White bean cassoulet and tofu gremolata

If (like us) you’re new to ‘gremolata’ – it’s a zesty herb condiment.

Ingredients

• 400 ml water
• 2 red onions, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, 2 sliced and 1 finely diced
• ¼ bunch fresh thyme
• 1 tin white kidney beans, drained
• 1 tin haricot beans, drained
• 1 tin cannellini beans, drained
• 50 g pearl barley
• 2 tsp lower salt vegan vegetable bouillon
• 2 large parsnips, peeled and diced
• 100 g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 1 lemon, zest and juiced
• 250 ml soya cream
• Black pepper, to taste
• 50 g spinach leaves
• ¼ bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Spray oil
• 200 g calcium-set firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1 cm dice
• 8 slices wholemeal bread, to serve

Method

1. In a large saucepan, add 100 ml water and bring to a simmer. Add the onion and the sliced garlic and simmer until tender. Add the thyme, beans and pearl barley and mix thoroughly. Add 300 ml water and vegetable bouillon and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the parsnips, chestnut mushrooms and lemon juice and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the soya cream and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the barley is fully cooked. When the cassoulet is cooked, adjust the seasoning and stir in the spinach and half of the chopped parsley.
2. Heat a non-stick frying pan and, when hot, add the oil and cook the tofu until it starts to colour on all sides. Add the remaining chopped parsley, lemon zest and fine diced garlic to the pan.
3. Spoon the cassoulet into bowls and top with the tofu gremolata. Serve with wholemeal bread.

TIP: Look for calcium in the ingredients list of your tofu

TIP: If your supermarket doesn’t stock bouillon, check out online retailers or your local health food shop