Ideas:- what to cook with lots of veg?

pickledonionspaceraider

Hi there,
Just looking for some inspiration please! Got lots of veg not sure what to do with, brocolli, carrots, brussels, mushrooms, not realy sure what to do with. my only idea is to make it into some sort of vegetable stew..(as my son is a vegetarian, we are a single parent household, and im happy to eat veggie) any ideas would be most helpful.

whenever i have tried to turn vegetables into a vegetable only stew, it really seems that the meat is missed as the stock doesnt have the same flavour so my attempts in the past havent been that great

many thanks

MarsdenCuckoo

Don't have any recipes, sorry, but what about vegetable curry and or a hearty veg soup (with crusty bread)? Vegetable lasagne and/or canneloni, topped with tomatoes and cheese, or veggy pizzas even?

If you find whatever vegetables you're using are a little bland then add a sprinkling of dried/crushed chillies. Black pepper is great but crushed chillies are much better. Try adding them to mayo and/or salad cream too for a dressing with a 'kick'. Yummeeee

nopot2pin

I add a wee bit (only a quarter teaspoon at a time) of marmite to help give veggie mince or stews a bit of flavour.
But thats the key, a little bit at a time, until you get the flavour you want. Too much can make it too marmitey.
Sometimes even onion gravy granules can help along the flavour.

Finefoot

I usually brown onions, celery, that sort of stuff in a bitof butter or olive oil, gives it some color and a bit richer flavour.

sandy2_2

Blend boiled potatoes with peppers then stir into stew to thicken, or do the same with browned onions
Sandy

greenbee

I use marigold vegetable bouillion to make up vegetable stock for this kind of thing.

If you don't want to do this, or go down the marmite route, make sure that you add plenty of herbs (black peppercorns, thyme, bayleaves) to the stew. A few pulses is also great for varying the texture as well. There are plenty of delicious vegetable stews, tagines, chillies, curries etc. around, so there should be no need for them to be bland. I've just made two delicious veggie soups, one with brown lentils, and the other with cannellini beans. I used mushroom stock for one (from soaking dried mushrooms) and herbs and water for the other, and there is no issue with the depth of flavour. Just make sure you don't add more liquid that you need, as this will make the vegetables watery.

ALIBOBSY

Definately pulses help, they both up the protein content and thicken stews/soups.
I love lentils as they are so easy just to bung in with the liquid to cook down, but dried beans ( many types out there) are great too, just take more prep (unless you use tinned of course).

Potatos if cooked for a long time will also break up and thicken things as well. I also like tinned toms for both flavour and a bit of sauciness lol.
Soups are fab and if you blend the m up that again has a thickening effect. Sister does a lovely veggie chilli, but that includes quorn I think.

Btw remember brasicas tend to go more bitter when cooked for a long time so I tend not to do soups with brocolli or sprouts unless you either add them at the end or they are having a strong flavour with them EG brocolli and stilton. I love sprouts just steamed for a short while and tossed in butter mmmmmm-could eat them on their own yum yum
ali x

pickledonionspaceraider

thanks guys! ive never thought of adding a tin of tomatoes or marmite! sounds fab i will try a stew/soup type creation tonight - many thanks x

pickledonionspaceraider

and browning the onions before hand, that sounds a brill idea to add more flavour! genius

waddy80

Also try adding a bit of chilli powder to the tomatoes. It will just perk it up.

ubamother

cook the veg however they need cooking, make a savoury white/cheese sauce, pour over, grate cheese and/or breadcrumbs over the top, sprinkle with a little oil and bake until golden and bubbly. My family would eat cardboard if I cooked it like this!! You can make portions up to the breadcrumbs bit and freeze.