Tuesday, November 9, 2010

VeganMoFo IV: Reaver's Blue Plate Special


I think it's only fitting that I have a Joss Whedon tribute for MoFo.  So this entry is brought to you by the film Serenity, the best space western of ALL TIME!  I wasn't into sci-fi type stuff until maybe three years ago.  I was always into fantasy/supernatural stuff like Buffy, Angel, and Roswell.  However, I had no interest in anything involving space...until Firefly.  I only ever saw the show after it was cancelled and didn't even know it was a Whedon show for the longest time.  Firefly is absolutely amazing, though!  Funny, full of heart, and completely original.  I basically spent all day yesterday and today watching Firefly and Serenity.  Good times.

MENU
Hickory BBQ Space Traveler Ribz
The Hero of Canton's Half Baked Tater Salad
Gorram Greens
Kaylee's Strawberry Colada

shiny!
So the ribz are the ones from Fat Free Vegan.  I didn't put them on the grill because I was feeling lazy.  I just cranked up the oven and took them out when they looked good.  The kale salad was super easy.  Kale, carrots, umeboshi vinegar, pepper, and a small bit of oil.  Here's a recipe of the tater salad:

The Hero of Canton's Half Baked Tater Salad
1 1/2 pounds of russet potatoes, baked and cooled until you can handle them
1/3-1/2 cup vegan mayo (or sour cream)*
1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/3 cup imitation bacn bits
1/4 cup shredded vegan cheddar
3 green onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Mix mayo and vinegar in medium bowl.  Stir in the bacn bits, cheddar, and green onions.  Dice the potatoes and slowly stir them into the mayo mixture.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

I spent a ridiculous amount of time looking for a strawberry colada recipe that didn't contain pineapple juice, so I just made one up based on this recipe.  To make a virgin version of this, I'd replace the rum and agave with mango or pineapple juice.

Kaylee's Strawberry Colada
2 oz mango rum or your favorite light rum
3 oz coconut cream (refrigerate a can of full fat coconut milk and skim the cream off the top)
scant 1 oz agave or simple syrup
1 cup frozen strawberries (not the syrupy kind)

Place everything in a blender and blend away until smooth.

kaylee would totes drink her liquor from an old jar
So, the problem I had with my first attempt at this meal is that I was too, too ambitious.  I wanted to marry Western and Chinese cuisine, but the flavor seemed to be lacking.  Plus, I wasn't too fond of the rib or potato salad recipes I used.  But tonight's meal was bomb!  I could do a dance of joy!

But for now, I'll settle for a nekkid Mal (yes, I'm watching Trash as I type this).  I'm off for now, but I do promise at least one other Whedon inspired nerd session this MoFo.  Muahahahaha.

*I used mayo because I didn't have sour cream.  In fact, it was reduced fat Vegenaise.  I don't like my potato salad too creamy, so I opted for 1/3 cup but use as much as you'd like.

26 comments:

Luciana said...

That meal looks great! I can't believe I still haven't seen Firefly. It's on my list, but I got distracted by Supernatural!

Rose said...

That whole plate of food is making me go nuts...I want to eat that now! Those ribz look so good, and the tater salad, yum! The greens look so vibrant and tasty too.

panda with cookie said...

That potato salad.

Anonymous said...

The strawberry colada just screams Kaylee! Shiny!

dreaminitvegan said...

Great movie and a very fitting meal to go with it. I love that recipe for the seitan ribs. yum! Yours look lipsmacking good. Strawberry colada in the fall...why not! yum.

Anonymous said...

Boo-tai jung-tzahng-duh! o.O
Love it!! ;D

Jen Treehugger said...

I LOVE those ribz and yours look glorious.

Anonymous said...

I love Firefly too!!! Did you know that in the episode "The Message" was the last Firefly episode filmed, by which time the cast and crew knew the show had been cancelled and Joss Whedon appears onscreen in an uncredited cameo appearance, as one of the mourners at the funeral at the end. So sweet!

I think you nailed the Strawberry Colada, Kaylee would love it!

VeganKitchenDiaries said...

Those ribz look so BBQCHEWLICIOUS! My seitan always turns out gross... I think the UK stuff is inferior. But cutting it with chickpea flour (ala Viva Vegan) has really helped so might give these a go.

I'm going to be dreaming about ribz slathered in BBQ sauce tonight.
-vee at the vegankitchendiaries.tumblr.com

VeganKitchenDiaries said...

PS. Do you ALWAYS have the luxury of eating outside? You're so lucky! We don't get that in Scotland... even in the summer a picnic's a gamble.

Candy Beans said...

I haven't seen the series or the movie yet, but it's on my list. Now I have the menu!

LJ said...

Awesome, awesome, AWESOME tribute to the Jossverse, Mo! Yummy and Creative!

xoxo,
LJ

BunzOfCinnamon said...

Mmmmm ribzzzzz....

Monique a.k.a. Mo said...

Vanessa-I never eat outside. It's just got the best lighting most of the time. But I live in the California desert so there's never any rain and the sun shines about 99% of the time. I find the constant sunniness annoying, and seriously miss rain every "winter."

Monique a.k.a. Mo said...

Emmy-Yep! The Message always bums me out, though that last shot of Mal is just a really powerful way to end the episode.

The Kuntrageous Vegan said...

Umeboshi vinegar on greens is the best! My in-laws introduced me to that concept a few years ago and that's how I was first able to love kale. mmmmmm.

Sarah S. said...

Susan V. can do no wrong! Those ribs look ridiculous, in the most excellent way of course. Made complete only by the amazing potato salad, wow girl!

jessy said...

hooray for Firefly and Serenity! i love 'em both - and i too didn't discover Firefly until it had already come and gone. so awesome though! i'm glad you rocked it and made your second go a delicious one. i probably would have just said f- it and given up. ahahahahaha! that's one plate o' awesome you have go'n on, Mo! i love everything about it, especially the ribz 'n tater salad. mmmmmmmmm!

aryn said...

I am not a reaver, but I would eat the hell out of that. Browncoats for life!

Anonymous said...

Looks really good Mo.
That is one of the dishes you show to ppl when they think we eat nuts and salads ...but we don anyways:)
That potato salad is slamming my mouth is watering.

Amanda said...

I've been enjoying all of your posts, but this, this is so great!! Not only an awesome theme, but the food looks soooooo good!

MeloMeals said...

That looks sooo good! I'm going to have to make some Ribz.. my son love them so much.

Not A Rabbit said...

Your ribz look AMAZING, Mo!

I want them.

I have no idea what all the Joss Whedon references were about (T.V watches that stuff though), but I do have a "drawer of inappropriate starches" in my kitchen ;P

Anonymous said...

I love your TV show-themed meal! Very fun! A friend of mine just wrote a Firefly tribute album. There must be something in the air! In case you're interested: http://megangogerty.com/

Sally Kitten said...

Yum! That looks freaking awesome! :)

Anonymous said...

Hello, good MORNING!

You, my darling, belong in my blogroll. Here's a heads up that you WILL be landing there when I add it this weekend.

You could've knocked me over with a FEATHER when I saw those ribz, honey. Holy mother!