Food: Rude Food Recipe 3: Vegan ‘Tatws pum muned’

As St. David’s Day, or the National holiday of Wales was last week, I’d thought that I’d make a Welsh dish with the rescued food from Rude Food Malmö.

This is my vegan take on the traditional dish, ‘tatws pum muned’ or ‘five minute potatoes’. It takes a little bit longer than five minutes to cook and prepare, but not much longer. This is proper home cooking so the flavours and method are super simple, but considering how cold the weather has been this week then this is exactly the kind of food I crave.

A hearty dish of thinly sliced potatoes and onions, cooked in some homemade stock, topped with some fried ‘ham hock’, made with Like Meat kebab chunks. Finished with some freshly chopped parsley &  a sprinkle Halen Môn celery salt.

You will need:

• 3 medium potatoes (peeled)
• 1/2 an onion,
• 1 small carrot,
• 250ml of stock, I used homemade veg stock using up leftovers & peelings
• Handful of fresh parsley (chopped, to serve)
• Salt and pepper,

For the ‘ham’:

• 1 pack of Like Meat kebab chunks,
• Couple of drops of liquid smoke,
• 1 tsp smoked paprika,
• 50ml of beetroot juice (if you have it),

 

Method:

Slice the potatoes thinly with a mandolin and put them in a bowl of cold water so that they don’t go brown while you’re doing the rest. Parboil the carrots in the stock water, when they’re beginning to soften remove them from the water.

Prepare the Like Meat kebab chunks (or as we are making them into a ‘ham hock’ substitute) in a medium bowl by adding the liquid smoke and smoked paprika. Add a splash of beetroot juice to make it a bit more pink (like ‘ham hock’ basically). When it’s stirred through you could leave it to marinate if you want. Along with the potatoes, they can sit until you’re ready to start cooking.

When you’re ready to begin, place a medium frying pan on a high heat and fry off the ‘ham’ pieces in a little oil. When they’re the colour of your preferred bacon put to one side on a plate. Give the pan a quick wipe to get rid of the colours that will stain. Lower the temperature of the pan and soften the onions. Drain the potatoes from their water and add to the pan.

In a wide frying pan brown the onions in a little oil and then add the potatoes, the carrots and the stock. I placed a Le Creuset lid over the potatoes to keep them under the water while they cook. Now, the name says five minutes but the cooking time is more like eight! When the potatoes are nice and tender remove from the heat and get rid of most of the stock (you can keep the stock once again and use in something else).

Plate up with the potatoes and carrots first, then scatter the ‘ham’ pieces on top and then garnish with plenty of freshly chopped parsley and a generous pinch of sea salt, I used Halen Môn’s celery salt.

 

Enjoy/ Mwynhewch!

 

 

FOOD: RUDE FOOD RECIPE 2: PARSNIP, SAGE & BROWN MUSTARD SOUP

For my second recipe as Rude Food ambassador; as I still had a glut of rescued parsnips and potatoes left, I thought I’d do a take on my roasted parsnip & mustard soup.

these are rescued ingredients I was given for this recipe: rescued parsnips, sage, apples & potatoes.

You’ll need:

• 4-5 medium parsnips (roasted)
• 1 onion
• 2 potatoes, peeled & cut into quarters
• 1tbsp German mustard (use wholegrain mustard as an alternative)
• 1tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1tbs dried sage
• 1tbs dried parsley
• 1 Litre of water
• Rapeseed oil

Garnish:

• A handful walnuts chopped and toasted
• Chopped fresh parsley
• 1-2 small golden roasted parsnips
• slice of fried apple (optional)
• Some walnut oil (optional)

 

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C with your baking tray loaded with a generous glug or two of rapeseed oil, then peel and parboil the parsnips and potatoes. Toss the parsnips in the hot oil and roast for 25 minutes or so.

While they’re cooking, chop and fry the onion in a Le Creuset style deep pan with a little oil until they’re soft and mellow. Next, add in the potatoes. When the parsnips are done, remove from the oven and snip into the pot with a pair of scissors (keep one or two smaller parsnips and leave to one side for the garnish). Pour over the water, stir in the mustards, the dried parsley & sage and season generously with salt and black pepper. Put the lid on and let it simmer for a further thirty minutes.

When the soup’s done its thing, take a hand blender and blitz the whole thing into a thick, creamy soup. For the topping, chop and toast the walnuts in apotatoes dry frying pan.  Finish with chopped parsley, a slice of fried apple, walnuts, a drizzle of walnut oil and the whole roasted parsnips you kept from earlier.

Serve with with a good hearty loaf; I served mine with a crusty walnut bread and a good beer!

 

Food: Broccoli, spinach & parsley soup

This is a great soup with a big burst of green to help beat the up-coming illnesses this Autumn, and will make you feel generally more hyggelig (cosy)!

You’ll need:

• 3-4 medium potatoes
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 head of broccoli, chopped
• Broccoli stem, finely cut
• 20g frozen spinach
• Handful of fresh parsley
• 1 tbs dried parsley
• 100ml veg stock
• 1 tbs Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1 litre of water
• Rapeseed oil
• Salt & pepper

 

Garnish:

• 1 tbs walnut oil
• Chopped fresh parsley

 

Start by chopping the potatoes into chunks, parboil them in a pan of salted water. Once done, drain and set aside.

Chop and fry the onion & minced garlic in a cast iron pot on a medium heat with a little oil until they’re soft and mellow. Next, add in the potatoes, dried parsley and the broccoli stem. Pour over the water and veg stock and stir. Add in the broccoli and bring to a simmer. Simmer for at least 20 minutes before adding the spinach and fresh parsley, and stir lightly until it starts to thaw. Place the lid on, turn the heat down onto its lowest setting and leave the mixture bubble and cook for a further 8-10 minutes. Now, stir in the nooch (nutritional yeast) and the mustard.

When the soup’s done its thing, take a hand blender and blitz the whole thing into a thick, velvety green soup. Season to taste.

Serve with a drizzle of walnut oil, a crack of black pepper and some chopped parsley. It goes really well with a crusty loaf and I’d recommend pairing it with a Æro Valnød Øl (walnut ale)  by Danish brewery, Rise Bryggeri, as the flavours complemented each other so well, but any gold ale would work here!

Enjoy!

Food: Cilento ciambotta

Here’s a great recipe for using up the vegetables you have left in your fridge. Plus, it’s one of those that kind of works for all seasons, whether frosty Winter or a breezy Summer evening.

You’ll need:

• 1 aubergine, cut into cubes
• 1 red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Oil, for frying
• 1tsp tomato pureé
• 1tsp sundried tomato paste (optional)
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 2 courgettes / zucchini, cut into coins
• 1 red pepper, diced
• Handful of new potatoes, cut into pieces (I used purple potatoes)
• Handful of good black olives
• Splash of good red wine
• 1tbs chilli flakes
• Handful of fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1tsp dried rosemary
• 1tsp dried basil
• 1tsp dried thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• Salt & Pepper

 

Start by chopping the aubergine into pieces and place them in to a colander (over a bowl). Sprinkle salt over them and wait until it starts extracting it’s juices (this stops it becoming bitter). This should take 30 minutes or so.

While this is doing, in a Dutch Oven, fry the onions and garlic on a medium heat until they turn translucent. Then add in the tomato pureé & paste and fry until it’s cooked out. Next add in the tin of chopped tomatoes, peppers and potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes. Now is probably time to check on the aubergine.

Once the juice has been extracted from the aubergine, Rinse with some water, and add into the pot, along with the courgette, olives and herbs. Top up with some good red wine and stir. Season with salt & black pepper, not forgetting the aubergines might still be a little salty.

Place into a pre-heated oven at 140°C, for 50 minutes. In this time the wizard that is the Dutch oven/ cast-iron casserole will do it’s magic and meld everything together. After 50 minutes is up, take the lid off and check if the potatoes are done, by pricking them with a fork. They should be, as cutting them into small pieces, shortens their cooking time, however, if not, place back in the oven for a further 10-15 minutes.

Serve, with a good drink and a nice loaf of bread

Enjoy!

 

Food: Vegan Irish Stew

With St Patrick’s Day celebrations over the last weekend why not try something traditional but with a Vegan twist? This simple recipe is made with TVP chunks which, I’ve found, aren’t that easy to track down! My packet was bought whilst on holiday in Llandrindod Wells! In any case, it comes dried in a bag and looks like misshapen croutons, but these swell to make delicious but firm soya pieces that can be used in a number of creative ways.

You’ll need:

• 100g TVP pieces,
• 2 medium carrots,
• 2-3 medium potatoes,
• 1 large onion,
• 2 Bay leaves,
• 1tsp of all purpose seasoning,
• 250ml boiling water,
• 250ml of Irish stout (I used Carlow brewing company for M&S Irish Stout as it’s SFV)
• 1tbsp of dried thyme,
• 50g barley or oats,

 

Prepare the TVP pieces first by covering them with boiling water in a bowl with the seasoning. They should begin to swell to nice, meaty pieces.

Peel and chop the onion and soften in a little oil over a medium heat in a decent sized Dutch oven, then peel and chop the carrots and potatoes into nice chunky pieces. Add these to the onions and pour over the boiling water and the stout until the veg is more than covered. Combine the barley or oats along with the TVP pieces and their broth into the pan and stir. Season with black pepper, dried Thyme and the Bay leaves. Check the saltiness of the water for preference. The seasoning can be quite salty so be careful when adding more.

Give the whole thing a good stir and then cook in the oven on a medium heat for forty minutes. When it’s ready the broth will be rich, the TVP will be soft but hold their shape and the vegetables will be cooked but not disintegrating. Enjoy with some crusty bread or potato farls and a liberal glass of stout, I paired ours with another couple bottles of Irish Stout brewed for Marks and Spencer’s by Carlow Brewing Company. Making the most of finding vegan friendly Irish stout
Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit! Sláinte!

Food: Jackfruit cawl

To celebrate St David’s day, I’ve done my take on the Traditional Welsh dish, cawl.

Cawl is an institution in Wales, the cornerstone of hearty home cooking that dates back to time immemorial. It’s traditionally a simple, peasant dish and is similar to vegetable soups from around Europe and the British Isles.

 

You’ll need:

• 1 Tin of green jackfruit

• 1 tsp Light Soy Sauce

• 1 tbsp Gravy granules

• 1 Large parsnip

• 1 Large swede

• 3 Medium potatoes

• 2 Carrots

• 1 Large leek

• 1 Onion

• 1 Bayleaf

• 1 Veg stock pot

 

Method:

 

The base of the cawl couldn’t be simpler. Peel and chop all of the vegetables – the parsnip, leek and carrots into coins and dice the rest into cubes. Soften the leek and onion in a little oil and then add the rest of the vegetables. Cover with hot water from the kettle and bring to a gently boil. Season with lots of black pepper and the stock cube. Stir, cover and reduce to a simmer for half an hour or so or until the veggies have cooked. The natural flavours of the vegetables, especially the parsnip and the swede really come through and don’t need any other herbs to be added for authenticity.

 

While the vegetables are simmering you can prepare the jackfruit. Drain and de-core the jack fruits then cut the pieces into chunks. Heat the gravy and the soy sauce on the hob in a splash of hot water to make a rich marinating sauce. Add the bayleaf in. Place the jack fruit in a baking tray and cover liberally with the sauce. Bake in the oven at 140°C (fan) or until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the oven and wipe away any excess sauce. The sauce will have permeated the fruit so don’t worry about wiping away your hard work.

When ready to serve, ladle the vegetables into a bowl with enough of the broth then place the pieces of  jackfruit into the bowl, sharing evenly between guests. Serve with crusty bread and strong (vegan) cheese with a hearty pint of ale for the full experience.

Mwynhewch!

Food: Saag Aloo soup

This is a great iron-rich soup, which is a much healthier and quicker alternative than the local takeaway!

You’ll need:

• 3-4 medium potatoes
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 20g frozen spinach
• 1 tbsp Garam Marsala
• 1 tin of tomatoes
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 litre of water
• Squeeze of lime juice
• Rapeseed oil
• Salt & pepper

 

Garnish:

• 1 tbs coconut cream
• Few coriander leaves
• Vegetable pakoras

 

Start by chopping the potatoes into chunks, parboil them in a pan of salted water. Once done, drain and set aside.

Chop and fry the onion & minced garlic in a cast iron pot on a medium heat with a little oil until they’re soft and mellow. Add a splash more oil and add the spices & black pepper, and fry until they are all cooked out and the pan turns an opulent gold. Next, add in the potatoes, and coat them in this spicy mixture. Pour over the water and stir. Add in the lime juice and spinach, and stir lightly until it starts to thaw. Place the lid on, turn the heat down onto its lowest setting and leave the mixture bubble and cook for a further 8-10 minutes.

When the soup’s done its thing, take a hand blender and blitz the whole thing into a thick, velvety spiced soup.

Serve with a drizzle of coconut cream, some coriander and some pakoras on the side.

Enjoy!

Food: Potato & Rosemary Pizza

Remembering this pizza combo being made on the Canadian comedy-cooking show ‘Bitchin’ Kitchen‘ I just had to try it out!

I think the one on the show had Parmesan in it or something. It was a while back. Wanting to make it Vegan friendly, this is my own interpretation of the original recipe.

 

You’ll need:

• 500g ’00’ flour or plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  or plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp dried yeast (not fast-action)
• 400ml warm water
• oil, for greasing
• 6 small potatoes
• handful of fresh rosemary
• A drizzle of garlic infused oil
• A pinch of rosemary salt
• Salt & pepper

For the sauce:

• 2 tbs of sundried tomato paste
• 1tbs passata
• 1tbs tomato ketchup
• handful of fresh herbs, chopped (I used rosemary & basil)
• 10g dried herbs ( I used dried rosemary & oregano)
• 1tsp garlic infused oil

For the dough I used this recipe from the good ‘ol BBC. Reliable and straight forward, I often go to them for the foundations of my cooking.

Whilst the pizza dough is proving, doing its own thing, I’d make a start on preparing the topping.

In a bowl mix together the sundried tomato paste, passata and ketchup together. I used ketchup to add a bit of its familiar sweetness. Place into a small saucepan and bring to a low heat to cook through, so the flavours can all start to meld. Next, add the herbs (fresh and dried) and cook for a few more minutes then take off the heat and leave to cool.

Next, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender enough to put a fork through. Strain, then leave to cool. Once cooled, cut the potatoes into small coins. Now,  it’s all ready for when you want to make the pizza. For me, straight after a busy shift in work.

Kindly my bf did it before he picked me up, but I’d recommend you preheat the oven to its hottest setting.

Once home it was all systems go. Time to spread the sauce onto the dough. To get the nice rectangular shape we rolled the dough out until it was as flat as possible, then we used the rectangular baking tray to mark out the sides. Finally we cut the shape so that it would have those nice, sharp edges. Any extra bits can be saved or made into mini pizza bites! We then placed the dough on an oiled flat baking tray.

I would recommend putting the sauced dough into the oven for 5 minutes. This will alleviate any soggy bottoms. When the sauce has been sufficiently ‘set’, take it out of the oven and place a layer of the potatoes on top In this order, sprinkle some rosemary leaves over the top, drizzle some garlic oil then a crack of pepper or two. Repeat until you can just see a few bits of the sauce poking through. Finally, sprinkle some rosemary salt on top and place into the oven for approximately 15 minutes. and enjoy its salty, herby, buttery goodness. This is a carb-fest that you can’t help but love!

We paired it with some balsamic dressed leaves and a couple of ice cold pilsners.

Buon appetito!

Food: Kycklingpytt

After wanting to make something Scandinavian (that wasn’t fish or meatballs) I started doing some research and found the Swedish dish called Pyttipanna or ‘bits in a pan’. Perfect. Essentially it’s a hash – how Swedes would use up their leftover meat and potatoes, but I wanted to elevate this from a leftover supper into a Posh Dish.

To do this you’ll need:

(Feeds 2)

• 1.5 Chicken breasts
• a handful of wild mushrooms – I used some Chanterelles
• 3 large-ish new potatoes (or 1 large potato)
• a packet of lardons
• a handful of dill
• a handful of parsley
• 1 medium onion
• 2 eggs
• some pickled beetroot

Earlier in the day I poached the chicken in a liquor of boiling water, a spoonful of mustard – I used dijon – a small glass of Vermouth, some leftover mushroom stalks, a good crack of black pepper and 1tbs of dried thyme and a few stalks of fresh thyme. Poach until the juices of the chicken run clear. Separate the breasts from the liquid and set aside. With the liquor I simply strained and filtered it, then when cool put it in the freezer – it would be a shame to throw it out when I could use it as a base of a great stock. Waste not want not as they say…

Whilst the chicken is poaching, there’s time to deal with the potatoes. Peel and chop into small cubes. The smaller the better, this step really tested my patience – but you’ll have to deal with it as nearly everything needs to be chopped in this dish, however the result is amazing, so bear with it. Par-boil  the potatoes in salted water, strain and set aside.

Once the chicken is cool, you’ll need to do the same and shop into small pieces.

Now you’re ready to make the dish.

Fry the lardons in a shallow pan. I used my Descoware shallow casserole, a mid-century heirloom and one of my favourite pans in the kitchen. Very versatile. Once they have browned a bit and let out their delicious smokey oil add in a finely diced onion. Cook until translucent. Once this is done, you can chop the mushrooms up, yes, you guessed, finely.

Next, add the potatoes and sauté . Add the mushrooms along with some chopped fresh dill and parsley, a splash of cider vinegar and a knob of butter. Finally add the chicken and season. Add to your plate or bowl, I used some IKEA STOCKHOLM deep bowls, for that sophisticated edge. Nearly done, I promise.

Place some chef’s rings in a frying pan with a drop of oil. If you’re thinking ‘where on earth do you get chef’s rings’ well eBay is probably worth a try but I got mine from TIGER, in Swansea – weirdly marketed as ‘cheesecake rings’ – a bargain at £3 for 4 and a press. Heat and fry two eggs. Once fried, top the hash with the eggs and some slices of pickled beetroot (an extra frond of dill won’t hurt 😉 ). I used my own homemade caraway pickled beetroot, that I’d made the week before. We served ours with some crusty baguette and a nice glass of red wine.

Now, break the yolk so it makes a rich sauce and consume!