Mark Bittman: How to Cook Everything Vegetarian Cookbook

Recipes

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Mashed Potatoes
Makes: 4 servings
Time: About 40 minutes
Make-Ahead

Starchy potatoes make the fluffiest mash, but Yukon Gold or other all- purpose potatoes also yield a creamy texture.
If you like mashed potatoes with bits of the peel included, just scrub them well before cooking. If you like your mashed potatoes lumpy, mash them with a fork or potato masher; if you like them smooth and light, use a food mill or ricer. But whatever you do, keep them away from mixers, food processors, or blenders, because they will become gummy, and almost no one likes them that way.

Once the potatoes are mashed and combined with the milk and butter, they will keep for a little while in a double boiler. But if you want to have better control over them for timing a full meal, it’s easier to just boil the potatoes a little ahead of time and let them sit for an hour or so.
Some keys to keeping mashed potatoes fluffy: Cook them whole if possible; cook them with the peel on if possible (the peels will slip off easily after cooking, or you can eat them of course); and refrain from poking them. All of these steps reduce the tendency of the spuds to absorb water, which makes them heavier.
Other vegetables you can use: Any vegetable can be mashed.

2 pounds starchy or all- purpose potatoes
1 cup milk, plus more if needed
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Peel the potatoes before cooking if you like. If you’re in a hurry, halve or quarter the larger ones. Cut or whole, the idea is to have all the pieces about the same size. Put them in a large, deep pot and cover with cold water. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
2. Keep the water rolling until the potatoes are done, anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces and how tender you want them. The potatoes are done when a skewer or sharp knife inserted into one meets almost no resistance. (The potatoes can be prepared to this point up to an hour in advance; just leave them in a colander to drain and dry out a bit.)
3. While the potatoes are draining, wipe the pot dry and put it back on the stove over medium- low heat. Add the milk and the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. When the butter is almost melted, remove the pot from the heat. Rice the potatoes or run them through a food mill set over the pot or add them directly to the milk mixture and mash with a fork or potato masher. Return the pot to the heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon to reach the desired consistency, adding more milk if necessary. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

Mashed Baked Potatoes. The drier texture means they’ll soak up more milk and butter: Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Scrub the potatoes well, especially if you plan to eat the skins. Use a skewer or a thin- bladed knife to poke a hole or two in each potato. Put the potatoes in the oven, right on the rack or on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until a skewer or sharp knife inserted into one meets almost no resistance, about an hour, more or less. (You can turn them once during baking, though it’s not necessary.) Peel or not and cut into cubes. Proceed with the recipe from Step 3, adding more milk and butter if you like.

Garlicky Mashed Potatoes. But not overpowering (if you want stronger garlic mash, add a teaspoon or a tablespoon of minced garlic along with the milk and butter): Peel 1 or 2 heads of garlic (or even 3 if you’re a fanatic) and boil them along with the potatoes. Proceed with the recipe.
“Smashed” Potatoes. A trendy name for lumpy potatoes without much thinning: Omit the milk. In Step 4, add the potatoes directly to the melted butter in the pan and mash roughly with a fork or masher, leaving lots of lumps. Stir a few times, adding more butter if you like, and proceed with the recipe.

Vegan Mashed Potatoes. Works with either the main recipe or the preceding variations: Instead of the milk, reserve 1 cup or so of the water from boiling the potatoes; or use vegetable stock, silken tofu, a dairy- free milk, white wine, beer, or a combination of these liquids. Replace the butter with extra virgin olive oil.
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. Tangy and fresh tasting: Instead of milk, use buttermilk.

Joël Robuchon Mashed Potatoes. Only a famous French chef could get away with suggesting so much butter: If you really want to go overboard, replace some or all of the milk with cream. In Step 2, after you drain the potatoes, put 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter in the pot and set it over medium- low heat to melt, taking care not to let it brown. Whisk in the milk or cream. Then proceed with the recipe from Step 3.

