Veganomicon_ The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook - Isa Chandra Moskowitz [92]
Add a moderately thin layer of olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Place the cutlets in the pan and cook on each side for 6 to 7 minutes. Add more oil, if needed, when you flip the cutlets. They’re ready when lightly browned and firm to the touch.
Just in case you were wondering, you can also bake these too! Baking these patties gives them a toothsome chewy texture and firm bite. Preheat oven to 375ºF, lightly oil baking sheet. Brush both sides of each patty with olive oil, place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip patties and bake another 8-10 minutes till firm and golden-brown.
SOUPS
SOUP IS SO basic that all too often it’s totally ignored in cookbooks. Everyone’s always rushing willy-nilly to check out the chocolate cake situation or the latest developments in lasagne. Don’t be a follower like them; stop for a moment and really think about the abundance that soup is and how it can change your life.
Soup can be smooth or chunky, creamy or clear, hearty or refreshing. The variations are really endless! Looking to drop a few pounds while eating fabulously? Make soup. Almost all of these recipes are low fat (and can be made even lower fat or fat free; see page 21) and absolutely loaded with tummy-filling fiber and nutrient-loaded veggies. Bean-based soups have the added benefit of plenty of protein. Eating a large bowl of soup for dinner is an easy way to avoid eating too many calories in the evening, when they’re more likely to be stored as fat (as opposed to being burned off though activity).
More important, soup can be serious food, not just the stuff you sip before an entrée. Take a wander in midtown New York on any weekday around lunchtime—what you’ll most likely see are people standing in line for soup. And we’re talking about the suit-and-tie, pumps-and-purses, no-nonsense, office-working crowd. They don’t mess around when it comes to that precious lunch hour, and neither should you. Be a smart New Yorker (or Green Bayer, San Diegan, Portlander . . .) and write “making (really awesome) soup” into your weekly planner.
BLACK BEAN-VEGETABLE SOUP
SERVES 6 TO 8
TIME: 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES (NOT INCLUDING SOAKING BEANS)
Like that little black dress, a good black bean soup can really take you places and fit any occasion. To make sure that the beans’ deep, purple-black color stays true, we first completely cook the beans solo and then add the accompanying sautéed veggies afterward for a long, final simmer. Serve as is or topped with a swirl of Lime Crema (from the Baja Tacos recipe, page 96) or Sour Cilantro Cream (page 209), a twist of lime juice, or some diced avocado.
Beans: 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed, soaked for 6 to 8 hours or overnight
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
Pinch of baking soda
➣ We’ve added enough total liquid to create plenty of broth in this recipe; if you like your black bean soup more stewlike, add only two or three cups of veggie broth toward the end.
➣For a creamy-textured black bean soup, remove a one or two cups of cooled soup and puree in a blender. Stir back into the soup and simmer for another 15 minutes. If you have leftover soup a few days down the road, try pureeing the whole thing and simmering until very hot. Season with a little more vinegar.
Soup: 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium-size onions, diced finely
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced finely
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 stalk celery, diced finely
1 carrot, peeled and diced finely
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
3-4 cups vegetable stock
For garnishing each serving of soup: lime wedges, chopped avocado, minced fresh cilantro
PREPARE THE beans: Drain the soaked beans, rinse again, and place the beans in