BEST RECIPES

Vegetables

AUBERGINES
Aubergine imam bayeldi
see STARTERS

Aubergines farcies aux anchois

see STARTERS

Grilled aubergine
for 8 700 g 2 tspnn 1 tspn tspn aubergines cumin seeds garam masala salt 180 ml 1 tspn 1 tspn sweet chilli sauce chilli powder oil

Cut aubergines in half lengthways and cover with dry-roasted cumin seeds ground to a powder, mixed with chilli powder and sauce, garam masala and oil. Grill or bake (in medium-hot oven) for 20 to 25 mins basting once.

BEANS
Bean salsa
for 8 250 g 3 tspn 4 4 8 tblspn black beans salt avocados jalapeno chillis corinader 3 cloves 6 2 8 tblspn 25 ml garlic plum tomatoes red onions lemon juice olive oil

Soa beans in cold water overnight. Drain and bring to boil in fresh water with a clove of garlic. Cook for 29 mins or till soft, adding salt about 5 mins before done. Rinse and add diced tomatoes, avocados, onion, chillis, rest of the garlic, lemon juice, oil, coriander. Allow to stand for 30 mins.

Smashed canellini
for 8 300 g 4 4 cloves 200 g dried cannellini chillis garlic black olives 2 tblspn 1 kg 4 tblspn 180 ml sodium bicarbonate spinach sage olive oil

Soak beans overnight with the bicarb, rinse cover with water, add sage and garlic and simmer 30 mins. Add tablespoon salt and cook another 15 mins or until tender. Drain water and remove sage. Add 90 ml olive oil and roughly smash beans and garlic. Add pepper and half the chilli. Boil spinach three

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minutes, drain and gently squeeze out excess water. Add 2 tblspn olive oil and a little salt. Gently fry the olives with black pepper and a pinch of chilli. Plate the spinach and beans, scatter olives on top and then sprinkle with the rest of the chilli.

CAULIFLOWERS
Italian
for 8 1 1 2 cloves large cauliflower large onion garlic salt and pepper Split cauli into florets, cover with boiling water, simmer for 2 mins and drain. Fry crushed garlic and finely-chopped onion for 5 mins, add chopped bacon and fry for another 5 mins. Stir in crumbs (may need a little more oil) and chopped parsley and cook a minute or two. Pour onto the cauli and bake at Mark 5 (190C 375F) for 10 to 15 mins. Grate on pepper. 4 rashers 4 tblspn 2 tblspn streaky crumbs parsley

CHICKPEAS
Curried chickpeas
for 8 2 1 tspn 1 tspn 1 tspn 1 tspn 2 6 tblspn onions ground cumin ground coriander ground ginger paprika lemons olive oil 2 cupfuls 2 cupfuls 6 cloves 1 kg 2 garlic chickpeas tomatoes salt and pepper coriander leaves mint

Fry chopped onions till soft. Add garlic, cumin, chopped coriander, ginger, and paprika for 5 mins. Add chick peas and cook gently for 10 mins. Remove chickpeas from heat and add chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper, chopped coriander, parsley and mint, oil and the juice of lemons.

COURGETTES
Fried courgettes
Wipe sliced courgettes. Blanch 1 or 2 mins in boiling water and fry lightly for 15 mins.

Courgettes al la Grecque
see STARTERS

FENNEL
Fennel and olive gratin
for 8 4 290 ml large bulb fennel double cream 100 g black olives parmesan

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Pell layers off fennel, removing root, and cut into 5 cm pieces. Boil for 5 mins, drain and layer a greased oven dish with half. Scatter with roughlychopped olives and cover with remaining fennel. Add salt and pepper, pour on cream and cover with thick layer of grated cheese. Bake at Mark 6 (200C 400F) for 20 mins. Best eaten warm rather than roasting hot.

LEEKS
Braised
Make it two cuts in the green part and simmer in water two-thirds of the way up the vegetable, with a bit of butter and salt for about 30 to 40 mins until softened. Partially cover the container so when soft most of the water will have evaporated. Thirty minutes before serving loosely cover with foil and bake at Mark 3 (165C 325F) for 20 mins, by which time they should be golden. [ serve sprinkled with parsley ]

LENTILS
Mjaddas
for 8 200 g 4 2 tspn 1 tspn 2 green lentils onions cumin pepper lemons 50 g 2 stick 20 berries 8 tblspn long-grain rice cinnamon allspice fresh coriander

Fry finely-sliced onions 15 mins till caramelised. Remove and add lentils and rice and turn in the hot oil for 3 to 4 mins. Add 3 litres water and the spices and simmer 45 mins with lid on loosely. Serve topped with the onions, chopped coriander and quartered lemons.

