I am not a vegetarian, but somehow I find plant and grain based recipes more appealing to prepare. It's also easier to make up components as I go along. There is something about the preparation of meat that I find a little daunting, and I quite enjoy the delegating of meat to the man in the house (I love me some gender roles - naat). Today is Meatfree Monday - where we eat clean to give our bodies and the planet a rest. This recipe is fantastic for digestion and cleansing of the system after a weekend of neglect, indulgence and low will-power (we all know the week really starts on Tuesday)...
I am aware of the recent controversy surrounding my beloved quinoa, and as yet I am undecided on my moral standpoint of whether I am able to give it up all together. I have cut down on my consumption, however its nutritional value is too significant to exclude all together (especially for vegans and vegetarians). This recipe has only half a cup of quinoa for protein, and the bulk of the salad is made up by roasted butternut and fennel. If you want to cut out quinoa all together, buckwheat is a great substitute.
Ingredients:
1 medium butternut, skinned and diced (1 cup = 1/3 daily Vit C, high in fiber, regulates blood sugar)
1/2 cup of red or white quinoa (superfood: omega 3, zinc, magnesium, potassium, protein)
1 large bulb of fennel (suppresses inflammation, aids digestion, Vit C)
Preheat oven to 200 degrees (fan & grill), and place jar of coconut oil in for a few minutes to liquidate.
Line a roasting or baking tray with wax paper. Take a blunt object such as a rolling pin or jam jar and crush the garlic cloves, still in their shells. Distribute diced butternut, whole crushed garlic cloves and thyme across, then pour over coconut oil and massage into the cubes using your fingers (also very moisturising for your hands).
Place into preheated oven and roast until the cubes start to brown. Cooking time approximately 35 minutes. Turn cubes from time to ensure even roasting. When a fork easily pierces the cubes, the job is done.
Bring one part quinoa to three parts water to the boil. Cooking time approximately 10-15 minutes. (The trick to tasty quinoa is in the amount of salt you add to the water, as well as the addition of lemon juice once cooked - be generous with both!) Once boiling, reduce heat and stir occasionally. The quinoa is done when the grain turns translucent and little white tails pop out. There should be not excess water left, but if so, drain once done. Now add the juice of lemon and toss to distribute.
Leave both butternut and quinoa to cool down for a few minutes.
Slice fennel into 1/2 cm slices. Remove the thyme sprigs from the butternut and place cubes into a bowl (I like to leave in the garlic for added bursts of flavour but you might want to remove if you don't enjoy the taste of roasted garlic), adding quinoa on top, and finally the fennel.
Pour over the olive oil and add lemon zest. Finally, pull apart coriander leaves with your hands and add to the bowl. Now toss everything together and season, according to your preferences.
Aubergines are right at the top of my list of vegetables that I could eat all.the.time. The thing with these swollen sacks of more please is that they are temperamental as all hell to cook. Either too oily or too spongy or too salty - or all together - I just don't have time to drain them in a colander sprinkled with salt for 30 minutes. I'm (mostly) about the quick fix.
I have mastered a repertoire of versatile recipes that turn out a little different every time (depending what culinary culture I'm into at that time) but on a whole are fail-proof. Have you, for example, tried my quickfix eggplant noodle-of-love?
This is a recipe for eggplant ratatouille. I like to make big quantities to freeze to have on hand as a base for lasagnas and pasta sauces, but you can easily half the recipe and use in one session. I also always use the same pot (this one a 40 yr old Le Creuset my mother was given on her wedding day) as the flavour accumulation over time helps to make everything in that pot taste deliciously layered.
Ingredients:
4 medium sized aubergines 2 red onions 1 tray small courgettes 6 large mushrooms 1 bulb of fennel (optional) 2 cans of diced tomato and 1 sachet good tomato paste Sprigs of thyme, rosemary, oregano A dash of white wine A dash of soya sauce A small glass of capers (optional)
SERVE WITH CRISP CIABATTA (tip: wet the outside of the bread slightly before, especially if its old bread, before putting into oven for get a fresh crispy crust and moist interior).
Method:
Dice the aubergines and slice the rest of the vegetables.
Heat 3 TS of coconut oil in a large pot. Add onions and herbs, fry until onions are translucent. Add courgettes, mushrooms and fennel and coat with oil. Once this has been done add the aubergine and stir all together.
Add a healthy dash of wine, close lid and let the vegetables absorb the wine vapour.
Give another stir, then add two cans of tomato and paste, cover with warm water, stir and let simmer at medium temperature for 30 minutes, stirring regularly. Make sure nothing gets stuck to the bottom or burnt.
After 30 minutes, add the dash of soya sauce - don't overdo it! The idea with the soya sauce is that it gives the dish a slight caramel like saltiness, but does not spice it. That's what the salt and pepper is for that you will now add, as well as some chiliflakes if you're that way inclined. You may need to add some more water at this stage.
Stir once more and then allow yourself the first taste. What does it need more of? You decide. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes and you should have a beautifully creamy, cooked in consistency.
