DDD#164 – Vegan Baked Salmon

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2021

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Click the image below to watch my attempt Bosh’s Baked Vegan Salmon.

VEGAN BAKED SALMON

Ingredients

1 block extra firm tofu

The juice from 1 can of beets

1 nori sheets

1 shallot – chopped finely

1 tablespoon capers – chopped

1 tablespoon caper juice

2 lemons

1 cup fresh dill sprigs

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoon white wine

Salt and black pepper

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Press the moisture out of the tofu by halving it in thickness & using a tofu press or place it between paper towels, lay it on a plate and put the weight on top. Leave for at least 30 minutes to drain and firm up.

Cut the tofu blocks into four equal-size slices, pour the beet juice into the bowl, put tofu slices in the bowl, and leave to marinate for 10 minutes.

Lay the nori on the sheet pan. Lay one piece of tofu on each piece of nori. Add the lemon zest and juice, dill, capers, caper brine, and shallot. Cover the pan with foil, and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove tofu from the oven, remove the foil, place a slice of lemon on top of each block. Drizzle with the white wine & olive oil. Add S&P. Cover with foil again and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.

Serve!

Vegan Crispy & Creamy Roasted Potatoes

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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Potatoes.  Is there anything more amazing?  Fried.  Mashed.  Roasted.  Baked.  Stuffed.  Inexpensive.  Yummy!

These guys today are crispy on the outside but creamy to the point of melting in your mouth on the inside.  I, personally, think thyme is an under-appreciated herb – and fresh thyme is critical here.  I used Earth Balance vegan butter & truffle bouillon – but any flavor stock will do.  *NOTE: Cut the potatoes thicker than I did & you will have more distinction between the crispy, crusty edges & the creamy centers.  This is an easy dish & a lovely side to almost anything.  I pan-fried the leftovers to restore both heat & crispiness.

Vegan Crispy & Creamy Roasted Potatoes

Feeds 4-6 as a side – depending on appetites

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 to 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled or not – I did not peel them) Yukon Golds are creamier than other white potatoes but other potatoes could work – especially naturally creamy sweet potatoes.

4 TBS vegan butter

2 TBS fresh thyme (extra for garnish)

1 cup vegan stock

1-4 garlic cloves – minced (optional)

S&P

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.   Slice the potatoes 1/2 to 1-inch thick – depending on how how much creamy center you like.  I cut mine at about 1/2 inch – and I think I will go thicker next time. Cut & toss the round ends away so that all your slices are flat on both sides.

Melt the butter with the thyme & add some s&p.  Toss with the potatoes  Lay the potatoes in a single layer on a metal cooking sheet with a rim.  Roast for 20-22 minutes – depending on thickness – until the bottoms begin browning upward.  Flip them & return to roast another 10-15 minutes.  Flip them again & then add a thin layer of stock (you might not need it all) & the garlic (if using).  Cook another 10-15 minutes or until the brother has reduced a bit & until the potatoes are cooked through & the tops & bottoms are golden.

Serve with more fresh thyme.  The sooner you serve them – the more they will retain the crispy/creamy contrast.  You can drizzle some warm stock on them, too, but that might reduce crispiness.  Still – it will enhance creaminess – so it is your call.  Add more S&P.  Devour!

Easy Crispy Oven Baked French Fries

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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OK. So I started a new job last week – in post – on Tamar & Vince (click that to see the trailer).  Lemme just say – it is a world I would not typically stumble into – even over-served.  But – it is entertaining & it is NOT breaking rocks in the hot sun so – I go – I do post things –  I giggle.  I get paid.

Then I come home & feel like I deserve shit – after watching rich people HAVE shit for 9 hours.  Of course – I can’t have a McMansion in Calabasas but you know what?  I CAN have French fries in Hollywood & so having French fries in Hollywood is what I did.  TWO DAYS IN A ROW!  Except for a little olive oil – these are really just baked potatoes in miniature form.  Virtually guiltless.  SO yummy!  And so many options for dipping.  I used ketchup & two (non-vegan) aiolis from Stonewall kitchen – mainly because I am drawn to their packaging and I like to pay too much for things that are still affordable even at exorbitant prices.  The Sriracha one is better than the truffle one – in my opinion – and these two things could easily be made at home using vegan mayo.

