Fennel, Courgette & Chilli Risotto

As it was my birthday on Monday I had a long weekend of celebrations. It was an excellent time with excellent friends. I ate terribly, drunk wayyy too much and felt pretty shoddy by the end... but that's what birthdays are for, right??? This week I have needed good old comfort food to get me back on top. Lots of fruit, veggies and plenty of hydration. The temperature has also dropped which has meant a good chance to indulge in cold-weather favourites including soups, broths and risottos. Happy days!

This Fennel, Courgette & Chilli Risotto was thrown together with random bits left in the fridge and is just so satisfying. Also, I managed to keep my inner chilli fiend locked up and so it's warmth is manageable for most. Well done me. 

I adore Risotto and the key is to keep it moist and keep everything moving. Don't rush the process, just take it easy. I also really love al dente rice, so it is 'just' cooked and therefore not at all stodgy, but you can cook it whichever way you like it!

To serve 2, you will need:

1 tbsp Dairy Free Spread (feel free to use Butter if you are not dairy-free)

1 large Fennel bulb, finely sliced (reserve Fennel tops for decoration)

1 medium Courgette, roughly diced

1 large Red Chilli (medium heat), finely chopped

180g Arborio Risotto Rice

Juice of 1 Lemon

500ml Organic Vegetable Stock

1 tsp Fennel Seeds

½ tsp Black Peppercorns

Salt flakes

Small handful of Parsley

In a heavy-based deep-sided frying pan, heat the Dairy Free Spread until melted then add the sliced fennel. Cook at a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring throughout, to soften. Turn the heat up to full for 2 minutes following this to get a little browning on the fennel.

Turn the hob back down to medium heat then add the diced Courgette. Cook for 5 minutes then add the chilli. Mix together well then cook for a further 5 minutes. In the meantime crush the fennel seeds with the black peppercorns and add to the pan, then make up 500ml vegetable stock in a jug.

Add the rice to the pan and coat fully by mixing well, then squeeze over the lemon juice. Let this sizzle away for a minute or two, keeping everything moving, then add the first 100ml of your stock. The aim is to let each bit of liquid get absorbed fully before pouring in the next. So gradually add the stock bit by bit over the course of 20-30 minutes until the rice is cooked to your liking. If you need more liquid add more stock or even water straight from the kettle.

Once the risotto rice is cooked to your liking remove from the heat. Taste and then season with salt accordingly. Finely chop a small handful of Parsley leaves and mix through. Then serve ripping up the Fennel tops to use as a garnish for the top. 

The great thing about the use of courgette in this recipe is that some pieces stay whole and even relatively firm. Whilst other pieces soften and get mixed through to create an almost creaminess. Overall the Risotto is really fresh-tasting, with a lovely aniseed warmth from the fennel and a definite zing from the lemon and chilli. I hope you enjoy!

Watch this space for my next blog post for Suma Wholefoods coming soon! It's a fruity delight!

Aubergine & Courgette Tagine

One thing that my husband has really missed since going meat-free at home is those long, slow-cooked meaty dishes. The boeuf bourguignons and Sunday casseroles. This rich veggie tagine is a great meat-free alternative to those dishes. And we just adore the sour kicks you get from those lush Moroccan flavours! 

In our house we can't manage particularly large portions but dishes were practically licked clean after this. After I posted a photo of the meal on Instagram, a friend asked for the recipe and so I thought I may as well share it here too! It's a corker. 

To serve 2, you will need:

5 baby Courgettes, sliced

2-3 baby Aubergines, sliced

1 large White Onion, roughly chopped

10 Cherry Tomatoes, quartered

500ml Veg Stock

1 Cinnamon Stick

Bulb of Garlic, separated into cloves

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 tsp Coriander Seeds, ground

1 tsp ground Turmeric

1-2 Preserved Lemons, finely chopped

10 Kalamata Olives (stone in)

Handful of fresh Coriander, finely chopped

Salt & Pepper

Heat oven to 190°c. In a large deep pan (or casserole dish you can put on the hob) heat a glug of olive oil and sweat onions for 7 minutes. 

Keeping on a low-medium heat, add all the spices, cinnamon stick and whole garlic cloves. Mix well then add the Courgette and Aubergine slices, followed by the Preserved Lemons and Olives. Coat everything well in the spices then throw in the Tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add the stock and season with salt and pepper.

Mix well, bring to the boil then decant into a casserole dish (no need to decant if you used casserole dish from the beginning). I used a tagine but I don't like to use it on the hob. Put in the oven and cook for at least 90 -100 minutes, stirring a couple of times during. Cook for longer to thicken sauce, I tend to remove the lid for the last 20-30 minutes of cooking to do this.

Once ready check the seasoning, remove cinnamon stick and mix through fresh coriander. I served with couscous with black pepper and coriander mixed through - lovely jubbly!

Courgette, Pea & Mint Patties

Since becoming vegan last year I have experimented with many different veggie patties, burgers, fritters and falafels. People are always asking what we eat now, assuming that we have very little choice. But there are so many amazing plant-based foods available, before you even start on the vegan substitutes out there. So in reality, with a little planning, it's really not that hard and the options are endless.

This is my favourite "pattie" recipe so far; a combination of lush, fresh ingredients to really tickle your tastebuds. Peas and mint are great bedfellows - I just know that you Nottingham folk can't resist your mushy peas and mint sauce! And with the addition of courgette these patties are light and such a joy to eat.

 To make 6 medium-sized patties you will need:

• 1 courgette
• 1 small white onion
• 140g frozen garden peas 
• Handful of mint leaves, stalks removed
• ½ a handful coriander leaves, stalks removed
• 1 tbsp coarse breadcrumbs, such as Panko
• 1 tbsp gram flour 
• 3 tsp egg replacer - I use Orgran "No egg" - plus 4 tbsp water
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 5 tbsp rapeseed oil
• Salt and pepper

​

Grate the courgette and onion onto a tea towel then pat down to squeeze out the moisture. Cover and set aside.

Blitz the defrosted garden peas until they are broken up into small pieces, but not entirely processed. Fresh peas are best, if you can get 'em! You can do this with a fork, rather than a food processor, if you wish. Then finely chop the mint and coriander.

Put the courgette, onion, peas, coriander and mint into a bowl and mix together. Then add the breadcrumbs, gram flour and baking powder. Season with a little salt and pepper then mix together well.

In a small bowl lightly whisk the egg replacer with the water until fluffy. Pour into the other ingredients and fold through gently until all the ingredients come together. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Then shape the patties, lay on a plate or baking sheet, then chill for a further 30 minutes.

Put the rapeseed oil into a frying pan and warm on a high heat. As the oil is starting to bubble gently set down the patties. They should start to sizzle immediately. Fry for 15 minutes, turning regularly, until the patties are evenly browned all over. If at any point during cooking the patties are cooking too quickly turn down to a medium heat. Serve immediately. 

 I served the patties with mixed leaves thrown in a light vinaigrette and a raita-style dip using plain soya yoghurt. It was a lovely combination - this is a lovely meal for coming into Spring, really fresh and vital!