Around the World in 80 Plates: Russia (cont)

Another dish from Russia that I couldn't resist were Piroshki! I am a huge fan of pierogi and these are similar but baked (or fried) in a yeasted bread dough instead. The idea was totally intriguing to me and Mac was on board as soon as I said they were like bread and potato together. My mom, however, was a bit skeptical. She wasn't sold on the whole mashed potato inside bread but I thought I could sell her on them once they were made and she saw how good they looked.

I searched online for a recipe and found a few for the dough that all varied. Most had egg, butter and milk so I had to put my veganizing skills to work. I went with this recipe in the end (http://russianrecipes.net/piroshki/) and it worked out well I think. I followed it to the tee subbing Earth Balance buttery sticks for the butter it called for, soy milk in place of milk in equal measure and for the 2 eggs called for, I went with a 1/2 cup of homemade yogurt (of course, recipe from Artisan Vegan Cheese). I mixed it up and let it rise and it really did make a soft, smooth dough that was easy to work with. Rolling it out and cutting the circles was exactly the same as making pierogi so I was all set for that. The fillings they suggest in the recipe I used were meat, mushroom or buckwheat but I decided to go with potato. I made a big batch of mashed potatoes using Yukon Gold potatoes and once they were boiled and drained I added a big handful of finely sliced green onions, a generous tablespoon of minced fresh dill and another 1/3 cup of homemade yogurt. It was seriously the most delicious mashed potatoes ever. I really recommend you try the combo of flavourings even if you don't want to go through the fuss of making the piroshki. The yogurt itself is the best thing to add since it gives you a slight tang in them like if you added sour cream or buttermilk. Seriously...amazing...you need to try it! I decided to bake my piroshki instead of frying so after stuffing and sealing them up, I placed them on a baking sheet that I sprayed with oil and then sprayed the tops as well. Usually they have an egg wash to give them a golden colour but I skipped trying to sub that so mine are lighter but you could totally do it. I know I have seen different types of vegan eggwash solutions in cookbooks and blogs from just using soy milk or oil or water. The recipes says to bake for 10 minutes, mine weren't done by then. They took about 15 but I'm sure it would depend on the dough and your oven so just set a timer for 10 and check them after that until they are starting to brown and feel like the dough is baked through. I also took them out at 10 minutes and sprayed them again with the spray oil to get them to brown a bit more.

They are super tasty and we all loved them. I even converted the doubter! The filling is flavourful and doesn't get lost in the dough which can happen. The dough baked up soft and tender too. I even pressed a little of the same homemade yogurt in my Tofu Xpress (lined with cheesecloth and just used the regular spring) for 30 minutes and added just a touch of lemon juice and salt to make some sour cream to dip them in. It was a nice addition to the plate. Mac said that they were awesome but that he still loved pierogi the bestest. He then asked if there were enough to have them again for lunch the next day so maybe we'll call it a tie!

Don't forget, I'm giving away a cookbook that you can choose from the list. All you have to do to enter is comment on this post (http://threeandahalfvegans.blogspot.ca/2012/10/around-world-in-80-plates-finland.html?showComment=1351004358748#c4746573022444667543) and you will be entered and it is open to everyone WORLDWIDE!

Around the World in 80 Plates: Austria

Back in 2001, I decided to quit my job and go backpack through parts of Europe for about a month, how original I know. I started in Paris, stopped in Geneva, Salzburg and then went to my favourite place in my month of travelling Vienna, Austria. I loved it there, in fact I think I called my mom about 10 times telling her I was never coming home. I had planned on spending two days there when I was planning it all and ended up spending 5 and the only reason I left when I did is because the hostel I was staying at was fully booked past then. If they hadn't been, I may still be there now! Ha! I loved the art and museums (there's like 100!), the music and history. It just felt right to be there. I wish now I had been more adventurous when it came to dining because I really don't remember much of what I did eat and I doubt if much of it was traditional. I do remember trying some sort of goulash at the hostel but not knowing exactly what was in it and being a little leery of what was hiding in the yummy broth.


