Touch of class Dressed up vegetables add gourmet style

Press, 7 June 1982, Page 10

Touch of class Dressed up vegetables add gourmet style

COOKING with

Celia Timms

Interesting vegetable accompaniments can greatly enhance the dish with which they are served. A plain grill of steak or chops can achieve gourmet status when served with vegetables that have been prepared with care and imagination instead of the plain, boiled or steamed potatoes, and greens. Baked cheese spinach Spinach-proper, or silver beet with stalks removed, can be used here, and as these vegetables are not popular with everyone when served plain, cooked in this way they can be more acceptable. For four persons you will need: 450 g spinach or silver beet leaf 125 g cream cheese or cottage cheese 1 dessertspoon Worcestershire sauce 125 g mushrooms Butter

Lemon juice Cereal crumbs or potato chips Sait and pepper Method: Cook spinach and drain very thoroughly. Add the cream cheese. If cottage cheese is used, press through a fine sieve and beat well before adding. Stir until cheese is dissolved then add sauce, a good squeeze of lemon juice and the sliced mushrooms which have been sauteed in butter for 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and pour into a greased ovenproof dish. Top generously with crumbs and bake at 160 C for about 30 minutes or until topping is lightly browmed. Potatoes Dauphinois (Scalloped potatoes) Grated onion can be added to this recipe for a stronger flavour. For six servings vou need: Ikg potatoes I'z cups milk 1 cup cream or evaporated milk 1 cup grated cheese 1 teaspoon salt;

‘4 teaspoon pepper Method: Pee) and thinly slice the potatoes: combine in large bowl, with the milk, cream, cheese and seasonings. and a very small pinch of nutmeg, but this is optional. When carefully combined. pour into’ a wellgreased.. shallow, oven-proof dish and bake at 150 C for an hour to I>2 hours or until the liquid has been absorbed and the cheese browned, but the dish must not be dry. Green peas French-style Cooked by this method, peas ’ are a very different vegetable. For four persons you need: 2 cups fresh green peas 6 spring onions 6 lettuce leaves 3 sprigs parsley (tied together) 2 tablespoon butter *■'2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar *2 teaspoon flour Additional tablespoon butter Method: Put 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan, add chopped spring onions, including green and the shredded lettuce, salt, sugar and parsley. Add the peas and 'z cup of water. Bring to the boil. Cover saucepan and boil until peas are just cooked — 15 to 20 minutes. Most of the liquid should have been absorbed, but watch that- it does not dry out completely. Take pan off

heat and remove parsley. .. Cream additional butter into .' a paste with the flour and ■ add to pan. Return to heat • and shake vigorously to com- ; bine butter and flour with ' remaining liquid and to roll ■ peas. When this thickens. : serve immediately. ■ . Pumpkin a la Francaise This could be served as a very light vegetarian dish or supper dish, but I prefer to use it as an accompanying : vegetable. For four servings you need: 2 medium-size onions i U cup long grain rice 2 cups diced raw pumpkin Dry breadcrumbs Grated cheese Butter r Sugar, salt and pepper Method: Slice onions very ; thinly and fry until soft in ■ butter. Thoroughly wash rice in cold water and when well drained, add to onions in pan. 1 tossing until lightly browned. Cook the diced pumpkin in - boiling water to which 1 teaspoon of sugar is added with salt; when just soft. drain and press through a ; sieve. Add to cooked rice and ; onion, seasoning all with salt ; and pepper. Turn into a greased ovenproof dish, sprinkle with dry bread- ' crumbs, grated cheese anc dot with butter. Bake, at 180 C -■! for -20 minutes to half ar ... hour or until browned Sprinkle with finely choppet parsley.