This straightforward dish from the late Jocasta Innes’ classic The Pauper’s Cookbook is recommended by one of Camel CSA‘s members. The recipe became a favourite when she was a student. Serve with the sprouting broccoli or kale in this week’s veg boxes.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Ingredients
50g butter
50g plain flour
600ml milk
sea salt and ground black pepper
grated nutmeg (optional)
4 large onions, peeled and very thinly sliced
4 large potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
125-150g bacon, rind removed, cut into strips
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6). Make a white sauce by melting the butter on a low heat in a small pan, stir in the flour and gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to the boil stirring all the while, once smooth and thick, reduce the heat to a very low simmer, add the seasoning and nutmeg and leave it ticking over while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Grease a casserole dish and build up in layers of onion, potatoes and bacon bits, ending with potatoes. Pour the white sauce over the top and jiggle well to distribute the sauce evenly. Cover and bake for 1 hour at 200°C/Gas 6), uncover and reduce to 180°C/Gas 4) and cook for 1 final hour. Serve with winter vegetables such as broccoli, sprouts, kale or cabbage.
My husband concocted this delicious meal last night from this week’s veg box contents when challenged with what to do with the sea spaghetti from The Cornish Seaweed Company. He also used the bean sprouts in our boxes. Ingredients can be changed as you see fit!
Serves 2
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
20g sea spaghetti
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
thumb sized knob of ginger, peeled and matchsticked
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 dried shitake mushrooms (or any fresh mushrooms as desired)
bean sprouts
150g buckwheat soba noodles (or any other noodles you fancy)
1 heaped tsp chilli bean paste or sliced fresh chillies to taste
1 Tbsp oil (sunflower or rapeseed)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
a dash of sesame oil
juice of 1 lime
Method
Soak the sea spaghetti in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain. If using dried mushrooms, soak in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain and slice thinly. Cook the noodles as instructed on the packet until al-dente and drain.
Heat a wok or large frying pan, add the oil and stir-fry the onion for 2 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and beansprouts and stir-fry until the beansprouts start to soften. Add the sea spaghetti, mushrooms, chilli paste, soy sauce and half the lime juice and stir-fry for 30 seconds or so. Add the noodles and stir-fry until everything is piping hot.
Divide into two bowls. Sprinkle some sesame oil and the remaining lime juice over each bowl and serve.
This recipe is from Sarah Brown’s classic Vegetarian Kitchen. The quantities will fill either six individual tartlet tins 7cm in diameter or one 28cm flan tin.
Serves 6
Preparation time: 40-50 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
Ingredients
450 g onions, peeled and finely chopped
40 g butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
50 ml single cream
75 g Cheddar cheese, grated
Wholemeal shortcrust pastry made with:
165 g wholewheat flour,
1 1/2 tsp baking powder,
a pinch of salt,
75 g mixed fats (half butter and half solid vegetable fat),
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar,
5-6 Tbsp cold water,
1 1/2 Tbsp oil
Method
Roll out the pastry to fill six individual tartlet tins or one flan tin. Press the pastry firmly into the cases and prick well. Bake for 5 minutes at 200°C/ Gas mark 6 so that the pastry sets.
Meanwhile, fry the onions in the butter, taking care not to colour them. During the frying, lightly sprinkle them with salt as this brings out the juices. Then stir in the brown sugar and tarragon. Remove from the heat and leave the mixture to cool.
In a separate bowl beat the eggs thoroughly and then mix in the cream and grated cheese. When the onion filling is cool, season with extra salt and black pepper. Mix it into the cheese and egg mixture and spoon this filling into the pastry cases. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry shells are cooked and the filling is firm. Serve hot, warm or cold.
This recipe is from Nigel Slater’s Kitchen Diaries. He boils his pumpkin flesh for 10 minutes but I am going to try roasting it instead which means I don’t have to peel it first.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients
1 small onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
A walnut-sized knob of ginger, peeled and cut into thin shreds
225 g split red lentils
1 1/2 litres water
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground chilli
250 g pumpkin flesh, roasted or boiled
A small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
For the onion topping:
2 onions, peeled and cut into thin rings
2 Tbsp groundnut oil
2 small, hot chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
Method
Put the onion, garlic, ginger, lentils and water into a large, heavy-based saucepan, bring to the boil and then turn the heat down to an enthusiastic simmer. Stir in the ground turmeric and chilli, season and leave to simmer, covered, for twenty minutes.
