Twenty years ago when Martha Rose Shulman was trying to sell her book “The Vegetarian Feast,” publisher after publisher turned her down. saying, “We already have a vegetarian cookbook.”
“Finally it landed on a desk where they didn’t have a vegetarian cookbook,” says the veteran author. Her book has been in print ever since, and this year Harper- Perennial books has issued an updated version that is selling very well.
That’s an accomplishment, since the market now is flooded with dozens of competitors.
“Vegetarian is definitely the trend in new cookbooks.” says Patricia Adrian, director of HomeStyle Books, a division of Book-of-the-Month Club.
“Today’s vegetarians are different from 20 years ago, when they were much more political,” she says. “Now they choose plant foods as much for taste and health reasons, and the books about vegetables are much less didactic.”
Elaine Rose’s Cook’s Library, a Los Angeles cookbook store, has more than 200 vegetarian titles, more than 5 percent of the total inventory
“There are more this year than last and more last year than the year before,” Rose says. They’re pushing other titles off the shelf.
Bookstores already have access to more than 250 vegetarian cookbook titles, and dozens are due later this year and into 1996 publishers say.
“Vegetarian cookbooks are multiplying faster than zucchini,” says public relations agent Lisa Ekus, who promotes cookbooks of all kinds.
“There always were a few vegetarian titles, but in the last couple years, mainstream food writers have started writing about vegetables,” Ekus says. “I call it ‘turning over a new leaf,’ if you’ll excuse the pun.”
To Steven Raichlen, whose latest book, “High-Flavor, Low-Fat Vegetarian Cooking” , is one of the best of the latest crop of vegetarian cookbooks, the taste for plant foods is more than a trend.
“It’s a movement based on concerns for health and the environment and safety,” Raichlen says.
“Twenty years ago it was ideo-vegetarianism–the Stalinism of cuisine. It didn’t taste good, it didn’t look good and it turned me off to vegetarianism for 20 years,” he says.
“But today there’s a profound sense of flavor and appearance among vegetable lovers led by chefs like Charlie Trotter and Jean-Louis Palladin , who realize the plant kingdom has breadth and depth. There are so many more shapes, tastes, textures and aromas in plants than in meat,” he says.
Adrian believes that the best-selling vegetarian books “are going to people who are not total vegetarians”–books such as Karen Lee’s “The Occasional Vegetarian” or “The Almost Vegetarian” by Diana Shaw.
“Meat used to be the center of the plate. Then came the era of pastas and stir-fries, in which meat was just another player. Now vegetables have begun taking over as the main course, with meat eliminated or reduced to bit part, “Adrian says.
“That’s why so many veg books are coming out: People know how to do an individual dish but they don’t know how to do a whole meal. The books tell you how to balance for color, texture and taste as well as for carbohydrates and protein,” she says.
Another aspect of modern tastes has fueled the drift toward plant-centered diets: America’s increasingly catholic taste. No longer content with just Italian, French or even Mediterranean food, we routinely partake of Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Thai Caribbean, Indian and Eastern European cuismes And not just the sanitized American versions: We seek true ethnic flavors.
“In ‘The Vegetarian Feast’ I looked to Asia, the Mediterranean and Latin America for inspiration,” Shulman says, “but we didn’t know as much then and didn’t have the ingredient availability we have today”
Ingredients seem to play a leading role in the increased popularity of vegetalianism, Ekus says “For example, kasha (buck- wheat-like grain), is something you might encounter in a restaurant. But when you start seeing it pop up in magazines and newspapers, you start getting interested in how to make it.”
The same happens with all kinds of fruits and vegetables — and there are a growing number of types and varieties available.
One of the earliest books to address this need for information was “Uncommon Fruits and Vegetables” by Elizabeth Schneider, a practical reference guide to vegetables and fruits not often found in supermarkets. At least that was true when the book first was published in 1986. Now many of the entries once considered exotic are found in supermarket produce departments.
Says Raichlen: “Ten years ago the only mushrooms you could get in the supermarket were white button mushrooms. Now even the average supermarket has portabel- las, crirnini and rnaybe a couple other kinds of wild mushrooms.
“You used to flnd only green bell peppers; now there are peppers of every hue–purple, white, orange, yellow. There are at least a dozen kinds of-salad greens. And beans are l)lack, brown, scarlet, spotted, flecked. It’s been a tremendous growth.
“That’s why there are so many vegetari- all cookbooks.”
And it isn’t about to stop there. Vegetarian Times, the Oak Park-based magazine of the movement, estimates there are 14 million vegetarians in the US.
