From crunchy curries to eggplant moles: Daniel Watkins’ veggie-focused sharing plates – recipes vegetarian food and drink
roasted cauliflower masala
Cauliflower is a truly versatile vegetable whose mild character makes it an ideal conduit for stronger flavors. instead of
Preparation 15 minutes
cooking 1 hour 10 minutes
serve 4 as a starter or sharing plate
150ml olive oil
3 large white onionspeeled and sliced
30g tamarind paste
1 lemongrassbruise, then mince
½ cinnamon stick
6 fresh curry leavesor 1 tsp curry powder
1 fresh macrat lime leaf
1 red peppersplit lengthwise, remove the pith and seeds, and finely chop the pulp
1 x 400ml coconut tin milk
200g canned tomatoes (ie, ½ tin)
salt and black pepper
2 medium cauliflower (Approx. 400-500g)
roasted almonds, fresh coriander and lime wedges,serve
First, make the masala. Heat 100ml of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat, add the onion, tamarind paste, lemongrass, cinnamon, curry leaves, lime leaves, chili, and sauté for 15-20 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and caramelized.
Stir in coconut milk and tomatoes and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Place in a blender (or use a stick blender) to smooth blitz and season to taste. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, if desired.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/Gas 7 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Cut each cauliflower in half, rub each portion with half a tablespoon of oil, season to taste, then place on a tray and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through.
Spoon the warm masala into a wide, shallow bowl and arrange the cauliflower crumbs on top (set aside any leftover masala; when cool, mix with mayonnaise to make a great salad dressing). Garnish with toasted almonds, fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime and serve hot.
Eggplant steak with sourdough mole
pillars of mexican cuisine, Mole A rich and unique addition to any dish and well worth the extra cooking time. If you don’t have access to ancho and pasilla chilies, most supermarkets sell a Mexican chili blend that you can use instead for added heat.
Preparation 15 minutes
immerse 1 hour
cooking 1 hour
serve Four
4 eggplantss
Olive oil
2 cloves of garlicpeeled and crushed
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
a few roasted seeds and a wedge of lime,serve
For sour duck
150ml extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlicpeeled and crushed
30g peeled walnuts
30g shelled hazelnuts
25g sunflower seeds
20g white sesame seeds
1 ancho chiliSoak in water for 1 hour, remove the stem and seeds, and finely chop the pulp.
5 pasilla peppersSoak in water for 1 hour, remove the stem and seeds, and finely chop the pulp.
50g tomato puree
250g sourdoughsliced and toasted and crumbled into pieces
¼ cinnamon stickpulverized into powder
4 g (1¼ tsp) ground cumin
3 g (1 teaspoon) smoked paprika
salt
Honeytaste
orange peeltaste
First make a mole. Heat the oil in a medium-sized frying pan and sauté the garlic, nuts, seeds and chilies one by one until golden brown, scooping and straining the oil while frying each ingredient. Stir the tomato puree into the hot oil. cook until darkened and brick red, 1 to 2 minutes.
Place the oil and tomato mix in a large pot, add the bread, fried garlic, nuts, seeds and chilies, ground spices, and carefully pour in just enough water to cover. Cook over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally and raising the water level so it’s about even throughout. The bread will absorb liquid during cooking, so you need to add more water until the spices are cooked and the seeds are crumbled.
Blitze into a smooth sauce, sift to remove lumps, and season with salt, honey, and orange zest.
In the meantime, start with eggplant. Cut each eggplant lengthwise into 3cm slices (reserve these cuts for another use). This leaves a large, flat steak.
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium-low heat. Arrange the eggplant steaks (divided into several portions if necessary), add the garlic and thyme, and season with a pinch of salt until browned on both sides. Bake. Transfer to a baking tray and place under a low grill and bake on both sides until tender and golden brown.
Spoon a generous amount of moles onto each plate, top with eggplant steak, and finish with a sprinkle of roasted seeds and a squeeze of lime.
Miso Bagna Cauda Grilled Green Peppers
It is commonly made with anchovies, bagna cauda A salty classic from northern Italy, especially Piedmont. Here, it’s made vegan by replacing an ingredient in the store’s cupboard with another, and the miso instead adds depth of umami.
Preparation 10 minutes
nice half an hour
cooking 4 hours
serve Four
4 red peppers
Olive oilfor lubrication
salt and black pepper
small capers,serve
For miso bagna cauda
grated rind 1 lemon
250ml olive oil
White miso 75g
50g garlicpeeled and crushed
½ teaspoon chili flakes
salt
First of all, I will make bagna cauda. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Peel the lemon to remove the remaining zest and white pith, roughly chop the flesh, put this in a metal bowl and place it snugly over the water pan. Mix well and wrap in plastic wrap.
Place the bowl over a pan of water and cook gently for 45 minutes, until the garlic is very soft. Remove the bowl from the pan and allow the sauce to cool to room temperature. After cooling, mix until emulsified and check the seasoning. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to a week (also works as a dressing for salads and warm Jersey Royal or Pink Fir potatoes).
Place the grill on medium-high heat and let it sit for 5 minutes until well-heated. Meanwhile, cut each bell pepper in half and remove and discard the stem, pith and seeds. Place half of the pepper in a little olive oil to coat and season.
Place the peppers, cut side down, on the grill pan and grill for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip over and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes, until skin is charred. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and steam for 5 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, peel if desired, but usually don’t bother.
Arrange the pepper halves on a large plate, top each with a large spoonful of bagna cauda, sprinkle with a few capers and serve.