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

I've been working on this recipe for weeks now (which is one reason why I haven't blogged lately) and I think I have finally nailed it.  Quiche Lorraine (made with eggs and milk and bacon or ham) was one of my go-to dishes many years ago.  We always had it for Christmas breakfast, and on many other occasions.   It was great warm or cold and you could easily take it for a packed lunch.

I have made many vegan quiches over the years that we have enjoyed, some my own inventions, some from others, but I still have a hankering for Quiche Lorraine.  It's French, of course. North Americans often add cheese and/or onions to his quiche, but the classic version does not contain either, and that's what I was after.  In any case, I found that adding vegan cheese to the filling mix didn't really add much in the way of flavor and it stiffened up the filling too much.  I have also found that in many vegan quiche recipes result in a filling that is too thick, grainy or paste-y, so I was going for a more silky, delicate texture.

I tried several times with my own homemade Tofu Bacon, which we love, but the flavor was just too overwhelming for this quiche.  That is why I recommend a commercial vegan "bacon" or "ham" (or a homemade seitan "ham"), lightly sauteed in a little dark sesame oil, instead.

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BRYANNA'S VEGAN QUICHE LORRAINE (Updated on June 11, 2020)
Makes one 9" quiche     Serves 4 to 6


1/ 9" pie shell (recipe below)
3 oz. thinly-sliced vegan "ham" or commercial vegan "bacon" product
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1 1/4 cups creamy non-dairy milk (I prefer soymilk)
1 cup medium-firm tofu or extra-firm Silken tofu (2/3 of a 12 oz. tetra pak)
2 T. nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp. "chicken-style" vegan broth powder or paste
1 1/2 T. Bird's custard powder (no vanilla!) OR 1 1/2 T. cornstarch plus a pinch of turmeric for color
1/2 tsp. agar powder (If the quiche is too firm for your liking, use a little less agar next time.)
1/2 tsp. salt or Indian "black salt" (which has an egg-y flavor)
a pinch of ground nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Pre-bake the crust (prick the dough all over with a fork) for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven to a cooling rack.




Bake for 10 minutes, then cover the whole pie with a piece of baking parchment cut to fit (this keeps the top of the quiche from getting too brown and prevents the crust from burning) and bake 25 minutes more. Remove the quiche from the oven to a cooling rack and remove the baking parchment.


The quiche needs to be cooled down a bit before slicing-- we prefer it at room temperature.  It can be refrigerated for several days, if necessary.

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BRYANNA’S LOW-FAT OIL PASTRY (with Lower-glycemic flour option)
Makes one 9" crust
Although this crust does contain fat, it has about half that of ordinary pastry, and it uses oil rather than hard fat.  Divided into 8 servings, each piece with either a bottom OR a top crust (not both) and a fat-free filling will contain 5 g of fat.
The pastry flour and soured non-dairy milk make a tender crust that no one will guess is low-fat.

1/2 c. unbleached white flour (or white spelt flour)
1/2 c. MINUS 1 T. (7 T.) whole wheat pastry flour (or oat flour)
3 T. oil (I like olive oil)-- if you have time, measure it & freeze for an hour or so.
3 T. plain soy, nut or hemp milk (or a plain vegan creamer) + 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
3/8 tsp. salt
3/8 tsp. baking powder
3/8 tsp. sugar

Mix the flours in a medium bowl with the salt, baking powder and sugar.  Drizzle the oil into the flour mixture and cut the oil in gently with a fork so that it “beads up” with the flour (see photo).


Add the milk/lemon juice mixture:


If you have time, place the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate it for an hour before rolling out, but it works fine without chilling.  Roll out on a silicone mat, using as little flour as possible,  and bake as you would an ordinary crust.






Enjoy!

This is going to be a quickie blog post!  I'm trying to use more cabbage this winter, due to the rising price of veggies in my neck of the woods.  (The low Canadian dollar is having an effect on food prices.)  This type of casserole is fairly common, but, not only did I want to make a vegan version (of course), but I wanted to use more cabbage and less fat than usual.  It was a hit!  The little bit of dark sesame oil is a must for rich flavor.  I will be making this again!













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BRYANNA'S VEGAN POLISH-STYLE CABBAGE, BACON AND POTATO CASSEROLE
Servings: 4

This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 13 x 11" baking pan. It can serve as a main dish or a side dish.

3/4 lb. yellow potatoes, scrubbed and cut into large dice
8 oz.  Bryanna's Tofu "Bacon" or your favorite vegan bacon
1 Tbs dark sesame oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 1/4 lbs. green or Savoy cabbage (weigh after cutting out core), thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs cider vinegar
1/4 cup non-dairy milk
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup grated vegan cheese of choice
a few shakes of liquid smoke

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Either steam the potatoes or microwave in a covered microwave-safe casserole (no water necessary-- 5 or 6 minutes) until just firm, but not soft.  Set aside.

Brown the tofu in a lightly greased large skillet or on a baking sheet under your oven's broiler (watch carefully). Remove from pan. Dice it after it cools.

Sauté the cabbage, onions and garlic in the (hot) sesame oil in the same pan until the cabbage is wilted and starts to brown a bit.  (You can do this on a baking sheet under your oven's broiler instead, if you wish-- watch carefully.)

Add the vinegar to the cabbage and stir to de-glaze the pan.  Add the cooked potatoes and "bacon", the nondairy milk and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper and a few s to taste.

Spread the mixture into a lightly-oiled 9 x 9" baking dish and top with the vegan cheese. Cover loosely with aluminium foil.  Bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake 10 minutes longer.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 307 calories, 134 calories from fat, 15.2g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 260.4mg sodium, 837.1mg potassium, 34.6g carbohydrates, 6.6g fiber, 7.3g sugar, 11.2g protein.

Enjoy!

My late mother-in-law, Ruth Stuhr Clark, was very fond of Hot German Potato Salad,which I had never heard of before I married her son, my late husband Wayne Clark. It just wasn't part of my mother's culinary repertoire. Ruth was half Irish and half German and from a very large family, so I'm sure she grew up with this tasty and economical dish, which utilized leftover cooked potatoes, with little bits of ham or bacon-- a good meal-stretcher!

Southern German Potato Salad ("Kartoffelsalat") is one of a number of warm (or room temperature) potato salads from various European, Balkan, Middle Eastern, and South American countries. The addition of ham or speck (German bacon) and the sweet-tart dressing differentiates it from the warm potato salad of other cultures, such as the Greek style, using olive oil and lemon, or the Sicilian version with green beans, red onion, olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Here's an interesting article about the spread of, acceptance of and even dependence on potatoes around the world, despite a great deal of early suspicion regarding this nutritious food from South America: http://www.history-magazine.com/potato.html

And here is my vegan version of Ruth's "Kartoffelsalat".

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN HOT GERMAN POTATO SALAD
Serves 6

2 lbs thin-skinned red or yellow potatoes, peeled or unpeeled (your choice)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil (this oil gives the salad a smoky, "bacon-y" flavor)
1 medium onion, minced (red onion is traditional, but I use yellow onion if that's all I have)
about 4 ounces vegan "bacon", thinly sliced (here's my favorite)
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 cup of your favorite vegan "chickeny" broth (I like Better-Than-Bouillon No-Chicken Vegan Broth Base)
2 teaspoons unbleached granulated sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
Optional: If you have some, top the salad with chopped chives

Cook the potatoes (whole or in large chunks) by either simmering in water or steaming until tender but still firm. Drain them, cool until you can handle them and slice them about 1/3 of an inch  thick.

In a large, deep skillet (preferably nonstick or cast iron), heat the oil over high heat. Add the onions and and sliced "bacon" saute until the onions start to brown a bit and the "bacon" gets a little crisp around the edges.

Sprinkle on the flour and stir it around a bit with a wooden spoon, then add the broth, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt and pepper. Stir-cook over medium heat until dressing is thick.

Add the potatoes to the skillet and gently fold everything together until coated. Cook gently until heated, and taste for salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley and chives, if you have them.

Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 195.3 calories; 12% calories from fat; 2.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 479.1mg sodium; 959.8mg potassium; 34.9g carbohydrates; 3.0g fiber; 2.3g sugar; 9.4g protein; 3.5 points.

Enjoy!

According to Serious Eats: "...if you're looking for a sweeter, funkier flavor from your chiles, gochujang (pronounced go-choo-jong) is the thing for you. Gochujang is what gives Korean kimchi and tofu stews their sweet heat, bibimbap rice bowls their piquancy and rice cakes their sauce. You have to love a culture that uses chile as one of its mother sauces.

Gochujang is made from red chiles, glutinous rice* [sticky rice, gluten-free] and soy beans. It's a little hot, a little fermented funky, and more than a little sweet. What it lacks in chile fire it makes up in rounded meaty flavors and the ripe twang of a good stinky cheese. Unlike other chile pastes, gochujang adds as much meaty edge as spice, which makes it a go-to main ingredient, not just a condiment."







Add the Cooking Sauce, browned tofu cubes and vegan "bacon" strips and stir-fry for about 4 minutes. If it looks too dry while you are cooking it, add a few squirts of water. Be careful not to overcook the sprouts. Season with a bit of salt and some freshly-ground black pepper and serve immediately over steamed brown or converted rice.


Sprinkle each serving with ground or crushed roasted sesame seeds, if you like.

Nutrition Facts:
Nutrition (per serving): 315.4 calories; 46% calories from fat; 17.4g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 921.8mg sodium; 893.5mg potassium; 24.0g carbohydrates; 7.4g fiber; 7.7g sugar; 16.6g net carbs; 23.6g protein.

Enjoy!