Vege Lentil Bake

 I heard this recipe shared on Radio New Zealand in the winter of 2024, while I was driving somewhere. It sounded great, so when I got home I tracked it down and eventually we made it.

A Julie Biuso recipe called "Lentil Pie with Puffy Cheese Sauce". To be honest that's not the most inspiring name for such a delicious dish. And the cheese sauce isn't overly puffy. But I tell you what- it is so worth making.

I have discovered that there's loads of flexibility in this bake so just use what you have and go by your own taste and preferences.

Start with the vegetable base as in Julie's recipe:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 tsp chopped rosemary
• ¼ tsp fennel seed
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 350g (3) carrots, peeled and grated
• 350g (3) zucchini trimmed and grated
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp standard flour
• 1 x 400g can lentils, drained
• 1 Tbsp tomato concentrate
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 x 400g can cherry tomatoes in sauce (Mutti band)

And here's my alternative to the onion & garlic:

In a large pot saute:

2 leeks and a whole pile of onion weed

Other vege options: mushrooms, watercress, wild greens, spinach, red pepper, sweet corn and anything else you think might work.

Left-over chicken is also good.

Basic method is to saute all the first lot of ingredients, simmer until tender.

Then add the rest & gently fold together.

Pour in to a greased dish or two smaller ones.

The sauce part:

• 45g (3 Tbsp) butter
• 4 level Tbsp standard flour
• 400ml milk
• Salt
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Freshly ground white pepper
• ¾ cup grated vintage cheddar cheese
• 1 medium (size 6) free-range egg
• 
  

 My additions: a dsp of whole grain mustard, a dsp of Ajva, much less cheese, possibly a little parmesan over the top. I used black pepper in the sauce too. This gives a bit more flavour.

Pour the sauce over the top of the vegetable base.

I gave the top a sprinkle of my own dried herb mix of rosemary, sage and thyme & a little paprika.

Bake for around 40 minutes in a moderate oven.

This was our last version of veges cooking.

Then with the addition of the lentils and the cherry tomatoes.

Such a light yet super tasty and satisfying dish that also keeps and reheats really well.

If I've been a bit confusing you can see the original recipe just here.

Catherine X

Fruit and Vegetable Bran Muffins or Loaf

After having an inspired conversation with Viv at Cornucopia, our local organics shop, a while back- about how her grandkids were happily eating loaf stuffed full of veggies, I decided I would have a go at making bran muffins with loads of both fruit & veggies in them to see if they really were that yummy. Well it turns out that they really are both filling & delicious & can be made in to either muffins or a loaf. 

The mix is brilliantly free-form so just use whatever is to hand. So far I have incorporated, grated carrots, parsnip, courgette, choko, apple, pear & banana. Almost any kind of dried fruit would be useful too & nuts like walnuts if you have them. 

In a large bowl add:

1/2 cup bran

1/2 brown sugar (demarara, coconut or other)

100 grams of chopped butter

A pinch of salt. A tsp each of cinnamon & ginger to taste.

A tsp vanilla essence

2 cups of dried fruit- dates (definitely) raisins, sultanas,  dried apricots, prunes etc

Pour over a cup full of boiling water stir & leave to sit until just warm & well soaked together.

Add an egg & a large tbsp of plain yoghurt 

Add 1/2- 1 cup of nuts- walnuts etc

2 cups of grated fruits & vegetables such as apple, pear, carrot, parsnip, beetroot, choko or courgette.

Add a mashed ripe banana

Stir altogether & then sift in 1- 1/2 cups of wholemeal flour & 2 tsps baking powder. Just see how the mix is looking. You may not need all the flour.

Gently fold the flour through the mix.

Spoon in to large muffin tins or a greased/lined loaf tin.

Bake for 20-30 mins at 180 degrees C until firm & a nice colour.

I guarantee no one will ever guess there's all those veggies in there!

Katie x

Spicy Vege Pie

This spicy vegetable pie is so utterly delicious and really very like samosas, only there's no deep frying. The pastry is simple and delicious, the filling can be made with leftovers, or designed with great care.
It's good to think ahead before making.
Firstly, pop 113 gms of butter (a stick in US terms & this amount was perfect, so 113 grams it is!) in to the freezer while you peel and cook 3 potatoes- Agria would be great.
So the filling:
Peel, dice and cook 3 Agria (or other mashing potatoes) until tender, pour off the water.
Mash.
In a smaller pot lightly cook some cauliflower- 1&1/2 cups is what we are after.
In a frypan or skillet fry a chopped red onion, a diced carrot and 1/2 a red pepper in a little olive oil.
Towards the end of cooking add 1 tsp cumin seeds and some crumbled curry leaves, a good grating of fresh ginger and fresh turmeric (dry will do too) if you have them.
Add a tsp of good salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Then add 1/2 cup of frozen peas and continue cooking until they are defrosted.
Combine the mashed potato and the pan full of flavours together, add a tbsp of olive oil and either a big squeeze of lemon juice or some Mango powder (found in Indian shops).
Lastly, snip in some fresh coriander.
That's the filling. Taste and see if you need to adjust the seasonings.

Now the pastry: in to a bowl measure out 1 cup of white flour and 1/2 cup of wholemeal flour.
Grate the frozen butter into the flour and mix it in as you go so that it doesn't get clumpy.
Mix a little with your hands until it all looks like rolled oats but don't over handle and don't fuss too much.
Add 1 tsp of salt, and 2 tsps of toasted cumin- just use the pan that you cooked all the onion etc in.
Cook for a round 2 minutes stirring as you go so that it doesn't over toast.
Add a pinch of sugar.
Make a well in the centre and add 1/4 c of milk and a 1/4 c of yoghurt.
Mix all together with a spoon until it comes together. Kneed a little but not too much.
Place in a small bowl & cover with bees wrap and put into the fridge for an hour, or overnight.
Once you're ready to put it all together.
Turn on the oven to 200 degrees C
Cut the pastry dough in half and roll out on to the bench or a board that is very lightly floured.
Make a rectangle (or any shape that takes your fancy including "handpies").
Spread the filling through the middle- making a hill as you go and leave a little space at the edges.
Roll out the other half and place on top.
Use a good heavy fork to seal around the edges.
Make some slits across the pastry with a knife.
This is so much fun to make "together" with someone you love.
Brush the top with a little melted butter (or beaten egg).
Bake for 10-15 minutes and use fan grill until it's all looking golden and smelling amazing- around another 15 minutes.
This is so delicious just as it is and brilliant served with Samosa chutney from an Indian shop.

The original recipe and inspiration came from this wonderful post here.

Katie X 

Ras el Hanout

Ras el Hanout: a blend of spices that has flavoured the dishes of Morocco for generations, widely regarded as the best of spice concoctions & frequently created freehand. The mix can be found at specialist shops. Vetro in Ahuriri appears to be our only stockist in Hawke's Bay or you can make your own with a small collection of spices & a mortar & pestle. Keriann of Sweet Mary told me about this lovely dish & I am so glad that she did! This was my go at making the mix.

 Here is a good basic recipe from Rowan Bishop for Ras el Hanout using powdered spices
1tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
2 tsps tumeric
2 tsps cinnamon
2 tsps ginger
1 tsp coriander
1tsp cumin
2 tbsps paprika
1 tsp ground fennel seeds
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
Mix altogether well & store in an airtight jar in a cool place.

I like to make a very simple Ras el Hanout using potatoes and my wonderful old ranzware casserole dish.
Place 1 chopped onion in a casserole dish, cook gently to soften in a little olive oil.
Add 3 or 4 diced potatoes (agria are good)
2 tbsps of Ras el Hanout spice mix.
1 tsp good salt & 1 tsp of raw sugar...sounds strange but the little bit of sugar brings out all the flavours.
1/2 or 1 can of diced tomatoes or 6/8 diced fresh ones.
1 can of water.
Simmer gently with the lid on for an hour & a half or until the sauce has thickened & the potatoes are tender. Add more water if necessary.

 this one had olives added to it towards the end of cooking & the little less tomato.

In the winter months the combination of potato & celeriac is really good. I have also been adding garlic flower heads as in the picture..lovely mild flavour, just crumble in.

 This can of tomatoes had sliced olives in it. You can also make Ras el Hanout with chicken which is very good too.

Choko is great with this dish. Serve with a delicious crusty bread.

Choko are very useful & cheap through the winter here & are often grown by Chinese market gardeners. they taste like kamo kamo &/or firm courgette. 

They are also known as cheyote, vegetable pear or a christophene etc in other parts of the world. I must just add that apparently in Aussie slang "He couldn't train a choko to grow up a dunny wall" is used to refer to a dimwitted, incompetent or incapable person! 

I also found the assurance that a choko vine would grow in your old shoe if you put a piece of fruit in there, probably while your foot was still in it! So they are easy to grow. If you have an old car, shed or ugly fence lurking around that you fancy hiding try choko!

Katie X

Brilliant Vege Dips

I came across these fabulous dips in a Dish magazine recently & rushed home to try them, with a few adjustments to suit (or perhaps because I couldn't quite remember everything)

They are really, really simple & tasty & might even sneak the odd vegetable past a child!

The green dip is utterly delicious & tastes of fresh sweet peas. It is even better the next day after the flavours develop further so make lots!

The second dip is a spicy roasted carrot & chickpea blend.

I found some early tender broad beans but I'm sure that frozen ones would do just fine.

 Cook 1 cup broad beans until just tender, around 5 minutes in a small amount of water.
Run under the cold tap to cool, drain well & then slip off the outer skins.

 Cook 1 cup baby frozen peas in a small amount of water until just tender & still bright green. Run under cold water to cool. Drain well.

 Mix together broad beans, peas, 1/2 to 1 avocado, 1 tsp good salt, ground black pepper, big squeeze of lemon juice & a drizzle of good olive oil.

 Pulse in a food processor or with a whizz stick until well combined but not super smooth.

 That's it! Eat with crunchy veges like carrots, cucumber & peppers or crostini etc. The colour is magnificent & stays that way : )

 Roasted Carrot & Chickpea Dip.
2 large carrots. I like to give the carrots a wash, prick them all over with a knife, wrap them in damp paper towels & pop them in the microwave for 4 mins each (large carrots). Unwrap, cool a little & cut in to chunks. Tip in to a frypan with a good slug of olive oil.
Add 1 tsp of ground cummin & coriander, salt & some freshly ground black pepper. Garlic if you like it. Fry until the carrots are all yummy & roasted looking. Add a drained can of chickpeas or cooked ones if you prefer. Mix altogether & fry a little longer. Tip in to a food processor & add some more olive oil & lemon juice. Pulse to combine to a chunky texture or use a whizz stick. Adjust seasoning.
These two dips can be used as a platter meal..sorry ate them before I thought to arrange them with other veges ; ) They are equally fabulous the next day & would make great picnic food too.
Carrots are so different cooked this way as a vegetable..try them sometime..even without the spices..yum!

Catherine

Earth gems: a magnificent winter vegetable

I just love my new find of the winter: "earth gems" 
also known as ulluco.

They come from South America & are said to be one 
of the lost foods of the Incas.

They are so tasty & refreshingly colourful arriving 
just in time to revitalize the winter menu.

The "Halfords" of Feilding grow them here in New zealand &
I have been buying them through the season from 
Bellatino's out in Havelock North. 

They are very easy to prepare as they are prewashed 

& there is no peeling required.

Just gently boil for around 10 mins until tender.

Some colourful vegetables lose their lovely hues when
 cooked but the earth gem seems to do pretty well ...

..the colours running right through the tuber.

Here they are served with a little butter, good salt & lots of ground

black pepper. With the texture of a waxy new potato & the flavour

 a little, of beetroot & perhaps yam. They make a tidy, colourful 

& splendid addition to a winter meal. 

The thing is that they are a winter vege so in dreaming up what to

do with them I had to consider what might go with them best &

be seasonal too. There are already plenty of roasting vegetables 

so they would probably be lost on that count.

My first mix included deep red & orange kumara

with a sprinkling of violets

   with the addition of really good olive oil

(Village Press..at the Farmer's market

($60 for 4 litres)
or fabulous Grove avocado oil,

lemon juice, flat leaf parsley, salt,

 ground black pepper

& tomatoes. There are some very 

tasty vine NZ grown vine tomatoes 

available at the moment.

No not seasonal I know but hey!

My favourite way to use them at the moment:

 cooked earth gems..cold & cut in half

firm vine ripened tomatoes cubed

chopped coriander

a preserved lemon finally sliced

a slosh of great olive or avocado oil

good salt, freshly ground black pepper 

& a squeeze of lemon juice...divine!!

this salad is just as good the next day too!

avocado also works well with them as do prawns
or shrimp & the sango sprouts that I get at 
Countdown are sooo fabulous & very handy along 
with the best salad macro/micro mix from Clyde Potter 
at Epicurean Supplies..so tasty & very innovative.

Around Christmas time I still had some earth gems tucked in the back fridge, just staring to sprout, but most were still fine to use. Soon, I planted the rest of the now happily sprouting tubers

 in to a large pot with plenty of compost.
It wasn't long before they looked like this:

I have since discovered that the leaves are edible too..just use & cook like spinach.

I have continued picking the leaves all through the summer. Haven't had any problem with bugs either.

A nutritious, versatile & easily grown vegetable that has excellent keeping qualities, both the tubers & the leaves.

I'll update further soon & tell you what I ended up with in my pot when the leaves die down. 

Catherine x