DB presents: GRACIOUS GOURMAND!

GRACIOUS GOURMAND, a biweekly dinner event presented by The Discerning Brute & Second Stop Cafe, is not for the weak of palate. Featuring a rotating cast of chefs specializing in avant-garde, gourmet, sustainable fare, our series aims to challenge ordinary perceptions and preparations of fine food, expose visionary talent, and celebrate conscientious hedonism.

The launch is Friday August 27th, 2010, featuring Chef Lagusta Yearwood.

PURCHASE YOU TICKET, $50 PRIX FIXE, click below:

Lagusta Yearwood’s Six-Course, Summer-Harvest Menu:

featuring produce from Taliaferro Farms and Second Wind CSA.

♦ AMUSE BOUCHE: Baked scalloped local corn in cashew cream sauce.

♦ STARTER: Yellow tomato aspic, red tomato aspic, green tomato aspic, and tomato essence aspic with yuzu juice, micro basil, aged cashew cheese, and smoked Hawaiian guava wood sea salt.

♦ SALAD: Timbale of watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, and Chioggia beets with Kalamata olive vinaigrette and amaranth chiffonade.

♦ ENTRÉE: “Eggplant and squash, inside and out:” Syrian-stuffed eggplant with deep-fried spaghetti squash garnish, heirloom tomato sauce, and eggplant caviar-stuffed fried squash blossoms.

♦ DESSERT: Local stone fruit pudding parfait with coconut cream

♦ DESSERT: Lemon-verbena pine nut cookie sandwiches with creamy fruit fillings

♦ DESSERT: Chocolate truffles with olive oil ganache infused with Genovese basil, rolled in corn powder

ABOUT THE CHEF:

Lagusta Yearwood is a chef and chocolatier in New Paltz, New York. Since 2003 she has run a  gourmet meal delivery service bringing fresh, seasonal, handmade meals to busy New Yorkers on a weekly basis. In addition, she sells three lines of vegan, organic, and fair-trade chocolates at her website at lagustasluscious.com.

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joshuakatcher, August 10th 2010 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in event, news, organic, restaurant, vegan, vegetarian

VEGAN CHOCOLATE MARZIPAN CAKES

completed bundt cake

Jodi and I catered a dinner party under our alias, Savory & Seed, not too long ago. The dessert we made (that Jodi designed) was these amazing Vegan Chocolate Marzipan Mini Bunt Cakes. We made them in individual serving-sized mini-bundts (almost the size of doughnuts, but much more classy). This dessert goes great with an Italian menu, and looks gorgeous set out on display.

Bundts

Yield:
1 large bundt cake
6 mini-bundt cakes

Time:
About an hour

Ingredients:
1/4 cup organic cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot coffee or espresso
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 cup grated marzipan (set aside small amount for decorative leaves)
1 cup organic sweetner (if using a wet sweetener like agave, add a tbsp of additional flour)
1/2 cup earth balance
1/2 cup coconut oil
Egg Replacer = to 4 eggs (I use Ener-G Egg Replacer)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups Organic All-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon

Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance
1 tablespoon almond milk
1 tsp vanilla

Equipment:
Electric mixer
Mini-bundt pan for 6

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour the pan.
2. Whisk the cocoa powder into the hot coffee until dissolved. Stir in the almond milk and set aside to cool.
3. With an electric mixer, beat together the grated almond paste, sugar, earth balance & coconut oil until light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg replacer mixture one tablespoon at a time, beating well between each spoonfull.
5. Add the vanilla extract and beat until just blended.
6. In a separate bowl sift the flour together with the baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
7. Beating on low speed, alternately add flour and cooled coffee mixture into the creamed ingredients until all mixed together. Increase speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes more.
8. Fill the pan(s) with batter.
9. If using a bunt pan, bake for 35 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 1” from edge of pan comes out clean.
If using mini loaf pans, bake 22 – 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
10. Whip organic powered sugar, Earth Balance, almond milk, and vanilla in electric mixer until frosting is fluffly and smooth.
11. Fill a decorative pastry bag half-way with icing (or make your own by poking a small hole in the corner of a plastic bag)
12. Squeeze small flowers of icing around the cake.
13. Shape the extra marzipan into desired decorative elements. We made leaves, using out fingers and a butter-knife for details.
14. Toast decorations until golden, then place them where you’d like!

Marzipan Leaves

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TheDiscerningBrute, March 17th 2008 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in food, Health, organic, recipes, vegan, vegetarian

Dude Food: Cornmeal-Crusted, Drunk-Seitan w/ Dijon Tartar Sauce & Cauliflower Mash

Last night, my roommate Jodi and I made this recipe to add to our catering company, Savory & Seed‘s arsenal – it’s crispy, filling, and tender – satisfying enough for the skeptical meat-eater and delicious enough for people to ask how the heck you made that seitan so juicy and flavorful. So the next time you are having a few people over for grub – this recipe can be whipped up in under 30 minutes.

Cornmeal Crusted Seitan

(serves 4)

You will need :

Seitan:
1 cup vital wheat glutan
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup matzoh meal or bread crumbs
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup beer (lager)
2 tbsp tahini or cashew butter
2 cubes (or 2 Tablespoons) vegan bullion
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Soy or Tamari
1 tsp seat salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
canola oil

Tarter Sauce:
1/4 cup vegan mayonaise
1/4 cup sweet relish
2 tbsp dijon mustard
cayanne pepper

Cauliflower Mash:
1/2 head cauliflower
2 tbsp Earth Balance (or other non-dairy butter)
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (rice, soy or almond)
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp allspice

Directions:

  • In a mixing bowl combine the wheat gluten with the nutritional yeast, bread crumbs, salt, and dry spices. Mix until uniformly combined.
  • Add (but do not mix) the oil, tahini, soy, vinegar and bullion (dissolve bullion in 2 tbsp hot water if necessary)
  • Add Beer
  • VERY GENTLY fold the batter only a few times (this ensures the seitan will not become rubbery) then using your hands – form into a long, flat dough.
  • If the dough is too wet (falling apart in your hands) add more gluten flour until it holds together.
  • In a large pot of boiling water, boil dough for 15 minutes, flipping once. It will grow in size.
  • In a separate shallow bowl, place cornmeal with salt and pepper
  • remove seitan from boiling water, let cool for a few minutes
  • cut seitan into 4 pieces, then press each side in cornmeal
  • pan-fry on medium-high heat in 1/4 inch of canola oil until crisp and golden on each side

Tartar sauce

  • combine vegan mayo (Veganaise, Nasoya) with sweet relish and mustard.
  • add cayanne to taste

Cauliflower Mash

  • Steam cauliflower 15 minutes until tender
  • in a small pan, sautee garlic in Earth Balance until golden
  • in a bowl, mash cauliflower with fork or mixers, adding all other ingredients

Serve on a large steamed leaf like swiss chard or collard. Try this dish with a spicy Malbec red wine from Argentina.

DB’s Etiquette Recommendation: When hosting a dinner, make sure your guests feel comfortable by cleaning up and setting the table ahead of time. Unless it’s a movie party, turn the TV off. Soft music is always welcome, but make sure to ask your guests if they mind – and lastly, don’t talk about yourself the whole time!

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TheDiscerningBrute, January 28th 2008 | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in food, organic, recipes, vegan, vegetarian