Rachel Green's Recipes

Serves 4

For the roasted squash

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for drizzling
• Sea salt and black pepper

For the lentil salad

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 110g puy lentils, cooked
• 180g green beans, blanched, refreshed and chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
• 8 good quality pork sausages

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius/400 degrees fahrenheit/gas mark 6

Method:

Put the butternut squash into a bowl, add the garlic, chilli and rapeseed oil, season with sea salt and black pepper and mix well. Tip onto a baking tray and roast in the preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes until softened and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the lentil salad, mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and season with sea salt and black pepper.

Grill the sausages on a medium setting for 10 – 15 minutes, until lightly browned, cool slightly and cut into slices.

Divide the lentil salad between 4 plates and top with slices of hot sausage and roasted squash. Drizzle with rapeseed oil before serving.

Serves 4-6

• 30g butter
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped (optional)
• 3 ripe pears, peeled, cores removed and chopped
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 500g frozen peas
• 80g watercress
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Creme fraiche to serve

Method:

Melt the butter in a large heavy based saucepan, add the onion, garlic and pears and cook gently until the onion is soft for about 2 minutes, taking care not to brown.

Add the vegetable stock and peas and simmer for 5 minutes, stir in the watercress, reserving a few sprigs to garnish then adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper. Blend until smooth.

This soup can be served hot or chilled. Serve with creme fraiche and a sprig of watercress on top.

Tips:

If you are using stock cubes, you could use the low sodium stock cubes and olive oil instead of butter for a healthier option and reduced-fat creme fraiche.

Per serving:

Recipe developed in-conjunction with www.peas.org

Serves 4

For the soup

• 1 tbsp sesame seed oil or vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed into a paste
• 1 small carrot, thinly sliced
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 4 chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
• 300g frozen peas
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce, plus extra to serve
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• A dash of fish sauce (optional)
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

For the pork dumplings (makes 10-12)

• 150g minced pork
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated and peeled
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• A dash of dry sherry or Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• 2 tsp cornflour
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 16 ready-made wonton wrappers (cut into rounds)
• 1 egg, beaten

Method:

Firstly make the dumplings, mix all of the ingredients except for the wonton wrappers and beaten egg in a bowl. Place a small amount of the mixture in the middle of each wrapper, brush with a little beaten egg on the edge and fold into a half moon shape and seal well.  Place on non-stick baking parchment and put into the fridge until required.  Any remaining filling can be made into meatballs or wontons and frozen.

To make the soup, heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan or wok, add the ginger and garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds, stirring all of the time, taking care not to burn them, add the carrot, spring onion, chilli and mushrooms and continue to stir fry for a further 2 minutes, taking care not to brown then add the stock, peas, soy sauce and fish sauce (if using) and bring to the boil. Simmer for 4 minutes and remove from the heat.  Mix the cornflour with a little cold water to make a smooth paste and stir into the soup, bring back to a simmer.

To cook the wontons, heat a large pan of boiling water and simmer the wontons for 3-5 minutes until they rise to the top and the filling is cooked.  Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve.

To serve, add the wontons to the soup and do not re-boil. Serve with extra soy sauce, garnished with the coriander leaves.

Per serving:

305 cals
10.1g fat
3g saturates
5.6g sugar
7.2g salt

Recipe developed in-conjunction with www.peas.org

Serves 4 to 6

For the pancake butter

• 120g plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 300ml of milk
• butter for frying

For the cheese sauce

• 40g butter
• 40g plain flour
• 570ml of milk
• 225g mature cheddar, grated
• 1 tsp English mustard
• sea salt and black pepper

For the filling

• 50g butter
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
• 120g of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 50g plain flour
• 275ml chicken stock
• 55ml of white wine
• 1 tsp of dried tarragon
• 350g of cooked chicken cut into strips
• 225g frozen peas
• 3 tbsp of double cream
• 1 tbsp of chopped chives
• sea salt and black pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius or 400 degrees fahrenheit or gas mark 6

To make the pancake batter, sieve the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt. Make a well in the centre and break the eggs into the well, add half the milk and beat well until the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining milk and beat again. Leave the mixture to rest for 15 minutes.

Heat a small non-stick pan with a little bit of butter, pour in about 3 tablespoons of batter, swirl to coat the bottom of the frying pan and fry until golden and flip over and cook the other side. Repeat until you have used all the mixture up.

For the chicken and pea filling, melt the butter in a large frying pan and fry the onion and mushrooms until soft. Stir in the flour and cook on a low heat for a minute, then remove from the heat and whisk in the stock, wine and tarragon and place back on the heat and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken and peas, season well with sea salt and black pepper, stir in the cream and bring back to the boil. Remove from the heat and cool.

For the cheese sauce, place the butter, flour and milk in a saucepan, whisk well and stirring constantly, cook over a low heat until thickened and boiling. Simmer for 1 minute and add the cheese and mustard and adjust the seasoning.

Take eight pancakes and lay them on a board. Spoon some of the mixture onto each one and roll up like a wrap. Place the stuffed pancakes in a buttered ovenproof dish and top with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle with extra cheese and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with a crisp green salad.

Per serving, based on 6 servings:

706 kcal
42.6g fat
25.3g saturates
9.3g sugar
2.2g salt

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 400g frozen peas
• 2 large aubergines cut into 3cm cubes
• 2 tsp garlic, finely crushed
• 2 tsp peeled fresh ginger, finely crushed
• 2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp green chilli finely chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 300ml water
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. When the seeds pop add the rest of the spices, crushed ginger, green chilli and garlic. Add the tomato puree and a little of the water. Blend to a smooth paste and then add the rest of the water. Season to taste. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 mins then add the aubergine chunks and coat well with the sauce. Cover the pan and allow to cook/steam for about 12 mins on a low heat, stirring frequently adding more water if necessary. Add the peas and cook for a further 8 – 10 minutes stirring frequently.

Serve with cooked brown Basmati rice and garnish with fresh coriander.