VEGETARIAN BORSCHT

I intended to make this soup and drink vodka the same night we rented the 60s film Doctor Zhivago, but unfortunately, the three activities managed to fall on different days. Nevertheless, the soup was flavorful and bright, the vodka was warming for a winter’s night, and the film is a definite classic.

4 large or 6 medium fresh beets
1 large Vidalia onion
1 whole head red cabbage
2 whole carrots
1 whole large potato
1 tablespoon olive oil
16 oz vegetable broth
4 cups of water
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon dill
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
regular or vegan sour cream (optional)

Supposedly, roasting the beets first will make the skins easier to peel. This never works for me, so I just peel them with a sharp knife. You have to be careful just to get the hard outer layer, otherwise little beet will be left when you are done. This is also the messiest stage of the operation, so a pair of kitchen or doctor’s gloves might help. If you end up with pink hands, the stain will disappear with a few washings.

Cut all the vegetables (the beets, onion, cabbage, carrots and potato) into small chunks or slices. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Add in the rest of the vegetables. The cabbage will fill the pot at first, but will diminish as it cooks. Add all the remaining ingredients. Turn the temperature to low and allow to simmer for at least one hour. Everything will turn pink. Test to make sure the vegetables are tender. Add more of the spices if desired. Serve with a topping of regular or vegan sour cream.

RATATOUILLE CONFIT BYALDI

After watching the animated film Ratatouille, I, like many people before me I’m sure, hungered for the signature dish. The recipe that Remy makes in the movie is chef Thomas Keller’s layered version of the traditional dish, which is actually called Confit Byaldi, and was first prepared by the French chef Michel Guérard in the 70s. I looked it up online, and found Keller’s recipe as well as other people’s interpretations of it. One of the maxims in the movie is “follow the recipe,” which I totally intended to do, but due to both circumstance and accident, I did not completely. My grocery store carried neither fresh thyme, nor fresh-looking orange peppers, nor asian eggplants, so instead I used ground thyme, both halves of the yellow pepper, and a small white eggplant and the smaller end of a regular eggplant. I also misread the directions pertaining to the vinaigrette. Once a few liberties were taken, I took a few more, but the dish still turned out wonderful, so my version below shows how I did it. My store did have chervil, which is a more fragrant type of parsley, and which I highly recommend using to bring out a different flavor. The recipe isn’t too complicated, but it does take quite a big time commitment. You can make the piperade (the pepper-tomato mixture that goes in the bottom of the dish) a day in advance, but it still takes almost three hours to prepare and bake the vegetables. Highly worth it, though.

1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1/2 orange bell pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 vidalia onion
7 roma tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon and 1/4 teaspoon of ground thyme
2 tablespoons chervil leaves
bay leaf
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
one small zucchini
one japanese eggplant
one yellow squash

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. De-seed the bell pepper halves and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down. Roast about 15 minutes until skin is wrinkled. Remove from heat. Using tongs, place the peppers in a paper bag and seal. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Remove from bag, being mindful of the steam. The skins should peel off easily.

To make the piperade, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Chop the onion and cook it in the pan until softened. Shave one of the garlic gloves into small pieces, and add it to the pan. Chop 3 of the tomatoes into 1/4” cubes and add them, along with their juices, a 1/2 teaspoon of ground thyme, a tablespoon of chervil leaves, and the bay leaf. Simmer over low heat until very soft and very little liquid remains. Add the bell peppers and simmer further until softened. Add a few dashes of salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool. Discard the bay leaf.

While the piperade is cooling, cut the zucchini, eggplant, summer squash, and the other four tomatoes into thin 1/16” slices. Set aside.

Pour the piperade into a food processor and pulse until it is chopped into tiny chunks, but not pureed. Spread the piperade in the bottom of an 8-inch oven-proof dish. Pre-heat the oven 325 degrees. Arrange the cut vegetables over the piperade, alternating colors and overlapping so that 1/4” of each slice is exposed and they form a spiral in the dish.

Mince another clove of garlic. In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, the minced garlic, another tablespoon of chervil leaves, 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme, and a dash or two of salt and pepper. Pour half of the vinaigrette over the vegetables, and save the rest. Cover the baking dish with foil, or cut a piece of parchment paper to size and cover. Bake for 2 hours. Uncover and heat under the broiler until the top is lightly browned.

To serve, lift out a portion with a spatula, turning it 90 degrees to keep the fan shape. Drizzle some of the remaining vinaigrette around it on the plate. Makes 4 servings.

PECAN BREAD PUDDING

There are two keys to making great bread pudding. The first is to make sure you really soak the bread in the wet mixture. The second is to layer the pudding deep enough to let the bread puff up when baking. I use two 6” mini bread pans, but if you use a 9” glass dish instead, I’d suggest doubling the recipe. This is a great use for old bread, and it can be made either vegan or ovo-lacto vegetarian. I highly recommend the Frangelico, but if you don’t have any, you can use rum or another flavored liqueur.

