Food Network Monthly Cookalong June Wrap Up

I guess you can tell already that I am enjoying the Food Network Monthly Cookalong! I absolutely love Eat Street and it is one of the Food Network shows that you can always find on my DVR. It is amazing to me the different types of food people are making out there in the back of a truck! \

Here are the links to the participating blogs. Everything looks amazing and there has definitely been some vegan innovation!

Megan blogging at The Vegan Cookbook Aficionado finally got her hands on some canned jackfruit and made some magic happen! She veganized Thai Pork Tacos from Camille's On Wheels and they look delicious! http://cookbookaficionado.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/food-network-monthly-cookalong-thai-pulled-pork-tacos/

Melissa at Loves To Eat Vegan! decided now was a great time to join in on the cookalong fun and boy am I glad she did! Melissa first veganized the Cheesy Mac 'n Rib from the Grilled Cheese Truck and she too used canned jackfruit! I think someone should start buying shares in jackfruit! Vegans are crazy about it! This recipe is no joke either, Melissa went all out with pulled BBQ jackfruit, mac 'n cheese, caramelized onions and sliced Daiya Havarti (lucky you Melissa!) http://lovestoeatvegan.blogspot.ca/2012/06/food-network-monthly-cookalong-grilled.html

She then went on to imagine what she would make if she owned her own grilled cheese truck and with a little motivation from a contest winning sandwich, she created something awe-inspiring! It has Smoky Curls from Vegan Diner which are my absolute favourite soy curl, vegan cream cheese, Daiya shreds and a Blackberry Jalapeno Jam! Now that is a sandwich! http://lovestoeatvegan.blogspot.ca/2012/06/food-network-monthly-cookalong-my.html

Tami (the Food Network Cookalong originator) went for some local inspiration and veganized Dim and Den Sum's Soba Noodles which are the opposite of what you would usually expect from a food truck with no sign of a deep fryer and sauted fresh greens! Then she found a childhood favourite in Nosh Box's Cleveland Fried Bologna Sandwich where she easily swapped out that mystery meat for Tofurky's new bologna slices. 

I knew Liz would be in for this month's theme since she had been tweeting up a storm from Vietnam bragging about all the delicious street food she had been eating! I was happy she shared her take on the Banh Mi sandwich since she has tasted the real deal. She went open faced and stresses you have to find some sambal oelek to make it just right! http://cookingtheveganbooks.com/2012/06/09/food-network-monthly-cookalong-banh-mi/

My Cookalong Posts for quick navigation

Truitbe to Seabirds - Jackfruit Carnita Taquitos http://threeandahalfvegans.blogspot.ca/2012/06/food-network-monthly-cookalong-my.html

Tribute to Native Bowl - Mississippi Bowl http://threeandahalfvegans.blogspot.ca/2012/06/food-network-monthly-cookalong-my_11.html

Ice Cream - Drumstick Sugar Cone http://threeandahalfvegans.blogspot.ca/2012/06/food-network-monthly-cookalong-if-i-had.html

Ice Cream - Sweet Curry Choco-Coconut http://threeandahalfvegans.blogspot.ca/2012/06/food-network-monthly-if-i-had-ice-cream.html

Pierogi - Cheeseburger http://threeandahalfvegans.blogspot.ca/2012/06/food-network-monthly-cookalong-perogi.html

Pierogi - Shepherd's Pie http://threeandahalfvegans.blogspot.ca/2012/06/food-network-monthly-cookalong-pierogi.html

Pierogi - Poutine http://threeandahalfvegans.blogspot.ca/2012/06/food-network-monthly-cookalong-pierogi_26.html

Pierogi - Apple Strudel http://threeandahalfvegans.blogspot.ca/2012/06/food-network-monthly-cookalong-pierogi_27.html

I Can't Say it's a Beaver Tail http://threeandahalfvegans.blogspot.ca/2012/06/food-network-monthly-cookalong-i-cant.html

Please note: I am posting photos with each link so you can see the beautiful creations these people put together. The photos are the property of each blogger and shouldn't be copied and used unless you have their consent. I'm sure they won't mind you sharing with friends just be nice and give credit where credit is due.

