Quinotto is quinoa cooked in the style of risotto. Unlike rice, however, quinoa will not become creamy with this method, so we use a puree of tofu and raw cashews to add creaminess to this protein-packed entree.

Mushroom Quinotto

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3-4 shallots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 ounces mixed mushrooms (cremini and chanterelles work well), sliced
• cream sherry or white wine
• 6 cups vegetable or mushroom broth, warmed
• 2 cups uncooked quinoa (tricolor works well and looks pretty)
• 8 ounces firm tofu
• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in warm water for about 20 minutes
• Salt
• Black truffle or truffle oil (optional)

Preparation

1.  In a large skillet, saute shallots and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat until the shallots are translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are thoroughly cooked down, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the sherry or wine, stirring until it has all been absorbed or evaporated. Transfer sauteed shallots and mushrooms to a bowl.
4. In the same skillet, add the quinoa and lightly toast for about 30 seconds, stirring to prevent burning.
5. Add 2 cups of broth, increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer, stirring often.
6. Once most of the liquid has been absorbed/evaporated, add about 1/2 cup more, reduce again, and repeat until the quinoa is just about finished. This process might not use all 6 cups of broth, but should be close.
7. In a food processor, process tofu and soaked cashews until smooth. Add this mixture along with the shallots and mushrooms to the quinoa. Stir to fully incorporate and heat until warmed throughout. Season to taste.
8. Serve with a few truffle shavings or a light drizzle of truffle oil.

Seco de Verduras with Tofu

With the weather taking another cold turn I thought it might be a good idea to have something flavorful and hearty ready for lunch tomorrow. I have also had Peruvian food on my mind since – big announcement – per our 2013 New Year’s resolution we are putting the finishing touches on our Peruvian Vegetarian Cookbook!

Seco is a traditional Peruvian stew with a pureed cilantro base. High in the Andes it takes extra time to cook potatoes and the in the process they become extremely soft and play an important role in thickening the texture of many stews. The dish is typically prepared with chunks of chicken or beef, but our vegetarian version simply omits the meat and adds a little tofu to the deliciously tender vegetables and flavorful sauce.

This version of classic Thanksgiving cranberry sauces mixes it up with the addition of Angostura Bitters. Angostura Bitters have some great spice notes reminiscent of classic holiday flavors, like allspice and cloves, so their use in this sauce works wonderfully.

Angostura Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup turbinado sugar
• juice of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup water
• zest from half a lemon
• 2 teaspoons Angostura Bitters

Preparation

1. In a large pot, heat cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water and lemon zest over medium-high heat. Stir frequently to dissolve the sugar and wait for the majority of cranberries to pop.
2. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in Angostura Bitters, transfer to heat-resistant bowl, and let cool before serving.

25th Annual Lone Star Veggie Chili Championship

Last Sunday, Taylor and I competed again in the Lone Star Veggie Chili Championship, America’s longest running vegetarian chili cook-off. We were joined by Taylor’s parents and her good friend Linda for a long, fun day of cooking, serving, and eating chili. Having won first place All-Veg and People’s Choice last year, we had a lot on the line defending our title. Due to its overwhelming success last year we decided to stick with our Black Bean, Eggplant, and Lentil Chili (click for the recipe!).

Our day started bright and early at 8 AM when we arrived to the competition site, had our ingredients inspected to ensure vegan-compliance, and then got to work prepping our ingredients. We then cooked our first 3-gallon batch to begin serving the public tasters at noon. Meanwhile, our second 3-gallon batch stewed away so that we would have enough to serve the hundreds of people who came by our booth until about 4 PM. At about 5 PM winners were announced by the competition’s organizer, Brendan Good of  the Vegetarian Network of Austin. Coseppi Kitchen ended up taking 2nd place in the All-Veg (no meat-substitute) division, and also 2nd place in the People’s Choice award. While we didn’t end up sweeping the competition like we did last year, we definitely felt the level of competition and quality of chilies increased this year, meaning a big win for everyone involved.

This coming Sunday, November 10, is the 25th Annual Lone Star Veggie Chili Championship! This year’s competition will be held from 12pm til 5pm at 4301 West William Cannon at MoPac here in Austin (map).

Taylor and I will be competing again this year, but this time with a title to defend (we won the All-Veg division and the People’s Choice award last year)!