1 carrot, diced small 2 tbsp oil 1 onion, chopped small 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp dried mixed herbs ½ tsp paprika ½ tsp chilli powder 4 oz cooked red kidney beans (half a 400g tin, rinsed and drained) 4 oz cooked chick peas (ditto) 1 tbsp cooked sweetcorn 1 level tbsp flour
Method
Boil the carrot until al dente then drain.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic for 5 mins until soft and starting to brown.
Add the herbs, spices and flour, and cook for 1 min, stirring well (don't let the flour burn).
Mash the beans and chick peas with a fork. Mix in the onion mixture, the carrots and sweetcorn and mash some more. Season to taste.
Heat the remaining oil, shape the mixture into 4 burgers and fry for 5 to 6 mins on each side til done.
Serve in a bread roll with lashings of tomato ketchup. Use the left-over beans and chick peas to make bean salad. Delicious!
Garden Burgers with Mushrooms and Peppers
Ingredients
15g (½oz, 2 tbsp) pecan nuts 50g (2oz, ¾ cup) fresh breadcrumbs vegetable oil for sautéing 1 small onion 2 cloves garlic ½ red or orange (sweet bell) pepper 225g (8oz) mushrooms 1 mild or hot chilli (optional) 1 tbsp hoisin sauce ½ cup cooked rice (about 35g, 1½oz, 1/3 cup before cooking) salt & black pepper to taste 2 tbsp potato flakes to help bind (optional)
Method
First, toast and grind the pecan nuts. Cook them in a dry frying pan over a low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until slightly browned but not burned. Grind in a blender or food processor - it helps to add some of the breadcrumbs to the blender to stop the nuts flying all over the place.
Chop the onion and garlic. Sauté in vegetable stock (or oil if you prefer) until softened and slightly browned.
Meanwhile, chop the pepper and mushrooms. Finely chop the chilli (if using). When the onions are ready, add these other vegetables and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until everything is tender, adding a little water if things start to stick.
Add the hoisin sauce, mix well and continue to cook until the sauce is thick.
Place the vegetable mixture in a blender along with the cooked rice, and pulse a few times to blend things together, leaving some pieces of vegetables whole.
Mix in the toasted, ground pecan nuts and breadcrumbs. Season to taste only if necessary. If the mixture seems a bit sloppy, mix in some potato flakes or instant mashed potato to help bind it. Don't use flour as it won't have time to cook properly.
If possible, leave in the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes - it will keep there for a few days. Form into burgers - you can make them quite thin and flat, with smooth edges. To cook them, fry or bake. Be careful when turning them not to disturb the browned crust.
Mushroom and Chestnut Wellington
Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped 125g (4½ oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced roughly 110g (4oz) cashews, ground in a food processor 110g (4oz) cooked chestnuts, chopped (we used tinned) 110g (4oz) soft wholemeal breadcrumbs 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp mixed herbs ½ tsp yeast extract 330g (12oz) puff pastry soya milk for brushing
Method
Fry the onions in the olive oil, add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5 mins. Whizz in a food processor with the chestnuts, lemon juice, soya sauce and yeast extract.
Put the mixture into a mixing bowl with the breadcrumbs, cashews and herbs, season and mix well. (This should be quite stiff.)
Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured board to make a rectangle about the size of a sheet of A4. Transfer the pastry to a lightly oiled baking tray and heap the mushroom mixture in the centre, forming it into a loaf shape.
Make diagonal cuts in the pastry 1cm apart on each side of the mushroom mixture, then fold these up and over to give a plait effect. Tuck, trim and brush with soya milk.
Bake at 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for 40 mins, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
CHESTNUT PIE
Ingredients
2 medium potatoes, diced and parboiled 1 red onion, diced 8oz chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped 1 tin (240g) peeled, cooked chestnuts 1 bottle bitter or ale Pinch of dried mixed herbs 1 tsp Marmite 3 tsp vegetable bouillon
For the pastry: 6oz self raising flour 3oz vegan margarine Sesame seeds Soya milk
Method
Fry the onion in a saucepan with a tablespoon of olive oil until soft.
Add the mushrooms, stir well and cook for a few minutes. Add the potatoes, chestnuts and enough bitter or ale to cover (about 400ml). Simmer for 5 minutes.
Finally, add the herbs, marmite and bouillon. Season to taste and simmer for a further 5 mins. When done, place the filling in a 7" ovenproof dish.
Meanwhile make the pastry in the usual way with a dash of cold water and a pinch of salt.
Roughly shape the pastry in your hands and place over the top of the filling. Brush with soya milk and sprinkle with a handful of sesame seeds.
Cook at Gas Mark 7 for approx 30 mins until the pastry is golden brown.
MUSHROOM AND ALE PIE
Ingredients
1 onion 2 cloves garlic 1 lb leeks sliced into one inch slices and washed thoroughly 1 lb mushrooms ½ bottle stout (e.g. Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout or try Black Sheep Ale) Soy sauce 1 teaspoon yeast extract 1 oz flour ½ tbsp sugar ¼ lb bag garden peas Salt and pepper ½ block jus roll puff pastry
Method
Finely chop the onion and cook in marg until soft. Add the garlic and leeks - sweat down until the leeks are soft. Add the mushrooms, a dash of soy sauce, the sugar and yeast extract.
When the juices have come out of the mushrooms make a roux with the flour, then slowly stir in the stout, you may need to dilute this with a little more water. Bring to the boil, add the peas and simmer for four mins, diluting a little with water if necessary.
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7. Roll out the pastry to about ¼ inch thick and cut out the shape of your pie lid using the top of your pie dish as a guide. Place the filling into the pie dish while it is still hot and put it on the bottom shelf of your oven. Oil a baking tray, place your pie lid on it, brush with soya milk or water and put it in the top of the oven. Cook for 8 - 12 mins until it has puffed up and turned golden brown. Take the pie filling and the lid out of the oven and put them together. Perfect!
MUSHROOM CROUSTADE
Ingredients
75g/3oz flaked almonds 75g/3oz wholewheat breadcrumbs 75g/3oz ground almonds 1 small onion, peeled and grated 1 garlic clove, crushed 90g/3½oz vegan margarine 450g/1lb mushrooms, washed and sliced 150ml/5fl oz soya cream freshly grated nutmeg paprika
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4.
Reserve a few of the flaked almonds for garnishing. Mix together the breadcrumbs, ground and remaining flaked almonds, onion, garlic and 75g/3oz of the margarine. Season well with salt and pepper. The mixture should hold together like a crumbly pastry. Press the mixture into the base of a 20cm/8 inch loose-bottomed flan tin. Bake for 20 mins, until golden-brown and crisp. Meanwhile, fry the mushrooms in the remaining margarine for 15-20 mins, until the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mushrooms on top of the croustade. Season the soya cream with salt, pepper and nutmeg, then swirl it on top of the mushrooms. Sprinkle with paprika.
Return the croustade to the oven for 10-15 mins, to heat through, then remove from the tin and serve on a warmed plate. Scatter the reserved flaked almonds over the top.
MUSHROOM PARCELS
Ingredients
1 onion ½ red pepper 2 cloves garlic 8 mushrooms soya sauce pepper olive oil puff pastry
Method
Dice the onion and fry in the olive oil til soft. Add the diced mushrooms and cook for approx 5 mins. Add the diced red pepper, crushed garlic, good dash soya sauce and ground pepper to taste, and cook for a further 5 mins.
Roll out the puff pastry and cut into two 7 inch squares. Place half the mushroom filling in the middle of each square and fold into a parcel.
Place on an oiled tray with the fold facing down and cook in a hot oven til brown (approx 10 to 15 mins).
VEGAN SAUSAGE ROLLS
Ingredients
150g packet of Sosmix (available from good wholefood shops) 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs vegan pastry 2 tbsp soya milk poppy seeds
Method
Mix the herbs in with the Sosmix and make up according to the instructions on the packet.
Roll out the pastry and make the sausage rolls in the usual way, using the soya milk to help seal the edges.
Brush the tops of the sausage rolls with the remaining soya milk, prick with a fork and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Cook in a moderate oven for 20 to 30 mins until golden brown.
SWEET POTATO PASTIES
Ingredients
8 oz shortcrust pastry 1 onion 2 small/medium size sweet potatoes 4 oz French beans or peas (frozen or fresh) ½ tsp ginger ½ tsp chilli ¼ tsp turmeric ½ tsp ground cumin 1 tsp coriander ¼ tsp mustard powder salt and pepper
Method
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 6 / 200 °C / 400 °F. Cut up the sweet potatoes into chunks and boil for around 15 minutes until fairly soft. Dice them.
While they are cooking, make the pastry.
Chop and fry the onion and add ½ tsp ginger; ½ tsp chilli; ¼ tsp turmeric; ½ tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp coriander; ¼ tsp mustard powder, salt and pepper. Add the spices and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook gently for 4-5 minutes. Allow to cool.
Roll the pastry into 4 circles. Place filling into centre of pastry and fold into a pasty. Brush with soya milk and make a small vent in each one. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Yummy!
VEGAN BLT
Ingredients
large white roll vegan margarine vegan mayonnaise tomato relish wholegrain mustard tomato ketchup Redwood Cheatin' Style Rashers tomato, sliced lettuce, shredded
Method
Find the largest white roll you possibly can. Spread generously with the margarine then the vegan mayonnaise (Plamil works well) and all the relishes.
Fry the rashers to desired crispiness and place in roll.
Add slices of tomato and some fresh, crisp lettuce to your BLT and enjoy!
Add the garlic, carrot, celery, mushrooms, herbs, soya sauce, a dash of vegetarian worcester sauce (standard worcester sauce contains anchovies), tomatoes, tomato purée, 200ml water, and freshly ground black pepper.
Leave to simmer. Meanwhile, peel and boil the potatoes until soft, then mash with a knob of soya marg and a splash of soya milk.
Put the mushroom mixture in an ovenproof dish, pile the mashed potato on, put a dab of soya marg on top and cook in a moderate oven for around 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy.
Serve straight away with steamed greens and lashings of tomato ketchup!