Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Vegan Feast Kitchen/ 23rd Century Table

Potato Tortino with Rapini

New Mushroom-Barley Soup We've been having a nice stretch of cold, but quite sunny, weather lately, but today we had a little snow, too!  (Our "grand-dog", Skeena, a 15-year-old Malamute who has been staying with us for a few days, has been loving the snow.) The two dishes that I made yesterday (the soup for lunch with hummus, olives, marinated artichokes, tomatoes and baby greens on homemade crusty rolls; and the potato dish for dinner, along with a big salad) were certainly suited to the weather. Today, we were truly grateful for the thick, tasty leftover mushroom-laden barley soup for lunch again. My paternal grandmother's family emigrated to Peru from the Italian province of Liguria, so the cuisine of the region naturally interests me: "...A classic example of Ligurian culinary ingenuity, it [a frittata, tortino, or polpettone] is basically a way of turning vegetables into a main dish, or at least a hearty appetizer, by adding little more than miscellaneous odds and ends..." Colman Andrews in "Flavors of the Riviera" (Bantam Books, NY, 1996), quoted in my book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen: Delicious Home-Style Vegan Cuisine”. That's exactly why I love this recipe, which is from "Nonna's Italian Kitchen".  There are many ways to make this, depending on what you have in your refrigerator.  This is the way I made it yesterday, but there are suggestions for other variations. Printable Recipe BRYANNA’S TORTINO DI PATATE (Layered Potato Casserole—this time with rapini, onions, vegan Italian sausage, and vegan cheese.) (Can be gluten-free and soy-free)     Serves 6             A potato tortino (tortino mean “little cake” in Italian) is a layered casserole made with thinly-sliced pre-cooked waxy potatoes.  It can be made simply with potatoes, sautéed onions, and breadcrumbs, or a more elaborate version can be made by adding one or more of the other additions or alternatives listed at the end of the ingredient list. 2 lbs. waxy potatoes 1-4 T. extra-virgin olive oil (depending on your taste) 1 large onion, thinly sliced 2-3 cups chopped (about 1/2 a bunch) blanched rapini (broccoli rabe) or other greens 1 to 2 crumbled spicy vegan sausages (such as Field Roast Chipotle)—add a few dried chilli flakes if the sausage is not very spicy 2 large cloves garlic, minced about 1/2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs or panko (can be whole grain; can be gluten-free) 1/4-1/2 cup vegan broth (I like Better Than Bouillon No-Chicken Vegan soup base) salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste about 1/4 cup vegan Parmesan substitute (we like Go Veggie! soy parmesan) about 1 cup of Daiya Mozzarella Shreds or other vegan white cheese, or your own homemade version ADDITIONS OR ALTERNATIVES: 1.) Instead of vegan mozza, use about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of thick Besciamella Sauce (made with or without the oil), dividing it between the layers, with some on the top.  2.) Add 1/2 lb. fresh ripe sliced plum tomatoes, or about 1 cup canned tomatoes, drained and diced or chopped (add a clove of chopped garlic to the onions) 3.) Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary and 1 oz. dried porcini or boletus mushrooms, soaked in hot water, drained and chopped (use reserved soaking water for liquid in recipe) AND/OR 1/2 lb. any kind of fresh mushrooms, sliced and sautéed in a little extra-virgin olive oil 3.) Instead of the sausage, use 6 thin slices commercial vegetarian "bacon" or ham" (or your homemade version) Some other ideas:  a.) You could layer the potatoes with grilled or broiled zucchini or eggplant slices; b.) or add some fresh basil or other herbs c.) You could blend the broth with 1/2 cup or so of silken tofu (and a tsp of The Vegg [egg yolk sub], if you like) and pour 1/2 of it over each layer of potatoes, for an “eggy” binder.   Steam or microwave the potatoes, cut into even-sized chunks, until they are just tender, but still firm.  (I don't usually peel them, but you can, if you wish.)  When they can be handled easily, slice them about 1/4-inch thick.             In a large heavy (can be non-stick) skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil (whatever amount you prefer).  Sauté the onions in the oil until they are soft and starting to brown. Add the minced garlic, chopped, blanched rapini (or other greens), and sausage, and sauté for a few more minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400ºF.             Coat a 10-inch glass or ceramic casserole (or a 2 qt. oval casserole) with olive oil and sprinkle it with some of the breadcrumbs.   Place a single layer of potato slices on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the potatoes with half of the onion/greens/sausage/garlic mixture, and any optional ingredients you may be using.  Sprinkle with a heaping tablespoon of vegan parmesan and cover with 1/3 of your Daiya Shreds or whatever cheese alternative you may be using. Repeat layering once more, saving enough potatoes and cheese alternative for one more layer. Top with the last of the potato slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the broth over the dish and then top with the remaining breadcrumbs, vegan cheese alternative, and vegan parmesan.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top.  Serve hot. ************************* Printable Recipe BRYANNA’S NEW MUSHROOM/BARLEY SOUP Serves 10-12 (Soy-free and can be gluten-free) It was snowing a bit today, and quite cold.  I’m so glad I made his soup yesterday! This soup is faster to make than my older version, contains no oil, and you don’t need any Marmite (yeast extract).  AND, just in case you aren’t near a convenient grocery store, you can use just a few fresh mushrooms, along with some soaked dried mushrooms, which everyone should have in their pantry for adding wonderful flavor and umami to any number of dishes! (I buy the wild mushrooms mixture available at Costco, in a 1 lb. container—very good buy!) 6 cups boiling water 1 1/2 oz. dried mixed wild mushrooms 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion 1 large leek, split, cleaned and chopped (If you have no leeks, use about 1 1/2 cups chopped onion in total.) 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (preferably cremini) 4 large cloves garlic, minced 5 cups hot water mixed with 3 Tbsp + 2 tsp. vegan “chicken” broth powder or paste (I use Better Than Bouillon No-Chicken vegan broth paste) 1 tsp. dried rosemary 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari 2 cups rinsed and drained cooked or canned chickpeas (one 19 oz. can) 1/2 cup water whisked with 1/4 cup unbleached white flour OR white GF flour mix freshly-ground black pepper and salt to taste (you may not need any added salt) Pour the boiling water over the dried mushrooms in a large bowl, pitcher or batter bowl, cover and let soak while you prepare the other ingredients. Place the leeks in a covered microwave-proof casserole and microwave on 100% power for 5 minutes.  Remove the lid (carefully!) and stir in the sliced fresh mushrooms and garlic.  Cover and cook at 100% power for 2 or 3 more minutes. Drain the soaked dried mushrooms in a sieve over a pot or bowl to catch the soaking water.  Squeeze as much of the water out of the mushrooms as possible.  Chop them coarsely. Strain the mushroom soaking water into your soup pot. Add the chopped soaked mushrooms, and the microwaved onion/leek/mushroom/garlic mix.  Stir in the 5 cups hot water mixed with the broth powder or paste, the barley, rosemary, soy sauce, and chickpeas.  Bring to a boil, turn down to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. In a small bowl whisk the 1/2 cup water with the flour until no lumps remain.  Whisk in a little of the hot broth from the soup and stir into the soup.  Stir well to distribute thoroughly.  Simmer for about 5 more minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.  Serve hot.  Enjoy!

