# Vegetarian Ideas



## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

I am almost done with all my fall menus,

I am thinking of offering 2 vegetarian options for both lunch and dinner service,plus to have them available on all private functions.

Over the past five years I have seen the amount of vegetatian request more than triple.
I want my vegetarian guest to have the same dining expereaince as everyone else.

So..Ideas??
apps
entrees
Hdos

all are welcome and appreciated.
cc


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## suzanne (May 26, 2001)

How about the recipes people have given in answer to the Cranberry Bean question? They look pretty yummy to me!


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

I'm not sure if you want to go ethnic or not or how complex you want the recipes to be so I'll just throw you some ideas with the help of a a book or to of course.  

Eggplant napoleon from Think Like A Chef. This is a spectacular dish. Eggplant puree sandwich between 2 or 3 or more if you'd like slices of bread crumb coated fries egg plant slices. You could do it with different many vegetables even using puff pastry as they do for the classic napoleon

Flan or mousse au zucchini or custard or creme. Another fantastic looking recipe. Use a creme caramel mould to bake the custard. Served, if desire, with a smoked salmon creme. To go completely vegetarian but in keeping with the colour scheme why not use a red pepper creme. Asparagus flan is so good. I had it somewhere not too long ago and it was so good. For a different presentation shaped the mousse into quenelles. 

Don’t forget soup. A hearty soup either a creme or more of a minestrone style. Vegetarian onion soup. I’m having trouble with this one it never taste as good as when it’s made with beef broth. Not far from soups are aspic, might want to wait for spring for cold menu.

Quiche, tart or pies when well done can be so heavenly and you can use so many different veggies. Among my favourite are leeks, onions and potatoes. Talking about tart you could do pizza for lunch at least. Might not be elegant enough for your dinner menu.

There is always pasta. Pasta with a lemon cream sauce. Trust me it taste better than it sounds. Risotto with all kind of different veggies is always nice when it’s cold outside. Ravioli are great. Mushrooms ravioli in a herb sauce. Cannelloni could also be stuffed with a blend of nice vegetables and cheese. Don’t forget squash. A blend of different one might work as a stuffing. You could even use veggies as pasta. If cut on the mandoline they do look like angel hair pasta add a tomato concasse and you’re all set.

Crepes can be stuffed with a million of different things. So can profiteroles or gougeres. How about a gougere stuffed with a celery puree or celeriac.

Ratatouille is one of my favourite autumn dish. I make big batches of it and freeze it for the winter. Brandade made with potatoes and celeriac and spices. It might not be enough for a meal on it’s own though

Vegetarian stuffed cabbage is really good. Add some chestnuts for flavour and even the meat eater will like it. You can make a big stuffed cabbage or do delicate aumoniere. That is my favourite, always look so elegant. Italian stuffed zucchini or onions are great on a cold day.

Endives stuffed with mushrooms and gruyere. A play on the classic endives au jambon.

Terrine done with different vegetable mousses. You can work with contrast. Or try your hand at a mushroom terrine. Shroom could help you on that one.

I recently saw, must have been on the French food show a potato pancake with truffle and served with a type of beurre blanc sauce. Too expensive? Corn pancake is another alternative but call them beignets it will look nicer on your menu.

Eggs! I almost forgot them Omelets and souffes. With cheese or with vegetables they are always great. 


Lentilles du Puy are the top of the lentille family. How about some French style dahl. I’m sure it can be done.

Don’t forget gratin. You can do them with so many different vegetables. 

That’s all that I can think of for now. Hope it will help you.


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## nancya (Apr 30, 2001)

Wow, Iza has some great sounding ideas! I ate vegetarian for several years and have a Mexican casserole that even my dad felt satisfied with. I could see it being a side dish also.

Contains corn, black beans, tomatoes with chiles, picante sauce, cheddar cheese, rice, and sour cream; baked and then topped with chopped green onions, sliced ripe olives, and shredded pepper jack.


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Isabelle,
As I "Digest"your ideas..
I want to thank you for posting such a thoughtful and detailed post.
I love all your ideas...I need to step it up a bit though.

taking the classic and pushing it to the modern.
Lets say we remove eggs from the senario
cc


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

That sounds good Nancy. Could you please post the recipe?


Thanks!


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

I don't know if you were planning a cheese course...this is a very elegant one!

_Whipped Brie de Meaux en Feuilleté with Tellicherry Pepper and Baby Mâche_

The following quantities are for a test drive.

12 ounces ripe Brie de Meaux, chilled
Extra Virgin olive oil
12 ultra thin slices baguette

Balsamic Glaze or Port Wine Glaze (recipe follows) in a squeeze bottle
Freshly ground Tellicherry pepper

1 cup baby mâche
Fleur de sel

Remove the rind from the Brie; you will have about 8ounces of trimmed Brie. Put the cold cheese in a mixer with the paddle attachment and beat at medium speed, scraping down the sides from time to time, for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is very white and creamy.

Make the croûtons. Place a film of oil in a large skillet and rub each side of bread on both sides in the oil. Place over medium heat and cook on each side until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Squeeze the balsamic or port glaze in a very light X or other design on one side of each plate. Form a quenelle of the Brie (about 1 tablespoon) and place it in the center of one plate. Sprinkle with pepper and angle a crouton on top. Angle another quenelle of Brie over the crouton, sprinkle with pepper, and top with a second crouton. Repeat with the remaining Brie and croutons.

Toss the mâche with a small amount of olive oil. Place a small pile of mâche at the side of each serving of cheese and sprinkle the greens with fleur de sel.

(6 servings)
--------------
Balsamic Glaze or Port Wine Glaze

2 cups balsamic vinegar or port wine

Reduce it slowly, almost as if you were letting it evaporate. If you boil it too hard, the acid will remain and make the glaze too sharp. Reducing it slowly an gently results in a much softer tasting glaze. It's easiest to control the heat with the aid of a heat diffuser.

Method: Heat the vinegar or port in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until steam rises from the liquid. Place the saucepan on a heat diffuser and let the liquid reduce very slowly (it shouldn't simmer) for 2 to 3 hours, until it has reduced and thickened to a syrupy glaze. There should be approximately ½ cup balsamic glaze or 1/4 cup of port glaze. Keep the glaze in a squeeze bottle at room temperature for garnishing plates; if the glaze is too thick, warm the bottle in hot water to loosen the glaze.

Just be sure to use a very good, ripe, creamy Brie in this dish.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

You are most welcome CC, glad it helps you. 

There is one thing about your post CC. Maybe it’s because it is late and my brain is not digesting English at this late time. Maybe tomorrow it will make sense to me but in case my brain isn't bilingual tomorrow morning I need some enlightenment. I don't understand the following comment:

As in no egg dishes or no dishes that contain egg ?


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## nick.shu (Jul 18, 2000)

i like to look at vegetarian/vegan cuisine as something that has the tendency to be neglected, and when done well, has the potential to generate a reputation for any chef.

for instance, a good example would be the lebanese dish "Shawarma" - the only non vegan thing in this dish would be the veal. So replace it with mushroom, cook as usual and maybe present on top of fried lebanese bread pieces, shredded romaine lettuce and drizzled with tahini sauce.

Another example, maybe a vegetable tartare with some alterations to the original concept

Could be perhaps a tagine of vegetables, embellished with either tofu or TVP, cous cous cooked out with vege/shroom stock.

Mushroom moussaka, soy milk bechamel, soy cheese (if possible, i dont know enough about soy cheeses)

Pumpkin and assorted veges thai style

My main angle at vegetarian/vegan foods is to take the well known,(and not so well known) and alter them to suit the eating habits of the diner. Some work OK and some dont. I link this up with some other ideas i get (i.e; people are always putting this sauce on burgers, so why not put them into the mix, etc) and away i go. Its all about altering your surrounds to suit you, and ultimately others around you.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Cauliflower Panna Cotta
Yukon gold potato blini with roasted sweet peppers and eggplant caviar
Vine-ripe tomato tartare and basil oil
Heirloom tomato tart w/niçoise olive tapenade, mixed field greens and basil vinaigrette
Salad of black missoin figs w/roasted sweet peppers and shaved fennel
Fava bean agnolotti w/curry emulsion
Carnaroli risotto w/shaved white truffle
Potato gnocci w/pesto sauce


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

I realised I haven't mention beans and salad among other things... 

Now I wonder why is it that I can have many ideas of what to make for dinner on a late Saturday evening but not on Monday at dinner time??


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## nancya (Apr 30, 2001)

Here you are, Iza. This is not a really sophisticated dish, but we like it. I think it might be even better with fresh ingredients instead of canned.

*Mexican Vegetarian Casserole*

15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
15 oz can black beans, drained
10 oz can whole tomatoes with green chiles
8 oz container sour cream
8 oz jar picante sauce
8 oz shredded chedddar cheese
2 cups cooked rick
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients, spoon lightly into greased 13x9 baking dish.

Sprinkle on:

1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 1/2 oz can sliced black olives
8 oz shredded pepper jack

Bake at 350F for 50 minutes. As a main dish, serves 6.

Thanks to my cat, who has been helping me type this. Any typos I haven't caught can be attributed to her!


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## pastachef (Nov 19, 1999)

Nice vegan lunch that I could use at the sorority, Nancya. How did you manage to type with your cat on the keyboard and make no mistakes. Mine stays right on the mouse, and I have to push it around, wearing Priscilla for a glove


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## nancya (Apr 30, 2001)

LOL Pastachef! To see a picture of Anastasia helping me at the computer, click here:

Stasia helping out


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

King Louie's did an incredible high end vegetarian meal for Aug. Farmer-Chef dinner...check out restaurant reviews for the menu. If you go to Saucecafe and look in the archives of 2000 Farmer-Chef dinners Harvest did a total vegen meal down to the beet sweetened chocolate cake...(pretty darn good).

Cardwells meal last year Oct of 2000 had a great vegetarian meal.

Winter....porcini ragout with roots over pappardelle
Smoked tempe with a Calvados glaze, butternut squash, sweet potato with still thinking on the herbs thyme and sage....
Butternut squash puree soup with saute of shrooms on top (water for liquid!!! It works)

Charred peeled peppers stuffed with caponata and a drizzle of balsamic (with or without french sheep feta) dab of tapanade 

mushrooms stuffed with wind shroom duxelle serve hot ( one of my standards)

One of the main things vegens look for in an entree is a decent protein source. 

I'm thinking work on a roulade of tofu and fill it with great things...sauce it with a veggie cream (puree of corn or peppers or squash) Pretty presentation....

Artichokes with israeli couscous and minced veg.....sauce????
Stuffed eggplants with fragrant rice and roasted veg... needs more thought.
Deep fried eggplant with sweet hot dip
Veggie Tempura with interesting dips...maybe stuff the veg before frying. 
Hmmmmm not seen this done too much wonder why.
Okra with a spicy bean filling (Indian)

Do the fun napolean with fillo and puree of chestnuts, parsnips, carrots.....herbs for color and more flavor

Acouple of my friends went to the *** Parisian vegetarian restaurant a couple monthes ago, I never did get good descriptions....I'll go ask in detail, see if anything sounds worth recreating.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

CC,

I found Charlie Trotter's upscale vegetarian menu quite inspiring. Here's a sample:

Terrine of Tiny Corn & Oven-Dried Heirloom Tomatoes with Arugula & Basil Sorbet

Grilled Speckled Corn Soup with Crispy Semolina Gnocchi Galette, Spicy Radishes & Kalamata Olive Puree

Ragout of Onions, Garlic Confit, Porcini Mushrooms & Cumin Infused Sweet Corn Emulsion

"Lasagna" of Kolrabi, Chanterelle Mushrooms and Huitlacoche with Red Wine Braised Heirloom Corn Sauce

Chilled White Corn Soup with Cilantro-Yogurt Sorbet

Corn & Brazil Nut Sponge Cake with Sweet Corn Pudding & Brown Butter Sauce

Also, anything with pumpkins and squashes would make nice fillings for agnolotti or ravioli.

And Plums Five Ways : Sorbet, Chip, Sauce, Salad & Gelée

I find all this way too  !

[ September 10, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Shroom,
Outstanding,I love those menus..Very creative
And kimmie,thank you also for sharing those ideas with me.I do have trotters vegetable book and find it useful.
Thank you all for taking the time to share your creativity with me.
Keep em coming
And much thanks
cc


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

You're welcome, cc.

Also check some of the menues at The French Laundry -- Lots of vegetarian combos there too!


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

A few more days of this and CC will have the best vegetarian menu.  

By the way CC have you thought of checking out the moosewood cookbooks?


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## compassrose (Jun 1, 2001)

Hi, cape chef -

I'm not a chef - but I have been vegetarian, and eaten in restaurants, for, lessee, thirteen years now.

Some of my thoughts on the subject... things I have thought time and time again when gazing at a menu looking for vegetarian options:
Oh Gods, not pasta again.
Oh Gods and Devils, not bloody vegetarian lasagna a-bloody-gain.
Stir-fry. Yawn.
Cheese. Cheese. Cheese and more cheese. I wonder if this would look like anything at all without the cheese?
Is there anything healthy, or reasonably low-fat, on this menu apart from the salad?
Is there anything that isn't entirely carbs and cheese? I could really use a nice protein source.

The Moosewood Cookbooks are okay, but the older ones are very granola veg - lots of cheese, lots of heedless high-fat stuff.

For more contemporary ideas, I highly recommend The Millennium Cookbook, from the chefs at San Francisco's restaurant of the same name. This is vegan, healthy cooking which could stand proudly by the side of any dish I've ever eaten in any fancy bistro. Delicious and original.

I'd also suggest Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven, which is, again, a bit lighter and more creative.

It's also dead easy, as other people have pointed out, to adapt meat recipes to vegetarian, using beans, or portobello mushrooms, or meat analogues such as seitan or tofu or TVP.... I do it all the time.

Honestly, pasta is nice, but it's what every omni in the world reaches for first when asked to feed "one of us." It's also what WE reach for first when looking for dinner in a hurry. Every veg*n I've ever known is **** sick of ordering pasta every time we eat out.

As for cheese and eggs and milk, they are high in fat, hence offputting to many who are vegetarian for health reasons, and, obviously, they're off-limits to those who eat no animal products at all - and there's just no knowing, some eat milk but no eggs, some eat eggs but have dairy sensitivities... I usually ask for cheese either left off or on the side, myself, as does my husband, because restaurant portions of cheese are usually so ridiculous.

And let me say how absolutely WONDERFUL it is to hear someone say, "I want my vegetarian guests to have the same dining experience as everyone else." Yay, cape chef!


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## shimmer (Jan 26, 2001)

Whatever you do, make the vegetarian dishes just as interesting as whatever else you have on the menu. Interesting enough that MEAT EATERS want to order them.

I've been borrowing more vegetarian cookbooks from the library lately, and made a wonderful 'Indian Lentil Soup' that was a huge success with my husband. 

If you have enough flavor (through spices or cooking methods) and a good consistency (for instance, the lentils made this soup very dense and filling), vegetarian dishes don't have to feel like they're missing anything.

Well, in case anyone wants to try this recipe, I'll give it to you how I make it. (More or less....  

Indian Lentil Soup (adapted from Versatile Vegetarian, a publication of Weight Watchers, I think)

Cook a chopped onion in olive oil until transparent. Add minced garlic, cumin, coriander, and grated ginger. Cook a little more.

Add diced peeled tomotoes (I used canned!), about 30 oz, some water (more or less depending on desired consistency- I usually add about 2 cups), and 2 cups lentils. Heat until boiling, lower heat and simmer 45-60 minutes or until lentils are soft. Take out 2/3 of soup and puree until smooth. Reheat with lentil mixture. Garnish with lemon juice and cilantro.

Very good for the stormy night we had the other day.

~~Shimmer~~


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## risa (May 11, 2001)

What a timely topic! I'm a bit off meat (except fish) at the moment and I've been looking around for more vegetarian ideas. I never ate much meat before and I ate lots of Asian-style tofu dishes as well as egg dishes. The last couple of days, I've been eating a baby zucchini and zucchini blossoms frittata with some very yummy and fresh baby greens salad. I got the baby zucchini with blossoms and the greens from a regular vendor at Shroomgirl's Clayton Farmers Market. 

