The Vegetarian Kitchen Table Cookbook

The Vegetarian Kitchen Table Cookbook
275 Delicious Recipes
by Igor Brotto and Olivier Guiriec
Paperback, 320 pages

Who do we look to for great cooking inspiration? The French and Italians! And if a French chef and an Italian chef get together and make a fresh and vibrant new collection of vegetarian recipes? You are bound to fall in love with all things green.

Between the two chefs they have cooked in many countries all over the world and they bring that wide and varied palate into this full-colour cookbook, delivering 275 dishes that will delight and inspire your vegetarian kitchen.

Many of us are now veggie at least one night a week, if not more - The Vegetarian Kitchen Table will open up your repertoire and bring excitement to the table.

Contents include:

Appetizers

Salads

Small Plates and LIght Bites 

Soups

Mains

Sides 

Basics and Condiments

Desserts

We had ourselves a lovely veggie meal from the book - whipping up the Crunchy Vegetable and Alfalfa Sprout Wraps and the Quinoa Simmered with Fennel and Wild Mushrooms. Top these off with the Fig and Almond Tart and you have the perfect summer's dinner! 

 

Crunchy Vegetable and Alfalfa Sprout Wraps (page 178)

1 tbsp    olive oil    15 mL
1    small red onion, thinly sliced    1
1    red bell pepper, thinly sliced    1
1    large tomato, diced    1
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12    spears asparagus    12
2    avocados    2
1⁄3 cup    sour cream or plain yogurt    75 mL
Juice of ½ lemon
4    large whole wheat or flax seed tortillas, warmed    4
½ cup    alfalfa sprouts    125 mL

1.    In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add red onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Stir in red bell pepper and tomato and cook, stirring, until onions are caramelized, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2.    Meanwhile, in a pot of boiling salted water, cook asparagus until tender_crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to chill. Drain well and pat dry.
3.    Cut avocados in half and remove pits. Scrape flesh from skins into a bowl. Using a fork, mash avocado with sour cream and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4.    Place warmed tortillas on a work surface. Divide avocado mixture among tortillas and spread thinly almost to the edge. Spoon onion mixture in a line along center of tortillas, dividing equally. Place 3 asparagus spears on top of each, then divide alfalfa sprouts equally on top. Fold up bottom of tortilla over filling, then fold in both sides and secure with a toothpick.

Serves 4
Preparation time
20 minutes
Cooking time
15 minutes

Excerpted from The Vegetarian Kitchen Table Cookbook by Igor Brotto and Olivier Guiriec © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

 I love wraps for simple summer fare. What a great idea to put asparagus in them! So perfect with the creamy guacamole and the crunchy sprouts.

Quinoa Simmered with Fennel and Wild Mushrooms (page 208)

2½ cups    Vegetable Stock (page 128) or reduced-sodium     625 mL
    ready-to-use broth (approx.)
½ tsp    anise seeds    2 mL
2 oz    dried porcini or other wild mushrooms    60 g
2 tbsp    olive oil, divided    30 mL
1    onion, finely chopped    1
2    cloves garlic, chopped    2
1    bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced    1
1½ cups    quinoa, rinsed and drained    375 mL
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups    chopped kale leaves    375 mL
1    small red bell pepper, julienned    1
2 tbsp    butter    30 mL
1 cup    frozen green peas, thawed    250 mL
2 tbsp    chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley    30 mL
2 tbsp    hazelnut oil    30 mL

1.    In a saucepan, combine vegetable stock and anise seeds and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and keep stock hot.
2.    In a heatproof bowl, cover dried mushrooms with boiling water. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes.
3.    In another large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and fennel and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
4.    Stir in quinoa until well coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in enough of the hot stock to cover quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often and adding more stock, 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) at a time, as previous addition is absorbed. Cook, adding stock, until quinoa is almost tender, about 20 minutes in total.
5.    Meanwhile, in a pot of boiling salted water, boil kale until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
6.    In a skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
7.    Drain mushrooms and pat dry. In same skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until starting to brown (do not let them dry out).
8.    Stir kale, bell pepper, mushrooms, peas, parsley and hazelnut oil into quinoa. Simmer, stirring, until vegetables are hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Variation: The quinoa in this recipe can be replaced by millet.

Serves 4
Preparation time- 30 minutes
Cooking time- 45 minutes

Excerpted from The Vegetarian Kitchen Table Cookbook by Igor Brotto and Olivier Guiriec © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

Fig and Almond Tart (page 308)

•    Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)

¼ cup    butter, softened    60 mL
3½ tbsp    granulated sugar    52 mL
1    egg    1
½ cup    finely chopped almonds    125 mL
2 tbsp    all-purpose flour, sifted    30 mL
8 oz    puff pastry dough    250 g
12    fresh figs, thinly sliced    12
2 tbsp    pine nuts    30 mL
2 tbsp    granulated sugar    30 mL

1.    In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg until blended. Stir in almonds and flour.
2.    On a floured surface, roll out puff pastry into a very thin rectangle. Place on a baking sheet.
3.    Spread almond mixture over rectangle, leaving a 1⁄2-inch (1 cm) border along all the edges. Arrange fig slices on top of almond mixture, overlapping as necessary.
4.    Bake in preheated oven for 9 minutes. Sprinkle with pine nuts and granulated sugar. Bake until pastry is crisp and golden, about 9 minutes longer. Let cool slightly and serve warm or let cool completely.

Serves 4
Preparation time- 40 minutes
Cooking time- 20 minutes

Excerpted from The Vegetarian Kitchen Table Cookbook by Igor Brotto and Olivier Guiriec © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.