Lentil pie

Credit for this recipe goes to the talented Amy Hall who kindly responded to my ‘What do you do with lentils’ question. Amy is currently studying a PG diploma in Magazine Journalism, and you can read her blog about grassroots campaigns and community projects in Cardiff here.

Many thanks to Tom Rouse who embarked upon this lentil adventure with me.

Lentil Pie

8ish Potatoes
1 onion chopped
Frozen peas (optional)
2 cloves of garlic
Herbs of your choice – we used parsley, basil, a bit of coriander
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
Butter, cheese and milk for the mash
2 carrots

1 Pepper

200g red split lentils
Ground black pepper

We added some Quorn mince too

 

This is a really wholesome dish – it’s so warming and hearty. Perfect for

wintery Cardiff nights

- Tom Rouse

1. Peel and chop potatoes. Boil them until soft.

2. Weigh lentils and rinse with cold water. Put in a saucepan and bring to boil (follow directions on packet)

3. Start frying onions and garlic, when they have started to soften add carrots, peppers and Quorn mince. While you’re doing this, preheat the oven – I did about 180 degrees

4. Add herbs (and add the peas, if you’re using them)

5. Add chopped tomatoes and black pepper

6. When potatoes are soft, mash and add milk, butter and cheese to taste.

7. When everything is cooked mix everything apart from potato together. Don’t worry if some things cook before others as they will be heated again.

* This is where Tom and I deviated from the recipe due to my lack of suitable oven dish.

8. Put into a dish and add mash on top in an even layer.

9. Put in oven until everything is warm through and there is enough crispyness for your liking on top

What do you do with lentils…

1. “

   Cod and lentils: This Mediterranean dish by Omar Allibhoy is an interesting way to serve fish with a spicy kick bit.ly/sYo59H

   World recipes

   November 25, 2011 7:24:12 AM EST

   ReplyRetweet
2. “

   @sarah_powell have a look in here! bit.ly/dBKbN4 my favorite lentil dish!

   Michael Joseph

   November 25, 2011 8:39:14 AM EST

   ReplyRetweet
3. “

   @sarah_powell lentil and bacon soup? Or is that too boring :\

   Cylch – Wales CRN

   November 25, 2011 8:39:27 AM EST

   ReplyRetweet
4. “

   @sarah_powell Kaali Daal.

   Dr Tom Crick

   November 25, 2011 8:39:46 AM EST

   ReplyRetweet
5. “

   @sarah_powell you are welcome! serving tip, have it with boiled rice or tortilas!! #heaven

   Michael Joseph

   November 25, 2011 8:41:25 AM EST

   ReplyRetweet
6. “

   @sarah_powell sadly no, my nans is very much chuck things in a pot but I will have a search – in the mean time bbcgoodfood.com/search.do?…

   Cylch – Wales CRN

   November 25, 2011 8:42:32 AM EST

   ReplyRetweet
7. “

   @sarah_powell lentil pie with peas, onion, courgette, tomatoes, herbs and mashed potato top….mmmmmm

   Amy Hall

   November 25, 2011 8:44:42 AM EST

   ReplyRetweet
8. “

   @amyrhall @sarah_powell Oh my, lentil pie sounds ace. I sometimes put them in cottage pie for added awesomeness.

   James Chapple

   November 25, 2011 8:45:31 AM EST

   ReplyRetweet
9. “

   @sarah_powell One of my favourite recipes is a root vegetable and lentil curry. I’ll dig it out and send it to you. So yummy and so low-cal!

   Rebecca Saunders

   November 25, 2011 8:48:39 AM EST

   ReplyRetweet
10. “

    @sarah_powell lentils with a christmas twist?! nigella.com/recipes/view/l…

    Cylch – Wales CRN

    November 25, 2011 8:58:41 AM EST

    ReplyRetweet
11. “

    @sarah_powell cool, I like making Dhansak with lentils

    Sam Knight

    November 25, 2011 9:07:13 AM EST

    ReplyRetweet
12. “

    @sarah_powell Sweet potato and lentil curry – It’s on our menu and v. tasty

    Juno Lounge Cardiff

    November 25, 2011 9:07:52 AM EST

    ReplyRetweet

The festive vegetarian

Christmas in Cardiff is one of the best things – winter wonderland is in full swing, the fairy lights are up, and all of the Cardiff restaurants are taking their festive bookings…

But for vegetarians, the latter can only mean one thing – the nut roast.

Ah yes, that dear friend.

