River Cottage Goes Vegetarian!

River Cottage Veg Everyday

I love Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, but rarely watch his tv programmes because they’re just so meaty!  Well the good news for us veggie foodies is that for his new series, Hugh decided to go vegetarian for 6 weeks.  As well as being a self-sufficiency guru turned restaurant owner and celebrity chef, Hugh is also a passionate campaigner on food issues.  He now believes that we need to eat much less meat for the good of our own health, the welfare of animals and the future of the planet.  He even has the chefs at his restaurant trying to persuade the dining public to choose vegetarian main courses over meaty ones!

Well, of course we agree with that.  I’m also impressed with the recipe ideas in the programme, which look pretty good!  The recipes from the show are available over at the Channel 4 website.  This week’s Baby Beetroot Tarte Tatin looks like a winner, and if you make it with frozen pastry, it couldn’t be simpler!

Baby Beetroot Tarte Tatin
By HughFearnley-Whittingstall from River Cottage Veg

Baby Beetroot Tarte Tatin

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 25g butter
• 500g baby beetroot (no bigger than a
  golfball), scrubbed
• 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black
  pepper

For
the rough puff pastry

• 400g plain flour
• 200g cold, unsalted butter, cut into
  small cubes
• Pinch of salt
• Iced water

For
the vinaigrette

• Green tops from a few spring onions,
  finely chopped
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 5 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Method

1. Heat the oil and butter in a frying
   pan large enough for all the beetroot to sit snugly, add the beetroot and toss
   to coat in the oil and butter. Add the sugar and vinegar, season and taste,
   adjusting the vinegar and sugar if necessary.
2. Cover the pan with foil and place in
   an oven preheated to 190°C/gas mark 5 for approximately 30-40 minutes or until
   the beetroot are tender.
3. For the pastry, mix the flour with
   the salt and add the cubed butter. Add enough water to bring the mixture
   together into a fairly firm dough. On a floured surface shape the pastry into a
   rectangle. Roll out the pastry until it’s approximately 1cm thick. Fold the
   pastry into thirds, by taking the end furthest away from you towards you and
   then the end closest to you on top of that, you should again have a rectangle.
   Turn the pastry a quarter turn and repeat the rolling and folding a further
   five times. Wrap the pastry in cling film and rest in the fridge for 30
   minutes.
4. When the beetroot are cooked remove
   from the oven and arrange the beets neatly in the pan. Roll out the pastry and
   cut a circle a little larger than the pan. Carefully place the pastry over the
   beetroot tucking the excess pastry into the pan. Return to the oven and cook
   for 20-25 minutes until golden and puffed up.
5. Make the vinaigrette by placing all
   the ingredients in a clean jam jar and give it a good shake.
6. When the tart is ready remove from
   the oven and leave to rest for a few minutes.
7. To serve place a large plate over the
   pan and carefully, but quickly, turn upside down, remove the pan and pour over
   the vinaigrette.

 

Yummy Gluten-free Corn Fritters

Well, we lost that hot weather very quickly and the cold is now beginning to nip at fingers and toes, as I suppose it should at this time of year.  So how about these indulgent bites, which are quick and simple to rustle up and work for just about any meal or snack time you care to think of – try them for breakfast with maple syrup, yum!  They’re also gluten free and can easily be vegan.

Yummy Gluten-Free Corn Fritters

2 tblsp cooked, mashed potato
2 tblsp gluten-free flour (I used Doves Farm white flour)
2 tblsp yoghurt (or vegan yoghurt)
2 tblsp frozen sweetcorn
Small amount of milk (or non-dairy milk), just enough to bind
Hot oil for shallow frying

Mix all the ingredients well, and use just enough milk to make a dough which is wet, but not runny like batter.  Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot.  Make the fritters by placing a tablespoon of the mixture into the oil, and cooking them one or two at a time depending on the size of the pan.  Cook until browned then flip the fritter and cook the other side.

Perfect on their own, or make a meal of them with broad beans in a spicy tomato sauce.