For this last article in the series, Rockin’ The Mexican Stove, I wanted to write about one of the best restaurants David and I ate at while in the beautiful city of Mérida. We happened upon it through reading a review in a travel book. We loved it so much that we ate there 3 times in the 6 days we were in Mérida. That says a lot right there, doesn’t it?

A bit off the beaten tourist path and sitting inside a blue painted doorway is La Casa de Frida. Eclectically decorated, it’s a tome to the great artist Frida Kahlo, the atmosphere was magical and other worldly. Walls painted in bright azur blue and fuschia purple, paintings by Frida hanging on the walls and Mexican folk art fill the space. The back wall is open to a outdoor courtyard that is covered by a clear, plastic mechanical ceiling, similar to a garage door. If the weather turns rainy you can still enjoy dinner al fresco. Cactus and tropical plants fill the rooms as well. Like I said, it’s a magical place and the food was as well.

Owner and chef, Gabby Praget, was kind enough to sit with me for an interview about her restaurant, history as a chef and even give me a tour of her kitchen.

Chef Shirlé: So, first, how did you learn cooking, and to speak English so perfectly? Did you spend time in the States?

Chef Gabby: As a teenager I spent time in Canada and the States. I just wanted to learn English. I had some very good friends who lived in New York and asked to to come stay with them. They were good cooks and would take me around to many different restaurants so that I could try different things. This is when I realized that cooking is what I wanted to do.

CS: Then did you move back to Mexico City?

CG: Yes. But first I finished high school and then went to University to study communications and after five years of working I realized that I wanted to cook. This is when I opened my Italian restaurant in Mexico City.

CS: Oh wow. Did you work in a restaurant prior to that?

CG: No.Never.

CS: Wow. So you decided that you wanted to open a restaurant and just did it. How did it go?

CG: It went well. It was crazy because I wanted to open up a small place, but my sister, her husband and another couple were very enthusiastic and they said, “oh we’ll help you with the money”. So instead of opening up a small, humble place it was a large restaurant, but I didn’t know anything about running a restaurant. I had to learn fast.

CS: Oh, you had to hire a staff, buy everything on your own, from scratch…Oh my god.

CG: Yes, actually my friends from New York came at that time to teach me how to make the pasta and the basic sauces.

CS: Oh my gosh! But you said it was successful.

CG: Yes, I made a few mistakes because people in the northern part of Mexico eat a lot of meat. So it was meat and pasta.

CS: So you kept it easy. That was very brave of you. So you have answered a part of the question of how you learned to cook. Did you also learn from your family?

CG: Yes, when I was a small kid at home people from all over the country would work for my family cooking so that is where I learned the flavors of Mexico. So now I am trying to repeat the flavors that I tasted before.

Cheese Enchiladas in Mole

CS: So, then can you tell me what goes into your amazing mole? You write in the menu that there are 18 different items in the mole.

CG: Yes, 3 different types of chilies, tomatoes, garlic, onion, peanuts, raisins, sesame seeds, plantain…

CS: Is that a traditional mixture?

CG: Yes, yes. That’s the way you are supposed to make it.

CS: Do you use a food processor to blend everything?

CG: Yes, a very large blender. An industrial one. This is what made the difference. That is why it is easier.

CS: Then do you put it in a pot and cook it for hours?

CG: Oh, well maybe an hour or so. Not very long. And it’s also very good because of a very rich stock I make. I use very dark chocolate.

CS: Mole has always intrigued me because of all the ingredients and the sweet, savory, salty depth of flavor.

CG: Oh really?

CS: Oh, yes. I wanted to ask you, what made you consider to offer vegetarian selections here at La Casa de Frida? Is that because of your experience in Mexico City and all the tourists? Did you feel like they needed this option?

Chiles en Nogada

CG: Yes, because either the tourists are vegetarians or they just want a rest from the meat.

CS: Are you vegetarian yourself?

CG: Not vegetarian, but everything I make here I would eat. I don’t use lard. In most Mexican food you will find lard but that is so unhealthy that I wouldn’t use it. I wouldn’t eat that so I wouldn’t serve it to you.

CS: Where do you get your produce from? Do you go daily to a market yourself or do you have a produce truck or food supply truck come to the restaurant?

CG: I don’t have a delivery truck. I go to 4 different markets, a bakery.

CS: So, no one comes to you. You do it all yourself.

CG: Yes, that is why I open at 5 pm and close at 10pm because I am at the markets and then preparing.

CS: You are closed Sundays, right? That is your day of rest.

CG: Yes.

CS: Is your menu seasonal? Do you change the menu often?

CG: I change it every high season, so once a year. I add or take out something. But I don’t change it too much beacuse people that come here expect certain things; the chile, the mole and the crepes.

Cuitlachoche Crepes

CS: Are there organic options here in Merida?

CG: No, not very many, but that may change over time.

CS: Do you think you are bringing in more international customers that locals?

CG: Oh yes, it’s probably about 90% tourists.

CS: Why do you think that is?

CG: Because local people don’t come much into downtown. It’s not comfortable. There are no parking lots, it’s far from where they live. They don’t really live downtown. So, they don’t come very often.

CS: So they come to work downtown?

CG: Yes, but what I cook for the hours that I am open is too heavy for them. It is what they would eat for lunch, not dinner. If I opened for lunch time I am sure I would have more local customers.

CS: I guess for us tourist it’s good.

CG: Yes because the tourist come to eat then leave. If it were locals they would never leave. They would be here until 2am! Having drinks and everything…I don’t want that. I want to go out, too. (laughter)

CG: How long has La Casa de Frida been open?

CG: About 4 years now.

CS: Why did you pick Frida Khalo as your inspiration and restaurant name?

CG: Well, first I knew it was going to be Mexican food and then thinking of something that would be interesting for people like you. Something that would attract the travelers.

CS: Right. And you are from Mexico City.

CG: Yes, I used to go very often to her house. My university was very close to her house.

CS: In my mind Frida Khalo is one of the treasures of Mexico.

CG: Oh yes!

Gabby in her beautiful kitchen

CS: Now, tell me about Cuitlacoche. Is that something you grew up eating?

CG: Oh yes. It must be something special because in Mexico City it was very easy to get it, but here it is more difficult. I don’t know why.

CS: Maybe something to do with the humidity, the bugs, who knows…

CG: In Mexico city you go to markets and they have quesadillas and one of the quesadillas is Quesadillas de Cuitlachoche. It’s very popular. Like cheese, just as popular.

CS: Really!?

CG: Yes, very much. But not here.

CS: Do the locals like it?

CG: Not here. Not very much. (laughter)

CS: Do you incorporate the Yucatecan cuisine into our menu?

CG: I don’t like places that offer everything. So I make Mexican food. The Yucatecans consider themselves separate from Mexico, and I cook Mexican food.

CS: Do you have a website so that travelers can find you?

CG: Yes, it’s www.lacasadefrida.com.mx

I would like to say thank you to Gabby for sharing her story with me. I will definitely be back and will dream of her mole and almond torte until then.

Almonde Torte

4 comments

For this chapter of my Mexican vacation, I wanted to focus on the meals that I ate in restaurants, outdoor taco stands and even a market stall. All of them were wonderful and I was in heaven.

One word about the service in Mexican restaurants before I get to the food. In Mexico, I noticed that the service is much different than in the US. For one, the servers don’t come to your table unless you ask them. Not to say that they won’t bring you a menu when you sit down, they will, it’s that they believe in letting you enjoy yourself without the constant water pouring (you have to ask for water, bottled please) and the checking up on you as they do in the States. But don’t think that they aren’t paying attention, they are….and they are ready at a moments notice. I like their style of service. The non-vulturizing is nice when you are having an intense conversation and don’t want to be interrupted. Also, they won’t bring the bill until you ask, “La quinta, por favor”(The bill, please). Why you ask? It’s simply because they don’t want you to feel as if you are being herded out. Stay as long as you like…they are in no rush and you shouldn’t be either. I think people over here could learn something from them.

Okay, on to the adventure….

Our plane landed in Cozumel, a small island off the coast of Playa del Carmen, Mexico. It was about 1:30 pm when we took the ferry over to Playa del Carmen where we were staying for 6 days. For our first meal, we ate was at a mom & pop Argentinian place called Las Cazuelas. It was located right outside our condo next to a tiny bodega (quickie mart). The owner was an attractive Argentinian woman, she spoke no English and we spoke very little Spanish. But, with the help of a local diner, named Michelle, we were able to order the best Seafood Paella I have eaten since I lived in Spain. (although this blog is about vegan and vegetarian foods we did eat fish at times and I thought it would be good to list those meals as well for our pescatarian friends).

For dinner, the next night we ate at a Taco joint called Aca Los Tacos. The selection wasn’t the greatest for veggie people, but they did have a veggie burrito. We were impressed by the myriad of salsas and sauces that accompanied the meal. There were 9 in all that ranged from mild to scorching hot. They even brought a basket of tortilla chips. I tried all the sauces and paid for it the next day. But they tasted so good.

The following morning, I decided we needed to eat out, so we went to a cafe called Sasta’s. There we ate bagels with cream cheese, lox, capers and red onions. It wasn’t New York, but it was good.

That night was our anniversary (15 years of being together), so we splurged at a place called Ula Gula. It is an Argentinian restaurant that specializes in seafood (and steaks) but had a few veggie options that sounded good. The decor of crisp, white linens, fine silverware and beautifully decorated palapas (palm leaf) roofed deck that overlooked a busy corner of Quinta Avenida was breezy and romantic.

They first brought us homemade rosemary-tomato foccachia bread which was warm and savory. We began our meal with an appetizer that blew away any app I have ever had in my life. Four steaming hot, tempura battered, Colossal shrimp stacked on one end of a rectangular white plate and on the other end, a scoop of cool Mango Sorbet separated by two stripes. One of the stripes was a puree of arugula (green) and the other a Chipotle “ink” (red). It was not only a stunning presentation, but the sensation of hot tempura shrimp mixed with the cool, sweet mango sorbet was amazing. Then add in the peppery arugula and spicy chipotle and well, my words will never don’t do it justice…you have to just taste it.

Next we had a salad of mixed greens, local cheeses and fresh strawberries in a simple vinaigrette. It was a nice palette cleanser that prepared us for the finale.

The entree was three cannolis that were stuffed with a carrot puree then topped with three different sauces. One was a browned dijon butter, another was a brie cheese sauce and the last was huitlacoche emulsion. What is “Huitlacoche” you ask? Pronounced “Wheat-La-Co-Chay”, it is a disease of maize (corn) caused by a pathogenic plant fungus. Sounds gross, doesn’t it. But it tastes soooo good! It’s flavor can be best described as mushroom-like, sweet, savory, woody, and earthy and is considered a delicacy. We figured that if the locals have been eating the stuff for thousands of years, then why shouldn’t we. I was super excited and was not disappointed. We drank an Argentinian Pinot Grigio that was clean and bright. Ula Gula couldn’t have been more perfect for this very special evening.

The next day for lunch, we went to a place called 100% Natural. It’s a chain of vegetarian friendly restaurants (I know, can you believe a VEGGIE CHAIN!?). We ordered something I have always wanted to try… Cactus Paddles! They came in a dish called Fajitas de Nopal. Nopal is the Spanish word for cactus paddles. They were grilled then cut into strips and combined with tomato, grilled onion, bell peppers and jalepenos with a side of flour tortillas. The dish was also served with no-lard refried beans and guacamole. The nopal tasted tart and vinegary, almost like it was pickled or marinated, but our waiter assured us that this was their natural flavor after grilling. I am excited to try these at home!

We also tried another dish of Tacos Vegetarianos that were basically veggie tacos. There were 3 whole wheat tortillas with a soy “meat,” onions, tomatoes, bean sprouts, spinach and topped with a sweet and sour dressing. Guacamole on the side as well. We were completely satisfied with these two meals and really appreciated the super fresh taste of the food. And to think it’s a chain… unbelievable.

The following morning we made breakfast at our condo and got ready for our day trip to Tulum. Tulum has a Mayan ruin site that is located on a cliff overlooking a beach. It also has a restaurant located a few miles off the beaten track called Mezzanine that we’re told about by some locals in Playa del Carmen. After our site seeing and beach excursion (where , sadly, David lost his prescription sunglasses to the Gods of the sea) we took a cab there for lunch.

Mezzanine is the restaurant that is attached to a very posh, extremely high end 9 room resort/spa. Just imagine a pristine white beach, gorgeous foreigners from Europe, sensual down tempo music all encompassed in a beautiful villa style spread. Now imagine Thai food. That’s the cuisine they serve at Mezzanine. We had heard that it was some of the best this side of Asia.
We sat at a mahogany wood table on brown leather chairs on the deck overlooking the beach. Our companions on the deck were a variety of Europeans who were very drunk and having a very wonderful time.
Our server brought us complimentary guacamole with a thai chili sauce (unusual) with some home made tortilla chips. We commented how funny it was to get guac at a Thai restaurant, but hey, when in Mexico…

For our main dish we ordered Pad Thai with Tofu. I know, how unadventurous, Pad Thai, but I always judge a Thai restaurant by their Pad Thai and theirs was very good. We will defiantly go back the next time we are in Tulum to experience something different and maybe book a room for one night.

