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Thought for the day This’ll make you laugh
Broad bean purée (a good alternative to hummus)
Cauliflower and broccoli salad
Fennel and tomato in white wine
Stewed figs and apricots with orange and lemon
Guacamole (emergency and low fat version)
Leek and squash soup - not yet tested
Poached nectarines with orange
Pumpkin, butter bean and leek soup
Butternut squash risotto - not yet tested
Butternut squash and apple bake - not yet tested
Butternut squash with celeriac and cabbage
Butternut squash and rosemary risotto
Roasted butternut squash and sage risotto with pinenuts - not yet tested
Vegetable tagine with apricots
Grilled baby vegetables for the store cupboard
No links, but the following vegetables are featured in these recipes:
Apple Apricots (dried) Artichoke, Jerusalem Aubergine Beetroot Broad beans Broccoli Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Celeriac Celery Chillies Courgette Cranberry Fennel French beans Garlic Grapefruit sorbet Leek Lemon Lentils Lettuce Lime Mushroom Nectarine Olives Onion Orange Parsnip Pear Peppers Potato Pumpkin Raspberry Rhubarb Spinach Sweet potato Tomato Tomato, sundried
Notes for innocent passers-by who happen to have strayed onto my store of recipes here:
If you want to buy superb organic fruit and organic vegetables, I recommend making contact with your local Riverford supplier or Abel & Cole who will happily deliver just what you want or a surprise selection, which is why I need all these recipes! I particularly dislike aubergines, hence my special efforts to find recipes to use them up. One day I’ll type up all my scrappy recipe notes. Where I know the original source, I’ve given it - otherwise, it’s something I’ve thought highly enough of to jot down. It’s worth noting that, even where a recipe says to use salt, I don’t, and they still taste fine once you’re used to the no salt approach. And I confess that I generally cut down on any oil, with mixed results, so I’ll leave that one to you. Don’t ask what I eat the rest of the time :>).
1 kg medium aubergines
coarse salt
120 ml olive oil
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
400g can chopped plum tomatoes,
10 large green olives, stoned
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and dried (or just drained if they’re in olive oil)
4 anchovy fillets [guess you could omit these for a vegetarian dish]
5 tbs red or white wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
black pepper
2 tbsp pine nuts
6 fresh basil leaves
Heat 60 ml (4 tbsp) of the oil and cook the celery gently for about 15 mins before adding onion. When onion softens and is changing colour, remove the celery & onion from the pan and add the remaining oil. Turn up the heat and add the aubergines, cooking for 10 mins stirring continuously. Add the tomatoes, olives and capers.
Rinse and dry the anchovies, and blend into a paste. Stir the anchovy paste, vinegar, sugar and a little pepper into the pan. Add the celery and onions and simmer for about 15 mins until the mixture has thickened. Add the pine nuts and basil, allow to cool, and serve cold. From Diane Seed’s “Top 100 Mediterranean Dishes” published by the BBC.
Hot version: cut up and salt the aubergines. About 20 mins later, chop the celery & cook that in 2 tbsp olive oil while chopping the onion, add the onion and get the rest of the ingredients out (except the anchovies, by accident). Put the celery & onion on one side and, while the pan cools down, rinse the aubergine. Cook the aubergines in the pan for about 5 mins. Then throw everything in and leave it bubbling for half an hour, stirring occasionally. A piquant version of ratatouille.
200g dried chick peas, soaked in cold water for 10-12 hours, then rinsed well and simmered, covered, with an unpeeled clove of garlic for 45 mins until tender
3 large aubergines
coarse salt
3 further cloves of garlic, chopped
Black pepper
Cut the aubergines into small cubes, sprinkle with salt, and leave to drain in a colander for 30 mins. Rinse and dry with a paper towel.
Heat the oil and gently cook the onions and 3 chopped garlic cloves until they begin to soften, then stir in the aubergine cubes. Add the spces and seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cooked chick peas. Squash the tomatoes and simmer the mixture for 20 mins, adding water if it becomes too dry. The end result is a thick and tasty stew. From Diane Seed’s “Top 100 Mediterranean Dishes” published by the BBC. Not one of my favourites.
1 medium aubergine
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 lemon (juice & zest only – though I find the zest too strong so leave it out)
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
30 ml olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oven to 200°C. Place the aubergine onto a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until tender. Cool and pull off the skin. (If you overcook it, panic not – get the skin off quickly and most of the flesh will be recoverable.) Liquidise the aubergine flesh, crushed garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest and coriander. Add the olive oil towards the end of the liquidising process.
1 medium aubergine
coarse salt and black pepper
200g long-grain rice
90 ml / 6 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 large red tomato, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp currants or sultanas
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Cut the aubergine into 2 cm cubes, sprinkle with coarse salt, and leave in a colander to drain for 30 mins.
Soak the rice in hot water with a little salt until the water becomes cold, then drain well.
Rinse and dry the diced aubergine, squeezing out all the water. Heat half the oil and quickly brown the aubergine cubes. Remove them from the oil onto a paper towel and set aside.
Add the rest of the oil to the pan, heat and add the onions. Stir gently and, when the onions begin to soften, stir in the pine nuts and cook for 10 mins. Stir in the rice and fry gently for 15 mins, stirring fairly frequently with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomato and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the aubergine, 300 ml of hot water, and all the other ingredients (except the dill). Bring to the boil, cover and cook gently until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat, stir in the dill, and season to taste. I didn’t believe this next bit at first: place a folded towel over the pan, replace the lid and leave in a warm place for 15 mins. Stir, and serve hot or leave to cool. From Diane Seed’s “Top 100 Mediterranean Dishes” published by the BBC.
2 medium aubergines
45 ml / 3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, peeled deseeded and chopped
10 ml / 2 tsp tomato puree
1 litre chicken stock
30 ml / 2 tbsp lemon juice
salt & black pepper
60 ml / 4 tbsp roughly chopped basil
30 mins total preparation & cooking time if you get a move on. Serves 4.
COMPLICATED VERSION:
Heat oven to 250C. Prick the aubergines with a fork in a few places and bake for about 15-20 mins or until very soft.