Dahl
250 g 1 clove 1 tspn tspn brown lentils garlic garam masala cayenne 1 tspn 1 1 tspn turmeric onion coriander

Wash lentils in cold water, drain and cover with fresh water. Add turmeric and crushed garlic and simmer for 30 mins. Uncover and cook 2 to 3 mins. Fry chopped onions gently for 5 mins. Add garam masala, ginger, coriander and cayenne and cook gently for 1 min. Add to lentils.

Dahl 2
225 ml 2 tblspn 2 red lentils olive oil chillis onion tspn ( tspn tspn 1 clove ground turmeric asafoetida) whole cumin garlic

Wash lentils, and bring to boil in 750 ml water, skimming off scum. Stir in turmeric, almost-cover, and simmer on low flame for 40 mins. Add asafoetida, cumin and chillis to hot oil. When they begin to darken add thinly-sliced onion and cook to brown. Add garlic and brown. Add mixture to lentils.

Vegetabled lentils

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for 8 400 g 150 g 2 4 cloves puy lentils ginger onions garlic thyme, rosemary, bay, parsley Just-cover lentils with water, bring to boil and immediately strain. Put in new water and cover with water (hard water causes lentils to split and harden so to avoid that use bottled water) so the height of the water is twice the lentils, add bacon, sliced ginger, carrot sliced lengthways, chopped celery, chopped leek and herbs. Simmer 35 mins or until lentils soft. 10 rashers 2 4 sticks 2 streaky bacon carrots celery leeks

MARROW
Tkfzelk
4 lb 2 oz 4 oz 4 oz marrow butter onion gherkin 1 tblspn 1 pinch 5 oz soured cream dill flour paprika

Shred peeled marrow. Spread in colander and sprinkle with salt. Weight and leave 1 hr. Squeeze out remaining moisture. Fry chopped onion to golden, add flour and cook for 2 mins. Liquidise the gherkin with a bit of the juice from its jar and add to the roux. Add cream, boil, then add marrow. Cook for 5 mins, stirring. Add salt and pepper, dill and paprika.

MUSHROOMS
Mushrooms a la Chaliapin
for 6 1 lb 10 oz 4 oz 3 mushrooms vermicelli butter medium onions pint 1 lb 12 oz cream ham cheese parsley

Cook vermicelli. Fry chopped onions and mushrooms till soft. Add cream. Put vermicelli in greased oven-proof dish. Add mushroom mixture and a layer of chopped ham. Grate cheese on top and sprinkle with parsley. Put in Mark 7 (425F) oven for 10 to 12 mins, till cheese has gone brown on top.

Champignon a la bordelaise
for 2 lb 1 clove mushrooms garlic 2 tblspn 2 tblspn breadcrumbs parsley

Soak sliced mushrooms in oil, salt and pepper for 1 hr. Saut in butter and oil about 5 mins. Add parsley, garlic and crumbs. When these have absorbed the fat, serve.

Champignons a la Grecque
see STARTERS

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Mushroom bake
for 8 mixed wild mushrooms 2 1 large tub leeks double cream 2 cloves 8 250 g garlic eggs gruyere

Lightly soften mushroom in butter with the crushed garlic. Lightly fry chopped leek and mix with the mushrooms. Into ramekins pout a little of the cream, add mushroom and leek mixture, then a layer of grated cheese and break an egg on top. Sprinkle on a little salt and cover with a thin layer of double cream. Bake 15 to 20 mins in Mark 6 (200C) over a pre-heated baking tray so yolk is still soft.

Stuffed mushrooms
for 8 150g 3 6 tblspn gruyere eggs salt, pepper butter 120 g 3 cloves 120 g (300 ml ( crumbs garlic mushrooms: 8 large ones creme fraiche) thyme)

Mix grated cheese with breadcrumbs, softened butter, hard-boiled eggs, crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Remove mushroom stalks and bake rounded side up and lightly brushed with butter 3 to 4 mins. Turn over, fill with stuffing and cook 5 mins. In oven with top and bottom element temperature at 220C, with fan assistance 180C.

