Poppy seed filling for Hamantaschen

I haven't got the vegan pastry as good as I want it yet, but I do need to remember the filling (which was delicious) for next year.

Poppy Seed Filling Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp poppy seeds, ground into a meal 

• 3 tbsp maple syrup {or honey, agave, etc.}

• 1½ tbsp non-dairy butter of your choice (~ 21 gm)

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• ⅛ tsp salt

• 3 tbsp raisins

Instructions

Place all filling ingredients in a food processor and process until combined.

Pastry - 

Try this version from Haaretz next year.

Ingredients

75 ml. oil

70 grams sugar

160 grams coconut cream

300 grams flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

1. Add oil and sugar to mixing bowl with an attachment for stiff dough. Mix a little and add coconut cream and flour. Mix until a dough is formed.
2. Transfer dough to floured surface; make a square, cover in plastic wrap and freeze for one hour.
3. Take dough out of freezer, roll out dough on floured surface and cut circles with a ring.
4. Put half a spoon of your filling in the middle of the circle and fold into a triangle.
5. Put hamantaschen in freezer for 15 minutes.
6. Heat oven to 170 degrees Celsius (340 degrees Fahrenheit).
7. Bake hamantaschen for 12 minutes.
8. Remove from oven for cooling, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.

Black Lentil and Cranberry Salad

I got this recipe from Adi's mother. You can add quinoa to it and it will be a delicious black and white salad. This salad goes well as the protein component with my spicy vegetable dish.

Ingredients >  1 cup black lentils >  3 shallots or 1 medium red onion, chopped >  Cranberries, as per taste >  Coriander leaves garnish (optional) Dressing >  100ml freshly squeezed lemon juice >  50 ml olive oil >  Salt and pepper

Steps 1.  Put the black lentils in a saucepan with plenty of water. Bring to the boil and let it cook on a lower flame for about 20 minutes. The lentils should be cooked but slightly firm. 2.  In the meantime, chop the onion really small and put into a bowl with the cranberries. 3.  When the lentils are cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. 4.  Combine the lentils with the onion and cranberries. 5.  Add the olive oil and lemon juice and mix well. Taste and add salt and pepper. 6.  Taste again and add more lemon juice if your tastebuds require it.

Cabbage Salad with Tahina dressing

What's important here is the salad dressing, which I took from Gordon Ramsay's 'Healthy Appetite' cookbook. It would go just as well with other salads.

Ingredients >  1 cabbage, shredded >  Handful of dark raisins Dressing >  1 knob fresh ginger, grated or chopped >  3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar >  2 Tbsp soy sauce >  2 Tbsp sesame oil >  2-3 Tbsp tahina

Steps 1.  Shred the cabbage, put into a bowl and add the raisins. 2.  Put all the dressing ingredients into a bowel or jar and either whisk or shake. 3.  Put enough of the dressing onto the cabbage to lightly coat it.

Glazed Carrots - vegan tzimmes

I refer to this as tzimmes, but that is with meat. Here is my vegetarian version, taken from Evelyn Rose.

Ingredients >  ~800 gm new carrots (I used 1 bag of frozen baby carrots!) >  1-2 Tbsp olive oil >  1 knob of ginger, finely chopped >  1 Tbsp honey or vegan equivalent, such as agave syrup >  Grated rind of 1 orange >  1 tsp salt >  Water to cover

Steps 1. If using fresh carrots, scrape them and slice them as thinly as possible. 2. Put the carrots in a deep narrow pan. 3. Add the oil, ginger, honey, orange rind and salt. 4. Cover completely with water, then bring to the boil. 5. Simmer uncovered until the water has evaporated and the carrots are tender and coated in a shiny glaze - about 30 mins. 6. You can make this earlier and then reheat in the microwave.

Carmi's Paella

I was casting around for a vegan dish for a buffet, and Carmi had just given me a taste of this delicious paella. It came out well.

Ingredients >  1/4 gm saffron threads >  1 medium onion, chopped >  2 cloves garlic, crushed >  3 Tbsp olive oil >  500 gm frozen peas >  2 cups uncooked sushi rice >  2 tsp paprika (Carmi used smoked) >  Salt and pepper >  3 cups vegetable stock >  15-20 cherry tomatoes, halved >  Slivered almonds to sprinkle on top

Steps 1. Dissolve the saffron threads in warm water. 2. Saute the chopped onions and garlic in the olive oil until golden. 3. Add the peas and rice, and season with the paprika, salt and pepper. 4. Stir well. 5. Add the saffron with its water and the boiling stock. 6. Only then add the tomatoes and stir. 7. Let it simmer 12-15 minutes so that it is still wet. If you are serving immediately, simmer for the full 15 minutes. 8. When ready to serve, put in the oven (heated to 180°C) for 5 minutes. the water dries an the paella heats up.

Nut spread (vegan chopped liver)

In Israel you can buy vegetarian "chopped liver", based on either eggplants or zucchini, but these include eggs. I needed a recipe for the festival meal without eggs. This came out really tasty, and made a good spread on matza.

Ingredients >  1 large onion, chopped >  1/2 kilo mushrooms, chopped >  3 Tbsp olive oil >  1/2 cup chopped walnuts >  1 Tbsp water >  Salt and black pepper to taste

Steps 1. Saute the onions in the oil until golden, so that the sugar comes out. 2. Add the mushrooms and saute for another 10 minutes. 3. Pour into the food processor, and add the walnuts, seasoning and water. 4. Blend until smooth, and then check the seasoning.

Vegan "cheese" cake

Shavuot (Pentecost) is here and we celebrate by eating cheese dishes! I used to make a wonderful cheese cake that I inherited from my mother, but needed to find a vegan alternative. This recipe is by Leah Koenig (http://www.myjewishlearning.com/recipe/vegan-lemon-cheesecake/) and turned out wonderful. If you didn't know you'd think it was made of cheese.

Ingredients >  200 gm (8 oz) petit beurre biscuits >  100 gm (4 oz) marge >  zest of one lemon >  14 oz silken tofu >  200 gm (8 oz) Tofutti tofu spread, cream cheese style >  2/3 cup sugar >  1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice >  1/2 tsp ground ginger >  1/2 tsp vanilla essence >  2 Tblsp cornflour

Steps 1. First make the base of the cake. Grind up the biscuits. 2. Melt the marge, pour the zest and biscuit crumbs into the pot, and mix well. 3. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch cake tin and refrigerate while making the filling. 4. Pre-heat the oven to 175°C (350°F) . 5. In the food processor process the silken tofu and vegan cream cheese until smooth. 6. Add the sugar and process until well combined, approximately 3 minutes. 7. In the meantime, in a separate bowl, combine the lemon juice, ginger and vanilla essence. 8. Whisk in the cornflour until all smooth.  9. Pour this mixture into the food processor with the tofu, and blend until smooth. 10. Pour the mixture onto the crumb base. 11. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until set (the center will still be slightly wobbly).  12. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight.