Menu for the plant-based palate - vegan gourmet

Vegetarian Times, April, 2003 by Marie Oser

Hosting a luncheon is a terrific way to celebrate the coming spring. Invite your friends or family to a seasonal repast they'll clamor for every year.

Quiche is an elegant choice of entree for your menu. Served lukewarm, the traditional dish relies on a rich custard base made with such ingredients as cream, eggs and cheese baked into a pie shell. But this is considered far too heavy in fat and cholesterol for today's health-conscious cook.

Yet you can still make quiche the centerpiece of your gathering. Deep-Dish Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche with Artichokes and Capers is a luscious, rich-tasting entree that is impressively low in fat--and cholesterol free. The scrumptious filling is made with wholesome, plant-based alternatives that mimic the flavor and character of classic quiche without artery-clogging animal products. I prefer dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes that are reconstituted in boiling water instead of those packed in oil. And I find that adding the soaking liquid to my savory plant-based custard augments the intensity of the flavor. The supple pastry contains just a touch of olive oil and a little rice syrup, blended with rolled oats, whole wheat pastry flour and sea salt.

Accompanying the quiche is a dish with a lusty mix of diverse flavors and textures, including delicate shiitake and hearty cremini mushrooms, earthy asparagus, crisp carrots and shelled edamame in a fusion of flavors, heightened with a hint of Dijon, thyme and marjoram. Both are complemented by a colorful side dish, Saffron Whole Wheat Couscous with Apricots and Walnuts, whose crunchy walnuts and sweet, chewy apricots balance this tasty menu.

Deep-Dish Sun-Dried
Tomato Quiche

SERVES 8

When making the pastry, set aside the
remainder of the silken tofu to use in the
quiche filling. You may make the pastry a
day in advance, and store it covered in the
refrigerator. Remove the dough an hour
before proceeding with the recipe.

Pastry

2   cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/3 cup "lite" silken tofu
1   Tbs. olive oil
1   Tbs. brown rice syrup
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. ice water

1. Lightly spray 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie
plate with olive oil.

2. Place flour, oats and salt in food
processor, and pulse to mix. Add tofu, oil
and rice syrup, and blend. With motor
running, pour ice water through feed
tube, and process until mixture comes
together in ball. Turn onto lightly floured
work surface.

3. Sprinkle dough lightly with flour, and
roll out to 1/8 1/4- to 1/4 1/4-inch thickness. Press
into prepared pan and trim edges, leaving
a 1-inch overlap. Using thumb and
forefinger, press decorative edge along
side, around top edge. Set dough aside in
refrigerator.

Filling

1    3-oz. pkg. dry-packed sun-dried
     tomatoes
1    cup boiling water
1/2  cup enriched soymilk
2    Tbs. lemon juice
2    tsp. olive oil
1/4  tsp. crushed red peppers
4    cloves garlic, minced
1    large shallot, minced
1/2  cup sliced scallions
1 13 3/4-oz. can artichokes, cubed
2    Tbs. capers, rinsed
2    Tbs. chopped fresh basil leaves
1    12.3-oz. pkg."lite" silken tofu, plus
     remainder from pastry
3    Tbs. mild white miso
1/4  cup dry sherry or apple cider
1/3  cup mashed-potato flakes
1/3  cup nutritional yeast
1/4  tsp. ground turmeric
1    tsp. dried basil

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Combine tomatoes and water in small
bowl, and set aside. Combine soymilk and
lemon juice in nonreactive bowl, and
set aside.

3. Heat oil and crushed red peppers in 10-inch
skillet over medium-high heat, about
1 minute. Add garlic, shallots and scallions,
and saute 3 minutes. Reserving soaking liquid,
add tomatoes, artichokes, capers and
chopped basil to pan. Reduce heat to
medium-low, and cook mixture 5 minutes,
stirring occasionally.

4. Place tofu in food processor, and blend
until smooth. Place miso in small bowl, add
sherry and blend with fork until smooth.
Add miso mixture, soymilk mixture and reserved
soaking liquid to tofu, and process.
Add potato flakes, yeast and ground
turmeric, and process. Fold tofu mixture
into artichokes, and mix thoroughly. Spoon
mixture into pie shell, and sprinkle with
dried basil. Place on middle rack in oven.

5. Bake 35 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Remove from oven, and let stand 15 minutes.
Serve lukewarm.

PER SERVING: 215 CAL; 14G PROT; 3G TOTAL
FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 35G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
800MG SOD; 6G FIBER; 2G SUGARS

Spring Vegetable Medley

SERVES 8

If using frozen, shelled edamame, precook
1 1/4 cups according to package
directions. One ounce of dried shiitake
mushrooms equals four ounces of fresh
shiitake mushrooms.

1 1-oz. pkg. dried shiitake mushrooms
2     cups boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
3     cloves garlic, minced
1/2   cup sliced scallions
1     cup baby carrots, quartered
      lengthwise
1     6-oz. pkg. sliced cremini mushrooms
12    oz. fresh asparagus, trimmed and
      cut into 2-inch pieces
1     10-oz. pkg. precooked, shelled
      edamame
1     Tbs. onion soup mix
1/2   cup boiling water
2     Tbs. chopped fresh marjoram
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 1/2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1     tsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos

1. Combine dried mushrooms with boiling
water in small saucepan. Bring to a second
boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 10
minutes. Set aside.

2. In medium-sized saucepan, heat oil
over medium-high heat. Add garlic, scallions
and carrots, and cook 5 minutes,
stirring frequently.

3. Drain and slice shiitake mushrooms, discarding
soaking liquid. Reduce heat to
medium, and add shiitake and cremini mushrooms
and asparagus to pan. Cook 5 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Add edamame,
soup mix, water, marjoram and thyme. Mix
thoroughly, and stir in mustard and Bragg
Liquid Aminos. Reduce heat to low, and cook
6 minutes, of just until vegetables ate tender.

PER SERVING: 96 CAL; 5G PROT; 2G TOTAL FAT.
(0G SAT. FAT); 16G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 308MG
SOD; 4G FIBER; 6G SUGARS

Saffron Whole Wheat Couscous

SERVES 8 30 MINUTES OR LESS

Pungent saffron--the world's costliest
spice--is prized for its deep, golden color
and subtle flavor.

1/2 cup white wine or hot vegetable
    broth
1/2 tsp. saffron threads
2   cups vegetable broth, boiling
2   cups quick-cook, whole wheat
    couscous
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2   Tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Place wine and saffron in small bowl,
and set aside for 10 minutes.

2. in small saucepan, bring broth to a boil.
Stir in couscous, apricots, walnuts, parsley
and saffron mixture. Stir to mix well. Cover,
remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes.
Fluff with fork, and serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 309 CAL; 10G PROT; 4G TOTAL
FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 60G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
14MG SOD; 8G FIBER; 8G SUGARS