Winter Vegetable Gratin
From: “Long Nights and Log Fires,” Ryland, Peters & Small 2009.
Serves 6
200 g celeriac, peeled and cut into 3-cm pieces
1 carrot, peeled and cut into rounds
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into semi-circles
1 small swede, peeled and cut into chunks
2 potatoes, cut into 3-cm pieces
250 ml single cream
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon mustard powder
50 g fresh rye or brown breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons marjoram leaves
25 g butter, melted
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A shallow ovenproof dish, buttered
Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas 4).
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the celeriac, carrot, parsnip, swede, and potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes, drain well, and transfer to a large bowl.
Put the cream, garlic, and mustard powder in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes until the mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste and pour over the vegetables. Spoon the vegetables into the prepared baking dish.
Put the breadcrumbs, parmesan, and marjoram in a bowl and mix to combine. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the vegetables and drizzle melted butter over the top.
Cook in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden and the mixture around the edge of the baking dish has formed a golden crust. Serve warm, not hot, as a vegetarian main dish or as a side dish with any roast meat.
Carrot, apple & orange coleslaw
This is a fruity version of the traditional coleslaw. Great for children and a nice start to Spring. Taken from ’5 a day fruit & veg book’ from Hermes House.
Ingredients:
500g carrots, finely grated
2 eating apples,
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 large orange
Dressing:
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp sunflower oil
1 garlic clove crushed
4 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tbpsp chopped fresh herbs – parsley, chives, dill
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the carrots in a large serving bowl. Quarter the apples, remove the core, then slice thinly. Sprinkle with the lemon juice to stop discolouration then add to the carrots.
2. Using a sharp knife, remove the peel and pith from the orange and then separate into segments.
3. To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to emulsify.
4. Just before serving pour the dressing over the salad and toss together well.
Carrot, tomato & Orange soup
This soup was in this week’s Sunday Independent, under the title ‘Hello Sunshine’. I made it today – all in the house loved it. Definitely a sunny and warming comfort soup.
Ingredients:
40g butter
1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
1 medium onion, chopped
500g carrots, peeled & chopped
200g potatoes, peeled & chopped
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
900ml chicken stock
400g chopped tomatoes (tinned are fine at this time of year)
Juice of 2 oranges (3 if you prefer)
3 tbsps chopped chives
200ml creme fraiche – or use cream to finish
1. Put butter & oil into a heavy pan. Add chopped onion and saute without browning. Add chopped carrots, potatoes and celery.
2. Season with salt & pepper. Add sugar and cook very gently with lid on to sweat the veg for about 5 mins. Stir occasionally.
3. Stir in the cumin, chicken stock and chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil, lower heat and cover the pan with a lid.
Cook until the veg are tender, about 20-30 mins.
4. Blitz the soup in a blender and return to the pan.
5. Add the orange juice and reheat.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Stir in 2 tbsps of the chives and some of the creme fraiche.
7. To serve, sprinkle with a little chives and creme fraiche or cream.
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