Hugh Fearnley-whittingstall’s (part 4) – Spring vegetable stew, Lentil, beetroot and onion salad, Fig, roasted beetroot and goats’ cheese salad

Spring vegetable stew

Packed with gorgeous fresh veg – almost your 5
a day in one pot

Preparation
time: 15 minutes

Cooking
time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Easy/prepare
ahead

Spring vegetable stew

1tbsp olive
oil

4 shallots
or 1 medium onion, peeled and finely sliced

1 garlic
clove, peeled and crushed

100ml (4fl
oz) dry white wine

850ml (1_1/2pt)
hot vegetable stock

400g (14oz)
Jersey Royals or other new potatoes, cut into wedges around 500g (1lb 2oz)
mixed vegetables, including Chantenay or baby carrots, halved if large

Small head
of fennel, thinly sliced

4-6 baby
leeks, sliced in half lengthways handful frozen peas

1tbsp
coarse-grain mustard

1tsp Dijon
mustard

Handful of
fresh herbs, such as chives, tarragon and parsley (or you can just use all
parsley), plus extra to decorate

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the shallots or onion
   for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for another couple of minutes, then
   pour in the wine and allow it to bubble until reduced by half.
2. Pour in the stock and bring it to a simmer. Add the potatoes, then
   after 5 minutes, add the mixed veg and cook for a further 5 minutes. Throw
   in the fennel and leeks – keep the pan half covered with a lid and cook
   for another 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the peas and cook for about a minute or so, then add the
   mustards and the herbs. Serve in bowls topped with a bundle of extra
   herbs.

Per
serving: 200 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated), 29g carbohydrate

Lentil, beetroot and onion salad

Selenium, found in lentils, is essential for
helping to maintain healthy eyesight.

Preparation
tiivie: 15 minutes

Cooking
time: 40 minutes

Serves 2

Easy/prepare
ahead

Lentil, beetroot and
onion salad

2 red
onions, cut into wedges

500g (1lb
2oz) beetroot, washed and cut into wedges

1tsp ground
cumin

1tsp ground
coriander

4 garlic
cloves, bashed with the back of a knife

2tbsp
rapeseed oil

250g (9oz)
ready-cooked beluga lentils (we used Merchant Gourmet)

1tbsp
balsamic vinegar

Handful
parsley, chopped

100g (4fl
oz) crème fraîche or ricotta

1. Heat the oven to 200 C, 180 C fan, 400 F, gas 6. Toss the onions
   with the beetroot, ground cumin and coriander, garlic cloves and rapeseed
   oil. Place in a roasting tin and roast for 35 to 40 minutes.
2. Stir in the lentils and warm through in the oven for a few minutes.
   Stir in 1tbsp balsamic vinegar and most of the chopped parsley, and check
   the seasoning. Mash the garlic into the lentils, if you like a strong
   flavor – or remove, if you don’t. Serve in bowls with a big dollop of
   crème fraîche or ricotta, and scatter over the remaining roughly chopped
   parsley.

Per
serving: 554 calories, 32g fat (15g saturated), 51g carbohydrate

Fig, roasted beetroot and goats’ cheese salad

Juicy fresh figs are rich in antioxidants,
which may help prevent heart disease.

Preparation
time: 15 minutes

Cooking
time: 20 minutes

Serves 4 as
a starter, 2 as a main

Easy/prepare
ahead

Fig, roasted beetroot
and goats’ cheese salad

3tbsp white
wine vinegar

4 medium
beetroot or 6 small ones, washed and tops removed

4 figs

Mixture of
salad leaves (such as baby spinach leaves, mustard greens, watercress, rocket,
herbs)

Juice 2-3
lemons

4tbsp extra
virgin olive oil

200g (7oz)
firm goats’ cheese (from a log)

Balsamic
vinegar glaze

1. Pour the vinegar into a saucepan of   lightly salted
   water and bring to the boil. Add the unpeeled beetroots and simmer until
   they are still firm but can be easily pierced with a sharp knife – around
   15 to 20 minutes (larger ones will take longer).
2. Meanwhile, cut each fig into 6 even wedges and set aside. Wash and
   spin the salad leaves, then season the lemon juice with salt and pepper
   and mix with the oil to make a dressing.
3. When the beetroots are cooked, rinse under cold, running water and
   remove the skins. You can do this by rubbing with your hands (wear rubber
   gloves to avoid pink fingers) or scraping with a small knife. Cut the
   beetroots lengthways into slivers or wedges, drizzle with half the
   dressing and set aside.
4. Arrange the salad leaves on a large platter and scatter over the
   beetroot pieces and figs, then break chunks of goats’ cheese over the top.
   Add a few dashes of balsamic glaze and the remaining dressing and toss
   together.

Per
serving: 618-309 calories, 48-24g fat (21-11g saturated), 22-11g carbohydrate