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.

Turnip and blue cheese gratin, dolmades and bean medley

 I will not claim that this was a gourmet dinner which would rival international chefs ... it was OK - all of the separate bit were really quite nice, but it is no masterchef entry.  The combination was prompted by i) left overs ... from the stall - the dolmades and bean salad are lovely (you can eat them all hot or cold) ii) the remnants ... of the veg box and some cheese from earlier cheeseboards and iii) it was COLD today so we wanted something warm.

Recipe - very sketchy, because it really is a "whatever you have" kind of a dinner ....

Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil.
Add a pinch of rosemary, and some peeled and diced root veg (turnips, carrot and potato).
Turn over for a minute or so, then add a glass of dry white wine and some stock.  Stir in a spoonfull of mustard.
Simmer for 15 minutes or so, then ad  shredded cabbage.  Simmer again until veg is al dente.
Transfer to oven dish and crumble on a bit of blue cheese, and a bit of cheddar type cheese.
Roast for a bit.
At the same time - put dolmades and bean mix into the bottom of the oven to heat through.

Turnip colcannon, with mushroom and romanesco

So, today we have vegetarian, gluten free and lactose intolerance ... and a veg box (with no onions), and potatoes to use up.  I think I did really well.  Those who came with their dietary requirements seemed to think so to, as thirds were eaten!

Potatoes
Turnip
cabbage
olive oil
garlic
mushrooms
romanesco
vegan bouillon
tuscan seasoning (available from the Mediterranean Pantry)
olive oil spread

30 minutes, start to finish.

1.  Peel and chop potatoes and turnip, boil until cooked (about 15 minutes, depends how small you chop the potatoes.
2.  Shred the cabbage and steam it.
3.  In a good few tablespoons of olive oil, chop mushrooms and sautee.  Add crushed garlic, gently cook off some more.
4.  Cut florets from the romanesco, and add to the mushrooms, add a teaspoon of tuscan seasoning.
5.  Make about half a pint of stock with veg bouillon and add to the mushrooms and romanesco.
6.  When the potatoes and turnip are cooked mash them, with a couple of spoons of olive oil spread (or similar) - season.
7. Serve, scoff .....

And apparently, scoff again - thirds! at least!

Slashed root vegetables, butter beans and cabbage with roast tomatoes

Got home late, and wanted speedy dinner, nut veg in veg box didn't really lend themselves to that kind of concept ... as my immediate idea was spiced roast root vegetables, and that would have been over a hour.  I think I did this in 25 minutes, but frankly, I didn't time it.

1. Bung cherry tomatoes in a roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt,  whack up the oven to its highest setting.
2.  Peel and chop root vegetables (turnip, kohlrabi and carrots), boil.
3.  Chop and sautee onion and celery in olive oil, add rosemary and white wine, sautee until quite soft.
4.  Chop cabbage, steam over root veg.
5.  Add butter beans to onions, heat through.
6.  When root veg are soft, add olive oil spread and lots, no a bit more, lots of freshly ground black pepper.  Slice through quickly and thoroughly with a sharp knife (hence slashed, not mashed).  (Use butter here if you are not lactose intolerant/vegan).
7.  Mix cabbage with butter beans.
8.  Serve, scoff.

Delicious. Nutritious, Seasonal - what more do you want?

Onion bhaji; potato, turnip and pea curry; spinach thingy

There was spinach, and onion, in the fridge from the veg box.  There was a need for comfort food.  I happened upon a delightful asian/eastern european cornershop in Leeds this afternoon which had, in their very beautiful vegetable display, some very beautiful turnips.  So, with a tiny outlay I revamped our dinner.

To make this assortment of dishes, start with the potato curry, then chop and mix the bhaji mix - until adding the water stage.  Then, when you are about 10 minutes off, start the spinach - then, fry the bhajis, keep them warm while you fry them all off, and serve.

Potato, turnip and pea curry

Olive oil
Black mustard seeds
Cumin seeds
Fennel seeds
Turmeric
Potatoes, peeled and cubed
Turnips, peeled and cubed (approx the same amount as potato)
Garlic, crushed
Stock
Frozen peas

1.  Heat oil in pan, add fry spices.   When they release their aroma chuck in potatoes and turnip.  Toss them all about so that every piece of veg is coated.
2.  Add crushed garlic, stir in.  Add a cup of stock - put a lid on a simmer gently.
3.  Keep simmering potato mixture, check every now and again, make sure there is enough liquid to help it cook through, but that it is a "dry" mixture. Adjust seasoning.
4.  Tip some frozen peas on top, put lid back on, turn flame off and keep cooking for 5 mins.

