Posts filed under 'fake cheese'
It turns out I’m a snob when it comes to hash browns. If you have strong feelings about them, I might just offend your potato sensibilities today. I’m sorry if it comes to that, but I need to fight for all those people out there who ask for a crispy hash brown, like myself. I know they’re out there!
The worst offense against hash browns, in my mind, is confusing them with home fries. Home fries have never excited me the way glorious, crispy, hash browns do. Home fries are made from chunks of potatoes. They are usually mushy, kinda slimy, and covered in a mishmash of spices, unlike their delectably lacy and crunchy cousin which are not made from chunks at all; dare I point out that they are, well, hashed?
See. I told you I was a snob about this. Relax, I’m sure you’re home fries are wonderful. I just haven’t had the pleasure of trying them.
The two lesser offenses against hash browns (but offenses nonetheless!) are 1) an inappropriate ratio between crunchy outside and soft inside and 2) general under-cooking. I have ordered hash browns from restaurants many times and had them arrive at the table sort of browned on the outside with unbelievable amounts of a soggy white mass on the inside. I end up eating all the crunchy parts and sadly digging through the rest of it hoping to find another golden bite.
After doing some research online, it seems that preparing hash browns is like curing the hiccups; everyone has their own method that they absolutely swear by. Most everyone, including myself, agrees that you need to remove excess water from the potatoes. Suggested methods include drip drying, squeezing, pressing in a ricer, and spinning dry in a salad spinner.
This is my preferred way to dry them. Place a clean terry cloth towel on your counter. Place two sheets of paper towels on top of that, then spread out your shredded potatoes evenly on top of that. Place another two paper towels over the potatoes, and roll the entire thing up as tightly as possible. Squeeze with all your might. Unroll and sprinkle with salt.
I should mention that potatoes oxidize quickly. If you don’t work fast, you’ll have purple brown potatoes before you know it. Make sure you have everything ready to go before you shred your potatoes, including a heated pan on your range. That way, you should be able to get them in the hot pan before they start to discolor.
Once dry, toss them in hot pan with some canola oil. Don’t overload the pan! You actually want to see through to the bottom of the pan in some spots. Spread the potatoes out evenly and press down with the back of a spatula. Heat is key here. I find a medium or even medium-low heat works best. This will brown the potatoes fairly slowly, which is a good thing. If you brown them too fast, they’ll be raw in the middle.
Besides pressing on them occasionally, don’t touch them until you can actually see that they’re turning brown on the other side. If you try to move them or flip them too early, they won’t fuse together. If you think they’re ready to go, lift up the corner and peek to make sure.
You’ll need to cook them on the other side for another few minutes. This is where I add “cheese.” Vegan cheese is notorious for many things, not the least of which is its melting capabilities (or lack thereof). I use one slice of Tofutti “American Style” cheese. If you decide to use cheese, chop it small and sprinkle it evenly over the hash browns. To help it melt, turn down the heat and cover the pan.
Once the other side is sufficiently browned, remove it from the pan and drain for a moment on a paper towel. Slice into wedges and serve with ketchup and/or hot sauce if desired. You’ll never want them any other way.
January 25th, 2007
My friend Katie made risotto for me while I was in DC. It was so tasty I had to have it again, so I threw together some for dinner. “Threw together” isn’t exactly right; since it was risotto, “stirred for hours” seems more appropriate. Whatever. It was worth it.
On the side I served some cauliflower roasted with salt, pepper, olive oil, and a touch of nutmeg. The smooth risotto matched its crunchiness well, and though I don’t have it very often, cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies.
Sundried Tomato and Mushroom Risotto
Makes two to three main course servings
1 Cup Arborio Rice
1 Onion, minced
8 oz Mushrooms (white button is fine)
1/2 Cup Oil Packed Sundried Tomatoes, cut into strips
1/2 Cup (scant) Pine Nuts, toasted
4 Cups Veggie Broth, warmed (or 4 cups water and 1 veggie bullion cube)
1/4 Red Wine (warmed)
1/3 Cup Soymilk
1 Tbs Rosemary, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
1/4+ Cup Earth Balance or Olive Oil
Vegan Parmesan Cheese (Optional. Made from ground almonds, miso, and nutritional yeast)
In a small sauce pan, heat your veggie stock until simmering. Turn heat down as low as possible, cover. In a large, wide skillet, melt the earth balance. Add onion and saute over medium-low heat until beginning to caramelize, 7-8 minutes. Add rosemary and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add rice, saute for another 3-4 minutes, constantly stirring.
