Aine Carlin's Blog

As pretty (and delicious) as it is, vegan meringue can be, shall we say, a little temperamental. Trust me when I say I’ve tried it every which way but this method seems to render the most consistent results. I prefer to use my ‘aquafaba’ at room temperature, as it seems to whip much more easily, which is the absolute key to success – you want those peaks as stiff as you can get ‘em. Granted, this does take a little patience (much longer than the eggy equivalent, in my opinion) but it should mean you end up with a pretty much invincible pavlova that is sure to wow your guests.

Ingredients

200ml chickpea liquid (1 x 400g chickpeas, drained)

150g icing sugar

1 tsp. cream of tartar (optional)

1 tsp. rose water (optional)

For the filling

400g coconut yoghurt

½ tbsp. pomegranate syrup (not molasses)

Toppings

2 x pomegranates, de-seeded

50g crushed pistachios

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 100 degrees Celsius.

2. Drain the liquid from the chickpeas into a large bowl. Whisk vigorously with an electric whisker for around 10-15 minutes until it forms stiff peaks. Sift in the sugar a little a time, whisking thoroughly each time to incorporate. Finally add the cream of tartar and rose water, if using, and whisk again until the peaks are stiff and hold their shape with ease.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roughly dollop the mixture onto the sheet, smoothing with the back of a spatula into your desired shape.

4. Bake for 3hrs, turn the oven off and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven before removing … at least 2 hrs but preferably overnight. Don’t be tempted to open the door. If not using immediately it is crucial you store the pavlova in an airtight container until needed.

Quick Pickled Radish

120ml red wine vinegar

150ml water

75ml agave nectar

1 heaped tsp. salt

1 tbsp. black peppercorns

1 star anise

200g radishes

1. Place all the ingredients, except the radishes, in a saucepan and simmer gently for 20 minutes until it reduces.

2. Finely slice the radishes and place them in a clean 240g jar.

3. Pour the pickling vinegar into the jar, seal and set aside to cool. It’s ready to use once the contents are completely cool. Will keep for about a fortnight.

Recipes taken from The New Vegan, published by Kyle Books. Photographs by Nassima Rothacker.

Ok, time is marching ahead so I’m going to rattle out these last few recipes over the next 24hrs. Do-able? I think so. I posted the recipe for these delightful Bourbon-Spiked Mincemeat Bars (Squares?), which have basically replaced mince pies in our house this year. In my opinion they are infinitely more satisfying plus they contain bourbon – so it’s a double win scenario, in my opinion. I shall cut the chat short because I want to squeeze in a side and maybe a DIY beauty product because last minute homemade gift ideas are always useful.

What you’ll need

300g white or spelt flour

200g chilled cubed ‘butter’ (naturli works best)

125g light brown sugar

2 tbsp. water

400g mincemeat

50ml bourbon

What you’ll do

Pre-heat the oven to 180c. Grease and line a brownie tin.

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and rub the cubes of butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs before adding the sugar.

Add the water and lightly mix before pressing half the mixture into the bottom of the tin. Bake for 15mins until it begins to turn golden. Let it cool slightly before topping with the mincemeat.

Stir the bourbon into the mincemeat before spooning over the biscuit bottom and top with the remaining crumble. Finish with freshly grated nutmeg and a sprinkling of caster sugar. Bake for a further 20-25mins turning once to ensure an even bake on all sides.

 

Does this pass as a festive ‘recipe’ idea?! I adore golden beets and think they work beautifully at Christmas – in fact, my favourite way to serve them is roasted, quartered and arranged on platter topped with dairy-free labneh, which is my secret weapon at this time of year. I think they are milder and sweeter than regular beetroot, and obviously look the part too.

I’m a toast obsessive but prefer to use a griddle pan – liberally douse in olive and toast over a medium high heat until perfectly marked on both sides – don’t forget to rub it with a garlic clove for extra oomph. The simple butterbean smash is a great alternative to hummus and really lets the beetroot shine … I reckon this would make a lovely savoury breakfast/brunch option for Christmas morning, and couldn’t be simpler to make.

what you’ll need

 

1 thick slice of sourdough

100g butter beans

1 small roasted beetroot (pref.golden), sliced

1 garlic clove

Lemon juice

Good quality olive oil (I used @belazu_co verdemanda evoo)

Salt & pepper

What you’ll do

 

1. Firstly, heat a griddle pan and liberally douse both sides of the sourdough in olive oil. Toast over a medium heat until golden before turning over and repeating on the other side.

 

2. Meanwhile, drain and rinse your butterbeans before transferring to a shallow bowl. Lightly mash using the back of a fork. Season, spritz over a little lemon juice and drizzle generously with evoo.

 

3. Rub the toasted sourdough with a garlic clove and top with the smashed butterbean mixture. Arrange the sliced beetroot, season with salt & pepper and finish with (yet more!!) evoo and a smattering of dill. Consume.

