BOSH!. Henry Firth
and finely slice the onions and garlic. Cut the peppers in half, cut out the stems and seeds and slice into thin strips. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Finely chop the spinach leaves and capers and chop the courgettes into bite-sized chunks. Halve the olives and tomatoes. Put all the vegetables into the lasagne dish and season all over with salt and pepper. Pour over the oil and passata and stir to ensure all the vegetables are covered. Cover the dish with foil and put it in the oven to roast for 30 minutes.
Take the dish out of the oven, remove the foil, stir everything and put the dish back in the oven for a further 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil the kettle and pour the boiling water into a large pan on a high heat. Add the pasta and a big pinch of salt and cook until al dente, following the instructions on the packet. Drain the cooked pasta through a colander and tip it back into the pan.
Take the lasagne dish out of the oven, stir in the basil leaves and pour your freshly roasted veggie sauce over the pasta. Stir so that it’s well mixed, serve and enjoy!
Pad Thai.
In Thailand, pad Thai was a regular lunch for us (and the perfect remedy for a Thai-bucket-induced hangover). It varies everywhere you go, but typically includes the artful placement of fresh lime, peanuts and spring onions around the bowl. We like to replicate this and serve it with chilli flakes, sweet chilli sauce and sriracha.
SERVES 4.
140g extra-firm tofu.
1 tbsp cornflour.
4 tbsp vegetable oil.
200g flat dried rice noodles.
½ onion.
2 garlic cloves.
1 fresh red chilli.
1 carrot.
splash of water.
100g beansprouts.
3 limes.
4 tbsp soy sauce.
2 spring onions.
8 tbsp unsalted peanuts.
1 tbsp chilli flakes, to serve.
sweet chilli sauce, to serve, optional.
sriracha sauce, to serve, optional.
FOR THE DRESSING.
1 tbsp palm sugar (or any sugar).
2 tbsp tamarind paste.
1 tbsp chilli sauce.
Tofu press or 2 clean tea towels and a weight such as a heavy book. Wok.
Press the tofu using a tofu press or place it between two clean tea towels, lay it on a plate and put a weight on top. Leave for at least half an hour to drain any liquid and firm up before you start cooking.
In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the dressing.
Take half the tofu and cut it into 1cm cubes (save the other half for another time). Sift over the cornflour and turn the tofu to coat all over.
Put the wok on a high heat and pour in 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the tofu and immediately reduce the heat to medium. Stir gently, without breaking up the tofu, until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
Boil a kettle. Put the noodles in a bowl, cover them with the hot water and leave for about 3 minutes, until they’re flexible but not cooked (check the packet instructions to make sure you don’t fully cook them). Drain and run under cold water. Set aside.
Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Rip the stem from the chilli and chop, removing the seeds if you prefer a milder flavour. Trim the carrot and cut into matchsticks.
Put the wok back on a high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion, garlic and chilli and cook, stirring regularly, for 1–2 minutes. Add the carrot and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Add the noodles, dressing and a splash of water. Fry for a few minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Return the tofu to the wok with the beansprouts. Cut 1 lime in half and squeeze in the juice, catching any pips in your other hand. Add the soy sauce. Stir-fry until the vegetables are slightly soft but still crunchy. Remove from the heat. Taste and add soy or chilli sauce if needed.
Slice the green part of the spring onions into long, thin strips. Break up the peanuts. Cut the remaining limes into wedges.
Divide the pad Thai between bowls with piles of sliced onion, peanuts, lime wedges and chilli flakes. Serve with sweet chilli sauce or sriracha on the side, if using.
Portobello Mushroom Burgers.
The herbs are absolutely delicious in this dish and perfectly complement the earthy, rustic flavour of the portobello mushrooms. You could make these with pitta bread if you want a healthier option, then fill the bread with as many veggies as you see fit.
SERVES 4.
8 portobello mushrooms (about 325g).
4 garlic cloves.
6 sprigs fresh thyme.
3 sprigs fresh rosemary.
4 tsp olive oil.
4 tsp balsamic glaze.
4 good-quality burger buns.
1 beef tomato.
1 baby gem lettuce.
½ small red onion.
4 tbsp ketchup.
4 tbsp vegan mayonnaise.
salt and black pepper.
Preheat oven to 200°C or heat the BBQ. Cut 8 squares of foil big enough to wrap your mushrooms. Baking sheet.
Lay the mushrooms out on a clean surface with the stalks pointing up. Peel and mince the garlic and spread it evenly over the mushrooms. Remove the leaves from the herbs by running your thumb and forefinger from the top to the base of the stems (the leaves should easily come away), then finely chop and sprinkle evenly over the mushrooms.
Drizzle each mushroom with olive oil and balsamic glaze and lightly season with salt and pepper. Wrap each mushroom in a square of foil and place them on the baking sheet or on the hot BBQ. Put the tray in the oven, if using, and cook for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the burger buns in half. Slice the tomato, separate the lettuce leaves and peel and thinly slice the onion. Drizzle some ketchup over the base of each bun and vegan mayo over the tops.
Take the mushrooms out of the oven or off the BBQ. Carefully remove the foil (watch out for steam) and place 2 mushrooms on each bun base. Add the tomato slices, a couple of lettuce leaves and a few slices of onion, put the tops on and enjoy.
Crispy Chilli Tofu.
This is our take on one of our favourite Chinese takeaway dishes. It’s spicy, full of umami flavour, sticky, gooey and incredibly moreish. Often when you buy this kind of dish it’s filled with MSG, but ours is much healthier, with a base of orange juice and sweet chilli sauce adding the main sweet tang. Serve with Perfectly Boiled Rice or Special Fried Rice.
SERVES