Robert's Most Yum Veggie "Steak" Strips with Green Peas & Pineapple Rings and Fried Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients for veggie stock with tomato paste
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (evoo) 1 cup Vidalia onion (or any sweet onion) diced 1 cup celery diced
1 quart of cold water 7 black peppercorns 4 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley 3 ounces of no salt added tomato paste (This product is available in 6 ounce cans)
Procedure Heat the frying pan and cook the onions and celery in the evoo until the onions are soft. Add the water, black pepper corns, parsley, and tomato paste. Bring the stock to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer (happy smiling bubbles on the surface). Simmer until the stock is reduced by 1/2 (1 pint).
Ingredients for veggie "steak" strips & sauce with Pineapple 2 tablespoon of corn oil 8 ounces of veggie "steak" strips cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 pint of veggie stock with tomato paste Kosher coarse salt or sea salt & fresh ground black pepper 8 ounces of frozen (or fresh) English peas
4 pineapple rings
Procedure Heat the frying pan (medium high) and cook the veggie "steak" strips in the corn oil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the veggie stock with tomato paste and simmer until the stock is reduced to a thick sauce. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Bring 1 pint of cold water to boil. Add the peas and cook for 3 minutes. Let the peas sit in the hot water for 5 minutes.
To Plate Place 4 ounces of veggie "steak" strips with sauce onto 2 pineapple rings. Garnish with 4 ounces of the cooked English peas.
Ingredients for sweet potato fries 4 large sweet potatoes peeled and julienned (1/2 inch wide by 5 inches long) 2 quarts of peanut oil Kosher coarse salt or sea salt sugar
Procedure Use a deep fryer and follow instructions. I purchased a multi-cookery unit for $23.00. With this model, you can fry, boil, steam, stew, and roast. It is a very useful piece of kitchen equipment.
Add the julienned potatoes, into the fryer basket a few at a time, and fry until they are plump and lightly browned. Remove the fries, using the basket that comes with the deep fryer unit. and drain them on paper towels. Sugar & salt to taste.