Vegan Moqueca

Layover: Rio de Janeiro 

4 servings

60 minutes

The question I hear most often when a new acquaintance learns about my job is, "What’s your favorite city to visit and why?" Honestly, this is one of my favorite questions! Why, you ask? Because it gives me the chance to rave about one of my beloved cities and dive into a topic I adore: food!

Among all my travels, Rio holds a special place in my heart. The essence of this vibrant city lies in its diverse cuisine, soulful music, and lively people. My passion for Brazilian street food, particularly the savory Salgados, is undeniable. However, my ultimate favorite dish is undoubtedly moqueca. Before transitioning to a plant-based diet, I simply couldn’t get enough of this richly spiced, aromatic seafood stew.

Even though it's been some time since I last indulged, the bold flavors are etched in my memory. I believe I've come quite close to recreating it with this version right here. It captures all the richness and depth of its seafood counterpart, but without the actual seafood, of course! While you’re welcome to add seafood if you wish, I truly hope you give this plant-based version a try. When you do, please share a photo, leave me a comment below, and tag me. I would love to see your delightful creations!

You can find the complete recipe with just a quick scroll down below, but I thought a brief overview of the preparation process would be beneficial. Additionally, I’ve included a short 60-second video I created a few months ago featuring another version of this dish, as visuals can be quite helpful, right, friends? So, without further delay, let's get started!

Mushrooms: I opted for king trumpet mushrooms due to their seafood-like texture, which perfectly absorbs seasonings without overwhelming the dish with earthiness. Feel free to substitute with any mushrooms you prefer or have on hand.

Root Vegetables: Choose your favorites, such as golden beets, parsnips, turnips, carrots, or sweet potatoes. The important aspect here is the sweet, caramelized flavor they contribute to the dish.

Oil: In Brazil, dende oil is readily available, affordable, and commonly used in many recipes. While it might be considered a "no-go item"  as we say in the airline industry,  I’ll leave that choice up to you, my friends. However, there are plenty of sustainable alternatives at markets like Whole Foods, Wegmans, and Trader Joe's. In this recipe, I add a small amount of dende oil towards the end to preserve its flavor, allowing for less usage and making it more economical.

Hearts of Palm: While hearts of palm may be challenging to find in your area and are not essential, their delicate, briny flavor and texture enhance this dish beautifully.

Grain: I personally adore quinoa and seize every opportunity to enjoy it. In my opinion, its nutritional value surpasses that of rice, and I can't resist its delightful texture when perfectly cooked. But you do you! I promise, I won't judge!

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Let’s get started! I like to begin with a mirepoix made from finely diced carrots, onions, and celery. Heat one tablespoon of neutral-flavored oil in a 9" cast iron pan, although any pan you have will work; I just prefer cast iron.

Sauté the mirepoix over medium-high heat for five minutes, aiming for a slight color at this stage. This step is crucial for building flavors in the dish, so try not to rush.

After five minutes, add the mushrooms along with marmite or vegemite to coat the vegetables. If those aren't available, you can substitute with Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce.

Next, incorporate the tomato paste and allow it to brown and blend with the veggies before adding the tomato puree, seasonings, kombu, and bay leaf.

Deglaze the pan with half of your stock, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom and mix them in.

Now comes the fun part! Layer the vegetables as you prefer. I usually place the root vegetables toward the bottom, but feel free to do what suits you! Pour the coconut milk, the remaining stock, and dende oil over the top. Cover the pan and reduce the heat slightly for a gentle, slow simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the hearts of palm, thyme, cilantro, green onion, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Allow it to simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes. Finish with a drizzle of Dende Palm oil.

This is where the magic happens! All those wonderful aromas meld together to create a rich, creamy broth with a hint of brine. The incredible flavors come together in just one hour from start to finish.

Serve warm over your grain of choice, garnished with cilantro and a lime wedge.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS	METHOD
½ c. (55g) Oyster mushrooms (tear)	In a medium sized cast iron skillet, heat 1T. grape seed oil on medium high heat. Add mirepoix to the pan and sauté 5 minutes. Add marmite and stir
½ c. (110g) cauliflower (sliced)	Tear mushrooms into pieces, add to the pan and sauté  another 5 minutes
½ c. (60g) bell pepper (sliced)	Add tomato paste, stir into vegetables for a minute or two (this builds flavor) add tomatoes
½ c. (82g) onion (sliced)	Deglaze your pan with stock; reduce 5 minutes
½ c. (120g) zucchini (sliced)	Add bay leaf, kombu seaweed and seasonings (yep, more flavor)
½ c. (110g) white potato (sliced)	Begin layering sliced veggies; Pour in coconut milk
½ c. (110g) beets (sliced)	Cover and simmer 30 minutes
½ c. (60g) sweet potato (sliced)	After 30 minutes, check for additional seasoning; at this point, drizzle with palm oil simmer for 10 mins.
250 ml. coconut milk (full fat)	Add sliced green onions and lime juice
¼ c.(62g) tomato purée	Serve over rice/quinoa/couscous and Enjoy!
½ c. (110g) stock
2 T. (20g) palm/dendê oil
1 T. (10g) tomato paste
kombu seaweed(optional)
¼ tsp. marmite/vegemite
1 green onion (sliced)
1 T.(8g) Road Dust/ adobo
1 small lime
S&P to taste
1 T. neutral oil for sautéing
Mirepoix: (onion, celery, carrot) finely diced approximately 2 T. (15g)

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