Barley "Bacon" Mushroom Stew Soup

Barley "Bacon" Mushroom Stew Soup

A stick-to-your ribs stew (soup?) that makes you laugh in the face of the snow outside. Even when you can't get to the grocery store 'cause the roads are horrendous, you can have this soup (stew?).

That is, if you have some mushrooms. Everything else is probably stashed away in your vegan pantry. Or your freezer.

This isn't a run of the mill barley mushroom soup because of a secret spice ingredient. If you've read this blog in the last week or two, you can probably guess it. That's right... it starts with a B!

Barley Bacon Mushroom Soup Stew
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 package tempeh bacon, diced (or some homemade!)
1 onion, diced small
1/2 stalk celery, diced smaller than your onion
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 10 package mushrooms, cut in 1/4s (creminis, bellas, just not white button if you can help it)
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp berbere (insert jr. high style hearts drawn around this spice)
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (good old s.p. is feeling a little displaced by my new love, B.)
1 cup pearl barley
1 Tbsp tamari
7 cups broth (you can always add another cup if you want soup)
salt and pepper to taste, if needed
sour cream and chopped parsley for garnishes, if desired

Heat the oil in your favorite soup pot. Add the tempeh bacon and cook until browned, then remove and set aside. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the celery and garlic, cooking a few more minutes until you can smell the garlic. (Mmmmmmm). Add the mushrooms and spices and cook 3-5 more minutes, until the mushrooms are starting to look soft. Add the tempeh bacon back into the pot. Turn the heat up and add the white wine. When it's reduced to about 1/2 the liquid, add the barley, tamari and broth. Bring to a simmer and let cook 50 minutes to one hour, until the barley is tender. Check for the salt and pepper. Then have at it.

We like it topped with tofutti sour cream and a little fresh parsley.

Happy Weekend!

Seitan: Filets, Cutlets or Corned. Yum!

Seitan Steaks with Tarragon Mustard Sauce

Ok, I can't give you that awesome sauce recipe. Sorry. It's a tester for Urban Vegan. And it's delicious. But I can give you my seitan steak recipe. I've been playing with it for a while. My goal was to get a 'filet' style of cutlet, that is tender and melts in your mouth but full of flavor; a cutlet that you could dress up like that. Or good enough that you could just grill it on your trusty cast iron grill and have a feast.

Seitan Steaks
makes 4 chunky filets or 6 thinner cutlets

1 1/3 cups vital wheat gluten
2 Tbsp tapioca flour
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp garbanzo flour
1 tsp dried porcini mushroom powder** (yeah, nice and earthy!)

2 Tbsp tamari
2 Tbsp soymilk
1/2 Tbsp marmite
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp red wine
1/2 to 3/4 cup broth* (cold)
1 Tbsp oil for panfrying

6 - 8 cups simmering broth (cold)

Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in a measuring cup in the order listed. After adding the red wine, *add only enough broth to bring the liquids up to 1 cup. Reserve the oil for panfrying.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and knead for 5 minutes. Shape into a log, then cut into 4 or 6 pieces, as desired. Flatten them into cutlets. Panfry on each side until golden.

Simmer in the simmering broth for 1 hour 15 minutes. Let cool in broth and use as desired.

**Grind some dried mushrooms in a dedicated-to-spices coffee grinder, or a mortar and pestle.

The ingredients that made this more tender than normal are the tapioca flour and the soymilk (instead of just broth). That kind of info might be helpful in adapting any seitan recipe to the exact consistency you're going for. Unless, of course, you aren't seitan obsessed like I am.

Speaking of seitan, check out this corned seitan, a Robin Robertson tester. We enjoyed this in the best seitan reubens we've ever had. Before this, my dream seitan reuben was the one I could only get at the Chicago Diner. Nothing like dreams coming true in your own kitchen! The photo doesn't quite give this it's proper due. I've got a new lens for the camera and we're not quite used to each other yet. And yes, that's where I pulled a piece off to taste it. I couldn't wait. Then I cut it in an orderly fashion.

Corned Seitan (with vegetables, not shown)

Needless to say, we're on a soup and sandwich kick. What's your latest kitchen craze?

Win a Cookzine and Feast Your Eyes on Desserts!

That's the new zine put together by members of Veganetsy, Cruelty Free Etsy and Etsy Veg. Stuffed with more than 30 recipes, you could win a copy! All you have to do is help Hezbollah Tofu by submitting a veganized Bourdain recipe by the end of January. Get Les Halles from your library, scope out some of his online recipes and get creative! Email it to us at heztofu@yahoo.com before February 1st and you'll be entered in the random drawing. Pssst...right now, you've got a really good chance to win. If one more of you enters, you'll have a 50% chance. Get the picture?

With a super quick online search, here are some recipes to get you thinking. I'm sure there are more out there.

Epicurious

Travel Channel

Serious Eats

Leitesculinaria

Recipezaar

Don't have time to cook up an entry but still want a copy of the cookzine? Here you go! It's only $7.00. You want more motivation? All profits go to the Peaceful Prairie Animal Sanctuary.

To end this post on a dessert note, check out these latest creations. First up:

Call Me Blondies

These are a tester for Terry and Isa's upcoming cookie book. I made them with white chocolate chips (they give several options) and opted to bake mine longer. I'm saying that as a bit of a disclaimer. Most people like them oooey gooey, but I prefer them on the cakier side. You can easily get oooey gooey with this recipe, if you go that way. But they are absolutely fantastic this way!

Tira Mi Su, Perfected

Normally, I would think that calling something "Perfected" was pretty gutsy and perhaps more hype than substance. In this case, I'd be hugely wrong. "Perfected" is actually an understatement. This is a tester for Urban Vegan's 250 and it is insanely, decadently and other worldly in it's deliciousness. And by the way, it's easy and should be made ahead of time, making it the ultimate showstopping dessert.

So, how about some recipes?

Bagels (Again!)

Bagels

This is the closest food I have to a food shaped like an O. Why is that important? Because it's Inauguration Day and it's just a little way of celebrating Obama.

As a sidenote, this recipe is the most requested recipe in our home. Hands down, the most requested. It's a tester for Isa's Vegan Brunch and makes very best bagels I've ever had. Just wait and see!

Happy Inauguration Day!

Serengeti Spaghetti Photo and More

Three more things about the Serengeti Spaghetti! Click for the recipe.

1. Blogger wouldn't let me post the picture before. Here it is!

2. The ingredients list should include 1/4 cup broth. Sorry about the omission.

3. Scrape any leftover marinade from the tofu into the sauce. Blogger isn't letting me edit at all!

I'll try to get this fixed on the original post, but right now I feel like I'm doing battle with Blogger so this is a mini victory.

1/24/09 -- blogger still won't let me edit that previous post.

Serengeti Spaghetti with Tofu

In truth, this is probably more Ethiopian than Tanzanian (where the Serengeti is), but I couldn't let that rhyme pass me by. Seriously, have you ever heard anything that rhymes with spaghetti? Ok, so Yeti rhymes, too...and Betty and Teddy, even Freddy....but Serengeti has the alliteration and almost the same the syllables to make it the big winner. Which brings me to the recipe.

This is going to look like a lot more effort than it is, but don't believe it. True, you can't just toss it all together and eat in 15 minutes, but really all you're doing is making a special earth balance concoction, marinading tofu (then cooking it), making a super easy sauce and cooking pasta. A lot of it is done ahead of time, so it really comes together pretty quickly. Of course, it will smell so good that it will feel like a long time, but it's worth the wait. And really, it doesn't take that long.

Spiced Butter
1 stick earth balance
2 Tbsp finely minced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1/4 tsp fenugreek
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp berbere
pinch of ground caramom
2 Tbsp fresh basil, minced

Combine all of the above in a small saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. This can be strained if you want, but I don't bother. It's great added to soups, rice, to top veggies...you name it. Just store it in the fridge and have fun with it.

Serengeti Spaghetti with Tofu
serves 3-4

16 oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
2 Tbsp olive oil (divided use)
1 Tbsp + 1/2 tsp berbere (divided use)*
3 cloves garlic, crushed (divided use)
1 Tbsp tamari
1 tsp chopped mint
oil for panfrying
2 Tbsp spiced butter
1/2 a red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 a red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in 1/2
1/2 pound spaghetti
chopped basil/mint for garnish (optional)

Make the marinade for the tofu by combining 1 Tbsp olive oil, the broth, 1 Tbsp berbere, 1 clove garlic, the tamari and the mint. Cut the tofu into quarters, then cut the quarters into 4 long strips each. Marinade for at least an hour, but the longer the better.

