We just finished a savoury, smooth vegan quiche, and a quick French salad.
Doesn't this just look like the picture of a thoughtful, well-planned romantic lunch?
OR.....
Maybe it's the combination of a half a package of mushrooms, a half a block of tofu, a half a loaf of hard-as-a-rock baguette and some creative thinking, seasoned with some risk.
Bill is enthralled with a book today, and since we both are not working it is a good chance to catch up. No- not with each other... with cleaning, laundry, fridge cleaning and cupboard organization for the long weekend. When that stuff is done, I'll be in the mood for connecting with him. For me, Mazlow's Pyramid (Shelter, Food and other stuff should include things like clean floors and laundry.
I am reading Sheryl Sandburg's book "Lean In" which is a masterpiece. She references a book called "Porn for Women" which contains supposedly contains pages like a man calling to his wife "I did the laundry and put the towels away"... and "...I'll do the dishes". I laughed out loud at the thought.
But there's something to it. We all have engagements that take our minds to a higher place. For some it's reading. For others, it's gardening - or a walk. For me, it's organizing.
An organized kitchen and pantry makes it much more possible to freestyle. Hence, the elegant lunch.
While there were a cup of sliced mushrooms, some tofu and a baguette calling out to me there was also:
Braggs Liquid Aminos in my pantry - adding amino acids and a salty, meaty flavour to the blended tofu mixture,
Nutritional Yeast Flakes - on the counter, adding a parmesan-like cheesiness to the quiche
Organic Spring Mix - washed, ready to eat in the fridge, for a quick salad.
Raw, shelled sunflower seeds on the counter, in a clear jar - reminding me to sprinkle some on our quick salad.
Avocado Oil - a luscious, luxurious oil craving to be used in its raw form in the most simple of preparations
Lemon White Balsamic Vinegar - a lighter version of the well-known favourite, which won't discolour salads
Gray Sea Salt - crystals of the gods.
and finally...
Black Truffle Paste - Nothing puts a tuxedo on any food faster. If you're not sure how to use black truffle paste, think of it where you'd use mushrooms or meat. It is full bodied, rich, extraordinarily decadent. I used a whole tablespoon in the humble tofu mixture. Like when Richard Gere takes Julia Roberts to the opera in "Pretty Woman" in that red velvet dress. Perfect cinema - perfect cuisine. I had a dress like that once in the eighties - and loved it.
I blended the tofu, truffle paste, 1/4 cup of the nutritional yeast and some sea salt in the Vitamix. When smooth, I oiled two oval ramekins and poured in the mixture. I sauteed the mushrooms with some earth balance and black pepper (plus a bit of white truffle salt). I studded the mushrooms on top of the tofu mix. Once the mixture was baking in a 350 degree oven, I poured an 1/8th cup of bread crumbs on a plate, added a tablespoon of Earth Balance to it and squished them together. Splashed a bit of white wine and some earth balance to deglaze the pan, along with a teaspoon of dijon mustard. Poured the sauce over the quiches. As they were nearly finished baking, I sprinkled the crumbs on top to finish them off.
Remember - texture, Texture, TEXTURE!
Tossed the salad with a bit of avocado oil and white balsamic, and mixed with my hands. I was very proud of plating the salad without salting it. Instead, I pinched some grey sea salt over top for a salty, crystalline surprise every few leaves.
After about 25 minutes, the tofu puffed up like a quiche, and I plated it with the salad. The crumbly, crisp top was the perfect counterbalance to the soft, rich quiche. The mushrooms were beautifully flavoured, the dijon was a flavour burst and the salad was a fresh, crisp accompaniment.
What a perfect start to a long weekend.
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