SIDE DISHES
AND ACCOMPANIMENTS

Carrot mashed potatoes

Preparation time: 10 minutes	This makes a tasty and colourful mash, and might even persuade reluctant children to eat their vegetables. It works equally well as a side dish, or instead of the standard shepherd’s pie topping.
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Fruit/veg per serving:	Ingredients (serves 4) potatoes • 300 g carrots • 350 g vegetable oil • 1 tablespoon black pepper • to taste

Peel and trim the potatoes and carrots and cut into chunks. In one large saucepan boil in unsalted water for about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain and mash with the oil and plenty of black pepper.

Cucumber and dill salad

Preparation time: 10 minutes Fruit/veg per serving:

Dill is such a delicious herb and goes well with fish. Serve this salad with a piece of grilled fish and new potatoes for a simple, elegant dish for one or more. You won’t think twice about leaving out the mayonnaise or other fatty/salty extras. Ingredients (serves 4) cucumber • 1 large, cubed fresh dill • 1 heaped tablespoon For the dressing: white wine vinegar • 2 tablespoons sunflower or rapeseed oil • 1 tablespoon caster sugar • 2 teaspoons black pepper • to taste

Place the cucumber in a bowl. Mix together the dressing ingredients and pour over the cucumber. Sprinkle with the dill and serve immediately.

Cook’s tips:

Buy dill cheaply in bunches from ethnic grocers instead of the supermarket. It also combines well with yoghurt to use as a salad dressing for pasta or potatoes. Otherwise just sprinkle over vegetables such as new potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and green beans.

Finely sliced raw fennel bulb is a good addition to this salad. Find it in good greengrocers and some supermarkets.

No-mayo coleslaw

Preparation time: 10 minutes	A lovely, fresh-tasting salad that is easy and cheap to make all year round.
Fruit/veg per serving:	Ingredients (serves 4) carrot • 1 medium white cabbage • (approx 200 g) dessert apple • 1 small, core removed spring onion • 1–2 low fat plain yoghurt • 3 tablespoons (approx 100 g) black pepper • to taste caraway seeds • ½ teaspoon (optional)

Peel, trim and coarsely grate the carrot. Finely shred the cabbage. Cut the apple into small chunks and chop up the spring onion. Combine in a bowl with the yoghurt and black pepper to taste. If you are using the caraway seeds, sprinkle them over the top.

No-salt pesto

Preparation time: 5 minutes	Pesto in a jar is a convenient cupboard standby, but it is high in salt. This version is made within a few minutes and is just as tasty.
Fruit/veg per serving: —	Ingredients (enough for 4 portions of pasta) pine nuts • 40 g fresh garlic • 2 cloves olive oil • 150 ml fresh basil leaves • 50 g lemon juice • 20 ml black pepper • to taste

Place nuts, garlic and olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend for a few seconds to break up the nuts and garlic. Alternatively use a hand blender and allow a little longer. Then add the basil leaves, lemon juice and black pepper and continue to blend until you have a thick, smooth paste. Add more lemon juice and black pepper to taste.

The mixture is ready to use. It keeps well in the fridge with a thin layer of olive oil on top to exclude the air for 3–4 days. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays and have handy portions on standby at any time.

Cook’s tips for using the pesto:

•Stir into cooked pasta, roasted vegetables or couscous.

•Drizzle over new potatoes.

•Stir into mashed potato.

•Spread in a toasted sandwich with mozzarella and sliced tomato.

•Toast a wholemeal pitta bread, spread a little pesto inside, then fill with cottage cheese and fresh salad.

•Spread over a fillet of fish, chicken portion or meat chop before grilling or baking it.

•Add a spoonful to pep up some home-made low-salt soup.

Ratatouille

Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 50–60 minutes Fruit/veg per serving:

An easy and invaluable standby that contains all those health-giving vegetables and not much else! Use to top pasta or baked potato, or serve with cold roast meat or grilled fish. It can be eaten hot straight away, or at room temperature. The flavours develop further if it is kept in the fridge (for up to 2–3 days) so you can make it ahead of time. It also freezes well. Don’t worry too much about the sizes or weight of the vegetables – a bit of variation is fine. Ingredients (serves 4–6) olive oil • 2 tablespoons onion • 1 large, sliced garlic • 2 cloves, crushed aubergine • 1 large courgettes • 4 red pepper • 1 large tinned tomatoes • 400 g tin sugar • ½ teaspoon bayleaf • 1 (optional) dried oregano or mixed herbs • 1 teaspoon black pepper • to taste fresh basil • 1–2 tablespoons (optional)

You will need a large lidded saucepan or casserole, non-stick if possible.

Heat the olive oil in the saucepan or casserole. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until softened. Meanwhile cut the aubergine, courgettes and peppers into chunks (roughly about 2 cm). Add to the pan and stir to coat all the vegetables with the onion mixture. Then add the remaining ingredients, except the basil, to the pan. Cover with the lid and cook on a gentle heat for 45–55 minutes until the vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally. Serve hot or cold, sprinkled with chopped fresh basil leaves if available.

Cook’s tip: Serve leftovers cold or hot simply with some couscous, pitta or other bread for a quick snack meal.

Rosemary baked potatoes

Preparation time: 15 minutes	A tasty, low-salt potato dish that is a change from the usual plain roast or boiled alternatives.
Cooking time: 45 minutes Fruit/veg per serving:	Ingredients (serves 4) olive oil • 2 tablespoons potatoes • 800 g, thickly sliced onion • 1 large garlic • 2 cloves, finely sliced fresh rosemary • 1 tablespoon, chopped black pepper • to taste

You will need a casserole or gratin dish.

Using half a tablespoon of the olive oil, grease the casserole dish. In a large pan of boiling water parboil the potato slices for 5 minutes. Meanwhile heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan, add the onions, garlic and rosemary and cook gently over a low heat for approximately 5 minutes or until the onions are softened but not yet starting to brown.

Place a layer of potato slices in the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of onion mixture and sprinkle with black pepper. Repeat with the rest of the potato and onion mixture, finishing with a neat layer of potatoes.

Drizzle the rest of the olive oil over the top. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/Gas Mark 6, for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly browned and tender.

Serve hot.

Cook’s tip: Make ahead of time and then bake in the oven with your roast meat, baked fish or other baked dishes to suit.

Summer butterbean and tomato salad

Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes	Ideal for a vegetarian snack meal or as a side dish: the combination of basil with tomatoes is a classic taste of summer. The salad could be made up the night before and taken out in a leak-proof container for a packed lunch or picnic.
Fruit/veg per serving:	Ingredients (serves 2) butterbeans • 1 tin (approx 420 g), drained tomato • 2 medium, sliced fresh chives – 1 tablespoon, chopped olive oil • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar • 2 teaspoons sugar • ½ teaspoon black pepper • to taste fresh basil leaves • 2 tablespoons

Mix all the ingredients together except the basil. Tear the basil leaves into small pieces and stir into the salad. Leave to stand for 10 minutes (can be left overnight in the fridge).

Serving suggestion: Serve with bread such as a wholemeal pitta, granary roll or French bread. Could also be mixed with cold pasta or warm boiled new potatoes for a more substantial salad.

Cook’s tip: Use kitchen scissors to cut up herbs directly over the dish – it’s easier and quicker than using a knife and chopping board.

Traditional red cabbage

Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes	This practical dish is great with roast poultry, lamb or other meat especially if you are avoiding salty gravy or sauces as it is quite moist. It can also be cooked ahead and then reheated in the oven (or microwave or on the hob) so is perfect to serve with your roast dinner.
Fruit/veg per serving:	Ingredients (serves 4) onion • 1 small vegetable oil • 2 tablespoons red cabbage • 250 g approx eating apple • 1 medium, peeled and cored wine or cider vinegar • 1 tablespoon hot water • 2 tablespoons black pepper • to taste

You will need a lidded saucepan, sauté pan or casserole dish.

Finely slice the onion and cook in the oil over a gentle heat until softened. Finely slice the red cabbage and apple, and add to the onion in the pan. Add the vinegar, water and some black pepper. Cover with the lid and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes or until the cabbage is soft. You may need to add a little more hot water if the cabbage is too dry.

Serve immediately or set aside (or refrigerate if necessary) until needed.

Cook’s tip: Try adding a handful of sultanas with the apple (unless you are on a low potassium diet and advised to avoid dried fruit). Fresh, frozen or dried cranberries can be added to serve with your Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey.