potatoes Archives - Feast of Plants

Sabich Platter (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 14:00:17 +0000

Holidays are a thing of the past at the moment but I can’t express just how much I miss them. Looking back at our holiday snaps makes me yearn for a little bit of adventure and that joy of discovering new places. If there’s one place I’d love to visit just for the food, it’s Israel. Food from all over the world, coming together in one place makes the food scene unbeatable. What’s more, influences from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa mean there’s a strong lean toward vegetables and Israel has the world’s highest ratio of vegans so finding tasty plant based food really isn’t hard. While everyone knows falafel, there’s one thing I love more and that’s Sabich. Traditionally, this is a sandwich with layers of hummus, fried aubergine slices, potato, and a boiled egg, all topped with with a selection of sauces like amba, zhoug and tahini. Stuffed into a fluffy pita this makes a sandwich like no other. Seriously, I just can’t express how tasty it is. To make this perfect for dinner I’ve turned it into a platter so everyone can have as much as as little as they want. Add in my own little touches and this makes for the perfect dinner for meal prep leading to a really effort but tasty dinner. Makes: Serves 4 Ingredients For the Cajun Hummus: 600g Butter Beans, cooked 5 Garlic Cloves 60ml Lemon Juice 60ml Tahini 60ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 tsp Ground Cumin 2 tsp Cajun Spice 1 tsp Salt For the Marinaded Tofu: 400g Tofu, drained & pressed 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice 2 tbsp Oil 2 tsp Paprika 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1/2 tsp All Spice 1/4 tsp Sugar For the Tahini Sauce: 6 Garlic Cloves 80ml Lemon Juice 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin 125ml Tahini (aprox 150g) 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup Cold water Salt & Pepper, to taste For the Platter: 1 large Aubergine 2 Tbsp Cornflour 1 tsp Ground Cumin 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander 2 tsp Paprike, plus more for dusting 4 Medium Potatoes Pitta Breads For the Zhoug: 1/4 tsp Coriander Seeds 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds 1/t tsp White Pepper 3 Small Cardamon Pods 4 Garlic Cloves 3 Red Chillies 1 tsp Salt 30g Fresh Parsley 30g Fresh Coriander 120ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil For the Israeli Salad: 3 Tomatoes 1 Cucumber 1 Red Pepper 1/2 Red Onion 30g Parley 30ml Lemon Juice 45ml Olive Oil Salt & Pepper, to taste Directions To make the hummus: This is incredibly easy. Put all the ingredients into your food processor and mix until light and fluffy. If making this ahead of time then hummus stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days and freezes happily – just remember to put it into an airtight container first. To make the tahini sauce: Put the lemon juice and garlic cloves into the blender. Mix until the garlic cloves have been broken down to stop the garlic from being too harsh. Add the rest of the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Gradually add in the water, a few tablespoons at a time, until you have a light, lightly thick sauce. Like the hummus, tahini sauce is quite happy to sit in the fridge for several days so this can be made ahead as well. To make the Zhoug: Traditionally, this is made using a mortar and pestle but personally I prefer using a mini food processor – use whatever you have to hand. Start by toasting the seeds. Place a dry pan on a medium heat and toast the seeds until they darken slightly. Put the spices into your processor and pulse until they start to break up. Add in the garlic cloves and chillies (removing the seeds if you want to control the heat) and pulse until a rough paste forms. Add in the herbs, olive oil, and salt and continue to pulse until the herbs are thoroughly chopped and the oil has formed an emulsion. Taste and check for seasoning before putting to one side. Zhoug is best fresh but it can happily be made ahead of time if needed and stored in an airtight container for a few weeks.. To make the Tofu: This one’s not complicated. Start by chopping the tofu into large, bitesize chunks. Firmly whisk together the rest of the ingredients to form a thick paste. Coat the tofu well and leave to marinade for 30 minutes before placing on a lined baking tray. To make the Israeli Salad: Firstly, finely dice the tomatoes, toss in a little salt, and leave to strain for about 10 minutes. Prepare the rest of the salad while you wait. All the vegetables for this salad should be chopped finely and about the same size – aim for 0.5cm square if you can. Finely dice the parsley as well. Once the tomatoes are drained, place everything into a bowl and toss well, adding seasoning to taste. Place in the fridge until needed. Putting together the platter: Peel the potatoes and cut into thick slices before putting into a large pan. Cover with salted water and simmer for 20 minutes, or until a fork easily pieces the slices. Drain well and very gently toss with a little oil before place onto a lined baking tray in a single layer. Pre heat the oven to 240 degrees (220 Fan/475 F). Put the tofu and potatoes into the oven and roast for 30 minutes, turning halfway through. While the tofu and potatoes roast in the oven, thickly slice the aubergine. Toss together the cornflour and spices before coating each slice. Place a large frying on a medium to high heat with at least a centimetre of oil. When the oil is hot, fry off the dusted aubergine slices until a deep golden brown on both sides. Drain well once cooked. To serve, I lay it all out on a large serving platter with a swirl of hummus on once side. I like to spoon some of the zhoug onto the hummus before spooning everything else onto the plate. With the sauces and some warmed pita breads on the side, this is an unconventional dinner than will make everyone happy Notes This is the perfect meal for batch cooking. Everything can be made in advance and served cold so boxed into individual serves makes a truly brilliant lunch. Alternatively, if you’re prepping ahead of time most items can be done ahead leaving just the cooking for the day. Just 30 minutes of easy cooking and you’ll have dinner ready and waiting for you. Allergy Notes; This meal is vegan, gluten free, nut free, and soy free. If sesame seeds are an allergen for you then go ahead and whip up the hummus without the tahini or using nut or seed butters instead.

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Cajun Palm Hearts with Gnocchi (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 17:00:45 +0000

As a general rule, Kenny and I don’t celebrate valentines day. Instead we celebrate the anniversary of our first date on the 8th of February. It’s a date that actually means something to us, not just a socially mandated date for romance. Of course, for you that means you get our anniversary dinner just in time for valentines day. This year I returned to heart of palm for their lobster/scallop like texture but without any relation to any actual fish. Tossed in cajun spices and paired with fluffy homemade gnochi, in a creamy, herby sauce, this makes for a deliciously tasty dish that seems like it’s so much more work than it actually is. We had plenty of potatoes so I made gnocchi from scratch, making sure to make double what we needed so half can be frozen for another quick dinner. Gnocchi is one of those great dishes that can be whipped together from cupboard basics, even from leftover mash, to make a tasty dinner. You’ll pay through the nose for it in a fancy restaurant, do it yourself you’ll realise just how easy it can be but you can happily buy gluten free and vegan gnocchi from the supermarket if you don’t have the time. Makes: Serves 2-3 Ingredients For the Homemade Gnocchi: 1 Kg Potatoes, aim for floury rather than waxy if you can 1/4 Chickpea Flour 1/4 cup Water 150g Gluten Free Flour* 2 Tbsp Olive OIl 1/4 tsp Salt For the Cajun Spiced Palm Hearts: 2 x 400g tins Palm Hearts, rinsed and drained 1/4 cup Cornflour 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning 1/2 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Paprika 1/2 tsp Lemon Pepper 1/2 tsp Basil 1/2 tsp Rosemary For the Creamy Herb Sauce: 60g Vegan Butter 4 Garlic Cloves, minced 5 Tbsp Gluten Free Flour 250ml Vegetable Stock 300ml Plant Based Milk 1/3 cup Nutritional yeast 1 tsp Thyme 1/2 tsp Basil 1 tsp Tahini (optional) Salt & Pepper to taste Directions For the best textured gnocchi, bake your potatoes rather than boil them. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees (200C fan/425 F). Prick your potatoes all over and place into the oven until the inside is soft. This will vary depending on the size of the potato but averages out at 45 minutes – 1 hour. Allow to cool completely before scooping out the insides. Whisk together the oil, chickpea flour, and water. Place the potato into a large bowl and mash until smooth. use a fork, potato ricer, or masher – really don’t use a food processor as this will bring out the starch and make the mash gluey. Add in the chickpea mix and almost all the flour. Mix lightly with a spoon before turning out onto the worktop. Kneed just until the dough is smooth and firm, try not to overwork the dough to make it too heavy. If too soft or wet add more flour as needed but it’s best to err on the side of caution to get the lightest gnocchi, the dough should be moist but not sticky. Cut the dough into quarters and roll into long tubes roughly the same thickness as your thumb. Cut into pieces no larger than an inch. Now here you can be a little creative, dig out something to shape your gnocchi – you can use the back of a fork, a grater, even a gnocchi board if you have such a thing – anything with a flat base and shaped to allow sauce to cling to the gnocchi. I tend to use a small cooling rack but dig out what you think will work best for you. Using your thumb press the dough in and down the length of your improvised gnocchi board. The gnocchi should curl into a slight “C” shape, and the backs should capture the impression the dents. Set each gnocchi aside on a sheet of greaseproof paper and dust with a bit more flour if needed. Remember that the ingredients for this recipes makes double the amount of gnocchi needed for this. If you’re freezing the excess, put on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper in a single layer. Place in the freezer until solid before placing into freezer bag. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (180 Fan/ 400 F). Slice the palm hearts into chunks about the same width as your thumb. Toss well in the rest of the ingredients before putting onto a lined baking tray. Spritz with a little oil and place into the oven, baking until crisped around the edges, or for 25 – 30 minutes, turning once. While the palm hearts bake, make the sauce and bring a large pot of water up to boil. Melt the butter in a medium pan and add the garlic, cooking until fragrant. Slowly add in the flour, stirring constantly, until fully mixed and the mix has started to brown slightly. Add in the herbs and nutritional yeast, now gradually add in the stock and milk, stirring until completely combined. The mix should coat the back of a spoon, if too thick then add a little bit more milk as needed. When heated through, I tend to prefer to run the mix through a blender to make sure it’s extra smooth but this is completely optional. Add in the tahini (if using – it adds a little more creaminess but can be skipped), taste and season as needed. This isn’t in the ingredients but often at this point I like to throw in a handful of frozen veg like sweetcorn and peas because there’s no such thing as too much veg. Without overcrowding the pan, put the waiting gnocchi into the boiling water. The gnocchi is cooked when it floats – this should take 3-5 minutes. Drain well and toss both the gnocchi and palm hearts in the sauce. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and a touch of chilli flakes. Notes You can use leftover mash to make equally good gnocchi. About 950g – 1Kg of mash will work here but if you’ve already added butter then skip the olive oil in your chickpea blend. * If your flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum then add about 1/2 tsp. Allergy Notes; This recipe is vegan, gluten free, soy free and nut free. If sesame seeds are an allergen for you then just skip the tahini.

