Vegan | Saveur

Broccoli Strascinati (Sautéed Broccoli with Garlic and Chile)

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:27:43 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Strascinati, which means “dragged,” refers to a technique for sautéing in olive oil with plenty of garlic and chiles. This Roman side dish, which pairs beautifully with porchetta or pork chops, can be made with regular broccoli, broccoli rabe, or broccoli romano, known in the U.S. as romanesco.

Featured in “Roman Contorni” by Dana Bowen.

Yield: 2–4

Time: 15 minutes

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. broccoli, stemmed and cut into florets
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
½ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
Kosher salt

Instructions

To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the broccoli and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, 6–8 minutes. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of water, then add the garlic and cook until golden, 2–3 minutes. Add the chile flakes and continue cooking until toasted, about 2 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and serve immediately.

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Fried Corn on the Cob

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:39:08 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang

Yes, you can deep-fry corn! A quick turn in hot oil yields kernels that are crisp and juicy at the same time. Other than a sprinkle of salt at the end, the ears need no embellishment. We found that super sweet corn—with its high sugar content—fries up best.

Featured in the July/August 2002 issue.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 15 minutes

Vegetable oil
8 ears fresh corn, shucked
Kosher salt

Instructions

Into a large pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, pour 2 inches of oil and turn the heat to medium-high. When the temperature reads 365°F, working in batches (do not overcrowd the pot), add the corn and fry until most of the kernels are deep golden, 3–4 minutes per batch.
Transfer the corn to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season to taste with salt and serve.

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Danish Salted Cucumber Salad

Niclas Grønhøj Møller — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:51:47 +0000

Chris Tonnesen. Chris Tonnesen

As is true in much of northern Europe, pickles are very traditional in Danish cooking. “In many classic dishes, cucumbers are thinly sliced and pickled in a sweet-sour brine, then served as a side to fried meats like chicken,” says Copenhagen chef Niclas Grønhøj Møller. Instead of using a brine to season his cucumbers, he salts them heavily and squeezes them with lemon, giving them a pickly saltiness and slight acidity.

Featured in “What Would It Take for an American Guy to Become Danish?” by Andrew Richdale.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 30 minutes

2 English cucumbers (about 2 lb.), cut lengthwise, seeded, and sliced ¼ inch thick on the bias
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
2 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chervil or cilantro
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill
Edible flowers, such as chive, turnip, forget-me-not, or cabbage flowers, for garnish

Instructions

In a medium bowl, toss the cucumbers with the lemon juice and salt. Set aside for 15–30 minutes (the longer the cucumbers rest, the less water they will have and the saltier they will taste).
Drain and discard the excess liquid, taste the cucumbers, and adjust the seasoning with more salt and lemon juice as needed. Add the chervil and dill, and toss to coat. Transfer the mixture to a large platter. Garnish with edible flowers and serve.

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Vada Pav (Indian Potato Fritter Sandwich)

Floyd Cardoz — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:47:34 +0000

Matt Taylor-Gross. Matt Taylor-Gross

These starchy sliders are a popular beachside snack in Mumbai. In this vada pav recipe adapted from one served at the late chef Floyd Cardoz’s now-shuttered New York City restaurant, Paowalla, fluffy Goan-style white rolls are filled with a crispy fried potato patty, sweet and hot chutneys, and a garlicky chile-coconut condiment.

Flavorful chutneys are an essential component of Indian cuisine, far from a mere condiment. Cardoz was particularly masterful in how he used homemade chutneys to amplify the flavor of any dish. Three distinct chutneys complement our take on his crispy vada pav—a fresh mint-cilantro version; a crunchy “dry chutney” of toasted garlic, peanuts, and coconut; and a sweet and tangy tamarind chutney laced with cumin and red chile powder.

Yield: 12

Time: 2 hours

8 medium yellow potatoes (4 lb.)
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. mustard oil
2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tsp. mustard seeds
1½ tsp. ground turmeric, divided
1 tsp. ground coriander
Pinch asafoetida (hing)
12 curry leaves
4–6 green bird’s eye chiles, thinly sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
Kosher salt
3 cups chickpea flour
1 tsp. baking soda
Vegetable oil, for frying
12 small, soft white rolls, homemade or store-bought
Mint chutney, tamarind chutney, and dry garlic chutney, for serving

