THE VEGETARIAN EPICURE
by ANNA THOMAS

The late 60s, early 70s "classic." If you thought the only contributions the so-called hippies made to fine dining was to empty a bowl to get up an appetite for dinner, you have another think coming. This is the pre-fat hysteria, pre-vegan guide to delicious vegetarian food that won't leave you hungry an hour after dinner. Don't forget to visit her web site where she has posted new recipes, as well as information about her life and cookbooks. And don't forget to order a copy of this essential cookbook at barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com.

Important note: As if I haven't said it a zillion times already, I don't own the rights to these recipes. If you want them for commercial purposes, please contact Anna Thomas through her web site so that you can arrange to purchase the appropriate permissions.

Index to the recipes:

• Corn Bread
• Lentil-Tomato Soup
• Lentil Soup Creole

Corn Bread

• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup whole grain cornmeal (stoneground if possible)
• 4 tbs. sugar
• 5 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tbs. melted butter --these days, butter can be quickly melted in the microwave

"Sift together dry ingredients. Beat the egg with the milk and add it to the flour mixture along with the melted butter. Stir everything up well.

"Spread the batter in a buttered 9-inch pie dish and bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until it is lightly browned around the edges.

"Serve hot with butter.

"Serves 4 to 6 generously--and that's the way you have to serve this bread."

Lentil-Tomato Soup

• 2/3 cup dried lentils
• 4 cups water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• a few Baco-bits (optional)
• 1 cup tomato paste -- to be honest, I usually just use the 6 ounce can because it's easier and works fine if you cut back a tad on the water
• chopped parsley
• garlic
• salt and pepper
• thyme
• dill weed
• tarragon -- actually, I usually omit it as I don't grow it and they say the dried tarragon is not the same
• dry white wine -- optional

Serves 6 but you can freeze the extras.

Lentil Soup Creole

• 1 cup lentils
• 2 qt. boiling water
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 onion
• 1 stalk celergy
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 1 sweet red bell pepper
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 Bakon yeast -- (Note: I have never used this yeast and never missed it.)
• 1 tsp vegetable broth powder -- (Note: I generally omit this, preferring instead to use some or all homemade broth in place of the water above.)
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• bay leaf
• 4 to 5 Tbsp. catsup or tomato puree
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• fresh-ground black pepper

"Douse the lentils with the boiling water, add the salt, and let them stand, covered, for about an hour. Chop the onion, the celery stalk, and the bell peppers. Melt 3 tbsp. butter in a saucepan and add to it the Bakon yeast and vegetable broth powder. Add the diced vegetables, brown sugar, and a bay leaf, and saute for a few minutes before adding it all to the lentils.

"Cook over a very low flame for about 1-1/2 hours. Mix together the flour and the catsup (or tomato pureer). Add a little of the hot soup to this, stirring well, then return it all to the pot. Grind in some black pepper, heat through, and serve."

6 to 8 servings but, don't forget, you can freeze extras for later.

The strange thing about this recipe is that I have never once followed it step-by-step or word-for-word. It is more a good memory jog for ideas about how to make a good "creole" lentil dish than it is something that needs to be slavishly followed. Often I cut back quite a bit on the water and make it as a side or main dish rather than a soup.

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