Stir-fried Green Beans with Leeks or Scallions

We were able to get in late on Live Earth Farm's CSA shares this season, and we have been thoroughly enjoying our weekly bounty! A couple of weeks in a row, we got an abundance of green beans; Dylan loves green beans, but he can't eat them all up on his own, so we decided to try one of the recipes included in the Live Earth Farms weekly newsletter.

This is modified slightly -- we reduced the amount of sugar and, for my bday dinner, we added ginger and basil to the flavor mix!

The secret to this recipe is in the sauce -- we had not yet been able to hit the soy sauce to rice vinegar ratio in our stir frys until this recipe gave us the key: 2:1.

The first time we made this (without the basil and ginger), it smelled so good cooking up, we just ate it immediately with some rice and left the rest of dinner unmade! The aroma matched the taste. It was yum.

Ingredients

• ~ 1 lb. green beans, stemmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. sugar
• red pepper flakes (make as hot as you wish!)
• 2 tbsp. peanut or canola oil
• 2 leeks cut into thin wedges (or some scallion equivalent -- so far, we have only made this with leeks)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• a large handful of basil chiffonade
• some ginger (about half as much as the amount of garlic)

Super yummy sauce: Mix soy, vinegar, sugar, hot pepper flakes and 1 tbsp. water in a small bowl.

Green beans prep: Heat oil in a large saucepan or wok over high heat.

Add green beans and cook until slightly charred and crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Add leeks (or scallions) and cook until charred and beans are tender, another 3-4 minutes.

Make a well in the center of the pan and add garlic and ginger.

Mash with 1 tsp. oil with back of spatula, about 5 seconds.

Add sauce and toss vegetables and garlic until well coated.

Turn off the heat and toss in the basil.

Herbed Yukon Gold Potato Latkes

Adapted from Sunset Magazine (December 2006). We had to modify this a little to get the latkes to stay together since we decided to try a deep fryer to facilitate the batch cooking (follow instructions for your deep fryer to determine how much oil to use)!

We also ground down some matzo crackers to make the matzo meal.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and eyes removed
• egg replacer equivalent to 5 eggs
• about 1/2 c. matzo meal
• 1 tbsp. coarsely ground salt
• 3/4 c. finely chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp. each chopped fresh thyme leaves and chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Using the coarse grating disk for a food processor, grate sweet potato, parsnips, and shallots in a food processor.

Add egg replacer, matzo meal, salt and pepper to potato mixture.

Use 1/3 cup of potato mixture, packed firmly down into the measuring cup, to form each latke. If mixture is too loosely packed together, it will break apart in the deep fryer!

Place molded potato mixture into deep fryer basket.

Fill a large mixing bowl 3/4 full with cold water.

Grate potatoes in a food processor using the coarse grating disk and transfer potatoes to the bowl of cold water.

Let potatoes stand in water for about 15 minutes.

Pour potato mixture into a fine-mesh colander and rinse well with water.

Take a large handful of potato-onion mixture and squeeze to remove some of the water.

Pile mixture onto a clean kitchen towel, gather up the edges and wring out as much water as you possibly can. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, getting a new towel if/when needed.

Add egg replacer, herbs, matzo meal, salt and pepper to potato mixture. If mixture looks too wet, or if you notice liquid pooling at the bottom of the bowl, add matzo meal 2 tbsp. at a time.

Use 1/4 cup of potato mixture, packed firmly down into the measuring cup, to form each latke. If mixture is too loosely packed together, it will break apart in the deep fryer!

Place molded potato mixture into deep fryer basket.

Deep fry each batch for 3 1/2 minutes at 350F.

Serve hot, with vegan sour cream and chives and capers (optional).

Note: If making these in advance, let latkes cool on a paper towel, then arrange in a single layer in a ziplock bag and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a 300F oven until crispy and hot (approx. 15 minutes).

If making more than one kind of latke to be served the same evening, you can drain the latkes on a paper towel and then keep them warm in 200F oven while you make the other latkes.

If you are using a pan to prepare your latkes, pour 3/4 in. oil into a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil reaches 350F, scoop 1/4 cup potato mixture from bowl and turn onto a wide spatula. Press into a patty about 1/3" thick, then gently slide the patty into the oil. Cook 3 or 4 pancakes at a time until edges are crispy and well-browned and undersides are golden (about 2-3 minutes), then gently turn them over and cook until the other sides are golden brown (about 2-3 minutes more).

Classic Potato Latkes

Adapted from Sunset Magazine (December 2006). Veganized, of course....

We also ground down some matzo crackers to make the matzo meal. Also modified because we're using a deep fryer these days (follow instructions for your deep fryer to determine how much oil to use)!

