Vegan Crab & Veggie Pasta

A recent 'find' has been Match Meats imitation crab 'meat'. Match Meats is located in St Louis and makes a variety of 'ground meat' substitutes for vegans - chicken, ground beef, sausage, pork and crab. I've used the crab for crab cakes and in sushi and had about half a pack left over in the freezer. So, this pasta dish was born.

Before I was vegan, I wasn't that mad about crab.  We lived along the Louisiana coast at one point and ate a lot of fresh seafood then, but  crab always seemed more trouble than it was worth.  So, I don't know if this really tastes like crab or not.  But it does have a good taste, and I've served it to both vegans and non-vegans and everyone liked it.

I made my own kamut pasta but you can buy it or substitute your favorite ribbon-like pasta. You need however much the box says is 4 servings.

Note that there is no added salt to this dish. The pasta water is salted and that seems enough. If you do want more salt, I'd suggest adding a little of your favorite soy sauce to the crab mixture rather than actual salt.

As an alternative preparation, you could eliminate both the broccoli and arugula, and substitute blanched, chopped broccoli rabe.

Vegan Crab & Veggie Pasta

Pasta - enough for 4 servings

2 Tbs olive oil

8 oz (half pack) of Match Meat Imitation Crab

1 zucchini diced

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/4 c white wine or vegan broth

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbs Old Bay seasoning

1 tsp sumac powder

2 cups loosely packed baby arugula leaves

3-4 c broccoli florets

Daiya Mozzarella 'cheese' to taste

Start the salted water for the pasta and broccoli

Heat a 10" skillet on low-medium heat

Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook 2 minutes

Using a slotted spoon, remove the broccoli to a bowl

Add olive oil to the skillet

When the oil is hot, add the crab and break up with a spoon

When the crab is broken up, add the next 5 ingredients, cover and simmer until the zucchini is done to your liking.

Add pasta to the boiling water and cook until barely done

Add the broccoli and arugula to the crab mixture and heat until the arugula wilts.

Combine pasta and crab mixture and mix.

Serve, topped with Daiya Mozzarella sprinkled over the top.

Delicata Squash & Greens

Tae emailed today asking what to do with an abundance of silverbeet (Swiss chard) that she had scored. I suggested using it as in this recipe, but, she couldn't get the delicata squash. So, I made it myself with the arugula/spinach mix that I had on hand.

This delicious dish can be made start-to-finish in 10 minutes.

Delicata Squash & Greens

Serves 4 as a side

2 delicata squash
8 oz arugula and/or baby spinach, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp red chile flakes (optional)
2 tsp vinegar (optional)
2-3 Tbs vegan parmesan cheese substitute

Cut the squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place halves, cut side down, in a glass dish with 1/4 c water. Cover with plastic wrap and poke several holes to allow steam to escape.

Microwave squash about 6 minutes per pound of squash

While squash cooks - heat a 12 inch skillet.

Add olive oil.

Add red chile flakes and stir for 30 seconds.

Add the garlic and stir 15 seconds.

Add the greens and quickly stir into oil and cook to the level of done-ness you prefer.

Add the vinegar, if desired, and toss.

When squash is done, plate each squash, cut side up. Fill each with greens, and top with cheese substitute.

This dish is best salted at the table, preferably with a nice finishing salt such as Maldon's.