Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 22

GUACAMOLE.

MAKES 1 CUPS.

TIME: 10 MINUTES OR LESS.

We feel a little silly putting a guacamole recipe in a cookbook, but just in case you've been living under a rock here it is, the vegan's best dippable friend. It goes great with lots of things, not just Mexican food. Terry is a guacamole purist and likes to keep it as simple as can be. Isa likes to put all kinds of junk in her guac, but the kids love it anyway. So, here's a bare bones recipe that's made faster than you can say "aquacate!" that's ready for mix-ins. Like any guac, this should be made to order and served immediately. One avocado can make enough to serve two people or just one hungry avocado enthusiast, so just double, triple, or quadruple the ingredients to serve more. Make only as much as you need, though, because leftover guacamole doesn't keep!

THE key to great guacamole is a great avocado. There's a sweet spot in the ripening cycle of this magical fruit that is ideal: the outside of the avocado should just start to give when very gently pressed. It should never be too firm or rock hard; don't manhandle avocados or you'll be sorry. Very soft, bruised avocados will have brownish, slightly stringy flesh, and might taste bitter. Not that we've never made guacamole with these, but they don't make truly awesome guacamole.

Basic guacamole: 1 ripe avocado

Juice of 1 lime

1 small onion, minced (about cup)

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked pepper

Optional-add one or more of the following: 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped

Pinch of ground c.u.min

1 jalapeno chile, fresh or roasted, seeded and minced

1 clove garlic, minced

RUN A knife lengthwide all along the middle of the avocado. Firmly grasp each half and twist to separate the halves. Remove the pit by gently but firmly hacking the knife into the pit, gently twisting the knife, and pulling it away from the avocado. Separate the peel from the avocado halves and place the flesh in a medium-size bowl. Drizzle with lime juice, and sprinkle with minced onion, salt, and pepper. Mash it all up with a fork to the desired consistency. Add the other stuff if you really think you need it. Serve immediately!

BRUNCH.

WHY DO WE love brunch so much? Maybe because the word is a most delicious-sounding portmanteau. Possibly because it's usually reserved for long, leisurely weekends so it has a holiday feel to it. Or perhaps because it's the only time it's socially acceptable to drink before noon (b.l.o.o.d.y Marys and Mimosas, anyone?). Make it at home and you get to sip b.l.o.o.d.y Marys and hang out with rollers in your hair.

We like our brunch fare hearty and savory. Our eggless Benedict (page 74) takes a vacation to the Greek islands with creamy dill-infused sauce, roasted red peppers, and plenty of kalamata olives. Try something different in the morning with a pretty baked strata (page 72), layered ca.s.serole of bread, herbed mushrooms, and fresh spinach held together with melt-in-your-mouth dairy-free custard. Or, for something quick and easy, a tasty, down-home hash of blue potatoes and tempeh (page 73) will have you ready for a day on the organic farm (or just sitting on the sofa watching interesting doc.u.mentaries about people working on an organic farm).

And what would brunch be without something you can pour plenty of real maple syrup all over? Two fluffy waffle recipes await you. Take your pick from banana nut (page 75) or devilishly rich chocolate "brownie" waffles studded with chocolate chips (page 74).

Did we mention crepes? Crepes are awesome. They really should be made for dinner, breakfast, second breakfast, and any meal of the day. But we realize you might want to eat something else at some point, so we've tucked these (page 77) into Brunch.

Eating a filling meal for brunch frees up your day from planning dinner so you can do fun stuff instead, like thrift store shopping, playing with the cats, or going back to bed. Just put off the dishes until Monday morning.

DINER HOME FRIES.

SERVES 4 TO 6.

TIME: 50 MINUTES.

This is how we do it in Brooklyn: boiled and lightly fried potatoes with green peppers and onions. It's pretty bare bones but no breakfast would be complete without them. We prefer not to spice these up because we're usually serving them with other flavorful foods and we don't want them to overpower the others. But for some Irish flair, drizzle a little malt vinegar over these spuds.

For nicely browned and evenly cooked home fries, use your biggest pan to avoid overcrowding.

To makes things faster: If you know in advance you are preparing these for breakfast, boil the potatoes the night before, drain them, and chill them in a sealed container overnight. Bring them to room temperature before cooking.

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (4-6 potatoes), cut in

half lengthwise, sliced inch thick or so

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 green bell pepper, seeded, cut into -inch-wide,

inch-long pieces

medium-size onion, cut into -inch-wide, inch-long

pieces

teaspoon salt

teaspoon ground black pepper

PLACE THE sliced potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once the potatoes are boiling, lower the heat to medium and cook for about 15 more minutes, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork but still firm. Drain and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and flip them around with a spatula to coat them in oil. Cook undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes; they should be lightly browned. If they are not, bring the heat up a bit. Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring and tossing occasionally to brown all sides. They won't all get browned and crispy; just do your best.

Add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper, and another tablespoon of oil, and cook for 5 to 7 more minutes, stirring often, until the onions and peppers are lightly browned. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

TOFU FLORENTINE.

SERVES 4.

TIME: 1 HOUR.