Vegetable sides

Medley of Red Peppers, Red Onions and Tomatoes

Peel and chop a couple of medium sized red onions.  Wash, trim and chop a large red pepper and 2 or 3 big tomatoes.  Peel and crush a clove of garlic.  Fry them all together in a little olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper or (and I often do this) replace the salt with ½ a vegetable or chicken stock cube – this enhances the flavour whilst adding salt.  Cook until the onions and pepper are tender, stirring occasionally.  If the mixture dries up, add a little water.

Roast Honey and Mustard Parsnips

Ingredients:

• 1kg parsnips peeled and cut into thumb width batons
• 2 tsp English mustard powder
• 2 tabs plain flour
• 4 tabs oil
• 3 tsp runny honey
• Black Pepper and sea salt

Method:

1. Turn on oven 220^oC.  Put oil into a large  non stick pan and heat in oven
2. Boil the parsnips in a little salted water for 5 mins – drain well
3. Mix the flour, mustard and black pepper together
4. Toss the parsnips in the flour mix – shake off excess
5. Carefully put the parsnips into the hot oil  and turn them a few times
6. Roast for 30 minutes
7. Remove from roasting dish and drizzle over the honey – sprinkle with the sea salt

Peas and Sugar Snaps with lemon butter

Ingredients:

• 250g sugar snaps – washed and trimmed
• 250g frozen petit pois
• 50g butter
• 1 teaspoon of Zest of  lemon

Method:

1. Soften the butter and mix in the zest of lemon
2. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the sugar snaps – return to the boil and cook for 2 mins
3. Add the frozen peas and bring back to the boil
4. Remove and drain
5. Mix in the lemon butter and serve

Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts

Ingredients:

• 1kg small sprouts trimmed with a cross cut into the stalk
• 100g bacon rashers chopped into pieces
• 200g vacuum packed chestnuts – chopped
• 50g butter

Method:

1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the sprouts – bring back to the boil and cook for 5 mins.
2. Meanwhile, dry fry the bacon pieces until they are crisp.  Remove from pan and fry the chestnut pieces until they are slightly brown – remove them from the pan.
3. Add the drained sprouts and butter to the pan and sauté for 1-2 minutes until the sprouts are tender.
4. Tip in the bacon and the chestnuts and serve.

Creamy Carrots

Ingredients:

• 500g baby carrots
• Pinch salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons double cream
• pepper

Method:

1. Wash and trim carrots leaving a tuft of stalk
2. Put carrots into a saucepan with the salt and sugar and just cover with cold water
3. Bring to the boil, cover and turn down – cook until just tender abut 5 mins
4. Drain thoroughly
5. Return to the pan and add the cream
6. Gently heat through – add pepper to taste – serve