Easter Cooking Class

We had a cooking class where we made enticing plant-based hors d'oeuvres to impress your friends and family this Easter (and any other occasion!).
We prepared pigs in a blanket, deviled eggs and egg boats! Most of the recipes are from "The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

Here are the recording and recipes.

* Pigs in a blanket

Ingredients (makes ~30):
- 1 lb thick baby carrots
- olive oil
- salt
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 vegan puff pastry (I use Pepperidge Farm)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Dijon mustard for serving

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Toss the carrots with some olive oil and salt in a bowl. Place them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil, and roast until tender, about 20 minutes.

Keep the oven on because you’ll be using it again.
Put the roasted carrots back in the bowl and toss them with the smoked paprika.

Place the pastry sheet on a lightly floured cutting board and roll it out into a long rectangle. Cut the pastry into long, thin strips that are about 1 inch wide (a bit shorter than the length of your carrots).
Wrap each carrot in the puff pastry, seal the edge with a little water, and place it, seam side down, on the baking sheet.
Brush the tops of the piggies with water and gently press sesame seeds into the pastry.
Put them back into the oven until golden and puffy, 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve warm with mustard.

* Deviled Eggs

Ingredients (makes 12):
- 6 small (egg size) thin-skinned potatoes, like Yukon Gold
- olive oil
- salt
- ¼ cup raw cashew, soaked for 2+ hours
- ¼ cup vegetable broth (I make my own)
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt (use black salt aka kala namak for an eggy taste)
- pepper
- sweet paprika
- fresh dill sprigs

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut the potatoes in two. Brush the cut sides with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Place cut sides down on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
Let cool enough to handle.

Drain the cashews and place them in the blender with vegetable broth, turmeric, salt, lemon juice and pepper. Blend until very smooth and creamy.

Scoop the center of the potatoes out with a rounded teaspoon, leaving about 1/4 inch lining of potato inside. Place the scooped out potato into the blender with the cashew cream mixture and blend until smooth. Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes so that the mixture stiffens up.

Once cool, scoop into pastry bag fit with a medium sized serrated tip and fill the potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika and top with a little sprig of dill.

Serve at room temperature.

* Egg Boats

Ingredients:
- 1 package extra firm tofu (~15 oz)
- ¾ tsp turmeric
- 1 Tbsp hot water
- ¼ cup vegan mayo (I make my own)
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt (use black salt aka kala namak for an eggy taste)
- pepper
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickles
- 1 small carrot, finely grated
- 3-4 endives

1) Make the egg salad
In a small bowl, whisk the turmeric with the hot water.
In a big bowl, mash the tofu. Add the turmeric mixture, mayo, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill, pickles, and carrot. Mix well. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

2) Prepare the boats
Detach their leaves of the endives. Wash and dry them.
Scoop some egg salad in each leave and place on a serving tray.

Alternatively, you could serve the egg salad in cucumber cups, on crackers, or even between two slices of bread.

Bon appétit!

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