Main courses (9)

Tofu with asparagus+bok choy
vegan, gluten-free, serves 4

■ 4 tbsp sesame seeds
■ 500g firm tofu, thinly sliced
■ 4 tbsp olive oil
■ 16 asparagus, cut into 3cm chunks
■ 8 yellow squash, thinly sliced
■ 1 bok choy, sliced into slivers
■ 4cm fresh ginger, finely sliced

Dressing:
■ 4 tsp tamari
■ 4 tsp sesame oil
■ 4 tsp lime juice
■ 4 tbsp coriander, finely chopped

1. Sprinkle the sesame seeds onto a plate and press the tofu slices into the sesame seeds, to coat. Coat a frypan with half the olive oil and place the tofu pieces on the pan over a medium heat and cook each side until golden brown. (Option: Drizzle tamari over the tofu)
2. At the same time place the asparagus and squash in an wok oiled with the rest of the oil over a medium heat and toss for 30 seconds. Add the bok choy and ginger and again toss in the oil for a few seconds. Add two tablespoons of water and immediately cover with a lid. Leave to simmer for about a minute and then take the lid off and continue to toss for another 2 minutes.
3. Whip all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Pile the vegetables and tofu on a plate and drizzle over the dressing.
(December 2006)

Pumpkin-coconut-tofu pie
vegan, serves 6-8
for one 27cm pie plate.

The filling:
• 2 cups pureed cooked pumpkin, butternut is best (alternative: orange kumera)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup soft (silken) tofu
• 2 tbsp soft wholemeal or spelt flour*
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 vanilla pod, scrape out seeds and add
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp crushed ginger
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or agave
• 1 pie crust: See recipe below

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Steam or bake pumpkin in lightly-salted water.
2. Blend tofu + coconut milk. Blend pumpkin, maple syrup/agave, spices and salt with the blended tofu + coconut milk.
3. Lightly coat the bottom of pie crust with flour. Pour filling in crust, bake for 10 min at 220°C, reduce to 175°C, bake another 30 minutes.
4. Allow to cool completely before serving, or chill to bring out the full flavour and texture

The pie crust:
• 1 1/4 cup soft wholemeal or spelt flour*
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup oil (sesame or coconut)
• 2-3 tbsp ice cold water

1. Blend flours + salt. Rub oil through flour until mixture is crumbly.
2. Add just enough water so the mixture begins to clump together (mix with fingers or fork, or in food processor). Roll out crust, or press into pie plate with fingers, trim and crimp edges.
3. Cool in fridge while preparing the filling

* for a gluten-free pastry, try 50/50 buckwheat/rice flour
Alternative: for a savoury version, replace the maple syrup/agave with tamari and serve with salad.
(January-February 2007)

Forest pie from Nat Jurdeczka
vegetarian, with vegan options, serves 8

Quantities are for a 20cm baking dish

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• clove garlic, crushed or finely chopped
• 400g swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
• 3/4 bunch silverbeet, chopped
• 300g white or cannelloni beans, cooked
• 100g pine nuts (or almonds), dry roasted
• 1 pkt Meredith Goats Fetta or other fine purveyor of the gift of the goat. (vegan option: 1/4-1/2 pkt Earnest Bean smoked tofu cubed, use with almonds)
• splash red wine or 125g balsamic vinegar with handful chopped rosemary or splash white wine with handful tarragon and/or 2 tbsp tamari

Pastry:
• 400g wholemeal spelt flour (gluten-free option: millet or quinoa flour)
• 1/4 cup olive or sunflower oil
• 1/2-3/4 cup of plain yoghurt (vegan: more oil and water/non-dairy milk – go slow until you get a workable consistency)
• Work oil evenly into the flour, gradually add remaining ingredients and work mixture until dough is elastic, usually 5 minutes.

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. In a pan, brown onions and garlic, add mushrooms and brown
3. Add wine and herb of choice and reduce
4. Add silverbeet, reduce and wilt
5. Take pan off the heat, add beans and nuts, mix together. (If using tofu add now.)
6. Oil inside of a pie/oven dish
7. Roll out half the dough mixture to desired thickness (say, 5mm) and line bottom of dish
8. Add mushroom/spinach mixture
9. Crumble fetta evenly over the top
10. Roll out rest of the dough, baste edges with whisked egg and milk or with water and place on top, trim edges and press pastry edges together with fingers.
11. Spike with a knife/skewer evenly over the top to let pie breathe while baking and baste with extra egg/milk mix or oil.
12. Bake until golden on top (20-30 minutes)
(August 2007)

Sang choy bow from Nat Jurdeczka
vegan, gluten-free, serves 4

• 1 iceberg lettuce
• 2-3 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 corn, lightly steamed, slice off kernels
• 3 tbsps sunflower kernels
• 3 tbsps pepitas
• 2 tbsps sesame seeds
• I small-medium classic or heritage eggplant, sliced
• 3-4 small purple Italian garlic cloves
• 1 tsp each of ground cumin and coriander
• 5 tbsps tamari
• 3-4 spring onions, finely sliced
• half large fennel bulb, finely sliced
• 3-4 small yellow squash halved, finely sliced
• 1 bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 basil stems, chopped finely
• 1 cup garden peas, shelled
• 1/4 cup sunflower or sesame oil
• 2 tbsps apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsps umeboshi vinegar
• 1 tsp mirin
• juice of 2-3 limes

1. Dry roast sunflower kernels, pepitas, sesame seeds in a frying pan until light brown, set aside
2. In same pan, fry eggplant, garlic, cumin and coriander in olive oil. Add 2 tbsp tamari towards end of cooking and reduce heat.
3. Place quinoa, corn, spring onions, fennel, squash, fresh coriander, basil stems, garden peas in a large bowl. Drizzle with sunflower oil, apple cider vinegar, 3 tsp tamari, umeboshi vinegar, mirin, lime juice. Add dry roasted and panfried ingredients. Mix well.
4. Place mixture into single lettuce leaves and form little parcels.
(January 2008)

Root Vegetable Casserole from Genevieve Derwent
I got this recipe from a friend and co-op member, Katherine Myers, but I made a few changes. I added roasted kumera to the parsnips, used a lot of leeks in place of the shallots and added more cheese and more parsley to the dumplings. I cooked it longer too . . . long, slow cooking made it extra tasty I think. Anyway we found it was delicious, the perfect winter comfort food!

serves 4

• 300g parsnips, cut lengthways into 4
• 6 tblsps olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 8 shallots, cut in half
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 350g carrots, cut into 3mm slices
• 350g turnips, cut into 2cm chunks æ175g button mushrooms
• 1 strong veg stock cube dissolved in 350mls water and 200ml cider
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5 tsp cornflour 

Dumplings:
• 125g self raising flour
• 60g cheddar, grated
• 3 tblsp chopped parsley
• 60g butter
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to its highest setting. Toss parsnips with 2 tblsps oil, season and roast 25 mins, until golden. Set aside.
2. Heat remaining oil in large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add shallots, garlic, fry 2 mins. Add carrots and turnips, sauté 4 mins, add mushrooms, sauté a minute.
3. Meanwhile, make dumplings. Lightly mix all ingredients together and season. Add about 1 tblsp water to form soft dough. Form about 16 walnut size balls. Set aside.
4. Add stock to veges, along with about 175ml of cider and bay leaf. Let stew bubble about 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Dissolve cornflour in remaining cider, add to stew and boil to thicken.
5. As soon as it has thickened, place dumplings in gently so they are about 3/4 immersed. Cover and simmer about 15-20 mins, until dumplings have risen, stew looks rich and veges are meltingly soft. Scatter parsnips on top to serve.
(June 2008)

Ein brenne (one pot) from Genevieve Derwent
A German recipe from my partner’s family, which is traditionally served with a big piece of schnitzel and potatoes. If you’re not schnitzel-inclined, try it with baked kipflers. We call this dinner German feast.

serves 4 approx.

