What have you cooked veggie today?

[Zosherooney]

Well tonights the night !!!! It will be constructed and eaten with both flour and corn tortillas/chips. I suspect the weather tomorrow will be high winds and gusty periods....

Just to say, throughly enjoyed the supper and will certainly be doing that one again - highly recommended and liked my twist with cocoa and jagory gor instead of chocolate - also glad that there are another 2 portions to eat..

[Herbidacious]

I made what I have seen called soubise, but possibly not accurately. Baked (risotto) rice and onion with gruyere and cream stirred in. Lots of herbs. Very nice. Very fattening! I used stock and a generous splash of Hendos.

[KC2]

We made these yesterday and they were delicious - although we used a teaspoon of chilli powder not a tablespoon! I think our cans of beans may be a bit smaller than the US ones so we used 2. http://armagazine.com/2npYAjV

[Herbidacious]

What turned out to be a rather nice vegetable and vegetarian sausage casserole. Not really noteworthy, but I realize I haven't cooked for about there weeks. The last thing I made was 'soubise' (the rice gratin thing I also made on the 29th Jan) for my husband, the day I came down with flu/the virus.

[KC2]

Glad you're feeling better Herby

[Herbidacious]

Thank you! I'm actually still not that well. But well enough to make a casserole, though it would seem (But not well enough to tackle my front room... or was that just laziness and despair...?!)

[KC2]

Thank you! I'm actually still not that well. But well enough to make a casserole, though it would seem (But not well enough to tackle my front room... or was that just laziness and despair...?!)

[Mamta]

I have finally come out of the fog of this bug. I revisited my Shahi Paneer recipe last night. It was good to have freshly cooked chapatties after a couple of weeks of 'making do'

[Zosherooney]

Sorry to hear you have been under the weather..... On chapatis.... We have been making our own as they are so much nicer.

On our last trip to Southall, at Quality Foods I picked up a bag of mixed flours and chapatis was one of the suggestions on the bag. They are very much nicer than the old chapati flour we had.

What flour do you use ? I will go and get the bag we currently have and give you more detail...

[KC2]

Long time since any new posts on here! We had kale and basil pesto for lunch today, which was really delicious. It turned out much better than we had expected but the basil was particularly good - it happened to be from Ethiopia and we got it at Waitrose.

[Herbidacious]

I mainly only post if i’ve Made a new (to me) thing.

[KC2]

That makes sense Herby - it's nice to share a "discovery" - like our kale pesto today!

[Herbidacious]

On the other hand I've not been cooking much at all lately Working late and too tired.

I need some inspiration.

So did the kale pesto taste 'kaley'?!

[KC2]

On the other hand I've not been cooking much at all lately Working late and too tired.

Sorry to hear that Herbi

I need some inspiration.

So did the kale pesto taste 'kaley'?!

Not at all. It could have been spinach and the day we made it, the basil really came through very powerfully and curiously when we ate it the next day the basil was a lot less strong. But still delicious. We also had it on toast instead of butter with prosciutto and scrambled egg with parsley - yum! It would have been fine without the prosciutto as well, since we're talking veggie! There's just enough left now for a few crackers.

You can make it in minutes and we would definitely recommend it. I also really fancy it in a toasted sarnie with avocado and parmesan.

There are various recipes on the web or I can give you the one we used, which was given to me by a friend if you'd like it.

[Herbidacious]

Would love the recipe if it's not too much trouble.
I hope to cook tomorrow, as won't be home until late tonight! But we shall see. Roll on weekend and more leisure time. I have two new cookery books (as if I need them) to plunder. Diana Henry's Simple and (perhaps bizarrely) Food52's Any Night Grilling (Mundane title, but does what it says on the 'tin' in an inspiring way. I don't think I own a barbecue, but may get one/can adapt for kitchen cooking.)

[KC2]

Sure, here it is:
Kale and basil pesto

100 g kale
¼ cup/handful walnuts
20 large basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
2 tbs olive oil
Lemon juice to taste – we used half a lemon
s & p
I added some grated parmesan but my friend was avoiding dairy so she didn’t

1.Remove kale stalks
2.Toast walnuts (optional)
3.Start by processing all the dry ingredients, adding lemon juice and olive oil at the end - we needed more than 2 tbs olive oil so do it by feel and how you like it!

