Asparagus is a fairly new addition to my kitchen, about four years I would say. Usually I just roast the asparagus in a griddle pan or under the grill with some olive oil and then sprinkle some salt and drizzle either lemon, vinegar or balsamic vinegar. This simple vegetable tastes just great as it has a very distinct flavour. I remember making mashed asparagus for my son when he was a baby and my mother saying will he like that? As she had never tried it before, I asked her to try it and she thought it was an ok taste. I am glad that I have introduced such great flavours to my son from an early age, as it has introduced him to a great range of flavours, textures and tastes.

Recently, when I saw a recipe on one of the blogs I regularly visit, I thought I have to try it because the  British asparagus season does not last very long. It is said that Asparagus is high in potassium, folic acid and low in sodium and calories, and is good for us as it does not contain any fat or cholesterol. I am a great believer in eating the right foods to help us maintain a healthy lifestyle and if the food that I eat contains things I know that are good for our health/well-being then we should eat more of them. As a result I was glad that I tried this recipe. It was a great hit with the family and a recipe which I will make again with a few changes next time.

Asparagus Pesto

I made a few changes to the original  recipe that I had seen as I did not have all the ingredients. You can use any nuts you like instead of the mixed nuts, I just used them as I keep some ready ground and it was a quick thing to add to the pesto.  I used spaghetti because I like it, but you can use any pasta that you have. In stead of the basil perhaps you can use any other herb, just experiment

Ingredients

Preparation time: 15 mins        Cooking time: 15 mins       Serves: 4

500g asparagus

1 large clove of garlic chopped

a handful of basil torn

1/4 cup ground mixed nuts (almonds, cashew, pistachios)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt, pepper,  & lemon juice to taste

1 handful of spaghetti or as per your measure

Method

1) In some salted boiling water blanch the asparagus for about 4 to 5 minutes. In the mean time prepare all the other ingredients for the pesto and place in the blender.

2) Once the asparagus are a bright green colour and still slightly firm when pressed remove from the boiling water and run under the cold water tap to stop the cooking process. I used a fork to remove from the water to place in a strainer. Keep aside.

3) In the same water place the spaghetti ensuring the vessel is large enough for the spaghetti to be cooked. This added more flavour to the pasta and did not waste the water. Cook for 10 mins or as per the cooking ingredients to the pasta being used.

4) Trim the tips of the asparagus and keep aside to toss into the spaghetti later.  Roughly chop the ends and add to the remaining ingredients in the blender. Process to a paste or the required consistency.

5) Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain and run under some cold water to remove the starch and stop from cooking further. Mix with the prepared pesto and the chopped spears of the asparagus. Drizzle with some extra virgin oilve oil and you are ready to serve. Bon Appetite !

Some years back we had enjoyed a dinner, made by one of my sister in-laws, of large shell pasta stuffed with ricotta cheese. It was a very enjoyable experience that I have recreated when ever I can get a hold of the large pasta shells.  I felt that the same filling would work well with the sweet pointed pepper, as the flavours would compliment each other and they did. Just to make it into a meal we ate it with some pasta with sun dried tomatoes & basil pesto, for a very heavy filling meal.  Although it could have also been served with some salad for a lighter option. Unlike the other recipe of pointed peppers, this is a more Italian style as opposed to Mediterranean.

Stuffed Pointed Peppers with Pasta

As mentioned before this same stuffing can be used to fill large shaped pasta or cannelloni and served with a tomato based. Another alternative filling to substitute the ricotta cheese is to use flavoured soft cheese, mixed with spinach.

Ingredients

Preparation time: 20 mins          Cooking time: 20 mins          Serves: 2

2 pointed peppers with the tops removed and de seeded

100g ricotta cheese

1/4 cup chopped spinach blanched

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

salt & pepper to taste

3 cups pasta (any shape you like or have)

hot water

salt

1/4 cup of sundried tomato pesto

olive oil

Method

1)Mix together to ricotta cheese, spinach and the spices, keep aside. Prepare the pesto as per this recipe and keep aside. Boil some water for the pasta with salt and a little olive oil, add the pasta and cook as per the instructions or al-dente. Drain and keep aside.

2) Cut the tops of the pointed peppers and remove the seeds with a spoon or knife. Fill with the prepared stuffing mixture and oil the outside of the pepper with a spray or brush. Place in a pre heated griddle pan or grill. Cook evenly all around and you are ready to serve the sweet pointed pepper.

3) Mix the pesto with the pasta and heat slightly before serving with the pointed peppers. Enjoy

I only started using pesto after marriage and used to buy ready made jars. It was a convenient thing to do, as at the time I was on an interior design course on Tuesday evenings, so that was a pasta day . It used to be a chore to find the vegetarian version of this classic Italian dish. Then about three or four years back I had bought a basil plant for the kitchen window sill and it had produces so many basil leaves, so I thought I should venture into making my own pesto. It was successful and so simple to make that I decided I would buy a basil plant each Spring and make my own pesto.

