california dog

Veggie dogs have come a long way since we first went vegan. I remember the rubbery, tasteless veggie dogs of yore, but I know that all things start somewhere, as did veggie dogs.

Nowadays there are all kinds of veggie dogs, commercial, homemade and even carrot dogs. So, this post isn't about how to make a homemade dog - it is about how to dress your dog.

It turns out that there are a variety of regional dogs, from Italian Dogs to Chicago Dogs and this California Dog.

California Dogs come dressed with avocado, basil crema, carrot, roasted corn, lettuce, cucumber, jalapeno and vegan bacon - or as I like to refer to them - smoky, baked tofu (excuse me for being tired as all get out over "bacon").

Since throwing this together is easy, why not take your dog around a block you haven't circled, yet?

California Dog
Makes 4 sandwiches 

Basil Crema:
4 tablespoons nondairy sour cream
4 tablespoons chopped basil leaves 
2 scallions, chopped 
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Sea salt and black pepper

Topping:
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
1/2 jalapeno, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, diced
1/2 carrot, finely shredded
2 slices vegan bacon, fried and chopped

Other:
4 dog buns, toasted
4 veggie dogs, pan fried or cooked

1. Sauce: Combine the sour cream, basil, scallion, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth. Set aside.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Cook the dogs in a 1/4 teaspoon oil, if desired. 
3. Assemble the sandwiches: toasted bun, sauce, veggie dog, avocado, lettuce, corn, cucumber, more sauce, carrot, bacon and jalapeno. Serve immediately. 


© 2017 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

shooter's sandwich

I stumbled on a British sandwich that apparently became quite popular a few years ago because someone in a column somewhere claimed it was the BEST sandwich in the universe -  or something to that effect.

I assumed that Shooter's sandwich meant in the sense of shooting a shot of liquor - that's where my mind went to - but when I asked my daughter her opinion, she thought of shooting a gun or hunting. Turns out she was right: Shooter's sandwich became a thing because someone can shoot a gun while aiming at animals to kill and eat at the same time. Great.

I am instead claiming the word "shooter" (in this instance) to mean shooting a camera - as in "he's one of the best shooters of wildlife in all of professional photography" (credit: Merriam-Webster site).

Originally, the sandwich was a sort of portable Wellington - steak, mushrooms, horseradish, mustard and bread. The sandwich is pressed overnight so that once cut into, nothing falls out.

This, of course, is way too involved a project when I'm hungry, and, thus, here is my version of this camera-ready sandwich. Okay, maybe you need two hands to hold it. A sacrifice worth an overnight stint under a pile of cast iron pans.

I used mushrooms and kale as the base of the sandwich, topped it with some crunchy cucumber slices and slathered with horseradish-Dijon sauce. Broil the bread instead of toast it - this way, the inside stays soft and the outside is crisp. Toasting it just makes it way too crisp.

Enjoy!

Shooter's Sandwich
Makes 2 sandwiches 

Horseradish-Dijon Sauce:
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons vegan mayo (optional - I skipped it)

Filling:
10 ounces mushrooms, cut thick (about 1/4 -inch)
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed and chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon neutral oil or vegetable broth (I used the oil so the mushrooms can caramelize)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari

Other:
4 slices bread, toasted (broiled) on one side
12 slices cucumbers

1. Sauce: Combine the mustard, horseradish and mayonnaise (if using) in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside. 
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook until the mushrooms give off moisture, about 6 minutes. Add the kale and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the oil, garlic, paprika and season with black pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are golden brown but do not burn the garlic. Add the tamari and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute. Remove from heat 
3. Assemble the sandwiches: bottom toast, sauce, mushroom mixture, cucumber slices and top toast. Serve immediately. 


© 2017 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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reuben burger

Burgers are sandwiches, and if anyone has followed this blog, knows that I am a huge burger fan. Check out my five top picks from MoFo 2014, starting with this Schnitzel Burger:

For me, typically, burger making is from scratch - meaning that at least the patty is homemade. This time, though, I wanted to make a burger that was fast - and that meant using a prepared veggie patty. On this occasion, the bun is homemade but not the patty.

In our house, this also means that five different people will have five different favorite veggie patties: Boca, Quorn, Engine 2, Beyond Meat or Field Roast (this one is the family's pick, if they had a choice). I am more of a vegetable veggie patty person, but the rest of the fam leans more toward vegan meats, like the Field Roast, Beyond Meat or Quorn.

Having chosen our favorite patties, I thawed them and seasoned them with onion and garlic granules before cooking them. Then I added homemade Spicy Thousand Island sauce and fresh shredded cabbage, as well as sauerkraut.

Really couldn't be much simpler. You can, of course, add some cheese while cooking the burger (use a lid to cover the burger to melt the cheese because vegan cheese needs moisture to melt - otherwise it looks like plastic melted on your sandwich).

Have at it! Enjoy!

Reuben Burger
Makes 4 burgers 

Spicy Thousand Island Sauce:
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons dill relish
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Other:
4 vegan burger patties (of choice), thawed
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Sea salt
Oil spray or olive oil
4 burger buns, toasted
1 cup sauerkraut 
1/2 cup shredded cabbage


1. Sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish and cayenne in a small bowl. Mix wel and set aside. 
2. Season the burger patties with onion and garlic powder and salt. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the oil or spray with oil. Cook the patties until golden. 
3. Assemble the burgers: bottom bun, sauce, burger, sauerkraut, cabbage and top bun. Serve immediately. 


© 2017 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

french twist pressed sandwich

Another insanely busy week this week. My girls are planning their new semesters in college and my son is moving back home until the spring. He leaves his the apartment he and his boyfriend shared for almost a year, so the time is bitter-sweet: Berkeley done, but USC beginning.

This, of course, means that the garage needs cleaning to accommodate the things he's picked up in Berkeley. I'm not sure I know of anyone who relishes cleaning the garage. 

So, I prepared a quick pressed sandwich, reminiscent of the French Twist from Roly Poly sandwich place. 

If you have a large tortilla, use that, but to make things easy, these are the regular sized tortillas. I prepared a French-style cheese sauce, which is made from yogurt and not oil or cashews. I really liked it and will be modifying it with other flavors. It's easy and fast and tastes good. My favorite things.

Inside the wrap is Swiss chard, mushrooms, scallions and tomatoes. The sauce is an easy Dijon mustard-maple sauce without mayo. If you like, you can add a few tablespoons of mayo to make it creamy, but I liked it without the added fat.

That's it for the sandwich. Serve it with chips, steamed broccoli or edamame. Enjoy!

French Twist Hot Pressed Sandwich
Makes 4 regular pressed sandwiches

Cheese Sauce:
1 (5.3-ounce) container nondairy yogurt
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons tapioca starch
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon lactic acid (optional)
2 teaspoons white miso
1 teaspoon dry vermouth
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Mustard Sauce:
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Pinch cayenne

Vegetables:
2 leaves Swiss chard, shredded
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 tomato, sliced 
4 scallions, sliced

Rolls:
4 (6-inch) flour tortillas, warmed

1. Cheese Sauce: Combine the yogurt, starch, yeast, salt, lactic acid (if using), miso, vermouth and vinegar in a small blender. Blend until very smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook until thickened over medium heat, about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
2. Mustard Sauce: Combine the mustard, syrup and cayenne in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside. 
3. Chop the vegetables. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Warm the tortilla before rolling to prevent splitting. Spread 1/4  of the cheese sauce on a tortilla. Add chard, mushrooms, tomato and scallions. Fold over and place in skillet, seam side down. Use another pan to press on the sandwich. Cook until golden. Flip and repeat. Cook 2 tortillas at one time. Repeat with the other 2 tortillas. Serve with the mustard sauce. 



© 2017 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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larb spring rolls

Heads – up: I’m still on my sandwich kick, but this time without a bread. Folks might argue that spring rolls aren’t “sandwiches” but I strongly believe that anything rolled, wrapped or stuffed into a vessel counts in this arena and I’m quite comfortable with my definition.

I am such a sucker for larb, the Laos minced meat dish, which is traditionally flavored with lots of lime, mint and fish sauce. I love it so much that I include this unique and unusual combination in a bowl version in my book, Vegan Bowls.