Shroom: if this vendor is typical of your other vendors, all I can really say is WOW! They don't bring very much up to Springfield on Wednesdays but what they do bring is absolutely wonderful. I'm still hoping that I'll get a free Saturday so I can drive down to Clayton before the Market is closed for the season.

CompassRose: thanks for the lead on the Millenium Cookbook. I was considering the Moosewood books but I haven't been that impressed with them when I've borrowed from the library.


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Thank you all for your wonderful ideas and leads.Compassrose,I totally understand your frustration with the lack of caring or creativity in many kitchens with regards to vegetarian preferences.I think as a whole the Culinary field should enbrass the oppurtunity to supply and present excellent veggie/lugume Etc based dishes.
Some that I have trialed and liked are
Organic wild rice with baby spinach,brussel sprouts and cipolline onions in a carmilized fennel-onion broth.

delicata squash soup with crispy autumn mushrooms.

Russion fingerlings,bok choy,kolrabi,parsnip,turnip braised in a yellow beet stock.

Cranberry beans and miataki mushrooms rolled in rainbow chard with a roast garlic-sage broth.

whole roasted portibellas filled with sweet dumpling squash purre,toasted pumpkin seeds,goat cheese and crispy leeks served with a pomagrante-balsamic syrup.

crispy polenta cake with a white corn raugut,shaved late summer truffle,salad burnet and truffle oil.

braised trevisano and endive with cannalloni beans,plum tomatoes,shallots and finished with a gratin of maytag blue.

Sunchokes with barley,water chestnut roasted hen of the woods with a broth made from the roasted mushrooms.

I'm still waiting for salsify.
Thanks again for all your help.
cc


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## daveb (May 1, 2001)

You might also look into Chinese and Japanese Buddhist cooking. 

One of my favorite restaurants in NYC's Chinatown serves a "Buddha Roll" which is a roulade made of fried bean-curd skin stuffed with a variety of sauteed mushrooms in a rich brown sauce.

It's so good that even I, the original carnivore, order it whenever I go to that restaurant. The bean-curd skin provides a crisp, high-protein, wrapper that could be filled and sauced with almost anything.


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## plum (Mar 17, 2001)

A wonderful dish from Mary Cadogan is a puy lentil & mushroom stew with red wine: (from memory  Start with onions/carrots/celery, add garlic, dried and fresh mushrooms,herbs, red wine & stock and simmer for 50 mins or so. It's one of the few dishes I'm inspired to make regularly, and it's as delicious cold as hot.

(no cheese, tomatoes, or pasta!)

Plum.

[ September 28, 2001: Message edited by: Plum ]


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

CC, your best source concerning salsify is the late Jane Grigson's _Vegetable Book_ New York: Atheneum, 1979--alas, out of print--since it is a wonerfully valuable and authentic compendium. She gives recipes for salsify soups, salads, pies and fritters, as well as for plain whole cooked salsify (or scorzonera). You will probably find the book through www.abe.com or such similar sites. I would also try e-Bay.

Meanwhile, do I have a recipe for you. How about Potato Salsify Pie.

Ingredients for two 9-inch pies

For two 9-inch by 2-inch walnut crusts
1 cup walnuts
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 stick (8 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 "large" egg whisked with 2 tablespoons iced water
2 to 3 tablespoons iced water in a separate measure
1 egg white
Pinch salt

For the salsify filling:
1 cup olive oil
12 large cloves of garlic, smashed
1 quart chicken stock, more if needed to cover ingredients
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup white wine vineegar
1/4 cup Kosher salt
1/2 bunch thyme (10 sprigs)
2 teaspoons rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
2 pounds peeled salsify

For the potato filling:
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup lamb stock
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1-1/2 pounds "boiling" potatoes, unpeeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick.

