The Kind Kitchen is not just the title of a cookbook, or the name of a restaurant, it embodies a way of living for Jay Mac. As he says: “We don’t have a Planet B to call home! This one is all we have, and we have the power to change the way we treat mother earth through the foods we choose to eat.” Jay’s innovative and imaginative recipes reimagine all your favourite dishes, from mac ‘n cheese, chicken wings, burritos, bao buns and maki rolls, to burgers and bunny chow. When it comes to sweet treats, he has adapted family favourites, such as milk tart, pumpkin fritters and cheesecake to be dairy free, while his smoothies and plant-based milks mean less reliance on store-bought products.
INDEX
‘Meaty balls’
in marinara sauce
"When I was growing up, my stepfather, Kevin, did much of the family cooking as his job afforded him the time, most afternoons, to begin the dinner prep. I learnt a lot about cooking from sitting on the sidelines and critiquing all his hard work, LOL! But as the saying goes, ‘Karma has no deadline!’ so now, years later, my food gets critiqued on a daily basis… However, this recipe, from ‘Kev’s Collection’, should silence even your most hardened critics."
Makes 16–20 meatballs
1 cup (250 ml) white quinoa or brown rice
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) beef-flavoured soya mince granules
1 cup (250 ml) raw rolled oats
3–4 Tbsp nutritional yeast (‘nooch’), plus extra for garnish, optional
1 Tbsp Marmite or vegan beef stock
1 Tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
2 cups (500 ml) hot vegetable stock (for homemade stock, see below)
½ cup (125 ml) chickpea flour or cake wheat flour
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1–2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
2 tsp dry Italian herbs
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 cups (4 × 250 ml) Marinara Sauce (see below for recipe)
1 Tbsp freshly chopped basil, parsley or origanum, plus extra for serving
HOMEMADE STOCK
200 g onions, chopped
100 g large carrot, chopped (don’t peel, and retain any leaves)
100 g celery stalk, chopped (retain any leaves)
1 bunch of fresh herbs, see Notes
1.5 litres water
NOTES
FRESH HERBS: Use any of the following, or a combination: parsley (flat-leaf or curly), thyme, origanum, marjoram, rosemary, savory and basil. Add a dried bay leaf or two.
MARINARA SAUCE
Makes 2–3 cups (500–750ml)
700 g fresh tomatoes (rosa or plum tomatoes are a good choice)
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 large red onion, peeled and quartered
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
50 g soft sun-dried tomatoes,
10 g fresh basil and origanum leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
Preheat the oven on the grill setting. Cut a cross (‘X’) at the stem-end of the tomatoes (this makes it easier to remove the skins when cooked) and place them on a baking tray with the garlic and onion. Drizzle with olive oil. Place the tray on the middle rack and grill for 15 minutes, turning halfway to avoid burning, until the vegetables are charred, but not burnt. You’ll know the difference! (Chargrilling gives the sauce a slightly bolder flavour.) Set the tomatoes aside to cool, then pull off and discard the skins, and roughly chop the flesh. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin.
Place the tomatoes, onions and garlic in a jug blender, along with the lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper. Pulse a few times for a chunky sauce, or blend to a smooth sauce. (For a very smooth sauce, sieve the blended mixture.)
Place the quinoa or brown rice in a pot with 2 cups (500 ml) cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside. The grains should be al dente, not fully cooked.
Place the soya mince granules, oats, nutritional yeast (‘nooch’), Marmite, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and smoked paprika in a large bowl. Add the hot stock and stir to combine. Cover with a plate or cling film and set aside for 20 minutes to allow the soya mince and oats to rehydrate and soak up the flavours.
When the soya mixture is ready, sieve in the flour (to prevent lumps), then add the onion, garlic, dry herbs, quinoa or rice, 2 Tbsp oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Using damp hands, mix until everything is well combined. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours, to firm up.
When the mixture is cool, scoop tablespoon-size portions and use wet hands to shape them into balls (roughly the size of a golf ball).
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a nonstick pan and brown the meatballs in batches. Return all the meatballs to the pan and add the Marinara Sauce and fresh herbs. Bring the sauce to the boil then lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. (If necessary, add small amounts of water to the pan, to prevent sticking.) Serve with spaghetti or your choice of pasta.
NOTES
* Instead of sun-dried tomatoes, you can add a small can or sachet (50–70 g) of tomato paste.
* This sauce is great with pizza, pasta or roasted vegetables, or as a base for homemade BBQ sauces.
* Store in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Gluten-Free Baked Cheesecake
“What would the world be without cheesecake! Although it takes a bit of time to prepare, this baked cheesecake is sure to be a hit with friends and family.”
MAKES 1 CHEESECAKE
GLUTEN-FREE PASTRY BASE
1½ cups (375 ml) spelt flour or rolled oats
2 Tbsp brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp Tofu Cream Cheese
5–6 Tbsp (140 g) vegan coconut oil or melted butter, plus extra for greasing
¼ cup iced water
TOFU CREAM CHEESE FILLING
850 g Tofu Cream Cheese
1 can (400 ml) coconut cream
4 Tbsp Maizena
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup (250 ml) brown sugar or coconut sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt
BASE
Place the flour or oats, sugar, salt and baking powder in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the Tofu Cream Cheese and pulse a few times. Add the coconut oil or butter and pulse a few more times. With the motor running, slowly pour in the iced water, pulsing until the mixture comes together into a dough.
Press the dough into the base of a greased springform pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10 minutes, then remove and set aside to cool before adding the filling.
FILLING
Place the Tofu Cream Cheese in a food processor and beat until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and beat for 3–5 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved.
Pour the mixture onto the cooled crust. Place in a preheated oven at 180°C for 45 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave in the oven for a further 30 minutes, then remove and leave for a few hours to set. (If making ahead, cover the set cheesecake with foil or cling wrap and place in the fridge until required.)
To serve, place the cheesecake on a board or plate and release the springform pan. Serve as is, or garnish with fresh blueberries or seasonal berries.
Recipes extracted from The Kind Kitchen by Jay McNamara, out now.
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