Vegetarian recipe special: the chefs (part one) | Food (2024)

For more information on Meat Free Monday visit supportMFM.org; for more on Linda McCartney Foods: lindamccartneyfoods.co.uk

Bruno Loubet's pea pancakes and poached eggs with balsamic syrup

Serves 4

For the pancakes:

350g small frozen peas
2 tbsp cornflour
1 egg
salt and pepper
butter (optional)

For the poached eggs:

4 eggs
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
balsamic vinegar syrup
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs chopped chives
100g pea shoots

To make the poached eggs, heat a pan with water, salt and the vinegar. Have a tray with a hot damp cloth on the side. Break eggs gently into little cups, then slowly pour eggs in the simmering water, letting them slide on to the side of the pan (it will only take a minute to cook). Remove them gently with a draining spoon and place on to the damp cloth.

Reheat the pancakes in the oven at 110C/gas mark ¼ for 1 minute, then place on the middle of the plate with the poached egg over it. Heat the balsamic vinegar in a pan until it reduces to a syrup. Drizzle the syrup and some olive oil over the pancake. Sprinkle with chives and pea shoots.

Heston Blumenthal's garden salad

I first served this dish at the Fat Duck when Sir Paul and Stella came for dinner. It was based on a garden I created for a Victorian feast that came with a variety of baby vegetables, edible rocks, gravel and insects. I left the insects out for the McCartneys! Serve in brand new terracotta plant pots or a deep bowl for sharing.

Serves 4

Spread the olives on a tray lined with parchment paper and dry out in a 110C/gas mark ¼ oven for 5 hours. Halfway through the drying process, chop the olives so they dry more quickly. After 4 hours, chop the dry olives finely.

Lower one of the eggs into a small pan of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water. Gently peel the shell from the hard-boiled egg, then separate the white from the yolk. Finely chop the egg white then press the yolk through a sieve. Stir both into the mayonnaise with the cornichons, capers, vinegar, garlic, fresh breadcrumbs and chopped herbs.

Put the Grape-Nuts on to a baking tray and toast for 5–7 minutes at 180C/gas mark 4. When they have been toasted, crush them in a pestle and mortar until they become a coarse powder.

Place a small saucepan half-filled with vegetable oil on a high heat and bring up to 180C. Add the rye breadcrumbs and fry for approximately 1 minute until they turn deep brown then strain through a sieve, discarding the oil. Dry the breadcrumbs on a tray lined with kitchen towels. Mix 15g of rye breadcrumbs with 15g of the toasted Grape-Nuts and 60g of the finely chopped olives and set aside.

In the meantime, place the eggs in a large pan with enough cold water to cover the eggs by 2cm. Place the pan over a high heat. Bring the water to the boil; as soon as it starts to simmer, allow the eggs to cook for 1 minute 45 seconds exactly. Remove the eggs from the pan and plunge them immediately into a bowl of iced water.

To construct the salad, divide the mayonnaise mixture between 4 individual plant pots or put it all in one large deep dish and sprinkle the olive soil on top. Cut the top off the eggs and place them on top of each bowl or dotted around the single bowl. "Plant" the asparagus around the eggs and serve.

Gordon Ramsay's herb gnocchi with tomato salsa

This recipe is all about getting extra flavour into a simple dish. Rather than boil and mash the potatoes in the usual way for gnocchi, I bake them for a fuller flavour and fluffier texture, then mash. Sautéeing the gnocchi in oil and butter before serving crisps the surface and gives them a delicious flavour.

2 large baking potatoes, about 400g each
160g plain flour
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp chopped basil
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 large free-range egg, beaten
4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
50g butter

For the tomato salsa:

6 vine-ripened plum tomatoes
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely sliced
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp sesame oil
a generous dash of Tabasco
1 tbsp basil, finely chopped
1 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

When the mash is cool, mix in the flour and salt until evenly incorporated, then add the herbs. Gradually work in the beaten egg until you have a smooth, firm dough – you may not need to add all of it.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Have ready a large bowl of iced water. Divide the dough into 8 balls, then roll each out on a lightly floured surface to a long, narrow sausage, about 30cm long, and flatten very slightly to make an oval shape. Cut the rolls, slightly on the diagonal, into 3cm lengths, using the back of a table knife or thick cook's knife.

When all the gnocchi are cooked and cooled, combine them in a bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil to keep them separate, then cover with cling film and chill until required.

