Credit: David Loftus
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8 min read
From enchiladas to arancini balls, these are some autumnal-themed vegan recipes to try from the new cookbook Mildreds Easy Vegan.
With five restaurants across London, Mildreds has become renowned for its 100% plant-based menus and lively atmosphere. It first opened its doors in Soho over 20 years ago and has maintained its love for vegan cooking over the years, with tips and advice also being released in their cookbooks. The latest Mildreds cookbook, Mildreds Easy Vegan, focuses on how to whip up simple quick dishes that are delicious and will never feel like you’re missing out on meat or dairy.
The recipes in Mildreds Easy Vegan are written by the restaurant’s chefs who want to “share how we cook in our own time, as busy working people who need to make something nice when they get home after a long day, feed hungry kids in a hurry, whip up a date night dinner or create a quick, impressive meal for guests at the weekend without spending all day in the kitchen.”
Credit: Mildreds
And so, if you’re looking to dip into some vegan cooking or have been hunting for some new plant-based recipes to add to your weekly dinner schedule, these three autumnal-inspired recipes are both tasty and easy to make as the evenings get darker and colder.
Credit: David Loftus
Pepper Chick’n Enchilada Roja
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1 yellow pepper, sliced
- 6 oregano sprigs, leaves picked
- 150g (5½oz) plant-based chick’n, shredded
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 10 corn tortillas
- 150g (5½ oz) vegan cheddar-style cheese, grated for the roja sauce
- 4 dried guajillo chillies, tops removed, deseeded
- 1 dried ancho chilli, top removed, deseeded
- ¼ teaspoon oregano leaves
- 4 garlic cloves
- 250ml (9fl oz) vegetable stock
- 300g (10½ oz) passata salt, to taste
To serve
- shredded lettuce
- finely sliced onion
- sliced red chillies
Method
To make the roja sauce, heat a non-stick frying pan or large, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat and toast the dried chillies for a couple of minutes until fragrant, but do not allow them to burn. Add 1 litre (1¾ pints) of water and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes until the chillies are rehydrated and soft.
Drain the rehydrated chillies then place them in a food processor. Add the oregano, garlic, stock and passata, then season to taste and blend until you have a red, smooth sauce.
Combine the red and yellow peppers, oregano and shredded chick’n in a large mixing bowl. Season with the salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/325°F/gas mark 3 or preheat your grill to low.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Dip 1 of the tortillas into the roja sauce, making sure it is lightly coated on both sides, then add it to the pan. Fry the tortilla for a few seconds on each side – make sure you do not fry it for too long, or it will become crispy and you won’t be able to fold or roll it.
To assemble the enchilada, place a spoonful of the chick’n and pepper salad in the centre of the tortilla, then roll it up and place it in a 23 × 33cm (9 × 13in) baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, roja sauce and filling.
Once all the enchiladas are rolled, sprinkle with the vegan cheese and grill or bake for 5 minutes to melt the cheese and warm through.
Serve the enchiladas immediately while they still are warm, with some shredded lettuce, sliced onion and sliced chillies on top.
Credit: David Loftus
Portobello & Caramelised Onion French Dip Rolls
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 sub or baguette rolls
- 4 tablespoons vegan mayo
- 2 tablespoons vegan dijon mustard
- 4 handfuls of quick pickled cucumbers
- 400ml (14 fl oz) red wine gravy, warm for the caramelised onions
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 600g (1lb 5oz) onions
- 40g (1½oz) plant-based butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 500g (1lb 2oz) portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 5–7 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and very finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1½ tablespoons vegan
- Worcestershire-style sauce
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 150ml (¼ pint) strong blond beer
Method
For the caramelised onions, heat the oil in a sauté pan or large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium–high heat until it is shimmering. Add the onions and stir to coat with the oil. Let them catch a little and turn a deep golden brown, then reduce the heat to medium-low and keep cooking gently, stirring often, until the onions are glossy and golden. This will take 20-30 minutes, so a little patience is required. Take off the heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare the mushrooms. Melt the butter and oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for a couple of minutes to get some caramelisation, stirring and turning frequently with a spatula. Then add the rosemary, garlic powder, white pepper and sauces. The mushrooms should be glossy and not soggy; increase the heat if necessary, so the liquid reduces and all the flavour goes into the mushrooms. Season with the salt.
Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside on a plate. Deglaze the pan with the beer, increasing the heat to high and cooking it down until the alcohol has cooked off and the liquid is reduced to a couple of tablespoons. Return the mushrooms to the pan and toss through well to combine.
To assemble the sandwiches, lightly toast the rolls, then spread each one with mayo and mustard. Top with the mushrooms, pickled cucumbers and caramelised onions, and serve with warm red wine gravy.
Credit: David Loftus
Butternut Squash Arancini
Makes 12
Ingredients
For the risotto
- 750ml (25fl oz) vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 large sage leaves, chopped
- 150g (5½oz) butternut squash, cubed
- 150g (5½oz) arborio rice
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 100g (3½oz) vegan parmesan-style cheese, grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the arancini
- 200g (7oz) plain flour, plus extra for rolling if needed
- pinch of salt
- 300ml (10½fl oz) water
- 200g (7oz) panko breadcrumbs
- rapeseed or sunflower oil, for frying
- 10 sage leaves
To serve
- vegan aioli or romesco sauce
Method
Bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a small saucepan over a medium heat, then reduce the heat so that it is barely simmering.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan over a low-medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 2 minutes until soft and translucent but not coloured.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the sage and butternut squash. Cook for 5 minutes to caramelise the squash, then ladle in about two thirds of the stock. Cover with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the squash is soft.
Smash the butternut squash with a wooden spoon to create a chunky mash, then add the rice and stir until well coated with the squash. Add the remaining stock, a ladleful at a time, adding just enough to cover the rice each time. Keep stirring until the rice has fully absorbed the stock before adding the next ladleful. The rice is ready when it has plumped up and is tender on the outside but retains a slight firmness at the centre (al dente). This will take around 15 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the nutritional yeast, then take off the heat. The risotto is ready to serve, but if you want to use it to make arancini, it needs to cool completely. Spread the risotto in a thin layer on a tray and put it in the fridge so it cools quickly and doesn’t lose its bite.
Once the rice is completely cold (this will take about 2 hours), stir in the vegan Parmesan cheese.
To shape the arancini, keep a bowl of water close by so you can moisten your hands to help you during the process. Take a couple of tablespoons of rice at a time (around 40g/11⁄2oz) and shape into a ball. Set aside on a plate or tray while you roll the rest. (If you find the mixture is too wet to shape properly, you can roll the balls in a little flour to help.)
To make the batter, combine the flour, salt and water in a bowl. Mix thoroughly with a whisk to prevent any lumps from forming. Scatter the panko breadcrumbs on to a plate or into a shallow bowl.
Dip the arancini into the batter, one at a time, making sure that you cover them completely, then roll in the panko breadcrumbs to coat.
Pour oil into a large saucepan to a depth of 7.5-10cm (3-4in) and place over a medium heat. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F). If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, you can test to see if it’s ready by dropping in a small cube of white bread. It should bubble and turn golden, but the oils should not spit or smoke.
Fry the arancini one at a time, or two at a time at most, so as not to lower the temperature of the oil by overcrowding the pan. Fry for 5-8 minutes until golden brown, then drain on a plate lined with paper towels while you cook the rest.
Turn off the heat and allow the temperature of the oil to come down to 160°C (320°F) (this will take 2-5 minutes), then deep-fry the sage leaves for 2 minutes until crisp.
Serve the arancini with the fried sage and a side of aioli or romesco, for dipping.
Mildreds Easy Vegan (£28, Hamlyn) is out now
Photography: David Loftus
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