Pinenut and Basil Seared Gardein "Chicken" with Mushroom Beurre Blanc, Braised Kale and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Peggy Lampman | Contributor

Would some one out there please take on the challenge, a la "Julie and Julia", of making a new recipe each day following “Charlie Trotter’s Vegetables” cookbook? Come on, I dare you. This mouth-wateringly sumptuous cookbook has occupied a spot on my coffee table for 12 years, yet I've never made a recipe from it. Where can I buy matsutake and cauliflower mushrooms? I am drooling over the photograph of Red Kuri Squash Soup, but how does one procure kuri squash juice?

I am, therefore, giddy over Tal Ronnen's* recent publication of "The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change The Way You You Eat. ". The gorgeous photography and eye-catching layout certainly ranks coffee table status so I placed it atop "Charlie Trotter's Vegetables". But on second glance, I realized I could actually reproduce many of these recipes in my own kitchen using local ingredients!

Peppercorn-Encrusted Portobello with Roasted Tomato Bernaise and Mashed Potatoes

Peggy Lampman | Contributor

I began with the Peppercorn-Encrusted Portobello Fillets with Yellow Tomato Bernaise and Mashed Potatoes. Relatively easy and simply delicious. Moving on I ventured cautiously, skeptically into the world of "pseudo chicken". This unconvinced cook has yet to appreciate a vegetable and grain-based product claiming to cluck like a chicken.

Gardein "chicken", however, is as close as I've come to tasting a vegetable-grain product that does have a similar flavor and texture to premium chicken breasts (pssst, I'm not on their payroll). The recipe did take a 1 1/2 hours to prepare, but there are less time-consuming recipes in the book. (Note that the original recipe calls for lobster mushrooms for the lobster sauce. I could not find any so substituted oyster mushrooms.) The cookbook suggests and gives recipes for serving the chicken with braised kale and roasted fingerling potatoes. I obliged and was delighted with the red-skinned French fingerling potatoes I purchased from Whole Foods, which had a creamy texture and earthy flavor when roasted.

As Chef Ronnan states in his cookbook,"...Being vegan means eating everything in the world except animal products". I like his tone and especially enjoy this cookbook because Chef Ronnen is not pushing an agenda. This is my first vegan cookbook and there is nothing "hipster-crunchy" about it. He presents his mouth-watering collection of original vegan recipes to satisfy anyone interested in eating meatless meals occasionally, as well as anyone serious about abstaining from animal products permanently.

Chef Tal Ronnen has cooked for Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres, gaining recognition for "Oprah's 21-day Vegan cleanse". The vegan visionary specializes in meat-and dairy-free fare that is rich and elegant and maximizes nutritional benefits. His goal is to make sure each entrée features a “center-of-the-plate protein” that packs a powerful energy-boosting, hunger-banishing punch without meat or dairy.  

Gardein "Chicken" Breasts

Peggy Lampman | Contributor

* The Kroger on Industrial carries the 7-ounce boxes of regular chicken fillets, which I used for this evening's recipe. “Arbor Farms” carries their line of pulled barbecue, perfect for an impromptu, healthy sandwich on a whole grain bun. They also carry the Gardein "Santa Fe Good Stuff"- -chicken-flavored protein w/ black beans and corn.

 

Yield: 4 servings Cost: apx. $26.50
Time: 1 1/2 hours (including roasting potatoes and braising kale; note that cashew cream should be made 24 hours in advance.)

Ingredients

For the chicken:

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpost flour
5 large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
8 Gardein breasts (2, 7 ounce packages Gardein chicken-style filets)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons canola oil

For the lobster mushroom beurre blanc:

Sea salt
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 pound lobster mushrooms, cut into brunoise
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup regular Cashew Cream (page 26)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
8 tablespoons Earth Balance, cut into tablespoon pieces
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon minced chives
Freshly ground black pepper

For the cashew cream (1/2 cup yield, to accommodate recipe requirements):

1/4 cup whole raw cashews (not pieces, which are often dry), rinsed very well under cold water. Put the cashew n a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place in a blender with enough fresh cold waer to cover them by 1 inch. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. (If you're not using a professional high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix, which creates an ultra-smooth cream, strain the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sieve.)

Directions

1. Make the chicken: Preheat the oven to 200Ëš. In a food processor, pulse the pine nuts, flour, and basil. Transfer to a shallow bowl or plate.
2. Season each side with salt and pepper, then press each side into the pine nut dredge.
3. Place a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds, being careful not to let it smoke. This will create a nonstick effect.
4. Place the breasts in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a wire rack set over a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and put in the oven to keep warm while you make the sauce.
5. Make the lobster mushroom beurre blanc: Place a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds, being careful not to let it smoke.
6. Reduce the heat to low. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the Cashew Cream and continue to cook for 5 minutes, then whisk in the nutritional yeast.
7. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the Earth Balance 1 tablespoon at a time, then sir in the lemon juice and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Assemble the dish: Place potions of the Braised Kale and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes on each of 4 serving plates and top with two Gardein breasts. Spoon the beurre blanc over the breasts and drizzle a few drops around the edge of each plate. Serve immediately.