Meaty Vegetables. What you do think about when I say that?
A Mushroom Burger?
YES CHEF!
I say squash….. and apparently people in New York agree with me!
The New York Daily News is jumping on this bandwagon, with their recent article about how restaurant owners are making changes in their menus:
“Beet, cauliflower, cabbage and butternut squash steaks are popping up on menus at posh New York City restaurants and best of all, they’re not leaving customers missing meat.
Diners are looking for more vegetable-forward dishes as a way of getting away from traditional proteins,” says BLT Bar & Grill chef David Craine, who just debuted beet and cauliflower steaks on his menu. They’ve already become top-sellers among Conde Nast employees and Wall Street execs who work near the Financial District spot”.
Well, that doesn’t surprise me one bit.
When my daughter asked me to create for her, I pan seared a sliced potato rolled in chick pea flour, a thin round of eggplant, and asparagus with a panko topping, all vegan…. and she really enjoyed the meal. That’s when it hit me that meals can be vegetables and still satisfy. And we can get away spending less money for dinner even if we’re buying organic.
We all have our ‘meatless monday’ to live up to. Why not make food at home that hits the spot and keeps that comittment? I was at the market the other day, and they had pan sautéed cauliflower patties. Yum. (I am sure they used egg to bind it). But I was wondering: What else can I do to make coating stick to a patty, or anything for that matter?
I’ve done chicken with buttermilk then breading…. hmmm…. I can wet it down with coconut milk, or better yet, coconut creamer and the breading will stick. Not as good as eggs of course. So that’s an ‘ok’ substitute. Scale of 1-10? I give it a 6. But I really want a 10!
As usual, I do more research because that’s what the Chef Marian Blog is all about! Research and experimenting!
Chowhound readers have these recommendation:
- Use a good mustard–like Hot Sweet mustard from trader joe’s as the “glue” when breading.
- You can dip or roll what you want to bread in …. (the) oil of your choice.
- Season the marinade with garlic, cumin, salt and pepper, and if you like a bit of heat, some hot pepper sauce or cayenne pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, up to overnight. Lift chicken out of the marinade, allowing extra to drip away. Dredge in your breading of choice. At this point, it is wise to refrigerate breaded chicken for half an hour, so crumbs will adhere well. Then bake.
These are all pretty good ideas, no?
YES CHEF!
And we’re going with Meatless Monday? I hope so. I bought a Tahitian Squash which I am told is the best on the planet! That’s dinner tonight!
Please let me know if you try any of these ideas. I’m happy to feature your recipe! And if you like what you read? Hit the facebook or twitter button and pass it on!
Happy Eating,
