With fresh spring produce available, now is the perfect time to add some creative, veg-forward dishes to the menu. These five recipes are a good place to start.
Photograph courtesy of Bon Appetit Management Company
1. Impossible Chorizo Tamales
In a recipe contest sponsored by Bon Appetit Management Co. and Impossible Foods, chef Derek Ivancic won the grand prize for these tamales. The goal of the contest was to think outside the burger box, using a new formulation of the plant-based meat to expand it into other applications. This recipe combines the product with Latin seasonings to create a tamale filling that tastes very much like classic chorizo.
Chef Brian Riggenbach of The Mockingbird restaurant in Nashville changes up hummus by using almonds in place of chickpeas or other beans. Classic Middle Eastern spicing, including cumin, coriander and paprika, gives the dip a taste of tradition, while soy sauce adds a different accent.
Photograph courtesy of Institute of Culinary Education
3. Tempeh With Curried Coconut Sauce
Plant-based cooking is an important part of the curriculum at the Institute of Culinary Education. This Indian-inspired recipe uses tempeh as a base for curried vegetables in a coconut milk sauce. Chef-instructor Barbara Rich, who teaches at the California campus of the school, created the recipe.
Silken tofu provides body and creaminess to this salad dressing, habaneros add heat and fresh mangos give it a fruity finish. Drizzle the dressing over greens or serve it on a salad bar as a creamy, dairy-free alternative to please vegan diners.
For this seasonal vegan soup, leeks, rice and walnuts are simmered in vegetable stock, with the rice and walnuts acting as thickeners. The mixture is then pureed with cooked fresh asparagus to create an eye-catching green soup that shouts “spring.”
University of Florida’s solution for feeding students in the midst of construction of a new dining hall has turned out so well, it will almost be a shame to see it go.
The endlessly colorful cuisine of Mexico is always in season, but Cinco de Mayo is a great time to bring some new recipes to the party, starting with El Rio Picante, an alternative marg, and finishing with DIY churro sundaes.