Here are some recipes that N1 WI members have used recently, along with some suggestions for vegan substitutions.
These recipes are for using up odds and ends of vegetables, so the quantities depend on
what you have.
Bean and vegetable soup
Ingredients:
Onion – finely chopped
Garlic – crushed or finely chopped
Mixed dried herbs
Chilli (if you like it) – either dried or fresh, chopped finely
Whatever vegetables you want to use up, chopped to about 1 cm pieces or, for cabbage,
shredded.
Cannelini or haricot beans – dried, soaked and cooked or tinned and drained
Vegetable stock
Odds and ends of dried pasta, broken into small pieces (if you want to make it more filling).
Oil
Method:
Cook the onion slowly in the oil until it caramelises (turning soft and golden brown), adding
water a teaspoonful at a time if needed to stop it sticking.
Add the dried herbs and, if using, chilli and garlic.
Add the slower cooking vegetables such as potato, carrots or peppers and cook until slightly
softened, stirring frequently.
Add vegetable stock to cover and give the ratio of vegetables to liquid you want.
Bring up to simmering point. If there are no potatoes in it and you want to add more
carbohydrate, add broken up pasta at this point. Simmer gently with the lid on.
When any pasta or harder vegetables are nearly ready, add the cooked beans and any fast-
cooking vegetables (such as shredded cabbage or spinach). If you are using fresh herbs, add
them now, finely chopped.
Season to taste.
Mixed vegetable pasta
Ingredients:
Onion – finely chopped
Chilli (if you like it) – either dried or fresh, chopped finely
Whatever vegetables you want to use up, chopped to comfortable mouthful size (be guided
by the pasta – for penne larger pieces are fine, for spaghetti smaller pieces are easier to eat)
or, for leafy vegetables, shredded.
About 50 – 75g dried pasta per person (depends on how hungry you are, how much
vegetable mixture will be with it)
Oil.
Method:
Soften the onion in a little oil, then add the chilli and slower cooking vegetables.
While they're cooking, cook the pasta as usual, keeping the lid on the pan and the water just
gently simmering – stir occasionally to make sure it cooks evenly. (Unless you have an
induction hob, a kettle is more efficient than a saucepan for bringing it to the boil initially.)
Add fast-cooking vegetables such as chopped tomatoes or shredded leafy vegetables to the
vegetable pan a couple of minutes before the pasta is ready. Season to taste.
When cooked, drain the pasta and mix in the vegetables.
Vegetable pilaf
Ingredients:
Onion – finely chopped
Mixed vegetables, finely chopped or, for leafy vegetables, shredded.
Chilli, garlic and/or dried herbs of your choice.
Long grain rice – about 50 – 75g per person (depends on how hungry you are, how much
vegetable mixture will be with it)
Oil.
Method:
Soften the onion in a little oil, then add the chilli, garlic and/or dried herbs.
While they are cooking, wash the rice in cold water.
Once the onion is softened, add the rice and vegetables apart from any leafy greens, and stir
for a couple of minutes.
And water to about 1 cm above rice and vegetables, plus salt if using, cover the pan and
bring it to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Check, and if cooked remove from the heat and stand, still covered, for about 5 minutes
before serving.
Click below for a PDF of vegan substitutions.