Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 91

Broccoli rabe: cup olive oil

5 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1 bunch broccoli rabe (- pound), tough stems trimmed, chopped coa.r.s.ely

2-3 tablespoons white wine, water, or vegetable broth

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

If you don't like the bitter edge of rabe, simply subst.i.tute regular broccoli, tr.i.m.m.i.n.g it into bite-size pieces.

BRING A large pot of salted water to boil, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, usually about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, toss with a teaspoon or two of olive oil and keep covered either in a large covered serving bowl or the cooking pot. While your pasta is boiling, prepare the other ingredients.

Prepare the tempeh: Place the tempeh in a large, nonstick skillet. In a measuring cup, whisk together the vegetable broth, tomato paste, soy sauce, garlic, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and oregano. Pour over the tempeh, stir to coat, and cook over medium heat until the liquid starts to simmer. Cover the pan and steam the tempeh for 8 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the tempeh is tender. Stir a few times while tempeh is steaming.

Transfer the tempeh to a bowl and crumble about half of the cubes with the back of a spoon.

Wipe down the skillet to remove any leftover tempeh sauce, return the skillet to medium heat the and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. To test the heat, drop a bit of tempeh into the oil-when it sizzles, the oil is hot enough. Add the tempeh and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to brown. Remove from the heat, add to the pasta, and keep covered.

Prepare the broccoli rabe: Pour the remaining olive oil into the pan and add the sliced garlic. When the garlic begins to sizzle, stir and cook it for about a minute. Add the broccoli rabe, stir to coat it with the oil, sprinkle with a little salt, and cover the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the white wine and steam for 8 to 10 minutes, until the broccoli rabe is bright green and its stems are tender (you might need to do this in two batches; just add the second batch of broccoli as soon as it the first batch has wilted enough to create room in your pan).

Remove the cover and continue to saute for an additional minute or two, until any excess liquid is evaporated. Pour the cooked broccoli rabe onto the tempeh and pasta, sprinkle with red wine vinegar, season with salt and freshly cracked pepper, and toss everything to mix.

Use a pasta spoon to divvy up onto plates, or place everything in a big pasta bowl and serve family style.

SPINACH LINGUINE WITH BASIL-CILANTRO PESTO AND ARTICHOKES.

SERVES 4.

TIME: 35 MINUTES.

You will be craving this from now on, mark our words. Spinach linguine is sauteed with fragrant pesto, while red onions add just a hint of sweetness, color, and texture. Don't replace the red onions with regular ones unless you really have to. Artichokes round everything out and give a great bite. This also makes a great fast and fancy meal if your in-laws or the IRS decides to drop by for a surprise visit.

Make your pesto while the water for the linguine is boiling, so that you can time this right.

pound spinach linguine

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium-size red onion, sliced into thin half-moons

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons white cooking wine, vegetable broth, or water, whatever

teaspoon salt

Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

1 recipe Basil-Cilantro Pesto (page 214)

1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced in half (don't use the jarred kind in oil, it's expen- sive and too oily for this; get the kind that comes in brine)

BRING A large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to the package directions, usually about 10 minutes. Once you've added the pasta to the water, proceed with the recipe.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and saute the onion in the olive oil until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more. Add the white wine, salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute or two. Lower the heat to low. At this point, the linguine should be done.

When the linguine is ready, don't drain it. Use a pasta spoon to transfer it to the pan in batches. This is a good method because you can use the pasta water to thin out the pesto and make sure that everything gets evenly coated. When you add one batch, add a bit of the pesto, too, and using the pasta spoon, saute to coat. Proceed with the rest of the pasta and pesto until you've added all of it. If it seems dry, add extra splashes of pasta water.

Add the artichoke hearts and toss to coat. Cook gently over low heat just until the artichokes are heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately!

PASTA DELLA CALIFORNIA.

SERVES 4.

TIME: 35 MINUTES.

If we said in the t.i.tle that this was pasta with avocados, no one would take us seriously, so instead we call it Pasta Della California. Anything with avocado in it can be called "California," right? Anyway, this is so d.a.m.n good. The pasta is sauteed in lots of garlic and lime along with broccoli and peppery arugula. Then the avocados are gently tossed in just until they are warm. So if the idea of "cooked" avocados scares you, don't worry. This is especially astounding with the Smoky Grilled Tempeh (page 130).

Choose avocados that are ripe but still firm. An avocado that is too mushy and has brown spots will not work here. If it's warm in your house, once the avocado is ripe you should refrigerate it for several hours-this way, it will hold its shape when peeled and sliced. For this recipe, slice the avocado in half and remove the seed. Peel off the skin, then slice each half lengthwise down the middle. Next, slice across into chunks.

pound linguine

3 cups sliced broccoli (tops cut into small florets, stalks sliced thinly)

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 cloves garlic, minced (yes 8, that's not a typo!)

teaspoon grated lime zest

teaspoon red pepper flakes

cup white wine

1 cup vegetable broth