And thank you for the support! A zine is about the here and now.

As I am typing this
we are seven months into the pandemic. The restaurant has been open for a bit,
mostly for delivery. We have a little outdoor seating, in the form of a few hijacked
parking spots out front. There are tables up and down the block and people don’t
mind much. That’s how things are now. The city is allowing some indoor dining, but
we won’t be doing that any time soon.

But let’s go back a few decades for the back back story...
Since the 80s, I’ve been cooking vegan food in Brooklyn as a way to bring people
together. In the form of feminist potlucks or hosting brunches at any of the two dozen
apartments I’ve lived in all over the borough. Feeding people in the park through
volunteer organizations, or at fur-free Friday in the 90s. Even just cooking some
latkes for my family at Hannukah. Really, any opportunity to serve people vegan food
and I’m in. So having a vegan restaurant in Brooklyn, just a few blocks from where my
grandfather grew up actually, was a natural culmination of passion, community and a
sense of duty. A few years ago, when I was well into my forties, I was lucky enough
to partner with Sara and Erica, whose family also has had ties to the neighborhood for
decades and who also just want everyone to eat vegan. Well, great!

A meal is born...
When the pandemic started I assumed the restaurant would shutter. I don’t need to
tell you why, because many of those raw feelings are still there and many of the
worries persist today. This is far from over. But Sara and her fam were determined to
stay opened and I’d love to say I was on board at the beginning, but that wasn’t the
case. I wasn’t even in the city. I’m still not! And it seemed impossible. However, after
a few weeks, when it still wasn’t time to open, we did decide it was time to help. Let’s
get people their jobs back in as safe a way as possible, AND help the community on
top of that. Let’s cook amazing, free and/or super cheap meals. Modern Love
Community Meals was born.

Coming full circle...

We fed hundreds of people a week, partnering with groups like Chilis on Wheels
(page 20) and we were able to employ others to work from home. Food
photographers, chefs, artists. We could all work on this project that you are now
holding in your hands. It’s a zine, not a cookbook or a magazine. A time capsule,
people’s stories, every page a little different, a collaboration from the heart. And it
was kind of like my life came full circle. Vegan food. Community. All that.

About that community...

You know, this capitalist society wants us to think we are pitted against each other.
But vegan chefs are an ecosystem, if one thrives, we all do. So this project is an
homage to all the vegan chefs in the world! From dads cooking for their vegan
daughters, professional chefs giving their best home tips, to...well, it’s right here in
your hands. Read it and see. Thank you for the love! Hopefully see you someday.

Xo Isa, Chef/Owner Modern Love

 26
Community Meals Kimchi Memories
Mac & Shews by Miyun Park
by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

32
Best Dressed, Least Tofu Jjigae
Stressed: 6 Dressings by Llovani
Made From Stuff You Forgot
About In The Fridge
by Taylor Schneider

How to Salad
34 Breakfast Fiesta
Xicanx Style Food to
Revolutionize your Mornings
Like a Chef by Llovani
with Lagusta Yearwood Chickpea Cutlet
Three-Way
NYC Pastry Case

44
by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Brooklyn Food
Meet Michelle Crawl Recipes from
Carrera from the East River to the Belt Parkway
Chilis on Wheels
Greenpoint
Beet Mushroom 45 by Olivia Roszkowski
Pastrami Sandwiches

52 by Avis Ambrose
by Timothy Pakron Crown Heights
aka Mississippi Vegan

24 A Day in the Life

of a Private Chef
-- with Breck Oxford
58 by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Sheepshead Bay

aka Insatiable Vegan


  By Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Photos by Kate Lewis
Illustrations by Jason Steady

 didn’t set out to open a Mac & Cheese restaurant. We tried to be farm to table, laboring over vegetables,
doing everything to a tomato that any decent person would: smoke it, overnight it, confit. We take summer
squash, smother it in olive oil and transform it into something meaty and cravable - oblique cuts on a hot hot
grill that hisses when the veggies hit. We stuff the blossoms with housemade almond cheese and coat them
in local cornmeal, serve them with fresh herbs that come from farms we can visit.

We try. We try to make people eat vegetables. But here’s the thing: they want Mac & Cheese. And I stupidly
put that on the menu when we opened in 2014, first in Omaha, and again when we opened Brooklyn in 2016.

And so we are a Mac & Cheese restaurant. It is, of course, called Mac & Shews. The shews representing their
namesake’s suffix - cashews. Get it? Not everybody does. Here are some popular pronunciations “Mac &
SHREWS” “Mac & CHEWS” “Mac & TRUES.”

And this is probably something no chef should admit but there are times when I desperately want to get rid
of what essentially keeps us in business. Our signature dish. Imagine if Mr Taco Bell (that’s the chef, right?)
woke up one day and was like “Nope, no more tacos.”

I just want people to try something else. Hen of The Woods Picatta maybe? Chimichurri Asparagus? But of
course we don’t take it off the menu and to be honest, when I order from my own restaurant, half the time I
get the Mac & Shews. Because it’s pure comfort. It’s saucy and tangy, cheesy and carby, and apparently just
irresistible. It’s also packed with amazing healthy ingredients like tofu, cashews and miso. So win/win and win
again.

When the pandemic hit and we set out to feed the community, we knew what people needed. We didn’t try
to stuff any squash blossoms, we got to business and fed them Mac & Shews. Hundreds of orders, prepared
a bit different since it needed to be served by the dozens and taken for a car ride. We baked the tofu and
instead of kale we sauteed its sturdier cousin broccolini. Always trying to be a vegetable restaurant.

Here are the recipes for all three. Hopefully this is a comfort to you as well! Best served in a wide bowl for
maximum style and easy eating.

3


his tofu is a life-saver. So easy to prepare and so very versatile. Pile it on to Mac &
Shews for sure, but you can double or triple the batch to have some waiting in the fridge
to use cold or hot in salads and sandwiches. It’s also wonderful on pastas that aren’t
Mac & Shews, so go wild.

1 (14-ounce) package extra firm tofu,

sliced into 8 planks widthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon tamari
1/4 teaspoon salt
Several dashes fresh black pepper
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

Place the tofu on baking sheet and drizzle with the oil and tamari. Sprinkle with a pinch
of salt and black pepper. Use your hands to flip and coat. Sprinkle on the nutritional
yeast and flip again to coat.

Assemble tofu slices in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes, until crisp and lightly
browned. Use a spatula to flip and bake 10 more minutes.
5

 
e started making this tangy vinaigrette on day one of the restaurant as a way to use up
tomato scraps. It’s been a menu staple ever since! It really brightens up hearty vegetables,
like broccolini, and something magical happens when it’s combined with all that sauteed
garlic. You’ll have more than you need for this recipe, so use it on salad or a grain bowl.

Makes 2 1/2 cups

For the vinaigrette:
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh shallot
1 small clove garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon agave or granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil

For the broccolini:

1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Make the vinaigrette: 1/2 pound broccolini, broken
Combine all ingredients in blender except apart, but still in clusters
the oil. Blend until smooth. Blend on low
and slowly add oil to emulsify.

Preheat a large pan over medium low heat. Saute the garlic in olive oil just until fragrant,
about a minute. Add broccolini and toss to coat. Turn heat up and cook for about 5
minutes, hopefully browning the broccolini a bit. Add half cup tomato vinaigrette and
cover pan to steam and get broc cooked through. Taste for salt and seasoning.

7


his isn’t the exact recipe we use at the restaurant, but this is the recipe that inspired
the restaurant recipe, only way easier for home cooks. It’s just umami after umami --
cashews, nooch, miso, onion powder and a roasted red pepper, all blended together
until rich, creamy and velvety smooth.
Serves 4
1 pound macaroni

1 cup whole unroasted cashews

1 cup vegetable broth
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon miso
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot.

While the water is coming to a boil, make the sauce. Place all ingredients besides macaroni in
a high-speed blender and blend for about a minute or two, or until completely smooth, using a
rubber spatula to scrape down the sides every 20 seconds or so.

Once water is boiling, cook pasta according to package directions.

Drain pasta in a large colander and add immediately back to the pot. It should still be piping
hot and wet with pasta water. Do not rinse and do not wait. This part is important because you
need the wet, hot pasta to get the sauce creamy and awesome and clinging to the pasta.

