Courgette 'risotto'

This is not a risotto for Italian food purists, but one for us that don't eat arborio or any other sort of white rice. This is made with brown basmati - make extra the day before and use it up on this recipe.

Gently fry plenty of grated or finely chopped courgettes in a mixture of olive oil and butter, with a clove or two of garlic. Cook slowly until soft and moist. Stir this into your warm rice and add whatever cheese you like - I tend to use organic mature cheddar, but use whatever you like to cook with. It's nice with a soft goat's cheese too. Add lots of pepper and that's it.
I often like to serve this with tomato sauce - onions, lots of garlic - fried to transparent, then add tinned toms and a dash of red wine, plenty of pepper and cook for at least 20 mins. Thin with more wine if it's too gloopy. Fabulous!

Spiced fennel (and other things)

I'm starting my new year's resolutions early and planning to devote more time to this neglected blog and my cooking in general.
Today's recipe:
2 onions
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
small head of fennel
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
Bit of cabbage

Cook all of these a while in olive oil. add a couple of teaspoons of garam masala and 3 chopped tomatoes. Cook until the tomato starts to break down. Add half a tin of baked beans* and a little water or stock to moisten, depending on your beans. Cover and cook gently for about 20 mins until the veg is cooked but not mushy. Season with black pepper.
I had this with quinoa with a little liquid aminos on it. Very tasty it was too.

* I only eat Whole Earth organic beans. They don't have refined sugar and are much more flavoursome than ordinary baked beans. I eat loads of them!

Followed up with some stewed damsons which had been in the freezer. I just cooked them with a little water and a dollop of concentrated apple juice spread stuff, and then spat out all the stones as I went along!