Food Network Monthly Cookalong: I can't say it's a Beaver Tail

Here in Ottawa, there aren't many food trucks. Most of the trucks around here are chip wagons. They sell fries, the infamous poutine, pogos, etc. There are a few exceptions to this of course and one of those exceptions are Beaver Tails. I know it doesn't sound appetizing and definitely not vegan but I promise you they are delicious and worth the effort to make your own at home when you feel like something delicious. Most people in Ottawa will have memories of skating along the Canal and grabbing a Beaver Tail along the way. President Obama also made quite a stir when he stopped by their Market location to try one. They are basically a whole wheat fried pastry shaped like a beaver's tail that is topped with butter and then various toppings. It is like a distant cousin of a donut. It is slightly crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. My favourite flavour was always the Killaloe Sunrise which had the Beaver Tail sprinkled generously with sugar and then served with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over the top. I actually remember when I was a teenager that I would be craving a Beaver Tail in the middle of the summer (in my day you had to wait for the Canal to open for skating, now they have a year round location) and I would make a piece of toast and add sugar and lemon juice. Ryan's go-to was the more simple Cinnamon Sugar. They have gotten much more adventurous with their toppings now but for our treat we kept it simple and went with these two that we had always enjoyed.

Here's my take on a Beaver Tail, top it as you wish!

I Can't Say It's A Beaver Tail

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup vegan margarine, melted (I used Vegan Becel)

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 tsp instant yeast

Oil for frying (I used sunflower)

For Serving

Vegan margarine to spread on cooked pastries

Cinnamon Sugar

Granulated Sugar and Lemon Wedges

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl or plastic bucket (that's what I used). Add a bit more flour or water if needed. I kneaded the dough just for a minute or two. It will be slightly tacky but not sticky.

2. Cover with plastic wrap or lid and let sit in a warm place for 2 hours. Once risen you can shape and fry immediately or place in the fridge to use later. (I put mine in the fridge overnight and shaped it while cold from the fridge and it still worked perfectly)

3. When you are ready to fry, you will have to find the widest yet still deep pot you have. I couldn't make them as long as they do so you can always just make them smaller and use a smaller pot. Heat the oil until it shimmers (and if you put a small piece of dough in the oil it bubbles around the edges and floats immediately to the top). Quickly cut off a 2" ball of dough and stretch into a long oblong shape. You want the middle to be thin like you are almost about to rip it but don't and it should be a bit thicker around the edges. Gently slide into the hot oil. Turn after about a minute to cook the other side as well. Once it is lightly golden brown on both sides remove and drain on a cooling rack lined with paper towel.

4. Butter one side with vegan margarine and either sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or just plain sugar and then squeeze with a wedge of lemon. Enjoy them while they are warm!

  

Food Network Monthly Cookalong: Pierogi Truck Dreams (Part 4)

One last pierogi and I promise it is worth the wait! After all those savoury pierogi, I'm sure you will be craving something a little sweet. How about Apple Strudel in pierogi form? Yeah, that's what I thought too...SUPER YUM! It seems like a match made in heaven and while rolling out pierogi dough is tough and takes awhile, it doesn't compare to trying to roll out some strudel dough the size of your kitchen table. In this one, I used traditional flavours but stuffed them in the same pierogi dough I used for the rest (and yes, I mean the dough from the Potato Pierogi from Vegan Brunch) then fried them just like the others and served them dusted with powdered sugar and a drizzle of caramel sauce. What happened after I took the photo? Home made vanilla ice cream is what happened and I highly recommend adding it the warm strudel pierogi when you are serving. The heat from the strudel melts the ice cream just slightly and the caramel adds just a little more richness and sweetness. Is this dessert a low calorie, everyday treat? Heck no! But it is something you should treat yourself to sometime when you feel like a little decadence.

Apple Strudel Pierogi

Filling

4 small apples, peeled and diced small (I used Gala)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup turbinado sugar

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped small

1 tsp cinnamon

scant 1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cloves

1/2 cup bread crumbs (I toasted some whole wheat sandwich bread and then used a spice grinder to make the crumbs)

zest of 1/2 an orange (preferably organic since you are eating the skin and don't forget to wash it!)