I looked through a few books and Googled Austrian cuisine and decided there were two dishes I would make, Wiener Schnitzel and Spaetzle. They don't traditionally go together but I found the combination of their names entertaining (maybe there's a Monty Python skit in there) and they did taste great together so maybe bucking tradition is in order here.

For the Wiener Schnitzel, I made a fresh batch of No Cluck Cutlets from Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day! but instead of shaping into 10 smaller cutlets, I formed them into 6, as flat as I could manage, cutlets. I found that I could smoosh them flattest using my hands and used the cold broth (used to cook them) to set the shape. As soon as they hit that cold broth they seem to lock so if you can stretch them on the way there as much as you can that broth is going to help keep your shape. I baked them the same in the oven for the same amount of time but used two separate baking dishes (both with full recipes of the cooking broth) so there was room for three big cutlets in each. When they came out I let them cool then stuck them in the freezer to make them more manageable to dredge and bread crumb.  I set up a breading station with three pie plates, one with about a cup of all purpose flour and a bit of salt and pepper, one with prepared Vegg (2 tsp + 2/3 cup soy milk blended in a blender) and the last with 2 cups of panko bread crumbs (that I ground up a bit to make them less coarse). I put the cutlets through the breading station in that order and fried them in a cast iron pan with a mix of olive oil and butter (EB sticks). I managed to bread all six but had to add more panko to the last dish since you need a fair amount in the dish to really cover the cutlets. They fried up golden brown and crispy and tasted amazing. I don't know how traditional they tasted since they usually use veal (boo!) but I would happily eat this version any day! I read that they are served with lemon wedges which I thought I had but apparently didn't so I used what I did have on hand and sprinkled a little bottled lemon juice on top and it really did add a little something to it.

I read a few web articles on spaetzle and decided I had to try them. Reading Wolfgang Puck wax poetic about them can have that effect. I grabbed my copy of World Vegan Feast by Bryanna Clark Grogan and started mixing. The batter/dough (?) goes together quickly but does need a half an hour to sit. I read through her suggestions of what to use if you don't have your own spaetzle maker and decided I would try my potato ricer. It worked well but the pieces/strands of spaetzle wanted to stick together as they came out. I found the best thing was to hold it up high over the pot of boiling water and that way they stretched before hitting the water and most came apart with a quick stir of the water. I scooped them out into a cold water bath to stop the cooking then held them in a separate bowl with a tiny bit of oil to keep them from sticking to one another. I chopped up two small white onions and sautéed them with about 1/4 cup of EB buttery stick. Once they started to caramelize and brown a bit, I added in the spaetzle. I let them cook in the butter and onions until they started to brown just the slightest bit. I decided that I would season them differently so I divided them in half. To one half, I added dried parsley and thyme and some salt and pepper. To the other, I left them in the hot pan and added about 1/4 cup of meltable cheddar from Artisan Vegan Cheese (if I had Emmentaler on hand I would have preferred that but hey, I had the cheddar and it worked out nicely too) that I just broke up into pieces with my hands and scattered in and some dried dill, parsley and salt and pepper. They were both delicious but the one with the cheddar and dill was really special. It reminded me of macaroni and cheese almost and went perfectly with a bite of Wiener Schnitzel.

It was another one of those meals that I was mmming and ahhing through the whole thing. I can get quite vocal at the table when supper is really good! It had me googling spaetzle maker after supper since I know I will definitely make it enough now to invest in one!

Around the World in 80 Plates: Italy (cont)

Next up for Italy is another recipe from Artisan Vegan Cheese...Pizza Margherita! This pizza may look simple and it is simple to make but it tastes so delicious thanks to Miyoko's Meltable Mozzarella. It is one of the easiest cheeses to make in the book since it only requires yogurt as it's base. I have made it a few times now and love it when you let it culture for the full 24 hours. It gives it the flavour I remember mozzarella having but not the true buffalo mozzarella (which I always found a bit bland), the kind you get in the giant blocks for much less. I was raised on the latter so my taste goes more for a sharper flavour that you can recreate with a 24 hour culture.