Onion bhajis

large onion, chopped into fine half moons
chili flakes
lemon juice
salt
dried herbs
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
gram flour
water
oil, for frying (I used a mixture of olive oil and peanut oil)

1.  In a bowl mix onion and seasonings.  Add salt and leave for at least 10 minutes.
2.  Add bicarb and garm flour, toss together.
3.  When about ready to fry, stir in a small amount of water.  Mix to form a batter around the onion mixture.
4.  Fry, in hot oil, in blobs.
5.  Drain, on kitchen roll, and keep warm.

Spinach thingy

Olive oil
Chopped onion (I used the extra bits which weren't in moons from the bhajis)
Crushed garlic
Spinach, washed, stalks removed and shredded
Black pepper

1.  Sweat off onion in olive oil, then add the garlic.
2. Add spinach and enough water (not much) to let it wilt down.
3. Season

Bring all dishes together and scoff.  I was going to do a raita type thing, but was fine without.

Roast root vegetables, lentil casserole and cumin cabbage

End of veg box again - but this was really good.  Instructions are brief because I'm tired - but this was actually Sunday's dinner - tonight's was the leftovers made into a delicious shephard's pie thingamebob.

Roast root vegetables

Parboil prepped carrots, turnip and potatoes.  Put into oven proof dish, pour over vegetable stock with a teaspoon of grainy mustard.  Bake for 45+ minutes.

Lentil casserole

Sautee onions in olive oil, add chopped mushrooms and courgette.  Add crushed garlic and mixed herbs.  Add some lentils and some stock - simmer.  Then add some red wine, simmer.  Then add passata and lots of black pepper - simmer.

Cumin cabbage

When other stuff is about 20 minutes off simmer shredded cabbage and a teaspoon of cumin in a centimetre of water and a tablespoon of olive oil.

potato, turnip and leek bake, steamed carrots and spring greens with grilled haloumi

A beautiful day today, and a quick ready steady cook rifle through the fridge - and ta dah!

Potato, turnip and leek bake

4 potatoes
2 turnips
1 leek
olive oil
garlic
stock

1.  Slice potatoes and turnips and par boil for about 7 minutes.
2.  Slice and soften leek in olive oil - add crushed garlic.
3.  Splosh a little olive oil in an oven dish - layer in a third of the potato and turnip, add half the leeks, the next turnip and potato, drizzle of olive oil, black pepper, the last of the leeks and the rest of the potato and turnip.  Drizzle with olive oil, pour in about a pint of stock and bake for 40 minutes or so.

Steamed vegetables

1.  Peel carrots and cut into batons, steam.
2.  Add shredded cabbage after about 8 minutes, steam for a further 5.

Halloumi

Grill halloumi in a dry frying pan from 1-2 minutes on each side.

Scoff.

Veg gratin, roast tomatoes and groats

The veg box came today, and was full of lovely stuff. So lovely gratin, roast tomatoes and some groats.  Ta da.







Veg gratin

1 leek, chopped and washed
Celery
carrots
turnips
cabbage
garlic
white wine
grainy mustard
herbs
Stock
cornflour
cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Cherry tomatoes
olive oil

Groats.

The tomatoes and groats are easy - stick tomatoes in oven dish, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast for 45 minutes-ish.  Groats - boil in the bag for 15 minutes - is. the last thing you do.

Gratin

1.  Sautee leek and celery in olive oil.
2.  When a bit soft add garlic, herbs and mustard.
3.  Add diced carrot, turnip and potato - and white wine and stock.
4.  Simmer for about 20 minutes until veg goes a bit soft.
5.  Add shredded cabbage, and soften.
6.  Add water to cornflour, and mix to form a paste - add to veg mix and stir in to thicken.
7.  Add grated cheese and transfer to an oven dish.
8.  Top with the rest of the cheese and bake for 40 minutes or so.

Scoff - have seconds!

Minestrone

Surprise lunch out - and stuffed full of cheese 'n onion pie, so only wanted soup for dinner.  Lovely organic veg left from the box though, so a big steaming bowl of minestrone.

olive oil
onion
garlic
carrots
turnip
tomato puree
vegetable bouillon
water
few chili flakes

1.  Sweat finely chopped onion in olive oil.
2. Add finely diced root veg and garlic.
3.  After turning in the oil for a couple of minutes add a big squirt of tomato puree and stock.
4.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.
5.  Add a few chili flakes and the chopped cavolo nero.
6.  Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary, take a few ladles out and whizz, return to the soup.
7. Scoff

Turnip, potato and leek pie with greens - gluten free

 Well - I bought some lovely looking turnips (yes, I did write that) and was wondering what to do with them - and I thought I'd try some gluten free pastry - so, a few google moments later and I found this http://outoftheordinaryfood.com/2012/05/30/turnip-leek-pie/ ... so spent the next 30 minutes wandering around the very interesting blog.

The pie, itself looked lovely, so I have adapted it a bit - but in essence I have stolen the leek, turnip, rosemary and cheddar idea - and added potatoes.  The pastry is made with gluten free flour - which makes it more difficult to handle - roll out on greaseproof paper so that you can lift it accross.

In order of what to do - start with the pastry, put it in the fridge while you start the filling, turn on the oven.  When the filling is ready, make the pie, put it in the oven, put tomatoes in at the same time - then prep and steam the vegetables.  It can then all be ready within an hour.

Pastry

About 125g gluten free flour
About 50g soya spread (I was going down the lactose free route, but then decided to add cheese.. could have been butter)
2 tbsp natural yogurt
pinch of salt
cold water - about 2 tbsp


Rub together fat and seasoned flour, turn into pastry with yogurt and cold water.  Wrap in cling film, and put in the fridge to rest.  When ready pull out of the fridge and roll out (treat it gently, it doesn't have the same resilience as wheat flour pastry) on floured (gluten free of course) greaseproof paper.

Filling

Olive oil
Chopped leek (1 big)
Peeled and diced turnip (1 big)
peeled and diced potato (3 medium/big)
garlic
white wine
dried rosemary (a tsp max)
grainy mustard
vegetable stock
cheddar cheese - grated (200g)
egg - beaten (for egg wash - could be milk)

Saute leek in olive oil, when a bit soft add turnip and garlic, and white wine, simmer for a little then add rosemary and potato and enough stock to simmer.   Stir in grainy mustard.  Simmer until veg is "al dente" (about 15 minutes) don't let it dry out but let it reduce away so that you can just transfer mixture to pie dish.  Top with cheese, and then layer over pastry.  Pierce a few times to let out steam and egg wash.

Bake at 180 for about 25 minutes.

I also chucked some cherry tomatoes in at the same time, with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of rock salt - they worked very well.

Steam chopped vegetables - cavolo nero and broccoli in this case.

Really, really nice.  Great to have the treat of a pie, whilst being entirely gluten free.  Left overs in plastic box for lunch tomorrow.  (not sure how well it would freeze) Yum.

Roast lamb dinner

For a greedy person!  Delish.  Season leg of lamb with salt and pepper and rub on olive oil.  Cut bulb of garlic in half and chuck in roasting tray, lie leg of lamb on rosemary on grill in roasting tray - chuck in a glass of white wine.  Stick into hot oven for 30mins, then turn oven down to about 150 - cover in foil, and roast slowly for 2-3 hours.   Drain juices after about an hour, to make the gravy.  After 1 and a half hours parboil potatoes, then roast, in a hot oven in hot olive oil (for about an hour and 10 minutes).  In a little olive oil, chop red onion and half a red cabbage, 2 chopped apples - add apple juice, splash of cider vinegar, black pepper and dried fennel seeds, simmer for at least 40 minutes - or bring to the boil and then stick in the oven with the lamb.  Peel and chope carrots, swede and turnip.  Boil for about 12 minutes then drain and slash vigorously with a sharp knife, adding a knob of butter and just too much black pepper.  At the same time soften sliced leek in a drop of water (or white wine if there is some left), just before soft add shredded green cabbage.  Finish off gravy ... fat from lamb pan, tablespoon of flour add lamb juices and stock.  Scoff (with or without mint sauce/mustard/ horseradish), have seconds, and scoff that as well.  Victims all finished their plates, and visiting victims took some home for tomorrow.