The black bean, black turtle bean, scientifically known as Phaselous vulgaris , which also entails other famed beans as the pinto and white bean, has been around for some 7,000 years. That is a long time, and we can thank the aboriginals of South America for their introduction to the world. I suppose we could also thank the genocidal conquistadors for then introducing them to western cuisine, but, I am not gonna.
Black beans are pretty healthy, or so I hear from those people who know such things, such as medical professionals and trained nutritional experts.By trained, I mean actually schooled people, and not many of the quacking quacks you often find in vegan circles. Simply said, black beans are good for us, and we should eat them.
I heard some rumor about fiber and this and that, so yeah, they are good for us. I do not know, as any avid reader of my posts could tell you, healthy foods is not perhaps my true talent or passion. I probably should correct that sooner than later, perhaps before I need bigger pants,but that is a story for another time.
So, black beans…You can buy the canned variety, or you can buy the bag of dry beans and soak and cook them. I tend to go the soak and cook method, as I find i enjoy them more. I have no scientifically facts to back up this claim, and really they may in-fact be all the same. But, the soaking and cooking method makes me feel closer to my foodie -snob roots, so I just go with that.
I could go about telling you how to soak and cook them, but I am just gonna go with the thinking that you already know how to, and do not need my assistance. I hope so, anyways.
Now, this is a soup, and I have often been quoted or been known to say how I am not all that keen on soups. I am not.But, once in a while the urge hits me, so I make a soup. I just find that unless you do it right, and add enough seasoning, they are just bland bowls of liquid with crap in it. No one wants that, I think? You might, I guess. Weirdo.
Ingredients.
- 3 cups of beans, soaked, cooked, rinsed.
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- 1 small onion.
- 2 large tablespoons of minced garlic. I guess you could just make it three.
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped up.
- 6 baby bella mushrooms, chopped up.
- 6 cups of vegetable broth. Or, 6 cups of water with some of that broth powder stuff.Low sodium is best, I loathe over-salty soup.
- 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- 1 teaspoon of pepper.
- Few dashes of salt.
- 1 bay leaf.
- A dash or red pepper flakes.
- 2 teaspoons of chili powder.
- A can of diced tomatoes. Or, you can dice them, yourself.Just avoid allowing much of the juice getting into the soup.
- 1 cup of frozen or fresh corn.I cheat and use frozen here, as I cannot really tell much of a difference.( I lose foodie points.)
You will need a big pot, one that you would deem suitable for making soup. I think that is fairly straightforward enough. Add the oil, onions, and put it over medium heat. Let this cook for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Now, add the mushrooms, celery, and half of the three cups of black beans.That would be a cup and a half for those mathematically challenged souls out there.
I wold add some salt and pepper to this, and stir it a bit, and let this cook for 2 or so minutes. Now, you may add the vegetable stock, as well as the cayenne, red pepper flakes, and the bay leaf.Lid that sucker, and let it cook for about 30 minutes.Remove the bay leaf.
So, I was a bit foolish and thought I could dump all this into my food processor, all in one go, thus saving myself some time. This was, well, not a wise move on my part.For, even though it all fit, it swirled around and made a mess. Not good.
I would do the processing in batches, until you have done the whole pot. You can puree it to any degree you want, as it is your soup.
You can then return it to the pot it came from, adding the remaining black beans, corn and diced tomatoes. I then added a wee bit more cayenne, and the chili powder.You may add as much of anything you wish, as it is a soup, and soups are easy in that way.
I am easy, or so the rumor goes.No, that is untrue, and I am clearly trying to just create some kind of persona.
Anyways, let this cook for 5 minutes,or so, maybe 10 minutes, till everything is warmed up, and then serve with a sprinkling of Daiya Cheddar on top.
I wanted a grilled cheese, but this could also be fantastic with some nachos that you could just dip in.I suppose you could also have soup and a salad.But, that is boring.
You do not want to be boring, do you?
I pride myself on my ability to make bread. I really do, as I still , to this day, always fear the dough will never rise. I know I have talked about this before, more than likely in other posts in the ” Rise” posts I have posted. But,I do. It is a bit scary, frightening, tormenting, to sit , or do whatever it is you do while you await your dough to rise. Honestly, I should have more faith by now, but that is just not who I am.
I fear that the dough will not rise!!!!!1111.Please gimme a sedative, maybe some whiskey, while I wait for this to happen.
Okay, maybe drinking , high on meds, would not be a good combination for cooking and baking. Or, maybe it would. Mmmhmm, I may be on to something.
but enough about me, and my yearn to be wasted while making breads.
I do worry about it, but I should not, I suppose.( out of ten times, it rises, and it tastes delicious. I mean, who does not love freshly baked bread? Rolls, loafs, buns, whatever, they are a delight.
Recently, as mentioned in my previous post, I took a trip trip out west to Buffalo. Sure, when you think Buffalo food, you think Buffalo sauce. That is a no-brainer. But, coming in a close second, would have to be Beef on weck, which is some meat and stuff on a kummelweck roll. These rolls are bad-ass, I assure you. If you like caraway seeds, anyways.
I had to make them, and so I did. I should maybe add the ” Beef” seitan recipe I made up for the sandwich, and maybe I will, we will see how lazy I am.
You should learn a bit more about this roll,if you are asking yourself, and now me, what the fuck is a kummelweck?
Well, it is basically like a kaiser roll, with salt and caraway seeds topping it. Sometime around 1900, some dude, who probably had facial hair, as they all seemed to around then, came up wit hthe beef on weck.Just imagine a bunch of people who look like the Pringles mascot guy. Well, in or near Buffalo, he decided it would be fucking tasty to slice up some beef, serve it in its juices, with some horsradish,in a roll.I do not know if he had a pickle on the side, but maybe would be wise if he had. Anyways, he picked the kummelweck roll. He did well in his choice. It is probably German, and he may have been German, but as the roll sounds German, I think I am on the right track.. Yeah, probably German.
There, some food history for you.
Kummelweck Rolls Ingredients
- One package of yeast.
- 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.
- 2 teaspoons of sugar.
- 1 and a half cups of warm water.
- 4 or so cups of flour.
- 3 tablespoons of Earth Balance shortening.
- 3 tablespoons of kosher salt.
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of caraway seeds.
Shall we begin? We shall. In large bowl, add kosher salt, sugar, and the warm water.Sprinkle the yeast over this, and let it sit for 5 minutes.Now, add about 3 cups of the flour, and the shortening.Mix that well, then add the remaining flour.
I am sure you could use your fancy mixer for it, and I suppose I could give instructions for that. But, you see, I tend to just use my hands and a spoon, like my archaic relatives did, so I am of no use.
Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface, and kneed for 5 minutes, then place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp, warm cloth, and let it double in size. Let that Bad Larry rise, friend.
Now, while you await this, you could skip ahead in the post and make the seitan, if you wanted. I know I had said I may not include it, but let’s just say I feel inspired.Rather, I am just not feeling that completely lazy right now.
Heat your oven to 375 degrees.
The bread should be punched down, and rolled and formed into rolls. You will vary in how many, depending on the size of them. I think I had 6 of them.Place them on a greased or sprayed tray, and cover them and let them rise again, for about 40 minutes.
Now, slice them with a sharp knife. Make like a star shape or something on the top of them, is what I mean. Once this is done, brush them with melted butter, mix kosher salt wit hthe caraway seeds and sprinkle this on top of them. Cook them for 5 minutes, remove from the ye olde oven, sprinkle water on them, and then cook a further 20 minutes. You have made your kummelweck rolls.
Now, for the ” beef” that will allow you to have Beef on weck.
Beef on Weck Seitan
- 1 and a half cups of vital wheat gluten.
- 6 cups of vegetable stock, or 6 cups of water with one of those cubes or some of that powder one can make a stock or broth with.
- 1 tablespoon of paprika.
- 1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce.
- 2 teaspoons of celery salt.
- 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke.
- 1 tablespoon of ketchup.
- 1 tablespoon of molasses.
- 1 teaspoon of pepper.
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt.
- 1 teaspoon of basil.
- 1 tablespoon of steak sauce.
- 1 package of yeast.
In a pot, combine all the ingredients minus the yeast and the gluten.I probably should have listed those two together, but I did not. Oops!
Combine the gluten and half the yeast in a bowl.Take a cup of the broth mixture you made in the pot, and mix that cup with the gluten. Mold into a shape, I dunno, like a roast, kinda.
Add the remaining yeast to your broth, and put it over low heat.Add the gluten to the broth, and let it sit in there and do what it does for an hour. I mean really low heat, you do not wanna see a boil. The longer you let this sit and cook, the more flavors.
