"Minted" Spring Vegetables

Minted is in quotes because Tesco does not sell mint anymore! At least not the one I went to. So I thought I would change it up and make them "vinegar-ed" spring vegetables since I'm starting to like that flavour as well.

From: BBC Good Food 101 Veggie Dishes

Ingredients:

• 25 g/1 oz butter
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 225 g/8 oz baby onions or regular onions (chopped up if regular)
• 200 ml/7 fl oz dry white wine (vinegar if you leave out the mint)
• 2 medium leaks, halved and cut into 5 cm/2 in ribbons
• 350 g/12 oz frozen peas
• 3 heads of baby gem lettuce, quartered lengthways (I thought this was a lot, and it was, so I only used the outside bits)
• 200 ml/7 fl  oz creme fraiche
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh mint
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• bulgar wheat or couscous or rice to serve (I used rice) 

Directions:

1) Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pan until lightly foaming.








2) Add the onions and cook over a low heat for 8 minutes.








3) Add the wine and leeks and bring to a boil.

4) Start cooking the rice, bulgar wheat or couscous now.
5) Simmer the vegetables for 5 minutes until the leeks are tender.
6) Add the peas and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
7) Add the lettuce and simmer for a further 3 minutes.





8) Stir in the creme fraiche, herbs and seasoning and simmer for a further 3 minutes, until everything is warm.

Ricotta Stuffed Crispbreads

From: BBC Good Food 101 Veggie Dishes

Ingredients:

•  2 slices bread, crusts removed
• butter
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 bell pepper (I used red and orange), seeded and chopped
• 2 oz lettuce or cabbage
• 2 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• Dash of  white wine vinegar
• "60 g" ricotta cheese...I just spread it on the bread
• handful of basil

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 200C.
2) Roll out each slice of bread until flattened.
3) Spread with butter.
4) Chop the garlic and add it on top.






5) Bake for 10 minutes until crisp (I only took them out after doing everything else).








6) Heat the oil in a pan.
7) Add the peppers and cook for a few minutes, until lightly charred.
8) Add the lettuce or cabbage and cook for 2-3 minutes.






9)  Remove from heat.
10) Add tomatoes, vinegar, seasoning.
11) Spread the ricotta on the bread.
12) Place some torn basil on top.
13) Place the cooked mixture on top.
14) Top with the other bread and more basil.

Goat's Cheese Salad

From: BBC Good Food 101 Veggie Dishes

Ingredients:

• 1 oval bread roll, cut into 4 (ish) slices, with ends discarded (or to eat with left over cheese)
• 100 g/4 oz soft goat's cheese
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar (I used white wine vinegar because it was around)
• 1/2 tsp wholegrain or Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• handful of mixed salad leaves

Directions:

1) Preheat the grill to high.
2) Cut the cheese into four slices if in a block.
3) Toast the bread slices on both sides.
4) Top with the cheese slices OR spread some of the soft cheese on it.





5) Sprinkle with black pepper and 1 TBSP of the olive oil.
6) Grill for 2-3 minutes.








7) Meanwhile, mix together the 3 TBSP olive oil, lemon juice/white wine vinegar, mustard and garlic.








8) Toss with the salad leaves.
9) Place the cheese toasts on top.

New Potato, Basil & Pine Nut Salad

From: Veggie Feasts
Ingredients:

• 1 kg (2 lb) new potatoes, scrubbed
• 4 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 50 g (2 oz) pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 bunch of basil leaves
• salt and black pepper

Directions:

1) Put the poatoes in a large saucepan of lightly salted water and bring to a boil.
2) Cook for 12-15 minutes until tender.






3) Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.









4) Cut any large potatoes in half.
5) Whisk the oil, vinegar, and a little salt and pepper together in a small bowl.






6) Add half to the potatoes, stir well and leave to cool completly.








7) Add the pine nuts, the remaining dressing and basil.
8) Stir well and serve.