Coriander & Chickpea Couscous Salad

Unflavoured, couscous is really unexciting.  However, flavoured with oils, lemon and herbs or spices it can be transformed into a delicious accompaniment not just for North African dishes, but as a side dish for simply grilled meat or as part of a cold or warm buffet.

This is my variation on a recipe from the book Sarah Brown’s Vegetarian Cookbook. I have several books by this well known vegetarian writer who introduced a BBC vegetarian cookery series in the 1980’s. (See my version of the original recipe: Chickpea & Couscous Salad.) I have changed or substituted some of the ingredients for this version: the original included 1tsp miso (shoyu or soy sauce could be substituted) and 1tsp lemon juice, which I have changed to preserved/Pickled Lemon – also lots (and lots) of chopped fresh Coriander (and it must be fresh).  This is a simple unspicy dish, but would be good with a sprinkling of Sumac, a commonly used eastern spice (see recipe for Grilled Chicken with Sumac & Roasted Banana) or, for a hotter taste, add ½-1tsp Ras el-Hanout or Harissa paste at the same time as the oils.  Cooked couscous keeps for several days in the fridge and may be frozen for up to three months and should be thoroughly defrosted before it is eaten.  If it has coriander added the flavour could be affected when defrosted.

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Coriander & Chickpea Couscous Salad
(Serves 4)

225g/8ozs couscous
400g/14oz tin chick peas, drained & rinsed
570ml/1 pint boiling water
30ml/2tbsp olive oil
15ml/1tbsp sesame oil
15ml/1tbsp chopped preserved/Pickled Lemon or lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
5/6 chopped spring onions or ½ red onion, finely chopped
4-6 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (depending on personal taste)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Sumac powder (optional)

1.  Place the couscous, drained chick peas, oils, garlic, spring onion and chopped lemon or lemon juice in a large heatproof bowl or jug.

2.  Pour over the boiling water and mix together with a fork.  The couscous will absorb the liquids quite quickly.

3.  Add the fresh coriander, reserving a little as a garnish if you wish, and season.

4.  If it is to be eaten hot, this salad should be made just before it is served as it cools quickly.  (If necessary, it can be briefly reheated in a microwave, but may need a little more water if this is done although it is best not made too far in advance.)  Alternatively it can be left to cool and is ideal served cold, perhaps as part of a buffet.  

5.  Sprinkle with reserved coriander, or a few individual leaves and a little sumac powder (optional) or ground black pepper.

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Chickpea & Couscous Salad
Here is my version of the original recipe by Sarah Brown.  Good hot or cold.

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Moroccan Style Lamb & Rice Pilaf

I am experimenting with some North African recipes at the moment but also, as always, trying to be mindful of not overdoing it with the calories in day-to-day dishes.  For this reason it is always good to find something that sounds tasty but falls into the ‘not quite so naughty’ category.  (Eating this recipe cannot guarantee a smaller waistline but it is certainly not an unhealthy option.)

Some weeks ago, in a charity shop, I found a copy of The Time to Eat Cookbook by Sîan Davies, a book published by the diet help organisation WeightWatchers.  Although I am not following the WeightWatchers regime there are some delicious and simple recipes in the book, following sensible healthy eating rules.  All give an idea of the total calorie numbers, but as I am slightly adapting the original recipe I shall not be including this information.  However, as the changes are mostly healthy options, this recipe broadly keeps to the ideals of the original.  The changes I have made are: using Ras el-Hanout, a North African Spice Mix which can be bought ready made or mixed at home, the option of tinned plum tomatoes in place of fresh ones and the addition of chopped preserved/Pickled Lemon, which is popular in cooking across North Africa.  Alternatively, dried fruit (raisins, dried apricot or prunes), which are also often used in North African dishes, could be added in place of or as well as the pickled lemon and/or aubergine.  This would obviously affect the calorie count of the dish, giving bigger portions.  I have chosen not to add any calorie counting details to my recipes.