ONIONS
Onion and cheese pie 1.
for 8 500 g 4 150 g 6 tblspn 2 pinch plain flour onions potatoes double cream cayenne 250 g 320 g 4 butter strong Cheddar eggs thyme or flat-leaf parsley salt and pepper

Food-process flour and 200 g of the butter with a little salt for 5 mins and then add 6 tblspn cold water a tablespoon at a time, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate 30 mins. Slowly fry finely-chopped onion to translucent, and mix with grated cheese, cooked potatoes, three of the eggs, cream thyme or parsley. Roll out about 2/3 of the pastry and line a greased tart tin (for purists it can be blind-baked in advance) and fill with the onion mixture. Cover with the rest of the pastry and moisten the edges to help them join. Brush with the beaten remaining egg and bake 30 mins in Mark 7 (220C) oven. You can use leeks instead of onions.

Onion and cheese pie 2.

for 8 10 2 6 2 tspn red onions bay leaves cloves thyme 1 sheet 220 g 8 cloves garlic salt and pepper puff pastry cheese (jarlsberg, gouda, parmesan or gruyere)

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Gently fry sliced onions, garlic, bay, about 10 peppercorns and cloves till the onions are soft. Line dish with pastry and cover with a mixture of the grated cheese, thyme and the onion mixture minus the bay, cloves, and pepprcorns. Bake in the bottom of a Mark 6 (200C 400F) oven for 15 to golden.

Onions a la Grecque
see STARTERS

Onion tart 1
for 8 8 1 glass 200 g onions red wine goats cheese 1 tblspn 800 g 100 g balsamic vinegar puff pastry wild rocket

Lightly heat finely-sliced onions till wilted, add 1 tspn salt and fry 5 mins. Just cover with water and simmer covered 10 mins, then uncovered 3 mins. Add vinegar and wine and bubble briefly. Cut rolled pastry into eight pieces, create a 2 cm border on each and prick the inside repeatedly with a fork. Lay out on parchment-lined baking sheet, spread the onion within the border, and put on middle shelf of oven with a hot baking sheet under it, and bake at Mark 6 (200C 400F) for 15 to 20 mins until the border is puffed and golden. Lay slices of cheese on top and warm briefly in the oven. [serve sprinkled with wild rocket]

Onion tart 2
200 g 200 g 1 sachet 1.1 kg 200 g wholemeal rye flour wheat flour dried yeast onions creme fraiche 1 tspn 125 ml 2 tspn 125 ml 6 honey olive oil salt cream eggs

Dissolve yeast and honey in 225 ml lukewarm water. Add flour, olive oil, salt and knead into smooth dough. Allow it to rise for 20 mins. Slice onions and gently fry for 10 mins. Beat creme fraiche, cream and eggs, and add to nions. Add salt and pepper, and pour over dough and bake at 180C for 50 to 60 mins.

PEPPERS
Peperonata
for 8 5 10 5 tblspn 5 leaves large onions peppers (usually red but can be others as well) basil leaves bay 3 cloves 1 kg 5 tblspn garlic tomatoes parsley

Fry finely-chopped onions gently for 5 mins, add finely-chopped garlic and fry another 5 mins. Add peppers cut into strips, stir and cook another 10 mins. Add skinned, de-seeded and finely-chopped tomatoes, chopped basil (only tspn if dried), bay, salt and pepper. Cook covered for about 10 mins or until peppers are tender. Serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley. (2 pincxhes of sugar can be added as well)

POTATOES
Baked potatoes

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Near the top of a Mark 6 (200C 400F) oven for 1 hrs for a large potato.

Bubble and squeak

for 8 Mix mashed potato and cooked cabbage, add salt and pepper and gently fry until brown underneath, then turn and brown the other side. Other cooked vegetables can be added at will

Chteau potatoes
Coat potatoes which have been shaped into 2 inch ovals with melted butter and cook in covered casserole for 30 to 35 mins, giving them the occasional shake.

Clarkes potatoes
for 8 2 kg 2 400 g 4 tblspn potatoes (linzer?) large onions bacon creme fraiche 1 tblspn 450 g oil thyme cheese (Gruyere, tangy cheddar etc) salt

Bring cubed potatoes to boil in water and drain. Fry to golden with chopped onions. Cover bottom of oven dish with potatoes, sprinkle with chopped fried bacon, and thyme. Sprinkle with grated cheese, salt and pepper, and dot with creme fraiche. Bake in Mark 4 (180C 350F) oven 10 to 12 mins to golden.

