Autumnal munching recipes from Flip Grater
Edible activism meets ethical hedonism in Flip Grater’s new cookbook, which is packed with favourite recipes from Grater Goods, her vegan deli in Christchurch.
Carrot lox
Makes 1 large jar
500 g carrots, peeled into long strips
4 teaspoons fine salt
Marinade:
1 sheet nori
1½ teaspoons flaky sea salt
¼ cup neutral oil (such as sunflower or rice bran oil)
1¼ teaspoons raw sugar
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
4½ teaspoons tapioca flour
Pinch of white pepper
½ teaspoon dried dill
- Slice carrots as thinly as possible (a speed peeler works well). Sprinkle with salt, stir through, let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain.
- Blitz your nori sheet in a blender to make a powder (or cut into super small bits). Combine all marinade ingredients and pour over the carrots.
- You can simply store this in your fridge and enjoy over a week or, if you want to get fancy, you can gently sous vide* the carrots in the marinade. This just gets them super soft and silky and makes them fall apart in a manner closer to smoked salmon.
* How to sous vide:
Place marinated carrots and marinade into vacuum bags and seal. Cook sous vide at 85°C for 2½ hours. For a home hack, simply place into a sealable bag, put into a pot of cold water, bring to a simmer and turn off. They won’t be silky but they will soften slightly.
Escarfaux
Serves 4
Our daughter Anaïs calls this “mescargots” as in “my escargot”! It’s a great way to use wild mushrooms in autumn but can be made any time of the year with Paris button mushrooms. Serve with bread to mop up all those garlicky juices.
8 medium button mushrooms
⅓ cup vegan butter (or dairy-free spread)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small shallot, finely sliced
6–8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup Chardonnay
½ cup vegetable stock
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 sheet nori, cut into small pieces
Sea salt to taste
Pinch of black pepper
Bunch of chopped parsley
Crusty bread to serve
- Cut mushrooms in half, then each half into 2 or 3.
- Gently heat butter and oil in a pan, add shallot and garlic and warm for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped mushrooms, wine, stock, vinegar, nori pieces, salt and pepper. Simmer for approximately
20 minutes, until the liquid has reduced substantially and thickened.
- Taste and season if needed. Toss plenty of parsley through the mushroom mixture and serve immediately with crusty bread.
Beet bourguignon
Serves 4
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, chopped into 1 cm pieces
400 g beetroot, cut into 3 cm batons
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
½ teaspoon onion powder
⅓ cup pinot noir
1 tablespoon tamari or light soy sauce
2 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
200 g mushrooms, halved
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add carrot and beetroot pieces and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until beetroot is slightly tender.
2. Add garlic, thyme sprigs and onion powder and cook until aromatic. Increase heat to high and add the wine, bring mixture to the boil and cook for 2 minutes or until reduced slightly.
3. Add soy sauce and stock and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook, removing lid halfway, for 40 minutes or until beetroot is cooked through and tender. Season to taste.
4. Meanwhile, drizzle remaining tablespoon of oil into a frying pan. Add the mushrooms, cut side down, and place over high heat. Cook, without touching, for 4 minutes or until golden on one side. Remove from heat and stand until required.
5. When the stew is cooked, combine cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the stew liquid to dissolve. Add mixture to stew along with the cooked mushrooms. Stir to combine and cook for a further 2 minutes or until thickened and glossy.
6. Serve with crusty bread, a sprinkling of fresh thyme and plenty of fresh black pepper.
