Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 98

IN A small saucepan, dissolve the bouillon cube in boiling water. Keep the broth warm on the lowest flame possible.

Melt the margarine in a separate small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is deep golden brown and smells toasty, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the minced shallots and garlic, coating with the sauce, and continue to cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes; it will resemble a coa.r.s.e paste. Stir in the celery and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the celery has softened a little.

Pour in the hot veggie bouillon and stir with a wire whisk to create a thick sauce. Add the bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, and rosemary. While stirring constantly, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

Gradually pour in the wine, continuing to stir with the whisk, and bring to a boil again. Lower the heat once more and simmer for 4 to 6 minutes, until slightly reduced and thickened (sauce is not as thick as a gravy but will cling to the back of a metal spoon).

Remove from the heat, stir in the chopped chives, and either ladle directly over food or serve alongside in a gravy boat.

To reheat the sauce: This sauce will become very thick if refrigerated, but it reheats easily. Place the sauce in a small saucepan, heat over medium-low heat while stirring occasionally, and whisk in a little vegetable broth until the desired consistency is reached.

MARINARA SAUCE AND VARIATIONS.

MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS.

(ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS OF PASTA).

TIME: 20 MINUTES.

The secret to a great marinara sauce is K.I.S.S.-keep it simple, stupid! Oh yes, and a h.e.l.l of a lotta garlic. Store-bought sauce tends to be too sweet and tastes, well, store-bought. We use this in all of our tomato-based Italian dishes from pasta to eggplant rollatini, and it doesn't take much time, so go ahead and pour some love onto your spaghetti. Go crazy with the variations that follow.

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

teaspoon dried thyme

teaspoon dried oregano

teaspoon salt

Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

PREHEAT A saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the oil and garlic, and saute for about a minute, until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Add the remaining ingredients, cover, and raise the heat a bit to bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Variations: Roasted Red Pepper Marinara Sauce: Add a chopped roasted red pepper along with the tomatoes. Blend the sauce when done cooking, if you like.

Mushroom Marinara Sauce: Increase the oil to 1 tablespoon, and saute 1 cup of thinly sliced mushrooms before adding the garlic.

Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce: Decrease the minced garlic to 2 teaspoons. Add a whole bulb of peeled roasted garlic to the sauce halfway through the cooking process. Blend the sauce when done cooking.

Olive Marinara Sauce: Add cup of chopped black olives to the sauce about halfway through the cooking process.

Caramelized Onion Marinara Sauce: Increase the oil to 1 tablespoon. Sweat 1 cup of finely chopped white or yellow onion for about 15 minutes. (To sweat, keep the heat low and cover, stirring every few minutes, the onions should not brown.) Uncover and cook for 15 more minutes at higher heat, until browned and caramelized. Proceed with the rest of the recipe.

We also like to mix and match some of these variations: Caramelized Onion and Roasted Red Pepper, Mushroom and Olive, you get the idea.

TOFU RICOTTA.

MAKES 3 CUPS.

TIME: 10 MINUTES.

Straight outta Vegan with a Vengeance, we've included the recipe in this book, too, because, well, tofu ricotta doesn't get better than this! We use it in Eggplant Rollatini (page 154) but feel free to use it anywhere that ricotta might be found; stuffed sh.e.l.ls, as a pizza topping, you name it.

1 pound extra-firm tofu

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

teaspoon salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped finely (10 leaves or so) (optional)

2 teaspoons olive oil

cup nutritional yeast flakes

IN A large bowl, mush the tofu up with your hands, until it's crumbly.

Add the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and basil. Mush with hands again; this time you want it to get very mushy, so squeeze through your fingers and mush until it reaches the consistency of ricotta cheese, 2 to 5 minutes.

Add the olive oil, stir with a fork. Add the nutritional yeast and mix all ingredients well. Use a fork now, because the oil will make it sticky. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

CASHEW RICOTTA.

MAKES 2 CUPS.

TIME: 15 MINUTES.

Thick, creamy and extra-dreamy, this dairyless ricotta is what you want when that lasagne or stuffed sh.e.l.ls requires something just a little bit more. Perfect when paired with sweet winter squash, such as Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions (page 194). Also makes a smooth sandwich spread paired with crusty herbed peasant bread.

cup raw cashew pieces (approximately 4 ounces)

cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves fresh or roasted garlic (page 32)