Eating Greens

First Published Spring 2024

1st Edition

Publisher: The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament Design: Okay When

English Translations: Eurominds Linguistics, Kelly Dochy

Typeface: Roobert PRO, Newake Printing and Binding: Graphius Size: 210mm X 270mm

Paper: Cover - FSC-certified bleached sulphate cardboard 300g, Inside Pages - Recycled offset paper 140g

184 Pages

Recipes Photos: Lili / Le Green Studio assisted by Karen Hilmerson

Cover Photo: Christian Kaufmann

Stock Photos: Jiri Hubatka, Nina Firsova / Alamy Stock Photo

Photos of MEPs: Karen Hilmerson, Claudio Cutarelli, Jugaad Prod

© The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher.

Paul Henri Spaak Building Office PHS02C11

60, rue Wiertz

1047 Brussels, Belgium

www.greens-efa.eu

ISBN 978-92-990096-1-1

Printed in Belgium

We hope that this cookbook will not only bring joy and variety to your everyday cooking, but also inspire you to try something new and get creative in the kitchen. That’s a win-win situation for us, nature and a future worth living.

Have fun and bon appétit!

FOREWORD

Dear readers, dear gourmets,

What could be better than cooking with fresh, colourful ingredients and feasting on it with family and friends to your heart’s content? Cooking is not just a craft, but pure joie de vivre, sensual pleasure - and deeply political.

That is exactly why we have put together this delicious cookery book. It contains 50 favourite recipes from Greens/EFA Members of European Parliament and invites you to try them yourself. There are also practical tips on food waste and EU agricultural policy explained for everyone.

Today, global companies dominate the agricultural and food markets. They have created an industrialised food system geared towards producing as cheaply and uniformly as possible. But should we not ask ourselves who is actually filling our plates?

Because this has dramatic consequences for our environment and health. Whether it's factory farming that tortures animals or chemical pesticides that damage farmers, soil fertility and pollinators: We can see everywhere that things can no longer go on like this.

In the end, this system doesn't even provide what it is supposed to. Instead of healthy food, we find thousands of ultra-processed products in the supermarket. We are led to believe that there is variety, although in the end, convenience food consists mainly of salt, fat, industrial sugar and artificial additives.

The good news is that each and every one of us can make a conscious decision against this system. With fresh fruit and vegetables - there's an extra thumbs up for organic quality - and a more conscious consumption of animal proteins.

We hope that this cookbook will not only bring joy and variety to your everyday cooking, but also inspire you to try something new and get creative in the kitchen. That’s a win-win situation for us, nature and a future worth living. Have fun and bon appétit!

Sarah Wiener Benoît Biteau

Sarah Wiener and Benoît Biteau co-chair the food campaign of the Greens/EFA group

VEGAN

VEGETARIAN

MEAT FISH

CONTENTS SIDES AND BITES

MAIN DISHES

SIDES AND BITES

LENTIL SOUP WITH SMOKED TOFU

2-4 30' 30'-45'

Ingredients

250g brown lentils, dried

1 leek

100g celeriac

150g carrots

2 large potatoes

1 onion

200g smoked tofu

Sunflower oil

Salt Pepper Vinegar

Method

Jutta Paulus

Lentils are delicious, healthy and help us to protect our environment and the climate. They contain more protein than beef and also provide fiber, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. They are free from gluten and cholesterol. Replacing animal protein with vegetable protein significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Twenty times less greenhouse gases are emitted when growing lentils than when producing beef. Lentils can be grown almost anywhere in the world. They are soil-friendly as they absorb nitrogen from the air with the help of bacteria and therefore require no additional fertilizers. In addition, lentils are usually grown very extensively in a mixture with a secondary crop such as barley, oats or camelina. This leads to a very high level of biodiversity in the lentil fields. The flowers of the crops provide food for bumblebees, bees and other pollinators. If we all change our everyday behaviour, we can save our planet. Eating more lentils and other pulses is an easy way to protect the climate and biodiversity while enjoying delicious food. Incidentally, this recipe can also be cooked with other pulses. Enjoy your meal! Jutta

1 Using a pressure cooker, cook the lentils in a litre of water for 20 minutes.

2 Cut the leek into rings, dice the celeriac, carrots and potatoes, and peel and dice the onion. Put the vegetables aside and dice the smoked tofu.

3 Fry the tofu and vegetables in batches in a large (preferably cast iron) pan. Do not simmer too long, as the vegetables should remain al dente.

4 Mix the lentils, tofu and vegetables, stir well and add enough water to achieve the desired consistency.

5 Finally, season the soup with salt, pepper and vinegar.

Bronis Ropė

CHILLED BORSCHT

4 30' 15'

Ingredients

200g beetroot

100g cucumber

6 spring onions

2 eggs, hard-boiled

1.5L kefir (or 500ml thick natural yoghurt and 1L buttermilk)

1 bunch fresh dill

Juice of ½ lemon (If using cooked beetroot)

Salt

Accompaniment↘

200g potatoes, boiled

Method

1 First boil the beetroot, then leave to cool. You can also use precooked beetroot if you prefer. Cut the beetroot into thin strips, then slice the cucumbers and cut them into strips. Now slice the spring onion into 1cm-thick slices and chop the dill.

2 Pour the kefir into a large bowl and add the chopped ingredients. Save some of the dill to use as a garnish. If using cooked, non-marinated beetroot, I recommend adding a little lemon juice. Salt to taste.

3 Pour the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining dill. Halve the boiled eggs and place them on top of the soup. Alternatively, cut them into small pieces beforehand and add them to the soup before mixing all the ingredients together.

4 Boiled potatoes can be served as an accompaniment. These should be served on a separate plate to avoid warming the soup.

Bronis Ropė

A real culinary revolution is the ability to look into our past. To learn from it by celebrating the essence of locally produced, healthy, and exceptionally highquality food. Every bite tells a story of lands that surround us. Let’s taste it.

Hannah Neumann

Germany

PICKLED VEGETABLES

Or “salted vegetables” as my grandmother calls them

30'-40'

Ingredients

500g carrots

500g onions

500g celeriac

250g leek

250g parsley root (or parsnip)

500g sea salt (the ratio of salt to vegetables can be 1:5)

Method

1 Clean and slice the vegetables finely and mix with salt in a large bowl. Leave covered for two to three days, then stir the vegetables and put them into jars.

2 The pickled vegetables will keep for several months and can also be used as a salt substitute in many dishes. Try them and enjoy the taste of local vegetables all year round!

Hannah Neumann

I am delighted to share a recipe in this cookbook that has become a firm favourite in my family's kitchen. Pickled vegetables are a practical and delicious way to avoid food waste and use seasonal ingredients. It's also a great alternative to store-bought instant stock, which often contains artificial ingredients. We always have a jar in the fridge that we can use as a base for quick and easy soups, or to add flavour to other dishes. I love how versatile this recipe is and how creative my family and I can be with whatever vegetables we have on hand. Try it out and see for yourself how pickled vegetables can transform your cooking and reduce food waste at the same time!

Katrin Langensiepen Germany

MAHSHI WARAK ENAB

Stuffed vine leaves with lamb

8 40' 3h

Ingredients

400g short-grain rice

150g beef, minced

1 pinch saffran powder (or ground turmeric or paprika powder)

2 tbsp sunflower oil

Salt Pepper

150g vine leaves

1kg lamb

150g garlic

75ml lemon juice

Method

1 Begin by preparing the filling as follows: wash the shortgrain rice, boil for about 20 minutes and drain. Mix the cooked rice with the minced meat, then add some saffran powder and two tablespoons of oil, season with salt and pepper and knead.

2 Now it’s time to get rolling (it’s quicker if you do it with someone else): lay one vine leaf flat on your work surface with the stem side down and the veins in the leaf pointing upwards, then place a thin strip of filling horizontally along the bottom edge. Roll the leaf up as tightly as a parcel, folding the sides of the leaf in on the left- and right-hand sides. Do not overfill the rolls! The stuffed vine leaves should be narrow and the length of a finger.

3 Place the lamb, the unpeeled garlic and the stuffed vine leaves on top of each other in a large saucepan. Fill the saucepan with water and the lemon juice until everything is covered. Weigh down the stuffed vine leaves with a plate so that they do not move around. Briefly bring the water to the boil and then simmer with the lid on for two to three hours.

4 When done, drain off the cooking liquid. Arrange the stuffed vine leaves on plates first, place the meat on top of them and serve.

Katrin Langensiepen

Syrian cuisine has long been part of German food culture. Mashi Warak Inab (stuffed vine leaves) is one of the most popular main dishes here. Syria is particularly close to my heart. As a Green spokesperson on Foreign Affairs Committee, I am committed to helping refugees from Syria and the prosecution of war crimes against humanity by Assad regime, but also I have a lot to do with Syrians in Hannover in my private life. Eating together is always a highlight.

RIGHT TO (GOOD) FOOD!

How is it possible that Europe, so renowned for its gastronomy, allows so many of its inhabitants to go hungry? Something is not right in the kingdom of good food. With Italy, France and Spain alone, Europe has three of the most famous countries for their cuisine and food production. Yet 14 million of our fellow citizens receive food aid, without which they would be food insecure.

This major problem, which has already been exacerbated by COVID and the war in Ukraine, is clearly not just a European problem. In 2022, more than 740 million people on Earth did not have enough to eat. Moreover, the FAO predicts that by 2030, 600 million people will still be affected by hunger. In Africa and Asia, but also in America and Europe, people are going hungry.

The issue is not quantity: we produce enough to feed us all. The problem is access to food. Food insecurity is on the increase, and with it harmful changes to diets. The proportion of Europeans who say they do not have enough to eat has risen from 12% to 16% in five months, more than the 3% increase between 2016 and 2022. Students are now queuing up to eat! The facts are clear: our current food system does not nourish, and does not nourish well.

The reason for this anomaly is that food is now just another commodity. Like any other good or commodity, it is subject to the same imperatives of competitiveness and profit. As a result, the food price inflation that has been hitting Europeans since 2021 is above all caused by the margins made on their backs by the multinational agri-food companies: in two years, the margin rate of the agri-food industries in France has risen by 71%!

No one's access to food should be hindered by the vagaries of finance. Similarly, no farmer should have to become a trader every morning, tracking prices to find out how much he will make from his produce the following week.

Because food is first and foremost our health, our environment, a common good that should know no restrictions or privileges. A right that everyone should be able to enjoy throughout their lives. The irony is that this right already exists in a whole raft of international conventions that have been ratified by all European states for decades! Now how can this right finally be made effective?

The European Commission has just missed a golden opportunity: after years of work, it has bowed to pressure from the conservatives and liberals, and withdrawn its proposal for a regulation on sustainable food systems in autumn 2023. This could have been an opportunity to introduce concrete measures such as finally enshrining the right to food in European law, together with the right to a healthy environment and recognition of the rights of farmers and rural workers.

Europeans must be heard on the subject of their food, from production to marketing. This is why we are proposing the following three measures:

● Inclusion of the objective of ending food insecurity and the right to food in the European Union's social pillars.

● Setting up food councils, starting at European level, to establish a real food democracy, where local people, and not just multinationals, would have a say in the future of our food.

● The next European Commission should put the regulation on sustainable food systems on its agenda, so that Europe has legislation that is fair for its inhabitants and sustainable for its production!

PATRICIA CUFFE’S SODA BREAD

Ingredients

440g wheat flour (type 1050)

250g white flour (type 550)

1½ tbsp brown sugar

1½ tsp salt

1½ tsp baking soda/bicarbonate of soda (8g)

Handful of oat flakes

1 tbsp butter

340ml buttermilk

Method

1 First preheat the oven to 200°C.

2 Thoroughly blend the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour the buttermilk into a small well in the middle of the bowl, add the butter and mix everything together. Shape the dough into a large ball.

3 Lightly butter a baking tray and place the dough in the centre. The dough should form a rough oval shape. Draw a cross on the top of the dough with a knife. This allows the bread to be divided into four pieces once it has been baked – and, according to Irish legend, allows the fairies to escape during baking.

4 Bake at 200°C for 40 to 45 minutes.

5 After baking, place on a rack to cool. The bread may be enjoyed warm or cold. It is particularly tasty served while still warm with a little Irish butter or cheese.

6 The bread will keep for several days, especially if wrapped in a cotton tea towel and kept in a cool, dark cupboard.

Ciarán Cuffe

My late mother was an American from Chicago who met my Irish father when he was studying in the United States shortly after the Second World War. When she moved to Ireland after her marriage in 1949, she was not a good cook but learnt quickly. She had eight children and her Irish brown bread was a staple for all of us. Together with the fruit and vegetables from her large garden, the meat and milk from the fields of County Wicklow and the fish from the Irish Sea, we ate well. There wasn't a lot of processed food in those days and the fresh ingredients from the Irish fields gave us the energy we needed to play in the countryside around our home. I remember visiting American cousins and their surprise at the flavour of fresh carrots and peas from my mother's garden. She was an organic gardener long before this concept gained public prominence.

6-8 20' 40'-45'

Jordi Solé and Diana Riba i Giner

Spain

COCA DE RECAPTE

Catalan flatbread with grilled vegetables

4 45' 30'

Ingredients

For the dough↘

500g wheat flour (or gluten-free flour if necessary, e.g. chickpea flour)

30g yeast

Pinch of salt

250g warm water

100ml olive oil

For the topping↘

Vegetables of your choice (onions, eggplants and peppers are traditional)

Optional↘

Sausages

Anchovies

Method

1 First prepare the dough: mix all the ingredients except the olive oil together, then knead the dough until it is firm. Cover the dough with a cloth and leave it to rise in a warm place (20 to 40°C) for at least three hours.

2 Once the dough has risen, knead it again, adding the oil until it is completely incorporated and the dough has a smooth consistency. Then cover it and let it rest for a further 30 minutes.

3 While the dough is resting, wash the peppers and eggplants and peel the onions, then roast the vegetables in a pan or grill them in the oven or on a barbecue, as you prefer. When they are cooked, peel the peppers and eggplant, and cut all the vegetables into strips.

