why has jackfruit not exploded in vegan land!? i discovered it not long ago as ‘natures vegetarian meat’ in an indian curry, and i was surprised at how similar the texture was to pulled pork. now that i’m trying to be gluten-free, i’ve been missing seitan and the meaty, hefty texture it added to some of my favorite dishes, like tamales, chill, and tacos. tonight i swapped my usual seitanic stand-in for jackfruit and i was pleased with the results. it soaked up flavor, had a great bite, and really filled out what could have been a bean-heavy dish. to help mimic the texture of carnitas, i sliced my onions into almost paper thin half-moons, and added finely diced mushrooms; they practically melted into the tomato base. after perusing the internet i noticed some cooks were omitting the core of their jackfruit, and some opted to retain theirs; i decided to keep mine in- one, as not to waste food, two, my cores seemed very soft so i assumed they wouldn’t ruin the texture i was striving for. oh, and as usual, this is for a megaton of food, so halve or quarter this recipe to downsize the servings.
Jackfruit Carnitas Chili
serves 8-12
3 cans young jackfruit in brine, drained
3/4 lb mushrooms, roughly minced
3 15oz cans chili beans, rinsed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 24oz jar strained tomatoes
1 large or 2 small red onions, halved and thinly sliced
4+ cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, sliced, opt
1/4c + chili powder
2 tbs coriander
1 tbc cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tbs chipotle chili
1 tsp mexican oregano
1 tbs braggs, GF tamari, or dark soy sauce if you can eat gluten
2-4 cups stock, depending on desired thickness
Gluten Free Roasted Corn Cornbread- adapted from spark recipes.com
1 10oz bag frozen corn kernels
1 c brown rice flour
1 1/4 c cornmeal
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
3 tsp en r g egg replacer, no water
1 1/4 c almond milk
1/2 c melted earth balance
1/4 c agave, maple syrup, or if you’re fancy, OHGAVE! honey flavored agave
1 tbs cider vinegar
get out a large dutch oven, or heavy bottom stock pot. sauté the onions in a few tablespoons of oil until super soft and beginning to turn golden. add the jackfruit and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. start using the back and tip of a wooden spoon to break up and shred the jackfruit. don’t worry about pulverizing it, yet. now add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and increase the heat. cook until all liquid has evaporated. add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. add the jalapeño and bell pepper and sauté for a few minutes. add the tomato, spices and beans and mix well. stir in enough stock to suit your tastes. simmer covered for 30-45 minutes stirring occasionally to continue to break up the jackfruit, taste for salt and seasonings, and add more stock if needed. adjust, and simmer for another 15 minutes or so. i cooked mine for almost an hour and a half while i cleaned and made cornbread- the texture kept getting better.
jackfruit chili
to make the cornbread, heat your over to 400 and grab a cast iron skillet if you have it and throw in on the bottom rack. once heated, add a few tablespoons of oil to the skillet and add in the frozen corn. throw the pan back in the oven and roast until pale flecks of gold appear, this should take around 10-15 minutes. mean while, add the cider vinegar to the milk to curdle, and then whisk in the agave/honey, and earth balance. in a second bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and mix well. remove the corn from the oven and stir into the wet ingredients, and then stir the wet into the dry. pour the batter (it will be pretty thick) into the cast iron and pop into the oven. bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. you can also use an 8×8 brownie pan if you don’t have a cast iron skillet.
gluten free vegan roasted cornbread
jackfruit chili
not pictured; served with creamy slices of avocado