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. russet potatoes, rinsed and peeled.
• 2 large yellow onions, peeled and quartered lengthwise
• egg replacer equivalent to 4 eggs
• about 1/2 c. matzo meal
• 1 tbsp. coarsely ground salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Fill a large mixing bowl 3/4 full with cold water.

Grate potatoes in a food processor using the coarse grating disk and transfer potatoes to the bowl of cold water.

Let potatoes stand in water for about 20 minutes.

While potatoes are soaking in water, grate onion with the same coarse grating disk.

Pour potato mixture into a fine-mesh colander and rinse well with water.

Add onions to potatoes.

Take a large handful of potato-onion mixture and squeeze to remove some of the water.

Pile mixture onto a clean kitchen towel, gather up the edges and wring out as much water as you possibly can. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, getting a new towel if/when needed.

Add egg replacer, matzo meal, salt and pepper to potato mixture. If mixture looks too wet, or if you notice liquid pooling at the bottom of the bowl, add matzo meal 2 tbsp. at a time.

Use 1/4 cup of potato mixture, packed firmly down into the measuring cup, to form each latke. If mixture is too loosely packed together, it will break apart in the deep fryer!

Place molded potato mixture into deep fryer basket.

Deep fry each batch for 3 1/2 minutes at 350F.

Serve hot, with vegan sour cream and applesauce.

Note: If making these in advance, let latkes cool on a paper towel, then arrange in a single layer in a ziplock bag and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a 300F oven until crispy and hot (approx. 15 minutes).

If making more than one kind of latke to be served the same evening, you can drain the latkes on a paper towel and then keep them warm in 200F oven while you make the other latkes.

If you are using a pan to prepare your latkes, pour 3/4 in. oil into a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil reaches 350F, scoop 1/4 cup potato mixture from bowl and turn onto a wide spatula. Press into a patty about 1/3" thick, then gently slide the patty into the oil. Cook 3 or 4 pancakes at a time until edges are crispy and well-browned and undersides are golden (about 2-3 minutes), then gently turn them over and cook until the other sides are golden brown (about 2-3 minutes more).

Sweet Potato-Parsnip Latkes

Adapted from Sunset Magazine (December 2006). We had to modify this a little to get the latkes to stay together since we decided to try a deep fryer to facilitate the batch cooking (follow instructions for your deep fryer to determine how much oil to use)!

We also ground down some matzo crackers to make the matzo meal.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. garnet sweet potatoes, rinsed and peeled.
• 1 lb. parsnips, peeled
• 10 shallots, peeled
• egg replacer equivalent to 6 eggs
• 3/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. matzo meal
• 1 tbsp. coarsely ground salt
• 1 tsp.freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. water
• Gingered Sour Cream

Using the coarse grating disk for a food processor, grate sweet potato, parsnips, and shallots in a food processor.

Add egg replacer, matzo meal, salt and pepper to potato mixture.

Use 1/3 cup of potato mixture, packed firmly down into the measuring cup, to form each latke. If mixture is too loosely packed together, it will break apart in the deep fryer!

Place molded potato mixture into deep fryer basket.

Deep fry each batch for 3 1/2 minutes at 350F.

Serve hot, with Gingered Sour Cream.

Note: If making these in advance, let latkes cool on a paper towel, then arrange in a single layer in a ziplock bag and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a 300F oven until crispy and hot (approx. 15 minutes).

If you are using a pan to prepare your latkes, pour 3/4 in. oil into a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil reaches 350F, scoop 1/3 cup potato mixture from bowl and turn onto a wide spatula. Press into a patty about 1/3" thick, then gently slide the patty into the oil. Cook 3 or 4 pancakes at a time until edges are crispy and well-browned and undersides are golden (about 2-3 minutes), then gently turn them over and cook until the other sides are golden brown (about 2-3 minutes more).

Gingered Sour Cream

Adapted from Sunset Magazine (December 2006).

Ingredients

• 1 c. vegan sour cream
• 2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
• 2 tbsp. apple cider

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

Serve with Sweet Potato-Parsnip Latkes.

Soy Nog

Adapted from Veg News (December 2006). We served this at the latke party. It doesn't taste much like egg nog, but it was still well-liked!

Ingredients

• 6 oz. extra firm silken tofu
• 1/4 c. amaretto (or alcohol of your choice)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 quart soymilk (we used vanilla soymilk)
• 6 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a blender and serve chilled.

Makes 5 cups

Chocolate Decadence Fudge

Very quick and easy fudge for the holidays!

Ingredients

• 8 oz. vegan cream cheese
• 3 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 12 oz. good chocolate

Blend cream cheese in a food processor until smooth.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla and blend until smooth.

Melt chocolate in a microwave (low heat setting)

Add melted chocolate to cream cheese mixture.

Pour into an 8x8 pan lined with wax paper and refrigerate until firm.