North-west Pacific-inspired brunching, and another vegan-take on a massive crowd-pleaser. The vegan hollandaise sauce can be used in other dishes. Delicious on asparagus, or add a little vinegar and tarragon for a vegan béarnaise.
Ingredients
For the 'Hollandaise'
- 1½ cups (360 ml) unsweetened vegan milk (preferably almond)
- 1 tablespoon vegan ‘egg’ substitute, such as flax egg or Orgran
- 3 tablespoons vegan margarine
- 1 tablespoon plain/all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon chilli/chili powder
For the 'Omelette'
- 1½ cups (175 g) chickpea/gram flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- large pinch of black salt
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 200 ml/generous ¾ cup water
- vegetable oil, for frying
To Serve
- 2 English muffins, sliced and lightly toasted
- handful of baby spinach leaves
- 4 mock smoky bacon rashers, or use thickly sliced beef tomato
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and thickly sliced (optional)
- handful of freshly chopped chives (optional)
How to Make It
- Prepare the ‘hollandaise’ by whisking together the milk and vegan ‘egg’ substitute. In a small pan, add the margarine and flour and place on a low heat. Stir well to make a roux, then start slowing adding the milk mixture. Continue whisking while adding all the liquid, and bring to a simmer, cooking gently for a minute or two.
- Turn down the heat to the lowest setting, then add the lemon juice, salt, mayo and chilli/chili powder. Whisk well. The sauce should be slightly thick and pourable. Add more mayo to thicken or more milk to thin slightly if needed.
- Whisk together all the ‘omelette’ ingredients, except the oil, in a small bowl. Check the seasoning and add more salt as needed. Leave to stand for 5–10 minutes until it starts to bubble slightly. Place a small frying pan/skillet on a medium-high heat. Add a little vegetable oil and pour a small amount of batter into the centre of the pan. You can place a metal ring in the pan to shape the omelette to the size of the muffin, or simply pour the batter slowly into the centre until the desired size is reached. Fry for 3–4 minutes on each side, until cooked through and firm. Set aside on a baking sheet in a low oven while finishing the other omelettes.
- For each serving, place one half of a muffin on a plate, and top with several spinach leaves and a rasher of vegan ‘bacon’ or a thick slice of beef tomato. Then place the ‘omelette’ round on top, then pour over a generous covering of ‘hollandaise’ sauce. Place a couple of slices of avocado on top and scatter with a few fresh chives if you like.
