Mushroom spinach vegan “quiche”

Is a quiche a quiche if there are no eggs and cream involved? Is pastry dough pastry dough if zero butter was used in the making of it? Maybe I should call this recipe a vegan vegetable tart, instead of a quiche, just to be safe from all the people complaining about veg*n calling dishes the same as their not veg*n counterparts, just because it’s easier to convey what kind of dish it is.

Mini vegan veggie tart

Mini vegan veggie tart

In any case, this vegan tart can be adapted to whichever (seasonal) vegetables you want to use. The base can be used for sweet as well as savory tarts. Fruit pies, frangipane tart, veggie tarts! The uses are pretty much endless. I tried this crust a couple of times, to make sure the first time wasn’t just a fluke. And it wasn’t. The next step will be finding a gluten-free flour mix with which the recipe works well.

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 275 grams all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 120 grams refined coconut oil (solid)
  • 6-8 tablespoons (90-120 ml) cold water

For the vegetables:

  • 250 grams mushrooms, cleaned
  • 1 onion (±125 grams) onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 300 grams frozen spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper to taste

For the “custard”:

  • 400 grams silken tofu
  • 240 ml water
  • 140 grams chickpea flour
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)

Instructions

For the crust:

  1. In the bowl of a food processor or stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix the flour and salt. Add the coconut oil in small(ish)1 pieces, and mix or process until only very small pieces of oil are left and it looks like a crumble.
  2. With the machine still running, add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until a cohesive dough forms. Not all water might be needed.
  3. Remove dough from processor / mixer, give it a quick knead to bring it all together, and start rolling out.
  4. For individual / mini quiches, cut the dough in pieces2 before rolling each individually about 3 mm thick.
  5. Line each tart mold, carefully pushing the dough into the crimps.
  6. Set aside in the fridge3 before filling and baking.

For the vegetables:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  2. Chop the onion. Cut the mushrooms in quarters. Mix both and spread in a (lined, for easier cleaning) baking tray. Spray some olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
  3. Bake mushrooms for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
  4. Meanwhile, thaw the spinach. Squeeze as much liquid as possible and chop finely. If using fresh spinach, chop & saute in a bit of oil until wilted and the liquid has evaporated.
  5. Allow spinach to cool. Then mix with the mushrooms.
  6. Note: this tart can be made with any vegetables you want. Calculate 700-750 grams of vegetables in total.

For the custard:

  1. In a blender, mix tofu and water together.
  2. In a bowl, mix chickpea flour & spices with a whisk.
  3. Add the mixed tofu to the chickpea flour and mix to combine. Let it rest about 10 minutes before proceeding.

Assembly and baking:

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
  2. Take the lined tins out of the fridge, divide veggies between the tins, then pour custard to fill the crust4.
  3. Place the tins on a baking tray.
  4. Bake 20-25 minutes until set and golden.
  5. Remove from tins and serve.

Servings

8-10 servings

Notes

  1. about a tablespoon worth
  2. With this recipe I had enough for 9 10 cm tarts, or 1 24 cm + 1 15 cm
  3. The crust can easily be made the day before baking. Just keep it in the fridge until filling & baking time
  4. If making one big quiche, mix veggies with custard, then pour into crust

Mushroom & Tofu Sang Choy Bau

Today’s dinner brought to you inspired by a recipe that I read somewhere, and with the “40 days without meat”1 campaign in mind.

Mushroom & Tofu Sang Choy Bau

Mushroom & Tofu Sang Choy Bau

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

  • 1 250 gr block firm tofu
  • 10 gr / ~ 1tbsp sesame oil
  • 500 gr mushrooms, clean & sliced
  • 1 orange (or yellow) bell pepper, diced
  • 3-4 spring onions, sliced
  • 1 small tin (70gr) tomato concentrate
  • 1 tbsp mushroom “oyster” sauce (or the real thing if you’re not vegetarian)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sambal oelek
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 pack (150 grams) straight-to-wok noodles

How to:

  1. Wrap tofu in a couple paper towels and press dry with hands. Cut in 1.5cm cubes. Heat up a non-stick pan on medium, once it’s hot, add the tofu cubes, and let them cook without touching them for 4-5 minutes, until golden, then turn, and repeat until all sides are golden and slightly crunchy.
  2. Heat up oil in a wok. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, until tender. Add the bell pepper & half the spring onion, and cook for a couple of minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the tomato paste, mushroom “oyster” sauce, soy sauce, sambal oelek & garlic powder with 3-4 tbps of water, enough to make it pourable (might need to add some more water). Add to the mushrooms and cook 2 minutes. Add the noodles, stir and cook for another couple of minutes.
  4. At this point, all sides of the tofu should be golden. Add tofu to the mushroom mix. Stir to coat.
  5. Sprinkle remaining spring onion on top before serving.

Bon appetit!

The best way to turn 30

Is as follows:

Come home to a bunch of balloons:

And two dozens of roses:

And a chocolate cake:

And then follow it with a luxury dinner at Restaurant Lof:

Amuse Bouche:

Jerusalem artichoke cream with kale and truffle as starter for me:

and Jan’s Cabbage and curry with poached quail eggs,black olives and peppers:

Red beet with inlayed pumpkin, gherkins, airy cashew nuts, polenta and red beet sauce as main dish for me:

And Baked pear with parsnip, red onion compote, roasted shallots, crispy salsify & creamy porcini sauce for Jan:

Dessert was Pear cake with mascarpone, coffee and dark chocolate for me:

And ‘Our’ tarte tatin with apple, vanilla ice cream, caramel and sugared pastry for Jan:

Followed by tea for me:

chosen from a fancy tea menu:

And coffee for Jan:

It was a lovely day!