The Sexy Vegan Cookbook (21 page)

In a small pot, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the veggies are softened. Then stir in the garlic and the tomato paste, and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the quinoa and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute. Stir in the vegetable stock. Cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is soft. Finally, stir in the
½
teaspoon of cilantro, the corn, and peas. Turn off the heat, and cover for 4 minutes.

Heat a grill, grill pan, or medium skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the sausages with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil, and place on the hot grill or skillet. Let brown for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and brown on the other side, 2 to 3 more minutes. Cut the sausages in half, on the diagonal. To serve, place a couple spoonfuls of quinoa on each plate, spreading it in a ¼-inch-thick layer. Top the quinoa with a big spoonful of the black lentils, and then fancily place 4 sausage halves on top of the lentils. Garnish with pico de gallo, guac, and cilantro.

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup diced yellow onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon paprika

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

4 Pretend Chipotle Sausages (see recipe,
page 29
)

Pepper

4 cups cooked brown rice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

In a pot, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the veggies are soft. Add the thyme, cayenne, oregano, onion powder, and paprika, and stir to coat the veggies. Cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a grill, grill pan, or medium skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the sausages with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil, and place on the hot grill or skillet. Let brown for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Cut the sausages on the diagonal into ¼-inch-thick slices.

When the sauce is done, season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, place rice in the bottom of each bowl, ladle some sauce over the rice, and top with the sausages. Garnish with the parsley.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced fennel

2 cups roughly chopped cremini mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt and pepper

¾ cup green lentils

½ cup vegan dark beer (see Tip, next page)

1½ cups vegetable stock, plus more if needed

2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce (see WTF,
page 12
)

¼ cup frozen peas

Mashed Taters (see recipe,
page 134
)

2 pinches paprika

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a large pot or pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, fennel, mushrooms, garlic, and a healthy pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the veggies are soft. Next, stir in the lentils, add the beer, and let simmer for about 3 minutes. Then add the vegetable stock and Worcestershire, bring to a simmer, and cover. Let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check it from time to time to make sure that the
liquid hasn’t evaporated. If, when you check it, the lentils are no longer covered by liquid, add a little more stock.

When the lentils are soft, you’re good to go. Turn off the heat, and with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, mash the lentil mixture a little bit. Not into complete mush, just until the liquid thickens. Finally, stir in the peas, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the stew to a large casserole dish, and evenly spread the mashed taters over the top. Cover with foil, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the taters are warmed through. Remove the foil, sprinkle the top with the paprika, and broil on high for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the potatoes are browned. Let stand 5 minutes, then serve.

Basic Pizza Dough

The Mario

The Luigi

Pretend Sausage and Peppers

The B.L.A.T.

Three-Cheeze Pesto

The Mush-a-boki

PIZZA IS AMAZING
! It has a crust. A crust that can be thick and chewy, or thin and crispy. It can be infused with herbs and spices and may be created from any combination of grains that your heart desires. It can be stretched to feed an army or cut down to feed one person. Its sauce can be sweet, savory, mild, or spicy, and it can range in color from white to barbecue. Its topping possibilities are as infinite as the amount of time the
USS Enterprise D
would have remained in that tachyon distortion time-loop thing had Data not chosen to obey Riker’s command over Picard’s. Pizza is my inspiration in my work, and in my life. If we could all have the flexibility, versatility, and balance that pizza has, I think there’s nothing we wouldn’t be able to do as a people. Pretty awesome stuff.

I have one piece of advice before we start with the pizzas: GET A PIZZA STONE! It is a flat firebrick stone that mimics the hot surface of a pizzeria oven. It’ll cost you about 40 bucks and last a lifetime. Using it is easy, but you do need to preheat it for 40 minutes or so at 450°F. All the pizzas in this chapter are baked at 450°F as well.

You should also get a pizza peel, which is that giant spatula they use to take the pizzas in and out of the ovens. I know I’m asking you to shell out some additional cash, but I wouldn’t do so unless I really thought it mattered. These tips will maximize your pizza-ing experience. You’re welcome.