Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Smoky potatoes and squash rancheros

 Howdy, and happy Thanksgiving to those living in Canada's dirty beard! Maybe you will actually be spending time with loved ones, and not checking the innernerds?!? What's up with that? 

Anyhow, here are a few noms I made recently.  I can't say I followed a recipe for either, but they were both inspired by blog posts/actual recipes.  First, these smoky potato wedges from Vegan Crunk.  She doesn't give the recipe from the cookbook it came from, The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions. I'll be damned if I'll buy yet another cookbook from which I use a total of two recipes, but I wanted smoky wedges so I decided to wing it!  I tossed potato wedges in smoked paprika, potato starch, olive oil, and salt, and baked until crisp.  They were really good. 

Now, this next thing was really special albeit something I might be inclined to overlook. Beans and squash--deceptively simple! But I promise you this is really wonderful!! It was based on this recipe from the PPK.  I'm sure it'd be great if you just followed the recipe, but I used way more coriander and cumin, and substituted a chipotle in adobo + tomato paste in lieu of the jalapeno.



Holy crap, this was so good!!!  Make it now! Or after your Thanksgiving coma!!


9 comments:

  1. I was also pretty interested in those crispy looking potato wedges! I actually almost made them the other day but I had to boil a potato for a recipe instead. Yours look great.
    Beans and squash never sound bad...glad you thought these were of note.

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  2. Excellent post! The idea of tossing Potato Wedges with Potato Starch is great. The Bean Soup looks thick and hearty with the wooden spoon and steam rising off it. The little cowboy boots pair perfectly with the rustic soup. Kudos!

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  3. This meal is so right up my personal alley! Those chips! Ho-lee, they look absolutely marvelous. And beans and squash! Coincidentally I had the same thing sort of thing tonight, but more Middle-Eastern, with chickpeas and kabocha and harissa, and it was good but yours sounds even better (wiping drool from face). I usually double the spices in recipes, especially if I'm veganizing...

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  4. Yum, good-looking food. I guess it was the potato starch that made the potatoes look so good? I will try that.

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  5. Awwww, you guys are so nice!

    Maud, I highly recommend both these dishes. WRT the taters, they were baked, but I don't know if coating them in potato starch negated whatever health benefits ensued from baking instead of frying.

    Thank you, Shen! That's some high praise!

    Zoa, I just habitually triple spice amounts in recipes (one teaspoon cumin?!?! Are you joking?!?!), and I can't recall a time in recent history when I've regretted doing so, although I sometimes wonder if I've blasted my poor taste buds with so much spice that I can't appreciate more subtle dishes anymore. Is that possible?

    Hey Jenny, I think the starch helped make them really crispy and texturally appealing--the smoked paprika helped them look golden, not to mention cranking the broiler at the very end. Vegan Crunk used corn starch in her version, so you could probably try that if you don't have potato starch.

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  6. Can I eat those there potato wedges for breakfast? And there are those kick ass boots again.Those boots are made for blogging. Great post!

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  7. GiGi, those boots *are* made for bloggin', and that's just what they'll do!

    You're right, those potatoes would be awesome for breakfast. Next time!

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  8. Never thought about tossing potato wedges in potato starch. My husband is always complaining about the potatoes not being crispy. I'll try the starch thing the next time.
    I saw that soup on PPK and it's on my to make list very soon. Yours looks awesome.

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  9. Michelle, I think starch + high heat + olive oil = crispy. Give it a whirl!

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