To Serve

Powdered Sugar to dust

Vanilla Ice Cream

Caramel Sauce

1. In a medium sized bowl combine all the filling ingredients. Let sit for about a half an hour to let all the flavours mingle.

2. Using your prepared dough circles, start filling each with about a tablespoon of the filling making sure to scrape up the side of the bowl and leave behind most of the liquid. I found it easier to hold the dough circle in my hand and kind of cup it when filling these as opposed to on the table in front of me. Place them on a baking sheet lined with floured wax paper and when you are finished, place them in the freezer for about two hours (more is fine) to make it easier to handle when you are cooking them.

3. To cook the pierogi, follow instructions from previous Cheeseburger Pierogi post (steps 4 and 5).

4. To serve, place a few pierogi in a bowl (or a basket like we did) and then sprinkle with powdered sugar. To go even further into Yummy-Town, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce drizzle.

Makes enough to fill 21 pierogi

Food Network Monthly Cookalong: Pierogi Trucks Dreams (Part 2)

This next one seemed to immediately lend itself to pierogi form considering our usual ones are filling with mashed potatoes. I decided the best way to mix the "meaty" filling and mashed potato was to serve a few of each together smothered in gravy. I mean what doesn't taste great smothered in gravy right?! So to make these ones, you will have to make a batch of Isa's Potato Pierogi from Vegan Brunch and mix and match with these. We always have a few bags of them in the freezer, you should too, they make excellent quick suppers this way.

Shepherd's Pie Pierogi

Filling

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced

1 large onion, finely diced

1/2 lb frozen vegetarian ground crumbles (I used PC Blue Menu brand but Gardein would work as well)

1 cup beefy broth

1 tbsp reduced sodium tamari

Capful of Kitchen Bouquet (optional, just for colour really)

1/4 cup frozen peas
Salt and Pepper to taste

Gravy

2 med-large onions, diced

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cups beefy broth

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp yellow miso

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet (optional, again just for colour)

1 tsp reduced sodium tamari

Pinch dried thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Using a large saute pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil then add in the carrot, onion and vegetarian crumbles. Pan fry it, stirring occasionally until the onions are softened and starting to caramelize just a bit. Add in the broth, tamari, Kitchen Bouquet (if using) and frozen peas. Continue to cook, reducing down the broth until there is little broth/liquid left. Remove from heat, taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool before filling the pierogi and again I froze these for about two hours before cooking.

2. Make the gravy while they are freezing. Start with a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and olive oil and saute the onions until they are starting to caramelize since that's where the flavour is going to come from. Once caramelized, add in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon. You want to make a roux, so you will cook the flour in the oil until it is starting to turn light golden brown. Keep stirring it so it doesn't burn in places. Switch to a wire whisk and slowly pour in the beefy broth while constantly whisking. Continue to whisk and add in the garlic, miso, nutritional yeast, Kitchen Bouquet (if using), tamari and dried thyme. Cook until thickened to your liking. Carefully taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm while you cook the pierogi, occasionally stirring to avoid a skin forming on top.

3. To cook the pierogi, follow instructions from previous Cheeseburger Pierogi post (steps 4 and 5).

4. To serve, place a few Shepherd's Pie pierogi and a few Potato Pierogi on a plate (or in a basket like we did) and smother in warm gravy!

Makes enough to fill 21 pierogi

Food Network Monthly Cookalong: Perogi Truck Dreams (Part 1)

I've seen a few pierogi food trucks on Eat Street and I gotta say...I have no clue how they make pierogi into fast food! It is a labour of love that always takes me a full day and I only make about 120 when I do a big batch. I'm guessing the secret lies in a dough sheeter or maybe some magic or maybe they have someone's grammie hiding in the back mass producing them. I swear I remember one truck saying she served over a 1000 some days!

