Zingy Veggie Bolognese

This is a quick and very tasty veggie alternative to the usual mincemeat-based Bolognese which goes well with pasta as well as providing a good lasagne filling.

What you need

• 1 medium sized shallot or onion, finely chopped
• 2 + cloves of garlic, pressed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp Tandoori spice mix or paste
• 1 medium-sized parsnip, chopped brunoise size (very small like mince)
• 1 carrot chopped brunoise size
• 1 small fennel, chopped brunoise size
• 150 ml good red wine
• 1-2 veggie stock cubes
• 300-400 ml tomato passata
• salt and pepper

optionally

• a handful of mushrooms, chopped brunoise size
• 1 handful of walnuts, chopped brunoise size

What you do

1. When you put on the water for the pasta, sauté the onions and the garlic in the olive oil with the tandoori spices.
2. Add the vegetables brunoise and sauté a little longer.
3. Add the wine and the veggie stock cubes. Allow the wine to soak into the veggies.
4. Mix in passata and the stock cubes and leave to simmer until the pasta is ready.
5. If using, add the mushrooms and the walnuts about five minutes before serving and season to taste.
6. Place the pasta on a pre-warmed plate, sprinkle liberally with parmesan or pecorino romano, cover with a goodly portion of Bolognese. On the top, as is tradition, place a small knob of butter.

Beetroot Soup for a Cold Winter Evening

It is around the shortest day and we’re coming up for the inevitably heavy-duty feasting around Christmas. This is a relatively light, but filling, and, most of all, warming soup with the typically seasonal root vegetables. And it doesn’t take too long to make either.

 

 

 

What you need

• 1 good-sized beetroot, diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 2 medium potatoes, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• ¼ cabbage, cut into small squares
• 1 level tblsp ground cumin (jeera)
• a dash of dry sherry
• vegetable broth or miso broth
• salt and pepper, optionally a dash of soy sauce
• for serving a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream per plate (unless you want to do this vegan)

What you do

1. Sauté the onions and garlic in a bit of oil (rape seed) until glassy.
2. Roast the cumin/jeera until it is a little darker than when you added it (30 seconds)
3. Add the diced beetroot, carrots and cabbage and sauté as well, then add the potatoes.
4. Stir for about 3 minutes, then add the dash of sherry. You can also add some pepper at this stage.
5. Cover with veggie broth and allow to simmer until the vegetables have reached the degree of tenderness you like (mine should still be a little crunchy).
6. Season to taste.
7. Put a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream into each soup plate and fill up with soup.
8. Serve with a slice of fresh wholemeal bread or toast.