It’s been a bit of a wait since your last cookbook, Supergood, in 2020.
Tasty has been a long time in the works because I got pregnant while I was working on it, in 2022. So, it’s been a long project. But to finally see it in front of you as a tangible thing after everything that’s gone into it – that’s a special feeling.
What’s different about this book?
Tasty is a plant-based book, but it’s not staunchly plant-based. I’ve designed it to be flexible. If someone wants to use a recipe as fully plant-based – great. If they want to sub in a bit of cheese and cream – perfect. If they want to serve it alongside a cut of meat, or chuck some chicken or fish in one of the curries – perfect. It’s for every kind of eater. The baseline recipes are plant-based, and they are amazing and flavoursome by themselves. Even the staunchest carnivores will love them.
What has it been like to cut down on refined sugar?
That was a natural progression from having children and seeing the effects that refined cane sugar has on them. Man, my children don’t need any more energy. So, playing around with the more natural, less-refined sugars like coconut sugar – it’s just night and day. Why would I be putting [cane sugar] into my kids if I don’t have to? Therefore, I needed to create some recipes around it, because everything I’ve got is crammed with cane sugar, which doesn’t behave in the same way. You can’t just sub it out. There was a lot of refined sugar in my last book, and that’s great because I’m a big fan of everything in moderation. But having a whole book without it just feels really good. It’s good resource for people to have.
There are some wonderful photos of Taranaki in the book. What do you like about living in the region?
What don’t I like about it, more like. Well, there’s the beach. I live in Ōakura, and I try to walk on the beach every day for at least an hour. I’ve always wanted this in my life and now I have it. It’s so grounding. It’s a reset. In summer I can go for swims. The whole vibe down here is very chill. I’m a bit of a hermit. I’m not rushing out needing to go out here, there and everywhere. It’s kindy, the Four Square, the beach and the beautiful mountain. We’ve got the Kaitake Range just behind our place. It’s very clean, green and spacious. I feel like everything I need is here and the people are bloody nice. There’s barely any traffic. A nice balance of the country and the beach – the two things that I love. I feel like lucky that I’m smack bang in the middle of both.
What do you cook when you don’t feel like cooking?
This is, actually, all the time, apart from just eating whatever the kids had for dinner. Honestly, sometimes it’ll just be a row of dates stuffed with peanut butter and some chocolate drops on top. Sometimes it’s toast, sometimes it’s crackers with avocado and a bit of smoked salmon. A smoothie in the summertime.
Love-you potatoes
Prep: 1 hour 20 minutes / Cook: 20 minutes / Serves: 4-5
This recipe is based on one my mum created for me as I held a newborn Sage in my arms, lost in a hazy baby bubble with no hope of cooking a thing.
• 6 medium-large agria potatoes
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (optional)
• 2 cups finely chopped kale or spinach
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup corn kernels
• ¾ cup grated plant-based cheese
• ½ cup chopped fresh herbs (I use a mix of mint, parsley and dill)
• 2 spring onions or ½ red onion, very finely chopped
• 2 tsp wholegrain or dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp fine black pepper
• ¼ tsp fine white pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Wash and scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt if necessary. Dry them, then coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Prick each one a few times with a fork. Arrange on the baking tray and bake for 45-60 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pan, add the onion and sauté over a medium-low heat for 7 minutes until softened and turning golden. Add the garlic and thyme (if using) and cook for another minute.
Add the kale or spinach, celery and corn and cook for a few minutes until softened.
When the potatoes are cooked through, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C regular bake.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice off the tops lengthways. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out and reserve the flesh, leaving a wall of flesh to hold the structure of the potato together.
Add the potato flesh to the pan with the vegetable mixture. Add the cheese, herbs, spring onions or red onion, mustard, salt and peppers. Stir to combine and cook for a minute to warm through. Check the flavours and adjust the seasonings to taste.
Stuff the potatoes with the filling – really pack it in and pile it up high. Place the stuffed potatoes back on the lined baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes, or until hot throughout.
Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream or aïoli and scattered with plant-based bacon and herbs. A crack of extra pepper and a little chilli sauce always goes well, too.
Bigbog brownies
Prep: 10 minutes / Cook: 20-25 minutes /Serves: 25 pieces
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 5 tbsp cold water
• ¾ cup chickpea flour
• ½ cup flour or gluten-free flour blend
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• ½ cup dark cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup almond butter or hulled tahini
• ½ cup rice syrup
• ½ cup plant-based milk
• ¹∕3 cup coconut oil
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup sugar-free, plant-based dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (optional)
Preheat the oven to 190°C regular bake and line the base and sides of a 20cm square slice tin with baking paper.
Stir the flaxseed and water together in a mug or small bowl and set aside for 5-10 minutes to thicken. Stir again before use.
Sift the flours, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda into a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Place the almond butter or tahini, rice syrup, milk, coconut oil and vanilla in a small saucepan. Warm over a low heat, stirring constantly, until just melted (don’t let it simmer or boil). Add the milk mixture and the flaxseed mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. It will go quite thick – this is okay.
Transfer to the prepared tin and flatten it out with a damp spatula or clean, damp fingers. Sprinkle with the chocolate.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. You want it just undercooked – if it’s overcooked, it will be dry. A toothpick or skewer poked in shouldn’t come out too clean.
Allow to cool completely in the tin, then refrigerate for an hour or two before slicing. Extra delicious with a dollop of whipped plant-based cream.
Easy Massaman
Prep: 15 minutes / Cook: 30 minutes / Serves: 4
• peanut oil or other neutral oil, for frying
• 1 cup finely chopped shallots
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 tbsp mild Thai red curry paste
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 1½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp mixed spice
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp fine white pepper
• 2 tbsp water
• 1½ cups vegetable stock
• 4 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 3-4cm dice
• 400ml coconut milk
• 2-3 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp lemongrass paste or 1 stalk, bashed
• 2 tsp vegetable stock powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 800g firm tofu, torn into 3-4cm chunks
• 1-2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
• ½ tsp salt
Place 3 tbsp oil in a deep pan or casserole dish over a medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, for about 7 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the curry paste, spices and water and stir for a minute until you have a thick, fragrant, mushy paste. Add the stock and potatoes, cover and simmer over a low heat for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender but not mushy. If you don’t have a lid, just simmer until the potatoes are tender – you may need a touch more liquid. Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce or tamari, coconut sugar, lemongrass (if using), stock powder and turmeric. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes until reduced slightly to your preferred curry consistency. You can always add more liquid to make it thinner, or keep simmering to make it thicker. Turn off the heat while you fry the tofu.
Press the tofu in a clean, dry tea towel to absorb the excess moisture. Season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pan over a medium-high heat and fry the tofu until golden brown and crispy all over. Drain on paper towels. Stir the lemon or lime juice and salt into the curry. Check the flavours and adjust the salt, pepper, lemon or lime juice and coconut sugar until it tastes balanced to you. To serve, spoon the curry over cooked rice, then top with tofu, shallots and/or peanuts, herbs and chilli.
An edited extract from Tasty, by Chelsea Winter (RRP$55, Allen & Unwin NZ).
