Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook (27 page)

TIME:
30 MINUTES

With lots of bananas and walnuts, even the biggest morning-haters will roll out of bed for these. Sliced fresh strawberries and bananas on top make these bad boys really sing.

1¾ cups soy milk
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 average-size bananas
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup walnuts, chopped finely
Nonstick cooking spray

PREHEAT YOUR waffle iron. Pour the soy milk, water, and vinegar into a measuring cup and set aside to curdle.

Mash the bananas very well in a large mixing bowl. Add the soy milk mixture, oil, syrup, and vanilla, and stir.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Use a fork to combine. Don’t overmix, just mix until there are minimal lumps left. Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Spray the cooking surfaces of your waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer’s directions. Serve with sliced strawberries and bananas and plenty of maple syrup.

BLUEBERRY CORN PANCAKES

MAKES 8 TO 10 PANCAKES

The perfect summer pancake, with blueberries and a hint of lemon. Cormeal give the pancakes a little crunch and wonderful “mouthfeel” (we hate that word, but just had to use it here.)

¾ cup all purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil (any mild tasting veg oil will
do)
1¼ cup plain soy milk
⅓ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 cup fresh blueberries
Cooking spray or a little oil for greasing the pan

PREHEAT a large non-stick pan on medium high heat.

Sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine all other ingredients. Add wet to dry, mix until just combined, then fold in the blueberries. Do not over mix or pancakes will be tough, a couple of lumps is ok.

Spray pan with cooking spray. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup or an ice cream to pour out batter into pan. Cook pancakes until brown on bottom and bubbles form on top, about 4 minutes. Flip pancakes over with a thin spatula and cook until bottoms are brown and pancakes are barely firm to touch. Transfer to plates. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

CREPES: SAVORY AND SWEET, BUCKWHEAT OR WHEAT

MAKES 8 TO 10 CREPES

TIME:
35 MINUTES, PLUS CHILLING TIME FOR BATTER

These classic, delicate, thin pancakes can be yours with just a little bit of technique and determination. Though perfect for just eating as is, crepes are commonly served rolled with filling inside, since everything seems a little more special wrapped up in a golden pancake.

Fillings for entrée crepes often consist of lightly sautéed vegetables, such as asparagus, mushrooms, onions, or leeks. Try draping savory crepes with Mushroom Gravy (page 211), Mustard Sauce (page 204), or Cheezy Sauce (page 214), or top cooked vegetable fillings with a little Silken Aioli Dressing (page 93) before rolling.

Breakfast crepes are typically humbler affairs. Often a tablespoon of your favorite jam is the perfect filling. Try adding slices of banana, strawberries, raspberries, sautéed apples, even curls of shaved chocolate wrapped in a hot, right-off-the-skillet crepe. Drizzle with warmed maple syrup or your favorite chocolate syrup or fruit syrup. Try this simple yet delicious variation: just sprinkle hot crepes with a little fresh lemon juice and dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

Or, enjoy deviously delicious dessert crepes slathered with the homemade, hazelnut-chocolaty goodness of Not-Tella (page 262) and plenty of fresh fruit.

We’ve included two versions: the classic, all-purpose wheat crepe and a buckwheat crepe, a hearty specialty of Brittany, to impress your gourmet pals with. Either will take well to fillings and toppings both sweet and savory. Just remember that practice makes perfect when it comes to making crepes, so don’t be discouraged if your first few (or the whole batch) don’t look so pretty.

Crepe Pans

IF you find you really love making crepes (and once you get the hang of it, it’s no big deal to make a batch when the mood strikes), we highly recommend investing a good crepe pan. The very best varieties are French made, usually of black steel or thin cast iron. Like steel woks and cast-iron pots, these pans need to be seasoned (follow the manufacturer’s directions), but will repay your efforts with a lifetime of perfectly cooked crepes with the minimal use of cooking fat.
We’re not as fond of nonstick crepe pans, but if you must, go for a high-quality brand and baby it (never, ever use a metal spatula!). Avoid at all costs any weird, electric “crepe machines” that require dipping some kind of contraption into crepe batter.

Savory wheat crepes:

1½ cups soy or rice milk
¼ cup water
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup chickpea flour
1 tablespoon arrowroot flour
½ teaspoon salt

Buckwheat crepes:

1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons soy milk
¼ cup water
½ cup buckwheat flour
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup chickpea flour
1 tablespoon arrowroot flour
½ teaspoon salt

To prepare the crepes:

Nonstick cooking spray
Softened nonhydrogenated vegan margarine

COMBINE THE soy milk, water, flour(s), arrowroot, and salt in a food processor or blender. If making sweet crepes or any of the variations, then add sugar and flavorings, too. Blend for a few seconds, scraping the sides of the blender once, until everything is smooth. The batter will be very thin. Pour into an airtight container, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or as long as overnight. When ready to cook the crepes, briefly stir the batter if the ingredients have separated.

Over medium-high heat, heat a 9- to 10-inch crepe pan or a heavy skillet. The pan is ready when a few drops of water flicked into it sizzle. Spray with non-stick cooking spray, dab a silicone brush into softened margarine, and brush along the bottom and sides of pan.

➣
A few items that will make your crepe-making experience all the easier: a silicone basting brush (that can withstand contact with a hot pan), non-stick cooking spray, a crumpled paper towel for wiping the crepe pan or skillet, and a long, thin spatula (like the kind used to frost cakes).

➣
The buckwheat crepe batter is somewhat more viscous and difficult to work with than the wheat batter is. We recommend making the wheat crepes a few times and getting the hang of ’em before trying your hand at the buckwheat batter.

➣
Once cooked and stacked, a batch of well-wrapped crepes can keep in the fridge for a little over a week. Have some on hand for fun weekday breakfasts or simple, fun, quick dinners. To reheat cooked crepes, simply heat your crepe pan, brush with a little margarine or a spray of nonstick cooking spray, and cook the crepes for about 30 seconds each side. Flip just once.

Ladle ⅓ to ½ cup (use the bigger amount for a bigger pan) into the center of the pan. The batter should sizzle when it hits the pan. Holding the pan firmly by the handle, use your wrist to tilt the pan in a circular motion so that the batter spreads in a thin layer across the bottom. Continue to tilt the pan until the batter is fully spread and then sets.

Cook until the top of the crepe is dry, the center is bubbling, and the edges appear firm and lightly browned when gently lifted with the spatula, 1 to 1½ minutes. Gently run the spatula under the crepe to loosen it, then carefully flip and cook on the other side for 30 seconds. Slide the crepe onto a regular-size dinner plate.

Brush a little more margarine onto the crepe pan for the next crepe; if the crepes start to stick to the pan, give it another spray of nonstick cooking spray. If bits of batter collect on the pan, or the pan seems too oily, quickly swirl a crumpled paper towel across the surface of the pan to remove the crumbs. Cook the rest of crepes, stacking one on top of another (often it’s easiest just to slide the flipped crepe directly onto the stack). If not serving immediately, cover the entire batch with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Other books

Because This Is Forever by Hart, Lena

Bear Me Away (Alpha Werebear Paranormal Romance) (A Jamesburg Shifter Romance) by Lynn Red

The Night Before by Rice, Luanne

B00C74WTKQ EBOK by Tackitt, Lloyd

Shattering Halos by Dee, Sunniva

Fast Track by Cheryl Douglas

Hood Rich: The rise and fall of one of Brooklyn's Finest by Corie Allen

#SOBLESSED: the Annoying Actor Friend's Guide to Werking in Show Business by Annoying Actor Friend @Actor_Friend

Mistress by Amanda Quick

The Berlin Crossing by Brophy, Kevin