Can be frozen
My friend used some soya cream as she wasn’t using cheese

Hope you enjoy it!

[Herbidacious]

Thank you very much!

[KC2]

You're more than welcome! Hope it works out as well for you as it did for us if / when you get round to trying it.

[karadekoolaid]

Since I had a few sweet potatoes and a chunk or three of pumpkin in the fridge, I decided to look for a recipe combining the two. I found this one: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/228878/scalloped-sweet-potatoes-and-butternut-squash/
I have to say it was good. Not excellent, but good. I think the next time I might add some sweetcorn to it, and a whole lot more onion, but the recipe worked. Sweet potatoes and pumpkin abound here and are very cheap, so it was a frugal lunch after all!

[KC2]

Would love the recipe if it's not too much trouble.

Herbi, just to say we made it again today and the basil was less good so we ended up using the whole supermarket packet - which is only about 25 g I think, but definitely many more than 20 leaves! Today's batch was from Jordan, not Ethiopia.
On the other hand, our veggie son who doesn't like kale as a plain veg really enjoyed it.

[Catherine]

Since I had a few sweet potatoes and a chunk or three of pumpkin in the fridge, I decided to look for a recipe combining the two. I found this one: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/228878/scalloped-sweet-potatoes-and-butternut-squash/
I have to say it was good. Not excellent, but good. I think the next time I might add some sweetcorn to it, and a whole lot more onion, but the recipe worked. Sweet potatoes and pumpkin abound here and are very cheap, so it was a frugal lunch after all!

That looks quite nice. I think I'd add spinach too

[KC2]

OH made a delicious omelette yesterday, with spinach pesto. We'll definitely do it again!

[Herbidacious]

I made creamy asparagus past last night, with subtle garlic hints and freshly ground smoke paprika. But nothing special. More construction than cooking... Next week I shall begin. (Out tonight, then mother's for weekend.)

[Herbidacious]

I made, or attempted to make Anna's tomato leek and asparagus tart minus the asparagus.

I had done all the prep (took a lot more than 10 minutes!) and as just about to sprinkle some of the flour on a board to roll out the pastry, when I realized what I had thought was wholemeal flour was in fact a wholegrain bread mix. So the pastry is a bit bready. Well it's not really pastry or bread, for that matter... I was excited by the lemon in this, but I think it's a bit overwhelming. Perhaps my lemons were bigger than hers. The tomatoes I used were a bit too seedy too.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... rt-recipes

[KC2]

I more often than not find prep times absolutely useless - but then I think I am particularly slow
I certainly can't see 10 mins being remotely accurate for that tart! I'd probably spend a lot longer than that on prepping the rosemary and making the pastry

[Herbidacious]

I think I started work on it at about 5.15 and didn't sit down until 6.30, although there were some points at which I was waiting for things... and trying to work out how to use my food processor again after not having done so for a very long time (to my shame it had a cobweb on it!)

I'd try it again, but with less lemon and maybe de-seed the tomatoes. And use the right flour, of course. As it is, it feels like a waste of the last of my utterly gorgeous Creme fraiche that came back with me from France.

[KC2]

As it is, it feels like a waste of the last of my utterly gorgeous Creme fraiche that came back with me from France.

[Herbidacious]

This week I have been trying to use some of the garden harvest. Cucumber, yoghurt (I had forgotten how delicious proper Greek - not reduced fat- yoghurt is) dill, garlic, mint soup on Tuesday. Just finished it. It got more garlicky as the week went on

I have also bought a tomato press/passata maker - this one https://www.seedsofitaly.com/Passata_Ma ... 92652.aspx - very easy to use - and have made some really delicious roast tomato passata from a load of Tigerellas. Just tomatoes, salt and olive oil, roasted until they began to caramelize.

[KC2]

This week I have been trying to use some of the garden harvest. Cucumber, yoghurt (I had forgotten how delicious proper Greek - not reduced fat- yoghurt is) dill, garlic, mint soup on Tuesday. Just finished it. It got more garlicky as the week went on

I have also bought a tomato press/passata maker - this one https://www.seedsofitaly.com/Passata_Ma ... 92652.aspx - very easy to use - and have made some really delicious roast tomato passata from a load of Tigerellas. Just tomatoes, salt and olive oil, roasted until they began to caramelize.

