Category: Vegetable-related

Grains · Salad · Vegetable-related

Kisir

Belinda

Delicious and very simple. (Ottolenghi)

Serves 4

2 large onions, finely chopped
2 fl oz olive oil, plus extra to finish
2 tbsp tomato puree
4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
4 fl oz water
about 14 oz medium bulgar wheat
1&1/2 tsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp chopped parsley
3 tbsp green onions, finely shredded, plus extra to garnish
2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp roasted ground cumin
about 4 oz fresh pomegranate seeds
a good handful of fresh mint leaves, some whole and some roughly chopped
Salt and black pepper

Place the onions and olive oil in a large pan and saute on a medium heat for about 5 minutes or until translucent.
Add the tomato puree and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and simmer on a low heat for a further 4 minutes.
Now add the water and bring to the boil. Remove immediately from the heat and stir in the bulgar wheat.
Next, add the molasses, lemon juice, parsley, green onions, chillies, garlic, cumin and some salt and pepper.
Stir well, then leave aside until the dish reaches room temperature or is just lukewarm.
Taste it and adjust the seasonings, it will probably need plenty of salt.

Spoon the Kisir onto serving dishes and flatten it out roughly with a serving spoon, creating a wave-like pattern on the surface.
Scatter the pomegranate seeds all over, drizzle olive oil and finish with chopped mint and green onions

 

 
         
   
     
     
 
 

Gluten Free · Salad · Vegetable-related

Tomato and Pomegranate salad with garlic dressing

Belinda

This is gorgeous, light, bright and tangy. Thank you to Yotam Ottolenghi.

Serves 4

1/2 lb red cherry tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/2 lb yellow cherry tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/2 lb plum or tiger tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch dice
4 medium vine tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp ground allspice
About 4 oz fresh pomegranate seeds
2 tsp white wine vinegar
2 fl oz olive oil and a little extra to drizzle at the end
1&1/2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp picked fresh small oregano leaves, to garnish
Salt and black pepper

In a large bowl mix together the tomatoes, red pepper and onion and set aside.
In a small bowl whisk the garlic, allspice vinegar, pomegranate molasses, olive oil and 1/3 tsp salt until well combined.
Pour this over the tomatoes and gently mix.
Arrange the tomatoes and the juices on a large flat plate.
Sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds and oregano and finish with a drizzle of olive oil

Gluten Free · Vegetable-related

Roasted black grapes!

Belinda
 

These are gorgeous spooned over a  double cream Brie or a St Andre triple cream on a cracker!!

Preheat the oven to 425 F

1 heaping cup of sweet black seedless grapes, rinsed and dried
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white Balsamic vinegar
juice of half a small lemon
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
fresh thyme leaves

Toss the whole grapes with salt and pepper, a little olive oil, white balsamic, a splash of lemon juice and fresh thyme.
Toss everything together and spread it out on a baking sheet.
Roast the whole lot in a hot oven for about 15 minutes, giving the pan a shake a couple of times during the cooking.
It will end up slightly squishy and shrivelled with an intense grape flavor and a beautifully sweet sauce.

Transfer to a pretty serving dish, making sure you get all the good sauce and serve with cheese and plain crackers or crusty bread.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Vegetable-related

Chipotle and rosemary roasted nuts

Belinda

Oh these are SO more-ish and absolutely divine. I found out that they actually freeze well and you can bring them to room temperature and serve them. To be honest, they are great eaten straight from the freezer!  Thank you Barefoot Contessa for this recipe. I will be doing it frequently!

8 to 10 servings (whatever that means!)

vegetable oil
3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashew nuts (14 oz)
2 cups whole walnut halves (7 oz)
2 cups whole pecan halves (7 oz)
1/2 cup whole almonds (3 oz)           (All these nuts are available at a good price at Trader Joes)
1/3 cup pure Maple syrup
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tsp ground chipotle powder
4 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil
Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 tbsp of the vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice and chipotle powder on the sheet pan.. If you find this could be difficult, put everything into a very large bowl and toss together then pour onto the greased sheet pan.
Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add the 2 tbsp of the rosemary and 2 tsp of salt and toss again.

Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more tsp of salt and the remaining 2 tbsp of rosemary.
Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent stinking as they cool.
Taste for seasoning
Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature

I froze my leftovers and they were perfect when defrosted!

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable-related · Whole30 compliant

Roasted spiced olives

Belinda

Serves 2

These are delicious!!

Preheat the oven to 350 F

1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds

Toast the seeds for about 5 minutes over medium heat in a small frying pan, shaking the pan to redistribute the spices so they don’t burn in places.

1&1/2lbs mixed olives, with or without pits, your choice
zest of 1 orange, or if you don’t have an orange, use a lemon
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tbsp good olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar or balsamic
1 garlic clove, minced
a pinch of hot pepper flakes
leaves of one or two sprigs of rosemary
several sprigs of fresh thyme

Toss the toasted seeds and all of the above ingredients in a bowl.

Several thin slices of orange, (or lemon)

Spread the orange slices on the bottom of a small baking dish. Arrange the olive mixture on top and bake for about 30 minutes.
Serve hot with napkins, a little bowl for the pits and two glasses of wine.

NB   Buy your olives from an olive bar in a market, not out of cans or tins as they will taste ten times as good as they will be fresher.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable-related

Tomato and potato gratin

Belinda

Simple, rustic and delicious!

Serves 2 as a main course and 4 as a side

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 cups thinly sliced onions, (about 1&1/2 lbs)
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, divided
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1&1/4 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled if you want
1/2 cup heavy cream
2&1/4 lbs ripe tomatoes
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded basil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and ground pepper

Heat a large saute pan or Dutch oven over high heat for 2 minutes
Add 3 tbsp olive oil, then the onions, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Cook for 6 minutes, stirring often then turn down the heat to medium.
Add the butter and cook for 15 minutes, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon until the onions start to caramelize. Turn the heat down to low and continue to cook the onions for another 10 mins or so, stirring often until the onions are a deep caramel color. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Use a mandolin to slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch rounds. Toss them with the cream, 1tsp thyme, 1 tsp salt and ground pepper.
Cut the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices and arrange on a plate and season them with salt and pepper.

Place half the caramelized onions evenly on the bottom of a 9 x 9 inch gratin or baking dish.
Arrange one layer of potatoes on top of the onion layer and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese and half the garlic.

Arrange a layer of tomatoes on top of this, then sprinkle 1/2 of the basil, 1/2 tsp thyme, salt and pepper, and drizzle 1 tbsp cream from the potatoes

Scatter the rest of the caramelized onions over this mixture, arrange another layer of potatoes, then top with 1/2 of the remaining cheese and remaining garlic.

Arrange another layer of tomatoes (attractively) over the potatoes. Pour remaining cream from the potatoes over the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, remaining thyme and basil.

Press the vegetables down with your fingers. The cream should come up through the layers and coat the vegetables evenly.
Sprinkle with any remaining cheese.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for about 2 hours or until the potatoes are tender when pierced.

Remove the dish from the oven, uncover it, turn the oven up to 450 F and put it back in for about 25 to 30 minutes more until the juices have thickened and the tope is browned and bubbly

 

Accompaniments · Appetizers · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable-related

Caprese Dip

Belinda

Utterly decadent!!

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup plain Greek yoghurt
1&1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/3 cup diced fresh basil
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
3/4 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350F
In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, yoghurt, 1 cup of the Mozzarella, basil, garlic , salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
Fold in the tomatoes.
Using a spatula, spread the mixture evenly across the bottom of a glass pie plate or nice baking dish.
Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes and serve immediately with crackers, toasts or crunchy Italian ciabatta

 

Gluten Free · Grains · Vegetable-related

Creamy cauliflower garlic rice

Belinda

This is delicious, unctious and creamy!

6 to 8 cups chopped cauliflower
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth plus 2 cups water
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups brown rice
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
2 tbsp butter
6 to 8 cloves minced garlic
1/2 to 3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese for topping (more to taste)

Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Bring the broth and water to a boil in a large pot. Add the cauliflower and boil for 10 minutes or until tender, then transfer the cauliflower to the blender or food processor.

Puree the cauliflower adding milk or broth to get a smooth, creamy consistency. Season with salt, pour over the cooked rice and stir to combine.

In a large nonstick skillet melt the butter over low heat and add the garlic, sauteing until the garlic is very frangrant. Watch it doesn’t burn!. Should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the creamy rice mixture and stir until the butter/garlic mixture is well incorporated.
Add cheese on top or stir it through the rice to get it melted.
season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Asian flavors · Curry · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable-related · Whole30 compliant

Butternut squash and spinach curry

Belinda

Serves about 4

2 tbsp vegetable oil or canola oil
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds (actually they look brown!)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
6 curry leaves,optional
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 tbsp good curry powder
4 cups peeled and cubed (1 1/2 inch cubes) butternut squash
2 cups of water, vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 cup coconut milk
3 cups tightly packed baby spinach

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the mustard seeds if using. When they start to pop, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds

Add the onions and cook till they are light brown, then throw in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or till fragrant

Sprinkle 4 tbsp curry powder, stir then add the peeled and cubed squash and salt.

Pour in 2 cups of water or stock and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat to a lively simmer, cover the pot and let the squash cook till it is fork tender, about 20 minutes.
If the water/stock is drying up before the pumpkin is cooked, add more. If there is too much liquid, boil it until it reduces down.

When the squash is cooked, add the coconut milk and remaining 1 tbsp curry powder. Stir and bring back to the boil.

When the curry boils, add the spinach and cook just till the spinach wilts, about 1 minutes.
Serve hot with rice, bread, roti or quinoa.

Optional – For added sweetness, garnish the curry with some dried cranberries.

 

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Salad · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Szechwan Slaw (CleanCuisine)

Belinda
Screen shot 2014-06-03 at 11.01.11 AM

I intend to make this as a side on Christmas Eve alongside the crown roast of pork  This is delicious and tangy with the freshly grated ginger giving it a real fresh and clean taste. It’s also great with a piece of broiled salmon as a very low fat meal

Serves 8

The Szechwan Dressing

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red chile flakes
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
salt to taste

The salad

3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 large red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
1 large carrot, coarsely grated
1/4 lb snow peas, sliced thinly and diagonally
1/8 cup black sesame seeds
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

To prepare the dressing

In a bowl combine the vinegar, canola, sugar, ginger, red chile flakes, cilantro and salt. Set aside

To prepare the salad

Toast the almonds until golden brown and they start to smell great! You can use a toaster oven or regular oven. It should take about 7 minutes  at 350F. Set aside to cool or do in advance.

Combine the red and green cabbages, red pepper, scallions, carrot, snow peas and sesame seeds.

Fifteen minutes before serving time, toss the cabbage mixture with the dressing, as this allows the flavors to meld while keeping the crisp vegetables intact.