LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2021

Bagels at home from page 91

QUINOA-STUFFED MUSHROOM CAPS It doesn’t take much to turn classic stuffed mushrooms vegan. The secret ingredient is nutritional yeast. Affectionately called “nooch” by the plant-based set, it is deactivated yeast that has a nutty, cheesy, savoury flavour similar to Parmesan cheese. It can be found at natural food stores and many supermarkets that carry Bob’s Red Mill products. 1/4 cup (60 mL) white quinoa 24 cremini mushrooms, about 2 inches (5 cm) diameter 1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing 2 green onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) chopped fresh thyme Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 2 tbsp (30 mL) nutritional yeast 2 tbsp (30 mL) panko bread crumbs 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Sprouts or microgreens to garnish 1 Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Cook quinoa until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a baking pan to cool. 2 Remove stems from mushrooms and finely chop; set mushroom caps aside. Heat oil in medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushroom stems and white parts of green onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Add green parts of green onions, garlic and thyme. Cook for 1 minute. Transfer to baking pan with quinoa to cool. 3 Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). 4 Place mushroom caps on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange evenly, gill side up. Bake on bottom rack for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine quinoa, mush- room mixture, nutritional yeast, panko and parsley in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. 5 After 10 minutes, remove mushrooms from oven. Using tongs, tip any juices inside caps into a small bowl. Stir 2 tbsp (30 mL) of mush- room juice into quinoa mixture to moisten, saving rest for another use. Spoon quinoa mixture into caps. Bake until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. 6 Let cool, 5 to 10 minutes, and serve sprin- kled with sprouts or microgreens.

MERGUEZ-STYLE VEGAN “MEATBALLS” WITH CASHEW “YOGURT” Crusty, juicy and perfumed with North African spices, these plant-based “meatballs” use Beyond Beef, an excellent ground beef substi- tute available at many natural food stores and supermarkets. They are swiped through a rich, tangy, dairy-free “yogurt” made from cashews. CASHEW “YOGURT” 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) raw cashews 2 tbsp (30 mL) plus 2 tsp (10 mL) strained fresh lemon juice 3/4 tsp (4 mL) fine sea salt VEGAN “MEATBALLS” 2 pkgs (each 340 g) Beyond Meat Beyond Beef, thawed if frozen 2 cloves garlic, grated on rasp 1/4 cup (60 mL) panko bread crumbs 1 tbsp (15 mL) paprika 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin 1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander 1 tsp (5 mL) ground fennel seed 3/4 tsp (4 mL) fine sea salt 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cayenne 1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper Canola oil for frying Pita or naan for serving 1 For the cashew “yogurt,” soak cashews in cold water to cover overnight. Drain and add to a blender with 3/4 cup (175 mL) water, lemon juice and salt. Blend until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container. (“Yogurt” can be made and refrigerated up to 5 days in advance.) 2 For the “meatballs,” in a mixing bowl, com- bine Beyond Beef, garlic, panko, paprika, cumin, coriander, fennel, salt, cayenne and pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Using oiled hands, form heaping 1 tbsp (15 mL) portions into balls and place on a baking sheet. (If you have a scale, the balls should be about 1 oz/30 g each.) 3 Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C). 4 Heat a thin film of oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook “meatballs,” turning occasion­ ally, until nicely browned, about 5 minutes total per batch. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in oven while cooking remaining “meatballs.” 5 Serve “meatballs” hot with cashew “yogurt” and pita or naan.

HOMEMADE BAGELS

Make the weekend that much better by whipping up a batch of homemade hot bagels. With a handful of ingredients you’ve likely already got on hand, and quick rising and bak- ing times, you’ll be brunching in no time. This recipe is adapted from my book Kosher Style (Appetite by Random House, 2019). DOUGH 3 1/2 cups (875 mL) all-purpose flour 2 pkgs (each 1/4 oz) active dry yeast 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) sea salt 1 1/4 cups (310 mL) warm water 1/2 cup (125 mL) honey, divided Vegetable oil 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp (15 mL) water for egg wash 1/4 cup (60 mL) sesame seeds or poppy seeds 1 In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine flour, yeast and salt. Slowly add water and 1/4 cup honey. Knead on low until the dough comes away from the sides and a soft, smooth ball forms, about 5 minutes. 2 Lightly oil a medium bowl and place dough ball inside, turning it over to make sure it’s fully coated. Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes. 3 See page 92 for instructions (and photos) for forming, boiling, baking and finishing bagels.

Serves 6, makes approx. 25 “meatballs”

Makes 24 caps

Makes 12 bagels

98

SPRING 2021 FOOD & DRINK