Creamy Cashew Veggie Pot Pie from lunchboxbunch.com

pot-pie-creamy-veggie 23sqsqsqVeggie Filling:

*note that the amounts of the veggies are easy to modify and switch out as needed. You just want about enough veggies to fill up your pot pie serving dish
3/4 cup petite peas, organic (frozen)
1 large carrot, diced
1 small potato, peeled/diced (I used a sweet white yam, but you could use a plain white Russett potato or even a sweet potato) – about 1 1/4 cups when chopped
1/2 cup chickpeas, drained/rinsed (canned)
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, diced

spices/oil for veggie saute:
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
a few dashes of black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
a few pinches of cayenne (optional)
(Any other dry spices/seasonings you would like to add)

Cashew Base:
1 cup vegetable broth
2 cups soaked raw cashews
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
2 Tbsp white miso paste (adds saltiness and subtle flavor)
additional salt if needed (if you do not use miso paste, you should add some salt)
a few pinches of cayenne (optional)

Crust:
1 cup white flour, organic
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil (use refined if you do not want any coconut flavor at all, unrefined will have some coconut flavor)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp lemon juice
4-6 Tbsp warm water
a squeeze of orange juice (brush top of pastry with it, or squeeze over top)

*note: if you use a casserole dish or something with a larger opening space than my dish, you will need more crust to cover, so you may need to double my recipe

My dish: measures 9½ inches in diameter; holds 3.88 quarts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Yes! At the start because this goes so fast!)

2. Add you cashews (about 1 1/2 cups before the are soaked) to a large bowl and cover with very hot water. The hottest setting on your tap. Add a pinch of salt and allow to sit while you do the veggie prep. (note: If you have time and plan ahead, soak the cashews for even longer – 4+ hours is great. This will help ease the blending process just a bit. This is advised if you are not using a high speed blender.)

3. Prep all your veggies. Set aside.

4. Add you potatoes to a deep skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cover with lid. Reduce heat a bit and allow to cook until a tested potato is tender, but not mushy. Drain the water and set potatoes aside with other veggies.

5. Drain your cashews and add 2 cups of the soaked cashews to your blender. If you have any extra cashews you can thrown them in as well or toss them in whole with your veggie mix. Add the veggie broth, miso, sauce spices and acid. Blend from low to high until smooth and creamy. This may take a minute or so. Set aside. (Adjust salt and seasonings if desired.)

6. In that same skillet, add your oil and when the oil is hot add in the carrots, beans and mushrooms. Saute for a few minutes until cooked down. Then add in the peas and potatoes and saute until peas thaw a bit. Over medium heat.

7. Pour the base sauce over top the veggie saute and toss until all the veggies are well coated. Turn heat to high and saute for another 1-2 minutes so that the flavor of the nutty sauce develops a bit.

8. Pour the heated veggie filling into your pot pie serving/baking dish. Set aside.

9. Quickly mix up your dry ingredients for your crust. Then using your hands, mash in the coconut oil. Then one tablespoon at a time, add in the water. Mixing with every new spoonful. Keep adding until your dough in kneadable yet still moist. When this occurs, knead a bit then roll out on a floured surface. This does not to be perfect at all! I very quickly pressed and rolled out my dough (as you can tell by the crumbly state after baking). Add to top of your serving dish and slice a few vent lines in top. Lastly, squeeze a bit or orange juice over top – or brush pastry lightly with it. It gives a subtle orange tint that beats an “egg wash” any day!

10. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve after about 20 minutes of cooling. Store in fridge and reheat as needed. Eat within 3 days. This dish probably freezes quite well, but I have not tested freezing yet.

Nutrition estimate based on 6 servings per recipe (per serving below)

Yellow Split Pea Dal, by Mollie Katzen

‘Dal’ in Indian cooking refers to porridge-like dishes made from dried legumes – usually split peas or lentils. Dal is often served in a thinned state as a soup, but equally often it will be a thick, hearty side dish. This is a thick dal, comprehensive and highly spiced enough to be the focus of a meal. Leftovers can be thinned with a little water and served as a soup. I serve this as an entrée, over brown rice.

kitchen witch 261
2 cup dried yellow split peas
2 thick slises fresh ginger, each about 2 inches long
4 large garlic cloves cut in half
8-10 cups water (plus more later if needed}
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp mustard seeds
2 teaspoons turmeric
1/2 tsp each ground coriander and cardamom
2 tsp ground cumin
2 c. minced onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
1/4 c. tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne (optional)
peas
cooked potato
red pepper slices
cilantro
kale
cooked carrots

Place split peas, ginger slices, garlic halves and water in a soup pot or Dutch oven Cover and heat to boiling point, then reduce heat and simmer very slowly, partially covered – stirring intermittently- until peas are quite soft for about 60-70 min.  Add more water as necessary.

Meanwhile, place a medium saucepan over med heat for a min, than add oil and swirl to coat pan. Add all of the spices and cook, stirring, for a min or until they become fragrant.  Add the onion, minced garlic, minced ginger and 1 tsp salt.and stir so the onion becomes coated with the spices.  Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, covered until the onion becomes very soft.  Stir in the lemon juice at the end.

Add this mixture to the simmering split peas, stir to combine. add extra veggies and cook until they are done.  fish out the ginger slices and serve with rice.

Serve with rice.

 

Best ever mushroom soup from pancakewarriors.com/

best-mushroom-soup-close 1 large white onion, diced
  • 1 package white button mushrooms (10 oz) sliced
  • 1 package baby portobello mushrooms (10 oz) sliced
  • 10 stalks fresh thyme, leaves removed
  • 1 cup organic vegetable broth
  • 1 tbs. tapioca flour
  • 1 cup almond or cashew milk (unsweetened)
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • ½ tbs. liquid aminos (GF) (or soy sauce)
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  1. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the diced onions. Allow to sweat while slicing the mushrooms. About 5-7 minutes.
  2. Move onions to the sides of the saucepan and add mushrooms, allow to cook 5 minutes uncovered.
  3. Stir the onions and mushrooms together. Add fresh thyme and allow to continue to cook, at least 10 minutes.
  4. You will notice a substantial amount of water has come out of the mushrooms, and they are reduced in volume by half.
  5. Add the bay leaf, the salt and the liquid aminos to the mushrooms.
  6. Stir the 1 tbs. of tapioca starch into the organic broth. Add to mushrooms and stir. Add almond milk.
  7. Allow to cook for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  8. This soup is amazing the next day as well and can easily be doubled.
  9. Add cashew cheese, Parmesan cheese or enjoy the soup just as it is

Nana’s pie crust

1 cup 2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp. ice water

put flour in a bowl, add salt mix lightly, pour in oil and mix with a fork about 30 stirs do not over mix.  Add ice water mix lightly, maybe 20 turns.  shape into a ball. roll between 2 pieces of wax paper dough sticks to wax paper * use parchment

This is our family’s favorite pie crust recipe! It can be used to make both sweet and savory recipes and is an absolute cinch to prepare! Let us know if you make it!

this is probably for a 9” pie, my pan is 10” and this is way short.  Next time double the recipe and use what is needed.  I used this for a tomato pie and it stood up very well the crust did not get soggy

1 1/2 times the recipe for a single crust

1 1/2 c. + 3 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp salt
7 1/2 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp ice water

Creamy Curried Kale and Chickpeas from fatfreevegan.com

Feel free to use othecreamed-kale-chickpeas-curry2r greens besides kale, whatever you have on-hand.

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ginger root, minced, or 1 tsp. powdered ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala (see below)
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 8 cups chopped kale, packed (1 10-ounce bunch, about 6 ounces after stems removed)
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup unsweetened soymilk or other non-dairy milk
  • 1/4 cup raw cashews
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
  • salt to taste
  1. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, 4-5 minutes, adding water by the tablespoon if needed to prevent sticking. Add the garlic, ginger, and cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining spices and cook for another minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the kale and vegetable broth. Cover and cook until the kale is bright green and tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. While the kale is cooking, put the milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, and tomato paste in the blender and puree until smooth. When the kale is done, add it to the blender and blend until smooth.
  4. Transfer blended mixture back to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Check seasonings and add more to taste. Stir in chickpeas and continue simmering about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste and serve over basmati rice.  Number of servings 6

 

Mushroom and Stout Potpies With Sweet Potato Crusts

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  • 6 tablespoons grape seed oil (or other neutral oil), plus more for greasing the ramekins
  • 4 large shallot lobes, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  • 2 medium leeks (white part only), chopped
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, plus extra thyme sprigs for garnish
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 pounds mixed mushrooms (such as cremini, portobello and shiitake), stemmed, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 tablespoons spelt flour or whole-wheat flour (may substitute all-purpose flour)
  • 2 cups stout or other dark, heavy beer
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or other soy sauce
  • 2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
  • 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 pound sweet potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease eight 8-ounce ramekins or the baking dishes of your choice (see headnote) with a little oil and set on a baking sheet.

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the leeks and all but 1 teaspoon of the thyme to the pot and cook for another 2 minutes, until the leeks are tender. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot all at once. Cook until the mushrooms are collapsed, tender and glistening, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms, stir and cook for about a minute, until the flour no longer tastes raw.

Pour the stout into the pot, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the vinegar and tamari. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is gently bubbling and cook until the liquid is reduced and as thick as gravy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the olives and chopped parsley. Season the mixture lightly with salt and pepper.

Divide the mushroom mixture among the ramekins. Layer the sweet potato slices on top, overlapping the rounds as you go, until there are 2 solid layers of sweet potatoes on each dish. Brush the sweet potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and sprinkle equally with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the 1 teaspoon of pepper and the remaining chopped thyme.

Cover the ramekins with heavy-duty aluminum foil and bake the potpies for 30 to 40 minutes or until the mushroom mixture is bubbling and the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove the foil, turn the oven to broil, and return the pot pies to the broiler for just a minute or two, until the sweet potatoes are nicely browned. (Watch carefully, so they don’t burn.) Garnish with the thyme sprigs. Serve hot.   8 servings

Adapted from a recipe by Laura Wright on TheFirstMess.com

The Best Baba Ganoush from http://www.seriouseats.com/

20140225-baba-ganoush-recipe-food-lab-vegan-primary-3-thumb-625xauto-385959 3 medium Italian eggplants (about 2 pounds total)
3 medium cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon, plus more as desired
3 tablespoons tahini
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Kosher salt

If using a gas burner or grill (recommended):
Preheat a gas or coal grill to medium heat and place eggplants directly over heat source. Cook, turning occasionally with tongs, until completely tender and well charred on all sides, 30 to 40 minutes. Wrap with foil and let rest 15 minutes.If using the broiler: Adjust rack to 6 inches below broiler element and preheat broiler to high. Place eggplant on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides and completely tender, about 1 hour. Eggplants should be very, very tender when cooked. Test near the stem and bottom ends. If a toothpick or skewer meets any resistance, continue cooking. (See note above.) Remove from oven and gather up foil, crimping it around the eggplants to form a sealed package. Let the eggplants rest for 15 minutes. Continue to step

Open foil package. Working one eggplant at a time, use a sharp paring knife to slit it open lengthwise. Carefully scoop out soft flesh with a large spoon and transfer to a strainer set in a large bowl. Once all eggplant is scooped, pick out any stray bits of skin and blackened flesh and discard.

Transfer eggplant to a salad spinner, distributing it evenly around the perimeter. Spin gently until all excess moisture is extracted. Discard all drippings, wipe out bowl. and return eggplant to bowl.

Add garlic and lemon juice to eggplant and stir vigorously with a fork until eggplant breaks down into a rough paste, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stirring constantly and vigorously, add the tahini followed by the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. The mixture should become pale and creamy. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and more lemon juice if desired.

Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with warm pita bread or vegetables for dipping. Baba ganoush can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Let baba ganoush warm to room temperature before serving.

The Best Vegan Dishes in DC restaurants

http://dcist.com/2014/08/best_vegan_dishes.php

There’s plenty of good vegetarian food in the District, and over the past two years, we’ve highlighted our favorite vegetarian-friendly and vegan restaurants in the D.C. area. But there are some vegan dishes that just stand out. They aren’t just good—they are the dishes we pine for, dream of, take our out-of-town friends to try and attempt to recreate at home. For this list, we’re focusing on the best and most memorable vegan dishes in the D.C. area, broken down by entree, small plate, hand-held (sandwiches and their friends) and desserts. Is your favorite vegan dish missing? Be sure to let us know your favorites in the comments.

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Pumpkin curry at Thai X-ing (via Thai X-ing’s website)

 

ENTREES

PUMPKIN CURRY AT THAI X-ING: Head to Thai X-ing on any Sunday or Tuesday night for Chef Taw Vigsittaboot’s authentic Thai vegetarian tasting menu. (Their website states most dishes are vegan, so let your server know if you don’t want to be served anything that isn’t.) The standout entree on both meat and vegetarian nights is the pumpkin curry. Made with sweet kabocha squash, fresh basil and red pepper, this red curry will leave you dreaming of your next visit to this quirky Shaw mainstay. —Lynne Venart

 Thai X-ing is located at 515 Florida Avenue NW.

V10 (PEPYAR NGAYOTE THEE HIN) AT MANDALAY: If you like your spice a wee bit painful, order the V10 at Silver Spring’s Mandalay and encourage your waiter to make you sweat. They will ask, “Are you sure? Very spicy?” and they will deliver the heat. The fire comes courtesy of the Asian hot pepper-infused onion and tomato curry that coats the fried tofu. Even when ordered very spicy, the flavors are still complex, with the sweet tomato and onion balancing the spice. I recommend also ordering the Baya Gyaw Thoke (Gram Fritter Salad) as a tasty and cooling respite, but be sure to specify vegan dressing. —Lynne Venart

Mandalay is located at 930 Bonifant Street in Silver Spring, Md.

VEGAN LINGUINE PUTTANESCA AT MAPLE: I love the homey atmosphere at Maple, and I keep going back for the Vegan Linguine Puttanesca. The capers and olives add a salty richness to the rough-chopped sweet tomatoes, and the olives bring a nice textural element without being overpowering. Honestly, I think I always end up gobbling this dish so fast—down to the last noodle and final dot of sauce on the plate—that I haven’t spent much time pondering it. All I can really say is YUM. And, unlike most restaurant pasta dishes, the linguine at Maple has no eggs, so the dish can be made vegan if you hold the anchovy and parmesan. — Lynne Venart, from our best pasta dishes list.

Maple is located at 3418 11th Street NW.

ALOO GOBI MASALA AT SALT AND PEPPER GRILL: Indian takeout is predictably good, but to me, nowhere in this city compares to Salt and Pepper Grill. The difference here is the obvious freshness of the vegetables and the adept use of spices. This is most apparent in the Aloo Gobi Masala. You can get this dish at almost any Indian or Pakistani restaurant, but at Salt and Pepper, it’s a whole new experience. The cauliflower and potatoes are cooked to perfection — soft and pillowy without being mushy — in a lightly spicy tomato and onion curry, and topped with fresh cilantro and sliced ginger. —Lynne Venart

 Salt and Pepper Grill is located at 2632 Georgia Avenue NW, and Salt and Pepper Grill II (only takeout and delivery) is located at 3925 14th Street NW.

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Piyaz at Zaytinya (via Zaytinya’s website)

 

SMALL PLATES

PIYAZ AT ZAYTINYA: This small plate at Zaytinya is legendary. I’m not the only one who can’t get enough of it, since more than one blogger has tried to recreate it, and the Washington Post has requested the recipe for its Plate Lab series (fingers crossed!). It sounds simple enough: warm giant beans, kale, tomato, garlic. The unnamed secret is the dill. The giant beans are soft, the kale is cooked down and the roasting of the tomatoes brings out their sweetness. The best part is dunking Zaytinya’s fresh pita into the bowl and scooping up the garlic, dill and olive oil sauce (Note that the pita contains butter, thanks commenters!). I need this recipe! —Lynne Venart

Zaytinya is located at 701 9th Street NW.

PLAI MOANA CHIEN AT DOI MOI: Doi Moi has a solid vegan menu, but my favorite is this Cambodian-style stir fried pineapple with ginger. At first glance of the menu, it didn’t sound like the most exciting option because of its simplicity, but boy was I wrong. The surprising star is the ginger, which is usually treated more as a spice to enhance other flavors in a dish. Here it is cut julienne in one to two inch strips, which allows the ginger to shine on its own and balance the sweetness of the pineapple. Red bell pepper and peanuts add some nice texture, and a cilantro garnish tops it off.
—Lynne Venart

Doi Moi is located at 1800 14th Street NW.

tempeh-from-busboys-fb.jpg
Tempeh panini at Busboys and Poets (via Busboys’ Facebook page)
HAND-HELD

TEMPEH PANINI AT BUSBOYS AND POETS: I always ponder getting something else at Busboys and Poets; they do have an extensive and tasty vegetarian menu. But I can’t stop going back for the tempeh panini. It’s reuben-esque, but not. This panini is its own thing—thinly sliced, grilled tempeh with vegan mayo, roasted red peppers and sautéed onions on toasted levain bread. A solid sandwich that never disappoints. —Lynne Venart

Busboys and Poets has four locations in the D.C. area: 14th and V streets NW, 5th and K streets NW, Shirlington and Hyattsville.

BREAKFAST BURRITO AT STICKY FINGERS: The best hangover food is usually greasy, sloppy, unhealthy, and way bigger than it has any right being. But I’d argue that, while a vegan breakfast burrito at Sticky Fingers doesn’t exactly sound like the best thing to cure a hangover, it’s actually a quintessential hangover fix. Let’s analyze: the wrap soaks up whatever alcohol is still sloshing around your stomach; the black beans, daiya cheese, and scrambled tofu acts as savory soldiers fighting of hangover hunger; but the key is the spinach, which pumps you up full of nutrients to make a full recovery rather than slipping into a day-long food coma. Trust me on this, Sticky Fingers’ breakfast burrito has saved me from many a wasted hangover days. —Matt Cohen

Sticky Fingers is located at 1370 Park Road NW.

 TOFU TACOS AT TAKOREAN: Based on my own anecdotal evidence, the tofu taco appears to be the least popular item on TaKorean’s small menu. This is a shame, because it’s actually better than their chicken and beef tacos. The tofu has been marinated and then caramelized on the grill, creating some deep, sweet-savory flavors. Be sure to order it with the kimchi slaw and a squirt of Sriracha to ensure that the taco stays 100 percent vegan (the napa slaw is made with fish sauce). Tofu may seem like a weird taco filling, but next time you see their truck around town, give soy a chance. —Alicia Mazzara, from our best tacos list

TaKorean is located in Union Market at 1309 5th St NE. Its food truck can be tracked on Twitter.

 FALAFEL AT AMSTERDAM FALAFELSHOP: The best part about getting a falafel pita at Amsterdam Falafelshop is that the quality of it is completely up to you. The crispiness of the falafel balls (don’t forget to crush your balls!) is just enough that they’re crunchy but not too hard. At the toppings bar, you can load up on whatever fixings—including loads of veggies and vegan items—you like, making each trip a potential new endeavor in the art of falafel eating. —Matt Cohen

Amsterdam Falafelshop is located at 2425 18th Street NW and 1830 14th Street NW.

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Three of the delicious cupcakes at Sticky Fingers (via Sticky Fingers’ Facebook page)
DESSERTS

RED VELVET CUPCAKE AT STICKY FINGERS: Any best vegan list in D.C. would be remiss not to mention the scrumptious and award-winning cupcakes at Sticky Fingers Bakery in Columbia Heights. My favorite is the red velvet, but you really can’t go wrong. Their offerings rotate, so if you’re set on a certain flavor, your best bet is to pre-order six.—Lynne Venart

Sticky Fingers is located at 1370 Park Road NW.

MANGO AND STICKY RICE AT THAI X-ING: Before trying the mango and sticky rice at Thai X-ing, it was always a dessert I could take or leave. Not anymore. The only problem with it is that they don’t serve it at every Sunday and Tuesday vegetarian dinner, so sometimes I leave frowning but full from the rest of the delicious meal. No matter how stuffed I am at the end of one of these feasts, I always have room for as much of the mango and sticky rice as my dining partners will allot me. So sweet, so juicy, so coconut-y. Sticky rice! Clearly, thinking of this dish renders me unable to form complete sentences.—Lynne Venart

 

Mexican Chorizo from The Happy Herbivore

mexicanchorizo

1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp granulated garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp granulated onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano or marjoram
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
dash or two of cinnamon
3 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 c quinoa or TVP
hot sauce, to taste
1/8 tso liquid smoke
salt & pepper to taste

Whisk 2 c water with red wine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano or marjoram, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, ketchup and mustard together until well combined
Add TVP or quinoa, cover and bring to a boil.  Once boiling reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring every so often, until all the water has absorbed, about 10-20 minutes.

Add liquid smoke if using, then salt and pepper and hot sauce, stirring to combine.

Set aside, covered, for 15-30 min to allow flavors to mingle before serving.

Cucumber Cream With Tomato Salsa from Weeknight Vegetarian

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  • 2 1/2 pounds cucumbers (6 to 8 large or 16 to 20 Kirbys), peeled
  • 3 scallions, trimmed
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, plus more as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more as needed
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
  • 1 medium tomato
  • 1 tablespoon shredded fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Peel the cucumbers and cut them in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out/discard the seeds.

Cut enough of the cucumbers into 1/2-inch dice to yield 1/2 cup. Cover and refrigerate it for the salsa.

Cut the remaining cucumbers into 1-inch chunks. Chop 2 of the scallions.

Combine the larger cucumber chunks, chopped scallions, water, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor or blender; puree until smooth. Taste, and add vinegar, salt and/or pepper as needed. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.  4 servings; makes about 4 cups

Just before serving, cut the tomato in half through the stem end. Discard the core and squeeze the halves to discard some of the gel/seeds and juice. Cut the remaining tomato into 1/2-inch dice and transfer to a small bowl.

Thinly slice the remaining scallion and add to the bowl, along with the reserved, diced cucumber and the basil. Toss with the oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Taste the soup again for seasoning (it will be more muted when cold), and add vinegar, salt or pepper as needed. Divide among chilled bowls, top each portion with some of the salsa, and serve.