Basil is one of my favorite herbs, and I love to use it throughout the year.
Fortunately, I can find it at my local supermarket whenever I need it, even when it's not in season.
I like to buy the hydroponic variety, which comes in medium-size bunches. Take it home and transfer it to a vase or large drinking glass with enough water to cover the roots, and it will keep for several days.
For safety reasons, I prefer to use pasteurized eggs in recipes where the eggs are not fully cooked (for example, in Hollandaise Sauce or any time the yolks will remain runny).
Pasteurized eggs can be found in some U.S. supermarkets. A partial directory can be found here.
If you can’t find them at a store near you, make your own pasteurized eggs! Directions here.
Patties and tenders and nuggets, oh my!
You can get unbreaded mock chicken breasts, tenders, and strips, as well as breaded mock chicken patties, tenders, and nuggets.
Here are some brands I recommend:
• Boca
• Gardein
• Lightlife
• Morningstar Farms
Use the unbreaded varieties as you would a fresh chicken breast (although the cooking time will generally be shorter.)
Use the breaded varieties in sandwiches, in Mock Chicken Patties Parmesan, or just lightly sauteed in some olive oil with a squeeze of lemon or a splash of white wine.
Seitan
Places like Whole Foods and some health food stores carry chicken-style seitan (wheat gluten) that works well in recipes that call for cooked chicken or turkey chunks, like casseroles, crepes, and pot pies.
Tastes like chicken
I've served all of these products to carnivores who thought I must have fallen off the vegetarian wagon, because the mock chicken seemed so much like the real thing.
Warning to vegans
Vegans are advised to read the ingredient labels, as some of these products contain egg whites.