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Moroccan Style Lamb & Rice Pilaf
(Serves 4) 

350g/12ozs lean lamb mince or diced lean lamb
1tsp olive oil (or less, leave this out and dry fry if possible)
1 large onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2tsp Ras el-Hanout (originally ½tsp each ginger & cinnamon plus 1tsp paprika)
1 aubergine, diced & salted
225g/8ozs courgettes, diced – if small ones then sliced
225g/8ozs long grain rice, pre-soaked and drained in at least 2 changes of water
220ml/½pt/10fl ozs water and 2tsp vegetable stock, or lamb stock if available
400g/14oz can plum tomatoes, diced 
          or
450g/1lb chopped fresh tomatoes (plum type if available) & a little water, as needed
2tbsp chopped preserved/Pickled Lemon (optional)
2tbsp chopped fresh mint, reserving a little to garnish
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1.  Fry the lamb mince for 5 minutes in as little extra oil as necessary, ideally using a non-stick pan should mean it can be dry fried.  Drain off any excess oil before continuing.

2.  Add the onion, garlic and Ras-el Hanout (or ginger, cinnamon and paprika).  Stir well.

3.  Drain the aubergines.  Add to the pan with the courgettes, juice from the tinned tomatoes (if using – set aside the drained tomatoes to stir in when the pilaf is almost finished), rice and stock.  (Any extra dried fruit should be added at this point.)  Bring to the boil. 

4.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is soft.  Check periodically to make sure that it does not boil dry.

5.  Add the tomatoes (or the drained tomatoes set aside when the liquid was used at stage 3), preserved lemon and most of the mint and heat through. 

6.  Transfer to a warmed dish and scatter over the remaining chopped mint before serving.

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Chocolate Rice Krispie Nests

On Good Friday we make Hot Cross Buns to remember Jesus’ death on a cross and it therefore seems appropriate to mark Easter Sunday and beyond with the symbolic use of eggs to represent the resurrection and the new life that Jesus brings.  I bought some little pastel coloured sugar coated eggs to decorate my Simnel Cake in a ‘take a bag and scoop and do-it-yourself’ shop.  Then, on a whim, I bought a few more: I, or perhaps my daughter, could make some little chocolate cereal nests.  Most people with children are likely to have had these brought home from school and may even have made them in a family home cooking session.  However I realised that the last time I made them it was with a special kit that came with a packet of Rice Krispies so I did not really have a recipe.  Searching online was simple and there seem to be two methods.  One includes butter/margerine and golden syrup.  The quick and simple method, the one I have chosen, is just melted chocolate and cereal, with the optional  of adding extra ingredients such as coconut, raisins or cherries.  Cornflakes can be substituted for Rice Krispies as can, I understand, Shredded Wheat: I have not tasted this last, though it could look rather like the twigs in a nest.

An internet search led me to the Netmums site and a recipe called Chocolate Crispies.  There are two or three other simple recipes (including one for Banana Flapjack, which is a good way of using a glut of ripe bananas).  We included some sultanas for good measure, finishing with sugar eggs – a hen and chicks were also added as Easter decoration.  The original recipe is for a larger amount of chocolate but we scaled it down for the one bar of chocolate that I had bought and found 24 nests to be ample (I was more generous with the raisins than the original). There is also a suggestion that cornflakes or other cereal could be used if you don’t have rice crispies and that the nests could be served with chopped bananas.

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Chocolate Rice Krispie Nests
(Makes  24)

150g/5ozs chocolate (I used dark: Green & Blacks Fairtrade 72% Chocolate for Cooks)
80g/3ozs Rice Krispies
50g raisins
Mini eggs: sugar coated, foil coated or jelly type – 1 per cake
Alternative extra ingredients: coconut, glace cherries, dried cranberries, chopped nuts – amount may be more or less than 50g depending on personal preference.)

1.  Gently melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of water on a low heat. (Alternatively use a bowl and quick bursts of heat in the microwave.)

2.  Put in the rice crispies and raisins (or alternative extra ingredient if you have chosen one) and stir until well covered with chocolate.

3.  Place individual paper cases into small tart or muffin tins and put spoonfuls of the mixture into these. 

4.  Place 1 or 2 mini eggs on top while still the chocolate is still soft (number depends on size of eggs/nests and personal choice). Leave to cool and set – can be put in the fridge for a short time.

5.  Lovely for tea-time on Easter day decorated with a small edible egg, or at any time of the year replacing the sugar egg with half a glace cherry.  At Christmas a piece of cherry and two pieces of green angelica give the seasonal look of holly.

