Wholesome vegetarian dishes to recreate at home
Ready to eat more greens this year? Incorporating nutrient-rich vegetables into your daily diet is not only great for your health - cooking with fresh, seasonal produce will also infuse your dishes with bright colours and delicious flavours. In recent years, the Savoury City culinary team has seen a surge in requests from our event clients – and their guests – for creative vegan and vegetarian menus and meat-free alternatives.
Whether you’re new to plant-based cooking or simply looking for some culinary inspiration, here are three of our favourite healthful vegetarian recipes to try out for your next dinner party.
CAULIFLOWER BROWN BUTTER SOUP
Perfect for those cold-weather days, this hearty winter soup has a smooth texture and is packed with flavourful root vegetables and fresh herbs. Serves four.
INGREDIENTS
● 1 head of cauliflower, chopped
● 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
● 1 rib of celery, coarsely chopped
● 1 onion, coarsely chopped
● 2 cloves of roasted garlic, minced
*raw garlic is fine, if you don’t have roasted garlic on-hand
● 1 Yukon potato, peeled
● 1 bay leaf
● 1 sprig of fresh thyme
● ¼ tsp. curry powder
● 3 Tbsp. butter
● 1 cup whipping cream
● 5 cups water
● 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives or parsley
● Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
Cook chopped cauliflower in butter over medium heat until the florets soften and the butter takes on a deep brown colour and nutty aroma (add a couple fresh sage leaves to the pan if you have some on hand). Move the cauliflower to a large soup pot, leaving as much butter in the pan as possible
Sweat out the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots in the remaining butter. Add vegetables to the pot with the cauliflower. Deglaze the pan with a tablespoon of water (or brandy if you have it on hand) and use a spatula to scrape all of your butter solids and browned glaze into your soup pot. Add water, potato, bay leaf, thyme, and curry powder to the pot. Simmer until the vegetables are fully softened and potato is falling apart, about 40 minutes.
Strain two cups of water off and reserve for later. Using an immersion blender, puree the vegetables and liquid until smooth, for a luxurious smooth texture. Return the soup mixture to the pot, add cream, and bring up to a simmer over medium heat. If the soup is too thick, you may add some of the reserved cooking water at this point. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.
SWEET AND SPICY SMASHED CUCUMBER SALAD
This flavourful and balanced cucumber salad packs a fiery punch thanks to the addition of spicy chili bean sauce. A perfect starter for a summertime barbecue or as a side dish for an Asian-inspired meal. Serves four.
INGREDIENTS
● 2 English cucumbers, rinsed, and cut lengthwise
● ½ tsp. Kosher salt
● 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
● 2 tsp. doubanjiang (chili bean sauce)
● 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
● 1 Tbsp. dark soy
● 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
● 1 Tbsp. water
● Cilantro or green onion, chopped for garnish
● 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds or 1 Tbsp. toasted pumpkin seeds
METHOD
Place the cucumbers cut side down on a cutting board and apply some downward pressure with your palms or whack with the broad side of a cleaver. The goal is to break the cucumbers up a little bit without mashing them. Slice cucumbers once more lengthwise and then cut into pieces between one to three inches long at a 45-degree angle. Salt the cucumbers and allow them to rest in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Combine brown sugar, chili bean sauce, sesame oil, dark soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and water in a bowl to create the dressing. Season with extra chili flakes or a dash of hot sauce if you prefer the dressing on the spicier side.
Lightly rinse the cucumbers and shake off any excess water, toss in dressing and allow to sit at least 15 minutes before serving. Lastly, garnish with sesame seeds and herbs.
VEGAN BROWN RICE CHIRASHI BOWL
This Japanese-style chirashi bowl packs a colourful mix of raw and pickled vegetables, tofu, and wholesome brown rice topped with a sweet-and-spicy dressing. Serves four.
INGREDIENTS
● 3 cups brown rice, cooked
● 1 package silken tofu, drained and cut into ½ inch cubes
● 1 ripe avocado, coarsely chopped
● 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
● 4 Tbsp. thinly sliced scallions
● 4 Tbsp. crispy fried shallots
● ¼ cup edamame, shelled and blanched
● ½ cup shredded iceberg lettuce
● 12 thin pieces of carrot, sliced using a vegetable peeler
Pickled vegetables
● 2 thinly sliced red radishes
● ¼ cup thinly sliced English cucumber
● 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
● 1 tsp. sesame oil
● Pinch of sea salt
Toss all ingredients together in a bowl and store in the refrigerator to soften and pickle further, up to 72 hours. If the vinegar is too strong for your preference you can rinse it off before using.
Mushrooms
● 6 sliced shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
● 2 Tbsp. water
● 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
● 2 Tbsp. mirin
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer on medium until mushrooms are cooked and take on a fine sheen from the glaze. Mushrooms can be served chilled or at room temperature.
Dressing
● 2 Tbsp. kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
● 2 Tbsp. lime juice
● 2 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
● 1 tsp. sesame oil
METHOD
Note: Pickled vegetables and mushrooms can be prepared up to 72 hours in advance and kept in the refrigerator until needed.
Cook brown rice according to packaged instructions and divide into four bowls. Place shredded lettuce in the centre on top of rice, tuck carrot slices in a triangle around the lettuce (three slices in each bowl). Divide the edamame, mushrooms and pickled vegetables into four even portions and scatter on top of the bowls. Divide the tofu and avocado among the bowls and sprinkle very lightly with sea salt.
Mix the dressing with a fork or spoon and drizzle over the bowls, be sure to get some dressing on all the tofu. Finish the bowls with a sprinkle of toasted sesame, scallions, and crispy fried shallots.