After his first attacks of gout—a very painful inflammation of some joints—rather than taking the lifelong treatment recommended by his doctor, my husband chose to try his hand at veganism. The pain disappeared and the blood tests returned to normal in a few weeks. For ten years, he has followed, with a few exceptions, this diet which keeps this disease at bay.
His decision marked for me the beginning of a period of obsessive exploration, punctuated by successes and failures. I discovered that one could prosper and even enjoy cooking without animal products.
On the other hand, my daughters, revolted by the plant world, and frustrated, because by dint of experimentation, I couldn’t replicate my few accomplishments, concluded a pact with their grandmother. Touched by the distress of these poor children, she supplied them with chickens, cakes and other prohibited concoctions.
A parenthesis before continuing…
—I’m not a dietician and my training as a dentist allows me to treat only cavities. Before any decision related to your health, consult a doctor, but remember that what you put on your plate will influence your well-being.
—Too weak of will for exclusive veganism, I don’t wish to give moral lessons, but rather to offer my humble contribution to the wide range of culinary possibilities.
What does it have to do with literature, you ask me? I dream of publishing a collection of easy vegan recipes to celebrate the release of my book “Of Flesh and Tears,” a thriller that touches on the theme of animal cruelty. While waiting for the realization of these projects, here is the recipe for zucchini velouté, a dish acclaimed by galore guests of all ages and from all walks of life. Many have wondered about the secret ingredient that gives it its intense and voluptuous taste.
To your pots! And don’t forget to tell me what you think of it.
Cream of Zucchini
Ingredients
50 g onions
1 or 2 cloves of garlic
500 g zucchini
500 g water
1 vegetable stock cube
3 dehydrated porcini mushrooms (optional)
1 handful of natural cashews ½ teaspoon salt
1 good pinch of pepper
10 g olive oil
4 large spoonfuls of nutritional yeast
Preparation
Coarsely chop all the vegetables and put them in a pot with the water, stock cube, cashews, salt, pepper and, if possible, dehydrated porcini mushrooms.
Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Add olive oil and malted yeast.
Blend until you get a creamy texture.
Serve hot or cold, depending on your preference.