“Eventually about 80 percent of what people eat will be plant-based,” Raichlen says. “This is a cuisine with internal logic. Today’s vegetarian movement is the tip of the iceberg. It hit high-end restaurants, now cookbook authors are recognizing it. Food processors will be the next to address it.
PICK OF THE CROP
While a few are esoteric and focus on particular diets or vegetanan staples such as tofu, tempeh and miso, most of today’s vegetanan books will appeal to vegetanans as well as those who are slmply cunous about meat-free dining.
Following is a sample of the recent vegetanan cookbook crop and one or two classics:
“The Good Herb” by Judith Benn Hurley: Common and exotic herbs and their way into creative dishes and the author also provides a wealth of facts and lore about them.
“500 Low-Fat Fluit and Vegetable Recipes” by Sarah Schlesinger: Although it contains some recipes using meat, there are lots of vegetanan ideas for home fare.
“The Almost Vegetarian” by Diana Shaw: This should please those who want to put more vegetables into their daily diet but who aren’t ready to abandon meat.
“Earthly Delights” by Vikki Leng: From Australia, this beautifully photographed volume shows that the United States does not have a corner on new vegetarian cuisine.
“The Enchanted Broccoli Forest” by Mollie Katzen: The author of The Moosewood Cookbook,” a classic vegetanan tome, Katzen now delivers this shorter sequel with streamlined recipes that are lower in fat. The text is homey but hand-lettered and hard to read.
“The Vegetarian Table: Mexico” by Victona Wise: Today’s Mexican cuisine lends itself easily to vegetarian eating without heavy reliance on fat.
“Pasta Verdi by Judith Barrett: Pasta is perfect for featuring a forest of vegetables from raw to sauced. Also included are salads, soups and casseroles.
“Fresh From a Vegetarian Kitchen” by Meredith McCarty: A natural-foods chef and teacher creates 450 recipes using fresh fruits, vegetables and grains with no eggs or dairy products.
“High-Flavor, Low-Fat Vegetarian Cooking” by Steven Raichlen: Not a strict vegetanan, Raichlen nevertheless brings flavor to low-fat meals by fusing foods of many cultures.
“Sam Okamoto’s Incredible Vegetables” by Osamu Okamoto: Trained in French cuisine, Vancouver chef Okamoto borrows from his Asian roots to help provide healthful dishes
“New Vegetarian Cuisine” by Linda Rosensweig and the editors of Preventon: 250 easy-to-make recipes use modern flavors and techniques.
“The Vegetarian Feast” by by Martha Rose Shulman: Originally published in 1979 and a classic ever since, this book has been carefully updated for the ‘9Os with 50 new recipes.
“Vegetarian Cooking Made Simple” by Susan Lapp : This self-published volume tells how one woman changed to a vegetarian lifestyle and offers recipes that help her relish living without meat, eggs or cheese
“The Bold Vegetarian” by Bharti Kirchner: Although steeped in Indian cuisine, Kirchner has no qualms about fusing vegetable dishes from many countries, including Vietnam, Portugal, Italy, France and Turkey.
“Main-Course Vegetarian Pleasures” by Jeanne Lemlin: From Szechwan cabbage to couscous Provencal, these recipes help solve the problem of how a vegetable dish can fill the center of the plate.
“Uncommon Fruits and Vegetables” by Elizabeth Schneider: First published in 1986, this common-sense guide to lesser-known fruits and vegetables with recipes continues to be an indispensable reference for the senous vegetarian.
“Vegetarian Express” by Nava Atlas and Lillian Kayte: Often using frozen and canned products, the authors show how to make easy vegetarian menus in less than a half-hour.
“The Occasional Vegetarian” by Karen Lee: A caterer and cooking teacher shows how vegetable-based dishes can be just as hearty as those centered on meats.
And coming in the fall:
“All-American Vegetarian” by Chicago cookbook author Barbara Grunes and former newspaper food wnter Virginia Van Vynckt: The authors offer low-fat vegetanan recipes and menus from regions across the U.S.
“Lean Italian Meatless Meals’ by Anne Casale, due in September: Pasta, pizza, polenta and pilaf provide natural vehicles for vegetables, while desserts and cookes have their own fruity personalities.
MISO BEAN SOUP
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
This recipe is adapted from “New Vegetarian Cuisine.” Miso also is known as bean paste and is a staple in Japanese cooking; don’t allow the soup to boil after adding the miso because it might turn bitter. If miso is not available, try other options, such as 1 teaspoon bean paste with garlic or even a touch of soy sauce. Tempeh is a high-protein cake made from soybeans. Look for it in the freezer section of health food stores or substitute tofu.
