Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

From Easy Vegetarian, Ryland Peters & Small, 2007.

The first item that required making for this recipe was the apple butter. Apples had to be peeled and chopped then put in a saucepan together with sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and a drop of water. They were simmered until the apples had become soft. This took about 15 minutes. They were then mashed and butter was added. The mix was then cooked until it had thickened somewhat. It was then left to cool. It was delicious; I could have eaten it all then.

For the pancakes a mix had to be prepared. This was made with a mix of self-raising flour and cornmeal with bicarbonate of soda (125 g flour, 25 g cornmeal, 1 teaspoon soda). Caster sugar was added (40 g).

In a jug I beat together one egg, 350 ml of buttermilk and a touch of melted butter. This was stirred into the flour and sugar mix to make a batter. Blueberries were folded in, keeping some for decoration after.

The pancakes were cooked in the frying pan and then served with apple butter on top with a little cream and some blueberries.

While designated as a breakfast meal, there is never any time to prepare this sort of meal at that time of the morning so we had it as dessert—and a very enjoyable one it was.

The apple butter and the blueberries went well together and pancakes are always great to eat. These were especially light and full of blueberries to add juicy bites. I must remember that apple butter; it’s especially good.

This book came as a present for my partner at Christmas time but I seem to have snaffled it to use as it looks as though it has a lot of things worth trying.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔

Pumpkin Soup with Curried Apple Chutney

From Biró:European-Inspired Cuisine, Marcel Biró, Gibbs Smith, 2005.

It’s amazing how far one large pumpkin can go. We’ve had three different meals from this one and there’s still some left. So it looks like we’re back to soup again. This one sounded quite an interesting mix of flavours.

Three cups of pumpkin, two cups of apples and one onion, all chopped roughly were sautéed in a large saucepan until they were beginning to brown. Coriander, cumin and turmeric were all then added and stirred until their aroma came through.

It was then time to add the stock. I used six cups of water with two vegetable stock cubes. Also two cups of apple cider were added and half a cup of cream. In also went a cinnamon stick and a good pinch of cayenne pepper. I did not add salt as the stock cubes often have sufficient. This mix was simmered for about half an hour.

When it was cooled a little the cinnamon stick was removed and the soup was pureed with a stick blender. It was then supposed to go through a strainer but I prefer to have my soup to have a few solids. The soup was put away until we were ready to have it.

In the meantime curried apple chutney was made. This was simply a matter of half filling a cup with water and topping it up with apple cider. This was poured into a small saucepan. Then half a cup of rice wine vinegar and almost half a cup of sugar was added. Then a quantity of salt, a few cloves, some mustard seeds, a little ground cinnamon, and some allspice berries. It was all simmered for about 15 minutes.

While this was simmering half a cup of pumpkin was cut up into fine dice and the same quantity of apple. It was all added to the simmering mixture that was now brought back up to the boil and turned off. The apples and pumpkin were strained off and kept as the chutney mix.

 

At serving time the soup was topped with chutney when it was placed in bowls.

This was rather a thin soup (I usually prefer pumpkin soup to be thicker) but it had a depth of flavour that was really very pleasant. The chutney was not what I would usually consider a chutney but it worked well, adding another set of flavours in an already flavoursome soup.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔

Focaccia

From Mietta’s Italian Family Recipes, Mietta O’Donnell, Black Inc., 2000.

I am very fond of focaccia so I just had to try and make it. We were having a soup for dinner so an accompanying bread is always good to go with it.

A teaspoon of yeast was dissolved in 200 ml of warm water and left to do its work. A pinch of sugar was added.

While this was happening a large potato was put on to boil. When it was cooked it was put through a fine sieve and 100 g measured out. This was put into a little over 300 g of plain flour. I used 00 flour.

From here on the instructions were a little vague. We are told to work it in an electric mixer with a dough hook but we are not told what. After a bit of deliberation I decided it had to be the flour and potato plus the yeast mixture.

