Ingredient: Vegetables

Join Romy Gill in creating these deliciously stuffed courgettes, filled with lamb mince and a bundle of spices to give a burst of flavour to the dish.

Courgettes can have a slightly sweet flavour when roasted in the oven. When they are stuffed with the gorgeous, succulent filling of lamb mince it causes the ordinary courgette to become much versatile when cooking. You can find over lamb dishes including our Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder!

  1. Cut the courgettes in half and then scoop the flesh out. Mash the flesh in a bowl, mixing in the lamb mince; garlic, banana shallot, ground black pepper, paprika, turmeric, ground coriander, 1tsp Maldon Salt, tomato purée and chopped mint.
  2. Heat 3tsp of olive oil in a pan and add the mixture. Cook the mixture for 6-7 minutes on high heat.
  3. Once the mixture is half cooked, keep aside to cool down.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180C.
  5. While the oven is getting hot, fill the courgettes with the mixture. Sprinkle over the top of the filled courgettes with Maldon Salt and add the panko bread crumbs for a crispy crunch.
  6. Cook until golden brown for around 10 minutes.
  7. Enjoy with flat breads and a leafy salad on the side.

Griddling leeks is a wonderful way to enhance the sweet flavours by adding a smoky, charred element. This pairs perfectly with a Romesco – which is a sauce originating from Catalonian Spain made from red peppers, almonds and zingy garlic, vinegar, and chilli. Labneh is simply strained, salted yoghurt – wonderfully simple to make but adds creaminess and sourness to this plate. Topped with a nutty savoury granola using homemade Dukkah, which adds crunch and toasted saltiness. 

  1. Make the labneh a day ahead. Mix the yoghurt and salt in a bowl and then place in some muslin tied with string. Squeeze out any excess liquid and then place in the fridge in a sieve over a bowl overnight. The bowl will catch the drained excess liquid – the longer you leave it, the thicker your labneh will be.
  2. Make the Romesco sauce – toast the almonds in a dry pan until golden, set aside to cool. Add some roasted red peppers from a jar to a food processor along with the toasted almonds, Maldon Salt, garlic, sherry vinegar, parsley and paprika and blitz to a paste. Drizzle in the olive oil, add plenty of seasoning and blitz again. Set aside.
  3. Make the dukkah savoury granola – Place some hazelnuts, pistachios and sunflower seeds on a tray and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. When they are golden brown remove from the oven.  
  4. Take a frying pan and toast your spices and Maldon Salt – cumin, coriander and fennel seeds. Once they are fragrant and beginning to pop, remove from the pan and crush in a pestle and mortar. Toast the sesame seeds in the pan and then add these to the crushed spices in a bowl. Roughly chop the hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and pistachios and add them to the bowl along with some salt and smoked paprika. Set aside to cool.
  5. Heat a griddle pan on high. Slice the leeks in half and brush with oil. Griddle them for 5 minutes on each side until they have char lines and are soft and tender.
  6. On a large platter, spread the labneh on the bottom. Pile up the griddled leeks on top. Spoon over some of the romesco sauce and then drizzle with oil. Sprinkle across your savoury dukkah mix, some final parsley leaves and serve.

Aubergine lends itself brilliantly here as it is such a meaty vegetable that works perfectly with Asian flavours. Sandwiched between fluffy homemade bao buns and topped with pickled smashed cucumber, salty peanuts, and lots of coriander – these are so good, and you really won’t miss the meat.

  1. Start by making your bao buns – in a large bowl, mix together the flour, caster sugar and Maldon Salt. In a small bowl or jug mix together 1 tbsp of warm water with the yeast and a pinch of sugar and then make a well in the flour and add the yeast mixture along with the milk, oil, rice vinegar and water. Mix to make a dough.
  2. In a kitchen aid, knead the dough with the dough hook for 5 minutes until smooth and springy. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm, leaving it to prove until doubled in size.
  3. Place the dough back into the kitchen aid and add the baking powder, kneading again for 5 minutes. Make into 18 balls of dough, rolling them in your hands and then placing onto a lightly oiled tray.
  4. Roll them out with a rolling pin into an oval shape (makes roughly 18) and then use some oil and a chopstick to fold them into little envelopes. Place each one onto some baking parchment and leave to prove again until they double in size.
  5. Once risen. Heat a steamer with some water at the bottom. Steam the buns on their sheets of parchment until puffed up and fluffy.
  6. Before you steam the buns, make the aubergine filling. Mix together the miso, rice vinegar, agave and mirin in a small bowl. Cut the aubergine into chunks and toss well in the miso glaze. Place into the preheated oven and roast until soft, charred and sticky.
  7. To make the pickled cucumber, cut the cucumber in half and then skin side up, bash the cucumber with the back of your knife so it breaks up on the board. Then roughly chop it into small pieces. Place in a bowl along with the garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, chilli oil, sugar, and sesame oil. Toss well so it is all coated and leave to infuse.
  8. Serve the bao buns filled with the sticky aubergine, some of the smashed cucumbers, sliced radishes, chopped salted and roasted peanuts, sesame seed shichimi and coriander.

