Mock Duck Noodle Soup (v)

There was a bit of a shopping fail this week, as I'd planned to make fake chicken noodle soup for lunch on Sunday but upon opening the freezer realised that we had no quorn chunks left, d'oh. I did however remember that there was a tin of mock duck languishing in the cupboard where it had lain for months. It made for an excellent and very tasty soup. So now I need to buy another tin to replace the one I used!

For three portions you need
1 tin mock duck (available from larger supermarkets or Asian/Chinese grocers), gluten sliced into bite sized pieces
3 nests noodles
1 litre vegetable stock plus the sauce/liquid from the mock duck tin
1 onion, halved and then sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into thin strips
125g closed cup mushrooms, cut into quarters
1 cup frozen sweetcorn
1 inch ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 tsp chinese five spice powder
1 tbsp soya sauce

To garnish
3 tbsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped
chilli flakes, tabasco sauce and soya sauce to serve

Place the stock into a large pan and add the noodles, onion, garlic and ginger. Season with soya sauce and the chinese five spice powder. Add all the other ingredients, apart from the pepper and mushrooms, and cook for 3-5 minutes until the noodles are done. Add the mushrooms and pepper and heat through for a further two minutes. Serve in large bowls garnished with the coriander and chillies to taste. Delicious.

Chickpea and Red Lentil Vindaloo with Vegetables (v)

This was a vindaloo simply because that was the only curry paste I had left in the cupboard. Despite the name, it wasn't too hot! Use any combination of vegetables and pulses that you like, this is simply what we needed to use up :)

For 4-6 portions you need
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp curry paste
1 tbsp oil
2 tins chopped tomatoes
1 tin chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup red lentils
200ml water
2 tsp vegetable stock powder
1/2 cup frozen sweetcorn
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tsp sugar

Begin by sauteeing the onion and garlic in the oil. Once soft, add the curry paste and cook out for a few mins. Add everything else and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 20 mins or so until the red lentils are done. Check the taste and adjust salt, sugar or chilli according to taste. Serve with rice, pickles and indian salad!

Clam, Prawn and Smoked Haddock Chowder

Fuz loves fish. I am not that keen. Upon Ocado delivering the ingredients for this, we realised the cat also loves fish! This is quite a rich recipe and not one I would make on a regular basis, but for a nice dinner with friends it was the perfect choice. It didn't take long to make either and is based on a recipe by Marcus Wareing in How to Cook the Perfect....

For 4 portions you need
500g frozen, cooked clams, defrosted
300g cooked and peeled prawns
450g smoked haddock, skin left on and cut into four portions
200g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
1 large leek, cut into 1cm dice
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
50g plain flour and 50g butter for a beurre marnie
100g butter
200ml dry white wine
750ml fish stock
150g can sweetcorn, drained and rinsed
150ml double cream
Handful of roughly chopped fresh parsley

Begin by mixing the butter and flour together to make the beurre marnie. Leave to one side.

Melt the 100g butter in a large heavy pan and fry the onion, garlic and leek until softened. Add the potatoes and cover. Cook gently for 10 mins until slightly softened. Make sure it doesn't catch or colour.

Meanwhile, place the wine and stock in a shallow pan and bring to the boil. Add the fish and poach for 2-3 mins until cooked. Remove the fish and leave to one side. Thicken the wine and stock mixture with the beurre marnie and add the cream.

Pour the stock into the cooked potato mixture and leave to simmer gently until the potatoes are 1-2 mins away from being cooked. Add the sweetcorn, clams and prawns and bring back to a simmer. Finally add the cooked fish to the soup to re-heat gently.

Serve in large bowls, garnished with the parsley.

Summer Bean Salad (v)

I love haricot beans. I love them as baked beans but they're even better, naked, and centre stage imho. They're smaller than cannellini beans, but with the same creamy inside of a butter bean and just taste so delicious. This salad is quick and easy to throw together and lasts for a couple of days so makes for an excellent portable lunch.

For 3-4 portions you need:
1 tin haricot beans, drained and rinsed
1 small tin sweetcorn, drained and rinsed
handful baby plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 large red onion, finely diced
4" length of cucumber, diced into 1cm cubes
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
salt and pepper
2 tbsp walnut oil
1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp french mustard

Mix together the dressing ingredients. Toss everything together and slather with dressing. Serve on a bed of salad leaves. Become the envy of the office :)

Authentic Thai Green Curry with Butternut Squash and Green Beans (v)

Authentic as in made by my mum who was taught by my sister who lives in Thailand. Yum.