2 cups of soymilk or regular milk
2 eggs or egg replacer
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons of Frangelico hazelnut liqueur
1/2 loaf stale French bread
1 tspn of butter or soy margarine
1/2 cup of pecans
2 tablespoons of loose brown sugar

Whisk milk and eggs in bowl until creamy. Add next four ingredients and whisk a few more times. Break up the pecans into small pieces and stir into the milk mixture. Tear the bread into small pieces (approx 1” cubes) and drop into the mixture. Toss to coat thoroughly. Let sit for 10 minutes while oven preheats to 350 degrees. Rub butter or soy margarine on bottom and sides of your pans or baking dish. Pour the bread, including all the milk mixture, into the pans, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Use a butter knife to loosen the edges and cut into desired portions. Serve warm. Makes 4-6 portions.

PENNE POMODORO

A fragrant and flavorful alternative to your run-of-the-mill pasta. This is easy to make because the pomodoro doesn’t require nearly as much cooking time as a traditional tomato sauce. The key is using fresh basil leaves, so don’t skimp. The recipe makes enough for 4 large or 6 smaller servings, but it can easily be cut in half.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium Vidalia onion
2 large (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
3/4 oz (about 4-5 stalks) fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1lb (one pkg) penne pasta
Grated parmesan or soy parmesan cheese (optional)

Pour the olive oil into a large pot, and heat over medium on the stove. Cut the onion lengthwise into thin strips. Add the onion to the pot and sauté until soft. Add the tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes before starting the pasta. Stir the pomodoro and make sure the heat is low enough that it doesn’t boil over. Fill another large pot with 4 quarts of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and turn the heat to down to medium-high. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, until pasta is cooked through but still firm. Pour into a colander to drain the water. Rinse with a quick splash of lukewarm water (not cold water, or the pasta will get cold). Pour into a large pasta bowl. Add the pomodoro and toss lightly. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

ORANGE BANANA BREAD

This vegan baked good was adapted from a Post Punk Kitchen recipe. Banana bread lends itself especially well to non-dairy baking because the banana acts as an emulsifier in lieu of eggs. Even if you’re not vegan, you’ll be surprised at how great this bread tastes.

2 ripe bananas
1 stick (1/2 cup) soy margarine (I use Earth Balance “buttery” sticks)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
juice from a quarter of a fresh orange
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut off an 1/8” slice of the soy margarine stick and use the pat to grease the bottom and sides of the bread pan(s). I use two small 6” pans, but you can use a regular-sized bread pan.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Cream in the rest of the margarine stick and the sugar. Add the orange juice, orange rind, and vanilla. Put the teaspoon of vinegar into a 1/4 measuring cup, then fill the rest of the way with soy milk. Stir, then add to the banana mixture. Add all of the remaining ingredients in order, mixing well between each step. Batter should be slightly lumpy. Pour into the greased pan(s), filling 3/4 of the way full. Bake for an hour. A toothpick inserted into the bread should come out clean.

CINNAMON-CHIPOTLE SALSA

A slightly different twist on salsa. I use chipotles that come in adobe sauce, and this gives it a good amount of “heat.” Use less or more chipotle depending on your taste.

1 large or 2 small tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup cilantro, de-stemmed
1 chipotle pepper
1 tablespoon adobe sauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
salt/black pepper

Coarsely chop the first three ingredients and de-stem the cilantro. Put everything in a food processor along with a few dashes each of salt and black pepper. Pulse until finely chopped, but not totally pureed. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

SPICY JAMAICAN JERK BURRITOS

There is a place in Cincinnati that makes great Jamaican Jerk tofu burritos. Borrowing the idea, I thought I’d try my own version, and I just might make these every night for dinner from now on. They do have a kick, so if you want less spice, use only half a habanero in the marinade. Those little peppers are potent. The marinated tofu can be made up to a day ahead, and if you don’t want to make as many burritos, you can save the leftover fillings in the refrigerator for at least a day or two.

For the marinade:
1 very small habanero pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Additional ingredients:
1 pkg (about 14 oz) firm tofu
flour tortillas, either 6 medium 9” rounds, or 3 large 12” rounds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 red bell pepper
14 oz. can black beans
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 wedges of lime
ripe avocado (optional)
salt/pepper

Drain the tofu then press it between two paper towels to absorb more of the water. Cut into 1/4” slabs and press again between fresh paper towels until the pieces are fairly dry. Cut into 1/4” cubes and place in a shallow container with a lid. Set aside.

To make the marinade, start by de-seeding and coarsely chopping the habanero. If you don’t want too much spice, use only half the pepper. Coarsely chop the onion and garlic as well, then dump all three into a food processor (or blender) and chop more finely (but do not puree). Add everything else on the list of marinade ingredients, and pulse a few more times until blended. Pour over the tofu and toss until blended. The more you stir, the more the tofu will absorb the liquid. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the tortillas between two sheets of aluminum foil and crimp the edges. Place in oven. Put the tofu mixture in a small saucepan and warm on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. In a separate sauté pan, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Chop the onion and red bell pepper and sauté until the onions are soft. Turn the heat down to low. Add the black beans, cilantro, and a dash or two of salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from one of the lime wedges into the beans and stir. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes.

If using avocado, mash it in a bowl with the juice of the other lime wedge and a dash of salt. On each tortilla, put a scoop of the tofu mixture, the beans, and the mashed avocado. Roll one end about two inches up, then roll the other two sides over. Makes 6 medium burritos or 2 to 3 large ones.