Our workshop leader for Cultural Cookery, and cook extraordinaire Fatima Uygun, shares some delicious vegetarian recipes from all over the world, that will add flavour and colour to your festive dinner table.
Jewelled Couscous
Ingredients
· 100 g couscous
· 1 pomegranate
· Water/stock or orange juice
· Golden sultanas
· Raisins
· Pumpkin seeds
· Small bunch mint
· Small bunch parsley
· Salt and pepper
Directions
· Place couscous in a bowl add enough boiling water and or a mixture of stock or orange juice to cover the couscous plus approximately 1cm above the couscous. Then cover with a lid and allow to soak.
· When absorbed and soft add the rest of the ingredients and the seeds of the pomegranate and mix.
Festive Red Cabbage
Ingredients
· 1 red cabbage
· 2 apples
· 2 sprigs of rosemary
· 1 heaped teaspoon fennel seeds
· 100 g dried prunes
· 1 orange
· 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
· Olive oil
Directions
· Trim off the base, cut the cabbage into wedges, then finely slice it and put aside.
· Peel, core and dice the apples.
· Add a slash of oil into a medium pan. Add the fennel seeds and diced apples to the pan, then tear in the prunes, removing any stones, strip the rosemary leaves into the pan
· Stir and fry for 2 minutes, then finely grate in the orange and squeeze in the juice.
· Add the vinegar, cabbage and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
· Cook with a lid slightly open on a low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through.
Festival Apple Crumble
Ingredients
· 1.5 kg mixed eating apples and pears
· 100 g quality cranberry sauce
· 1 clementine
· 50 g unsalted butter , (cold)
· 100 g plain flour
· 50 g golden caster sugar
· 50 g flaked almonds or unsalted festive nuts
Directions
· Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
· Peel and core the apples and pears, then quarter and chop into 3cm chunks. Place in a pan on a medium heat with the cranberry sauce, then finely grate in the clementine zest and squeeze in the juice.
· Cook with the lid on for 10 minutes, or until the fruit has softened, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
· Cut the butter into cubes and place in a mixing bowl with the flour and a pinch of sea salt. Rub together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs, then scrunch in the sugar to add a little texture. Roughly chop and stir through the almonds or nuts, and crumble.
· Transfer the fruit to a baking dish and sprinkle over the crumble topping, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
· Serve with custard or ice-cream.