43966621701_6d50d69e57_z.jpg

Stunning toms, Herbi!

[liketocook]

This week I have been trying to use some of the garden harvest. Cucumber, yoghurt (I had forgotten how delicious proper Greek - not reduced fat- yoghurt is) dill, garlic, mint soup on Tuesday. Just finished it. It got more garlicky as the week went on

I have also bought a tomato press/passata maker - this one https://www.seedsofitaly.com/Passata_Ma ... 92652.aspx - very easy to use - and have made some really delicious roast tomato passata from a load of Tigerellas. Just tomatoes, salt and olive oil, roasted until they began to caramelize.

43966621701_6d50d69e57_z.jpg

Oh I so want one of these

[Herbidacious]

Thanks KC2.

Well with all the toms you grow, you could justify it, ltc.

I hope it lasts. Some complaints on Amazon.

One could use a mouli of course but this was much much easier and less messy.

[karadekoolaid]

Beautiful tomatoes, Herbi!
Have you tried "sundried" tomatoes withe those tigerellas? If there´s not enough sun outside, you can do them in the oven.

[Herbidacious]

I have slow roasted tomatoes before, karadekoolaid, but maybe not taken them to the s-d tom texture. I am hoping to get another crop or two of the Tigerellas... but may be weather dependent now. I do have a lot of other varieties, though, of various shapes and sizes, that are ripening.

We did have enough sun, for once, but we seemed to have suddenly and prematurely plunged straight into autumn

[karadekoolaid]

I´ve got a recipe from Heston Blumenthal for confit tomatoes. It´s a bit tedious ( but then, that is Heston!) but the end result is well worth while. Basically:
1) remove the core from the tomatoes and gently cut an X in the bottom
2) Boil some water.
3) Plunge the tomatoes in the water for 15 seconds.
4) Remove and plunge into iced water.
5) Heat the oven to 220ºF
6) Remove the skin from the tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes in two halves and remove the seeds. ( you can save seeds and skin, then blitz them in a blender and add to a tomato sauce).
7) Place the tomatoes on a baking tray. In each half, place a sliver of garlic, a bit of basil, a sprig of thyme ( or some oregano).
8) Sprinkle the tomato halves with olive oil, salt and brown sugar.
9) Bake for about 2 hours. Then turn the tomatoes over and bake for another two hours.
10) Eat. Quickly. Once you´ve tried them, they won´t last!

[Herbidacious]

melanzana parmigianna a couple of days ago with teh passata.

I made some more chilled cucumber, yoghurt and dill soup, using a traditional green one and some crystal lemon. It's quite pretty. Glad I only put half of that garlic clove in though! It's quite a pretty shade of green.

Not sure how many more cucumebrs I will get - there is at least one monster one in the garden - but I think next up will be tztaziki.

Then gazpacho.

[Herbidacious]

I have just made another 5 lots of roast tomato passata - so that will be 8 or 9 so far. Exhausted! I also made a Quorn dish with one lot that I had already frozen and defrosted (to check that it survives freezing ok.) Nothing fancy as busy making passata so just a tomato, caper and smoked paprika sauce for some barbecue strips I ofund lurking the the freezer it was quite tasty but not very sophisticated!

[TeresaFoodie]

The Passata sounds delicious Herb. Nice to stock up! Is this with a tomato glut? Can you share your recipe please?

I threw a veggie curry together this morning using pretty much most of the ingredients in my spice cupboard.

In the following order, measured by eye...

Olive oil, large Pyrex casserole on the hob.
Diced onion and carrot from the freezer.
Two fresh onions, diced and a leftover portion of fried onions.
Black mustard seeds.
Minced Scotch bonnet chillies, including seeds, from the freezer.
Lazy crushed garlic from a jar.
Ground cumin, turmeric, cayenne, extra hot chilli powder, dried crushed red chillies.
Tin of plum tomatoes.
Two veggie stock cubes.
Red lentils.
About 8 new potatoes, halved.
Boiling water to cover.
Towards the end of cooking, 8 nuggets of frozen spinach, S&P, garam masala, fresh lazy coriander from a tube.

Not wishing to pick holes, because it is yum, but it could have actually done with some cauliflower in at the potato stage!

