Reviews

Hi Mark

I have a couple of recipes courtesy of VegfestUK Brighton http://vegfest.co.uk/brighton/ – the authors of these recipes provide some of the wide range of catering at their events.

Just wondered if you’d be interested in featuring them on your blog together with a bit about VegfestUK Brighton.

Truffled Celeriac Soup with Chestnut Croutons
By Titbits catering

Celeriac Soup Ingredients

1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Half head celeriac, peeled and roughly diced
1 medium potato, peeled and roughly diced
½ litre vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons truffle oil
Fresh parsley

Method:

1. Sauté the onion in the olive oil until soft.
2. Add the celeriac, potato, bay leaf and stock and bring to the boil.
3. Turn to a simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Remove from the heat and blend in a liquidiser until smooth.
4. Return to the pan to heat through.
5. Serve drizzled with truffle oil, parsley & chestnut croutons.

Chestnut Croutons Ingredients

8 chestnuts
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon garlic granules or powder 
¼ teaspoon salt 
Pinch nutmeg 

Method:

1. Chop the chestnuts into even sized cubes.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chestnuts with the garlic,
salt & nutmeg for a minute or two.
3. Allow to cool. Can be kept in the fridge for up to one week.

Chilli Tofu
Author: Nishma Shah

Chilli Tofu

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

An impressive dish with a nice balance of sweetness, heat and acidity. It can be made in advance and warmed up before serving. It is vegetarian and vegan, sugar free, gluten free, and can be oil free too.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

680 g/24 oz extra firm tofu

6 tablespoons tamari/soy sauce

6 pineapple rings

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

4 whole pitted dates (or more depending on desired sweetness)

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

4 cloves garlic

4 chillies, medium hot

6 sticks spring onion

sesame oil (optional, for greasing the pan)

Instructions

PREPARATION:

Blend the rice vinegar, tamari, dates and two pineapple rings to a fine paste.

Either mince or finely grate the garlic cloves.

Cut the remaining pineapple and bell peppers into 1-inch cube shape pieces.

Drain the water from the tofu, and cut the tofu into 1-inch cube shape pieces.

Slice the chillies and spring onions in rings.

COOKING:

Very lightly grease a large non-stick pan, warm it up and keep on a low heat.

When the pan is warm, add the tofu pieces.

As the tofu pieces cook they will release water – simply allow the water to steam off.

Toss the tofu pieces so that they do not stick to the pan.

Let the pieces brown slightly, or cook until they are hot to touch.

Increase the heat if the tofu pieces are not browning.

Add the garlic and stir when necessary to prevent the garlic from burning.

When you get the aroma of the garlic, add the chillies and stir.

Add the remaining ingredients, except for the spring onions.

Let all the flavours blend. If using canned pineapple, add the pineapple juice if the tofu is absorbing all the liquid.

Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until all the tofu pieces have been coated well.

Take off the heat and finally add the spring onions.

Serve with rice or noodles.

And here’s our latest release on VegfestUK Brighton:

For immediate release

VegfestUK Brighton Food Village celebrates amazing diversity of plant-based options

The growing abundance of vegan options especially in Brighton and the South East have seen an explosion of different culinary tastes, textures and flavours, as more specialist caterers and food producers look to providing vegan options to an ever-expanding market – many of which will be found at VegfestUK, the huge 2-day vegan food festival taking place at the prestigious Brighton Centre in the centre of the city.

Held on the weekend of March 28th 29th 2015 and now in its 7th year, VegfestUK features a brand-new Food Village dedicated to the best vegan food which is extremely tempting not only for vegans and veggies, but also people who love their meat and dairy. The Food Village features an abundance of top-notch caterers, whose food is so tasty that many will be returning for more throughout the whole weekend.

“What’s so exciting is not only the quality but also the variations of vegan food available now,“ say the organisers of VegfestUK, Europe’s biggest vegan events. “Vegan Food really hits the spot now and our caterers showcase the very best that this exciting, healthy and compassionate diet has to offer. If you’re new to the wonders of the vegan lifestyle, you’re undoubtedly in for a treat.”

There’s around 160 stalls at the event including a selection of bodycare, fashion, accessories, clothes, information, publications, as well as food, and of course plenty of free samples and special offers. But for many of the visitors to VegfestUK Brighton, the highlight of the event is the huge new vegan Food Village which contains 15 specialist caterers and bars including:

Beelzebab – vegan versions of one of the nation’s favourite in doner kebabs.

Bangwok – pick of many previous VegfestUK shows, Bangwok pad thais have entered fabled category with their intoxicating and irresistible smells from freshly fried mushrooms, beansprouts, noodles.

Cashew Catering – serving amazing taster plates, massive platters and wicked cakes. Past menus included Tofu Spanakopita, tempeh Tamales, raw cheese and biscuits, raw chocolate torte and more!

Fresh Rootz – BBC Good Food Show winners and producers of a delicious blend of world foods brought back from their experiences travelling and catering around the world.

