Monday, March 24, 2008

Baked - Not Fried

I made my best attempt to get a copy of Veganomicon today from the Brussels' Waterstones. I am looking at a month. But, I suppose, that is better then paying 72 euros for the shipping via Amazon. In honour of the cookbook I can not have, I made the one recipe from this PPK creation that seems to be all over the web: ChickPea Cutlets.

Tonight I went for a baked version, versus my last (and uber yummy) attempt of frying them up. Also, as suggested, we went with a middle eastern theme for the 'sauce' and meal accouterments. I made a baba ghanoush, using a smoked tahini, and K and I, working as a wonder team, made a fresh and tangy Cucumber/Tomato/Chickpea side salad.

We had stopped at the St.Gilles market on the way home from Waterstones - it is an all organic market on the front steps of their beautiful commune building. We met the nicest organic wine man - who explained the nuances of the various wines he was hocking - we ended up selecting two (why settle for one?). Tonight we had the black fruit bottle, it was gorgeous.

Sumac Salad
Ingredients:
-1/2 cucumber
-3 (organic) tomatoes
-dash of sumac
-1/2 cup of chickpeas (left over from the cutlets)
-a dash of olive oil
-sea salt to taste

Bring on the Baba ghanoush
Ingredients:
-1 eggplant (roasted for 35 minutes)
- 3 cloves of garlic
-2 tablespoons of tahini
-2 tablespoons of water
-dash of paprika
I would have included a squeeze of lemon, but, alas, I was fresh out. I whizzed this up with my handblender. This whizzing method leaves the dip a little more light and 'airy' when compared to what you get from the food processor. I wasn't hungry all day - had but a couple of glasses of juice. I think my belly was waiting on tonight's meal, because I wolfed it down. Yummmy.

8 comments:

J said...

What a feast! Yummy!

Billy said...

I hope you can get the book soon! Good luck.

Unknown said...

72 euros? That's a lot of postage! Somebody told me that agar agar is a good egg substitute.

VeganCowGirl said...

Hey Cookiemouse,
The 72 euros included the book - but if I wait, Waterstones can do it for 27. Not so bad. And guess what???? I found egg replacer today!!! Whoppppe.

Veggie said...

Glad you finally found the egg replacer.
I'd like to try sumac, what does it taste like?

VeganCowGirl said...

Hey Veggie,
Sumac has an almost citric taste to it - a little more subtle though. It is excellent on anything anything middle eastern.

I discovered it because I was always ordering fattoush salad and one day asked the waitress what the purple spice was that always turned the lemon juice a funky colour....and the answer was sumac.

You can find it in most health food stores, i have yet to see it in your run of the mill grocery shop. Also, any middle eastern place will have it for sure.

Veggie said...

I have a couple of middle eastern cookbooks that list this ingredient in a few of the recipes. I'm so surprised that it's purple, very interesting.

Unfortunately I don't live near any middle eastern shops and I haven't noticed it at any health food stores nearby yet.

VeganCowGirl said...

Hey Veggie - I found the latest pack I have at Unicorn Foods in the UK - I bet they would ship you some - heck! I will hapilly ship you some. It really does make a difference in M.E. dishes.