Vegetarian

(All Recipes have Gluten-Free Options)

Courgette, Pea & Ricotta Lasagne (Serves Four)

This lasagne from chef/food writer Nina Parker, is super easy as you don’t have to ‘faff’ around making a béchamel sauce, instead you just whip ricotta with grated cheese.

350g lasagne pasta sheets (gluten-free if required)

For the filling:

3 tbsp olive oil

3 medium courgettes, sliced into 3cm chunks

350g cherry tomatoes, halved

400g tinned chickpeas (1 tsp bicarbonate of soda)

6 garlic cloves, diced

200g frozen peas

Small bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped

2 buffalo mozzarella balls, torn into 3cm pieces.

For the tomato sauce:

2 tins of plum tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, grated,

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 tsp sugar,

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional).

For the ricotta sauce:

45g melted butter

150g Grana Padano, plus about 20g extra for grating over the top

500g ricotta cheese,

Lots of grated nutmeg to taste

Zest of 1 lemon and a small squeeze of juice,

Salt + pepper

170ml whole milk

Extra olive oil and grated cheese for the topping

Grease a 25cmx33cm baking dish with a spoon of oil.
Pour the chickpeas with the tin water into a bowl and top with extra water to completely cover. Mix in 1 level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and leave while the courgettes cook.
Set a large saucepan over a medium-to-high heat with 3 spoons of olive oil. Add the chopped courgettes and tomatoes. Season with salt & pepper, cover (leaving a gap) and cook for 10 mins. Mix every so often. Stir in the 6 cloves of chopped garlic and cook for another 5 mins. Wash the chickpeas under cold water, drain and add to the pot. Season and simmer for another 5 mins. Stir in the peas and basil.
Put all the tomato sauce ingredients into a blender and blitz for 20 secs until smooth.
Add all ingredients for ricotta sauce into a bowl and beat together for 20 seconds.
Spread a few spoons of the tomato sauce across the baking dish and top with one layer of lasagne, followed by more tomato sauce. Add half of the courgette mix, top with 1 ball of mozzarella, grated cheese, 1/3 of the ricotta sauce, and salt & pepper. Repeat once. Finally, top with more pasta, the last 3rd of the ricotta sauce, grated cheese, seasoning and olive oil.
Bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 40/45 mins in the middle of the oven.
Eat straight away with extra cheese!

Mushroom Bourguignon (with Mashed Carrots) (Serves 4-6)

This Nigel Slater recipe is a very comforting vegetarian dish. In the recipe below, I’ve used a mix of portobello, chestnut, oyster and shitake mushrooms, however, you can use whatever is at hand. The dish’s robust juices, with hints of tomato, rosemary and red wine, go particularly well with the sweetness of mashed carrots (recipe here).

2 onions, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

2 small carrots, cut into small chunks

6 small shallots, peeled (halved if large)

6 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

250g Portobello mushrooms, quartered

200g chestnut mushrooms, halved

3 heaped tablespoons tomato purée

2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons plain flour (gluten-free if required)

500ml red wine

500ml vegetable stock

150g oyster mushrooms, sliced

150g shitake mushrooms, sliced

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Sea salt and black pepper

Warm the olive oil in a deep casserole and add the chopped onions. Let them cook for a good 15 minutes until they are soft and pale gold. Add the garlic, cook for a minute or two before adding the carrots and shallots.
Meanwhile, remove the leaves from the thyme and rosemary and chop them finely. Then, add these, along with the bay leaves and coriander seeds to the onions, and cook for a further minute.
Stir in the Portobello and chestnut mushrooms and continue cooking until the mushrooms have darkened a little.
Stir in the tomato purée, continue to cook for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes.
Cook for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the flour and mix well. Pour in the red wine, bubble for a couple of minutes, then pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper, then turn the heat down and simmer for 25 minutes.
Finally, add the sliced mushrooms to the pot, along with the balsamic vinegar. Lower the heat and leave to simmer for a further 10 minutes.
Serve with mashed carrots (recipe here).

Roast Pumpkin Masak Lemak (Serves 3-4)

This is a recipe from one of my favourite cookbooks of 2025, Agak Agak by Shu Han Lee. The pumpkin is cooked in coconut milk with a spice paste; the result is a mildly spiced, subtly sweet, delicious dish. Simply serve with rice.

1kg pumpkin or winter squash

2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil

¾ teaspoon and a pinch of sea salt

200ml coconut milk

200ml water

For the spice paste:

100g shallots, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped

Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

3 large red chillies, roughly chopped

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

To finish:

Juice of ½ lime

Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

1 red chilli, thinly sliced

Cut the squash into 2-3 cm wedges, removing any seeds and fibrous bits and leaving the skin on. Toss with the oil and a big pinch of salt and spread out on a large, deep roasting tray. Roast in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, pound all the spice paste ingredients together either in a small blender or with a pestle and mortar, until you get a fine paste. Fry the paste in a saucepan over a medium heat until very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and water and bring to a simmer. Season with ¾ teaspoon of salt.
Pour the sauce over the squash in the roasting tin, cover with foil, and continue to roast in the oven for another 20-25 minutes until tender.
To serve, with a squeeze of lime, the chopped coriander and some chopped chilli.

Iraqi Bean Stew (Serves 4)

This a wonderfully tasty cannellini bean stew from Meera Sodha’s cookbook, Dinner. It’s topped with a lemony coriander salad which is the all-important finishing touch, don’t overlook this as it gives the stew a delicious zesty kick!

Rapeseed oil, for frying

2 brown onions, peeled and finely chopped

Salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground cumin

50g fresh coriander, picked, stalks finely chopped

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 lemon, zested, and juiced, to give about 3 tbsp lemon juice

Heat three tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan on a medium heat. Once hot, add the onions, a teaspoon of salt, the black pepper, cinnamon, allspice, cumin and coriander stalks, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, until soft and dark. Keep an eye on it, because you don’t want the onions or spices to catch.
When the mix is soft and sweet-smelling, add the tomatoes, beans and 200ml water, bring up to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, mix two tablespoons of rapeseed oil, the coriander leaves, lemon zest and juice, and a quarter-teaspoon of salt.
To serve, divide the stew between four bowls and top with a generous spoonful of the coriander and lemon oil.

Harissa, Sweet Potato and Tomato Stew (Serves 4)

Yes, the list of ingredients for this recipe is quite long but believe me when I say it’s super easy to make! This is another of those recipes in which the toppings give the dish it’s full flavour, don’t skimp on them – the fried chickpeas are especially moreish! (The original recipe from the cookbook, ‘A Love of Eating’ by Tart, served 2-3 so I have slightly increased the ingredients to serve 4 generously).

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 large cloves of garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

Large bunch coriander, stalks chopped and leaves reserved for garnish

4 tablespoons harissa (I use Belazu ‘rose harissa’)

750g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 preserved lemon, finely chopped

1 tablespoon tomato purée

175ml white wine

650ml vegetable stock

1 tablespoon dried oregano

A generous squeeze of honey

2 large handfuls of kale, tough stems removed, leaves roughly chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

For the Goat’s Curd:

100g soft goat’s cheese

100g natural yogurt

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon za’atar

2 lemons, zested

For the Topping:

A glug of olive oil

400g tins of chickpeas drained, rinsed and blot-dried with kitchen roll

6 spring onions, sliced into rounds

1 avocado, stone removed, peeled and cut into cubes

Bunch of oregano leaves, chopped

Handful of pine nuts, toasted (in dry frying pan)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add the onion, garlic and coriander seeds and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the coriander stalks, harissa, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, preserved lemon and tomato purée and stir well to combine. Add the wine, stock, oregano and honey and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes.
In the meantime make the goat’s curd: mix all the ingredients together, taste and season.
Next make the crispy chickpeas: heat the olive oil in a pan until hot then add the chickpeas and fry over a high heat until nice and crispy and slightly charred. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper and season with salt.
Taste the stew and season, adding more harissa if necessary. Once the sweet potato is cooked add the kale and cook for another minute or so.
Finally, ladle into warmed bowls and top with a good dollop of goat’s curd, the crispy chickpeas, spring onions, avocado, reserved coriander leaves, oregano and pine nuts.

Pappardelle with Mushroom Ragu (Serves 6)

There is no meat in this ragu, but the mushroom sauce is a slow- cooked so it’s wonderfully rich and tasty – pure comfort. I found this wonderful recipe in Debora Robertson’s cookbook ‘Notes From A Small Kitchen Island’.

25g dried porcini mushrooms

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, diced

1 small celery stick, about 35g, trimmed of any tough strings and finely diced

1 small carrot, about 35g, finely diced

3 fresh thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

800g chestnut mushrooms, sliced about 5mm thick

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

250ml white wine

2 tablespoons concentrated tomato purée

1 x 400g tin of cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

½ teaspoon sugar

A good pinch of chilli flakes

A small bunch of fresh parsley, stalks removed, leaves chopped

360g dried pappardelle pasta

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Parmesan cheese, grated to serve

Put the porcini into a small bowl with 500ml of just-warm water. Leave to soak for at least 30 minutes. When ready to use, use a slotted spoon to gently lift them out of the bowl and put to one side. Strain the remaining liquid through a sieve lined with kitchen paper to remove any grit, keep in a jug for later.
Meanwhile, place the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over a medium-low heat and sauté the shallots, celery and carrot with the thyme sprigs, bay leaf and a good pinch of salt until softened, about 10 minutes.
Raise the heat and add the mushrooms, sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt. Cook them over a high heat. Once they begin to release their liquid, continue to cook, stirring often until the liquid has evaporated – about 15 minutes.
Lower the heat and add the garlic and the reserved, drained porcini and stir for a minute more. Add the wine and simmer for a few minutes until the liquid is reduced to a third, then spoon in the tomato purée and give everything a stir.
Add the tinned cherry tomatoes, the reserved soaking water from the porcini, the vinegar, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, the sugar and chilli flakes. Let the ragu simmer gently, uncovered, for about 50 minutes, until the sauce is rich and glossy and thick. Fish out the bay leaf and thyme sprigs from the sauce.
Finally, stir in the chopped parsley, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
To serve, cook the pappardelle in salted, boiling water, according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Toss the pasta in the sauce. Serve immediately with the Parmesan grated over generously.

Pasta Diavola with Burrata & Basil (Serves 4)

The addition of torn burrata to this sweet tomato sauce creates a fantastically creamy dish; this recipe from ‘The Farm Table’ by Julius Roberts is a keeper!

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

1 teaspoon chilli flakes

2 tablespoons tomato purée

2 x 400g tin plum tomatoes (San Marzano are great)

a small bunch of basil

40g butter

3 teaspoons caster sugar

400g penne pasta (gluten-free if required)

2 balls of burrata (at room temperature)

Put the garlic cloves into a pan with the olive oil, then turn on the heat and allow the oil to slowly warm up until the garlic is sizzling. The aim is to infuse the oil, not colour the garlic. Add the onion, chilli flakes and tomato purée and cook for about 10 minutes until the onion is soft.
Cut up the tomatoes in the tin with a pair of scissors, then add to the pan. Rinse out the tins with a splash of water and pour that in too. Mix well and add a few sprigs of basil and bring to a gentle simmer. Leave the sauce barely bubbling for 20 minutes, until rich and thickened.
At this point, stir in the sugar and butter, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente. Before draining take out a large mugful of the starchy water and set aside.
Add the drained pasta to the sauce, mix well adding generous splashes of the starchy pasta water and a drizzle of olive oil, until it forms a silky sauce that coats the pasta.
Spoon the pasta into bowls. Tear each burrata in half and place on top of each bowl of pasta. Season the burrata with salt and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a handful of basil leaves.

Cashew Biryani (Serves 4)

Some years ago when I was on holiday in Sri Lanka I became rather addicted to their traditional cashew nut curry. So, when I came across this simple recipe in House & Garden magazine for Cashew Nut Biryani inspired by the aforementioned Sri Lankan curry, I couldn’t resist. With its subtle spice and creamy, nutty flavour it did not disappoint! The recipe calls for fresh curry leaves, these can be found at Asian supermarkets, it’s worth buying more than you need as they freeze well – I always have a stash in my freezer! (The recipe uses salted anchovy, but if you want it to be strictly vegetarian you could add 1 tablespoon soy sauce)

250g basmati rice

6 cardamom pods

Pinch of saffron

300g cashew nuts

400ml coconut milk

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon chilli powder

2cm cinnamon stick

1 anchovy fillet, rinsed (or 1 tablespoon soy sauce – see note above)

¼ teaspoon anise seeds

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

20 fresh curry leaves

Soak the rice for 20 minutes, then rinse until the water runs clear. Put in a pan with the cardamom pods, saffron and a good pinch of salt. Cover with boiling water and boil for 6 minutes, then rinse under cold water until cool. It should be a little al dente.
Put the other ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes, then season with salt.
In a ovenproof dish, approximately 20cm wide, lay alternate layers of rice and cashew nut mixture.
Cook in a preheated oven, 160’c fan, and baked, covered for 20 minutes. Leave to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Penne with Braised Courgette, Broccoli & Cauliflower (Serves 4)

This sauce is simply a combination of braised vegetables with anchovies, garlic and chillies, however, by slow-cooking the vegetables you create a wonderfully rich sauce. Unfortunately the vegetables do lose their lovely fresh green colour through cooking but all is forgiven when you taste the sauce!..

400g penne pasta (gluten free if required)

4 large courgettes

100ml olive oil, plus extra

12 anchovies

5 garlic cloves, sliced

½ teaspoon chilli flakes

200g tenderstem broccoli, cut into 3cm lengths

125g small cauliflower florets

Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and black pepper

Grate the courgette and reserve.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the anchovies, garlic, chilli flakes and a pinch of sea salt. Fry for 3 minutes, stirring continuously, until the anchovies start to melt into the oil. Add the courgette, broccoli and cauliflower and a dash more oil. Cover the pan and braise the vegetables slowly for about 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are well cooked and soft.
Meanwhile cook the penne until al dente, according to the packet instructions. Drain and toss the pasta through the sauce and cook for a further minute. Serve with lots of Parmesan grated over the top.

Mushroom Stroganoff (Serve 4)

This is a very tasty vegetarian dish, the addition of cornichons, pickled onions and capers lifts it to higher realms. I found this Jamie Oliver recipe whilst surfing the internet and it’s been a popular addition to my recipe file!

400g mushrooms (mixed or chestnut), torn/cut into quarters or thickly sliced depending on their size

1 red onion, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

4 silverskin pickled onions, sliced

2 cornichons, sliced

4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stalks chopped but kept separate

1 tablespoon baby capers

Olive oil

50ml whisky

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

80g half-fat crème fraiche

Place a large frying pan over a high heat, add the mushrooms and red onion and dry-fry for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add the garlic, pickled onions, cornichons, capers and the chopped parsley stalks. After 3 minutes add the whisky, and carefully light with a long match. Once the flames subside add the paprika, the crème fraiche and chopped parsley leaves. Toss together and loosen with a splash of boiling water for a saucy consistency.
Divide between plates, sprinkle over a little more paprika if desired and serve with fluffy rice.

Roasted Tomato Salad (Serves 4)

This is a perfect summer salad. Make sure you serve it with lots of bread to mop up the wonderful sweet juices. It’s one of those recipes which is so simple but Oh so good!…

12 large tomatoes

12 large fresh basil leaves

2 large or 4 small cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

To garnish:

Fresh basil leaves

24 black olives

Skin the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them and leaving for 1 minute, then drain and slip off the skins. Cut each tomato in half and place the halves in a shallow roasting tin, cut side uppermost.
Season each tomato and sprinkle over with the chopped garlic. Finally, pour a few droplets of olive oil over each one and top each one with half a basil leaf, turning each piece of leaf over to get a coating of oil.
Place the roasting tin in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, and roast for 50mins-1hour or until the edges are slightly blackened.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Transfer to a serving plate.
To serve, whisk the olive oil and balsamic vinegar together, and drizzle over the tomatoes. Finally, top each one with an olive and garnish with the basil leaves.

Roasted Red Peppers (Serves 4)

A wonderful classic Mediterranean recipe from Delia Smith’s ‘Summer Collection’ Cookbook. These peppers are incredibly good, they’re sweet yet with a salty edge; I’ve been cooking them for more years than I wish to admit!

4 large red peppers

4 medium tomatoes

8 tinned anchovy fillets, drained

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

8 dessertspoons olive oil

Freshly milled black pepper

A small bunch of basil

Half the peppers, removing the seeds but leaving the stalks intact. Lay the pepper halves on a lightly oiled roasting tray.
Put the tomatoes in a bowl and pour over boiling water, leave for 1 minute, then drain them and slip off the skins. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and place two quarters in each pepper half.
Snip one anchovy fillet per pepper half into rough pieces and add to the tomatoes. Divide the garlic slices equally among the tomatoes and anchovies and finally add a dessertspoon of olive oil to each pepper. And season with black pepper (not with salt as you have the anchovies!).
Place the tray in a preheated oven, 180’c, for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
Transfer the cooked peppers to a serving plate with all the precious juices poured over, garnish with the basil leaves and serve warm.

Turlu Turlu with Yoghurt & Cumin Sauce (Serves 4)

Taken from the cookbook ‘Moro’, Turlu Turlu has Turkish origins and is rather like a spiced and exotically herbed ratatouille. The vegetables are roasted so are super sweet; it makes a delicious vegetarian main course served with a yoghurt & cumin sauce and a simple rocket salad.

500-600g courgettes, trimmed and cut into 2cm discs

1 aubergine, halved lengthways and each half cut into 4 wedges lengthways

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, thickly sliced

2 green peppers, halved, seeded and thickly sliced

3 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthways and each half cut into 3 lengthways

200g kohlrabi or turnips, cut into wedges about 2cm thick

2 medium potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

60g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

150ml tomato passata

1 small bunch parsley, roughly chopped

1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

Yoghurt & Cumin Sauce:

200g Greek yoghurt

½ – 1 garlic clove

A good pinch of sea salt

1½ teaspoons cumin seeds, roughly ground

For the yoghurt sauce: use a pestle and mortar to crush the garlic with the salt to form a paste, then stir in the yoghurt and roughly ground cumin, and season with salt and pepper. Put to one side.
In a large bowl toss the aubergine, onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, kohlrabi (or turnips) and potatoes with the olive oil, allspice, coriander seeds and a little salt and pepper.
Spread out the vegetable mixture in a large roasting tray, no more than a layer deep and place in a preheated oven, 220’c fan, for 45 minutes turning every 15 minutes to encourage them to colour and caramelise all over. Now gently stir in the courgettes and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Meanwhile heat up the chickpeas with the passata and check for seasoning. Finally, add to the vegetables along with the chopped herbs and stir well. Serve with the yoghurt sauce and a rocket salad.

Roasted Squash, Crispy Lentils, Pomegranate & Dukkah (Serves 4)

This is a fantastic vegetarian recipe from Rukmini Iyer’s cookbook ‘A Roasting Tin Around The World’. Not only does it taste wonderful, but it looks beautiful with its jewel-like colours!

600g butternut squash, cut into 1.5cm slices

1 red onion, cut into eighths

250g cherry tomatoes

1 x 400g tin brown lentils, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

½ – 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (to taste)

2 tablespoons dukkah

A handful of pomegranate seeds

A handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped

Dressing:

100ml plain yogurt

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

Tip the squash, onion and tomatoes into a roasting tin large enough to hold everything in one layer, then mix through the lentils, salt, pomegranate molasses, oil, garlic and chilli flakes. Transfer to a preheated oven, 180’c fan, roast for 45-50 minutes, until the squash is cooked through.
Meanwhile, mix the yogurt and pomegranate molasses together, taste and season with a little salt as needed.
Drizzle the yogurt over the roasted veg, scatter over the dukkah, pomegranate seeds and mint and serve hot.

Aubergine Parmigiana (Serves 4)

With the wonderful mix of tomato, parmesan, mozzarella and aubergine, the flavours of this dish will brighten any day! Simply serve with a well-dressed green salad. I like to fry half of the aubergine slices and blanch the other half, in this way the parmigiana isn’t too oily yet still very tasty. Simply leave out the breadcrumbs for a gluten free option.