4 Dust a baking tray with flour or cover with greaseproof paper. Oil your hands and roll out the dough on the baking tray, then spread the grilled vegetables on top of the dough. Drizzle with oil and season with salt.

5 Preheat the oven to 160°C and bake for 30 minutes.

Jordi Solé and Diana Riba i Giner

Coca de Recapte is a traditional Catalan dish. It consists of a thin pastry base that can be topped with whatever is at hand: vegetables (usually classic Catalan grilled vegetables), fish or meat. In some areas of Catalonia, mushrooms are also part of the recipe. The key to coca de recapte is the tradition of "recapte", or gathering. Traditionally, the coca was made in the town's oven. The inhabitants brought the ingredients that they had gathered in their gardens and the baker made the dough and baked it. This delicious meal is perfect for using up your left-overs and cooking with your family or friends. So gather your ingredients, get your hands in the dough and… bon profit!

Alviina Alametsä

TACOS WITH BLACK BEANS

4 15' 45'

Ingredients

800g tinned black beans (with liquid)

7 avocados

3 sweet onions

6 tomatoes

5 green jalapeño chillies

Corn tacos

Coriander and lime juice (to serve)

Tip↘

The quantities of the ingredients can be adjusted as desired.

Method

1 Boil the black beans in a saucepan for around 30 minutes, then purée them into a paste.

2 Mash the avocados with a fork, then finely dice the remaining ingredients and set aside. For the guacamole, mix the avocados you set aside with one of the diced onions, two of the tomatoes and two jalapeños.

3 Mix the remaining diced ingredients to make a simple ‘pico de gallo’ (fresh salsa).

4 Now heat the corn tacos in a pan, then fill each taco with the black bean purée, guacamole and pico de gallo. Season with coriander and lime juice to taste.

Alviina Alametsä

This recipe comes from my fiancé, who learnt it during his stay in Mexico. What I like most about it is its simplicity and versatility. For example, you can replace the guacamole with leftover vegetables for a quick dinner during the week. It also suits many diets as it is vegan and gluten-free. What's more, the recipe can easily be adapted for a larger group.

Rosa D‘Amato

A TASTE OF RUSTIC ITALY

Bread topped with tomato and mozzarella

30' 20'

Ingredients

Milk

Stale bread

Olive oil

Tomato sauce

Salt Mozzarella

Oregano (or basil)

Method

1 Pour the milk into a bowl, slice the stale bread and put it in the bowl to soak up the milk. Then place the bread slices on a baking tray. Meanwhile, put some olive oil in a frying pan and, when it has heated up, add the tomato sauce with a pinch of salt. Cook on a low heat for about 15 minutes.

2 Now pour the tomato sauce onto the slices of bread and place a slice of mozzarella on top of each. You can also add a sprinkle of oregano or some basil leaves to taste.

3 Put the tray in the oven, bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes and there you have it, a tasty snack!

Rosa D‘Amato

When I think of this dish, I still have the smell of my mother's kitchen in my nose! When I was a child, she used to make this recipe whenever there was stale bread in our house. As if by magic, she turned it into a delicious meal for the whole family. However, as well as being a delicious dish, this meal is also an idea against food waste. Happiness really is in the little things, and in this case, the result will make your mouth water!

FOOD IS LIFE. STOP WASTING IT!

88 million tons. This much food is wasted in the EU every year. That is about 2,800 kilograms that end up in the trash every second – whether it’s right after harvesting, during processing, in wholesale, in restaurants or in our homes. We can find food waste everywhere along a product's journey from the acre to our plate.

Much of this food is still edible, even fresh. Also, more than half of the "waste" comes from private households. The average European throws away around 70 kilograms of food a year, while around 800 million people worldwide do not have enough to eat.

However, food waste is not only a social problem, but also shows how much we have lost touch with our food –and the work of farmers that goes into it. On top of that, we cause enormous damage to our environment. When we carelessly throw edible food into the garbage can, we waste important resources our food system depends on – such as land, water, energy or biodiversity. In terms of climate impact, our food waste even tops the aviation industry: up to 10% of global greenhouse gases are attributable to discarded food.

Therefore, when we talk about a sustainable food system, we need to address food waste. The European Union has already made a number of commitments to this goal, for example in the "Farm to Fork" strategy. This vision paper aims to pave the way to a sustainable food system – from the furrow to the cooking pot. One of the goals: less food waste. Now it's time to put that into action. The EU must not fall short of the global goal of 50% less food waste, which it supports as part of the United Nations’ "Sustainable Development Goals" for 2030. We are ready and committed to develop a strong legal framework to ensure that one day, as little food as possible will end up in the bin.

At the same time, combating food waste concerns us all – policy makers as well as farmers, traders and, last but not least, consumers. Some delicious recipes in this cookbook show how you can give your leftovers one last chance at home. Saves money and is good for our earth– so let’s go!

We have also collected a few everyday tips:

● Plan your shopping before you go. Make a list of all the ingredients and – that’s the hardest part - stick to it!

● Fruits and vegetables can be saved from the landfill by canning and preserving, drying or freezing. This way, you can enjoy your summer products even in the cold season.

● Going on vacation, but the fridge is still half-full? Share surplus groceries with friends, family, neighbours or via social initiatives – they will be happy!

● Did you know that crooked and imperfect fruits and vegetables usually end up in the bin before they even reach the store shelf? Set an example by consciously buying "ugly" greens! You can find them for example at the farmers' market.

● Look, smell and taste before you throw! An expired best-before date does not necessarily means the food is spoiled. However, be careful with the use-by date of fish and meat – otherwise you risk an infection.

● Food lasts longer when stored properly. Consider the different “climate zones” in the fridge as a guide to enjoy your food for longer.

COOKED CHEESE

A recipe to use up leftover cheese

Ingredients

75ml cream

75g parmesan

75g hard cheese

75g Harzer cheese

100g butter

Caraway seeds

½ tsp baking soda

2 tbsp sour cream

Martin Häusling

Livestock grazing - and therefore also dairy farming - will continue to contribute to our food supply in the future. Grazing serves to preserve special ecosystems and in many areas only this one use is possible - be it because it is too steep or the soil is unsuitable for arable farming. It is also now known that grasslands play an important role in storing CO2, especially when they are old and no longer converted to arable land. So - keep enjoying the cheese variety! 4

Method

1 Warm the cream in a saucepan and melt the cheese in it at a low temperature, stirring constantly, then add the butter and caraway seeds to taste. Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth.

2 Remove from the heat, stir in the baking soda and sour cream, then pour into a bowl and leave to cool. Your tasty cooked cheese is ready to serve.

3 It is especially good on fresh farmhouse bread and topped with chives and spring onions, but you can also use it to gratinate dishes.

Tip↘

You can easily make a delicious cooked cheese from leftover hard cheese. The types of cheese used can be varied and the quantities are variable. Depending on the type of cheese, the taste can be a little stronger or milder. In Hesse, cooked cheese is traditionally made with Handkäse or Harzer cheese.

WILD GARLIC PIEROGI

Ingredients

For the pierogi dough↘

420g wheat flour (type 550)

250ml water

For the filling↘

150g fresh wild garlic (or spinach if wild garlic is not in season)

300g firm quark (or feta)

1-2 tsp water

Salt Pepper

For the dip↘

250g sour cream

Dill

Method

1 Mix the water and flour and knead thoroughly. Continue kneading and stretching until the gluten is well developed and the dough is smooth. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

2 To make the filling, finely chop the wild garlic and mix with the quark. Season with salt and pepper and add just enough water to make the mixture smooth. Leave to rest for a while.

3 Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out. Don’t roll it too thinly, otherwise the pierogi will tear easily. Use a glass, cup or cutter to cut out circles about six centimetres in diameter. Cover these circles with a teaspoon of the filling, fold them over and press the edges with a fork.

4 Cook the finished pierogi in boiling salted water for about five minutes until they float to the surface. You can now fry them in a little butter if you wish.

5 For the dip, add half a bunch of dill to the sour cream and serve with the pierogi.

Niklas Nienaß

Get out into nature! For me, a day in the forest is always enriching in more ways than one. I reduce my stress, learn new things about flora and fauna and ideally have something special and fresh on my plate, in my cup or in my glass in the evening. Because when I'm out and about in nature, I always collect herbs and mushrooms. This sometimes makes me marvel at how much food and spices our natural world provides us. This recipe is a variation of the Eastern European classic, adapted to the masses of wild garlic that we find in the forest in spring. I can only recommend everyone to get involved in "vegetarian hunting", because it conveys a change of perspective: it is not we who sustain nature, but nature that sustains us. Of course, you always have to be careful when picking herbs and mushrooms. Wild garlic can be mistaken for the poisonous lily of the valley. Nevertheless, I can only encourage you: if you take a closer look at the characteristics, it is very easy to tell them apart. Of course, you can also start with the unmistakable: ground ivy, stinging nettle or fleawort are easy to identify and are always a good addition to any salad because of their intense flavour and positive effect on our organisms.

Nicolae Ștefănuță

BULZ

Polenta dumplings with sheep cheese

4 35' 30'

Ingredients

720ml water

150g polenta

100g butter

250g sheep cheese (burduf or telemea)

Pinch of salt

Accompaniments↘

250g sour cream Eggs

Method

1 Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan and add a pinch of salt. Slowly add the polenta to the boiling water. Stir vigorously to avoid it clumping. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring continuously.

2 The polenta will become very thick as it cooks. It is ready when it is easy to remove from the saucepan. Pour the polenta onto a plate or wooden board and leave to cool.

3 Take a fist-sized piece of polenta and form it into a ball (about the size of an average apple), then press a well into the ball for the filling. Put the butter and pieces of sheep cheese into the hollow and then seal the opening. The filling must be completely enclosed.

4 Brush the dumplings with melted butter and place on the grill or on a charcoal barbecue until the surface becomes crispy.

5 Serve with a generous helping of sour cream and butter. Top with a fried egg.

Nicolae Ștefănuță

This recipe reminds me of my family's roots in Transylvania. Bulz is a simple, yet very hearty dumpling made out of polenta and a special sheep cheese called burduf. Bulz is traditionally made by shepherds who prepare the cheese under very special conditions in the Carpathian mountains. Through this recipe I want European citizens to discover the terroir of the Transylvanian mountains, the tastiness of matured, soft sheep cheese and the simplicity of polenta cooked on open fire.

PRETZEL DUMPLINGS

Ingredients

250g pretzels

1 onion

1 tbsp butter

150ml milk

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of pepper

1 tsp nutmeg

1 small bunch parsley

100ml crème fraîche (or quark)

2 eggs

Method

1 Cut the unsalted pretzels into thin slices and set aside. Peel and finely dice the onion, then heat the butter in a saucepan and briefly sauté the onion in it. Pour in the milk, season with the salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg and bring the mixture to the boil.

2 Pour the milk and onion mixture over the sliced pretzels and leave to stand for about 15 minutes. Wash and finely chop the parsley. Add to the pretzel mixture together with the crème fraîche and the eggs, then mix everything into a dough.

3 Moisten your hands and shape the dough into peach-sized dumplings, then put them into boiling salted water to cook.

4 Serve as a side dish with any meal or with mushroom sauce or butter.

Pär Holmgren Sweden

KROPPKAKOR

Swedish stuffed potato dumplings

4 40' 10'

Ingredients

1kg potatoes, boiled

1 egg

90-120g wheat flour

1 tsp salt

Filling↘

400-500g chanterelles (fresh or dried)

Dried mushrooms, soaked (for approx. 30 minutes prior to use)

1 onion

1 garlic clove

Oil Butter

Salt Pepper

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme

Accompaniments↘

Cranberries

Brown butter

Method

1 To make the stuffing, roughly chop the chanterelles (other mushrooms such as button or shiitake mushrooms can also be used). Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.

2 Heat a frying pan with a little oil and sauté the mushrooms until the liquid evaporates. Add a knob of butter and the onion and fry until golden brown, then season with salt and pepper. Pluck the thyme leaves from the sprig and add them, then put the stuffing aside.

3 Peel the cooked potatoes and leave to cool, then put them through a potato ricer into a large bowl. Add the egg to the potato mixture and knead by hand, gradually adding the flour and seasoning with salt. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and pull it lengthways, then divide it into 12-14 pieces.

4 Make a well in each dumpling and insert approximately one tablespoon of the filling. Press the dough together and roll it into balls.

5 Salt two litres of water and bring it to the boil in a large saucepan. Cook the dumplings until they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon.

6 Serve with cranberries and brown butter. Kroppkakor can also be fried the next day. Just split them in half and fry in butter until golden brown.

Pär Holmgren

I spent a few summers on the island of Öland as a child and vaguely remember eating traditional kroppkaka in the early seventies - although I mainly remember the strawberries. The dish, which in the past was mainly eaten by the poor, has become an important part of local heritage and tradition in modern times. In addition, in recent years and decades, a number of restaurants on Öland (and in other parts of southeastern Sweden) have specialized in serving different variations of kroppkaka. These include vegetarian versions, as in this recipe, and kroppkaka can also be made vegan on request.

Tilly Metz

Luxembourg

PIEROGI

4 45' 5'

Ingredients

For the dough↘

250g wheat flour

100-150ml lukewarm water

½ tsp salt

For the filling↘

1 onion

180g fresh mushrooms

2 tbsp plant-based butter

120g sauerkraut

Salt Pepper

Herbs of your choice

Accompaniments↘

200g plant-based yoghurt

5 gherkins (or other pickled vegetables)

50-100g onions, fried

Method

1 To make the dough, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and keep kneading the dough until it is smooth. This can take up to ten minutes. Then leave the dough to rest for 20 minutes.

2 For the filling, roughly chop the onion and mushrooms, then heat some butter in a deep saucepan and sauté the onion in it. After a few minutes, add the mushrooms and fry for about five minutes. Finally, stir in the sauerkraut. Season to taste with salt, plenty of pepper and herbs of your choice, then chop the filling into even smaller pieces in a food processor.

3 Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Cut out circles with a cookie cutter, a glass or a knife. Place a teaspoon of the filling on the dough and lightly moisten the edges with water. Fold the dough circles together and press down firmly on the edges. Then press them again with the back of a fork to ensure that they are firmly sealed.

4 Heat a pot of salted water and simmer the pierogi in it for two to three minutes until they float to the surface, then drain and serve with plant-based yoghurt, a gherkin and fried onions.

Tilly Metz

My home country, Luxembourg, is a small country where people from all over Europe come together - including people from Poland, one of the countries in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe where pierogies are a famous national dish. A Polish friend of mine cooked them for me for the first time a few months ago. Since then, I could eat this dish every week. Above all, pierogi are very easy to prepare without animal products and with leftover ingredients, such as sauerkraut or mushrooms in this case. So not only are they good for our environment and our tummies, they are also made without animal suffering! Enjoy your meal!

Marcel Kolaja

Czech Republic

BRAMBORÁČKY

Potato fritters

1 30' 15'

Ingredients

2 medium-sized potatoes

1 egg

1-2 tbsp wheat flour (or gluten-free flour if preferred, e.g. chickpea flour)

1 garlic clove

Salt Pepper

Marjoram

Neutral oil (e.g. vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, or corn oil)

Optional↘

Chilli flakes

Method

1 Peel the potatoes, then grate them finely. To make the pancakes crispier, rinse the grated potatoes to remove excess starch. To do this, place the potatoes in water, draining after a few minutes and squeezing out as much moisture as possible with a cloth.

2 Then put one egg (per portion), one to two tablespoons of flour, a clove of grated garlic, salt, pepper and marjoram to taste into a bowl. If you would prefer spicier fritters, you can also add chilli flakes at this stage.

3 Add the grated potatoes and mix all the ingredients well.

4 Heat a frying pan (preferably a cast iron skillet), adding enough neutral oil to the pan to cover the bottom. When hot, add a few tablespoons of the mixture to the pan – enough to form about three small potato fritters. When the edges turn golden brown, turn the fritters carefully and continue frying until they are golden and cooked through.

5 You can enjoy potato fritters on their own or as a side dish. They are particularly delicious when served with sour cream and spring onions. Bon appétit!

Marcel Kolaja

Nowadays, it is relatively easy to find restaurants in Prague with a selection of vegetarian or even vegan dishes. However, this was not always the case. Not so long ago, vegetarians in the Czech Republic had to choose between two basic meals when dining out: fried cheese and potato pancakes (bramboráčky). Both dishes are deep-fried, unhealthy and incredibly tasty, especially when accompanied by the Czech national drink - beer. The situation has changed, but I still reach for one of the two dishes from time to time. With just a few ingredients and prepared in minutes, it's the perfect inexpensive meal. It's also sustainable.

SOME MORE LENTILS, ANYONE?

"You are what you eat" is one of the most popular proverbs on food and health. However, what you eat also affects our very planet’s condition. You might be happy to improve both your health and your environmental impact by moving to a more plantbased diet.

Today, an average European eats more than a kilogram of meat per week. For a long time, we were told the tale that a “real” meal has meat as the main component, and everything else is just side dishes. However, excessive meat consumption is anything but efficient, healthy or sustainable: Animals need to eat up to 25 kg to “produce” one kg of edible meat. As ruminants eat grass as well, not all of that feed would be suitable for humans. On average, one calorie of animal-based product is produced with four calories of plants edible for humans.

Producing all these grains uses up land that could be more efficiently used for human food, and in many cases impacts vulnerable ecosystems. Notoriously, production of soy for animal feed, imported from Latin America, has long been destroying the rainforests. Animal-based foods thus tend to have far higher greenhouse gas emissions and water use than plantbased diets. Especially intensive livestock production causes significant pollution and biodiversity loss. Therefore, replacing animal products by plant-based food has a positive impact. If we halve our

consumption of animal products in the EU, we could cut our greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by between 25-40%!

In addition, plants are healthy - people who eat a plant-based diet from an early age are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases. Some plants like nuts, olives or sunflowers supply us with healthy unsaturated fats. Fruits and vegetables provide us reliably with vitamins and minerals. Also, plants can be a rich source of proteins. To give an example: one cup of lentils would provide you with a similar amount of proteins and calories as one patty of beef – while introducing much more calcium, potassium and magnesium into your system. Legumes are healthy: as food, but also in agriculture, where they replace lost nitrogen, to re-fertilise the soil.

More plants in our diets are key for a sustainable food system. We envision putting people and the planet at the centre of our food system, supporting the environmentally friendly production of healthy protein plants – and keeping far fewer animals, but under better conditions (more on that on page 83). With more pulses on the field, we can have tasty, balanced and diverse food without relying on imports. To make good and healthy food affordable for all, we fight for a decent income and social security - but also for lower taxes on healthy food like vegetables and fruits.

What you personally can do:

● Eat your veggies! There are a lot of different species available in Europe – and even more varieties. 22,000 varieties of vegetables and 12,500 varieties of fruits make it impossible to get bored!

● Rethink your way of eating and cooking: plants can be at the heart of a delicious meal! You could start by trying some of the recipes provided in this book.

● Everyone needs proteins – about 50 to 60 grams a day. You can find a lot of it in nuts, or in legumes such as lentils, peas, chickpeas and beans, as well as many other plants. Don't forget that many whole grains, such as bulgur, oats and buckwheat, also have a higher protein content, and are good for your gut.

● We understand it’s sometimes hard to teach old dog new tricks. If your favorite family cookbook is full of meaty meals, you can simply try to replace meat and dairy ingredients. Here are some easy and natural examples, which can turn out cheaper - and no highly processed substitutes needed:

• Tofu, tempeh, and mushrooms can replace meat. Beans and pulses are suitable as well - and as a bonus, are good for your gut health.

• Crushed linseeds can replace egg to make sticky or dense mixtures like dough.

• You can whip aquafaba (water from your can of chickpeas or beans, or water used to soak and boil them) for use instead of whipped egg whites.

MAIN DISHES

ROYANS RAVIOLI

With parmesan cream Michèle Rivasi

Ingredients

For the ravioli dough↘

6 eggs

600g flour

For the filling↘

250g grated tomme (goat or sheep cheese)

250g grated gruyère (comté or emmental)

125g butter

2 bunches parsley

2 eggs

For the cream↘

8 tbsp heavy cream

8 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated Sprigs of snipped chives

Salt

Pepper

Method

1 To prepare the ravioli dough, mix the eggs and flour, then knead the dough until smooth.

2 Chop the parsley finely and start preparing the filling by frying the parsley in a pan with butter. Remove the crust from the tomme.

3 Remove from the heat, then add the eggs, grated tomme and gruyère cheeses, pepper and salt. Mix well and pass through a food mill. Chill for one day.

4 On a floured surface, roll out the ravioli dough with a rolling pin into one or more rectangles.

5 Fill a piping bag with the filling, and place small mounds of filling, spaced about 1 finger apart, on the rectangle.

6 Fold the top half of the pastry rectangle over the bottom half, then press down between each pile with your finger.

7 Close the front and side edges of the rectangle with the rolling pin. Mark the gap between each heap with the rolling pin, to facilitate cutting when baking, and then remove any excess dough.

ROYANS RAVIOLI

8 Pour the crème fraîche into a saucepan and stir in the parmesan and a little pepper. Heat over low heat until smooth.

9 Plunge the ravioli into a pot of simmering salted water. Stir very gently during cooking to separate the ravioli. As soon as the ravioli rise to the surface, after a minute or two, drain them with a skimmer. Arrange on a serving dish.

10 Wash and chop the chives. Top ravioli with parmesan cream sauce, sprinkle with chives and enjoy.

Michèle Rivasi

Here is a delicious, inexpensive, simple and vegetarian dish that is typical of my home in the Dauphiné - an area in the Rhône-Alpes region that includes the Drôme and the Vercors. This gourmet speciality consists of small cheese-filled dumplings served with chives, fennel and a cream sauce with parmesan or morels for an even more intense flavour. There are also variations with salmon or zucchini.

MISO NOODLES

Ingredients

300g noodles

80g butter

3 garlic cloves

2 tbsp white miso paste

50g parmesan

1 bunch parsley

1 lemon Salt Pepper Olive oil

Method

1 Boil the noodles of your choice until al dente, then put the cooking water aside.

2 Melt the butter in a large pan. Peel and dice the garlic, then sauté for a few minutes, taking care to avoid browning, which would turn it bitter.

3 Add the miso paste and whisk, then pour in about 200ml of the pasta water, followed by the pasta. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese.

4 Finally, add the finely chopped parsley and the grated lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste and finish with parmesan cheese and some good olive oil.

Jakop Dalunde

With each slurp, the rich umami of the miso dances gracefully with the tantalizing array of Asian spices, making this noodle dish a true symphony of flavors.

Rasmus Andresen

PASTA WITH VEGETABLES

Ingredients

½ bell pepper

½ courgette

Small tomatoes

½ block tofu (100g)

Oil

250g spaghetti

For the sauce↘

150ml vegan cooking cream

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp paprika

Salt Pepper

Method

1 Bring water to the boil with a pinch of salt. While you are waiting for the water to heat up, chop the vegetables and tofu into small cubes. Heat the oil in a pan.

2 Put the spaghetti into the boiling water, then fry the vegetables and tofu in the pan, reducing the temperature a little as the mixture cooks.

3 Add some of the pasta water to the vegetables and tofu, and allow to simmer for a while.

4 Mix the vegan cooking cream with the soy sauce, paprika powder and salt and pepper. You can add more spices at this stage if you wish.

5 Drain the spaghetti as soon as it is ready. When the liquid in the vegetables has reduced, add the spaghetti and the sauce, stir and continue heating until the sauce is hot.

Rasmus Andresen

Food waste is a major problem in our society. We need to use our world's resources sparingly and sustainably. An estimated 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted every year. This has a negative impact on the environment and climate change as well as on the economy and social justice. By establishing our own resources, we want to reduce food waste. Member states are obliged to pay contributions for food waste. This is intended to motivate them to adopt measures to reduce food waste.

Kira Marie Peter-Hansen Denmark

VEGETABLE PIZZA

4 30' 20'-25'

Ingredients

For the dough↘

250g white flour (type 550)

150ml lukewarm water

½ cube yeast (20g)

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

Flour for kneading

For the topping↘

500g tomatoes

1 garlic clove

1 small onion

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt Pepper

½ tsp oregano

Approx. 800g mixed vegetables (e.g. broccoli florets, small courgettes, red or yellow peppers, spring onions, celery)

250g mozzarella

Kira Marie Peter-Hansen

Method

1 To make the dough, put the flour in a bowl and make a well in it. Take a few tablespoons of the lukewarm water and mix it with the crumbled yeast in a cup, then pour the liquid into the well, dust with a little flour from the rim and leave covered for 15 minutes.

2 Scald the tomatoes with boiling water, then skin them. Destalk and cut the tomatoes into small pieces. Peel and finely chop the garlic and onion, then fry them in hot olive oil. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, then season with oregano. Simmer the sauce gently for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

3 Mix the yeast starter dough well with the remaining lukewarm water, salt and olive oil. Knead with your hands until you have a smooth dough, adding a little more flour if the dough is still sticky. Roll out the dough into two thin pizza bases of around 25-30cm in diameter and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Cover and leave to rise for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 230°C.

4 Wash and clean the mixed vegetables and cut into small pieces or rings. Drain and dice the mozzarella.

5 Spread the tomato sauce on the pizza bases and top with the vegetables. Distribute the cheese on top of the pizzas and bake them in a hot oven for around 20-30 minutes until their edges begin to turn a little brown.

For me, cooking is a way to relax and disconnect from work. It's a way to spend time with the people I love, and to express my gratitude for them. My favourite cuisine to cook is Italian, so therefore, I naturally wanted to share a pizza recipe – even though it just as well could have been a recipe for homemade pasta!

Alexandra Geese

SPICY CAULIFLOWER WINGS

4 20' 35'-40'

Ingredients

For the cauliflower wings↘

1 cauliflower

5 tbsp flour (gluten-free, e.g. chickpea flour)

200ml plant-based milk

Salt Pepper

For the marinade↘

2 tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp sugar (or maple syrup)

1 tbsp mustard

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp paprika powder

½ tsp turmeric

Salt Pepper

For the cauliflower leaf chips↘

Cauliflower leaves and stalks

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp italian herb mix

1 tsp chilli powder

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

A little sea salt to taste

Alexandra Geese

Method

1 Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Mix the flour, salt, pepper and vegetable milk into a paste and mix with the cauliflower pieces. Then place the cauliflower on a baking tray and bake for approx. 20 minutes at 200°C (convection oven).

2 In the meantime, put the ingredients for the marinade in a blender and purée everything to a homogeneous mass.

3 For the chips, separate the cauliflower leaves from the stalk. Cut the stalk into thin strips. Rub the leaves and the stalk strips with a little olive oil.

4 Remove the baked cauliflower pieces briefly from the oven and toss them in the marinade. Put the cauliflower leaves and the stalk on a second baking tray and bake everything together for another 15-20 minutes until everything is crispy.

5 Place the cauliflower chips on a rack to cool and then sprinkle with salt and spices.

6 Serve with salad or rice on the side.

This vegan and gluten-free cauliflower recipe is definitely one of my favorite dishes at the moment. The spicy cauliflower wings and the crispy chips made from the vitamin-rich cauliflower leaves are super easy and quick to make in the oven. This means that you can really use all of the cauliflower.

The cauliflower wings and chips are great as a side dish with rice or a fresh summer salad.