Potato and Leek Soup
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 minutes
Fast, Make-Ahead

Leek-and-potato soup was once peasant food, but it’s not surprising that the combination is the basis for more elegant soups: both vegetables are available year-round, easy to handle, and flavorful. Here, then, is the simplest potato and leek soup, a recipe that strikes me as medieval. It can warm you on a cold winter day or—if you make it in advance—cool you down in the middle of summer. The variations are all a little richer and more elaborate, but not much more difficult. Use the oil instead of butter to make this vegan.

2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
3 medium potatoes, any type, peeled and cut into small cubes
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, well washed and sliced into thin rings
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart vegetable stock or water, preferably warmed

1. Put the butter or oil in a large, deep saucepan or casserole over medium heat. When the butter melts or the oil is hot, add the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes.
2. Add the stock and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. (You may prepare the soup in advance up to this point. Cover, refrigerate for up to 2 days, and reheat before proceeding.) Adjust the seasoning and serve.

Puréed Potato Soup with Leeks. Carefully purée the soup in a blender (or with an immersion blender), then return it to the pot. Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup cream, sour cream, or yogurt and reheat gently; do not let it boil if you use yogurt. Add salt and pepper as needed, garnish with minced chives, and serve.

Vichyssoise. Make the preceding variation, but do not reheat. Instead, chill thoroughly before garnishing with minced chives.

Vegan Vichyssoise. A variation inspired by the South American habit of making soups creamy with the addition of avocado. Let the puréed soup cool slightly in the blender, then stir in the coarsely chopped flesh of 1 to 2 avocados. Chill thoroughly before garnishing with minced chives.

Korean-Style Potato and Leek Soup. Skip Step 1; start with the potatoes, 1 quart water, and 2 tablespoons chile and black bean paste or soy sauce in a deep saucepan or casserole. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the paste is completely dissolved, then lower the heat to produce a simmer; cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Just before serving, heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed (in place of the butter or olive oil), over heat high heat in a wide skillet and, when it’s hot, add the leeks. Cook, stirring or tossing almost constantly, until the leeks are lightly browned at the edges and softened, just a few minutes. Divide the soup among serving bowls, add the stir- fried leeks to each serving, and serve.

4 More Ideas for Potato and Leek Soup
1. Cook about a cup of shredded carrots or cabbage along with the potatoes and leeks (increase the stock proportionally, or the soup will become too thick).
2. Finish the soup with a topping of other fresh herbs, like parsley, basil, or chervil.
3. Grate a little Parmesan over all.
4. Add another vegetable—asparagus is good, as are peas—in place of a portion of the potatoes.

Spicy Autumn Vegetable Burger
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 30 minutes with cooked beans and kale
Fast, Make-Ahead

Here’s a burger flecked with bits of green and orange vegetables, with both creamy and chewy textures. It’s also a handy way to use leftover greens like kale, chard, cabbage, or spinach. If you don’t have any handy, just boil or steam them for a few seconds, then shock them in a bowl of ice water and drain well. It will add only a few minutes to the recipe.

Serve these on a crusty roll or English muffin with barbecue sauce or put them on a plate naked, with Caramelized Onion Chutney (recipe follows) on the side.
Vegan if you use the oil.

2 cups cooked kale or other winter green, like collards, turnip or mustard greens, or broccoli raab (about
8 ounces raw)
2 cups cooked or canned cannellini or other beans, drained well
4 or 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter
1 medium sweet potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and grated (about 1 cup)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs or panko
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch cayenne, or to taste
A little all-purpose flour, if needed, for binding

1. Squeeze all the water out of the kale and finely chop it. Put the cannellini beans in a large bowl and mash them roughly. Stir in the greens with a fork.
2. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil or butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot or the butter is melted, add the sweet potato and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften and color, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bread crumbs and remaining spices and cook and stir for another minute or so.
3. Stir the sweet potato mixture into the bean mixture with a fork, mixing until well blended. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes if you can before shaping it into patties. If it seems too wet, stir in a little flour to help bind it. Taste and adjust the seasoning. (You can make the burger mixture up to several hours in advance. Just cover tightly and refrigerate, then bring everything back to room temperature before cooking.) Wipe out the skillet.
4. Shape the mixture into 4 to 6 patties. Put 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter or oil in the skillet and turn the heat to medium. When the butter is melted or the oil is hot, carefully slide the burgers into the pan. Cook until nicely browned on one side, about 5 minutes; turn carefully and cook on the other side until firm and browned, adding the remaining butter or oil if necessary.
5. Serve immediately or cool and refrigerate or freeze for later use.