About 10 mins into the cooking time, heat the oil in a deep heavy pan and fry the onion & garlic over high heat for a few mins until the onion starts to change colour. Add the tomatoes, puree, stock and lemon juice and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for a few mins.
When the aubergines are ready, remove from the oven, cut in half and scoop out flesh carefully. Liquidise or process the flesh into a smooth puree.
Add this puree to the simmering soup and continue simmering for a few minutes. Salt & pepper to taste. Add the basil & serve.
LAZY METHOD: Put the kettle on with a litre of water and start chopping the onion & garlic. Put chicken stock cube(s) in large saucepan, pour in the boiling water, turn on the heat and add onion & garlic as you chop and stir to dissolve the stock cube. Peel the aubergine using a sharp potato peeler or knife, then cut into 1 cm slices, then 1 cm cubes (quickly so that it doesn’t go brown), and add to pan. Stick the lid on and wait for it to come to the boil. When it does, squirt a load of tomato puree in, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of dried basil and stir. Add sliced or quartered tomatoes. Turn the heat down, stick the lid back on and forget about it for half an hour, by which time the aubergine should be comfortably soggy. Pick out tomato skin if you don’t like it and add some pepper. If you’ve got a hand held processor, puree it. If you haven’t, serve as it is. (Add the lemon juice at some point if you remember, but it tasted fine without, honest.)
90 ml / 6 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 small aubergines (or 1 giant one!)
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 canned plum tomatoes
60g sultanas
10 ml / 2 tsp ground allspice (not the same as mixed spice, for the avoidance of doubt, though that’ll do at a push)
10 ml / 2 tsp sugar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
garnish: parsley sprigs
Preheat the oven to 200oC. Heat 30 ml / 2 tbsp of the oil in a large heavy pan and cook the onion gently until soft. Halve the aubergines lengthwise and scoop out most of the flesh (which I always find rather difficult - I end up scoring it with a knife and then digging a spoon in) being careful not to break the skin. Cut the flesh into small pieces and sprinkle with lemon juice. Brush the inside of the aubergine shells with the remaining oil and arrange the shells in a baking tin and cook in the oven for 20 mins. Meanwhile add the chopped aubergine to the onions, together with the tomatoes, allspice, sugar, garlic and bay leaves. Cook covered over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has the consistency of chutney. Remove the shells from the oven and fill with the cooked mixture, then garnish with parsley. Wonderful. Enough for 4 if served with rice.
2 medium aubergines, sliced lengthwise into 5 mm slices
60 ml / 4 tbsp olive oil
10 ml / 2 tsp sea salt
3 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tinned artichoke hearts, drained and halved
125g black olives, stoned
125g sundried tomatoes, drained (or rehydrated and drained, depending how you got them)
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
15 ml / 1 tbsp of light brown sugar
garnish: basil sprigs
Brush both sides of each aubergine slice with oil sprinkle with salt, and place with the garlic under a medium grill on a lightly oiled pan / tray until they start to turn brown and soften. Add the artichoke hearts, olives and tomatoes to the pan and sprinkle on the lemon rind and juice and half the sugar. Turn up the heat and grill until the sugar has caramelised. Turn the mixture in the pan, sprinkle with the remaining sugar and again cook until the sugar has caramelised. Serve garnished with basil sprigs. Enough for 4.
1kg beetroot peeled & roughly sliced
1.5 litres vegetable stock or water
4 sticks of celery with leaves
juice of 1 lemon
15 ml / 1 tbsp sugar or clear honey (optional)
1-2 tbsp gherkin, finely chopped
30 mins total time, serves 4.
Liquidise/process the diced beetroot at high speed for 1 minute. Transfer to deep stainless steel or enamel saucepan and add stock or water plus celery and bring to boil. Simmer for 10 mins.
Strain through fine sieve and return to pan. Add lemon juice (and honey/sugar) and bring rapidly to boil for a few seconds, then switch off heat and skim. Can be eaten hot or well chilled, served sprinkled with chopped gherkin.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
275g raw beetroot, peeled and finely grated
100g diced potato
150g finely grated carrot
1.2 litres of vegetable stock
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Serves 4-6. 15 minutes preparation time. 45 minutes cooking time.
Heat the oil in a large pan and stir-fry the leak and celery for 2-3 minutes until soften but not coloured. Add the beetroot, potato and carrot (reserving some carrot for garnish). Add the stock into the pan and bring to the boil, then reduce heat & simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 40 mins or until vegetables tender and soup thickened slightly. Season to taste, and stir in vinegar and sugar. Heat gently until soup has thickened slightly. Serve garnished with leftover grated carrot.
250g cooked beetroot diced into 1 cm cubes
5 ml / 1 tsp sunflower oil
1/2 tsp wholegrain mustard
30 ml / 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
drop or two of Tabasco
pinch of caraway seeds, crushed in oil
a few parsley or coriander, plus some to garnish
1 red onion, diced finely
salt and black pepper
Mix the oil, mustard, vinegar, Tabasco and caraway seed paste and pour over the beetroot and leave for half an hour or more. When serving, mix in the parsley or coriander, red onion and salt, then sprinkle on remaining herbs and black pepper. Serves 2.
200g skinned dried broad beans, soaked in cold water for 10-12 hours, then rinsed well and simmered, covered, with the next 2 ingredients for about 1½ hours or until tender
4 garlic cloves, peeled
½ tsp ground cumin
60 ml / 4 tbsp olive oil
salt
¼ tsp dried oregano
cayenne or black pepper
Drain the cooked beans and garlic and keep some of the fluid. Blend the beans and garlic in a liquidiser / food processor. Add 45 ml / 3 tbsp of the olive oil and salt to taste. If the mixture’s too dry, add some of the cooking fluid as it cools down - it dries out as it cools. Serve chilled sprinkled with oregano and pepper and drizzled with the remaining olive oil
(If using fresh broad beans, only use 2 garlic cloves, and simmer for 15 mins. Consider also adding a pinch of cumin to the purée. And if your broad beans aren’t completely fresh, leave them to cool a little and peel them, as the tougher skins don’t blend well.)