Now, time to construct the sandwich.
You will need to slice up the seitan , thinly. I find that this is done a lot easier after a night of it sitting in the fridge. So, leave it in the broth it was cooked in, and let it sit over night. We will go from there. But, if you are impatient, you can just go ahead and do it right away.
But, I am gonna pretend you did. Slice it thinly, and while you are doing that, heat up some of the broth the seitan was cooked in. In a bowl, or ona plate, pour the hot broth over the sliced seitan, and then add the seitan to your kummelweck roll.You can add some horseradish to the roll, or keep it on the side and dunk it, or whatever.
You can also have some of the heated broth on the side, and dunk your sandwich into it with every bite. The world is yours.
Did I forget anything? Maybe, Oh, always have a pickle with your sandwich, it is only right.
I went west, kind of.I mean, I did not go far out west, out on the prairies, or anything that silly. I am no cowboy.I look pretty absurd in a gallon hat and those horrific nightmares known as cowboy boots.
No, I headed west out of the Bay state and found myself in western New York, land of Niagara falls, the Buffalo Sabres, and Wegman’s grocery stores.I think I am in love, with the place, and Wegman’s, among other things.Sorry, Sabres, I will cheer you on only if you are not playing my Habs.
It was not even that bone crushingly cold, which I had not really prepared for, so I was pleased by the fact that I did not freeze to death.
Good for me, and great for you, as I can now share with you my Buffalo Popcorn Chick’n recipe.
But, before I dip into that, I suppose I should give a bit of a telling of what I did there, or at least post a photo or two of the region.I guess.
I went to the falls, of course.It would be kind of silly if I had not, no? Give me a bit of credit.No, I did not go over the falls in a wooden barrel, apparently that is looked down on, or perhaps dangerous.Who knew?
I was somewhat surprised to see an old friend there, Mr. Nikola Tesla.He was apparently a giant in real life, if the the statue is to be believed.I tend to believe sculptures, so apparently Tesla was fucking huge.
So, I saw some stuff, hung out in grocery stores, cooked, and even ate out a few times. There is vegan food in Buffalo, you just need to have a vegan guide or know where to look. I probably could eat at Amy’s Place once or twice a week and eat the same thing and die a happy man. I had something called the ” Biff”. The “Biff” is basically BBQ sauce drenched seitan tips with an onion, tomato, and some kind of secret sauce that they place on the bun.I sucked it down like a Dyson vacuum cleaner.
I got my piggy vegan on, and it felt good.I will probably need new pants, but I am prepared for that result. I always am. Always.
So, You cannot be in Buffalo, and not have Buffalo sauce, right? I thought it was only right that I had some, though I had to make it myself as apparently no one who runs a vegan place or has vegan food in Buffalo has considered having something with Buffalo sauce on their menu. A bit odd, kinda, sorta.
I landed up just making it myself, and really, you could use another sauce in the end and these would still be tasty. I guarantee it. You need some ingredients, though. I should maybe list those, now.
Ingredients.
- TVP chunks, about a cup or a little bit more.
- 2 cups of veggie stock or broth.
- 1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce.
- 1 tablespoon of steak sauce.
- 1 tablespoon of basil.
- 1 tablespoon of thyme.
- 1 tablespoon of rosemary.
- A few dashes of salt.
- A few dashes of pepper.
- A cup or two of flour, in a bowl.
- A few dashes of salt and pepper.
- 1 tablespoon of paprika.
- Half a cup of Earth Balance butter.
- Half a cup or give or take of Frank’s Hot sauce.
- 1 tablespoon of ketchup.
Do not get frightened by all the ingredients, this is rather simple. I would not lead you astray, maybe. Okay, I may, as I like being a prankster, but this time I assure you this is for real.Or, as the kids say, for realz.
In a large skillet, stir together the broth or stock with all the dry ingredients up till the flour. You can mix the flour, paprika, salt and pepper, in a bowl and put aside. Once the broth and stuff is stirred into a skillet, place it over medium heat, and add the TVP chunks. I try and avoid it coming to a boil, a gentle simmer is okay, just watch it, I suppose.
You can now do nothing, just let it cook till the stock is gone. Easy, no? Once this is done,You can just dunk the TVP chunks into the flour mix, coating them in the batter.I tend to be lazy about this and just drop them all in the bowl, mix them a bit with a fork and be done with it.
