Five in one hash with eggs

So called because I reckon (probably wrongly) it must cover all of your five a day and you cook it all in one pan – so minimum washing up.

I was feeling a little bit poorly when I cooked this, and it really met the comfort food, stodge requirements. I suppose it is really just a tarted up egg and chip – and really who could complain at that. However because of all the veggies you can pretend it is almost healthy! The curry powder gives it a gentle spice and I know the smoked cheese sounds odd with it but trust me it works.

Obviously all the ingredients and quantities are entirely reliant on what you like and/or have lying around – pumpkin or peppers would be really good as would blue or goats cheese – and instead of the curry powder you could use thyme or sage or make it good and spicy with some chilli, some smoked paprika would also be nice...

200g potatoes, cut into about 1cm pieces
1 carrot, cut into about 1cm pieces
4-6 small onions, peeled and halved
2 cloves garlic, still in its skin
2 tbsp oil
8 mushrooms, quarters
4 baby courgettes, cut into 1cm chunks
8 tomatoes, halved or quartered
2 tsp curry powder
Salt
Pepper
2 eggs,
Smoked cheese, grated

Heat the oil in a frying pan and throw in the potatoes, carrot, garlic or onions. Cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes stirring regularly. When they are nearly cooked and just turning golden add the mushrooms and courgettes and cook for another 5 minutes or until everything is just cooked.

Next add the tomatoes and curry powder and stir everything together. Fish out the garlic and squeeze the soft cloves into the mixture (you might need to leave them on one side for a mo so you don’t burn your fingers). Season and then give everything one last good mix.

Finally clear two spaces and crack the eggs into the pan, cover and fry until the eggs have set.

Dole everything out onto two plates, sprinkle the cheese over the top and serve with crusty bread.

Serves 2

Tomato risotto

I finally have a decent number of tomatoes on the plants which, I think, might be trying to take over…first my conservatory, then the world.

When I have grown something from seed I want to make something that centres around it and really lets it shine and, most importantly, lets me taste it and reap the rewards of my hard work.

With tomatoes the obvious thing always seems to be a sauce (to me anyway). But that seemed a bit boring so I decided to buck the trend and make a risotto. Definitely do-again-able. It turned out really light, fresh and tomato-y, which was just what I wanted.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
750 ml vegetable stock
200g tomatoes, cut into halves or quarters depending on how big your tomatoes are
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Few leaves oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Small handful grated parmesan
Squeeze of lemon juice
Small knob butter

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan and fry the onions until translucent. Add the rice and stir for until the rice is coated in the oil.

Add the stock a ladleful at a time stirring regularly, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next, until the rice is cooked and just a little firm to the bite. It will take about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile put the remaining oil in a pan with the tomatoes and garlic, season and heat very gently. Cook for about 15-20 minutes adding the oregano 5 minutes before the end.

When the rice is cooked add the parmesan, lemon juice, the knob of butter and tomatoes and stir well.

Serve in warm bowls with chunks of crusty bread.

Serves 2

Pumpkin, chickpea and spinach curry

Being a little over keen, I roasted a pumpkin the other day that was slightly under-ripe. The first half was very disappointing so I decided to spice the other half up a bit and use it as a base for a curry. Well worth trying even if your pumpkin isn’t disappointing!

If your pumpkin isn’t already roasted, I’d added it to the spices with a bit of water, cook it until it is soft and then mash it lightly.

1 tbsp oil
Pinch asafoetida
1 bay leaf
1 small onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp ginger, finely chopped
2 dried chillies, finely chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
400g roasted pumpkin, mashed with a fork
1 tin chickpea, drained and rinsed well
1 tsp garam masala
1 handful spinach, roughly chopped
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt to taste

Heat the oil and gently fry the asafoetida and bay leaf (it will smell vile at first) for about 30 seconds.

Add the onion and garlic, cook for a couple of minutes before adding the ginger, chilli, coriander, cumin and turmeric. Fry for another minute then add the pumpkin and about half a cup of water. Combine everything well and cook until the water has more or less evaporated, then taste for seasoning.

Add the chickpeas and warm through, adding a splash more water if it gets a bit dry.

Finally add the spinach and garam masala. Let the spinach wilt, check once more for seasoning and add the lemon juice before serving with chapattis.

Serves 2