Veganomicon_ The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook - Isa Chandra Moskowitz [102]
Add the diced tomatoes, water, eggplant, string beans, and shallots to pot. Stir well and raise the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer.
In a separate bowl, stir the peanut butter to incorporate any separated oils. Add a ladleful of hot soup. Stir the peanut butter with the soup until creamy; the peanut butter should be completely emulsified. Scrape the peanut butter mixture into the rest of the simmering soup, stirring to mix.
Simmer the soup over medium-low heat, covered, for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the eggplant is very tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lemon juice. Salt to taste after the soup has cooled for at least half an hour. Top with the suggested garnishes, if desired.
CREAMY TOMATO SOUP
SERVES 8
TIME: 45 MINUTES
This soup packs a double one-two punch of tomato. Just when you’re thinking it’s made from regular old tomato—BAM—a sun-dried tomato gets you in the jaw and you are out for the count. You wake up on Avenue C and 4th Street wearing one shoe that is not vegan and you have no idea what happened.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped coarsely
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon dried rosemary (crushed between your fingers)
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
1 pound waxy potatoes (2-4 average-size potatoes; weigh them to be sure), peeled and cut into 1- inch chunks
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not the kind packed in oil, just honest-to-goodness sun-dried tomatoes)
6 cups water or vegetable broth
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (the fire-roasted are especially worth it here)
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
➣The “creamy” comes from potatoes. Yukon golds work great here, but of course, you can use whatever you’ve got. Try to avoid a regular starchy Russet, since waxy potatoes give a creamier texture.
➣This is a great soup to go along with panini or vegan grilled cheese.
PREHEAT A large soup pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 1 more minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the potatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. Pour in the water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, lower the heat to medium, cover, and let simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the sun-dried tomatoes are soft.
Add the crushed tomatoes and heat through. If you have an immersion blender, you’re in luck! Puree the living hell out of it until it is very smooth. If you don’t have one, just transfer the whole shebang to a food processor or blender, in cooled batches, then transfer back to the pot. Add the lemon juice and adjust the salt if you need to.
Serve!
Variation: Tomato-Basil Soup: Add a half cup of shredded basil after pureeing.
SMOKY RED PEPPERS ’N’ BEANS GUMBO
SERVES 6 TO 8
TIME: 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES
Thick but not too thick, a stick-to-your-ribs veggie gumbo has a hint of smokiness from juicy, roasted red peppers. And a little help from the magic of liquid smoke (and it’s vegan, like a dream come true, so relax!). Traditionally, gumbos are served with a scoop of white rice in the middle, but this also pairs nicely with Skillet Corn Bread (page 223) or crusty French bread and a crisp green salad.
⅓ cup nonhydrogenated vegan margarine
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 medium-size onions, cut into small dice
2 green bell peppers, cut into small dice
1 stalk celery, sliced very thinly
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen okra, slightly thawed and sliced thinly
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice, preferably fire-roasted tomatoes
3 roasted red peppers, jarred or homemade (page 33), chopped into fine dice
1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup ale-style beer
3 tablespoons