Smokey Summer Tarte

I love a bring-and-share BBQ. Friends, hazy sunshine, chilled drinks and of course, the food. Being a vegan at a BBQ isn't difficult- along with all the usual veggie sausages and burgers, make some veggie kebabs, plenty of flavourful salads like tabbouleh, grilled corn-on-the-cob, baked potatoes and a tasty open tarte. 

When I've made a savoury tarte before, I've always found it lacking in something- I had a brainwave last night when I came across a jar of harissa in the cupboard. Harissa brings a smokey, woodey depth of flavour along with a subtle hint of heat- perfect for a BBQ. Harissa is no longer only found in Middle Eastern supermarkets- I bought mine from Tesco. 

You'll notice when you're making the tarte filling that the mixture isn't very wet- this is exactly right, do not fear! The natural juices from the vegetables and olive oil will bake perfectly into the pastry, without leaving the dreaded 'soggy bottom'. 

This can be made a day in advance and takes less than 30 minutes. It can be enjoyed hot or cold. Wonderful summer eating. 

Makes 1 tray, serves approximately 8. 

Ingredients 

For the filling:

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 clove of garlic, crushed 

1/2 courgette, diced 

1/2 yellow pepper, sliced 

5 asparagus spears, chopped 
8 olives

6 cherry tomatoes, halved 

2 tbsp tomato puree 

1 tsp harissa paste 

1 tsp dried mixed herbs 

Handful of pine nuts 

Pinch of black pepper 

For the pastry: 

1 sheet of pre-rolled puff pastry, dairy free (I used Jus-Rol) 

Soya milk for brushing 

Handful of fresh basil leaves 

Method 

1. Pre- heat the oven to 200C/ Gas Mark 6. 

2. In a pan, add the olive oil, garlic, courgette, pepper, asparagus, olives and cherry tomatoes and cook over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables have softened slightly. Add the tomato puree, harissa paste, dried mixed herbs, pine nuts and black pepper, reduce the heat and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, ensuring all the vegetables are coated in sauce. 

3. Place the pastry sheet onto greaseproof paper and position on a baking tray. Fold the edges of the pastry inwards, to form a crust. Brush the crust with soya milk, so it develops a golden colour whilst cooking. 

4. Spoon the vegetable mixture onto the pastry, avoiding the crust. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes until the pastry is golden and puffed. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with basil leaves. 

Enjoy! 

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Courgette Gazpacho with avocado, radish and lime salsa

I don't mean to jinx it, but look at the lovely weather! All day I've been craving a cool gazpacho, but with a twist (and by twist, I mean I have no tomatoes left in the fridge!). 

I made this gazpacho in 10 minutes, then let it cool for 30 minutes before serving. That's about as much time as I want to spend in the kitchen today! 

Gazpacho gets a bad name. Cold soup, really? I hear you cry! Give this chilled delight a go. It has an unexpected kick of chilli and a background of fresh herbs. Top with avocado, radish and lime salsa for full flavour and texture. Must be eaten outdoors in the sun. 

Ingredients 

For the gazpacho:

3 courgettes, chopped roughly 

1 red chilli, seeds removed, sliced roughly 

1 litre hot vegetable stock 

Handful fresh basil leaves 

Handful fresh coriander leaves 

Generous pinch of sea salt 

For the salsa: 

1 avocado, chopped finely 

4 radishes, chopped finely 

1 spring onion, chopped finely 

Handful of fresh coriander, roughly torn 

Juice of 1/2 lime 

Pinch of sea salt 

Method

1`. In a large pan, add the courgette, chilli and vegetable stock and cook over a medium heat for 8 minutes until the courgette has softened. Add the basil leaves and coriander leaves and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir through the sea salt. Blend until smooth (I used a hand blender). Chill for 30 minutes. 

2. To make the salsa, combine the avocado, radishes, spring onion and coriander in a bowl. Squeeze over the lime juice and sprinkle with sea salt. 

3. Serve the gazpacho cold in chilled bowls, with a generous helping of salsa. 

Enjoy! 

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Roasted butternut squash and sage risotto

This afternoon, I had an epic fail in the kitchen. I attempted to make some 'healthy' breakfast bars, but unfortunately they burnt to a black crisp! 

However the oven was still hot, so I thought I'd roast a whole butternut squash and make one of my go-to dinners Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto. Yes you read that right, roast a whole butternut squash! Simply pop in the oven without any preparation (or tricky chopping!) and cook for 40-45 minutes and voila! perfectly soft, roasted squash to add to the recipe. 

I didn't have any fresh sage in, so I used dried sage- it was perfect with wonderful earthy flavours. 

Simple, creamy and easy. Comfort food at it's finest. 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash

Drizzle of olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 ½ litres vegetable stock

300g risotto rice

2 tsp dried sage
Pinch of salt and black pepper 

Method:

1. Pre- heat the oven to 180C/ Gas Mark 4. Place the whole butternut squash on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes until softened and a knife can glide through the skin.
2. Remove the squash from the oven and slice in half. Set aside to cool so you can scoop out the flesh without burning your fingers.

3. In the meantime, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook onions until soft but not browned. Add risotto rice to pan and stir until it is coated in olive oil. Stir continually until the edges begin to look transparent.

4. Add the hot vegetable stock in small amounts, stirring often. Cook for about 25-30 minutes until the risotto appears creamy. 

5. Scoop out the seeds of the butternut squash and discard. Remove the rest of the flesh with a spoon and stir into the risotto. Add the sage and stir through. 
6. Season with salt and pepper 

Enjoy! 

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French Toast with Summer Berry Compote

On Sunday, I treated myself to a gorgeous breakfast of French Toast. I've tried many vegan French Toast recipes over the years and have gradually adapted my go-to recipe. One thing I love about vegan cooking is that without heavy eggs and butter, flavours can shine and this French Toast has a sweet flavour of vanilla and cinnamon which contrasts with the sharper compote.

This compote used up the fruit I had in the fridge, but feel free to be creative with your own varieties. Always squeeze a good amount of lemon juice into the compote to add a fresh flavour. 

A fail safe recipe that all the family will love (and it's free of refined sugar). 

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

For the batter: 

300ml soya milk 

4 tbsp maple syrup 

1 tbsp vanilla extract 

200g plain flour 
1 tsp ground cinnamon 

4 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying 

8 slices of thick white bread 

For the compote: 

4 handfuls blueberries (I used frozen) 

6 strawberries, tops removed and sliced 
1 handful raspberries 

4 tbsp maple syrup 

Juice of 1 unwaxed lemon 

Method

1. In a jug, mix together the soya milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and cinnamon. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. It will create a thick batter. 

2. Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot. Dip the bread slices in the batter to coat then fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. (it's best to cook one slice at a time for ease of turning). 

3. Whilst the slices are frying, make the compote by adding the blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, maple syrup and lemon juice into a pan and cooking over a medium heat until the fruit has softened. Stir regularly to avoid sticking and to encourage the fruit to cook down. 

4. Serve the French Toast hot with generous drizzlings of compote. 

Enjoy! 

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