As the weather
cools the thought
of a bowl of chilled salad leaves suddenly
becomes far less appealing. This is a time when combinations of jewel-coloured vegetables in unusual cooked salads come into their own. They
can be made well in advance and are at their best served at room
temperature.
In
this autumnal salad, steamed and
lightly grilled vegetables are sprinkled with spices, seasonings and
olive oil. You can choose butternut or pumpkin, clear green,
delicate courgettes, shiny slender green beans and pretty young leeks.
For a dash of colour and wonderful flavour, use either one or two crisp
yellow peppers or a slim purple aubergine.
INGREDIENTS:
1
medium size butternut, sliced
400
g green beans
400
g courgettes
400
g young leeks, trimmed
500
g new potatoes, quartered
2
yellow peppers, seeded and quartered
sea
salt
2
tablespoons olive oil
2
teaspoons chopped garlic
1
teaspoon cumin
(Serves
4-6)
You will need:
cook’s
knife, chopping
board, a
layered steamer, 2
baking trays or expanding metal holder, suitable
saucepan, metal
lifter
STAGE 1:
Soak and wash the vegetables well to remove all traces of dirt and grit.
Using a small stiff brush, kept for the purpose,
scrub potatoes and courgettes before rinsing.
To clean leeks, slit the
green sections and rinse thoroughly.
Steamers are really a worthwhile investment however
you can use an expanding metal holder with perforated leaves. These
stand on little legs and are placed into a heavy-based saucepan with
well fitting lid.
Steam butternut, green beans, courgettes, young
leeks and potatoes in batches or using a layered steamer. Allow about 15 minutes
for butternut, 8 minutes for green beans, 12 minutes courgettes, 10 minutes for
leeks and 18-20 minutes for quartered potatoes.
Pour boiling water over peppers, after 1-2 minutes
drain and reserve.
After
steaming, refresh beans in cold water to set colour. Sprinkle with salt, garlic
and 2 tablespoons olive oil, toss, cover and reserve.
STAGE 2:
The essence of successful grilled vegetables is
their succulence. Steaming and then grilling help preserve their juices.
After steaming, seasoning and drizzling with olive
oil, place vegetables as high as possible under the pre-heated grill to
char vegetables on the edges. Leave door slightly ajar. Always season before or while cooking. You can add
an extra dash after grilling when necessary. The nicest salt for grilled
vegetables is soft coarse sea salt, you will find it at health shops.
When using aubergines, first slice into rounds.
Sprinkle with salt stand until aubergines weep (about 10 minutes). Rinse
off salt. Sprinkle thoroughly with seasoning and olive oil bake covered
for 12 minutes at 180°C then uncover and place under the grill until
lightly charred.
STAGE
3:
Arrange butternut, courgettes, leeks, potatoes and
peppers on two flat baking trays.
Sprinkle butternut with sugar. Season butternut and
remaining vegetables with a little garlic and a light sprinkling of chilli, add
mustard and drizzle with olive oil. Place directly under the grill in a
preheated oven. Grill until edges char.
STAGE
4:
Remove, cool and lightly layer all the vegetables
together with green beans to make a latticework of colours. (Optional, lightly
spread with rocket or watercress and drizzle over extra olive oil, wine vinegar
and a pinch of extra sea salt.)
For a more substantial dish and entertaining add
slices of rare roast deboned lamb or fillet and layer together with the
vegetables. To prepare either the lamb or the fillet season thoroughly
with 2 teaspoons mustard powder, slivers of garlic tucked into fine
slits in the meat, sea salt and freshly milled pepper. Pat 2 tablespoons
olive oil all over lamb or fillet. Roast at 180°C for 20 minutes per 500
g. When cooled and the juices have settled, slice using a sharp knife,
layer together with vegetables and cover with wax paper until ready to
serve. It is best to prepare the roast on the day.
COOK'S CLASS