Vegetable, cashew nut and noodle stir fry, with seared ginger soya steak

Steak

Peanut oil

Garlic

Ginger

Soya sauce

Spring onions

Garlic

Red pepper

Carrots

Mushrooms

Pak choi

Udon noodles (rice noodles)

Cashew nuts

Beansprouts

Rice wine

Rice wine vinegar

Oyster sauce

Tomato ketchup

Soya sauce

1.  Marinate steak, in crushed garlic, ginger, soya sauce and peanut oil.

2.  Chop the veg, into this slivers, for the stir fry, crush garlic.

3.  20 before due to serve - bring a pan of water to the boil, put a wok and a grill pan on to heat up.

4.  When the grill pan and wok are hot put the steak in the grill pan, and start the veg stir fry in the wok - using ingredients from the list down to the pak choi (the white bits of the pak choi, save the green leaves until the last stage.  Put the noodles in the water to boil for 5 minutes.

5.  After 2 minutes turn the meat.

6.  Keep stir frying veg, add condiments and a spoonful of noodle water, keep moving in the wok.

7.  Take the meat out of the pan and leave to rest.

8.  Drain cooked noodles and add to the veg, add beansprouts, cashew nuts and the green tops of the pak choi - keep tossing together.

9.  Serve, scoff ... was delicious.

Barbeque chicken bake

Chicken legs ... and various bits and bobs from the veg box - but wanted to make it a bit more tasty (but easy) ... so BBQ marinated chicken, and chucked it all into a baking tray ... it was delicious, and created its own sauce.

Olive oil
Potatoes
Carrots
Fennel
Onion
Red pepper and tomato relish
American mustard
Soy sauce
Ketchup
Black pepper
Chicken legs
Garlic
Red pepper
Peas

1.  Slosh olive oil into a big oven dish and add potato chunks.
2.  Add peeled carrots, chopped into decent sized pieces (ie. average carrot, chop top third off, halve the rest and chuck those chunks in)
3.  Add fennel bulb and onion, both cut into wedges.
4.  Make "BBQ" sauce by mixing relish, mustard, olive oil, ketchup, pepper and soy sauce - squish the chicken legs around until well coated.  Then add peeled garlic cloves.
5.  Stick in the oven, at 180 for 45 mins (ish)
6.  Add chopped red pepper, stir around.
7.  After about 20 minutes add podded peas (or frozen), stir around.
8.  10 minutes later - stir, scoff ... have seconds ... it was proper tasty.

Pork 'n beans: Cowboy Stew

Onions
garlic
Olive oil
Cumin
Chilli flakes
Pork loin steaks
Red pepper
Green beans
Tomatoes
American mustard
Stock
Kidney beans
Chopped tomatoes (tin)
Basmati rice

1.  Sautee chopped onions and crushed garlic in olive oil.
2.  Add chopped pork loin steaks, and stir around, add cumin seeds and chilli flakes. 
3.  When the pork starts to brown a little round the edges, add chopped pepper, beans and tomatoes.
4.  When the veg have softened slightly add a good dollop of american mustard (the sweet hotdog sort is best).
5.  Add stock, from a cube in our case, and a tin of drained and rinsed kidney beans.
6.  Simmer for a good 20 minutes.  Add the tin of chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper.
7.  Put rice on - I use the adsorption method - rice in the pan, cover with cold water to an inch above the level of the rice, bring to the boil.  As soon as it boils turn the heat right down and slam the lid on.
8.  Simmer again (putting the tinned tomatoes and salt in later reduces the toughening up of the skins of the kidney beans).  Stir occasionally to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan, check that it doesn't get too dry, add a little water if it is.
9.  Serve, scoff, seconds ....

Chicken tikka, potato, cauliflower and red pepper tray bake - with onion bhajis

Chicken thighs in the freezer - a random jar of tandoori tikka masala sauce in the cupboard - some potatoes and a cauliflower in the veg box ... Tah dah!  Also, luckily the last veg box left us with quite a few onions and I had a bag of gram flour ... so - it was almost as if I had planned it.

