vegetarian

PEA RISOTTO

Pea Risotto

Risotto…difficulty rating is nearly zero! However it requires constant attention so, pour yourself a large vino and get your spoon ready for a lot of stirring!
Serves 4
50g Butter

2 Shallots, finely chopped

300g Fresh or Frozen Peas (If frozen, defrosted)

1.7l Vegetable or Chicken Stock

350g Risotto Rice

200ml White Wine

40g Parmesan Cheese, grated

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Maldon Sea Salt and Pepper

Melt the butter in a pan and gently fry the finely chopped shallots.
Add 100g of the peas to a food processor along with a dash or two of stock, and purée.
At this point, add the rice and increase the heat a little and cook for one minute.
Pour in the wine and let it bubble until absorbed. Turn down the heat a little as you do not want it bubbling vigorously.
Add a ladle full of stock and stir really well until completely absorbed.
Keep ladling the stock one at a time and stirring until it is lovely and creamy and all the stock absorbed.
Now add the pea purée and the remaining peas, stir well.
Add the Parmesan and season.
Now add a little knob of butter and give it a good vigorous stir.
Leave to stand for a few mins, stir and serve in some shallow bowls topped with a few Parmesan shavings.
This can be eaten like this alone or if you have someone in your house that craves meat, a nice pan fried chicken breast would go beautifully with it!

#risotto #vegetarian #peas #lovefood #arestaurantinmykitchen

TARKA DAL

This is super delicious, super cheap and super healthy! Eat with whole meal chapati or chargrilled chicken…

300g Chana Dal (yellow dried split peas) rinse them until the water runs clear
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Green Chillies, pricked with a knife
1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
2 in Piece Fresh Ginger
3 Garlic Cloves, peeled and left whole
3 Tomatoes
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
Maldon Sea Salt and Black Pepper
A Handful of Chopped Coriander leaves
Coconut oil or Rapeseed Oil

Once rinsed, place the lentils and 1 litre water to a pan, bring to the boil and stir. Skim off any froth.

Reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and simmer for around 40 mins. Add some more water if necessary.

When done, drain any excess water out, whisk to break the lentils up a bit. Set aside.

Heat the oil over and medium heat and add the onions, fry gently for around 6 mins, stirring to ensure they do not burn?

Add the cumin seeds, ginger, chillies and onion, continue to cook for another 4-5 mins.

Blend the tomatoes and garlic to a purée then add to the pan.

Now add the rest of the spices and 100ml water to the pan and stir well.

Add the lentils. Season and leave over a low heat for around 10-15 mins

If necessary, add more water.

Stir in the chopped coriander and stir. Lush!!!

Red Onion, Courgette and Feta Tart

Using a standard quiche dish, serves roughly 4

It’s Friday night, I have one too many eggs, and some other random ingredients rocking around my fridge! Add a cheat ingredient in the form of Ready to Roll Shortcrust (normally make my own, so this kills me a little 😂) and boom, I have a rather lush, tasty tart!

Ready to Roll Savoury Shortcrust Pastry at room temperature
2 Large Red Onions, peeled, halved and finely sliced
2 Courgettes, sliced
1/2 Block Feta Cheese
Dash of olive oil
7 Egg
75ml Milk
Maldon Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Flour

Heat oven to 200c

Dust your work surface and the surface of the pastry with flour to ensure it does not stick.

Roll the pastry out until it is really thin and fits the quiche dish.

Gently fit it into the dish, line the dish with grease proof paper and fill with baking beans.

Put into the oven for 10 mins, then remove the beans and put it back into the oven for 7-10 mins to crisp up.

Take out of the oven to cool.
Meanwhile, add a dash of oil to the pan and cook the onions gently for around 10 mins.

Add the courgette and cook for a further 5.

Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, add the seven eggs and the milk and whisk up really well.

Season the eggs with salt and pepper.

Add the onion and courgette mixture to the pastry case.

Sprinkle with crumbled feta.

Now pour in the egg mixture.

Turn the oven down to 180c and cook for 35-40 mins until well set and nicely browned.

Serve with a nice green salad.

Simplicity at its best! ❤️

#vegetarian #tart

Fabulous Fresh Pesto

So simple, yet it oozes flavour…..you will never go near a tub or jar again! Plus after a long, hard day, you can pound your frustrations into your pestle and mortar!! ☺️

1/2 Clove Garlic Finely Chopped
3 large handfuls Fresh Basil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A Large Handful Fresh Parmesan
A Squeeze Fresh Lemon Juice

Large Handful Lightly Toasted Pine-nuts

Malden Sea Salt

In a large pestle and mortar (or a food processor) add the garlic and a touch of salt and pound to a pulp.

Add the basil and pound again, until it is nice and fine.

Add the pine nuts and grind them down too.

Scrape out into a bowl and mix in the Parmesan.

Loosen with a few glugs of olive oil until it is the desired consistency.

Add a squeeze of lemon juice and Malden Sea Salt to taste.

Hey Pesto!! Ha ha!…a wonderful super easy tasty pasta sauce. Delish with chicken and fish too. To be honest it is soooo yum, you could just eat it off a spoon.

Broccoli, Courgette and Cheddar Soup

An easy soup which is healthy and yum! Feel free to leave out the cheddar for dairy free and a super healthy version!

2 x Heads Broccoli
1 large Courgette
1 Potato
1 Large Onion
1.2 Litre Chicken Stock
150g Grated Mature Cheddar (or more if you love it!!)
Olive Oil

Put the oil into the pot and heat, add the onion.

Soften the onion on a gentle heat for around 10 mins.

Add the potato and stock.

Bring to the boil and then turn down and simmer for around 10 mins.

Add the broccoli and courgette. Cook for around 5 mins until broccoli and courgette are just tender but still a vibrant green. Any longer it starts losing its colour!

Add the cheddar and whizz until nice and smooth.

Serve with a nice piece of lovely crusty bread……simple and delish!

A Restaurant in my Kitchen

Create restaurant food easily at home!