So often, upon hearing a dish is vegetarian, many meat eaters will turn their nose up to it. Americans have been conditioned, it seems, to believe that vegetarian food is bland and boring. While I, myself am not vegetarian, some of my favorite things to eat are. The meat and potatoes mentality is surpringsly limiting to the palate.
One of my favorite dishes is falafel. Little garbanzo bean fritters loaded with herbs, spices, and flavor are shaped then fried to perfection so that a crispy, thin crust gives way to a light, and fluffy morsel. Often served with it is Tahini sauce, an umami delight made from watering down Tahini, adding lemon juice for a nice tang and hit with some smoked paprika, and just a dash of cayenne to open the palate. Or still in the Mediterranean realm, Spanokopita. Spinach and feta wrapped up in buttery, flaky phyllo dough and baked to a crispy golden brown, then served with Tzatziki: a cucumber yogurt sauce with hints of floral oregano and mint.
Another of my favorite dishes, and actually what I made as the entree for my exit exam from culinary school is a simple eggplant parmesan. Fried food is always delicious, and eggplant is no exception. A good eggplant parmesan requires a robust marinara, and topped with fresh melty mozzarella and either Parmigiano Reggiano, or at least a high quality Parmesan. It just isn’t summer without lovely, juicy, ripe heirloom tomatoes. A simple Caprese salad made with those wonderful tomatoes, fresh buffalo mozzarella, and fragrant basil leaf all drizzled with a little olive oil and topped with flaked salt of some speciality or another is a wonderful way to celebrate vegetarian cuisine.
Sushi is one of my favorite things to eat, and it is certainly more than fish. In fact, the word “Sushi” actually translates to rice. Sushi is much about celebrating food in its natural state. Something as simple as some raw asparagus cut in such a way to fit as a piece of nigiri, tied to the rice with a small strip of nori couldn’t be more delicious, and the choices go on! Mushrooms, radishes, carrots, cucumbers and many more are often found adorning the many styles of sushi.
Vegetarian soups are often wonderful and indeed Minestrone is one of my favorites. A rich vegetable broth with tomato paste loaded with whatever vegetables are around, and egg noodles warms up your body and soul. Pho can be made vegetarian as well, and while the idea is the same as minestrone, the flavor profile and noodle type are very different.
Tacos, Tamales, Pupusas and many other Central and South American treats can certainly be made vegetarian. Nearly every time I go for Mexican food, I order at least one jalapeño and cheese Tamale. One dish from Mexico which I dearly love is Chile Relleno. A fire roasted poblano pepper is taken and stuffed full Queso Oaxaca, a mild, melty, gooey delight, then battered in a light egg batter and fried. Pour some salsa roja on top and enjoy.
Another summer delight that really showcases the natural beauty of vegetables is Ratatouille. Traditionally made from eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, every color of bell pepper you can find, tomato, and onion, however many varieties exist as the word translates to stew. Winter varieties made from turnips, beets, rutabega, parsnips and carrots are hearty and delicious.
Vegetarian cuisine is not only wonderfully delicious, but often good for you. It isn’t difficult to make a dish look beautiful because with the many colors of vegetables, nature does the work for you. Nearly every culture in the world has vegetarian options, which offers many flavor profiles to utilize. The misconception that just because it’s vegetarian it must be bland and unappealing is plainly not true. Flavor is packed into the things that grow from the Earth, and they deserve the respect of appreciation as much as any meat.
Just Follow Food! 