We took the bus back to Playa and got ready for dinner. We had scoped out another veggie friendly place the day before so we decided to try it. Bodega 22 had a pretty eclectic menu of various cultures cuisines. We started by ordering something both of us had always wanted to try. Sopes Jorge. Three 1/2 inch thick corn cakes topped with beans, cheese, salsa, tomatoes and avocado slices. Simple but good. They were like mini Mexican deep dish pizzas.

The second item was a pasta dish. Named “Encounter of Two Cultures” the plate held a pasta coated in Alfredo sauce and topped with a puree of huitlacocha (the black corn fungus). It was phenomenal. The mix of the cheese sauce with the earthy-mushroom like huitlacocha made perfect sense. Because the huitlacoche was dolloped on top of the pasta we could really get a good taste, unlike the cannoli dish from Ula Gula where it was drizzled on. Again, the word “earthy” doesn’t fully describe it’s wonderful taste. They also brought us some good bread with a chive-lime butter. Our waiter was so sweet and kind and made this experience very pleasant.

The next day was our last in Playa. We made breakfast and lunch at our condo because we had groceries that needed to be eaten. For dinner we went back to Bodega 22.

We ordered grilled veggies in curry sauce with rice. It had a good kick with sweet coconut milk and the veggies were nicely grilled as well.

We also ordered Spinach and Crab Stuffed Shells. They were bubbly, rich and delicious. Again, they brought us good bread and wonderful chive butter. Another good meal in Playa.

The next day we took a 5 hour bus ride to the Yuacatan city of Merida. Merida is a gorgeous five centuries old colonial city near the west coast of the Yucatan peninsula. There are many Mayan ruins nearby and the city is known for its lively arts and music community. Every night there is an out door concert going on somewhere in the city where the locals come to dance and sing and to enjoy the evening breezes. It’s truly magical. And talk about safe. There is hardly any crime (maybe because of the many policia with guns on their hips and machine guns in their arms, but friendly none the less.)
We were very excited about our 6 day stay in Merida and had read and seen (via Senor Rick Bayless) a lot about this vibrant and cultural city. We also happened to be visiting during the hottest season/month of the year where the daily temp was soaring around 100 to 106.

We arrived at about 1:30 pm to our hotel, got situated and then went to get something light to eat. Around the corner from our hotel (Casa Del Balam) we tried a Lebanese place we had read about. There is a large Lebanese population in Merida as there was a large Argentinian population in Playa. The restaurant was called Cafe Alameda. We ordered tabbouleh, hummus and babaganoush with a thick creamy yogurt and pita wedges. It was just what we needed, light and cool for the extreme heat of the city.

After lunch we went back to the hotel to swim and then got ready for our first out door evening concert in Santiago Square. We saw about 200 older people all dancing to a big band playing some Cuban style merenge and salsa music. Afterwards we went to a place called La Flor de Santiago and ate a most delicious sandwich, something called a molleta. Toasted bread, similar to a soft bun, covered in a thin spread of seasoned refried black beans, topped with a local melted cheese and baked until bubbly. Simple but, oh so tasty. We were told that this is the breakfast food of the students, but it was light enough for a 9pm snack.

We also had our first Cheladas, thanks to my friend Brooke who had told me about these before we left. What’s a Chelada you ask? It’s a glass that is rimmed in sea salt, filled a quarter way up with lime juice over ice (about 1 whole lime) and a beer poured on top of the ice. Add a straw and you have a Chelada. Refreshing and cool, zesty and margarita like without the sweetness. (Thanks Brooke for telling me to try these- I am totally hooked!)

The next day we went to visit our new friend Theresa and her husband Duke at their house. They told us we should get something to eat in the Grand Mercado on 57th. We ventured to the market in 104 degree heat and found ourselves amid a hustling and bustling community of food vendors, crafts people, shop keepers and tons of people. It was intense and we were tired from the heat. We made our way past all the food stalls and came to a place where they had roasted veggies. We ordered a simple plate of carrots, potatoes and squash that was accompanied by rice, black beans and tortillas. They also gave us a very hot salsa that made us sweat even more. It was dizzying but tasty.

