Around the World in 80 Plates: Greece

This next post features all kinds of yummy Greek food from Vegan Eats World and The 30 Minute Vegan's Taste of Europe but I'll let you in on a little secret...it was enjoyed all the way back at the beginning of the month for our Thanksgiving feast (better late than never right). Around this house there is always the usual discussion of what to make for big meals, you know, your Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter kind of meals. These meals always feature certain things in most families and these things get repeated every year in the name of tradition. This tradition I have thrown out the window, not because I can't recreate these things (because I can!) but just because I don't want to make the same thing year after year. I've decided to honor tradition in a different way, every year for these meals, I will make something awesome that takes a bit more time and effort than I am willing to put in on any other day and most importantly, I will share it with my family. When you really get down to it, that is the part you love about those big holidays. Sitting around the table and sharing time with your family and friends and enjoying each other's company. There, I got that out of the way...on to the food!

This year, I went with a Greek themed meal using recipes I knew I loved from testing for Vegan Eats World. It had been awhile since I made any of them so I was really looking forward to it too. I decided the centrepiece of this meal would be the Tomatoes and Peppers (though I left it at just tomatoes) Stuffed with Dill Rice or Yemista. Like I mentioned, I skipped the peppers this time but only because I bought a big flat of Ontario tomatoes at Costco, both are equally delicious! The filling is super flavourful in these, full of walnuts, fresh herbs and onions/garlic. They are impressive to serve but really are easy to make but shhh...let them be wowed!

Stuffed Tomatoes with Dill Rice
(from Vegan Eats World)

I also made the Lemon Garlic Roasted Potatoes which are also quick and easy but super yummy! Kiddo loves these big time too. Another hit at the table this Thanksgiving was the Greek Creamy Lemon Rice Soup. Everyone loved this as a starter with the veggies, beans and rice seasoned with dill and oregano. Also on the table for our feast were some souvlaki soy curls. I have yet to really write down and perfect this recipe but basically I soak and drain/squeeze the soy curls then marinate them in lemon juice (fresh squeezed really works best here), lots of garlic that I finely grate (like a whole head), a big pinch of dried oregano and some salt and pepper. Then all you have to do is pan fry them until they are golden and a bit crispy on the outside. I always taste a few as I cook and adjust the seasoning as I go. I served these up and made sure to have lots of thick Greek style pitas, sliced tomatoes and red onions and some homemade tzatziki too. To make the tzatziki, I pressed out some of the homemade yogurt from Artisan Vegan Cheese until it was thick and creamy in my Tofu Xpress. Then I added one small Lebanese style cucumber that I grated finely and the juice that came out while grating, a splash of lemon juice, about a tablespoon of fresh minced dill, one glove of garlic grated finely as well with a bit of salt and pepper to taste. It was perfect too, kinda of dry like goat's milk tzatziki would be but still creamy and it was excellent with the soy curls and potatoes too.

Greek Creamy Lemon Rice Soup
(from Vegan Eats World)

Souvlaki Soy Curls (my little improv recipe) and
 Lemon Garlic Roasted Potatoes (from Vegan Eats World)

Homemade Tzatziki

I also added in something new that I have never tried, Dolmas, from The 30 Minute Vegan's Taste of Europe. I had picked up some vine leaves in a Middle Eastern market recently and the only thing that came to mind was dolmas. They were similar in filling to the tomatoes in that it was rice based but they were different. I was a little hesitant at first about eating a leaf but I decided to say what the heck and go for it and they were so worth the chance. They were especially good dipped in the tzatziki too.

Dolmas (from The 30 Minute Vegan's Taste of Europe)

Put it all together!

And of course there was dessert and what better dessert to have with our Greek feast than Hazelnut Orange Blossom Baklava from Vegan Eats World?? This is some seriously delicious baklava made with a mix of butter and olive oil and I swear I will never go back to any other way of making it. The nuts and the syrup mix together to make a sticky sweet nutty flavour party. Plus it looks pretty too, right?!