Heat up a couple tablespoons of oil in a wok, and drop the battered tvp in, cooking them for about 5 minutes or so over medium heat.Once they are cooked remove them from the wok , and leave them in a bowl or on a place.
Now, using the same wok, over the same heat, add the butter, hot sauce and ketchup, till the butter melts and it is all one orange-y like sauce.
Drop the TVP back in the wok, covering them with the sauce, and there you go. Yes, there you go, you just made some Buffalo Popcorn Chick’n.
You can eat them on their own, in a roll, in a wrap, whatever you want, I do not give a crap.
Yeah, I just rhymed.
Neat-o.
I made a wrap, with some pickles, and lettuce, and mayo. I am no local, but I think it was a pretty good Buffalo Popcorn Chick’n wrap when you consider I am but a simple New Englander.
You know how they have those bread bowls with like cheese and pasta in them? The carb in carb bowl? They seemed a bit much, even for this self-proclaimed carb addict.I do love carbs, but even I kind of second guessed a bread bowl that was filled with pasta. Oh, hey! I am eating a yummy bread sandwich! It has bread inside of other bread!!!111.
See, that does seem just a tiny bit of an overkill.Just slightly.
But! And this is a big but, I do think a bread bowl filled with other deliciousness seems like a good idea.No, not a great idea. A brilliant idea, if I say so , myself.And, I do say so, myself.
I decided, and I do not know how this inspiration came to me, but I decided on filling them with something like a Sloppy Joe.Then, to fancy it up, I tried to make it more of an Italian Sloppy Joe.That is what I did, and it was amazing. You should not doubt me about this.Not that I am saying you do doubt me about this.But, if you do indeed doubt me about this, well, you are wrong.
You do not want to be wrong, do you? I did not think so.
Bread Bowl Ingredients.
- 6-7 cups of flour.
- 2 and 1/2 cups of warm water.
- 2 packages of yeast.
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- 4 teaspoons of salt.
- Cornstarch.
-1/4 to 1/3 cup of melted Earth Balance.
You need bowls, bro.Or, sista. You need some bowls.I am pretty sure 99 percent of all my recipes start of that way. How original of me. Anyways, in a large bowl, mix the yeast and warm water, and let it sit for a few minutes.
Now, add in the oil, salt, and then the flour.I added four or so cups of the flour, mixed that, and then slowly added the remaining flour.One you have a smooth dough, not stick, you should place it out on a floured surface, and kneed it for 5 minutes.
Place in an oiled or greased bowl, cover, and let it double in size. You know, let it rise.
Once it has risen, which could vary depending on temperature of the room in-which it is rising, punch it down.Form into the bread bowl shapes, on a baking pan, or two, that has been sprinkled with corn starch.
Cover, and let them rise again, nearly doubling in size.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Brush melted Earth Balance on the bread bowls. Cook them for 5 minutes, remove from oven, brush with more butter, and cook another 5 minutes.They should be golden brown.Golden brown equals yummy. Remember that.
Cut out a circle on top, the shape of the bowl, remove top, and scoop or pluck out the bread inside.You have made yourself some bread bowls.
But, wait! You need something to fill those suckers with.
Italian Sloppy Joes
- 1 cup of tvp.
- 3 cups of broth.
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
- Tablespoon of steak sauce.
- Few dashes of pepper.
- Few dashes of salt.
- 1 tablespoon of fennel seed.
- 1 tablespoon of basil.
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- 1 small onion, diced.
- 2 tablespoons of minced garlic.
- 1 cup of roasted red pepper, chopped up.
- 1/2 cup of tomato sauce.
- 1/2 cup of tomato paste.
- 1 tablespoon of basil.
- 1 tablespoon of oregano.
- 1 tablespoon of chili powder.
- 1/2 to 1 cup of frozen corn.
In one pan, over low-medium heat, place the first ingredient, TVP, up till the basil.Let this simmer till all lthe liquid is gone.
Meanwhile, heat up the olive oil in another pan, Add the onion and garlic, and saute for 5 to 6 minutes over medium heat.You may now add the roasted red pepper, and cook all that for another few minutes.Add the remaining ingredients,stir in the TVP, and cook for 10 minutes over low heat.Stirring occasionally.Pretty simple , eh?
Yeah, so don’t mess it up.
I placed some in a bread bowl,and topped it with some Daiya Cheddar, and some diced green onions. You could do that, if you wanted.Maybe.