Spaghetti Pomodoro with ‘vegan’ tuna

January 14, 2021 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Pomodoro Sauce

  • 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp cold-pressed olive oil
  • 1 sprig fresh oregano
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 750g ripe tomatoes, core removed, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

“Vegan” Tuna

  • 140g sunflower seeds, soaked in water overnight
  • 1 small shallot or red onion, minced
  • 50g baby capers + 4 tbsp brine (try olive plant leaves instead)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp cold-pressed olive oil
  • 10ml apple cider vinegar
  • 5g sheet of nori, chopped
  • Salt + pepper

Serve with

  • 400g quinoa spaghetti
  • 120g silverbeet, shredded
  • 1 tsp baby capers, fried
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 nori sheet, thinly sliced

Method

For the Pomodoro sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion has softened. Add garlic, oregano and bay leaf.

2. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomatoes. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low.  Simmer uncovered, stirring, for 40 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Add basil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside while you make the “vegan” tuna.

For the quinoa pasta

1. Bring water to boil in a large pot over high heat. Add salt to pot, followed by dried pasta. Stir to combine and make sure none of the pasta is sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cooking time may vary due to size or brand. Approximately 12-13 minutes. Set aside for plating.

2. Wash the silverbeet well. Slice white stalks and green leaves coarsely into strips. Place into steamer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

3. Drain and rinse capers, then pat dry between paper towels. Heat oil in a fry pan over moderately high heat. Pour capers onto pan and fry for 30-45 seconds. Set aside for garnish.

For the “Vegan” Tuna

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse a few times until you have reached a coarsely textured mixture. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice or vinegar if desired.

2. Pulse again to mix through additional seasonings then scoop the mixture into a bowl.

3. Add 2 ½ cups of your Pomodoro Sauce to the “vegan tuna” mix then using a wooden spoon mix together until thoroughly combined. Taste and season again accordingly.

Presentation

  1. Toss together silverbeet, quinoa spaghetti and “vegan tuna” mixture. Garnish with fried capers*, parsley and nori.  * try fried shallots

MUSHROOM-BARLEY SOUP

June 24, 2017 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments

serves 6

 

 

 

1 oz dried mushrooms
3 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
340g cremini (swiss brown) or button mushrooms – stems removed – sliced
1.5 tsp dried oregano
2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth
1/2 cup barley
1/4 tsp salt

In a small saucepan, bring the dried mushrooms and water to a boil. Remove, stand for 15 mins.

Meanwhile, coat a Dutch oven with nonstick spray.
Add onion, carrots & celery. Spray them lightly too. Cook over medium heat for 3 mins, stirring occasionally. Add sliced mushrooms & oregano. Again, cook stirring occ. – for 6-8 mins until soft.
Add broth, barley and salt. Cook for 10 mins.

Line a fine mesh sieve with a coffee filter or paper towel. Strain dried mushroom water into the pot. Remove and discard filter leaving dried mushrooms in sieve. Rinse in running water to remove any grit. Chop up and add them to the pot, cooking for 10-15 mins or until barley is tender.

NOTE:  another recipe adds 1 tsp minced garlic, another adds a bay leaf and tells us to toast the barley with the vegies “for a deep warmth”.

If you want it creamy, add 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4 to 8 hours and drained – add to blender when processing.  Also add 1.5 teaspoons miso paste. (If you forgot to soak your cashews, just place them in a saucepan with some water and boil for about 15 minutes.)

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