Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 73

1 teaspoons baking powder

teaspoon baking soda

teaspoon salt

Sesame seeds (optional)

PREHEAT THE oven to 400F.

Prepare the filling: Heat the grapeseed oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the carrot and continue to cook until the onion is tender and starts to turn golden, another 5 to 6 minutes.

Transfer to a large bowl and combine with the steamed greens, beans, and 1 cup of the mole sauce. Stir to coat everything with the sauce; if the mixture looks a little dry, add up to cup more mole sauce. Place the mixture back in the skillet and smooth out the top. You should have a little over inch of s.p.a.ce between the veggies and the rim of the skillet; if it's filled to the top, remove a little, since the crust will require the extra room.

Prepare the crust: Combine the soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup. Place the oil in a large bowl, beat in the soy milk mixture, and sift in flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just moistened (don't overmix).

Pour over the vegetables in your skillet and smooth to cover. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds, if desired, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is done and golden. Allow the pie to cool for 10 minutes (or until the filling stops bubbling), slice, and serve with extra mole sauce.

JAMAICAN YUCA SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH SWEET POTATO, KIDNEY BEANS, AND PLANTAINS

SERVES 8.

TIME: 1 HOUR.

New York is home to a huge Jamaican community and since there are lots of vegan Rastafarians, there's tons of vegan food, or Ital, to be had. Jamaican curries differ from Indian curries in that they are often a bit sweeter. Jamaican curry powder also has a different blend of spices, typically including star anise, aniseeds, and coriander. This curry is one of our favorites-sweet potatoes, kidney beans, corn, and plantains (we also snuck some lima beans in there in hopes that you'll cultivate some love for the little guys) in creamy coconut milk. You can serve this as a curry over rice, but we've turned it into a shepherd's pie with a layer of yuca on top.

The easiest way to peel yuca is to remove the rough ends and cut the yuca widthwise into thirds. Place a piece vertically on the cutting board, secure with your nonwriting hand and use a paring knife to slice the skin off.

Scotch bonnets are a really hot pepper so, instead of cutting them up, it's common in Jamaican cuisines to just score the sides in four places. To do this, use a paring knife to cut slivers up the sides. It releases all the peppery flavor without the searing hot heat, so it's spicy but not too spicy. Be careful not to crush the peppers when stirring; keep them intact and remove them when the curry is done cooking. If you can't find Scotch bonnets, you can use two serrano peppers instead.

3-3 pounds yuca, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into -inch chunks

2 Scotch bonnet peppers, scored down the sides (see tip)

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh thyme

cup water

1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk

cup fresh corn (from 1 ear of corn)

1 cup cooked kidney beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed

cup cooked lima beans, or 1 (8-ounce) can, drained and rinsed

2 ripe yellow plantains that have just begun to blacken, sliced in half lengthwise and cut into - inch pieces

1 tablespoon Jamaican curry powder

FIRST, PREPARE your yuca: Place the yuca in a medium-size stockpot and cover with water until it's submerged. Cover and bring to a boil, add 1 teaspoon of the salt, and lower the heat to medium. Let the yuca boil for about 20 minutes, until tender enough to mash.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Preheat a medium-size stockpot over medium-high heat. Place the 2 tablespoons of the oil, onions, green bell pepper, garlic, and ginger in the pot. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, Scotch bonnets, thyme, salt, and water. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are easily pierced.

Set your oven to broil.

Add the remaining ingredients to the filling mixture in the stockpot and lower the heat. Cook for about 5 more minutes, until everything is heated through. Remove the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and Scotch bonnets and discard.

By this point, the yuca is probably done. Drain the yuca and then immediately place it back in the pot you boiled it in. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the yuca and mash with a potato masher. It usually takes about 15 mashes to get it to the right consistency, creamy but chunky.

Pour the curried filling into a 9 13-inch baking dish. Use a large wooden spoon or spatula to scoop the yuca over it in several mounds. Press the yuca mounds down to spread over the curry. It's okay if some of the filling is peeking through in places.

Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, then transfer to the broiler for about 2 minutes. Keep a close eye; the top should be gently browned.

Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve in rimmed plates or shallow bowls because it will be very saucy.

ALMOST ALL-AMERICAN SEITAN POTPIE.

SERVES 6 TO 8.

TIME: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES.