Sunchoke (Jerusalem Artichoke) Soup with Thyme and Balsamic Onions

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2012. Sorry it is a bit late but hopefully everybody has enjoyed the holidays. I thought I would kick the year off with a rich, velvety vegetable soup that is perfect for a warming lunch but low calorie, dairy free, gluten free and vegan for anyone with good intentions for the new year. If you haven't tried Jerusalem artichokes before then I really do urge you to try them as they add a really nice nutty flavor to mashed potato or can be roasted or even eaten raw in salads. They do, however, have a bad reputation for making things a bit windy so I don't recommend eating them before a job interview, hot date, or anytime you need to sit quietly! By mixing them with potatoes helps to reduce the amount you eat and hence the after effects. Hopefully this won't put you all off this recipe as I admit that I haven't exactly sold this one to you. But trust me this really is a tasty, hearty and seasonal soup.

Christmas Menu of Wild Rice Stuffed Squash, Cider Braised Red Cabbage & Gluten and Dairy Free Bread Sauce

I know it is a bit late in the day but I thought I would finally get around to posting about our Christmas dinner dishes. This is more of a theoretical exercise as we are going to my other half's family on Christmas day. So here is my virtual Christmas day menu.  Below are links to recipes I would use followed by my recipes for wild rice stuffing for the squash, braised red cabbage and bread sauce.

Maple Glazed Turkey for the meat eaters

Stuffed Squash for the veggies or Parsnip, Cranberry & Chestnut Loaf

Wild Rice Stuffing

Roasted Root Vegetables

Roasted Green Beans with Lemon & Garlic

Cider Braised Red Cabbage

Gravy, Cranberry Sauce & Bread Sauce 

Followed by 

Christmas Pudding & Brandy Butter

Quite a bit of it could be made in advance and reheated on the day for an easy relaxed Christmas morning in the kitchen. The day before I would make the wild rice stuffing up until the point where you put it in the oven, I would also make the red cabbage to be reheated in a crockpot or in a pan the next day. I would also steep the milk with the onion, bay leaves and cloves overnight. A family tradition is to all help to peel and cut up our root vegetables the night before which are then left in cold water overnight until needed the next day. Yes you will lose some of the water soluble vitamins but for one day does it really matter? If you do all this the hopefully, apart from the turkey cooking in the oven, everything else can be done in the hour leading up to serving.

 Merry Christmas everybody!

Dairy Free Brandy 'Butter'

Brandy butter is great on warm mince pies and is must for melting over you Christmas pudding, well this is all true if you are my other half who spoons bucket loads of the stuff over any Christmas dessert and, annoyingly never puts on a pound. As he cannot be trusted to leave well alone from dairy if it is in the form of brandy butter or cheese I decided to make a dairy free version in an attempt to save him from himself. It works really well with the vegan and dairy free sunflower oil based margarine I use. If you can have butter then just substitute in unsalted butter and make sure it is at room temperature so that the sugar and brandy can easily be combined with it. 

Garlic Mushrooms, Spinach & Chickpeas and Manchego Cheese Tapas

Here are three quick and easy vegetarian tapas dishes. The first is garlic mushrooms or 'Champinones al ajillo', the second is a spinach and chickpeas dish in tomato sauce, in Spanish 'Garbanzos con Espinacas'  and the third is manchego with tomatoes and olive oil which I guess is Spain's most well known cheese. These dishes can be made ahead of time and then reheated as required.

Pan Veggity

Pan Haggerty is a classic north of England dish, a rich layered potato, onion and cheese gratin style dish that is cooked on the top of the stove rather than in the oven. The potatoes and onion absorb the stock and become wonderfully rich and tasty. It is amazing how such simple ingredients come together to make a great dish. This version of the dish came about following a glut of veggies from my mum and dad's allotment. It has a variety of root vegetables and some runner beans which all help towards your 5 a day. It is great sprinkled with some cheese, particularly a strong cheddar or goats cheese or, for any meat eaters, crispy bacon but to be honest I mostly make it vegan and dairy free to fully appreciate all the different vegetable tastes. This can be the main attraction in a meal or used as an all in one side dish. 

Warming Winter Bean and Cabbage Soup

I am finally back to the blogophere following some nasty computer viruses invading my laptop combined with, on a much nicer note,  a wonderful winter sun holiday in the canary islands. Much tapas was consumed along with  goats cheese, bread, olives and for J at least half a pig in the form of various hams and salamis. This holiday has really endeared me to the Spanish as who couldn't love a culture that has brought such yummy dishes to the wider world. As winter draws on I am looking forward to turning up the heating, shutting the curtains and eating some tapas dishes I have recreated and pretending, if only for a night, that we are back in sunny Fuerteventura. 

In the meantime I will post a couple of recipes that I had ready to publish in November, before my laptop got very sick. The first is this winter soup recipe that really is filling and hearty and makes a great warming lunch or light supper served with bread and or a hunk of cheese. If you want some meat than some thick chunks of Chorizo, added at the same time as the beans would make a great addition although you might want to reduce the amount of smoked paprika.

Aubergine, Chickpea and Harissa

When I first started blogging I wrote down a list of potential recipes that I enjoy and this was one of the first ones that I thought of. We have been making this as a family for at least 15 years after eating a version of it in a Cathedral cafe and recreating it at home. It was one of the earliest times I had harissa, a north african chilli paste, in a dish and it has been part of my pantry ever since. It was a favourite meal of my mum and me for whenever my dad was working away. We used to eat it with cous cous or bulgar wheat and yoghurt but quinoa or millet makes a good alternative if you need it to be wheat or gluten free. I like to make this dish the day before to allow the flavours to develop and it is perfect as a quick winter supper. If you cannot get ready made harissa paste easily then there is great recipe on serious eats.

Banana & Date Quinoa Porridge

Here, as promised, is a warming and filling breakfast that is gluten free and dairy free and a great alternative to traditional oat based porridge. Made with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) it not only has complex carbohydrates but is also rich in protein which helps you feel full for longer. In addition it contains the whole compliment of essential amino acids that the human body needs making it particularly valuable to vegans and vegetarians. It is unsurprising then that the Incas called this 'the mother grain'. Having written about how great quinoa is, I really am at a loss as to why I don't use this more often particularly as it takes no more time to prepare than rice. Now that I have discovered how yummy quinoa porridge is I am looking forward to trying out some different versions with a variety of different fruits, nuts and spices. I like this combination of dates which dissolve to just produce a dark caramel taste and the bananas which helps to make a creamy texture and extra sweet taste. It is also a really helpful recipe to use up over ripe bananas.

Dairy Free Apple Porridge

Now the mornings are colder I really like a warm breakfast to set me up for the day. I normally would have porridge/oatmeal but as I haven't been eating dairy I kind of dismissed it as an option. Until I remembered that oats cooked in apple juice taste so great that you don't even feel like you are missing out. Even if you can eat dairy this makes a really yummy alternative if you don't fancy something as rich as oatmeal made with milk or cream. I like to add a handful of dried fruit and nuts to add texture and keep me feeling full for longer. I like cranberries and almonds or dried pears and walnuts but whatever you like should be good. I also like using other apple based juices such as apple and raspberry or apple and mango for a more summery version.

I have been meaning to talk about oats and whether they are suitable for those with coeliac disease as although I always thought oats contained gluten I have been seeing packets of rolled oats that state they are gluten free. When I looked into this I found that the reason that most oats aren't classed as gluten free is due to contamination during processing rather than the oats themselves. In summary it seems that some coeliacs can tolerate oats classed as gluten free i.e non contaminated oats. The decision to eat oats is really a personal one which should be made with the help of your health care professionals but if in doubt, leave it out of your diet. If you would like to know more then here is a link to the Coeliac UK's advice as well as a summary of previous research on www.celiac.com. I will be posting an alternative warm sweet breakfast idea for those who don't eat oats shortly. 

Hypocras -Spiced Cordial

With the nights drawing in and Christmas just around the corner there is nothing better than sipping a spiced warm drink by the fire. This recipe is ideal for adding to wine, cider, apple juice or even just water. Hypocras is supposedly a medieval drink that involved a variety of spices and sugar. This is a pared down version which uses easily available spices and makes a lighter alternative to the traditional mulling spices.

Baked Apple with Tea Infused Dried Fruit

I had been making bara brith, a welsh tea bread for my partner's snack lunches when I found myself with too much dried fruit soaked in tea so I decided to stuff it into an apple and bake it with some brown sugar and nuts. An easy peasy autumnal dessert which is also very quick to make in the microwave  Cooked in the microwave they aren't as pretty and are more inclined to slump like the one below though but hey dessert doesn't always have to be pretty.

Pea Sauce for Pasta or Gnocchi

With the weather turning and the nights drawing in I fancied something bright green, fresh tasting and spring like to keep the feeling of summer going just a little bit longer. So I came up with this pea puree to use as a sauce for pasta or gnocchi or even as a vegetable side dish. It is so quick and simple that is has become one of my quick go to supper dishes.  Plus I almost always have all the ingredients to hand.

Spiced Pickled Onion and Beetroot in Vinaigrette

My mum and dad have had a very productive summer in the allotment and my mum has been busy preserving some of their produce. These yummy spiced red onions are made from a Use Real Butter recipe which is amazing. They have a much more interesting taste than the often ridiculously sharp large pickled onions you get in store. I think jars of this would make a wonderful present and it is a great way to use up a glut of red onions. I also made some 'pickled beetroots' which are marinaded in a sweet spicy vinaigrette as I didn't want to just repost someone elses recipe although if just one more person tries these onions because of me it will definitely be worth my time posting this. Both these recipes are great for impatient people like myself as both can be eaten as soon as they are made. These recipes are wonderful with bread and cheese or cold meat. 

 

Vegan Chocolate Fork Cookies

Having posted a number of gluten free desserts I have realised that most of them are not suitable for vegans. I thought it was time that I rectified this by providing a recipe that is yummy and vegan. I haven't been able to make a satisfactory vegan and gluten free recipe as I find an egg very helpful to bind it altogether. I am going to have a go with egg replacer and hopefully I will be able to post a vegan and gluten free cookie recipe in the near future.

This is a great basic cookie recipe (or biscuit as we call them in the UK) which can be whipped up in a jiffy for any unexpected guests or just to help cure midnight munchies. However, I should probably warn everyone that once you have learnt how easy and quick it is to make these biscuits from store cupboard standbys there will be nothing to stop you fulfilling your cravings within half an hour. Consider yourself warned and I accept no responsibilty for the impact this may have on your waistline!

Braised Fennel With White Wine & Pinenuts

I am relishing having all my cook books back. We kept them all in storage whilst we were in Singapore but now that I have got them all in the kitchen I am loving flicking through them and rediscovering old favourites. Even though I use the blogosphere and internet resources as inspiration for new recipes there is something reassuring about a good solid hardback cookbook to flick through. 

This recipe is one of those I have rediscovered since coming back to the UK. While I enjoy the fresh zingy taste of raw fennel this recipe is the one that made me fall in love with fennel. The flavour of the fennel  is mellow and sweet and the fennel bulb absorbs the wine to create a delicate & soft texture. I like to eat this as a vegetarian dish over brown rice but it also makes a great side dish with  roast chicken, lamb or pork or with fish. The original recipe I used from the Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook added a 1/4 cup of Parmesan at the end and butter instead of olive oil but I have made this dish dairy free and vegan and added pinenuts instead and it still tastes yummy. Feel free to substitute the cheese and butter back in if you prefer. 

Smoky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soft Tacos

I always like to keep a few cans of beans in the cupboard as they have to be one of the best things to have a round for last minute unplanned suppers. This is one such dish that I threw together with the few ingredients that I had to hand. It is great with a salad and it went well with my parsnip and apple slaw that I have also published today. To get the smoky taste I thought I would use some Spanish spicy smoked paprika but I am guessing that chipotle chilli would work just as well but is not easy to get hold of in the UK.

Parsnip and Apple Slaw

I can honestly say that I didn't think that I liked coleslaw until my mum made homemade coleslaw when we first bought a food processor. Homemade coleslaw really tastes so much better than the insipid and soggy vegetables swamped in mayo that you often get in stores. If you have a food processor it really is so easy and quick to make coleslaw and you can vary the flavor any way you like really. Some of my favorite versions include thinnly sliced kohl rabi instead of cabbage, using lots of carrots and adding a good dash of curry powder in the mayo or how about chopped jalapeno peppers, fresh cilantro and a squeeze lime for a spicy version. I often make a big batch to take to a bbq or picnic and I have never had to take any home with me afterwards. You can use a vegan mayo for this recipe if you require it to be dairy or egg free and as not much mayo is needed for this recipe it makes little different to the texture or flavor of this coleslaw.

Cauliflower, Almond & Saffron Soup

I have had a cauliflower sitting in the fridge for over week now and I have been at a loss as to what to do with it until today when I needed a warming lunch. I added some ground almonds as I was worried that the soup might be a little thin and unsatisfying without any dairy or potatoes. The nuts add a nice richness and make this a really filling soup. I thought of adding some safffron after reading an interesting recipe for a cauliflower and saffron pasta sauce from Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook, (a book which I really love and which has some great recipes in by the way). So next time you are wanting something different to do with cauliflower try this rich and velvety soup. 

Spiced Elderberry Cordial

The season seems to be turning now with the occasional nip in the air and the trees and hedgerows are laden with autumn fruit. This drink is most definitely an autumn delight which is packed with vitamin C to help fight off the colds that are so often rife as this time of year.

This recipe is based on one I found in this months Country File magazine with some extra spices and less sugar added than the original. Don't be surprised if it smells like Christmas in your house after making this. It is very easy to make and you can also pick a double batch and freeze half the elderberries to make a second batch later in the year, just remember to leave plenty of fruit on the trees for all the local birds and animals. I foraged for these elderberries from some local hedgerows. In the UK elderberries (Sambucus nigra) are common all over on scrubby areas and in hedges. If you cannot get elderberries you could always try this recipe with blackcurrants or blackberries instead.

Saffron & Pea Risotto in Romano Peppers

Saffron and pea risotto was one of my favourite suppers when we lived in the UK. I would make a big pile of it just for myself and standing there and stirring it is a great way to wind down after a hard day at work. Rediscovering this dish as been great like meeting an old friend you haven't seen for a while and wondering why you lost touch in the first place. 

This dish was too stodgy for Singapore's climate not too mention that I could never find the right rice so it is great to be able to enjoy this recipe again. For this recipe I used Carnaroli rice which makes quite a creamy risotto but you could use Arborio  or even better use Vialone Nano instead. I used to throw in a handful of  cheese such as Parmesan at the end which you can do if you are dairy inclined.

A quick warning to those on a gluten free diet I have read that it is not always advisable to order risotto in Italy or traditional Italian restaurants as it is quite common to use pasta water to feed the risotto rice which will contaminate the whole dish with gluten. Not sure how widespread this practice is but worth being aware of as it is certainly not something I would have thought of.