Monthly Archives: June 2014

Monday Vegetable Spotlight: How to Cook Zucchini (Courgette)!

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Summer squash! It grows in abundance but sometimes it feels a little monotonous to eat.  Zucchini, or other summer squashes such as pattypan, has a thin, soft skin and a firm texture when uncooked. If you’re hoping to serve them on their own, do your best to not overcook them. Luckily, that just means it’s ready to eat faster!

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I remember when I was a kid, the garden fresh ones we’d get and make into zucchini bread would be humongous! The ones in the grocery store tend to run about the quarter of that size, but that makes them perfect for dressing up with just a few aromatic ingredients and getting it on the table in just a few minutes. Today, I’m drawing inspiration from the French and I have two easy recipes to present to you.

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For the sauteed zucchini, if you don’t like bell peppers, simply leave them out. Mushrooms would be a nice addition! The roasted zucchini is also incredible done up on a grill, just slice them lengthwise instead. More grilling area means more grilled flavour!

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Sauteed Zucchini
Serves 2, as a side

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small white onion, peeled and sliced thin
2 small zucchini, sliced about a 1/4 inch thick
6 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin (Optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sautee for a minute. Add the zucchini, garlic, bell pepper and seasonings and sautee for a few minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.  Let the zucchini start to release its water content and serve when the onions are translucent.

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Roasted Zucchini
Serves 2, as a side

2 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
Pinch dried lavender (if your Herbs de Provence doesn’t include that)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and pour half the olive oil over that. Place the sliced zucchini in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the Herbs de Provence, lavender and salt evenly over the zucchini slices. Roast for 10 minutes, carefully flip the zucchini and roast for an additional 5 minutes, until the top side has browned. Serve hot, as a side or in a sandwich.

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Build-Your-Own-Taco Party! (Vegan, Gluten-Free and a Soy-Free option)

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We love tacos. Yeah, but who doesn’t? Unfortunately for the longest time we struggled with what to use as the ‘meat’ for the taco because all available substitutes (tvp, beans) are no-gos for my husband. Well, we struggled until I cracked the case of the vegan and gluten-free sausage, that is. I used my andouille sausage just seasoned and fried with a little additional spice. You can feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand. Not that I don’t recommend the andouille because – oh my yum – was it ever satisfying!

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Depending on how many people you’re having over, you can simply fill platters with colourful and flavourful food for them to full their own shells with. Having everything laid out like this really makes an impact! Plus, everyone can pick and choose to eat how they please, which can really take some of the pressure off of the host.

Sausages
Serves 4

4 Andouille Sausages
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as corn or canola
1 teaspoon coriander (the spice, yes, not the herb cilantro)
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon mexican chili powder
Juice of half a lime

Chop the andouille sausages into bite sized pieced. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add the sausages. Season and allow the sausages to brown on all sides. Some of them will crumble a little, and that’s ideal because it means more browned flavour. Squeeze lime juice over top and serve warm on a platter with the rest of your ingredients.

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Other Ingredients

Corn Tortillas (soft or hard shell)
Lettuce, shredded
Baby Greens
Avocado, sliced and topped with lime juice to prevent browning
Red onion, thinly sliced
Tomatoes, chopped small
Vegan cheese shreds, your choice
Refried beans
A selection of fresh or jarred salsas, such as salsa verde and mango-pineapple salsa
Red cabbage, shredded
Bell peppers, sliced thin
Hot peppers, fresh or pickled
Limes, in wedges

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Andouille Sausages (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

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Listen, I thought my roommate asked for jambalaya (which was weird). I found a new vegan shrimp product at my grocery store, so I got to thinking about Andouille sausages. He didn’t ask for jambalaya at all. I don’t know what he asked for. You still get Andouille sausages.

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Now that we’ve conquered Italian sausages, it feels like anything is possible!

Andouille Sausage Spice Mixture (Adapted from Emeril’s)
Enough for two batches 

4 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix together. I did mine in a mason jar, so I could seal up the second half.

Andouille Sausages
Makes 10

1 lb firm tofu, crumbled
1 small yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
Half a green pepper, diced
1/2 the homemade spice mixture
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons oil (olive or even better, the oil that sun-dried tomatoes are packed in)
1/4 cup corn flour
3/4 cup coarse corn meal
1/4 cup strained tomatoes
1 tablespoon ground flax + 1/4 cup water

Crumble the tofu into a large bowl with your hands. Add the onions, garlic and green pepper and mix together. Sprinkle spice mixture over the tofu and mix together with your hands. Cover and refrigerate, so the flavours can mingle, for a couple of hours (or overnight). After it has its rest, add the remaining ingredients and mix together with you hands. It should stick together when you press it with your hands. Bring a pot of water to boil with a steamer fitted over top while you make the tin sausage packages.

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Rip off 10 large squares of aluminum foil. Gather a 1/2 cup of tofu mixture and make into a log shape with your hands. Fold the foil over the log, pulling it tightly into a cylinder (amazingly, that’s a sausage shape) while being sure to twist the ends and the foil is very tightly wrapped around the sausage. Fold the flappy ends in, so they’ll fit into the steamer. Put in the steamer and steam over simmering water for 30 minutes, until the sausages feel firm to the touch. Let them cool before you attempt to unwrap them. At this point, you can do what you like with the sausages, including putting them in that never-asked-for jambalaya.

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Bon, je croyais que mon coloc m’avait demandé de préparer du jambalaya (ce qui me parut étrange). J’ai découvert un nouveau produit de crevette végétalienne et je me suis mis à penser à l’andouille. En fait, il ne m’a jamais fait une telle requête. Je ne sais plus ce qu’il m’a demandé mais vous vous retrouvez tout de même avec de l’andouille.

Maintenant la saucisse italienne conquise, tout est possible !

Mélange à épices pour l’andouille (adapté d’Emeril)
Suffisant pour deux recettes

4 c. à soupe de paprika
1 c. à soupe de sel d’ail
½ c. è soupe de poivre de Cayenne
½ c. à soupe de flocons de poivrons rouges
½ c. à soupe poudre de chili
½ c. à soupe de poivre noir
1 c. à thé de paprika fumé doux
1 c. à thé de poudre d’oignon
1 c. à thé de thym séché
1 c. à thé d’origan séché
1 c. à thé de graines de cumin
½ c. à thé de cumin moulu

Les andouilles

Portions : 10

450 g de tofu ferme
1 petit oignon jaune, coupé en dés
6 gousses d’ail, coupées en dés
½ poivron vert, coupé en dés
la moitié du mélange à épice
2 c. à soupe de levure alimentaire
2 c. à soupe d’huile (d’olive ou, mieux, l’huile dans laquelle sont préservés les tomates séchées)
¼ de tasse farine de maïs
¾ de tasse de semoule de maïs (moyenne)
1 c. à thé de gomme de guar (facultatif – confère une consistance plus ferme)
¼ de tasse de tomates égouttées
1 c. à soupe de lin moulu + ¼ de tasse d’eau

Émietter à la main le tofu dans un grand bol. Ajouter-y oignon, ail, poivron et bien mélanger. Saupoudrer le tofu du mélange à épices et mélanger le tout à la main. Couvrir et réfrigérer quelques heures (ou toute la nuit) afin de laisser les saveurs à elles-mêmes. Après ce repos, ajouter les autres ingrédients et mélanger le tout à la main. Le mélange devrait adhérer lorsque pressé ensemble. Mettre de l’eau à bouillir dans une marmite équipée d’un panier vapeur pendant que vous vous occupez des saucisses.

Placer de côté 10 carrés de papier d’aluminium. À partir d’une ½ tasse de préparation de tofu, façonner des petites roulades. Envelopper chaque roulade dans le papier d’aluminium en prenant soin de former un cylindre serré. Enfin, torsader les extrémités et replier les rabats pour pouvoir déposer dans le panier vapeur. Cuire à la vapeur pendant 30 minutes sur eau frémissante jusqu’à ce que les saucisses soient fermes au toucher. Laisser reposer avant de retirer le papier d’aluminium. Maintenant l’andouille prête, vous pouvez en faire ce que vous voulez y compris l’ajouter au jambalaya, même si on ne vous en a pas demandé !

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Triple Chocolate Caramel Stuffed Brownies (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

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I try to take the weekends off from cooking because this blog takes up more time than you might imagine. I tend to get a little antsy by the time Sunday rolls around. I was let loose in the kitchen and before anyone knew what was going on, I’d made dinner, cobbler and these ridiculous things. It was meant to be a cookie bar, but I put it in the wrong pan and ended up with brownies. The kind of brownies that are between cake-like and fudge-like. Really, my ideal kind of brownie.

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Triple chocolate is unnecessary, so consider the chocolate chips more than optional. For the caramel, you can use your favourite; maybe with your own dulce de la leche from canned coconut milk, the incredible date caramel or you can use this simplified caramel, subbing half-and-half cream for non-dairy milk/creamer. There is a time for legitimate caramel making and it is not with this recipe. Take it easy. I want you to be well and happy (and overstimulated from all the chocolate and sugar).

Triple Chocolate Caramel Stuffed Brownies
Make 24 servings
Adapted from this cookie recipe

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1 1/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour (Here is mine; I use brown rice flour for no gritty taste)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup non-dairy margarine, softened (solid coconut oil would be great here)
3/4 granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon egg replacer (such as Ener-G) + 1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon good quality vanilla extract
1/4 cup non-dairy semi-sweet chocolate chips (Canadians, look no further than President’s Choice)
1/4 cup non-dairy white chocolate chips
1 cup non-dairy caramel

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and cocoa powder and set aside. In another large bowl, cream the non-dairy margarine with the sugars. Once mixed, cream the egg replacer (that is is mixed with a 1/4 cup water) and the vanilla into it. Slowly add the flour and mix until combined. Fold the chocolate chips in, if using. Press half the dough into the pan, making sure to have it come up the sides of the dish a little bit. Spread the caramel over the top of the layer of dough. Press the second half of the dough over the caramel, being careful not too push too hard. Some caramel will definitely pop through and that’s not a big deal, but you want to make sure it’s not too much. Bake for 45 minutes, until you see caramel bubbling on the sides and a fork comes out clean of batter.

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Celery Root Remoulade – Rémoulade de céleri-rave (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

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Today we’re debuting something really exciting here at The Leafy Cauldron: Bilingual recipes! While I live in Montreal, my French is truly terrible. I have a handy Francophone translator in my back pocket, though. He also happens to be a wine expert, but we’re just going use him for his French skills today.

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Celery root (celery rave) is an ugly-looking, bulbous thing that is exactly what it sounds like – the root of a celery plant. Celery happens to be one of my favourite flavours. The root itself is slightly reminiscent of the familiar plant, but much milder in flavour with a dense texture. Celery root remoulade is available here in every grocery store deli – even though, like most things, no one outside of Quebec in Canada has even heard of it. For the uninitiated, it’s a lot like a coleslaw. In addition to this being vegan, I have also strayed from the original by adding a little roasted garlic and basil into the mix – which I think really ups the ante. To make up for that, I have presented it on my most ornate plate – on Boston lettuce and with a tomato rose; just like Julia Child said I should. Learning to make a tomato rose was my greatest accomplishment as a ten-year-old; I’m so happy it finally had an application.

Celery Root Remoulade
Serves 4, as a starter

Half a head roasted garlic (Instructions here)
1 pound celery root, peeled, core cut out ,and shredded
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon soft tofu (or non-dairy sour cream)
2 tablespoon good quality Dijon mustard
Pinch dried basil
Boston lettuce leaves and a tomato rose, for garnish

While your roasted garlic is cooling, peel and prepare the celery root. You can shred it with a grater or run through a food processor with the grater attachment on. Toss the grated celery root with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for no more than a half an hour. In the meantime, whisk or blend together the roasted garlic, mayonnaise, soft tofu, Dijon mustard and dried basil until smooth. Pour over the celery root, taste for seasoning and adjust to your taste. Serve over Boston lettuce leaves.

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Aujourd’hui une grande première : le lancement de recettes bilingues ! J’habite Montréal sans pourtant pouvoir bien m’exprimer dans la langue de Molière. Heureusement, j’ai en poche un traducteur Québécois. Il nous servira également d’expert en vins mais aujourd’hui nous le sollicitons que pour son français.

Le céleri-rave est un vilain tubercule qui, vous l’aurez deviné, est la racine du céleri. Le céleri est de loin une de mes saveurs favorites et sa racine nous rappelle le légume bien connu. Il a un goût plus doux avec une consistance bien plus dense. Vous trouverez la rémoulade de céleri-rave dans tous les comptoirs d’épicerie d’ici alors que, comme plusieurs autres choses, le Reste du Canada n’en a absolument jamais entendu parler. Pour les profanes : c’est un peu une salade de chou. En plus d’en faire un plat végétalien je m’éloigne de l’original en y ajoutant un peu d’ail rôti et de basilic – ce qui à mon avis fait monter les enchères. Pour me faire pardonner cette trahison je vous présente ce plat sur mon assiette la plus richement décorée – sur un lit de laitue Boston orné d’une rose en tomate, tel nous le conseille Julia Child. Apprendre à réaliser une rose en tomate fut mon plus grand exploit à l’âge de dix ans ; je suis ravie d’y avoir enfin trouvé une application.

Rémoulade de céleri-rave
4 portions, en entrées

1 demie tête d’ail rôti
450 g de céleri-rave, pelé, râpé, avec le cœur retiré
le jus d’un demi citron
¼ c. à thé de sel
2 c. à soupe de mayonnaise végétalienne
1 c. à table de tofu soyeux (ou crème sure non laitière)
2 c. à table de moutarde de Dijon de bonne qualité
1 pincé de basilic séché
feuilles de laitue Boston et rose en tomate (pour la garniture)

Pendant que l’ail rôti refroidit, peler et préparer le céleri-rave. Vous pouvez le râper avec une râpe ou bien le passer au robot culinaire avec l’accessoire prévu à cet effet. Mélanger avec le jus de citron et saupoudrer de sel. Mettre de côté (pas plus d’une demi-heure). Entre-temps, battre ou mixer ensemble l’ail, la mayonnaise, le tofu, la moutarde, et le basilic jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit onctueuse. Verser sur le céleri-rave, vérifier l’assaisonnement. Servir sur feuilles de laitue Boston.

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Mango Black Iced Tea

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Is it apparent yet just how much The Leafy Cauldron loves fruit? This iced tea is truly refreshing; excellent for those endless summer days when all you want to do is fan yourself and drink iced tea. Background notes of mango, highlighted with limes delivered by the perrenial favourite black iced tea make this an excellent picnic drink. I do love picnics (and fruit).

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Mango Black Iced Tea
Makes 2 litres

1 litre brewed black iced tea, brewed double strength and cooled
1 cup mango simple syrup (recipe follows), or more to your taste
2 cups cold water
Juice of 4 limes
Ice, to the top of the pitcher + more for the glasses

Stir all ingredients together and pour over ice. If you’re really overheated, shake the iced tea with ice and pour out over even more ice.

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Mango Simple Syrup
Makes 2 cups

1 cup puréed mango (I used frozen, done in a food processor)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water

In a small pot, bring all ingredients to a boil. Let boil for a minute or so. Pour into a container and let cool.

Note: We here think this drink would be lovely with a little golden tequila and a bit more lime juice, if you like that sort of thing.

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Monday Vegetable Spotlight: How to Cook Cauliflower!

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I still like to think of cauliflower as broccoli’s less-loved sibling, despite my being very much an adult. The thing is, cauliflower is really, really versatile. It has enough of its own flavour that you can serve it on its own merits, but it is also neutral enough that you can do really cool things like cauliflower cream sauce or cauliflower tots.

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For today, I’ve done up the vegetable in two simple ways. The first is the way I learned to love cauliflower when I was still a kid: lightly steamed, then sauteed in a bit of butter and breadcrumbs. The crumbs stick to the cauliflower and it becomes almost breaded with very little effort. Who doesn’t love breaded things?! It’s perfect for people not quite convinced yet about the virtues of cauliflower. The second is roasted. We love roasted vegetables here. A little caramelization from the oven mellows even the strongest of tastes.

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Sauteed Cauliflower

1/2 large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 tablespoon non-dairy margarine
1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs

Steam cauliflower florets for a couple of minutes, until it starts to become tender. Remove from steamer and place in a large skillet. Add the butter and breadcrumbs and sautee over medium heat for another couple of minutes, until the breadcrumbs start to brown and are fragrant. Serve hot.

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Roasted Cauliflower

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1/2 large head cauliflower, chopped into large florets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini (optional)
Juice of half a lemon (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the florets flat. Sprinkle with salt, drizzle with olive oil, and tahini and lemon juice (if using). Roast for half an hour, turning the cauliflower over half way through. Serve hot.

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Penne Carbonara (Vegan, Gluten-Free and a Soy-Free Option)

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My roommate asked for carbonara and my imagination started to run wild. It also happens that my husband loves carbonara. Basically, it’s a heavy cream sauce with fried bacon bits or pancetta with whole eggs beaten into it. Well, that’s not vegan. That’s where I am come in.

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What I decided to go with was a heavy cauliflower cream sauce with fried smoked tofu and king oyster mushrooms. If you want to leave the smoked tofu out and sub more diced mushrooms and a little liquid smoke, you’re going to end up in a good place. This is a warm, filling comfort food.  It’s creamy, with a bit of crunch and chew. It has seriously earthy undertones and is simple to prepare. It’s also deceptively light. If you’ve never tried a cauliflower cream sauce, you are in for a major treat. It has the texture of a heavy cream sauce, without any of the unpleasant associations of the dairy one. This came together in less than a half and hour. If you want to go ahead and make this into spaghetti a la carbonara, that’ll work, too!

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Penne Carabonara
Serves 4

Tofu and Mushroom Pancetta

1 tablespoon olive oil
100 g smoked tofu, diced
1 king oyster mushroom, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the diced smoked tofu and sautee until it begins to get crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic and spices and sautee, making sure not to burn the garlic for several minutes, until the mushrooms have released their water and have browned slightly. Take off heat and set aside.

Cauliflower Cream Sauce

Half a large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets and steamed
2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk, your choice (I like both rice and soy)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of dried thyme
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Once the cauliflower has been steamed to fork tender, set aside to let cool. In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into the skillet you fried your mushrooms and tofu in and whisk over medium heat, reducing to your desired thickness.

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Assembly

350 g cooked gluten-free penne
Green onion and thyme, for garnish

Add the al dente pasta to the pan with the cauliflower cream sauce. Add the fried tofu and mushrooms. Stir to combine. Serve with steamed green vegetables and a slice of fresh lemon. Marvel at the cream sauce you just made from hardly more than the magical vegetable cauliflower.

 

Mango-Pineapple Salsa

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I’ve kept this five minute winner in my back pocket for a decade now when I really want to knock people’s socks off. Fresh, incomparably bright in both colour and flavour; there is something almost ambrosial about this fresh salsa that is packed full of ripe tropical fruits. It pairs well with black bean burritos, in tacos, on top of salads or as a snack with sliced bell peppers, or corn and plantain chips. I hope you love it as much as I have for all these years.

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The level of spice can be controlled on your end; A quarter of a jalapeño will produce a mild salsa. If you’re not sure where you fall on the spectrum, start with a quarter, mix, taste and repeat. It will keep for a couple of days in the fridge, tops, so use as quickly as you can (not that I think you’ll be able to stop yourself).

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Mango-Pineapple Salsa
Makes ~ 2 cups

1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple (make sure it is ripe)
1/2 large mango, peeled and diced
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (I like to use cherry tomatoes)
1/2 cup red onion, diced
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 jalapeño pepper, diced, seeds included
Large handful cilantro, stem included, chopped roughly
1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your preferences – that might be more lime juice, more spice or more salt. Marvel at the wonder you have just created.

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Strawberry Buttercream (Vegan)

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Buttercream should always be gluten-free, so fret not that you didn’t see it in the title. I always feel awkward labelling things that are naturally gluten-free as such and I’m relearning to preface everything I post here with “vegan”. I mean, you tell someone you’re eating a burger and their mouths drop – like, obviously I’m eating a vegan burger, yeah. All that nonsense aside, let’s talk about buttercream. You may have heard that it’s berry season? So let’s make strawberry buttercream.

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Like most of my recipes, I’ve done a little trial-and-error before the post. I’ve tried strawberry buttercream with fresh strawberries, with my homemade preserves and now I’ve landed on the winner: frozen and thawed strawberries! I spent a day in the kitchen attempting to hone some of my self-taught cake decorating skills and this is the glorious result of that!

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I made a three layer vanilla bean cake, but this frosting would also be aces with a lemon or chocolate cake!

Strawberry Buttercream
Enough for a three-layer cake

1/2 cup thawed frozen strawberries
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups non-dairy margarine, softened
1 kg icing sugar
1 tablespoon high-quality vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons non-dairy milk

In a small bowl, sprinkle the granulated sugar over the frozen strawberries and set aide to thaw. Once they’re thawed, using a hand or stand mixer, whip the margarine for a long time, like 6 or 7 minutes. You the margarine to be light, airy and significantly lighter in colour than when you started. Add a half cup of icing sugar and mix until combined. Add the vanilla, more icing sugar and beat until combined. Now, squish the strawberries until no large pieces remain. I used my hands. It was fun. Add the squished strawberries, and the remaining icing sugar in small batches. Thin with small amounts of non-dairy milk, as needed and wanted. Pipe onto cake, cupcakes or directly into your mouth.

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