This recipe makes a "milk" chocolate-style hazelnut spread. For a dark chocolate spread, leave out the soy milk powder. Increase the confectioners' sugar by a tablespoon or two, if desired.
The easiest way to toast hazelnuts: Preheat the oven to 300F. Place the raw hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until the skins are peeling and the nuts start to smell and appear toasted; be careful not to burn. Remove from the oven. Immediately pour the hot hazelnuts into the center of a large, rough kitchen towel. Twist the ends of the towel tightly around the nuts to form a sack. Agitate the sack vigorously for a few minutes to remove the skins. Some skin might still stick to hazelnuts, but this is okay. Pick the hazelnuts out of the crumbled skins and set aside in a bowl to cool. The quickest way to clean the towel of hazelnut skins is to shake it outside.
If you're using hazelnut oil, try using a little bit of peanut oil in addition to the hazelnut oil. It lends an authentic, full flavor.
This recipe will really give your food processor a workout. Be kind to your machine and use the "pulse" setting, stopping to rest the motor (and scraping the sides of the bowl) frequently.
THE MENUS.
MENUS FOR THE MASSES.
GENERALLY, WE DON'T like to fuss over planning a big menu. Menu planning should really be cooking what makes sense to you, with foods that are in season and foods that you know your guests enjoy. (Obviously, if your Great-Aunt Frimmie hates broccoli rabe, Thanksgiving may not be the time to try to make her like it!) But sometimes it's useful to have a menu on hand, so in this section we suggest plenty of dishes that go well together. Hosting a dinner party can be stressful for anyone (even certain cookbook authors) and the host is usually worrying the whole time. It can be even more daunting for the vegan host, because we folks have the additional task of representing veganism. It's useful to keep in mind that we are often our own worst critics. But on a more practical level, if you're cooking for a crowd, you should give the dishes that you plan to serve a test run a week or two beforehand; that always helps make the big event go a bit more smoothly.
The following are dishes from this cookbook that make great plates to serve as "whenever meals." Or you can use our additional suggestions to create a multicourse menu for a special occasion.
MY OWN PRIVATE INDIA MENU.
Tamarind Lentils * Basmati Rice * Curried Tofu * Cornmeal Masala Brussels Sprouts SUGGESTED SOUP: Roasted Yellow Pepper and Corn Bisque
SUGGESTED DESSERT: Mango-Peach Pandowdy
SOUTH BY SOUTHEATS MENU.
Southwestern Corn Pudding * Chile Cornmeal-Crusted Tofu * Green Pumpkin-Seed Mole * Steamed Broccoli SUGGESTED SOUP: Smoky Red Pepper n' Beans Gumbo
SUGGESTED DESSERT: Smlove Pie
CHINESE EAT-IN MENU.
Baby Bok Choy with Crispy Shallots * Marinated Asian Tofu (baked) * Brown Rice SUGGESTED SOUP: Hot and Sour Soup (leave out the tofu)
SUGGESTED DESSERT: Green Tea Ice Cream Sammiches
MARDI GRAS-ANYTIME MENU.
Creole Stuffed Peppers * Messy Rice * Hot Sauce-Glazed Tempeh SUGGESTED SOUP: Baked Potato and Greens Soup with Potato Wedge Croutons
SUGGESTED DESSERT: Strawberry-Rose Water Cobbler with Lemon-Poppy Seed Pastry
MEDITERRANEAN COMFORT MENU.
Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Stew with Chickpeas * Soft Poppy-Seed Polenta * Roasted Cauliflower SUGGESTED SALAD: Portobello Salad in Spicy Mustard Dressing
SUGGESTED DESSERT: Tea-Poached Pears in Chocolate Sauce
DOWN-HOME GOURMET MENU.
Cheater Baked Beans * Smoky Grilled Tempeh * Sauteed Collards SUGGESTED SOUP: Creamy Tomato Soup
SUGGESTED DESSERT: Fudgy Wudgy Blueberry Brownies with Vanilla Ice Cream
FANCY-SHMANCY MENU.
Chickpea Cutlets * Mustard Sauce * Roasted Asparagus SUGGESTED SALAD: Roasted Fennel and Hazelnut Salad with Shallot Dressing
SUGGESTED DESSERT: Sweet Crepes with Not-Tella
GREEK TO ME AND YOU MENU.
Mediterranean-Style Baked Lima Beans * Lemony Roasted Potatoes * Easy Stir-Fried Leafy Greens (made with a blend of dandelion and kale) SUGGESTED SOUP: French Lentil Soup with Tarragon and Thyme
SUGGESTED DESSERT: Lemon Bars
LAZY INDIAN GOURMET.
Samosa Stuffed Potatoes * Sauteed Spinach and Tomatoes * Five-Minute Mango Chutney * Jasmine Rice SUGGESTED SALAD : Garden Salad with Curried Vinaigrette
SUGGESTED DESSERT: Vanilla Yogurt Pound Cake with Fresh Fruit
THE VEGAN GHOST OF JULIA CHILD MENU.