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egan recipe collection

Main dishes Page 1

If you like the French ratatouille, try this Romanian version of a garden stew.

Romanian Ghiveci (that's ghee-VETCH)
6-8 servings

2 potatoes, quartered and sliced
1/2 head cauliflower, separated into flowerets
1/2 eggplant, cubed (not peeled)
2 carrots, sliced into pennies
1 small green or yellow summer squash, sliced
2 medium onions, quartered and sliced
1 17-oz can plum tomatoes with liquid
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup cut green beans (not French style)
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and cut in chunks
2 ribs celery, sliced
1-1/2 cups vegetable bouillon
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup each chopped fresh dill and parsley
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Place the cut vegetables in a three- or four-quart ungreased casserole dish. Pour the tomatoes and liquid on top. Mix together the bouillon, olive oil, and garlic, then pour this mixture over the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir all ingredients once or twice to distribute. Sprinkle the dill and parsley on top. Cover the casserole dish and bake at least one hour, or until the vegetables are of desired tenderness. (Stefan likes this a bit mushy. If you do too, bake for closer to two hours.) Allow to cool a bit before serving over rice or mamaliga (a traditional Romanian dish of corn meal mush, like polenta; recipe follows). Also good either reheated the next day or cold -- drained -- on crusty rolls for sandwiches. Suggestion: Double the recipe and make one batch in a disposable aluminum pan for freezing.)

Variation:

> If there's a particular vegetable that you can't find -- or can't abide :-) -- substitute another of your choice. Or use more of one of the other listed vegetables. And although fresh vegetables are best, use frozen if you prefer.
> To serve as a Passover dish, substitute another vegetable for the peas.

Ghiveci (previous recipe) tastes great over mamaliga, a sort of corn meal mush, as do mushrooms sautéed in a wine and herb sauce. There are as many recipes for mamaliga as there are stars in the Romanian sky! Here's a simple one. Mamaliga is properly made in a large ceaun, or cast iron kettle, over an open fire to feed farm workers an inexpensive yet filling meal. A very reliable Romanian source tells me that the proper salting for mamaliga is the sweat that drips from the cook who's stirring the big, hot pot. This recipe presumes that you'll be using a salt shaker instead. :-)

"Greetings! I was reading your recipes and wow! I haven't had mamaliga in years! My dad's family came from northern Romania late 1890s and they were German but they made this. Now I can make it too. Thank you so much." ~ Gerry in Saskatchewan

Mamaliga
About 4 servings

1 cup yellow corn meal
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Corn or sesame oil or vegan margarine, optional

Bring the water to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Add the salt, then sprinkle in the corn meal, stirring constantly. (Note: Stirring with a wire whisk helps prevent lumps.) Reduce the heat and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until thick but still pourable, about 20-30 minutes. Pour into a shallow bowl and allow to set, either on the counter or in the refrigerator. When firmed up, cut into wedges and serve, or brown the wedges in a frying pan in a little oil or margarine before serving.

I like this recipe because it's so easy and tastes so good! One Thanksgiving I brought this loaf as my contribution to a friend's dinner. Although there were all the usual non-veg holiday foods, this loaf was nearly devoured ... and one of the guests fought with the host for the leftovers! We also served this at our wedding and it disappeared. I hope you'll enjoy it too. Note: If you don't have a food processor or blender, it's a little more work because you'll need to pre-mash the tofu and chop up the onions and garlic rather finely. But it'll still taste good. You might want to double the recipe and freeze one loaf.

Janis' Tofu Loaf
6-8 servings

1 medium onion, quartered
1 large clove garlic (or 2 if you're into it!)
1/3 cup tamari soy sauce
1 Tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard
1/3 cup tomato ketchup
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1-1/2 pounds firm or extra-firm tofu, cut or broken into pieces that will fit into the food processor chute
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup bread crumbs, rolled oats, bread stuffing, or crushed corn flake crumbs, or a combination

This is a simple and tasty side dish. It can also become a main course when you add tofu and vegetables. Remember: don't stir the rice once it's started to simmer, as this will make it lumpy and sticky. To check whether all the water has been absorbed, insert a wooden spoon along the side of the pot to the bottom, and gently push a bit of the rice away from the side of the pot.

Rice Pilaf
4 servings

1 medium onion, chopped
oil for sautéeing
1 cup basmati rice
1/4 cup thin spaghetti, broken into 1" pieces
2-1/2 cups vegetable broth (or water plus 2-1/2 teaspoons broth powder)

I love this dish! It's very spicy, but if you prefer it milder just use less Szechuan pepper. Or, if you're very brave, you can use even more. Find the special ingredients in a Chinese grocery or maybe in the gourmet section of your supermarket. A smoky tea like Lapsang Souchong or Russian Caravan is a nice accompaniment to this dish.

Spicy Szechuan Tofu
4 servings  

1-1/2 pounds fresh firm tofu, drained
2 Tablespoons light oil (peanut, sunflower, etc.)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
2 cloves garlic, minced or run through a press
3 scallions, including green parts, chopped
1 Tablespoon hot Szechuan bean paste
4 medium mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon tamari or Kikkoman soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar or equivalent other sweetener
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground Szechuan pepper, or to taste
A few drops hot chili oil, optional

Ummmm ... pizza! So good...but such a nuisance to make: waiting for the dough to rise, punching it down, and it's so stretchy it doesn't stay on the pan where you put it. :-( One day I discovered a recipe for an easy, "quick" pizza dough, and life hasn't been the same since. There are no specific quantities given for the toppings, since this is a very personal issue. I prefer lots of tomato sauce and and toppings, but make it the way you like it. I offer some suggestions, but you're limited only by your imagination and your taste buds.

Pizza Marinara
One large pie or two small pies  

1 cup lukewarm water
1 package (2-1/4 teaspoons) active yeast
1 teaspoon corn meal (approximate)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups unbleached or bread flour (approximate)
additional olive oil
Fresh tomatoes or prepared tomato or pasta sauce
a sprinkling of oregano, dried or fresh
Optional toppings can include: fresh basil leaves, sliced tofu hot dogs, crumbled soy burger, soy cheeze, sliced mushrooms, diced bell peppers, chopped onions, chopped garlic, sliced olives, peas (fresh or frozen), chopped cooked cauliflower, or any other topping you would like!

Crèpes are so elegant, and never fail to impress dinner guests. You can fill them with any kind of savoury, creamy filling, including leftovers. Or try them for brunch or dessert with fruit jams. The secret to successful crèpes is to use a frying pan with rounded sides, and to distribute the batter quickly. A non-stick surface works best, but you can also use a regular pan and coat it lightly with oil (spray works well). I find that the first one or two crèpes always come out a mess, but after that they turn out perfectly. Does the pan need time to practice -- or does the cook? ;-)

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Basic Crèpes
Depending on the size of the pan, 12-20  

1-1/2 cups unbleached or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons sunflower or other light oil
2-1/2 cups plain (unflavoured) soy milk

Tofu and Mushroom filling
Fills approximately 15 crèpes  

3 Tablespoons light oil (sunflower, peanut, etc.)
3 Tablespoons unbleached flour
1-1/4 cups soy milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon tamari soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
4 scallions, white parts only, thinly sliced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound firm or soft Chinese-style tofu, diced
3 Tablespoons dry white wine or sherry
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Tofu Stroganoff used to be my favourite all-time dish. When I stopped using dairy products, I looked for a substitute for the sour cream called for in the original recipe, and that is a standard Stroganoff ingredient. My searches were fruitless -- the different products I tried either tasted odd or had a funny texture -- until I discovered Sour Supreme® Better than Sour Cream, made by Tofutti Brands, Inc. I buy it in the supermarket or natural foods store. This completely vegan imitation sour cream has made it possible for me to enjoy this dish again. I hope you like it as much as I do. Remember, though, that this is not a diet dish! :-)

