The Condiment Queen

Mexican sweetcorn, rice, blackbean & avocado salad with jalapeno & tomatillo dressing

I had really been craving sweet corn. My husband absolutely hates it due to an unfortunate head butting incident in the playground that resulted in concussion and vomiting. But that was 26 years ago, and I couldn't go another summer without those sweet nuggets of loveliness. Normally I would barbeque it or boil it and serve with salt, pepper and olive oil but he really can't abide it so close to naked. Even my salsa is really not his favourite. Fritters are ok, but in this fine weather (or it least it was 2 weeks ago when I started writing this post!), a little heavy and I also thought, given his hankering for chilli, something with heat might help.

I first found inspiration for this in an article for Gourmet Traveller but I've tinkered with it quite a bit - particularly the substitution of the red rice for white, doubling the dressing etc. The nutty flavour of the red rice counters nicely with the sweetness of the corn and takes the citrus spiced dressing beautifully. I suspect normal brown rice might not be as good so if you don't have that then use white.

And did I mention it was vegan? In a truly superb and natural 'it just happens to be vegan' way. If you want a bit more protien you could supplement it with toasted tamari seeds. Vegetarians may want to add some scrambled egg. If you prefer meat I suspect it would go very well with chicken. Or just have it as it is, preferably outside. It's also a teeny bit Mexican, although unlike Jamie Oliver this week am not sure I'd presume to tell Mexican's how to cook their own food, so lets just call it Mexican inspired!

100g red camagure rice
2 ears of corn, peeled of husk & stingy bits
2 avocados
400g tin of blackbeans, drained & rinsed
small bunch corriander, chopped
3 limes, juiced
1/2 - 1 spanish onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
400g tinned tomatillos (drained weight about 200g, will be fine if your tin is larger or smaller) and roughly chopped
2 pickled jalapenos, chopped

Cook the rice in 2 parts cold water to 1 part rice (absorption), or in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for about 25 - 30 mins.

While that is going get everything else ready.

Halve the corn horizontally and cook for 6 - 8 minutes then refresh under cold running water. If you don't use absorption you can save on the washing up by cooking the corn in the same water as the rice, just fish it out when its ready. Then cut the kernels off - I try to keep the pieces large by cutting closely to the centre. 

Halve and slice the avocados then scoop out into a bowl and pour over a bit of the lime juice.

For the dressing mix all the remaining ingredients - most of the lime, onion, garlic, oil, tomatillos & jalapenos. Season to taste but then try to leave to infuse for a bit (5 mins or so)

In a bowl mix the beans, corn, corriander, avocado & rice then pour the dressing over. Wait about 5 more mins for the flavours to absorb before serving.

Vegan Moussaka

I had been wanting to try out my new cookbook - Veganomicon - and was immediate attracted by the idea of making their moussaka with pine-nut cream but couldnt for the life of me understand why a vegan moussaka wouldnt have lentils - layered potato & aubergine am sure is very tasty, but without protien its almost a side dish and a bit of wasted effort. Having made a vegetarian version moussaka before I thought Id mix and match- using the base inspired by Delia (with lentils thank you very much) and their luscious pine-nut cream in place of bechemal. The best thing about this is that it is ultimately very easy indeed. Apparently arrowroot powder is out of stock all over the place, but any thickening agent would seem to do here. This idea of a vegan 'cream' is very exciting to me, I can see a few applications and to be honest, once its baked, I dont think you'd be able to tell the difference. My omnivore thought it was delicious and was happily despatched with leftovers for lunch this morning. It took about 35 mins to prepare and then around an hour until you can eat it.

Makes 6 generous servings

250Gg Puy lentils, or a mix of puy, brown & green lentils
500ml stock
2 aubergine, diced into 2cm cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil, preferrably taken from the sun dried tomatoes
2 onions, finely chopped
1 yellow zucchini or a red/green/orange pepper, chopped small
3 - 4 cloves of dried garlic, crushed (to taste)
200ml red wine
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato puree (from a jar of oiled sun-dried tomatoes) or 4 of tomato paste
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tblsp chopped parsley

Pine-nut cream
80 - 100g pine nuts
1 pkg silken tofu
lemon juice, to taste (about 1 lemon)
fresh nutmeg
1 tsp flour (or arrowroot or cornflour)

First, mix the diced aubergine with salt and leave to drain in a colander for 30mins while you do the rest of the work. Then squeeze out excess liquid in kitchen roll or a teatowel.
Stick the lentils on to cook - 30mins for the brown & green (just add the puy to these after 15mins if using a mix or cook for 15 if just using puy)
In a large pan fry the onions in a tablespoon of oil until golden brown (about 5 mins) then add the zucchini and cook for a minute or two. Then stir in the garlic and cook for 1min. Reserve.
Wipe the pan out and then add the rest of the oil, fry the aubergine until beginning to brown.
Now chuck in the drained lentils, the zucchini & onion mix, and the wine, simmer for a bit, then add the rest of the ingredients and season to taste - I dont use any salt, the aubergines should have plenty, but feel free to.

While the lentils are simmering, prepare the topping by whizzing all the ingredients in a food processor for a minute, until combined. It should be smooth with a few chunks of pine nut. For a smoother cream, process the nuts first.

To assemble pop the lentil mix into a rectangular casserole (I used 23 x 9 and the slices were nice and thick)
Then spread with a think layer of the pine-nut cream.

Bake in a 180degree oven for around about 55 minutes - it will be ready when the top is nicely browned and cracks are beginning to appear.

Rest for 10mins before slicing and serving with something green.

Avocado Hummus

Finding new and exciting ways with my avocado oil I happened upon this recipie last week. Was worried at first it would be too weird but in the end the pomegranate molassas was an inspired additiona as it adds a depth of tang while the avocado a round creaminess. A great way to use up old avocados. Easily doubled.

Ingredients

1 tin chickpeas

½ a soft, ripe avocado

1 tblsp tahini (or to taste)

1 tsp pomegranate molasses (optional)

Juice of half a lemon

2 tsp avocado oil

1 tblsp olive oil

Method

Blend all ingredients except the oils. Slowly add the oil and blend until emulsified. You don’t need as much oil here as other hummus as the avocado adds additional fat.

This serves about 2 people as a starter or 4 as part of a mezze