*The wierd and wonderful veggie recipe thread*

Sapsorrow

Right me thinks a recipe thread strictly for peoples fanciest, wierdest and all time most favourite recipes would be a good idea. Please refrain from posting stir fry and other usual recipes here unless it's got chocolate or something else really odd in it, just keep it for the things you'd make if you were trying to impress someone. Down with sub standard veggie cooking!
If we do a good job maybe we can get it stickied!


This one is from a rose elliot book I have, last time I made it I modified it slightly by adding crumbled stilton and I roast the pecans in maple syrup too it's one of my favourites and really impresses people whenever I make it.

Hot-Leaf, Pomegranate and Pecan Salad



Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 100g (3½oz) pecan nuts, roughly broken
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 250g (8oz) peppery leaves such as rocket or watercress
• 1 pomegranate
• salt and pepper, to taste

Spread the pecan nuts out on a baking sheet and place in a preheated oven, 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4, for about 12 minutes, or until lightly browned and aromatic.

Remove from the oven and tip on to a plate to prevent them from burning.

Mix the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and some salt and pepper in a large salad bowl to make a dressing.

Put the leaves on top of the dressing, but don’t toss them.

Halve the pomegranate as you would a grapefruit and turn the skin inside out to make the seeds pop out. Add the seeds to the leaves, along with the pecans.

Toss the salad and serve immediately.


One I made a few years ago that was amazing was a variation on a Denis Cotter recipe for pumkin gnocchi, I made mine with sweet potato and a sauce based on butter, maple syrup and burnt sage. I served it on a bed of rocket and seem to remember putting parmesan on it at the end. It's labour intensive enough this one but it is actually very easy to do and soooo worth the effort.
This is a lovely recipe thats very close to what I made;


Sweet potato gnocchi with burnt sage and maple sauce

For the Gnocchi:

• <LI class=ingredient>2 pounds sweet potatoes <LI class=ingredient>2/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (I didn't use this don't think it matters really)<LI class=ingredient>1 1/2 teaspoons salt <LI class=ingredient>1 teaspoon ground cinnamon <LI class=ingredient>1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/3 cup for the work surface

For the Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter:

• <LI class=ingredient>1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) <LI class=ingredient>20 fresh sage leaves <LI class=ingredient>1 teaspoon ground cinnamon <LI class=ingredient>2 tablespoons maple syrup <LI class=ingredient>1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Peel, cut and steam the sweet potato and cool slightly and mash.

Add the ricotta cheese, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and blend until well mixed.

Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms.

Lightly flour a work surface and place the dough in a ball on the work surface.

Knead the dough until all springy and form into little ovally balls things about the size of a brazil nut (or maybe a little bigger) and put aside in the fridge to firm up.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

Add the gnocchi in 3 batches and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Drain the gnocchi using a slotted spoon onto a baking sheet.

For the Brown Butter sauce: melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted add the sage leaves.

Continue to cook, until the milk solids begin to brown.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cinnamon, maple syrup, salt, and pepper and sitri.

When the bubbles subside, toss the cooked gnocchi in the brown butter (I fired mine unitl they were lovely and crsipy around the edges).

Transfer the gnocchi to a serving dish and serve immediately.


Heres a lovely christmasy denis cotter creation;

Brussels sprouts with ginger and tomato

400g brussels sprouts
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 fresh chilli, seeded and thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, sliced
3 tomatoes, halved and thickly sliced
1 tbsp soy sauce

Peel the outer leaves from the sprouts and slice the larger ones in half.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop in the sprouts for 30 seconds, then remove (I steam mine it's better for you )

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a wide pan and add the sprouts and the red onion.

Cook over a medium-high heat for two minutes, stirring, then add the garlic, chilli and ginger.

After another minute, add the tomatoes and soy sauce, and cook for five minutes.

Add a splash of water if the dish seems to be drying out.


And from the veggie soc (Only just came across this and can't wait to try it!)


Beetroot & Pomegranate Halo Soup


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins
Serves 4
Can be vegan[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Calories per portion: 158 kcals (including garnish)
Fat per portion: 5.4g (including garnish)[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]
INGREDIENTS[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]1 tbsp light olive oil
75g onion, finely chopped
175g carrots, thinly sliced or small dice
150g parsnips, thinly sliced or small dice
½ tsp ground coriander
800ml light stock
350g cooked beetroot (not in vinegar), sliced
4 tsp fresh dill, chopped
1 pomegranate
To garnish
4 tbsp plain/soya yoghurt
2 tbsp walnut pieces (optional)[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]
METHOD[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sweat the onion, carrot and parsnip for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Add the coriander and cook for a further 2 minutes.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]2. Add the stock and beetroot. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes, adding 2 tsp of dill for the last 2 or 3 minutes.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]3. Cut the pomegranate in half and extract the juice using a lemon squeezer. Blend the soup and add the juice to taste (up to 4 tbsp).[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]4. Garnish with the yoghurt, walnut pieces and remaining 2 tsp chopped dill. Serve with walnut bread or if nut free, granary or rye rolls (bread is optional and not included in calorie/fat count).[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]©The Vegetarian Society 2006[/SIZE][/FONT]

Sorry that ones so big can't change it for some reason!

Sapsorrow

Today we have: Korean Pumpkin / Winter Squash Porridge

from: http://www.applepiepatispate.com/soups-and-stews/hobakjuk-korean-pumpkin-porridge/ (thank you!)

Check out the link to see their beautiful photos of the dish it looks amazing!
This is actually a nice fast dish to make, to speed it up use tinned aduki beans, steam your pumkin or simmer the pumkin in some oat, rice or soy milk and then blitz or mash into a puree when tender enough. I reckon the sweet rice balls could be made in a batch and frozen too for sucessive breakfasts!

makes 4 to 5 servings

1/2 cup dried azuki beans (or tinned) nb: don't be put off by this ingrediant aduki beans are a common desert ingredient in Asia
1 pumpkin, about 2 to 3 pounds, about the size of a cantaloupe (or other squash like butternut, or tinned pumkin puree if you can find it. I'd imagine sweet potato would work nicely too)
3/4 cups granulated sugar or honey (this is a LOT of sugar and I woudn't use anything like this much myself, I also reckon while not as authentic maple syrup would be better as pumpkin and maple syrup is a classic combo!)
2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
(also known as glutinous rice flour or mochiko)
16 sweet rice balls
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon pine nuts
salt and pepper, to taste (optional)


To Cook the Azuki / Red Beans:

Add the azuki beans to a pot filled with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Strain the beans and discard the boiling liquid. Return the beans to the pot and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Cook the azuki beans for about 45 minutes, or until tender. The beans should still be firm but thoroughly cooked. Or just buy a tin easy peasy!

To Roast the Pumpkin (I think steamed pumkin would do fine here and would be cheaper and faster!)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Roast the pumpkin halves for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender.
To Cook the Pumpkin Porridge:

Scoop out the roasted pumpkin and mash with a fork. Dissolve the sweet rice flour in about 1/2 cup of water. In a medium saucepan, mix together the roasted pumpkin flesh and sweet rice flour mixture. Stir frequently over low heat for about 15 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Adjust the pumpkin porridge to the desired consistency by adding water or reducing over low heat.

To Serve:
Serve warm in shallow bowls. Top with sweet rice balls, cooked azuki beans, pine nuts, and ground cinnamon. Season lightly with brown sugar or salt and pepper if wanted savory.

Gyung Dan
Korean Sweet Rice Balls

makes 16 hazelnut-sized rice balls

1 cup sweet rice flour (approximately 160 grams / 5.65 ounces)
a pinch of salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup boiling water
Coatings:

• Black or white sesame seeds, toasted until fragrant and popping (whole or ground)
• Cinnamon sugar

Instructions:

Mix the sweet rice flour and salt in a bowl. Add the boiling water one tablespoon at time while stirring vigorously. Depending on the texture desired, adjust the amount of water to create either a crumbly or soft dough (less water for a crumbly dough). Shape into little ovally balls about the size of a brazil nut Bring a pot of water otthe boil and drop them in and allow a few minutes to cook (just check one to see when they're ready) drain and put in the fridge to firm up.

Sapsorrow

Acorn squash, pear and Aduki soup with sauteed Sh*taki mushrooms

From the Post punk kitchen (Iso Chandra Moskowitz: what a legend!)

prep time: 25 minutes | cooking time: 45 minutes - 1 hour | makes 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into short 1/4 inch thin slices
1 red pepper, cut into short 1/4 inch thin slices
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice
2 acorns squashes, seeded, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
2 firm bartlett pears, peeled, seeds removed and sliced into thin (not paper thin) slices (roughly one inch long)
4 cups vegetable broth
15 oz can aduki beans, drained and rinsed (about a cup and a half)
About 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

For the mushrooms
4 oz fresh shiitakes, sliced in half (about a cup and a half)
2 teaspoons peanut oil
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions
Preheat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the oil and sauté the onions and peppers for about 10 minutes, or until onions just begin to brown.

Add the ginger and garlic and sauté a minute more. Add the salt, Chinese five spice, acorn squash and pear and cook for another minute, stirring often. Add the vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat just a bit to simmer briskly for about 20 more minutes, or until the squash is tender.

Puree half the soup using either an immersion blender or by transferring half the soup to a food processor or blender and then back into the rest of the soup (don’t forget to let the soup cool a bit so that the steam does not compress in the processor and kill you).

Add the aduki beans and lime. Cover and simmer on low, just until the beans are heated through. Meanwhile prepare the mushrooms.

Preheat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Add the oils and sauté the mushrooms for about 7 minutes, until they are soft. Add the soy sauce and stir constantly until the soy sauce is absorbed (about 1 minute).

Serve the soup with mushrooms plonked on top.

Anyone who tries out the recipes please come back and give us your verdict!

mrsdewinter

khrystyna100 wrote: »

Heres a lovely christmasy denis cotter creation;

Brussels sprouts with ginger and tomato

I can vouch for this recipe... it's been a winter standby in my house for a couple of years now and it's gorgeous!

Sapsorrow

Ethiopian lentil and root veg stew with black olives, raisins and salted lemons (if u hav em)!

Right just came up with the most amazing stew out of the blue and I formally dedicate this recipe to moonbaby cos she likes this sort of thing.

To start off you need to make a spice blend (not my recipe), it seems complicated but I made a big batch and have it in a jar in my little spice cupboard now so should be able to do over 50 stews with what I did. If you don't have a coffee bean grinder just use pre ground spices and if you are missing any don't worry too much just make sure to keep the proportions the same for each one.

1 tbs each: cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, all spice, corriander, nutmeg, fenugreek, cardamom, paprika, cayenne pepper and back pepper.

I only put 1-2 tsp in a BIG pot of this stew.

Saute an onion and 2 sticks of celery unitl golden.

Add chopped sweet potato, parsnip, red bell pepper, raisins (lots of these to balance the olive and salted lemons) and split red lentils (any lentil would do really but these cook really quick) and saute for another few mins.

Add a very weak stock and 1-2tsp spice blend (depending on preference and the size of the pot) and simmer until just tender, then add finely chopped salted lemons, 3 cloves chopped/minced garlic and pitted black olives.

If you can't find salted lemons just serve with really big lemon wedges, but use them is you can find them anywhere (olive stalls at markets tend to have them) because the flavour is incomparable to anything you can achieve with lemon or lime juice.

Simmer until nice and soft and all the lentils are dissolved, you could add a drop of coconut milk (I just didn't have any but I'd say it'd be nice)

To serve add lots of fresh corriander just as you serve it and add a dollop fo soya or regular natural yoghurt.

Sooo good and really wired, the cardamom and clove along with the salted lemons makes this a really intensely flavoured and pungent dish whihc is just how i like it, enjoy!