Category: Recipes

Torta de Acelgas – Spinach and Swiss Chard Pie

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Torta de acelgas, or Swiss chard pie is a dish typical of Gibraltar, probably of Italian origin. This pie is usually made at Easter time, coming from the tradition of not eating meat on the main festive days, although it is also enjoyed all year round. The filling is quite firm and set, and it is one for garlic and cheese lovers. There may be quite a few steps to this pie, but it is so worth it and one that the younger generations should keep alive as this is one of Gibraltar’s star dishes. This family recipe calls for making your own dough, but this is optional as you can buy store bought short crust or flaky pastry. Some people even make it with puff pastry but quite frankly it is not the same. The quantities here are for a baking tray approximately 40cm long by 30cm wide, but if you do not want to make one this big (it makes 48 servings after all!) you can scale down (or even up!) if need be. A baking tray 20cm by 20cm (8 inch) will take about half the amounts. One thing that should not be compromised is the cheese. If you cannot find mature edam (it is quite popular here but not easily found elsewhere) you can replace with parmesan, grana padano or similar.

Swiss chard by itself doesn’t really have much flavour which is why this recipe calls for spinach. However since Swiss chard is seasonal you can replace it will spinach entirely and it will be just as delicious. This recipe calls for cooking the spinach and Swiss chard from fresh and wilt over a medium heat, however if you wish to cheat a little and save some time and work you can also buy it frozen, allow to defrost and squeeze the water as indicated. This pie is usually served either at rooms temperature or cold, and even though it is a bit of a calorie bomb, it make a nice meal on it’s own with some salad. However it is difficult to have just one piece!

Torta de acelgas, Swiss chard pie
Torta de acelgas, Swiss chard pie

Spanish Rice Pudding Recipe – Arroz Con Leche

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Arroz con leche (rice pudding)

Arroz con leche is the Spanish version of rice pudding, it is creamy, sweet and unlike the British counterpart, it is flavoured with lemon rind and cinnamon, a match made in heaven and so typical of many Spanish sweets. This recipe does not need any dollop of jam as its British counterpart, and is extremely comforting. Even though this is usually considered a basic home dessert, it still requires some skill as it can easily burn and needs quite a lot of stirring, although nothing too strenuous! In Gibraltar this is also very typical especially at Easter time, and it is usually served cold, straight from the refrigerator, and it is customary to sprinkle some ground cinnamon on top just before serving. It is also perfectly possible to make a vegan dairy free arroz con leche using dairy free milks.

Swiss Chard Fritters – Tortillitas de Acelgas

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Tortillitas de acelgas. Swiss chard fritters

In this part of the world tortillitas can be made with different ingredients depending on where they originate and the time of year. For example here in Gibraltar they are made with Swiss chard, spinach, prawns, cod (typical at Easter time), and sweet ones with raisins are particularly popular. In nearby Cadiz  however they are made with shrimp and they are flatter and crunchy. Being vegetarian only the Swiss chard ones and sweet ones are suitable though. What they all have in common is that they are a type of fritter and probably originated from a way to make cheap ingredients into a tasty meal in olden times.

Swiss chard is a very popular vegetable in the Mediterranean, it is also seasonal and ridiculously healthy. It can be easily replaced with spinach in a like for like amount since they taste quite similar and can be used in the same way. These fritters are served hot, they are fluffy and soft on the inside and absolutely delicious! This is a family recipe and is one of these that there are no exact measurements which means that the amount of milk you need for the batter will depend on it’s consistency. In general the batter (known as a gachuela) needs to be thick so it can be spooned into hot oil, but not too thick that it’s a paste or too thin that it is runny. So it is best to add the amount provided and increment in steps if need be. Also here we use yellow food colouring many times, which we call azafran, or saffron, although it is not saffron at all. I’d rather use the real thing even if sparingly due to it’s cost, and since it is just for colour you could also replace with a pinch of turmeric (enough to colour, not enough to taste) if you can’t find saffron or colouring.

Chocolate Orange Self Saucing Vegan Pudding

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Chocolate orange self saucing pudding

This self saucing pudding is nothing short of the perfect fix for a chocoholic. Sweet, rich, gooey, indulgent, fudgey and intensely chocolatey. Need I go on? I decided to give it a slight twist this time by incorporating orange flavour, but chocolate orange is one of my favourite sweet treats. However if you want it to be plain chocolate instead then omit the orange zest and replace 100ml of the orange juice with water. The top is almost brownie like and the bottom is dripping in a rich chocolate sauce.