SEAWEED AND BEER BURGER

Ingredients

50g carrots

50g parsnips

50g courgettes

1 red pepper

150g cheese (e.g. tipperary brie)

Fresh carrageenan moss and dulse seaweed

1 large egg

150g bulgur wheat

100g oat flakes

2 pinches of sea salt

Beer (e.g. comeragh challenger beer from the Dungarvan brewing company)

50g plain wheat flour (or gluten-free flour if preferred, e.g. chickpea flour)

A little butter (or oil for frying)

3 onions

4 burger buns

3 tomatoes

50g rocket

50g lettuce

Relish/sauces (I used a mooncoin beetroot relish, a happy pear chipotle & wexford home preserves Irish red onion relish)

Method

1 To make the patty, purée or grate the carrots, parsnips and courgettes depending on what texture you would like your patty to have. You can also substitute other vegetables – at least two different kinds – or leftover vegetables. I pureed the carrot, diced pepper and parsnip and grated the courgette.

2 Finely grate 50g of cheese, e.g. a nice Tipperary Brie, into the mixture and then add the dried seaweed. Freshly gathered seaweed can be left to dry overnight or dried in the oven. I used carrageenan moss and dulse seaweed from the beach near my house. The important thing is to only take as much as you need – you only need a handful. Take a pair of scissors with you to gather the seaweed and don’t pull it up by its roots!

3 Use an egg to bind the mixture together. Mix in bulgur wheat and/or oatmeal, then add two pinches of sea salt. Adding four tablespoons of a local craft beer will give your burger a particular kick. The mixture should have a good consistency that allows you to shape it into burger patties by hand.

4 Dust the patties with flour, then heat the frying pan and fry the patties in a little oil or butter until they are crispy on both sides. I fried my patties in Kerrygold butter.

5 Chop some onions and fry until golden brown.

SEAWEED AND BEER BURGER

Side dish↘ Soup

6 Take one of the burger buns and place the patty on top. Slice some of the cheese and place it on the patty while it is still hot, so that the cheese begins to melt slightly. You are now ready to dress the burger with vegetables. Use locally grown fresh tomatoes, rocket and lettuce and add the fried onions, then top with a few blobs of sauces to give it that finishing touch! I used Mooncoin beetroot relish from Co Kilkenny, an Irish red onion jam from Co. Wexford and some Happy Pear chipotle from Co. Wicklow.

Serving suggestions↘

Serve a soup with the burgers – I chose a vegetable soup from Kinsale Bay.

A glass of local ale is a perfect accompaniment to these burgers. For example, I used the remainder of my Dungarvan Brewing Company’s Comeragh Challenger Beer.

Grace O´Sullivan

As an ecologist, diversity in food is just as important to me as it is in nature. When I was raising my three daughters, I always tried to make the best possible food from the ingredients we had. I used a lot of local produce, harvested my own greens from the garden or collected what grew on the beach in my home town of Tramore. The Beer Battered Weed Burgers from my region of Southern Ireland are flexible, fun, nutritious and delicious! They are also based on local ingredients. You can grow them yourself or support a local farmer. I encourage you to use food hidden in the back of your fridge or use these burgers to discover the flavours of your region!

SUPPORT FARMERS NOT AGRIBUSINESS!

The current agricultural policy prioritizes the profits of large agribusiness over the needs of local farmers. Because of that, the number of farms in the EU has decreased by more than one third only between 2005 and 2020 – that means, more than 5 million farms closed during this short time!

This is fatal because no farming equals no food on our tables. However, the realities of life for farmers are under pressure: they have to spend ever more money on pesticides and fertilizers, while yields and in particular income have been rising proportionally less. Long before the war in Ukraine, prices for mineral fertilizers increased by 80% in 10 years only. Costs for farmers are increasing, while big retailers have the power to rob them of their well-deserved earnings. Some farmers cannot even adequately cover all costs of production. Food prices are rising for consumers – and while some companies can make high profits, producers see little of the extra money consumers must pay. Higher suicide rates among farmers due to existential fear are the result – a deadly price we pay for agribusiness’ profits.

A third of the EU’s budget goes directly to agricultural policy, making it one of the best-funded policy areas. That should be a good basis for change – don’t you agree? Unfortunately, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) fails to support farmers well. Small farm structures receive just a tiny bit of the money that is being poured onto the fields of the European Union. 80% of the money goes to only 20% of the farmers. Farmers are often left with a hard choice: expand their business (and possibly make new debts) -or give up. With the last CAP reform, some cosmetic improvements were made. However, overall it is business as usual.

In a future-oriented CAP, EU’s money would support small farmers and their contributions to nature and society instead of wealthy landowners and the agricultural industry. After all, local farmers are the backbone of local food production and rural life. Only fair prices for their products enable them to secure their living. Moreover, the additional work of farmers who contribute to protecting the environment must be rewarded well. Public money for public goods! Speaking of: funding independent advisory can help farmers to establish agro-ecological practices on their farm and break out of the agribusiness’ squeeze to spend ever more money on inputs.

Farmers can be producers of high-quality food and at the same time so much more: promoters of biodiversity and climate protectors. They can create good jobs in vibrant rural areas while preserving and restoring agroecosystems. All this could be possible with a different agricultural policy that we are fighting for!

Changing the CAP is a political issue, but you can do your part to support farmers:

● The shorter the way between you and the farmer, the more money he or she gets - this means that every euro you spend in a farm shop, veggie box or on the market fills the farmer’s wallet instead of big supermarkets and retailers.

● Better together: some farmers organize themselves into cooperatives and can thus fight together for better prices for their products. If you find out about such cooperatives in your region, you can support them by buying their products.

● Active citizens demanding political changes are essential - so speak up, sign petitions and fight for a change in agricultural policy!

Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana Germany

SENEGALESE CHICKEN YASSA

4 45' 45'

Ingredients

12 lemons

2kg onions

Salt Pepper

2 garlic cloves

½ tsp mustard

1 chicken (or 6 chicken thighs or an equivalent amount of fish/ vegetables can substitute carrots and olives for the chicken or fish)

4 tbsp peanut (or sunflower oil)

2 african Maggi stock cubes

4 bay leaves

Optional↘

Olives

Carrots

Eggs, hard-boiled

Method

1 Prepare the marinade from the lemons, onions, salt, plenty of pepper, garlic and spices. Add the chicken and let it rest in the fridge for at least five to six hours. If possible, marinate the chicken overnight for a better flavour.

2 Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill in the oven for about 30 minutes until the pieces are well browned.

3 Halfway through, put the remaining oil in a frying pan, add the onions and fry gently for 10-15 minutes, then add the remaining marinade and the two stock cubes.

4 Traditionally, the yassa sauce did not contain any vegetables, but nowadays olives, carrots and hard-boiled eggs are added as desired for decoration alongside bay leaves.

5 Prepare the rice: bring water to a boil in a saucepan. When it reaches boiling point, add the previously washed rice and cook on high heat for five minutes, then reduce to a very low heat until the rice is cooked. The rice should be ready to serve after about 20 minutes. Bon appétit!

Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana

To my great surprise, this dish was served twice in the canteen of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The only difference was that the chicken was cut into small pieces. Nevertheless, it was still very tasty. Don't hesitate to try it, you won't regret it! When my sons were little, I made it with one chicken and an additional six chicken legs, so my granddaughter was convinced that I had bought a chicken with eight legs somewhere. When she told the kindergarten, everyone wanted to know where there was a chicken with eight legs that I had probably imported from Africa. Everyone laughed at the fact that it was only the six chicken legs that I had also bought. Yassa chicken is a dish from Senegal that is usually served on a public holiday, the eighth day of a child's birth - the name day - when the name it will bear is officially announced, or at a christening, engagement or wedding... There are plenty of celebrations! It’s a traditional recipe: chicken is marinated for several hours in lemon, onion, pepper, garlic, spices and small chilli peppers or ground chilli powder, as well as half a teaspoon of mustard and broth.

Ignazio Corrao

ARANCINI

Sicilian rice balls

Ingredients

For 15 arancini↘

750g rice (vialone nano or roma)

1.8L water

Salt

1-2 packets of saffron (10-20g)

50g butter

120g caciocavallo, grated (or parmesan cheese)

For the ragout filling↘

A little extra virgin olive oil

½ stick celery

½ carrot

½ white onion

200g pork, minced

100ml white wine

400ml tomato passata

Salt Pepper

200g peas

For the filling↘

200g mozzarella

To coat↘

4 eggs

Breadcrumbs

Method

1 To prepare the Sicilian arancini, first pre-cook the rice and leave it to cool a little. To do this, bring the water to the boil in a large saucepan, then salt it and add the rice. Simmer the rice on a low heat until it has absorbed all the water, which allows it to retain all its starch. Towards the end of the cooking time, add the saffron dissolved in a little warm water – adjust the amount needed (one to two packets) as desired to ensure that the rice acquires a golden hue.

2 Add the chopped butter and stir (it will melt immediately in the hot rice), then the grated caciocavallo cheese. When all the ingredients are well mixed, put the rice in a baking dish and spread it out so that it can cool. Cover with cling film to ensure that the surface of the rice does not become dry.

3 In the meantime, prepare the ragout. Start by sautéing the chopped celery, carrot and onion until they soften, then add the minced meat and continue sautéing, stirring constantly. Deglaze with white wine and, when it has evaporated, add the passata. Season with salt and pepper, cover the pan and continue cooking until the meat is done.

4 After around ten minutes, add the peas to the ragout and continue cooking. A few minutes before the end of the cooking time (which should be around 20 minutes in total), remove the lid and allow the ragout to thicken, then set the pan aside and allow the mixture to cool.

ARANCINI

To fry↘

Vegetable oil

5 Cut the mozzarella into small pieces and let it drain in a sieve.

6 When everything is ready, prepare the arancini. To do this, take large tablespoonfuls of rice (about 100g) (keeping the rest of the rice covered with cling film), form small balls from each tablespoonful and make an indentation in the centre of each with your thumb. Pour some of the ragout and a few pieces of mozzarella into this hollow and then pinch the top to close it, thus forming the pear shape that is characteristic of arancini. If preferred, you can form them into small globes instead. Prepare all the arancini in this way and let them dry a little, which allows them to be lifted up without losing their shape.

7 Now coat the arancini with breadcrumbs – it is best to double coat them, as this ensures that they become nice and crispy and gives a perfect result. Dip the arancini in beaten egg, roll them in the breadcrumbs, then repeat the process.

8 When you have finished preparing the arancini, heat a generous amount of vegetable oil to a temperature of about 180°C, then put two to three arancini into the oil at a time and fry. You should try to ensure that the oil does not exceed this temperature. Fry the arancini until golden brown on all sides, turning frequently. When they are done, remove the arancini with a slotted spoon and place on a sheet of kitchen paper to soak up the excess oil.

9 Your Sicilian arancini are now ready to serve and enjoy.

Ignazio Corrao

Arancino (or Arancina) is a speciality of Sicilian cuisine. It is a fried rice ball with a diameter of 8-10 cm, filled with meat sauce or sometimes with tomato sauce, mozzarella, peas or other ingredients. The food owes its name to its typical shape and colour, which is reminiscent of an orange. Arancino appears to have originated in the Arab world, where rice and saffron were eaten together with herbs and meat. The invention of breadcrumbs is often attributed to the court of Frederick II, who was looking for a way to take this food with him when travelling and on hunting trips. The crispy breadcrumbs protected the rice and spices wonderfully and also made it easier to transport. It is therefore quite possible that Arancino originated as a dish to take with you, perhaps for work in the countryside.

Margrete Auken Denmark

STEGT FLÆSK

Roast pork with parsley sauce

Ingredients

1kg pork belly

Sea salt

½ lemon

800g new potatoes

For the parsley sauce↘

25g butter

3 tbsp wheat flour (or gluten-free flour if preferred, e.g. chickpea flour)

240ml milk

120g flat-leaf parsley

60ml cream

Freshly grated nutmeg

Salt

Pepper

Accompaniment↘

Vegetables of your choice, steamed (or fried)

Method

1 If you wish to enjoy particularly crispy crackling, dry the rind well with paper towels at least eight hours before cooking – preferably the night before. Score the rind with a sharp knife every five millimetres (stopping before you reach the meat), sprinkle with a teaspoon of sea salt and place uncovered in your fridge. After two hours, wipe away the liquid that the salt has drawn to the surface, then sprinkle with salt again and return to the fridge. Repeat this process one or two more times. Remove from the fridge an hour before cooking to ensure that the pork returns to room temperature.

2 Preheat the oven to 240°C. Prepare a baking tray, either with greaseproof paper or a rack. Put the tray or rack in the centre of the oven. Run a knife along the incisions in the rind. Dry the rind with paper towels, then rub with the halved lemon and season with sea salt.

3 Place the pork on the rack with the rind facing upwards and roast uncovered until the rind begins to blister, which should take about 25 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 160°C and continue cooking for one and a half hours until the meat is very tender. Remove from the oven and let the roast rest for at least ten minutes before carving it into eight thin slices.

4 When the roast is nearly done, place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover them with cold, salted water, bring them to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes – or until they are cooked right through.

STEGT FLÆSK

5 For the parsley sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stir in the flour and allow to cook for a minute. Stir in the milk gradually and simmer, stirring constantly, for three to four minutes until the sauce thickens. Add the parsley, cream and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.

6 Serve the pork with the potatoes and vegetables and drizzle with the parsley sauce.

Margrete Auken

This recipe is traditional Danish and for me it tastes like childhood. This is my favourite dish with Danish roots and a pig which have lived a full life is delicious cooked like this.

Daniel Freund Germany

RAINBOW GOULASH

Ingredients

750g beef steak

35g wheat flour (or gluten-free flour if preferred, e.g. chickpea flour)

60ml olive oil

2 onions

3 peppers (green, red and yellow)

1 tbsp garlic, chopped

2 tbsp paprika

1 small tin of tomato purée

1 cup dry white wine

1 tin peeled whole plum tomatoes

250ml organic beef stock

2 tbsp sour cream

Parsley

Method

1 Cut the beef into large pieces and dredge in the flour. Heat the oil in a large (ovenproof) pan and sear the meat on each side, in several batches if necessary, then set aside.

2 Slice the onions and cut the peppers into thin strips. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a casserole dish and add the vegetables. When the vegetables have softened, add the garlic and stir. Now add the paprika and tomato purée to the vegetables and stir well. Finally, add the white wine, the tinned plum tomatoes and the beef stock.

