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A vegetable treat lightens a dreary winter evening
How about this wonderful old-fashioned winter warmer dish?
I HAVE just come back from the bracing winds of Norfolk, which has well and truly blown away last year’s cobwebs.
Whilst striding across stubble fields with my dog I was entertained by huge tractors and trailers digging and sorting sugar beet and carrots in neighbouring fields which were then either driven off to a sugar refining factory or to a packing plant to prepare for consumption.
It was a fast and skilled operation working from 6.30am to 6.30pm with the largest trailers I have even seen. It really showed the hard labour that goes into getting fresh vegetables into our shops especially in these winter months.
I certainly feel that I have overdosed on meat in the past few weeks so here are two vegetable recipes that will not only give us carnivores a break but also please my vegetarian readers who are always hoping for more veggie recipes.
Jeruslem Artichoke Pancakes
When chatting in my shop about root vegetable recipes, James, one of my chefs, mentioned Jerusalem artichokes, which I have to admit I often forget about. They can be devils to peel but you can now buy larger roots that are not so knobbly so look around and pick carefully. This is a good starter or supper dish. Serve with chunky bread.
Serves 4
Four small beetroots, raw.
350g of potatoes, the mashing type.
350g of Jerusalem
artichokes.
75g of flour.
75ml of single cream.
Four eggs, separated.
One dessertspoon of Dijon mustard.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
A little oil.
Four handfuls of
salad leaves.
Some French dressing.
Four slices of goats cheese.
Method
Cut the tops off the beetroot and then wash well. Boil in salted water for about half an hour depending on size and then leave to cool. Peel and chop the potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes and again boil in salted water until soft, about 20 minutes. Cut the potatoes small so that they take the same time to cook. Drain well and then mash.
In a bowl, mix the flour, cream, egg yolks, mustard and seasoning with a whisk and then add to the mash. Whisk the egg whites till stiff and then fold into the mixture. Wipe a large heavy based frying pan with kitchen roll dipped in oil.
Heat the pan and then using a serving spoon, spoon in dollops of the mixture to make rounds about 12cm across.
Cook until brown, about three minutes, and then turn over and repeat on other side. Keep pancakes warm.
Peel the beetroots with your hands (should come off easily when rubbed) and then slice.
To serve, mix the leaves in a little French dressing.
Put a warm pancake on each plate, top with slices of beetroot, salad leaves and finally the goats cheese slices or if crumbly then crumble over the top.
Parsnip Casserole
This is a wonderful old-fashioned winter dish perfect to serve with a roast of meat or just as it is with a winter salad.
Serves 6
900g of parsnips, peeled and sliced thinly.
450g of tomatoes.
Olive oil.
85g of butter.
Two level tablespoons of brown sugar.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
200g of Gruyere cheese, grated.
250ml of double cream.
Four handfuls of white breadcrumbs.
One handful of fresh parsley, chopped.
Method
Preheat the oven 180C 375F Gas 4. Peel the tomatoes by plunging into boiling water for half a minute and then immersing in cold water. The skins should come off easily. Slice tomatoes (about six slices per tomato). Heat the oil in a large heavy based frying pan and fry the parsnips gently for five minutes.
Grease a two-pint casserole dish with half the butter and then place a layer of parsnips on the base. Sprinkle with a little sugar, salt and pepper and add a little cream then cover with a layer of sliced tomatoes.
Sprinkle with some cheese and then repeat until all ingredients are using up ending with cream and cheese. Mix the breadcrumbs and parsley together and then sprinkle over the top and dot over the remaining butter.
Cook in the oven for 45 minutes and serve hot.
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