There is a lot to be said for dealing with a glut of vegetables when they are bursting with flavour and at their best. Yes, it can be daunting and sometimes even overwhelming, but it can also be satisfying to cook tomatoes into sauce then freeze it in meal-sized portions, and pickles, preserves and ferments are brilliant when things are getting out of hand. However, mostly I’ll use vegetables fresh in a salad, bakes or a main with a large vegetable focus. Possibly this feeds into my tendency to over cater for any meal, but in my defence I would say that leftovers in the fridge make me very happy. There is nothing better than finding something to graze on during the day. Win-win.
You’ll notice that a lot of these recipes need time to soften, release moisture or flavour; perfect for this time of the year where you can do a little prep, go and attend to something else and resume when it fits your timeline.
TOMATOES TRY THESE…
TOMATO & MANGO KASUNDI
Heat a couple of tablespoons oil in a pan, add a sprig of curry leaves and 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds and cook for a minute until fragrant. Chop 1 large onion and add to the pan with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until soft, then add 3 cloves chopped garlic, 2 chopped red chillies, 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon turmeric and grate in a 3cm-piece ginger and fry for a minute. Add 6 chopped tomatoes (skinned if you wish), 1 ripe diced mango, ½ cup sugar, ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar and cook gently for around 30 minutes until thickened. Put into clean sterilised jars. Leave for a few weeks before opening. Makes approx 4 x 200g jars.
RAW TOMATO SAUCE FOR PASTA
Chop some tomatoes and put into a bowl with finely grated garlic, chopped soft herbs such as basil or marjoram, a dash of white or red wine vinegar and a really good glug of your best extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt then leave to steep for an hour. Toss through cooked pasta (spaghetti or tortellini are favourites of mine). Excellent as is or add some olives and capers. Also delicious topped with a fresh cheese like ricotta, stracciatella or mozzarella.
PAPPA AL POMODORO
Take a heel (roughly 150g) of good country-style bread that is a day or two past its best, tear roughly and toss with good olive oil. Either pan fry or toast in the oven until golden. Roughly chop 6 ripe tomatoes and blend half to a purée. Fry a couple of cloves chopped garlic in olive oil until lightly coloured and fragrant then add a small handful of basil leaves. Cook for a minute then add all the tomatoes, 1 cup water, toasted bread and a teaspoon sea salt and bring to a simmer. Cook slowly for at least 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and richly flavoured (add a little more water if the soup is too thick). Taste and if necessary add a little sugar if too acidic and salt if required. Leave to cool for a bit then add shredded basil leaves and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to serve.
ZUCCHINI TRY THESE…
ZUCCHINI SCARPACCIA
Thinly slice 4-5 zucchini (approx 700g) with a mandolin. Put into a colander over a bowl and mix with 2 teaspoons fine salt. Leave to sit for at least an hour. Wrap in a clean tea towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out but reserve the zucchini liquid. Measure out ½ cup zucchini liquid and mix with ¾ cup fine cornmeal flour and ½ cup rice flour. Add the zucchini and 20g parmesan, mix well, adding a little extra liquid if required so that the zucchini is just covered by the batter. Drizzle some oil on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, spread on the zucchini mix thinly either using your hands or topping with another piece of baking paper and using a rolling pin to spread the mix thinly (ideally no more than 5mm thick). Scatter over another 20g parmesan and bake at 200°C for 30-40 minutes until golden. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then cut into squares. Serve for lunch with a salad or as a snack with goat’s cheese and a slice of prosciutto.
ZUCCHINI, PRESERVED LEMON & FETA DIP& FETA DIP
Fry sliced zucchini with garlic, chilli flakes and some chopped preserved lemon, then cover and steam with a dash of water until tender. Mash or blitz to a chunky purée, adding crumbled feta and chopped mint, chives or basil. Add a little water if necessary. Great on crackers, smeared on bread or for dipping vegetables in.
CRISPLY FRIED ZUCCHINI WITH POMEGRANATE DRESSING & PINENUTS
Halve some zucchini lengthwise, sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes. While the zucchini drains, make the dressing by frying 2 sliced shallots in oil until tender then mix with some pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and olive oil (adding a little honey or maple syrup if you think it needs extra sweetness). Pat the zucchini dry with a clean tea towel. Lightly dust in flour (any type – I like to use rice flour for crispiness) then fry in a pan in batches until golden brown, but don’t overcrowd the pan. Put onto a platter, scatter over the dressing, along with toasted pinenuts, mint leaves and some capers.
