Recipe: Try these!

Just a few ideas for you...have fun!!

ADDICTIVE ARTICHOKE DIP

1 6 ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
cup fresh flat leaved parsley
1 medium clove garlic, peeled
2 tbs lemon juice
1 cups sour cream
salt
cayenne pepper

Put the lot into a food processor and blend until smooth. Yum

SOUTH OF THE BORDER TOMATO SALSA

2 large ripe tomatoes cored and cut into inch cubes
1 small red onion minced
2 medium cloves garlic minced
3 tbs minced coriander
2 tbs lime juice
1-2 small jalapeno peppers minced - less if you wish

Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, coriander, lime juice and peppers in a
medium bowl. Add salt to taste and mix gently.

AVOCADO SALSA

3 medium ripe avocados, peeled and cut into chunks
2 medium plum tomatoes, cubed
2 medium cloves garlic
2 spring onions sliced thin
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs minced coriander
salt
tabasco sauce

Place the avocados, tomatoes, garlic, spring onions, lemon juice and coriander
in a bowl. Add salt and hot sauce to taste and mix gently. Serve immediately.

HUMMUS

1 19oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
1 medium garlic clove, peeled
cup lemon juice
2 tbs olive oil
1/3 cup plain yoghurt
tsp ground cumin
salt
Place the chickpeas and garlic in a food processor and blend. Scrape the sides
down every so often until the ingredients are finely chopped. Add the lemon
juice, oil, yoghurt and cumin and process until smooth.

Serve with vegetables to dip into it and toasted pitta bread.

MARINATED SPANISH OLIVES WITH GARLIC AND HERBS

pound mixed olives
cup olive oil
2 large cloves garlic sliced thin
sprigs of fresh rosemary or oregano
small lemon,
black pepper

Zest the lemon and then cut the strips into very thing strips. Combine with
everything else and put into a pot with a lid. Leave to marinate for at least
four hours at room temperature.

ONION TARLETS

Enough short crust pastry for 18 tartlets

Filling
2 tbs olive oil
4 medium onions sliced thin
1 tbs sugar
salt
ground black pepper
2 large eggs
three quarters cup milk

Roll the pastry out to the thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut into rounds about 3
inches across.
Grease two regular 12 cup muffin tins (deep tartlet tins) and press each circle
into the cups, pushing the pastry halfway up the cups.

Chill the pastry while you do the filling.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook over a medium heat
stirring until they are soft. About 10 minutes I guess. Stir in the sugar and
continue cooking until the onions turn a rich golden brown, about 5 to 10
minutes. Lower the heat if the onions start to burn. Season the onions with
salt and pepper and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400/200C/gas 6. Divide the onions between the pastry
shells. Beat the eggs with a fork in a measuring jug and then pour in the milk.

Pour about a tablespoon of the egg mix into each shell and then bake until the
edges of the pastry turn golden brown and the filling is set - about 20 minutes.
You could always sprinkle a bit of veggie cheese on top way through the
baking.

POTATO SALAD

I have no measurements for this one as I've never used any. Sorry.

As many potatoes as you think you will need for the amount of people you have.
I used a 5lb bag of Desiree for about10 people and don't worry - it keeps in
the fridge.
Large jar Hellmans Mayonnaise
Large bottle salad cream
mint sauce
wine vinegar.

Right - peel the potatoes and cut into quite large chunks. You don't want them
to break up too much.

Boil them in salted water until done. Drain and set aside to cool a bit.

In a measuring jug mix equal parts of mayonnaise and salad cream. Add about 1
tsp mint sauce and then about 2 tbs vinegar. The dressing is meant to be quite
a sharp one.

Pour over the warm potatoes and mix well. Don't worry if it goes a bit mushy -
it still tastes good!

Use the same mayonnaise mixture over a huge pile of shredded whit cabbage,
grated onion and grated carrots. Then you got a coleslaw. If people don't like
bits of onion. Whizz up an onion in with a tablespoon of dressing in a
blender. No bits! And if you use a red onion you get a lovely colour.

If your daughter doesn't eat eggs then this is out because of the mayonnaise.
Oops.

MOZZARELLA AND TOMATO DOUGHNUTS

8 oz strong white bread flour half tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp easy-blend dry
yeast
1 oz grated parmesan 1 tbs olive oil
100ml hand hot water 1 small egg, beaten

Filling

4 pieces sun-dried tomato 3 oz mozzarella
vegetable oil for deep frying

Make the dough - mix the flour, salt, pepper, yeast and parmesan in a bowl.
Mix the oil and water together then add to the flour with the egg and mix to a
soft dough.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until the
dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
Cut each piece of tomato into six.
Cut the mozzarella into 24 pieces.
Divide the dough into 24 pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
Press out to flatten then place a piece of tomato and a piece of mozzarella in
the centre.
Draw the dough up over the filling and pinch to close.
Place on an oiled baking sheet, cover with an oiled polythene bag, leave to
rise for 1 hr.
Heat the oil until cube of bread rises to the surface and is golden.
Fry the doughnuts, a few at a time, for about 5 minutes until deep golden brown.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve sprinkled with grated parmesan.

