Cooking vegan

[Jenise]

I'm having a vegan couple over for dinner this week and am contemplating the menu. I've already made a cold soup for an amuse bouche that I winged out of a huge zucchini I had on hand hat I cooked with some fennel, fennel seed and onions, then pureed with raw cashews for creaminess and finished with unsweetened coconut and lime juice. It's quite refreshing.

I'll follow that with a salad of some sort, maybe spinach with lentils for protein balance. For the main, I was thinking of cooking cauliflower steaks in the style of a picata, with garlic, lemon juice, parsley and capers. Perhaps on couscous. Couscous is vegan, right?

[Robin Garr]

Couscous is vegan, right?

It's as vegan as pasta, and just like pasta, it stays that way until you put some butter or a creamy sauce on it. Or meat.

Wait, as a non-vegan, I posted that carelessly, but egg pasta is not vegan! I think couscous is pure wheat, no eggs, but now that you mention it, better check.

Hmm. Probably okay, but you might check the ingredients label. Google is surprisingly inconclusive, because apparently most people make the same initial assumption that I did - "pasta, couscous, wheat, okay, it's vegan," without adding, "wait! Some pastas got eggs" ...

[Jenise]

Couscous is vegan, right?

It's as vegan as pasta, and just like pasta, it stays that way until you put some butter or a creamy sauce on it. Or meat.

Wait, as a non-vegan, I posted that carelessly, but egg pasta is not vegan! I think couscous is pure wheat, no eggs, but now that you mention it, better check.

Hmm. Probably okay, but you might check the ingredients label. Google is surprisingly inconclusive, because apparently most people make the same initial assumption that I did - "pasta, couscous, wheat, okay, it's vegan," without adding, "wait! Some pastas got eggs" ...

I've made pasta so was aware of the egg thing. However, I was thinking that couscous was, literally, JUST flour and water, and that's why it tastes a little different than regular dried pasta. The couscous I usually buy comes from the bulk department at the local Co-op, so there isn't a label to read.

[Robin Garr]

The couscous I usually buy comes from the bulk department at the local Co-op, so there isn't a label to read.

They've probably got one on the bulk dispenser. They're supposed to, anyway. Give them a call? Or maybe best of all, check in with your vegan guest and see if couscous is okay! They'll appreciate your respecting their preference by asking.

Like you, though, I'm 99 percent certain that couscous is just semolina flour, no egg.

Well, that was a fun read: I just spent some time reading up on how to make couscous from scratch. While there are recipes for wheat, barley, and corn, they all go the same: Spread out coarsely-ground kernels on the counter, sprinkle a little salt water, then sprinkle some finely-ground of the same, and move your outstretched palm in a circular motion so as to aggregate the fine stuff onto the coarse stuff in little round pebbles. Continue sprinkle-sprinkle-roll until the couscous is the size you want. Strain through a sieve so as to separate every pebble from its neighbor.

I think it would be hard to introduce eggs into this process. You might be able to disperse an animal fat into the salt water but I think eggs would give you a non-standard result.

[Jenise]

Jeff, you and I visited the same trough today. And reached the same conclusion. Couscous it is! You do have to have the right screen, though, to make it from scratch. Maybe I could borrow one from a paleontologist.....

Never thought of or encountered cauliflower steak till last month - it was the veggie option on one of the Viking cruise meals.

Delicious, sauteedsteak served with a yellow dhal which gave moisture and more texture.

I never think of it as vegan, but I make ratatouille, served with bread, veg curry, tomato & aubergine pasta (one could use non egg), stirfry veg rice. Its all just food.

Its all just food.

The vegans beg to differ.

Most religions do, too.

(Not an endorsement.)

Consider also South Indian. They tend to use coconut milk and coconut oil rather than yogurt and milk/cream/ghee. A lot of Indian vegetable dishes can be made vegan pretty easily by substituting vegetable oil for ghee. With creamy dishes such as korma, you can use finely ground nuts or white poppy seeds instead of cream or butter.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Never thought of or encountered cauliflower steak till last month - it was the veggie option on one of the Viking cruise meals.

