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GOURMET VEGAN

Watercress Soup

Serves 4
Preparation 20 minutes
Cooking 15 minutes

1 medium onion, chopped
2 bunches of watercress
55g/2oz vegan margarine
115g/4oz plain flour
855ml/11/2pt vegetable stock
285ml/1/2pt soya milk
140ml/1/4pt soya cream
seasoning

1. Melt margarine in pan. Fry onion and watercress
2. Add flour. Stir well. Remove from heat
3. Stir in stock and milk gradually
4. Return to heat and stir until soup thickens
5. Season. Serve. Add swirl of soya cream

Potato & Chive Quenelles

900g/2lb potatoes
handful of chives
vegan margarine and milk to taste

1. Add potatoes to cold water and salt, bring to boil and cook until soft
2. Drain and mash adding milk and margarine to taste
3. Add chives and mix
4. Shape into quenelles (shell shapes) using 2 dessertspoons

Sweet Pepper Marmalade

2 red peppers
2 green peppers
2 yellow peppers
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1tbsp tomato purée
1tsp sugar to taste
salt & pepper
2tbsp vegan margarine

1. Finely slice peppers and sauté in margarine with garlic until soft
2. Add tomato puree, salt, pepper and sugar

Festive Feast

with Sweet Pepper Marmalade, Potato & Chive Quenelles and Redcurrant & Red Wine Sauce

Serves 6
Preparation 35 minutes plus soaking
Cooking 40 minutes

Chestnut pâté
115g/4oz dried chestnuts
1.5 litres/2½pt water (enough to cover the chestnuts by 2 inches)
3floz vegetable oil
170g/6oz onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
115g/4oz fresh breadcrumbs
55g/2oz ground hazelnuts
1tsp sage
1tsp thyme
1tsp parsley
1floz soya sauce
1/2floz vegan brandy
salt
pepper
soya cream

Puff pastry
455g/1lb puff pastry
sprinkling of flour for rolling pastry
sesame seeds

Mushroom ragout
455g/1lb mushrooms
285ml/1/2pt vegan red wine

Chestnut pâté

1. Soak chestnuts in water overnight
2. Place in pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender
3. Remove liquid
4. Sauté onions and garlic in oil until soft
5. Stir in herbs, season and add soya sauce and brandy
6. Bring to boil
7. Stir in breadcrumbs, hazelnuts and chestnuts (saving 12 whole chestnuts)
8. Cook for 5 minutes
9. Remove from heat and allow to cool
10. Blend to rough purée
11. Add cream to taste
12. Work into rectangular block

Mushroom ragout

Place mushrooms in pan with the wine and simmer until most of the liquid is gone

Feast

1. Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6
2. Sprinkle surface with flour and roll out puff pastry into a rough rectangle, saving some of the pastry to cut out leaves for decoration
3. Place mushroom ragout on centre of pastry
4. Place chestnut pâté on top
5. Place row of whole chestnuts onto the pâté
6. Fold pastry over, cutting off the extra edges, seal by brushing edges with soya milk, decorate with pastry leaves and sprinkle with sesame seeds, place on well oiled tray
7. Put in oven for 40 minutes (30 minutes in a fan assisted oven)
8. Slice and serve on bed of mixed leaves

Ginger Snap Basket Dessert

Serves 10

Basket
455g/1lb white sugar
285g/10oz soya margarine
225g/8oz plain flour
225g/8oz golden syrup
1/4tbsp ground ginger

Sugar spun net
455g/1lb sugar
1/4 cup sugar water

Filling
scoops of vegan sorbet and/or vegan ice cream

Fruit
assortment of fruit to taste
icing sugar

Basket

1. Soften margarine and sugar, mix with rest of ingredients in a bowl
2. Rest for as long as possible (until cold)
3. Roll into little balls and squash down onto greased baking sheet
4. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C/375F/Gas 6 until dark or golden brown
5. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly until firm enough to handle
6. Mould over back of small greased bowl/jar/bottle
7. Remove and allow to cool. Store in airtight container until ready to serve

Sugar spun net

1. Boil ingredients in saucepan until hard ball consistency and slightly golden colour
2. To test when ready, drop small amount into iced water. When ready caramel will turn brittle
3. Allow to cool slightly
4. Grease back of appropriately sized ladle using a spoon, remove caramel from saucepan and drizzle in opposite directions over ladle (be careful of splashing as caramel is still hot)
5. Allow to cool. When brittle, knock off gently and place in airtight container until ready to serve, making sure the nets do not touch each other

Fruit

Place assorted, cut fruit on oven tray and sprinkle with icing sugar. Grill or roast until golden brown

To serve

Place basket on centre of plate, fill with sorbet/ice-cream, cover with net and arrange fruit around basket

By Karen Samuel Head Chef, Food For Friends 18, Prince Albert St Brighton BN1 1HF Tel: 01273 202310