Wednesday, March 31, 2010
PASTIERA NAPOLITANA VEGAN (NEAPOLITAN EASTER GRAIN & "RICOTTA" PIE)
A reader wrote to me a couple of weeks ago: "Do you have any vegan recipes for the Italian wheat and rice pies that are served on Easter morning along with the frittata that my Grandma used to make? Thank you, Adrienne"
Of course, there is a vegan fritatta recipe in my book Nonna's Italian Kitchen
. But, though I had heard about it, I had never eaten this pie. However, I do have a recipe for a vegan "ricotta pie" in that book, and I knew that this Easter pie contained ricotta, so I figured that I could work on it with that recipe as a start. (BTW, I don't always create recipes on request! I am happy for suggestions for recipe "makeovers", if you will, but whether I try it or not depends on a number of factors: does the recipe appeal to us? are the ingredients available to me?are the any of the ingredients outrageously expensive and will I ever use them again?; Do I have the time? Does this dish fit our dietary likes and dislikes, etc..)I did some research on the pie, and then decided to try the formula I came up with on some friends who were coming for dinner for St. Patrick's Day. I thought it turned out rather well-- impressive looking,and we all loved it-- but, since I had never actually eaten the "real thing", I had nothing to compare it to. So, I asked Adrienne to try it ahead of time, for her sake and mine (maybe just half the recipe, which she did) and give me an honest assessment. Her verdict? “Out of this world great.”
This pie is traditional in Southern Italy. Adrienne's mother's parents came from two different parts of Italy, Calabria and Puglia, but their foods were nearly identical, she told me.
I made the pie with rice, but it is also sometimes made with pearl barley or even the small pasta called orzo
instead of rice. If you use orzo, you can cook it the same way as the rice, using 2 1/2 cups of nondairy milk instead of 2. If you use pearl barley
, soak the the grain in cold water to cover for 24 hours, then drain and cook in the milk as for the rice.This pie is also sometimes made with wheat kernel
s, which I suspect was the original version, since wheat and wheat breads are still powerful symbols of spring rebirth in Italy, harkening back to ancient times. (I see no reason why it could not be made with spelt
or kamut
kernels or brown rice
instead, but I have to try this out before giving you the directions.) The whole grain for this pie is usually soaked for 3 days, changing the water each day, and then drained well and cooked in milk, but I can't say for how long or in how much milk until I try it.It's a spectacular looking pie, and will feed alot of people! I think it would be great served with fresh strawberries.
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S PASTIERA NAPOLITANA VEGAN (Vegan Neapolitan Easter Grain and "Ricotta" Pie-- includes soy-free version)
Servings: 16/ Yield: 1/ 10 x 2 1/2" pie OR 2 shallow 9-10" pies
You can cut this recipe in half for a smaller gathering.
For a gluten-free pie, use rice as in the recipe and use a gluten-free flour mix.
The seasoning, of course, is a matter of taste. You may like more cinnamon, less orange rind, etc. -- it's up to you.
PASTRY (Vegan, lower-fat "Pasta Frolla"):
(you can use your own favorite Pasta Frolla recipe, if you prefer)
Dry Mixture:
1 1/3 cups white cake or pastry flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour
(or, instead, you can use 1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
and 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour
)
1/2 to 3/4 cup organic unbleached granulated sugar
, depending on your taste
1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
Wet Mixture:
9 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) soy or almond milk
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
9 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) oil
1 teaspoon lemon extract OR 1 tablespoon finely-grated organic lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FILLING:
Rice:
2 cups vegan creamer
For a gluten-free pie, use rice as in the recipe and use a gluten-free flour mix.
The seasoning, of course, is a matter of taste. You may like more cinnamon, less orange rind, etc. -- it's up to you.
