Divine Treasures holiday party

When you work in the food service industry, you don't always get to take time off for holidays.  This was the case with my friends at Divine Treasures, a vegan chocolate shop in Manchester, CT.  They were swamped this holiday season preparing special gift boxes filled with the most delectable vegan chocolate treats to the delight of smiling customers.  But they wanted to celebrate, too!  So they asked me if I could cook up a post-holiday vegan feast for them once the holiday crunch period settled down.  And that's just what I did this Friday night.

The evening began with an entirely raw appetizer of Romaine Lettuce Tacos filled with Walnut "Meat," topped by a scoop of Jicama "Rice," and drizzled with a Chipotle Cashew Sour Cream.

Everyone was amazed by the symphony of flavors evoked in this simple, yet festive looking presentation.  It was an elegant way to serve a salad.

The entree for the evening I prepared Baked Sesame Tofu and Polenta Stacks with a rich Shallot Gravy, accompanied by Brussels Sprouts Amandine, and garnished with a luscious Parsley Oil.  The flavors blended beautifully and the buttery texture of the Brussels Sprouts went nicely with the creamy polenta.  Guests were surprised at this gourmet presentation, and were pleased by how satisfying the entire meal was.

It was a pleasure to celebrate the beginning of the new year with this hard-working crew.  I look forward to more dinners like this in the future.  And stay tuned... there may even be events like this open to the public coming soon!

Holiday Gift Guide for Cooks

Now that the holiday shopping season is upon us, I'm often asked for recommendations on what to get the chef in the family.  The options can be overwhelming, especially for someone who is not familiar with the great big world of shiny pretty cheffy things out there.  I often draw upon my favorites for gift giving, those classics that stand the test of time. Whether it's big ticket splurges like a Vita-Mix Blender or a set of indestructible All-Clad Stainless Steel  pots and pans, or the more affordable stocking stuffers like a Garlic Press or Microplane Zester, there's always that "perfect gift" to be discovered.

What I've put together for you is a handy reference guide to help get you started in your search.  Some of these are absolute "must haves" for the home chef, like a good chef's knife and cutting board.  Some are gratuitous items that make cooking fun (no one really NEEDS a Doughnut Pan...).  And sometimes chefs just like to be pampered with items they would never get for themselves, but have always dreamed about (personally, I'd be thrilled if someone bought me anything enameled by Le Creuset just because I love all the pretty colors).

So.... here you go, starting with the essentials.

If the budding chef in your family is just setting up his or her kitchen, there are some basics that he or she will need to get started.  While we often use castoffs and hand-me-downs from other family members, wouldn't it be nice to have something brand new in the kitchen for inspiration?

Need ideas?  Read my Kitchen Essentials recommendations.

Holiday Gift Guide - Kitchen Essentials

If the budding chef in your family is just setting up his or her kitchen, there are some basics that he or she will need to get started.  While we often use castoffs and hand-me-downs from other family members, wouldn't it be nice to have something brand new in the kitchen for inspiration?

It's absolutely imperative to begin with a sturdy chef's knife and cutting board, and a few of my recommendations are below.  Beyond that, a good set of pots and pans, a heavy cast iron skillet, and basic utensils like wooden spoons, rubber and metal spatula, and tongs make kitchen tasks easy.

For the budding baker, consider a good set of mixing bowls (stainless steel or ceramic), measuring cups and spoons, Pyrex and Corningware baking dishes, and even a mixer.  Why not make the work even easier by wrapping some of these items up with pretty bows and ribbon for the holidays?

Chef's Knife - The two leading manufacturers of chef's knifes are Wusthof and Henckels, and I happen to have a couple of each.  I prefer mine in an 8" size, but you can also get 6" all the way up to 12".  You can get a good, sturdy knife that is fairly lightweight and stays sharp for about $50-100.  I like Wusthof's 8" Gourmet Chef's Knife. A Sharpening Steel is usually another $20-30, and a diamond blade sharpener is about $30-50 more.  I use my Chef's Choice Manual Knife Sharpener at least once a month since I'm cutting and chopping every day.

Cutting Board - My one rule for cutting boards is NEVER buy a glass one.  My second rule is NEVER buy a flexible plastic one.  Unless you want to dull your knife every time you use it or slip and cut yourself, you're better off using a hardwood board that can be cleaned with natural cleaners and sealed with mineral oil.  The bigger the better, too, especially if you're cutting a ton of veggies.  Chef's Catalogue has a gorgeous 18" square butcher block board for just under $90.  Catskill Butcher Block Cutting Board - MEDIUM 18" SQUARE

Cast Iron Skillet - The Lodge is the maker of my "go to" pan in 10" or 12", which goes from stovetop to oven and works great for tofu frittata, cornbread, and even pizza.  Depending on desired size, you can purchase the Lodge Logic Cast Iron Skillet for around $20-40.  You can even get one just for making cornbread.

Cookware - Everyone needs a good set of pots and pans.  I'd recommend a stainless steel or hard anodized set that includes a minimum of a 6-quart stock pot, 10" frying pan, sautee pan, and 2-quart sauce pot with covers, preferably with handles that stay cool while cooking and that are oven safe.  If you really want to splurge, you can't go wrong with All-Clad.  It's practically indestructible, heats quickly and evenly, and holds heat well.  The only negative is that it's EXTREMELY heavy, so don't plan on carrying it around with you in your backpack!  ABT is running a great special right now on a 9-piece set that includes all of the above pieces for just under $660.  A bargain! All-Clad 9 Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set 

Mixing Bowls - Any baker needs an ample supply of mixing bowls.  I like the glass or stainless steel variety that are of different sizes and nest comfortably together on the shelf, like these from Chef's Catalogue CHEFS Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowls.  I also like pretty ceramic sets and melamine, all of which work well and make mixing things up in the kitchen tons of fun.  Kohl's has some cute and colorful ones from Rachael Ray, KitchenAid, and Food Network.  There's even a 5-quart collapsible mixing bowl for those tight on space, appropriately named, Squish.  

