The Great Change


Pistachio Kalamata Cheese Melt


  • Serves 4.

    • This open-faced sandwich with a tofu base is ideal for breakfast or brunch when served with fruit or salad. If ever there were a tofu recipe that wore many hats, this one would fit the description.The basic Pistachio Kalamata Spread makes a great tasting topping on bread, toast, or crackers, a pungent topping for baked potatoes, a robust sandwich filling, and the perfect filling for a layered vegetable torte. With imagination you may come up with a dozen other treatments for it.


    Pistachio Kalamata Filling
      1/2 C. raw pistachios
      1 lb. extra firm tofu
      1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped
      4 T. lime juice
      18 pitted Kalamata olives *

    Sandwich Fixings
    4 slices whole grain bread
    2 to 3 tomatoes, sliced
    4 to 8 slices vegan Mozzarella cheese
    In several batches, grind the pistachios into a fine powder. If you have electricity, you can use a small electric coffee grinder. Otherwise a mortar and pestle works well. Pour the powder into a small bowl. Set it aside.
    • Break up the tofu into chunks. If you have electricity, a food processor would help here, but otherwise use a masher and/or beater and mixing bowl. Add garlic, lime juice, Kalamata olives, and ground pistachios. Process until all the ingredients are well blended.
    • To assemble the sandwiches, spread a generous layer of the Pistachio Kalamata Spread over each of the bread slices. Top with the tomato slices, covering the entire surface. Then lay the vegan Mozzarella cheese over the top, covering the whole surface.
    • Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet and broil 3 inches from the heat source until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes.
    • Serve with a knife and fork and enjoy a hearty meal.
    * Substitutions include pine nuts or blanched almonds for pistachios, lemon or key lime juice for lime juice (3/4 C lime juice = 1 C lemon juice; 3/4 C lime juice = 2/3 C key lime juice). If you cannot get pitted olives, simply cut the olives off the pit. Regular black olives could be substituted, but they don't have the robust flavor of the Kalamatas.


    from Vegeparadise.com, with adaptation for Post-Petroleum cooking
    Corn and "Bacon" Cakes with Cilantro

    Serves 6

    These corn cakes may remind you of summer flavors, but they are delicious any time of year as a supper or luncheon dish. Offer a robust mushroom soup to start, and end the meal with lemon bars or blondies and frozen vanilla yogurt.

    1 cup canned corn kernels, drained
    1/2 cup diced red pepper
    6 Tbs. soy bacon bits
    6 Tbs. cilantro leaves
    1/2 cup soy mayonnaise
    2 large eggs, beaten
    1/2 cup breadcrumbs
    1 tsp. onion powder
    1 tsp. ground cumin
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    1 Tbs. vegetable oil

    1. Combine corn kernels, red pepper, soy bacon bits, 3 Tbs. cilantro leaves, soy mayonnaise, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, onion powder, cumin, salt and pepper, and stir together until well mixed.
    2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, scoop a scant 1/4 cup corn mixture into skillet, and repeat to make 3 or 4 cakes. Avoid overcrowding skillet. Cook cakes on one side, and when they are browned, in about 3 minutes, turn over to cook second side. Remove from skillet, and repeat with remaining batter.
    3. To serve, place 2 cakes on each serving plate, and garnish with a sprinkling of remaining cilantro leaves.

    PER SERVING:
    150 Calories
    7 Protein
    7g Total Fat (1G Saturated Fat)
    18g Carbohydrates
    70mg Cholesterol
    500mg Sodium
    2g Fiber
    1g Sugars


    from Vegetarian Times, with adaptation for Post-Petroleum cooking
    Artichoke Spread

    1 pound (450 g) extra-firm tofu, drained and rinsed
    1 (14-ounce) (396 g) can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained, liquid reserved
    3 cloves garlic
    1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
    1 teaspoon salt
    3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
    3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
    3 tablespoons lemon juice
    2 tablespoons artichoke liquid
    1/3 cup (80 ml) plus 1 tablespoon diced red bell pepper
    1/3 cup (80 ml) plus 1 tablespoon diced stuffed green olives
    Paprika

