Vegan potato croquettes

There's a semi-joke among my friends that my portion control is out of control. I say semi because I think everyone now knows and expects there to always be at least third helpings at any dinner at Casa del Guac, and also because leftovers are no laughing matter, and out of control portions mean a lot of these.

Too much mash is one of my favourite problems to have, which is precisely where a vegan potato croquette starts its life. You can make them from baked potatoes but as I make vegan mashed potatoes with vegetable stock and olive oil, by the next day the mash has usually developed its flavour a little and is perfect for a filing for croquettes.

I chose to add a salad and a wedge of lemon to mine, to cut through the stodge of the potato. But then again, I made this after a sober evening and I think with hungover eyes they'd go equally as well with as many other carbs as you can fit on a plate. Your call.

Makes enough for 4 with other breakfast things or 2 very hungry people!

Ingredients
400g leftover mash potato
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
Squeeze of lemon juice
Seasoning
2 handfuls of bread crumbs or a hunk of stale bread that has been grated into 2 handfuls' worth
1/2 cup of soy or almond milk

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed potato with the olive oil, paprika and lemon juice, and season to taste. You don't have to add these extra flavours- but I find the paprika is a great match to the smoky fried taste of the breadcrumbs, while the lemon juice freshens it all up a little.

Set aside the potato, and then get to work on your breadcrumbs- I would grate and then use a hand blender to make them extra fine- or if you have a mixer this can sort them out too! I used the stale end of a wholemeal, seeded loaf, and the seeds tasted amazing after they'd gone chewy from being fried, but whatever bread you have in will work well as long as it is a few days old.

Once your breadcrumbs have a fine, even consistency and no major lumps, pour the soy or almond milk in to a dish and arrange so you have the mashed potato ready to go on one side, then the milk, then the breadcrumbs, and a plate to pop all the prepared croquettes on, like a factory line.

Using two tablespoons, shape the potato croquettes into fat rolls and then quickly dip into the milk so they are covered all over. Then roll in the breadcrumbs, making sure the ends are covered. Leave on a plate and start the next croquette. They don't need to be perfect as you can add a few more breadcrumbs to them all once all the potato is used up, just make sure they are firm.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and then wait until the pan is almost smoking hot before frying two or three at a time- any more and they start to bump in to each other and knock the breadcrumbs off. Once the breadcrumbs are totally brown all over, carefully remove and plate up with the rest of your breakfast. I find it easy to make beans in this time but anything else might need a bit more preparation, in which case you could set the croquettes aside and then heat them up in the oven once they're ready to go.

Beetroot and potato cakes for a birthday brunch

Brunch is full stop the best meal of the day. This beetroot and caramelised orange salad recipe with potato cakes and spicy yoghurt is everything a good brunch should be: sweet, savoury, great as an alternative to a fry up and yes, slightly ludicrous.

This recipe is based on one I found by Riverford Farm head chef Jane Baxter- I veganised the potato cakes and simplified quite a few of the different flavours going on, so you’re just left with a huge plate of  brunchtime. I think the crazy colours and sizzle of potato cakes make this a perfect start to a birthday; it’s great with coffee, tea and funnily enough, a LOT of cava.

NB- To speed up the recipe, mash the potato the night before, or better, just make too much with dinner and save a bowl-full of leftovers.

Makes a lot for two people, or enough for four

Ingredients

For the potato cakes:
Bowl of mashed potato
150 gram flour (chickpea flour)
100ml Soy yoghurt
Pinch of bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of cayenne
Seasoning
Sunflower, vegetable or olive oil for frying

For the salad:
300g beetroot, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp sugar
2 oranges, peeled and segmented


For the yoghurt dip:
Half pot soy yoghurt
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch of paprika
Seasoning
Handful of coriander, chopped, and some to serve.

Preheat the oven to 200C and once hot, roast the beetroot in a tablespoon of oil, along with salt and pepper, uncovered for around 45 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together to mash and gram flour, adding in the almond milk, bicarb and cayenne pepper, and season well.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and drop a tablespoon-size of the batter mix into the pan. I did one at a time to the pan wouldn’t get too crowded. Cook for two or three minutes on either side, and then leave on a plate while repeating with the rest of the mixture, until you have around 12-16 pancakes.
By now the beetroot should be nearly done- in a saucepan heat the orange juice and sugar until it boils, then reduce until it becomes a syrupy texture. Add the beetroot and coat in the juice, along with half of the orange segments.

For the yoghurt mix, add the chopped coriander, paprika and cayenne pepper to the yoghurt and stir.
To serve, pour the warm beetroot into the centre of the dish, add the potato cakes at the side, topped with the yoghurt mix and the leftover orange segments.

Leftovers unite! Black eyed bean stuffed pepper bake with balsamic polenta

Stuffed peppers are one of those recipes I find myself veering away from if I have friends to cook for. Like anything involving tofu, tahini or nuts that need to be soaked over night, if I'm tired of the vegan cliche, my non-vegan friends are probably bored to tears. However, when faced with a glut of bell peppers and a pan of leftover rice, I couldn't see another way out. These stuffed peppers are in no-way revolutionary, but very easy, tasty and deceivingly exciting when placed in the middle of the table- the peppers will stay soft and juicy from being cooked next to the rice, and the onions and black eye bean eyed bean mixture is great with the tang from the balsamic polenta.

Makes enough for three- or use a pepper per person (and say that really fast)

Ingredients
One pepper per person, halved
Around 100g cooked rice per person
2-3 small red onions or shallots, left whole
2 tins black eyed beans
2 carrots, chopped small
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 chili, chopped
Pinch of thyme
Seasoning

For the balsamic polenta
1.6 cups of polenta
2 cups water
1 cup almond milk
1 cup vegan margarine
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Place the halved peppers in a large oven-proof dish, spooning the cooked rice around them to cover the bottom of the dish.

In a large saucepan, heat a little oil and add one chopped onion, chili and the garlic. Allow to sweat for two or three minutes before adding the chopped carrot and thyme. Once the carrot has begun to soften add the black beans and heat just enough for the oil to coat everything and begin to cook together. Season to your own taste then turn off the heat.

Spoon the black bean mixture into the peppers, adding the raw onions in between, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Put the dish in oven and cook for about 20 minutes.

During this time you can make the polenta- click here to follow the Guac & Roll recipe from October, but before allowing to cool, drizzle balsamic over the top of the polenta, allowing it to sink into the grain while it sets.

Once the rice is cooked and the peppers are beginning to brown, take out of the oven and serve with a few spoon-fulls of polenta on the side. A perfect way to use up the cupboard stores!