Tag: vegetarian

Chicken Fried Cauliflower Steaks With Chimichurri

Chicken Fried Cauliflower SteakChicken Fried Cauliflower Steaks With Chimichurri

Fried Cauliflower is my go-to side dish at any pizza shop. That being said, I am always disappointed when it is made using a breading instead of a batter.  To take this humble side dish to the next level I used cauliflower steaks to produce a vegetarian riff on chicken fried steak. A cauliflower steak is a 1/2″ vertical cross section taken from the middle of the cauliflower to produce a large flat piece with lots of nooks and crannies. Those nooks and crannies create lots of surface area for the flour dredge and batter to grab on to and become delicious crispy bits. This recipe works well with florets (smaller flower shaped pieces) as well.  If are looking for a side dish, then definitely use florets instead.

ChimichurriChimichurri

Originally, I thought about smothering this dish in a mushroom gravy, which would be traditional for a chicken fried steak. I decided instead to go with Chimichurri to brighten up the dish and give it a pop of color. Chimichurri is a great sauce from Argentina usually served on grilled meat. It pairs the earthy flavors of fresh herbs with the sharp flavors of chili, garlic, onions, and vinegar and is great for taming rich and heavy dishes. I used cilantro in my chimichurri, which is the leaf from the the plant that coriander comes from. Many people have a predisposition to disliking cilantro. If you are in that population, parsley is a great substitute, and if chimichurri is not your thing, then definitely try it with mushroom gravy.

 

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Chicken Fried Cauliflower Steak
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Chicken Fried Cauliflower Steak
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

This a great take on fried cauliflower and a riff on chicken fried steak.  The second dip into the flour gives this dish on an extra layer of crunch and the seltzer helps keep the batter light. This recipe works just as well for smaller pieces of cauliflower as it does with large steaks.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cauliflower
Servings: 4 people
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 Head Cauliflower The larger the better
  • 4 Cups All-Purpose Flour Divided in half
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 2.5 Cups Seltzer
  • 1 tbsp Dried Cayenne Pepper Optional for a little kick
  • 1 tbsp Paprika Smoked if you have it
  • Salt and Pepper To Taste
  • Chimichurri Sauce
  • Vegetable Oil for Frying
Instructions

  1. Add 1/2 inch of vegetable oil to a heavy frying pan or cast iron skillet and place over medium heat. Make sure the heat is not too high otherwise the outside of the cauliflower will burn and the middle will will be tough.

  2. In a bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir to combine.

  3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with 2 cups of the seltzer. The add the other two cups of flour and the dried cayenne pepper and stir to create a batter.  It should be thin. If it seems thick, add the other 1/2 cup of the seltzer.

  4. Vertically slice four 1/2" pieces from the middle of the cauliflower. Dust each piece in the flour mixture and then shake off the excess, then dip the cauliflower in the batter and let any excess drip away for a few seconds, and finally dip back in the flour one more time.

  5. Carefully add the cauliflower steaks to the pan, being careful not to splash the hot oil.  Make sure not to crowd the pan, so work in batches. If your pieces are large, do one at time.  Fry on each side until golden brown and delicious.

  6. Plate, drizzle on chimichurri, and serve immediately.

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Chimichurri
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Chimichurri Sauce
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

Chimichurri is a great sauce from Argentina usually served on grilled meat. It consists of earthy flavors of herbs combined with sharp flavors of chili, garlic, onions, and vinegar and is great for taming rich and heavy dishes.

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Argentine, Latin, South American
Keyword: Chimichurri
Servings: 2 Cups
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Cilantro or Parsley Chopped finely
  • 4 cloves Garlic Chopped finely
  • 1 medium Red Onion Chopped finely
  • 1 medium Fresh Red Chili Chopped finely
  • 3/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Kosher Salt To taste
Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and stir to combine. 

Thai One On: Drunken Noodles

Thai NoodlesDrunken Noodles

I know there is a propensity to add a boozy element to a dish and call it “drunken”, but drunken noodles, which to my knowledge is the original “drunken” dish, contains no alcohol. Rumor has it the dish received the drunken moniker due to the need to wash it down with a cold beer to tame the heat in it. A second theory is because it is a great for soaking up booze after a night of heavy drinking.

Many recipes for drunken noodles call for cherry tomatoes, which I loathe. Instead I added red bell peppers for some color and texture. Snow peas and bok choy were also added for some earthiness. Chicken is used in my version, but you could easily substitute tofu, seitan, or tempeh for a vegetarian version. If you leave out the eggs also, it can be vegan.

Oyster Sauce

Drunken noodles include oyster sauce for some sweet caramel notes and fish sauce for some funky flavor. Oyster sauce is made by reducing oyster juice with sugar and soy sauce to produce a thick sweet syrup. All real oyster sauces are inherently not kosher, as kosher prohibits eating any seafaring creatures that do not not have fins and scales. Of course if you don’t keep kosher then then don’t worry about it, and use off the shelf oyster sauce.

There are are some kosher mock oyster sauces out there, but they can be hard to find. I ended up making my own. I did use dried oyster mushrooms in my version to give the sauce a boost of umami, and to allow be to preserve the “oyster” alias.  The recipe for my mock oyster sauce is below, but you could always substitute hoisin sauce if need be.

Fish Sauce

Fish sauce is made simply by packing small fish such as anchovies in salt, letting them ferment, and then squeezing the liquid from the fish.  While kosher fish sauce is available, there is a prohibition in the world of kosher from mixing fish with terrestrial meats (such as beef, lamb, or goat) or poultry (such as chicken, duck, or turkey).  As I used chicken in my recipe, real fish sauce was out. So I made a mock fish sauce without any actual fish. You can make a kosher pescaterian version of this dish using tofu instead of chicken and definitely use fish sauce .  Again, if kosher is not something you worry about, then mix all the chicken and fish you want.

I used several fermented and salty products to mimic fish sauce’s funky flavor.  The recipe for my faux fish sauce is below. You can substitute (fish free if you want to keep it kosher) Worcestershire sauce for the fish sauce in a pinch.

Sriracha

I did attempt to make my own sriracha sauce, but just could not get a good balance between flavor and heat.  I will probably get back to it sometime in the future, but for now I used sriracha straight out of the bottle.

Recipes

Drunken Noodles

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Thai Noodles
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Thai Drunken Noodles
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Despite the name this recipe does not have any alcohol in it.  As best I can tell, it is called drunken noodles either because all of  the spice in the recipe encourages you to drink to tame the heat, or possibly because it is a great dish to soak up the booze after a long night of drinking.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Thai
Keyword: Drunken Noodles
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Sauce
  • 1/2 cup "Fish" Sauce (Recipe Below) On subsitute (fish free) Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup "Oyster" Sauce (Recipe Below) Or substitute hoisin
  • 1/4 cup Sriracha
Noodles
  • Vegetable Oil Enough to cover the bottom of the pan
  • 4 Thai Chilies Sliced thin and stems discarded
  • 4 Cloves Garlic Finely minced
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Ginger Finely minced
  • 2 Cups Chicken Breast or Tofu Cut in to 1/4" thick slices
  • 2 Large Eggs Do not beat the eggs
  • 1 Medium Red Onion Peeled, ends removed, and sliced in 1/8 inch slices from root to top
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper Sliced into thin strips
  • 1 Cup Snow Peas or Snap Pea Pods
  • 1 Cup Baby Bok Choy Sliced thin
  • 5 oz Medium Width Rice Noodles Cooked according to the packages directions
  • 4 Leaves Thai Basil Cut in to thin strips (AKA chiffonade)
  • 2 Scallions Sliced thin
Special Equipement
  • 1 Wok or High-Sided Saute Pan
Instructions

  1. Prepare sauce by combining the oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sriracha in a sauce pan over low heat.  Stir until thoroughly combined.

  2. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of your wok or high sided saute pan and place over high heat.  Add the garlic, ginger, and Thai chilies and cook stirring constantly until the garlic starts to brown.

  3. Add the eggs to the pan whole and as as lightly stir to break the yolks.  As they eggs begin to set add the chicken or tofu.  Continue to stir vigorously until the chicken or tofu begins to brown.

  4. Add in the onion, red bell pepper, pea pods, and baby bok choy, and continue to stir vigorously until the onions start to become translucent.

