Summer Vegetable Braise

Ingredients

6 oz baby carrots
6 oz sugar-snap peas or mange-tout
4 oz baby corn
6 tbsp vegetable stock
2 tsp lime juice
salt and black pepper
chopped fresh parsley and snipped fresh chives, to garnish

Method

1. Place the carrots, peas, and baby corn in a large heavy-based saucepan with the vegetable stock and lime juice. Bring to the boil.
2. Cover the pan and reduce the heat, then simmer for 6-8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender.
3. Season the vegetables to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the chopped fresh parsley and snipped chives. Cook the vegetables for a few seconds more, stirring them once or twice until the herbs are well mixed, then serve at once

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Vegetarian Classics

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Beef Burger with Beet Relish and Cucumber Raita

Ingredients

600 g good quality ground beef
1 tsp smoked paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
sea salt and black pepper
olive oil to cook and drizzle
250 g cherry tomatoes on the vine
splash of balsamic vinegar
4 iceberg lettuce leaves, trimmed to neaten (optional)
handful of wild arugula leaves (optional)

Beet relish

250 g cooked beet in natural juices,
3 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
handful of Italian parsley, roughly chopped
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil

Cucumber raita

1 large cucumber
handful of mint leaves, chopped
3 to 4 tbsp plain yogurt
squeeze of lemon juice, to taste

Method

1. Put the ground beef into a large bowl and add the paprika, cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt (or less to taste) and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix well with your hands, then shape into 4 neat patties. Place on a plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes to set the shape.
2. Make the beet relish. Roughly chop the beet and place in a food processor along with the capers, parsley, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Pulse until the mixture is roughly chopped—you don’t want to purge the beet. Season to taste and transfer to a bowl.
3. Make the cucumber raita, peel the cucumber and quarter lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Roughly chop the flesh and place in a bowl. Add the chopped mint and toss with enough yogurt to bind. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Heat the barbecue or heat a little olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Brush the burgers with olive oil and cook on the barbecue, or pan-fry allowing 3-1/2 to 4 minutes on each side for medium burgers. Remove to a warm plate and let rest for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes to the barbecue or skillet and drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the tomatoes are soft but still retain their shape.
5. Serve the burgers with the tomatoes, beet relish, and cucumber raita. For a neat presentation, spoon the raita into lettuce cups and garnish with a handful of arugula.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Chef Gordon Ramsay

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Eggplant Lasagne with Pistachio Pesto

Ingredients

3 medium eggplants (900 g), cut into 1 cm slices
1/4 cup olive oil
4 medium red capsicums (800 g)
750 g jar pasta sauce
250 g packet instant lasagne sheets
250 g mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly

Pistachio Pesto

1/2 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup firmly packed fresh basil
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

White Sauce

80 g butter
1/3 cup plain flour
2-1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Make pistachio pesto. Blend or process ingredients until pureed. Set aside.
2. Make white sauce. Heat butter in medium saucepan, cook flour, stirring, until mixture thickens and bubbles. Gradually stir in milk. Stir until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Set aside.
3. Oil 6 cm-deep rectangular 3.5 litre ovenproof dish.
4. Place eggplant in colander. Sprinkle with salt and stand 20 minutes. Rinse eggplant under cold running water. Drain on absorbent paper.
5. Brush eggplant with oil. Place in single layer on two oven trays. Bake, uncovered, in moderately hot oven about 40 minutes or until browned and tender.
6. Quarter capsicums, remove and discard seeds and membranes. Roast under grill or in very hot oven, skin-side up, until skin blisters and blackens. Cover capsicum pieces in plastic or paper 5 minutes. Peel away skin and cut capsicum pieces into thick strips.
7. Spread a third of the pasta sauce into prepared dish. Top with a third of the lasagne, another third of the sauce, half of the eggplant, half of the cheese, another third of the lasagne, then remaining sauce, capsicum, cheese, lasagne and eggplant. Spread pistachio pesto over eggplant; top with white sauce.
8. Cover lasagne with foil. Bake, in moderate oven 30 minutes. Remove foil, bake 30 minutes or until browned lightly. Stand 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Great Vegetarian Food

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Lox Wrap

Ingredients

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons capers, drained and slightly chopped
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
pepper
Two 10- or 11-inch flour tortillas: garden vegetable or spinach flavour
1 cup (about 6 ounces) gravlax or smoked salmon, cut into thin strips
2/3 cup peeled and chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped fresh fennel
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Combine the cream cheese, capers, horseradish, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
2. Divide among the tortillas and spread evenly over each tortilla, leaving at least a 1-inch border around the edge.
3. Mix together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
4. Divide the salmon mixture among the tortillas and wrap.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Wraps

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Baked Veal Shanks

Ingredients

8 (1-1/2 inch) pieces veal shank
plain (all-purpose) flour for coating
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, thickly sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon shredded lemon rind
1 tablespoon small thyme sprigs
sea salt and cracked black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Toss the shank pieces in flour and shake off any excess.
3. Place half of the oil in a large, deep frying pan over high heat. Add the meat and cook until well browned. Transfer to a large baking dish, lining the bottom.
4. Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the leeks and garlic until golden. Transfer to the baking dish with the wine, stock, lemon rind, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover the dish tightly and bake for 1-3/4 hours.
5. Serve the veal pieces on plates with the pan sauce and couscous or potato mash.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Modern Classics

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