Add the sauce to the pasta pot and use the rubber spatula to mix. Turn the heat on low and
stir for about 2 minutes to get everything warmed through. Taste for salt and seasoning.
9
 BEST DRESSED By Taylor Schneider

you forgot about in the fridge LEAST STRESSED

Six dressings made from stuff

Yield: roughly 1 1/3 cups

1/2 C almond butter
Everybody has a bottle of chili sauce in their fridge, and it’s time Zest of 1 lime
to say hello to that old friend once again. This stuff is so good Juice of 2 limes
over a shredded cabbage salad, or decrease the water make it 1 1/2 T chili paste or
more saucy, which is amazing on soba noodles, bok choy and sriracha to taste
crispy tofu. 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp tamari
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Don’t forget to Pinch salt and pepper
ĆUVWDGGD&ZDWHUEHIRUHGHFLGLQJWKDW\RXQHHGWRDGGPRUH 1/2 to 3/4 C water

1/2 small shallot

1/2 avocado Yield: 1 1/4 cups
1 clove garlic
1/4 C dill We all buy herbs with the best of intentions, but they end
1/2 C mint up forgotten about in our crisper drawers. This dressing is
2 1/2 T apple cider vinegar fantastic on rice and grain salads, as well as leafy greens.
1/3 C lemon juice Play around with different herbs, it’s hard to go wrong.
(about 2 lemons)
1/2 tsp salt &RPELQHDOOLQJUHGLHQWVLQDEOHQGHUH[FHSWWKHROLYHRLO2QD
Pinch of black pepper PHGLXPORZVHWWLQJVORZO\SRXULQWKHRLOWRHPXOVLI\
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

1/2 C tahini
Yield: roughly 1 1/4 cups Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of the same lemon
I can’t be the only one who reliably has tahini, lemons and garlic on 1 clove garlic
hand all of the time, right? Here is a recipe made of gold. One that 1 1/2 T olive oil
will forever perk up your taste buds while simultaneously giving WVSUHGSHSSHUćDNHV
you the warm and fuzzies (we can all use those right now). to taste
2 tsp agave, or sweetener
:KLVNWRJHWKHUDOOLQJUHGLHQWVLQDERZO%HVXUHWRĆUVWLQFRUSRUDWHD 1/2 tsp salt
&ZDWHUDQGVORZO\ZKLVNLQWKHUHVWLIWKHGUHVVLQJFRQVLVWHQF\LV Pinch black pepper
VWLOOWRRWKLFN 1/2 to 3/4 C water

10
I think it is fair to say that trips to the grocery store have been less than appealing as of late. What once used to
be an exciting task of “hmm, what do I feel like cooking this week?” has suddenly turned into an event in which
we rush down aisles grabbing just what we need and leaving as soon as possible. Luckily, you probably already
have most of the ingredients you need to dress up your meals. Oh and protip: you can use many of these dress-
ings on grain and pasta salads, too! Or over warm veggies and rice bowls. So make a triple batch with no worries.

Yield: 3/4 cups

What kind of person doesn’t have at least 3 mostly empty jars 1/4 C jam, such as apricot
of jams and jellies somewhere in their fridge door? They pair VWUDZEHUU\RUĆJ
great with winter greens which can be spicy and bitter, such as 1/4 C white wine vinegar
chicories and radicchio. 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp sea salt
$GGDOOLQJUHGLHQWVWRDEOHQGHUDQGEOHQGRQKLJKWRFRPELQH Pinch black pepper
DERXWPLQXWHV6FUDSHGRZQWKHVLGHVDVQHHGHG

1/2 C whole grain mustard Yield: 1 cup

1/4 C champagne vinegar
Pinch of salt and pepper Wow. The title of this is a mouthful… of salad! Trust me, this
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil dressing is a go-to in my house. Whole grain mustard is truly an
underutilized ingredient.

:KLVNWRJHWKHUPXVWDUGYLQHJDUVDOWDQGSHSSHULQDPL[LQJERZO
6ORZO\ZKLVNLQROLYHRLOXQWLOHPXOVLĆHG

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Roasted garlic makes everything better. Dig out those adorable, 1 head garlic
little capers and whatever miso you prefer. Don’t forget to make 1 1/2 T capers
croutons out of those sourdough breadbutts I know you’ve been 2 tsp miso
hoarding in your freezer! 1/4 C rice vinegar
2 T dijon mustard
3UHKHDWRYHQWR)&XWWKHJDUOLFEXOELQKDOIKRUL]RQWDOO\DQGSODFHLQ 1/4 C + 1 T extra virgin
IRLO3RXUWKH7RLORYHUERWKKDOYHVRIWKHJDUOLFEXOEDQGWKHQSXWLW olive oil
EDFNWRJHWKHU&ORVHWKHIRLODURXQGWKHJDUOLFVRWKHEXOELVHQFDVHGLQ Pinch salt and pepper
IRLOEXWQRWWRXFKLQJLWWKHQURDVWIRUPLQXWHV$IWHUFRROLQJVTXHH]H
WKHFORYHVLQWRDEOHQGHU$GGWKHUHPDLQLQJLQJUHGLHQWVH[FHSWWKHRLO
6ORZO\LQFRUSRUDWHWKHUHPDLQLQJ&RIRLOWRHPXOVLI\

11
12
13
 nyc pastry case
Any deli worth its donuts will have these sweet staples lined up in neat narrow rows in the pastry case. Black
and White Cookies are like a ritual. Which side do you eat first? Coffee cake is the perfect reason to get your
lap all messy. And brownies, well...they’re brownies! Recreate them at home and try to figure out how in the
world they are being sold for $3 when they should be more like $30 after all the work that goes into them.

blueberry coffee cake

Makes one 8-inch pan Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly Make the cake:
grease an 8×8 round springform In a large mixing bowl, mix
For the cake: pan or regular square pan. together curdled milk, sugar,
3/4 cup soy milk (or any Measure out the soy milk for coconut oil and vanilla. Sift in the
non-dairy milk) the cake and add the teaspoon flour, baking powder and salt and
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar of apple cider vinegar; set aside mix until smooth. Fold in
1/3 cup sugar to curdle. Then begin preparing blueberries.
1/3 cup melted refined coconut the topping.
oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pour cake batter into prepared
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour Make the topping: pan. Evenly sprinkle on the
2 teaspoons baking powder In a small mixing bowl, mix topping and pat it down just a
1/2 teaspoon salt together the flour, sugar, bit. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or
3/4 cup fresh blueberries (don’t cinnamon and nutmeg. Drizzle until a knife inserted through the
use frozen) in the oil by the tablespoonful. center comes out clean. Slice into
Use your fingers to swish 9 squares or 8 pieces.
For the topping: around the mixture until
1 cup all purpose flour crumbs form. Alternate
1/3 cup brown sugar swishing and adding oil until all
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon oil is used and large crumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg have formed. Some of the
1/4 cup melted refined coconut topping is still going to be sandy
oil and that’s fine, just so long as
you have mostly nice big
crumbs. You can add another
tablespoon of oil if needed.

Photos by Kate Lewis

14
 black & white
cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment
paper and lightly spray with cooking oil.
Ingredients
makes 12 cookies
In a medium bowl combine milk and lemon juice, let curdle for
about a minute. Whisk in oil, sugar, vanilla, and zest.
For the cookies:
1 cup unsweetened vegan milk
In a large bowl sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder,
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
baking soda and salt. Form a well in the center, pour in wet
1/2 cup refined coconut oil, melted
mixture. Use a whisk to mix until smooth.
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Scoop batter onto baking sheets using a 1/4 cup measuring
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
scoop about 3 inches apart. Bake until tops are puffed and
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 18 to 20
1/4 cup cornstarch
minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
then carefully transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Meanwhile, make the icings.
3/4 teaspoon salt
Sift powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add hot water,
For the icings:
vanilla, salt, oil, and lemon juice and stir with a whisk until
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
smooth. Set aside 1/2 cup of icing in a separate bowl to use
1/4 cup hot water
later for chocolate icing.
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Transfer half of icing to another bowl and stir in cocoa, adding
1 tablespoon coconut oil
more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to thin to same
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
consistency as white icing.
2/3 cup semi-sweet vegan
chocolate chips
Turn cookies flat sides up, dust off any crumbs and spread
white icing over half the cookies using the back of a spoon or a
frosting spatula. Let icing dry while making chocolate side.

In a double boiler or microwave melt chocolate chips until

smooth. Add melted chocolate to leftover white icing and
whisk until smooth. Use a tablespoon of hot water if it seems
too thick. Spread icing onto other half of the cookie and let set
- about 30 minutes.

Recipe modified from "Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar"

by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero

16
 chocolate frosted
brownies

Ingredients Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8x8 brownie pan.

Makes 9 brownies
For the Brownies:
For the brownies: In a microwave or double boiler, melt chocolate chips and
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate coconut oil and place in a large mixing bowl. Let cool to room
chips temperature, this should take about 10 minutes. In the
1/3 cup refined coconut oil meantime, measure everything else out.
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened Beat in the sugar, applesauce and cornstarch. Mix until very
applesauce smooth. Stir in vanilla.
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla Whisk in half the flour, the baking powder, cocoa powder and
1 cup all-purpose flour salt. Mix in the rest of the flour until smooth.
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons unsweeteened Transfer to the pan and use a spatula to spread batter evenly.
cocoa powder, sifted if clumpy Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are lightly pulling
1/2 teaspoon salt away from the pan. Place on a cooling rack and slice when cool.

For Ganache Frosting: For the Frosting:

1 cup full fat coconut milk In a small sauce pan, bring coconut milk to a low boil.
2 cups chocolate chips
Place the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl. Pour the hot
coconut milk over the chips and stir until melted and smooth.

Let cool to room temp before spreading onto brownies.

18
 

 




 
 



 

 

  

Chilis on Wheels was the accidental nonprofit. The

unplanned charity that exploded organically
around Michelle Carrera, a queer vegan Puerto
Rican activist based in Brooklyn. In 2014, after
months of protests in New York City following
the Ferguson police killing of Michael Brown,
Michelle was weary and needed to do
something uplifting. Something that
felt positive. So, she made a batch
of vegan chili and carted it around
Union Square on Thanksgiving
with her young son, serving people
and, at the same time, feeding
something inside herself.

Today, Chilis on Wheels has chapters

across the United States and its
colonies. Indisputably, the volunteer-
run nonprofit organization is
ridiculously effective in making
veganism accessible to communities
in need, its mission.

Learn more about the organization and

how you can help by visiting
www.chilisonwheels.org, and meet
the unstoppable Michelle Carrera.

Interview by Miyun Park

Art by Erica Rose Levine

20
What’s the first dish you remember cooking? What’s your least favorite thing to make or
What’s the story behind it? prep?
For most of my 20s, I refused to cook as a matter of Anything that requires careful, exact measure-
principle. I just rejected gender roles and expecta- ments. That’s why I hardly ever bake. I’m an
tions and didn’t cook as a commitment to my improv, let’s feel-the-vibe kind of person. Exact
feminism. In fact, my kitchens always had a poster measurements crimp my style, feel restrictive,
of a 1950s woman with her finger raised that said and take the joy out of the kitchen. Like, coloring
“Don’t assume I cook.” Back then, I subsisted on inside the lines.
Food Swings and Vinnie’s Pizza take-out and
sandwiches I’d make without cheese, because the
only vegan alternative at the time were these What’s the one appliance or cooking utensil you
pretty rubbery rice cheese slices, though Worth- can’t live without (other than the
ington had some salami slices I really liked. Once I biggies—fridge, oven, stove, dishwasher)?
had my kid, though, that all changed. When he Knives are indispensable, but I also love my
was ready to eat solid foods, I took to the kitchen. industrial potato smasher and I love graters
Cooking became a way for me to practice love in a aesthetically. I love how kitchen tools are weap-
very practical way. I realized by choosing not to ons. It really appeals to me—in a food justice kind
cook, I had been reactionary and was really only of way—that caring for ourselves and our com-
hurting myself in a silent protest of patriarchy. So, munity is also a tool for fighting back against
my first dishes were baby foods! He didn’t just try injustice. I love how it’s both metaphorical and
mashed broccoli, though. I got creative and literal.
whipped up special blends with herbs. He didn’t
just try rice—he tried risotto. You know, I was that
kind of annoying first-time parent who swore their What’s your go-to comfort meal?
kid wouldn’t grow up to be a picky eater. (He did A Cuban black bean soup always hits the spot,
anyway.) But, by cooking for him, I fell in love with soothes me, and makes me feel my ancestors are
the kitchen and soon found myself veganizing all around me. Add some ripe plantains on the
Puerto Rican and Cuban dishes that I had grown side, and I’m home in myself.
up eating, and sharing that food with family and
friends, which then turned into sharing it with 100
to 200 community friends on a weekly basis If you could cook for any historical figure, who
through Chilis on Wheels. I really climbed that would it be and what would you prepare?
learning curve fast! Ah, most definitely Frida Kahlo. Most people
know her for her art and activism, but she was
also a lover of food and would throw these
What do you love to eat but hate to cook? beautiful parties where food was central. I have
Pastries and sweets! no doubt that with her love of justice, if she were
alive today, she would be vegan. I would make
her some vegan Puerto Rican pasteles, which are
What’s your favorite cuisine and why? like tamales made with plantain, green bananas,
This is such a hard question to answer! Rather and taro.
than cuisines, I like to focus on ingredients. My
quality of life would certainly suffer if I weren’t
able to have mangoes, avocados, and tofu. Cake or pie?
Team Pie! I have dreams of rhubarb pies.
 beet & mush room
pastra m i sa ndw ich
photo a nd recipe by timothy pak ron
@ mississippivega n

When I think of the food in New York City, I’m overwhelmed. That place is bursting from the seams with
delicious cuisine, ranging from fabulous vegan-only restaurants, incredible fare from all over the world, and some of
the best farmers markets on the planet.

Flashback to 16-year-old Timmy (think Tori Amos and cigarettes), I went on a high school trip to visit the bustling
city. It was then that I tried one of those classic NYC recipes that you can find at most delis: a pastrami sandwich.
I immediately remember how it was ridiculously large. (Like, too big but in a good way!) Bursting with flavor and
super messy, I’ll never forget it. Sadly, at the time, I wasn’t fully aware that I was eating a cow. Like, I knew it was
beef but that didn’t really mean anything to me. Then I started asking questions and as an adult, I connected the
dots, stopped eating animal products, and actually moved the big apple to pursue all of my dreams in life. Only
problem? No pastrami sandwiches (cue the violins).

Well, not any more kiddos! This recipe definitely fits the bill using those classic pastrami flavors like coriander,
cloves, paprika, and lots of mustard. Slow cooking these ingredients with the combination of earthy beets and juicy
portobello mushrooms caps, you are left with sliced vegan meat that you can actually celebrate (and not cry about
because you’re eating a dead cow). Simply throw everything in a baking dish, bake until succulent and tender, thinly
slice, and build yourself a mile-high sandwich with whole grain mustard, pickles, and toasted bread. Eat over the
sink and enjoy.

Ingredients (makes 4 sandwiches): Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F and place the halved beets,
1 softball-sized beet, halved cut side down, and portobello caps into a baking
2 large portobello caps dish. Throw in the bay leaves.
4 bay leaves
½ teaspoon black pepper
In a large bowl, mix all of the remaining
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 ½ teaspoons coriander seeds ingredients together using a whisk or a fork. Pour
6 whole cloves over the beets and mushrooms and toss around to
1 teaspoon paprika coat thoroughly.
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder Bake for 30 minutes. Flip and bake for an
1 tablespoon agave syrup additional 30 minutes. At this point, try a small
2 cloves crushed garlic bite and add any additional salt or red pepper
1 teaspoon liquid smoke flakes, if desired. Continue to cook for an
1 tablespoon olive oil additional 15 minutes, or until the beets are tender
2 tablespoons yellow mustard to fork.
2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons tamari
Red pepper flakes, to taste Once done, remove from oven and let cool. Thinly
slice the beets and mushrooms. Add a few slices to
To serve: some toasted pumpernickel or rye bread, thinly
Pumpernickel or rye bread, pickles, whole grain sliced pickles, and a smear of whole-grain mustard
mustard, vegan mayo and vegan mayo. Slice and enjoy immediately!
22
24
25
 My dad’s first memory of making kimchi was actually
of not being allowed to make it. Traditionally in
Korea, particularly in the 1940s when my dad was
young, boys weren’t supposed to be in the kitchen.
He was fascinated by cooking, though, and always
I climbed into a hole in the backyard to see whether wanted to help his mother, but she would shoo him
my dad would have to dig a little more or if it was big away. So, my dad would find places to hide—behind
enough for the trashcan full of kimchi we were the tall ceramic pots of rice, under the heavy blanket
preparing to bury for the winter. That’s normal, right? on the quilted mat, and around a door frame—and sit
silently and watch her prepare food.
It was the fall of 1975, and I had just turned five. My
family had moved into the Washington, DC, suburb, He wasn’t able to start cooking himself until he and
where my parents still live today, forty-five years my mom were newlyweds and newly migrated to the
later. You could say we moved on up. We had United States in the late 1960s. Without a doubt, my
upgraded from a tiny, rundown, and broken father is my favorite chef. He can develop deep,
apartment into a modest but fully functioning complex flavors from the humblest ingredients and is
split-level home in a development with cookie-cutter truly enamored by cooking. He spends every
houses. The best part, though, was the yard. My morning soaking his feet in mushroom tea to help
older sister and I were thrilled to have our very own ease his aches and pains, and sips coffee as he reads
playground, my mom wanted a small flower garden, articles and recipes about food he may want to
and my dad couldn’t wait to leave a twenty-gallon recreate and make his own.
trashcan underground, filled with kimchi to ferment
over the winter. When I first became vegan in 1990, my dad was sure
it was just going to be short phase. He humored me
K-pop, Kim Jong-un, his hairdo, and kimchi are and prepared vegan versions of bulgogi, bibimbap,
probably the first four things that come to mind kalbi, and kimchi jjigae. Whatever he made for the
when you think about Korea. I don’t listen to K-pop family, he’d make an animal-free version for me.
and unsurprisingly am not a fan of Kim Jong-un or his Thirty years later, I’m still vegan and he’s still
hairdo. But, as is the case for pretty much every preparing vegan versions of the very best Korean
Korean throughout history, kimchi is part of who I food.
am. I wouldn’t even say I like it or love it. That’s like
saying you like or love breathing. Kimchi just is. As of this writing, I’m two months into quarantining
with my 80-year-old parents. In late-March, I had
That first fall we were in our house with a yard was stopped by for a weekly visit, and my parents
the first time I remember making kimchi with my promised they’d stay put and let me run their errands
dad. Before he went into the backyard to start once a week. As I was getting ready to head back to
digging the hole, he planted me on an overturned DC, relieved we had a plan that would keep my
bucket and had me tear the salted napa leaves into parents safely at home, I caught my dad trying to
bite-sized pieces. He watched over me for a few sneak back into the house. BUSTED! So, here I am
minutes, and I remember him bursting out laughing. I with my senior rescue chihuahua, sequestered in the
had been tearing the cabbage into pieces perfectly suburbs, making sure my dad stays grounded. At 49, I
bite-sized for a five-year-old’s mouth, which meant never thought I’d be once again living in my parents’
they were ridiculously small for a grown-up to eat. basement, but I’m truly thankful we’re getting this
time together.
My only other memory of that first kimchi-making
experience was feeling a confusing mixture of My dad and I have been cooking together every day,
excitement and embarrassment. My dad had been which thrills me—not only because I’m learning all of
talking up how fun and delicious it would be to make his secrets and recipes, but because every meal my
kimchi the way his grandmothers did, and I couldn’t parents and I share is vegan, so I know my mom and
wait to help. That day, though, I overheard some of the dad are eating the very best food without harming
neighborhood kids talking about how weird and gross any animals. Every couple of weeks, my dad and I
it was to put food in a trashcan, bury it in the dirt, and have been making different kinds of kimchi. The two
then dig it up to eat it. I was ashamed, but if that’s in this collection are staples, and I hope they soon
what we had to do to make kimchi, then I was all for it. become some of your favorites. No burying in the
backyard necessary.
26
Food photography Kate Lewis
Layout and Illustration Jason Steady
 4 small napa cabbages
½ cup salt
9½ cups water
1 – 2 medium radishes
(about 3 cups julienned)
1 tablespoon sugar
10 cloves garlic
12 spring onions
10 tablespoons fine red pepper powder
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups hot water

For my dad’s kimchi-making tips, see page 32

Chop off the very bottom of the napa. Gently Prepare the red pepper paste. Combine the red
remove the outer leaves. From the bottom of the pepper powder, the 1 tablespoon of salt, and hot
napa, slice through the center of the cabbage a water in a bowl. Stir until well-mixed into a paste.
few inches, then tear the cabbage in half with
your hands. Wash all of the napa halves and set Add the red pepper paste to the radish mixture
aside. and combine very gently.

In a bowl or pot large enough to hold all of the One napa half at a time, rub the spicy radish
napa and the salt bath, combine the salt and mixture onto each of the leaves. Fold down the
water. Stir to dissolve the salt. Carefully add the top third of the napa and insert it, bottom-side
napa halves, ripped-side down, pressing firmly as down, into a glass jar. Press down the folded top
you layer the cabbage. Cover and soak the so the napa is fairly level and to minimize any air
cabbage for at least 12 hours, rotating the napa pockets. Repeat until all of the napa halves have
every 4 hours so the halves that had been on the been seasoned, stuffed, and jarred.
bottom are moved to the top. Each time, press
down firmly. As the napa reduce in the salt bath, Coat a few of the medium-sized leaves that had
they have a tendency to float. In that case, place been removed with any remaining spicy radish
an inverted bowl on top of the cabbage and mixture and place them on top of the baechu
weigh it down so the napa are being pressed kimchi.
down firmly throughout this process.
Make sure there is at least 1 inch of space at the
After the napa have soaked for at least 12 hours, top of the jar to allow for expansion during the
prepare the cabbage halves. (You’ll be rubbing fermentation process. Let it sit, tightly covered,
the spicy radish mixture onto the leaves of the at room temperature for 24 hours. Refrigerate
napa so you need to make a little room for all the for 3 to 5 days before enjoying.
goodness.) Carefully remove 2 or 3 of the
medum-sized leaves and set aside.

Prepare the spicy radish mixture by julienning

the radish. Place in a bowl large enough to hold
cabbage half, add the sugar, and toss very lightly,
making sure that the radish pieces don’t break.

Peel and smash the garlic cloves, then finely

chop. Slice off the roots from the white bulbs of
the spring onions and trim the green tops, if
necessary, before coarsely chopping. In a food
processor or mincer, process the garlic and
spring onion with a little water until pulverized.
Add to the radish and, once again, toss very
lightly so the radish pieces don’t break.
28
 1 small napa cabbage
2 tablespoons salt, or to taste
3 spring onions
5 cloves garlic
5 tablespoons coarse red pepper powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup hot water

For my dad’s kimchi-making tips, see page 32

Fill a glass jar with the kimchi, pressing down
Chop off the very bottom of the napa. Gently firmly to minimize any air pockets. Make sure
remove the outer leaves. Chop the napa into there is at least 1 inch of space at the top of the
bite-sized pieces, about 1-inch tall, and wash well jar to allow for expansion during the
under running water. Shake dry. fermentation process. Let it sit, tightly covered,
at room temperature for 24 hours before
Place a layer of chopped napa in a large, shallow enjoying. Refrigerate after opening.
bowl. Lightly and evenly sprinkle with salt. Add
another layer of chopped napa, salt it, and repeat
until all of the napa has been salted. Let it sit
for 30 minutes, then turn over the napa so the
pieces that had been on the bottom are now on
top. Let it sit for another 30 minutes.

After the napa has been salted for 60 minutes,

rinse the napa in running water. Shake it dry,
then line it around the sides of a colander and let
it dry for at least 1 hour.

Slice off the roots from the white bulbs and trim

the green tops, if necessary. Cut the spring
onions into three pieces—most of the bulb, the
junction (part of the bulb and part of the green
top), and the green top. Finely chop the bulbs.
Thinly slice the junction on a bias. Chop the
green tops into 1-inch pieces. Place all of the
spring onion in a large mixing bowl. Peel and
smash the garlic cloves, then finely chop and add
it to the bowl.

In a small bowl, place the coarse red pepper

powder, sugar, the 1 teaspoon of salt, and a ½
cup of hot water. Stir until well-combined. Add a
little more sugar if it’s too salty for your liking.

Add the red pepper sauce to the large bowl of

spring onions and garlic. Add the napa. Toss
gently until the napa is well-coated.

29
 Kimchi is one of those magical foods that is delicious on its own as a staple banchan (small side dish) but can
effortlessly jump into a supporting or starring role in a variety of dishes. Kimchi jeon (pancakes), kimchi mandu
(dumplings), and kimchi bibimbap (mixed rice with gochujang) are favorites for a reason. But kimchi jjigae? The
best. Who doesn’t love a thick, spicy, hearty stew bubbling with complex flavors?
Recipe by LLovani

Ingredient tips: Make the stock:

~You can use regular flour for the popcorn In a stock pot, bring water, kombu, garlic and
cauliflower if you don't have rice flour. The ginger to a boil. Once boiling, remove kombu,
cauliflower is meant to mimic fried shrimp. and add the dried shiitakes. Reduce heat to
~Kelp powder lends a taste from the sea, but you simmer, and cook until stock reduces by half.
can also use a sheet of nori and grind it up into a Strain stock, saving shiitakes and ginger sticks.
powder using a coffee grinder. Clean out the
coffee first, though. Make the stew:
Preheat a 4 quart heavy bottomed pot over
Ingredients for stock: medium heat. Cook ginger, shiitakes and kimchi
4 cups water in sesame oil, until kimchi softens, about 5
2 inch strip kombu minutes.
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 inches peeled ginger, cut into matchsticks Stir in gochujang, sugar, and gochugaru to
3/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms dissolve sugar. Pour in stock and bring to a quick
boil. Lower heat, and add the broccolini to soften
Ingredients for stew: but not turn to mush, about 5 minutes. Shut off
Ginger sticks from stock heat and keep covered while preparing the
Rehydrated shiitakes from stock, cut into strips cauliflower.
3 cups vegan kimchi, with brine (previous page)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil Make the cauli:
1 tablespoon gochujang Whisk cold water and cornstarch in a medium
1 teaspoon sugar bowl to form a slurry.
1 teaspoon gochugaru (red pepper powder)
1/2 lb chinese broccoli or broccolini, in long thin In a different medium bowl, mix rice flour, kelp
strips powder, and salt.

Ingredients for popcorn cauliflower: Set up a frying station with the cauliflower,
1/2 cup cold water slurry and rice flour next to each other. Dip each
1/4 cup cornstarch floret into slurry and shake off excess liquid.
1/2 cup rice flour Drop into rice flour. Now with your dry hand,
1 teaspoon kelp powder coat evenly in the flour. Continue until all florets
1/2 teaspoon salt are coated.
Canola oil for frying
4 cups small cauliflower florets (about 1 1/2 Heat an inch of oil in a cast iron skillet over
inches) medium heat. Fry cauliflower in oil in batches
until golden. Lift each out with tongs and drain
Toppings: on a paper towel.
14 oz silken tofu in 1/4 inch slices Assemble the bowls:
2 cups enoki mushrooms, base discarded, stems
pulled apart in clusters Place stew in big bowls. Garnish with clusters of
Black sesame seeds cauli, strips of tofu, and mushrooms. Arrange
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions cauliflower in a cluster on top. Sprinkle with
additional chili flakes, black sesame and scallion.
Serve!
30
 Breakfast Fiesta
Xicanx style food to revolutionize your morning
These are just some of the breakfasts that I grew up eating in Los Angeles. I was fortunate enough to
experience a little bit of everything in my city. I came of age in a Mexican household in Compton,
raised part-time by my holistic grandmother, my uncles, aunt and sister. My family’s cooking, as anyone
else’s maybe, was incomparably unique. The other part-time of my life was spent in Central LA or
Koreatown where vast cultures were within arm’s reach. I learned a lot from my family’s sazón and the
cultures around me. I combine those experiences with the knowledge I gained cooking from the East
coast to the West. These dishes are inspired by tradition and pop-modern foods fueled by hunger.