Tofu Stroganoff
4-6 servings

4 Tablespoons light oil (sunflower, peanut, etc.), divided
2 pounds firm tofu, drained, pressed, and sliced about ½ thick and 2 inches long
1/2 teaspoon tamari soy sauce (approximate)
1/2 cup whole scallions, thinly sliced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 Tablespoons unbleached flour
1/2 cup dry white wine or sherry
1 12-ounce container Sour Supreme® (see above)
2 Tablespoons thick tomato purée
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Ground pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Cooked noodles or rice

Latkes, Kartoffelküchen -- whatever you call them, potato pancakes are a real treat! They are also a traditional dish served at the Jewish winter holiday of Chanukah. Top them with apple sauce or Sour Supreme® Better than Sour Cream. The best potatoes to use are the waxy types, not baking varieties.

Potato pancakes
6-8 servings

8 medium potatoes, quartered
1/2 pound firm or soft tofu, drained well
1 large onion, quartered
1 clove garlic or equivalent powdered
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 Tablespoons unbleached flour or matzo meal
sunflower or other light oil for frying

Yesterday as I was putting away groceries I realized we had a lot of canned goods, especially beans and tomatoes in many forms. I wanted to use some of them up, so I created this casserole dish. Even Stefan loved it -- he said it was "full of goodies!" You could probably use chopped fresh tomatoes and beans cooked from scratch then mashed, but this way is pretty easy. To slice onions or zucchini into half moons, first cut the vegetable in half lengthwise, then slice. I used mild chilies, but you can certainly use medium, hot, or extra-hot depending on your taste and your courage!

Enchilada casserole
4 servings  

1 large onion, sliced into half moons
1 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons
1 sixteen-ounce can vegetarian refried beans, or 1 can pinto beans, drained and mashed
8 six-inch corn tortillas
1 fourteen-and-a-half-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 eight-ounce can tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 four-and-a-half-ounce can chopped chilies
sunflower or other light oil for sautéing
salt and ground cayenne pepper to taste

A deceptively simple dish that is very tasty. Use green or brown lentils rather than the red variety, which tend to get mushy rather quickly.

Lentil stew
4-6 servings

1 pound green or brown lentils
4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
1 medium carrot, sliced into thin strips
3 Tablespoons unbleached flour
a pinch each of thyme, parsley, and sage
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Another simple dish, this one for eggplant lovers. Tastes best with fresh ripe tomatoes, but if the only fresh choice is anemic winter tomatoes, try it with canned diced tomatoes. This dish is really good for using up some of your summer garden's bounty!

Aubergine ragôut
4-6 servings

3 large eggplants
salt for draining eggplants
2 medium onions, cut in half-moons (halved lengthwise and sliced)
4 garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped
1-1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (preferably plum variety), peeled, seeded, and chopped, or canned diced
3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Bean cake may sound Mexican, but it's actually a traditional Russian dish that's often served during Purim. This springtime holiday, a celebration of the deliverance of the Jews from slavery, is part Halloween, part Christmas, and part New Year's Eve -- children dress up in costumes, their parents give them gifts, and everyone brings noisemakers to the temple for the reading of the megillah, the inspiring story of Queen Esther. For this recipe, use canned beans or cook them from scratch.

Bean cakes
8-10 servings

2 cups cooked black-eyed peas, drained
2 medium ripe tomatoes
2 medium onions
salt and ground black pepper to taste
light oil (sunflower, peanut) for frying

My sister and I learned how to make sloppy joes in Girl Scouts. It was a favourite when we went day-camping. Back then, we just mixed ground -- well, you know -- and canned vegetable soup, and poured the mixture over hamburger rolls. Here's a veggie version with a nice, chewy texture. And kids love it! TVP is available at most natural food stores. If you like spicier foods, add more chili powder -- as much as you can stand!

Sloppy Joes
8 servings  

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 medium bell peppers (red or green), chopped
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 Tablespoons brown sugar or equivalent sweetener
1-1/2 cups textured vegetable protein (TVP)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup frozen or leftover cooked vegetables
8 rolls or slices of bread, lightly toasted

Don't you just love burgers? They're so tasty and versatile. You can have a burger on a bun or roll with the "regular" toppings, like ketchup, relish, lettuce, and tomato. Or you can serve them on a plate with mashed potatoes and gravy. The leftovers taste good warmed up the next day, too. Sure you can buy tasty frozen burgers at the natural food store or supermarket, but when they're this easy to make from scratch, why not give it a try?

Tofu oat burgers
About 8 servings

2 medium onions, chopped finely
3 ribs celery, chopped finely
sunflower or other light oil for sautéeing and frying
1-1/2 pounds firm tofu, drained
1 cup rolled oats (regular or quick-cooking)
2 Tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 large clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
1/2 teaspoon dried herbs of your choice, optional

Stefan likes this thick sauce with pirogies -- dumplings filled with potatoes, cheese, or sauerkraut that are very popular in Eastern Europe. I like it with tofu ravioli, which I buy frozen at the natural food store. You can enjoy the sauce as we do, or with pan-fried tofu, as in this recipe. To slice an onion into half-moons, first cut it in half lengthwise, then slice it crosswise.

Tofu, Spinach, and Mushrooms
About 4 servings

sunflower or other light oil for sautéeing
1 pound firm Chinese-style tofu, drained
2 medium onions, in thin half-moons
salt to taste, optional
1 10-ounce package button mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup cooking sherry or dry white wine
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon tamari soy sauce
2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup pine nuts (pignoli)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cooked pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes

One difficulty experienced by many who try to embrace a vegetarian diet is giving up old, familiar foods. Sure you can find (or make) delicious veggie burgers, dogs, ravioli, and other tasty -- and healthier -- replacements. But there are still a few "comfort foods" that we miss, the homey kinds of dishes that Mom used to make :-). Perhaps this hash recipe will ease the transition for some would-be vegetarians. Using a food processor will help you to chop and julienne the vegetables more quickly and easily, or you can prepare them by hand.

Potato and Bean Hash
About 4 servings

2 large Spanish or 4 medium yellow onions
2 large potatoes, waxy variety (not baking)
1 medium red bell pepper
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 15-to-16 ounce can black beans
salt and black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives (use dried if fresh is unavailable)

Ahhh, risotto! It's Italian, it's elegant ... and it requires a good deal of attention and a lot of patience to make properly. It also requires Arborio rice, a special short-grain naturally white rice. Somewhat expensive, but any other rice just won't be the same (or as good!). Find Arborio rice in an Italian-style deli, natural food store, or your supermarket. Canned plain pumpkin -- not pumpkin pie filling -- works fine here. And remember that you can't rush this dish -- keep the broth hot and add it gradually!

Winter squash risotto
4-6 servings

4 cups (approximately) hot, full-flavoured vegetable stock or broth
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh sage (or 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed or ground sage)
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup dry white wine or sherry
1 cup pumpkin or butternut squash purée
salt and black pepper to taste

List of recipes: Main dishes

I'm always trying to recreate the foods I enjoyed as a child "BV" (before vegetarian). One of our family's favourites was Swiss steak. This recipe comes pretty close. It also uses one of my favourite ingredients -- tea (Camellia sinensis). For the right texture, use defrosted frozen tofu. Freezing tofu produces a spongy, "meaty" texture. Use firm, Chinese-style tofu. If you buy it in its own sealed tub, just stick the whole unopened tub into the freezer. Loose blocks can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen. Be sure to leave enough time for it to defrost -- usually overnight or longer in the fridge -- and squeeze it out very well before using. Find more tea recipes on our Tea Recipes page.

