Cauliflower Roast

These roasted cauliflower wedges go great with Mushroom Gravy.

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower, quartered into wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Arrange the cauliflower wedges on a baking sheet, then drizzle generously with olive oil.
2. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Rub this spice mixture on the cauliflower wedges.
3. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until the cauliflower is nicely browned and soft, about 35 minutes.

Feel free to play around with the spice mixture in this recipe!

This year, Coseppi Kitchen answered the call to duty when the Austin Food Blogger Alliance (AFBA) asked for volunteers to represent the organization at the 24th Annual Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-Off. With the help of some AFBA volunteers including Jessica of Bake Me Away (see her write-up here), we made five gallons of Black Bean, Lentil, and Eggplant Chili and served hundreds of Cook-Off attendees! After braving the wind, some knife nicks, and a few steam burns, we went on to win the “All Veg” Category and the greatest honor of all, People’s Choice!

Thanks goes out to everyone who helped including Jessica, Gabe Hasser, Taylor’s parents Mike and Shelly who came down from Fort Worth to help, and the folks who lent us the equipment – Stephen Palmer, Clayton Ernst, and Molly Frisinger.  We also need to thank Johnson’s Backyard Garden for the delicious eggplant and cilantro that carried us through to victory!

These baked chiles rellenos pair the creamy sweetness of sweet potatoes with the smoky heat of poblano peppers.  We used smaller, almost bite-size poblanos and served these as an appetizer at a recent gathering, but larger poblanos would work well for entree portions.  Either way, serve these with our Cilantro Lime Aioli for a delicious treat!

Sweet Potato Chiles Rellenos

Ingredients

• 2 pounds poblano peppers
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground cumin
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 cup corn meal
• 1 cup unsweetened milk substitute (soy, coconut, almond, etc)
• cooking spray
• salt to taste

Preparation

1. Top, seed, and roast the poblanos. See our Roasted Peppers post for instructions.  You might want to wear gloves if you are sensitive to hot peppers (or prone to touching sensitive areas!).
2. Boil the sweet potatoes in lightly salted water until they are soft, about 25 minutes.
3. Saute the garlic and onion in olive oil on medium heat until the onions just begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Combine the sauteed ingredients with the boiled sweet potatoes and ground cumin.  Mash together and season with salt to taste.
5. In a large shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal and breadcrumbs along with about 1 teaspoon of salt.
6. Lightly coat the baking sheet with cooking spray.
7. Stuff each roasted poblano with the mashed sweet potato mixture.
8. Dip each stuffed pepper into the milk substitute and then roll in the breadcrumb/cornmeal mixture until coated. Place each chili relleno on the baking sheet.
9. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes until the breading becomes lightly browned.

Causa is a wonderful Peruvian dish that basically amounts to a fish, seafood, or vegetable salad sandwiched between two layers of mashed potatoes seasoned with Peruvian aji chilies.  Causa has become a symbol of the creativity inherent in modern Peruvian cuisine, with chefs and home cooks alike making their own unique versions that follow the basic format.

Typically, Peruvian yellow and white potatoes are used in a causa, but to celebrate the fall and practice some creativity of our own, we used delicious sweet potatoes from Johnson’s Backyard Garden (along with several of their other seasonal veggie offerings) to make this version.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound white potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon non-margarine butter substitute
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large leek, finely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

Preparation

1. Bring potatoes and broth to a boil in a medium sauce pan until tender, about 15 minutes.
2. While potato is boiling, melt the butter substitute over medium heat in a large pot.
3. Add leeks, mushrooms, and garlic, stirring to coat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until mushrooms have expressed their liquid and the leeks are soft, about 8 minutes.
4. Once potatoes are soft, add the potatoes and broth to the saute and combine. Add almond milk and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Transfer mixture to a blender and combine until smooth, about 45 seconds.
6. Serve warm.