1kg aubergines (about four large ones)

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for frying

3 garlic cloves, crushed

800g tinned tomatoes

150ml red wine

Pinch of sugar

½ teaspoon dried oregano

200g mozzarella, thinly sliced

100g Parmesan cheese, grated

50g dried breadcrumbs (optional)

Handful of basil leaves

Sea salt and black pepper

* A rectangular baking dish approx. 30cm x 20cm

Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over a medium-high heat and add the garlic. Fry for a minute before adding the tomatoes and wine. Bring to the boil, stirring and mashing the tomatoes. Add a pinch of sugar, a little seasoning and the oregano, reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile cut the aubergines, lengthways, into thin slices (about 5mm).
Pour enough oil into a frying pan to coat the bottom well and put over a medium-high heat. Fry half the aubergine slices until golden brown on both sides, working in batches and removing to drain well on kitchen roll.
Put a large pan of water on to boil. When boiling add the other half of the aubergine slices and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove and drain on kitchen roll – it is important to dry them well.
To assemble the parmigiana, spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of a baking dish, followed by a layer of the fried aubergines (packing them tightly), then half of the mozzarella slices, quarter of the parmesan cheese and seasoning. For the next two layers use the blanched aubergine slices, followed by a thin layer of tomato sauce, a generous sprinkling of parmesan and seasoning (no mozzarella). Finally, for the fourth layer use the remaining fried aubergine slices, the tomato sauce, and the mozzarella slices. At this point if using breadcrumbs mix them with the remaining parmesan cheese and a little olive oil and sprinkle over the top (if not using breadcrumbs simply sprinkle over the parmesan).
Bake in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for about 30 minutes until browned and bubbling. Allow to cool slightly and sprinkle over with torn basil leaves before serving.

Casserole of Vegetable with Pears and Ceps (Serves 4)

This casserole may lack meat but believe me it will please the most ardent meat-lover. The sweet flavour of the pears lift this simple casserole to higher realms – making it a really special vegetarian choice! The recipe is from Daniel Galmiche’s cookbook ‘French Countryside Cooking’.

80g unsalted butter

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

200g carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

200g swede, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

2 firm pears, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges

2 large shallots, cut into thick rings

40g dried ceps or porcini

2 thyme sprigs

200g celeriac, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

12 garlic cloves, unpeeled

200g butternut squash cut into 2cm chunks

4 small new potatoes, scrubbed and each cut into three pieces

125ml Vegetable stock

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

Place the ceps (or porcini) in a small bowl, add 150ml of warm water and leave to one side to soak.
Heat 20g of the butter with the sunflower oil in a casserole dish over a medium-high heat. When the butter is foaming add the carrots. Turn down the heat, partially cover and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots just start to soften around the edges but do not colour. Add the swede, cover again and cook for a further 12-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 20g butter in a frying pan. When foaming add the shallots and pears and cook for 8-10 minutes until just tender and starting to caramelize.
Using a slotted spoon remove the ceps (or porcini) from the soaking water, put on a paper towel and pat dry. Strain and reserve the soaking water.
Add the ceps (or porcini) to the pan with the pears and shallots, then stir in the thyme and sauté for a further 3-4 minutes over a medium heat until the ceps have softened. Leave to one side.
Add another 20g of butter to the casserole along with the celeriac and garlic. Partially cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened. Add the butternut squash and potatoes and cook for a further 8-10 minutes. Turn up the heat and add the remaining butter, stock and reserved soaking water. Cook for 5-8 minutes until the liquid has reduced enough to just coat the vegetables – do this quickly so that the vegetables don’t overcook.
Remove the casserole from the heat and add the reserved pear mixture and chopped parsley, stir gently to combine and heat through. Serve straightaway.

Macaroni Cheese with Cherry Tomatoes (Serves 4)

I remember my mum making macaroni cheese back in the seventies, I wasn’t keen on it in those days as according to my fussy, childish taste buds it was too cheesy – perhaps if my mum had followed this recipe with cherry tomatoes I would have been asking for seconds (although in her defence, cherry tomatoes weren’t a thing you could easily find on the shelves of a seventies grocery shop!). Not only is this a fabulous version of macaroni cheese due to the sweet addition of roasted tomatoes but it’s hassle-free; instead of making a cheese sauce from scratch it calls for mascarpone cheese simply combined with Emmental cheese – so easy!…

250g cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

350g macaroni (gluten free if required)

250g mascarpone cheese

300g Emmental cheese, coarsely grated

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and black pepper

Place the cherry tomatoes in a 2 litre ovenproof dish. Drizzle over the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 15 minutes until the tomatoes have softened and the skins have slightly split.
Meanwhile cook the macaroni until al dente, according to the packet instructions.
In a bowl, combine the mascarpone, emmental and mustard, stirring until evenly blended.
Drain the pasta and stir in the cheese mixture, then gently fold in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Tip the mixture into the ovenproof dish used for the tomatoes. Bake in the preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.

Black Eyed Beans and Chickpea Stew (Serves 4-6)

This is a delicately spiced vegetarian stew, serve it with a good sprinkling of fresh coriander and rice on the side. The recipe is from Darina Allen’s cookbook ‘A Year at Ballymaloe Cookery School’.

225g fresh chestnut mushrooms

6 tablespoons groundnut oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 inch piece of cinnamon stick

140g onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

400g tinned chopped tomatoes

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Pinch of sugar

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

225g tinned black eyed beans, drained

225g tinned chick peas, drained

3 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

1-2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped

Cut the mushrooms into thick slices. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot put in the whole cumin seeds and cinnamon stick. Let them sizzle for 5-6 seconds then add the onion and garlic. Stir fry until the onions are just beginning to brown. Add the mushrooms, stir fry until they begin to wilt. Now add the tomatoes, ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, sugar and cayenne. Stir and cook for a minute. Cover the pan and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes.
Add the drained black-eyed beans and chickpeas, 150ml of water, 2 tablespoons of the chopped coriander and season generously with salt and pepper. Bring the stew to the boil again, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.
Serve with a generous sprinkling of the remaining chopped coriander and the mint, with rice on the side and a good green salad.

Pasta & Lentils (Serves 4-5)

This is a delicious vegetarian pasta with a wonderful fulfilling flavour; it will be loved by vegetarians and meat lovers alike!…

300g pasta shells (gluten-free if required)

300g Puy lentils

2 level tablespoons Marigold Swiss bouillon powder

1 onion, peeled and cut in half

6 fresh sage leaves

2 sprigs rosemary

4 ripe tomatoes, 350-400g, peeled

20g parsley, stalks removed

2 cloves garlic, peeled

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

To Serve:

Extra virgin olive oil

Freshly grated pecorino romano (or parmesan)

Put the lentils in a sieve and rinse them under cold water, picking out any gritty bits. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, boiling for 5 minutes, then drain, reserving the cooking liquid and rinse them.
Put 3 litres of hot water, including the reserved cooking liquid from the lentils, in a saucepan and mix in the Marigold Swiss bouillon powder. Add the onion, sage leaves, rosemary sprigs and 1 level tablespoon of salt.
Add the lentils to the pan, cover and bring to the boil, stirring once or twice. Let the lentils cook for about 20 minutes until just tender.
Add the pasta shells to the saucepan and cook with the lentils for a further 10-11 minutes – until the pasta it just al dente (check the packet instructions for cooking time).
Meanwhile, squeeze the seeds out from the tomatoes. Chop the tomatoes together with the garlic and parsley, to form a coarse mixture. Spoon the mixture into a large frying pan, pour in the 4 tablespoons of olive oil and heat gently for 5 minutes.
When the pasta is nearly cooked drain the pasta and lentils, pick out the onions, sage and rosemary. Add the pasta and lentils to the frying pan and stir-fry with the parsley mixture over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes turning the mixture over and over.
Serve in pasta bowls, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with the cheese.

Penne with Wild Mushrooms & Crème Fraîche (Serves 4-6)

This is a lovely rich, unctuous sauce, pure comfort on a chilly night! The cooked penne is added to the sauce and then cooked for a further minute, to absorb the flavours – bearing this in mind it should be undercooked by a minute when initially cooked. The recipe calls for mixed mushrooms, but I must admit that I often make it with only chestnut mushrooms and it is still delicious! This recipe is from Delia Smith’s classic cookbook ‘How to Cook’.

500g penne pasta (gluten free if required)

450g mixed fresh mushrooms (flat, chestnut, shitake or wild mushrooms – see note above), finely chopped

10g dried porcini mushrooms

250ml crème fraîche

3 tablespoons milk

50g butter

4 large shallots, peeled and finely chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

¼ whole nutmeg, grated

Lots of parmesan cheese, to serve

Sea salt and black pepper

First of all put the porcini in a small bowl, then heat the milk and pour it over the mushrooms, leave them to soak for 30 minutes.
Heat the butter in a medium frying pan over a gentle heat, stir in the shallots and let them cook gently for 5 minutes.
Strain the porcini in a sieve lined with kitchen roll, reserving the soaking liquid, and squeeze the porcini dry. Then chop them finely and add to the pan, along with the fresh mushrooms and balsamic vinegar. Next, season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Give it all a good stir, then cook gently, uncovered for 30-40 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated.
About 10 minutes before the mushrooms are ready, cook the penne according to the cooking instructions but reduce the cooking time by 1 minute (see note above)
Meanwhile mix the crème fraiche with the reserved mushroom soaking liquid and add to the mushroom mixture, warm through.

Vegetable Thai Green Curry (Serves 4)

There are numerous versions of this popular curry, but I’ve been particularly impressed by this recipe from Meera Sodha’s cookbook ‘East’ – do try it! It perfectly balances the flavours of fresh green chilli and sweet coconut – pure comfort whatever the weather!

Although this is a vegetarian recipe feel free to throw in some chopped chicken breast or some prawns towards the end of cooking!…

For the paste:

4 green finger chillies, roughly chopped

3 lemongrass sticks, tough leaves discarded , roughly chopped

4 fat garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1½ tablespoons galangal paste, drained

2cm ginger, peeled and chopped

1½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

8 kaffir lime leaves or 1 teaspoon lime zest

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Rapeseed oil

For the curry:

2 medium aubergine (600g), cut into 2cm cubes

2 courgettes (400g), cut into 2cm cubes

400ml tin coconut milk

1½ teaspoon sugar

100g broccoli, cut into small florets

100g mangetout

To serve: Steamed Jasmine rice

Put all the paste ingredients into a blender with 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil and 2 tablespoons of water. Blend until as smooth as possible (adding more oil or water if necessary).
Over a medium-high heat put 2 tablespoons of oil into a large frying pan (which has a lid) and when hot, add the aubergines in a single layer (you may need to fry them in a couple of batches). Fry for 8 minutes, turning often, until tender and lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
Drizzle more oil into the hot pan and cook the courgettes for 4 minutes, again, turning often, until almost tender and lightly browned. Transfer to another plate.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and when hot add the paste stir-fry for 4 minutes, then slowly add the coconut milk and 200ml of water, and mix. When the milk starts to bubble add the sugar, cooked vegetables, broccoli and mangetout. Simmer for 6 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Serve in bowls with steamed Jasmine rice alongside.