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Basic Recipe: Clafoutis or Flognarde

Clafoutis is a dish that originates in the Limousin, a region of central France.  It is a dessert of fruit set in a batter mixture that is a cross between an egg custard and a sweet Yorkshire Pudding.  The traditional and most well known filling for a Clafoutis is cherry.  However as cherries were unavailable in the winter months alternative fillings were used, when technically the dish was then called a Flognarde.  There are some interesting additional ideas for fillings from a series of posts hosted by Bron Marshall.  I particularly like the sound of Peach & Cardamom from Cooksister and Pear & Chocolate from English Patis.  Although I have not tried it myself, I am sure that either Clafoutis or Flognarde could be made in individual dishes. 

This recipe is one of many collected from an unknown source and is simple and quick to make.  One previous attempt at a Clafoutis was unsuccessful as the batter failed to set properly since which I had not attempted another, but this Blackberry & Lemon version uses a different recipe.  Now I have found a version that is a success I would adapt it using this basic batter mixture with other fruit.  The ingredients given were originally intended for eight people but I found a half quantity barely fed three, so I suggest that the quantity below would give four (generous) to six portions.  It all depends on how hungry the diners are, I suppose.  For someone with a sweet tooth a little more sugar could be added, either sprinkled over the fruit or mixed into the batter, especially if the fruit is rather tart in flavour.

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Blackberry & Lemon Flognarde
(Serves 4-6)

12ozs/375g blackberries (defrosting not necessary if frozen)
2-3tbsp sugar (vanilla sugar if available)
½tsp vanilla extract (unless vanilla sugar has been used)
4 large eggs
½pt/280ml single cream, Elmlea half fat is ideal (or a mixture of double or single cream & milk)
large pinch salt
2ozs/50g self raising flour
Juice and zest of half a lemon

1.  Preheat the oven to 180^oC/350^oF/Gas 4 and butter a shallow 9-10 inch dish.

2.  Put the frozen blackberries in a single layer in the bottom of the dish and sprinkle over the lemon zest.

3.  Whip the eggs together in a bowl until well mixed.  Gradually mix in the sugar.  Mixing all the time, in a thin stream gradually add the cream (or cream and milk mixture) to the egg and sugar.

4.  Stir in the flour and salt and beat until well combined.  Finally add the lemon juice.

5.  Pour the batter over the blackberries.

6.  Bake for about 20 minutes and then cover with a lid, baking sheet or some foil and continue to bake for a further 20 minutes.  Remove the cover towards the end of the cooking time to allow the clafoutis or flognarde to puff up and brown. 

7.  The finished clafoutis or flognarde will have puffed up like a souffle.  If possible serve immediately from oven to table before it collapses, topped with a dusting of icing sugar.  The contrast of some cold vanilla ice cream would complement this hot dessert, or alternatively serve some more pouring cream.

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Mulled Stewed Fruit

A chance conversation with my mother about stewed plums reminded me how long it was since I had cooked some, so led me to buy some at our local market early in the New Year.  We love fresh plums but the winter varieties are usually hard and tasteless.  I never buy them so had not thought about cooking them either.  

Around the same time I was watching a back episode from the TV series Nigel Slater’s Simple Suppers recorded in Autumn 2009 with recipes contrasting warm and cold together.  One of the recipes was Hot Spiced Fruit with Ice Cream and so, as I have said before, off I went to buy some plums!  In my version below, Mulled Stewed Plums, I added lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice, which are always a lovely contrast to the sweetness of plums and some slices of fresh root ginger.  Nigel Slater recommended this recipe for using with redcurrants, blackcurrants or raspberries in summer and later in the year autumnal fruit such as plums and damsons.  He also added a bay leaf, as shown by his mother, who added it to her rice puddings (he said).  I have retained this.  I am sure his ice cream accompaniment is lovely, but I served my Mulled Plums with yoghurt and a drizzle of honey.  It would be equally good with custard, cream, soured cream or crème fraîche.

Alternatives are Pears Poached with Lemon, Honey & Ginger, Mulled Stewed Pears with Orange & Ginger, Mulled Apricots & Pears with Ginger & Almond and Plums, Pears & Nectarines: information about these can be found below.  All recipes are ideal as warming winter desserts and are quick and easy, so perfect for midweek.  These fruit mixtures would also be good with a Crumble topping or under a Pastry crust.

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Mulled Stewed Plums
(Serves 4)

20-24 plums, allow 5 or 6 per person depending on size (remove stalks)
2-3 cloves
1 piece cinnamon stick broken into pieces
1 bay leaf
1oz granulated sugar
1oz dark or light muscovado sugar
grated zest and juice of half lemon
half inch piece of ginger, cut into slices

1.   Put a small cross on each end of the plums if they are hard to allow the flavours to permeate and soften the fruit.  This is less important if the fruit is soft as it could disintegrate.  Place the plums in a pan with the other ingredients and cover with about ½pint water.

