Recipes

Wine and Dine

Red Onion and Thyme Tart with Mixed Salad
Serves 4-6

One of my favourite recipes. If you’re thinking, ‘oh no, not pastry-making’, think again! I am the world’s worst pastry maker and even I can do this one quickly! Don’t worry if it won’t roll out easily – just do a ‘stick and patch’ job and it’ll still turn out fine.

• Pastry
• 150g/5oz/1¼cups wholemeal self-raising flour
• 65g/2½oz/5tbsp vegan margarine
• 25g/1oz/¼ walnuts, finely chopped
• Filling
• 25ml/1½tbsp olive oil
• 3 medium red onions, finely sliced
• 5ml/1tsp dried thyme
• 2.5ml/½tsp brown sugar
• 130g/3½oz soft silken tofu
• 150ml/¼pt/2/3cup soya cream
• 15ml/1tbsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Salad
• A mixture of anything you like! Try combinations such as:
  • Cooked rice, cooked green beans and seeds
  • Green leaves, tomato, avocado
  • Cooked rice, can of drained mixed beans and tomato
• Serve with the vinaigrette recipe included earlier, or else vegan mayonnaise.

Pastry

1. Sift flour and salt into a bowl, adding any bran left in the sieve. Rub in the margarine with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Mix in walnuts, then add enough cold water to form a dough.
3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Filling.

1. Heat oil in a large heavy based frying pan. Sweat onions over a low heat for 20 minutes until very soft and translucent, stirring often.
2. Stir in thyme, sugar and seasoning and cook for a further 5 minutes until caramelized.
3. Set aside and leave to cool slightly.
4. Blend silken tofu, soya cream, Dijon mustard and seasoning in a food processor or liquidizer until smooth and creamy.
5. Preheat oven to 200ºC400ºF/Gas Mark 6.
6. Lightly grease a fluted 23cm/9in loose-bottomed quiche tin.
7. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface, then gently lift it using a rolling pin. Don’t worry if it breaks up.
8. Press pastry into tin with your finger tips and trim top. Use extra bits to mend any holes!
9. Prick pastry base with fork, line with greaseproof paper and baking beans and bake blind for 10 minutes until lightly golden.
10. Remove paper and beans, then spoon over onions.
11. Spoon over tofu mixture and smooth with a knife.
12. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and set.