A vegan dish for potlucks

As I began to write this post, I realized that the title is a bit misleading–or might be to someone not entirely keen on a vegan diet. It might be construed as a bit ironic–and the recipe some concoction trying to be meat (not dogs, facon), or a blend of millet and seitan (which in point of fact could be part of an interesting dish). I write here, though, in defense of a vegan diet. Not because of a Tolstoyan bent towards asceticism, but rather as an effort to eat well, as in a healthy way, and sustainably–as in let’s not forget the damage done by the production of meat. To me it is more an exciting challenge, as I’ve found myself seeking new ways to approach vegetables to generate the richness and depth of flavor that is so often part of a meat dish. I made the recipe below for a progressive potluck last year and it went over really well. While fairly simple, the recipe does take some time and planning. It’s also one that can be varied, depending on personal tastes and available products. The part I was most excited about was the rice, which I’ve since repeated–it’s a great method, and one that is great for using left over vegetables.

Post-COVID update: This has been a draft for some time, and as I finish it for posting, I wonder when we’ll be able to potluck again. It’s hard now to think of a time when it was okay to gather like that–but it sure isn’t the end of sharing food, and this dish travels well, and feeds a lot of people.

Black beans
This Puerto Rican recipe from my friend Fredo easily stands on its own as part of a larger spread–and in fact, that’s how I usually serve it. But it provides here a nice protein to the larger dish, and the contrasts in color are striking.

1 lb. dried black beans (you could use canned in a pinch, probably two 15 oz. cans)
4-5 cloves garlic
1 or 2 yellow or white onions, diced
1-2 colored bell peppers, diced
2-3 roma tomatoes, diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, finely minced
1-2 bunches cilantro
1-2 bunches culantro (if you can find it)
2 envelopes Goya Sazon seasoning
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans overnight, rinse, and then cook in salted water with a couple cloves of garlic for 1 to 1.5 hours, until the beans are soft. Strain out beans and reserve liquid. Meanwhile make the sofrito: sauté the onions, bell and jalapeño peppers, and garlic in olive oil until softened. Season with salt and pepper, add Sazon seasoning. Clean and roughly chop cilantro and culantro (stems and leaves), put into blender or food processor, and puree until fairly smooth, and add to sautéed onions and peppers, and add beans, and add bean liquid as you simmer entire mixture to keep it moist.  Season to taste. These beans always taste better the next day, so it’s a good idea to make this dish ahead.

Stir-fried brown rice with vegetables
This part of the recipe involves some additional preparation, but it’s worth it. You could omit or modify some of these steps; the key is to try to layer in as many flavors as you can.

2 cups cooked brown rice (you could also use faro in this recipe, or white rice, or another grain)
2-3 onions, sliced thin and caramelized
1 shallot, diced
2 poblano or anaheim peppers (you could also use colored bell peppers), roasted, seeded, peeled, and cut into large dice
2 small zucchini, diced
1 8-9 inch section of tromboncino squash, or 2 small summer squashes, diced
2 bunches green onions, cut in one-inch pieces
Optional/variations: any vegetable that sautés well: mushrooms, fennel, celery, parsnips, carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, etc.
1 cup parsley or cilantro or both, chopped

Sauté onions in olive oil on low heat, for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are a deep golden brown, set aside.  I like to cook 6-8 onions and store in a mason jar in the fridge for use in other recipes.

Sauté shallot, zucchini and tromboncino or summer squash, and any other vegetables you are including. Cook them on a high heat, until starting to brown, add green onions pieces, sauté until browned on some edges, and add brown rice, diced peppers, and caramelized onions, add chopped herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted tomatoes and baby peppers
I added these to the recipe to provide a kind of salsa-like bridge between the beans and the rice. Heat a toaster oven or oven to 475, and place cherry tomatoes and baby peppers in pan, with olive oil and chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Stir occasionally until beginning to brown and char. These are good to have on hand, and keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.

Corn tortillas
I served this dish with tortillas, though it didn’t really need them. You could also serve dishes on the side–shredded cheese, sliced radishes, sour cream, spicy salsa, etc.