i think i’ve sussed it. the key to a successful vegetarian shepherd’s pie is to let the lentil stew cook for a lot longer than you’d think. the texture and flavor will resemble a meaty version so accurately that your non-vegetarian friends will never guess! and this comes from actual experience.

before:

after:

vegetarian shepherd’s pie

serves 4; adapted from a bbc good food recipe

the particulars:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 3/4 cup vegetable stock
• 2 cups green lentils, cooked
• 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp goat’s butter
• 3/4 cup mature goat’s cheddar, grated

1. in a large saucepan or casserole dish, heat the oil, then add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened.
2. add the carrots and garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes. reserve a tiny bit of the thyme for sprinkling on top, and put the rest into the pan with the veg. saute for 1 more minute.
3. pour in the veg stock, wine, and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. add the lentils, then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils have started to break down.
5. meanwhile, boil the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes until tender, then drain and mash with the butter. add salt and pepper to taste.
6. prepare the pie in a casserole dish with the lentil mixture on the bottom, followed by the sweet potato mash spread across the top. sprinkle the grated cheese over the sweet potatoes, and finish with the remaining chopped thyme on top. at this point you can cover and chill the pie for 2 days or freeze it for up to a month!
7. bake in a preheated oven (375F / gas mark 5) for 20 minutes (40 minutes from chilled), or until golden and bubbling. serve with purple sprouting broccoli.

lately, i’ve been getting some great meal inspiration from the guardian’s food and drink section. they usually have some wonderful recipes from the likes of nigel slater and hugh fearnley-whittingstall, but this feature article struck my eye: what meat substitutes taste like. we’ve always got some quorn products in this household, as phil pretty much grew up on the stuff and loves it. however, it’s packed with egg, dairy, and soy protein, making it not a great option for us both. but this article reminded about how great linda mccartney sausages are! as far as meat substitutes go, this is topnotch. unfortunately, they do contain gluten, so they’re not great for a celiac or gluten-intolerant person. but, on occasion, they work well when combined with lots of fresh vegetables or for a traditionalist, some mash and gravy.

the other night for dinner, when the temperature inexplicably dropped to see-my-breath levels, i incorporated some chopped up mccartney sausages with sweet potatoes, onions, and apples. the resulting baked casserole was a tad on the dry side, but tasted just like fall. this is a really hearty and wholesome meal, and can be enjoyed with any kind of sausage you like.

this winter, i certainly prepared my fair share of casseroles, chilis, and soups. but since yesterday marked the first day of spring, i thought i’d make one last one before retiring them for a while (at least until the next freezing day that inevitably occurs once or twice before summer hits).

for an engagement gift, my grandma bought us a beautiful new le creuset casserole dish – a small one, the perfect size for two people, in a pretty blue color. but it proved just too small for last night’s casserole, forcing me to use my trusty (and gigantic) bright red one instead.

this recipe for butternut squash casserole from bbc good food was recommended to me by a friend – and it turned out to be pretty tasty. it reminded me of a simpler and milder version of the spicy vegan chili i made last year (since it uses bulgar wheat and simmers away for a while), but if i had more time i would have cooked it for longer, letting the sweet potato and butternut squash pieces soften even more and start to disintegrate. i also have changed a couple of things from the original recipe – mostly amounts (and not garnishing with cheese and yogurt of course – although phil grated some cheddar for his bowl).

so here we go! and i’ve got a huge tupperware container with leftovers in the fridge, so that’s my lunches for the next couple of days!

butternut squash casserole

serves 4 or more

the particulars:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 pint vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup bulghar wheat

1. in a large pan or casserole dish, heat the olive oil, then cook onion and garlic for 5-7 mins until the onion is softened. add the cumin seeds and paprika, then cook for a further 2 mins. stir in the sweet potato, red pepper and butternut squash and toss with the onion and spices for 2 mins.
2. pour in the tomatoes, red wine and vegetable stock, season, then simmer gently for 15 mins. stir in the bulghar wheat, cover with a lid, then simmer for 15 mins more until the vegetables are tender, the bulghar wheat is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed. if you have the time, leave it to simmer for longer (stirring occasionally) to really incorporate all of the ingredients and to bring out the flavors more.
3. serve in bowls topped with a spoonful of yogurt and some grated vegetarian cheddar (optional).

dinner last night was all vegan and pure healthful bliss. but the best part? it didn’t FEEL like it was just veggies and grains on my plate. it was filling and so sweet that it felt like dessert.

and if it comes from hugh fearnley-whittingstall then you know it has to be decent. (i love him)

this recipe for roasted squash has been sitting in my recipe notebook for a little while, and when i found a KABOCHA at my local fruit and veg shop last week, i knew it was time. thank the food blogs of the world for turning my attention to this pretty little squash. seriously though, if you like sweet potato, you’ll LOVE kabocha.

i served up the squash with some brown basmati wild rice mixture and some steamed baby greens. lush.

roast squash with chili, garlic and rosemary

using kabocha based on this hugh f-w recipe. just look at those plates o’ goodness!

roast squash with chili, garlic and rosemary

• 1 kabocha squash (you could also use butternut, acorn, or any type of squash or pumpkin)
• 6 garlic cloves, skin on, lightly squashed
• few sprigs of rosemary
• 1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
• 4 tbsp rapeseed/canola oil
• 1 handful chopped walnuts
• juice of 1/2 lemon

1. preheat the oven to 350f. slice the squash into quarters and deseed it, scooping out the seeds with a spoon. leave the skin on if you like. cut into wedges or chunks and put them in a roasting tin. add the garlic, rosemary, chili, and lots of salt and pepper. drizzle half the oil on top and toss together.
2. roast in the oven for 45-55 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the squash is completely soft and starting to caramelise.
3. scatter the nuts over the roasted squash, add the lemon juice, and drizzle the remaining oil on top before serving.

