6
SPECTACULAR STAPLES FOR KITCHEN EASE
A few, indispensable, not-so-little tricks to boost flavors and round out dishes.
While some of these recipes first appeared in other published books of ours, we felt they were too good to improve upon and added them here as a bonus for your viewing (and tasting) pleasure. We’re quite positive they will become staples in your pantry, refrigerator, or freezer.
Basic Cashew Cream
▸ GLUTEN-FREE POTENTIAL ▸ SOY-FREE POTENTIAL
We turn to cashew cream as a substitute for soy yogurt in dipping sauces, or anywhere something creamy and rich is called for. For a slightly thicker cream, use only 3/4 cup (180 ml) water. For a slightly less tangy cream, use 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice.
1 cup (140 g) raw cashews, soaked overnight (see Recipe Note)
1 cup (235 ml) water
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
Pinch coarse kosher salt, to taste
Place the rinsed cashews in a blender along with water, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until completely smooth, stopping to scrape the sides occasionally. Transfer to a jar or airtight container. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or lid. Let stand at room temperature for 6 hours or until the cream smells slightly tangy. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 days. The longer the cream sits, the tangier and thicker it gets. The cream will last for up to 2 weeks if stored properly in the refrigerator.
YIELD: 1 1/3 cups (320 g)
Slightly Cheesy Cashew Sauce
▸ GLUTEN-FREE POTENTIAL
A sauce so perfectly flavored and decadent, no one will waste a nanosecond missing cheese.
1 cup (140 g) raw cashews, soaked overnight (see Recipe Note)
1 1/4 cups (295 ml) vegetable broth
2 tablespoons (15 g) nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon (18 g) white miso
1 scant tablespoon (6 g) organic cornstarch
1 teaspoon onion powder
Fine sea salt
Place the rinsed cashews in a blender along with the broth, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, miso, cornstarch, onion powder, and salt to taste. Blend until completely smooth. Transfer to a small saucepot. Cook for approximately 8 minutes on medium heat, whisking frequently until thickened like fondue. Remove from the heat and whisk occasionally. Use immediately, or let cool and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Slowly reheat in a saucepot before use.
YIELD: 2 cups (484 g)
Broth Powder
▸ GLUTEN-FREE POTENTIAL ▸ SOY-FREE POTENTIAL ▸ QUICK AND EASY
If using another homemade broth powder in our recipes, you’re missing out on something great. Just make sure it contains no salt or that it is low-sodium, so as not to overwhelm the dish. If your herbes de Provence mix contains lavender or fennel, it’s best to steer clear and use Italian seasoning instead. Note: A slightly different version of this recipe originally appeared in The Complete Guide to Even More Vegan Food Substitutions (Newman and Steen, Fair Winds Press, 2015), and is included here for convenience.
1 ounce (28 g) sliced dried mushroom of choice (we love shiitake here)
1 1/2 cups (180 g) nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons (15 g) onion powder
1 tablespoon (8 g) dried garlic powder
1 tablespoon (18 g) fine sea salt
1 1/2 tablespoons (2 g) dried parsley, optional
1 tablespoon (7 g) smoked or regular paprika
1 tablespoon (3 g) dried oregano leaves (not powder, use only 1 teaspoon if powder)
1 tablespoon (4 g) herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
Place all ingredients in a food processor. Process until thoroughly combined. It’s okay if a few pieces of mushrooms are left slightly larger than the rest. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. To prepare as 1 cup (235 ml) of broth, add 1 teaspoon (for lighter broth) or up to 1 tablespoon (for strongly flavored broth) (3 to 8 g) of the mix per 1 cup (235 ml) of water, depending on personal taste and use.
YIELD: 1 3/4 cups (245 g)
Kind-to-Cows Seitan
Our seitan recipes have loads of protein and they taste amazing, too! We keep cutlets in the freezer, thaw, and grill (or panfry) them for a quick dinner. Yes, really, they have enough flavor to serve without a sauce. They are also sensational used in any recipe. Note: These seitan recipes originally appeared in The Great Vegan Protein Book (Steen and Noyes, Fair Winds Press, 2015), and are included here for your convenience.
FOR THE SEITAN:
1 1/4 cups (180 g) vital wheat gluten
3 tablespoons (24 g) chickpea flour
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated tapioca, such as Let’s Do Organic
1 tablespoon (7 g) onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup (180 ml) vegetable broth, more if needed
1 tablespoon (15 g) organic ketchup
2 teaspoons (12 g) vegan bouillon paste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) high heat neutral-flavored oil, for cooking
FOR THE COOKING BROTH:
2 cups (470 ml) vegetable broth
1 tablespoon (15 g) organic ketchup
1 tablespoon (15 ml) tamari
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C, or gas mark 3).
To make either seitan: Stir the dry ingredients together in a medium-size bowl. Stir the wet ingredients together in a measuring cup. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Knead with your hands to form a cohesive ball. Add an additional tablespoon gluten (9 g) or broth (15 ml), if needed, to reach the desired consistency. Divide into 6 equal portions. Sandwich a portion of dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Roll each portion into a cutlet that is no more than 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) thick. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the cutlets in batches, 3 to 5 minutes, until browned. Turn to cook the second side for 3 minutes until browned.
To prepare the cooking broth: Stir all the ingredients together in a 9 × 13 inch (22 × 23 cm) baking dish. Put the cutlets in the broth and cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and let the seitan sit in the oven for 1 hour. Cool the seitan in the broth. There is no need to store the seitan in the broth. Store the seitan airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to two months.
See Recipe Notes, page 169.
YIELD: 6 cutlets (4 ounces, or 113 g each)
Quit-the-Cluck Seitan
▸ SOY-FREE POTENTIAL
This seitan is just as versatile as our Kind-to-Cows Seitan, with a totally different flavor profile. They taste light and slightly herbed. Keep these in the freezer, too, for fast-and-easy meals. This potentially soy-free seitan can be substituted for the Kind-to-Cows Seitan in any of our recipes.
FOR THE SEITAN:
1 1/4 cups (180 g) vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup (32 g) chickpea flour
3 tablespoons (22 g) nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon (7 g) onion powder
2 teaspoons (12 g) dried poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
3/4 cup (180 ml) vegetable broth, more if needed
2 teaspoons (12 g) vegan bouillon paste, or 2 cubes vegan bouillon, crumbled
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 tablespoon high heat neutral-flavored oil, for cooking
FOR THE COOKING BROTH:
2 cups (470 ml) vegetable broth
1 tablespoon (8 g) nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons (10 g) dried poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons (10 g) onion powder
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
See directions for Kind-to-Cows Seitan, page 168.
Best Baked Tofu
▸ GLUTEN-FREE POTENTIAL
This savory tofu can be used in a variety of ways: as is, served with gravy, as cutlets in a sandwich, or chopped and made into a no-chicken salad, to name a few. Note: This recipe originally appeared in The Great Vegan Protein Book (Steen and Noyes, Fair Winds Press, 2015) and is included here for your convenience.
Nonstick cooking spray
1 pound (454 g) extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick slices, then cut on the diagonal to form two triangles
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable broth
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine, or additional broth
2 tablespoons (15 g) nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon vegan bouillon paste (see Recipe Notes)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch ground white pepper
Spray a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Stir together the broth through (and including) the white pepper in the baking dish. Add the tofu and turn to coat. Marinate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6). Bake the tofu in the marinade for 20 minutes. Turn the tofu over, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer or until golden. The tofu may be baked longer for a firmer consistency, if desired.
YIELD: 1 pound (454 g) tofu