Gentle Chef Ballparks – Vegan Franks

I’m pleased to present my signature recipe and technique for creating plant-based jumbo franks which remarkably resemble a classic hot dog texture, color and flavor. Ballparks are high in plant-based protein, low in fat, and with no starch fillers, gels or gums. A food processor is required for this recipe in order to produce the desired texture. Yields 8 jumbo franks.

The new updated recipe can now be found in my new cookbook, Cooking with the Gentle Chef


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Ballparks - Vegan Franks
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Hard Shreddin’ Chedda’ (Non-Dairy)

Hard Shreddin’ Chedda’ is a hard, golden block cheese with a mild cheddar cheese flavor. It’s ideal as a cold-snacking cheese. Slices are wonderful for serving on crackers or cold sandwiches. It’s also ideal for shredding as a topping for tacos and other Mexican cuisine, when melting isn’t necessary. When shredded and stirred into hot high-moisture foods, or covered with a sauce and heated, it melts moderately well.

Homemade soy or almond milk yogurt is used in this cheese to impart a natural cultured aroma and flavor that cannot be achieved using commercial lactic acid powder alone. However, for the sake of convenience, you can replace the yogurt with additional plain unsweetened soymilk or almond milk and ½ tsp lactic acid powder. If you have commercial vegan cheddar cheese flavor on hand, add a teaspoon or two to the mixture when blending (strictly optional).

This cheese is very easy to prepare since it does not rely upon stirring or emulsification during cooking; and you will never experience a broken emulsion or a block that does not set and firm properly! It also does not rely upon gels for firming and is therefore free of carrageenan or agar.

The cheese can also be seasoned with additional ingredients to create interesting flavor combinations. Ingredients might include a teaspoon or two of prepared horseradish or hot pepper sauce blended into the liquid mixture before cooking. Dried herbs, spices and low moisture ingredients such as crushed peppercorns, chopped sun-dried tomato, dehydrated garlic, dried minced onion and/or chives, red pepper flakes, etc., can be stirred into the mixture just before cooking.

For this recipe you will need a flexible silicone form/cheese mold that will hold a minimum of 2 cups liquid. Avoid using a metal or Pyrex™ container because the cheese will be very hard after chilling and difficult to remove. Do not use a plastic form as it will not be able to withstand the cooking temperature. You will also need a cooking pot with a lid and an open steamer basket for steaming the cheese in the mold.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup refined coconut oil, melted (not virgin coconut oil)
  • ½ cup unstrained soymilk or almond milk yogurt, room temperature
  • ½ cup plain unsweetened soymilk or almond milk, room temperature
  • ½ cup unmodified potato starch or corn starch
  • ¼ cup tapioca flour/starch
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1 tablespoon mellow white miso paste
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 and ¾ teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dry ground mustard
  • 2 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar
  • optional additional high-moisture ingredients, such as prepared horseradish, liquid smoke or hot pepper sauce (2 teaspoons maximum)
  • optional additional low-moisture ingredients (2 tablespoons maximum)

Preparation

Add water to the pot, but just below the bottom of the steamer basket, and place over high heat to bring the water to a boil.

Process all ingredients, including any optional high moisture ingredients, in a blender until very smooth. If adding herbs and spices, stir them in after blending.

Transfer to the cheese mold and rap the mold gently on a firm surface to settle the mixture and remove any air bubbles.

Place the uncovered mold into the steamer basket. Place the basket into the pot over the boiling water and cover with the lid. Set a timer for 30 minutes.

Remove the mold from the steamer and allow to cool about 1 hour. The cheese mixture will have a puffy appearance but will settle upon cooling. If steam condensation has settled on the surface of the cheese, or any oil has pooled, very gently blot with a paper towel to remove it (a shiny oily appearance is fine).

The cheese will be very sticky until fully chilled and hardened. It will also have a translucent appearance but will become opaque upon cooling. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until hardened. This will take upwards of 12 hours with 24 hours being ideal.

Remove the cheese from the flexible silicone form. Slice or shred the block as desired. Wrap in a dry paper towel and store airtight in the refrigerator. Change the towel every few days. Stored properly, the cheese will last for weeks.

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Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Zhoug, Tahini Sauce, Sumac Onions and Herbs

The recipe can now be found in my new cookbook, What’s Cookin’ Too

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Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Zhoug, Tahini Sauce, Sumac Onions and Herbs
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Cuisine Mediterranean
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Zuppa Toscano – Vegan Italian “Sausage” Potato Kale Soup

The recipe can now be found in my new cookbook, What’s Cookin’ Too

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Zuppa Toscano - Vegan Italian “Sausage” Potato Kale Soup
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Bagels

Originating in the Jewish communities of Poland, bagels are a yeasted wheat bread traditionally shaped by hand into the form of a ring, boiled for a short time in alkalinized water and then baked until golden. They can be made plain or seasoned. 

Dough Ingredients

  • 240 grams/ml (1 cup) lukewarm water
  • 1 packet rapid rise instant yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
  • 2 teaspoons organic sugar
  • 400 grams bread flour*
  • 2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt

*To enrich with whole wheat, use 300 grams bread flour and 100 grams whole wheat flour.

Simmering Bath

  • 3 quarts water
  • ¼ cup barley malt syrup, real maple syrup, brown rice syrup or agave syrup
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Optional Toppings of Choice

  • sesame seeds
  • poppy seeds
  • everything bagels: combination of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried minced onion, granulated garlic, and coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Preparation

If using, scatter the bagel toppings on a plate; set aside.

Whisk together the warm water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the flour, vegetable oil and salt and process on low speed until elastic, about 6 minutes. The dough may wrap around the hook while processing; simply stop the motor, push the dough off the hook with a narrow spatula and continue processing. Mixing and kneading can also be done by hand. Shape the sticky dough into a ball and place into a roomy, lightly oiled container, loosely cover and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Divide the dough into 6 roughly equal pieces (for uniformity in size, weigh the dough and then divide by 6). Roll each piece into a ball. To form the bagels, slightly flatten the balls of dough with the palm of your hand. Pick up a portion and poke a hole into the center with a fingertip, then using your forefingers and middle fingers, gently stretch from the interior into a 3-inch interior diameter while rotating the ring of dough in your hand. Set aside on a lightly floured work surface. Repeat with the remaining portions. Shaping takes practice, so be patient with yourself.

Let the bagels rise again for 30 minutes while preparing the water bath.

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in large cooking pot and add the chosen sweetener and the baking soda. Preheat the oven to 450˚F/230˚C.

Reduce the boil to a vigorous simmer, add 3 bagels and simmer for 1 minute. Flip the bagels over with a slotted spoon and simmer another minute. Remove with the slotted spoon to a baker’s rack to drain briefly. Repeat the simmering with the remaining 3 bagels. When cool enough to handle, lightly press the top and sides of the bagels into the topping of choice and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Avoid rough handling to prevent deflation.

Bake on the middle oven rack for 17 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to the wire rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature in a sealed bag or container. To serve, slice horizontally through the center. Toast until lightly browned. Top with a “schmear” of vegan butter or cream cheese as desired.

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Course Breads
Cuisine Jewish
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Course Breads
Cuisine Jewish
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