To make the salsa, dip the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds or so to loosen the skins, then into cold water to refresh; drain and peel away the skins. Quarter, core and deseed the tomatoes. Finely chop the flesh and place in a bowl with the other salsa ingredients. Toss to mix and season well, then spoon into a serving dish.

When ready to serve, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and half the butter in a large frying pan until hot. Sauté the gnocchi, in batches, for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm, uncovered in a low oven, while you sauté the rest of the gnocchi, using the remaining oil and butter as needed. Serve with the tomato salsa.

• Gordon Ramsay's Secrets (Quadrille, £14.99)

Mario Batali's pennette with Swiss chard ragu

Serves 6

60ml extra virgin olive oil
1 small white onion, halved and sliced 5mm thick
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
400g Swiss chard, trimmed and sliced 5mm thick
Maldon or other flaky sea salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces
coarsely ground black pepper
kosher salt
400g pennette
¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for serving
½ cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs, fried in olive oil until golden brown

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add a generous amount of sea salt. Drop in the pennette and cook until just al dente.

Drain the pasta, reserving about 125ml of the pasta water. Add the pasta and 60ml of the reserved pasta water to the chard ragu and stir and toss over medium heat until the pasta is well coated (add a splash or two more of the reserved pasta water if necessary to loosen the sauce). Stir in the cheese.

Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl and scatter the breadcrumbs over the top. Serve with additional grated Parmigiano on the side.

• Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking by Mario Batali (Ecco Press, £19.99)

Claude Bosi's confit of Wye Valley asparagus (over by end of June), pink grapefruit and crushed organic hens' eggs

Serves 4

20 medium-sized asparagus spears
250g salted butter
4 organic hens' eggs
½ bunch tarragon
salt and black pepper
2 pink grapefruits
a drop of sherry vinegar

Trim the asparagus. Melt the butter to a liquid consistency. Lay the asparagus equidistant along a small lasagne dish (or a similar, fairly shallow dish; not too long). Pour the butter into the same dish. This should cover the bottom half of the asparagus. Cover the dish with greaseproof paper. Place in a preheated oven (60-80C), and rotate them every 3 minutes to ensure even colouring.

Meanwhile boil the whole eggs in a pan of water with salt and vinegar added. Cook to soft-boiled, about 6 minutes. When they are cooled, peel them. Crush with a fork. Add chopped tarragon. Season with salt and black pepper.

Take out after 10-12 minutes. The asparagus should be cooked, but still hold a firm structure that can still hold when cut with a knife.

Segment the two pink grapefruits. Warm these segments in same butter used for the asparagus. Add the chopped tarragon.

Plate each portion. Add a drop of sherry vinegar to the remaining butter and drizzle over to finish.

• Claude Bosi is chef patron of Hibiscus (hibiscusrestaurant.co.uk)

Giorgio Locatelli's green bean salad with roast red onion and Parmesan (Insalata di fa*giolini, cipolle rosse e parmigiano)

You can prepare the onions for this salad a few hours before you need them – or even the day before - to improve the flavour. It is important that they are quite soft, not crunchy.

Serves 4

2 large red onions
300ml red wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
100ml extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
240g fine green beans
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for shavings
3 tbsp shallot vinaigrette (see recipe below)
a small bunch of chives, chopped

Preheat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7. Leaving their skins on, wrap the onions in foil and bake in the oven for about 1 hour until soft.

While the onions are cooking, put the vinegar into a small pan and boil until reduced by about a third. Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar until dissolved, then stir in the extra virgin olive oil to make a vinaigrette.

When the onions are cooked, unwrap them and peel off the skin. While they are still warm, cut them in half, separate the layers and season with salt and pepper, then put them into the vinaigrette.

Blanch the green beans in plenty of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes, then drain. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with the grated Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Toss with the shallot vinaigrette (see recipe below) and sprinkle over the chives.

Arrange the onion layers on your serving plates. Place the beans on top and shave over some more Parmesan.

Giorgio Locatelli's shallot vinaigrette (Condimento allo scalogno)

Makes about 250ml

2 banana shallots or 4 ordinary shallots, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
75ml red wine vinegar
150ml extra virgin olive oil

Put the shallots in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the vinegar and leave to stand for 30 minutes.

Whisk in the oil and use straight away.

Mark Hix's spring bubble and squeak

Bubble and squeak needn't be just for using up wintry leftovers. In fact I'm much more likely to cook the green veg and potatoes from scratch at any time of the year. The dish is so good with grilled meats; it also makes a delicious breakfast, brunch or lightish lunch.

Peas and beans – broad, runner and bobby beans – are chopped up with leftover or freshly cooked new potatoes, along with some spring or summer greens, spring onions and green herbs, then pan-fried as patties.

Serves 4

125-150g new potatoes, peeled and cooked
200g spring greens, cooked, drained
6 spring onions, trimmed
100g podded broad beans, cooked
100g podded peas, cooked
1 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Chop the potatoes, greens, spring onions and beans and place in a bowl with the peas. Add the chopped parsley, mix well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Shape the mixture into 4 even-sized patties and flatten them slightly.

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve straightaway, or keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve.

• British Seasonal Food by Mark Hix (Quadrille, £25)

Rowley Leigh's artichauts à la barigoule

Large artichokes are normally stuffed "à la barigoule". Baby artichokes can be trimmed the same way and then braised in the liquid of white wine and olive oil. They are both best enjoyed as a course in their own right with some fresh crusty bread as sole accompaniment. One of the artichoke's little difficulties is that it is unkind to wine.

Serves 6

6 large artichokes
2 lemons, halved
1 shallot
1 clove garlic
5 tbsp olive oil
400g mushrooms
3-4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp peppercorns
pinch of salt
125ml white wine

Break and pull the stalks of the artichokes away from the heads, pulling the tough fibres away with them. With a sharp serrated knife, cut the artichokes across the middles, removing the tops of the leaves but approximately 1cm above the level of the hearts. Likewise cut across the base, revealing the hearts and rub very well with half a lemon. With a small sharp knife and a circular action, trim away the leaves from around the base so that the heart is fully exposed and continue to rub periodically with the lemon. Continue until all the artichokes have well-rounded hearts and a crown of tender leaves above. Boil these in well salted water for 15 minutes and then allow to cool.

Finely chop the shallot and garlic and soften for 10 minutes in 1 tbsp of the olive oil on a gentle heat. Finely chop the mushrooms and add to the pan. Season well and add a couple of sprigs of thyme and stew gently until the mushrooms render their liquid and the mixture forms a sort of paste. Allow to cool.

Once the artichokes have cooled, remove the chokes from the centres – this is best done by hand, pushing down and away with the thumb until the choke gives and can be lifted out. Make sure every hair of choke is gone and then replace with a spoonful of the stuffing mixture. Pour the white wine into a sauté pan with 4 tbsp of olive oil, some more thyme, the peppercorns, 3 bay leaves and a good pinch of salt. Stand the artichokes upright in this mixture, cover with greaseproof paper and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes and allow to cool. The artichokes can be served hot or cold, and are better reheated than served immediately.

• Rowley Leigh is chef patron of Le Cafe Anglais (lecafeanglais.co.uk)

Thomasina Miers's courgette flower omelette with ricotta and tarragon

Courgette are one of the many vegetables that we know and love which were actually first grown in Mexico. Over there they are so plentiful that their flowers are sold in great big bundles in all the markets and they are eaten in cheesy quesadillas at every other street food stand. They look wonderful laid out on an omelette – it's a beautiful and simple lunch. Just use courgette if you are struggling to get hold of the flowers.

Serves 6

4-5 courgette flowers
5 eggs
100ml double cream
sea salt and black pepper
50g Parmesan cheese, grated
small handful of tarragon, chopped
½ onion, finely chopped
2 courgette, diced into 1cm cubes
50g ricotta, crumbled

Preheat your grill to its highest setting. To prepare the courgette flowers, detach the stalks and cube as with the other courgette. Gently peel back the petals of the courgette flowers and remove the stamen. Tear down one side of a petal so that you can flatten out the flower in a half-moon shape.

Lightly whisk the eggs and cream together, add the Parmesan and chopped tarragon and season well with pepper and a little salt (Parmesan is already pretty salty).

Heat a 26cm frying pan, and when it is hot add the olive oil and butter. When the fat is sizzling, add the onion and courgette and fry over a medium heat until the onion has turned soft and translucent and the courgette a pale golden colour, but still with a bit of bite. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Turn the heat right up, and when the pan is really hot pour in the egg mixture, let it cook a little, then drag the mixture from the sides of the pan to the centre with a palette knife. Place the flowers on top in a circular pattern, crumble the ricotta over them and place under the grill. The ricotta will turn a slight golden colour, but the omelette should still be a little wet in the middle. Either serve from the pan or carefully slide on to a large plate. Delicious with crusty bread and a salad.

• Mexican Food Made Simple by Thomasina Miers (Hodder & Stoughton, £20)

Rick Stein's aubergine curry with tomatoes, ginger and fennel seeds

If you can get them, use finger aubergine for this. They are shaped rather like a small courgette and hold their shape well during cooking. This is a simple curry but interesting to me, as it uses a lot of fennel seeds, a common flavour in Bangladeshi food. Incidentally, they call them aniseed there, but they're not, because I wandered into a kitchen in Sylhet and tried them. All through India, as indeed in some Indian restaurants in the UK, sugar-coated fennel seeds are offered at the end of a meal as a breath-freshener and digestive.

Serves 6

600g aubergine, ideally Asian finger aubergine
½ tsp salt
150ml vegetable oil
40g peeled ginger, roughly chopped
40g garlic, roughly chopped
2 green cayenne chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds, freshly ground
½ tsp turmeric powder
400g chopped tomatoes, fresh or from a can
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp each of fresh coriander and mint, chopped

Top and tail the aubergine and cut in half lengthways. If using larger, Mediterranean-style aubergine, then cut each one across in half and then each piece lengthways into 6 or 8 wedges. Toss them with half a teaspoon of salt and set aside in a colander for 10 minutes.

Heat a large frying pan over a high heat. Pour the oil into a shallow dish. Brush the aubergine pieces, a few at a time, with oil, put them in the frying pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until richly browned. Cooking the aubergine in this way helps prevent them from absorbing too much oil, which would make the finished dish greasy. Set aside in a bowl and repeat with the remaining aubergine.

Put the ginger, garlic and chilli into a mini food processor with 2-3 tbsp water and grind to a smooth paste. Put 2 tbsp of the remaining oil into the frying pan and add the cumin and fennel seeds. Leave them to sizzle for a few seconds, then add the ginger and garlic paste and leave this to fry for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the coriander and turmeric and fry for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes, black pepper, 3 tbsp water and half a teaspoon of salt. Cover and leave to simmer for 8-10 minutes, until reduced and thickened slightly.

Return the fried aubergine slices to the pan and stir well to coat in the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the fresh coriander and mint and serve.

• Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey (BBC Books, £25)

Antonio Carluccio's caponata Siciliana (Sicilian vegetable stew)

Versatile, delicious and easy to make, caponata is probably Sicily's best-known dish. Throughout the centuries Sicily has been invaded and colonised by many other nations, and many Sicilian recipes show influences from other cuisines. Here you will see that there are some hints of the French ratatouille, while the inclusion of raisins and pine kernels suggests some Arabic influences too.

Serves 4-6

800g aubergine
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
3 ripe tomatoes, cut into chunky cubes
1 tbsp tomato purée, diluted with a little water
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp salted capers, soaked
20 green olives, pitted
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 head celery (leaves and stalks), chopped
1 tbsp raisins
salt and pepper
1 tbsp pine kernels (optional)

Cut the aubergine into 3cm chunks, soak in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain. This will stop the aubergine from absorbing too much oil.

Fry the onion in the olive oil in a large pan for a few minutes to soften. Put the aubergine chunks into the pan and fry until soft and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, diluted tomato purée, sugar, capers, olives, vinegar, celery leaves and stalks, raisins and some salt and pepper, and stew slowly until everything is melted together, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the pine kernels, if desired, and serve either cold or warm as a side dish, or by itself with bread.

• Antonio Carluccio's Simple Cooking (Quadrille, £20)

Angela Hartnett's mushroom ragu

This is a very versatile vegetarian dish that freezes well. You could serve it with pasta or polenta, or as the filling for a bomba di riso. Buy the whitest porcini you can find – the brown ones can sometimes be too strong-tasting.

Serves 3-4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
25g butter
100g dried mushrooms (eg porcini), covered in hot water and soaked for 20 minutes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp tomato purée
50ml white wine

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and herbs and cook for 4-5 minutes, until soft, but without colouring.

Drain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking water. If the mushrooms are large, gently break them up. Add the butter and mushrooms to the pan, season well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato purée and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the wine and allow to bubble and reduce completely. Strain the mushroom liquor and add it to the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes, until the mixture has a thick, rich consistency. Remove the herb sprigs before serving.

• Angela Hartnett's Cucina (Ebury Press, £25)

Skye Gyngell's chickpea, spinach and sweet potato on toast

Serves 4

200g cooked chickpeas
juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 bunch mint, leaves only, finely chopped
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped, seeds removed
sea salt
70ml extra virgin olive oil
100g small-leaf spinach
1 sweet potato
4 chunks peasant-style bread
2 tbsp olive oil
a good pinch of salt
1 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
basil oil
grilled tomato (optional garnish)

Place the cooked chickpeas in a bowl and squeeze over the lemon juice. Add the garlic, mint, parsley and chilli. Season generously with sea salt and pour over the olive oil. Toss together really well with your fingers and set aside.

Wash the spinach well and wilt over a gentle heat. Once it is wilted, remove from the heat immediately and drain. When it is cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess water, dress with the olive oil, and season with a little salt and black pepper. Now toss the chickpeas, spinach and sweet potato together. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Grill 4 bits of chunky, peasant-style bread until golden brown. Pile on the chickpea, spinach and sweet potato mixture then drizzle with a little basil oil. A grilled tomato also works well as an optional garnish. Serve at room temperature.

• Skye Gyngell is head chef of Petersham Nurseries Cafe (petershamnurseries.com)

Atul Kochhar's red chard with coriander and peanuts (China bodam diye lal saag)

There is variety of red spinach available in Calcutta's vegetable markets. In the west red chard is an equivalent substitute and works very well on this recipe.

Serves 4

2 tbsp mustard oil
1½ tsp coriander seeds, lightly toasted and crushed
1 dried red chilli, lightly toasted and crushed
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 medium onion, finely sliced
3 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
800g red chard leaves, stalks removed and chopped
2 tbsp unsalted peanuts, toasted and crushed
1 tsp salt

Heat the mustard oil in a wok, add the crushed coriander seeds and red chilli, sauté and add the chopped garlic, sautéeing to golden brown in colour. Add the sliced onion and tomatoes, stir, and add the turmeric powder. Cook on a slow fire until the onions turn soft. Add the chopped chard leaves and salt and cook on a slow fire until all the moisture evaporates. Add the crushed peanuts, stir and remove. Serve hot.

• Atul Kochhar is chef patron of Benares (benaresrestaurant.com)

Stevie Parle's avial with chapati

Serves 2-3

For the avial:

750g seasonal vegetables - carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, green beans and Keralan vegetable drumstick if you can find it
1 garlic clove, green removed
1 pinch cumin
2cm root ginger, chopped
20 fresh curry leaves
100g grated coconut
200g plain yoghurt
1 pinch chilli powder
1 pinch turmeric
3cm piece of sour mango chopped, or a squeeze of lime
3 green chillies, slit in half

For 6 chapati:

500g chapati flour, more to dust
a few tbsp flavourless oil

To make the chapati, put most of the flour on a work surface. Add salt, a little oil and water to make a loose almost sticky dough. Knead for 2-3 minutes until soft and silky, adding more flour or water if needed. Form it into little golf balls, wrap in cling film and rest for about half an hour. Roll out thinly on to a well-floured surface into 18cm rounds.

Place a couple of dry frying pans over high heat and throw a chapati into each, cooking until it looks dry and not doughy, then flick them straight on to the gas below for a few seconds. They will puff up. If you don't have a gas hob, flip them over and cook the other side in the pan.

To make the avial, cut the vegetables into pieces of a similar size, perhaps that of a small floret of cauliflower. If you managed to get the drumstick, scrape the outside to remove some of the dark green and cut into lengths about 10cm long.

Crush the garlic with cumin and a little salt. Add the ginger and the curry leaves and continue to crush until you have a roughish paste, then add the coconut and then the yoghurt.

Layer vegetables in a saucepan, starting with a potato – if using – and ending with the type that takes the least time to cook. Add about a cup of water, salt for the vegetables, the chilli powder and turmeric. Cover and cook until the potato is soft. If there is any liquid left, remove the lid and continue to cook until almost dry.

Add the coconut mixture, sour mango or lime and slit chillies and mix. Don't worry if the vegetables break up. Taste for salt. Let the avial sit for a while before you eat it and don't worry too much about the temperature of the dish, it's nice just warmish.

• Stevie Parle's Real Food From Near and Far (Quadrille, £14.99)