Chickpea stew

This was taken from several different recipes.

1/2 cup by volume dried chickpeas

1/2 litre boiling water

1 vegetable stock cube

1/2 litre cold water

1 tbs vegetable oil

1 large onion

large chunk butternut squash

A few mushrooms (up to 1/3 large punnet)

I broccoli stem (you can add some florets if you like, but I didn't)

2 cloves garlic

1 tin chopped tomatoes

Seasoning to taste - I used pepper, mixed herbs and a teaspoonful of vinegar - the stock cube meant it didn't need salt.

Soak the chickpeas in boiling water for at least an hour, ideally more.  Then drain and rinse, and put in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot with the stock cube and cold water and cook on high for 12 minutes, allowing it to come down from pressure at room temperature.  You can, of course, boil the chickpeas on the stove, but that will take at least 45 minutes to an hour, Or, of course, you could use a large tin.

In the meantime, chop the onion and sweat in the oil for a few minutes while you peel and chop the rest of the vegetables.  Add them to the pot, and stir, allowing them to sweat a bit.  Now take about 1/3 of the chickpeas and some of their cooking water and blitz until smooth.  Add this to the pot, plus the tinned tomatoes and as much of the rest of the chickpea liquid as you need to rinse out the tin of tomatoes.  If you are using tinned chickpeas, use cold water for this, unless you actively like aquafaba, which I don't!

Season to taste, and then bring to the boil and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.  This will serve 3 or 4, especially if you add rice or quinoa or similar.  I used quinoa to add more protein.  

I think, were I to make it again, I'd use a small tin of chickpeas to blitz up and thicken it, as I didn't think there were quite enough chickpeas left.  As I have a lot of the stew left over, I'll add a small tin to it before we have it again.  

Turkey rice

I don't really know what to call this; we had some cold turkey left over from the Church Christmas dinner, and I thought this would be a good way of using the remains. It was. It served both of us, and the photo shows what was left over, which we will bulk out with more veg.

I onion

1 quantity butternut squash (about 200g?)

1/3 large pack mushrooms

1 packet pre-cooked rice (I used mexed pepper rice from Lidl) 

Quantity cold turkey or chicken

About 50-60 ml chicken stock - I used liquid stock)

Seasoning to taste

Peel and chop the onion and sweat in a little oil or butter, add the peeled and chopped aquash and let cook, covered, for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms, and let cook a few more minutes. Now add the packet of rice, the chopped poultry and the stock - just enough to moisten, you don't want it swimming in it. Season. Let cook for a couple of minutes until boiling hot.

You can, of course, swap out the veg, or add more. Doesn't have to be the same twice! And if you had leftover red meat, it might work too, with the appropriate stock. Or use tofu or kegumes and vegetable stock to make it plant-based... The possibilities are endless! 

Not-meat loaf with rich tomato sauce.

Three nights ago, I made stuffed spaghetti squash for supper (link).  There was about half left over, so tonight I decided to make it into a kind of meatloaf.  Only not, because it has no meat in it!  

I whisked up two eggs with some seasoning - the stuffing was extremely good, but I thought lacked salt, and might have been even nicer with a bit of spice in it.  Then I put the stuffing into a large bowl, and poured over the eggs.  Using my hands, I mixed it all together, then put it into a loaf tin and topped with grated cheese (because everything is better with cheese on the top, right?)

, and put it in the oven at gas 5 for about 40 minutes.  I served this with a rich tomato sauce (link).

It wasn't quite as set as I'd hoped, but it really was delicious.

  Would have happily served 3 - we had really rather a greedy amount each!

Stuffed spaghetti squash

You can't often get spaghetti squash in this country, but I was delighted to be able to buy one in Germany or Austria (forget which) during our recent holiday (link).

So last night I rootled around on the Interwebs to see if I could find out what people liked doing with it, and this was the result.

1 small spaghetti squash, halved and seeds removed

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

A few mushrooms, sliced

1 packet pre-cooked quinoa (I used Jamie Oliver's, which had wheat and other things in it, but plain quinoa would be very good, too.  And you can always cook your own, if you prefer)

1/2 pack pre-prepared microwaveable vegetables (I had eaten half the pack last night, but as it was only me, the whole packet was too much!)

1/2 pack halloumi cheese, diced (optional).

Spray the halved squash with a little oil, and place cut side down on a baking tray.  Put in a hot oven - Mark 6, 200 C (180 fan, 400 F), for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the onion and carrot, and crush the garlic.  Put into a heavy-based pan with a little more oil on a medium heat, and leave to cook down for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.  Then add the mushrooms, and allow to cook for a few minutes before adding the quinoa and microwaveable veg.  Stir thoroughly and season to taste.