[karadekoolaid]

Bloomin´eck, Teresa!
Did you invite the Indian Test team round for dinner?

[Mamta]

Interesting! I am glad it tasted good

[Herbidacious]

There is something very satisfying about using what you have to make a meal, I think, Tezzqa.

The passata I suppose isn't authentic passatea, but I did just roast the tomatoes with some salt and EVOO, or when I ran out of that, smoked rapeseed oil and a splash of very expensive EVOO. Then ran it through my tomato 'press'.
I would like to, but probably won't make some smoked semi dried tomatoes. I am not even sure if my Bradley smoker still works, so long is it since I used it. At the moment the forecast is for dry weather on Monday, so I could do it then.

On a smoking theme, my MIL is coming next week and (Husband won't be here.) I shall have to feed her. I would quite like to cold smoke some mozzarella or burrata with my smoking gun. I was thinking an end of summer, light spread-meal, for one night - cucumber, dill and garlicky yoghurt soup, fresh tigerella tomatoes, maybe with lemon slat and EVOO, smoked mozarella, another thing (possibly bought) some nice bread from M&S, posh butter for one meal. Not sure if she would like this, but I rather would! She's not a big eater.

[TeresaFoodie]

Bloomin´eck, Teresa!
Did you invite the Indian Test team round for dinner?

I am looking forward to portion number two for dinner. And I have promised my aunt a portion (in the freezer) when she first visits my new pad. She could stand the heat of my chill last time I saw her so she should be fine with this.

I forgot to mention I also added a tbsp Madras curry paste!

Passata is something now on my to do list.

[karadekoolaid]

Yesterday I gave an Indian Vegetarian Food course, so lots of goodies to be enjoyed. I made Navratan Korma ( Nine Jewels), which is a bit of a faff, but worthwhile for the final dish; then some Kichiri, a sour aubergine dish from the Himalayas, stir-fried mustard leaves, spicy plantains in coconut, and something I know as " Blue Mountain Stew", which is lentil, onion, tomato and cabbage in a mildlyspicy sauce.

[Herbidacious]

Sounds delicious, Karadekoolaid!

[karadekoolaid]

Well they certainly enjoyed it, Herb!

[Herbidacious]

Yet more passata (not much more now... and kind of too )

Cornbread, with a pinch of dried habanero and lime spice mix. I ate a quantity, warm with butter.

I should make it more often as I do love it and it's so easy. Will have the rest possibly freid with an egg and something else tomorrow. I do find it goes mouldy very quickly.

[Prettykiwicrazy]

That Blue Mountsin Stew sounds nice , any chance of a recipe ?

[TeresaFoodie]

That Blue Mountsin Stew sounds nice , any chance of a recipe ?

Second that, pretty please!

[Mamta]

Yesterday I gave an Indian Vegetarian Food course, so lots of goodies to be enjoyed. I made Navratan Korma ( Nine Jewels), which is a bit of a faff, but worthwhile for the final dish; then some Kichiri, a sour aubergine dish from the Himalayas, stir-fried mustard leaves, spicy plantains in coconut, and something I know as " Blue Mountain Stew", which is lentil, onion, tomato and cabbage in a mildlyspicy sauce.

A vegetarian Navaratan Korma, from the kitchens of Emperor Akbar of Hindustan (India), was one of a specialist dish of my late uncle Davendra. He used to make it with dried plum/apricot koftas. I hadn't thought of this in year, you just reminded me of it.! You covered quite a few cooking methods in that menu, so they will be able to make many, many dishes now .
I have been having problems posting here for a while, so lets hope this one gets posted.

[KC2]

Thanks to the wonderful Claudia Roden we had her Sweet potato salad tonight, as I had a kg bag of sweet potatoes sitting in the fridge and we wanted something that wasn't soup or roast sweet potatoes! Apart from the sweet potatoes (and parsley), all the ingredients are store-cupboard. I found a link to it here: https://quatrecoinsdumonde.wordpress.co ... ato-salad/

It was delicious. We had it with some mini naans that were in the freezer and left-over couscous with lemon and parsley from yesterday.

Highly recommended!

[TeresaFoodie]

Ooh, I like the look of that! I've never been keen on sweet potatoes. Too sweet! But I can see those other flavours cutting through the sweetness well.