Week 7-Pilaf Rice

Hi and welcome to our vegetarian kitchen. The Easter holiday weekend in UK was hot! Temperatures in London and the South reached 26C - well over 70F and it made us think of holidays in the Mediterranean. This week our recipe is "PILAF" which is served in many countries on the "Med" but ours, of course, will be vegetarian. "PILAF" is rice, usually cooked in meat stock with the addition of meat and vegetables. We use Quorn "Chicken style pieces". It is a complete meal which only requires a side salad to accompany this.

PILAF

(serves 4 to 6)

INGREDIENTS

Quorn chicken style pieces(350g)

8 oz Long Grain Rice (250g approx)

3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Half teaspoon Cumin Powder

500ml Vegetable Stock (GREEN OXO CUBE)

2 Courgettes (cut in rings)

1 Red or Green Pepper (chop into small pieces)

4 Fresh tomatoes (chopped)

1 Onion (finely chopped)

2 cloves Garlic (crushed or chopped)

Parsley or Coriander to garnish

Black Pepper

Salt to taste

METHOD

Heat oil in large saucepan, add onion,garlic, Quorn pieces,tomatoes and fry gently, add courgette slices and stir. Add chopped pepper and fry for about 4 mins. Add vegetable stock, stir, and bring to boil. Add rice and stir in Cumin Powder, pepper and salt. Reduce heat, put on lid and simmer for about 20 minutes. Put in one large bowl, sprinkle parsley or coriander on top and let everyone help themselves. Serve with a green side salad.

ENJOY Your taste of the "Med".

Week 6- Moroccan Vegetable Tagine

Welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen and this week we are looking forward to Easter and hopefully another heatwave (some parts of the UK reached temperatures of over 70F). Thinking of sunshine leads us to the cuisine of North Africa, Morocco, for our recipe this week - "Vegetable Tagine". It is a lovely spicy dish, with the addition of fruit which is typically Moroccan. "Tagine" is the name of the pot it is cooked in and most of you won't have one but any earthenware pot or casserole dish with lid will serve the same purpose. Even if it rains, you will have sunshine on your plate. Happy Easter.

MOROCCAN VEGETABLE TAGINE

serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

350 to 400g QUORN CHICKEN STYLE PIECES

400g TIN CHOPPED TOMATOES

6 DRIED APRICOTS or 6 PRUNES (you decide)

500ml Vegetable Stock (GREEN OXO)

1 Large Onion (chopped)

2 or 3 Cloves Garlic (chopped finely)

LEMON (Juice of one half lemon)

30g Black or Green Olives

3 tablespoons of Olive Oil (or vegetable oil)

1 teaspoon Cumin

one half teaspoon Turmeric

Fresh Coriander leaves or Parsley to garnish

Salt & Pepper to taste

METHOD

In a large saucepan heat olive oil, fry onion, garlic and Quorn pieces, add Turmeric and Cumin, add lemon juice. Stir. Add Tin Chopped Tomatoes and Vegetable Stock. Stir and bring to boil. Cut apricots in half and add these, together with olives. Taste and add salt & black pepper. Transfer to a casserole dish, cook in oven for about 45 minutes. GAS MARK 4 180C 350F

Remove from oven and decorate with coriander leaves (or parsley).

Serve with Couscous or if you prefer, boiled rice.

Couscous is easy to prepare. Simply empty couscous into bowel, add boiling water to cover and leave until water is absorbed. Stir, add lemon juice, salt and pepper.

This would go down very well with a glass of wine or, if you prefer, beer.

Happy Holiday!

Week 5- Spaghetti With Our Own Tomato Sauce

Hi and welcome to our vegetarian kitchen. This week we have had glorious weather in most parts so get out to the park and enjoy the Spring flowers, make the most of it, or walk to the shops and breathe in fresh air. Not the week to be slaving in the kitchen so here is our recipe for quick Tomato Sauce, which can be served with any Pasta. It is very similar to Italian Marinara Sauce except any good Italian cook would stir it for days.

We suggest you use Spaghetti for this dish but any pasta would be as good.

TOMATO SAUCE

serves 4

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons Oil (olive oil if possible)

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 small Onion finely chopped

1 Tin 400g Chopped Tomatoes

1 teaspoon Oregano

black pepper and salt to taste

METHOD

Heat oil in a medium saucepan, fry onion until soft then add garlic; saute for a minute; add tin tomatoes, oregano and bring to the boil then simmer very gently for about 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent the sauce sticking. Do not boil.

SPAGHETTI

serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Spaghetti - Allow 60g - 80g serving per person. 300g for 4.

Parmesan Cheese or Grated Cheese of your choice

METHOD

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add Spaghetti and cook al dente or for longer if you prefer it soft. Drain. To serve - Place Spaghetti on the plates, pour over sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. A leafy salad makes a great accompaniment. ENJOY!

Week 4- Chilli Non Carne

Hi, and welcome to our vegetarian kitchen. It is now April with April showers and unpredictable weather. Our recipe this week will cheer you up and certainly warm you up. We have named our dish "CHILLI NON CARNE" for obvious reasons but it would fool your most carnivorous friends. It is a dish you can make in advance and it freezes well.

CHILLI NON CARNE

serves 4

INGREDIENTS

350g QUORN MINCE or Linda McCartney Soya Mince

400g TIN KIDNEY BEANS (do not drain)

400g TIN CHOPPED TOMATOES

4 tablespoons oil

1 Onion chopped

2 cloves Garlic chopped

1 red or green chilli (or half teaspoon Chilli Powder)

500ml Vegetable Stock (Green OXO)

RICE. Long Grain 8oz

METHOD

Gently fry the chopped onion in oil for 2 minutes, add garlic and chilli and fry. Add quorn mince, and some of the stock and stir while frying. Do not brown. Add tin tomatoes, and stir thoroughly, add remainder of vegetable stock. Now add red kidney beans (do not drain). Bring the mixture to the boil. Now is the time to add Chilli Powder if you are using it. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it does not burn or stick. Serve with boiled rice.

RICE

serves 4

To cook rice, it is always twice the volume of water to rice. i.e. 1 cup rice, 2 cups of water. Measure the rice and water, put in pan and bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 15 mins by which time all water should have been absorbed. Fluff rice with a fork.

A lovely meal to share with friends. ENJOY!