From looking at various TV chefs and other recipes, as well as a friend (who lives in Italy) telling me that I do not need to add cheese or pine nuts (as they are so expensive), just normal salted nuts are fine – I started making my own version as below. To make it more creamy I sometimes use almond, cashew, and pistachios nuts powder.

There are many uses for pesto, not only as a pasta sauce but also as a dressing for salads, for adding flavour to soups, a spread for sandwiches and roasted mushroom or eggplant. You can also create many different versions like I did by adding the sun-dried tomatoes. Other herbs and vegetables can also be added to give it an extra added flavour.

Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Pesto

I keep sun-dried tomatoes without the oil, if you have that then that is fine to use, you can even use the oil from it to give the pesto an extra tangy flavour. The pesto will store well in the fridge for 3 weeks and can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Ingredients

Preparation time: 10 mins       Cooking time: 10mins       Makes: about 1 cup

2 cups basil leaves roughly torn

1 cup sun-dried tomato (about 12) soaked in hot water for 10 mins

2 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

Method

1) Boil some water and place the sun-dried tomatoes in 1 cup water, set aside. Pick the basil leaves, wash and tear them roughly and place in a blender.

2) Drain the sundried tomatoes and put in the blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend to a smooth paste, taste for salt and lemon juice, add if required. Hey presto your pesto is ready to be served as needed

I was asked by my dear brother in-law some time back if there is such a thing as a vegetarian paella and I said yes just replace the meat or fish with vegetables.  I had never made it before but always enjoyed the passionate description given by TV chefs when they make or try paella. Every time I would say to myself I should make it but never did venture out to try and find a recipe or recreate a traditional paella with just vegetables.

So as he was coming around for dinner one day I thought  let me try making it. I looked at various different  traditional recipes. Some had just seafood and others with game and seafood mixed together. Certain things that came out of my research were that there is usually wine, saffron, and specific types of rice used. However the method changes per region and family recipe, much like the Indian biryani or the Creole rice dish jambalaya, which I make often. So I started thinking of the vegetables that I could use, or that would have similar colours to a seafood paella – orange, black, green, red etc. It turned out to be a tasty dish which we all enjoyed.

Vegetarian Paella

I used long grain rice instead of paella or arborio rice, the texture was very good and it gave an extra depth to the dish. Maybe next time I will use brown rice which should give it a more nuttier flavour and a nice texture compare to the usual basmati, which would not hold its shape in the cooking. Next time I will also add some chillies to give it a slightly more spicier kick (we found this to be too bland for our taste), and perhaps try different vegetables also.

Ingredients

Preparation time: 15 mins          Cooking time: 30 mins          Serves: 4

2 cups long grain rice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 litre of hot water

2 bay leaves

salt & pepper to taste

1 vegetable stock cube

1 tsp paprika powder

1/2 tsp turmeric (hardar) powder

1 pinch of saffron (kesar)

2 onions diced

1 leek sliced

1 small aubergine cut into cubes

1 courgette (zucchini) cut into semi circles

1 of each red & yellow capsicum (bell peppers) cubed

5 to 6 button mushroom quartered

Method

1) Wash and soak the rice in some hot water, while you prepare the vegetables. Chop into fairly large chunks and boil the water.

2) Pre heat a large sauce pan or wok on medium temperature. Drain the rice, add the oil to the pan and all  the ingredients and sauté for a few minutes, you will see a shine on the rice. Pour the hot water and cover and cook for 15 minutes. Mix and check to see if the rice is done, add more water if necessary and cook until all the water has evaporated. You are ready to serve with some lemon wedges.

On a recent visit to my local library I met a friend who was looking for ideas on hosting a dinner party for a few friends. She was thinking of a Moroccan theme so in my enthusiasm  I suggested serving Moroccan Style Vegetables with Couscous as it is so simple to make and would fit the theme she was thinking of.

I first saw a version of this recipe a couple of years back in a supermarket magazine where it was giving ideas on how to use a tagine and this was the vegetarian option. The vegetables were slightly different in the magazine so when I recreated it at home, I just used the vegetables that I had and it turned out to be really good. As I don’t have a tagine I just roasted the vegetables in the oven.

This recipe reminds me of the time when we went on a desert safari excursion on a trip to Dubai.  The desert  safari included a traditional meal and this dish was served as the vegetarian option. The vegetables were less tasty but the idea of the couscous I got from there so I mixed the two together to create this meal.

This dish of Moroccan Style Vegetables with Couscous works well for large gatherings where you want to try and have fuss free cooking plus it would be good to take on picnics as it tastes good when served cold. The best thing about this dish is the fact that not only is it simple to make,  especially for a large group, but it is vibrantly colourful, which to me is brilliant as half of the way we enjoy food comes from the visual impact.

I was told by Parita from Parita’s World about this event on Moroccan food hosted by Home Cook Recipes and originated by Holy Cow!

I look forward to seeing other vegetarian/vegan recipes from this event.