3 In the meantime, set the oven to 160°C – there is no need to preheat the oven, which will save some energy. Cover the goulash with a lid and place the casserole dish in the oven.

4 Simmer the goulash for two to two-and-a-half hours until the meat is tender. Check every 45 minutes that the goulash is not drying out and starting to stick or burn, adding a few tablespoons of water if necessary.

5 Let the goulash cool a little, dish it out onto plates and garnish with soured cream and parsley!

Daniel Freund

Having traveled extensively to Hungary in the past years, I’ve grown quite fond of Hungarian cuisine. This is the perfect hearty treat after a long day out in the countryside making sure that EU-funds won't end up in the corrupt networks of Prime Minister Viktor Orban. This interpretation of a Hungarian classic brings together all the colors of the rainbow. However for perfection it needs a lot of greens. Add as much parsley as you like. Important: Using frozen ingredients for this dish might make it unpalatable. Use fresh and organic ingredients and follow the rules for a satisfying taste experience. Best consumed warm (not hot!) in the jolly presence of Hungarian civil society activists, human rights defenders and anti-corruption fighters. 100% Russian influence free!

SPEAKING UP FOR ANIMALS!

Goulash, Coq au Vin, or roast pork: many of our traditional dishes are based on meat. However the cheap meat available nowadays is far from what we have been led to believe livestock farming looks like: cows happily grazing in the meadows, pigs rolling in the mud … Let’s have a closer look at what it looks like in reality.

In the last 60 years, global meat production has more than quadrupled. 9 billion animals are killed for food each year in the EU. The meat industry is dominated by huge corporations, which often do not ensure that animals receive the minimal care that European law grants them. Most are raised in packed barns without enough space and fresh air, where diseases can spread fast. They are carried around the whole continent and beyond - some dying painfully from heat, thirst or stress in trucks or on ships. They are squeezed into industrial production chains fit only for inanimate objects like cars, rather than sentient beings. Breeding plays its part: modern chickens are "designed" for extremely rapid meat production, for example, and develop a super large breast muscle –which makes it difficult for them to walk.

Our food should not be produced at the expense of sentient living beings and our environment. Especially as there is an alternative: shifting away from factory farming and keeping fewer animals, and under better conditions! Animals have the right to live a decent life and meet all their natural behavioural needs.

As a minimum, all animals deserve to be treated well and receive good care from farmers that have enough time, money and know-how to fulfil this role well.

In this way, and taken out from the factory farming system, animals can play a positive role in low intensity, extensive agriculture. Kept at much lower numbers and densities, they could contribute to EU food security instead of consuming two-thirds of our grain. Pigs and chickens can eat plant leftovers, while grass grows for free – and thanks to their gut bacteria ruminants can make their own protein from it. Farmers can reduce their spending on animal feed and make the same profits even with a smaller herd. Rotation grazing allows for sufficient grass, supports high biodiversity, builds soil, and absorbs carbon.

Therefore, we fight for strong standards ensuring the welfare of all animals in the EU, to drastically reduce the transport of living animals, and provide transparency for consumers on how meat, eggs and diary are produced. We already achieved important improvements: for example, it is no longer allowed to routinely use antibiotics, which was propping up the factory farming system. Of course, achieving meaningful animal welfare requires a major change in the entire agricultural and food system. We need to urgently phase out factory farms, shifting EU subsidies to a more sustainable production and support local farmers in this change.

Of course, we need you too! In sustainable food systems with high animal welfare, we will produce less meat, less eggs and less milk, in favour of a greater diversity of plant products, whether grains, fruit or vegetables. The change in agriculture must therefore go hand in hand while rethinking our eating habits. The balanced mix of recipes in this book can make a start on that journey.

Here are some more tips for enjoying meat sustainably:

● Your body needs less proteins than you think - only 50 to 60 grams per day if you are a healthy adult. These proteins can come from many different sources. If you reduce meat in your daily diet and save it for special occasions, it’s guaranteed to taste better! You can find some tips & tricks to include more plants on your plate on page 43!

● When buying animal products, think twice about exactly what ends up in your shopping basket! Labels and buying directly from your trusted farmer can help you buy delicious food from healthy ecosystems and with high levels of animal welfare.

● It’s easiest for fresh eggs, as there is mandatory labelling: each egg in the EU has a code showing the type of farming, country and farm of origin. From a 0 for ecological farming to a 3, life-long cage sentence, you can choose which kind of eggs you want to buy.

● There’s more than just chicken breast or beef steak! Try to integrate also the lesser-known parts of an animal into your dishes. You will prevent food waste and harmful exports, and you can add some new flavours to your life.

FRIED CHAR

With mashed potatoes and beetroot chips

4 40' 20'-25'

Ingredients

Mashed potatoes↘

1.2kg floury potatoes

¼L milk

100g butter

Unprocessed salt (e.g. sea salt)

Grated nutmeg

Beetroot chips↘

1 beetroot

½L sunflower oil (or peanut oil)

Salt

Char↘

4 char fillets with skin left on (about 150g each)

2 tbsp sunflower oil (or olive oil)

Unprocessed salt (e.g. sea salt)

Freshly-ground pepper

100g butter

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves

Method

1 To make the mashed potatoes, peel and quarter the potatoes, then boil them in lightly salted water until soft and drain. Return the potatoes to the saucepan, allow to steam briefly, then add the milk and butter. Bring briefly to the boil, mash with a masher and season with salt and nutmeg. Cover to keep the mashed potatoes warm.

2 To make the beetroot chips, peel the beetroot and cut it into fine slivers with a mandoline or a knife. Heat the oil to 170°C and fry the beetroot slivers in the hot oil in batches until they begin to turn brown and are crisp. Lift the chips out of the oil with a skimmer and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm until serving.

3 Wash the char fillets, pat them dry and check for bones. Remove any bones you find with tweezers. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and place them skin side down in the pan. Press the fillets down with a spatula for 30 seconds until the skin is evenly fried and crispy, which should take about a minute, then turn the fillets over. Add the butter, thyme sprigs and lightly crushed garlic and fry the fillets for about ten seconds. They should still be slightly translucent.

FRIED CHAR

4 To serve, divide the mashed potatoes between four plates and drizzle with the butter from the frying pan. Place one char fillet on each, salt the beetroot chips, distribute evenly on the plates and serve immediately.

Sarah Wiener

How can you eat a healthy and environmentally conscious diet? I get asked this a lot and the recipe is actually quite simple: cook it yourself, with fresh, seasonal ingredients - there's an extra star for organic products - and that's it. My recipe is a good example of this. Char is a regional freshwater fish. Please note: the gills should be red and the eyes clear, not cloudy, then it is fresh. Beet is an idiosyncratic side dish. Many love the taste, many hate it, there seems to be little in between. One thing is certain, beet is healthy and you can hardly resist these chips from your own kitchen. If you do, you can always use leftovers from other vegetables such as celery, carrots or radishes instead. Then there are the potatoes, typically German-Austrian you could say. The puree is easy to make yourself and tastes delicious. In comparison, the ready-made version with its many additives can pack a punch. Have fun cooking it yourself and bon appétit!

Ana Miranda Spain

POLBO Á FEIRA

Galician-style octopus

4-6 20' 2h30'

Ingredients

Approx. 4L water

6 tbsp coarse sea salt

1 frozen octopus

500g new potatoes

240ml extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp hot paprika powder

Method

1 Salt the water and bring it to the boil in a large saucepan. Rinse the octopus under cold running water while the water is heating. Pierce the octopus with a long fork and dip it briefly into the boiling water. Lift it out immediately and briefly dip it again when the water returns to the boil. Repeat the dipping process three or four times until the tentacles have curled up, then submerge the octopus in the water and cook over a medium heat for about two hours – or until the octopus is tender when cut into pieces.

2 In the meantime, boil 500g new potatoes with their skins on and keep them warm until the octopus is ready.

3 Cut the octopus into two- to four-centimetre pieces and arrange on a wooden platter, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika powder. Serve together with the potatoes and eat with chopsticks. ‘Pulpo a feira’ (also known as ‘polbo á feira’) is a traditional, historical dish that reflects Galicia’s seafaring tradition. It is extremely popular in restaurants and at ‘romerias’ and ‘feiras’ (traditional festivals and local markets).

Ana Miranda

O "Polbo a feira" is linked to the Galician fisheries culture, heritage and traditions, non only in the coastal communities, also in all the country, related to a tradition of "tomar o pulpo" is similar to be with friends other relatives for an special occasion, to sharing a common space in the local markets, in the "romerias" and in any occasion. In the "romerias" other "feiras" sitting together in wood tables, with wine and bread. Unha ración de polbo!

Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg Germany

CHICORY AU GRATIN

2 20' 40'

Ingredients

2 heads of chicory

30g butter (or margarine)

2 tbsp. wheat flour (or gluten-free flour if preferred, e.g. chickpea flour)

300ml milk (soy or oat milk if desired)

Nutmeg

Salt Pepper

A little oil or butter to grease the Casserole dish

100g cheese of your choice, grated (e.g. gouda, mozzarella, emmental or mountain cheese/ vegan cheese or yeast flakes may be substituted)

Optional↘

2 slices of organic ham, boiled (regional if possible)

Method

1 Wash the chicory, cut in half lengthwise, remove the inner stem, then bring a pot of salted water to the boil and blanch the chicory for five minutes.

2 Make the béchamel sauce by first melting the butter in a small saucepan, then folding in the flour and adding the milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Let the mixture simmer briefly until the sauce begins to thicken slightly – it should, however, stay quite liquid as it will thicken further when you bake it. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste.

3 Now grease the baking dish, place the chicory in it (you can wrap it in a slice of organic cooked ham beforehand if you so wish), pour the béchamel sauce over it and sprinkle the top generously with cheese.

4 Bake the dish for approx. 20 minutes at 180°C until the cheese turns golden brown.

Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg

As a Franco-German, I am constantly switching between the two 'cuisines' and the two languages. However, beware: these are double 'false friends'! Chicory is translated as "endive" in French - which we in Germany only know from "endive salad", which in turn is called "la chicorée" in French! So it's the other way round! What’s even more confusing: in Wallonia (the French part of Belgium), "endive" is suddenly called "chicon". Bon appétit!

Terry Reintke

CREAMED SAVOY CABBAGE

4 20' 30'

Ingredients

1 small head of savoy cabbage

1 onion

1 tbsp butter (or margarine)

1 tbsp oil

Salt Pepper

Nutmeg

1 cup double cream (or soy cream /200g)

Accompaniment↘

Potatoes, boiled

Method

1 Wash and quarter the savoy cabbage, then chop crosswise into thin strips. Now peel and finely dice the onion and fry in butter or margarine and oil until translucent.

2 Add the strips of savoy cabbage and fry briefly. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste and steam for five minutes over a medium heat in a covered saucepan.

3 Add the double or soy cream, bring to the boil briefly and cook uncovered for a further five minutes.

4 Finally, season to taste and add more seasoning if necessary.

5 Boiled potatoes are an excellent accompaniment to creamed savoy cabbage.

Terry Reintke

Savoy cabbage is a very versatile vegetable. Especially in winter, it is an important source of vitamin C and iron. Grown regionally and sustainably, savoy cabbage also has a good CO2 balance.

NO NATURE, NO FOOD!

84% of plant species farmed in the EU rely on the work of bees and other pollinators. There used to be six thousand different species, but this number is falling fast. The direct contribution of these brave, buzzy little folks to our agriculture is estimated to be between 5 to 15 billion Euros. However pollination is only one of many so-called ‘ecosystem services’ or natural processes that allow us to produce (more than) enough food. Agriculture is dependent on biodiversity: it brings us soil fertility, clean water and pest control. Yet we are not treating nature as if our lives depended on it – we’re rather contributing to its destruction. Most EU protected habitats are in bad shape from being mistreated. 10% of bee and butterfly species are already endangered and over two thirds of EU soils are dead or unhealthy. The story continues: soils are degrading even more due to unsustainable management of the land, contamination and overreliance on agrochemicals, overexploitation and soil sealing. On top of all that, climate change affects soil and vegetation, especially with extreme weather events like droughts and floods. That impacts food security: crop losses due to drought and heatwaves have tripled over the last five decades in Europe.

That’s why from the onset, the Greens/EFA group has been advocating for tough nature protection laws and supporting agro-ecological farming practices. Hedges, wildflower strips, trees or small ponds give a home to wildlife – including pollinators and natural enemies of

What you can do at home:

pests. On field, it’s also possible to work with nature, not against it – that’s how we can make our food production system fit for the massive climate challenges facing us. However, economic pressure and the current agricultural policy give farmers a hard time putting this in practice. Three quarters of current subsidies are spend for working the land, benefitting mostly landowners. We fight for a European agricultural policy that really supports farmers and pays them well for supporting biodiversity.

Unfortunately, recent studies clearly show that solely protecting nature is no longer sufficient to face the challenges of climate change and wide scale ecosystem collapse. We need to actively restore it. What this means is to restructure and manage the landscape to reinforce or re-initiate natural processes – that includes flower strips and hedges, but also more free-flowing rivers, greening cities and protecting marine ecosystems. Investing 1 euro in nature restoration means it will be repaid 8 to 38 times over through the services it provides.

● Get involved and lobby your political representatives on the links between protecting biodiversity and adapting farming to climate change - on the municipal, regional, national and EU levels. Even a few people can make a huge difference for society and nature!

● Plant local wildflowers for pollinators! In your garden, on your balcony, and wherever there is a scrap of soil. Even in public spaces, don’t hesitate and just drop a few seeds every now and then. April, May and June are the best months for that.

● If you have a garden, don’t mow (so often) - preferably just once or twice per year, at least for a part of your lawn. Especially in early summer, when the grass is full of life and during heatwaves, it makes sense to defer mowing.

● Support organic or agro-ecological farming. We can solve so many problems by changing the way we produce and think of our food. All those organic and agro-ecological farmers are real pioneers and champions of this change. We should show our support for all their efforts whenever we can!

