Amazing! You’ve made it to week two! Doesn’t matter if you weren’t entirely vegan all week – it’s not a competition. Give yourself a high five for effort and let’s get some fresh recipes out there for you – as always there’ll be some vegan, some vegetarian and some where you could add a smidge of meat or fish if you wanted to. Some quick and easy, some more involved, some that can be easily batch-cooked for eating now and later, some comforting and some exciting. All good to try at this time of year.
Recommended off piste ingredients this week are: curry leaves, baharat seasoning, nutritional yeast.
If you have a favourite vegan, vegetarian or lo-meat recipe you’d like us to feature please send it to us at [email protected] or tag us with a link on social media. We’re active on Instagram and Facebook. Search @trianglegardenhitchin And let us know how you got on with the recipes while you’re at it!
Here goes with week two’s recipes:
Crispy Black Bean Tacos by Lauren from A Bright Moment. Easy, delicious and very nutritious. Tasty enough to convert any bean-mistruster into a bean-lover! Serve with guacamole and salsa. Vegan or can add cheese if wished. Gluten-free (depending on your tacos). 10 mins prep, 20 mins cook.
Spaghetti Alla Norma from Jamie Oliver. Here’s how Jamie describes this dish: ‘This is a beautifully simple, classic Sicilian pasta dish – it’s incredibly satisfying, full of flavour, and feels like a great big hug in a bowl.’ Vegetarian (or vegan if you sub in vegan cheese for the topping). 20 mins prep, 25 mins cook.
Beetroot and Coconut Risotto by Meera Sodha. If you like beetroot, you’ll love this – the risotto base is rich, savoury, creamy and wildly pink, while the topping is fresh, sweet, hot and sour. If you don’t have marsala, some leftover white wine and a dash of maple syrup would work, or just leave it out. Vegan and gluten-free. 15 mins prep, 1hr 40 mins cook, much less if you precook the beetroot.
Caesar-style Butterbeans on Toast from Waitrose. This vegetarian/pescatarian recipe takes beans on toast to a new level! Add an egg for a more substantial meal, or if you want to go fully vegan sub in vegan ingredients (vegan cheese and nutritional yeast, and for the anchovy paste try vegan fish sauce). Goes well with vegan sausages. 15 mins prep, 5 mins cook.
Lentil and Tomato Shakshuka from Waitrose. A classic North-African inspired baked egg dish. Vegetarian unless you choose to omit the eggs and feta to make it vegan – equally delicious with or without. If you’re particular about your eggs and like a firm white but runny yolk, suggest you poach them separately. 10 mins prep, 30 mins cook.
Hugh’s Chardy Cheese from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage. Such a comforting and delicious riff on cauliflower cheese. There is little point in trying to make a vegan version of this as the cheese is the main event. The recipe involves making a roux but if you make the sauce in a metal saucepan with a sauce whisk, you’ll never look back. Vegetarian and gluten-free. 15 mins prep, 40 mins cook
Tofu Palak Curry from Soph’s Plant Kitchen. A delicious vegan spinach curry. ‘Nooch’ in the recipe refers to nutritional yeast which adds savoury depth to the flavour. You can use sub in frozen spinach for fresh with no loss of flavour, and you could replace tofu with potato at a push, but if you’re new to tofu, do be brave and give it a go. It’s so versatile and delicious fried! (air fryer is fine). Vegan and gluten-free. 20 mins prep, 40 mins cook
Cauliflower with Two Kinds of Paprika from Step by Step Vegetables (Classic Kitchen Series) by Tony Selina. Recipe below. This is a lo-meat recipe, which can be adapted to be vegetarian. It’s a Wyer family favourite. We generally use oat cream instead of dairy, but keep the butter, bacon and cheese in, for deliciousness. This dish transforms boring old cauliflower into something made in heaven! Knocks the socks off cauliflower cheese. Gluten-free. 10 mins prep, 30 mins cook.
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower
- 60g (2½ oz) butter
- 100g (4 oz) bacon or pancetta (can omit)
- 150g (6 oz) button or any mushrooms
- Salt and pepper
- 150g (6 oz) fresh cream (oat is fine)
- 50g (2 oz) grated Gruyère cheese
- 5ml (1 tsp) strong paprika
- 10 chives
- 5ml (1 tsp) mild paprika
Directions
- Wash the cauliflower and separate it into individual florets. Cook for about 10 minutes in boiling salted water. Do not let them become mushy. Strain.
- Meanwhile, cut the bacon into strips (or use pancetta). Trim, wipe and slice the mushrooms.
- Melt 40g (1¾ oz) butter in a heavy pan and saute the bacon and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and the strong paprika.
Add the cauliflower florets and brown them lightly, turning carefully. - Set the oven at 220°C (425°F; gas mark 7). Grease a gratin dish with the remaining butter and pour in the contents of the pan.
Cover with fresh cream and the grated cheese and cook in the oven for 10 minutes. - Meanwhile, chop the chives. When the dish is cooked, garnish with the chives and the mild paprika. Serve immediately. So good!
Look out for more recipes next week!