    1. Combine all the ingredients except the red bell pepper and green olives. If you have electricity, a food processor would help here, but otherwise use a masher and/or beater and mixing bowl. Process to a smooth, creamy consistency.
    2. Transfer the spread to a medium mixing bowl and add 1/3 cup (80 ml) of the diced red bell pepper and 1/3 cup (80 ml) of the diced green olives. Stir well to distribute them evenly throughout the spread.
    3. Transfer to an attractive serving bowl and garnish with the remaining red bell pepper and green olives. Sprinkle with a dash of paprika and serve with crackers, toasted whole-grain pita wedges, or cocktail breads. Makes about 3 cups (720 ml).

    Variation
    To create appealing canapes, place a heaping teaspoon of the spread on slices of pumpernickel cocktail bread. Flatten slightly with the back of the spoon. To garnish, place a slice of stuffed green olive in the center and sprinkle a few diced red bell peppers over the tops. Finish with a tiny sprig of fresh dill. Makes about 40 to 50 canapes.Substitutions: For artichokes use bamboo shoots, salsify, burdock root, hearts of palm, asparagus, rhubarb, bok choy or banana blossom boiled in coconut milk.


    from Vegeparadise.com, with adaptation for Post-Petroleum cooking

    Seitan Rumaki

    Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook: More Than 1000 Recipes by Ruth Reichl (Editor), (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004).

    Makes 24 hors d'oeuvres

    Special Equipment: 24 wooden picks, soaked in cold water for 1 hour

    * 1/4 pound seitan
    * 1/4 cup soy sauce
    * 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
    * 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
    * 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
    * 12 canned water chestnuts, rinsed, drained, and halved crosswise
    * 8 vegetarian bacon slices (1/2 pound), cut into thirds

    1. Cut seitan into 24 (roughly 1/2-inch) pieces. Stir together soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, and curry powder in a small bowl. Add seitan and water chestnuts and toss to coat. Marinate, covered and refrigerate for 1 hour.

    2. Preheat broiler. Remove seitan and chestnuts from marinade; reserve marinade. Sauté seitan and chestnuts in lightly oiled skillet until browned.

    2. Place a piece of vege bacon on a work surface and put a piece of seitan and a chestnut half in center. Wrap vege bacon around liver and chestnut and secure with a wooden pick. Make more rumaki in same manner.

    3. Broil rumaki on rack of broiler pan 2 inches from heat, turning once, until vege bacon is crisp and seitan is cooked but still moist inside (unwrap one to check for doneness), 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

    from The Splendid Table, with adaptation for Post-Petroleum cooking
    Hoisin-Braised Tempeh and Chinese Vegetables

    Serves 4

    Braising is a cooking method that begins by browning the ingredients in a little oil, then adding a bit of liquid, covering the pot tightly and cooking to blend the flavors. In this recipe, browned tempeh is joined by Chinese vegetables and a flavorful hoisin sauceówith dynamic results. This dish is delicious alone or over brown rice.

    2 tsp. olive oil
    16 oz. tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
    2 large carrots, thinly sliced diagonally
    1 head bok choy, trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1-inch pieces
    1 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
    4 scallions, trimmed and sliced diagonally
    1/3 cup hoisin sauce
    1/4 cup water
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    1 1/2 cups snow peas, trimmed and halved diagonally

    1. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add tempeh and cook until browned, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    2. Stir in remaining ingredients except snow peas. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15 minutes. Add snow peas, cover, and cook until vegetables are cooked but still firm, about 5 minutes longer.

    PER SERVING:
    370 Calories
    24 Protein
    15g Total Fat (1G Saturated Fat)
    38g Carbohydrates
    0mg Cholesterol
    890mg Sodium
    9g Fiber
    16g Sugars

    from Vegetarian Times, with adaptation for Post-Petroleum cooking
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    The Great Change: A Post-Petroleum User Guide • 184 Schoolhouse Rd • Summertown TN 38483-0090 USA

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