Fresh Pea and Mint Soup with Croûtons
(can be vegan)*
The flavour of fresh garden peas conjures up long summer days and sunshine. If you are unable to obtain fresh peas or find shelling them too much trouble, then use frozen ones instead.
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25g/loz butter or vegan margarine*
1 onion, finely chopped
225g/8oz leeks, finely shredded and washed, keeping as much of the green as possible
225g/8oz potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
1.2 litres/2 pints light vegetable stock (or use vegan bouillon powder)*
225g/8oz fresh or frozen peas (weight without pods)
1 small bunch of mint, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Single cream or soya cream *
Mint sprigs, to garnish
Croûtons:
2 slices white bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped mint
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| 1 | Melt the butter or vegan margerine in a saucepan and gently fry the onion until soft. Add the leaks and cook for a further five minutes. |
| 2 | Add the potatoes and stock, bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes. Add the peas and mint and simmer for five minutes. |
| 3 | Allow the soup to cool, then liquidize in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Return to a clean saucepan, reheat gently and season to taste with salt and pepper. |
| 4 | Serve the soup garnished with a swirl of single cream or soya cream *, a mint sprig and croûtons. |
| 5 | For the croûtons: mix the mint and the olive oil together and season. Brush the bread on both sides with the oil and bake in a preheated oven at 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for 10~15 minutes, until crisp. Remove the crusts and cut into cubes. |
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| Recipe courtesy of Harper Collins - Vegetarian Food for Friends |
Port and Stilton Pâté
A sophisticated pâté which will impress your guests at any time of the year, but is an excellent choice for Christmas. It is surprisingly economical to make.
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50g/2oz butter
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
60ml/2floz of crusted port*
Zest of half a lemon
100g/4oz vegetarian stilton cheese, crumbled
Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
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| 1 | Melt the butter in a saucepan and gently sweat the spring onions until soft, add the port and simmer gently for three minutes. Remove from the
heat. |
| 2 | Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. |
| 3 | Transfer to a blender and process until the mixture binds together. Check the seasoning. |
| 4 | Divide the pâté between individual ramekins and refrigerate for at least two hours. Serve with melba toast. |
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| *Most port is fined with gelatine, crusted port is always suitable for vegetarians. |
Vegetable Couscous
(suitable for vegans)
Couscous is the fluffy grain of the Mahgreb -- the countries of North Africa. Traditionally, it is steamed above a spicy bubbling stew, and red hot
harissa paste is stirred into the vegetable mixture just before serving the couscous.
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3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 aubergine, cut into large cubes
2 courgettes, cut into chunks
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
600ml/1 pint passata or sieved canned tomatoes
150ml/1/4 pint vegetable stock
175g/6oz canned chick peas, drained
50g/2oz 'no need to soak' dried apricots, sliced
225g/8oz couscous
2 teaspoons harissa paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
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| 1 |
Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan and gently fry the onion and garlic until soft and golden. Add the aubergine, courgettes and red pepper and fry gently, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.
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| 2 |
Stir in all the spices and cook gently for one minute. Add the passata and the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in
the chick peas and apricots. Simmer for 20~25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced.
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| 3 |
About ten minutes before serving, put the couscous in a colander lined with a J-cloth and place above the simmering vegetables.
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| 4 |
Fork through the couscous to separate the grains and fluff it up. Spoon it onto the warmed serving plates. Mix the harissa paste with a little of
the sauce, and either hand round separately or stir back into the vegetable stew. Check the seasoning and serve with the couscous, sprinkled with
coriander. Serves four.
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| Recipe and photograph courtesy of HarperCollins -- New Vegetarian Cookbook |
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Vegetable Paella
(suitable for vegans)
This vibrant and colourful dish is familiar to anyone who has visited Spain. It should be made with Spanish Valencia rice, but you could use Arborio or rissotto rice instead. Many regional variations exist but rice and saffron are the two ingredients common to all. Don't leave out the saffron or use turmeric instead -- there is no substitute for the real thing!
