Cooking without Chemicals with Tom Hunt – Beer-battered Kale

by Tom Hunt

Tom Hunt is an award-winning chef, food educator, writer, climate change activist and author. This recipe was first published in his book Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet. https://www.tomsfeast.com

Beer-Battered Kale

Beer is a nifty ingredient for making any number of dishes. Just a drop will transform a slow braise, stew or hotpot, adding notes of bitter caramel, yeast and hops that elevate the recipe while lessening the need for stock. Beer batter is quick to make and deeply satisfying to eat. The bubbles help it puff up when fried, turning wonderfully crisp and flavourful. Here I’ve battered a variety of whole kale leaves, which are magically moreish served with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of curried mayonnaise. Any leftover beer can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a month, or frozen indefinitely until needed.

Serves 2

100g wholemeal spelt flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt and pepper

130ml beer and/or water

Light olive oil, for frying

200g Kale (green, purple, or black or a mix of all three), whole leaves (but you can also try nettles, halved mushrooms, batons of squash, fennel or turnip, chicory leaves, etc.)

To serve: lemon wedges, curried mayonnaise, or tamari

In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, beer and/or water, and beat out any lumps. Add a little more beer, water or flour if necessary to reach the consistency of double cream.

Fill a saucepan less than one-third full with oil and place on a medium heat. When hot (test by dropping in a little batter – if it bubbles and rises to the surface, it’s ready) dust the kale leaves lightly in flour, shake off the excess, then dip into the batter.

Shake again to remove any excess batter and carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry for about five minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen towel to drain. Serve hot with lemon wedges and your favourite condiment.

Cooking without Chemicals with Tom Hunt – Whole Egg Mayonnaise

by Tom Hunt

https://www.tomsfeast.com Tom Hunt is an award-winning chef, food educator, writer, climate change activist and author. This recipe was first published in his book Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet.

Whole egg mayonnaise

1 whole egg

Mustard, to taste (we used a heaped tsp of whole grain mustard)

Apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice, to taste (about 1-3 tsps)

Extra virgin olive oil

Crack a whole egg into a large bowl. Add the mustard, vinegar or lemon and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking continuously until the mayonnaise thickens. This will take 3-5 minutes.

Cooking without Chemicals with Tom Hunt – the Pulp Fiction Burger

by Tom Hunt

Tom Hunt is an award-winning chef, food educator, writer, climate change activist and author. This recipe was first published in his book Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet. www.tomsfeast.com,

The pulp fiction burger

Root to fruit eating is an holistic approach to food that considers all aspects of its production, its impact on the planet and our health. To eat in this way means basing the bulk of our meals on local-seasonal foods and eating them whole, including the parts we usually throw away, like peelings, root greens and other by-products. Whenever possible my recipes include the whole ingredient but sometimes the usually discarded, odds and ends becomean invaluable ingredient in their own right. Like spent lemon rinds which make the most incredible marmalade or ‘aquafaba’ the liquid leftover from cooking pulses, a practically cost-free egg replacement that makes perfect mayonnaise, pastry or meringues. This recipe calls for leftover juice pulp – plant-fibre that’s a vital macronutrient and huge waste if left unused. It turns out juice pulp is perfect for making a delicious textural veggie burger, especially when it contains lots of delicious, blood red beetroot. If you plan to make a juice, plan to make a burger, it’s a rather tasty bonus.

Makes 2 patties

100g juice pulp (about two small juices worth, preferably containing beetroot) or finely

chopped cooked mushrooms

100g tempeh, shredded, or finely chopped cooked mushrooms

2 tbsp tamari

1 tsp vinegar (cider or other)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 large red onion, grated

1 clove garlic, grated

1 tbsp miso,

2 tbsp vital wheat gluten flour or chickpea flour

25g walnuts

Virgin or light olive oil for frying

Serving suggestion

Bun, winter leaves, onion, pickles, ketchup, mayonnaise (recipe below!)

Preheat the oven to 220C

Mix all the burger ingredients together well and season with pepper. Do not add salt as the tamari and miso are salty. Form into two firm round patties and place them on parchment paper. If you have time place in the fridge for at least thirty minutes or even overnight if you want to make them the day before. Fry the patties gently on the parchment pieces, in a lightly oiled, ovenproof frying pan on a medium low heat. Risk the temptation to move the burger, watch the base and when it starts to brown and form a crust (after about five minutes) carefully flip the burger with a fish slice. Put the burger in the oven for five to ten minutes while you prepare the trimmings. Serve how you like in a bun or lettuce leaf with your favourite sauces.

Whole egg mayonnaise

1 whole egg

Mustard, to taste (we used a heaped tsp of whole grain mustard)

Apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice, to taste (about 1-3 tsps)

Extra virgin olive oil

Crack a whole egg into a large bowl. Add the mustard, vinegar or lemon and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking continuously until the mayonnaise thickens. This will take 3-5 minutes.

Cooking without chemicals with Tom Hunt – A Swede Pretending to Be Ham

by Tom Hunt

Swede might be an unlikely candidate for a centrepiece, but roasted whole, glazed with mustard and sugar, and studded with cloves, it transforms into something deeply savoury, smoky-sweet and satisfyingly ham-like. The result is a gloriously bronzed root that carves beautifully, whether served hot from the oven or cold in thick slices the next day, tucked into sourdough with extra mustard and a handful of peppery watercress.

Enjoy!

Tom Hunt is an award-winning chef, food educator, writer, climate change activist and author of the new book Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet.

Ingredients – serves 4–6

  • 1 swede (about 800g–1kg)
  • Glug of virgin or light olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • 60g muscovado sugar
  • 40g wholegrain mustard (or to taste)
  • 8–10 cloves

To serve

  • Thick slices of sourdough
  • Extra mustard
  • Watercress
  • Sauerkraut (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Wash the swede well, scrubbing especially around the root end. Trim any rough patches and cut out any soily nooks or blemishes with a small knife.

Rub the swede lightly with olive oil and a pinch of salt, then wrap it in unbleached parchment and place it in a small ovenproof dish. Roast for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and unwrap.

Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the swede in a shallow criss-cross pattern, cutting about 5mm deep, as you would a ham. Stud the intersections with cloves, drizzle with a little more oil, and return to the oven uncovered for another hour, or until golden, soft and slightly shrunken.

Meanwhile, mix the sugar and mustard together in a small bowl. Lower the oven to 120C. Brush the hot swede all over with the mustard glaze and return to the oven for 20–30 minutes, until sticky, burnished and aromatic.

Carve at the table into thick slices, or let cool and slice thinly for sandwiches with sourdough, extra mustard and watercress. A spoonful of sauerkraut alongside works beautifully too.

Storage: Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Delicious served cold.