This seitan roast is one to keep in mind for Christmas (shoosh – pretend I never said the ‘C’ word) when the glowing meat-free roast appears out of the oven with all the lovely caramelised vegetables. And the glaze…ooh, la, la!
I really like Aaron Calder and I like seitan – he cannot be faulted for his short, no-nonsense approach and easy-to-follow videos (although maybe some of the singing smurf background music could be reconsidered). Pause them to catch the full ingredient lists and weights.
Mix the dry and wet together.
Form into a blob.
As advised, blend the ingredients in batches if you don’t have a large food processor. Give the mixture a right good stir and a healthy knead. The roast changes colour after an hour in the steamer too.
One hour and counting…
Good grief! Check you.
The thick glaze can also be used to coat the surrounding veg.
Aaron Calder’s 100% plant-based roast.
People understandably look for familiarity when it comes to mealtimes, but thankfully there is nothing ‘beefy’ about this roast in either flavour or texture – Rooting Aboot would run a mile if there was.
It may seem as if all Rooting Aboot does is eat pies. This is blatantly untrue. Imagination tells it like it is (in my defence).
When you have recovered from sparkling 1980s gold and sliver lame, let me introduce you to my latest devour (oops, I meant endeavour).
Banoffee pie days are here again. Whoop whoop!
The excellent news is that plant based whipping cream has arrived and it works properly on desserts. This cream maintained its shape and was still looking good on the second day.
The blitzed Hobnobs and melted sunflower spread are pressed into the base while the dates soak in hot water .
Smooth the date caramel over and allow to set in the fridge.
Sit nicely bananas.
Oatly cream do your stuff.
Impressive cream height.
This is an Elmlea recipe but their plant based cream is as rare as hen’s teeth. Just as well they have competition.
Glasgow’s continued lockdown does have advantages (a) No one can drop by just as dinner is being laid up (b) This means trying out new recipes without the consequence of serving sludge to unexpected guests.
This Moroccan-inspired recipe from the Co-op, however, turned out crispy and aromatic first time around and has something unusual: shawarma seasoning. Never heard of it. Googling came up with a variety of spices and combinations so I made my own based on personal preference.
If you can’t get your hands on any, try my homemade version made with ½ (half) teaspoon for each of the following:
ground coriander
ground cumin
smoked paprika
celery salt
6 cloves (ground)
garam masala
chilli powder
turmeric
ground cardamom
ground ginger
ground cinnamon
This makes roughly two tablespoons – use all of it.
Jus-rol filo pastry does the job.
Agave nectar or a sweetener of your choice easily replaces the honey to make this recipe fully vegan. My better half has an objectionable reaction to aubergines (turns green about the gills after eating them) so leek was a fine substitute.
Take it away Clashy boys (not the pie though). NOT THE PIE.
Sometimes a Bounty bar comes drifting wistfully into my mind like a warm summer breeze. You know, the soft crumbly coconut thing encased in thick chocolate….mmmmmm. Palm trees, sandy white beaches… the sea gently lapping by the shoreline in 1980s soft focus. This taste of paradise can now be engineered and constructed right here on the Clyde … without girders…or too much fuss using only four ingredients. That’s right – here in the west coast climes of Glasgow. Phew! Thank heavens for that.
Gather up your essentials.
If you don’t have a can of coconut milk, then half a block of pure creamed coconut made up to 200ml with boiling water can be used as an alternative.
Mix like your life depends on it …
Now mould into Bounty bar shapes and pop in the fridge for an hour.
Melt some chocolate and dunk away. You need at least 300g – dark, ‘milk’ and vegan nutty Topic did the job nicely.
And who needs the Caribbean anyway? St Ninian’s Isle beach in Shetland is just as beautiful as any far flung destination. Apparently wild swimming is all the rage now although a wetsuit is probably more preferable to a bikini just to be on the safe side – the shock to the system’ll do you good.
What you waiting for? Get booking that staycation.
Help #SaveRalph and countless other animals still used around the world for cosmetic testing! Alarmingly, animal testing is still legal in 80% of countries.
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. Having never tried a Nigella Lawson recipe in my puff, she came up trumps. Bulgar wheat is not something I’m experienced in cooking. Like cous cous, your ratio of dry ingredient with water needs to be spot on or it can be like eating grainy sand and, after spending many a gusty day on windswept Scottish beaches, this is the last thing you want.
Keep a lid on it…the bulgar wheat I mean…
Fennel and cumin seeds mixed with fresh coriander and orange created a combined flavour that took me aback because it was so moreish, while the roast vegetables add a natural sweetness to this dish. I threw in some tempeh pieces too, but the recipe is perfect without it.
