Tau Hu Chung: Vietnamese Vegetarian Pate Recipe

Tàu hũ chưng is one of the many vegetarian equivalents you can find to Vietnamese meat dishes. As I mentioned last week, Tết is coming soon (January 23rd), and you're supposed to eat vegetarian for the days just before and after the Asian New Year. Usually, I would make mắm chưng thịt (Vietnamese-style meatloaf). This dish is similar, using ingredients such as mushrooms, bean thread noodles and cilantro, but paired with mashed tofu.

The mixture is first steamed, then baked for a few minutes in the oven so the top is slightly golden and dried out. It's almost like a tofu pâté that can be enjoyed with rice and a bowl of canh (soup) on the side.

French Green Beans with Baby Bella Mushrooms

This is the time of the year when haricots verts ("green beans" in English) are available everywhere. Don't be fooled by fancy-schmancy French names; the main difference from the regular kind is that these are thinner, more delicate green beans with a crisper texture. Either way, green beans are a great ally in the struggle to keep healthy (especially after days of eating heavy Thanksgiving food).

They're rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals; I think they're also a great side dish that makes you feel full without packing on the calories. I sautéed the French green beans with baby Bella mushrooms for added flavor and also incorporated caramelized onions, thyme, oregano and basil.
 

Mushroom Mozzarella Cheese Tart Recipe

My husband Lulu is addicted to anything with puff pastry dough. Because of the horrible windy weather, I decided to prepare my version of (vegetarian) chicken soup for the soul in the form of individual mushroom and mozzarella tartlets accompanied by a bowl of warm corn chowder. It’s the perfect prescription for this cold, gray day.

This savory tartlet consists of 4 layers. First, I baked the puff pastry shells separately in the oven. I cooked the first layer of soy chorizo along with tomato paste and tomato sauce (you could also add ground beef for extra flavor if you don’t need it to be vegetarian). The second is sautéed large button mushrooms in butter and the last one is thick mozzarella slices. The result is spectacular and is really enhanced pairing it with corn soup and garlic cheese bread. You won't be disappointed!

Baby Bella Mushroom Tart Recipe

Making savory tarts doesn't require a specific recipe. The basic dish consists of a puff pastry shell filled with your favorite mixture and topped with vegetables. I had Baby Bella mushrooms on hand, so I made a version using them along with an artichoke pesto.

The pesto is a combination of artichoke hearts, lemon, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil. To soften the pesto, I added mascarpone cheese. I topped the tart with the Baby Bella mushrooms and roasted red bell peppers. Cheddar cheese was the finishing touch so the filling formed one piece.

Ficelle Picarde Recipe (Crepe Gratin)

Ficelle picarde, which literally translates to "Picard string" in French, sounds like a fancy dish, but really, it's just a savory crêpe gratin filled with sautéed chopped mushrooms (called duxelles). It's a specialty from the region of Picardy, located in the North of France. The authentic dish is made with ham but I replaced it with soy chorizo to make it vegetarian. First, mushroom stuffed crêpes are rolled, then placed in a casserole dish, covered with Mornay mushroom cream sauce and sprinkled with Gruyère cheese. The last step is 5 to 10 minutes in the oven until bubbly and golden.

Crêpes are a fairly frequent dish at our home. The batter can be prepared in advance and you could also store pre-cooked crêpes in the freezer for faster assembly time. Whether they are served as a savory dish or as a dessert (or both!), we always find a new way to pair them with interesting combinations of flavors.