I have discussed this before and it came up again at a friend's house party, cooking plant based diets IS time consuming, but then again if anything is worth doing well, it is best to work on it longer, to develop strong savory flavors, yet retain the nutritional benefits is time consuming and some tricks have to be in place, here are some tricks of the trade, for home cooks (and professionals, I suppose as this blog is read on every continent).
Most Vegetarian soups and stews are better cooked the day before serving and allowed to cool completely before placing in the fridge overnight..this allows the flavors, especially any spices, to mature/blossom.
To thicken any soup or stew, blend a portion of the dish and then add to the whole.
Bring to low simmer and then boil, skim, stir well to prevent it burning.
Remove from heat and cool completely.
This is in place of adding any extra flours/starches which may cause allergies.
Test seasonings when the dishes are hot not cold, as when cold the flavor is blander, heating increases strength of some spices and salt ( evaporation).
A good and healthy substitute for sodium/salt is fresh lemon juice..add at the end of cooking and taste test.
When roasting any vegetables, wash well and air dry, keep cold.
If conventional grown, peel outer skin ( as for all root vegetables) and chop into same sized pieces.
Place in a large bowl, add 2 tbsp oil ( grape seed or olive)to every 4 cups chopped vegetables ( 2 pounds prepared weight), they do not need a lot of oil at this point, & add any chopped fresh washed and spun, herbs. ( do not add dry herbs overnight as these will soak up the oil).
Seal the bowl/container and put in a cold place overnight..not necessarily the fridge, a cold pantry or even an ice chest with some blocks is ideal.
Next day, place on greased trays, add salt & pepper and any dried herbs, mix well with hands, then roast in preheated oven 400f+
Tomatoes & bell peppers do not need to be marinated overnight, as they contain a lot of natural water.
Roast the vegetables in order of denseness, beets and parsnips take the longest, Tomatoes, peppers, scallions the shortest
Eggplants can be roasted but they are far better steamed or sauteed in oil & water, this produces a much more tender, and milder flavored vegetable which can be then grilled lightly to color.
Steaming as opposed to boiling
Steaming is preferred as it intensifies the flavor of most vegetables and also helps maintain the more vibrant color.
You may add spices and herbs to the steaming water, or for more tender vegetables, add collard or lettuce leaves to the racks and steam on them.
Ginger adds a good flavor with any root vegetable as it becomes "lemon scented".
Seasoning secrets:
The following may be added to any vegan-vegetarian recipe to add depth of flavor, especially useful when the vegetable stock is weak or the vegetables are just coming into their growing season, and need a little help:
Flaked or powdered Nutritional yeast...adds body and a nice savory taste to any stew, sauce or soup..use sparingly.
This is best stored in the fridge in hot climes.
Available at Whole Foods and most Health Food Stores.
Do not use Brewer's yeast, nor bread baking yeast as it is a completely different product.
Tahini..Sesame seed paste/ roasted seed/nut butters..these add wonderful richness to soups and stews, add at the end of cooking and mix with a little soup or stock before adding.
Check for any added sugars and stir well to avoid scorching.
Tamari..wheat free, brewed soy sauce..helps add color to darker stews and soups ( mushrooms &etc.), taste first then add sparingly
Miso paste..another wheat-free item, (made from fermented brown rice and other grains) may add a strong salt flavor so use sparingly and do not boil the dish once added.
Great as a base for soups, stews and makes some great salad dressings
Prepared Mustard..Dijon mustard is great added to some legume soups, as it adds a depth of flavor that is usually missing., adds piquancy.
Make sure to use a good store brand, and again a little goes along way.
English mustard may used as with wasabi..it is very strong and very pungent, good with Veggie & lentil 'burgers".
Wines...use a good wine that you would drink, avoid "cooking wines" as they might have too much tannin and make the dish bitter.
Make sure to add at the beginning of preparation to "burn off" the alcohol.
Sherry/fortified/sake wines..these are great added to any mushroom/Asian dishes, again burn off the alcohol.
Also wonderful in lentil pates and burgers.
Do not mix this with mustard as the results will be bitterness.
Also every 6 months throw away all your old dried herbs and spices and begin new..this is good to do at then end of Winter ( March) and again September..they lose their potency when stored under hot conditions in your kitchen, or exposed to bright lights..also lavender, and rosemary can become "rancid" as they contain a volatile oil.
Do not buy herbs and spices in bulk, they do not keep well under normal conditions again especially in warmer climes.
I have learnt a lot about storage and keeping spices etc having worked on Luxury yachts where the galley was cramped, and everything had it's own place..which made sense.
A little dried herb and good quality spice goes a long way ...it's loss of potency really will spoil a dish,
I hope this helps you create some fabulously flavored dishes in the upcoming months.
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