Innholdsfortegnelse for The Essential Guide To…Meat free i The Essential Guide To...

There are many ways to go meat-free, from dropping it from your menus once or twice a week for a more flexible approach, to adopting a completely plant-based, vegan diet. Whatever your reasons or goals, one thing’s for sure – with our collection of tried and tested recipes, you’ll be too dazzled by the delicious flavours and textures to feel that you’re missing out on anything. We’ve chosen our favourite meat-free dishes for every occasion, plus a selection of fabulous fish recipes for pescatarians. We also dispel a few meat-free myths, suggest some handy ingredient swaps and share our tips on maintaining a nutritious balanced diet. Enjoy! The Essential Guide To… Meat-free Meals is published by Eye to Eye Media, Axe & Bottle Court, 70 Newcomen Street, London SE1 1YT.…

TOFU Made from soya beans, this is a protein-rich veggie and vegan staple. Firm or regular tofu has the right texture for cubing, and you can get it ready-marinated – great for noodle dishes or curries. Silken tofu is softer and can be used for sauces or smoothies. TEMPEH Similar to tofu and made from fermented soya beans, tempeh can be fried, baked or steamed. Try marinating in soy, vinegar, ginger and garlic but handle gently and don’t overcook. JACKFRUIT A fruit that you treat more like a vegetable, this is one of the Vegetarian Society’s top 5 ingredients to help you go veggie. It comes in tins (avoid anything in sweet syrup if you’re making savoury dishes) and has a firm texture – great in stews, curries or pasta…

Mushroom & leek filo pie Make this vegan by using just oil to cook the onions and leeks, leave out the eggs and use vegan hard cheese Serves 6 Prep time 50 mins Cooking time 30 mins You’ll need… 900g (2lb) loaf tin, lined with baking paper that overhangs the sides • 50g butter• Rapeseed oil for frying and brushing• 2 large onions, finely chopped• 500g leeks, finely chopped• 2 garlic cloves, crushed• 600g mixed mushrooms, finely chopped• 5ml medium-dry sherry• Small bunch fresh tarragon, leaves finely chopped• 100g mature Cheddar, grated• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard• 3 medium free-range eggs• 8 filo pastry sheets 1 In a large frying pan, melt 25g of the butter and a glug of oil until the butter begins to foam. Add the onions and…

Flexitarian (also known as a ‘casual vegetarian’) explores more plant-based menu options without completely excluding meat. Pescatarian excludes meat and poultry, but still eats fish. Lacto-ovo vegetarian excludes meat, poultry and fish, but eats dairy and eggs. Lacto-vegetarian excludes meat, poultry, fish and eggs, but eats dairy. Ovo-vegetarian excludes meat, poultry, fish and dairy, but eats eggs. Veggan excludes meat, poultry, fish, dairy and honey, but eats eggs. Vegan excludes meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs and honey.…

Smoky orange, roasted tomato & olive pappardelle Mixed seeds or nuts boost the nutrients in this dish as well as adding a crunchy texture against the silky pasta – try almonds, hazelnuts or pine nuts Serves 4 Prep time 10 mins Cooking time 30 mins • 8 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped• 1 orange, cut into 6 wedges• 1 tbsp light olive oil• ¼ tsp sweet smoked paprika• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced• 2 tsp maple syrup• 300g egg-free pappardelle or other dried pasta• 150g pitted green olives, roughly chopped• 2 large handfuls mixed herbs or rocket, roughly chopped• 50g mixed seeds or nuts• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 Heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Put the tomatoes and orange wedges in a roasting tin, toss with the light…

THE CLASSIC: TOAD IN THE HOLE Squash & Stilton bake This swaps traditional sausages for chunks of caramelised squash peaking out from a golden batter pudding Serves 6 Prep time 15 mins Cooking time 50-55 mins You’ll need… 1.5L baking dish • 1 coquina or butternut squash, deseeded, cut into wedges• 2 small red onions, cut into chunky slices• 3 whole peeled garlic cloves, bashed with the flat of a knife• 4 rosemary springs (leaves from 2 of them finely chopped)• 4 tbsp olive oil• 225g plain flour, sifted• Pinch baking powder• 4 large free-range eggs• 300ml whole milk• 2 tsp Dijon mustard• 150g Stilton, crumbled (made with vegetarian not animal rennet) or Cheddar or a soft goat’s cheese• 3 tbsp redcurrant jelly 1 Heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas…

STARTER Avocado & squash tempura with ponzu dipping sauce This is a speedy vegan starter. Make the ponzu sauce and squash ahead of time, but cut the avocado and mix up the batter minutes before your oil is ready. Serve hot on a sharing platter Serves 6 Prep time 10 mins Cooking time 10 mins You’ll need… Digital probe thermometer • Vegetable oil for deep frying• 50g plain flour• 50g cornflour• 170g cava or soda water• 1 large avocado, sliced• 350g butternut squash, peeled and sliced into thin wedges• Sesame seeds to sprinkle• Microherbs or coriander leaves to garnish• Lime wedges to garnish For the ponzu sauce • 3 tbsp tamari soy sauce• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 clementine• 2…

Spinach & pine nut palmiers Zhoug paste is a Yemenite spice paste – if you can’t find it, you can try adding some dried cloves and chilli to a coriander pesto Serves 6-8, makes about 35 Prep time 15 mins Cooking time 20-25 mins You’ll need… 2 baking sheets lined with baking paper • 50g pine nuts• 100g baby leaf spinach• Small bunch fresh mint, leaves picked• 2 tbsp zhoug paste• 50g feta, crumbled• 50ml olive oil• 320g pack ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry• 1 medium free-range egg, beaten 1 Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan for 4-5 mins. Put the spinach, toasted nuts, mint and zhoug paste in a processor, then whizz until finely chopped. Crumble in the feta, then add the olive oil and season…

VITAMIN A Good sources? There are two forms: retinol, found in milk, cheese, butter, egg yolks and oily fish; and beta-carotene, found in dark green vegetables and yellow, orange and red fruits and red peppers, kale, sweet potatoes and carrots. Why it’s important Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin and eyes, and children’s growth. It also helps fight infection. Beta-carotene (used to make vitamin A) may prevent heart disease. How much do you need?* 700mcg a day for men; 600mcg a day for women. To get enough each day, eat 60g steamed carrots or 1 tomato and 25g Cheddar cheese. VITAMIN B1 (Thiamin) Good sources? Wholegrains (especially bread), oats and brown rice. Also in dairy products, yeast extract (like Marmite), pulses nuts and seeds. Why it’s important Vitamin B1…

Makes 640g Prep time 1 hr, plus 2-3 hrs chilling You’ll need… 250g plain flour plus extra for dusting, 1½ tsp salt, 140-150ml cold water, 250g unsalted butter (cool but not fridge-cold) 1 Sift 250g plain flour and 1½ tsp salt into a large bowl. Measure 140ml cold water into a jug. Melt 40g cool unsalted butter and stir into the water. Pour the water and butter mixture onto the flour in the bowl and quickly combine using a knife. Using your hands, gently and with minimal handling bring it together into a dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 mins. 2 Meanwhile, cut 2 sheets of baking paper into 25cm x 20cm rectangles. Put the remaining 210g cool butter in the centre of one sheet, cover with the other…

Babka buns with Nutella & tahini filling Sesame seed paste – tahini – is a versatile vegan ingredient in houmous, baba ghanoush and many sauces. Here it gives Nutella a more intensely nutty taste Makes 6 Prep time 30 mins, plus overnight rising and proving Cooking time 35 mins You’ll need… Stand mixer with a dough hook (or an electric hand mixer with dough hook attachments and a large mixing bowl); Yorkshire pudding tin with large holes, lined with compostable baking paper • 150ml whole milk• 140g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing• 125g plain flour, plus extra for dusting• 125g strong white bread flour• ½ tsp fine sea salt• 40g golden caster sugar• 7g fast-action dried yeast• 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten, in separate bowls…

Once you’ve mastered the skill of making tortellini you can fill them with all sorts of vegetable combinations – pumpkin with sage, pea and ricotta, artichoke, hazelnuts and lemon and so much more Serves 4 Makes 40-48 tortellini Prep time 1 hr 30 mins, plus up to 2 hrs resting You’ll need… Pasta machine; 6-8cm fluted round pastry or pasta cutter For the pasta • 350g type 00 pasta flour, plus extra for dusting• ¼ tsp salt• 2 medium free-range eggs, plus 6 yolks, lightly beaten (reserve the egg whites to seal the tortellini) For the filling • 60g dried porcini mushrooms• Olive oil for frying and drizzling• 1 onion, finely chopped• 1 garlic clove, crushed• 150g chestnut mushrooms, very finely chopped• 100g mascarpone For the sauce • 100g unsalted…

KOREA Korean-style ‘clay pot’ barbecue tofu If you eat fish, you could swap salmon fillet for the tofu and use different veg too Serves 4 Prep time 15 mins Cooking time 20 mins • 110g sriracha chilli sauce• 2-3 balls stem ginger, chopped• 50g light muscovado sugar• 4 tsp rice or white wine vinegar• 4 tbsp tomato ketchup• 1 tbsp tamari soy sauce• 280g extra-firm tofu• Vegetable oil for frying• 400g mushrooms, halved• 350g cabbage, sliced• 200g pack sticky rice• Handful of chopped radishes• ¼ cucumber, sliced• 3 spring onions, chopped• Sesame seeds• Squeeze of lemon juice• Few tbsp vegan kimchi 1 Heat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7. Whizz the sriracha, ginger, sugar, vinegar, ketchup and tamari in a mini-blender until smooth. Set aside. 2 Cut the tofu into…

…vegetable stock A fresh veg stock always beats shop-bought or a stock cube, plus it’s a great way of knowing exactly what’s going into your soups. Stock is also handy for stews, stroganoff and, of course, a great gravy. • Put 2 carrots, 2 onions, 2 celery sticks and 1 leek, all roughly chopped, into a large pan with a few bay leaves, a generous pinch of black peppercorns and a small bunch of fresh parsley.• Fill the pan with water to cover well, then bring to a gentle simmer – the water should barely bubble.• Cook for 30 mins to 1 hr, removing any scum that forms on the surface, then strain and set aside to cool. Divide among freezer bags, then freeze for up to 6 months. …croutons…

Lentil & roasted vegetable salad with buttermilk dressing Ring the changes and use grains such as giant couscous, pearl barley or bulgur wheat in this salad instead of lentils Serves 4-6 Prep time 30 mins Cooking time 35-40 mins • 250g dried puy lentils• 500ml vegetable stock• 1 fennel bulb, sliced lengthways through the root into 8 wedges• 2 red onions, sliced through the root into quarters• Olive oil for roasting• 2 rye bread slices, roughly torn• 200g watermelon radishes, quartered or use whole breakfast radishes• 100g rocket• 2 avocados, sliced• Lemon juice to serve (optional) For the dressing • 200ml buttermilk• 50g Dolcelatte• 1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar• ½ garlic clove, crushed• Bunch of chives, finely chopped 1 Heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Put the lentils in a…

This is a rough guide if you want to sit down to our veggie Wellington (P108), Herby hasselback potatoes, Roast sprouts with walnuts & pomegranates (P109), and Spiced honey fondant parsnips & carrots (P109) then Gluten-free Christmas pudding (P113) – made and first steam completed 11am Prep the veg for the Wellington (ie, roast the squash, mushrooms, walnuts, chestnuts, etc, and soak the prunes). Leave to cool. To really get ahead, make the Wellington to step 5 up to 48 hrs ahead. Cover the filling and chill. Keep the cooked pastry in an airtight container in a cool place (not the fridge). 11.30am Roll, chill and pre-bake the pastry base for the Wellington. Assemble the Wellington and chill. 12.30pm Put the Wellington in the oven for its final bake. 1-1.10pm…

Iron Meat is a source of iron, so if you’ve gone meat-free, find iron in pulses such as beans, lentils and peas; nuts; dried fruit, such as raisins; dark-green vegetables, such as watercress, broccoli and spring greens; wholegrains, such as brown rice and brown bread; and cereals fortified with iron. Calcium If you’re veggie or pescatarian, you can get calcium from dairy foods, but vegans need to look at sources from other foods such as fortified unsweetened soya, rice and oat drinks; leafy green vegetables; almonds; sesame seeds and tahini; dried fruit; pulses and brown (wholemeal) and white bread. Zinc Pescatarians can get zinc from shellfish or dairy foods such as cheese, but it can also be found in bread and cereal products such as wheatgerm.…

Chipotle paste… Made using chipotle chillies, this adds a spicy, smoky heat. Try it in Mexican-style mac & cheese. Curry powder… comes in varying heat intensities and not just useful for curries. Try some to jazz up mayonnaise. Harissa… Try mixing this hot chilli pepper paste with yogurt for a salad dressing. Maple syrup… adds a sweet stickiness to savoury dishes. Try mixing with butter to drizzle over butternut squash.  Marmite… Love it or hate it, a spoonful of this adds a ‘meaty’ tang to veggie Bolognese. Miso… A fermented soybean paste. White miso is milder and sweeter; red has a stronger umami flavour. Both work in marinades and dressings.  Mustard… Dijon, English or French, these add flavour and heat to marinades and sauces. Ras el hanout… A rich North…

1 Beetroot & lentil burgers Slightly peppery puy lentils are ideal for these gently spiced beetroot patties Serves 4 Prep time 20 mins Cooking time 10 mins • 325g raw beetroot, peeled and grated• 250g pack cooked puy lentils• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped• 1 red chilli, chopped• 5cm piece fresh ginger, finely chopped• 6 fresh mint sprigs, finely chopped• 1 free-range egg• ½ tbsp curry powder• 2-3 tbsp plain flour• 60g crumbled feta• 4 good-quality buns• Salad leaves• Lemon wedges 1 Heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Wrap the beetroot in a clean J-cloth. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Put it in a bowl with the lentils. Add the garlic, chilli, ginger and mint. Crack in the egg. Mix in the curry powder, salt and pepper…

Whole or ground? Pre-ground spices are most convenient, but crushed or ground whole spices deliver the biggest hit. Most of the powerful flavour compounds in spices are locked away inside tiny oil droplets within the spice. The instant a whole spice is crushed, chopped, pounded or ground, these droplets rupture, releasing their aromatic flavour. How do I use them? Spices work best in hot oils or fats, ideally at the beginning of cooking to give them time to develop their flavours. Don’t use spices the way you would salt, sprinkling into a dish halfway through. Recipes often ask for whole spices to be toasted in a dry pan before grinding, to bring out their flavours, but they catch easily so watch them closely. What should I stock up on? If…

Indian paneer & cabbage curry Make this vegan by replacing the paneer with a vegetable such as sweet potato or peeled new potatoes and serving it with soya yogurt Serves 4 Prep time 20 mins Cooking time 40 mins • 4 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra if needed, for frying• 200g paneer, cut into 2cm cubes• 2 onions, sliced• 1 green pepper, finely sliced• ½ tsp ground turmeric• 2 tbsp ground cumin• ½ tsp chilli powder• ½ tsp ground fenugreek• 2 tbsp fennel seeds• Thumb-size piece fresh ginger, grated• 4 garlic cloves, crushed• ½ Savoy cabbage, heart removed and leaves shredded• 4 large tomatoes, diced, or ½ x 400g tin chopped tomatoes• ½ tsp sugar• 1 tbsp garam masala• Fresh coriander leaves and black onion seeds (sometimes called nigella) to…

Baked salmon in a creamy maple & spinach sauce To boost the veg content, try adding a handful of peas Serves 4 Prep time 10 mins Cooking time 15 mins • Splash of olive oil• 4 x 200g sustainable salmon fillets, skinned• 75ml dry white wine• 300ml half-fat crème fraîche• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard• 1-2 tbsp maple syrup• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice• 200g baby leaf spinach• Small handful fresh dill, roughly chopped• Steamed waxy potatoes to serve 1 Heat a splash of olive oil in a large heavy-based shallow frying pan or shallow casserole with a lid over a medium heat. Add the salmon, skinned-side up, and cook until just golden and beginning to cook through (about 5 mins). Transfer to a plate and set aside.  2 Add the white…