2.  Cook gently for 15-20minutes, or until the plums are soft but not disintegrating.  (The time will depend on the type and ripeness of the plums you are using.)  If more liquid is needed add a little more boiling water, but not too much as it helps if the juices are reduced so that the plums are served with a spoonful or two of sweet spicy juice.

3.  Serve with yoghurt, soured cream or crème fraîche and a drizzle of honey, or alternatively with custard.

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Pears Compote with Lemon, Honey & Ginger
(Serves 4)
For breakfast compote you may wish to omit the ginger and cut the pears much smaller

4 large Conference Pears,
             or more (about 1-2 per person)
1 lemon
1-2 tbsp runny honey

Small piece of root ginger, grated

 

1.  Peel pears and cut lengthwise into 8-12 long pieces depending on size of pear (or smaller chunks for a fruit compote).  Place in a small saucepan.  

 

2.  Cut lemon into quarters.  Immediately squeeze juice over pears pieces before they go brown.  Add empty lemon shells to pan and stew with pear to add flavour. 

 

3.  Drizzle honey over fruit. Sprinkle over ginger if using.  

 

4.  Poach over low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until pears are soft.

Mulled Stewed Pears with Orange & Ginger
(Serves 4)

4 large pears, conference are good if available
1 piece cinnamon stick broken into pieces
1 bay leaf
1oz soft light brown or demerara sugar
grated zest and juice of an orange
half inch piece of ginger, cut into slices

1.  Preheat oven to 160^oC/325^oF/Gas 3 for 30-40minutes. (Can also be cooked gently on the hob.)

2.  Peel and core pears, immersing the pieces of pear in water with a pinch of salt to prevent them from browning until they are ready for use. 

3.  Place the prepared pears in an ovenproof dish with the orange zest and juice, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and slices of ginger.  (For hob place all the ingredients in a medium sized saucepan.)  Sprinkle over the sugar.

4.  Bake until the pear is soft but still retains its shape, about 20 minutes. (If cooking on the hob cook on a very gentle heat.)

5. Serve with yoghurt, soured cream or crème fraîche.

Mulled Apricots & Pears with Ginger & Almond
(Serves 4)

2lbs/1kg ripe apricots
2/3 large pears, conference are good if available
half inch piece of ginger, cut into slices
1 lemon, zest & juice
1 bay leaf
1oz soft light brown or demerara sugar
½tsp almond essence
a few toasted split almonds to sprinkle over when serving

1.  Preheat oven to 160^oC/325^oF/Gas 3 for 30-40minutes. (Can also be cooked gently on the hob.)

2.  Peel and core pears, immersing the pieces of pear in water with a pinch of salt to prevent them from browning until they are ready for use.

3.  Quarter apricots and remove stones.   

4.  Place the prepared apricots and pears in an ovenproof dish with the lemon zest and juice, bay leaf and slices of ginger.  Add the almond essence.  (For hob place all the ingredients in a medium sized saucepan.)  Sprinkle over the sugar.

4.  Bake until the fruits are soft but still retain their shape, about 20 minutes. (If cooking on the hob cook on a very gentle heat.)

5. Serve with cream and sprinkle the toasted almonds over the top just before serving.  Alternatively serve with custard, yoghurt, soured cream or crème fraîche.

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Mulled Stewed Plums, Pears & Nectarines
Allow one small pear, two plums and one nectarine per person: plus a little extra for second helpings.

Add halved or quartered fresh figs as well or in place of one of the other fruits, if you wish

Cooking method and other ingredients as for mulled stewed plums (above).

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Midwinter Turkey Chilli Beanpot

I like to try to clear up the last of the frozen turkey remaining from Christmas by the end of January and this lovely warming dish is a perfect way to use up these leftovers, especially the darker meat.  The original recipe I have based this on was called Midsummer Night Turkey Beanpot, but I feel it is perfect for Midwinter, though I am sure it would serve well at any time of year.  I have augmented the original ingredients with a little bacon, some mushroom and a small chopped green pepper, for added colour (peas would be a good alternative), plus suggest it is served with a spoonful of soured cream.

