The Sorrows of a Vegetarian

 

I am a Vegetarian Wannabe – There you go I said it!

The last 75 days I’ve been struggling not with the decision of becoming vegetarian and saying goodbye to delicious dead animals but mostly with the whole adaptation, you know going to restaurants, trying not to be that “vegetarian-annoying-friend” etc…  And of course i did eat meat few times during this time, one I can still remember during Anniversary in NYC I had Pork Belly, I’ll never forget that flavor at that Japanese restaurant, then of course Grilled Pork Neck w/ Green Mango Salad at Golden Bangkok w/ my co-workers Sous Chef included, which also made me (forced me!!! pfffft  yeah right) to eat Ramen Noodles at work w/ Pork Tongue and Belly… so yes Pork, Pork, Pig :/

Then in Christmas Family Dinner I had this Smoked Turkey’s relatives of my sister flew in from Texas, and then her Glazed Ham.. and well there you see, that’s the last I had of meat so far on the 25th.

I’ve been to Pupatella, 2 Amys, Golden Bangkok and a Vietnamese restaurant at Eden Center it was really easy to choose something delicious, tasty, non boring and vegetarian, it made my life easier eating outside.  Then I went to Hong Kong Palace and they serve Szechuan (long story), yes Golden was closed so I tried them and I remember I’ve had great meals in the past, once I was sitting then it came to my mind, this delicious fried…. oh chicken… oh battered stir fry with.. shrimps…  I had fried rice and a couldn’t try wontons or dumplings, all had meat ha! I don’t blame the restaurant because I realized I never asked the waitress like ok i’m vegetarian what do you recommend?  it would have made my life easier, I am not yet used to telling people I’m vegetarian, yes I’m a Line Cook at this restaurant but I am Vegetarian, yes I’m a food Blogger but I am Vegetarian, yes I do Marketing for a Food related business Company and will have to find a way to keep doing what I am doing without having to apologize myself all the time and say “Oh I’m sorry I’m Vegetarian”.

I do know from now on if someone invites me for dinner or lunch I’ll say I got no allergies but I don’t eat animals. I will have to say it like that because I HAVE heard people saying, oh it’s just fish sauce, or shrimp paste, nahh it’s just dried Shrimp.. some fish won’t kill you.  Ha! Hey I’m 30 I know it, they are tasty, those dead animals, but I won’t eat them again that’s it. I’m mentally getting prepared to meet my grandma in Panama who is going to freak out once she tries feeding me her delicious tamales and I’ll nod smile and hide them in the kitchen feed the Boy or friends with them.  I will ask her as a matter of curiosity “GrandMa how do you make tamales without lard, chicken or pork no animal at all?” she will faint for few minutes and will come up with some creative tasty suggestions I’m sure.

I am loving the challenge, and I could keep going on sharing funny situations of my journey, but let’s face it I’m not saving the planet or gaining world peace through this, just another folk who doesn’t eat meat, bah, big deal, getting over it, now next oh yes here is a recipe for a Sandwich Lyon Hall makes now Mushroom Schnitzel, I was sad that night because I saw all the things we make at work and how I’ll miss the Onion Soup with Shortribs, the Dorade, the Salmon, the Skirt Steak, the Pig’s Feet, and etc, B A C O N…. anyways I went to the fridge and saw these hug Portabella Mushrooms and asked Chef Andy. and it went like this:

me: “Chef what are we using these mushrooms for?”

Chef: “Lunch.  Mushroom Schnitzel, description of the sandwich, bla bla” (at this point I had the smile of an idiot almost to the point of crying”

Chef stares at me smiling: “Ya frigging good” Chef walks away

me- still staring at the air now with a big smile thinking to myself- “I gotta try this” – then I asked more of a yelling- “Chef can I do a picture and write about it on my blog”

Chef confused and smiled like a polite English man he is (ha!): “Sure”

A man of few words he is, and that’s why we get along, I talk.. he nods. 

a comer!

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Mushroom Schnitzel Sandwich

by Chef Andy Bennet from Lyon Hall

Breaded Portobello mushrooms

Sweet and sour sauce

Pickled Shallots

Pretzel bread loaf

Aioli

Sottocenere al tartufo cheese (italian truffle cheese,

Arugula

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Instructions:

Portobello mushrooms, clean the top, remove the stem, grill them and pickle! for few hours at least!

Bread the Mushrooms w/ bread crumbs you know the usual, flour, egg, bread crumbs.  Fry on a pan with oil.

Toast your bread on a skillet with some butter.

Slice the Mushrooms, place cheese on top and bake in oven for few mins (high temp over 400F), just melt the cheese to your taste.

mix arugula & pickled shallots w/ sweet and sour sauce, drizzle a bit of Aioli on your bread, place the salad inside, then mushrooms w/ cheese, slice in half, E A T

The restaurant serves this dish with a side of fries, Market salad or German Potato salad.