Back at the hotel we took a swim and got ready for dinner. We had read about a place called La Casa de Frida (in honor of Frida Khalo). This restaurant was so good we went back three times! I was able to meet the owner/chef Gabby Praget and was honored that she allowed me some time to interview her and to take some pictures of her and her kitchen. Part three of this series will be the full interview and review of La Casa de Frida. It was our most favorite place we had eaten on this trip.

The next morning we took a 45 minute bus ride to the beach town of Progreso. A day on the sand and sea was on tap, and eating some locally caught seafood. We found ourselves at a place called Flamingos at lunch time. Now, there is a spice blend known to the Yucatan people that is called Achiote. Achiote a deep red paste of annotto seeds that have been dried and crushed then mixed with garlic, salt and other spices. It is usually thinned with lime or sour orange juice then spread on fish or meats and grilled. So, knowing this, I wanted to try the real deal on a whole fish and Flamingos had what we were looking for. I have no idea what type of fish it was but it was grilled perfectly and was a good size for the both of us. They also served it with various bowls of salsas, chips, guac and pineapple. The ocean breeze was blowing thru the open air restaurant and we were cooled down with Chelada in hand.Yet again, another simple yet perfect meal.

After venturing back to the beach for a bit more sun and surf we found our way to a place called Tamba Juice. It was a juice bar that served fresh squeezed juices, smoothies and slurpies. We opted for a cool slurpy of Strawberry and Lime served by a very cute boy behind the counter. The place was colorful and smelled of island fruits. Just what we needed in the sweltering heat.

Back in Merida we were on the hunt for dinner again. We found another veggie friendly restaurant called Amaro. We ordered some veggie enchiladas and some cheladas. It was a quiet and romantic place with a live singer on a small stage. We were tuckered out from the beach and made this an early night.

The next afternoon we had lunch at a place called Cafe Pop. Located just down the street from the University of Yucatan, this is a place where students like to eat. We tried their Sopa de Lima (lime soup) and a molleta with fries. It was a quaint place where the locals argued over bread prices with a local baker delivering fresh breads.Very fun to watch.

The next morning we went to a place called El Hoyo. It was another student hang out where the service was way slack, but the breakfast was great and the coffee strong. We had Huevos Rancheros w/salsa verde and Cafe Con Leche- all for about $10 for both of us. Pretty incredible.

After an afternnon of waiting for the Turibus (which never came) we ended up at a wonderful hole in the wall restaurant called D’Al. We had read about this place as one of the best places for crispy fish tacos, and we were not disappointed. The place was packed with US students on some sort of Mexican field trip. The two owners were obviously swamped beyond their limit but they managed to get everyone taken care of with great kindness and efficiency.

We ordered 3 fish tacos each that were .80 a piece and 2 cheladas. It was super hot but well worth the sweat to find this place.

That night our new friends Ryan and Chemas took us to a weekly festival called Noche Mexico. It was a huge outdoor event with tons of food vendors, crafts people and live music of all sorts on a big stage. Chemas, who is from Merida, was kind enough to give me a tour of his favorite food stalls.

One stand had been setting up at this festival for the last 20 years, Chemas said. As a boy he came here with his family. I ordered 3 veggie tacos (in my best spanish) and was so excited about the variety of veggie options she had; Nopals, beans, cheeses, grilled veggies.

*Another place had veggie tamales that were made with Chaya, a Mexican style spinach. Another stand offered Marquesitas, a sweet, crunchy pastry that was made in a press similar to a waffle iron and tasted very similar to an ice cream cone shell. It was then filled with Gouda cheese and rolled into a tube while the dough was still pliable….and yes, I said Gouda. (I found out that the Dutch had made a huge impact on the Mexican people when they came here in the past, maybe a hundred plus years ago, and with them they brought their famous Gouda cheese. The local people here have incorporated this cheese into many dishes.) Another filling offered was Nutella, a chocolate spread. Everything we ordered seemed to cost about .50 each. We ate like kings!

Our last day in Merida was a Sunday and that also happened to be the biggest weekly festival , Merida en Domingo. The streets were blocked to automobile traffic to make way for pedestrians, bicyclist and restaurant tables and chairs. There were hundreds of food vendors, musical groups and thousands of people enjoying it all. We wandered the streets, watched the bands and ate our way through the city.

