MINESTRONE SOUP

ITALIAN BEAN SOUP

ITALIAN BEAN SOUP WITH PASTA

Hi, and welcome to the Vegetarian Kitchen. This week we had a touch of Autumn in the South and this recipe will warm you, nourish you and remind you of sunnier climates. 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

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!

BEAN SALADS

BEAN SALADS

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. This week we have recipes for two delicious Bean Salads. In many countries beans have always been an important part of the diet- high in protein, cheap and cheerful and low fat. These delicious recipes can accompany other dishes. You will notice we use tinned produce in both recipes. This is because beans are potentially poisonous if not cooked properly

KIDNEY BEANS & SWEETCORN SALAD

INGREDIENTS

400g Tin Kidney Beans (240g drained)

200g Tin Sweetcorn (165g drained)

1 Chopped Spring Onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Coriander (or Parsley)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt & Black Pepper to taste


METHOD
Drain the Kidney Beans, put in bowl, drain sweetcorn, add. Stir well. Add chopped Spring Onion and Corainder and stir well. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.

　

CHICK PEA SALAD

INGREDIENTS

400g TIN CHICK PEAS (drained 240g)

1 Red Pepper (chopped into small bits)

1 Spring Onion (chopped finely)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Coriander (or Parsley)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt & black pepper


METHOD
Drain the chick peas and put in a bowl. Add red pepper, spring onion, coriander and toss.

In a small bowl, mix lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour over the chick pea salad and stir well.

SERVE these salads with a green salad or, alternatively, serve them with Quiche (see our recipe week 10). ENJOY!

RATATOUILLE

RATATOUILLE

Serves 4 to 6

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. This week the recipe is for a Mediterranean Vegetable Stew, known as "RATATOUILLE". It is a lovely dish served on its own or you could serve it with Quiche or any savoury flans.

　


INGREDIENTS
3 small aubergines

3 courgettes

400g (14oz) can choppped tomatoes (or if you prefer 4 fresh tomatoes)

2 onions

2 garlic cloves

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon parsley

salt & black pepper to taste


METHOD
Slice the aubergines and the courgettes into 1/2inch rounds. Peel and cut the onions into rings. Crush the garlic cloves. If you use fresh tomatoes, cut into slices.

Heat olive oil in saucepan, fry onion until soft, add garlic and stir. Add aubergines, fry gently, add courgettes and tin of chopped tomatoes. Stir, add basil and salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer gently with a lid on the saucepan for about 45 minutes until vegetables are soft. When cooked stir in the parsley.

SERVE in a large dish. Crusty French bread would go well with this or wholemeal rolls.

COURGETTES

 

COURGETTES

Hi, and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. This week our recipes are for all the gardeners out there who may have too many courgettes. Here are three delicious recipes for courgettes, quick and easy to prepare. 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

DOLMADES (stuffed vine leaves)

DOLMADES (stuffed vine leaves)

Hi and welcome to our Veggie Kitchen. This week our recipe is for stuffed vine leaves, a lovely Greek dish and a real taste of the Mediterranean. If you can't get vine leaves use cabbage leaves instead.



INGREDIENTS SERVES 3 to 4

12 vine leaves

cup of cooked rice (or you could use Uncle Ben's microwave vegetable rice)

1 green oxo cube dissolved in half a pint of water. (about a mug full) or

half a pint of vegetable stock)



METHOD

Blanche the vine leaves in a pan of hot water. Remove after 1 minute. If you are using cabbage leaves leave for 5 minutes to soften.

Grease an oven dish.

Place a vine leaf on a plate, put a teaspoon of the rice in the middle and fold over and roll up. Each roll should be placed in the oven dish, side by side.

Gently pour over your stock.

Put in the oven 180 Gas Mark 5 for about 20 minutes.

The liquid should be absorbed.

The vine leaves are best eaten cold with a slice of lemon, pitta bread and yogurt or humus.

ENJOY!

 




 




 




 

 




 




 


 

 




 




 


 

 




 




 


 

Aubergine, chickpea & feta salad

Hi and welcome to our Veggie Kitchen. Now Summer is here we will have lots of salads and summer dishes. This aubergine dish is a lovely lunch for two.

　

AUBERGINE FETA & CHICKPEA SALAD

(serves 2)

INGREDIENTS

2 aubergines

5 tbsp olive oil

400g can chick peas drained

4 tomatoes cut in chunks

1 clove garlic crushed

100g feta cheese crumbled

parsley or coriander leaves to garnish



METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200C or Gas Mark 6.

Cut the aubergines in half lengthways then again into thick semi-circles. Put in a roasting tin and add 4tbsp oil. Roast for 20 or 25 minutes until soft. Mix in the chickpeas and tomatoes and roast for a further 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and mix in the remaining oil and crushed garlic.

Put into a large serving bowl and scatter over the crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley or coriander leaves.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Pitta Bread would go well or crusty bread and plain yogurt.

BON APPETIT.