Vegetarian/vegan Cajun recipes?

Question

I am wanting to attempt something totally different but stay within a vegetarian/vegan approach. I also want to attempt to impress some friends that are really into Cajun food.

Looking for something more than just rice dishes - possibly even a version of jambalaya.

While I have learned to make several Indian dishes - not that many people really eat that sort of thing -where I live except for one friend of mine in the area.

My personal quest is to figure out how to make - and have them taste GOOD - things that people already eat - but make them in a totally vegetarian/vegan approach in my cooking.

Cooking Italian, Irish - even some Czech dishes - haven’t been a problem for me to adapt and make in ways that others really enjoyed - some not even knowing that they were not eating meat based foods. Going to go up to my friends so that I can learn how to make better sushi - totally vegetarian of course - from a friends mother (Japanese woman over 80 years old).

My sticking point - has been cooking anything that is Cajun that really TASTES like something that is authentic Cajun that is vegetarian - talking main dish all the way down to desserts if I can.

Suggestions of tried and true recopies greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Cajun Vegetarian Patties

2 cups cooked red beans

1 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 medium green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed

2 tsp salt

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. With a spoon or your hands, mix all the ingredients together until well blended, and form into burgers. Arrange the burgers on an oiled baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes on each side until browned.

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JAMBALAYA (Vegan)

  

Ingredients:  

1 1/2 tablespoon oil

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, minced

2 teaspoon filé powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

3 cup canned tomatoes, drained and chopped

8 ounce soysausage links, cut into small pieces

8 ounce seitan, cut into small pieces

1 cup cooked kidney beans

1 cup water

Cooked rice





  

Instructions:  

In a large saucepan saute bell pepper, celery, garlic, and onion in 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Cover and cook over medium heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover, add 1 cup water, filé powder, salt, cayenne, thyme, Tabasco sauce, and tomatoes to the mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add soysausage and seitan, cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned, then add to the tomato mixture. Adjust seasonings to taste and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve over rice. NOte: Double the amount of kidney beans if you don\'t use seitan.

  

Serving size: 4-6

  

Prep time: 45 minutes

EDIT- I think either way is ok. If you add the meat, leave it overnight, and reheat it the next day, it will give it chance for the flavour to suffusetime instea. But you can add the meat before the end of the cooking d. It will still taste really good.

Answer 2

Cajun Tofu

INGREDIENTS

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 medium capsicums, thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

1/8 cup oil

750 grams / 26 ounces tofu, cubed

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon file

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/3 cup water

METHOD

Saute the onion, capsicum and celery in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the tofu and saute until they begin to brown. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. Serve as a side dish or over rice.

Answer 3

"Dirty Rice"

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped onion

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

2 1/4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 can chopped tomatoes, or 3 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 1/3 cups blanched corn kernels

1 cup cooked and rinsed black beans

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

black pepper to taste

1 small red onion, sliced thin

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

In a heavy saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and the onions. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the bell pepper, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, and cinnamon. Sauté, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the rice, and stir well. Add the water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring the rice to a boil over high heat, then cover the pan and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes.

When the rice is cooked, add the tomatoes, corn, black beans, and pinenuts. Stir well, add the pepper, more salt if necessary, and lime juice, and turn up the heat. When the mixture is heated through, spoon it onto plates, and top with the sliced red onion and cilantro. Serve a wedge of lime with each plate, for squeezing over the rice.

Jambalaya

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped onions

2 red or green bell peppers, seeded and chopped

1 cup celery, diced

2 cups finely chopped scallions

8 oz. tempeh, cubed, and steamed for 15 minutes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried

3 bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste

1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice

1 15 oz. can tomatoes, diced

1 small can tomato sauce

3 1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt, or more, to taste

fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

Tabasco, to taste

In a heavy stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, scallions, and tempeh. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add the garlic, parsley, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and cayenne. Saute, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add the rice, and mix well. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water and salt. Turn the heat to high, and bring the stew to a boil. Stir until the tomato paste is fully incorporated, then cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until rice is done. Stir occasionally to prevent the jambalaya from sticking to the pan, and add water if necessary. Season with black pepper and Tabasco and serve right away.

Gumbo

1/2 cup cooking oil

1/2 cup flour

2 onions, chopped

2 bell peppers, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 qts vegetable stock, or chicken-flavored vegetable stock

1 lb fresh okra, chopped, or use frozen if fresh is not available

1 15 oz can tomatoes, chopped

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon black pepper

cayenne, to taste

1 lb. vegetarian kielbasa-style sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices, or tempeh, cubed

salt, to taste

Gumbo file powder

Tabasco sauce

Hot cooked rice

Make Roux: Combine oil and flour in heavy frying pan (preferably cast iron) or stock pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon or wire whisk, until it reaches a nut brown color. Don't let it burn. If black flecks appear, the roux is burned, and you must start over. It should take about 20 to 25 minutes to achieve the desired color.

Just before roux is desired color, add chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, and continue stirring until vegetables have been coated with the roux and are beginning to soften. If using the same pot to make gumbo, add stock directly to the pan. Otherwise, let roux cool until it is safe to handle, and add to large stock pot with the stock. Add the okra, the tomatoes, the bay leaves, and the dried spices, except for the salt. Let simmer for 30 minutes, then add vegetarian sausage. Let simmer another 10 minutes, and add salt.