Roasted vegetable salad with chickpeas

June 12, 2006 at 1:35 pm · Filed under Pulses, Salads, Vegan

This recipe was born of a problem I had last night – about the only food I had in the house was 1/2 a tin of chickpeas, a few courgettes and shed loads of red onions. Here's my solution.

Serves 2-3

3 medium courgettes
6-7 medium red onions
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 can chickpeas
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 small bunch basil

1. Thickly slice the onions and courgettes, and place in a large non-stick roasting dish.
2. Season with salt and pepper, and dribble over the olive oil.
3. Roast in the oven at gas mark 6 until tender. This will probably take about an hour. You'll need to take them out of the oven and give them a stir every 15 minutes or so.
4. Leave to cool, then add the chickpeas, vinegar and roughly torn basil.
5. Serve luke warm or cold, as you prefer.

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Chickpeas with broccoli, ginger, tomatoes and pine nuts

June 12, 2006 at 1:35 pm · Filed under Pulses, Vegan

I made this in a hurry last night, leaving it to cook by itself while I read my children a bedtime story. It's a very simple dish, but surprisingly, it works. I've recently discovered that pine nuts were – apparently – used in British cooking in medieval times. Nowadays they mostly seem to come from China.

Serves 2-3
5 shallots
1" piece of fresh ginger
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large head broccoli
1 lb fresh tomatoes
1/2 can chickpeas
1 oz pine nuts
salt to taste

1. Finely slice the onions and chop the ginger as small as you can (or grate it, if you feel the urge).
2. Fry gently in olive oil in a large frying pan for 1-2 minutes.
3. Break the broccoli into florets, and slice each floret into thin slices. Add to the pan.
4. Slice the tomatoes and add them to the pan. Stir well, and cover with a lid.
5. Cook over a gentle heat until tender, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. This will take about 10 minutes. Be careful the broccoli doesn't go too mushy.
6. Toast the pine nuts under a hot grill. They burn easily, so keep a careful watch on them.
7. Add the drained chickpeas and pine nuts to the pan, and season to taste.

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Layered buckwheat galettes with mushrooms, asparagus and stilton

June 12, 2006 at 1:34 pm · Filed under Entertaining, Pancakes

Buckwheat isn't used much in this country, which is a shame. No relative of wheat (and entirely gluten free), buckwheat is grown extensively in Eastern Europe and Russia. It's also used to make these traditional galettes, or Breton buckwheat crepes. Apparently true galettes are only cooked on one side, but these ones are cooked on both. Unlike ordinary wheat flour pancakes, which can be a bit temperamental, these are virtually fool-proof, and never seem to break or collapse. The batter makes four, although you'll only need three of them. In my experience, leftover pancakes rarely survive for long before being eaten up.

4 rounded tbsp buckwheat flour
pinch salt
1 egg
1/2 pint skimmed milk
1 tsp olive oil
Butter for frying

1. Place the flour and salt in a bowl, and gradually beat in the egg. Don't worry if it's a bit lumpy at this stage.
2. Gradually add the milk, beating continually with a wooden spoon to make a smooth batter.
3. Beat in the olive oil (this will help stop the pancakes sticking).
4. Leave to stand for 1/2 an hour.
5. Heat the butter in a large frying pan, or even better an omelette pan, until brown and bubbling. It's important to get it very hot.
6. Measure out a ladle full of the batter into the pan, and spread across the entire pan. When bubbles start appearing on the surface, turn the pancake over using a spatula (or toss it if you feel adventurous). The other side will only need cooking for a few seconds.
7. Repeat until all the mixture has been used up.

25g dried wild mushrooms (porcini or mixed)
1 clove garlic
1/2 red onion
2 tbsp olive oil
2 bunches thin asparagus spears
250g chestnut mushrooms
250g button mushrooms
2 tbsp chopped parsely
1 tbsp plain flour
75ml dry white wine
200g half fat creme fraiche
50g stilton
pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes
2. Finely chop the garlic and onion, and soften gently in the olive oil in a large frying pan for 2 minutes.
3. Chop the asparagus and add to the pan. Fry for 5 minutes over a gentle heat.
4. Slice the fresh mushrooms and add them to the pan, together with the drained dried mushrooms. Fry gently until all the vegetables have softened.
5. Add the chopped parsely, then stir in the flour.
6. Gradually add the white wine, followed by the creme fraiche, until the sauce is smooth and thickened.
7. Turn off the heat, then add the grated stilton, nutmeg and seasoning.
8. Place one pancake in the bottom of a large flan dish, and spread half of the mushroom and asparagus it. Top with another pancake and another layer of sauce, and finish with another pancake.
9. Cover with foil and place in the oven, gas mark 5, until heated through.

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Ambrosial salad

June 12, 2006 at 1:33 pm · Filed under Salads, Tofu, Vegan

This is named in reference to my partner, who upon eating it declared it 'better than ambrosia'. He's a bit like that. One of the ingredients in this warm salad is tofu, or soya bean curd, which seems to be an ingredient that even veteran vegetarians rarely know what to do with. Although it's often overlooked as an ingredient in this country it's widely eaten in the Far East, by vegetarians and meat eaters alike. In itself it's quite bland, but it absorbs flavours beautifully and has a lovely succulent texture. This recipe was my first experiment with smoked tofu, and if my partner's comments are anything to go by, it was a success.

1 pack Cauldron beechwood smoked tofu (220g) (other smoked tofu would do, but make sure it's really smoked and not just smoke flavoured)
sunflower oil for frying
3 medium sized tomatoes
1/2 cucumber
1 bunch spring onions (6-8)
1 bunch radishes (10-12)
2-3 tbsp good olive oil
1/2 lettuce (cos or similar)
1 large bunch watercress
1 small bunch fresh coriander
Juice 1/2 lemon
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat around 2cm of sunflower oil in a large pan.
2. While it is heating, cut the tofu into quarters, then cut each quarter in half, giving you 8 evenly sized rectangles.
3. Fry the tofu in sunflower oil, turning regularly until brown on each side.
4. Drain with a slotted spoon, and leave on a double sheet of kitchen towel.
5. Slice the radishes, spring onions and tomatoes, and slice the cucumber into strips (as if you're making crudites). Set aside.
6. Roughly shred the lettuce, coriander and watercress. Set aside.
7. Heat the olive oil in a large wok, and pan fry the radishes, spring onions, tomatoes and cucumber for 2-3 minutes. You want the tomatoes to be warm, but not mushy.
8. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, seasoning, tofu, lettuce, coriander and watercress.
9. Serve warm.

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Bean salad with artichokes, basil and peppers

June 12, 2006 at 1:33 pm · Filed under Pulses, Salads, Vegan

This is excellent for a summer's day, and uses one of my favourite ingredients – artichoke hearts. Good with crusty bread or new potatoes.

1 red pepper
1 orange or yellow pepper
1 can cannellini beans
1/2 large red onion
1 can artichoke hearts
1 medium sized bunch basil
2 tbsp good olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce (I use Kikkoman, as it's all natural and has a distinctive rich taste, but any soy sauce would do)
pepper to taste

1. Grill the peppers until slightly charred on top, but not so black that the skins will be inedible. You could char and peel them, but it takes ages and isn't really necessary.
2. Leave aside the peppers to cool.
3. Drain the beans and put in a large bowl together wtih the chopped red onion, halved artichoke hearts, roughly torn basil leaves, oil, vinegar, soy sauce and freshly ground pepper.
4. Roughly chop the cooled peppers and add them to the bowl.

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Walnut bread

June 12, 2006 at 1:32 pm · Filed under Bread

I got the idea for this bread after eating the wonderful Poilane pain aux noix in Paris. This savoury bread recipe is intended for a bread machine, but could be adapted for hand baking. Baking using a bread machine isn't as fun as doing it by hand – you don't get to vent your frustration on the dough – but it's certainly quicker.
Eat this bread with a strong cheese (such as a blue cheese or good gruyere) marmite, marmalade or whatever takes your fancy.
Makes 1 large loaf

1 3/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp dried skimmed milk powder
4 cups wholemeal bread flour
1 1/2 tsp fast action dried yeast
1/2 tsp ascorbic acid powder (vitamin c)
2 tbsp walnut oil
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp malt extract
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts

Use the 'wholewheat' setting on your bread machine, adding the ingredients in the order specified in your bread machine's instructions. With most bread machines you'll have to either use the special nut dispenser for the walnuts, or add them when the machine beeps during the second kneading.
Bon apetit!

