The 30-Minute Vegan - Mark Reinfeld [86]
HOMEY VEGETABLE STEW WITH DUMPLINGS
This is some old-school stew. We like making dishes like this in 4-quart sauté pans because there is more surface area for direct cooking, which speeds up the process. Although vegetables in stew are generally big and chunky, the smaller you chop, the faster it cooks. If you are a slow chopper, though, you can still do big pieces and it will all work out in the end. The cooking of the dumplings may push this into the forty-minute realm, but your patience will surely be rewarded.
SERVES 4 TO 6
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1½ cups)
2 medium-size potatoes, chopped (about 3 cups)
3 carrots, chopped (about 1½ cups)
1½ cups chopped celery
3 cups water or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1½ teaspoons dried thyme
¼ teaspoon celery seeds
3 tablespoons soy sauce
¾ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons spelt flour
(whole or white or even wheat)
Dumplings
¾ cup spelt flour
1 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅓ cup plain soy milk or rice milk
1 tablespoon safflower oil or melted coconut oil
1. Using a large sauté pan or pot, sauté the olive oil, garlic, and onion for 2 minutes over medium heat. Chop the vegetables in the order they are listed and add them as you go to save time, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if necessary, to keep the potatoes from sticking to the pan.
2. When all of the vegetables are in, add 2½ cups of the water and cover. Add the bay leaf, thyme, celery seed, soy sauce, black pepper, and salt, and cover again. Whisk the remaining ½ cup of water with the spelt flour. Add to the pan, cover, and allow it to simmer over medium-low heat while preparing the dumpling batter.
3. In a medium-size bowl, mix the spelt flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the soy milk and safflower oil, and stir. This is a wet, lumpy mixture; do not overmix. Divide the batter into six dumplings.
4. Give the stew a stir and plop the dumplings on top of the stew. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how moist (or dry) you like your dumplings.
Variations
• Go beyond the obvious stew components by replacing one or more of the suggested ingredients with parsnips, celeriac, pumpkin, cremini mushrooms, or your favorite bean.
• Add some chlorophyll to your stew with your favorite green vegetable. Try curly kale, collard greens, or spinach.
• Add some spices or fresh minced herbs to your dumpling batter. Try rosemary-sage biscuits, garlic-parsley biscuits, or chile pepper-cayenne biscuits.
CHAPTER 12
Divine Desserts
Desserts are on the cutting edge of the vegan revolution that is sweeping through the culinary world. These treats have shattered more stereotypes about vegan cuisine than has any other type of food. We get the I can’t believe its vegan” comment more from desserts than from anything else on the menu. Vegan cakes, brownies, puddings, cookies, pies, and parfaits in every permutation imaginable are just as rich, decadent, and satisfying as their dairy- and egg-laden counterparts.
It’s a bit tricky to fit all of these culinary delights into a thirty-minute time frame if you count baking time. If you don’t count baking or chilling time, pretty much all of the dessert world opens up. For this book, we selected a variety of recipes to share, virtually all of which can be completed from beginning to end within a half hour.
Prepare to discover the sweet mystery of life as you explore the exciting world of vegan indulgence. All of the desserts in The 30-Minute Vegan are certified guilt-free and free of refined sugar. We think you will be particularly delighted with our raw offerings, many of which can be a meal unto themselves. The fruit-sweetened Live Pie and the Live Parfait make for