Hazelnut Orange Blossom Baklava (from Vegan Eats World)

Around the World in 80 Plates: Russia

Another one from Vegan Eats World today (did you order your copy yet??) this time from Russia! It's called Shchi or Sauerkraut Mushroom Soup served up with Coriander Rye Muffins. It's another hearty fall soup filled with mushrooms, sauerkraut, carrots, potatoes and more all mixed into a veggie broth and spiced with caraway and marjoram. It's one of those soups that warms you up from the inside that you want after walking outside on a cool fall day (which it definitely is here today). I served them up with another recipe from Vegan Eats World, Coriander Rye Muffins which are super quick to put together but give you the flavour of rye bread to eat with your soup. Also try it with the Sour Dilly Cream which isn't pictured here but was in there after. I loved it so much I want to put it on everything (p.s. it goes great with Epic Potato Pierogi, also in the book) and again it's super quick to put together. If you want a chance to win a copy, don't forget to check out this post (http://threeandahalfvegans.blogspot.ca/2012/10/around-world-in-80-plates-finland.html) and leave a comment! And remember it's open worldwide so any one can enter!

Around the World in 80 Plates: Belgium

I was looking through books and on the internet for Belgium and everything was pointing to Carbonade Flamande and Frites. Lucky for me, back when I was testing for Terry Hope Romero's newest book, Vegan Eats World (which comes out October 30th by the way!) there was a recipe I had filed away but never got to make which fit the bill perfectly! Hers is a play on the two served together somewhat untraditionally but also perfectly, called Beer Bathed Seitan Stew with Frites (hopefully it made the cut, there were so many amazing recipes). She recommended using an authentic Belgian dark beer like Chimay so I asked Ryan to stop on his way home and grab some. I'm not usually one for alcohol but once again decided to go for it. This stew is perfectly balanced though and it just added a nice background flavour without it screaming "THERE'S BEER IN HERE!". I found it to be a nice mix of french onion soup and a beef stew and the frites that went along with them are now in my top five best fries (and yes I have a mental list). They are baked on parchment with oil, vinegar and thyme and it adds just a little something but again just the right amount and taste amazing dipped in the stew. Kiddo isn't usually one for vinegar but he loved these fries too, though his were next to Gardein sliders and peas not the stew. I will admit I skipped the seitan in this stew and just upped the mushrooms. I think it was great this way too but I'm sure it would be closer to authentic with it. I was making it quickly on a weeknight and didn't think to make the seitan ahead of time. Next time I'll give it a try and there will definitely be a next time since we all enjoyed it so much!

 

Around the World in 80 Plates: France (cont)

One more dish for France...a beautiful Potato Leek Galette. This one I basically just threw together one night and served it with some Baked Pressed Tofu (recipe in Vegan Eats World by Terry Hope Romero) and steamed broccoli.

Not a real recipe here just a quick run down of what I did. I scrubbed but didn't peel six Yukon gold potatoes then sliced them thin on my mandoline. I tossed them in a bowl with a few tablespoons of olive oil and salt & pepper then layered them in a 9 inch cake pan that I generously greased. As I was layering I sprinkled in some thinly sliced leeks and topped it with some as well. I baked it at 375F covered for the first 30 minutes to get the potatoes to steam a bit then removed the foil in order to let it brown (probably another 30 minutes). To serve, I inverted it and cut into eighths which I think everyone at the table decided was too small of a portion! Ha! I wish I had had a little more time to let it bake to get it even more browned and crispy on the bottom so I would definitely recommend another 10 minutes after removing the foil and will do that the next time I make it. Mac really loved this one despite his supposed dislike of all things onion-y. The leeks were mild enough I guess for him not to notice. He quickly requested that I keep a piece for him for lunch the next day and he didn't forget either. At lunch time the next day he was sitting at the table early looking for "that yummy potato cake" and more baked tofu!

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!