A Christmas Table

To date, I've pretty much followed my plan of making this blog a version of my draft book,  The Voyagnig Vegetarian.  However, I wonder how many of the two or three readers who have looked at this blog, have even opened the pages under "Topics for Voyaging Vegetarians" and so I've decided to do something totally different: write what is really a blog post.

 

Christmas!  Some people love it, some people loathe it, some are quite indifferent.  I have very mixed feelings about it: I love the memories of Christmas past spent with my family, before most of them died.  I like that it's a special day and it's a fine excuse to buy myself something a little bit special and call it a Christmas present.  However, partly because I adored our own family rituals, I don't particularly like joining other people for Christmas. Obviously they do things their own way and to be honest, it's one day of the year when I really don't want to accommodate others.  Add to this the fact that I am a vegetarian, who finds the sight and smell of meat  offputting; that I'm used to dining quite late; that I can think of few things worse on a hot day, than a roast dinner or any heavy meal; that I dislike sweet puddings and prefer to avoid the giving of unwanted presents, and you can see that I am anyway, a far from ideal guest.  

Fortunately, I live on a boat, so a day or so before Christmas, I can sail away to an unpopular anchorage which I am likely to have more or less to myself and be fairly sure that no-one will miss me.  The anchorages are often very pretty, but have a very poor mobile phone signal which for many people makes them a bad choice at this time of the year, when they want to talk to family and friends.

Once happily anchored, forecast checked once more, I spend several pleasant hours preparing my own Christmas feast.  For the past couple of years, this has been what we used to call a 'buffet', and which now appears to be called a 'grazing table', ideal for idling away a hot summer's afternoon and evening.  For anyone interested in doing likewise, I am offering this year's spread for inspiration.

So what did I have? I  made seeded-bread rolls, and to go with them prepared two pâtés:

The first one is the variation on the lentil and mushroom pâté, where walnuts are used instead of the mushrooms.  I love this variation: indeed, I'm not sure that I don't prefer it to the mushroom version.  I had some fresh sage leaves, which I fried until they were crisp, and used to decorate it. It goes well with bread or crackers, but I also found it delicious wrapped in a lettuce leaf.

I made a lot of this pâté and finished the last of it off, by watering it down and serving it with pasta.  It was very good!

The second pâté I made is the really rich and luxurious mushroom and sunflower seed one, which I feel is on a par with any made from meat. 

It being Christmas, I had a generous hand with the brandy and added what I like to think was an authentic touch, by melting vegan ghee over the top of it.  Again, it was good with bread, crackers or wrapped in a lettuce leaf.  Incidentally, both of these pâtés keep for several days without refrigeration, even with the hot weather we had over Christmas.  There is no difficulty on my part, eating them for breakfast, either.

Any grazing table worth its name has to include hummus, of course.  I like to make mine by squashing the peas with a pestle, rather than blending them really smooth.  

I much prefer a bit of texture, personally and I also like to include plenty of cumin in the mix.  This year I added a drizzle of chilli oil, from the chilli peppers I preserved earlier in the year.  It added a delightful bit of zing.  Olive oil over the top stops it from drying out and adds richness to the flavour and texture.  Again, the hummus is great with bread, crackers or wrapped in lettuce.  This also keeps for several days without refrigeration - if it gets the chance.

My final creation was to make samosas.  I have just realised that, thus far, I haven't included a recipe for these.  As I have a very poor signal here (still in a deserte anchorage) and am pushing my luck writing this, I shall have to leave it for another day.  The recipe I used is made from smashed potatoes and freeze-dried peas.  A lot of people mash the potaoes, but again, I prefer to have some texture.

Additional food to browse on included: some fancy, truffle-flavoured crisps (although, I have to confess, I think I prefer simple, plain salted!), baby plum tomatoes, broccoli florets, baby carrots, the aforementioned lettuce and crackers, along with a bowl of vegan yoghurt, cherries and fresh dates.  Although I am largely vegan, for once I bought some locally-made cheese: a Gouda type.  Generally speaking, I avoid cheese because of the horrible lives that dairy cattle have, and the appalling way in which the unwanted calves are treated.  However, the Mahoe cheese comes from a farm that looks like something out of a children's book, with cows and a big bull grazing peacefully in the fields, the driveway lined with small paddocks full of pigs and piglets, pottering around in the sunshine.  If only all cheese were produced in such an animal-friendly setting ...

As you will see, all this lovely food was washed down with good wine and I very much enjoyed browsing and sipping - and reading the odd chapter of the new Richard Osman book I had bought for myself!  Perhaps, unsurprisingly, there was quite a lot left over, but it's all gone now, except for some of the cheese.  I can quite understand that most people don't want to spend Christmas on their own, but this grazing table also works will wit a cabin full of guests: we had a similar spread a couple of Christmases ago, with good friends on board.  To my mind, it's a far better choice in hot weather, than a sit-down, cooked meal.

Mushroom Strogonoff, with lentils and pasta

Even ‛traditional’, meat-based strogonoff seems to vary considerably. In USA, it’s usually swamped with sour cream (which is generally both thickened and soured artificially); in Europe they are more likely to stir a couple of tablespoonfuls of crème frâiche into the sauce. They also include a little tomato purée and Dijon mustard is essential: although mushrooms and onions weren’t included in the original recipe, mustard most certainly was. Neither tomato purée nor mustard is generally mentioned in USAnian recipes. A little white wine or brandy can be added for special occasions.

Apparently allspice was in the original recipe. I also include paprika for its earthiness, which I really like.

Many vegan versions of this don’t use a ‛meat’ equivalent at all, so couldn’t really be much further from the original. I like the combination of textures of either seitan or lentils with the mushrooms and I cook this meal in two different ways. The seitan looks more like the original, the lentils are quicker to prepare. I decided to put them as two separate posts, because they need slightly different cooking and also, different pans.

Serves 2

Ingredients

olive oil

4 or 5 medium/2 cups sliced button mushrooms *

1 small OR 1/2 onion finely chopped or sliced

1/2 cup whole lentils

1 cup water

1 tbsp flour

1/4 cup brandy or white wine

1/4 cup mushroom stock or water

salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp Dijon or brown mustard

2 tsp tomato paste

1 tbsp (vegan) crème fraîche

Method:

• Heat some olive oil in a pressure cooker, over a medium-high heat and add the sliced mushrooms. Cook them for about 5 minutes. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
• Add some more olive oil and when it’s hot, add the onions. Cook until just turning translucent but not browned.
• Add the lentils and stir around with the onions for a minute or so, pour in a cup of water, put on the lid and bring up to pressure. Cook for 10 minutes and let the pressure come down gradually.
• Put the pan back over the heat, remove the lid, sprinkle on a little flour and stir to coat everything and cook off some of the raw flour taste.
• Add the brandy or (far more likely!) wine to the pan.
• Stir in the mushroom stock or water, salt and black pepper, allspice, paprika, mustard and tomato purée. Mix well and simmer gently for about 10 minutes so that the flavours combine.
• Stir in the crème fraîche and the reserved mushrooms, and cook for a few more minutes. Don’t let it boil.

Serve with pasta, mashed potatoes, fried potato wedges or whatever takes your fancy. (I like either fettuccine or smashed potatoes.

Notes: 

• *If you have lots of mushrooms, or they’re cheap, feel free to use a lot more! Other varieties would be as good, not better, than button mushrooms.
•  Instead of crème fraîche, use yoghurt, or vegan cream plus 1/2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar.

 

Minestrone soup

The name ‘Minestrone’ has become something of a catch-all for a tomato, vegetable and pasta soup. I don’t pretend that the following version is any more authentic than most, but it certainly is attractive and full of flavour. I usually use black-eyed peas, because they enrich the colour of the soup, but it’s equally good made with whole lentils or chick pea(s).

Use 1/3 seawater to 2/3 fresh, if the sea is clean, and leave out the salt.

 

Serves 4 to 6 as a starter, 2 for a main course

 

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions
2 garlic cloves
1 carrot
1 stick celery OR 1 tsp celery seed
4 cups water
1/4 cup black-eyed peas
1 cup chopped cabbage
a piece of Pamesan cheese rind

14 oz/400 g tin of chopped tomatoes

2 tsp Annie's Mixed Herbs

about 20 lengths of spaghetti

salt and pepper

 Parmesan cheese

Method:

• Heat the olive oil in the pressure cooker.
• Chop the onions and garlic and cook over a fairly high heat until they’re starting to brown. 
• While this is happening, dice the carrot and the celery (seed). Add to the other vegetables. 
• Pour in the water, add the black-eyed peas and bring to the boil. Pressure cook for 10 minutes. Reduce pressure gradually. 
• When you can safely remove the lid, add the chopped cabbage to the pan. Return it to the flame. If you’re using the Parmesan cheese rind, cut this into small dice and add. 
• Empty the tomatoes into the pan and mix them in.
•  Now add the herbs and stir thoroughly. 
• When the soup is boiling once more, lower the heat to a simmer, break the spaghetti into 25 mm (1 in) lengths and add this. Stir to separate the pieces of pasta.
• Add salt and pepper. Minestrone responds well to ½ tsp of cracked black pepper. Taste after a couple of minutes to see if it needs more salt.
• Cook until the spaghetti has softened – you can bring it back up to pressure for 3 minutes if you wish.
• Serve with chunks of bread and, if you have it, plenty of Parmesan cheese.

Variations:

• Use cannellini beans instead of the black-eyed beans. These will need soaking first. Or you could use a can.
• Replace the cabbage with kale
• Add 2 tbsps of freeze-dried peas
• Add chopped pepper to taste
• Replace the celery with 1 tsp celery seed
• Use chopped tomatoes in purée for a thicker soup.
• Add 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
  

Note:

• Vegans can use home-made vegan "Parmesan" cheese!

Mushroom soup

 

Mushroom soup is lovely and because mushrooms are often something of a luxury, is worth making with extra love and care. There are several variations on the theme, which I give below. The initial recipe is adapted from one of Rose Elliot’s and produces a very elegant concoction, ideal for entertaining. The ones that follow are a little more down to earth.

Butter gives a richer flavour than olive oil.

Use 1/3 seawater to 2/3 fresh, if the sea is clean, and leave out the salt.

 

Serves 4 for a starter, 2 for a main meal

 

Ingredients

 

3 cups mushrooms

1 small onion

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp tarragon

1 tsp green peppercorns, crushed

2½ cups water

(vegan) milk

4 tbsp butter OR 2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp flour

salt

freshly grated nutmeg

hot sauce/cracked black pepper

2 tbsp sherry

Method:

• Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and put them in a large saucepan, together with the quartered onion, garlic clove, tarragon and green peppercorns. Add the water and bring to the boil; leave to simmer for at least 10 minutes to create a stock.
• Pour the liquid through a sieve into a measuring jug and make up to a litre with the milk. Discard the mushroom stalks, etc.
• Put half the butter/olive oil into the saucepan and, when it melts, stir in the flour and mix it for a few moments. Remove the pan from the heat, pour in the contents of the jug and stir until everything is thoroughly blended. Make sure that all the flour and butter mixture is cleared away from the corners of the pan.
• Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring continually. Lower the heat and continue to stir for another 2 or 3 minutes to cook the flour. Put to one side.
• Slice the mushrooms and fry them lightly in the remaining half of the butter. When they’re softened, add them to the milk mixture in the saucepan.
• Reheat to a gentle simmer while carefully seasoning with the salt, nutmeg and hot sauce/cracked black pepper
• Simmer for a further 3 or 4 minutes to let the flavours blend. Better still, make the soup several hours before you need it and let it stand, with a lid on, until you want to eat it. Reheat just to boiling and serve with a dollop of sherry in each bowl. 

Variations:

• For a simpler and quicker soup, dice the onion and garlic and fry it in the butter until soft. Chop the mushrooms and cook them for a few minutes. Add 1 tbsp cornflour, 2 cups water and 2 cups milk. Stir until the cornflour is dissolved and then add the tarragon and green peppercorns. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, season and then simmer for 5 minutes. You can still serve this with the sherry!
• Try making a Lentil and Mushroom soup: Add half a cup of whole lentils.  Use a standard onion, garlic clove, half the butter or olive oil, the tarragon and green peppercorns, 4 cups water and seasoned salt. Fry the vegetables, add the tarragon and green peppercorns, then throw in the lentils and cook under pressure for 10 minutes. Mash the soup with a potato masher or stick blender and then season with the salt.
• For Mushroom and Potato soup: use a chopped onion, 3 cups sliced mushrooms, 4 chopped potatoes, a litre of water, salt and pepper. Fry the vegetables, add the water, bring to pressure and cook for 5 minutes. Mash lightly to thicken the soup and season. You can substitute milk for up to half the water if you want; or stir in cream after the soup is cooked.
• Use brandy instead of sherry

Notes:

• While this soup is also good with oyster mushrooms, I don’t recommend cremini, portobello or Swiss mushrooms, which make the soup too dark.
• To make this soup gluten free, use 1 tbsp cornflour instead of the flour.
  

Lentil and mushroom pâté

 

 

I’ve adapted this recipe from one of Rose Elliot’s creations. Most people are pleasantly surprised at the flavour and after a tentative spoonful, come back greedily for more. In fact, I like it so much that I usually make double the amount in the hope of having some left over the next day. All too often, I don’t!

Serves 4

 

1/2 cup whole lentils

1 cup water

4 button mushrooms

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp butter OR olive oil

1 tsp green peppercorns

1/2 tsp tarragon

1/4 tsp dill or fennel seed

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt

parsley 

Method:

• Cook the lentils for 12 minutes in the pressure cooker and allow the pressure to reduce naturally. Beat them vigorously with a cook’s spoon until they have become a purée.
• Meanwhile melt the butter in a small saucepan. If you have no butter, use olive oil, but the butter gives a richer flavour. 
• Dice the mushrooms and garlic and cook for a few minutes, until they’re softened.
• Add these to the lentils and mix well.
• Crush the peppercorns in a mortar or with the back of a spoon. Add to the lentil mixture, along with the herbs and lemon juice. Mix again and add salt to taste.
• Scrape into a crockery bowl, smooth over the top and garnish with some parsley, if you have such a thing.

Variations:

• For an elegant presentation, pour a little melted butter over the pâté.
• If you have no mushrooms, add 1/4 cup chopped or ground walnuts, which work surprisingly well.
• Use any fresh herbs instead of the dried, if you have them.