A carnivorous chef goes in search of the perfect meatless meal that vegans and vegetarians will also enjoy.
Following a vegan cry for help, I have been playing around with dishes that don’t include meat, and which can be served as a meal on their own. I’ve made paella with fennel, artichokes and broad beans; mushrooms baked with mozzarella; and a gorgeous pumpkin dish, cooked with ginger, coconut milk and lime. These recipes and others will appear over the next few weeks. I have enjoyed the process of temporarily eliminating meat and fish from my diet, but I do miss gnawing on a bone.
Aubergines are a superb vegetable, gorgeous to look at, a joy to hold and rich and savoury to eat. They may be enjoyed on their own or as a sumptuous accompaniment to other dishes. I dispensed with salting the cut pieces a long time ago, as the bitterness this process was supposed to remove no longer seemed to be present and the salting only seemed to make the aubergine soggy.
AUBERGINE GRATIN
1 large aubergine
1 medium onion
2 large cloves of garlic
olive oil
2 sprigs of thyme
salt and black pepper
400ml cream or unsweetened soy milk
parmesan cheese, if desired
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Wipe the aubergine clean, trim the top of the spiky green leaves and cut the flesh into long, thin slices. Slice the onion and garlic. Heat some oil in a frying pan, cook the onion and garlic until the onion is softened and both are lightly coloured. Tip into a baking dish. Return the pan to the heat, add more oil and the aubergine slices – you may need to do this in batches. Turn over each slice as it colours, then remove to a piece of absorbent kitchen paper to drain. Lay the aubergine on top of the onion and scatter with thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper, pour the cream or soy milk over the top and cover with the grated parmesan if using. Slide the dish into the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Serve with a green salad.
Serves 4.
While globe artichokes are in season, I make the most of them; they are easier to prepare than you expect. If you are unable to buy them fresh, use preserved globe artichokes in oil from the supermarket. They are not as expensive as you might think – but be warned, they can be seriously addictive.
GLOBE ARTICHOKE AND POTATO BAKE
2 large or 4 small globe artichokes
juice of 1 lemon
2 onions
2 tbsp rice bran oil
3 fat garlic cloves
3 stalks of thyme
3 large potatoes
100ml water or vegetable stock
150ml cream or unsweetened soy milk
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare the artichokes by trimming the stems and pulling off the tough outer leaves until you reach the soft inner yellow leaves. Cut the top 2cm off the artichoke, cut in half lengthwise and remove the hairy “choke”. Slice the lemon in half and rub the cut surfaces of the artichokes liberally with lemon juice. You will need to work quickly as artichokes soon oxidise. Place the artichokes in a saucepan of cold water with lemon juice, the squeezed lemon halves and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cook for 6-8 minutes then drain and cut into thick slices. Finely slice the onions and peel then crush the garlic cloves. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and garlic until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and a touch of black pepper. Add the thyme stalks and remove from the heat.
Brush an ovenproof gratin dish with oil. Using a coarse brush, scrub the potatoes under cold running water then slice as thinly as possible. Place a layer of potatoes in the bottom of the dish, overlapping the slices slightly. Scatter some of the onion and artichoke mixture over the top. Cover with another layer of potatoes and repeat the process until everything is used, ending with a layer of potatoes. Pour the vegetable stock over the top, cover with tinfoil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, pour over the cream or soy milk, return the dish to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes until the top is golden brown, the potatoes crunchy and the sauce bubbling gently.
Serves 4-6.
Amaranth is one of the oldest and most nutritious grains known to man; Wikipedia tells us it has been cultivated for 8000 years and was once the food of the Aztecs. Available from health-food stores, it can be cooked just like popcorn. It has a wonderfully nutty but slightly bitter taste.
POTATO CAKES WITH POPPED AMARANTH AND SWEET HERB SAUCE
4 large agria potatoes
salt
1 medium onion
2 tbsp rice bran oil
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp ground coriander
a pinch of mustard powder
a handful of coriander leaves
1 chilli, seeded and chopped
½ cup amaranth grains
2 cups of rice bran oil
Sauce:
juice of 3 limes
2 tbsp maple syrup
a handful of basil leaves
3 stems of mint leaves
a handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp rice bran oil
2 tbsp water
salt and black pepper
Peel then chop the potatoes and place in a saucepan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes until fork-tender. Drain, return the potatoes to the saucepan and place back over a low heat for a few minutes to steam dry. Mash until light and fluffy then keep somewhere warm.
Finely chop the onion. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and cook slowly until soft but without colouring – 5-6 minutes. Add the spices and cook until fragrant – about 3 minutes. Chop the coriander leaves and stir into the onion mixture with the chilli. Season with salt then mix thoroughly into the mashed potatoes. Using your hands form the mixture into small patties 3-4cm in diameter and 1cm thick.
Heat a small frying pan over a medium heat and tip in the amaranth grains. They should start to pop almost immediately, just like popcorn. Pour the popped amaranth onto a plate and gently coat the potato cakes until well-covered. Heat the rice bran oil in a shallow frying pan over a medium heat and fry the potato cakes until crisp and golden on both sides. Lift out the cakes onto a warm plate lined with absorbent paper. Serve with the sauce on the side.
To make the sauce, put the lime juice into a small saucepan and mix with the maple syrup. Simmer for 3-5 minutes then set aside. Put the basil, mint, parsley and garlic into a food processor and purée until smooth, adding the lime syrup. Slowly trickle in the oil, adding water if the sauce becomes too thick. Season with salt and pepper then pour into a bowl to be served alongside the potato cakes.
Enough for 4.