Instructions

To a large pot, add the potatoes and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, 35–40 minutes. Drain, set aside to cool slightly, then use a kitchen towel to remove and discard the skins. Pass the potatoes through a ricer into a medium bowl (alternatively, place the potatoes in a medium bowl and mash gently with a fork), then gently fold in the cilantro.
To a large skillet over high heat, add the mustard oil. When it’s smoking, add the cumin and mustard seeds, and cook until they begin to pop. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the turmeric, the coriander, and the asafoetida, and cook a few seconds more, then add the curry leaves and cook until they blister and turn bright and glossy, 5–10 seconds. Add the chiles and onion, then turn the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent but not yet browned, 5–7 minutes more. Transfer to the bowl with the potatoes, season to taste with salt, and stir gently to combine, then set aside until cool enough to handle.
Shape the cooled potato mixture into 12 even patties, about 4 ounces each or ½ cup of mixture per patty. Place on a plate and transfer, uncovered, to the freezer to firm slightly.
Prepare the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, baking soda, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of turmeric. Season to taste with salt, then whisk in 1½ cups of cool water to make a smooth, thick but pourable batter. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
Fry the patties: Into a large heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, pour the oil to a depth of 2 inches. Remove the potato patties from the freezer and dredge them in the batter to coat. Turn the heat to medium-high and when the temperature reads 350°F, working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, carefully drop the patties into the oil. Stir immediately to prevent them from sticking to the pan or each other, then cook, turning once, until evenly golden, crispy, and warmed through, 4–5 minutes per batch. Remove with a spider skimmer or slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet while you finish frying the rest of the patties.
Slice the buns in half, smear the tops with green chutney and place the potato patties on the bottoms. Spread the patties with sweet tamarind chutney and sprinkle generously with dry garlic chutney. Replace the top buns and serve hot.

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Pan-Fried Eggplant with Balsamic, Basil, and Capers

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:33:16 +0000

Photo: Paola + Murray • Food Styling: Barrett Washburne • Prop Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart. Photo: Paola + Murray • Food Styling: Barrett Washburne • Prop Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart

Sweet, mild eggplant pairs with briny capers, floral basil, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction in this recipe inspired by a dish served at the restaurant Le Bistrot d’Edouard in the French port of Marseille. Find all of our favorite eggplant recipes here.

Featured in “City by the Sea” by Alexander Lobrano.

Yield: 4

Time: 30 minutes

½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small eggplants (8 oz. each), trimmed and cut into ⅓-in.-thick slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. capers
4 basil leaves, thinly sliced

Instructions

In a small pot over medium heat, simmer the vinegar until reduced to a thick syrup, about 15 minutes.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add ½ cup of the oil. Working in batches and adding more oil as needed, fry the eggplant, flipping once, until golden-brown, 5–7 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Arrange the eggplant on a platter and drizzle with the reduced vinegar. Garnish with capers and basil and serve at room temperature.

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Garlic Scape and Cherry Tomato Pasta

SAVEUR Editors — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Belle Morizio. Belle Morizio

Early summer brings an underappreciated and short-lived bounty along with the tomato harvest. Garlic scapes—the tender, green stalks that rise from hard-neck garlic—are an aromatic, herbaceous, and mellow way to add garlicky flavor to your dishes. Roasting the scapes with tomatoes and red onion sweetens the alliums’ heat and enriches their flavor; toss with pasta, lemon juice, and arugula for a simple summer meal.

Yield: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Kosher salt
½ lb. spaghetti
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint multicolored cherry tomatoes
10 garlic scapes
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup baby arugula
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside and keep warm.
In a medium bowl, toss together the oil, tomatoes, garlic scapes, and onion. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, then spread the vegetables in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the tomatoes are just beginning to burst, 12–15 minutes.
Remove the vegetables from the oven and add to the bowl of spaghetti. Add the arugula and lemon juice and zest, toss to combine, and serve hot.

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Celery Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Georges Testa — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:06 +0000

Photo: Julia Gartland • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

While most celery recipes focus on the tender hearts, this crisp, refreshing salad makes a point to use up the whole bunch, including the oft-overlooked leaves. The recipe comes to us from Georges Testa, the third-generation owner of Le Moulin Bleu confectionery and tearoom in Provence. Like many locals, Testa observes Christmas with a meal called either the repas maigre (“lean meal”) or, paradoxically, the gros souper (“big supper”), which consists of seven meatless dishes such as brandade de morue, vegetable gratins, and a whole poached fish. This celery salad dressed with a simple mustard vinaigrette always makes an appearance on Testa’s holiday table but would serve as an excellent side dish any time of year.

Featured in “Provence Noël” by Nancy Coons in the December 2006 issue.

Yield: 2

Time: 5 minutes

1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch celery, stalks sliced into ½-in. pieces and leaves reserved

Instructions

To a large bowl, add the vinegar and mustard. Whisking continuously, very gradually drizzle in the oil until the mixture is smooth and emulsified. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add the celery, toss well to coat, transfer to a platter, and serve.

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Chao Niangao (Stir-Fried Rice Cakes)

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:20:58 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Rice cakes may be a year-round staple across Asia, but they’re especially popular when Lunar New Year rolls around. In many cultures, rice cakes are symbolic of an auspicious new year, so all shapes and sizes show up on holiday feast tables. This chao niangao recipe, which translates as stir-fried rice cakes, is a Shanghai-style dish—though this version amps up the savoriness with the addition of doubanjiang, a Chinese fermented soybean paste.

This recipe first appeared in our Jan/Feb 2014 SAVEUR 100 print issue.

Order the SAVEUR Selects Nitri-Black Carbon Steel 14-Inch Wok here.

