tbs tahini
Juice of 2 lemons
As required sea salt
As required freshly ground black pepper
3 tbs finely chopped parsley
1) Prick the aubergines (eggplants) all over with a fork. Place them under a hot grill (broiler) and grill (broil) them, turning when necessary, until they are thoroughly charred on all sides (a fork should pierce right through them with no resistance). An alternative method is to bake them in a very hot oven 450°F/230°C/Gas Mark 8 for about an hour. This is obviously the longer and more costly method in fuel, but the grill (broiler) method works best for small aubergines (eggplants) and the oven for large ones.
2) Rinse the aubergines (eggplants) under cold water and peel the charred skins off. (This does not have to be done immediately; if preferred they can be left to cool first.)
3) Chop the aubergine (eggplant) flesh. Chop the garlic. Put both into the liquidizer along with the tahini, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend thoroughly.
4) Stir the parsley in last. Serve either chilled or at room temperature.
Falafel
The secret of this recipe is to use raw beans, not cooked ones. Serve them in pitta bread pockets, with shredded lettuce and finely chopped cucumber and tomato, with some tahini creamed with lemon juice and crushed garlic.
225g/½ lb/11/3 cups chick peas (garbanzo beans) 6 spring onions (scallions) 2 tsp coriander seeds 2 tsp cumin seeds 1 clove garlic 2 tsp chopped parsley 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) As required freshly ground black pepper As required vegetable oil for frying
1) Cover the chick peas (garbanzo beans) with cold water and leave to soak overnight. Drain well and grind the beans-in a food processor, liquidizer (do them in at least 4 separate batches), or mincer.
2) Chop the spring onions (scallions) finely. Grind the coriander and cumin. Crush the garlic.
3) Combine all the remaining ingredients with the chick peas (garbanzo beans) in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.
4) Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a walnut (or smaller if desired). Deep-fry them in oil which has been heated to 350–375°F/180–190°C (or in a deep-fat fryer) until they are golden. Drain thoroughly on paper towels.
Cauliflower Sandwich Spread
Americans like to chop up white flesh of a fowl or fish and mix it with mayonnaise as a sandwich filling. This recipe uses the same method but with a white vegetable instead.
1 medium cauliflower
4 spring onions (scallions)
2 tbs minced parsley
4–5 tbs vegan mayonnaise
1) Wash and break the cauliflower into florets. Steam in a small amount of water until just tender (only a few minutes).
2) Mash the cauliflower coarsely or chop it finely. Cool it. (Alternatively the cauliflower can be cooked the day before and left in the refrigerator overnight, to be mashed just before eating.)
3) Chop the spring onions (scallions) finely.
4) Combine all the ingredients and if they are not already chilled then chill before serving.
Chick Pea Spread
This is a variant on the same theme as above.
A quick recipe.
455g/l Ib/2½ cups or 2 tins (cans)
(c.400g/14–l 6 oz) each cooked chick peas
(garbanzo beans)
3 sticks celery
4 spring onions (scallions)
4 tbs vegan mayonnaise
As required sea salt
As required freshly ground black pepper
1) Drain the beans. Place them in a large bowl and mash them (a potato masher or pastry blender is useful for this). They do not have to be particularly smooth.
2) Chop the celery and spring onions (scallions) finely.
3) Combine all the ingredients, and use immediately or chill before serving.
Tempeh Spread
This is a more elaborate variant on the same theme.
225g/½ lb/1 cup tempeh
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tbs vegetable oil
4 tbs Smokey Snaps (soy bakon bits)
1 tsp oregano
5 tbs finely chopped parsley
5–6 tbs vegan mayonnaise
1) Steam the tempeh. then mash it in a mixing bowl.
2) Chop the onion finely, crush the garlic and sauté together in the oil in a frying pan for 3–5 minutes until lightly browned.
3) Add the fried onion and garlic to the tempeh, together with the Smokey Snaps (soy bakon bits), oregano, parsley and mayonnaise. Mix thoroughly. Chill before serving.
Guacamole
For a rough texture mix the ingredients with a fork; for a smooth one use a liquidizer. A quick recipe.
2 avocados
1 tsp grated onion
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
As required Tabasco sauce, cayenne
or chilli powder
Pinch sea salt
1) Mash the avocados well.
2) Combine all the ingredients and beat thoroughly.
Curried Avocado Spread
This is nice served on crispbread. A quick recipe.
2 avocados
Juice of ½ lemon
½–l tsp curry powder
1 tbs vegan mayonnaise
3 tbs Smokey Snaps (soy bacon bits)
1) Mash the avocados.
2) Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Lentil Pâté
It is difficult to know when something is a pâté rather than a spread but the texture and richness of this and the recipe which follows seem to demand the pâté label.
115g/4 oz/2 cups wholewheat bread
115g/4 oz/½ cup red lentils
285ml/½ pt/11/3 cups water 1 onion 2 tbs vegetable oil 1 tbs tahini 1 tsp dried rosemary ½ tsp dried thyme Pinch nutmeg 1 tbs finely chopped parsley 1 tbs miso
1) Break the bread up into pieces, cover with water, and leave to soak for about an hour.
2) Cook the lentils in the water for about 15 minutes until tender.
3) Chop the onion. Sauté it in the oil for about 5 minutes until tender and beginning to brown.
4) Add the onions to the lentils. Drain the bread and squeeze as much moisture out as possible: add to the lentils and onions.
5) Stir in the tahini. rosemary, thyme and nutmeg and cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes.
6) Stir in the parsley and miso, beating well