There’s no denying that it’s a tasty alternative to turkey, but when you’re served it at every single social occasion it can feel a little unoriginal.

But it appears that most restaurants struggle to serve anything different, which I find somewhat surprising, given the fantastic range of eateries in Cardiff and the number of deliciously festive vegetarian recipes, which are enough to inspire any chef.

So, I am making it my quest to find out how restaurants in Cardiff are catering for vegetarians this Christmas. Who is sticking to the tried and tested nut roast, and who dares to attempt something a little different?

I’ll be trawling the restaurants of Cardiff (oh, how I suffer for my blog!) to find out how they are catering for vegetarians during the festive season.

I am also planning to get a few willing meat-eaters involved in my investigation to see how the vegetarian Christmas dinner matches up to the traditional turkey and trimmings. If you’re interested in being forced to eat with me getting involved, I would love to hear from you.

 

In the meantime, however, I thought I should include a recipe link to my favourite Christmas nut roast – just so you can get practicing for the festive season… Enjoy.

Rose Elliot's White Nut Roast

 

 

Easy cheesy lentils

My stepmum has been following the lentil blog, and kindly contributed a recipe for me to share with you. This dish is cheap, nourishing, and very easy to make – what more could you want?

*This dish thwarted all attempts to take an appetizing photograph… so here’s some lentils instead.

 

To serve 4 people, you will need: 

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 tbsp Olive Oil

- 1 garlic clove, crushed

- 225g split red lentils

-  700ml water

- 125g grated mature cheddar cheese

- Salt and pepper

 

Here’s what you do…

1) Fry the onion in a large saucepan for 10 minutes.

2) Add the garlic, lentils and water – bring to the boil, cover, turn down the heat and cook gently for 15-20 minutes (until the lentils are pale and soft).

3) Beat in the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper.

4) I like to serve mine with ketchup and a salad.

 

 

Shopping for wholefoods in Cardiff

Here’s my top five places to buy veggie food in Cardiff.

1) Spice of Life - Inverness Place

Spice of Life is another of Cardiff’s hidden gems. Tucked away on a side street off Albany Road, you’ll find a treasure trove of interesting foods. There’s an extensive range of dried herbs and spices, and the price is really quite excellent.

2) Beanfreaks – St. Mary’s Street

This is one of the best places to go for pulses and nuts. There’s so many different types of lentils – I was in my element, as you can imagine. There’s a wide variety of seeds, grains and herbs – and there’s a big focus on organic here. Again, the prices are reasonable, and I always find myself leaving with more than I bargained for.

3) Zem Zem - Wyeverne Road

The first thing to hit you when you walk in to Zem Zem, is the delicious scent of bread and exotic spices. You’ll find a vast range of ingredients you never before thought of using – from strange vegetables to tinned dolma – this place is utterly unusual, and a haven for bargain hunters.

4) Pulse Wholefoods – The King’s Road

Pulse Wholefoods stocks a wide range of organic fruit, vegetables and, to my glee, wines! It’s a great place to go for 100% natural and cruelty free cleaning products. It also caters for people requiring wheat/gluten free, sugar, dairy and GM free, macrobiotic, vegan & organic foods.

5) Riverside Farmer’s Market - Fitzhamon Embankment

Quite possibly one of the best places to go for vegetarian food. The market prides itself on locally sourced, organic food – and there’s so much choice! Words don’t really do this place justice – but it is definitely worth visiting for some delicious and healthy food.

View Larger Map

Milgi Lounge – City Road

For those of you who haven’t yet been to Milgi, I urge you to drop whatever you are doing and go there *right now*.

Since I first moved to Cardiff, I’d heard Milgi was an absolute haven for vegetarians, but it wasn’t until I graduated and moved across the border into Roath that I truly appreciated the brilliance of this place.

With its vibrant décor and its extensive menu which is continually changing to accommodate seasonal foods, Milgi really is the vegetarian diamond in the rough of City Road’s numerous food outlets.

As soon as you walk in, you can tell that there’s something different about it. The air is thick with music you’ve never heard of, interesting conversation and the heady scent of incense. The small room, full of eclectic furniture and quirky ornaments is reminiscent of your grandma’s living room – and yet there’s something so *right* about it. The room, the décor, and to a certain extent, the ‘Milgi crowd’ all combine to create a sense of pure eccentricity, and you can’t help but fall madly in love with it.

And of course, this is before we get started on the food…

Milgi’s tagline is:

Recipes from around the world. Food from around the corner.

