Recipes

South American Pulao
from Peter Vaughan, chef, The Healthy Life, Devizes

“We are all responsible for the health of this planet and for ourselves. Wiltshire can easily be a sustainable and environmentally aware county.The choice is up to every one of us. “
This is a brilliant way to simply use up those left overs in the fridge. Bits of pepper, a sad looking tomato, carrots or wilted spinach leaves, cooked chicken or fish, the list is endless.

Ingredients
200g of basmati rice
500ml of vegetable stock
1 x 255g tin of red kidney beans drained or other pulses
1 onion peeled and finely sliced
100g of frozen peas
2 courgettes diced (or use up any vegetable leftovers)
1 head of cauliflower cut into small florets (or use up any vegetable leftovers)
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh coriander leaves
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 tablespoon of sunflower oil (unrefined if possible)
1 cinnamon stick,
4 cloves, 6 green cardamom pods (both spices crushed)
1 teaspoons of curry powder
1 teaspoon of sea salt (optional)
pinch of chilli powder or chopped fresh chilli if preferred

Method
• Leave the rice to soak in a bowl of cold water while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Heat a suitable saucepan on a moderate heat and add the sunflower oil. When slightly heated add all spices except the fresh coriander. Now add the sliced onions and sweat for 1 minute. Add the peas, cauliflower florets and courgettes. Continue to cook gently for a further 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the rice and add to the pan, along with the kidney beans and stock. Turn up the heat and bring the Pulao to the boil. Then turn down the heat to low and cover with a lid.Leave to cook until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through, approx 10 minutes. Once ready, adjust the seasoning with salt if desired and add the lemon juice. Serve in a suitable warm bowl with fresh coriander sprinkled over the top.

Saturday Morning Soup
From Jane Scott
Wiltshire County Council Leader

I make this soup on a Saturday morning before the weekly shop using all vegetables left from the previous week, so you needn't stick closely to the recipe. This is a typical "don't throw anything away" recipe and great for Saturday lunch with plenty of crusty bread, I have made this a vegetarian recipe but you can add bacon(fried) and use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock.

Here goes!

Ingredients
1 large or 2 smaller onions
4 carrots
4 sticks of celery
Beans
Courgettes
Peas
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Broccoli etc etc etc
2 pints vegetable stock
Couple of cloves of garlic (if liked)
Table spoon of tomato puree
Tin Chopped tomatoes (or fresh if you need to use them up)
Tin of kidney beans or other beans, I have used chick peas (nice for a change)
Small handful of small pasta or I use spaghetti (about 6 strands) broken into small pieces
Salt (not too much as stock is often salty )
Pepper

Method

Chop onions, carrots and celery and soften in a small amount of oil (I use olive but any other is OK)
Add tin of tomatoes, tomato puree, garlic and stock. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 -40mins.When vegetables are soft add softer vegetables (courgettes, beans, peas etc) also pasta and tin of beans. Season to taste and simmer for a further 15mins. If using cabbage then shred and add for the last 10mins.
If the soup is too thick then add water as required.

The great thing about this recipe is you never make one batch the same as another and there is never any need to throw away those veg that maybe are past their best!!! Happy Experimenting!!!

Bubble and Squeak
From Sue Cowell, Wiltshire Women’s Institute
Use any left over potato (mashed, boiled or roasted), mix with any left over vegetables, cabbage is especially good - equal quantities are best. Blend in food mixer (or use potato masher). Mix until a stiff consistency, not too "mushy." Form into cakes about 3" diameter and 3/4" thick. Heat oil (not olive) in a frying pan and fry, turning occasionally until brown on both sides. Serve with anything eg cold meat, sausages, salad, fresh vegetables, fish - the choice is yours.

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