Great Chefs Cook Vegan - Linda Long [50]
Coloflor con Aceitunas y Fruitos Secos
1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
1 sprig fresh thyme
5 dates, cut into quarters
4 black olives
4 green olives
2 tablespoons Pedro Ximenez*
Pimenton
*A very distinct Spanish dessert wine, a sweet sherry.
Heat oil in a sauté pan. Sear the cauliflower and thyme, being sure to equally caramelize all sides. Add dates and olives, and sauté for about 1 minute. Deglaze with the Pedro Ximenez and burn off the alcohol.
How to plate: In a small serving bowl, place the cauliflower mixture and sprinkle with pimenton.
Skewer of Watermelon and Tomato
Serves 1
Pinchito de Sandia y Tomate
1 teaspoon pimenton
5 cherry tomatoes
5 (1-inch) cubes watermelon
2 tablespoons Lemon Dressing (recipe below)
Sea salt to taste
Edible micro flowers
Lemon Dressing
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Cut a small X on the bottom of each tomato and drop into the boiling water for 15 seconds. Remove from water and shock in ice water. When tomatoes are cooled, gently peel each tomato.
In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
How to plate: Gently push a tomato on each of five skewers, sliding through until 1 inch of the skewer is showing. Slide watermelon cubes onto skewer under each tomato. Place in a row on a plate, side by side. Drizzle with the Lemon Dressing and sea salt. Artfully place the flowers on top of the tomatoes near the skewers.
Avocado Cotton Candy
Makes about 15 to 20 pieces
A cotton candy machine for home use will be needed to make this recipe. Follow manufacturer’s directions, but generally the procedure should be the following. Do not attempt in a moist or humid environment.
1 avocado
1 cup Corn Nuts
Salt to taste (Malden salt is chef’s favorite)
Sugar, based on the machine instructions
1 lemon or lime
Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and carefully scoop out the avocado with a tablespoon; or if pliable enough, peel away the outer skin. Cut the avocado halves into roughly 1/2-inch cubes. Refrigerate while preparing Corn Nuts.
Using a coffee grinder, pulverize the Corn Nuts to an instant-coffee texture and spread thickly on a plate. Place one avocado cube on each skewer, or as many as desired. Lightly salt, being careful to realize that the Corn Nuts might already be salty. The salt is important to balance the sweet taste of the cotton candy. Adjust to taste. Roll each skewered avocado piece in the Corn Nut powder, or sprinkle on the cotton candy at the end with the lemon or lime zest.
Turn the machine on to warm for about 4 minutes or at the direction of the machine’s instructions. Usually pour 1 tablespoon of sugar into the reservoir of the spinning disc. The cotton candy will come out in a thin thread at first. Once it comes in a steady stream, catch the candy with a skewer of avocado in hand, wrapping the avocado with a twist of the wrist. Or, as at the carnival, use a make-shift paper cone to collect a large fluff of the candy and then wrap some around the avocado with tongs. Do not wrap too heavily as it will make it too sweet.
As each one is done, stick the other end of the skewer in a holder or a large vase of sugar for anchoring. Be careful the cotton candy does not touch each other as they can stick together.
Using a microplane or zester, top the cotton candy with a light dusting of lemon or lime zest, or additional Corn Nuts.
Note that the size can be smaller than the pieces in the photo and might be more manageable to start. Make only what will be consumed immediately.
Josef Huber
“Nature is still the best cuisine. Cook with seasons when it is in full bloom, as its yield from the earth need little help. Eat raw or eat well-prepared foods, and treat food with care and respect for its own amazing flavor offerings.”
Josef Huber is known for combining multiethnic cuisine and traditional cooking with a focus on accessible ingredients that are