The finished bulgar wheat was light and fluffy. Just make sure you have enough time to let the covered pot sit and do its thing in order to achieve the best results. The radishes are only roasted in the last ten minutes and they were so juicy. Thanks Angela M for the heads up on this recipe. Rooting Aboot might be persuaded into purchasing one of Ms Lawson’s books at this rate.
Okay, I admit it. Bread making gives me the fear of God. And I’m a dedicated atheist. It’s something about the enigma of yeast. Is it alive? Activated? What does that even mean?
The recipe from Gino’s Veg Italia (2015) at https://ginodacampo.com/ looked pretty straightforward. Few ingredients. Limited time huffing and puffing aboot. There was no mention of disturbing growths or exploding kitchens.
So with trepidation let the focaccia begin. Mix the ingredients. Done. Cover and leave for an hour. What on earth is going on underneath there?
IT HAS GROWN.
Calm down, calm down. Just follow the recipe. Do a little bit more kneading to knock the air out. Cover with a tea towel. Wait forty minutes. WHOA! Paul Hollywood – greet your bloomin glacial blues eyes oot. This is looking good, pal.
Bake, you special thing. See ya on the other side.And the terror turns to triumph…prapare to be dipped in a rich, garlicky, tomatoey basil sauce.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M
So chuffed is Rooting Aboot with this positive introduction to bread making, here’s another lush photo using the same recipe. The world has suddenly become a bigger place.
Sun dried tomatoes, green olives and sea salt no less. Yumza…
This is all you need:
500g strong white flour
1 sachet (7g) fast action dried yeast
2 teaspoons table salt
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing
Choose whatever topping you like – green or black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, sea salt, rosemary…
Sift the flour into a bowl and put the yeast at one side and salt on the other.
Make a well in the middle and pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into this.
Then slowly add 300ml of warm water (not boiling) and mix altogether with a wooden spoon handle.
Knead for ten minutes on a floured worktop (using the strong white flour when needed if it’s really sticky) until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Lightly oil your bowl with olive oil and place the dough back in it. Cover with tin foil or cling film and leave in a warm place to prove (rise) for one hour. Tip: Sit the bowl on top of your cooker with the oven on. Worked a treat.
After one hour, gently roll the dough onto a floured worktop and knead only three or four times more. Place on an oiled baking sheet (30 x 24cm) and stretch gently using fingertips until it reaches the sides. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for another 40 minutes.
Remove tea towel and prod your finger into the dough to make indentations. Plop some olives, sun-dried tomatoes etc into these dents. Brush with one tablespoon of olive oil and then sprinkle with sea salt or rosemary.
Bake in the centre of your oven at 200C / Gas Mark 6 for twenty minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire tray.
Who needs New Year resolutions? Not me. In the depths of winter I need comfort, comfort, and more comfort to see me through these cold dark winter nights. This means lots of carbohydrates and sweet loveliness. Get away with your cold kale and spinach spewey smoothie nonsense. We’re in the middle of a pandemic, and unashamedly, I need to follow what my heart desires until spring arrives…
If we must be condemned to linger in our hooses, then scoff this bakewell tart and damn the cursed Covid.
Hello my lovely, you look delicious.
Cover in toasted flaked almonds.
Drizzle that icing. Who cares how thick?
I think you need to be eaten…quickly.
Is it cold and freezing outside? Is a virus rampaging through the hills and glens? Then stay inside and stay safe.
Cut a chunk and dream about daffodils.
Until then, there will be a light that never goes out (cos I’m still up rooting aboot binge watching a series about serial killers).
We all know what’s hovering on the horizon so I’ve been poking around the Internet to see what’s on offer for us plant based munchers. Christmas dinner will be a bung-it-in-the oven affair – who can be bothered with all the faff this year? Plus, it leaves more time for important stuff like making cocktails and arguing over films to watch on Netflix. Just click on the links in the photos to track down the goodies.
I’m having these Morrison’s Vegetable Tempura Nests for a Christmas Day starter (not all of them – they will be shared, promise).
This recipe from Cauldron is a bit different. Never thought to grill tofu before, but now that I have, it’s been a revelation. The marinade is excellent and has already been used with other curries. The grilled tofu pieces added texture and gives a good bite. Every day is a school day as they say.
Hot, hot, hot.
A word of warning though: this Jalfrezi recipe is fiery, so if your tongue doesn’t want to be set ablaze, reduce the spice amounts because it’s full on. There is half a teaspoon of garam masala in the marinade so adding another couple into the curry sauce is a bit too much. Not adding the fresh chilli and limiting the garam masala will calm it right down… and also help minimise the steam coming out of your ears.
Grilled marinated tofu – where have you been all my life?
ROOTING ABOOT: Voyage to Veganism 