Category: Food

Vegan French Onion Soup with Gluten-Free Garlic and Herb Dumpling

Serves 4

French onion soup is a hearty dish traditionally made with beef or veal stock and is good enough for both a robust starter or a filling lunch served with bread. To replicate the meaty flavour of real stock, we use Marmite and a little vegetable bouillon.

Ingredients:

For the dumplings:

100g gluten-free self-raising flour

50g Vegan baking fat (we use Trex)

1 small garlic clove, crushed

1/2 small shallot minced

1 small handful of fresh herbs, finely chopped (dried herbs are not recommended as they are too pungent, go with thyme, parsley and or rosemary)

1tsp salt

 

For the soup:

3 large Spanish (white) onions

1-litre water

1 tbsp Yeast extract (Marmite or similar)

1/2 Vegetable stock bouillon cube

1 small clove of garlic

2 Bay leaves

2 Cloves

 

Step 1

Start by making the dumplings: Place the flour, salt, herbs, garlic and shallot into a food processor and blend for a few seconds to ensure that they are thoroughly mixed. Slowly add the softened fat to the machine whilst it is running, again, until thoroughly mixed. A soft crumb should have formed- this can be removed from the machine and mixed by hand until a crumbly dough is achieved.

Step 2

Gently form the dough into 2cm balls and set aside in the fridge until the soup is ready.

Step 3

To make the soup, peel and thinly slice the onions and fry hard in oil on high heat in a large saucepan. Frequently stir the onions to prevent them from catching but don’t prevent a little caramelisation on the bottom of the pan- this adds flavour. Ideally, they should be a medium-dark brown in colour before they begin to soften. Adjust the temperature of the pan to prevent any burning but continue to sweat the onions until they have cooked well. Add the garlic, bay leaves and cloves at this point and ensure that the garlic gets sweated thoroughly. Make note of exactly the number of bay leaves and cloves you have added. You will need to fish them out later!

Step 4

Add the water, Marmite and vegetable bullion and turn the heat to a simmer. Cook the mixture for around 20 minutes and then taste for seasoning. Add salt and white pepper to taste, taking care not to overdo it.

Step 5

Carefully place the dumplings into the stock and top the soup with a cartouche (a parchment lid that will float on the surface of the liquid and help keep the dumplings submerged). Simmer the dumplings for about half an hour, flipping them halfway, keeping an eye to ensure they don’t begin to boil as they may break up.

Step 6

When ready to serve, remove everything from the heat and carefully transfer the dumplings to a plate whilst you ladle out the soup, adding them to the bowls at the very last.

Step 7

Enjoy with a glass of Les Sixes 2014.

“The Pinot Noir grapes that go into our Luke’s Pinot Noir are all grown on Wealden clay. This uniquely Kentish terroir imparts a wonderful, earthy character to the wine, that is not unlike mushrooms, truffles or forest floor. Combine that with the juicy cherry and raspberry notes that Pinot Noir is known for, and you have a truly exceptional wine!” So let’s cook with it.

Luke’s Pinot Noir Spiced Poached Pears

with Port reduction, hazelnut crumb and cinnamon ice cream

This simple classic autumnal dessert is ideal to prepare in advance as it is served cold yet is still flavourful enough to impress for any occasion.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 Ripe pears

6 tbsp Caster sugar

400ml Luke’s Pinot Noir

250ml Ruby Port

80g Whole Blanched Hazelnuts

1 Cinnamon stick

1 Star Anise

1 tsp Juniper berries

Cinnamon ice cream to serve

Step 1

Peel your pears and place them with 3 tbsp of sugar, Luke’s Pinot Noir, and the spices in a small saucepan. Make sure the pears are fully submerged in liquid (if not, top up with a little more wine or water). Place a cartouche (baking paper cover) on the surface of the liquid.

Step 2

Place on a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for about 15 mins, or until a knife effortlessly pierces the flesh to the core. Once cooked, remove from the heat, and allow the pears to cool in the liquid.

Step 3

Whilst your pears are cooling, toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan on medium heat for about two minutes until they are hot but not significantly coloured. Don’t allow them to burn.

Step 4

Pulse the hazelnuts in a food processor for a few seconds whilst still warm, or alternatively crush them in a pestle and mortar. Don’t overdo this step – you want merely broken hazelnuts, not powder.

Step 5

Once the pears have cooled, remove them from the liquor. Strain the liquor through a fine sieve into a large frying pan. Add the Port and the remaining sugar and place on medium-high heat and reduce. Swirl the pan frequently and turn it down if the liquid wants to overboil. You may want to gradually lower the temperature as the mixture reduces. At the point where the liquor appears glossy and will coat the back of a steel spoon, remove from the heat, and allow to cool.

Step 6

Either slice your pears to serve, removing the core in the process, or remove the bottom and serve upright and whole. Scatter the crumbed hazelnuts over the dish, and drizzle with the cooled Port mixture.

Step 7

Serve with cinnamon ice cream. If you cannot source cinnamon ice cream, you could, in advance, fold a pinch of cinnamon powder through good quality vanilla ice cream and allow it to infuse in the freezer for a few hours beforehand.

Enjoy!