Grilled Vegetable Sandwich + Smoked Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli

So, tomorrow is Labor Day, and most everyone you know will be eating BBQ in the form of pork, beef, or chicken. It's time for you to plan ahead. Make a few of these classic vegetarian sandwiches to take along with you to whatever cookout you make be attending -- unless, of course, you thoroughly enjoy eating a plain coleslaw sandwich. If your family is anything like mine, even the avowed meat-eaters are going to be curious to try what you're eating!

Besides the grilled veg sandwich recipe below, I have a few other ideas for the vegetarian grill if you'd like to check them out as well.

Memphis-Style BBQ Tofu

Smoky Grilled Vegetable Quesadillas

Smoked Mushroom BBQ Sliders

Puttanesca Pizza on Grilled Flatbread

Grilled Corn with Mayo, Sriracha, and Cheese

Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches + Smoked Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli
(Makes 4)

1 large red pepper (roasted, peeled, cut into 4 strips)

1 large eggplant (in 1-inch slices)

4 large portobello mushrooms (stems trimmed)

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

olive oil

sea salt
cracked black pepper

1 1/2 cups whole-milk mozzarella (shredded)

4 sesame kaiser rolls

1 large tomato (sliced)

2 cups fresh spinach leaves

Simply drizzle the vegetables with the balsamic vinegar and plenty of olive oil. Season each side with salt and pepper. Preheat your grill to high. Grill vegetables for about 4 minutes per side or until they are nicely marked by the grill grates. The mushrooms may take a little longer. Once you have cooked the underside of the mushroom flip it over and sprinkle the cheese on the gill side of the mushroom caps as they continue to grill in order to melt the cheese. Stack the vegetables: mushroom with the cheese, slice of eggplant (or two), one quarter of the roasted red pepper. Serve on a toasted bun with spinach, tomato, and Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli (recipe follows).

Smoked Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli:

1/4 cup smoked sun-dried tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic

zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup mayo (I use vegan mayo.)

sea salt + cracked black pepper to taste

It's simple -- just blend all ingredients until smooth. This is also great on so many other things such as wraps, eggs sandwiches, and tortilla de papas.

Avocado + Cucumber Soup with Basil OIl

I've been thinking a lot about vegan food lately. You see, I've been vegan for long stretches during my lifetime, but I always seem to find my way back to the middle. 


What's the thing that I miss when I'm eating vegan? Richness. So many already-delicious foods can be made sublime by a splash of cream, a pat of butter, or a swipe of mayo. Suddenly it dawned on me: two of the richest-tasting foods in the world come from plant sources -- avocados and coconut milk. I devised a devilish plan to use both ingredients in one rich, vegan dish. This soup is all we had for dinner the other night, and we were full and satisfied.

Avocado + Cucumber Soup with Basil Oil


2 avocados (peeled, seeded)



2 large cucumbers (peeled, seeded)



coconut milk (1 cup)


half a lime (juiced)


1 teaspoon rice vinegar


1 teaspoon sugar


1 teaspoon sambal


pinch of salt (to taste)


about a cup of water

basil oil (or basil leaves)


handful of rice noodles (fried for a few seconds in canola oil)


fresh chives


The first eight ingredients go into a blender and are puréed until smooth. Add enough water to thin the mixture to the consistency of pancake batter. Chill.  Serve cold garnished with basil oil, fried rice noodles, and chives.

Bourbon with Basil + Lemonade Granita

I bet your herb garden is full of basil and you've had it up to here with pesto, but I know you don't want to let all that summery goodness go to waste! May I suggest basil and lemonade granita? 


This is the perfect after-dinner libation for these waning days of summer -- especially if you're looking to make the last painful stretch of Southern heat (somewhat) bearable. This is one to sip slowly on the front porch as the summer sun sets in the west.

Basil + Lemonade Granita


2 cups basil leaves
2 cups water
1/2 cup cane sugar
2 tablespoons of agave
2 tablespoons of honey
juice from 6-7 lemons


Boil the basil leaves in the water, sugar, and agave for 5 minutes. Allow mixture to cool. Strain out the leaves and add the lemon juice. Place the mixture in a pan or a wide-mouth bowl and stick it in the freezer. Scrape the surface with a fork every hour until the whole thing is frozen solid. This should take 3-4 hours. Serve an ice cream scoop full per person with a little bit of ice and some sparkling water, or use a rocks glass and add an ounce and a quarter of your favorite bourbon.

Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Wellington

There's not much to say about this mushroom main dish except that it is incredible. The meatiness of the grilled mushroom is perfectly complemented by the richness of the stuffing. The puff pastry adds a nice crunchy texture to the dish, and it all comes together nicely.

We served this wonderful dish with a baked sweet potato topped with brown sugar and butter and a side salad that included local pears and blue cheese. Think of it as an updated version of an 80's throwback dinner menu that's easy enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough to serve to guests.

Marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup champagne vinegar

1 teaspoon red miso
1/4 teaspoon salt

black pepper

Whisk ingredients together until well incorporated. Pour mixture over the gill-side of two large (or 4 small) whole portobello mushroom caps. Allow mushrooms to marinate for a half hour. Starting gill-side-down, grill mushrooms over a high flame for about 4 minutes per side. While mushrooms are cooking, place a brick or cast iron pan on top to flatten them.

Stuffing:

knob of butter

1 leek (cleaned, trimmed, and sliced)

1/2 cup apple juice

1 cup button mushrooms (sliced)

2 sprigs thyme

2 oz. soft goat cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup panko

salt & pepper

puff pastry (or phyllo dough)

olive oil

Preheat your oven to 375. Over medium heat, slowly cook the leeks in the butter. This should take about 15 or 20 minutes. Once the leeks have softened, turn up the heat and add the apple juice to deglaze the pan. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Place leeks in a mixing bowl to cool. Now sauté mushrooms in the hot pan until brown. Add mushrooms to leek mixture and allow mixture to cool. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to incorporate. The mixture should be thick, not loose. Divide stuffing among the mushrooms and place on a baking sheet. Cut puff pastry into rounds that equal the size of the mushroom, brush each round generously with olive oil, and place on the baking sheet. When the pastry is brown, the filling should be coked through. This should take about 20 minutes. To serve, top each stuffed mushroom with a puff pastry.

Tiny Yogurt Parfaits

Okay, so we're a little late to the shot glass dessert trend, but we wanted to try it once we rounded up the right materials. The tall, skinny shot glasses were found at Pier 1, and tiny appetizer spoons were unearthed at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. We found that two parfaits per person seemed about right, and since it's made with low-fat yogurt, raspberries, almonds, and just a little bit of vanilla wafer crumbs, it's a fairly healthy dessert.

Tiny Yogurt Parfaits

(Makes about 6)

1 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

1 small container of Chocolate Underground yogurt

1 pint raspberries

juice from half a lemon

2/3 cup almonds (toasted and chopped)

Back to Nature Madagascar vanilla wafers (crushed to crumbs)

Prepare the layers: whisk the Greek yogurt and honey in a bowl, whisk the chocolate yogurt in a bowl, and smash the raspberries with the lemon juice in a bowl. Put the chopped almonds and the crushed cookies in separate bowls as well. Add a small spoon to each bowl, and you'll be organized and ready to go! Layer the 5 things -- I like putting a few of the almonds on top -- and chill for at least an hour before serving. 

TCV Says: Eat Plants!

                                                                   Photo by Mike Maple

Hey, check out this article about our cooking and what goes in the vegetarian pantry in today's edition of the Commercial Appeal. Thanks for giving me the opportunity, y'all!

(Once you're there, scroll down for a few of my recipes: Smoky Lentil Tacos, Portabella Mushroom Deli Slices, Kale + Apple + Walnut Ravioli, and Socca with Artichoke and Pine Nuts.)

Peach + Tarragon Pesto Pizza

Recently, my sister-in-law and I were brainstorming pizza ideas for a party over at the in-laws' house. "Smoked mozzarella and roasted tomatoes," I said. "Zucchini and goat cheese," she countered. Then she exclaimed, "Peach and tarragon pesto!" "What? That sounds awesome," I said. I have to say it turned out to be my favorite peach dish of the summer.

Peach + Tarragon Pesto Pizza:

1 ball of olive-oil pizza dough*
1/2 cup tarragon pesto**
4-5 ripe peaches (peeled, pitted, and sliced into half moons)
3 ounces soft goat cheese (crumbled)
salt and pepper
manchego (to garnish)

Preheat your oven (with the pizza stone in place) to 550 degrees. Stretch, toss, or roll out your dough to about a 10-inch circle. Place a small amount of flour on your pizza peel, place the dough round on the peel, and slide it into the oven. Allow it to cook for about 2 minutes.

Pull the dough out of the oven and top it first with the pesto, then the peach slices, and finally the soft goat cheese. Slide the pizza back onto the stone for another 5-7 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with salt and pepper and a little grated manchego cheese.

Olive Oil Pizza Crust* (makes two 10-inch crusts):

1 cup bread flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon rapid-rise yeast

1/8 cup olive oil

about 8-10 ounces of warm water

The flour, salt, and yeast go into the food processor with the dough blade attached. With the food processor running, pour the olive oil in and then slowly add enough water to bring the mixture together into a ball; you will see it right away when this happens. Roll the dough into a ball and cut in half. Roll each half into a ball and set it on a plate covered by a large bowl to rise for an hour or so.

Tarragon Pesto**

This recipe will make more than you need, so feel free to cut it in half or make the whole thing. It's great on sandwiches, or thinned out and used as a salad dressing, or as a dip for some crunchy vegetables.

1 cup zucchini (chopped)
4 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup tarragon (about 5 stems)
zest of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Put everything except the olive oil into the food processor, and whir it up until it has a smooth texture. Next, drizzle the olive oil into the food processor while it's running; this emulsifies everything and makes it thick. Set pesto aside.