How to get Teens to eat Greens

26 06 2010

The answer is simple……. deep fry them in a spicy crisp batter.

This always goes down a treat in our house, but I tend not to make it very often for obvious reasons. Forget about the copious quantities of oil and think of how good the vegetables are with all that flavour and nutrients sealed in due to the short cooking time. Serve with low fat yogurt, warm Indian breads and pickles.

This made enough for 4 people

2 cups gram flour
1 teaspoon each of ground cumin, ground coriander, anadarna powder, amchoor, salt, bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon chili powder

1 courgette – roughly chopped
4-5 mushrooms – cut into chunks of halved depending on size
a handful of baby corn
a handful of green beans
1 small head of brocolli cut into medium sized florets
optional – cubed paneer, cauliflower, spinach leaves

lots of sunflower oil

Heat the oil slowly over a medium flame in a large deep pan, chip pan or deep fat fryer
While the oil is getting hot mix the gram flour and spices together in a large bowl and add enough water to form a fairly thick batter.
Put the prepared vegetables into the batter and coat thoroughly.

Now take a few vegetables at a time and deep fry until brown and crisp. If the oil is hot enough this takes only 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, let the oil heat up a little again then do the next batch. repeat until all the vegetables are cooked, keeping the cooked ones warm in the oven.

Serve with a cucumber and yogurt raita, chapatis and mango chutney.


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Red and Green Pizza

19 06 2010

Half classic margerita, half asparagus, pesto and mozarella.


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Raspberry Crumble

5 06 2010

From Simon Hopkinson’s The Vegetarian Option

To make 4 crumbles you will need:-

250g raspberries
3-4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon butter

Take 4 ramekins and divide the raspberries equally. Sprinkle with sugar and dot with butter.

Then take:-
100g plain flour
50g butter
40g caster sugar

Mix together until you get a sandy mixture. Spoon over the top of the raspberries but do not press down. Then bake in the oven at 180C for 25 minutes or so until browned and bubbling.


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Aubergine Charlotte

4 06 2010

I’ve been meaning to make these for a long time, but have been going through a long phase of not having anyone round for dinner. Adapted from The Gate’s cookbook using garlic and herb Boursin cheese in place of the goat’s cheese custard.

Baking the aubergine rather than frying gives them that same melt in the mouth silky smooth texture but without absorbing quite so much oil.

Makes 4 Charlottes – 1 per person

2 aubergines – cut into 1cm slices
a good few mushrooms – I used 6-8 normal ones and a couple of large field mushrooms – finely chopped
4 shallots (or a small onion) – finely chopped
a few dried wild mushrooms
1 clove of garlic – finely chopped
a selection of herbs – chopped
8 slow roasted or sun blushed tomatoes
8 basil leaves
1 round of Boursin
Lots of olive oil

Heat the oven to 220C.

Place the aubergine slices on a baking sheet, brush liberally with olive oil then bake in the oven until soft and starting to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Now make the mushroom filling. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan. When hot fry the shallots and garlic until softened then add the fresh mushrooms. Soak the dried mushrooms in boiling water until tender. Chop and add them with the mushroom stock to the pan. Add some chopped herbs – oregano, parsley, thyme are all good, season well then fry until all the liquid has gone. Turn off the heat and set to one side.

To make the Charlottes take 4 individual pudding basins. Line each with tin foil then line the foil with slices of aubergine. Add enough mushroom mixture to fill each basin up to around two thirds. Place two tomato pieces on top the mushroom mixture (I used a jar of tomatoes in oil which I found at my local supermarket. You can use the remaining tomatoes in a salad to serve with these) then lay two basil leaves on top of the tomatoes. Top with a generous slab of Boursin and cover with any remaining aubergine slices.

Bake in the oven at 200C for about 15-20 minutes. Then turn them out onto plates.

I served these to my guests with saffron mash and mixed salad leaves. I think new potatoes would go well with them too. If serving mash it looks great it you put it in the pudding basin first then turn it onto the plate next to the Charlotte.


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Vegetable Burgers with Halloumi and Mint

15 05 2010

I made these up after having eaten a burger at Borough Market on Good Friday. This in no way resembles that one but it was rather tasty. I added some cooked rice as I didn’t want too many breadcrumbs but I reckon it would work without them and also with oats instead. This makes about 8 burgers and you can freeze them before frying

1 Onion – finely chopped
1 Carrot – grated
1 bunch mint – chopped
1 bunch parsley – chopped
1x 250g pack Halloumi cheese – grated
½ red pepper – finely chopped
splash of light soy sauce
salt and pepper
splash of tabasco
2 handfuls of white or brown rice – cooked and cooled
3-4 slices of bread – whizzed into breadcrumbs
1 egg

Start by frying the onion gently in a little olive oil until soft and translucent then set aside to cool.

Once cooled mix all the ingredients together – you should have a stiffish dough when you squash it in your hands. If not add more breadcrumbs.

Shape into burgers and either place on a tray in the freezer or fry gently in olive oil.

Nice served in a bap with lettuce, mayonnaise and chili jam or simply with a watercress salad and beetroot relish.

Alternatively serve with a salad of pea shoots and mixed leaves, sun blushed tomatoes and asparagus.


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FoodFrom4 Cookbook

5 05 2010

The first copies of my book are now available from Blurb. I think they look great but then I would do having spent a year on this project. I also ordered myself a couple of copies to see what they came out like. If you’d like to order one, please click the link on the badge below

Recipes from Number 4
By Ian Fischer

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Leek & Caerphilly Sausages

30 04 2010

glamorgan-sausages

I based the idea for these on a recipe from Leiths which uses Cheddar. I think the Caerphilly gives a better flavour and texture. These are great for freezing – just lay them on a baking tray in the freezer. When frozen, transfer to a freezer bag until needed.

2 small leeks – cut in quarters lengthwise then finely sliced
2 oz butter
1 teaspoon English mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6-8 slices on bread – made into crumbs in a food processor
pinch of nutmeg
75g approx of Caerphilly cheese – chopped into small chunks
2 eggs
2 more slices of bread – breadcrumbed
few tablespoons of plain flour

Melt butter in a pan and add leeks. Fry for 5-10 minutes until soft then transfer to a large bowl. Add the mustard, herbs, nutmeg, first lot of breadcrumbs, one egg and cheese then get your hands in there and squidge it all up into a dough like substance. If it’s a little wet, add more breadcrumbs. If a little dry add a splash of milk.

Divide the mixture into approximately 20 and mould each piece into a sausage shape.

Now find three flat bowls – put flour in one, beat the other egg in another and the remaining breadcrumbs in the third.

Take each sausage and coat with flour, then dip in the egg, the coat with breadcrumbs. If you want to freeze the sausages do so at this stage. If you want to eat them now, heat a little oil in a frying pan. When hot fry the sausages for about 10 minutes turning occasionally until browned.


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Lentil Stuff on Puff Pastry

21 04 2010

I caught a glimpse over the weekend of the Ottolenghi supplement in last Saturday’s Guardian and having not had a chance to look at anything but the picture I thought I’d try to come up with something similar based on the puy lentil tart in my book. The result was rather tasty – served with new potatoes drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice. Beautiful summer food after an evening tending to the allotment.

This makes 6

2 handfuls of puy lentils
1 pack of puff pastry – ready rolled is easiest
2 spring onions – finely sliced
1 red chili – finely chopped
Handful of coriander – finely chopped
100g feta cheese – crumbled
1 clove garlic – very finely chopped
2 tablespoons greek yogurt
salt and pepper
Salad leaves – rocket, spinach, mizuna, etc work well

Place the lentils in a pan, cover with water and bring to boil then simmer for about 20 minutes until tender but still holding their shap. Drain and allow to cool.

Cut the pastry sheet into six squares, score inside the edge to create a frame, brush with milk then bake at 180C for about 15 minutes until puffed up and browned.

Meanwhile take the other ingredients and mix well in a bowl with the puy lentils.

When the pastry is done remove from oven, top with salad leaves then a dollop of the lentil mixture


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Marinated Tofu Fritters

4 04 2010

I’d planned to make this for the veggies in my house and serve fish and chips to the others, but they all wanted this so I went without supper. 4 clean plates though made it all worthwhile.

4 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 red chili – sliced
1 spring onion – sliced
1 teaspoon honey
1x 250g block of firm tofu

Start my drying out the tofu a little. Drain from the packaging. Place in a clean tea towel then put something not too heavy on top – a large chopping board will do. This will gently squeeze some of the water out of the tofu. so it can absorb the flavours of the marinade.

After about 15 minutes unwrap the tofu and cut into two triangles, then cut each triangle in half across the breadth – in other words make them hafl as thick. Mix all the marinade ingredients well pour over the tofu making sure each piece is covered. leave for about 30 minutes by which time most of the marinade will have been absorbed.

Take each piece from the marinade, dip into flour, then beaten egg then seasoned white breadcrumbs. Fry gently in a little olive oil until crisp and golden on the outside.


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Another old-fashioned classic

2 04 2010

Cheesy red peppers stuffed with rice

I had my mind set on trying out a tofu based veggie type of fish and chip supper but when I got to my local supermarket I found not only did they not sell tofu but they also appeared to be sold out of almost all fresh vegetables. This is the same supermarket that used to consistently sell out of bread and milk. So some quick thinking based on a limited choice lead me to another old family favourite. Red peppers stuffed with a rice mixture then smothered in cheese sauce.

1 Onion – chopped
1 Clove garlic – finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tomatoes – finely chopped (it’s OK to leave the skins on)
Vegetable stock
Basmati rice
4 red peppers – halved and seeds removed
Large knob of butter
1 teaspoon English mustard powder
1 tablespoon plain white flour
Milk – probably about half a litre – not quite sure
Large chunk of mature cheddar

Start by making the rice. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan then add the onion and garlic and fry gently for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the oregano, then the tomatoes. Cook for a while longer until the tomatoes start to break up. Now add the rice, stir then add the stock. Enough to cover the rice by about 1cm. Bring to boil then simmer until peaks form. Put a lid on the pan and remove it from the heat. Leave to one side for about 15 minutes until the stock has been fully absorbed.

While the rice is cooking, place the halved peppers in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for about 10 minutes to soften slightly.

Now make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a small pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the mustard powder and flour and stir. Cook for 2 minutes or so then add the milk a little at a time, stirring to ensure no lumps. Keep adding milk until you have what you think looks like enough sauce. Continue to heat and stir. When almost boiling add the cheese – grated of cut into small pieces – stir and heat gently until melted.

Drain the peppers and place in a large oven proof dish. Fill each pepper with the rice.

Cover with the cheese sauce then bake in the oven at 200C for about 30 minutes until browned on top.

Serve with salad and french bread – and a generous splash of tabasco.


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