The 30-Minute Vegan - Mark Reinfeld [66]
1 teaspoon chile powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1. Preheat the oven or a toaster oven to 425°F. Cut off the tops of the jalapeños. Use a paring knife to remove the seeds and ribs.
2. Place the tahini, soy sauce, and water in a medium-size bowl and mix well. Place the bread crumbs in a separate bowl.
3. Prepare the filling by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mixing well.
4. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Using your hands or a small spoon, scoop the filling into each pepper. Also using a spoon or your hands, spread the tahini mixture onto the peppers and place them on the baking sheet. Liberally pour the bread crumbs over the peppers. Place in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until slightly crispy.
If You Have More Time
If you can’t find vegan bread crumbs or want to try another version, try the pretzel crumbs described in the If You Have More Time note for the Batter-Baked Tempura (page 185).
Replace the vegan mozzarella with cashew cheese (see page 291).
Add 1 tablespoon of minced fresh cilantro to the filling.
Add 2 tablespoons of diced Fakin’ Bacon or Tempeh Bacon (page 57) to the filling—highly recommended.
POLENTA TRIANGLES
Polenta is a course cornmeal used in Italian cuisine. When cooked, it has a creamy, almost buttery flavor. It’s a fun ingredient to work with, especially after it cools, when it can be cut into many creative forms. Admittedly this dish will come very close to the thirty-minute time frame, and will likely go slightly over, unless you are happy to serve the polenta straight out of the oven, without waiting for it to cool. We recommend cooking it in a large pot because it has a tendency to bubble up out of small pots when cooking. You may also wish to wear an oven mitt while stirring, to avoid getting burned. Delish on its own, but if you have more time, top with Pesto (page 246), Tapenade (page 286), cashew cheese (see page 291), or Tomato Sauce (page 101). You can also top the polenta with your favorite grilled or roasted vegetables (see page 20).
SERVES 4
2½ cups water or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
3 tablespoons thinly sliced leeks or green onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
¼ cup grated vegan mozzarella (optional)
¾ cup polenta
4 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot or warm water until soft
2 tablespoons soy, rice, or coconut milk (optional)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place water and salt in a large pot and bring to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, lightly oil an 8-inch square baking pan or casserole dish. Begin prepping the leeks, basil, garlic, and mozzarella if using. When the water boils, reduce the heat to low and whisk while slowly adding the polenta. Whisk more or less continuously for about 8 minutes. You can take quick breaks to finish up the prepping.
2. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and add them to the polenta with the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into the baking pan or casserole dish and bake for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven. The polenta will begin to solidify as it cools. To fit this recipe into a thirty-minute time frame, place the dish in the freezer for 8 minutes, or until it is firm enough to cut but still warm enough to serve. Cut into four squares and slice each square diagonally, to form eight triangles.
Variations
• Try adding 2 tablespoons of minced kalamata olives and/or chopped artichoke hearts.
• Replace the basil with your favorite minced fresh herbs, such as Italian parsley, rosemary, and oregano.
If You Have More Time
Once the polenta is done cooking, you can place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer until completely firm. Now is the time to break out all of the unused cookie cutters for a creative display. Cut into triangles or desired shapes and grill or sauté before serving. You can also place it on a baking tray