Take a red cabbage, shred it / slice it finely. Chop an onion finely and an apple or pear. Mix together, slop in 3 tbsp of cider / red wine vinegar and a good quantity of red wine, 3 tbsp of brown sugar, a crushed garlic clove, a tsp of ground cinnamon and half a tsp of nutmeg, and bake the lot in a 150C oven for a couple of hours. (Only 3 or 4 tbsp of red wine needed if cooking in a slow cooker, in which case put it on High for 5 hours+.) Number of servings depends on the size of the cabbage! It can go a bit mushy if reheated, but the taste still holds.
1 large cauliflower, outer leaves and stalk removed and separated into florets
500g broccoli, separated into florets
2 red peppers chargrilled and peeled, pith and stalk removed, cut into thin strips
Dressing:
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
generous 15 ml tbsp wholegrain mustard
15g fresh tarragon, picked off the stalks
4 cloves garlic, finely crushed
black olives (optional)
dash of Tabasco
dash of balsamic vinegar
salt and black pepper
This recipe serves 6. I’m fairly certain it was from The New Cranks Recipe Book … but I’m not 100% certain.
Plunge the cauliflower and broccoli florets into a pan of (optionally salted) boiling water and blanch for 1 minute until tender but still firm. Meanwhile combine the dressing ingredients by hand and pour over the hot vegetables. Add mustard and mix in the red pepper strips (and olives). Easy.
60 ml / 4 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
800g canned plum tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 tsp dried oregano
2.5 cm cinnamon stick
black pepper
1 large cauliflower
15 ml / 1 tbsp lemon juice
Heat the oven to 190oC.
Heat half the oil and cook the garlic & onion gently until soft. Add the tomatoes, herbs, spice and seasoning, cover and simmer for 5 mins. Divide the cauliflower into florets and stir into the sauce. Cover and cook for another 10 mins. Turn into a shallow ovenproof dish, remove the cinnamon and sprinkle with the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice, and a little more black pepper. Bake in the oven for 25 mins. (If you can eat dairy, you could grate 150g feta over the top before baking.)
500g small courgettes
45 ml / 3 tbsp olive oil
50g pine
50g raisins
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
salt and black pepper
30 ml / 2 tbsp lemon juice
Slice the courgettes into think slices and fry quickly in the heated olive oil. After 2-3 mins, add the pine nuts. When the pine nuts start to brown, stir in the raisins well. Then remove the pan from the heat and season with the garlic, mint, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Leave to cool and serve cold.
Juice of 1-2 lemons
15 ml / 1 tbsp sugar or clear honey (optional)
1 litre stock (or water will do)
150g potatoes peeled & sliced into 2.5cm cubes
300g courgettes coarsely grated
salt
30 ml / 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
20 mins total time. Serves 4.
Add the lemon juice (and sugar/honey) to the stock and bring to the boil. Add the potatoes, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 mins or until potatoes almost done. Add courgettes and salt to taste, bring rapidly to the boil, boil for a minute or two, then remove from the heat. Allow to cool, add the dill and serve.
1 kg small courgettes
60 ml / 4 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper
30 ml / 2 tbsp coarse salt
500 g spaghetti (watch out - most spaghetti contains egg)
Wash and dry the courgettes, cut off and discard the ends, then slice thinly. Heat the oil and gently cook the courgettes, stirring occasionally. Season.
Meantime, bring 4 litres of water to a fast boil and add the coarse salt (the spaghetti will cook better with the salt, but you can miss it out). Stir the pasta as it cooks and drain it when it’s cooked to your taste. Turn it into a warm serving bowl and stir in the courgettes, which can optionally be patted with kitchen towel first to remove surplus oil.
3 oz wholemeal flour
half oz plain flour
quarter teaspoon salt
half teaspoon baking powder
half oz oatmeal
1 and half oz butter
1 and half oz sugar
3 tablespoons milk
This recipe supplied as highly recommended by a friend - help, it’s in old money!
Sift flours salt and baking powder, add oatmeal. Rub in butter finely, add sugar. Mix to stiff paste with milk. Turn out on to lightly-floured board. Knead well, roll out thinly. Cut into rounds with 3 inch biscuit cutter. place on baking tray prick all over. Bake in fairly hot oven 375.or Gas 5 or 160 fan assisted. for 15 mins or until light golden brown.
6 fennel bulbs
4 tbsp olive oil
black pepper
6 tbs dry white wine
2 large, ripe tomatoes
1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf and parsley)
Strip off the outermost layer and stalks of the fennel, if tough. Set aside the feathers for garnish. Halve the bulbs and remove the core. Cut the remaining flesh into thin slices.
Heat the oil, stir in the fennel and add pepper. Cook gently, covered, for 5 mins. Add the wine, turn up the heat, cook for a few minutes to reduce some of the wine. Pour in 200 ml water and add tomatoes and bouquet garni. Cover and stew gently until the fennel is tender and the sauce very thick.
Variation: 1 fennel bulb, 1 tbsp olive oil, other ingredients as above. Don’t bother adding water! The thinner the fennel strips, the quicker it will cook - 30 mins simmering for this quantity. Quite sufficient for 2.
1 medium fennel bulb
1 garlic clove
15 ml / 1 tbsp olive oil
10 ml / 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
3 tomatoes (plum are best for this, being fleshier)
30 g black olives
pretty lettuce, if you happen to have some
black pepper
Peel the garlic and slice thinly. Trim the fennel and remove the stalks if tough. Slice the fennel thinly from the top down - then slice again so that all the pieces are thin strips, if they aren’t already. Mix the oil, vinegar and pepper and pour over the fennel and leave for 20 minutes. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and add them with the olives and lettuce. Serves 2.
175g dried apricots
175g dried figs
1 lemon (grated rind and juice)
½ tsp ground allspice
450 ml water
2 oranges, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp runny honey
Cut the stalk ends off the figs. Put the figs, apricots, ground allspice, lemon juice and rind and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool and stir in orange pieces and honey. Leave to cool. Refrigerate if preferred.
