The Candle Café Cookbook - Aztec Salad

(There might be some spelling mistakes or misspelled-the-word-into-another-word and whatnot so bear with me here)


Aztec Salad
Serves 4

One of our chefs, Jonathan Grumbles, designed this recipe as a balanced meal that's full of the flavors of Mexico. All of the components can be prepared well ahead of time and tossed together just before serving.

Tempeh:
8 ounces tempeh, quartered
1 cup of apple juice
1 cup shoyu or tamari soy sauce
1/4 cup peeled and shredded fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup agave nectar
chipotle barbecue sauce (see recipe below)

Quinoa Salad:
1 1/2 cups quinoa
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 ears of sweet corn, husked
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 red bell pepper, seeded, devined, and cut into thin strips
1 cup black beans, cooked and drained, or 2 cups drained and rinsed canned beans
Juice of 1 lime
Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette (see recipe below)

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds:
1 cup raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Greens:
2 cups mesclun


1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C.

2. Prepare the tempeh, place the tempeh quarters in a single layer in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix together the apple juice, shoyu or tamari soy sauce, 2/3 cup of water, the ginger, garlic, and agave nectar and pour over the tempeh. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Drain the tempeh and let it cool.

3. Prepare a stovetop or charcoal grill or heat up the broiler. Brush the tempeh with the Chipotle Barbecue Sauce and grill until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side.

4. To prepare the quinoa salad, rinse the quinoa until the water runs clear, then drain. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 3/4 cups of water and the salt to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat, and simmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork and remove the quinoa to a large bowl. Fluff again and set aside to cool.

5. In a medium saucepan, cook the corn in boiling salted water for 8 minutes. Drain and cool. Scrape the kernels off the ears with a sharp knife and set aside.

6. In a large bowl, toss the onion, cilantro, red pepper, and black beans together. Add the lime juice and toss again. Mix into the quinoa and gently toss together. Add about 1/4 cup Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette and toss again.

7. Preheat the over to 375°F/190°C.

8. To prepare the Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, toss the pumpkin seeds with the olive oil, salt, and chili powder in a small bowl. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until the seeds just begin to pop, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

9. To assemble the salad, divide the mesclun (greens) among 4 salad bowls. Place about 1 cup of the dressed quinoa mixture on top of the lettuce. Slice each tempeh square into triangles and place 4 triangles of tempeh over the quinoa in a spoke pattern. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and drizzle with a small amount of vineaigrette.

Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
Makes 5 cups

This spicy sauce is a great pantry item. It's great to have some on hand to use over grilled tofu or seitan. It's also delicious with grilled vegetables.

2 dried chipotle peppers
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 cups tomato paste
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup dijon mustard
3/4 cup dried basil
1 teaspoon sea salt
frshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup shoyu or tamari soy sauce

1. Soak the peppers in enough hot water to cover for 15 minutes. Drain and chop.
2. Place the chopped chipotles and the remaining ingredients with 1 cup of water in a blender and blend until smooth. The sauce will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette
Makes 3 cups

This is a versatile and delicious dressing. Its robust flavor holds up to a variety of vegetables and grains, as well as salads.

4 plum tomatoes, halved
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/204°C.

2. Toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the salt, and pepper to taste. Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet, cut-side down, and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the skin blisters. Set aside to cool.

3. Transfer to a blender the tomatoes, the remaining 1 1/4 cups olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, garlic, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste; blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings. The vinaigrette will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Variation: For a Spicy Southwestern-Style Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette, add 4 rehydrated chipotles to the tomatoes before blending.