Chicken thighs
Tandoori masala cook in sauce
Olive oil
Potatoes
Cauliflower
Red pepper


Onions
Salt
Chilli flakes
Fennel seeds
Bicarbonate of soda
Gram flour
Sunflower oil

1.  Marinade the chicken thighs in masala mix - mine was from a jar - which is unusual - but it was using up what was in the cupboard!  Leave for a couple of hours.
2.  Into an oven dish, with a little oil on the bottom, add cubed potatoes, cauliflower florets and red pepper chopped into biggish pieces.
3.  Mix the veg together in an oven dish/tray.
4.  Plonk the marinated chicken thighs in and between the veg - and mix up gently.
5.  Roast it all for about 45 minutes - an hour at 180.  Mix through a couple of times.
6.  Prepare onions - remove skin - cut into half moons - shake into a bowl.  Add a teaspoon of salt and shake through the onions.  This will release some moisture, and soften the harsh flavours.
7.  To the onions add chilli flakes, fennel seeds, onion seeds (whatever you think might work) and toss about a bit.
8.   To the onion mixture add a scant tsp of bicarb, a handful of gram flour and mix together.
9.  Heat sunflower oil in a pan and fry the onion mixture in hot oil, in small spoonfuls, for 30 se onds - to a minute-ish on each side - drain on kitchen paper.
10. Serve, scoff ... delish..

Egg fried rice

Left over rice?  Left over meat? ...both?

We had left over ham, from yesterday's roast, and fresh veg - so -leaving the tins in the cupboard (after tonight's instructions for 3 weeks lock down we might need them later) - I thought egg fried rice - tasty- and we've not had it for a while.

We have veggie, gluten reducing*, lactose free and veg dodger in this house - so this is a one(ish) dinner which copes with all requirements.

I used standard soy sauce which is generally not gf -* use gf sashimi sauce if you need to be totally gf.

Rice (I used jasmine thai - but face it folks - use what you have)

Goundnut oil (or whatever you have - I wouldn't recommend olive oil - but otherwise - just some cooking fat)
Veg …. we used the list below, but substitute etc to your taste and availability ..
spring onion
garlic
ginger
carrot
mushrooms
red pepper
courgette
Rice wine vinegar (or cider vinegar, or lime juice - I don't recommend chippy vinegar)
Soy sauce
Eggs


Optional - chopped cooked ham

1.  Cook the rice (or use leftovers, or microwave rice)
2.  Chop the veg into small pieces … julienne etc … it can be a bit fiddly, but it cuts down cooking time - so give it a go - cut the veg into smallish pieces (it also makes it more difficult for the fussier to pick it out).  Fry gently in oil for a few minutes - stirring often.
3.  chuck the rice on top of the veg, splosh on some soy sauce and rice vinegar (optional) -stir in -  keep moving in the pan.
4.  Turn the heat right down.  Flatten the rice/veg mix - pour over the whisked eggs.
5. Leave to stand - a final couple of stirs to make sure the egg is cooked, and then mixed through. 
6. serve, scoff xxx
Eh voila (The veg dodger had thirds! - also thirds of the chopped ham mixed through it)

Haggis Pie: (and a vegan version): National Pie Week, day 4, pie #3

National Pie week - and a haggis in the freezer - natural result "Haggis Pie".  Basically neeps and tatties as the pie top for a haggis/lentil filling - with cabbage and whisky cream sauce.

To cope with the various dietary requirements in this house we actually had two versions - one with haggis and one entirely vegan.

The one with the haggis also had a healthy layer of the lentil mixture underneath the haggis (don't tell the veg dodger - they happily scoffed thirds!)

The haggis needs to be cooked before adding to the pie, so I started with this - 45 minutes simply boiling in its bag, as per package instructions.

Haggis
Olive oil
Leeks
Celery
Courgette
Red pepper
Mushrooms
Lentils
Wholegrain mustard
Marmite
Chilli flakes
Oregano