The dough is definitely different than the pizza dough I usually make since it has cold water not warm and you don't actually let it rise. It says in the recipe you want it to get it's rise in the hot oven. Fair enough. It was very tasty and had the perfect ratio of crunch to chew to it. I used a bottled store bought simple passata sauce with just San Marzano tomatoes, basil and salt and sprinkled it with bit of freshly chiffonaded (fancy word for sliced thinly into strips) basil. Ryan and I both really enjoyed this pizza, maybe there was even a little fight over who got the last slice. I would definitely make it again and encourage you to try it too!

Around the World in 80 Plates: Italy

What would a culinary trip of the world be without a few stops in Italy? This is the cuisine I tend to lean on when I am looking for some comfort. I know that most of what we would think of Italian food here in North America is not exactly what people in Italy would actually eat, more our version with extra cheese on top usually. For my first stop I decided to hit Bryanna Clark Grogan's book, Nonna's Italian Kitchen which I recently added to my ever growing cookbook library. I honestly spent hours reading this book from cover to cover. It is bursting with information and variations and history. I love it! I picked out the Risotto Giallo Classico (Classic Yellow Risotto) as my first foray into the book. I have only made risotto once before and that was a long time ago but it was just like riding a bike. I remembered quickly about all the stirring and how you would be greatly rewarded for your patience in the end. I used a few bouillon cubes for the stock but next time I would definitely take the time to make my own and make sure it was strong. You are really depending on the stock for the flavour in this dish so use the best quality you have access to. I love the bright yellow colour from the saffron, it really brightened up my plate which I appreciate now that supper time has gotten much darker as winter approaches (ugh!). I served this up with some slices of crusty bread and some peas which aren't pictured. It was a warm, hearty supper that we all really enjoyed!

And the next day with the leftover risotto, I did what some inventive (genius) Italian cook did so long ago (in the 10th century apparently!!)...I made arancini! I actually used Miyoko Schinner's recipe for Risotto Fritters from Artisan Vegan Cheese for them since I had been eyeing the recipe since I first got the book. And I just happened to have a few balls of Meltable Mozzarella (also in the book and Sept/Oct VegNews too) in the fridge awaiting their destiny to be the center of my risotto fritters too! I skipped the sauce from the recipe and opted for the much quicker (store bought) marinara  to accompany them but the best part was the fresh basil on top. Fresh basil just always makes anything Italian taste better doesn't it?! The mozzarella melted perfectly in the center and added a really rich, creaminess to each bite. There is the option to bake them but I went for the fried route figuring it wasn't something I would make all the time, might as well go for it. The breadcrumbs were perfectly crispy and added a nice textural contrast to the creamy inside. Definitely the way to go! In the picture below it looks like I am serving up just one each but trust me, Ryan and I popped a lot more than one each but I knew it would look super adorable in these little dishes. It would be a great way to serve them as hors d'oeuvres!

 

Around the World in 80 Plates: France

Like the reality cooking show, I will be spending a bit more time in France than some places. It is one of those countries that is synonymous with great food. I decided to start with crêpes since I knew my little man would love them too. I had tried the Ginger Pear Crêpes from Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day! back during testing and fell in love so I knew just where to go when I needed a recipe for the crêpes. I decided to change up the fillings since the ones in the book are more dessert like so I filled them with a combination of homemade strawberry jam and homemade peach jam (both from Canning for a New Generation) and drizzled it with some of Miyoko's yogurt from Artisan Vegan Cheese. I slightly sweetened the yogurt with some powdered sugar since it is not sweetened at all when you make it. Mac prefered his with just jam but I really loved the extra creaminess and tang that the yogurt was bringing to the party. A little sprinkle of powdered sugar on top for that fancy touch and hey the kid (and me, alright!) likes a little sugar on top!