While the dough was mixing a tablespoon of olive oil was dribbled in and the mixing continued until it was all taken up. The ball of dough was lightly dusted with flour and left in a warm place to rise for two hours. There is a carefully detailed explanation of rising and the time it could possibly take but mine was well risen by the end of the time.

The dough was punched back and left to rise again. This took about one and a half hours. It was now taken, placed on an oiled baking sheet and formed into its loaf shape. Again it was left to rise some more and then it was time to poke your fingers in it to make dents. It was brushed with oil and put into a very hot oven until cooked.

It turned out to be not a bad effort. It was not anywhere near the expensive focaccias you purchase but it was certainly an edible bread. The crust was really crunchy and the bread was airy and light. I think it could have done with a little salt added to the mix.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔

Pumpkin and Potato Roast

From Quiet Food, The Buddhist Institute of South Africa, 2006.

We had been having pumpkin–based meals through the week because my son had given us a pumpkin he had grown.  I still had some left so decided on a bake. This particular recipe called for a mix of olive oil, chopped garlic and garam marsala to be made. The potatoes and pumpkin were then brushed with this mix and placed in baking dishes. I used different ones for each vegetable because the pumpkin had extra to be done to it.

The pumpkin then had cinnamon sprinkled on, and some maple syrup drizzled on before being placed in the oven.

Both vegetables turned out nicely flavoured, the potato especially.

Taste: ✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔

Almost Niçoise Salad

From Vegetarian Bible, Margaret Barca, Penguin Books, 2008.

The traditional Niçoise salad has a fish ingredient, tuna or anchovies, hence this is an almost Niçoise because this has been excluded.

I brought a pot of salted water to the boil and dropped in some topped and tailed green beans. After long enough for them still to retain a little crunch, about three minutes, they were removed and placed under a cold tap to cool off.

Some chat potatoes were then placed into the boiling water and left to cook. They were then removed from the pot and left to cool.

A couple of eggs were next placed in the pot to cook until hard boiled.

Some mixed salad leaves were placed in a serving bowl. The beans, potatoes, some halved cherry tomatoes and black olives were added and vinaigrette dressing poured over and the salad tossed. The hard-boiled eggs were arranged on top and it was ready.

This is a pleasing mix of vegetables, satisfying and nicely highlighted by the dressing.

Taste: ✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔

Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa

From Vegetarian Cookbook, Paul Gayler, Dorling Kindersley, 2000.

This was the nicest salsa and it was so easy to prepare.

A punnet (do they call them punnets when they’re not berries) of cherry tomatoes was prepared for roasting by cutting them in halves and placing them in a baking dish. They were seasoned, topped with chopped basil and garlic and a pinch of sugar. Olive oil was drizzled over and they were baked for roughly 5 minutes. They then went into a serving bowl and had a little lime juice added with some more olive oil.

This was a delicious salsa.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔

Spinach, Basil & Pumpkin Rice Torte

From Vegetarian Cookbook, Paul Gayler, Dorling Kindersley, 2000.

Still on the pumpkin binge, I thought a pie might possibly be the next variation on the theme.

I needed to cook 200 g of rice before I began. This was set boiling.

While the rice was cooking the pumpkin was cut into slices and also boiled.

While the two saucepans were boiling away I was able to attend to the frying section of the dish. An onion was chopped and sautéed for about 5 minutes. Spinach, two bunches of English spinach, and about a handful of basil were now tossed into the pan to cook until wilted. I then tossed the pan contents into a colander and pressed them firmly against the side to drain out as much moisture as I could. This mix was then chopped.

The cooked rice was now split into two equal portions and the spinach mixed into one of the portions with a quantity of grated Parmesan cheese and one beaten egg.

The other portion of rice had Parmesan cheese and one beaten egg mixed into it.

