Vegan fare for a fun festive feast
Try these four easy dishes for the plant-based food lovers at your table.
Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves: 6-8
Super simple and cheap to make, this roasted cauli is a great option for a vegan main. If you can’t find a fresh pomegranate, some finely diced red onion soaked in a white wine vinegar and water works well as a replacement for a bit of colour and a pop of acidity.
Roasted cauliflower
■ 1 whole cauliflower
■ 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
■ 1 tablespoon ground cumin
■ 1 tablespoon sumac
■ 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
■ 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
■ Juice and zest of one lemon
■ 1⁄4 cup olive oil
■ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
■ 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
■ 1 cup roughly chopped fresh herbs such as mint, parsley and dill, to serve
■ Pomegranate seeds, to serve
Ku¯ mara mash
■ 6-8 large golden ku¯ mara, peeled and roughly chopped
■ 4 cloves garlic, peeled
■ 4 tablespoons olive oil
Boil the ku¯ mara in salted water until soft. Drain, reserving two tablespoon of cooking liquid. Mash ku¯ mara and reserved liquid to a rough paste. Leave to cool for 30 minutes, then place in a food processor with the garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and whizz for 30 seconds or until smooth.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to the boil. Gently lower the whole cauliflower in, top side down, and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the water and leave to cool in a colander for 10 minutes.
While the cauliflower cools, prepare the topping by whisking together the fennel seeds, cumin, sumac, paprika, chilli flakes, lemon, olive oil, and tomato paste.
Place the cauliflower in a greased roasting dish and brush with half of the spice mixture. Bake for 10 minutes, remove and cover with the remaining mixture and garlic, then bake for a further 10 minutes.
Serve on ku¯ mara mash, pouring any liquids from the roasting dish over the cauliflower. Top with herbs and pomegranate seeds, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
You won’t notice the lack of milk and cheese in this deliciously crunchy, savoury gratin.
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4-6
■ 3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
■ 6 agria potatoes, finely sliced
■ 1 brown onion, thinly sliced
■ 100ml vegetable stock
■ Juice of half a lemon
■ 6-10 sage leaves
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease an oven-proof dish with a splash of olive oil and layer the potatoes and onion into dish.
Pour over the vegetable stock, two tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice, and bake for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are golden on top and cooked through. Scatter sage leaves on top, drizzle with remaining olive oil and return to oven for five minutes.
A fresh, summery salad to add zing to your Christmas table.
This can be made a day earlier if kept in a sealed container in the fridge, but add the avocado when you serve to keep it fresh.
Preparation time: 10 minutes Serves: 6-8
■ 1 small rock melon or honeydew melon
■ 1 avocado, thinly sliced
■ Half a telegraph cucumber, finely sliced or grated
■ 1 cup roughly chopped coriander
■ 1 tablespoon sesame oil
■ 1 tablespoon olive oil
■ Juice and zest of one lemon or lime
■ 1⁄2 teaspoon raw sugar
■ 1⁄2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)
■ 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
■ 1 mild red chilli, thinly sliced
Remove skin and seeds from the melon and slice thinly. Place on a plate with the avocado and cucumber. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over salad. Gently toss to combine.
Chickpea brine doesn’t sound like it could possibly turn into meringues but, miraculously, these are delicious, and very similar to the real deal.
The key to success with these aquafaba meringues is time – time to get the brine to stiff peaks, and the low, slow cook time – don’t be tempted to opt for high and fast or you might end up with little puddles.
The meringues can be made 1-2 days in advance if kept in an airtight container somewhere cool.
Preparation time: 40 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours Makes: 6-8 meringues
■ 1 400g can of coconut cream
■ 1 tablespoon cornflour, for dusting tray
■ Brine from 400g tin of chickpeas (place chickpeas in a sealed container in the fridge to use at another time)
■ 1⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar
■ 140g caster sugar
■ 3 stalks rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces
■ 3 peaches, stoned and halved
■ 2 teaspoons raw sugar
■ 2 tablespoons icing sugar
■ Edible flowers, to decorate (optional)
Place the can of coconut cream into the fridge to chill. Preheat the oven to 100C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and dust with cornflour.
Place brine and cream of tartar in a large bowl and whisk with hand beaters or a stand mixer for
10-15 minutes or until soft peaks form.
Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until stiff peaks have formed. Gently spoon mixture on to lined trays.
Bake for two hours at 100C, then turn the oven off and leave for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in a dry place.
Turn the oven up to 180C. Place rhubarb and slices of peach in a roasting dish and sprinkle with the raw sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until soft.
Remove coconut cream from the fridge. The thick coconut cream will have separated from the coconut water.
Scoop the coconut cream out and whisk until it reaches the consistency of whipped cream.
Dollop coconut cream on to the meringues and top with fruit.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and edible flowers.