Roasted Moroccan Vegetable Soup with Toasted Pine Nuts (v)

I had a glut of veggies that needed to be used so roasted a whole big batch of them and turned half into this soup and the other half into a yummy lunch of roasted veggies, cous cous and spinach. The soup is beyond easy to make but tastes like you've slaved over it for hours!

For 4 portions you need
1 sweet potato
2 beetroot
2 onions
2 parsnips
4 carrots
2 courgettes
1.5 litres of veg stock
Handful roughly chopped coriander
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp each of baharat, ras el halour and berber spice mixes (or whatever moroccan spices you fancy)
salt and pepper
1 tin drained cannelini beans
150g spinach, washed

Begin by chopping sweet potato, carrot, onion and parsnips into small chunks. Toss in the oil and spices and roast in a hot oven for 20-30 mins until tender and starting to catch a little.

Prepare the beetroot and courgette in the same way and roast on a separate tin.

Once the tray with the root veg has done, place the roasted veggies in a pan and cover with the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 mins.

Add the spinach to the pan and blitz to a puree. Return to the pan and add the beans. Heat through.

Serve in warmed bowls topped with a couple of spoonfuls of the roasted beetroot and courgette, pine nuts and coriander. Serve with copious bread.

Thai Style Courgette Fritters with Spicy Peanut Sauce and Beetroot and Carrot Salad

I've been meaning to blog this for ages as someone asked for the recipe (sorry!) but just hadn't got round to it... Well better late then never eh ;-) You can make this dish as spicy or not as you wish. I like mine ferociously hot.

For 4 people you need
Fritters
1 large courgette, grated coarsely
1 large carrot, grated coarsely
1 large onion, likewise grated
2 tbsp red curry paste
1 egg
1/2 cup plain flour (about 100-150g)
vegetable oil for shallow frying

Sauce
4 tbsp crunch peanut butter
1 can coconut milk
2 tbsp red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-6 red chillies, sliced

Salad
2 beetroot, peeled and grated
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 onion, finely sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
4 thai chillies, finely sliced
2 tbsp fish sauce or mushroom soy sauce if you're veggie
2 tbsp soya sauce
2/3 bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Plain boiled jasmine rice, Raw peanuts, lightly pan roasted and fresh coriander to serve.

Begin by making the salad. Using a food processor if you have one, grate everything and place in a bowl with the dressing ingredients. Mix thoroughly and leave to one side while you prepare everything else.

Make the sauce by placing everything in a pan and bringing to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2-3 mins then leave to one side.

Make the fritters by mixing everything together in a bowl. Heat about 1cm of oil in a large frying pan and fry spoonfuls of the mix for 3-4 mins on each side until lightly browned and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.

Serve garnished with peanuts and coriander and with plenty of plain rice to cool your mouth down on!

Courgettes and Onions with Quinoa (v)

I have a large collection of cookery books. Some might argue too many. And often I admire them in my living room and then head to the kitchen to create something myself. But I am on a mission to cut my shopping bill in half, and to use up everything we buy along with getting out of the food rut we are currently in. My recipe book of choice at the moment is therefore River Cottage Veg Everyday as we are working our way through our weekly veg box and I am already bored with some of the contents (namely courgettes!!).

This recipe is very easy to do and tastes delicious hot, warm or cold. It makes a lovely light lunch on its own, or a yummy side dish. If you're not vegan, add some feta to it for a salty tang. It'd also be delicious served up alongside a lamb cutlet or similar.

For two people you need
2 medium courgettes, sliced on the diagonal in 5mm thick slices
2 red onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 sprigs of thyme leaves (not the stalks!)
juice 1/2 lemon
100g quinoa
25g pine nuts
salt and pepper
large handful of roughly chopped flat leaf parsley

Begin by sauteeing the thyme leaves, onions and courgettes in a pan with the oil. Keep the heat medium so that after 20 minutes or so the onions and courgettes are nicely golden. Add the garlic at this stage and cook for another 2-3 mins.

Meanwhile cook the quinoa in 200ml of water. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for about 8 mins. Turn off the heat and leave to steam until all the water is absorbed (about another 10 mins).

Toast the pine nuts until golden.

Toss everything together in a large bowl, season to taste and then eat hot, warm or cold. Nom nom nom.

Pasta with Courgette, Tomato and Lemon Garlic Sauce (v)

This was a spur of the moment, what on earth do I cook for dinner, how can I use up some languishing ingredients dinner and very tasty it was too.

For 2 portions you need
1 courgette, cut into slices then quarters as in pic
6-8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 clove garlic, crushed
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
pasta of your choice

Begin by cooking the pasta as per the instructions on the packet.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil gently and sautee off the courgette until softened and lightly browned (keep the heat quite high to ensure it browns before going mushy). Add the tomatoes, zest and garlic and cook for another 1-2 mins to warm everything through. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and then place in the sauce pan and coat everything with the sauce. Scoff. Nom.

Thai Massaman Curry (v)

We had a Thai extravaganza at the weekend (can you guess from recent blog posts ;-)) and this was pronounced deeeeeelicious by both boyfriend and son. Result.

For four greedy portions you need
1 tub massaman curry paste (I like the Thai Taste one but it contains shrimp paste, use one without obviously if you want it to be vegan...)
1 can coconut milk
1 onion
2 courgettes, sliced
1/2 pack each mange tout and green beans
1 head pak choi
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1-2 sweet potatoes (equal quantities to the squash), peeled and cubed
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fish sauce or mushroom soya sauce if vegan

Begin by frying the curry paste and onion for a few minutes. Add the squash and sweet potato along with the coconut milk. Season with the sugar and fish sauce/mushroom soya sauce and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, for 10 mins. Add everything else and cook for 3 mins until the remaining veggies are al dente. Serve with sticky rice and sigh with pleasure as the fragrant, rich curry fills that hole in yer belly.

Courgette Frittata

This recipe is the happy marriage between courgettes delivered in my Abel and Cole veggie box and an Asda magazine which suggested a similar recipe. It made for a quick and easy light lunch.

For four portions you need
6 eggs
2 courgettes, sliced into discs 5mm thick (or near enough, no need for a ruler!)
1 onion, sliced
knob butter
75g grated mature cheddar
salt and pepper

You need a smallish frying pan for this to ensure the correct depth of egg mix to the veggies in it. A lid is useful for helping to steam the courgettes as the pan will seem crowded to begin with.

Start by melting the butter. Once this is done, add the onions and fry for about 5 mins. Add all of the courgettes and cover with a lid over a moderate heat. Shake/stir the pan regularly to ensure no sticking.

Mix the eggs with the cheese and season. Once the courgettes are starting to become tender add the eggs and shuffle the pan about to ensure an even layer. Cook over a low heat until the base is nice and browned and most of the eggs are set. Heat the grill and transfer the pan to the grill to finish off. Serve hot or cold.

Vegetable Fritters (v)

Yes my blog has been sadly neglected recently, but I have moved house again and had a new kitchen fitted and and and and and.....

Anyway. These are dead simple vegetable fritters, one of the first things I made in my lovely new kitchen. They're very quick and easy to make and don't require the exact ingredients listed out below, so experiment and see what you come up with.

For 8-10 fritters you need:
1-2 courgettes, coarsely grated
1-2 carrots, treated like the courgettes
1/4 cup plain flour
1 egg (omit if you're vegan and use water instead)
zest of one lemon
2 handfuls fresh coriander, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
vegetable oil for deep frying

Mix the grated veggies with everything else and season. Heat the oil and drop spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry for about 5 mins until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with salad and sweet chilli sauce.

Courgettes with Feta and Lemon

I thought the wonderful Ottolenghi had done a recipe for this but apparently I dreamt it cos I couldn't find it so created this instead to satisfy a craving and a glut of courgettes...

For 2-3 people you need
2 courgettes, cut into 3 inch lengths then thin slices
2 cloves garlic, crushed
juice of a lemon
salt and pepper
2-3 tbsp excellent quality olive oil
1/2 pack feta
1 tub chilli olives

Griddle the courgettes till scorched in places and just tender. Meanwhile place everything else apart from the feta and olives in a bowl. Place the hot courgettes into the dressing to marinade then top with the feta and olives and eat with copious crusty bread to soak up the garlicky juices. Nomnomnom.

Umami Noodles with Peas and Courgettes (v)

I adore the dark, salty, savoury magic that is umami. I can eat marmite from a jar I like it so much. Ditto soya sauce. This speedy noodle dish blends savoury soya sauce with black bean sauce for a really satisfying salty umami kick. The peas give a nice sweetness to balance the overall flavour of the dish. Yes I am aware that writing a description in that way makes me sound like a poncy twat. Care much lol?!

For one person you need:
1 bundle soba noodles (or eggs ones if you are not vegan)
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 courgette cut into chunks
1/4 cup frozen peas
2 tbsp dark soya sauce
2 tbsp black bean sauce
splash mirin
1 tsp vegetable oil

Cook the noodles in water and drain once done. Meanwhile fry the onion in the oil and add the courgette and peas. Once the noodles are cooked add to the vegetables and add the mirin, soya sauce and black bean sauce. Cook till warmed through and serve.

Infamous Courgette Bread...