I like to have this at room temperature so it is quite gooey at the bottom, although if you have this warm the sauce will be looser and runnier. This is a very easy dessert to make which is not only self contained but it is also dairy free and vegan. The recipe is based on this chocolate pudding recipe, replacing an egg with a flax egg (ground flax can be bought in most supermarkets now in the nuts section), and used refined coconut oil for the fat. You can use dairy free butter or margarine such as Vitalite or Earth Balance instead, but I would not use raw coconut oil as this has a coconut aroma and personally I do not like this. If you have never made a self saucing pudding before and love chocolate then this one is for you.

Yellow Split Pea Dhal Recipe

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Yellow split pea dhal

With Indian food being so popular it is quite easy to opt for a take-away or to eat out at an Indian restaurant, but cooking delicious Indian food can be quite easy and it lends itself very well to people who are vegetarian or vegan. This dhal (also known as daal, or dal) recipe is not only easy, but also inexpensive since dried pulses tend to be quite economical. Most if not all of the ingredients can be found in any pantry or spice rack and if not, then it’s good to have them just in case! Dhals are wonderfully aromatic and full of warm flavours that even non-veggie will appreciate and enjoy. I don’t mind spicy food but other members of my household don’t so I tend to make food mild, however you can adapt this if you like your food spicy and add a green chilli sliced in half to the yellow split peas while they are cooking. This makes a great meal that all members of the family can enjoy.

Greek Style Feta & Spinach Spanakopita Pie

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Greek feta cheese & spinach pie

This Greek inspired feta cheese and spinach pie recipe is inspired on the traditional Spanakopita dish, although apparently it is of Turkish origin and belongs to the burek family of dishes. Anyhow, this is a fantastic recipe to make for vegetarians and non vegetarians alike. The filo pastry is crunchy and the feta gives richness. I sometimes make this with sun dried tomatoes in oil and a foodie friend (Gastrorob) has recommended me to use the oil from the sun dried tomato jar, which I will do next time I make this. Serve with some tomato and cucumber salad or even some tzatziki for the full Greek experience! Since filo pastry does not contain any fat it is important to be generous with the oil when brushing. This will make it crispy when baked. You can also make a dairy free and vegan version of Spanakopita which is just as tasty.

Carrot Cake Recipe – Vegan & Dairy Free

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Vegan carrot cake

I always get the impression that when I bake a cake or make a dessert and say it’s vegan that people automatically make the assumption that it’s not going to be as good as the regular version. So, I came up with this version of carrot cake, vegan and obviously dairy free and gave it to some friends who came to visit as a taste test. They loved it, had no idea it was vegan or couldn’t tell there was anything different. I took that as a compliment since I was a bit nervous about the dairy free cream cheese frosting (sometimes I wonder whether it’s just me getting excited at how close vegan alternatives can be to the regular versions) but there was nothing about it that said that it was made from tofu! Yes, the cream cheese alternative was made from silken tofu and refined coconut oil which can be found in most supermarkets nowadays. I also have to say that I find that the vegan cakes can be simpler to make and have the same great taste. Overall this recipe is fingerlickingly good, moist, sweet with a tangy topping, and so satisfying,…I dare any sceptic to try it!

Carrot cake vegan

Easy Carrot Cake Recipe

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Carrot cake

I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t like carrot cake, it is such a classic dessert and it is one of those that everyone does it a little different. You can have the frosting on the top, have it as a thick layered cake with frosting in the middle, with walnuts, without…it lends itself to many variations.

For a long time I have used this recipe as my ‘go-to’ carrot cake recipe because it is quite easy to make and super delicious. However I also make a vegan carrot cake, based on this recipe which I prefer and highly recommend, and in a recent taste test between the two, my friends could not tell much of a difference between the two or which one was vegan.

Haricot Bean & Green Bean Stew Recipe

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Haricot & green bean stew

I love legume stews in general, but I absolutely love haricot beans. They are tasty, soft and creamy, and so versatile that can be used in all sorts of dishes especially stews. I have to admit I use already cooked haricot beans for this recipe, it saves time and does not need prior planning or preparation by soaking. Having said that I very much like different textures in my stews, and to contrast the creaminess of the haricot beans the crunchiness of green beans works perfectly. I also like to leave the carrots chunky for the same reason. This recipe is a relatively quick one pot wonder, light, tasty and healthy. You can serve it with rice, potatoes, on its own or as in this case with quick cook mixed grains (pearl barley, spelt, durum wheat, rice and oats). Any which way it is a delicious comforting meal.

Cream Cheese Frosting Dairy Free & Vegan

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Cream cheese frosting, dairy free

Cream cheese frosting is a must for some cakes such as carrot cake (in my opinion) and making a dairy free and vegan version can seem to be challenging. However the magic ingredient is silken tofu which is quite smooth and neutral tasting. There is another recipe for dairy free cream cheese in the blog but I prefer to use this recipe as a topping or frosting since it is richer tasting and smoother in consistency. As far fetched as it may sound in a taste test on some carrot cake this topping was pretty much indistinguishable from the regular cream cheese topping, so I can objectively attest that few people would notice it is vegan unless you told them.

The richness comes from the coconut oil which makes it creamy and provides the necessary fat that would naturally be present in regular cream cheese. I prefer to use refined as it is odourless and does not have any taste, and raw coconut oil has a slight coconutty smell and taste which I personally do not care for in things that should not require coconut (but that is just my personal preference). Coconut oil has quite a low melting point so depending on the time of year it happens to be a liquid or a solid in my pantry. If yours is solid you can warm this up in the microwave or in a water bath, enough so it is soft or just melted, but without it being hot.

This recipe creates a yield of 450g of dairy free cream cheese, and can be scaled up or down as required.

Green Bean & Potato Salad Recipe

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Green bean and potato salad

This is a very typical salad in Gibraltar, and even though I have this at any time of the year it always reminds me of summer for some reason. it requires a bit of advance preparation (cooking the potatoes and green beans in advance and allowing them to cool), but it is so worth it. The original version of this salad usually contains tuna, but this is something I obviously omit in this vegetarian version as it is perfectly good as a vegetarian salad. In this recipe I am giving the basic ingredients for the salad but I many times use it as a base and include other ingredients such as olives, roasted red peppers, baby corn or asparagus. I like to be creative when it comes to my salads (although I am more of tossing in whatever I have in my fridge that may go with it), and I invite you to do the same. Add whatever you might find tasty.

The star of the dish though should be the green beans. Fortunately we get good quality produce here and there are several varieties; the round green beans and the larger flat green beans. The latter are crunchier and sweeter which is my preference.

Carrot & Garlic Salad Recipe

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Carrot and garlic salad

This is a classic salad of southern Spain, in particular the southernmost tip and also typical of Gibraltar, known as ‘zanahorias aliñadas‘, which literally means marinated carrots.

The carrots are cooked first, then cooled and marinated in olive oil and vinegar. However I have an aversion towards vinegar (there aren’t that many things I don’t like) so I tend to marinade most salads with lemon juice instead, but the choice is yours, it can be done both ways.

It may seem that having raw garlic in a salad may be a little strong flavoured but together with the smokiness of the sweet smoked paprika and the sweetness of the carrots, the flavours balance out perfectly. This can be had on it’s own but it is usually served as an accompaniment to other dishes or as part of a starter.

Artichoke Hearts in a Garlic ‘Al Ajillo’ Sauce

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Artichoke hearts al ajillo

Artichokes are very versatile and can be the star of any meal. They are very nutritious and have a lovely tangy taste and in this recipe they are cooked in a mellow garlic and wine sauce, very typical of Spanish cuisine. There is a fair bit of preparation in peeling and cutting the artichokes but the end result is worth it. It is quite important to rub lemon juice when you have peeled them to prevent oxidation (turning brown) and to soak them in a bowl of water and lemon juice if you are preparing them in advance.

The stalks are an extension of the artichoke heart which is the best part of the artichoke, so it is best not to cut them off. Once you start peeling you may find that there quite a lot that goes to waste, but these leaves can be used to make soups and infusions. I like to give them to my guinea pig, he loves them! Waste not, want not. This recipe makes 2 generous main dish servings or 4 starters.

Minestra Recipe

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Minestra

Minestra is a typical dish from Gibraltar of Italian origin, specifically from Genoese immigrants that settled hundreds of years ago. Some people like Minestra chunky (like me, I prefer to dice all the vegetables) and other people like to blend the vegetables into a sauce. This dish is a stew made with pinto beans, vegetables and pasta with a hint of basil.

