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Monday, 30 December 2013

Hearts of Palm & Olive Empadinhas (Brazilian Empadinhas de Palmito)


I've saved my favourite recipe until last this month, to end the year with a really awesome dish! Have you eaten empanadas before? They're pretty popular all over South America, and I made a couple of different types when I featured Argentinian food - Pumpkin Jalapeño Empanadas and Sweetcorn Empanadas, they were both amazing. These aren't empanadas though, they're Brazilian empadinhas. A bit like empanadas but they're in cut little pies which is even better because you can stuff more filling in!

I'm not even exaggerating when I tell you that these were to die for. So tasty!!! Make your new years resolution to make these in 2014! Happy new year everyone!


Hearts of Palm & Olive Empadinhas (Brazilian Empadinhas de Palmito)

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp vegan margarine
1/2 cup oat or soy milk

Filling:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 onions, diced
3 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups oat or soy milk
1 can hearts of palm, drained and chopped
1/3 cup chopped black olives
Salt and pepper to taste


To Make
1. In a large bowl mix together the flour and salt for the dough. Melt the margarine and set aside to cool down a bit.
2. When cool, stir the melted margarine through the flour with a fork. Gradually add the oat milk until it all starts to come together in a dough. Get it to a consistency which holds together as a dough, but doesn't stick to your fingers when you knead it. You may need to add a little more flour or a little more milk to get it to this.
3. Knead the dough for a few minutes, until it is smooth and stretchy. Wrap in plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
4. Meanwhile you can make the filling. Heat the oil in a large pan and then add the diced onions. Sauté until they are soft and then sprinkle over the flour. Stir well to form a thick paste and cook this paste for about a minute. Gradually add the milk, stirring well each time, until all the milk has been added.
5. Add the chopped hearts of palm and the black olives and stir through. Remove from the heat and set aside.
6. Grease a muffin tin well. Roll out a piece of the dough nice and thin (it should be about 2-3mm) and use a glass to cut out 12 little lids (use a glass that is about the same size as the top of your muffin pans). Divide the  remaining dough into 12 equal pieces (approximately equal, don't get out your scales or anything). Roll out the pieces nice and thin into a circle and line the bottom and sides of the muffin tin. You're circle will fold up about around the sides of the tin, don't worry about that, it just makes it look lovely and rustic. Trim any edges that stick up too high and use the remaining pastry to patch any gaps that spring up.
7. Divide the filling evenly amongst the 12 pies and top each one with a lid. Use a fork to press the edges together around the top and then poke a couple of holes in the top so they don't explode when you cook them.
8. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes 12 empadinhas.


This month I'm featuring lots of recipes from Brazil!
Check out my other Brazilian recipe posts:





at 2 comments:

Sunday, 29 December 2013

Hearts of Palm & Rocket Pizza


When I started to research Brazilian recipes for this month of amazing world food, I didn't anticipate coming up with so much pizza! Pizza isn't what immediately springs to mind when I think of Brazilian food, but apparently Sao Paolo is the second biggest city in the word in terms of pizza consumption (I think the first was New York). They even have several traditional dessert pizzas - yes, I definitely made one! In case you missed it, here is my chocolate, strawberry & cream cheese pizza :)

You might remember from a couple of posts back my friend Ruth had some fun helping me with styling. The result being one of the most colourful photo shoots appearing on the blog so far, which seems quite appropriate for Brazil month (did you see it? If not the photos are right here). When you do a lot of food photography, you can tend towards always using the same set ups and the same props so sometimes it's nice to get someone else's ideas, especially when they're slightly nutty (like Ruth). I set this pizza out on a rustic style chopping board with a big knife and a glass of red wine.

Then Ruth comes running out clutching a brightly coloured beach towel that she had found in our bathroom proclaiming in all seriousness that it would be great in the shot. I was not immediately sold on the idea, but I humoured her. In the end though, I really quite liked it, so I used the photos! The beach towel provides bright colour, a slightly unusual texture and puts me in mind of summer. Summer dinners of freshly made pizza with a glass of red wine, what a wonderful scene. So, thanks Ruth! It was great fun having you helping me cook and styling my shots. I'm looking forward to next time already :)


What do you think? :)

The dough recipe makes enough dough for 3 big pizzas, but the topping quantity is just for 1 pizza. So you can freeze the other 2/3 of the fresh dough, or use it to make a couple of other pizzas - or even a pizza for dessert.