For 4-6 portions you need:
4 tbsp Thai green curry paste (Keow Wan is the recommended brand...)
2 tins coconut milk
1/2 pack baby sweetcorn, cut in half
1 cup green beans
1 butternut squash, cut into cubes
Fresh chopped coriander to serve

Heat the curry paste in a pan and add the butternut squash. Cook out for a few mins then add the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 mins till starting to get tender then add the corn and beans. Heat through for 2-3 mins till everything is cooked to perfection then serve with jasmine rice.

Baked Mixed Vegetable and Cheese Frittata

This is baked in the oven which means there's less chance of the bottom burning before the top is cooked and also saves having to faff about with hob and grill and flipping over the half cooked product. Use whatever vegetables you fancy. This is what I had lying about the flat.






For 6-8 portions you need:
4 eggs
1 cup grated chedder
1/2 cup frozen sweetcorn
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 orange pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
large handful fresh chives and garlic chives, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Fry the onion in the oil for 5-10 mins till softened. Add the pepper, sweetcorn and peas and cook for a further 5 mins. Meanwhile beat the eggs with the chives and season. Once the vegetables are cooked, tip into a silicon cake tin, pour over the eggs and cheese and mix around to distribute evenly. Top with the tomatoes. Bake in a moderate oven for about 20-30 mins till lightly set but don't overcook or it'll go rubbery. You can eat this hot, room temp or cold and it's perfect for a picnic.

Cheat's Curry with Random Ingredients (v)

I love the Shana brand of ready meal packet curries. They are authentic Indian curries which are probably dreadful on the ethical scale as they'll be air freighted :/ but they are as good as a takeaway on a night where you have no time. Last night was one of those nights...

For one person you need:
1 packet Shana Madras curry sauce
1 leftover cooked vegan sausage, cut into slices
1 cup random cooked vegetables (I had broccoli, brussels sprouts, frozen peas and sweetcorn)

Place the sauce in a pan and add everything else along with a dash of water. Heat. Serve with oven chips (waaaaay classy bird. That's me :D). Dinner in 10 mins.

Sort of Tom Yum Soup with Coconut (v)

This was supposed to be just Tom Yum Soup, in honour of the delicious bowl my sister made for me over Xmas. But the Tom Yum paste I brought was mouldy :( (yes I know serves me right for cheating). So I had to rummage through the cupboards and find an alternative instead, hence the name. It worked, thankfully!

For 3-4 people you need:
6 tbsp thai red curry paste (check it's one suitable for veggies with no hidden fish sauce or shrimp paste...)
2 tbsp oil
1 litre boiling water
2/3 can coconut milk (or more if you want it milder)
1/2 pack baby sweetcorn cut in half
1/2 pack green beans, topped and tailed and cut in half
1/2 pack muchrooms, cut into quarter (or left whole if button ones)
4 spring onions, finely sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
4-5 kaffir lime leaves
1 stick lemongrass, cut into quarters
1 pack marinated tofu chunks
1 red chilli, sliced
handful fresh corriander, roughly chopped
juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp soya sauce
2 tsp brown sugar

Heat the oil and fry out the paste for 2-3 mins. Add everything else apart from the chilli, corriander, lime juice and soya sauce. Cook for 2-3 mins till hot. Add the lime juice and soya sauce and serve garnished with the corriander and chillies.

Number 86 aka Special Vegetable and Tofu Chow Mein (v)

This is quick, easy and tasty. What more could you want...!

For 3-4 people you need
2 bundles noodles (soba, udon or egg if not vegan)
1 pack marinated tofu
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1/2 pack baby corn, halved
1/2 pack snow peas, halved
1 jar chow mein sauce (yes yes I know...)
4 spring onions, whites cut on the diagonal and the green bits sliced
handful corriander, roughly chopped
2 tbsp soya sauce
2 cups beansprouts

Cook the noodles as per the instructions. Meanwhile stirfry the onion for 2-3 mins then add the other veggies (apart from the beansprouts) and tofu and the sauce. Cover with a lid and steam cook for 2 mins. Drain the noodles and add to the pan along with the tofu. Serve in bowls topped with the green bits of spring onion, corriander and the soya sauce.

