A Vegan Holiday Feast
Recipes by chefs Philip Gelb, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, Barry Horton,
and Bryant Terry and distiller Farid Dormishian
Illustrations by Julia Cost
Julia Cost’s little bears love to work in the garden and cook with the season’s best produce. For the holidays, they asked some of their favorite local vegan chefs if they would share a few of their best plant-based recipes for a healthy and delicious seasonal feast.
Distiller Farid’s
Polka Dot Citrus Cocktail
Serves 1
2 ounces Botanica Spiritvs Gin (or gin of choice)
1 blood orange
1 Meyer lemon (Farid says, “Try bergamot orange instead for a killer fragrant cocktail.”)
3 ounces Q Tonic (Use this for a vegan drink, since it’s sweetened with agave nectar. Otherwise, use your favorite tonic.)
1 sprig rosemary (pick a fresh, young sprig)
Slice the blood orange in half. Thinly slice one half for garnish, then squeeze the other half to produce about 1 ounce juice. Do the same thing with the lemon to produce garnish and about ¼ ounce of juice.
Line the sides of a collins glass with the orange and lemon slices to create a polka dot pattern. Then fill the glass with ice, taking care not to disturb the citrus slices. Combine the gin, citrus juice, and tonic in a cocktail shaker and pour into the citrus-lined glass. Dress with a sprig of rosemary.
Chef Barry’s Pecan Mousse and Sweet Potato Chips
2 cups pecans
1 small yellow onion, diced small
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Salt and pepper
Safflower or vegetable oil
1 sweet potato, thinly sliced on the bias
To make the mousse: Preheat oven to 350°. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.
Caramelize the diced onion by heating 1 tablespoon oil to medium-high in a sauté pan. Add the diced onion and lower heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally until the onion has become a rich golden brown.
Place caramelized onions in the jar of a blender along with the toasted pecans and maple syrup. Blend the mixture, adding water as needed to get a smooth consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To make the chips: In a pot, heat as much oil as you need to keep the chips submerged. A cooking thermometer is recommended to keep the oil temperature at 375°. Using metal tongs, place each sweet potato slice in the oil. You can add as many as will fit with room around each. They will float and change color fairly quickly. Fry the sweet potato chips until crispy and golden on both sides. Place on a paper towel to drain excess oil and to retain crispness.
Scrape the mousse into a serving bowl and serve with the sweet potato chips.
Chef Barry’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
1 head garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 medium russet potatoes, large dice
3 tablespoons vegan butter
¼ cup hemp milk
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400°. Slice the top off the garlic head to expose the tips of the cloves. Brush the bulb with olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
Place diced potatoes in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cooking until fork tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat, drain potatoes, and place in a mixing bowl.
Remove the baked cloves of garlic from the peel by squeezing them into the bowl of potatoes. Add the vegan butter and hemp milk and mash until thoroughly mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Mushroom Gravy
¼ cup vegan butter
1 onion, small dice
1 cup crimini mushrooms, chopped
Several sprigs fresh thyme (use leaves and discard stems)
¼ cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon salt
1½–2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté 2 minutes. Add chopped mushrooms and thyme leaves and cook until mushrooms are tender. Stir in the flour and salt and sauté for another minute. Then slowly add vegetable broth, stirring and simmering until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, stir in nutritional yeast, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Chef Colleen’s Roasted Brussels Sprouts
with Caramelized Onions and Toasted Pistachios
Serves 4 to 6
1½ pounds Brussels sprouts (about 40 sprouts), ends trimmed and cut in half, if large
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
2 tablespoons nondairy butter, such as Earth Balance
4 small-medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup pistachios
Preheat oven to 425°.
Place the Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack.
Roast 20 to 40 minutes, shaking pan several times for even browning. Brussels sprouts should be dark brown when done.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, melt the nondairy butter over low-medium heat. Add the onions and sugar; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions turn dark golden brown and are caramelized, about 30 minutes.
While the onions and Brussels sprouts are cooking, toast the pistachios at 200° in a toaster oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool, and coarsely chop.
Toss cooked onions and Brussels sprouts with the toasted pistachios and serve hot or at room temperature in a pretty serving bowl.
Chef Colleen’s Harvest-Stuffed Acorn Squash
Serves 8
4 acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
1 tablespoon olive oil (may substitute 2 tablespoons water for sautéing)
2 medium onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, diced
1½ cups cooked brown rice
1 cup cooked wild rice
1 cup raw or toasted pecans, coarsely chopped (or walnuts, almonds, or chestnuts)
½ cup diced dried apricots and/or raisins
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Maple syrup (optional)
Preheat oven to 375°.
