Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 79

THIS CHAPTER IS very much a two-part biopic-"a tale of two recipes," one might say-but even better because you won't be tested on any of the material. It centers on the secret lives of food that's cooked on top of the stove. Some meals use but one pot, some use a few more. Both make the tummy feel full of joy and, well, fullness.

Part I. We like the sound of "One-Pot Meals." It makes us feel like we're hanging out in a Little House on the Prairie remake, chopping wood, building barns, sewing quilts, and at the end of the day getting ready for a big dinner scooped out of a big, cast-iron pot.

"And what do those city girls know about cast-iron pots?" you ask? Enough that somehow stews and ca.s.seroles just taste better cooked in them. Good one-pots also include enameled cookware and stoneware, which are pricey but worth trading a few blankets for. We'll often recommend starting a recipe on top of the stove, then moving it to the oven to finish cooking. We're not being fickle, it's just the best way to give dumpling biscuits the perfect toasted top or to ensure that a steaming vat of jambalaya rice cooks up tender instead of burned. But if you haven't traveled down to the general store yet for a stove-to-table pot, fear not. You can just as easily transfer the recipe from a pot on the stove and into an oven-safe dish to complete the cooking process.

Part II. Let us turn to our attention for a moment to "Stove-Top Specialties," shall we? This is just a catch-all name for meals that require you to use those pots (and pans) you thought might never see some action (we're looking at you, Mister or Miss Ramen-Noodle). If you're scared you'll have to pull out all the stops like some kind of TV chef, be a.s.sured we'll keep your budding career in check-these recipes simply require just an extra saute pan or small saucepan. As you'll see, stove-top meals include flavorful and thrilling sautes of vegetables, seitan, and tofu. Normal people (read: not the authors of the Veganomicon) would probably call these dishes "entrees."

SEITANIC RED AND WHITE BEAN JAMBALAYA.

SERVES 6.

TIME: 1 HOUR 25 TO 35 MINUTES, DEPENDING ON THE RICE.

Warning: Just a taste of this luscious, tomato-laced concoction of rice, vegetables, and seitan, and you just might feel like shouting at the devil. But please, don't do it with huge, teased metal-band hair or while wearing skin-tight black pleather pants, lest you scare the kids. Perfectly sinful for hardcore meat-eaters and vegans alike, seitanic jambalaya is a favorite at parties, potlucks, or wherever a hungry, Cajun-spice lovin' crowd may be. Serve with French bread rolls, Sauteed Collards (page 106), and your favorite Louisiana-style hot sauce.

If using fresh thyme, just poke the sprigs into the rice before baking. The leaves will fall off the stems while it's cooking. Just remove the stems before serving.

Have a favorite Cajun-style seasoning mix? Use three or more teaspoons in place of the dried herbs and spices, but still add the fresh thyme.

IF you haven't used the technique of deglazing (page 19) yet, here is the place to give it a shot. If bits of seitan stick to the bottom of the pot and start to burn while you're sauteing, deglaze the pot with a few tablespoons of cooking sherry. Then remove the seitan from the pot and continue as directed. The browned bits add lots of flavor, while the deglazing prevents them from sticking around and burning when cooking the vegetables.

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 recipe Simple Seitan (page 131), or 16 ounces store-bought seitan, diced or pulled apart into bite-size pieces

1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into -inch dice

1 large yellow onion, cut into -inch dice

2 stalks celery, cut into small dice

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste

cup cooking sherry or vegetable broth

2 cups long-grain rice, brown or white

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can white kidney (cannellini) beans

1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans

1 bay leaf

4-6 sprigs fresh thyme (optional but really great here)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried paprika

teaspoon celery seed

teaspoon onion powder

teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

4 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon salt

Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

Chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

PREHEAT THE oven to 375F.

Preheat a large (the biggest you have) oven-to-table Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-heat. Saute the seitan in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 4 to 6 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the pot and set aside. Add the remaining olive oil to the pot, then stir in the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Saute for 12 to 14 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft and a tad mushy. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for another 4 minutes.

Stir in the cooking sherry to deglaze the vegetables, cook for 30 seconds, then add the rice. Stir the rice for about 4 minutes, then stir in the diced tomatoes, seitan, beans, bay leaf, all of the herbs, and the salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, pour in the vegetable broth, and return to a simmer. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

If using a Dutch oven, cover and place in oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the rice is tender. If using a pot, transfer to a deep ca.s.serole dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. If using brown rice, increase the baking time to 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven, stir the jambalaya, then cover and allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

MANZANA CHILI VERDE.