Thursday, 26 October 2023

Bubble & Squeak

Bubble and Squeak is almost and English version of a hash frittata. Recipe by Jamie Oliver.


Bubble & Squeak

Ingredients

1 kg potatoes 

600 g mixed vegetables , such as carrots, swede, turnips, parsnips, kale, Brussels sprouts

40 g unsalted vegan butter

olive oil

a few sprigs of fresh herbs , such as rosemary, sage, thyme or whatever you have knocking about in the fridge


Method

Peel and trim all the vegetables, cutting the root veg into small cubes.

Cook the veg in a large pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes, or until they are all cooked through.

If you’re using swede or turnips, put them in about 5 minutes earlier than everything else as they take slightly longer to soften up. If using kale, just blanch this for a few minutes right at the end.

Once all the veg is cooked, drain and leave to steam dry for a few minutes.

Melt the butter and a large splash of oil in a medium non-stick frying pan (roughly Put a medium non-stick frying pan (roughly 26cm–28cm) over a medium heat. Cast iron works well.

Pick and chop the herb leaves, then add to the pan with the cooked vegetables. Season well with sea salt and white pepper, then mash everything up in the pan.

Pat everything into a flat layer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until a lovely golden crust starts forming underneath. Fold those crispy bits back into the mash, then pat and flatten down and repeat the process for about 15 or 20 minutes. Concentrate on building up flavours, character and crispiness.

Halfway through the cooking, flip it over. If it breaks don’t worry, just push it back together.

Let it crisp up on the underside then nick a bit and taste it. This is the time to correct the seasoning. 





Vegan Wine - 2023 & 2024

After moving to the States, trying to find vegan wine seemed so daunting. In Australia labelling laws require wines to state whether they are vegan or not (by way of disclosing if any animal products used in the making of the wine). The hardest part in the States is finding out if it's vegan, and then if you do find one, finding a good one. Different states have different laws as well so there might be a great vegan wine in California that is not able to be sold in Florida. Florida is one of the strictest. The laws are there to give local wineries a chance but when the local wineries are either not good or not vegan then that's when I take issue.

Here are some wines (available in Florida at least) that hopefully will suit everyone's budget and taste! They are wines that I have tried and liked and that are available online from Lueken's Liquor or Total Wine. For some reason there are "Not sold in Florida" wines that are sold on the Lueken's website even though it's Florida based so look there first!

Not in Florida or can't find these wines in your area? Barnivore.com is a database there to help locate vegan wine, beer and spirits. You can even contribute! If you email a winery and they give you the vegan green light, forward the email to Barnivore.com and they will add it. Another hot tip (you're welcome) is to download the wine list of any fancy vegan restaurants in your state - they've done the research for you so their wine list should already be vegan and somewhat available to the general public.



White

Pouilly Fumé - Domaine des Berthiers, Jean Claude Dagueneau, Sauvignon Blanc, France 2020

Pinot Grigio di Trebbiano-  Terre di Chieti, Impero, IGT 2019 – Italy

Sauvignon Blanc - CMS-Washington State, Columbia Valley – 2019

Chardonnay Organic - Gerard Bertrand – 2019

Gavi di Gavi - Tenuta Il Bergo DOCG , Piemonte, Italy – 2020

Rose – Calafuria Tormaresca- Salento IGT, 2020 – Italy

Rose Organic - Gerard Bertrand, Languedoc – 2020

Chenin Blanc - Baron Herzog, Kosher for Passover, 2019 – CA

Chardonnay - Alois Lageder Lowengang Estate, 2016 – Italy

Sauvignon Blanc - Domaine de Reuilly Les Pierres Plate 2017 – France

Petit Chablis - Domaine Louis Moreau Petit Chablis 2020 – France

Moscato D`Asti - Azienda Agricola Mustela, DOCG – 2019

Pinot Grigio Effervescent - Naturally Sparkling Organic Pinot Grigio, NO added Sulfites, Pet Nat, Spontaneous Fermentation

Chateau Ste. Michelle (Rieslings are vegan)

Hedges Winery - cheap and all vegan

Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough NZ (one of my favorites)

Crowded House Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough NZ (sister company of my FAVE wine Catalina Sounds)

Baron Herzog - Chenin Blanc (all past 2013 are vegan)

The Simple Grape

Austin Hope (Hope Family Winery)

Barton & Guestier (B&G - all vegan wines)

Reef Ridge Sauvignon Blanc


Red

Organic Chianti -Classico Coltibuono DOCG, 2018 – Italy

Paso Robles Red Blend - Obvious Wines N.01 Dark & Bold, 2017

Barbera D`Asti Superiore - La Luna e I Falo` DOCG, 2016 – Italy

Reyneke Organic - South Africa, Cab/Merlot blend, 2017

Aglianico Organic “Bocca di Lupo” - Castel del Monte, 2014

Organic Bordeaux - Château MOYA, 2015 – France

DLD 100% Syrah - Red Mountain, 2014 – Washington State

Pinot Noir, The Seeker - La Chapelle de Guinchay, 2019 – France

Grand Vin de Bordeaux - Cheateau Gaby, Canon Fronsac – France

“Baby Amarone” Corvina - Tinazzi Private Collection, 2018 – Italy

Bodegas Ondarre - Gran Reserva Rioja, 2010 – DOC Spain

Cabernet Suavignon-Gran Reserva, Antinori, 2015 Maipo Valley – Chile

Barbaresco Riserva Spezie - Vite Colte DOCG, 2008 – Piemonte, Italy

Nebbiolo D`Alba “Baby Barbaresco” - La Ganhija DOC, 2019

Organic Super Toscan Nemorino-2015 Aged in French Barrel

Macphail Dutton Ranch - Pinot Noir 2014 – California

Brunello di Montalcino - Terre al Sole, 2015 – DOCG

Brunello di Montalcino -Telegramme, Famlle Brunier 2016 – France

Barolo Vite Colte - Paesi Tuoi, 2013 – DOCG

Sagrantino di Montefalco - PERTICAIA Magnum 1.5L, 2013 – DOCG

Nero D`Avola Organic -Caruso Minini, Marsala, Sicily 2019

Montepulciano D'Abruzzo-La Piuma D.O.C. 2019 Forli, Italy

Valpolicella Classico-Corte Volponi, D.O.C. 2016 Peschiera del Garda, Italy

Pinot Nero-Ombroso I.G.T. Provincia di Pavia 2019, Italy

Organic Montepulciano d'Abruzzo-Torre Zambra , Federico de Cerchio, 2020 Italy

Old Soul Cabernet Sauvignon

Elouan Wines - all Reds are vegan

Hedges Winery - cheap and all vegan (Washington State)

The Seeker Pinot Noir

Barton & Guestier (B&G - all vegan wines

El Burro, Malbec, Mendoza AR

Boen Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, CA (red wines vegan only)

Portlandia Pinot Noir, Oregon


Sparkling

Agusti Torello Mata Cava Brut Reserva Organic – 2013 – Spain

Conca d'Oro Rose`-Spumante Rose`, Conegliano Veneto 2018, Italy

Laurent Perrier-La Cuvee -NV Champagne – France

Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rose’-NV Champagne – France

Dom Perignon Millesime- Vintage 2008 – Champagne – France

Champagne Perrier Jouet - BELLE EPOQUE 2011

Dolce Veleno Conca d'Oro-Sweet Red Sparkling, Conegliano Veneto 2018, Italy



Afters

Dow’s Tawny Port 10y

Sherry Napoleon Amontilladobera

Sherry Pedro Ximenez Triana D`

Moscato D`Asti Mustela 2018 Asti

Vinsanto Del Chianti Le Torri Superiorea

Grappa Bianca Gra`It D

Grappa Di Amarone Bonollo

Amaretto Di Saronno

Sambuca Molinari

Limoncello Piacentino

Amaro Sfumato Rabarbaro `Asti

Remy Martin V.S.O.P. Cognac Superiorea

Courvoisier V.S. Cognac

Hennessy V.S. Cognac

Frangelico Hazelnut liquor

Sunday, 22 October 2023

Butternut Ginger Soup

Original recipe in Edible magazine from Caria Hawkins, Abundant Harvest Farms.


Butternut Ginger Soup

Ingredients

3lbs Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped into chunks (keeps seeds if you want to keep them for serving).
2 Tbls olive oil
1medium onion, chopped
1Tbls fresh sage (or 1.5 tsp dried)
1tsp fresh Rosemary (or 1/2 tsp dried)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1Tbls fresh ginger
4 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley for serving.

Method

If you want to reserve the butternut seeds for serving then Preheat oven to 300F, clean seeds and toast for 20mins. I skipped this step.
In a large pot heat the oil, add onion and season with salt and pepper (I used stock with salt so I waiting till the end to add salt and pepper).
Add butternut and cool
Until vegetables are softening.
Stir in herbs, garlic and ginger.
Add broth and simmer until butternut is tender, around 20mins
Once squash is soft transfer to blender or use a hand blender to blend until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper as wanted and serve with parsley and seeds if using. 



Sticky Toffee Cupcakes

I made these sticky toffee cupcakes for a Halloween party based on the original Sticky Date Pudding recipe. They were delicious and a big hit! Moist and caramelly :)


Sticky Toffee Cupcakes

Ingredients

Pudding
300 g Pitted dates, I used medjool dates.
250 ml boiling water
1 tsp baking soda

1 cup GF baking flour
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
2/3 cup unrefined vegan sugar
1/2 cup vegan margarine at room temperature.

Caramel sauce
130 ml canned coconut cream (you can leave coconut milk in the fridge over night and just scoop out the cream from the top)
2/3 cup unrefined vegan brown sugar
2 Tbsp vegan margarine
1lb/450g vegan powdered sugar


Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C and prep 12 cupcake tray with liners.
In a small bowl, add the dates, boiling water and baking soda and let the dates soak for 10/15min until they are softened. Keep the water!
In larger bowl, add the flour, baking soda, sugar and softened margarine.
Pour the liquid from the dates with the flour and keep the dates aside.
In a food processor, add the dates and pulse until they’re finely chopped, then add the dates to the other ingredients.
With an electric beaters, beat the mixture until smooth and creamy.
Spoon mixture into each cupcake liner till around the halfway mark (they will rise) and bake for 40-45 min or until a knife comes out clean when poked into the centre. 

To make the caramel sauce, add in a saucepan on high heat, the 3 ingredients and bring to boil while whisking. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 to 15 min.
Let cool to room temperature then use an electric mixer to add in small amounts of powdered sugar until thick. (I used the whole bag and added in a dash of vanilla extract).
Allow cupcakes to cool completely before icing (I like to use a piping bag) and store in refrigerator till ready. Will be good for a few days and they keep very moist.