Either way is just as good and is down to personal preference. It is usually made with a type of pasta which we call ‘fideos‘, which is a generic term in Spanish for pasta but in context means short strands of spaghetti, about 3cm (1 inch) long, similar to vermicelli pasta but a little thicker. If you can’t find it you can always break spaghetti strands into small pieces.

This dish is also typically served with grated mature Dutch Edam cheese, which is hard, crumbly and has an intense taste. It may seem strange to use a Dutch cheese since Minestra is of Italian origin, but in Gibraltar mature Edam cheese is used in many dishes and it is one of our many quirks. However it is by no means necessary and omitting this will keep it dairy free and vegan.

Bitter Orange Ice Cream Recipe

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Bitter orange ice cream

Following on from my obsession with bitter oranges due to their incredible tart and bitter sherberty taste, after making bitter orange curd, I decided to make and ice cream with them. I made this last year and it is so easy and so incredibly delicious, like sherbert made into ice cream.

The best thing about this recipe is that there is no churning involved but it is sweet, tart and a little bitter as you would expect. I suppose the same specs could be used with lemon, but for the bitterness maybe some grapefruit would work well. However bitter oranges have a fragrance about them that can be difficult to recreate. In any case if you can get your hands on Seville oranges this ice cream is a must.

Potaje de Tagarninas – Spanish Oyster Plant Stew Recipe

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Spanish oyster plant stew, potaje de tagarninas

Spanish oyster plant also known as golden thistle, or ‘tagarninas‘ in Spanish, are in season in the winter time and typical of the southernmost tip of the Iberian peninsula. This plant isn’t usually sold in supermarkets because it is not grown in crops, but foraged, so you can buy in the food market and on roadside stalls. The plant has a slightly tangy taste, is high in fibre and used to be consumed in war times when food was scarce.

‘Tagarninas‘ are still foraged today and I quite like the idea of using plants which are foraged locally in a sustainable way, sort of feels more connected to nature. A suitable replacement for this plant would be asparagus, or even green beans purely for aesthetic value. ‘Tagarninas‘ are usually stewed, like in this recipe, although there are other seasonal recipes where they are used. This stew is quite easy to make and has a wonderful taste, with the bay leaf, cloves and cumin seeds giving a lovely warmth and rich taste. This is a perfect winter warmer and typical stew with chickpeas.

Caramelised Onion Sauce Recipe

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Caramelised onion sauce

This sauce made with caramelised onions may not sound particularly glamorous of ‘haute cuisine’, in fact it is traditional rustic cooking. In Spanish it is known as ‘salsa de cebolla‘ or ‘encebollado‘, and it is a typical sauce that is used in Gibraltar for cooking meats. This is a vegetarian version (obviously, in fact this is vegan) that is suitable for things like veggie meatballs, or seitan. The key is to allow the onions to caramelise, this develops the sweetness and the other flavours enhance the savouriness. This sauce is very easy to make and all you need is a good hand blender to make it smooth and release all the flavours.

Vegan Meatballs Recipe

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Vegetarian (vegan) meatballs

Meatballs are a favourite with many people and feature in many traditional cuisines. I grew up with the Spanish style meatballs, known as ‘albóndigas‘, so when I make them I like to stay as true to the traditional recipe as possible.

I like to use dried soya mince which can be flavoured whichever way you want really. Dried soya mince is very high in protein and relatively inexpensive, and can be very easily found in most health stores and some supermarkets (in Spain it can now be found in Mercadona).

Like in the traditional ‘albóndigas‘ recipe I use parsley and marjoram. The latter may be a bit difficult to get hold of fresh, so dried marjoram can be used instead. Alternatively you can also use any other aromatic herbs of choice, from thyme to oregano. Traditionally egg is used to bind the mixture but I like to keep it dairy free and egg free, and chickpea flour works perfectly well as a binder. These meatballs are tasty, have a good texture and dare I say are delicious! Here I made them with a rich caramelised onion sauce.

Seville (Bitter) Orange Curd Recipe

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Seville orange curd

The Seville orange season is quite short, so I get excited when I see the trees laden with fruit which happens in winter before they go back into flower in spring, infusing the air with it’s perfume (known as azahar in Spanish).

The flavour of bitter oranges is considerably more complex than most other citrus fruits. Bitter oranges are tart (although not quite as tart as lemons), bitter and sour, sort of a cross between a lemon and a grapefruit. They do have a fantastic and distinct aroma, and the blossom infuses the streets in early spring.