These spring rolls are stuffed with the larb mixture (made of seitan, cashews and onion), noodles, herbs, carrots and cabbage. They are pretty quick to make and taste great!

To make eating the rolls easier, slice the seitan or mushrooms instead of mincing them – which is what I should have done as well, but I forgot about my intentions before pulsing the seitan in the food processor and by that time it was too late.

If this one looks good, check out my Bulgogi Spring Rolls from a few months back. That one is a bit more involved, but worth every tasty bite.

Larb Spring Rolls 

Serves 4

Sauce:

¼ cup lime juice

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

Filling:

1 teaspoon oil

2 cups ground seitan or 1 pound minced mushrooms

½ small red onion, cut into thin half moons

½ cup cashews

Rolls:

8 (9-inch) spring roll wrappers

¼ cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

½ cup mint, coarsely chopped

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 medium carrot, julienned

4 ounces dry rice noodles or bean thread, cooked, drained and cooled under running water, reserve the hot water for the spring roll wrappers

1. Sauce: Combine the lime juice, tamari, sugar and salt. Mix well. Set aside. 

2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the seitan and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. If using mushrooms, cook until the mushrooms are golden, about 8 minutes. You might need to cook the mushrooms in batches to avoid steaming them. Add the onion and cashews and cook until the cashews are golden, about 2 minutes. Add half of the sauce and cook until it evaporates, about 30 seconds. Set aside. 

3. Dip a spring roll wrapper into the hot water reserved from the pasta and soak for 5 to 10 seconds, depending on how hot the water is. Soak only until the wrapper is pliable. It will soften once you add the other moist ingredients. To the lower half of the wrapper, add herbs, the filling, cabbage, carrot and noodles. Roll up like a burrito: from the back roll to halfway and then fold in the sides. Finally roll it all the way up.  Serve with the rest of the sauce or store, covered, for later enjoyment. 

© 2017 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

grilled cuban tofu sandwich

I've had a very busy few months taking a few community college classes, but now they are over and I find some time to blog... and finally cook  - something that has been on the back burner.

I've been on a sandwich kick of late, so it seems to be a good place to pick things back up.

This is a Grilled Cuban Tofu Sandwich:

The tofu is cut into slabs and marinated in a mojo sauce. The marinade is made of fresh orange juice, fresh lime juice, oregano, garlic and brown sugar.

The tofu is then grilled and topped with watercress, bread and butter pickles and whole grain mustard. Pretty simple but very flavorful. Press the tofu first for maximum flavor and marinate overnight, but if you can't wait, thirty minutes is fine, but baste the tofu as it grills.

Grilled Cuban Tofu Sandwich
Makes 4 servings


Mojo Marinade:
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
1 (14-ounce) firm or extra firm tofu, pressed 20 minutes

8 slices bread
½ cup shredded vegan cheese or 1/2 avocado, mashed
4 tablespoons whole grain mustard
16 slices bread and butter pickles
1 cup watercress

1. Add the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, oregano and salt to a small blender and blend until smooth. Cut the tofu into 4 slabs (about 4x4-inches) and place in baking dish. Add the marinade and set aside until needed (or at least 30 minutes).
2. Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of cheese (or avocado) to 4 slices of bread. Spread 1 tablespoon mustard on the other 4 slices of bread. Set aside.
3. Grill the tofu slabs until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes per side. Baste the tofu as it cooks. Add a slab on top of the cheese on the slices of bread. Place one slice of bread with the tofu and one slice of bread with the mustard on the grill pan, cover the pan and cook until the cheese melts. 
4. Add ¼ cup of watercress to the tofu and close the open-faced sandwich. Repeat with all the sandwich halves. Serve.



© 2017 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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sriracha artichoke rolls

Seafood rolls are very popular on the Northeastern coast of the US and I want folks to have some great alternatives for the sandwich that lots of people see as quintessentially coastal.

And if we throw in some sriracha, then it can only be better!

This sandwich is featured on my Prep Ahead Week 3 menu: HERE.

This sandwich features roasted artichokes, chickpeas and vegetables. The dressing can be either vegan mayo or vegan yogurt. I opted for the yogurt since it is just as creamy as mayo and the tang is welcome.

