Vegan Baileys

vegan baileys.
vegaileys.

[və’gejliz].

I started with Angela's recipe on oh she glows. After the coconut milk had cooked down and the whiskey had been added, I had 33 oz total liquid, of which only 6 oz were whiskey. Thus, the overall alcohol content was about 7% alcohol.

Even though I had used all light coconut milk, the resultant product was very thick--and it only got thicker as it sat in the fridge. But it was a bit too rich and not quite boozy enough. So, we added a few more ounces of whiskey, and also some kahlua. And now, it's perfect!

Oh! and, now I know how to make sweetened condensed milk, so... Thai iced tea, you're next!

Vegan Baileys

(adapted from oh she glows)

Ingredients

2 cans (light) coconut milk

1/2 c sugar

3/4 c strong coffee, or to taste

1+ c whiskey, or to taste

kahlua, to taste

pinch of salt

Instructions

1. In a medium or large pot, add the cans of coconut milk and whisk. Now whisk in the sugar. Bring to a low boil, stirring frequently. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes, while stirring frequently, until it cooks down and thickens slightly.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the coffee.
3. Add a pinch of salt and finally the whiskey and kahlua, to taste.

Collards with Smoky Oyster Mushrooms

We fry collards with bacon or other terrible things... why not simulate the same? For this side dish I rehydrated some dried oyster mushrooms, diced them up, and sauteed them with garlic and liquid smoke. I then used these smoky little bits as a base for my sauteed collards. This was a fantastic variation on the garlicky collards I make all the time.

Collards with Smoky Oyster Mushrooms

Butter Roasted Black Radish Slices

The initial appearance of this enormous, ungainly vegetable was not promising. But when my friends encouraged me to think of it as a kind of parsnip rather than a bloated radish, things started to click into place.

I peeled this thing, halved it lengthwise, and then sliced it into 1/2-in slices. I lightly coated these slices in melted earth balance, sprinkled with salt, then roasted them at 400* for 20 minutes, flipped and roasted for 10 minutes more. When they were slightly soft, I broiled them until they got nice and golden (only a few minutes). These were INCREDIBLE out of the oven, but--even though I eat cold leftovers regularly since I don't have a microwave--they were pretty strange cold. Eat them all fresh, or reheat well.

Butter Roasted Black Radish Slices

Mango Chili

So... this recipe was incredible.

I fully intended to make bittersweet's cranberry chili. But then I realized that all my frozen cranberries had gone into a sauce at Thanksgiving, which had too much cinnamon/cloves/sugar/etc to be considered for this chili. What to do?! At that moment I saw some mangoes in my freezer -- Devon had gifted me them (fresh) a few weeks prior, and I'd had no use for them, so I peeled and froze them. Surely, I thought, mangos can fill in for cranberries, with their tangy acidity!

Game on. Since mangos are sweeter, I omitted the sugar from the original recipe. I added some cumin, bay leaf, and more minced mushrooms, and I doubled the garlic. I used kidney beans as my main protein, and I added some nutritional yeast near the end for extra richness. I found that I needed to add more water than called for, and that the recipe was quite spicy (and this is me talking). Oh, and I halved the recipe (it still made a lot!).

I ate this chili with some sauteed chard and corn (photo below).

Mango Chili

(adapted from bittersweet's cranberry chili)

Ingredients

1 TB olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 tsp cumin seed

pinch salt

1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz fresh mushrooms, finely chopped

1 c mango, fresh or frozen, chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely diced (or less--this was spicy)

1.5 TB chili powder

1/2 can chopped tomatoes (about 1 c)

1 TB tomato paste

1/2 c prepared salsa

2 c kidney beans (1 can)

1/4 c bulgur

1/2 c water

salt, to taste

1/4 c nutritional yeast (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot, pour in the oil, swirling to coat the bottom of your vessel, and set over medium heat. Add in your onion, carrot, and celery, sauteing until softened and aromatic; about 5 minutes. Introduce the garlic next and continue cooking until the onions begin to look lightly golden brown. This should take between 7 – 10 more minutes, but you’re better off keeping an eye on it rather than timing it. Add a small pinch of salt if they begin threatening to stick.

2. Toss in the re-hydrated mushrooms next, along with the mango and jalapeno. Turn down the heat to medium-low, and let the mango soften a bit. After a few minutes, use the back of your spoon or spatula to crush the mango against the side of the pan, helping to break them down and release their pectin. Give them about 10 minutes, more or less, to get acquainted.
3. Starting with the lower amount of chili powder, sprinkle it in and stir well, incorporating it thoroughly with the other ingredients. Quickly add in the chopped tomatoes, liquid and all, to prevent those spices from burning. Scrape the bottom of the pan with your stirring utensil to properly deglaze and ensure that nothing is left sticking there. From that point, add in the rest of the ingredients except for the salt, taking care to first work the paste out so that it’s smoothly dissolved into the stew without any large blobs remaining.
4. Cover, reduce the heat just slightly again to keep it at a low simmer, and the chili gently bubble away for about 30 additional minutes. Stir and check for consistency periodically. Near the end of the cooking time, adjust the amount of chili powder and salt to taste, and stir in nutritional yeast. When it’s properly thick and the bulgur is tender, you’re good to ladle it up and enjoy! Top as desired, or of course, feel free to just eat it straight. Serves 6.

