Week 45- Courgette Recipes

WEEK 45

COURGETTE RECIPES

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. This week our recipes are for all you gardeners out there because if you grow courgettes you will have more than you can eat, so give them to your friends and give them our recipes. Courgette fritters - a favourite with the kids and cut lengthways they become chips! Or simply fry in olive oil with Basil - delicious. How about ratatouille - serve with Quiche or on its own with crusty rolls. We have lots of ideas - so give our recipes . Courgettes can also be sliced thinly and used in a stir-fry.

1. COURGETTE FRITTERS

INGREDIENTS

6 Courgettes
3 oz Plain Flour
300ml (1/2 pint) water
Salt & pepper to taste
Oil for frying
Parsley for garnish
METHOD

Cut the courgettes into 2in sticks.

Make the batter, put the flour into a bowl, add water and beat to a smooth consistency. Add salt and pepper. Dip the courgettes and coat with batter. Heat oil in frying pan until very hot. Fry courgettes for about 3-5 mins until crisp and brown. Arrange on serving plate and garnish with parsley.

 

 

2.COURGETTES SAUTE' WITH BASIL

INGREDIENTS
4 Courgettes
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic (crushed or chopped)
1 teaspoon dried Basil or 1 tablespoon Fresh Basil chopped
1 Green OXO veg. stock cube
1/2 pint water
salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

Wash courgettes, cut into thin rounds. Make up stock. Heat olive oil in a saucepan,
add garlic and fry gently, toss in all the courgettes, stir well and fry without browning,
then add basil, stir thoroughly. Add stock, stir again. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt & pepper.

3. COURGETTES A LA GRECQUE

INGREDIENTS
4 Courgettes
1 small onion (chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed or chopped)
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 wineglass dry white wine (or 1 wineglass water)
fresh Coriander or Parsley to garnish
salt & pepper
METHOD
Cut the courgettes into rounds. Heat the oil in a saucepan (or frying pan with lid) saute the onion and garlic gently, add courgettes, stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the glass of wine, tomato puree, oregano and salt &pepper. Mix well and bring to boil. Put on the lid and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley or Coriander. Serve.
NOTE
These dishes can be served hot or cold, with rice or salad or as an additional vegetable.
ENJOY the fruits of your labours.

Week 44- Vegetarian Fried Rice

　

LUNCH/Supper in 15 mins

VEGETARIAN FRIED RICE

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. Summer is here (typically English Summer) so you don't want to slave away in the kitchen for hours. This week a lovely rice dish, much quicker than Risotto.
INGREDIENTS

2 mugs or 3 cups cold cooked rice (you could use Microwave Rice)
1 clove garlic
1 Green or Red Pepper (chopped)
2 spring onions chopped
1 small can Sweetcorn (drained)
1 cup Bean Sprouts (blanched)
2 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
METHOD

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, add garlic, bean sprouts and onions, fry for 1 minute, add peppers and fry for 2 minutes, add rice andd stir, add Soy Sauce, and tin of sweetcorn. Stir fry until rice and vegetables are hot. Now fold in beaten eggs, stir until they are set.
NOTE If you can't get Bean Sprouts add a cup of chopped mushrooms instead.
Delicious supper/lunch dish.

Week 43- Spaghetti With Garlic

Lunch/Supper in under 15 mins

SPAGHETTI WITH GARLIC

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. Again, very quick suppers. This recipe is delicious and fast.

INGREDIENTS

300g Spaghetti

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 large cloves Garlic

Half teaspoon Basil (dried)

1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (or Mature Cheddar) (not Mozarella it will go stringy)

Salt & Black Pepper to taste

METHOD

Put on water to boil in large saucepan. Add Spaghetti and cook until al dente (May take 12 mins if dried)

Meanwhile, melt butter and oil in a large pan. Saute garlic gently, add basil and heat for 1 min.

Drain Spaghetti and put in serving dish, add sauce and mix well. Top with grated cheese and serve more cheese on the side.

ENJOY. Perfect with side salad of assorted leaves.

Week 42- Penne Pasta With Rocket

Lunch/Supper in under 15 mins

PENNE PASTA WITH ROCKET

SERVES 6

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. Once again, a quick and easy meal to prepare when you are too busy to cook. If you cannot get Rocket use spinach leaves or lettuce. This recipe is quick because there is no sauce to prepare.

INGREDIENTS

500g Penne Pasta (fresh if possible if not dried)

3 tablespoons olive oil

60g Fresh Rocket or Spinach leaves (a pack of young spinach leaves)

Grated cheese (Parmesan or strong Cheddar)

Salt to taste

METHOD

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add penne pasta and boil for about 3 to 4 minutes if fresh or about 10 minutes if dried. Do not allow to stick. Drain immediately.Return pasta to saucepan. Stir in the olive oil.

Wilt the rocket or spinach leaves. Add to the pasta.

Serve in bowls with grated cheese.

ENJOY.

Week 41- Fresh Pasta

　

WEEK 41

LUNCH/SUPPER under 15 minutes

FRESH PASTA

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen and this week we are continuing with lunch/supper dishes in under 15 mins. We all have days when we are too busy to spend hours in the kitchen or maybe want a quick meal before we go out in the evening. Fresh pasta is ideal on these occasions with a cooking time of only 3 to 5 minutes. Most supermarkets will sell fresh pasta in their chilled foods compartments and once home store it in the fridge. It will last 2 or 3 weeks if unopened. Here are our suggestions for a quick meal.

INGREDIENTS

500g pack of fresh pasta (try penne or taglietelle) (serves 4 to 6 people)

Fresh Herbs

Grated Cheese (Parmesan or Mature Cheddar). Do not use Mozarella as it will become elastic.

Cherry Tomatoes

Jar Pesto

Fresh cooked Peas (1 cup)

Fresh cooked Broad Beans (1 mug)

Olive Oil to drizzle over

METHOD

Bring a large saucepan of boiling water to the boil, add pasta and cook for 3 to 5 mins. Drain in a colander. Return pasta to the saucepan. Add one or two of the above ingredients. eg Fresh basil leaves and cherry tomatoes: or a tablespoon of pesto with broad beans or peas.

Drizzle olive oil over pasta then serve immediately and add grated cheese.

NOTE Fresh broad beans and peas are in the shops now!

Week 40- Store Cupboard

WEEK 39

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. A friend said she loved our recipes but did not always have the ingredients in her kitchen so this week it is back to basics. At the beginning (probably week 1 or 2) we suggested you fill your cupboard with essentials. Below is a basic store cupboard. The supermarkets are full of fresh herbs, you can buy tiny pots of herbs to put on your windowsill and they last much longer than small packets. If you buy fresh basil do water it occasionally, just before it droops.

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.

　

　

　

Week 39- LUNCH/SUPPER IN UNDER 15 minutes

WEEK 39

LUNCH/SUPPER IN UNDER 15 minutes

FALAFAL PITTA BREADS

Hi and welcome to the Vegetarian Kitchen. This week we are continuing our "fast food" recipes which are nutritious and very tasty. Falafel is used a lot in Middle Eastern cooking and is made from chick peas - a good meat substitute. These are easy to prepare and great food to eat in the garden or on the go. For speed, we suggest you use ready made Falafel balls or buy a packet mix to make your own. However, in case you want to make your own Flafel, there is our recipe at the end of this menu.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

6 Pitta Breads

1 packet of ready made Falafel balls or

1 packet of Falafel mix to make your own

1 small tub Hummus

1 small red onion finely chopped

1 Packet of mixed salad leaves

4 sliced tomatoes

METHOD

Fry the Falafel balls gently.

Cut the Pitta Breads in half and toast. Fill each half with 2 Falafel balls, a spoonful of Humus, tomato slices, salad leaves and chopped onion. You may add a trickle of olive oil if you wish.

For children, you could make Falafel Burgers instead of Pittas.

You may use salad cream or mayonnaise instead of humus.

Eat immediately. Delicious fast food.

RECIPE FOR FALAFEL

15oz can Chick Peas (drained)

1 small onion finely chopped

1 minced garlic

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 teaspoon Cumin

2 tablespoons flour

METHOD

Mash chickpeas in a basin. Add all other ingredients. Mash by hand or put in food processor to form a thick paste.

Form into small b alls the size of a golf ball. Fry 2 or 5 minutes in about 3 inches of oil until golden brown.

Use immediately as in our Pitta recipe or store in fridge when cold in container.