Ingredients

Pizza Dough
2 tsp dried yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups room temperature water
1kg plain flour
1.5 tsp salt

Topping
5 tbsp tomato passata
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 can hearts of palm, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cups fresh rocket

To Make
1. Whisk the yeast with 1/2 cup of warm water and set it aside for 10 minutes until foamy on top.
2. Add the 2 cups water & olive oil and whisk to combine. Then add the salt and all the flour, mixing gently. Flour up your hands and start mixing the dough with your hands until it comes together. It should be dry enough not to stick to your fingers, wet enough to stay together in a ball. If you need to, add more flour or water to get it to the right consistency.
3. Flour a benchtop and turn the dough out. Knead for 10 minutes, at which point the dough should be smooth and springy to touch. Wash, dry and lightly oil the mixing bowl. Return the dough ball to the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm spot to rise for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
4. After 2 hours, punch the dough down and cut into 3 pieces, if you're saving the other two then wrap them up in plastic wrap and freeze them. Roll one piece out into a big flat rectangular disc and place on an oiled baking tray.
5. Spread with a thin layer or tomato passata. Top with sliced tomatoes, sliced hearts of palm and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and a little bit of extra tomato passata.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven, top with the fresh rocket and serve immediately.

Serves 4.
Also featured in the Vegan Virtual Linky Potluck.



at 1 comment:

Friday, 27 December 2013

Brazilian Black Eyed Bean Acaraje


These delicious black eyed bean acaraje from Brazil seem almost too simple to be as good as they are. You soak beans, blend them, add a couple of spices and fry them. Too good to be true? No! It's true and it's oh so good! You can make these with any kind of beans you like, just make sure you use dried beans and soak them for 24 hours before hand. I was pleasantly surprised to find that these are very much like a Brazilian style felafel. The flavour is simple but makes you want to go back for another one! I recommend serving with a garlic mayonnaise sauce or maybe a tahini sauce (not that it's very Brazilian, but it would be delicious). Now you've got a base recipe, you can also experiment with different herbs and spices and make your own special version. Wrap up with salad and mayo or hummus in a wrap for a super special packed lunch.


These can be made a bit ahead of time and kept warm in the oven until you're ready to serve them. They stay beautifully crunchy, and are a great thing to serve up to people.

Brazilian Black Eyed Bean Acaraje

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups black eyed beans
1 small onion
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil, for frying

To Make
1. Place the beans in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 24 hours then drain and rinse. 
2. Spread the beans out on a bench or board and gently rub with a tea towel or paper towel to dry. Then leave them to air dry for about 30 minutes.
3. Place the onion in a food processor and pulse until roughty chopped. Add the soaked beans and the spices and process unto a coarse paste.
4. Heat plenty of vegetable oil in a frying pan or wok. 
5. When the oil is hot, use 2 dessert spoons to press spoonfuls of the mixture into neat little quenelle shapes. Drop straight into the oil and dry for about 30 seconds or until just golden. If you are shallow frying, you'll need to turn them over and cook on both sides.
6. Remove from oil and drain on kitchen paper to remove any excess oil. Do this until you've used up all the bean mix. Keep warm in the oven until you're ready to eat them.

Serve with garlic mayonnaise or creamy tahini sauce. 
Also part of the Vegan Virtual Linky Potluck.


at 3 comments:

Friday, 20 December 2013

Pizza de Brigadeiro (Brazilian Chocolate Pizza) with Fresh Strawberries & Cream Cheese


I've always been somewhat enchanted by the idea of a chocolate pizza, although I had never made one before I made this. It seems that dessert pizzas are very popular Brazil - even their fast food pizza franchises offer sweet pizzas. I read online that Dominoes in Sao Paolo has a chocolate pizza and a banana pizza, so dessert pizza was definitely high on my list of things to try this month.

The dough recipe makes enough dough for 3 big pizzas, but the topping quantity is just for 1 pizza. So you can freeze the other 2/3 of the fresh dough, or use it to make a couple of savoury pizzas for dinner to go with your dessert pizza. The toppings are completely rich and decadent, so you'll probably only need one slice!

The one thing I don't know though - is whether Brazilians eat them hot or cold? I googled it and couldn't find any answers, so I served mine cold for convenience. I think it would be really nice either way though. Any Brazilians out there want to enlighten me?



Ingredients

 Pizza Dough
2 tsp dried yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups room temperature water
1kg plain flour
1.5 tsp salt

Brigadeiro Topping
400ml vegan condensed milk
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp margarine
1 punnet strawberries
Vegan cream cheese
Chocolate sprinkles

To Make
1. Whisk the yeast with 1/2 cup of warm water and set it aside for 10 minutes until foamy on top.
2. Add the 2 cups water & olive oil and whisk to combine. Then add the salt and all the flour, mixing gently. Flour up your hands and start mixing the dough with your hands until it comes together. It should be dry enough not to stick to your fingers, wet enough to stay together in a ball. If you need to, add more flour or water to get it to the right consistency.
3. Flour a benchtop and turn the dough out. Knead for 10 minutes, at which point the dough should be smooth and springy to touch. Wash, dry and lightly oil the mixing bowl. Return the dough ball to the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm spot to rise for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
4. After 2 hours, punch the dough down and cut into 3 pieces, if you're saving the other two then wrap them up in plastic wrap and freeze them. Roll one piece out into a big flat disc and place on an oiled baking tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until lightly golden on top. Take out of the oven and set aside.
5. Whisk the condensed milk and cocoa powder in a pan and put it over a medium heat. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the mixture thickens and starts to pull away from the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat and stir the margarine through.
6. Spread over the pizza base. Top with slices of cream cheese and wedges of fresh strawberries. Sprinkle the edges with chocolate sprinkles. Serve hot or cold.

Also part of the Vegan Virtual Linky Potluck.


at 7 comments:

Thursday, 19 December 2013

Chocolate Coconut Kisses (Beijos De Coco Com Chocolate)


A very simple and easy recipe, beautiful chocolate truffles made with fresh coconut and plump juicy golden raisins. If you can get fresh coconut then it's worth it, but if you can't just use dried and it will still be delicious. Only four ingredients, and even more fun if you have a helper to help you roll them out! They're not as rich and sweet as other truffles, and I dare you to try and stop at just one! They also make lovely gifts (since it's that time of year), just place in a little gift box lined with some tissue paper.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut flesh (about 1 coconut)
1/3 cup golden raisins, chopped
1/2 cup castor sugar
200g dark chocolate, chopped up

To Make:
1. Combine the grated coconut, sugar and raisins in a small saucepan and heat over a low heat until all the sugar is melted.
2. Remove from the heat and add the chopped dark chocolate, stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
3. Set the mixture aside to cool, then refrigerate for 10 minutes to help it firm up.
4. Roll bit of the mixture out into bite sized balls and put into little patty pans (or roll in cocoa).
5. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

Makes about 24 kisses.






This post is also part of the December Sweet Adventures Blog Hop. The theme for this month is Heavenly Holiday Truffles, which is right up my alley. I love truffles and I love experimenting with different flavours, here are some of my other truffle recipes - they're all vegan of course:

Cracked Pepper Chocolate Truffles


Gingery Chocolate Truffles

Jalapeño Chocolate Truffles

Trio of Vegan Chocolate Truffles:
Tahini Temptress, Paprika Paradise & Strawberry Gum Seduction


at 2 comments:

Monday, 16 December 2013

Bolinhos de Arroz (Brazilian Fried Rice Balls) with Orange, Olive & Brazil Nut Rice




Cooking with friends is one of my favourite things to do, and the other day my gorgeous friend Ruth came around to help me cook up a feast of Brazilian dishes. It's so much more relaxing to have an extra pair of hands to help out and to have a great person to chat to while we cook. Not to mention a good excuse to open a bottle of wine while you cook and catch up.

I'm always wanting to try new ideas in food styling, so I thought I would let a fresh pair of hands & eyes contribute. Ruth decided that, since it was Brazil month, everything should be as colourful as possible which I completely agree with! So she dug out my most colourful tablecloth, place mats & table decorations and used them all together. Did it clash? Yes. Was it brilliant? Yes. So I hope you enjoy these colourful photos, courtesy of Ruth's sense of fun :) Keep your eye out and you'll see her slightly crazy influence in some of my other Brazil month photos too!


