VEGETABLE DISHES

4 oz/125 g strong Cheddar cheese

Small bunch parsley (optional)

3 '12 oz/lOO g cashew nuts

5 cloves garlic

Pepper

2 medium onions

'12 oz/15 g white ffour

'12 pintl300 ml milk

Nutmeg

Shallow ovenware dish 8112-10112 inl22-26 em diameter

- METHOD -

Wash the courgettes, trim the ends and pare off any damaged pieces of skin. Chop into sticks about % inch/2 cm long and 1/4 inch/5 mm wide (for quick chopping, cut into % inch/2cm lengths and cross-chop). Sprinkle with fine salt and place in a sieve or colander for 30 minutes-I hour to sweat. Rinse under the cold tap and leave to drain.

2 Make the base. Finely grate the bread; grate the cheese. Trim the stalks of the parsley and wash; blot dry with kitchen paper and chop finely. Roughly chop or crush the nuts. Peel and finely chop 2 doves of garlic. Mix all the prepared ingredients (except the courgettes) with a moderate seasoning of salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons oil. Lightly oil the dish and press the mixture into a flat layeroverthe bottom. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F, 190°C, Gas Mark 5. (Since, as with blind-baked quiches, the oven is needed twice, it is more economical not to tum it on until now and to bake the base after preparing the vegetables.)

3 Cut the roots and green leaves from the leeks, peel off the outer layer and discard; wash and slice finely. place on a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain. Trim the stalks of the mushrooms; peel, rinse and dry large mushrooms or wash and dry buttons. Cut into dice about '12 inchlI cm square. Peel and finely chop the onions and the remaining 3 cloves of garlic.

4 Put the base into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until crisp and golden. Check that the leeks and courgettes are dry; blot with kitchen paper ifnecessary. Seta plate lined with fresh paper to hand. Warm about I tablespoon oil in a large fryingpan over high heat. Add some ofthe garlic, allow to fry fora few seconds until just beginning to change colour and add the