Vegetarian Archives - Pagina 8 van 11

Making the most of Artichokes

Artichokes are a thing of beauty. When everyone else is thinking of asparagus, we're thinking of artichokes. They both namely in season at the same time.

Classically served boiled or steamed with melted butter or a vinaigrette, this most luxurious of vegetables always evokes a sense of celebration.

We particularly like the baby violet artichokes. We trim the stalks and remove the hard outer leaves, cleaning it up to be left with the beautiful heart. Keep them in a bowl of lemon water to stop them discolouring. Then halve them, remove the choke (the hairy middle bit) and you're ready to go.

We take a clove or 2 of garlic, still in the skin. Place in a pan with a good glug of white wine and boil to reduce by half. Then add a good amount of olive oil, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper and top up with some water. Add the artichokes, cover with a piece of greaseproof paper and simmer gently until tender, around 15 minutes but this depends on the size of your artichokes. Allow them to cool in the liquid. Delicious served as a vegetable accompaniment or on crostini.

by Mischa de Winter

Bean and Pumpkin Stew

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 tin white beans
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs thyme
1 leek
1 butternut squash (1 kg)
10g sage
50 g grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Method

Finely chop the onion, garlic and leek. Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut into 3 cm cubes.

Heat a pot over medium heat with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and pumpkin and fry gently for 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic, leek, thyme and sage leaves and fry for a further 3 minutes.

Add the beans with their liquid, salt and pepper to the pot and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently until the pumpkin is tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Season again with salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide the stew between 2 plates and sprinkle with the grated Parmesan.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours

Klik hier voor het recept in Nederlands.

by Mischa de Winter

Spinach and Chickpea Curry

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 onion
1 garlic clove
5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 Tablespoons mild curry paste
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tin chickpeas
300 g fresh spinach
1 bunch coriander
2 naan breads
1 small tub Greek yoghurt
2 Tablespoons Olive or sunflower oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Finely chop the onion garlic and ginger.

Heat the oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger to the pan and fry for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Add the curry paste and fry for another 2 minutes.

Drain the liquid from the chickpeas. Add the tomatoes, 125 ml cold water and the chickpeas to the pan. Bring to the boil.

Simmer for 10 minutes over a low heat until the liquid has reduced slightly. Mix the spinach through until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

Finely chop the coriander and mix through.

Serve the curry with the naan bread and yoghurt.

Klik hier voor het recept in Nederlands.

by Bernadette Evers

Porcini Risotto

Serves 2

Ingredients
200 g risotto rice
20 g dried porcini
400 g oyster mushrooms or mixed wild mushrooms
1 vegetable stock cube
1 shallot
1 clove garlic
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
50 g grated Parmesan
30 g butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
100 ml white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Finely chop the shallot and garlic. Dissolve the stock cube in 750 ml hot water and keep warm in a pan set over a low heat. Soak the dried porcini for about 10 minutes in warm water and save the soaking liquid. Finely chop the parsley.

Heat a heavy-based pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the shallot and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a further 1 minute. Add the risotto rice and fry until it begins to turn opaque. Add 100 ml white wine and cook gently until it has been absorbed by the rice.

Roughly chop the porcini and add to the rice. Add a little stock together with the porcini liquid. Allow the rice to absorb all the liquid before you add the next ladle of stock. Stir gently and often so that the rice doesn’t stick

Tear the oyster mushrooms or clean and roughly chop the mixed wild mushrooms if using. Heat a grill pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and grill for about 5 minutes until golden. Season with salt and pepper.

The risotto is cooked when it’s tender but with a bite. Remove from the heat and stand for 2 minutes. Add 30 g butter and ¾ of the Parmesan, salt, pepper and parsley.

Spoon the risotto into serving bowls, laying the grilled mushrooms on top. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve.

Klik hier voor het recept in Nederlands.

by Mischa de Winter

Curry-Roasted Pumpkin and Feta Salad with Pesto

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 kg butternut squash
100 g feta
60 ml pesto (homemade or bought)
1 bag rocket
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Method
Preheat the oven to 210° C. Peel the pumpkin with a vegetable peeler and cut lengthways in half. Remove the seeds and chop into 3 cm cubes.

Transfer the pumpkin to a roasting dish, sprinkle with olive oil, curry powder, salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes in the oven or until the pumpkin is soft but still holding its shape. Allow to cool off slightly.

Crumble the feta and dress the rocket with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Lay the roasted pumpkin on a serving platter. Scatter over the crumbled feta and drizzle with the pesto. Top with the rocket and serve.

Also delicious as a side dish served with roast chicken.

by Bernadette Evers

Pea and Mint Soup

Make the most of seasonal fresh peas in this bright and vibrant soup. If you can't find fresh peas. frozen work just as well.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
olive oil
850ml vegetable or chicken stock
400 g fresh or frozen podded peas
4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
salt and pepper
50 g fresh ricotta, thinned with a little milk, to garnish
pea shoots, to garnish

Method
Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil an fry the onion for about 5 minutes. Pour in the stock and add half the mint and bring to the boil. Add the peas and bring to the boil again.

