Roasted Winter Vegetables and Wholegrain Rice

This vegan dish has proven to be very popular with all vegetarians and meat eaters within my family and circle of friends.  Second helpings are the usual so make plenty.

The vegetables used grow abundantly in our Alaskan homestead gardens.  Thankfully they are also plentiful in most groceries.









Oven temperature:  450F/230C     Serves:  6-8

Vegetable preparation:  Cut all of those listed into 1-inch pieces

1 small butternut squash, peeled and deseeded
1 each (or about 300g/2/3s lb.)  of celeriac (or rutabaga), swede (turnip), carrots, and parsnips, peeled
3 large red onions, peeled and cut into eighths
1 handful curly parsley, snipped with kitchen shears
1 teaspoon each dried thyme and tarragon
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon each salt and coarse ground black pepper

Mix all of the above in your roasting pan.  Place in heated oven and roast about 40 minutes, until lightly brown on edges of vegetables and soft in the middle of each piece.

While vegetables are roasting prepare the rice:

20 fluid ounces (550 ml) wholegrain rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 quart (litre) boiling water
3-4 vegetable cubes
1 teaspoon salt

Use a large heavy pot to cook the rice.  Bring the oil up to a medium heat in the pan; add the onions and cook 3-4 minutes with occasional stirring.  Next add the rice, stirring to coat with the oil.  Add the boiling water, vegetable cubes and salt.  Bring to a low simmer and cover.  Let cook, without stirring, for 45 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Mix the cooked rice with the roasted vegetables and serve piping hot.

Homemade Pasta

Making fresh pasta is often a family venture for us.  We gather around the kitchen island with pasta flour, eggs, oil, and hands ready to help.  A recent purchase of a pasta machine and drying rack give a more professional touch.  However, for years we used a rolling pin to create lovely tagliatelle and the back of kitchen chairs to dry the rolled pasta sheets before cutting into strips.  Pictured here is Rich, partner of my nephew Chris.  Both spent the past holidays with us and joined in pasta preparation.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

300g/10 oz pasta flour ("00")
pinch salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
extra flour for dusting surface when rolling pasta

1. Pour the flour and salt out on a clean work surface.  Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and
2. oil.
3. Using a tablespoon mix thoroughly.  Knead the dough lightly.  Divide in half.
4. Roll each half on the lightly floured surface until it is to desired thinness.  We say the thinner, the better.  Muscle bound men help here.   Dry each sheet on the back of a kitchen chair for about 10 minutes.
5. Roll up each sheet loosely like strudel and cut through at regular 5mm/1/4 inch wide intervals to make tagliatelle.  Let them dry on the counter or a drying rack for 30 minutes for longer.
6. Cook in a large pan of salted boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes.  Drain.
7. Serve with your choice of sauce or simple toss lightly with oil, salt and pepper.

Seafood Soup

This bright red crowded seafood soup is welcome  anytime but I prepare it for sitting down with the family on Christmas Eve before we dash off to friends for mulled wine and mince pies and then on to carol service.  The taste is made special with the incorporation of not only a mix of shell fish but also saffron, mint, basil, Cayenne pepper, white wine, and Pernod into the thick rich tomato and fish stock base.  Crusty French bread is an essential accompaniment for mopping up soup left behind in your bowl.


Ingredients for 6 generous servings:

5 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped shallots
3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 handful parsley, snipped into small pieces
1 tablespoon crushed saffron
3 cups/24 oz tomato puree
1 quart/1 litre water
4 fish stock cubes
1 cup/8 oz dry white wine
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
8 oz/250g sea scallops, quartered
1 packet raw shrimp, shelled (about one cup)
1 pound/500g raw cod, divided into 6 pieces
6 lobster tails/2 lobsters, cooked meat removed from the shells and cut into large bite size chunks
1 tin of clams including juice (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons Pernod

Heat the oil in a large pan with the shallots and garlic for about one minute; do not brown; stir frequently.  Add the parsley, saffron, tomato puree, water, fish stock cubes, wine, salt and pepper (to taste), mint, basil, and cayenne pepper.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Add the scallops, shrimp, cod, lobster, and tin of clams; bring back to simmer and cook for another 15 minutes.

Stir in the Pernod and serve with crusty French bread.

Spinach Cheese Tart

This Italian tart made with ricotta cheese and chopped cooked spinach is a welcome site to the eye.  Served hot with a mixed vegetable salad it provides either a lunch or dinner with minimum time and expense.








Ingredients:

For the crust:

Have ready a 25 cm/10 inch flan pan.  Preheated 200C/400F oven.

250g/8 oz plain flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
125g/4 oz unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
4-5 tablespoons cold water

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.  Work in the butter with a pastry blender or your fingers until it is thoroughly and evenly distributed.  Mix in the egg yolk.  With a fork, mix in the cold water to make a soft dough.  Cover and let rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.  Roll dough out and line the flan pan.  Prick the pastry with a fork.  Line it with baking paper; fill with ceramic beans (or dried) and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove paper and beans and bake for another 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and fill with filling given below.

Ingredients for filling:

1 250g/8 oz bag of fresh baby spinach leaves
375g/12 oz ricotta cheese
4 eggs
sprinkling of grate nutmeg
75 ml/3 oz single cream
Salt and ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the spinach in the microwave according to directions on the bag.  Cool, then roughly chop.  Mix all the filling ingredients except the Parmesan in a bowl.  Pour into the pastry.  Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 180C/350F for about 30-40 minutes or until risen and golden brown.