Bymark Burger

** A EUREKA MOMENT **

The post that follows was written last week, and is indicative of my struggle between my love of animal based food and my new love of vegan cuisine for all of the environmental, health and financial benefits of eating this way. What I am concerned about is how to possibly imitate this dish that I have just fallen head over heels in love with, with the exception of the fact that it involves cow murder. Plus, I do not want to risk alienating all of my vegan readers. Having said that, many people who transition into this lifestyle do struggle with it at the beginning and while they are learning to find new ways to enjoy old favourites.

I posted the blog, and then the missing piece just hit me. It is the TRUFFLES and the mushrooms that I am really crazy about. It is the salty and peppery contrast that makes me swoon. It is the soft bun and the firm other textures that make it exquisite. SO? I can probably take a stab at a replica with a portobello, truffle vegenaise, and a cashew and nutritional yeast combo to replicate the melted cheese. If I add in a great bun, it might just be possible to still enjoy this treat without the consequences I so happily give up on a daily basis.

I think I can!
I am so wildly impressed with how many people read this little blog project on a regular basis. I know so many of you aren't exactly veganized, but still check it out from time to time for meal ideas.

So - lest you think that I never get tempted by the other treats, I attach a photo of the most fabulous burger on the face of the earth. The first time I tasted it, it left me utterly speechless.

It is by no means at all a regular indulgence for me, but it is one of the single greatest examples of extraordinary animal cuisine. It is a complete and utter luxury dish, with king oyster mushrooms, truffle mayo, the most perfect aged beef imaginable, melted brie de meaux and served on the softest bun and fresh purple lettuce.

I read a great tip in Chris Carr's book for people who want to improve their health and go vegan most of the time, but for whom one particular dish is a favourite. Give up everything except your favourite!!

Seriously, and in all actuality, this burger ACTUALLY helps me stay vegan 99% of the time because once you try Mark McEwan's version of burger Nirvana, you will never want to touch anything else again. It's just an inferior and cheap imitation of perfection.

This burger would literally be my last meal if I am ever offered such a choice, and is literally the best thing I have ever eaten in my life.

Sweet and Yukon Gold Potato Gratin

Here is an easy and inexpensive Potato Gratin that I pulled together last night. Made a quick stock with 2 peeled carrots, 2 stalks of celery, two leeks (white parts only, wash them well!), and 3 cloves of garlic. Simmered everything gently until veggies were soft.

[I have been reading Chris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet, a great book about a cancer survivor who literally turned her life and her body around by eating well. This book is amazing, because of its plain language and simple explanations of nutritional nuggets. She encourages people to cook on the lowest heat possible, preserving the most nutrients, and hence my new way of making stock on a much lower heat....]

When veggies were ready, pureed them in the blender. Peeled equal parts of white yukon gold potatoes and bright sweet potatoes, and layered them in a casserole. Sauteed a ton of local cremini mushrooms I got at the market in some olive oil, black pepper and sea salt until they were browned, and then finished with a couple glugs of white wine.

Layered everything together, alternating the sweet and yellow potatoes, and gently poured the pureed stock into the bottom of the pan until it came almost all the way up. Should have added some flour to thicken the sauce, but it was still OK.

I topped the whole thing with foil and baked at 350 until the potatoes were soft.

It was delicious, with almost no fat, lots of veggies and good carbs, and some delicious but satisfying flavours for a perfect Wednesday night.
A

Culinary Gallery

A Ukrainian Perogy Soup with Borscht topped with crisp beet geens


Red Pepper Risotto


Poached Leeks with Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Lemon


Chocolate Pancakes with Hazelnut Spread


Browned King Oyster Mushroom Risotto with Black Truffle


Holiday Panettone for Hostess Gifts


Harrison's Hands enjoying Beet and Vodka Smoked Salmon on Christmas


Christmas Morning Plater of Smoked Tuna, Avocado, Mango, and Beet and Vodka Smoked Salmon with Crisp Baguette Slices


Sushi Night with Toasted Sesame Portobello Mushrooms, Avocado, Sushi Rice and Sweet Chili Sauce


Tomato Basil Lasagna with Daiya Cheese (made while watching DaVinci Code with Harrison)


Vegetable Bourgignon with Cremini Mushrooms, Heirloom Carrots, and Red, White and Purple New Potatoes with homemade biscuits

Cried Tonight...

Near the end of September, as the farm stand down the street was slowly closing out its inventory, I sent Harrison with some cash and instructions to bring back as many local onions as he could carry. They've been stored in a cool, dry place but as I was unpacking some groceries today, I noticed that they are passing their prime.

So - I stacked up the last five remaining onions, (some for stock, some for the freezer) and just started chopping.

And the tears just poured out of me!

There are so many tricks to easing the crying. Do not add - DON'T CHOP ONIONS - to this list. Almost every recipe imaginable starts with chopping an onion of some kind so go fast and get it done.

People try everything... a piece of bread in your mouth, goggles, refrigeration, but in my 20 years' experience, all this does is add time to your prep. Believe it or not, goggles actually do protect your eyes, but how the heck can you see? I don't want to add chopped finger bits to my soup, so for me, I just get on with it and grab a Kleenex...

Enjoyed a delicious coconut curry tonight, with those beautiful yellow carrots, broccoli, corn, ginger, garlic, chili, peanut butter and coconut milk. Had cilantro, but forgot to add it because everything was already so great!

I used my rice cooker to hydrate an orzo / rice blend and it was delicious.

Harrison wants a coconut curry soup for tomorrow, so I am quite sure that by Thursday I will have a glowing complexion from all the coconut, veggies, and - of course - the onion tears.

Learn to Love to Chop

Stumbled on a magazine called VegNews, written mostly with a vegan perspective. In it was a recipe by Terry Hope Romero, of Veganomicon fame. It was called Jungle Curry. It's a thai-inspired dish with ginger, brine-packed green peppercorns (I used capers) eggplant, zucchini, chili peppers, lime and basil among other things.

Bill wanted to go out for dinner. I wanted to stay in and eat jungle curry. So, I sent him to the LCBO for a beautiful white wine and I grabbed a few ingredients at the grocery store, to the tune of $10.06 (including some brown rice flour for $4 so I can try gluten-free muffins this week). So - total ingredient cost for jungle curry goodness was 6 bucks.

Dinner was really REALLY good. And, since there was no coconut milk, it was much lighter than traditional thai fare. But - there was a lot of chopping.

Quick chopping, for sure. When sliced on the diagonal, a zucchini is really attractive to look at, making it attractive to eat. King oyster mushrooms look beautiful when chopped in a cross-section. And sweet snap peas require some finesse so mouths taste fresh sweetness, and not tips that taste like twigs.

I write this because you need to know one thing about cooking cheaply. You need to love to chop things. There is no way on this green earth that you can cook without learning proper chopping techniques.

Stocks need a different chop technique than risottos. Curries and stir-frys need still another. And don't even get me started on herbs, chives or green onions. Microplanes are still another way to break down something whole into something delicious. Other than some laundry and some reading, I am pretty caught up for a Sunday. Maybe I'll do some videos on proper chopping and load them tonight.

My point for now is Learn to LOVE to CHOP.

A Spectacular Spicy Sweet Potato Peanut Soup

Regular Saturday. There is a great stock sitting in my fridge from Thursday waiting to be used.

I quickly peeled and diced two sweet potatoes in the pantry.

Poured the stock into a soup pot on medium and add the sweet potato chunks to warm and soften (about 10 minutes). Then I added 1/3 cup of peanut butter and a clove of garlic and the last few spoonfulls of an indian curry sauce leftover from Wednesday. The ultimate in recycling.

I poured the chunky broth in the blender and wizzed it up. I served the hearty, spicy, sweet, warm soup in bowls with leftover whole wheat couscous, and a dab of chinese garlic chili sauce. WW crackers on the side.

This recipe was crazy delicious and gorgeous.

I have dishes to do but this soup stopped me in my tracks to blog about.

THANKS UNCLE FRANK and AUNT CAROLYN for the USB attachment for my photos!!!

p.s. For those of you who need yet another reason to go vegan or just give it a try, this recipe probably cost me three bucks in total - fed three, with enough leftovers for two more bowls and was incredibly easy to clean up.