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Leek & Potato Soup – Three Ways (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 13:30:05 +0000

There are few things more comforting during cold, damp weather than a bowl of steaming hot soup. A few simple ingredients, cooked together to make something special. The best soups are ones you can throw together with a few kitchen basics and come out with something everyone will love. Leek and potato soup is one of those French classics that everyone has heard of. It’s incredibly simple and only a needs a few simple touches to make it a success that anyone can make. Lets a look at some of the important points here; Leeks – I’m not always a great fan of leeks since they’re so difficult to clean. You’ll likely find grit in between every layer. The easiest way to clean your leeks for this recipe is to half them lengthways first. You should then be able to fan out the leaves and rinse well. Potatoes – If you have a choice, floury potatoes work better in a soup than waxy version. They’re break down easier and make for a more cream soup while waxy potatoes can make it a little gloopy. Maris pipers are my favourites since they also make great roasties! Stock – you can make this with water if you really must but … don’t. A great vegetable stock is the secret to making so many dishes better and adding in that hint of depth. Bacon – this is a traditional base to the soup BUT this is a vegan blog and I haven’t had meat in a long time. I’ve found that adding smoked paprika adds same depth while keeping it vegan – and so much cheaper. Cream – Like so many French soups, this is creamy and would traditionally have plenty of cream and butter stirred through to make it rich. I whip up some tasty, savoury, cashew cream for the same effect. That’s all it takes! I’ve given you three cooking techniques here using the slow cooker, pressure cooker or hob. Slow cooker is my favourite but do what works best for you! Makes: Serves 4 Ingredients 150g Cashews 1800ml Good Vegetable Stock 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil 2 Large Leeks, dark green sections remove & washed 60ml White Wine Vinegar 850g Potatoes, peeled & chopped 1 Garlic Clove, minced 2 Bay Leaves 1 tsp Dried Thyme 1 tsp Dried Rosemary 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika Salt & Pepper to taste Directions For best results, I recommend soaking your cashews overnight but if you loose track of time then try to soak them for at least an hour in boiling water. Once soaked and soft to the touch, drain and blend with 300ml of the stock until completely smooth. Put to one side until needed. Quarter your leeks lengthways (remembering to wash them when halved), before chopping. Place a large pan onto a medium heat and melt the coconut oil. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Deglaze the pan with the white wine vinegar, making sure to scrape up all those tasty brown bits. This is where our three cooking methods diverge. Slow Cooker: Add all your ingredients, apart from the cashew cream, to your slow cooker and stir well. Be a little heavy handled with the salt and pepper here. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours. The potatoes should be soft and the leeks will melting away. Pressure Cooker/Instant pot: In most pressure cookers you should be able to sauté the leeks within the cooker – go for it! It’ll keep all the flavours in one place. Add all your ingredients, apart from the cashew cream, to the pressure cooker and stir well. Be a little heavy handled with the salt and pepper here. Seal and cook on high for 9 minutes. This is a soup so a quick release really isn’t a good idea – you want to do an intermittent pressure release. Carefully, open and close the pressure release valve in short intervals. This allows to the pressure to gradually release without the risk of being sprayed with boiling liquid. Hob Cooking: Skip the deglazing step for now. Add the potatoes to the pan and continue to cook until they just start to brown around the edges. Now deglaze with the vinegar, and scrape up all the lovely brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan (apart from the cashew cream) and season very generously with the salt & pepper. Simmer on a low heat, partially covered, until the potatoes are soft and cooked through and meltingly soft. For all cooking methods, once your potatoes are meltingly soft, blend the soup with an immersion blender till smooth. Stir in most of the cashew cream (keep a tiny amount back for garnish). Now taste and season as needed, don’t be shy with adding more pepper if needed. Serve with a swirl of your reserved cashew cream with a side of crusty bread. Notes Allergy Notes; This is naturally vegan, gluten free and soy free. If nuts are an allergen for you then substitute your cashew cream with about a cup of soy cream instead.

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Spanish Omelette (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 14:00:58 +0000

Surprisingly enough, this is one of those recipes that doesn’t have to change much from the original to make it vegan. Chickpeas are a familiar staple in Spain and a well known traditional substitute for eggs which makes it easy for us. Traditionally filled with potatoes, this makes a filling breakfast for a crowd or a great light lunch with a side salad. I like to mix mine up with more than potatoes, sweet red peppers make a great addition too, along with red onion. It’s an incredibly easy dish to make and doesn’t need to be closely watched. If you’re into batch cooking then the vegetables can be easily cooked ahead of time leaving you only 15 minutes work cooking the omelette on the day. Light, filling and tasty with an eggy texture – without any eggs! Perfect for your next plant based brunch or lunch and totally versatile. Makes: Serves 4-6 Ingredients 700g Potatoes, sliced 1 Red Onion, halved then sliced 1 Red Pepper, thinly sliced 2 Garlic Cloves. roughly chopped 90g Chickpea Flour (aprox. 1 cup) 250ml Veggie Stock Pinch of Saffron 1/8 tsp Black Salt, optional (for a touch of eggy flavour) 1 tsp Rosemary Salt & Pepper to taste Directions As with most recipes, I like to get the prep out of the way before anything else so make sure all your veg are chopped and ready to go before starting – it’ll make everything easier. Place the potatoes into a pan of salted water and simmer until almost cooked, a fork should . The time will vary depending on your slices but normally this should take about 15 minutes. Drain once cooked, moving the potatoes gently so they don’t break. While the potatoes cook, place a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a few tablespoons of oil. When the oil is heated, throw in the onions and peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened before adding in the garlic and sautéing well for a few moments. Add in the almost cooked potato slices and gently stir before turning the heat down to medium- low. Cook, stirring rarely and very gently, until the onions are golden brown and the potatoes are cooked and starting to colour. In a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, stock, saffron, rosemary, and black salt (if using) until smooth and lump free. Pour in the cooked vegetables and gently stir through. In the same pan you cooked the vegetables, add another tablespoon of oil and place back onto a medium heat. Tip your mix into the pan , making sure everything is evenly spread out. Cook until the base is browned and the top is just set. This normally takes about 10 minutes. Here comes the tricky bit. Loosen the omelette around the edges then flip onto a large plate (seriously – I normally place the plate over the top of the pan and flip while holding very tightly). Slide the omelette back into the pan and cook until golden and cooked all the way through, about 5 minutes. Turn out onto a large plate or cutting board and slice into wedges. This can be served hot or cold. Leftovers keep well if stored in an airtight box in the fridge for up to a week. Notes You can use almost anything as the omelette filling so feel free to personalise this and make it your own. Feel like mushrooms? Go for it! Want a touch of tomato? Sounds tasty! Have a handful of spinach that needs eating? Throw it in! Allergy Notes; This recipe is naturally vegan, gluten free, nut free and soy free! Let me know if you encounter any issues and I can suggest substitutions.

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Spiced Potato Croquettes (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 15:00:12 +0000

We’re heading into the festive season and for many people, that also means it’s the high point in the year for leftovers as well. If you’re anything like me, then you’d rather have too much food than too little. The festive season has always meant an overloaded dinner table surrounded by family, followed by a fridge heaving with leftovers. There’s nothing wrong with a leftovers, I’m a big fan of them. I always have a freezer full of them but who wants to eat the same thing day after day? Croquettes are one of my answers to this problem and they’re surprisingly easy to make. The perfect solution to any leftover mashed potatoes and oh so versatile. You can fill them with so many flavours and they freeze easily. If you don’t want to use yours straight away then pop on to a baking tray when coated in breadcrumbs, making sure they’re not touching. Place into the freezer and once frozen solid they can be placed into your favourite container and are ready to cook whenever you need them. Just increase the cooking time for any frozen croquettes for another 10-15 minutes. I love the Indian flavours in this dish. If your mash potato is from a more traditional western meal, then the spices can make a great contrast for your next dinner. Serve with your favourite curry, a great dhal, or as a side to spice up some great vegan sausages! Makes: Serves 4 Ingredients 1 Tbsp Coconut oil 1/2 tsp Coriander Seeds 1 tsp Ginger, grated 1/2 Green Chilli, finely diced 1/4 tsp Asafoetida* 1 tsp Ground Cumin 2 Cups, Mashed Potatoes 1 Tomato, grated 1/2 tsp Amchoor Powder 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder 1/4 tsp Black Salt 1 tsp Garam Masala 100g Fresh Spinach 1 Tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped 1 tsp Dried Fenugreek leaves 1 tsp Lemon Juice Plant Based Milk, for coating 160g Gluten Free Breadcrumbs** 1 Tbsp Oil Salt & Pepper to taste Directions Place a wide bottom pan over a low heat. toast the coriander seeds for a few seconds, or until the seeds start to smell fragrant and just start to darken. Add in the coconut oil and turn the heat up to medium. Once the coconut oil has melted, add the ginger, green chilli and cook until the ginger starts to soften and brown. Add in the rest of the ground spices, including the black salt and stir well before adding the mashed potato and tomato. Saute, stirring occasionally, until any excess water from the tomatoes has evaporated and the potatoes start to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add in the spinach leaves and allow them to wilt in the heat of the pan before stirring through the potato mix. Finish with the coriander leave, fenugreek and lemon juice. Taste and season as needed before allowing to cool. When cooled, shape into your favourite croquette shape. Little logs always work well, round little dumplings are very easy, but whatever shape you use try not to use more than 2 tablespoons of mix at a time. Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl, season really well and mix through the oil until fully combined. I like to do double coatings of my croquettes to ensure everything is well coated. Roll the shaped dumplings in the plant based milk before rolling in the breadcrumbs. Again, roll the croquette in the milk then breadcrumbs before placing on a lined baking tray. Repeat with all your prepared croquettes, making sure there’s a little space between them on the tray. If you’re making these ahead of time or in a batch cooking mood, this is the moment to place the tray of croquettes into the freezer, if not then carry on. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees (180 Fan/400 F). Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Serve immediately, it pairs beautifully with some spicy tomato relish, a tasty mango chutney, or that Indian classic – coriander chutney. Notes * be very careful when picking your asafoetida. It’s often mixed with wheat so can be tricky to find a version that’s gluten free. If you can’t find a gluten safe version then 2 minced garlic cloves work well as a decent substitute. Add the garlic with the ginger and chilli but try to make sure it takes on very minimal colour. **Don’t have any breadcrumbs to hand? Just whizz an equal weight of old bread in a processor. Now you have breadcrumbs! Allergy Notes; This recipe is naturally vegan, gluten free, nut free, and soy free. If you have an issue with any of the ingredients on this list then let me know and I can suggest substitutes.

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Dauphinois Potatoes (Vegan, GF)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 14:00:46 +0000

Many years ago, my brother and sister in law gifted me a copy of Julia Child’s cooking classic “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. I still find it quite inspiring, even though the majority of the recipes don’t match our dietary needs. The basics of today’s recipe came from that book but I’ve modified it heavily so that we can eat it. Dauphinois Potatoes, or scalloped potatoes as they are sometime known, are the ultimate in potato indulgence. Thin slices of potato are traditionally layered with garlic, cream, and (occasionally) cheese. There are strong debates on whether the cheese is truly authentic. A french friend strongly argued against it but even Julia Child said otherwise. I’ve adapted this to use plant based ingredients and it’s oh so tasty. With a crisp top, tender potatoes inside, and coated in a rich creamy filling, this is an indulgent side to your next roast. Enjoy! Makes: Serves 4-6 Ingredients 1 Kg Potatoes, peeled 150g Cashews, soaked 250ml Vegetable Stock 250ml Plant based milk (almond or oat work well for me) 1 Onion, thinly sliced 2 Garlic Cloves, minced 1 Bay leaf 1 tsp Dried Thyme 1/4 tsp Nutmeg 50g Butter (plus more for greasing) 100g Vegan Cheese 1 tsp Nutritional Yeast Salt & Pepper to taste Directions Preheat your oven to 220 degrees (210 Fan/425 F). Grease your chosen baking dish well. Place a frying pan over a low heat with a touch of oil. Add the onion and fry, covered, stirring occasionally. Cook until the onions are soft and lightly golden brown. Put to one side. Put the soaked cashews and stock into a blender. Blend until smooth to make a tasty savoury cream, put to one side. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, thinly slice the potatoes, aiming for about a third of an inch thick. The thinner your potatoes, the quicker they’ll cook. While waiting to use the potato, place in a bowl of water to avoid browning. Place the milk, garlic, nutritional yeast, and herbs into a small pan and bring to a gentle simmer while stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the cashew cream and nutmeg, stirring well. If the potatoes have been placed in water, drain well. Very gently toss together the onion and potato slice, stirring gently so the slices are not damaged. Spread half of the potatoes in the baking dish and top with half the butter and half the cheese before lightly seasoning with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining potato, and sprinkle over the last of the butter. Pour over the seasoned milk mix and scatter over the remaining cheese. Season well before placing in the oven. Bake well for between 30 – 45 minutes. When done, a sharp knife should slip easily through the centre and the top will be a deep golden brown. Notes To minimise work on the day, all the steps before placing into the oven can be followed the night before. Place into the fridge until ready to bake. Allergy Notes; This recipe is vegan, gluten free, and soy free – provided you use a plant based milk that works within your allergy needs.

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Thai Style Potato Salad (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 12:00:20 +0000

I’m a big fan of salads in all forms. From little side salads to big heaping mounds of veggies drenched in a delicious dressing, and warm salads that contrast winters cool. A good salad shouldn’t be just a few leaves, but rather is a vehicle for your creativity. Experiment with ingredients you have around the house to add that extra special touch, fruit for sweetness, nuts for crunch Potato salad works well as a side with just so many dishes. Serve as a side with your next barbecue, with a picnic, or leftovers. This version is bursting with flavours, creamy, sweet and just a little acidic. Whats more, it’s incedibly easy to make, whip it together while you’re doing something more complicated, leave it in the fridge until you’re ready for it and it’ll be a great addition to any dinner. Makes: Serves 4-6 (as a side) Ingredients For the Dressing: 200ml Coconut Milk 150ml Crunchy Peanut Butter 2 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil 60ml Lemon Juice 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce Substitute (See Allergy note below) 1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup 1 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated 2 Garlic Cloves, minced 2 Tbsp Sriracha 1 tsp Chilli Flakes For the Salad: 1Kg Fingerling Potatoes 1 Red Pepper, sliced 5 Spring Onions, sliced 1/4 cup Fresh Coriander, roughly chopped Directions In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Put to one side in the fridge so that the flavours can meld while you whip up the salad. Chop up the potatoes into bite size pieces. Simmer the potatoes in a large pan of salted water until soft, 10-15 minutes depending on how large the potatoes have been cut. Once cooked, drain them and allow to cool. Toss together the salad ingredients and no more than a few minutes before serving, pour over the dressing. Gently toss, taking care not to break up the potatoes. Serve with your next barbecue or as a side with tomorrow’s dinner! Notes Allergy Notes; Soy Sauce is NOT gluten free as the brewing process contains wheat. A good gluten free option is Tamari which normally contains little to no gluten, is slightly less salty, and thicker than soy sauce. As always, check your brand to make sure you’ve not accidentally picked up one of the few brands which uses gluten. We use coconut aminos in our house, while not quite as rich as soy sauce, it’s both gluten free and soy free but different brands vary tremendously – you may have to look around before finding one that suits you. Swap out the peanut butter for Sunbutter if peanuts are an allergen for you.

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Mum’s Roast Potatoes – Kitchen Basics

Feast of Plants — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 12:00:24 +0000

It’s been a long, difficult week and the weather really hasn’t helped with grey skies and near constant rain. So I reached for on of my favourite comfort foods, roast potatoes. I grew up eating the perfect roast potatoes but it was only once I moved out and started cooking for friends that I realised just how good mum’s roast potatoes really were. If I wanted to impress someone, roast potatoes would often feature in dinner, the first time I cooked for Kenny I’m pretty sure they were there. The perfect roast potato is crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, a little salty, and with the perfect balance of the two textures. Once you know what you’re doing, it’s surprisingly easy to accomplish with no special ingredients needed. I know this might be controversial but you don’t need animal fats to make the perfect roast potatoes. In fact, my mother always disapproved of using anything other than vegetable oil. Animals fats like goose and duck (the traditional cooking accompaniments to this dish) often tend to overwhelm the flavour of the potatoes and, more importantly, have too a low smoke point – in other words its far too easy to burn the fat and ruin your potatoes. Keep it simple (and vegan!) and stick to a good basic vegetable oil. The key basics for your best roast potatoes are simple, so simple you barely need a recipe. Grasp these and you’ll never have bad roast potatoes again. Use a floury potato if you can, Maris Piper always works well Par boil your potatoes Get your oven and oil really hot Plenty of salt Be patient – don’t be tempted to keep opening the oven to check on them Don’t let the potatoes cool when turning No fancy tricks, no odd ingredients, no flour needed to try to guarantee crispness, just 3 cupboard staples that equal the prefect side dish. You might even need to do more than you think you need, they always have people coming back for seconds! Makes: Serves 4 Ingredients 1 Kg Potatoes (preferably a floury variety like Maris Piper) Vegetable Oil Salt (preferably something with large crystals like rock salt or maldon if you’re feeling fancy) Directions Preheat your oven to 220 Degrees (200 fan/425 F). Grab a large roasting tray and add enough oil to come to about a centimetre up the side of the tray. You want enough oil to cook the potatoes but not drown them. Put the try into the oven while it heats to get the oil nice and hot. Peel the potatoes and chop into medium chunks, about 2 inches square. Much bigger than this and the inside of your potatoes will cook too slow resulting in a stodgy potato, too small and it’ll be all crunch with no fluffy inside. Place into a large pan and cover with cold water and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until the outside of the potatoes is soft but the inside is still raw, about 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes (don’t rinse them – I’ve seen this tip on some recipes and it’s just craziness!) and tip back into the pan you cooked them in. Put the lid on the the pan and shake lightly until the edges are fluffed up. You’ll need to work quickly now so have everything you need for the next step laid out ready; salt, somewhere to put the hot roasting pan, and a large spoon. When the oil in the roasting try is really hot, so hot it’s shimmering, take the tray out of the oven and tip in the potatoes (very carefully!). Make sure the potatoes are well spread out and not crowded. Working quickly, coat the potatoes in the hot oil and sprinkle over a really generous coating of salt. Place back into the oven and let the potatoes cook for between 45 minutes and hour. Turn the potatoes every 20 minutes, working quickly so they don’t loose too much heat. The potatoes are done when they’re a delicious, deep golden brown all over. Remove from the oil and coat in a last layer of salt before serving. Notes Allergy Notes; This recipe is vegan, gluten free, soy free, nut free … it’s the perfect allergy safe side dish!

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Vegan Mac & Cheese

Feast of Plants — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 12:00:00 +0000

