Cookbook stirs vegan with some funkiness

By J.M. Hirsch
Associated Press

Tanya Barnard, left, and Sarah Kramer are pictured on their irreverent cookbook, "The Garden of Vegan." Associated Press

Her mission? To dispel myths about meatless living and inspire people to crave the sort of easy-to-make meals she and friend Tanya Barnard write about in their cookbooks.

The duo's recent release, "The Garden of Vegan" (Arsenal Pulp Press, paper, $17.95), starts with an offbeat section of advice on living as a vegan, before meandering into 220 enticing, if sometimes oddly named, recipes.

This is not the bland veganism that sprouted during the 1960s and 1970s, producing weighty and often taste-challenged tomes on brown rice and tofu.

This book, filled with funky photos of the authors where most contemporary cookbooks have lavish spreads, is irreverent, sometimes off-topic (it includes "recipes" for catnip toys and a fungus foot rub) and usually entertaining.

In a recent telephone interview from her home in Victoria, Canada, Kramer said that as with their first book, "How It All Vegan!" (Arsenal, 1999), she and Barnard wanted to make animal-free eating accessible to everyone.

"It's really important to me that this book is approachable and understandable," she said. "A lot of books are really fancy with pretty pictures and I think, 'Oh, I could make that.' But I don't. Any Joe Schmo could make our recipes."

These are not complicated recipes. Some (such as sauteed shiitake mushrooms and red peppers) are decidedly simple. Others coax more complex flavors from common ingredients (a hummus uses sun-dried tomatoes).

Many of the recipes didn't originate with the authors, but were submitted by friends and fans of their first book. The result is a broad swath of dishes that adhere to no particular style or ethnicity (recipes for tomato basil bruschetta and "not pigs" in a blanket appear side by side).

It works (aside from odd personal hygiene "recipes"), in part because Kramer and Barnard capture how a modern vegan eats — selecting meat-free meals from a world of cuisines, and meshing them with veg-head know-how.

"I think some people who don't know about the food, they think of that 1970s lentil casserole with ketchup on it," Kramer said. "But it's not like that anymore. It's really evolved."

Asked which recipe is a must-try, Kramer didn't hesitate — Sarah and Tanya's you-must-make-this dressing. She said it is equally good as a salad dressing, sandwich spread, and chip and vegetable dip.

Assembling the dressing ingredients for testing, I was dubious. Scallions, raw garlic, maple syrup, mustard, oil and a host of herbs seemed a sketchy mix.

Truth be told, the dressing's brilliant green color is off-putting. Despite that, it was surprisingly good. The raw garlic can be a bit much, but if that concerns you, roast the garlic in a bit of olive oil before adding to the dressing.

Next up for testing was the pair's sun-dried tomato and chickpea soup. Made as directed, this dish has a nice flavor, but was lacking when it came to looks.

The recipe calls for pureeing half of the soup just before serving. This turned a previously appealing hearty tomato stew into a red mess that looked and acted more sloppy joe than soup. That said, the taste was nice.

If I made that soup again, I would skip the tahini and pureeing entirely, and serve the soup with crusty bread.

Sarah and Tanya's You-must-make-this Dressing

• 1 scallion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Makes 3/4 cup.

Sensational Sun-dried Tomato and Chickpea Soup

• 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 large carrot, cut into thin rounds
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 5 to 6 sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dry yellow mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Combine the onions, garlic, carrots and sesame oil in a medium stockpot over a medium flame. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add the chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, cumin, mustard powder, cayenne, black pepper, vinegar, soy sauce and vegetable stock.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes, or until carrots are tender.

Transfer half the soup, in batches if necessary, to a blender or food processor. Add the tahini and puree until smooth and thick. Return to the pot and mix well to blend with remaining soup. Stir in parsley and serve.

Makes 4 servings.