There were men with mobile marquesitas stands

And women selling plantain chips.

Our favorite veggie taco stand lady even showed up!

If ever you find yourself in the Yucatan state of Mexico, please, make sure Merida is on your itinerary. You will find very warm and friendly people who want to share their culture, food and hospitality with you.

We took the bus back to Playa the next day and strangely felt like we were “home”. We then took the ferry back to Cozumel and got ready for our flight out the next morning. It was an amazing two weeks of new food, new friends and new experiences. Now we begin to plan the next visit. Hasta pronto Mexico!

5 comments

About a month ago, I was sitting at the table eating my breakfast with David. He was reading the paper when he saw that a new restaurant had opened in the downtown Durham area. For those that aren’t familiar with Durham, NC let me explain that we are going through a rebirth. The downtown area has laid dormant for many, many years. With the vision of a few key groups this area is now fertile ground for entrepreneurs to move in and begin opening businesses of their dreams. We have had more restaurants open in the last year than ever before, making all us hungry locals very happy Durhamites.

The restaurant that David read about that morning is simply called Toast. When we trekked over there on our bikes we saw a line out the door, a very good sign. We qued into the line and as we began to enter I noticed the large mural on the wall.

Toast, as it explained, is described in a number of ways:

toast (tost) vb 1: to make bread crisp, hot and browned by heat.
2: to propose or drink to as a toast
3: your neighborhood paninoteca.

paninoteca (pa-nee-no-TEK-a) n an authentic Italian sandwich shop

As we got closer to the counter to order we noticed the huge black board sign that displays the menu. Their focus is based around bread, whether hot or cold, small or large. What goes in or on the bread makes this a great option for veggie folks like us.

Kelli , one of the owners took our order. She has to be one of the most cheerful and kind people around town. She carefully explained the menu to us and made us feel very welcomed, even with the line continuing to grow behind us. I have to say that the service was quick and correct.

David ordered a $6 panini stuffed with a grilled portobello, fontina cheese and peppery arugula.

I wanted to try the $6 panini of tuscan kale, ricotta salata and sweet and spicy pickleed peppers. I also wanted to check out the $1.50 crostinis. We ordered 2 each of their herbed pesto and goat cheese. They had a selection of non-alchoholic beverages, but will soon be receiving their liquor license. A nice glass of red wine could have only made this better.

The panini’s were brought to our table within minutes, piping hot with smokey grill marks. We split each sandwich and were glad to share. Both were wonderful. Mine had the spicy kick that I love, almost a bit too hot for David. His was savory and meaty from the thick, well seasoned portobello mushroom. Just perfect.

Next we tried the crostinis (sorry, we didn’t get any pics because we were so focused on eating them). Each were a perfect 2 bite size, the bread tasting like it had a good bit of garlic rubbed on each slice, and the toppings were fresh and zesty. I could have ordered a plate full of these crispy treats with a glass of Pinot Noir and been the happiest person in the place. It made me want to try them all.

They also have salads and soups that need to be explored on our next visit. You can also add one of the soups or salads onto your sandwich order for a mere $2.

I am sure this has been said after every meal that anyone has had at Toast but, I will say it from David and I. “Let’s have a toast to Durham’s newest gem, Toast!”

1 comment

Whenever I make this dish, I go between feeling like I’m cheating , yet happy that it’s so easy to make. The reason, you might ask, is because I use an already pre-made spice paste. I first found these jarred spice mixtures in my local Indian market, so, I thought that if they were selling them they must also use them to make life easier. Besides, I had taken a lesson with a very wonderful Indian cook some years back. She showed me a few made-from-scratch recipes where we ground the spices and toasted them, which was a great deal of fun for me. We cooked the spices in ghee (Indian butter) and so on, but when she opened her pantry I saw the same jars of spice pastes that I saw in the market. She liked them as well, enough said.

One of the great things about this recipe is that my vegan friends can enjoy this dish since I replace the usual paneer cheese cubes with tofu cubes. I always use extra firm tofu and I always make extra since “seconds” are often requested.

Mise en place, kids…that means “everything in it’s place and a place for everything.” Basically have all your ingredients ready to go. It just makes sense.

Lightly fry your tofu cubes in a bit of oil, making sure to brown all sides.

