Veganuary

[Grasshopper Profile]

I do find it difficult to debate this subject as I am a confirmed omnivore and feel constantly disapproved of by a vocal minority. I eat vegetarian and vegan dishes ... I don’t think I eat them more often than I used to but I am possibly more aware of when I am doing it nowadays ... such dishes used to be simply part of my normal ‘mixed diet’ but now they have a ‘label’ and the whole subject seems polarised.

Pondering on why I find it difficult, I think it is because of the censure felt by meat eaters from ‘ethical vegetarians’ ... we feel judged and disapproved of. Over the years many many of my friends have followed a vegetarian diet, but they have not attempted to convert me or say that I am morally wrong for eating meat and dairy products ... but more recently this is the charge levelled against omnivores by a vociferous minority of vegetarians and vegans.

I am ‘a foodie’ ... I care about what I eat and how it is produced and prepared. I also believe that the extensive (as opposed to intensive) farming of animals has an important part to play in feeding the world’s population. Many areas are not suitable for grain and pulse production and the ploughing of grassland releases carbon into the atmosphere ... a grazing ley is as much a method of carbon capture as the planting of woodland, and provides another type of habitat for important invertebrates. There are many other points in favour of the suitability of mixed farming in some parts of the world.

I also understand and care about animal welfare ... I have reared my own animals for meat ... I’ve ensured that they had as good a life and as stress free death as was possible. It was certainly less stressful than the death of a gazelle being chased across the Serengeti and torn apart by a pack of prairie dogs, or the death of a mouse or a wren at the mercy of a cat. I have no quarrel with anyone who chooses not to eat meat, so why am I, a creature who evolved to be an omnivore, being disapproved of by activists on ethical grounds, because of my choice to follow a diet which is natural for my species? I too am part of the animal kingdom just as the prairie dogs are.

Suffs - I agree with you 100%!

Something's plainly upset Smitch - I DO hope it wasn't me

[jeral Profile]

I'll just chorus a hope that all is well with smitch and offer best wishes.

In vegan food, my two favourites are, first, black bean pie (with mushrooms, carrot, leek, mere hint of tom, mustard, herbs, bit of spud all precooked and sauteed then cooled and into blindbaked shortcrust double crust pie. (Tasty and earthy.) Then, no surprise, Imam Bayildi. (Punchy and an easy "go to".)

Mushrooms do tend to figure a lot, although green puy lentils have a place with crispy shallots and saute spud or chips, as does red pepper and red lentil soup, and East Med chickpea and probably spinach concoctions once I've boiled the heck out of the chickpeas to soften them. Interspersed with (maybe fried) rice/(sesame) noodles accompanying stir fried veg. Not fussy: fresh, ready-prep'd pack or tinned or freezer items. Fruit or dried fruit smoothies usually with rice milk (veg not so much).

I want to try a fillet of fish, i.e. tofu in nori seaweed, battered and deep fried. Problem is that I don't like tofu, doh, or Quorn. Hmm.

What are your vegan favourites or standard ones?

[KeenCook2 Profile]

Maybe we should gently steer this back onto the original topic more ? I’m always interested in more plant based food so will look forward to hearing more about your Veganuary. If I make any vegan meals , deliberately or otherwise , I will post in here

Well, we had a very delicious vegan-friendly cauliflower supper. This blogger made it from the same book that was a Christmas present from my son: http://my-shittykitchen.blogspot.com/20 ... asted.html

We liked the spicing very much, it was a bit dry so we had it with yogurt and fresh chopped coriander on a bed of quinoa. In the original recipe, Alison Roman says that feta/labneh/yogurt are optional, as are the fresh herbs.
If it were a side dish to something that was a bit wet, it would be fine. If you don't want dairy, a tahini dressing would be delicious.

Definitely recommended.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Nigella posted a brand new vegan spag bol recipe today in honour of Veganuary and the Italian tradition of eating lentils on New Year’s s Day

It looks delicious but requires 3 different types of lentils - red, green and Puy - and although I usually have red lentils I only keep one type of whole lentil in stock, at the moment I’ve got the big green ones but no Puy (or Beluga or other small dark lentils that I’m sure would work fine) and I think all green might be a bit much

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/vegan-s ... kfr47c95cb

[WWordsworth Profile]

I intended to make celeriac risotto tonight, but things changed and we had cottage pie.

[Suffs Profile]

..... Problem is that I don't like tofu, doh, or Quorn. Hmm.

What are your vegan favourites or standard ones?

You see, omnivore that I am, I just love tofu ... there’s almost always some in our fridge

[Amyw Profile]

I really like tofu too . It’s a really good protein source and takes on flavours really well . I like the firm Tofoo one the best . There was also a really nice southern fried crumbed version , I can’t remember which brand . I think tofu is one of those things people inherently turn their noses up at , same as lentils and pulses as all that veggie stuff , whereas even as an Omnivore, I think they’re just different ingredients to use in your cooking .

