Vegetarian Kievs with Moroccan red cabbage recipe

If you're a vegetarian you don't have to miss out on a classic Kiev, well not with this vegetarian kievs recipe with Moroccan red cabbage. These creamy vegetarian kievs can be adapted really easily to be suitable for vegans too. If you're catering for a vegan or vegetarian then this is a great choice for a main dish, the meaties might even be jealous! This recipe serves 4-5 people and should take approximately 1hr to make. Serve your vegetarian Kievs with potatoes, freshly prepared vegetables and of course your side bowl of Moroccan red cabbage.

The Moroccan red cabbage is a really important side to help bring vibrant colour and a crunchy texture so you want to make sure it's done right - We can show you how in our really easy guide on how to cook red cabbage!

Ingredients

For the Kievs:

• 50g butter (*or vegan margarine) at room temperature1
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 250g baking potatoes, peeled
• 75g green lentils
• 35g puy lentils
• 15g sesame seeds
• 20g sunflower seeds
• 35g brazil nuts
• 50g fresh wholemeal bread
• 2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
• 3 sprigs thyme, chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp onion, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 free-range egg (*for vegan use 1 tbsp soya flour, 1 tbsp gram flour, 4 tbsp water, 1 tbsp oil, pinch salt, pinch sugar)
• 200g fine fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs

For the cabbage:

• 2 tsp butter (*or vegan margarine)
• 1 small red onion
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 400ml red cabbage, shredded
• 1tsp pomegranate molasses (from Asian and Middle eastern supermarkets)
• 1 orange, juice only
• 3 tsp light muscovado sugar
• 3 tbsp dried cranberries
• 2 strips fresh orange peel
• 1/2 pomegranate, seeds only
• 1 tbsp flaked almonds

Method

1. To make the garlic butter: put the butter or margarine in a small bowl together with the parsley and crushed garlic. Work together with a wooden spoon until well combined.
2. Put all the garlic butter onto some baking parchment and use the parchment to work into a log about 5cm long. Wrap in the parchment and chill in the fridge or freezer until firm.
3. To make the kievs: steam the potato, then mash. You should have about 150g of mashed potato. leave to cool.
4. Cook the green and puy lentils together until cooked, but not mushy, about 15 mins. Drain well and leave to cool.
5. Put the sesame and sunflower seeds, brazil nuts and wholemeal bread in a food processor and blend into fine crumbs.
6. Mix together the mashed potato, lentils, crumb mixture and onion, and season well.
7. To form the kievs: divide the mixture into five (or if you like big portions, four!). Take the log of garlic butter from the fridge and cut into five (or four) slices.
8. Take one portion of the lentil mixture and form into a round. Make a dint in the centre and place a piece of the garlic butter in. Form the lentil mixture round the garlic butter to enclose it, finishing up with a flattened cake shape. Do the same with the rest of the mixture and garlic butter.
9. To coat: whisk the egg, (*or beat together the soya and gram flours, with the water, oil, salt and sugar until smooth). Dip the kievs into the egg (*or soya flour mixture) then into the breadcrumbs. Press the crumbs in well. Chill for 30 mins.
10. Heat some oil in a large frying pan and fry the kievs until golden and crisp all over. Take care not to split them, otherwise the garlic butter will spill out. Serve hot.
11. Melt the butter or margarine in a saucepan and saute the onion until golden. Add the allspice and cook for a further minute before adding the cabbage.
12. Mix the pomegranate molasses and orange juice together and pour into the pan together with the sugar, dried cranberries and orange peel. Cook gently for 30-40 minutes until cabbage is soft (not soggy) adding extra water if necessary.