Mushroom and sunflower seed pâté

 

 

This is truly delicious and certainly good enough for a special occasion.  It's also inexpensive, keeps several days in a covered bowl, without refrigeration and leftovers go well in a sandwich. They can also be thinned with a little water, milk or wine to make a great pasta sauce.

Serves 4

 

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 onion, diced

3-6 cloves garlic (depending on size), minced

2 cups (200 g) mushrooms, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 1/2 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

2 tbsp soy sauce

salt to taste

water as needed for blending

Method:

• Toast the sunflower seeds in a frying pan, over a medium high heat until they are golden brown. Stir frequently. Set aside.
  
• In the same pan, heat the olive oil and then add the onion and fry for a couple of minutes until it's starting to turn translucent.
• Add the garlic, mushrooms, pepper and herbs.
• Continue to fry until the mushrooms have shrunk down and their liquid has evaporated. If the mushrooms are a bit dry, add a splash of water (or wine) to start them off
• Remove from the heat, and stir in the soy sauce.   
• When the seeds and mushroom mixture have cooled down enough, combine them in a blender. Blend whilst gradually adding a splash of water until you have a spreadable uniform texture. Scrape down the sides as needed The amount of water you need will vary, so start off slowly. If you have a high speed blender, you may not need to add any.
• Add salt to taste and blend once again before serving.

Variations:

• Add extra coarsely-cracked pepper 
• Add Dijon mustard 
• As with traditional liver pâté, this is quite strongly seasoned with thyme.  If you're not fond of that herb, you might want to add the herbs at the end and taste as you go.  
• Add sherry or brandy to deglaze the pan 
• Use deodorised coconut oil instead of olive oil for a richer texture. 
• Make ‛butter’ to pour over the top with deodorised coconut oil, a touch of turmeric and a pinch of salt. 
• Use toasted walnuts instead of sunflower seeds.
• Try the pâté with different types of mushrooms.

  
  

Red kidney bean spread

With more than a few similarities to chilli sin carne, this makes a substantial lunch with crackers, rolls or bread. It can also be used to fill a pasty.

Serves 2 for lunch 

 

1/2 cup red kidney beans, soaked and cooked OR 400 g (14 oz) can

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 tsp cumin

2 tbsp tomato purée

salt and pepper

Method:

• Drain the beans into a bowl, reserving the liquid, and mash them.
• Dice the onion and garlic and cook in the oil until softened.
• Mix into the beans and add the oregano, chilli, cumin, tomato purée, salt and pepper, stirring until a thick paste is produced. Add some of the liquid if the paste is too stiff.
• Taste and add more sesoning if required.  Eat once it has cooled down.  

 Variation:

• This can also be made with black beans.
  

 

Vegan garlic and herb soft "cheese"

While this tastes nothing at all like cheese, it is a very pleasant spread, with a similar consistency to soft cheese.  The lemon juice gives a hint of sourness, which might possibly remind the more  imaginative of goats' cheese.  If you can make it well in advance, so much the better: it will let the flavours combine all the more.  As you are unlikely to have fresh herbs, don't be mean with the flavourings .

Makes about 1/2 cup

1/2 cup sunflower seeds or blanched peanuts

1 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 clove garlic peeled and crushed

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Annie's Mixed Herbs

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp chives or other fresh herbs, finely chopped

1/2 tbsp reserved soaking water

Method:

• Soak sunflower seeds/peanuts in water overnight or simmer them for 10 minutes. Then drain and reserve the water. 
• Put about half the chives aside, and then put the seeds, yeast, lemon juice, garlic, garlic powder, Annie's Mixed Herbs and salt in a blender. Blend until the cheese comes together, achieving uniform consistency. 
• If all the ingredients get stuck to the side of the blender, which they probably will, scrape down the sides as often as necessary, adding a little more water, if required.
  
• Taste critically and adjust the seasoning. You may want to add more garlic, herbs or lemon juice. 
• Shape the cheese on a plate by hand, or simply serve in a bowl or on a plate, topped with the extra fresh chives.

The flavours of this vegan cheese develop and combine together, so it’s worth not eating it all up at once! It seems to keep quite well for several days, loosely covered.

 

Variations:

• Substitute, or add onion powder for the garlic powder.
• Use different nuts or seeds.
• Add smoked paprika. 
• Add chilli flakes
• Add some chopped peppadew peppers after blending.
  
• Add chopped capers after blending.
  
• Mix in some pesto once the mixture is blended.
• Form the cheese into a log and roll in either Annie's Mixed Herbs or cracked black pepper.

 

 

Yoghurt and herb dip

Serves 4

 

1/2 cup Greek-style yoghurt

1 tsp Annie's Mixed Herbs

salt and pepper

Method:

• Simply combine the yoghurt, herbs, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Let them stand for at least a quarter of an hour for the flavours to combine. Check the seasoning and serve with crudités.

Variations:

• Use fresh herbs if any are available.
• Use half-and-half or all mayonnaise, especially if it’s home-made.
• Use 1 tbsp Dijon mustard instead of the herbs.
• Leave out the herbs and combine with finely grated cheese.
• Try all of the above ideas together!
• Leave out Annie’s Mixed Herbs, and add 1 tsp sun-dried tomato purée and 1/2 tsp basil.
•  Substitute mint for Annie's Mixed Herbs and chop in a small cucumber.
• If you have any on board, dice a few pepperdews and mix those in.  Leave out or reduce the amount of herbs. 

Egg mayonnaise

This always-popular starter is simplicity itself. For a special occasion, use home-made mayonnaise. (See Recipe)

Serves 2

 

2 eggs

4 tbsp mayonnaise

paprika or cracked black pepper

Method:

• Prick the wide end of each egg with the tine of a fork. Put them into a pan of cold water and bring to the boil.
• Turn down the heat and boil gently for 6 minutes.
• Drop the eggs in a basin of cold (sea)water to cool them and stop them cooking further. This also reduces the chance of the whites going grey.
• When they’re cool enough to handle, peel the eggs and cut them in half, lengthways.
• Arrange each egg, cut side down on a plate. Spoon mayonnaise over. Sprinkle with a little paprika or cracked black pepper, if you like, to garnish.

If you have any lettuce, or spinach, the eggs look attractive arranged on some roughly-shredded leaves.

Stuffed eggs

These make a delicious lunch, with some bread and a salad.  However, when arranged attractively on a plate, they also make an excellent snack with drinks, or a starter.

Serves 2

2 hard-boiled eggs

1 tsp curry paste

1 tsp mayonnaise

Method:

• When the eggs are cold, peel them and slice them in half, lengthwise.
• Using a teaspoon, carefully remove the yolk and put it into a bowl.
• Add the curry paste and mayonnaise to the yolks and combine them to make the stuffing.
• Pile the stuffing back into the egg whites.

Variations:

• Use yoghurt instead of mayonnaise.
• Leave out the curry paste and use tomato purée instead. Season with salt and pepper.
• Leave out the curry paste and chop fresh herbs and mix these in with the mayonnaise, egg yolks and salt and pepper.
• Instead of curry paste, use hot sauce and a little extra mayonnaise or yoghurt.