Potato croquettes
1 lb 4 tblspn old potatoes milk bread crumbs Mash potatoes with milk and butter and beat in 1 egg. Roll into tubes about the width of wine corks and cut into 3 inch lengths. Coat with beaten egg and then breadcrumbs. Heat fat to 375F (a piece of bread browns in 45 secs) and fry potatoes 2 to 3 mins, drain and fry the same time again. 1 oz 3 butter egg

Gratin dauphinoise
for 8 1 kg 250 g 2 clove potatoes (ideally Desiree, King Edward) gruyere (or other pungent such as cheddar) garlic nutmeg thyme Cut potato into 1/8 inch slices and layer into buttered oven dish, sprinkling each layer with salt, pepper, grated cheese and a little butter. Pour on mixture of beaten egg and cream, with a layer of cheese on top, and bake at Mark 1 (250F 130C) for 1 hours, remove cover and cook 15 mins till top layer of cheese is golden. 1 300 ml 50 g double cream butter salt, pepper egg

Duchesse potatoes

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1 lb 4 tblspn 1 pinch

potatoes milk nutmeg

1 oz 1

butter egg

Mash potatoes with milk, butter and egg and form into little mounds 2 inches high on a greased baking tray. Bake near the top of Mark 6 (400F) oven for about 25 mins by which time they should be golden.

Potatoes Savoyarde
1 lb 2 cloves 3 oz potatoes garlic Gruyere pint stock butter

Lay sliced potatoes in buttered dish with crushed garlic and grated cheese in layers with lots of seasoning. Pour on stock and put in Mark 5 to 6 oven (380-400F) for 45 mins.

Gratin Savoyard
for 8 400 g 2 cloves 280 g leeks garlic beaufort cheese (or gruyere) 50 g 1 kg 540 ml butter potatoes chicken stock

Sweat leeks in finely-cut rings in most of the butter until soft about 15 mins. Add water if it looks as if they will catch. Use rest of butter to smear the dish cover with thinly-sliced potatoes in layers alternating with leeks and grated cheese, sprinkling occasionally with very-finely-chopped garlic and a little salt and pepper. Finish with a neat layer of potatoes sprinkled with cheese and pour on hot stock. Bake at Mark 6 (200C 400F) for 50 to 60 mins.

Potatoes gratin (with celeriac)

for 8 2 cloves 1 kg 600 g 500 ml garlic potatoes celeriac chicken stock salt, pepper Grease dish, and arrange thinly-sliced potatoes. Sprinkle with salts, nutmeg and crushed garlic. Cover with half the thinly-sliced celeriac and half the chopped shallots. Put on blobs of butter and pour on half the stock. Repeat until it is al used up, and pour on rest of stock. Bake 50 mins at Mark 7 (220C). Pour on cream and dabs of butter and return to oven for 15 mins until golden. 100 g 1 tspn 3 2 tblspn butter nutmeg shallots single cream

Game chips
Thinly slice peeled potatoes, coat in oil and scatter on a baking tray. Just cover with white wine, scatter with thyme and rosemaryand bake in Mark 6 (200C) oven to golden which is probably about 20 to 30 mins.

Jacket potato minis

17 small red potatoes 2 tspn thyme

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chives 2 onions salt and pepper

400 g 400 g

smoked back bacon mushrooms gruyere

Prick potatoes and bake at Mark 5 (190C 375F) for an hour. Fry chopped bacon to crisp, add chopped onion and fry gently for 5 mins. Turn up heat, add 60 g butter and quartered mushrooms for 2 mins till mushrooms colour and soften. Remove from heat and add finely chopped parsley, thyme and chives. Cut a cross in the potatoes, grasp at the bottom to open, spoon on mixture and top with grated gruyere.

Potatoes Lyonnaise
1 lbs 1 oz 1 potatoes butter onion 2 tblspn 1 tspn oil parsley

Boil potatoes in their skins until almost done. Peel and slice. Fry sliced onion to golden brown in oil-butter mixture. Fry potato, turning continuously until golden and crisp. Mix and add parsley.

Mash with crab

1 tin 1 tspn 1 tub 1 kg 1 tblspn seafood bisque English mustard double cream potatoes chives 50 g 1 400 g cheddar yolk crab meat

Heat bisque to reduce to about half to two-thirds, add grated cheese, splash of brandy, mustard, yolk, whipped cream. Cook, then mash potatoes with a little milk and butter, add crab and chives, cover with the sauce and put under grill to colour.

