Ancho Corn Chowder

Every time we have Mexican food I make some kind of corn soup.  There have been many variations over the months, but this is the one that I think is blog-worthy.  Here's why: 1. the ancho chiles provide some heat (add more if you like it hotter), colour, and wonderful flavour.  2: cilantro root!  I hope your grocery store sells cilantro with the root still on because it totally makes this soup (unless you hate cilantro, then forget it).  The roots packs all the flavour of the leaves but with a little more earthiness, and without adding green to a red soup.  3. Tomatoes: I've always loved tomatoes and corn together--I still make corn as a side dish when I serve pasta marinara because I loved it as a kid.  I used the chopped tomatoes I had frozen from the garden last summer and they worked perfectly.  Use fresh corn if you have it, but frozen works too.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 sweet onions, diced
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 8 cilantro roots, well-scrubbed, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2-3 dried ancho chiles
- 2.5 cups chopped tomatoes
- 2 cups veggie broth, or water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 4 cups corn, divided
- 1/4 cup soy creamer (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a stockpot over medium heat.  Saute onions, celery, cilantro roots, and garlic for 5 mins, or until onions start to get translucent.  Stem chiles and rip into large pieces into the pot (seeds and all).  Saute for another 5 mins.
2. Add tomatoes, broth, sugar, and 2 cups of the corn.  Bring to bubbling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 mins, or until tomatoes well-cooked and breaking apart..
3. Blend mixture very well in a blender (in batches) or with an immersion blender right in the pot.  Make as smooth as possible.
4. Return mixture to the pot over medium heat and add remaining 2 cups of corn.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cook until corn is soft.
5. Remove from heat and stir in creamer.  Serve.

Summer Chowder

The weather has been a bit colder since the calendar turned to August so it did not seem weird to eat a hot soup during the summer. But, even if it was hot I think I would still make this delicious, creamy chowder made of seasonal ingredients. The corn and cauliflower came from a local farm, and the garlic, shallots, and potatoes from my garden.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 4 to 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 small cauliflower, chopped (about 5 cups)
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3 cups peeled potato, diced (Yukon Gold is nice), divided
- water
- kernels from 2 ears of corn
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute onions and celery for 5 mins, then add shallots and garlic. Saute for another 5 mins until soft and translucent but not golden.
2. Add cashews, 1 cup of the potato, and the cauliflower. Add enough water to almost cover the veggies (i.e. a few should be poking out). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 mins, until veggies are very soft.
3. While cauliflower is cooking, boil the remaining potatoes in salted water until just tender (about 5 mins for fresh potatoes). Add corn and cook for another 2 mins, until corn is tender. Drain.
4. Blend cauliflower with an immersion blender until very smooth (a good 5 mins). Add more water if too thick. Add nutritional yeast, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes and corn and mix well. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Tofu Etouffee Over Corn Cakes

I have been checking out cookbooks from the library so I can explore various cuisines and flavours for free. I have been having good luck with the Williams-Sonoma cookbooks--nice pictures, solid recipes, and some cultural history to boot. This recipe is inspired by the New Orleans collection. I thought the corn cakes would be a little ponderous, but they are actually a wonderful addition that complete this flavourful dish.

INGREDIENTS
Tofu Etouffee
- 1 pkg tofu, cut into small cubes
- oil
- 1 tsp ground thyme
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes

- 1 tbsp smoked paprika

- 1 tsp sage

- 1 tsp smoked sea salt (or regular)

- freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 red pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 4-5 cups veggie stock, or water
- 2 generous tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano
- 2 bay leaves

- salt and pepper to taste

Corn Cakes
- 1 1/4 cups cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups soy milk (less 2 tbsp)
- 3 tbsp oil
- 4 green onions, finely chopped

METHOD
1. Fry in tofu cubes in a thin layer of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until crispy and golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and toss with thyme, pepper flakes, paprika, sage, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add oil, then whisk in flour to make a roux. Continually whisk for 4-5 mins, or until flour is a deep golden brown. If you burn it, you have to start again. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, celery, and peppers. Cook, stirring constantly, until veggies are tender (about 8 mins). Add a splash of water or two to the pan to deglaze if the flour sticks too much.
3. Add garlic and cook for 2 mins, then slowly add in stock, stirring well to incorporate. Stir in tomato paste and herbs. Add tofu, bring to bubbling, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 mins, allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken. Add more water if it is too thick after reducing, or more tomato paste if too thin. Season to taste before serving.

While the etouffee is simmering, make the corn cakes
1. Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Pour apple cider vinegar into a 4 cup measure, then fill up to the two cup line with soy milk. Whisk together, then whisk in oil. Add to dry ingredients and gently mix until just incorporated. Fold in green onions.
3. Cook, as you would pancakes, on a oiled griddle, using about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake.

To serve, place two pancakes on a plate and cover with etouffee. The pancakes re-heat nicely on a griddle the next day (can be stored in the fridge, or you can just make a 1/2 recipe), and the etoufee tastes even better as leftovers.

Southern Tofu on a Corn Cake

I can't help myself, I have made this twice already this week! It's really just a version of my Memphis BBQ Tofu, but with fresh garden ingredients that give it a more refined and delightful taste. It is sweet and sour with a touch of hot, and goes perfectly with the hearty and slightly sweet corn cake below. I served this with a side of greens and some fresh garden produce. The corn cakes are from the August 2010 issues of VegNews (anyone see me listed on the last page as a Top Ten blog?) and are only adapted slightly because I did not have all the ingredients.

Southern Tofu
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pkg firm tofu, diced
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 green pepper, small dice
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp mustard
- hot sauce to taste
- 1/4 cup ketchup (more as needed)
- salt to taste
- chopped parsley to garnish

METHOD
Prepare tofu however you see fit. You could leave it raw, but I fry it up in a touch of oil over med-hi heat, turning regularly to get a nice golden colour on each side and to give it a more chewy texture.
1. Heat margarine and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 10-12 mins, stirring regularly, until beginning to get golden on the edges. Add garlic and cook 1 min, then add green pepper and cook 2-3 mins, until starting to soften.
2. Add bourbon to the pan and mix well, letting it cook down a bit (just a min or two). Add brown sugar and bring to bubbling. Let cook for 2 mins.
3. Add vinegar, lemon juice, tomatoes, paprika, mustard, and hot sauce. Bring to bubbling, then reduce heat, and let simmer for about 5 mins, letting tomatoes cook down a bit. Add ketchup to thicken, and season to taste. Add tofu back to the pan and stir to coat. Cook a few mins to heat tofu back up and absorb some sauce. Serve over corn cake and garnish with parsley.

Corn Cakes
Makes 6
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp boiling water
- 1 tbsp canola oil

METHOD
Heat a thin layer of oil in a frying pan over medium to med-hi heat
1. Whisk cornmeal, baking powder, flax, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add boiling water and mix until just moistened. Add canola and stir to incorporate. The batter will thicken a bit as the cornmeal absorbs more water, so add more water if needed.
2. Spoon equal portions of batter into the hot oil, and press into patties. (This is what the original recipe calls for, but I actually found it easier to wet my hands and pat the dough/batter into patties). Cook for 2-3 mins each side, until golden, then drain on paper.

Baked Thai Corn Fritters

This is a lower fat version of this recipe (there is a better pic here). They are not as crispy as the original, and are a little more like a corn cake, or corn bread, but they are tasty nonetheless. Serve with Thai dipping sauce as a great appetizer. The boys loved them and gobbled them right down. Next time I will have to make a double batch (and remember to have cilantro on hand so I can do the recipe right).

INGREDIENTS
Makes 8

- 2 cups frozen corn, thawed

- red curry paste, to taste

- 1/2 cup chickpea flour

- 1 Ener-G egg

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- salt to taste

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. Put thawed corn in a bowl. Mix in curry paste. Add in flour, Ener-G egg, garlic, cilantro, oil, and cilantro sauce and mix well. Season to taste.
2. Dip a 1/4 cup measure in water, then scoop out a scant 1/4 cup of batter onto the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for 12-15 mins, until golden brown on top.

Creamy Corn Soup

If you are a low fat vegan type you probably should stop reading now. As I was putting the cookbook together (almost done!) I noticed how much of my food is related to some childhood memory. This soup is no exception. I always got to choose my birthday dinner as a kid, and I usually asked for tacos and corn soup. The original is made with cream and milk, so I used soy milk and coconut milk. It's pretty rich, but also pretty tasty. We always garnished it with corn chips, but I didn't have any on hand.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 5-6

- 3 tbsp margarine

- 3 cups plain soy milk

- 1 cup soy creamer

- 4 cups corn

- 1 can coconut milk (I like Thai Kitchen--it is less "coconuty" for stuff like this)

- salt and pepper to taste

- corn chips to garnish

METHOD

1. Melt margarine over medium heat in a large pot. Add soy milk and creamer and bring to bubbling.

2. Add corn and return to bubbling. Simmer for 5 mins, stirring regularly.

3. Add coconut milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. (I like a good amount of pepper to contrast the creaminess). Do not boil.

4. Serve garnished with some corn chips.

Roasted Corn on the Cob

I have never had roasted corn in my life so I am not sure if this is the preferred method, but it worked out very well for me. Local corn is in season now and the kernels are tender and very sweet. Roasting only amplifies the sweetness. And, if you are a corn-roasting expert, let me know your method.

INGREDIENTS

- corn cobs, husk on

METHOD

Preheat BBQ to 500 degrees

1. Trim top tassells and soak corn in a sink if water for 20 mins.

2. Roast on the BBQ for 25 -30 mins, turning every 5 mins, and rotating cobs if your BBQ has hot spots. The husks will be pretty black by the end, but you want to make sure you don't burn the corn underneath.

3. Remove corn from grill and let cool for 5 mins. Remove husks and serve.

Here are the cobs after 1 turn. The real trick is getting the husks off the hot cobs. I held them with an oven mitt and peeled off the husks with a set of tongs.

Quick and Easy Maque Choux

I'm not really sure this dish can be called maque choux since many of the ingredients are missing. But, that's what makes it quick and easy, right? The basic essence of the dish is still here--creamy corn with a hot pepper bite.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 cups cooked corn

- 1 heaping tbsp vegan sour cream, or vegenaise

- 1 tbsp plain soy milk

- hot sauce to taste

- sliced green onion for garnish

METHOD

1. Mix all ingredients together and top with green onions.

Sweet Potato and Cashew Curry

I love cooking a dish with beautiful complimentary colours, like this one. There is something so satisfying about preparing a meal with yellows, oranges, reds and greens--makes you just stand back from the wok and admire the food like a work of art. Or, do I just need to get out of the house more?

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced

- 1 stalk lemon grass, tough outer husk removed, finely minced

- 1 cup raw cashews

- 1 tsp Thai Kitchen yellow curry paste (or to taste)

- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into small chunks

- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes (with juice)

- 2 cups water

- 1 cup frozen corn

- 2 stalks celery, chopped

- peel and juice of one lime

- 1 tbsp tomato paste, or 2 tbsp ketchup

- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

- 2 tbsp vegetarian stir fry sauce

- brown sugar to taste

- 4 green onions, thinly sliced

- Thai basil to garnish (if you have it, which I don't)

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Stir fry onion for 3-4 mins, until translucent. Add lemon grass and fry 1 min. Add cashews and fry until golden.

2. Stir in curry paste and mix to coat onions and nuts. Add the potatoes and fry 1 min. Add tomatoes and water and bring to bubbling. Reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered, for about 15 mins, until potatoes are soft but not mushy. Add more water if needed.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients except green onions and basil and simmer for 5 mins, until heated though. Adjust seasonings to taste (Thai food is a balance of sweet, salty, hot, and sour, so adjust to your own liking).

4. Stir green onions through right before serving, and garnish with basil. Serve over rice, or by itself.

Homemade Green Curry Paste

Homemade curry paste is so much better that the pre-fab stuff like Thai Kitchen. Not to diss Thai Kitchen, but, like everything, making something yourself always means it tastes better.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 tsp coriander
- 10 whole anise seeds
- 1 tbsp whole white peppercorns
- heaping spoonful of peanut butter (optional)
- peel and juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro stems
- 2 stalks lemon grass, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped ginger
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 8 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped

METHOD
1. Crush anise seeds and peppercorns with a mortar and pestle. Mix with coriander and set aside.
2. Put peanut butter, lime peel and juice, cilantro, lemon grass, ginger, garlic, onion, and pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add spice mixture and romaine leaves and process again until smooth. Remove from processor and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

The dish pictured above is a variation of the green curry tofu I made before. You can use more soy than I have listed here if you want, I just find that it takes away from the lovely green colour of the dish.

INGREDIENTS
- Half of the curry paste above (about 1 cup)
- 1.5 to 2 cans coconut milk
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- salt to taste
- 1 pkg tofu, diced and prepared however you like
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 cup frozen green beans

METHOD
1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry curry paste for 5 mins, until fragrant and most of the water has evaporated. Add 1 can of coconut milk and bring to bubbling. Cook for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.
2. The curry sauce has a bit of texture from the lemon grass. If you want a smoother sauce, strain and add back to pan. Add sugar, soy, and season to taste. Add tofu and cook for 5 mins. Add more coconut milk if sauce is too thick.
3. Add corn and beans and bring to bubbling. Add enough coconut milk to get the consistency you like. Serve over rice.

I also made Thai Corn Fritters. I used hoisin sauce instead of mushroom soy sauce--it made for a lighter colour and a more photogenic fritter.

Thai Corn Fritters with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

Don't judge these by the picture--they are fantastic! "Real" corn fritters have egg, which I replaced with a bit of cornstarch and chickpea flour. They are nice and crisp, and have a hearty flavour and texture. They are made even better with this dipping sauce, which is so good I am going to make more and find things to dip into it.

Thai Corn Fritters

Makes 10

INGREDIENTS

- 2 cups frozen corn, thawed

- red curry paste, to taste

- 1/2 cup chickpea flour

- 2 tbsp cornstarch

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

- 1 tbsp mushroom soy sauce

- 1-2 tbsp water

- oil for frying

METHOD

1. Heat 1/2" of oil in a frying pan over med-hi heat.

2. Put thawed corn in a bowl. Mix in curry paste. Add in flour, cornstarch, garlic, cilantro and soy sauce and mix well. Add in water to make a batter that will coat the corn but not be too runny.

3. Drop large spoonfuls of batter into the oil, making 4-5 inch round fritters. Fry about 2 mins each side. Make sure the oil is hot enough to cook the bottom, but not too hot to burn the fritter.

Sweet Chili Sauce

- 1/4 cup white vinegar

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 1/2 tsp garlic chili sauce

METHOD

1. Bring vinegar and sugar to bubbling in a small saucepan. Cook for 2 mins, stirring constantly.

2. Remove from heat, add in salt and chili sauce. Cool to room temperature and serve.

Black Bean Burgers with Roasted Corn Guacamole and Sweet Potato Fries

Tonight I made the black bean burgers from Veganomicon. The recipe isn't really much different from other black bean burgers recipes I have seen, except that it uses high gluten flour to bind everything together. This makes me think that these burgers will hold up well on the grill (but I did not test that theory tonight.) The burgers are pretty good on their own, but when topped with tomato, red onion, chopped romaine, salsa, and roasted corn guacamole they are absolutely fantastic!

Roasted Corn Guacamole
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large avocados
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Meanwhile, scoop avocados out of skins and coarsely mash with fork. Mix in lime juice and cilantro.
2. Add corn and onion to skillet. Dry roast for about 15-20 mins, stirring frequently, until corn and onions are a deep golden brown.
3. Let corn cool slightly, then add to avocados along with spices. Serve.

Sweet Potato Fries
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Peel and thinly slice 3-4 sweet potatoes. Toss in 1 tbsp of oil.
3. Bake for 20-25 mins on a cookie sheet, flipping every 5 mins or so to prevent sticking.
4. When fries are crisp and cooked, sprinkle 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of chili powder, and salt to taste over top and mix well. Serve.

Caribbean Night

Tonight's meal plan started with the Jerk Seitan from Vegan With a Vengeance. This is a fantastic recipe that gets its heat from cayenne pepper instead of scotch bonnet peppers, so you can easily adjust the heat level (we kept it pretty low for the kids). Since cold weather never keeps me from the BBQ, I grilled the seitan for a wonderfuly smoky flavour. But what to serve with the seitan? I searched a few Caribbean food recipes online, made several modifications, and served up these dishes.

Sweetcorn Soup

This is delicious and creamy and filled with with pumpkiny goodness.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1/2 red onion, diced

- 1 rib celery, diced

- 4 green onions, sliced

- 1/2 pie pumpkin, peeled, seeded, diced

- 2 cups frozen corn

- 2 tomatoes, diced

- 2 red potatoes, diced

- 2 yellow potatoes, diced

- 1 can coconut milk

- 2 cups water or vegetable stock

- 1 tsp dried thyme

- pinch of cayenne pepper

- salt and pepper to taste

- juice of 2 limes

METHOD:

1. Saute red onion and celery in a large stockpot until translucent. Add in green onions, pumpkin, corn, tomatoes, and potatoes and cook for 5 mins.

2. Add in coconut milk and water. Add thyme, cayenne, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes (until veggies are tender).

3. Before serving, stir in lime juice.

Rice and Beans

This is supposed to be made with kidney beans, but I did not have any on hand. The Black beans worked just fine.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 can kidney (or black) beans, rinsed

- 1 can coconut milk

- 2+ cups water

- 1 tsp dried thyme

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp pepper

- 2 cups long grain rice

METHOD

1. Put coconut milk in a saucepan and enough water to make 4 cups. Add thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

2. Add in rice and beans. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 mins, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. I recommend stirring every now and then--the coconut milk had a bad habit of sticking to the bottom of the pot.