Our first Food Fridays Please Explain kicks off with vegan cooking! Ronen Seri and Pamela Elizabeth are the co-founders behind the vegan restaurant franchise Blossom and the authors of The Blossom Cookbook: Classic Favorites from the Restaurant That Pioneered a New Vegan Cuisine. They’ll debunk some myths about vegan food/cooking, offer tips for home cooks and share some of their most popular recipes including Trumpet Mushroom Calamari, Sweet Potato and Coconut Cream Soup, and German Chocolate Cake. 

Check out recipes from The Blossom Cookbook below!

Pine Nut–Crusted Eggplant

Eggplant is a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine. It is full of flavor, has a fantastic hearty texture, and is extremely versatile. Created as an inventive option for our gluten-free guests, this dish uses a combination of pine nuts and basil as the crust for the eggplant, and the creamy sauce is a wonderful finish. It’s sure to please and impress at any dinner party and is great for all seasons.

Serves 3 or 4

1 medium eggplant, halved and peeled

1½ tablespoons salt

3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes

2 cups pine nuts

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Scant ¾ cup olive oil

4½ tablespoons chopped garlic

1½ teaspoons salt, plus more as needed

3 pinches of black pepper

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1 sprig fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped

1 cup artichoke hearts

2/3 cup white wine

2 cups Cashew Cream (page 000)

1 head escarole

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Slice the peeled eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices (each half should yield 6 slices). Fill a deep bowl with water and add 1 tablespoon of the salt. Soak the eggplant slices in the water for 20 minutes to help remove any bitterness.

Bring a pot of water to boil and add the potatoes. Boil the potatoes for 30 to 40 minutes, or until soft, then remove and place in a large bowl.

While the potatoes are boiling and the eggplant is soaking, put the pine nuts, flour, and basil in a food processor. Process until the mixture has the consistency of bread crumbs. Transfer to a bowl and add 1½ tablespoons of the olive oil, 1½ tablespoons of the garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Mix well.

Drain the eggplant and dredge the slices in the pine nut breading, making sure each slice is thoroughly coated. Set the breaded eggplant slices on a rack and let sit for 10 to 20 minutes to dry.

Meanwhile, mash the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the garlic.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, and artichoke hearts and sauté until the tomatoes begin to soften. Add 1/3 cup of the white wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the mashed potatoes and the salt and stir well.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the eggplant slices and pan-fry on each side until they begin to lightly brown. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 3 to 5 minutes to crisp.

Make the sauce: In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ½ tablespoon of the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1/3 cup white wine, the Cashew Cream, and 1 tablespoon chopped basil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add a pinch each of salt and pepper and stir.

In a separate medium skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the escarole and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, or until soft.

To assemble, divide the sauce among three or four plates, then add the potato mixture, the escarole, and finally the eggplant slices on top.

Cashew Cream

Cashews . . . the cream of the crop! With their high healthy fat content, cashews are the best cream substitute, because when blended, they create an incredible richness for sauces. Who would ever think that an alfredo alternative could be so simple? One of our patrons’ most frequently asked questions is “How you do it?” when they eat our coveted fettuccini alfredo.

Note that you need to soak the cashews 3 hours (or overnight), so be sure to plan ahead.

Makes 6 to 7 cups

Ingredients

2 cups raw unsalted cashews, soaked for 3 hours or overnight

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

1½ teaspoons black pepper

Put the drained cashews, nutritional yeast, olive oil, salt, pepper, and 4 cups water in a high-speed blender. Blend until creamy. The sauce will be relatively thin, but will thicken quickly when heated in a recipe.

Raw Key Lime Pie

The “key” to this dish is the fresh lime juice—accept no substitutions! You won’t believe the fantastic texture of this pie—the avocados add an unbelievable creaminess to the filling.

Makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients

For the Crust

1¼ cups macadamia nuts

1¼ cups pecans

½ cup dried, pitted dates, soaked in water for 1 hour

Pinch of salt

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Filling

1½ cups fresh lime juice (from about 12 limes)

1 cup agave syrup

½ cup full-fat coconut milk

2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1¼ cups coconut oil

Make the crust: Lightly grease a 9-inch springform baking pan with coconut oil.

Put the macadamia nuts, pecans, dates, salt, and vanilla in a food processor and process until the mixture is soft and easily workable. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Make the filling: Put the lime juice, agave, coconut milk, avocados, vanilla, salt, and coconut oil in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.

Pour the filling over the crust, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze overnight. Thaw before serving.