Of course we had to take part in the infamous TikTok trend of Baked Feta…The tangy, rich flavour of feta is perfect for a late summer treat with guests. Pairing up with Odysea, we used their delicious Flamed Roasted Red Peppers, giving a gentle sweetness as we slow bake the feta cheese. Don’t forget to add the Pomegranate Molasses either, as this will give the recipe the perfect sweet-and-sour tones to the savoury dish, almost acting like a balsamic.

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
  2. In a large baking tray place the block of feta in the middle. Then arrange the cherry tomatoes, shallot halves and sliced red peppers around the feta.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic and herbs and then drizzle over the whole dish. Bake in the oven for 35 – 40 minutes until the feta is golden and the vegetable has softened. Remove from the oven and drizzle with pomegranate molasses and scatter with the pomegranate seeds and fresh oregano leaves. Add a pinch of Maldon Salt and serve with toasted sourdough bread.

Sweetcorn is sweet and nutty and one of my favourite vegetables. You can’t go wrong with a buttery corn on the cob in the summer but here I’m combining them with courgette and feta, to make the most delicious and moreish fritters. Topped with a crispy egg and a fragrant zhoug butter they make a seriously nice brunch.

  1. Start by making the fritters – grate the courgette and then squeeze out any excess liquid in a tea towel, pop these into a large bowl. Add the sweetcorn, crumbled feta, chopped coriander, 1 beaten egg, self-raising flour and cumin seeds. Mix well to form a batter and season well.
  2. Heat some oil in a pan and spoon in the fritter mix to make patties. Fry them for 3 minutes on each side until golden. Remove and place on a plate in the oven to keep warm.
  3. To make the zhoug butter place chopped coriander, parsley, garlic and green chilli into a food processor. Add some cumin, a good pinch of Maldon Salt, lemon juice and olive oil and blitz until it forms a paste. Next add the softened butter and plenty of seasoning and blitz again. Set aside.
  4. In a small frying pan heat some oil and fry off the eggs, you want the oil to be nice and hot so the edges of the egg go nice and crispy. Once the egg is nearly cooked, add some of the zhoug butter to the pan and baste the egg in it.
  5. Plate up – serve 2 or 3 fritters piled up on a plate with a crispy fried egg and drizzle over the zhoug butter from the frying pan. Sprinkle over some coriander leaves and serve.

Buttery chilli roasted nuts dressed broccoli…I mean, it sounds as good as it tastes! The crunchy almonds and well-cooked broccoli are a perfect match. It’s great to put down on the table as part of a meal, or equally served as a main. I like to eat this with plain boiled brown rice, not very heavily seasoned, as all the flavour and punch come from the buttered almonds. It is also really quick to bring together if you are pressed for time.

  1. Trim about 2-3cm off the tough woody end of the stalks and quarter the broccoli heads through the stalks. Heat the oil in a large frying or sauté pan with a lid. Or use a baking tray to cover. Place the broccoli, cut-side down, in the pan and sprinkle in a good pinch of Maldon Salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes over a medium-high heat. Alternatively, roast the broccoli in the oven. Place on a baking tray and roast for 10-15 minutes at 220C.
  2. When the broccoli has started to brown, turn on the other cut side and cook, covered, for a further 5 minutes or so.
  3. Turn on the final floret side and cook, covered, for a further 5 minutes. A knife should easily pierce the stalks at this stage. If not keep cooking, rotating the sides until done. Remove the broccoli and set aside. 
  4. Wipe any excess oil from the pan with kitchen paper. Melt the butter in the pan until foaming. Add the almonds and cook, continuously stirring, over a medium heat for 5 minutes until golden. Add the parsley and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add a good sprinkle of Maldon Salt.
  5. You can cut each broccoli segment into three or four smaller chunks, or leave as they are. Place in a bowl and spoon over most of the almond mix. Toss to coat well. Place on a platter and finish with the remaining buttery almond mix. 

Cauliflower is a wonderfully versatile vegetable, which often gets overlooked in my opinion. It has a delicate earthiness to it which marries really well with fragrant spices. These koftas are packed full of flavour, and when piled up in a soft flatbread with the creamy herbed yoghurt, pickled red cabbage salad, zesty pomegranate and mint it’s a pretty exciting mouthful.