● Even conventional farming can make a great difference if they apply agro-ecological farming practices instead of relying on chemical inputs and provide habitats for wildlife. If you have the possibility, ask your local farmers what they are doing!

Sara Matthieu

Belgium

GHENT-STYLE WATERZOOI

Flemish stew

4 30' 50'

Ingredients

1 onion

1 garlic clove

Oil

400g carrots

2 sticks celery

10 black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

4 leeks ½ bunch parsley

10ml white wine

500g potatoes

300g cauliflower

250ml soy cream

1/2 lemon

1 tbsp tarragon

Salt Pepper

500g tofu strips

Parsley

Method

1 First peel and chop the onion and garlic, then heat a little oil and sauté the onion until it is translucent. In the meantime, chop a carrot and the celery sticks into pieces and add them to the onion together with the garlic, the peppercorns and the bay leaves.

2 Deglaze with the white wine and boil off the alcohol, then pour 1.5 litres of water over the vegetables and bring to the boil.

3 Cut off the green part of the leek, chop and add. Keep the leftovers aside. Cut off the stems of the parsley and add the stems to the cooking water, putting the rest aside. Cook the vegetables for half an hour, then put through a sieve and keep the stock.

4 Peel and slice the potatoes, cut the cauliflower into florets, chop the remaining carrots into pieces and the remaining leek into rings.

5 Fry the carrots briefly in a little oil. Add the potatoes, sauté briefly and then pour in the stock. Cook the carrots and potatoes for ten minutes, then add the cauliflower, leeks and soy cream. Season with lemon juice, tarragon, pepper and salt. Add the tofu strips and simmer the stew for another three minutes.

6 Serve the waterzooi in soup plates and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Sara Matthieu

Waterzooi is a typical dish from Ghent, the city in Flanders where I come from. It looks like a soup, but contains chicken or fish, vegetables and potatoes. The fish for this medieval dish was caught in the rivers and canals of Ghent. Due to the increasing scarcity of fish and water pollution, chicken became increasingly popular and replaced fish as an ingredient. This recipe shows you a vegetarian version that is definitely just as delicious as the waterzooi that was prepared more than 500 years ago.

Anna Cavazzini Germany

VEGAN FEIJOADA

Brazilian bean stew

4 20' 45'

Ingredients

1 onion

1 clove garlic

1 carrot

1 stick celery

1 leek

1 bay leaf

1 tsp tomato purée

Paprika

Smoked paprika

Oregano

Salt

Pepper

350g black beans

300ml vegetable stock

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp vinegar

260g brown rice

Fresh parsley

Optional↘

2-3 oranges

Method

1 First prepare the vegetables by trimming and chopping the onion and garlic, then washing and slicing the carrots, celery and leek.

2 Sauté the onion over a medium heat in a large frying pan, then add the celery, carrots and leeks to the pan with the bay leaf. Sauté everything for around 20 minutes, stir frequently and ensuring that the vegetables do not turn too brown. Add the tomato purée, spices and herbs and stir-fry for a further five minutes, then add the beans, vegetable stock, garlic, vinegar and soy sauce.

3 Turn up the heat a little and reduce until the beans and vegetables are evenly covered by the thick sauce. The stew should have a slightly mushy consistency.

4 In the meantime, cook the brown rice. Serve the dish with fresh parsley and fresh orange slices.

Anna Cavazzini

Feijão means "bean" in Portuguese, and this bean stew is considered Brazil's national dish. As deputy chair of the Brazil delegation, I have had the opportunity to savour real feijoada several times during my travels. I admire the diversity of the country - not only in culinary terms, but also in terms of its people, biosphere and culture. Here in the European Parliament, we have worked to stop the deforestation of Brazil's forests, the green lungs of our planet. With the new regulation on deforestation-free products, the EU is finally facing up to its responsibility and combating deforestation through its imports. The rights of Brazil's more than 300 Indigenous groups are particularly close to my heart. I am in a constant and inspiring dialogue with representatives and NGOs from the region to support their struggles.

LENTIL DAHL

4 20' 25'

Ingredients

1 carrot

1 yellow onion

Garlic

Chili pepper

Ginger (approx. 5cm)

Oil for frying

Garam masala

Cinnamon

Salt

Pepper

1 tin tomato passata

200g red lentils, uncooked

1 tin coconut milk

Fresh coriander

Method

1 Roughly grate the carrot. Chop the onion, garlic and chilli finely. Grate or chop the fresh ginger. Sauté the onions and carrots in some oil, add the garlic, chilli and ginger, and fry over a medium heat, making sure that the mixture does not burn. Add the spices and sauté gently. The dish can be made spicier by adding more chopped chilli to taste. Now add a tin of tomato passata and the uncooked lentils.

2 Let the mixture simmer gently and stir occasionally to avoid it sticking to the pan. If necessary, top up with liquid, e.g. water or vegetable stock. Finally, add a can of coconut milk and bring back to a simmer until the lentils are soft.

3 Serve with rice and fresh coriander.

Food is so incredibly important! I have chosen to eat vegan and this stew with inspiration from India is almost tastier the next day so no food waste!

Alice Kuhnke Sweden

Alice Kuhnke

Thomas Waitz Austria

PORCINI ROAST

2 30' 45'

Ingredients

For porcini roast↘

200g dried porcini mushrooms (or fresh)

Thyme Salt Pepper

Red wine

5 red onions

¼ celeriac

5 small to medium carrots

3 seitan cutlets (marinated wheat gluten)

For parsley potatoes↘

5 large potatoes

1 bunch parsley

Vegan butter (or margarine)

Salt Pepper

Method

1 Put the dried porcini mushrooms to soak in the red wine with the thyme, salt and pepper. Meanwhile, chop the red onions, celeriac and carrots, sauté and leave to slowly simmer, then deglaze with the red wine and add the porcini mushrooms. When the mushrooms are cooked through, add the seitan cutlets from your local health food shop and simmer for around ten minutes.

2 For the parsley potatoes, boil five waxy potatoes in water for around 30 minutes, then peel and cut them into pieces, add the parsley and plant-based butter, toss and season with salt and pepper.

3 Serve the porcini roast with the parsley potatoes and a salad. Enjoy!

Thomas Waitz

I am often asked what everyone can do to save the climate. One thing is to waste less food, but even a small change in diet towards less meat and more regional, organic food can help. I chose this recipe because it is often surprising how simple and delicious vegan dishes are. You don't even notice that there's no meat in it. You just have to dare to try it. Of course, the responsibility doesn't lie just with individuals. We have to work on the whole system: towards regional cycles, climate and environmental protection, good and affordable food for everyone. This also means: more money for our small-scale agriculture, because farmers should be able to make a living from their work. One way to achieve this is origin labelling for gastronomy, a simple lever to promote Austrian agriculture. Ask about it: where does the schnitzel in my local pub come from?

WOULD YOU EAT BUG SPRAY?

Doesn’t sound tasty, does it? Let's start from the beginning. Pesticides kill. They are supposed to protect crops – herbicides, for example, are intended to kill weeds. Fungicides combat fungal infestations and insecticides kill insects that could cause damage or transmit diseases. However, real life doesn’t fit into such neat categories, so that one of the biggest problems with pesticide use is its collateral damage. In addition, it makes a big difference whether we look at synthetic pesticides being used to prop up massive monocultures, or pesticides of natural origin, such as those permitted within organic farming.

Chemical pesticides do their job very well, but not only on pests - they also kill animals or plants that are crucial to the functioning of our ecosystems, including beneficial species that can actually help farmers. For example, herbicides reduce wildflowers, but they are crucial to feed nectar- and pollen-eating insects – that often would help in pest control themselves. Actually, 60% of pest control is accomplished through natural predators of crop pests. The most widely used herbicide in the EU, Glyphosate, not only kills the food plants of bees, but also harms the microbes in their guts and makes them susceptible to pathogens.

What makes it all worse: pesticides are systemically and over-generously applied over huge areas in conventional agriculture – 20 pesticide applications are not uncommon over the life of crops. As chemical pesticides don’t discriminate very well what they kill, chemical agriculture is responsible to a great extent for the biodiversity collapse we have seen in the last decades. The consequences are severe: in nature reserves surrounded by chemical agriculture, a 75% decline in winged insects was observed. Further studies showed that there are on average 16 different pesticide residues in nature reserves. A progressive decline in biodiversity endangers our food security in the long term!

It doesn’t stop here: Pesticides can be persistent in the environment – meaning they stick around and can still do damage a long time after being applied. 80% of soils in the EU are already contaminated with pesticides. In France, almost a quarter of drinking water shows critical values of agricultural toxins. Ultimately, this concerns us all: we have to pay for cleaning out toxic substances and the constant and repeated exposure to these substances has longterm effects on our health. Science has shown a link between pesticides and Parkinson's disease and an increased risk of cancer. Farmers are particularly affected because they work with chemical pesticides on a regular basis. However, we are also exposed to pesticides: one third of fruits in the EU is contaminated with their residues.

The massive crash of biodiversity endangers our future comfort, health, prosperity and food security. It is our joint responsibility to drastically reduce the use of pesticides now – for ourselves and for future generations. That is why the EU has committed to halving the use and risk of synthetic pesticides by 2030. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a major way forward to reduce quantities of chemicals applied: before using the chemical wrecking ball, farmers first exhaust all other pest control options. For example using crop rotations that break pests’ reproductive cycles, or mechanically scraping weeds from the top of the soil, or biological control, such as pheromones to confuse pests. A lot can be achieved by using ecological principles to attract the enemies of pests. This is called "agro-ecology" – working with nature instead of against it.

Climate change and biodiversity collapse are the biggest threat to food security, already massively reducing yields. We need strong support for EU farmers to switch to agro-ecological alternatives. With abundant biodiversity, instead of chemical pesticides propping up monocultures, we are building robust systems that are sustainable and crisis-proof. What are we waiting for?

You too can support the transformation!

● Support environmentally friendly farming practices by buying organically produced food! By the way, these can be easily recognised in the EU by the organic logo, which guarantees strict requirements regarding production, processing, transport and storage. Alternatively, you can ask the local farmer how they grow their greens. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that they have been reducing pesticides for years.

● Say "no" to pesticide-based products when tending your garden. There are effective, non-toxic ways to control weeds or pests in your own green spaces. Want to support biodiversity even further? Then have a look at page 97!

Francisco Guerreiro Portugal

LEEKS À LA BRÁS

6 30' 15'

Ingredients

2 onions

2 garlic cloves

4 leeks

Olive oil

20ml non-dairy cream

1 bunch parsley

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp kala namak (black salt- to impart an egg flavour)

2 tbsp brewer’s yeast

400g potatoes

Pepper

50g black olives

Method

1 Peel the potatoes and cut into thin strips about 2 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. Fry them briefly until golden brown and then place them on a plate lined with kitchen paper to remove any grease.

2 Peel and chop the onions, and crush the garlic clove. First cut the leeks lengthwise, then chop them into half-moons (only the white and light green parts). Place the slices in a bowl of cold water and swirl them around to separate and clean them.

3 Put the chopped onions, garlic and olive oil in a deep frying pan and sauté gently. Once lightly browned, add the leeks and cook for ten to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. When the leeks start to look soft, stir them for a further five minutes. Put the nondairy cream in a bowl with the chopped parsley, turmeric, kala namak and yeast and stir well with a fork.

4 Add the potato sticks to the leeks and mix well. Finally, add the non-dairy cream with the spices and pepper to taste and stir for five minutes until the liquid has evaporated.

5 Arrange on a platter and garnish with parsley and black olives.

Francisco Guerreiro

If we eat a plant-based diet or integrate more plant-based dishes into our everyday lives, we can significantly reduce our ecological footprint and save many animals from suffering. "Brás-style leek" is a plant-based version of a typical Portuguese dish. The original recipe contains cod, but here it is replaced by leek. The result is very tasty - one of my favourite dishes!

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Ingredients

For the couscous↘

500g couscous (preferably fine or medium)

Salt

Olive oil

For the couscous sauce↘

1 onion

2 carrots

4 pieces of pumpkin

2 courgettes

2 yellow courgettes

2 tomatoes (fresh or tinned)

1 bowl/tin chickpeas

1 bowl/tin broad beans

1 tbsp ras el hanout (or a mixture of spices such as paprika, coriander, ginger, chilli powder, cumin)

1 pinch of saffron

4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Salt

Black pepper

1 tbsp tomato purée

Method

1 First, prepare the ingredients as follows: peel and wash the vegetables. Chop the onion. Cut the remaining vegetables into quarters or large pieces. Drain the chickpeas.

2 For the sauce, sauté the onion in olive oil in the lower part of the couscousière, then add the spices and parsley and sauté for a few minutes.

3 Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée and mix well, then add the chickpeas and broad beans and cover with water (about 1.5 to 2 litres). Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

4 Add the carrots and pumpkin pieces and cook for 25 minutes. When the vegetables are almost cooked, place the courgettes in the pan, then add salt to taste.

5 Bring to the boil again and cook until the vegetables are cooked and dissolve in your mouth – it is very important that the vegetables are soft. Season the sauce to taste.

6 While the sauce is cooking, prepare the couscous to save time. Sprinkle the couscous with a teaspoon of salt, moisten with water and leave to stand until all the water has been absorbed, then use your hands to loosen the couscous.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Tip↘

Other vegetables, such as peas, green beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes and cabbage, are also used. I recommend using seasonal vegetables wherever possible.

7 If you are cooking the sauce in the lower part of the couscousière, place the couscous in the steamer basket and cook for 20 minutes. If you decide to cook the sauce and the couscous separately, simply bring water to the boil in the lower part of the pot and put the couscous in the steam basket. When steam begins to emerge from the surface of the couscous, remove the basket from the couscousière and tip the contents into a large, shallow bowl. Moisten the couscous with a little water and stir with a large spatula or fork to stop it sticking together, then add a little olive oil and stir it in.

8 When the couscous is lukewarm, put it back into the basket and place it on the couscousière. Cook a second time until steam emerges from the surface of the couscous again (about 15 minutes). When cooked, turn the couscous out into a deep bowl.

9 Cover the couscous with the sauce and serve.

Tip and trick↘

Remember to soak pulses such as chickpeas, dried beans and broad beans in water overnight. A handy trick to shorten the preparation time is to soak a large amount at once, drain the next day and freeze in small portions in freezer bags so you have some on hand each time you decide to prepare couscous. This will save a lot of time.

VEGETABLE WELLINGTON

4 45' 45'

Ingredients

1 small pumpkin

4 tbsp olive oil

Salt Pepper

½ tsp curry powder

3 cloves garlic

Rosemary (or thyme)

2 onions

125g marrons (or chestnuts)

100ml vegetable stock

250g mushrooms (I used dried chanterelles collected the previous year)

35g raisins

½ lemon

200g fresh spinach

50g butter

2 rolls puff pastry

50g pine nuts

1 egg

Method

1 Start by preheating the oven to 180°C.

2 Halve the pumpkin, remove the seeds, peel and cut into small pieces. My tip: I always save the seeds, dry them and then roast them. They make a tasty topping for salads! Place the pumpkin pieces on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Drizzle with two generous tablespoons of oil and add salt, pepper, curry powder, two unpeeled garlic cloves and rosemary, then bake the pumpkin in the oven for 30 minutes until soft.

3 Peel and chop the onions and fry them in the remaining oil until golden brown. This should take just under ten minutes. Season with a little salt, pepper and rosemary, then add the chestnuts or marrons. Sauté for four to five minutes, then add the vegetable stock, simmer over a low heat until it reduces and add the raisins.

4 Peel and chop the last clove of garlic and set aside. If using dried mushrooms, soak them in lukewarm water, strain and keep the liquid. My tip: the mushroom liquid makes an excellent base for delicious sauces. Sauté the mushrooms in a little butter for around 10 minutes, then add the chopped garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and a little lemon juice.

5 Now wash the spinach, dry it and place it in a saucepan with the butter for around five minutes until the water has evaporated, then squeeze it a little to remove excess moisture and add it to the chestnuts or marrons. Leave the mixture to cool.

VEGETABLE WELLINGTON

6 Place the rolled-out puff pastry sheet on the bottom of a baking dish and let it overhang the dish. Spread the vegetables and other ingredients on top. Brush the overhanging pastry with beaten egg, place the second puff pastry sheet on top, seal the edges of the two sheets together, then brush the top sheet with beaten egg.

7 Bake in the oven at 190°C for 45 minutes until golden brown.

8 The dish can be prepared in advance and stored in a refrigerator for a few hours before baking. I always serve this dish at Christmas. Bon appétit!

Caroline Roose

Reducing your consumption of meat or fish is good for the planet as well as for the animals. But vegetarian or vegan cooking also allows you to discover new flavors and indulge yourself! A good way to reconcile ecology and gastronomy!

Claude

FONDUE SAVOYARDE

6 10' 15'

Ingredients

400g comté cheese

400g gruyère cheese

400g beaufort cheese

1 garlic clove

300ml white wine

1 tsp mustard

Nutmeg

30ml kirsch

1 egg yolk

Bread (day-old bread can be used)

Pepper

Tip↘

The quality of the products you choose is crucial. AOP cheese and wine, organic products, a wine from Savoy: attention to every detail is what makes this fondue exceptional.

Method

1 Cut the cheese into small pieces – either cubes or strips – and set aside. Halve a clove of garlic and rub the sides of the fondue pot with it, then put the clove in the pot.

2 Pour 250ml of white wine into the pot and heat over a high flame.

3 In the meantime, mix the remaining wine, the mustard and my secret ingredient – nutmeg – in another pot.

4 When the wine starts to simmer, add the cheese pieces to the fondue pot. Be careful when doing so: add them one by one, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (preferably made from organically grown wood!).

5 When the cheese has thoroughly melted, add the contents of the other pot (wine, mustard, nutmeg) and continue stirring.

6 When the cheese has thoroughly melted, add the contents of the other pot (wine, mustard, nutmeg) and continue stirring.

7 As soon as the fondue begins to froth, add the kirsch and, if desired, more nutmeg. At the very end, add the egg yolk when the seasoned cheese mix is almost ready to serve. Bon appétit and welcome to Savoy in France!

Claude Gruffat

Food is at the centre of our lives. It brings us to our roots, just as this recipe takes me back to my childhood, especially the characteristic smell of nutmeg. But our plates have an impact beyond the dining table: food is political. Locally, citizens have the power to create new connections. Go to the market, buy seasonal and organic fruit and vegetables, rethink meat dishes, support local, organic cuisine ... Every decision is political, has an impact on production and leads to the system evolving.

Gruffat France

Michael Bloss

SPAETZLE

Ingredients

400g spaetzle flour (type 550)

1 tsp salt

4-5 organic eggs (depending on size)

Sparkling water

Optional↘

1 pinch of nutmeg

Method

1 Mix the flour with the salt (add a pinch of nutmeg if you wish) and then add the eggs. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon and knead thoroughly by hand for at least five minutes. If the dough is too firm, slowly add a little sparkling water.

2 The dough should be gooey and emit bubbles. If you are scraping it from a chopping board, the dough should be a little firmer, but if you are using a spaetzle press or a spaetzle plane, the dough can be more liquid. I personally prefer to scrape my spaetzle.

3 Cover the dough and put it in the fridge to rest for a good 15 minutes.

4 Now it’s time to start cooking, bring a large pot of water to the boil, add salt and then reduce the heat so that the water is just simmering. Now make the spaetzle using a press, slicer or board and let them drop into the water.

5 As soon as they float to the surface, take them out of the water with a slotted spoon.

6 You can now either serve the spaetzle as they are or fry them with a little butter. Alternatively, you can sprinkle them with cheese and put them under a grill. Fried onions make a tasty topping for this dish.

Michael Bloss

This classic dish from the province of Baden-Württemberg: Spaetzle. Spaetzle are always delicious and we eat them as a main course or as a side dish with pretty much anything.

SHAKSHUKA WITH FETA

4 20' 30'

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion

1 large red pepper

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp sweet paprika

⅛ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tin cherry tomatoes with juice (800g)

Salt

Black pepper

150g feta cheese

6 large eggs

Coriander

Spicy sauce of your choice

Method

1 First preheat the oven to 190°C.

2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Peel and halve the onion, deseed the pepper and slice both thinly. Simmer the onion and pepper gently in the pan for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are very soft. Add the thinly sliced garlic and cook for one to two minutes. Stir in the cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper and cook for another minute.

3 Roughly chop the tomatoes and add to the vegetables, then season with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer for about ten minutes until the tomatoes have thickened, then stir in the crumbled feta.

4 Carefully crack the eggs into the pan over the tomatoes, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the eggs are just set. This will take about seven to ten minutes. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with a spicy sauce of your choice.

IN SEALS WE TRUST.

Organic, halal, vegan or fairly traded - the indication of ingredients or origin of a product is indispensable. This is because more and more Europeans want - and should - know what actually ends up on their plates.

Within the EU, we can rely on minimum standards, for example on environmental protection or working conditions. However, these standards are still far from sufficient and are only the first step. After all, not all the food that ends up on our plates is produced on domestic soil. Unfortunately, global trade contributes significantly to environmental destruction as well as poverty and forced labour. It is therefore particularly important for us to look at the working conditions of farmers, strengthening local markets and environmental standards in international trade - and improve them.

Meanwhile, there are many ways to buy food with better production conditions. Seals and labels like "FairTrade" for products from the Global South provide us with important information. Ultimately, information is power. Because that's what food labelling is all about: empowering everyone to make real choices around their food. Allergen disclosure, for example, is essential for people with intolerances. Labels such as the protected designation of origin make it easier to buy locally produced food. Labels such as the EU organic logo tell us more about how a product is produced, and nutritional labelling reveals how much sugar is in our cornflakes. This is important because unhealthy diets are making more and more people ill. Well-thought-out seals, however, would enable healthy choices. Anyone who wants to buy GMO-free or fair trade foods needs reliable labelling as well.

Unfortunately, important information is often still printed too small or is difficult for the avarage consumer to understand. In the worst case, labels deliberately mislead us - for example, when a product is not as green as it looks. Another example is when sustainable aspects are emphasized in order to push environmentally harmful practices into the background. This is called "greenwashing". This must come to an end!

That’s the reason we are pushing for easy-tounderstand and transparent labels for all food in the EU in a series of legislative projects. How is this supposed to work? Anyone who has ever bought fresh eggs knows the uniform stamps: origin and farming method are easily recognizable everywhere in Europe. Until now, this is the only mandatory animal welfare label in the EU, but Germany, for example, introduced a mandatory animal welfare label. To enable all consumers to see at a glance how animals were kept, we call for an EU-wide reliable animal welfare labelling. This is only one source of information that we need about our food.

Genetic engineering on the plate? Risk of diabetes from too much sugar? Highly processed, highly harmful? Turkeys from factory farming? All Europeans have the right to make conscious, healthy and sustainable decisions on their food. Since our attention span is limited, this must be possible without consulting a manual on labels. We make sure that you get all the necessary information easily - then the decision is yours!

SWEETS AND TREATS

CARROT CAKE

4-6 30' 35'-40'

Ingredients

180g brown sugar

180g vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

3½ tbsp full-fat yoghurt

250g wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

260g carrots (equivalent to 4-5 mediumsized carrots)

150g nuts (walnuts, almonds or pecans)

For the cream cheese topping↘

225g cream cheese (at room temperature)

80g whipping cream, chilled

80g icing sugar

1 dash vanilla extract

1 pinch of salt (add a little at first, taste, then add more if necessary)

50g nuts to garnish, chopped

Method

1 Blend the brown sugar, salt, oil, eggs, spices and yoghurt in a bowl until smooth. Slowly fold in the flour and baking powder and keep stirring until all the ingredients are well combined.

2 Peel the carrots and grate finely. Fold into the mixture. Finally, roughly chop the nuts and fold into the dough.

3 Preheat the oven to 180°C.

4 Grease the baking tin with butter or oil and sprinkle lightly with sugar if preferred, then pour in the mixture and bake for 35-40 minutes.

5 In the meantime, whip the cream cheese and cream until thoroughly blended, then beat in the icing sugar until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract and cautiously add salt. Taste repeatedly, as you do not want the mixture to become too salty.

6 Once the cake has baked, leave it to cool, then cover with the cream and decorate with the nuts.

Erik Marquardt

I'm travelling a lot and somehow a few old and crooked carrots often end up at the bottom of the fridge. What could be better than turning them into a delicious carrot cake that everyone can enjoy?

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients

3 eggs

70g sugar

80g dark chocolate

75g butter

130g ground almonds

10g cocoa powder

Method

1 Separate the egg whites from the yolks, then whisk the yolks with the sugar until creamy. Beat the egg whites until very stiff. Now melt the chocolate with the butter in a bain-marie.

2 Stir the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks, then carefully fold in the beaten egg whites and finally add the ground almonds to the mixture.

3 Pour the cake mixture into a greased tart tin and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes at 180°C.

4 When cool, dust with cocoa powder.

Saskia Bricmont

The effect of a light, gluten-free chocolate cake. The massive consumption of processed products by the food industry has negative consequences on our digestive systems. Gluten intolerance is more and more common, to varying degrees depending on the individuals, and people have to switch to a diet containing less gluten, or none at all. Don't let this deprive us of chocolate cake!

BANANA BREAD

4-6 20' 60'

Ingredients

4 ripe bananas

70ml olive oil

100g brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

200ml almond milk

(or other non-dairy milk)

300g wheat flour (or gluten-free flour if preferred, e.g. chickpea flour)

3 tsp cocoa powder

3 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

150g vegan chocolate

100g nuts, chopped (e.g. walnuts or hazelnuts)

A little bit of oil to grease the dish

Method

1 First preheat the oven to 200°C (or 180°C if you have a convection oven).

2 Peel and mash the three ripe bananas until smooth, then add the oil, sugar, cinnamon and milk and mix well. Sift the flour together with the cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and add to the mix. Chop the vegan chocolate and add with the nuts. Stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

3 Pour the mixture into a loaf tin greased with a little bit of oil. Peel the last banana, cut it lengthwise and place both halves on top of the batter.

4 Bake at 200°C (convection oven: 180°C) for about 50 to 60 minutes until the dough is cooked – test by inserting a wooden skewer into the centre of the cake. It should have no dough stuck to it when removed.

5 Leave the cake to cool in the tin for five minutes, then remove it and leave it to cool further on a wire rack.

BREAD PUDDING

Ingredients

350g hard old white bread (dry)

1.5L milk

75g raisins

4 tbsp rum

250g sugar

1 sachet vanilla sugar (24g)

4 eggs

50g butter

30g bitter cocoa powder

1 sachet baking powder (16g)

Icing sugar

Method

1 Crumble the bread and put it into a large bowl. Add the cold milk and leave to chill for a few hours in the fridge until the bread has completely absorbed the milk. It is best to leave it in the fridge overnight. Soak the raisins in a little rum and set these aside too.

2 To make the bread pudding, add the sugar and vanilla sugar to the chilled bread and milk mixture and stir in, then put in the eggs and mix well. Next, cut the soft butter into small pieces and stir in too, then sieve in the cocoa, followed by the baking powder.

3 Mix the ingredients well, first with a wooden spoon and then with a mixer. Finally, add the rum-soaked raisins and the remaining rum.

4 Grease a 28cm cake tin and pour in the batter. Spread a little butter in small round pieces on the dough. Preheat the oven to 190°C and bake on the middle shelf for around 70 minutes.

5 Take the bread pudding out of the oven, leave to cool, then sprinkle with icing sugar. Bread pudding tastes great both hot (in this case without the icing sugar) and cold.

6 Bread pudding is a very tasty, easy and inexpensive way to use up stale bread that you don’t want to throw away!

Manuela Ripa

I loved this cake as a child. It tastes good both warm and cold, but I always preferred it warm. The bread cake goes back to the time during the war, when old bread was not thrown away but made into a cake with a few more simple ingredients. My Italian grandmother used to make this recipe. My mother adopted it from her. It wasn't just about using stale bread, but also dry fruit. That's where the raisins come from. However, you can also use apples, for example. It's a very easy cake to make that also tastes great and doesn't waste any food!

