Vegetarian Lasagne

This vegetarian version of a lasagne is wonderful but absolutely huge. Divide into two large lasagne dishes and freeze one. If you wish to make it low-cal replace the lasagne sheets with slices of zucchini and the cheese sauce with blobs of low fat ricotta. It tastes just as delicious and has far fewer calories.

Serves 12-16.

Vegetarian Filling
6 eggplants, cut into 5mm(1/4 inch) rounds
1.25kg (2.5 lbs) portobello or brown mushrooms
4 carrots, grated
2 x 470g (15 oz) cans whole tomatoes
3 large onions, sliced
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 cup sherry

1. Sprinkle eggplant rounds with salt. Drain after 30minutes and brown on each side in griller.
2. Saute sliced mushrooms with garlic in butter until limp. Add 1/2 cup sherry and simmer 20 minutes.
3. Saute onions till soft and golden.  Add 1/2 cup sherry, 4 grated carrots, canned tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer about an hour.

Cheese Sauce/Alternatively use blobs of Ricotta
120g (4oz) butter
8 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk
pinch nutmeg
125 g (4 oz) grated cheddar cheese

1. Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour; cook gently, stirring, 1 minute.
2. Gradually add the milk, stir until sauce boils and thickens.
3. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg. Add cheese last.

Assembling the Lasagna
250 g (8 oz) lasagne noodles or Zucchini slices, 5mm(1/4 inch) thick
1 cup grated cheese or 1 cup ricotta
pumpkin kernels for crunch(optional)

1. Using 2 lasagne dishes each 33cmx22cm(9x12inch), repeat the following layers: Grilled eggplant, mushroom mixture, onion  and vegetable mixture,  lasagne or zucchini slices, then cheese sauce or ricotta blobs.
2. Repeat layers two or three times depending on depth of lasagne dish finishing with lasagne or zucchini slices.
3. Sprinkle top with any remaining cheese sauce and grated cheddar cheese. Alternatively use blobs of ricotta and pumpkin kernels.
4. Bake in moderate oven 20 to 25 minutes till hot and bubbling.

Lentil Soup – Good Old Fashioned Eating

This is real winter comfort food – warm, filling and full of flavour. I used to make a pot of soup on Sunday and we would enjoy it for lunch and/or dinner throughout the week. It’s also a healthy after school snack. Just add a little water when it thickens up and you can keep going for days. Reheat over medium – not high – heat and stir frequently to ensure it does not catch at the bottom of the pot.

Serves 8-10.

½ ham hock (omit if vegetarian)
1 onion, chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
500g(1 lb) uncooked brown or puy lentils
1x800g(2 lbs) tin tomatoes, pureed
2 beef  or vegetable stock cubes
6 cups water
chopped parsley to serve

1. Place all ingredients in a large pot.
2. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for about 1½ hours stirring from time to time.
3. Add another cup of water if it becomes too thick.
4. Serve garnished with parsley.

Zucchini and Basil Salad

A fresh healthy salad with a new way to use zucchini (courgettes). It has everything – currants for sweetness and texture, paprika, spring onions and garlic for spice, and zucchini which wears flavours so well. Enjoy.

Serves 8.

70g currants soaked overnight in 80ml verjuice
8 zucchini cut lengthways into 4mm slices
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
125ml olive oil
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 ml Spanish smoked paprika
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 spring onions, thinly sliced

1. Combine olive oil, paprika and garlic. Divide in two.
2. Stir vinegar, spring onions, currants, and any remaining verjuice into one half of olive oil mixture
3. Brush zucchini with remaining half of olive oil mixture.
4. Grill zucchini on high in a single layer for two minutes on each side until golden.
5. Layer grilled zucchini in a dish. Scatter with basil .
6. Drizzle currant and spring onion dressing over zucchini.

Cannellini Bean and Beetroot Salad – Ideal for a Barbecue

Low GI beetroot and cannellini beans are freshened up with crunchy snow peas and spicy rocket. The smooth avocado, tasty feta and crunch walnuts add textural elements. Easy to make with pantry ingredients and different from the usual green salad, this is an excellent accompaniment to any barbecued meat. The salad keeps well with leftovers delicious the next day.

Serves 4-6.

Large handful baby rocket leaves
50g(2oz) snowpeas, topped and finely shredded
1x1lb can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1x1lb can baby beetroot, drained, cut into wedges
1 avocado, peeled and cut into generous chunks
100g (4oz) Danish Feta
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 Tablespoons olive oil whisked with 1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar

1. Place rocket, snow peas and cannellini beans in the bottom of a large shallow salad bowl.
2. Top with beetroot and avocado.
3. Drizzle over olive oil/balsamic dressing.
4. Dot with crumbled feta and walnuts.
5. Serve.

Cauliflower Rice – A Delicious Low Cal Alternative to Rice

There are so many benefits to this delicious dish – its a tasty way to cook cauliflower that the kids will love, a great addition to a curry evening,  an alternative to using rice or couscous, and its paleo and vegan. It even freezes well. A rough estimate says a serve is 50 to 60 calories versus rice which is approximately 250 calories a serve.  

Serves 6-8

1 whole cauliflower, approx 800g
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon tumeric powder
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
2 cinnamon sticks
1 mild long green chilli, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon favourite curry powder
1/2 cup hot vegetable stock or water
2 green spring onions, chopped
4 Tablespoons slivered or flaked almonds, toasted

1. Remove thickest stems of cauliflower and discard. Slice the cauliflower florets and PULSE in a food processor briefly until they look like rice or cous cous. DO NOT OVERDO OR YOU WILL HAVE MUSH.
2. Heat oil in large frying pan over low heat. Add mustard seeds, green chilli and cinnamon sticks. Cook 30 seconds.
3. Increase heat to medium. Add the cauliflower, tossing well to coat. Add the curry powder, turmeric, stock or water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes – no longer.
4. Mix in spring onions, scatter with toasted almonds and serve.
5. If freezing, omit the toasted almonds – scatter these after you have reheated.

Gazpacho – A Lovely Starter for Summer Days

There is nothing quite as good as gazpacho to start to an outdoor meal on a hot evening. It’s summer time and the tomatoes have so much flavour. Based on Robert Carrier’s original recipe from the 1980’s this combines the smooth tomato based puree with the crunch of finely chopped vegetables – so good. Swirling the olive oil mixture through at the end adds a sheen to finish the soup. Do take the time to chop the vegetables very finely. I serve them on a black platter which shows the colours off to perfection. Gazpacho can also be served in shot glasses scattered with chopped vegetables as an ideal finger food for cocktail parties.

Serves 6

1 small clove garlic
6 large vine ripened or truss tomatoes
1 spanish onion, the purple ones
1 large green capsicum
2 lebanese cucumbers
420ml(1 pint) tomato juice
6 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon tobasco sauce
2 slices bread, diced and fried in butter to make croutons

1. Blend 5 tomatoes, garlic, ½ the onion, ¼ capsicum, and 1 cucumber till very smooth. Remaining ingredients will be finely chopped and scattered on top.
2. Strain and store in fridge till well chilled.
3. Blend olive oil, tobasco, lemon juice and tomato juice.
4. Stir into refrigerated mixture and add 1 cube ice.
5. Serve cold with little bowls of finely chopped tomato, onion, capsicum, cucumber and croutons.

Italian Potatoes – As good as Chips but a lot Healthier

I always felt chips were really bad because of all that oil. This recipe was my attempt to get something that tasted as good as chips without all the calories. Excellent with grilled meat.

 Serves 4

4 large potatoes, one per person
2-3 cloves garlic
5-6 sprigs rosemary

1. Heat oven to 180°C (350°F)
2. Cut 4 peeled potatoes into 1cm cubes.
3. Heat a little olive oil in 23cm casserole dish for a few minutes.
4. Place potatoes in single layer on bottom of dish.
5. Sprinkle over 2-3 large cloves crushed garlic and 5-6 sprigs fresh rosemary.
6. Dot with butter.
7. Bake uncovered turning every 20 minutes for 60 minutes in total.

Sourdough Toasts with Feta and Herb Spread and Roasted Capsicum

Serve these versatile toasts for brunch or with drinks. They even make a light lunch. Buy some marinaded capsicum or make it a few days ahead of time as it is time consuming and fiddly. I serve these on my large black Alessi platters and the colours look stunning. Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Traveller many moons ago.

Makes 16 toasts.

200g Danish or other soft feta
¼ cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 spring onions, finely sliced
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons basil, chopped
2 red capsicum, roasted. Select here for recipe select -> Roast Capsicum
1 loaf long sourdough bread cut into rounds

1. Place all ingredients except capsicum and bread in food processor and process until smooth.
2. Slice roasted capsicum into thin strips.
3. Just before serving, grill the bread.
4. Spread bread thickly with cheese spread and garnish with 2 strips of capsicum and a little extra drizzled olive oil.

Cabbage Salad with a Soya Dressing and Dukkah Topping

This is an unusual salad that works really well,  particularly with Ham. It is important that the cabbage is really finely sliced. The topping and the dressing are enough for a whole cabbage or 16 – 24 people. Make the topping and dressing at least the day before as they need to be cooled before use and do keep for two weeks. Incidentally the topping is delicious as a snack on its own or used as a Dukkah.

Serves 6-8 depending on total number of salads served.

¼ green cabbage

Topping
½ cup slivered almonds or pine nuts
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
1x30g packet Mamee Noodles,BarBQ flavour, crushed. See Note.

Dressing Simmer for 2 minutes. Cool.
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup brown vinegar
¼ cup soya sauce
¼ cup sugar

1. Toast almonds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds on 120°C until brown, checking frequently.
2. Cool and add crushed noodles – store in an airtight container like a Tupperware until required.
3. Slice cabbage very finely and place in large shallow bowl.
4. Toss with a quarter of the dressing once it has cooled.
5. Sprinkle with a quarter of the nut/seed mixture just before serving.

Note: Mamee Noodles are a fried noodle snack for school lunch boxes found at most supermarkets. If substituting instant cup-o-noodles, then crush, sprinkle with paprika and bake with rest of topping ingredients. It’s strange but a great addition for texture. Of course you can omit this ingredient.

 

Thai Pasta Salad is a Perfect Match with Christmas Ham

Chilli, lime juice, mint, basil and fresh coriander – A spicy salad that goes beautifully with ham or can stand on its own if you are a vegetarian.  Serve cold. It literally takes minutes to make, goes far and keeps in the fridge for 2 to three days – a fabulous standby over a few days during the festive season. 

Serves 8 -12 depending on total number salads

500g spaghetti

Dressing
¾ cup olive oil
1/3 cup nam pla (fish sauce)
2 tablespoons Kecap Manis (sweet Indonesian soya sauce)
juice of 2 limes
3-4 red birdseye chillies, finely chopped or use 2 long red chillies if you prefer a milder flavour
½ bunch each of fresh mint, basil and coriander

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to packet instructions until al dente.
2. Drain and refresh under cold water and drain again.
3. Process all the dressing ingredients and toss through the pasta.
4. Salad can be kept several days in the refrigerator.

Pappa al Pomodoro – Tomato Soup with Attitude

A lovely starter for summer days when the tomatoes are full of flavour. Use the best quality tomatoes you can find, serve immediately and you will find this soup, with it’s pure flavours and no added liquid, is the best tomato soup you have ever tasted.  This would also be a superb festive season starter for vegetarians. Serve hot or cold. Adapted from Cafe Sopra.

Serves 8

2kg vine ripened or truss ripe tomatoes
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch basil
125ml olive oil
1/2 loaf day old Italian Bread
40g Parmigiana Reggiano

1. Cut a cross at the bottom of each tomato. Then blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 20seconds. Place in iced water.
2. When cool enough to handle, remove tomato skins, cut in half – scoop seed and juice into a separate bowl. Chop tomato flesh roughly. Strain seeds and juice.
3. Remove and discard crust from bread. Tear into 1 inch chunks.
4. Remove basil leaves from stalks. Chop stalks finely.
5. Heat olive oil over a low heat in soup pot. Add garlic and simmer for 1 minute. Do not allow garlic to colour.
6. Now add tomatoes, basil, and strained juice from seeds. Simmer 15 minutes or until tomatoes are pulpy.
7. Process till a puree. Reheat gently. Add see salt.
8. Divide bread into bowls. Scoop over soup. Decorate with Parmigiana Reggiano. Eat immediately.
9. Make as close to serving time as possible. Does not keep well – the flavour reduces considerably if made ahead of time.