FFtVSC: Pesto-Infused White Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato Stew

I'll admit, I didn't actually cook this one, Paul threw it together in the crockpot while I was at work. Unfortunately it didn't really turn out the way that I had thought it would. From the name of the dish I thought it would have the thick almost caramelized taste of the sun-dried tomatoes, the rich creaminess of the white beans and the sweet kick of the pesto. It didn't. I couldn't really taste the sun-dried tomatoes, nor the pesto, and the beans were lackluster. I'm hoping that this was a result of poor measurement, substandard ingredients, or a less-experienced cook. It's too bad because the concept of a sun-dried tomato and pesto stew was very enticing. I might need to rework it later when I have the time.

Veganomicon: White Bean Aoli

I had canellini beans and I wanted a hummus-like "schmear" for our freshly baked bagels. This aoili is smoother and runnier than hummus and would probably be a wonderfully rich sandwich spread, a perfect veggie or chip dip, or even an impromptu white sauce for pasta. I don't think it's quite thick enough for a bagel spread, but the flavor is wonderful.

Veganomicon: Pasta E Fagioli

The authors tell us this is pronounced Pasta Fazool. It's an utterly simple dish of pasta, beans, tomato, garlic and herbs. I used some tricolor radiatorre for an extra color boost. I think that this is a recipe that would be beautiful for those full summer, fresh from the garden or farmer's market tomatoes. In the winter, I think canned tomatoes would be much nicer in this dish than the pale pink things I got in the produce section... Lesson learned. Instead of using canned beans I used dried beans cooked in the slow cooker. Unfortunately I was less than attentive and overcooked the little buggers, so they were mushy. And yet, despite all of that, the end product was warm, tasty, comforting, and completely satisfying. This is stick to your ribs cooking. So go ahead and make this in February, but I suggest using canned tomatoes, it'll save you chopping time as well.

Veganomicon: Asparagus Quiche With Tomatoes and Tarragon

I'll start by saying that I approached this recipe with great skepticism. Before I became vegan, years ago, I had perfected a spinach and onion quiche, and none have ever measured up. I'm not fond of tarragon as a general rule, and I once had a bean based quiche cooked by an acquaintance that wasn't very good. So I'm sure that you can imagine how pleasant was my surprise that this quiche turned out beautifully.

The crust is wonderfully flakey and crisp, I was afraid that it would burn during the long 45 minute cooking time, but it was just browned, perhaps a bit overly crisp, but not the slightest bit burned. I think the crispness is mainly due to the delicate nature of vegan shortening. I used Earth Balance margarine which softens at room temperature. It's no match for a traditional crust, but it's one of the best vegan crusts I've had.

The bean filling is smooth and creamy, the tomatoes are the perfect juicy-tart counterpoint to the rich creaminess. This is one of the first recipes where I feel that every drop of the oil called for is necessary. The breadcrumbs on top add a wonderful layer of texture.

Unfortunately, although the tomato slices make for a stunning presentation, they make it very difficult to cut the finished quiche. If I make this one again I will dice the tomato and scatter the pieces across the top. The only room for improvement I see with this dish is that I wish the filling were firmer like a traditional quiche. That didn't stop us from devouring the entire thing by ourselves.

Veganomicon: Leek and Bean Cassoulet with Biscuits

This is an excellent potpie recipe. The biscuits cook up just past doughy but not yet dry or crumbly, the broth is thick, and the vegetables are tender. My one concession to health and nutrition was using white whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose, but the difference wasn't terribly noticeable. Paul and I both enjoyed it, and agreed that it reminds us a bit of my seitan pot pie. I have to admit that using beans instead of seitan makes this a much less labor-intensive dish, though seitan provides a nice chewy counterpoint to the tender vegetables. I probably will make this again, but I think that I will use more leeks for a stronger flavor since they get mellowed quite a bit in the cooking and I will use less cornstarch, maybe as little as 1 Tbs, so that the broth is a bit more fluid. I'll probably also add a bay leaf and more herbs to boost the flavor a bit. And to those of you undertaking this recipe, make sure that you stir the vinegar/soymilk mixture quite well before adding it to the dry ingredients because I failed to remix them and evidently the two had separated and we ended up with a couple very tart biscuits, but that was certainly my fault and not the recipe authors'.

bulgur, red pepper, and cannellini salad

1 cup dry bulgur
2 cups vegetable stock
1 can cannellini/white beans
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tsp cumin
1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
2-3 T lemon juice (to taste)

Cook the bulgur in the vegetable stock. Once cooked, cool to room temperature and add the rest of the ingredients and season to taste.