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Almond milk macaroni cheese by Sumayya Usmani

ÌýIngredients

Ìý250 g macaroni , parboiled

50 grams unsalted butter

50 grams plain flour

650 ml unsweetened almond milk, store bought or homemade

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp each of hot smoked paprika and ground nutmeg

300 grams grated Dunlop cheese

ÌýMethod:

ÌýParboil macaroni and keep aside. Preheat oven to 140 C

ÌýIn a pan, heat and melt the butter, add flour and with a wooden spoon, stir and combine and keep cooking on low heat for a one or two minutes, until raw smell of flour goes.

ÌýSlowly begin to add your unsweetened almond milk, keep stirring to avoid any lumps forming. Keep stirring all the milk until the mixture turns thick. Season with salt, add paprika and ground nutmeg and turn off heat. Stir in grated cheese. Once combined, add par-cooked macaroni and stir until all the sauce coats the macaroni.

ÌýIn a heat proof dish, pour out the macaroni and remaining cheese sauce in pan and top with breadcrumbs or dried out almond meal (from the leftover from making almond milk), a little more cheese grated and then pop into oven for 15-20 minutes or until the top is brown. Serve hot.

Homemade Almond milk

Ingredients

Ìý150 g raw almonds

550 ml - 700 ml filtered water or spring water

ÌýMethod

ÌýIn a bowl, place almonds and top with tap water, ensure they are covered 3 inches above with water from the tap (don't use the filtered / spring water yet)

ÌýIn the morning, strain and rinse almonds and place in a blender with the filtered/spring water. Blend until completely combined for at least one minute. You should be left with a milky white and opaque liquid. Place a muslin cloth over a jug, pour the white mixture through and sieve all the almond pulp out, push with a wooden spoon and squeeze out all milk, until you are left with the meal with little moisture.

ÌýTo use the meal, you can place it on a parchment paper lined baking tray and dry out in an oven at 90 C until dry. Use in cakes, cookies and to top crumbles or baked dishes. You can also use it undried in smoothies.

John Quigley’s gnocchi primavera with basil pesto and salted almonds

ÌýServes: 6 people

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

ÌýFor the pesto:

Ingredients

Ìý50g basil leaves

30g pine nuts

4 cloves of garlic

100ml olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

ÌýMethod

ÌýGently heat the garlic in olive oil for 7-8 minutes until the garlic softens and the oil has a strong garlic aroma. Let this cool completely and then blend thoroughly to a smooth paste with the basil, pine nuts and seasoning.

ÌýThe pesto will keep fresh in airtight jar for 2 week in fridge.

ÌýFor the gnocchi:

Ingredients

Ìý1kg gnocchi

handful each of frozen peas, broadbeans and cooked broccoli florets or any other combination of cooked greens e.g. sugar snap peas, green beans, asparagus

large handful of almond shavings

3 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp basil pesto

2 tbsp soy cream

small handful of rocket leaves

3 spring onions, sliced

salt and pepper

ÌýMethod

ÌýBoil the gnocchi according to packet instructions.

ÌýLay the almonds over a grill pan or oven tray in single layer, sprinkle generously with sea salt and gently toast.Ìý

ÌýHeat the oil in wok or frying pan with 2 tbsp water, add your vegetables and gently warm through, then add the pesto, soy cream and mix well until warmed through.

ÌýDrain the gnocchi and add to the pesto vegetable mix, toss together and adjust seasoning. Divide between plates and sprinkle over spring onions, rocket and almonds.

Ingredients

350g/12oz tofu,

rinsed, drained, patted dry and cut into bite-size pieces

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

3-4 tablespoons soy sauce

3 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and finely chopped

a thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1-2 teaspoons finely chopped dried red chillies

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons sugar

1-2 tablespoons sesame, groundnut, sunflower, or rapeseed oil

1-2 tablespoons peanuts, or mixed nuts, coarsely chopped

a small bunch of coriander leaves, finely chopped

sea salt

Method

Ìý

1.Put the tofu into a bowl and scatter the turmeric over the top. Add the lemongrass, ginger, chilli, garlic, and sugar and pour in the soy sauce. Carefully, toss the tofu so that it’s coated in the mixture. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours. 2.Heat a wok or heavy-based pan. Add the oil and spread it around the edges. Lift the tofu out of the marinade and place it around the edges of the wok to sear it lightly. Toss the tofu gently in the oil for 2-3 and, once the ginger and lemongrass begin to cook and emit a lovely aroma, stir in the marinade. 3.Toss in the peanuts for 1 minute, then toss in most of the coriander. 4.Season with a little salt if you think the tofu needs it – depends on the soy sauce you use – and serve it immediately from the pan. 5.Garnish with the rest of the coriander and serve it with a splash of soy sauce, or a wedge of lemon to squeeze over it, if you like.

Ìý

Ingredients

Ìý

I loaf of good white bread (eg sourdough),

crusts removed

500g mixed Scottish summer berries

(eg strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants,

redcurrants, blueberries, whitecurrants)

200g unrefined caster sugar

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed

A very large dollop of clotted cream

Ìý

Method

Ìý

1.In a thick-bottomed pan, heat the berries and currants with the sugar until all the fruit is soft and the juices are covering the base of the pan.Ìý If not, add a splash of water. 2.Add the vanilla seeds and strain the liquid through a fine sieve to make the sauce.Ìý Store the sauce and retain the fruit. 3.Meanwhile, line a pudding basin with cling film (brush the cling film with oil and put oil side down into basin).Ìý Then line with thin slices of bread, allowing for a little overlap.Ìý 4.Add the fruit to the centre of the bowl and fold the bread over the top so all the fruit is covered.Ìý Squeeze down and place something heavy on top.Ìý Leave in the fridge for a whole day or overnight. 5.Turn the pudding out onto a plate, cover with the sauce and a generous dollop of clotted cream.