Meat-free mains Creative recipes that make vegetables the star attraction

Taleggio is an Italian soft cow’s milk cheese. Make sure you check the label, as not all Taleggio is vegetarian (see p132 for a guide to buying vegetarian cheese). The walnut pastry is a lovely, nutty backdrop to the tart filling.

A LITTLE EFFORT

SERVES 8 PREP 40 mins plus chilling and cooling COOK 1 hr 20 mins

FOR THE PASTRY 200g/7oz plain four, plus extra for dusting 50g/2oz walnuts (shelled weight) 50g/2oz cold butter, chopped into small pieces 25g/1oz vegetarian hard cheese (or

Parmesan if you’re not making a strictly vegetarian version), grated 1 medium egg, beaten FOR THE FILLING 1 tbsp olive oil 6 shallots, sliced 3 large garlic cloves, fnely chopped 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks 200ml/7oz double cream 140g/5oz vegetarian Taleggio, rind removed, cut into 1cm/1/2in chunks 1 punnet cress zest 1 lemon, plus extra to serve

1 To make the pastry, whizz the four and walnuts in a food processor until the walnuts are very fne. Add the butter and cheese and whizz again until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and 1 tsp cold water. Pulse until the mixture forms a dough, adding a little more water if needed. Wrap in cling flm and chill for 30 mins. 2 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. On a lightly foured surface, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a 50p piece and use it to line a 23cm tart tin. Prick the base several times with a fork and return to the fridge to chill for a further 15 mins. (Don’t be tempted to skip this step – it will help prevent any shrinkage.) 3 Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the shallots and garlic. Fry for 5-10 mins until the shallots have softened and are golden. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. 4 Line your pastry with baking parchment, fll with baking beans and bake for 15 mins. Remove the parchment and return to the oven for a further 10 mins – this will allow the base to dry out before you add the flling. Reduce oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. 5 Crack the egg into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the yolks. Beat lightly with a fork before pouring in the cream. Stir in the shallots and garlic, as well as three-quarters of the Talegio, three-quarters of the cress and the lemon zest. Season. 6 Pour the mixture into the tart case, add the remaining cheese and season with pepper. 7 Bake for 40-50 mins until the flling is set and feels frm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 mins. Scatter over the remaining cress and lemon zest.

PER SERVING energy 424 kcals • fat 33g • saturates 17g • carbs 20g • sugars 2g • fibre 2g • protein 11g • salt 0.6g

Food writer Georgina Fuggle lives in Brighton with her family. Her new

book, Take One Veg

(£15.99, Kyle Books), is out now. You can buy the book for just £13.99. Call 01326 569444, p&p is free. Or buy online at

sparkledirect.com/ goodfood

Tamarind aubergine with black rice, mint & feta

Tamarind adds an intentionally sour note to this dish. It’s one of those ingredients that is a great investment of flavour – but remember, a little goes a long way. Paired with aubergine and black rice, you have a sophisticated recipe, ideal for entertaining.

EASY LOW FAT

LOW CAL FOLATE FIBRE VIT C IRON 1 OF 5 A DAY

SERVES 4 PREP 25 mins COOK 40 mins

2 large aubergines 4 tsp tamarind paste 2 tsp sesame oil 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced 1 tbsp sesame seeds 200g/7oz black rice 6 spring onions, fnely sliced 100g/4oz feta, crumbled 2 small packs mint, roughly chopped small pack coriander, roughly chopped, reserving a few leaves, to serve zest 1 large lime FOR THE DRESSING 2 tbsp dark soy sauce juice 1 lime 5cm/2in piece ginger, peeled and fnely grated (juices and all) pinch of sugar

1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the aubergines in half lengthways and, with the tip of a knife, score the fesh deeply in a criss-cross diamond pattern – but don’t pierce the skin. Press on the edges of the halves to open the cuts. In a small bowl, combine the tamarind paste and sesame oil. Brush the mixture over the aubergine, pushing it into the cuts. Place on a baking tray, sprinkle over the chilli and sesame seeds, then roast, cut-side up, for 25-35 mins or until the fesh is really soft. 2 Put the rice in a small sieve and wash under running water for 1 min until the water runs clear. Tip the rice into a small saucepan and add 650ml cold water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 35 mins until the rice is tender. Drain under cold running water. 3 Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together with a pinch of salt. Adjust the seasoning to taste, adding a little more sugar, salt or lime juice, if you like. 4 In a big bowl, mix together the black rice, spring onions, feta, mint, chopped coriander, and the lime zest and dressing. Sprinkle the reserved coriander leaves over the aubergine halves and serve with the rice.

PER SERVING energy 355 kcals • fat 10g • saturates 4g • carbs 46g • sugars 11g • fibre 11g • protein 16g • salt 2.3g Here, cauliflower florets are simply roasted with olive oil and their delicate flavour is allowed to sing next to a fresh, light barley salad. You can use normal barley, but follow pack instructions for cooking time.

EASY LOW CAL CALCIUM FOLATE FIBRE VIT C 3 OF 5 A DAY GOOD 4 YOU

SERVES 4 PREP 40 mins COOK 30 mins

1 large head of caulifower, broken into forets 3 tbsp olive oil 140g/5oz quick-cook barley (or use normal barley but allow extra time to cook) 6 shallots, fnely chopped 2 garlic cloves 200g/7oz asparagus tips 1kg/2lb 4oz fresh broad beans or 200g/7oz podded or frozen weight zest 1 large lemon 1/2 small pack parsley, fnely chopped 1/2 small pack dill, chopped FOR THE DRESSING 3 tbsp olive oil 2 lemons, 1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges to serve FOR THE YOGURT 100g/4oz Greek yogurt 1/2 small pack dill, fnely chopped, plus extra, to serve

1 Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and boil the kettle. Put the caulifower in a large roasting tin and add 2 tbsp olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Mix to coat, then roast for 20-30 mins, shaking the tin halfway through cooking. 2 Meanwhile, put the barley in a small saucepan and cover with boiling water. Simmer for 10-15 mins until soft, then drain and allow to cool slightly before emptying into a large bowl. Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium frying pan and add the shallots and garlic. Fry gently for 5-10 mins until the shallots begin to caramelise, then add to the warm barley. 3 Add the asparagus to a saucepan of boiling water and simmer for 3-4 mins. Remove with a slotted spoon and run under cold water –this prevents overcooking and retains the bright green colour. Roughly chop into 2cm lengths and add to the shallots and barley. 4 Add the broad beans to the simmering water for 2-3 mins until the beans are just tender. Drain and run under cold water before popping the bright green beans from their skins. Add the beans and most of the lemon zest to the barley salad, then stir through the parsley and dill. 5 Put the dressing ingredients in a jam jar with a pinch of salt, shake together and pour over the barley salad just before serving. In a separate bowl, mix together the yogurt and dill. 6 Season the caulifower with black pepper, and serve with the barley salad and the dill yogurt and lemon wedges on the side.

PER SERVING energy 448 kcals • fat 21g • saturates 4g • carbs 44g • sugars 8g • fibre 11g • protein 15g • salt 0.4g