The sandwich is laced with cilantro and shredded carrots and perfect served in whole wheat hot dog rolls.

As the easy green accompaniment, I served it with a simple vinaigrette on a green salad. Easy and satisfying.

Sriracha Artichoke Rolls
Makes 4 servings

1 teaspoon olive oil or oil spray
1 (14-ounce) can artichokes, squeezed of excess water and chopped
2 cups cooked or 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 
3 garlic cloves, minced 

3 celery ribs, sliced thin
2 medium carrots, shredded
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened plain nondairy yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
1 tablespoon sriracha

4 to 6 hot dog buns

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the artichokes and chickpeas. Cook until golden, without stirring much. Add the garlic and cook until golden. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool while you chop the vegetables.
2. Add the celery, carrots, cilantro, yogurt, lime juice and sriracha to a large bowl. Add the roasted beans and artichoke. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
3. Toast the buns. Serve the salad in the buns. Serve with a green salad. 



© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

"vegan mexico" + giveaway

The new cookbook by Jason Wyrick has been out for a few weeks now and it is clear that it is a huge hit. Jason's follow-up cookbook to Vegan Tacos [AMAZON], is in the same vein and is packed with authentic and delicious Mexican fare that is also vegan and truly delicious.

A huge bonus is that along with delicious dishes like street foods, tacos, tortas, enchiladas, tamales, salads and soups, Jason also shares basic recipes that ensure that preparing these dishes is possible: homemade masa, homemade tortillas, breads and Quick Queso Fresco.

Jason's heritage is Mexican from his mother's side, so you know that he has actually lived what he shares. The recipes show the passion Jason has for this cuisine and it comes across as genuine and authentic.

Of course, Jason breaks everything down so you get to know the ingredients you will be needing (otherwise it is not an authentic cookbook; if you don't use the proper ingredients - then it is just an interpretive and creative endeavor.) He also covers Mexican history and the specific regions that give rise to specific flavors.

I started with making bread. I have always wanted to make a torta (sandwich), but I could never find the authentic bread that is used. I was very happy to see that Jason has an easy bread recipe for us, so that was my starting point.

These football-shaped rolls are either Bolillos or Birote Salados, depending on a few minor differences. As you can see, they turned out golden with a crisp crust and tender and pillowy inside.

When I made this recipe, I had to almost double the flour. I realize that the dough itself is supposed to be really soft and loose and still very sticky, but without the added flour I would not have been able to shape the dough in any way. The amount of water to flour is so close that I don't know if it was a typo of some kind, but if you encounter the same problem, add enough flour to create a very soft and still tacky dough. After the knead and the rise it will firm up enough, but if you have a puddle of dough instead of something that comes together, just add more flour.

In the end, the bread was perfect, both inside and out. In addition, this was a really easy bread recipe to prepare. Don't be put off by the simple sponge, either! This has to be the easiest sponge I've ever made.

Taking this wonderful bread, I made Jason's Bean and Avocado Sandwich Drowned in Salsa (Torta Abogada).

This sandwich is filled with refried beans, avocados and pickled onions. Then it is drowned in a spicy (or mild) red salsa that is very easy to make. Of course, you can use store-bought rolls for a fast sandwich, but if you have the time, make the bread for it.

I topped it with cabbage and cilantro, as well, since that is a common addition, but it is certainly not necessary. Although it is very authentic to actually pour the salsa over the sandwich, I found that pouring it over the bottom half was sufficient - this way some of the crust of the top of the bread added a needed crunch and textural variation. Delicious sandwich!

Finally, I tried the Pasta Baked in Chipotle Tomato Sauce (Sopa Seca).

This dish is pasta that is drowned in tomato sauce and baked. The pasta actually cooks in the tomato sauce, which is known as fideo. Fideo is Spanish, meaning pasta.

The tomato sauce in this case is laced with chipotle peppers and the baked pasta is topped with Queso Fresco. Jason has a Quick Queso Fresco recipe in the book, but this version is my own. I'll be sharing the recipe later in the month. Enjoy this dish with some of the bread you baked and it adds a wonderful touch.

