Meatless Monday: Spicy Potato Hash

Most of my cooking is on the simpler, cleaner side of the spectrum. But occasionally I like to experiment with in-your-face fare. I recently bought a cookbook titled Bold-Flavored Vegan Cooking by Celine Steen. It’s a reliable book to turn to when I’m craving something spicy. This book is a great Meatless Monday addition to your collection, especially if you’re wanting to convince meat eaters that veg cooking can be spicy and bold.

In the fashion of the naming of the Grateful Dead I decided to open the book randomly and make whatever was on that page. (The band found its name when Jerry Garcia randomly opened a dictionary and pointed at an entry describing the “grateful dead,” a cycle of folk tales.) Anyway, this recipe didn’t disappoint.

Don’t let the ingredient list scare you. Most ingredients on the list are spices. I made two substitutions, because I couldn’t find the ingredients listed. I used regular tomato paste instead of double-concentrated paste. Also, I used regular chili powder instead of ancho chili powder.

Because I’m not a big fan of green peppers, I substituted chopped carrots. I also used shiitake mushrooms instead of baby bella mushrooms. Instead of russet potatoes, I substituted Yukon gold potatoes. All worked out fine.

The recipe made enough of the bean mixture for another day of leftovers for two people. I did need to make another batch of the potatoes, but that was easy. The beans tasted great the second time around.

I added roasted broccoli on the side and made the whole thing into a bowl. I felt there weren’t quite enough veggies in the recipe for my taste, so I wanted to add in some green.

Meatless Monday: Hash and Spice

For the potatoes:

• 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil (grapeseed, canola, etc.)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked salt
• 1 pound russet potatoes (I used Yukon Gold potatoes.)

For the hash:

• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers
• 1 tablespoon double-concentrated tomato paste (or regular tomato paste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder (or regular chili powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked sea salt
• 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms (I used shiitake mushrooms)
• 2 bell peppers, cored and chopped (I used two chopped carrots.)
• 1 small mild to hot pepper, minced  (red Fresno, jalapeño or serrano; I used half a serrano.)
• 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1-1/2 cups cooked pinto beans (1 15-ounce can)

1. To make the potatoes, preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Line an 8-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper. Place the oil, lime juice, cumin, paprika, onion powder and salt in the pan. Swirl them around to combine. Add the potatoes and toss to coat. Bake for 30 minutes, until fork-tender, stirring every 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, adobo sauce, chili powder, cumin and sea salt. Set aside.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, Heat the oil in a sauté pan. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. If you’re using carrots, you can add them now as well.
4. As you add ingredients, be sure to stir occasionally throughout the cooking time.
5. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 4 minutes, until they’re slightly browned and their juices are released.
6. Add the peppers and garlic. Cook until the peppers start to soften, about 4 minutes.
7. Add the beans and cook for another minute.
8. Stir the sauce into the mixture and cook another 4 minutes.

I arranged the potatoes, hash and roasted broccoli into large, wide bowls for serving, but you can also spoon the potatoes onto a plate and top with the hash. Serve with avocado slices and fresh parsley if you have them.