Christmas Vegetarian Dinner 2015

　

XMAS VEGGIE MEZE

MEZE

 

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. We wish you all a merry Christmas. Forget the nut roast and the lentils. Serve a meze it is great party food. Meze, a selection of dips, pitta bread and olives, is originally from the Middle East, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. Meze can also be a huge feast with up to 40 dishes served. So it is great for any kind of celebration. We will give you ideas for a small Meze, very good served with drinks if you have friends round. Also we will give you recipes for a feast.

SMALL MEZE

Houmus dip (chick pea dip)

Tahini (sesame seed dip))

Pitta Bread

Black and green olives

Raw vegetables such as sliced carrots in sticks, celery, cauliflower which can be dipped instead of bread.

Simply arrange each dip in individual bowls, also the olives in separate bowls, and provide plenty of hot Pitta Bread cut into slices.

Most dips are available at supermarkets so no need to make your own.

LARGE MEZE

A large Meze is for a party, or any gathering, in fact any celebration. It really is food for sharing.

Houmous Dip

Tahini Dip

Pitta Bread

Black and Green Olives

MOUSAKA - Recipe in Vegetarian Kitchen

SPINACH QUICHE - Recipe supplied

PILAF (rice dish) Recipe supplied

SALAD NICOISE Recipe supplied

GREEN SALAD

All these recipes are here in our Vegetarian Kitchen and you decide which to include. A meze should be set out on a table, buffet style, so guests can help themselves. If you are lucky enough to have a large table then it will look great. All dishes can be made in advance so all you have to do is assemble the food.

Provide wine, beer or cold drinks to accompany the food. Have a great celebration!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Autumn Pepperonata Sauce

　

AUTUMN

PEPPERONATA SAUCE

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen.

This week we have another taste of Italy - Pepperonata Sauce. This sauce is made with all those wonderful Meditterranean vegetables and is delicious served with anything. On top of your favourite pasta, with quiche or any veggie pie.


INGREDIENTS
3 Large Peppers (one yellow, one red, one green)

1 Onion

2 Cloves Garlic

500g Fresh Choped Tomatoes

4 tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt & Black Pepper


METHOD
Slice peppers into narrow strips. Chop the onion and garlic. Chop the fresh tomatoes.

Gently fry onions, add garlic. Add sliced peppers to pan and stir, and cook gently for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the tomatoes and stir. Cook very gently for 30 minutes until the sauce becomes thick and the vegetables are broken down. Stir during this process. If the sauce becomes too thick or sticks to ther pan, add more Olive Oil.

Serve this sauce with pasta, with vegetable escallops or even vegetable burgers.You decide!

ITALIAN BEAN SOUP WITH PASTA

　

2015

ITALIAN BEAN SOUP WITH PASTA

Hi, and welcome to the Vegetarian Kitchen. Autumn is here, in all its glory and if you are lucky enough to have a park near you take a walk and see all the glowing colours - red, orange. gold and brown and after a walk what is more warming than soup. . Bean soups are very popular in Italy and this is one of my favourites. Of course the Italian cook would use dried beans, which would be soaked overnight, and then cooked the next day but we see nothing wrong with using tinned beans.

ITALIAN BEAN SOUP WITH PASTA

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS
400g (drained weight 240g) tin Black Eye Beans (you could also use haricot beans or kidney beans)

400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 onion chopped

3 cloves Garlic chopped or crushed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 litre vegetable stock (made with OXO Green or stock cube of your choice)

80g of tiny pasta shapes (eg shells)

Half teaspoon dried Oregano

Salt & Black Pepper

Grated Parmesan


METHOD
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, gently fry the onion, add garlic, cook for a few minutes to soften. Add the tomatoes and stir, add stock, oregano and salt and black pepper. Bring to boil.

Add the black eye beans and pasta and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

ENJOY!

Summer Eating- Vegetarian Meze

　

SUMMER EATING VEGGIE MEZE

MEZE

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. This is August, high summer, and our summer food is meze. Meze, a selection of dips, pitta bread and olives, is originally from the Middle East, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. Meze can also be a huge feast with up to 40 dishes served. So it is great for any kind of celebration. We will give you ideas for a small Meze, very good served with drinks if you have friends round. Also we will give you recipes for a feast.

SMALL MEZE

Houmus dip (chick pea dip)

Tahini (sesame seed dip))

Pitta Bread

Black and green olives

Raw vegetables such as sliced carrots in sticks, celery, cauliflower which can be dipped instead of bread.

Simply arrange each dip in individual bowls, also the olives in separate bowls, and provide plenty of hot Pitta Bread cut into slices.

Most dips are available at supermarkets so no need to make your own.

LARGE MEZE

A large Meze is for a party, or any gathering, in fact any celebration. It really is food for sharing.

Houmous Dip

Tahini Dip

Pitta Bread

Black and Green Olives

MOUSAKA - Recipe in Vegetarian Kitchen

SPINACH QUICHE - Recipe supplied

PILAF (rice dish) Recipe supplied

SALAD NICOISE Recipe supplied

GREEN SALAD

All these recipes are here in our Vegetarian Kitchen and you decide which to include. A meze should be set out on a table, buffet style, so guests can help themselves. If you are lucky enough to have a large table then it will look great. All dishes can be made in advance so all you have to do is assemble the food.

Provide wine, beer or cold drinks to accompany the food. Have a great celebration!

BON APPETIT.

MOTHERS' DAY 2015- LUNCH RECIPES

MOTHERS' DAY 2015

Hi and welcome again to our vegetarian kitchen. Mothering Sunday in England was a day when all daughters in service in the big houses would return to their mother Church which evolved into Mother's Day as we know it today. Some give flowers and others will treat their mothers to a meal. Mother's Day is on Sunday 15th March so we have recipes we hope mum will love so give her a day off from cooking with these easy recipes.

MOTHER'S DAY RECIPES

Starter: WALDORF SALAD

Main course: STUFFED RED PEPPERS

Pudding, afters or dessert: CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

WALDORF SALAD

serves 4

INGREDIENTS
2 Red Apples (diced)

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 oz Walnuts (chopped)

1 Stick Celery (chopped)

300g Carton Natural Yoghurt

4 Lettuce leaves


METHOD
Spoon lemon juice over apples to prevent them going brown. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Arrange on individual plates. Place lettuce leaves on each plate, pile the Waldorf Salad mixture on the lettuce. Serve.

ROAST RED PEPPERS

serves 4

2 Large Red Peppers

3 tablespoons oil

8oz (200g) Rice

1 Onion chopped finely

2 Fresh Tomatoes chopped

2 cloves Garlic (chopped or crushed)

Vegetable Stock (Oxo Green) made up to half pint

1 tablespoon parsley (dried) salt & pepper to taste.


METHOD
First cook the rice. Always twice the volume of water to rice. Bring to boil, put on lid and simmer gently for 15 mins after which time all water should have been absorbed.

Next, cut peppers in half longways. Remove seeds and cores. Wash. Brush with oil outside and inside.

When rice is cooked, heat oil in pan, fry onions, tomatoes and garlic until soft. Remove from heat then add cooked rice and stir. Add a little vegetable stock to make a sticky mixture. Place the pepper halves in an ovenproof dish. Pile in rice mixture. Pour vegetable stock around the peppers. Cover with foil and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. (Gas Mark 4 or 180C/350F)

Serve with a green salad or mixed leaves.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

serves 4

INGREDIENTS
4oz Plain Dark Chocolate

4 Eggs separated

METHOD

First, separate the eggs. Put yolks in a small bowl and beat. Whites in a separate bowl.

Break chocolate into pieces and put in a small bowl with 5 teaspoons water. Place over hot water and stir until chocolate is smooth.

Next remove chocolate from heat, add egg yolks and stir. Leave to cool.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff enough to stand in peaks then fold them into the chocolate mixture until smooth. Put the mousse into 4 individual serving dishes and leave to set in the fridge.

You could 'lace' the mousse with rum or brandy, or alternatively decorate with cream. It depends how indulgent you are.

EN JOY! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MUMS on 15th March.

JANUARY 2015 MINESTRONE SOUP

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen.  It is mid Winter and freezing cold so what could be more comforting than a bowl of soup. This week our recipe is for another Italian classic - Minestrone Soup.   The most delicious Minestrone Soup I tasted was many years ago in a small Italian cafe tucked away behind Covent Garden. Covent Garden was London's fruit and vegetable market, opening around 1670, but today Covent Garden is famous for its restaurants, large central piazza, shops, fashionable boutiques and night life.  Our Minestrone will, of course, be made with Vegetable Stock.

MINESTRONE SOUP
(serves 6 to 8)

INGREDIENTS
225g/8oz Can Red Kidney Beans  (drained)
1 Large Onion (choped)
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
4 small carrots (finely chopped)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
Quarter small cabbage (sliced)
1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
100g/4 oz) Macaroni
100g/4oz Frozen Peas
3 Pints Vegetable Stock (use Green Oxo or cubes of your choice)
1 teaspoon dried Basil (or Oregano)
Salt and Black Pepper

METHOD

Heat the oil in a very large saucepan. Gently fry the onion, add garlic and celery. Add all the vegetables except the Red Kidney Beans and Peas which will be added later. Add stock  and stir thoroughly.  Stir in tomato puree, add herbs and salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil, stir, then simmer for 20 minutes.
Now add the Macaroni, red kidney beans and cooked peas.  Bring back to boil.
Simmer for about 10 minutes until the Macaroni is tender.
Serve hot with grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Serve with wholemeal rolls or bread.

Real comfort food!   

2015 STORE CUPBOARD

JANUARY 2015

THE VEGETARIAN CUPBOARD

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and we will start the New Year with stocking up our store cupboard.
There are a few basic items which are used often in vegetarian cookery - all cheap and cheerful and easy to obtain.

TINS

Chick Peas
Red Kidney Beans
Black Eye Beans
Tinned chopped tomatoes
Don't use dried beans, they take far too long to cook.
Vegetable Stock Cubes- Many available but OXO vegetable cubes are the cheapest.

STAPLE FOOD
RICE
COUSCOUS
PASTA
LENTILS (red and green)

HERBS
Basil
Parsley
Coriander
Fresh herbs should be used if possible, if not dried.

SPICES
Turmeric
Cumin
Paprika
Mustard Seeds
Dried Chillies or Chilli Powder
Garam Masala (a blend of spices)

However, if any of these spices are difficult to obtain you can use Curry Powder.
Once you have these basic ingredients you add the vegetables to make the dishes we have created for you.