To make the onion topping, cook the sliced onions in the oil in a shallow pan until they start to colour. Add the garlic and chilli and continue cooking until the onions are a deep golden colour. Set aside.
Once the lentils have been cooking for 20 minutes, uncover and turn up the heat, boiling hard for five minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cooked pumpkin flesh. Blend the soup until smooth, reheat then add the coriander. Serve in bowls with a spoonful of the spiced onions on top.
This recipe is taken from Felicity Cloake’s How to Cook the Perfect column in the Guardian. Every week she takes a familiar dish and tries several different recipes before coming up with her definitive recipe to make the perfect dish, in this case the perfect moussaka. We will be trying this on Sunday.
Serves 4
Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Ingredients
4 tbsp olive oil
3 medium or 2 large aubergines, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dried oregano
500g minced lamb
2 tbsp tomato purée, mixed with 150ml water
150ml red wine
Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
For the béchamel:
500ml milk
60g butter
60g plain flour
50g kefalotyri or pecorino cheese, grated
2 eggs, beaten
Nutmeg, to grate
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Cut the aubergines lengthways into 0.5cm slices, and put them on to oiled baking sheets. Brush with olive oil and season. Bake for about 25 minutes until soft, golden and floppy.
Meanwhile, put 2 tbsp olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium high heat and cook the onion until soft. Add the garlic, cinnamon and oregano and cook for a further couple of minutes, then stir in the lamb. Turn up the heat slightly, and brown the lamb well, cooking until the mixture is quite dry. Stir in the tomato and wine, bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down low and cook for 30–40 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season and stir in the parsley.
While the meat is cooking, make the bechamel. Bring the milk to just below boiling point, and melt the butter in another saucepan. Stir the flour into the butter and cook for a couple of minutes, then gradually whisk in the hot milk. Cook until you have a thick sauce, then stir in the cheese until melted. Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly, then beat in the eggs, salt to taste and add slightly more nutmeg than you might think wise (it’s a strong flavour, but you need a heft of it in this dish I think – half a teaspoon at least).
Arrange a third of the aubergines in the base of an oven dish, and top with half the meat. Repeat these layers, then finish off with a layer of aubergine, and top with the sauce. Bake for about 45 minutes until well browned, and then leave to cool for half an hour before serving.
This recipe has been recommended by CSA member Sarah Brown. It is taken from Rick Stein’s Food Heroes but there are references to these pickles back as far as the Great Depression and earlier. A great homemade version of gherkins for burgers, cold meats, cheeses and as the name suggests just bread & butter.
Makes 4 x 450g (1lb) jars
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients
750g / 1 1/2lb cucumbers
450g / 1 lb onions
1 green pepper
50g / 2 oz salt
Pickling liquor
350g / 12 oz light soft brown sugar
475ml / 16 fl oz cider vinegar
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp celery seed
Method
Trim the ends off the cucumbers, scoop seeds with a teaspoon (optional) and cut them into thin slices about 3-4mm thick. Finely slice the onion and slice the pepper. Put the cucumber, onion and pepper in a large bowl and sprinkle over the salt. Cover and leave for three to four hours, or overnight – this will remove excess water and help to keep the vegetable crisp when pickled. Rinse, drain and dry the vegetables thoroughly. Put all the remaining ingredients in a large, stainless-steel pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Add the cucumber, onion & pepper and simmer for three to four minutes – the cucumber will turn a slight yellowy-olive colour. Pack into warm, sterilised jars right up to the brim, and cap immediately with vinegar-proof lids. These will keep for a year, preferably in a dark place to preserve the colour. Once opened, refrigerate and eat within three or four weeks.
This is a deliciously simple summer dish which can be eaten hot or cold. It’s ideal for a picnic or lunch in the garden. There are many versions, this one is from Valentine Warner at BBC Food
Serves: 2
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
Ingredients
200g broad beans (podded weight)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, peeled, chopped (or spring onions)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 large free-range eggs
100g feta cheese, crumbled
small bunch fresh mint leaves (or parsley), chopped
Method
Cook the broad beans in a pan of boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Drain well, then refresh in cold water. When the beans are cool enough to handle, peel away the outer skins, if you want to.