Vegetarian Moussaka with Ricotta Topping (Serves 4-6)

This is such a good vegetarian recipe! It’s from Delia Smith’s ‘Winter Collection’ cookbook, but I think that this recipe is good whatever the season – I know from experience that it is perfect on a summers day with a crunchy green salad!… In the original recipe the aubergines are purged (salted) before cooking, I don’t do this as having read that these days due to the varieties of aubergines being less bitter there is no need, I am inclined to agree and of course, it saves time.

2 aubergines, chopped into 1 cm dice

275ml vegetable stock

50g Puy lentils

50g green lentils

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

1 large red pepper, chopped into small dice

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

400g tin chopped tomatoes, drained

200ml red wine

2 tablespoons tomato purée

1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Sea salt and black pepper

For the topping:

275ml whole milk

25g plain flour (gluten-free if required)

25g butter

¼ whole nutmeg, grated

250g Ricotta cheese

1 egg, beaten

25g Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and black pepper

Pour the stock into a saucepan together with the Puy lentils, bring to the boil and simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes before adding the green lentils. Cover again and cook for a further 15 minutes by which time most of the liquid should be absorbed and the lentils will be soft.
Meanwhile heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the onions until they are soft and tinged brown, about 5 minutes. Then add the red pepper, cook until softened for 4 minutes or so. Next add the garlic, cook for a further minute then transfer to a plate.
Now fry the aubergines in a further 2 tablespoons of olive oil (you may need a little more), turn up the heat and toss so that the aubergines get evenly cooked. When they are softened and browned add the drained tomatoes and the onion and pepper mixture.
In a bowl mix the wine, tomato purée and cinnamon together, then pour it over the vegetables. Then add the lentils, chopped parsley. Season well and let everything simmer gently whilst you make the topping.
For the topping, simply put the milk, flour, butter and nutmeg in a saucepan and whisk until it comes to simmering point and thickens into a smooth sauce. Remove for the heat and season with salt and pepper, let it cool a little before adding the Ricotta cheese, followed by the beaten egg.
Transfer the vegetable mixture to a baking dish and spoon over the cheese sauce, using the back of a spoon to take it right up to the edges of the dish. Sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated oven, 180’c, for a hour.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Baked Buckwheat Pasta with Cheese, Courgettes and Potato (Serves 4)

This is a delicious, quite unusual pasta recipe from one of my favourite cookbook writers, Antonio Carluccio. It is apparently based on a classic recipe from the Valtellina valley in Italy, where they traditionally make it with pizzoccheri, a sort of buckwheat tagliatelle. This is difficult to find in the UK so I substitute it for buckwheat penne. The good thing about buckwheat pasta is that it is naturally gluten-free and healthier than regular pasta. It gives the dish a slightly nutty flavour, however, you could substitute it for regular pasta if you prefer. The original recipe calls for Bitto or Fontina cheese, but, again, these can be difficult to find in the UK, so I use Emmental. The end result is a healthy, very tasty pasta dish!

300g buckwheat penne (see note above)

300g courgettes, trimmed and cubed

300g waxy potatoes (such as Charlotte), peeled and cubed

200g Fontina or Emmental cheese, cut into small cubes

60g unsalted butter

80g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Put the pasta, courgettes and potatoes into a large saucepan full of boiling, salted water, and cook until everything is tender (about 12 minutes).
Drain well then mix the Fontina (or Emmental) cheese, 40g of the butter and 60g of the Parmesan. Put in a suitable ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining butter in a pan with the sliced garlic and heat until foaming. Remove the baked pasta from the oven and spoon over the melted garlic butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve straight away.

Roast Indian-Spiced Vegetables with Lime-Coriander Butter (Serves 4)

This recipe is from the cookbook ‘From Oven to Table’ by Diana Henry, and as she says herself, ‘it is the simplest, loveliest dish; beautiful’. It’s the lime-coriander butter, with its zingy, chilli-infused flavour, that really brings this dish of subtly spiced, roasted vegetables to life. It doesn’t need anything else on the side except a spoonful of natural yoghurt and, perhaps, a dollop of your favourite Indian chutney…

For the Vegetables:

300g small, waxy potatoes (such as Charlotte), scrubbed and quartered

3 medium-small ready-cooked beetroot, halved

6 long slim carrots, halved (or 3 large carrots, quartered)

1 medium-large cauliflower, about 1kg broken into florets, with the leaves

3 parsnips, halved lengthways

3 cloves garlic, finely grated

5 tablespoons groundnut oil

Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

Natural yoghurt and chutney to serve

For the Butter:

75g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 red chilli, chopped (or ½ teaspoon chilli flakes)

2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves

Finely grated zest of 1 lime, plus a squeeze of lime juice

First of all, get out your largest roasting tin, about 38-36cm (or use a couple of smaller tins). Place in a preheated oven, 210’c fan, to heat up.
Put all the vegetables in a very large bowl, add the garlic, oil and seasoning.
Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan for about a minute or two, until you can smell the spices. Put these spices in a mortar with the turmeric and pound together. Add the spices to the vegetables, turning everything over in the oil.
Take the hot tins out of the oven and add the vegetables to them. Roast for 25 minutes tossing the vegetables halfway through.
Meanwhile, mash the butter with the chilli, coriander, lime zest and juice.
When the vegetables are ready put knobs of the butter all over the top and allow it to melt. Serve with the natural yoghurt and chutney on the side.

Bean and Lentil Bake with Sweet Potato Mash (Serves 4)

I will be the first to admit that, being keen meat eater, I often struggle to find vegetarian recipes which are really ‘fulfilling’. This recipe definitely ticks all my boxes, even though it is not just vegetarian but vegan! I followed the recipe to the letter and so for the cheesy mash I used ‘nutritional yeast’ which was a revelation. It manages to give the mash a subtle cheesy flavour, however if you’re not vegan you could easily substitute this for cheddar cheese and likewise the coconut yogurt for milk. The paprika in the filling gives the pie a subtle smoky flavour which combined with the cheesy mash is delicious.

For the topping:

1 large sweet potato

1 large white potato

2 tablespoons coconut yogurt or milk (see note above)

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast or 6 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese (see note above)

Sea salt and black pepper

For the Filling:

1 leek

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons tomato purée

150g red lentils, rinsed

750ml vegetable stock

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed

Sea salt and black pepper

Peel and chop the potatoes into small cubes. Add them to a pan of boiling water with a good pinch of salt and cook on a high simmer for about 10 minutes until soft. Drain.
Mash the drained potatoes with the other topping ingredients, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Set aside.
To make the filling, roughly chop the leek, add to a large pan with the oil and fry on a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until soft.
Add the garlic, fry for a another minute then add the smoked paprika and tomato purée, stir well for another minute or so.
Add the lentils, vegetable stock and balsamic vinegar. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add a bit more water if needed.
Now add the black beans and season with salt and pepper, stir well.
Spread the lentil mix evenly over the base of a baking dish. Top with the mash, spreading it out to cover the lentil mix.
Bake in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for about 20 minutes until the potato top is crispy.

Winter Pilau with Beetroot, Cauliflower and Coriander Chutney (Serves 4)

I love the jewel-like colours of this dish – the brightness of the turmeric stained rice, the pomegranate and beetroot with the vivid green of the coriander chutney is beautiful. That’s just the colours… the flavours will really add a ‘zing’ to your day! This recipe is from Meera Sodha’s cookbook, ‘East’.

300g basmati rice

600g cauliflower, broken into bite-size florets

400g raw beetroot peeled and cut into wedges

300g swede, peeled and cut into 1cm x 3cm slices

2½ teaspoons garam masala

Rapeseed oil

Sea salt

1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk

6 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

2cm ginger, peeled

2 green finger chillies

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 large onion, finely sliced

100g fresh coriander

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon caster sugar

2 handfuls of pomegranate seeds

Wash the rice in a few changes of cold water, until the water runs clear then leave to soak in cold water.
Put the cauliflower on a baking tray in a single layer and on another baking tray put the beetroot and swede, again in a single layer. In a small bowl, mix the garam masala, 5 tablespoons of rapeseed oil and ¾ teaspoon of salt, then drizzle this mixture over the veg on both trays, tossing to coat. Roast in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 25-30 minutes until tender and caramelised in places (the swede and beetroot may need a little longer).
While the vegetables are cooking make the sauce for the rice. Put 300ml of the coconut milk into a blender/processor with the garlic, ginger, one of the chillies, the turmeric and ¾ teaspoon of salt, then blitz until smooth.
In a large frying pan with a tight fitting lid, heat 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil over a medium heat. Fry the onion for 10 minutes then add the coconut sauce and cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the drained rice with 400ml of freshly boiled water, and bring to the boil. Put on the lid, turn the heat down to very low, so that it is barely simmering, and cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked through.
Remove the pan from the heat and fold through the cooked, roasted vegetables, replace the lid, and leave to one side to steam for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile make the chutney. Put the remaining 100ml of coconut milk in a blender/processor with the coriander, the other chilli, lemon juice, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth and scrape into a serving bowl.
Transfer the rice to a platter, sprinkle over the pomegranate seed and serve with the coriander chutney alongside.

