Vegetarian Eating: 2011

Saturday 24 December 2011

Recipe: http://www.healthyveganrecipes.net/video/vegetarian-stuffing-recipe
This vegetarian stuffing recipe is the perfect alternative to a traditional bread-based stuffing, and is made with healthy brown rice. It is still full of flavor though, thanks to some apple cider, cranberries and thyme. A few vegan Christmas recipes like this one add up to a wonderful holiday meal, leaving you satisfied and nourished without falling asleep with an overstuffed belly.

Thursday 15 December 2011

Bejewelled Puddings

Ingredients

Ingredients for sponges
100g butter
70g brown sugar
2 medium eggs, beaten (for vegan*use 2 tbsp soya flour with 4 tbsp water)
100g ground almonds
40g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch nutmeg and cinnamon
450g fruit - cherries, apricots, raspberries, blue berries or your choice
3 tbsp caster sugar
200ml of flavoured brandy or liqueur to match fruit e.g. crème de cassis for raspberries, apricot brandy for apricots, cherry brandy for cherries etc.

Ingredients for brandy sauce
Cooking and preparation time 10 minutes
30g butter or vegan margarine*
30g plain flour
350ml milk or soya milk*
350ml milk or soya milk*
20g caster sugar
100ml single cream or soya cream*
2 tbsp brandy
2 drops of vanilla or almond extract

Method for the sponges

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

To make the sponge base, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Now add the eggs, almonds, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and mix in thoroughly. Set aside.

Make the fruit layer next. Add the fruit, sugar and brandy or liqueur to a small saucepan and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed. This should take around 15 minutes.

Grease four ramekins and line with baking parchment. Place the fruit mixture into each of the ramekins then add the sponge mixture. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the sponge has risen and is crisp.

When done, let the puddings cool slightly before turning them out onto a plate each. You may need to go around the puddings with a sharp knife if they have stuck to the sides, carefully remove baking parchment.

Method for the brandy sauce

Gently melt the butter (or margarine) then add the flour, stirring with a whisk. Allow to cook for two minutes, keep stirring.

Slowly add the milk, stirring all the time. As the milk is added the sauce will start to thicken.

Add the sugar and allow the sauce to cook for 5 minutes on a low heat, stirring from time to time.

Add the cream and brandy plus either vanilla or almond extract. Bring slowly back to a higher temperature stirring all the time then serve immediately.

Leeks and Walnuts

Ingredients

15g butter or vegan margarine
3 leeks, washed and finely sliced
30g broken walnuts
20g lemon thyme, chopped
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a large frying pan, gently heat the butter or margarine and add the leeks.

Gently sauté the leeks for five minutes then add the walnuts and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

Finally add the lemon thyme, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve .

Layered Loaf

Ingredients

1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
300g Quorn mince or *frozen vegan mince
2 tbsp mild curry paste
30g breadcrumbs
3 drops of almond essence
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
50g toasted chopped hazelnuts
250g ready to eat prunes, finely chopped
4 free range eggs, beaten or *1 tbsp gram flour mixed with 4 tbsp water
1 orange, skin removed and finely sliced
1 jar roasted red peppers or 1 red pepper roasted and skin removed
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Line a loaf tin (20 cm x 12cm x 6cm) with greaseproof paper.

Gently fry onions in olive oil for 5 minutes then add the garlic and mince and continue to cook for 10 minutes.

Add the curry paste, breadcrumbs, almond essence, water, rosemary, half the prunes and hazelnuts, stir and remove from the heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then add the beaten eggs or gram flour mixture, stir and season with salt and pepper.

Line the base of the loaf tin with sliced orange.

Put half of the mixture into the tin then a layer of red peppers. Top up the tin with the remaining mince mixture.

Then place a layer of the remaining prunes on top of the mixture. Cover the loaf with greaseproof paper and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Carefully lift out the loaf, invert so that the orange slices are at the top and serve as a festive centre-piece.