Stir in the remaining mint and season with salt and pepper. Blend the soup in a liquidiser until smooth as you like. Taste and check the seasoning, adjusting with salt and pepper if necessary. Return to the pan and reheat.

Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with the ricotta and pea shoots.

by Bernadette Evers

Celeriac Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients
100 g walnuts
3 tablespoons butter
3 leeks, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves
6 medium eating apples peeled, cored and roughly chopped
120 g cashew nuts
4 stalks of celery, sliced, use the leaves as a garnish
2 litres chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 small celeriac - about 250g peeled and roughly chopped
1 small bunch freshly chopped parsley

Method
Toast the walnuts in a large saucepan and then set aside.

Heat the butter in the pan on a medium heat then add the leeks and celery and let sweat for 8 minutes until soft on a medium heat.

Add garlic, thyme and apples and sweat for a further 5 minutes. Add the chopped celeriac and the hot stock, bring to the boil and then simmer on medium heat for 12 – 15 minutes until the celeriac is tender. Take off the heat.

Add the cashew nuts, most of the parsley and the sea salt and pepper. Blend the soup, in batches, then return to the pan on a low simmer. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the toasted walnuts, chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

by Mischa de Winter

Artichokes Barigoule

Serves 4-6 as a side dish

Ingredients
12 small violet artichokes
1 lemon
100 ml olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
3 pieces of orange peel
2 fresh bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
200 ml white wine
small bunch of basil leaves, picked and torn
100 ml chicken or vegetable stock stock
selection of fresh herbs: chervil, fennel, basil
salt and pepper

Method
With a small knife, trim the hard leaves off the artichokes, remove the centre hairs and rub the artichokes with lemon juice.

Heat the oil in a deep casserole and fry the onions and the carrot until soft but not coloured. Stir in the tomatoes, orange peel, herbs and spices. Add the artichokes.

Pour in the wine and add enough water to cover the artichokes halfway, sprinkle over the torn basil and cover the pan with a lid. Cook slowly until tender, 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the artichokes.

Remove the artichokes from the pan, reduce the cooking juices and add a little chicken or vegetable stock to intensify the flavour. Season with salt and pepper and finish off with fresh herbs.

by Bernadette Evers

Tomato, Basil and Parmesan Quiche

Ingredients
Pastry
280 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
140 g cold butter, cut into pieces
a pinch of salt

Filling
300 g cherry tomatoes
10 ml fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper
drizzle olive oil
50 g parmesan, grated
2 eggs
250 ml cream
small bunch basil leaves, shredded, plus a few small ones left whole for scattering

Method
Heat the oven to 120 C. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and lay on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Sprinkle with thyme leaves, salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and bake for 1 hour until slightly dried and the flavour concentrated.

To make the pastry, tip the flour, a pinch of salt and butter into a bowl, then rub together with your fingertips until completely mixed and crumbly. Add 8 tablespoons cold water, then bring everything together with your hands until just combined. Roll into a ball and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a round about 5cm larger than a 25cm tin. Use your rolling pin to lift it up, then drape over the tart case so there is an overhang of pastry on the sides. Using a small ball of pastry scraps, push the pastry into the corners of the tin. Chill in the fridge or freezer for 20 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 180 C.

Lightly prick the base of the tart with a fork, line the tart case with a large circle of greaseproof paper or foil, then fill with dried beans or rice. Blind-bake the tart for 20 minutes, remove the paper and beans, then continue to cook for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove the tart case from the oven.

While the tart is cooking, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Gradually add the cream, then stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper. When the case is ready, sprinkle half the cheese over the base, scatter over the tomatoes, pour over the cream mix, then finally scatter over the rest of the cheese. Bake for 20-25 mins until set and golden brown. Leave to cool in the case, trim the edges of the pastry, then remove from the tin. Scatter over the remaining basil and serve in slices with a green salad.

by Bernadette Evers

Root Vegetable Soup

A deliciously healthy soup to keep you warm during these cold days. This soup also suitable as part of a detox diet.

Serves 2

Ingredients
50 g red lentils
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, bruised
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch chilli powder
salt and pepper
750ml - 1 litre chicken or vegetables stock
5 cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
4 tablespoons olive oil
freshly chopped parsley and 2 tablespoons coconut milk to garnish*

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the sweet potato, carrots, parsnip, onion, garlic, chilli to taste, turmeric and cumin on an oven tray. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Roast for 30-40 minutes in the oven or until the vegetables are soft. In the meantime, heat a pot with 1 tablespoon olive oil and gently fry the ginger off for about 1-2 minutes. Add the stock and lentils and simmer gently until the lentils are cooked, about 15-20 minutes.

Once the vegetables are cooked, add them to the stock and mix well. Blend until smooth using a stick blender or in a blender. Return to the pot, reheat and adjust the seasoning if necessary. If the soup is too thick, add a little extra water or stock to thin it down.

Serve in bowls garnished with chopped parsley and coconut milk.

*To increase the health factor, sprinkle the soup with a few chopped peanuts and chia seeds before serving.

by Bernadette Evers