Indian vegetarian food is so complex and satisfying. This unusual sour chick pea curry is from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey. Soak and cook 1½ cups of chick peas (garbanzo beans) in the usual manner or use 3 drained cans of chick peas. Finely chop 3 onions and remove 2 tablespoons of the onion into a…… Continue reading sour chick pea curry + vegetable korma
Category: vegetarian dishes
spicy tofu with oyster mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms have great texture and robust flavour making this a very satisfying vegetarian meal. Heat oil in a large flat frypan or wok until smoking hot then add 2 brown shallots, 2-3 cloves of garlic and 2-4 red chillies, all finely diced. Next add large squares of tofu (classic Chinese style) and allow them to fry on…… Continue reading spicy tofu with oyster mushrooms
butternut and basil lasagna
The arrival of autumn here and the garden still bursting with basil made this the perfect combination. Cut butternut pumpkin (squash) into pieces and toss them in a bowl with some olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry over low heat until they have some colour and are just soft then set them aside. In the same…… Continue reading butternut and basil lasagna
cauliflower ricotta frittata
Here’s a different version of cauliflower and cheese. Heat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Divide a small cauliflower into florets and slice 1 onion. In an ovenproof dish, toss them in some olive oil and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and some grated fresh nutmeg. Add a bay leaf and roast in the oven until brown…… Continue reading cauliflower ricotta frittata
polenta with mushrooms and sage
Mushrooms at their best with sage and cheesy polenta. For this dish you will need at least 450g (1lb) of mushrooms (I used Swiss brown) and a few dried porcini mushrooms. Soak the porcini mushrooms in a little boiling water until soft. Meanwhile fry 20-30 fresh sage leaves in olive oil until crisp and set…… Continue reading polenta with mushrooms and sage
three cheese frittata
This makes a delightful one-pan meal. Measurements for this recipe don’t need to be exact, in fact you can vary or expand on this theme in many ways. My frittata started with a sliced onion, a diced clove of garlic and a sliced fresh green chilli. As I used sun-dried tomatoes I also used the…… Continue reading three cheese frittata
grilled vegetable and ricotta terrine
This terrine makes a colourful and elegant first course and is bound to impress. You will need 6 large red peppers, 4-6 zucchinis, 2-3 large eggplants, 1-2 bunches of asparagus, 450g (1 lb) of fresh ricotta, a little vegetable stock and some gelatine. First cut the peppers into large pieces. The best way to do…… Continue reading grilled vegetable and ricotta terrine
sweet corn bake
Golden and cheesy on the top, the centre of this bake is reminiscent of a soft corn tamale studded with juicy sweet corn. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Fry 1 large chopped leek, 1 diced green pepper and 2 finely diced green chillies in some vegetable oil until just starting to soften. Cut the…… Continue reading sweet corn bake
okonomiyaki
These Japanese vegetable pancakes are a delight. Unlike some take-away versions the vegetables still have some bite, the taste is fresh and there isn’t too much stodgy batter. Thanks to Smitten Kitchen for this one and to Thomas for cooking it! Make the tangy sauce first. Combine ¼ of a cup of ketchup, 1½ tablespoons of Worcestershire…… Continue reading okonomiyaki
pea, feta and mint fritters
Sweet peas and salty feta cheese are a great match and mint is the perfect addition. Thaw 2 cups of frozen peas then mash them roughly in a bowl. Add 1 cup of self-raising flour, 2 large eggs, ½ a cup of milk and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well then stir through 4 finely…… Continue reading pea, feta and mint fritters
michelle picker cooks 