Celeriac risotto sounds nice . I think risottos lend themselves very well to bring vegetarian or vegan

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Thinking that Nori seaweed is often used to wrap sushi, I wonder if you could make parcels of flavoured rice to deep fry. This doesn't replace the protein in tofu etc though and neither would jackfruit which might have the flakiness of fish. You could add seeds to the rice and serve something like a salad of pulses with it. Is it the texture or flavour of tofu that you dislike? The latter can be overcome by marinating it in something you like.

[herbidacious Profile]

Ottolenghi's mushroom tray bake ragu is good. A bit involved though I make Thai green curries with tofu, cashew nuts, mushrooms and peas and French beans quite a lot. Ribollita is one of my standbys and favourites. One of my favourte favourite thing is garlicky tomato bruschetta, followed closely by gazpacho. I realize none of these are terribly adventurous, but they things I really do love (and am not tempted to add cheese to... ok maybe the ribollita...)
I used to really want to like tofu, but just didn't get it. A 5 course tofu meal in Japan didn't help either. (Although the bright blue and green tofu skewers, served in a little wooden create, was quite good.) I now actually crave it periodically (but not the deep fried stuff, which I really don't like at all.) A tofu press makes a lot of difference. A bit of a game changer, in fact. And as EM says, really good marinades. YOu can bake tofu too. A vegan friend swears by it.
Tofoo is my favourite brand too, Amy. I think it tastes quite nice even as it is.

I should use lentils more. Not so keen on the green, borwn and orange ones - a bit mealy - but Puy ones and similar are lovely.

If it survives, and if anyone happens to go to/be in London, I would recommend a place called Stem and Glory. (Their original restaurant is in Cambridge, but I've not been to that one.) They make amazing food, a million miles from all those burgers and faux meat things served up in pubs these days. Proper delicious, gourmet food.
There is/was also a pub that just does masses of fillling, cheap vegan junk food pub not far from my work... Each to their own! (A vegan friend loved it.)

[karadekoolaid Profile]

blindbaked shortcrust double crust pie.

OK - that sounds divine - but I assume your shortcrust is made with margarine?
And the point is - Vegan cookery is not at all easy. Perhaps we confuse Veganism with vegetarianism ( ie. butter does not involve killing animals...oh-oh - but it´s not plant-based) and perhaps even with severe vegetarians, like the Jains from India, who won´t eat onions or garlic or tomatoes or beetroot, but will happily eat butter and ghee) .
When it comes down to the line, I suppose most of the population eat what they like. They may be omnivores - and delight in a Hindu Thali. They may be 97.7% vegetarian - but really enjoy a burger from time to time. They may declare themselves to be pescetarian - but happily eat a bacon-wrapped shrimp.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Ottolenghi's mushroom tray bake ragu is good. A bit involved though

I find Ottolenghi´s recipes "involved" as well. In other words, complicated!
However, I think it´s a question of trying it out and then saying - fine, it was really good, but I could probably make it easier if I were to eliminate...(x,y,z)
To give you an example, I had a recipe for something called "Strangolopreti" in my pile of papers so I decided to make it. WOW - took me nearly two hours. Extremely complicated and detailed. Then I looked up some other recipes for the same dish, and found them - easy peasy. 15 minutes.
I think it was James Beard who said " The first time you make a new dish, follow the recipe slavishly. After that, it´s up to you".

[jeral Profile]

karadekoolaid, no margarine. I buy Jus-Rol pastry which is made with oil and is vegan (unless it's their butter one). I'm old and ugly enough not to be tripped up by any seemingly innocent ingredients, though ever wary as things have changed from vegan to non-vegan when "new improved" is on a label.

I too find Ottolenghi's recipes rather daunting and there is always at least one ingredient I don't have. I follow the gist rather than slavishly. Shush - he won't know if you don't tell him

Earthmaiden, it's the texture of tofu I don't like. In practical terms, it's an expensive item I can happily do without.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

most white pastry fat (what the Americans call shortening) is vegan (Cookeen, Trex, a version of Flora etc) and in the U.K. they are no longer made with hydrogenated oil, but do use palm oil, though Trex claim theirs is certified from sustainable sources

They make good pastry and roast potatoes but a Jewish bakery near here makes dairy free croissants with shortening, the texture is good but they are oddly flavourless if you are used to butter

I used to use it a lot to avoid animal fats

[Pepper Pig Profile]

How do the veggies/vegans feel about akee? This looks very appetising.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/j ... berry-tart

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Haven’t tried ackee in years, wasn’t too keen then should give it a go.
It’s quite expensive, so probably as well to have a decent recipe like that in mind when you get it

[karadekoolaid Profile]

I´ve eaten akee. It´s a curious fruit because of it´s buttery flavour, but pleasant.
Of course, you should never eat it raw because it´s toxic.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I don’t think ackee is imported raw into the UK, just canned

[herbidacious Profile]

As maybe evident i am a bit of an Ottolenghi, having bought all his books, but cooked nothing, having been put off by the long list of ingredients. His recipes are not difficult at all. But a long list means it takes more concnetration and takes longer to cook because of all the measuring and adding.
I try to use all of them because his flavour combinations are not ones I work with normally and thus get me out of my cooking rut more than other people do.

[Suffs Profile]

Love ackee and saltfish ... I think it’s be a bit bland without something salty ...

[Seatallan Profile]

I've always had a hankering to try akee.