Push rice to the edges of the pan, creating an empty space in the middle. Add the mushrooms to the center of the pan, drizzle with olive oil, and cook until they begin to soften. When they do, mix them in with the rice.
Add one ladle full of warmed stock, constantly stirring. When the rice has absorbed all the liquid, add the warmed wine, half of the pine nuts, and tomatoes.
Continue to add the stock one ladle at a time as the rice absorbs it. Be sure to stir the whole time, even though this process can take 40 minutes to an hour. When it looks like you have only one ladle left, add soymilk to the stock. When warm, add to risotto. As the rice cooks, it will start to turn translucent. When the opaque centers of the rice finally disappear, it should be cooked all the way through. If your rice is not fully cooked when you are out of stock, add water to your stock pan, heat, and add it ladle by ladle full to the risotto until the rice is tender. Serve, top with the rest of the pine nuts, vegan parmesan, and a sprig of rosemary.
Here’s a shot of the cauliflower:
January 23rd, 2007
Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Panino
Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Panino
Serves 2
1 Loaf French Bread
1 Pint Sweet Cherry Tomatoes
1 Medium Eggplant
1 Bunch Fresh Basil, chiffonade
2 Slices Tofutti Cheese (optional)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Preheat oven to 350º.
Slice the tomatoes in half and place them cut-side up in a baking dish. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Roast for 70-80 minutes.
Once the tomatoes are in, prepare the eggplant. Slice the ends off the eggplant and peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler. Slice widthwise into quarter inch thick circles and place on a baking sheet in one layer. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Drizzle about 1/2 cup of olive oil (or more. for serious) over the slices. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes depending on how thick your slices are. The eggplant should be soft and browned.
Let the eggplant and tomatoes cool. Slice the loaf of bread into two equal portions. Slice each portion in half lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Rub the bread with olive oil and add the fillings:
Place sandwiches, open faced, into a 400º oven for 5 minutes, until bread is crispy and “cheese” is melted. When they come out of the oven, fold the top over and press down – the olive oil will soak into the bread and form a natural “dressing” for the sandwich.
Serve warm.
January 5th, 2007
Cheesy Rice and Broccoli
Vegan Cheesy Sauce
1/2 Cup Earth Balance
1/2 Cup White Flour (whole wheat also works)
2 Cups Soymilk
1/2 Can Tomato Paste
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
1/2 Cup Nutritional Yeast
1 Tbs Stoneground Mustard
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Tahini (optional)
Black Pepper to taste
Melt the earth balance in a sauce pan, then whisk in flour to make a roux. Let the roux bubble for a few minutes, then add half the soy milk and stir vigorously until no lumps appear, then add the second half of the milk and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and stir over medium heat until thickened. This sauce needs to cook for a few moments or else the tomato paste will taste raw.
It will become very thick if you allow it, so take it off the heat when it reaches the desired consistency. If I’m making it for pizza or a dip, I’ll let it get quite thick, but if I’m making it to put over pasta or rice, I’ll make sure it’s thin enough to pour.
If you reduce this recipe by half, it will generously cover enough rice for two people (1 cup of rice, dry). We usually make a full batch so we can have leftovers to use the next day.
It probably won’t fool a cheese eater, but we find it to be tasty anyway! And besides, we know a few non-vegans who like the sauce, too.
December 23rd, 2006
Rotini alfako
Alfako Sauce:
1 can coconut milk
2-3 Tbs tamari
2 Tbs tahini paste
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
Fresh cracked black pepper
1 knob of vegan butter (optional)
1 small pinch of sugar (optional)
1 dash of nutmeg (optional)
Arrowroot powder/flour/cornstartch (optional, for thickening)
Combine all ingredients except thickener in a large saute pan once you have put your pasta in boiling water – we usually use a rice fettucini.
I use a wisk to make sure everything is blended really well. Simmer while pasta is cooking. We usually add broccoli and peas to our sauce, but add whatever veggies you want, leaving enough time for them to cook.
If you’re willing to get a third burner going, you could steam some veggies and add them at the last minute. We used to do that, but since we discovered the surprising quality of Whole Foods frozen broccoli, we’ve become lazy and just add the frozen stuff a few minutes before the pasta is done. Less dishes!
If you’re using rice pasta, consider omitting the thickener for the sauce. Instead of rinsing the pasta, add it directly to the sauce. The sticky rice starch that the rice pasta bag tells you to rinse off works as a great thickener for sauces. Simply add the pasta and simmer for a few minutes, covered, until it’s reached the desired consistency.
December 11th, 2006
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