The secret of vegetarian cooking
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It's simple really - vegetarian cooking and eating is not about substituting meat, but rather about shifting the focus.
Instead of the conventional meal of meat and two veg, meals without meat should be a varied composition of texture, colour and flavour. Imagine a plate of Mediterranean mezze...creamy humous singing with garlic, olives twinkling like jewels, smoky grilled vegetables and grains dressed in fresh lemon juice, herbs and peppery olive oil, and a warm, soft pocket of flatbread to scoop it all up with. Do you miss the meat?
Getting a balanced diet
Research has proven that a vegetarian diet can improve health, but vegetarians must be sure to replace the nutrients meat contains, in particular protein, iron, B vitamins and selenium. Sources of these nutrients are abundant in an ideal vegetarian diet, which consists of a variety of foods including grains, beans, pulses, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and a small amount of fat.
Pump up the protein
Without meat or fish, the obvious missing link is protein. Nutritionists recommend that 15 per cent of the daily diet is made up of protein, so that slot should be filled with the star vegetarian protein sources: beans and pulses, grains, tofu, nuts and seeds, eggs and dairy products.
Star proteins for a vegetarian diet
Vive la veg
Certain vegetables are true stars in vegetarian cooking, scoring big points for flavour, texture and versatility.
Aubergines
Aubergines reign supreme for versatility - they can be fried, baked, roasted, char-grilled, steamed, stuffed or stewed. They're great for absorbing flavours and only really need to be salted (to extract juices) if you're frying them - this process stops them soaking up too much oil (link to this process in ingredients). One of the easiest ways to cook them is to cut into quarters lengthwise, score several times diagonally almost down to the skin, brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in a hot oven until golden. Then serve as part of a salad with avocado and cashew nuts or on a bed of couscous with herbs and almonds. Because they have a high water content, they cook well in the microwave; simply cut into chunks and microwave for 3-5 minutes or until thoroughly soft, then add to pasta sauce or stews.
Mushrooms
Wild mushrooms are a luxury seasonal item with high-impact flavour, and should be treated simply - gently sautéed with a little garlic and served with pasta or on top of sourdough toast, or as part of a classic risotto. Big flat mushrooms are juicy and satisfying and make a great vehicle for stuffing and roasting. Other exotic cultivated mushrooms with big flavour are shiitake and oyster, as well as Japanese newcomers hon-shimeji - all delicious fried in butter with garlic and perhaps a splash of Madeira wine. A drizzle of truffle oil over cooked mushroom dishes brings out their best and adds panache. Dried mushrooms such as porcini and shiitake have an intense flavour - an essential storecupboard item.
Peppers
Red, yellow, orange, green or purple - peppers add colour, sweetness and a distinctive flavour. Their hollow form makes them ideal for stuffing, with rice, nuts and spices, or Italian style - cut in half and filled with fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil and roasted. Grilled, peeled peppers in jars or tins are widely available, delicious and easy to use, either for stuffing or chopped up in salads and casseroles, or pureed into a quick sauce with garlic and lemon juice.
Research has proven that a vegetarian diet can improve health, but vegetarians must be sure to replace the nutrients meat contains, in particular protein, iron, B vitamins and selenium. Sources of these nutrients are abundant in an ideal vegetarian diet, which consists of a variety of foods including grains, beans, pulses, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and a small amount of fat.
Pump up the protein
Without meat or fish, the obvious missing link is protein. Nutritionists recommend that 15 per cent of the daily diet is made up of protein, so that slot should be filled with the star vegetarian protein sources: beans and pulses, grains, tofu, nuts and seeds, eggs and dairy products.
Star proteins for a vegetarian diet
Vive la veg
Certain vegetables are true stars in vegetarian cooking, scoring big points for flavour, texture and versatility.
Aubergines
Aubergines reign supreme for versatility - they can be fried, baked, roasted, char-grilled, steamed, stuffed or stewed. They're great for absorbing flavours and only really need to be salted (to extract juices) if you're frying them - this process stops them soaking up too much oil (link to this process in ingredients). One of the easiest ways to cook them is to cut into quarters lengthwise, score several times diagonally almost down to the skin, brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in a hot oven until golden. Then serve as part of a salad with avocado and cashew nuts or on a bed of couscous with herbs and almonds. Because they have a high water content, they cook well in the microwave; simply cut into chunks and microwave for 3-5 minutes or until thoroughly soft, then add to pasta sauce or stews.
Mushrooms
Wild mushrooms are a luxury seasonal item with high-impact flavour, and should be treated simply - gently sautéed with a little garlic and served with pasta or on top of sourdough toast, or as part of a classic risotto. Big flat mushrooms are juicy and satisfying and make a great vehicle for stuffing and roasting. Other exotic cultivated mushrooms with big flavour are shiitake and oyster, as well as Japanese newcomers hon-shimeji - all delicious fried in butter with garlic and perhaps a splash of Madeira wine. A drizzle of truffle oil over cooked mushroom dishes brings out their best and adds panache. Dried mushrooms such as porcini and shiitake have an intense flavour - an essential storecupboard item.
Peppers
Red, yellow, orange, green or purple - peppers add colour, sweetness and a distinctive flavour. Their hollow form makes them ideal for stuffing, with rice, nuts and spices, or Italian style - cut in half and filled with fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil and roasted. Grilled, peeled peppers in jars or tins are widely available, delicious and easy to use, either for stuffing or chopped up in salads and casseroles, or pureed into a quick sauce with garlic and lemon juice.
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