And I think that this perfectly sums up what Milgi’s food is about.

Milgi prides itself on its ethos of serving locally sourced, seasonal and organic vegetarian food, and so you can probably guess that I was in my element.

The menu is constantly changing to make use of the different foods in season. So as well as being able to have your old favourites (I’m told the Bean Burger is worth adding to this list) you’re also encouraged to try something new.

For the sake of the blog, my dining partner encouraged me to pick something that I wouldn’t be able to make at home. Given Milgi’s varied menu and my limited cooking skills, this wasn’t hard.

After careful deliberation I opted for the chickpea and aubergine curry, which was served in what I can only describe as a unique stackable *bucket, with cinnamon rice and a beetroot and carrot salad. Despite my constant fear of making the ‘wrong choice’ on a menu, this time I was so so right. The curry was deliciously spiced, while the tangy beetroot and carrot salad provided a perfect accompaniment.

My partner ignored his own advice and went for the veggie sausage and mustard mash, which I can assure you was equally delicious.

If you’re not feeling the vegetarian vibe, then it’s worth checking out the fantastic range of cocktails on offer too. With one of the most extensive cocktail lists in Cardiff, you’re sure to find something to tempt you. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous you should try the Pear and Cardamon Daiquiri, or perhaps the Marmalade Collins…

For its delicious food and wonderful atmosphere, I have to admit that I am completely in love with Milgi. Its vegetarian ethos combined with the quaint and eccentric surroundings are sure to create a night that you won’t forget.

* I think it was actually a tiffin tin.

Butternut Squash Risotto

After my Butternut Squash spree yesterday, I’ve been thinking of delicious things to do with them. Risotto is a really wholesome and simple recipe, and so I thought I’d give it a go. I owe this delicious recipe to Simon Lucey.

You will need:

- 1 large onion

- Butternut Squash

- A red pepper

- Mushrooms

- 1 litre of Vegetable stock

- 400g arborio rice

- White wine

- Salt and Pepper (plus I added an array of spices including chili and paprika)

 

1 ) Cube the butternut squash and roast in the oven with a little oil and chili.

2 ) Meanwhile, chop your onion, leek and peppers.

3 ) While the butternut squash is cooking, soften the onion, leek, pepper and mushroom over a medium heat with a little oil.

4 ) When the vegetables have softened add the rice and turn up the heat.

5 ) The rice will begin to fry lightly – when it starts to look translucent add some wine.

6 ) When the wine has absorbed add a the vegetable stock *one ladle at a time* (you can also add salt and pepper to taste here).

7 ) Turn the heat down so it’s simmering and keep adding ladles of stock. Wait for it to be absorbed until you add the next one. This should take about 15 minutes.

8 ) Taste the rice. If it’s not cooked keep adding stock.

9 ) When the rice is done, stir in your roasted butternut squash and serve immediately – with a little cheese. Delicious.

Useful tips:

Simon suggested roasting the Butternut Squash seeds and using them as a garnish.

Imogen Barrer suggests blending half of the roasted squash and adding it to the mixture to create a really nice flavour.

The season’d chef

We’re all told about the benefits of eating seasonal produce. Whether or not you’re bothered about the whole issue of co2 emissions associated with transporting foods out of season, you can’t deny that fruit and veg does taste better when it’s eaten in season.

Maybe it’s all in my mind, but strawberries are so much nicer during the summer. And swede really is delicious when it’s part of my winter stew.

The logic prevails.

Of course, the only instance in which this isn’t the case, is the Brussel Sprout, which tastes appalling whether it’s served on the Christmas dinner plate or months after the season… but nevermind.

What got me thinking about this whole concept of seasonal food was a visit to a Halloween fair at Cardiff University. Alongside delicious cupcakes and fairtrade goodies, a stall was giving away free pumpkin soup. Now, I’ve never tried pumpkin soup before – and I must confess that it wasn’t entirely to my taste (although my companion said that it was delicious) but it did make me think about the way we associate certain foods with different seasons. Halloween wouldn’t be Halloween without the quintessential pumpkin, would it?

After finding this useful website, I decided to make myself more aware of the different fruits and vegetables in season at certain times of the year. Since it’s now the beginning of November, there are some lovely things in season which I will attempt to incorporate into my mealtimes.

In honour of this, I went out and bought these from a little fruit and vegetable stall on Crwys Road:

I’ll be posting some Butternut Squash recipes in the coming weeks, once I’ve had time to make them – watch this space.