^{Served with Tomato Ketchup – apologies for the small photo, it was taken with my iphone and isn’t good quality larger!}

I got the idea for this after looking at the Good Food UK site, where they made some out of using a pancake mixture.  This made me think about using my grandmother’s crumpet mixture to come up with a savoury version for tea?

This meal is almost like a bread and could be served as a side or as a main.  If you are looking for something to go with it, I’d suggest a nice bowl of salad!

The savoury ingredients can be played around with, I just chose what I felt like that night – a mixture of mushrooms, paprika, mustard and parmesan.  I have to admit, it was delicious! I’ll be definitely making this one again and possibly trying to make it a little more eggy next time to upgrade it to more of a quiche-type texture.

Play around with it and post your versions here – I’m quite keen to see what everyone else comes up with!

Serves:

• 1 medium sized baking dish squared (around 6 large pieces for dinner)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups SR flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 6 mushrooms chopped small
• 3 tbs grated parmesan
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic mince
• pinch mustard powder
• 1 cup milk minimum – add more to make this into more liquid crumpet mixture
• butter or oil for greasing the pan

Instructions:

1. Preheat the fan-forced oven to 180 degrees C or 360 F.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a jug first.
3. Mix in the egg and milk.
4. Add your mushrooms and stir through thoroughly.
5. Grease your baking tray (I used a Corningware dish as it needs to be a high pan).
6. Pour your mixture in.
7. Cook for 35-45 minutes – until golden brown on top!
8. Allow to cool a little before slicing and serving.

The following recipe is a heart warming, comforting meal ideal for those cold, cold winter days like we are currently experiencing in Australia.   It’s packed full of protein with lentils, cannelini and chickpea / garbanzo beans and is rounded off with a good chug full of a nice Italian Chianti just for some oomph!

The only problem with this dinner is being able to stop eating it!  The deepness and sweetness from the tomatoes makes you want to have another bite just to saviour the taste in your mouth.

It’s not your typical casserole with chunks of vegetables – I’ve only added mushrooms, one of my favourite vegetables – but you can certainly add your own favourites in.

I challenge you to try this and stop yourself from going back for seconds!

Serves:

• 6-8 or half if you go back for seconds!

Ingredients:

• drizzle olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tab vegetable “beef style” stock
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 2 tsp garlic mince
• 1/2 red onion diced
• 2 tbs tomato ketchup
• 3 tbs tomato paste
• 1 – 1.5 cups of a deep red wine (I used a Chianti)
• 1 tsp rosemary dried
• 1 can cannelini beans
• 1 can lentils
• 1 can chickpeas / garbanzo
• 250 grams mushrooms roughly chopped
• 250 grams beef style chunks (faux meat)
• 1 cup water

Dumplings

• 1 cup SR flour
• enough milk to make a sticky dough
• 2 tbs butter or margarine
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper

Instructions:

1. In a cassoulet or pot, place your onions and garlic in some olive oil.  Allow to soften.
2. Place in the spices and seasoning with the stock, adding in the red wine, tomato ketchup and paste.  Mix well.
3. Place in the beans and beef chunks, stirring and allowing to boil.
4. Reduce the heat and place your mushrooms in with the water.  Stir to mix the water through.
5. Allow to simmer for twenty minutes.
6. Mix all the ingredients for the dough together.  Add enough milk to allow for a sticky batter (it will roughly be around the same a cup).
7. Using a spoon, dollop your dough into the casserole and pour the gravy over the dough.
8. Place the lid on and cook for another five to ten minutes.
9. Serve hot straight away with a nice Chianti!

The following recipe was inspired by last month’s Delicious magazine that had a Indian feature.  It’s a beautiful curry dish using your own roasted spices to make the meal.  The recipe that inspired this was the “Coconut Lamb Curry.”  I’ve swapped a few of the ingredients and used fake meat for the beef.

The great thing about this dish is it is totally vegan (mock meat must be vegan) and it’s absolutely delicious – perfect name for the dish and magazine!

If you’re after a spicy warm dish, certainly give this one a try…

The photo will be posted in the next couple of days…

Serves:

• 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs margarine or butter
• 500 grams mock meat pieces (I used beef)
• 1/2 onion thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp ginger mince
• 2 tbs pickled chilli
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 400 grams chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetarian beef stock
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 2 tbs dried coriander
• 1 tbs cumin seeds
• 1 tbs fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbs white mustard seeds
• 3 cardamon pods
• 3 cloves
• 1/2 cinnamon quill
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• olive oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Place the coriander, cumin, fenugreek, mustard, cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric and nutmeg into a pot and dry fry until warm.
2. Take out of the pan and grind it down to a powder, using a mortar and pestle.
3. Brown the onion in the oil and butter mixture.
4. Mix in the powder, spices and herbs, allowing to mix in with the onion.
5. Add in your mock pieces of meat and allow to thaw out and brown.
6. Pour in the tomato and stock, letting it boil.
7. Simmer for 30 minutes.
8. Pour in the coconut and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes or until the gravy starts to thicken.
9. Serve with some steamed basmati rice.

^{(Image: Picatta served with Porcini Polenta)}

I absolutely love polenta!  I love it in the morning with some honey and milk, love it hardened into fries and just love the mashy version you can serve savoury!  This version of polenta is no exception!  The porcini mushrooms, give a beautiful flavour to the polenta and combined with parmesan, I DARE you to try and stop eating this!  I know I had a lot of difficulty.

Vegans: Use vegan parmesan and vegan margarine instead for a tasty alternative!

Serves:

• 3-4

Ingredients:

• 10 grams dried porcini
• pinch salt
• pinch white pepper
• 1/2 tab vegetable “chicken” stock
• 1/2 cup polenta
• 1.5 tbs butter
• 1-2 cups of water +
• (optional) handful grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Break the porcini into pieces and place in some boiling water for ten minutes (the longer, the better).
2. In a pot mix in your salt, pepper, chicken stock.
3. Add the liquid with the porcini to the polenta.
4. Mix in the butter and extra water and allow to boil on high.
5. When it begins thickening up, begin to stir thoroughly for ten to fifteen minutes. If it becomes too stiff, add some more warm water and keep stirring.
6. Turn the heat off  and mix through your parmesan (if you want it) now.
7. Serve immediately, as it stiffens when cold.

^{(Image: Picatta served with Porcini Polenta)}

After watching my mother eat her way through a real Chicken Piccata and liking everything apart from the fact it was meat, I decided to come up with an alternative.  Piccata is generally made with real chicken that is basted in a sauce of capers, butter and white wine.  Whilst the some people use cream also, I think I prefer it without.

The extra “Chicken” pieces can be used as a burger for leftovers.  It’s got a great flavour and combines soy beans, tofu and gluten flour to get a protein combination.

The sauce is quite delicious with the “chicken” and is basted over it to soak the flavour through.  Whilst the sauce here is for two, you can easily double or reduce the recipe to serve for others at dinner parties.

The piccata is served with a porcini infused polenta, which I will post the recipe for later this week.  I definitely recommend having it with the polenta!

Vegans: Replace the butter with a vegan alternative or olive oil, and you can treat yourself to this one also!

Makes:

• 10 “chicken” pieces
• sauce for 2

Ingredients:

Chicken

• 250 grams firm tofu
• 4 heaped tbs gluten flour
• 400 grams soybeans
• 1 cup oats
• 1 tsp chicken salt
• 5-6 tbs rice flour
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp rosemary

Sauce

• 2 tbs capers
• 1 tbs butter
• 1/2 cup white wine

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 210 degrees C or 410 degrees F.
2. In a jug, mash the tofu and soy beans together.
3. Mix in the liquids and spices.
4. Add the dry ingredients.  If it is a little too wet still, add an extra tablespoon of rice flour.
5. Mould into a chicken fillet shape and place on an oiled tray.  Repeat until there’s no more mixture.
6. Place the tray in the oven and cook 10 minutes each side.
7. In a small fry pan, mix all the sauce ingredients and allow to thicken.
8. Add a couple of “chicken” pieces and grabbing a teaspoon, tip the pan to a side.
9. Grab some of the sauce and pour over the top of the pieces.
10. Repeat for a couple of minutes before serving, pouring the sauce on top.

This lovely recipe is a take on the Chilli Paneer made with cornflour.  Whilst bitter in flavour, it also is sweet, salty and hot, making your taste buds unsure of what it will hit it next.

Combining some sweet peppers and onions, this dish goes great with some fried rice or just the plain old steam rice.  

Whilst this paneer is made of curdled milk, vegans can get away with making this dish with tofu.  Why should you miss out?  

Coming up in the next few weeks:  

I’m attempting to make some favourite meat dishes, so us vegetarians have some dinner party meals to trick your guests with!  Well, trick not being a nasty word – they will enjoy it, as my lovely meat-eating testers have!

Serves:

• 2-3

Ingredients:

• 250 grams paneer, cut into large squares
• 1 tbs pickled ground chilli
• 1 tsp garlic mince
• 1/2 tsp ginger mince
• 1 tbs corn flour
• 1 onion, cut roughly
• 1/4 red pepper, cut roughly
• a pinch of sweetener or sugar
• 2 caps of white vinegar
• a little water for juice

Instructions:

1. In a pot, mix the chilli, garlic, ginger, olive oil, pepper and onions allowing to soften.
2. Combine your sugar, vinegar and tamarind to the mixture well.
3. Add a little water to the sauce and allow to thicken up.
4. In a plastic bag, combine the paneer and corn flour.  This will allow you to get a coat on the mixture.
5. Drop the coated paneer into your pot and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, warming  the cheese through and mix with the sauce.
6. Serve with some rice of your choice!

I have been cooking and have some scrumptious recipes coming up shortly, but haven’t had the chance to post them up. Look out for a recipe at the end of the week!

Following from some previous recipes, I got the idea to use Balsamic Vinegar when trying to make something have a more “meaty” or “smokey” flavour.  I have to admit, the first time I did it, I actually thought the pan (used by my parents) hadn’t been washed properly.  

The steak comes from the idea of my “Chicken” Schnitz and it’s nice and crunchy on the outside, with a chewy texture on the inside.  You really do have to try it to be surprised how well it can be used for a subsitute or mock meat!

Yes, this is vegan.  I don’t add any animal bi-products at all, so everyone can try this treat!

Just a note for how to preheat these (applies to Chicken Schnitz also):  Although the next day they look hard, reheat them for 2 minutes in a microwave on a medium heat.  Any higher will cause these to go hard.  Once heated, you’ll need to eat them straight away or they’ll go hard also.  These can also be frozen with the same reheating instructions.

Serves:

• 3-4 depending on your size of steak

Ingredients:

• 4 heaped tbs gluten flour
• 3 tbs rice flour
• 1 tbs brown onion gravy powder
• 100 grams dried porcini mushrooms
• 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp garlic mince
• 1 tbs fried onion
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup boiling water

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 230 degrees C or 450 degrees F.
2. In a small cup, place the porcini mushrooms and fried onions with the salt, pepper, garlic mince and balsamic vinegar.
3. Pour the hot water in and allow to soak for 15 minutes.
4. Drain the water (keeping to add later) and pulse the drained mixture to cut into small pieces.
5. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large jug.
6. Add the drained mixture as well as the liquid to the dried, stirring quickly.
7. If it’s a little dry and some more water, before portioning the mixture up.
8. Roll the portions out and flatten into a shape of a steak or what other shape you’d like.
9. Cook for about 5-10 minutes each side on a greased tray.  Once brown they should be taken out promptly and served.

The following recipe was “almost exactly like” the Real Living version, which is one of the many house magazines I’ve been buying lately due to me building one!  As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to try it.  And change it…a little bit!

The brussels are caramelised on one side before being reduced in chicken stock.  As a replacement I used the Massell “Chicken Style” Vegetable Stock which is just as good.  I’m sure you could just use a normal vegetable stock to make this and it will still turn out scrumptious.

For vegans, omit the parmesan for vegan parmesan and you have yourself a killer side!

Serves:

• 4

Ingredients:

• 2 handfuls of brussel sprouts, cleaned and sliced in half
• drizzle olive oil
• 250 mls chicken style vegetable  stock
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp garlic mince
• salt to taste
• generous drizzle balsamic vinegar
• handful of grated parmesan

Instructions:

1. In a pan, drizzle the olive oil and place the brussel sprouts cut side down. 
2. Season the top with salt, pepper and garlic.  Don’t toss it though!
3. Do not touch for about 8 to 12 minutes, allowing to brown up and turn green on top.
4. Turn the sprouts over and fill the pan with chicken stock and cook until it’s reduced right down.
5. Sprinkle the balsamic on top and parmesan.
6. Toss and serve!

I have to admit that being in Melbourne, and, living in the Western suburbs, I feel really spoilt for choice when it comes to produce. Not only am I close to the farms, I’m also close to the airport and, really, pretty close to town also. Why mention this, I’m sure you are asking?

Today’s meal, has a very special ingredient, which is sourced close to the airport. Down the “Italian” street of Assembly Drive, just five minutes from the airport you can source the freshest pasta, authentic Italian cakes and gorgeous, fresh ricotta in bulk!

Now most vegetarians definitely have a soft spot for ricotta and if you haven’t tried fresh ricotta, you really don’t know what you are missing! There’s soooo much you can do with it and you can even eat it on its own! This recipe took place, due to the fact we’d had our fair share of delicious Spinach Canneloni and wanted to do something a little different.

The ricotta is backed up with more protein of lentils and lots more cheese, using both Mozzarella and Parmesan to give it a nice crunchy top.

Makes:

• 8-10 serves

Ingredients:

• 500 grams dried rigatoni
• 400 gram can of diced tomatoes
• 400 gram can of lentils
• 250 grams fresh ricotta
• 2 handfuls mozzarella, grated
• 2 handfuls parmesan, grated
• 2 handfuls rocket
• 2 tsp garlic mince
• 3 vegetarian hot dogs, sliced thin
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C or 360 F.
2. Boil the pasta and drain once cooked.
3. In the pot you used to cook the pasta, mix all the ingredients minus some mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Allow to warm through.
4. Pour the ingredients into a high casserole dish or tray.
5. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
6. Cook for around 20-25 minutes or until crunchy on top. Serve hot!