Stand By The Pretenders For A Meatless Monday

The Pretenders rocked the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee on July 29th with a blistering performance that had the crowd buzzing. Chrissie Hynde commanded the stage with her signature cool swagger, making the intimate setting feel like a roaring stadium. The setlist was a perfect blend of timeless hits like "Back on the Chain Gang" and fresh tracks that kept the energy sky-high, proving that the band's raw, unfiltered rock 'n' roll spirit is very much alive.

Backstage, the atmosphere was just as electric, fueled by a specially prepared dish for the band and crew. This blog will dive into the details of that culinary delight, giving you a backstage pass to the flavors that powered the Pretenders' unforgettable night. Get ready to rock your kitchen with a recipe that embodies the grit and glory of a legendary night in Milwaukee!

Cauliflower & Apple Curry

What you will need:

½ head of cauliflower, broken into flowerets
½ yellow onion julienned
1 T minced ginger root
1 Granny Smith or other tarte apple
½ brick extra firm tofu cut into medium dice
½ dozen baby bell peppers
½ cup of vegetable stock
1 can of coconut milk
2 T cornstarch or arrowroot
1 T each of Penzey’s sweet curry, hot curry, and tandoori Seasonings
Chopped, fresh basil and cilantro

Procedure:

Take your onion, ginger and 3 seasonings and add to a large saute pan, with some olive oil. Turn the flame to medium and sweat your ingredients while stirring with a wooden spoon. You don’t want to burn your spices so feel free to lower the flame or even turn it off for a minute. After 3-4 minutes the spices should be sufficiently toasted. Turn your heat up to high and add your baby bell pepper, cauliflower, and tofu. While stirring constantly, saute for a minute or two. Add your vegetable stock and coconut milk and simmer on low for 10 minutes. We’d like the cauliflower to still have some texture to it when we are finished so try not to overcook. After about 5 minutes Add a little of your liquid to a small cup with your cornstarch. Stir the liquid and cornstarch to create a paste. Add your paste to the cooking liquid and combine using a whisk to stir. This will thicken the cooking liquid into almost a gravy-like consistency. Add a little salt and fresh herbs to complete, serve with your favorite rice and we are good to go.

Note: If you went a little too rough on your spices at the start of the process, your curry can get a little bitter, if that happens I like to add a couple of drops of honey to smooth out the flavor.

Author

By: Kevin Sloan & Hillary Gunn