I read somewhere that adding a tablespoon or two of sugar to the fries aids in crispiness without adding sweetness.  I will try that next time & add an update here.  Meanwhile – this is just potatoes, olive oil and S&P.  Eat two whole potatoes worth?  Maybe 400 calories.  400 calories?  I stress my way through that by lunch time – but – the stress does release cortisol into my system & leaves me just as fat as fries with no stress would – so – I’m not sure I am getting the best deal – BUT – these fries remain in a low calorie category, they are easy & cheap & do a lot to fill gaping holes in your soul that are supposed to be filled with various senses of personal accomplishment and with love (love from OTHERS – not this fickle & unreliable self-love shit).  I say – if you are gonna live a hollow & lonely life filled with missed opportunity, lost affection, inevitable aging, self-loathing & regret – these fries might be all that is left to live for.  Oh – and dogs.  Dogs & fries.  And champagne. And this paddle ball & that chair.

OK – I digress.

I read that soaking the sliced potatoes in ICED WATER helps them release starches & aids in the crisping process.  So – do it for as long as you can – or at least for as long as it takes your oven to heat up.

Easy Crispy Oven Baked French Fries

INGREDIENTS

Russet potatoes – peeled (or not) & cut into fries of the thickness you prefer (I went about the size of my pinkies)

Olive oil

S&P

POTENTIAL GARNISH – crushed garlic warmed for about a minute in a frying pan with some olive oil – or chopped herbs or Parmesan or a drizzle of truffle oil.

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the potatoes & soak them in icy cold water.

Heat the oven to 450-475.

After the potatoes have soaked for at least 15 minutes – dry them off.  I did this by rolling them in paper towels wrapped in a kitchen towel.

Toss with as little olive oil as you can use & still get a thin coat on all the potatoes.  Other oils – like canola or vegetable oil – would work, too.

Toss with S&P and maybe a TBS of sugar?  I tossed them by putting the potato, olive oil and S&P in a Ziplock bag or Tupperware container & shaking the shit outta them.

Spread the fries out on a cooking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper because it is magical & nothing sticks to it but foil & cooking spray would work, too).  Do not let the fries touch each other or they won’t get crispy.

Bake the fries for between 30 minutes to an hour – depending on the thickness of the fries & the effectiveness of the oven.  Turn them in about 15-20 minute intervals – so at least two sides get browned.  Don’t overcook them & pull out the thinnest ones as the fatter ones still require cooking.  Eat those as a treat to yourself for doing the fucking cooking.

Here are mine at about half way through the process & before I flipped them.  When they are done – eat’m up!  See how easy?

Easy & Healthy Crispy Baked Onion Rings

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2013

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This is as straight forward as it gets.  They came out crispy & delicious & they use no oil.  I don’t know why anybody would bother frying them after sampling these.

Easy & Healthy Crispy Baked Onion Rings

Feeds two as a side

INGREDIENTS

1 large sweet onion – sliced into thick rings & separated

1 quart buttermilk (or milk or vegan alternative)

1/2 cup Panko

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 cup corn flakes – crushed in a food processor or in a plastic bag using a rolling pin

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBS pepper

1 TBS dry parsley

Fresh parsley – chopped as garnish

Cooking spray

Parchment paper

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 450.  Be sure it reaches full temperature.

Soak the onions in the buttermilk in the refrigerator for at least an hour – or longer.

Mix the various crumbs, dry parsley and S&P together.

Individually coat each onion ring with the crumb mixture either by shaking in the plastic bag or, as I did, in a bowl.  Use your hands to coat them evenly.  Place them on a cooking sheet covered in parchment paper or greased.  Spray them with the cooking spray.

Bake at 450 for ten minutes or until crispy & golden.  That’s it!  Enjoy!