I haven't been doing much in the way of interesting cooking lately, as life has been a bit helter-skelter due to my mother's illness.  I have alot of things I want to experiment with, but it's just not going to happen right now, so I'm making quick or slow-cooking favorites.  Soup is a life-saver these days.  The following soup is my "go-to" when I want something really hearty and  filling, but quick to make and low in fat.  We'll probably have leftovers for dinner when we get off the ferry tonight from being with my mom in Courtenay.

One thing good about this time is that I have to slow down on certain things, and do some reflection.  This has led me to take care of some parts of me that have been neglected.  I've started dancing with my dance sisters, Gillian and Bronwyn, once a week again (and vowed to do some by myself, too!)-- good for the spirit and the body.  We're eating simply, which is what we need after the Christmas season.  I've also started up a new cooking journal like I used to keep (read about those here), with a brand new red and black volume of blank lined pages-- you know, there's something satisfying about putting pen to paper sometimes, rather than using the computer.  I'm enjoying sitting down and reading randomly from the old ones.

Vegan Thai-Style "Chicken" Barley Risotto, ready to serve

Happy New Year, everyone! I'm hoping for a year of peacemaking and global justice-- not to much to ask, I don't think! Anyway, I hope you had a lovely holiday. Ours was noisy and fun-- all my kids and their families, my mother, my sister and family were here, though I didn't have to do all the work!

