7/24/2012 1 Comment The Vegan RicoWe recently went to New Orleans, where there is a new place--Cafe Carmo (you can read about it here). Originally, I had said this was a non-negotiable stop, because of their vegan options, but we wound up not going (which I was actually fine with this time around, as we went to Bennachin, an African restaurant that also has great vegan options. I'll share a recipe from there sometime soon for the black-eyed pea fritters).
Carmo will pretty much veganize anything on their menu, apparently, which in a city that prides itself on fried things often only found in swampy areas is pretty amazing. The Vegan Rico description caught my eye: Vegan Rico: An open-faced, breadless sandwich made of a grilled plantain patty topped with melted cheese, spicy smoked 'n' pulled pork, salsa fresca, avocado and our tangy sweet spicy “Rico” sauce. Veggie: dairy cheese & vegan meat; Vegan: vegan cheese & vegan meat I had to make this. Here's what i did: Soy Curl Carnitas: I used this Cooking Light recipe as the base for my smoky pulled pork. I used an entire bag of Butler Soy Curls and added a chopped up chipotle in adobo, some Louisiana hot sauce and cumin at the end, as well as salt and pepper to taste. This all goes in the crockpot on high until the sauce is fairly well cooked down and it tastes right. You can also add liquid smoke, smoked salt, and/or smoked paprika for more smoky flavor. Plantain patties: After doing some research, I discovered that most recipes call for boiling the plantains. I did this by cutting the ends off, then cutting two plantains in half and bringing the pot up to a boil. The goal is to get them tender, so the time will depend on the ripeness of your plantains. Think about how you make mashed potatoes. Pull them out and let them cool until you can handle them to peel them. Mash them with a potato masher and add: 1 minced jalapeno (seeds or not--up to you) 1 minced garlic clove Chopped cilantro (or parsley if cilantro tastes like soap to you) 1/4 c. minced onion 1 Flegg (1 T. ground flax + 3 T. water. Add after it has gelled up) 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour Salt and pepper to taste Divide the mixture into four equal portions. You may need to wet your hands down to shape the patties, which is fine. Brown on both sides in a skillet sprayed with non-stick spray. To build the salad (let's face it, this is not really a sandwich): Put salad greens on a plate. Top with the plantain patty. Pile on your spicy "pulled pork" and top with sliced avocado. I don't know if this tastes like the one at Carmo. I do know that I've made this twice and both times we've gobbled it up. The heat of the soy curls and the sweetness of the plantain patty just work together.
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