Caramelized Onion Chutney
MAKES: About 11/2 cups
TIME: 45 minutes
Make-Ahead, Vegan

This recipe harnesses the richness of onions cooked until they’re dark and sweet to create a strongly flavored, almost smoky condiment. In fact, if you plan in advance or if you’re going to be serving this chutney with a meal off the grill, grill the onions (see the variation).

1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
Salt
1 tablespoon neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
1 jalapeño or other fresh green chile (optional)
1 fresh hot red chile, stemmed
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon brown sugar

1. Put the onions in a large skillet over medium heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are dry and almost sticking to the pan, about 20 minutes. Add a large pinch of salt and all the remaining ingredients except the sugar and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions brown, at least 15 minutes more.
2. Stir the sugar into the onion mixture, then transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor and process until nearly smooth; taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Grilled Onion Chutney. Definitely a step up if you have the time: Cut the onions into thick slices and brush with the oil; impale each disk of onion on a wooden skewer so they won’t fall through the grate. Cook over low or indirect heat until very soft and nearly charred, about 20 minutes, while toasting the spices in a dry skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. Proceed with the recipe.

Caramelized Fennel Chutney. Sweet and rich: Replace the onions with 1 or 2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons oil and the fennel; cook until the fennel begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Substitute fennel seeds for cumin.

Roasted Red Pepper Chutney. If you have roasted red peppers on hand or can grill them with the onions as in the first variation, this is a nice route: Substitute 1 or 2 seeded and peeled roasted red peppers for the onions. Eliminate the chiles if you like. Proceed with the recipe, adding the juice of 1/2 lemon or lime.

Caramelized Carrot Chutney. The cooking time will be longer, but this is unusual and impressive: Replace the onions with 1 pound carrots, chopped (about 3 cups).

Caramelized Melon Chutney. A summer delight: Use 1 medium honeydew, cassava, or cantaloupe (about 2 pounds), cleaned and cut into small cubes or slices (about 3 cups total). These will cook much faster than the onions.

Apple Cobbler
MAKES: 6 to 8 servings
TIME: About 1 hour with a prepared topping
Make-Ahead

An old-fashioned dessert with virtually limitless fruit filling options. The filling isn’t thickened, so the natural fruit juices melt right into the topping as the cobbler bakes.Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cut into bits, plus butter for the pan
3 pounds cooking or all- purpose apples
1 cup sugar, or to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Grease a 8- or 9-inch square or round baking dish with some butter. Core, peel, and cut the apples into 1/2-inch wedges. (You should have about 6 cups.)
2. Put the apples in a bowl and toss with half of the sugar. Spread the apples into the prepared dish and let sit while you prepare the biscuit topping.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor and pulse once or twice. Add the butter and process for 10 seconds, until the mixture is well blended. By hand, beat in the egg and vanilla.
4. Drop this mixture onto the fruit by tablespoonfuls; do not spread it out. Bake until golden yellow and just starting to brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve immediately.
Peach-Brandy Cobbler. Nectarines, apricots, and plums work here too: Substitute 3 pounds ripe peaches, pitted, peeled, and chopped, for the apples; and 1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt for half of the butter. Add 1/4 cup brandy and reduce the sugar to 1 cup, using half with the peaches. Add the brandy along with the sugar to the peaches, and the sour cream along with the butter.

