COLCANNON

Colcannon is Irish mashed potatoes and cabbage (or kale). My girls always loved anything with cabbage in it... so this is a big hit. (Note that I use red potatoes with the skins still on them... so that is potato skin in the photos... not bacon... although, if you eat bacon, it would probably be a fabulous addition, but not traditional.)

INGREDIENTS:
3 lbs red new potatoes (or yukon gold, or whatever you have), cut in chunks
1/2 head green cabbage or bunch of kale
1 large onion (or two leeks), chopped
1 clove crushed garlic
3 T Butter (or Earth Balance)
salt
pepper
onion powder (optional)
1/2 c milk (or almond milk)

DIRECTIONS:
Cut up potatoes and onion

        

Place in salted water.

Throw in the onion.

 

Bring to a boil and cook until soft. Then pull out the potatoes/onion leaving the boiling water in the pot.

Now throw the cabbage into the boiling water and cook for a few minutes while you mash the potatoes. You will know the cabbage is done when it gets a little translucent.

While your cabbage is cooking, get a large bowl and put in the butter, milk, salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder.

Add potatoes and mash.

Drain cabbage

Add to mashed potatoes.

 

Season to taste.

MUSHROOM GALETTE

This is one of the yummiest things I have ever made. It is simple and just awesome. I like it best with just leeks and mushrooms (I tried putting in greens, chard, once as you can see if some of the photos, but I didn't like it nearly as well. I would suggest serving the greens on the side.) This looks really fancy, so is nice for a fancy dinner. I also took it to a party as an appetizer and it was a big hit.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 T oil
• 2 large leeks (or onions), chopped
• 1 lb mushrooms, chopped, whatever kind you have... crimini, portobello, white button, shitake, oyster, king trumpet (sliced thin instead of chopped), etc.
• salt
• pepper
• 1 T butter (I use Earth Balance vegan butter)
• 1 single pie crust (I cheat and use the rolled up pre-made kind)
• 1/2 tsp Poultry seasoning (optional... if you want a more Thanksgiving holiday taste)
• 1 ice cube
• 1 T kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:
Saute leeks (onions) and mushrooms in a large pan, season with salt and pepper and optional poultry seasoning.

 

If you want to use dried shitake mushrooms, bring them to a boil in a saucepan of water, turn off heat and let sit for 15 minutes, then drain and add to your saute. (the broth is good for soup stock)

(Lovely oyster mushrooms that Molly brought home from the SF Farmer's Market)

Unroll your crust onto a baking sheet (you can use parchment paper if you don't have a Silpat)

Put your filling in the center leaving a good inch and a half around the edge.

Start by folding up one side, and continue all the way around.

Put a couple dabs of butter on top of the filling.

Take an ice cube and rub it around all over the top of the crust to make it wet.

Sprinkle kosher salt all over the top.

Bake at 375°F until crust is nice and brown (around 20-30 minutes).

CASHEW LOAF

I'm always looking for a good loaf to make... and I'm always trying to find good recipes for tofu since it seems to be the healthiest form of protein. This loaf is very tasty, full of veggies, and easy to make...Oh, and it's not full of cheese and eggs like most veggie loafs! I called it Cashew Loaf because Tofu Loaf only sounds good to gnomes...

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp olive or canola oil
• 1 onion in chunks
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 medium-size carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground sage
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 lb firm tofu
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup ground raw cashews
• 1 tsp. vegan Worcester sauce
• 1 Tbsp. white miso
• 1 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°.

Put carrots, celery, garlic, and onion in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. I only have a small food processor, so I have to do it one kind of vegetable at a time. You can chop it finely if you don't have a food processor. 

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the veggies with the salt for about 5 minutes, until vegetables are softened.

It is best to get as much water out of the tofu as possible. I saw this technique online and though it was brilliant. Open up the tofu, put it in a strainer, put the tofu container on top and put a big can of tomatoes or something into the container as a weight. Let it sit like that for at least an hour.

Use the food processor to grind up your cashews.

Crumble the tofu into a mixing bowl and add the cooked vegetables, bread crumbs, miso, tamari, seasonings and everything else. Mix it up, use your hands to get the tofu blended.

Oil a loaf pan and press the mixture into it. Drizzle the top with 1 tablespoon olive oil and bake for 35 minutes.