Nature London Recipes

Presented by Hugh Casbourn CBC 2009
Ingredients:
1 onion (coarsely chopped)
2 ribs of celery (coarsely chopped)
3 cloves of garlic (coarsely chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil (or olive oil and butter)
¼ c white wine, sherry, or marsala (optional)
2 cans white navy beans or kidney beans (19oz size)
300 g spinach (frozen)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp vegetable or chicken broth powder
sea salt to taste

Your choice of herbs with respect to kind and quantity, fresh or dried:
Provence – chervil, lovage, lavender buds, thyme, parsley, dill, pepper
Mediterranean – basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, pepper
Indian – cumin, fenugreek, cinnamon, basil, kalonji

Preparation:
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil and cook the onion until translucent or less if stronger onion flavour preferred.
2. Add the celery and wine (may substitute water)
3. Rinse the beans and add to pot.
4. Add the garlic.
5. Add the spinach and balsamic vinegar
6. Add the seasonings (fresh or delicate herbs should be added at the end of cooking)
7. Heat through, and then simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve with rice or polenta and a salad. This dish reheats well.

Inspired by “Beans with Garlic and Herbs” from “The Herb Book” by Arabella Boxer and Philipa Back.

Presented by Hugh Casbourn CBC 2008

Roasted vegetables:
0.5 to 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 or 2 yams sliced into bite size pieces
1 eggplant – cut into bit size pieces
½ to 1 cup nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts or mixture of same)
oil
Turmeric
Cinnamon
Cumin
Lemon juice

Citrus – Tahini sauce:
¼ to 1/3 cup of sesame seeds
1 to 2 tbsp of sesame seed oil
1 tbsp oil (olive or canola)
2 cloves of garlic (minced or crushed)
1 to 2 tbsp Lemon or lime juice
1 tsp molasses
1 tbsp soy sauce
Dried coconut (optional)
3 to 6 tbsp water

Polenta:
1 cup corn meal
3 cups of water
Salt
Garlic or other seasoning if desired

Garnish:
Romaine lettuce
Cucumber (finely diced)
Fresh herb (parsley, basil, or whatever is available)
Roasted sesame seeds

Directions:
First off – toast the sesame seeds, reserve some for garnish if desired.
Grind in a mortar and pestle or food processor
Mix in sesame seed oil to yield something approaching a peanut butter consistency

Then toast the other nuts if you are including them, set aside until the end.

Cut the cauliflower into florets and place in a bowl.
Pour over some oil and lemon juice
Dust with turmeric, ground cinnamon, and ground cumin as desired.
Mix the cauliflower and let marinade

Cut the yam and microwave until they are soft to touch but remember they will have another 20 minutes of roasting ahead.
Let cool a bit and then mix with cauliflower

Prepare the tahini sauce by heating the oil and cooking the garlic just a bit to take the edge off of it.
Add the ground tahini prepared earlier
Add the other ingredients except coconut. (Note – for a lighter appearance, substitute a bit of salt for the molasses and soy sauce.)
Heat for 1 or 2 minutes
Let cool and then add coconut if desired.
Start the polenta water heating and bring the oven to about 400F
Cut the eggplant and then mix with the cauliflower and yam.
Spread the vegetables out on a cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes, flipping them once or twice during roasting.
When the water for the polenta boils, add the corn meal, stirring constantly until all corn meal is added. ( you may have to remove it from the heat source).
Add the garlic or other seasoning you would like.
Stir until there are no lumps, remove from heat.
When the vegetables are done, return to marinade bowl and add the toasted nuts, a little almond or olive oil, and some salt and stir.

Serving:
On each plate, put some polenta in the centre.
Circle the polenta with romaine lettuce ripped into bite-size pieces.
Put roasted vegetables atop the polenta.
Dress with the tahini sauce
Garnish with the cucumber and/or fresh herbs and/or toasted sesame seeds.

Presented by Anita Caveney, CBC – Dec. 18, 2010

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh is best)
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 level teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
½ cup rolled oats
½ to ⅔ cup milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, washed and well drained (about 1 pint)
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cloves, or slightly less

Combine sugar, water, lemon juice and lemon rind in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, cook 3 mins, remove from heat, and set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Cut in the butter with two knives until the mixture resembles very course bread crumbs.  Add the rolled oats and then the milk, ½ cup at first, then a tablespoon more at a time, stirring lightly until a stiff dough is formed.  Gather the dough together, knead lightly, and roll to form a rectangle about 8″ X 14″.
Brush the dough with the melted butter and cover with the blueberries.  Sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons of sugar and the cloves and roll up, like a jelly roll, starting at the 14-inch edge nearest you and tucking in the blueberries as you go.  Seal the edges by moistening the dough with a little water.  Cut into 12 slices, a little over an inch thick, using a floured knife.
Arrange the slices, cut side down, in a buttered 9″ X 13″X 2″ baking dish.  The slices expand and fuse during baking.  Pour the cooled sugar-lemon syrup over all and bake at 400F for 25 to 30 minutes.  Serve warm, wither plain or with whipped cream or ice cream.
(Note: A 7½ X 11¾ X 2″ dish works as well)