Category: Appetizer Vegetarian

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Soup

Tomato & watermelon gazpacho

Belinda


Recipe by Ottolenghi

Seves 6-8

2kg ripe tomatoes (about 20), peeled and roughly chopped (1.9kg net)
5 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
6 celery stalks, pale parts and leaves, all roughly chopped (450g net)
1 small onion, roughly chopped (140g net)
400g watermelon flesh, seeds removed
100g crustless white bread, broken into small chunks
150ml tomato passata (or tomato juice)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
200ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
15g basil leaves
Coarse salt and black pepper

Croutons
150g crustless white bread, broken into 2-3cm chunks
3 tbsp olive oil
1½ tbsp red wine vinegar

First make the croutons. Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the bread in a medium bowl along with the oil, vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Place a griddle pan on a high heat, add the croutons and cook for 2 minutes, turning until all sides are slightly charred and starting to crisp. Transfer from the pan onto a baking tray and place in the oven for about 12 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool.

Place the tomatoes, garlic, celery, onion, watermelon, bread, passata and 10 grams of basil in a blender or large bowl along with 1½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Blend until smooth and then, with the blender still going, add the vinegar and olive oil. Refrigerate until needed.

To serve, pour the soup into individual bowls and top with the croutons. Tear the remaining basil and sprinkle it on top of each portion, along with a final drizzle of oil. Finish with a little sea salt and serve at once.

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Cherry tomato confit

Belinda

Recipe from food blog, “Olive & Mango”

What to eat tomato confit with:
Swirled through pasta, risotto or polenta
Load them up on toasted bread/crostini spread with creamy ricotta, creamy whipped feta or cream cheese
Dress herby yoghurt with them or creamy hummus
As a side or topping to grilled meat, chicken or fish.
Perfect on your mezze platters
The flavorful oil from the confit can be used to drizzle over meat or even cook or sauté veggies in or even eggs and shrimp. As you can see the options are endless.

Servings: 2-3 cups

2½ lbs cherry tomatoes
1 head of garlic, sliced in half horizontally
1&1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (optional but adds a really nice flavor to the confit)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of Fresh herbs of choice.

Preheat oven to 250°F.
Place cherry tomatoes in a single layer in baking dish. Nestle the garlic between the tomatoes.
Pour olive oil into the dish, so it comes about halfway up the sides of the tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper, and the lemon zest and add the fresh herbs to the baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, for 1-½ to 2 hours (cooking time will depend on the size of the cherry tomatoes). Don’t cook the tomatoes until they’ve fully bursted; they should be soft, but not falling apart.
Cool tomatoes in the pan until they are room temperature, then place in airtight containers or jars. Pour enough of the cooking oil over the tomatoes to submerge them. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes
Storage
Tomato confit can be stored in a sealed container refrigerated for up to 1-2 weeks weeks. Store the tomatoes in a jar covered with the olive oil. If you have leftover olive oil you can also store it in the refrigerator and use it in cooking or salad dressings.
Freezing
It can be frozen in freezer proof containers for up to 3 months. The olive oil with harden and solidify in the refrigerator or freezer so be sure to bring tomatoes to room temperature before serving

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Vegan

Smoky Carrot Dip

Belinda

Photo By Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott for Bon Appetite

Sweet and smoky roasted carrots are blended with chickpeas, almonds, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. It’s the perfect companion to seeded crackers or good bread. Make sure the carrots are tender to their core before you pull them from the oven for the smoothest possible texture.

Makes about 3 cups
½ cup skin-on almonds
2lb. carrots, trimmed, peeled
2 Tbsp. plus ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; plus more
2½ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more
2 garlic cloves
½ cup canned chickpeas
3 Tbsp. (or more) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¾ tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika
½ cup coarsely chopped parsley, plus leaves for serving

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Let cool; set aside.

Cut any thick carrots in half lengthwise, then slice all carrots crosswise into 4 pieces. Toss on a parchment-lined baking sheet with 2 Tbsp. oil and 1 tsp. salt. Spread carrots out evenly on baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until very tender and starting to shrivel and brown (but not char), about 1 hour.