Overall the book is fantastic and it is a wonderful and useful addition to any library - vegan or not. Jason makes things clear and easy to follow and the recipes are delicious.

Jason and Vegan Heritage Press are sharing a recipe from the book and are also giving away a copy of this book to one lucky US resident.

The contest runs through the 21st and a winner will be announced November 23. Please leave a comment about Jason or Mexican food and make sure I have a way to contact you. Of course, you can check back on this blog on its Wednesday's post, but people do tend to forget to do that if they haven't subscribed. If I can't contact you by the 26th, I will choose another winner. Good luck!

First, though, check out Jason's recipe for Caldo of Sweet Potato and Chard.

Photo by Jason Wyrick

Caldo of Sweet Potato and Chard
Caldo de Camotes y Alcegas
Makes 6 servings

This simple soup features a mildly spicy broth married with the earthy sweetness of white sweet potatoes and the lushness of wilted chard. It’s not only delicious, it’s a powerhouse of nutrition. Chard, sweet potatoes, and beans conspire to fight cancer and regulate blood sugar and are naturally low in fat. (from Vegan Mexico, copyright © 2016 by Jason Wyrick. Used by permission Vegan Heritage Press.)

5 cups water
Corn oil, for frying
4 ancho chiles
10 cloves pan-roasted garlic
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 medium white sweet potato, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch chard, greens and stems sliced paper thin
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans or 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot. Heat 1/8 inch of corn oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the anchos and fry them for 20 seconds on each side. Place the anchos in the boiling water, reduce it to a simmer, and simmer the anchos for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove them from the water and when they are cool enough to handle, remove the stems.

In a blender or food processor, purée the anchos, garlic, salt, oregano, and the water used to simmer the anchos until smooth. Return the purée to the pot and bring it to a simmer. Add the sweet potato, chard, and beans and cook until the sweet potatoes are al dente, about 6 minutes.

holiday sandwich

I'm a sucker for complete meal type of sandwiches, as demonstrated by my Thanksgiving Burger, a recipe from 2014. Since the holidays are around the corner, what better way to start the celebration than with this easy to make Holiday Sandwich:

It might look a bit much, but it really is easy to put together. The patty is made of mushrooms and chickpeas as the base. It doesn't include any binding, but it stays together relatively well. It dries out and because the acorn squash is very moist, together, they work in harmony.

A few spices and dark miso help to keep this burger from falafel-ville. It is decidedly not a falafel.

You process all the ingredients in a food processor, form into patties and bake them with the acorn squash. The timing is about the same and because you don't peel the squash, the process is easy.

There is nothing more on the squash than salt and pepper because the flavor is in the patties.

This sandwich needs some crunch, so I tossed thin onion slices with cornstarch/arrowroot and air-fried it until crisp. I did add a few sprays of oil to help it brown, but it is nothing like deep frying them.

The sauce. It is so simple and so delicious! It is Cranberry Aioli and it is the bomb. Just mix together cranberry sauce and vegan mayonnaise or vegan yogurt and liberally add to the sandwich. It is tangy and sweet but creamy and rich. Don't skip it.

And because no holiday is complete without something green, this sandwich features steamed kale. A crusty bread or roll and you are in business, my friend.

Photo by Caitlin Galer-Unti from The Vegan Word.com

Speaking of holidays, gift-giving season is almost here and it is time to start planning. Caitlin from The Vegan Word has amassed an amazingly thorough list of vegan gift ideas. I truly am impressed! Take a look for yourself.

Holiday Sandwich
Makes 4 servings

Patties:
1 3/4 cups or 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
3 ounces of trimmed shiitake mushrooms (trimmed of stems)
1 tablespoon dark miso
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon onion granules
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sage

Onions:
1 medium onion, sliced very thin
2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
Oil spray, as needed

Sauce:
1/4 cup cranberry sauce
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise or plain nondairy yogurt

Other:
Sea salt and black pepper
1 medium acorn squash, cut into 4 sections
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed and finely chopped
4 crusty rolls, split


1. Patties: Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Combine the chickpeas, mushrooms, miso, yeast, onion, garlic, thyme and sage in a food processor. Process until finely ground. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form into patties about the size of your rolls. Transfer to a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. Add the squash quarters to the pan and season with salt and black pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the patties and the squash and bake for another 20 minutes. If the squash is tender remove it from the pan. Continue to bake the patties for another 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and hold together fairly well. 
2. Onions: Combine the onion, starch and spray with oil. Transfer to the basket of an air-fryer and cook until semi-crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Shake the basket after every 5 minutes and make sure not to burn. The onions will become crispy after they sit for a minute off the heat.
3. Sauce: Combine the cranberry sauce and mayo. Mix well. Set aside. 
4. Steam the kale until very tender and toast the rolls. Season the kale with salt and pepper.
5. Assemble the sandwich by spreading the bottom and top with the aioli. Add kale, a patty. Scoop out the squash from the shells and add one to the sandwich. Top with onions and serve. 


© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

umami burger

After making Wednesday's Chipotle Firm Vegan Cheese, I wanted to have something to put it on, so I came up with this Umami Burger. Umami is our other taste, besides salty, sweet, bitter and sour, and roughly translates to mean meaty or savory. It is the same depth of flavor that is in greens, tomatoes, soy sauce and miso.

This is a simple burger, but it is packed with chard (or kale), beans, miso and garlic and is then topped with the Chipotle Firm Vegan Cheese, jalapenos, a grilled tomato and soy curls bacon bits. My husband thought that a few pickle slices and some vegan mayo couldn't hurt, either. 

First thing to do is make the bacon bits - or you can use any bacon you like: barley, tempeh, tofu, seitan, mushroom, etc. If you need some good bacon recipes, Baconish has you covered. 

If, however, you have the dregs from the bottom of your soy curls bag (or you have some TVP or whole soy curls, which you can grind into bits), then make the bacon first. It's pretty easy.

Then make the burger by pulsing the ingredients in your food processor and then giving it a few minutes' knead to develop the gluten. If you'd rather not use the gluten, then use quick oats. Bake the patties and cool about 30 minutes before using. 

Then, grill the thick tomato slices, grill the patties and top with the cheese and bacon bits. Add jalapenos and pickles and serve right away. Enjoy!

Umami Burger

Makes 5 patties

Burger patties:

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans

1/2 cup packed chopped steamed greens (squeeze excess water from greens before measuring)

1/2 cup vital wheat gluten or 1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 teaspoons dark miso (not mellow white miso)

Sea salt

For serving:

Thick cut grilled tomatoes

Chipotle Firm Vegan Cheese, sliced

Bacon Bits (recipe below) or other vegan bacon

Burger buns, toasted

Jalapeno slices

Pickle slices

1. Preheat the oven to 300-degrees F. Add the beans, greens, gluten, garlic and miso to a food processor. Pulse twenty times to break up the beans and miso. Transfer to a large bowl and knead until gluten threads form. Add salt to taste. Divide the mixture into 5 portions and form each portion into a 2-inch in diameter patty. 

2. Place the burgers on a baking sheet and add 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for 15 minutes. Flip and continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to firm up, about 30 minutes.

3. Heat a medium grill pan over medium heat. First grill the tomatoes, about 3 minutes per side and keep warm. Spray the patties with oil and grill them for 5 minutes. Warm the cheese slices in a separate skillet to begin melting them. 

4. Flip the burgers and add the warmed cheese and then add the grilled tomatoes. Cover the pan and continue to grill for another 5 minutes or until the burger is marked and the cheese melts. 

5. Make the burgers by adding them to the bottom of a toasted bun. Top with bacon bits and jalapeno slices, and pickles, if using. Top with the burger buns and serve. 

Bacon Bits:

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup reduced-sodium tamari

2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup soy curl grounds (from the bottom of a bag or ground soy curls)

1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon neutral oil (optional)

1. Combine the water, tamari, Worcestershire, smoke, yeast, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil and add the soy curls. Mix well, remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Add the hydrated curls to a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until almost crisp. Add the oil and stir about 20 minutes into the baking time.It is important to stir every 5 minutes to avoid burning the curls. 

2. The bits will become more crisp as they cool. Store in airtight container as soon as cooled. 

© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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