Here in Gibraltar they grow in along a few roads and gardens, and in the south of Spain many towns and cities have Seville orange trees pretty much everywhere. Strangely the fruit is not consumed, presumably because it is so tart and many times goes to waste. However there are towns in the Seville area where the fruits are collected by British companies in order to make orange marmalade (hence the Seville orange name).

This is not a fruit that is eaten raw, at least not by most! Usually they are used for marmalade due to the high pectin content. I prefer to make a curd with them, sweet, tangy, tart, bitter and sour…quite a combination of flavours! The yield of this recipe is about 600ml of bitter orange curd. If you can’t find them you could use a combination of lemon and grapefruit. Another use for Seville oranges would be to use the juice in a cocktail…but that would be a different story!

Butternut squash soup

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Spiced butternut squash soup

Butternut squash is a lovely vegetable to make soup with and indeed butternut squash soup is very popular and there are plenty of different variations of this soup. I like to spice things up a little bit by using cumin seeds and fennel seeds for an interesting twist that contrasts the delicate sweetness of the squash. Tempering the cumin seeds is easy and releases so much flavour that I much prefer to use this method rather than using ground cumin. There is also no dairy in this recipe as potato provides the necessary richness and creaminess. This soup is filling and comforting as it is tasty.

Lentil Bolognese Recipe

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Lentil bolognese with mushrooms

Bolognese sauce is a staple in most households and there are a few ways to do a vegetarian bolognese. You can make it with quorn or soya mince, but ever since I started making it with lentils I have not looked back. Yes, it can take a bit longer, but it is tastier and healthier. I like to make it the way I have always had it since I was a child. The tomato frito sauce is a Spanish influence (my mum is Spanish) as is using white wine, but it works. After all I am not that bothered about authenticity here, but more that it tastes authentically good. If you cannot find tomato frito sauce you can simply replace with more tinned tomatoes and a bit more garlic. I like to use yeast extract (Marmite), miso paste and Maggi seasoning for a savoury punch and make the sauce rich and deep tasting. This is a recipe I make time and again.

Vegetarian Nut Roast Recipe

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Nut roast

This nut roast recipe is based on this BBC Good Foot nut loaf recipe and it is absolutely delicious. I made this on Christmas eve since I am the awkward vegetarian of the family and had to make my own dinner…OK, so maybe I volunteered but I wanted to make sure I would have something nice! A friend of mine suggested this recipe and made it with my own twist as I usually do. I think this recipe allows one to be creative with the ingredients and is a fantastic alternative for a roast. I had this with some vegetarian gravy, some roast potatoes and veggies. There was lots leftover for the following days in case I got hungry!

Dairy Free Cream Cheese Recipe

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How to make dairy free and vegan cream cheese

This is a simple recipe for a dairy free alternative to cream cheese. I have seen many recipes that use cashew nuts as the base of the cream cheese which I’m sure gives a lovely rounded flavour, however in this one I use tofu which I think gives a good consistency and works well as a base for any other flavours you may want to add. For a thicker consistency I use extra firm tofu, and it important to use a good blender so that the tofu gets blended smoothly. The good thing about this is that you can make it as tangy as you like, so you can add a little more lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to taste, although you may want to do this bit by bit.

They don’t sell dairy free cream cheese where I live but I did try it last time I was in the UK and this tastes similar. This is quite a protein rich and low fat alternative too, which may be good for those who are watching the calories. I would suggest having it as a base with a savoury filling, to use for a cream cheese frosting or even for a dairy free cheesecake, although it is perfectly good on it’s own. Also you may want to get creative and add some other flavours like chives or garlic.

This recipe gives a total yield of 150g (5oz) of dairy free cream cheese and can be scaled up if needed.

Vegan Caramel Sauce Recipe

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Dairy free & vegan caramel toffee sauce

Regular caramel sauce or toffee sauce is very dairy heavy, and is composed of butter, sugar and double cream. This caramel sauce however is dairy free and vegan but still has all the taste. It is important to use a neutral tasting dairy free margarine, I like to use Pure brand, made with soya which has a mild buttery taste that works very well with this recipe. The soya cream is a single cream replacement which has considerably less fat than double cream. In order to compensate for this and make the sauce the same consistency as regular caramel sauce arrowroot powder is used to thicken the sauce without altering the flavour or texture.