Banana-Date Cobbler. Use speckled ripe bananas for a soft and gooey cobbler or less ripe ones for a chunkier, more textured cobbler: Substitute 2 pounds bananas, peeled and chopped, and 11/2 cups pitted and chopped dates for the apples. Add to the bananas 1/2 teaspoon grated or finely minced peeled fresh or ground ginger and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Apple-Rhubarb Cobbler. Slightly pink and tangy: Use 2 pounds of apples and 1 pound of rhubarb. Remove the strings from the rhubarb with a sharp knife and cut it into 1-inch chunks.

Espresso Black Bean Chili
MAKES: 6 to 8 servings
TIME: 11/2 to 2 hours, largely unattended
Make-Ahead, Vegan

This deep, richly flavored chili has enough caffeine to keep you awake—literally. (Bear this in mind when you’re serving it; use decaffeinated espresso if you or your guests are caffeine sensitive or reserve it for lunch or early dinner.) Serve this with rice, a stack of warm tortillas, or tortilla chips, some crumbled queso fresco or sour cream, and parsley or cilantro.
Other beans you can use: Earthy-flavored beans that can stand up to the other flavors—pinto, kidney, or dried soybeans—work best.

3 tablespoons neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
2 onions, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 cups chopped ripe tomato (about 11/2 pounds whole; canned is fine; don’t bother to drain)
1/2 to 1 cup freshly brewed espresso, 1 to 2 cups brewed coffee, or 2 tablespoons espresso powder
2 tablespoons chili powder (to make your own, see page 814)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar or 3 tablespoons molasses
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
1 pound dried black beans, washed, picked over, and soaked if you like
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Put the oil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Stir in the tomato, espresso, brown sugar, cinnamon, and beans and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the liquid bubbles steadily but not violently. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are beginning to soften, 30 to 40 minutes. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Continue cooking until the beans are tender, anywhere from another 45 minutes to 11/2 hours. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more sugar, salt, or pepper. Serve or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Smoked-Tea Chili. The rich and smoky flavor of Lapsang Souchong—a Chinese smoked black tea—is fantastic in this chili with other Chinese flavors: Add 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger; omit the tomato; replace the espresso with 5 to 6 cups freshly brewed Lapsang Souchong tea or any smoked black tea, and the chili powder with hot red pepper flakes to taste. Substitute 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns for the cinnamon and dried soybeans for the black beans. Add water to cover the beans if necessary and proceed with the recipe.

Chocolate Chili. Closer to a deeply flavored Oaxacan mole: Replace the espresso with 1/2 cup chopped Mexican chocolate or 1/4 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate. Decrease the sugar by half if you’re using the Mexican chocolate.

Yellow Rice, the Best Way
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 minutes
Fast
There is the right way to make this and a number of easy ways; even the easy ways are good, but this right here—with saffron and other spices and a couple of vegetables—is really the ultimate. Vegan with oil instead of butter.

21/2 cups vegetable stock or water
Large pinch saffron threads
2 to 4 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
11/2 cups white rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe tomato, cored, seeded (pages 372–373), and chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 bay leaves
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
Chopped parsley leaves for garnish
Lemon wedges

1. Warm the stock with the saffron. Put the butter or oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter melts or the oil is hot, add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the garlic and the rice, sprinkle everything with salt and pepper, turn the heat to medium, and stir until the rice is glossy, completely coated with oil or butter, and starting to color lightly, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato, allspice, bay leaves, peas, and stock; stir, adjust the heat so that the liquid boils steadily but not violently, and cover.
3. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn the heat to the absolute minimum (if you have an electric stove, turn the heat off and let the pan sit on the burner) and let rest for another 15 to 30 minutes. Check the seasoning, garnish, and serve with lemon wedges.

Yellow Rice, the Fast Way. Omit the red pepper, tomato, allspice, bay leaves, and peas: Bring 3 cups of stock or water to a boil. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice to the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until glossy. Add the saffron if you’re using it (or use 1 teaspoon ground turmeric), then the boiling stock. Adjust the heat and finish cooking as directed.