Pomegranate-Cooked Lentils and Aubergines (Serves 4)

This is my new favourite vegetarian meal! I found it in the cookbook ‘Falastin’ by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley, which celebrates the food of Palastine. I adore Pomegranate Molasses as it adds such a wonderfully intense sweet and sour flavour to dishes but without being overpowering, in this recipe it really adds a little bit of magic! This dish is great served simply with rice or bread. The leftovers make a delicious lunch (I speak from experience!) – or as suggested in the cookbook you could have them for breakfast with a fried egg, I’m yet to try this but it sounds delicious!…

2 aubergines (500g), cut into 3cm dice

60ml olive oil, plus 1½ tablespoons extra to serve

150g green or brown lentils

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1½ teapoons fennel seeds, roughly crushed in a pestle and mortar

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon cornflour

4 tablespoons (80g) pomegranate molasses

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon tahini

Salt and black pepper

Fried Onions:

About 400ml vegetable oil

2 large onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons cornflour

To Serve:

A handful of parsley, roughly chopped

40g pomegranate seeds

2 red chillies, thinly sliced

In a large bowl mix the aubergines with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and a good grind of black pepper. Tip them on to a large parchment-lined baking tray (about 35x40cm), so that they are in a single layer. Roast in a preheated oven, 220’c fan, for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice throughout. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Rinse the lentils and put them in a saucepan with 1 litre of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 20-25 minutes until they are almost cooked. Drain the lentils, reserving 350ml of the cooking liquid.
To fry the onions, pour enough vegetable oil into a large saute pan so that it rises 3cm up the sides of the pan. Mix the onions with the cornflour and then when the oil is hot, carefully fry the onions in batches – fry for about 6-7 minutes until they are golden brown, stirring to stop them sticking together. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.
Wipe clean the sauté pan and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place over a medium heat and add the garlic and chilli. Fry for 2 minutes stirring, until the garlic is light golden brown. Add the cumin, fennel and coriander and stir continuously for 30 seconds. Stir in the cornflour for 1 minute, then add the lentils, the 350ml of reserved cooking liquid, ¾ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Bring to the boil and cook for 5-6 minutes stirring frequently until the liquid has thickened to the consistency of thick porridge. Finally, add the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, tahini, all the aubergines and half of the fried onions. Stir through, then remove from the heat.
Serve sprinkled with the remaining fried onions, the chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds and sliced chillies, finishing with a drizzle of olive oil and rice on the side.

Sheepless Shepherd’s Pie (Serves 6-8)

This meatless shepherd’s pie makes a great vegetarian feast. The rich combination of braised lentils, mushrooms and vegetables are the perfect substitute for lamb. It has complex flavours – the secret ingredient is pickled walnuts which lend a dark nuttiness and piquancy that really lift the whole dish. The topping is a caramelised celeriac mash rather than potato – it really is delicious! This recipe is from Rosie Birkett’s cookbook ‘The Joyful Home Cook’. The recipe calls for the lentils to be soaked before use, however you could use ‘Merchant Gourmet’ Puy lentils which don’t need soaking.

200g green or puy lentils, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes and drained (or use no-soak, see above)

3 bay leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion diced

2 celery sticks, trimmed and finely chopped

1 carrot, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Pinch of dried chilli flakes

½ x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

30g butter, plus a couple of knobs for frying the sage and greasing

6 sage leaves, plus 3 for pie topping

400g field or chestnut mushrooms, sliced

500ml vegetable stock (I use Swiss Marigold Boullion)

1 teaspoon honey

80g pickled walnuts, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon of the vinegar

100g brie, cubed

For the Celeriac Topping:

100ml whole milk

1 celeriac (400-500g) peeled and cubed

50ml double cream

30g butter

Nutmeg, for grating

10g Parmesan cheese, grated

Sea salt and black pepper

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the lentils and one bay leaf. Cook for 15 minutes, or until tender, skimming away any surface scum. Drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add another bay leaf, the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, chilli flakes and a large pinch of salt, fry for 8-10 minutes until the onions have softened and are starting to brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until they start to break down into a sauce. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Melt the butter in another frying pan over a medium-high heat and stir in the 6 sage leaves and add the mushrooms plus a good pinch of salt, fry for 6-8 minutes until they have given up most of their moisture and are deeply coloured.
Add the mushrooms to the tomato pan, along with the lentils and pour over the vegetable stock. Return this pan to a medium heat, stir and cook for 5-8 minutes until the stock has reduced. Season with pepper, stir in the honey, pickled walnuts and vinegar and the cheese, remove from the heat.
Now cook the topping. Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the remaining bay leaf, the cubed celeriac and a good pinch of salt. Cover and turn the heat to low-medium. Slowly cook, so that the milk starts to evaporate, steaming and caramelising the celeriac. Gently shake the pan every few minutes to stop the celeriac sticking to the bottom of the pan – and if it gets too dry add another splash of milk. Cook for about 15 minutes until tender. Finally add a tablespoon of boiling water and give it a good stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom.
Put the celeriac in a food processor, add the cream, butter, a good grating of nutmeg, the Parmesan and salt and pepper. Blitz until smooth and creamy.
Finally, put the lentil mixture in a buttered pie dish and top with the celeriac mash. At this point, for added luxury, you can melt a knob of butter in a frying pan and fry the remaining 3 sage leaves until crisp, then pour them over the pie, or you can simply top with a few knobs of butter.
Bake the pie in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 25-30 minutes.

Garlic Mushroom Linguine (Serves 4)

There’s not much to this recipe, yet it always pleases, what’s not to like – mushrooms and garlic are a match made in heaven!… I particularly like this recipe with chopped tarragon, but if you can’t get hold of it, chopped parsley also works well.

400g linguine or spaghetti (gluten free if required)

50g butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

500g chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced

Juice of ½ lemon

20g fresh tarragon (or parsley), chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the garlic for a minute or so. Add the mushrooms with the lemon juice and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice until tender. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Add the drained pasta to the pan with the mushrooms, adding the chopped tarragon (or parsley), toss well and serve with the grated Parmesan.

New Potato, Chard & Coconut Curry (Serves 4)

This curry has a lovely soothing, spiced coconut sauce – it’s a real comfort food dish, a perfect dish to restore you and yours midweek! The recipe is from Meera Sodha’s fantastic cookbook ‘East’.

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

3 cloves garlic

2.5cm ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 green chillies, roughly chopped

30g desiccated coconut

400ml tin coconut milk

3 tablespoons rapeseed oil

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

600g new potatoes, halved lengthways (there is no need to peel them)

1½ teaspoons garam marsala

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

200g rainbow chard, stems chopped and leaves shredded

250g frozen peas, defrosted

Basmati rice and chutneys to serve.

Put the cumin, garlic, ginger, chillies and desiccated coconut in a blender with just enough coconut milk to blitz everything to a smooth paste. Then add the rest of the coconut milk, mix gently to form a sauce like consistency – only lightly pulse the mixture otherwise is might split!
In a frying pan with a lid, heat the oil over a medium heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the potatoes cut side down and fry for around 15 minutes until they are lightly golden brown and the onions are soft, dark and sticky.
Stir in the garam marsala, turmeric and salt, then add the coconut sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the chard stems, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Finally add the chard leaves and peas, cover again and cook for 5-10 minutes until the chard stems, peas and potatoes are tender and the leaves have wilted.
Serve with basmati rice and some chutneys on the side.

Penne with Broccoli, Chilli & Pine Nuts (Serves 4)

This is a very satisfying pasta dish with light, fresh flavours and better still, it will be on the table from start to finish in 15 minutes!

*You could cook the broccoli by adding it to the pasta pan towards the end of cooking, but I prefer to cook it separately as in this way you can be sure that it will not be overcooked.

350g penne or other short pasta

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely sliced

2 red chillies, finely chopped

1 broccoli head, about 350g, cut into small florets

50g pine nuts, toasted (in dry frying pan)

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain, reserving about 2-3 tablespoons of cooking water.
Meanwhile cook the broccoli in boiling water for about 3 minutes until just tender – but still has ‘bite’. Drain.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the garlic and chilli and cook gently for about 5 minutes.
Finally, add the drained pasta and broccoli to the pan with the garlic and chilli. Toss to combine adding a little of the reserved cooking liquid to loosen.
Serve sprinkled with the toasted pine nuts.

Courgette ‘Carbonara’ – Pasta all’Ortolanana (Serves 4)

This is a wonderful recipe from Diana Henry’s cookbook, ‘Simple’, it is basically carbonara but the bacon is substituted with courgettes, thus making it a great vegetarian option…and a delicious one at that!…

300-400g spaghetti

400g courgettes

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, very finely sliced

1 garlic clove, very finely sliced

2 eggs, plus 4 egg yolks

100g finely grated Parmesan cheese

50g finely grated Pecorino cheese

Leaves from a small bunch basil, torn

Salt and black pepper

Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions until al dente.
Meanwhile, top and tail the courgettes and cut the flesh into thin batons. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the courgettes and onions over a medium-high heat until golden and cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
In a bowl, beat the eggs, the yolks and both cheeses, seasoning with lots of black pepper.
When the pasta is cooked, drain, reserving half a cup of cooking water. Pour the reserved pasta water into the courgettes and then add the spaghetti, stir the mixture over the heat for a few moments to allow the water to evaporate and the spaghetti to absorb some of the flavours.
Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the egg and cheese mixture, mixing well so that every strand of pasta is covered and the sauce has thickened. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if required. Sprinkle over the torn basil leaves and serve immediately.

Asparagus, Corn & Goats Cheese Frittata (Serves 4)

This is a summer favourite, it makes a great, fast supper with a big, crunchy salad (see my salad dressings here!) or it’s great for a picinic!

400g asparagus

2 corn-on-the-cob

50g butter

4 spring onions, chopped

Bunch of fresh dill, chopped

8 eggs, beaten

200g firm goats cheese, broken into pieces

Sea salt and black pepper

Snap off and discard the woody ends of the asparagus and cut the spears into 2-3 cm lengths (if the spears are particularly thick, split them in half lengthways).
Remove the corn from the corn-on-the- cob, by running a sharp knife down along the cob.
Heat half the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the asparagus, corn and spring onions, fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Transfer to a bowl, add the chopped dill (reserving a little for a garnish), and gently mix in the beaten eggs, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Wipe the pan clean, then add the remaining butter over a high heat. When it has melted and starts to sizzle add the frittata mixture and reduce the heat to medium. Arrange the pieces of goats cheese over the top of the frittata, pushing them down into the mixture.
Cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the sides of the frittata start to puff up.
When it is just about set but still has a little wobble, place the pan with the frittata under a very hot grill to set the top.
Let it cool a little, before sprinkling with the reserved dill and cutting into thick wedges to serve.

