DDD #148 – Vegan Penne with Cauliflower Ragu

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2020

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Vegan Penne with Cauliflower Ragu

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium cauliflower (about 2 lbs.)
• 3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4-in. dice
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• Salt to taste
• 1 1/2 to 2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
• 3 tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 lb. penne
• 3/4 cup freshly vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast or a combination, plus extra for serving
• Parsley as garnish

DIRECTIONS

Halve cauliflower. Remove leaves and cut out core and reserve. Cut cauliflower into small bite-size florets, reserving stalks. Chop core, leaves, and stalks.

Combine oil, onion, garlic, and cauliflower core, leaves, and stalks in large pot, season with sea salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until leaves are just beginning to wilt, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until leaves are just tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Add cauliflower florets, red pepper flakes, and 1 cup water and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to gentle simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is almost falling apart, 22 to 25 minutes. Add butter, stirring gently until it melts; season well with sea salt. Remove from heat.

Bring 6 quarts water to boil in large pot and add 3 tbs. kosher salt. Drop in pasta and cook until just al dente.

Drain pasta, reserving about 1/3 cup pasta water. Add pasta and 1/3 cup reserved water to ragu. Toss over medium heat until pasta is well coated (add more pasta water to thin sauce). Stir in cheese.

DDD #147 – Vegan Hot & Dry Wuhan Noodles

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2020

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This is not a very traditional version of this dish but – given grocery stores during the Coronavirus pandemic – I just sorta winged it with what I had available.

Wuhan was the early epicenter of this virus so I Googled it & found that their traditional dish is Wuhan Hot & Dry Noodles.  They looked & sounded great so here is my humble version.  Expect a more traditional version in the near future.

Click the image below to watch the video.

Vegan Hot & Dry Wuhan Noodles

serves 2

INGREDIENTS

9 oz dry noodles

4 TBS tahini sauce

2 – 4 garlic cloves – minced

2 TBS good quality balsamic vinegar (optional)

2 TBS sesame oil

2 TBS dark (black) soy sauce (or regular)

2 TBS light (thin) soy sauce (or regular)

1 TBS sambal oelek (or hot chili oil to taste)

Pinch Chinese 5 spice

1 tsp sugar

1-2 TBS peanut butter

GARNISH – black and/or white sesame seeds, chopped scallions

DIRECTIONS

Cook the noodles.

Whisk the sauce ingredients together.

Drain the noodles & toss with the sauce – using a quantity to suit your taste.

Garnish – devour!

DDD #146 – Vegan Tamales & Neil Hamburger

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2019

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OK – this episode features the awesome Neil Hamburger, local comedian, song man, magician & lounge act.  Neil happens to be vegan & so I invited him to make tamales on my channel.  Tamales have always intimidated me & I have never attempted making them myself.  Don’t let the length of this episode frighten you.  It is not long because it was hard to make tamales but because Neil is a fascinating conversationalist.

Click the image below to watch us make tamales from scratch, discuss vermin-infested chili factories, Greek cheese & serial killer yard sale finds, Tiffany Amber Thiessen – and more!

Vegan Tamales

This will make about 8-12 tamales – depending on how large you make them.  Depending on how fat they are – you might have extra stuffing ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

1 large package of corn husks (get more than you need because lots of them will be too small or torn) – soaked in warm water for an hour

4 cups masa flour

1 cup corn grits

6 cups vegan stock

1 package of soyrizo or other vegan chorizo – minced (optional)

Vegan grated cheese

1 cup (2 sticks) vegan butter

1 4oz can of diced green chilies

for mushrooms

1/2 lib sliced mushrooms

olive oil

4 garlic cloves – chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

pinch chili powder

S&P

for the black beans

1 15oz can black beans

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp garlic powder

pinch of chili powder

GARNISH OPTIONS – rice, beans, salsa, cheese, guacamole, lime wedges, sliced avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro

DIRECTIONS

for the mushrooms

Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan.  Add the mushrooms, cumin & chili powder & saute until soft.  Mix in the garlic & saute another minute or so.  S&P to taste.  Set aside to cool.

for the beans

Drain the beans.  In a stock pan, heat them & stir in the bay leaf, garlic powder & chili powder.  Set aside to cool.

for the tamales

In a large bowl, mash 2/3 of the butter & then smoosh in a cup of masa flour.  Add 1 cup of stock & combine.  Add the remaining 3 cups of masa & 3 cups of stock – one cup of each at a time – alternating.  ! cup masa – one cup stock.  Combine.  Repeat.  When all four cups of masa & stock are blended with the butter, add the rest of the butter & the cup of grits and the can of green chilies.  Combine – only using as much stock as you need to keep it in a cookie dough consistency.  It should not be soupy.

To assemble the tamales – find a large & untorn husk and put it on the counter – small side on the bottom – wide at the top. (The video will show this far better than I can explain in words.)  Then, put a small handful of masa in it. Pat it flat & add a small amount of whatever fillings you like in any combination you prefer.  Again – watch the video to see Neil expertly assemble a few of these.  Then – fold the bottom up – folding the masa from the bottom over some filling.  Fold the sides in pressing the masa over the filling from the sides.  Basically, create a veggie-stuffed masa Twinkie, then fold the bottom of the husk up, fold one side in & then the other.  If they are overstuffed & squirting out the top, simply double wrap them but put the open end on the bottom so the bottom fold encloses the opening.  Video shows this clearly.  Then 0 you can move on & make the rest or use a strip of husk (or kitchen twine) to tie them shut.  Repeat until all the masa is gone.