Add a few tablespoons of the spice paste. I use a brand called Pataks that you can purchase in any Indian store and now in major grocery stores in the international foods aisle. They make at least 12 different spice blends from mild to hot and every combo in between.

Add a 3/4 bag of frozen peas and mix well.

Add in the diced tomatoes and sauté for about 5 minutes.

Now add some water to thin out the sauce a bit, about a 1/2 cup.

Then I add some of my home-made soy sour cream to make a thick sauce.

I simmer this for about 15 minutes until it’s thick and bubbly.

You can serve this over some nice basmati rice. I also buy the Indian pickled veggie rinds or sour chutneys that are usually served with the meals in the restaurants as well as assorted sweet chutneys and spicy mint condiments.

2 comments

The wonderful thing about this vegan version of sour cream is that it’s so versatile. It can be used just like the dairy version, used to thicken sauces, as a base for dips or piled on top your favorite taco. Best of all, there is no fear of it “breaking” as it’s dairy cousin will do in high heat.

Although I usually use a whole block of tofu, when making this you can easily half the recipe if you won’t be using this within a week, but I am so sure you will use this on everything!

The cast of characters are ready to go.

Place tofu in food processor. I always use regular or firm, not soft and not extra firm.

Add the juice of one lemon. You can use lime as well.

Add a tablespoon of agave nectar or sweetener of you choice, such as honey, brown rice syrup or maple syrup.

Add a teaspoon of garlic powder.

Now add a good pinch of salt. Process everything until smooth making sure to scrape down the sides.

While the processor is on, begin to add about a tablespoon of oil. I like to use grapeseed oil, but olive oil would work well. You will notice that the puree will become a bit thicker.

Store this in a airtight container for up to a week.

2 comments

The Southwest’s Best Breakfast Menu:
Tofu Rancheros w/Black beans & Soy Sausage

So, pretty much every Sunday morning David and I make some version of either a Southwest or Mexican inspired breakfast. This usually always includes beans, salsa, avocado and corn tortillas. What goes in between those things are always different and depends on what’s in the fridge that morning. We seriously love those flavors for our first meal of the day, and with our trip to Mexico growing closer each weekend we keep trying out variations on the theme of Latin Vegetarian.

Mexican food , when you really think about it, doesn’t NEED meat. This cuisine relies on tons of fresh veggies, lean protein packed beans, heart healthy grains and wonderful aromatic herbs and spices. I am not talking about the typical “Am-exico” food you get in most Mexican restaurants here in the states. That stuff is loaded with cheese and rice and that is not what people eat south of the border. They keep it simple, and that is why I love this style of cooking. Someone once told me that Mexican food is one of the fattiest cuisines out there (because of the cheese, most likely) but it doesn’t have to be.

You should try this one morning. You would think that the beans would make it heavy, but believe me, it’s not. It was the perfect meal to give us the energy to run our errands and go on a long mid-day walk. Also, this recipe incorporates a riff on Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s recipe, Scrambled Tofu, from her cook book Vegan With A Vengeance.

First, mix this spice blend. Make extra so that you don’t have to make it every time. I always triple it.
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt

Drain a block of extra firm tofu. Extra firm works the best in keeping it’s shape and doesn’t get mushy.

In a saute pan with 1/2 Tbs olive oil saute’ 1/2 of a diced red onion until soft and caramelized.

Crush 2 cloves of garlic then add to pan with onions.

Dice 8 medium size mushrooms then add the mushrooms to the onions and saute until golden.

Add a heaping Tbs of the spice mixture then crumble the tofu in the pan, making sure to leave big chunks. Stir well.

Squeeze the juice of one lemon and add this to the tofu. Also, add a 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast makes it creamy and thickens it up a bit giving it the texture and feel of scrambled eggs.

Add one shredded carrot to the mix and gently stir in. Turn heat to low to keep warm. Meanwhile, in a sauce pan brown the sausage, add one can of drained and rinsed black beans (or your fave frijole) and cook until the moisture has evaporated.
On a plate lay out 2 corn tortillas and top with a bit of the bean-sausage mixture, the scrambled tofu, some salsa and whatever else you want to finish it off with, like sour cream, guacamole and some seriously hot sauce.

Armed with fuzzy hats and a great breakfast Shirle’ & David get ready to meet the day.

4 comments

So, David and I decided to attempt to make homemade pasta once again and I am soooo thankful that we mustered up the courage to do so…It came out great!

