Vegetarian Foods Archive

Dydd Dewi Sant hapus!   (Happy St Davids's Day!) Lovely readers.   Laverbread is known in Wales as 'Welshman's Caviar'.   I first heard about an actual 'Welsh Laverbread Caviar' product from my nephew who came up to see me when I lived in Scotland  (see here ), and it had since got me thinking of making my own.   The eureka moment came to me a when I made my balsamic beetroot pearls  and then it dawned on me  to try this with tapioca, basil seeds and even chia seeds.  These worked well as a substitute, the beady seeds swelled and became voluminous and gelatinous, however they lacked in flavour.  I had to find ways to inject flavours into these bobbly beads.  Natural colours were easy to impart, but flavours were a little harder to accomplish, but I eventually got there with: brine, tomato juice, carrot juice, smoked liquid and so forth.   Even though I've been making  vegan  Caviar  for a few years now, I ha...

The Welsh Laverbread Diaries continue... These Welsh Rarebit Laverbread Scones were with a capital A - Amazing.  D scoffed down two and would have easily gone for a third had I not given him the beady eye.   The mustard seeds give it pop and warmth, the Welsh laverbread a little colour and saltiness. and of course the cheddar cheese metled on top gives it that golden Blonde hue, gorgeous just on the cusp of almost burnt, but not quite.   To give the scones additional oomf , I've used both self raising flour and baking powder , but you can just leave out the baking powder if you wish.  Most of my recipes are easy to veganize, and this one is no different, just make a vegan savoury scone, then add vegan alternative non dairy milk and cheese. As I said earlier, D loved these.  We had finished of the remaining  scones in the following coming day, but gave them about 30 second in the nuker (microwave)  for a bit of warmth, but they are at their...

If your a regular reader of my Welsh Vegetarian food blog, you will have seen laverbread featured many times, but for those of you who are not familiar with this Welsh delicacy, in a nutshell Laverbread or bara lawr   as it is known in some parts of Wales is simply cooked seaweed that has been pureed.  It has a pate like consistency, so perfect for spreading on toast.  Welsh Laverbread not to everyone's taste, but I recommend you trying it at least once if your ever in Wales, but saying that its not easy to get hold of, even for those of us who live in the Welsh valleys of Wales. Many independent high street shops like traditional green grocers and fishmongers no longer exist.  These were places where you can you could pick up fresh sea vegetables like samphire and laverbread are closing down in towns or have closed down due to economic downturn as people snub the High Street and flock to shopping malls stuck in some industrial estate, The places to get fresh lave...

I made a Welsh Laverbread Bara Lawr and Leeks Risotto over the weekend with the fresh laverbread that I picked up from the market in the city of Cardiff.  By the time it came to eating, making and plating it up, it had got a little too dark for a photograph, so you will have to forgive me and imagine how the Welsh Laverbread Leeks Risotto looked.   Creamy white risotto with flecks of dark green from both sweet leeks and laverbread. It tasted lovely actually.  I liked how the laverbread clung onto the rice like a green edible rice paper.  I will definitely be making it again and hopefully the next time I will get a photograph for you. Please also check out my Welsh Rarebit Risotto Welsh Laverbread and Leeks Risotto Serves 2 Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium leeks (green and white parts), sliced an cleaned 200grams risotto rice 2 pints vegetable stock 2 - 4 tablespoons fresh laverbread Optional: 60grams - 100grams cheddar cheese or Veg...

Another really easy lush green  Bara Lawr – Welsh Laverbread recipe. This time I decided to stir some bara lawr into a traditional hummus base.  I have also used  Bara Lawr – Welsh Laverbread Hummus as a sandwich spread.   Bara Lawr - Welsh Laverbread Hummus Your will need Ingredients 4-6 tablespoons fresh laverbread 1 x 400grams tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 cloves of garlic Juice of a lemon Olive oil 1 teaspoon Tahini Salt and pepper to taste Method In a food processor blend all the ingredients to taste adding more of less oil if necessary. Previously shared Hummus Recipes on my blog Carrot Hummus  - July 2014 Beetroot Hummus  - February 2013 Wild Garlic Hummus  April 2011  Traditional Hummus  January 2010 

Wales is still not popular for its vegetarian cuisine, its often seen as the land of Welsh lamb, cockles and mussels,  faggots  - a Welsh meatball made from offal and meat off-cuts.   But what many people do not know is St David, the Patron Saint of Wales was a vegetarian.  I speculate, but its possible that St David may actually have even been a vegan as he only ate bread, vegetables, herbs and only drank water.   The green green lush land of Wales has also given us leeks and laverbread. Laverbread or 'bara lawr' as it is known in these part of the Welsh valleys.  Laverbread is not actually a bread, its a seaweed, that is cooked down to a jet green paste famously described by the acclaimed Welsh actor Richard Burton as ' Welshman's caviar '.  Laverbread is often enjoyed with shellfish, buttered toast or as Laverbread Cakes .   The best laverbread comes from  Selwyn's  who are based on the beautiful shores of the Gower Peninsula....

I've featured vegan Welsh Faggots on my blog i n the past, but have always wanted to enhance them textually and visually.  I was able to do this a few days ago for our homely St Davids Day Welsh Vegan Menu with the addition of another Welsh delicacy Laverbread.   For those of you not  from Wales and not familiar with Welsh faggots, well in a nutshell  Faggots were traditionally made with the innards of pigs. The pate like mixture was then wrapped in the lacy casing of the animals caul and oven roasted slowly.    I remember reading a while back, that the Welsh faggots is what haggis is to the Scots and is often referred to as Welsh Haggis in some par ts of Wales.   There may be some truth in this as  The Scotsman  also make reference to haggis being popular in the Welsh Valleys of Wales, but they still credit the Scots for the haggis jokingly writing that a Scottish haggis escaping to Wales in 1690, hence its popularity in Wales. ...

Happy St David's Day. For St David's Day, I decided to give the Welsh cakes , Bara Brith and  Cawl  - all vegetarian and vegan versions of course -  a miss. This year, I  wanted to make something that both acknowledged and celebrates my South Asian heritage and my Welsh root and shoots - Yes, a little bit of fusion  with this home-made Welsh Laverbread, Leek and Potato Samosa .  Yes that favourite South Asian moreish snack filled with spicy goodness and then  encased in a crispy and flaky pastry. The re is not much growing in my garden at the moment, but as a Welsh woman I am proud to say there are some leeks (and some red Chard).  Therefore, the leeks in this Welsh Laverbread and Potato Samosa come from my garden.   The fresh laverbread from a Cardiff Market from E Ashton Fishmongers .   My   Welsh Laverbread, Leek and Potato Samosa s are totally vegan, but you can crumble in some Caerphilly cheese to go...