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3 tablespoons fruity green olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced in rings
1 yellow pepper, seeded and sliced in rings
450g/1lb tomatoes, skinned and chopped
225g/8oz thin green beans, trimmed
450g/1lb peas in their pods, shelled
450g/1lb Valencia or Arborio rice
1 teaspoon paprika
300ml/1/2 pint dry vegetarian white wine
1/2 teaspoon saffron
900ml/11/2 pints boiling vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
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| 1 |
Heat the olive oil in a paellera or large shallow frying pan. Fry the onions and garlic gently until soft and golden. Add the peppers and fry for
4~5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, beans and peas and cook for another 5 minutes.
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| 2 |
Add the rice and paprika and stir well. Pour in the white wine and bring to the boil. Mix the saffron with the boiling stock and pour into the pan.
Reduce the heat a little and simmer for five minutes.
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| 3 |
Cover the pan with a lid or some foil and place in the bottom of a preheated oven at 180C/ 350F, Gas Mark 4 for 30~40 minutes, until the rice
is tender and has absorbed all the stock. Alternatively, simmer on top of the stove in the same way as you would cook a rissotto. Season to taste and stand, covered, for five minutes before serving sprinkled with parsley. Serves four to six.
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| Recipe and photograph courtesy of HarperCollins -- New Vegetarian Cookbook |
Rosti Stacks with Spicy Peach Coulis
(suitable for vegans)
Although there are several elements to this dish, it is relatively easy to prepare and each stage can be made in advance and then be refrigerated. The spicy peach coulis is an unusual contrasting taste.
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2 large potatoes
350g/12oz celeriac or parsnips
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced
1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
225g/8oz mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed fresh parsley and basil leaves, to garnish
Gremolata:
50g/2oz vegan margarine, softened
1 garlic clove, crushed
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
Few sprigs of fresh parsley, chopped
Few sprigs of fresh basil, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spicy peach coulis:
2 small onions, very finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1~2 tablespoons mild curry powder
225g/8oz peach chutney
4~5 tablespoons water
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| 1 |
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
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| 2 |
Peel the potatoes and celeriac or parsnips. Halve the potatoes and cut the celeriac into similar-sized pieces. Par-boil for five minutes (if using parsnips, leave raw), then drain and coarsely grate. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
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| 3 |
Grease a baking sheet and arrange the mixed grated vegetables in four 10cm/4inch moulds. Flatten with a spatula and make a depression in the centre, drizzle with a littte olive oil, then bake for 25~30 minutes, until golden.
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| 4 |
Meanwhile, fry the onions in one tablespoon of olive oil until golden brown, then stir in the sugar and seasoning. Remove from the heat and keep
warm. Cook the mushrooms and garlic in the remaining olive oil for five minutes. Season and keep warm.
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| 5 |
Make the gremolata by beating all the ingredients together until well blended.
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| 6 |
Take the rostis out of the oven. Top with the onions, then the mushrooms and finally the gremolata. Return to the oven for ten minutes to heat
through.
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| 7 |
Meanwhile, make the coulis. Gently fry the onions in the oil until tender, add the curry powder and cook for two minutes, stirring all the time. Add the chutney and water and heat through gently. Blend until smooth.
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| 8 |
Place the rostis on serving plates and pour a little coulis around each one. Garnish with fresh parsley and basil. |
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| Recipe courtesy of HarperCollins -- Vegetarian Food For Friends |
Griddled Aubergine Stacks
(suitable for vegans)
This recipe is completely dairy free, but if you like cheese then these vegetable stacks are lovely topped with a slice of griddled Halloumi. The
sauce should be dotted with lots of tiny pieces of tomato and pepper, which form the 'confetti'.
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A little olive oil
1 large aubergine, cut into rings
2 beef tomatoes, skinned and cut into rings
zest of one lemon, finely chopped
Few sprigs of fresh sage, chopped
Few sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped
Few fresh chives, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
4 slices Halloumi cheese, lemon zest, to garnish
chives or chive flowers, to garnish
Tomato confetti sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
225g/8oz fresh ripe full-flavoured tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
15Oml/1/4 pint vegetarian white wine
1 yellow or red pepper, roasted, skin removed and cut into strips, then
across into diamonds
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
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| 2 |
First make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a suacepan and fry the onion gently with the garlic. Add half of the chopped tomatoes and the white wine and cook for five minutes. Blend unfit smooth. Mix in the rest of the chopped tomatoes with the pepper pieces and 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. Season to taste.
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| 2 |
Brush the griddle with olive oil and cook the aubergine slices so that they are seared with stripes. Put on one side and keep warm. Grill the beef
tomato slices gently.
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| 3 |
Mix the lemon and herbs together and season well. On individual serving plates, layer the aubergine, tomato and herb mix. Drizzle with a little
balsamic vinegar. Repeat until all the layers are used up and top with a slice of tomato and a sprinkling of the herb mixture. Grill the slices of
Halloumi and arrange on top of each stack, garnished with lemon zest and chives. Drizzle tomato confetti sauce around the plate and decorate with
chives or chive flowers. Serve warm. |
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| Recipe and photograph courtesy of HarperCollins -- Vegetarian Food For Friends |
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Christmas Toffee Pudding
The festive period is traditionally a time for most to over indulge when it comes to food, and this includes veggies. This delicious sweet is a real
treat whatever the time of the year.
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175g/6oz figs, chopped
175ml/6floz boiling water
2.5ml/1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
l0ml/2 teaspoons coffee essence
3ml/3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
75g/3oz butter or soya margarine
150g/5oz caster sugar
2 free-range eggs/egg replacement for vegans
175g/6oz self-raising flour
Toffee Sauce:
175g/6oz soft brown sugar
110g/4oz butter or soya margerine
90ml/6 tablespoons double/soya/cream
25g/1oz walnuts, chopped
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| 1 |
Place the figs in a bowl and cover with the water. Add the essence and bicarbonate of soda.
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| 2 |
In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, a small amount at a time, beating well.
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| 3 |
Fold in the flour and fruit together with the liquid and pour into a two pint pudding bowl. Place on a baking sheet and cook for one hour and ten
minutes at 15OC/300F/Gas Mark 2.
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Toffee Sauce: |
| 1 |
Melt all ingredients together in a saucepan and simmer gently.
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| 2 |
Pour over the finished pudding and serve. |
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Strawberry Zabaglione
In Italy, zabaglione is always served hot, straight from the pan, but add some strawberries and cream, and it makes a delicious iced desert.
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300ml/1/2 pint double cream
4 egg yolks
5 tablespoons caster sugar
8 tablespoons Marsala
225g/8oz strawberries, hulled
Sprigs of mint for decoration
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| 1 |
Whip the double cream until stiff, then cover and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
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| 2 |
Put the egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double-boiler, or in a basin sitting over a small pan of gently simmering water. Beat the egg yolks and
sugar until thick.
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| 3 |
Add the Marsala and beat with a wire whisk or a hand-held electric whisk until the zabaglione is thick, light and hot. Be patient -- it will take
10~15 minutes to thicken.
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| 4 |
Remove the zabaglione from the heat and cool a little, then fold gently into the chilled whipped cream with a metal spoon.
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| 5 |
Divide the strawberries, reserving a few for decoration, between six tall glasses or serving bowls and spoon the creamy zabaglione over the top.
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| 6 |
Chill in the refrigerator until needed. Alternatively, you can pop them into the freezer for up to one hour. Just before serving, decorate the
zabaglione with the reserved strawberries and some sprigs of fresh mint. |
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| Recipe courtesy of HarperCollins -- New Vegetarian Cookbook |
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