Recipe: Grilled tofu steak with Hasselback potatoes, cappuccino pot and a cucumber sunrise
It’s never been easier to eat your greens now more cruise lines are serving vegan dishes
Veganuary – the national campaign promoting veganism each January – turned 10 this year, at a time when 1.5 per cent of people in England and Wales are estimated to have abandoned consuming animal products compared to 0.25 per cent a decade ago.
Cruise lines are embracing the movement, with the vegan restaurant SoulKitchen aboard AIDA’s AIDAnova, AIDAperla and AIDAprima and plant-based menus on SeaDream Yacht Club’s SeaDream I and II and across Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet.
Carnival Cruise Line’s senior vice president of food and beverage, Richard Morse, said: “Plant-based food options are a rising preference on our ships just as they are on land. Our skilled chefs accommodate all dietary needs and preferences but building on our vegan offerings will help make ordering easier in the dining room and preparation more efficient in the galley.”
Dishes include this tofu steak drizzled in barbecue sauce and a cappuccino pot topped with a dollop of cinnamon Chantilly cream – which pair perfectly with Alchemy Bar’s vegan Cucumber Sunrise mocktail.
Grilled tofu steak with Hasselback potatoes, sweet peppers, spinach & mushroom medley and barbecue sauce
Serves: 4
Apart from the tofu, which needs marinading for several hours in advance, the rest of this dish can be made while the potatoes are baking
Ingredients:
For the tofu
- 600g tofu
- 1 tbsp oil
- 30ml barbecue sauce
- 3 tsp paprika
- Salt and crushed black pepper
For the Hasselback potato:
- 4 baking potatoes, thinly sliced three-quarters through
- 30g vegan butter
- 1 tbsp chopped thyme
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- Salt and crushed black pepper
- 30g vegan Parmesan, grated
- 30g vegan mozzarella, grated
- 60g vegan Cheddar, grated
For the sweet peppers:
- 30g vegan butter
- 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
- Half an onion, sliced
- 30g white sugar
- 60ml rice wine vinegar
- Salt and crushed black pepper
For the spinach & mushroom medley:
- Olive oil for sautéing
- Half an onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 170g white mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 15ml white wine
- 170g frozen spinach leaves
- Salt and crushed black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
For the barbecue sauce:
- One small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 7g vegan butter
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 30ml vegetable stock
- 100ml ready-made barbecue sauce
- 175ml agave syrup
Method
For the tofu:
- A few hours in advance of serving, slice the tofu into 4 steaks, about 1cm thick. Marinate in the oil, barbecue sauce and paprika
- Grill until you see grill marks. Season and drizzle with the reserved marinade. Keep warm until ready to serve
For the Hasselback potatoes:
- Rinse the potatoes in cold water and place on a baking tray
- Melt the butter and gently sauté the herbs. Remove from the heat, season and pour over the potatoes
- Bake the potatoes in a pre-heated oven at 165C for 35 minutes or until cooked
- Top with cheese and serve
For the sweet peppers:
- Gently heat the butter
- Sauté the peppers and onion until soft
- Add the sugar, vinegar and seasoning, keep warm until ready to serve
For the spinach & mushroom medley:
- Warm the olive oil on a medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic until soft
- Sauté the mushrooms in the wine, then add the spinach leaves to wilt
- Season and garnish with the parsley; keep warm until ready to serve
For the barbecue sauce:
- Sauté the onion and garlic in butter till light brown; add the paprika
- Add the stock and barbecue sauce. Reduce till thick, then add the agave. Keep warm until ready to serve
To serve
Place the spinach & mushroom medley on one side of each dinner plate, top with a tofu steak, add the peppers and drizzle with barbecue sauce. Finally add the potatoes.
Cappuccino pot with cinnamon Chantilly cream
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the cappuccino pot:
- 800ml vegan cream
- 85g brown sugar
- 85g white sugar
- 40g corn starch
- 4 drops vanilla extract
- 60g coffee powder
For the mocha crumble:
- 60g plain flour
- 30g almond powder
- 40g vegan butter or margarine, cubed
- 40g white sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 15g cornflakes
- 1/2 tsp coffee extract
For the cinnamon Chantilly cream:
- 250ml vegan cream
- 60g white sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder, plus extra to serve
Method
For the cappuccino pot:
- Boil the vegan cream, brown sugar and corn starch
- Strain the mixture and add vanilla extract and coffee powder
- Pour the mix into a fluted dish, allow to cool, then place in fridge to set
For the mocha crumble:
- In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients into a crumble mixture
- Turn the mixture out into an oven-proof dish and bake for 20 minutes at 180C
For the cinnamon Chantilly cream:
- Whip together the vegan cream, sugar and cinnamon powder
To serve
Top the cappuccino pot with the baked crumble, add Chantilly cream and sprinkle with cinnamon powder.
Cucumber sunrise
Ingredients
- 60ml non-alcoholic vodka or tequila
- 30ml Monin watermelon syrup
- 30ml fresh lime juice
- 100ml orange juice
- 2 cucumber wheels
Method
- Mix the vodka, watermelon syrup, lime and orange juice
- Garnish with cucumber wheels
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About Sarah Riches
After a five-year stint living in Asia, Sarah was inspired to become a travel journalist. Sarah has freelanced for Condé Nast Traveller and National Geographic Traveller and is the author of London Almanac (2010) and Culture Smart! The Essential Guide to British Customs & Culture (2024). She was also the deputy editor of Time Out Abu Dhabi, Where London and London Planner, digital editor of Wanderlust – the UK’s oldest travel magazine.