Place the squash halves, cut-side down, onto nonstick baking sheets. There is no need to oil the squash. Bake for 30 minutes. The squash may not be fully fork-tender, but it will eventually be returned to the oven to cook all the way through.
Meanwhile, in a sauté pan, cook the chopped onions in olive oil (or water) until transparent. Add the celery and sauté a couple of minutes. Remove from heat, and add to a large mixing bowl, along with the cooked rice, pecans, apricots, and/or raisins, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper, and salt. Adjust seasonings, as necessary.
Remove the squash from the oven, spoon out some of the cooked squash, and combine this squash flesh with the rest of the ingredients. Be sure to scrape only a little; you want to leave some squash in the shells, too.
Press the rice mixture into each squash cavity, mounding the rice as much as possible. (Depending on how large the squash are, you may end up with some leftover rice mixture, which makes a great side dish by itself.)
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until squash flesh is thoroughly tender. Remove the foil in the last 10 minutes of baking.
Drizzle a small amount of maple syrup (optional) on each squash half just before serving.
Chef Bryant’s Glazed Carrot Salad
Reprinted with permission from Afro-Vegan by Bryant Terry, © 2014. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
1½ pounds carrots (about 10 medium carrots)
1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
¼ cup packed chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Preheat oven to 425°. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper.
Put about 12 cups of water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, cut the carrots into sticks by cutting them in half crosswise, trimming away the edges of each piece to form a rough rectangle, then quartering each rectangle lengthwise. (Compost the scraps or save them for another use.)
When the water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt, then the carrots. Blanch for 1 minute. Drain well, then pat carrots dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Put the oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, cinnamon, garlic, cumin seeds, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl and mix well. Add carrots and toss until evenly coated. Transfer to the lined pan (no need to clean the bowl). Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil, gently stir with a wooden spoon, then bake uncovered for about 10 minutes, until carrots start to brown.
Return carrots to the bowl. Add the cilantro and toss gently to combine. Serve garnished with the peanuts and mint.
Chef Bryant’s Shredded Beet, Apple, and Currant Salad
Reprinted with permission from Bryant Terry’s Vegan Soul Kitchen
Serves 8
2 large fresh beets, peeled
2 large tart apples, cored, peeled
¼ cup apple juice
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup currants
Coarsely shred beets and apples on box grater or food processor fitted with large grater attachment. Combine in large mixing bowl and set aside.
Heat apple juice in small saucepan or skillet over high heat until boiling. Cook until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Transfer to medium mixing bowl. Add apple cider vinegar to reduced apple juice. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Drizzle dressing over shredded beets and apples, add currants, and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Chef Philip’s Chocolate Pecan Pie
Yield: 1 9-inch pie
Crust
11⁄3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1⁄3 cup coconut oil, solid, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons tahini
¼ cup cold water
Filling
21⁄3 cups raw pecans (some whole and some in pieces)
1¾ cups maple syrup
¾ cup raw cashews
½ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Salt
½ cup cornstarch
1 cup chocolate chips
For the crust: Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or two knives until it looks like little beads.
Combine tahini and water in a separate bowl, and gently mix into the flour mixture. Gather dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for an hour.
For the filling: Preheat oven to 325°. Spread pecans on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, taking care not to let them burn. Set aside to cool. Leave oven on.
Place maple syrup in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.
Purée cashews with ½ cup water, vanilla, and a dash of salt in a high-speed blender until very smooth. Blend in the hot maple syrup and cornstarch.
Roll out piecrust and fit into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pan. Top with the chocolate chips and toasted pecans. Pour blended mixture over top. Bake in center of oven for 40 minutes, or until the top is firm and dry. Let cool completely on a rack before serving.
Chef Phillip’s Pumpkin Chai
Serves 8
1 small sugar pie pumpkin
4 cups almond milk
½–1 cup maple syrup, depending on desired sweetness
1⁄3 cup Darjeeling tea leaves
1-inch piece fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
10 black peppercorns
5 allspice berries
4 green cardamom pods
2 cloves
1 star anise
1 vanilla bean, split
Preheat oven to 425°. Split pumpkin in half, remove seeds, and place in a roasting pan with ¼ cup water. Cover and roast for 45 minutes. When pumpkin is soft, remove from oven and allow to cool. Then scrape flesh from shell into the jar of a blender. (Compost the shell or use it to make stock.)
Place 3¾ cups water in a saucepan and add almond milk, maple syrup, tea leaves, and all the spices. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, remove from heat, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain to remove all solids and add 2 cups of this tea to blender with the roasted pumpkin flesh. Purée well and then stir into the remaining tea. Serve hot in mugs.