  1. Start by making your koftas – preheat the oven and then whack in the cauliflower florets drizzled with oil to roast. Once they are roasted, allow them to cool slightly before adding them to the food processor along with chickpeas, halloumi, parsley, coriander, cumin, paprika and cinnamon and a generous pinch of Maldon Salt. Season them well. Blitz until they form a rough paste.
  2. Shape the kofta mix into small balls and place onto a tray or plate in the fridge to firm up until you are ready to fry them.  
  3. To pickle the red cabbage – finely shred the cabbage and place in a large bowl. In small pan add the water, Maldon Salt, sugar, spices, vinegar and lime juice. Gently heat the pickle brine until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour this over the cabbage and then set aside. You can do this a day ahead and leave covered in the fridge. 
  4. Mix up the herbed yoghurt – yoghurt, mint, dill and Maldon salt. Set aside.
  5. Make the flatbreads – mix the self-raising flour, baking powder, yoghurt, 1 tsp salt and the nigella seeds to make a rough dough. Gently knead it to make it smooth. Break off small pieces and roll them on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin. Heat a frying pan or griddle pan and fry off the flatbreads on each side until slightly charred in spots and cooked through. Brush them with oil and then wrap them in foil and keep warm in the oven while you make the rest.
  6. Heat 2cm high of vegetable oil in a high sided sauté pan. When the oil is hot, fry off the koftas until they are golden brown on all sides. Remove from the hot onto a try lined with kitchen roll to soak up any excess oil.
  7. Serve up! Take a warm flatbread and spread with the herbed yoghurt. Pile on some pickled red cabbage and then the koftas on top. Finish with some mint leaves, pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.

Whether you use a pestle and mortar in this recipe or a hand blender – Maldon Salt flakes will help grind down the herbs and butter into a beautiful paste. This is a big ratio of herbs to butter and that’s how I love it. You can add the garlic or leave it out, as chives give a nice hit of allium. If you can’t grind sorrel, add watercress or spinach and a gentle spritz of lemon. This is good with grilled chicken and also with simple barbecued vegetables.

  1. Put the potatoes into cold water and add a half of the Maldon Salt. Boil for 10-15 minutes or until a knife can easily go through.
  2. Meanwhile pound or blitz the herbs, butter, garlic (if using) and the remaining Maldon Salt. You will have this amazing emerald l-green buttery herb paste.
  3. Drain the potatoes and dress in the buttery herbs while still hot. Serve immediately.

Dredging clumps of crispy green beans through chilli sauce spiced mayonnaise is rather a wonderful way to eat. This pairs well with a cold beer and friends. I like to pile the lightly coated green beans to encourage a bit of clumping. But do still cook in manageable batches. Draining each in-between piling on to a plate. Then you can tear away sections that way you eat form a perfect dredging apparatus.

In terms of adding chilli to the mayonnaise, play with your favourite sauce options. Go with a hot sauce for a more vinegar led kick. For a spicy funk, try XO sauce or chilli rayu.

  1. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until fluffy with soft peaks. Whisk in the flour and sparkling water.
  2. Heat the oil in a wide, deep pan until about 180C or when a little bit of batter fries well in contact with the oil.
  3. Meanwhile mix together the chilli sauce and the mayonnaise.
  4. Dredge the beans through the batter, allowing any excess to fall off. Gently lay the batter-covered beans in the pan, crisscrossing the beans to form tangled masses. Fry in batches for 3 minutes, turning once to cook evenly. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat until the beans are cooked. Add a generous pinch of Maldon Salt to each batch you make.
  5. Arrange on a platter with the chilli mayonnaise in a deep dipping bowl. Take great pleasure in dredging chunks of green beans through the chilli mayonnaise.

This is the perfect time for asparagus, and we grow some of the best here in the UK. This creamy orzo dish is a sort of hybrid between a risotto and a pasta – perfectly indulgent yet fresh with the spring vegetables and lemon zest. ‘Pangrattato’ literally translates as ‘poor man’s parmesan’ in Italian, and these fried, crunchy breadcrumbs are used in the place of parmesan across an array of Italian dishes.

  1. Start by heating up a big glug of olive oil in your pan and then add the shallot and fry until soft and translucent. Then add the garlic and fry for another couple of minutes.
  2. Next add your orzo and fry in the shallot and garlic for a couple of minutes before adding a glass of nice white wine. Let the alcohol bubble off and liquid evaporate before adding the stock. Let the orzo gently cook in the stock.
  3. While the orzo is cooking you can make the pangratatto – blitz some stale sourdough in the food processor to make breadcrumbs. Then heat some oil in a pan and add the breadcrumbs, garlic, and chilli flakes. Fry gently until the breadcrumbs go golden and toasted. Then take off the heat and add the lemon zest.
  4. Once your orzo is nearly cooked you can add your vegetables – chopped asparagus, peas and the finely chopped pistachios. Let these cook for 2- 3 minutes until just tender. If the orzo is looking a little dry then add a splash more water.
  5. Take the orzo off the heat and stir through the mascarpone, a knob of butter and the grated pecorino. Add a generous pinch of Maldon Salt and cracked black pepper to finish.
  6. Spoon the orzo into bowls and scatter over the pangratatto.