I want to give you my version of a recipe from Cooking Light magazine that I veganized last night. It's perfect after the excess holiday food-- spicy and interesting, but wholegrain and full of vegetables. (PS: I'm happy to report that I did not gain weight over the holidays-- not sure how I pulled that off!) I also added my microwave instructions, so that you don't have to stir so much! We really enjoyed this dish.

Before serving

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN VERSION OF THAI "CHICKEN" BARLEY RISOTTO 
Servings: 4 

1 Tbs dark sesame oil, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped green onions, divided
2 Tbs minced garlic, divided
1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or basil, divided
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 cups veggie chicken broth
(For the Microwave Version below, use 3 cups broth)
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice or bottled organic lime juice
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs water
1 1/2 tsp rice or cider vinegar
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce 
1/2 tsp fish-free red curry paste 
1 Tbs chopped peeled fresh lemongrass or lemon zest
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
3 cups thin strips of commercial vegan "chicken strips" or reconstituted Soy Curls (you could probably use a commercial baked or marinated tofu, too-- one with neutral or Asian flavoring)
1 1/4 cups red bell pepper strips
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cup lite coconut milk OR Bryanna's Mock Coconut Milk
4 tsp chopped peanuts

 Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the sesame oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup of the green onions and 1 tablespoon garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in the barley, 1/4 cup cilantro or basil, black pepper, 1/2 cup broth, the sherry, and jalapeños; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion is absorbed before adding the next (about 15 minutes).

Combine juice and next 5 ingredients (juice through curry paste); set aside.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 cup green onions, 1 tablespoon garlic, lemongrass or zest, and ginger; sauté 1 minute. Add "chicken", bell pepper, and peas; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in barley mixture, juice mixture, and coconut milk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro or basil. Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon peanuts.

MY MICROWAVE VERSION: I used a 2 qt. Pyrex round casserole dish. I "sweated" the 1/2 cup green onions and 1 Tbs garlic in the oil for a couple of minutes (covered) in the microwave. Then I added the barley, basil (or cilantro), 3 cups broth (yes, all at once!), sherry, and jalapeños. I microwaved this on high, UN-covered, for 7 minutes. I stirred it and microwaved it for 7 more minutes.

I sauteed the remaining green onion, garlic, lemongrass (or zest, as in my case), and ginger for a few minutes in a nonstick skillet. I added the red pepper, "chicken" sub, and peas and sauteed briefly. Then I added it to the casserole after the last 7 minutes of microwaving, along with the lime juice mixture and the coconut milk. I microwaved it for about 5 minutes more-- it depends on how "soupy" or "dry" you like your risotto.

Nutrition Facts using Lite Coconut Milk
Nutrition (per serving): 352.1 calories; 32% calories from fat; 13.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 295.6mg sodium; 501.3mg potassium; 43.2g carbohydrates; 10.0g fiber; 10.4g sugar; 33.2g net carbs; 15.4g protein; 7.3 points.
Nutrition facts if you use Bryanna's Mock Coconut Milk instead of lite coconut milk: Nutrition (per serving): 340.4 calories; 28% calories from fat; 10.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 346.8mg sodium; 572.1mg potassium; 44.1g carbohydrates; 10.3g fiber; 11.9g sugar; 33.8g net carbs; 15.7g protein; 6.9 points.

Original Recipe Source: Cooking Light, March 2003

Have a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful 2008!

Fresh chanterelles picked on Denman Island.

Since this has been a mixed-bag of a summer, with lots of rain interspersed with heat, chanterelle mushrooms are popping up all over, except in our area (some years we get some, and other years, nothing). Our friends Jane and Matzuki have the "motherlode" of chanterelle patches and, fortunately for us, pick more than they can use! They share lots of their bounty with us! (I saw them for sale online for $25 a lb.!) I use them in risotto and sautes, and I slice mounds of them and cook them in oil in a hot oven in a large baking pan to freeze for later use. But one of our favorite uses for chanterelle mushrooms is in classic Mushroom and Barley Soup, which we had last night for dinner, and again for lunch today.

(BTW, 5 medium chanterelles, or about 3 oz., contains only 25 calories and 3 g of protein.)