Moroccan Style Vegetables with Couscous

As mentioned before, you can use any Mediterranean style vegetables and you can add chillies if you want to make it more spicier. This mixture of vegetables also works well in wraps for an alternative lunch. I have found that the couscous requires a lot of salt in order for it to have a well balanced taste, I would say start by adding a little at a time to make sure it does not get too salty. The spice mix used to flavour the cous cous is a pre blended mix, however you can use either similar ingredients or any other spice mix that you feel will complement the flavours.

Ingredients

Preparation time: 20 mins          Cooking time: 1 hr         Serves: 4 to 6

For the vegetables

3 Courgettes (Zucchini) cut in chunks

4 red onions sliced

3 capsicums (Bell peppers) – one in each colour – red, green & yellow or orange

1 medium butter nut squash cubed into 2cm pieces

salt & pepper to taste

2 tsp each of ground cumin(jeeru) and cinnamon (taj) powder

2 tsp paprika powder

3 tbsp olive oil

For the Couscous

3 cups couscous

420 g canned chick peas drained and rinsed

3 tsp salt

2 tsp Arabic seasoning mix (cumin, coriander, black pepper, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, mint, onion, cloves, cinnamon, chilli and aniseed powder)

juice of 1 lemon

3 tbp olive oil

hot water

Method

1) Pre -heat the oven to 200′C. Chop all the vegetables into large chunks about 2 cm cubed pieces. For the zucchini/courgette I cut it half length ways and then chopped it into 1 cm semi circles. For the butternut squash I have learnt the hard way that you need proper sharp knife and peeler. Here is an excellent article on how to peel and cut butternut squash from SimplyRecipes.com

2) In a  large baking tray place all the vegetables, and pour the olive oil over the vegetables together with the spices and salt, mix thoroughly and place in the oven.

3) While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the couscous. Drain & rinse the chick peas and keep aside. Boil some water. In a large bowl, place the couscous, chick peas, seasoning and all the other ingredients. Pour boiling hot water, enough to cover the couscous and 2 cms extra and mix with a fork.  Making sure all the grains of couscous are coated with the spice, olive oil and lemon juice, keep on mixing at regular intervals just to make sure that the grains of couscous don’t lump together. Once the water has absorbed taste the couscous for the correct balance of flavours and to make sure the couscous is al dente, you can add a little extra hot water if needed and mix again with a fork.

4) Check on the vegetables and mix at regular intervals to ensure that the vegetables cook evenly and the spices mix well together. They should be cooked in about 30 mins, check to make sure, once cooked remove from the oven and you are ready to serve with the couscous, enjoy and let me know how you enjoyed the flavours.

There are very few vegetables I don’t particularly enjoy eating, and they generally tend to be curries made with cabbage or brussel sprouts. I guess it is perhaps because sometimes they are over cooked to make them tender, which in turn makes them bland. We once had this conversation with my sister in-law and I about how our mothers tend to over cook certain vegetables and even foods like pasta and noodles just to make sure that we don’t eat food that is half cooked or raw. By over cooking you loose out on the taste, nutrients and texture of the food, however, if cooked properly and with a good blend of spices, then even these foods are bearable

Wikipedia has this about brussel sprouts:- Whatever cooking method is employed, care must be taken not to overcook. Overcooking releases the sulphur smelling glucosinolate, sinigrin. This is the reason many people profess to dislike Brussels sprouts; only ever having tried them overcooked with the accompanying sulfuric taste and smell. Generally 6–7 minutes boiled or steamed is enough to cook, without overcooking and releasing the sinigrin.

So I guess the key is to cook it like as if stir frying, i.e. fast cooked food to ensure that the nutrients remain as well as the taste

Brussel Sprouts Curry

There are many inventive ways of making curries out of brussel sprouts and spicing up this vegetable a little; this is just one suggestion. Another alternative is rather then cooking with tomatoes is to cook it like a stir fry  with some ginger and garlic and the normal spices and just before serving, squeezing some lemon juice.

Ingredients

Preparation time: 10 mins          Cooking time: 15 mins          Serves: 2

15o g Brussels Sprouts with the ends trimmed and the ends removed

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1/4 tsp each of mustard seeds (rai) & cumin seeds (jeeru)

1/8 tsp asoefatida (hing)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder (hurdur)

1 tsp chilli powder, salt and cumin & coriander powder (dhana jeeru)

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp of bharelu shaak masala

Method

1) In a medium heavy based pan on a medium heat, heat the oil. Once it is heated after a few seconds add the mustard seeds (rai), cumin seeds (jeeru) and asoefatida (hing).

2) Once they start to pop add the brussel sprouts and the remaining ingredients apart from the bharelu shaak masala if using, and cover and let it cook for about 10 minutes. Check to see if the brussel sprouts are cooked, they should still be slightly firm. If using the masala then add it at this point and cook for a further 5 minutes. Once done you can switch off the stove and you are ready to serve, if not then cook for a further few minutes until done.

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