Winter Recipes
Mixed Vegetable Soup
Serves 4
2 tbs sunflower oil
60g leek, roughly chopped
2 medium sized potato, roughly diced
60g carrot, roughly diced
60g parsnip, roughly diced
2 tbs split red lentils
1 pint of vegetable stock
Additional water
Salt & Pepper to taste
Over a medium heat saut?© the leek with the sunflower oil for approximately 5 minutes.
Add the potato, carrot and parsnip.
Cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the stock and lentils.
Bring to the boil, turn down heat, cover and then simmer for 30 minutes.
Liquidize, return to saucepan, and add water until required consistency.
Heat, season and serve immediately.
Chestnut & Mushroom Pie
Serves 6-8
For the Pie:
200g dried chestnuts, soaked overnight
2 medium onions, peeled & chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
340g mushrooms, washed & sliced
4 tbs olive oil
2 slabs of vegan puff pastry
For the sauce:
2 tsp cornflour
140ml chestnut stock
2 tbs tomato puree
few drops of soya sauce
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Set the oven to 400 F/200 C/Gas Mark 6.
Have a 10" (25mm) diameter ovenproof plate ready.
Simmer the chestnuts in the soaking water for half an hour or so, until tender.
Drain and slice.
Keep the stock and put aside in a large bowl.
Fry the onions and garlic until golden brown.
Add the mushrooms and fry until tender.
Add all these to the chestnuts and leave.
To make the sauce:
Mix the cornflour with a little extra stock to make a smooth paste.
Whisk the paste into the other ingredients of the sauce thickens well.
Stir thoroughly into the chestnut mixture.
Roll out the slabs of pastry on a floured surface and use one to cover the plate.
Trim the edges and fill with the mixture up to 1" (25mm) from the edge.
Brush with water and lay second slab on top, trim the edge and seal well, crimping pastry edges.
Use remaining pastry to decorate your pie.
Brush with soya milk and bake for 45 mins, middle shelf, until golden brown and risen.
Serve with a varied and colourful selection of seasonal vegetables.
Butterbean Casserole
Serves 4
1 large tin butterbeans
1 large tin tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
100g sliced mushrooms
1 carrot, sliced
1 leek, sliced
1 tbs tomato puree
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 clove garlic (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
Fry the onion, garlic, carrot and leek in the oil for 3 mins.
Add the mushrooms and fry for a further 2 mins.
Add the beans (drained), the tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs, salt & pepper.
Bake in an ovenproof dish for 30mins at 375 F/190 C/ Gas Mark 5.
Serve with baked potatoes and a selection of vegetables.
Chocolate Cake
225g Allinsons Wholemeal Self Raising Flour
1 level tsp cream of tartar
1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
6 level dsp cocoa
200g caster sugar
2 tbs soya flour
250ml water
Coffee Filling:
55g vegan margarine
55g icing sugar
1 tsp coffee essence or strong coffee
few drops of vanilla Essence
Topping: 1 bar vegan chocolate
1-2 tbs boiling water
Sift flour into a basin with the bicaronate of soda and cream of tartar.
Add soya flour and sugar, then mix together.
Stir in the water.
Turn evenly into 2 greased 7" sandwich tins.
Bake in a moderate over at 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6 for about 25 minutes.
Leave in the tins until cool before turning out.
Coffee Filling:
Cream soya margarine with half the sugar, then add remainder and cream again.
Stir in coffee essence or strong coffee gradually to required consistency.
When smooth add a few drops of vanilla flavouring.
Topping:
Melt the chocolate in a double saucepan and add boiling water.
The more water added the softer the topping.
Spread on top of cake and leave to set.
When finished leave the cake in a tin overnight before cutting.
Date and Walnut Scones
Serves 4
225g plain wholemeal flour
4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
55g margarine
30g raw cane sugar
55g dates coarsely chopped
55g walnuts coarsely chopped
soya milk to mix
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Rub in the margarine so you end up with a mixture like fine breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar, dates and nuts.
Stir in just enough soya milk to make a soft dough.
Roll this out on a floured board to a thickness of about 15mm.
Use a cutter or glass to cut into rounds.
Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 450F/230C/Gas Mark 8 for about 10 minutes.
Scones are cooked when firm to touch.
Place on a wire rack to cool completely if you intend to keep them, though scones are especially good eaten whilst still warm with vegan margarine.
Apple Rolypoly
Serves 4.
85g vegan margarine
170g wholemeal self raising flour
1tbs red jam
2 medium apples, thinly sliced or grated
Raw cane sugar to taste
Rub fat into flour, mix with a little cold water to make a dough and roll into an oblong shape.
Spread with jam and apples, sprinkle with sugar and roll, sealing the ends.
Place in an oven dish and bake at 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6 until pale brown.
Sprinkle with sugar.
Smashing Creamy Soup
200g vegetables of your choice e.g. mushrooms or leeks, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
1 oz margarine
750ml soya milk
Salt & pepper to season
Melt margarine in a saucepan.
Add garlic and onion.
Cook for a few minutes.
Add vegetables and cook until just soft.
Add the soya milk and seasoning.
Cook for 10-15 minutes.
Allow to cool a little and liquidise.
Reheat.
Serve with crusty bread and margarine.