Julie Hasson

Big Vegan Virtual Potluck & Giveaway

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When Robin Asbell asked me to participate in her virtual potluck, I immediately said yes. I already knew that it was a fabulous cookbook, as I had purchased a copy at my local Powell’s Books. I happened to look at the shelf, and spied a single copy tucked in amongst other cookbooks. This was several months before the release date, and I knew that if I didn’t snatch it up at that very minute, I would have to wait patiently for its official release. After perusing the pages, it was inevitable.  I had to have a copy.

When it comes to cookbooks, I’m looking for a lot. First off, since I already have at least 300 cookbooks stuffed on my bookshelves (my husband would argue that it’s probably closer to 500), a new book has got to bring something special to the table. This is what immediately struck me about Robin’s book. These recipes are not only unique, but mouth-watering delicious. Robin really knows her stuff, as is evident in this very innovative collection of 350 recipes. These are not just versions of the same old vegan recipes flying around the internet. What you’ll find here is a fresh take on real, whole-food ingredients put together in new and creative ways. We’re talking lots of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, seeds and nuts, with enticing recipes like Sweet Quinoa Pumpkin Seed Pilaf, Griddled Oat Polenta With Smoky Maple-Tempeh “Bacon”, Overnight Oat Date Rolls, Teff Breadsticks, Thai Blackened Chile Sauce, Guatemalan Pumpkin Seed Simmer Sauce, Nori Wasabi Almonds, Porcini Pecan Mushroom Pate, Edamame Dumplings In Handmade Green Tea Wrappers, Arugula, Fennel And Smoked Almond Salad With Prosecco Dressing, Asparagus Quinoa Risotto, Three-Nut “Cheese” Quesadillas with Fresh Mango Salsa (and homemade fermented nut cheese), to Tempeh “Steaks” With Mushroom-White Wine Sauce, Chinese Tangerine Mock-Duck With Kumquats, Amaranth Polenta With Barbecued Veggies and Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Creamy Almond Sage Sauce. And I haven’t even mentioned the desserts, which not only look fabulous, but are a lot healthier than their traditional counterparts.

Last night I made the Spanish Chickpea Fritters With Romesco Sauce. They were out-of-this-world good, and had us practically licking our plates. Although the recipe serves 4, if you have hungry teens or spouses, you may want to double the recipe. Yes, they are that good! They are also gluten-free, as long as you use GF bread in the Romesco sauce. That reminds me too, this book is very gluten-free friendly as well (minus the usual suspects of pizzas, breads, some various recipes and seitan). It does have 350 recipes after all; )

Below is the recipe for Spanish Chickpea Fritters With Romesco Sauce. If you want to win a copy of this fabulous cookbook, please leave a comment below (along with a way to reach you in case you win). If you want to get your name into the cookbook drawing twice, go to the Julie Hasson page (it’s public) on Facebook, click “like”, and leave a comment there telling me why you want to win this book.

Thanks again to Robin Asbell and her publisher for organizing this Virtual Potluck and giveaway!

The fritters cooking, top and the finished fritters with Romesco sauce, bottom

This recipe is from Big Vegan by Robin Asbell © 2011, published by Chronicle Books, reprinted with permission.

Spanish Chickpea Fritters with Romesco Sauce
The tradition of Spanish tapas is such a fun way to eat—bite-sized morsels of tasty food that just happen to taste great with Spanish wines. These fritters are flecked with spinach and when you dip them in a roasty Romesco sauce, you can’t go wrong.
Serves 4

1 cup/115 g chickpea flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cumin
1 cup/30 g chopped spinach
3 cloves garlic, slivered
1/8 tsp baking soda
¾ cup/200 g cooked chickpeas, drained
1 cup/240 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 small scallions/spring onions, chopped
3/4 cup/180 ml Romesco Sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 200° F/95° C/gas 1/4 (for keeping fritters warm if you will not be eating them immediately). Set out a large, cast-iron frying pan and a baking sheet/tray lined with three layers of paper towels/absorbent paper for draining them.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, salt, and cumin, then add ¾ cup/180 ml hot water a little at a time, and stir to make a smooth paste. It should be about as thick as pancake batter. Let stand for 1 hour
3. Stir the spinach, garlic, and baking soda into the batter, then stir in the chickpeas.
4. Pour the oil into the frying pan and turn the heat up to medium-high. Heat until a drop of batter sizzles in it. When the oil is hot, stir the batter and ladle scant ¼-cup/60-ml portions into the hot oil. When the oil starts to sizzle again, lower the heat to medium. Cook until the fritters are bubbling and browned, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on the paper towels/absorbent paper. Serve hot, sprinkled with scallions, with the romesco sauce for dipping.

Romesco Sauce
Romesco is the perfect topper for all sorts of Spanish-flavored items, from tapas like roasted potatoes to Spanish Tortilla. It’s a great change from tomato-based sauces, with sweet peppers and almonds that nourish your very essence.
Makes 1 1/2 cups/360 ml

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra as needed
½ cup/55 g slivered almonds
Three 1-in/2-cm slices white baguette (I used gluten-free bread)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 large roasted red peppers/capsicums, peeled
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
½ tsp salt
Extra-virgin olive oil

1. In a large sauté/frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat, then add the almonds and baguette pieces. Stir, cooking until the nuts are golden and the bread is toasted, about5 minutes. In a blender or food processor, mince the almonds, bread, and garlic . Add the peppers, parsley, and paprika and process to make a paste. Add the vinegar and salt and process, then drizzle in more oil 1 tbsp at a time to make it the desired consistency. If you are cutting back on oil today, stir in water to thin it.