Onto the food now. These fried rice balls turned out so much better than I had ever imagined. The rice is so delicious and flavourful that you don't need any dipping sauces or condiments with them & they're fried so light and crispy that you can't help going back for one more tasty crunchy bite!

These style of fried rice balls are often made in Brazil to use up leftover rice, but I cooked my own rice flavoured with chilli, orange, olives and Brazil nuts. I don't know about you, but whenever I think of Brazil nuts I think of the episode of the Simpsons in which they go to Brazil. Homer says to his kidnapper: "I have a bladder the size of a Brazil nut" and the man replies: "We just call them nuts here". I find that so funny that every time I think of Brazil nuts I hear his voice in my head saying "We just call them nuts here".

Traditionally, this recipe uses eggs as a binding agent. To make it vegan I just left them out and they held together fine because I cooked the rice by absorption so all the starchiness remained. If you have leftover rice which has been boiled, drained & rinsed then you may have more difficulty making them stay together. I recommend using rice cooked by absorption if you use leftover rice (otherwise you may need to add some egg replacer or cornstarch to bind). But if you follow this recipe you won't need any binder at all.

You can prepare the rice the night before, keep it in the fridge and then roll out and fry them just before serving.



Bolinhos de Arroz (Brazillian Fried Rice Balls) with Orange, Olive & Brazil Nut Rice

Ingredients
2 cups long grain rice
4 cups water
1 tsp chilli powder (add more or less, to taste)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp orange zest (about half an orange)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped Brazil nuts
1/3 cup sliced black olives
Vegetable oil, for frying.

To Make:
1. Combine the rice, water, chilli powder, garlic, olive oil, brown sugar, orange zest & salt in a large saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook on a low heat, covered, for about 30 minutes - or until the rice is cooked and all the water has been absorbed.
3. Stir in the chopped nuts and olives and set the rice aside to cool.
4. When the rice is cool enough to handle, pick up a handful and press it firmly into a ball. You won't be able to actually roll it between your palms or it will break up, so just press it firmly into place with your hands. Keep doing this until all the mixture is gone.
5. Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a wok, frypan or saucepan. Fry the balls in batches for just a few minutes on each side. Drain on paper towel and set aside while you fry all the others.
6. Serve immediately, or keep warm in the oven until ready to eat.

Makes about 30 balls (will vary depending on how big you roll them).


at 1 comment:

Thursday, 12 December 2013

Za'atar Cornbread in a Jar (Homemade Edible Christmas Gifts)



You might notice a slightly *cornbready* theme to my Edible Xmas posts this year, as I've already posted my Chilli Cornbread in a jar. Well, I got onto a good thing and I ran with it. This cornbread is made with Za'atar - a middle eastern herb and spice mixture. Ingredients can vary, but it's commonly made using thyme, marjoram, oregano, sesame seeds, sumac and sometimes other spices. It has a strong taste, and I advise you to only give this gift to somebody that you already know loves za'atar!




Here is what you'll need:

1 x empty 500ml jar with a lid
1 cup plain wholemeal flour
1/4 cup baking powder
2 tbsp za'atar (add more if they absolutely love it, but no more than 4 tbsp)
1 cup polenta

You'll also want:
A funnel to get everything into the jar in neat layers
Cardboard tags or Xmas tags
Ribbons for decorating and tying the tag on.

Assembly...
Using a funnel, layer the ingredients into the jar. Start with the flour, then the baking powder, then the za'taar and then the polenta. If you find that your jar is slightly bigger and not completely full, just add a bit more polenta to fill it up, it should work out fine.

Now: Here is what your label should say:

Za'taar Cornbread
To Make:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Empty contents of jar into a large bowl.
3. Add 1 cup soy milk, 1/3 cup canola oil and 1/3 cup water. Mix.
4. Grease a loaf tin or small/medium baking dish. Pour in batter.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Eat!




Want more Edible Gift Ideas?
Homemade jams
Cranberry, Apple and Cinnamon Infused Vodka
Chilli Cornbread in a Jar


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Friday, 6 December 2013

Kale, Orange & Almond Pesto Spaghetti


Our digestive systems taking a beating these days. Foods laced with artificial ingredients, chemical additives, flavours and colours are commonplace in every kitchen because it's quick convenient and cheap! I'm no different, it's so convenient to buy a bottle of passata or a stir fry sauce to make a quick dinner or lunch. In my practice as a health care practitioner I see not only lots of people with diagnosed digestive problems, but also countless people with undiagnosable "digestive discomfort", including heartburn and indigestion.

If you suffer from symptoms of heartburn, indigestion, lower abdominal pain, flatulence or irregular bowel movements you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist about getting some relief. If they aren't able to diagnose a cause then your best bet is to see an acupuncturist or Chinese herbalist, as they will treat the root of the problem for a more long term solution (disclosure: I'm a doctor of Chinese Medicine!). You should also look at your diet, as in my professional experience it can often be as simple as altering what you put into your body. It may be an intolerance such as wheat or lactose, or it may be time to start reading the labels on what you're buying at the supermarket!

It's really easy to start making a few things at home instead of buying commercial ones full of preservatives and things our bodies were never meant to consume. It only takes a few minutes to make your own pasta sauces and salad dressings. You can even whip up your own smoky bbq sauce in just a minute. Making your own pesto is easy too, and it tastes much more fresh and delicious than store bought. I love the bright green colour when I make my own pesto and the gorgeous fresh taste. It couldn't be easier - just chuck it all in a food processor and blitz it for a few minutes. It doesn't have to be basil pesto, either.You can experiment with different types as well, such as my rocket & chilli pesto and my broad bean pesto.


This healthy, vegan & additive free meal takes only 10 minutes to make. For quickest results, put the spaghetti on to cook and make the pesto in the 8-9 minutes it takes for the spaghetti to cook (varies depending on which type of spaghetti you use).

 Kale, Orange & Almond Pesto Spaghetti

Ingredients
400g dried spaghetti
1 bunch kale, washed and stems removed
1/2 cup blanched almonds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Zest of 1/2 orange (about 1 tsp)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Extra olive oil, as needed
Blanched almonds, to garnish

To Make
1. Boil the spaghetti according to the directions on the packet, until al dente.
2. While the spaghetti is cooking, tear up the kale and put it in a food processor with the almonds, garlic, orange zest and olive oil. Process until all chopped up into a paste, you can make it as smooth or as coarse as you like - I like to leave mine a little chunky.
3. Drain the pasta as soon as it is cooked and return to the pan. Add an extra 2 tbsp of olive oil and toss through the pasta. Mix the pesto through the spaghetti evenly, you can add a little more olive oil if you need to to make the pesto mix easier.
4. Lightly toast a handful of blanched almonds to garnish and serve immediately.


Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Gavsicon.
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Wednesday, 4 December 2013

Avocado Cream & Passion Fruit Mousse (Creme de Abacate & Mousse de Maracujá)


How is December treating you all so far? I love December, it's summer, life is busy and fun, and Christmas is just around the corner. Apparently some people hate Christmas, but I don't see the point of hating a reason to get together with family and friends over food and wine! Christmas goes on regardless of whether you love it or hate it, so you might as well love it :)

December is also Brazilian Food Month on the blog, the last World Food Challenge country for the year. I hope you've enjoyed the range of countries I've featured this month, I've had a great time! I've learn't so much and tried lots of things I've never done before. Each year I look back and I feel happy to know that I'm becoming a better & more experienced cook with every new cuisine I delve into, so a big thank you to all the readers who have suggested wonderful countries to feature and also to my friends who are more than happy to turn up every month with a bottle of wine and be my guinea pigs.

Brazil is a bit of a challenge from a vegan point of view, but with a bit of digging around I found plenty to please the palate. It's an espescially fun country for dessert, so you'll see plenty of those. Also, despite the international reputation for serving up predominantly meat on swords, I found some really special savoury dishes to share with you. So, sit back, I think you're going to enjoy this month.

Being December, I'll also be sharing with you some fun Christmas gift ideas. At the moment I'm sharing with all my facebook followers the "12 Days of Edible Xmas Gifts" - 12 ideas for easy edible gifts which are a bit different to the ones you might have thought of before! You can check them out by liking Gormandize on facebook.


I'm starting Brazil month off with this absolutely spectacular dessert. I'm not exaggerating, it really was spectacular. It was so popular at my Brazilian dinner party that I was sad to have no leftovers! I made it by combining 2 Brazilian desserts - Avocado Cream (Creme de Abacate) and Passion Fruit Mousse (Mousse de Maracujá). They're not traditionally combined, to my knowledge, but they complimented each other perfectly to make a light but special dessert. Don't let the idea of an avocado dessert put you off, you will love this!


Avocado Cream & Passion Fruit Mousse

 Ingredients

 Avocado Cream
Adapted from easybrazilianrecipes.com
3 ripe avocados, skin & stone removed
6 tbsp castor sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp vegan condensed milk

 Passion Fruit Mousse
Adapted from flavorsofbrazil.blogspot.com
1 can coconut cream, left in the fridge for at least 24 hours
3/4 cup vegan condensed milk
5 passion fruits
2 extra passion fruits for garnish

To Make
1. To make the avocado cream: place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend into a smooth cream. Divide amongst 8 individual serving glasses.
2. To make the passion fruit mousse: When you open the can of coconut cream, you'll see that most of the can has solidified into a thick white cream. Scoop this out and place in a bowl & discard the liquid in the can (or save it for use in another meal, like a curry or a smoothie). Whip the coconut cream solids with electrci beaters until light and fluffy, just like whipped cream. Add the condensed milk & the pulp of 5 passion fruits.
3. Divide amongst your 8 serving glasses evenly on top of the avocado cream.
4. Top each glass with fresh passion fruit pulp and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Serves 8. Can be made the night before & kept in the fridge.


at 1 comment:

Sunday, 1 December 2013

Chilli Cornbread in a Jar (Edible Christmas Gifts)


December has arrived yet again and it's time to get seriously organised about Xmas! A bit of planning now can save you plenty of stress later, so let's talk about edible Xmas gifts. I make edible Xmas gifts every year. They're a win/win, because they work out cheaper for me and the person getting it doesn't risk getting something they don't actually want or need. They also work well if you're put in a position where you have to buy something for someone you don't actually know very well (teachers, neighbours, work colleagues, in laws, girlfriends/boyfriends that family members are bringing to Xmas, the cousins that you only ever see at Xmas). An edible gift means you don't risk cluttering up their lives/houses with something they don't want/need. It also means you don't risk wasting your money on something that they might just re-gift or throw out.

In the past I've done plenty of cupcakes and biscuits for people, which is lovely. But sometimes it's good to go a little bit healthier. Maybe your mum is trying to lose some weight, maybe your grandmother isn't in the best of health, maybe your cousin is diabetic or maybe you know that they all eat way too much junk anyway and they don't need more chocolate and biscuits. Or maybe, you just want to do something a bit different.

People who love chilli are great to buy for. You can always hand over a bottle of fancy chilli sauce or some home made chilli jam or chilli vodka and you know they'll be thrilled. If you have a chilli lover in your family or friends then this chilli cornbread is a great and unique gift! The jar contains all the dry ingredients for a hot chilli cornbread, with a tag attached explaining a simple recipe for cooking it up. They don't have to be a cooking enthusiast to make it, it's as easy as A, B, Chilli!




Here is what you'll need:

1 x empty 500ml jar with a lid
1 cup plain wholemeal flour
1/4 cup baking powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup polenta
1-3 tsp chilli flakes (depending on how hot they like it!)

You'll also want:
A funnel to get everything into the jar in neat layers
Cardboard tags or Xmas tags
Ribbons for decorating and tying the tag on.

Assembly...
Using a funnel, layer the ingredients into the jar. Start with the flour, then the baking powder, then the cayenne pepper and then the polenta. Add the flaked chilli on top so that they get a surprise when they open the jar (more chilli!). If you find that your jar is slightly bigger and not completely full, just add a bit more polenta to fill it up, it should work out fine.

Now: Here is what your label should say:

Chilli Cornbread
To Make:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Empty contents of jar into a large bowl.
3. Add 1 cup soy milk, 1/3 cup canola oil and 1/3 cup water. Mix.
4. Grease a loaf tin or small/medium baking dish. Pour in batter.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Eat!




Want more Edible Gift Ideas?
Homemade jams
Cranberry, Apple and Cinnamon Infused Vodka


at 1 comment:

Wednesday, 20 November 2013

Blood Orange Curd Vegan Cheesecake Tart


Sometimes things just come together even better than you had ever imagined. I had an imagine in my mind of this tart and I was pretty sure it was going to taste great. What I wasn't prepared for was it turning out to be probably the best thing I have ever eaten. I'm not even joking. The pastry is light and super crumbly, the cheesecake filling is soft, luscious and creamy, the orange curd it tangy and melts in your mouth, and the candied blood orange slices not only look beautiful but add the slight bitter sweetness of candied peel (because, yes, you can eat the peel and, yes, it's delicious!).

I had originally planned to make this using only blood oranges, a blood orange curd with candied blood oranges on top. Foolishly, I didn't think this through and I only bought 2 blood oranges. When I realised that I would need more, I went back but they were sadly sold out at my fruit shop. So I made the curd using a regular naval orange and used the blood orange slices as the candied garnish. I actually think it's rather lovely because of the bright colour contrast, but if you have plenty of blood oranges then feel free to substitute blood orange into the curd as well, I'm sure it will be amazing.


There are four separate parts to make for this tart, but they are all quite straight forward so it's not too hard and it doesn't actually take too long. It's also conveniently no-bake, so just pop it in the fridge once you're done and it's ready to go. You could also make this in a round cake tin as a cheesecake, but I would recommend doubling everything and probably tripling the cheesecake filling.

Blood Orange Curd Vegan Cheesecake Tart

 Ingredients
250g light digestive biscuits (or other plain vegan biscuits)
2 tsp orange zest
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup nuttelex (or other vegan margarine), melted
150g vegan cream cheese
2 tbsp marmalade
2 blood oranges
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Vegan Orange Curd
Zest of 1 orange (hint: zest before juicing!)
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (should be about 1 naval orange)
3/4 cup coconut milk
3 heaped tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp turmeric (just for colour, if you make with blood oranges then leave this out)

To Make:
1. Process the biscuits in a food processor until they become crumbs. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the zest, cinnamon and melted margarine. Mix well.
2. Lightly grease your tart tin and then tip the biscuit crumbs in. Use your fingers to firmly press it up onto the sides of the tin to create an even later. Then spread out the remaining crumbs over the base and press down firmly with your fingers to create an even base.
3. In a bowl, whisk or beat together the vegan cream cheese and the marmalade. Spread evenly over the biscuit base.
4. Now set that aside and make the curd: Combine all the curd ingredients in a small saucepan and whisk well to combine. The cornstarch will be lumpy at first, but if you keep whisking the lumps with go (it's ok if there are just a few remaining, they'll cook out). If you want to avoid all that whisking then I guess you could use a blender.
5. Place the small saucepan over a medium heat. Whisking constantly, heat it for about 2 minutes - or until the contents of the pan are hot but not simmering or boiling (if it starts to simmer, reduce the heat immediately!). Once hot, reduce the heat and continue stirring for another 3-5 minutes. The curd will thicken suddenly quite a lot. Once this happens remove from the heat (still stirring) and pour straight onto the cream cheese layer. Use a knife to spread it out and smooth it over the top.
6. Heat the cup of sugar and the cup of water in a saucepan until dissolved. Thinly slice the whole blood oranges and simmer the slices in the syrup for about 5 minutes (you may need to do this in batches). Use these slices to decorate the top of the tart and then drizzle about 1-2 tbsp of the syrup over the top.
7. Place in the fridge for at least half an hour before serving.



This post is part of the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop. I haven't participated for a while in the SABH, so I thought I should get back in the swing. This month's theme is 'Cheese' desserts, which I'm sure will have some interesting submissions! You can check out the other entries below.

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Saturday, 16 November 2013

Beetroot & Vegan Feta Cheese Fugazza (Focaccia)


Good afternoon all! Today is a very special day, it's the biannual Vegan Virtual Potluck! It's so much fun to see what everyone has brought to the potluck, even though it takes me a good couple of hours to sit down and go through all the blogs that participate each time. A big shout out to all the great bloggers, especially Lidia & Annie, who work really hard behind the scenes to get such a huge logistical event working! I'm happy to be a volunteer on this potluck, doing my little bit to get it all together.