3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
3 cups water
1 cup cubed tempeh
1 tablespoon miso
1 cup each: cut (1-inch pieces) green beans, coarsely chopped spinach, thinly sliced sweet red peppers
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
1. Heat the stock and water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tempeh; cook 2 minutes.
2. Ladle out about 1/4 cup of the liquid and place in a cup. Add the miso and mix well to dissolve it. Set aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the beans, and cook about 2 minutes. Add spinach, peppers and ginger. Cook until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Just before serving, add the miso mixture. Simmer 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with the sesame seeds.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories…..150 Fat……………6 g Protein……..41 g
Sodium….320 mg Cholesterol……0 mg Carbohydrates..56 g
CHICK-PEA AND BULGUR GRATIN WITH GARLICKY TOMATO SAUCE
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 to 15 minutes
Marinating time: 20 to 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
In Martha Rose Shulman’s original version of “The Vegetarian Feast,” this recipe was made with soybeans and served to a conference on world hunger. But other beans are infinitely more tasty, Shulman found. A model of protein complementarity, this dish can be made a day in advance and refrigerated before baking.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
3 pounds (12 medium) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced
Pinch of sugar
Salt, freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or more to taste)
1 pound (2 large or 3 small) zucchini, sliced about 1/4-inch thick
2 cups boiling hot water or vegetable broth
1 cup medium bulgur
2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons fresh or dry bread crumbs
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2- or 3-quart gratin or baking dish.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed non-stick skillet over medium heat and add onion. Cook, stirring, until it is translucent and tender, about 5 minutes, and add half the garlic. Stir together for a minute, then add tomatoes, remaining garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oregano or thyme. Stir together and cook uncovered, stirring often, until sauce is thick and fragrant, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the basil, remove from heat, taste and adjust salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, steam zucchini on a steamer set set over boiling water in a covered pan until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour the 2 cups boiling water over the bulgur in a medium bowl and let stand until tender but not mushy, 10 to 15 minutes; drain off any excess soaking water.
4. Mix bulgur and chickpeas with 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce and spread over the bottom of prepared baking dish. Top with zucchini. Spread remaining tomato sauce over zucchini. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with bread crumbs, and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
5. Bake until top is just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories…..310 Fat……………9 g Cholesterol…..3 mg
Sodium….130 mg Carbohydrates….50 g Protein………13 g
ZUCCHINI, SQUASH AND TOMATO PIZZA WITH FRIED GARLIC
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Steven Raichlen says not to be too concerned about the oil used for frying the garlic in this recipe from his book “High-Flavor, Low-Fat Vegetarian Cooking.” Most of it is discarded. The garlic provides so much flavor, you don’t even need cheese. Use whatever tomato sauce you prefer.
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips
2 yellow squashes, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips
Salt, freshly ground black pepper
1 batch of Basic Pizza dough, recipe follows
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 cup tomato sauce
3 plum tomatoes, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, optional
1. Heat the oil in a small skillet. Fry the garlic over medium heat for 1 minute or until golden brown. Strain the garlic in a mesh strainer set over a bowl, reserving the oil. Blot the garlic pieces dry on a paper towel.
2. Heat the barbecue grill or broiler to high heat. Lightly brush the zucchini and squash strips with garlic oil (you’ll need only 1 to 2 teaspoons) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill these vegetables over high heat until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and let cool.
3. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Roll out the pizza dough, pleating the edges to form a 9 by 13-inch rectangle. Place on a baking pan sprinkled with cornmeal. Spread the tomato sauce on top of the dough. Arrange the zucchini, squash and tomato slices in rows, alternating colors. Sprinkle the pizza with the rosemary (if using), the fried garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Bake the pizza until nicely browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.
Nutrition information per serving
Calories…..360 Fat……………8 g Cholestrol…..1
Sodium….930 mg Carbohydrates….63 g Protein…….11
BASIC PIZZA DOUGH
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Rising time: About 31/2 hours
Yield: 1 pizza shell
Adapted from Steven Raichlen’s “High-flavor, Low-fat Vegetarian Cooking.” You can get away with two risings if you’re in a hurry, he says.
1 teaspoon dried active yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon warm water
1/4 cup cake flour
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup skim milk
1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy; 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Combine flours and salt in a large bowl and whisk well. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and milk. Gradually blend the flour into the milk mixture; add flour or milk as necessary to obtain a soft, pliable dough.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work suface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let rise 30 minutes in a warm place (it won’t rise very much). Punch down the dough; let rise another 30 minutes. Repeat for a third 30-minute rising.
5. Punch down dough 1 final time. Roll into a ball. If time allows, place on a lightly floured work surface and cover. Let rise 2 hours or until doubled. Use as directed in pizza recipe.