For serving:
1/2 cup toasted ground walnuts reserved from the first step
2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme

Special equipment suggested:
A food processor with metal blade
Two 9 x 2-inch false bottomed tart molds

The pie dough: Pulse the walnuts in the food processor with a tablespoon of flour until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Spread on a small roasting pan and toast in a 350 degree F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, to brown lightly. Remove 1/2 cup and reserve for final decorations. When completely cool, scrape the remaining 1/2 cup into the bowl of the food processor. Add the rest of the flour, salt, sugar, and chilled butter. Pulse the butter into the flour, but only until the mixture looks like very coarse meal. Turn on the machine and at once process in the egg-water mixture, adding more driblets of the separate iced water until the dough masses; be careful here not to overmix, the dough should not ball up on the blade. Turn the dough onto a lightly foured board, and hand-knead briefly, cut in two, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours. (May be left in the refrigerator for 2 days, or freeze).

Forming the crust: Roll dough into 14-inch circles and buttered molds. Refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Baking the crust: Line the crusts with lightweight aluminum foil and fill with dried beans. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes or until set. Remove the foil and beans. Whisk the egg white with a pinch of salt until foamy and paint the shells with a light coating, then return to the oven for 5 minutes.

The Salsify filling: Bring all the salsify filling ingredients except for the salsify itself to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes then add the salfity and simmer until it begins to soften. Remove the pan from heat and allow the salsify to cool in the liquid. (Reserve leftover liquid for soups and another day). (Note: The cooked salsify may be stored up to 3 days.)

The Potato filling: Bring the cream , lamb stock, salt, pepper, and arlic to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the potatoes and simmer several minutes until just tender--taste slices to be sure. (Filling may be cooked several hours ahead; set aside, uncovered.)

Assembling and serving the pie: Use a perforated spoon to transfer the potatoes from the cream to the walnut crusts. Spread the cooked salsify neatly over the potatoes, trimming it to fit if necessary. Pour enough of the potato-boiling cream over the vegetables to coat them nicely. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes until bubblinghot. Toss the remaining walnuts and thyme togeteher and strew them over the top.

Cut pies warm, and serve.

I just hope that's what you were looking for!

[ September 28, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Dear Kimmie,
Thanks for the lead and the recipe.

I have many ways of preparing salsify,I was refering to in my post that it is pretty much unavailible until late October
cc


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

There you are Pasta. Hope you’ll understand my translation. If you have any questions just let me know.

Pâtes fraîches au citron


220g sifted flour
1 egg + 1 white
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pinches of salt
a bit of water


To prepare the pasta:

In a bowl mix all the ingredients. Work the dough and let it rest in the fridge for an hour or so. If you have a pasta machine use it if not, on a marble, roll out the dough as thin as possible and cut fine strips of dough. Set aside.

To cook the pasta:

In a big pan full of boiling salted water add the noodles and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside and keep warm.


Zest of 4 organic lemons
10 cl dry white wine
20 cl crème fraîche
50g Gruyère, finely grated

For the sauce:

Just before serving, in a pan add the zest and the white wine. Cook until reduce by half. Add the noodle to the pan and the crème fraîche. If the noodles absorb all the crème fraîche add a little bit more to keep the noodle moist. Add salt and pepper if needed, a bit of lemon juice and the Gruyère. As soon as the mixture thickens a bit serve.

From: Georges Blanc’s La nature dans l’assiette


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## pastachef (Nov 19, 1999)

Lemon/cream sauce for pasta? That sounds incredible! Iza, could I have that recipe...please...please...please ?


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## pastachef (Nov 19, 1999)

What a beautiful recipe, Iza. Thank you so much!!! I can't wait to try it.


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## pastachef (Nov 19, 1999)

I just saw your post about your kitty and her photo, Nancya. She's gorgeous!!! Prissy is as furry as she is, and she's all gray with a bushy tail.