Carrots
Swede
Potatoes
Dairy free spread

Cabbage

Sour cream
Whisky

1.  Cook the haggis as per package instructions.
2.  Sautee chopped leeks and celery in olive oil until a bit soft, then add crushed garlic, chopped courgette, red pepper and mushrooms.  Stir In.  Add a handful of lentils (I used brown, red/puy would also be fine).  Pour in about a pint of water and simmer.  After a couple of minutes add mustard, marmite, chilli flakes and oregano.  Simmer.  It takes about 30 minutes - check it doesn't go too dry, for taste and that lentils are cooked.
3.  Meanwhile peel and chop root veg and boil.  When cooked, drain and mash with plant based spread and plenty of seasoning.
4.  Assemble the pie(s).  For the vegan one - 2 layers - lentils and mash.  For the haggis pie - lentils, haggis, mash.  Spread the mash around and bake for about 25 minutes - until the top starts to brown.
5,  Steam cabbage.
6.  Whisky sauce - simmer a little water, add a spoonful of sour cream and a splash of whisky.
7.  Serve, scoff - watch veg dodger have thirds, and vegan/vegetarian types have seconds.

Stew and dumplings - vegan stylee

Rain, rain, rain, rain … and cold - and injuries, so we are almost housebound at the mo.  Today demanded serious comfort food - so, vegan butter bean autumnal casserole with DUMPLINGS!!! yay.. and gluten free dumplings at that.  This was a triumph - served with red cabbage braised in apple juice (and flash fried steak for the veg dodger).  This plant based rib sticker stew was a total winner.

For the stew:

Olive oil
onions
garlic
swede
carrots
potatoes
mushrooms
butternut squash
vegetable stock
mustard
tinned tomatoes
butter beans
red cabbage
apple juice
red wine


Dumplings

Self raising flour (gluten free for us)
salt and pepper
olive oil
plant based veg spread (soya margarine for us)
soya milk
parsley

1.  Slowly fry chopped onion and crushed garlic in olive oil.
2.  Prep veg - peel, chop into more or less even sized pieces - all of the veg.  Chucnk into the pan with the onions.  Stir around and then add some stock.  Simmer.
3.  Add a spoonful of mustard and season to taste.
4.  Drain a tin of butter beans.    Add a tin of chopped tomatoes to the pan, follow with a tinful of water - turn it down and simmer for 20 minutes or so … until the veg yield to the tip of a knife.
5.  Make the braised cabbage (optional, obvs … but it goes really nicely)  sweat off chopped onion and crushed garlic, add a splash of apple juice and a splash of red wine - then shredded red cabbage - simmer gently - add more water if needed .. keep simmering and checking water level until done.
6.  Mix self raising flour with a little salt and a grind of pepper, add chopped parsley - drizzle in some olive oil and a knob  of plant based marg - cut the fat through the flour, then add soya milk and mix to a firm dough.
7.  Add the drained butter beans to the stew.
8.  Make the dumplings by mixing the mixture until you can form small balls in your hand - add more "milk" if too dry or more flour if too wet/sticky.
9.  Drop dumplings onto stew … cover … steam,/simmer for 20 minutes
10.  Serve, scoff (fry minute steaks in a hot pan for 5 minutes before serving if necessary!  the veg dodger was happy with good stew, dumplings, cabbage and MEAT)

Cheese and onion pie - gluten free! ta dah!

Once again we were in need of comfort food - and you can't beat pie, chips and beans … the pie needed to be gluten free, and the chips were baby roasties - the beans came out of a tin.  Altogether delicious - totally hit the spot!  The veg dodger didn't complain about lack of meat once.

Gluten free pastry is incredibly crumbly, so roll it out on greaseproof paper to transfer to pie dish and the top of the pie.  Also, be prepared to patch up cracks!

I am lactose intolerant, but know the price I have to pay for cheese … which is why I use soya milk to glaze and seal.

Gluten free flour
Soya spread (or butter)
Salt
Natural yogurt
Dijon mustard
Potatoes
Olive oil
Onions
Cheese (I used cheddar, but Cheshire and Lancashire or a mixture works well too)
Baked beans

