Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers Read Online Free PDF
Author: Terry Hope Romero
where root vegetables or Latin produce is displayed. You can also find in the frozen aisle prepeeled, frozen chunks of yuca that are very convenient to use.
Fresh Herbs to Watch For
I f you’re lucky and have access to a farmers’ market that services a sizable Latin American community, then maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to source interesting fresh herbs that rarely are seen outside of home-cooked meals.
Culantro (also called recao or Mexican / wild coriander ): Not to be confused with cilantro, tropical-growing culantro is far less widely known and also used in some Southeast Asian cuisines in addition to Central and South American cuisines. Look for a tender green herb with long, jagged-edged leaves 1 to 1½ inches wide. It has a flavor similar to cilantro yet is stronger and more pronounced.
Verdolaga , also known as purslane , is a favorite of mine. A common weed practically all over the world, it’s popular in soups in Central America and is just too damned nutritious—besides having excellent crunch, with loads of nutrition (Omega-3s galore!)—to pummel with a weed whacker. Try some fresh in salads or in sandwiches or tacos.
Papalo is a leafy herb with rounded wide leaves with a sharp herbal scent a little bit like cilantro’s. Enjoy it fresh as a leafy green tucked into tacos or salads, or layered in a torta sandwich.
Huazontle is sometimes referred to as Mexican broccoli . A large herb with a substantial flowering head, it’s traditionally cooked in an omelet-like entrée and topped with a light tomato sauce. A vegany way to enjoy this is to lightly blanch the flower buds in salted boiling water, drain, chop, and add to the filling of chiles rellenos (page 142).
Occasionally you’ll be able to find fresh epazote . It’s quite different from the dried stuff and very pungent. Use in beans and as you would use dried epazote, substituting 1 scant tablespoon of chopped fresh herb for 1 teaspoon of the dried.
Besides yuca, there are other fun tropical tubers to try. A favorite of mine is ñame , which has yellow flesh and a sweet, ripe plantainlike aroma. Batata is similar to yellow-flesh sweet potatoes. Yautia is part of the vast yam family and has a subtle sweetness and starchy texture.
Yellow , white , and red onions are a staple and should always be on your shopping list!
Green , red , and yellow bell peppers play an important role in making the sofrito recipes in this book. Sweet Italian long green “frying” peppers or pale green tapered Cubanelles are tasty and interesting substitutes for the standard sweet bell pepper; I like to use a few of each when making a big batch of sofrito or sazón . Large sweet Hungarian red peppers are also nice in place of red bell peppers.
Garlic and green onions are always VIP guests at this Latin cooking party. I invite you to add as much garlic as you require to any recipe, as it’s often a personal thing, keeping in mind if you really go nuts with the garlic, you may have an interesting time getting some people to get personal with. Whatever, you know you’re delicious.
Always have a bulb (or more) of garlic on hand. Choose bulbs that feel heavy for their size and are very firm. Garlic is old and dried out when the bulb feels light or the skin on the bulbs collapses or releases dust when squeezed.
Green onions add a sharp, fresh oniony flavor to soups, beans, and salsas.
Fresh lime juice is used over and over, so purchase two or more limes at a time, or invest in a bottle of concentrated lime juice if you don’t want to mess around with squeezing. Lemons can be substituted for limes, if needed. Yummy little Key limes have that special tropical zing that reminds me of the limóns of tropical Latin America and taste extra special in Latin drinks, desserts, or vegetables.
Avocados are now enjoyed all over North America. My dad came to America in the late ’60s and recalls when
Fresh Herbs to Watch For
I f you’re lucky and have access to a farmers’ market that services a sizable Latin American community, then maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to source interesting fresh herbs that rarely are seen outside of home-cooked meals.
Culantro (also called recao or Mexican / wild coriander ): Not to be confused with cilantro, tropical-growing culantro is far less widely known and also used in some Southeast Asian cuisines in addition to Central and South American cuisines. Look for a tender green herb with long, jagged-edged leaves 1 to 1½ inches wide. It has a flavor similar to cilantro yet is stronger and more pronounced.
Verdolaga , also known as purslane , is a favorite of mine. A common weed practically all over the world, it’s popular in soups in Central America and is just too damned nutritious—besides having excellent crunch, with loads of nutrition (Omega-3s galore!)—to pummel with a weed whacker. Try some fresh in salads or in sandwiches or tacos.
Papalo is a leafy herb with rounded wide leaves with a sharp herbal scent a little bit like cilantro’s. Enjoy it fresh as a leafy green tucked into tacos or salads, or layered in a torta sandwich.
Huazontle is sometimes referred to as Mexican broccoli . A large herb with a substantial flowering head, it’s traditionally cooked in an omelet-like entrée and topped with a light tomato sauce. A vegany way to enjoy this is to lightly blanch the flower buds in salted boiling water, drain, chop, and add to the filling of chiles rellenos (page 142).
Occasionally you’ll be able to find fresh epazote . It’s quite different from the dried stuff and very pungent. Use in beans and as you would use dried epazote, substituting 1 scant tablespoon of chopped fresh herb for 1 teaspoon of the dried.
Besides yuca, there are other fun tropical tubers to try. A favorite of mine is ñame , which has yellow flesh and a sweet, ripe plantainlike aroma. Batata is similar to yellow-flesh sweet potatoes. Yautia is part of the vast yam family and has a subtle sweetness and starchy texture.
Yellow , white , and red onions are a staple and should always be on your shopping list!
Green , red , and yellow bell peppers play an important role in making the sofrito recipes in this book. Sweet Italian long green “frying” peppers or pale green tapered Cubanelles are tasty and interesting substitutes for the standard sweet bell pepper; I like to use a few of each when making a big batch of sofrito or sazón . Large sweet Hungarian red peppers are also nice in place of red bell peppers.
Garlic and green onions are always VIP guests at this Latin cooking party. I invite you to add as much garlic as you require to any recipe, as it’s often a personal thing, keeping in mind if you really go nuts with the garlic, you may have an interesting time getting some people to get personal with. Whatever, you know you’re delicious.
Always have a bulb (or more) of garlic on hand. Choose bulbs that feel heavy for their size and are very firm. Garlic is old and dried out when the bulb feels light or the skin on the bulbs collapses or releases dust when squeezed.
Green onions add a sharp, fresh oniony flavor to soups, beans, and salsas.
Fresh lime juice is used over and over, so purchase two or more limes at a time, or invest in a bottle of concentrated lime juice if you don’t want to mess around with squeezing. Lemons can be substituted for limes, if needed. Yummy little Key limes have that special tropical zing that reminds me of the limóns of tropical Latin America and taste extra special in Latin drinks, desserts, or vegetables.
Avocados are now enjoyed all over North America. My dad came to America in the late ’60s and recalls when
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