 

I’m a bit behind on my recipe countdown but I finally have a few minutes this morning to sit down and update the blog. I created this Savoury Parsnip & Pecan Slice for Sainbury’s a couple of years back and they did an incredible job of recreating it in their test kitchen – I adore how they’ve styled and photographed it. ll the rich colours feel so fabulously festive.

I still make a version of this for Christmas lunch every year … it’s works amazingly well in a leftover sandwich too! If you can’t be bothered to grate the parsnip by hand, I recommend using an attachment for ease – there’s enough chaos in the kitchen so I take any and all shortcuts. I’m planning on shaping it into a wreath this year and serving it alongside a whole roasted cauliflower. I reckon it’ll make a pretty stunning centrepiece.

If you want the recipe yourself then head over to the Sainsbury’s Mag website where you’ll also find the recipe for my red wine gravy and green bean casserole.

 

It might be winter but I’m still dining out on salads but obviously I endeavour to keep things seasonal. This recipe is from Keep it Vegan, so you might say it’s a very old favourite – I’ve been making a variation of this for the last five or more years. The sage and rosemary additions really ramp up the festive flavours and whilst the giant cous cous has more visual appeal, I tend to use the regular variety for sheer handiness. Quinoa would also work a treat.

 

I usually serve this on a shallow platter alongside a few other dishes but if you wanted to enjoy it as main, may I suggest you cut the squash into wedges instead and serve it on a bed of couscous. A handful of dried cranberries would also be a super textural addition, as well as enhancing it’s festive credentials.

photo: Ali Allen

INGREDIENTS

1 squash or gourd (about 500g), peeled, halved, de-seeded and cut into small chunks

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage

250g couscous or giant couscous

200g frozen peas

60g flaked almonds, toasted

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200˚C/gas mark 6.

 

Place the squash in a roasting tin, drizzle over the sunflower oil, sprinkle over the herbs and season well. Roast in the oven for 1 hour or until completely soft. Turn the oven off but leave the squash in the oven until needed.

 

Soak the couscous in an equal volume of freshly boiled water, cover and allow to stand for 10 minutes to absorb the liquid before fluffing with a fork.

 

Defrost the peas by covering them with freshly boiled water, leave for 5 minutes and then drain.

 

Remove the roasted squash from the oven and stir through the couscous, peas, almonds and extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste and serve warm.

As you’ve probably gathered by now, I have not prepped these posts in advance. You would think I’d be more on the case considering I’ve been blogging for a decade but hey, old habits die hard and all that. I can’t quite believe Christmas Day is almost upon us – and also a bit sad because I actually prefer the run-up with all its festive promise, filled with appropriate food and drink, of course.

 

When it comes to party food, Hummus is endlessly wonderful (and versatile) and remains a perennial go-to but I always try to have other options available … you’d think people would be utterly bored by dips but nope, I find they are still what guests gravitate towards at any gathering. The vibrant sunflower seed dip with roasted red pepper and rose harissa, which I served at Friendsgiving this year got more ‘oohs’ and ‘aaahs’ than almost anything else on the table – much to my surprise and slight dismay.

 

This equally lovely lentil and cashew with black olives is also a tried and tested winner, requiring little to no effort save the soaking of some cashews. However, if you don’t have time to soak the cashews beforehand (or simply forgot – it happens!) you can boil them for around 15 minutes prior to blending instead. Serve with a selection of crudites and crackers, and a chilled glass of something – my preference is prosecco but to each their own.

Puy Lentil & Cashew Dip

Ingredients

250g pre-cooked puy lentils

100g soaked cashews

1 x garlic clove

2 heaped tbsp chopped black olives

juice ½ lemon

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

Method

Soak the cashews in filtered water overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly.

Place the lentils, cashews, minced garlic, olives, lemon juice and 1 tbsp water in a food processor. Season generously and blend. Whilst the dip is blending, gradually drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture thickens and no lumps remain.

Check for seasoning and serve. Alternatively, refrigerate until needed.

Garnish with some finely chopped black olives, a smattering of capers, pickled peppercorns and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

 

A festive breakfast for you this afternoon in the form of creamy sweet polenta and roasted plums spiked with star anise and cinnamon. This would be a wonderful option for Christmas morning although it features regularly on my menu from November onwards. I adore sweet polenta and like it to be silky smooth and almost the consistency of semolina, which is also a firm ‘baby food’ fav. You could easily serve the plums for dessert alongside a scoop of dairy-free ice-cream or even some homemade vegan custard. Not only do they look wondrous, the glorious aromas emanating from the kitchen will be enough to induce that festive spirit in an instant. This recipe is taken from my second book, The New Vegan (published by Kyle Books), and the beautiful imagery is thanks to the fantastically talented Nassima Rothacker.

