A popular alternative to butter, aioli is offered alongside the bread basket in many restaurants. This is an especially fiery version, which is also good as a dip with raw sliced vegetables or added as a final flourish to a steaming bowl of soup.
2 small dried hot chiles
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Place the dried chiles in a bowl, pour boiling water over it, and soak until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain and place in a food processor. Add the garlic and salt and process to a smooth paste. Blend in the vinegar. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil until it is emulsified. Do not overprocess. Transfer to a bowl and allow to sit at room temperature until serving time.
Makes about 1 cup
This brothy Spanish classic has a rich full-bodied flavor, which I find to be an amazing restorative. Try some the next time you have a cold—you’ll wonder what all the fuss is about chicken soup.
2 heads garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups Vegetable Broth (see page xxiii)
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt
1 cup cubed French bread
3 tablespoons dry sherry
Finely mince the garlic, either by hand or in a food processor. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes. Do not brown.
Add the broth, sage, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer until the garlic is soft and mellow, about 20 minutes. While the soup is cooking, saute the bread cubes in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until toasted. Set aside. Add the sherry to the soup, and serve immediately, topped with the reserved croutons.
Serves 4
Many versions of the chilled Spanish vegetable soup exist—some spicy, most not. This one is somewhere in between. Omit the hot chile or add more to suit your own taste. Using a food processor cuts down on prep time considerably.
4 large ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 red onion, quartered
1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
1 English cucumber, peeled and quartered
1 hot chile, seeded and halved
1 cup canned regular or spicy tomato juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley, basil, dill, or cilantro (or a combination)
Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and set aside. Place the onion, bell pepper, cucumber, and chile in a food processor and pulse until well chopped, but still retaining some texture. Add the vegetables to the bowl with the tomatoes. Stir in the tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill 3 to 4 hours before serving. When ready to serve, stir in the parsley and taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
Serves 4 to 6
This salad is a wonderful combination of color, texture, and flavor. It is delicious by itself, though it’s also great served over salad greens that have been tossed lightly with oil and vinegar.
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar, or a natural sweetener
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
In a food processor or bowl, combine the garlic, vinegar, salt, sugar, cayenne, and mustard, and mix well. Slowly stream in the olive oil, and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the mushrooms, walnuts, bell pepper, and parsley. Pour the salad dressing over the mushroom mixture, and toss lightly to coat evenly. Allow the salad to sit for about 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can mingle.
Serves 4 to 6
Whether served as a side dish or in a soup or stew, versatile lentils are a delicious source of protein.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced celery
1 garlic clove, minced
1 serrano or other hot chile, minced
3/4 cup lentils
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 cups water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, and chile. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.
Stir in the lentils, sun-dried tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the lentils are tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes. Stir in the parsley just before serving time.
Serves 4
Called Patatas Bravas, many versions of this dish exist in Spain. This dish is recommended only for those with no fear of fire. The potatoes themselves help temper the heat of the sauce, but you’ll want to be sure to pair them with a mild entree. I sometimes serve them with scrambled tofu and toast for a Sunday brunch or light supper. Feel free to cut back on the cayenne for a less incendiary version.
1 1/2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, well drained
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a bowl, combine the potatoes, oil, 1 teaspoon of the paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. Spread the potatoes on an oiled baking sheet and roast until crisp and nicely browned, about 45 minutes, turning once about halfway through.
In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, sugar, chili powder, cumin, remaining 1 teaspoon paprika, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and process until well blended. Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, combine the potatoes with the sauce in a serving bowl and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot.
Serves 4
When weather permits, try grilling the vegetables outdoors over hot coals.
2 Spanish onions, in their skins
2 red bell peppers
1 eggplant
1 head of garlic, in its skin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the onions in a baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the bell peppers, eggplant, and garlic to the pan and bake 1 hour longer.
Remove from the oven and cover the vegetables with a clean dish towel for 10 minutes. Remove the charred skin from the peppers and scrape out the seeds. Cut the flesh into strips. Remove the skin of the eggplant and cut the flesh lengthwise into strips. Peel and chop the onions. Arrange the roasted vegetables in a serving dish.
Separate the baked garlic cloves from the papery skins and place in a food processor. Add the salt, capers, parsley, and marjoram and process to a paste. With the machine running, add the olive oil and process until smooth. Toss the garlic mixture with the vegetables and serve.
Serves 4 to 6
Paella is traditionally made with meats and seafood, but I think there’s room for an all-vegan version as well. I like to use Tofurky brand sausage links. If unavailable, add a can of kidney or cannellini beans to round out the dish. Saffron is authentic to paella, but the less costly turmeric will also give it a nice golden color.
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, cut into 1-inch dice
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces seitan, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces vegan sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 pound green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups Vegetable Broth (see page xxiii)
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads or ground turmeric
1 1/2 cups short-grain rice, such as arborio
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
Poach or steam the tempeh for 30 minutes, and set aside. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or saucepan. Add the seitan, sausage, and reserved tempeh, and cook for 5 minutes, turning occasionally to brown on all sides. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the garlic to the same pan over medium heat. Cook for 30 seconds then add the green beans, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, then stir in the hot red pepper flakes, fennel, and saffron. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the rice and salt, stir well to combine, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Remove from the heat, add the peas, seitan, tempeh, and vegan sausage, and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 4 to 6
The traditional Spanish romesco sauce uses a large amount of olive oil. I have pared it down considerably, and think it still tastes great. For a vibrant color contrast, add cooked frozen artichoke hearts or peas when ready to serve, just before adding the remaining sauce. The sauce is also good served over cooked grains, pasta, or crisply fried tofu.
1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small hot red chile, seeded and minced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Salt
2 red or yellow bell peppers (or 1 of each), seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Chop a small amount of the onion to yield 2 tablespoons and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chile, the 2 tablespoons of onion, and 2 of the chopped garlic cloves. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and vinegar and cook 10 minutes longer. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender, add the almonds and salt to taste, and process until smooth. Add a little water if the mixture is too thick. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a lightly oiled 9- x 13-inch baking dish, arrange the bell peppers, eggplant, the remaining onion, and the remaining garlic. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season to taste with salt. Roast the vegetables until tender, about 45 minutes.
About 10 minutes before serving time, add the chickpeas to the vegetables and drizzle with about a third of the reserved sauce. Return to the oven and finish roasting the vegetables. Serve topped with the remaining sauce.
Serves 4