Garlic Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into three inch long fries
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

1. Combine garlic and rice flour in a large freezer bag and set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine sweet potatoes and almond milk. With clean hands, gently combine until all of the sweet potato fries are evenly coated.
3. Transfer the fries to the freezer bag. Seal the bag and shake vigorously until the fries are evenly coated.
4. Transfer the fries to a non-stick baking dish and spray thoroughly with the non-stick cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper then bake at 350 degrees until tender and golden brown, 15-20 minutes.
5. Serve with your favorite condiment or Aji.

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!

Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-Off
First Place All Veg and People’s Choice

Black Bean, Lentil, and Eggplant Chili

Ingredients

• ½ pound black beans, pre-soaked overnight
• 2 dried chili pasilla peppers, stemmed
• 4 large cloves garlic, diced and divided
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 dried chili pasilla peppers
• 3 dried chili cascabel peppers
• 2 dried chipotle peppers
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 poblano pepper, diced
• 1 pound eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• ½ 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ½ 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 quart water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable Better-than-Bouillon
• ½ cup dry green lentils
• Juice of 2 key limes
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Boil the black beans with 2 stemmed chili pasilla peppers, 3 bay leaves, and half of the diced garlic until soft, about 1 1/2 hours.
2. While the beans are cooking, finely dice (or use a food processor) the remaining chiles pasillas, chiles cascabeles, and chipotle peppers.
3. When black beans are tender, remove from heat.
4. Saute the onion, diced dried chilies, and ground cumin in olive oil over medium-high heat until the onions are soft and the cumin is fragrant, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the remaining diced garlic and the diced poblano pepper, and saute for 5 minutes more.
6. Add the eggplant and a pinch of salt, then continue to saute until it is tender, about 8 minutes.
7. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, water, Better-than-Bouillon, and lentils.  Bring to boil then lower heat to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are almost cooked, about 30 minutes.
8. Add the cooked black beans and let the chili simmer until the lentils are soft and the flavors have melded, about 30 minutes more. The longer you let the chili simmer, the thicker it will become, so you can adjust based on your preferences.
9. Season with salt to taste and add the key lime juice.
10. Serve with fresh chopped cilantro, diced jalapenos (for extra heat), or your preferred chili topping.

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.

Cilantro Lime Aioli

Use this sauce to give a fresh lime kick to your next dish!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise substitute
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 key limes, juiced
• Salt to taste

Preparation

Combine ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

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.

Sweet Potato Causa

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 4 sweet carmen peppers (or one large red bell pepper), roasted, peeled, and chopped
• 2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
• 4 key limes, juiced
• 1 25-ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 medium purple onion, juilienned
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup vegan mayonnais
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Boil the potatoes with the skin on until very soft, about 30 minutes. When cool to the touch, peel with your fingers then mash in a large bowl. Add aji amarillo and the juice of two key limes to the mashed potatoes and season with salt to taste. Set the potato mixture aside.
2. In another bowl, mash the chickpeas. Add onions, parsley, roasted peppers, vegan mayonnaise, and the juice of the other two key limes. Season with salt to taste.
3. Assemble the causa in a large casserole dish. Make an even layer of the potato mixture on the bottom of the dish then make a layer using all of the chickpea salad. Finish with a top layer of the potato mixture. Decorate as desired.  Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

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.

Chana Masala

Ingredients

• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped and divided
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 hot chilies (or more to your preference), chopped
• 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 3 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• Juice of 2 key limes
• Salt to taste
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Preparation

1. In a food processor or blender, process 3 of the tomatoes, onion, chilies, ginger, and garlic until smooth. Set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat, then add the cumin, coriander, and fenugreek.  Let the spices toast and flower, stirring constantly in the oil, for about 1 minute.
3. Add the processed ingredients, increase heat to high, and fry until the “fresh” onion smell subsides, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the chickpeas, remaining tomato, turmeric, and sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. Add the garam masala, lime juice, and season with salt to taste.
6. Serve topped with fresh chopped cilantro.

Brown Rice Pilau

Ingredients

Preparation

1. Pour the rice into a sauce pan, cover with an inch of stock, and add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high, and simmer until the level of the stock becomes even with the level of the rice.  Once the stock is level with the rice, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook covered until the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
2. While the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and slowly saute the onions until soft and fragrant.  Add garlic, ginger, hot pepper, cumin, coriander, and cardamon. Continue to saute over low heat for a few minutes then set aside until the rice is ready.
3. Once the rice has finished cooking, transfer the rice to the saute of spices and combine thoroughly  Stir in almonds, rose water, and butter substitute.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.

Italian White Bean and Kale Soup

The perfect soup for the cooler weather – just like grandma used to make!

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 2 cups cooked Cannellini beans
• 2 cups dino kale (aka Tuscan, Lacinato, or black), chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation