I had to do something other than read the political (presidential campaign) news, which was turning my stomach, so I went to the kitchen and created another vegan main course using cauliflower. This time, I went in a Greek direction.
Here are the players in order of appearance:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
Generous “pinch” of salt
2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
Two russet potatoes, peeled & cubed
One small sweet potato, peeled & cubed
1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice, pulsed in a food processor
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 small or 1/2 large cauliflower, cored, broken into florets, and sliced about 1/2 inch thick
15 kalamata olives, pitted and cut in quarters
1 15-ounce can of garbanzos, drained & rinsed
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 to 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
VEGAN alternative: Don’t use.
And here’s the production, act by act:
Peel & cube potatoes, microwave in covered microwave-safe bowl for five minutes.
Peel and chop red onion.
Put olive oil in large frying pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover and let the onion cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until it is lightly browned and very soft.
Add the garlic, macerated through a press, and stir together for a minute or two more, until the garlic is fragrant, then add the tomatoes and their juice, the cinnamon, thyme, and pepper to taste; add more salt to taste, if desired. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Add vinegar and water, return to simmer.
Wash cauliflower, break and chop into bite-size pieces.
Prepare the kalamata olives.
Add the cauliflower and kalamata olives and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower begins to turn tender.
Add garbanzos and potatoes.
Stir well, simmer until everything is hot (another 10 minutes or so).
Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve with grains (pictured is a mixture of quinoa with brown, red, and wild rices). If desire, sprinkle with the feta (vegans will skip this, of course).
This was when I realized that although I had prepared the parsley . . .
. . . I had forgotten to add it. So I put it in what remained in the frying pan and it went into the refrigerator with the leftover portion to be enjoyed later.
And here is the process without the pictorial interruptions:
Peel & cube potatoes, microwave for five minutes.
Put olive oil in large frying pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover and let the onion cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until it is lightly browned and very soft.
Add the garlic, macerated through a press, and stir together for a minute or two more, until the garlic is fragrant, then add the tomatoes and their juice, the cinnamon, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and simmer 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the mixture is reduced slightly and fragrant. Mix water and vinegar; add to skillet.
Add the cauliflower and kalamata olives and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower begins to turn tender. Add garbanzos and potatoes. Stir well, simmer until everything is hot (another 10 minutes or so).
Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve with grains, with the feta sprinkled on top if desired.
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