Category: Vegetable sides

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 · 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.

Gluten Free · Rice · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Pilaf of eggplant, cauliflower and dates with harissa yogurt

Belinda

Another wonderful recipe by the wonderful Diana Henry. I highly recommend ALL her recipe books!

Toss leftover lamb or chicken into this too if you have it, or add chickpeas. You can extend and vary at will.

Serves 4

150g basmati rice
20g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground ginger
350ml chicken or vegetable stock
4 medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
½ small head of cauliflower, leaves removed, broken into florets
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large eggplant, cut into 1cm cubes
20g unsalted shelled pistachios, chopped
3 tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped
225g full-fat Greek yogurt
½ tbsp harissa paste

Rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear.
Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and sauté the onion until soft and pale gold. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another couple of minutes.
Now add the rice and stir until well coated and just beginning to toast. Add the stock and dates, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down low and cook for 15-20 minutes. Don’t stir or the rice will become sticky, but check towards the end to make sure it isn’t catching at the bottom of the saucepan.

Boil or steam the cauliflower until just tender (but not falling apart).

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and cook the aubergine over a medium heat to get a good color all over, then turn the heat down, season and cook until soft. Scrape into a bowl, add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and quickly fry the cauliflower over a high heat until toasted. Season.
Gently fork the eggplant and cauliflower into the cooked rice, along with the nuts and cilantro.
Serve with the yogurt in a bowl alongside the harissa.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Salad · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Butternut squash and eggplant caponata with burrata

Belinda

Diana Henry’s autumnal dish of chunky butternut squash and fried eggplant with capers and green olives, served with creamy burrata.

Serves 4 as a light lunch or 6 as a starter

1 large eggplant
400g butternut squash, peeled and deseeded
100ml olive oil
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Pinch of dried chili flakes
400g tin cherry tomatoes in thick juice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
30g capers
50g green olives, pitted and halved
3 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
4 tbsp chopped parsley
250g burrata or mozzarella
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Cut the eggplant and squash into 2.5cm(1″) cubes. Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based sauté pan. Fry the vegetables in batches until golden-brown, about four minutes. Transfer them to a bowl. Add more oil and sauté the celery and onion to pale gold then add the garlic and chili and cook for two minutes.

Add the tomatoes and vinegar, stir and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 10 minutes.

Add the fried vegetables, capers, olives and sugar to the pan and season. Add 50ml of water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the squash is soft and the mixture thick. Remove from the heat and bring to room temperature. Add the lemon juice and parsley and season.

Serve topped with a chunk of mozzarella or burrata. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Gluten Free · lentils · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Baked pumpkin, burrata and lentils

Belinda

Recipe c/o Nigel Slater

Serves 2-3
2.2lbs (1kg) pumpkin or squash 1kg
3 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra
100g small green or brown lentils
A good handful of cilantro (coriander)
1 tbsp za’atar
1 tbsp thyme leaves
10 thyme springs
200g burrata

Set the oven at 350F/180C fan/gas mark 6.
Cut the pumpkin into thick slices, place in a single layer on a baking sheet or roasting tin and pour over the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn the slices over so they are coated with oil, then bake for about 20 minutes till translucent and tender.

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the lentils and cook for about 20 minutes till tender. Drain and toss them in the extra olive oil, a grinding of salt and black pepper, and the cilantro leaves.

Mix together the za’atar and the thyme leaves. Grind in a little black pepper, then scatter the mixture over the pumpkin slices. Add the sprigs of thyme and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Transfer the pumpkin to a serving dish and scatter with the lentils. Break the burrata into small pieces and add to the pumpkin.

Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Rumbledethumps, the ultimate Scottish vegetarian comfort food.

Belinda

Similar to bubble and squeak, Rumbledethumps is a traditional Scottish dish of buttery mash, cabbage and rutabaga (swede), baked until golden brown and crispy.
You can cook it earlier in the day and reheat in the oven – give them an extra 20 minutes or so from cold.

Recipe by Sue Lawrence for BBC Good Food

Serves 6

1 1/2 lb large potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
14 oz rutagaba (swede) peeled and chopped into large chunks
3-4 oz unsalted butter
9 oz savoy cabbage or kale, finely sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 oz mature cheddar, grated

Set the oven to 350F.

Cook the potatoes and swede in a saucepan of salted boiling water until tender. Drain well and return to the pan.

Heat 50g/2oz butter in a pan and gently cook the cabbage for a few minutes, until the cabbage is tender but retains its color.

Add the cabbage to the pan with the potatoes and swede. Add the remaining 25g/1oz butter and mash together using a potato masher. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Place the mashed vegetables into an ovenproof lidded dish and top with the cheese. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes, or until piping hot and golden-brown on top.

Gluten Free · Salad · Vegetable sides

Warm lentil salad with goat’s cheese

Belinda

How gorgeous does this salad look?
Made from lentils that you can store in your cupboard (a good staple to have in there), and livened up with juicy, sweet beets, radicchio, creamy goat’s cheese and fresh herbs, it’s a really filling salad, which is super-healthy and a no-fuss, no-stress supper.

Serves 2

1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tbsp finely chopped rosemary
1 x 250g packet of pre-cooked Puy lentils
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cooked beets, halved and cut into wedges
Half a radicchio, roughly torn
50g soft goat’s cheese, broken into chunks
50g pecans
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 tbsp mint, roughly chopped

For the dressing
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a medium pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and gently fry until the garlic is just turning a light golden color. Stir in the lentils and warm through. Season to taste.
To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.
Toss the dressing, beetroot and torn radicchio leaves through the warm lentil mixture and transfer to a serving dish.
Scatter over the goat’s cheese, pecans, parsley and mint and serve.

*Note Torn mozzarella or burrata or crumbled vegan feta cheese are good alternatives for the goat’s cheese.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Za’atar Spice and Green Tahini Sauce

Belinda

This is a healthy vegan side dish bursting with Middle Eastern flavor. Easy and delicious!
Allow 90 minutes roasting time

1 whole large cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon za’atar spice (or try dukkah) ( or try a mix of coriander, cumin and optional sumac)
1 cup water
1 Batch TAHINI SAUCE (go to recipe below)
Garnish with fresh herbs – parsley, dill and or mint, sprinkle with optional Aleppo chili flakes, drizzle with this the green Tahini sauce!

Preheat oven to 425F.

Trim the cauliflower – either cutting off the stem (easier) or leaving it intact, trimming and slicing the bottom so it stands up straight.

Place it in an ovenproof skillet or dutch oven. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil all over the cauliflower, sprinkle with salt and za’atar spice. Pour one cup of water into the bottom of the pan.

Cover tightly with the lid or foil and bake for 45-60 minutes- or until tender all the way to the middle, when pierced with a knife. Smaller cauliflower heads may only take 45 minutes, larger can take up to 60.

Make the Everyday Tahini Sauce! Follow the link to the recipe.

Very carefully take the lid or foil off, minding the hot steam (it will burn!). Drizzle with a little more olive oil, place back in the oven for 30 minutes, perhaps rotating halfway through. At this point it should be deeply golden, but if not, continue roasting until it is… please no pale cauliflowers here!!!

Remove from the oven and sprinkle more za’atar if you like, fresh herbs, optional Aleppo chili flakes, and either drizzle the tahini sauce over the whole thing right in the pan, or cut it up, like a cake, into wedges and serve the tahini sauce on the side.

GREEN TAHNI SAUCE

1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 fat garlic cloves
3/4 cup fresh herbs (cilantro, Italian parsley, mint, dill or basil or a combo! See notes)
2–3 slices jalapeno (optional)
1/2- 1 teaspoon salt, start with 1/2 teaspoon add more to taste
½ cup tahini paste, stirred

Place all the ingredients (except the tahini paste) in a blender or food processor and blend until combined but not overly smooth. Add tahini paste. Blend until creamy, leaving some of the herbs intact.

Taste, and adjust salt, acid and heat. (Add salt, lemon, fresh chilies to taste).

If you want a “looser “sauce, add a little more water until the desired consistency.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Sticky sesame-baked cauliflower

Belinda

Recipe by Anna Jones

Sticky sesame baked cauliflower, it’s crispy, sticky, sweet, salty and sour. Lovely eaten with crisp leaves and lime spiked rice.

SERVES 4

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER
120g spelt flour
2 tablespoons rice flour
a clove of garlic, grated
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 large head of cauliflower (about 800g)

FOR THE SAUCE
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon chili paste or chili sauce
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
a small thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 tablespoons sesame seeds

TO SERVE
300g brown rice
2 heads of Little Gem lettuce or 1 head of Romaine, shredded
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
4 spring onions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper. To cook your rice, rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear then put it into a pan, cover with 3 times the amount of water and bring to the boil. Cook for 20–40 minutes, depending on the type of brown rice you are using.

In a large bowl, whisk the flours, 150–200ml water, grated garlic, sesame seeds and a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Your batter should be like a pancake batter, thick enough to coat a piece of cauliflower and not run off. If the batter is too thick, add a drop of water until you reach that consistency.

Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Toss the cauliflower florets in a good pinch of salt, then drop them into the batter and stir until all the pieces are coated. Use 2 forks to transfer the battered cauliflower to the baking trays, leaving a bit of space around each floret. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

While the cauliflower is baking, make the sauce. In a small saucepan combine the sauce ingredients. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil on the stove over a medium heat. Simmer for a couple of minutes or until slightly reduced. Set aside.

When the cauliflower is golden and crisp remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. Once it is cool enough to handle, transfer the par-baked cauliflower to a large bowl. Cover the cauliflower with all but 3 table- spoons of the sesame sauce. Toss to thoroughly coat the cauliflower.

Put the cauliflower back on the baking trays and back into the oven for another 10–15 minutes, or until the edges are starting to darken. Remove from the oven. Serve with the shredded lettuce and cooked rice. Finish with the remaining sauce, extra sesame seeds, and spring onions.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Miso roast squash and potatoes with almonds and kale

Belinda

Recipe by Anna Jones


This recipe saves a lot of work, as squash, potatoes and greens can be cooked together in one tray. The chili, miso and lemon combo is a great foil for some of the richer seasonal dishes.

Serves 8

500g small potatoes, scrubbed clean
700g Crown Prince, butternut or other squash
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp white miso
2 tbsp harissa
Juice of 1 lemon
100g kale, de-stemmed and shredded
100g toasted almonds

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters no larger than your thumb.

Cut the squash in half lengthways (no need to peel), use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, then cut into 2cm slices.

In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, miso, harissa and lemon juice.

Put the potatoes and squash on to a baking tray with half the harissa mixture. Toss well, using your hands, to make sure everything is coated. Roast for 40-45 minutes until everything is cooked through and browning at the edges. Turn everything once or twice to make sure it browns evenly, and keep a close eye on it as it can burn in a flash.

Add the shredded kale and roast for a final 10 minutes. It should crisp up a little. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon over the remaining dressing and scatter with the toasted almonds.