Sexy Veggie
Who needs meat when you've got these around?
I don't.
Cheeky tarts
Creamy mushroom tart? Or sparky tomato? Make both.
Method
1. Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7.
2. Slap butter in pan. Chuck mushrooms and garlic in. Fry gently with more butter if needed. Add wine. Bubble to evaporate.
3. Add herbs, soy, cream and seasoning. Remove from heat.
4. On a floured board roll half pastry into a rectangle 23 x 15 cm/9 x 6 in. Repeat with second bit.
5. Lay pastry bases on two lightly greased baking trays. With a sharp knife and without cutting through, run a line down the long sides only, about 2 1/2 cm/1 in from the edges to puff up during cooking. Don't cut a line at the short sides. Prick the inner part of each tart with a fork.
6. Lay the mushroom mix inside one tart.
7. Spread the inside of the other with a layer of tapenade or tomato purée. Cover with cherry tomatoes rolled in oil, olives, basil, blobs of goats' cheese, bits of onion. Bake for 15 minutes.
For 4-6
375 g/13 oz pack butter
puff pastry, defrosted
Mushroom bit
225 g/8 oz button or chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp white wine
Few leaves rosemary or tarragon, chopped
Few drops soy sauce
1 tbsp cream
Salt and black pepper
Tomato bit
350 g/12 oz cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
1 tbsp tapenade or sun-dried tomato purée
Few black olives
Bit of goats' cheese
Slices of red onion
Basil leaves
375 g/13 oz pack butter
puff pastry, defrosted
Mushroom bit
225 g/8 oz button or chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp white wine
Few leaves rosemary or tarragon, chopped
Few drops soy sauce
1 tbsp cream
Salt and black pepper
Tomato bit
350 g/12 oz cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
1 tbsp tapenade or sun-dried tomato purée
Few black olives
Bit of goats' cheese
Slices of red onion
Basil leaves
Bubbling baked eggplant
Saves time if you've got a stash of tomato sauce in your freezer or fridge. Or make from fresh - you've got ages.
Method
1. Preheat oven to 220°C/420°F/gas 7.
2. Drizzle olive oil over large baking tray.
3. Slice aubergines in 5 mm/1/4 in circles.
4. Drizzle with bit more oil. Scatter basil over.
5. Bake for 10 minutes (or you can griddle them).
6. Prep tomato sauce and heat.
7. Grease a shallow baking or gratin dish with tiny bit of oil. Cover with thin layer of tomato sauce, sprinkle little cheese, layer of aubergines, seasoning, cheese.
8. Repeat till used up. Finish with layer of cheese, use more cheese if needed to cover aubergines.
9. Bake for 10 minutes or till hot and top bubbling.
For 4
2 large aubergines
1 x quantity tomato sauce or 1 jar passata
Fresh basil leaves, torn
225 g/8 oz grated Parmesan or Cheddar
Eat with:
Garlic bread and salad
2 large aubergines
1 x quantity tomato sauce or 1 jar passata
Fresh basil leaves, torn
225 g/8 oz grated Parmesan or Cheddar
Eat with:
Garlic bread and salad
