Carrot Choripan
Rich Landau opened his first vegetarian restaurant in 1994. He and his wife Kate Jacoby are owners and chefs at Vedge.
A choripan is Argentina’s answer to the hot dog, traditionally done with sausage and topped with, well, everything. It’s a street food classic that we have our own take on with Carrot Asado in place of the meat and a homemade potato roll. The carrots are smoky and succulent, and when paired with this light and fluffy bun, they create an amazingly satisfying “hot dog” just begging to be loaded up with black bean puree and curtido slaw. Why stop there? Add some avocado, hot sauce, onions, and pickles — you know, the works!
- Servings 6
Ingredients
For the potato rolls:
- 60 ml (¼ cup) peeled diced baking potato
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) agave syrup
- 7.5 ml (¾ teaspoon) active dry yeast
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) vegan butter
- 7.5 ml (¾ teaspoon) sea salt
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) egg replacer powder
- 355 ml (1½ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- Carrot Asado**
- (Optional) Sliced avocado, hot sauce, diced onions, and sliced pickles
For the black bean puree:
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) sunflower oil
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) minced garlic
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) diced onion
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) diced green bell pepper
- Salt
- 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) light brown sugar
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) Latin Spice Blend*
- 7.5 ml (¾ teaspoon) cumin
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) ketchup
- 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) molasses
- 156 ml (⅔ cup) vegetable stock
For the curtido:
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) lemon juice
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) sherry vinegar
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) Dijon mustard
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) sunflower oil
- 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) sliced scallions (green parts only)
- 237 ml (1 cup) thinly sliced white cabbage
- 60 ml (¼ cup) chopped cilantro
- 60 ml (¼ cup) slivered red onion
* Click for Latin Spice Blend recipe
** Click for Carrot Asado recipe
Preparation
1. For the potato rolls: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Poke holes in the potato with a fork, microwave on high for 1 to 5 minutes, or until fully tender, then mash with a fork. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir together with the agave, yeast, and 30 ml (2 tablespoons) water. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to activate, then add the butter, 1.2 ml (1/4 teaspoon) of the salt, egg replacer, and flour. Knead for 4 minutes, until the dough forms a small ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel, then set in a warm place to proof for 1 hour or until it doubles in size. While the dough is rising, make the black bean puree.
2. For the black bean puree: Heat the sunflower oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and green pepper and sauté until the onion and garlic caramelize and are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add 1.2 ml (¼ teaspoon) of the salt, the brown sugar, Latin Spice Blend, 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) of the cumin, the ketchup, molasses, and vegetable stock. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the onions start to become translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool fully. Transfer to a food processor, add the black beans, and pulse until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. (May be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
3. For the curtido: Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, sunflower oil, remaining salt, pepper, and remaining cumin in a large bowl that will hold the curtido. Add the scallions, cabbage, cilantro, and red onion to the dressing and toss until they are evenly coated. Transfer the curtido to an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
4. Preheat the oven to 204°C (400°F). Return to the potato rolls by transferring the dough from the bowl to a lightly floured work surface. Cut it into 6 balls and form each into a 15 cm (6-inch)- long cylinder. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan and let sit, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Bake the rolls for 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown, rotating the sheet pan halfway through.
5. Remove the rolls from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing and stuffing with the black bean puree, Carrot Asado, and curtido. Garnish with additional toppings as desired and serve.
Rich Landau & Kate Jacoby
Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby are the husband-and-wife chefs and owners of Vedge, a modern vegetable restaurant that opened in 2011 to rave reviews from diners and critics alike and V Street, a global street food bar where the vegetables remain the center of the dish. Landau has been at the forefront of vegetarian dining since 1994, when he opened his first restaurant. In 2009, he served the first-ever vegan dinner at the James Beard House. In 2015, he was listed as a finalist for the James Beard award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. Jacoby is Vedge’s pastry chef and manages its cocktail and wine program. In 2015, she was listed as a semifinalist for the James Beard award for Best Pastry Chef. They live in their native Philadelphia.
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