Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 46

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil or chile-sesame oil (optional)

HOLDING THE greens together in bunches, slice into 1- or 2-inch-wide sections. If the greens have any thick stems or bottoms, remove and place the stems in a bowl separate from the leafy green tops. Wash and dry both bowls of greens, and shake off any excess water.

In a large, nonstick skillet or wok, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the thick stems and stir-fry for about 1 to 2 minutes until stems begin to soften.

Any leafy green can be prepared this way, so if you see something new and interesting at the farmers' market, don't hesitate to experiment with this recipe. Also, asparagus and green beans can be prepared in this manner. Just trim any overly tough stems and allow a slightly longer cooking time, depending on your desired degree of crispness.

We've included instructions on preparing greens with thick, juicy stems. This is not necessary when cooking thin-stemmed vegetables such as water spinach, watercress, or dandelion, so skip the step of separating stems from leaves.

Tongs are the ideal tool to use when sauteing leafy greens.

Add the leafy tops, stirring constantly for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the tops begin to wilt and soften. Sprinkle with cooking wine, soy sauce, sugar, and chile-sesame oil. If the leaves are very large and piled high in the pan, cover the pan for 1 to 2 minutes to sweat and wilt them so that they can be easily stir-fried. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Stir-fry until the vegetables are bright green and the stems are tender but still slightly crisp. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

GRAINS.

BROCCOLI POLENTA.

SERVES 4 TO 6.

TIME: 70 MINUTES.

Broccoli gives polenta a great texture. It just makes it, like, "RAR!" That's the only way we can describe it. We're giving you several options for molding and serving the polenta once it is prepped; try them all and see what you like best. You can serve this as a main dish with any of the marinara sauces or pesto, or serve it as a base for either the Braised Seitan with Brussels (page 182) or the Sauteed Seitan with Mushrooms and Spinach (page 187). If you don't want to think about the various molding and cooking methods, then just do the m.u.f.fin tin and broiling method, because it's cute. If you're short on time, you can even skip the molding step and just serve this as is after boiling.

3 cups vegetable broth or water

teaspoon salt (you may need more depending on how salty your veggie broth is)

1 cup polenta corn grits (polenta)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups very well-chopped broccoli, stalks and tops (pieces should be no larger than inch)

BRING THE water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the polenta in a slow, steady stream, mixing with a whisk as you pour it. Add the broccoli and olive oil, and lower the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Molding Methods: Tin Can: Grease two empty 20-ounce cans (tomato cans, for example) with olive oil. Spoon the polenta into the cans and place in the fridge for about 2 hours. Use a b.u.t.ter knife to help coax them out of the mold, slice into inch-wide pieces and proceed to Cooking Methods. This method of molding takes longer to chill because of the volume in each mold.

m.u.f.fin Tin: Grease a m.u.f.fin tin with olive oil. Spoon the polenta into the tin, almost all the way to the top of the compartments. Smooth the tops with the back of the spoon. Refrigerate for about an hour. Use a fork to pry the polenta out of the tins and proceed to Cooking Methods. This method works best when you broil the polenta.

Square Pan: Grease an 8-inch square (slightly bigger or smaller is okay) food storage container, ca.s.serole, or brownie pan. Spoon in the polenta and spread it out evenly. Refrigerate for about an hour. Cut into squares and proceed to Cooking Methods.

Cooking Methods: Broil: Preheat the broiler. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Place the polenta slices on baking sheet and broil 3 to 4 inches away from the flame, for about 7 minutes, or until lightly browned. If using the m.u.f.fin tin molding method, place them upside down on the baking sheet so that the rough tops are at the bottom.

Panfry: (Note: This doesn't really work with the m.u.f.fin tin mold molding method.) Preheat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour a very thin layer of olive oil into the pan. Place the polenta slices in the pan and cook on both sides for about 5 minutes each, until lightly browned.

SOFT POPPY-SEED POLENTA.

SERVES 4 TO 6.

TIME: 30 MINUTES.

This is mushy comfort food at its best: a simple, creamy polenta that goes great with strongly flavored savory dishes, such as Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Stew (page 179). The poppy seeds make the usually humble polenta really aesthetically pleasing.

5 cups vegetable broth or water

teaspoon salt

1 cup polenta corn grits (polenta)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

BRING THE water and salt to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Add the polenta in a slow steady stream, mixing as you pour it. Add the poppy seeds and olive oil, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 12 minutes, stirring often. Turn off the heat and cover. Let sit for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

CHICKPEA-QUINOA PILAF.

SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A SIDE.

TIME: 40 MINUTES.

Nothing fancy, just a nice basic and versatile pilaf with quinoa-the grain of the Aztecs. You can come up with all sorts of variations here-use different beans and different spices and what-not. We like to cook quinoa this way, rather than flavoring it after it's cooked, because it absorbs all the spices so well. Don't forget that cooking with quinoa at least once a week will elevate you to level 7 vegan in no time.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped finely (about 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

teaspoon ground c.u.min

1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed

Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon tomato paste