Summer Vegetable Paella (Serves 4)

This is a wonderful vegetarian take on the classic Spanish dish paella, it is from Ross Dobson’s cookbook ‘Market Vegetarian’.

A large pinch of saffron threads

6 tablespoons olive oil

200g cherry tomatoes

100g green beans, trimmed and halved

4 baby courgettes, halved diagonally

80g peas (fresh or frozen)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 fresh rosemary sprigs

320g Arborio rice

800ml vegetable stock (I use Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon)

30g flaked almonds, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan

Put the saffron in a bowl with 65ml of hot water and set aside to infuse.
Heat half the olive oil in a frying pan set over a high heat and add the tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan so that the tomatoes start to soften and split. Use a slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes from the pan and set aside.
Add the beans, courgettes and peas to the pan and stir fry over a high heat for 2-3 minutes. Set aside with the tomatoes until needed.
Add the remaining oil to the frying pan with the garlic and rosemary, and cook gently for 1 minute to flavour the oil.
Add the rice to the pan and cook, stirring continuously, for about 2 minutes until the rice is shiny and opaque. Add the stock and the saffron with its water to the pan, increase the heat and bring to the boil, stirring to combine.
When the stock is boiling rapidly, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 20 minutes until almost all the stock has been absorbed.
Scatter the tomatoes, beans, courgettes and peas over the rice, cover lightly with a lid or some foil and cook over a low heat for a further 5 minutes so that the vegetables are just heated through.
Sprinkle with the almonds and serve.

Linguine with Asparagus and Prosecco (Serves 4)

This is a wonderfully simple recipe from Skye McAlpine’s cookbook ‘A Table in Venice’. As she herself says, cooking with Prosecco always seems rather extravagant, but the delicacy of Prosecco definitely lends something extra special to the sauce. I also use Prosecco when I cook ‘Spaghetti Vongole’ (recipe here), as it gives the sauce a lightness (from the bubbles) and a subtle sweetness. You could, of course, use white wine instead of Prosecco, but do try it with Prosecco at some point. The mini bottles of Prosecco are perfect for this recipe, or of course you could get a full bottle and enjoy the remainder of the bottle with your meal!

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

400g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3 cm lengths

100ml Prosecco

Handful of parsley, chopped

400g linguine (gluten free if required)

30g butter

30g parmesan cheese, grated

Sea salt and black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring over a low-medium heat for 5-10 minutes until softened but not coloured.
Add the asparagus and Prosecco, and season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the Prosecco has evaporated and the asparagus is tender (if it is not quite cooked by the time that the liquid has evaporated add a splash of water and cook for a little longer). Finally stir in the parsley.
Meanwhile cook the linguine according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Just before draining the pasta, scoop out about half a cup of cooking water and set to one side.
Drain the pasta, toss it back into the pan and add a good splash of the reserved cooking water to ‘loosen’ it. Little by little stir in the butter. Finally add the asparagus mixture, give everything a good stir and serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Peas & Mushrooms with Green Curry Sauce (Serves 4)

This is a great, easy vegetarian curry and extremely quick to cook once you have blended the ingredients for the spice mixture. I like to serve it with rice and chutneys.

1 fresh green chilli, coarsely chopped

30g fresh coriander leaves

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2.5cm cube fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

425g peas, defrosted if frozen

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

1¼ teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons whipping cream

Put the green chilli, coriander, garlic, ginger and turmeric into a blender. Add 4 tablespoons of water and blend to a purée, pushing down the mixture with a rubber spatula when necessary. Set the green spice mixture aside in a bowl.
Toss 140g of the peas into the blender. Add 4 tablespoons water and blend to a purée. Set the purée aside.
Put the oil in a large frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. Put in the cumin seeds, sizzle for 10 seconds, then add the mushrooms, saute for a few minutes then remove with a slotted spoon.
Now add the green spice mixture, cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the remaining peas, pea purée, mushrooms, salt and cream plus 4 tablespoons of water. Stir gently, cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Serve the curry with rice and some chutneys on the side.

Vegetable Laksa (Serves 4)

This is a delicious Southeast Asian aromatic soup with clean, fresh flavours whilst the addition of the rice noodles makes it a filling midweek meal.

For the spice paste:

4cm piece of fresh root ginger

3 shallots

3 garlic cloves

3 lemongrass stalks

4-6 red chillies

4 tablespoons peanut or sunflower oil

Handful of coriander leaves

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon caster sugar

3 tablespoons tamarind paste

For the Laksa:

170g rice noodles

1 small aubergine, cut into 2cm dice

85g mangetout

85g green beans, topped and tailed

Groundnut or sunflower oil

600ml vegetable stock

300ml coconut milk

1 lime, juiced

Handful of coriander, roughly chopped

Handful of Thai basil leaves (or normal basil leaves), roughly chopped

For garnishes:

½ cucumber cut into thin batons/strips (seeds removed)

1 lime, cut into wedges

Bean sprouts

Thai basil leaves (or normal basil leaves)

Chilli oil

To make the spice paste, peel and chop the ginger, shallots and garlic and finely chop the lemongrass and chillies. Put into a blender with the oil and blend until smooth. Roughly chop the coriander leaves and add to the mixture with the turmeric, sugar and tamarind paste. Put to one side.
Cook the rice noodles according to the packet instructions, drain and refresh in cold water, then add a little oil to prevent them from sticking together. Put to one side.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan and sauté the diced aubergine until soft. Put to one side.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the spice paste and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring until it is just beginning to brown.
Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for a further 5 minutes, to slightly reduce.
Add the coconut milk, bring to a gentle simmer, then add the mangetout and beans, continue to cook for 3 minutes before adding the diced aubergine, and cooking for a further minute – the vegetables should be just tender.
Finally stir in the lime juice to taste, and the chopped coriander and basil.
Divide the noodles between four bowls and pour over the hot broth. Top with the beansprouts, basil leaves and cucumber. Serve with a wedge of lime and chilli oil for more heat if desired.

Courgette and Cheddar Risotto with Courgette Fries

(Serves 4)

This is my new favourite risotto…I’ve always loved courgette fries, so a risotto topped with them is heaven! The pea shoots are a delicious garnish, they add a lovely fresh, sweet flavour and look beautiful!

For the risotto:

275-300g courgette, grated

1 small red onion, finely chopped

150g Carnaroli risotto rice

500ml hot vegetable stock

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

50g butter, cubed

100g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Pea shoots to garnish

For the Courgette Fries:

1 courgette

150ml milk, for dipping

4 tablespoons plain flour (gluten free if required)

Sunflower or groundnut oil for frying

First of all prepare the courgette fries. Cut the courgette into thin batons (removing centre core of seeds). Place the flour in a lidded container, and put the milk into a bowl. Dip the courgettes first in the milk then put them in the flour, put the lid on the container and give them a good shake so that they are evenly covered (shaking off any excess flour), you may want to do this in batches. Place the floured courgette batons to one side whilst you start the risotto.
Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onion until it has softened, about 2-4 minutes. Add the rice and give it a good stir so that they are completely covered in the oil, cook for about 2 minutes until they are slightly opaque looking.
Add a ladle of hot vegetable stock to the pan, stirring. Gradually add more stock, ladle by ladle until each one is absorbed. Continue cooking in this way, stirring, for about 20- 25 minutes until the stock is absorbed and then rice is al dente (with some bite). Add the grated courgette and the parsley, cook for 2 minutes and then stir in the butter and 50g of the cheese, season to taste.
Meanwhile fry your courgette batons: Generously cover the base of a small frying pan with sunflower oil or groundnut oil, heat over a high heat until very hot, then fry the courgettes, in batches, for a few minutes until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen roll and season with salt.
Place the risotto on plates and top with the courgette batons, then sprinkle the pea shoots around the plate. Serve with the remaining grated cheese.

Penne with Courgettes, Mushrooms & Pine Nuts (Serves 4)

This is a pasta recipe which I have been serving to my family for more years than I care to mention, it’s a ‘home grown’ recipe, one which I developed after being inspired by a pasta I tried in a restaurant. It’s not fancy, but it is one of those easy midweek dishes, which is instantly gratifying.

400g courgette, cut into batons

400g portobellini mushrooms (or large flat mushrooms), sliced

3 garlic cloves, sliced

4 tablespoons pine nuts

3 tablespoons olive oil

400g penne pasta

Sea salt and black pepper

4 heaped tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve

In a dry frying pan, toast the pine nuts over a medium/high heat for a few minutes until golden. Remove and keep to one side.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the frying pan and fry the courgette batons over a medium heat until softened, but retaining some ‘bite’ (al dente). Remove and keep to one side.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan, add the garlic slices and fry over a medium heat for about 30 seconds before adding the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms have released their juices and have softened but are still retaining their shape.
Meanwhile cook the penne pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente.
Finally, return the courgettes to the pan along with the pine nuts, stir to combine and reheat before adding the drained penne pasta. Give everything a good mix and season with salt and pepper.
Serve with a very generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Rigatoni with Sweet Tomatoes, Aubergine & Mozzarella (Serves 4)

This has been one of my family’s favourites for many years, it is a Jamie Oliver recipe from one of his older books, ‘Jamie’s Dinners’, it is his take on the classic Italian dish of ‘Pasta alla Norma’. The wonderful combination of aubergines and tomatoes is enriched by the addition of mozzarella, as the cheese melts it becomes deliciously ‘stringy’! I prefer if without the addition of the dried chilli flakes, but if you like a bit of heat you could add some.

To watch the video of this recipe being cooked click here!

1 large aubergine (or 2 small)

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 onion, chopped

2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

A bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked and stalks sliced

4 tablespoons double cream

455g rigatoni or penne

200g mozzarella cheese

½ teaspoon of chilli flakes (optional – see note above)

Grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Remove both ends of the aubergines and slice into 1cm slices then slice these across to form 1 cm cubes.
In a large frying/sauté pan heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil. When it’s hot, add the aubergine cubes and stir them around so that they are lightly coated in the oil. Cook for about 10 minutes over a medium heat until softened.
Add the onion and garlic, cook for a few more minutes. When they have a little colour, add the tinned tomatoes, the balsamic vinegar and the sliced basil stalks (if you want to add some heat you could add the chilli flakes at this point). Simmer gently for 15 minutes, season with salt and pepper, then stir in the cream.
Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet, until al dente.
When the pasta is ready, drain it and add it to the aubergine and tomato sauce. Tear up the mozzarella and fresh basil leaves, and stir them through the pasta and sauce – the mozzarella will start to melt, becoming beautifully stringy (it can be a little messy to serve!). Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

Spinach and Gorgonzola Stuffed Jacket Potatoes (Serves 4)

This is a delicious recipe from Ottolenghi’s cookbook, ‘Simple’, and yes, it is a very simple, yet satisfying midweek supper! The Gorgonzola cheese is the winning ingredient in this recipe, turning the humble potato into a show stopper – just serve with a crispy salad.

4 large baking potatoes

50g butter

6 tablespoons double cream

120g Gorgonzola cheese

400g baby spinach

40g walnut halves (optional)

Sea salt and black pepper

First of all toast the walnuts (if using) in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for about 5 minutes (keep an eye on them!), then chop roughly.
Pierce each potato a few times with a fork and place them on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Bake in a preheated oven, 220’c fan, for 1 hour or just over.
Cut each potato in half, lengthways, scoop the flesh out into a medium bowl, setting the skins aside for later.
Roughly mash the potato with 40g of butter, the cream, Gorgonzola, 1 teaspoon salt and a generous grind of pepper and set aside.
Take the remaining 10g of butter and divide between the potato cavities. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and return to the oven for 7-8 minutes to crisp up. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Place a medium saucepan, half filled with salted water, on a high heat. Once boiling, add the spinach for about 10-15 seconds, just to wilt. Drain the spinach, squeezing out as much water as possible. Stir this into the potato flesh mixture and spoon this mash back into the empty potato skins, piled high.
Bake the potatoes in the oven, 220’c fan, for 10-15 minutes, until the mash is crisp and browned. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the walnuts, if using, and serve with a side salad.

Chickpea and Spinach Curry (Serves 3-4)

This mildly spiced vegetarian curry makes a super easy supper, perfect midweek when time is of essence. Serve with steamed rice.

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon hot paprika

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 pinch chilli flakes

1 thumb sized piece ginger, peeled and chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

400g tin tomatoes

400g tinned chickpeas, including the chickpea water

A large bunch spinach

3 tablespoons coriander, chopped

Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium/high heat until fragrant – a couple of minutes. Put them in a mortar and pestle and grind to a fine powder before mixing in the other spices. Then mash in the chopped ginger to create a dry paste.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic, gently sweat until softened.
Add the spice mixture and cook for a minute or so, before adding the tomatoes, chickpeas and their chickpea water. Cook over a low heat until the sauce is thickened and the tomatoes have broken up – around 25 minutes.
Finally stir through the spinach until wilted, check the seasoning (perhaps add an extra sprinkling of chilli flakes). Serve topped with the chopped coriander and with rice.

Vegetarian Chilli with Homemade Guacamole (Serves 4-6)

This Vegetarian Chilli recipe is from Rachel Allen’s cookbook, ‘Entertaining at Home’. The dish is bursting with flavours, I serve it with rice, homemade guacamole (recipe below), sour cream and tortilla chips – it’s a real crowd pleaser. It’s a good idea to serve a little Tabasco or Encona sauce on the side, for extra heat, to suit individual tastes. This recipe calls for soya mince, I used and would recommend ‘Vivera plant mince’, which you can buy in supermarkets, it is fresh and ready to use. Any meat lover will be incredibly impressed with this chilli – see if they can guess it’s vegetarian!!…

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ large onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 sticks of celery, finely chopped

1-2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

100g soya mince, ready to use weight (soaked, according to packet instructions if dried – see note above)

400g tin red kidney beans

400g tin chopped tomatoes

125ml vegetable stock (I use Marigold Swiss Bouillon)

75ml red wine

Sea salt and black pepper

Bunch of coriander, chopped to serve

To serve: rice, guacamole, sour cream and tortilla chips

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or casserole, add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring occasionally for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked and golden.
Grind the coriander and cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle, then add to the pan along with the chopped chilli, cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add all the remaining ingredients except the coriander. Cook over a medium heat, uncovered, for about 30 minutes until thickened.
Scatter with the chopped coriander and serve with rice, homemade guacamole (recipe below), sour cream and tortilla chips.

Easy Guacamole

I’ve tried a few recipes for guacamole over the years, some have the addition of garlic and tomatoes, but I always return to this easy recipe from Sally Clarke – the flavours are simple so don’t overpower the avocado.

3 ripe avocados, peeled
Juice of 3 large limes
1-2 small chillies, very finely chopped
Salt
2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander leaves

With a fork, mash the avocados in a bowl until almost smooth – a few lumps are fine.
Stir in the lime juice and add the chillies and salt. Stir in the coriander and adjust to taste by adding more chillies, lime juice or salt.

Spicy Red Lentil Soup (Serves 4)

This is a very warming soup, and quite spicy, I would add less chilli the first time you make it, as you can always add more chilli flakes at the end of cooking, it’s one of those recipes which you have to let your taste buds lead you!.. (Toasted Naan breads are good with this soup!)

200g split red lentils

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

A little groundnut oil

A small thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated

3 cloves garlic, peeled

4 tomatoes, quartered

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1-2 small red chillies (less to taste – see note above)

1-2 teaspoons of dried chilli flakes (less to taste – see note above)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 litre vegetable stock (I use ‘Marigold Swiss Vegetable Boullion’)

A small bunch of coriander leaves, chopped

Sea salt

In a heavy based saucepan, gently fry the onion in the groundnut oil, until softened but not coloured.
Add the mustard seeds and cook until the seeds start to pop a little.
Add the lentils, ginger, garlic cloves, tomatoes, chopped and dried chillies and the ground turmeric, stir well before adding the stock and a pinch of salt.
Bring to the boil, skim off any froth that appears on the surface. Lower the temperature, half cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or so until the lentils have softened and have started to fall apart.
Add most of the chopped coriander (keep some back to serve). Place in a food processor and process until smooth, check the seasoning.
Serve sprinkled with the remaining chopped coriander.

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with Goats’ Cheese Mash (Serves 4)

As you may be aware, I am a complete meat lover, so when I say that this recipe could convert me to vegetarianism, you’ll know it’s extremely good!…I found this recipe many years ago in Delia Smith’s ‘How to Cook: Book Three’, I have made it on numerous occasions since then. It is quite a straightforward recipe but you must remember to pre-soak the black eyed beans the night before cooking it. The vegetables need to be chopped small so it is a good idea to use a food processor – and it saves a lot of time! I like to serve this with a green salad with a classic vinaigrette dressing (recipe here).

110g dried black-eyed beans, pre-soaked and drained

75g green split peas (no need to soak), rinsed

75g green lentils (no need to soak), rinsed

725ml boiling water

50g peeled carrots

50g peeled swede

50g peeled celeriac

1 large onion, peeled

1 small green pepper, deseeded

50g butter, plus a little extra for greasing

1 heaped tablespoon chopped mixed fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme and parsley)

¼ teaspoon ground mace

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and black pepper

For the topping:

110g soft goats’ cheese

700g potatoes (such as Maris Piper), peeled

225g tomatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

50g butter

2 tablespoons milk

25g Pecorino cheese, grated

Sea salt and black pepper

(A round baking dish, roughly 23cm diameter and 5cm deep, buttered)

First put the drained beans in a saucepan with the split peas and lentils. Add the boiling water and some salt. Cover and simmer gently for 50-60 minutes until they have absorbed the water and are soft. Remove from the heat and mash them just a little with a fork.
Meanwhile cook the potatoes.
Whilst the potatoes are cooking, roughly chop the vegetables before placing in a food processor and chopping small.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the vegetables and cook gently for 10-15 minutes until they are softened and tinged gold at the edges.
Add the vegetable mixture to the lightly mashed pulses, along with the herbs, spices and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon this mixture into the buttered baking dish.
Arrange the slices of tomato over this mixture.
Mash the cooked potato with the butter, milk and goats cheese and season with salt and pepper (you can use an electric hand held whisk to do this). Spread the potato over the top of the ingredients in the dish.
Finally sprinkle over the Pecorino and bake the pie in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for 20-25 minutes, until the top is lightly browned.

Tagliatelle with Butternut Squash, Hazelnuts and Crispy Sage (Serves 4)

This is a relatively quick pasta dish, comforting and tasty. The crispy sage leaves really lift the dish. This recipe is from Marcus Wareing’s Cookbook, ‘New Classics’.

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 600g)

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs of thyme

½ nutmeg, grated

75g butter

80g blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped

20 sage leaves

350g tagliatelle pasta

Sea salt and black pepper

Put the diced butternut squash in a saucepan and cover with cold water, add a generous pinch of salt, the bay leaves and thyme. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the squash is tender. Strain off the water and remove the herbs.
Add the nutmeg and 25g of the butter and lightly mash the squash, seasoning to taste.
Heat the remaining 50g of butter in a large frying pan. When foaming add the hazelnuts and sage. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5-8 minutes until golden and crispy, and the butter has browned.
Cook the tagliatelle according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain and mix with most of the hazelnut and sage butter.
Gently stir through the mashed squash and serve, topped with the remaining hazelnut and sage butter.

Tagliatelle with Mushrooms & Chestnuts (Serves 4)

This is a beautiful pasta recipe with lovely earthy flavours. It is particularly comforting during the winter months, however I cook it all year round as we like it so much. Unusually this pasta dish calls for Comté cheese to be grated over it, it really is a delicious addition, complementing the sweetness of the chestnuts. I use the vacuum packed bags of cooked and peeled chestnuts – ‘Merchant Gourmet’ is a good brand. It is worth investing in a quality bottle of truffle oil for this recipe, as it really does enhance the flavour.

This recipe is from one of my favourite cookbooks ‘Nina St Tropez’ by Nina Parker.

4 tablespoons olive oil

500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

400g tagliatelle (gluten free if required)

4 cloves garlic, finely diced

150g cooked chestnuts chopped (see note above)

4 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

2 tablespoons crème fraiche

4 tablespoons truffle oil

Comté cheese, grated to serve

Sea salt and black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the mushrooms and cook until they have shrunk in size by about a half.
Add the garlic to the mushrooms and let it cook for a few minutes before adding the chestnuts and seasoning generously.
Meanwhile cook the tagliatelle according to the instructions on the packet until al dente.
Before draining the pasta, add about three or four spoonfuls of pasta cooking water to the mushroom mixture to loosen it.
Finally add the drained tagliatelle to the mushrooms along with the chives, crème fraiche and truffle oil, taste to check the seasoning.
Sprinkle with cheese and serve!

