Stokes Sauces: Vegetarian Winter Warmers - seasonal 'no meat' sensations

Winter vegetables

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/ketchup-and-sauces

This is the time of year when we are so spoilt with the colourful array of fruit and vegetables and their culinary versatility.

Meatless feasting is not an issue, it's a joy. Even the most hardcore carnivores will enjoy trying something different.

Egg-eating vegetarians (lacto-ovo vegetarians) might well enjoy something different for breakfast like this simple yet deliciously healthy omelette.

Marinate a salad of avocado, peppers and tomatoes in olive oil and torn basil leaves with a twist or two of sea salt and squeeze of lime. Just 20 minutes will draw the juices into the oil.

Beat a couple of good shakes of Stokes Brown Sauce into the egg mix before cooking your omelette and fold it around the juicy salad. If you want to turn the salad into a zingy salsa, add Stokes Chilli Jam to the marinade.

No-meat Winter Warmers

Cickpea Bolognese

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4.

Drain, rinse and dry 2 cans of chickpeas and spread them about in a roasting tin with a little oil, grated (vegetarian) cheese, 1 tbsp of fennel seeds and 1 tsp of dried oregano. Shake well to cover the chickpeas then into the oven for 25 minutes.

While that's happening, chop and fry 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 sticks of celery and 2 grated garlic cloves. After about 10 minutes, add 4 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup and 2 cans of chopped tomatoes.

Stir in 1 tbsp of thyme leaves and simmer for 20 minutes to reduce the volume and thicken the sauce. Add the roasted chickpeas and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

You can serve it with pasta, or, because the chickpeas are quite filling, serve on a bed of spiralised squash (readily available in certain supermarkets).

Mushroom Bourguignon

Here's how:

In a large pan soften 4 sliced shallots, 3 carrots roughly chopped into chunks and 2 parsnips (peeled, cored and chopped). Add 2 grated garlic cloves and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 tbsp of chopped thyme leaves and 1 tbsp of dried Italian herb mix.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 tbsp of flour. Coat the vegetables well, then add 250 ml of red wine, 500 ml of vegetable stock, 3 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup and 1 tbsp (or more to taste) of Stokes Brown Sauce.

Back on the heat now to boil vigorously for 5 minutes then reduce and simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on.

While this is simmering, roughly slice about 1 kg of assorted mushrooms - chestnut, button and Portobellos. Fry them in a separate pan with lots of butter until they begin to soften and take colour, then flame them in brandy. Tip the whole lot - mushrooms, juices and liquor into the simmering vegetables. Stir the pot well and simmer for 10 minutes adding a further knob of butter to put a sheen into the sauce.

Serve it with rice, pasta or a jacket potato - baked sweet potatoes work really well with this.

Vegetable Chilli

Here's how:

Prepare, slice, dice and fry your own volumes and combination of: butternut squash, onion, celery, carrot and celeriac.

Slice and add 5 or 6 tomatoes, 2 bell peppers and 1 medium heat chilli.

Add 4 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup, 2 tbsp of Stokes Chilli Jam, 2 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup (more, or less to taste) and 2 tsp of Paprika.

Now pour in 750 ml of vegetable stock, bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer, lid on, for 20 minutes.

Rinse and drain 1 can of kidney beans and 1 of cannelloni beans, add them to the pan, turn up the heat and bubble to reduce the liquid for 10 minutes.

Heat off, cover and let the flavours marry for 10 minutes. Taste, season and add more chilli jam or chipotle ketchup to achieve the balance you prefer. A garnish of avocado and coriander is lovely, but you choose. Serve it with rice or in a bowl with a hunk of bread - it's the perfect winter warmer.

Come inside to the tastes of winter