  5. Add cooked noodles making sure they contact the pan and begin to brown.

  6. Add the sauce and stir until it is all all absorbed.

  7. Remove from the pan and garnish with the scallions and Thai basil

“Fish” Sauce

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Pho
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Vegan "Fish" Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Fish sauce is a sauce used to add a little funk to a dish.  Fish sauce is usually made by fermenting small fish such as anchovies in salt and then pressing out the liquid from it. While kosher fish sauce is available, I chose to make my own vegan fish sauce as many people who eat strictly kosher do not mix fish with meat or fowl. To create the requisite funk I used a quartet of fermented products, some of which can be hard to find. For that reason, even though I usually shy away from recommending specific brands, I make an exception here. I ended up buying much of what I needed at Whole Foods, but most they can of course be found on Amazon.com.

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Fish Sauce
Servings: 1 Cup
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir until all the solids are dissolved. 

Recipe Notes

This recipe contains affiliate links. We at MYV earn a small commission if you purchase an item through one of those links, which allows us to continue bringing you great tasting food.

“Oyster” Sauce

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Spicy Thai Chicken Tacos
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"Oyster" Sauce
Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
3 mins
Total Time
4 mins
 

Oyster sauce is a thick sweet brown sauce that will add some caramel notes to any dish. It is usually made by reducing the liquid from oysters, I use oyster mushrooms to preserve the moniker and give the dish an umami boost.

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Oyster Sauce
Servings: 1 Cup
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients except the corn starch and water to a small sauce pot over low heat,stirring constantly. 

  2. Mix the corn starch and water in a separate bowl to form a slurry.  Once the sauce begins to bubble stir in the corn starch slurry and cook until the sauce is thickened and remove from heat.

Recipe Notes

This recipe contains affiliate links. We at MYV earn a small commission if you purchase an item through one of those links, which allows us to continue bringing you great tasting food.

 

 

 

First Night of Rosh Hashanah 5779 Menu Retrospective and Zucchini Leek Soup Recipe

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year was last week.  The the first night I usually go all out and make a huge meal and invite a ton of guests.  There are many traditional food that are often eaten at this meal, each with a symbolic meaning to ensure a good new year.  Often these foods are eaten on their own but I prefer to incorporate them into composed dishes. Some of these foods include:

  • Apples dipped in honey for a sweet year
  • Pomegranates so our merits increase, as the seeds of the pomegranate
  • Carrots, beans, or fenugreek so that we should increase our merits
  • Beets that our adversaries should be removed
  • Fish that we should be fruitful and multiply
  • Fish or Lamb Head so we should get ahead in life (or literally that we should be as a head and not a tail)
  • Dates that our enemies be consumed
  • Leeks or cabbage that our enemies be decimated
  • Gourds so that our merits be proclaimed to G-d

Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah Zucchini SoupMenu

Usually on Rosh Hashanah I make a centerpiece dish like beef short rib or rack of lamb, but I went little easy on myself this year as I have been so busy this summer and just went with a french roast.  Below is my menu, with a few less dishes than usual:

Fish Course: Pomegranate Glazed Salmon with Roasted Beet Slaw (and Fish Head)

Soup Course: Zucchini Leek Soup (Recipe Below)

Meat: Sous Vide and Smoked French Roast With Apple and Fig BBQ Sauce

Chicken: Apple Wood Smoked Chicken

Sides: Roasted Butternut Squash, Date Salad with Honey Lime Dressing, (brought by Rachel)

Beef Bacon Wrapped Dates

Apple and Date Challah Dressing (Or is it stuffing or kugel, IDK)

Honey Roasted Carrots and Sweet Potatoes (AKA Tzimmes)

Sticky Green Beans

Dessert:  Caramel Apple Bundt Cake (made by my wife using a recipe from the cookbook Something Sweet by very talented  Miriam Pascal of the blog Overtime Cook).

To be honest with you, no one touched the chicken and the dates were a bit of a hard sell. People seemed to like the salmon and the roast.  The soup and green beans were also a hit.  The salad, carrots and sweet potatoes, and dressing (stuffing/kugel) seem to have a fairly standard response.  And everyone always likes dessert.

