All posts tagged: vegetarian

Homemade Organic Tomato Ketchup

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This summer has produced a fabulous amount of tomatoes in my greenhouse. We have been eating fresh organic tomatoes in our salads all summer long. But about 3 weeks ago, I just couldn’t keep up with the bumper crop, so I took to slow roasting my tom’s at 50 degrees for 2 hours in the oven with garlic and olive oil, and then freezing them for sauce later on in the year. We ate tomato pasta…tomato tarts..and finally I also made two large batches of tomato ketchup, one yellow and a classic red. And they are amazing! This homemade tomato ketchup recipe is sweet, tangy and very aromatic. Adding star anise, cloves and fennel seeds makes this ketchup sit in a league of its own. Since making this delicious condiment, I’ve been looking for excuses to make all kinds of breakfast eggs, just so we can have more of this wonder sauce! And of course you can add it to veggie burgers, hot dogs and other things too. But it is best served over eggs, with …

Grilled Corn on the Cob

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There have still been a few warm evenings to enjoy over the past couple of weeks, so when I came across fresh corn on the cob, still in their green overcoats, I couldn’t wait to get them home and stick them on the BBQ. Some fruit and vegetables, like corn or bananas,  are ingenious in the way they come with their own packaging ready to be transported in, or cooked in. The husks on the corn serve as a ready made wrapper, that can be put directly on the BBQ, with no need for foil. And I can’t eat corn on the cob without a dollop of cold butter, melting into all the little dimples, and consequently going everywhere. Corn is definitely not a ‘first date’ food, but it does make a great family meal. For this recipe, I have made a spicy herb butter to enhance the sweet flavors of the corn. __________________________________________________________________________________ Serves 4 Ingredients 4 fresh corn on the cob, with husks 75g butter 1/2 tsp sweet paprika 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper …

Weddings and Courgette Recipes…

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I have been busy editing my summer weddings. Its a very busy time of year for me, as the editing is time consuming, taking 4 times longer than the actual wedding itself. But non the less a very satisfying process of making the finished result look its very best. However thing do have to give when you are pressed for time, and I find my cooking becomes limited to quick fix hunger solutions and -snack as you go- type meals, if at all! But I thought Id share two summer vegetarian recipes I made last month for Kitchen Garden Magazine on courgettes, as my courgettes in the garden are starting to look fantastic and are ready to eat right now. Enjoy! _____________________________________________________________________________________ Summer Courgette Cake with Pistachio and Lime Courgettes grow at a rapid pace during the growing months, so be sure to harvest them whilst still young. This delicious zesty cake is a good way to use up your harvested crop. With its super tangy lime icing, its a great treat to enjoy on …

Wild Nettle Bread

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With the little bit of heat we have greatly received over the last couple of days, all sorts of wild green plants have sprung to life, including stinging nettles. What was lying dormant as small shoots, have all at once shot up 30 cm in just a few days. I find springtime incredible, and if you are lucky enough to have a garden to view every day, you can really notice the fast pace at which the vegetation grows. Instead of mowing down your nettle patch, try using them in your cooking! Here I have created a recipe using a few handfuls of nettles added to bread dough. Its delicious, and nutritious! ____________________________________________________________________________________   Makes 6 large sandwich rolls 1 tsp easy bake yeast 500g organic shipton mill strong white flour 1 tbsp honey 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt a big handful of scolded and chopped nettles 350ml luke warm water 6 extra big nettle leaves for the top 1 egg ____________________________________________________________________________________ Start by harvesting your stinging nettles, with gloves on. Once home, …

New Potatoes with Spring Vegetables and Honey Lemon Dressing

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New Scottish potatoes have hit the shelves in the shops recently. Potatoes that I assume are grown in poly tunnels, in order to get a head start on the short Scottish season. But I’ve still got a few months to wait yet, before my own seed potatoes are ready out in my garden. So until I can dig up some fresh tatties of my own, here is a new potato recipe to tie you over with. It’s really good served with fish, as the sweet and sour dressing really adds bite to the otherwise delicate flavours of spring vegetables. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 500g new baby potatoes 3 small carrots, halved lengthways 1 leek, chopped For the dressing: ½ lemon, zested and juiced 1 tsp dijon mustard 2 garlic cloves, crushed 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp honey a few pepper corns, roughly crushed ____________________________________________________________________________________ Boil the potatoes in a pan of water for 10 min, then add the carrots and leek, simmer for a further 5 min, until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile make the …

Nettle Pancakes – Sweet or Savoury

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Spring has arrived, and with it, has come the best season for foraging. This is a great time of year to get your hands on some earthy, fresh deep green nettle leaves. Choosing these early leaves ensures a pungent taste as well as a rich supply of vitamins. Nettles have an array of uses, from tea to soup. But for a different use for this wonderful weed, I’ve chosen to pop them is some delicious thin pancakes. These nettle pancakes can be eaten as a sweet treat, an after dinner desert or as a savoury dish. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Batter: 50g organic plain flour 50g organic spelt flour 50g butter, melted 500ml milk 50g nettles 2 eggs ‘ For the savoury filling: 1 courgette 2 small carrots 1 small onion 1 tin of butter beans 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp cumin seeds 100g greek feta salt and pepper to taste ____________________________________________________________________________________ Start by foraging for the nettles, choosing the youngest and lushest looking leaves. Be sure to wear thick gloves, to avoid …

Potato Duaphinoise with Cabbage and Cheddar with a Side of Portobello Mushrooms

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I get most of my veg at a great little farm shop, The Ardross Farm Shop, near Elie in Fife. They mainly stock vegetables that are in season, so its a great way to stay in touch with British seasonal produce, and eat accordingly. As its still cold (I know I keep banging on about it) they still have cabbage in supply. And I love cabbage, mainly because when all the summer crops have been eaten, cabbage matures and is ready for eating during the winter. A real trooper of a vegetable, a little hero full of vitamins that are essential when the days are still cold and grey. Here is a tasty variation of the traditional Potato Dauphinoise, with cheese and cabbage. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 6 large waxy potatoes, such as King Edward ½ head of green cabbage 400ml double cream 400ml milk 2 cloves of garlic 100g cheddar cheese ½ tsp nutmeg salt, pepper to taste ____________________________________________________________________________________ Preheat your oven to 200°c/fan 180°c/gas 6, and prepare a baking dish by rubbing it with butter. Slice …

Harissa Spiced Carrot and Spinach Soup

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There is at last hopeful signs that spring is on its way up here in Scotland, with the snowdrops glistening amongst the frosty undergrowth and the shoots of the daffodils appearing. But a warming spicy soup is still a welcomed thing, as the days are still chilly, and the nights even more so. I really enjoy carrot soup, with its slight sweet notes and simple preparation. It also lends itself quite well to be spiced up with a little harissa paste for extra warmth. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Serves 3-4 4 medium organic carrots 1 large white onion 3 handfuls of spinach 1 tsp harissa paste 1 tsp cumin seeds 500ml organic vegetable stock a drizzle of olive oil salt and pepper to taste plus a little cream for the top ____________________________________________________________________________________ Prepare the veg, by washing and peeling the carrots, chop alongside the onion. In a large pan, heat  the olive oil and toast the cumin seeds for 30 sec on medium heat. Then add the onion and soften for 5 min, then add the harissa paste …

Baked Brie with Yellow Plum Compote

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; Is there a better combination, than cheese and fruit? Well, maybe baked cheese and fruit! I was in my local shop the other day and fell upon  a punnet of beautiful yellow plums. I had to think for a few days about what to turn them into, until I remembered there was a big wedge of brie in the fridge, just waiting of a sweet companion. This is so easy to make, but looks and tastes impressive. Perfect if you are having fiends over for lunch. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ‘ Serves 4 5-6 yellow plums 4 tbsp sugar 1/2 a lemon, juice and zest of   ;And a 250g wedge of brie _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Wash the plums, half them and remove the stones. Place in a small saucepan along with the lemon zest. Bring to a simmer and boil for 5-7 min, until the plums are soft. Add the sugar and stir in, then add the lemon juice. Simmer gently for 5 min. Set aside to cool. In a preheated oven set to 200 °c / 400 …

Jerusalem Artichoke and Goats Cheese Tart with Pine Nuts and Homemade Pesto

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Jerusalem Artichoke and Goats Cheese Tart with Pine Nuts and Homemade Pesto Jerusalem Artichokes, a relative of the Sunflower, are in season during the winter months from October to March and are therefore a great vegetable to enjoy right now. They are rich in vitamin C and K and originate from Mexico, but thrives in the British garden. In this recipe I have combined a sharp counterpart in form of the Goats Cheese, to the mild tasting Jerusalem Artichokes. And adding homemade pesto gives the whole dish a rich feel. I also used my ‘birthday present eggs’! They were a gift from my good friends’ chickens! ____________________________________________________________________________________ Short Crust Pastry 200g plain flour 100g butter, cubed 2-3 tbsp cold water pinch of salt Filling 400g jerusalem artichokes, peeled 3 large handfuls of spinach 2 eggs 150g goats cheese 250ml single cream tsp ground nutmeg half a lemon, juiced 3 tbsp homemade pesto, recipe here pinch of salt and pepper ____________________________________________________________________________________ In a large bowl, use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until …