Vegetables For Lent

During these days of fasting for Lent, many kitchens across our townships turn out more meals with vegetables as the main course, which, in turn, means a more healthful diet.

Vegetables, of course, contain an abundance of essential vitamins, which are nutrients we have to get from food since our bodies can't produce them from scratch. And even though we only need tiny amounts, they are required for many of our body's vital functions. I won't go into each vitamin, but suffice to say that, in general, we can get all the vitamins we need by just eating a healthy and balanced diet.

The main question now is: fresh or frozen?

Of course, fresh is best, but as soon as vegetables are harvested their vitamin content starts to go down, so unless you're sure they are fresh it's better to use frozen, since the vitamins stay locked in at the time of freezing.  However, if you have the space, then growing your own in the garden gives so much more satisfaction.

This month I have made this lovely cheesy vegetable pie which is great on its own, or, in the summer, with a barbecue. The great thing about vegetable dishes is that they are so versatile and convenient, since you can make substitutions and always use your own combination of vegetables.

For 6 to 8 people you will need:

75g plain white flour
75g wholemeal flour
Salt
75 g butter
2 to 3 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 courgettes, sliced
1 carrot, grated
1 red pepper, chopped
2 mushrooms, sliced
50g frozen peas, defrosted
50g frozen sweet corn, defrosted
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
4 tomatoes, seeded, chopped and squeezed to get rid of excess liquid
75g cheese, grated
1 tbsp fresh coriander or parsley, chopped

1. Sift the flours and salt into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water, mixing until it comes together and forms a ball of dough. Knead on a board and cover in cling film and put into the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Melt the 2 tbsps. of butter in a large pan. Add the onions, garlic, celery and red peppers. Fry gently for 10 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.

3. Add the courgettes, carrots and mushrooms and cook until tender.

4. Add the peas and sweet corn, cooking for another five minutes.

5. Stir in the honey, mustard powder, salt, pepper and sage. Take off from the heat and leave to one side while you make the pastry case.

6. Roll out the pastry to fit a 20cm pie dish which has been greased with butter. Put the pastry into the dish and trim the edges. Prick the base with a fork and put into the oven and bake blind for 10 minutes.

7. Spoon the vegetable mixture into the crust. Put the chopped tomatoes on top and sprinkle the cheese and coriander or parsley.

8. Bake for 40 minutes until the cheese has melted and browned. Leave to stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.

 
COOKING TIPS

One potato, two potato, three potato…

If you love really fluffy mashed potatoes try adding a pinch of baking soda while you are mashing them and you will be really surprised how fluffy they turn out.

 Let raw potatoes stand in cold water for at least half an hour before frying to improve the crispness of french-fried potatoes, but make sure you dry thoroughly before frying.

Potatoes should be kept in a cool, dark place with good ventilation. The ideal storage temperature is 7 to 10 degrees C. At these temperatures, the potatoes will keep for several weeks.

ΣΥΜΒΟΥΛΕΣ ΜΑΓΕΙΡΙΚΗΣ

Μια πατάτα, δυο πατάτες, τρεις πατάτες…

 Αν πραγματικά αγαπάτε τον αφράτο πουρέ πατάτας, επιχειρήσετε να προσθέσετε μια πρέζα μαγειρικής σόδας κατά τη διάρκεια που τις λιώνετε και θα εκπλαγείτε από το πόσο αφράτος θα γίνει ο πουρές.

 Αφήσατε τις ωμές πατάτες μέσα σε κρύο νερό για πάνω από μισή ώρα, πριν τις τηγανίσετε, για να αναδείξουν την τραγανότητα τους αφού τηγανιστούν, όμως σιγουρευτείτε ότι τις έχετε στραγγίσει τέλεια, πριν τις τηγανίσετε.

 Οι πατάτες πρέπει να διατηρούνται σε δροσερό, σκοτεινό μέρος με καλό αερισμό. Η ιδανική θερμοκρασία αποθήκευσης, είναι από 7 έως 10 βαθμούς  Κελσίου. Σε αυτές τις θερμοκρασίες, οι πατάτες θα διατηρηθούν για μερικές βδομάδες.