Chick peas

Also known as garbanzo beans and in India as Bengal gram. Chick peas resemble hazelnuts in shape. They require long soaking (for notes on preparation, see those under Dried beans, p. 111) and never lose their shape. Canned chick peas are a great time-saver. A 240g can is the equivalent of 125g raw chick peas.

Chick pea tagine

The Moroccans are very fond of chick peas and use them in all sorts of vegetable and meat stews. This dish concentrates on the chick peas. It makes an excellent accompaniment to meat and poultry dishes and vegetable stews.

For 4

250g chick peas, soaked overnight

1 onion, peeled and chopped finely

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 red chilli

1 tbs paprika

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp saffron threads

2 tbs chopped coriander

3 tbs olive oil

salt

Drain the chick peas and remove any loose skins. Put them in a pan with the onion, whole garlic cloves, whole chilli, the spices, coriander and oil. Add 900ml water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for at least 1 hour. Season with salt, and taste to see whether the chick peas are ready; if they are still firm cook longer, but don’t let them disintegrate. There should be only a little liquid left. Remove the chilli before serving.

Bulgur pilaf with chick peas. See p. 201.

Spinach with chick peas. See p. 160.

Hummus. See p. 26.

Chicory

Chicories form a rather large family, but the one I am dealing with here is the firm white Belgian variety known as witloof in Flemish (for radicchio, see p. 159). It makes an excellent salad vegetable, and is well worth serving cooked. Chicory goes well with steamed or baked fish, grilled or roasted birds and meat, with ham and gammon, and braised or baked in the oven it is a good separate vegetable course.

Heads of chicory vary greatly in size, so choose ones that are similar so they will cook in the same time. If they are huge, 3 or 4 may be enough for 6 depending on what else is to be served and the size of your appetites. If they are small, allow one per person.

Buttered chicory

For 6

6 heads of chicory

1 tbs lemon juice

80g butter

salt and freshly ground pepper

Cut the heads of chicory in half lengthways and rub with a little lemon juice. Steam over bubbling water for about 8 minutes. The root ends should still be firm, but the leaves should have become translucent. Heat the butter slowly in a wide pan, put in the chicory and season with salt and pepper. Turn the pieces to let them absorb the butter and serve.

Braised chicory

For 4

4 heads of chicory

50g butter

salt and freshly ground pepper

100ml chicken stock (p. 4) or water

Cut the chicory heads in half lengthways. Melt the butter in a casserole which will hold the chicory side by side. Put in the chicory and turn the pieces in the butter. Season and pour over the stock. Cover and braise for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer gently for another 5 minutes. The chicory should be tender and the liquid reduced to a few tablespoons. If you prefer, the chicory can be cooked in the oven at 200°C, 400°F, gas 6 for about 20 minutes.

Chillies

Preparing fresh chillies can be unpleasant, even painful, for the capsaicin in the fruit causes a burning sensation. Hands can remain contaminated by capsaicin long after you’ve finished preparing the chillies, and if you touch another part of your body the irritation will spread there. Above all, do not rub your eyes. Rinse them at once with plenty of cold water if you do inflame them accidentally. If you have a very sensitive skin wear rubber gloves; always wash your hands in soapy water after handling chillies. Wash the board and the knife too.

Chillies can be used whole or sliced, with or without their seeds. There is more capsaicin in the seeds and white membranes than in the skin, therefore more heat.

Fresh chillies freeze well; although they will be soft when thawed, they retain their bite.

Courgettes

Small courgettes are delicious and merit careful treatment; overcooked they are watery and lose all taste. They adapt well to most cooking methods (pp. 96–9) and combine well with other vegetables such as young carrots and peas for a summer stew or with aubergines, tomatoes and peppers for Mediterranean flavours. To use the beautiful flowers you will have to grow your own.

Courgettes a scapece

Courgettes in vinegar are a speciality of the region of Naples. Meant to be eaten at room temperature, they are very good with bread for a snack and great for picnics and outdoor eating. Do use good-quality vinegar.

For 4

6 courgettes

3–6 tbs olive oil

salt

1 tbs chopped mint or tarragon leaves

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

4 tbs red wine vinegar

Slice the courgettes lengthways, making slices about ½ cm thick. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and put in a layer of courgette slices. Fry them gently, moving them around so they cook evenly and turn a couple of times. They should be golden brown. If necessary, turn up the heat to brown them. Fry the courgettes in batches, adding more oil to the pan if necessary. Put the fried courgettes into a flat dish, sprinkle with salt and scatter over the mint or tarragon leaves. Add the garlic to the oil when the last courgettes have been fried, and cook for a few seconds over low heat, then add the vinegar. Pour this dressing over the courgettes and leave to cool.

Sweet-sour courgettes

For 4

500g courgettes

3 tbs olive oil

3 tbs wine vinegar

2 tbs raisins

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbs sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tbs chopped parsley or coriander

Cut the courgettes into 4–5cm slices. Heat the oil and fry them gently, turning so they cook evenly. Add all the other ingredients except the parsley or coriander, stir and shake the pan until the juices become syrupy. Transfer the courgettes to a dish, sprinkle over the parsley or coriander and serve hot, warm or cold, but not chilled.

Courgettes baked with cheese

For 4

500g courgettes

4 spring onions, chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 eggs

150g grated Gruyère or Cheddar

2 tbs flour

30g butter

Heat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. Slice the courgettes thinly and blanch them in boiling water for 2–3 minutes. Drain well and combine them with the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs and add the cheese and flour, then stir in the vegetables. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish and pour in the mixture. Dot the top with butter and bake for about 30 minutes. The top should be lightly coloured.

Courgette gratin

Follow the recipe for gratin of pattypan squash on p. 158, replacing the pattypans with courgettes.

Fennel

Florentine or bulb fennel can be eaten raw in a salad, with a dressing of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and good salt, or grilled, with shavings of Parmesan. See notes on preparation (p. 93). Fennel roasts and braises well; see roasted winter vegetables (p. 165), notes on braising (p. 97) and celery braised with ham (p. 126). To microwave, cut fennel bulbs into 3 or 4 wedges, wrap in microwave plastic wrap and for 1 bulb weighing 250–300g cook for 3½ minutes, allow 5 minutes for 2 bulbs.

Fennel braised in olive oil

For 6

6 bulbs of fennel (about 1.5kg total weight)

6 tbs olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

salt and freshly ground pepper

4–5 tbs water or white wine

chives to garnish

Cut the fennel bulbs in half lengthways and cut each half in two or three equal pieces. Put the pieces in a pan, pour over the olive oil, add the garlic and fennel seeds and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5–6 minutes over moderate heat, turning the pieces carefully in the oil.

Add 4–5 tbs water or white wine, cover the pan and put on low heat for about 20 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally, and check to see if a little more water is needed. The fennel is ready when it can be pierced with a knife, but don’t cook it until it gets too soft; fennel tastes better with a slight bite. There should be just a little liquid in the bottom of the pan, which can be poured over the fennel before serving. Garnish with the chives.

Fennel with preserved lemon

For this dish the fennel may be cooked in the microwave (p.134) or steamed (p. 96). To make preserved lemons, see p. 513.

For 2

2 fennel bulbs (500 – 600g total weight)

2 tbs olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ preserved lemon, skin sliced thinly (p. 513)

Cut the fennel bulbs in half down the middle and cut each piece in half again. Chop some of the green fronds. Wrap each bulb in a large piece of microwave plastic wrap. Close the parcels well and cook at 100% for 5 minutes. Leave to rest for 2 minutes, then unwrap the fennel. To steam it, allow 10–12 minutes. Put the pieces on a serving dish, pour over the oil, season with salt and pepper and scatter over the preserved lemon and the chopped fennel leaves.

Tian of artichokes and fennel. See p. 102.

Garlic

This pungent flavouring is one that few cooks will be without. Many dishes depend on it for their characteristic flavour, but it is not often used in large quantities in British cooking. When it is cooked, garlic becomes mellow-tasting and smells quite fragrant. The recipes given here make good accompaniments to roast or grilled meat, to game and poultry dishes or to root vegetables, and the purée can be stirred into dishes of beans or used to flavour soups or sauces. Use unblemished heads of firm garlic, avoiding any that have a green shoot because that is indigestible.

Chop garlic finely or crush it with the back of a heavy knife. The dry skin will come loose as you crush it. Another method is to crush the clove with a little salt in a mortar to produce a paste. I do not recommend using a garlic press; these gadgets tend to intensify the smell and taste of the sulphur compounds present in the plant oils. They are also more fiddly to clean than a knife or a pestle and mortar.

Garlic purée

Enough for 1 small jar

6 heads young garlic

salt

2 tbs olive oil

Put the whole garlic heads in a pan and cover with boiling water. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until the flesh is soft. Drain and leave to cool, then remove the skins and blend. Season the purée with salt and stir in the oil. The purée will keep for 1–2 weeks in the refrigerator, stored in a jar and covered with a layer of olive oil.

Variations

• Instead of blending the garlic with olive oil, add 150ml crème fraîche for a rich purée, or 150 ml stock and a tablespoon or two of cream to finish an almost cholesterol-free alternative.

