Week 26- Pepperonata Sauce

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. You decide.

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 the pan, add more Olive Oil.

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

Week 25- Gnocchi With Pesto

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. We have been on holiday in Italy and have brought back delicious recipes from Tuscany. Pesto is a sauce using Basil,Pine Nuts and Olive Oil and one memorable meal was Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce, on a warm night, outside in a leafy, green square, washed down with their most famous wine, Chianti.

Here is our recipe for Pesto, although you can buy this in a jar from some supermarkets.

PESTO

(6 servings)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of fresh, chopped basil

Half a cup of Olive Oil

3 tablespoons pine nuts

2 cloves Garlic

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Half a cup of grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD

Put Basil, Olive Oil, Pine nuts,garlic, lemon juice, salt & pepper in a food processor and process at a high speed until well blended to a smooth paste. Now add the grated Parmesan cheese.

Before serving with pasta beat in 2 or 3 tablespoons of hot water.

SERVE with gnocchi or pasta of your choice.

GNOCCHI

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Floury Potatoes diced

7 oz Plain Flour

1 small beaten egg

salt & pepper

METHOD

Boil the diced potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes and mash well. Make sure there are no lumps. Add flour and beaten egg and make a smooth dough.Knead the dough and roll out into a long sausage shape. (about half an inch). Cut into small pieces (about one inch long).

Cook Gnocchi in simering water for 2 to 4 minutes until they rise to the surface. Remove from saucepan gently with a spoon.

Serve with Pesto Sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Serve with a side salad or Rocket leaves.

Gnocchi can be purchased in a vacuum pack from your supermarket if you don't want to make your own.

Week 24- Pickled Onions

　

Hi, and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. A warm welcome to any gardeners who would like our recipe for their home grown shallots. They are in the supermarkets now and here is our very simple foolproof recipe for Pickled Onions.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb (450g) SHALLOTS

1 LITRE (570ml) MALT VINEGAR

3 teaspoons allspice

1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns

METHOD

Boil vinegar and spices in saucepan. Leave to get cold.

Make sure jars are clean and dry with air-tight lids. Do not use metal lids. If you have one use a Kilner Jar.

Peel the shallots, take off outside skin and one more skin. Immediately put in jars, pour over malt vinegar and spices and cover and seal tightly.

Store for 6 - 8 weeks in cool,dry place.

Delicious with Ploughmans Lunch - A hunk of bread, cheese, pickle and your own Pickled Onions.

Week 23- Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce

                                                   VEGETARIAN BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. This week we have our own recipe for vegetarian Bolognese Sauce. This sauce is the most well known of Italian sauces - most people have had Spaghetti Bolognese but is also used with other pasta dishes e.g. Lasagne. Use this recipe later when we give our recipe for Lasagne.

INGREDIENTS

450g Quorn vegetarian mince

400g Tinned Chopped Tomatoes

3 cloves Garlic

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 small onion chopped

Half Pint vegetarian stock (Oxo Green)

1 teaspoon dried Basil or chopped fresh Basil

Salt & Black Pepper

METHOD

In a large saucepan heat the oil, fry the onion gently for 1 minute, add the garlic, fry for 1 minute. Add the mince and fry gently. Add chopped tomatoes and stir. Add Vegetarian Stock and bring to boil. Add Basil and salt and pepper. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

SERVE with pasta of your choice

Week 22- Cassoulet

Hi, and again welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen.

We are heading for the August Bank Holiday and as usual the weather is unpredictable, but this week we have certainly had rain! Cooler weather means hot, comfort food so this week we are doing a vegetarian Cassoulet. Cassoulet originally came from the Languedoc region of France and of course, the French Cassoulet would contain pork. However, we are doing a three-bean version which is just as tasty.

CASSOULET

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 Tin 225g/8oz Haricot Beans (weight after tin has been drained)

1 Tin 225g/8oz Kidney Beans (weight after tin has been drained)

1 Tin 240g Black Eye Beans (weight after tin has been drained)

1 Tin 400g Chopped Tomatoes

1 Onion sliced

2 cloves Garlic crushed

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil or Veg. Oil

1 bouguet garni (or one teaspoon mixed herbs)

Half Pint Vegetable Stock (made with Green Oxo Veg. cube)

METHOD

In a large saucepan, heat the oil, gently fry the onion, add the garlic, heat gently, then add all the drained beans, the chopped tomatoes, and stir. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Add bouquet garni (or mixed herbs). Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

SERVE with rice and wholemeal rolls.

Week 21- Stir-Fried Vegetables

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. At the moment there is a huge variety of vegetables in the shop and plenty of home produce. Our stir-fry will use all those delicious ingredients. You can add mangetout, or shredded cabbage if you wish.

STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 small courgettes cut into strips

100g/4oz baby sweetcorn

1 red pepper sliced into strips

1 green pepper sliced into strips

3 fresh chopped tomatoes

1 medium onion chopped

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat oil in wok or a large frying pan and gently fry onion, chopped tomatoes and garlic. Add sweetcorn and courgettes and cook for a few minutes. Add peppers, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, add soy sauce, salt and pepper.

Serve hot with rice.

Week 20- Savoury Cheese And Onion Flan

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. This week the recipe is for a Cheese and Onion Flan which can be prepared in advance and served cold with various salads.

SAVOURY CHEESE AND ONION FLAN

INGREDIENTS

5/6 oz Shortcrust Pastry

2 Red Onions skinned and sliced

1 tablespoon oil

4oz Mature Cheddar Cheese (grated)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

2 Large Eggs

Half Pint Milk

salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

Roll out the pastry to line a 8 in Flan Ring or Cake Tin.

Heat the oil and fry onion slices gently until tender. Cool.

Put the onions into the pastry case with most of the cheese and sprinkle over the chives. Beat eggs and milk and season. Spoon over the onion and cheese filling. Sprinkle grated cheese on top.

Bake at 200C (400F) for about 30 minutes until golden.

Allow to get cold, serve with green salad or potato salad.