Heat the oil in a small ovenproof frying pan over a low heat. Add the onion and season with a pinch of salt. Fry for 8-10 minutes, or until softened but not browned.
Meanwhile, preheat the grill to its highest setting. In a bowl, whisk the eggs until well combined and full of air, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
When the onions have softened, increase the heat to medium and pour in the beaten eggs. Sprinkle over the crumbled feta, mint or parsley leaves and cooked broad beans. Leave the pan on the heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the underside of the egg mixture is pale golden-brown. (NB: Do not stir the mixture.)
Transfer the pan to the grill and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, or until the top side of the egg mixture is firm and pale golden-brown. Place a large plate upside-down over the pan, then turn the pan over so that the omelette falls onto the plate. Cut it into wedges and serve with crusty white bread.
This recipe is from Jamie Oliver’s book Ministry of Food. It comes recommended by Charlotte, one of the founder members of Camel CSA.
Serves 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 carrots
2 sticks of celery
2 medium onions
2 cloves of garlic
800g cauliflower
olive oil
200g Cheddar cheese, grated
2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes
salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon English mustard
Method
Dice the carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Into a large pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and put over a medium heat, add the diced vegetables and cauliflower. Cook for 10 minutes with a lid partially placed over the pan or until the carrots have softened and the onion is lightly golden.
Grate the cheese. Put the stock cubes into a jug and pour in 1.8 litres of boiling water from a kettle. Add to the vegetables in the pan. Stir and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or so until the vegetables are cooked.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese and mustard, season with salt and pepper. Use a hand blender and pulse until silky smooth – if using a liquidiser let the soup cool down, never put hot liquid into a liquidiser. Top with more grated cheese. You could also top with some crispy bacon.
An extremely versatile vegetarian dish that uses up the last of the winter season’s swede in this week’s veg boxes. You can use turnips or swede or a mixture of both. The same goes for spinach and chard.
As Nigel says: “This gently fragrant dish works well with potatoes and parsnips, too. You could use another leaf, perhaps chard or kale.” It comes from his Mid-week dinner feature in The Guardian.
Serves: 6
Preparation/cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1kg mixed turnips and/or swede
1 onion, finely chopped
knob of butter
1 tsp oil
1 tsp each of cumin seeds, ground turmeric and garam masala
200g spinach or chard
yogurt and coriander leaves, to serve
Peel turnips and swede and cut them into large pieces. Cook the turnip and swede either in boiling, lightly salted water, or in a steamer, until tender.
In a shallow pan, fry a peeled and roughly chopped onion in a little butter and oil until soft and golden, then add the cumin seeds, ground turmeric and garam masala. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes at a moderate heat until all is fragrant.
Wash and remove any tough stalks from 200g of spinach or chard. Place a nonstick, shallow pan over a moderate heat, add the wet spinach and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Let the spinach cook in its own steam for about three minutes, until wilted, then drain and gently press the water from it.
Add the drained turnips and swedes to the onions and continue cooking until they are lightly golden and have soaked up some of the flavour for the spices. Season with a little salt. Fold the spinach into the spiced turnips and swede and serve, if you wish, with a trickle of yogurt and a few coriander leaves. Serves 4.
Nigel’s trick: “Steam your spinach rather than boiling it. The best way I have found is to wash the leaves and, while they are still very wet, put them in a shallow pan to which you have a tight-fitting lid. Place over a moderately high heat, cover and let the spinach cook for a minute or two in its own steam. Lift the lid, turn the leaves with a pair of tongs or a draining spoon, then cook them for a minute more. I find this gives a better result than boiling.”
The original inspiration for this soup was in a newspaper or magazine, long since lost. This is my husband’s version where he puts in whatever squash we have together with whatever greens are around: kale, cavalo nero and chard have all been used at some point.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 squash, peeled, seeds removed and diced
500 ml stock
1 can cannelini beans, drained
1 large handful of kale, torn into small pieces
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the onion and garlic and fry gently until the onion has softened. Add the squash with the smoked paprika and coat in the oil before adding the stock and the cannelini beans. Simmer until the squash is cooked. At this point you can mash the soup slightly to make it thicker if you so wish. Add the kale and simmer until cooked. Season to taste and serve.
