We were worried that we would struggle with dairy-free recipes, but with some great swaps and methods, the results are both lactose-free and delicious.
When we started looking at dairy-free recipes with Jamie we were worried that we would struggle to make some really delicious dishes – however, what we found was that there are some really easy swaps and methods to get the most amazing results without ever using any lactose-filled ingredients. There’s no compromise on flavour in any of them, and here are our five absolute favourites from the whole bunch.
Dim sum buns have become one of Jamie’s favourite foods. You can get some amazing beef & barley ones at his restaurant, Fifteen, and they crop up in a few of his books with lots of lovely fillings. What’s great is that they’re made with coconut milk, so they’re gorgeously soft, slightly sweet and totally vegan. All you need is meat-free filling - in this case some earthy mushrooms and sweet and salty hoisin sauce – and you’ve got a meal so moreish you’ll be fighting over them at the dinner table!
Puddings are tricky things for the dairy free - we put milk or cream in almost every sweet baked treat. But some desserts have amazing hacks that make them simple to make vegan. Who would have guessed that the answer to dairy-free mousse lies in the avocado? Well… Jamie did. The creamy texture and subtle flavour makes it the perfect replacement for cream. All you need to do it max out the chocolaty goodness.
We are living in the future! Who would have thought it was possible for vegans to chow down on an American classic like this? Well, clever Jamie and his food team have come up with this; crunchy on top, gooey inside and loaded with lovely garlic and mustard. It’s comfort classic, finally edible for everyone.
Not strictly a shepherd’s pie, because lamb’s been nowhere near it, but it is a damned delicious pie. It features a hearty root veg mash atop a lovely sweet filling of lentils, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms. And if all the sounds a bit soft, we’ve scattered some zesty breadcrumbs over for a little crunch.
For another great recipe, check out world champion free-runner Tim Shieff’s epic vegan shepherd’s pie on Food Tube
You always want what you can’t have, and the thing that I missed most when I went vegan for a week (apart from Cheddar cheese) was cake. I don’t even eat that much cake, but as soon as I knew I couldn’t have this ultimate treat, I wanted it more than ever. But now you don’t have to worry about that, because we’ve got the most amazing dairy-free brownies ever. And if you’re feeling particularly naughty, you could totally serve it with some of Jamie’s dairy-free ice cream.