PASTRY (Vegan, lower-fat "Pasta Frolla"):
(you can use your own favorite Pasta Frolla recipe, if you prefer)
Dry Mixture:
1 1/3 cups white cake or pastry flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour
(or, instead, you can use 1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
and 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour)1/2 to 3/4 cup organic unbleached granulated sugar
, depending on your taste1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
Wet Mixture:
9 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) soy or almond milk
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
9 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) oil
1 teaspoon lemon extract OR 1 tablespoon finely-grated organic lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FILLING:
Rice:
2 cups vegan creamer
(OR you could use a total of 1 13/4 cups full-fat soy milk or almond milk with 1/4 cup of silken tofu blended in until smooth)
1 1/4 cups medium grain (or Arborio
) white rice (risotto rice)
2 tablespoons organic unbleached granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
"Ricotta" Mixture: (See below for soy-free version)
2 lbs medium-firm tofu, drained and crumbled, plus
12 oz. firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 1/2 to 2 cups organic unbleached granulated sugar
(depending on how sweet you like it)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons orange flower water (optional, but traditional)
2 tablespoons finely-grated organic orange zest
2 tablespoons finely-grated organic lemon zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon dry to medium sherry or Marsala
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon agar powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, depending on your taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
) white rice (risotto rice)2 tablespoons organic unbleached granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
"Ricotta" Mixture: (See below for soy-free version)
2 lbs medium-firm tofu, drained and crumbled, plus
12 oz. firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 1/2 to 2 cups organic unbleached granulated sugar
(depending on how sweet you like it)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons orange flower water (optional, but traditional)
2 tablespoons finely-grated organic orange zest
2 tablespoons finely-grated organic lemon zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon dry to medium sherry or Marsala
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon agar powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, depending on your taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional Addition (but traditional):
1/3 cup candied orange peel,
finely chopped
(If you can't find this-- and it is NOT the same thing as "candied citron"!!-- you will find an easy recipe to make your own here. You can make it up to 2 weeks ahead of time.)
soy or nut milk for brushing the pastry
INSTRUCTIONS:
1/3 cup candied orange peel,
finely chopped(If you can't find this-- and it is NOT the same thing as "candied citron"!!-- you will find an easy recipe to make your own here. You can make it up to 2 weeks ahead of time.)
soy or nut milk for brushing the pastry
INSTRUCTIONS:
To make the pastry:
Mix the Dry Mixture ingredients in a medium bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the soy or almond milk with the lemon juice, and then whisk in the oil and flavorings until the mixture is emulsified. Quickly stir this Wet Mixture into the dry ingredients and mix briefly, forming the pastry into a ball. If it's too dry, add cold water just a few drops at a time until it holds together. Don't over mix or the pastry will be tough.
If you are make one large pie make a ball with 2/3's of the dough and another ball with the last 3rd. If you are making 2 smaller pies, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll into balls. Place in plastic bags and refrigerate until ready to roll out.
To cook the Rice for the Filling:
Bring the creamer to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan. Stir in the rice, sugar, vanilla and salt, turn down the heat to Low, cover tightly and cook for 35 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Scoop the rice out into a shallow bowl to cool. If the rice looks very dry, stir in a few tablespoons of non-dairy milk, but don't make it runny.
To make the Filling:
Place ALL of the "Ricotta" Mixture ingredients (except the optional candied orange peel) into a large blender, Vita-Mix or food processor and blend until very smooth. Scoop the smooth mixture into a mixing bowl.
Add the cooled, cooked rice mixture and the optional candied peel, if using, and fold and stir until evenly distributed. Set aside.
To prepare the pie(s) for baking:
Heat the oven to 350° F for the large pie or 375° F for the smaller pies.
If you are making a large pie, oil the inside of a round 10 x 21/2" springform pan
. If you are making two smaller pies, oil two ordinary 9 or 10" pie pans
. (For the smaller pies, since they are served right in the pie pan, Pyrex or ceramic pie plates would be preferred over metal pans for a more elegant look.)If using the springform pan,
roll the largest ball of dough out on a piece of baking parchment (you shouldn't need any flour to roll this out on parchment) to make a circle 15" across (diameter). Carefully and loosely roll this around the rolling pan and gently unroll over the top of the prepared springform pan.
Gently ease the pastry down into the pan and secure it in place by pinching the excess dough to the top edges of the pan. Make sure that any cracks or tears are smoothed out and covered (use extra bits of dough, if necessary), and that the dough fits neatly into the pan.
