Vegan Night at the Phoenix

This weeks post is a slight departure from my normal recipes but it still celebrates food... A local pub, the Phoenix on Academy Street in Inverness, has started doing a monthly vegan food night once a month. Having heard mixed reviews, I had to go try it for myself and was pleasantly surprised. I went with an omni friend who thoroughly enjoyed her meal too so its well worth a try, even to support a local business.

The menu featured three options for each course with two courses coming in at £9.99 and three courses (which we obviously went for) at the grand total of £14.99.

My friend and I both chose the Tempura Veg with Tomato dip for our starters which was utterly delicious. The crispy batter coated a selection of vegetables and the tomato dip was just tart enough to cut through any greasiness from the batter. I'm a huge fan of anything battered so tempura is always a win with me.

For our mains my dining buddy had a chickpea curry with rice which was well balanced and an excellent portion size. The spicing was delicious and a nice selection of vegetables ran through the slightly creamy sauce. A couple of poppadoms or even a vegan nan bread would have made the dish perfect but all in all it was a fantastic effort and definitely tasty.

My main of Moroccan veg and quinoa stew packed a punch on flavour but for me the portion could easily have been halved. Ideal for a winters day, the dish needed an accompaniment of either a chunk of bread to dip in or some green vegetables to lift its richness.

For puddings we were spoilt for choice. I went for a childhood favourite of bread pudding and custard which was sublime. The bread pudding was packed with cinnamon and raisins. The chef had created an unusual but delightful twist by using seeded bread which added wonderful texture and crunch which can so often be a sad and soggy bowlful.

My friend decided to sample the toffee apple upside-down cake which was divine. A combination of soft apples drenched in toffee sauce topping a light sponge made this dish the triumph of the night for both of us.

Overall, we had a lovely evening. The presentation of the food could be refined and there was only one member of waiting staff who was running around but did do a great job of attending to everyone. The room also felt far more like it was designed for functions rather than as a dining room for a restaurant but as  a new enterprise it was great.

Whether you are vegan or not, I would recommend this night as a great way to try different foods and support a local business which is trying to branch out.

The Perfect Victoria Sponge

This recipe is one of the first things I learnt to bake by myself (with my mums help opening our incredibly heavy oven door) nearly 20 years ago and it has served me incredibly well since then. I cant begin to count how many times I have made this sponge, as well as using it as the base for so many of my other cake recipes. Once I stopped opening the oven door every 30 seconds to see if it was rising, this recipe has never failed me. Ideal as a sweet treat or for special occasions, this cake can be decorated with butter icing and all kinds but sometimes I think simplicity works best.

This recipe would also be ideal to make with children who are wanting to learn to bake... perfect for the summer holidays.

Ingredients:
6oz self raising flour
6oz caster sugar
6oz butter - I used dairy-free
3 large eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
icing sugar for sprinkling
3-4 tbsp raspberry jam
butter for greasing

Method:

Preheat your oven to 160c fan and grease two cake tins with butter, making sure to apply a good layer to both the base and sides for a neat cake.

Place the butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and vanilla extract into a large bowl or food mixer and beat until the mixture becomes a light golden colour and all the ingredients are well incorporated. The consistency should be soft a fluffy feeling.

Carefully spoon the mixture into the two tins, as evenly as possible and gently smooth the tops with a spatula. You can also gently shake the tins from side to side to help the mixture spread evenly.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cakes are golden brown and have started to pull away from the sides of the tins. Once baked, place the cakes in their tins on baking racks to cool for 10 minutes.

To turn out the cakes, run a spatula or pallette knife around the outside of the cake to loosen the edges then carefully shake the cake up and down, moving your hands round after each shake until the cake loosens and becomes free in the tin. Tip the cake carefully either onto your hand or onto a plate before placing base down on a cooling rack.

Once the cakes are fully cooled, place one (if one has gone wrong, use this one) on a plate or cake stand and slather with raspberry jam to roughly 1cm from the edge as the jam will spread when the top layer goes on. Carefully place the other cake on top and gently sprinkle with icing sugar, either directly from the bag or through a sieve if its gone lumpy.

The cake should be beautifully moist and light golden brown on the inside with a slightly darker outside and an even layer of jam.

Serve a generous slice with a large cuppa and a huge sigh of delight.

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!

My Favourite Ginger Cookies

Inspired by cookies my mum used to buy for special occasions, these blend soft chewiness with carefully balanced spices. Ideal for devouring with a cup of tea, these cookies are quick and easy to make and are sure to be a favourite with anyone who tries them.

Ingredients:
120g butter - I used dairy free
400g brown sugar
2 tbsp black treacle
2 tsp vanilla extract
500g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
4 tsp ground ginger
4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cloves
3-6 tbsp milk - I used dairy free
100g crystallized ginger

Method: 
Preheat your oven to 160c fan and lightly flour 2 baking sheets. Cream together the butter and sugar then add in the treacle and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add in the dry ingredients and mix well. Slowly add the milk to bring everything together and create a smooth paste. Finely chop the crystallized ginger and mix in.

Take a tbsp of the mixture and form a ball before placing on the baking tray. Repeat until all the mixture is used, ensuring to leave atleast 2cm between each cookie as they expand when baked.