• 4-5 handfuls brussel sprouts
• Vegetable stock to cover brussels
• 150g butter
• 100g flour
• Salt and pepper

1. Slice brussel sprouts in half and place in a pot with the stock, simmer 10-15 mins until brussels are almost cooked.
2. In separate pan, melt butter, add flour. and stir to keep smooth. Bring pot to boil and while boiling add butter/flour mix.
3. Stir constantly to ensure there are no lumps. Reduce heat to medium and leave a few minutes to thicken to a gravy-like consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with baked kipflers.
(August 2008)

Lime and Coconut Chickpeas from Jo Rose
An Indian-inspired dish delicious teamed with naan, yoghurt and mango pickles and also works well as an accompaniment to Lamb Rogan Josh or Chicken Tikka for a sub-continent themed dinner party.

vegan, serves 2

• 2 limes, juiced
• 100g desiccated coconut
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 tblsps olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 cups chickpeas, cooked* or 2 tins Eden garbanzos
• 2 tsps red chilli, finely chopped
• 2 tsps garam masala
• 2 tblsps ground coriander
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Toast coconut under the grill until golden and allow to cool.
2. Heat oil in a medium-sized saucepan and cook onions until soft.
3. Add garlic, chickpeas, coriander, chilli, lime juice, salt and pepper to pan and cook gently for 10 minutes.
4. Add garam masala and half the coconut to the pan and continue to cook until mixture is dry.
5. Serve topped with the remaining coconut.

* Wash 2 cups of dry chickpeas and soak in twice as much water for 8 hours. Cook with a small stick of kombu for an hour or so till soft.
(August 2008)

Pink Pie from Renata Field
vegan

Pie crust
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup cold water (approx.)

1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add oil and mix.
2. Slowly add water until mixture forms a ball of dough. (use more or less water to achieve this consistency). Cover bowl tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Filling
• splash of oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, ground
• salt+pepper (chilli, other spices) to taste
• 6 swedes, diced
• 200g sunroot, diced
• 600g jap pumpkin, diced
• 4 beetroots, diced smaller than others
• 1 cup split red lentils

1. Fry onions, spices in oil until onions are transparent. Add vegetables, lentils and enough water to cover. Simmer 20 mins with a lid on until vegetables are soft.
2. Pre-heat oven to 190°C. Remove dough from fridge, roll out and press 2/3 of it into a greased pie tin. (For a crispier base,
prick base and pre-bake 10 mins.) Add filling.
3. Roll out remaining pastry and cover filling. Use a little water to stick pastry top to edges of the base. Bake approx. 20 mins or until top is golden brown.
(September 2008)

Bangers and Mash (Alfalfa-style) from Monika Baumann
vegan, gluten-free, SERVES 3-4

• 500g Earnest Bean tofu
• 30g marinade mix
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• tamari to taste
• 1 cup sunflower oilÊ
• 1 kg Purple Congo potatoesÊ
• 250ml soy milk
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Slice the tofu into strips. In a bowl mix the marinade mix and sesame oil and mix through the tofu strips. Set aside for 30 mins. Mix again and add tamari to taste.
2. Meanwhile, boil potatoes whole to maintain flavour and colour till soft. Drain and rinse with cold water.
3. Peel potatoes, if desired, and mash. Add salt and pepper and a good dash of sunflower oil. Add soy milk until the desired consistency is achieved.
4. Heat sunflower oil in a pan and fry up the tofu.

TIPS
• Leave the marinade mix to sit overnight for a stronger flavour
• Choose potatoes of a similar size for easy cooking!
• Boil up some broad beans as a colourful side dish.
(November 2008)