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VERSION OF DEBORAH MADISON'S CREAM OF BARLEY SOUP (WITH WHOLE BARLEY, LEEKS, AND MUSHROOMS)-- veganized, fat content lowered, and streamlined a bit! UPDATED: Oct. 20, 2018

This is from the lovely book "Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen" (Broadway Books, NY, 2006). I veganized it, using blended seeds or nuts and nondairy milk instead of sour cream; lowered the fat from 5 Tbs to 2 Tbs, and used some veggie broth instead of just water, for fuller flavor; and streamlined the recipe for busy cooks by doing some of the sauteeing and steaming in the microwave. I also used the whole leek, not just the white part, because I really like the green part, and it's so pretty!

It is a beautiful and delicious soup, full of fiber and different textures -- creamy from the blended barley, vegetables, and "cream", and chewy from the whole cooked barley, strips of leek, and sauteed mushrooms. It's also quite inexpensive.

The Soup:
1/3 cup barley (I used pot barley, but pearl is fine)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 large leek, white part diced and rinsed (save green part for the "To Finish" part below)
1 large carrot, scrubbed and grated
1 large clove garlic, chopped
4 cups chicken-style vegetarian broth
2 cups water
3/4 tsp salt
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
The "Cream":
3/4 cup plain nondairy milk (I use soy), heated
1/4 cup raw cashews OR raw shelled sunflower seeds
To Finish:
1/3 cup barley (I used pot barley, but pearl is fine)
the green part of the leek used above in the soup, trimmed, julienned, rinsed and drained
1 Tbs (3 tsp) vegan butter
6 large mushrooms, thinly sliced (DB recommended fresh shiitakes, but I didn't have any, so I used large white mushrooms)

Cover the first 1/3 cup barley (for the soup) with boiling water and set aside while you prepare the vegetables.

Drizzle the olive oil in a microwave-safe casserole with a cover and add the onions and oregano, stirring lightly. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Add the diced leek (white part only), chopped garlic, and grated carrot. Cover and microwave 4 minutes more. (If you don't have a microwave, steam-fry the veggies in a heavy seasond cast iron, stainless steel or carbon steel skillet over high heat: just use a spray of oil from a pump-sprayer and keep the vegetables moving, adding a squirt of water every so often until tender but not brown—- just enough to keep the veggies from sticking, not enough to “stew” them.)

Drain the barley and add to a medium soup pot along with the cooked vegetables, salt, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

While the soup cooks, prepare the finishing ingredients:
Rinse the remaining 1/3 cup barley, drain and cover generously with water in a small covered saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes. When it is cooked, drain the barley in a small sieve, then return it to the pot, cover and set aside (off heat).

Place 1 tsp. vegan butter in the microwave-safe covered casserole, which you have rinsed out, and add the slivered leek greens. Microwave covered at full power 2 minutes, then uncover, stir, and microwave 2 minutes more. Set aside.  (If you don't have a microwave, steam-fry the leek greens in a heavy seasoned cast iron, stainless steel or carbon steel skillet over high heat: add the vegan butter and keep the vegetables moving, adding a squirt of water every so often until tender but not brown— just enough to keep the veggies from sticking, not enough to “stew” them.)

Add the remaining 2 tsp. vegan butter to a large heavy seasond cast iron, stainless steel or carbon st skillet. When hot, add the sliced mushrooms and sprinkle with salt. Sauté at high heat, not leaving the stove, until the bottoms of the mushrooms start to brown. Add a splash of water now and then just to prevent dryness and keep the mushrooms moving, but not too much. Cook until the mushrooms are browned on both sides. Set aside.

Before serving:
Blend the "cream" ingredients in a blender until smooth. It helps to make the cashews creamy if the nondairy milk is hot when you blend it, but leave the removable center of the blender lid off and cover it with a folded tea towel while blending, to prevent the hot steam from causing an explosion!

When the soup has cooked for 30 minutes, puree the soup with the "cream" until very smooth. I used a hand immersion blender right in the pot. If you have to use a blender, follow the directions in the paragraph above, to avoid explosions of hot liquid, and you may have to do it in two batches.Taste for salt and add freshly-ground black pepper to taste.

To serve:
Ladle the soup into attractive bowls. Top each bowl with a couple of tablespoons of the cooked barley, a few golden mushrooms, and a little pile of the leek greens. Serve with a pepper grinder on the side.

Servings: 5

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 260.9 calories; 31% calories from fat; 9.4g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 360.2mg sodium; 537.7mg potassium; 39.7g carbohydrates; 7.4g fiber; 7.4g sugar; 32.3g net carbs; 7.7g protein; 5.2 points.

Enjoy!