1.  Rub the fat into the flour, with a pinch of salt, until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Stir in a spoonful of natural yogurt, a teaspoonful of Dijon mustard and a splash of very cold water.  Mix until it starts coming together in a ball - add a drop more water if it needs it, more flour if it has got sticky.  When it comes together as a ball knead it gently until it is a convincing "ball".  Do not try to knead it much - the paste is very fragile, as it has no gluten which would normally give some elasticity.  Wrap with reusable sandwich wrap/cling film and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2.  Slice onions into half rings, toss them about so they separate.
3.  Grate the cheese.
4.  Cut potatoes into cubes and toss in olive oil, sprinkle with salt.  Roast for 1 hour.
5.  Roll half the pastry onto greaseproof paper, lightly dusted with flour.  Transfer pastry to a greased pie dish,  patch little broken bits where necessary.
6.  Spread a little flour in the bottom of the pastry case (to help prevent the soggy bottom) - add layers of cheese and onions.
7.  Roll out the lid onto greaseproof paper ducted lightly with flour.  Brush a little soya milk around the edge of the base pastry.  Transfer the lid onto the pie - I held it over the top and did a speedy flip over - patch up the gaps and neaten the edge.  Brush the top with soya milk.  Bake for about 40 minutes.
8.  Put beans in oven proof dish and pop in the oven with everything else, to heat through.
9.  Serve, scoff

Vegan lasagne (also gluten free)

Cutting down on dairy, but still want some comforting classics?  I thought I would have a go at a vegan lasagne - it was pretty good - though we did miss the cheese a bit #cheesefiends.

Onion
Garlic
Celery
Olive oil
Oregano
Red pepper
Courgette
Mushrooms
Tomato puree
Red lentils
Red wine
Water
Tin of chopped tomatoes
Almond milk
spring onions
bay leaf
Rolled oats
Marmite
English mustard
Lasagne sheets (gluten free today)
Fried onions

1.  Sautee chopped onion and celery with crushed garlic in olive oil, until a little softened.
2.  Add the rest of the chopped vegetables, a good pinch of oregano, red wine and tomato puree and stir in.
3.  Add red lentils and quite a lot of water, simmer until lentils are soft and then add a tin of chopped tomatoes, continue to simmer gently for 5 or so minutes.
4.  Make the "white" sauce - simmer the almond milk with chopped spring onions and a bay leaf.  Add a small handful of oats, this will help thicken the sauce.
5.  Stir a couple of teaspoons of marmite and a teaspoon of mustard into the sauce, to give it some savoury oomph.
6.  When the oats are soft, remove the bay leaf and zizz the mixture up with a hand blender until smooth, drizzle in a little olive oil - this seems to make it more creamy and less "claggy".
7.  Layer the lentils, white sauce and pasta - repeat - finish with lentils and white sauce - bake for 20 minutes.
8.  Top the lasagne with fried onions and pop back into the oven for a few minutes.
9.  Serve, scoff … seconds …

True Grit

Film night at KitchenFairies HQ again.  Tonight the choice was True Grit.  The only food mentioned in the film is sofkee - which seems to be some kind of sweetcorn porridge, sometimes made with bacon and chillies.  However, none of us are fans of sweetcorn - and that just sounds like really, really earnest - so, I chose a maize product that we do like - nachos and paired it with veggie chilli - with sour cream, cheese and guacamole, as I thought that was wild west enough.  I also did some burgers for the veg dodger.  It was delicious.

Chilli

Olive oil

Onion

Garlic

Cumin seeds

Chilli flakes

Courgette

Mushrooms

Red pepper

Bouillon

Oregano

Red kidney beans

Butter beans

Tin of chopped tomatoes

Dark chocolate

Lime juice

Sour cream, grated cheese and tortilla chips to serve.

Guacamole

Avocado

Red onion

Tomato

Lime juice

1.  Chop onions, crush garlic and fry gently.  Then add a pinch of cumin seeds, some crushed chilli and the rest of the chopped mushrooms, courgette and red pepper.

2.  Drain and rinse the beans and add them to the softened vegetables.  Add a pint or so of vegetable stock and simmer, add a pinch of oregano.

3.  Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, and simmer.

4.  Five minutes before serving add dark chocolate and allow to melt in, then spritz with lime juice just before serving.

5.  Make the guacamole by chopping the avocado flesh, half a red onion and a ripe tomato.  Mix and add the juice of half a lime.

6.  Heat tortilla chips by covering in foil and putting in the oven for 5 minutes.

7.  Serve, with sour cream and grated cheese.  Scoff.

Spiced lamb, mushroom and pea curry, dhal and rice

Oops - I forgot to take a picture of this dinner before people dived in - but there were some leftovers, so I took a quick snap of them.  The thing which really was a shame to miss were the lovely spiced lamb steaks - but hey ho!

