Its been two years since I last made a vegan Creme Brulee, and I was looking for an excuse to use my new cooks kitchen blow torch that was gifted to me two years ago, when I grumbled to my husband that the Brulee topping of the Creme Brulee I had made were not perfect. Christmas came that year and I found one under the Christmas tree.
I made these stunning vegan Beetroot Creme Brulee's with Pomegranate Seeds last weekend.
These Beetroot Coconut Creme Brulees are vegan and were a a bit of an experiment. I was not sure if the heaviness of the beetroot was solidify, I was pleased with my first attempt as the Beetroot Coconut Creme Brulee turned out pretty amazing. I have to admit there are still a couple of tweaks required as its not perfect, but I am happy to share what I have already with my readers as Valentines Day is coming.
The Beetroot Coconut Creme Brulee really, really was luscious, it was creamy, it was delicious and it was really amazing to eat breaking through the shardy sugar glass with my little spoon.
I am going to be honest and forgive me if its sounds boastful, that is not my intention, bit I was rather surprised and a little impressed with myself that I was able to create something so gorgeous in my home, this is the kind of dessert you find at avante garde vegetarian and vegan restaurants. I am even secretly smiling to myself.
The photograph above of the vegan Beetroot Coconut Creme Brulee, one without the sugar topping, and one with the brulee sugar topping and then I finished it all off with a generous scattering of ruby pomegranate seeds.
Over the past few days, I have been flicking through my Greek cookbooks precariously seeking warmth and sunshine through food. Yesterday, I shared my version of a Greek Shepherds Pie, but I wanted to make something a bit more authentic rather than a fusion of British and Greek cuisine. Talking of fusion cuisine, I have also made a Prasopita - a authentic Greek Pie that you could easily mistake to be a fusion creation of Greece and Wales cuisine as the recipe has every Welsh persons favourite ingredient: Leeks, but more about that in March when I plan to share it for St David's Day.
Today I share a casserole dish featuring Greek Hilopites. I bookmarked this dish because it reminded me of my Greek flatmates from Thessoloniki slurping a big red bowl of this silky ribbon pasta dish. At the time I found it a bit strange that these fiercely proud Greek boys were swirling their spoon and forks around Italian pasta. Nothing wrong with that after cheap beans on toast, pasta dishes were the next affordable grub for students, but my culinary knowledge was enhanced. He pulled out a brown bag of pasta and it was not packet Italian pasta, but one he had brought back from Greece, it could even have been homemade, I don't remember - but I was told firmly but politely, that this was hilopites, not tagliatelle.
Hilopites is a traditional Greek dried ribbon pasta and is popular throughout the Mediterranean. Hilopites can very much be described as Tagliatelle. It is often made with eggs and milk. However hilopites is much shorter than tagliatelle.
Theodore Kyriakou in The Real Greek At Home writes 'that his father was convinced that when Marco Polo took the idea of pasta from the Chinese and brought it back to Italy, he was only following in the footsteps of the brave Greek who took the recipe for hilopites from the East in a similar fashion'.
This vegetarian Greek Hilopites Pasta is enhanced with sweet paprika and saffron that is why it is so vividly saffron coloured. I was supposed to garnish it with some minced chives, but I forgot in my haste to get a picture.
It was really delicious, meltingly so - the hilopites was infused wonderfully with the saffron and sweet paprika, the shallots silky smooth and the garlic , I guess you just have to be careful that you don't overcook the hilopites as it can easily become mushy and that is okay if you like that. The shallots became sweet and tender.
Although none of my Greek inspired dishes are vegan, I wonder what my blogger friend Veganopolous will think of my Greek inspired dishes, including the Greek Shepherds Pie and the Prasopita, when I showcase it in March (if not before).
I am sharing this vegetarian Greek Hilopites Pasta with Saffron with Cook Once Eat Twice hosted by Searching For Spice.
A photograph taken in poor lighting on a dark evening.
This is a generous serving of homemade vegetarian Greek Cypriot Shepherds Pie with Feta Cheese.
I have mentioned my Greek flat mates at University and my holidays in Cyprus, this is me just harping back to those days and yearning for the warm climate, especially on a day like today when it has been raining all day. In fact it has been raining non stop for the past 5 days.
I am not the best potato masher and D was not around to help, so I my did my best with my weakling muscles. There were still lumps in the potato topping, but thankfully I don't mind lumps and nor does D. The mint in the mashed potato topping was just right, the black olives offered piquancy . This Greek Cypriot Shepherds Pie made for a change from the traditional Vegetarian Shepherds Pie that I so often make at home.
I am sharing this with CookBlogShare hosted by Hijacked by Twins. ; and Cook Once Eat Twice hosted by Searching For Spice.
I've also made a Prasopita, a Greek Leek Pie, adapted from the Greek Gourmand, but I am holding that back for St David's Day. Instead, here is a link to some other Greek and/or Cypriot inspired recipes on A2K - A Seasonal Veg Table
Spanakopita
Tomato and Feta Cheese Baklava
Vegan Spanakopita Pies
Vegetarian Pastitcio
