Mains

Aubergine, Miso-glazed Japanese-inspired.

2 large eggplants

about ½ cup of salt

oil to smear on the eggplant skin

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons sherry (I use Barbadillo Sherry)

2 tablespoons raw sugar

1 ½ tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons of finely grated fresh ginger

3 flat tablespoons miso paste

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

white and black sesame seeds, finely chopped herbs for garnish

Wash the eggplants and pat dry. Cut them in half lengthwise, using a sharp knife, and score a diamond pattern deep into the flesh of the eggplant halves. Place the eggplants, cut side up, in a baking tray with sides because the eggplants need to stay cut side up without moving. Sprinkle with salt and gently rub the salt over the flesh. Rest for an hour. Under softly flowing cold water, remove the salt from the flesh of the eggplants, dry them, coat the base and sides with oil, and then place them cut-side up in a baking tray.

Make the Glaze:

Place soy, sherry, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, miso paste and vinegar in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and continue to stir. Cook for thirty seconds. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 200 °C (convection)/180 °C (fan-forced).

Generously spread the sauce over the cut side of the eggplants.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until starting to brown and tender.

Remove from the oven. Brush the remaining miso sauce to add extra glaze to the eggplants. Place eggplants on a coconut rice base and decorate them with chopped herbs. Serve hot.

Aubergine Pie

First make Shortcrust Pastry:

1 cup plain flour

½ teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt

1 teaspoon allspice

¼ cup of very cold margarine

about three tablespoons of icy water

Put the flour, salt and allspice in a large bowl. Grate or chop margarine into small bits, then mix it into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. If using a processor, pop the flour mix into the bowl, fix the dough hook, keep the motor running low, and gradually add enough water to bind the mix together. If making by hand, use a knife to cut the cold water into the flour, using just enough to bind the dough together. Either method is used when the dough comes together, with as little handling as possible, to form it into a ball, flatten it, then envelope it in plastic food wrap and refrigerate it for an hour.

Transfer the dough to a sparsely oiled benchtop, cover it with plastic, and roll it out using a bottle of iced water. Peel off the top plastic, turn the dough, top with plastic, and roll again. Keep repeating this procedure till the dough is a thin sheet. Refrigerate till needed again for at least an hour.

Make Filling

1 large aubergine cut into thin strips with the skin intact;

1 cup cornflour;

2 cups vegetable oil;

½ teaspoon chilli powder;

2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into small pieces, having removed the whitish core;

3 tabelspoons tomato paste

1 dessert spoon crushed garlic;

1 dessert spoon of dried tarragon leaves crushed;

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely;

1 dessert spoon Garam Masala;

2 cups plant milk;

½ cup plain flour;

juice and zest of 1 large lemon;

cracked black pepper and salt to taste.

Soak the aubergine slices in salted water for an hour, rinse well, then drain and roll them in a clean cloth to dry. Put the cornflour in a bag, add the aubergine and shake well to coat each strip. Heat the oil and fry the aubergine slices, turning them till all sides are golden brown. Remove them from the heat and put them in a bowl—separate nice-looking slices on top of the pie. Fry the tomatoes, stirring till the liquid evaporates. Turn the heat low, and stir in the milk, tomato paste, garlic, tarragon, parsley, garam masala, chilli, lemon juice, salt, and back pepper. Stir to combine and to thicken. Gently add the eggplant and mix lightly.

Construct the Pie:

Oil a 20 cm round pie dish. If the dish is old or scratched, line it as well. Cut a round of pastry larger than the dish, and add the pastry, letting the overhanging side hang free. Spoon the aubergine mix into the pie shell and cover with the best slices of aubergine (eggplant) you put aside earlier. Pull the sides of the pastry over the top and wet them with a pastry brush. Cut fine strips of leftover pastry into ribbons, twist them and decorate the top. Brush the pastry with oil and bake uncovered in a moderate oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve Eggplant Pie hot or cold. Wonderful served with Carrot Salad, plain lettuce leaves and fresh bread.

Australian Savoury Pies

The meat pie, a quintessential Australian staple, traces its origins to British settlers who brought the concept of handheld, portable meals to the colonies in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Initially, these pies were humble yet practical, providing a hearty, convenient meal for labourers and travellers alike. Over time, Australian bakers reimagined the traditional British recipe, infusing it with local flavours and ingredients to create a distinctly Antipodean twist. Today, the pie is cherished in the Australian culture and enjoyed everywhere, from bustling sports stadiums to cozy neighbourhood bakeries. For the pastry, you can use vegan ready-made or make this extra flaky, unbeatable pie crust recipe, which we thank Katarina Cerelj, the developer, writer, photographer, and food science nerd behind “The Loopy Whisk. To read about Kat, go to her site-https://theloopywhisk.com/about-me/

Kat’s Extra Flaky Vegan Pie Crust

1 ⅔ cups plain all-purpose flour

1 ½ tbsp caster/superfine or granulated sugar (If you want to use the pie crust in a savoury recipe, reduce the sugar to 1 tsp.)