The original recipe came from a British Turkey Federation, now known as the British Turkey Information Service in an advert found in a Woman’s magazine, I believe in the 1980’s.

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Midwinter Turkey Chilli Beanpot
(Serves 4)

½oz/15g butter
1tbsp olive oil
2 medium sized onions, peeled and sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 rashers streaky bacon
4ozs/125g button mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into rings
½-1tsp chilli powder, depending on taste
1 level tbsp tomato puree
400ml/14oz can of plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
400ml/14oz can of red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
½pint chicken stock or water with ½chicken stock cube
8-12ozs/250-375g cooked turkey meat
1 green pepper, diced (or 2ozs/70g frozen peas)
Salt & black pepper, to taste
To serve:
Soured cream
Chopped chives or spring onion tops or parsley

1.  Put the butter and oil in a pan and gently fry the onion and garlic until soft but not brown. 

2.  Stir in the bacon, mushroom and carrot and continue to cook for a further 5minutes.

3.  Add the chilli powder and tomato puree, stirring well and then add the tinned tomatoes along with the stock.

4.  Bring to the boil and cook over a gentle heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5.  Meanwhile drain and rinse the red beans, chop the turkey into bite sized pieces and dice the green pepper (peas may be used for colour as an alternative).  Add these to the pan and stir well.  Cook for a further 10minutes until the sauce is reduced and the turkey cooked thoroughly.

6.  Check seasoning and serve either with a jacket potato or on a bed of rice, with a spoonful of soured cream and a sprinkling of snipped chives or spring onion tops or chopped parsley plus a sprinkling of chilli powder.

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Spiced Chick Pea & Tomato Soup

The spices used in this dish can be found across North Africa, well into Asia and beyond, so this is a dish which crosses cultures.   Add a little less liquid and some chicken or lamb plus pickled lemons and/or olives and/or dried fruit and the flavours easily make it North African or Middle Eastern style food.  If the liquid, apart from the tomato juice, was not added at all it would equally well be at home as a side dish at an Indian style meal. I expect, with further tweaking, it would also fit into other cultures.  Here, however, it is simply served as a warming and filling soup and is almost a meal in itself.

I am not sure why I had not seen this recipe before but it was brought to my attention by a post from LoubyLou, on the ‘Nigella’ forum, hunting for a long lost favourite Sarah Brown recipe (sadly the forum and all its useful shared information and forummers recipes are no longer in existence, at least in the same format).  I own four Sarah Brown books and I found what I think is the same recipe in the book Sainsbury’s Healthy Eating Cookbooks: Beans, Nuts & Lentils.  I just had to try it out and sure enough it was lovely.  We really liked the pronounced ginger flavour (I may have overdone it a bit) but it was a bit spicy for my daughter who added a little yoghurt and then loved it too.  The method below is almost as in the book, but halving the ginger which is actually, rather than the chilli powder, the main source of heat.  Double the amount below for a spicier soup.  It is always good to add fresh coriander if available, reserving a leaf or two to garnish.  I did feel the quantity was rather scant to serve 4 unless you only plan to serve a small bowlful: as a lunch dish it needs extending, possibly by doubling.  This is a chunky rather than smooth soup, with the chick peas as the largest pieces, so chop the onion finely.  The original recipe suggests using dried chick peas as an alternative: 3ozs (75g) dried peas yield around 6ozs (150g) cooked peas.  I find it easier to open a tin, especially as they have become so inexpensive to buy, but for those on a budget I am sure that dried peas would still be cheaper.

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Spiced Chick Pea & Tomato Soup
(Serves 3/4)

2tsp/10ml olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1tbsp/15ml ground almonds
2tsp/10ml garam masala
½tsp chilli powder
1tsp/5ml ground coriander
1tsp/5ml turmeric
½tsp/2.5ml grated fresh root ginger
14oz/400g tin of plum tomatoes, pureed
14oz/400g tin chick peas (see above for using dried peas)
½pint of vegetable stock, possibly a little more
Salt & pepper
A handful of chopped fresh coriander, if available, reserving a few leaves to garnish.
A spoonful of yoghurt (optional)

1.  Heat the oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion until soft, but do not let it brown.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook gently for a further 2 or 3 minutes.

2.  Mix the ground almonds and the spice powders with a little water to make a paste.  Add the paste to the onion/garlic/ginger mixture and cook for 2 or 3 minutes.

3.  Stir in the finely chopped tomatoes, chick peas and stock.  If the chick peas are tinned in water then this can be added as part of the stock, even if it is slightly salted.  (The seasonings can be adjusted later.)  If using home cooked peas then the unsalted cooking liquid can be used as part of the stock.

4.  Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes to enable the flavours to develop.  Top up with a little more water as necessary.  Check seasoning and stir through all but the reserved fresh coriander just before serving.

5.  Garnish with a sprig of fresh coriander and serve with crusty bread or alternatively with soft or toasted pitta or a similar flat bread.

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Sausage & Apple Cassoulet

This delicious recipe looks back to summer, with the taste of cider bringing memories of warm evenings, but also looks forward to winter as, especially with the addition of butter beans, it is a warming and satisfying stew.  Pork and apples are, of course, a well known and delicious combination.  This is especially good when apples are plenteous: I first made it in October, but it can be eaten at any time of year.  I put in a small (250ml size) bottle of cider brought home from our holiday in Brittany, but any type can be used.  The original recipe called for 400ml cider, but I found the smaller amount to be adequate.  Increase it if you wish.  I love butter beans, but any similar bean could be added, although perhaps not a tin of baked beans.  

The original version of this recipe was found in the Morrisons supermarket website food pages and was called Sausage & Apple Cassoulet, but I have put in several additional ingredients and have simplified the method.  I have put in two ingredients for added flavour: Herbes de Provence and dried orange peel.  This last ingredient is something I have been using quite a lot in recent months and it gives a lovely warming orange-y flavour to food, supposedly reminiscent of the Mediterranean.  The tomato and courgette are additions as well, making this a simple one pot meal, ideal for a busy week day supper.

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Sausage & Apple Cassoulet
(Serves 4)

454g/1lb pack Best Quality Pork Sausages, with Leek or Herbs if available
1tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1tsp Herbes de Provence
1tsp dried orange peel (see note)
4 tomatoes, quartered
1 courgette, cut lengthwise into 4 and then chunks
2 Cox’s Orange Pippin or similar eating apples
5g/½oz butter
2tbsp tomato purée
250ml/9fl ozs/½pint (just under) medium sweet cider
420g/14oz tin Butter Beans, drained
salt & black pepper

1.  Grill the sausages gently until cooked through and golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and gently cook the onion for 5 minutes.  Add the herbs and continue to cook until soft.  Remove the onion from the pan and set to one side leaving any juices in the pan.

3.  Quarter the apples, remove cores and cut into thin slices. Melt the butter in the pan used to cook the onion.  Add the apple slices and dried orange peel.  Cook gently until the apples begin to colour.

4.  Add the tomato and courgette pieces, the tomato purée and cider.  Stir well and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and cook for 5-10 minutes. 

5.  Combine the cooked onions, sausages and butter beans with the apple mixture.  Season to taste and cook gently for a further 5 minutes.  Do not cover the pan to allow the liquid to reduce but if the mixture starts to dry out then add a little boiling water.

6.  Serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and black pepper.

7.  Serve with a jacket potato or with crusty bread.  A small side salad could be served if you wish, especially if cooking without the tomato and courgette I have added.

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Gingered Very Veggie Soup

This is a lovely quick soup using any root vegetables and a great way to use up the odd one or two lurking in the bottom of the fridge. It is simple too, especially if you are using leftover vegetables, though I would rather spend a little longer and use freshly cooked. We rarely have leftover veggies anyway.  The addition of ginger makes the soup extra warming, but this can be adjusted to suit personal taste. I have made this more than once, the root vegetables being a selection from potato, carrot, parsnip, swede, sweet potato (though usually not all at the same time, which makes it a bit different each time I make it) – I’m not sure I would use beetroot, but it might be worth a try.  The colour would certainly be interesting!

The instructions came from a Winter 2009 free recipe card from Sainsbury’s supermarket and was originally called Very Veggie Soup, one from a series called Love your Leftovers.  I felt the word ginger needed to be included in the title and would reflect our taste for a fairly strong gingery flavour: the amount given below being for a medium flavoured soup.  I have heard it referred to as a ‘thumb’ of ginger, which I think is an apt description, though it must depend on hand size.  Fresh (or frozen) root ginger is preferable but I suppose ground ginger could be substituted.   Add ¼ pint/125ml/10fl ozs milk, single or soured cream for Cream of Gingered Very Veggie Soup.  The quantity given below for root vegetables is approximate, being the amount I used, as no weight was given in the original recipe.

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Gingered Very Veggie Soup
(Serves 4)

1½lb/750g mixed root vegetables, chopped small, leftover or freshly cooked
½pint/250ml/10fl ozs boiling water
½ vegetable stock cube
½ tin sweetcorn (full tin = 325g) , drained (remainder can be frozen)
1inch/2.5cm piece root ginger, peeled and grated (easy to grate while still almost frozen)
Salt & black pepper

1.  Cut the vegetables fairly small to help them cook quickly and cook in 1pt boiling water.  After 10-15 minutes when they are soft strain off and keep the liquid and place them in a liquidiser.
Alternatively
Place the leftover vegetables directly in the liquidiser.

2.  Add the drained sweetcorn and grated ginger to the liquidiser.

3.  Mix the stock cube with ½pint boiling water or with the vegetable cooking liquid made up to ½pint.  Add about half of this to the liquidiser. 

4.  Blend the ingredients until they are smooth and return to the pan.  Use the remaining stock in to help rinse out the liquidiser so all the soup and stock goes into the pan.  Two rinses should be enough.  Add a little more water if necessary but be careful not to add too much.

5.  Reheat soup to piping hot, stirring well.  Check seasoning.  Be sparing with the pepper until the strength of ginger flavour has been checked.  The pepper garnish may be enough.

6.  Serve garnished with a sprig of parsley, some ground black pepper and crisp hot toast, buttered if you wish.

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Chicken Gumbo

Gumbo is a dish from the southern states of the USA, in particular Louisiana. When I first started to collect recipes I pasted or copied them into a file and about twenty years ago I wrote down a recipe for Chicken Gumbo featured on the BBC Food & Drink programme, which I made not long after.   It can also be made with seafood, in particular shrimp.

Chicken (or Turkey) Gumbo has since become a regular family favourite, especially as it is fairly quick and easy to make.  The original recipe, which I think was a basic ‘no frills’ version, has been slightly adapted down the years, augmented with extra ingredients as I have come across variations in different recipe books. My recipe is probably not absolutely authentic, I know, but we like it!  Broadly, however, it  remains the same: sometimes using chicken and sometimes using turkey, but always using okra, making sure I do not over cook it.  We like our okra slightly crisp, with the sticky juices just starting to seep out to thicken the stew: some versions of gumbo are thickened in other ways.  Using diced chicken breast meat is a quick cook version and it should not be overcooked as it will toughen.  Chicken thighs, as in my original recipe, are a cheaper alternative and will benefit from a longer and slower cooking.  Sometimes smoked pork sausage is used in authentic gumbo recipes.  If you wish, some sliced or diced sausage can be added at the same time and in place of some of the chicken.  I serve my Gumbo with warm corn bread or with rice and sweetcorn or corn fritters.

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Chicken Gumbo
(Serves 4)

1tbsp olive oil
1 large Onion, halved and finely sliced
1 large clove Garlic, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
4ozs button mushrooms, sliced (optional)
½tsp mixed herbs
¼tsp chilli powder or cayenne pepper
500g/1lb skinned chicken breasts, in large bite sized pieces or boned chicken thighs, left whole
400g/14oz tin of plum tomatoes
150ml/¼pt water, more if necessary
large pinch of sugar
1 large Green Pepper, sliced
125g/4ozs Okra, stem ends removed and cut into ½inch/2cm lengths.
Salt & pepper, to taste

1. Gently fry the onion, garlic, celery and mushroom for 5-10minutes but do not let it brown. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them so they start to colour. Put on the pan lid and cook on a medium heat for 5-10minutes. Stir in the mixed herbs and chilli powder/cayenne pepper.

2. Chop the contents of the tin of tomatoes and add to the pan with the sugar and water. Stew gently for another 10minutes for chicken breast pieces and 15-20minutes  for chicken thighs. If the mixture starts to dry out then add a little more water.

3. Mix in the green pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes.

4. Finally, 10-15 minutes before serving the gumbo, add the okra pieces, stir well and cook over a medium heat until the juices start to thicken the stew.  Season to taste.  We like our okra when it is still an attractive green colour and retaining some crispness and it needs to be checked regularly as it overcooks very quickly.  Once it is cooked the gumbo needs to be served immediately as it will continue to cook in the pan.

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