Whole Roasted Aubergine Parm-Eh-Ish

A take on roasted aubergine parmesan, which involves making a 'buttah' base from cauliflower and cashew nuts. Serves 2-4.

For the cauliflower-cashew buttah base:

1 small head cauliflower, bottom stem removed, cleaned and dismembered into large pieces

200g raw cashews, soaked in water for at least one hour (or overnight), then strained and rinsed

4-5 medium garlic cloves

1/2 tsp coarse salt

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 bay leaf

2 cups water

For the aubergine:

1-2 medium-sized aubergines

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp coarse salt

100g cauliflower buttah

300g crushed Kettle chips (Salt & Cracked Pepper)

4 cherry tomatoes, sliced

Small handful of fresh basil leaves, washed and lightly packed

Cooking Instructions

To make the cauliflower-cashew buttah base:

In a medium-sized sauce pot add the ingredients and heat on medium-high until it reaches a slow boil, then steam for 10-15 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked throughout and breaks apart easily.

Let it cool, then strain and remove the bay leaf.

Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender.

Add a few splashes of water or non-dairy milk only if absolutely needed (we’re looking to create as thick of a mixture as possible for the buttah so the less liquid the better).

Once completely blended and smooth, measure out 1/2 cup of the buttah and chill the rest for another use. Save in a closed container in the fridge for up to a week.

Cooking the aubergine:

Preheat oven to 190C. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

To prep the aubergine, slice it in half lengthwise and score the inside without piercing the skin, with one tablespoon of oil rubbed into each top half.

Season with the salt. Spread a thin layer of cauliflower buttah on the open face of each half allowing some to get between the slices.

On a separate plate, apply crisps to cover the open aubergine flesh.

Add a few dollops of cauliflower buttah to the top and place sliced tomatoes on top and bake face side up for 40-45 minutes.

Remove from heat garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.

Miso Sweet Potato Pie with a Crispy Onion Crust

Serves 6-8

5-6 large sweet potatoes

1 litre vegan cheese sauce (available in supermarkets)

2 small white onions, skinned and left whole

1 tsp ginger minced

1 tsp miso

1 lime juiced

1 tsp rosemary, minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Cooking Instructions

In a medium-size bowl add ginger, lime, miso and herbs and mix well, add vegan cheese sauce mix until incorporated.

Slice potatoes as thin as you can on a mandolin. Don't rinse them after sliced, add to a large bowl.

Slice onions into super-thin rounds, rinse with cold water and set aside in separate bowl.

Add sauce with the sweet potatoes and mix well to coat each slice. Add a little sauce to the onions, too, and toss.

Oil a large baking pan and assemble potatoes evenly throughout the pan about three inches thick and pour sauce on top – just enough so it reaches the top 1/2 inch of the layers.

Mix onions with a little bit of remaining sauce, just enough to coat and spread evenly on top of potatoes.

Cover with tin foil – try to keep foil tight and not touching the top of the potatoes.

Bake covered at 180C degrees for 60 minutes or until tender and skewer can go through easily.

Uncover and roast another 10-15 minutes to brown the top and crisp the onions – remove from heat and let rest 20 minutes before slicing.

Recipe courtesy of Wicked Healthy, for Veganuary