What are some of your favorite Rosh Hashanah dishes? Is there a dish that you make every year or a special recipe that has been passed down for generation in your family? Let us know in the comments below.

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Rosh Hashanah Zucchini Soup
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Zucchini Leek Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

A hearty soup that couldn't be easier.  Can be made with chicken stock, or vegetable broth if you want to keep it vegan.

Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: Kosher
Keyword: Soup
Servings: 10
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 8 Large Zucchinis
  • 64 oz Chicken Stock or Vegetable Broth Homemade would be ideal but 2 cartons of stock or broth will work
  • 3 Large Leeks Tough green parts removed, white and light green parts sliced and cleaned
  • 4 Medium Potatoes Peeled and chopped
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • 1/4 lb Thinly Sliced Beef Fry or Bacon Optional
Special Equipment
  • Immersion (AKA Stick) Blender
Instructions

  1. Peel and slice 6 of the zucchini and all 4 of the potatoes. Slice the the peeled zucchinis, potatoes and 2 of the leeks in to 1/4" rounds. Reserve the other zucchinis and leek for later.  Make sure to clean the leeks thoroughly as they can be sandy. 

  2. Pour the chicken stock or vegetable broth in a large stock pot and add the sliced 4 potatoes, 6 zucchinis and 2 leeks.  Put over high heat and cook until the potatoes starting to break apart.

  3. Using the immersion blender, process until smooth.

  4. Slice the additional 2 zucchinis and the leeks in to 1/4" rounds and add to the soup.  Cook until the zucchini just start to soften. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  5. (Optional) Fry the beef fry or bacon in a pan or the oven until crispy.  Chop into small pieces and use to garnish the soup

 

Passover Sweet Potato Knishes

Passover Sweet Potato KnishesWe are making our own Passover Seder for the first time this year, so I was looking for a side that would be traditional but have a bit of a wow factor at the same time.  What is more traditional than a Knish?  The problem is most knishes use a wheat flour dough which is chametz which we do not eat on Passover.  I started out by trying to make a potato starch dough and failed miserably, so I decided to go the “breading” route.  The problem is most breadings (bread crumbs, panko, cereal etc.) are also chametz.  To make my life even harder I wanted to keep this recipe gluten free (non-gebrochts) and nut free.  This ruled out using matzo meal or ground nuts, both commonly used as a Passover friendly breading.

I used an idea I learned from my father and went with potato flakes (AKA instant mashed potatoes). I used them straight out of the box, although in the future I would probably give them a quick whirl in the food processor to give them a finer texture and to hopefully help them adhere a little better.

For something a little healthier don’t forget to check out Rachel’s latest Passover recipe: Cauliflower Hummus and Tomato Herb Flaxseed Focaccia for Pesach!

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Passover Sweet Potato Knishes
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Passover Sweet Potato Knishes
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
 

A great snack or side for your Passover Seder. This recipe is gluten free (GF), nut free, and vegetarian. You can easily double or triple this recipe or substitute the sweet potatoes for standard russet potatoes.  If you don't need your knishes to be gluten free or kosher for Passover you can substitute all-purpose flour for the potato starch. 

Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Gluten Free, Jewish, Kosher, Passover, Pesach, vegetarian
Servings: 6 Knishes
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 Large Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 Cup Potato Starch Divided in half. If you don't need your knishes to be gluten free or kosher for Passover you can substitute all-purpose flour for the potato starch.
  • 2 Large Eggs Beaten separately
  • 2 Cups Instant Potato Flakes Lightly blitz in your food processor with the "S" blade if you prefer a finer texture
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • Oil For Frying
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.  Poke the sweet potatoes all over with a fork.  Bake until soft.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

  2. Once cooled, remove the skin from the sweet potatoes and mash in a large mixing bowl.  Combine with half the 1/2 the potato starch (1/2 a cup), one of the beaten eggs, and the salt and pepper.  Use a fork to combine thoroughly.

  3. Take about a a golf ball sized amount of the sweet potato mixture and shape it in to a disc. Dust the disc in remaining potato starch, then dip in the other beaten egg, and finally coat in the potato flakes. Repeat until you use all of the sweet potato mixture.

  4. Put about a 1/2" of oil in a frying fan and put on the stove over medium heat. Fry on each side until golden brown.