Spinach Strudel with Dilled Balsamic Syrup

This dish features a richly flavorful filling encased in flaky phyllo pastry and drizzled with a tangy-sweet dilled syrup. When working with phyllo, keep the delicate sheets covered to prevent them from drying. Place a sheet of wax paper on the counter, unroll the dough and cover it with a second sheet of wax paper. Work quickly with one leaf at a time, while keeping remaining dough covered with a damp cloth. Using water spritzer, spray cloth lightly—do not drench cloth or dough will become gummy, especially around edges. Always make phyllo filling before removing phyllo dough from package. If filling has been cooked, it should be cooled before mounding onto prepared layers to prevent sogginess.

ingredient list

SERVES 8

• 2 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1 1/2-oz. pkg. dried portobello mushrooms
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large shallots, about 1/2 cup minced
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
• 6 oz. white mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 Tbs. tamari soy sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• 12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
• 1 Tbs. dried dillweed for garnish

Dilled Balsamic Syrup

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbs. dark brown molasses sugar
• 1 tsp. dillweed
• 2 Tbs. nutritional yeast

Directions

1. Thaw spinach, drain in wire mesh colander and press out excess moisture. Set aside.
2. Combine dried mushrooms and boiling water in small saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat about 5 minutes. Set aside 10 minutes.
3. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add crushed red pepper, garlic, shallots and chopped sage, and sauté 3 minutes. Drain and chop reconstituted mushrooms, and add to skillet. Add fresh mushrooms. Cook 5 minutes, reduce heat to low, and add spinach, dill, sherry, yeast, tamari and lime juice. Cook mixture 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
4. Preheat oven to 375F.
5. Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface, spray with oil, cover with second sheet, and repeat until 6 sheets have been stacked and oiled. Set aside remaining phyllo, covered with damp towel. Spoon half filling on long side of phyllo, 1 inch from edge. Fold in short ends, and, starting at long filled side, roll phyllo tightly. Place seam side down on baking sheet. Make second strudel by repeating procedure with remaining sheets of phyllo, and place on pan with several inches separating strudels. Using sharp knife, score tops just through phyllo, making evenly spaced cuts. Spray lightly with oil, and sprinkle with dried dillweed.
6. Bake strudel until golden brown, about 50 minutes. Use serrated knife to cut each strudel into 8 equal slices.

 Dilled Balsamic Syrup

1. Combine vinegar, sugar and dillweed in saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes.
2. Stir in nutritional yeast, and continue to cook and stir 5 minutes, or until mixture has a syruplike consistency. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool. Serve at room temperature.

Holiday Vegetable Latkes

A takeoff on the popular potato pancake, these luscious latkes bring together various flavorful vegetables sweetened by the Spiced Apple Topping—see recipe, p. 47. You can make these ahead, refrigerate and reheat later.

ingredient list

Serves 12

• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 Tbs. soy flour or potato starch, optional
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 large white potato, peeled and shredded
• 1 cup peeled and shredded parsnips
• 1 cup peeled and shredded carrots
• 1 cup peeled and shredded golden beets or 1 cup peeled and shredded celery root
• 1 medium-sized yellow onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 Tbs. minced parsley
• 1/4 cup soymilk or water
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying

Directions

1. In large bowl, combine pastry flour, soy flour, if using, and baking powder. Place shredded vegetables, onion and parsley in bowl, and toss with flour mixture to cover vegetables uniformly. Add soymilk, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon batter by heaping tablespoons into pan, taking care not to overcrowd. Flatten with metal spatula to ensure even cooking.
3. Cook patties on one side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn over with metal spatula and cook other side for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining mixture, and add more oil as needed. Serve hot with Spiced Apple Topping and vegan sour cream.

Root Vegetable Soup

This soup will benefit from overnight refrigeration, which allows the flavors to meld. Serve it with pumpernickel or rye bread.

ingredient list

8 servings

• 1 Tbs. olive or canola oil
• 3 carrots, trimmed, peeled, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 medium white or yellow onions, peeled, chopped (2 cups)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 beets (about 1 1/4 lbs.) trimmed, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced (4 cups)
• 1 small head cabbage, cored, quartered, very thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
• 10 cups water
• 3 Tbs. tomato paste
• 3 Tbs. brown sugar
• 2 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. caraway seeds
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Low-fat yogurt or dairy-free soy sour cream for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In large pot, heat oil over medium heat, tilting pan to spread. Add carrots, onions and garlic; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add beets and cabbage. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except yogurt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Taste soup for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Soup should have a nice sweet-sour tang.
2. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with yogurt or soy sour cream.