Lamb steaks
Natural yogurt
Curry mix (bassar masala in our case)
Rice
Red lentils
Onion
Garlic
turmeric
mustard seeds
fennel seeds
cumin seeds
Mushrooms
water
potato
peas

1.  Marinade the lamb steaks in spices mixed into yogurt.
2.  Put both the rice and lentils on to boil.
3.  Fry chopped onion, crushed garlic and various spices, fry off for a few minutes, then add chopped mushrooms.  After they have fried for a few minutes add some water and some finely chopped potato (the potato softens and helps form a sauce).
4.  When curry is nearly done add the peas, and fry the lamb steaks.
5.  Finally make a tarka for the dhal by frying spices of your choice in oil, chuck over the dhal as you take it all to the table.
6.  Serve, scoff … you might want to blob on some natural yogurt too.

Roast vegetables, feta and salad

Feasts for a fiver?  Well, I'll see what I can do.

new potatoes (£1)
cauliflower (£1)
red pepper (55p)
spring onions (55p)
feta (£1.20)
mixed salad leaves (69p)

I had a couple of tomatoes in the fridge, so I chucked them in as well, but they're not necessary.

olive oil - drizzle

Total:  £4.99 + store cupboard

1.  Wash potatoes and toss in olive oil.  Roast at 180.
2.  Chop the cauliflower into florets, and the red pepper and spring onions into bite sized pieces.  Add to the potatoes after 20 minutes, mixing into the oil.  Roast for 40 minutes.
3.  Our salad is from the garden, but mixed leaves, or other salad ingredients would be fine.  Wash and dress with a little olive oil.
4.  Crumble feta onto vegetables, and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
5.  Serve, scoff.

Tuna pasta bake

It may not be an elegant dish - but it's quick, easy and tasty ... what more could you want?

Ingredients from Todmorden market - pasta (gluten free and regular), tuna and garlic from The Mediterranean Pantry, veg from Kevin outside and cheese from The Crumbly Cheese.

Pasta
Olive oil
Red onion
Garlic
Red pepper
Mushrooms
Courgette
Cherry tomatoes
Frozen peas
Tuna
Cheddar

1.  Boil the pasta according to packet instructions, until al dente.
2.  Sautee veg, chopped into smallish pieces, in olive oil, for about 10 minutes.
3.  Drain the pasta and the tuna, mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Add a handful of frozen peas.  Splosh in a little olive oil if it looks too dry.
4.  Chop cheese into chunks and stir into the pasta mixture.
5.  Heap into an oven dish and bake for about 20 minutes.
6.  Serve, scoff

Chicken Korma, Chicken Tikka Masalla, Allo Gobi and Tarka Dahl - for movie night

 Tonight's film choice was A Theory of Everything - the story of Stephen Hawkings.   Did you know that curry was Professor Hawkings' favourite food?  No, neither did I!

So, curry it was - chicken two ways - Korma for the lactose intolerant,  tikka masala for the veg dodger, aloo gobi and tarka dhal for the veggie, and brown rice for all.

Lucky me - I can have all of it!

Chicken thighs
Tikka masala spices
Natural yogurt

Olive oil
Ground almonds
Cashew nuts (ground)
Onion
garlic
Brown basmati rice
red lentils
mustard seeds
coriander seeds
cumin seeds
urid dhal
turmeric
garam masala
chilli flakes
veg stock
potatoes
cauliflower
chopped tomatoes
curry leaves

1.  Marinate the chicken thighs.  Mix tandoori spices with natural yogurt and a little olive oil.   Massage into chicken.   Sautee onion and garlic with a little garam masala, add ground nuts - pour over the other dish of chicken thighs.
2.  Start the rice and lentils, cover both in an inch over the surface with water and bring to the simmer.  When the rice starts simmering, slam on a tight lid and put it in a medium oven until everything else is ready.  Watch the lentils, add more water if needed and keep simmering.
3.  Put the chicken thighs in to roast.
4.  Start the aloo gobi by sauteeing chopped onion and garlic, add spices (mustard, cumin and coriander seeds, urid dhal, turmeric and a pinch of chilli flakes).  Add cubes of peeled potatoes and cauliflower florets, a tin of chopped tomatoes and a cup of veg stock.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, add more liquid if needed.
5.  Magically everything should just about be done - so make the tarka by heating spice seeds and curry leaves in a little olive oil and fling onto the dhal.
6.  Serve, scoff … enjoy the film

Everybody had seconds - the veg dodger had thirds - and we all loved the film.