Place in the oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and still slightly soft to the touch. Place on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before eating, the will become crisp on the outside and remain deliciously chewy on the inside.

When you make these, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife.

Enjoy!

Pea, Asparagus and Sundried Tomato Risotto

I had always thought risotto was tricky to make and probably a bit of a faff which while it tastes awesome probably wasnt worth the hassle. Then a few months ago, my brother presented me with a plate of utterly delicious homemade risotto and a bit of sibling rivalry spurred me on to create this dish, blending a classic risotto with some of my favourite flavours as well as my usual dairy-free twist. This makes 4 very generous portions though its far too easy to scoff.

Ingredients:
2 large onions
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch asparagus
1 small bag frozen peas
1.3l stock - I used vegan stock
2 tbsp butter - I used dairy free
1 jar sundried tomatoes
1 jar artichoke hearts
2tbsp oil from sundried tomatoes
350g risotto rice
100ml white wine
100g parmesan - I used a vegan alternative

Method:
Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and chop into bite sized pieces along with the sundried tomatoes and artichokes and place to one side. In a large pan heat the stock over a medium heat and leave simmering away. Finely dice the onions and garlic. Place a large, flat bottomed pan over a high heat and add half the butter and all of the oil. Melt together then saute the onions and garlic until translucent but not burnt.

Add the rice to the pan and toast for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously before adding the white wine. Let the rice soak this up then carefully add a ladle of stock. Stir the rice continuously until the bottom of the pan can be seen clearly and then add another ladle full of stock. Repeat until most, if not all of the stock is used and the rice is tender.

While the stock is still simmering in a seperate pan, add the asparagus to gently cook, I pressed down with the back of the ladle each time I needed more stock while the asparagus was cooking. Just as the rice starts to soften, add in the frozen peas to cook through along with a ladle of stock.

Once the rice is cooked, add in the parmesan and butter and stir through to add creaminess. Stir in the asparagus, sundried tomatoes and artichokes and allow to warm through for a couple of minutes. I didn't need to season this but salt and pepper could easily be added to enhance the flavours if needs be.

Enjoy!

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife.

Leek and Grainy Mustard Quiche

There is a definite theme recently with my cooking, my mum used to make her version of this quiche for special occasions like birthdays and I always looked forward to having it. I have made it using a tofu mixture instead of egg but it tastes just as I remember and my mum couldn't fault it. We had it for a light summery lunch paired with a humus and avocado slaw which I will also include the recipes for. The freshness of the avocado slaw perfectly balances the more filling quiche and humus. The quiche offers around 6 good size portions and would be ideal for a picnic or BBQ.

Ingredients:

For the quiche:
225g plain flour
100g butter
pinch salt
3 tbsp water

400g firm tofu
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1-2 tbsp soy milk

olive oil
2 large leeks
4 cloves garlic
1 large onion
salt and pepper
2 tbsp grainy mustard


For the humus:
1 tub cherry tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 can chickpeas - drained 
1 handful fresh basil
2 tsp harisa paste

For the Avocado slaw:
1 medium carrot
1 bell pepper
1/2 pack of radishes
1 large ripe avocado
1 handful fresh coriander
1 handful fresh mint
salt and pepper

Method:

In a large bowl, mix together the flour and the salt and gently rub in the butter until it resembles bread crumbs. Gradually add water until a soft dough forms then wrap in clingfilm and  pop in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

While the pastry chills, place the tomatoes on a baking tray with salt and pepper and a good glug of olive oil and place in a preheated oven at 160C until the tomatoes are soft and starting to brown on the edges. Once the tomatoes are soft, place them in a blended with all the other humus ingredients and blend until smooth. This makes a slightly loose but utterly delicious humus.

Once the humus is prepared, take the pastry from the fridge and roll out on a floured surface until it easily covers a large quiche dish, check by carefully placing the dish on top of the pastry and ensure there is enough for the sides. Butter and flour the dish and then carefully lower the pastry in. Press the pastry gently down into the tin making sure there are no cracks or gaps then gently trim the edges with a sharp knife. Place a sheet of baking paper over the pastry and fill the dish with baking beans and blind bake for around 15 minutes at 160c until golden and crisp.

While the case is baking, finely slice the onion and leeks and saute over a medium heat until tender before adding the garlic cloves crushed and saute for a further couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper then add in the grainy mustard and remove from the heat.

In a food processor, place the tofu, nutritional yeast, soy sauce and lime juice and mix to a firm paste. Gradually add the milk until the mixture becomes smooth and the consistency of thick double cream. Add to the leek mixture and mix thoroughly.

Once the pastry is baked, carefully lift out the baking beans and set aside to cool. Spoon in the leek mixture, carefully smoothing right to the edges and bake for a further 30 minutes until the firm and golden brown.

While the quiche bakes, slice the pepper and carrot into thin batons and finely slice the radishes. Add in the herbs, roughly chopped and then mix with mashed avocado. Season with salt and pepper and its good to go.

Carefully take the quiche out the oven and leave to one side for a few minutes to set before serving. I had leftovers cold for lunch the next day and it was equally delicious so this  could easily be prepared ahead for parties or packed lunches.

Each of the dishes in this post could be made separately but they work so well together I couldn't resist a longer post this week.

When you make these, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife.

Enjoy!