Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 102

Mole base: 3 tablespoons peanut oil

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 small onion, diced

2 cups hot vegetable broth, kept warm on the stove top

2 tablespoons creamy, all-natural peanut b.u.t.ter

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

3 ounces chopped semisweet vegan baking chocolate (60 percent cacao is best)

PREPARE spice mixture: Place the almonds, tortilla chip crumbs, sesame seeds, and aniseeds in a heavy-bottomed pot. Stir constantly to toast over medium heat for about 2 minutes, being careful not to let it burn. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Place the toasted ingredients in a food processor, add the chile powder, cinnamon, marjoram, allspice, and c.u.min, and pulse until the mixture is as finely ground as possible.

An immersion blender is your friend for this recipe, in particular if it has a mini food processor cup attachment. It makes grinding up the spice mixture ridiculously easy.

Prepare the mole base: In the same pot over medium heat, saute the garlic in oil. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the peanut b.u.t.ter and a few tablespoons of hot vegetable broth in a bowl, stirring until the peanut b.u.t.ter is emulsified and easy to pour.

Pour remaining vegetable broth, peanut b.u.t.ter mixture, spice mixture and diced tomatoes into the pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat slightly to medium-low, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until sauce has slightly reduced.

Remove from the heat, puree until smooth, and return to stove over medium-low heat. Add the chopped chocolate, stirring constantly until melted and completely incorporated, at least 3 minutes.

Note: when using mole in cooked dishes, it's recommended to thin it a little with vegetable broth. If using as a dip or condiment there's no need .

Some ideas for using this mole: Prepare Potato and Kale Enchiladas (page 162), subst.i.tuting the mole for the enchilada sauce. Thin the mole with cup of vegetable broth before using.

Drizzle onto tostadas, nachos, and tacos. Tuck into black bean burritos.

Serve the mole (warmed, thinned slightly with vegetable broth) over fresh steamed winter squash, green beans, or asparagus.

Mole makes an interesting dip alongside salsas and guacamole with tortilla chips (don't thin the mole with broth).

MUSHROOM GRAVY.

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS.

TIME: 30 MINUTES.

We don't need to tell you what to do with it, do we? Smother it on absolutely everything!

2 cups vegetable broth

cup flour (use cup for a thicker gravy)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

10 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon thyme

teaspoon sage

teaspoon salt

Several dashes fresh black pepper

cup white cooking wine (or any non-sweet wine will do)

MIX the flour into the vegetable broth until dissolved and set aside.

Preheat a large non stick pan over medium heat. Saute the onion in the oil for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 more minutes, until mushrooms are tender.

Add the garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Saute for another minute. Add the wine and turn the heat up to bring to a simmer. Let simmer for about a minute, then lower the heat and add the flour vegetable broth mixture. Stir constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. If not serving immediately then gently reheat when you are ready to serve.

5-MINUTE MANGO CHUTNEY.

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS.

TIME: 15 MINUTES, PLUS CHILL TIME.

This is totally inauthentic but so what, it's really yummy! And after you've prepped everything, you only need to cook it for five minutes. Serve with any Indian meal, on a curry, or on Samosa Stuffed Baked Potatoes (page 60). I like the sourness of the asafetida, but you can use any Indian-y sort of spice instead-such as curry powder or garam masala.

Asafetida is a pungent spice (a resin from sap, if you want to be technical about it) that hasn't quite caught on in the American kitchen just yet. You can find it in a fancy-shmancy gourmet store or in Indian markets. Definitely seek it out; one great bonus is that the tin it comes in is usually very cool looking and colorfully decorated.

2 teaspoons peanut oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 large mango, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces (you should get a little under 2 cups of fruit)