Robertson - Hot vegan: 200 sultry & full-flavored recipes from around the world

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ROBIN ROBERTSON is a vegan chef and award-winning cookbook author whose culinary experience spans nearly thirty years. She has been a chef, caterer, cooking teacher, and food columnist. Her best-selling cookbooks include Quick-Fix Vegan , Quick-Fix Vegetarian , Vegan Planet , Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker , and One-Dish Vegan . Robins features and columns appear regularly in VegNews Magazine , Vegetarian Times , Cooking Light , Natural Health , and other magazines. Robin works from her home, an 1833 farmhouse in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia that she shares with her husband Jon, four cats, and more ducks than she can count. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to many friends and family members who shared their time and talents to help make this book possible. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to many friends and family members who shared their time and talents to help make this book possible.

Special thanks goes to Sangeeta Kumar, Patty Gershanik, Marie Lange, and Carole Lazur for sharing their personal recipes, and to Robin Dempsey, Laura Frisk, and Linda Levy for their diligent recipe testing. Im also grateful to Carol and Francis Janes, Tal Ronnen, and Samantha Ragan for their input. Thank you to my husband Jon Robertson and his company Vegan Heritage Press for publishing Vegan Fire & Spice , and to Kirsty Melville and everyone involved at Andrews McMeel Publishing for giving this work a new look, a new title, and a new home, especially editor Grace Suh, as well as Holly Ogden, Maureen Sullivan, and Carol Coe. ONE The Americas RECIPE GUIDE APPETIZERS SOUPS AND STEWS SALADS AND SIDES MAIN COURSES DRESSINGS, SAUCES, AND CONDIMENTS BLAZING TRAILS IN THE NEW WORLD THE UNITED STATES W hile known as a melting pot of nationalities and customs, the United States has been said to lack a national cuisine of its own. However, without exception, each region of the United States features a style of cooking whose roots can be traced to other areas of the globe. While many international cuisines have become popular in the restaurants of its major cities, Americas own spicy cuisines have sprung up mostly in the south and southwest.

In Texas, New Mexico, and California, Mexican cuisine has had the most influence on regional cooking, with its use of chiles, cumin, and other spices, for what has come to be called Tex-Mex or Southwestern cooking. Chili con carne is believed to have originated in Texas in the late 1800s. Since that time, virtually every region of the United States has developed its own version. Another spicy, distinctly American favorite is barbecue sauce, which can be found in infinite variations. Louisianas spicy Cajun cooking may be the only cuisine that was actually invented in America. In addition to French and Spanish influences, the Cajuns learned about fil (ground sassafras leaves) from the Native Americans and okra from the freed African slaves.

They put them together with the native rice and chiles for a cuisine thats uniquely Louisiana. The liberal use of hot pepper sauce and ground cayenne, as well as a rich dark roux, are at the heart of many intoxicatingly pungent dishes such as gumbo and jambalaya. In addition, Louisiana chefs helped spicy blackened entres find their way to restaurant menus throughout the country. MEXICO Mexican cuisine is a blend of ancient indigenous and Spanish cooking, as well as other European influences. The indigenous Mexicans had long made use of the abundance of native corn, tomatoes, beans, and squash. The Spanish brought wheat, olives, and rice, and introduced citrus fruits as a way to season food.

Its interesting to note that the indigenous Mexican diet was largely vegan until the Spanish introduced pork, which, along with using lard, became popular in Mexico. Chiles, however, have been cultivated in Mexico since around 7000 B.C. In addition to chiles, cumin, cilantro, oregano, garlic, and cinnamon are used to flavor many Mexican dishes. While Mexican food is a fast-food favorite in the United States, there is far more to Mexican cuisine than the ubiquitous tacos. The use of beans, grains, and fresh vegetables in Mexican cooking makes many dishes naturally vegan, and those traditionally made with meat are easily adapted. Mexico boasts many regional specialties, where the sauces and ingredients vary greatly from each other.

Compare the thick dark mole poblano, the world-famous sauce that combines chocolate and chiles, with the tangy borracho sauce that blends chiles with tequila and fruit juices. THE CARIBBEAN The Caribbean is home to a variety of traditions, ranging from African to Spanish, to British, Dutch, French, and East Indian. The cuisine was influenced by these varied cultures and also by the native fruits, vegetables, and spices. Allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are used with chiles, curry powders, peppercorns, and coconuts to season many of the island dishes. From West Africa came the popular cassavas, sweet potatoes, and plantains. In the Caribbean, beans are called peas, and black-eyed peas are a favorite.

The use of rice and a colorful variety of tropical produce make island cooking vegan-friendly. The abundance of some of the hottest chiles around, such as habaneros, Scotch bonnets, and Jamaicans, helps to make this cuisine a favorite of heat-seeking people everywhere. SOUTH AMERICA Many South American countries boast distinguished spicy cuisines derived from ancient Indian, Spanish, and Portuguese origins. While meat is widely used throughout South America, beans, corn, rice, and quinoa (a grain native to South America) are also staple foods. Potatoes are believed to have been first cultivated in Peru, and later transplanted to Europe and North America. Many South American dishes are highly seasoned with chiles, onions, garlic, and tomatoes.

THE UNITED STATES SMOKIN TEXAS CAVIAR Makes about 3 cups This protein-packed spread is delicious on crackers or can be used as a dip for corn chips or raw vegetables. The smoky heat of chipotle chiles gives it an extra kickone chile is enough for most tastes. Black-eyed peas are popular throughout the southern United States, but they actually originated in Asia. They are used widely in China, India, and Africa. 3 cups cooked or 2 (15.5-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed cup minced onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 or 2 canned chipotle chiles, chopped 2 tablespoons minced parsley teaspoon salt teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon dried oregano 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar In a food processor, combine the peas, onion, garlic, chiles, parsley, salt, cumin, and oregano and pulse until just mixed, but still retaining a coarse texture. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the oil and vinegar, and mix well.

Taste and adjust seasoning. The flavor improves if allowed to sit for an hour or so before serving. BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER Serves 4 Everyones favorite crucifer is used to make these spicy plant-based Buffalo wings, served with a cooling ranch dressing for dipping. If you like lots of hot sauce, you can double up on that part of the recipe. (It freezes well, too.) 1 large head cauliflower cup hot sauce (my favorite and the one I use for this recipeis Franks RedHot Cayenne Pepper Sauce) cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance) 2 teaspoons rice vinegar cup vegan mayonnaise 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley (optional) teaspoon onion powder teaspoon celery salt teaspoon sugar teaspoon salt Preheat the oven to 425F. Remove the leaves and tough core from the cauliflower.