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## linda smith (Mar 30, 2001)

Its lunch time and I have just finished reading this post. Just want to let you know that you are all amazing!! Now if I could just get one of you to cook me lunch....
Cheers 
Linda


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## fodigger (Jul 2, 2001)

Cape Chef, one of my more popular veggie recipes is a veggie strudel-

I carmelize red onions, shallots and green onions and finish them w/ a splash of balsamic vinegar. Saute mushrooms,artichoke hearts, asparagus, carrots, red bells and zucchini together w/ alittle fresh thyme and garlic salt and pepper. I assemble w/ fillo, onion relish, veggie mixture and Irish Cheddar(sorry the name is escaping me for the moment) roll and bake. I serve it w/ a spicy tomato sauce.I sell alot of it and people always ask when is it coming back as I rotate it out.
You have alot of good ideas being shared here and I look forward to tring some of them myself.


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## athenaeus (Jul 24, 2001)

Isa, do you remember this nice recipe you have posted some time ago? 
Well, late last night, I had nothing to do and when I have nothing to do I usually cook pasta ( seriously)
So I decided to use this recipe!

It's a great recipe :bounce: Thanks!


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## haowanr (Dec 20, 2004)

Having lived in China for 10 years and organising chinese culinary classes here, it might be a good investment to fly to Beijing and be inspired by the many buddhist but also several other vegetarian restaurants here.
Historically speaking the Chinese (like the Japanese) have been vegetarians for buddhist but also for other (economical) reasons for many centuries.

With the variety and creativity available I am always surprised that not many Chinese inspired vegetarian restaurants have sprung up in the us and elsewhere.

The selection of food is amazing and the ingredients easy to get in the west.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Wow! this post reminds me how wonderfully stimulating you guys are......I loved bouncing ideas around this site. What a super resource these archives are......
Thanks for pulling it up.
Aura pro is a vegan protein made with various meat flavors, the owner of the company demoed it at the market this past season and it was a HIT! Several STL restaurants are using it as a vegan option, I know some university cafeterias are promoting the fool out of it. Bet Sauce magazine has some contact info on the company if anyone is interested......

On another note, I picked up FRESH chickpeas still in their biazrre pods, NOONE has ever seen a recipe for fresh.....I assume Morrocan, North African, Spainish cooking may include them....went through Roden's cookbooks, Coman Andrews Catalian Cookbook.....nata......What springs to mind is a ministroni or a sweet potato, peanut butter spicy stew with chickpeas....I have not searched Indian cookbooks but that may be a good option.....Hummos does not make sense.....but a mash with mint may.....thoughts?


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## harpua (May 4, 2005)

I became more of a chef when I turned vegan. I couldn't rely on restaurants, so I made my own stuff. This is when I realized that I truly loved to cook. Bless you all for thinking og the vegan community (although it is small). We love good food too and not every vegan knows how to cook, trust me. 

Also, why not try diving into some vegan mexican ideas. I have been on a mexican kick lately, exploring dried chiles and all of the wonderful flavors and spices available. Oh man. 

A note about soy cheese; if it's the packaged kind, please stay away from it. The flavor just isn't that great. It kind of tastes like plastic or something. If you are looking for a "cheese substitute," make your own seed and nut puree seasoned with lemon juice and nutritional yeast (a must for cheese subs). Just pipe it out onto whatever you wish. 

I love all of you guys!!


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## redace1960 (Apr 1, 2005)

WHERE WERE YOU GUYS WHEN I WAS A VEGETARIAN??????
two words:
'soya bacon.'


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## harpua (May 4, 2005)

A note about bacon substitutes: In my experience, the only worthy packaged bacon sub is Lightlife's Fakin' Bacon strips. It is made out of tempeh and you can put it in anything you would normally put bacon in for flavor (well almost). It's expensive, but I'm in love with it. It makes a great sandwich with heirlooms from the garden!


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## haowanr (Dec 20, 2004)

if you have time and think it interesting for your future business you should come to china. The offer here is especially the buddhist cuisine is limetless. Especially nunneries have a long hostory of cooking meals in their temples for paying guests. Ingredients are in general easy to obtain in places with larger Chinese communities.
we already train chefs here that need inspiration for their restaurants in Europe. If you are interested please let me know.
kind regards
Roderick


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## tsani jones (Apr 19, 2006)

Thomas Keller is God. 'Nuff said.:chef:


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Just recieved a copy of Melissa's Produce Cookbook by Cathy Thomas using very interesting produce. 

Notes from the past are so valuable. Thanks for pulling up this from the archives.


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