Category Archives: Side Dishes

Black bean salsa

Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

  • for four
  • 1/2 cup black beans soaked overnight and cooked and cooled
  • 1 mango peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cucumber peeled and diced
  • 5 cherry tomatoes cut in chunks
  • 6 spring onions sliced
  • 1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1/4 teasp ground cumin
  • 1 avocado peeled and diced
  • small handful coriander herb chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime

Mix all together and add a little salt to taste.

Great served with roast salmon or other oily fish

Chickpeas with Chilli and Tomatoes

Hot & Spicy, Main Courses, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

  • For Four
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 red onion finely sliced-or normal if that is what uou have
  • 3 cloves garlic finely sliced
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2 green chillies finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2x400gm tins chickpeas drained or the equivelant in fresh cooked
  • 1 teasp ground cumin
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • 500gm small tomatoes sliced in half
  • 200gm baby spinach leaves
  • Plain yoghurt (I like Greek) to serve

Heat a large deep pan and add the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and salt. Cook stirring for 5 minutes until the onion is soft.
Add the ckickpeas, 80ml water, cumin and pepper andd cook for five more minutes until most of the water evaporates. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes to soften. Taste for seasoning then stir in the spinach so it wilts. Serve with yoghurt and boiled rice or nan

Aubergine Dhal

Hot & Spicy, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

  • For two people
  • Splash oil-not olive
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 teasp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teasp cumin seeds
  • 1 teasp nigella seeds
  • 1 tablespoon medium curry powder
  • 3oz red split lentils
  • 1 small or half a med aubergine cut in bite size pieces
  • 1 large or several small tomatoes cut in chunks
  • 1 handful fresh coriander-chopped

Heat the oil and saute the onions for a few minutes until soft and lightly brown
Stir in garlic, ginger,seeds and curry powder
Add lentils with tomatoes and 300ml water
Add aubergine and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes
Add coriander and serve

Parsnip Potato and Gruyere Bake

Family Favourites, Karen's Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

  • For Four people
  • 1lb potatoes
  • 1lb parsnips
  • 4oz gruyere(grated)
  • 2 tbsp single cream
  • pepper

Peel and chop potatoes and parsnips.
Boil together until tender then mash with pepper and cream. Stir in 3/4 of the gruyere and place the mixture in a buttered ovenproof dish. scatter over the rest of the gruyere. Can be made to this point the day before .When serving put into oven at 180 for 40 minutes until heated through and golden

Avocado and Tomatoes with Crisp Prosciutto Salad

Side Dishes, Starters

  • 4 ripe tomatoes, plum or other flavoursome variety
  • olive oil
  • 6 prosciutto slices
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Preparation time: 10 minutes
  • Cooking time: 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 hours

1. Cut the tomatoes into quarters lengthways. Spread over a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 160C/325F/Gas 3 for 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 hours until the tomatoes are slightly dried. Snip the prosciutto into pieces and add to the tomatoes for the last 15 minutes of cooking time to crisp.

2. Prepare and stone the avocados. Arrange the tomatoes on four plates and spoon teaspoons of avocado on top. Scatter over the prosciutto pieces.

3. Whisk the lemon, olive oil and seasoning together and drizzle over the salad.

Serves 4