IN THE RIGHT PLACE, AT THE RIGHT TIME!

Fruit and vegetable shelves are packed to the brim with the same products all year round – thanks to imports and human intervention in nature. That is anything but environmentally friendly. However, there is an alternative: seasonal, locally sourced food.

However, why should we even make sure that our food is both regional and seasonal? Buying apples from the farmer next door does not only make them happy, but also saves a myriad of kilometres of transportation. Added to that, local and seasonal products require less human intervention, and by purchasing them, you support diverse agriculture in your home country. An example: in many countries in Central Europe, June is high season for strawberries. Importing these sweet fruits now harms local agriculture – and can be fatal for Spain’s precious nature, which is drying out due to the massive construction of wells to ensure irrigation, amongst others, to export strawberries. Fruit and vegetables that do not have to travel halfway around the world can be harvested at the optimum degree of ripeness, therefore being more nutritious and tastier. They also don’t need any chemicals to make them durable.

Growing fruit and vegetables out of season always involves high-energy consumption in greenhouses –or long distance transport from other climatic zones. Don’t worry though: through storage and diverse cultivation, there are many different fresh greens available all year round, also from local cultivation. Enjoying an occasional cucumber off-season is of course no problem, as well.

What you can do at home:

To make local veggies more accessible to everyone, we are striving for a common agricultural policy that prioritizes regional and seasonal products. Our vision for a sustainable Europe includes strengthening local, small-scale agriculture and short, transparent supply chains. At the end of the day, diminished transport routes and less human intervention also entail cheaper foods for Europeans. Truly a win-win situation, for both nature and humans!

● Keep an eye on the seasonal fruit and vegetable calendar to find out when they are currently available regionally! If the calendar looks as good as the one you received with this book, you can also attach it directly to the fridge as a poster.

● Buy your products at a farmer's market or from the farmer’s shop of your trust! This way, you can even learn more about your food directly from the producer.

● How to recognize regionally produced food in the supermarket? Pay attention to the country of origin and seals of quality on both state-level and EU-level, such as the protected designation of origin (PDO).

● Ever considered planting your own greens in the garden or balcony? That way, you know exactly what you are getting, just at the right time. The joy of your own harvest comes free of charge!

● If you do not want to do without summer products even in the cold season, you can preserve fruit and vegetables by boiling, pickling or canning them. Alternatively, how about fermenting and freezing? Canned goods can also be bought ready-made – however, please make sure that these are not heavily processed.

Ska Keller Germany

KANELBULLAR

Cinnamon buns with marzipan

20 45' 20'

Ingredients

For the dough↘

½ cube of fresh yeast (20g)

50g margarine

300ml plant-based milk

50g sugar

Pinch of salt

500g wheat flour

For the filling↘

100g margarine (at room temperature)

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

50g brown sugar

75g marzipan

For decoration↘

Oat cream

Rock sugar

Method

1 To make the dough, first crumble the yeast into a bowl, then melt the margarine in a saucepan, add the milk and heat to room temperature. Pour some of the margarine and milk mixture over the yeast and stir until it dissolves, then add the rest of the mixture, the sugar, the salt and most of the flour. Knead the dough by hand or with a mixer until it comes away from the sides of the bowl. Cover the dough and leave it to rise for around 30 minutes.

2 Now make the filling by mixing the margarine with the cinnamon and sugar until smooth. Coarsely grate the marzipan.

3 Put the yeast dough on a floured work surface and knead it until smooth, then roll it out into a rectangle of around 30x40cm (for 20 buns). Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon on top. Distribute the marzipan over the third of the dough that will form the centre of the cinnamon buns, i.e. one of the long sides of the rectangle, then roll up the dough from that side.

4 Cut pieces about two centimetres wide lengthwise and place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, then leave the buns to rise under a cloth for about 20 minutes.

To decorate↘

Spread oat cream or oat milk over the buns and sprinkle them with rock sugar, then bake them in the middle of the oven for around eight minutes at 250°C. When done, remove them from the oven and leave them to cool on a rack.

Ska Keller

Kanelbullar are perfect for a cosy Sunday afternoon, when you want to curl up on the sofa with a good book, a cup of tea and a sweet treat under a blanket. My husband Markus belongs to the Swedish-speaking population of Finland and introduced me to this delicious recipe. Since 1999, there has even been a holiday dedicated to the cinnamon bun: Swedish Cinnamon Bun Day (Kanelbullens dag) was introduced by the Swedish Bakers' Association (Hembakningsrådet) and is celebrated every year on October 4. Have fun baking and smaklig måltid!

Viola von Cramon-Taubadel

CANADIAN BUCKWHEAT WAFFLES

6 20' 10'-15'

Ingredients

120g wholemeal buckwheat flour

120g wheat flour

¼ tsp baking soda

1½ tsp baking powder

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

420ml buttermilk

6 tbsp butter, melted

Method

1 Mix the two flours with baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl.

2 Briefly beat the two egg yolks in a second bowl. Add the buttermilk and melted butter and continue beating. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients and stir in.

3 Whip two egg whites until stiff and gently fold the whites into the batter.

4 Pour equal amounts of the batter into a waffle iron and bake until golden brown. Bon appétit!

Viola von Cramon-Taubadel

Travelling has always been one of my great passions. In the process, I have come to a realisation: despite all our different cultures, the same food exists in so many countries. For me, this includes waffles: they are served for fika in Sweden, on the streets of Brussels, as taiyaki in Japan, as bubble waffles in Hong Kong and in Canada, the batter is made with buckwheat flour. This is also how I like to bake our waffles at home. They remind me of Canada, where my husband (and this recipe) comes from. It’s where I feel at home.

PANCAKES

Ingredients

4 eggs

400g wheat flour (or gluten-free flour if preferred, e.g. chickpea flour)

600ml milk

Pinch of salt

Oil for frying

Method

1 Mix the eggs, flour, milk and a pinch of salt into a smooth batter.

2 Heat up a frying pan with a little cooking oil. Pour a ladleful of batter into the frying pan and swirl the pan quickly in every direction to evenly distribute the batter. Fry the pancake on both sides for about one to two minutes until browned. Enjoy hot!

Tip for a fruity-sweet variation↘

Cut an apple into slices and add to the batter. Or simply sprinkle powdered sugar, cinnamon and sugar or Stroop syrup over the finished pancake and enjoy straight away!

Tip for a savory variation↘

Add bacon to the pan and fry lightly, then pour the batter over it. These pancakes can be wonderfully varied - so there's something for every taste!

Benoît Biteau

France

MILLAS

Dessert made with corn flour and cognac

6-8 15' 40'

Ingredients

200g corn flour

150g wheat flour

Pinch of salt

1L fresh whole milk

125g butter, cut into cubes

3 eggs

200g icing sugar

2 tbsp cognac

Method

1 First preheat the oven to 180°C.

2 Mix the two different flours and salt in a bowl. Bring the milk to the boil, dissolve the butter in it and leave to cool. Beat the eggs with the sugar until the mixture turns slightly white.

3 Gradually pour the lukewarm milk and butter mixture over the egg and sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Stir the resulting mixture into the flour and salt until you have a smooth, creamy, lump-free batter. Add the cognac and stir in thoroughly.

4 Pour the mixture into a greased gratin dish and bake at 180°C for 40 minutes.

5 Remove from the dish while hot and enjoy at room temperature or chilled.

Benoît Biteau

The dessert of my childhood was my grandmother's Millas, a kind of pudding made from cornflour and cognac. It was an absolute must, eaten at mealtimes during threshing or harvesting. When my grandparents retired and corn cultivation techniques on the farm changed, my grandmother continued to make the pudding, but it no longer tasted as good. Then my grandmother disappeared and with her the Millas. I took over the family farm in 2007, and I've reversed the trend, reinstating agro-ecological practices on our land. When we made millas with my maize flour a few years ago, I rediscovered the taste of my childhood. It just goes to show that when you change farming practices, you change your relationship with taste, with the countryside, with the land, and with human relationships.

HUNGARIAN STRAWBERRY SOUP

4 20' 25'

Ingredients

500g fresh strawberries

125g granulated sugar

300ml water

120ml dry white wine

1 cinnamon stick

½ cup of soured cream (125g)

2 tbsp wheat flour (or gluten-free flour if preferred, e.g. chickpea flour)

60ml cold water

Fresh mint leaves

Method

1 Place the sliced strawberries, sugar, water, white wine and cinnamon stick into a large saucepan and bring the mixture to the boil over medium to high heat, then simmer over low heat for another 10-15 minutes until the strawberries have disintegrated and the soup has thickened slightly.

2 Whisk the soured cream and flour together in a small bowl until smooth. Add this mixture to the soup and stir well. Simmer the soup for another five to ten minutes or until it reaches the consistency you prefer.

3 Remove the cinnamon stick from the soup and allow the soup to cool to room temperature, then put in the fridge.

4 Serve the soup chilled and garnished with fresh mint leaves. Enjoy your delicious Hungarian strawberry soup –it’s particularly refreshing in summer!

Monika Vana

Why is an Austrian MEP choosing a Hungarian dish for this book? Apart from the delicious Hungarian influence on Viennese cuisine, an important part of my political work is to bring together local activists and politicians from Central and Eastern Europe. Over the years, the Central European Round Table CERT has become an important platform where we exchange green ideas and opinions to strengthen equality and sustainability. I would like to dedicate this recipe to my friends and LGBTIQ* allies in Hungary to show my support for their continuous efforts. Let's build a future where everyone has the freedom and safety to be who they are!

APRICOT JAM

20' 15'-20'

Ingredients

750g apricots

400g sugar (or jam sugar)

1 tsp lemon juice

Optional↘

1 tsp apricot brandy (or kirsch)

Method

1 Halve the apricots, stone them and cook them with 40ml water in a wide saucepan over medium heat for five minutes, stirring until soft. Add the sugar and simmer over medium heat for about an hour, stirring constantly. Skim off the foam from the surface with a small ladle to prevent the jam becoming cloudy.

2 When the jam has reached a thick, jam-like consistency, add lemon juice and optionally apricot brandy or kirsch, and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes at low heat.

3 Pour jam into sterilised twist-off jars to about a thumb’s width below the rim and seal.

INDEX BY INGREDIENT

THE GREENS/EFA

The Greens/EFA parliamentary group was established in 1999, when two progressive European political families - The Greens and the European Free Alliance (EFA) - agreed to join forces in the European Parliament.

Greens/EFA now includes members of Green movements, Pirate and Independent MEPs, as well as MEPs from the European Free Alliance (EFA) representing stateless nations, regions and minorities, standing up for the right to selfdetermination.

With 72 Members (35 women and 37 men) from across Europe, it is the fourth largest group in the European Parliament and the only one that always had a gender-balanced Co-Presidency.

The Greens are a driving force in European politics, with representation in the European Parliament since 1984.

The Greens and EFA have been making a difference and fighting to make Europe the global leader in terms of climate and environmental protection, peace and social justice, fair globalisation, and in the fight for human rights, and self-determination.

→ We want to protect our climate and environment for the generations to come.

→ We defend a society where every person has the right to speak up.

→ We fight for a true democracy where the public and the media are able to control those in power.

→ We want to build a Europe that reduces poverty because everybody deserves a fair chance.

→ We believe the economy must serve the people, not the other way around.

→ We believe in a society that invests in public services and creates strong communities.

→ We support a democratic Europe of the peoples, regions and historic small nations where the right to self-determination is respected.

→ We want a society with decent paying jobs and warm homes to come home to.

→ A society where every person should be free to be who they want without discrimination.

We are more than united in diversity: with the highest cohesion, our group is the most consistent in its voting behavior.

That’s why our power of attractiveness for all progressive forces and our impact is much bigger than our representation in numbers and our longstanding fights are recognised as the key challenges of today and tomorrow. We change Europe.

We have been making a difference in the European Parliament.

WE CARE. WE ACT. WE FIGHT.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book would not exist without the work, time and love of many people. Big thanks therefore goes to everyone involved - but especially to Emmanuel Kujawski for leading the project, as well as Viola Gras, Jean Kutten, Miriam Winzer, Susanne Straif, Szmo Kacprzak, Félix Tuchais and Kelly Dochy. They contributed substantially to the conception, planning and organisation; compiled, edited and translated the recipes, prepared all additional contents and made sure that all the minor and major tasks to transform the first idea into this book were completed.

A big thank you also goes to all the MEPs and their offices, who contributed their diverse recipes and thus filled this book with life in the first place. The dishes were brought to life thanks to Claude Proligh from ZELF cooking all recipes masterfully and Lili from The Green Studio shooting great photos of them. Fianlly, thanks to the team of Okay When, these pieces are now weaved together to form this beautiful book.

Most importantly: thanks to all the NGOs, individuals, farmers and organisations who are already working with us towards a food transition!

This book is printed on recycled offset paper, its binding was made with a linen thread stitched spine and water-based glue. The cover was made with a FSC-certified sulfated cardboard.

Publisher: The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament

Project Lead: Emmanuel Kujawski

Coordination: Viola Gras, Jean Kutten, Miriam Winzer, Susanne Straif, Szmo Kacprzak, Félix Tuchais, Kelly Dochy

Design: Okay When

English Translations: Eurominds Linguistics, Kelly Dochy

Printing and Binding: Graphius

Recipes Photos: Lili / Le Green Studio assisted by Karen Hilmerson

Cover Photo: Christian Kaufmann

Stock Photos: Jiri Hubatka, Nina Firsova / Alamy Stock Photo (for pages 86 and 150)

Recipes Preparation/ Styling: Claude Proligh

Photos of MEPs: Karen Hilmerson, Claudio Cutarelli, Jugaad Prod

© The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher.

In memory of Michèle Rivasi, who passed away on the 29th of November 2023.

Her recipe, like all her work in favor of sustainable food as well as her love of cooking, is a testament to her devotion to humanity.