When the squash is cooked, scrape the flesh with a fork - it should come out rather like spaghetti, but in my case it was more like angel-hair pasta, but hey!

  Mix that, and the diced halloumi (if using), into the vegetable mix, and pile the skins full of this. 

There will undoubtedly be a shedload left over, but you can use that in all sorts of ways. Put the filled skins back into the oven for 10-15 minutes and then serve at once.  It was delicious, but could have used a touch more salt, and possibly a touch of chilli or similar spice.

Bean and tomato stew

So yesterday I made a sauce for pasta using a tin of chopped tomato with chili, and another tin of chopped tomato with onion and garlic, which I tossed into a pan with half a tin of water (rinsed out both tins), and left it to get on with it.  But it was rather liquid, so to thicken it I got out a small tin of red kidney beans which I blended with a stick blender and stirred in.  Seasoned, the sauce was delicious with Schwabian Maultasche, but we only wanted about half of it.

So tonight......

1/2 cup cannelini beans, soaked for one hour in boiling water

1 vegetable stock cube

1 very large onion (or two small ones)

1 red pepper

1 chili pepper

1 garlic clove

1 pack unsmoked lardons 

The end of a punnet of mushrooms

1/2 quantity of tomato sauce, see introduction

Put the beans into a pressure cooker with 1/2 the onion, 1/2 the pepper, the chili, the garlic and the stock cube.  Leave the onion and pepper whole; I did cut the chili in half and removed the seeds, but you don't have to.  Cover with water, and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.  Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before releasing pressure, and ideally let it release pressure naturally.

Chop the other half of the onions and pepper, and fry them up in a heavy-based pan with the lardons and mushrooms.  Add the tomato sauce.  Remove the onion, pepper and chili (and garlic if you can get it) from the pressure cooker, and blend with a tablespoonful of stock.  Add this to the casserole.  Stir well and check the seasoning, and let simmer for about 1/2 an hour.  Serve with crusty bread and butter.

Stir-fried vegetables with fish (or whatever) and pilau rice

I rather think this is one of those unrepeatable dishes, but I had half a trout and half a pack of (packet) hollandaise sauce, and didn't fancy a fish pie, so improvised.  But the basic idea could work for all sorts of things....  This served 2

For the rice:

c 1 tbs cooking oil

a little salt

1 tsp Pilau seasoning (bought in Nour, Brixton)

1/2 cup (125 ml) long-grain white rice (I used Basmati, but whatever you like)

1 cup (250 ml) boiling water

Hot the cooking oil, then stir in the salt and spices.  Add the rice and stir thoroughly.  Add the boiling water, stir again, then cover and reduce the heat to as low as possible for 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat, and let stand for another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile

Another tbs cooking oil

Various vegetables, diced.  I used:

A slice of butternut squash

1/2 yellow pepper

1 medium courgette

1 small pak choi

A sloosh garlic paste

A few drops of sriracha

1 tsp Dunns River All-purpose seasoning

1/2 tsp each vegetable and fish seasoning (these are from Germany, but any similar ones will do)

Heat the oil, then stir-fry the vegetables for at least 5 minutes.  I then added the cooked trout and Hollandaise sauce and made sure it was heated through, but you could use any fish, or perhaps cooked sausages, cut into chunks, and if you don't have any sauce, then about 100 ml water, or just let the vegetables moisten it all - you don't have to use my choice of veg, but a range of different colours is always good.  If you wanted it veggie or vegan, you could add peas or beans and sweetcorn to balance out the proteins.  

Vegetable "sausages"

I've put sausages in quotes because honestly, I think it would be easier to form them into patties or burgers, but whatever.  I thought this would feed 2, but it was so filling we both left half to live to fight another day!

I adapted this recipe from one I saw on Facebook or YouTube or somewhere - really can't remember where.  I happen to have the most enormous courgette you ever did see, so cut a chunk off that to use.  

1 medium courgette, or a chunk off a large one

1 medium potato

1 medium carrot,

1 egg

2-4 tablespoonsful gram flour

1/2 packet halloumi cheese

Peel and grate all the vegetables (no need to peel the courgette unless the peel is a bit tough), squeezing as much liquid as you can out of the courgette and potato.  Dice the cheese, add about 2 tbs gram flour (aka besan or chickpea flour), season, and mix thoroughly.  Add the egg and mix until it holds together, then with very clean hands, form into sausage - or patty - shapes and put on a floured board.  Sprinkle with more flour and rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes or so.  Fry in a little oil in a covered pan for about 8 minutes each side.  I served this with a rich tomato sauce and green beans.

