Meatless Monday Roundup: 4 Savory Organic Chocolate Recipes
You may have had Mexican mole sauce, but using chocolate in savory dishes goes much further than that. Chocolate was traditionally used as a savory ingredient for centuries, made into bitter drinks similar to coffee or stirred into stews for added flavor. Do the same, and reap all those benefits of dark chocolate: antioxidants and flavanoids… and, of course, flavor! Grab some of your favorite organic chocolate and try this week’s Meatless Monday recipes: a roundup of savory chocolate recipes that will surely blow you away.
Image: mccun934
Chocolate pie? Don’t be shy! This vegan Seitan Chocolate Pie suggests some of the flavors and textures of comfort food favorite, shepherd’s pie. The addition of chocolate and seitan mimicks the deep richness of the lamb gravy that is traditionally the base of this pie, topped with mashed potatoes. No one will guess chocolate is the secret ingredient, but they’ll have fun trying to figure it out!
Image: philosophygeek
The classic in savory chocolate is, of course, mole. A true mole has a laundry list of ingredients, like our recipe from Pati Zarate, chef of Los Angeles’ HomeGirl Café. Rosa’s Mole might look complicated, but once you’ve assembled all of the ingredients, it’s really not that difficult to put together. Try a Latin grocery store, and make a double batch, to freeze some for later. Mole is traditionally served with meat dishes like chicken, but there’s no reason you can’t use it as a sauce for your vegetarian fajitas, rice and beans, or for simple enchiladas made with tofu!
Image: sleepyneko
Decadent and meatless? Oh yes! Chocolate pairs with creamy goat cheese and peppery arugula for a five-star sandwich that will impress even your carnivorous friends. The addition of port to the sauce for this Savory Chocolate Cheese Sandwich makes all the difference in highlighting the accents of the chocolate.
Image: sankarshan
After you’ve eaten your fill of these savory chocolate delicacies, try a new chocolate beverage you may not have heard of: hot chocolate is hardly light enough to follow up these decadent dinners, but Hot & Spicy Chocolate Tea sure is! Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, as well as chocolate and black tea, marry in your mug for a beverage you’ll love!
top image: John Loo
