Greek-style chickpea

Greek-style chickpea

serves 4
ingredients 450g/1lb spinach 25g/1oz butter
1 garlic clove, crushed 400g/14oz canned cooked
chickpeas, drained 100g/4oz feta cheese, cubed pinch of ground cinnamon
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped 125ml/4fl oz crème fraîche
salt and freshly ground black pepper
•Wash the spinach thoroughly under running water, and remove any tough stems. Drain well, then cut into shreds.
•Heat the butter in a heavy saucepan, and sauté the spinach and garlic, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the chickpeas, cheese and cinnamon, and season with salt and pepper. Toss over a gentle heat for 2 minutes.
•Add the tomatoes and crème fraîche, and heat through, tossing and stirring. Serve hot.

Spinach & artichoke casserole

 ingredients
275g/10oz frozen spinach,
thawed
450g/1lb mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
175g/6oz marinated artichoke
hearts, with liquid
5 eggs, beaten
1 garlic clove, crushed
75g/3oz Parmesan cheese,
freshly grated
75g/3oz Cheddar cheese,
grated

serves 4
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/
350°F/Gas mark 4.
• In a heavy frying pan, sauté the
mushrooms and onion in the oil
until the onion is translucent.
• Combine all the ingredients in a
large casserole dish and mix well.
• Cook in the oven, covered, for
30–40 minutes. Serve hot.

Chickpea & artichoke stew

 ingredients
1.2 litres/2pt vegetable stock
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
4 potatoes, cubed
5 fresh sage leaves, crushed
200g/7oz cooked sweet
potato, puréed
900g/2lb canned cooked
chickpeas, rinsed and drained
400g/14oz canned artichoke
hearts, quartered
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

serves 4
• In a large heavy saucepan, bring
the stock to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, in a large frying pan,
sweat the onions and garlic in the
oil for about 8 minutes until soft.
Stir in the turmeric and paprika,
and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add the potatoes, sage and the
simmering stock. Cook for about
12 minutes until the potatoes are
tender. Stir in the sweet potato,
and add the chickpeas and
artichoke hearts. Season with salt
and pepper.
• Stir through gently, then return the
stew to a simmer. Heat through
and serve immediately.

Baked lentil & vegetable stew

ingredients
450g/1lb fresh Brussels sprouts
200g/7oz green lentils such as
Puy, picked and rinsed
200g/7oz onions, chopped
150g/5oz celery, chopped
200g/7oz carrots, sliced
400g/14oz rutabaga, chopped
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon grated fresh
root ginger

serves 4
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/
350°F/Gas mark 4.
• Cut a cross in the bottom of each
sprout. Combine the sprouts and
remaining ingredients except the
tamari in a large baking dish.
Gently pour in 700ml/11⁄2pt water.
• Cook in the oven for about 1 hour,
stirring occasionally, until the lentils
and vegetables are tender. Top up
with more water while cooking if
necessary – green lentils require
more cooking than other varieties.
• Stir in the tamari and serve warm.

Courgette & corn casserole

  ingredients
50g/2oz potato flour
75g/3oz rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
600g/1lb 5oz courgettes,
grated
425g/15oz canned creamed
sweetcorn
200g/7oz red pepper,
finely diced
100g/4oz onion, finely diced
50g/2oz Cheddar cheese,
finely grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and freshly ground
black pepper


serves 8
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/
400°F/Gas mark 6. Lightly grease
a casserole dish with butter.
• Sift the potato flour, rice flour and
baking powder together.
• Put the courgettes, sweetcorn, red
pepper, onion and cheese in a
large bowl. Stir to mix through
evenly. Add the sifted flours, oil
and eggs, and mix well using a
metal spoon until well combined.
Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared
casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes
or until set in the centre. Serve hot.

Apple cranberry casserole

 ingredients
250g/9oz cooking apples
such as Granny Smith
200g/7oz cranberries
175g/6oz granulated sugar
75g/3oz soft brown sugar
100g/4oz oatmeal
100g/4oz pecan nuts, chopped

serves 2
• Preheat the oven to 170°C/
325°F/Gas mark 3.
• Peel, core and dice the apples.
Scatter the apples and cranberries
in a layer over the bottom of a
large casserole dish.
• Mix together the granulated and
brown sugar, oatmeal and nuts,
and scatter evenly over the fruit.
• Dot the butter over the top, and
bake in the oven for 1 hour.
Serve hot.

Lentil hotpot

 ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 potatoes, diced
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
225g/8oz red lentils, picked
and rinsed
425g/15oz canned chopped
plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 bay leaf
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 vegetable stock cube
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

serves 4
• Heat the oil in a large heavy pan,
and sweat the onion and garlic
until the onion is softened. Add the
potatoes, carrots, celery and
lentils, and sweat for a further
2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato purée,
bay leaf and oregano, and season
with salt and pepper.
• Crumble in the stock cube, and stir
in 450ml/3⁄4pt water. Bring to the
boil, then reduce the heat and
simmer for 25–30 minutes until the
lentils and vegetables are tender.
• Ladle the hotpot into warmed
bowls, and serve immediately.

Chinese vegetable casserole

serves 4
ingredients
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 carrots, sliced
1 courgette, sliced
4 baby sweetcorn, halved
lengthways
100g/4oz cauliflower florets
1 leek, sliced
100g/4oz water chestnuts, halved
300ml/10fl oz vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soft dark brown sugar
such as muscovado
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
coriander leaves, to garnish
•Heat the oil in a preheated wok until it is almost smoking. Reduce the heat slightly, and add the carrots, courgette, sweetcorn, cauliflower and leek. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes.
•Stir in the water chestnuts, tofu, stock, salt, sugar, soy sauce and sherry, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
•Blend the cornflour with 2 tablespoons water to form a smooth paste. Stir the paste into the wok, bring the sauce to the boil and cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens and turns glossy.
•To serve, scatter the coriander over the top, and serve immediately.