Although this time of year produces fewer crops, and tasty delights to experiment with, no doubt your Brassicas will still be in abundance. Adding cauliflower to a curry, or sprouts with your roast is all well and good but if you’re running out of ideas here’s a few more recipes to liven up winter vegetables that are, sometimes, made redundant after the Christmas roast.
Crunchy Cauliflower Cheese Fritters
Ingredients:
- Cauliflower (350g)
- 100g Plain Flour
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- Parsley
- Cheese of choice-250g in total, soft cheeses like feta work well
- 4 eggs beaten
- 100g of Chopped almonds
Equipment:
- Frying pan with heated oil or a griddle
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Bowl
- Saucepan
- Fish slice, to flip your fritters
- Parchment
- Baking tray
Method
Boil a saucepan of water and roughly chop up your cauliflower. Once the water is boiling add the cauliflower and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and then place the cauliflower back into the saucepan on a low heat to dry off for a few minutes.
Next create the batter: Put flour, salt, pepper and the eggs into a bowl and beat. Stir in the cheeses almonds and chopped parsley and finally the cauliflower. Put your oven onto a low heat at this stage or alternatively use you barbeque.
Then, get you frying pan or griddle with the oil on and heat for a few minutes. Spoon the mixture into small rounds about 10cm and fry for about 5minutes then flip over until both sides are golden in colour and leave for another 3-5minutes to crisp up.
Finally transfer your fritters to a baking tray lined with parchment, then place in the oven to keep warm. This needs to be done because you will be cooking the fritters in batches. Once all your fritters are made there ready to serve and work well with dips and salsas.
Sprout Kebabs
Ingredients:
- 350g of Brussels sprouts (Roughly four per skewer)
- 1 pack of thick bacon (10 rashers) or a pack of bacon lardoons
- 2 large red onions, alternatively use white onion or leek for a milder taste
- 25g unsalted butter
- 8 medium sized mushrooms
- Salt and Pepper to season
Equipment:
- Pastry brush
- Deep baking/roasting tray and thin baking trays
- Ramekin t melt your butter
- Bowls
- Teaspoon
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Wooden or metal BBQ Skewers
Method:
Firstly, if using a pack of bacon, remove the fat and cut the bacon into centre metre squares. Gently fry off in a pan, with a little oil and seasoning, for about 5-10mins until the bacon is cooked. Set aside.
Cut up your onion into squares, again around a centre metre, and place in a tray with a little oil. If using a leek cut into strips, or rounds for a desirable appearance. Roast for a few minutes at 180 degrees or Gas mark ¾, this allows the onion to crisps slightly. If using a leek roast for a shorter time than the onion.
Whist the onion is in the oven wash, clean and remove the outer leaves of your sprouts and place a cross in the back of them, then submerge in a pan full of hot water for a few minutes. To keep their colour immediately tip into a bowl of cold water, they will be reheated later. Set aside.
Cut up your mushrooms by slicing into thin pieces that will with stand going threw the skewer. Ideally use mushrooms that have been in your fridge for a week or so, the older and wrinkly mushrooms have a far better, more pungent woodland taste.
Melt your butter, and season is, in the microwave. If your butter has already been chilled it should only take 20-30seconds in the microwave. Set aside, with a pastry brush at the ready, to thicken up slightly.
Remove the onion from the oven, this should become softer and slightly crisp, set aside to cool slightly so that you can handle it for placing on the skewers.
Next, you need to start arranging your vegetables and the bacon on the skewers. If your bacon is very greasy you can pat it dry slightly with a tea towel, then taking a piece start placing it along the skewer and alternate this with the onion, Brussels sprouts and mushrooms.
Once you are satisfied that your skewers are full to the ends with vegetables, and that everything seems to be holding its place, brush with the seasoned butter.
Place your skewers on a tray, or grill pan with a tray sitting under it. If you're really in the barbeque mood, and can’t wait to use your barbeque, you can place them on it. Now replace back to the oven/ barbeque for about 3-4 4minutes. They should not take long because most of the vegetables have been previously cooked.
Remove from the oven and lift the skewers onto a non-plastic plate and they are ready to serve.
For an extra hit of flavour, you could sprinkle over fresh sage.
No comments:
Post a Comment