This month, The Broad Palate offers you:

Roasted Vegetable Ratatouille – serves approximately 6

Very versatile made in a big batch and frozen in portions. I like to add some braised celery as it adds a lot of flavour, similar to fennel but at a fraction of the price. Also try…

• Adding a can of  butter beans, serve on toast with a fried egg on top.
• Blend to make a smooth pasta/lasagne sauce (packed with hidden veg!)
• Lay cod steaks (+ orange or lemon zest?) on top of  4-5 ladlefuls of ratatouille in a frying pan. Cover with a lid and heat through gently so that the fish steams on top of the ratatouille. Garnish with chopped parsley & sliced olives.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 sticks celery, de-strung and cut into 2-inch lengths (optional)
• Knob of butter
• 2 aubergines/2 courgettes/2 medium onions, peeled/5 large tomatoes/2-3 peppers (all cut into approximately 1.5 inch  chunks, roughly equal in size)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Large pinch of chilli flakes (or to taste – for flavour, not heat)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 cartons passata (or 2 tins tomatoes blended until smooth)
• 1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in ½ cup hot water
• 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
• Olive oil and salt/pepper plus sugar to season

Method:

Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Put the the celery (if using ) on to braise in a lidded pan on the hob with a little water and knob of butter until softened.
Meanwhile, mix the other vegetables in a large bowl. Add olive oil, salt and pepper to coat everything well and roast on oven trays for approximately 25 minutes or until softened and slightly charred.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large, deep frying pan or hob-friendly casserole and gently heat, then add the garlic and chilli and cook for 2 minutes, followed by all the other ingredients. Let the mixture bubble gently for about 25 minutes*, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn’t stick, then season well with more salt, pepper and sugar to taste. (*Alternatively put everything in a slow cooker on low for 3 hours!).

Jean’s Tea Loaf (makes 1 loaf)

Great with a cup of tea – you can leave the butter out completely if you prefer, but I add a little in as I prefer the texture. You can always slather salted butter on a slice before eating!  N.B. You’ll need to soak the fruit and sugar in the tea overnight. This is adapted from my cousin Jean’s recipe (from Llanbedrog, North Wales 😊) – Ann.

• 400g mixed dried fruit
• 300ml strongly brewed tea of your choice (use 2-3 teabags)
• 100g dark muscovado sugar
• 250g self-raising flour
• 50g cold butter, diced (optional)
• 1 heaped teaspoon mixed spice
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Zest of 1 orange or of 2 satsumas

Method:

The night before, put the dried fruit, sugar and tea in a large bowl, mix well and cover.

The next day, preheat oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.  Grease and line a 2lb. loaf tin.
Rub the butter (if using) into the flour. To the fruit/sugar/tea mixture (i.e. do not discard any of the liquid), add the flour /butter mix (or just the flour), plus spices, zest and egg and mix well.
Transfer to tin and bake on lower shelf of oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool before removing from tin. Keeps well in an airtight tin for a week, and freezes well (double-wrapped in foil).