Gillie Food – sublime oriental stir-fries and curries along with some classy vegan soy jerky from this lovely Chinese outfit.

Nectar Foods – delicious raw and cooked vegan and vegetarian foods, with a fascinating range of savories and cakes.

St Best Caribbean Caterers – vegan Caribbean cuisine at its best with fried fritters, plantains, calalloo with spinach, chickpea curry, veggie soy chunks and more!

The Honest Carrot – hearty and delicious vegetable balls and houmous made with fantastic Vegetables, fabulous taste, vibrant colours and attractive shapes.

The Spanish Buffet – home cooked Spanish cuisine such as the amazing Paella and other gastronomic delights from the Balearic Islands.

Titbits Catering – yummy selection of Tasty Tapas both sweet & savoury. Last year’s menu included marinated Tempeh & Roast Pepper Skewers, and other sweet treats.

Vegusto – maestros of vegan hot dogs and gourmet dairy free cheeses.

Besides all these unique and lively caterers, VegfestUK Brighton also plays host to the UK’s first ever Vegan Comedy Festival, along with a Party Political Conference (Election Special) and a Global Food Sustainability Conference, on top of a Hemp Expo, a New Product Showcase and LifeWell Hub workshops on holistic health. There’re also dozens of talks and cookery demos, a kids area, a cinema, a speed-dating session amongst loads of other highlights, creating an unforgettable weekend for an expected 10,000 visitors.

Admission to the event is by both advance tickets and payment on the gate. Prices are £5 for a day ticket and £8 for a weekend ticket (paid in advance) / £8 for a day ticket (paid on gate). Advance tickets are on sale at http://www.brighton.vegfest.co.uk/admission, with BUY ONE GET ONE FREE offers available till February 28th 2015, and BUY ONE GET ONE HALF PRICE offers ending on March 21st 2015.

NOTES TO EDITORS

2 thoughts on “Reviews”

Jenny Liddle says:

November 28, 2014 at 5:19 pm

Hi Mark

I have a couple of recipes courtesy of VegfestUK Brighton http://vegfest.co.uk/brighton/ – the authors of these recipes provide some of the wide range of catering at their events.

Just wondered if you’d be interested in featuring them on your blog together with a bit about VegfestUK Brighton.

Truffled Celeriac Soup with Chestnut Croutons
By Titbits catering

Celeriac Soup Ingredients

1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Half head celeriac, peeled and roughly diced
1 medium potato, peeled and roughly diced
½ litre vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons truffle oil
Fresh parsley

Method:

1. Sauté the onion in the olive oil until soft.
2. Add the celeriac, potato, bay leaf and stock and bring to the boil.
3. Turn to a simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Remove from the heat and blend in a liquidiser until smooth.
4. Return to the pan to heat through.
5. Serve drizzled with truffle oil, parsley & chestnut croutons.

Chestnut Croutons Ingredients

8 chestnuts
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon garlic granules or powder 
¼ teaspoon salt 
Pinch nutmeg 

Method:

1. Chop the chestnuts into even sized cubes.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chestnuts with the garlic,
salt & nutmeg for a minute or two.
3. Allow to cool. Can be kept in the fridge for up to one week.

Chilli Tofu
Author: Nishma Shah

Chilli Tofu

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

An impressive dish with a nice balance of sweetness, heat and acidity. It can be made in advance and warmed up before serving. It is vegetarian and vegan, sugar free, gluten free, and can be oil free too.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

680 g/24 oz extra firm tofu

6 tablespoons tamari/soy sauce

6 pineapple rings

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

4 whole pitted dates (or more depending on desired sweetness)

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

4 cloves garlic

4 chillies, medium hot

6 sticks spring onion

sesame oil (optional, for greasing the pan)

Instructions

PREPARATION:

Blend the rice vinegar, tamari, dates and two pineapple rings to a fine paste.

Either mince or finely grate the garlic cloves.

Cut the remaining pineapple and bell peppers into 1-inch cube shape pieces.

Drain the water from the tofu, and cut the tofu into 1-inch cube shape pieces.

Slice the chillies and spring onions in rings.

COOKING:

Very lightly grease a large non-stick pan, warm it up and keep on a low heat.

When the pan is warm, add the tofu pieces.

As the tofu pieces cook they will release water – simply allow the water to steam off.

Toss the tofu pieces so that they do not stick to the pan.

Let the pieces brown slightly, or cook until they are hot to touch.

Increase the heat if the tofu pieces are not browning.

Add the garlic and stir when necessary to prevent the garlic from burning.

When you get the aroma of the garlic, add the chillies and stir.

Add the remaining ingredients, except for the spring onions.

Let all the flavours blend. If using canned pineapple, add the pineapple juice if the tofu is absorbing all the liquid.

Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until all the tofu pieces have been coated well.

Take off the heat and finally add the spring onions.

Serve with rice or noodles.

And here’s our latest release on VegfestUK Brighton:

For immediate release

VegfestUK Brighton Food Village celebrates amazing diversity of plant-based options

The growing abundance of vegan options especially in Brighton and the South East have seen an explosion of different culinary tastes, textures and flavours, as more specialist caterers and food producers look to providing vegan options to an ever-expanding market – many of which will be found at VegfestUK, the huge 2-day vegan food festival taking place at the prestigious Brighton Centre in the centre of the city.

Held on the weekend of March 28th 29th 2015 and now in its 7th year, VegfestUK features a brand-new Food Village dedicated to the best vegan food which is extremely tempting not only for vegans and veggies, but also people who love their meat and dairy. The Food Village features an abundance of top-notch caterers, whose food is so tasty that many will be returning for more throughout the whole weekend.

“What’s so exciting is not only the quality but also the variations of vegan food available now,“ say the organisers of VegfestUK, Europe’s biggest vegan events. “Vegan Food really hits the spot now and our caterers showcase the very best that this exciting, healthy and compassionate diet has to offer. If you’re new to the wonders of the vegan lifestyle, you’re undoubtedly in for a treat.”

There’s around 160 stalls at the event including a selection of bodycare, fashion, accessories, clothes, information, publications, as well as food, and of course plenty of free samples and special offers. But for many of the visitors to VegfestUK Brighton, the highlight of the event is the huge new vegan Food Village which contains 15 specialist caterers and bars including:

Beelzebab – vegan versions of one of the nation’s favourite in doner kebabs.

Bangwok – pick of many previous VegfestUK shows, Bangwok pad thais have entered fabled category with their intoxicating and irresistible smells from freshly fried mushrooms, beansprouts, noodles.

Cashew Catering – serving amazing taster plates, massive platters and wicked cakes. Past menus included Tofu Spanakopita, tempeh Tamales, raw cheese and biscuits, raw chocolate torte and more!

Fresh Rootz – BBC Good Food Show winners and producers of a delicious blend of world foods brought back from their experiences travelling and catering around the world.

Gillie Food – sublime oriental stir-fries and curries along with some classy vegan soy jerky from this lovely Chinese outfit.

Nectar Foods – delicious raw and cooked vegan and vegetarian foods, with a fascinating range of savories and cakes.

St Best Caribbean Caterers – vegan Caribbean cuisine at its best with fried fritters, plantains, calalloo with spinach, chickpea curry, veggie soy chunks and more!

The Honest Carrot – hearty and delicious vegetable balls and houmous made with fantastic Vegetables, fabulous taste, vibrant colours and attractive shapes.

The Spanish Buffet – home cooked Spanish cuisine such as the amazing Paella and other gastronomic delights from the Balearic Islands.

Titbits Catering – yummy selection of Tasty Tapas both sweet & savoury. Last year’s menu included marinated Tempeh & Roast Pepper Skewers, and other sweet treats.

Vegusto – maestros of vegan hot dogs and gourmet dairy free cheeses.

Besides all these unique and lively caterers, VegfestUK Brighton also plays host to the UK’s first ever Vegan Comedy Festival, along with a Party Political Conference (Election Special) and a Global Food Sustainability Conference, on top of a Hemp Expo, a New Product Showcase and LifeWell Hub workshops on holistic health. There’re also dozens of talks and cookery demos, a kids area, a cinema, a speed-dating session amongst loads of other highlights, creating an unforgettable weekend for an expected 10,000 visitors.

Admission to the event is by both advance tickets and payment on the gate. Prices are £5 for a day ticket and £8 for a weekend ticket (paid in advance) / £8 for a day ticket (paid on gate). Advance tickets are on sale at http://www.brighton.vegfest.co.uk/admission, with BUY ONE GET ONE FREE offers available till February 28th 2015, and BUY ONE GET ONE HALF PRICE offers ending on March 21st 2015.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Sponsors

VegfestUK Brighton is kindly sponsored by: Animal Aid, Excellart, Yaoh, Koko Dairy Free and Out of Hand, with more sponsors to follow.

Interviews and Further Information

Tim Barford, founder of VegfestUK, is available for interview. If you would like to arrange an interview, please call Ian or Jenny Liddle on 01761 413 022.

If you require any further information about VegfestUK, please contact:

Ian and Jenny Liddle, Excellart, 01761 413 022

email: zippy@excellart.co.uk, facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Excellart, twitter: http://www.twitter.com/excellart

ENDS

Kind regards,
Jenny

Jenny Liddle
Senior Partner
Excellart
01761 413 022
info@excellart.co.uk
http://www.excellart.co.uk
http://www.twitter.com/excellart
http://www.facebook.com/Excellart

- Herbifit says:
  
  November 28, 2014 at 5:22 pm
  
  I would love to. Titbit caterers are wonderful and I am already looking forward to next year’s VegFest in Brighton.
  Happy to support anything to do with that great event 😃