CUCUMBER TRY THESE…
CHILLED CUCUMBER & AVOCADO SOUP
In a blender, blitz 1 chopped telegraph cucumber, 1 avocado, ½ cup thick Greek-style yoghurt, juice of ½ lemon and a handful mint leaves with ½-¾ cup cold water until smooth. If necessary loosen with extra water. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with ice in chilled bowls.
CUCUMBER, RADISH & FENNEL SALAD WITH HONEY, WALNUT & GREEN CHILLI DRESSING
Make a dressing by grinding 3 tablespoons walnuts in a small food processor or mortar and pestle. Mix with 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons runny honey, 3 tablespoons olive oil and ½ green chilli, finely chopped. Season with salt. Thinly slice cucumber, radishes and a fennel bulb, add the dressing and combine well. Add plenty of herbs such as dill, coriander or chives. Top with extra walnuts and crumbled feta.
AGUA FRESCA
For a refreshing summer drink blend ½ cucumber with a 3cm-piece ginger, a handful mint, zest and juice of 1 lime and 250ml water. Add maple syrup to taste and serve over ice.
PUMPKIN TRY THESE…
ROASTED PUMPKIN PASTA WITH MASCARPONE, PARMESAN & SAGE LEAVES
Roast cubes of pumpkin with a drizzle of oil, salt and chilli flakes until tender. Cook some pasta and while it cooks fry a few garlic cloves in oil then add a dollop of mascarpone (or sour cream, crème fraîche or cream) with some of the pasta cooking water. Add the pumpkin, zest and juice of some lemons and the pasta and toss well. Serve with sage leaves fried in some butter and freshly grated parmesan.
ROASTED PUMPKIN WEDGES WITH CHILLI BEAN SAUCE
Roast wedges of pumpkin with a drizzle each of oil and maple syrup and season with salt. While they cook, slice a few spring onions, mince some garlic and ginger and put into a heatproof bowl. Heat around ½ cup vegetable oil until shimmering then pour over the spring onion mix and leave to soften for at least 20 minutes. Combine some of the mix with some chilli bean sauce, a little rice vinegar and a dash of sesame oil. Drizzle over the pumpkin wedges. Keep the rest in the fridge for tossing through noodles.
PUMPKIN, GREENS & FETA GALETTE
Make a savoury pastry by using a food processor to blitz 240g flour with 120g butter and 40g grated parmesan or other hard cheese to a coarse crumb. Add a couple of tablespoons chopped herbs to the flour then add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 3-4 tablespoons iced water and blitz until the dough just comes together. Shape into a disc, wrap and chill for at least an hour. Cut approx 700g peeled pumpkin into thin slices, season and roast in a hot oven. Blanch, then squeeze dry and chop about 200g silverbeet, spinach, kale or other greens. Roll out the pastry on a sheet of baking paper to 3-4mm thickness. Finely grate 40g parmesan and set aside. Mix 100g crème fraîche with 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and smear over the base of the pastry leaving a gap 3-4cm from the edge. Scatter with half the parmesan then top with the greens and pumpkin. Fold over the edges, brush the edge with a tablespoon of cream, then scatter over the remaining parmesan. Bake for 30-40 minutes in a 200°C oven. Scatter over some crumbled feta, cut into to wedges and serve with a crisp green salad.
EGGPLANT TRY THESE…
EGGPLANT KATSU
Cut eggplant into slices lengthwise, sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes. Pat dry, dust with seasoned flour, dip into beaten egg then press into panko crumbs. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes. Shallow fry the eggplant on each side until golden, drain on paper towels and then serve with slaw, rice and tonkatsu sauce.
BLACK GARLIC BABA GANOUSH
Grill or bake whole eggplant until very soft. Scoop out the flesh and blitz with a few cloves black garlic, tahini, lemon juice, some ground cumin, olive oil and chopped parsley or coriander. Serve with pita chips and vegetables of your choice.
EGGPLANT WITH PULSES & DATES
Fry, bake or grill slices of eggplant and set aside. Fry an onion until soft then grate in 2 cloves garlic, a 3cm piece of ginger, ½ teaspoon each of ground cumin and coriander and 1 chopped chilli and cook for another minute. Add ½ cup green lentils, 2 cups vegetable stock and 2 tablespoons each of tamarind paste and date syrup (or use 4-5 chopped dried dates). Season with salt, add a drained can of chickpeas and the fried eggplant and cook for 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Stir through chopped parsley or coriander. Serve with a nutty rice pilaf or with flatbread and Greek yoghurt.
