Cauliflower Steaks and Purée with Walnut-Caper Salsa

January 3, 2022January 3, 2022 Belinda

Fabulous recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi

You will have more than enough of the cauliflower purée and the salsa. Use the leftovers as a dip or swirl into vegetable soups.

Serves 2

SALSA
⅓ cup walnuts
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp drained capers, patted dry
1 Fresno chili, seeds removed, finely chopped
3 tbsp coarsely chopped parsley
1 tbsp dried currants
1 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt
CAULIFLOWER AND ASSEMBLY
1 small head of cauliflower
Kosher salt
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 sprigs oregano
2 3-inch strips lemon zest
Lemon wedges (for serving)

SALSA
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°.
Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 7–10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Set aside. Increase oven temperature to 425° for roasting cauliflower.

Step 2
Heat oil and capers in a small saucepan over medium, swirling often, until capers burst and are golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour oil and capers into a small heatproof bowl; let cool.

Step 3
Mix in walnuts, chile, parsley, currants, vinegar, and lemon zest; season with salt.

Step 4
Do Ahead: Salsa can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic, pressing directly onto surface and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.

CAULIFLOWER AND ASSEMBLY
Step 5
Remove only the toughest outer leaves from cauliflower (leave on any tender inner leaves). Trim stem to create a flat base. Resting cauliflower on stem, cut in half from top to bottom, creating two lobes with stem attached. Trim outer rounded edge of each piece to create two 1½”-thick “steaks” (the stem should hold the florets together); set steaks aside. Very coarsely chop remaining florets.

Step 6
Cook florets in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until very tender, 6–8 minutes. Drain well, then process in a food processor with garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and 1 Tbsp. water until smooth; season with salt. Set aside.

Step 7
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add butter and swirl until melted, then add cauliflower steaks, oregano, and lemon zest. Cook, gently lifting up cauliflower occasionally to let hot fat run underneath, until steaks are deep golden brown (if oregano or lemon start to burn, place on top of steaks). Turn steaks and season with salt. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until cauliflower stems are fork-tender, 10–15 minutes.

Step 8
To serve, spoon about ⅓ cup cauliflower purée onto plates and place steaks on top. Spoon salsa over and sprinkle with salt. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Step 9
Do Ahead: Purée can be made 3 days ahead. Cover with plastic, pressing directly onto surface, and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.

Accompaniments · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan

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

January 3, 2022January 3, 2022 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.

Gluten Free · Vegetable-related

Portobello “steak” au poivre

December 30, 2021December 30, 2021 Belinda

Recipe by Ali Slagle

Steak au poivre, a classic French dish of peppercorn-crusted steak with cream sauce, seems like it was meant to be made with mushrooms. Not only do mushrooms sear well, but they’re also a friend to the dish’s main flavorings of heavy cream, heady spices and warming liquor. For the best results, crisp the mushrooms first in a hot pan, baste them with garlic butter until tender, then let them simmer in the cream sauce so they soak up that richness. Eat with roasted, mashed or fried potatoes, a salad of watercress or another spicy green.

Serves 4

4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed with a spoon
¼ cup olive oil
2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
4 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more as needed
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
1 shallot, finely chopped
¼ cup Cognac or another brandy
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Brush the mushrooms all over with olive oil. Sprinkle the pepper evenly over the gill sides (about 1/2 teaspoon per mushroom). Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high, then add the mushrooms gill side up and sear until the underside is browned and the gill side looks wet, 3 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook until golden and the pepper is fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low.
Flip the mushrooms so they’re gill side up, then add the butter and garlic, and season with salt. While stirring the garlic to keep it from scorching, tilt the skillet to spoon up the melting butter and baste the mushrooms until tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate, leaving the butter in the skillet.
Add the shallot and stir until softened, 2 to 4 minutes, adding a little more butter if the pan is dry. Stand back, and carefully add the Cognac. (It might flame.) Stir until the Cognac has nearly evaporated. Add the heavy cream and mustard, season with salt, and stir to combine. Return the mushrooms to the pan gill side down, and cook until the cream is thickened and the color of a latte, 2 to 4 minutes.
Eat the mushrooms with a drizzle of the sauce.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free

Long-Cooked Broccoli (you read it right!)

December 23, 2021 Belinda1 Comment

I was reminded of this wonderful recipe by Alice Waters in the NY Times this morning, and decided to re-post it. With all this heavy Christmas food, I’m already planning the lighter foods in the New Year…

“If you’re used to quick-cooked broccoli, barely blanched in boiling water, or crisp, raw florets, this old Alice Waters recipe from “Chez Panisse Vegetables” (HarperCollins, 1996) might seem a little off. A whole hour of simmering with the lid on? Yes! The result is an incredibly sweet, tender, juicy and delicious vegetable with almost no hands-on work. Finish the dish with plenty of cheese and lemon zest, and an extra drizzle of olive oil, and eat it just the way it is, or break it up into some hot, just-cooked pasta for a bigger meal”

Serves 4-6

2 lbs large-headed broccoli
8 garlic cloves
½ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
½ tsp red-pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
3 salt-packed anchovies or chopped oil-packed anchovies (optional)
1 lemon, halved
Pecorino Romano, for serving

Pick off the coarse leaves from the broccoli stems, and peel away any tough skin with a vegetable peeler. Break up the head into a few large florets, then slice each one lengthwise, cutting through the stem and top to make 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch-thick cross sections. Put the broccoli in a wide saucepan, about 3 inches deep, with a fitted lid.
Peel and slice the garlic, and add to the pan with 2 cups water, the olive oil and red-pepper flakes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, then cover the broccoli and simmer on low for about 50 minutes, until the broccoli is tender and just beginning to crumble and the liquid is nearly completely evaporated. If the pot starts to go dry before the cooking time is up, add a splash of water to keep it going.

Rinse, fillet and chop the salt-packed anchovies, if using. When the broccoli is cooked through, toss with lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice and anchovies, if using, then scrape into a serving dish and cover with a drizzle of olive oil and grated cheese.
Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Celery root and tahini potato gratin

December 15, 2021 Belinda

Marcus Wareing’s delicious twist on dauphinois includes celery root and tahini. Serve the creamy gratin as a main with a crisp salad, or as a side dish to go with roast meat.

Butter to grease
800g floury potatoes, peeled
1 large celery root (about 700g), peeled
2 onions, thinly sliced
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked, plus extra to garnish
200g tahini
600ml good-quality vegetable stock, warmed
½ tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
Handful grated mature cheddar to cover

Heat the oven to 325F/160°C fan/gas 4 and grease a large casserole (about 26cm) with butter.
Using a mandoline or food processor with a slicer function, thinly slice the potatoes and celery root 1-2mm thick (or slice carefully by hand with a knife). The celery root is tricky to handle due to its size and shape, so cut it into half or quarters first for easier slicing.

Arrange a layer of sliced celery root in the bottom of the greased baking dish and season with a little of the salt and pepper. Follow with a thin layer of sliced onion and thyme leaves, then a single layer of potatoes. Season again. Repeat the layering of vegetables and thyme until they’ve all been used, ensuring the final layer of potato is arranged neatly as this will be visible when you serve the dish.

Whisk the tahini and vegetable stock together in a jug until evenly combined, then mix in the remaining salt and pepper and the garlic powder. Pour the tahini mixture over the layered vegetables, allowing it to sink in between the layers, then cover with foil.

Bake the gratin in the oven for 1¼-1½ hours. To test if it’s cooked, push a small knife into the centre – the potato and celery root should be soft all the way through and the knife should meet no resistance. If necessary, cover with foil again and return to the oven for 15 minutes more until soft (before adding the cheese).
When the gratin is cooked, remove the foil, sprinkle with grated cheese and return to the oven for 15 minutes to brown. Sprinkle with extra thyme and wait a few minutes before serving – it will be very hot.

Chocolate · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Christmas rocky road

December 7, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

Tom Cenci’s crunchy treat made with festive fruit, nuts and ginger nut cookies.

Filled with crystallized ginger, cranberries and mixed nuts then scented with a hint of rose, this is a perfect way to indulge yourself with something a little different this Christmas.

Makes 15 slices

600g dark chocolate
150g unsalted butter
50g dried cranberries
50g rose Turkish delight
100g crisp ginger cookies
50g crystallized ginger
40g toasted pistachios
20g toasted hazelnuts
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
A few drops of rose essence
2 tsp dried rose petals

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir often so it can melt evenly.
Cut the Turkish delight into smaller pieces and crush the ginger nut biscuits then mix together with all the dried ingredients.
Once the chocolate and butter has melted, pour it over the dried ingredients, add the rose essence, and mix all together until everything has been coated in the chocolate
Line a 30cm x 20 cm baking dish with parchment paper, pour in the rocky road mix and spread out evenly with a spatula
Allow to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours then take the rocky road out of the dish and cut into squares

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

How to make quick pickled onions

December 2, 2021September 7, 2022 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.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Leek and Mushroom Cottage Pie

November 27, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by David Tanis

Traditionally, shepherd’s pie is made with minced lamb and vegetables, and topped with mashed potatoes instead of pastry. If made with beef, it is called cottage pie. So it should follow that a vegetable version could be named gardener’s pie. Filled with a saucy, savory leek and mushroom stew, it’s a pie that will please vegetarians and carnivores alike.

Serves 6-8

FOR THE FILLING:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
Salt and pepper
4 medium leeks, tender green and white parts, split lengthwise and cut in 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb medium-brown or white mushrooms, quartered
½ lb shiitake mushrooms, caps only, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 small garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp white miso (optional)
2 cups whole milk
2 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water
FOR THE TOPPING:
3 lbs russet or yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks
6 tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
1 cup homemade coarse dry bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350 F.
Put butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to color, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add leeks, a little more salt and stir to combine. Cook mixture for about 5 minutes more, until leeks have lost their crunch, but are still green. Turn off heat.

Cook the mushrooms separately (work in batches if necessary): Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is wavy, add both kinds of mushrooms and sauté 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned.
(Alternatively, you can roast the mushrooms rather than fry them. Roasting mushrooms at a high heat makes them chewy and meaty-tasting, plus one can do them all at once, so it’s less work, and there are fewer pans taking up stove space.
Slice them, toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar and roast at 500 for 20-25 minutes, turning once. While they are in the oven, you can get the rest done while the mushrooms are cooking.)
Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and stir in thyme, garlic and parsley, and toss to coat.

Add mushrooms to onion-leek mixture, and turn heat to medium-high.
Add miso and milk, and bring to a simmer.
Stir cornstarch and water, add to mixture and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and leave at room temperature.

Meanwhile, boil potatoes in salted water until very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and mash with 4 tablespoons butter, then stir in cream and beat until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread mashed potatoes evenly over surface of vegetable mixture.
Sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake for 45 minutes, until bubbling and nicely browned.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts · Vegan

Squash, chestnut and hazelnut nut roast wreath

November 18, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

If you’re after a fantastic centre piece for your festive feast – look no further!
I know that nut roasts are pretty old school but they’re tasty and this one is packed with flavor. The squash adds some sweetness to the mix and when combined with hazelnuts and chestnuts its really delicious. Plus lots of extra veg and seeds for flavor and crunch – seriously tasty.
I decided to cook it in a bundt mould to create a fun, Holiday wreath. I think it looks pretty special, but feel free to cook it in a loaf tin if you don’t have a bundt mould – just as delicious.
Great served with all the festive trimmings…

Recipe from food blog “Rebel Recipes”

10-12 servings

2 large onions, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small squash or 1/2 butter nut, peeled and cut into small cubes
100g mushrooms, finely chopped
2 big handfuls of kale
300g hazelnuts
4 tbsp pine nuts toasted or pumpkin seeds if preferred
4 tbsp sunflower seeds toasted
180g chestnuts, chopped up
2 tbsp tamari
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp vegan Worcester sauce
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp sea salt
Zest 1 lemon
Black pepper
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp fresh thyme chopped up
3 tbsp olive oil

Pre- heat your oven to 350F/180C

Add the onion and oil to a medium pan and fry gently on a low heat for around 10 minutes until soft and browning.
Add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
Next add the squash and mushrooms and fry for 10 minutes until soft. Stir in the kale and. Turn off the heat when wilted.
Toast the hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and pine nuts in a dry pan until slightly golden. Add them to a food processor. Pulse a few times.
Add them to the pan along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
Chop the chestnuts roughly and add them to the pan.
Stir everything to combine.
Transfer the mix to a medium greased bunt tin of choice – I used a silicone one as its easier to remove the nut roast.
Press the mix down firmly into the bunt tin.
Bake for 40 minutes – the nut roast should be a little brown on top.
Allow to cool then carefully flip onto a plate.
Top with vegetable crips, herbs etc