Fried garlic

6–8 cloves per person

olive oil

Simmer the peeled cloves of garlic in water to cover for 2–3 minutes, then drain well and dry with kitchen paper. Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic until golden, but don’t let it turn brown or burn. Drain on more kitchen paper.

Roasted garlic

This can be made with the garlic available all year, but it is particularly good with the new (green) garlic that arrives in early summer. Roasted garlic is wonderful spread on good bread and drizzled with fruity olive oil.

4 heads garlic

2 tbs olive oil

2–3 tbs water

Heat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. Separate the heads into cloves, but don’t peel them. Put them into an ovenproof dish, preferably earthenware, and pour over the oil. Make sure all the cloves are coated. Add 2–3 tbs water. Roast for about 30 minutes, basting from time to time. When the garlic is ready, the cloves slip out of their skins easily.

Variation

• Leave the heads whole, but slice the top off to show the cloves. Put the heads in a shallow ovenproof dish and brush with 4 tbs olive oil. Cover with foil and roast for 50–60 minutes, basting occasionally.

Jerusalem artichokes

Of North American origin, these tubers are not related to globe artichokes, but to sunflowers. Some people suffer severe wind problems from eating them, caused, according to Harold McGee in The Curious Cook, by a type of carbohydrate that is seldom encountered in our diet and so we have not evolved enzymes to digest it. He says that long cooking can help reduce the wind-provoking problem.

Jerusalem artichokes have a slightly sweet flavour; they make an excellent soup (p. 12) and benefit from braising or parboiling and roasting. The knobbly tubers can be wasteful as well as tedious to peel raw; where the recipe allows it is easier to peel them once they are cooked.

Daube of Jerusalem artichokes

The delicate nutty flavour of Jerusalem artichokes is enhanced in this slow-cooked dish and they retain their texture and shape.

For 4

750g Jerusalem artichokes, peeled

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

1 tbs olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

grated nutmeg

bouquet garni*

5 garlic cloves, peeled

1 glass dry white wine

Cut the artichokes into 3 or 4 pieces. Sauté the onion in the oil until lightly coloured, then put in the artichokes, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, tuck in the bouquet garni and the whole garlic cloves. Cover and sweat* over very low heat for 15 minutes, turn the artichokes once and shake the pan so they don’t stick. Add a glass of white wine, simmer for another 5–10 minutes, then uncover the pan, let the wine reduce by half, leaving a small amount of sauce in the pan. Discard the bouquet garni before serving. Serve the daube as a main course with rice or to accompany game or poultry.

Purée of Jerusalem artichokes

For 6

1kg Jerusalem artichokes

salt and freshly ground pepper

100g butter

6 tbs crème fraîche or double cream

Boil or steam the artichokes until tender, then drain and peel them. Season, then put them in the food processor with the butter and cream and blend to a purée. If it is too thin, put the purée in a pan and stir over moderate heat to drive off the water. Serve it with beef or veal.

Kohlrabi

Our European neighbours are more enthusiastic about kohlrabi than we are. The green or purple globes – bulbous swellings in the stem of a type of cabbage – are readily available in their markets. You have to hunt for them here. They are worth finding because they add variety to winter vegetables, but do not buy any larger than a tennis ball because they are likely to be woolly. If they come with leaves, these can be cooked as spring greens or spinach. Kohlrabi can be simmered or steamed and served with a sauce or braised.

Kohlrabi braised with tarragon

For 4

800g kohlrabi

2 tbs olive oil or 30g butter

60ml white wine

4 sprigs tarragon, chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

Peel the kohlrabi and cut a thick slice from the bottom. Cut the flesh into thickish strips. Fry them lightly in the oil or butter over low heat. Add the wine and tarragon, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until the kohlrabi is tender. Serve with roast meats or stews; it goes particularly well with carbonnade of beef (p. 323).

Leeks

To the French, the leeks are ‘poor man’s asparagus’ and they often prepare them in similar ways. We are fortunate that small leeks are now available in summer for dishes like leeks vinaigrette. Leeks combine well with other vegetables, make an excellent accompaniment to steamed fish (steamed brill with mushrooms and leeks, p. 251) and a very good tart.

For instructions on cleaning this often very soil-encrusted vegetable see p. 92, and see also the various cooking methods (pp. 95–7).

Leeks vinaigrette

This is a good way to serve leeks, particularly young leeks. The leeks seem to soak up a great deal of the mustardy sauce, so make a large amount – it will certainly get mopped up if you serve some good bread as well. Parma or Serrano ham goes well with the leeks.

For 4

12 medium leeks or 20 small ones

1 shallot, peeled and chopped finely

1½ tbs Dijon mustard

2 tbs red wine vinegar

salt and freshly ground pepper

120ml sunflower oil

chives to garnish

Clean the leeks and wash them thoroughly. Keep the pale green part. Leave small leeks whole and tie them together in a bundle, they will cook more slowly and be easier to remove from the pan. Cut large leeks into 5cm lengths. Simmer the leeks until tender, 5–10 minutes depending on size, lift them out carefully and drain well on a cloth. Whisk together the shallot, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk in the oil, little by little, to form a creamy sauce. Arrange the hot leeks on a warm dish, spoon over the sauce and scatter over a few chopped chives. Serve lukewarm or cold, but not chilled.

Braised leeks with red pepper

The bright colour of the pepper contrasts well with the pale white and green of the leeks. I’ve put a star anise – a spice used in Chinese cookery and in Chinese five-spice powder – into this dish because I like the anise note which it gives to the leeks, but it is not essential to the dish.

For 6

8–10 leeks

30g butter

1 small red pepper, diced

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 star anise* (optional)

2–3 tbs stock or water

1 tbs parsley

Prepare the leeks, keeping some of the green part. Cut them into 2cm rounds. Heat the butter in a heavy pan and sauté the leeks gently, turning them in the butter. Add the diced pepper, season and put in the star anise if you wish. Add a little stock or water, cover the pan and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Take out the star anise before serving. Put the leeks and pepper in a dish and scatter over the parsley.

Lentils

Lentils are available in several varieties. The small red ones disintegrate quickly and are best used for purées. Slate-coloured Puy lentils, small Italian Castelluccio lentils and the large brown ones need longer cooking but keep their shape and texture. I have recently tried some small grey-brown Canadian lentils which were similar to those from Puy and Castelluccio in taste and texture. Pick lentils over and wash them before cooking. They do not need to be soaked. Like other pulses, lentils should only be salted towards the end of the cooking time.

Lentils with herbs and cream

The best lentils for this dish are the small slate-coloured Puy lentils or the green-brown ones from Castelluccio; both have a fine flavour. Serve the lentils with poultry, grilled chops, other vegetable dishes. If there are any left, they make a good salad.

For 4

300g lentils

1 onion, peeled and cut in half

2 bay leaves

2 tbs olive oil

1 litre water

salt

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

80–100ml double cream

freshly ground pepper

2 tbs chopped coriander

2 tbs chopped mint

2 tbs chopped chives

Put the lentils in a pan with the onion and bay leaves. Add the olive oil and about 1 litre of unsalted water. Bring the pan to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Check that there is enough water during the cooking and, if necessary, top up with hot water. Add salt to taste in the last 5 minutes.

Drain the lentils and return them to the pan, discarding the bay leaves. Stir the garlic into the cream and pour over the lentils, turning to coat them well. Season with pepper, stir in the herbs and serve.

Lentils with apricots and walnuts

This lentil dish comes from the Caucasus.

For 4

250g Puy lentils

50g dried apricots, soaked in warm water and chopped coarsely

1 onion, peeled and chopped finely

40g butter

salt and freshly ground pepper

50g walnuts, chopped

2 tbs chopped parsley or coriander

Bring the lentils to the boil in a large pan of unsalted water, then simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain them, rinse out the pan and return the lentils to it.

While the lentils are simmering, sauté the drained apricots and the onion in the butter until they begin to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Add this mixture and the walnuts to the cooked lentils and place over very low heat for 5 minutes so that the lentils dry out. Stir in the chopped parsley or coriander and serve.

Lentil purée

Follow the spiced split pea purée (p. 151). Vary the spicing if you wish with a 3cm piece of cinnamon, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 2 crushed cardamom pods*, and omit the turmeric. Put the cinnamon into the pan with the lentils. Fry the cardamoms with the garlic and cumin.

Mange-tout

Mange-tout and snow peas are much alike, and can be used interchangeably. Mange-tout are flat whereas snow peas are tender pods with more noticeably developed peas. In both cases, the whole pod is eaten. See notes on de-stringing, p. 93. Stir-frying suits them well. To microwave, put the peas in a microwave plastic bag or a covered dish and cook for 3 minutes for 250g.

