Thursday 28 August 2014

Veganzola cheeseball

It has been quite a week.  Our car has been stolen.  Our car has been found.  Our car has gone to the mechanic's for damage assessment now that our insurance company finally has taken it from the police.  Sylvia's lovely duffle coat went in the car and never came back.  So I have spent a lot of time on hold on the phone, got dates muddled, spilled half a jar of chilli sauce, forgotten to take goggles to the pool and been dressing sylvia in 2 cardigans on the cold mornings.  I feel a bit like the mashed tofu in this recipe.

Then I read articles this week on refugees in indefinite detention and young girls trying to get educated in South Asia.  I think to myself - mine are first world problems.  We really get by ok without a car.  It isn't even such a bad thing to have to ride my bike more.  The police were very kind to us.  So were the mums at school.  Sylvia has stopped crying about wanting her car.  She now wants a 'higher' car.  Hard to explain we were offered a 'hire' car.  But didn't take it.  Instead we just bought Sylvia a new Frozen CD.  Yes my greatest amusement was that the Frozen CD was in the player and would have booted up when the car was started by those scissor-wielding, MacDonalds-eating, coat-destroying thieve.  Ha!  End of Rant.

But we can all relate to life not being perfect.  This veganzola wasn't perfect.  I am not really familiar with gorgonzola.  Yet I love the name too much to change it.  The cheeseball tasted more like cream cheese with walnuts and cranberries.  It was too crumbly at first so I blended some of it which helped to bind it.  Still a wee bit crumbly.  I can cope with that.

It was really sweet.  I added more seasoning.  It was still quite sweet.  It was best spread thickly on a salty dry biscuit (cracker) like a Savoy.  I tried it in a sandwich.  It just made me feel melancholy.  Probably because I was listening to the choral music at the end of the MH17 plane crash memorial service and reading of Aslan's death in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.  I ate a lot of the cheese and then tossed the remainder into some soup.  It really needs to feed a crowd.  Preferably on a cheeseboard in the depth of midwinter when we are feeling festive and in need of good food. 

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: Chocolates with mint filling - the healthy ones
Two years ago: Tofu-bacon and spinach muffins
Three years ago: WHB Chocolate beetroot brownies
Four years ago: The old and the new – date scones and vego loaf
Five years ago: Accidental Plastic Tart
Six years ago: Shepherd’s Pie Traditions
Seven years ago: WTSIM ... Beggars Burgers

Veganzola cheeseball
Adapted from Robin Robertson via Ricki Heller

250g firm tofu
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp ground linseed (flax) mixed with 2 tbsp water
2 tbsp white miso
2 small cloves garlic, crushed 
1 tsp seeded mustard
1 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Press tofu - I did this for about 7 hours but that is a lot longer than I usually do.  Crumble it into a bowl and mix with remaining ingredients.  Taste to check and adjust seasoning.  If desired press into a ball.  (It's fun but not necessary.)  Keeps for about a week in the fridge.

On the Stereo:
Little Bird: Kasey Chambers

20 comments:

  1. Glad the car was found, theft is just horrid and so frustrating!

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  2. oh no! Losing a car - and all teh aftermath - would be so frustrating!!!!!!

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  3. What a tough week! Glad to hear that you have got your car back. Hope you have a good weekend.

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  4. I’m sorry to hear about your car situation, I'm happy to read that your car is returned! :( <3 Cheeseballs, they are soooo goooooood! Your Veganzola cheeseball looks yummy with cranberries & walnuts & tofu..mmmmmiam! I just had vegan mapled seitan cheeseball (Vtopian Artisan Cheeses in Oregon) few weeks ago and it was aaammmaazing.

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    1. Wow rika that vegan maple seitan cheeseball sounds amazing - you really find wonderful food on your travels

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  5. Oh no! Sounds like you've had an awful week. At least you did get the car back. The cheeseball looks lovely though. Hope you have a better weekend

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  6. I am glad the car situation is progressing at least - I hope it isn't too long until it's back with you and that there's no major damage that can't be fixed. We are finding it quite ok not having a car here (London is obviously very different to Melbourne though) but I still miss it - something about driving is very enjoyable and of course it is useful for certain trips. I imagine that's especially true with a child.

    When I ate dairy, the only cheese I liked was a soft cheese with apricots and almonds. Thus, this holds quite a lot of appeal to me (amazing I know)!

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    1. Thanks Kari - I have been riding my bike around more which is not so bad but it is frustrating that it took a day to find the car and almost a week after that we are still waiting for it to be assessed for damage. I think you might like this cheese because it doesn't have that umami nooch taste - which is why I think it would be good on a cheese board as a different taste to the usually cheesiness.

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  7. So sorry to hear about your car! I love that the Frozen CD was in there though. That conjures up great images!
    Interesting to see a tofu-based vegan cheese rather than a nut-based one for a change, though it doesn't sound as if it was too successful.
    P.S. Aslan's death in the L, W & W always makes me teary!

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    1. Thanks Emma - I really liked the cheese on salty crackers but I am not sure it was a success if you compared it to gorgonzola - sometimes names can be misleading but it is such a good pun! Sylvia was most displeased that the Frozen CD was in the car but it amused me too.

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  8. Another hands up here for getting teary about Aslan! I hope you get the car back soon and I will keep my eyes peeled for that lovely duffle coat ;) Walnuts, cranberries, tofu, yum-- great recipe!

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    1. yes Veganopoulous please look out for the coat - I assume the thieves just threw it out the window (like the broken scissors and the car ashtray we found on our nature strip!)

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  9. Oh dear I can relate to your mashed tofu state! At least your car was returned...the cheesecake looks great- but like something I would have to consume alone in this household. I've been wanting to try a sweet cream cheese ball as seems to be popular in America

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    1. Thanks Kate - I ate most of it myself - E and Sylvia not keen. I really liked it but after a while I had had enough. It would be great for entertaining.

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  10. I'm so sorry to hear about your car. How awful. And I can't believe they took Sylvia's jacket. But like you say, there's so much going on in the world that is just so horrific that it does make our issues seem rather insignificant. I do hope your car is okay after the theft xx

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    1. Thanks Charlie - still waiting to hear but fingers crossed there is very little to be fixed and we can get it back soon. I was annoyed that the coat was missing - surely they could have just thrown it on the floor!

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  11. It might be a first world problem but it still sucks. <3

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  12. Gosh, I feel for you. I know things like losing your car are not the end of the world but it not fun to lose that reliability. At least it was found, just without a few objects. I suppose it could have been worse.

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    1. Thanks Janet - yes it is the trust in others that is part of the damage when people steal. I was really sad to have to talk to sylvia about it but I guess she needs to learn about it sometime.

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  13. Oh no it definitely sounds like a very stressful week. I hope this week is much better for you.
    The "cheese" sounds lovely though - will definitely give it a try when i'm eating nuts again!

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