Fish pie, garlic courgettes and steamed veg

It's British pie week, and Paul had some fabulous fish, so I got to make one of my favourites, a really good fish pie.

Cooking the courgettes long and slow in olive oil with plenty of garlic even made the veg dodger sit up and have seconds.

Fish - a combination of cod, haddock, smoked haddock and a little salmon.
Soya milk
Cornflour
Potatoes
Butter
Frozen peas
Carrots
Leek
Courgette
Garlic
Olive oil

1.  Peel potatoes and boil for the mash.
2.  Cut fish into bite sized pieces and poach in soya milk (or dairy milk).
3.  Drain the milk from the fish and thicken with slaked cornflour, ie.  heat in a pan, add cornflour mixed to a paste in water, and heat through, stirring continuously until it thickens. add a good grind of black pepper.
4.  Place the fish in an oven dish and cover with the thickened sauce.
5.  Mash the potatoes with a knob of butter.
6.  Chuck a good handful of frozen peas over the fish mixture and then cover with mash.
7.  Bake to get a crispy brown top, for about 20 minutes.
8.  Dice the courgette, fry in olive oil with crushed garlic.  Kepp it on a low-medium heat and let them cook through gently.
9.  Steam washed, sliced leeks and carrot batons.
10.  Serve, scoff …

Glamorgan Sausages, and other St David's Day treats

In honour of St David's Day (I was born in Wales after all) I decided on a Welsh themed dinner.

The lamb is not from Wales, it was born and bred in Todmorden by Bracewell's Butchers in the Market Hall.  The cheese is from Wales, its proper Caerphilly from The Crumbly Cheese.  The mustard is English, but from The Mediterranean Pantry.  The veg are from Kev on the outside market.

Using porridge oats instead of the more traditional breadcrumbs for the sausages makes them gluten free.

Todmorden rocks!

Potatoes
Olive oil
Leeks
Porridge oats
Mustard
Caerphilly cheese
Eggs
Turnips
Carrots
Butter
Lamb leg steaks

1.  Chop the potatoes into chunks, toss in olive oil and roast.
2.  Chop and wash a leek, sweat down gently in olive oil.
3.  Allow the softened leek to cool.
4.  Peel and chop turnips and carrots, boil until mashable.  Steam chopped, washed leek on top of the pan.
5.  Mix oats, cheese and cooled leeks with 2 eggs and a spoonful of mustard.  Form into sausage shapes.
6.  When the potatoes are nearly done pan fry the sausages and lamb in a little olive oil (separately in our case, to conserve the veggie credentials of the sausages).  They both take about 8 minutes, turning so all sides are cooked.
7.  Mash root veg with plenty of butter and black pepper.
8.  Serve, scoff …

The veg dodger loved the sausages!  Result.

Rhubarb, apple and pear nutty crumble

This was the pudding for our Proper roast Sunday dinner.

All the fruit is bang in season - and you can make it with gluten free flour and olive oil (or other plant based) spread to make it gluten free and vegan.  Obviously omit nuts if anyone has a nut allergy.

This is a three stage process - I have indicated in the roast dinner recipe how you can fit the prep in to make your dinner arrive on time.




Rhubarb
Apples
Pear
Brown sugar
Orange juice
Flour
Butter (or plant based spread)
Oats
Brown sugar
Nuts - chopped hazelnuts, pistachios and walnuts
Cinnamon

1.  Wash and chop fruit, taking the cores out of the apples and pears.  Place into an oven dish and sprinkle with brown sugar (to taste, but I think it needs some as the rhubarb can be quite tart).  Squeeze on orange juice (or pour from a carton).  Bake for about 15-20 minutes until fruit is slightly yielding.  Remove from the oven, stir and allow to cool.
2.  Rub together flour and fat until it resembles bread crumbs.  Add oats, brown sugar, a teaspoon of cinnamon and nuts.  Stir together.
3.  Top the fruit with the crumble mixture, bake for about 30 minutes.
4.  Serve, scoff - some people might want cream, custard or icecream … or a combination.