If using 2 smaller pie pans,
roll two of the equal-sized balls to fit 9 or 10" pie dishes (with enough dough to overlap the rims of the pie dishes) and ease them into the dishes, gently fitting them into the pans and smoothing out any cracks. (There will be scraps of dough left over to fill out the rim of the crust, make patches, etc.).
To fill and decorate the pie(s):
Scoop the filling into the pie crust(s) (1 large or 2 smaller) and smooth the top(s). It should come up just about to the top of the pan(s).
Roll out the remaining dough as if you were making a top crist for the springform pan or two top crusts for the pie dishes. Cut the rolled-out dough into 1/2"-wide strips, using a pizza cutter (or a ravioli cutter for a scalloped edge).
Make a latticed topping with the strips, following the picture instructions here
or the video instructions here .
(If you are in a hurry like I was when I was making this, just criss-cross the strips instead of latticing them!)
Press the ends of the strips into the dough at the rim of the pans to make sure they adhere.
With the large springform pan, cut the edge of the dough off carefully with a sharp knife on the OUTSIDE of the rim of the pan so that the dough sticks to the slim outer edge of the pan.
With the smaller pie pans, flute the edge of the crust as you ordinarily would, making it look pretty, then cut the rough edges off the outer edge of the pie with a sharp knife.
Gently brush the lattice with soy or nut milk, using a fine pastry brush. If you like, use scraps of dough to make leaf or flower shapes to decorate the top of the lattice pastry.
Bake the large pie for 1 1/2 hours at 350° F.
Bake the smaller pies for 45 minutes at 375° F. Either way, a toothpick or bamboo skewer should come out clean when inserted in the middle of the pie.
Cool the pie(s) thoroughly on racks (takes several hours), then refrigerate until serving time. Decorate the pies with flowers for serving, of you like. I think some fresh fruit, such as strawberries, makes a good accompaniment.
Nutrition Facts (calculated using soymilk and the lesser amount of sugar in both pie filling and crust)
Nutrition (per serving): 280.8 calories; 18% calories from fat; 6.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 130.0mg sodium; 190.4mg potassium; 46.8g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 22.2g sugar; 45.7g net carbs; 10.0g protein; 5.9 points.
SOY-FREE FILLING:
Use this recipe instead of the tofu, lemon juice and oil in the "Ricotta" Mixture in the Filling recipe and mix in the remaining Filling ingredients.
BRYANNA'S ALMOND “RICOTTA”, LARGER RECIPE (wheat-free and soy-free)
Makes about 7 1/2 cups
From my book "Nonna's Italian Kitchen"
This is a tasty vegan "ricotta"-- the almond milk has a clean, mild taste. The inspiration for this recipe was the "Incredible Almond Creme Cheeze" in Vegan Vittles by Joanne Stepaniak.
2 cups hot water
1 1/2 c. whole blanched almonds
3 cups cold water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup cornstarch (if you’re allergic to corn, you can use wheat starch, or use 6 T. white rice flour)
3 T. oil
1 T. maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Place the hot water and almonds in the blender and blend until a very smooth "cream" results-- be patient. It cannot be grainy. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend again well.
Pour the mixture into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir constantly over medium-high heat until it thickens and comes to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium and cook 1 minute more, stirring.
MICROWAVE OPTION: Pour the mixture into a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 4 minutes on HIGH. Whisk. Microwave 3-4 minutes more, or until thickened.
Scrape the mixture into a container and let it come to room temperature. Beat it with a whisk or electric mixer. Cover and chill. When it is chilled and firm, mash and stir it with a fork, until it has some texture. Refrigerate.
Happy Easter/Buona Pasqua!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
COMFORT FOODS TO THE RESCUE!
Mocha Soy Cappuccino made with my homemade soymilk
It has been a busy and stressful few weeks. Lots to work on; some family business going on; on grandchildren-sitting duty a fair amount; and a pesky on-going headache (seeing the chiro tomorrow), etc., etc. Consequently, I have not been blogging that often, for which I am very sorry! We have been eating pretty basic stuff most of the time. I have craved "comfort foods"!
I'm not a heavy coffee drinker, but my husband makes wonderful organic, fair trade, espresso, ground fresh just before steaming it. One treat I have allowed myself every few days lately is a homemade Mocha Soy Cappuccino. I use my homemade soy milk-- about 2/3 of a cup-- whisked with 1 teaspoon of organic, fair trade unsweetened cocoa and 2 teaspoons of brown sugar, heated and frothed in my inexpensive plunger milk frother
, and a shot of DH's good espresso. To me, it's like dessert!
*********************************************************************************
A comfort food main dish from my childhood that I recently recreated was a vegan version of "Swiss Steak". It's kind of an old-fashioned dish, like pot roast. I enjoyed my mother's meat version in the 1950's and 60's (dating myself here!). I think it's actually making a comeback due to the popularity of the modern slow-cooker. There's actually nothing Swiss about it, though! It's a slow-braised meat dish (called "smothered" in some areas, as in "smothered in tasty gravy while it braises") that translates well to a vegan dish. (Slowly-cooked meat dishes are more successfully veganized because we don't expect them to taste like rare meat, which is well-nigh impossible to reproduce with a vegan meat substitute.)
Wikipedia says: "The name does not refer to Switzerland, but instead to the process of "swissing", which refers to fabric or other materials being pounded or run through rollers in order to soften it. Swiss steak is typically made from relatively tough cuts of meat, such as the round, which have been pounded with a tenderizing hammer, or run through a set of bladed rollers to produce so-called 'cube steak'. The meat is typically coated with flour and other seasonings and served with a thick gravy."
I have made a similar dish with my seitan "steaks" before, but it occurred to me that a firm vegan burger would make a fine stand-in for a "Swissed" piece of meat, or a "cube steak". AND, it would not have to cook as long because it is already fully cooked and tender. Sweet!
The sauce is a kind of bastardized vegan version of the classic Espagnole sauce, which is a reduction sauce starting with a brown roux, veal stock (yuck!)enriched with browned bones, beef cubes, vegetables, etc., and then further enriched with tomato puree. My version (for this dish) uses a combination of leftover vegan brown gravy and leftover good, homemade vegan spaghetti sauce (the kind with no meat sub in it). Couldn't be easier if you have those things around (I set aside some of each of these from other meals earlier in the week when I plan to make this dish-- the spaghetti sauce can be frozen, and the gravy will keep a week in the refrigerator.) This may sound weird, but, trust me, it's good!
My mother always made her Swiss Steak with lots of vegetables added, so I did, too. Oh, and I haven't tried this, but I'll bet this would do just fine in a slow-cooker for a few hours!
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S VEGAN "SWISS STEAK" WITH VEGETABLES
Servings: 4
6 vegan burgers (the "meat-like" kind)-- use 8 if they are very thin
A comfort food main dish from my childhood that I recently recreated was a vegan version of "Swiss Steak". It's kind of an old-fashioned dish, like pot roast. I enjoyed my mother's meat version in the 1950's and 60's (dating myself here!). I think it's actually making a comeback due to the popularity of the modern slow-cooker. There's actually nothing Swiss about it, though! It's a slow-braised meat dish (called "smothered" in some areas, as in "smothered in tasty gravy while it braises") that translates well to a vegan dish. (Slowly-cooked meat dishes are more successfully veganized because we don't expect them to taste like rare meat, which is well-nigh impossible to reproduce with a vegan meat substitute.)
Wikipedia says: "The name does not refer to Switzerland, but instead to the process of "swissing", which refers to fabric or other materials being pounded or run through rollers in order to soften it. Swiss steak is typically made from relatively tough cuts of meat, such as the round, which have been pounded with a tenderizing hammer, or run through a set of bladed rollers to produce so-called 'cube steak'. The meat is typically coated with flour and other seasonings and served with a thick gravy."
I have made a similar dish with my seitan "steaks" before, but it occurred to me that a firm vegan burger would make a fine stand-in for a "Swissed" piece of meat, or a "cube steak". AND, it would not have to cook as long because it is already fully cooked and tender. Sweet!
