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!

An early Christmas present from DH.

I've had the above book, "Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey", by Najmieh Batmanglij, for a couple of weeks now. I got it from my library originally through an inter-library loan, and it excited me more than any cookbook has for quite some time, so I just had to have it! I have owned the author's earlier book "Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies" for some years now, and thoroughly enjoyed it, but this volume is absolutely amazing. Stunning pictures and travelogue/history of the Silk Road from Genoa to Shanghai make this more than a cookbook. I spent the first week picking up the book at intervals to read the first part, which takes you through exotic, but more familiar, cuisines of Italy, Turkey, India, Persia, and China, but also through the little-known Central Asian countries such as Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. DH immediately ordered it for me for an early Christmas present.

The recipes just have such appetizing combinations of ingredients-- I know that it will add some warmth to the winter to experiment with this book over the next few months. Rose water, saffron, pomegranates in various forms, walnuts, almonds, and all the spices of the Silk Road are common ingredients in these recipes. Here are but a few of the recipes I really want to try:

Mesopotamian Rice salad with Green lentils, Dates and Raisins;

Tunisian Couscous salad with Pine Nuts and Barberries (I'll use dried cranberries instead);

Armenian Bulgur and Pomegranate Stuffed Grapevine Leaves;

Caspian Butternut Squash, Bulgur and Wild Orange Soup;

Azerbaijani Pomegranate and Spinach Soup;

Caspian Fresh Herb Kuku (a type of omelet that I'll veganize) Rolled in Lavash Bread;

Fertile Crescent Bulgur and Mung Bean Pilaf (with chilies, dill, garlic, cumin, onions, ginger, tumeric and a little tomato!);

Shurazi Baked Saffron Polow with Spinach (an elegant rice dish);

Georgian Pilaf with Tart Cherries;

Levantine Pilaf in Pastry (redolent with spices, almonds, carrots, dried fruit and rose water);

Murghal Mushroom Curry;

Kurdish Rhubarb Braise with Aromatic Herbs;

Persian Butternut Squash Braise (with walnuts, sweet spices, onions, dried golden plums);

Afghan Garlic Chive Ravioli with Yogurt Sauce;

Sicilain Fava Bean, Garlic and Dill Crostata;

Mosul Bulgur Patties with Walnut and Pomegranate;

Tashkent Onion and Garlic bread;

Sicilian Sour Cherry and Pistachio Crostata;

Ardebil Quince Baklava Cake;

Amman Semolina Cake with Orange Blossom Glaze;

Shirazi Melon and peach Sorbet with Crystallized Rose Petals;

How can anyone resist such delights? All the recipes, BTW, have fairly long introductions, very interesting and informative. There are many, many vegan recipes in this vegetarian book, and most of the others could easily be veganized.

The recipe that I tried from this book the other day was a simple soup made with items that I had around the house, but with an intriguing combination of flavors. We loved it!



Printable Recipe

BALKH BROWN LENTIL SOUP
Servings: 6

This recipe is from "Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey", by Najmieh Batmanglij, with a little tweaking from me. This recipe is popular in what is now Afghanistan, Usbekistan and Tajikistan.

I used a vegetarian broth instead of plain water for a richer flavor.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1/2 lb butternut squash or pumpkin, cut into cubes (or spiced butternut puree made for butternut squash soup)
8 cups vegetarian "chicken" broth
2 cups brown lentils
2 tablespoons rice flour (I used brown rice flour)
stirred into 2 cups of water
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh (or organic bottled) lime juice
1 tablespoon angelica powder OR a star anise. (Star anise has a sort of licorice flavor like angelica.)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a medium-sized heavy pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and stir-fry for 20 seconds. (Keep a lid over them so they don't fly out!) Add the onions, garlic, and squash cubes (but not the puree if that's what you're using) and stir-fry for 10 minutes.

Add the broth and lentils and bring to a boil. reduce the heat, cover and simmer it until the lentils are tender, about 50 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Stir in the rice flour which you have stirred with the 2 cups of water, the orange and lime juices, the angelica powder or star anise, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 40 mire minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taste for salt and season to taste with freshly-ground black pepper. Don't forget to discard the star anise, if you used it, before serving. Sprinkle each serving generously with coarsely-chopped parsley before serving. (The parsley is important!)

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 342.1 calories; 19% calories from fat; 7.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 936.6mg sodium; 905.0mg potassium; 53.4g carbohydrates; 21.5g fiber; 9.4g sugar; 31.9g net carbs; 21.0g protein; 6.7 points.

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The second book, "Food & Wine: Quick From Scratch Italian Cookbook", was a new find at the library just a few days ago. I must confess that I only had a quick look at it, but the stew recipe I tried for dinner yesterday sounded appetizing for a cold autumn day and I had everything I needed for it. It was excellent!



Printable Recipe

VEGANIZED ITALIAN SAUSAGES, POTATOES AND ARTICHOKE HEARTS IN TOMATO BROTH
Servings: 4

Adapted from a recipe in “Food & Wine: Quick From Scratch Italian Cookbook”. I found that it needed a few more herbs and more liquid, but that's all I changed in the recipe (except for the vegetarian sausages and veggie broth, of course! Very easy to make.

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 Field Roast Italian Sausages, OR Tofurky Veggie Italian Sausages
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (about 5), scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
1/2 cup dry red or white wine (can be de-alcoholized)
1 1/2 cups vegetarian "chicken" broth
1 cup canned thick crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups drained and rinsed halved canned artichoke hearts (one 14-ounce can)
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Garnish
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add the sausages (cut them into 2 or three pieces each) and brown well, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pot and set aside.

Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the garlic, potatoes, red pepper flakes, rosemary and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and boil until reduced to approximately 4 tablespoons-- 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the broth, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, salt, and the browned sausages. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Add freshly-ground black pepper to taste and 2 tablespoons parsley. Serve with a tablespoon of parsley over each serving.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 480.6 calories; 26% calories from fat; 13.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 1215.0mg sodium; 1382.2mg potassium; 54.7g carbohydrates; 11.6g fiber; 2.4g sugar; 43.2g net carbs; 32.4g protein; 10.0 points.

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.)