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Layered carrot and courgette bake

June 12, 2006 at 1:31 pm · Filed under Eggs and cheese

I hate the title 'bake' for recipes – not only is it lazily catch-all, but it summons up images of dreadul vegetarian options in pubs, which generally involve cheese, potatoes, possibly a bit of tinned tomato slodge, and more cheese. Nonetheless I can't think up any other name for this creation that doesn't sound pretentious, so 'bake' it is. It's really a kind of quiche, but without the pastry, so it's probably quite good for you.

Serves 3-4
4 medium carrots
3-4 medium courgettes
a knob of butter
a pinch of nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil
3 eggs
1/2 pint of milk
2 tsp dried tarragon
Grated parmesan
salt & pepper

1. Wash and scrub (or peel) the carrots, slice them, and steam or boil them in lightly salted water until tender.
2. While the carrots are cooking, slice the courgettes and fry them gently in the olive oil until soft. If you put a lid on the frying pan you'll reduce the cooking time and reduce the amount of oil needed. Sprinkle with a little salt.
3. When the carrots are cooked, drain and puree (a hand-held blender is best for this) with the butter and nutmeg.
4. Grease a large baking dish with butter.
5. Spoon the carrot puree into the bottom of the dish, and level the surface.
6. Make a layer of courgette over the carrot puree.
7. Beat together the milk and eggs, together with a bit of salt and pepper.
8. Sprinkle the dried tarragon over the vegetables, then pour in the milk and egg mixture.
9. Sprinkle over some freshly grated parmesan (don't use the ready-grated variety – it's foul).
10. Bake in the oven at Gas mark 4 until set.

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Ridiculously good felafel

June 12, 2006 at 1:29 pm · Filed under Pulses

There's no need to be modest when you're faced with felafel like these. Admittedly they're probably felafel as you've never known them before – crisp on the outside and soft and green (from the fresh herbs) in the centre. But everyone who I've ever given them to says they're much nicer than the little pellets you get down the local kebab shop. I hope they're not just being polite.

Serves 4-5
2 cans chick peas
2 slices wholemeal bread
2 medium onions
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp fresh corainder
2 tbsp fresh mint
salt
plain flour for dusting
lots of sunflower oil for deep frying

1. Make the bread into crumbs. This is easy using a blender. You could buy breadcrumbs, but that would be far too easy.
2. Drain the chickpeas and place them in a large bowl together with the breadcrumbs.
3. Add the spices and salt.
4. Chop the onions and herbs, and add them to the bowl.
5. Now for the fun part. Whizz everything up using a hand-held blender. It might work using a jug blender, but don't blame me if it doesn't. If the mixture seems very sloppy, add more breadcrumbs.
6. Shape into small balls – about the size of a walnut, although it doesn't really matter – and coat in flour.
7. Pour about 4cm of oil into a pan, and heat until really hot. Don't be impatient, as the felafel will be ruined if the oil isn't hot enough.
8. Deep fry until golden.
9. Drain using a slotted spoon and place on a double layer of kitchen towel.
10. Keep warm in the oven if necessary.

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Penne with fresh tomatoes, creme fraiche and chick peas

June 12, 2006 at 1:28 pm · Filed under Pasta and Noodles, Pulses

More tarragon today – I'm obviously just in a tarragon mood. Fresh is in some ways best, but on the other hand it can be a bit tough (unless you take the time to take every single leaf off the stalk, in which case you'll need far more free time on your hands than is healthy). The dried stuff is perfectly acceptable.

Serves 2

100g penne pasta (or any other pasta – I'm not a purist)
2tbsp olive oil
8 shallots
100g button mushrooms
450g fresh tomatoes, preferably on the vine
1 tin chickpeas (or use the equivalent dried, unless you're like me and are incapable of remembering that you've left something on to cook)
8oz creme fraiche (half fat will do)
3tsp dried tarragon
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil the penne following the instructions on the packet.
2. While it is cooking, slice the shallots and fry them in olive oil over a gentle flame until soft. Make sure you stir regularly and do not allow them to brown.
3. Slice the mushrooms, add them to the pan with the shallots and fry until cooked.
4. Slice the tomatoes, add to the pan and fry for 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the chick peas, tarragon, creme fraiche and seasoning, and cook for 2 minutes or until hot.
6. Stir in the cooked pasta.

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