Neil steamed his tamales in his electric steamer for 65 minutes.  I steamed mine in an Instant Pot for 45 minutes.  I steamed mine upright.  I used a little terra cotta pot to keep mine upright. Neil steamed his flat.

Now – you can let them cool & freeze them for the future or eat them immediately – garnished as you like.  See?  Not hard at all!

 

 

DDD #145 – Crown & Paw Pet Portrait Unboxing

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2019

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Click the image below to watch the unboxing.

DDD #144 – Much Love Animal Rescue & BH90210 Cast

 

Most Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2019

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CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 17: Christine Elise attends the Much Love Animal Rescue 3rd Annual Spoken Woof Benefit at Microsoft Lounge on October 17, 2019 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

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DDD #143 – Cirque Du Macabre Vegan Chili for a Chili Cook-Off – for the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2019

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So – this weekend, I entered a Chili Cook-off!  There were only two vegan entries of the 14 adults competing & it was meat chilis that won the chili titles but I won for best presentation.  Check it out!

Click the image below to watch this on my Youtube channel.

It was a lot of fun & it raised money for the Downtown Women’s Shelter.   Kids competed, too!

Homemade Chili Powder

2 TBS smoked paprika

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix & store in a jar.

Cirque Du Macabre Vegan Chili 

Serves a fuckton!

INGREDIENTS

1 TBS olive oil

2 each – Anaheim, Pasilla & Jalapeno peppers (I used 3 large jalapeno peppers)

2 small sweet potatoes – peeled & cubed

3 ears of unshucked corn or 2 (15 oz) cans of corn kernels

2 celery stalks – chopped

1 large onion (I used 1/2 white & 1/2 sweet onions) – diced

2 red bell peppers

1 TBS chili powder (recipe for homemade is above)

28oz can crushed or diced tomatoes (I used San Marzano)

2 TBS hoisin or BBQ sauce

2 TBS chipotle in adobo – minced

2 TBS vegan bouillon (I used vegan beef bouillon)

1 (4oz) can hot diced jalapenos (optional)

1 (4oz) can mild diced chilis

5 (15oz) cans of beans (I used a mixture of chili beans, light red kidney beans & black beans)

3 lbs vegan ground beef

8-10 large vegan sausages (Beyond Meat are the best)

2 (12oz) tubes vegan chorizo (soyrizo)

4 cups of water

GARNISHES: chopped cilantro, shredded vegan cheese, diced onion, chopped scallions, crushed corn chips, rice, corn bread, hot sauce

DIRECTIONS

I charred all the peppers (Anaheim, Pasilla, red bell & jalapeno) on a grill until the skins were black.  I did the same with the corn.  I put the peppers in a closed container to cool & then peeled & seeded them under cold water.  I shucked the corn.  You need not roast the peppers & corn but it adds a lovely smokiness.  Cool & chop.  Cut the grilled corn from the cobs.

I cooked the sausages on an outdoor grill.  Cook yours as you please.  Cool & chop.

Heat the olive oil in an Instant Pot or on the stove.  Saute the onions & celery until soft.  Add the chili powder & saute a minute.  Add the ground beef & brown it.

If using a slow cooker, transfer the meat from the stove to it.

Now – add everything else or as much as fits in your slow cooker of Instant pot (minding the maximum capacity line).  If it all cannot fit – leave out a few cans of beans.

Slow cooker – cook on high for 4 hours.  Add remaining beans – if they fit – & heat through.

Instant Pot – pressure cook for 45 minutes.  Add any beans you have left & stir to heat them through.

Serve!

 

DDD #141 – Vegan Spicy Thai Basil Noodles with Sesame & Garlic

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2019

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Click the image above to watch the video.

This is yet another easy one.  It comes together in ten minutes & it is really flavorful.

I used jarred ginger & this chili oil below is available at Asian markets but also at most large supermarkets in the Asian food aisle.   Fresh ginger is available in most stores, too, if you can’t find this very convenient jarred stuff.  The real key here is the Thai basil as it packs a real flavor punch & tastes distinctly different from regular basil – but regular basil will do if it is all you have access to.

Spicy Thai Basil Noodles with Sesame and Garlic

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 pound noodles (even spaghetti works)

2 TBS sesame oil

4 TBS ginger

8 garlic cloves – minced

4 TBS soy sauce or tamari

4 TBS balsamic vinegar

2 TBS agave nectar (or sugar)

1 TBS chili oil (or another TBS of sesame oil & 2 tsp crushed red pepper)

1 cup Thai basil – chopped

2 scallions – sliced

A handful of crushed nuts ( I used almonds – peanuts are more traditional) – optional

Vegetables are optional but I added 1 carrot cut into matchsticks & a dozen or so sugar snap peas.  Other options: broccoli, red bell pepper, zucchini, edamame, bok choy, or any veggies you fancy.

DIRECTIONS

Heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat & saute the ginger & garlic for one minute. BEWARE OF SPLATTERING OIL!   If you are using sesame oil & crushed red pepper rather than chili oil – add them to the pan, too.  Stir & whisk in the soy sauce, balsamic, agave, and chili oil.

If using regular pasta – add the vegetables you are using in the final 1-3 minutes of the noodle cooking time – depending on the density of the veggies.  Drain & toss with the sesame oil mixture.

You can let these sit for an hour & really soak up the flavors & serve at room temperature – or eat them warm.  When you are ready to eat – toss in the basil & scallions & stir well.  Add nuts & you are good to go!