½ tsp salt

2 ½ tablespoons cold vegan butter from the Use a firm butter block/stick, not a soft spread.)

½ cup of frozen vegan butter, sliced into ½ inch (1cm) square pieces about 2mm thin (You can slice the frozen butter before starting and then freeze it again until needed. It's easiest to slice the vegan butter after it's been frozen for about 3-4 hours, not overnight.)

⅓ cup cold water

Making the vegan pie dough:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.

Tip:

If you work in a warm kitchen, you can chill the bowl and your combined dry ingredients in the fridge for about 30 minutes before starting. This will reduce the chances of the vegan butter getting too warm and soft when you make the pie dough.

Add the cold vegan butter (from the fridge) and use your fingertips to work it into the dry ingredients until you get a mixture resembling breadcrumbs.

Tip:

This prevents gluten development in subsequent steps and ensures that your baked pastry will be nice and tender.

Add the frozen, sliced vegan butter. Toss it in the dry ingredients, and ensure it’s evenly covered in flour. If any pieces of butter have clumped together, break them up.

Tip:

Frozen butter prevents it from melting too quickly and maximises the flakiness of the final baked pastry.

Add the cold water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time. After each addition of water, gently toss all the ingredients with your fingertips, ensuring the flour is evenly hydrated.

Tip:

You might not need all the water listed in the recipe, as different brands/types of all-purpose flour absorb slightly different amounts of moisture. I’ve found that I usually use all of it.

When the dough starts clumping together, please quickly knead (pressing it against the sides of the bowl) until it comes together in a ball. Don’t overwork the dough, resulting in gluten development and a tough pastry. The final vegan pie dough won’t look smooth: it might crack slightly and look a bit “shaggy” –perfectly fine. As long as there aren’t any completely dry spots (all the flour should be hydrated) and you can see large pieces of butter, you can proceed with the next step. If you see dry flour patches, sprinkle them with extra cold water.

Wrap the pie dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours. I don’t recommend freezing the dough at this stage, as it can lead to cracking when you roll it out in the laminating step.

Laminating the pie dough:

Lightly flour your work surface and the top of the chilled pie dough.

Tap the pie dough with a rolling pin to make it more pliable.

Roll it out into a long rectangle. The exact dimensions don’t matter much. Ensure you don’t roll it thinner than 3-4mm. While rolling, occasionally slide your hands underneath to ensure it doesn’t stick to the surface.

Turn the dough so that the short end is closest to you. Brush away any excess flour and fold the dough like an A4 letter – the top third down towards the middle and the bottom third up over it- a "letter fold".

Rotate the dough by 90 degrees (so that the open ends are closest and farthest from you). Roll out into a similar-sized rectangle and repeat the letter fold.

Tip: If the dough becomes too soft, please just go ahead and put it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before proceeding.

After the two-letter folds, wrap the dough in cling film and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until needed.

This recipe makes enough pie dough for one single-crust 9-inch (23cm) pie, but it can easily be doubled to make a double-crust pie (with a lid or lattice).

Storage: The vegan pie crust can be tightly wrapped in cling film for one week in the fridge or two to three weeks in the freezer.

When you want to use it, you can just allow it to thaw at room temperature before using it. If you press down on it with a finger, it should leave an indentation, but it should feel firm, not too soft to the touch.

Not Quite Traditional Pie Fillings. With any of these fillings, add leftover gluten steak cut into mouth-sized chunks.

**Chestnut Puree & Mushrooms Pie Filling

1 cup of olive oil

3 brown onions

1 dessertspoon of garlic powder

4 handfuls of rinsed, roughly chopped field mushrooms (including stems)

½ cup dried mushrooms, chopped small

2 cups water

2 cups oatmilk

1 ½ cup chestnut puree

1 tablespoon of dried sage

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon of salt

1 cup of fruity red wine or cranberry juice.

Warm the oatmilk, add the dried mushrooms and set aside. Saute onions in oil till golden, add the field mushrooms. When they are soft, add the sage and garlic powder. Stir well, add the dried mushrooms and oatmilk. Lid and simmer for twenty minutes. Stir in the chestnut puree. Add 2 cups of water to the saucepan. Without a lid, simmer until you have a thick mix, add the wine or cranberry juice, stir, simmer for a couple of minutes, taste, and then add salt and pepper to suit.

**Leftovers are a great pie filling. Be sure the sauce is not runny.

**Green Beans in Chickpea Sauce Pie Filling

4 cups of stringed, frozen green beans

2 cups of frozen peas

1 cup of finely chopped carrots

2 cups of water

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup of besan (chickpea) flour

3 cups of oat milk.

1 teaspoon grated, fresh ginger

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon of raw sugar

1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste

Simmer the beans, peas, and carrots in water until tender but not squishy, because the veggies need to be whole. When the water evaporates, remove the saucepan from the heat, lid it, and set it aside. In a separate pan, heat the oil, stir in the besan flour, then gradually add the oat milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Turn the heat very low and add the ginger, turmeric, and sugar. Now add the cooked vegetables, stir gently, add the lemon juice, some salt, and a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. According to the liquid remaining in the veggies, the mixture could be runny. If it is, return the saucepan to the stove over very low heat, do not lid it, and, stirring it often, let it simmer gently until it thickens. If it is too thick, add more oatmilk.

**TVP Veggie Mince Pie Filling

1 ½ cup dried TVP veggie mince

2 large brown onions, peeled and finely chopped

½ cup olive oil

1 dessertspoon crushed garlic

1 dessert spoon of dried oregano

½ cup of tomato paste

1 dessertspoon of cumin

1 dessertspoon cinnamon powder

½ cup of cold water

2 cups of hot water

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 dessertspoon maple syrup

Pour hot water over the dried TVP, cover it, and set it aside. Saute the onions in oil till transparent, add the rest of the ingredients and the ½ cup of water. Stir well, cover the saucepan, and simmer till it is a thick filling, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed.

Calzones- Delicious Pastry Turnovers, also called "Pocket Pizzas".

Calzones are savoury pastry turnovers, typically shaped in a half-moon. Originating in Italy and the Middle East, they may share similarities with traditional English pastries once carried by Welsh miners in their lunch boxes.

Make Calzone Dough:

2 ½ teaspoons dry yeast

400g 2 1/2 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 dessert spoon of allspice

250ml Warm water

By hand or machine:

Add yeast to half the warm water and leave it in a warm place till it is frothy. Mix the flour, salt, allspice and sugar, and add yeast water gradually, followed by the remaining water. Knead till elastic, adding more water or flour if needed. Pop into an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth or plastic food wrap, and leave in a warm place to rise almost double in size. Lightly flour the kitchen bench, roll the dough until thin, then cut into bread-and-butter plate-size rounds. Dust each individually with sifted flour and stack, covered, in a cool place. Do not let them dry out.

Calzone Filling:

450g frozen spinach or 700g fresh spinach

3 tablespoons basil pesto

2 cups chopped mushrooms

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 large brown onion, finely chopped

salt & pepper to taste

1 dessert spoon grated nutmeg

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons cornflour

If fresh spinach is used, steam it until tender and chop it very small. If using frozen, simmer over low heat till just tender. Turn the heat high, let the moisture evaporate, and then put it aside. Using one tablespoon of oil, sauté the onion until it is transparent. Turn the heat low, add the remaining oil and the mushrooms, stirring occasionally until tender. Sprinkle the cornflour on top, stir it in, add other ingredients, stir well, and when combined, put aside to cool.

Construct Calzones:

Lay a round of pastry flat, using a pastry brush and water to dampen the edges of the round. Place about two tablespoons of filling just off-centre, fold one half over the pastry and, using your finger, seal the edges by pinching and twisting. It is important not to overfill because it will squeeze out and make the calzone impossible to seal. The procedure takes a little practice but is as fast as a blink once mastered. Refrigerate until use. If making it the day before, seal it well.

Cooking Calzones: They can be baked or fried.

Baking Calzones: Preheat a moderate oven, arrange the Calzones on a frugally oiled tray lined with baking paper. Brush the calzones lightly with equal parts oil and soy milk, then bake until golden. Remove from the oven and eat hot or cold.

Fry Calzones: Heat a liberal amount of olive oil in a lidded pan. When hot, add the Calzones, turn low, and allow them to cook until golden brown. If the oil is shallow, turn and cook until golden brown.

Serve hot with Tomato Sauce.

Vegan Tomato Sauce

¾ cup tomato paste

1 cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ tablespoons lime juice

1 scant dessert spoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt to taste

4 tablespoons of shelled pumpkin seeds for garnish

Blend all ingredients except the pumpkin seeds, cook over low heat for 10 minutes, and serve hot or cold with Calzones garnished with pumpkin seeds.

Alternative fillings for Calzone

Diced potato with spicy sauce;

Left-overs;

Curried lentils;

Anything your heart desires.

Mains 2 Salads

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