SUPER PATTIES with TOFU, BROWN RICE AND WALNUTS

I call these super patties because they are delicious cold, filling enough to make lunch - or dinner if you take two - and extremely healthy.

They also happen to be gluten-free and vegan if you're entertaining somebody in those camps.

And yes, Billie happily scoffed back the mixture before it even hit the fry-pan.

I do owe a big shout-out to Iku, the fantastic vegetarian whole foods cafe I drew inspiration from. Iku's don't have walnuts, and I think they must deep-fry to get them totally crispy. I don't actually know what Iku puts in theirs, but this was my attempt at imitation:

SUPER PATTIES with TOFU AND BROWN RICE

1 cup brown rice

Toddlers, babies and adults will love these patties

1 block of firm tofu (about 250-300 gms)
1 Tablespoon brown rice vinegar (optional)
5 Tablespoons tamari (soy sauce if none available)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional, or use other nuts)
1/4 cup poppy seeds
two handfuls fresh herbs  (I used dill, oregano and thyme beause that's what's in the garden)
2 spring onions, finely chopped
Rice bran oil, or other good cooking oil


Cook brown rice in 2 cups cold water in small pot. Bring to boil then turn right down to slow simmer, leaving lid on and not stirring at all. Turn off once water gone. Pour into large bowl to cool.


Break tofu into pieces and place in food processor or bowl where you can use hand-held blender. Pour tamari and brown rice vinegar on top and blend until thick paste - doesn't need to be completely smooth. Add walnuts, spring onions and herbs and blend again. Remove from processor and add to rice with poppy seeds. Check seasoning then use wet hands to form LARGE flat round patties. These work well as very big patties. Place on plate in freezer for 30-60 mins, or fridge if leaving for longer.


Pour enough oil into fry pan so you can shallow-fry - about half as high as the patties. Heat on medium until hot and then drop some patties in. Cook on medium for about 5-8 minutes or until browned and crispy, then turn and repeat. Try to just turn once in order to avoid breakage. Place on paper towel on plate and eat hot, warm or cold. They don't even need sauce.

Billie collects sticks at the Wentworth Falls lake

MAGIC ROLLS

I have not yet found anyone of any age who does not fancy these vegetarian 'sausage rolls'.

Pastry is of course one of the magic ingredients - we all love it, even if we won't admit it.

But the often-ridiculed TOFU and the charming PECANS are really the stars of the show.

This is a recipe from my mother, Elaine Allely, who is famous in Auckland for her cooking, particularly for these rolls, especially among my friends.

I need a good excuse to make them - being puff pastry and all they're kinda party food - so Australia's General Election on Saturday seemed appropriate. Billie's first sampling was her also her first TV dinner - she did love the rolls but was a bit distracted by a bowl of green olives (not pitted) and her 3.5yr old friend Charlie Moore's plate of tofu pecan rolls.

Seeing as this election is the election that keeps on giving - Australia has a hung parliament while we wait the slow count of postal votes in a couple of marginals - I thought it was appropriate to press repeat on the roll action at home last night.

Back home without the distractions of election commentary, Billie scoffed back roll after roll.

So here's the magic recipe (very easy and healthy actually, it just takes a few words to explain):

PECAN TOFU 'SAUSAGE' ROLLS

1 small onion

1 medium block tofu (pref hard)

1 generous cup pecan nuts

3/4 rolled oats

1/4 cup tamari

2-3 sheets frozen puff pastry

tomato or sweet chilli sauce to serve

You need either a food processor or a stick blender. If you have a large, fast processor just use that. If you have a smaller one like me, do onions and pecans in processor and then tofu in bowl with stick blender

 Preheat oven to 220c. Generously grease a large flat oven tray, or two smaller ones.

If using food processor, chop onion in quarters and then mince in processor. Add nuts, and mince with half of tamari. If you have a stick blender, place tofu in large bowl and use stick to blend. Stir through nut mixture and then oats (don't blend). Taste, and then add rest of tamari. You could use a little less tamari, but not too much less as it's an essential part of the flavor. Avoid soy sauce if you can, especially if includes sugar.

Remove pastry sheets from freezer. Place two sheets flat on bread board and use sharp knife to slice down middle. Each sheet will make two long rolls, which can then be cut into 8 pieces each. Brush edges facing you with milk, including along the cut.

Now use a spoon and your fingers to spread mixture along the edge closest to you and the edge furthest from you. Place the mixture in a long roll, but leave about 1cm before the edge so you can roll it tightly. Brush with milk, cut into halves, then halves again, until you have 16 little rolls from each pastry sheet. You can make them fatter - uses two sheets - of a little smaller - and use three sheets. Depends how much pastry you feel like eating.

Place on oiled trays, evenly spaced, and bake in hot oven for 15 mins or until well browned. If making ahead of time, cook for just ten minutes and then cook for another 10 when ready to serve. Dip them in tomato or sweet chilli sauce. Billie was fine with hers just straight.

GETTING CREATIVE with NUTTY TOFU AND SWEET POTATO FRITTERS

Being 'stranded' in a Chicago kitchen sans cookbooks and my usual over-stocked pantry is forcing me to get more creative.

It's a good way to be. I think when we return home to Sydney I will force myself use everything in the cupboards before buying any more dried goods. That's if the guy renting our apartment hasn't already made good use of the stocks (I did encourage him - being a fellow cook and vegetarian).  

I devised this delicious, adult-and-baby-friendly recipe while brushing my teeth one night this week, and have since made the fritters twice - to Billie's delight. Both times she munched her way through FOUR - she demanded I cook up some more after demolishing her first. Not only does she love the taste, but the fritters are perfect self-feeding items. Just break off a little and hand over. Although Billie also allowed me to spoon her a fair amount of fritter, impatient for that taste sensation.

A note on nuts: I began feeding Billie nut butters (but not yet peanut) when she was about 8.5 months. Please consult your doctor if your baby is deemed at risk of allergies.

Check these for more info:   An Eggy Affair - allergies etc             American Academy Pediatrics


NUTTY TOFU AND SWEET POTATO FRITTERS

1 large sweet potato

1/2 block tofu

4 T almond butter (or any other suitable nut)

2 eggs, beaten

1 spring onion

1 clove garlic

handful fresh coriander, finely chopped

1/2 t salt (optional - best not for baby)

Fresh lime or lemon wedges to squeeze over hot fritters   

Cut sweet potato into pieces and steam. Remove skins and mash with fork. Meanwhile, finely slice spring onions and garlic, saute briefly. Mash tofu and combine all with eggs and sweet potato. Mixture should be wet.

Heat olive oil in fry pan.When hot, spoon tablespoons of mixture into pan and turn heat right down to low. Cook gently for few minutes (about five) before attempting to flip. They are prone to break, but when cooked enough on one side they will stay intact. So if the first one crumbles, leave the rest a bit longer. If you find they are too fragile, add about one-two tablespoons of flour. Avoid doing this though as it changes the flavour.

Eat hot with freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice. Serve as is for lunch, or with green and tomato salad for dinner. Be sure to reserve some for the adults, as baby likely to munch through more than you may think....