Offer a plant-based option this Christmas with Suzy Spoon's eggplant & tofu appetiser balls.
Serves 6
1 hr + 20 mins
Ingredients
Appetiser balls
- 4 tbs olive oil
- 1 large eggplant, diced into 2cm cubes
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tbs fresh thyme, chopped
- ½ cup (65g) pine nuts
- 500g firm tofu, roughly crumbled
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 3 tbs + 1 cup basil pesto
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 ¼ cup rice flour
- 2 cups rice bran oil
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup (65g) pine nuts
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tbs lemon juice
Basil pesto
Method
1
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium. Add the eggplant, onion and carrots and cook for 20–30 minutes until the eggplant is browned and soft.
2
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then add the paprika, parsley, thyme and pine nuts and cook for a further 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3
In a large bowl, combine the eggplant mixture with tofu, tomato paste and 3 tablespoons of pesto. Add the nutritional yeast and flour, and mix until well combined.
4
With clean wet hands, form the mixture into golf-ball sized balls.
5
Heat rice bran oil in a fry pan over medium-high heat. Cook the balls in batches until balls brown and crispy all over. Serve with remaining pesto.
6
To make the basil pesto, combine all ingredients with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper in a small food processor.
7
Blend until smooth. Put into an airtight jar or container, cover with a layer of olive oil and refrigerate until ready for use. Store for no more than 4 days.
