Sunday, October 17, 2010

'Cheddar' Grit Cakes with Roasted Peppers

This make-ahead dish is great for entertaining!

To start, combine 1 cup plain soy milk (such as Silk) and 14 ounces vegetable broth in a saucepan; bring to a boil, then stir in 3/4 cup uncooked grits and 2 teaspoons minced jalapeno; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheddar and stir until the cheese melts, then transfer to a 9-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours - the mixture should be set by the end.

Since the original recipe actually called for sharp cheddar, this dish is a great opportunity to use the vegan sharp cheddar from Sheese!  You can order it online at veganessentials.com.

To prepare the pepper topping, cut 3 medium-sized bell peppers in half lengthwise and discard the seeds and membranes.  Use a mixture of orange and red peppers, for the prettiest color contrast to the yellow grits.  Since I had a particularly large red bell pepper, I only ended up using 1 red and 1 orange, instead of 3 peppers total.

Place the peppers, skin-sides up, on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, and flatten with the palm of your hand.  Broil for 15 minutes, then transfer to a zip-top plastic bag and let stand for 15 minutes.  Peel and cut into 1-inch strips.

Combine the peppers with 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp. ground coriander, and 1/4 tsp. salt.  Note: if you want to make the pepper mixture ahead of time, you can do so as far as a day before.  Just microwave for about 30 seconds before serving!

When you're ready to serve, cut the grits into 4 squares.  Cut each square into 2 diagonal triangles, so you have 8 triangles total.  Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat and cook the triangles for 4 minutes on each side.

Serve 2 grit cakes with 1/2 cup of the pepper mixture on each of 4 plates, for 4 servings of 250 calories each.

Cost:
vegetable broth $2.49
jalapeno pepper $0.08
red bell pepper $1.82
orange bell pepper $1.66

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The Vegan Pantry

  • Vegan yogurt - Whole Soy http://www.wholesoyco.com/
  • Vegan milk - Silk http://www.silksoymilk.com/
  • Vegan Feta - Sunergia http://www.sunergiasoyfoods.com/
  • Vegan Cheese - Galaxy Foods http://www.galaxyfoods.com/
  • Vegan Eggs - Ener-G http://www.ener-g.com/
  • Vegan Butter - Earth Balance http://www.earthbalance.net/product.html