Transfer carrots to a food processor; add garlic, chickpeas, lemon juice, pepper, paprika, chopped parsley, ½ cup oil, 1½ tsp. salt, and reserved almonds. Process, adding more oil as needed, until mixture is almost completely smooth. Taste dip and add more lemon juice and/or salt if needed.

Transfer dip to a small bowl, drizzle with more oil, and top with parsley leaves.

Do Ahead: Dip can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Rice · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Greek-style stuffed tomatoes

Belinda

Serves 4

1/2 cup/ 100g wholegrain rice
1lb 5oz/600g medium-large tomatoes
½ red onion, finely chopped
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 small zucchini (about 100g), finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp shredded mint leaves
2 oregano sprigs, leaves chopped

Preheat the oven to 325F/160°C.
Put the rice in a pan, cover with water, bring to the boil over a medium-high heat and simmer for 18 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile, cut the tops off the tomatoes, then use a teaspoon to scoop out the insides into a pitcher, leaving the shells intact. Arrange the shells in a small/medium baking dish in which they sit snugly.

Fry the onion in 2 tbsp oil in a pan over a low-medium heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, turn the heat up slightly and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the garlic and tomato purée, cook for a minute, then stir in the reserved tomato pulp and the par-cooked rice. Simmer, stirring often, for a few minutes, until the mixture has the consistency of a loose risotto. Remove from the heat, stir in the herbs and season.

Spoon the rice mixture into the tomatoes, filling them generously. Replace the tomato tops, drizzle with the remaining 3 tbsp oil and bake for 1 hour, until very tender and the rice is cooked through.
Serve with a green salad, if liked.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Nuts · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Cauliflower steaks with onion & cashew sauce

Belinda

Pan-frying brings out cauli’s sweeter side and really elevates this everyday vegetable

Serves 2, but wouldn’t be hard to augment

6 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2oz cashew nuts
1 cauliflower
1 red chili, roughly chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
½ tsp salt
½ tsp caster sugar
½ tsp garam masala
1oz pack cilantro, leaves only

Heat 4 tbsp oil in a pan and add the onion and cashews. Cook over a medium heat for 10-12 minutes until golden. Transfer the cooked onion mixture to a sieve and sit over a bowl for 10 minutes to drain any excess oil; reserve both.

Meanwhile, cut the cauliflower through the root to make 2 slices, about 1/2 inch thick, from the middle of the cauliflower (save the smaller florets and cauliflower leaves for another dish). Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and cook the cauliflower steaks over a medium heat for 6-7 minutes on each side, until golden and tender.

Transfer ½ of the onion mixture to a blender with the chili, tomato purée, salt, sugar, garam masala and 50ml water, plus 1 tbsp of the onion oil.
Whizz to a smooth purée. Serve the cauliflower steaks topped with the purée, extra onion mixture and a scattering of cilantro leaves. This is great served with roasted fish, couscous or salad

Appetizer Vegetarian · Nuts

Whipped goat’s cheese & roasted grape toasts

Belinda

Sweet roasted grapes and creamy goat’s cheese come together superbly in this fabulous vegetarian lunch or starter

Serves 2 but can be augmented

6oz sweet red seedless grapes
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 oz walnuts
5oz soft goat’s cheese
3 tbsp goat’s milk yogurt (or Greek yogurt)
½ unwaxed lemon, zest
4 thick slices sourdough or another good quality bread, toasted
3 lemon thyme sprigs, leaves picked

Preheat the oven to 350F/180 °C, gas mark 4.
Toss the grapes, oil, vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a small roasting tin and roast for 8 minutes. Shake the tin to turn the grapes, then put the walnuts on a separate baking tray and add to the oven with the grapes for a further 8 minutes, until the grapes are soft and juicy, and the walnuts toasted. Set both aside to cool.

Use a wooden spoon to beat together the goat’s cheese, yogurt and lemon zest; season. Spread over the toasted bread and top with the grapes and any roasting juices, the broken walnuts and the thyme leaves.

Cook’s tip
The roasted grapes work in both savory and sweet dishes (omit the salt if serving as a dessert). Try them in a feta salad or spooned over vanilla ice cream.

Appetizer Vegetarian

Baked feta with honey & dukkah

Belinda

Move over camembert, baked feta is in town. Martha Collison’s delicious recipe is soft and squidgy, with a sweet, crunchy topping. Serve with warm pitta or flatbreads and a crisp, dressed salad.

Serves 4

7oz/200g pack feta
2 tbsp clear acacia honey
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp Dukkah spice
Pita or flatbread or something similar, to serve

Preheat the oven to 400F/200ºC.
Place the feta block in a small roasting tin. Drizzle with the honey and olive oil until the whole block is coated, then sprinkle with the dukkah and season well.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the feta is soft and the top is crisp. When the cheese is almost ready, sprinkle the flatbreads or pita breads with water, place on a baking tray and bake for 2-3 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian

Feta, pine nut, olive and date dip

Belinda

This starter contains crumbled feta, chopped olives, pines nuts and dates. The preserved lemon cuts through the rich creamy taste.

5 fresh Medjool dates, pitted, chopped
1/3 cup mixed olives, pitted, drained, chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
200g feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
2 tsp preserved lemon rind, finely chopped, plus extra wedges to serve
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp honey
Crusty bread, toasted, to serve
Vegetables, chopped, to serve

Set aside 1 tablespoon each of the chopped dates, olives and pine nuts.

Place feta, parsley, preserved lemon, oil and the remaining dates, olives and pine nuts in a medium bowl. Season with pepper. Stir to combine. Transfer to a serving plate.

Drizzle dip with honey. Top with reserved dates, olives, pine nuts, extra preserved lemon and extra parsley.
Serve with toasted crusty bread and chopped vegetables.

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Nuts

Fig and walnut roll

Belinda

This sweet, fruity loaf is perfect with the tangy bite of blue cheese.
Recipe from Alison Adams of “Taste” magazine

100g dried figs
1 cup red wine
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch allspice
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
Icing (confectioner’s) sugar, to serve
Blue cheese, to serve
Crackers, to serve

Chop the figs and place in a small saucepan with the red wine, ground cinnamon and allspice. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Set aside for 1 hour to macerate. Drain well.

Place in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the toasted walnuts. Process until coarsely chopped.

Sprinkle a piece of baking paper with icing sugar. Place the fig mixture in the middle of the paper and roll. Wrap in plastic wrap and seal.

Store in the fridge for 1 hour or until set. Serve with blue cheese and crackers

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · lentils · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Ottolenghi’s puy lentil and eggplant stew

Belinda

From Ottolenghi’s wonderful book, “Simple”

Serves 4 as a starter and 2 as a main course

3 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra to serve
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 large red onion, finely chopped (160g)
½ tbsp picked thyme leaves
2 small eggplants, cut into chunks, about 5 x 2cm (420g)
200g cherry tomatoes
180g puy lentils
500ml vegetable stock
80ml dry white wine
100g crème fraîche
1 tsp urfa chili flakes (or ½ tsp regular chili flakes)
2 tsp picked oregano leaves
Salt and black pepper

Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a large, high-sided sauté pan and place on a medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion, thyme and ¼ teaspoon of salt and fry for 8 min, stirring often, until soft and golden. Tip into a bowl, leaving the oil behind. Set aside.

Place the eggplants and tomatoes in a bowl and season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Add the remaining oil to the same pan (don’t worry about wiping it clean) and, once very hot, add the aubergines and tomatoes. Fry for 10 min, on medium high, turning them often until the aubergine is soft and golden-brown and the tomatoes are beginning to blacken. Return the garlic and onion to the pan, then add the lentils, stock, wine, 450ml of water and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer gently for about 40 min, until the lentils are soft but still retain a bite.

Serve warm, or at room temperature, with a dollop of crème fraîche, a drizzle of oil and chili flakes and oregano on top.