Monsieur Hennys gratin

for 8 6 cloves 2 2 glasses garlic salt, pepper large onions white wine 500 g 1 tblspn 500 g 1 glass potatoes (russet) thyme tomatoes olive oil

Rub dish with a little garlic and cover with thinly-sliced potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme and crushed garlic. Cover with sliced onion and more salt, pepper, thyme and crushed garlic. Cover with thinly-sliced tomatoes and more salt, pepper, thyme and garlic. Sprinkle with wine and then the oil. Bake at 200C about 30 mins.

Papriks krumpli
2 2 lbs 1 large onions potatoes tomato 1 1 tblspn green pepper paprika

Fry chopped onions. Add a little water then paprika. Add potatoes in boat shapes, shredded green paper, water to cover and salt. [ serve with Gyulai sausage or frankfurters ]

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Potatoes with chestnuts

for 8 2 kg 2 tblspn 400 g waxy potatoes thyme (or 12 sage leaves) chestnuts flat-leaf parsley 200 g 4 cloves 600 g 250 ml smoked rashers garlic chestnut mushrooms oil

Mix sliced potato (thinnish) salt, chopped bacon, herbs, chopped garlic, oil, chestnuts, mushrooms and plenty of pepper. Put in large roasting tin and bake at Mark 7 (220C 425F) for 30 mins or until potatoes are done. Sprinkle with parsley. [ will do on its own or as accompaniment to game or pork ]

Roast potatoes
One inch cubes of floury potatoes such as Desiree, King Edward, Cara, Pentland or Accent in oil or dripping for 1 hr in Mark 7 (425F) oven. OR Boil potatoes in their skins until almost done. Drain off water, peel and shake well in the pan to fluff up the surfaces. Then put onto baking dish which has a thin layer of fat or oil and into the top of Mark 6/7 oven for 10/20 mins.

Rsti
2 baking potatoes 2 oz butter

Lightly boil, cool, then grate potatoes coarsely, add melted butter, salt and pepper. Divide into four and press into large flat cake. Fry about 5 mins to golden, turn and repeat.

Souffle potatoes
Use waxy Dutch potatoes (ie not White or King Edward). Slice and fry in oil just hot enough to sizzle, until it blisters all over. Remove. Heat oil to almost foaming and replace briefly.

Spicy potatoes
for 8 900 g 1 tspn 3 tspn small red potatoes (or new potatoes) cumin seeds shallots cayenne 1 tspn 1 tspn 3 tspn oil brown mustard seeds salt ginger

Fry cumin and mustard seeds till they start to pop then add boiled and diced potatoes, chopped shallots, salt, cayenne, and pepper. Fry to brown. Add grated ginger and cook another minute or so.

Tartiflette
for 8 1.75 kg 350 g 3 tblspn 3 cloves waxy piotatoes bacon olive oil garlic 500 g 100 g 3 150 g reblochon butter onions creme fraiche

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Boil unpeeled potatoes until almost done, then slice. Fry to golden in 50 g butter plus olive oil. Add the rest of the butter and fry chopped bacon, add finely-sliced onion and soften and just beginning to colour then add sliced garlic and cook a couple of minutes. Fold into potatoes and transfer to over dish. Dot with creme fraiche and cover with slices of cheese, and bake in Mark 5 (190C 375F) oven for 15 mins to get cheese bubbling.

RED CABBAGE
Clarkes cabbage
for 8 1 kg 2 2 2 tspn 60 ml red cabbage red onions chillis rosemary balsamic or red wine vinegar 3 100g 2 tblsns 2 tblspn oranges raisins parsley coriander leaves

Cook shredded cabbage, finely-sliced onion, chopped chillis, rosemary, salt, the juice and zest or the oranges, and raisns, qwith a little butter and oil, and a little water on high heat for 8 to 10 mins. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if needed. Remove from heat and add parsley, coriander and vinegar.

Red cabbage with apples

3 3 oz 2 lb 1 pint large Bramleys goose fat red cabbage stock 3 tblspn 1 pint 1 tblspn vinegar small onion red wine sugar

Fry slices apple lightly. Add cabbage, vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook 5 mins. Add onion spiked with cloves. Add stock, simmer covered for 45 mins. Add wine and cook 15 mins. Remove onion.

