Vegetarian Lasagna

You can throw almost anything into the vegetable mix for this recipe and it always comes out tasting fantastic, just use what ever you have plenty of in the garden.  It is best however with a mix of firm and soft vegetables, so try the recipe first and then experiment.

You can also add other cheeses such as feta or blue vein to boost the cheese sauce.

Enjoy.

500gm San Remo Wholemeal Lasagna sheets or fresh lasagna

Vegetable sauce:

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup onion (diced)

3 cloves of garlic (chopped)

2 cups button mushrooms (sliced)

1 cup broccoli florets (chopped)

2 cups zucchini (grated)

1 cup of carrot (grated)

2 cups of pumpkin (diced)

1 cup kumara (grated)

1 capsicum (chopped)

3 cups of spinach/rocket/chard/silverbeet (finely chopped)

2 tablespoons of fresh oregano (marjoram)

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme

1 tablespoon of fresh sage

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

2 tins of tomatoes

50g tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a large pot or wok, melt the butter and add the oil.
2. Saute the onion and garlic.
3. Add the pumpkin and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add all of the other ingredients, cover and simmer gently for one hour.  Stir occasionally.

Cheese Sauce:

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup tasty cheese (grated)

1 egg

50g butter 

1/2 cup flour
1/2 liter of milk

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
2. Add the flour and stir until it thickens.
3. Gradually add the milk and stir all the time until the sauce bubbles and thickens.
4. If you keep stirring the sauce constantly you should get a smooth creamy sauce
5. Remove from the heat and add the tasty cheese and cottage cheese.
6. Beat in the egg 

To Assemble:

1. In a large roasting dish, spread 1/3 of the vegetable sauce.
2. Cover the sauce with a layer of lasagna pasta.
3. Cover the pasta with 1/3 of the cheese sauce.
4. Cover with another layer of  pasta.
5. Vegetable sauce
6. Pasta
7. Cheese sauce
8. Pasta
9. Vegetable sauce
10. Pasta
11. Cheese sauce
12. Then sprinkle the tops with extra grates cheese.

Bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes.

Scones

This is the best recipe for scones that I have found, I use half wholemeal and half plain flour.

The recipe is for plain scones but it works well with the following varieties also:

Fruit scones; add 1/2 a cup of dried fruit and two teaspoons of cinnamon.

Cheese Scones;  omit the sugar and add one cup of cheese and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Date scones; add 1/2 a cup of chopped dates and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest.

 

Ingredients:
Serves: 6

• 2 cups (250g) flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1 cup (250ml) milk

Method: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees C.
2. Lightly grease a large baking tray.Whip the egg and add sugar. Beat in the milk.
3. Stir in the (sifted) flour and baking powder.
4. Knead onto a flour dusted bench top until a smooth dough consistency.
5. Cut out 12 scones. Place on greased baking tray.
6. Cook for 12 minutes

Skordalia

TSkordalia is a Greek garlic sauce that appears around the Mediterranean in different guises. In Greece it is used for a variety of foods including served with beet salad and battered fried cod. The Palestinians and Lebanese use a version called thum bi’l-zayt, for baked chicken, and it is related to the Catalan allioli. 

It goes great with charred lamb or vegetable kebabs, or just simply with fresh bread.

Ingredients:

• 500g potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 tablespoon
• 8 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup whole blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water, season generously with salt.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until very tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes and let cool slightly, then mash
4. In a food processor combine the garlic, almonds, and oil and puree into a paste.
5. Mix the oil mixture into the potatoes until incorporated; then mix in the 1 tablespoon of salt, the water, lemon juice and vinegar. Season with pepper, to taste.

Basic Bread Dough

If you have never tried making bread before I suggest you watch an example on YouTube.

Ingredients:
2 cup warm water
3 teaspoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups flour
4 tablespoons olive oil

Method:
Place warm water in a warm mixing bowl and add yeast and sugar. Stir and let stand 3 minutes. Add salt, flour and olive oil and mix, using hands until you can knead the dough without it sticking to your fingers. Add more water, if needed.
Wash and dry hands and place dough on a lightly floured bench. Knead the dough, occasionally dusting with 1 teaspoon flour, until a firm, smooth homogenous ball is formed, about 10 minutes. Place ball of dough in a lightly oiled mixing bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or a plastic bag and allow to rise in a warm place until its size is doubled, about 1 hours.
Punch down and divide into 2 pieces.
Dough is now ready for use.
 
Note:
This recipe is for a basic bread dough, it can be used for bread, pizza, calzone, bread stick, bread rolls or flat bread.

To bake this dough into bread, shape the two balls of dough into the desired shape and set aside in a warm place to rise for a second time.
Bake at 200 C (400 F) for 30 minutes, leave to cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting.

Banana Chutney

This is a chutney that I first made over 20 years ago, I know it may sound strange but trust me, it's divine!  It's great with cold meats, cheese or just on hot buttered toast.

Ingredients:

12 bananas

325g (8 oz.)  raisins (any dried fruit works

 225g (8 oz.)  brown sugar

 2 onions finely diced

50g (2 oz.)  salt

2 teaspoons powdered cinnamon

2 Tablespoons curry powder

 600ml vinegar (1 pint) vinegar (preferably spiced or cider)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to the boil.
2. Reduce the temperature and simmer for around 20 minutes or until all ingredients are soft and mushy.
3. Bottle into serilised jars and seal.

Pear Chutney

 This is a rather sweet chutney that tastes fantastic with a sharp cheese or pork chops. Or try out the recipe below from Good Housekeeping

Ingredients:

4 C. chopped pears (4-6)
2 C. cider vinegar
2 C. brown sugar
1 C. finely chopped onions
1 C. golden raisins
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 Garlic cloves minced
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp salt

Method:

In a large pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Once boiling reduce the heat to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and ladle into hot jars. 

Seal the jars and leave to cool.

You can eat this straight away but the flavour will be richer after a week. 

Pear Chutney and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Alan Richardson
Serves: 8
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 25 min

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf French bread
• 300g mild goat cheese , softened
• Pear Chutney
• Flat-leaf parsley leaves

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Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice bread diagonally into 32  1/2-inch-thick slices; reserve ends for making bread crumbs another day. Place bread slices on 2baking trays.  Toast bread for 10 minutes or until crusty and dry, turning slices over once. Transfer bread to wire racks to cool.
2. Just before serving, assemble bruschetta: Spread 1 rounded teaspoon goat cheese evenly on each toasted bread slice. Top each with 1  tablespoon pear chutney and a parsley leaf.

Leek and Potato Soup

 

Ingredients:

• 70g butter
• 4 leeks, washed and diced (white part only)
• 4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 bayleaf
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
• Cream and chopped chives, to serve

Method:

1. Heat the butter in a large pot and sweat the leeks, potatoes, celery, onion, garlic, cumin and bayleaf over a low heat for 5 minutes with the lid on.
2. Add enough water to almost cover the vegetables and bring to the boil. 
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft. 
4. Remove the bayleaf. 
5. Purée in a blender in batches, or with a stick blender, until smooth.
6. Return the puréed soup to the pot and return to the boil before serving. 
7. Drizzle with cream and garnish with chives.

Old Fashioned Green Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 kg (3lb) green tomatoes chopped
• 250gm (1/2lb) onions finely chopped
• 2 1/2 (625ml) cups cider or malt vinegar
• 1 kg cooking apples chopped
• 500g (1lb) brown sugar
• 250 g (1/2 lb) sultanas
• 3 teaspoons mustard powder
• 4 chillies, chopped (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1cm fresh ginger, finely chopped)
• 2 teaspoons salt

Method:

Simmer the onions in a little water until soft. Drain.
Put the onions, tomatoes and remaining ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Pour carefully into warm sterilised jars and when cool, seal and label.
Can be used immediately, but flavour will improve if left for a week.

Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Cheesecake

This link is for a Cadbury Cheesecake Recipe, it's neither healthy or economical but it is divine as a rare indulgent treat .
http://www.cadbury.co.nz/Cadbury-Kitchen/Family-Favourites/Chocolate-Chunk-Cookie-Dough-Cheesecake.aspx

Elderberry Cordial

Ingredients

• Bucket of Elderberries
• Granulated sugar
• Cloves
• Fresh ginger
• Cinnamon stick

Suggested Instructions

1. Cut the Elderberries just below the stalks.
2. Use a fork to remove the Elderberries from the stalks into a saucepan.
3. Add enough water to cover them.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Strain the Elderberry mixture through a sieve or muslin,  make sure you get all the juice out.
6. For each liter of juice you get, add 1 kilogram of granulated sugar, 12 cloves 1 stick of cinnamon and a teaspoon of chopped fresh ginger.
7. Boil the mixture for 10 minutes.
8. Allow the Elderberry mixture to cool, and then strain into sterilised glass bottles, making sure that the caps have a plastic seal.
9. Add an equal amount of the cloves to each bottle you make up.

Dilute to taste with cold or hot water, or soda water.  The Elderberry cordial syrup will last up to two years.

Courgette and Potato Soup

Two of my children claim not to like courgette/zucchini but they don't hesitate to devour this soup.

Ingredients Serves 4 1 kg courgettes - any size and colour 400g potatoes (suitable for mashing), peeled or scrubbed 2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed 1 medium onion, peeled & chopped 30ml olive oil Handful fresh chives, chopped Handful fresh summer herbs of your choice, chopped 1 liter water (or mild-flavoured stock)

Method Wash the courgettes and chop them into chunks. Cut the potatoes into cubes (smaller than 1 inch). Heat the oil gently in a large pan. Add the onion and garlic. Gently cook for about 5 minutes, to soften. Add the potatoes. and stir. Cook gently for about 2 minutes. Add the courgettes, garlic and water, stir. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Remove from the heat and liquidise the soup. Add the herbs. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Serve with fresh bread and grated pamersan cheese. This recipe is also fantastic with crumbled blue vein cheese added to your bowl.  I also add a pinch of chili when adding the water for a little more depth of flavour.