If you want to check out what the other potluck participants made for this Virtual Potluck, here are the links:

DAY 3:
Green and Red Spaghetti
Sandra Gutierrez
http://www.sandraskitchenstudio.com/
Bengali Curry of Cauliflower and Kidney Beans
Robin Robertson
http://veganplanet.blogspot.com/2011/11/big-vegan-virtual-potluck.html
New Potato Rendang with Green Beans
Pat Tanumihardja
http://theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/rendang-recipe/
Sundried Tomato-Kale Calzones AND
Pumpkin Cherry Bundt Cake
Leinana Two Moons
http://vegangoodthings.blogspot.com/2011/11/double-big-vegan-whammy-calzones-cake.html
 Peanut Butter Tart with “Ganache”
Tara Desmond
http://crumbsonmykeyboard.com/2011/11/01/call-it-what-it-is-peanut-butter-tart-with-ganache-recipe/

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Angela

    I would LOVE to win a copy of ‘Big Vegan.’ Can’t wait to try the three-nut “cheese” quesadillas!!!

  3. Beth Barnett

    Hi Julie! Those fritters look delicious! And – beautiful photos! I want more cookbooks in my collection, although I really need a new spot for them. The 1.5 feet of shelf space in the kitchen just isn’t enough! I have them overflowing to storage in odd places, like an unintentionally permanent stack on the living room coffee table! 🙂
    You didn’t mention whether the recipe was quick to make. Was it complicated or pretty fast from start to finish?

  5. Lauren

    I like your page on Facebook! I’d love to win this book because I only recently decided to keep a vegan kitchen and would love to add the many recipes here to my expanding list of dishes. I can be reached at everydayrevelry at gmail dot com

  10. Tracy

    I would love this cookbook. I am always trying to find better recipes for my family.
    tpcat29 at gmail.com

  11. Molly

    And I thought I was the only one who made my hobby collecting Vegan cookbooks! 🙂 My word, you had me at the fritters! I would LOVE to win this book and wear it out with use in a matter of weeks! 🙂

  13. Jasmine

    Hi Julie, I would LOVE to win a copy of BIG VEGAN. It looks fabulous and the matcha scones sound like they are to die for!!!!

  15. Jerry Shoemaker

    I am a diabetic with high blood pressure. I had actually gone vegan for 6 months a while back and was just about off all my meds, but I had a problem with savory tastes such as what you get with braised meats. I would really like this cookbook and any other cookbook that would help me overcome this issue so I can go vegan and not look back.

  18. Heather

    I LOVE cookbooks, and my extensive collection is feeling a bit lonely… I think this cookbook would be a perfect addition! I love garbanzo beans, and the romesco sauce looks divine! I’d love to win this book!

  19. Malia

    Hi Julie- Thanks for the fun chance of winning a new cookbook! I was at Powell’s yesterday lingering in the veg cookbook section…I had my eye on a few, but couldn’t commit. I just started cooking regularly and am building my cookbook collection-I have about 15 with 3 from the library. Help me keep the shelves full!! Thanks for Native Bowl-sooo good!!

  21. Matt W

    I’m a poor musician and would thoroughy enjoy looking at pictures of fantastic things I’ll be able to make one of these days!

  25. kittyrose

    Oh my those fritters look good! I actually don’t have all that many cookbooks, despite having been vegan for over 5 years. I think it is about time to add to the collection!

  27. Regina

    Sounds like an amazing cookbook. I’d love to try it out, cookbooks are an addiction for me and this one sounds like a must have.

  30. Amy

    I love cookbooks with new and unique recipes. And, since you listed so many delicious sounding recipes featured in this cookbook, how could I not want a copy?!

  41. Debbie

    I want a copy of Big Vegan because I don’t have any vegan cookbooks and my daughter keeps bugging me to try more vegan food!

  44. Theresa

    Winning this book would be so wonderful!!!! I want to transition both my husband and I to a healthier way of eating. He is the basic steak and potato type of guy and I am an emerging vegan who would like to keep much of her food raw. But, I need some delicious recipes for him to transition easier to vegan. He is willing and I need to do my part. This book could be SOOO much help. Thanks Julie or the glowing recommendation. :^)

  48. MollyG

    I would love to win this cookbook! What inventive recipes! I nice, and different addition to a (vegan) cookbook shelf. YUM.

  49. amey

    I loved the review for this book that I saw in the paper! Also, I love the creative ways people and publishers are promoting books… like the blog “book tour” that kittee was a part of – and now this virtual potluck! So cool.

  50. Aimee

    I would love to win this cookbook! The fritters look amazing! E-mail: awhimsicalblossom at gmail dot com

  51. Rosemary

    I don’t make fritters very often because mine keep falling apart. Yours look delicious though! If that is a sample of what is in the book you are giving away, I would love to win it!

  52. moonsword

    I’m almost jumping up and down for joy at this recipe…I can understand why you all were nearly licking your plates. Chickpeas and fritters all in one recipe and with a Spanish twist…yummm! Thanks for sharing!

  54. Lotte Obbekjer

    Looove chickpeas. The more recipes with chickpeas the better. Being new to vegan food and concept, I only have one vegan cookbook. Would love to let Big Vegan be the next one on the shelfe.
    Have a nice Day. Lotte

  55. Johanna

    I just recently met someone, who when he found out that I was vegan, told me that he “turned” 4 hardcore vegetarians, and I could be next. He also added it would have been a deal-breaker as far as being in a relationship. Huh. I think he just doesn’t know how good meat-free food can be. This book looks like a great way to start showing him different food.

  56. Cathy Tenzo

    I’d love to win a copy of this book to expand my vegan repetoire (can’t wait to try the fritters!) and to cook for my non-vegan friends to show them how great vegan food can be.

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