A springform cake tin was greased and buttered filo pastry pressed around the bottom and sides to form a casing for the filling with a bit of an overhang. The spinach layer was added first followed by slices of pumpkin and, finally, the other rice. Left over pieces of filo were cut into strips and draped across the top as a decoration.

The pie went into the oven for about 45 minutes. It was then carefully taken out of the tin and put hack into the oven for a little longer to ensure that the torte sides were done.

It was served with a roasted cherry tomato salsa.

I’ve had this cookbook for some time now and not cooked over much from it but now that I’ve got back into it I think I should investigate it a little more.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔

Sweet and Spicy Lentil Chilli

From Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker, Robin Robertson, The Harvard Common Press, 2004.

This was a simple chilli to make and a particularly tasty one.

In a frying pan a chopped onion, a chopped red capsicum and two chopped garlic cloves were cooked with the lid on until tender. Two tablespoons of chilli powder were added and stirred in for about a minute. This mix was added to the slow cooker.

In also went about a cup and a half of brown lentils, a can of tomatoes,, about a quarter of a cup of molasses, a little ground allspice, a pinch of cayenne pepper and some salt and pepper. Two cups of water and one of apple juice were added. They were cooked at a low level for about eight hours.

This was a delicious chilli. When I want to make a chilli in future this is the one I would turn to. It was even better the next day.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔

Roast Pumpkin Soup with Chickpeas, Leeks and Spiced Croutons

From For the Love of Food, Denis Cotter, Collins, 2011.

My son brought along one of the pumpkins he had grown so I immediately set off looking for recipes. Pumpkin and chickpeas are always a great partnership so I set off to make this soup.

The pumpkin first had to be roasted. It was cut into a couple of large slices that were then brushed with olive oil and set in a baking dish. About a cup of stock was poured into the baking dish and the pumpkin was cooked for about a half an hour.

In a large saucepan the other vegetables were cooked. One half of a fennel, chopped, was sautéed with some chopped shallots for a few minutes. Chopped garlic was then added with grated ginger (I only used half the quantity because I usually find ginger is overdone), leeks (I only used 2 though the recipe called for 3 and even then it seemed far too much) and a can of chickpeas. These were sautéed for a few minutes before white wine was added. The whole lot was covered with baking paper and simmered for 15 minutes.

The cooked pumpkin was cut into a rough mash that still maintained some larger lumps and added to the vegetables in the pot. Further stock was added, it was the brought to the boil and simmered for a few minutes longer. It was then seasoned and some lemon juice added.

The soup was served with spiced croutons that had been made by chopping bread into small blocks and tossing them in an oven dish with ground cumin, ground fennel, crushed dried chillies and olive oil. These were cooked in the oven until they were crisp.

This was a thick soup that was a meal in itself. The ginger still came through a little strongly even though cut back to half the quantity. If I made it again I would cut back the leeks to one and leave out the ginger altogether, or at least cut it back much further. The soup, like many of the thicker soups, was much nicer the next day when the flavours had all matured.

The croutons turned out, for me, to be the hero of the dish and the spiciness and heat lifted the soup tremendously.

Taste: ✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔

Layered Mediterranean Gateau

From Vegetarian Cookbook, Paul Gayler, Dorling Kindersley, 1999.

Before doing anything much else you need to roast the capsicums for this: one red, one yellow and one green. When roasted they are peeled and all the seeds removed.

It was time then to cut an eggplant into slices and fry them on both sides until browned and soft.

In the blender I then pureed a handful of basil leaves, a clove of garlic and some olive oil to make a pesto.

The gateau was then formed in metal ring moulds. The vegetables were placed in one at a time with the pesto between them. The eggplant seemed best to begin with and also end with. On the top went some tomato slices. This went in the oven for about 10 minutes to heat through.

While it was in the oven a vinaigrette was made of some chopped basil, red wine vinegar, olive oil and a tomato that had been skinned, removed of its seeds and then chopped. Seasoning was added to taste.