The original recipe used oatmeal, which might have been better for absorbing moisture, and also grated cheese that would have melted and bound the whole thing together, and I think, if I make them again (which I expect I shall), I might use grated cheese.  But the gram flour does add such a lovely texture!

Rich tomato sauce

This is absolutely lush, and well worth the time it takes!

2 tsp cooking oil 

1 large onion

3-4 cloves garlic

1 tin tomatoes (ideally tinned cherry tomatoes, if you can get them)

1/2 tub soft cheese, ideally garlic and herb

Seasoning to taste - I find it doesn't need salt, just pepper.

Place the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and heat gently.  Peel the onion, and chop it as finely as you are able.  Put the chopped onion into the saucepan and stir well to coat. 

Let them cook gently to soften and go translucent.  Meanwhile peel the garlic, and either chop, crush or grate it -  I always use a crusher, but I know other people have other ways.  Add this to the onion and oil, and again, allow to cook gently for a few minutes.  Now add the tinned tomatoes and about 1/3 tin of water.  Stir thoroughly and bring to a simmer.  Cover, and let it simmer for about 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Then add the half-tub of cream cheese and stir thoroughly to mix.  Delicious with pasta, either as is, or as a pasta bake.  I also made a roast vegetable bake with it earlier in the week, which was lush!

Hollandaise sauce

This is incredibly easy, really.  I always think it's going to be harder than it is - but it's no worse than mayonnaise, which is also massively easier than I think it's going to be!

1 egg

Juice of 1 lemon

About 125 g butter (1/2 packet)

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter - I use the microwave, and melt it in a little jug so that it is easy to pour.  Put the egg and lemon juice in a blender and process for a minute or two until smooth.  Leaving the blender running, pour the butter in a very thin stream.  When it's all in there, continue to run the blender until it thickens and is smooth.  Season to taste, and give a last whizz to mix the seasoning in.

Serve with fish and/or vegetables, especially things like purple sprouting or tenderstem broccoli, or asparagus.  It will keep, covered, for a couple of days in the fridge.

(The sauce in this photo is coating a salmon fillet and some new potatoes)

Clean-the-fridge traybake with halloumi

This is good for when you have a shedload of vegetables that you are not quite sure what to do with.  Feel free to mix and match!

For the marinade:

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tbs olive oil

Scant tsp brown sugar

1 tsp soya sauce

1/2 tsp mustard

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Mix the ingredients in a blender or smoothie maker - the mustard will help it emulsify.  Don't add too much sugar (I did, and wished I hadn't).  You can substitute balsamic glaze if you have it, although then you'll have to put the garlic in with the rest of the traybake.

3-4 medium potatoes

1 red onion

1 large tomato

1/2 large red pepper

1/2 large courgette

1/2 punnet mushrooms

Large chunk butternut squash

1/2 pack halloumi cheese

Pre-heat the oven to Mark 6 or 200 C.  Cut the potatoes into chunks and either parboil or microwave steam for a few minutes.  Meanwhile, cut the other vegetables as appropriate and place in a baking tray.  Add the part-cooked potatoes, then drizzle with the marinade and stir.  Top with  the sliced halloumi, and bake for 45 minutes to an hour.  Not very photogenic, so here is a random photo of butternut squash!

Inspired by Five Guys veggie cheese sandwich

 

The Five Guys veggie cheese sandwich is one of the best vegetarian (or vegan, you can have it without the cheese) options that I've ever had at a burger bar.  Their burgers are okay, but this - basically, all the toppings without the burger - is delicious.  Anyway, Becca at Easy Cheesy Vegetarian has a recipe for a copycat version, and I thought I would make it this evening, but I didn't have any burger buns, so I thought I would put it on a jacket potato.  And then I added some extra veggies.....

Butter

Olive oil

2 medium/large potatoes

1 medium onion

1 yellow pepper

Chunk of butternut squash

1/2 punnet mushrooms

1/2 medium (or 1 small) courgette

Chunk butternut squash

1 chilli pepper

Squoosh of garlic paste, or a couple of cloves of crushed garlic

2 spoonfuls Greek yoghurt (or butter, or non-dairy spread)

2-3 slices cracked black pepper cheese (or Mexican, or grated cheese, or whatever), omit if vegan

Rub the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt - rosemary salt is brilliant if you have any.  Stick a skewer in them, and cook at mark 6 for about an hour.  Or pierce several times and microwave for about 10-12 minutes, but you won't get the crispy skin that way.

While the potatoes are cooking, chop the vegetables (peeling the onion and the squash), and place in a pan with a knob of butter and the olive oil.

 Cook on a medium/low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season with herbal salt.

