Veganomicon_ The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook - Isa Chandra Moskowitz [51]
Basic guacamole: 1 ripe avocado
Juice of 1 lime
1 small onion, minced (about ¼ cup)
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked pepper
Optional—add one or more of the following: 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
Pinch of ground cumin
1 jalapeño chile, fresh or roasted, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
RUN A knife lengthwide all along the middle of the avocado. Firmly grasp each half and twist to separate the halves. Remove the pit by gently but firmly hacking the knife into the pit, gently twisting the knife, and pulling it away from the avocado. Separate the peel from the avocado halves and place the flesh in a medium-size bowl. Drizzle with lime juice, and sprinkle with minced onion, salt, and pepper. Mash it all up with a fork to the desired consistency. Add the other stuff if you really think you need it. Serve immediately!
BRUNCH
WHY DO WE love brunch so much? Maybe because the word is a most delicious-sounding portmanteau. Possibly because it’s usually reserved for long, leisurely weekends so it has a holiday feel to it. Or perhaps because it’s the only time it’s socially acceptable to drink before noon (Bloody Marys and Mimosas, anyone?). Make it at home and you get to sip Bloody Marys and hang out with rollers in your hair.
We like our brunch fare hearty and savory. Our eggless Benedict (page 74) takes a vacation to the Greek islands with creamy dill-infused sauce, roasted red peppers, and plenty of kalamata olives. Try something different in the morning with a pretty baked strata (page 72), layered casserole of bread, herbed mushrooms, and fresh spinach held together with melt-in-your-mouth dairy-free custard. Or, for something quick and easy, a tasty, down-home hash of blue potatoes and tempeh (page 73) will have you ready for a day on the organic farm (or just sitting on the sofa watching interesting documentaries about people working on an organic farm).
And what would brunch be without something you can pour plenty of real maple syrup all over? Two fluffy waffle recipes await you. Take your pick from banana nut (page 75) or devilishly rich chocolate “brownie” waffles studded with chocolate chips (page 74).
Did we mention crepes? Crepes are awesome. They really should be made for dinner, breakfast, second breakfast, and any meal of the day. But we realize you might want to eat something else at some point, so we’ve tucked these (page 77) into Brunch.
Eating a filling meal for brunch frees up your day from planning dinner so you can do fun stuff instead, like thrift store shopping, playing with the cats, or going back to bed. Just put off the dishes until Monday morning.
DINER HOME FRIES
SERVES 4 TO 6
TIME: 50 MINUTES
This is how we do it in Brooklyn: boiled and lightly fried potatoes with green peppers and onions. It’s pretty bare bones but no breakfast would be complete without them. We prefer not to spice these up because we’re usually serving them with other flavorful foods and we don’t want them to overpower the others. But for some Irish flair, drizzle a little malt vinegar over these spuds.
➣For nicely browned and evenly cooked home fries, use your biggest pan to avoid overcrowding.
➣To makes things faster: If you know in advance you are preparing these for breakfast, boil the potatoes the night before, drain them, and chill them in a sealed container overnight. Bring them to room temperature before cooking.
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (4-6 potatoes), cut in
half lengthwise, sliced ⅓ inch thick or so
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded, cut into ½-inch-wide,
inch-long pieces
medium-size onion, cut into ½-inch-wide, inch-long
pieces
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon