Vegan Egging?

Theophan

I'm in a rather odd Church (Eastern Orthodox) and we "fast" from meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy at various times that winds up being nearly half the year. So for example, pretty much all of June there'll be no more pork, chicken, etc.. I've never tried to grill, say, marinated tofu, but I see recipes for such things on the web. Is anyone here experienced in cooking vegan "main dish" items (veggies like zucchini, tomatoes, onions, etc., are delicious but don't have a lot of protein, for example) in the Egg?

Thanks!

Theo

vidalia1

Portabellos stuffed with cheese & or vegys are delicious and nutritious...lots of recipes for those.

vidalia1

Lots of vegy recipes here

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_recipes&Itemid=68&func=viewcategory&catid=232

Boilermaker Ben

I haven't tried it yet, but fire-roasted ratatouille sounds good to me. I'm looking forward to our first year of fresh garden produce, and ratatouille will be on the menu at some point, I'm sure.

Hungry Celeste

In a word, yes. Lots of non-animal-centric grilling on my Egg, anyway. Have you tried cheese-less pizza? It's typical in Italy to find pizza marinara (sans cheese), topped with sauteed (or not) bitter greens or mushrooms or other seasonal produce. Egged pizzas rock. Or, if your fast doesn't eliminate cheese, you can make all sorts of American style pies without encountering meat or poultry or eggs.

Or, if you prefer to cook low & slow, break out the cast-iron dutch oven and put on a pot of beans. This works well in combination with a hot, fast cook: the coals are already going, why not use the live fire to continue cooking? Traditional BBQ flavored baked beans are great, but don't over look things like black-bean vegetarian chili, NOLA-style red beans, and slow-cooked dried limas or white beans.

The aforementioned grilled whole portobellos make wonderful sandwiches on burger buns, and you can even bake the burger buns on the Egg...AND use a high-protein flour (check out King Arthur flour online) to make the meal more nutritionally complete. Pizzas and baking (breads, pies, cookies) allow you to continue to "play" with your Egg while avoiding animal foods.

Cpt'n Cook

Here's some Tofu and Artichokes we did for a couple of vegans we know, they loved them.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

grilled veggies are a staple here. i have a nine year old who hops up and down in his chair expectantly as i bring grilled summer squash, zukes, eggplant, etc. to the table.

just plank them, skin-on, a little salt, oil, and pepper to finish.

have also raosted pumpkin (or squash) with a little smoke, then made a soup from it (chilled for summer, hot for anytime else)

veggies love the BGE. and they tastes fantastic with a little smoke, even if none is added, the lump will give it a slight tinge.

misfit

Sounds like you need to adapt what you are already cooking on the stovetop or oven to the Egg. If it is a protein issue, than beans are your friend. Mmmm, black beans and rice...

Boilermaker Ben

Just re-read your post...gotta say, I've never heard someone call their OWN church odd. :laugh:

It explains your forum handle, though. I like it.

gdenby

I've made several kinds stuffed squash, using a filling with lentils, crushed nuts and various veg and herbs, and a few splashes of tamari. Rather heavy for summertime eating, but great in cooler weather. You could make the filling from anything high in protein, such as quinoa. Essentially, the squash just acts as a pot to steam the food in.

One of our summertime standards is roast corn with oil and BBQ rub.

Clay Q

Get a wok and a spider ring, then stir fry up vege's in the egg. Fast, flavorful and fun!
Make some rice pilaf. Drizzle on olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Also grape leaves stuffed with rice, herbs and pine nuts.
Marinating always increases flavor dimensions. Lemon juice is your friend along with olive oil and spices. Pan fry falafel patties in the egg with cast iron pan and make pita bread samitches. Meatless egg plant moussaka, casserole...can feed you all week, hot or cold
... and everybody knows the egg makes the best moussaka...ever.
Enjoy!

Theophan

WOW -- LOTS of wonderful and helpful replies -- thanks!

A response or two and another question, if I may.