Stir-fried mange-tout with water chestnuts and pork

For 4

120g lean pork, cut in strips

3 tbs fish sauce

2 tbs oil

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped finely

180g mange-tout

4 spring onions, cut in 4cm lengths

120g water chestnuts, sliced

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

80ml stock or water

Put the pork in a small bowl and marinate for 10 minutes with 1 tbs fish sauce. Heat a wok until very hot, add the oil and fry the garlic until golden brown. Put in the pork and stir-fry until it is brown. Add the mange-tout, spring onions and water chestnuts, toss for a minute, then add the remaining fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and stock. Stir constantly and cook until the pork is firm and the vegetables still crisp, about 3–4 minutes.

Mushrooms and fungi

Finding wild mushrooms, or fungi, in our shops has become relatively easy, although ‘wild’ is perhaps a dubious adjective as many are now raised commercially (even though they don’t conform to the controls applied to most vegetable and fruit production). Most fungi have more flavour than cultivated field mushrooms. Button mushrooms are good for salads and mushroom carpaccio (p. 36).

Probably the best of the wild mushrooms are ceps (porcini in Italian), large mushrooms with bulbous cream stems, rounded brown caps and a rich flavour. Girolles and chanterelles, closely related to each other, with golden or brown flattened caps and spindly stalks, have a delicate apricot flavour that is complemented by herbs and garlic. The brown-black horns of plenty, called trompettes des morts by the French, are also related to girolles; their undulating caps are indeed horn-like. More fragile, they are less easy to find. Creamy coloured hedgehog fungi are somewhat like firmer versions of girolles, but they have spines not gills beneath their caps. Most of these fungi are found in autumn, but morels are spring fungi. They have pitted tall caps and hollow stalks and are highly prized for their smoky flavour. They are also the most expensive. Other fungi occasionally found for sale are puffballs – creamy white spheres, sometimes as big as a football, with dense flesh – and parasol mushrooms with their long stalks and large caps.

I have never developed a great liking for shiitake, the cultivated oriental mushrooms with firm brown meaty caps and woody stalks, finding their flavour obtrusive, but some people love them. Oyster mushrooms I am seldom tempted by, finding the taste bland and the texture too watery.

Brush mushrooms or wipe with a damp cloth. After brushing fungi, cut off any dubious-looking or slimy bits and trim the ends of the stalks. Use whole or slice, depending on size.

Cooking mushrooms and fungi

Mushrooms and fungi are best quickly sautéed, grilled or baked to preserve their flavour and aroma. All mushrooms and fungi give off liquid when cooking, some in large amounts. Unless they are to be grilled, it is easiest to sauté them in hot oil or butter to sear them, otherwise they will go on exuding juices. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, cook until it evaporates. To microwave, put 250g sliced mushrooms in a dish, add a sprinkling of water or lemon juice, a dab of butter if you wish, and cover tightly. Cook for 3 minutes.

Dried mushrooms

Ceps (usually sold as porcini since most of them come from Italy), morels and shiitake are all available dried. Their flavour is concentrated and you need use only a few, so although they are expensive to buy, they will last for some time. All dried mushrooms need to be soaked in hot water for about 20 minutes. They can then be chopped and added to the recipe. Strain the soaking liquor (there may be grit in it) and use it in the recipe as part of the liquid needed, or put it in a soup or stew. Don’t waste it, the flavour is too good.

Sautéed ceps

This will make a main dish for 2 or part of a meal for 3 or 4

400g ceps

a small slice of raw ham

2–3 tbs olive oil

2 shallots, peeled and chopped finely

1 small glass white wine

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbs chopped parsley

Remove the caps from the ceps and slice them. Cut the stalks into large dice. Cut the ham into thin slivers. Heat the oil and sauté the ham and shallot quickly. Pour over the wine. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, then put in the ceps. Season and cook for 10–15 minutes. The ceps will exude some juice, but there should not be too much liquid, so keep the heat fairly high and shake the pan regularly. Add the parsley, turn the ceps into a dish and serve.

Sauté of girolles and pumpkin

For 4–5

500g pumpkin flesh

300g girolles

4–5 tbs walnut oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbs white wine vinegar

2 tbs chopped chives

Cut the pumpkin flesh into thin strips. If the girolles are large, cut them into 2 or 3 pieces. Heat 2 tbs walnut oil in a non-stick pan over moderate heat and gently sauté the pumpkin, turning the strips in the oil. Turn up the heat and add the girolles, sautéing them quickly to avoid them shedding their liquid. Season and remove the vegetables to a warm serving dish.

Add the remaining oil to the pan, let it heat through, add the vinegar and swirl it around, scraping up any bits in the pan. Pour over the vegetables and serve with the chives sprinkled over.

Mushrooms with cream

Chestnut mushrooms, whether buttons or caps, are good for this dish, but if you prefer an all-white dish, stick to the standard variety. Dill can replace parsley.

For 4–5

30g butter

500g mushrooms, sliced

150ml double cream

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbs chopped parsley

Heat the butter and sauté the mushrooms over medium heat, stirring briskly for 2-3 minutes. Heat the cream gently to thicken it and add it to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle over the parsley and serve.

Mushroom ragoût

This dish is best made with an assortment of field or cultivated mushrooms and fungi. Serve as an accompaniment to veal, to rice or as a pasta sauce.

For 6

1kg assorted mushrooms

4 tbs olive oil

2 shallots, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely

1 tsp chopped thyme leaves

pinch ground cloves

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

6 tbs double cream

Discard any dubious bits and slice the mushrooms including the stalks. Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the shallots for 1 minute. Add the garlic, thyme and cloves, stir them in the oil, then put in the mushrooms, increase the heat and stir the mushrooms frequently until they become soft. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomato and cream. Simmer, with the pan half covered, for 20–25 minutes until the juices thicken.

Mushroom risotto. See p. 192.

Okra

Okra is now on sale in many supermarkets, and is well worth trying. It has a place in the cooking of the West Indies, the southern USA, the Middle East and India, so several styles of cooking suit okra. Buy bright green young okra, large pods with a yellowing colour and brown marks tend to be tough. Okra is easy to prepare: the cap is cut off, and the pod may be cooked whole or sliced when it has an attractive pattern. Okra is a sweet-tasting vegetable, but it is slippery and sticky – slimy even, and some people do not like this texture. In Louisiana it is prized for its sticky juices which thicken soups and stews. Once fried or sautéed, the sticky quality tends to disappear and the okra is crisp. Okra goes well with lamb and chicken dishes.

Steamed okra with sesame dressing

For 4

400g okra

dressing as for oriental asparagus (p. 104)

Slice the stalks and caps from the okra without cutting into the pods. Steam over briskly simmering water for 4–6 minutes, until the okra is tender. Prepare the dressing while the okra is cooking. Pour it over the okra to serve.

Variation

• Serve the okra cool with a vinaigrette dressing,

Spiced sautéed okra

For 4

400g okra

3–4 tbs sunflower oil

1 onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced thinly

small piece ginger, chopped finely

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground pepper

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped finely

salt

2–3 tbs water

1 tbs lime or lemon juice

Slice the okra into thin rounds. Heat a heavy pan and when it feels hot to your hand held over it, add the oil. Put in the onion, reduce the heat somewhat and sauté for 3 minutes, until the onion starts to colour. Add the spices, garlic and salt. Put in the okra, toss it in the spices, then sprinkle over 2–3 tbs water. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the okra is tender but still crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Sprinkle over the lime or lemon juice and serve.

Onions

Chopped onions are a staple flavouring ingredient at the heart of so many dishes that it is easy to forget how delicious they can be in their own right. See notes on choosing (p. 91), storing (p. 91), preparation (p. 94) and all the cooking methods (pp. 95–100).

Onions do not brown well in a microwave, but if cooked with butter in an uncovered dish, sliced onions will caramelize: cook 500g onions with 6og butter for 30 minutes. Microwaving is also a useful way of cooking small whole onions without fat. Arrange them in one layer in a dish. Cook 250g onions with 100–125ml liquid in a covered dish for 8 minutes; for 500g use 250ml liquid and cook for 15 minutes.

Baby onions, their roots trimmed first, can also be blanched in a microwave before further cooking; this is also an easy way to avoid the fiddly business of peeling small raw onions. Put unpeeled onions in a dish, add 1 tbs water for 250g, cover and cook for 1 minute. For 500g, add 2 tbs water, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Slip off the skins when they are cool enough to handle.

Baked onions

This dish is capable of many variations, the recipe below using halved onions and taking nearly an hour to cook. It can also be made with small whole onions, which will cook in about half the time, or with sliced onions, tossed first in the oil and vinegar and spread in a dish with herbs scattered between them. These will take about 40 minutes to cook.

A couple of bay leaves can be added or used to replace the herbs given below. A wine or cider vinegar is fine, but gives less depth of flavour than sherry or balsamic vinegar.

For 4

4 large onions, peeled

1 tbs chopped rosemary or thyme or 8 fresh sage leaves

1 tbs brown sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tbs sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar

3 tbs olive oil

6 tbs water

Heat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6. Cut the onions in half, across, and put them cut side down in an ovenproof dish just big enough to hold them side by side. Sprinkle over the herbs and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Spoon over the vinegar, oil and water and bake, covered, for 20 minutes, then uncovered for a further 30–40 minutes. Baste the onions frequently. Add a little more water if the juices are reducing too quickly.

Roasted onions

A simple way of cooking onions in the oven is to roast them in their skins. They take a long time in a low oven, but can be cooked at the same time as a casserole. The onions are juicy and caramelize slightly in their skins.

For 4

4 large or 8 medium onions, unpeeled

salt and freshly ground pepper

olive oil or butter

chopped parsley or mint

Heat the oven to 170°C, 325°F, gas 3. Put the whole onions in a baking tin and cook them, uncovered, for 2–2½ hours. Serve as they are (taking the skins off at the table) with salt and pepper, olive oil or butter and a small bowl of chopped herbs.

Roasted red onions

Red onions are best grilled or roasted; their flavour seems to dissipate with long slow cooking.

For 5–6

1kg red onions

6–8 tbs olive oil

Heat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6. Slice the onions thickly or cut them in wedges. Brush well with the oil, put them in a lightly oiled baking tin and roast for about 20 minutes, turning once. They should be crisp and slightly charred at the edges.

Onions in cream

For 6

1kg onions, peeled

¼ tsp ground mace

salt and freshly ground pepper

80ml double cream

30g butter

Heat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, gas 5. Blanch the onions, whole, in boiling water for 3–4 minutes. Drain thoroughly and chop them. Turn the onions into a buttered ovenproof dish, season with mace, salt and lots of black pepper. Stir in the cream and dot with the remaining butter. Bake for 25–30 minutes.

Onion tart

One of my favourite dishes is this simple onion tart from Alsace, taken several years ago from a local paper where it was called Tarte paysanne.

For 6

shortcrust pastry for a 28cm tart tin (p. 491)

100g butter

750g onions, sliced thinly

2 eggs

200ml double cream or crème fraîche

70g grated Gruyère

salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6. Roll out the pastry thinly and line the tin. Prick it with a fork and follow the notes on blind baking on p. 490. Melt the butter in a heavy frying pan and cook the onions slowly, covered, for about 30 minutes. Stir from time to time to make sure they aren’t sticking; the onions should be soft and pale gold. Beat the eggs with the cream, stir in the cheese and season. Put the onions into the tart, cover with the egg and cream mixture and bake for 30 minutes.

Parsnips

This most versatile of winter root vegetables can be fried, baked, boiled, steamed or braised. Its natural sweetness combines well with spices, chopped fennel leaves, mint, parsley or coriander and it benefits from being enriched with butter and cream. In Acetaria, John Evelyn recommends boiled parsnip with oil, vinegar and ‘something of spicy’ as a winter salad. See notes on choosing and storing (p. 91) and the various cooking methods (pp. 95–100). To microwave, cut parsnips into chunks, spread them in a dish, add 125ml liquid for 250g, cover and cook for 5 minutes; for 500g add 250ml liquid, cover and cook for 8 minutes.

Parsnips with ginger

The idea for this recipe also came from reading John Evelyn who uses this spicing in a root vegetable pudding.

For 4

500g parsnips, peeled

30g butter

100ml madeira or sherry

3 pieces ginger in syrup, chopped finely

pinch nutmeg

salt and freshly ground pepper

Slice the parsnips thinly. Melt the butter and stew them gently for 10–15 minutes, turning them frequently. Do not let them brown or stick to the pan. Pour over the wine, stir in the ginger and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer on very low heat for about 30 minutes. Check the liquid at intervals; the parsnips absorb quite a lot. Add a little more wine or water if necessary. Good with roast and casseroled meats.

Parsnip purée

Parsnips make an excellent purée, particularly if spiced with ground ginger, mace, coriander or cumin. Toasted pine nuts can be scattered over the purée. See the notes on purées and mashes, p. 96.

Parsnip crisps

These are made in the same way as celeriac crisps (p. 126).

Peas

Only if you grow your own are you likely to have fresher and better peas than small frozen peas (petits pois). What the greengrocers and supermarkets have for sale tends to be second best.

Petits pois à la polonaise

This is Edouard de Pomiane’s name (in Cooking with Pomiane) for an early summertime dish of peas and carrots cooked together in butter. Use very fresh young peas and new carrots. The pale orange carrots contrast with the green of the peas and also give the dish their natural sweetness.

For 3–4

1.5kg young green peas (350–400g shelled)

300g new carrots

90g butter

100ml water

salt

Shell the peas. Remove the green tops off the carrots and rinse and brush them. Cut them in long strips and then crosswise into dice not much larger than the peas. Cook the peas and carrots together with half the butter, the water and salt to taste in a covered pan over low heat for 30 minutes. Taste to see if the vegetables are ready. To serve, add the remaining butter to the pan, let it melt and stir it into the vegetables.

Variation

• Add a bunch of small spring onions, cut off above the bulb.

Peas in saffron cream

For 6

60g butter

4 tbs water

2.25kg peas (about 600g shelled)

1 tsp sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper

10 saffron threads, crushed

2 tsp water

150ml double cream

½ tsp flour

1 tbs chopped dill or chives

Bring the butter and water to the boil. Put in the peas and sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 8–10 minutes, until the peas are almost tender. If more than a few spoonfuls of liquid are left in the pan, leave it uncovered for the moisture to evaporate. Blend the saffron with 2 teaspoons of water and stir it into the cream with the flour. Pour the cream over the peas, as soon as it comes to the boil, stir in the dill or chives and serve the peas.

Spiced split pea purée

For 6

300g yellow split peas

¼ tsp turmeric

about 1 litre water

salt

4 tbs oil

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely

1 tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp chilli powder

3 tbs chopped coriander

Rinse the split peas well and put them in a deep pan with the turmeric and 900ml unsalted water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cook, covered, for about 1 hour. Check from time to time that there is enough water in the pan. If there is too much towards the end of cooking time, uncover the pan to allow it to evaporate. Salt the split peas and purée through a sieve or in a food processor. Heat the oil and fry, briefly, the garlic, cumin seeds and chilli powder. Add the garlic, spices, oil and coriander to the purée and stir.

Peppers

Thin-skinned tapering red peppers from Spain and Italy have much more flavour than the squat ones usually produced hydroponically in greenhouses. The same is true of the long pale green peppers imported from Turkey, and sometimes sold as white peppers. I seldom use dark green peppers because they can be indigestible.

The tapering red and green peppers do not need peeling, but the texture of the red, yellow and green peppers most usually available is improved by having the skin removed. Long slow cooking will loosen and remove them if you don’t mind having little bits of skin in a dish.

The best way to remove the skin is to roast or grill the pepper until the outer skin is charred. Cut the pepper in half and put it, outer side up, in a hot oven or under the grill for 10–12 minutes. Alternatively put the whole pepper over a gas flame or barbecue, turning it until it is charred. Now put the charred and softened pepper in a covered pan or a plastic bag and leave it for 10 minutes or so, when the skin will peel away easily. Remove the core, seeds and ribs. Rinse the pepper under the cold tap to get rid of any black bits.

Baked peppers

The traditional Piedmontese recipe for these peppers fills them with garlic, a bit of anchovy and tomatoes. I have suggested an alternative here. I have at times also added pesto and tiny bits of sun-dried tomatoes to the original version, with success.

For 4–6

4 red or yellow peppers

80–100g feta, crumbled

12 green olives, stoned and chopped

2 tbs finely chopped coriander

salt and freshly ground pepper

2–3 tomatoes, sliced

2–3 tbs olive oil

Heat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. Cut the peppers in half lengthways; remove the stalks, seeds and white pith. Put them on a baking tray and fill them with a mixture of the Feta, chopped olives and coriander. Season with pepper and a little salt if you wish (Feta is salty). Cover the filling with tomato slices. Drizzle over the olive oil and bake the peppers for 30 minutes; they should not be completely soft. Serve at room temperature.

Escalivada

This excellent Catalan dish of roast or grilled vegetables is now becoming popular outside Spain. If you can roast the aubergines and peppers on a barbecue or over a gas hob, the flavour will be improved.

For 6

500g aubergines, not too big

3 red peppers

2 tomatoes

salt and freshly ground pepper

4–5 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Prick the skins of the aubergines so the steam can escape during the cooking. Grill the aubergines and peppers, turning them regularly. The skins should get quite charred. After 10 minutes, put the tomatoes to grill until the skins split, then remove them. The aubergines and peppers are ready when they are soft. Put them into a covered pan until cool enough to handle. Remove all the skin, then cut or tear the aubergines and peppers into strips, making sure to discard the seeds from the peppers. Peel the tomatoes and cut into pieces. Arrange the aubergines and peppers on a serving dish, top with the pieces of tomato, season with salt and pepper and pour over the oil. Serve hot, warm or cold.

Variations

• In some versions of escalivada, onions and potatoes are added for which the cooking time will need to be much longer. Sometimes the vegetables are dressed with a vinaigrette with crushed garlic.

• You can also bake the vegetables in a moderate oven, 180°C, 350°F, gas 4.

Stuffed peppers

Dried porcini and morels combined with olives and sun-dried tomatoes give these peppers a rich flavour which complements the sweetness of ripe peppers. Choose peppers which can stand upright.

For 4

5–6g dried porcini mushrooms

4 dried morels

4 large red, orange or yellow peppers

6–8 tbs fresh breadcrumbs

4 tbs coarsely chopped parsley or coriander

8–10 black olives, stoned and chopped

4–6 pieces sun-dried tomato, chopped

salt

freshly ground pepper, or 1 tsp harissa*

about 500ml tomato juice or passata (p. 378 or bought)

Cover the mushrooms with hot water and soak for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. Turn the peppers over a gas flame until the skin has blackened. Leave them to cool, then peel off the skin. Slice the top off and reserve this to make a lid; remove seeds and white membranes. Stand the peppers upright in an earthenware dish which fits them as closely as possible.

Lift the mushrooms from the soaking liquid. Strain and reserve the liquid. Chop the porcini but leave the morels whole unless they are very large in which case cut them in half lengthways. Combine the porcini with the dry ingredients and add enough of the soaking liquid to make a moist mixture. Season with a little salt and rather more black pepper or harissa.

Fill the peppers with the mixture, putting the morels in the middle. Pour tomato juice or passata into the dish, to come to about three-quarters the way up the peppers. Pour a little juice over the tops of the peppers, then close them with their lids. Bake for 45 minutes.

Compote of tomatoes and peppers. See p. 168.

Potatoes

It is good to see so many varieties now on sale everywhere, but sad that information on how they will behave when cooked is still seldom provided. I remember many years ago looking with admiration at three potato stands next to each other in a Dutch market: each had half a dozen different varieties, each labelled with origin, soil-type and uses. See notes on preparing (p. 92) and all cooking methods (pp. 95–100).

In spite of all the claims that baked potatoes can be cooked in a microwave in a fraction of the time taken in the oven, the result is not the same. The texture of the potato is different and the skin is flabby. However, if you are going to use a microwave, prick the skin in several places and stand the potatoes on a layer of kitchen paper. One large potato will take 10 minutes, for 2 allow 13–15 minutes. New potatoes are more successful, cooked in one layer in a dish. For 500g add 2 tbs water, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Mashed potatoes

The best varieties for boiling and mashing are Desirée, King Edward, Romano and Wilja. For suggestions about different types of mash, see p. 96.

Baked potatoes

Heat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas 7. Scrub the potatoes and bake for about 1¼ hours, or until soft. Cut the top of the potato open, or cut it in half, and add butter, soured cream, yogurt, olive oil or a dressing (pp. 360–1).

Roast potatoes

Firm-fleshed Cara, Maris Piper and Wilja are among the best potatoes for roasting. Take time to roast potatoes. To produce crisp potatoes, parboil them first for 10 minutes so that their surfaces are rough.

For 6

1 kg potatoes

1 head of garlic

a few sprigs of thyme

100ml olive oil

Heat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas 7. Peel the potatoes and parboil for 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Cut them in half or quarters, depending on size. Separate the cloves of garlic, but do not peel them. Put the potatoes in a roasting tin, distribute the garlic and thyme sprigs among the potatoes, pour over the oil and make sure all the potatoes are well coated. Put the tin into the oven and roast for about 40–45 minutes. Baste and turn the potatoes once or twice.

Variation

• To roast new potatoes, leave them unpeeled, parboil for 5 minutes and roast for 20–25 minutes.

New potatoes baked with garlic

Garlic and potatoes are an excellent combination, and if you can get new season’s garlic to go with the potatoes, the dish will be even better. Any type of new potatoes can be used.

For 4

500g small new potatoes, unpeeled

12 garlic cloves, unpeeled

3 tbs olive oil or 50g butter, melted

thyme sprigs

3 tbs water

Heat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas 7. Put the potatoes and garlic in an earthenware casserole and pour over the oil or butter. Turn the vegetables around with your hands to coat them well. Tuck in a sprig or two of thyme. Add 3 tbs water. Cover the dish tightly and put it in the oven. After 20 minutes, turn the vegetables and check that nothing is sticking to the dish. Return the casserole to the oven and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are ready, about 15–20 minutes more.

Variation

• Omit the oil or butter and bake the potatoes and garlic on a bed of coarse sea salt. Put 2 tbs of the salt in the bottom of the casserole and scatter another 2 tbs over the potatoes and garlic. Close tightly and bake. These potatoes will not need turning, and they will take about 50 minutes to 1 hour to cook.

Gratin dauphinois

This is perhaps the best-known French potato dish, and one of the best loved. It must be made with waxy potatoes such as Cara or Kipfler, and with double cream for the best results. It is a very rich dish, but everyone always eats more than you expect. Serve on its own or with roast meat.

For 4

500g waxy potatoes

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

250ml double cream

40g butter

salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. Slice the potatoes thinly. Put the garlic and cream into a small pan and heat slowly. Butter a gratin dish generously with half the butter and arrange the potatoes in layers, seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour over the cream, discarding the garlic. Dot the top with the remaining butter. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and return the dish to the oven for a further 20–30 minutes. Stick a flat skewer into the gratin to check that the potatoes are tender right through. If the top is not colouring, turn up the heat for the last 10 minutes to form a bubbling, golden crust. Let the gratin stand for a few minutes before serving because it will be very hot.

Variations

• A combination of celeriac and potatoes makes a delicious gratin.

• A few dried porcini (see p. 142), soaked for 20 minutes in warm water and then drained and chopped, can be put as a middle layer in the gratin.

Jansson’s temptation

This was a dish I had read about but never eaten until it was served to me by a Swedish friend. It is quite wonderful, a simple peasant dish enriched with cream. Do not omit or reduce the amount of anchovies; they are essential to the dish and not overwhelming.

For 6–8

40g butter

1 kg waxy potatoes (such as Cara or Kipfler), peeled

1 large onion, sliced

14–16 anchovy fillets, rinsed (if very salty) and chopped

250ml double cream

Heat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6 and butter a gratin dish with half the butter. Cut the potatoes into thin sticks. Arrange half of the potatoes in the dish then add the onion and anchovies as a second layer. Cover with the rest of the potatoes. Smooth the top and pour over the cream. Dot with the remaining butter. Bake in the oven for 50–60 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, cover with foil. Leave the dish for a few minutes before serving because it will be very hot.

Swiss potato cake (Rösti)

For 4–6

1kg waxy potatoes (such as Cara or Kipfler), unpeeled

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped finely

salt and freshly ground pepper

50g butter

2 tbs vegetable oil

Parboil the potatoes in their skins for about 10–12 minutes. Drain, peel, and coarsely grate them. Mix thoroughly with the onion; season well. Heat half the butter and half the oil in a heavy frying pan. Put in the potato mixture and press it flat. Fry over medium heat until crisp and browned – about 10 minutes. Slide the cake out onto a plate. Heat the remaining butter and oil in the pan; fry the other side of the cake until crisp – somewhat less than 10 minutes. Serve at once.

Indian braised potato and aubergine

For 6

500g potatoes, peeled

500g aubergines

2 onions, peeled

6 tbs sunflower oil

3/4 tsp fennel seeds

2 tsp garam masala*

¼ tsp chilli powder

2 tsp lemon juice

salt

150ml water

Cut the potatoes and aubergines into cubes and chop the onion coarsely. Heat the oil in a heavy pan and when it is hot, but not smoking, put in the fennel seeds and fry for a few seconds until they darken. Add the vegetables, lower the heat and fry, stirring and shaking the pan, for 10 minutes, then add the remaining spices, lemon juice and a little salt. Pour over 150ml water, cover the pan, lower the heat further and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Pumpkin and squash

I have put pumpkins and squash together since they are of the same family and the recipes can be used interchangeably for pumpkins and the hard-skinned squash. Pretty pale green summer pattypans, better known to gardeners than to the supermarkets where they only make an occasional brief appearance, can be cooked in the same way as courgettes (pp. 133–4). See also notes on choosing and storing (p. 91) and cooking methods (pp. 95–100).

Thick-skinned acorn and butternut squash cook very well in a microwave. Cut in half and remove the seeds and fibre. Put a little ground ginger, mace or cinnamon in the cavity, and, if you wish, coat the flesh with 1 tbs honey or maple syrup mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice. Cover each piece tightly with microwave plastic film and put them in a dish. Cook 250g for 5 minutes, 500g for 8 minutes.

Gratin of pattypan squash

Use small pattypans since they lose their flavour by the time they get big.

For 4

500g pattypans

salt and freshly ground pepper

60g day-old bread, crusts removed and soaked in water

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed in a mortar with a little salt

a handful of chopped parsley

100g grated Gruyère

1 egg

olive oil

Heat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas 7. Top and tail the pattypans and slice them thinly. Put them into a wide pan with a little salt and enough water to half cover them. Put the pan over medium heat and cook, shaking and stirring from time to time, until the water evaporates.

Squeeze the bread dry and mix it with the garlic, parsley and most of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper and mix in the egg. A fork is the best implement for mixing all this. Combine the pattypans with this mixture and pour it into an oiled gratin dish. Put the remaining cheese over the gratin, drizzle a bit more oil over the top, and bake for 30 minutes.

Squash purée

The hard-skinned squashes – acorn, butternut, kabocha – make wonderful light purées in varying shades of gold. They respond well to spicing – ginger, cardamom cinnamon or cloves are all suitable – and to a dose of alcohol.

For 2

1 medium squash

salt and freshly ground pepper

¼–½ tsp ground spice, see above

60–80g butter

150–200ml double cream

2 tbs rum or whisky

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds, then bake in the oven at 190°C, 375°F, gas 5 for 30–45 minutes depending on the size and the variety. Alternatively, cook the squash in the microwave: see the instructions and timing above.

Scoop the flesh out of the skins and purée with salt and pepper, the spice of your choice and enough butter and cream to make a smooth purée. Stir in the rum or whisky. You can keep the purée hot in a low oven for 10–15 minutes.

Curried pumpkin in coconut milk

This is a south Indian dish which I learned from village women living in the beautiful backwaters of Kerala. The gourd they used was, of course, different, but our standard Hallowe’en pumpkin makes a good substitute. The Keralans use coconut oil for cooking, but a vegetable oil, such as sunflower, can be used, although it does not have the richness of coconut oil.

For 4

1 kg pumpkin, weight with skin

2 tbs oil

½ tsp mustard seeds (p. 76)

a small piece of cinnamon

2 cloves

3 cardamom pods*, crushed

1 shallot, peeled and sliced finely

2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced finely

a small piece of ginger, sliced finely

3 green chillies, seeded and sliced

400ml can coconut milk (p.524)

salt

300g spinach, cut in a chiffonade*

Cut the pumpkin flesh into cubes. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the spices, shallot, garlic, ginger and chillies for a minute or two. Add the coconut milk and a little salt and bring to the boil. Put in the pieces of pumpkin and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the spinach, bring the coconut milk just to the boil, simmer for another 5 minutes or so, until the pumpkin is tender, and serve.

Barley and pumpkin casserole. See p. 204.

Sauté of girolles and pumpkin. See p. 144.

Radicchio

The red varieties of the chicory family may be tight and cabbage-shaped or have a looser form like a cos lettuce. They make good bitter salad leaves. They are best cooked only briefly. To grill, cut the heads in quarters or half, leaving them held together by the root, brush with olive oil and cook under a grill or on a griddle plate, turning occasionally until slightly browned and wilted. Radicchio is also good in risotto: shred the leaves finely and add them to the pan after the onions have coloured; see p. 192 for the risotto recipe.

Wilted radicchio

For 4

2 heads radicchio

3 tbs olive oil

2 tbs wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

salt and freshly ground pepper

Trim the radicchio and cut the leaves into strips. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and sauté them for 1 minute, then cover the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes more when the leaves will be wilted. Add the vinegar, season and serve at once with grilled or roast meats and game birds or as a separate vegetable course.

Spinach

Very young raw spinach with its crisp texture and bright colour is excellent for salads. Older leaves need to be cooked after thorough washing and discarding tough stalks. Spinach can be blanched and added to other dishes, or wilted in a little water or butter. It combines beautifully with eggs, cheese, nuts and pulses, makes a good filling for ravioli or pancakes and the perfect purée to serve with gammon or pork chops.

Spinach with chick peas

This combination of vegetables turns up in many cultures from Spain, across the Mediterranean and the Middle East to India.

For 6

3 tbs olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

750g spinach, coarsely chopped

2 tbs wine vinegar

2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

250g cooked chick peas (p. 80)

salt and freshly ground pepper

150ml water

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the garlic with the spices for 1 minute, then add the spinach. Stir to turn the spinach in the oil so that it wilts. Add the vinegar, tomatoes and chick peas. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the water. Stir to combine the contents of the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.

Spinach with raisins and pine nuts

Another dish found in many different food traditions. Some versions add garlic or leave out the raisins.

For 4

60g raisins

1 kg spinach

4 anchovy fillets, chopped

4 tbs chopped parsley

100ml olive oil

60g pine nuts

salt and freshly ground pepper

large pinch nutmeg

Soak the raisins in hot water for 15 minutes. If the spinach leaves are very large cut them in half. Shake them well after washing, but leave some water clinging to them. Pound together the anchovies and parsley. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the parsley and anchovy mixture over low heat. Add the spinach, drained raisins, pine nuts and seasonings. Mix well and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

Spiced spinach in yogurt

Spinach and yogurt is another combination that occurs in many cuisines, from Greece and Turkey across to India. The spicing varies from country to country, rice is sometimes added to the dish and in India it is often made with paneer, the local soft white cheese. The quantity of yogurt used varies as well: in India it tends to be little, in the Middle East rather more, and in Turkey some versions use almost as much yogurt as spinach.

For 4

1½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp chilli powder

pinch of nutmeg

1 green chilli, seeded and sliced

1kg spinach

salt

2 tbs sunflower oil

1 small onion, peeled and chopped finely

250ml thick yogurt

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed to a paste with a little salt

Heat a small heavy frying pan and briefly dry-roast the coriander and ginger. Tip them into a bowl and combine them with the chilli powder, nutmeg and green chilli. Put the spinach into a large pan of boiling water and cook for 4–5 minutes. Drain, and squeeze out all the water. Chop it to a rough purée and season with salt. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion. When the onion turns golden add the spices and stir to blend.

Put in the spinach, stir to mix thoroughly and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Mix the yogurt and garlic. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the yogurt and serve.

Spinach filo pie. See p. 108.

Sweetcorn (corn-on-the-cob)

Corn-on-the-cob is the only cereal crop native to the Americas (where it is known simply as ‘corn’). From there come many good corn dishes, not surprisingly, since it is a basic food that nourished native Americans for thousands of years and still fills that role today for all Americans from Chile to Canada. It was adopted more slowly in Europe than most other New World food plants, probably because it had to compete with our wheat, barley, oats and rye. We are now all familiar with tortillas, the flat Mexican corn bread, and nacho chips, not to mention cornflakes. In South American dishes, corn is often cooked with tomatoes, chillies, potatoes, beans and pumpkins, all indigenous ingredients.

See notes on choosing (p. 91) and the various cooking methods (pp. 95–100) and the use of corn in baking (pp. 199–200). To remove the kernels from the cob, cut down from the tip to the stalk with a sharp knife, scraping well to get all the milky juice.

Corn and mushrooms with chillies

For 4

3 tbs vegetable oil

2 onions, peeled and chopped

3 green chillies, seeded and chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

500g tomatoes, peeled and chopped; or a 400g can chopped tomatoes

salt and freshly ground pepper

300g corn kernels, fresh, frozen or canned

400g mushrooms, halved or quartered

2 tbs chopped coriander

Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the onions until golden. Stir in the chillies and garlic and sauté for another minute, then add the tomatoes and season. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the tomato mixture starts to thicken, then add the corn and mushrooms. Stir to mix everything together, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the corn and mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the coriander and serve.

Corn and prawn fritters

I first ate these corn and prawn fritters in an Indonesian restaurant in Holland and eventually tracked down a recipe in an old Dutch Indonesian cookery book. They are quick and easy to make. Serve as a snack or with rice, stir-fried vegetables (p. 117, p. 119) or a sambal (p. 384).

For 4–6

350g corn kernels, fresh, frozen or canned

250g large cooked prawns, shelled weight

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3 spring onions, chopped

1 stick celery, chopped

1 red chilli, sliced

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp turmeric

3 tbs plain flour

1 egg

oil for frying

Very fresh corn scraped straight from the cob can be used as it is; thaw frozen corn or drain canned. If the fresh corn kernels look a little tired, cook them in boiling water for 3–4 minutes and drain well. Put the prawns (cut into pieces if they are very large), garlic, onions, celery, chilli and spices into a food processor and pulse 2 or 3 times. Add the corn and pulse 2 or 3 times until all is coarsely chopped. Sift the flour and make a batter with the beaten egg. Mix in the other ingredients. Add a little water if the mixture is too dry. Pour a little oil into a frying pan and when it is hot, but not smoking, drop in spoonfuls of the batter. Fry for 2–3 minutes on each side until brown and drain the fritters on kitchen paper. Serve hot or warm.

Pastel de choclo

Choclo is the Spanish American word for an ear of corn, and versions of this dish are found throughout the Andean countries. This one with chicken in the filling is from Bolivia.

For 6

6–8 corn cobs (about 750g)

80–100ml milk

60g butter

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 eggs

60g raisins

2 tbs sunflower oil

2 onions, peeled and chopped

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 tsp oregano, chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1tsp ground chilli

100g black olives

1 kg cooked and boned chicken, cut into small pieces

2 hardboiled eggs, chopped (optional)

1 egg white

Heat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6. Grate the corn from the cobs, or take off whole kernels and blitz them once or twice in the food processor with a little of the milk to keep a coarse texture. Melt the butter and heat the corn, seasoned with salt and pepper, then stir in 80ml milk. Beat in the eggs one at a time, over very low heat, making sure that the mixture does not boil. If it becomes too thick, add a little more milk. Set aside.

Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes. Heat the oil and sauté the onion until golden, then add the tomato, oregano, cumin, chilli, salt and pepper. Drain the raisins and stir them in with the olives. Remove from the heat and mix thoroughly with the pieces of chicken and hardboiled egg, if using. Put a thin layer of the corn mixture in a greased soufflé dish, cover with the chicken mixture and top with the rest of the corn. Whisk the egg white lightly and brush the top with it. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The top should be lightly browned. Serve hot.

Sweet potatoes

The most common sweet potatoes available in Britain are pink-skinned with white flesh and brown-skinned with deep orange flesh. The texture of the white flesh is often dry whereas the orange flesh is moist and sweet. Although they are not related to potatoes, sweet potatoes can be cooked in the same ways. They boil, bake and roast well, make a good mash (p. 96) and terrific crisps.

Sweet potato casserole

For 6

1.5kg sweet potatoes

80g light brown sugar

large pinch allspice

¼ tsp cinnamon

salt and freshly ground pepper

grated rind of 1 unwaxed orange and juice of 2

4 tbs sweet wine or port

60g butter

Heat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6, and bake the potatoes until soft, about 45–50 minutes. Lower the heat to 170°C, 325°F, gas 3. Peel and slice the potatoes and make layers in a shallow buttered ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the sugar, spices, salt and pepper, and grated orange rind. Spoon over the wine and orange juice. Dot with butter and bake for about 25 minutes until the top is golden.

Sweet potato crisps

Follow the instructions for Celeriac Crisps, p 126.

Roasted winter vegetables

Use a mixture of winter vegetables depending on what you like and what is available. A suggested list follows. You will need about 2–2.5kg for 6 people if other dishes are being served, 3kg if this is the main course (weight before preparation in both cases).

For 6

1–2 sweet potatoes

1–2 parsnips

2–3 small turnips

2–3 carrots

3–4 Jerusalem artichokes

300–400g pumpkin or squash flesh

300–400g celeriac flesh

1–2 fennel bulbs

3–4 onions

6 garlic cloves

4 tbs olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tbs chopped dried herbs – oregano, thyme, savory, rosemary

Heat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6. Peel all the vegetables, then cut them all, except the garlic, into slices or wedges of similar size. Leave the garlic whole. Grease a baking dish into which the vegetables will fit without being crowded and heat the oil in it on the stove. Add the vegetables, turning them in the oil, season them and sprinkle over the herbs. Transfer the dish to the oven and roast the vegetables for 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning them occasionally. Serve with mustard fruits (mostarda di Cremona) or a tomato chutney (p. 511).

To fu

Made from soy beans, tofu or bean curd is extremely high in protein, low in carbohydrates, calories and cholesterol. It has only a faint flavour of its own, which makes it a versatile ingredient since it readily absorbs the flavours of foods cooked with it. Tofu is important in the diet of Japan, China and parts of south-east Asia. It is eaten in soups, in one-pot dishes, grilled and fried. It can be bought from most supermarkets and oriental shops. Fresh tofu will keep for up to 5 days and must be refrigerated. It keeps best in water, which should be changed daily. Some brands can be kept in the cupboard and only need to be refrigerated after opening; dried tofu is also available.

Firm or ‘cotton’ tofu is most common. It can be grilled, fried, poached or braised. When it is to be fried or added to salads, tofu needs to be pressed before using to remove excess water: wrap the block in kitchen paper, stand it on a plate, put another plate on top and leave for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Tofu is quite fragile and it needs to be cut and stirred with care or it will break.

‘Silk’ tofu, as the name suggests, is soft, fine textured and delicate; it should not be pressed. It is used for soup.

Tofu stir-fried with vegetables

The vegetables can be changed according to what looks best when you are shopping: shredded Chinese cabbage or mustard greens, sliced leeks, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts can all be used. If you don’t want to use oyster sauce, use more soy sauce and rice wine.

For 2

250g firm tofu, pressed (see above)

4 tbs sunflower oil

2 sticks celery, sliced

80g mange-tout or snow peas

80g oyster mushrooms, sliced

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs rice wine* or dry sherry

½ tsp sugar

2 tbs oyster sauce

2 spring onions, sliced finely

Cut the tofu in 3cm cubes. Heat a wok and add 3 tbs oil. Fry the tofu in batches until the pieces are golden on all sides, about 3–4 minutes. Drain well on kitchen paper. Pour off the oil and wipe the wok clean. Heat the remaining oil and stir-fry the celery, mange-tout and mushrooms for 3–4 minutes until cooked. Combine the soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and oyster sauce and add to the wok with the fried tofu. Stir-fry carefully. As soon as the tofu is heated through and the ingredients are mixed, add the spring onions and serve.

Braised tofu

For 4

300g firm tofu

4 tbs oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

2cm ginger, chopped

100g canned straw mushrooms or button mushrooms

300g leeks, cut in very thin slices

1 tsp cornflour

1 tbs soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

100ml stock or water

1 tbs chopped coriander

Press the tofu (see above) to get rid of excess water, then cut it into 3cm cubes. Heat a wok, add 3 tbs oil and fry the tofu in batches until golden, 3–4 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Wipe the wok clean. Heat the last tbs oil and stir-fry the garlic and ginger. Add the mushrooms and leeks and toss for 2–3 minutes. Combine the cornflour, soy sauce, sugar and stock and pour over the vegetables. Let the liquid come to the boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Return the tofu to the pan, simmer 5 minutes more, then scatter over the coriander and serve.

Tomatoes

Life without tomatoes may have become unthinkable, but life with only the tasteless tomatoes on most supermarket shelves does not bear thinking about either. In late summer, Greek and Turkish and sometimes small shops in the country have riper, well-flavoured tomatoes that may be misshapen but are likely to taste better than anything bought from the supermarket. Even the ‘plum’ and ‘vine’ tomatoes now in vogue are not as good as they should, and could, be – they are grown for long shelf-life, uniformity and colour with scant attention to flavour. We often rely on canned tomatoes, passata* and tubes of tomato purée to boost or replace our commercial watery tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes from southern Italy are intensely flavoured; make sure to chop them finely and use sparingly. If you buy them dry rather than in oil, soak them before using to get rid of some of the salt. Semi-dried (mi-cuit) tomatoes from France have a rich taste and softer texture.

See notes on storing (p. 91) and all cooking methods (pp. 95–100).

To peel tomatoes, pour boiling water over them, leave for 1 minute, drain and the skin will come off easily. If you leave the tomatoes longer in water the texture suffers.

To remove the seeds, cut the tomato in half around the middle and squeeze each half gently to get rid of the seeds. Do this over a bowl if you want to use the seeds and juice, over a bowl and a sieve if you only want the juice.

Slow-roasted plum tomatoes

Roasting concentrates the flavour of tomatoes, but do start off with the best flavoured ones you can find. Serve these tomatoes with cold meats or pâté, as part of a mixed hors-d’oeuvre, on bruschetta, in salad, or to accompany grilled meat, poultry or fish.

For 4

500g ripe plum tomatoes

salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tbs olive oil

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

Heat the oven to 150°C, 300°F, gas 2. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthways and put them in an ovenproof dish face up. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over two-thirds of the oil and vinegar. Put them in the oven and roast for 2 hours. When you take them out drizzle over the rest of the oil and vinegar and leave them to cool; they are best eaten lukewarm. They will also keep in the refrigerator for 1–2 days; bring them back to room temperature before serving.

Compote of tomatoes and peppers

For 6

2 slices day-old bread, crusts removed

olive oil

8 large ripe tomatoes

2 red peppers, peeled (p. 151)

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbs chopped parsley

2 tbs chopped basil

1 tsp capers

Heat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas 7. Brush the bread lightly on both sides with olive oil and put the slices on a baking tray. Bake for 4–5 minutes until lightly golden, then take the tray from the oven. When the bread has cooled down a little, crumble it coarsely with a rolling pin or in a food processor. Put the crumbs in a bowl and set aside.

Lightly oil a shallow ovenproof dish of 18–20cm diameter. Slice the tomatoes thickly and slice the peppers in strips, removing their seeds. Place a layer of tomatoes in the dish, season and add some of the herbs. Make a new layer of peppers, then another of tomatoes and herbs. Continue until all the vegetables are used, finishing with a tomato layer. Drizzle oil over the vegetables, scatter the capers over the top and then the breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes. Serve cold.

Tomato, basil and olive tart

A good summer tart capable of variations. I have made it spreading tapenade (p. 28) on the base, interspersed slices of roasted, peeled red peppers with the tomatoes, added chopped anchovies to the shallots, replaced the shallots with garlic. Make sure the tomatoes are ripe.

For 3–4

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

3 tbs pesto (p. 346)

2 shallots, peeled and chopped finely

5–6 ripe tomatoes, sliced

16 small black olives

2 tsp caster sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbs olive oil

1 tbs shredded basil leaves

Heat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas 7. Unroll the pastry onto a lightly floured baking sheet, prick with a fork and bake for 8 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6. Spread the pesto over the pastry, leaving a narrow clear rim. Scatter over the shallots. Arrange the tomato slices in overlapping circles. Scatter over the olives and season with sugar, salt and pepper. Drizzle over 1 tbs oil and bake for 35–40 minutes. Take the tart from the oven, scatter over the basil and sprinkle with the remaining oil.

Turnips and swedes

I confess I have little enthusiasm for these roots of the cabbage family, not even the tiny white and purple turnips. When I cook them I combine them with potatoes, either in a mash (p. 96), in a gratin of the type given below or in a mixed vegetable winter soup or dish of roasted vegetables. It is best to choose small to medium swedes: they have a better flavour and are not woody. To microwave, cut into 1cm dice or slice thinly, put in a dish with 4 tbs water for 500g, cover and cook for 12 minutes.

Turnip and potato gratin

For 4

300g potatoes, peeled

300g turnips, peeled

30g butter

½ tsp ground cardamom*

salt and freshly ground pepper

200ml double cream

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

60g grated Gruyère or Cheddar

Heat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. Parboil the potatoes for 15 minutes and the turnips for 12. Drain them and rinse with cold water, then slice them. Using half the butter, grease a small gratin dish and put in a layer of turnips. Season with a little cardamom, salt and pepper, and follow with a layer of potatoes. Repeat the layers until all the vegetables are used. Heat the cream gently with the garlic, then strain it over the vegetables. Sprinkle over the cheese, dot the top with the rest of the butter and bake for 20–30 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the top crusty.

Vegetable stews

There are a number of vegetable stews which all make good main course dishes. They come from different parts of the world and would be served with rice, bread, couscous, bulgur, beans or potatoes, depending on their origin. Follow your own inclination when choosing your accompaniment.

Summer vegetable ragoût

For 8

8 shallots, peeled and sliced

4 whole cloves new garlic, peeled

50ml olive oil

hearts of 3 small fennel bulbs, quartered

6 small carrots, cut in half or in quarters, lengthways

4 small globe artichokes, cleaned, quartered and choke removed (p. 102)

400ml water

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 courgettes, cut in quarters lengthways

3 young leeks, sliced

100g shelled peas (approx. 400g original weight)

100g shelled broad beans (approx. 450g original weight)

200g asparagus, cut in short lengths

leaves from a sprig of tarragon

2 tbs chopped parsley

15 basil leaves, torn

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

Sauté the shallots and garlic in the oil over medium heat. When lightly coloured, add the fennel, carrots and artichokes. Cook gently for 3–4 minutes, then add the water and season. Bring the open pan to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add all the remaining vegetables, the tarragon and parsley; simmer for another 10 minutes, then test the vegetables – they should remain firm but not half raw. When they are ready, stir in the basil and check the seasoning. The liquid should be reduced to a few spoonfuls. Turn all into a serving dish and sprinkle over the balsamic vinegar.

Turkish vegetable stew

Versions of this stew are also found throughout the Balkan countries, once part of the Ottoman empire.

For 6–8

2 onions, peeled and chopped

3 courgettes, sliced

1 medium aubergine, cubed

100g okra, stalked but pod intact

200g green beans, cut in 2 or 3 pieces

200g shelled peas (approx 750g original weight)

1 green pepper, cut in squares

500g tomatoes, peeled and chopped or a 400g can

a large bunch of parsley, chopped

2 tsp paprika

salt

6 tbs sunflower oil

Heat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, gas 5. Put all the vegetables and parsley into a wide, deep ovenproof casserole. Season with paprika and salt and pour over the oil. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, cover and put the dish in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Remove the lid, check the progress of the vegetables and cook for a further 15–30 minutes. Serve hot.

Tunisian vegetable stew

North African markets have tempting, wonderful displays of vegetables and spices. Both are used extensively in different types of stew. This one is adapted from Edmond Zeitou’s 250 recettes classiques de cuisine tunisienne. Serve it with couscous (p. 202).

For 8

4 tbs sunflower oil

1 tsp black peppercorns, freshly ground

1 tbs paprika

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground coriander

1 tsp harissa*

2 onions, peeled and chopped coarsely

4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 tbs tomato purée

1 litre water

3 carrots, peeled and sliced thickly

3 small white turnips, peeled and quartered

4 courgettes, sliced thickly

2 red peppers, cut in squares

3 stalks celery, sliced thickly

4 potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks

120g chick peas, soaked overnight, or 1 can chick peas, rinsed

a large handful of coriander leaves, chopped

salt

Heat the oil in a large pan, put in the spices, harissa, onion and garlic and stir-fry over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, then add the tomatoes and tomato purée and fry for a few minutes more. Add 1 litre of unsalted water, all the vegetables and the coriander. Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, until the vegetables are cooked, about 45 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Couscous with grilled vegetables See p. 202

Avial

I ate this dish several times on a visit to the Malabar coast of India and always found it delicious. You can use any mixture of root and green vegetables, but not leaves. Potatoes, pumpkin, gourd, okra, aubergine, beans – even bananas – were all used there; back in England I’ve used carrots, peas, courgettes and peppers as well. Onions are essential. In India the dish is finished with coconut oil but I’ve used sunflower oil here.

For 6

1.5kg mixed vegetables

2 onions, peeled

pinch turmeric

4 sprays of curry leaves (p. 257), preferably fresh

120g fresh grated coconut or 60g unsweetened desiccated coconut (see below)

4–6 green chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds

200ml thick yogurt

salt

2 tbs sunflower oil

If you are using desiccated coconut soak it in 120ml water for 1 hour before cooking, then drain it.

Clean all the vegetables – peeling and shelling as required – and cut them, where necessary, into fairly small pieces. Put them in a pan with the turmeric and enough boiling water to half cover the vegetables. Put in the curry leaves, cover the pan tightly and simmer very gently so that the vegetables steam, until just cooked. Put the coconut, chillies and cumin into a food processor and whiz until finely ground, adding a little water if needed. Mix this paste into the yogurt and stir into the vegetables, taking care not to break them. Add salt to taste. Simmer over very low heat for 5 minutes for the flavours to blend. Pour over 2 tbs oil, stir it through and serve at once.

Malay vegetables in coconut milk

Three or four vegetables would normally be used for this type of stew; choose from aubergine, green beans, okra, Chinese cabbage, spring greens, courgettes, bamboo shoots, carrots, pumpkin, potatoes.

For 4

500g mixed vegetables

1 stalk lemon grass*

2 red chillies, seeded and sliced

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

1 small piece ginger, peeled and chopped

600ml coconut milk (p. 524)

2 lime leaves*

salt

Cut the peeled vegetables into similar small-sized pieces. Discard the outer layer of the lemon grass and, using the bottom third only, slice it finely. Pound together, or whiz in the food processor, the chillies, onion, garlic, lemon grass and ginger to make a paste. Heat half the coconut milk until the oil starts to separate, then stir in the paste until the aromas rise from it. Add the vegetables and lime leaves, and season with salt. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the rest of the coconut milk and cook until the vegetables are tender.

Thai vegetable curry

The red curry paste used for this curry can be bought, but it is not difficult to make your own, and what is not used for this recipe will keep in a jar in the refrigerator for 2–3 weeks. Select the vegetables according to what looks best when you shop.

For 4–6 4

1 tbs red curry paste (see below)

1 tbs sunflower oil

600ml coconut milk

200g green beans, cut in short lengths

3 courgettes, sliced

200g broccoli or cauliflower florets

200g bamboo shoots, sliced

1 small aubergine, cubed

4 lime leaves*

2 large red chillies, seeded and sliced finely

1 tbs fish sauce (p. 520)

10 basil leaves

For the curry paste

5–8 red chillies, fresh or dried, seeded

2 shallots, peeled and chopped finely

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely

2 tsp chopped galangal root* or ginger

2tsp chopped lemon grass*, using bottom third only

1 tsp chopped coriander

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp kaffir (see below) or ordinary unwaxed lime peel

1 tbs sunflower oil (optional)

First blend together all the ingredients for the curry paste. The easiest way is to put everything in a blender or food processor, adding the oil if necessary to lubricate the spices. If you do not like very hot dishes, reduce the number of chillies. Kaffir limes are knobbly round fruits from the same tree as lime leaves; only the peel is used in cooking. Although the leaves are now in many supermarkets, the fruits are seldom found; you can use ordinary lime peel instead, but it won’t taste quite as strong.

Fry a tablespoon of the curry paste in the oil for a minute or two until it is very aromatic and oil seeps around the edges. Add the coconut milk. Stir in the vegetables and flavourings and bring to the boil. Simmer until the vegetables are tender – this will take 15–20 minutes depending on how well cooked you like your vegetables.

Variation

Vegetable and tofu curry Add 350g pressed tofu (p. 166), cut into 2cm cubes. Before starting to fry the oil and curry paste, heat 100ml oil in the pan and fry the cubes of tofu in a single layer for 3–5 minutes, turning to brown them on all sides. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat with remaining pieces if necessary. Pour off all but 1 tbs oil from the pan and continue with the recipe. Keep the tofu aside and add 5 minutes before the curry is ready.