Category: Accompaniments

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Cherry tomato confit

Belinda

Recipe from food blog, “Olive & Mango”

What to eat tomato confit with:
Swirled through pasta, risotto or polenta
Load them up on toasted bread/crostini spread with creamy ricotta, creamy whipped feta or cream cheese
Dress herby yoghurt with them or creamy hummus
As a side or topping to grilled meat, chicken or fish.
Perfect on your mezze platters
The flavorful oil from the confit can be used to drizzle over meat or even cook or sauté veggies in or even eggs and shrimp. As you can see the options are endless.

Servings: 2-3 cups

2½ lbs cherry tomatoes
1 head of garlic, sliced in half horizontally
1&1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (optional but adds a really nice flavor to the confit)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of Fresh herbs of choice.

Preheat oven to 250°F.
Place cherry tomatoes in a single layer in baking dish. Nestle the garlic between the tomatoes.
Pour olive oil into the dish, so it comes about halfway up the sides of the tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper, and the lemon zest and add the fresh herbs to the baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, for 1-½ to 2 hours (cooking time will depend on the size of the cherry tomatoes). Don’t cook the tomatoes until they’ve fully bursted; they should be soft, but not falling apart.
Cool tomatoes in the pan until they are room temperature, then place in airtight containers or jars. Pour enough of the cooking oil over the tomatoes to submerge them. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes
Storage
Tomato confit can be stored in a sealed container refrigerated for up to 1-2 weeks weeks. Store the tomatoes in a jar covered with the olive oil. If you have leftover olive oil you can also store it in the refrigerator and use it in cooking or salad dressings.
Freezing
It can be frozen in freezer proof containers for up to 3 months. The olive oil with harden and solidify in the refrigerator or freezer so be sure to bring tomatoes to room temperature before serving

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian

Feta, pine nut, olive and date dip

Belinda

This starter contains crumbled feta, chopped olives, pines nuts and dates. The preserved lemon cuts through the rich creamy taste.

5 fresh Medjool dates, pitted, chopped
1/3 cup mixed olives, pitted, drained, chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
200g feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
2 tsp preserved lemon rind, finely chopped, plus extra wedges to serve
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp honey
Crusty bread, toasted, to serve
Vegetables, chopped, to serve

Set aside 1 tablespoon each of the chopped dates, olives and pine nuts.

Place feta, parsley, preserved lemon, oil and the remaining dates, olives and pine nuts in a medium bowl. Season with pepper. Stir to combine. Transfer to a serving plate.

Drizzle dip with honey. Top with reserved dates, olives, pine nuts, extra preserved lemon and extra parsley.
Serve with toasted crusty bread and chopped vegetables.

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Nuts

Fig and walnut roll

Belinda

This sweet, fruity loaf is perfect with the tangy bite of blue cheese.
Recipe from Alison Adams of “Taste” magazine

100g dried figs
1 cup red wine
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch allspice
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
Icing (confectioner’s) sugar, to serve
Blue cheese, to serve
Crackers, to serve

Chop the figs and place in a small saucepan with the red wine, ground cinnamon and allspice. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Set aside for 1 hour to macerate. Drain well.

Place in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the toasted walnuts. Process until coarsely chopped.

Sprinkle a piece of baking paper with icing sugar. Place the fig mixture in the middle of the paper and roll. Wrap in plastic wrap and seal.

Store in the fridge for 1 hour or until set. Serve with blue cheese and crackers

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Vegan

Vegan Parmesan cheese

Belinda

This is a wonderful alternative to Parmesan cheese and the hemp hearts amp up the protein, omega-3 and omega-6 fats, fiber, magnesium and iron.

Yields 1 cup

1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt, crushed
1/8 tsp granulated garlic
Zest of 1 medium lemon

Shake all the ingredients together in a sealed container such as a mason jar until well combined.
Use anywhere you would use parmesan cheese

Accompaniments · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Spiced Green Tahini Sauce

Belinda

This is addictive and healthy. It’s great as a dip, a dressing on salads and on just about anything else.

8 Servings

3 garlic cloves, crushed
¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon roasted ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
1 cup tahini
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Pulse the garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, fenugreek, and 2 tsp. salt in a food processor until similar in texture to pesto. Add the tahini and lemon juice; process 30 seconds.

With the motor running, gradually drizzle in ¾ cup water and process, adding more water to thin if needed, until sauce is light green and the consistency of sour cream. Season with salt.

Do Ahead: The sauce can be made 6 hours ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Accompaniments · Asian flavors · Vegan

Extra crispy tofu

Belinda

This method gives your tofu an incredible golden crust with just the right amount of crunch and it’s really easy to make.
A quick marinade, a toss in cornstarch, then 30 minutes in the oven gives you deliciously crispy tofu with a little sweet-and-savory flavor.

You can customize the marinade based on your preferences or mood. Feel free to add any seasonings you like, swap out the maple syrup for a little more sesame oil, use teriyaki sauce, or try BBQ sauce for a smoky, tangy tofu.
To get truly crispy baked tofu, you need to drain out as much moisture as possible. Drain and press the tofu before adding it to your marinade. After marinating, drain as much of the excess marinade from the tofu as you can.

Since tofu absorbs, work quickly to cover every side of each cube in marinade before you let them rest in the marinade. Every side should be covered so that the cornstarch can stick well.

16 oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed to get out as much as liquid as possible. Then cube in 1″ cubes.
2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp sesame oil
3-6 tbsp cornstarch

Preheat oven to 400° F

To get truly crispy baked tofu, you need to drain out as much moisture as possible. Drain and press the tofu under weights for about 30-45 mins before cubing it and adding it to your marinade. After marinating, drain as much of the excess marinade from the tofu as you can.
Add the tofu cubes, tamari, maple syrup, and sesame oil to large bowl. Mix until well combined. Let rest in bowl at least 5 minutes.
Drain the tofu.
Transfer ⅓ of the tofu cubes to a zippered freezer bag. Add 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch. Toss to coat.
Repeat with the remaining tofu and cornstarch, adding more cornstarch as needed.

Spray a baking sheet with plenty of cooking spray, or line with parchment paper. Place the tofu cubes on the baking sheet.
Bake 15 minutes at 400°F.
Remove from oven and flip each tofu cube over. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven.
Serve hot next to a small bowl of marinade

Accompaniments · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Sauces · Vegan

Cashew Cream

Belinda

Cashew cream is more than just a dairy-free substitute for vegans. For me—a cheese-toting, egg-flipping, non-vegan, almost vegetarian—it’s a multipurpose workhorse, an ingredient that easily functions as a sauce, condiment, or dressing. This version is distinctly savory thanks to the addition of garlic and salt, and it’s a gateway to lots of quick and flavorful weeknight dishes.

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups raw cashews. (Trader Joes has great inexpensive nuts)
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, then remove from heat. Add cashews and let sit until tender, 30–60 minutes.

Drain cashews and transfer to a blender (preferably high-speed) or food processor. Add garlic, oil, salt, and 1 cup water and purée until smooth.

Do ahead: Cashew cream can be made 5 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill, or freeze in a resealable plastic freezer bag up to 3 months.

Accompaniments · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan

Grilled onions, chickpea purée with za’atar and lemon oil

Belinda

Recipe from Nigel Slater
“I keep the onions a few inches from the bars of the broiler, letting them take their time – a good 20 minutes – to come to tenderness. If they cook too quickly, their edges will scorch before they soften. You are after a soft, golden, translucent finish, soft enough to be crushed between your finger and thumb.
I serve the purée with warm flatbread, but it also makes an inexpensive and substantial side dish for baked field mushrooms or grilled steak; it’s good with baked ham and makes the best of all dips in which to stick a grilled lamb cutlet.”

Serves 4

For the onions:
3 large onions
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp za’atar

For the chickpeas:
800g canned chickpeas
5 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme leaves
1/2 lemon

Peel the onions, cut them into slices roughly as thick as a pencil. Brush them with a little olive oil and cook them over a hot griddle – or under a preheated overhead broiler – until soft and lightly charred. Expect this to take a good 10-25 minutes with the occasional turn. Stir the za’atar into the olive oil. As the onions are approaching softness, brush them with the seasoned oil.

Make the chickpea purée: drain the liquid from the chickpeas, then put them into a small saucepan with 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Add 500ml of water, the bay leaves – crushing them in your hand as you do so – and the thyme leaves, then bring to the boil. Lower the heat and let them simmer for a good 10 minutes.

Drain the chickpeas, keeping back 2 tbsp of the cooking water and discard the bay leaves. Purée the beans to a soft cream with the reserved cooking liquid and the remaining olive oil then squeeze in the lemon. They may need a little salt. Spoon into a dish, add the grilled onions and squeeze over a little lemon juice before serving.

Accompaniments · Holiday Food · Uncategorized

Stovetop Christmas potpourri

Belinda

You cannot eat this recipe but oh my, if you celebrate Christmas this is a fabulous, easy way to fill the house with Christmas aromas for days on end.
You can really add any spice or citrus fruit to the pot that reminds you of Christmas

2 large sliced apples
2 large sliced oranges
A bag of cranberries
2-3 good sized sprigs rosemary
5-6 good pinches of nutmeg
4-5 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
8 whole cloves
1 tsp ground cloves
some powdered or fresh ginger
1 tsp mixed spice or all spice

Put everything in a large pot, cover with water and simmer gently.
I plan on turning off the heat every night and simmering gently again the next day from about Dec 21st through the 26th.

Accompaniments · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

How to make quick pickled onions

Belinda

This super, easy recipe from the blog, “Simply Quinoa” takes about 5 minutes and is ready in 10. Use your pickled onions on everything from tacos, salads, bowls, and more
They’re really versatile and can be used in a ton of different ways.

1 medium red onion
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Thinly slice the red onion. I like to cut it in half first and then into slices.
Place the red onions into a jar.
Pour the red wine over the onions until the jar is half full. Top with water and fill the jar to almost the top.
Add the spices and put on the lid. Give it a good shake and let the onions sit for at least 10 minutes.