The sauce is a kind of bastardized vegan version of the classic Espagnole sauce, which is a reduction sauce starting with a brown roux, veal stock (yuck!)enriched with browned bones, beef cubes, vegetables, etc., and then further enriched with tomato puree. My version (for this dish) uses a combination of leftover vegan brown gravy and leftover good, homemade vegan spaghetti sauce (the kind with no meat sub in it). Couldn't be easier if you have those things around (I set aside some of each of these from other meals earlier in the week when I plan to make this dish-- the spaghetti sauce can be frozen, and the gravy will keep a week in the refrigerator.) This may sound weird, but, trust me, it's good!
My mother always made her Swiss Steak with lots of vegetables added, so I did, too. Oh, and I haven't tried this, but I'll bet this would do just fine in a slow-cooker for a few hours!
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S VEGAN "SWISS STEAK" WITH VEGETABLES
Servings: 4
6 vegan burgers (the "meat-like" kind)-- use 8 if they are very thin
1 Tbs olive oil
VEGETABLES:
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin slices
1 large onion, sliced thinly
4 medium carrots, scrubbed and cut into thin "fingers"
2 cloves garlic, chopped
SAUCE:
1 1/4 cups your favorite vegan Brown Gravy
1 1/4 cups good homemade tomato spaghetti sauce
(If you gave a very good commercial brand that you like, you can use that instead)
1/2 cup dry red wine (can be de-alcoholized)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Heat the 1st tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the burgers. Cut the burgers into 3 large slices each to make it easier to divide up the servings (you don't have to do this is you use 8 thin burgers.) Brown the burgers lightly on both sides and remove from the pan.
Add the 2nd tablespoon of oil to the same pan and add the vegetables. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Saute them over medium-high heat until they wilt.
Alternatively, wilt the vegetables in the oil in a Pyrex casserole in the microwave for about 5 minutes.
Add the burgers back to the pan, covering them with the wilted vegetables.
Mix the sauce ingredients together with a whisk and pour over the burgers and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes.
Serve hot with mashed potatoes, steamed new potatoes, cooked flat noodles, or whole grain homemade spaetzle (drop noodles).
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 356.6 calories; 28% calories from fat; 10.1g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 1266.8mg sodium; 900.6mg potassium; 30.6g carbohydrates; 12.0g fiber; 14.7g sugar; 18.6g net carbs; 28.2g protein; 7.2 points.
Enjoy!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
PANELLE: SOUTHERN ITALIAN "CHICKPEA FRIES'" (WITH LESS OIL)
I love chickpeas and chickpea flour. One of the tastiest, cheapest, easiest snacks (or sides) in the world is an ancient recipe from Southern Italy, called panelle or panelle di ceci (panelli or paneddi in Sicily). They are also popular in Southern France, where they are known as panisse. They are basically a street snack, often eaten inside of a bread or roll. The recipe is of Arabic origin, which makes sense when you think of the origins of chickpeas and the influence of Arabic cooking on Southern Italian cooking.
Wouldn't it be great if this kind of a snack became popular here in North America as a "takeout" snack instead of "popcorn chicken"? Well, we can dream! Upscale restaurants have been serving these, but that's not really where they belong. They are so easy to make and so delicious, and so open to different seasonings that they would make great street cart food.
In the meantime, make them at home. They are basically chickpea flour (besan in Indian stores) and water, with a few seasonings. My version is pan-fried, but with much less oil than usual. They still have a nice crust and the lovely olive oil flavor.
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S PANELLE (CHICKPEA "FRIES")
Servings: 4
Double or triple this if you like.
2 cups water
1 cup chickpea flour
(besan
)1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
SEASONING OPTIONS:
smoked paprika
crushed garlic
cayenne
dried red chili flakes
chopped Italian parsley
chopped fresh herbs
FOR COOKING:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL):
lemon wedges for squeezing
vegan mayonnaise with some vegan pesto whipped into it
vegan aioli (garlic mayonnaise)
a good, simple homemade tomato sauce
Romesco sauce (this is Spanish, not Italian, but yummy)
Oil an 8" square pan
lightly with olive oil and set aside.Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the chickpea flour so that it doesn't form lumps. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the oil, salt and pepper. Cool for another minute or so, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens.