I loved pierogi before I was vegan but never would have considered making them myself until I realized it wasn't easy to find a vegan version commercially. I'm so glad I found a recipe in Vegan Brunch and decided to take the time to learn how to make them. I think I enjoy them more now knowing the effort I put into them and I love that I can customize the fillings. After seeing a few food trucks do them, I started to think about what kind of pierogi I would want to make if I were on a food truck. Ryan and I had a brainstorming session and came up with tons of ideas but the ones that stood out were Cheeseburger, Shepherd's Pie, Poutine and Apple Strudel. I decided Father's Day would be a perfect date to try them out. We would have a pierogi feast! I have to say on the other end of the whole thing that maybe I should have been a little less ambitious but it was all worth it once I tasted them and heard the mmms around the table!

For the dough, I use Isa's recipe from Vegan Brunch with the only change being that I use olive oil in place of  the canola oil. Not because I think it's better, just that I buy big ol' bottles of olive oil at Costco so I always have lots on hand. Once you have made your dough, rolled it out and cut the circles you can stuff them with these tasty new fillings! Just because of the length each recipe will take I will be making four separate posts, one for each recipe. (The cooking method for the pierogi is always going to be the same so I will just refer to Step 3 and 4 from this post in the other recipes.)

Cheeseburger Pierogi

Filling
1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 lb frozen vegetarian ground crumbles (I used PC Blue Menu brand but Gardein would work as well)

1 small onion, finely diced

1/4 cup beefy broth 

1 tbsp reduced sodium tamari

3 tbsp dill pickle, finely diced

1/4 cup cheese sauce (use your favourite and make extra to top them with, I recommend the cheese sauce from Hearty Vegan for the Irish Nachos)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Olive Oil for frying

To Top Them

Ketchup 

Mustard

Burger Sauce (Vegenaise mixed with a small bit of ketchup, mustard, chopped dill pickle and some pickle juice from the jar)

Cheese Sauce (again use your favourite still recommending the one from Hearty Vegan)

Finely Diced Dill Pickles 

1. Using a large saute pan over high heat, warm the olive oil and then add in the frozen crumbles and onion. Pan fry it, stirring occasionally until the onion is slightly softened. Add in the beefy broth and tamari and continue to cook, letting the broth reduce until there is almost none left.

2. Remove from heat and stir in the pickles and cheese sauce. Taste and add salt and pepper if you feel it needs it.  Let cool, then fill pierogi. After filling and shaping, I froze them for about two hours which made them easier to handle for the cooking process.

3. To cook, bring a large pot of water to boil. Place a few pierogi in the pot and boil for just a few minutes. You want them to float. Remove them from the water and place on paper towel just to remove the water on the outside but don't leave them too long or the paper towel will start to stick. Once dried, place them on a sheet pan that is either lined with parchment/wax paper or lightly oiled.

4. After you have boiled all the pierogi, get a deep saute pan and pour in olive oil until you have about two inches in the pan leaving more than two inches of pan above the oil. This is a food truck dish so we are going to deep fry (click here for deep frying tips) these suckers! Heat the oil until it shimmers. Fry them in batches of four or five, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Flip them after about thirty seconds or so and cook until the outside is bubbly and light in colour on both sides. My mom and I argue over this, she likes them really browned, I like them lighter, the choice is yours. It should only take a few minutes to fully cook them. Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Keep them in a 200F oven to keep them warm while you fry the rest.

5. To serve: Place a few pierogi down on the plate (or basket like we used), smother in your favourite cheesy sauce, squirt a few lines of ketchup and mustard over the top, sprinkle the top with finely diced dill pickles and serve the burger sauce on the side for dipping!