It’s creamy, it’s cheesy, it’s a satisfying bowl of carbs – but it’s all based on veg that’s begging to be used from the bottom of the fridge. This recipe has been a life saver for me when we really need to go to the shops and all we have in the fridge is odds and ends of old veggies. Brought together that old veg can make something extraordinary with out really much effort or tie spent. I also like to tell myself it’s much healthier than your typical non-vegan mac & cheese as it actually contains some vegetables! A lot of this recipe is really quite forgiving so feel free to make it work around what you have. It’s ideal for the bulb ends of the butternut squash which so often I leave till last because they’re extra work to prepare, no need to peel and if the odd seed makes it into the sauce, no one will notice. It’s vegan, it’s gluten free, but I’m afraid I haven’t been able to find any nut free substitutes on this one! Even so, I hope those of you who can have it, enjoy it as much as we have. Makes: Serves 4 Ingredients 200g Potatoes, scrubbed 70g Butternut Squash, no need to peel 70g Onion, this is normally about half an onion 2 small Garlic Cloves, peeled (or 1 large) 75g Cashews, soaked 60ml Coconut milk 180ml Water or Stock 2 1/2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast 1 tbsp Lemon Juice 1 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp cayenne 1 tsp Paprika 285g Pasta, we use Gluten Free 2 slices of Gluten Free bread Directions Preheat your oven to 200 C/ 190 Fan/ 400 F. You’re going to be blending everything together eventually so you don’t need to be too careful about being pretty with your vegetables. Very roughly chop your fresh vegetables, leaving your garlic cloves whole. Simmer for 15 mins in a small pan until they’re nice and soft. Meanwhile, cook your pasta for maybe a minute less than you normally would. Reserve about a quarter cup of pasta water to one side, drain the pasta and place in a large casserole dish to wait for it’s sauce. Blend your gluten free bread into breadcrumbs and set to one side. Rinse out your blender. Place your simmered veg into the blender along with all the rest of your unused ingredients. You can use the water from the veg for your water here – the extra infusion of flavour and starch from the potatoes will actually help the consistency of the sauce. Blend until completely smooth. Mix your sauce together with the pasta along with your reserved pasta water. Be gentle so you don’t mash up the fragile pasta but try to make sure it’s fully combined – you really don’t want a little pockets of dry pasta. Top with your breadcrumbs and place into the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the breadcrumbs have turned golden brown. Serve and enjoy! Notes Sometimes I like to toss a few spices on my breadcrumbs just before baking, paprika, chilli flakes, and tumeric all work well here. Just see how you’re feeling. Allergy Notes; To make this gluten free, just use GF pasta and bread per the note above. Unfortunately, this recipe is just not friendly to those with a nut allergy due to the cashews – sorry about that one!

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Warm Spring Salad

Feast of Plants — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:00:00 +0000

We’re at a slightly odd time of year, the weather can’t seem to decide if winter is over but the sun is definitely starting to push it’s head through the clouds. After days like this weekend I start to crave something light and salad-like but warm. My solution is this salad. It’s incredibly easy to make, takes advantage of seasonal produce like asparagus and salad potatoes when they’re just coming into their own, but it’s warm so it fits in perfectly when the weather is still a little cool. The lentils and potatoes make it filling without being heavy while the dressing brightens the dish with a little tang. If you’re short on time you can pull this together in 15 minutes making an ideal light lunch for two, or a more interesting side for your main meal that’s easily both gluten free and vegan. Makes: Serves 2 (as a light lunch) Ingredients For the Salad: 800g Fingerling or Salad Potatoes, scrubbed 200g cooked Puy lentils* 60g Sun dried Tomatoes 250g Asparagus (thin stemmed) 1 Tbsp Olive Oil 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley Salt & Pepper to taste For the Dressing: 3 Tbsp Plain Vegan Yoghurt** (I prefer Almond or cashew) 1 Tbsp of Vegan Mayo** 2 tsp White Wine Vinegar 1 Tsp (heaped) Vegan Red Pesto 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard Salt & Pepper to taste Directions Halve or quarter (if a little large) your potatoes and simmer for 10 mins, until just soft enough to pierce with a fork. Strain and heat the oil on high in the same pan, Add back the potatoes with a hint of pepper of salt. Saute, stirring occasionally until the potatoes just start to crisp and brown. Toss through the parsley, roughly chopped, and put to one side. At the same time as cooking your potatoes, trim the woody end off your asparagus and lay in a grilled pan on a medium to high heat. Turn as each side gain those distinctive grilled marks and remove from the heat once tender in the centre of the stalk. If you’ve gone for good slim asparagus this really shouldn’t take long. I like to make my salad dressings in jars and this works perfectly here – toss all the dressing ingredients into a spare jar, screw the lid on and shake till evenly mixed. Taste and season as needed. This may make more dressing than you need but it stores well in the fridge with it’s lid on. Thinly slice your tomatoes into strips and you should be ready to plate up your salad. layer up a plate starting with the potatoes, then the asparagus, followed by the lentils and tomato slices, finally drizzle generously with the dressing. A quick easy lunch that’s perfect for enjoying the return of sunny weather! Notes * If you’re using raw lentils, aprox. 100g of raw puy lentils simmered in 500ml of vegetable stock for 30 minutes, or until tender will work here ** feel free to use 4 Tbsp yoghurt here and no mayo if you’d rather but I’d be more careful with adding the mustard and vinegar if you do so due to the tartness of the yoghurt. Add to taste gradually. Allergy Notes; If nuts are an issue for you or your family then check your pesto is nut free (most contain pine nuts), most free from pestos are both vegan and nut free and should work well here.

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