Beetroot and carrot burgers

Meat free Monday - today we had beetroot and carrot burgers - and the veg dodger had seconds!

This could be made vegan by omitting the cheese - but the melting saltiness is really nice in the middle of the burger.  It could be replaced by a few cashew nuts for a bit of crunch and flavour.

Onion
Beetroots
Carrots
Porridge oats
Olive oil
Cheddar
Garlic
Courgettes
New potatoes

1.  Grate the onion, beetroot and carrots - mix well together.  Add a big handful of porridge oats, plenty of salt and pepper and a good splosh of olive oil.  Mix together again.
2.  Cut cheddar into small cubes.
3.  Put potatoes on to boil.
4.  Finely chop garlic, chop courgettes into cubes.
5.  Make the burgers, packing cheese into the middle - I used rings to pack them onto the pan, but you can shape them by hand by moulding around the cheese, fry them at a medium heat, in olive oil for about 5 minutes on each side.
6.  Fry the courgette and garlic in olive oil in another pan - keep tossing around so that all sides get cooked.
7.  Serve, scoff … have seconds - you'll be surprised how tasty they are.

Paella (well, an easy version)

Easy, quick and extremely tasty - this version of the Spanish classic can be on the table in 30 minutes.  All ingredients available from Todmorden Market (Paul's fresh fish, The Mediterranean  Pantry and the vegetables from Kevin).

Olive oil
Shallots
Celery
Red pepper
Tomato puree
Paella rice
Saffron
Smoked paprika
Vegetable stock (from bouillon)
Tomatoes
Prawns
peas

1.  Finely chop shallots, a stick of celery and a red pepper.  Sautee in olive oil until nearly soft.
2.   Add a good dollop of tomato puree, a pinch of saffron and stir in.
3.  Add a big handful of paella rice and stir in until every grain is coated in oil.   Add a mugful of stock.
4.  Add a pinch of saffron and a teaspoon of paprika and stir in.  Add grated tomatoes (or a tin) and more stock and leave to simmer.
5.  Simmer for about 15 minutes, checking that it's not going too dry.
6.  Taste the rice - when it is the tiniest bit "chalky" on the inside add the prawns and peas - probably more stock as well, just to finish off.
7.  When the juice has pretty much been absorbed turn the heat off under the pan, and let it sit for a couple of minutes to absorb the rest (it should sit as a spoonful and not leak juice into a puddle when it's served).
8.  Serve, scoff …. have seconds - be chastised for nicking prawns without the accompanying rice (I only pinched one!)

Vegetable frittata with roasted baby potatoes

Well Christmas cooking this year has not been well represented on KitchenFairies.  There are a number of reasons for this … KitchenFairies HQ had more then its normal number of keen cooks, so the meal prep was shared … and I don't have details of all recipes;  a number of us were struck by the lurgy, so were not on top our game; we were too greedy to wait for pics to dive into the delicious food which was put in front of us … ho hum, normal service will be resumed.

This recipe is a great one for using up all sorts of vegetables and cheese which are loitering in the fridge - and any cheese which is hanging about.  I used mainly cheddar, but also some nice soft French cheese (I have forgotten the name - it wasn't brie or camembert … but along those lines …) and a little feta.

Olive oil
Potatoes
Onions
Leeks
Garlic
Mushrooms
Red pepper
Courgette
Parsley (optional, or use a pinch of dried herbs)
Leftover cheese (see above)
Butter
Eggs
Cheddar - grated

1.  Toss the potatoes in olive oil and roast (at 180ish) for about an hour.
2.  Chop and sautee onion, leeks, garlic … in olive oil - add chopped mushrooms, pepper, courgette … and whatever else needs using up in olive oil, until almost done.  Turn of the heat.
3.  Stir bit sized chunks of leftover cheese into the mixture and top with a handful of baby spinach.  Leave to wilt.  Stir in gently after a minute or two.
4.  Butter an oven dish - transfer the veg into it when the spinach is nearly fully wilted.
5.  Whisk eggs (8 in this case) vigourously to get some air into them.  Pour onto the veg mixture - prod and shake to get the egg into all the gaps.  Top with grated cheddar and bake for about 30 minutes.
6.  Serve, scoff