Healthy Vegan - Butternut Squash, Chickpeas and Leek Stew

It certainly is getting colder, especially in the evenings and definitely time for soups and stews.

 Many years ago, actually it was in 2004 when I lived in Scotland, I made Denis Cotters of Cafe Paradiso fame Squash, Butter bean and Leek Stew.  I ended up making this again, only after 
having paged through the cookbook Paradiso Seasons and was reminded of all those recipes I made before I began this blog. 
Over the years I have adapted the Squash, Butter Bean and Leek Stew recipe as I did not always have butter beans or enough squash.  My version is made with Butternut Squash, Carrots, Chickpeas and Leeks.

 Sadly this time round I overcooked the vegetables, so this Butternut Squash, Chickpeas and Leek Stew was bordering more on chunky soup than stew, still very very tasty.



The cooking process is also very different in that Denis Cotter makes stock with the butternut squash which is blended to which the slightly softened leeks and butternut squash and beans are added.  It makes it for a rich and sumptuous dish. The fresh rosemary from the garden plot wonderfully infuses this stew further.
Butternut Squash. Chickpeas and Leek Stew
Adapted from Denis Cotter owner of the best vegetarian restaurant Cafe Paradiso in Ireland, as well as its chef and co-founder.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Healthy Vegan - Dill Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

Image
l have a confession to make.  I don't like mashed potatoes.  It is baby food designed for grown ups. I avoid making it, but if I have to t he only way I can eat it is if it is disguised in panko crusted  croquettes or dolloped over a good Vegetarian Shepherdess Pie,   but my dearest loves mashed potatoes, so it is for him I make them now and again.   Here the mashed potatoes are enhanced with herby dill and a good smack of horseradish powder or sauce. Once you've made it though, there is the question of presentation.    The mash was ridiculously smooth, so smooth that it almost melted in the mouth like snow - except of course it was warm.   Dill Horseradish Mashed Potatoes Serves 4 - 6 as an accompaniment Ingredients 500ml water 750grams potatoes, peeled and chopped into small bite size pieces 1 tablespoon horseradish powder or sauce 2 tablespoons dill, roughly chopped 30grams butter or vegan margarine 100ml - 150ml milk or ve...
Read more

Healthy Vegan - 13 Black Food Recipes for Halloween

Image
I have black quinoa, black rice and black garlic in my kitchen to experiment with over the weekend, but with Halloween fast becoming UKs most commercialised event after Christmas , I thought I would shamelessly  jump on the bandwagon and share some vegetarian and vegan black coloured food recipes you could easily make at home for the Halloween party (or maybe not). This is  Sweet Black Butter  (vegan)  made with black sesame seeds. Halloween Fruit Leather Bats   (vegan) Black Olive Spider Gratin   (vegan) Halloween Black Rice Risotto  (vegetarian) here it is topped with feta cheese, but you could easily make it suitable for vegans by substituting it with smoked tofu - cut into the shapes of ghosts - Boo! Halloween Black Olive Tapenade  (vegan) something different to spread onto those  crackers or pumpkin shaped bread rolls.  Not technically Halloween food, but this  Malaysian Black Pepper Tofu  ( vegan) ce...
Read more

Healthy Vegan - Three Pea Tagine with Cherry Tomatoes

Image
These days, I don't have much energy to cook from scratch when I get in from work unless its something like pasta such as  Spaghetti dish, but strangely enough I did actually make this Three Pea Tagine after work in the late evening.   I was rather surprised that I had both the energy and the inclination.  This was one of those days, when i decided to myself that I was not going to plonk myself in front of either the computer or sofa and instead use those couple of hours a little more usefully, then laze.  Other than making couscous, grub was made and it was plenty to last us two days if not more.   Its actually a relatively easy recipe, after sauteing the onions, garlic and spices, you could happily leave it for 40 - 45 minutes for the yellow split peas to cook in the vegetable stock, then stir in the remaining ingredients such as chickpeas, raisins, green peas, cherry tomatoes which happen to be home gown for 10 minutes and its pretty much done.  ...
Read more