  

Baking Dishes - I'm tempted to just recommend going to your local thrift store for some classic Pyrex, Fire King, and Corningware, because that's where you'll find all the good stuff.  But you can also get some pretty ovenproof ceramic bakeware in places like Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel.  And why not get fancy with some Le Creuset Classic Stoneware or Emile Henry Olive Oval Gratin since it's the holidays after all?  I kinda like this flame top Tagine, and I'd probably try a bunch of new recipes just so I could use it every day for about a month.

Trivet - The last kitchen essential is something to put those hot pots and baking dishes on.  But don't just look at this item as utilitarian!  This is an opportunity to add some personality to the chef's kitchen, and every time they place dinner on this handy little fella, they think of you, too.  I generally look for indestructible cast iron, but Kohl's has this really cute 2-piece trivet set in environmentally friendly bamboo.  That would look lovely on any kitchen table.

Next.... what equipment does every chef need?  I'll tell you more tomorrow!

Vegan Father's Day

This Sunday, June 20, is Father's Day, and for many dads that means time to fire up the grill for some burgers and dogs.  But what to do if you're a vegan?  Or even a vegan dad??  Fortunately, there are many options these days due to the array of faux meats available in grocery stores.

Veggie Burgers - Amy's Texas Burger, Gardenburger, or Boca Burger are just a few of the many popular choices.  The Blog, Chez Bettay has a lovely post on "An American Burger Vegan Style" which illustrates how to make the perfect burger sans meat.  Thinking of making your own?  You can choose one from the Top 11 Veggie Burger Recipes list which includes some tasty looking burgers made from such ingredients as black beans, portabella mushrooms, potatoes, and TVP.

Hot Dogs - So your dad's not into burgers and prefers a dog in a bun?  Again, there are many vegan options, some of which work really well on the grill.  Lightlife's Tofu Pups and Smart Dogs have been the longtime standards, but now you can also try their Smart Dogs Jumbo and Smart Sausage.  Yves makes vegan hot dogs for the grill, along with Jumbo Dogs and Veggie Brats that taste just like bratwurst but without the meat.  Turtle Island also has their take on hotdogs, with Tofurky Franks which they claim "have a firm texture like the gourmet kosher hot dogs sold on the streets of New York City."  If you like things with a spicy kick, you can try their Chipotle Franks.  

Sausage - Speaking of spicy, probably the best vegan sausage product around are Tofurky's gourmet sausages available as Beer Brats, Kielbasa, and Sweet Italian with Tomato and Basil (my personal favorite).  These could fool anyone who enjoys a good sausage and pepper grinder.  Others swear by Field Roast Sausage which are available Italian style, Mexican Chipotle, and Smoked Apple Sage.

Chicken - If you're used to grilled chicken and BBQ hot wings, why not try the same marinade on Gardein's Chick'n products?  They have Buffalo Wings, Crispy Tenders, and even Barbecue Wings which all taste like the real thing, but with no bones to pick! 

Kabobs - To diverge a bit from the faux meat thing, why not load skewers with some tasty marinated tempeh or tofu alternated with onion, pepper, and other veggies?  These are easy to make ahead on the grill (just remember to soak the bamboo skewers in water beforehand), then serve up warm with a dipping sauce when guests arrive. 

In all these cases, when it really comes down to it, it's the flavors that make all the difference.  You put the same seasonings in a soy and wheat based veggie product and you'll get something just as delicious as the traditional meat product it is based on.  Get a good roll, add the appropriate fixings, pile on some delicious sides, and you have the makings of a perfect Vegan Father's Day.  No need to feel deprived!

Dinner for 8

Yesterday I had a request to prepare dinner for a holiday party at St. Francis Hospital's Preventive Medicine Center. Nothing fancy smancy, just the entree (and then I threw in a dozen double chocolate chocolate chip cookies for good measure).

It’s been awhile since I worked at a restaurant, and as a personal chef cooking primarily for families I generally prepare a maximum of 4 servings for each entree. This was a little different from my normal routine, but I quickly relearned the process of completing multiple servings of an identical meal so that they’re all done at the same time. So it was assembly line time in the kitchen of Well on Wheels.

I chose a menu that looked festive with plenty of bright red bell pepper red and mustard greens green for contrast. The flavors were equally complementary, with a sweet and spicy theme from the peppers, caremelized onion and spicy mango sauce and sharp bite of the mustard greens. I think I may have to make this one for myself soon.

This recipe was inspired by one I found in the January issue of Vegetarian Times which called for a sauce made with spicy mango chutney. I’m really loving this shredded mango chutney made by Kitchens of India. It works well in this tofu sautee, and I bet it would be equally delish accompanying a rich coconut curry.

I’m also thinking… I know this sounds kinda weird… a little dollop atop a scoop of vanilla soy ice cream, or better still Purely Decadent coconut ice cream, would be heavenly. oooo… if only the health food store was open past 7:00.