30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic bulb, peeled & roughly chopped
3 medium potatoes coarsely grated
3 medium tomatoes, peeled deseeded & coarsely grated
500g French beans sliced into 2.5 cm lengths
1 litre water or stock
75g vermicelli
salt & black pepper
at end, stir in puree of:
cloves of garlic
50 basil leaves
1 large tomato peeled & deseeded
15 ml / 1 tbsp harissa (see below)
60 ml / 4 tbsp of the soup
Total time 30 mins (but lots of faffing about), serves 4
Heat the oil in a heavy pan, add garlic and fry for 1 min / until the garlic just starts to change colour. Add potatoes, tomatoes, beans and liquid and bring to boil. Simmer for 15 mins, then add vermicelli and seasoning and cook for further 5 mins+ until just tender.
150g red chillies deseeded (unless you can stand it really hot)
150g tomatoes peeled & deseeded
45 ml / 3 tbsp tomato puree
7 cloves of garlic
5 ml / 1 tsp cumin
50ml vinegar
75g olive oil
7.5 ml / 1½ tsp salt
Process the lot and there you are. Can be kept in a jar in the fridge (preferably covered in oil to prevent drying out) for several months. Stir in to pasta or use to liven things up generally.
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped roughly
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped roughly
1/2 cucumber chopped roughly
1 onion chopped roughly
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and roughly chopped
450g ripe plum tomatoes chopped roughly
900 ml passata or tomato juice
30 ml / 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil
15 ml / 1 tbsp caster sugar
salt and pepper
Set aside a little green & red pepper, cucumber and onion to be finely chopped as garnish.
Process or liquidise all the other ingredients until smooth. Sieve into a serving bowl, forcing through with a spoon. Chill, add garnish on serving. Serves 6.
175g caster / granulated sugar
200 ml grapefruit juice
45 ml / 3 tbsp Campari (or something sweeter if you don’t want too bitter a sorbet)
250 ml white wine
dash of grenadine
juice of 1 large lemon
Bring 200 ml water and the sugar to the boil and let the sugar dissolve. Remove from heat, add rest of the ingredients, mix well and pour through a fine strainer. Allow to cool and put in a freezer-proof container in the coldest part of the freezer. Stir it at least twice while freezing.
350g defrosted frozen peas
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 spring onions, chopped
5 ml finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime
2.5 ml / 1/2 tsp ground cumin
dash of Tabasco sauce
[15 ml / 1 tbsp reduced fat mayonn aise if you must]
30 ml / 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or parsley
salt and black pepper
To garnish: pinch of paprika and slices of lime
Process or liquidise all the ingredients except the coriander or parsley for a few minutes until smooth. Add the coriander or parsley and process or liquidise for a few seconds more only. Spoon into a serving bowl, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Serves 6
From the BBC website, sent in by Lucy Clement
Serves 4
Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 30 mins to 1 hour
55g margarine
1 medium onions, chopped
3 large leeks, chopped
1 large butternut squash, de-seeded and chopped
1½ litres vegetable stock
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Melt the margarine in a large pan and cook the onions and the leeks until they are both translucent.
2. Add the butternut squash to the pan and cover with the lid. Cook gently for 10 minutes.
3. Add the vegetable stock to the pan, season generously bring to the boil. Cover the pan again, and simmer on a low heat for a further 20 minutes.
4. Whizz half of the soup in a blender, or food processor and leave the other half in the pan, to give the soup a chunky texture. Return the blended soup to the pan, and heat through, serve piping hot.
450g green lentils, washed and soaked in cold water for 8-10 hours
45 ml / 3 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
optionally: 1 small hot chilli pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped
400g can chopped plum tomatoes
30 ml / 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and black pepper
300g tubetti pasta, or spaghetti broken into 2 cm lengths (watch out - most pasta is made with eggs)
Rinse the lentils, drain and bring to boil in unsalted water, then lower heat and leave to simmer for 20 minutes (or longer, depending on how old they are).
Meantime, gently cook the garlic and chilli pepper in 1 tbsp olive oil.
Drain the lentils and set aside the cooking liquid.
Add sufficient of the cooking liquid to the tinned tomatoes to bring the total volume up to 1 litre, and pour into a large pan, adding the parsley & garlic mixture, and season to taste. Cook gently for 10 mins.
While this is cooking, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water. When it’s half cooked and still hard, drain it and add it to the tomatoes. Stir in the lentils and cook gently until the pasta is soft. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the portions once served. A hearty soup that will easily serve 4. I’m thinking of taking this one off here, because I haven’t tried it for a long, long time.
150g split red lentils (soaked or at least washed)
1 litre vegetable stock
1 large onion sliced
4 cloves garlic
1 large carrot roughly chopped
30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil
10 ml / 2 tsp cumin seeds
3 medium tomatoes peeled deseeded & chopped
60 ml / 4 tbsp chopped fresh dill or coriander
1 small lemon sliced into thin rings
45 mins total time, serves 4
Put lentils and into large saucepan and bring to boil. Skim and simmer half covered for 30 mins.
Process/liquidise onion, garlic and carrot until chopped.
Heat oil in heavy pan, add cumin seeds and fry until they pop. Add vegetables and fry for 5 mins / until they being to brown. Add to the simmering soup, season with salt and continue until lentils tender.
Add herbs and lemon slices just before serving.
6 nectarines
20 ml / 4 tsp brandy
200g raspberries
30g / 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
15 g / 1 tbsp flaked almonds
Preheat oven to 200oC. Cut nectarines in half and remove stones, then place on a baking tray, sprinkle with brandy and sugar, add the raspberries, sprinkle on the almonds and bake for 10 minutes (or 15 if you like your food soggy :>). Serves 4 comfortably.
175g granulated sugar
6 nectarines, peeled, halved and stoned
1 orange, juiced and with thin strips taken from rind for decoration and flavour
1 orange, sliced and with slices cut in half
30 ml lemon juice
Put the sugar in a small saucepan with 1 litre of water and bring to the boil, stirring so that the sugar dissolves. Add the strips of orange rind and submerse the nectarines in the syrup (in batches if necessary) and simmer for about 5 minutes or a few minutes longer until the fruit is tender. Put the cooked nectarines into a bowl and pour the syrup over the top. Allow to cool and add the orange slices.
(Makes 4-1/2 cups)
Work Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cut in Half; Slice Thinly: 3 red onions (6 cups)
Combine in Saucepan with:
2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
2 cups dried cranberries
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
Dash salt
Cook until Thick.
3 large red onions
45ml/3tbsp olive oil
5g/1tsp salt
black pepper
50g/2oz sultanas
30g/2tbsp demerara sugar
275ml/9floz rose or red wine
45ml/3tbsp red wine vinegar
1. Use a small knife to cut round the root and growing shoot of the onion in a small, pointed plug shape. Remove the skin, cut in half from root to shoot and slice very thinly in half moons.
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan or similarly wide-based pan placed over a medium heat. Stir the onions into the hot oil, stirring frequently, until they begin to wilt. Reduce the heat after 5 or 6 minutes, season the onions with 2.5g/½tsp salt and cook for a further 10 minutes until the onions are floppy and juicy.
3. Add the sultanas and the sugar, season with black pepper and cook until the onions are sticky and slippery and the sultanas are beginning to plump. Do not hurry any of this the onions must be tender before the wine is added.
4. Transfer the onion mixture to a small, heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan and add the wine and vinegar. Bring to the boil, stirring a couple of times, then reduce the heat so the stew simmers very, very gently and leave to cook for about 30 minutes. The result you are after is thick, juicy and jam-like. Allow to cool.
5. Decant into a jar, cover and chill. It will keep safely in the fridge for several weeks, but in my experience it will be in great demand with everything. You will probably end up eating it like jam.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/4 pounds red onions (about 4 medium), finely chopped
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. In large skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes or until soft.
2. Stir in vinegar, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes or until glossy. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
1¼ pounds thinly sliced large red onion
3 tbsp brown sugar
3/4 cup dry red wine
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
to taste salt
to taste freshly ground white pepper
1. In a heavy large non-stick saucepan, combine the onions and brown sugar, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onions begin to caramelise and turn golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to high, add the wine and vinegar, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, for about 15 to 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, allow to cool, and serve at room temperature. Yield: 2 cups.
3/4 cup Sauternes
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced red bell pepper
4 large red onions, peeled and diced
1 jalapeño chilli, stemmed and minced
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Place Sauternes, lemon juice, maple syrup, 1/4 cup honey, and cinnamon stick in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer. Lower heat and cook, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes, or until a thick syrup has formed. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add diced pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add 1 tablespoon honey and stir to coat. Remove from heat and set aside. Heat remaining oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions, jalapeño, remaining honey, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes.
Add cooked peppers and three quarters of the reserved syrup. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes, or until quite thick and jam-like. Remove from heat.
Puree one half of the mixture and the remaining syrup in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Stir pureed half into the jam and stir to combine. Return to heat and cook for 5 minutes. Scrape from pan into non-reactive bowl and allow to cool Store, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 month.
Makes about 3 cups
30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil
25g margarine
900g onions, peeled, quartered and sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
5 ml / 1 tsp caraway seeds
15 ml / 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar
15 ml / 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
10 ml / 2 tsp plain flour
1.2 litres vegetable stock
1.5 ml / 1/4 tsp yeast extract (Marmite)
grated rind of 1 lemon and 15 ml / 1 tbsp of juice
pepper
Heat the oil and margarine in a large saucepan and add the onions, garlic, caraway seeds and sugar (and open the kitchen window!). Cover and cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the vinegar and cook uncovered for a further 10 minutes until the onions are softened and well browned. Stir in the flour and cook over a low heat for a further minute, then turn off the heat and gradually blend in the stock and yeast extract and add pepper. Bring back to the boil, stirring, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Then stir in the grated lemon rind and lemon juice. Serves 4.
Peel pears (dig out the furry bit at the bottom, and leave a little peel around the stem to stop it falling out). Put in a saucepan and cover with about ½ pint of rosé wine and slightly less of cranberry juice (you can use white wine and apple juice, but it doesn’t give such a good colour), 3 tbsp of sugar, 4 cloves, a bay leaf and a cinnamon stick. Top up with water so that the pears are covered. Simmer for 20 mins (30 mins+ if pears not ripe), then take the pears out and boil the remaining liquid down until it reduces by half / becomes nice and sticky. Pour the sauce over the pears. They’re nice cold / chilled / warm / reheated, and will keep for a few days in the fridge. Yummy.
400g plum tomatoes
300g sweet red pepper deseeded and sliced
1 large onion sliced
3 sticks celery with leaves
1 litre vegetable stock
juice of 1-2 oranges
a few drops of Tabasco (youch!)
salt
1 large orange, thinly sliced
Process until finely chopped: tomatoes, pepper, onion and celery. Transfer to large saucepan, add stock and bring to boil. Simmer for 15 mins. (Optionally sieve for smooth texture.)
Add the orange juice, Tabasco, salt if desired and bring to boil again, then simmer 1-2 mins. Add orange slices (keep back a few to garnish), simmer for 30 seconds, then pour into bowls.
2kg roasting potatoes
sprig fresh rosemary
100 ml olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper
I’m not a potato fan, but this recipe from The New Cranks Recipe Book is consumed with gusto by potato lovers.
Preheat the oven to 230oc or its highest setting. Peel the potatoes and save in cold water while you work. Make parallel slits into the potatoes, taking care not to cut all the way through to the bottom. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in an ovenproof dish with the oil and the fresh rosemary, basting the potatoes generously. Then bake for 1 hour, turning occasionally so that the potatoes are crisp and golden on all sides.
1 large sliced onion
3 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
500g peeled pumpkin cut into 2 cm cubes
salt, pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp raisins
50g toasted pine nuts
Serves 4. (Good Food Magazine)
Fry onion in the oil until golden. Add the pumpkin and sauté over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, sugar, cinnamon and raisins. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 10-15 minutes or until pumpkin is tender, turning the pieces over occasionally. Serve hot or cold, sprinkled with pine nuts.
800g pumpkin flesh, chopped into small cubes
1 tsp caster sugar
100g margarine
small bunch of about 20 sage leaves, roughly chopped
350g dried spaghetti
juice of 1 lemon
Serves 4 hearty eaters, ready in 35-45 minutes. Adapted from Good Food Magazine November 2003.
1a. Tip the pumpkin into a medium-sized saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Sprinkle over the sugar and a pinch of salt, then drizzle 6 tbsp of water over it. Cover the pan, place on a medium heat and steam the pumpkin, stirring every so often for 10-15 minutes until soft but still holding its shape. Add an extra tbsp or two of water if the pan starts to dry. Remove from heat and set aside.
1b. Tip the margarine and sage into a small saucepan and heat gently until the marge is foaming, then turn off the heat.
1c. Boil the spaghetti in a big pan of water (which everything will end up in at the end) for about 10 mins until just cooked. Retain a cupful of the water, drain the rest and return to the pan.
2. Put the sage marge over a high heat until sizzling, then pour in the lemon juice. Tip the pumpkin, melted marge and 3-4 tbsp pasta water in with the spaghetti and stir well. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
3 tbsp olive oil
500g pumpkin flesh, cubed
3 large tomatoes, peeled, deseeded & chopped
1 large onion finely chopped
2 green chillies deseeded & chopped
1 litre water or stock
1 tsp ground coriander
30 mins total time, serves 4.
Heat the oil in large, heavy pan. Add all ingredients except stock/water and fry for 5 mins stirring occasionally.
Add the liquid and bring to boil. Skim and simmer for about 20 mins.
Process if smooth soup required, otherwise serve as is, with salt if required.
2 leeks, cut into 1 cm slices
15 cm celery stalk, cut into 5 mm slices
30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil
350g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into approx 1 cm pieces
250g tin of butter beans or cannellini beans, rinsed well (or 100g dried beans, soaked in cold water for 10-12 hours, then rinsed well and simmered, covered, for 1½ hours until tender)
1.5 litres stock
salt and black pepper
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the leeks and celery gently until the leeks are soft. Add the pumpkin and cook gently for a few minutes before adding the beans and half the stock. Simmer until the pumpkin is tender, then purée and add the rest of the stock. Season to taste. A hearty soup to serve 4.
75 ml / 5 tbsp (olive) oil
1 large onion, sliced thinly
2 large green peppers, deseeded and chopped roughly
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 big fat aubergine, peeled and cubed
6 fresh tomatoes, peeled and quartered (or a small can, without juice)
2 courgettes, sliced
5 ml / 1 tsp sugar
Add just before serving:
15 ml / 1 tbsp lemon juice
15 ml / 1 tbsp wine vinegar
salt and black pepper
Put the oil in a heavy lidded pan and cook onion and garlic gently until soft, add the remaining vegetables and sugar, cover and simmer over a low-medium heat for an hour, stirring occasionally and adding boiling water as necessary to stop it sticking.
300g dried chick peas, soaked in cold water for 10-12 hours, then rinsed well and simmered, covered, with the next 3 ingredients for 45 mins until tender
1 bay leaf
1 small whole head of garlic (or ½ large head), not peeled
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
500g spinach, well washed and not drained
30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
crumbs from 1 thick slice of stale white bread
30 ml / 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and black or cayenne pepper
Optionally: 5 ml / 1 tsp ground cumin
Cook the spinach for no more than 5 mins, with no added water (but with a little salt if desired), then drain and set aside.
Heat the oil and fry the 2 cloves of chopped garlic, bread and parsley. Remove from heat, add 10-15 ml / scant 1 tbsp water and blend to a smooth paste.
Discard the bay leaf, head of garlic and onion from the cooked chick peas. Add the spinach and stir, gradually mixing in athe garlic and bread paste. Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cumin, if used. Very hearty soup, serves 4.
After much deliberation, I have decided that this recipe is actually disgusting. I can’t remember where I got it, and I must have liked it at some point or I wouldn’t have noted it down.
This recipe was provided by Shirley Cline from San Francisco. The measurements are all in foreign! The original recipe says to stir in cheeeese at the end, so it might need something else to add oomph
Serves 8
4 tbsp margarine
1 yellow onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
3/4 lb. (how much is that? about 375g?) Butternut Squash, peeled and diced in 1 cm cubes
5 c. chicken broth, heated
1 1/2 cups long grain (arborio) rice
1/2 cup Chardonnay
Ground black pepper
1 tbsp parsley, minced
Melt the margarine in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and squash and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the rice to the onion and squash and stir until rice is hot.
Add the Chardonnay and stir until the wine is absorbed.
Start adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continually and waiting until each addition has been absorbed before adding more.
Simmer gently. After about 20 minutes, the mixture should be creamy but still al dente. You may not need all of the liquid.
Season with pepper.
I’ve had this knocking around for years & just haven’t got round to trying it.
Serves 6
300g light brown sugar
75g margarine, melted
1 tablespoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground mace
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
2.7 kg butternut squash, peeled, cored, and cut into 2.5cm pieces
6 Fuji or Gala apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1cm thick
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Mix the sugar, margarine, salt, mace and ginger. Arrange the squash in an ungreased baking dish. Lay the apple on top. Spoon the sugar and margarine mix over the apples. Cover with foil and bake for 50-60 minutes, until the squash is tender.
This recipe was first published on Waitrose.com in November 2000. As with the previous recipe, I haven’t tested it yet.
From the BBC website by Paul Merrett from Fresh Food
Serves 4
Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 10 to 30 mins
1 butternut squash, diced into 2.5 cm cubes
3 strips of pancetta bacon, diced into 2.5 cm cubes
1 cabbage, diced into 2.5 cm cubes
1 celeriac, diced into 2.5 cm cubes
3 tbsp olive oil
1. Sauté the bacon, then celeriac, butternut squash and finally cabbage, separately.
2. Mix together and serve.
Tested, due to having received an unexpected vegetable delivery, 12/10/2003: I used a 500g squash and only took the easy-to-access flesh. I used a similar chunk of celeriac. Frankly, I was so fed up by the time I’d finished all the trimming and chopping that I put it all in one saucepan and just left if for half an hour. It was easily enough for 4, with some left over. Nice contrast of flavours and textures, but I didn’t think the leftovers would make good soup, so didn’t bother. I’ve not tried it since, through sheer idleness.
From the BBC website by James Martin from Ready Steady Cook
Serves 2 very hungry people
Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 10 to 30 mins
½ butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
30g unsalted margarine
1 tbsp olive oil
½ white onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 small green chilli, sliced
200g long grain rice (arborio rice is usually used in risotto)
4 tbsp white wine
570ml vegetable stock
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Peel and chop the squash. In a medium frying pan heat 1 tbsp margarine. Fry the butternut squash with the rosemary until softened and golden. (You may need to take it off the heat, depending how quick you are with the next stages.)
Meanwhile, rinse the rice and leave it to drain.
Chop the onion and, in a large frying pan, heat the remaining margarine and oil in a medium saucepan. (Oil prevents margarine from burning.)
Cook the onion for 1-2 minutes until softened.
Stir in the garlic, chilli and rice.
Add the wine and cook for 1 minute.
Add the stock a little at a time, stirring gently, allowing the stock to become absorbed after each addition. Continue until the rice is cooked through.
5 minutes into cooking, stir in the butternut squash.
To serve, stir through the parsley.
Tested 28/9/2003 using indica rice and a red chilli, not green. I used all the easily available flesh from a medium squash. It needed slightly more liquid. Served with smoked tofu wiener sausages. Very nice. Gave me that Ready Steady Cook action feeling!
From the BBC website by Jo' Pratt from Nations Favourite Food
Serves 4
Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 1 to 2 hours
1 large butternut squash
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
about 15 sage leaves, chopped
flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large knobs of margarine
1 large onion, chopped
400g arborio or other Italian risotto rice
2 glasses white wine (crumbs, how big are these glasses? I guess about 300 ml total)
1 litre pint hot chicken or vegetable stock
75g pinenuts, to serve
1. Preheat the oven to 200oC.
2. Cut the butternut squash into 6-8 wedges, remove the seeds and place in a roasting tray. Pound or chop the garlic and add a generous glug of olive oil, half the sage leaves, sea salt and pepper. Tip into the tray and rub over the butternut squash with your hands. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes until softened and becoming golden in colour.
3. Once the squash has cooked, cool slightly, then scrape the soft flesh away from the skin into a bowl. Lightly mash with a fork or potato masher until it is fairly chunky in texture. Scrape any sticky juices left in the roasting tray into the bowl and keep warm while making the risotto.
4. Heat the olive oil and a good knob of margarine in a deep, heavy-based frying pan or saute pan. Gently fry the onion until softened. Add the rice and stir for about a minute until the grains are coated with the oil and margarine. Pour in the wine and stir continuously until it has cooked into the rice. Add a good ladle of hot stock and the remaining sage and season well with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down so the stock is simmering gently. Keep adding ladles of stock as it cooks into the rice, stirring and moving the rice around in the pan. After about 15-20 minutes the rice should be soft but still have a bit of bite left in it. The texture of the risotto should be thick and creamy, but not too loose. Add extra stock if necessary. It may seem tedious standing and stirring but the end result will be worth it.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir the roasted butternut squash into the risotto, the remaining margarine and seasoning to taste. Add any extra stock if the risotto seems particularly thick. Cover with a lid for a couple of minutes as this will give the risotto an even creamier texture.
6. During this time, place the pinenuts in a fairly hot frying pan and toss around until golden. Spoon the risotto into warmed bowls and scatter with the pinenuts.
The original recipe says to stir in, you guessed it, cheeeese. I didn’t follow the precise letter of the recipe and it was very nice.
500g cannellini or borlotti beans, soaked in cold water for 10-12 hours, then rinsed well and simmered, covered, for about 1½ hours or until tender
60 ml / 4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
800g canned plum tomatoes, sieved
black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Drain the beans after cooking, and set aside the cooking liquid.
Heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic, celery and carrots gently until the onion starts to change colour. Stir in the tomatoes and season to taste. When it comes to the boil again, stir in the cooked beans, cover and stew gently for at least an hour, adding a little bean water if the sauce becomes too thick. Stir in the chopped parsley and serve. This is another recipe that I ought to ditch, as it clearly hasn’t been inspiring enough for me to have bothered with cooking it again.
3 large Cox apples, cored and quartered, not peeled
3 ripe (but not soft) pears, cored and quartered, not peeled
18 stoned prunes
18 dried figs (the squidgy chewy sort)
18 dried apricots -ditto-
juice and zest of 1 orange in strips
100 ml apple juice
1 small piece of finely grated ginger
pinch of cinnamon
25g toasted flaked almonds
50g soft brown sugar (optional)
strips of lime zest
Preheat the oven to 180oC. Place the apples and pears into an ovenproof dish and add the prunes, figs and apricots. Mix the orange juice with the apple juice, ginger and cinnamon, then pour the mixture over the fruit. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.
Remove foil, stir and baste fruit with juices, and garnish with almonds, and strips of orange and lime zest. Serve hot or cold.
250g celeriac
250g carrots
250g beetroot
250g sweet potato
250g Jerusalem artichokes
250g new potatoes
250g baby onions
250g parsnips
50 ml olive oil
15 ml white wine
15 ml tamari (optional, soy sauce - hold fire on the salt if you do use it)
12 cloves garlic, not peeled
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6-8 (i.e. one per person) sheets of baking parchment 20 x 20 cm wide
To serve:
250g quark
3 cloves garlic, crushed
handful of basil or other herb, finely chopped
And another excellent recipe from The New Cranks Recipe Book.
Preheat the oven to 190oC/gas 5. Scrub all the vegetables clean and cut all but the potatoes and the baby onions into 3cm cubes. Mix in with the olive oil, white wine, tamari, salt and pepper, as well as the whole peeled baby onions and the whole unpeeled garlic cloves.
Divide the vegetables equally between the sheets of baking parchment, wrap around, folding the edges tightly together to form a bag and place closely together on an oven tray. Place in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes and serve at once with a bowl of quark, richly seasoned with crushed garlic, salt and pepper and herbs and let people spoon some over their vegetables as needed.
2 carrots, diced
salt and black pepper
1 red capsicum pepper
1 green capsicum pepper
1 yellow capsicum pepper
250g shelled peas
250g shelled broad beans
75 ml / 5 tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
10 blanched almonds, chopped
very large pinch / ¼ tsp ground saffron
1 onion, finely sliced
400g arborio rice, washed and drained
6 artichoke hearts
300 ml vegetable stock
10 black olives, stoned
Cook the carrots in boiling water. Remove the seeds and white pith from the peppers and slice the remaining flesh finely. Cook the peas and broad beans separately in boiling water. When the beans are cooked, drained and remove the skins.
In a wok or similarly large frying pan, heat the oil and gently brown the garlic and almonds. Remove from the oil and blend into a paste with the saffron.
Add the onion & peppers to the oil and cook until soft. Stir in the rice until all the grains are oil coated. Add the artichokes and cooked carrots, almost paste, and a little hot stock. Simmer until the rice is cooking, adding stock as necessary. Gently stir in the beans and peas just before th rice is ready. Garnish with olives.
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm chunks
4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm chunks
250g shallots or baby onions, peeled
6 garlic cloves, not peeled
3 medium potatoes cut into wedges (peeled if you prefer)
4 leeks, trimmed and cut into 5 cm lengths
500g pumpkin, cut into 3 cm chunks
150g mushrooms (add them in later if you want them to look lovely)
15 ml / 1 tbsp mixed chopped herbs (e.g. thyme, rosemary, parsley)
60 ml / 4 tbsp olive oil
15 ml / 1 tbsp tamari (optional, soy sauce - hold fire on the salt if you do use it)
pinch of soft brown sugar (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Similar to the previous recipe. Serves 4-6 people. Add cubes of marinated plain or smoked tofu 20 minutes before the end to make it a complete meal.
Preheat the oven to 230oC or its highest setting. Mix all the vegetables together with the oil, herbs, tamari, sugar and salt and pepper and place in a large ovenproof dish or oven tray. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 35-40 minutes until roasted and tender.
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small red pepper, sliced
1 medium aubergine, roughly chopped
1 medium courgette, roughly chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 medium carrot, thickly sliced
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
100g dried apricots (Crazy Jack’s - the source of this recipe)
1 jar passata
pepper to taste
In a large saucepan gently fry the onion in the olive oil until soft. Add the garlic, pepper, aubergine and courgette and fry for 2 mins. Add the spices and stir well for 2 mins. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well and cook until the apricots and carrot are soft. Season to taste and serve with couscous. [Not tried this one yet - expecting to do so mid November 2003, but unlikely to update this page with results until early 2004. Quantity sounds enough for 4 easily.]
125g baby courgettes, lightly scored with a sharp knife
50g sundried tomatoes
125g baby aubergines
125g firm, red, ripe tomatoes
50 ml chilli oil
25 ml balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, chopped
small piece of chilli, finely diced
1 tsp lime juice
sea salt (definitely needed)
black pepper
And another recipe on a similar theme. This is enough for 2 good helpings - you might want to make larger quantities depending on the size of your preserving jar(s). Your preserving jar(s) will need to have been sterilised with boiling water and dried thoroughly (in a warm oven’s the easiest way).
Wash the vegetable and baste with half the chilli oil and a little sea salt. Place under a hot grill for 3 minutes and turn so they’re well done all over. Remove from the heat. Mix the vinegar, garlic, chilli, lime juice and pepper, and baste all the vegetables.
Fill the jar(s) with layers of vegetables. Courgettes first, then sundried tomatoes, then aubergines, then more sundried tomatoes, and finish with grilled tomatoes, sprinkled with salt. Seal and refrigerate.
75 ml / 5 tbsp soy sauce
optional: 45 ml / 3 tbsp white wine or cider
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
dash of Tabasco sauce
black pepper
The soy sauce makes this salty enough without adding any more. Put all the ingredients in a jug or bowl and stir them up with a fork, then smear it all over whatever you’re barbecuing (it’s especially good on pork), and keep on smearing while it’s cooking. Sorry, basting is the correct term for professionals, but smearing’s more fun.
225g plain or wholemeal flour OR 110g wholemeal flour and 110g porridge oats / muesli (not sweetened)
75g soft but not runny margarine
75g soft brown sugar
Rub the margarine into the flour lightly. Then stir in the sugar. Put the fruit in a pie dish and spread the crumble on top. Bake at 180oC for 30-40 minutes until the top is just browning.
Fillings:
900g Bramley apples, 25g soft brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 3 cloves, 2 tbsp water, optional: 75g raisins
Peel, core and chunk the apples. Put all the ingredients in a lidded saucepan and cook gently until the apples soften.
500g blackcurrants, 30g caster sugar
Remove stalks from the blackcurrants.
900g gooseberries and 175g caster sugar (or less if using the sweet, pink gooseberries)
Top and tail the gooseberries, no pre-cooking needed but cook for the full 40 minutes.
900g pears and raspberries, 15g soft light brown sugar
Peel, core and slice the pears. This recipe is particularly useful for pears that aren’t ripening - the raspberries give an extra bit of flavour.
900g plums, 150g demerara sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Stone and halve the plums. No need for pre-cooking.
OR (more successfully for me) 750g plums after stoning and eating a few, 60g dark soft brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
500g raspberries, 15g caster sugar
900g rhubarb, 75g soft brown sugar, 1 tsp ground ginger
Cut the rhubarb into chunks. Put all the ingredients in a lidded saucepan and cook gently for 10 mins, occasionally stirring gently so that all the pieces are hot. Don’t overcook because it turns all mushy. Resist the temptation to eat it as it is (unless you’ve run out of time, in which case serve it up as stewed rhubarb and skip the crumble) and drain well before placing in pie dish and covering with crumble. Rhubarb holds a lot of water and your crumble will have a lot of juice bubbling through the top if it’s not well drained.