Makes enough to fill 18 pierogi

Food Network Monthly Cookalong: My Tribute to Native Bowl

After I did my last post on Seabirds Truck, I started thinking about all the other vegan food trucks out there. There are so many talented people out there creating delicious vegan food everyday and I routinely torture myself by looking at pictures and menus. I dream of what I would order and what it would taste like and when Ottawa will finally have a vegan food truck. One truck I would love to visit is Native Bowl in Portland, OR. Jay and Julie Hasson are the owners and chefs there and I think I would honestly be a little starstruck. I am absolutely smitten with Julie's book Vegan Diner and the pizzas I have been testing recently are her genius creations! I know that any bowl this vegan power couple makes would be extraordinary and the cart itself is just so charming, I would never want to leave. I looked over the menu and then I emailed Julie to ask her for some inside info on these bowls since I have never had the pleasure of actually eating one. I wanted to know the structure of them, the what goes where. And you know the best part...she quickly answered me with all the info I needed to make one. She even shared a little tip, most of what you need to make a Mississippi Bowl is in Vegan Diner!!! I can't share the recipes with you here but I can tell you which ones I used and if you don't already own a copy this would be the perfect reason to go and get it!

You have to start with a base of jasmine rice. It had been awhile since I had made jasmine rice and once I did, I was a little mad at myself for having denied myself of it for so long. It creates the most amazing aroma while it cooks and has such an amazing, slightly nutty taste. Next is a little ranch dressing* followed by some soy curls slathered in Rough Rider BBQ Sauce* with a few squirts of North Caroline Style BBQ Sauce* (which is my new favourite thing! I put it on everything!). For the soy curls, I rehydrated them in hot water, squeezed out all the water once they were, tossed them with some garlic and onion powder, dried thyme, paprika, oregano, a few cap fulls of tamari then pan fried them with a bit of olive oil until they were browned. Once they were browned, I added in 1/3 cup of the Rough Rider BBQ sauce and let it get warm and caramelized a bit before adding it to my bowl. Now top all that off with some crisp coleslaw* and some sliced green onions and your got yourself a Mississippi Bowl! It is so easy and worth every second! Make sure you stir it up a bit before you eat so you get a bite of everything just like they suggest on the Native Bowl website.

I am seriously in love with the combination of flavours in this dish and will be making it again and again. The crunch of the cabbage, the sweet tang of the BBQ sauces on those curls all mingled with the creamy ranch dressing, it's heaven! It even gave me a reason to break out my silicone take out containers and finally give them their first use. They worked perfectly but I am totally on the lookout for the bowls Julie and Jay use at Native Bowl! I will definitely give the other bowls a go in the future too. I know they would be even better if Julie and Jay were making them but this will definitely do until I make my way to the vegan heartland of Portland!

*denotes recipes that are in Vegan Diner

Food Network Monthly Cookalong: My Tribute to Seabirds Food Truck

Just this past Saturday, the Seabirds Truck posted a picture of some delicious looking Jackfruit Taquitos on their Facebook page. I swooned and wished I was a California Girl so that I could be enjoying the sun and the taquitos. Then I got to thinking...I could make a tribute to the Seabird's taquitos for this month's Food Network Cookalong seeing that the theme fit perfectly! I made a quick trip to the local Asian market, picked up two cans of jackfruit and got to thinking. There wasn't much description of what they tasted like so I had to go with what I thought it would taste like and I think I nailed it! They were crispy and crunchy on the outside and stuffed full of carnita flavoured jackfruit on the the inside. I served mine with a drizzle of Chipotle Avocado Cream from Dreena Burton's newest cookbook Let Them Eat Vegan (with added cumin and extra lime juice) with salsa and guacamole on the side. They would be great with a little vegan sour cream or crema too (Terry Hope Romero's in Viva Vegan is awesome!). I also used the same Chipotle Avocado Cream as a dressing on some thinly sliced red cabbage and carrot and it made an excellent crunchy side dish!

Here's what the finished product looked like...

And here's how to make them!

Jackfruit Carnita Taquitos

2 cans of jackfruit (young green in brine), rinsed

4 cups water

1 large white onion, halved and sliced into half moons

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lime juice

1 tbsp veggie broth powder

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ancho chile powder

Package of corn tortillas

Oil for frying

1. Combine the rinsed jackfruit, water, onion, juices and seasonings in a large stock pot. I use a heavy enameled cast iron one. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to keep it at a simmer with the lid on. Simmer for 2-3 hours then remove from the heat, leave the lid on and let sit for another 2-3 hours. You could even let it cool, refrigerate and leave the rest til the next day at this point.

2. Reserving the cooking liquid, remove the jackfruit and onion slices and roughly chop them. Put the pot with the reserved cooking liquid over high heat and simmer until it has reduced down to 1/4 of the original volume. While this is reducing, heat a frying pan with a tablespoon of vegetable oil (I used grapeseed) and pan fry the jackfruit/onion mixture until it is caramelized and brown on the outside. I had to do this in two batches, you might have to too and if you do, add another bit of oil when you put the second batch in to brown. Once all the jackfruit has been browned, place it all back in the frying pan over high heat. Pour the reduced cooking liquid over the jackfruit. It will bubble up and continue to reduce as it coats the jackfruit. Turn off the heat and let cool. If you don't have the time, you can fill them while it's hot, just watch your hands.

3. Start by heating about an 1 1/2 inches of oil (again I used grapeseed) in a cast iron frying pan (mine's 10"). Again I have no clue what temperature unfortunately. I put it over med-high heat until it shimmers and bubbles when you add something to it. While that is heating you will need to warm the tortillas so they don't just crack when you try to roll them. I used the microwave to do this by wrapping them in paper towel (and separating each one with another piece) and microwaving in 30 second intervals until they feel warm and pliable. You can keep them warm in a tortilla warmer if you have one. Take one tortilla in your hand and place a few heaping spoonfuls of the jackfruit on it near the edge. Roll it completely around the jackfruit and place seam side down in the hot oil. Keep an eye on them and turn after a minute or two, checking to see how it is browning underneath, frying on the other side until golden brown all over.

4. Remove and place on a paper towel lined cooling rack to remove some of the excess oil and serve with your favourite salsa, guacamole and crema!

Food Network Monthly Cookalong

I really enjoy doing Food Network Friday with Tami and the gang hosted on Tami's blog at veganappetite.com so I was definitely distressed when I read that it and Vine and Dine would be going on sabbatical, possibly permanently. I totally understand that Tami has been the host for a long time and that it is something that she was ready to let go but I'm not so good with change or letting things go...I would still be watching Friends if they were still making it. After talking it over with Tami and the other participants, I decided that I would revamp and host a similar type of cook-along! I always loved the challenge of veganizing recipes from the meat and cheese heavy Food Network showing just how easy it is to take any dish and make it vegan. I also love the camaraderie of cooking along with other vegan bloggers and sharing our experiences of it.

As for the changes, I've decided instead of picking one specific recipe to veganize, I will be picking a theme each month. It might be a specific show or chef, holiday, cuisine, ingredient or type of dish. Then anyone who would like to participate can make as many dishes as they like and blog about them. This way you can cook as many or as few dishes as you like and show everyone what us vegans are made of. At the beginning of the next month, I will be posting a round up of what we all made so you can see it all in one place and then visit each blog to see how they did it, find recipes or inspiration and the theme for that month. To play along, all you have to do is send me an email near the end of the month with links to your blog posts and I will do the rest! And just like Food Network Friday, the only hard and fast rule is that it has to be vegan! I am really excited about the possibilities of this new version of an already awesome cook-along and hope you (yeah you!) will give it a shot!

All the above information will be found permanently on the tab above and so will the monthly theme.

Now for the theme for June, Eat Street!

Here on Food Network Canada we get a show called Eat Street but I'm pretty sure it's not on FN in the US (maybe the Cooking Channel). They do have a YouTube channel with lots of clips from the show so you can get acquainted though. The show goes around North America visiting food trucks showing off the signature treats of a few trucks per episode. Now there are lots of money shots of non-vegan food but I love to watch this show and dream of how I could  make all of it vegan. And that's exactly what I plan on doing this month! They do have recipes listed from some of the trucks featured on the show on their website so you could veganize one (or more!) of those. Or you can blog about a food truck you have been to that had the best food and you could even make your own take on what you had. Or you could dream about what kind of food truck you would own and create the treats you would serve up. There are so many possibilities! I hope you will be inspired to cook-along as well and if you do, just email me a link to each post and I will add you to the round up!