Braised red cabbage

for 8 2 2 4 250 ml 100 ml 4 onions cloves apples red wine redcurrant jelly bay leaves salt and pepper Fry finely-sliced onions on medium heat for about 10 mins to soft but not brown. Remove core from cabbage and add finely-sliced leaves to onions and stir in. Add orange zest and cloves, wine, vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, bay, sliced apple, crushed juniper berries, redcurrant, salt and pepper. Put in Mark 3 (170C 325F) oven for 2 hrs, stirring every half hour. Refrigerate for 24 hrs and gently reheat. 2 kg 10 cm 100 ml 4 tblspn 4 berries tspn red cabbage orange zest red wine vinegar brown sugar juniper cinnamon

Red cabbage with chestnuts

glass pint vinegar stock butter 1 1 small red cabbage onion chestnuts

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Finely chop cabbage and onion, cover with stock and vinegar and cook till tender in covered dish. Boil chestnuts, peel and mix with the cabbage. Add salt, pepper and butter. Put in moderate oven hour. [ serve with game, goose, pork ]

RICE
Boiled rice
1 cup 2 cups rice water 1 1 knob chicken stock cube (or stock) butter

Lightly fry rice in butter. Put in water with stock and bring to rolling boil. Cover. After 25 mins give it a stir. After 30 mins press into ramekin to form shapes on plate.

Chinese fried rice

500g 200g 200g tblspn 4 tblspn Basmati or Patna rice barbacued pork/cured ham prawns sugar chicken stock 3 2 tspn 6 tblspn 4 eggs salt spring onions soya sauce groudnute oil

Scramble eggs in a little oil. Add rest of oil and cooked rice, and cook for about 4 mins. Add peeled prawns, stock, chopped spring onions and soya sauce. Cook 5 mins, add pork and cook a minute.

Japanese rice
Use a Japanese brand like Kikokka or pudding rice, rinse three times, let it stand an hour then rinse. I part water to one part rice bring to the boil and drain. Same quantities simmer for 10 mins and turn up heat for 10 secs. Remove from heat and stand 10 mins.

Kormatose rice
for 8 450 g 24 basmati rice cardamon pods 8 2 sticks cloves cinnamon

Fry the spices gently for a minute, turn the heat up and add the rice, heating it briefly and coating it in oil. Add boiling water to just cover. Boil 7 mins, then turn heat down for 2 mins, then leave covered for 10 mins.

Risotto Milanese
for 8 2 pinch 2 600 g 150 g saffron onions arborio rice lemon parmesan 1 l 100 g 2 glasses chicken stock butter white wine salt and pepper

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Simmer saffron in stock 15 mins. Lightly fry finely-chopped onions in butter for 5 mins. Add rice and salt and cook on low heat to coat with butter. Add wine. When it has been absorbed add stock as each ladleful is absorbed. This will take up to 20 mins. Cook till rice is al dente but not not hard in the centre. Add lemon juice. Cover with grated parmesan.

Risotto with pancetta and courgette

for 8 400 g 2 jars 1 (1 tblspn risotto rice Sacla risotto mushrom and wine sauce courgette mascarpone) 2 160 g 2 cloves 5 tblspn stock cubes streaky bacon (or pancetta) garlic Parmesan

Mix sauce, rice and stock cubes and put into 1 litres of boiling water. Simmer 14 minsuntil most of the liquid has been absorbed but rice is still al dente. Fry diced bacon, chopped courgette and finely-chopped garlic to golden and add pepper. Add the rice and cook another minute or two, remove from heat and add mascarpone and grated Parmesan. Garnish if youi like with a chopped parsley or thyme.

Risotto with roast pepper

for 8 2 jars 2 200 g 4 tblspn Sacla risotto roast pepper & parmesan sauce stock cubes broad beans Paremsan 400 g 200 g 2 risotto rice peas spring onions

basil, mint, spinach

Mix sauce, rice, stock cubes and put in 1 litres of boiling water for 13 mins. Boil peas and beans till just tender and put into rice, with chopped spring onions and spinach and cook another minute or two until leaves wilt. Remove from heat and stir in grated Parmesan and garnish with basil and mint.

Pumpkin risotto
for 8 900 g 1 tspn 4 cloves 450 g 2 tspn 4 tblspn pumpkin (or butternut squash) salt garlic tomato puree parmesan 200 ml 1 tspn 4 2 tblspn 24 leaves milk nutmeg onion butter basil

rice (Arborio, Piedmont, Vallone, Avorie or basmati)

Scrape seeds out of pumpkin bake in Mark 4 (180C 350F) oven for 20 to 30 mins. Puree the flesh with the milk, add salt and nutmeg. Gently fry finelychopped onions and garlic to translucent. Add rice and stir in, then add tomato puree. Just-cover with boiling water and simmer until it has been absorbed. Add pumpkin and cover with water. Cook until a thick creamy-looking texture is reached and rice is cooked. Add butter, cheese and basil.