Delicious, sauteedsteak served with a yellow dhal which gave moisture and more texture.

I never think of it as vegan, but I make ratatouille, served with bread, veg curry, tomato & aubergine pasta (one could use non egg), stirfry veg rice. Its all just food.

It's delicious! I love it and make it even when not trying to eat vegan.

[Jenise]

Consider also South Indian. They tend to use coconut milk and coconut oil rather than yogurt and milk/cream/ghee. A lot of Indian vegetable dishes can be made vegan pretty easily by substituting vegetable oil for ghee. With creamy dishes such as korma, you can use finely ground nuts or white poppy seeds instead of cream or butter.

-Paul W.

White poppy seeds? That's new to me, both the item itself and that use, though I'm familiar with using nuts to add creamy textures. I used cashews in the cold soup I'm going to serve.

But yes, South Indian cooking is a great resource for vegetarian cooking. My goal with this meal, however, suggests I cook more European. The reason for this dinner is to discuss Burgundy, where we spent a few weeks recently and where our dinner guests are heading two weeks from today. I'll be serving Burgundy wines and it's going to be a HOT day here, and I was getting some inspiration from an old book on Southern French/Mediterranean cooking called Cuisine of the Rose given to me by Bob Ross. It's not a vegan or even vegetarian book and never mentions the words, but a lot of the recipes are refreshingly meat and dairy free due to the general lack of cattle in these hilly regions (sheep and goats mostly) and therefore the lack of reliance on dairy more common to the north.

The abundance of fresh vegetables also influences the cuisine. Many recipes for salads and sauces, both fresh and cooked, and that's my wheelhouse anyway. One for marinated sliced mushrooms reminded me of an uncooked picata sauce, and I could suddenly imagine that on a cauliflower steak situated atop a pile of couscous. The mushrooms will be a good bridge to a red Burgundy wine, and it will be a lovely way of differentiating the main course from the previous two.

White poppy seeds? That's new to me, both the item itself and that use, though I'm familiar with using nuts to add creamy textures.

The Hindi name is khus-khus. They are a bit smaller than the black poppy seeds Westerners use on bagels and rolls, and they have a milder flavor. Ground up, they're used as a thickener in some curries.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Thanks, Paul. I've only known of poppy seeds as just that, with no color reference on the label. Truth be told, they look blue to my eye.


Meanwhile, the dinner was a huge success. The cold soup a perfect starter on a record-setting heat day, followed by raddichio/endive/arugula and green leaf lettuce with raw walnuts and a roasted walnut oil-lemon vinaigrette. With these, a '13 Ropiteau Meursault. The tropicality ripeness of that vintage sung to the coconut in the soup, and the oak matched up with the roasted walnut oil, so double score. After that the cauliflower steak on couscous with the fresh mushroom sauce. Damn was that good! With that, two red burgs, a '11 Kermit Lynch Volnay and a '13 Kermit Lynch Gevrey-Chambertin. By sheer coincidence, I'd planned the first and my guest brought the second--so we had to serve them both, right?

And I added a dessert: a peach and basil sorbet. I made the smooth sorbet then added the chunks of fresh very ripe peach. I was quite suprised that the fresh peach, which I'd thought would freeze softer than the sorbet itself, froze harder and seemed like little ice chunks. I peeled the peaches but chopped up the skin and stirred it throughout for color when I added the basil. Good move.

Thanks, Paul. I've only known of poppy seeds as just that, with no color reference on the label. Truth be told, they look blue to my eye.

That is how the dark ones are known, for example, Dutch Blue poppy seeds.

a '11 Kermit Lynch Volnay and a '13 Kermit Lynch Gevrey-Chambertin

Say wha? Are you just joking about the ridiculous importer strip or is he really bottling wine now?

And I added a dessert: a peach and basil sorbet. I made the smooth sorbet then added the chunks of fresh very ripe peach. I was quite suprised that the fresh peach, which I'd thought would freeze softer than the sorbet itself, froze harder and seemed like little ice chunks. I peeled the peaches but chopped up the skin and stirred it throughout for color when I added the basil. Good move.

Sounds lovely, except for the icy chunks, I mean.

[Jenise]

a '11 Kermit Lynch Volnay and a '13 Kermit Lynch Gevrey-Chambertin

Say what? Are you just joking about the ridiculous importer strip or is he really bottling wine now?

His name's on the front label--so negociant, I presumed. I better take a second look. The Volnay was lovely. Drinking perfectly right now, traditional in style, oodles of pretty Volnay aromas. The Gevrey was modern and too ripe for my tastes.

Fortunately the 'ice chunks' were bright orange in color and so visually spoke to what they were. But like I said, not at all what I expected!

White poppy seeds? That's new to me, both the item itself and that use, though I'm familiar with using nuts to add creamy textures.

The Hindi name is khus-khus. They are a bit smaller than the black poppy seeds Westerners use on bagels and rolls, and they have a milder flavor. Ground up, they're used as a thickener in some curries.

-Paul W.

Couscous and khus-khus in the same thread. Who'd have guessed?

a '11 Kermit Lynch Volnay and a '13 Kermit Lynch Gevrey-Chambertin

Say what? Are you just joking about the ridiculous importer strip or is he really bottling wine now?

His name's on the front label--so negociant, I presumed. I better take a second look.

In recent vintages he started overemphasizing his 'brand' by selling bottles where his own name is bigger than the producers' name, at least for some of the wines.

[Jenise]

In recent vintages he started overemphasizing his 'brand' by selling bottles where his own name is bigger than the producers' name, at least for some of the wines.

That's about the case with these. Both were Lucien Boillots (but so diffferent stylistically they didn't seem like they could have possibly come from the same house), which was in small block letters at the bottom of the labels. At the top, a larger Kermit Lynch in flowing script. No wonder I missed it.

[Robin Garr]

In recent vintages he started overemphasizing his 'brand' by selling bottles where his own name is bigger than the producers' name, at least for some of the wines.

Unless memory fails (which it might), I think he's been doing that with Beaujolais and Cotes-du-Rhone for more than just "recent vintages."

After that the cauliflower steak on couscous with the fresh mushroom sauce. Damn was that good! .

Would you share how you cooked the steak, temp etc. So I don't have to trial and error it myself.
(when I'm going to do it, I don't know...All of a sudden the diary is filled with evenings out

[Jenise]

After that the cauliflower steak on couscous with the fresh mushroom sauce. Damn was that good! .

Would you share how you cooked the steak, temp etc. So I don't have to trial and error it myself.
(when I'm going to do it, I don't know...All of a sudden the diary is filled with evenings out

Couldn't be easier. And btw, my vegan guest said she'd tried it once by an oven method and hadn't liked the results--I did them stovetop. (The difference is the water. Read on.) Understand that each cauliflower will yield two steaks, because each needs to have half the core for structural integrity. Smaller heads, cut thicker, are best. Trim the cauliflowers but leave the core intact, and cut the cauliflowers in half. Then cut slices about 3/4" from the inner part of each half.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add steaks to sear. When you've got some nice color, turn and sear the bottom sides. Season with a little salt. Now add 3-4 ounces of water and cover for five minutes on a lower fire. Remove lid and let any remaining water cook off. And there you are.

That sounds great. I wouldn't dismiss oven though, Betsy has made this Dan Barber (Blue Hill/BHSB) recipe a couple times - stovetop to oven and it's a killer
https://food52.com/recipes/20792-dan-ba ... ower-puree

Interesting...

above the steak are cut as a vertical slice (i.e) down the length of the core, but on the boat they were cust horizontally...

Jenise, were the Burgs you served with your vegan dinner themselves vegan? Many of the fining agents commonly used in winemaking are animal products.

-Paul W.