won’t need much if it’s hot. Gently tilt each ramekin with a circular motion so that some of the caramel flows from the bottom onto the sides of the container; it doesn’t have to reach more than ½ inch up the sides. Set the molds aside and let cool as you prepare the flan custard.

4. In a large saucepan, combine the water and agar and bring to a boil; lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the soy milk and the cornstarch and set aside. After most of agar appears to have to melted (some stubborn flakes may remain, that’s why powdered agar is better), stir in the remaining soy milk, coconut milk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and espresso powder. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then lower the heat again. Whisk the other soy milk mixture once more and stir rapidly into simmering coconut milk mixture. Cook and stir constantly until the mixture has thickened slightly and the cornstarch is completely cooked (taste the mixture; it should be smooth, not chalky), 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat.

5. Pour into the caramel-lined molds, leaving a minimum of ½ inch from the top of the molds. Let cool for 10 minutes, then move the flans into the refrigerator to chill and complete firming for 4 hours or overnight.

6. To serve the chilled flan: Gently run a butter knife a few times along the sides of each flan. Invert the ramekin onto a serving plate, give it couple sharp taps, and it should slide onto the plate. Most of the caramel will have dissolved to form syrupy sauce coating the custard. If your flan still refuses to be evicted, set the flan in a shallow bowl of hot water (not enough to cover, just reach up the sides of the mold) and after a minute or so try again. Some of the caramel will remain in the molds; to remove the caramel, just fill the molds with warm water and let sit for a few hours to dissolve the sugar. Serve the flan within two to three days of preparing.

Mojitos
Cuban Black Bean Soup
White Rice or Arroz con Coco
Zesty Orange Mojo Baked Tofu
Yuca with Cuban Garlic-Lime-Mojo
Sauce
Café con Leche Flan
Cuban-style Coffee

Venezuelan-style Black Beans (Caraotas)
Fried Sweet Plantains, sliced in half and
into lengthwise strips
Latin Shredded Seitan, Venezuelan
variation
Basic white rice
Creamy Avocado-Tomato Salsa
(Venezuelan Guasacaca)
Small Venezuelan-style
arepas
—sliced and
spread with margarine and vegan cheese
Real Brown Sugar Limeade

Colombian-style Red Beans, made with
cargamanto or bola roja beans
Basic white rice
Fried Sweet Plantains; slice each ripe
plantain in half lengthwise and fry
(see page 115)
Quarter or half of a ripe avocado, seeded
and peeled and placed to the side
Latin Shredded Seitan, basic recipe,
or Latin Baked Tofu
Small side of Tofu Chicharrones
Small Colombian-style
arepas
or
Colombian Arepas with Corn and
Vegan Cheese
Real Brown Sugar Limeade

Creamy Corn-Crusted Tempeh Pot Pie, in
particular baked in individual servings
Tomato Salad with Sweet Crisp Onions
Dulce de Batata served with
store-bought vegan vanilla ice cream
Argentinean or Chilean Red Wine

Portobello Feijoada
Savory Orange Rice, Brazilian Style, or
plain variation
Brazilian Braised Shredded Kale
Peeled whole oranges, sliced in half and
sliced again into thin wedges
Fresh Papaya-Lime Sorbet topped with
Crème de Cassis liquor, or
Sweet Corn Ice Cream