Latin, vegan style: A Q&A (recipes included) with Viva Vegan’s Terry Hope Romero

Not too long ago, my friend Katie (a bit of a vegan expert) sent me this new cookbook: Viva Vegan: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers. I love Latin food (my best friend growing up was half Mexican; we ate well), and flipping through this book was both fun and jaw-dropping. Not only was it beautifully written, I also don’t think I’d have predicted that so many classic Latin dishes would lend themselves so well to going meat and cheese-less. The recipes were compelling–and all looked fresh and perfect for summer. I tracked down author Terry Hope Romero, a Queens-based chef who’s already co-penned a few vegan bestsellers, to talk about why vegan and Latin go so well together, what Latin supplies to keep in your pantry, and more. She has also passed along two recipes from the book–a simple, savory tomato sauce and a mango and guava bread pudin (complete with how to peel a mango properly and deliciously).

What was the impetus behind the book?

After three books and too many years to count cooking (and eating, there is always the eating) I felt that the vegetarian/vegan American diet could use a little more ethnic flair. Latin American food has always held a special place in my heart having grown up eating Venezuelan and Caribbean influenced cuisine, and with the abundance of beans, grains, vegetables and fruits it seemed clear to me that we are missing out by not focusing more on these foods. Almost everyone is very familiar with burritos, but what about pupusas, or the endless combination of rice and beans or real tacos made with homemade corn tortillas? All of these meals have a huge focus on whole, real foods as well.

As you’ve worked on this project, what about Latin cuisine have you noticed lends itself particularly well to veganism? Were there any favorite or surprising discoveries?

One of the biggest misconception that meat-eaters still think is that we veggies subsist solely on raw broccoli or blanched plain tofu. To that I say make them enchiladas or arroz con seitan or a big posole stew or bean & plantain stuffed pupusas.

So much of Latin American cuisine is perfect for vegan and vegetarians. The healthiest, cheapest meatless staples in the world are huge features of Central and South American cuisine…beans (and so many kinds!), rice, corn, quinoa, squash, tomatoes, chili peppers. Soups are also serious business, usually compiling multiple vegetables along with beans or grains for complete, no nonsense meals.

One interesting thing to note is that in many Latin countries grain and nut based drinks, made from rice or oats or almonds for instance, have been enjoyed for many generations. My dad loves rice milk…it reminds him of chicha (a classic South American rice based beverage).

What about your own relationship with vegan food and cooking–how did that come about?

Oh that’s a long story. I started cooking at the age of 12 (or even earlier, so long ago) and went vegetarian at 16 in the mid-80’s when there was no internet and a smidgeon of the resources that people just starting out have today. Today it’s so much easier to be vegetarian and vegan, especially in cities like NYC, I’m a little jealous of all the great options kids have today. At an early age it became apparent I’d be having to prepare my own meatless meals so I’ve been a self-starter in the kitchen for what feels like forever. When I moved to NYC in the mid 90’s I worked as a vegan baker, cooked like crazy at home due to my tiny paycheck and then years later The Post Punk Kitchen with Isa Moskowitz for Brooklyn Public Access. The cookbooks followed shortly after that, with Viva Vegan! being my first solo work.

Any good tips for keeping things healthy?

Cook at home! That’s really such a huge, important first step toward eating healthfully it can’t be underestimated…your own home cooked meals will always contain less fat, salt and have fresher ingredients than anything packaged and most take-out meals. Brown bag lunches are a great first step for eating better…my favorite thing is make extra food for dinner, pack it up immediately in lunch containers and have it ready to go the next morning for work. Soups are excellent just for this.

Lately, we’ve been talking a lot here about spices and pumping up flavor–what are some Latin pantry essentials?

Canned chipotles in adobo sauce are an excellent Mexican product full of rich, spicy smoky chipotle chili flavor. Love lime juice on everything, especially ripe papaya. Don’t underestimate the power of ground cumin and oregano, two commonly used spices in Latin cooking that taste great in everything from soup to salad. Can’t get enough of smoked paprika too.

SIMPLE LATIN TOMATO SAUCE
• Makes about 21⁄2 cups sauce • Time: About 20 minutes • Gluten Free, Soy Free

This is a very simple tomato sauce, perfect to serve alongside pupusas, tamales, sopes, or grilled seitan with rice and beans. Unlike Italian-style sauces, Latin-style tomato sauces are cooked just enough to keep the texture light and flavors fresh tasting. Typically, these sauces are pureed until smooth, but you can leave this one chunky if you prefer. Try experimenting with different kinds of canned tomatoes for different textures. This recipe does not make a ton of sauce; rather, a nice amount to serve as a condiment—but go ahead and double or triple it if you’re in need of tomato sauce for a crowd.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1⁄4 pound yellow onion, diced small
11⁄2 teaspoons dried oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄4 cup vegetable broth, white wine, or water
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, or diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon lime juice
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

How to make it
In a medium-size saucepan, combine the olive oil and garlic and heat over medium heat until the garlic starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to turn golden and transparent. Stir in the oregano and cumin and fry for another 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth to deglaze the pan; simmer for 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and lime juice and remove from the heat. If desired, puree the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth, or leave as is.

Variation: Zesty Chipotle Sauce

This is easy and so good on tamales, with delicious chipotle flavor and a touch of chile heat. Simply stir in one 7-ounce can of prepared Mexican chipotle sauce (not whole chipotles in adobo, but the pureed, flavored tomato sauce), along with the diced tomatoes.dulce sauce!

FRESH MANGO AND GUAVA BREAD PUDÍN
• Serves 6 to 8 • Time: About 1 hour

Bread pudding gets a lot of love in Latin America. Latin bread pudding is dense and firm enough to hold its own shape like a slice of cake, while being as sweet as a smile. This Caribbean-inspired version has strips of aromatic guava paste and slices of fresh mango baked into the top crust. I love pudín served warm with a scoop of ice cream, but if you find yourself eating spoonfuls straight from the fridge, that’s just as well, too.

Ingredients

1 pound day-old good-quality vegan white bread, cut or torn into small chunks
2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
1⁄4 cup light brown sugar
1⁄2 cup dark raisins
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
31⁄2 cups soy milk or favorite rich nondairy milk
1 (3 by 1-inch) strip lemon or orange zest
3 tablespoons nonhydrogenated vegan margarine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons dark or spiced rum
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 ounces guava paste, sliced into thin strips
1 large ripe mango

How to make it

Lightly grease a 9 by 11 by 2-inch baking pan. Place the bread pieces in a large mixing bowl. Add the granulated and light brown sugar, raisins, and cinnamon, and toss together. Set aside 1/2 cup of the soy milk in a measuring cup and pour the remaining 3 cups of soy milk into a large saucepan. Add the orange zest and, over medium heat, simmer the milk for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the margarine and stir to melt. Remove the orange zest and pour the hot soy milk over the bread mixture. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, fold the ingredients to completely moisten the bread. Set the mixture aside and let it cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The bread will fall completely apart and will be very mushy and wet. While the bread mixture is cooling, preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Into the remaining 1/2 cup of soy milk in the measuring cup, whisk the cornstarch, rum, and vanilla until smooth. Pour onto bread mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour into the prepared baking pan and top with strips of guava paste and strips of mango, poking them partially into the pudding. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned; the guava paste will melt and bubble and the mango will brown. A knife inserted into the center of the pudding should come out mostly clean (a few sticky crumbs are okay). The pudding will be like molten lava right out of the oven, so let it cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

How to Slice a Mango

Slicing a fresh mango is best done with a thin, slightly flexible but very sharp, serrated knife. Place the knife about 3/4 inch from the nubby “stem” and balance the other end of the mango on a cutting board. The idea is to cut alongside the flat, wide seed of the mango (that runs almost the whole length of the fruit) to remove as large a slab of mango as possible while staying only just clear of the seed. Using a gentle sawing motion, cut through the mango flesh. If you encounter resistance, you’re probably cutting into the seed. No worries, just shift your knife slightly and continue cutting along until you’ve removed one side of the mango.

Continue with the other side for the other mango half. Then trim around the exposed seed to remove any remaining flesh and skin from it (do not peel the halves). If you spot some mango seed bits on the flesh, just remove them, too. Holding a mango half flesh side up, use that thin knife to gently slice 1/4-inch strips, side by side, end to end, into the flesh, taking care not to slice through the skin but slicing as deeply as possible.

When you’re done slicing, firmly grab the ends of the mango half and, pushing from the bottom, press the whole thing inside out. You’ll have a bunch of mango slices sticking out and up that can be either cut off or gently removed with your fingers. Repeat with the other half and slice up any remaining bits of the mango you’d separately removed from the seed.

Now for my favorite part . . . place the pit in your mouth and slurp off any remaining juicy mango bits. It’s your delicious (and messy, best eaten over the sink) reward for showing that mango who’s boss, so enjoy.