Yield: 2

Time: 15 minutes

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
One 2-in. piece ginger, finely chopped
3 oz. oval-shaped packaged rice cakes (not dried)
1 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots
½ head Napa cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
¼ cup light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. doubanjiang (fermented soybean paste)
1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
4 cups spinach
1 cup bean sprouts
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

Instructions

To a large wok set over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring continuously, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice cakes, bamboo, and cabbage and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the cabbage is wilted, 4–5 minutes. Stir in the light soy sauce, doubanjiang, dark soy sauce, and sugar, and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened, 2–3 minutes. Stir in the spinach, bean sprouts, and sesame oil and continue stir-frying until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to serving bowls and serve warm.

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Sicilian Blood Orange and Red Onion Salad

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:40:08 +0000

Maura McEvoy

“Dolcissimi!” is the cry vendors use to hawk sweet blood oranges at the daily winter market in Catania, a city on the eastern coast of Sicily. Pomologist David Karp, who wrote about the fruit in our January/February 1999 issue, says of this simple salad: “It’s perhaps the most classic dish made with Sicilian citrus, a favorite in both the trattorias and home kitchens of the region.” Make sure to use the ripest blood oranges you can find—they’re the star of this show.

Yield: 4

8 medium blood oranges (about 3 lb.)
2 small red onions, halved and thinly sliced against the grain (about 1 cup)
Flaky sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Using a sharp paring knife, remove and discard the skin and as much pith as possible from the oranges. Slice the fruit crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices, then arrange on a serving platter. Scatter with onion slices, then season with flaky sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and serve at room temperature.

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No-Cook Berry Jam

Wibi Ashley — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 16:54:10 +0000

Photography by Julia Gartland; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

This no-cook berry jam is one of Charleston, South Carolina chef and caterer, Wibi Ashley’s favorite things to make with seasonal spring and summer fruits. The ingredients are not cooked at all; instead of using pectin as a thickener, Ashley relies on the gelling properties of young green coconut jelly and chia seeds to lend fresh berries the requisite “jammy“ consistency. Enjoy this quick, uncooked condiment however you would any glucose- and fructose-loaded store-bought version.

Fresh green coconuts contain more sweet liquid than the mature brown ones and the jelly-like substance inside helps to thicken this jam. For the best yield, look for a coconut that is green in color and feels heavy for its size.

Featured in “Mandazi: Coconut and warm spices perfume these vegan, East African-style fritters.“

Yield: 6–8

Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

2 cup raspberries, strawberries or other seasonal fresh fruit
¼ cup coconut jelly, scraped from inside 1 young, green coconut
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
6 medium medjool dates, pitted, soaked in warm water to soften, and drained
½ tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

To a food processor or blender, add the berries, coconut jelly, chia seeds, dates, and vanilla extract. Pulse, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl or blender occasionally, until smooth.
Transfer the berry jam to an airtight container and refrigerate until thickened, at least 3 and up to 36 hours.

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Mandazi

Wibi Ashley — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 16:52:30 +0000

Photography by Julia Gartland; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

Charleston, South Carolina chef, caterer, and plant-based food expert Wibi Ashley served these lightly sweet, vegan fritters with a raw berry jam and coconut cream after a Charleston Wine + Food Festival workshop on plant-based cooking and working with botanical ingredients. Traditional mandazi are a popular East African street food. For her extra-fragrant vegan version, Ashley enriched the batter with coconut milk—though any plant-based or cow’s milk will make a suitable substitute. Fresh out of the fryer, the fritters make an excellent breakfast food, snack, or dessert. Enjoy any leftovers at room temperature alongside savory dishes like stews or curries.

Yield: 8–10

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

5 cup self-rising flour, plus more for dusting
¾ cup coconut sugar or date sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. ground cardamom
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. fine salt
2 cup warm coconut milk, plus more as needed
Vegetable oil, for frying
Jelly or jam and whipped coconut cream, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Into a large bowl, sift the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, coconut sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, then add the warm coconut milk and, using a fork or wooden spoon, begin stirring, drawing the dry ingredients into the liquid a little at a time until a shaggy dough begins to form. Put aside the fork and begin using your hands to knead the mixture directly in the bowl until the dough is firm and smooth, about 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and set aside until the dough is soft and pliable, 30–45 minutes.
Lightly flour a clean work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, then roll each portion between the palms of your hands to form a loose ball. Cover 3 of the balls and set aside.
Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll one dough ball out to an even circle, about 7½ inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick. Using a large chef’s knife or bench knife, cut the circle crosswise into 8 even wedges. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside while you repeat with the remaining dough balls.
Line a wide bowl or large platter with paper towels and set aside. To a large heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a deep-frying thermometer, pour the oil to a depth of 2 inches. Turn the heat to medium-high until the temperature reaches 350°F.
Working in batches, fry the mandazi, turning occasionally, until evenly golden brown, 3–5 minutes. Using tongs or a spider strainer, transfer to a kitchen or paper towel-lined bowl to drain and cool while you continue frying the rest. Serve the mandazi warm, with jam or jelly and whipped coconut cream, if desired.

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