Exotic Pea Purée
An exotic version of the popular English dish, mushy peas, this is delicious with roast or grilled (broiled) fish, meat and poultry and its vivid colour brightens up the simplest lamb chop.
Serves 6–8
1kg/2.2lb/8 cups of frozen peas
1 large bunch of coriander (cilantro) or 3 × 15g/½ oz supermarket packets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Grated nutmeg to taste
Dash of (GF) chilli sauce/oil
1 tablespoon (DF) margarine
200ml/7fl oz/¾ cup of coconut cream
Cook the peas in salted boiling water until tender, about 3–5 minutes. Drain and process half of them in a food processor. Scrape the mixture into a bowl.
Remove the stalks from the coriander (cilantro) and discard them. (The supermarket packets are usually trimmed.)
Place the rest of the peas with the coriander (cilantro) leaves and remaining ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth. Scrape this mixture into the first pea purée and blend together. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Transfer to a warm serving dish and cover until needed.
Nutty Vegetable Roulade
This enticing vegetarian dish is ideal for Christmas lunch. You can also change the filling from sweetcorn into a non-vegetarian left-over turkey recipe after Christmas.
Serves 6
FILLING
340g/12oz of parsnips, peeled and chopped
30g/1oz/2 tablespoons of (DF) margarine
2 tablespoons of soya cream
Freshly grated nutmeg
455g/16oz/21/3 cups of whole sweetcorn, drained
ROULADE
40g/1½oz/3 tablespoons of (DF) margarine
30g/1 oz/scant ¼ cup of rice flour
300ml/10fl oz/1¼ cups of unsweetened soya milk
1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
130g/4½oz/1 cup of grated courgette (zucchini)
100g/3½oz/¾ cup of chopped, toasted mixed nuts
3 large free-range eggs, separated
Cayenne pepper
A large non-stick roulade tin, greased with (DF) margarine and lined with baking parchment (wax paper)
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6
Boil the parsnips until soft. Drain and then mash them with the margarine, soya cream and nutmeg until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the sweetcorn, cover and keep warm.
Make the roulade by first melting the margarine. Beat in the flour and then incorporate the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Season to taste with thyme, salt and pepper. Stir in the grated courgette (zucchini), half the mixed nuts and the egg yolks and remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then spoon one tablespoonful into the courgette (zucchini) mixture and blend gently. Now fold in the remaining egg whites very carefully using a metal spoon.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper.
Bake for 15–20 minutes until puffy but firm. Turn the roulade onto a piece of baking parchment (wax paper) that has been sprinkled with the remaining nuts.
Peel off the baking paper. Slice off the ends if they look a little dry. Spread the warm filling mixture over the roulade and gently use the paper underneath to help you roll up the roulade.
Slide the roulade carefully onto a warm serving dish and decorate with fresh parsley. Accompany the dish with Cranberry Sauce (see page 83).
Wild Mushrooms with Lentils Provençal
Autumn walks in the woods, with glorious coloured leaves and crisp, clean air is to me one of the marvels of nature. Nestling under the leaves and around the huge old trees bloom delicious wild mushrooms to be collected along the way.
This lovely French recipe can be used with fresh or dried mushrooms of your choice.
Serves 4
1 litre/35fl oz/4 cups of water
1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
255g/9oz/1½ cups of Puy or green lentils
240ml/8fl oz/1 cup of sweet red vermouth
1 tablespoon of (GF) vegetable stock (bouillon) powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
40g/1½oz/2 cups of dried, mixed wild mushrooms (any quantity of fresh ones)
Boil the water in a non-stick pan, add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the lentils and continue cooking over medium–high heat for another 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. (If the liquid reduces too much, add some more water.)
Pour in the vermouth and cook for 5 minutes. Now stir in the stock (bouillon) powder, salt and pepper, nutmeg and rosemary, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Finally, mix in the mushrooms and leave the pot to simmer for about 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and serve with warm bread and a fresh green salad.
Honey Glazed Turnips
It’s virtually impossible to get me to eat a turnip, but seduced by the idea of wild honey and thyme I succumbed to bribery. I now treat them with respectful awe, amazed that anything so bland can be transformed into something so delicious.
Serves 6–8
24 baby turnips, peeled and trimmed
2 heaped tablespoons of (GF/DF) four-grain mustard
6 tablespoons of wild runny honey
2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 heaped teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4
Add the turnips to a pan of boiling water. Return to the boil and cook for 5 minutes just to soften them. Drain and refresh under hot water and leave to dry out a bit.
Gently heat the mustard, honey and oil together and season with a little salt and pepper.
Place the turnips on a non-stick baking sheet, pour the honey over them and sprinkle with thyme.
Bake in the oven until golden brown and sticky, about 1¾ hours, or until cooked through, basting occasionally with the glaze so that they brown evenly.
Celeriac Dauphinoise
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