When cooked, open the potatoes and add the yoghurt, butter, or whatever you are using.  Pile the vegetables on top, and top with the cheese.  I love that stuff, but do find it sticks together rather, so I ended up tearing it roughly.  

It was delicious, and I am full!

Butternut squash fritatta with bacon, potatoes and spinach

 This time of year it's all about the squashes!  Or pumpkins.  I had a lovely white squash which we had half of roasted with a sachet of pre-cooked curried chickpeas, which we had on its own, and the second half with jollof rice which we had acquired from church lunch, and which was served with sea bass and a roasted pepper. All very good, and we had the jollof rice twice more, stretched with mushrooms, onions and lardons, served once with roast vegetables (including butternut squash) and once as egg fried rice!  

However, that was the end of the rice, and tonight's meal was inspired by something I saw on Facebook this morning.  It will do us twice, as it was very filling!

3 potatoes, thinly sliced

Chunk of butternut squash, cubed

Packet pre-washed spinach

Packet lardons (smoked or unsmoked, as you prefer)

A couple of spoonfuls of grated cheese

4 eggs, beaten

Seasoning - apart from salt (it doesn't need much because bacon) and pepper, I used a little dried sage and rosemary.

Spritz of neutral cooking oil

Take a large sauté pan with a lid and add a spritz or so of cooking oil into it.  Heat over medium heat, and then add the sliced potatoes. 

Cover, and allow to cook in their own steam while you peel and chop the butternut.  When the potatoes are nearly done (about 5-10 minutes) add the cubed butternut and the herbs,

if using, stir, cover again and continue to cook for several more minutes. Then add the lardons, and cook them, stirring all the time, and then the spinach (I did it in two lots) and stir until it is completely wilted down.

Finally, sprinkle with grated cheese, and then pour over the beaten eggs. 

Leave it to cook, covered, for a few minutes until the cheese has melted, and then put under a pre-heated grill for about 5 minutes until it is all brown and gorgeous!   

To make vegetarian: Omit the bacon, and perhaps use veggie Parmesan or a stronger cheese to make up the lack.

To make vegan: Omit the bacon and cheese, and instead of the eggs, use a gram flour batter, as in this recipe.  I think I might try this.....

Not quite....

This was not quite a croque-monsieur and not quite a Welsh rabbit!  I don't know what to call it, but it was very good except that the sauce had too much mustard in it for my taste!  Also, I didn't really measure....

Large handful grated cheddar (50-100 grammes)

Dollop of butter (25 g?)

2 tsp plain flour (again, this was a dollop, as it was the end of my little jar I decant it into)

1 tsp Dijon mustard (N.B. this was too much for my taste; if I do this again, it will be half the amount)

1 tbs white wine (or beer, but we had none in the fridge)

1 tsp Worcester sauce

About 25 grinds of black pepper

4 slices sourdough bread (or ordinary bread)

2 cooked sausages, sliced lengthwise

Extra grated cheese, for sprinkling

Lettuce and tomato to garnish

Grill the bread on one side only.  Put the first 7 ingredients into a saucepan and cook, stirring all the time, until it is pretty much boiling, the cheese has melted and the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan.

Spread two of the slices of toast on the untoasted side with a small amount of the sauce, and then stick the sausages on it.  Top with the other slices, toasted side down, and cover them with the rest of the sauce.  Sprinkle with grated cheese, and put under the grill again until it melts.  Serve with a side salad.

Tortelloni bake

This was inspired by Easy Cheesy Vegetarian's recent post, and also by my original macaroni cheese recipe.

1 packet fresh tortelloni (your choice of filling)

2 small onions

2-3 cloves garlic

1 tbs sunflower oil or similar

1 tin tomatoes

1 tbs plain flour 

Seasoning: salt, pepper, dry mustard powder, herbs or spices as liked

Handful grated Cheddar (didn't measure, probably around 50g)

1 tin sweetcorn

1/2 packet halloumi cheese

Chop your onions and garlic and fry gently in the oil in an oven-proof dish (cast iron is ideal).  While this is happening, boil your tortelloni for 3 minutes.  Drain into a sieve.

Meanwhile, put the tinned tomatoes, flour, seasonings and the liquid from the tin of sweetcorn (if there is any - some brands are more-or-less vacuum-packed) and blend until smooth.  

When the tortelloni have finished cooking, put the blended tomato mixture on top of the onions, raise the heat and stir vigorously until it comes to the boil and thickens.  At which point, turn off the heat and add the grated cheese and the sweetcorn,

stir, and then add the tortelloni and stir in, flattening off the top. 

Now cover the top with sliced halloumi,

and bake at mark 6 for about 30 minutes.