Take off the heat, drizzle over a good dash of olive oil and the capers (as a decadent addition, you can add cream too) and let this stand for a few minutes while you cut some bread that's been warming in the oven.
One bite of the bread dipped into the ratatouille and you'll be as hooked as I am ...
My sister introduced her now-husband to our family on a Friday. On the menu was an oversized dish of Nudelauflauf, the eggy, cheesy crisp spaghetti bake we ate every Friday to satisfy four sisters after two long and hungry weeks away at boarding school. After devouring his first plate, he politely asked for a second, and wanting to impress us with his new-found grasp of German gave us his rendition of what he thought we were eating: noodle of love. The boyfriend stayed, and so did the name. It's the most versatile and easy eating dish, you can throw in anything you want, or keep it classic with cheese, tomato and ham. This version is vegetarian with a little extra aubergine love.
Ingredients:
1 pack of spaghetti 1 medium sized aubergine 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes 3 cloves of garlic 2 eggs Dash of milk or cream (about 100ml) Parmesan cheese for grating over
Method:
Preheat oven at 180*.
Cut aubergine into thin slices, arrange onto a tray lined with baking paper. Chop up garlic and sprinkle over the slices, then drop whole cherry tomatoes over the tray. Lightly pour olive oil over the tray, making sure that you cover each slice. Season with salt and pepper, then stick into the oven for about 35 minutes, till aubergine turns golden and soft.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil for the pasta. Pour in salt (you want your water to be as salty as the Mediterranean sea with pasta) and a swig of olive oil. Once the water is boiling break the spaghetti in half and cook al dente (about 11 minutes). Drain the pasta and set aside.
*Pour yourself a glass of wine while you wait for the aubergines to be ready
Once the goods in the oven are ready, pierce the cherry tomatoes with a fork and mix into the pasta. Make sure all is distributed evenly, then pour into a rectangular baking dish.
Beat together egg and milk/cream mix, then distribute evenly over the bake. Grate over liberal amount of parmesan and put back into the preheated oven.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the spaghetti on top turns brown and crispy and the liquid no longer runs when you move the dish. The more crispy the better.
Serve with ketchup or chili chutney - it's a dream!
Level: A little bit more effort / Prep time: 1 1/2 - 2 hrs
Figs are the fruit of emperors and gods for good reason. There's something very sexual about them - between the earthy flavour and fragrance, the squish of flesh or the pop of the seeds between the teeth, indulging in a soft purple pocket of fig is in all ways sensual. If you pay any emphasis on eating seasonal, you'll know that figs are also only around for a short while albeit in abundance before they disappear and leave us lusting for another whole year. So making a jam seems like the natural thing to do if you want sexy toast at the drop of a hat.
Ingredients for 3 tall jars of jam:
1kg or figs - or as close to it, a box of figs will do; peeled and quartered
2 cups organic unrefined sugar
2 cups water
juice of half a lemon
1 table spoon of ginger finely chopped
1 star anise (don't add more or the jam will taste medicinal)
pinch of cinnamon
3 tall jam jars (stelilise by putting jars into a hot oven for 15 minutes and boiling the lids for 5 min)
Method:
Melt sugar and water in a sauce pan and bring to the boil.
Add figs, lemon juice, ginger, spices.
Bring back to the boil then reduce heat and let cook with the lid on for about an hour.
Stir periodically.
Test for the right consistency by dropping some jam onto a saucer and placing in the fridge. You don't want a jam that's super thick and it should still run a little once the saucer has been in the fridge for a couple of minutes. It will also set after its been potted so don't worry if it seems too runny. An hour is enough time to sufficiently set a jam.
Remove the star anise.
Pour into glasses and leave to cool before placing in fridge overnight.
These two strange jewel looking fruit come round for a short time every year, and disappear just as quickly. I've never acknowledged quince properly before, but if you spend a little bit of time researching it, you'll find that there is quite a bit you can do with it. Most recipes point towards jam or jelly making as quinces have a few high pectin content and are therefore perfect companions for lower pectin rich fruit - like pomegranate has just about no pectin content at all.
I made a beautiful quince pomegranate and pink pepper jam from my stash which is lovely with soft cheese and crackers. This recipe from Franglais Kitchen contains more spices, but you could substitute these with pink pepper.
Ingredients (makes 2 medium sized jars):
2 medium sized quinces
300ml pomegranate juice
200g sugar
3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
2 whole cardamom, 1 star anise and 2 cardamom pods
Method:
Grind the spices using a spice mill or using a pestle and mortar, then place them in an empty teabag or muslin bag.
Peel the quince and cut into small pieces or grate (depending on your preference for the consistency of the jam).
Sprinkle with lemon juice.
In a saucepan heat the pomegranate juice with some sugar. Heat until it is boiling and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the quince and the spices and cover the saucepan.
Place a plate in the freezer so you can later test the consistency of the jam.
Simmer the jam on low heat for one and a half to two hours.
Test the consistency from around 75 minutes to check if the jam is close to setting by placing a spoonful of jam onto the cooled plate and seeing if it sets.
Pour the jam into sterilised containers.
This jam is delicious served simply with bread and jam, but serves equally well alongside a cheeseboard.
