August 16, 2018

Vegan Doughboy (Esperanto’s Copycat Recipe)

Hidden in upstate New York, the tiny city of Saratoga Springs is well known for a few reasons. One is the springs for which the town was named- mineral water bubbling from the ground which is said to have healing properties. Saratoga in the fall is a beacon for leafers, and history buffs like to cite the battle of Saratoga, said by some to be the turning place of the revolutionary war. Other’s think of horse racing when they think of Saratoga- as a vegan and animal lover, this is a part of the town that I think of less fondly. Saratoga is famous for another thing- it’s home of the doughboy. This doughy, cheesy, chicken-filled snack is popular among both the day and night crowds, and I think it’s high time we modernize it a little and make a vegan doughboy.

Note: Since I wrote this post, the doughboy has been rebranded to be called the Oboy- or in this case the vegan oboy!

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The Perils of Horse Racing

Before we get to eating, I’m going to take a moment to talk about horse racing. I lived in Saratoga Springs during my high school years, and the somewhat sleepy town doubled in people every July and August. Hoards of people came in, to go to the track and make $1 bets on the horses. And every year thoroughbreds die on and off the track from injuries they receive. 2016 set a record for the most horse deaths on the Saratoga Springs track. It was quickly surpassed by a new record number of deaths in 2017. While the numbers this year are not yet as bad, I can’t really understand how a day at the races is worth the deaths of any of these horses. Even those who do not die on the track face hardship- training a racehorse typically starts when a horse is between 18 months and 2 years old, despite their bodies not being fully mature until 5 or 6. When not racing, they are kept confined. At the end of their racing careers they will likely be slaughtered. Every dollar you bet at the track is a dollar given in support of these activities.

About Doughboys (AKA Oboys)

Doughboys (the non-vegan kind) are originally from Esperanto’s of Saratoga Springs. These little packages of oosey-goodness are as popular with the lunch crowd as they are late night folk, out on the town. They have the amazing combination of being simultaneously gooey, and neatly self-contained making it perfectly grab-and-go. Doughboys are traditionally eaten with a ridiculous amount of Frank’s Red Hot (although I suppose you could try a different hot sauce). My recipe makes a round dozen vegan doughboys, which I realize is a lot for someone without a big group to eat at once. Fortunately it’s easy to par-cook the vegan doughboys, and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. That way you can eat them every day, without having to roll them everyday.

Making Vegan Doughboy

To make your vegan doughboys, start with the filling. Saute the jackfruit and set aside while you make your vegan cheese. Once the cheese is thickened, combine the cheese with the jackfruit and green onions and place on a long stretch of wax paper. Use the wax paper to roll the filling into long tubes and place those in the refrigerator. They’re a lot easier to work with cool! The step that takes a little bit of practice is rolling the doughboys. I made a video to try and help explain how you turn a piece of dough and a creamy fruit and nut mixture into a doughboy- hopefully it helps!

Side note, I thought it was absolutely hilarious that this savory delightful vegan doughboy could accurately be described as a fruit and nut pastry. Not everyone thought it was as hilarious as I did, so I made the comment several more times with the hopes of getting more laughs. I didn’t, so I’m sharing it here. Maybe you laughed.

Vegan Doughboy (Esperanto’s of Saratoga Springs Copycat Recipe)

Ingredients

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ onion, diced
2 20oz cans of jackfruit, in brine, drained
Oil, for cooking
1 tsp. poultry spice blend
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 lb. raw, unsalted cashews, soaked in water for at least 15 minutes
Juice from one large lemon
¼ cup nutritional yeast
3 tbsp. tapioca powder
3 tbps. white miso paste
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup water
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2-3 scallions, chopped
2 pounds of pizza dough, store-bought or pre-made

Instructions

First make your jackfruit by heating a little oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for a few minutes before adding the jackfruit, poultry spice blend, smoked paprika and soy sauce. Mix well and cook for 5 or so minutes to flavor it all well. Set aside.
Next make your cheese, by blending the soaked cashews, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, tapioca, miso, garlic powder, water, salt and pepper. Once it is creamy, move to a pot on the stove and heat on medium high, stirring frequently, until your cheese thickens. Remove from the heat and add the jackfruit mixture and scallions, and fold well.
Take your doughboy filling and spread it evenly onto four sheets of wax paper. Use the wax paper to roll the filling into a snake, about 1 inch thick, and set the four snakes on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator. Allow the filling to cool
for at least an hour- the doughboys will be much easier to fold if the filling is cool.
Once the filling is cool, take your dough and separate it into four even pieces. Take one of the pieces and stretch the dough gently into a circle, 6-8 inches across. Use a pizza wheel to cut the circle into three even pieces. Take one of the chilled fillings out of the refrigerator and cut that into three even pieces as well. Place one piece along the outside of each of your pieces of pizza dough. Roll the doughboys by stretching each side over the length of the filling, and then stretch the outside edge over. Use your hands to gentle stretch the triangular edge into a square while you roll it around the rest of the filling. Make sure not to tear the dough or leave any of the filling exposed. Continue rolling doughboys until all 12 are made.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the doughboys on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat and place in the oven. To eat immediately, bake the doughboys for 15 minutes until golden. To save for later, par-cook for 5 minutes and then remove from the oven. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them- at that point bring the oven again to 425 (220) and cook the remaining 10 minutes. Eat with Franks Red Hot (or any other hot sauce you love).

https://veryveganval.com/2018/08/16/vegan-doughboy-esperantos-of-saratoga-springs-copycat-recipe/

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Let’s hear from you…

Have you ever had a doughboy? What did you think of it? If you haven’t, what are your first impressions of my vegan doughboys?
Did you notice I forgot to put scallions in the version of vegan doughboys I took pictures of? Very upsetting!
How do you like my 30 second vegan doughboy rolling video? I know it might not seem like much, but I’ve never edited a video before and had no idea what I was doing. This is my best first shot. Any tips/words of encouragement?