Robertson - The vegetarian meat and potatoes cookbook

F OR J ON

T HE H ARVARD C OMMON P RESS
535 A LBANY S TREET
B OSTON , M ASSACHUSETTS 02118
WWW.HARVARDCOMMONPRESS.COM

Copyright 2002 by Robin Robertson
Illustrations copyright 2002 by Paul Hoffman

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America
Printed on acid-free paper

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Robertson, Robin (Robin G.)

The vegetarian meat and potatoes cookbook : 275 hearty and healthy meat-free recipes for burgers, steaks, stews, chilis, casseroles, pot pies, curries, pizza, pasta, and other stick-to-your-ribs favorites / Robin Robertson.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-55832-204-3 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN 1-55832-205-1 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Vegetarian cookery. II. Title.

TX837.R62624 2001
641.5'636dc21 2001047048

ISBN-13: 978-1-55832-205-9
ISBN-10: 1-55832-205-1

Special bulk-order discounts are available on this and other Harvard Common Press books. companies and organizations may purchase books for premiums or resale, or may arrange a custom edition, by contacting the Marketing Director at the address above.

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C OVER D ESIGN BY N IGHT & D AY D ESIGN

B OOK D ESIGN BY D EBORAH K ERNER / D ANCING B EARS D ESIGN

Many thanks to my family, friends, and colleagues for their help during the writing of this book. I am especially grateful to my husband, Jon, for inspiring this project, as well as for his tasting, testing, and technical assistance; and to my dear friends who served as recipe testers, tasters, and my general support system: Gloria Seigel, Kerri Kyle, Kay and Larry Sturgis, Samantha Ragan, Lochlain Lewis, John and Kathy Mein, Todd Ewen, Pat Davis, B.J. Atkinson, and Lisa Lange; my sister, Carole Lazur; and my agent, Stacey Glick of Jane Dystel Literary Management. Special thanks go to Karen Davis of United Poultry Concerns. I also wish to express my gratitude to Bruce Shaw, for his enthusiasm for this project; Pam Hoenig, for her insightful editing; Judith Sutton, for her thorough copyediting; and the entire staff at the Harvard Common Press.

When I married him in 1971, my husband, Jon, was a "meat and potatoes" kind of guy. He remains so today, even though he has been a vegetarian since 1986. The answer to this seeming paradox can be found in the pages of this book. The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook is written to appeal to everyone, but especially to reluctant vegetarianspeople who have said, "I could never go vegetarian. I'm a meat-and-potatoes person."

To many Americans, "meat and potatoes" is synonymous with stick-to-your-ribs comfort food, from indulgent appetizers and hearty entres to rich desserts. The problem is that the health risks associated with these foods can be anything but comforting. As more people cut down on or eliminate meat from their diets, vegetarians and nonvegetarians alike need sources for nutritious and satisfying meatless meals that are every bit as flavorful as their meaty counterparts.

Despite high-protein fad diets that encourage liberal meat intake, a well-balanced, plant-based diet that emphasizes grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits continues to be a wise choice over the long run. The trend toward healthy eating is moving away from meat and dairy products, because their high fat and cholesterol content have been linked to heart disease and other maladies. There are also concerns over ingesting the pesticides, antibiotics, and other additives commonly found in animal products. In addition, medical studies now recommend that we eat more soy protein. Endorsed by the USDA, they suggest that 25 grams per day can reduce the risk of heart disease.

That's where The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook can help. It's a "meat and potatoes" cookbook without the meat that will change the way people think about vegetarian food, a cuisine not usually associated with comfort foods. This book offers a collection of recipes inspired by popular American dishes, as well as those of other cuisines, while celebrating the diversity of vegetarian ingredients.

Some vegetarians object to "meat-like" recipes, while meat eaters may wonder why vegetarians would want such recipes. But it has never made sense to me that just because I choose not to eat meat, I should be deprived of the flavors and textures of traditional dishes. After all, meat eaters haven't cornered the market on the great-tasting sauces, textures, and accompaniments associated with meat. Early on in my vegetarian lifestyle, I began adapting my favorite meat-centered recipes into vegetarian versions. My husband and I have never looked back, and my friends and family never feel deprived. We still enjoy all the tastes and textures of our former favorite meat dishes, but now they are made meatless.

As you will discover in these pages, the word "meat" can mean more than beefsteak and pork chops. The vegetable kingdom, too, offers a variety of "steaks": mushroom steaks, eggplant steaks, and, of course, beefsteak tomatoes. Herein you will find creative "meat and potatoes" recipes using these vegetable "steaks," along with protein-rich meat alternatives such as tempeh (compressed soybeans), seitan ("wheat-meat"), and tofu (bean curd), called "meat without the bone" in China. To me, tofu is the real other white meat.

In this book, you will find the mouthwatering nuances of traditional and contemporary comfort foods that vegetarian recipes often lack. These recipes provide all the full, rich flavors associated with nonvegetarian recipes, but are made healthy with plant-based ingredients. The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook is for anyone who is looking for ways to cut back on meat and dairy products. It is also for vegetarians, vegans, and others who want to prepare traditional dishes in healthful new ways. It can be especially helpful in bridging the gap when both vegetarians and meat eaters live in the same household.

In these pages you will discover the comfort foods you grew up withretooled vegetarian-style. There are flaky potpies, burgers, hearty stews, casseroles, "meat" loaf and gravyeven roasts and "steaks"as well as a selection of international favorites like Thai Tofu Curry with Potatoes and Pineapple and Double Eggplant Moussaka.

The vegetarian roasts feature stuffing and gravy, while the "thick, juicy steaks" are presented with delectable sauces and potatoes on the side. There are hearty soups and substantial sandwiches for casual meals and, for special occasions, a generous sprinkling of fancier fare, including Almond-Crusted Tempeh Cutlets with Strawberry Mango Salsa and Crispy Stuffed "Fillets" of Soy with Spicy Ginger Sauce. There are also elegant appetizers such as Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Napoleons and rich desserts like Soy Good Lemon Cheesecake and Pecan-Studded Chocolate Brownies.

It was important to me that the recipes in this book be fun and easy to make, simple enough for beginners, yet sophisticated enough for seasoned cooks. You will find the recipes to be user-friendly, calling for ingredients that are readily available in supermarkets, natural food stores, and ethnic grocers. Alternatives are given for any unusual or hard-to-find ingredients. Special attention is paid to offering timesaving ingredients and methods to help you get dinner on the table in record time. In addition, the recipes do not rely on eggs and dairy for their flavor the way many vegetarian cookbooks do. In this book, both dairy and dairy-free options are offered in the ingredients list, making the recipes accessible to everyone. I encourage those who are new to soy foods to try them in place of eggs and dairy as explained in the recipes. If you do use eggs and dairy, however, consider using only organic products from free-range animals.