Now make the sauce. Melt 2 Tbsp spiced butter in a small frying pan. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add the onion and saute. Then add the red pepper, 1/2 tsp berbere and 2 cloves garlic. Cook for a minute or 2, then add the cherry tomatoes. Let simmer about 15 minutes so the tomatoes break down and the flavors. Check the seasonings, adding salt or pepper if you want.

While it's simmering, put your spaghetti on to boil and heat a frying pan with as little oil as you can manage for panfrying the tofu. Brown the tofu on all sides and keep warm until you're ready to pile it all on your plate.

Toss the sauce with the drained spaghetti, then serve with tofu strips on top. Garnish as desired.

* Berbere is an Ethiopian spice blend with a lot of different variations. Right now, I'm using some from Penzey's, but I look forward to making my own. It's my latest favorite thing. That's a subtle way of saying you'll be seeing more of it on this blog. For more info check Wiki.

It's not often you can say you've eaten Ethiopian and Italian in the same meal. But try this and you can!

Tester Cookies!

Peanut Butter Cactus Cookies for Isa and Terry. Some of my favorite cookies are P.B. These are a total comfort cookie.

These are Citrus Glitters, also from Terry and Isa. Nice crunch and lovely flavors!

Vanilla Jam Thumbprints, from Autumn Vegan. Awesome with tea!

These might be more like candy than a cookie, but one bite and you won't care how they're categorized. From Autumn Vegan, Crispy Chocolate Cookies.

And Gingersnaps! Also from Autumn Vegan and everything you'd hope for a gingersnap.

Sorry, no recipes since all these wonderful cookies are testers. You'll have to wait a while, but they are more than worth the wait. In the meantime, trust me....they're all delicious!

Seitan Tips with Mushrooms and Miso

Seitan Tips with Mushrooms and Miso

I just tested a new basic seitan recipe for Robin Robertson's Vegan on the Cheap, so I wanted a way to really showcase the seitan. I'm pretty particular about seitan, probably because it's my favorite protein. I'm sure you've noticed that I have more seitan recipes on this blog than anything else. I always keep some in the freezer, so when I'm looking for a no-thinking dinner, it's what I grab.

But this dish is something else. I thought about this one for at least a week before putting it into action. I knew just what I was looking for. And here it is for you.

Seitan Tips with Mushrooms and Miso

8 oz seitan, cut in bite sized chunks
1/8 tsp black pepper
pinch white pepper
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp oil, divided use
1/4 cup onion, finely minced
5 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup broth (not salty, see note)
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp mirin
1 cup mushrooms, cut in 1/2 's or 1/4's depending on the size
1-2 tsp miso
salt and pepper to taste (if needed)

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Toss the seitan with the flour and peppers. When pan is hot, sear the seitan, then remove it and set aside. Turn the heat down for the next step.

Using the same pan, saute the onions. When they start to soften, add the sliced garlic and cook for 2-4 minutes, until you can smell the garlic. You don't want anything to brown, just to get cooked. Add the thyme, rosemary and red pepper. Stir for another minute, then add the red wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape everything off the bottom, so you don't lose those flavors. Add the broth, tomato paste and mirin and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes.

While that's simmering, heat a small frying pan with the remaining oil. When it's really hot, sear the mushrooms. This way they keep their shape and texture more when you add them to the seitan mixture. When seared, remove from heat. Add them to the seitan mixture after that has simmered for 15 minutes. After the mushrooms are added, simmer for another 10 minutes.

Take about 1/2 cup of the sauce out of the pan and mix in 1 - 2 tsp miso. This will be added back into the mixture right before serving. To get any health benefit out of miso, it's best not to boil it.

Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the miso/sauce. Adjust seasonings and serve. We had it over eggless noodles with a garnish of fresh parsley.

*Note: The less salty your broth, the better. But if you broth is salty and you end up with a too salty dish (like we all have at one time or another), you might want to try adding a little vinegar or sugar to counteract the salt. I use South River's Garlic Red Pepper Miso in this. Any miso will work, but I really like the depth this one has.

And if you're wondering about the initial tester recipe for seitan, it was simmered. I've gotten really lazy and almost always use the crockpot to cook seitan, using an adapted version of Isa's recipe. It reminded me how much I prefer the simmered style and I'm going back to it. I'd love to know your favorite method to cook seitan.

Mexican Night + Macho Fudge Sundae

Guacamole

Everyone has their own way of making guacamole and I have yet to meet an avocado I didn't like. This tester from Urban Vegan is no exception, and was a great way to start our Mexican dinner last night.

Tortilla Strata

Look at the layers of goodness in this! Mexican casseroles might just be my favorite kind of casserole and this tester from Robin Robertson has loads of great flavors.

Macho Fudge Sauce

When I was a kid, my mom would take me to the doctor for my yearly check-ups. To get there, we'd have to take a bus and a rapid. This was a big adventure, always with new sights and sounds. Luckily for me, I also really liked my doctor. But not as much as I'd like what came after. Near the rapid stop, there was this incredible ice cream place called Draeger's that served hot fudge sundaes with the hot fudge in a little pitcher so you could add it as you wanted instead of making your ice cream all melty. Since then I've tried several fudge recipes and liked most of them. But this one took me right back to my childhood, in all the right ways. It's a tester for Urban Vegan and I can't wait for everyone else to try it!

I hope you aren't getting tired of the tester recipe photos because I've got a lot more to come. But I'll post some recipes again soon.

Better than Miso Soup and a Discussion on Broth vs Stock

Better than Miso Soup

This time of year, we eat a lot of soup. Not only does it taste great and warm your insides, but just about anything can go into soup. It's so flexible and improvisational. But for this recipe, I went traditional. With the vegetables cut into small pieces and those lovely little stars, it comes together fast.

Better than Miso Soup

6 cups broth
1 cup scallions, chopped
1 cup bok choy, sliced thin
2 carrots, sliced thin
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced thin
1 tsp chili oil (or more to taste)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 Tbsp tamari
1/2 tsp five spice powder (or more to taste)
pinch of white pepper
1 cup tiny star pasta
1/3 cup miso*

Put all ingredients except pasta and miso in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, add the pasta and reduce to a low boil (not quite a simmer). Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the pasta is done to your liking. When it's done, take the pot off the heat. Remove about 1/2 cup of the broth part, leaving as many vegetables in the pot as you can. Mix the miso into this broth and mix the whole thing back into the soup. Check your seasonings, and serve.

Why is this better than miso soup? Just because of the cool stars. Otherwise, it's just really good miso soup.

I'd like to take a minute to plug my favorite miso makers, too. South River Miso makes a wide variety of miso. My personal favorite is the Garlic Red Pepper.

And, Dear Reader, if you were wondering what the difference between stock and broth is (I was), this post lead to some mini research. The answer isn't as clear cut as I'd hoped. Traditionally, it seems that stock consists of vegetables (and meat) simmered in water, then strained. Broth is more like what is created when making soup, starting with water. According to Swanson's, broth is more highly seasoned and desirable for things like soups where stock is more likely used to build sauces or gravies. From other online sources, it seems like another big difference is the amount of salt. Broth tends to have more. Also, not to be disgusting, but some sources say that stock has to have gelatinous material from bones to give it a certain taste and texture, making a vegetarian or vegan stock an impossibility. I've always used these terms interchangeably, but I guess I've always meant broth simply because there is no meat involved if for no other reason. Plus, between you and I, I tend to be a salt-aholic.

So, broth vs. stock? What are your thoughts? Have a wheat free pretzel while we talk. They're a tester for Urban Vegan. And so good!

Wheat Free Pretzels

You're Invited for Drinks and Appetizers

Prosecco Spritzers

Fruity and fun, a great way to get the party started!

Snobby Margaritas

Now we're really getting going. After all, it's tequila!

Or maybe you'd prefer a Cosmopolitan?

This Lemon Drop is sweet and sour all at once. Maybe that's your speed?

We can't do all that drinking without some great snacks. Let's start with Mini Rice Croquettes with Miso Wasabi Sauce.

Some Peppery Crackers to nibble?

Here comes the Tapenade. You'll love it with the crackers.

The Red Pepper Spread goes great with the bread or the crackers.

Perhaps my favorite: Seitan Satay with Tamarind BBQ Sauce.

How about a colorful, garlicky finish with Brushetta?

Why stop there? Have some Bagna Cauda.

All these recipes are testers for Urban Vegan's upcoming cookbook, The Urban Vegan: 250 Street Smart, Animal Free Recipes.

Hope you enjoyed the party and we'll have to do it again soon.

In the meantime, don't forget our recipe contest for Hezbollah Tofu! I know that red is annoying, but hopefully it will get your attention. Grab a copy of a Bourdain recipe, veganize it, and shoot it our way for a chance to win a free vegan cookbook from the Veganetsy team! Send your entries to heztofu@yahoo.com by the end of January.