lesson learned: kabocha is very dry and unlike any other squash i’ve had before. it tastes so sweet, like sweet potato but with a dryer, flakier consistency. it seemed to absorb the flavours of the chili and garlic and rosemary so well though. a definite thumbs up.

november is a wonderful month to be in england. it may be a bit chilly, a bit rainy, but there are plenty of ways to warm up with some lovely traditions.

i remember guy fawkes night as a kid, my whole town gathering in a local field to build a huge bonfire and light fireworks in the chilly november air. to americans who have no clue about bonfire night, it’s sort of like the 4th of july but it’s cold and instead of hot dogs and watermelon, there’s mulled wine and toffee apples.

thursday night brought a crowd of about 40,000 people to clapham common for their annual fireworks display – it went on for 30 minutes! we were freezing our little boots off, but it was worth it to ooh and ahh like a child again. we even got the chance to play with sparklers after the ceremonies.

another tradition in the colder months is to make shepherd’s pie, in all its meat-and-potatoes glory. i decided recently that i wanted to make a vegan version that didn’t involve lentils or soy mince. thankfully, waitrose has a vegetarian recipe, and with a few tweaks i created something hearty and delicious just in time for winter. almost all the ingredients were bought at our local farmer’s market, i’m proud to say

vegan shepherd’s pie with double potato mash

this will fill a large casserole dish and last for days with yummy leftovers to reheat.

the particulars:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 1 courgette, chopped
• 2 cups close-cup mushrooms, chopped
• 200ml red wine
• 2 rosemary stalks
• 1 tsp sage
• 1/2 jar of passata
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 5 small potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks

1. preheat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5. heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. stir in the carrots and parsnips, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. add the courgette and mushrooms, and cook for another 2 minutes to warm through.
2. pour in the red wine, add the rosemary and simmer for 2-3 minutes until reduced by half. stir in the passata and beans. cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish.
3. meanwhile, cook all the potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes until tender. drain and mash, season to taste, then spoon it over the vegetable mixture. cook for 20 minutes in the oven. serve, remembering to remove the rosemary stalks as they emerge!

lesson learned: a property of the best shepherd’s pie is the crispy top of the mashed potatoes. you don’t get this consistency when you use sweet potato. however, the flavours are fantastic and worth the lack of crunch.

when you’re having friends over for dinner the night before they run a half-marathon, there’s only one thing you can serve them: pasta with a side of carbs. i had picked up some delicious fresh spelt ziti at our local farmer’s market in the morning, and just needed to find a good pasta bake recipe in which to use it.

i found this pasta bake on utterly recipes and tweaked it (naturally) to create the beautiful display of carbs and cheese you see below.

baked ziti with basil

fresh basil leaves are vital in this dish — it added something that a dash of dried stuff wouldn’t. this feeds 4 people, 2 of them being hungry runners.

the particulars:

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 50g mushrooms, sliced
• 10 vine tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• basil leaves, torn
• 1 pack of spelt ziti
• 2 small mounds of soft goat’s cheese, sliced
• 1/3 block of goat’s cheddar, grated

1. soften the onion and garlic in some olive oil.
2. add the mushrooms, pepper, and tomatoes and fry for 10-15 minutes until softened. add the tomato paste and continue to simmer.
3. preheat the oven to gas mark 4 (325F).
4. boil the pasta per directions in another pan (about 15 minutes).
5. place half the vegetables in the bottom of a large casserole dish. place half the pasta on top.
6. add half the soft goat’s cheese and half the basil on top of the pasta.
7. repeat this until there are no ingredients left. top it with the grated goat’s cheese and some freshly ground black pepper.
8. place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

lesson learned: make more tomato sauce than you think you need. fresh tomatoes were nice, but sometimes it’s just easier to use a can or two of chopped.

every summer of my childhood growing up in the uk was spent on the spanish island of majorca with my family. my grandparents had a place near puerto andratx with stunning views of the sea and the harbour, and we had the greatest time discovering different beaches, talking walks in the mountains, or wandering around the sleepy town. i have the fondest of memories attached to that place and hope to return one day soon, especially now that i’m living in the uk again!

for now, i can only try and replicate little parts of my experiences in majorca, like this dish. typically, it’s served as a side to meat, but tonight phil and i had it as our main dish with some salad. think of it as a sort of spanish ratatouille.

cheesy tumbet

this takes a full hour to get just right, so don’t expect a quick and easy meal (like i do). the recipe below is based on this one from waitrose.

the particulars:

• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 aubergine (eggplant), sliced
• 1 red pepper, halved, deseeded, and sliced
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
• grated goat’s cheese

1. preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. in a pan combine the chopped tomatoes, oregano, garlic and 1 tsp of the oil, season and simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally.
2. meanwhile, toss the aubergine/eggplant, pepper and onion in the remaining oil and season. arrange over the base of a roasting tin and cook in the oven for 10 minutes. in a casserole dish, layer up the roasted vegetables with the sliced potatoes and tomato sauce, seasoning each layer. finish with a layer of potatoes, and then tomato sauce. cover with kitchen foil.
3. bake for 45–50 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the top is golden, removing the kitchen foil half way through cooking and add the grated cheese to the top. leave to stand for 5 minutes for the flavours to settle before serving.

lesson learned: the potatoes weren’t the greatest since they hadn’t been par-boiled beforehand. that may be the secret to a better tumbet.