Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Za’atar Spice and Green Tahini Sauce

February 1, 2022February 1, 2022 Belinda

This is a healthy vegan side dish bursting with Middle Eastern flavor. Easy and delicious!
Allow 90 minutes roasting time

1 whole large cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon za’atar spice (or try dukkah) ( or try a mix of coriander, cumin and optional sumac)
1 cup water
1 Batch TAHINI SAUCE (go to recipe below)
Garnish with fresh herbs – parsley, dill and or mint, sprinkle with optional Aleppo chili flakes, drizzle with this the green Tahini sauce!

Preheat oven to 425F.

Trim the cauliflower – either cutting off the stem (easier) or leaving it intact, trimming and slicing the bottom so it stands up straight.

Place it in an ovenproof skillet or dutch oven. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil all over the cauliflower, sprinkle with salt and za’atar spice. Pour one cup of water into the bottom of the pan.

Cover tightly with the lid or foil and bake for 45-60 minutes- or until tender all the way to the middle, when pierced with a knife. Smaller cauliflower heads may only take 45 minutes, larger can take up to 60.

Make the Everyday Tahini Sauce! Follow the link to the recipe.

Very carefully take the lid or foil off, minding the hot steam (it will burn!). Drizzle with a little more olive oil, place back in the oven for 30 minutes, perhaps rotating halfway through. At this point it should be deeply golden, but if not, continue roasting until it is… please no pale cauliflowers here!!!

Remove from the oven and sprinkle more za’atar if you like, fresh herbs, optional Aleppo chili flakes, and either drizzle the tahini sauce over the whole thing right in the pan, or cut it up, like a cake, into wedges and serve the tahini sauce on the side.

GREEN TAHNI SAUCE

1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 fat garlic cloves
3/4 cup fresh herbs (cilantro, Italian parsley, mint, dill or basil or a combo! See notes)
2–3 slices jalapeno (optional)
1/2- 1 teaspoon salt, start with 1/2 teaspoon add more to taste
½ cup tahini paste, stirred

Place all the ingredients (except the tahini paste) in a blender or food processor and blend until combined but not overly smooth. Add tahini paste. Blend until creamy, leaving some of the herbs intact.

Taste, and adjust salt, acid and heat. (Add salt, lemon, fresh chilies to taste).

If you want a “looser “sauce, add a little more water until the desired consistency.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Sticky sesame-baked cauliflower

February 1, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by Anna Jones

Sticky sesame baked cauliflower, it’s crispy, sticky, sweet, salty and sour. Lovely eaten with crisp leaves and lime spiked rice.

SERVES 4

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER
120g spelt flour
2 tablespoons rice flour
a clove of garlic, grated
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 large head of cauliflower (about 800g)

FOR THE SAUCE
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon chili paste or chili sauce
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
a small thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 tablespoons sesame seeds

TO SERVE
300g brown rice
2 heads of Little Gem lettuce or 1 head of Romaine, shredded
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
4 spring onions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper. To cook your rice, rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear then put it into a pan, cover with 3 times the amount of water and bring to the boil. Cook for 20–40 minutes, depending on the type of brown rice you are using.

In a large bowl, whisk the flours, 150–200ml water, grated garlic, sesame seeds and a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Your batter should be like a pancake batter, thick enough to coat a piece of cauliflower and not run off. If the batter is too thick, add a drop of water until you reach that consistency.

Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Toss the cauliflower florets in a good pinch of salt, then drop them into the batter and stir until all the pieces are coated. Use 2 forks to transfer the battered cauliflower to the baking trays, leaving a bit of space around each floret. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

While the cauliflower is baking, make the sauce. In a small saucepan combine the sauce ingredients. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil on the stove over a medium heat. Simmer for a couple of minutes or until slightly reduced. Set aside.

When the cauliflower is golden and crisp remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. Once it is cool enough to handle, transfer the par-baked cauliflower to a large bowl. Cover the cauliflower with all but 3 table- spoons of the sesame sauce. Toss to thoroughly coat the cauliflower.

Put the cauliflower back on the baking trays and back into the oven for another 10–15 minutes, or until the edges are starting to darken. Remove from the oven. Serve with the shredded lettuce and cooked rice. Finish with the remaining sauce, extra sesame seeds, and spring onions.

Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free

Za’atar Salmon & Tahini

January 13, 2022January 13, 2022 Belinda

Fabulous recipe from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen (OTK)

4 salmon fillets (1lb 5 oz/ 600g), skin on and pin bones removed
2 tbsp za’atar
2 tsp sumac, plus 1/2 teaspoon more for sprinkling
4 tbsp (60 mls) olive oil
9 oz (250 grams) baby spinach or other tender green of choice
1/3 cup (90 grams) tahini
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Pat dry the salmon and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the za’atar and sumac, then sprinkle this all over the top of the salmon to create a crust.
Place a large, oven-safe sauté pan on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add the spinach and a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted.
Top with the salmon, skin side down, and drizzle the top of the fish with 2 tablespoons of oil. Bake for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the tahini, garlic, 21⁄2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a good pinch of salt, and 7 tablespoons/100ml of water until smooth and quite runny.
When ready, remove the pan from the oven and pour the tahini all around the salmon (but not on the fish at all). Bake for another 5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and the tahini is bubbling. Spoon the remaining 1 tablespoon each of lemon juice and oil over everything and top with the cilantro and extra sumac.
Make it your own:

– Swap out the salmon for other sustainably caught fish, adjusting cooking times as needed.
– Use other leafy greens in place of spinach, such as kale or chard.

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Vegan

Vegan Parmesan cheese

January 5, 2022September 7, 2022 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

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free

Soy and Scallion Tofu Bowl

January 5, 2022 Belinda

Serves 2-4

1 14-oz. block firm or extra-firm tofu, drained
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving
1 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
3 scallions, chopped into 1″ pieces
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine) or 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Cooked white rice (for serving)

Squeeze the tofu over a bowl to expel as much water as possible (don’t worry if it starts to break apart). Grate on the large holes of a box grater; set aside.

Heat the oil and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Cook, turning once, until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds and 1 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tofu, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, tossing occasionally and breaking tofu apart with a wooden spoon, until it begins to crisp in spots, about 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, soy sauce, mirin, and butter and cook until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Divide rice among shallow bowls and spoon tofu mixture over; top with more sesame seeds and Aleppo-style pepper.

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

Spiced Green Tahini Sauce

January 5, 2022September 7, 2022 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

January 5, 2022March 21, 2022 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

January 5, 2022September 7, 2022 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.