We decided on ravioli so I got busy and made two different fillings. One was a Spinach & Tofu-cotta (like ricotta) and the other was a sweet and savory Sweet Potato con Queso Fresco (a wonderful salty Mexican cheese that doesn’t melt too much, which is perfect for ravioli).

Below you will find another photo recipe of our 2 hour expedition into what happens when you combine flour, water and a bit of oil.

Making the dough

Rolling the dough

Rolling the dough….some more

And some more.

Laying out the dough.

Placing balls of the spinach filling on the dough.

Place balls of the sweet potato filling on another sheet of the dough. Make sure that you run a finger that has been dipped in water between all the filling balls and along all the edges. This will act as a sealant.

Fold the dough over the fillings

Seal all the edges by pressing down the dough.

…and in between each filling.

Now start cutting into ravioli. You can use a press like we did or simply a knife for a more rustic look.

The finished product, some for that nights dinner and some for the freezer. To freeze them just lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment and place them in the freezer for at least and hour, then bag them into freezer bags.

Make the sauce…it was a roasted butternut squash.

Boil the ravioli for 3 minutes.

We enjoyed the ravioli with a nice chianti! The meal was loaded with veggies and had such deep layers of flavor all wrapped up in wonderful little packets made simply from flour, water, oil and love.

3 comments

Oh, the joys of Seitan. That wonder “meat” that is so good for you (of course unless you are Gluten Intolerant) that is packed with huge amounts of cholesterol free proteins and loads of iron.

So, the other day my mother in law and I attempted to make homemade Seitan…it was my third time, her first. My first attempt was in college and what I ended up creating made me discouraged and I never tried it again…until a few weeks ago.

I had told my vegan friend, Eleni about my previous failed Seitan experience. She told me that she had a great recipe and that she could give me a lesson. We spent a couple hours in her kitchen to create the Seitan and what came out was moist and firm, but with a bit of sponginess, basically perfect! I actually ended up using it by making shish-kabob ’s as an appetizer for our Kristmas Party…they were a huge hit! (Thanks Eleni!!!)

Now, when I made it with mom in law, it was a disaster….HARD RUBBER would not be a good enough description of the texture of our 4 balls of Seitan…it was almost like when you microwave a piece of bread for 10 minutes and the next thing you know you’ve created a hockey puck of dough…but more rubbery.

So, being the uber-frugal-food-science-nerd-girl I am I thought, “ya know, I bet I could save this Seitan somehow.”

Originally I had seasoned 2 of the balls with traditional sausage spices that I had added to the dry Vital Wheat Gluten. I am a HUGE sausage freak…whether it is pork, chicken or faux (my fave mainstay) I love the flavors of sausage, the spices and the saltiness, and thought how good it would be to be able to make a Seitan Sausage. Well, the flavor was amazing, but like I said, the texture could have pulled out someone’s dental work.

The other 2 balls were plain, but in a blind attempt to salvage them for our dinner I had sliced them into cutlets and then coated them in a Thai Sesame Butter Sauce* and then coated them in Nutritional Yeast Flakes seasoned with garlic and onion powders, then baked them until golden…all in the hopes that the sauce would add some moistness back into them, but no luck. My hubby and his mom and I ate a few pieces but they were so hard to chew that it made that nights dinner experience not so good. I stored the uneaten cutlets in some tupperware and started thinking about their future.

It’s 2 days later and I have decided to make something out of the rubber Seitan that is now taking up space in the fridge. My first thought was, “this stuff needs to be ground”. It makes sense in my mind, because tough cuts of meat are ground down and then made into patties and meatloaves and such, so why not this tough Seitan?…

So, into the Black & Decker food processor for some spinning time they went, but separately. I made two batches, the sausage one and the Thai Sesame one and I have to proudly say, that I have created “Veggie Crumbles”…but BETTER!

The sausage one would be great in a lasagna, tacos or chili and the Thai one actually came out a bit creamy, so I am thinking of adding it to some ground chickpeas and making some Thai inspired patties that I might bake in the oven or lightly fry in some oil in my cast iron skillet. Also, I will def be making some wonton dumplings or raviolis with that batch.

I measured out about a cup and a half of each mixture and sealed it in some freezer bags so that I can quickly defrost to use. I wonder what the freezing process will do to them?…I’ll have to let you know how it works out.

So, when in doubt about when to throw out…think outside of the trashcan and try to save your Seitan.

5 comments