 

Simple Breakfast Polenta with Rose-roasted plums

Serves 2-3

 

You will need

 

1 cup (about 110g) soaked nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts or pistachios) or oats

2 cups (about 500ml) water (preferably filtered)

400ml filtered water

50g polenta

2 tbsp agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Crushed pistachios, to serve

 

For the plums: 3 plums, halved and stoned

½ tsp allspice

Pinch of sumac (optional)

1 tbsp rose water

4 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup

1 heaped tbsp palm or brown sugar

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

2 star anise

1 small stick of cinnamon

 

Method

 

For the plant milk

 

1. Place the soaked nuts or the oats in a blender along with the water and blend until it turns milky. If making oat milk, try not to over-blend the oats as it will impair the texture.

 

2. Strain the blended mixture through a sieve or pour into a nut milk bag set over a bowl and squeeze out all the liquid until only pulp remains in the bag. Set the pulp aside to make into bliss balls later. The milk is best fresh, but will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

 

For the plums

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Place the plums flesh side up in a roasting dish and sprinkle over the allspice, sumac, rose water, agave or maple syrup, sugar and pomegranate molasses. Place the star anise and cinnamon in the dish along with a splash of water to prevent sticking. Roast for 30 minutes or until the plums are soft, juicy and gooey. Cool and refrigerate until needed.

 

2. Now, make the polenta. Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan and whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat immediately to a very gentle simmer and keep whisking until it thickens.

 

3. Once thickened, add the Plant Milk, agave and vanilla and whisk until it fully amalgamates. Simmer for several minutes until it turns thick and creamy, whisking occasionally to prevent any lumps from forming. Divide between two bowls and top each with roasted plums and crushed pistachios.

A nifty little appetizer for your perusal. I created these for Sainsbury’s Mag a couple of years back and they still haven’t lost their festive appeal. I love to have people over at this time of year but I don’t want to feel stressed about what to serve them. If it’s not a sit down meal situation then I prefer to have a simple selection of finger food. It’s not that I don’t want the food to be centre stage but I’d much rather have some wine and chat with my friends than be labouring away in the kitchen. These can be whipped up just before everyone arrives and take minutes to make – their freshness is the perfect antidote to all the stodge we are surrounded by at this time of year. Cheers!

Ingredients

3 x celery sticks

4 x apples (mix of green and red)

80g toasted hazelnuts

1 x pomegranate, de-seeded

3 heaped tbsp dried cranberries

2 x little gem lettuces

10g fresh dill

Yoghurt dressing

Method

 

Break the hazelnuts into pieces in a pestle and mortar before adding to a dry frying pan or skillet. Toast over a medium heat until they begin to colour, tossing frequently. Set aside until needed.

 

Roughly chop the celery and add to a large mixing bowl. Grate the apples and add to bowl. Spritz over a little lemon juice to prevent them from browning.

 

Add the pomegranate seeds (reserving some for garnish) and dried cranberries.

 

In a separate bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together, check for seasoning and add two thirds to the apple mixture at first. Stir to combine and if it seems a little dry, add a touch more dressing … you want it to still have bite and texture. Stir through the toasted hazelnuts – again, reserve a few for garnish.

 

Remove the leaves from the little gem lettuces and fill each ‘cup’ with a spoonful or two of the mixture. Serve platter style on a large board or serving plate. Dot a little more of the dressing over the cups and garnish with the remaining pomegranate seeds, toasted hazelnuts and a final smattering of freshly chopped dill.

A super quick one for you today. I’ll be completely honest and admit I almost forgot to upload (oops) – what with my in-laws staying and trying to squeeze in some Christmas shopping etc. Because this time of year is usually dominated by booze (guilty as charged!), it’s nice to have a non-alcoholic alternative and this Pomegranate & Sage Mocktail always does the trick. This recipe is for one but you could quite easily make a pitcher by quadrupling the quantities – I’ve done this with great success before. Of course, you could also add a splash of vodka or gin (just sayin’) but it is perfectly lovely as is.

Ingredients

5 or 6 sage leaves

½ lime, halved

juice ½ pink grapefruit

juice ½ orange

juice ½ pomegranate/approx 125ml

1 tsp. agave

splash of water

several ice cubes

to serve

crushed ice

pomegranate seeds

Method

Place the sage leaves in the bottom of a thick rimmed glass or cocktail shaker along with the lime. Muddle the two together by using a cocktail muddler or similar instrument by pressing firmly and in a clockwise motion several times until the oils are released from both.

Add the grapefruit, orange and pomegranate juice, water, agave and ice and shake firmly in a cocktail shaker until you can no longer hear the ice clattering against the sides and the outside of the shaker has frosted.

Pour into a small glass, filled with crushed ice and garnish with pomegranate seeds.