Nigel Slater’s 20 best Observer recipes: veg dishes

Grilled halloumi seasoned with beetroot

Serves 4 for a light lunch. sesame-seed bread and beetroot, eight small balls, none bigger than tennis balls

Halloumi Cheese 250g

chop chives in a tbsp, or more

For dressing

Lemon 1 1/2

balsamic vinegar 1 tsp

olive oil2 Tbsp

walnut oil 2 Tbsp

coriander seeds 1 tsp

Warm sesame toast to serve

Bake at 200C/gas mark 6. Remove the beetroot from any leaves, careful not to tear or cut the skin. Rinse the beets under running water, and then place the beets in a baking pan or dish. Add salt and black pepper, then seal the tin with foil. The baking time is 45 minutes until you can insert a metal skewer using slight pressure. Set aside and remove.

For the dressing, squeeze the juice of a lemon into small bowls. Add one teaspoon of salt, and mix until it dissolves. Add the balsamic vinegar and then the walnut and olive oils beating them while you go. Add a pinch of black pepper.

Roast the coriander seeds in a dry pan for 3 to 4 minutes until they are fragrant. Then, crush them lightly with the mortar and pestle or using a large spoon, after which you can mix them into the dressing and put them aside.

Peel the beets and skin them by rubbing on the skin with your fingers until the skin falls off quickly. Cut the beetroot cooked in thick segments, 6 or 8 per beet. Then add in the dressing. Mix gently and then place on top of a serving dish, leaving a bit of sauce to the side inside the bowl.

Cut the halloumi into thick slices. Grill or fry it, with no oil, until it melts. Place the beetroot slices on the warm cheese and pour over the final few drop of dressing. Sprinkle with chopped chives to serve it with warm sesame bread.

The artichoke, as well as the rosemary tortilla

Another option that is tortilla-friendly is grilling green or red peppers as well as small pieces of Chorizo. Marinated artichokes are typically available in deli counters as loose pieces and in Jars.

Serves as the light primary dish

New potatoes 150g

butter A thin slice

olive oil1 Tbsp

rosemary 2 or 3 stalks

onion 1, medium-sized

Marinated artichokes 350g

Parsley leaves made from three or four stems

eggs 6

Slice the potato into large coins. Heat the oil and butter in a pan for frying, add the cut potatoes, and cook over an extremely low or moderate simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and nicely colored. Watch them, tossing them around at intervals to ensure they’re evenly colored.

Take the rosemary needles off their stalks, cut into pieces, and add them to the potatoes. Slice the onions and cut them into fine rings before adding them to the softening potatoes. Let the mix simmer for about around 10 minutes.

The artichokes should be rinsed, cut in half, and added to the potatoes and onions that have been cooked. Season generously. The parsley leaves are removed from their stems. Cut them into pieces and add to the onions and artichokes in a warm place. The grill should be heated.

Crack eggs into the bowl and then whisk them with a fork. Pour the mixture into the pan and stir for the egg mixture to be mixed in with all the ingredients cooked, then allow to cook for about 10 minutes or so, until the egg is set in a small amount. The mixture will twitch as you stir it.

Then, place the pan under the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tortilla is lightly browned and golden. Allow the tortilla to rest for a couple of minutes for it to settle, then cover it with a lid, if you want, then swish it from the edges with the help of a palette knife. Slide it onto a hot plate or chopping table. Cut into six pieces and serve.

Chive and cheese puddings

A tender, soft sweet pudding that can be made into it can be a souffle without flour If you’d like it and has a crispy top and a smooth and almost liquid center. I want to use a small dish to cook them in. However, it is also possible to use a soup plate as well.

A fresh salad creates an easy yet delicious meal for two. I recommend using an old farmhouse cheese for this. If you opt for plastic-wrapped “supermarket” cheese, then your pudding will not have any prestige.

Serves 2

butter a bit

Parmesan 70g freshly grated

maturing farm Caerphilly 200g

eggs three large

Chives 12

Double cream 4 Tbsp

Place the oven in the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.

Lightly butter two small or soup dishes, then sprinkle them with grated Parmesan.

Take the rind off the Caerphilly, place the cheese into an ice-filled bowl, and then mash it using the help of a fork. Separate the eggs, put the whites in an egg bowl, and then the yolks into the Caerphilly. Mash the eggs and cheese together. Sprinkle with black pepper. Then finely chop the chives. Mix them into the mix, and finally, include two creams.

Mix the whites of the eggs until they are stiff and fluffy. Then gently fold them into the egg yolk and cheese mixture using a spoon made from metal. Make sure to mix well without squeezing the air out. Incorporate all but two tablespoons of grated Parmesan.

Divide the mix quickly and evenly between two soup plates. Sprinkle on two tablespoons of Parmesan, place the dishes on baking sheets, and bake for 12-16 mins until they’re puffy and golden, the surface slightly crisp, and the interior smooth.

I test it by placing an uncooked spoon into the middle of the pudding. If I see any signs of liquid, I put it back in the oven to bake for a few more minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and consume immediately.

Red aubergine curry

A steaming brown or white rice bowl is the perfect companion to this smoky, aromatic small curry.

Serves 4

To make the spice paste

lemongrass three stalks

lime leaves, six dried or fresh

garlic two cloves peeled, sliced

coriander leaves 40g

tomatoes three small to medium

Red chilies 2 Small hot

ginger 3cm lump

Aubergines three medium-sized or twelve baby-sized

olive oil

coconut milk, two cans of 400ml each

nam pla (Thai fish sauce) 2 tsp

Sesame oil 1 tsp

light soy sauce 1 tbsp

Lime juice to taste

Create the spice paste by trimming the lemongrass and discarding the end of the root as well as any fewer tender leaves that are not tender. Place them into a food processor with the leaves from the lime plant, the peeled garlic, 25g coriander, chilies, and tomatoes. Seeded if you want chilies in an excellent curry.

Peel and chop the ginger, then add in the lemon grass. Blend until a smooth paste, scraping it down with an abrasive spatula.

Cut the aubergines into halves lengthwise, and cut them into thin pieces. Sprinkle a thin layer of olive oil in an oven-proof casserole. Add the aubergines and cook so they are pale gold.

Incorporate the spice paste, and allow it to simmer on a moderate flame for a few minutes until it becomes quite a bit in color. Add the coconut milk, nam pla, sesame oil, and lighter soy sauce. Stir and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

For serving, sprinkle over the leaves left over from the coriander. Adjust the spice by adding salt and a splash of lime juice.