Bonfire night butter bean casserole, mash and cavolo nero

I may have mentioned it before, but I LOVE cavolo nero, and get stupidly excited when it arrives in the veg box.  It doesn't have to be fancy or smartenned up - I love it steamed and plain.  Of course, it's fabulous in things, and with garlic etc etc  - but just steamed ... yum.

It wasa chilly bonfire night, so I thought that a nice slightly spicy, smoky casserole and some comforting mash would be great.  I was right.

potatoes
butter
onion
garlic
butternut squash
red pepper
carrots
butter beans
tin tomatoes
smoked paprika
dried mustard.

1.  Make mash ... no instructions!
2.  Make casserole - start with sauteeing onions, add bite sized prepped veg, add tomatoes and water, add spices ... simmer - taste - takes about 35 minutes.
3.  Steam cavolo nero.

Scoff

... rushed instructions as I have to go out now :)

Parsnip, mushroom and kale pasta

Don't knock it 'til you've tried it, this was surprisingly delicious.

1 red onion
olive oil
garlic
2 parsnips
mustard powder
mushrooms
kale
white wine
stock
parmesan (optional)
pasta (gluten free in our case)

1.  Peel parsnip and cut into bite sized peices, fry gently in olive oil for about 10 minutes, add dried mustard powder and keep cooking gently.
2.  In another pan sautee chopped onion and crushed garlic.
3.  Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
4.  When the onion is soft add chopped mushrooms and fry a little longer.
5.  When the mushrooms are about cooked, add in shredded kale, white wine a little stock - allow to steam/fry for a few minutes.
6.  Drain the pasta, add the parsnips and pasta to the other veg, mix together.

Serve with plenty of black pepper and optional parmesan.

Cauliflower and chickpea salad

This is from Nigella Lawson's recipe, cos it was on the telly this week - you can find it here ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/warm_spiced_cauliflower_36652

though I used tandoori paste mixed with tomato puree instead of harissa (didn't have any) and spinach for the salad.

Delish - thanks Nigella

Roast chicken dinner

Meat and 8 veg, and potatoes.  Takes about an hour and 40 minutes ... do things in this order.

Parboil chunks of potato, then stick em in a hot oven in olive oil.

Stuff garlic and halves of lime/lemon into cavity of chicken.  Roast for about an hour and twenty minutes - start it on its chest, and then turn after 30 minutes.

Thinly slice aubergine, courgette and red onion, latyer in a casserole dish with oilve oil and lots of black pepper between the layers.  Cover with foil - bake for an hour or so.

Boil peeled and chunked parsnip and swede, steaming peeled carrot battons on top.  When veg are soft, drain - add carrots to the others and cut through with a sharp knife until it's nearly mash - add olive oil and seasoning - again plenty of black pepper.  Stick in oven dish and keep warm.

Make gravy with juices from the chicken and some white wine.

Steam shredded green and red cabbage, mix together before serving.