THIS Cucumber and watercress soup is cheaper than putting on the heating on a chilly summer’s day.
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 large bunch watercress, well washed
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 large cucumber, sliced
1 pint vegetable stock or water
Fry the onions and garlic gently in the coconut oil for a few minutes until they are tender. Add the stalks of the watercress and the cucumber and turn in the oil for a minute or so, and then add the water or stock and allow the soup to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the watercress leaves for about half a minute, and then liquidise. Serve at once.
A warm salad for colder days:
mixed salad leaves
a few tomatoes
juice of half a lemon
a drizzle of olive oil
seasoning
goat’s cheese, crumbled
hazelnuts or walnuts, chopped
Wash the leaves, and cut the tomatoes into thin wedges. Put the salad into a gratin dish, and season it well with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Scatter the cheese over the salad and top with
the chopped nuts. Put the salad under a hot grill, making sure that the nuts don’t blacken. When they are just toasted, serve the salad at once.
Roasted cauliflower is having a new burst of popularity. I’m dubious about some of the recipes that I’ve seen for roasting what is, after all, a delicate flower. Try this Spicy cauliflower, which is somewhere between a curry and a casserole. It goes well with bread for a simple supper, or you can serve it with rice or new potatoes.
1 large cauliflower
1 head of broccoli
1 onion
4 tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon Harissa paste
sea salt and black pepper
fresh coriander leaves to garnish
Cook the rice or potatoes. Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into small florets. Peel and slice the onion, and fry it gently in the coconut oil, using a large frying pan with a lid large enough to hold all the vegetables. When the onion is tender, add the spices, and allow them all to warm together briefly.
Add the cauliflower and broccoli to the pan, stir them into the spices for a minute, and then add half a cup of water and a little seasoning. Cover and simmer the vegetables for about 10 minutes. Check the seasoning and consistency from time to time, adding a little more water and stirring if your vegetables are starting to burn.
Dice the tomatoes and add them to the pan with the Harissa paste. Stir them through, cover, and cook through for another 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender. Serve with a few fresh coriander leaves.
