Tempeh 1

DiningatTheRavensToday I bring you a great recipe from a brand new cookbook called Dining at the Ravens. If you aren’t familiar with The Ravens, it’s the restaurant at Stanford Inn by the Sea, a vegan resort in Mendocino, CA. Dining at the Ravens is doing a “blog tour” and I’m happy to be today’s stop. See below for your chance to win a copy of the book, compliments of the publisher, BenBella Vegan!

The nut-encrusted tempeh is simple to make, and truly delicious. It calls out for a sauce, and while I first thought of gravy or a fancy chutney of some kind, I found that mustard or ketchup – especially this great new ketchup I discovered – is perfect. The recipe gives an option to pan-fry instead of bake the tempeh, but I’d stick with baking to cut down on oil and make sure the nuts stay in place.

I’m looking forward to trying more of the recipes. Tops on my hit list:

– Chilaquiles
– Indian Spiced Kale and Potato Omelet
– Black Eyed Pea Cakes
– Cauliflower Ceviche
– Moussaka
– Peach Huckleberry Cobbler

These being restaurant-style vegan recipes, there is a heavy reliance on nuts (cashew sauces abound), making many of the dishes delicious but fairly calorie-heavy. Some of the ingredients are California-centric (I don’t think I’m going to be cooking a lot of sea palm, and I’ve never seen candy cap mushrooms on the East coast.) But for the most part, everything is accessible for the home cook. I was surprised that almost all of the breads and baked goods call for white flour rather than whole grain flours.

Nitpicks aside, this is a great cookbook to have around when you’re planning a fancy vegan dinner party. Whip up a Vegetable Napolean or Chanterelle and Fall Vegetable Stuffed Portobello, followed by Pecan Torte, and your guests will be talking about your mad vegan cooking skills for weeks to come.

Want your very own copy of Dining at the Ravens? Here’s your chance:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Almond and Hazelnut Encrusted Tempeh
from Dining at the Ravens, reprinted with permission

For the marinated tempeh:

1 tablespoon sliced ginger
2 cloves garlic, sliced
3 cups water
1/4 cup gluten-free tamari
1 package tempeh, sliced 1/2-inch thick on the bias

For the flax “egg wash”:

2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
1/2 cup warm water

For the almond and hazelnut crust assembly:

1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw hazelnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Spray oil (if baking) or 2 tablespoons olive oil (if pan-frying)

For the Marinated Tempeh:
1. Combine the ginger, garlic, water and tamari in a saucepan and add the sliced tempeh. Cook until tempeh has heated through, about 10-15 minutes.
2. Drain tempeh from the cooking liquid, set aside and let cool.

For the Flax “Egg” Wash:
1. In large mixing bowl, combine flaxseeds and warm water and whisk until thicken. More water may be added as necessary; mixture should resemble thick pancake batter. (Note from Cathy: heating the mixture in the microwave for 45 seconds then letting it sit for 15 minutes helps it thicken.)

For the Almond Hazelnut Crust and Assembly:
1. In food processor, combine almonds and hazelnuts and process until coarse, sand-like consistency is achieved (note: you want little chunks of nuts, like you see in my photo.)

2. Add salt and pepper and process for a moment longer until well incorporated.

3. Place in a small mixing bowl and set aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

5. Dip each slice of tempeh into the flax wash and immediately dredge in the almond and hazelnut mixture until the tempeh is well coated.

6. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray, then set tempeh slices on it.

7. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

8. Alternatively, place 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan, or oil a griddle and heat to medium heat. Place each piece of tempeh on the pan or griddle and cook until golden brown on each side (5-7 minutes per side.)

 

Falafel final The first time I made homemade falafel, just last year, I couldn’t believe how easy it was. I kicked myself for not trying it sooner – I missed out on years of falafel-eating happiness!

I started with Mark Bittman’s simple baked falafel recipe. Other than reducing the amount of olive oil used in the baking (just wasn’t necessary), my only big departure was the spicing; rather than cumin and cayenne only, I used berbere, an Ethiopian spice blend containing chiles, fenugreek, ginger and much more. I also included ground coriander and cardamom. As complex as it sounds, the spicing isn’t overwhelming at at all – the berbere adds a subtle but delicious layer of flavor. You can order it from EthiopianSpices.com, but I’ve also seen Frontier brand berbere at Whole Foods.

The great thing about making your own falafel is that you can eat it leftover for days (that’s why I’ve increased the quantity from the original recipe). You can also freeze the cooked falafel; it’s a handy gluten-free and vegan staple to have on hand. Recommended accompaniments include romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, tahini sauce (just thin tahini with water and add a bit of lemon) and hot sauce of some kind. Pickles or even beets would nice additions, too. Eat your baked falafel in a salad, as a sandwich in pita bread, or just plain as a healthy snack.

One last note: falafel is made with raw, soaked chickpeas, and that is essential to the texture. Don’t attempt to make it with canned chickpeas. As long as you have a full-size food processor, it’s super easy to make – just throw it all in and give it a few pulses. Like me, you’ll be wondering why in the world you never made it before.

Baked Falafel with Berbere Spice
Adapted from Mark Bittman’s recipe

1 pound dried chickpeas
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 large onion, cut into 8 pieces
2 tablespoons berbere (or substitute 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin and 2 teaspoons cayenne)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, large stems removed
1 bunch cilantro, large stems removed
1½ teaspoons salt (fine salt is best here)
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Soak the chickpeas in a large bowl of water for 12-24 hours. Drain.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a large rimmed metal baking sheet with a couple teaspoons of the olive oil (I do not recommend a nonstick baking sheet – the falafel won’t brown the same way.)

Put half the chickpeas and half the remaining ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor (don’t bother measuring half – it’s all going to get mixed together later). Pulse until the mixture is minced and grainy, but not pureed. Place in a large bowl, then process the second half and stir everything together in the bowl.

Form the falafel into rounded discs by putting a couple tablespoons in the center of your palm and giving it four or five hard squeezes with both hands as you mold it into shape (you can use your thumbs to help round the edges). Place them on the baking sheet very carefully – if they break apart, re-form and repeat. Fit as many as you can on the baking sheet without overcrowding; it may take three rounds of baking to cook them all.

Brush the tops lightly with olive oil. Bake 10 minutes, then carefully flip and bake 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and reheat by wrapping in foil and baking in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes (30 minutes if frozen.)