Simla rice
for 8 500 g 3 tspn long grain rice turmeric 3 medium onion

Brown chopped onion, add turmeric and cook 2 mins. Fork into cooked rice.

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SPINACH
Sag mughlai
for 8 2 kg 2 tspn 1 200 ml spinach fennel seeds onion double cream 6 1 tspn 1 tblspn cardamom pods pepper grated ginger

Boil spinach for 2 mins, plunge into cold water, dry and chop coarsely. Fry cardamom, fennel, and pepper very briefly, add chopped onion and ginger and stew gently for 3 or 4 minutes. Add cream and simmer another minute. Add spinach, a pinch of salt and cook briefly.

SQUASH
Moroccan squash
for 8 2.8 kg 800 g 6 cloves 5 cm3 1 squash (or pumpkin, sweet potato) chickpeas (?tinned) garlic ginger lemon 200 g 3 5 4 3 tblspn cherry tomatoes chillis star anise onions mint

Lightly cover wedges of peeled squash with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and bake at Mark 4 (180C 350F) for 20 mins. Add tomatoes (smeared with oil), chickpeas, finely-sliced and deseeded chillis, finely-sliced garlic, star anise and grated ginger. Roast another 14 to 20 mins until tomatoes and squash are tender and slightly singed. Fry the onions to brown, stir in lemon juice and chopped mint. Strew over the vegetables on the plates. [ serve with couscous, and possibly a bowl of harissa loosened with splash of boiling water ]

SWEET CORN
Cheesy grits
for 8 500 ml 120 g tspn grits (eg Quaker Instant Grits) butter jalapeno peppers 500 g 3 aged gruyere eggs

Cook grits according to directions on the packet. Add butter, peppers, eggs and most of the grated cheese, pour into a greased pan and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 to 40 mins at 165C 325F.

Corn fritters
4 oz 1 pint plain flour egg milk 12 oz creamed maize salt pepper

Beat flour, egg and milk to smooth batter. Add corn, salt and pepper. Put dollops of the mixture into frying pan of hot butter and fry to golden on both sides.

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Corn a la francaise
Strip corn off the cob with a knife and add to boiling water (which contains no salt) for about 5 mins and pout off most of the water. Add chopped and fried streaky bacon, shredded Little Gem lettuce, halved button onions which have been blanched for 10 mins, and 150 g of butter. Mix well.

MIXED
Alu gobi
for 8 2 750 g 2 1 tspn 3 tspn 2 1 1 tblsn cauliflowers potatoes green chillis garam masala ground fennel tomatoes salt onion ground coriander 1 colve 5 cm 1 tblspn 3 tspns 1 tblspn 1 tblspn 1 tblspn root ginger cumin seeds ground turmeric ground cumin ground ginger butter pepper garlic

Fry cumin seeds till they sizzle, add coarsely-chopped onion and fry to translucent. Add cauliflower in florets, cubed potatoes, grated root ginger and salt. Fry 5 mins. Cover and cook gently 5 mins, adding a little water if it sticks. Remove from heat and add turmeric, ground cumin, ginger, coriander and fennel. Cook another 5 mins then add finely-chopped tomatoes and split chillis minus seeds (or 1 tspn ground chili), and about litre water. Simmer covered 15 mins then add butter, pepper and garam masala. [sprinkle with fresh coriander]

Biryani
for 8 1 kg 2 6 3 tblspn 4 cloves tspn 2 cm 4 tblspn 2 tspn vegetables (eg new potatoes, peas, beans, cauliflower, etc) cinnamon sticks cloves ginger garlic salt ginger coriander cardamom powder 550 g 6 pods 3 350 ml 1 tspn 1 tspn handful cardamom onions yoghurt turmeric powder green chilli mint saffron basmati rice

Heat cardamom, cloves and cinnamon until they start to crackle, then add finely-chopped onions and fry to golden. Add thinly-sliced ginger and garlic and cook for a minute. Add turmeric and chilli powder, fry for a minute and add yoghurt and salt and cook till oil separates. Reduce heat and add vegetables cut into largish chunks and simmer 5 mins. Put half cooked rice in pot, cover with vegetables, sprinkle with mint and coriander and cover with the rest of the rice. Pour on about a third of a litre of the rice-cooking water then cover and seal pot and cook on very low heat for 12 to 15 mins.

Leek and potato souffl

200 g 8 450 g leeks eggs potatoes nutmeg salt and pepper 1 tblspn 80 ml 80 ml 200 g soured cream yoghurt strong cheddar cayenne parmesan

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Gently fry thinly-sliced leek 5 mins. Add soured cream and yoghurt and cook on very low heat 5 mins. Let it cool and beat in yolks, and grate in boiled potatoes. Beat in all but a tablespoon of grated cheddar. Add cayenne, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk eggwhites to stiff and stire a tablespoonful into mixture, then carefully fold in rest. Pour into 750 ml (15cm diameter x 7 cm deep) souffle dish, sprinkle top with rest of cheddar, parmesan and a pinch of cayenne. Bake on a baking tray in centre of Mark 6 (200C 400F) oven 25 mins or until well-risen and golden. Serve immediately (it will still shrink slightly on the way to the table).

Spinach and leek pie

for 8 1 kg 2 cloves 500 g 300 g 300 g spinach garlic ricotta feta filo pastry 1 kg 75 g 4 1 tblspn leeks parmesan eggs dill

Let spinach wilts on low heat for about 5 mins with just the water left from washing, turning occasionally. Thoroughly squeeze out any liquid and chop roughly. Fry finely-chopped leeks with a little water on low heat until really soft about 15 mins then turn up heat to boil off excess liquid. Fry finelychopped garlic till soft, then add spinach, turn on low heat and add half the grated parmesan and salt. Mix ricotta, beaten eggs, crumbled feta, dill and the rest of the parmesan. Brush 26cm pie tin with butter then use two-thirds of the pastry to cover base with four wedge-shaped overlapping layers hanging over the edge, brushing each with butter, and cover with spinach then half the leeks. Add the cheese and egg mixture as a layer and cover with the rest of the leeks. Pull up the pastry bits dangling over the edge on top and brush them with butter and use the rest of the pastry to cover the top, tucking it into the sides. Brush the top with lots of butter. Bake at Mark 6 (200C 400F) for 50 mins. The top should be golden. If it starts turning too dark cover it with foil. Allow it to set for 10 mins.

Vegetable curry
3 1 1 3 1 1 5 cloves 1 tblspn 1 tspn potatoes aubergine cauliflower onions parsnip piece ginger garlic grated coconut chilli powder 2 tbslpn 1 1 tspn tspn tspn tspn 1 piece tspn 1 ghee green chilli parsley coriander mustard fenugreek cassia cumin lemons juice

Fry chopped onions in ghee to golden, add mustard, fenugreek and cassia, stirring. When it bubbles add spices, parsley, ginger and coconut. Stir over low heat for 5 mins. Add chopped vegetables and salt. Add a bit of water if needed. Simmer 10 to 15 mins. Add lemon juice.

Vegetable tagine
for 8 half 3 600 g 200 g 2 tblspn swede green chillies salt and pepper couscous tomatoes tomato puree 3 3 tspn 3 tspn 3 tspn 7 360 g red peppers coriander cinnamon turmeric courgettes chickpeas

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Quickly fry quartered onions, chopped carrots. pepper, chillies and swede with the spices and a little salt and pepper. Cook in Mark 4 (180C 350F) oven for 20 minutes, add chopped tomatoes and courgettes and cook for another 15 mins. Remove vegetables, add 250 ml water, tomato puree and boil rapidly for 3 mins. Mix chickpeas with couscous, add a little oil and just-cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for 3 mins then drain and fluff up. Serve with the vegetables.

Woolton pie
500 g 500 g 500 g 500 g potatoes cauliflower swedes carrots 4 1 tblspn 30 g spring onions vegetable extract rolled oats

Cook diced potatoes cauliflower, swedes and carrots. Mix 450 ml litres of the cooking water with the oatmeal and cook till it thickens. Pour over an arrangement of the vegetables in a pie dish and add chopped onions.

Lecso
2 2 lbs large onions green pepper 1 tblspn 1 lb paprika tomatoes

Fry chopped onions to golden, remove from heat, add a bit of water and then paprika, green peppers, sliced tomatoes and salt. Cook 15 mins. [ add to spicy sausage, meat etc ]

Ratatouille
2 2 1 lb 2 aubergines courgettes tomatoes green peppers 1 2 cloves onion garlic oil parsley

Slice vegetables and cook quickly in hot oil for 2 or 3 mins. Cover and cook 1 hr in moderate oven.(175C)

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