CHRISTMAS

Saturday 19 November 2011

MILKED

NO EXIT

WEAPONS

VEGAN PIG

MOO

GARFIELD

Monday 3 October 2011

Layered squash, barley & spinach pie

Prep 40 mins

Cook 2 hrs 40 mins

Ingredients

FOR THE FILLING

1 small butternut squash (about 1kg/2lb 4oz), peeled and cubed
3 tbsp olive oil , plus a little extra for brushing
3 onions , finely chopped
3 garlic cloves , crushed
100g mushrooms , sliced
85g whole cooked chestnuts , quartered
100g pearl barley
1.2l vegetable stock
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
zest 1 lemon
250g/9oz tub ricotta
200g full-fat soft cheese
½ x 20g/1oz pack sage , leaves picked and chopped
400g baby spinach
20g pack parsley , leaves chopped

FOR THE PASTRY

700g plain flour
140g butter
85g/3oz white vegetable shortening
100ml milk
1 egg , lightly beaten
few bay leaves (optional)

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and roast the butternut squash with 1 tbsp oil for 25-30 mins until tender, then set aside.
Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large pan and cook the onions and garlic for 10 mins until soft. Remove two-thirds, then add the mushrooms, chestnuts and pearl barley to the pan. Sizzle for a few mins, pour in the stock, then bring to the boil. Bubble fiercely for 30 mins until the barley is tender and sticky and there is no liquid left. Stir in the soy sauce, season and set aside.
While the barley layer is cooking, make the other layers. Stir the zest, ricotta, soft cheese and a good amount of seasoning into the reserved onions until smooth. Take a third of the mixture and gently fold with the sage and roasted squash. For the final layer, boil the kettle, then tip half the spinach into a large colander. Pour over the boiling water to wilt, then repeat with the rest of the spinach. Tip the spinach onto a clean tea towel and squeeze out all the moisture you can. Roughly chop, then mix into the remaining ricotta mixture with the parsley.
To make the pie, brush a 900g loaf tin with a little oil. Make 3 long triplelayer strips of foil and lay these across the width of the tin to help you lift out the pie to serve. Tip flour and 3 tsp salt into the largest bowl you have and gently melt the butter, shortening and milk with 200ml water in a pan. Once melted, increase heat until bubbling fiercely, tip onto the flour, then quickly beat with a wooden spoon until combined. Don't worry if some powdery bits remain. Once cool enough to handle, knead until it comes together, then tip onto your work surface. Set aside a third and roll the rest into a large rectangle - big enough to line the tin with a little overhanging.
Ease into the tin, pressing evenly into the corners and sides - you can be rough with it. Spoon in the spinach layer, smooth the surface, then repeat with the barley and finally the squash layer. Dome the squash mix slightly to give a rounded top. Roll out the remaining pastry to fit, brush the edges with some egg, then press the lid over the top. Trim the excess and crimp or pinch to seal, then decorate with pastry trimmings cut into leaves (add bay leaves, if using, when the pie has 30 mins left in the oven). Can be covered and chilled overnight.
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and put a large baking sheet inside. Brush the surface of the pie with egg, lift onto the heated baking tray and bake for 30 mins, then reduce the heat to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and bake for a further 1 hr 30 mins until the pastry is golden brown and feels hard. Stand for 15-20 mins while you get the rest of the meal ready - the pie will stay warm. Gently tip out the pie, or use the foil strips to lift out carefully. Carry to the table and slice thickly to serve.

Bread pudding

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 10 mins

Cook 1 hr 30 mins
plus 15 mins soaking

Ingredients

500g white or wholemeal bread
500g/1lb 2oz mixed dried fruit
85g mixed peel
1 ½ tbsp mixed spice
600ml milk
2 large eggs , beaten
140g light muscovado sugar
zest 1 lemon (optional)
100g butter , melted
2 tbsp demerara sugar

Tear the bread into a large mixing bowl and add the fruit, peel and spice. Pour in the milk, then stir or scrunch through your fingers to mix everything well and completely break up the bread. Add eggs, muscovado and lemon zest if using. Stir well, then set aside for 15 mins to soak.

2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base of a 20cm non-stick square cake tin (not one with a loose base). Stir the melted butter into the pudding mixture, tip into the tin, then scatter with demerara. Bake for 1½ hrs until firm and golden, covering with foil if it starts to brown too much. Turn out of the tin and strip off the paper. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Vegetarian Eating