Thanksgiving Nut Roast with Oyster Mushroom Gravy

Thanksgiving is the holiday I miss the most since moving away from my family. It's not about the turkey.. It's really about sharing traditions, learning new ones, being open to other cultures, and feeling all the love and gratitude all around. This is mostly how I live my life anyways, so it's not a surprise. I've experienced it small scale, full on traditional, Mexican style, Southern style, Indian style, and Air-style. Each time has been enriching. Although I haven't "celebrated" this holiday in over 10 years, this year will be MY style... Inventing my own tradition. I'm so lucky to have so many peeps to love all around the world. 

Thank you, family and friends, near and far, for making life so beautiful and my heart swell.

This year is the very first year I've done anything special for Thanksgiving since living in France.  

I decided to go all-veg with a rich Nut Loaf, mashed potatoes & gravy, hasselback sweet potatoes, and green bean cheddar casserole.

Nut Loaf

Serves 8

Ingredients

1Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 pack button or cremini mushrooms, chopped (about 2 cups)

some red wine or sherry to deglaze

2 tsp fresh thyme

2 tsp fresh marjoram

2 tsp fresh tarragon

4 tsp fresh sage

2 tsp fresh oregano

lots of cracked black pepper

1 1/2 cups cooked amaranth

1 1/2 cups cooked and peeled chestnuts, mashed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup cashews, blitzed

1/2 cup almonds, blitzed

2 large handfuls shredded gruyère or swiss

4 eggs

2 Tbsp yogurt

chopped parsley for garnish

Directions

1.  In a large wok or sautée pan, heat the oil and add the chopped onion.  Cook until the onion sweats a bit, then add the chopped mushrooms and a pinch of each of the fresh herbs.  Season well with black pepper and add a few pinches salt.  When the juices have been released and starts drying out, deglaze with the red wine, and cook for 2 more minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

2.  While this is happening, get your nuts ready.  Aside from the chestnuts which are mashed, the rest should be blitzed.. not into a powder, but well broken down.

3.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mushroom onion mix, the amaranth, the nuts, and the rest of the herbs.  If it's a bit dry, don't worry.  Preheat the oven to 180°C 350°F.

4.  In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and yogurt together until frothy.  Then stir in the gruyère

5.  Pour the egg mixture into the rest and mix well.  It should be pretty wet.  You should be having doubts that this is even going to work.

6.  Butter a loaf pan/mould or line it with parchment paper.  Pour the mixture into your mould.  Smooth the top of any air bubbles and if you want to get fancy, decorate it with a few mushroom slices.  My mould was a silicone 24x10x6 cm.  I stupidly cut through it with a knife and had to toss it.. so I have to buy another one because it's the perfect size.

7.  Bake at 180°C 350°F for 1 hour and10 minutes or until it is firm.  Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes.

8.  Remove from the mould and add some chopped parsley to the serving dish (my serving dish is pitiful, I know).  this roast can be sliced and served as is, but it is much more enjoyable with its Oyster mushroom gravy!

Oyster Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

250g oyster mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp fresh thym

1/4 cup red wine

3 cups vegetable stock

1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

cracked black pepper

2 Tbsp butter

Directions

1.  In a medium sauce pot, heat the oil and add the chopped onion.  Cook until the onion sweats a bit, then add the sliced oyster mushrooms with the thyme.

2.  Cook until it starts drying out a bit, then deglaze with the wine and add the stock and simmer for about 20 minutes while it reduces and the flavors concentrate.

3.  In a separate bowl, stir the cornstarch into a few tbsp cold water (to make sure it doesn't get lumpy), then add this to the sauce pan.  It should thicken.  Once it is desired thickness, remove from heat.

4.  Stir in the butter.  This is the most crucial step!

Serve over the Nut Roast.. and over some mashed potatoes.  This gravy is KILLER on mashed potatoes!

I hope everyone is having safe and happy holidays

Note:  This recipe is very versatile and can work in many different ways.  The different nuts can be subbed for others with varying proportions, the amaranth can be subbed for quinoa or rice.  I'm sure there can be a reasonable substitute for mushrooms if one does not like them as well....

Turmeric Chickpea "Burgers" with Tahini Garlic Sauce

Finding a good veggie burger is not as simple as one may think.  There are thousands out there.. it's not the veggie burger that is hard to find.. it's the really good one that is.  It's a texture thing.  I like my burger to hold together when I eat it.  Otherwise I would just plate it and stop trying to call it a burger.

There are the countless processed veggie burgers out there mostly using grains and soy.. but for me, those ones are really unappetizing.

I did have some luck with my black bean and beet burgers.  They were really good and had lots of flavor, but I think I did better with texture this time around.  These turmeric chickpea burgers have a whole different flavor profile, and the chickpeas are not all the way cooked through, which completely changes the texture issue.

These do hold together.  I was flipping them with no problems.. and when you bite into it.. you are definitely biting into something that holds a little resistance.  That is exactly what I wanted.

Vive la Résistance!!

Yield 6 patties

Ingredients

Patties:

1 1/4 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight

3 cloves garlic, grated

1 knob fresh turmeric, grated (about 2 Tbsp)

2 small red onions, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

juice from 1/2 lime

1/4 cup chickpea flour + more if needed

Olive oil for cooking

Tahini garlic sauce:

3 Tbsp tahini

1 clove garlic, grated

juice from 2 limes

2-3 Tbsp water, depending on how thick you want the sauce

freshly cracked pepper

Directions

1.  Cook the drained chickpeas until almost done.  You don't want them to be mushy when you smash them between your fingers.  I did mine in a crock pot for 4 hours (instead of 7).

2.  Drain but reserve some of the cooking water just in case.  Pulse the chickpeas in a food processor. Don't puree them, but make sure none are still whole.

3.  Add all the rest of the patty ingredients except the oil and stir well.  If the mixture is too dry, add some of the chickpea cooking water.  If the mixture is too we, add some more chickpea flour.  You want the mixture to hold together if you make a ball with your hands.

4.  Make the sauce by stirring everything together.  You don't want it to be too watery, so add the water 1 Tbsp at a time until it gets to the saucy thickness you desire.

5.  Make and shape the patties.  I used a burger press.  I placed some parchment paper into the bottom of the press, then scooped in the mixture, pressed, removed, and repeat.

6.  Heat some olive oil in a flat skillet or frying pan.  Carefully place each patty down and cook on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. 

7.  Place onto a toasted burger bun with the sauce and whatever fixins you desire!

I had red onion, tomatoes, avocado, and lettuce.

This was the most satisfying veg burger I've had so far!  That Tahini garlic sauce is its perfect match.  Do not consider skipping it.

I've been requested to make it again for a crowd.. which obviously means it's a big hit!

5-Ingredient Salted Peanut Butter Cookies

I have my go-to peanut butter cookie recipe that I make interchangeably with tahini depending on what I have on hand.  I think everyone has their classic recipe that they are happy with.  The thing is.. sometimes, another one just jumps at you and begs you to be tried.

This is what happened with this one.  It seemed too good to be true, but too intriguing not to try.  I've never done a flourless cookie before.  Nor a butterless.  Come on.. we're not on a diet here!

But this cookie is not a diet cookie.  It is just peanut butter greatness in its perfect form.

It is the way peanut butter cookies were meant to be made.

 Adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted from Ovenly.

Yield 33 Tbsp sized cookies

Ingredients:

240g (8.5oz) cassonade or light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 packet vanilla sugar or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

450g (1 lb or 1 3/4 cups) natural smooth peanut butter

fleur de sel to finish

Directions:

1.  Beat the eggs, then beat the sugar into the eggs.  Go for it.  Beat it good.

2.  Add the vanilla, then peanut butter.  Mix very well, then put in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes or while the oven heats.

3.  Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).

4.  Line a baking tray with a cookie sheet.  Mine was silicone.  Scoop Tbsp sized balls onto the sheet.  Sprinkle with fleur de sel, and bake for 18-20 minutes.

5.  Remove and wait for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

6.  Very important.  Let cool completely before eating.

These cookies are crunchy on the outside and in the center, depending on the cooking time, you get a nice melty chewy center.

Plus, they are beautifully domed and oh so sexy!

I made a few changes to the recipe from SK.  She uses 335g of sugar and that was just not thinkable, so I reduced to 240g.  They are still sweeter than I prefer, so next time I will go for 200g and they will be perfect.  

She also uses Skippy processed peanut butter with sugar explaining that the processed stuff gives the best results.  I used Dakatine peanut butter without sugar.  The ingredients are 97% peanuts, emulsifier, and salt.

She also chills the dough in the freezer before scooping and after scooping, explaining that it helps the cookies keep their dome shape.  I did not do this because of freezer space, but keeping the dough in the fridge between batches gave me the perfect domes I wanted.

I snuck a few pieces of broken dark chocolate into a few of the cookies to surprise myself later on.. teehee!!