Spiced Noodle Soup with Vegetables and Tofu (v)

This is based on a Wagamama recipe and it sooooooooooooo quick and sooooooooooooo tasty.

For 3-4 portions you need:
2-3 bundles ramen noodles
2 tbsp red curry paste
1 onion, sliced
1 leek sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup frozen sweetcorn
1.5l water
200ml soya milk
1 packet tofu, drained and cut in to cubes
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp each of mirin and soya sauce
Juice 1 lime

Begin by frying the tofu in the oil till crispy. Drain. Place the curry paste in the pan and fry for a few minutes then add everyone else. Cook for 5 mins or so till the noodles are done. Serve in ramen bowls and slurp your way to satisfaction.

Sort of Egg Fried Rice

We're at the tail end of a zero waste week which basically means we have no veggies left and not much of anything else. This is a good thing, but it's called for some creativity when making meals! This was a quick, tasty and filling dish thankfully!

For 3-4 portions you need:
2 cups cooked basmati rice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup sweetcorn
2 quorn sausages
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 onion
1/2 chilli
2 cloves garlic

Fry the onion in a wok for a few mins then add the garlic and chilli. Add the rice and cook through thoroughly. After 3 or so mins add the diced sausages, peas and sweetcorn. Beat the eggs and add those, mixing well to cook it properly. Season with soya sauce and serve with sweet chilli sauce.

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.

Spanish Omelette

There are endless variations on the plain and humble omelette and this is about as authentically Spanish as, well I'm not sure. Nothing Spanish that's for sure.. But it's tasty and a good way to use up leftovers/frozen veg.

For 3-4 people you need:
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 onion, diced
1 red and 1 yellow pepper, diced
1 courgette, diced
1 tin sweetcorn/1/4 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup grated cheddar
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper
oil

Begin by sauteeing the onion in the oil for a few mins, then add everything else aside from the eggs, cheese and tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 mins. Season the eggs, then add the cheese to the eggs and put this into the pan. and move everything about a bit to ensure even distribution. Cook on a low heat till the bottom is done. At this point you have a choice. You can either put it under the grill to cook the top (add the sliced toms at this point and maybe a touch more cheese) or you can put it in the oven to finish it or you can be brave and invert it on a plate and slide it back into the pan or you can transfer it to a glass dish and nuke it in the microwave. Whatever you decide to do, the omelette needs to be fully cooked. You can then either eat it hot or room temp or cold.

Mexican Bean Salad with Tortillas (v)

Whenever I go to a certain up market food store for a posh sarnie, I am always tempted by the mexican bean wraps. And always, always, always, without fail, they are a big disappointment: soggy, flaccid and tasteless. Bleck. This recipe on the other hand is spicy, vibrant and refreshing. My DH declared it "really nice" which is high praise indeed. You have been warned...

For 4-6 portions you need:
1 can mixed bean salad in water, drained
1 can sweetcorn, drained
1 red pepper, diced into pieces about the same size as a sweetcorn kernel
1 red onion, diced
8 radishes, diced
1/2 small bag fresh coriander, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander tbsp red wine vvinegar
juice 1 lemon and 1 lime
1 chilli, finely chopped
zest 1 lime
1 avocado, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp good quality cold pressed rape seed oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 large, beefsteak tomato, chopped

To serve:
Tortillas
Grated cheese (optional)
Tomato salsa
Sour cream (optional)

Mix all the ingredients for the salad together in a large bowl and leave to marinate for about 30 mins or so. When ready to eat, spoon the mixture into the centre of a tortilla and top with whatever you fancy (or indeed leave au natural). Fold up the tortilla and scoff, scoff, scoff. Yumsome :)

Thai Green Curry (v)

I have neglected my poor blog recently due to being away at too many conferences and in too much of a giddy spin now the news of my NTFs success is public (it's a hard life yada yada yada...). This was a quick, post conference dish to throw together and a nice tasty one too :)

For 6 portions you need:
1 pack marinated tofu chunks
1 onion
2/3 tub green thai curry paste (the small tub, natch)
1/2 cauli cut into florets
2 small head broccoli cut into florets
2 carrots, sliced
1 pack baby corn, cut into thirds
2 tins cocnut milk
1 pack coconut cream
fresh corriander, chopped

Begin by sauteeing the onion in 1 tbsp oil. Then add the curry paste and cook out. Add the veggies and coconut milk and cream and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 mins. Add the tofu, heat through and serve in bowls with lashings of rice. Simple.

Quick Malaysian Laksa

This is a variation on a previous laksa recipe but sufficiently tweaked to warrant its own entry...

For 4 portions you need:
1 can coconut milk
1 pack marinated tofu pieces
2 bundles thin rice noodles
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp curry paste
1 tomato, cut into 6 wedges
1 lime, quartered
4 spring onions, sliced
2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
1 cup fresh corriander, roughly chopped
1/5 cucumber, thinly sliced into sticks
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 pack baby sweetcorn and sugar snap peas, cut into bite sized chunks
1/2 pack bean sprouts
2 tbsp soya sauce, plus more for serving.
1/2 tbsp oil
500ml veg stock

Fry the onion in the oil for a few mins then add the curry paste. Cook for 2-3 mins and then add the coconut milk and stock. Add the carrots and cook for 1 min. Add the noodles, sweetcorn and peas and cook for 2 mins. Season with soya sauce and add more curry paste if you want it more strongly flavoured.

Serve in large bowls topped with the beansprouts, cucumber, tomato, spring onions, mint and corriander and seasoned with a little more soya sauce.

Vegetable Paella (v)

Well not really paella I guess if you're a purist, but certainly a tasty rice and vegetable dish which Lex scoffs down!

For 4 portions you need:
200g white rice (I used a mix of long grain and basmati)
800ml vegetable stock
100ml white wine (I used cava)
salt and pepper
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small leeks, finely sliced
1 can sweetcorn, drained
2 carrots, finely diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
pinch saffron
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil

Begin by sauteeing the carrots, onion and leeks in the oil. After about 10 mins add the paprika and rice and coat in the oil. Add the wine and garlic and reduce the wine till it's all bubbled away. Add the saffron to the stock and then add this to the pan. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 20 mins until the rice is cooked. About 10 mins before the end of the cooking time, add the remaining veggies and season well. Serve garnished with tomatoes and lemon.

Sweet Potato, Onion and Sweetcorn Bhajis

A variation on the basic onion bhaji really, and there are infinite ways you can create different versions. This recipe reflects the ingrediants we had lying around at home yesterday. And they are pretty delicious :)

For about 20 bhajis you need:
8oz sifted gram flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp tumeric
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 cup chopped corriander
1 sweet potatoe, peeled and coarsley grated
1 tin sweetcorn, drained
3 large onions, shredded
salt and pepper
oil for deep frying

Begin by placing all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add enough warm water to make a thick-ish batter (think yougurt). Then add the veggies and mix well. Heat oil in a wok till hot and fry spoonfuls of the bhaji mix. Turn over half way and cook till golden brown. Serve with chutney and salad. Yummy hot and cold!

Sweetcorn Soup

This soup is just about as easy as soup gets, and yet it tastes blimming gorgeous. This is a Rose Elliott recipe from her New Complete Vegetarian book.

For 4 small servings you need:
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp oil
700ml stock
395g can sweetcorn, drained (about 260g drained or equivalent of fresh or frozen)
pinch paprika
pepper to season
150ml soya milk

Sweat the onion in the oil for about 5 mins. Add the corn and stock and simmer for about 15 mins. Add the milk and paprika and blend. Really lovely :)

Sweetcorn Fritters with Avcado Salsa

I had avocados to use up today and didn't really fancy eating them au natural so googled and came across this recipe for sweetcorn cakes on the BBC Good Food site. I've tweaked it slightly, and if you wanted a vegan version you could omit the egg/milk and just use water for the batter.

For 2 portions you need:
1 200g can of sweetcorn, drained
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
50g self raising flour
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1 chilli, finely chopped
1 avocado, roughly chopped
1 handful corriander, shredded

Mix the flour, egg, sweetcorn, half of the onions and milk together to make a batter. Season. Heat a pan and fry spoonfuls of the batter in some oil for about 10 mins, turning halfway.

Mix the remaining onions, avocado and corrainder together and serve with the fritters. It's nice with some salsa too as it's a bit dry otherwise.