Christmas Lunch

27 12 2011

Meat free Christmases….. I’ve done a lot of them now, and each year try to think of something new to make. The trouble is, having to serve a centrepiece with all the trimmings, etc restricts us somewhat as it just isn’t natural to make meat free food in the same way as meat. That is, to have the meat as the centrepiece and a bunch of accompaniments around the edge of the plate. Anyway, to please the other meat free guests at the table, and having exhausted my variations of nut roasts over the years, I decided on something involving puff pastry. I usually try to avoid pastry as it is so rich and so high in fat, but hey, it’s Christmas. I can go running more regularly in the New Year.

I settled on a giant mushroom, filled with garlicky spinach and pine nuts and a slice of roasted butternut squash. Then encased the whole thing in a big sheet of puff pastry and bake until crisp and golden.

1 butternut squash
6 large flattish mushrooms
1 pack boursin garlic and herb cheese
100g or so pine nuts
2 big bunches of spinach
3 packs of ready rolled puff pastry

Start by roasting the butternut. Take the thin end (without the seeds), peel and cut into six slices about 1cm thick. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season then roast in the oven at 200C for about 20 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, wash the spinach then wilt in a large pan. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can, then chop roughly.

Take a small frying pan and place over a medium to high heat. Add the pine nuts and toss them gently until toasted. remove from the heat and add to the spinach. Now stir in the pack of Boursin, season with salt and black pepper. Leave to cool.

Peel the mushrooms and remove the stems. Divide the spinach mixture evenly between the six mushrooms then top each with a slice of butternut.

Now take the puff pastry. If using ready rolled, cut each sheet in half then place the filled mushroom, mushroom side down, in the middle of half a sheet. Now carefully fold in each corner in the middle ensuring there are no gaps. Turn the filled ball over and place on a foil or parchment lined baking tray.

When all the mushrooms are wrapped, brush the pastry with a little milk, cut a small steam slit in each then bake for about 25 minutes at 200C until browned.

I served this with a platter of mixed roasted vegetables (beetroot, turnip, parsnip, carrot), roast potatoes, peas, sprouts, brocolli and a gravy made from caramelised onions, vegetable stock, marmite and conrflour.


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Leek and Gruyere Stuffed Mushrooms

27 11 2011

Yeh I know, stuffed vegetables….. very retro. There was a time when I could first afford to eat out where the meat free option (yes there was generally only one) was some vegetable or other filled with a bland concoction of rice and diced frozen vegetables then smothered in cheese. I kept the cheese in for this one (it helps everything to stick together) but removed the rice and used a few fresh breadcrumbs to absorb some of the liquid instead. These go rather well with oven chips!

To make four mushrooms – which is enough for four people…

4 large flattish field or portobello mushrooms – peeled and the stem cut out
2 medium leeks – cut in half lenthwise then cut into thin slices
3 spring onions – finely sliced
100g or so of Gruyere cheese – grated. You could use a strong Cheddar here too or Emmenthal would probably work quite well
a few glugs of olive oil – about 4 tablespoons
2 large handfuls of fresh breadcrumbs – about 3 slices worth
a pinch of nutmeg
black pepper
assorted seeds for sprinkling

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan then add the leeks and spring onion, put the lid on and sweat down until tender. This should take about 10-15 minutes. Take the lid off, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Add a pinch of nutmeg, some pepper. Salt isn’t really needed as the cheese has a saltiness about it. Add the grated cheese and mix well.

Place the mushrooms round side down on a lightly oiled oven tray. Divide the leek and cheese mixture equally between the mushrooms, pressing the stuffing down well. Sprinkle some seeds over the top – I used pine nuts and sesame. You could also use pumpkin, sunflower, flax. Drizzle with a little oil then place in the oven at 200C for about 20 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked through and the tops are browning.


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Mashed Beetroot with Yogurt and Za’atar

12 11 2011

Following my brilliant day with Yotam Ottolenghi in the Summer, I finally got around to making this delicious earthy, yet fresh and spicy beetroot dip. Serve as part of a mezze or as a light lunch or evening meal with some baked feta and pitta or khobez. Makes a welcome change to the ubiquitous hummus.

You can find za’atar in any Arab or Middle Eastern grocers. There are several different versions around but most are based on thyme, sesame seeds and sumac.

250g cooked (roasted or boiled) beetroot – peeled and cut into chunks
1 clove garlic – chopped
1 red chili – chopped (remove the seeds if you don’t want it too spicy)
125g or so of grrek yogurt
75g mashed potato – not essential but takes a bit of the edge off the earthiness of the beets
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon za’atar
a little black pepper
salt to taste
2 spring onions to garnish – finely sliced

Place the beetroot, chili, garlic and yogurt in a food processor and blend until smooth. Don’t worry if you have a few smallish lumps of beetroot. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the potato, vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, za’atar, salt and pepper.

Transfer to a flattish plate and spread evenly. Top with sliced spring onion. You can also add some chopped hazelnuts and crumbled goat of feta cheese.


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Puy Lentil and Roasted Beetroot Salad

5 11 2011

The allotment is a sorry sight this time of year. A few cabbages sitting amongst the weeds seem to be keeping the mice fed through the long nights and the purple sprouting is a favourite for the pigeons. I did however manage to salvage the last of the beetroot before the slugs got to them.

This is a simple dish and in the style of Nigel Slater and Hugh FW, it just uses things that work well together. Earthy beetroot and puy lentils, sweetness from the tomatoes and pesto and the creamy coolness of the mozarella.

Makes enough for 2 for lunch or 3-4 as a starter.

3-4 handfuls puy lentils
vegetable stock
½ red pepper – finely diced
3 spring onions – finely sliced
handful fresh coriander – roughly chopped
3-4 beetroot
125g mozarella – buffalo of cow
3-4 ripe tomatoes – cut into quarters
1 tablespoon pesto
4-5 tablespoons olive oil

Put the lentils in a pan, cover with stock, bring to the boil then simmer for approx 20 minutes until tender but still retaining their shape.

Drizzle the beetroot with a little olive oil then roast in the overn at 200C for 30-45 minutes depending on their size until the are soft are the skin has blistered.

While the lentils and beetroot are cooking put the peppers, tomatoes, coriander and spring onions in a large bowl.

Drain the lentils and add to the bowl. Mix well and season with salt.

When the beetroot is done, allow to cool a little the remove the skins and cut cut into dice.

Mix the pesto and olive oil to make the dressing.

To assemble, place the lentil mixture in the centre of a large plate. Arrange the beetroot on top, then add torn pieces of mozarella. Finally drizzle the pesto dressing over the top.


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Chick Pea, Tomato and Bread Soup

5 10 2011

From Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty. This reminds me of a vegetable stew and paprika dumpling recipe I used to make as a student – in the days when vegetarian food hadn’t really been invented! – only this is simpler as the bread acts like a dumpling wihtout having to do any of the work.

Serves 4-6
1 onion – halved and finely sliced
1 fennel bulb – finely sliced
120ml or so of olive oil
1 carrot – peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced
2-3 sticks of celery – finely sliced
1 tablespoon tomato puree
250ml white wine
1 x 400g tin tomatoes
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons sugar
1 litre vegetable stock
approx 160g stale bread – sourdough, ciabatta, anything will do really – remove the crusts
1 x 400g tin chick peas – drained
salt, pepper
4 tablespoons pesto

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion and fennel until softened. Add the carrot and celery, soften for a few minutes then add the tomato puree and wine and bring to boil for a couple of minutes.

Next add the tomatoes, herbs, sugar, stock and some salt and pepper. Bring to the boil again, cover and simmer for half an hour.

While you wait, break the bread into rough chunks, toss in a little oil and salt and place in a roasting tray in the the oven at 180C for 10 minutes until dry. Set aside.

Now drain the chick peas, mash them slightly with a fork so some are crushed while others remian whole then add to the simmering soup. Once the soupd has simmered for a further 5 minutes add the bread, stir, cook for a further 5 minutes then add salt and pepper to taste.

Divide into 4-6 bowls and finish with a blob of pesto and a drizzle of olive oil.


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Borlotti Beans with Spring Greens and Grilled Cheese

3 10 2011

The weather may be summer like but the end of my borlotti beans on the allotment tells me it’s definitely autumn and time to start clearing and preparing the plot for the colder, shorter days. Borlottis are the only beans I grow now. In fact they are one of the very few successes this year. The young beans can be eaten pod and all like a runner bean, but without the occasional dodgy stringy one that ruins the entire meal. Later in the year as the pods turn a beautiful dark red the beans can be prised from their pods and used in soups, stews and even burgers.

This dish is made in three parts but none of them take long. The quantities should feed four with a bit of nice bread on the side.

Start with the beans.

approx 300g fresh borlotti beans (or a drained 400g tin if you can’t get fresh)
3-4 ripe tomatoes – chopped
1x400g tin of chopped tomatoes
2-3 cloves garlic – finely chopped
1 medium onion – chopped
olive oil – about 4 tablespoons
handful of parsley – coursely chopped
salt and pepper

Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan or frying pan, but use one that has a lid. Fry the garlic and onion gently until softened then add the beans and tomatoes. Cover a simmer gently for about 40 minutes. Add the parsley, salt and pepper and cook for a further 10 minutes. Add the remainder of the oil and leave to one side with the lid on.

Take 2-3 heads of spring greens. Slice finely and drop into boiling water for 10-12 minutes until tender. Drain, season and add a splash of chili infused oil – or olive oil if you aren’t into heat. Cover and set to one side.

Take 1 250g pack of halloumi, cut into four slices and place under the grill, turning once. When and brown, remove from the heat and now plate up the dish.

Start by dividing the greens between the four plates, making a small crater in the middle of each pile. Fill the crater with the beans then place a slice of halloumi on top. Finish with a drizzle of oilive oil of chili oil.


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A Day with Ottolenghi

15 09 2011

And what a day!!!

I spent Tuesday cooking with Ottolenghi at the Vegetarian Cookery School in the beautiful city of Bath.

Here are my creations – with credit to my cooking partner for the day, Abi.


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Blue Cheese with Puy Lentils and Broad Beans

29 08 2011

I’m getting quite excited now at the prospect of meeting the legendary Yottam Ottolenghi next month. I’ve been lucky enough to get onto one of his courses at the Vegetarian Cookery School in Bath.

Having spent the bank holiday weekend clearing the allotment, I had one last serving of broad beans and thought they would go well combined with Ottolenghi’s Castelluccio lentils with tomatoes and Gorgonzola. Here is my version which in the most part is identical.

Start by making the slow roasted tomatoes which can be made well in advance and stored in sealed jars.
approx 400g small plum of cherry tomatoes
glug of olive oil
drizzle of balsamic vinegar
a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme or oregano
salt

Heat the oven to 120C. Cut the tomatoes in half. Place in an oven proof dish then add the olive oil, balsamic and herbs. Mix gently, sprinkle with salt then place in the oven for about 2 hours. Discard the thyme then while still hot spoon into warm, sterile jars, put the lid on tightly and allow to cool. These will keep for months.

1 smallish red onion – finely sliced
2 large handfuls of puy lentils
2 large handfuls of podded broad beans
1 tablespoon sherry or white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic – crushed
handful of parsley and dill – finely chopped
100g creamy mild blue cheese – Dolcelatte or Gorgonzola
salt and pepper

Take two pans, Place lentils in one and cover with water. Take the other and add a couple of litres of water. Place both on the heat. When the lentils start to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook gently for around 20 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. When the water in the other pan boils, add the broad beans, bring back to the boil then simmer for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Put the sliced onion and vinegar in a bowl. Then add the cooked broad beans (I prefer to remove the outer skins too). Drain and add the lentils. Leave to cool.

Now add the garlic, herbs, olive oil and cubed cheese. Mix in a few of the tomatoes, season with black pepper and serve with bread for a complete and hearty meal for 3 or 4 depending on how greedy you are.


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Fennel Slaw

5 08 2011

I’m not a great fan of fennel but it seems so summery I thought I should give it a try. The other flavours seem to cancel out the aniseedy taste and leave just a nice crisp texture.

Fresh, simple and almost as nice as the one I bought from Daylesford Organic. A food processor really helps here.

1 bulb of fennel
half a head of red cabbage
2 carrots
juice of half a lemon
salt
black pepper
1 crushed dried chili
good glug or two of good olive oil
a few chives

Using the fine blade of a food processor or grater, finely slice the fennel and red cabbage into a large bowl. Now peel and grate the carrots. Add the other ingredients, with a few snipped chives. Mix well. Cover a refirdgerate for an hour of so to let the flavours develop.


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Warm Courgette and Brie Salad

27 07 2011

Well, kind of a salad, or perhaps a tasty topping for bruschetta. Either way this is very quick and very tasty.

To be honest I’ve had a bit of a courgette disaster. Last year I had so many I couldn’t get through them. This year all the plants have died. Luckily my allotment neighbour came to the rescue so I traded two courgettes for a lettuce and so decided to give this a try.

Serves 2
2 courgettes – sliced
2-3 tablespoons good oil – I used a mixture of hemp oil and mild olive oil but you could use extra virgin olive oil
1 wedge of brie – sorry I threw the pack away so not sure what weight it was – diced
1 medium very ripe tomato – diced
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
juice of half a lemon

Heat the oil in a heavy based frying pan. When nice and hot fry the courgette slices until browned on each side – even slightly charred.

Place in a dish with the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Now add the cubed brie and tomatoes. Add the lemon juice and mix gently. The brie should start to melt from the heat in the courgettes.

Serve with green salad and hunks of french bread.


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