Swiss tofu steak
About 4 servings

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + additional for browning tofu
4 teaspoons tamari soy sauce
1/2 pound defrosted frozen tofu, sliced into four slices
2 medium onions, sliced in half moons
1 10-ounce package mushrooms, sliced
1 large green or red bell pepper, diced
4 medium garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup dark miso dissolved in ¼ cup brewed plain black tea (or water)
1 cup tomato purée
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup brewed plain black tea (or water)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or more to taste

Kasha, or buckwheat groats, are popular in Russian and Eastern European (Ashkenazic) Jewish cooking. This is a hearty grain, and these are hearty burgers for a cold winter's dinner. And it's another recipe where you can use tea in place of water for a mellower flavour. These are kind of messy to make ... or maybe lotsa fun, depending on your perspective!

Kasha burgers
About 4 servings

3/4 cup regular-strength brewed, unflavoured black tea, or water
1-1/2 cups canned tomato juice
2/3 cup whole brown kasha (buckwheat groats)
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 medium-sized scallions, white parts only, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon tamari soy sauce
ground black pepper to taste
light oil for frying

Polenta is the Italian version of Mamaliga -- or, if you prefer, mamaliga is the Romanian version of polenta. Whatever you call this versatile cornmeal dish, it's delicious! Use any vegetables you like -- try onions, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, squash, carrots, green beans, bell peppers, sweet peas, etc. -- and they can be fresh, frozen, or even leftovers or canned, as long as they are well drained and not too juicy. Then choose your favourite beans: I like small white beans, such as navy beans, but suit your own taste. The gravy is low in fat, but if you prefer even less fat use water or broth for sautéing the onion.

Baked polenta and vegetables with low-fat onion gravy
4 to 6 servings

sunflower or other light oil for greasing the baking dish
2 cups coarse yellow cornmeal
7 cups vegetable broth or bouillon
1 large clove garlic, pressed or minced
3 cups chopped vegetables of your choice
1 cup cooked or canned white beans, rinsed and well drained
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Low-fat onion gravy (recipe follows)

Low-fat onion gravy
4 to 6 servings

1 Tablespoon light oil (sunflower, peanut, etc.) or 2 Tablespoons water or vegetable broth
2 large onions, cut into thin half-moons (cut onion lengthwise, then make crosswise slices)
1/4 teaspoon ground or rubbed sage
1 large bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
3/4 cup vegetable broth or bouillon
3/4 cup dry white wine (or use all broth)
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon tamari soy sauce
3 Tablespoons unbleached or whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup cold water

We love stuffed peppers! Usually we make them with Sarmale filling, but for a change of pace we'll use this filling -- the walnuts and brown rice create a nutty, crunchy flavour and texture. Select four big, beautiful, sweet bell peppers -- perhaps in  different colours: red, yellow, orange, and purple -- that can stand up on their own. Mushrooms can be button type, or try the "baby bellas" that have been showing up in supermarkets. If you chop the walnuts in a food processor, don't let them get away from you -- the pieces should be about the size of a lentil, not much smaller. Serve the peppers accompanied by a salad, perhaps some sautéed mixed vegetables, and crusty bread. These are moist enough not to need any sauce or gravy, but you can serve some of your favourite -- perhaps the Low-fat onion gravy in the recipe just above this one -- on the side if you'd like. 

Walnut stuffed peppers
4 servings

4 large bell peppers, in any colour
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
6 mushrooms, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 cup canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice, preferably long-grain
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Okay, I admit it, this is more orange-y than red. But the name just sort of slid off my tongue, so that's what it stayed. A very tasty, relatively easy to make one-pot winter dish with no added fat. Red and orange veggies are high in beta-carotene -- if you eat enough of this ragôut you may never need eyeglasses :-)! Garnishing with cilantro -- or, if you don't care for this strongly-flavoured herb, use parsley -- makes a pretty red and green contrast, especially festive at Christmas.

Really red ragôut
About 4 servings

1 Tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 one-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
3/4 cup red lentils
1 large orange or red sweet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large carrot, sliced
1 cup winter squash or pumpkin, cubed
1 cup cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
4 Tablespoons cilantro or parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste, optional