Seven day’s worth of meat-free dishes to get you through National Vegetarian Week - The Independent

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Seven day’s worth of meat-free dishes to get you through National Vegetarian Week - The Independent

Seven day’s worth of meat-free dishes to get you through National Vegetarian Week - The Independent

Posted: 30 Apr 2021 11:30 PM PDT

Y

ou've almost definitely heard of Veganuary, but what about National Vegetarian Week? Call it Veganuary's older, but far less demanding, sibling. The premise is much the same: try eating vegetarian food for a week, nominate two friends to do it with you and at the end donate £3 to the Vegetarian Society. And, of course, you can make sure all your friends know about it by mentioning it constantly. I jest, but seriously: it's for a good cause.

You'll be in pretty good company, too. The roster of celebs that have signed up to take part include Stephen Fry, the Hairy Bikers, Joanna Lumley, the BOSH! boys, Chris Packham and a host of other foodies.

With plenty of us still spending more time at home and in the kitchen than ever before, "there's never been a better time to try cutting out meat and living a plant-based life," says Fry. "I've found it good for health and energy, and if we all joined in… well, wouldn't the planet be pleased!"

It's not just the planet and your palate that you'll be helping either: the great work the Vegetarian Society does includes raising money for food banks and sending out vegetarian and vegan emergency food parcels to the families that need them the most.

And we're not talking warming up a can of lentils in the microwave. Most vegetarians and vegans will scoff at the mention of: "Well isn't plant-based food bland and boring?" From just a single day in 1992 to today a whole week, the main mission of National Vegetarian Week is to prove just how easy it is to whip up a delicious, nutritious and filling vegetarian meal without breaking the bank or taking up too much of your time.

No one's asking you to make the switch permanent, either. I'll bet you a can of chickpeas that you can already vegetarian-ise some of your favourite dishes.

Don't believe us? Try out some of these delicious recipes from the likes of National Vegetarian Week sponsors Cauldron, vegan chef Katy Beskow, sustainable chef and food writer Trine Hahnemann and Chinese cooking don Kwoklyn Wan, as well as some tried-and-tested Veg Soc staples.

Read more:

Level up your lunchtime with this light and refreshing Vegan buddha bowl. It's packed full of inviting flavours and colour to make sure that your lunchtimes are as healthy as they are tasty.

By: Cauldron

Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the salad:

100g quinoa

1 pack of Cauldron falafels

50g baby kale

1 avocado, halved, de-stoned, peeled and sliced

40g ready-to-eat edamame beans

½ carrot, grated

¼ red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 tbsp black sesame seeds

For the crispy chickpeas:

200g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

For the dressing:

1 avocado, halved, de-stoned and peeled

10g fresh parsley

10g fresh coriander

1 tbsp lime juice

50ml water

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

Method

Cook the quinoa according to the packet's instructions. Set aside and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 190C/170C fan/5 gas. In a bowl, toss the chickpeas with the smoked paprika, salt and oil. Transfer to a lined baking tray, along with the falafel and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the falafel from the tray and shake the chickpeas, then return the chickpeas back to the oven for a further 15 minutes.

To make the dressing, add all ingredients to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Set aside.

To assemble the buddha bowls equally, divide the quinoa between two bowls. In sections, top each bowl with the falafel, kale, avocado, edamame beans, carrot and red cabbage. Scatter the roasted chickpeas over the top and sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Drizzle over the dressing to serve.

A great source of vitamins A and C and a small amount of protein

(The Vegetarian Society)

Yakisoba is a fresh and vibrant Japanese-style noodle stir-fry made using edamame, pepper, broccoli and traditional sauce ingredients. Broccoli is not only a source of vitamins A and C, but it also contains a small amount of protein.

By: The Vegetarian Society

Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

Makes: 4 servings

Dairy free | Egg free | Nut free | Vegan

Ingredients

For the sauce:

3 tbsp mirin

2 tbsp low-sodium dark soy sauce

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

1 small red chilli, finely chopped

20g ginger, grated

1 tbsp cornflour, mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

For the stir-fry:

2 tsp sesame oil

4 spring onions, sliced diagonally

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips

200g purple sprouting or tenderstem broccoli, trimmed and cut into three equal pieces

400g frozen edamame beans

75g green cabbage, shredded

50g kimchi

200ml vegetable stock made with 1 low-sodium stock cube

300g soba noodles, cooked as directed on the pack and drained

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 red chilli, sliced for garnish

Black pepper, to taste

Method

Place all of the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and mix well until combined.

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the spring onion, carrot and pepper. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the broccoli, edamame beans, spring greens and kimchi. Stir-fry for a further 2-3 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the vegetables along with the stock. Gently bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add a splash of water if the sauce looks a little too thick.

Stir in the noodles and heat gently for 1-2 minutes until piping hot. Season with black pepper to taste.

Transfer the noodles to warm bowls. Sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds and garnish with sliced red chilli.

Speedy chickpea burgers

Quick, simple and satisfying burgers for when the need arises

(Katy Beskow)

When the need for a burger arises, it arises fast. Enter the 15-minute burger! This go-to recipe is quick, simple and satisfying. The burger mix is suitable for freezing: simply defrost, shape and fry lightly for fresh burgers with even less effort. Serve with burger sauce or tangy mustard and apple slaw.

Recipe from: Easy Vegan Bible: 200 Easiest Ever Plant-Based Recipes by Katy Beskow

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 x 400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, refrigerated until chilled

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp rose harissa paste

Generous handful of at-leaf parsley, including stalks

Generous handful of coriander, including stalks

1 thick slice of day-old white bread, grated into fine breadcrumbs

1 tbsp sunflower seeds

4 tbsp sunflower oil

2 white seeded bread buns, toasted

2 heaped tsp vegan mayo

2 handfuls of wild rocket leaves

8 thin red onion rings, generous pinch of salt

Method

Add the chickpeas, cumin, smoked paprika, harissa, parsley and coriander to a high-powered blender or food processor and blitz until semi-smooth. A few chunks means extra bite!

Carefully remove the mixture from the blender and shape into two burgers.

Mix together the breadcrumbs and sunflower seeds on a plate, then press the burgers into the mix, coating on all sides.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat until hot. Carefully place the burgers in the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden.

Arrange the toasted bread buns on plates. Place the cooked chickpea burgers into the buns, then top with vegan mayo and load over the rocket and red onion.

Easy tip: Keeping the chickpeas refrigerated before use gives your burgers a firmer texture.

Here's one way to use up end-of-season asparagus

(Trine Hahnemann)

At the end of the asparagus season the first potatoes are ready to dig up; they are a pair of vegetables that work so well together. One is earthy and nutty and the other fresh and sweet. Serve this salad as a main course with bread on the side, a green salad, or a fried egg on top.

Recipe from: Scandinavian Green: Simple Ways to Eat Vegetarian, Every Day by Trine Hahnemann

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the vegetables:

800g small new potatoes

15 green asparagus spears, trimmed of woody stalk

Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:

1 tbsp chopped mint leaves

1 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves

2 tbsp chopped chives

2 tbsp chopped dill, any coarse stalks removed

2 tbsp chopped curly parsley leaves

3 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

For the vegetables, boil the potatoes in salted water until just tender but still firm. Cool down, then cut in half and place in a large bowl.

Slice the asparagus into 1cm pieces and mix with the potatoes.

In a food processor, blend all the ingredients for the dressing and fold into the potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Ho Chi Minh fried spring rolls

These pan-Asian rolls are a nostalgic dish for Kwoklyn Wan

(Kwoklyn Wan)

Growing up in his parents' restaurant, these pan-Asian rolls were Wan's all-time favourite dish. Crispy rice paper spring rolls stuffed with crunchy peppers, crisp beansprouts and noodles, all wrapped up in an ice-cold lettuce leaf and then dipped in a sweet, tangy chilli sauce – sheer heaven.

Recipe from: The Veggie Chinese Takeaway Cookbook: Wok, No Meat? Over 70 Vegan and Vegetarian Takeaway Classics by Kwoklyn Wan

Ingredients

2 nests of glass (mung bean) noodles

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp oil (vegetable, groundnut or coconut), plus extra for shallow frying

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp sriracha chilli sauce

1 tsp Chinese five spice

1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper

½ tsp salt

225g firm tofu, cut into 5mm slices

10 rice paper rounds, 22cm in diameter

½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips

1 carrot, thinly sliced into strips

3 spring onions, halved and thinly sliced into strips

Small handful of beansprouts

1 round lettuce, leaves separated, washed and drained, to serve

For the sweet chilli vinegar dip:

125ml water

125ml rice vinegar

50g sugar

4 tbsp honey (or use agave or maple syrup)

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

½ tsp grated garlic

1 red bird's-eye chilli, finely chopped

1 tsp tomato ketchup

Method

Put the glass noodles into a large bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 3–5 minutes. Once the noodles are soft, drain and set to one side.

To make the sweet chilli vinegar dip, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to the boil and then simmer for 3–5 minutes until slightly reduced and sticky.

Place a wok over a medium-low heat. Add the sesame seeds and slowly toast for 2–3 minutes, until they have turned golden brown.

Transfer to a plate and allow to cool.

Put the oil, soy sauces, sriracha, Chinese five spice, Sichuan pepper and salt into a large bowl and mix well. Arrange the tofu slices on a shallow plate, then evenly coat the top of the tofu slices with the marinade, keeping some of the marinade for later. Set to one side and leave for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lay the marinated tofu pieces on a baking tray and bake for 10–15 minutes. Turn the tofu over, cover with the remaining marinade and bake for a further 10–12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, cut the tofu into 5mm (¼in) strips.

To assemble the rolls, soak a rice paper round in warm water for 20–30 seconds. Shake off any excess water and lay flat on a clean work surface. Add strips of vegetables and tofu, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and some glass noodles. Fold both sides over the filling, then roll up the rice paper to form a sausage shape.

Heat 250ml (1 cup) of oil in a deep-sided frying pan over a medium heat. Carefully fry the rolls, turning them frequently so that they cook evenly, until golden brown all over. Drain on kitchen paper.

To eat, take a round lettuce leaf and place one crispy roll in the centre, wrapping the leaf snugly around the roll. Then dip!

A firesome one-pot wonder

(Cauldron)

This firesome one-pot wonder offers a vegetarian take on the old American classic! Throw it back to the Wild West with Cauldron's hearty Lincolnshire sausages and earthy cannellini beans, all fired up with spicy chipotle and smoky paprika. Perfect for sharing with friends around a roaring campfire or your kitchen table, it delivers on flavour time after time!

By: Cauldron

Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 1 hour 10 mins

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 pack Cauldron Lincolnshire vegetarian sausages, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

4 tsp chipotle paste

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp each salt and pepper

2 cans (each 400g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

750ml passata

50g brown sugar

3 tbsp black treacle

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1 loaf crusty bread, for serving

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof dish set over a low heat on the hob. Cook the onion, garlic, chipotle paste, smoked paprika, salt and pepper for 5 to 10 minutes or until softened.

Stir in the beans, passata, brown sugar, 60 ml water, treacle, mustard and vinegar. Bring to the boil, cover and transfer to the oven for 40 minutes or until bubbling and beginning to thicken.

Stir in the sausages and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sausages are cooked through.

Serve with fresh crusty bread.

Who doesn't love a creamy, leeky pie?

(The Vegetarian Society)

This is a single crust filo pie that contains a creamy, thyme-flavoured white wine sauce filling. It is packed full of mushrooms, cheese and haricot beans.

By: The Vegetarian Society

Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Makes: 4 servings

Egg free | Nut free | Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 leek, sliced

300g chestnut mushrooms, quartered

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tsp dried thyme

100ml dry white wine

100ml vegetable stock, made with 1 low-salt vegetable stock cube

300ml skimmed milk

2 bay leaves

1½ tbsp cornflour

2 tbsp cold water

40g half-fat cheddar cheese, grated

75g light soft cheese

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 x 400g cans haricot beans, drained and rinsed

4 sheets filo pastry

Black pepper, to taste

To serve:

320g green beans, steamed or boiled

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5.

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and fry the onion over a gentle heat for 5 minutes, until softened.

Add the leek and chestnut mushrooms. Cook for 4 minutes, until the leeks have softened and the mushrooms have browned. Add the garlic and thyme, then fry for a minute.

Pour the dry white wine into the pan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the wine reduces by half. Add the stock, skimmed milk and bay leaves then gently bring to the boil.

In a small bowl, add the cornflour and stir in 2 tbsp cold water, until it forms a paste. Stir the cornflour paste into the sauce and simmer for 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Add both cheeses and the Dijon mustard to the sauce. Heat gently for a minute, until the cheese melts into it.

Stir the haricot beans into the sauce and season with black pepper. Transfer the mixture to a round ovenproof dish (approximately 26 cm). Remove the bay leaves.

Brush the remaining oil over the filo pastry sheets, half each sheet, scrunch up and place on top of the filling. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the filling is piping hot and the pastry is golden and crisp.

Serve with a portion of green beans.

Take up the Veggie 123 challenge at nationalvegetarianweek.org. Have some fun, eat delicious dishes for a week and help the planet – it's win-win.

3 recipes to go vegetarian in style from MasterChef champions - The Independent

Posted: 30 Apr 2021 11:30 PM PDT

M

asterChef has come a long way since its humble beginnings. What was once only a BBC show in 1990, exploring what cooks could do with simple ingredients, is now something of a behemoth with over 60 productions worldwide, and watched annually by over 300 million people.

Participants have gone on to have their own restaurants, write their own cookbooks and win Michelin stars and viewers have been inspired not just to cook but to create delicious meals.

But MasterChef creator, Franc Roddam, knows that the food industry is facing new challenges ahead, "above and beyond the quality of cooking". This change in priorities has inspired a new cookbook, MasterChef Green: 90 Veggie Recipes to Raise the Ordinary to the Extraordinary.

"We now live in a time where sustainability of produce is in doubt," he writes in his foreword. "We also have to consider healthy eating, the health of the soil and the negative effects of food production in an over-populated world. Significantly, we must take a look at the immorality of food waste. These problems must be taken seriously in a way that does not take the pleasure out of eating. It's essential to retain the magic."

And that is what MasterChef Green aims to do: retain the magic of sustainable, healthy, vegetarian food. There are recipes from Alida Gotta, Gabriel Jonsson, Sowmiya Venkatesan and others from all around the world. So many, in fact, it was hard for us to pick our favourites but here are three that we think you'll like.

Green mac'n'cheese with an almond crumb

Piping hot mac'n'cheese fresh out of the oven is a sight to behold. The bubbling cheese sauce trying to make its way through the golden-crusted topping never fails to set the taste buds alight. It's also an opportunity to get creative. Use fresh herbs and salad leaves in the white sauce and add some nuts for added texture. Yes, it's quite literally green, and will be a great hit with humans of all ages.

Makes: 4-5 servings

Ingredients

350g macaroni

100g sourdough, torn into pieces

30g blanched almonds

(Handout)

50g butter

1 small brown onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

30g plain flour

700ml milk

100g mature cheddar, grated

½ tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp thyme leaves

65g vegetarian grating cheese, grated

150g frozen peas, defrosted

30g baby spinach

6g flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked

6g basil leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan/200C/gas mark 6.

2. Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water for 2 minutes less than the instructions on the packet, then drain under cold water to stop the pasta cooking further.

3. Whizz the sourdough and almonds in a food processor until a smallish crumb forms, then set aside.

4. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onion and garlic for 2 minutes until soft, stirring. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for a minute until a paste forms. Gradually add 600ml of the milk, using a whisk to create a smooth white sauce.

5. Turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly, then season with salt and cracked black pepper. Off the heat, stir in the cheddar, dijon mustard, thyme, 50g of the vegetarian grating cheese and the peas.

6. Whizz the remaining 100ml milk in a blender with the spinach, parsley and basil and add this mixture to the white sauce. Fold in the macaroni and mix well to combine. Pour the green mac'n'cheese into a 24x18cm baking dish and top with the almond crumb and remaining vegetarian grating cheese.

7. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the crumb topping is golden and the mac'n'cheese is bubbling. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

8. Serve with a few crisp salad leaves simply dressed with good oil and a little lemon juice.

Read more:

Corn fritters with smashed peas, quick-pickled onions and poached eggs

Corn fritters and brunch go hand-in-hand

(Adam O'Shepherd)

Corn fritters and brunch go hand-in-hand. Packed with vibrancy and flavour, a batch of these is a great way to ease into the weekend. Mashed avocado is the classic accompaniment but, depending on where you live, those avocados may have come from a long way away. Mashed peas are a great substitute and they provide added freshness, while helping to keep ingredients a little closer to home.

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

250g corn kernels (from about 3 cobs)

½ red pepper, finely chopped

½ red onion, finely chopped

12g coriander, chopped

Zest of 1 lime

50g polenta

110g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

170ml buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

30g unsalted butter, melted

80ml sunflower oil

Sea salt

For the quick-pickled onions:

100ml cider vinegar

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp sea salt

3 black peppercorns

3 coriander seeds

½ red onion, sliced

For the smashed peas:

250g frozen peas, defrosted

Handful mint leaves, roughly chopped

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tbsp lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the poached eggs:

1 tbsp white vinegar

6 eggs

To serve:

100g creme fraiche

50g watercress or rocket

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 100C fan/120C/gas mark ½.

2. The day or night before, make the quick-pickled onions to allow enough time for the flavour to develop. You can always make a larger quantity of the onions to use in sandwiches or with cheese.

3. Bring the vinegar to the boil in a saucepan and add the sugar, salt, peppercorns and coriander seeds. Leave to simmer for a few minutes, then remove from the heat and add the sliced onion. Leave to cool, then transfer to a sterilised jar.

4. For the smashed peas, put the peas, mint, olive oil and lemon juice in a food processor or blender and whizz, leaving it with some texture (don't over-blend it and let it turn into a puree). Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

5. To make the corn fritters, place 3 large bowls on a work surface. In one bowl combine the corn kernels, pepper, onion, coriander and lime zest. In the next bowl mix together the polenta, flour, baking powder, smoked paprika and 1 tsp of salt. In the last bowl mix together the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter.

6. Begin by folding together the corn and pepper mixture with the polenta and flour mixture. Mix well, then add the contents to the bowl with the buttermilk, eggs and butter, so it's all in one bowl. Gently fold the mixture together, trying not to overwork the mixture. Chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes to allow the batter to firm up.

7. When you're ready to cook, heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium to high heat. When hot, drop heaped dessertspoons of the corn fritter batter into the pan. Cook the fritters for 2-3 minutes on each side, turning carefully using a fish slice. Drain on kitchen paper while you cook the remaining fritters. Once all of the fritters are cooked, put them on an oven tray and keep warm in the oven while you poach the eggs.

8. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add a tablespoon of white vinegar to the pan. Once boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer and use a slotted spoon to stir the water in a circular motion to create a vortex before cracking the eggs into the water one by one. Poach the eggs for 3 minutes 30-45 seconds then carefully remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and put on a clean tea towel.

9. To serve, put the smashed peas onto the plates first, followed by the corn fritters, some creme fraiche and then the pickled onions, watercress or rocket and add a poached egg on the side.

Pulled jackfruit tacos with chipotle, charred corn and coleslaw

These tacos guarantee any new veggie convert won't be missing meat at all

(Adam O'Shepherd)

Jackfruit is such a versatile fruit and a relatively new "greatest hit" in the vegetarian world. Given the right treatment, its flesh can be unbelievably similar to that of pulled pork or shredded chicken. Add the lovely smoky chipotle braise and liquid smoke, and these tacos will guarantee that any new veggie convert won't be missing meat at all.

Makes: 10 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 large chipotle chilli in adobo sauce, chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp smoked paprika

120g tomato ketchup

250ml water

½ tbsp liquid smoke

2 x 400g cans young jackfruit in water, drained and shredded

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the charred corn:

2 cobs of corn, kernels removed

For the coleslaw:

150g red cabbage, finely shredded

1 medium carrot, cut into thin matchsticks

4 spring onions, finely sliced

Juice of ½ lime

80g soured cream, plus extra to serve

Small handful coriander, chopped

To serve:

10 corn or wheat tortillas

Avocado slices

Lime wedges

Hot sauce

Method

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until they have softened. Add the chipotle chilli, cumin, coriander, oregano and smoked paprika and cook for a further minute. Add the ketchup, water and liquid smoke and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the jackfruit. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until thickened, then season well with sea salt.

2. While the jackfruit is cooking, char the corn kernels in a dry frying pan over a high heat for 2-3 minutes until they start to get some dark charred marks. Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan to allow the corn to steam and cook through for a further 1-2 minutes then set aside.

3. For the coleslaw, mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

4. In a separate frying pan, toast the tortillas over a medium heat until they are warm and lightly toasted but not crisp.

5. To make the tacos, start by putting some coleslaw in the centre of each tortilla, then top with pulled jackfruit followed by the charred corn kernels. Serve with extra soured cream, slices of avocado, lime wedges and hot sauce for the ones who like it hot.

'MasterChef Green' by Adam O'Shepherd and MasterChef champions (Bloomsbury Absolute, £26; photography by Adam O'Shepherd) is available now

Three quick and easy vegan recipes for your springtime barbecue - The Independent

Posted: 30 Apr 2021 11:30 PM PDT

Barbecues are traditionally associated with hunks of meat and skewered vegetables charred on the grill for hours on end. There's cleaning the grill, marinating the meat, fiddling about with the temperature and getting the timings just right to worry about. Well, no more.

Enter, the master of hassle-free, one-pot cooking, Rukmini Iyer. You may know her from her bestselling – and beloved – The Roasting Tin series. And if you don't, where have you been since 2017? Now she's turning her attention to barbecues, and specifically how to do them faster and better to maximise on your time outdoors. There are even alternative indoor cooking instructions for "inclement" weather, so you can still enjoy the recipes year-round or when you live in a flat with no outdoor space.

Her new book The Green Barbecue moves her from the roasting tin to the grill, but retains everything we loved about the series: quick and easy to make recipes that are great for all the family and completely fuss-free. The collection of 75 flavour-packed, mouth-watering recipes are completely meat-free (over half are plant-based), but whether you're entertaining veggie guests or preparing a flexitarian feast, there's plenty here for all persuasions and occasions. Carnivores, don't turn your noses up yet.

Here's three recipes to start warming up your grill for.

Crispy gnocci – on a stick! – with charred peppers and basil pesto

Could I write a book without featuring crispy gnocchi? Of course not. So I give you my proudest barbecue creation. Forget about threading just plain old vegetables on a stick – here, you intersperse veg of your choice (I've done peppers here, but see the note below) on skewers with just-blanched gnocchi. The result is crisp perfection like you wouldn't believe.

Makes: 3-4 servings

Prep time: 15 mins | Cook: under 10 mins

Ingredients

1 x 500g packet of gnocchi

3 mixed peppers, chopped into gnocchi-size pieces (don't use green peppers)

2 tbsp vegan basil pesto

3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing

A pinch of sea salt flakes

A good amount of freshly ground black peppercorns

8-12 skewers, soaked if wooden

For the dressing:

½ lemon, juice only

4 tbsp vegan basil pesto

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

A pinch of sea salt flakes

Method

1. Tip the gnocchi into a bowl of just-boiled water, and leave to blanch for 2 minutes, then drain and run under cold water to cool. Put the gnocchi into a large bowl with the chopped peppers, vegan pesto, olive oil, sea salt flakes and freshly ground black peppercorns, and mix well to coat. At this point you could refrigerate the gnocchi until you're ready to barbecue.

2. Thread the gnocchi and pepper alternately onto the skewers. Once your barbecue is good and hot, brush one side of the skewers with oil, then lay them over the barbecue at a slight angle (this stops them falling through) and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the gnocchi are crisp and brown. Brush the tops with oil, then turn over and repeat with the other side.

3. Meanwhile, mix the lemon juice, pesto and extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of sea salt flakes to taste. Once the skewers are cooked through, serve immediately, with the basil dressing alongside.

Note: There's really no limit to the number of things you could pair with gnocchi on a stick – try cherry tomatoes and halloumi or tofu, or cubes of fresh fennel and halved figs. And you could use red pesto or harissa or mustard mixed through with olive oil as a marinade.

Read more:

Chipotle mushroom and black bean burgers with peanuts and lime

Make your life easier by cooking these in the oven first

(David Loftus)

These burgers are ridiculously moreish – I like to serve them in buns with mayonnaise and pickles. Make life easier for yourself by cooking them in the oven first, then finishing them off with a quick warm-through on the barbecue before serving.

Makes: 4 servings

Prep time: 20 mins | Cook times: 25 mins

Ingredients

50g smooth peanut butter

1 x 400g tin of black beans, drained, but not rinsed

2 small cloves of garlic, peeled

2 tsp chipotle chilli flakes

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp olive oil

1 heaped tbsp rye flour

1 lime, zest only

1 tsp sea salt flakes

250g chestnut mushrooms

To serve:

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

A handful of chopped salted peanuts

A handful of chopped fresh coriander

4 burger buns

Method

1. Put the peanut butter into a food processor with 60g of the black beans, the garlic, chilli flakes, cumin, olive oil, rye flour, lime zest and sea salt flakes, and blitz until you have a very thick paste. Tip it into a large bowl and stir in the rest of the black beans.

2. Tip the mushrooms into the processor – no need to wash it – and pulse until you have a dry mushroom mince. Stir this into the black bean mixture. With damp hands, form it into four thick burgers and arrange them on a lined baking tray.

3. Bake in the oven at 180C fan/200C/gas 6 for 25-30 minutes. When they've got 10 minutes left, gently flip them over so they can crisp up on the other side.

4. They're ready to serve straight from the oven, but for a nice bit of smokiness you can let them cool down, then finish them on a medium barbecue for a couple of minutes per side.

5. Squeeze over the lime wedges and top with a handful of chopped peanuts and coriander, then sandwich them into lightly grilled burger buns.

Squash with charred carrots, red onions, coriander seeds, pistachios and lime

A substantial and moreish main dish

(David Loftus)

A substantial and moreish main dish. The natural sugars in squash and carrots caramelise beautifully on the barbecue and work perfectly against the aromatic lime and spices.

Makes: 4 servings

Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 50 mins

Ingredients

600g squash, cut into 2cm slices (no need to peel)

150g baby carrots, whole and unpeeled (or 3 medium carrots, peeled and halved)

1 red onion, quartered, core intact

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp sea salt flakes

50g pistachios, roughly chopped

For the dressing:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lime, zest and juice

2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed

1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed

1 tsp sea salt flakes

Method

The ultimate vegetarian and vegan cookbook

(Square Peg)

1. Tip the squash, carrots and red onion into a large bowl, and mix with the oil, spices and sea salt flakes.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the extra virgin olive oil, lime zest and juice, coriander seeds, crushed black pepper and sea salt flakes. Taste and adjust the salt as needed, and set aside.

3. Once your barbecue is ready, lay the squash slices on the grill, and cook for 25 minutes on each side, covered if you can. The carrots and the onions should only take about 15 minutes per side, so pop them on 10 minutes after the squash and take them off 10 minutes before the squash.

4. Once the vegetables are all cooked through, transfer them to a platter and gently mix with the lime and coriander-seed dressing. Scatter with the pistachios, and serve hot or warm.

'The Green Barbecue: Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes to Cook Outdoors and In' by Rukmini Iyer (Square Peg, £17.99; photography by David Loftus) is available now.


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