In her new book, The Modern Mountain Cookbook, Eastern Kentucky native Jan A. Brandenburg takes beloved recipes from her childhood and substitutes ingredients to conform to her vegan lifestyle. Following years of trial and error, she presents these timeless Appalachian classics with a health-conscious, plant-based twist to be enjoyed by vegans and carnivores alike.
Serves 8
½ stick vegan butter
2 cups chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped green pepper
1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes, puréed
2 cups fresh corn
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ cup whole cashews
½ cup filtered water
1½ cups vegetable broth
½ cup shredded vegan cheddar
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup chopped pimento
1. Melt the vegan butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onion and green pepper and sauté for 10 minutes or until onion is translucent.
2. Stir in the puréed tomatoes, corn, salt, pepper and paprika. Simmer 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. In a high-speed blender, combine the cashews, filtered water and vegetable broth. Blend at high speed for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Add the shredded cheddar and blend an additional 1 minute. Add the flour and blend for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
4. Stir the cheese mixture into the soup, along with the pimento. Return to the heat and stir until the soup is heated through and thick. Serve immediately.