VEGETARIAN CHILLI

2 small onions, chopped quite chunkily
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cartons passata (sieved tomatoes, any supermarket will do them)
1 packet Vegemince OR textured vegetable protein
can of kidney beans or a whole can if you like them lots
1 packet of mix for Chilli con Carne*
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
dash Worcestershire sauce (optional as veggies can't have it)

Fry the onions in a little oil until quite soft.

Add the garlic and fry until softened.

Add the passata, mix well then add about half the packet of Vegemince. No need
to defrost it, it just goes straight in. It will soak up the sauce though - be
warned.

Sprinkle in the Chilli mix and stir very well - add a tablespoon of water just
to help it mix in.

Drain the kidney beans and put them in the pot along with the Worcestershire
sauce if you're using it.

Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the coriander at the end and stir in.

Serve with rice.OLIVE BREAD1 tsp honey 2 medium onions, very finely chopped
8 fl oz tepid water 12 plump black olives, chopped
1.5 tbs active dry yeast 1 tbs mint leaves chopped or 1 tbs dried
4 fl oz fine grain sea salt 1-11/4 lb wholemeal flour

Dissolve honey in the water and add the yeast. Set aside in a warm place until
foamy
whisk in 3 tbs. of the olive oil and the salt

Sift 10 oz/280g of the flour into a large mixing bowl, make a well in the
centre and add the yeast.

Knead for 10 minutes adding enough of the remaining flour to make a firm but
elastic dough. Set aside in a warm place for 2 hours or until at least doubled
in bulk.

Heat 3 tbs. of the remaining olive oil in a heavy frying pan and saut the
onion over a low heat until golden and soft.

Cut 5 of the olives in half and finely chop the rest. Add the olives and mint
to the onions and stir to mix. Add to the dough and knead for a minute or two.

Brush a heavy baking tray with olive oil, form the dough into 1 or 2 round
slightly flattened loaves spaced well apart on the tray. Cover with a tea towel
and leave to rise for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to gas Mark 5/375F/190C. Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the heat
to gas 4/350F/180C brush with the remaining olive oil and bake for 25 to 30
minutes longer. The bottom should sound hollow when tapped and they should look
a golden brown colour.

For a different flavour try green olives or spiced olives.VERY BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE
I know..all cake is more or less vegetarian but this is GOOD

2 oz cocoa sifted 6 tbs. boiling water
3 eggs 4 fl oz milk
6 oz self raising flour 1 rounded tsp baking powder
4 oz soft margarine 10 oz caster sugar

Icing/Filling

3 tbs. apricot jam 5 oz plain chocolate
pint double cream

Preheat oven to Gas 4 and position the shelves in the middle of the oven so
both sponges can bake evenly at the same time.
Line two 8 inch greased sandwich tines with lightly buttered circles of
greaseproof paper.
Place the cocoa in a food processor or mixer, set the machine in motion and
carefully spoon in the boiling water. Blend for two minutes , then scrape down
the sides of the bowl and add the remaining cake ingredients. Process again
until the mixture has become a smooth, thickish batter.
Divide equally between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until the
cakes are risen, fairly firm in the centre and show signs of shrinking away
from the sides of the tin.
Remove from the oven and leave them to cool and firm up in their tins, on a
wire rack for 5 minutes. Then turn out each cake onto a oven gloved hand, peel
off the paper, then flip back onto the wire rack to cool.

Filling.

Warm the jam and spread over one of the cakes. If putting a topping on, spread
over both cakes.
Combine chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water or
a bain marie. Stir until chocolate has melted.
Leave to cool until it is on the point of setting and then spread over one of
the cakes. Place the cakes on top of one another then spread the remaining
chocolate mix on the top of the cake and swirl.

SPICED POTATOES

4 tbsp veg oil 1 onion sliced thinly
2 garlic cloves crushed 2 tsp black mustard seeds
1.5 tsp ground coriander tsp ground turmeric
pinch of chilli powder 1/4 tsp ground ginger
pinch salt 1 lb. potatoes in 1 cm dice

In a pan, warm the oil and add the onion garlic and spices and salt and cook
for 2-3 minutes.
Add the potatoes and continue to cook for a few minutes before adding 5-10 fl
oz water, enough to almost cover the potatoes.
Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring gently until the potatoes are tender. This
will take 15-20 minutes. The water will reduce as it is absorbed by the
potatoes.Don't forget convenience food too - onion rings you can bake in the oven, hot
bread rolls with boursin, those ready bake Yorkshire puddings, the mini ones,
you could fill them with a mixture of mushrooms fried in olive oil with onions
and garlic.

Boil up some rice, add in some diced peaches, some cooked frozen peas and some
sweetcorn, make up a French dressing and pour it over the rice. Leave it to sit
for a while. This one was a real favourite with some veggie friends of mine.

Get about 3 of each colour peppers, red, green, yellow and orange. Slice thinly
and fry in olive oil until they go soft. Leave to cool.

Chop up 2 cloves of garlic very small, mix in with the peppers, drizzle good
quality olive oil over and leave to soak for about an hour at the least. Serve
with crusty French bread. Yumptious.

Get an aubergine, poke holes in it and in each hole insert a sliver of garlic.
Bake in a hot oven until the aubergine is really soft and squidgy. When cooled,
cut in half, scoop out all the pulp and blend in a processor with enough olive
oil to make it smooth. Good with pitta bread.

Get a french stick, cut into rounds. Buy some cartons of garlic butter from the
supermarket, melt it in the microwave and brush both sides of all the bread
slices. You may want to melt in a little plain butter with the garlic one as it
can be too strong at times. Bake the slices in a medium oven until crunchy -
and boy, do they go crunchy!

Fry up some chunky onions, add baked beans, 1 tsp tomato puree, black pepper,
garlic salt and 1 tsp dark brown sugar or molasses if you've got it. Simmer for
a while and serve with fresh bread.

BEAN & CELERY STEW(it's nicer than it sounds.)

1 tin flageolet beans or haricot beans, drained
4 sticks celery with as many leaves as possible on if you can get them, chopped
up
1 tin tomatoes chopped up
1 tbs tomato puree
salt and pepper
1 big onion cut in half and then sliced into thick-ish slices
1 clove garlic or 2 depending on how garlicky you like things, crushed
olive oil for frying but use veg oil if you can't get olive oil
1 vegetable stock cubeRighty ho..

Put the celery leaves to one side. DO NOT THROW AWAY

Fry the onion and the celery in the olive oil over a medium heat until the
onion starts to go translucent.
Add the garlic and fry for a few more minutes.
Chuck in the beans and the tomatoes and the tomato puree - mix it all well.
Add in the vegetable cube and a little bit of water if you want a more soupy
texture.
At this point you can add a cubed potato if you want - it will still work out
okay and it makes it more filling.

Add in your salt and pepper towards the end.
If it looks a bit wishy washy, which it can sometimes, add in a bit more tomato
puree.
At the end, put in the chopped celery leaves and sprinkle in a bit of dried
oregano or mixed herbs - simmer or 10 more minutes and then serve with loads of
bread.

You can also add pasta or rice instead of the potato. You'll need to add a bit
more liquid though - unless you like it like a rice stew.

You can also change it by using kidney beans or butter beans and putting in
carrot too. If you add carrot, fry that in with the onions first.CAULIFLOWER WITH ONION AND TOMATO

1 medium sized onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tomato chopped
4 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
1 tbs fresh coriander (cilantro)
2 inch piece of ginger peeled and chopped
1 green chilli or quarter tsp cayenne pepper
1 large head cauliflower or 2 small ones
2 tsp ground coriander
8 tbs vegetable oil
tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp salt
1 tbs lemon juice

Put chopped onion, garlic and ginger in a blender with 4 tbs water and blend to
a paste.
Break the cauliflower into small florets not longer than 1-1 inches. Wash in
a colander and leave to drain.

Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan over a medium flame, pour in the
paste from the blender and add the turmeric. Stir fry for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped tomato, green coriander and green chilli or cayenne and fry for
5 minutes. If it starts to stick add 1 teaspoon of warm water at a time and
stir. Put in the cauliflower, coriander, cumin, garam masala, salt and lemon
juice. Stir for a minute.
Add 4 tbs warm water, stir cover and lower flame.

Cook for 35-45 minutes. Stir gently every 10 minutes or so.
Serve with hot chapattis or naan bread and plain rice.CHESTNUT AND CRANBERRY PUDDING

2 tbsp sunflower oil plus extra for greasing
225g/8 oz self raising flour
100g/3 oz shredded vegetable suet
tsp dried oregano
1 large onion medium chopped
240g can peeled cooked chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 dessert apple cored peeled and chopped
225g/8 oz cranberries, thawed if frozen
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
85ml/ 3 fl oz red wine
salt and pepper

Grease a 1.2 litre/2 pint pudding bowl or microwave proof basin.

Mix the flour, salt, suet and oregano together and season with salt and pepper.
Gradually stir in enough water to form a smooth firm dough.
Knead gently on a lightly floured surface and roll out to a circle about 30 cm
in diameter and about 5mm thick.

Cut out a quarter of the circle to use for a lid.

Line the basin with the rest, bringing the cut edges together and sealing the
join with water.

Heat the sunflower oil in a pan and fry the onion for a few minutes.
Mix two thirds of the onion with the chestnuts, apple, half the cranberries,
the sage salt and pepper.
Spoon the mixture into the pastry case, pour over the wine and 50ml/2 fl oz
water.

Roll the remaining pastry into a lid slightly larger than the top of the basin.
Brush the underside with water, fit the lid on the pudding and seal.

Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on HIGH for 10-12 minutes. I think this
is based on a 750W microwave.

Serve with roasted root vegetables.