Around the World in 80 Plates: Spain

Next up is Spain! I have never been to Spain and I don't know much about the food except everyone always talks about tapas. I decided to use my trusty copy of 30 Minute Vegan Taste of Europe for some inspiration. I landed on Babe's Bocadillos. It is an iconic sandwich made on a baguette that may contain different types of fillings, according to Wikipedia, and for this vegan version, it is filled with tofu ham. There is a recipe included in the book but I had already prepared the night before a batch of Baked Pressed Tofu from Terry Hope Romero's soon to be released cookbook, Vegan Eats World, so I went ahead and used that. I wanted to have lots of paper thin slices of tofu ham and thought about how to make that happen. I landed on using my potato peeler and it worked like a charm. It made the texture much more close to sliced ham. The recipe said to load it up with sliced tomatoes, red onions, vegan cheese and a mix of mayo and mustard. I used the Air Dried Cheddar from Miyoko Schinner's Artisan Vegan Cheese and it really stood out in the sandwich as a rich cheddar with the tofu ham. I also used this tasty mustard that I picked up at Farm Boy recently called Saucy Mama (how could I resist!) Smoky Garlic Mustard. It is soooo tasty and I think it worked really well with the tofu ham.

This sandwich is seriously delicious! I made it on a half baguette and thought I would just eat half but I shamefully admit I ate the whole thing. It was one of those, I'm full but it tastes good kind of moments but after I was done, I wasn't sorry. It is full of flavour and crunch. Ryan was jealous as I was describing it over the phone at lunch time so I guess I will have to make it again soon and maybe I'll share it with him...maybe!

Food Network Monthly Cookalong: Chick'n Parmesan

One dish, that was Ryan's very favourite I think, that I have yet to make vegan is Chicken Parmesan. I just hadn't bothered for some reason. I think it was because of the mozzarella blanket on top that was synonymous with the version I was used to that kept me away. It must be because as soon as I made Miyoko Schinner's Meltable Mozzarella from her new book, Artisan Vegan Cheese, it was the first thing I thought to make. I saw Giada's recipe and that's what brought it to my mind but I went a little different than her version, closer to the version I would have made pre-vegan. A breaded chick'n cutlet (No Cluck Cutlets from Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day which was frozen so I just half defrosted it so it wouldn't overcook while being pan fried) covered in marinara sauce with mozzarella on top. I'm not including a recipe but for the cutlet, it is almost exactly what I have done before for the eggplant parmesan sandwich using panko bread crumbs for the superior crunch factor and Vegg to adhere the breading. I pan fried the breaded cutlets in olive oil and then transfered them to a sheet pan, poured a bit of sauce on top of each, a few slices of the aforementioned Meltable Mozzarella and broiled it to just melt the cheese. I didn't want to cover them with too much sauce to undo all that hard work to get the outside crispy of course and added a little chiffonade of basil on top since we have a bunch on hand and it just brightens the whole dish up. It was served up with a bit of whole wheat spaghetti with more of the marinara sauce (store bought to make this a quick weeknight supper) and some peas. It was so perfect, so close to what I remember and hit that spot perfectly. Ryan was in heaven and had a hard time walking away from the extra piece I had made for his lunch the next day (they make a great sandwich too by the way). It was crisp of the outside with the perfect panko crunch, moist and juicy on the inside thanks to Tami and Celine's perfect cutlet recipe, the mozzarella melted and gave a nice creamy addition to each bite as well. It is my new speciality that I know Ryan will be asking for again and again and I will happily oblige.

P.S. If you haven't picked up a copy of Artisan Vegan Cheese, I strongly urge you to do so! It is an amazing cookbook that I have definitely become a bit obsessed with. I rarely get a book and immediately start making things out of it. I will say this one came and I was ready. I had already ordered and received my carrageenan and made a batch of rejuvelac. I got to work quickly and made the soft gruyere. It came together so quick and easy and made an amazing addition to my baked potato. I made a batch of the Cashew Yogurt and fell in love. I made a double batch (it works perfectly by the way) within a week. I have tried so many different homemade vegan yogurt recipes and none have worked, this one is amazing! My picky mom is in love with it and she has refused to eat any vegan yogurts because they just don't taste right. This one is just the right amount of tart and super creamy. I even used my dehydrator to culture it and it worked like a charm. Another use for this once uni-tasker! The sour cream in the book is also super easy to make and super creamy and tangy. We had some tacos just last night because the sour cream was just right and demanded to be used. I won't be buying sour cream any more since this one is so quick and just three ingredients! It has become one of my favourite cookbooks and has more than just recipes for cheeses. There are loads of intriguing recipes in the book to use those perfectly crafted artisan cheeses. This one is definitely highly recommended from this (vegan) cheese lover!