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Sauteed Rainbow Chard and Sweet Corn

Lemon Marmalade

Lemon marmalade. It's real, and it's good!

I basically used Susan Feniger's recipe, but I skimped on sugar, and I added some pineapple sage near the end, which, while tasty, looked a little funny.

The final product was slightly bitter, but really delicious. I have only enjoyed it on rye bread with butter, but I imagine it would be equally good on a savory entree, like braised tempeh cutlets.

Carrot soup and more

Some friends came over for dinner and I couldn't decide which soup to make. We had:

jerk tempeh

sauteed greens

creamy mushroom wild rice soup

carrot ginger soup

I make carrot ginger soup so often, I never look at a recipe (though I think this one is close). However, I was inspired by deb's recent post to include roasted chickpeas as a garnish, along with sesame seeds and scallions. Roasting chickpeas produces such a fantastic texture--sort of like popcorn! I tossed the chickpeas in olive oil and smoked salt and roasted them at 400* for about half an hour.

Carrot-Ginger Soup with Roasted Chickpeas

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Also, here is some salad.

Bouillabaisse (again!)

A second fantastic vegan bouillabaisse, and a bit less complicated than the last one. This recipe from the post punk kitchen uses roasted summer squash to approximate the sliminess of seafood, while things like fennel and nori deliver the classic bouillabaissey flavors.

For me, the capers really pulled it together, so be sure to try them as a garnish. The resultant soup is only slightly fishy, but wonderfully complex and savory. It is very acidic, between the tomatoes, the citrus, and the capers--so much so that when I first tried it on an empty stomach it gave me heartburn! Of course, this is exactly why it's traditionally eaten with starchy, mild, yangy foods, like the bread and rouille that Isa recommends. Garlicky saffron mayo sounds amazing, and way better (and more natural) than Zantac.

I made a few small changes to Isa's recipe, mostly out of necessity: I used zucchini instead of yellow squash, and I actually made twice as much, most of which went to good use in the soup. I didn't have enough potato, so I added 1/2 cup cooked brown rice at the end. I also used a whole sheet of nori, not a half a one, because it's so delicious. In place of fresh thyme, I used dried thyme and also rosemary, and I supplemented my orange zest with a chunk of lemon rind, which I removed at the end like a bay leaf.

This is a big recipe, and although the soup got even better as it sat in the fridge, you might want to halve it.

Bouillabaisse with Chickpeas and Roasted Squash

(from the post punk kitchen)

Ingredients

4 average sized yellow squash, cut into 1/4 inch thick half moons

olive oil

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2 c thinly sliced fennel bulb (one bulb should be enough)

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

24 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, chopped

1 potato, cut into small cubes

1/2 c red lentils

2 bay leaves

1 small lemon wedge (with peel)

1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cayenne, or more to taste

Several dashed fresh black pepper

1 sheet nori, crumbled into tiny pieces

5 c vegetable broth

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 c cooked brown rice

2 c cooked chickpeas (a 25 oz can, rinsed and drained)

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For garnish:

Fennel fronds

Capers

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the squash with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. When oven is preheated, roast for 10 minutes, then flip and roast for another 5 minutes or so. Remove from oven and set aside. In the meantime, prepare the stew.
2. Preheat a 4 quart pot over medium heat. Saute fennel and onion in about a tablespoon of olive oil with a pinch of salt for 5 to 7 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the chickpeas and rice, cover pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer and leave the lid ajar so that steam can escape.
4. When potatoes are tender and red lentils are cooked, about 15 minutes, add the chickpeas and turn heat to its lowest setting, cooking uncovered for 15 more minutes. This is so that the potatoes don’t overcook, but the lentils have more time to turn mushy and the flavors can develop even further. Add up to an extra cup of vegetable broth if needed, to keep the stew brothy. Cook this way for 10 minutes, then turn the heat off and let stew sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Taste for salt and seasoning. Remove the bay leaves and lemon rind before serving.
5. To serve, ladle stew into bowls, top with roasted zucchini, capers, and fennel fronds. Serves 6-8.

Lemon-Ginger Miso Soup

Being sick was such a drag that it feels like it was ages ago, though in reality it's only been a few days. Janet posted this recipe right when I was feeling my worst, and it was quite tasty. The ginger still tastes pretty raw, but I guess from a medicinal standpoint, that's exactly what you want. And the sesame oil was a really nice touch to balance out the ginger and the lemon.

Lemon-Ginger Miso Soup

(via taste space)

Ingredients

3 TB miso (white preferred)

1.5 c water

2 tsp freshly grated ginger root

2 TB fresh lemon juice (half a lemon)

1.25 tsp low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1.5 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

2 TB green onion, finely chopped

Instructions

1. In a small pot, mix together the miso with 1/4 cup of the water. Mix until well blended. Add the remainder of the water and then the ginger, lemon juice, tamari, and toasted sesame oil.
2. Heat soup until warm. Do not boil. This won’t take more than 5 minutes.
3. Once warm, sprinkle with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Serves 2.

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Steamed edamame with smoked sea salt, pickled ginger, and sushi rolls with marinated tofu, scallions, carrots, and other things I don't remember