Chef Erin Baker is the founder of The Natural Cookery School in Nailsworth, which specialises in teaching people how to make delicious, wholesome and inspirational plant-based food with locally sourced and organic ingredients. American-born Erin is also the author of the recipe book The Veg Table, from which she shares two of her favourite summer dishes.
Greek green beans with tomatoes
GF VE
My mom grew green beans (any variety of French beans) every summer and I was made to pick them on a regular basis. Back then I hated it as I would have much rather been playing with my friends. Now, I have my own allotment and always grow green beans. This recipe is a great way to use up the summer gluts and can be served as a side dish or as part of a mezze.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 medium tomatoes, sliced into eights
500g French beans, topped and tailed
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh parsley
METHOD
Heat two to three tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook until turning translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for five minutes.
Add the French beans and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the beans are tender, about eight to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and finish with freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Malaysian tofu and aubergine satay
GF VE
Satay has become very well-known and there are lots of variations of the sauce served with the skewers. This satay sauce is quite authentic and uses peanuts instead of peanut butter to obtain a crunchy texture. The skewers can be cooked under the grill, in the oven or on the barbeque.
This recipe calls for tofu and aubergine, but most vegetables and seiten (wheat meat) or tempeh (fermented soya bean cake) can also be used. Oyster mushroom are pretty spectacular when used in this recipe.
Kecap (ketjap) manis is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce widely available at all major grocery stores. If you can’t find it, two teaspoons of soy sauce and two teaspoon of molasses or brown sugar equals one tablespoon of kecap manis. For a gluten-free version, use one and a half teaspoons of tamari instead of the soy sauce.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4-6
400g firm tofu
1 large aubergine
bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 1 hour to avoid burning if using the grill or barbecue)
1 cucumber
For the marinade
2 lemongrass stalks, white parts only
6 small or 3 large shallots, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp rapeseed, sunflower or vegetable oil
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp kecap manis (see top of recipe for gluten free)
Juice of ½ lime
For the satay sauce
125g blanched peanuts, toasted
2 tbsp rapeseed, sunflower or vegetable oil
125ml water
1 tbsp kecap manis (see top of recipe for gluten free)
2 tsp palm sugar or demerara sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 heaped tbsp tamarind concentrate mixed with 60ml hot water
150 ml coconut milk
For the spice paste
3-4 dried red chillies, seeds removed and soaked in warm water
1 garlic clove
2 shallots
1 lemongrass stalk, white parts only
1.25cm (½ inch) galangal or ginger
1 tbsp ground coriander
Cucumber, sliced to serve
METHOD
Remove the tofu from its packaging, wrap in a tea towel and put a weight on top to remove any excess moisture, and leave for 10-15 minutes. Soak the chillies in warm water for about 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C / Gas Mark 4. To make the marinade, combine all the marinade ingredients in a blender, or a jug if using a hand blender, and blend well.
Cut the tofu into 1.25cm (½ inch) cubes. Slice the aubergine into 1.25cm (½ inch) cubes. Place the tofu, aubergines and marinade in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and leave for at least one hour.
To make the sauce, toast the peanuts in the oven for five to 10 minutes or until fragrant and golden, be careful not to burn. Then crush the peanuts coarsely with a mortar and pestle or mini food processor and set aside. Turn the oven off until ready to cook the satay.
Chop the spice paste ingredients and blend until fine with a hand blender or mini food processor. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the spice paste until aromatic and spicy smelling. Be careful not to inhale as it will make you cough!
Add the peanuts, kecap manis, sugar, salt, tamarind and coconut milk and stir thoroughly. Simmer on a low heat and continue stirring for about 3 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of water. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Now to make the skewers. Preheat the oven temperature to 200°C / Gas Mark 6 or the grill/BBQ to high - just remember to soak the skewers in water first if using the grill or barbecue. Assemble the skewers by impaling the marinated aubergine and tofu.
If using the oven, bake on a greased baking tray until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes, turning once half way through. Grill/BBQ under a high heat for eight minutes on each side, or until tender and starting to colour.
When the satay is cooked, transfer to plates and top with about half the satay sauce. Serve the skewers with the remaining satay sauce and some sliced cucumber.
