Greenfeast Read online

  • Broccoli, Brussels tops, Brussels sprouts and kale are all perfectly acceptable in place of the cauliflower. The pasta is interchangeable too, but it’s worth choosing one that will hold a little puddle of sauce, such as casarecce, anelli, cavatelli or ditalini. I suggest you avoid the larger varieties of penne, which is rather like eating pieces of rubber tubing.

  PARSNIPS, CASHEWS, SPICES

  Sweet roots. Soft spice. Crunchy nuts.

  Serves 2

  parsnips 500g

  onions, medium 2

  garlic 2 cloves

  groundnut oil 4 tablespoons

  ground turmeric 2 teaspoons

  ground cumin 2 teaspoons

  ground coriander 2 teaspoons

  curry powder 2 teaspoons

  coconut milk 1 × 400g can

  young spinach 200g

  roasted cashews 75g

  a red chilli, mild

  Peel the parsnips and cut them into large pieces. Peel and roughly chop the onions. Peel and finely chop the garlic.

  Warm the oil in a large, deep saucepan, add the parsnips and onions and sauté for about fifteen to twenty minutes till lightly coloured, stirring regularly, then add the garlic. Fry briefly, then sprinkle in the ground spices and curry powder and continue cooking for a minute or two till fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk, bring to the boil then lower the heat.

  Wash the spinach, then put the still-wet leaves into a saucepan and cover tightly with a lid. Cook over a high heat for a minute or two till the leaves wilt. Remove from the pan and squeeze dry. In a blender, process the spinach leaves with the cashews and the chilli and stir into the curry. Check the seasoning and serve.

  • Much earthy sweetness here. The chilli adds a kick but not so much as to mask the dish’s soothing qualities.

  • I do think rice is called for here and quite plain rice too. Salt, lemon zest and maybe some chopped coriander is all the seasoning it requires.

  PEARL BARLEY, KALE, GOAT’S CHEESE

  Nutty grains, melting cheese, tender greens.

  Serves 2

  vegetable stock 800ml

  pearl barley 200g

  smoked garlic 1 head

  curly kale 150g

  olive oil 4 tablespoons

  goat’s cheese 200g

  Heat the stock in a deep pan and tip in the pearl barley. Cut the smoked garlic in half horizontally, slicing through the skin and cloves, drop into the stock and simmer for 35 minutes till the barley is tender.

  Cut the stems from the kale, setting the leaves aside. Roughly chop the stems. Pile the leaves on top of each other and finely shred into ribbons. Remove the smoked garlic, scoop out the flesh with a knife and crush to a paste. Discard the skins. (Any cloves that have fallen in the barley during cooking can be left in.)

  Heat the olive oil in a large, shallow pan, add the chopped kale stems and cook for a few minutes till tender and bright. Stir in the crushed smoked garlic, then add the shredded kale leaves. Sizzle for a couple of minutes then fold into the pearl barley, together with the crumbled goat’s cheese.

  • I have suggested kale because of its stridency against the soft, smoky grain, but almost any brassica is applicable here.

  • Mozzarella would add strings of cheesy joy to the barley, as would Fontina.

  • I like the nutty quality of pearl barley but this recipe could also be made with orzo pasta for a softer consistency.

  POLENTA, GARLIC, MUSHROOMS

  Soupy, starchy, nannying. Food to soothe and strengthen.

  Serves 2–3

  vegetable stock 1 litre

  coarse polenta (bramata) 150g

  butter 80g

  double cream 250g

  grated Parmesan 100g

  For the mushrooms:

  large field mushrooms 2

  chestnut mushrooms 150g

  olive oil 5 tablespoons

  butter 80g

  garlic 3 cloves

  parsley, chopped 2 heaped tablespoons

  chopped sage leaves 4

  Bring the stock to the boil in a deep-sided, heavy-based saucepan. As the stock starts to boil, rain in the polenta, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring, making sure to get deep into the corners of the pan. Continue cooking, turning the heat down a little, for forty minutes, stirring almost constantly.

  Cut all the mushrooms into slices about 1cm thick. Warm the oil in a large frying pan, then add 80g of butter. When the oil starts to fizz, add the mushrooms. You may find it easier to do this in two batches. Cook the mushrooms until soft and honey-coloured, turning them once during cooking, then remove them to a dish using kitchen tongs. Don’t wash the frying pan just yet.

  Stir the remaining 80g of butter, the cream and the Parmesan into the polenta, then pour in enough boiling water to give a soft texture that will fall easily from the spoon. Peel and finely slice the garlic, then add to the frying pan used for the mushrooms, letting it brown lightly in the leftover butter. Return the mushrooms briefly to the pan, add the chopped parsley and sage and make sure everything is hot.

  Spoon the polenta into a serving dish, add the mushrooms and garlic and serve.

  • Of the two main sorts of polenta, I like to use the coarse (bramata) here. The finer version will work, but the consistency is less satisfying and produces a thinner result.

  • You can omit the sage leaves if you wish – it is hardly the most useful herb to have in the house – but I often add just a few of them to polenta and, sometimes, to mashed potato.

  POLENTA, THYME, TALEGGIO

  Crunchy carbs. Melting Taleggio.

  Enough for 3–4

  coarse polenta (bramata) 125g

  thyme leaves 1 teaspoon

  oil, for deep frying

  crème fraîche 4 tablespoons

  Taleggio 150g

  Bring 750ml of water to the boil in a heavy-based, deep-sided pot and salt generously. Add the polenta in a continuous stream, then lower the heat and stir regularly for thirty minutes until you have a thick porridge. Stir in the thyme. Scoop the polenta into a loaf tin, approximately 20 × 12cm, lined with clingfilm, smooth the surface and wrap the film over the top. Leave for an hour or so to cool.

  Unwrap the polenta and turn out onto a chopping board or plate. Break into about twenty-four pieces, each one about 30–35g in weight. The rougher the break the more interesting the texture will be when they are fried.

  Heat the oil to 180°C in a deep pan. Lower the pieces of polenta into the hot oil, one or two at a time, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Let the polenta cook for five or six minutes, turning from time to time, then removing with a draining spoon as soon as they are crisp and golden. Place on kitchen paper.

  Warm the crème fraîche in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the cheese (cut into small pieces) and let it melt. Stir gently.

  Serve the crisp pieces of polenta with the Taleggio cream.

  • A crisp salad on the side. Curls of frisée crisped in iced water; white chicory and watercress would be my preference.

  RICE, BROCCOLI, PAK CHOI

  The calmness of rice. The vibrancy of greens.

  Serves 2

  white basmati rice 125g

  cloves 4

  bay leaves 2

  green cardamom pods 6

  whole black peppercorns 8

  pak choi 100g

  spring onions 3

  Tenderstem broccoli 200g

  olive oil 2 tablespoons

  five-spice powder 1 teaspoon

  nigella seeds 2 teaspoons

  toasted sesame oil 2 teaspoons

  soy sauce to taste

  Put the basmati in a mixing bowl, cover with warm water and run your fingers through it, until the water becomes cloudy. Repeat twice, by which time the water should be almost clear. Put the rice into a small lidded saucepan, pour in enough water to cover it by 3cm, then add the cloves, bay, green cardamoms lightly cracked, the whole peppercorns and a half teaspoon of salt.
/>   Bring to the boil, then cover tightly with a lid and lower the heat so the steam barely lifts the lid. Leave to cook for ten minutes, then take off the heat and set aside without removing the lid.

  Finely shred the pak choi and the spring onions. Cut the broccoli into small pieces. Warm the oil in a shallow pan that doesn’t stick and add the pak choi, spring onions and the Tenderstem, frying till bright green and tender. Stir in the five-spice powder, nigella and the sesame oil then fluff the rice up with a fork and fold into the greens.

  Spoon the rice and greens onto plates or dishes, then trickle with a little soy sauce.

  • There is an almost endless list of greens you could use in place of the broccoli, such as shredded Brussels sprouts, cavolo nero, Savoy cabbage or kale.

  • This is a useful way to use leftover steamed rice. Heat the rice gently and thoroughly in a wide frying pan.

  RICE, LEMON, LIME

  Warm rice. A whiff of citrus.

  Enough for 4 as an accompaniment

  white basmati rice 250g

  green cardamom pods 12

  black peppercorns 10

  bay leaves 2

  cloves 4

  lime leaves 6

  a lime

  a lemon

  a small orange

  Tip the rice into a large, wide bowl, cover with warm water and move the grains around with your hand until the water turns milky. Drain off the water, then fill the bowl with more warm water and repeat. Do this a total of three times or until the water is almost clear. Tip the drained rice into a medium-sized saucepan.

  Lightly crack the cardamom pods and add to the rice together with the whole black peppercorns, the bay leaves, cloves and lime leaves. Grind in a half teaspoon of sea salt and pour in enough water to cover the grains by 2cm. Bring the water to the boil, then lower the heat and cover with a tight lid. Allow the rice to putter away for ten minutes, then remove from the heat and leave for ten minutes, lid in place.

  Finely grate the zest from the lime, lemon and orange, making sure not to include any white pith. Remove the lid from the rice, run the tines of a fork through the grains to separate them, then fold in the grated citrus zest and a generous grinding of black pepper.

  • Sometimes, all that is required is a bowl of plain rice. This is often lunch for me, with a cup of miso soup. I should mention that it also makes a pleasing accompaniment to almost anything.

  SWEET POTATO, COCONUT MILK, CASHEWS

  Sweet and milky, with deep spice notes. Food to warm the soul.

  Serves 4 with roti or rice

  sweet potatoes 600g

  small, waxy potatoes 400g

  sunflower oil 2 tablespoons

  green cardamom pods 15

  cumin seeds 2 teaspoons

  ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon

  ground coriander 2 teaspoons

  garlic 4 cloves

  small, hot red chillies 4

  lemon grass 2 stalks

  ginger 35g

  a lime

  groundnut oil 2 tablespoons

  cashews 75g

  coconut milk 400ml

  coriander leaves a handful

  Peel the sweet potatoes and wipe the waxy ones, then cut each into 2cm dice. Warm the oil in a shallow pan, then lightly brown the vegetables. They should be tender.

  Crack the cardamom pods and remove the seeds, then put them in a spice mill or coffee grinder with the cumin, ground cinnamon and ground coriander and grind everything to a powder.

  Peel the garlic, roughly chop the chillies, finely slice the lemon grass and peel the ginger and grate coarsely. Finely grate the zest from the lime and squeeze the juice. Put all into the bowl of a food processor together with the ground spices, groundnut oil and cashews. Process to a thick paste.

  Put four tablespoons of the paste in a non-stick frying pan and cook over a moderate heat for two or three minutes till fragrant and slightly darker in colour. Stir constantly to prevent it sticking. Stir in the coconut milk and coriander leaves and simmer for three to four minutes, stirring almost constantly.

  Divide the vegetables between four plates and spoon over some of the sauce.

  • This is a massaman-style curry, with the crunch of cashews. I marginally prefer soft, warm naan to rice to scoop this up, but either will do the trick. I really think it is worth warming the bread; in fact I would suggest it is essential. Cold naan is a friend to no one.

  • Curries such as this can be made with other vegetables too. I particularly like to use plump chestnut mushrooms cut into quarters before sautéing, perhaps mixed with halved Brussels sprouts.

  TAGLIATELLE, DILL, MUSHROOMS

  Autumn mushrooms, ribbons of pasta, a breath of aniseed.

  Serves 2

  dill 25g

  grated Parmesan 125g

  double cream 250g

  king oyster mushrooms 200g

  brown Shimeji or other small mushrooms 150g

  chanterelles or other ‘wild’ mushrooms 30g

  butter 30g

  olive oil 3 tablespoons

  tagliatelle or fettucine 250g

  In a blender or food processor, reduce the dill and Parmesan to fine crumbs. Tip into a saucepan, add the cream and bring gently to the boil, stirring until the cheese melts. Cover with a lid, remove from the heat and set aside.

  Slice the oyster mushrooms into pieces the thickness of a pound coin. Clean and trim the other mushrooms. Melt the butter in the oil in a shallow pan over a moderate heat. Sauté the king oyster mushrooms for three or four minutes till tender, then add the remaining mushrooms and cook for three minutes or so.

  Bring a deep pan of water to the boil, salt generously, then add the pasta and let it cook till al dente. Drain, return to the pan, then fold in the cream, herb and cheese mixture, followed by the cooked mushrooms. Divide between plates.

  • Use whatever mushrooms you have to hand. Chestnut, even little brown buttons, will work well enough.

  TOMATO, CHILLIES, UDON

  Fruity, frugal and a little fiery.

  Serves 2

  cherry tomatoes 500g

  garlic 4 cloves

  a large red chilli

  groundnut oil 3 tablespoons

  udon noodles 250g

  rice vinegar 1 tablespoon

  mirin 2 teaspoons

  coriander leaves a handful

  Heat the overhead (or oven) grill to high. Halve the cherry tomatoes, peel and thinly slice the garlic, cut the chilli into very thin rounds. Put the tomatoes, garlic and chilli into a shallow roasting tin, then toss with the groundnut oil. Let the tomatoes cook under the grill till some of the skins have blackened.

  Bring a deep pan of water to the boil and salt it generously. Lower the noodles into the water and let them boil for three or four minutes, or according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the noodles as soon as they are tender.

  Crush the tomatoes with a fork or vegetable masher, then stir in the rice vinegar, mirin and coriander, toss with the noodles and serve in shallow bowls.

  • Letting the tomato skins blacken under the grill lends a smoky note to the sauce.

  • I sometimes stir a little chilli paste into this too, usually the tearfully hot Korean gochujang.

  Sometimes we need pudding. A crisp crusted tart, a slice of warm cake or crumble-topped fruit.

  Pudding can be as straightforward as a disc of shortbread, its surface studded with crushed hazelnuts, spread generously with cream and sliced blood oranges. You could finish your dinner with meringue, crushed and stirred into whipped cream, the white depths trickled with bubbling mincemeat or a sauce of hot fruit preserves.

  Crumbles can be made with the usual butter, flour and sugar crust or with breadcrumbs, butter and syrup. That crust can shelter apples or damsons, and can take ground nuts or chips of dark chocolate. It can be served hot from the oven, or chilled for breakfast. (There is actually very little difference between muesli with stewed apple and an Apple Betty.)

  Some like to en
d their meal with chocolate. In which case a dish of chocolate pudding, almost liquid in texture, to eat with a teaspoon or scoop from the dish with crisp Italian biscuits may be just the thing. Others may go for broke with clusters of dried fruit held together with dark chocolate and ground pistachios.

  Most of my favourite sweet treats are fruit-based. Apples are roasted and crushed, then stirred through with toasted rye crumbs and dried fruit. Bananas baked with maple syrup and puff pastry. A salad of papaya marinated in the juice of passion fruits.

  There are a few that could be filed under cheating. (Whatever that means.) In particular, the idea of using ready-made cake in the style of a sponge pudding, served with a jug of cream or, better still, a ‘custard’ of cream and crushed cardamoms.

  I will eat ice cream whatever the weather, but once the evenings draw in I am likely to serve it with melted chocolate or a glass of sherry. Then there are the confections – meringue with cream, crushed biscuits or nougat or macaroons to scatter over the frost-cold surface. Whatever the weather, there must almost always be pudding.

  APPLES, CINNAMON, PUFF PASTRY

  Warm spice. Crisp pastry.

  Makes 12

  sharp ‘cooking’ apples 750g

  mixed spice 2 teaspoons

  ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon

  marzipan 250g

  puff pastry 325g

  a little beaten egg

  a little ginger syrup or honey