Now that the heat has kicked in, we may want to eat lighter meals. Vegetable dishes are thus ideal. Here are a few recipes featuring veggies as the main ingredients.
Roasted vegetable bake
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 aubergines, cubed
2 red peppers, thickly sliced
350g butternut squash, sliced
Olive oil spray
1 tsp cumin or fennel seeds
1 fist full of basil, chopped
680g tomato passata
260g spinach, roughly chopped
125g mozzarella, drained and diced
2 tbsps grated Parmiggiano Reggiano
Crusty bread to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 220˚C, gas mark 7. Place the aubergines, peppers and butternut squash in a large roasting tray so they sit in a single layer. Spray with olive oil, sprinkle with seeds and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice until the vegetables are just tender and the aubergines are lightly browned.
Meanwhile, place the passata, spinach and basil together in a pan and heat gently, stirring until the spinach has wilted.
Layer the vegetables and passata mixture into a large ovenproof serving dish, scattering with cubes of mozzarella as you go. Sprinkle the top with Parmiggiano and bake for 15 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned. Serve warm with crusty bread to mop up all the sauce.
Patatas bravas
Serves 4
Ingredients
750g baby potatoes, halved
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
190g chorizo, halved
300g tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
Squeeze of lemon juice
25g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Leafy salad to serve
Method
Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling water for 15 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat the oil and cook the onion for five minutes until softened.
Drain the potatoes and add to the pan with the chorizo and cook for a further 10 minutes until the potatoes start to brown.
Add the tomatoes, chilli and paprika and cook for five more minutes until the tomatoes are softened and pulpy.
Stir in a squeeze of lemon juice and the chopped parsley and serve with a leafy salad.
Pepper, feta and tomato chutney tart
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 red peppers, deseeded and thickly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
320g pack puff pastry sheet
½ x 250g jar tomato and chilli chutney
250g pack cherry tomatoes, halved
200g pack Greek feta, crumbled
1 tbsp coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Green leaf salad, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 220˚C, gas mark 7. Toss the peppers with the olive oil, transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until softened.
Meanwhile, open out the pastry and place on a baking sheet. Prick the pastry lightly with a fork then spread the chutney over the surface.
Arrange the roasted peppers and cherry tomatoes on top, then scatter over the crumbled feta.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until puffed and golden.
Scatter over the chopped coriander, cut into rectangles and serve warm with a leafy salad.
Recipes and photos courtesy of Waitrose. Waitrose products are available at Arkadia in St Julian’s and Victoria.