Red pepper and spinach risotto, greek inspired beans

Interesting mix of veg in the fridge, but nothing new purchased and this was delicious.

Risotto

olive oil
chopped onion
chopped red pepper
rice
white wine
crushed garlic
vegetable stock
paella seasoning
splash of chili sauce
big pile of spinach, chopped

Beans

Olive oil
Cannelini beans (would have been butter beans if I had any)
2 bay leaves
crushed garlic
tin of tomatoes
mixed herbs
plenty of black pepper

1. Sautee 2 lots of chopped onion in olive oil - 1 for the risotto, one for the beans.
2.  When a little soft add chopped pepper to the risotto base, and tinned (drained) beans to the bean mixture.
3.  Stir around - add rice to the risotto and stir until all grains are covered in a film of oil.  Add a glass of white wine and simmer.  Then add spice mix (paella/pimento and turmeric), herbs and crushed garlic.  Keep adding stock and stirring as rice cooks (about 25 minutes depending on rice).
4.  After starting 2 add 2 bay leaves, a tin of tomatoes and a half cup of water to the beans (chop tomatoes if they are not chopped).  Simmer.  Add water if its getting dry, but let the beans get nice and soft, season when serving.  (Don't add salt too soon, it will make the bean skins tough).
5.  When ricey mixture is nearly done add chopped spinach, put lid on and leave for 5 minutes (turn off heat).  Stir it in to become properly wilted, but not lose its colour.
6.  Season, scoff (with cheese if you fancy).

Lamb and cabbage moussaka

Looks scruffy, tasted better.  Usual start onions and garlic, some celery in olive oil unit a bit soft.  Add lamb mince, thyme, chopped pepper and green beans, stir in 4 chopped tomatoes and some tomato puree with half a glass of wine.  A sprinkle of cinnamon and a good grind of black pepper.  Meanwhile par boil sliced potatoes - and drain.  When meat mixture looks glossy and gloopy add a handful of spinach, a grating of nutmeg, sliced black olives and crumbled feta cheese.  Making sure that the mixture still has some moisture and cover with shredded cabbage.  Layer on top sliced potatoes and a drizzle of olive oil.  Bake until browning on top.  A layer of bechamel would be good, but it was very tasty.

left over veggie moussaka soup

In the interests of not cheating - there is only one "oh just whizz up the leftovers and call it soup" soup allowed this month.  I had hoped to save it for later, at least to the 2+ dates - but no! ... 3 generations of victims on top of a full day of work have brought it early.  The dinner was lentil moussaka (hence the title of the soup).. was well received by ALL victims - ages 11- nearly 70, persuasions strictly veggie to confirmed carnivore, dietary pecularities including diabetic, lactose intolerant, nut allergies (and fussy).  Recipe (?) ish for moussaka - sautee 1-2 onions, some chopped celery and carrots and red pepper - 4 cloves of garlic - add greek spice mix (cumin, mint, paprika, black pepper, smidge of cinnamon, oregano).  Meanwhile, peel potatoes and chop into slices about the thickness of a £1 coin.  Add prepared puy/beluga lentils (or other kind, I like the dark colour and nuttiness - and had some in the cupboard), and 2 tins of chopped tomatoes.  Slice 2 aubergines lengthways (if they are big - salt and drain them - but I don't often bother - they don't seem so bitter these days).  When sauce is done, potatoes are soft - drain potatoes and layer in an oven dish.  Start with lentil sauce, add pretend white sauce (oh yes, forgot that ...natural yogurt mixed with vegetarian parmesan (not lactose free, but lactose low - could be done with soya equivalents)), aubergines, then potatoes - drizzle with olive oil and grind over blacck pepper - stick back in oven - relax - open wine, chat (chuck together green salad),  ... check oven for golden crispiness (about 20-30mins) on top of potatoes - gather victims, sit, serve, bask in glory... stand back as they dive in, in undignified fashion. 

If there are any leftovers, chuck in pan - zizz - check texture - soup!

National sausage week: day 4: butter bean ricey stuff - with a sausage and parmesan garnish

OK - so, not everyone wanted sausages again.  The solution was to make a nice vegetable ricey stuff (could call it paella if it had been more spanish) and cook sausages separately, then serve it all (with or without sausages) with a goodly sprinkling of grated parmesan.  Ricey stuff - onion, red pepper, romanesco sauteed in olive oil for a few minutes, then added rice and garilc, and some spicey seasonning (greekish, in this case) - then stock, a bit at a time as rice is cooking.  After about 15 minutes add frozen peas and buttter beans - adding stock to keep moist throughout.  When rice is nearly cooked (about 20 mins - but tase it) ... and sauce is nearly absorbed, pull off the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes.  Serve - with, or without, grilled sausages, black pepper and grated parmesan.

Lamb steak, crushed new potatoes with humous with spring veg

Greek inspired dinner - inspired also by fresh new potatoes from Sue, and tiny harvest of veg from the garden - infact we had 2 x runner beans and 10 micro tomatoes - with some chives and mint, so supplemented this with organic veg from the box and some stuff from the fridge.  Thanks Sue for the potatoes - fresh from the garden - delicious.

Method - boil new potatoes for 15 ish minutes, meanwhile chop and saute in olive oil spring onion, garlic, 2 yellow courgettes, about 8 runner beans and a big handful of cherry tomatoes.  Add tbsp olive oil, oregano and a cup of water - simmer for about 20 mins.  Marinate lamb rump steaks in olive oil and greek type herbs and spices - cumin, garlic, mint, black pepper, tiny bit of cinamon, oregano.  Pan fry on high heat for about 4 minutes each side until there is a nice caramelised crust and the centre is still slightly pink.  Mix together tbsp olive oil, I heaped tbsp humous with about the same of greek yogurt and a good squeeze of lemon, grind in black pepper, salt and loads of chopped chives.  Crush boiled potatoes and stir in sauce while still warm.

The best lamb I have ever tasted I think - but victim wanted hers cooked a bit longer.  The lovely new potatoes didn't really need dressing, but this garlicky yogurty sauce rang the changes and moistenned the dish.  A success all round I would say.