First, regarding, "...gotta say, I've never heard someone call their OWN church odd," ... I LOVE it, it's the most wonderful thing in the world, but yeah, I figure I might was well just admit it up front -- we're a little odd! Just the "fasting" thing is weird in our world today, and there are lots of other ancient practices (no pews, no instruments, just for a couple). Most people are either vegetarians or they eat meat, so I figured it might seem a little odd: why's this guy who loves meat asking about not just vegetarian but VEGAN recipes (not even cheese is allowed), I might as well just admit it -- we're a little odd. :laugh:

Second, WOW those artichokes and tofu looked great! Are you willing to offer recipes?

Third, as a newbie I've been puzzled by all of the cooking in the Egg with woks, skillets, etc., so I guess I might as well ask: How is cooking in a wok or a skillet any different in the Egg than over the stove? Does it really give it a different flavor? I assume you have to leave the Egg open while using a wok or a skillet, so again, as a newbie only guessing, I'd have thought there wouldn't be much of a chance for the Egg to influence the flavor. I do eat a whole lotta beans and rice during "fasts" (we don't stop eating; we just stop eating meat, fish, poultry, cheese, etc.), but I wouldn't have thought a pot of beans on the stove would be any different than a pot of beans over a fire, but I gather I'm wrong. What's different on the Egg?

MANY thanks to all who so generously and helpfully replied!

Theo

Unknown

'punkin soup is great the way you suggest . . . with a little smoke! Awesome flavor!

Hungry Celeste

With beans cooking in a closed vessel, you truly don't get results any different than on a stove. Except you're not heating up the inside of the house, which is a nice thing when you live in the sub-tropics. I do use my egg as a stove/oven replacement in the hottest months of the year.

For certain kinds of baking, the Egg is superior to a home oven. First, it gets way hotter than a home oven (most max out at 550 or so), and second, it mimics the intense, dry heat of a wood-fired oven. Thus, you can get superior hearth breads, flatbreads, and pizzas out of an Egg.

One more recipe suggestion: breadcrumb/garlic/herb stuffed vegetables. You can do hollowed-out zucchini, artichokes, green peppers, portobellos, etc.

Oh, and regarding Eastern Orthodox: the local congregation has a wonderful food festival twice a year on Palm Sunday and just before Thanksgiving...I eat my fill of great pastries, lentil soup, and all kinds of goodies. Those church ladies (and the priest, too) really know how to cook.

Theophan

With beans cooking in a closed vessel, you truly don't get results any different than on a stove... For certain kinds of baking, the Egg is superior to a home oven. First, it gets way hotter than a home oven ... and second, it mimics the intense, dry heat of a wood-fired oven.

Ah, OK -- that's helpful. Thanks! It makes sense.

One more recipe suggestion: breadcrumb/garlic/herb stuffed vegetables. You can do hollowed-out zucchini, artichokes, green peppers, portobellos, etc.

I've never done any of that, but I have to say, I can picture that being really good on an Egg. I'll definitely look for some recipes. Thanks!

Oh, and regarding Eastern Orthodox: the local congregation has a wonderful food festival twice a year on Palm Sunday and just before Thanksgiving...I eat my fill of great pastries, lentil soup, and all kinds of goodies. Those church ladies (and the priest, too) really know how to cook.

The Greek Orthodox are especially famous for those, but sometimes Russian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Antiochian (Middle Eastern) parishes also can put out a great spread. I've never met an ethnic food I didn't like! :laugh:

Speaking of which, my wife, who's a good Southern cook, many years ago made what we think of as a classic Summer meal, with sliced ham, biscuits, deviled eggs, potato salad, sliced tomatoes, some other things, and there were several friends from various parts of Latin America enjoying the feast. One of them came up to my wife and was very complimentary, praising it all and thanking her, but he said gently that perhaps the potato salad was a little "too ethnic" for him! We've been laughing about that for years! Fun having the tables turned -- we never would have thought of classic American potato salad as an "ethnic" food that might take some folks a little getting used to.

Thanks again to you and all who responded so helpfully!

Theophan