Comforting:Zacchary Bird's butternut pumpkin mac 'n' cheese recipe.Pete Dillon/Smith Street BooksWho said vegan food means missing out? Melbourne recipe developer Zacchary Bird certainly doesn't think so.
His first cookbook,Vegan Junk Food, is an unabashed down-and-dirty guide for when you're craving fast food,from greasy burgers to a meat loather's pizza,plus meat-free souvlaki,herb-stuffed quesadillas and"fablova"thrown in for good measure.
So put aside your preconceptions about mung beans and kale chips,because this is a cookbook about big flavours and fun recipes.
Zacchary Bird's new cookbook.Smith Street Books Bird has designed each one to be supermarket-friendly and simple enough for anyone to be able to cook.
Here are three retro-style meat-free dishes to enjoy.
Butternut pumpkin mac'n'cheese
Hidden vegies are a dead trend,joining other failed food fads,such as salads suspended in jell-o,in the hall of shame. It's time to proudly display your love of vegetables,with lumps of pumpkin stirred through this mac'n'cheese instead of being snuck into the cheese sauce.
INGREDIENTS
Sausage rolls
My sausage rolls are a consistent crowd pleaser,with mushrooms and herbs serving to bulk out your choice of"meat"and give off gourmet vibes. The wash of milk and oil somehow makes them simultaneously crispy and soft,and ensures they're just as good days later if your rolls survive long enough to become cold and old.
INGREDIENTS
- olive oil
- 1 onion,roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves,finely chopped
- 200g chestnut or button mushrooms,roughly chopped
- 2 beef- or chicken-style stock cubes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon thyme or rosemary leaves
- 5 drops liquid smoke (optional)
- 250g vegan mince or vegan burger patties,broken up into chunks
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 2 sheets dairy-free frozen puff pastry,just thawed
- 2 teaspoons soy milk
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)
- tomato ketchup,to serve
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 200C fan-forced (180C conventional).
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook,stirring occasionally,for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and mushroom and continue to cook until the mushroom has broken down and any liquid has evaporated. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a food processor,along with the stock cubes,soy sauce,Worcestershire sauce,thyme or rosemary leaves and the liquid smoke (if using) and blitz to combine.
- Place the mince in a large bowl and use a fork to mash the mustard,pepper and parsley into the mince. Stir in the mushroom mixture until well combined. Divide the mixture into quarters.
- Cut the pastry sheets in half and place them in front of you. Evenly spoon the mince mixture along the long edge of each pastry sheet,then fold the pastry sheets over to enclose the filling and use a fork to crimp and seal the edges. Press the sausage rolls down on this crease to seal shut,then cut in half and stuff any filling that's fallen out back into the open ends.
- Whisk 4 teaspoons olive oil and the soy milk in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush,brush the mixture over the top of each sausage roll and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and/or poppy seeds (if using). Bake for 25-35 minutes,until golden.
- Serve with tomato ketchup or your favourite tomato sauce. The sausage rolls will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Makes 8
Photo:Pete Dillon/Smith Street BooksThe big zac
An iconic flavour combination,which I have veganised and bears absolutely no resemblance to a burger with a similar name. It's all handily wrapped up in a bun so you can eat it on the go while avoiding a cease and desist from a multinational fast-food corporation.
- 60 ml (¼ cup) soy milk or 3 tablespoons aquafaba + 1 tablespoon tinned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- ¾ teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon American or Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 185ml (¾ cup) canola oil or other neutral-flavoured oil
METHOD
- Place all the ingredients except the oil in the bowl of a stick blender or plastic jug. Blend with a stick blender for 20 seconds or so,until frothy.
- With the stick blender running,slowly pour in the oil in a steady stream for 1-2 minutes,until you have an emulsified and thick mayonnaise. Taste,and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- The mayonnaise will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Makes 200g (¾ cup)
This is an edited extract fromVegan Junk Food by Zacchary Bird,published by Smith Street Books,RRP $39.99. Photography by Pete Dillon. Food styling by Bridget Wald.Buy now