Cooking Adventures with Culinary Immigration

I’ve been struggling to come up with new plant based recipes that are healthy and more than just a quinoa bowl or salad. I make the same meal night after night, usually using soyrizo cause I’ve been on a spicy kick lately, and I like the texture. But I’m getting a little bored with the same ole, same ole.

I follow Culinary Immigration, the cooking school in Snohomish, WA on Instagram -so when I saw that they were offering a plant based class, I signed my son, Aidan up for a little mom and son date night and man! We had a blast.

Culinary Immigration is owned and operated by Victoria Balas. She offers three to four classes in her home each week, an absolutely darling historic house in downtown Snohomish.  Her kitchen is amazing; with a commercial stove and range usually reserved for high end commercial restaurants, and a giant butcher block island that can easily accommodate a handful of students.

We made two dishes, a Mexican Meatless Pozole with smoked tempeh and a Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry – two entirely different dishes but both using many of the same ingredients. The Pozole was rich and smoky and used a variety of dried chilies to provide its authentic flavor. We used hominy which I had never had before.  I loved the texture. I see myself adding it to many dishes in the future.

The curry was more like a hearty stew with thick pieces of two types of sweet potato, the classic variety and a gorgeous purple Okinawa. The red lentils were firm that gave a nice contrast. We finished the curry with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and squeeze of lime. It was lovely – and very filling.

A highlight for me was making fresh corn tortillas. I was surprised how easy it was. Victoria had a wooden press that she picked one up for $10 at a local Mexican grocery store that made for quick work. She also suggested rolling the masa with a pin or using the weight of two books. After flattening the dough, we laid the tortilla in a warm cast iron pan to cook before finishing them off over an open flame.  They were so delicious, and one of the best parts of the meal.

Victoria has an easy-going friendly demeanor with a comfortable teaching style. All of the students were given tasks so it was hands on. I liked that. I felt like I would retain more of her tips getting to do the cooking myself.

After we finished we all sat down and enjoyed the meal together. It was a wonderful.

Victoria offers a smorgasbord of different classes on both baking and cooking. Some of her most popular are on fermenting sourdough bread, making cannolis, macarons and international classics like Thai curries and French Crepes and Galettes. Class fees range from $65 to $85 per person. I loved getting to eat what we made. It was fun meeting the other students, and learning from them as well.

This wasn’t my first cooking class. I’ve also enjoyed a Harvest Inspired Meal taught by Cody Castiglia of Della Terra – and Marlies Egberding gave me a personal class on making a delicious Vegan Coconut Indian Curry. I see that I still have a lot to learn.

Have you taken a cooking class? What are your local favorites? Please tell me in the comment box below.

~Wendy

Victoria was sweet enough to let me share her Plant Based Mexican Pozole recipe.

Plant Based Mexican Pozole

Serves 6

STOCK:

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
1 carrot chopped in chuncks
3 whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 Shiitake mushrooms, sliced (if dried, reconstitute and save liquid)
4 large Cremini mushrooms
1 tablespoon red miso
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregeno

BROTH

3 dried Guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded (can be bought from Rancho Gordo)
3 dried Chile Negro chiles, stemmed and seeded
1/2 medium yellow onion, 4 ounces
6 medium garlic cloves
2 fresh pasilla peppers, roasted, peeled and diced
1 tablespoons canola oil
4 cups drained canned hominy
1 package smoked tempeh, cut into 1” slices

GARNISH

Corn tortillas, or chips, cotija cheese, diced avocado, dried Mexican oregano, Finely chopped white onion, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, thinly sliced green cabbage, red radishes thinly sliced.

PREPARE THE STOCK

Sauté the onions, garlic until soft, add the mushrooms, peppercorns, carrot, bay leaves, salt, and miso, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook for 30 minutes. After cooking, cool the stock enough to stain over a large bowl, twice if needed. Discard everything but the broth.
In a large dry skillet over high heat, add the chiles and cook, turning once, until fragrant and toasted, 20 seconds per side. In a medium bowl add the toasted chiles and enough boiling water to submerge. Set aside until rehydrated and softened, about 20 minutes.

MAKE THE BROTH

In a high powered blender, add the reconstituted chiles, (reserved liquid) onion and garlic. Blend on high speed until smooth, adding a cup or two of the chili soaking liquid as needed. Set a fine strainer over a medium bowl and pour the chili mixture into it, pressing with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard any solids.

In a large pot, add the oil and heat over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of Mexican oregano, allow it to release its oil and perfume, stir in the chili blended mixture. Lower the heat to medium low and continue cooking until thickened slightly, 10-12 minutes. Stir in the reserved stock, adding a cup or so until you get the right flavor you are looking for. Add the hominy beans, chopped pasilla peppers and tempeh. The consistency of the pozole should be a thickish stew, if you need more liquid add some more vegetable stock. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 15 minutes. To serve, ladle the pozole into wide soup bowls.

Let each diner garnish their bowl generously with their desired mix of toppings.