Mackerel paella

 

Tasty and cheap, a portion of oily fish and 5 veggies - what's not to like?  I haven't calculated exact figures, but I think this is about £1 a portion for 2.

Shallot

Olive oil

Garlic

Red pepper

Mushrooms

Spice mix (paella mix or paprika based)

Risotto rice

Veg stock

Tomatoes

Spinach

Tinned mackerel

1.  Sweat chopped shallot (or onion, or leek) in olive oil.

2.  Add chopped pepper and mushrooms and a clove of crushed garlic, sautee for a few minutes.

3.  Add risotto rice (a small handful per person), a little spice mix and stir until all grains of rice are coated.

4.  Add veg stock to cover and simmer gently.  Add more stock if it's going too dry.

5.  Add chopped fresh tomatoes, or a tin of chopped tomatoes, simmer.

6.  When the rice is nearly done - after about 12-15 minutes - taste it - if it's still chalky in the middle it needs a couple more minutes.

7.  Layer a handful of spinach over the top and allow to wilt for a couple of minutes.  The  stir in.

8.  Add a tin of mackerel in tomato sauce, stir in gently - you don't want to break the fish up completely.

9.  Leave to cook on low for a couple of minutes. rest to allow the rest of the liquid to absorb.

10.  Serve, scoff, gloat ... with a good grinding of black pepper.

Smoked mackerel pilau

 

Another - what's in the fridge/cupboard? dinner.  

This was really tasty, really easy to make and really economical.

I happened to have fennel, golden beetroot, courgette and spinach - but you could equally well use celery, carrot, mushrooms, frozen peas etc etc

Olive oil

Spring onions

Garlic

curry spices (whatever you have got)

Fennel

Golden beetroot

Courgette

Basmati rice

Spinach

Smoked mackerel 

1.  Chop and gently fry onion in olive oil, add crushed garlic.

2.  Chop other firm vegetables - fennel, golden beetroot, courgette - and fry gently until nearly soft, for about 15 minutes, add curry powder and cook for another minute.

3.  Add basmati rice, turn over a few times until everything is coated.

4.  Add water/stock to cover the rice with a generous layer of liquid - at least 1 cm above the level of the rice.

5.  Turn heat up and bring to the boil.  As soon as it boils slam on the lid and turn the heat down to the minimum possible.

6.  Leave to sit - do not stir - for 10 minutes.

7.  Add generous handfuls of spinach and the flaked mackerel over the rice - slam lid back on, and leave for another 5ish minutes, for spinach to wilt and fish to heat through.

8.  Stir through, serve, scoff.

Sausage pasta ... lockdown inventions

The veg box lands tomorrow, and we're trying to use stuff up from the cupboard.  The fresh stuff was tomatoes, spinach and salad leaves.  The fridge/cupboard stuff was some sweety peppers and half a jar of Polish salad.  What to do with sausages which is tasty, but not too faffy?

Sausage pasta!  It was very, very tasty.

Red onion
Olive oil
Chipolata sausages
Sweety red peppers in a jar
Tomatoes
Spinach
Pasta (fusilli in this case)
Sweetcorn
Spinach

Polish salad in a jar
Mayonnaise

Salad leaves

1.  Sautee chopped red pepper in olive oil, add sausages, and cook them through.
2.  When sausages are nearly cooked - chop the into bite sized pieces.
3.  Dice sweet peppers and tomatoes.
4.  Drain and rinse the polish salad, stir in mayonnaise and put in the fridge until ready to serve.
5.  Cook pasta.
6.  Chuck peppers and tomatoes into sausages, simmer gently.  Add sweetcorn after a few minutes.
7.  Drain pasta, chuck into sausage mixture and handfuls of spinach.  Stir until spinach is wilted.
8.  Serve, with salad leaves, scoff.  (veg dodger had thirds!)

Fried chicken, macaroni cheese, collared greens and bean casserole: aka Walk the Line

 We have added a development to many of our Saturday nights.  We are having "movie nights", and as an added bonus will theme the dinner to the film.

Today was "Walk the Line" - the Johnny Cash biopic.  Johnny Cash lived in Nashville, so it was food of the American south.

Spicy fried chicken, macaroni cheese, collared greens and bean casserole.  I struggled to find many traditional vegetarian recipes which might also appeal to the veg dodger - how has a particular dislike of sweetcorn.

This dinner was declared a success, and we all enjoyed the film.

Spicy fried chicken

Chicken thighs

Flour

Barbeque spice

Soya milk

Olive oil for frying

Macaroni cheese

Soya milk

Cornflour

Macaroni

Cheddar cheese - grated

Mozzarella - grated

Collared greens

Red onion

Garlic

Cavolo nero

Vegetable stock

Spinach

Olive oil

Bean casserole

Olive oil

Onion

Garlic

Red pepper

oregano

Chopped tomatoes

Tin of mixed beans

1.  Place chicken thighs in soya milk and allow to soak for a few minutes.

2.  Mix barbeque seasoning, salt and pepper into flour.

3.  Start cheese sauce by heating soya milk.  Add slaked cornflour to soya milk and heating through, keep stirring.

4.  Add grated cheese to thickened sauce, reserving some for the top.

5.  Boil the pasta according to packet instruction, then drain when done.

6.  Start the collared greens and bean casserole by sweating chopped onion and garlic in olive oil in two separate pans.

7.  Dredge the chicken thighs in flour and set aside to dry a little.

8.  Add shredded cavolo nero to softened onions, with a cup of vegetable stock, and steam for about 12 minutes, then add spinach and wilt down.  

9.  Add chopped red pepper to the other onions, fry for 5 minutes, and then add beans and tomatoes, oregano and season and heat through.

10.  Drain the pasta, add the sauce, top with reserved cheese and bake for 20 minutes.

11.  Dip the chicken thighs in soya milk again, and then coat with seasoned flour.

12.  Finish the chicken by shallow frying in olive oil, bake for 10 minutes to ensure they are fully cooked through.

13.  serve, scoff … 

Smoked haddock and spinach hotpot

 Week 11 of kitchen renovations... dinners have not been exciting, and have been aesthetically challenged in the main (scampi and oven chips is hardly inspiring!) ... but I am managing a win with most Friday dinners.  Paul's excellent fish helps big style.

The chickens have decided it's spring, and have been laying despite the recent snow - so the classic combination of smoked haddock and poached egg led to this.

Red onion

Olive oil

Potatoes

White wine stock pot

Water

Grainy mustard

Garlic

Green beans

Spinach

Smoked haddock

Eggs

1.  Sautee chopped red onion in olive oil, add crushed garlic.

2.  When a bit soft add slices of peeled potatoes, ad a handful of chopped green beans.

3.  Pour on stock made with a white wine stock pot and a spoonful of wholegrain mustard.

4.  Put the lid on a stew until the potatoes are nearly soft.

5.  Add a couple of big handfuls of baby spinach and the fish.  Lid back on a steam until fish is nearly done - about 10 minutes.

6.  Break in eggs, put the lid back on and steam for another 5 minutes.

7.  Serve, scoff ... a triumph.

Herby potatoes, green beans and feta

Slightly Greek inspired dinner tonight.  Had it been warmer I probably would have done potatoes with a salad, but it was a cold drizzly kind of a day, so I opted for a warm dish - some might still call it salad.

Red onion

Olive oil

Garlic

Cherry tomatoes

Green beans

Potatoes

butter

Chives, parsley

Spinach

Feta

1.  Sautee chopped onion and crushed garlic in olive oil.

2.  Add potatoes, green beans, tomatoes and a cup of water.  Cover and boil until potatoes are cooked.  Take the lid off and simmer to allow the water to evaporate.

3.  Add a knob of butter and a small handful of chopped herbs.

4.  Turn off the heat, stir in a couple of large handfuls of spinach to wilt.

5.  Crumble feta on the top.

6.  Serve, scoff

Tasty and refreshing.

Veggie curry

This was very tasty, and very cheap (about 50p per portion I think), and with the current slightly challenging kitchen set up I really was quite pleased with it.

Olive oil
Leek
Mushrooms
Curry paste
Red lentils
Water
Baby spinach
Microwavable basmati rice
Natural yogurt

1.  Sautee chopped leek in olive oil, add chopped muchrooms.
2.  Stir in a spoonful of curry paste, and briefly fry.
3.  Add a big handful of red lentils, water and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally - take the lid off if it is too wet when the lentils are nearly done, or add more water if it is getting too dry and in danger of sticking.
4.  When the lentils are done turn off the heat and stir in 2 big handfuls of baby spinach, stir in to wilt.
5.  Microwave rice following packet instructions.
6.  Serve, scoff ... add yogurt if you wish.

Celeraic, lentil and hazelnuts

Lovely autumnal vegetables all around, mix with with some tasty ingredients, and you can eat all sorts of delicious things - I think I read something along these lines by Ottolengi, but I wouldn't swear to it.  All ingredients available in Todmorden market (The Mediterranean Pantry, and the veg stalls)  Also, totally vegan.

Olive oil
Lemon
Celeriac
Carrots
Hazelnuts
Onion
Celery
Garlic
Green lentils
Vegetable stock
Dry white wine
Bay leaves
Thyme
Mustard
Baby spinach

1.  Peel the celeraic and carrots, cut into batons, spritz with lemon juice (to prevent discolouration of the celariac), toss in olive oil and roast for 45 minutes.
2.  Spread hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for about 5-20 minutes.
3.  Put lentils on to boil with a couple of bay leaves and a spring of thyme.
4.  Sautee chopped onion and celery with crushed garlic in olive oil.
5.  When the lentils are nearly done (about 20 minutes), drain them and pick out the dry herbs.
6.  Toss the lentils into the onion mixture, with a splash of dry white wine and a cup of stock, simmer for a few minutes, so finish them off,  stir in a tablespoon of mild mustard.
7.  Turn the heat off under the lentils, stir in a big handful of baby spinach and let it wilt.
8.  Serve, put a bed of lentils on the plate, topple on the veg and sprinkle with roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts.
9.  Serve, scoff

Update - this made a fantastic soup zizzed up with some more veg stock then next day for lunch.

National curry week: Day 2. Veggie curry with rice

A fairly disappointing start to this year's national curry week - with fish fingers and chips!  Well, it was a very busy day fo getting things fixed - tumble dryer, van (aka the moneypit) ... and domestic sorting.  Day 2 was not particularly inspired - though it was, infact, delicious ... it was basically cauliflower and potato curry, with some extras.

Olive oil
Garlic
Onion
Mustard Seeds
Cumin seeds
Coriander seeds
Chilli flakes
Potatoes
Cauliflower
Tomatoes
Baked beans
Garam masala
Spinach

Basmati rice

1.  Sautee onion and garlic, add spices.
2.  Chop potato into smallish dice, stir in.
3.  Split cauliflower into florets, stir in.  Add water and simmer.  Cook rice.
4.  Add chopped tomato.
5. Chuck in left over baked beans (optional ;p), and 1 tsp garam masala.
6.  Stir and simmer until just about done, add more water and seasoning as needed.
7.  Add shredded spinach.
8.  Serve, scoff ... it actually is very tasty.

Roasted cauliflower with peanuts and gorgonzola

Cauliflower is such an under-rated vegetable, but it's bang in season.  I roasted it with lots of lovely flavours to give us a warming and delicious autumnal dinner.  Also, I love cheese, but I'm afraid it doesn't feel the same about me, so I added some small blobs of gorgonzola which gave me the savoury hit I wanted, with none of the unmentionable repercussions of a full cauliflower cheese (which I love ...), and some roasted peanuts for a bit of crunch.  Served it with potato wedges and wilted spinach.  Delicious.

Potatoes
Olive oil
Cauliflower
Polish mustard
Garlic
Italian seasoning
Chilli flakes
Spinach
Nutmeg
Peanuts

1.  Cut the potatoes into wedges, toss in olive oil and roast for about 45 minutes.
2.  Cut the cauliflower into 6 wedges.
3.  Mix together 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp polish mustard, crushed garlic, italian seasoning and chilli flakes - possibly a little water if its a bit thick.  Pour this over the cauliflower and move it around gently until all surfaces are coated.  Roast for about 40 minutes.
4.  Prepare spinach by removing thick stems, washing and cutting into thick ribbons.
5.  5 minutes before serving pop peanuts into the oven on a tray & wilt the spinach in a little water.  Grate a little nutmeg into the spinach to lift the flavour.
6.  Serve - dotting the cauliflower with gorgonzola (or other blue cheese) and sprinkle over peanuts, scoff.

Delicious.

Steak, with stuffed mushrooms and tiny roasties

Sunday night tea - nice bit of steak.... and with it some mini roasties, stuffed mushrooms, roast tomatoes and speiced squash (leftovers).

Potatoes
Olive oil
Cherry tomatoes
Onion
Garlic
Field mushrooms
spinach
cheddar
steak

1.  Dice the potatoes and roast in olive oil.
2.  Chuck the cherry tomatoes in to roast at the same time.
3. Sweat down chopped onion with some crushed garlic in olive oil.
4.  Roast the mushrooms in olive oil for about 10 minutes each side.
5.  Add spinach to the onion mix, allow it to wilt.
6.  When the potatoes are nearly ready - put cheddar into each mushroom, top with the spinach mix, and stick back in the oven.
7.  Fry the steak for a couple of minutes, on each side, in a hot pan.  Rest for at least 5 minutes.
8.  Serve, scoff ...

... and relax - film night for us.  "Inception" ... I won't do a review - but the others enjoyed it.

Red pepper pasta

Occasionally I look in the fridge to see that I have built up a glut of something - this time it was red pepper (which is unusual because I can bung it in nearly anything) - so, I decided to make it the main veg of this easy pasta dish.  The pasta is gluten free, but obviously it doesn't have to be.  The only non vegan ingredient is the cheddar, so miss that out, or replace with tofu, and it could be vegan too.

There are lots of varieties of gluten free pasta available now - we stock 9 varieties at The Mediterranean Pantry at the moment, all of them delicious. I also have olive oil, veg stock, tomato puree, olives and herbs. Cheddar is available from The Crumbly Cheese, and vegetables from Garry outside - so once again, can be fully sourced from Todmorden Market.


Onion
Celery
Olive oil
Garlic
Red pepper
Italian herbs
Mushrooms
Tomato puree
Vegetable stock
Olives
Pasta
Baby spinach
Cheddar

1.  Make the sauce - sautee chopped onion and celery in olive oil, add crushed garlic and a sprinkle of italian herbs.
2. Add chopped pepper and soften a little, add chopped mushrooms.
3.  When veg is a little bit soft add tomato puree and veg stock and simmer until it forms a glossy sauce, the add a few sliced olives.
4.  Put the pasta on.
5.  When the pasta is done drain it.  Turn the heat off the sauce.
6.  Chuck the pasta, a huge handful of baby spinach and cubed cheddar into the sauce and stir until it's all mixed.
7.  Serve, scoff ...

The cheese mixed into the pasta is a change from melting it on the top - as you eat your way through the nice comforting bowl of tasty sauce you come across half melted little cubes of salty sweetness - it's great.

Kale, spinach and feta tumble top pie, with cumin carrots and herby courgettes

Couldn't think what to do for tea today - but knew we had a load of leafy greens in the fridge so I invented this kind of cottage pie with a Greek-ish twist.  I also added some greek meatballs for the carnivore.

Onion
Olive oil
Kale
Spinach
Potatoes
Feta
Nutmeg
Carrots
Cumin
Courgettes
mixed herbs
GF flour
Meatballs

1.  Chop onion and soften in olive oil.  Add shredded kale.
2.  Dice potatoes and par boil.
3.  When the kale is a little soft add handfuls of spinach to wilt.
4.  Peel carrots, toss in olive oil and cumin seeds and roast for 30 minutes or so.
5.  Add chopped feta to the wilted greens, grate on a little nutmeg, mix through and put into an oven dish.
6.  Drain the potatoes and tumble onto the spinach mixture.  Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes, until the top goes golden.
7.  Bung meatballs in the oven.
8.  Slice courgettes and toss in seasonned, herby flour.  Grill on both sides for a couple of minutes.
9.  Serve, scoff.

A touch of sunshine on an autumnal evening.

Smoked haddock fishcakes

This tasted MUCH better than it looks - lovely fresh naturally smoked haddock from Paul the fish, and loads of vegetables - jobs a good 'un.  Leek and spinach in the fishcake and even the veg dodger gets 4 of the 5 a day in 1 meal!  Result!

Olive oil
Leeks
Soya milk
Bay leaves
Potatoes
Spinach
Bread crumbs (polenta to be GF)
Green beans
Peas

1.  Put potatoes on for mash.
2.  Chop leeks and put into a deep frying pan with soya milk. Add a couple of bay leaves and the smoked haddock.  Poach the fish for a few minutes - about 5-7ish depending on the thickness of the pieces.
3.  Turn the heat off under the fish and add handfuls of baby spinach.
4.  Mash the potatoes - don't add any fat as the soya milk will add enough liquid.
5.  Remove the bay leaves from the fish, and then mix into the potato - try to mix gently enough to keep some identifiable fish pieces, but well enough to distribute ingredients through the mixture.  Season.  If the mixture is too sloppy add some breadcrumbs/polenta to soak up the liquid.
6.  Shape into cakes, coat in breadcrumbs and fry for a couple of minutes on each side.
7.  Steam beans, cook peas.
8.  Serve, scoff ...

These were big fishcakes - but we're very greedy so we polished off 10 between 3 of us.

Sea bass with wilted greens

Sea bass from Paul today.  Delicious delicate sweet flavour.

Potatoes
Olive oil
Red onion
Garlic
Celery
Mixed herbs
Courgette
Green beans
Veg stock
Cavolo nero
Spinach
Sea bass

1.  Par- boil the potatoes, and then roast in olive oil for about 45 minutes.
2.  Sautee chopped onion and celery in olive oil until softened, add crushed garlic and a good pinch of mixed herbs..
3.  Add chopped green beans, soften a bit, then chopped courgette.  Stir around and then add a cup of veg stock.  Simmer for 10 minutes or so, then add roughly shredded cavolo nero.  5 minutes before serving add the spinach and let it wilt down.
4.  Pan fry the fish in olive oil - skin side first in a hot pan - 3 mins on the skin side and 2 minutes on the other side should be enough.
5.  Serve, scoff.

Chickpea curry and saag paneer

Olive oil
red onion
white onion
garlic
curry spices (turmeric, cumin, fennel, chili, mustard seeds, channa dhal mix)
basmati rice
chickpeas
red pepper
mushrooms
tomato puree
tin of tomatoes
coconut cream
creme fraiche
natural yoghurt
paneer
spinach

1.  Cook the basmati rice - 1 cup of rice, 2 cups of water - bring to the boil, lid on and turn RIGHT down for 15 minutes.  Keep warm if ready too soon.
2.  Chop onions and sweat down in 2 pans, add crushed garlic to both.
3.  To pan 1 add channa dhal spice mix, stir, then add red pepper, mushrooms and drained chickpeas.  After 5 minutes add tomato puree, a tin of chopped tomatoes and a tin of water - simmer.
4.  To pan 2 add cumin, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, turmeric and a tinyt pinch of chili, then fry cubes of paneer - turning to get each side golden.
5.  When veg in pan 2 are softish turn to a medium heat and stir in coconut cream, creme fraiche and yoghurt (or whatever combination you are using).  Taste for seasoning - could add garam masala.
6.  Add spinach on top of paneer, with a little water, let it wilt down.

Fantastic.  Possibly the best curry dinner I have made this year.

Mushroom, spinach and tallegio paccheri

I have some fabulous, unusual pasta shapes on the stall, and thought I would try some tonight.  Stuffed pasta seemed a plan, so I chose paccheri - the shorter tubes make it easier to stuff than cannelloni.

So, with tallegio, parmesan and cheddar from The Crumbly Cheese - another mediterranean triumph, all sourced from Todmorden market.

Olive oil
Garlic
Mushrooms
Spinach
Tomatoes
Chili flakes
Paccheri
Cheddar
Parmesan
Salad leaves
Balsamic glaze

1.  Put the water on to boil for the pasta, put the pasta in as soon as it comes to the boil.  Turn the oven on to heat to medium.
2.  In two frying pans heat olive oil - in one, sautee some onions until soft,  then add garlic.  This is the beginning of the tomato topping.  Add chopped tomatoes (or a tin) and a small pinch of chili flakes when the onions are soft, keep over a gentle heat as the tomatoes break down.
3.  In the other frying pan gently fry chopped onions, with plenty of garlic and a good grind of black pepper.  Add chopped mushrooms.  When they are soft, add the spinach to wilt on top.
4. Cut the rind of the tallegio, and break into pieces into the mushroom mix, stir in until it melts.  Turn the heat off under both pans.
5.  Drain the pasta.  Allow to cool, so that you can handle it.
6.  Stuff the pasta tubes with the mushroom mix and layer into an oven dish.
7.  Spread the tomato sauce over the pasta.  Grate over some cheddar and parmesan, and bake for 20 minutes, until the top is golden.
8.  Serve with a simple salad of salad leaves tossed in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze.

Smoked haddock, spinach and a poached egg

You can't beat poached egg and smoked haddock!  Except by adding tiny roasted potatoes and some lightly steamed spinach with spring onions.  ... yum!

The potatoes are started way ahead of anything else - chop, par boil, and then put into hot oven dish in olive oil - for 40 minutes.  Everything else starts 25 minutes later ....

Then, put the water for poaching the eggs on to boil, add a splash of cider vinegar.

Now, get 2 pans ready 1 medium frying pan for the fish, and a second wok or large frying pan for the spinach.

Next, coat the fish, lightly, with olive oil.

Put the pans on to heat.

When they are hot - put the fish, skin side down into frying pan.  Break eggs into water, count to 10 and turn off.  Splash cold water into hot wok - follow by spinach leaves and shredded spring onion - toss about.

Turn the fish over.  Turn the other pans off ..... wait for 2 minutes.

Serve... the potatoes should be crispy, the fish should be just done, the spinach wilted - and the egg yolk oozy.

Pizza - on World Vegetarian Day

The hens have started laying!  Yay!  and we have some of our own potatoes from the allotment, so wanted to do something a bit different.  Also, experimenting with gluten free pizza bases.  A success all round I say.

So, two different sorts of pizza a "fiorentina" of sorts with garlic, potato, spinach and the egg - and a vegatable one with tomato, courgette ribbons, olives and cheddar.



Pizza bases

I used "Isabel's" - and followed the packet instructions (flour mix, water, egg and olive oil), kneeded.

The difference, in cooking, between this and standard pizza dough is that after kneeding you don't prove them, they are rolled out and then they need pre-cooking for 10 minutes, before adding the topping and baking again for 15 minutes.

"Fiorentina"

Garlic
Olive oil
New potato
Spinach
Egg (pekin bantam egg in this case)

1.  Finely chop/crush the garlic and mix with the oil.
2.  Parboil sliced new potato and steam the spinach.
3.  Drain potato, chop spinach.
4.  Spoon and spread garlic oil onto pizza base, layer with potato slices and scatter on the spinach.
5.  Drizzle with a little more garlic oil, season, and put in hot oven for 5 minutes.
6.  After 5 minutes, crack the egg into the center of the pizza, and return to the oven for 10 minutes.

Vegetable one

Tomato
Courgette
Lemon juice
Onion
Olive oil
Oregano
Black olives
Grated cheddar

1.  Make ribbons of courgette using a speed peeler.
2.  Finely slice about half an onion.
3.  Mix the courgette and onion together, marinade in lemon juice, olive oil, oregano and a pinch of salt (for about 20 minutes as you faff with other things).  You could chuck the olives, sliced or otherwise into this mix too, or keep them separate to sprinkle over the top.
4.  Grate the cheese.
5.  Slice the tomato and layer over the pizza base.
6.  Drape courgette and onions over the tomatoes.
7.  Cover with grated cheese and a grind of black pepper (optional).
8.  Cook in hot over for about 15 minutes.

The crust was really good, a bit hard on exposed edges perhaps, but not that nasty chewiness or dryness that you often get with GF products.

It was nice cold too!

Parsley and lemon crusted fish, with chips and green vegetables

Traditional Friday night dinner - small ringing of the changes.

"Chips" ... boiled and roasted in olive oil.  Boil - 5ish minutes - into hot fat, in hot oven, for about an hour.

The fish is Alaskan pollock in a batter made from 1 whisked egg, a splash of soya milk, a half cup of polenta and a fistful of chopped parsley, with salt and pepper and the grated zest of a lemon.  The fish was coated in the batter, and then fried, a couple of minutes on each side just before serving everything else.  Drain on kitchen paper.

The vegetables - leeks, softenned in olice oil, then added crushed garlic, some mushrooms and a knob of butter.  Sautee gently, then season and add a splosh of white wine.  Simmer briefly, transfer to oven dish - tip on handful of frozen peas, and some baby spinach.  Cover with foil and stick in the bottom of the oven.

Fnatastic batter, really fresh tasting.  And the veg ... oooo ... lovely, buttery and garlicky and fresh.