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« Older EntriesWinter leaf & parsnip salad with walnuts
Friday, November 4th, 2011
Winter leaf & parsnip salad with walnuts
Ingredients
4 parsnips , sliced into 1cm rounds
2 tbsp vegetable oil
100g walnut halves
3 large heads chicory or radicchio, leaves separated
200g mixed salad leaves , such as baby spinach and watercress
Vinaigrette (see below)
Easy
Serves 10 with other dishes
Prep 15 mins
Cook 25 mins, plus cooling
Method
1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the parsnips with the oil in a roasting tin, then roast for 20-25 mins until golden and tender. Add the nuts and roast for 15 mins more until the nuts are coloured. Take from the oven and cool. Can be cooked up to 2 days ahead.
2. Put all the leaves, parsnips and nuts into a large serving bowl.
3. Make the vinaigrette as follows: Whisk 1 tbsp Dijon mustard and 5 tbsp red wine vinegar together. Still whisking, add 1 tsp walnut oil and 250ml extra virgin olive oil, then season to taste. Will keep for 1 month in an airtight jar.
Tags: Chicory, parsnip, spinach, walnuts
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Marinated aubergine & rocket salad
Friday, November 4th, 2011
Marinated aubergine & rocket salad
Ingredients
2 aubergines , cut into small chunks
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
small handful sultanas
50g bag rocket
Easy
Serves 4
Prep 10 mins
Cook 30 mins
Method
1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the aubergine with 2 tbsp olive oil and seasoning in a large roasting tin and roast for 30 mins until golden and soft.
2. When cooked, toss with the vinegar, sultanas and remaining oil. Scatter over the rocket just before serving. Can be served warm or at room temperature.
Tags: aubergine, rocket
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Apple and blackberry caramel pie
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
Apple and blackberry caramel pie
INGREDIENTS
4 large Bramley apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
450g (1lb) blackberries
350g (12oz) plain flour
200g (7oz) butter, diced
225g (8oz) caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1tbsp milk
25g (1oz) roasted chopped hazelnuts
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Cook the chopped apples with the lemon rind and juice and 3tbsp water for 5 minutes. Add the
blackberries and cook for 2-3 minutes. Cool and drain.
2. Place the flour and butter into a food processor and whizz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 85g (3oz) caster sugar, 5tbsp water and 1 large egg yolk and whizz to a dough. Roll out two-thirds of the dough and use to line a 1.2 litre (2pt) pie dish.
3. Mix the fruit with 100g (3½oz) of the remaining caster sugar and spoon into the pastry case. Roll out the remaining pastry and use to cover the pie. Seal and trim off any excess pastry. Make two slits in the pastry and brush with milk. Bake for 35 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the remaining caster sugar into a saucepan and cook on a low heat for 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved (adding a splash of water if necessary) and turned a caramel colour. Immediately drizzle the caramel over the top of the pie and scatter with the chopped roasted hazelnuts.
Tags: blackberries, bramley apple, hazelnuts, lemon
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Spicy root & lentil casserole
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
Ingredients
2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
1 onion , chopped
2 garlic cloves , crushed
700g potatoes , peeled and cut into chunks
4 carrots , thickly sliced
2 parsnips , thickly sliced
2 tbsp curry paste or powder
1 litre/1¾ pints vegetable stock
100g red lentils
a small bunch of fresh coriander , roughly chopped
low-fat yogurt and naan bread, to serve
Easy
Serves 4
Prep 10 mins
Cook time 35 mins
Vegetarian
Vegetarian, Super healthy
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion and garlic over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Tip in the potatoes, carrots and parsnips, turn up the heat and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables are golden.
2. Stir in the curry paste or powder, pour in the stock and then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, add the lentils, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the lentils and vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened.
3. Stir in most of the coriander, season and heat for a minute or so.Top with yogurt and the rest of the coriander. Serve with naan bread.
Tags: carrot, coriander, garlic, onion, parsnip, potatoes
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Pumpkin & parsnip cassoulet
Monday, October 31st, 2011
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions , chopped
500g pumpkins , deseeded, peeled and diced
500g parsnips , diced
3 garlic cloves , crushed
2 x 425g cans mixed beans , drained
780g can tomatoes
225ml red wine
300ml vegetable stock
2 large sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbsp sugar
75g fresh breadcrumbs
25g vegetarian parmesan -style cheese, grated
Easy
Serves 6
Prep 20 mins
Cook time 1 hr 25 mins
Vegetarian, Low-fat
Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large pan or wok, add onions, then fry for 5 mins until golden.
2. Add pumpkin, parsnips and garlic and cook for a further 3 mins.
3. Stir in beans, tomatoes, wine, stock, thyme, sugar and plenty of seasoning.
4. Bring to the boil, then transfer to a large casserole dish, pressing the beans and vegetables beneath the liquid.
5. Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Cover, then cook for 40 mins. Uncover, stir well and cook for a further 40 mins. Serve with garlic bread and stir-fried cabbage.
Tags: garlic, onion, parsnip, pumpkin, thyme
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Halloween Witches Brew
Friday, October 28th, 2011
A must every Halloween – this recipe is great fun! A fake hand is frozen in a rubber glove and then presented in a bucket or glass punch bowl. Dress the hand up with a few Halloween gimmicks like spiders.
Ingredients
Serves: 16
300g (11 oz) raspberries
600ml (1 pint) cranberry juice
1 sachet powdered gelatine
2L (3 1/2 pints) ginger ale
2L (3 1/2 pints) sparkling apple juice (non-alcoholic)
6 Gummi snakes
Preparation method
Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 10 mins
1. To make the frozen hand: Wash and rinse the outside of a rubber glove. Turn glove inside out and set aside. In a 1 litre measuring jug, combine the raspberries and cranberry juice.
2. Pour half of the raspberry mixture into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over and let stand 2 minutes. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, just until gelatin dissolves. Mix back into the reserved raspberry mixture in the measuring jug.
3. Pour raspberry mixture into the inverted glove. Gather up the top of the glove and tie securely with kitchen string. Freeze until solid, or several days if possible.
4. To serve: Carefully cut rubber glove away from frozen hand. Place frozen hand, palm side up, leaning against side of a large punch bowl. Pour in ginger ale and sparkling cider. Garnish with Gummi snakes.
Tags: cranberry juice, raspberries
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Blackberry & coconut squares
Thursday, October 27th, 2011
Ingredients:
250g self-raising flour
25g oats
280g soft brown sugar
200g cold butter , cut into pieces
75g desiccated coconut
2 medium eggs , beaten
350g blackberries
Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
2. Tip the flour, oats and sugar into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until only small pea-size pieces remain. Stir through the coconut, then fill a teacup with the mixture and set this aside.
3. Stir the eggs into the bowl of mixture, then spread over the bottom of a lined baking tin (31 x 17cm), or a 21cm square tin. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon, then scatter over the blackberries. Scatter over the reserved teacup mixture and bake for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins until golden and cooked through (if you poke a skewer in, it should come out with moist crumbs but no wet mixture). Leave to cool, then remove from the tin and cut into squares. Serve with some extra berries, if you like. Great for teatime or to pop into a lunchbox.
Tags: blackberries
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Crispy belly pork with caramelised apples
Wednesday, October 26th, 2011
Crispy belly pork with caramelised apples
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1.5kg (3lb 5oz) piece thick end belly pork
1tbsp rock salt
1tbsp olive oil
3 sticks celery, trimmed and cut into chunks
4 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
4 sage leaves
1 bulb garlic
1tbsp fennel seeds
3 dessert apples, quartered and cored
METHOD
1 Get the butcher to finely score the skin of the pork for you. Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 150°C/gas 3. Push the rock salt into the scored pork skin. Brush a smallish roasting tin with the oil and scatter in the celery, onions, squash, sage, garlic and fennel seeds.
2 Place the pork skin side up over the vegetables and roast for 1 hour. Reduce the heat to 150°C/fan 130°C/gas 2 and cook for 3½ hours. Scatter on the apples and cook for a further hour.
3 Increase the heat to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 the crackling is golden and crispy. Remove from the oven, place the meat on a plate, cover and rest for 15 minutes.
4 Meanwhile, remove the garlic cloves from their papery skins, mash the flesh in a bowl and toss through the roasted vegetables. Serve the pork with the apples and vegetables.
Tags: apple, butternut squash, celery, garlic, red onion, sage
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Thai Squash Curry
Tuesday, October 25th, 2011
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash
1 medium bunch coriander, with roots if possible
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 green chilli, chopped (seeds left in)
10 kaffir lime leaves
1inch of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce, or to taste
Juice of 2 limes, or to taste
1 x 340g jar or tin good-quality peeled plum tomatoes
Method:
Using a large, very sharp knife, slice through the middle of the butternut squash. Scoop out the seeds using a spoon, then slice into 5cm wedges and set aside. Finely slice the stalks and any roots on the coriander, reserving the leaves for later.
Place a heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the oil and when it is warm, add the fennel and mustard seeds and once they pop, add the onion. Lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes until soft and sweet.
Add the garlic, chilli, lime leaves, ginger, coriander stalks and roots and continue to cook gently for a few minutes.
Add the squash, stir again and cook for 10 minutes, then add the fish sauce and lime juice. Taste the curry; it should be sweet, salty, hot and sour in good measure. If it’s lacking natural sweetness, adjust with fish sauce and lime, or even a little sugar.
Add the plum tomatoes, then cook for a further 20-25 minutes or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Pour in the coconut milk and cook for a final five minutes or so. The tomatoes and coconut milk enrich the curry, giving a depth and smoothness that complete the dish.
Turn off the heat and allow to cool. When you are ready to serve, reheat the curry gently and thoroughly. Like many wet dishes, this one improves in flavour if allowed to cool and sit before reheating.
Serve with the reserved coriander leaves scattered over.
Tags: butternut squash, chilli, coriander, garlic, lime, red onion
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Vegetable Lasagne with Crumble Topping
Monday, October 24th, 2011
Vegetable Lasagne with Crumble Topping
Ingredients
For the white sauce
300 ml milk
1 bay leaf
1 sprigs thyme
20 g butter
20 g flour
For the vegetable lasagne
2 large carrots
2 onions
1 turnip
1 beetroot
1 potato
1 courgette
25 g butter, plus extra for greasing
For the crumble topping
4 slices stale bread, roughly chopped
1 shallots, finely diced and cooked
25 g butter
1 tbsp Hazelnuts
1 small handful fresh parsley
2 sprigs fresh lemon thyme
To serve
chargrilled baby gem lettuce
olive oil and vinegar salad dressing
Method
1. For the white sauce: place the milk into a pan with the bay leaf and thyme and bring to a simmer. Take off the heat immediately and set aside to infuse for 10-15 minutes, then remove the herbs.
2. Melt the butter in another pan over a low heat until foaming, then quickly stir in the flour. Gradually add the milk to the pan, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps from forming. When all of the milk has been incorporated, simmer the sauce for 4-5 minutes, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Strain through a fine sieve and keep warm until needed.
3. For the crumble topping: place the chopped stale bread, butter, shallots, salt, freshly ground black pepper, hazelnuts and herbs into a food processor and pulse until the mixture becomes rough breadcrumbs. Set aside in the fridge until needed.
4. For the vegetable lasagne: preheat the oven to 150C/gas mark 2.
5. Peel all of the vegetables and onion and thinly slice on a mandoline.
6. Brush an ovenproof dish with a little butter, then layer the vegetables over alternately. Season each layer with salt and freshly ground black pepper. When all of the vegetables have been layered and the dish is full, brush the top with melted butter.
7. Bake the lasagne for 35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, then remove from the oven. Turn the oven temperature up to 190C/gas mark 5.
8. Carefully turn out the lasagne and slice into individual wedges. Place the wedges on a baking tray and pour a spoonful of white sauce over each and sprinkle over the crumble mixture. Place the tray into the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the crumble topping is golden-brown and crisp.
9. To serve, dress the chargrilled Baby Gem lettuces with olive oil and vinegar and pile onto serving plates. Place a wedge of vegetable lasagne alongside and serve immediately.
Tags: babygem lettuce, bay leaf, beetroot, carrot, courgette, hazelnuts, lemon thyme, onion, parsley, potato, shallot, thyme, turnip
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