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. 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

VEGGIE TANGINE

Welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen and this week we are thinking of sunshine which leads us to the cuisine of North Africa, Morocco, for our recipe this week - "Vegetable Tangine". It is a lovely spicey dish, with the addition of fruit which is typically Moroccan. "Tangine" 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. MOROCCAN VEGETABLE TANGINE 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 preepare. 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.

CASSOULET (BEAN STEW)

Hi, and again welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. Autumn chilly 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.

MACARONI CHEESE

Hello and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen and this week we have an old fashioned recipe which is ideal for lunch/supper and "easy eating" for children. Easy on the pocket, and nourishing - "MACARONI CHEESE". MACARONI CHEESE Serves 4 to 6 INGREDIENTS 400g Macaroni 2 oz Butter 2 oz Plain Flour 600ml (1 pint) Milk 6 - 8oz Mature Cheddar Cheese (grated) Salt and pepper to taste METHOD Heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 Grease an oven dish (not tin) Cook Macaroni in boiling water for 8 - 10 minutes. Drain in a colander. Make a roux by melting the butter,stir in flour and mix, add milk gradually, stirring all the time to make the sauce smooth. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat,stir in Macaroni and 4-6oz cheese (keep 2oz cheese for topping). Pour Macaroni into ovenproof dish, sprinkle remaining cheese over Macaroni. Bake for approximately 20 - 30 minutes until brown on top and bubbling. Serve piping hot - a lovely supper dish. To accompany this, a nice green salad of mixed leaves and cucumber.

CHILLI NON CARNE

Hi, and welcome to our vegetarian kitchen. It is now October, season of mist, 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!

VEGGIE PILAF

Hi and welcome to our vegetarian kitchen. 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".

RATATIOULLE

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. ENJOY!