Aubergine, mozzarella & Cheddar hotpot

Aubergine, mozzarella & Cheddar hotpot

serves 4
ingredients
4 large white potatoes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 aubergine, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
275g/10oz canned chopped plum tomatoes
425g/15oz canned cooked chickpeas, drained
25g/1oz green lentils such as Puy, picked and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
25g/1oz mozzarella cheese, finely grated
25g/1oz Cheddar cheese, finely grated
1 tablespoon boiling water salt and freshly ground black pepper
•Put the potatoes in a saucepan of salted cold water. Bring to the boil, and cook until beginning to soften – do not cook completely. Drain and set aside.
•Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently sauté the aubergine until it begins to brown. Turn and repeat on the other side. As each piece is done, remove to kitchen paper.
•When the aubergine is cooked, stir the onion in the frying pan until softened, but not browned. Stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas, lentils, garlic, parsley and seasoning. Cook over a medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
•Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.
•Mix the cheeses together. Add the boiling water to make a paste.
•When the tomato mixture is ready, spoon the remaining mixture over the bottom of a large casserole dish. Cover with half the aubergine and add another third of the tomato mixture. Layer on the remaining aubergine.
•Spread a third of the cheese mixture on to the aubergine. Add half the potatoes, another third of the cheese and then the remaining potatoes. Finish with the final third of cheese.
•Cover and bake in the middle of oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for a further 10 minutes to brown.

Baked squash casserole
serves 10
ingredients
1.8kg/4lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 egg
200g/7oz coorse dried breadcrumbs
75g/3oz soft brown sugar
1⁄2 tablespoon chopped onion 100g/4oz green pepper, diced salt and freshly ground black pepper
•Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
•Drop the squash into a large saucepan with enough boiling water to cover. Return to the boil, reduce the heat and cook until tender, then drain, reserving the cooking liquid. Mash the squash.
•In a bowl, combine the squash and its cooking liquid, egg, two-thirds of the breadcrumbs, the sugar, onion and green pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
•Turn the mixture into a large casserole dish, and cover with the remaining breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until lightly browned. Serve hot.

Chunky vegetable chilli
serves 8–10
ingredients
150g/5oz quick-cooking barley 1 aubergine, diced
1⁄2 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
1⁄2 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
400g/14oz canned chopped plum tomatoes
425g/15oz canned cooked black beans, drained
1⁄2 teaspoon chilli powder 150g/5oz fresh spinach, chopped salt and freshly ground
black pepper
•Bring 1.2 litres/2pt water to the boil in a large deep heavy frying pan. Stir in the barley. Cover and reduce the heat. Simmer for about
10 minutes until the barley is tender.
•Add the aubergine, peppers, onion and garlic. Stir thoroughly, cover and cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes until the aubergine is softened and the other vegetables are tender, removing the lid to stir frequently to prevent the mixture catching on the bottom of the pan.
•Tip in the tomatoes and black beans, add the chilli powder, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the spinach, stir through and cook for 2–3 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Serve immediately.

Bean stew with herb dumplings
serves 4
ingredients
425g/15oz canned cooked red
kidney beans, drained
425g/15oz canned cooked
haricot beans, drained
400g/14oz canned chopped
plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato purée
200g/7oz canned sweetcorn
kernels, drained
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bay leaf
300ml/10fl oz vegetable stock
275g/10oz green beans, topped
and tailed, cut into lengths
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley, to serve
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

For the herb dumplings
100g/4oz self-raising flour
25g/1oz butter
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs

•Put the kidney and haricot beans in a large heavy saucepan or flameproof casserole dish. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, sweetcorn, garlic and bay leaf, and stir to mix through evenly.
•Pour in the stock, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
•Meanwhile, sift the flour into a bowl with a little salt and pepper. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles rough crumbs. Stir in the herbs. Mix with just enough cold water to form a soft but not too sticky dough.
•Add the green beans to the vegetable mixture. Shape the dough into eight round balls, and carefully drop into the top of the stew. Cover and simmer gently for 15–20 mintues until the dumplings are fluffy and risen.
•To serve, discard the bay leaf. Sprinkle the stew with the parsley, and serve hot, allowing two dumpling for each serving.

Baked barley & broad bean casserole
serves 4
ingredients
50g/2oz onion, minced
about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 150g/5oz skinned cooked
broad beans
100g/4oz cooked pearl barley 225ml/8fl oz soy milk 75g/3oz raw wheatgerm
25g/1oz plain flour
3 tablespoons prepared mustard 75ml/3fl oz clear honey 75ml/3fl oz tomato ketchup
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
1⁄2 teaspoon chilli powder
•Sweat the onion in a little oil for a few minutes until soft and translucent. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl and cool slightly.
•Once the onion is cool enough, add 1 tablespoon oil to the bowl together with all the other remaining ingredients. Mix together and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
•Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Turn the mixture into an oiled casserole dish, and bake for 40 minutes. Serve hot.