Cookbook-ing Wednesday I

On this third day of mofo, I thought it would be nice to take a look at what other bloggers are working on. While I haven't had much time to peruse the hundreds of participating blogs, I have stumbled upon quite a few gems (and my bookmarks tab has gotten much fatter).

A dinner part is taking place each week at Cadry's Kitchen, and this week's party is inspired by the Wizard of Oz. Each recipe is based on a character from the film - the Scarecrow's long days guarding fields of corn motivated his Corn & Black Bean Salad, while the Tin Woodman made Tortilla Twigs which are filled with heart-healthy yummies like beans, berries, and artichoke hearts.

I'll be diligently following Muffin Topped now that I've discovered her theme: a month of waffles! I'm really intrigued by the Norwegian Potato Waffles she made yesterday.

And how could I forget Joyfulgirl's rice and beans? Yup, rice and beans all month long! Considering that rice and beans in a staple food in most countries around the world, I'm really looking forward to any new combinations I'm not familiar with!

And now onto today's theme - Cookbook Challenge Wednesday. I random selected a cookbook from my collection and it was...Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman! This book has some seriously promising meals. I haven't much from it, so I'm really glad it made it into the cookbook challenge. The recipe for this week is the Chorizo and Potato Lasagna!

 

Creamy potatoes layered between spicy chorizo tomato sauce, all topped with a silky cream sauce and baked to golden brown perfection! This recipe took about 1.5 hours to come together, but it was well worth the wait and effort. To cut down on time spent in the kitchen, one could easily prep the potatoes and chorizo sauce (including Celine and Joni's recipe for chorizo TVP) in advance. Speaking of the chorizo sauce, I could eat that on anything. It's a fresh tomato sauce with shallots, garlic, olives, capers and chorizo (from TVP), among other things. And that creamy topping was basically heated soymilk, cornstarch and some spices - simple and really yummy.

 Assembling took some patience because the potatoes are very delicate (although that could be attributed to my thin slicing and possibly overcooking). I got about two layers of potatoes and three layers of sauce from this recipe. Once you pour on the cream sauce, you bake it and...

There you have it! A bubbling golden brown, spicy, creamy Chorizo and Potato Lasagna. Now, if you'll excuse me...

Vegan MoFo - Day 14

Day 14 - Chicken Tetrazzini!

Like I mentioned before, I'll use any excuse in the book for more noodles. When I discovered that the heart-stealing chicken Tetrazzini was named after someone, I just couldn't resist!

Ok, so this isn't the most photogenic plate of food, but it sure is tasty! This dish is named after the famed Italian opera singer, Luisa Tetrazzini. I don't know much about opera, but I did learn that she was pretty famous for her phenomenal vocal abilities. Like the success of her operatic career, so too has this dish found wooed many munchers.

I didn't really follow a recipe for this, nor did I write anything down during the process. Basically, it's al denta pasta combined with sauteed onions, cremini mushrooms, carrots and peas, and tossed with a roux-thickened cream sauce and chopped almonds. I spread that mixture in a 2-quart casserole and baked for 30 minutes, until the tops was slightly crunchy. More almonds and a heavy sprinkle of nooch to complete!

Vegan MoFo - Day 6

Day 6 - Pommes Anna

Here is a dish that's beguiled* me for some time. Pommes Anna is a French potato gratin made of thinly sliced salted potatoes, bathed and baked in butter so as to form a cripsy potato cake. How purely wonderful does that sound? I like potatoes in all forms – boiled, roasted, smashed, fried, etc – but the simplicity of this dish struck a cord.

Pommes Anna - yes, that is a potato heart.

Bit o' History: Remember how I said this dish left me all spellbound* and whatnot? As it turns out, so the did the woman for whom this dish was named. During the time of Napoleon III, chef Adolphe Dugléré was working as the leading chef of Café Anglais - the hippest Parisian restuarant of the 19th-century. It was named, like many culinary triumphs in those days, after one of the grandes cocottes of the period. Grandes cocottes? Yes, whores. The actual Anna is not entirely known, though many speculate between actress Dame Judic (real name Anna Damiens), or Anna DesLions.

To make Pommes Anna, simply peel 2-3 large russet potatoes and slice 1/4-inch thick. Layer the potatoes in a cast-iron skillet, glass pie plate or a Pommes Anna copper pan, if you have one. Sprinkle each layer lightly with salt. In the meantime, melt 3-5 tablespoons of Earth Balance buttery vegan spread, or similar product, in a small pot. Once melted, pour the buttery spread over the potatoes. Cover and bake at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake an additional 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are soft and outer crust is golden-brown. Serve immediately on a warm plate and enjoy!



Pommes Anna garnished with black pepper and basil