OK it's only infamous cos it's got courgettes in it and it's called bread and people on twitter, instagr.am and facebook wanted the recipe. Maybe it should be called intriguing courgette bread instead... Anyway, I digress. This is a Rachel Allen recipe (p72 of Bake) and jolly fine it is too. A lovely crunchy sugary topping forms during baking and the whole flat smelled of yummy spices as it cooked. It freezes really well and is great for lunch boxes. As the week goes on it can be toasted and topped with butter or honey or whatever you fancy really. Peanut butter on it is suprisingly good. Honest.

For 2 2lb loaves you need:
400g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarb
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 freshly grated nutmeg
300g vanilla caster sugar
100g demerara sugar
3 eggs, beaten
200ml vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium courgettes, grated (skin an' all...)
75g walnuts, roughly chopped

Mix everything together and scrape into two lined loaf tins. Bake in a slot (160 degree) oven for 60-90 mins. The loaves are done when a cocktail stick comes out clean when inserted in the centre. Leave to cool and then slice and scoff as you wish. Et voila...

Thai Broth with Vegetables and Noodles (v)

I had a hangover yesterday. A hangover of epic proportions. A hangover never again to be repeated (until the next time ;-)). This was an attempt to restore some normality to my poor tummy and head...

For 2-3 portions you need:
1 can coconut milk
1 small can coconut cream
1 small jar thai red curry paste
500ml boiling water
1 courgette, roughly chopped
1/2 pack stir fry veggies
1 pack pak choi, chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
2 handfuls peanuts
2 tbsp soya sauce
1/2 lime, squeezed
2 nests fine noodles

Place everything bar the peanuts, soya sauce, spring onions, pak choi and lime juice in a pan and bring to the boil. Stir well and simmer for 3-4 mins till the noodles are cooked. Add the pak choi and steam for one further minute. Serve in ramen bowls topped with the remaining ingredients and eat. Feel immediately better.

Courgettes with Lemon and Feta (can be vegan)

This is a quick, but zingy, side dish. It's also nice chopped up in some cous cous for lunch the next day.

For 2-3 portions you need:
2-3 courgettes, sliced lengthways into 0.5 cm thick slices
juice 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 pack feta, crumbled
pepper
olive oil

Dress the slices of courgette in some olive oil and then griddle on a hot pan till lightly cooked (don't over do them or they'll become all yukky and mushy). Meanwhile place the feta, lemon juice, garlic and pepper in a shallow dish. Place the cooked courgettes straight into the dressing and toss well. Omit the feta for a vegan dish, adding some salt for seasoning.

Quick Spiced Noodles in Coconut Milk (v)

This is an adaptation of Nigella's Spicy Chicken Noodles but sans the dead chicken, obviously. It's gently warming, and nice and filling on a cold wet day.

For 3-4 portions you need:
2 bundles rice noodles, soaked in hot water
1 onion, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 courgette, sliced
1 can coconut cream
1 litre vegetable stock
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 inch piece ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 tbsp soya sauce
2 red chillies, sliced
handful corriander, chopped
handful salted peanuts

Put everything aside from the corriander and peanuts into a pan and gently simmer for 5 mins or so. Serve in large bowls topped with the corriander and peanuts. Slurp and savour.

Vegetable Crumble with Pine Nuts and Almonds (v)

This was a bottom of the veg box use-it-all-up idea which turned out good. Very good. It's not strictly a crumble I guess as I cheated and used bread crumbs on the top, but it worked well to give a crunchy, tasty, nutty crust to counter the vegetables below. Omit the cheese for a vegan version. The veggies given below are what we needed to use up. Other combinations would also work!

For 4-6 portions you need:
1-2 onions, chopped
1-2 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
1 squash, peeled and cut into chunks
2 ears corn, with the kernels stripped off
1 courgette, thickly sliced
2 tsp vegetable stock powder
3 slices brown bread with seeds
handful grated cheddar
salt and pepper
1 tbsp roughly chopped herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley)
1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp light olive oil
2 tbsp pine nuts
2 tbsp flaked almonds

Begin by sauteeing the onion in the oil. Add the squash and carrot and cook for a further 2-3 mins. Add the courgette and sweetcorn and enough water to come half way up the sides of the pan (you don't want too much). Add the beans, stock powder, herbs and season. Cook for 5 mins or so.

Meanwhile blitz the bread in a food processor till fine crumbs. Tip the veggies and stock into a large oven proof dish and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs. Add the cheese if using and then the pine nuts and almonds. Bake in a moderate oven for about 20 mins until the veggies are all cooked and the crumbs are browned. Serve with saute potatoes and braised red cabbage. Yum yum yum.

Moroccan Spiced Vegetables with Bulghar Wheat and Haloumi (v)

This is another endless variation on the same theme, but tasty none the less. Today's dish was a bit dry if truth be told so I am open for suggestions as to a sauce to combine with it. I was thinking either yogurt and harissa or maybe some runny tahini sauce...