A quick note before I get onto potluck business! If you're new to my blog - welcome! I hope you'll really enjoy yourself, there are more than 200 recipes to browse through. You can use the recipe index above, or the labels on the side to look for particular ingredients or ethnic cuisines. You can also follow me on Twitter, or on Pinterest or by liking my page on Facebook. Today I'm starting to share with you a special "12 Days of Easy Edible Xmas Gifts" series on my facbook page, each day will be a new & interesting idea for a vegan home made edible gift and I promise you that there will be some you've never through of before :)



Enough of that though! On with the potluck. The potluck is split into categories, and I've been trying to go in a new category every time. This is my third potluck, my first potluck I went in 'Desserts' and made this Choc Banana Ice Cream Pie (Vegan & Sugar Free!). My second potluck I thought I'd try my hand at 'Beverages' so I made a Turkish Delight Martini.  For my third time around I've signed up for 'Breads'.

In hindsight I don't know why I signed up for breads, because I've been recently eating a lot less bread and have managed to lose 3kg because of my healthy kick. So, I realised that if I was going to make a bread-y thing for this potluck I would have to invite some friends over to help me eat it! I did, and they loved it!


This recipe was inspired by the Argentinian Caramelised Onion Fugazza which I made for Argentina Month on the blog. It's a symbol of the strong Italian influence on Argentinian cuisine, because it's essentially a focaccia. I was so happy with how my Caramelised Onion Fugazza turned out that I knew I would be experimenting with in the future. For this special Virtual Vegan Potluck Version, I've used marinated beetroot and my special home made Vegan Feta Cheese.

Beetroot & Vegan Feta Cheese Focaccia

 Ingredients
1 cup warm water
2 tsp yeast
2 tsp sugar
2 2/3 cup plain flour
1 tsp salt
8 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 large beetroot, peeled and chopped into wedges
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
3-4 sundried tomatoes, cut into strips
1 cup Vegan Feta Cheese cubes (unbaked)

To Make:
1. Combine the warm water, sugar and yeast in a bowl and set aside for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is frothy on top.
2. Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add 5 tbsp olive oil and the yeast mixture and mix to form a dough. It should be soft and pliable, but not sticking to your fingers. If it's too wet add a bit more flour, if it's too dry to hold together add a little more water.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured benchspace and knead for 10 minutes (set your oven timer and put on some good music to sing along to).
4. Lightly oil the mixing bowl and return the ball of dough to it. Cover with cling wrap or a tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes (or until doubled in size). In the meantime you can preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
7. While the dough is rising, boil the beetroot slices until just tender, and place in a bowl with the mustard and balsamic vinegar. Toss well and set aside until you need them.
6. Once risen turn the dough out and punch down into a smooth ball. Oil a round pan with 2 tbsp olive oil and place your ball of dough in the centre. Gently flatten the ball out into a disc with your fingers. You'll get to a point where you can't stretch it any further without it springing back. When you get to this stage just set is aside and let it rest for 10 minutes (while it's resting you can chop up your onions).
7. After 10 minutes the dough should have relaxed, allowing you to spread it out further. Keep doing this until the dough covers the whole pan and reaches the edges (you may have to rest it again before you can get it the full diameter).
8. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a fry pan and saute the onions until softened. Add the sugar and vinegar and cook for about 5 minutes.
9. Spread the onions over the the base and top with the beetroot slices, sundried tomatoes and the cubes of Vegan Feta Cheese. Drizzle with a bit of the oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes.
10. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges become golden brown. Remove from the oven, slice and serve up.


This is the virtual vegan potluck, which is so much fun so make sure you check out everyone else's posts too!

To start from the beginning and work your way through head to the very first blog in the chain by clicking right....... here. If you've already worked your way through all the recipes before me then I hope you're enjoying all the dishes. I can't wait to sit down with a cup of tea and go through them all!

What's next in breads? Time to move on to the next Potluck Offering. 


Hit this button to go to the previous post by Bite Me, I'm Vegan, or click here:



Hit this button to go to the next post by In Pursuit of More, or click here:



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