Simple Butternut Squash Soup (Serves 4)

This really is a straightforward recipe, no ‘bells or whistles’, it simply focuses on the lovely flavour of the butternut squash. You can use either vegetable stock (I use Marigold Swiss Vegetable Boullion Powder) or water. To serve, stir through a spoonful of créme fraiche and sprinkle with some chilli flakes and, if you fancy, as I often do, some freshly chopped sage. This is great served with either fresh crusty bread or gluten free ‘Oat Bread’ (recipe here).

1 butternut squash, about 700g when peeled and cubed

2 banana shallots, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

25g unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

About 600ml vegetable stock or water (see note above)

Salt and pepper

To Serve:

Créme Frâiche

Chilli flakes

4 -6 sage leaves, finely chopped

Peel, halve and deseed the butternut squash, cut into 3cm cubes.
Melt the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic. Cook gently until softened but not coloured.
Add the butternut squash, stir and pour over enough stock or water to just cover the squash. Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes until completely cooked and very tender – a knife should pass through easily.
To blend place in a food processor or use a hand blender (if you want a ‘looser’ soup add a little milk). Check the seasoning.
Serve in bowls with a dollop of crème frâiche swirled through and a sprinkling of chilli flakes and freshly chopped sage.

Thai Vegetable Curry (Serves 4)

You have probably noticed from the recipes that I share that I am a big meat eater, so pure vegetarian dishes are not a regular feature on Menu Mistress – however I am trying to change this! Having said that, this Thai Vegetable Curry is something that I have cooked on a number of occasions (I always feel very virtuous when I do!), it is a very comforting curry, with clean tastes; the water chestnuts really give it a lovely crisp texture. I use only one green chilli as I don’t like really spicy food, however you could use two to increase the heat factor.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons fish sauce

15g palm sugar (you could substitute this for brown sugar or maple syrup)

400ml coconut milk

400ml vegetable stock

2 sweet potatoes (around 600g), peeled and diced into 1.5cm cubes

12 button mushrooms, quartered

8 stalks Tenderstem broccoli

100g peas

1 x 220g tin sliced water chestnuts, drained

For the Green Curry Paste:

1-2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped (see note above)

3 shallots, peeled

2 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped

4cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

1 bunch of coriander (stalks, leaves and roots – if possible)

2 garlic cloves, peeled

½ teaspoon sea salt

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

First make the curry paste by placing all the paste ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth.
Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat. When hot add the curry paste, fry for 4-5 minutes until fragrant.
Add the fish sauce and palm sugar, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and vegetable stock, and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Strain the sauce through a sieve into a clean saucepan, discarding the rememants in the sieve.
Bring the curry sauce to a simmer, season with salt (if needed). Add the sweet potato and cook for a further 10 minutes, then add the mushrooms.
Cook the broccoli in a separate pan, for 4 – 6 minutes until just cooked .
Add the broccoli, peas and water chestnuts to the curry and heat through.
Serve with rice.

Oven Baked Mushroom Risotto (Serves 3-4)

Oven baked risotto is more common these days, but when I found this recipe about 18 years ago in a Delia Smith cookbook, it was a revelation – it is such an easy and hands free dish. There is of course, still a time and a place for conventional risotto; I must admit that I find stove top risotto a rather relaxing, therapeutic exercise, but when you are in a hurry or simply want to enjoy the company of your family and friends instead of concentrating on the stove, this recipe is a blessing. It is also very tasty! Just two rules when cooking this dish – follow the cook times precisely and serve immediately. The portions of this recipe are quite small, so if you are very hungry I would double the recipe to make two dishes. I like to serve the risotto with a salad dressed with a sherry vinegar vinaigrette as it compliments the flavour perfectly – the recipe is on my Recipe Pages. The Maderia wine is an important element to the this recipe, although you won’t use the whole bottle, once opened it can be stored in the fridge for many months without deteriorating; I always have a bottle in my fridge as a small glug can lift the flavour of many sauces!

10g dried porcini

225g flat, dark gilled mushrooms(or Portobello mushrooms)

60 g butter

1 onion, chopped

175g Carnaroli risotto rice

150ml Dry Maderia

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated; plus about 50g shaved into flakes with a potato peeler

Sea salt and black pepper

(You will need an oven proof dish with 1.5litre capacity – approx. 23cm with a 5cm depth)

Begin by soaking the porcini in a bowl with 570ml boiling water, leave to soften for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile chop the fresh mushrooms into about 1cm cubes, no smaller as they will shrink with cooking.
Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onion, gently cook to soften for about 5 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms, stir well. Leave the pan to one side whilst you deal with the soaked porcini.
After the porcini have soaked for 30 minutes, place a sieve, lined with a double layer of kitchen roll, over a bowl, and strain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid – squeeze the mushrooms out in the kitchen roll.
Chop the porcini finely and add to the pan with the mushrooms and onions. Gently sweat for about 20 minutes, so that the juices are released.
Meanwhile place a baking dish in a preheated oven, 150’c fan, to warm.
Add the rice and stir it around to get a good coating of butter, then add the Maderia and the strained soaking liquid. Add a teaspoon of salt, some black pepper, and bring to simmering point.
Transfer the risotto mix from the pan to the warmed dish, stir and place in the oven. Set the timer and give it exactly 20 minutes
After 20 minutes, gently stir in the parmesan. Return to the oven for exactly 15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Serve immediately with the shavings of parmesan sprinkled over and a green salad.

Spaghetti with Sauce Vierge (Serves 4)

This is a perfect summer pasta dish, a delicious ‘no cook’ sauce for spaghetti with the added bonus of being vegetarian!

400g Spaghetti

For the Sauce Vierge:

2 spring onions, finely sliced

2 shallots, finely chopped

Bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

300g tomatoes, about 4 medium

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons caster sugar

Juice ½ lemon

60ml olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Cut the tomatoes into quarters, deseed, discarding any liquid – pat them dry on kitchen roll, slice into strips, then finely dice, add to a bowl along with the other sauce ingredients, mix well and season to taste.
Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions until al dente.
Drain the spaghetti and mix with the sauce vierge.

Melon, Artichoke & Walnut Salad (Serves 4)

This is a great salad a meal in itself! The vinaigrette is really tasty and worth remembering for other salads. I discovered this recipe in Gino D’Acampo’s cookbook ‘Gino’s Islands in the Sun’, which concentrates on recipes from Sardinia and Sicily, offering Italian cooking with a twist from these islands. It is a good choice for a picnic, if you are, thinking of taking this salad out and about, carry the prepared ingredients separately (the vinaigrette in a small jar, the melon, artichokes, rocket and walnuts in separate containers) and combine when ready to serve.

1 cantaloupe melon

175g chargrilled artichoke hearts in oil, drained and roughly chopped

50g walnuts, roughly chopped

70g rocket leaves

For the vinaigrette:

Juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

4 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Whisk together the ingredients of the vinaigrette.
Cut the melon into wedges and remove the seeds, cut each wedge into 2cm chunks.
Place the melon in a large bowl, add the rocket leaves, artichoke pieces and walnuts.
Pour over the vinaigrette and toss together to mix.

Penne with Pea and Mascarpone Sauce (Serves 4)

Another recipe from my beloved cookbook ‘A Passion for Pasta’ by the late Antonio Carluccio. You could cook this dish with your eyes closed, it really is that simple, and will be ready to eat in 15 minutes! The original recipe uses smoked bacon, so I have substituted it for chopped onion and a generous pinch of paprika for a tasty vegetarian supper.

50g butter

1 onion, finely chopped

a generous pinch of smoked paprika

450g tomato passata

200g frozen peas

8 basil leaves

150g mascarpone cheese

375g penne pasta

75g freshly grated parmesan cheese

Sea salt and black pepper

Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the chopped onion and a pinch of paprika, fry to soften.
Add the tomato passata and the peas, cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile cook the penne according to the instructions on the packet, until al dente.
Add the mascarpone cheese and the basil leaves to the sauce, stir until warmed through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Drain the penne, add to the sauce, finally mix in the parmesan cheese.

Cashew Nut Stir Fry with Basil, Chilli and Lime (Serves 4)

Originally I published this recipe as a prawn stir fry, however for a vegetarian option I have substituted the prawns for cashew nuts, baby corn and /or cauliflower florets. This recipe is super easy to cook, just prepare all the ingredients so they can be quickly thrown in the pan, ready to cook in minutes. The cucumber salad is an important accompaniment as its subtle spice gives the whole dish more depth. Start by preparing the rice, I like long grain white rice with this stir fry. Whilst the rice is cooking prepare the cucumber salad and all of the ingredients for the stir fry, then start cooking it just as the rice is cooked. If you are gluten free, use gluten free soy sauce for the cucumber salad.

*You can see the video of this dish being made by clicking on this link to my instagram page

Cashew Nut Stir Fry with Basil, Chilli & Lime

A couple of handfuls of cashew nuts

250g baby corn or cauliflower florets (or a mixture)

200g sugar snap peas

1 tablespoon groundnut oil

2 red chillies and 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced (use less according to taste)

4 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons caster sugar

Juice of lime

20g basil leaves, picked

Halve the sugar snap peas along their lengths, so that the peas peep out.
Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok, when hot, add the sugar snaps, fry for about 30 seconds.
Add the cashew nuts, baby corn/cauliflower florets, chillies and garlic, reduce the heat a little and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the fish sauce, sugar and lime, stir it all around until the sugar has dissolved, finally throw in the basil leaves.
Serve straight away with rice and the spiced cucumber salad.

Spiced Cucumber Salad

1 cucumber

2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon of caster sugar

1-2 teaspoons mild chilli powder (according to your taste)

4 spring onions, finely sliced

2 teaspoons of sesame oil (optional)

Black sesame seeds (optional)

Cut the cucumber into wafer thin slices
Mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and chilli powder in a bowl (depending on how spicy you would like it, you can add more or less chilli)
Toss the cucumber into the bowl along with the spring onions, and if using, also add the sesame oil and seeds.

Share this:

Share this: