Scrummy Crumpets with Somerset Goat's Cheese - Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 1 hours + cooling time

Ingredients

400g fresh red rhubarb, roughly chopped

2 cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)

5 tbs white sugar

350g approx fresh beetroot, (about 2 medium / large beetroot). Keep whole.

4 crumpets

200g vegetarian Somerset goat's cheese (2 x 100g packs) each pack cut into 6 slices

35g butter for crumpets (or to taste)

To garnish:

Mint leaves

Method

1. Put the rhubarb, ginger, sugar and garlic (if used) into a processor and process until the mixture is very finely chopped. Turn into a small saucepan and simmer, uncovered, for about an hour until thick, stirring now and again to stop burning on the bottom of the pan. Allow to cool.

2. Scrub the beetroots and cut the stalks down to 2.5cms above the bulb. Either: Boil in plenty of water until soft (about 40-50 minutes depending on size). Drain, cover, and leave to cool (about 1-2 hours) Or: wrap in foil and bake at 200C/400F/Gas mark 6 for about 40-60 minutes until soft, depending on the size of the beetroot. Leave to cool then skin the beetroot and slice thinly.

3. Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6. Toast the crumpets and lightly butter them. Place on a baking tray and divide the sliced beetroot and goat's cheese between them. Place in the oven for about 5-7 minutes until warmed through. Garnish with a mint leaf and serve with the marmalade.

Warm New Potato and Asparagus Salad - Serves 4

Ingredients

700g baby new potatoes (cut in half if more than 4 cms)

25g walnuts, roughly chopped

16-24 asparagus spears (at least 6 spears per person if thin or 4 spears if asparagus is thicker)

80g young spinach leaves

100g soft vegetarian goat's cheese log, sliced

6 large radishes, sliced

Season to taste

Dressing: 50ml olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp runny honey, 2 tsp wholegrain mustard

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to Gas 6/200F/400F. Parboil the potatoes for 15 minutes until slightly tender. Drain and cool for 5 minutes before placing in a roasting pan.

2. Mix the dressing ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper if desired, and pour half over the potatoes, mixing well. Roast for approx 25 minutes until soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. Sprinkle the walnuts on a separate baking tray and dry roast for 3-4 minutes to intensify their flavour. Do not let them burn!

3. Trim the woody ends off the asparagus spears and discard. Steam the asparagus for 5 to 7 minutes (depending on size) until tender. Place in a dish and pour over dressing.

4. To assemble the salad: cover the base of a large, wide salad bowl with spinach leaves; place the potatoes on top followed by the sliced goat's cheese (which will melt slightly), and then by the asparagus. Finally sprinkle with the roasted walnuts and garnish with the radish slices.

Pommes Anna with Eggs and Rocket and Walnut Pesto - Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 - 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Ingredients

1.25kg Jersey Royal new potatoes, peeled

50g wild rocket, washed

35g shelled walnuts

25g flaked almonds

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

100ml sunflower oil

2 tsp white wine vinegar

4 tsp stock powder

3 tsp very finely chopped rosemary

8 free range eggs

Season to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / Gas mark 6. Grease a 20 - 25cm square ovenproof dish.

2. Slice the new potatoes quite thinly. Divide the slices between the dishes in 2 or 3 layers, sprinkling each layer with a pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, using 1 tsp of the rosemary for all the layers. Use 2 tsp of the stock powder to make up some stock with 250ml boiling water. Pour this over the potatoes so that the stock comes about half way up the potatoes.

3. Use a little of the oil to brush the top of the potatoes. Cover tightly with foil and bake in the oven for about 50 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Remove the foil and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes to colour the top slightly.

4. Meanwhile, put the rocket, walnuts, almonds, garlic, oil, vinegar and remaining stock powder and rosemary into a liquidizer and blend until you have a soft paste consistency.

5. When the potatoes are cooked, poach the eggs in a poacher. Serve the eggs on top of each portion of potatoes, with the pesto either spooned on each side of the eggs, or in a separate small bowl for each person.

  • Recipes on this page courtesy of The Vegetarian Society (created by the Cordon Vert cookery school) vegsoc.org