Recipes by Llovani
Illustrations by Kelsey Wallerstedt
Photos by Kate Lewis

34
 Ingredients
14 oz block extra firm tofu,
cubed medium
1/3 cup melted refined coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened plain rice milk
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Directions
In a medium pot, submerge tofu cubes
in water. Bring to a boil for five
minutes. Drain and allow them to cool.

Once cool, use cheesecloth to squeeze

water out to get it as dry as possible.

Place tofu and the remaining

ingredients in a food processor fit with
a metal blade and pulse until it
resembles cottage cheese.

Lightly grease a 3 cup bowl or pyrex to

use as a mold. Transfer cheese to the
bowl and press down firmly to make
sure there aren’t any air pockets.
Cover and refrigerate for a minimum

Tofu Fresco
of 2 hours. When ready to use, it
should crumble nicely in your fingers.

Cotija
Tangy and crumbly, cotija is the perfect cheese for topping spicy sauce
things. It adds a beautiful splash of brightness to create contrast, and
of course, delicious, cheezy flavor. This tofu-based cotija is very easy
for the beginner cheesemaker.

35
 Spinach Chilaquiles with

Cotija Cheese Serves 4

Chilaquiles on a Sunday morning revives the body back to life from Saturday’s night out. There are so many styles of
Chilaquiles, like rojos, verde and sometimes in mole sauce. The way I used to have it would be spicy as hell with sour
cream, lots and lots of cheese and a little bit of fresh shaved lettuce.

When I was new to Boston, I couldn’t find my favorite chilaquile brand name sauce in any local grocery store. So I
improvised. The flavors are bold and reminiscent to CalMex freshness! It’s quick and it’s easy. I suggest making the sauce
ahead of time, maybe a day or two, for an easy breakfast.

For the salsa roja: Make the salsa roja:

1 red bell pepper First roast the peppers. Preheat oven to 450.
2 jalapeños Lightly oil bell pepper and jalapeno and place on a
16 oz can tomato sauce small baking sheet. Roast until collapsed and
1 cup water blackened, using tongs to toss once in while, about
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce 30 minutes. Place in a bowl and cover tightly with
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped plastic wrap, this will help steam the skins off. Let
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, stems and leaves sit for about 30 minutes to steam and cool.
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh lime juice Peel the charred skins off, saving as much flesh as
1 tablespoon smoked paprika possible, and remove seeds. Add to blender along
1 tablespoon salt with the remaining Salsa Roja ingredients. Blend
until smooth and refrigerate in a tightly sealed
For the chilaquiles: container until ready to use.
Olive oil for cooking
8 oz restaurant style corn tortilla chips (about 1 1/2 Cook the chiliaquiles:
quarts) In a 6 quart pot, preheat 2 teaspoons of oil on
3 cups of fresh spinach medium-low flame. Pour in the Salsa Roja, stir and
bring to a simmer.
To garnish:
Cotija Cheese (recipe previous page) Slowly fold in tortilla chips, stirring them carefully
Thinly sliced radish with a large, flexible spatula until they are coated
Sliced avocado with salsa. Add the chopped spinach and toss until
Thinly sliced scallion wilted, careful not to break the chips.
Fresh cilantro leaves
Ground black pepper Assembly:
Place chips on plate to build. Crumble cheese over
the top and add all of the garnishes.

36
 Sweet Cinnamon Fruity Tacos Makes 9 Tacos
The last time I visited Mexico I was 15 and my aunt brought me to a festival at the local church up the street. It was a
dark evening, but the festival was lively and colorful! There were so many food vendors selling all kinds of freshly made
snacks. One was a Buñuelo -- a Mexican sweet cinnamon fritter -- topped with strawberries and sweet & sour cream.
So many years later in Brooklyn, inspired by that memory, I made these tacos sans the frying. Try them all year round
with seasonal fruits!

For Sweet & Sour Cashew Cream: Make the Tacos:

1 cup unroasted cashews Whisk together all dry ingredients in a bowl (corn
1/4 cup water or coconut water flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt). Add water and
1/8 cup agave syrup vanilla extract until it forms a soft and pliable
dough.
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
To form the tortillas, portion out 2 tablespoons of
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar dough and form them into balls.
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Line tortilla press by cutting a ziplock bag so it
For Tacos: makes two plastic sheets. If you don’t have a
1 cup maseca corn flour tortilla press, you can also use a flat-bottomed
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar cookie sheet and a sturdy table.
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Press down the dough to form a tortilla about 4
1/8 teaspoon sea salt inches in diameter.
3/4 cup water
Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add a thin
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
coat of oil. Cook tortillas for about 2 minutes on
Coconut oil for cooking
one side, then flip for another minute. Wrapped in
2 cups fresh berries (strawberries, rasp- a kitchen towel on a plate so they stay warm and
berries, blueberries and/or blackberries) pliable for serving.
2 ripe bananas, sliced 1/4 inch thick on bias
Fresh mint for garnish Assembly:
Fill tortillas with fruit, berries, banana slices,
whatever your heart desires and drizzle with
Make the Sweet & Sour Cashew Cream: Sweet & Sour Cashew Cream! Garnish with fresh
Soak cashews overnight or boil cashews until mint.
tender, about 20 minutes (if you have a vitamix you
can skip this step)

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until

smooth and creamy.

Cool completely before using.

38
 These cutlets have been in your kitchen since the dawn of time. Or at least since the first Obama
administration (remember we thought we'd have healthcare for all? We were so young). We serve
them at the restaurant in all kinds of ways, making huge batches the size of a laundry basket. But you
can keep it simple. Make a few cutlets to store for the week, or freeze for another time. And it never
has to get boring! Really you can serve them anywhere people usually serve cutlets. Just replace
"chicken" with "chickpea" in most any recipe and there's dinner. That's the vegan way.

Chickpea Cutlets In a mixing bowl, mash the Now make 8 blobs of dough. The
Makes 8 Cutlets chickpeas together with the oil easiest way to do this: divide the
until no whole chickpeas are left. cutlet dough into 2 equal pieces.
1 16 oz can chickpeas, drained Use an avocado masher or a Then divide each of those pieces
and rinsed strong fork. Alternately, you can into 4 separate pieces. To form
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil pulse the chickpeas in a food cutlets, knead each piece in your
1 cup vital wheat gluten processor. We’re not making hand for a few moments and then
1 cup plain breadcrumbs hummus here, so be careful not to flatten and stretch each one into a
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water puree them, just get them mashed roughly 6 by 4 inch rectangular
1/4 cup soy sauce up. You can also sneak the garlic cutlet shape.
1 teaspoon dried thyme cloves in here instead of grating
1 teaspoon paprika them, just pulse them up before Add a moderately thin layer of
1/2 teaspoon dried sage adding the chickpeas. If using a olive oil to the bottom of the pan.
Olive oil for pan frying food processor, transfer to a Place the cutlets in the pan and
mixing bowl when done. cook on each side for 6 to 7
Optional ingredients: minutes. Add more oil, if needed,
4 cloves garlic, grated with a Add the remaining ingredients when you flip the cutlets. They’re
Microplane grater and knead together for about 3 ready when lightly browned and
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest minutes, until strings of gluten firm to the touch. They cook more
have formed. thoroughly if I cover the pan in
between flips. I also use my
Preheat a large heavy-bottomed spatula to press down on them
skillet over low-medium heat. while they’re cooking, that way
Cast iron works best. If you have they cook more evenly.
two pans and want to cook all the
cutlets at once then go for it, Now let them rest for a bit and
otherwise you’ll be making them you’re done!
in two batches.

photos by Kate Lewis / illustrations by Jason Steady

40
42
Buffalo Ranch Chickpea Cutlets
You'll need: Frank's Red Hot, Ranch Dressing (recipe Use a fork to vigorously mix all ingredients together
below) and fresh dill. in a big coffee mug. It's ready!

For the Ranch: Assemble:

3/4 cup vegan mayo, storebought or homemade Pour a punch of Frank's Red Hot all over the cutlet
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley and drizzle with ranch. Top with fresh dill.
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives Serving ideas:
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice With potato salad, or over Mac & Shews or on a
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder hoagie.
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Fresh black pepper

Chickpea Cutlet Parmesan

You'll need: Marinara (store-bought or homemade), Almond Place the almonds in a high speed blender and pulse
Riccota (recipe below), fresh basil, red pepper flakes into crumbs. Add the remaining ingredients and
blend until thick and pasty, but a with ricotta-like
Serving ideas: texture. Use a rubber spatula to transfer to a
Spaghetti and marinara, on Italian Bread for a hero, well-sealed container, and chill until ready to use.
with a caesar salad
To assemble:
For the Almond Ricotta: Ladle marinara over cutlet, dollop with a healthy
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds spoonful of ricotta, garnish with basil and red pepper
1/2 cup hot water flakes.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Savory Southwest Chickpea Cutlets

You'll need: Corn Salsa and Guacamole (recipes below), Guacamole
cilantro for garnish, hot sauce 4 ripe avocados
1/2 teaspoon salt
Serving ideas: Serve on bolillo buns for tortas, or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
with red rice and beans 1/4 cup minced white onion
1/4 cup diced tomato
For Corn Salsa: 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced tomato Slice avocados in half lengthwise and remove the pit.
1/4 cup small diced red onion Scoop out the avocado stuff and transfer to a mixing
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro bowl. Sprinkle in salt and lime juice. Use an avocado
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced masher or strong fork to give it a good mash. Add
2 cloves garlic, minced remaining ingredients and mash like crazy, until
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice guacamole is creamy and the tomato has broken up.
1/2 teaspoon salt Taste and adjust flavors if needed.

Preheat cast iron over medium high heat. Saute corn Assemble:
in oil until it's nicely seared. Let cool. Then just mix Top with salsa and guac. Garnish with cilantro. Have
everything together in a bix mixing bowl and some hot sauce at the ready just in case.
refrigerate until ready to serve.
43
BROOKLYN
FOOD
CRAWL
We will just say it: Brooklyn has the best food in the whole world from all over the whole
world. We are so fortunate to have access to all of it, and so much of it is already vegan
for us! We picked three neighborhoods, but you could honestly write encyclopedias full of
recipes inspired by Brooklyn neighborhoods. So grab your granny cart and get to
shopping! It’s time to bring the best of the borough into your kitchens.

Illustrations by Erica Rose Levine

44 Photos by Kate Lewis
GREENPOINT
These recipes showcase the familiar textures and
flavor profiles so often found in Polish cuisine
by Chef Olivia Roszkowski

and serve as a celebration of traditionally grown

produce. Reflective of a climate with long and
cold winters, warming comfort foods and the
aroma of smoke take center stage with produce
that have a long cellar shelf-life.

Growing up, there was always a significant

emphasis placed on obtaining ingredients
directly from the source. The reasoning stemmed
from wanting to guarantee freshness and barter
for the lowest price. Serendipitously, this was far
from difficult to accomplish in an
industrially-zoned neighborhood complete with a
factory churning out fresh rye loaves, amongst
other delicacies.

These recipes are an ode to Polish bakeries,

restaurants, and delis brimming with
home-cooked specialties, ferments, sweets, and
candies--where one could select and indulge in
little pieces of home, a taste of the familiar. Made
by hand, freshly prepared convenience food
reminiscent of the motherland, but catering to a
working class population.
Chef Olivia Roszkowski is a neuroscientist by
Each of these recipes is inspired by Poland’s lush training, completing her undergraduate studies at
terrain, brimming with stone fruit orchards, rows Columbia University. She is currently an instructor
of planted root vegetables, grain fields, cellars of at the Institute of Culinary Education, the Culinary
Editor of the eco-forward publication Naturally,
ferments, and forests overrun with wild berries
Danny Seo, and a freelance recipe development
and mushrooms.
consultant, all while pursuing a master’s degree in
Food Studies at New York University. Chef Olivia
Growing up in Greenpoint was a sensory lives in Greenpoint with her two dogs, Jackie O and
experience. If the wind blew left, you would smell Clover, where she grows microgreens and edible
the rye baking in the bread factory. From the flowers on her fire escape and ages vegan cheeses
right, you would get wafts of the smokehouses. in her three makeshift ‘cheese caves.’
The flavors that predominate are savory and
umami in nature, warming and ‘comfort Follow Chef Olivia
food-esque.’ This profile is permanently Instagram @oliviathechef
imprinted on my taste buds and forever will oliviathechef.com
influence my recipe development.

46
Apple & I love that you can still buy this cake in slabs by the pound, known by the
locals as ‘szarlotka.’ Cake by the pound! If you are a true local, you know
Golden Raisin when it’s super fresh, and everyone has their favorite corner or center
piece. This dessert reminds me of the apple orchards in my family’s Polish
Cake Squares countryside backyard, where it’s always served with hot tea and offered
to any guests who visit. (Polish people love to feed their guests!)
Makes 1 8x8-inch pan

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8- x 8-inch dish with
2 1/2 cups oat flour parchment paper and grease the inside of the walls with coconut oil.
1/4 cup ground flax meal
1/3 cup cane sugar Combine oat flour, ground flax meal, cane sugar, and sea salt in a mixing
1/8 teaspoon sea salt bowl. Add the coconut oil and combine well. Add 1/2 cup of filtered
1/3 cup refined coconut oil water and work it until a dough forms. The mixture will be sticky. Let rest
for 10 minutes then press firmly into an even layer in prepared baking
For the filling: dish. Bake for 25 minutes.
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled
1 lemon, juiced and zested Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a mixing bowl, grate in the peeled
1/2 cup golden raisins apples, and toss in the lemon juice and zest. Add the golden raisins, corn
1/4 cup corn starch starch, vanilla extract, and cane sugar, and toss until well mixed.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cane sugar Once the crust has baked, distribute the apple filling mixture evenly over
the crust, pressing gently, and bake for an additional 25 minutes on the
For the oat streusel topping: center rack.
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Meanwhile, prepare the oat streusel topping. In a mixing bowl, toss
1/4 cup cane sugar together all topping ingredients. Using your fingers, toss the ingredients
1/3 cup refined coconut oil so they are coated in oil. Sprinkle on top of the baked cake then bake for
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 20 minutes more. Let cool for about an hour before cutting it into
1/8 teaspoon sea salt squares. Serve with powdered sugar, fresh berries and mint leaves.

For the garnish:

2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 pint blackberries
1 small bunch mint
Beets, pierogi, poppy seeds...what can be more Polish? Making these is a national
pastime and usually involves family, a celebration, or a holiday, which is why most
Polish folks light up at just the mention of them--probably with a story in tow. From
a chef’s perspective, the Polish way of making dough with the inclusion of acidic
fermented dairy is genius because it tenderizes the dough and makes it strong and
pliable to work with. This vibrant, plant-based interpretation is both filling with the
inclusion of tofu and decadent with a quick blended butter alternative.
Beet Pierogi with Spinach Chevre Filling & Poppy Butter
Makes 3 dozen pierogi

For the dough: Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the
1 medium beet or 2 tablespoons beet juice shallots in olive oil for about 6 minutes, until lightly
1/4 teaspoon sea salt golden. Add the crumbled tofu and cook for an
3/4 cup plain vegan yogurt (recommend Kite Hill additional 4 minutes. Add the baby spinach and
plain almond yogurt) continue to cook for a few minutes, until all the
1 tablespoon olive oil moisture has evaporated. Turn off the heat. Stir in
1 3/4 to 2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for the white miso, nutritional yeast, and sea salt. Set
flouring work surfaces aside to cool completely before filling the pierogi.

For the filling: Assemble:

14 oz block firm tofu Flour a work surface, then roll out the dough to
3 medium shallots, diced small about 1/8-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch cookie
3 tablespoons olive oil cutter or glass to punch out circles. Rewrap any
4 cups lightly packed baby spinach leftover dough and store in the refrigerator for up
2 tablespoons white miso to 1 week.
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt Pour water into a small bowl. Fill each dough circle
with one tablespoon of filling. Dip one finger in the
For the poppy butter: water and moisten the outer rim of the dough
1/4 cup cashews circle. Fold in half and pinch firmly to seal. Repeat
1/2 cup refined coconut oil, plus a little extra for with the remaining dough circles and set aside.
sauteing onions
1/4 teaspoon sea salt Make the poppy butter:
2 teaspoons white miso Place the cashews in a small pan and cover with
1 tablespoon poppy seeds water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain,
1 small yellow onion, diced small then place the cashews in a blender. Add the
2 tablespoons refined coconut oil coconut oil, 1/2 cup of warm water, the sea salt,
and the white miso. Blend until completely smooth.
For garnish: Pour into a bowl and mix in the poppy seeds.
Parsley leaves, fresh dill, or micro greens
Preheat a large pan over medium heat and sauté
the onion in about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
Sauté for a few minutes, until the onions are lightly
Prepare the dough: amber. Add the cashew mixture to the onions.
Peel and grate the beet. Over a medium bowl,
squeeze the grated beet shreds by hand to extract Cook the pierogi:
the juice, yielding approximately 2 tablespoons. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Drop 8
Reserve the grated beets for another use. pierogi at a time into the boiling water, cooking for
3 minutes or until they float to the top and the
Add the sea salt, vegan yogurt, and olive oil to the dough is cooked through. Remove from water with
beet juice in the bowl and mix to combine. Slowly a slotted spoon and gently toss in the poppy butter.
work in the flour and stir until a dough forms.
Assemble:
Flour a work surface, then transfer over the dough Arrange on a large plate smother in extra poppy
and knead it for a few minutes, until it becomes butter, then garnish with greens.
elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow it
to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Prepare the filling:

Place the tofu between the palms of the hands and
gently squeeze out excess moisture. Crumble the
tofu into a large bowl and set aside.
49
This recipe highlights some of Polish cuisine’s produce staples: potatoes, onions, mushrooms, and
onions. Some might call it ‘peasant food,’ but it is really a resourceful, not to mention hearty, way to
eat with the seasons. The vibrant colors liven up this traditional stuffed cabbage dish known as
‘gołąbki,’ and some high heat cooking techniques make the recipe’s umami game strong. Add cooked
grains if additional heartiness is desired.
Fried Onion & Smoked Mushroom Cabbage Rolls with Buttermilk Mash
Serves 4 to 6

For the cabbage rolls: Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion
1 head purple or red cabbage rings in the remaining oil and salt. Cover with a lid
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally and
1/3 cup olive oil, divided generating steam to soften the onions. Remove the
1 tablespoon liquid smoke lid and cook for an additional 10 to 12 minutes,
4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed, sliced 1- stirring periodically, until caramelized. Remove from
inch thick the heat and set aside.
3 large yellow onions, sliced into 1-inch rings
6 nori sheets, halved Now prepare the crispy dill crumb topping. Preheat
a pan over medium heat. Drizzle on the olive oil and
For the dill crumb topping: toss in the breadcrumbs to coat. Toast until golden,
2 tablespoons olive oil about 2 minutes, then remove from heat and place
1 cup bread crumbs in a wide-rimmed bowl.
1 cup fresh dill sprigs, plus a few extra for garnish
Zest and juice from one lemon Finely chop the dill and mix it into the bread
1/4 teaspoon sea salt crumbs. Add the lemon zest and juice and the sea
salt.
For the buttermilk mash: Now assemble the rolls. Once the cabbage leaves
3 russet potatoes and mushrooms have roasted, the onion rings are
2 sweet potatoes cooked, and the dill crumb topping has been made,
4 garlic cloves, minced prepare the cabbage rolls. Place a half-sheet of nori
2 tablespoons olive oil on a cabbage leaf and add a few mushroom slices
1 cup plain vegan yogurt (recommend Kite Hill and onion rings. Tuck in the sides of the nori and
plain almond yogurt) cabbage, and roll the leaf away from you, pressing
1 tablespoon sea salt firmly to create a tight roll. Repeat until all of the
Make the Cabbage Rolls: cabbage rolls have been prepared.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets
with parchment. Make the Mash:
Fill a medium-sized pot halfway with cold water.
Cut out the core of the cabbage and carefully
separate each leaf. Trim the tough veins by making a Peel the russet and sweet potatoes. Roughly cut
v-shaped cut but otherwise keeping the leaves them into bite-sized pieces, about 1-inch cubes,
whole. and place them in the cold water. Bring to a boil
over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, or until
In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt the potatoes are tender.
and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Brush the oil mixture
onto both sides of the cabbage leaves using a Preheat a small pan over low heat and sauté the
pastry brush or fingers and place on the first baking garlic in olive oil for about a minute, being careful
tray in a single layer. not to let it burn. Remove from the heat.

In the same mixing bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to whip the cooked
olive oil, the liquid smoke, and 1/2 teaspoon of sea potatoes, garlic, yogurt, and sea salt until fluffy.
salt, mixing well. Brush the oil mixture onto both Alternatively, use a masher to mash until smooth.
sides of the mushroom strips using a pastry brush
Assemble:
or fingers and place in single layer on the second
Top each cabbage roll with crispy dill crumbs,
baking tray.
garnish with dill sprigs, and serve warm with butter-
Place the two trays into the preheated oven and milk mash.
roast the cabbage leaves and mushrooms for 15
minutes. Remove the trays from the oven, flip the
vegetables, and return them to roast in the oven for
an additional 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are
golden and crispy.
51
CROWN
HEIGHTS
Tropical vegetables, spices and exotic fruit are
plentiful in the Caribbean and they contribute
to the unique flavors of Crown Heights, where
there is a huge Caribbean population. Savory
dishes are highly seasoned with hot pepper
sauces, coconut, garlic, green onions and
fresh pickled spices.

When you visit some of the food markets in

Crown Heights you will see black plantains,
cassava, sweet potatoes, breadfruit, okra,
christophenes, fibrous coconut, huge golden
pumpkins cut in half or smaller pieces, callaloo
leaves and bundles of hot chillis. Seeing all
the food being sold almost reminds me of
going to the market in the islands where
women are selling aromatic cinnamon bark,
little bags of allspice berries, fresh nutmegs in
their lattice of rouge mace, black peppercorn,
and cocoa sticks.

I chose these recipes because they bring

memories from my childhood in the
Caribbean and here in Brooklyn. Bread Avis Ambrose grew up in St Lucia until the age
Pudding because my sister and I used to buy it of 12 when she moved to Crown Heights. Her
at a Guyanese bakery in Crown Heights. It passion for cooking and baking was inspired by
was delicious -- dense, yet soft and rich with watching her grandmother make plantain and
rum soaked raisins. coconut patties. She attended Natural Gourmet
Cooking School, and has been working as a
Vegetable patties, well, what can I say. Patties
professional Private Chef ever since. In her
are a staple of Caribbean food and culture. I
spare time she works with HNWI clients
know people who grew up on beef patties and
around NYC and volunteers with the Brooklyn
I’ve used this recipe to make them believers.
vegan meetups. She also loves puppies,
You don’t need meat to get great flavor! The
weightlifting and walks through Brooklyn
crust is light and slightly sweet and buttery.
Parks. She has a ready-to-eat vegan meal
The filling is savory and supremely flavorful
delivery service and granola drop off and can
with hints of white pepper.
be contacted at [email protected]
Stroll along the streets of Crown Heights with
Follow Chef Avis
me, patty in hand. Instagram @peeled.and.chopped
53
Vegetable Patties
Makes 14 patties

My grandmother made patties that everyone, from Prepare the dough:

all across the island, would come to get. And when In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder,
people who immigrated to Canada, England or the sugar and salt and make a well in the center. Add oil
States returned for a visit, they would make sure to and water.
seek her out, so I guess they were pretty special. All
I knew as a little girl was that I loved them! And I Knead to form soft and sticky dough.
loved to watch her hands in the flour pounding the
dough and then rolling it out in circles, eye-balling Place dough on a heavily floured surface and knead
every spoonful of the filling. for about 5 to 7 mins. Continue to flour dough as
needed to facilitate kneading. The dough should be
soft, elastic and smooth. Wrap and set aside as you
For the dough: prepare the filling.
3 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar Prepare the filling:
1 teaspoon salt Submerge potatoes in water and bring to a gentle
1/4 cup grapeseed oil boil. Lower heat and cook under tender, about 12
1 cup warm water minutes. Drain and set aside.

For the filling: Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Saute
3/4 pound potatoes in 1/2 inch cubes onions, garlic and ginger with a little salt in oil for
1 medium onion, diced small about 3 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger Add cumin, hot sauce and paprika and continue
3 tablespoons cooking oil stirring about 2 mins.
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot sauce Add boiled potatoes, corn and peas. Slighty smash
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika the potatoes and peas then thoroughly mix until
1 cup frozen corn, thawed ingredients are fully combined. Add green onions,
1 cup frozen peas, thawed parsley, cilantro, curry powder, white and cayenne
1 green onion, diced pepper and a little water to prevent any burns. Cook
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for about 2 more minutes. Salt to taste. Remove
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro from heat and let filling cool completely.
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper Assemble:
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Preheat oven to to 350 F. Line two baking sheets
with parchment.

Divide the dough into 14 equally sized balls, about

the size of golfballs. Roll each ball out to form a
circle, using a lightly floured rolling pin; spoon a
generous 2 tablespoons or more filling in the center
of the circle. Lightly moisten the door edges with
water using your fingertip. Fold over twist with
fingers gently to seal the edges or seal by pressing
the edges with a fork.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until dough is puffed up.

55
 Bread Pudding
Makes one 9-inch pan

As a young girl living in Crown Heights, my sister

and I loved walking to the bakery to get bread
pudding. The bakery made it dense and sweet and
they had a few different varieties, but my sister and
I would both always get the cinnamon flavor.
Cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, simple ingredients
that create classic warm and delicious flavors. This
recipe is flexible, though. Some ideas: Replace the
raisins with dates. Use almonds or a different nut.
Add a 1/2 cup chocolate chips to any combination.
Serve a little warm with some vanilla ice cream and
fresh berries and a drizzle of caramel or agave. But
it tastes great cool, too!

1 cup raisins
Bourbon whiskey for soaking
4 cups day old bread cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups dairy free milk, plus extra if needed
1/2 cup coconut cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Optional to serve: vanilla ice cream, fresh berries

Place the raisins in a cereal bowl and cover with

whiskey. Let soak for an hour. Drain whiskey and
reserve it for a cocktail.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan and place

bread cubes in it.

In a mixing bowl, combine milk, coconut cream,

sugar, vanilla, spices and salt. Pour over the bread
cubes and stir to mix. Fold in the drained raisins and
walnuts. If it seems dry, add up to another 1/2 cup
of milk.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly brown. Let

cool a bit before slicing and serving.

56
SHEEPSHEAD
BAY
It is hard to pinpoint what Sheepshead Bay food is.
Growing up there I got to experience so many
wonderful tastes and cuisines it would be impossi-
ble to fit onto these small pages. So I’m going to
mention a bunch of stuff I didn’t give recipes for
because it seems important. Chinese restaurants
decked out polynesian style, with tiki drinks and
pupu platters. Roast beef sandwiches that also
dripped with cheese. And speaking of cheese,
cheese fries with ridges, shaped like coins. Did we
even know a shoestring fry in Sheepshead Bay?
I think not.

Fresh pita being baked, onion bagels, pizza and

marzipan would waft through the air on Avenue U
as I walked to public school on my own, because
basically when you turned 8 in South Brooklyn you
were a legal adult and always on your own. A little
closer to the boardwalk you could get knishes split
open and filled with caramelized onions and
mustard. Head the other way on Coney Island
Avenue for the best, spiciest Pakistani food. I
didn’t realize then and no one ever told me that
most people did not live this way, with access to
everything in the world for your mouth.

But I chose these recipes for the simple reason

that Sheepshead Bay is, as I tell people from near
and far, a little fishing village. That stretch of
Emmons Avenue along the water that constitutes
“The Bay” is known near and far for clams. In the
80s it was lined with restaurants and flea markets, Chef Isa is the owner of Modern Love Brooklyn
people everywhere with some sort of food in their and Modern Love Omaha, which she helps with
hand, whether sitting on the wooden bridge with from afar these days. She is the author of all
their legs dangling over, or dressed up fancy on the your vegan cookbooks including I Can Cook
patio of an Italian restaurant. Vegan, Isa Does It and Superfun Times Vegan
Holiday Cookbook. She talks about herself A
I will be 1000% honest with you. In order to get
LOT in this zine so you get the idea. She loves
me to eat seafood it had to be cooked to oblivion
farm sanctuaries, cat rescue and Great British
and not resemble seafood at all. If there was a
claw, I was out, bye. But breaded, fried things, Baking Show, and makes sure to get all her
pastas, dishes with just a hint of the sea and so steps every day.
much garlic and fresh lemon and golden crispness,
that’s what I enjoyed. So while the grown ups Follow Chef Isa
sucked down oysters (bleh) I was plenty happy theppk.com
with my carby, toasty choices. And now I offer Instagram @isachandra
them unto you.
59
 Spicy Clam Linguine
Serves 4

A spicy, garlicky, lemony pasta with chewy bits and Roast the potatoes:
whole clams scattered on top. That’s how I remember Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with
this dish. But what if the clam shells on top parchment paper. Place potatoes in a mixing bowl
were...edible? The part of my brain that processes and submerge in cold water to rinse off the starch.
vegan versions of things started to tingle. Potatoes. Let them soak for a minute or so. Drain completely
Sliced into ovals. Crispy like clam shells but and dry with paper towels as best you can.
thoroughly edible and the biggest selling
point...potatoes! On pasta! Carbs on carbs, nothing is Drizzle the baking sheet olive oil and salt. Place the
better. To recreate the chewy parts in the pasta I potatoes on baking sheet and toss around to get
used the classic trick of shiitake mushrooms equals coated in the oil, then place them into a single layer.
any seafood. And the addition of lentils lends texture Bake for 30 minutes, flipping once, until browned and
while soaking in flavor. Try to get potatoes that are crispy. In the meantime, prepare everything else.
between 2 and 3 inches long so that they resemble
clamshells. Any bigger and you will want to halve Make everything else:
them before thinly slicing. When arranging them to Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot.
serve, you can even put two together and have them Boil pasta according to package directions, drain and
sticking out like an open clamshell. Too cute! set aside. In the meantime, prepare everything else.

For the potato clam shells: Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1
3/4 pound yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch tablespoon of the oil and sear the mushrooms for
thick lengthwise about 5 minutes, sprinkling them with a little salt, and
3 tablespoons olive oil tossing frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.
1/2 teaspoon salt
Saute the sliced garlic in the remaining oil and cook
For the rest: for about 1 minute until lightly browned. Add the
1/2 lb linguine onion and a pinch of salt and toss to coat. Cook until
onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
12 oz shiitake mushroom, stems trimmed, sliced in Add minced garlic and saute for about 3 seconds
half more. Then add the nutritional yeast and toss to coat,
1/4 cup sliced garlic lightly toasting it, too bring out the flavor. About a
1 onion, thinly sliced minute.
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast Add the tomatoes and toss around, letting them
1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes break down a bit for about 2 minutes. Add bay leaves,
2 bay leaves fresh thyme, red pepper flakes, kelp powder, salt and
2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme oregano. Stream in the wine and toss everything
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you’re spicy) around to deglaze the pan. Raise the heat and add a
1/2 teaspoon kelp powder generous amount of fresh black pepper while wine
1/2 teaspoon salt reduces and tomatoes break down a bit, about 3
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano minutes.
1 cup dry white wine
Generous amount fresh black pepper Lower heat back down to medium and add vegetable
1 cup veggie broth broth and lentils to heat through. Add the lemon and
3/4 cup cooked brown lentils parsley and mix well. Add mushrooms back in along
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice with the linguine and let cook for about 3 minutes.
1/4 cup very finely chopped parsley, plus
additional for garnish Place on a serving platter family style and stick the
potatoes strategically into the pasta swirls so that
they resemble clam shells. Sprinkle with a little
additional parsley and serve with plenty of lemon and
more red pepper flakes.
60
 Delicata Baked Clams
Makes 8 clams

This filling - herby and meaty and just a little fishy - Roast the squash:
tastes exactly like the baked clams I remember Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with
wolfing down on the waterfront with a cappuccino as parchment paper.
a child. Why were children drinking cappuccinos at
10:30pm in the 80s? And espresso with seafood? Slice ends off squash so that you have 2 cups that are
Nothing about that seems right. But some things just about 2 1/2 inches high. Reserve the leftover middle
make sense. Like using a delicata instead of an actual of the squash for another day.
clam. This idea came to me when I grew delicatas in
my garden and realized they have a slight oceanic Scoop out seeds and stringy pieces with a tablespoon
taste to them plus they really look like clams in the so that you have 8 squash cups. Drizzle with about 2
cutest way. Sure, you can call them stuffed delicatas, tablespoons olive oil and a little salt. Bake cut side up
but where’s the fun in that? The stuffing has a little for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned and
seitan for meatiness and instead of breadcrumbs, cooked through but still firm.
toasted bread makes the filling light and airy.
While the squash is roasting you can also toast the
For the squash: bread. Place on a baking sheet and toast for about 3
4 delicata squash minutes a side. Remove from oven, let cool and cut
1/4 cup olive oil, divided (plus a little extra) into 1/4 inch pieces.
6 pieces big sliced white
When squash is done roasting, let cool a bit. Keep
For the filling: oven preheated to bake the stuffed squash in a bit.
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped Prepare the filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil (plus a little extra) Preheat a large heavy bottom pan over medium heat.
1 1/2 cups finely chopped seitan Saute celery and onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil with
4 cloves garlic, minced a pinch of salt, until onion is translucent, about 5
1/4 teaspoon salt minutes.
Fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon kelp powder Add seitan and cook another 5 minutes, until lightly
1 cup parsley, finely chopped, plus additional browned. Push everything off the side and add
for garnish minced garlic. Drizzle a little oil on the garlic and toss
3/4 to 1 cup vegetable broth to coat, then incorporate with the rest of the ingredi-
Lemon for garnish and squeezing ents. Add the salt, pepper, kelp powder and chopped
parsley and toss to coat.

Add handfuls of bread cubes to the pan, mixing to

incorporate. Drizzle in 3/4 cup broth and mix well. If
it seems dry add an additional 1/4 cup. Let cook for
about 5 minutes to absorb moisture.

Stuff and bake squash:

Fill each baked squash cup overflowing with filling
and place back on baking sheet. Drizzle tops with a
little olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle
with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

62
 This project could not have happened
without the help of these awesome people!

Thank
Paloma Serra, who wrangled folks together and
assisted from home at first, then took over
duties at the restaurant so I could get this done.
Jason Steady, who created layouts and doodles
at lightning speed, and didn’t even fight with
me even once!
Morgan Newman for helping with all the

You!
technical stuff all the time in the middle of the
night or the middle of the afternoon no matter
what else was going on OMG.
Kate Lewis, who took most of the lovely
photography throughout and made sure the
recipes were legit. Instagram @_kate_lewis
Llovani, who contributed SO MUCH that I had
to cut about half of it, but who was always there
from afar, scouring LA for every ingredient we
needed, even during the worst of times.
Erica Rose Levine, who created much of the
beautiful art, and never, not once, got
frustrated. Not even at drawing a duck.
Miyun Park, who contributed her copy editing
skills, spell check acumen and peace and
prosperity.
Josh Stern, who made sure we could actually
print this thing in a professional way and not
with scotch tape and a typewriter. Which
would have been nice, too.
Sara Kubersky, for fighting to get this
restaurant open, the zine done, and generally
having a can do attitude when I’m like meh.
Michael Kubersky, for hooking up the printers
and hooking us up with community leaders to
help feed everyone.
Joel Capolongo, for heading up the Community
Meals project and helping to get us back up and
running.
Chef Aida and Chef Javi for holding things down
at the restaurant as we continue to reopen.
Chef Liam for holding it down in Omaha and
being awesome.
James Walmsley, ex-best friend, hipster,
business partner, whose name just deserves to
be mentioned wherever names are mentioned.
Joshua Katcher for the lovely back cover.