The Mediterranean Vegan

You can order croquetas at pretty much every bar in Spain, though they are usually made of ham and cheese or fish. A vegetable variety is rare, but the most common types include mushroom, spinach, and eggplant/aubergine. This recipe is for spinach croquetas, but you can replace the spinach with whichever vegetable you fancy! Note: this recipe requires around 2 1/2 hours of refrigeration. Makes 10 croquetas What you need: 2 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp margarine (or 2 tbsp more olive oil) 4 tablespoons flour 1.5 tsp salt 1.5 cups soy milk 2 cups fresh spinach or other vegetable 1 cup water 1 cup breadcrumbs Spanish croquetas are made of béchamel sauce mixed with filling. So first you will need to make your béchamel. In a medium sized pan, add the olive oil and butter until hot. Add the flour and salt and mix until a smooth paste forms. Add the soy milk and whisk on medium heat until it thickens (around 15 minutes). Then add the spinach and cook for another 5-7 minutes. If using another vegeta...

Gazpacho is a cold tomato soup from the region of Andalusia in the south of Spain, though it is consumed throughout the Spanish state. It is primarily served in the summer as a refreshing meal during hot months. Some people consume it with a spoon and others drink it from a cup. Many also add pieces of bread into the soup upon eating. Serves 4-5 What you need: 10-12 ripe tomatoes, peeled 1/2 cucumber, peeled 1/2 red bell pepper 2 cloves garlic 1/3 baguette bread (soaked in water) 1.5 tsp salt 1/2 cup olive oil Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the whole tomatoes for 5 minutes and remove. This makes it very easy to peel the tomatoes. The skin will come right off. In a blender or food processor, add all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. After blending, you are going to need to run all of the gazpacho through a strainer (ideally a bouillon strainer). Get a big bowl or jar ready and strain all of the soup into the bowl. You can serve immediately but usually people like to re...

Broccoli Affogati comes from the island of Siciliy in Italy. It means "drowned broccoli" because the broccoli is cooked in red wine. It can be served as a side dish or on top of pasta. Serves 3-4 What you need: 3 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, sliced 3 cups broccoli, florets 1/3 cup black olives, sliced (optional) 1 cup water 1 cup red wine 1 tsp salt In a pot on medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and add in the sliced onion. Cook until the onions are soft and add the broccoli. Stir for a few minutes and add the one cup water and salt. Cook, stirring the broccoli until the water evaporates and then add the wine. Stir for another 15 or until the broccoli reaches desired texture.