Tuesday 15 September 2015

Vegan MoFo: Crying Onion Tart


Well, I got lost a bit the last week as we took a much needed short break without the foster hounds, and arranging everything for a just a few days off seemed to be a titanic task.  My planned post for today is somewhat interrupted by the Aussie politics of the last 24 hours. How could I possibly resist a bon voyage post to outgoing PM Tony Abbott when two years ago I posted about his election?

So I spent the afternoon in tears. Not because I'm unhappy about Tony being given the flick by his own party, but because I spent some of it slicing onions. How fitting for me to do a tribute to Tony in the kitchen in the form of an onion tart. I can't see he can complain as I'm only doing my wifely duty poised over the kitchen stove since I loathe the other housewifely activity of being bent over the ironing. ( If I'd had a waffle iron I could possibly have done a recipe with that instead, also fitting for our stumbling mumbling waffling Tony). I suppose I could then thank him for getting rid of the carbon tax so that it lowered the cost of electricity associated with using my iron - but in any case we have solar and I had no problem with the carbon tax to begin with. Yes, he really did say that.

If you aren't aware, Tony is famous for his somewhat bizarre raw onion munching activities, so in a humourous tribute yesterday before the result was even in, social media was alight with #putoutyouronions.  So, my contribution is this delicious rustic chilli onion tart (the chilli is the crying part). Serve with a large helping of bright greens...the leafy kind that is, not the political party ;) So long Tony - now every time I slice an onion, I'll think of you.


Ingredients:
One quantity of vegan savoury shortcrust pastry
One quantity of vegan bechamel/white sauce
3 large onions
1 cup sliced sweet potato
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch salt
1/4 - 1/2 rsp chilli powder
few bayleaves
oil

Method:
1.On a low heat saute the onions in a little oil with sugar, salt, and chilli powder until soft and caramelised (about 30 minutes).
2. While onions are cooking preapre your pastry and press into a greased tart tin. Pop in the freezer for 30 minutes, this helps prevent the pastry shrinking during baking.
3.Steam sliced sweet potato until just beginning to soften, and set aside.
4. Prepare you bechamel sauce, and while it is cooking out, blind bake the pastry shell for 10 minutes.
5. Take out the tart shell and put the potato on the bottom followed by the crying onions, and then pour the bechamel over the top evenly.
6. Bake for a further 20 minutes. Leave for 5 minutes to cool slightly, and then serve.

Thursday 3 September 2015

Vegan MoFo Day 3: Quick & Easy Green Fettucine



Thursday is usually a longish day for me.It's kennel day, so that means it's an hour and a half drive down the mountain and by the time I head home it's the same time back and I'm so beat I want something quick and easy for dinner. Today I was lucky it was a short day but with the Beloved being away and one of our fosters being "extra needs" at the moment I just wanted a simple dinner for one. Which is good since today's prompt is quick and easy!

Basically, I just cooked some fettucine and threw in any green vegie I had with some melted non dairy butter, garlic, chilli powder, and lemon zest. I go a bit overboard with lemon while the hubby isn't here because he isn't fond of it in savoury dishes. I had plenty of kale from the garden, parsley, peas, broccolini, and some avocado. I squeezed a bit of the lemon juice over the top with some pepper and voila! dinner.

I would like to say I ate it at the table but in in reality I just ate it on the sofa watching QI with Lady Poppy for company who was too busy wrapped in a food comatose of her own to be worried about what I had. Any dinner is a quick dinner if you're a greyhound - your mum makes it for you!


Tuesday 1 September 2015

Vegan MoFo Day 2: Stuffed French Toast



Today's theme is to recreate a meal from your childhood. I decided to try French Toast. I also wanted to make stuffed French toast, because let's face it, if it's in a sandwich you don't have to use a knife and fork and you can eat it with one hand. Plus, the filling doesn't fall out when you flip it over - bonus!

This one sticks out in my mind so much because it was tied to a book. My very first cookbook of sorts. It was called Debbie Learns To Cook and I was five years old. I loved it, with its beautiful illustrations of Debbie learning to cook with a cat and dog by her side, and a few very simple recipes that children can make or help to make. Perhaps I've unconsciously been living by this book - except I installed doggy gates to keep inquisitive snouts out of the kitchen... I remembered I still had the book and it is just as I remembered it.



My first problem while pondering this was the egg replacement. I've tried a few methods, including batter, and silken tofu, but the batter was too heavy and tofu just doesn't quite do it for me as an egg replacement. Don't get me started on scrambled tofu... I've never liked it, however its made. So I decided to give aquafaba (tinned chickpea juice) a try! The result? Fluffy french toast slightly caramelised from the sugar :)

How I styled It: As Above - cute napkin and fork, etc etc...


How I Really Ate It: I ate half of one shooing Kimiko Cat off the table and having a cup of tea - but as I'm still feeling slightly off colour  and no way can I eat all of that, the remainder went to the dogs...Baz really likes banana :)



Ingredients
1 unsliced loaf of bread  (I used sourdough)
1/4 cup aquafaba
 1 tablespoon caster sugar
1/2 cup almond milk
vanilla to taste
few strawberries
1 banana
coconut oil for frying

Method
1.Whisk the aquafaba until it foams like you are making a meringue, and add the sugar. Keep beating, and then quickly whisk in the almond milk to combine, and vanilla, and pour into a shallow dish.

2. Cut the bread into thick slices about 3 cm thick. and then using a sharp knife, cut a "pocket" into the top of the slice, leaving the bottom and sides unopened.

3. Slice the strawberries and bananas and stuff into the pocket.

4. Place each pocket into the aquafaba mixture and allow to soak for a minute on each side.

5. Heat your coconut oil on medium heat in a heavy bottomed frying pan, and place each pocet in the pan. Cook until lightly browned and flip over to the other side. Don't do this on a high heat or the sugar gets too hot and it will stick to the pan. Slice in half so you can see the stuffing, or eat with one hand as is!