11. Grilled broccoli
This plate of grilled broccoli, served with spiced harissa carrot and sweet potato purée, feta and sesame seeds, makes for an impressive gluten-free dish to whip up for dinner parties.
Ingredients
- 200g carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 60g sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp preserved lemon finely chopped
- 5 tsp rose harissa
- 500g long-stemmed broccoli, ends trimmed
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 50g feta
Method
- STEP 1
Put the carrot and sweet potato in a pan with enough salted water to cover. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins until soft. Drain and blend until smooth. Add all of the spices along with a big pinch of salt, the preserved lemon and rose harissa, and continue to blend. Add more salt if needed.
- STEP 2
Blanch the broccoli for 2 mins in boiling water and cool in ice-cold water to stop the cooking process.
- STEP 3
Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a small frying pan over a medium heat for 2-3 mins or until golden. Char the broccoli on a griddle pan until it is tinged with colour.
- STEP 4
Dress the bottom of a plate with the purée and put the broccoli on top. Garnish with finely crumbled feta and the sesame seeds.
12. Sweet potato linguine with vegan puy lentil ragu
Sweet potato linguine is more robust than courgetti, so can withstand a bit more cooking. Served with a warming vegan bolognese-style ragu, this gluten-free, low-calorie main is perfect for dinner.
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and grated
- 100g button or chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- finely chopped to make 1 tbsp rosemary needles
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 250g pouch cooked puy lentils
- 2 large or 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
Method
- STEP 1
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan on a low heat and fry the onion and carrot with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes until soft, but not golden. Turn the heat up a little, add the mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes until they start to turn golden, then add the garlic, balsamic and rosemary and simmer until most of the balsamic has evaporated.
- STEP 2
Tip in the tomatoes, and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the lentils. Season and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until thickened.
- STEP 3
Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes into long thin strips with a veg peeler or spiralizer, layer them on top of each other, then cut the ribbons into 3mm wide lengths, or use the flatter setting of a spiralizer, to make sweet potato noodles.
- STEP 4
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and fry the sweet potato noodles for 3-5 minutes until tender and it has turned a lighter shade of orange. Season, then tip into bowls and top with the vegan ragù.