It’s hot as Hades, your thong is sticking to your tramp stamp tattoo, and you want to chow down at a BBQ sans the flesh of tortured, factory farmed animals… what to make? Vegan Chef and GirlieGirl Army Loyalist, Ella Nemcova of The Regal Vegan (a fabulous catering service for healthy and gourmet eats in the NYC Areola) shares her favorite summer recipe below. Don’t worry Raw peeps, you have a version too below. We’d never leave you out! Happy Summering!
Grilled Summer Vegetable Terrine
From The Regal Vegan, Serves 6-9.
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 red peppers
- 4 zucchinis
- 1 small eggplant, peeled
- 1 lb of baby arugula (or 2 bunches regular arugula)
- 1 lb of cremini mushrooms
- 1 bunch of basil
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 1 hour in hot water
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Sea Salt & Fresh Pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 450Ëš . Place the peppers on a tray and roast for 30 minutes. Slice the zucchinis length-wise on a mandoline till they are 1/8 inch thick and place in single layers in oiled trays (save clean up by using parchment paper to line pans). Sprinkle with salt and roast for 20 minutes till golden then flip. Roast for another 10. Slice eggplants into rounds almost 1/2″ thick and brush with a mixture of olive oil and 1 clove of crushed garlic on both sides. Sprinkle with salt. Place in tray and bake for 20 minutes on each side. Slice the mushrooms and add them to a heated pan with TBS of olive oil. Cook over medium heat till they release their juices and reabsorb them. Sprinkle with a dash of salt. Meanwhile, wash the basil in 3 changes of water and take the leaves off the stem. Add the soaked cashews, the basil, 2 TBS of lemon juice and 1/2 tsp of salt to a food processor and process till creamy. When the peppers are done place them in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the other vegetables cool. After 15 minutes remove the skins from the peppers and scrape out the seeds. Line a 9X9 deep dish with plastic wrap. Spread out the mushrooms in the bottom of the pan. Spread on a thin layer of basil cashew spread. Sprinkle with a little salt and a crack of pepper. Layer on alternating rows of vegetables and cashew spread. Alternate colors, and be sure to spread the arugula out in between a few layers. When finished, cover with plastic wrap and weigh down with something that fits in the pan, like a cutting board and some plates. Refrigerate for a at least one hour. When solid, flip upside down, remove plastic wrap and slice. Enjoy goddesses!
ALTERNATE RAW VERSION:
To make this terrine totally raw, do not roast the vegetables, or saute the mushrooms. Soak the cashews for a longer time in room temperature water. Chop the peppers finely. Soak 5 sundried tomatoes and process with a clove of garlic. Do not use raw eggplants. Instead, Substitute for very fine slices of different varieties of summer squash. When ready to prepare, follow the same steps as above but use the sundried tomato spread in the middle. Be sure to alternate directions of zucchini slices, and weigh down in the fridge at the end. Elaborate, but worth it.
Ella Nemcova is a vegan chef who has trained at The Natural Gourmet Institute, The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, The Institute of Culinary Education and under the tutelage of Chef Josh Sharkey of Cafe Grey. She spent a year traveling the world, taking in cooking classes and cuisines as far away as Thailand so she could bring creativity and global flavors to the healthy kitchen. Ella is also the founder of Regal Vegan Inc, a gourmet dinner delivery service that prepares natural, whole foods that satisfy the health and flavor conscious folks of New York City. At Regal Vegan, all the food is made with Love, so that it can love you back. It’s made with respect not only for the enlightened eater or the picky gourmand, but for the animals, and our one wild, precious planet. For more info, check outwww.RegalVegan.com .