Spread the hot mixture evenly in the oiled pan, smoothing the top. Refrigerate until the mixture is solid.
Loosen the edges and turn the square out onto a cutting surface.
Slice the square into 16 "fingers".
Heat the last tablespoon of oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet
. Brown the "fingers" in the last 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high to medium heat until browned on both sides. Sprinkle with salt, if you wish (or other seasoning of choice) and serve. Best hot, but even good cold.Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 148.7 calories; 49% calories from fat; 8.3g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 487.3mg sodium; 194.6mg potassium; 13.3g carbohydrates; 2.5g fiber; 2.5g sugar; 10.8g net carbs; 5.1g protein; 3.2 points.
Enjoy!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
VEGAN KOREAN TACOS!
(Sorry I've been posting so infrequently lately-- family business.)
I don't live in L.A.-- I live on a little island off of Vancouver Island, on the west coast of Canada. But I have read about those Korean BBQ tacos from Southern California (my mother's old stomping grounds from when she was a kid). They have been a smash success being sold from the Kogi Korean taco trucks.
Here's what their website says: "Born from late-night hunger by founders Mark Manguera, Caroline Shin-Manguera and Chef Roy Choi, the Kogi truck is a traveling Los Angeles landmark that serves up Korean Mexican tacos, day and night.
... Quality Korean barbecue meets traditional, homemade tortillas and fresh veggies to create a taste that carries the rhythms of LA street culture and exudes the warmth of all that California sun. Under the direction of Chef Roy Choi, Kogi has developed a menu that delivers high-end food at street level prices.
Twitter is used to communicate truck locations and Chef Roy Choi’s daily specials to well over 50,000 loyal followers. Add some wheels to the mix and you’ve got yourself a restaurant that geographically responds to the flavor of the crowd – from Silver Lake to Eagle Rock to all the way down to Orange. Currently Kogi operates 4 trucks – Azul, Verde, Naranja and Roja – and fresh out of the kitchen at the Alibi Room in Culver City."
I first saw a recipe for Korean Tacos on the Steamy Kitchen blog from last July-- meat version, of course (kogi means "meat", BTW). I just got around to trying a vegan version of Korean tacos today for lunch. I don't know why it took me so long-- it was fast, easy and scrumptious. Making your own veggie version is probably going to be the only way you can enjoy it if you are vegan or a vegetarian. The Kogi BBQ blog has a post about eating veggie from their trucks, so read up if you're vegan or vegetarian and interested-- there is fish sauce in their kimchi and the organic tofu is cooked on the same grill as everything else-- it's a small truck.
 |
| One of the Kogi BBQ trucks |
"I can see the confusion over the fusion label — there are a lot of Korean flavors. There are a lot of Mexican flavors. And sometimes some trashy American flavors mixed with some Salvadorean influences. It’s confusing. But just know that our food is not confused: it knows EXACTLY what it is."
and:
"FUSION implies you take 2 disparate things and FUSE them together. You join two things together with duct tape, you can see where one thing ends and the other begins. It’s fascinating, and yet it’s not natural. Like French Japanese or Korean Italian. Those cuisines didn’t come together through a natural affinity, a natural progression over time. For example: Mexican Italian. I’ve seen it done and done well — but it’s that European element that’s usually utilized to “elevate” a food and make it more marketable as a “serious” cuisine. Moreover, the intention behind fusion is usually to catch someone’s attention, to spark or speak to a trend.
We didn’t go in here thinking, “Let’s bring Mexican and Korean together because it’ll be weird and cool.”
The thing is, Mexican Korean flavors coming together is only a natural progression. For generations, Chicanos and Koreans have lived side by side in K-town. Tortillas are commonly found in supermarkets around here — and it wasn’t uncommon to bring a bag of those Mission tortillas to a Korean barbecue in the height of summer. What do you think happened when those Korean peoples ran out of rice?
That’s why we don’t call it fusion.
But what we do call it is Angeleno."
Okay, on to what I did with this today...
