VEGETABLES: Even though it takes a bit of work to prepare, it is a nice & nutritious vegetarian dish to serve your family.

SPINACH & RICOTTA ROULADE:

1½ lb. spinach                                                             

2 tbsp. butter

3 shallots, very finely chopped                                   

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup hot milk                                                         

2 tbsp, grated Parmesan cheese

4 large eggs, separated                                     

salt and pepper

filling:

    2 tbsp. sour cream                                       

    4 oz. ricotta cheese

    3 green onions, chopped                             

    2 tbsp. chopped parsley

    2-3 pinches cayenne pepper

Lightly grease a 19 x14-inch jell-roll pan and line it with waxed paper. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Discard tough stalks from washed spinach, shake off excess moisture. Pack spinach into a saucepan without additional water. Cover and cook gently, until spinach wilts. Simmer 8-10 minutes more or until tender. Turn spinach onto a sieve and press, either with a saucer or by hand, to squeeze out excess liquid. Chop finely in a food processor. Set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and cook shallots for 2-3 minutes. Add flour and, stirring constantly, cook it for 2-3 minutes. Gradually whisk in hot milk, whisking to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in spinach, Parmesan cheese and egg yolks. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.

Whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Lightly fold into spinach mixture. Spread into prepared pan, level surface and bake for 25 minutes until set and firm to the touch. Turn roulade out onto a sheet of greased wax paper and removed the used wax paper lining.

Mix filling ingredients together and season it with salt to taste and spread it over the roulade. Roll up, jellyroll fashion, starting from a short side and using the waxed paper to help. Leave it rolled-up for a while to firm the shape; then cut roulade into slices to serve. 

VEGETABLES: It is not easy to handle bean curds (tofu) because it is generally too delicate to hold its shape. So, be sure to buy the "firm" one--available at most supermarkets now--that is more manageable.

SPICY BEAN CURDS:

1 lb. “firm” bean curd or tofu                                      

seasoning:

    2 tbsp. all purpose flour, sifted

    3 tbsp. sesame seeds                                                

    1 tbsp. each chilli powder & white pepper                                                   

    2 tbsp. onion salt

1 egg, beaten with 3 tbsp. milk                        

oil for deep frying

lettuce leaves                                                              

dipping sauce:

    4 tbsp. each rice wine vinegar & dark soy sauce                                           

    2 tsp. chilli sauce                                         

    2 tsp. sesame oil                                          

    1 tbsp. sugar                                                

    salt to taste

Cut bean curds into wedges and dry them well. Mix seasoning ingredients together in a shallow dish. Dip each piece of bean curd lightly into the mixture, then into the egg and milk mixture, and finally into the flour-mixture again.

Heat enough oil for deep frying in a large pan until a wooden chopstick inserted into the oil gives rise to bubbles instantly. Lower bean curbs carefully into hot oil. Cover pan with a splatter-screen to prevent splattering.

Fry the bean curd for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Scoop bean curds out with a large strainer; and transfer them to paper towels to drain.  

Line serving plates with lettuce leaves and arranges bean curd wedges on top. Whisk dipping sauce ingredients together and adjust seasoning if necessary to taste. Drizzle a little dipping sauce over bean curd and serve the rest on the side.

VEGETABLES: This easy & simple recipe is another take-to-pot-luck dinner choice.

SCALLOPED CARROTS AND CORN:

1 cup corn, raw and cooked or canned                         

1 cup carrots, cooked and diced

1 cup chopped onions

sauce:

    1/3 cup butter          

    ¼ cup all purpose flour                                

    1 cup stale bread, diced in ¼ -inch cubes      

    1 tsp. each salt & sugar                                                       

    1 cup hot milk

    ½ to 1 tsp. curry powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

To make sauce:  Melt ¼ cup butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add chopped onion and cook gently until tender but not browned. Add the flour, curry powder, salt and sugar and cook the roux for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add hot milk into mixture gradually, whisking well with each addition to prevent lumps. Bring to the boil and cook until sauce is thickened. Add in carrots and corn. Transfer mixture to a casserole dish.  Melt remaining butter in pan, add bread cubes and toss well to coat. Sprinkle buttered bread cubes over the carrot mixtures. 

Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes.  May be prepared in advance and reheat before serving.  

VEGETABLES: Rice is that much tastier and more nutritious when cooked in this way with vegetables.

SAFFRON RICE PILAFF:

1 ½ cups brown rice

generous pinch of saffron strands                                

1 tbsp. olive oil + 3 tbsp. butter

½ tsp. sesame oil                                                         

½ cup sliced almonds

1 each onion, chopped, clove garlic, crushed   

1 each large carrot & celery, cut into julienne strips

10 oz. mixed chanterelle and oyster mushrooms         

1/3 cup sultanas

2½ cups vegetable stock                                              

½ cup cooked snow peas, halved

1-2 tbsp. chopped coriander                                        

salt and pepper to taste

sprigs of coriander to garnish

In a small bowl, soak saffron threads in 4 tbsp. boiling water for 20 minutes.

Heat olive and sesame oils in a saucepan over medium-low heat and toast almond slices for 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add butter to the pan and heat until melted. Add onion, garlic and celery and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add rice and stir together to coat for 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms, sultana, saffron with its soaking liquid and stock. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low. Cover pot and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in snow peas, coriander and the toasted almonds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss mixture together to mix well and fluff rice. Garnish with coriander sprigs to serve.   

VEGETABLES: Please use this recipe to learn about "choux pastry" which will be discussed in more details under the category of "desserts".

RATATOUILLE WITH CHEESE CHOUX PASTRY:

Choux pastry:

    4 tbsp butter                                                

    2/3 cup all purpose flour

    2 eggs, beaten                                                          

    2 oz. grated Cheddar cheese

ratatouille filling:

    1 eggplant                                                   

    1 large zucchini

    3 tbsp. olive oil                                           

    2 red peppers, cored and seeded

    1 large red onion, quartered and sliced         

    1 clove garlic

    1 large tomato, skinned and chopped                      

    salt and pepper

To prepare filling:  Cut eggplant into quarters and zucchini into ¼-inch slices. Arrange in a colander, sprinkle each layer with salt and leave for 30 minutes. Cut peppers into 1-inch pieces. After 30 minutes, rinse eggplant and zucchini slices, drain and pat dry. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat and add all the filling ingredients. Cover pan and cook gently for 15-20minutes, or until fork tender. Keep warm.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 4 ovenproof dishes. 

To make choux pastry:  In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter in 2/3 cup of water. Bring to the boil then remove from heat. Add all the flour immediately together with a pinch of salt. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon until flour is absorbed and the batter is smooth. Return pan to heat, using a hand mixer, beat until mixture forms a ball and leaves sides of the pan. Remove saucepan from heat and beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until batter is glossy. Stir in cheese and mix well. With a spoon, scoop up spoonful of pastry and drop them along the edge of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, or until well risen and golden.

Transfer cooked vegetables with slotted spoon into the centre of the Choux pastry ring in baking dish. Serve immediately.