Page 10 - Simply Vegetables Winter 2020/21

From the Kitchen...
Pasta with Mushrooms and Pesto
Serves 2
180g of wholemeal pasta twirls, penne or similar.
300g mushrooms sliced
2 spring onions or shallots chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
4 heaped tablespoons full fat Greek yoghurt
2 heaped tablespoons pesto
Butter and oil for frying the mushrooms Salt and pepper
Prepare the mushrooms.
Boil the pasta in a large saucepan of salted water for 10 minutes.
Fry the mushrooms in the butter and oil until beginning to brown. Add the spring onions, garlic and a little salt and pepper.
Mix the yoghurt and pesto in a small bowl Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Stir
in the yoghurt and pesto mix. Put into warm bowls. Top with the fried mushrooms.
Pesto
A colander full fresh basil leaves
4 garlic cloves
1 cup shelled walnuts
3⁄4 cup olive oil
11⁄4 cup grated strong
Cheddar cheese Salt and pepper
Combine basil, garlic and walnuts in
a food processor. Keep motor running, add oil in a steady stream. Switch off, add cheese, salt and pepper. Process to combine.
You can use parsley, wild garlic or rocket instead of basil.
It is worth growing a crop of basil in the summer to make pesto to freeze for the winter.
Jellied Beetroot
Jim Symonds mentioned in the last Simply Vegetables magazine that his wife Margaret had a good recipe for jellied beetroot and has sent it in for this magazine.
2lb beetroot with the tops twisted off 1⁄2 pint white vinegar
6 cloves
6 peppercorns
Small bay leaf
Half a packet of raspberry jelly
Wash the beetroot and trim the stalks back to leave about 25mm. Do not cut into the root as the beet tend to bleed badly when cooking if the skin is pierced. Boil for about 2 hours depending on the beet size, allow them to cool so they can be handled and rub away the skin trim the roots and stalk off. Cut beet into 1cm cubes (dice) and pack into sterile jars. Place the vinegar and spices in a pan and cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, then strain and discard the species. Pour the mixture onto
the jelly to dissolve it completely. Cool but do not allow to set. Pour the mixture onto the beetroot covering it completely. When it is set cover with waxed discs of paper and screw on the tops (preferable non-metal). Keep in the fridge especially after opening.
Bean Soup
350g cooked beans, such as haricot, cannellini, pinto, etc.
2 onions finely chopped
2 sticks celery chopped
1 parsnip or 300g squash, chopped 3 cloves garlic chopped
1 inch ginger chopped
2 tsp ground coriander seed
Little oil for frying
Salt and black pepper to taste 1.5 litres of vegetable stock.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions gently until turning brown. Add the celery and parsnip or squash, continue frying for a few minutes. Add garlic and ginger fry for 2 minutes. Sprinkle over the ground coriander, stir. Add beans stir well, add stock. Season to taste.
Simmer gently with lid on for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Allow to cool a little then liquidize.
To cook dried beans.
(500g pack) Cover with cold water and soak overnight, drain and put the
beans into a microwave pot with a vented lid. Cover with water
add rosemary and bay leaves if liked, (to improve
cooking smell). Cook on full power for 10 minutes to bring to the boil then turn the
power to the low setting and simmer for 45 minutes.
Drain and freeze portions until needed. You can keep
the cooking water to make stock with a stock cube.
10 Simply Vegetables
LINDA HARGRAVE FNVS and MARY THOMAS FNVS