Vegan Quiche

[lou boutin]

I am vegetarian but 99% of what I eat is plant-based (milk, butter, cheese etc), the only thing that I occasionally eat that is not vegan is eggs, and mainly in the form of quiche.  I love quiche and don't think I could live without it.  I have seen some recipes for quiche using tofu instead of eggs.  Does anyone only have any tips or an easy recipe for making a good vegan cheese and onion or vegan cheese and vegetable quiche?

Thanks in advance.

[citoyen]

Have you tried flax egg? You make it by whizzing up ground flax seeds and water. I can't vouch for how good it tastes - it sounds awful to me, but vegans of my acquaintance seem to find it acceptable.

[L CC]

I thought that only 'worked' as simulated egg in baking?

In the vanishingly unlikely event I were ever to become vegan I think I'd probably do an open savoury tart with a bechamel-a-like and veg?

[lou boutin]

Have you tried flax egg? You make it by whizzing up ground flax seeds and water. I can't vouch for how good it tastes - it sounds awful to me, but vegans of my acquaintance seem to find it acceptable.

I have used that in cakes and in french toast, but never in quiche. It's not that stable, but it might be worth a try.  Thanks

[lou boutin]

I thought that only 'worked' as simulated egg in baking?

In the vanishingly unlikely event I were ever to become vegan I think I'd probably do an open savoury tart with a bechamel-a-like and veg?

That's a good alternative, I can make a vegan cheese sauce. Thanks for the idea.

[RichForrest]

I have seen chickpea water used for meringue and a quick google shows it up used as an egg substitute in various dishes.

[ian]

I don't think vegan food really benefits from trying to replicate egg and dairy (and that's pretty much the definition of a quiche). Whatever comes out is usually a poor substitute. I'd do some kind of tart with a vegan sauce – for instance, toast some cashews, blend with a good handful of coriander and some olive oil to get the right consistency.

[citoyen]

I thought that only 'worked' as simulated egg in baking?

I honestly don't know. I did a quick google and it seems some people do use it in vegan quiche, but obviously I can't vouch for how well it works.

I think your béchamel idea sounds good. Probably better to aim for end effect rather than try to emulate egg and cheese.

[fuaran]

Tofu works fine. Probably best with the softer stuff, eg silken tofu. Blend it up with a bit of onion and soy sauce etc.
Maybe a bit of nutritional yeast or mustard if you want a kind of cheesy flavour.

[ian]

I thought that only 'worked' as simulated egg in baking?

I honestly don't know. I did a quick google and it seems some people do use it in vegan quiche, but obviously I can't vouch for how well it works.

I think your béchamel idea sounds good. Probably better to aim for end effect rather than try to emulate egg and cheese.

The water from chickpeas is basically a colloidal suspension of proteins that holds air like egg white, so can be used in meringues and cooking processes that require aerated structures and thickening. It won't substitute for yolky egg.

[lou boutin]

Thank you for the comments so far.

I have used chickpea water in meringue and some cakes; the cakes worked well but I didn't have a good outcome with the meringue.

I have seen recipes for using tofu, but I have always been nervous to cook with tofu - but will give it a go.

I will have a look at the cashew nut sauce alternative, that sounds like an interesting option.

[ian]

You can pimp up the cashew sauce/pesto with garlic, lime juice, and chilli. It's very good with spiced and roasted cauliflower, for instance, or a pasta sauce, or even in a lasagne. It's very versatile, and you can use other nuts, like hazelnut, and spices/herbs as appropriate. I'm not a vegan, but it's my go-to for a quick sauce, spans the gamut from a quick pesto to an unashamedly inauthentic satay.

I've never made tofu taste of anything. It's just bulk.

[lou boutin]

Thanks Ian, I like the sound of the sauce with roasted cauliflower.  I love cauliflower.

[citoyen]

Veering away from quiche now... I have successfully copied a recipe from Marcus Wareing on Masterchef for roasted cauliflower steak with cashew nut butter. It's really good! Mind you, he uses *lots* of butter (for basting the cauliflower), so it's not strictly vegan-friendly. You could use an alternative fat but nothing is quite as good as butter IMO. Maybe coconut oil would be a decent alternative - I use coconut oil in baking if I want it to be vegan-friendly.

Brief clip here: https://twitter.com/MasterChefUK/status/1059915595796434950?s=20

Cauliflower is great. Much underrated.

[ian]

Cauliflower, slathered with a mix of butter and shawarma paste, and roasted whole in a hot oven to crisp up the outside but leave the innards with a bit of bite. Break it up and serve with yoghurt in flatbread.

[rogerzilla]

Veering away from quiche now... I have successfully copied a recipe from Marcus Wareing on Masterchef for roasted cauliflower steak with cashew nut butter. It's really good! Mind you, he uses *lots* of butter (for basting the cauliflower), so it's not strictly vegan-friendly. You could use an alternative fat but nothing is quite as good as butter IMO. Maybe coconut oil would be a decent alternative - I use coconut oil in baking if I want it to be vegan-friendly.

Brief clip here: https://twitter.com/MasterChefUK/status/1059915595796434950?s=20

Cauliflower is great. Much underrated.

SO, who is a strict vegan, recommends Vegan Block as a butter alternative.

[citoyen]

SO, who is a strict vegan, recommends Vegan Block as a butter alternative.

Interesting. Just looked it up - it's a blend of shea, coconut and rapeseed oils, plus a few other bits and pieces - eg carrot juice, which is presumably to give it a bit of buttery colour.

Anything but marge!

[lou boutin]

Thank you, I will give that a try.  I once tried roasting cauliflower but did something wrong as I managed to burn it.

[rafletcher]

SO, who is a strict vegan, recommends Vegan Block as a butter alternative.

Interesting. Just looked it up - it's a blend of shea, coconut and rapeseed oils, plus a few other bits and pieces - eg carrot juice, which is presumably to give it a bit of buttery colour.

Anything but marge!

But that’s essentially what it is, hydrogenated vegetable oils. And yes, beta carotene (and IRRC) annatto have been used to colour butters and margarines.

[L CC]

It's not fecking butter and I don't know who's fooled is yellowed as well as flavoured by 2,3 pentanedione. Manufactured in Hartlepool for your tasting pleasure.

[rafletcher]

It's not fecking butter and I don't know who's fooled is yellowed as well as flavoured by 2,3 pentanedione. Manufactured in Hartlepool for your tasting pleasure.

Ah I see it’s absorbed VdB&J, at who’s Merseyside plant I saw the Hydrogen spheres for the aforesaid hydrogenation. I also saw the fat trap  .  And smelt the offloading of fish oils tankered up from London in steam jacketed rail cars. Fascinating. As was the spontaneous combustion (due to heat of oxidation) of the waste fullers earth used for filtration. Napoleon has a lot to answer for!