Yet again, another ‘Chopped’ challenge in my kitchen (Ted Allen’s high-octane programme on Food Network, for those that don’t know), and what a resounding success too. Not only did this tart burst with flavour, it was also a very handsome dish indeed. I kept the accompaniment strictly in the red/pink zone – made a red cabbage, beetroot, and red onion salad served with a very exotic dressing – Heavenly ! just place in a jar and it will last you a few days). It really is worth making and serving in this way. The tart just melt in your mouth. Enjoy !
Serve with salad and my wonderful Exotic Dressing below.
INGREDIENTS
1 large whole broccoli (use only the florets – wash and steam them, then set aside)
175 mg (6.2 oz) firm silken tofu (½ 350g pack), drained
1 cup (250 mL) water
½ cup (56g / 2 oz) cashew nuts
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
¼ tsp turmeric
1 Romano pepper (or normal bell pepper), cut julienne
1 x 320g (11.3 oz) sheet shortcrust pastry (I used Jus-Rol)
1 small shallot
2 cups vegan cheese of your choice
olive oil, for drizzling on top (don’t add to the processed mix
crushed black pepper, for garnishing
METHOD
You will need a medium-sized shallow rectangular oven tray (mine measured 13 x 9½ x 1 inches), which you will need to grease.
Roll your dough out, then gently place it in your oven tray, pressing right into the edges along the sides of the dish – it’s fine if it’s thin, the dough is there to just about create a base.
Preheat your oven to 355ºF (180ºC).
Now add the rest of the ingredients, except for the red pepper and broccoli, in your food processor, and process until smooth, rich and creamy. Taste for salt, then gently pour it onto your dough, being sure to cover the surface as evenly as you can. Then distribute your red pepper lengths along the side edges of the dish, so as to create a kind of outline – it’s really for decoration purposes, but it offsets it nicely.
Now process the broccoli, or mash it really well, pour olive oil on top, and then with clean hands begin to distribute it evenly on the cheese custard sauce.
Drizzle olive oil on top, and garnish with black pepper. Place in your pre-heated oven until golden on top. (I took mine out a tad too early, because I wanted to shoot if before I lost the light – I also added a handful of my vegan grated cheese on top). It cuts a great deal better the following day. If you allow it to cool first, then re-heat, or eat cold from the fridge for a quick lunch snack with a simple green salad if you wish – MMmmmmm YUM !
VERY EXOTIC DRESSING
1 sweet eating apple, de-cored
1 tablespoon of tahini
a teaspoon of salt
1 inch fresh ginger,
a dash of maple syrup
3 Tbsp (45 mL) apple cider vinegar
4 Tbsp (60 mL) of either vegan mayonnaise or plain vegan yogurt
Process the above in your food blender until smooth. Then place in a jar and it will last a few days in the fridge.
All recipes and content © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010
This was fantastic! I made it as soon as it came through my email. I saw it reposted by some FB sites and I added my picture which looks just like yours:) I brought it into the office and shared it with my office mates and they all requested the recipe. You have outdone yourself Miriam! I missed quiche so much and this satisfies my craving and it tastes amazing. Thank you!
Kathleen Hi there and thanks for the delightful feedback. So check my blog for other quiches, they work so very well ! I look forward to your future comments on my blog ! 🙂
Hi Miriam, I have a question about the vegan cheese – I can buy (Australia) the solid vegan cheese suitable for grating, like a cheddar. Or, I can make my own which is softer, like a set custard 🙂 Does it matter whether firm or soft? Maybe it would help to know, apart from bulk and flavour, what is the important purpose of the cheese… that might help me to choose which style of cheese. Thanks Miriam.
Hi Raewyn, the importance of the ‘cheese’ is to impart a ‘cheesy’ flavour to the dish – if you know of a good quality vegan cheese in Australia, then by all means purchase and use it for this. Let me know how it goes as and when. Cheers ! 🙂
My family adores this! I have tried adding other vegetables too (spinach, mustard greens) but they produced too much liquid even when precooked.
Other changes I’ve made (but it’s still YOUR recipe, of course) are limiting cheese to that sprinkled on top, not using a crust at all and instead using 6 times as much silken tofu.
So glad you enjoyed this Leslie. 🙂