I did have a container of Korean fermented hot pepper paste (gochujang) in my refrigerator, and I added liquid smoke to my sauce because smoky BBQ meats are generally used in these tacos. I used corn tortillas because that's what I had, and, anyway, I think they taste better than wheat tortillas. I didn't have any kimchi (Korean spicy cabbage pickle), or cucumbers to make Quick Cucumber Pickle (remember, I live on an island and the store is closed on Sundays.) But that wasn't really a problem. I searched through my fridge and found a turnip, some red and green peppers already cut, and some green onion-- good enough. I made a tasty quick pickle/salad with that and we were in business.
Printable Recipe
PS: If you want to make your own vegan kimchi to use as a condiment with this dish, try Julie Hasson's recipe-- easy-peasy, she says. You may be able to find a commercial version without seafood (many varieties contain either fish sauce or salted shrimp)-- see this article for the regional differences in ingredients.
BRYANNA'S VEGAN VERSION OF KOREAN-STYLE SOFT TACOS WITH KOGI BBQ SAUCE
Servings: 4
Yield: 8-12 tacos
Adapted from a recipe here. For the "kogi" (which means "meat"), you can use reconstituted Soy Curls™, your favorite type of seitan, commercial "chicken strips", Field Roast "Celebration Roast" cut in strips, even strips of fried tofu or tempeh. I have include a recipe for a Quick Turnip Pickle, but you can use vegan kimchi instead, or use both. This recipe, including the pickle, is very quick to make!
1 lb (16 oz.) shredded or julienned chicken substitute of choice (see text above)
8-12 / 7" corn tortillas
KogisStyle BBQ Sauce:
2 tablespoons Korean fermented hot pepper paste (gochujang
) 3 tablespoons organic unbleached granulated sugar
or 2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
(or a little more to taste) 1/2-1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Quick Turnip Pickle:
1 medium purple and white turnip, peeled and shredded or grated
1/2 a medium red bell pepper, seeded cut into short slivers
1/2 a medium green bell pepper, seeded cut into short slivers
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or lime juice
1/2 teaspoon organic unbleached granulated sugar or agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon dried red chili pepper flakes
salt to taste
For the BBQ Sauce, whisk all of the ingredients together until sugar has dissolved. You can make this ahead of time and store it in a covered jar the refrigerator, if you like.
 |
| The type of Korean hot pepper paste that I use |
 |
| Jar of Korean fermented hot pepper paste (gochujang) |
To make the taco filling, heat a large nonstick pan with a little oil in it. When hot, add the chicken substitute and toss it around in the hot oilk until slightly browned. Pour in the BBQ sauce and distribute around in the pan until everything is coated and hot. Set aside with a cover on it.
Heat the tortillas in a tortilla warmer, or warm them in a covered casserole in the oven, OR in the microwave for a minute or two (if you use the microwave, heat them AFTER the Filling is done). Here's some advice on heating tortillas from Steve Sando of Rancho Gordo (author of "Heirloom Beans"). Here's advice on using a terra cotta tortilla warmer in your stove's oven, and here is advice for using it in a microwave. You can use other types of covered casseroles or tortilla warmers. You can also wrap them in foil and use the oven. You could wrap them in cloth and use a bamboo or other steamer. Here is a page with examples of the many ways to heat soft tortillas.
Quickly distribute the filling evenly between all of the tortillas and serve with the Quick Turnip Pickle on the side, and some vegan kimchi alongside it, if you wish. (Don't forget the napkins.)
THE NUTRITION FACTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS RECIPE ARE FOR 4 SERVINGS, USING 12 TORTILLAS. IF YOU USE ONLY 8 TORTILLAS, THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS: Nutrition (per serving, 2 tortillas each): 355.1 calories; 25% calories from fat; 10.3g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 948.7mg sodium; 317.1mg potassium; 50.5g carbohydrates; 9.0g fiber; 14.8g sugar; 41.5g net carbs; 18.8g protein; 7.2 points.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving, 3 tortillas each): 412.8 calories; 23% calories from fat; 10.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 951.5mg sodium; 357.2mg potassium; 62.6g carbohydrates; 10.4g fiber; 14.8g sugar; 52.2g net carbs; 20.3g protein; 8.4 points.
Enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)