When it was ready it was unmoulded on the plate, some yoghurt was placed alongside and vinaigrette spooned over.

This turned out to be a good accompaniment for some vegetarian burgers that had a mushroom base. Some rocket leaves were added to complete the meal.

Taste: ✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔

All-American Burger

From The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet, Joni Marie Newman, Fair Winds Press, 2011.

I really have no idea what ‘all-American’ means. It seems to be applied to anything at random—possibly to make it sound good. Whatever it means, this burger so far has been, for me, the best I have made from this book.

The base for the burger was mushrooms. These were chopped and fried with garlic until softened a little. About a third of a cup of vegetable stock was then added and brought to the boil and turned down to simmer. This was not the full amount of liquid required by the recipe—which was three-quarters of a cup. It calls for TVP granules to be added at this stage and the heat turned off for the TVP to soak. However, I do prefer to have TVP soaked first and have the water drained off, which I had done, so I added less liquid with my soaked TVP.

This was all left to cool. Nutritional yeast was now to be added. I used Vegemite. Some mustard to taste, onion powder and seasoning also went in. The flour, sufficient to make a good mix, and it was all mixed together. Hands were the best tools for this.

It all went in the fridge for about half an hour and was then formed into four burgers ready to be fried.

The burgers were tasty and had a good texture to them that was somewhat similar to that of meat burgers. They were served on a bed of rocket with a minty yoghurt dressing.

Taste: ✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔

Pasta and White Bean Stew with Summer Vegetables

From Fields of Greens, Annie Somerville, Bantam Books, 1993.

With the cold weather on us it seemed appropriate to investigate a few more stews. Fields of Green generally satisfied with its recipes so this looked like one to try even though it had summer vegetables in it whereas we were now in autumn.

While the recipe called for cannellini beans to be cooked, I decided to use a can to save a little time. There were other ingredients that had to be cooked prior to adding to the stew though. Green beans were dropped into a pot of boiling salted water. They only needed a couple of minutes so that they remained a little crisp. They were scooped from the water and put aside. The pasta was then added to the boiling water. I used penne. This was cooked until almost al dente and strained, given a little olive oil to prevent sticking, and saved.

Some tomatoes were peeled and cut up. The recipe called for the seeds to be removed but I usually ignore this.

Preparation now done, the stew could be put together. A chopped onion was sautéed in the pot with a little salt, and some dried herbs: basil and oregano. When the onion had softened, some chopped garlic (a few cloves) was added with chopped red capsicum. These were sautéed a little longer and chopped pumpkin was added (about 2 cups). Again a little more sauté before the tomatoes were now popped in.

The cannellini beans went in also at this time. If they had been cooked by myself I should have kept some of the broth but since I had used a can I had to also add some stock at this time. The penne went in too and some chopped fresh basil. This was all cooked for about 20 minutes and the green beans were added long enough to heat through. It was then served with some grated Parmesan cheese on top.

The stew was just right for the cold night. The flavour mix was perfect and the cannellini beans and the penne made for a satisfyingly filling. There was some left and it was eaten the next day. By this time the penne had become totally soaked with the liquid and was totally soft. Somehow I enjoyed it more the next day when all the flavours had infused and matured.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔

As some of these books may be out of print if anyone would like a particular recipe, email me (alfcooksvege@ozemail.com.au) and I’ll send an abbreviated version. Of course, the whole book would be better; it’s loaded with other goodies.

                                                                                                                                    

Zucchini and Corn with Cream

From Truly Mexican, Roberto Santibañez, John Wiley & Sons, 2011.

Before getting into the main part of this dish you need to prepare the tomatoes. Take about two, core them, then cut a small X on the other end of them. Place them cored side up in the oven under the grill and cook them until they are blackened and cooked through.

You can begin on the rest of the dish while the tomatoes are cooking. Chop a white onion, a couple of garlic cloves and a serrano chilli and cook them in a frying pan until they have softened.

Now add corn (about two cups), a teaspoon of dried oregano, a pinch of nutmeg and some ground black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the corn has lightly browned (about 5-7 minutes).

Next add chopped zucchini, about 3 cups, and cook until it starts to become tender.  The tomatoes can now be added, skinned and chopped roughly. About half a cup of double cream goes in as well and a cup of grated cheese. I used a tasty cheddar cheese. It is now stirred until it is ready to eat. Season it and add some chopped coriander before serving.

 

This was served with Mexican white rice and a heap of guacamole on the side.

The cream and cheese made this a richly smooth creamy dish, pleasant enough to eat for a casual type meal. I think I would add another chilli if I make it again.

Taste: ✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔

Fennel and Feta Cheese

From River Cottage Veg Everyday, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Bloomsbury, 2011.

I had some fennel left over so this sounded like a good way to use it up. The fennel was cut thinly and had lemon juice and olive oil dribbled on it. Salt and pepper were added. It was then gently tossed and left for half an hour to macerate (I love that word).

Crumbled cheese (I used feta but the recipe called for goat’s cheese) was then added and it was ready.

This was a quick to make salad that was both crunchy and creamy and went well alongside a main dish as a palate refresher. I must remember it whenever I have some fennel left over.

This cookery book has a whole section devoted to ‘raw assemblies’. These appear to be slightly different from salads in that they concentrate on one or two raw vegetables to bring out their essential flavour. It’s worth investigating further.

Taste: ✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔✔

Guacamole Típico (Classic Guacamole)

From Truly Mexican, Roberto Santibañez, John Wiley & Sons, 2011.

Whenever I have a meal out and order something that has guacamole in it I always feel that the guacamole is no more than mashed avocado. I had to try this recipe to see what the real guaca might actually taste like.

It began with work in a mortar and pestle. A little white onion, a chopped Serrano chilli, some salt and a heap of chopped coriander were pounded into a paste. An avocado was then defleshed and mixed in with the paste and some more chopped coriander. It was mashed lightly with a fork and it was ready to take a squeeze of lime juice and be eaten.

It was easy to see the difference between what I had eaten before and what I had now made.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔✔

Salad of Watercress, Quince, Glazed Pecans and Goat’s Cheese with Citrus Dressing

From For the Love of Food, Denis Cotter, Collins, 2011.

I was not sure about making this salad; it seemed to me to be an unusual mix of ingredients. But I’m glad I tried it.

The quince had to be cooked. It did not take over long to be simmered in some sugar and water before it became soft.

The glazed pecans took a little more effort. The oven had to be preheated to 130°C. While this was warming some caster sugar and a teaspoon of maple syrup were heated in a saucepan until the sugar had melted. The pecans were then stirred in and then spread out on some baking paper on an oven tray. They were baked for 20 minutes then taken out and left to cool. They became quite crisp.

The dressing came next. This was made with the zest and juice of an orange, the juice of a lemon, and some olive oil. The recipe called for a small amount of hazelnut oil but I dispensed with this as I had none.

The salad was then put together, watercress, crumbled goat’s cheese, the sliced quince and the pecans. It was then dressed.

The unusual mix worked really well. The sweet quince against the creamy cheese and the peppery watercress, together with the crunch and sweet nuttiness of the pecans, was a truly fresh salad.

This book is a pleasure to work with for it continually surprises and delights.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔

Puy Lentil Soup with Parmesan Toasts

From Sydney Food, Bill Granger, Murdoch Books, 2000.

Recently discovered a small vegan cafe, Naked Espresso, in the back of Berkelouw Books in Newtown. It is only open on Saturdays and Sundays but worth a visit if you are in the neighbourhood on the weekend.

We tried a lentil vegetable soup that was just right on a cold Saturday. I enjoyed it thoroughly though for my palate the herbs were a touch too strong. It tempted me to try a lentil soup for myself.

The one I chose to make was with puy lentils that hold together much more than the regular lentils. The soup was a breeze to make. Carrots, onion and leek were sautéed in butter and olive oil for about 10 minutes. Then came garlic, celery and chilli to cook for a little longer. Next a can of chopped tomatoes was added with stock, bay leaves, chopped oregano and the puy lentils. This was brought to the boil and simmered for about half an hour when it was seasoned to taste.

While the soup was cooking the Parmesan toasts were made. Garlic and olive oil were whipped together and then brushed on slices of focaccia. They were sprinkled with salt and grated Parmesan cheese. It was then only a matter of baking them in the oven until crisp.

The soup was rich with vegetables and the bread especially good to crunch along with it. I don’t think it came up to the one from Naked Espresso but it was close.

Taste: ✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔

Leek and Cauliflower Risotto with Chilli Walnut Crumbs and Fried Capers

From For the Love of Food, Denis Cotter, Collins, 2011.

To begin, the chilli walnut crumbs were made ready. The ingredients (2 slices of not-fresh bread, some dried chillies—sufficient to suit your hot taste—2 tablespoons of walnuts and the same amount of chopped parsley) were churned in a food processor to crumb them. This was then fried in a small amount of olive oil until crisp and golden.

I tried to fry some capers to make them crisp but I couldn’t seem to crisp them up. They were fried, certainly, but still soft.

The cauliflower was then broken up into small florets and the stem section cut into small dice. A leek was sliced thinly and some garlic was chopped. A pot of stock was put on to simmer gently.

A goodly sized frying pan was put on to heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. The leek, cauliflower stem and garlic was sautéed for about 5 minutes. The rice was added and sautéed for another 5 minutes. White wine, about 100 ml, was added and stirred until it had almost all been absorbed. Some hot stock, about a cup, was added then and stirred until it had almost all been taken up by the rice. Then another cupful was added. This was continued, adding stock and stirring until absorbed until the rice was cooked.

At the same time as this was happening, in another pan some butter and little olive oil was heated and the cauliflower florets sautéed in this until they were cooked. When the rice was cooked this was stirred in together with a little more butter, grated Parmesan cheese and seasonings to suit.

The risotto was placed into serving bowls. The capers were placed around the edge. The walnut crumbs were scattered over the top and a little bit more grated Parmesan over this.

This was a wonderfully tasty risotto. The creamy rice with its bites of fried cauliflower was spiced by the crunchy crumble and every so often you caught a bite of the vinegary tang of the capers.

I look forward to exploring the whole section of risottos in this book.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔

Scrambled Eggs with Avocado, Coriander and Chilli with Grilled Bread

From For the Love of Food, Denis Cotter, Collins, 2011.

Scrambled eggs are so good that I can’t see why they seem to be reserved for breakfast. When you are only half awake this is no time to properly enjoy them. I like to have them as part of an evening meal so I can fully appreciate them.

This recipe for scrambled eggs calls for them to have some finely chopped coriander and green chilli beaten into them with a small amount of milk and a little melted butter.

While the eggs are cooking slowly, brush some bread with olive oil and place it on a griddle to brown. Also cut up an avocado into slices and roll them gently in some olive oil and a little lemon juice. Season them.

And it’s ready. I served them with Lucy’s breakfast sausages and a big helping of spicy tomato chutney. A perfect breakfast for an evening meal.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔

Fig and Goat’s Cheese Salad

Recipe by Stella McCartney in The Meat Free Monday Cookbook, Kyle Books, 2011.

This turned out to be a simply made but rather enjoyable salad. Four figs were cut in half, brushed with olive oil and then placed on a griddle for a few minutes.

While the figs were doing their bit, a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar was made with a seasoning of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

When the figs were ready they were put on the plate with a little watercress and some goats cheese. The dressing was drizzled over.

This book with a full full-day’s recipes for every Monday in the year is quite a find. It doesn’t have the most attractive cover but the contents are well worth considering.

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔✔