Month: April 2023

Asian Noodle Salad

Seaneen's Sunnyside KitchenLeave a comment

Trying to get away from winter’s stodgy comfort food, doesn’t mean giving up on flavour.

This salad is jam packed with flavour and texture and takes 10-15 minutes to knock up. It’s also gluten free and vegan and makes a great lunch box filler if you’re fed up with sandwiches.

Ingredients

500 Grams Dried rice noodles

1/4 Red cabbage (finely sliced)

3 Scallions/spring onions (finely sliced)

2 Small carrots (grated)

1 Red pepper (finely sliced)

2 Tbsp Coriander (finely chopped)

2 Tbsp Mint (finely chopped)

Dressing

2-3 Tbsp Peanut butter

1 Tbsp Sesame oil

1 Tbsp Soy sauce

1 Tbsp Grated ginger

1 Tsp Maple syrup or Honey if you’re not vegan

1 Tsp Chilli flakes

1 Tbsp White wine vinegar or lemon juice

Topping (option)

2 Tbsp Pumpkin seeds

100 Grams Cashew nuts/peanuts (toasted)

Method

  • Toast the nuts in a hot frying pan and set to one side and allow to cool.
  • Cook the rice noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the noodles and add to a bowl of ice water to stop them over cooking.
  • Add all the dressing ingredients to a bowl and mix well. You might need to add some hot water to loosen up the dressing if its too thick.
  • Drain the cold noodles and add to a large bowl. Stir in the vegetables and dressing and mix well.
  • Top with the pumpkin seeds and nuts if using.

Vegan Sausage Rolls

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A good sausage roll is one of my many weaknesses and when I was making some some for a work party I realized I work with quite a few vegetarians and would need to have something for them.

Only psychopaths make their own puff pastry, so when you are buying your pastry check that its vegetarian/vegan friendly (most are), unless you want to use the “all butter” versions but this would obviously not be suitable for vegans.

Pastry glazes for vegan dishes obviously can’t use the traditional egg or milk glazes but plant milk or coconut oil can work well, I used some onion seeds as well to add some interest.

While these are mushrooms flavoured, I also included some lentils to add some meatiness to the texture as well as some protein and some miso paste to give it that umami flavour that some vegan dishes lack.

Ingredients

1 x 375 Gram Sheet ready rolled puff pastry

300 Grams Button mushrooms (finely chopped)

25 Grams Dried Porcini mushrooms

100 Grams Breadcrumbs

1 Tsp Miso paste

200 Grams Tinned lentils (or cooked green lentils)

1 Leek (finely chopped)

1 Tablespoon Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Plank milk/Coconut oil to brush the pastry with

2 Tsp Onion or sesame seeds to decorate (optional)

Method

  • Put the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl with 100 Mil boiling water and allow to soak for at least 15 minutes
  • In a large frying pan over a medium heat, and the oil and when hot add the mushrooms and leek. Cook for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally (don’t move the mushrooms about too much or they will become watery)
  • When cooked add the lentils, miso, and porcini mushrooms (including the water they were soaking), cook for a further 5-10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated, and then add the breadcrumbs and stir well. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool
  • Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees (Celsius) and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
  • Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to prevent sticking and cut the pastry sheet in half lengthways.
  • Spoon the cooled mushroom mix down the centre of each strip of pastry leaving enough space for when you roll the edges together. Wet the long edges of the pastry and gently bring the edges together to slightly overlap each other then press together
  • Turn the side where pastry meet to the bottom and brush with your glaze before sprinkling with seeds, if you are using them.
  • With a sharp knife cut the pastry sausage into 3-4 cm slices before transferring onto the lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown

Mini Egg/Chocolate Chip Cookies

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I love eating things other people make and one of my workmates made these and I was instantly addicted. So a big shout out to Christina for being kind enough to give me the recipe.

Christina’s recipe uses dark chocolate (either chips or chopped up chocolate), but because it coming up to Easter I decided to use smashed up mini eggs which are my total downfall. These cookies are also a great way to use up any random chocolate you have lying about after Easter.

You can make the dough a day or two before and keep it in the fridge so that all you have to do is cut it and bake when you need them (if you’re having friends over this means less last minute scurrying around and you appear like a serene domestic goddess with an oven full of delicious cookies)

Ingredients

350 Grams Plain Flour

1 Tsp Bicarbonate of soda

1 Tsp Salt

225 Grams Butter (room temperature and cut into chunks to make it easier to cream with the sugar)

175 Grams Soft brown sugar

50 Grams Caster sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla extract

2 Eggs

350 Grams Smashed up mini eggs (or use chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate)

Makes 24

Method

  • In a bowl combine all you dry ingredients (don’t add the chocolate yet)
  • In a separate bowl combine the butter. both types of sugar, add vanilla extract and mix until creamy, I used a stand mixer for this which makes it a lot easier but an electric whisk will also do the job
  • Beat the eggs into the butter mixture, and then gradually add the flour. Then stir in our chocolate pieces (I folded them in using a large spoon so that they didn’t get too broken up an electric whisk.
  • Split the dough into 2 halves, and roll each half into a sausage shape roughly 5cm in diameter and wrap each sausage in cling film before chilling in the fridge for at least half an hour
  • Preheat you oven to 190 degrees (Celsius), you’ll probably need a couple of baking sheets, and these should be lined with baking parchment
  • Cut the chilled cookie dough into 2cm think slices and transfer to you baking sheet leaving room for them spread as they cook. Bake for 10-12 minutes

Fesenjoon (Persian Chicken or Aubergine and Walnut Stew)

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This dish was would have traditionally been made with duck (which I think would be too rich), and is now usually made with chicken. I have also made a vegan version with aubergines and I have to say I think it was my favourite.

This is quite a rich dish and the use of pomegranate molasses (available from most big supermarkets or Asian grocers) gives the stew a tangy sweet and sour flavour.

I call this a weekend recipe, meaning its something that requires low and slow cooking and you aren’t going to try and do for a quick weeknight dinner.

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 Chicken thighs (bone in, but skin removed), or 2 large aubergines (cut into bite sized chunks)

1 Tbsp. Tomato Puree

250 Grams Walnut pieces

1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Black pepper

125 Mil Pomegranate molasses

1 Tsp Sugar (or more to taste)

Pomegranate seeds to decorate (optional)

Method

  • Add the walnuts to a food processor and whiz until they become fine crumbs and start to stick together in a paste
  • Move the walnuts to a large pot with a lid, and add 1 litre of cold water to the walnuts. Bring to the boil for a couple of minutes, and then reduce the heat and cover with a lid simmer for 2 hours.
  • Stir in the pomegranate molasses, tomato purée, cinnamon, sugar, salt and pepper until well combined. Return the mixture to a simmer
  • Add the chicken thighs or aubergine chunks to the pot and cover with the lid again and simmer for a further hour. Remove the lid and simmer for another 10-15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
  • Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds if using just before serving rice or flat breads