Recipe: Layered Salad, Roasted Vegetables, Compote of Root Vegetables, Mixed Spring Vegetables - Some recipes for Trudi.

Layered Salad

1/4 head iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 medium chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup bacon pieces
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
5 ounces frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons sugar
2 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 cup croutons
1 peeled and shredded carrot

Arrange lettuce in the bottom of a deep baking dish. Sprinkle with bacon pieces. Layer with remaining vegetables and sprinkle with cheese. Combine salad dressing and sugar in a bowl. Spread over top of salad. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, toss and add croutons.

Roasted Vegetables

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound peeled and cubed sweet potatoes (or yams)
1 pound peeled and cubed turnips
10 cloves unpeeled garlic
1 pound chopped onions
2 teaspoons crumbled sage
1/2 pound peeled and cut carrots
2 teaspoons crumbled rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Heat a large heavy roasting pan in oven for 15 minutes. Coat pan with half the oil and add vegetables, garlic and herbs. Drizzle remaining oil over vegetables in pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Seal tightly with aluminum foil and roast in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and roast 15-20 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender.

Compote of Root Vegetables
Serves 4

100ml / 3 1/4 floz vegetable stock
1 medium carrot
1/2 small celeriac
1 medium courgette
Herb marinade
Knob of butter
Sprig of fresh mint
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Peel, wash and dice the vegetables into 1cm/ in cubes. Pour the marinade into a wok and top up with water so a bamboo steamer sits over the water. Place the carrots, swede and celeriac into the bottom of the steamer, cover and steam for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile melt the butter in a saucepan and add the mint, toss in the courgettes and season. Place the courgette into the top basket, seasoned vegetables in the bottom basket and steam together for a further 2 minutes. Pour the vegetable stock into a frying pan, heat and reduce. Remove the vegetables from the steamer and stir together. To serve: spoon the vegetables into a metal ring on each plate. Pour over the vegetable stock and remove the ring.

MIXED SPRING VEGETABLES

3/4 pound (about 30) baby carrots, trimmed and peeled
3/4 pound (about 24) baby turnips, trimmed, or 1 pound turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 pound haricots verts (thin green beans), trimmed
3/4 pound (about 30) baby pattypan squash,* trimmed
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, or to taste

In a steamer set over boiling water steam the carrots and the turnips, covered, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are just tender,and transfer them to a large bowl. In the steamer steam the haricots verts, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are just tender, and transfer them to the bowl. In the steamer steam the squash, covered, for 3 minutes, or until they are just tender, and transfer them to the bowl. In a large skillet melt the butter over moderate heat, add the vegetables, the chives, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook the vegetables, stirring, until they are combined well and heated through. Serves 8.