Serves 4 people

For the baharat beetroot and squash you need 2-3 beetroot, scrubbed and peeled and cut into 6ths and 1 squash, cut into chunks. Toss in a little olive oil, season with salt and sprinkle over 1-2 tbsp baharat. Roast in a medium oven for 20-30 mins.

For the ras-el-halout mixed vegetables you need handful mushrooms, 1 courgette, 2 carrots, 2 red onions, 1/2 cauliflower broken into florets. Begin by roughly chopping the onion, courgettes and carrots. Toss in some olive oil and 1-2 tbsp ras-el-halout with the mushrooms and cauliflower. Roast in a medium oven for 20-30 mins.

For the haloumi chop a packet into chunks and roast in a hot oven for about 10 mins.

For the bulghar wheat place 1/2 cup bulghar wheat in a bowl with 1/2 tsp stock powder and pour over 1 cup boiling water. Leave to mingle for 20-30 mins. If you are vegan, omit the haloumi and add a can drained chickpeas to the bulghar wheat.

Serve, scoff and enjoy :)

Sweet Onion Tart with Goats Cheese and Courgette

This is such a quick and simple dish to make, but tastes like you spent hours making it. Use ready rolled puff pastry to save time and mix and match what you have in rather than religiously following this recipe...

For 2-3 portions you need:
1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry
1 jar red onion marmalade
1 goats cheese log, sliced
2 medium courgettes, sliced
about 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
a sprinkle of fresh thyme and oregano
salt and pepper
olive oil

Begin by unrolling the pastry and placing it on a lined baking sheet. Score around the edge to leave a 1cm border. Spread the onion marmalade in the middle, ensuring it covers the base evenly. Lay on the courgette slices, then add the goats cheese. Add the tomatoes and finally sprinkle over the herbs, seasoning and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Bake in a hot oven for 15-20 mins till cooked and golden brown. Serve with a green salad. Eat any leftovers cold for lunch the next day.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta (v)

OK so this is virtually the same as the courgette pasta but it's worthy of its own entry...

For 2 people you need:
2 courgettes, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 pepper, diced
handful cherry tomatoes
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tin cherry tomatoes
handful olives, sliced
pinch sugar
salt and pepper
vegetable stock
dash red wine
175g pasta

Toss the veggies in olive oil and then roast them for about 20 mins. Meanwhile place the garlic, seasonings and tomatoes in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer. Cook the pasta, drain. Add the veggies to the sauce and toss in the pasta. Scoff.

Courgette Pasta (v)

A simple and quick dinner to make, and one which uses any glut of homegrown courgettes you might have.

For 4 portions you need:
2 courgettes, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tin chopped tomatoes with olives
1/3 cup water
1 tsp stock
salt and pepper
pinch sugar
400g pasta

Begin by sauteeing the onion and garlic in a little olive oil for a few mins. Add the courgette and cook out for 5-10 mins. Add the tomatoes, seasoning, sugar, water and stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 10-15 mins. Meanwhile cook the pasta. Drain and mix with the sauce. This is also nice the next day cold for lunch as a salad.

Griddled Vegetable Salad with Beans and Basil (v)

This is an @riverfordveg recipe from field kitchen

For 6 people you need:
1 tin drained cannellini beans
3 tbsp olive oil
4 large courgettes, cut into ribbons (about 5mm thick)
250g cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Dressing:
Bunch fresh basil
½ clove garlic
100ml olive oil
salt and pepper

Begin by making the dressing – place everything in a blender and blitz- and dousing the beans in it. Toss the courgettes in the olive oil and then griddle till slightly charred and lightly softened. Mix everything with the beans and dressing and serve warm with crusty bread. Heaven!

Courgette, Onion and Cheddar Tart

I love quiche and its many varied fillings. This recipe comes from the August edition of @deliciousmag

For 4-6 portions you need:
400g shortcrust pastry made from 300g flour and 150g butter (use any leftovers for jam tarts!)
2 medium courgettes
1 tbsp olive oil
knob butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
small bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked off
150ml double cream
1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
150g mature cheddar, coarsely grated

Begin by lining a quiche tin with the pastry. Prick all over and leave to rest for 30 mins. Then bake blind for 15 mins or so. Brush some of the beaten leftover egg white on to the base and continue to bake till it is set and sealed. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile grate the courgettes in to a sieve, sprinkle with a little salt and leave to drain for 5-10 mins. Sautee the onion and garlic in the butter and oil. Squeeze out the courgettes and add to the pan, increasing the heat.

Mix the cream, egg, yolks and cheese in a jug. Season and add the thyme. Spoon the vegetables over the base of the tin and then pour over the egg and cream mix. Bake in a moderate oven for about 25 mins. Serve with a green salad. Yum!