Mushrooms and cabbage, with mash and bacon

Open fridge, ponder, shut fridge, ponder ,,,, OK - ragu of onions, mushrooms and savoy cabbage, creamy mashed potatoes and a few rashers of bacon - bliss.

Potatoes
Onion
Olive oil
Garlic
Savoy cabbage
Vegetable stock
Butter
Bacon

1.  Start with the mash - peel, chop and boil potatoes.
2.  The ragu - very easy - sautee chopped onion in olive oil, add crushed garlic and chopped mushrooms.  When they are soft add shredded cabbage and a cup of veg stock to fry/steam until done.
3.  Mash the potatoes with butter, put it in the oven to keep warm and brown the top.
4.  Grill the bacon.
5.  Serve, scoff.

Spaghetti with cauliflower, kale and hazelnut "pesto"

Make the most of our lovely autumnal vegetables by chucking together this fabulous "pesto" and pasta.  I'm calling it "pesto" because it's a hand cut chunky sauce, not a finely blended herby sauce.  this means that you can really taste the chunks of roasted cauliflower and hazelnuts in their separate loveliness as well as the mixture.

Cauliflower
Olive oil
Garlic - quite a lot
cavolo nero
parmesan
hazelnuts
lemon zest
spaghetti (gluten free in our case - but could be standard, or some other long pasta)

1.  Break the cauliflower into smallish florets, and roast in olive oil for about 30 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile mix together finely sliced garlic, shredded cavolo nero, grated parmesan and roughly chopped hazelnuts with a good splosh of olive oil.
3.  Boil the water for the pasta.
4.  Sprinkle the cavo nero, hazelnut and parmesan mixture over the cauliflower and return to the oven to roast for a further 10 minutes.
5.  Cook the pasta, drain, reserve a ladleful of the cooking water.
6.  Mix the vegetable sauce with the pasta and the spoonful of water and toss.  Grate over a little lemon zest and a good grind of black pepper.
7. Serve, scoff, be amazed at how well it all goes together.

Chick peas on toast

Like beans on toast, but a bit crunchier.  Very filling, very delicious, and probably cheaper than chips.

The sourdough bread is from the very lovely Cragg bakers who are here on the outside Todmorden market on a Saturday - their bread is outstanding.

All other ingredients can be found on the market, inside and outside.  Chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, passata, tomato puree and spices from The Mediterranean Pantry.  Butter from The Crumbly Cheese.

Onions
Olive oil
Garlic
Red pepper
Tomato puree
chilli flakes
mixed herbs
Dijon mustard
Chickpeas (tinned, jarred or soaked overnight and boiled for an hour)
Passata
Water/stock
Sourdough bread
Butter (Olive oil spread to make it vegan)

1.  Sautee chopped oniion and crushed garlic in olive oil.
2.  Add chopped red pepper, fry a little longer, then add tomato puree, a pinch of chilli flakes, a pinch of mixed herbs and a teaspoon of dijon mustard, stir in.
3.  Add drained chick peas and a tinful of water/ veg stock, simmer briefly.
4.  Add passata and simmer gently until it looks like the right consistency for you.  (if it goes too think just add a little water.
5.  Toast bread, butter ...
6.  Serve, scoff, smile

Roast plaice, with mustard leeks and mushrooms

Easy, and a nice change.  Lovely plaice from Paul the fish, Todmorden market - veg from the outside market and olive oil, good dijon mustard and garlic from me at The Mediterranean Pantry.

Potatoes
Olive oil
Leeks
Mixed herbs
Garlic
Mushrooms
Mustard
Baby spinach
Plaice

1.  Chop potatoes (washed, but peel on) into chunks, toss in olive oil, sprinkle on sea salt, and roast.
2.  Sautee leeks, crushed garlic and mushroom in olive oil, add a sprinkle of mixed herbs, and a teaspoonful of dijon mustard, add a little water to provide a little steam.  When the leeks are nearly soft stir in a big handful of baby spinach and transfer to an oven dish.
3.  Lay the plaice, skin side down on the bed of vegetables - drizzle with olive oil and grind on a little black pepper.   Roast for about 20 minutes.
4.  Dinner is done - serve, scoff.

Halloumi, with roast potatoes and autumnal veg

This time of year gives us delicious sweet parsnips and delightfully earthy savoury cavolo nero.  I combined them with some delicious grilled halloumi and roast potatoes for this easy, satisfying vegetarian autumnal feast.

Potatoes
olive oil
carrots
parsnip
onion
garlic
cavolo nero
butter
halloumi
za'atar

1.  Cut potatoes, skin on, into cubes.  Roast in olive oil for about 50 minutes.
2.  Peel, chop and boil the parsnips and carrots until just soft.  Drain, and "mash" by cutting with a sharp knife in all directions, add a good knob of butter and plenty of black pepper after a couple of minutes of slashing, then carry on slashing until the vegetables are in tiny pieces.  Keep warm in the oven until you are ready.
3.  Sautee chopped onion and crushed garlic, then add shredded cavolo nero.  Add a splsh of water and fry/steam until the water has evaporated.  The cavolo nero should now be done.
4.  Fry halloumi for a minute or so on each side, in a hot pan.  You might want to add a little oil to help it stop sticking.
5.  Serve, sprinkle cavolo nero with za'atar, and scoff.

The za'atar (sesame seeds, sumac and herbs) give the cavolo nero some extra zing and a protein boost.  A real winner.

Roast cauliflower, with hazelnuts, baby roast potatoes and a mushroom gravy.

I love cauliflower, but I didn't fancy cauliflower cheese (to be honest, I am trying to cut down on lactose containing, as I've been suffering with headaches recently - and cheese is a trigger) ... anyway, to avoid disappointment of it not being cauliflower cheese, I wanted to do something tasty ... so, with some baby roasties and a flavoursome mushroom gravy this hazelnut loaded, herby spicy roast cauliflower was invented - and very tasty it was too.

Baby potatoes
Olive oil
Cauliflower
Moussaka seasoning
Onions
Garlic
Mushrooms
Tomato puree
Veg stock cube
Mustard
Hazelnuts

1.  Cut baby potatoes into pieces, toss in olive oil and roast for about a hour.
2.  Break cauliflower into florets, toss in olive oil, sprinkle with moussaka seasoning and roast for about 45 minutes.
3.  Make gravy by sauteeing onions and garlic in olive oil, add chopped mushrooms, tomato puree and stock cube with water, simmer ... after it has simmered for a few minutes stir in a spoonfulof mustard .. keep an eye on it, if it's getting a bit dry add more water, if it's too watery turn up the heat and reduce it down.
4.  Strew the cauliflower with roughly chopped hazelnuts and put back in the oven for 5 minutes.
5.  Serve, scoff, congratulate yourself.

Shepherdless pie

A bit of an old favourite, really, so this is another version of not-cottage pie, there is another one here.  Basically its a lentil and veg casserole under a lovely mashed potato topping.  Delicious.

Potatoes
Olive oil
Onions
Garlic
Celery
Italian seasoning
Mushrooms
Lentils
Tomatoes
Veg stock
Mustard
Butter
Broccoli

1.  Peel and chop potatoes for mashing.
2.  Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, add whatever veg you are using eg. celery and mushrooms today, but often carrots, peppers, courgette, peas etc etc
3.  Add lentils and a lot of water/stock, simmer for a good while.
4.  Add fresh or tinned tomatoes and keep simmering.  Add whatever flavourings you fancy - this time it was an italian seasoning mix and a spoonful of mustard.
5.  Mash the potatoes with butter.
6.  Transfer the lentils to an oven dish, top with potato and bake until it starts going a bit golden.
7 Serve, with veg of your choice - we had steamed broccoli, scoff.