Spiced Roast Parsnip and Carrot Soup

It has suddenly turned a bit nippy in the south of England (snow and blizzards in Scotland - brrrrr!) so a good soup is what is needed to warm you from the tip of your nose to the ends of your toes, and this one certainly did.  If you like Curried Parsnip Soup, if you like Carrot and Coriander soup, and if you like a bit of a warm chilli kick in your food, then this is just the ticket.  You need to peel and dice 2 large parsnips (and I mean large - the mud-encrusted ones in our veg-box probably weighed 250g each) and you then need to peel and dice the equivalent weight of carrots.  Also peel a couple of garlic cloves, but keep them whole.  Now, toss them all in a tablespoon of oil (I like English cold-pressed rape seed oil, but then again, I am a food snob!) and roast on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes until nearly tender and tinged with a little brown here and there.  Whilst this is happening, peel and chop a large onion and also a leek, if you have one (white part only).  Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large pot over a medium heat and allow the onion and leek to sweat and soften - don't colour them.  Trim and de-seed a red chilli (we had some wonderful Devon-grown hot little ones delivered in the veg box) and add to the onions too.  Now, assemble the following in a little bowl: 1 heaped teaspoon of ground coriander, 1 level teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 level teaspoon of ground ginger and half a teaspoon of turmeric.  Boil the kettle.  When the veg have roasted, remove from the oven.  Add the spices and veg to the onions and leek in the pan and stir well for a minute or two - don't let the spices catch, but allow them to release their fragrance in the oil.  Pour over boiled water from the kettle to cover the veg by about half-an-inch, then add a couple of teaspoons of Marigold stock powder or your preferred brand of veggie stock (or make your own!).  Allow to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, then blend in your usual way (I use a stick blender).  Thin with a little more stock if it is too thick.  Reheat and serve with a little natural yoghurt swirled in, and fresh coriander leaf if you have any.  Spme naan bread to dunk is good, too.   Lovely, and there is plenty for hubby to take to the rugby tomorrow evening to keep the chill out.

Roasted Carrot Hummus

So, a mammoth cookathon over the last 48 hours, starting with a cookery day hosted by Sophie Grigson on Moroccan and North African food - more on that later!  We were at a friend's for a party last night and we all contributed various dishes on the theme of mezze and tapas.  I have been wanting to try this Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipe for a while, so this was a perfect opportunity.  You start off by mixing a dessertspoon of honey in a bowl with 3 tablespoons olive oil, a teaspoon each of ground cumin and coriander and some salt and pepper.  Peel 4 cloves of garlic and add to the oil.  Peel 500g of carrots and cut into 5mm slices, then toss in the spicy oil.  Scrape all of this onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and roast for 35 minutes or so until the carrot is soft and slightly caramelised.  Cool a little, then scrape into a food processor.  Add the juice of half an orange and half a lemon, 3 tablespoons of tahini and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Blend until smooth, adding a little more juice if it needs thinning.  Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.  I have to admit that, straight after mixing, I wasn't impressed with this - it seemed too sweet.  However, 8 hours later at the party, it had mellowed into a mildly spiced, fruity, sweet and savoury whole and was delicious with crusty bread and pitta toasts.  One to make again, just follow my advice and make it in advance!

Spiced Carrot and Chickpea Pitta Pockets

I forgot to take a photo of this simple, flavourful and CHEAP little meal - another from Hugh F-W's 'Veg Everyday' book, so I shall pinch his photo (thanks Hugh and Simon Wheeler) and link to the recipe on The Grauniad.  This is SO 'under a fiver'.  If you have any leftovers, blitz in a processor with a spoonful of tahini and some lemon juice to taste for a quick carrot hummus.  We served these with Quick Tomato and Red Pepper Soup with fresh basil oil swirled in (recipe earlier this year) for a healthy vegan supper, cheap as chips.  But without the chips.  One note on chickpea brands.  I favour the East End brand, as the chickpeas are always soft and creamy, not like the chalky bullets you get with lesser brands - not expensive, either.  Do look out for them.

Asian Carrot and Cabbage Slaw

A super recipe from Hugh F-W, this - I am sorry if you are all getting sick of his 'Veg Every Day' cookbook, but it is so good.  This sounded unpreposessing - grated carrot, shredded white cabbage and spring onion in a soy and sesame dressing - but the texture and flavour was marvellous, and a great counterpoint to a coconut chicken curry and noodles.  You shred or grate 3 medium carrots, half a small white cabbage (a really sharp knife here helps) and 3 spring onions, including some of the green tops.  Then you make a dressing of a tablespoon of soy sauce, a dessertspoon of toasted sesame oil, a tablespoon of rice or white wine vinegar, a dessertspoon of runny honey, and the juice of half a lime.  Add a small chopped clove of garlic and a good thumb of fresh ginger, peeled and grated.  Mix together well to ensure the honey dissolves, then pour over the shredded veg, stir well, and leave for 30 minutes to 'relax' as Hugh puts it.  Now stir again, add some chopped coriander and mint leaves, and dish up.  The veg releases a lot of liquid during its steeping, but you end up with tender yet crunchy, sweet yet pickled fresh veg that would also be great at a barbecue.  The two of us hoovered it up, but it would probably serve 4 comfortably as a side as part of a spread of other things.

Spring Vegetable Risotto

OK, this was only half spring vegetable risotto, as I cheated and used frozen peas and broad beans.  But the asparagus was freshly picked (in the rain) this afternoon by hubby, and I used beautiful fresh sweet young carrots from Riverford.  It is made in the usual way - saute a finely diced onion in a good knob of butter with a whole head of finely chopped wet garlic (much milder than maincrop, don't panic!).  Add a cup of risotto rice (I like arborio for this) and saute for another minute or two, then add 3 or 4 tablespoons of white vermouth or white wine and the finely grated zest of a lemon.  Once this is absorbed, start adding warm veg stock (Marigold is fine) in the usual way.  I cooked the veg separately and added them in with the final bit of veg stock about 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time (I slipped the grey skins off the broad beans first).  Then, whilst still a little all'onda or 'with waves' as the Italians so romantically phrase it, stir in another knob of butter, the juice of half the zested lemon and a good handful of grated Parmesan, cover with a lid and leave to settle for a minute or two - what the Italians called mantecare or 'mounting' the risotto.  Serve in warm plates or bowls with more Parmesan on top, pour a glass of something cool and white (no, NOT a glass of milk) and settle down to watch 'The Great British Menu' on The Beeb.

Raosted Carrot Soup with Rosemary and Smoked Paprika

The smoked paprika gives this quite a 'poke', especially if you use the piccante version, so if you think carrot soup is a little bland, try this recipe - the rosemary and paprika make it quite special and roasting the carrots first adds some depth of flavour.  Make sure there is some browning and caramelisation on the carrots to intensify the sweetness.  This recipe comes courtesy of the marvellous Riverford Organics and their fabulous website, so I shall simply link to it here.  The only change I made was to leave out the creme fraiche as I think it only needs a spoonful in the bowl when it is served.  While you are on their site, check out their fantastic veg boxes.  This would qualify as an 'under a fiver' easily - big bowlsful with wholemeal bread, followed by cheese and fruit, would make a hearty, healthy and frugal spring supper.

Passion Cake

Appropriate for Easter - although I did also make it for a Valentine's cake sale, but it is really relalting to Christ's Passion.  I don't know why this festival should be marked with a spicy carrot cake layered and spread with creamy cheese frosting, but there you go!  This is based on Paul Hollywood's version, and is very delicious and popular whenever I make it.  Half of it is destined for tea with a friend tomorrow afternoon, but we had some for our Easter tea today as a treat.  It is simplicity itself to make.  Simply mix 230g of self raising flour plus an extra teaspoon of baking powder, 230g soft brown sugar, 155ml of sunflower or rapeseed oil, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon and a teaspoon of ground ginger, 260g grated organic carrots, 100g sultanas, 100g chopped walnuts, the zest of an orange and lemon, and 3 eggs.  Don't overbeat, but a good mixing in a large bowl with a wooden spoon should suffice.  Turn into an 18cm (7 inch) loose-bottomed cake tine, lined with a circle of parchment, place on a baking sheet and bake at 170C (fan) for around 50 minutes to an hour.  Cover with a circle of foil if it browns too much.  A skewer should come out clean when inserted into the middle.  Allow to cool, then split in half.  Make the frosting:  have a 250g tub of mascarpone at room temperature and 50g unslated butter well softened.  Mix the butter with 100g icing sugar until light and fluffy.  Stir in the zest of a lemon and the juice of half of it to soften and flavour the mix.  Now quickly mix in the mascarpone - don't overbeat, just mix until combined.  Use half to sandwich the two halves, then spread the rest over the top, swirling it fancily if the mood takes you.  Delicious right away, but perhaps best left for a day in the fridge (covered) so the cake softens a little and absorbs some of the moisture from the frosting, then it yields decadently and delightfully under your eager fork.

Pot-roast Lamb Shoulder with Carrots and Onions

We recently visited friends in Lancaster, and amongst the beautiful dishes they prepared for us was a shoulder of lamb, gently pot-roasted for 22 hours.  It was amazingly tender and delicious.  Sadly, because of the slightly bizarre configuration of our flat, we can't do anything like that, as our bedroom is next to our kitchen - the smell overnight would prevent me from sleeping!  However, you can still achieve something approaching that tenderness and succulence in a shorter time, so this version cooked for 5 hours instead.  You brown a boned, rolled shoulder in some oil in a heavy ovenproof casserole, then add lots of large chunks of onions and some peeled chopped carrots.  Add a couple of bay leaves and some sprigs of thyme and rosemary.  Deglaze the pan with 250ml each of white wine and lamb or chicken stock, and season well with salt and pepper.  Clamp the lid on, with a layer of foil underneath if you doubt its airtightness, and bake in a low oven (around 120C) for 4 to 5 hours.  Check after 3 hours and top up with a bit more wine/stock.  It shouldn't be swimming in liquid, but should have some delicious light juices in the bottom.  When you adjudge it to be tender enough to cut with a spoon, dish up in large chunks (slicing is virtually impossible, it is so soft and melting), with the veg around and spoonfuls of the lovely winey lamby juices.  Creamy colcannon, in honour of St Patrick's Day yesterday, went down well with this, as did some sticky, caramelly roasted parsnips.

Golden Vegetable Tagine with Couscous

A nice sunny day in the kitchen, making cheap, cheerful and very filling Veggie Tagine with Couscous.  Vegetable tagines are moveable feasts, depending on what's in season.  In the summer, I make them a little like a spiced ratatouille with peppers and tomatoes and aubergines.  In the winter, though, squashes and root veg take very well to warm North African spices so I used up some carrots and a butternut squash in this version.  I peeled and diced a large Spanish onion, 4 cloves of garlic and a 'thumb' of fresh ginger, and chopped them all quite fine.  Then I peeled and diced equal quantities of butternut squash and carrots.  Saute the onion, garlic and ginger in 3 tablespoons of olive oil - do this gently and slowly so it remains sweet and pale in colour.  Now prepare your spices: crumble a good pinch of saffron stamens in a tablespoon of hot water and let it sit for a few minutes to steep.  Measure out a heaped teaspoon each of ground cumin, ground coriander and paprika (not the smoked variety).  Add to this a quarter teaspoon each of Cayenne pepper and ground cinnamon.  Add all the dried spices to the sweated onions and stir for a moment or two to 'awaken' the spice.  Now stir in the squash and carrots, the saffron water and a pint of veg stock (Marigold is fine).  Stir in a dessertspoon of tomato puree and a handful of chopped dried apricots (optional, but I like the sweetness in this dish).  Also tip in a 400g tin of drained, rinsed chickpeas (I like the East End brand). Bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes or so until the veg is becoming tender.  Remove the lid and bubble off some of the liquid if it is watery.  Serve with rice, in which case add lots of chopped fresh coriander to the tagine, or I like to serve it with Lemon and Coriander couscous - instant couscous soaked in equal quantity-by-volume of boiling veg stock, into which a clove of garlic has been grated, lots of black pepper and a couple of spoons of olive oil.  Cover well and leave for 10 minutes, then squeeze in the juice of a lemon and masses of chopped coriander.  YUM-MEE!  If you have any ras-al-hanout spice mix, add a teaspoon to the tagine 5 minutes before serving, and if you like it really hot, add harissa to taste.

Beetroot and Carrot Latkes

It is the Jewish festival of lights, Hannuka (or Hanukka, it seems both spellings are used)soon, and Latkes, or potato cakes, are a staple for most people observing the festival.  I am not Jewish, but I approve of nicking other cultures' food if it is good!  The principle of a latke is to combine grated starchy potato and grated onion with plenty of seasoning, and then fry spoonfuls of the mix, flattened, in oil until brown and crisp.  Delicious.  I saw a version made with grated carrot and beetroot, and made some last night, along with the pototo variety.  Really nice - just make sure they are well seasoned, they need quite a bit of salt and pepper.  I also added some beaten egg to bind them (about half an egg to 1 large carrot and beetroot) as they don't have the starch that the potato variety has.  Also, I used much less oil than traditional recipes, and finished them off on a baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes.  This ensures they are cooked through, and they go a lovely colour.  Served with flakes of smoked mackerel, some watercress, and creme fraiche mixed with grated horseradish, this made a really nice, almost Scandinavian, supper.

Beetroot, Carrot and Orange Soup

I have blogged the Beetroot and Carrot soup already, and declared my love for it, but it was taken to new heights by the addition of the zest and juice of an orange.  Gosh, it was so wonderful, I could have eaten the entire pot!  Anyway, if you like these flavours, they all go together really well - it is simple to make: sweat a chopped onion, some chopped carrots and peeled fresh beetroot (a ration of 2:1 carrot/beetroot) in a tablespoon or so of olive oil until softening.  Grate in the zest of a large orange, followed by its juice.  Just cover with veg stock (Marilgold is fine) and simmer gently until the veg is tender.  Puree with a hand-blender and serve.  You can add cream if you like, but we didn't, enjoying the pure, fresh tastes of the veggies and orange. 

Pasta Primavera

Normally, recipes for this dish are very heavy on the butter and/or cream, but it is possible to lighten it up with much less fat, through using chicken or veg stock.  Go with whatever veg you have in that is good and seasonal - I went for carrot, broad beans, courgettes, asparagus tips and some peas, with baby spinach folded in at the end.  This is a good way to get your five-a-day!.. Sweat a finely diced onion in 10g of butter and a teaspoon of olive oil.  Keep the heat gentle and a lid on.  Prepare all the other veg, addding first the carrot, then the asparagus and then the courgettes and peas, allowing each to sweat a little in the covered pan to soften before adding th next.  Add about 150ml of stock, cover, and simmer gently whilst you boil the pasta.  Drain pasta, add baby spinach and mix, and sprinkle with some parmesan.  So delicate and summery. 

Roasted Sausages and Root Vegetables with Sweet Chilli Glaze

A great bung-it-all-in-the-oven main course, this and perfect Saturday night family fodder with a green salad.  You peel and chop root veg - whatever you have in the house, I used a parsnip, a couple of carrots and an onion.  Toss in a tablespoon of olive oil and scatter on a non-stick or parchment-lined baking sheet.  Add some good sausages (we like Porkinson's Bangers, but good butcher's sausages at least, please!) and rub a little oil onto them too - this is fun........Now, bake at 180C for half an hour until the veg is tender and the sausages nice and brown.  Give everything a good stir, turn the bangers over, and then brush on a good couple of tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce to glaze everything.  Return to the oven for a final 10 minutes, then dish up, mixing the melted sauce into everything as you serve.  A dish of crisp, simply-dressed lettuce leaves is a nice accompaniment, as is a glass of Old Noll ale from my boss's own micro-brewery, Cherwell Valley.   photo courtesy of tamarindandthyme.wordpress.com

Carrot and Celeriac Soup

One of my favourite Delia recipes is her Carrot and Jeruslaem Artichoke Soup.  In the absence of the knobbly little roots (although they are due in the Riverford Seasons box tomorrow) I used up the remaining half of a celeriac from last week's delivery.  The resultant soup was delicate and delicious, and a wonderful colour.  I started the usual way by sweating a chopped onion in a little oil and butter, then adding around 500g each of peeled, chopped organic carrots and celeriac.  Allow to sweat together, covered, for about 15 minutes, then add 750ml of Marigold veg stock, simmer for 20 minutes until the veg is really soft, and blend.  I added lots of parsley and black pepper right at the end, and a little dollop of Greek Yoghurt.  Lovely, soothing soup.  Cheap as anything, too.

Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup

I fancied some dal and some carrot and coriander soup and had the idea to combine them into a cheap, cheerful and very nutritious soup.  Another one suitable for vegans, if so inclined (see the red cabbage recipe previous to this)

• 2 tsp cumin seed, toasted in a pan
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• pinch chilli flakes or a finely chopped red chilli
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 600g carrots , washed and grated 
• 140g split red lentils
• 1litre hot vegetable stock (from a cube is fine)
• bunch of coriander, washed and chopped

Toast the cumin seeds, dry, in a pan, and when the aroma starts to rise and they change colour a little, tip into a pestle and mortar and grind to a powder.  Mix with the coriander powder and chilli flakes or fresh chilli.  Heat the oil in the pan and gently fry the onion until softened, adding the garlic and the spices for the final minute or so.  Now, just add the rinsed lentils, the grated carrots and the stock.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or so until all is tender.  I pureed the soup, with the coriander in, until smooth, but you could leave it unblended and stir the coriander through.  Yummy! (post script:  I am reminded of Nigel's Spiced Pumpkin and Dal soup, which was one of the first things made in the Challenge last year.  As I have numerous small pumpkins and squashes from Riverford in the flat, I will revisit this!)

Beetroot and Carrot Soup

Oh, how I love this soup, and I make it whenever I can get really good examples of the main ingredients. It feels like it is doing me good with every mouthful. It comes from Gennaro Contaldo's book, "Italian Year", a wonderful evocation of seasonal Italian cooking from his home region around the Amalfi Coast - an area we know and love. Gennaro says this needs to be made with the big earthy Autumnal root veg that arrived in my veg box this week, so I just had to make it. It isn't difficult - equal quantities (about a pound each) of carrot and beetroot (raw, of course, not pickled in a jar!) sweated in olive oil with a large onion, several cloves of garlic, a couple of sticks of celery, sliced and some fresh thyme. Cover with veg or chicken stock, simmer, and blitz with a hand blender. I like to keep a little of the raw beetroot and carrot to one side, which I grate in after blending, for a bit of textural variation, but this is entirely optional. Either way, a wonderful thick, sustaining and healing soup - great for vegans too, if you use the veg stock. Fab colour too!

Carrot and Leek Soup with Tarragon

I made this for supper on Monday but only got round to blogging it today. It seems the soup season has started early this year, with a rather breezy and wet August in the south of England. This made good use of the sweet summer carrots and young leeks we've been getting in the Riverford veg box. Classic method: sweat sliced carrots and leeks (about a pound of each) in an ounce of butter and a spoonful of light olive oil. Don't rush this stage, keep the heat on the lowish side and the lid on, and let the veg get nice and soft. Add veg stock (Marigold is fine) to just cover and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. Blend using your preferred method (a stick blender for me) and serve with a dollop of cream if liked and lots of freshly chopped tarragon. Sorry the pciture isn't more interesting. It's carrot soup, what do you expect???

Simple Carrot and Raisin Cake

Now, much as I am a fan of luscious carrot cakes topped with an inch-thick layer of sweet cream cheese, even I (yes, EVEN I!) recognise the need for restraint and for consuming something like that on a special occasion. So, this cake is a more subdued affair - repressed, even. A very British carrot cake, rather than the overblown version beloved by our American cousins. A simple blend of flour, sunflower oil, eggs, unrefined light brown sugar, grated carrot, orange zest and juice, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg. Worthy, yes, but a good, relatively healthy (can a cake EVER be health food??) tasty bite, and perfect for our lunchboxes throughout the week. Just make sure you get the very best ingredients - organic, where possible - and the flavour will out.

Carrot Fritters [#249]

These are a cross between a Nigel Slater and a Bill Granger recipe, so I suppose they count for the challenge? Essentially, grated carrot, grated onion (a good-sized one in each case) mixed with an egg, a heaped tablespoon of flour, and a little milk it it is all too stiff. You should have a mixture that coheres, yet plops gently off a spoon if tapped. You now have some seasoning options: I added a finely chopped green chilli, mainly as I had one in the house and wanted to add a bit of 'poke' to proceedings. I crumbled in a little feta too, which is the Bill way, but Nigel suggests grated cheddar. Not too much, an ounce or two. Season well with pepper and some salt if the cheese isn't included. A herb is needed - I used coriander, but parsley would be nice too, as would some mint.

Now, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a non-stick pan, spoon tablepoons of batter into the pan, and flatten a little. Cook for a couple of minutes each side, drain on kitchen paper and serve with Greek yoghurt into which you've stirred some sweet chilli sauce, more of your chosen herb, and perhaps some chopped or grated cucumber. Lovely with a green salad and some roast tomatoes for a hearty veggie supper and enough for 2.

Cooking note: these are quite fragile, so don't worry if they break up when you turn them over, just squidge them back together again. I placed them on a parchment lined baking sheet and finished cooking in a hot oven for 10 minutes - this helped them firm up and also allowed some of the oil they inevitably absorb to come out.

Bean Shoot Salad with Coriander and Mint [#169]

This salad was super-quick to knock up with the remains of a packet of beanshoots from Saturday's stir-fry. Mixed with matchsticks of carrot, spring onion and cucumber, it was tossed with a dressing of soy, lime juice and sesame oil. I remembered the mint but forgot the coriander - doh! Still, Hubby says it was a very nice lunch, accompanied by strips of the Sticky Chicken Thighs left over from Saturday. No official online presence for this recipe, I'm afraid..........